If there was one good thing about the town of Ido, it was how much importance they put into the arts. Despite being poor, full of cattle, crimes and revolutionary groups, the town still enjoyed and cherished their cultural heritage as much as they could.
Little children, for the most part, would learn how to play instruments and a certain few would develop love for poetry. As they grew, many of these children had to let go of their loved art so they could help their family economically, but whenever an artist was present at the town square, many of the residents would go an enjoy the show.
Lee Ten was one of the few children who never let go of their instrument. The Erhu, an instrument consisting of two strings and a bow, had been his favorite instrument since he was merely three years old. It had been perfect for him, because unlike the tsungi horn, it didn't require for him to use his breathing (which was compromised because of his condition). It also allowed him to fully express his feelings into tunes, feeling as the chi in his body flowed with ease, just as the tunes he played.
Almost a week and a half after Azula healed the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, the fourteen-year-old firebender stood in the middle of the town plaza playing his instrument. Dozens of people stopped what they were doing and gathered around him.
He felt his hand playing a tune he was not familiar with, but somehow it calmed him down. Lee Ten paid no attention to the people enjoying his music, as his mind was present in the events that had occurred last night at dinner.
Just as they had been doing for the entirety of her stay, Azula and her son sat at their table eating their dinner alongside Suki. For the most part it had been quiet, only common curtesy being exchanged. The dinner was once again meat and rice, just as it had been for weeks before. However, the ration had been less because of the extra mouth required to be fed.
"I'm planning on leaving tomorrow." Suki said out of nowhere.
"What?!" Lee Ten exclaimed. "But your wounds still need to heal. If we don't take care of it until it's completely healed, you could catch an infection."
"I think that a week and a half was more than enough time for my wounds to be infection free. Besides, I need to head back to my friends." Suki replied
"Friends are not more important than health. They can wait until my mom tells you you're ok to leave."
Suki put her chopsticks down. "I need to leave tomorrow. Thank you for your hospitality, but you cannot keep me hostage."
Something about the wording of Suki's phrase hurt Lee Ten. "Hostage? My mom was simply making sure you were healed, but you NEVER thanked her for it. What's more, you haven't even paid us a single copper piece. Normally a consultation would cost one silver piece, but you have stayed at our house, eaten from our food, and yet you have the audacity to say that we are keeping you hostage. Why? Because you don't trust my mom? I know that you don't like her, but the least you could be is grateful for everything we've given you."
"Grateful?" Suki scoffed. "After everything my mom has done to the world, and to me personally, this isn't even a little bit of retribution. The one who should be grateful that she's out of a fucking asylum is her."
"How dare you?" Lee Ten said lowly, his golden and blue eyes peering down at the Kyoshi Warrior. "After everything she's done for you! You have no idea how much work my mom does, and then she comes home and needs to take care of you, and you say that?! If you're friends with the Fire Lord, then I have no questions about why the Fire Nation is in this state. You're a bunch of selfish assholes who don't consider the hard work of other people. Get out of my house you traitorous Earth Kingdom filth!"
"Lee Ten." Azula interjected, a frown on her face. "Enough about that. Suki, could you please leave me alone with my son?"
The Kyoshi Warrior stood up, "I'll be out of this house by morning."
Once the auburn-haired woman was out of the room, Azula closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Lee Ten, there's something I have to tell you about my past." Azula began to say
"Whatever it is, it's no excuse to how she acted." Lee Ten growled
"Please keep your commentary until the end of the story." Azula said. "The reason I never told you this is because I wanted you to live a normal life in the Fire Nation, a life I could never have. I never wanted to hurt you or to make you feel like you couldn't trust me, but I understand if you feel betrayed."
"Mom, what's going on?"
