I couldn't resist this idea and I thought of an AU where Ozai gets a little bit of well deserved karma. I hope you get as much pleasure out of it as I did. Sorry for the delay, but hope you enjoy my return to Avatar drabbles, I rewatched the series with my little cousin and remembered how much I loved this wonderful show.
Numb
Zuko had never seen Grandfather so angry. He knew he shouldn't be hiding there with Azula, but he was too frightened to move away. He knew that Father had been wrong to try to take away Uncle Iroh's birth right, but the flames felt hot even from behind the curtains. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born? Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you, your punishment has scarcely begun!" Grandfather thundered, sounding furious. The fire surrounding the throne rose angrily.
"Father, forgive me. I did this out of loyalty for you," Father pleaded and for the first time, Zuko heard Father afraid. "I humbly beg your pardon." Zuko wanted to run to him, to hug him and make Grandfather smile and be happy again. Azula suddenly took his hand and squeezed it. Even she was scared of what could happen.
"You have revealed yourself to be a problem. There's no limit to your treachery. You would betray your own brother. You have no regard for your own flesh and blood?" Grandfather roared, pointing a finger at Father. "You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher."
The next image was seared into the mind of the young prince forever. He watched a tongue of fire move from his grandfather's hand and into the face of his father. Zuko watched in horrified silence as his father fell to the floor, screaming in pain. It was the last thing he remembered before he passed out on the floor.
When he awoke, he found himself in his room. His head was bandaged and he felt so dizzy. "Are you all right, your highness?" a servant chirped, standing at his bedside. "You hit your head quite hard. I think you should stay in bed till your mother comes to you." She wa smiling too widely, like the way Azula did when she was lying.
"I'm fine. Where's my father?" Zuko demanded. "I order you to bring me to him. Carry me if you have to," he said, forsaking his own dignity for the moment.
"Your highness should rest. You really had a nasty spill and you should not exert yourself," the maid said, looking very nervous. "Can I fetch you some lovely custard? It's your highness's favorite. The Princess just had a big bowl sent to her room."
"I order you to bring me to my father. I'm the grandson of the Fire Lord, I demand you do it," Zuko said peevishly. His head did hurt tremendously, but he had to find his father and help him. He was furious to find himself in his sleeping clothes, like a baby.
"I can't…please, your highness, there is nothing I can do. Please don't punish me," the girl begged and Zuko knew something was terribly wrong. The servants wouldn't dare keep something from him unless it was something Mom or Grandfather didn't want him to know. "We can't talk about it."
"What happened?" Zuko whispered, remembering the screaming. His father had been crying with pain, that was the last thing he remembered. "My dad's hurt. Please, I need to find him." He would't cry infront of a servant like a baby. He would find his dad on his own.
"He's not hurt, he's banished," a soft voice. Azula was standing at the door, looking smug. She looked like she had been having a good day.
"What are you talking about?" Zuko gasped, trying to remember his sister always lied.
Azula rolled her eyes and walked over to his bedside. "Grandfather said he's a traitor and he can't come back until he finds the Avatar. You would have known that if you hadn't fainted like a little baby."
Zuko felt his chest begin to hurt. How coud Father be gone from the palace? "Your highness, perhaps you should let…" the servant began, but Azula's glare silenced her. "I apologize, Princess Azula."
"Don't interfere, or I'll burn you too," Azula said primly to the maid, who shrank under her gaze. "I'm the heiress to the throne now, you know."
"Dad's going to be back, he has to be back," Zuko whispered, feeling tears roll down his face. "And you're not the heir to the throne. Uncle is," he corrected. Uncle would help Dad and everything would be all right.
"That fuddy duddy kook? He's too weak to do anything but cry about it," Azula sneered, sitting down at his bedside. "Face it. They're gone."
Zuko took a deep breath, trying to hold back his tears. "Dad's not a traitor. And he has to find the Avatar now? But that could take years," he whispered. How would his family be all right if his father went away?
"Shut up, dum dum. That's treason. Grandfather is always right. If he says Dad is a traitor, he is. And Dad isn't coming back. No one has seen the Avatar in a hundred years," Azula sneered. "So you better get used to it. Mother's weak like you, she won't stop crying. You two are hopeless."
Zuko hung his head and watched the tears fall from his face unto the blanket. "Dad," he whispered, wondering if other families were so cursed. First, Lu Ten died and now Dad was gone. What if he was next? "I'll find you." Now he'd prove himself the hero and save his father. Then he would have his respect!
AN-Anyone who wants me to continue? I am debating with having Ozai meet Aang earlier and I have some ideas I sketched out.
