edit 29/9/08 - these are just somethings I should have put in but I forgot too.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the last airbender (the characters/settings/bending/etc.) BUT I do own the OC's you will see here.

Brief Details: This story is set about 30 years after the end of the Avatar Sozin's Comet and centers around Ursa, Zuko and Mai's daughter. There will be appearences of all your fav avatar character coming soon!

Chapter One: by the turtle duck pond

Ursa, only child to Fire Lord Zuko, Princess of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne woke up to the sound of turtle ducks splashing and something tugging her hair. She opened one of her large golden eyes lazily and smiled as the turtle duck chick tried to pull a chunk of hair from her head.

She reached forward gently, brushing its hard shell with the tips of her fingers. The little thing jump in fright, and raced back into the pond where its mother waited for it. Ursa smiled again, sitting up. That when she realised she wasn't alone.

Sitting with his back resting against the tree that sheltered her from the hot summer sun was Mahad, her best and dearest friend. He was a palace guard now, one of many assigned to make sure she didn't run away or burn anything important to the ground.

But he used to be a kid, just like her, and they'd run and play and make silly promises that they could never really keep. She grinned to herself, it was funny to see him in his guards uniform, it made him look so much more dominating and bigger, nothing like the gentle soul she knew he was. Leaning closer to him she could feel the warm breath as it escaped his body, tickling her cheek. She blew gently on his face and his eyes sparked opened, wild with alarm. They relaxed when he realised it was her.

"I hate it when you do that." He told her. she smirked, sitting back again.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked him.

"You are awake." He retorted smartly. She rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow, waiting for his real answer. He shrugged. "You looked peaceful. I know you don't sleep well when your father's away... I thought..." He trailed off, noticing the frown growing on her face. "I'm sorry Princess, I should have."

"Don't be." she assured him quickly, her smile back on her face. "and how many times do I have to remind you, you call me Ursa. Not Princess, no matter what you're wearing."

He sighed, shrugging. If he knew anything, he knew not to argue with Ursa in the mornings. He watched her small frame as it turned around, looking through the garden towards the large elaborate gate. The gate her father would arrive through soon.

She shivered, rubbing her arms with her hands. It was only then Mahad realised she was dressed in a simple nightgown, barely covering the length of her legs and hanging loosely against her chest. He blushed slightly, then looked away.

"Here." He said, taking off his cloak and shrugging it around her shoulders. She smiled, wrapping it tightly against her skin.

"Thanks." She said, leaning back against the tree watching the turtle ducks in the pond, her eyes half-closed.

"Why weren't you on duty last night?" she asked him and he smirked.

"Waiting for me, were you?" He asked teasingly.

"No." she retorted quickly. "Just curious is all." Mahad laughed and she poked her tongue out at him.

"My brother had his betrothal ceremony." He explained. "So I switched duties with Lin."

"Oh." She said sleepily, her eyes still closed. "Who is she? The bride?"

"A noble woman. A cousin of yours I believe." He replied and Ursa snorted.

"Half the nobles in this city claim to be my cousin one way or the other. What's her name?" she asked. Mahad swallowed, hesitating.

"Mai." He whispered and Ursa's smile vanished.

It had been a fad of the times to name your children after the heroes of the war. Before anybody realised it there were Aang's and Zuko's, Sokka's, Katara's and Toph's sprouting up everywhere. Mai had been a particular favourite of the Fire Nation nobles. However, when the Fire Lady had succumbed to an illness 8 years ago, the naming had stopped. Ursa had been 8 at the time.

"Sorry I didn't mean to upset yo-" He began.

"Don't worry." She said interrupted quickly, forcing another smile. "You didn't upset me. I'm glad you're here now."

Mahad smiled back, not at all ignorant to the fact her smile was forced.

"I thought we had a deal." He told her seriously. She frowned, a crease forming on her forehead as she tried to think.

"What deal?" she asked.

"I call you Ursa and you don't pretend to be anything around me." He told her and her frown faltered into a faint blush.

"Sorry." She told him and he laughed.

"Can I get that in writing? Princess Ursa, sorry for something?" She shoved his shoulder playfully and they settled back against the tree again, a gentle silence falling upon them.

"You're lucky you know." Ursa told him quietly. Mahad raised his eyebrow.

"Lucky, how?" he asked.

"You can simply switch shifts with Lin to let things fit into your life the way you want it to be. I'm envious." She told him honestly, pulling her knees to her chest and watching the pond. Mahad remained silent, knowing she was not yet finished. "I wish I could do that. Just go 'hey, will you switch with me? I don't want to be a princess today.' I hate being a princess. I feel so... confined."

"Your father's protective of you," he told her. "You should feel honoured to have such a father."

"An overprotective one." She retorted.

