As Zuko had promised his sister, he began training with her the very next day and soon realized it might have been a mistake.
It wasn't that Zuko lacked strength. On the contrary, he had grown much stronger since his nightmares began. The issue was his lack of full control over his newfound power, which frightened him. Additionally, he had to restrain most of his power to avoid his father's detection, which explains why Azula had won all their recent matches. Despite this, Zuko found it endearing that after each victory, Azula would rush to their mother to ask if she was proud.
Zuko understood that this sacrifice was necessary to ensure Azula's well-being. He wanted to guarantee that she would end up in a much better state than she was in his dreams.
However, he started to feel uneasy when he noticed their father observing them closely after one of their matches. Ozai's thoughts were inscrutable, causing Zuko to fear the worst.
Their routine usually involved spending time at the turtle-duck pond after training sessions. Azula had developed a strong affection for them, though she would never admit it.
And on one such occasion, he noticed their father standing not too far away, watching them. Zuko feared that his father might vent his frustration on Azula and prevent her from spending time with him or their mother, thus ruining his entire plan. However, for the longest time, nothing occurred.
Even with his foresight, he couldn't accurately anticipate his father's next move, causing Zuko to constantly look back after each turn.
He recalled a dream where his mother revealed that initially, his father had cared for him, but something had gone terribly wrong along the way. Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact issue, he suspected that his mother had made a mistake at some point.
But what surprised him the most was his father starting to attend his training sessions. It had occurred two days after his truce with Azula during his regular firebending practice when he noticed his father watching him. This continued for a few days.
Zuko recalled his promise to Azula that he would never train with his father under any circumstances, and deep down, he feared that Ozai had somehow discovered his growing power despite his efforts to conceal it. The man was far more dangerous than people believed.
After a few days, they had settled into a routine. In the morning, Zuko would train with his sister. After that, they would have dinner and spend time with the turtleducks. If one of them had any other training, they would attend that. At the end of the day, they would all gather in Azula's room where, under his sister's insistence, their mother would read them a story.
That routine, however, was disrupted a few days later. Initially, it seemed like any other day, but everything changed when, during dinner, their father joined them. It was a surprise since Ozai had not dined with them since Lu Ten's death was announced. As his father sat at the table, Zuko started to ponder on his father's sudden presence. He had made it clear to everyone that he was busy and unable to join them for dinner in the past week, so his unexpected appearance raised suspicions. No, Ozai didn't do it to spend time with his family. He had ulterior motives.
At first, they dined in silence, with no one daring to initiate a conversation. That changed when Azula brought up the new information she had acquired, and Ozai chimed in with his praise. Even their mother joined in praising Azula, bringing a smile to her sister's face. As they conversed, Zuko quietly ate his meal, until suddenly Ozai turned his attention towards him.
"Zuko, I've noticed your progress during training with your sister, and I must say, you have shown significant improvement." Zuko was taken aback by his father's words. Ozai was not known for giving compliments.
"Thank you, father," Zuko replied, trying to maintain his composure. He sensed that his father had something planned, but he couldn't quite figure it out. "I must give credit to Azula. She was the one who agreed to assist me with my training."
Ozai looked at his son intently. "Is that so? Well, I must commend both of you on your collaboration." Zuko was astonished. What had changed in his father? The man had never been fond of him, yet now he was showering him with praise.
"Though I must remind you that you are still falling behind, and I would suggest learning much faster," his father said in his standard monotone voice. "It wouldn't be fitting to have a weak firebender in the royal family."
And as quickly as his father's new side emerged, it vanished, leaving everyone at the table in astonishment.
A few minutes later, their father excused himself and left them at the table. Before departing, he reminded Azula about her training scheduled for later that day.
"What was that?" Azula inquired, her gaze fixed on Zuko.
"What do you mean?" he responded, attempting to maintain a stern expression.
"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't try to take father away from me," Azula expressed with frustration. "That was my only condition, and you seem to have forgotten it."
Zuko turned to face her. "I haven't done anything, Azula," he explained. "Father has been visiting us during our training and has noticed my progress."
"That doesn't justify you trying to take away his and my time," Azula replied, avoiding eye contact.
