Fire Nation Fun Fact: The people of the Fire Nation are people of passion. It is generally accepted for a married man or woman to take a mistress or two of either sex, or to share them between both of them if they are so inclined. All children born from this will hold the social standing of the mother, the children of female mistresses can however be considered for noble Titles if no trueborn heir exists. Sudden deaths among trueborn heirs are not as much of a problem as one might think, given this law, because most Fire Lords don't have the patience to deal with an investigation and just execute all of the mistresses when a strange and sudden death occurs. Azulon, who disliked this practice was notoriously known for being very cruel in his punishments for this particular crime.
Even a child born out of wedlock is still no social pariah like in the Water tribes for example, whose deep sense of community and love makes them abhor this. A Bastard however cannot inherit a title unless legitimized by the ruling Fire Lord.
The fourth chapter. In which Azula fortifies her rule and mourns her brother
Zuko's funeral was a quiet and somber affair. Azula burned his body alone and alone she carried his ashes into the catacombs. A sarcophagus was commissioned in his image. She remembered laying the blade she had wanted to kill him with next to his urn. She remembered Ty lee coming to find her and she remembered a lot of wine and crying.
And so it was a tired and mourning Azula, that stepped out onto the balcony of her, HER, palace, the sun stinging painfully in her tired eyes.
Instead of the red, black and golden garment of the Fire Lord she wore a simple white robe, embroidered with little Flowers and her crowning sword on her belt, as it was traditional for mourning. White as the colour of death and the blade as a sign of loss would paint her as a sympathetic figure in the eyes of the common people and more than a few nobles.
After all Azula truly felt miserable. Her hand resting on the pommel of her blade, which she had called Kinslayer, she limped out into the sun. Silence greeted her from the masses, but they were there, thousands of people had come together below the palace to mourn for their fallen Prince, even if he was a traitor.
Azula looked down on them with her one good eye, her right one still heavily bandaged. The physician had said the scars would never fade, as he had told a far younger Zuko once. A rather ironic sign and a reminder, she thought as she touched the bandage, just to feel the sharp tug of pain. Only her eye and her leg had been serious wounded and the leg would probably recover.
She had just a few more rather impressive Burnscars to show of after her Agni Kai for the Throne. Well that and being marked as a Kinslayer in the eyes of the spirits. Azula did not give much about their opinions, but some people did and so she had to play up the mourning angle, to ease her guilt in the eyes of the populace.
Her voice was rough as she addressed the people. "This was supposed to be a happy occasion", she said, her voice carrying over the morning wind and the noises of the populace with ease.
"I would have given a great feast on the palace grounds and everyone would have been invited."
She quieted down for a second, just long enough for the people to break down into murmurs, before she silenced them:
"I will still do that, though it will not be a feast dedicated to me. Instead it will be hold in remembrance of a prince we lost to the evils of the Avatar and a foolish sister who could not save her brother."
She paused again for dramatic effect.
"I want you to know, people of the Fire Nation that, though I won the throne over the body of my brother, I will not let his sacrifice be in vain. In fact I promise you to make this Nation into a country he and all of you can be proud of. By the glory of the Dragons and the unconquered sun, I will give our enemies no quarter. I will bring justice for all, the common and the high people and I promise you this, citizens of my Nation. I will reward loyalty as sure as I will punish betrayal. My mercy died with my brother."
She raised her hand. "Now enjoy the feast that will be prepared in the evening. Fill your bellies without restraint, enjoy the wine, there is enough for everyone. This day will be a day of festivities in remembrance of the past and in honor of our future. This will be a night of singing, drinking and of passion as only the Fire Nation can do it." She threw her arms to the side. "Long may the sun shine!"
Laughing and encouraging cries reached her ears as long with a low chanting of her name that grew steadily loader until it was drowned in the roaring applause. Azula waved as she left the balcony, a shadow falling over her face as soon as she was alone.
This was not easy. To be honest she was worried. It had been two days and there were still no news from her father and the three Legions he had taken with him. The rest of the colonies in the earth Kingdom was also eerily quiet. No news from Ba Sing Se or Omashu, but there were rumors of smoke over the great cities and of fields of corpses with no survivors on either side. Nobody had a straight story about just what happened under Sozin's comet in the earth Kingdom.
