The Truth Behind Ursa
Chapter 4 - Swapping Sources
I was lined up to be the next firelord, and everything was working out to be more perfect than I could have ever imagined. Since that day, Zuko has been quite a changed person. He's been more touchy, and yet somehow quiet at the same time. A few years after the incident with Mother, Zuko made a horrendous mistake during a war meeting he was attending, and was banished after receiving his scar. This left only me and Father in the royal family, just like I was promised. Zuko is back home now since the Avatar is dead-or so we think. (Go back to the entry I wrote on the day I asked Zuko about the Avatar's fall for more information.)
Judging by what was said tonight around the fire, I don't think Zuko will be sticking around much longer. I knew from the beginning that he wouldn't be able to handle what he always wanted: Father's acceptance. But he's turning around a lot faster than I anticipated.
But now I've gone off on a rant about my current situation. I do not know the whereabouts of Mother. She may be dead, she may be alive. Deep down I do wish that I could see her again, just to hear her comforting voice saying, 'I love you, Azula.' I sometimes have dreams about her return, and they always leave me in a more depressed state than normal. Even sometimes I sink so close to the point of no return that in my gloomy estate so often seems desirable. Like death is calling my name. I so often want her to come home, but I know that she, like Uncle and soon to be Zuko, would turn on us and would certainly be a setback in furthering our Great March of Civilization.
Still, her peaceful comfort, her loving spirit, her gentle advice; I miss you, mother. I truly do.
"Little soldier boy, come marching home.
Brave soldier boy, come marching home."
Mother, come home one day.
Zuko came to the end of the entry. The journal still had a few dozen pages left, but this was all that was written about their mother. Zuko closed the book and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry, Zuko." Mai said as she wrapped her arm around him, pulling him into a hug.
"That answered a few of my questions, but no answers to where she could be." Zuko fell back onto the bed, laying down with his eyes closed. Mai tried her best to think of some way to cheer him up, but she was out of ideas.
"Zuko, is there anything that I can do?"
Zuko just shook his head no to respond. Mai's face fell (more than normal, that is), and she walked out of the room to allow the firelord time to recover. Zuko laid on his bed, head spinning, for quite some time. Then, suddenly, an idea hit him. If his sister had kept a journal, why wouldn't his father have kept one?
No. That's crazy. It was already silly enough to think that Azula would keep a journal... but Ozai? Impossible. ...or is it?
"No," mumbled the figure in the shadows. Zuko stood up and asked again. The sound of clanging metal rang throughout the prison, making words difficult to hear.
"No journal, no diary? Nothing?" he asked.
"I told you, no," Ozai once again mumbled from the grimy darkness of his prison cell. "It was far too risky for me to keep any personal documentations." Ozai then proceeded to mumble something under his breath, but quickly stopped himself as he realized that the clanging in the background had slowed to a halt and Zuko could hear his words perfectly.
Standing up, Zuko smirked and said, "Thank you, father. That's all the information I need for now." Zuko turned and exited. As soon as the door behind him was close he heard Ozai yell in anger with a loud bang on the wall.
Zuko walked through the large courtyard decorated with elaborate dragons and fire nation insignias painted into the marble flooring. His destination he knew, his heart raced in excitement to find more information. He picked up his speed involuntarily, but quickly slowed at seeing a man dressed in a deep crimson robe wandering through the courtyard. When the man spotted on Zuko his eyes slightly widened, followed by him bowing.
"Firelord Zuko, good evening. Is there anything I can help you with?" The elderly man asked.
"No," Zuko quickly replied, "Just coming in search for a document."
"Of course sir. Please, let yourself in." The man said, then stepped aside, holding his hand out in the direction of a circle in the middle of the marbled courtyard. Zuko moved on and stepped into the circle, then bent down, throwing a fistful of fire into a hole in the ground formed in the center of a fire insignia. The ground around him lit up in fire, and the floor swirled open to an spiraling staircase in the ground.
Zuko walked down the staircase, and entered the underground tunnels. Engraved in the wall was an ancient and dead language that was studied all throughout the fire nation as a remembrance of their heritage. It read Dragon Bone Catacombs.
Zuko traveled through the tunnels, going into each room he came across, searching for different files. Each room had a small coffin that obviously held the ancient ashes of dragon bones, and above each coffin with a pedestal with one book laying open on it. Each book had written on it, "The Final Testament of Firelord," and then fill in the blank with one of the previous firelords. It was a custom that before any Prince became a Firelord, he must prove his worth by slaying one of the masters. And there was an entire room dedicated to each Firelord, holding the ashes of the dragon's bones which had been slain by that firelord. Around the fourth room he entered he checked the book that was laid out on display. The first page gave him all the information he needed.
The Final Testament of Firelord Ozai.
"Mai!" Zuko shouted as he ran into her room, causing her to jump in surprise. "Mai, I found it!"
"Found what?" She replied, intrigued, looking up from the table she had been laying on. Zuko paused for a moment at the site of Mai wrapped only in a towel, seeing as she was in the middle of a massage session. She waved her hand and the masseur bowed, then left the room.
