Genre: Character Study

Rating: T for mention of sexual themes

Summary: Ursa has a conversation. Ozai has thoughts. (BT: 2 criteria reached, RBT: 1 criteria reached)

Lady Koun leans over with a conspiratorial murmur. "Well. A proper lady would never have opinions on men, as she must be prepared for any husband, and of course I would never be anything but a proper lady, but - well. I have to say, you got lucky with Ozai."

Ursa looks over at her. Lady Koun had married a high-ranking official in Azulon's court, and like every woman who could stand members' of Azulon's court long enough to get married to them, she is an absolute twat. "And how did I get so lucky?"

"Well," she says. "Look at him. Tall, strong, rumored to be able to please even the pickiest woman. Honestly, I'm sure any woman with eyes is soooo jealous of you."

A memory plays in Ursa's head. Their first night. Not their wedding night - they hadn't touched each other then. No, they'd taken weeks to be comfortable enough around each other to strip (for Ozai to be comfortable enough with her to let her see even his chest), and even that had been egged on by a forceful Azulon. She'd been absolutely fine with merely sleeping beside her husband, of light conversation in the evenings and peaceful cohabitation through lack of interaction, but the Fire Lord...had been eager for grandchildren. Even Iroh, who is usually busy with his own duties as Crown Prince, had seemed to notice their silence in the bedroom. Their first night had been quiet, mostly, and they'd given up the endeavor too quickly for any real pleasure. And Lady Koun twitters about Ozai's supposed prowess between the sheets.

Being a Princess is wonderful, both in terms of power and in comfort, but why in Koh's lair does everyone want a piece of her sex life?

"I have known him far better, and far more intimately, than any other woman, with or without eyes." This, she is sure of. Ozai had been unexpectedly modest, trembling a little, when he'd brought up the idea. Even if he had not been so inexperienced as his performance and anxiety had indicated, surely his hypothetical earlier lovers wouldn't have been truly deep loves. "Wouldn't you agree that the one who knows him best is the best one to pass judgement on his performance?"

Lady Koun gets the implicit message. Don't go trying to steal my man. "Of course you're right, my lady." She steps away, just a little affronted, and goes off to twitter twatter with a group of fluffballs near the main fountain, leaving Ursa to breathe in solitude and peace.

Ozai swishes the rice wine around in his glass, keeping an eye on Azulon and Iroh to his right. It still contains the first wine the servant poured; Ozai does not trust himself while drunk, and he trusts Azulon while he is drunk even less. He wishes for Zhao to be here. He wishes for Ursa to be by his side as a long-standing wife and friend.

(It is lonely at the top of the pyramid.)

One of the court chatterboxes approaches his wife, who stands alone in one of the higher corners, near the royal seats. She's done that ever since he's known her, ever since she first got in the carriage with him and Azulon to be carted off and displayed as the trophy Princess, the spare, just as he is the trophy spare Prince.

(She doesn't know how alike they are. How Ozai could help her, teach her.

If only he could speak to her. If only he could speak.)

He squints, and tries to remember the puffball's name. Kya? Kata? Koat? Something like that. It's most likely unimportant. She deploys her fan and leans over to Ursa, ignorant of the way her words carry over to Ozai despite it. "Well. A proper lady would never have opinions on men, as she must be prepared for any husband, and of course I would never be anything but a proper lady -" Ozai rolls his eyes at that. A true proper lady has enough brains to stay away from the Imperial Court. "But - well. I have to say, you got lucky with Ozai."

He tries to ignore the implications of those words and take the compliment at face value.

"And how did I get so lucky?"

It doesn't work.

"Well, look at him. Tall, strong, rumored to be able to please even the pickiest woman." It was probably Iroh that had started that rumor, hoping for his 'precious little brother' to loosen up and sink to his and Azulon's level. "Honestly, I'm sure any woman with eyes is soooo jealous of you."

Any woman, with or without eyes, ought to be jealous of her, and not just for him.

(Like anyone would ever be jealous of the one who got stuck with you, Azulon's voice whispers.)

He can see Ursa's hesitation in replying. Maybe she's thinking about that disastrous first night. (It was inexperience. He's sure panic attacks are normal. He is not weak. He isn't.)

"I have know him far better, and far more intimately, than any other woman, with or without eyes," she finally says, cold annoyance hardening her voice. Court fluffballs tended to do that. "Wouldn't you agree that the one who know him best is the best one to pass judgement on his performance?"

(Something inside of him, something small and weak and helpless and too powerful, whispers that there's no way that judgement will be favorable.)

Lady Koun's smile wavers for a little, Ursa's intimidation striking true. "Of course you're right, my lady." Her hands tremble just a little as she retreats, leaving his wife alone. She breathes, in and out, a little tension melting away from her face.

Ozai shuts his eyes and tries (fails) to stop thinking.

HAPPY LATE CHRISTMAS Y'ALL *throws thousand-word fic at ya*