Aang was hoping that this meeting could proceed without any more outbursts. "Let's try to stay calm everyone," he said slowly. "Iroh, why don't you start since you requested this meeting?"

Iroh hadn't invited Azula for a reason. Of course, Kuei brought her anyway. "I'm sure this is obvious to you all, but Azula's child will be an heir to both thrones." He took a breath. "I think there should be a law passed such that the child can only take one of them."

"What happens if he or she is the only heir left?" Aang asked Iroh.

"The child should take one throne and a new royal family should take the other one."

"The Fire Nation would fall apart," Azula said bluntly. "The nobles would all start declaring they should be the royal family and there would be a civil war within a month."

The negotiations to make Sozin Fire Lord took years of careful manipulations. If there were a tragedy, they wouldn't have the time to do that again.

"We're short on Earth Kingdom royals," one of Kuei's advisors stated. "Bumi also doesn't have any heirs." If he had, they could suggest his family be the runners up for the Earth Kingdom throne.

"Zuko's only 17," Kuei said. "I'm sure he'll produce an heir when he's ready, then both thrones will be covered."

Zuko looked down sheepishly. He did not want his reproductive plans on the table.

Azula turned to her fiancée. "Iroh thinks I'm going to kill my brother before he gets the chance." She didn't bother to look in his direction when she said it.

"Oh don't be silly," Kuei said. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, he is annoying, but … he's mostly alright I guess."

"Thanks for the endorsement," Zuko said mockingly.

"Anyway, being Fire Lord is going to suck for a while, reparations, sanctions, disgruntled employees of Ozai. I'd much rather not have to deal with it."

"Thanks," Zuko said dryly.

"My son or daughter is eligible for both thrones, but it shouldn't be too hard to work around this. If for some reason, my child was the only surviving royal, then he could take one throne in practice and only be the figurehead for the other throne, while appointed advisors actually ran the country until my child produced an heir."

The room was quiet. Arnook and Hakoda were both concerned about the Sozin bloodline controlling the two largest nations, but it seemed inevitable unless they deposed Kuei and that would a mess in itself.

Aang was hopeful that no one would die unexpectedly.

After the silence was deafening, Sokka finally said, "so we really only have a problem if Azula whacks either Zuko, Kuei or both. How about if she kills either of them, then she goes to jail, but if they die for reasons that had nothing to do with her, her kid gets his or her choice of country to run, while advisors deal with the other one."

"Who will decide if she's responsible? I doubt she'd kill them herself," Iroh said. Knowing her, she would send the Dai Li to do it stealthily.

Sokka sighed. "How about if they are murdered, then she doesn't rule?"

"But they might be murdered by Ozai loyalists who might target her next for turning on him," Hakoda pointed out. "Either of them could be assassinated by any number of people, many of whom have no connection to her." Unfortunately, that was a realistic possibility, especially for Zuko given all of the nobles who were getting rich off the war.

Sokka hoped this would be it. "Alright, I got it. If Keui or Zuko die in a way that suggests homicide, then Aang will lead an investigation and if there is sufficient evidence that she, either herself or anyone that she hired, managed, or controlled killed him, she loses any right to the either throne, but if it's either ambiguous or attributed to a person who's a total stranger to her, then we leave it alone."

Arnook spoke next. "It's impossible to anticipate every outcome that could happen with either royal family. The Northern Water Tribe and the Southern Water Tribe as well has an interest in making sure one person doesn't control both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, but how the two countries ensure that this doesn't happen isn't for me to say."

"I would agree with that," Hakoda said. "And even if we tried to make preemptive laws now, the sages will do whatever they have to do to keep order later. We could say, Azula's son or daughter can't take both thrones, but if everyone else dies in a sky ship crash, they will presumably ignore any law that leaves them with no King or no Fire Lord."

"I don't see how you could make a contingency plan without them," Aang admitted.

"Then let's adjourn," Arnook said. "I think both rulers should make a plan with his respective sages as to how he wants to handle his line of succession, and they should work together as necessary."

The Chief wanted to get home to his tribe. He had a lot of work to do.

Chief Hakoda went to find his daughter. "I think it's time we get going."

Sokka looked at Zuko. "Hopefully, you don't die for a long time."

"Thanks," Zuko said sardonically.


Kuei said, "We should start thinking about dates."

"We just got out of a meeting that my uncle called because he thinks I'm going to murder you, and you want to plan our wedding."

"If I'm going to get murdered, then I best make sure the wedding was fun." He kissed her nose before she could respond.

"Then, I guess we should talk to the sages. They have all kinds of customs and whatever."

They went to find them.

Iroh and Zuko remained in the room as the others left. "I don't think you realize the threat your sister poses."

"I don't think she's a threat anymore," Zuko said. "She had a clear shot at the throne, and she passed it up."