Azula had known that her father would be punished by the spirits but what about the fifteen thousand men with him? And the garrisons and Legions still fighting at the front. Nothing from them either.
The falcons send to the central army had not come back, the one sent to Omashu returned without an answer and the colonies gave vague unnmatching reports. Azula was frustrated and tired and her patience was wearing thin. The indecisiveness was killing her.
He entered the Throne room and let out a soft laugh. So often she had kneeled on the tiles of black marble looking up the golden columns and the grand tapestry behind the burning throne, her eyes blinded by the flames
It was rather new, rebuild after Roku destroyed it in his duel with Sozin, the carvings of dragons having been changed to abstract flames that framed the burning throne itself. It was dark in the Throne room, there were no torches or lights here, only one light would light the center of power in the Fire Nation.
Azula sat down on the great platform directly in the center of the tapestry, where she was framed by the flames as if they were her burning wings. And with a gesture of her hand she ignited the throne, the Flames roaring around her leaving only her silhouette visible from outside, where visitors and supplicants would kneel. It was build to host the Fire Lord and his great dragon looming behind him, based on the assumption that the Lord of Fire would not need a fancy chair like a lesser ruler. Only his flames and his dragon.
It was different from when her father resided here, the blue flames creating an eerie, cold light that did not represent power as the red shine of Ozai's flame but moire of a deadly threat, a promise of destruction without emotion. Azula liked it.
The grand doors, guarded by her imperial Firebenders and Dai Li Agents opened and Ty Lee strolled into the Throne Room, looking around with an eyebrow raised and bowing between the last two columns, as her status demanded.
Then she stood up and leaned against one of the columns, staring at the shadows in the room that weren't driven away by the blue flames but somehow invited, creating an illusion of darkness and mysteries behind the curtain of Fire.
"It certainly is different", she said. "But still intimidating."
"That's what I was going for." Azula lowered the flames so she could see Ty Lee's face, that was crinkled in worry.
"Are you alright, Azula?", she asked.
"I am", Azula confirmed.
"Liar." Ty Lee gently touched her cheek with her outstretched fingers, while climbing onto the throne and laying her head on Azula's lap. "You killed your brother, Azula. Not even you can be alright after this."
Azula stared into the flames as if she was searching for something, before finally saying: "Yes I did. Azula the kinslayer. I'm sure it will mesh wonderfully with my other lovely titles."
"I was scared", said Ty Lee. "Of Zuko, of you. You hated each others guts, but why were you both so determined to kill each other?"
There was a long silence, in which Azula closed her eyes, still aware of Ty Lee's silent stare.
"It is because we both think we are saving the world", Azula finally answered, gently stroking Ty Lee's braid. "Huh?" she asked perplexed.
"We always had different opinions", Azula continued "But in the end it came down to the path this Nation would take into the Future. Zuko would have followed the Avatar, ended the war and probably would have bent over backwards for the demands of the other Nations. I on the other hand will not take the victory from my people that they worked a hundred years to earn, that they spilled so much blood for. I refuse to bow to the whims of a spirit who has no right to decide the fate of humanity."
"So it came down to ideological differences?"
"Both of us could have never accepted the world the other envisioned. He knew that and came here, fully ready to kill me."
She sighed. "I don't blame him. It would be hypocritical of me to do that. I blame Iroh and the Avatar, for poisoning his mind. Maybe he could have been great at my side without them and without father to pressure us."
"That would have been great", laughed Ty Lee. "You could have married him and Mai and you could spoil their whole bunch of children, while teaching them Firebending." She stilled. "It would have been beautiful if things were different."
"It is not healthy to chase after What ifs, Ty Lee. Both of us made mistakes, I can see that now."
"So fear is no longer the only reliable way?"
Azula sighed again. "It was foolish of me to dismiss loyalty and love. They are powerful in their own right, even if I don't really understand them. Fear alone leads to betrayal. Loyalty is far more useful, if more difficult to obtain."
