Zuko's POV

A week has passed since we returned from Ba Sing Se. My father had welcomed me home with open arms. The people of the Fire Nation cheered my name as I rode around the city in my palanquin. I tried to keep my thoughts straight and look to my future. I was home. Mai had waited for me for three years and wanted to resume our relationship. Everything was looking up.

And yet, here I was again, sitting outside the Capital Prison about to go see my uncle. My palm smacks my forehead as I try to convince myself to walk away. I can't.

The guard yells at me as I approach, "You again? Stop where you are." I raise my hooded face so he can see who I am. "Prince Zuko?!"

I grab him by the collar and throw him against the wall. "I'm going in for a visit. You're gonna stand guard here, and no one is going to know about this." He nods eagerly and lets me pass.

Walking down the corridors, I find Uncle's cell. It is bisected by a wall of bars so that one half is accessible from the door and the other half serves as a cage. He looks unkempt and dressed in rags. An ache forms in my chest.

As I come closer to the bars, I take off my hood. "Uncle. It's me." He turns away from me to stare at the wall.

A frustrated groan racks my body. "You brought this on yourself, you know." I tell him pointedly. "We could have returned together. You could have been a hero! You have no right to judge me, Uncle. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me."

I let the silence fill the room briefly before continuing, "Kidah is safe, far from here. She's probably back in the North Pole by now, ruling with grace and dignity." I wave my hands sarcastically in the air.

He is silent as he turns further from me. "You're not gonna say anything?" Anger floods me, and I blast fire at a nearby wall. I roar, "You're a crazy old man! You're crazy, and if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in a gutter!" I storm from his cell, feeling worse than before.

I was starting to feel more and more guilty. Each day, I woke up terrified. I was terrified that Father would find out the Avatar was still alive somehow. I was terrified that I would lose everything I thought I had wanted.

Mai tried to distract me from my woes. She occupied our time with kisses, gifts, picnics and more. It was all nice, but my heart wasn't in it. It was as if someone else had control of my body sometimes. I tried to focus my attention on her and our relationship, but I could tell she knew something was off. No matter what I did, I felt like I was betraying Kidah.

We had gotten wind of how she became royalty. It wasn't all that surprising. She was extremely knowledgeable and well versed on the customs of the world. She was brave, kind, intelligent and beautiful. Everything a princess should be. Of course, her people chose her. It was slightly reassuring, her new status. With her as royalty of an enemy nation, we had no future. It hurt, but I assumed it would hurt less and less each day. It was an extremely slow process so far.

I decided to visit Uncle again, hoping for some guidance. The guard nods at me knowingly. I continue down the halls until I reach his cell. He looks worse than before.

"I brought you some komodo-chicken. I know you don't care for it, but I figure it beats prison food." I sit the food down, hoping for some semblance of conversation. I am rewarded with more silence. "I admit it. I have everything I always wanted, but it's not at all how I thought it would be."

I stand and clench the bars, wishing I could just shake him. "The truth is, I need your advice." I inhale deeply. It smells like mold. "I think the Avatar is still alive. I know he's out there. I'm losing my mind." The desperation rises in my voice, "Please, Uncle, I'm so confused! I need your help."

I wait. Nothing. My temperature rises. "Forget it! I'll solve this myself! Waste away in here for all I care!" I walk to the door and open it. Turning back for just a moment, I then quickly slam the door.

My brain feels scrambled. The Avatar cannot continue to live, one way or another. A rumor of a man who can keep secrets and get things done quietly comes to mind. I head towards the Iron District.

Days passed after I hired the assassin to find and kill the Avatar. I thought it would make me feel better, but I still felt hollow. Azula and I were forced to take a vacation while Father met with his war council. We took Mai and Ty Lee with us to Ember Island. I had hoped Mai and I would finally fully reconnect. I was trying so hard to please her.

Before being banished, I never noticed how emotionally 'numb' Mai was. She had no passion for anything. Kidah was full of passion; it was one of the reasons I was so drawn to her. Her commitment to healing was so strong, she put herself in harm's way dozens of times. I tried so hard not to think of the Northerner.

