"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it."
- William Shakespeare, Macbeth
The Fire Lord regarded the two siblings with narrowed yellow eyes. As they approached him to kneel obediently before the raised dais of the Phoenix Throne, he flicked a large bejewelled hand. The bright orange flame screens flickered and subsided. Resplendent on his throne, the Fire Lord spoke. His deep voice echoed through the room to settle on his children's shoulders like a yoke. They kept their eyes carefully averted.
"Zuko. Azula. Rise and approach me."
Soundlessly, heads bowed, the Royal siblings climbed the steps of the red marble dais. There they stopped as one to raise twin yellow pairs of eyes to meet those of their father. Similarly dressed in Fire Nation Royal armour, they were somewhat hard to tell apart. Both were tall, well-formed, with sculpted features, fair skin and black hair severely pulled up into topknots decorated with gold triple flame hair ornaments. Only the puckered burn mark on Zuko's face and Azula's scarlet lipstick set them obviously apart. That, and a few significant differences in body shape. None of them as conspicuous as would have been expected. The girl had sprouted in the past few years, and was as devoted to physical exercise and martial arts as her brother. A boy of 18 and a girl of 16. The Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation.
The Fire Lord studied his offspring intently. His face was closed, his tone aloof.
"Zuko. Azula. This past year has been prosperous for Fire Nation interests. You, Zuko, managed to kill the Avatar. You, Azula, managed to take Ba Sing Se. Last month, Admiral Zhao was discovered alive, a prisoner of war kept by the Northern Water Tribe. The campaign to free him was successful. It is a great relief to have him safely back at court. Except…"
His eyes flickered briefly over his children.
"Except the two of you have failed abysmally to capture and imprison my brother. The traitor's still at large. There have been sightings of him both in the Earth Kingdom and in the Fire Nation. As long as he's roaming free, he might cause an uprising or worse. Azula! What do you propose to do about this?"
The girl started, but controlled her breathing deliberately. "I will set the Dai Li to investigate his whereabouts, Father! Once we find a viable lead, I'll hunt him down myself."
"Zuko?"
The Prince had gone a ghostly pale. "Father, I… I will leave no stone unturned here in the Fire Nation. If… When I find Uncle, I will..."
"You will what, Zuko?"
"I… I'll request a meeting with him, Father. Then, I'll kill him. If that's what it takes." Cold sweat was running down his back.
On the carved and gilded throne, the bearded man was huge. A god.
"Good. That's the answer I wanted to hear. But there's more. Far more worrying news have reached my ears."
The girl dared to speak. "What, Father?"
"According to rumours, the Avatar is still alive. Zhao claims the Water Tribesmen taunted him with the fact. Earth Kingdom spies reported that a Waterbender might have healed him. As with your Uncle, there have been unverified sightings."
His voice turned into a menacing hiss. "Zuko! I thought you claimed to have taken care of this problem?"
The Prince trembled violently underneath his Royal armour. His sister moved closer to him and clutched his hand in hers. "I… I'm sure I did, Father! Last I saw, the Avatar was fallen, lifeless! No one can survive a lightning bolt like that!"
Ozai nodded slowly. "Let's hope you're right, Zuko! For both your sakes, as well as for the future of the Fire Nation. Leave me, both of you. You are dismissed."
The Royal Siblings exited the Throne Chamber silently. As they parted ways, Azula shot her brother a significant glance.
The walls have eyes and ears.
He didn't read the note she'd sneaked into his hand until he'd reached his rooms.
Come to my suite at midnight. We need to talk.
The lights were dimmed, with just some hidden fires burning in the grates. The light flickered over deep red curtains and canopies, dull gold walls and carved dark wood. The suite was deserted. Obviously, Azula had sent her maidservants away for the night.
"Hello, Zuzu. Come to read me a bedtime story?"
