Hi! Be warned! Reader's discretion is advised. This chapter is not exactly kid-friendly, but then again, so am I.

Sidebar, I just really love Gong Li and her character Hatsumomo so much. I mean look her up. Isn't she so divine?

-TheGreatestConWoman-

There were days when her fever would go down, and she would be able to leave the bed and her quarters, but there were also days when she could barely open her eyes, when she couldn't keep the food in her stomach, when she would cough up blood.

'It is from stress and exhaustion.' The Royal Physician had said. He prescribed the young child different herbs and calming remedies, but they were all futile. Relief continued to evade them.

All the while, Suiren stayed by her student's side. Even when the Fire Lord calls for her, she would refuse. It was her own form of protest for what he had done to her protegee, her child. She spent her days tending to her, feeding her, giving her towel baths.

'If I cast my memory further back, all of this is actually my fault.'

She had taken care of this young child, even if she wasn't her own. She had taught this child everything she knew, like a mother does. And when the opportunity of a lifetime, being a concubine to the Fire Lord, presented itself, she selfishly grabbed it, tying the young child to her instead of leaving her behind the safe care of the Salinja troupe and her sisters.

She greatly coveted having a child like Chiyo so much.

Because bearing a child was such a gift that the great Suiren was denied.

They were finally going to elope. Xin's parents, the leader of the village, did not approve of his love for Suiren, a then apprentice entertainer. Suiren was with child and they were cast out of the village. She and her lover had only managed to reach the gates when Fire Nation soldiers came to raid their village.

They burned everything to the ground, claiming the village in the name of the Fire Lord Azulon, taking able-bodied men and earthbenders into custody, taking the women to serve as slaves in the Capital.

Xin and Suiren were cornered. They fought with all that they had. Xin was killed in front of her very eyes, burned to ashes, and she was beaten severely.

The soldiers left her in the dirt, bruised and bleeding, wishing death would come swiftly. Her sisters from the troupe, Lee and Anita who had just come from the neighboring village, found her and they pulled her to the safety of a hidden cave.

From there, Anita did all that she can to nurse her to health, using her little knowledge in the art of healing through waterbending. Lee held Suiren's hand and prayed to whatever gods were left that neglected them.

Anita finished healing all of Suiren's injuries, save for one. The damage to her womb was too much that they were not able to save the child. It was too much that it prevented her from bearing one forever.

She had lamented all her days, for the death of her husband, for the death of her unborn child. She cursed every single person that she could. They had taken all of what little she had left.

"I am sorry for being selfish, my child..." Suiren whispered to an unconscious Chiyo, a single tear gracing her cheek. She swiped the loose curls that fell across her young ward's face. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this foolish plot of revenge."

They all figured out that the safest way to hide was in plain sight. They journeyed to the Fire Nation Capital and introduced themselves as a travelling troupe of entertainers. They were graciously accepted and adopted by the Salinja Troupe. There, Suiren spent her days stuck in either in a drunken stupor, or in the arms of some man who lavished her with money and favors.

Until one fateful day, she stumbled into a room where the then Prince Ozai was drinking, along with several other entertainers. Even in her disheveled appearance, in her kimono that did not quite fit her, he found her fascinating and beautiful.

Every day, the Prince Ozai would visit the troupe and request for Suiren's company, and every day she would refuse. She didn't know that he was the prince of this nation she despised so much. At least, not until a general had greeted him in the streets with a deep bow.

From there, in that instant, the plot of revenge was born.

She asked Lee and Anita, as well as the leader of the troupe to train her. In anything, in everything that she can use. In her mind, she will bring this man on his knees for her.

Day and night she practiced without stopping. Whether it was singing ballads, reciting poems, or dancing, she perfected each craft and moved on to the next.

She had finally found the purpose of her life.

It was to avenge Xin and her unborn child.

She trained herself how to sing and dance, to play all the instruments she can get her hands on. All until she was ready to face Prince Ozai. She came to him, instead of the dozen girls he used to make her jealous.

And with one smile, he was hers.

Chiyo got up abruptly from bed and hacked up a terrible cough into her hands. She pulled it away, and sure enough, there was blood. Suiren cleaned it up patiently and laid Chiyo back to rest. She opened her amber eyes that lacked their usual spark, "Lady S-Suiren?"

"Yes, child, what is it?" Suiren eagerly asked. She would do anything for Chiyo.

"D-did Prince Z-zuko came by today?"

Every day, Chiyo asked this question of her.

Every day, it broke Suiren's heart.

And every day she would answer, "No he did not, my love. He did not come by today."

She closed her eyes and turned to her side, seeking comfort in her soft pillow. "Maybe tomorrow..."

Suiren bit her bottom lip, it almost drew blood. If only she could take the pain of this child away. "Yes, child. Maybe tomorrow..."

"Lady Suiren..." Ai entered the room and bowed. The lady understood Ai's expression and she got up. She left the room and walked the long hallways until she was in the main hall were the Prince Zuko was waiting, holding fire lilies in his hands.

"Please, Lady Suiren. Let me see her once. Just once..." He pleaded, his golden eyes had grown restless as well. There were prominent bags under them, and his skin looked pale from worry. "Please, let me see her."

The lady shook her head. "She doesn't want to see you, my prince. I am so sorry..."

"I can change her mind—"

"No one can, not even me.. Now please, Prince Zuko! Go back to your training, or your studies, or whatever it is this time that you left, and leave my poor apprentice alone!"

It was the first time the Lady Suiren had raised her voice at him. He shrank a bit before gathering up his courage one last time. "Then at least give this to her." He handed her the fire lilies. Tell her that I'm still waiting for her. I always will be."

"Lies." She said, but only in her thoughts. Outwardly, she smiled and bowed her head at the retreating back of the prince. Once he was out of the hall, she ordered Ai to throw out the fire lilies. "I don't want anyone to see these, especially Chiyo. Understood?"

"Yes, my lady."

Suiren was determined to do whatever it takes to take revenge for Xin and her child. It was unfortunate that Chiyo was caught in the middle of all of this, but she didn't suffer all these years to stop now.

Not now, when she was so close.