Ursa found Ozai bent over a scroll, mouth fixed in concentration, or an attempt at concentration. Lu Ten was sitting on the desk beside him.

"Uncle, have you ever gone to see the theater troop in the Western District?"

Ozai sighed and bent lower over the text.

Lu ten persisted. "Dad said he wants to take me. It could be cool, but it might be boring."

"Well, your father does like his art," Ozai said, half mumbling.

Lu Ten's young face twitched in frustration. "You said you would take me out and practice with me today. You said you were going to teach me a new fire bending form."

"I changed my mind," Ozai answered.

"Is this all you do all day?" Lu Ten said. "Read scrolls and take notes? Work, work, work?"

"Yes."

"You're boring."

"Just you wait, when you're the son of a Fire Lord, you'll be pretty boring too."

"Hey..." Ursa spoke up.

Ozai saw her standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Lu Ten…" Ozai said. "Why don't you go find your dad, and ask him for those reports he was going to prepare for me, and them bring them here?"

"Why would he be doing paperwork for you?" Lu Ten said.

"He just does, Okay? Go find him. It would be a SUPER big help."

Lu Ten rolled his eyes. He took his hint, slid off the table, and went to go complete his task.

Ozai closed the door behind the boy. He turned to Ursa.

"What are the reports about?" she asked.

"There are no reports," Ozai said.

"Oh..." she said.

He took hold of her and kissed her. She eagerly kissed him back. It had been a week since Ursa had told her parents about their relationship. And since then, she had not felt the need to rush home as quickly after completing her duties for the day. They knew where she was.

He held his lips steadily against hers, and then he leaned back to look at her. His hand went up to her face, and he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I love your face," he whispered.

She laughed and smiled. "Thanks. Yours is pretty good too."

"Do you have anywhere you need to be?" he asked her.

"No, do you?" she replied.

"Not anywhere I'll be missed," he said.

"Kiss me again," she said. "harder this time."

"Kisses are soft, if you want hardness we might have to find another activity," he said.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" she said.

He placed his open mouth over hers. She could feel his teeth, his warm tongue against her lips. She opened her mouth, and his tongue reached inside. It was strange how just a week ago the idea of doing this would have disgusted her. She wasn't really sure why it was pleasurable now, but it was. She reveled in it. She didn't ever want to be separated from him. The idea of ever being away from him seemed absurd.

He walked her over to a nearby couch, and pulled her onto it with him. She curled up in his chest, taking in his smell, that fresh, sticky smell all men had, but it smelled best on him. She closed her eyes. He put his arms around her and continued to plant kisses on her forehead, her ear, her neck.

"I could fall asleep here," she said.

"Are you going to start purring?" he said.

She laughed. "Meow."

"Great," he said. "Just great."

"What?" she said.

"Now I'm thinking about pussy."

She sat up and playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't do that!" he caught her hand and laughed. "That makes it worse!" He pulled her hand to his mouth and planted a kiss right in her palm. "I do have half a mind to take you upstairs."

"And do what exactly?" she said, narrowing her eyes.

"To steal your line: you know what I mean."

She sighed. "I'm not ready for that."

"Well... Just... throwing it out there, you know, as an option. For when you are."

"It might help if I got to know you a little better," she said.

"That takes time," he said.

She sat up. "We could speed up the process..."

Ursa and Ozai sat out on the balcony where Ursa had eaten lunch with the Fire Lord. The night was starting to feel chilly. Her parents would want her home soon. But she was busy. Her heart pounded as poured rum into two cups.

"The game is straight forward. I played it with my girlfriends in my home town. Though we used tea, because we couldn't get into the liquor cabinet. But..."

"How do I win?" Ozai said.

"It's not that kind of game," Ursa said. "Okay, more of a challenge than a game."

"And what's the challenge?"

"Honesty," she said. "That's the point of this game. No more walls, no more staring off in the distance and not telling me what it is you truly have on your mind. No more trying protect me. We're going to get to know each other, for real. We have one hour. And in that hour we are allowed to ask each other any question we want. And the other person has to answer, honestly. Or they have to drink."

"And the less I answer, the drunker I get, and the harder it is to keep a secret."

"It's best to save the toughest questions for last," Ursa said.

"This isn't much of a game, really. It's just drinking and talking."

"Oh, I was twelve years old last time I played this! It was fun then."

"You're not going to ask me about military secrets are you?"

"It's not like I have anyone I could sell them to," she said. "We take one drink to start."

He tossed back the rum, and she tossed back hers. It burned on its way down, but also warmed her.

They sat across the table silently for a moment.

"Who goes first?" Ozai said.

"You're a first time player, so I extend the honor to you," she said.

"This is so stupid," he said. "Can I drink instead of asking a question?"

"No!" she said. "You're not very comfortable getting close with people are you?" she said.

"That doesn't count as the first question," he said. "And I did just offer to take you upstairs and fuck you."

