Azula the Sacrificed
Summary: Instead of Zuko, it is Azula that Firelord Azulon demands sacrificed. This single change shall ripple across the fate of the world; Ozai shall not be Firelord, Azula shall question everything she ever knew, and the world shall be very different when the Avatar returns. But future, above all, will be paved by scarred children.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
"You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born?! Directly after the demise of his only beloved son?!"
The roar of the flames imitated their lord's mighty rage, proving that the man commanded great power even in his waning years. Power that led him and his country for almost a century of war and power that had been provoked by the overreaching ambitions of his second born son.
Azula would give her grandfather this much, he certainly knew how to maintain an image. Watching in secret, she could only imagine what her father was planning. True, his request backfired, but she knew that would never hinder him. Her father was too cunning, too ruthless to be denied his goal. But how to appease an angry Firelord?
"I think Iroh has suffered enough! But you ... your punishment has scarcely begun!"
The roar of the flames might as well been in her ear, smirking as she heard her brother run away in fear. Zuzu was such a scared little weakling. Or perhaps he was smarter than she thought? There was a logical jump to make, thinking that their father's punishment would involve him; Punishment for trying to claim the throne from the first born son, who had just lost his own first born son? There was a poetic nature to it, she supposed.
"If you ever desire a chance to sit upon my throne, you must know the pain of losing a precious child. By sacrificing your own!"
And there it was, the ultimatum request, the impossible sacrifice. So, Zuko would die? Such a pity. But there was nothing she could do. Father hardly cared for Zuko, he wouldn't be willing to risk disinheritance over sparing the weakling in the family.
"Father, you expect me to sacrifice my son, your own grandchild?" Ozai asked with a scowl in his voice.
Azula expected that. A token resistance to the act, lest Ozai seem too willing to do the deed.
The young princess narrowed her eyes as the flames dimmed and she swore she could see the smallest smirk upon her grandfather's face.
Wait, why did he say child instead of son-
"No, my foolish son, I do not," Azulon informed as the room grew heavy. "I am not blind, boy. I know your son lacks your favor. You proved it in this very room, allowing her to make him look like a fool. Is that your revenge, Ozai? You detest your first born brother, so you neglect your own eldest for the younger?"
Azula felt some tightness and chill around her chest, as if Agni had stripped her of her inner flame. What was grandfather saying?
"Father, what are you saying?" Ozai asked from his kneeling position, genuine disbelief on his voice.
"I am saying you will sacrifice the child you care for," Azulon informed harshly. "You will sacrifice your daughter."
No.
Nonononononononono!
Not her. Why her?!
"Father, you can't be serious!" Ozai declared in shock. "Azula is a prodigy seen once in a generation…once in a century!"
And she was smart! She wasn't weak like Zuko or sensitive like other girls her age! Azula's mind raced through all the many reasons she could think to justify her NOT being the one to die.
"Interesting how much outrage she garners from you, Son, over your other child," Azulon noted pointedly, as if reminding Ozai what the entire point of this punishment was.
"Father, she has been able to produce BLUE FIRE for Agni's sake! She could be the most powerful Firebender in the world within twenty years! Throwing her away isn't the same as discarding a few gallons of royal blood! She will one day be a powerful weapon of the Fire Nation!" Ozai defended.
Yes, yes, she would be powerful, and useful! Very useful! She'd train harder, study more. Anything, just-
"ENOUGH!" Azulon declared, like a dragon of old, the flames surging for an instant. "Make your choice, Ozai. Your daughter or your throne."
Azula stared at her father's back from far away, her eyes numb and pleading. Not him, not Father too. He couldn't-
"Very well, Father," Ozai stated in acceptance. "The deed will be done."
Azula ran. It was instinctual, not logical. A need to go, to get away, to get out. She had to get away, she had to-
Accept reality.
She was going to die. Her own father was going to kill her. The intellectual part of her mind admitted it was the right thing for her father to do. One child's death for the throne? It was the smart choice. And he could sire more children if Zuzu couldn't shape up into anything talented. Maybe Mother would like the next one.
But...who would remember her? What would she be remembered as?
Father wouldn't consider her beyond being a stepping stone now, and wasted potential.
Mother...thought she was a monster. She might even be relieved she was gone.
