Disclaiming Banner: If I had come up with Avatar, I would be a better writer than this. I didn't, so I'm not.
Sense and Insanity
When he was fourteen and nearing the second year of his banishment, Zuko heard the rumors starting below decks. The crew thought he was mad. They knew Uncle was mad, no sane person enjoyed music night that much. The impossible task of finding the Avatar notwithstanding, the older men rankled taking orders from a disgraced boy. They wanted to go home and some were easily convinced that Zuko was running down the path of dangerous insanity. It was winter when his third officer instigated a mutiny.
It failed. No one on this ship rose to Azula's level at plotting. Those that had not perished during the battle for control of the ship were chained without cover to the deck; the prison hold wasn't large enough for all of them. That same evening, Zuko himself beheaded the leader. There could be nothing less at such a time. He made the whole crew watch, and ordered funerary rights for afterward. Uncle was pleased with that. He gave the new (much more loyal) helmsman orders to the nearest Fire Nation port to resupply and restaff.
He didn't remember making it back to his quarters, but he definitely woke from a fit of panic seated in front of his alter to Agni. The was blood everywhere and some of it was his. A sort of calm descended on him as the boy tended wounds made by dissenter and by himself. And Zuko pondered that he might just not be sane anymore.