A/N: seriously, this one gets pretty graphic, if you don't do well with that wait until about 2 chapters from now, whenever that is.
Azula watched her brother shift uncomfortably, looking at the floor by his fathers feet and she realized that he was making a decision. She didn't show it but it shocked her when she realized that her brother might be the on to kill her father, that would be ideal she thought to herself, she would remove both remaining obstacles to her becoming the firelord if her father was dead and her brother a condemned criminal.
She however was not the only one who noticed it, her father was coming to that realization himself albeit slower than herself. Seconds were stretched into what felt like minutes as Azula watched it unfold before it came crashing down. Zuko jumped to his feet and said "I'm not gonna let this happen" he said as Ozai came to full understanding of the situation.
"What then" the firelord sneered "are you going to strike me down and usurp my throne?" glaring at him.
Zuko took a deep breath and said sharply "no"
Ozai raised an eyebrow "no?" he asked
"No" Zuko said "I'm going to free Iroh and I'm gonna beg for his forgiveness then I'm going to join the avatar, he's the one whose been a real father to me" he said with a deep conviction.
"nothing has changed, I would have respected it had you tried to kill me but you're still a coward, I was foolish to believe that someone as weak as you had killed the avatar go then I'll hunt you down like the dog you are when I've dealt with the intruders" Ozai sneered in disgust.
Zuko stands up and turns around as Azula's eyes dart in his direction and then back to the fire lord. Zuko stops, feeling her eyes on his back and looks over his shoulder. "Leave, Azula the eclipse will be over soon and you will lead the counter attack, and you will succeed where your brother failed and kill the avatar" he says flatly before adding "properly this time".
Azula replies "yes firelord" lowering her head.
Sokka was poised outside the door, sword in his trembling hand, breath short in anxiety and heart booming in his ears. He listened intently as the jerk-bender finally grew a conscience.
"nothing has changed, I would have respected it had you tried to kill me but you're still a coward" he heard the cool fury of the firelord seethe "I was foolish to believe that someone as weak as you had killed the avatar go then I'll hunt you down like the dog you are when I've dealt with the intruders".
His ears strained as he heard foot steps slowly heading towards him, unconsciously holding his breath, when they stopped. He didn't dare peek out but not knowing was smothering him.
"Leave, Azula the eclipse will be over soon and you will lead the counter attack" the firelord growled "and you will succeed where your brother failed and kill the avatar, properly this time". Sokka's heart stopped and he felt like the floor was going to give from underneath him, knuckles white from the force with which he was gripping his sword.
An instant felt stretched out over what felt like days before Sokka heard footsteps and every nerve came alive as the second that Zuko cleared the door Sokka locked eyes with him and Zuko's eyes went from confusion to realization instantaneously as Sokka shoulder checked him out of the way and charged into the room.
Azula turned her head ready to fight, expecting to see her brother turn and try to kill her father but what she saw baffled her for a second before her mind recoiled and her breath caught and her jaw trembled.
"No" she whispered hoarsely as her breath half caught in her throat. As she watched his hand tumble ungracefully overhead and a blade release from his hand. Time stopped, the blade stuck in the air as Azula took in everything but it didn't last long enough to let her make a decision for as quickly as it stopped it accelerated.
The firelord yowled like an animal as the blade tore into his stomach before Sokka seemed to teleport to to his weapon and tore it free.
Zuko turned the corner and came face to face with the tribesman that had been with the avatar and his brain froze for a second until he saw the blade in his hand and before he could make a decision he found himself on the floor and the next thing he heard was his father's screaming.