Iroh wasn't convinced. "It could have been a clever ploy just to come back for the throne later."

"Why give up the throne just to try and take the same throne later."

"Maybe she wants to become Earth Queen before she becomes Fire Lord."

"I don't see why." To Zuko, it would have made more sense to become Fire Lord, and then tell Kuei he's the father, pressuring him into marrying her and then she'd be Earth Queen and Fire Lord. "She would have had an easier time getting the throne before we knew she was having a child with Kuei."

"There would have been calls for her to step down and give you the throne."

"Calls she would have ignored. It's not like the world leaders could make her do anything, and Kuei seems content to let her do what she wants."

"That's what worries me. Doesn't he realize the risk she poses to him?"

"He knows what she's capable of, clearly, but he loves her." Who was Zuko to get in the way? He was sure that it was better that Azula raise her child with Kuei than alone.

Iroh insisted they speak to the sages right away, but the sages were busy, with wedding planning. Naturally, Fire Nation royals got married in the summer, in the palace, but this would be the first time in a very long time that the Fire Nation princess married a sovereign of another nation. The Earth Kingdom sages would expect their King to get married in Ba Sing Se, during the spring.

Summer was already here, so the sages suggested they get married in the Earth Kingdom. "We could send the fire lilies to the Earth Kingdom." They would have to time this carefully. The flowers only came into bloom for a few weeks each year.

"That gives us only a few weeks to prepare. Maybe we should have the wedding in the fall."

"She's going to be showing by then," a sage said.

"She's showing now. Who cares if she's slightly more pregnant?"

The sages started to argue.

"Maybe we should elope," Kuei suggested.

"NO!" yelled all of the sages.

When Iroh and Zuko approached, the situation was already heated.

"What are they arguing about?" Zuko questioned.

"Our wedding," Kuei told them. "They are debating having us getting married sooner so the fire lilies are in bloom vs. having more time to prepare.

Everyone would know she was pregnant. What difference did it make if her belly was bigger in the portrait.

Iroh realized he wasn't going to get a word in edge wise while they are arguing over Azula's big day. He left.

Kuei wrapped his arms around her. "I don't care where we get married or what flowers they put in the vases."

"Neither do I," Azula admitted. "Why don't we leave the sages to figure this one out?" Azula led Kuei upstairs.


Fong had his nose reset. He had to wear a facemask, how embarrassing! He left the doctor's office and wondered where the King had gone. "Have you seen Kuei?" the General asked a servant.

The servant blushed. "I think he's with the Princess."

The General was loath to think of what they were doing in there. He needed to consult the Council of Five. There had to be a way of stopping this marriage.

When Fong did make it home, he sought out General How, the leader of the Council of Five.

"Kuei's engaged to AZULA!" How had hoped Kuei would marry his daughter.

"And she's pregnant with his baby!" An heir was expected by late winter.

How frowned. If he didn't move fast, then Sozin's bloodline would be set to rule two nations.

"Should we convene the rest of the Council?" Fong inquired.

"No. I will need to speak with them, but first, I would like to have a word with the King."

"Of course."


When the King returned, he notified the sages of his impending nupitals.

His Head Sage was baffled, "You are marrying Princess Azula?"

"Yes. Her sages are already planning. I trust you can work with them effectively."

"Of course your highness. When is the wedding?"

"Oh, next month."

"NEXT MONTH!" The sage needed a moment to catch his breath. "Forgive my intrusion, but how long have you two been together?"

"We met the night of my masquerade ball."

"She was at the ball?"

"She and her friends snuck in," and Mai and Ty Lee were the sneaky ones who ate his ice cream.

"Is there a reason the wedding is so soon?"

"She's expecting our first child."

"Oh, right." The sage asked no more questions. Cutthroat weddings (the father holds his sword to the baby daddy's throat so he marries his daughter) occur all the time, even with royalty. The royal family would be getting a new member. This was cause for celebration, even if the circumstances are unusual. "I wish you both the best."

Unfortunately, not all of Kuei's interactions were as pleasant. Some of his nobles thought it was downright treasonous for him to marry Ozai's spawn, and they told him so. The King would not back down.

"I don't think you understand. When Long Feng brainwashed our citizens and forcibly controlled the city that was treasonous. When the Council of Five fell under his influence and failed to defend this city that was treasonous. When everyone in this room stood by and watched it happen instead of trying to notify me, so that I could actually run this kingdom that was treasonous.

This marriage has nothing to do with treason and everything to love with love. I love her. I'm going to marry her. We are going to have our own family, and together, we will unite this Kingdom and make it prosper again. For too long it has been fragmented by war, each city and town fending for itself while Ba Sing Se sat on its hands. Those days are over. I will not be a pushover king, and I will not let anyone tell me I can't choose my own bride. Any questions."

