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"Do you want to help me make cookies?" Ursa asked her daughter.

Azula did like cookies, so she agreed.

Ursa explained as they went. "We put the dry ingredients in first." They measured out baking soda, salt, sugar, and flour. "And then we mix it."

The other bowl had the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Azula held the bowl still while Ursa poured the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. They mixed them up and poured out the batter on the tray.

Azula got to add the chocolate chips.

"When do we get to eat them?" Azula asked while they were in the oven.

"Oh we're not eating them."

"Then why did we make them."

"Zuko's friends are coming over." Ursa and her mother would always make food when her father's friends came over. She liked helping her mother in the kitchen.

"We don't make cookies when my friends come over."

"Boys need more food than girls do. We have to watch our figures."

"So you don't care if Zuko gets fat?"

"He's a growing boy. He'll be fine."

The cookies came out, and Ursa put them on a tray for her son.

Azula watched bitterly as Zuko and his snot-covered friends ran in, shoving the cookies in their mouths with their grubby hands.

In Ursa's world, women made food. Men ate the food.

Azula decided she didn't like her mother's ways. She preferred the ways of her father. He never served Zuko. Why would he? He's nobody's servant.

The following month, Ursa asked Azula if she wanted to help her in the kitchen today.

"Your brother has his friends coming over."

"Sure Mom!" Azula had a grin on her face.

Like the time before, they went to make cookies. This time, Azula added a big scoop of capsaicin powder to the bowl.

Let's see how Zuzu likes these!

Ursa didn't taste the batter. She had heard that raw egg was bad for you.

They made the cookies, added the chocolate chips and baked them.

About 30 minutes later, a group of boys came running into the kitchen once more.

They shoved their faces like last time, but then they started to cry.

"HOT!" one yelped.

They started fighting for the milk.

"What's wrong?" she asked worried that she had messed up some how.

"Those are so spicy," Zuko complained.

Ursa frowned. "How could that be?"

She took a bite. "OH MY SPIRITS!"

Azula laughed in the next room.

Ursa never invited Azula to bake with her again.

It was well worth it. Azula didn't like serving people anyway.