"I will help you, Azula", said Ty Lee, kissing her on the cheek. "It's almost time for the oaths. They should be here soon."
She stood up and Azula hissed in pain as she touched her wounded leg.
"Oh wonderful. A pit of Vipers searching for chances to secure their own power. Father left them to their own devices for far to long. It will be difficult to remind them of their place again."
Ty Lee chuckled. "It will be fine. You sometimes forget how intimidating you are."
"Still, my position is a dangerous one. I have no heirs and a civil war is the last thing this Nation needs, now that the war has ignited fully again. They will try to push me into marriage, which I can't afford either, because marrying and thus elevating a family over the other could upset the balance."
She rubbed her temples. "I will need to take a few wards out of their sons and daughters, maybe marry a few of them to each other. The Sages should be satisfied with Lu Sing's elevation to High Sage for the time being, but Jao Long is a problem. He doesn't like me and I believe he could try to make a push for the throne."
"There is no real way for you to remove him without assassination", said Ty Lee. "I could kill him in his sleep easily enough but it is impossible for that not to fall back on you." She pouted. "You could also just marry me and don't bother with that anymore."
"No", Azula said. "I really can't. Even if you don't give much about them, your family is rather powerful in the capital. After Mai's execution it is also the one most loyal to me. I would like nothing more to reward their loyalty but if I marry you now I will still give a single family to much power. And the problem with the heirs is still there. I can't afford a pregnancy right now and I cannot get you pregnant for obvious reasons."
"I ´know, I know", Ty Lee sighed. "Still, a girl can dream. Wouldn't it be like the songs? Just us against the world and all social stigmata. Would be even better if I was a commoner. Oh, or a Waterbender", she babbled excited.
"Don't even joke about that", said Azula laughing. "And most of our songs end in tragedy anyway."
"Yeah, never really liked that. But what do you want to do about Jao Long? Without Zuko he has no legitimate heirs anymore who would suit his agenda better, so he has no choice anymore but to plot your death."
Azula scratched the itching scar on her face. "He has a son, hasn't he?"
Ty Lee nodded. "Yes. He is thirty-seven and had a big falling out with his father. He lives somewhere by the great harbor, made it big in trading with the burning cities and the colonies."
"Does he have any children?"
"A daughter I think. But I don't think she is very close to her grandfather."
"We can still use her to wring a confession out of him. If he really is a sympathizer of the Avatar we can execute him anyway with even the slightest bit of proof. Let us concentrate on the others first."
"But what about the imperial Firebenders themselves? If he is killed from within it wouldn't reflect to much on you."
"We would need a scapegoat and a replacement" Azula agreed.
"I will speak to the ones we know are loyal, the ones at Mai's execution and the ones who were with the seventh legion in Iro Jawa and Ba Sing Se. They would definitely be loyal to you."
"Good Idea", said Azula. "He may be the biggest problem but he is far from the only one. However without the imperial Firebenders watching my back my days as a ruler are numbered."
Ty Lee nodded. "My own family is on your side, they reaped to many benefits from our friendship to jump ships. The others are waiting for opportunities but have nothing concrete. Mai's family could be a problem, after all we executed their daughter."
"Then they will fall in line if they don't want us to do the same to their son. I have no mercy left for that woman."
Ty Lee knew that Azula's dislike for Mai's mother was only surpassed by her hate for her own mother. Azula had become kind of a patron for motherless children or children from abusive households, establishing and funding a number of orphanages even under Ozai's rule, that kept themselves in business by letting the children do simple, paid work all overseen by Azula herself.
It was the closest the Fire Lord would come to sympathizing, even if she would never admit it, hiding behind phrases like: "securing the future of the workforce."
Both had been quiet for a few minutes and it was Azula, who spoke again in a very soft voice: "Do you think, Zuzu would have made a good Fire Lord?", she asked almost shyly.
Ty Lee was stunned for a few seconds, the question and the unexpected vulneravility surprising her. Then she shook her head. "I loved Zuko", she said. "And I am sure he would have done what he thought best. But there is a great difference between Zuko and you and the most important one is, that you love this Nation."
