Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A Fire Bender's breathing was essential.

Fire needed air to burn (as irony would have it) and to create lightening, a Fire Bender needed to be calm and still.

So Azula breathed and meditated.

The Palace gardens were perfect for meditation but Azula had a strong disliking for gardens. Firelady Ursa had loved gardens.

She kept to her room instead. Firelord Zuko had allowed her to use one of the many guest rooms. She did not like the mirror in her old room and it was much quiet-

"Stop it!" came a high pitched yell from outside.

Azula grumbled inwardly and continued to breathe. Prince Roku and Princess Tara were reasonably well behaved children. Zuko and Mai were far better parents that Ozai and Ursa. Unfortunately, no amount of good parenting could stop siblings squabbling. Both children had begun to learn Fire Bending and both children were a little competitive.

"Give her back!" cried Princess Tara.

Princess Tara was very possessive over a little Kyoshi Warrior doll Sokka and Suki had given her for her birthday. Prince Roku had pronounced the doll ugly (which it was in Azula's opinion) and Princess Tara hadn't spoken to him for days.

Taking another deep breath to calm herself, Azula headed outside to get her nephew and niece to shut up. Sure enough, Roku was dangling the doll above his little sister's head, just out of reach. Azula recalled doing the same thing to Zuko. It became more difficult when he grew a foot and a half taller than her but Azula could still pull it off.

"Make me," taunted Roku.

Roku didn't expect his sister to set his robes on fire. He panicked and, completely forgetting his Fire Bending training, tried to stamp the fire out. Azula thought that it was a good moment to intervene. In one quick movement, Roku's smouldering robes were extinguished.

The Fire Prince and Princess looked up hastily and found their strict and rather scary Aunt Azula towering above them with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Give it back, Prince Roku," she said firmly.

Roku grudgingly complied. Azula promptly scuffed him over the head.

"If you have time to fight, you have time to practise your Fire Bending exercises," she continued coldly.

Roku paled. The Fire Bending exercises taught to beginners were both exhausting and boring.

"But I already-"

"Now, Roku."

Sulking very much like his father used to, Roku stalked off to the courtyard.

"I want them perfect by the time I get there," Azula called after him.

She could see Tara sticking her tongue smugly as Roku left. Azula wiped the smugness off her niece's face by giving her a disapproving glare. Nobody liked Azula's disapproving glares.

"Don't ever fight with your brother like that," said Azula loudly.

Such a tone would have brought any other child to tears but Tara was hardly an ordinary child.

"He started it!" said Tara indignantly.

Azula almost smiled in spite of herself. Princess Tara had definitely inherited the infamous family temper. She managed to hide her amusement with a stern look.

"I don't care who started it," growled Azula. "You don't want me to finish it."

Tara did look ready to cry at this point. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, blinking furiously. Azula's expression softened slightly.

"Uncle Sokka and Aunt Katara fight," mumbled Tara.

"That's different," said Azula a little more gently. "Katara never uses Bending against her brother and neither should you."

Tara frowned.

"So I can fight with Roku as long as I never set him on fire?"

Azula tried not to laugh. That wasn't exactly what she meant but, considering her relationship with Zuko, it was probably the best she could hope for.

"I suppose so," said Azula with a shrug. "How about this? If you promise to get along with your brother, I promise to teach you some more Fire Bending."

Tara immediately looked delighted. Azula managed not to roll her eyes. She was Zuko's daughter through and through... complete with mood swings.

"Really?" cried Tara.

"I promise," said Azula. "Now go do your exercises with your brother."

"But-"

"No buts, Princess Tara."

Tara trudged to the courtyard. Like her namesake, the young Princess was true to her word. She probably would make up with Roku... only to fight with him again the next day. Siblings were like that.

Azula watched her go before returning to her room which was quiet at last.