Azula Forever

Chapter 3

By: RebLaw

Note: This is an AU story. It is in the same time period about as the Avatar TV show, with the same characters. There is only one minor change. Azula was born unable to firebend. (Which actually changes more than you would think.)

-.-.-.-.-

"Hold on," the gruff deep voice said as a hand grabbed wrist. "You don't want to know out there."

"And why not?" Azula asked, rolling her eyes. She pulled her wrist free. "You may be the commander around here, but this is Fire Nation property and I am the princess."

She motioned the elderly silver-haired matron, who started fire bending towards the man.

"Your brother is here," Zhao stated. "You don't want him to see you. Do you?"

"And why is that Commander Zhao?" she asked, still irked that he had dared to grab her wrist. "Please, give me an interesting explanation. If you do I might even spare your life."

"If he sees you here with me," the commander explained. "He'll know something's up. I could see the suspicion in his eyes when I announced that I had been promoted."

"That's your problem, not mine." With that reply from the princess, the silver haired matron's fire began to weave towards him.

"I can't afford him running away," Zhao said quickly as the flames began to lick his flesh. "I want to be the next Fire Lord."

"Stop!" Azula commanded her silver haired chaperone. She stared at Zhao intensely. "What did you just say Zhao, cousin of my father, commander of the Fire Nation Navy?"

"I said that I want to be the next Fire Lord," Zhao spat, still in pain over his burns.

"Well well," Azula purred, smiling. "And here I thought this was going to be a boring trip."

Zhao raised an eyebrow. "You know the only way the throne could pass to me is if…"

"My brother were to be killed," Azula finished with a malevolent smile. "I know. I wish to help you with that noble task."

-.-.-.-.-

During an angi kai was the only time he could legally kill Zuko. Azula had given him perfect advice on how to goad him into it.

It wasn't that difficult of a task. Zuko was known to be a hot-head, proud, overconfident, unyielding, and foolish. Getting the boy to agree to an angi kai was all too easy.

The admiral despite his age was in excellent physical condition. He made sure that Azula would watch him. It was the perfect chance for him to impress her. He couldn't have planned it any better if he had tried.

He snickered as he overheard Iroh try to impart some common sense advice to his nephew. There was no way anything the retired general told the boy would be helpful. Zhao was a fire bending master; the boy was a mediocre student.

"This will be over quickly," Zhao announced.

Zhao attacked aggressively, keeping Zuko on the defensive. Iroh shouted encouragements and advice to the boy.

Master Jeong Jeong had taught him that the best defense for a fire bender was a good offense, and Zhao was a master at that. Zuko fell back, further and further, until Zhao was calculating the final blow then the adolescent did something surprising, he knocked him off his feet.

Zhao fell backwards, he was prone and the prince had the advantage, so much so that the match was his.

"Do it," Zhao ordered, knowing full well that he would be able to defend against it and keep the angi kai going.

-.-.-.-.-

Azula's face frowned as if she had smelled a distasteful odor. Zhao was supposed to be a fire bending master who studied under the great Jeong Jeong. How pathetic.

But the trip wasn't a total waste; Zhao was a very good tool, very loyal. She was able to gleam some useful information out of him. Apparently the Avatar was alive, well, and capturing him was a problem her brother.

Clearly this wasn't a task she could delegate out, but still, it would be helpful to have a co-conspirator. Azula turned away just as Zhao picked himself up and tried to attack Zuko from behind only to be blocked by Iroh.