No. People were surprised and slightly scared of this new King Kuei. If people objected, they made sure to keep their objections silent when he was concerned, well other than General Fong. He was unrepentant in his disdain for the Princess. Little did he know, his lack of tact was why he would never get the promotion to the Council of Five that he dreamed he would get.

Back in the Palace, Iroh beseeched Zuko to get his sister and Kuei to sign a prenuptual agreement.

"I don't see how I can get them to sign anything," Zuko told his uncle. The two seemed happy to just get married and come what may.

"If something happens to Kuei or to you or both, your sister would control more than half the world."

"I understand that, but I don't think you realize how much Azula's changed."


Three months ago, he would have been terrified to hear that they were getting married, but the Azula he knew back in Ba Sing Se wouldn't have trained Aang to fight Ozai; she wouldn't have discouraged him from being vengeful; she wouldn't have stepped way from the throne.

"I believe her when she says being a mother matters more to her than politics."

To Iroh, this just seemed unfathomable. "Would you at least consult the Crown lawyers on this?"

"Fine," and Zuko did. The answer he received, however, would not please his uncle.

"They can't draft a prenuptial agreement for them." Zuko told Iroh.

"What do you mean they can't draft it?"

"Let me rephrase, they can draft it, but it will not be on terms that are favorable to you or me for that matter."

The lawyers had explained to him the recent trend where women challenged prenuptial agreements in court and won.

"Recently, wives or ex-wives have been challenging their prenuptial agreements in court and getting them thrown out. Historically, men would have their wives sign them to protect their assets in case of divorce or an early or suspicious demise.

However, judges have realized that the bargaining power between husbands and wives is often slanted towards the husband, so recently they have been throwing them out. In order to get an agreement to hold up, both sides have to have lawyers advocating his or her interests. It has to be a joint effort. If I send my lawyers in, then naturally, they would have to protect Azula's interests not mine.

In other words, any agreement they would draft would not be favorable to us under the circumstances."

"So if Kuei or Azula don't initiate the proceedings, the agreement can't happen."

"Exactly. If he initiates with his counsel, then I'll give Azula the Crown counsel, obviously or it could happen vice versa, but I don't see her starting these proceedings." Zuko couldn't picture Kuei doing it either.

Iroh knew this was a long shot but he went to see the Council of Five.

"Prince Iroh," General Sung greeted him. "What a surprise?"

Iroh expressed his concerns about his niece. "She's always taken after her father. I'm worried about the future of the Earth Kingdom and of the Fire Nation."

"As am I. We have tried talking to Kuei repeatedly, but he is adamant about this marriage, and even if it didn't go through, if she's carrying his son, then he will surely be the next king."

"Are you concerned that the child isn't his?"

"Oh no. If it's a girl, then whomever she marries will be Earth King someday."

"So a daughter wouldn't rule?"

"Officially no, but born Queens usually have a way of asserting power."

Or their regents assert it for them. "Do you think he would consider a prenuptial agreement?"

"We can talk to our lawyers about it, but he will do whatever he wants to do."

General Sung did approach the Crown lawyers about such an agreement. They told him, rightfully of course, that Kuei was their client. They could only draft an agreement if he wished it. They could not, in good faith, draft the agreement, so others could convince him to sign it.

When the General found Kuei, the man was trying to teach proper etiquette to his bear. "Start with the outside fork and work your way in."

The General never understood why Kuei acted like the bear was a son. If Azula bore him a son, maybe he would realize that Bosco is a bear.

"Your Highness."

"General Sung. What can we do you for today?"

"I had a conversation with Prince Iroh about your wedding."

"I didn't know he was back in town."

"He has a teashop here."

"Oh right, the Jasmine Dragon." Kuei had heard of it, but he had yet to visit.

"Yes, and anyway, he suggested that you and Azula consider a prenuptial agreement."

"A what?"

"You know, an agreement to pre-determine what would happen in the event of a divorce or if you died unexpectedly."

"Why would we pre-plan for a divorce? We may as well not get married if we didn't think it was going to work." Divorce was a rarity in the Earth Kingdom, not so much in the Fire Nation.

Sung tried to upsell the idea. "Well for one reason, you are both from different nations. Have you thought about what laws would govern your divorce should it happen or how to handle the line of succession considering your child will be eligible for both thrones."

Kuei seemed unimpressed. "We both have lawyers. If for some bizarre reason we divorced, I'm sure they could handle it, and the sages are dealing with the line of succession inquiries. I think it's most important that we have a united front, and I can't see that happening if I start our marriage with a contract full of legalese.

General Sung knew when the argument was lost, and he excused himself.

Iroh was disappointed, but not surprised.