Zuko empathized with her. She had just started to reconcile with her mother, and it appeared to her that he would use this opportunity to separate her from her father, when in reality, Zuko wanted nothing to do with Ozai. He had been avoiding his father effectively since the beginning of his nightmares, and today marked the first time they had spoken in weeks.
His father wasn't making it any easier. After being absent for weeks, he suddenly appeared and started praising Zuko. If he didn't know any better, he would have believed that Ozai was proud of him, but now he understood that his father was scheming something, and he was not pleased about it. Not at all.
"Azula, look," he said as he took her hands in his. "I promised you that if father wanted to train me personally, I would decline his offer, and my promise still stands," Zuko said as his sister finally raised her eyes to meet his. "I don't want to ruin this new friendship that we have now."
Azula slowly withdrew her hands from her brother's. "You're right," she said as a smile returned to her face. "But I'm watching you, dum-dum."
He smiled back as he turned away and continued eating his dinner. While he had managed to somewhat reconcile his sister and mother, he now faced a much tougher challenge. He needed to free Azula from their father's control, a process that would be difficult and time-consuming. However, Zuko was confident that he could accomplish it.
"Well, now that we've resolved another argument, why don't we go outside and spend some time together as a family," his mother suggested as she got up and called a servant to clear the table.
Azula quickly got up and ran to her mother with a shy smile, causing Zuko to chuckle quietly.
"Zuko, are you coming?" his mother asked, now standing at the door with Azula. He nodded in response, running to join them as they left the room together.
The mountains on the horizon drew closer, revealing intricate details usually unseen by the naked eye.
On another day, Fire Lord Zuko might have appreciated the scenic landscapes ahead, but today his mind was preoccupied with other concerns. The tension in his shoulders was noticeable to everyone on the ship, yet no one dared to approach him and ease his distress. How could they? His mother had passed away, and his daughter lay unconscious.
"Zuko, are you listening?" Those words brought him back to the present as he turned to face his younger sister.
"Sorry," he apologized. "What were you saying?"
Azula shook her head in disappointment. While she understood his distraction given the events of the previous day, she found it frustrating that he had withdrawn from everyone and remained lost in his own thoughts.
"I was saying that I have compiled a list of the noble houses that likely betrayed you," she said, bringing her hand to her head. She had spent hours trying to identify who could have betrayed her brother and now was extremely tired.
Zuko looked at his sister with his weary eyes. He always found it fascinating how she could stay composed in challenging situations. While she was usually well put-together, he had seen her make mistakes a few times during their teenage years. Especially during their Agni Kai, she was in a fragile state mentally and would gradually falter during the battle.
"Show me," he said as she handed him a piece of paper. As he glanced at the names, he struggled to believe that they would betray him for trivial reasons. There were others who would have much more reasons to usurp him. Perhaps Azula saw something he couldn't.
"Why them?" he inquired as his sister approached. "There are others with more valid motives than these ones possess."
Azula shook her head. "You're correct, there are those with stronger reasons to oppose you, but they don't align with the pattern I've identified."
"What pattern?" Zuko asked as his sister retrieved the list from him and tucked it into her pocket.
"All the noble houses listed here have suffered greatly since you took the throne," she explained. "Most of them were military leaders loyal to our father, and since you became Fire Lord, they've lost much of their influence in the nation." She continued to walk around him, causing Zuko's headache to worsen. "But most importantly, you've prevented them from continuing their warmongering ways. Their wealth came from conquered colonies, but once you assumed power, you stripped away all their privileges."
"And so they want our father to take over again," he concluded as Azula stopped in front of him and nodded in response. "Do they know that under no jurisdiction can they crown a Fire Lord who has no bending?
"I doubt they care about that," Azula answered. "All that matters to them is the fact Ozai is alive and that they can still put him back in power, and the absence of his bending isn't an issue for them."
Zuko turned away as silence settled between them. "I doubt father would even want his crown back at this point."
Azula was surprised by that statement. "Why do you say that?" she inquired. "All father ever cared about was power and nothing else. He wouldn't miss a chance like this to regain some of that power."
Zuko sighed. He hadn't informed Azula about what had transpired almost three years ago during his final encounter with Ozai. He believed that the moment had come to disclose it to her.
