Author's Note: This one got a bit more violent than I expected... so I upped the rating just to be safe.
As awesome as Zuko's "Calling the Old Man Out" moment was... he screwed up badly with one thing. I don't think he did it deliberately... but still.
I haven't had time to check through this properly yet... but I will. Please excuse any dodgy-ness.
Azula strode into the throne room with confidence only victory could bring. Her mouth was curled into a delicate sneer at the thought of the peasants who were now rotting in prison because they presumed to think they could challenge the might of the Fire Nation.
Her father remained hidden behind a wall of flame. It was impossible read his expression. It may have intimidated others but it only heightened Azula's respect. A true master in the art of manipulation knew to keep their emotions unreadable until it was no longer necessary.
"Leave us," said Ozai curtly to the Royal Guard.
They practically tripped over themselves on the way out. Azula hid her smirk. When they were gone, the flames parted, and Ozai strode towards her. He seemed distracted somehow. Azula paid this no heed. The Firelord had had a rather stressful day after all.
"We've captured the peasant army, Father," she said triumphantly. "Their pitiful rebellion is at an end."
Ozai remained silent. Azula frowned ever so slightly. She expected some praise at least, for defending her Nation so effectively.
"Father-"
Ozai cut her off before she could question him.
"The Avatar is alive," he said quietly. "You exaggerated Zuko's talents."
Azula paused. Ozai could tell that his daughter had carefully planned for this. That she had calculated every move so that she could reap the benefits. The words that she chose were surprising and disappointing.
"Father... whatever Zuko's faults, he is a loyal son of the Fire Nation," said Azula carefully. "Surely, showing him mercy-"
Ozai lashed out suddenly and painfully, the back of his hand crashing against the side of her face. Azula staggered and nearly fell with the force of the blow. Her jaw burned as though it was on fire but she didn't dare press her hand against it. She didn't dare move at all.
Her shock slowly began to wear off and was replaced by near overwhelming terror.
There was no anger detectable on Ozai's features. It made Azula wonder how much worse her situation was going to get once the anger appeared there.
"Zuko has gone to join the Avatar," said Ozai calmly.
Azula's eyes widened. That was impossible. Zuko loved his Nation more than anything.
"You looked surprised," continued Ozai. "Surely you knew of your brother's treachery?"
The implications of his words sent Azula into a panic. Father thinks I'm a traitor...he thinks I would betray him...he thinks I am a threat...
All threats to the Fire Lord must be eliminated.
"N-No!" cried Azula frantically. "I-I knew nothing!"
A flash of contempt crossed Firelord Ozai's features as he observed his daughter's fear and weakness. She was not as perfect as he once thought. It did not go unnoticed by Azula. She desperately forced herself to remain calm as the situation began to slip further and further away from her. She kept her eyes trained at the floor, both as an act of submission and as an attempt to hide the fear in them.
"There... there must be some explanation," she said, her voice constricted from the effort of keeping it under control. "I know him. Zuko would never betray the Fire Nation."
"He did have an explanation," said Ozai almost conversationally. "His Uncle's weak minded nonsense finally got through to him. He believes our noble cause to be cruel and pointless. He also expressed some resentment at his punishment... despite the mercy I bestowed on him."
Azula slowly looked up at her father's face. She could tell he was angry now. She looked down again quickly.
"Oh... and Zuko never struck down Avatar Aang in Ba Sing Se. Apparently that was your doing."
Zuko was more ruthless than she thought.
Suddenly she was no longer terrified. Her fear had made way for a new emotion; a far more familiar one. Azula could remember fighting in the Crystal Catacombs. She was just manipulating Zuko at first. She needed help and Zuko wasn't entirely without merit.
She didn't count on nearly losing to the Waterbender. Zuko saved her. Instead of mindlessly fighting the Avatar and pursuing his honour like Azula expected, he left Aang in the rumble and stopped the peasant girl before she could harm her.
Azula had appreciated that. In return, she had handed him everything he had ever wanted on a silver platter. She had given him back his crown, his home and even his birthright which by anyone's reckoning should have gone to her. All he had to do was keep his big mouth shut and it was all his.
But after everything she had done for him, Zuko had betrayed the Fire Nation. He had betrayed her. Azula had never hated Zuko. Her feelings towards her brother ranged from contempt to grudging respect.
She had never hated Zuko... until now.
Ozai took another threatening step towards her. The anger was obvious now; as clear as day. He looked and sounded as he had done when Zuko had trembled and blubbed before him all those years ago.
