A/N: Quick thank you to all readers and even more to reviewers. Enjoy!

15 years old

"I am everything you want
I am everything you need
I am everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
I say all the right things
At exactly the right time
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why." - Everything You Want, Vertical Horizon

Chapter 5 - We Grow Up So Young

"Prince Ozai, an announcement to your brother's wedding has arrived."

The youngest prince didn't bother to look up from the scrolls he was studying that lay across his desk. The fact that the two brothers lived in the same palace and Iroh felt the need to give Ozai an announcement just irritated him. He knew when the wedding was. Heck, it was the talk of the entire city…how could he not know? This worthless invitation only added to the pile of scrolls and parchment left astray in the corner of his study.

"Just dispose of it Lady Sanyu," said Ozai, eyes traveling along the latest report from one of the generals.

Lady Sanyu may be slightly a bit slower, her hair a little greyer, but she was still as stern and proper as ever. The prince's nonchalance had always, always gotten on her nerves. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to stomp it out of him.

Thin fingers tightening on the announcements in hand, she gave him a harsh look even though he didn't see it. "I will do no such thing, Prince Ozai. The wedding is a little less than a year away. I would think you would be a little more pleased by the marriage of your older brother to a fine young woman."

"The Fire Nation has lost two flag ships to the Earth Kingdom in the past month, Lady Sanyu," snapped Ozai, glancing up for the first time. His elder caretaker frowned at the bags under his eyes and the apparent lack of hygiene, for he was wearing the same tunic as yesterday. And Ozai never wore the same thing twice in the same week.

"How can I rejoice about a wedding when our nation is failing?" he continued, clearly annoyed. "If we're going to seize control over the Earth Kingdom then we need to act soon before their King gets involved."

Lady Sanyu blinked, her expression faltering in a sense of shock. It took a moment before she was able to compose herself.

"You are meddling into things you ought not to meddle in, Prince Ozai," she said in a low hush.

He gave a slight snort and crossed his arms. He leaned back in his chair and glanced her way, confidence and superiority rolling off his back. "And what will you do, Lady Sanyu? Tell my father I'm having contact with some of the generals and send me away to Ember Island?"

Her expression softened. "It is not I who has you sent away, as you so kindly put it."

"No it's my father," he said darkly. "Because he doesn't think I'm worthy enough of his plans."

"Or perhaps he thinks you too young? You are barely of fifteen, Prince Ozai."

"Which is old enough to fight in the war, might I remind you."

"And are you a soldier in war?" she asked briskly, pulling out a small, wood carved box from the inside her robes. "Or are you the prince of the Fire Nation?"

Ozai said nothing as Lady Sanyu closed the distance and placed two identical invitations in front of him rather roughly along with the ornate box. He raised a brow at her.

"You gave me two."

"That's because one is for you and the other for Lady Ursa."

She straightened her robes and gave him a pointed look before turning to leave.

"But what if I was going to invite someone else?" he called after her.

"Then you would have done it already," she answered simply.

His eyes traveled back to the wooden box on his desk and he threw her another questioning look.

"It belongs to you," she replied.

"What is it?"

"Well open it and you'll find out," she snapped.

He frowned, silently pleading for more information.

"For when the times right," was all she added before shutting the door on her way out.

Glancing at the announcements for a half second, Ozai tossed them aside and began to open the curious little box. His eyes zoned in on the royal seal which was engraved on the lid and this only elated to his confusion and should he dare to admit, curiosity. His fingers lingered over it for a second before he flipped the lid open.

A rare, unfamiliar smile graced his lips.

A/N: Any ideas as to what's inside the box? =) I'd love to hear your guesses!

So I don't know if it's true but for this story as you can see Ozai isn't involved much in the war. Or so his father believes. Iroh is the prince fighting in the war; Ozai is the prince safely behind the palace walls. :P