Azula prided herself on her abilities. Her fire was the strongest kind there was; Father always told her so. She was also going to be very beautiful; not that she was vain, it's just that people told her she resembled her mother, and her mother was considered very pretty. Naturally, she would be too. Ty Lee even told her so, and Ty Lee never lied to Azula.

She was the ideal heir, ruthless, determined, strong and intelligent.

The only thing she didn't have? The only thing that worked against her? Birth order. She was born second, after that useless buffoon of a brother. Zuzu wasn't strong, or smart. He cried too easily, and complained when she played with him. It's not her fault he couldn't take a little heat.

She sat in her room, tracing a picture of fire lilies her mother had given her. It was pretty, and Azula didn't like dainty things. She smiled as blue flames ate it up, leaving but a pile of ash in its stead. Wonderful.

Bored, she played around with her flames, making little shapes. Her father would never, ever condone such frivolous use of her firebending, but he wasn't here, was he? What he didn't know didn't matter.

"Azula," Her mother knocked on the door, but it was just a formality. Even if Azula didn't particularly wish to see her, the woman would enter anyway. Her mother's demeanour spoke of frustration, as her shoulders were slumped. Azula had spent enough time with the woman to know that, even if the time was rather limited. "What lies have you been telling your brother?"

"Lies? I'm wounded."

"Azula."

"About what, Mother?" Azula didn't speak to Zuko for close to two hours. She hadn't even spoken to him after the event in the throne room. What lies was she being accused of spreading? "You're going to have to be specific."

"You told him your father was going to die," Her mother scolded. "You know he's sensitive, and cares a lot about his family. He's really upset, and can't sleep."

"How is that my fault?" She wanted to know, truly. "I didn't do anything."

"Azula." There was the all too familiar condescending tone she hated.

"I did no such thing," Azula answered, breathing even. Zuko, upset? Served the crybaby right. "I don't know where Zuko heard this," Lie. "But I had no hand in it," Lie. "Mother."

"Don't lie to me, young lady."

Azula yawned. No matter how much it hurt for her mother to disregard her words so flippantly, she was more or less used to it at this point. She did what she always did: power through with a smile. She didn't need Mother, anyway. She had Father.

"I'm not lying," Azula laughed. Her mother frowned. "I didn't tell him father was going to die. That's a bit extreme, isn't it? If I were going to lie, which I didn't, I'd tell him Father loved him. We both know that's not true."

Her mother scowled. "Azula, your Father cares about both of you equally. Same as I."

"Whatever you say." She responded. "I don't know why Zuko believes Father will be executed, but he might've gotten the idea from the conversation between the Fire Lord and Father."

"You shouldn't have been listening in to that," Her mother sighed. "What happened, exactly?"

"Father said something positively treasonous, and Grandfather freaked. Like the coward he is, Zuko ran out. He has quite the penchant for dramatics."

"And you didn't?"

"Who says I was even there to begin with?" At her mother's unimpressed look, Azula amended her previous statement. "Fine. I left with him. I'm not sure what happens next in the story."

"Alright," Ursa agreed, warily. "I'm going to talk with your Father. You will get a punishment later."

"For what?" Azula screeched.

"Eavesdropping. It's very rude." Her mother stated, very matter-of-fact.

"What about Zuko?" Azula asked.

"He won't be let off the hook, either." At least that was reassuring. Azula shouldn't be punished if he got off scot free. "Goodnight, Azula. Sweet dreams."

"Goodbye, Mother." Azula rolled her eyes once her mother turned her back, and left. She interrogated her own daughter because Zuko, the weakling, had a bad dream? Pathetic. It's not like she'd ever do something like that for Azula. Mother knew she was a monster, a little demon in the form of a child. She assumed the worst, and it was only true about fifty percent of the time.

Azula, angered and annoyed, flung herself onto her mattress. She grabbed the blankets, pulling them close.

She didn't want to be cold.

"Princess Azula?" A guard, someone far beneath her, screamed as he broke her door down.

She awoke, obviously, and noticed how pitch black it still was. Some idiot thought it was appropriate to wake her before dawn? Unacceptable.

"What is it?" She snapped.

"Thank Agni, the Princess is safe." A second guard yelled, his voice carrying through her room. Safe? What did they mean by that? Of course Azula was safe, she was sitting right here, completely unharmed, albeit more than a little ticked off. "Inform the Prince at once."

