Caldera, capital of the fire nation. A large island covered in buildings. Lush green trees. A forest of green mountains. A long dormant volcano in the center.
Nestled into the volcano stood the fire palace. A marvelous building with stunning towers and arches. Red and gold and brilliant. Perfect for hiding the true horror inside its walls.
An arena stood proudly inside the gates. Sacred ground where warriors stood and fought for their honor before Agni. An arena worthy of the great spirit.
Inside a crowd held their breaths. A single young man, a prince, knelt before the Fire Lord.
Zuko son of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa, crown prince of the Fire Nation. Zuko who knelt before his own father begging.
"I meant no disrespect! I was only trying to protect our people!"
"Stand and fight," demanded the Fire Lord.
The prince lowered his head to the ground. An act of true submission.
"I am your loyal son. I will not fight you."
His words only angered the man. He demanded again for his son to rise and fight. The prince once more refused.
"You are weak! Cowardice! You will be taught a lesson, and pain and suffering will be your teacher!"
The boy looked up in shock. Tears in his eyes. His father placed his hand on the boys face. The arena was silent, all except a single scream. A cry of anguish. The prince burned where he knelt.
After a deadly silent rush to the infirmary. The burn cleaned and treated and bandaged. A desperate attempt to save the boys life. His heart stopped.
One minute.
Two.
The crown prince was officially declared dead to the world.
A sheet was pulled over the body.
Unbeknownst to the world the boy was not dead. His heart began to beat once more. Shaky and quiet the boys heart pumped.
The barely dead, but not yet passed, prince was moved to a stretcher. His body moved to the morgue.
Similarly another body was moved in. A servant boy. A child of similar age to the prince. A boy who angered a nobleman, and burned where he stood.
When the Fire Lord came to see his son he mistook the servant for the prince. A face charred beyond recognition. The servant was given the royal cremation. Prince Zuko was declared dead to all of the fire nation.
The true prince, Zuko son of Princess Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, was moved to a carriage with three other bodies. Bound for the docs away from prying eyes.
The bodies of servants killed inside the palace were always dealt with discretely. So as to avoid an uproar.
The burned prince opened his eye. Pain. Unbearable pain. Just breathing sent waves of anguish through him. The smell of death hung in the air, covering him like a thick blanket.
The boy moved in a panic. Surround by dead bodies he sat up. Too shocked to cry out. In too much pain to comprehend the truth of his situation.
Zuko abandoned the carriage. Stumbling over to the nearest building. The young prince collapsed in an alley. Hidden in the shadows. The carriage moved on and once more the servant bodies were disposed of.
The boy slept in the alley for days. Wrapped in the white sheet marking his demise.
Hunger finally drove the boy to awaken. In a pained daze he rummaged through the trash for even the smallest bit of food.
Slowly but surely the boy regained his strength. Slow Zuko healed. He stole a shirt as well as a little food.
When Zuko heard that the prince had been killed he was shocked. After all he was right there, alive.
That day Zuko accepted the fact that his father tried to kill him. That day he accepted that his mother really was killed in his place three years prior. That day Zuko broke inside.
The young prince sneaked aboard a fishing ship. That day Zuko swore he would never return. The prince was dead. Zuko was merely a ghost.
That day Zuko vowed he would never talk again. For it was him speaking out that lead to his untimely death. The boy was completely and forevermore, silent.