Author's Note: Thank you wildcitrusfruitberry, greengirl01, and near impossible for your wonderful reviews and anyone else. You all helped me come to this decision. Here's a new update! I hope to continue updating in the future. =D

Chapter Two: Age 12

Cleaning the royal palace day in and day out was such a draining process. I was my knees with a bucket to my left and a rag in my hand, scrubbing the floors of the massive meeting room in a frantic circular motion. I was becoming lost in the shiny reflection of myself on the freshly cleaned floor. The nostalgia had died down. I was nearly twelve and still was cursed to be a servant Azula's toy, although she became bored with me and moved onto new unsuspecting servant girls to amuse her devilish interests.

My eyes grew heavy and my hands had cuts and blisters from cleaning all day, my knees ached so much. I thought I was going to pass out right there. That's when I heard that annoying squeaking. I didn't care who it was! I slaved all day to clean this floor and I didn't do it to just have someone's grubby, disgusting feet to track dirt on it. I reacted by bending all the water in the bucket next to me towards the direction of the faintly outlined figure that I focused on from the corner of my eye.

I heard the echo of the dripping water on through the hallow extent. I had hit my mark. Then I heard a very loud squeak followed by a very loud thump. I smiled subconsciously. The royal brat deserved it. He quickly got to his feet and then slipped again and fell flat on his face. I busted out in an eruption of laughter.

As he got to his feet with his cheeks were flushed crimson red he yelled, "Shut up you, you peasant!"

"We'll you shouldn't walk on my floors. I've been scrubbing this floor for two hours and no one said you could walk on it,now did they?" I snapped slowly coming to me feet. I couldn't get up to fast. My limbs were burning and I was still exhausted, but I wasn't about to back down from a fight with his royal jerk face.

"You don't know who your dealing with! You owe me!" the young prince barked. I chuckled and walked in his direction.

"For what do I owe you, YOU the son of a monster? You took me away from my home and killed my brother! I guess I owe that don't I! Am I right?" I snapped. How dare he think I owed him anything but a water whip to his stupid, arrogant, ignorant face.

"You can't blame me for something my father arranged." Zuko replied with a blank expression on his face.

"No but you didn't stop it now did you? So what do I owe you but a bunch of pain and hurt."

"I saved your life, can't you be thankful for that?"

My mind flashed back to the time two years ago when I knelt in front of the Fire Lord with my pride too deep in my heart and my body scared stiff.

"You did save me, but that doesn't mean I don't hate you. You have no idea what it means to struggle. You're just a spoiled, pampered, ignorant prince without a care in the world. You lay here basking in your glory but in reality everyone hates you. You ruin lives and tear apart families. How could even look at yourself in the mirror without being sick?" I said with scorn. I was so angry at him. He had no idea what his people cause everyday in cities all over the world while he lay in bed without a worry or care in the world.

Was it really right to blame him for something his father had started? Yes, it was. They were all the same. He would probably become some tyrant like his father when he grew up. They were all the same.

"Your just a bitter little girl! You know nothing! Nothing!" Zuko yelled at me swiftly running out of the meeting room and into the hallway. I saw the tears fall onto the shiny marble floor when he ran passed. I didn't care I made him cry. He needed to know the pain that thousands of people felt everyday.

I picked up my empty bucket and threw the wet rag into the bucket. I limped towards the hallway. I was so tired, but work still had to be done.

Later on that night I was sweeping the hallway. I heard screaming from the bedroom of the Royal Couple. I crept down the hall. Maybe someone was hurt?

Placing my eyes up the the door I listened as the conversation unfolded. The Fire Lord sounded enrage about something and the Lady...was she, she crying.

"Ozai no! Please!" the Fire Lady cried out. " I hate it when you're like this."

Lady Ursa had just as much beauty as she did strength. There was nothing bad I could say about her. She was sweet, kind-hearted, and never disrespected anyone, not even those below her in status. How did she get from having such strength and poise to being cornered against a wall in fear? It just didn't add up.

"You're cheating on me aren't you! I saw the way you looked at him!" I cracked the door and saw that Ozai was only inches away from Ursa gorgeous face, his fists clutched to his sides. I saw the tears fall down Ursa's rosy cheeks.

Her were squeezed closed and tight like she couldn't believe what was happening. "Ozai, I love you. I've been faithful to you for nearly twenty years. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"LIAR!" Ozai yelled in an outburst "LIAR!"

And that's when he did it. He slapped her hard with the back of his palm, sending Ursa straight to the ground. She just laid there on the ground while Ozai kept yelling that she was a liar among other rude terms.

I heard footsteps and quickly hid behind a large potted plant next to the doorway. Within a moment Zuko came knocking on the doors of their chamber and in a small voice said, "Mommy you have to see what I did. I learned a new fire------"

He stopped dead in his sentence when he saw his mother laying on the ground with his father hovering over her tiny frame. I came out of my hiding place and got to see his face, all broken and pained like he was about to cry. It almost brought tears to my eyes just watching.

"You did this!" Zuko's voice gained more base, which proved to me that he was angry. "You hit her again didn't you?!"

Again! I almost lost my breath being taken back by that word. My heart skipped a beat when Ozai simply said the words 'shut up' and started shaking the poor boy two feet in he air with all his force, then pressing him against a wall and wrapping his hand around his throat. Zuko's golden eyes were glazed over with fear, while Ozai's own golden orbs were filled with passion and anger.

"Keep quiet child! No one will find out or I'll make sure that will be the last worthless breath you take." Ozai's grip was tight around Zuko's neck. He only nodded. Ozai dropped his son to the ground like some kind of trash. Zuko darted over to his mother who was still laid out in the same spot.

He said mom over and over and shook her a bit for a few minutes. She grumbled and when she opened her eyes she smiled faintly.

"Zuko, my son. How are you? Are you alright?" she whispered in a hoarse, light voice.

"I'm fine! He-he hit you and-------"

Ursa put a finger over Zuko's mouth and interrupted him, "Shh. I'll be fine. Don't you worry about a thing."

I could tell that Zuko was falling apart from his facial expression and then the tears began to fall. He ran out of the room as fast as he could. A mere ten minutes later royal doctors and physicians flooded the room and came to the aid of the now unconscious Lady Ursa.

I didn't move from my spot by the door. I couldn't, just too much shock. I still couldn't believe this was going on and no one had said anything.

Two servant girls walked by and stopped when they saw me just sitting there, lost in my own thought so close to the Royal Quarters.

One of them tapped me on the shoulder, while the other kept walking down the dimly lit corridor. "Crystal! What are you doing here? You know if you're caught here consequences are severe. Come on."

The red haired, emerald eyed woman pulled me down the hallway in the opposite direction of the Royal Chambers.

"What's wrong with you?" the girl asked

It was then that I realized Zuko was right. I knew nothing.

Author's Note: Hello readers! So I brought you all another chapter! I know its a little on the mature side and its a little depressing but it'll get better, I promise! So what do you think?! ~Bre~