"My father wrote his Final Testament as the Firelord. I have it right here!" Zuko said eagerly. Mai put on a smile and walked over to look at the book, which had a very thin layer of dust on the top. It hadn't been in the dragon bone catacombs for long, but enough to collect a little bit of dust.
"Well what are you waiting for, start reading it!" She urged him on. He walked over to the bed and sat down, but did not open the book seeing that Mai had gone the opposite direction. He began to question what she was doing.
"What are you-"
"I'm listening. Go ahead."
She stepped behind a thin, stand-up dressing wall where Zuko could see only the shadow of her as she took off the towel and began to dress herself. What a difficult decision was it for Zuko's eyes to set their gaze upon: the girl or the book. He was equally anxious to see both, but quickly, Mai walked out dressed in a night gown, sash, and a displeased countenance.
"Go ahead I said!" She half-jokingly threw the order at him. She let out a slight giggle as she walked towards the bed and took a seat next to Zuko. He began to read.
The last days of Firelord Ozai approach as he prepares for his new title of The Phoenix King, and passes the honor of Firelord down to daughter Azula. This testament is his account of his accomplishments as Firelord: his Dragon Ceremony as prince, his Coronation, his battles, and his passing on of the Crown. Told by Firelord Ozai himself, transcribed by servants of his royal majesty.
The Final Testament of Firelord Ozai
Zuko flipped forward a few chapters. He had no interest in reading how Ozai had sleighed a dragon. He had probably just stolen the dragon bone ashes form his brother, anyways, when Firelord Azulon revoked his birthright. He reached the second section all about his coronation. He skipped through the first couple of pages, having already been informed through Azula's diary.
"Just skip to the part where he leaves Azulon's chamber." Mai said, anxiously wondering what had happened next.
"I'm trying to find it, just give me a- here it is!" Zuko began.
"Keep to your word, Prince Ozai. See to it that Azula is your only heir, and I will keep to my promise, by revoking Iroh's birthright." At this, I bowed to my father, and walked out, preparing myself to commit the deed which I, at the time, had full desire to do. Little did I know what coincidental and beneficial events would follow.
A few hours later, Ursa pulled me aside into a private room. I could tell that something had been going on between the three of my family members after the meeting, but I did not know what specifically.
"Ozai, we need to talk." Ursa ordered in a low voice. I complied, knowing that there was something going on. And I didn't like it. She closed the curtains to the room and then walked up to me with a somewhat angry countenance.
"What is this about killing Zuko?"
Taken aback, I stared at her blankly, shocked that she knew of the plans which I had spoken of outside her presence only hours before.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied. Why would I expect that to work, though? Suddenly, Ursa pinned me up on the wall, looking me in the eyes with an anger I had only seen from her a very few times before in the past. She was apparently strong enough to lift me up and hold me there. That was when I noticed that she was shaking, and he face was pouring down sweat.
"Don't you lie to me, Ozai. Azula told me everything that happened in your meeting with Azulon. Let me tell you right now: If you lay one hand on Zuko, I will be sure that the entire nation knows of your evil nature and your horrible deeds. Do not underestimate me."
I shoved her back, allowing my feet to touch the floor. We had been in arguments before, but never had we gotten into any physical fights.
"And who are you, Ursa, to tell the prince of the Fire Nation what to do? If I willed it to be, your entire presence in this land would be outlawed." I snapped at her.
"Banish me. Kill me. Do whatever you wish to me. But I will not allow anyone to lay a hand on my son as long as it is in my power to do so, whatever the cost, with any means necessary." She glared into my eyes, narrowing her own. And idea then popped into my head. What if through this situation I could get rid of both Zuko and Ursa? I had been noticing over the recent years that Ursa had been changing, much like my brother, Iroh, had been. I knew that she would soon be a hinderance to our Great March of Civilzation, so why should I wait for her to do something that crosses the line? It was the perfect time to somehow rid the Fire Nation of a royal threat to itself.
I had to think fast. I had to devise a plan that would appear to my father that I killed Zuko, appear to my wife that Zuko was saved, and appear to my people that Ursa had done something unforgivable.
"Any means necessary..." I repeated after a minute or two in deep consideration.
"If you promise not to hurt Zuko, I will do everything in my power to get you on the throne. At all costs."
I made a slight smirk, which I do not believe she noticed.
"Do you have any ideas?" I questioned.
"Yes." She said, surprising me with her answer. I did not think that she had already pondered a way to get me on the throne, but I needed to listen. "As long as we can somehow convince Firelord Azulon that you have killed Zuko, then we can make sure he writes you into his will, revoking Iroh's birthright. Afterwards we..." She paused. "I," She corrected herself, sadly, "could poison Azulon. Then we simply cover up the poison by bribing the coroner and letting him in on the plan, so he can diagnose the autopsy as a natural death. Then you can assume the throne."
All I could think was wow. It was actually a really good plan! I wouldn't have expected it. Now my mind raced through it to see if there would somehow be a way I could get rid of Ursa through the process too.
"I think that it might actually work." I said, plotting for myself inside my head. I too, had a plan of my own to rid my life of the burden that is a wife and son.