The Fire Sages were spreading incense around the room and asking for blessings. They made a circuit of the room three times before declaring it fit. Then the men all exited, and Ursa was left again with her mother, Sun, and her ladies.

Ursa's heart was beating hard as they began to undress her, starting with all of her hair ornaments. Sitting at the mirror, she could see the bed behind her. It was big enough that they didn't have to sleep so close together, but before the sleep there was…

"Hush now, little flower," Qiao said, gently wiping away the makeup with a damp cloth. "You will be fine."

The stress on her neck began to fade away, leaving her with the odd feeling that her head was too light. Maybe she'd get dizzy, and they'd have to postpone the whole thing. Qiao was already pulling her out of the chair, and Sun was making quick work of the outermost sash. The layers came off far more quickly than they had gone on, and when they were completely done, leaving her only in her chiffon robe and new black underwear, leaving her without jewels or adornments, her hair now free to fall about her shoulders in whatever way it pleased, she felt vulnerable.

"Shall we send him in, princess?" Sun asked. Steadying herself with a deep breath, Ursa nodded.

Rather than "send" him in, they practically shoved him, and Ozai turned to glare fiercely at the door as it was slammed. He was clearly flustered, and it made Ursa just a little more comfortable knowing that she wasn't the only one uncomfortable.

"Ozai," she called softly. It was the first time she'd really said his name. Or at least, the first time she'd said it to him and without the pretense of titles.

He turned slowly, and when he fully faced her, he inhaled sharply. While her mother and ladies undressed her, he had been undressed as well, so that he was standing before her in a simple silk night robe and pants. They eyed each other, his roaming over the curve of her cheek and down her neck to her collarbone, taking in the near sheer red fabric, and the bold black and gold underneath. She was far more exposed than he was, but he seemed so much smaller with clothing cut closer to his body. He didn't seem as imposing as he had at the wedding, nor when they first met. She smiled.

Ozai walked toward her, circled her, his hand starting on her shoulder before touching her back. He moved slowly, bringing his hand down and across her back, touching her waist and her hip, before he stood in front of her again. Ursa was holding her elbows, trying not to look like a scared and inexperienced young girl. When he went for the belt holding her robe closed, she instinctively took a step back. It had been engrained in her that no man was ever to reach for the belt of a woman's dress, and quick reflexes jumped in before she could think. She looked at her feet and muttered an apology.

Ozai took a different approach, and he was gentler than she thought him capable of being. He rubbed her arms through the fabric, and when she finally let go of herself, he tried again for the belt, and she let him, and the chiffon slid open to reveal her dragon embroidered underwear. This time, when he kissed her, it was insistent and greedy, and his hands roamed freely over her body, cupping her bottom and squeezing her to him. Her arms were pinned against his chest, and she felt his muscles. She ran her hands over him, from his abs up to his shoulders, feeling him, understanding the years of training he must have undertaken.

Taking this as approval, Ozai slipped the chiffon robe off her shoulders and draped it across a chair. He began kissing her neck, and this was an entirely new sensation to Ursa. Her breathing quickened, though not as much from nervousness as…pleasure. It felt good, and she clutched his robe to steady herself. When he pulled away, Ozai was smiling. He reached behind her to undo the knots that kept her top secured, and draped that over the chair, too. But he seemed fascinated by the bottom, where the dragon originated from, and he gave a low chuckle.

"You will give birth to dragons," he said, shaking his head.

He dipped a finger below the hem, ran it back and forth a few times, before pulling them down. She stood naked in front of him, and he devoured every inch of her with his eyes, and when he walked around behind her, grabbing her hip with one hand and touching her body with the other, she could feel him pressed against her.

"This isn't fair," she gasped. "I'm all naked and you aren't."

"You have the body of a warrior."

"Why would I be a warrior? I'm a dancer."

She turned around in his arms, and began loosening his robe, and when the tie fell away, she pulled it from his shoulders and draped it on the chair. She hesitated to go for his pants, but his hands were on hers, pulling and guiding her to do so. Ursa purposely kept her head turned away as she pulled his pants to the ground so he could step out of them. When they were both naked, he led her to the bed, and climbed in after her. Ursa lay on her back, propped up against the pillows and taking calming breaths. Ozai loomed over her, and soon enough, she felt him rub up against her.

Her body twitched, something she hadn't expected. He did it again, and her breath caught. A third time, and she glared at him.

"What are you doing?"

"You seemed to be enjoying it," he said with a self-satisfied smirk.

He repositioned himself, and Ursa knew what was coming. She clenched her jaw as the pain hit her, burning and stretching her. He kept pushing, pushing, sliding until she felt his pelvis touch hers. It was too much, and she wanted to push him away. Panicking would only make it worse, but she felt like someone was trying to pull her legs in two different directions.

"Something's missing."

"What?'

"You aren't bleeding."

Ursa looked at Ozai confused. It made sense to have this conversation now, but she wished he would at least get out of her.

"It was broken when I was at the Fire Nation Academy for Girls," she said, wondering if she could wiggle away without him noticing. She wiggled, he noticed, grunting, and only pushed into her again, a little more forceful than the last time. "I was pushed off my ostrich horse."

"And what did you do to the girl?"

"I know a poison that will cause numbness in the extremities for weeks. If given regularly, it can last for months."

He pulled out a bit, and Ursa was glad for the relief, but not for the part where he was pushing in again. She wouldn't cry out, though. He picked a rhythm, and the more he moved, the more it was beginning to hurt. He was panting, grunting, but she was stuck with her lip between her teeth, hoping one pain would blot out another.

"Please," she finally cried out. "Please slow down."

"Hm. I thought you women preferred it like that."

Ursa stared at Ozai in pure astonishment and rising indignation. "Are you comparing me to…?" Whores?

"Never mind."

He reached his hands between her legs, began rubbing, and the next time he slid in, the pain was a little less. Ursa tried to relax; she thought about the Kirachu gardens in spring, how she and Na would pick flowers to make crowns for each other when they were little. They'd snuck and done it even when they were a bit too old. She thought about the gardens in the palace and wondered if she couldn't get some flowers imported, make them a bit more peaceful.

Ozai's breathing had picked up considerably, and until he'd started groaning loudly, Ursa had been able to let her mind drift away from the pain. His thrusts came slower now, but more powerful, until he was just pushing himself as deep as he could go, and Ursa understood that she'd performed her duty. He was having his release. She waited for him to roll off her, but he didn't. He kissed her again.

"Iroh can never say he's seen such a beautiful sight."

Ursa was also sure Iroh didn't compare his wife to the prostitutes he'd had on his wedding night.

A/N: What? You thought it would be all magical? But we do get to see that Ozai can be gentle. It just comes in tiny spurts. Oh, and yeah, Ursa's bad ass like that. She poisons people for pushing her off her ostrich horse.