"I demand to know what is happening." Azula ordered. The guards froze. She played around with her fire, letting it dance on her fingertips. Her reputation was well-known amongst the help, usually inspiring fear, or hesitance is her servants. Fear was something she could work with.

"The Prince has been assassinated."

"My Father is dead?" She asked, a small frown adorning her features. Seems her brother wasn't completely off with his fears, after all. Mother would be their only parent, now. For some reason, that deeply unsettled Azula. "So soon?"

"No, your Highness." The first one answered, slowly, drawing out every word creating unbearable suspense. "Prince Zuko was attacked in his room."

Her brother...was assassinated? As in, dead? The fool got himself killed off, go figure.

Azula sucked in a breath. This meant Azula moved up in the line of succession, her Father's perfect heir at last. A fluttering feeling, almost like butterflies, filled Azula's stomach. This was everything she'd ever wanted, and it was just within her grasp.

"He finally got himself killed," She mused. Azula's face betrayed no emotion, only a slight quirk of her lips giving away any of her thoughts. "Is the body in his room?"

"No."

"Then where is it?"

"There was no body, my Princess."

"Then how do you know he's dead, you idiots?" She scoffed. Of course, Zuko would find a way to mess up his own death. "Ever heard of kidnapping? Ransoms? Honestly."

"Yes-"

"No matter. Just take me to see my Father."

"Of course, your Highness."

Azula jumped out of bed, and allowed the simpletons to escort her to her Father. She knew the way around the palace like the back of her hand, but if the assassins were still hanging around, she needed protection, and these two would work just fine.

"Father?" She poked her head into the Throne room. On the floor, openly sobbing, was Mother, the same woman who chastised Azula earlier. Oh, how far the mighty fall. She sneered, "Mother."

The woman didn't even acknowledge her.

"Princess Azula." He answered, his face blank. "I'm glad to see you're alright."

"Of course, Father. Thank you for the concern."

On the throne, her Grandfather watched the scene with barely concealed disinterest. Losing a grandchild isn't all that important, apparently. "Prince Ozai, please control your wife."

"Ursa?" Ozai practically sneered. Her mother wiped her face, and straightened her back. A pose befitting of a Princess, as opposed to the snivelling mess she had been.

"I must apologize, your Majesty. I let my emotions overrun my senses." Her mother dropped into a low bow, voice strong despite the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"This is a tragedy. So soon after the loss of Lu Ten, as well." Her Grandfather pointedly did not look at her Father. Interesting. "The kidnapping of the youngest Prince is a day our nation will never forget."

Azula would laugh, if it was socially acceptable, and from what she understood, enjoying your only brother's disappearance was...strange, to be certain. Although, how could anyone blame her? The utter crap coming out of her Grandfather's mouth was astounding. Zuko, unforgettable? Hilarious. She already struggled to remember the sound of his annoying voice.

"The abduction and slaughter of the youngest Prince won't go unpunished." He decreed. "Those savages will pay dearly for this slight against Agni."

"He's not dead," Mother spoke up, still cowered on the floor. Tears streamed down her pretty face, but her eyes still had a bright, yet muted fire. "I know it."

"Quiet." Father snarled. Mother sunk into herself. At least Azula knew where Zuko had gotten it from.

Pathetic.

Logically, Mother may be right. They didn't even have a corpse left behind, Zuko was taken.

Maybe, if she was unlucky enough, he was still alive. Azula highly doubted it, though. Her brother was many things, but smart was not one of them. The dumb-dumb couldn't even firebend properly. His fancy little swords weren't going to help him now.

"What a tragedy indeed." Even though this all worked in her favour, Azula couldn't help but feel a little uneasy from the glint in her father's eyes, or the small, almost insignificant splatter of blood on his clothes.

They held a funeral two weeks later, without a body. If the idiot was alive, he would've shown up by then. As dramatic as he used to be, Zuko wouldn't have passed the opportunity to crash his own funeral, like a protagonist from his favourite plays.

Everyone had showed up for her brother's funeral, except for Iroh. He couldn't even be bothered to show up to his own nephew's funeral. Such a lazy coward didn't deserve the throne. Father would be a much better Fire Lord than the old fool.

As the sages burned the pyre, Azula wiped her eyes, surprised to find small tear drops on her arm. She sniffled. It must've been from the smoke.

Zuko didn't deserve her sadness.

Mother sobbed beside her, muttering about her 'poor, poor baby boy'. It made Azula sick. She vaguely registered her Father giving a speech, and even shedding some fake tears for his dead son.