"What do you mean?"
"Zuko hated his father, his honor, himself. He hated the harshness of the military and the intrigues that good Ursa banished. He hated you and his hunt. He was full of hate now that I think about it. And deep inside him he hated this Nation. He wanted to change it completely, seeing the culture as worthless in it's entirety, because of Iroh and the Avatar, who have every reasons to hate us."
"That makes sense", Azula answered slowly. "He did not grow up here. His memories are only of father and me, of pain, since our mother was banished. He did not like me, year after year, see the Fire Lilys bloom or the summer festivals, he did not watch the whalers bring in the great beasts or the christening of the ships. After mother all of his memories of home were awful."
Ty Lee nodded. "I think it was that hate that drove him. He learned from Iroh that we, that he himself was evil and he saw the only way out in the claws of the Avatar."
She shook her head again. "So no, I don't think he would have made a good Fire Lord. He would have destroyed everything this Nation stands for."
Azula nodded. "He was my brother, even if he hated me. I should have seen that sooner. Maybe I could have spared him this fate."
"You said it yourself, What if's are a waste of time."
Azula kissed her. "You are right, Ty Lee. However I would be very interested in where he learned the dancing Dragon. It was thought to be lost with the dragons themselves."
"From Iroh maybe?", Ty Lee asked. "He did kill the last one, didn't he?"
"Maybe", she whispered. But that doesn't really fit Iroh. I never believed he really killed a dragon. But Zuko knowing the form means that either he or Iroh found a living dragon. And that means, that they are still out there."
"This is good news", said Ty Lee. "If you could bring the dragons back your position would be heavily secured. And you know... Dragons." She smiled lightly.
"If I had lived a hundred years ago I would have been given one of my father's dragons hatchlings when I grew old enough to care for it. We would have grown up together, would have our first flight together, breathed our first flame together and learned the dancing dragon together from our parents. We would have killed our first enemy together and by the unconquered sun can you believe how much easier it would have been to hunt the thrice damned Avatar on his stupid bison if we had a dragon!?", the last sentence was almost shouted.
"Wow, you're passionate about this", said Ty Lee, softly kissing Azula's hair. "I feel jealous. After all I did most of these things with you. And more", she whispered sweetly into Azula's ear.
Azula shuddered. "Don't tempt me. The council will meet soon and I need to prepare myself. They will not be happy but I need to show strength now more than ever. I will count on you to intimidate them into complying."
"As if I could do anything your blue wall of doom can't", Ty Lee said, jumping of the throne and taking her place to Azula's left, her silent dagger in the night."
"The rumors of your skills are threat enough. Not for them personally but for their families in the night."
"I am not happy about this", pouted Ty Lee.
"I know", answered Azula. "But there are times when fear is the only reliable way.
The throne room looked different when it was full of people. The blue light of Azula's flame added a certain shine to faces that made everyone look as if they were plotting something sinister.
To be honest everyone in this room was plotting something sinister from Azula on the burning throne down to the five year old heir of the Luzhiang family, who was sucking on the frills of his caretakers robe, while standing behind him soaking the very expensive silk thoroughly and disgustingly wet, to the amusement of his staff and Ty Lee.
She was standing up on the platform, overlooking the Throne room with her arms crossed. A silent factor of intimidation, to let them know that Azula could have them assassinated in the night anytime. Ty Lee's progress was known and her deeds by the infiltration of Ba Sing Se and the slaughter of the North Gate as people called it now had only added to her reputation.
Lo and Li were there, the silent advisers, not on the platform but in direct vicinity to the burning throne, showing that Azula valued their counsel and most of all trusted them.
The rest of the nobles of the realm was standing in a half circle around the throne, the heads of all the important families of Caldera, the burning cities and the Isles or at least their authorized to make promises and the oath in their place.
Most of them didn't really know what to think about the situation. Ozai was very much alive and had made himself a new title, but the Oath was sworn to the Fire Lord and after a crowning it was the ritual to renew that Oath before the burning throne,m swearing their loyalty to the current Fire Lord.
