Authors Note: Hello all and welcome! It has been years since I wrote fanfic under a different account but I am so excited about this story. Some things upfront; as a general rule, I do not follow the comic's explanation of what happened to Ursa. Ikem does exist in a different capacity, but his fate will differ from the comics. Some things in this story will differ from canon, but it shouldn't affect the canon of the show all that much. I am really excited to bring this story to life, and I hope that you enjoy it! This first chapter is very heavy on setting the early chapters up, but I promise that the setup will be very much worth it!
If you enjoy, please leave a review and let me know!
Chapter 1
Ursa was used to the stares as they made their way through the Capital to the shopping district. Most Fire Nation families, particularly the ones of noble blood didn't have many children. Most families had two children, two perfect Fire Nation children. But trailing behind Rina were four children under the age of eleven, and Ursa, her daughter from another marriage, was the oldest. Rina's first husband, Ursa's father, had died in the war, and Rina had remarried when Ursa was five. Jinzuk, although not her biological father, was the only father that she knew. But she was used to the looks. Most people thought that Ursa was the nanny of the children, or perhaps Rina's much younger sister.
She smiled when her youngest sister, Eska, lifted her arms up, wanting to be held. "For you? Anything," She told her, leaning down, she picked her up.
"Come on, Ursa, our appointment is in ten minutes," Rina urged her daughter.
"We're coming," Ursa replied simply, quickening her pace ever so slightly.
The dress shop coming into view, Ursa let Eska down and took her hand as they walked into the store. It was a hot day, and the last thing that Ursa wanted to do was to try on dresses. But Prince Ozai's birthday was in two days and Ursa and her parents had been invited. Her siblings would have to stay home with one of their neighbors. A royal party was not suitable for children, although Ursa already knew that Mura, at thirteen, would stay up all night until they came home and Ursa could tell her all about it. She remembered being thirteen, not quite a woman but you thought that you were. She would happily oblige her sister, and she had thought that Mura could perhaps help her pick out her dress and help her get ready for the party.
"Welcome, welcome, do you have an appointment?"
"Yes, Rina and Ursa," Rina said, as she began to browse.
"Ah, yes, here you are," the shopkeeper said. "Let me know when you're ready to go and try something on."
"Thank you," Ursa said.
She carefully started to peruse the dresses, keeping a careful eye on her siblings when their mother went back for her dress fitting. Ursa wasn't sure what she wanted to wear. She was sure that the other girls would be wearing various shades of red, but that seemed so cliché, not that Ursa particularly cared what people thought about her. She was much more at home in her casual clothes, spending the day with Ikem, the son of one of the shopkeepers on this street. It wasn't a traditional match, but he made her happy. She didn't need all of this to be happy.
"What about this, Ursa?" Mura asked, pulling a dress of deep purple off of the rack.
"It's beautiful," Ursa said with a smile on her lips, walking over to where her sister was standing. She looked it over for a moment. "I think that I'll try this one on," she told the shopkeeper, who nodded her head and brought it to the fitting room.
She leaned down to pick up Eska and looked over at Mura. "Watch Ukano and Afiko until mother comes out, okay? I'll bring Eska in with me."
"Okay," Mura agreed.
She followed the shopkeeper into the fitting room and put her baby sister down. "Don't get into anything," she told her sister and then she allowed the shopkeeper to help her get into the dress. It was too long, but it was an easy fix. Turning to look into the mirror, Ursa smiled. The dress was beautiful with long draping sleeves and white detailing on the chest, a white sash wrapped around her waist.
Rina stepped into the fitting room and smiled. "It looks beautiful on you, Ursa," she complimented. "A little bit too long, but nothing a little hemming won't fix. Are you happy with it?"
"Yes, mother. I love it," Ursa said.
"Wonderful," Rina said, leaning down, she picked Eska up. "I will be right back, please hem the dress now so we can bring it home today. The party is in two days."
The shopkeeper bowed her head and went to get her supplies. Rina stepped out of the fitting room and gathered her children up and took them outside, leaving Ursa behind.
