I added a little something to the last chapter and added it here so you don't have to click back.
"She… is… perfect," I sighed, accidentally out loud, as I watched Ursa leave.
Iroh stared at me, brow wrinkled.
"Nobody's perfect, Ozai."
"She's perfectly imperfect then," I quipped and lifted Lu Ten into the air.
"Please don't idolize her, Ozai," my brother warned darkly. "She is more than an object of worship. Place her on a pedestal too high for you to ever reach, and you will only resent her in the end."
The next time I tried to leave the beach house, Zhao stood there waiting.
"Let's go to the beach," he commanded, and I obeyed.
"You're going to be hot," he informed me more out of his desire to see me in swimwear than out of concern.
The neckline was high, of course, but there weren't any sleeves, and the fabric felt light.
"I'm fine."
We joined some of his friends—or rather his minions—to play kuai ball. I could serve fairly well, but my arms were very oversensitive and couldn't handle being struck by the ball so I sat out after a while. Zhao was wildly competitive about it whereas I couldn't care less.
At least Li Mei's not here.
I lost interest in their game and focused on staying in the shade of my beach parasol.
I was interrupted by the world's deepest and best voice.
Saying my name.
"Lady Ursa," I said to her delighted surprise. "Are you enjoying the shade?"
The man I presumed to be Zhao saw us and crossed over. Once her joy wore off, those still-widened eyes seemed to ask me, "What are youdoing?"
No one else at the beach seemed to recognize him, given that he wasn't wearing a crown and even managed to keep his long hair contained into a single top knot. Otherwise, the sheer length of his hair would signal to most nobles that he might be royalty. It was tradition for Fire Lords and their sons to grow their hair out as long as possible as a sign of holiness and bending superiority. Others attempted to do the same on occasion, but they usually found it more difficult to maintain during battle and sometimes they were looked down as being sacrilegious or even grasping for the throne.
"May I help you, whoever you are?" Zhao asked without any attempt at politeness.
"I was hoping to help you, actually. You seem to need a substitute."
I'd been so distracted by Ozai's shirtless chest that I didn't even notice when of the players sprained her ankle.
"This is a private beach. Ursa, fill in for Jingjing."
I made to protest, seeing as my arms were still red, but Zhao commanded me harshly.
Ozai glowered as I rose to obey.
"Don't mope, Ursa. It's so unbecoming. Besides, you should be grateful for the opportunity to prove yourself. I'm sure your old playmate Ozai would kill for that," he chuckled before remembering the stranger.
Ursa's jaw dropped at the absence of a title, but I couldn't care less about that.
I cared about the way he looked at her.
"As I said, this is a private beach, peasant."
He was wearing a peasant's shorts, but he certainly didn't carry himself like one.
"Ursa knows me. That should be more than enough," Ozai stated with that maddeningly breathtaking half-smile of his.
"Lady Ursa is MY fiancée, and you would do well to unhand her before I demand repayment for such—"
I didn't even realize he had his hand on my shoulder. It was difficult to sense something that felt so involuntary and natural.
"You would do well to remember your place and duty as a supposed gentleman. I should report you not only for the fragrant disregard of the Fire Prince's title, which would earn you quite the beating, especially as a member of the military…"
Doing it in front of that very prince, even while he was unaware of his identity, could earn a far worse punishment.
"…But for ordering a woman around like a dog. Nobles don't do that. Not that you'd learn much honor from your father."
I hadn't the foggiest idea what he was referring to, but Zhao's fist flew. Ozai dodged without seeming to try while I'd never seen Zhao so panicked.
"You're the dog, you pathetic little—"
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, Zhao," the prince advised coolly, winking at me before evading another blow.
Zhao was bright red and screaming at the top of his lungs.
His "friends" scattered like rats.
"I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN AGNI KAI!"
Ursa's eyes widened in horror and concern.
Not for me, of course, but for Zhao.
She knew he was a brute more than anyone, but Ursa believed, with all she was, that no one deserved the full power of my flame.
"Assuming you're even a bender."
I grasped my "fiancé" by the arm and pleaded in desperation, "No, you can't—"
"I accept," Ozai agreed simultaneously.
Ursa seethed but could do little else as we established a time and place to meet for the duel.
They parted and stormed off, leaving me to stare after them in disbelief and shake my head at the sheer stupidity of men.
At sunset a few hours later, we all met on the island's official dueling area. I found it very odd that an island meant for vacations even had an official dueling area, but that described my beloved country fairly well.
Though I'd never seen Zhao fight before, my research gave me some basic insight on what to expect. From what I'd heard, he wasn't bad. He might've even been significantly better than most of whom I dueled. I hadn't decided how much of the other research I would reveal, but I would certainly answer Ursa if she asked me. Of all people, she should know that the father her betrothed had gambled away the family's fortune and driven his wife to an early grave. The nobleman killed himself after that, and the burden of his family's honor rested solely on Zhao's shoulders. I might have pitied him and his struggle to restore a legacy and refill empty coffers…
If I hadn't detested him with every fiber of my being.
The lieutenant had cooled off considerably by then, but his overconfidence would never waver. I'd tried to warn him multiple times, but all it seemed to do was stoke his ego. He viewed as some twisted form of confirmation that I cared rather than the fact I didn't want to see him permanently scarred or worse. Any validity to my "sweet concern" was laughed off. It was a small miracle he didn't pat me on the head like a child.
Ozai hadn't looked so relaxed in… ages. He was incapable of being overconfident, and he wouldn't break a sweat in the duel. Before he took his place, he undid his top knot to let down that hair. Those few who had gathered (mainly servants) broke out in whispers, but Zhao's delusion blinded him to any deductions or even slight suspicions relating to his opponent's identity.
The duelers took their places and awaited the gong.
Zhao spun before it was struck.
That wasn't a problem.
He was on the ground before the ring ceased to echo, clutching his knee and crying out in pain from the burn.
His pants were literally on fire.
Ozai laughed and laughed while I rushed over with the water bucket I'd prepared.
As soon as it was out, Zhao lept back up to attack the prince's turned back.
"Cowardly mutt!" he had the nerve to call me as my kick knocked away his curtain of flame.
So I sent an onslaught back that sent him sprawling backwards and backwards until he was sweating from every pore and panting as if I'd eliminated all the oxygen in his personal bubble.
Which is entirely possible.
His total calm and ease never lessened. If anything, he seemed more energized and alive and one with every spirit there ever was or would be. Ozai glowed without burning and flamed without smoke. Who knew the embodiment of flame was so cool? That universal awareness could seem so effortless? Who knew chaos could be so at peace?
Who knew anyone could bend that much with every strand of hair in place?
When he couldn't even stand back up, I crossed over to look down on the maggot.
"Who… do… you think… you… are?" the lieutenant breathed.
"I am Fire Prince Ozai, son of Azulon," he announced in that voice that carried to every end of the isle without shifting his inflection in the least. "And you should learn to accept defeat with honor. Especially when I could've aimed for something higher than your knee."
Zhao looked to be entering a catatonic state.
I walked over just in case either of them needed a human shield. Ozai suddenly bowed to me instead of his foe, kissing my hand as I blinked in disbelief.
"Lady Ursa, I hope this man endeavors to be even half worthy of you," he said so only Zhao and I could hear. "You deserve much more."
The Fire Prince was gone before the disgraced noble could sputter out an apology or grovel at his feet. I left before Zhao could recall my existence.
I couldn't shake the feeling that he'd still won.
He still had her.