Chapter 3-

Tomorrow is her trial and Azula can't help but remind herself who she will be facing. Zuko. Fire Lord Zuko. Zuzu. Her brother. This created some mixed feelings for Azula. She hated her brother, she did. At least that's what she told herself. It's what she had to tell herself. It was his fault she was here. His fault she had lost the throne.

Her 'honor' not that she cared. Her mother loved him. Mai and Ty Lee choose him. Uncle cared only for him. Father left her alone to face him. And most of all his fault she was thrown into the Agni forsaken asylum. But before all that he wasn't a terrible brother. He was the first to comfort Azula after her mother yelled at her. The first to help here after her training. And the only one who could get Mai to laugh which made her laugh.

But even with all that, she couldn't bring herself to say that or think that he was a good brother, he definitely was not. He left her to rot in an asylum while he got to play Firelord and now he was letting her go on trial, she would have almost no chance of actually winning.

No matter, she can deal with Zuko later. Right now she has to get some rest for the trial tomorrow.


In Azula's dream

It was a hot spring day in the fire nation. Princess Azula, sat next to the turtle duck pond. She quietly tossed small pieces of bread at the ducks making sure they didn't hit them but startled them a bit. A shadowy figure sat next to her, she turned over to see her older brother, Zuko, sitting next to her. A sweet smile on his face.

He wasn't holding any bread. His smile turned into a grin as he shoved his sister a bit so she fell on the ground and dropped the piece of bread. Then he snatched it and held it high above his head so she could reach it. As much as a protege as Azula was she was still younger and shorter. She hated this. At first it was funny when Zuko did this. But the as she reached for the bread she got angry at the fact that she was so much shorter than him. She just wanted her bread back. And he was making her look weak. So she did the only thing she could think of to get the bread back. She pushed Zuko. It was a light shove but it was hard enough for him to fall flat on his butt. Azula laughed when Zuko started to cry.

"You're so weak Zuko"

That just made Zuko cry even louder. Azula just rolled her eyes. She was reaching down to grab her bread when a unexpected guest cut her celebration short. Azula looked up to see her mom with an angry expression plaster over her face. Azula was frozen in shock. Her mom always looked at her like that. Like she was at fault. As if she were the villain. A monster.

"What do you think your doing young lady!" Ursa yelled angrily at Azula.

"I-"

"You what!"

"I-"

"Well!"

"It was Zuko's fault he-"

"I can't believe you would blame your brother!"

" Look at him you made him cry"

"How can you say it's his fault"

"I saw you push him and laugh, you MONSTER!"

"Go to your room we will talk later!"

Azula marched off the her room with tears prickling her eyes. Her pace quickened and she felt a mix of anger and sadness bubble up inside of her.

How could her mom say that?

She wasn't a monster!

It was Zuko's fault and he knows it!

Did he even care!?

This always happened!

Azula always took the blame!

No one ever asked her for her side of the story!

Azula made it to the door of her room and pushed it open angrily. She flipped down on her bed sobbing into the sheets. Anger boiled in her and took over her sadness. She sat up on her knees and pull her pillow in an upright position. She started rapidly punching it hoping to get all her anger out. She screamed into her pillow a scream of pain and sadness. She wanted these feelings to go away but they just didn't.

Eventually after a good five minutes of tiring herself out Azula stood up and went to her window. She look out and saw Ursa hugging Zuko giving him a soft nice smile. Mom never gave Azula that smile, heck Azula never even got a hug. She can't remember the last time a confrontation with her mom didn't end up in scolding and getting sent to her room. Azula wanted to look away from the window but just couldn't. That's when she noticed Iroh walking up to Ursa and Zuko. He smiled at Zuko then turned to Ursa. Ursa started talking to Iroh. Azula couldn't quite make out what they were saying but by the way Iroh's face fell and he shook his head Azula almost immediately guessed it was about her.

Azula hated the face. The face plastered on both Iroh and Ursa. A look of fear, shame, and disappointment. She had seen this look on her father's face as well. Many times it was directed towards Zuko but Azula had seen her fair share of that face. When she tripped or messed up a form. She hated that face more than anything and she vowed to never she that face on her father directed towards her ever again.

Azula stepped back from the window when she noticed Ursa leaving Zuko's side. For a moment Azula thought that maybe just maybe Ursa would come and hear Azula out. That she would come and hold and hug her. And tell Azula how much she loved her and maybe even smile at Azula. She was wrong. And her hopes were crushed as soon and the door slammed open, her mom standing furious at the door. Azula felt as if she had shrunk.

Azula looked up at her mom and was meet with the angriest eyes she had ever seen.

"What is wrong with you!"

Azula heart froze over. There wasn't anything wrong with her. S-she was getting what was here's back. But she knew her mom didn't see it that way. Her mom didn't see her at all. She knew. They all knew. When Ursa looked at Azula no matter what she did. She saw Ozai a splitting image.

"He's your brother how could you be so cruel!"

Also looked down.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Azula looked up for a moment before saying, "Zuko took something from me… I-I just wanted it back."

Ursa just laughed. "Don't you dare blame Zuko again!"

"But mom!" Tears started to well up in Azula's eyes, "it is his fault most of the times you yell at me it's his fault and you don't care… y-y-your," it took Azula a second to gather her words and choke back tears, "you a bad mo…"

BAM!

"No Azula, your a bad daughter!"

With that Ursa left the room shaking her head muttering something about Ozai and turning into him.

Azula couldn't believe what had just happened. D-did her mom just… hit her. Ursa never hit anyone let alone anything. She wouldn't even kill a bug she would trap it a let it outside. But her mom hit her. What was happening. Azula's thoughts got hazy. Maybe she was a bad daughter. Maybe she was a monster. Maybe her mom was right to hate her.

'My god' Azula thought to herself, h-her mother hated her.

This was to much for Azula to take in. So she didn't. She let it out. Azula ran to her bed and dug her face deep into the sheets. She could still feel the sting of her mother's hand. Azula cried herself to sleep that night. Sobbing till she couldn't breath leaving her utterly exhausted.

That night after Azula had dozed off into a fitful sleep she heard her door open. A stream of light from the hallway candles came flickering through. She heard small foot steps but didn't dare open her eyes. The mysterious person walk over to the side of her bed and placed something on her nightstand. Then the figure crept out of her room softly closing the room door.

Once she was sure that they were gone she shot up out of her bed, eyes wide open. She look over to see a note. It was written in black messy handwriting only fit for a child and if read,

'Sorry'

-Zuko

Azula held the letter in her hand. He didn't know what had happened what mother had said and done. He apologized but it doesn't take it back. And he didn't even say it to her face just left a note. Rage rose in Azula. Heat warmed Azula's veins. The note quickly lit up in blue hot flames. Then it was nothing but ash. Azula swept it off her bed and onto the ground. She then proceeded to cry herself back to sleep.


Azula woke up in her cell hands trembling. Covered in sweat. She look up at the small hole at the top of her cage. Not fit to call a window it was probably just a crack to allow the crazy's to tell the time of day at least.

Azula saw the light poor in and looked outside, it was a beautiful sunny day.

The day was finally upon here. It was the time. It was trial time.