CHAPTER ONE
Mai and Ty Lee sit on the steps of my house, with me in between.
"Excited Azula? Tonight's your Match Banquet!" says Ty Lee. She's always had a ridiculously optimistic view on life. "I can't wait for mine, next month. You have to tell me everything that happens! I really hope you get matched with someone in the Fire Provinces…"she says, and Mai groans.
"That's why I chose not to get matched. If you don't get a Fire Province match, then you're shunned, though no one will admit it." She says in a monotone voice. Even though our Society tries to be as efficient as possible with Matching, it does happen where a citizen from one of the Fire Provinces gets matched with someone in another province. Our parents say that it's fine to be matched like that, but we all know that especially in the Fire Provinces, everyone hopes they're matched with a Fire Province citizen. My older brother, Zuko, got matched with a Southern Water Province girl named Katara. My father highly disapproved of the match at first, but when we met Katara for the first time, my disappointment evaporated, but Father's did not. Maybe he thought that since he has one of the highest held positions in the Fire Provinces, his son would be matched with a Fire Provinces girl, but that didn't happen. Ever since, Father talks to Zuko as little as he can. But what fault does Zuko hold? The Society Matched him; he had no choice. And today, I have no choice as to who will be my Match.
"I'd better go get ready," I say with a sigh. I hope I don't disappoint Father today. Mai and Ty Lee nod. "Goodbye, Azula. We both hope you optimal results." Ty Lee says, making sure to put emphasis on the "both" part so Mai can talk up too. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Have fun." Mai says, walking away as I shake my head in mock disappointment. Ty Lee apologizes for Mai and walks away too.
I walk into my own house, much like all the other houses in the Fire Provinces: red shutters and red roofs making our houses different from the other provinces. I go into my room, and take my Match Banquet dress: the same dress that I would have worn everyday if the Society did not exist. My bloodline used to rule the Fire Nation, back when there were four nations, before Avatar Roku defeated Fire Lord Sozin and established the society. Although he did establish the Society, it has changed in many ways than when he established it, mostly controlling us with data more. I pull on the red dress, and look in the mirror. I would wear this silk dress everyday if the Society was never created. But at what price? I would never have the reassurance of my place in my community, and I could lose the throne at any time, and I could die anywhere, at any time. At least in the Society I will live until my eightieth birthday. I ignore the thoughts of being potentially disapproving of the Society; it's not going to change anything. I hang my golden plainclothes and walk out of my room.
Zuko sits in the foyer, waiting for me. He smiles when he sees me, but shakes his head anyway. "You could look better, you know. Fix your hair or something." I roll my eyes, but go fix my hair into a topknot anyway. When I come back, Zuko is standing in front of the port, talking to the black and white picture of Father. When Father sees me come in the room, he smiles and then logs off before we can say bye. We walk to the train station, and in the train, which is run by metal benders, I see no one else who wears golden plainclothes. Everyone in the Fire Provinces who does not have a permanent vocation wears golden, and when you do get a vocation, you wear red. I see a girl from my Second School named On Ji, and I wave at her. She is wearing the customary red too, though her dress is different than mine. All assigned citizens, on the day of their Match Banquet, wear their Province's main colors. Ours are red and golden.
Since this is our last year of Second School, all of us, even our classmates who already have vocations, will be allowed the opportunity to tour all of the Provinces of the Society. I already signed up, as did On Ji and Ty Lee. Mai went last year, so she won't be able to go this year. I can't wait for the tour. But I have my Match Banquet to worry about today. I smile as I see City Hall come in view, and soon enough, all of today's Matchees and their families are walking up the marble stairs. It's my first time coming inside; no one can come inside until the day of their Match Banquet.
City Hall was once the Royal Palace of the Fire Nation, but now it's City Hall for the Western Fire Province. I walk into the room that was once the throne room, and see that tables have been set up, with Matchees standing in a corner, frightened, as if they've just been chosen to duel an Agni Kai to the death. Only the Officials that are Guards can learn advanced bending. For everyone else, when you turn seventeen you have the choice to take "Everyday Bending" as a summer leisure activity. I've already signed up.
