Disclaimer: This is a fanfic.


Chapter VII

Lady Ursa


"You look…nice."

Anyone one but her, please anyone but her.

Azula turned to face the water tribe peasant. She still could not believe her own self-control, how was that savage still alive. She should have incinerated her the moment she saw her, but no – let's not kill Zuzu's friends. Her brother better appreciate the things she does for him.

"We both know this looks as good on me as that dress on Mai." She said with friendly voice, at least she could act the part.

"It's not that bad." The peasant noted, sometimes the princess thought that that blue eyed girl did not understand when she wasn't wanted.

"Katara, "She managed not to call her peasant, that was good. "I am dressed in pink, PINK! And Mai is dressed in white."

"Alright, so Mai's skintone combined with the dress make her look like a statue." The savage was smiling, smiling, "But all things considered, pink…"

"I dare you to finish that thought, I double dare you."

"Alright, you and pink are like Toph and make up."

Then she put her arms on her shoulder and the procession started moving.

Zuko better appreciate what I'm doing for him…

- 2 weeks prior -

Azula and Zuko were at a meeting, again, which left some quality time for Lady Ursa and Lady Mai. The women have had the pleasure to chat on several occasions, mostly at dinner, but they were still a mystery to each other. Ursa wanted to ask her some questions she couldn't ask in front of her son and Mai...Mai didn't speak much. Somewhat the elderly woman doubted it was because she didn't care, even as little the child wasn't very outspoken, obviously this translated into her teenage years as well. So them two having a morning strow together was a good chance to bond.

"Mai, I never heard the story of how you and Zuko started dating." This was one of the questions Ursa didn't dare to ask in front of her son.

"Azula and Ty Lee set us up."

"How nice of them."

"Nothing personal Lady Ursa" Mai still called her that. "but nice and your daughter don't go together." The elder woman chuckled. "Azula wanted Zuko to come home and serve as a buffer if things went badly."

"And Ty Lee?"

"It was nice of her."

They walked, Ursa with a warm smile on her face and Mai having her expressionless mask she always wore.

"Lady Ursa..."

"Please darling, just Ursa."

"Lady Ursa, how did you and the former Fire Lord got together?"

"Arranged marriage."

"Ah..." This was far too close to home for Mai to comment.

"The first few years weren't so bad, "Ursa admitted" after that things somewhat went badly."

"How does it feel becoming a Fire Lady?" The elder women spoke again.

"Shouldn't you know?"

"I was banished the night before." Ursa gave her a warm smile, something unbecoming of the topic.

"Haven't thought about it, I'll deal with it when it comes."

"Have you chosen a dress for your wedding?"

"I'll see the Royal Tailor next week."

They walked in silence for a while. Before Mai could finally dig something out of her memory to ask.

"Zuko told me you spoke with him before your banishment." She saw her future mother-in-law nod. "I've been curious, what did you tell Azula that night?"

Suddenly the atmosphere thickened, somehow Mai knew she asked the wrong question. Fortunately, for she believed this to be a sign of good fortune, the answer never came.


Ursa was planning this for two days now. But it still seemed too long considering how badly she wanted to do it. Everything had to be perfect, everything. She had instructed the guards not to let anyone near the turtle-duck pond an hour before it was needed and she had instructed not to be disturbed, even by her own son. This will not fail, or Ozai would suffer a wrath he had never seen before.

It was a pity that the turtle-duck had to suffer for it thought. Ursa wasn't one to harm animals, but could do so when it was needed. She had trapped one duckling with a stick in the middle of the pond, far away from a hands reach, if someone was to reach it, he would have to swim. Of course the feathery little fellow would survive, this was just a mild discomfort, but she still felt guilty about it. A mental note for later – make amends with the spirit.

So the trap was set, now the only thing left was to spring it.

She led Azula, completely casually, without alarming her daughter, towards the pond. Now, it would take a lifetime for the prodigy to start enjoying the act of feeding animals, maybe several lifetimes, but that was okay, the plan wasn't to feed the duck. It was a well laid trap and she, Lady Ursa, grandaughter of Roku, was the trapper.

Then they saw it, the trapped duck.

"Oh no, the poor thing." Ursa said.

Azula just shot her a glance, somewhat aware of what was expected of her, but completely unwilling to cooperate.

"The poor thing." Her mother repeated.

Golden eyes look at her, telling 'ask a guard if you feel sorry for it.'

"It would be so nice if somewhat could help it." Ursa was getting a little anxious.

The golden eyed look told her ' I'm not getting wet for a dumb duck.'.

"Oh, woe is that poor little duckling."

There was something new in the golden eyes that stared in her, was that defeat?

Then there was a cracking, electrifying sound.

Then there was lightning.

Then the stick holding the duck exploded.

Then the duckling, physically but not mentally, unharmed, swam for its life.

It...was not as planned, but it would do.

"Oh Azula, this was so nice of you." Ursa started. "My beautiful girl, my perfect girl, my little flower, I love you so much. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. Oh, I never expected this from my perfect little princess. Have I ever told you what a nice person you are and how proud I am of you? I love you so much."

Then she dared,she dared, to pinch her cheeks. After which the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se had to fight of hugs and kisses. Indeed a fierce battle worthy of songs.

There was no initial recognition of the compliments. No smile, no 'thank you', but to those who knew Azula, somewhat like her mother, things looked different. The prodigy was more talkative, her posture was more confident and her face was a little, just a little, softer. So Ozai was good for something after all.


"Hello Zuko." the Fire Lord was doing evening exercises, a when his mother arrived. Usually he would do something like that in the morning, but his obligations caught up to him.

"Fine, heard you spent some time in the morning?"

There wasn't a response; Ursa was just looking at him and frowning. It took a moment before it clicked with him, but then he remembered, he was bare chested, and there was something on his chest that he had not informed his mother of – yet.

"How did you get that scar?"

She was referring to the one Azula gave him during their Agni Kai. Now, the fact that his sister nearly killed him by driving a lightning through his heart was something he did avoid mentioning. Oh, she knew about the final confrontation between them, but she didn't know about that, he didn't had the heart to tell her. And he was afraid to give her that little detail as well, when his and Azula's journey was over, he was overwhelmed with joy, it was him, his sister and their mother. That has never happened, that felt better than being a Fire Lord and he wasn't ready to risk it on something so insignificant. Not to mention that after that he found out how fragile the relationship between the two women was.

So now his mother stared at a scar she didn't know about.

"Combat, Father ordered me dead, it's only natural for some of his subordinates to injury me." Number one rule when talking about family, at least for Zuko – always blame Ozai. It's not like he liked the man anyway. "It's nothing serious." Then he made a mental note to warn Azula not to mention the incident.

"Your father..." There was anger on Ursa's face.

"Is my father, anyway, did you like your time with Mai?"

"She's a sweet girl."

"Think you can live with her as a daughter in law?"

"I'd love to."


A/N:

Working on this chapter was a pain, and I still don't like how it turned out, but at this point I just want to move on.

Also, you may have noticed I've published a new fanfic "Lullaby of Three Nations", why did I do that? I love writing this, but it's becoming monotone. I'm not abandoning nothing, I just need to have some variety.

And thanks to everyone for the encouraging reviews, love you guys.