We sit on the beach, and I can't help the small laugh that escapes me as I watch Ty Lee. She has about four different teenage boys fawning over her, but I know she could care less about any of them.

Mai sighs dramatically beside me. I nudge her with my shoulder, "You alright?"

"Just bored," she says. I roll my eyes. The only time she wasn't bored was with her tongue down my throat.

A large conch shell catches my eye, I pick it up and present it to her. "Here, this is for you."

Her eyes squint at me, "Why would I want that?"

"I saw it and I thought it was pretty. Don't girls like stuff like this?"

Mai turns away from me and crosses her arms, "Maybe stupid girls."

I throw the shell in frustration, "Forget it!" I genuinely had no idea what I was doing with her. We had nothing in common anymore.

We sit in silence for a while as I try to think of anything to help us connect. I knew Father was going to arrange our marriage soon. It was only a matter of time, and it was my duty to produce an heir. I felt defeated, knowing my feelings lay elsewhere.

Azula calls over to us, "Hey, beach bums, we're playing next." She points to a group of people playing volleyball. I stand diligently, knowing I have no choice.

We gather in a huddle, "See that girl with the silly pigtails? When she runs towards the ball, there's just the slightest hesitation of her left foot. I'm willing to bet a childhood

injury has weakened her. Keep serving the ball to her left and we'll destroy her, and the rest of her team." Her smile sickens me. "Dismissed!"

We get into position like the good little soldiers we are. Azula throws the ball up and launches it toward the other team. They miss it completely. On the next serve, I slide for the ball and kick it up into the air. Azula runs toward it, spins around and smacks it toward the pig-tailed girl. The girl dives but misses the ball completely.

It was our final serve. Mai serves, but as soon as the ball is passed back to us, Azula runs up my back, propelling herself into the air. She kicks the ball with all her power. It zooms toward the ground catching flame. It lands in a fiery explosion, setting fire to the net.

Azula steps closer to the opposing team, the burning net only inches from her face. "Yes, we defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" She dusts off her hands and turns to us casually. "Well, that was fun."

I just shake my head and begin to walk away. It was nice playing with Azula; we worked well together. And yet, she always ruined it in the end. I decide to finish my day at the beach and trek back towards the beach house.

Later that evening, we are all having dinner on the patio. Mai was slowly inching her hand higher up my thigh under the table. I kept trying to ignore her, but it was becoming difficult.

"Zuko, make sure to be well dressed for tonight. We are going to a party." Azula tells me before sipping her wine. Mai pulls her hand away quickly not wanting to get caught. Thank spirits… I shuffle uncomfortably in my seat, trying to conceal the erection Mai had awoken.

Ty Lee taps a finger on the table, ignoring us, and looks curiously at her friend, "Azula, why didn't you tell those guys who you were?" My eyebrows raise.

My sister shrugs. "I guess I was intrigued. I'm so used to people worshipping us."

"They should," Ty Lee points at her.

Azula places a hand to her chest and laughs lightly, "Yes, I know, and I love it! But for once, I just wanted to see how people would treat us if they didn't know who we were." I decide to stay silent. I guess duty includes beach parties now.

The party was terrible. I felt so out of place. Mai was especially grumpy, tasking me with fetching her food and drinks like a servant. My anger was rising with each passing minute. I didn't know how long I'd be able to hold it in. Instead of causing a scene, I decide to take a walk down the beach to clear my head. I didn't care about Azula, Mai or Ty Lee. They're fine without me.

My walk leads me to our old beach house here on the island. We used to spend every summer here years ago. A brief memory of my mother chasing me down to the beach flashes in my mind. I missed her so much. This was probably the last place my father treated me decently. He changed so much over the next few years, and then my mother disappeared. Life was never the same.

I walk up the stairs, following the last of my pleasant childhood memories. Inside, there are pictures of our family and figurines Azula and I had made growing up, all covered in dust. My anger turns to sadness. I felt covered in dust, too. Grabbing some of the keepsakes, I head back down to the beach to do the one thing I do best, burn.