LOL don't ask. The most important thing is I am alive and bring you new chapters. School happened, work happened, life happened. ENJOY!
Azula crawled as fast as she could, but for some reason, the same vents she had been through seemed unfamiliar and closed in. Her mind and heart began to race to make her dizzy. Ursa was not her mother? Ursa had killed her real mom? It was all too much to process, a part of her wanted to cry but another part of her mind laughed.
I told you so dumb dumb.
No wonder Ursa her so-called mother always favored Zuko over her no matter if the situation was unfair. She quickly fell through landing quietly out of the vent and found herself back in the familiar hallway of the Earth Kingdom Palace.
"You mean to tell me you were defeated by kids and badgermoles?!" a voice hissed.
"Sir they were benders, one was a water bender and the other an earthbender."
She began to run, unsure where she was going and collided into a taller figure. She looked up to see a familiar man whom she had seen chatting with her father during the sparring match. He had two agents standing on each side of him looking at her through their Dai Li hats. The man leaned forward smiling back down at her.
"Why are you crying, little girl?"
Azula didn't realize the tears until she touched her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away and turned to run the other way, but he stopped her. She didn't want anyone to see her cry, she was Princess Azula her father's favorite.
The man pulled out a cloth from his robes and wiped more of the tears on her face. Looking past her Fire Nation ambers Long Feng saw a different fire within her, one that his cousin had also carried and that delighted his ambition.
"A princess does not cry". Azula stiffened as he stroked her cheeks, but quickly slapped it away.
This made his smirk grow wider. His little relative stared with mistrust and immediately ran away aching to clear her head.
"Father always said that meditating was the best way to be grounded and excel."
"Azula!" She paused in her tracks, but more anger formed in her chest when she saw who it was. She replaced her face with a sneer.
"What do you want Zuzu?"
Zuko forgot what he was about to say as he took notice of his sister's blotched eyes.
"Are you crying?" The princess frowned
"Shouldn't you be practicing your firebending or do you want mom to get hurt again?"
Zuko face soured and stormed off.
"Cry all you want! See if I care!" Azula's smirked at how so easily angered her so-called half-brother was.
"Just you watch, I will continue to be father's favorite and take your place just as my mother took yours."
"An Airbender?!"
"Yes sir, he is a young one and attends the Royal Academy for boys." The spy paused in thought. "But I am confused sir, hadn't Sozin massacred the airbenders 100 years ago?"
The former admiral stroked his sideburns in thought. The spy was right unless some had escaped earlier and gone into hiding. Either way, this was treason to the legacy of Firelord Sozin. That prince and his so-called father needed to be held accountable for their disloyalty.
A real man of fire needed to take the throne before any more traitors arose inside the palace and threatened the legacy of the nation.
"Continue to keep an eye on the boy, and wait for further instruction." Zhao tossed to the man a bag of coins as he turned to leave for ambassador meeting, and the spy bowed slowly.
"Of course, Commander".
The formal admiral stopped to correct the spy about his title but thought against it. With the letter he received from Ozai last night, he was most definitely going to get his old title back.
The meeting with the ambassadors and officials were going nowhere and Iroh could tell everyone were itching to go back to war. He sighed with weariness as he drank his jasmine tea with silence surrounding him in his chambers. After finding his father's lifeless body and the note he had left, starting a war was the last thought on his mind.
Stop this war
He had witnessed his father lying helplessly with her but was unable to go after her as she held the strings of his blood in place. The feeling made him shudder, he had always admired the water tribe art of bending and used it to master lightning redirection when he observed Pakku. Interrupting his thoughts, a sharp pain coursed through his head making him let go of his cup and spilling it on the table. He took a slow breath trying to calm his mind.
"Firelord Iroh", his guard called out. "Prince Luten has arrived."
Iroh quickly cleaned the spill and composed himself.
"Your majesty?"
"Let him in" he coughed out. The future crown prince and Firelord made his way in, seeing his father's familiar grin.
"Luten!"
Iroh gave a hearty laugh with his arm wide. His son approached him and hugged him tightly, they hadn't seen each other since his coronation party as he quickly turned to his Firelord duties.
"How have you been father?!"
Luten took the time in examining his father, he looked exhausted but the spark in his eyes was still there.
"Being Firelord is sucking the life out of you!" He jokingly gave his father a pat on his shoulder. Iroh gave a booming laugh.
"The tea helps, you joke now but wait until this crown sits on your head"
They both laughed and took a seat. Iroh reached for the kettle, but so did Luten. The prince gestured politely to his father.
"No, you are Firelord now, it is an honor to serve you".
Iroh relaxed and smiled with pride.
"And you will be crown Prince in just a few hours!" His voice broke a little from an old pain in his heart. "Your mother would've been so proud"
He sadly met his son's gaze
"If only she was here to witness your coronation"
"You mean our coronation."
The soon to be crown prince added, though his Father's was a few months ago, his was to take place today at sunset. He was unsure how to feel.
"She would've made a great Firelady"
Silence settled between them as they remembered the most important woman in their life. Iroh soon broke the silence, deciding to move on to other topics of discussion as he began to sip on his tea.
"I heard you met Aang a few days ago." Luten nodded as he placed his cup to his lips.
"Did you tell him about your coronation?"
"He's heard the rumors" He placed his cup down. "I got him a glider as a gift"
Iroh chuckled. "Is he getting coronated or are you?"
"Father you've always told me its better to give than to receive, plus his birthday was a few months ago, but with Grandfather Azulon's funeral..."
"I know, I know," the Firelord said waving his hand dismissively. "I was only joking, but where would he use it? His kind is supposed to be extinct."
Luten gave a sheepish grin as he scratched his head. Noticing this, Iroh's expression became weary but still understanding.
"You didn't think that through did you Luten?"
"Well… if he and I ever go vacationing to Ember Island or even visit the temples. Aang is such a curious boy. Don't you remember those days we would go with the whole family?"
Iroh remembered it well, the waves crashing against the warm sand. The feeling of the sun on his bare skin, while watching his wife, Luten, along with Ursa, Zuko, and Azula making sandcastles and handprints. However, with the state of the world those days were long gone sadly Luten refused to realize that as his son continued to speak.
"Either way father, he gets very antsy and is eager to bend. He is so happy when using his element-." Luten realizing what
he said sank to his seat.
"You spared with him?"
Iroh sipped his cup to hide his frown and spoke again
"I take this is not the first time"
His son's eyes lowered in shame.
"Luten"
The young prince's eyes guiltily met his father's but were faced with an expression of a Firelord.
"You must avoid actions that could bring harm to the last Airbender. We need to protect hi-"
Iroh was cut short by the familiar stabbing pain again across his head. He learned to hold on the table as he winced in pain.
"Father! Are you alright?"
"No problem just a slight headache" He winced as he smiled.
"But-
"Your Majesty," a guard called from the outside.
"It is almost time for the ambassadors meeting"
Luten sighed his face consumed with worry.
"Must there be a meeting on the day of my coronation father?"
"The demands of the world never cease my son."
They both looked at the guard standing in the doorway, ignoring Luten's concerned look, Iroh composed his posture made his way to the door leaving his son all alone.
YIKES! Trying to write an emotional Azula was difficult but so was writing a Luten and Iroh dialogue, I honestly didn't know how to channel their character particularly Luten because he is an open-ended character in the series.
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