Her teachers might recall her talents fondly, but what did they matter?
Her friends...would Mai miss her? Would Ty Lee? Was...was she a friend worth missing? They both liked Zuko, especially Mai, so they just wouldn't have her around to push them around. They...they might be happier without her.
And Zuko. Zuzu. Her brother hated her. He thought she always lied. She lied too much, probably. He'd...
Azula bit back tears as she imagined Zuko smiling when she died. She didn't want that. She wanted...she needed someone, anyone to miss her. She deserved it, she treated him horribly sometimes, but he didn't really hate her, right? He'd be sad she was gone, right?
He'd visit her grave, her ashes, right?
She came out of her labyrinth of thoughts as she realized where she was, what door she was standing outside.
Zuko's room.
There was no point in coming here. But if she was going to die very soon, there was no point in being logical anymore. Just abandon reason for whatever felt right.
Because everything was wrong now.
"Azula?" Zuko's groggy voice came from the bed as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a sleepy, accusing voice.
He probably couldn't see the fear in her eyes yet.
Without a word, she came over to his bed and sat beside him. "Zuzu? Can...Can I ask you something?" Azula asked, refusing to look at him; refusing to let him see the terrified, screaming, bawling child underneath the surface. At least no sooner than she had to.
"Um, sure?" Zuko asked, rubbing his eye in confusion. Azula didn't usually ask him for anything. She just did it or told him to do it. "Why this late?" he asked through a yawn.
"Zuko, do you love me?"
Her brother stayed there, half propped up on his elbow, a look of complete incomprehension on his face. Then the words registered and he was sitting up properly. "What did you just say?" he asked in shock.
"Please, brother, do you love me?" Azula asked, gripping the bed sheet tightly. "I-I just really need to know. I know I'm horrible, I know I've never given you any reason to, but I just really ne-"
"I love you, Azula."
It wasn't overly warm or affectionate or any mushy emotion. It was a statement of fact that he made without hesitation. She...she could take that.
She looked at him and knew it was a mistake. His eyes were wide now, as if he could see through her, see the desperation clawing within her. "Azula, wh-?"
"Why?" she asked suddenly, eyes wide. "Why do you love me? What about me is worth loving!? I...I torment you every day, I constantly make you look like a fool, and I hurt almost everything you care about! Why, why wou-"
He silenced her with a hug.
She hated how effective it was.
She loved that he did it.
"You're my annoyingly amazing little sister," Zuko said into her hair. "How could I not love you?"
Azula said nothing. She slowly wrapped her arms around him to return the embrace, her mouth trembling as she choked back her sobs. And finally she cried. It was a silent thing, twin waterfalls of salty tears leaking down her face. Zuko loved her. He'd remember her fondly. That was...good. That would have to be enough.
Eventually, Zuko pulled her back and gently wiped away her tears. "What happened?"
She loved how adorably serious, protective, and authoritative he tried to look when he asked that. "Zuko? You know how the Avatar gets reincarnated?" she asked out of the blue. Zuko blinked, not responding to that, so she carried on. "Do you think we all get that? That maybe, in another life, I can be a better little sister?"
"Azula, what are you talking about?" Zuko asked with a scowl.
"Dad's going to kill me, Zuko."
Azula wasn't even aware she said it out loud. It didn't sound like her voice anymore, like she was a stranger in her own body.
"What? Azula, you shouldn't joke ab-" Zuko stopped as Azula gave a hiccup, a single sob breaching her control. "You're not joking," he realized with dread and horror, his throat going dry.
Why? Why was he scared? He wouldn't die. Nothing would happen to him. Father needed a bloodline after all; Zuko wouldn't be in danger from anything. But it was clear that the idea of her dying scared her brother.
She felt an ache in her chest. Was this what it felt like, to know she was loved?
"Azula, what happened?" Zuko questioned with a sense of urgency.
"Grandfather said it's Father's punishment, that if he ever wants the throne, he'll sacrifice me to know Uncle Iroh's pain," Azula answered hollowly as she sat on the bed, feeling and looking the part of a puppet whose strings were coming loose.
"And...And Dad agreed to that!?" Zuko all but yelled in disbelief.