"You will find your brother and do what you should have done in Ba Sing Se... or I will give you a face far more hideous that Zuko's," he snarled. "Do I make myself perfectly clear, Princess Azula?"
"Yes Father," answered Azula, her tone entirely devoid of emotion.
Azula seemed herself again. Her words may have been detached and her face may have been like marble, but her shaking hands gave her away.
"Your intentions were noble," said Ozai, his words dripping with disdain, "but you should have realised that Zuko would choose the peasants over you in the end."
The mask slipped again but this time there was no fear. Azula's small, thin fingers balled themselves into fists.
"I did not think him capable of that," she said quietly, her eyes burning with anger.
"You miscalculated."
Azula finally looked up at her father, her eyes still blazing.
"It will not happen again."
Ozai smiled cruelly at his daughter.
"I know."
Before Azula could even react, Ozai seized her upper arm. She screamed as it seared with white hot, unbearable pain.
Ozai did not release her arm. The heat was gone but the pain was more intense than anything Azula had ever experienced. For a moment, she couldn't comprehend what had happened. It was only when she could smell the familiar scent of burning flesh that she realised what Ozai had done.
He burned me... he burned me...
Like Zuko.
Ozai pressed harder onto her arm and but she didn't cry out. The pain was beginning to fade and her world began to spin and fade into black.
"A reminder... in case a misguided sense of family loyalty prevents you from doing what is necessary," whispered Ozai. "Zuko left you behind to burn."
Ozai finally released her arm and unconsciousness claimed her. Li and Lo, who had apparently heard Azula screaming, burst into the throne room. Their eyes darted from the Firelord to the Princess sprawled on the floor.
"Forgive us, my Lord," said Li hurriedly. "We thought..."
Li didn't finish. She couldn't. The twins could only watch as Ozai grimaced at his hand and the filth that it was covered with.
"Take the Princess to the infirmary," he said finally.
When Azula awoke, the sun was setting. Her arm had been coated with a foul smelling paste and wrapped in bandages. She grimaced and wondered how many days she had wasted in the infirmary while she could have been hunting down her brother.
There were no servants to attend her... most probably on her Father's orders. Someone had left her dressing gown unceremoniously on the chair beside her bed. The healer had left an opiate brew for the pain. Azula drank the bitter concoction and hauled herself out of bed with a wince.
Her arm still felt like it was on fire. Her eyes burned with tears that had nothing to do with pain. Zuko would pay for this... she would make him pay...
As she struggled to pull on her dressing gown, the twins walked into the infirmary.
"Princess Azula," they said with relief. "You're awake."
Forcing herself not to wince in front of her guardians, Azula roughly pulled on her robe.
"Obviously," she said stiffly. "Have the servants bring in my armour."
She closed her eyes and struggled to clear her mind as the numbing effects of the brew took effect. The pain in her arm slowly dulled to mild throbbing. Li and Lo exchanged glances.
"Princess, you should rest," said Lo gently. "You were badly burned-"
"Silence!"
Azula's voice cracked through the infirmary like a whip, sudden and menacing. The twins flinched and Lo immediately stopped talking. They had been Princess Azula's guardians since she was born. She had never raised her voice to them before. Azula took a deep breath and calmly straightened her dressing gown.
"If either of you speak of this again, I will have you sent to the coal mines," she said in a deceptively pleasant tone. "Have I made myself understood?"
The twins fearful exchanged glances.
"Yes Princess," they answered quietly.
"Did either of you tell Mai and Ty Lee where I was?" asked Azula calmly.
Li and Lo shook their heads quickly.
"No Princess," they said in unison.
"We said you were..." muttered Li.
"...busy," finished Lo.
That was as good an excuse as any. She was her Father's right hand. She was always busy.
"Where are they?" asked Azula.
"Ty Lee is feeding turtle ducks in the garden," said Li.
"Lady Mai left in the morning by ship," said Lo. "She is visiting her Uncle."
Azula frowned.
"The Warden of Boiling Rock?"
"Yes Princess."
A flash of doubt crossed Azula's features. Mai and her Uncle were close but there was no reason for her to scurry across the Fire Nation just for a visit. Had Zuko contacted her? Was she going to join him against her?
She forced the thoughts out of her mind. Mai was no traitor. Zuko had betrayed her as well.
Visiting Boiling Rock presented other opportunities. The Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors had proved useful in the past and a certain Water Tribe Chief would surely know the location of his spawn. Azula was happy to burn the information she needed out of them.
Then she would find Zuko had his new friends. She would savour his screams.
"Have a war balloon prepared and send Ty Lee to me at once," said Azula with a vicious smile. "We're going hunting."
