Fair warning, the next one is not typed yet, so it may not be up until next week…Enjoy

Just the ramblings of an over active mind, I own nothing…

Sweet 16:Party

Although this was a Sweet Sixteen party, it was also an official Fire Nation event. Everyone was announced as they came in.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our honored guest…

Police Chief Toph Beifong of Gaoling…

Councilman Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe…

Avatar Aang of the Southern Air Temple and Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe…

All hail Lady Ursa the First of Fire Fountain City and Fire Lord Zuko."

When the applause died down, Zuko and the others took their seats at the head table. They were waiting to see what the kid's big surprise was, then the moment finally came.

The announcer spoke again, "Ladies and Gentlemen, our guest of honor, escorted by her most honored friends…

Lin Beifong of Republic City and Tenzin of Air Temple Island…"

The head table gasped as the two children stepped in, Sokka leaned over to Toph, They're dressed like we were when we hid out here during the war."

When Tenzin and Lin stopped at the bottom step the announcer continued, "Kya and Bumi of Air Temple Island."

Their parents beamed and pointed as they took their places.

"And finally, Kyu of Capital City and our Princess, Ursa the Second."

Everyone stood and clapped as Kyu and Ursa made their entrance. Zuko shuddered when he saw his baby girl looking grown up. She'd always looked like her mother. But today she really could be mistaken for Suki if not for her glowing golden eyes. Ursa Sr, saw the emotion about to bubble over in her son. She looped her arm in his and stroked his bicep, "She is glorious, isn't she Zuko?"

"Yes mother, she is."

.~.

The night went by beautifully. The dinner was comprised of all of Ursa's favorite foods plus extra meat for Sokka and extra vegetables for Aang and his family. There was music, lots of dancing and performances from all four nations. Zuko asked Teo to be on hand to capture the event with his camera.

When it was announced that it was time for the presentations, all the young people groaned and dragged their way to their seats. This was sure to be the most boring part of the night; adults going on and on about Ursa growing up and the type of person she was now and a bunch of boring toasts from people she'd never even met, but either wanted to be seen or kiss up to her father. Ursa begged Zuko not to have presentations be a part of the party, but he told her that they were a tradition and very important.

So the parade of speeches stared. Team Avatar did Ursa a huge kindness and had Aang speak for all of them. Then the strangers started talking. Ursa noticed that her father remained aloof except for when two people spoke, both of them women.

The first one she had seen before, Lady Mai. The princess knew that her father use to date Mai back when they were her age. Ursa didn't care for Mai at all. She was stiff and had the most boring voice in the world. Ursa had once told Kya, "Ugh, could you imagine if she were my mother. She'd better thank the spirits that she's beautiful. I can't believe that she and Ty Lee were friends." Zuko was always polite, but always seemed to be irritated by her presence.

The second lady Ursa had never seen before, but she noticed that her father pitched to attention when Lady Jin, Ambassador from the Earth Kingdom, began to speak. "The Fire Lord may not remember, but we met years ago in Ba Sing Se. I knew him as Lee and he was very kind in lighting some lanterns for me."

A faint blush came on Zuko's face, and Ursa nudged him, "Dad, I hope that's not some kind of euphemism."

Her looked at his daughter, "No, I lit some lanterns around a fountain," he smiled, "We were on a date."

Ursa cut her eyes, 'So all your old girlfriends are here, wonderful."

"It was just one date little girl."

Their attention turned back to Jin, "Princess, I wish you a happy birthday and I pray you become as kind a person as your father."

A few more people spoke and then it was Zuko's turn. "When we are young we don't understand the things that are most important to us grow and evolve. Well, I have to accept that my little girl is grown now." He reached out for his daughter's hand. She took it and he led her to the performance stage. Two fire sages joined them and stood on either side of them. "On the day my daughter was born I made a decision." he reached into his robes and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in an old cloth, "This was once given to my Great Grandfather Avatar Roku by my Great Grandfather Fire Lord Sozin shortly after their sixteenth birthday as a gift of their friendship. When I was sixteen my uncle, General Iroh the Dragon of the West, passed it on to me along with the story of Roku and Sozin's lives. Today, on her sixteenth birthday, I pass it on to my daughter."

Aang, who already knew what it was, was the only one who didn't lean forward slightly in curiosity as the Fire Lord slowly loosened the wrapping around the item. "This is a royal artifact made to be worn by the crown prince of the Fire Nation. On the day Ursa was born, I wrote a decree that she was my heir and I would put no other child in line before her just because they were male." he reached over, held Ursa's hand and leveled a slightly mournful smile at her. A fire sage took the bundle from Zuko's other hand, "Alas, we lost our Fire Lady all too soon and that has never become an issue." Ursa held her head down and her father placed his finger under her chin and raised it, giving her a pride-filled smile, "Kneel my child."

Ursa bowed down before her father and the fire sages stepped in. one took the decorative pin from her top knot while the other pulled the cover from the item, revealing a small, shimmering crown. He placed it on her head and slid the pin through to hold it in place, then he spoke, "All hail Ursa, Crown Princess of the Fire Nation."

Applause echoed through the ballroom as Ursa stood and jumped into her father's arms for an emotional hug, "Thank you Dad."

"You deserve it, and more. If it were mine to give, I'd hand you the world."

After a few moments Zuko released his daughter and raised his hand for silence, "Now, for the rest of my presentation. Your true gift." he hesitated to make this bitter-sweet offer, but his mind was made up, "You are now free to choose your own path. When this school session is over you are free to make whatever move you choose to make. You may stay here, go to a university, or travel the world, it's up to you."

A huge smile crossed Ursa's face and once again she jumped into her father's arms, "Thank you Daddy, thank you, thank you, thank you."

.~.

Once the congratulations were given, the party resumed. Little by little people started to leave and the few who stayed dispersed. The adults who were left lingered in the ballroom while the birthday girl and her friends moved to the garden.

Bumi, never one to pass up on an opportunity to show off in front of girls, especially pretty older girls, got out his brand new broad swords that Zuko had given him for his birthday and gave an impromptu performance. Tenzin and Lin chased each other around in a game of tag while the teenagers stood around laughing and talking. None of them realized they were being watched.

As the night wore on the crowd started to dwindle more. Kyu volunteered to walk Tenzin, Lin and Bumi back inside to their parents, leaving Kya and Ursa in the garden.

"Wow," Kya said, "I hope my sixteenth birthday is half as great as this. I had a ball."

Ursa smiled, gently touching her newly acquired headpiece, "Yeah, it was great, wasn't it? Dad gives the best gifts."

Then a sinisterly deep voice came from the shadows behind Ursa, "Yes, isn't Daddy just wonderful? It takes a special fool to give his entire world to a filthy little bastard."