"Of course he did," Azula answered, her tone saying it was heartbreakingly obvious to her. "Dad won't give up the throne, and now I'm in the way of that."
Zuko's eyes scrambled before hardening. "What do you need me to do?" he asked with determination.
"For what?" Azula asked with a small frown.
"To get you out of here! Isn't that why you came to me, so I can help you hide or run away?" he asked fiercely.
Azula stared at him in shock for a moment before smiling.
That smile nearly killed Zuko.
It was far too peaceful, too defeated for his prideful little sister.
"No, Zuko. I just came here to tell you everything. That I'm sorry, for everything. For not being a better sister. And-" Azula's speech was brought to an end by a knock on the open door.
The royal siblings had terrified eyes at the sight of the royal guards. "Pardon us, Prince, Princess, but Prince Ozai and Fire Lord Azulon have summoned you, Princess Azula," they informed professionally.
They didn't know. Azula could tell, they were completely at ease and not prepared for her to make a bolt for it. They wanted to keep this quiet. A vindictive part of her thought about attacking the guards, but...
It all felt pointless now…her cunning, her firebending, all her manipulations. It all meant nothing in the end.
"I love you, Zuzu," Azula whispered, as she stood off the bed, and proceeded to walk out of the room.
Zuko could only stare in disbelief, numbness setting over him. Was this the last time he'd see his sister? Would he never hear her voice, her laugh? Never see that scheming twinkle in her eyes? Never see her flames again?
No, he refused to accept that!
For Azula, the walk to the throne room was nonexistent. She was not aware of the distance she walked or the time it took. All she could think of was Zuko. Even for all her faults, they had fun times. Mutual fun, not just fun at his expense. Chasing each other, playing pretend, even sneaking snacks from the kitchen a few times. She couldn't help wondering, if she had another chance at all, could she be a better sister?
Who was she kidding, she was a little monster. Zuko...Zuko probably just loved her because he was too dumb to hate her. Yeah, that had to be it.
But she was happy he wasn't smart enough to stop loving her. She could hold onto that hug they shared, the words he said, to not let the mortal terror overflow her young veins.
The red guards let her in, but did not follow. This was a private, family conversation for the royals.
Azula looked across the vastness of the throne room, feeling so tiny and insignificant as her father and grandfather met her gaze.
She was smart, she caught the tells; The furrowing of Azulon's brow and tensing of his old bones, while her father's eyes widened ever so minutely as his frown deepened. They knew that she knew what this was about.
Even walking to her supposed death, Azula kept herself dignified and controlled. No ten year old should be facing her own end so fearlessly.
But she was not fearless. She was beyond terrified. It was the sheer hopelessness and despair of the situation that allowed her mind to keep herself in check, solely due to the firm and accurate conclusion that there was no way to escape, to survive.
As she drew closer, both men could see it plainly…the vacant eyes of the girl that had deemed herself already a walking corpse. "I..." she started, swallowing the emotions that tried to seize control of her tongue. "I-I have come as ordered. F-father, Gr-grandfather," she greeted as she stood next to her father, her executioner, and before her grandfather, her judge.
"Well, Ozai?" Azulon prompted coldly, glaring at his second born. "What are you waiting for? Agni himself will not do the deed for you."
Ozai grimaced as he stared down at his daughter, his pride, his would-be legacy. She didn't look back; she just turned away from him...and bowed her head, baring her neck to him.
Only Azulon could see it from his vantage point, how his granddaughter began to cry silently as she awaited death's embrace, her eyes trembling with horror.
Her face screamed only one message: I don't want to die!
The old Firelord's gaze shifted to his younger son. As if sensing his gaze, Ozai ignited a fire dagger in one hand. The narrow flame condensed, sharpened, and brightened. It would be an efficient quick stab, a mercifully quick death.
Azula trembled at the sound of the flames screeching in her ear, her shaking hands slowly reaching up to grasp her arms. She wasn't suicidal, she didn't want to die, and so every instinct told her to run, fight back, do something. But her mind told her the truth: it was useless.
Ozai made his move.
And all hell broke loose.
"Boy, don't-!"
Azula had no idea what happened at first, just that her grandfather called out to somebody. The next thing she knew, something barreled into her and the world went spinning, a pained scream in her ears.
It wasn't her scream.
