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Fear
Sleep had never come easily for her. Azula had been a colicky infant and had continued into toddler hood without sleeping a whole night through. Insomnia was not unheard of in their family. Great-grandfather Sozin and Uncle Iroh were said to be susceptible in their youth. The princess had never really minded. Sweets were unguarded at night; adults made secrets when she and Zuzu were supposed to be in bed.
Assassins came to the Palace while she was meant to be asleep. The first instance was during the time she usually crept to the kitchen to take dumplings. At four years old and long after Ursa had put her to bed with songs and her favorite pillow, a shadow stole into her nursery. Azula had come back to her chamber full and sleepy at last to see a stranger stabbing a knife into her favorite pillow. It was the first time in her life that she felt fear. Fear compounding into terror as the murderer saw her in the doorway.
In years to come, Azula would deny feeling anything but the rage of her bending. As it played out, desperation was what fueled the first spark as she lashed out childishly, feebly imitating the masters that tutored cousin Lu Ten. Then the stranger's foot ignited and it was his turn to be afraid.