And it was the current King of Langxio that voiced their doubts. The rulers of Langxio, the greatest of the burning cities were Kings once, before Vanir subdued them and named himself Fire Lord over the whole Nation. Now they were Kings only in name, a steward for the Fire Lord in Caldera. But because they were so far away from the center of power they sometimes thought their power to be as absolute as the Fire Lords. Sometimes they needed to be reminded of the Oaths they had sworn and the sheer terrible power that sat on the burning throne.
"I don't quite understand why we are here", he said, He didn't seem to be afraid or nervous because of the new tint of the Throne room, but there was a certain carefulness in his voice, as if he was guarding himself.
"Ozai is alive and fighting in the earth Kingdom right now. I swore my oaths to him and I have no Intention to serve two masters."
The sleazebag had no intention of serving any master at all but that was to be expected. Grandstanding to see what they could get away with. Not a lot if Azula had her way.
She didn't react behind her curtain of Fire, choosing to let her servants talk to him. This too, was a message, degrading him showing him his place without insulting him directly. Ozai was fond of this tactic and he passed it on to his daughter.
"Your oaths are sworn to the Fire Lord", said Li.
"And as a noble to the Fire Nation you will continue to swear them to the Fire Nation", continued Lo.
"Not to do so is treason", Li again.
"Treason against the Fire Lord, the crown and the Phoenix King", finished Lo.
Azula hated to invoke her fathers new title but until he finally got what was coming to him, she had to play the waiting game and deny her own power, act as the glorified steward her father intended her to make. At least until the wrath of the dragons punished him.
She waited to see what the man would do. The punishment for treason was death and Azula was in the position to enforce that. Not in a good position, certainly but the actual scale of her power was rather unclear with the current political situation.
And everyone who knew the princess knew two things: First of all that she wouldn't hesitate at all to kill him and second that with Ty Lee at her side, nobody in here stood a chance if she decided to kill them all, even if her imperial Firebenders would side with their commander over their Fire Lord.
Azula didn't hold all the power in this situation but that depended largely on her unwillingness to escalate beyond a reasonable level. Also even if it was clear that she intended to do away with Ozai and had no intention of being subservient to the Phoenix King, whatever she had planned hadn't happened yet and a quick succession would be more beneficial for all sides than an open rebellion by a part of the nobles.
The question remained if Azula was able to remain in power and neutralize her father. If not, swearing the oath to her would mean certain death. However not swearing the Oath to her wold carry dire consequences if she did manage to overthrow Ozai.
In the end he decided to deal with the danger directly before him first.
"I will kneel", he said slowly. My great ancestors swore to be part of the Fire Nation for eternity. Not whatever Ozai is building."
That invoked murmurs and whispers from the others. To openly defy Ozai like that set an entirely different precedence. The newly appointed High Sage chimed in with his gravelly voice: "The great Dragons lit the burning Throne for the first Fire Lord Vanir and all who would follow him. The burning Throne is still lit and a Fire Lord sits upon it. Ozai does not hold the blessings of the dragons. The faith serves Fire Lord Azula."
Azula was thankful for the burning curtain, because she could not hold back her grin. This was unexpected. There was a certain glint in the eyes of the King, who knew very well what he had just done. He incited an open rebellion against Ozai and his new way, guessing correctly that Azula had the faith in her pocket. Some of the older Lords and Ladys would not dare to go against the faith and the rest of the burning cities would follow his example.
He guessed that Azula's power base was large enough to give them a majority and sway the opportunists and fair weather friends among the noble. Loyalists to Ozai could be dealt with, if the conspiracy was shared among the whole council.
He was good. But for now he was on her side. She could appreciate a competent man in her council, as long as he knew his place. She would wait and see.
So she spoke, for the first time at this meeting: "To talk about your Fire Lord like that is treason."
"Then it is a good thing I am not talking about my Fire Lord, isn't it", he answered, his gaze steady, now standing directly in front of her silhouette.
Azula smiled at that. He had seen through her intentions, as she expected. Some of the others however were still holding their breath. This was all a show, a deadly show, where the outcome would decide the fate of the Fire nation and thus the entire world.