She shot up, sitting on the floor, sound and physical feeling numb to her right now. She was...alive. Her father was standing there, struggling against two men. Archers. Yuyan Archers? Her grandfather was off his throne, looking at her with a look she had never seen on his face. Distress? Regret? Pain?
It took her a moment to realize that he wasn't looking at her.
Her uncomprehending eyes looked to see a familiar figure. It was her brother. He...saved her? He came for her?
He was clutching his face.
He was crying in pain.
She was suddenly very aware of the smell of burnt flesh.
"Zuko? Zuko!?" she cried out, grasping onto him with desperation to help him and hopeless to know how to.
"GUARDS" Azulon bellowed, the royal procession already half way to the throne from the screaming. "Bring the royal physicians here immediately! Prince Zuko has been injured!"
With quick affirmatives of respect, they left, leaving the room once again. "What is the meaning of this, Father?!" Ozai all but snarled. "I was about to give you what you demanded, before the boy interfered."
"Interfered? Interfered!? Is that what you call saving his sister?" Azulon demanded sharply. "You still haven't realized it, Ozai?"
"Realized what?" Ozai asked, looking ready to attack his father if the Yuyan Archers weren't holding him back.
"I told you that you must suffer the same pain as Iroh," Azulon stated with a disappointed headshake. "This confirmed what I feared. That you are INCAPABLE of understanding such grief! You would toss aside anything and everything to secure the power you covet! And in doing so, you proven yourself unfit to be Firelord! Unfit to even be called my son!" he declared, Ozai's eyes widening at the proclamation. "A man like you would not just burn down our enemies, but burnout the Fire Nation itself with your ruthless ambition."
Ozai glared with silent, bloodthirsty rage. "You tricked me."
"No, Ozai, I only confirmed your true nature," Azulon stated with a heavy breath. "As far as I am concerned, the royal family has indeed lost someone today. Not another of my grandchildren, but rather my own son."
"You intend to kill me, Father?" Ozai demanded.
"No, Ozai. You are hereby striped of everything you ever were. For all intents and purposes, the man you were is dead, never to return. And you will be banished from all lands that belong to the Fire Nation," Azulon decreed.
"You old fool, you can't-!"
"Do Not Declare What I Can And Cannot Do, Ozai the Nameless!"
Ozai roared, fire leaping from his mouth as he threw the archers off with a sudden, violent show of strength.
Azulon narrowed his eyes as the flames leapt from Ozai's fist. The Firelord waved both hands before him, one silencing Ozai's fire and the other batting Ozai's fist away.
Azulon was the Son of Sozin. The Son of the Comet. The Firelord of what was approaching to be a Hundred Year War. Old age could not rob him of his strength so easily or completely.
Ozai gasped as his father's hand grabbed his throat. Before he could even try to pry the deceptively frail looking limb from his windpipe, the Yuyan archers made their recovery known, one holding both his arms while the other pointed an arrow at him, very close to his head. Even if he could attack the man, the arrow would likely mortally wound him anyway.
He grit his teeth as he felt Azulon's grasp become scalding hot, "As your son was scarred by his father, you shall be by me, Ozai. Let everyone know by that mark that I was merciful enough to spare the creature my son had become," Azulon declared, father and son sharing a mutual death glare as he seared Ozai's neck.
Meanwhile, Azula was having an out of body experience. Not literally as the stories went in the cases with spirits, but that her body was frantically holding onto Zuko, pleading to know how to help, while her true awareness was listening to the conversation. And yet, the only thing she took from this twisted turns of events was this:
Someone hurt Zuko.
Someone Hurt Zuko.
SOMEONE HURT ZUKO!
Something...snapped into place as her two selves resettled; a moment of perfect, ultimate clarity.
It didn't matter that it was her father that hurt Zuko. It didn't matter that she stood no chance. It didn't even matter that she didn't know how to do this.
All that mattered was making Ozai pay.
Perfect clarity was a beautiful, terrible thing.
All four men became shocked as every flame in the throne room turned to a blue azure. They turned to see the princess raise her right arm, her eyes distant yet clear. Like she was nothing more than a savage beast now.
Upon her arm danced lightning cackling for a target.
It was a shame Azula had no idea how to aim lightning yet.
