Father,
I don't know why I'm writing this because I'll definitely never let you see any of this, but Lu Ten told me I should face my demons. So welcome to this letter, I suppose, where you get to see that I'm living my life perfectly fine without you telling me that I'm worthless. I never told you to your face and I probably never will, but I just want you to know that I hate you and that everything is going great without you.
Mother and Azula and I are fine without you hurting us. You messed with Azula's mind, pretty badly, somehow. I feel like you might have done it on purpose. Some of it has to be inbuilt, she's a little bit naturally mean, but her firebending power was all sourced through the anger and pain you inflicted on her. She lost her control. Mother has been taking her to court doctors and trying to find a way to help her bending come back without you standing over her shoulder. Azula might not be my favorite person but I hate you for doing that to her.
And Mother is perfectly fine! She can't remarry while you're still alive but I think she's just enjoying life. She deserved better than you, anyway. She's doing most of the Fire Lady's roles because, of course, Aunt isn't here. Uncle Iroh is a better Fire Lord than you ever could have been.
I'm doing fine even with you burning off half my face. I made friends who taught me that it's a sign of overcoming you, not of my weakness. You told me I was weak for so long — that I was lucky to be born. You are such a terrible person, I don't know how you can call yourself a parent.
I went to the South Pole to spend time with my friend Katara and even though her Dad has some problems he still loves her and her brother. You never loved me. I think something is wrong with you.
But enough about you. Let me tell you how great my life is. I'm in the Earth Kingdom with Lu Ten, and he teases me and even sent me on a date, but I can tell it's because he loves me, like Uncle Iroh does. I like Ba Sing Se — sometimes when I want to see the Lower Ring I pretend to be someone else who isn't a Prince and just watch people. You would find that demeaning, but I like seeing ordinary people exist. You wanted war, you wanted these people to die. You're evil.
I went to the Southern Water Tribe before this to spend time with Katara and Sokka. You would have hated them because they aren't firebenders, and you thought everyone was below you and primitive. But they are some of the best people I have ever known. Especially Katara. I've been to writing her for a couple of years and I never told you. She doesn't treat me like Prince Zuko and she doesn't treat me like I'm broken because of my face and you. She tells me stories about everything and she's a master waterbender. Yes, my best friend is a waterbender. Suck on that in your cell. She's also one of the best people I have ever met, perfect and kind. She laughs with me about ridiculous things and tells me stories — oh, one second, the courier just got me a letter from her.
It's been a few minutes and I read her letter. The Fire Nation's trade has grown a lot with the Water Tribe. I know you would have hated that so I'm glad. And she told me a silly story about her brother pretending to be a penguin and . . . she went on a date. I don't really like that she went on a date, especially one that she enjoyed, because that doesn't seem really fair, and she's thirteen and too young for those things, and boys my age shouldn't be talking to her because she's too good for all of them! I do care about her a lot . . . she's not like a sister to me, but something like that. Yes, your stupid son cares a lot about a waterbender. Sorry, deal with it, Ozai.
I'm going to answer her letter and maybe send one to her brother too to make sure that he dealt with that boy she went on a date with appropriately. Have fun in your cell knowing that my life is amazing.
No regards,
Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation