Chapter Three:

Ursa awoke surrounded by sunlight. She sat up in bed, dazed for a moment, forgetting where she was. It was the painful ache between her thighs that brought her back to reality and helped her to remember the night before. What she found strange was Ozai's absence from the room. She pulled the silk sheets up over her body to cover her naked form, looking around the gorgeous room of the palace in confusion. The deep red of the bedclothes stood out in contrast to the deep brown mahogany of the floors and the furniture. She turned, looking to the balcony that she hadn't noticed the night before where sheer white curtains fluttered in the morning breeze.

"Good morning," a voice called out from the doorway. Ozai's voice. Ursa shifted immediately to him, finding him already dressed for the day in his traditional royal robes.

"Good morning," she answered back, a bit perplexed. She wondered how long she had slept.

"Have you been up for long?" He asked, coming around to stand beside her. She shook her head and pulled the sheets up higher to allow herself at least some sense of dignity.

"No, no. I just woke up." Ozai sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled at her, chuckling lightly. Ursa momentarily had a flashback to the previous night, when she heard him make that sound before.

"Late riser, are you?" He teased, smoothing down her hair, "I would have waited for you to wake, dear, but I rise with the sun. All firebenders do." Ursa nodded. She was surprised when Ozai tipped her chin up so he could kiss her. It was sweet and light, like all kisses should be, but it still felt wrong to Ursa. Deep down she knew Ikem was hurting and so she hurt too. It mattered little that Ozai was handsome and talented and a prince. Her heart ached for her beloved, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. She drifted off in thought after their kiss and Ozai scowled as he saw her crestfallen expression.

"What is it?" He asked softly, brows knit together. Ursa shifted, coming back to reality.

"What's wrong?" He repeated. Ursa inhaled sharply, trying to think of something.

"I - I'm still hurting a bit, that's all. It's still a bit painful." She choked out, hoping he would take that as a valid excuse. He leaned back, and she wondered for a moment if he would rebuke her, but he didn't.

"I'm sorry. I'll send for the royal family physician. He can give you some herbs for the pain."

"Oh, that's alright, I don't know if I need anything too-" Ozai cut her off with the raising of his hand.

"It's fine. I was already planning on having him stop by to see you today," he explained. Ursa blinked, entirely confused.

"Why?" She asked. Ozai stood from the bed.

"To give you special herbs and mixtures for fertility. Raspberry leaf is one we discussed for you, a common aid to achieving a pregnancy. You drink it with your tea twice a day. But I am not the expert on such things, Dr. Lang can prescribe you."

Ursa didn't know what to think. Yesterday she was a virgin and now here she was, discussing a possible pregnancy.

"I didn't know you would be wanting me to become pregnant so soon," Ursa commented.

"Well, of course. A pregnancy would result in another heir. That's why my father wanted me to marry you, of course. The fire sages predicted you would give birth to healthy heirs. My heirs," Ozai explained. Ursa nodded slowly. It was strange to think she could become pregnant so soon. It was always something she saw as far off.

"Right," she said, deep in thought. Ozai scowled again at her dour expression.

"Don't you want to have my child? You'll be giving birth to a prince or a princess of the Fire Nation?" There was an edge in his voice that hinted at his anger. Ursa turned quickly to him

"No, I do! I'm sorry. This is all happening so quickly, Ozai, that's all. I wasn't prepared like you were. I didn't know that the Fire Sages had predicted this. I mean, I was already engaged to someone else when-"

Ursa cut herself off, realizing Ozai wouldn't want to discuss such things. She looked up to her husband to find him staring at her intently, seriously. She was frightened to think that she might have angered him. She visibly swallowed, suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable under the thin sheet. He straightened, folding his hands behind his back. When he spoke his voice was calm and deadly quiet.

"This peasant you were arranged to marry before, what was his name?" Ursa's heart ached horribly, mournfully, in her chest.

"Ikem." A silence passed. Ursa was fearful. She had no real reason to be, but she was anyway. She didn't want anything to happen to him, her love. Suddenly tears threatened to fall. Ozai saw this, he saw her trembling lip. He sat down on the bed again. It took him a moment to realize that she was almost crying for him, for this man she was supposed to marry. It made him angry and caused an uncomfortable tightness in his chest that he did not want to name. He supposed it was just jealousy.

"Well you did not marry him, did you?" He asked, not being able to help the slight sharpness of his tone. Ursa inhaled shakily, having trouble looking her husband in the eye.

"No. I married you," she responded. Ozai tilted his head back.

"Yes. You did. So you should shed no tear for him. Not a one. I am yours now. And you are mine."

Ursa wanted to cry more than she ever had before. His words only injured her more. However, with all the willpower she had in her, she restrained herself. She swallowed, stopped her shaking, and looked her husband in the eye.

"Yes."


"This is my personal office and library. I have another in a distant section of the palace, near the meeting chambers. You are free to read anything I own, although I ask you put everything back where you found it when you are finished… I have a system."

When Ursa was dressed and after they had eaten a magnificent breakfast, he decided to give her a tour of the palace. His rooms were expansive, she was discovering, and there was lots to learn.