"I will accept your Oaths, King of Langxio, for the Fire Nation will always follow the Fire Lord. Not a traitor with delusions of an empire. The great dragons have invented this title for a reason."
"This is outrageous!", came a shout from the ranks of the nobles. Hei Wang, a Lord of the southern isles, the southernmost point of the fire Nation. A military man, not very bright but a good head on his shoulders when it came to battle. And very loyal. Too loyal.
"We swore ourselves to Ozai. This is a coup based on technicalities. How can you support this, fellow nobles. Are you really prepared to throw your lot in with this traitorous girl, with this Kinslayer?"
It was silent in the hall, only the sounds of the Fire burning through, illuminating the white faces of the nobles in it's dangerous blue light. Ty Lee had her hand at her swords grip, a scowl on her face.
Azula slowly lowered her Flames and looked the noble who had spoken directly into his face.
"A Kinslyer I am", she agreed. "I killed my brother in cold blood. I am planning a coup against the Father, who betrayed his own nation", she snarled and realization hit the nobles. This was all to real. A real choice, between the empire they had known and the fantastic idea Ozai had forced upon them.
"I am going to kill my Uncle", Azula spoke further. "And my mother if I ever find the traitorous whore. So let me be a Kinslayer. Let me bear the curse of the spirits as a badge of honor. Let it be my title, Azula the Kinslayer and let it be known that it will be Azula the Kinslayer who leads this Nation back to old greatness. Against my fathers wishes, against the Avatars wishes and even against your wishes if it has to be so."
The new High Priest was the first to applaud, followed by the burning cities and Ty Lee. And a murmur grew louder from within the ranks of the nobles, who started cheering for her and against her father. Some out of faith, because they truly believed that Ozai had betrayed the spirits they were sworn to.
Some out of loyalty to the Fire Nation, out of traditionalism they would not see it change. Others cheered because they feared for their lifes, the consequences of defying Azula. Others thought that Ozai couldn't possibly have defeated the Avatar and that the lack of news meant that he was long dead.
However many voices joined the chanting that grew louder with each second. "Kinslayer", Kinslayer", Kinslayer!, "Kinslayer!"
In this night they swore their oaths and the great feast was held on the palace ground. The Nobles, the commoners and the soldiers engaged in unrestrained festivities. Many alliances were made in this night of great passion, Wine and food were consumed, songs were sung and praises for the new Fire Lord were proclaimed in many toasts. Many lovers found each other in that night and many fights broke out. For this was a feast of the Fire Nation and the people who were once blessed by the dragons were people of passion.
Seven men died that night, nobles who openly spoke against the new Fire Lord, some murdered in the passion of the night, some killed by their own to validate Azula's claim. And one in a memorable occasion with the mistress of the Lord of the western plains, a komodo-rhino and an apprentice blacksmith. Others like Jao Long were quiet and made their own plans. Nobody died to Azula's flames or Ty Lee's blade in that night.
Both of them had no part in the festivities. Instead the two old lovers found themselves celebrating alone between the Fire Lilys of the palace gardens and again later in Azula's chamber, celebrating their victory and the validation of their rule.
It was a night of passion after all.
In a dungeon, deep beneath Ba Sing Se, Ozai awoke. And as he felt the cold creeping out of his very soul into his limps, the mighty and cruel Phoenix King cried like a child, shivering from the cold in his soul, where no Fire burned anymore.
Somewhere in the earth Kingdom a mercenary in a dark cloak gently run her fingers over the beautiful blade she held close to her chest. Hearing the news of the Avatars Victory from some of the celebrating soldiers she sighed. Mai did not really care for the Avatar. She was searching for Zuko and where the Avatar was, she would probably find him. Maybe she could convince him to renounce his stupid Quest and flee together with her. So she would travel to Ba Sing Se first thing in the morning. Even though she didn't let it show, she was lonely, missing Zuko, Azula and even Ty Lee. So she fell asleep, holding herself, dreaming of better days.
I wonder if she thought about that before she did it. As far as titles of honor go this one is rather dark
Aang has a personal code of not killing anyone. He does not believe that there are worse things than death. He is wrong about that, as faceless Koh can attest to.