"That's not the same thing as closeness!" She said. "Come on. You have to be curious about something!"

He rolled his eyes. "How many men have you slept with before?" he said.

She scoffed. "Really? That's what you want to know?"

"I asked. Answer or drink."

"Heaven and Earth!" she said. "I'm a virgin. But I'm not innocent. I do read."

"You read smut?" he said, almost giggling.

"I read poetry!"

"Do they write smutty poetry?"

"It's not smut!" she said. "It's... ancient Fire Nation culture! That... artistically explores a wide range of human experiences. Including sexuality. Whatever. My turn. And... I'm going to ask you the exact same question you asked me."

"How many men have I slept with? Zero," Ozai said with a smirk. "Not a single man ever. That is illegal in the Fire Nation after all."

"Oh, you cheat, that's not what I asked!"

"No, you asked the same question I asked you, which was how many men you slept with. Now it's my turn. Who's your favorite smut author?"

"Sato the Silver tongued."

"You get off to Haikus?"

"He didn't just write... My turn." She leaned in and grinned. "How many men have you THOUGHT about sleeping with?"

"What?!" He put his hands on the table. "I never..." Then he pointed his finger at the sky, narrowed his eyes, and then took another shot.

Ursa collapsed on the table laughing.

He swallowed the liquor, and took a deep breath to recover from its burn. "What did your brother Bo say about me?"

"When?"

"When you were talking to him during the fire bending club. You went to sit with him under the statue. I can guess you were talking about me, and I want to know what he had to say."

Ursa's laughter faded. She wished she could say she trusted Ozai. She wished she could be sure Bo would be safe if it was known he'd made disparaging comments toward a prince. Ozai didn't seem so petty as to order anything done to her brother. But Father had pointed out clearly that she and Ozai were not equals, and that she had to be careful. As she poured herself a shot and swallowed it, her mind was plagued with doubt. Maybe if she didn't know if she could trust Ozai with information like that, perhaps she shouldn't be here with him at all.

"I'm guessing it wasn't very nice..." Ozai said.

"Nothing for you to worry about," she said. "How many women have you slept with? Which is what I wanted to ask before."

"Three," he said. "All of them officer's daughters. And yes, I remember their names. And No I didn't catch anything from them. Why didn't you get into the Academy for Girls?"

"Because no one had ever taught me mathematics," Ursa said. "My father couldn't afford a tutor and the nearest school was ten miles away. How come I've never met your mother?"

"Ovarian cancer. It's a real bitch, I don't recommend it. Is it true that your grandfather is the Avatar?"

"Yes, but I never met him. How old were you when she died?"

He paused. "Ten," he said. "And I'm not answering any more questions about her. Why do you like me?"

"Why do I...?"

"I mean, for you, you're easy to like," he said. His eyes focused in on her, his voice dropped, almost to a mumble. "Gentle as a summer rain drop, soft as a spring breeze, intelligent, an excellent fire bender. You have a beautiful face, and a really, REALLY beautiful body. But me... I can think of my rank; I can think of my fire bending talent... but other than that..."

"Your humor for one thing," she said. "The fact I know how much you care about me when you look at me. The fact you were the first stranger in this city who asked me what my name was. The fact when I'm around you I feel like I can relax."

He was silent for a moment.

"You also look really good without your shirt on," she added.

He covered his eyes and grinned. "Well, I knew that last one already. Your turn."

"I don't know. I'm almost out of questions. Favorite animal?"

"Phoenix," he said.

"Those aren't real."

"You didn't say it had to be real!" he said.

"That's..." she laughed. "That's kind of dorky. But also kind of cute."

"It's not... Ugh. What would I have to do to convince you to go upstairs with me?"

Ursa laughed. "I don't know for sure, but losing that stupid smirk and quit being so crude, that might help," she said.

"Oh that's not an answer," he said. "If you don't know you're going to have to drink."

"You're trying to get me drunk."

"This was your idea, you made the rules."

She rolled her eyes and took another drink. "If I did sleep with you, and I got pregnant, what would you do?"

"You women... you can be so serious sometimes, take the fun out of everything."

"You men are reckless, and we have to be the smarter sex and keep you in line," Ursa said.

"I'd take care of you," he said.

"Really?"

"Of course I would."

"You say that now, but if it happened, would you actually support me? Or are you just saying that so you can have your fun with me?"

"I'm not a monster," Ozai said.

"You don't look like a monster now," Ursa said. "But changing circumstances can reveal new things about a person."

Ozai looked her in the eye. "To be more specific. I would have a room set aside for you in the palace. I'd make sure you always had a place here."

"Not eight thousand a month in hush money?" she said.

"In what?"

"Never mind."

"But I would," he said. "You and our child would want for nothing. And if my father didn't allow it, then I'd leave and care for you myself."

Ursa read his face. His unbearably handsome face. He looked so sincere. His dilated pupils were fixed upon her, almost in worship. She wanted to believe him. But men said a lot of things. "Alright," she said. "And what's your question?"

