"Katara! Zuko! I brought sweet ice!" called Kya, holding two wooden bowls. Still laughing, the children ran over and left a trail of water with their squelching cloth shoes along the white pebbles and up the stairs. "Aren't you two a bit too eager to have your ice? You're both soaking wet, you know. " Kya smiled and looked at the puddles gathering where they stood on the wooden floor of the veranda.
"On a day like this we'd want our sweet ice no matter what. Right, Katara?" He flashed her a pearly white grin.
"Uh-huh." Katara smiled and nodded fervently.
Kya laughed as they took their cold treat and sat down on the bench. "I really don't know how to deal with the two of you."
The children grinned at each other and scoffed down their crystal-like, cold treat. Katara soon ended up with a speck of blueberry ice on the corner of her mouth. Zuko saw it and used his wet hand to gently wipe it away with a chuckle. "You're so clumsy. If you were a princess, everyone would make fun of you."
Katara looked into his warm golden eyes and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Zuko awkwardly turned away and was about to have another mouthful of red raspberry ice. "So you don't think I would make a good Fire Nation princess?"
Zuko spluttered, almost choking. "Of course not! A waterbender as a Fire Nation princess? And the only decent things you own are the dress you're wearing now and the doll you picked up. It wouldn't suit you at all!" He was extra defensive because he'd secretly been wondering if he could convince her stay in the palace with him.
Katara pouted and crossed her arms. "But in a way I'm still a Southern Water Tribe princess. I could do an okay job." Her wide, glistening blue eyes threatened to spill out tears any moment.
Zuko got flustered and tried to take back his words. "Ah, I mean... I'm sure you could learn how to be a proper Fire Nation princess in time… And, um... your mother's necklace is nice, too?"
Katara smiled and Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. They looked at each other and chuckled.
Ty Lee was in the courtyard trying to make funny faces. She pulled her mouth open and stuck out her tongue with one eye closed. Mai just sat there and stared straight at her, unamused.
"What are you trying to do?" asked Mai in her usual unimpressed, slightly annoyed tone.
"Trying to cheer you up… Most people would think you're always like this but I can tell you're feeling really down." A big pout came over Ty Lee's face.
Azula walked up beside Ty Lee and crossed her arms. "It's been half a year since that water peasant came to the palace, and Zuko seems to have completely forgotten our existence."
"You think I'm upset that idiot decided to abandon us? Please, I'm completely fine." insisted an indignant Mai, as she kicked the autumn leaves at her feet.
Azula raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, if you say so." The Fire Nation princess cartwheeled twice then fell. Mai's face was as bored and moody as ever.
Her hyper circus-obsessed friend cartwheeled into a perfect backwards somersault, only to be pushed over. "Azula!", she complained. The princess only laughed.
Mai spotted Zuko as he walked across the veranda with Ursa at his side. She turned away and blushed, happily hoping he'd come to play with them for the first time in a half a year.
Azula noticed this and smiled cheekily as she whispered "Watch this" into Ty Lee's ear, making her giggle. Everything went according to plan - Zuko was forced to play with them, and when she lit the apple on top of Mai's head on fire, he pushed her into the fountain, landing on top of her.
But neither Mai nor Zuko were impressed, and afterwards she could only lament to Ty Lee "We thought making a cute moment for them would cheer her up, but it only seems to have made things worse". The other girl cast her eyes down and nodded in agreement.
Looming shadows danced across the floor of the Fire Nation Throne Room. Bright red flames with no warmth flickered and licked the air around the intimidating, magnificently dressed figure of Fire Lord Azulon.
"Perhaps I should have you take Zuko's life. You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son - by sacrificing your own!", his voice boomed.
A small gasp came from behind a curtain.
The Fire Lord's sharp eyes turned toward the sound. "Guards!"
A small girl cautiously walked out as guards pointed spears at her until they realised who it was. She laughed awkwardly. "Hello, grandfather." She went forward and knelt down.
"Azula, this is not the first time you have eavesdropped on an important discussion. Some things are not for children to hear."
"Forgive me… But grandfather, are you really going to have Zuko killed?... I know he's hopeless and fraternizes with the enemy", she smirked, "but he's still your grandson and a Prince of the Fire Nation."
The Fire Lord's golden eyes widened. "What do you mean 'fraternizing with the enemy'?"
"When mother was on her trip she went to the South Pole, and now she's brought Chief Hakoda's wife and daughter to the palace. They've been here for nine months now, and Zuko plays with the little waterbender girl every day."
Fire Lord Azulon's eyes grew wide with disbelief and rage. "Then Ursa's two guests will be taken hostage, and Prince Zuko will forfeit his life!"
Azula was stunned and speechless.