Takes place pre-canon.

Main characters: Ozai, Ursa

Other characters: None

Pairing(s): Ozai/Ursa


Pregnancy, for the most part, was a happy time for Princess Ursa. The royal palace was buzzing with excitement (even the normally dour Fire Lord Azulon was beaming every time he saw her), she was waited on hand and foot, and best of all...

...Ozai left her alone.

Not only did he not force himself on her, he hardly bothered with her at all, period. They saw each other at formal events of course, and at mealtimes. Sometimes, they even managed pleasant conversation. It seemed Ozai was, dare she say, excited. As was she, the birth of one's first child was an exciting prospect indeed.

Perhaps a quick pregnancy had afforded her some respect, or perhaps Ozai simply feared that harming Ursa in any way would, by extension, harm his child. Either way, it didn't matter to her, and she was relieved to no longer feel the wound-like ache in between her legs, to no longer be pushed or hit or called degrading names.

Even with Ozai's sudden change in demeanor though, a great many things worried her. More often than not, she could distract herself from that unpleasantness but even still, one thing in particular always seemed to be at the forefront of her mind and try as she may to push it away, she just couldn't.

During supper one night, several months since the announcement that the newlywed royal couple were expecting, Ursa finally felt brave enough to discuss the matter with her husband.

"Ozai?" she questioned, poking at her food with her chopsticks. She hoped she wouldn't regret this...

"Hm?"

"If you could choose, would you rather have a son or a daughter?"

It didn't matter to her of course but she knew it mattered to people like Oz-

"Daughter," he answered, without hesitation.

Well, that was just about the last thing she had expected to hear.

"B-But I thought-!" she sputtered, having not stopped to think before she spoke.

Ozai laughed a little. "You thought I'd want a son? It's a fair assumption, I suppose."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Ursa watched her husband's expression morph into something strange, something she couldn't describe... it made her uneasy.

"You won't disappoint me, will you?" he asked, all the humor drained from his voice now.

I can only hope not.

"No."