A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my history teacher. Thank you for giving me hell and making me die from studying too much, yet still giving me a barely passing grade for my final.
Katara: It's okay sweetie. You're better with everything else in history, just not Canadian history..
Lunar: But I'm Canadian.
Zuko: Well, I'm great with Fire Nation history.
Sokka: Oh reaaaaally? What's the name of the first Fire Lord?
Zuko: It's-
Sokka: HAH! I knew you couldn't guess it! You were just bluffing!
Zuko: I didn't even get to fini-!
Lunar: Take your argument elsewhere, the readers want to get on with the story!
Fire Lord Ozai's PoV:
Merchants, accountants, generals, and many other people would visit me everyday. I spent hours sitting on a thin pillow on the floor listening to the peasants drone on about their boring, pathetic lives. Then after that I'd sit in a meeting with generals to update me on the war. They would always give me disappointing news about the Earth kingdoms rebellions. I just wanted to hear new ideas on how to crush their dirty country and people, nothing more.
I was now listening to Zuko's teacher praise him about how well he had gotten with his firebending. The old man continuously commented on his firm stance and how he was getting powerful.
The doors to my throne room opened and a woman's shriek echoed. Everyone looked up from the old geezer and towards the dirty, dark skinned girl that was being dragged across the floor and towards me by some soldiers. Her clothes were torn up and she had cuts all over her face and body. There were chains holding her hands together. The chains looked like they were tied tightly around her wrists because there was bloot dripping on the floor.
"What is the meaning of this?" I growled, standing up and glaring at the soldiers. My eyes wandered to the girl that lay tied up in chains on the ground. "Why have you brought a peasant to my home?"
"Fire Lord Ozai, my partner and I caught this girl at the Southern Water tribe." One of them spoke, yanking the girls chains as she sat up, forcing her to fall back over in front of me.
"And? That is no excuse to barge in here unannounced and bring this swine with you." I fumed, glaring at the girl beneath our feet. My eyes shifted and observed my two children, Zuko and Azula. They had been sitting beside me the entire day and had been paying close attention with wide eyes the moment they heard the girl's screams.
"Sire.. She's a waterbender." The other soldier spoke, his voice much more gruff than his partners.
"And what makes this one so special?" Azula blurted out, twirling her hair between her fingers before observing her nails. "All you've done here is make the floors dirty with her blood."
I smirked, looking over at my daughter with proud eyes. She was right. They had just wasted my time and dirtied my throne room.
Zuko cleared his throat on my right, causing me to turn my attention to him. "If I may speak, father..?"
"Go on, son. Enlighten us.." I answered him. Zuko rarely ever spoke out of line. He rarely ever spoke at all unless I addressed him to. So this, him asking permission to speak, was a first for us all. And I was very intrigued.
"From my studies by Master Rou I have learned that the Fire Nation imprisoned all Southern Waterbenders. If what these soldiers say is true, then this girl may be the last Southern Waterbender." My son's voice echoed slightly through the room. He turned to the soldiers and stood. "Are you sure she is the last Waterbender of the Southern Watertribe? The punishment for lying or trying to trick us is banishment, or sometimes death."
I observed the reactions of the two soldiers and watched as they stared at each other for a brief moment before one of them spoke again. "We know what we saw, Fire Lord Ozai. And we saw this girl waterbend."
My fingers stroked my chin as I thought. How could they prove that they were not lying? Oh, I know.. "Make her waterbend then." I ordered and reached for my Firewater, drowning the drink down quickly and waiting for the girl.
The supposed waterbending girl lay on the ground, unmoving for a few minutes before the soldiers grabbed her by her braid and pulled her up into sitting position. They yanked harshly and she let out a soft yelp, making my lips curl into a smirk as our eyes met. "What an ugly thing.." Azula mumbled, resting her chin on her hand as she waited with me.
"Waterbend, you wench!" The soldier to the right of her yelled and got into a firebending stance. His stance was perfect, and he was a powerful firebender. I could feel his heat from where I sat. Slowly, I leaned in and waited.
"Well, what are you waiting for, soldier! She's useless, just burn her." I ordered, seeing that the girl was not going to more anytime soon.
