A. N. I'm finally back! Thanks for all the reviews. My mind juices are flowing and I'm ready to continue. As always, thanks for reading. This chapter may be a bit short, and it's definitely filler...But hopefully it's good filler. It's kind of nice sometimes to have a few chapters to get the feel of the story, you know?

Oh, and sorry for the confusing POV changes. Sometimes I need to show more than what Yue sees.

Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. Why would I be here if I did? I mean, come on. This story would already be on the bookshelves worldwide and I'd be filthy stinking rich.

A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Three

A Difficult Negotiation

I burst through the doors of the palace, fighting back sobs. After the embarrassing scene at school, I wanted three things, and three things only.

First, I wanted to be homeschooled for the rest of my life.

Second, I wanted to freeze Miss Kalora Lon into a block of ice and put her on display in a museum.

And finally, I wanted to be part of a massive group hug down at the South Pole. Penguins included.

But I didn't get any of those things. I got an army full of servants, swarming around me like scarlet-garbed flies. They offered me food, drink, hankerchiefs, and transportation to everywhere from the royal library to the shadiest market. I soundlessly waved them off except for one.

"How can I be of assistance, Princess?" he said formally. He bowed and I blushed. No matter how many times I'd tried to convince them that the formality wasn't necessary...

I recognized him. I knew all of their names. Unlike my brother, I tried to treat the servants like they mattered.

"Bei," I asked him, motioning for him to stand, "where is my mom?"

"Her Highness, the Fire Lady Katara, is in her waterbending chamber. Two doors down from the spa." I should have guessed. Mom was always practicing.

"Thanks, Bei." I managed a shaky smile. As I started walking, I cast one last look behind me and sighed, knowing it wouldn't do any good. "Please just call me Yue."

(Third person)

The waterbending chamber had been built as part of the new additions to the palace, which had begun at the war's end and were still under way now. A magnificent fountain rose from the center of the room, marble and sculpted to look like waves. Water flowed through flawless stone in such a design that made it appear as though an artificial river resided in the room. Large urns contained even more of the element. The entire room was blue - the walls, hangings, everything. Yue's mother was experimenting with ice, carving frosty scenes into a large block mounted against the wall next to her. She glanced up as the door swung forward and let her arms fall to her sides. A smile grew from her previous concentrated expression, but the powerful look of complete control didn't leave the master's eyes.

"How was your day?" Like most mothers, she wanted to hear that her daughter was a shining star, that she was surrounded by wonderful friends, and that she was a remarkable scholar. Instead, day after day, she listened to the heavily edited version and kept her smile pasted on. But today, there was no editing. Her daughter spilled years of carefully guarded secrets and ran into her mother's comforting embrace, tears staining Katara's silk robe.

"...And, Mom, the girls there have always been just horrible to me. I don't usually let it get to me, but today Kalora Lon and her minions insulted the Water Tribes and I couldn't take it...Mom, I'm sorry for keeping it from you...Mom, I don't want to go back tomorrow..."

As her cries became even more hysterical and desperate, Katara pulled back and wiped tears out of her daughter's glistening blue eyes. She stared deeply into them, and let out a long sigh.

"Yue, honey...I..." She stopped herself. The grin she'd worn so shortly before popped back on. She had an idea.

"We're not going to sit here and blubber in our misery, are we? No," she answered for them both, "we are not. Because we are proud Water Tribe women, and Water Tribe women know how to vent anger and frustration and turn it into strength. Get some water from that urn, Yue." She drew a substantial amount for herself and lunged forward with a grunt. Yue stared for a moment, and decided to see where she was going with this.

The princess found that, if she imagined Kalora's face on the wall in front of her, her aim improved tenfold and her ice daggers were twice as sharp.

A few minutes later the bending slid to a halt. The anger and sorrow and pain was all gone, but now they had problems.

Katara was furious, but she could think. That was what waterbending did for her when she was angry. It cleared her mind without wiping away her emotions.