The low purring voice made him start. Azula approached him from the shadows of the other room. Zuko stared at her, momentarily confused. She'd undone the topknot, letting her long black hair cascade in a ponytail down her back. Her face was devoid of makeup, making her look softer, younger. His eyes lingered a tad too long on her full lips. The red silk robe with gold borders was tightly cinched around her tiny waist. His gaze stuck automatically to her exposed cleavage, revealed by the deep V neckline. Spirits, she'd grown into a woman! The shiny material that clung to her long legs and shapely behind emphasized the fact. Spirits. Disconcerted, Zuko shook his head and averted his eyes.
"What do you want, Azula? Why the secret note?"
"Come. We need to be alone."
She hooked her arm into his and swept him along into her bedroom. The warmth of red and gold heated him pleasantly. He relaxed unconsciously and allowed her to pull him down on the bed, seating herself next to him. Her eyes were huge, bright gold.
"Zuko, did you hear what Father said? Did you understand the implications?"
He frowned. "You mean that he knows the Avatar is still alive? And that I wasn't the one who almost took him out? Yes, Azula! He certainly suspects. Now, we're both in trouble! And… And he's ordered me to kill Uncle! Spirits, I don't think I could do it!" He shook his head in desperation.
A contemptuous smirk. "Don't worry, Zuzu! I'll take care of Uncle for you, never fear! That's the least of our troubles."
"But… But I don't want you to! I mean, I know I did the right thing in returning, but… I don't want him dead! Oh, I can't believe that Father would…"
She was stroking his back consolingly. "Oh, he would, Zuko! Of course he would! He considers Uncle a threat to his rule and wants him dead. I cannot fault his logic. The problem is, he wants us to do it. In fact, he wants us to get rid of all his enemies, so he can rule supreme. But what about him, Zuko? What risks is he taking? He'd rather sacrifice us. Now, that's what this is all about."
He leaned back against her hand unconsciously. A soft heat was spreading from it through his body.
"You… You're saying he's just using us? Ok, that makes sense. But Fire Lords always demand the utmost from their heirs! I've sworn to restore my honour. He promised that if I worked hard, he'd appoint me his… No! That's what this is all about, isn't it, Azula! You're afraid that he'll appoint me Crown Prince of the Fire Nation! Nice try, Azula! I'm not falling for that one!"
She shook her head. "Your naïveté's astounding, Zuzu! Of course, you're free to believe whatever you like. Like that Father will suddenly elevate you to your rightful position, after a lifetime of hating you because Mother tricked him that you're not his son. Good luck."
"What!?"
"Yes. He snatched her letters to her former lover and keeps them locked up in his suite. Except I managed to access and read them several years ago. Sorry, Zuko! It would seem Mommy dearest is the source of all your woes."
He stared at her in horror. "But… But why would you tell me this, Azula? You want the Phoenix Throne for yourself, don't you? All you have to do is to show Father I'm a failure, and seize the heirdom for yourself!"
The tinkling girlish laughter pealed up towards the carved and gilded ceiling.
"Ha! That only goes to show how trusting you are, Zuzu! Father won't appoint me his successor. In fact, I swear he'd rather die than crown a female Fire Lord. He'd only do it in order to place a target between himself and his enemies. Oh no. I've got my sources of information, Zuko. Father needs you to deal with Uncle Iroh and the Avatar. He fully counts on you dying in the process. As for me, he's promised Admiral Zhao my hand in marriage. Now, that's the man he really plans to appoint his successor. Neither you nor I."
Zuko's eyes darkened significantly. "What!? Azula, are you sure? But Zhao… Why, the man's despicable! I won't allow this to happen! He can't have the Phoenix Throne! And he absolutely can't have you!"
Without thinking, he embraced her and pulled her close. Her slender arms went up to circle his neck. She smelt of roses and fire lilies, sweet, alluring, like a hazy dream of his whole life's desires. She was covering his neck and cheek in light kisses. In his mind, a godlike giant on a gilded throne raised his fist to smash it down and obliterate them.
"You mean you will protect me? Oh, Zuko…" He couldn't see her face.
"Yes, Azula. I'll do whatever it takes."