"What would you say if I asked you to marry me?"

Ursa leaned back. And then she looked down at the table. She was only seventeen. To be married... She wanted to take another shot, but she had already had three, and could already feel its effects.

"Are you... are you proposing to me now?" she said.

He paused. "This is all hypothetical," he said.

Ursa didn't quite understand the feeling that came over her. It was warm and joyous but also filled with a sadness and fear. She couldn't say yes. "I'd... I'd say that I had some questions," she said.

"Well, that's what we're sitting here for, isn't it," Ozai said to her.

"What would I do, if I were your wife?"

He shrugged. It was adorable watching him shrug. His strong shoulders moving up and down, that sculpted face twisted in a caricature of confusion. "Probably the same sort of things you usually do, but then you would go to bed with me after you were done."

She laughed. "Would I be caged here, in the palace?" she said. "Waiting in our apartment for you to come home every day so I could massage your feet and rub your shoulders, with no life of my own?"

"There's plenty of things to do here in the palace and its grounds," he said. "I mean... for the boys there is anyway. I'd assume there are just as many activities for women. What do women do? Embroidery? Reading?"

"But what would be my job?" she said.

"Your..."

"Yes, Ozai. What would be my function? Besides bearing you sons and rubbing your shoulders. What would I do for the Fire Nation? What would I contribute?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You've asked about four questions, I think it's my turn."

"Ozai..."

He paused. "I plan to clean up the court, that's what my job will be. I guess you could join me in that."

"Taking the city by its balls and beating it till the dirt falls out?" she says.

"We could start tomorrow. I plan on following up with my investigation of the magistrates in the capitol. You could come with me."

"Cleaning up the court..."

"You woman are good at cleaning, aren't you," he said with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes, but she couldn't resist the temptation to laugh. "You want me to go upstairs with you, and you aren't making your case very well."

"I'm a patient man," he said. "I figure you'll come around."

"Yes," she said. "I can go with you into the city tomorrow afternoon. You might need a note-taker."

He reached forward and squeezed her hand. His broad hands had a tight grip, almost like a father holding onto a toddler to stop it from running into a crowd. It was a little overwhelming. She wanted to pull her hand back but wasn't sure if he would let her.

"I don't remember whose turn it was," she said.

"Oh, who even cares," he said.

She sighed. "Then I had better go home. My father won't be happy I was out so late."

"Don't go," he said.

"It's going to be harder to explain if I don't come home at all," she said.

He leaned over the table and kissed her again, not letting go of her hand. It was a full kiss, open mouth to open mouth, not a mere peck. He almost knocked over the bottle of rum as he reached up to cradle her jaw in his hand.

She let him kiss her for a moment, then pulled away. "Ozai..." she said.

"What?" he said.

"I have to go!" She wiggled her hand free and stood.

He reached his hand forward. She thought he was going to grab hold of her skirt, but he merely touched it, perhaps refraining himself. He nodded. "Tomorrow afternoon," he said. "We'll meet at the gate. Bring ink and paper."

She nodded back.

"You've had a bit to drink. I'll have a pair of my guards take you home," he said.

"That would be nice."

"They'll meet you at the gate."

She bowed to him, and went back to the drawing room to find her library bag before meeting the guards and heading home.

Her father was indeed angry she had come home late, and though his anger was usually gentle, Ursa still found it unpleasant. He had stayed up late waiting for her, and struggled to keep his cool when he smelled liquor on her breath.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm not going to embarrass the family. I kept my wits about me."

He took hold of her shoulders. "You could never embarrass me, Ursa, never! No matter what happens I would never be embarrassed by you! I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about your safety. You can't do this. You can't worry me you like this!"

She looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry, Sir," she said.

He pulled her head into his chest. "Were you with him?" he asked her

She smiled. "Yeah."

"You want to tell me about it?" he asked her.

"If you want to hear," she answered.

They sat together on the couch, and Ursa told him about how she and Ozai were going into town the next day, and how they were making an effort to get to know one another. After weeks of keeping things to herself, it was nice to share them.

"I think he really does care about me," she said.

Her father chuckled. "I doubt he cares about you as much as your mother and I do."

"Probably not," she said. "but..."

"But what?"

"He brought up marriage."

Father's face darkened slightly. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"I mean, just hypothetically."

"Well, the two of you haven't known each other long enough to consider that," Father said. "Although when I was a young man most marriages were arranged. Here in the capitol many still are, especially among the nobility."

She laughed. "Are you planning to arrange one for me?"

"Your mother and I believe that decisions like that belong in your own hands," he told her. Father gave her shoulder a squeeze. "We love you with everything we have, Ursa. With everything we are. And... And if act angry, or defensive, that's why. We don't want you to get hurt."

"I can take care of myself," she said.

"I... I know. But if worse came to worst... I would... die for you. I'm sure your mother and your brothers would say the same thing. Please, PLEASE, don't leave me for someone who can't say the same."