The Fire Lady was angry for several reasons. After a few quick questions, it was clear. The Fire Nation Royal Academy For Girls had not done as she and her husband had instructed. They taught, yes, but they failed to press the significance of the other nations. She was angry with herself for not seeing how alone and unwanted her daughter felt. Since she had been enrolled in the Academy, not once had Yue brought a friend home from school. Never. And she was most definitely angry at the entirety of the Fire Nation for being so damn pigheaded.

Yue was scared and depressed. Her mind was as transparent as swamp water. She only wanted to be wanted. Yes, her family had always loved her, but she had a raw need for acceptance. The Fire Nation did not fully accept her. Tolerance and acceptance were different aspects entirely.

She was scared because she knew her mother. Katara was unpredictable and undefeatable. She was also afraid because she had kept so many important details from her parents, especially her mother. She did not lie, but anything that could rouse the dragon inside her mom was conveniently left out.

Such as, oh, I don't know, she thought sarcastically, the fact that I teach myself waterbending in an old broom cupboard, or that my teachers and classmates ignore my culture? And let's not forget the way the other girls treat me, like I'm sort of freak at a circus?

"Yue, I can't believe how you could stand this for so long," said Katara when her daughter had finished her explanation, somewhat less hysterically.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"Sorry? You shouldn't be sorry, Yue, you should be -" Her mother sighed for the upteenth time. "Yue, you are named for a princess who was so very connected with her Tribe. The first Princess Yue may have been mild and sweet and innocent, but when her home was threatened, she was not."

Yue lifted her head.

"Darling, I think it's time you recognized the fire in water, and vice versa. Even if you were not half Fire Nation, the girl inside you is more feisty and headstrong than anything else. You were once connected to that part of yourself, but I'm afraid that you have lost it." She hugged her daughter tightly.

"You need to rediscover yourself, dear, and that means an early visit to the South Pole."

(Yue's POV, present-tense)

Dinner was always a happy affair for my family. Tonight it is quiet. Great-uncle Iroh, for once, doesn't make his usual round of punny tea jokes. Dad stares blankly into the table and wolfs down his dinner. Mom doesn't touch hers. Miro tugs on my sleeve, complaining about how it's my fault that everyone's so tense. Even though he's older, he acts like a whiny toddler. Finally my father, the Firelord, glances up and meets my eyes. He lets out a deep sigh and lifts his elbows onto the table.

"Yue, why do you want to be rid of us so badly?" His tone is blunt, but I can tell that he's hurt. Dad has always been closer to Miro, and the same goes for my mother and me. But that doesn't mean that I still don't love him. While he likes to visit the South Pole (in moderation), and the people there have, for the most part, forgiven him for his part in the war...he doesn't want me going by myself. And he doesn't like my eagerness to leave the Fire Nation behind.

I want to reply, but Uncle Iroh cuts me off. In his gravelly voice he answers for me.

"Zuko, your daughter is confused. She has been cut and bruised by this country and needs time to heal." My eyes fill with tears and I thank my great-uncle with one look. I have always been so fond of him.

"Your uncle is right, my love," says my mom. Her hand is placed over Dad's, and she gazes at him with affection and understanding. "Yue needs to spend time in the Water Tribe. It's where she needs to be now, and this time she needs to be there alone." She kisses my father quickly and leaves her dark hand on his cheek stroking the skin just below his scar. Miro makes a gagging noize and is instantly silenced as Uncle Iroh glares, steam pouring from his ears. My spoiled brother cowers in his seat and the ancient Dragon of the West grins at me before turning to a servant, asking for more jasmine tea.

A. N. Yes, Yue's snarky little thought was a reference to Ty Lee. ) Those of you who have watched AVidZktjo's Zutara videos (check them out on LiveVideo, they're great) will know why I value that phrase so much.

By the way, I don't mind Ty Lee. After watching The Beach I actually started liking her. So I was not bashing, just a ref.

Please tell me what I did wrong in this chapter, I have a feeling that I messed something up, big time.

EDIT: After a review on this chapter it came to my attention that I'd contradicted myself. ;D Thanks for spotting that, it should be fixed now.

ANOTHER EDIT: I now have a Ty Lee post-war fanfiction up called Service, Sans Smile. If you were interested in what happens to Ty Lee and Suki back on Kyoshi Island, I suggest you check it out. -end shameless advertising-