Azulon growled to himself as the lightning bolts flew out in all directions, far less potent than they would be yet striking at anything and everything. Like the archer pointing an arrow at Ozai.
Jerking out of Azulon's grasp and throwing the other man off him once more, Ozai slammed his elbow to his captor. He was very grateful Azula's attack had caused the archer to gain a painful death grip on his arrow rather than release it. Taking the other one by the leg, Ozai literally threw him at the shocked archer before either could recover.
He gritted his teeth as two, three of Azula's scattered lightning bolts slammed into him. They were weak and unfocused, but they were not harmless.
Ozai was keenly aware that his daughter collapsed onto her brother after that, passed out from the exertion as the flames faded back to their norma colors. In another lifetime, Ozai would have been extremely proud of her for generating lightning at such a young age. Now all was rage, wrath, and ruin.
He fought through the pain, forced his limbs to keep moving as he sent a fireball kick to Azulon. The Firelord blocked it, but it gave Ozai the chance he needed to run to the door.
The forsaken prince heard the mighty fire whip rushing towards him and lost a good chunk of his beard in dodging it. Without hesitation or consideration, he sent a stream of fire back.
At his children.
Flames leapt from Azulon's feet as he stood before the two young royals, parting the flames harmlessly down the middle. His glare grew worried as the flames cleared, seeing Ozai channeling lightning.
Luckily, the stunned Yuyan archer had recovered and drawn his bow and arrow. His vision was unsteady, and so he could not guarantee a lethal shot. And as such, the arrow was aimed at a larger target than Ozai's head.
The son of Azulon gritted his teeth as the arrow buried into his shoulder, the sudden pain enough to fire his attack, the force of the projectile sending the strike of cold-fire crashing into the dais instead. Ozai knew not to chance this anymore, fleeing to the doors. They opened, the imperial firebender barreling in with the doctors and physicians. The sight of the prince running with an arrow through his shoulder was enough to shock and confuse them, giving Ozai all the chance he needed to leap over the group, fleeing down the hall.
"Guards! Capture Ozai! Secure the palace immediately! The rest of you, come! My grandchildren have need of your skills," Azulon ordered sternly.
The groups sprang into action as well disciplined members of the royal palace staff. Questions and official explanations would have to wait for another time.
The Yuyan archer who had wounded Ozai helped up his fellow bowman before turning to the Firelord, who sagged and stroked his head, the years appearing to fall on him for an instant. "My Lord, are you alright?" he asked with a concerned frown.
Azulon looked at his now-fatherless grandchildren. Zuko would be scarred for life, no healer in the Fire Nation could undo that kind of damage. And the girl, that look in her eye when she channeled the lightning. There was damage there, in the mind, and he was uncertain if it wasn't older than this event.
"No. No I am not," he answered after a lengthy pause as the medical experts tended to the children, preparing to take them out on a stretcher. A singular stretcher, for Azula was clutching onto Zuko's arm like a lifeline, even while sleeping. It would be best to handle that in the medical wing. He turned to regard the archers. "One of you, go and find Princess Ursa, bring her here. It's unlikely, but Ozai may try to get to her before attempting to escape," he instructed.
The archer nodded dutifully before speeding off, far faster than most men ever could hope to run.
Azulon took a deep breath as the adrenaline left his old body, the flames of the room dimming with him.
Explaining this to Ursa would not be easy. That woman might just try to kill him when she found out her precious children had been through so much on his account.
Iroh might just help her do it too when he returned.
End of Chapter
And there's chapter 1. So, yeah, I went the route of Azulon not really going to kill his grandchild- because I'll acknowledge the comics when I won't and flip them off otherwise because this is my AU. Azula, meanwhile, has had a (relatively) smaller version of her breakdown in the finale due to her father being willing to throw her aside. And, of course, Zuko gets his scar trying to save his sister this time.
Now, someone of you are wondering, why didn't Ursa find out as in canon? Random timing; Azula showed up at Zuko's room at a slightly different time, thus Ursa didn't stumbled across them. And traumatized or not, Little Azula got a badass moment in creating lightning for the first time.
Still, yeah, canon is effective off the rails and long gone already. Hope you all enjoyed this.
Next up we have Ursa's reaction...and a reminder that her name means Bear.
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