The public would eat that up.

If the servants heard her silent sobs that night, they never said anything. Probably too scared to.

"Stop going easy on me," Azula huffed. Ty Lee and Mai fell back, knives drawn in Mai's case. "I'm not going to break if you touch me."

"Azula, your aura is very blue. It's normal to be sad." Ty Lee shook her head. "Your brother's gone. You should be giving yourself time to grieve."

"I don't care about him." Azula spat. "He meant nothing to me."

"Aren't you supposed to be a good liar, Azula?" Mai deadpanned.

"Very funny, Mai. You should be a comedian." Azula rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Azula?" Ty Lee asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Azula snapped back. "I'm fine."

She regretted being so harsh when tears sprung from Ty Lee's eyes. The other girl muttered an apology. "Sorry."

"Yeesh, she only asked a question." Mai remarked, her boredom evident. "No need to be so testy."

"I'm not being testy, Mai. I'm great. Never been better. I'm glad even."

"If you say so."

"I do. Zuko only hindered the success of the Fire Nation with his softness...with him gone...we're looking at a much brighter future."

"I'm sure you don't mean that," Mai rolled her eyes, her voice slightly wavering. This might be the most emotion Azula has ever seen from her. Azula wanted to press on that small opening, and rip Mai apart. "He was your brother."

"Oh, but I do, Mai. He was pitiful, and a chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Now, Father has a strong heir, one who will bring him glory. I know you had feelings or whatever, for my inadequate brother," She paused. "And while you won't marry into royalty, you'll find someone else. I'm sure your mom will find someone suitable. He might be three times your age, but you'll manage."

Mai clenched her fist, but said nothing else, opting to glare at the Princess instead.

Azula continued to practice hand-to-hand combat with both of them, and if Mai was a little more aggressive than usual, no one commented on it.

"Now that you are my only heir," Father placed his hands on her shoulders. "You will be receiving even more training. You, already so close to perfect, will be the greatest."

"Of course, Father." Azula smirked, a picture of her, sitting on the Fire Lord's throne, projecting in her mind. It fit. "Perfection is a virtue."

"Correct. You will be starting lightning control, soon. I will teach you myself."

"Wonderful, Father. I'm grateful for your guidance."

"My perfect heir." Her father's smile might've been a little too tight, his eyes a little too wild. "Your name will go down in history as the most powerful Princess there ever was. The world will burn, just as it should, and you will be right by my side, where you belong."

Azula couldn't judge him for his ambition, or dead expression. She saw the exact same thing in the mirror.

Her failure of an uncle returned around a year or so after...the incident. He had been shocked when he was informed of Zuko's passing. Sad, even. He wallowed in his own guilt for days, inconsolable.

("What's he doing?" Azula asked, her head tilted to the side. Her uncle had retreated to his chambers, not long after being informed of Zuko's fate. "Drinking tea?"

"Your Uncle," Father spat, voice laced with disdain. This, Azula thought, is who the Fire Nation needed as Fire Lord. "Is a pathetic excuse of a Crown Prince. He's crying over your brother's death."

"His weakness is absolutely astounding, Father." Azula answered. "He brings shame to the royal family."

"Correct, Princess Azula. He is an example of what not to do, and who not to be.")

It was what he deserved, truly. He abandoned the siege, bringing disgrace to the nation, for his son. How many other sons were killed? He was a coward, and a hypocrite.

He mourned his little nephew, the one who's funeral he couldn't be bothered to attend. He wouldn't feel that way if Azula had been the one killed. "Princess Azula, would you care to join me for some tea and a game of Pai Sho?"

"I'd rather not, Uncle." Azula slapped on an amicable expression, hiding the instinctual sneer. "I'm rather busy with my firebending training."

"No time to spare for your old Uncle?" He laughed, a little too loud to be genuine.

Azula knew the fatso just wanted to replace his dead son and nephew. Azula was not second best, or in this case third. She wouldn't be some consolation prize for some old, washed up fool. She wouldn't play Pai Sho with him.

She's had around a year to grow stronger, and better. She doesn't need nor want his conditional love and approval.

"I'm afraid not." She winced in sympathy, the act of the regretful niece coming easily. "I've got to perfect my lightning."

"Firebending, you say? I know a few moves, myself. Perhaps I could show you some."

"I must respectfully decline, Uncle."