While she was used to dress fittings and the like, it never got any easier. She much preferred to be at home, reading, or playing with her siblings, or spending time with Ikem or Elua, her best friend. She knew that he didn't understand her family. He was the son of a shopkeeper, not a nobleman, but Ursa didn't care. Ikem would inherit his father's shop one day, and Ursa knew that she would be happy, running the store with him. She didn't need much so long as she was in love and with Ikem. She wished that they could just get married already, but she worried that her mother would oppose the match. It was one thing to date, but marriage was another story. She knew that her mother wanted better for her, wanted her to have a great marriage. It had been a source of contention between them for some time now.
Ursa couldn't understand her mother's desire to be more than what they were. The daughter of Avatar Roku, Rina had been used to certain privileges. Her first marriage hadn't been a love match, but one that made sense. Ursa's father had been one of Fire Lord Azulon's best generals. They had lived in the inner ring of the city and her mother had been one of the darlings of the court. But when her father was killed, they hadn't been able to stay in their home and had moved into a house in the outer ranks. They still attended court events, but it hadn't been the same for Rina. Her days as the court darling were gone, and Ursa suspected that Rina had been trying to relive them through her. But Ursa didn't have the desire to be loved at court. She would be happy with a simpler life.
When Rina met Jinzuk and fell in love with him, their status had fallen even more. Jinzuk was a noble, but not a particularly well-liked one. His father had upset Fire Lord Azulon years ago, and the man had a long memory. They had moved again, to a house in the more common area, and they were barely invited to court anymore. It was Rina's relation to Avatar Roku that kept them on Fire Lord Azulon's mind, but their invites to court were few and far between. But Ursa didn't mind. She liked getting to be a normal kid, running around with the other kids from the neighborhood. But as she got older, her mother had become more strict with her, reminding her of her proper place, reminding her that she was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku.
But it seemed, at least to her mother, that their luck was changing. They had been invited to Prince Ozai's birthday celebration, and Ursa knew that her mother was going to try and pair her with someone again, to one of the sons of the great Fire Nation families. But Ursa wasn't interested, but she would grin and bear it for her mother until they returned home, and she could remind her that Ursa didn't want the life that her mother wanted for her.
Servants bowed low to the ground, looking everywhere but at the man who walked through the halls of the palace. Murmurs of "welcome back Prince Ozai" came from the lips of the braver servants, the servants who didn't worry about facing his wrath. The rest of them remained silent, their eyes firmly ahead of them. Prince Ozai walked towards the throne room where his father was waiting for him. Gone for several months trying to find the Avatar and traveling, Ozai had returned in time for his twenty-fourth birthday.
The doors were pulled open for Ozai as he walked to the center of the room. He bowed to his father and knelt down on his knees.
"Welcome back, Prince Ozai," Fire Lord Azulon spoke. "I heard that you made a stop to see General Iroh. How is your brother?"
Ozai's lips turned down slightly at the question. "Aren't you going to ask me about the Avatar?"
"What is there to tell? You didn't find the Avatar and he's not dead. Now how is your brother?"
Anger lurked behind Ozai's eyes. It was always about Iroh, he was the favorite son. Ozai had been a mistake. His father had told him that he had been lucky to be born. His mother died giving him life, and for that, his father could never forgive him. He took away his father's beloved wife, and that sin was never going to be washed away. Nothing Ozai ever did would please his father and so he had stopped trying years ago.
"Iroh is running Omashu just fine. He sent his love to you and to Lu Ten."
Azulon appraised his youngest son with a frown. "I have heard of your dalliance in Omashu with that peasant girl. I am most displeased, Prince Ozai. Your behavior in Omashu brings shame to this family."
"It wasn't like that," Ozai interrupted his father, getting to his feet angrily. "Whatever Iroh told you was a lie. He always lies."
"Enough," Azulon bellowed. "You do not talk about your brother that way! You do not interrupt your Fire Lord when he speaks to you. Sit back down, Ozai."
"I'd rather not," Ozai replied, a burning hatred in his eyes.
"You will not disobey me Prince Ozai," Azulon thundered, the flames behind him growing higher and crackling dangerously. Ozai forced himself to kneel back down in front of his father. "Your behavior disappoints me. If you know what's good for you, you will find a wife at your birthday party. You need to settle down, Ozai. A wife and family will do you good. Do you understand me?"
"Yes father," Ozai replied, his voice emotionless.