"Long ago, Fire Lord Azulon had two sons. The oldest one, Prince Iroh, married a noblewoman whom he loved dearly. The youngest one, Prince Ozai, had not fallen in love with anyone, and therefore had not married. One day, Fire Lord Azulon went to the Fire Sages, and they told him that if he combined the lines of Sozin and Avatar Roku, very powerful firebenders would be born. After acquiring this information, Fire Lord Azulon searched the entirety of the Fire Nation to find any descendant of Roku. Finally, he found a woman named Ursa, who was just in marrying age. Ursa, who already had a fiancé at her hometown, soon was forced to leave everything and everyone to marry Prince Ozai and live in Caldera City."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Lee Ten asked confused
"Be patient." Azula said calmly. "Prince Ozai and Lady Ursa soon had a son, whom they named Zuko, but the boy lacked a fire in his eyes. It took much convincing from part of Ursa to not have the young prince killed. However, Ozai was promised a strong child. So, he forced Ursa to have another child, one who could carry on the powerful Sozin bloodline with honor. One and a half year later, Lady Ursa had another child, a girl they called Azula."
Lee Ten remembered reading the name on Suki's letter to Ty Lee, but he never knew who this Azula was. They never discussed such things at school.
"Azula was born with great fire, and Ozai soon favored that child. However, Ursa didn't want that child as much as she wanted her first born. Azula had been forced upon her, and as the little girl grew up, she showed traits that mirrored Ozai. This made Ursa distance herself from her daughter, making Azula more vulnerable for Ozai's manipulation. Zuko and Azula didn't see eye to eye at many instances, as Zuko was always jealous of Azula for being better at him at both firebending and overall studies. But what Azula never told anyone was that she was jealous of Zuko for having mother's love. Even when he failed to do something, Ursa was there to help him. But Azula had nobody like that, as Ozai only saw her for her power, not with love. She only had her cousin Lu Ten, who had gone to fight in the war when she was seven years old. Then, when Azula was nine, Lu Ten died in the siege of Ba Sing Se, which made General Iroh end the siege and return back to the palace in defeat."
Lee Ten took notice how his name was very, very similar to Lu Ten's. His mind started making connections as his mother went on with the story,
"Prince Ozai took this opportunity to ask Fire Lord Azulon to promote him to heir, as Iroh had lost his heir. But Fire Lord Azulon was furious at his son for asking this, so the Fire Lord ordered Ozai to sacrifice his firstborn. Ursa, however, learnt of this plot and gave Ozai another option. The next day, Fire Lord Azulon was dead, Ursa had gone missing, and Ozai had been declared Fire Lord."
"But what happened with Iroh's birthright?" Lee Ten asked
His mother shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, to be honest. Anyways, with their mother gone, Ozai became even colder towards his children: shunning his son and overtraining his daughter. Two years later, the famous Agni Kai in which Fire Lord Zuko got his scar took place."
"Oh yeah, they teacher told us that at school. How Fire Lord Ozai ignored the pleads of Prince Zuko and scarred him and banished him until he returned with the Avatar. Then, three years later, Prince Zuko found the Avatar and chased him all over the world. But, after some things occurred, I don't remember what, but Prince Zuko joined the Avatar and together they brought down Fire Lord Ozai and ended the war."
"This is not the story of Zuko." His mother said. "As I was saying before you interrupted me, Prince Zuko was banished from the Fire Nation. Fire Lord Ozai never intended for Zuko to return, as the Avatar hadn't been seen in over 100 years. So, with only one heir left, Fire Lord Ozai focused himself into training Azula how to be the next Fire Lord. He taught her about the economics of the Fire Nation, about battle tactics, about how to never show emotions, and to always be perfect. For three years, Princess Azula trained all day, cut herself from her friends, and devoted herself to be her father's perfect child. After all, his praise was as close as he would get to ever expressing some sort of love."
"Can we skip to the part where you come up?" Lee Ten whined
"No, but I am not going to go over the end of the war in much detail because it's unnecessary. Long story short, Princess Azula brought Ba Sing Se down in a bloodless coup by disguising herself and her friends as Kyoshi Warriors, helped get her brother back in their father's good graces, even if it meant that she was no longer the heir, was betrayed by Zuko, and then she was betrayed by her best and only friends. Lastly, at the Day of Sozin's comet, when she was going to go and burn the Earth Kingdom and end the war alongside Fire Lord Ozai, her father betrayed her and made her stay in the Fire Nation."
"Burn the Earth Kingdom?"
"It was to stop people from resisting Fire Nation rule."
