Azula had been expecting to have just another boring afternoon at the palace after they came back from visiting their father for the last time, talking to her doctors, helping Zuko go through important documents, maybe spending some time with Kiyi.

She would have never expected to have two traitors showing up at the gates of her home, handing Ukano over to her in a silver platter. Aiyra and Yisha were lucky that Zuko was there to keep her in control, otherwise she could have done something stupid.

Ukano yelled at the guards that were trying to take him away, at Zuko, at Azula, and at his captors. Sometimes he'd insult them, other times he'd beg for mercy both for himself and for his family. Zuko, somehow, found in himself to have some sympathy for that insolent fool and assured him that no harm would come to his wife or to their kids before the guards managed to take him to prison.

But it was very clear that, while he was willing to be kind, his patience was already over. The two women had the nerve to try and pretend they had never really supported the other rebels, and were claiming that capturing Ukano was proof of that, instead of the desperate attempt at getting the Fire Lord's favor it obviously was. Her brother had always been more merciful than she was, but Azula knew very well that his pride would make him see red at being lied to and taken for a fool.

Somehow, they both managed to calm themselves enough kill the two women, despite Zuko resenting them for having been part of the group of traitors that would have kidnaped or killed her if they had known she was his bride, while Azula wanted not more than kill them and then personally hunt down the half a dozen traitors that had escaped during battle.

But they both knew that wouldn't be wise. They had already pushed their luck with the Avatar by having attacked Ozai, and there wouldn't be a single soul left that wouldn't call them hypocrites if they started killing traitors now, after Zuko had already been forced to make sacrifices and allow some Ozai's men to remain free. And truth be told, Azula was afraid of the possible consequences of doing that. This irrational need for vengeance and of never accepting there to be anyone who was against her and those she cared about had been exactly what led to breakdown, and then to insane plan that could have easily meant the death of her baby. She had promised her brother, and herself, that she wouldn't succumb to it again.

However, there was one thing she wasn't willing to let go of.

"They'll still have to admit they were traitors" Azula demanded once she was alone with Zuko, deciding what they'd do to the two women "They should consider themselves lucky that I won't have them killed, not trying to pretend they were heroes who wanted to protect their Fire Lord"

"Don't worry, that's out of question" he assured her as he cupped her face, sounding a lot calmer than he had been just a few seconds ago. His anger always seemed to die down whenever he noticed her wrath was getting out of control - which was a relief. Having one of them out of their minds was more than enough to do an unbelievable amount of damage, and Azula didn't even want to think about what would happen if both of them were pushed too far at the same time "But we have already sentenced at least one member of each noble family in our nation to rot away like our father, and we're about to do it to six more people once June manages to capture the ones she didn't find already."

"I know" she couldn't help but to sound bitter "But I want them and their families being watched 24/7, and if any of them does anything else, no matter how insignificant the crime, I want them to punished for it. And these two are gonna have to work for us in some way. Nothing too important that they can do any damage if they haven't really changed sides. And it has to make them feel absolutely humiliated so they'll never forget their place again"

"I'll see what I can find" he tried to hug her, but Azula didn't let him.

"There's one more thing I need before I can even think about forgiving these two idiots"

"I'm not letting you beat up Ukano for trying to make me get back together with Mai"

"While scheming to stab you in the back once he had enough power" she added "And if I'm not allowed to do it, then do it yourself. You almost killed out dad today anyway"

"Which is why I'm not letting my anger get the best of me yet again. He's already in prison. That's all the punishment he'll have"

"But what if we-"

"No"

She pouted "You're no fun"