"So runaway." He told her and she laughed.

"How long do you think I'd last – a day? A few hours before Toph would find me?" Ursa moaned miserably. "She's my personal prison warden. Just like my father."

"Ursa." Mahad said sternly. "They love you. They're just trying to protect you. It's a big scary world out there."

Ursa sighed, opened up her palm in front of her. Flames leapt from it, licking the edges of her skin teasingly. She half-smiled at Mahad.

"You don't think I could handle it?" she asked.

"I never said that." He replied and she closed her palm.

"I know," she told him softly, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry. I know its silly to whine when you have almost everything. And I'd miss father too much if I went away. I can barely stand it when he's away for one night, I don't know how I could cope without him for longer."

Mahad smiled at her, his arm reaching around her shoulders – then he pulled himself back. She was a princess, not his childhood friend anymore. He was a guard sworn to protect her, not comfort her. Then an idea struck him.

"How do you think your father would react if you asked to pretend to be a commoner for a night?" He asked. Ursa snorted.

"I think he'd freak." She frowned, looking at him. "Why?" she asked curiously.

"Well I was thinking you could come to my brother's wedding with me... but if you don't think you'd be allowed then-"

"I'll bribe Toph." She announced loudly and Mahad laughed.

"It's that easy?" he asked. She nodded vigorously.

"She'll be nearby of course but not... hanging over my shoulder nearby. She'll let me go." Ursa then bit her lip, thinking. She eyed him nervously. "You're serious about this, aren't you?" she asked hesitantly. Mahad nodded and a smile leapt like flames on Ursa's face.

"You mean it?" He nodded again. "Mahad!" she cried excitedly, throwing her arms around his shoulders. For a moment he tensed, then his body relaxed and he wound his hands around her waist.

"It'll be great, you'll see. I'll dress up normal. I won't wear any jewels or makeup! You'll hardly recognise me –"

"Um... Ursa... I don't think that-"

"-and then of course we'll dance to the music. And I'll have to think of a wedding gift too. What sort of tea does your brother like? I should probably –"

"- this position is very-"

"-ask uncle, he knows everything about teas! Oh Mahad I'm so-"

"-appropriate."

"excited! Huh?" she cried, frowning as she looked at her friend. His expression was closed, a mixture of uncomfortable and embarrassment. He was staring behind her. Ursa turned around and beamed.

Standing behind them was Fire Lord Zuko and a small group of guards, including Mahad's commanding officer. Many of the guards Mahad knew as well, he could see their expressions and excited jostling as they couldn't wait to get the story out of him. Fire Lord Zuko however looked anything but excited. He looked furious. His hands were clamped down by his sides and he looked at Mahad with an expression of pure, liquid hot hatred.

"Papa!" Ursa cried. Letting go of Mahad and racing into her father's arms.

Zuko's expression softened as he held his only child tight to his chest, not taking his good eye off the young guard who'd held her only a moment earlier. Anger flared through him. If he hadn't been the Fire Lord, Zuko would have roasted him. Mahad shifted underneath his gaze as he stood up, brushing dirt off his knees and made a clumsy bow.

"When did you get back?" Ursa asked, stepping back from her father's embrace to examine his familiar face, oblivious to the tension in the air. Zuko's eyes flicked to Ursa's, her wide golden eyes that were so like his own.

"Just now, phoenix." He told her, patting her hair and finding pieces of grass in it. He frowned. "Ursa have you been... sleeping on the grass?" He asked and Ursa blushed ferociously, remaining silent. "And why are you wearing a guards cloak?" His voice was full of accusation as he glared at Mahad again.

"Oh papa, you are silly." Ursa replied quickly. "It's not a guards cloak, it's a custom made one from our tailors. They're all in fashion right now. See," she said, inviting him to feel the silk between his fingers. "It's real silk."

Zuko felt the cloak, his daughter was right. Mahad hid his smile while Ursa beamed. She was lucky she'd gotten him a cloak for his birthday; she couldn't stand to see him in his old ratty one with holes in it.

Seemingly satisfied with her answer Zuko offered his arm to his daughter gesturing for her to walk with him. She took it immediately. Mahad watched her go, a slight pang of sadness as she didn't acknowledge him at all. But before she disappeared from view, and while her father was distracted she threw a wink back at Mahad and he smirked before being surrounded by his friends demanding answers.

"What in the name of the Avatar were you doing?"

"Do you know her?"

"Can you put in a good word for me?"

Mahad held up his hands in defeat and began to answer all their questions.

Zuko led Ursa back to her bedchamber deep inside the palace. He opened the door for her and ushered her inside, closing the door behind him.

"Now I do hope you have a very good excuse as to why you were in the garden without supervision?" He asked turning back to face her as she removed the cloak from off her shoulders, revealing a very light red-silk night dress. "You were only wearing that under there?" He roared.

