"Where do you think you are going?" Lo asked.

"You know you are not allowed to go into your mother's war room." Li spoke.

Azula looked at her guardians and sighed, they always were in the way. Keeping her from training and getting involved with a war they were just starting to win. It had been over six years since her father died trying to stop the Northern water tribe from invading the Fire nation. He died along side her cousin and many other people from the fire nation. After his death, her mother had been crowned Fire Lady, when her uncle decided he didn't want to be Fire Lord. Things from then had been different and unsettling.

"I want to be by my mother's side." Azula said.

Lo looked at the girl and sighed knowing letting the girl inside the room would only bring pain and trouble. Fire Lady Ursa was a lovely woman, with a very fierce temper and a fist of steel. She was leading the Fire nation in a war, they were now winning against the other nations. It had been over twenty years since the Fire nation had been the leaders in the war, but with Ursa as Fire Lady things seemed to be changing. She had halted the Southern and Northern water tribes invasions and killed off most of the tribes people. Most know that was in vain for her husband's murder, at the hands of a blood bender. After that it had been one hard battle after another with the Earth Kingdom, who were upset they were losing, "No. Your mother would not allow it."

"Why not?" The fire bender asked. She was never allowed inside the room and part of her knew why.

Li hissed, "Because she doesn't want you...inside with her." her voice softened at her own words.

Azula turned red at the words, knowing it was true and that her mother harbored a untiring form of hate for her. Ever since her father's death, her mother had slowly grown to hate her. As she got older and they grew apart Azula seemed not know why her mother disliked her, "While then let me prove myself."

"Azula, please go do something else. Train, take a walk or maybe go see your friends." Lo pleaded with the girl.

Azula shivered with silent anger and turned away from the war room. She moved as fast as she could, running past guards and knocking over servants. When she reached her room, she puled the door and quickly slammed it behind her.

"Why is my life so messed up?" she spoke to herself.

Ursa and her had never been very close, but after her father's death things only seemed to get worse. They barely spoke, Azula choose to spend time with her friends and Ursa spent countless time with Zuko. Ursa barely noticed she was there, only when her bending became better than Zuko's, did the woman notice her. It was a look of hate and very open resentment at the girl's ability to fire bender better then her first born son.

Now at the age of sixteen, Azula knew why her mother disliked her bending. Zuko's skill never grew to her level, no matter how much Ursa and his teachers pushed him. While Azula's flames turned a very rarely seen blue, Zuko was just getting close to master level and it was a slow pace. Azula had volunteered her help, but it was quickly shut down by Ursa.

Azula kicked over a lamp and then sat on her bed. She was tired of being second and always having to do as her mother told. The woman hated her and showed her every day. The fire bender laid back and closed her eyes, in hopes for a quick escape from her life.

"My sweet daughter."

Azula jumped when she heard her mother's voice. She sat up and saw the older woman was seated on a chair that had been moved to the edge of her bed. Her eyes noticed the lights in the room had been turned on and she knew it was night time. She had slept all day, her mother was going to be mad, "Mother."

Ursa looked at the girl and smiled, "It's near midnight."

Azula looked around the around again and noticed the door was shut and locked, "I'm sorry mother. I lost track of time."

"I was worried. You missed lunch and dinner. No one but Li and Lo had seen you, but they said you had stormed off. What was wrong?" Ursa said to her.

Azula felt stupid, her mother was playing with her and having a good time, judging by the smile on the woman's face. She had learned long ago that her mother loved to play games with her. Azula felt a lump raise in her throat, "Nothing."

Ursa's five pointed crown shined from the light in the room, "Are you sure? Because I heard you were trying to get inside my war room."

Azula swore she saw the devil in the woman's features. If evil had a face it would look like her mother, Azula was sure of it, "I'm sure."

Ursa moved faster then Azula could and snatched the girl's collar. Azula squirmed as she was pulled close to her mother, so close she was on the woman's lap. The young fire bender felt sweat roll down her back. She never felt comfortable when close to her mother. The woman made her feel things she knew she shouldn't, "My sweet daughter, when will you stop lying? It's not very becoming of a princess and you know better then to lie to me. So...why would you lie to your mother? I know you were out there and that Lo and Li turned you away. Why did you want to come in?"

Azula felt her heart hammering in her chest and her head she spinning. She could barely breath, " I didn't mean to lie to you. I didn't w-want y-you to be upset. I...w-wanted to be by...y-your side."

Ursa warped her arm around the girl's shoulders and then put her hand around the girl's neck, "Oh really. Well maybe next time you can join me. Your old enough to sit with me and your brother."

Azula felt the the hand around her neck cut off the air to her lungs, "Okay mother." the fire bender tried to move, but was held by strong hands.

"Where are you going? I'm not done talking to you." Ursa said. Azula felt heat and knew her mother was firing bending. She breathed as a flaming kiss was placed on the back of her neck. She tried to wiggle out of it, but couldn't get the hand on her neck to let go. Azula let out a pain fulled groan, "Azula relax. I know that didn't hurt. You should be stronger than that."

Azula let out a whimper as teeth touched her skin and she felt her mother bite down. She feel the woman's teeth break the skin and blood start to pool. Her clothing felt tight as a warm hand worked it's way into hair, pulling out her hair piece and pulling the ebony curls, "Mother?"

Ursa moved her lips to see the imprint of her lips and bite marks on the girl's pale skin. Their was blood spilling from the wound and the burn looked painful. She ran her hand across the mark and could feel the girl wince at the pain. She turned the girl in her lap and sighed, "You look just like your father. You have his eyes and some of his features. You even act like him some days. Your hard headed and have a very bad temper like him."

Azula breathed deep as the bite and burn on neck started to throb. She couldn't focus as her mother ran her hands over her face. Azula could feel fingers run across her lips and her eyes. Then she felt soft lips press to hers, "Mom."

Ursa quickly pushed Azula off of her and sighed, "If your hungry go to the kitchen and get your dinner. Then go to bed."

Azula watched her leave the room and close the door behind her. She she sat on the floor with her burning sting and her body humming with energy.