I take a place at the table where I see On Ji and her family sitting. As I sit, On Ji's mom taps me on the shoulder. "How are you Azula? It's been so long!" I smile and say that I am fine, but on the inside, it hurts a little to see On Ji's parents with her. Father was busy in work, and even though he works in City Hall, he won't be allowed to come and see who I get Matched with today. My mother died, twelve years ago….
…..the memory comes back to me so quickly that I completely forget where I am or what I am doing. In my mind, I'm five again, hiding in the living room, listening to a heated argument between my parents. Zuko was sleeping in his room.
"…We can't do it! There was a reason that the Society was established Ozai! It was made so that no one steals power!" my mother yells.
"When I'm Head of the Society, I'll see who thinks that they can order me around! That Head is turning eighty in twelve years, and I'll be ready to take his place when he dies. Then I'll restore the order that used to be. Then you will be punished for supporting the Society." My father replies in a cold voice.
"Ozai! Quiet down; do you know what they'll do to you if you are overheard?" My mother forgets the argument and speaks out of a voice of concern.
"I am Head Trainer of the Gaurds! I know more fire-bending than those lunatics will ever know! They can't lay a finger on me!" he roars.
With that, the argument ended, but Father's punishment came two years after. When I was seven, Mother got very sick, of accidental food poisoning is what the Society called. But no one had ever heard of a thing. She died three days later, while holding Zuko's hand with one of her hands, and mine with the other. The Society promised that they would find out who did it, who the monster was. But Father already knew. He had been talked to by an official, who told him that it was Father's fault that Mother had died. The food poisoning story was to make sure Zuko and I still thought well of our father.
I feel On Ji shaking my shoulder, and I realize that they're calling her name.
"On Ji, of the Western Fire Province, daughter of Iroh and Ikki"
On JI stands, and makes sure she looks her best. The ports don't have color screens, we're not that technologically advanced yet. But at least she can tell what he looks like. A handsome boy's picture flashes on the screen, and On Ji's mother frowns when she sees him. He has a shaved head, a symbol of the Airbenders. Soon enough, her suspicion is confirmed.
"On Ji, you have been Matched with Milo of the Southern Air Province. Congratulations."
At the same time, both On Ji and Milo receive silver boxes, each with a scroll inside, telling On Ji all about Milo. Only half of the box contains a scroll, though. The other scroll will be added when they celebrate their Marriage Contract. Then, after the applause stops, the hostess calls another name.
"Azula, of the Western Fire Province, daughter of Ozai and Ursa, now deceased."
I stand as the whispers around me grow. I walk up to the port screen and make sure to look my best, holding my fidgeting hands low enough so that they are not seen. A boy's picture flashes on the port screen, he is tall and muscular, with dark hair that looks like it has hours to make neat. He also had dark eyes, darker than anyone else's that I have seen. He gives me a sly smile.
"Azula, you have been Matched with Chan Lee of the Eastern Fire Province. Congratulations." I smile has I receive my box and walk back to my seat, blushing as they all applaud for me. I notice that the applause I received is significantly stronger than the one On Ji received, probably since I've been Matched with a Fire Provinces boy. Zuko nudges me in the shoulder when I sit back down, and mutters something that sounds like 'Congrats. You're still Father's favorite.' I sigh, and look at the box holding the scroll in my hands. I want to open it more than anything. But I can't. It would be disrespectful to the Society. It takes all of my patience to watch the other girls get Matched, and by time we eat, I'm famished. When the servers come, they serve exotic dishes from all of the Provinces, not the usual staple foods we get to eat. We are served fancy noodles, meat, fish, dishes, which are Fire Province food. There are some Water, Air, and Earth Province foods too, but since we barely get our own cultural food, we all take the Fire Province dishes. I embarrass myself when noodles get stuck on my chin, and Zuko laughs at me a lot. Eventually though, it's time to go home. As we climb on the train to go back home, I yawn and close my eyes. Before I know it, Zuko is shaking my shoulder and telling me that we are home. I have to remember to take off my dress before I sleep, since Father could be fined if there's anything wrong with it. It's late, and tomorrow, everyone at Second School will want to hear about my Match Banquet. I don't even remember hitting the pillow.