Ursa shrugged at his, frowning at a wrapped box that was sitting on her bed.

"What's this?" she asked.

"A gift for you. Don't change the subject." He snapped.

"What subject dad?" Ursa asked with a roll of her eyes as she began carefully unlacing the ribbon around the box. Zuko slammed his hand down on top of hers, forcing her to look up at him, his anger bristling.

"The subject of what you were doing in..." he gestured at her nightgown. "that in the early morning without supervisions, hugging that..." Zuko couldn't think of the right word to call the man who'd been holding his daughter so tightly.

"His name's Mahad dad." She told him tiredly. Zuko frowned, that name was familiar. Ursa rolled her eyes. "He's the son of Jong, the man who was my body guard for years? The one before Toph?" Zuko scowled at her tone. Ursa rolled her eyes and yanked her hand out of his grip, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling.

Zuko was about to continue when someone walked through the adjoining door into Ursa's room.

"Morning Lord Sparky, Squirt." Toph said marching over and sitting on Ursa's bed. Zuko scowled at her. Ursa dove back into unwrapping the box. Zuko pretended not to notice her expression of glee as she reached inside and pulled out a rather exquisite dress.

"Oh papa!" Ursa cried, holding the dress up against herself. It was long and golden. Rubies dotted the neck line and dragons danced down its length. "It's stunning!"

"What is it?" Toph asked lazily.

"A dress!" Ursa cried, holding it out for Toph to examine with her hands. "Oh papa thank you!"

"Go try it on." Zuko urged, eager to be alone with Toph for a moment. Ursa nodded, hurrying off to the adjoining wardrobe to change. Zuko scowled and turned on Toph.

"I thought you promised me you'd watch out for her?" Zuko hissed in a deadly whisper. Toph sighed, closing her eyes and laying back gently on the bed.

"I have been." She replied.

"Oh and letting her sleep in the gardens and fraternise with guards unattended is taking care of her?" His snapped. Toph shook her head tiredly.

"I knew where she was the entire time, and who she was with." She told him. "She's 16 Zuko! Let her have a little fun!"

Zuko hissed. And Toph threw a pillow in his general direction.

"Think of all the things you'd done when you were her age!" Toph snapped.

"That was a different time." Zuko told her.

"Yes it was, and now is safer. And if you don't let Ursa experience the world for herself then you'll loose her Zuko!" Toph insisted.

Zuko was about the reply when Ursa reappeared and his breath caught in his throat.

Although she was only 16, no one could deny that Ursa was beautiful. Her skin was darker then his, an uncommon trait for a Fire Nation citizen, Zuko blamed all the years she spent playing in the sun growing up, but now the effect seemed to make her glow. Her hair was his brown-black and her eyes were the same shape and colour. Her mouth was her mother's, when she smiled he often got chills thinking of Mai. Her laugh was also her mother's, but her attitude was completely her own.

"So?" she asked. "How do I look?"

"Glorious." Zuko told her. "Like a sun rising." Ursa blushed.

"Thanks dad." She murmured.

"You always look glorious," Toph mimicked Zuko's awe and Ursa giggled.

"Dad it's beautiful, but why are you giving me a dress?" she asked walking over to her mirror.

"Do I need a reason?" he asked.

"Usually." She replied, examining her reflection. Zuko scowled and then sighed.

"There's a ball tonight." He announced and Ursa paled.

"What?!" she roared and Toph sniggered. The young princess's hatred for balls was famous throughout the nation. "Not funny Toph!" she added, scowling at her father.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she demanded.

"Why? So you could fake a headache and spend a week trying to get out of it? Much better to spring it on you now, when you don't have time to think of an excuse." He told her. Ursa glared at her father, rage filling her.

"You're... You are... argh!" she cried loudly, stomping her foot in anger.

"Cool it Squirt." Toph ordered and Ursa scowled, but calmed down a little.

"Now play nice with the other children at the ball and I promise I'll make it up to you." Zuko told her, hoping to appease her. It didn't work.

"Whatever." She snapped and returned to the wardrobe where she hurriedly removed the exquisite dress and left it lying on the floor as she threw on a light skirt and shirt, yanking her hair off her neck and into a ponytail.

"If anyone wants me I'll be in the training yard." She snapped, leaving the room without a backwards glance. Zuko scowled and looked at Toph who shrugged at him.

"Well done Sparky." She told him as he moved into the wardrobe, picking the dress up off the ground.

"I always mess things up." He muttered. Toph, who was suddenly beside him squeezed his shoulder.

"I know, that's why I'm here to help." She told him.

Thanks so much for reading! This is my first fanfiction attempt so I would love any feedback you can offer! Next chapter soon!