-10 YEARS LATER-

"Wait up, Zuzu!" yelled a nine year old girl with long black hair and fierce golden eyes, "Come on, Zuko, slow down!"

"Come on, Azula! Hurry up, I don't wanna miss Grandpa!" her older brother, Prince Zuko, yelled back. Azula tried to keep up as best as her shorter legs would carry her, but her brother slowly began to pull away from her. Suddenly, just as she was about to give up, she was scooped up by someone bigger and stronger than her, someone who was rapidly gaining on her brother.

"Don't worry, Princess; I'll help you catch up!" Yuudai exclaimed, drawing a sweet giggle from Azula as she wrapped her arms around her big friend. She climbed onto his back mid-stride, and her giggle turned to full blown laughter as Yuudai took off with renewed vigor.

"Faster Yuudai, faster!" she squealed, completely enthralled in the chase from her perch. Yuudai obliged her, running even faster and rapidly closing in on the prince. Zuko laughed as the pair caught up and picked up his own pace, the chase quickly becoming more of a race. The trio ran around the palace, drawing smiles from all the servants. The children had been inseperable since birth, despite the fact that Yuudai was adopted. The race and laughter came to a screeching halt, however, as they rounded one final corner and nearly ran over Fire Lord Azulon as he made his way towards his throne room. The children froze, realizing their game had nearly caused them to run into the most powerful man in the world. Azulon looked down at them sternly, making the three cower in fear, before giving up the charade and busting out in a hearty, genuine laugh and scooping the three in a bear hug. It was no secret that the Fire Lord, while a hard man, who ruled fairly yet with an iron fist, doted on his grandchildren, even Yuudai.

"Hello young ones! Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"We wanted to see you, Grandpa," Azula piped up sweetly, "We knew you would be busy today, so we wanted to see you before your day got started!"

"Ah, my young ray of sunshine, it does my old bones good to be in the presence of such innocence," the Fire Lord proudly said, though he couldn't help but notice Yuudai avoiding eye contact and keeping his head bowed in his presence, even after all these years being in their family.

"Zuko, do your grandfather and favor and take your sister to play. I would like to speak to Yuudai for a moment, and then he will be right behind you." Zuko bowed and snagged Azula, who followed reluctantly with a confused look on her face. Azulon smiled as he turned his attention back to Yuudai, who looked like he was about to die of fright. The Fire Lord then brought his towering height down to eye level with his adopted grandchild to put him at ease, something he would never do for anyone other than his grandchildren. He reached out and gently grabbed to terrified boy by the shoulders and softly addressed him.

"Yuudai…"

"Y-Yes, your m-m-majesty?" the quivering boy answered, drawing an exasperated sigh from Azulon. He had been through this before.

"Yuudai, you know you don't have to speak to me like that. You are Iroh's son, blood or not, and that makes you my grandson. Now, why do you insist on this behavior? We are family."

"I-I'm sorry, sir. Master Ozai says that I should speak to my betters with respect." Azulon snarled inwardly at this revelation, but revealed no anger to his grandson. Instead, he pulled the boy into a firm hug.

"Listen to me, Yuudai, and listen carefully. You may not be of our bloodline, but you without a doubt family. Don't listen to Ozai on this matter. If the Fire Lord says something, it is law, correct?" Yuudai looked up for the first time and made eye contact with Azulon and nodded, drawing a happy smile from the older man. "Then the Fire Lord says you are family, understand?" Unable to stop himself, Yuudai excitedly embraced the crouching ruler, surprising him delightfully.

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Yuudai exclaimed, drawing a small, almost unnoticeable tear to the older man's eye.

"You are more than welcome little one. Now, go practice Firebending with your father; I hear you are becoming quite good!" Yuudai beamed at the praise and scurried off, eager to catch up to his friends. The Fire Lord kept the smile on his face until he was sure all of his grandchildren were gone, sure that Zuko and Azula had stayed out of sight but just within earshot. Once he was sure, he dropped the smile for a deep, angry scowl. He would talk to Ozai personally about this nonsense, and he would put an end to his mistreatment of the boy, NOW.

Sure enough, Yuudai had barely gotten into the next room before nearly running over Zuko and Azula, their ears pressed against the closed door trying to hear their conversation. All three laughed and bolted for the gardens, where they saw Yuudai's father meditating. The older man looked up and met them with a smile as they gathered around him excitedly, waiting to see what "The Dragon of the West" had in store for them today. As always, the Firebending master would spend the first part of their lesson performing various tricks and skills, enthralling the young children, before he would begin the day's lesson. They sat and enjoyed his show for almost an hour before he finally ended the way he always did, showing them how he'd earned his nickname, spewing fire from his mouth like a dragon of legend. The children sat in awe, as always, before breaking into excited applause. Iroh laughed and got them all to their feet, ready to begin their lesson. The three children took their positions and began. As they went, Iroh couldn't help but beam with pride at their progress. Zuko was the least talented of the three, but was still farther ahead than any other student in the fire nation save Yuudai and Azula. Yuudai was a natural, mastering complex techniques even intermediate students struggled to comprehend with ease. The true prodigy, though, was Azula. The princess possessed talent unlike any the former general had ever seen before, putting herself in a class all her own. She was still a year younger than both her brother and Yuudai, yet she easily bested them day after day. It was truly a sight to behold.

The lesson went on for more than an hour before Li and Lo, the caretakers for Azula and Zuko, came to gather the children of Ozai and Ursa. Before they left, Azula gave Yuudai a kiss on the cheek, turning the large young boy as red as his father's robes.

"Thanks for carrying me today, Yuudai. It was lots of fun! See you tomorrow?"

"Y-yea, Azula, I'd really like to see you tomorrow…I mean both of you!" he stammered excitedly, "You're welcome, by the way. I'll be glad to carry you anytime…not that you're incapable of walking or anything, you actually look very pretty walking…not that you don't all the time!...I mean…" the poor child blushed even harder when his father's booming laughter drowned out his stammering. Azula began to blush as well, but she kept a sweet, genuine smile on her face the entire time, sending Yuudai's young heart into a flutter. As the princess took off after her brother, who looked to be laughing as well, Iroh came up behind his son and clapped his heavy hands onto Yuudai's tiny shoulders.

"Ah, to be young again. You will have your hands full with that one, son!"

"What do you mean, daddy?" Yuudai asked, his father's meaning going completely over his head. Iroh chuckled and roughed up his sons hair, drawing a giggle from Yuudai as well.

"You'll understand one day, son. Trust me."