"There would be no people to resist if there were no people in the first place. Sounds logical." Lee Ten mocked
"Not the smartest decision in hindsight, but nonetheless, fact of the matter was that Azula was betrayed by everyone. Her sanity began to crumble. She saw hallucinations of her mother Ursa, she cut her bangs, banished almost the entire palace staff, and cried for the first time in years. Because of her non-existing peace, she was beaten in an Agni Kai by Zuko and Katara, a waterbender who is now the wife of the Avatar."
"Is that when Zuko became the Fire Lord?"
His mother nodded with her head. "Yes. After the Agni Kai, Zuko put Azula in an asylum for a year before he requested her help to find their mother Ursa. But for a whole year, Azula was alone in the asylum, with no visits from anyone. I don't want to go into much details about this, but after going with Zuko and the Avatar and his friends to find her mother, Azula found out that Ursa had chosen to forget all about her life at the palace. And what's worse, Ursa had a little girl who she cherished with all of her being."
"Ouch."
"Azula ran away after that. In a forest, the hallucination of Ursa told her that her destiny was not to become Fire Lord, that she needed to search for her destiny. For the first time, Azula listened to the hallucination and decided to no longer become Fire Lord. When she did that, the hallucinations of her mother seized. Again, some things happened, but two years later, Azula was sane and living in the palace. She had mended her relationship with Mai and even started a romantic relationship with Ty Lee."
Lee Ten eyes widened at the name of Ty Lee.
"However, after three years of creating a tolerable relationship with every member of her family, Azula had a very big fight with Ty Lee. That night, the princess went and got incredibly drunk, as she tried to forget the fight and all the insults they had thrown at each other. Lee Ten, I am telling you now because I am your mother. I know alcohol is illegal right now, but if you ever get your hands on it, drink responsibly. It's ok to drink, but never black out."
"Wow, my mother is telling me it's ok to drink." Lee Ten grinned
"Well, I am not a hypocrite." His mother smiled. "The next morning, Azula woke up in an empty hotel bed, but knowing full well what had happened that night."
"Wait, what happened?"
His mother looked at his eyes. "Lee Ten, you're fourteen years old. Even if you don't have sex education at your school, you should know by now what sex is."
"Oh…oh, well, proceed with the story."
"Please don't interrupt me anymore. As soon as she realized what she had done, Azula went running to the palace to tell Ty Lee and beg for forgiveness. Ty Lee cried and broke up with Azula, which was understandable. But then, when Azula's family found out, they casted her out and told her to leave her home. The princess did so and, with nowhere to go, she left Caldera City. She went around the country until she found a small town called Ido, where she began to work in the clinic. Nine months later, she gave birth to a beautiful boy called Lee Ten."
Lee Ten sat shocked at the implications of the story. If what was said was all true, then it meant that his mother was a princess, which would make him a prince. It didn't make sense though, if his mother was a royal, then why didn't she help the town? She clearly had leverage to help economically, even themselves!
"You're Princess Azula." Lee Ten finally said. "Why-how could you hide this from me?!"
"You heard the story. You know that being a part of the Royal Family is nothing to be happy about. I didn't want you to live with that burden." Azula said slowly, a tear falling from her eye.
"I can't believe this." Lee Ten felt his eyes fill with tears. All his life, he had lived thinking that he was an average mixed-race boy, with a weak heart and a good mother. But now it turns out that he is a prince.
His mind suddenly wanders to the letter Suki had sent. The one to Ty Lee, telling Zuko that Azula was in Ido and that she had a son. Him.
"Mom, we need to get out of town." Lee Ten said with a startled face
"No, we don't."
"But the Fire Lord is coming here for you!"
"I know." Azula replied
"You…you know?! How?!" Lee Ten exclaimed
Azula nodded. "Yes. It was fairly obvious considering the fact that Suki of all people is here. She hates my guts. Also, you need to learn how to hide your letters better."
"If you know that, then why aren't we leaving?"
"There is no point in running. Everything happens for a reason. It is no coincidence that Suki is the one that was wounded in the nearby woods, and that I was the one to heal her. It has been fifteen years since I've seen my family. It's time I face them and let them see how much better I am doing now that I have found my destiny. Besides, if I run now, I am admitting that I am guilty of whatever they accuse me of. I am not, therefore there is no reason to hide."
