Chapter 1
There was a quick tap on the bedroom door.
Zuko groaned and wished he could throw something at the door, but he knew today was too important-to his father.
"Come in," He answered in a still sleepy voice.
A burly guard as tall as the door and slightly wider opened the door and cleared his throat.
"Your majesty, your father as summoned you. He has asked me to let you know that you should be prepared for today. You will be leaving in a few minutes." The guard bowed his head and looked up to be dismissed.
"Thank you. You may go." Zuko answered in a bored voice, his back turned to the guard.
Zuko had been dreading this day since he was old enough to be told the course of his life. His father had sent a guard to summon him when he was just thirteen years old.
Father, you summoned me?
Yes yes Zuko... Take a seat.
His father had been standing near the window looking out over his kingdom. He had a glass of whiskey in his hand.
Zuko swallowed hard and sat down in one of the red velvet seats that faced his fathers large mahogany desk.
As you know, Zuko, you are now of age to begin your prince training.
By now Zuko's father had begun to pace the room, not having made eye contact with his son, subconsciously swirling his glass of whiskey.
Zuko stared at his lap and twiddled his thumbs, scared of what came with prince training.
Yes, father.
Well, aside from your scheduled fire bending practices, strength training, and education, you will have to partake in the royal family tradition.
May I please know what the royal tradition is?
His hands had started to tremble slightly. And Lord Ozai just sighed heavily.
Since you are the born heir to the thrown -he paused, taking a swig of whiskey after saying 'born' with a bit of disgust- at the age of eighteen you must come with me to acquire a slave. This is a male tradition and must be done.
Lord Ozai looked expectantly at Prince Zuko for the first time since he had walked in. But Zuko was confused as to what his father wanted him to say and became uncomfortable under his fathers intense stare. After what seemed like hours, but were probably seconds, he finally cracked and broke eye contact, blurting out the first thing he could think of.
What kind of slave, father?
Lord Ozai once again sighed in disappointment and walked back towards the window and stared out again, now taking a large gulp of his whiskey and pouring himself some more.
Any slave you prefer. We will visit each housing and you will choose based on your preference. There are many types of slaves but the ones that are of quality for Royal men are house slaves, field slaves, training slaves, and sex slaves. Of course they shall all be women except those that train which could be either. Slaves are usually benders.
Zuko nodded in understand and then looked back up to his father.
Father?
Mhmm?
Did you have one?
Zuko noticed his father slightly stiffen but brushed it off as his imagination. His father once again sighed and shifted his body to face, Zuko.
Yes, I did. It was a training slave. I acquired an earth bending one to see if I could learn to earth bending but the slave was far less than adequate so she was discarded of.
She?
Yes, she. Now go to your room. Dinner shall be served soon. You are dismissed.
Lord Ozai huffed and topped off his glass of whiskey, signaling his son to leave with looking at him.
Zuko bowed his head and left, rushing to his room.
Now eighteen years old, the day had come to choose his very own slave.
He crawled out of bed and walked over to bathroom, cleaning up and then putting on his robes. He pulled his hair up. He sighed at his reflection, tracing the scar on his face but then applied his usual grim face and walked out to the dining area.
"Ahh, Zuzu, nice of you to wake up." Azula flashed him a smile before biting into an apple. She had been reading the paper today.
How odd. Zuko though to himself but then brushed it off since he really didn't care.
"Where is father?"
"Outside waiting." she answered in a monotone voice, not even looking at him.
Zuko sighed and grabbed a handful of grapes and walked outside.
As he walked out the large front doors, every single person he passed bowed and smiled and most girls would trip over their feet as they watched him pass by. He loved the attention but he the obsessive way everyone treated him. He looked towards the front gates and saw the car ready to go. He picked up his pace and slid in, nodding to his father and shutting the door. His father sighed his normal sigh and cleared his throat.
"Prince Zuko, as you know, today we will be going to the slave home. Are you prepared?"
The car already started to drive when his father spoke and they were half way there, the home being strangely close to the royal palace.
"Yes, father. I am prepared."
His father nodded and looked out the window, tapping his fingers rhythmically. Zuko started to grind his teeth, hating being in such close quarters with his father. He had some resentment towards him but he pushed away.
The driver turned onto a gravel driveway that led to a house as big as a mansion. The house looked well kept, as if someone lived there; the grass was trimmed, there were lawn ornaments, and the outside of the home seemed to be clean. Zuko sighed and climbed out of the car, he walked towards the front door and waited for his father to catch up. Once both were standing at the front door, Lord Ozai tapped a cryptic rhythm on the door and then waited.
A small woman with slightly wrinkled clothing opened the door, her small hand outstretched towards Lord Ozai. He slid something that looked like money into her palm and them walked in, pushing past her. Zuko walked in slowly taking in the sight.
Wall to wall, all he could see were cells, signs, and mistreated women.
