It wasn't very late when her pebble struck my window, and I opened it with every intention of scolding her for doing something that was, "My job." That reprimand ended before it began when I saw the look on her face.

Ozai threw himself out his window to cup my face in his hands and frown.

"What is it? What's the matter?" he asked in a rush, wrapping me in his arms when I buried my cheek in his chest.

I didn't know how to tell him, but somehow I did. And somehow, I felt him slipping away with every word I spoke. I heard his firebender heart freeze in a way I didn't know to be possible. I watched his blood run cold and his eyes go dim as my prince stepped back and turned away.

I knew it.

I knew it was too good to be true.

"Ozai?"

I knew I didn't deserve her.

"Ozai!"

I knew I never would.

"Say something," I pleaded, my lungs crushing themselves in an attempt to breathe. "Don't just stand there and brood while I'm falling apart at the seams. What do we do? Ozai—"

"Look at the pair of us," he laughed darkly. "Dead mothers. Indifferent fathers. Insecure. Unstable. Combustible."

I tried not to ignore the stab of these words, to look past his deflecting shield, but my eyes stung despite my best efforts. He didn't mean it. He didn't mean to hurt me. Cruelty and apathy were his favorite defense mechanisms. Even so, my tears were of anger and pain—and fear that my father's madness might be allowed.

"Don't give up on this. Don't give up on us," I ordered, crossing over to glare up at him. Perhaps the expression on my face could remind him of what this meant. "Fire Lord Azulon is the only one who can..." He started to shake his head with a toothy smile that pained me even more. "Talk to him! Ask him to—"

"If I asked him for a pet cat, he would tell me I was 'too young' and would outlaw them from the entire city. If I asked—"

"You're allergic to cats."

"—Azulon to invade the north pole, he would make it the official policy of the Fire Nation to leave every Water Tribe member alone. And when would I ask this? At the next war meeting? Oh, 'I know the Fire Lord is rather wrapped up with a decades long war, but I was wondering if we could repeal this little law that will seem like a trite waste of time and will do more to incite your wrath than to achieve what I intend. Even if I explained it was to help my old playmate, he would have no pity for you."

"Then ask your brother! Iroh—"

The scorn on his face was answer enough.

"Iroh?" he scoffed, dripping with derision, crossing his arms as blind resentment and heartless pride filled his every vein. "Oh, yes. The golden son could convince Azulon of anything short of pacifism—"

"Then ask. him."

"Never," he growled, withdrawing from my touch and immediately regretting it.

He saw the tears in my eyes. He saw that he was making me cry. But my stubborn prince wouldn't change his mind.

"Of course not," I bit back. "Because your pride is worth losing me."

"Never," Ozai said again, blind to the contradiction. He reached out for me, but I spurned his touch as he had spurned me, terrified by the reality I faced.

"So I'll be forced to marry a man I don't love, a man I could never love, a monstrous stranger ruled by nothing but his own desires and self-interest, forced to feel his touch—"

Fire roared to the ground from his fists, his indignation clear as he held me by the shoulders.

"No. No one could force you to marry anyone. He'll never touch—"

"Someone will. Someone other than you if you don't, if you won't…" I trailed off, shaking, and his outrage gave way to something I barely recognized.

The sharpness of his gold eyes made their tenderness even rawer.

"Ursa… You deserve someone better than me."

I was too hurt to realize what he just said, the confession he'd just made. He'd revealed more insecurity and self-loathing than even I knew had existed beneath his hubris.

"You're right. I deserve someone who wouldn't let arrogance and petty jealousy prevent him from fighting for me."

"Ursa—!" he protested again, eyes wide from the stabbing in his heart.

His pain was self-inflicted.

But my heartache was his fault alone.

"Say it. Tell me you don't love me, Ozai. My prince. My Ozai. Look into my eyes and say you don't love me."

He turned away, slamming his eye shut, radiating more heat than a summer sun.

"Or is it that you don't love me enough? Because I do deserve someone who loves me enough to say it."

That pained him enough to meet my gaze again.

"I will fight for us with the last breath in my body, but I beg you, Ozai. Do not make me fight alone."

He hesitated.

So I left.

And he didn't come after me.