"Ah, I see." He patted his stomach. "I'll be off then. It was nice to see you, Princess Azula."

Azula lied through her teeth, a pleasant little smile planted on her face. "And you, Uncle."

"Will you feed the turtleducks with me, Azula?" Her mother asked.

Azula hid her smirk. She would never willingly spend time with her mother. "No thank you, Mother. I'm busy, you see. I don't have time to waste by feeding the animals."

Her mother frowned. "I see. I'll be on my way, then. You're always welcome to join me if you decide to."

"Noted."

"Zhao has confirmed the previously unfounded rumours," Father sat to the right of the Fire Lord, who'd only grown weaker over time. Any day now, he'd drop dead, and Iroh would succeed him. A horror story, in the making. The war meeting with the other generals, and high ranking officials had been boring, before he deigned to speak up. Azula herself sat to the left of the Fire Lord, and had to pinch herself to keep awake. "The Avatar has indeed returned, and is accompanied by two water savages. He was last seen headed North, for the second Water Tribe."

The silence of the war room, broken in an instance. The generals took turns yelling petty insults at each other, in some sort of contest of wits. Dimwits, that is.

The Avatar, a long sought after myth, thought to be dead, has returned to the land of the living. Azula wondered what little hole he crawled out of. No matter. The Avatar wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

As much as Azula disliked Zhao—he was far too unpredictable, which made him dangerous—he knew how to get something done. The Avatar would be taken to the Fire Nation in chains, brought low before the Fire Lord, and her Father. Where he belonged.

"Zhao is a fool if he thinks we'll support his wild goose chase," One of the generals admonished. Azula sighed, as that was the wrong thing to say. "He'll say anything to get the backing of the royal family."

"You dare question my authority?" Father asked, deceptively light. "Are you insinuating that Zhao would be able to manipulate me? Not only do you mean to insult me, but you would disrespect the word of the Fire Lord, your Agni chosen monarch?"

"No-"

"You should tread carefully, General. I'd hate to see something happen to you, or your family. Such lovely people, especially your wife, Akiko."

"Are you threatening me, Prince Ozai?"

"No, these are merely my musings," The youngest living Prince paused, "Even if I was, you wouldn't be able to do anything about it, General."

"Enough!" Fire Lord Azulon yelled, his weak voice echoing through the chamber. He heaved, "We will not infight like spoiled children."

"Of course, Father." Prince Ozai agreed, and even though he was scolded, he still had the signature smirk on his face. Azula stayed silent as the exchange happened, much happier watching. "The Avatar will be brought before us, and kept locked up, where he won't bother us ever again. If Zhao fails, my daughter will go after the Avatar herself."

"Your daughter? The Princess is but a child."

"A child more skilled than you." Her father smirked, an expression which was unbecoming on anyone else, but she had grown accustomed to it on him. "Are you doubting the Princess' skill? Are you implying she is unworthy?"

The General paled fast. "N-no, my Prince-"

"I thought so. It would be all the more tragic if you had. After all, I hear your daughter admires the Princess."

For a room full of firebenders, everyone was frozen. Small beads of sweat fell down the forehead of the General. Her father merely sat there, hands folded. He raised an eyebrow, as if challenging the General to say something; anything. Challenge the Prince, and meet your doom. Everyone in the room knew challenging Prince Ozai was suicide, and the General wasn't suicidal.

"Ozai," The old, senile fool on the throne cut in, sensing the tension. "Keep your threats to yourself. Princess Azula, as it is your abilities in question, do you believe you can complete the task, if it comes to?"

"I'd be happy to fulfill my duty to the Fire Nation," Azula cut in, her tone sharp. "As the Princess, it is only expected."

"She is extremely powerful," Her father cut in, something like pride alight in his eyes. Pride for her, or himself, she wasn't sure. "Moreso than the fools you keep company with, Fire Lord."

The cowardly General was quick to agree. "Naturally, your Highness. I didn't mean to offend-"

"Then it is decided," The Prince said, cutting the general off before he could stammer out an apology. "Princess Azula will deal with the Avatar should Zhao fail."

"And I will not fail." Azula smirked, as she wrapped blue flames around her fist. She almost wanted Zhao to screw up, just to capture the Avatar herself. She wanted the battle; the thrill. She wanted to prove her prowess to all the nobility and Fire Nation. They could look at her in awe and reverence, but most importantly, fear. They would thank Agni everyday that she was on their side, and not an enemy. "Of that, you can be assured."