"You enjoy reading for pleasure?" Ursa asked, noting the apparent variety of books. There was a case of firebending scrolls, of course, but there were also shelves filled with a variety of hardcover books, both old and new.

"I do. Very much so. I own several first editions." Ozai watched her as she perviewed the room, scanning the titles.

"The Tale of Genji?" Ursa asked, looking up at him curiously, "You read romance?" Ozai almost blushed. Almost.

"Sometimes. That edition is an antique. Very rare." He explained. She nodded, tracing her finger along the spine.

"I love that story," she remarked.

"You enjoy reading as well, I take it?"

"Yes. I always haved. I love reading plays, too." Ozai made a noncommittal noise.

"I can't remember the last time I read a play. I read the classics, of course, with a tutor, but that was ages ago." Ursa scoffed.

"It can't have been too long ago. You're not very old." Ozai huffed.

"Well, no. I'm twenty-five. But I finished my tutoring for academics many years ago."

"You're seven years older than I am?" Ursa asked, almost shocked at the prospect. She hadn't inquired about his age before. She hadn't even had time. He looked about her age.

"Yes. Does that concern you?" He asked, joking with her. She looked him over.

"No."

"Does it concern you, being married to a teenager?" She asked, not thinking much if it was an appropriate question. Ozai raised a brow, looking at her over his shoulder before he turned.

"No, not particularly. You've reached adulthood. Why would it concern me?" Ozai asked.

"I don't know, it's just that I'm so many years your junior. I might not be as mature as you might have hoped. Or as good a conversationalist," Ursa replied, looking down at the floor.

"I was not told of your age before your marriage. All I was told was that the Fire Sages predicted you would bear me healthy heirs. I didn't know you were engaged. I barely knew anything about you. My father trusted the sage's prediction, so he cared little for the details and neglected to tell me anything he might have known about you. He was sure I would obey him so I doubt he cared."

Ursa nodded, thinking over the haste regarding their union. There they were, two strangers, thrown together into marriage without a second thought.

"I'll tell you about myself. If you care to listen," she answered. Ozai stepped closer, looking her over, and then he smiled gently.

"I would like that. Would you like to see the gardens while we talk?" He asked. Ursa smiled, then.

"I love gardens." Ozai chuckled and opened the door to the private royal family estate. When she stepped out into the gardens he wrapped his hand around her waist.

"Go ahead. Tell me about yourself," Ozai encouraged. Ursa smiled, looking up at him briefly before gazing back at the lush greenery of the gardens.

"Well, I just turned eighteen. My birthday is August 2nd. When is yours?" She asked.

"September 18th. I'll be twenty-six." He answered. Ursa looked at him.

"Only a month away then. Are you going to have a party?" She wondered. Ozai huffed.

"Of course. I'm a prince. All the nobles will be invited. People will come from far and wide to stay at the palace. It will be a grand affair."

"I didn't know that, I'm sorry. I barely know anything about nobility. My parents are only minor officials, and since we live in the colonies we don't come for events on the mainlands."

"It's unfortunate. Isn't it? You have so much to learn, and little time to do so. It's a shame you weren't properly educated about noble life." Ozai wasn't angry, only scolding, but it stung Ursa just the same. She pushed away from him.

"I'm not shameful. I was educated, it's just that I wasn't educated about royal life because it was assumed that I wouldn't live a royal life. My parents wanted me to stay in Hira'a and live there, with them-" Ozai raised a hand to silence her.

"Do not talk back to me. And do not discuss your parents when it isn't necessary. Especially in public," he reprimanded. Ursa knit her brows.

"What if it is essential to a discussion?" She asked. Ozai sighed.

"It's not traditional. I don't want you to bring them up. If you do, people will think you are disobeying me and my father by ignoring our tradition at court. I can't have that. All royal brides must forget their past and learn our past and our traditions. This rule was not made only for you. It is an ancient rule." Ursa bit her lip. A sinking feeling came into her chest as she thought about her parents. She would miss them terribly. She wanted to cry for them.

Ursa flinched as Ozai drew his hand around her waist again, pulling her to him. He kissed her brow. Her head was nuzzled against his neck and when she inhaled she could smell his expensive cologne. He pulled back, tipping her chin up with his finger.

"Do you understand, my dear?" Ursa sighed lightly.

"I do." No part of her desired to get on Ozai's bad side. She knew no one else, after all.

He was all she had left. She couldn't disobey him. He leaned in, and then she realized he wanted to kiss. Ursa had no desire to do so, but she leaned in anyway, letting him hold her in his arms, letting his talented tongue brush into her mouth and tangle with her own. He really was an excellent kisser. He was better than any Ursa had ever kissed. Perhaps, she thought, he would rather kiss than talk. He was much more likeable this way, after all.

"You're a good kisser," she complimented once they had parted. He smiled widely, and she could tell the compliment was well received.

"So are you," he replied.

They walked and talked for several hours, learning all sorts of little details about one another. Ozai liked tea in the morning. Ursa did not. Ozai liked to swim, and so did she. Ursa loved to paint. Ozai had never painted. She promised to show him sometime. He promised to buy her paints. Ozai loved to train and firebend. Ursa loved to act and to sing.

By the end of the day, she came to like him a little more than she had at the start.

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!