"But what if they come here and separate us?" Lee Ten cried
Azula stood up from her place and went to hug her son. "Don't worry. Nobody will ever separate us. I'll make sure of it."
Lee Ten felt the tears running down his cheeks as he played the tune. He knew his mother would do everything in her power to keep them together, but what if that wasn't enough? The world would not be the same without his mother to heal him when people hit him, or without his mother to give him exercises for his heart. She gave him life twice. Once when she gave birth to him, and another time when she made his heart work.
Suddenly, he heard the people around him mutter a lot. This never happened when he played, as the townspeople mostly just stayed mesmerized by his music.
Lee Ten opened his eyes to see that the people around him were parting to make way for someone walking down the dirt road. His eyes widened in fear when he saw a tall scarred man walking alongside a bald man with blue arrow tattoos, a water tribesman, and a woman wearing her hair in a braid. He recognized them as Fire Lord Zuko and the Avatar. As for the other two, Lee Ten really didn't know.
Everyone bowed down to the Fire Lord, including Lee Ten. He felt the sweat fall down his forehead as the Fire Lord stepped closer to him.
"Everyone may rise." The Fire Lord spoke.
The mayor of the town, an average looking man called Buso, stepped in front of everyone and addressed the Fire Lord. "To what do we owe the pleasure of having the Fire Lord and the Avatar visit us today?"
"It has come to my attention that Princess Azula has been living here in the town of Ido." The Fire Lord declared, making everyone gasp. "We ask that anyone who knows of her whereabouts please come forward and tell us any information they may have."
"I apologize Fire Lord, but we are not aware of Princess Azula being present in our town." The mayor apologized
Fire Lord Zuko frowned. "Do not lie to me. Princess Azula is living here with a child. If you are harboring her, it will be declared treason against the Fire Nation."
Everyone gasped. Lee Ten could not believe what was happening. The Fire Lord was right in front of him asking for his mother and declaring treason to anyone who would help her.
"I assure you Fire Lord, nobody has seen or heard of the princess for years." Buso said
"Why would harboring the princess be treason?" Lee Ten asked
Everyone turned to the teenager who had just addressed the Fire Lord so informally.
"Princess Azula is suspected of leading the rebel forces in this area of the Fire Nation, and therefore is to be apprehended for treason" The Fire Lord replied
"That's bullshit. The only traitor here is you." Lee Ten sneered.
The townspeople gasped at the reckless teenager who had just called the Fire Lord a traitor to his nation. Lee Ten, on his part, somewhat regretted saying that in front of so many people. But he also knew that these people were looking to lock his mother up for absolutely no reason.
"What did you just say?" the Water Tribesman asked
Lee Ten narrowed his eyes. "You come here after years of abandoning your people to ask for the Princess, who has nothing to do with the rebels. You, Fire Lord Zuko, have singlehandedly ruined the Fire Nation economy and made it one of the worst places to live. Every decision you make to bring "peace to the Four Nations" ends up screwing us over! Why do you think that there are rebel forces? It's because the people are living in misery, and there's nobody to blame but you. And now you come here, not because you're going to see what's going on outside your filthy rich palace so you can improve the lives of your citizens, but because you want to apprehend a woman who has done NOTHING! And even worse, you come to apprehend her with the Avatar and a Water Tribesman, when this should be a strictly Fire Nation manner. So, you tell me Fire Lord Zuko, who's the real traitor of the Fire Nation?"
"Listen kid, you don't know what you're talking about." Zuko said
"Yes, I do. Unlike you, I live here every day and suffer the consequences of your selfish actions. You think that just because Princess Azula tried to take your throne once, she's guilty of every fucking rebellion out there. If you looked at the rebellions in their ideologies, you would see that there's no way in Agni that Azula would be the leader of either group."
"Zuko!" a feminine voice Lee Ten knew far too well called from the back of the people. Suki, who had left his home that morning, appeared running towards the group of people.
"Suki!" the Avatar, Fire Lord, and the braided woman all yelled. The Water Tribesman looked away as the woman approached.
"I was hoping you'd be gone by now." Lee Ten grumbled
"Zuko, thank the Spirits you're here." Suki said, completely ignoring Lee Ten. "She hasn't fled yet."