A huge ball of fire started to leave the soldiers fingertips when suddenly, he was stopped. I let out a growl and glared at my son, who had jumped up from his seat and pushed away the soldiers hand, ruining his perfect stance and putting out the fire before it reached the girl. "Prince Zuko, what is the meaning of this?" I boomed, standing on my feet and glaring at my son.
"How is she supposed to waterbend without any water, father?" Zuko spoke, his back facing me for a few minutes as he stared at the girl.
I glared at the back of his head, furious that he had made me look foolish in front of Azula and the soldiers. But he was right, although I'd never admit that he was. Zuko was a weakling. His brain is all he has and even that isn't enough. "Turn around and face me, son." I growled, making the soldiers flinch at the harsh sound of my voice.
He hesitated, but finally turned. His body blocked my view of the girl, as if he was protecting her. "Aw, does Zu-Zu like the peasant girl?" Azula teased her older brother, snickering and leaning forward slightly.
That gave me an idea. "Prince Zuko, you're sixteen now, are you not?" I questioned, slowly walking down the steps and towards my son.
"Yes, father. But I fail to see how that's relevant." His golden eyes stared at me, watching and assessing my every move. He was afraid of my reaction to him stopping the fire.
"That's the same age I got my first bed warmer from my father." I hinted, walking around him to observe the girl. She stared up at me with her frightened eyes. "Tell me your name and age, waterbender." I glared down at her, making myself look bigger.
The girl continue to stare up at me for a little while before she looked down on her lap, whispering something under her breath.
"Oh, speak up peasant girl. You're in front of royals." Azula sighed from behind me. I tilted my head slightly and watched my daughter get up from her place and walk down towards the rest of us. She moved past the soldiers and got face to face with the girl. "Speak clearly, you poor, dirty thing."
There was silence throughout the room as we waited for the girl to speak. My eyes went to Zuko as I watched his reaction to the girl. He still stood looming over her, almost in a protective manor. Yes, she'd be a nice bed warmer for him. At least for a little while...
"I.. I answer to no one. Especially Fire Nation scum like you.." The girl whispered, slowly raising her head and staring at Azula dead in the eyes. A pretty face, I thought. Fierce blue eyes, small round face... Yes, she'll do nicely for Zuko's first mistress.
After dismissing the soldiers, I ordered Azula to lead the waterbender to Zuko's room so that Zuko and I may speak alone. Once they had all departed, with the peasant girl kicking, screaming, and trying to get free, I walked back up the steps to my throne while Zuko kneeled before me.
"Prince Zuko, you are now sixteen. Old enough to have your first mistress. Declining me of this gift will show how ungrateful you are and you will be punished." I said, pouring some more Firewater for my drink. Slowly, I started to take a few sips from the hot liquid that calmed the inside of my body. "Take this peasant girl under your wing. Do whatever you please with her. She is now your responsibility.." I ordered him, my eyes narrowing down on him to observe his reaction. He held a blank face, just like always. "But this won't be just fun and games, Zuko. I want you to study her. See if she really is a waterbender. And, if she is powerful, write reports on her abilities. Maybe her weakness is the same weakness as other waterbenders. It could be very useful to us in the future."
I watched as he took all my instructions in, then stood before me and bowed. "I hope to make you proud, father." He spoke before turning and leaving the room.
My fingers wrapped around my small cup as I took another sip, my body starting to relax with the quiet in the room.
This should be very interesting..
A/N: Fun fact: "Firewater" is what the First Nations in Canada called strong, cheap liquor that Americans traded with them in exchange for their furs.
Toph: *Snores* How boring.
Katara: Be nice, Toph.
Zuko: Hey, we need a cover photo for this story. What should it be?
Lunar: Well, why don't we let the fans decide?
Sokka: That's a great idea! Why don't you guys make us some cover photo's and review or PM a link to it for us so we can post it up as our cover photo! You will get credit for it, of course!
Lunar: That sounds great, Sokka! How 'bout it, fans?
Sokka: Hey.. psssst! *leans towards the fans* Make sure I get a big part of the cover photo. Okay? Okay!