"This is such a good way to thank someone for saving your life." Lee Ten said
Suki turned to face the teenager. "I'm doing what's best for peace."
"You know this kid?" the woman in braid asked the Kyoshi Warrior, who nodded in response.
"Yes, I stayed at his house during my stay at this town. Also," Suki stepped forward to whisper something, but before she got a chance to, the yell of a name interrupted the scene.
"Lee Ten!" Azula yelled from the crowd. She was covered in blood, her hair in a ponytail and wearing no make-up.
"Azula," Zuko growled, grabbing Lee Ten by his arm. "Suki was right. You were here, and it seems that not doing good deeds." He said, watching the bloody clothes of the princess.
"Let go of me you psycho." Lee Ten said, trying to shake away the Fire Lord.
"Zuko, let go of him." Azula said, walking slowly towards the newcomers.
"Why do you care for a boy that's half Water Tribe?"
"Maybe because she's not racist?" Lee Ten suggested
Azula was fuming. "Because he's my son you son of a bitch. Now let go of him."
Zuko took a long look at his sister and then at the boy he was holding. There was a clear similarity between them, and it was undeniable that he was her son now that he knew the fact. But it still baffled the Fire Lord that his sister of all people would have a child with someone that is not from the Fire Nation.
"I will let him go if you agree to come with us without resisting." Zuko finally said.
Azula locked eyes with her son, giving him a small but comforting smile.
"Alright. Let him go." Azula said, putting her hands up in surrender. The Avatar walked towards her and put on some metal cuffs, then making her walk towards Zuko. The Fire Lord then let go of the boy, who went to hug his mother.
"You said we wouldn't be separated." Lee Ten murmured
"Don't worry, you won't." Zuko intervened. "Your son is coming to Caldera with us. Not as a prisoner, but as a prince. It is his right as part of Sozin's bloodline."
"Not that that every mattered to you." Azula said rolling her eyes, low enough so that only Lee Ten could hear her.
"Let's go." Zuko said, grabbing Azula by her arms and dragging her towards the end of town, where Appa was situated. However, as the group walked down the road, a group of villagers stood in front of them, completely blocking the way.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zuko asked
A middle-aged woman stepped in front of the group and began to talk. "Princess Azula has been helping our town for fifteen years, taking care of our sick and even helping us with monetary problems whenever she could. We, the people of Ido, refuse to have her arrested for crimes she didn't commit."
"Out of everyone in this town, Dr. Rina-I mean Princess Azula has been the one who cares the most about the well-being of every resident." An old man stepped forward. "She helped my son when he had the red cough, and helped my wife walk again after years of being immobile. If you arrest her now, it will be a crime to the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Zuko."
"Even if she had a mixed-race child, she is still more loyal to the Fire Nation than you ever will!" an older teenager, around 17-18 years old, yelled.
"She didn't charge my family when we all contracted Smallpox, or when Fey had that hideous lump on his face! Free Princess Azula!" A man said in the crowd.
One by one, every person in the town began demanding for the princess to be released. The few firebenders present threw fire to the air, while other people grabbed their farming tools and approached the Fire Lord and his companions. From the mayor to little children, everyone told what the princess had done for them as Dr. Rina.
"Stop." Azula said calmly, but with enough force so that every person from the town stopped their protests. "I thank you all for your hospitality and for giving me a true home, but it is time for me to return to the palace. I promise, I will do everything in my power to bring prosperity to the Fire Nation, so our children can have a worthy life. Stop fighting the Fire Lord, because even if we don't agree with his decisions, he is still our ruler, and I know that you are not treacherous people. For now, I will leave with my brother, but I will return once more when everything is dealt with in the Fire Nation. When people have food for their children, and when you feel pride when you say that you live in Ido."
"As you wish, Princess Azula." The mayor of the town said.
Much to the surprise of the Fire Lord and his friends, the townspeople laid their tools on the ground and bowed down at the princess. The group then began to walk towards the sky-bison, who would carry them to the palace.
"How did you do that?" Zuko asked his sister, baffled at the response the townspeople had towards Azula.
Azula smiled as she replied. "Unlike you, I've earned the respect of the people of the Fire Nation by not being a complete failure of a leader. Now let's go, apparently I have a trial to attend."