"When I visited father for the last time all those years back," he began as Azula regarded him suspiciously. "He expressed remorse for everything. He regretted all his actions."
Azula gazed at him in astonishment. "Are we referring to the same individual?" she inquired. "Because the Ozai I knew would never feel remorse for any of his deeds."
"That was my initial thought as well," Zuko responded, gazing at the horizon, recollecting his last discussion with his father. "But he was sincere. Initially, I thought he had lost his mind, but no, he was as rational as ever. Or at least he seemed to be."
Silence enveloped them as Azula attempted to comprehend her brother's words, but before she could reply, a servant hurried towards them.
"Fire Lord Zuko," the man said, bowing before him.
"What is it?"
"Princess Izumi has regained consciousness, sir."
Zuko's power had increased significantly since he began experiencing those nightmares. While others might view them as a problem, he saw them as an opportunity to not only alter the eventual outcome but also enhance his combat skills.
With swords, it was effortless. Already renowned as a skilled swordsman, his dreams had further honed his abilities. By emulating techniques from his future self, he discovered a natural proficiency. It was akin to firebending for Azula. Master Piandao even dubbed him the swordbending prodigy, eliciting a smile from Zuko.
However, mastering firebending proved to be much more challenging. Despite the considerable increase in power since achieving mental clarity, he had yet to fully grasp this newfound ability. Although he had made significant progress, he hesitated to push his powers to their limits, fearing scrutiny from others at the palace, especially with his father now observing his training sessions regularly.
Unlike Azula, Zuko trained in solitude except for the palace guards he befriended. Occasionally, they would join him in his training sessions, aiding him in understanding the true potential of his bending abilities. However, these instances were infrequent. Most of the time, he practiced alone in remote locations, far from prying eyes. Yet, it seemed not far enough, as his father always managed to locate him, silently watching his son's bending prowess from a short distance away.
Today's training session was no different. He had journeyed a significant distance hoping to remain undetected, yet his father had located him immediately. Anxiety started to creep in. Had Ozai uncovered his newfound abilities and was now plotting his next move? Or was he simply present to taunt Zuko after his recent setback?
As Zuko commenced his final kata, he attempted to discreetly observe his father. The man was inscrutable. He stood still, hands clasped behind his back, and his gaze fixed firmly on Zuko's every motion, akin to a predator stalking its prey.
What intentions could he be harboring? Zuko was aware of his father's knack for devising ways to inflict suffering. Was he observing now to mete out punishment later?
As Zuko finished the final kata, he rose and headed towards his possessions when he heard a clap. Pausing, he turned to face his father, surprised by what he saw.
Ozai was approaching him, clapping. His father stopped before him. "Well done, Prince Zuko," he said. "Your recent progress has been quite intriguing. You may become a skilled firebender after all."
Zuko stood in shock for a moment before bowing. He recalled vowing never to bow to Ozai ever again. However, now he had to. He couldn't risk everything just yet. He needed to maintain his cover for as long as possible, even though he despised every moment of it.
"Thank you, father," he said, struggling to conceal the disgust in his voice.
"Although I must point out that you are not utilizing your power to its full potential," he remarked, sending chills down Zuko's spine. "Why is that?"
Zuko slowly glanced up. "I'm not sure what you're referring to, father," he replied, locking eyes with Ozai. "I am utilizing my powers to their fullest potential."
"Don't lie to me," his father snapped, momentarily surprising Zuko. "It's irrelevant now, regardless." His father continued, regaining his composure. "I have arranged for a firebending tutor to come and instruct you."
Zuko stood in silence for a moment. "Father, I don't think that's necessary," he began, but was promptly interrupted.
"I determine what is necessary," his father stated firmly. "If I decree that you will train under a master, then you will train under a master," he declared, facing his son once more. "Prince Zuko, I need you to know one thing and you should never forget it," he said, moving extremely close to his son. "I want you to know that your fate rests solely on my decisions."
As those words escaped his father's lips, Zuko was taken aback. The specificity of those words was striking.
"I want you to live the rest of your days, knowing that you're only here because I decided so. Knowing that your fate rests solely on my decisions. And knowing that only I have the power to end it. I'll be here the day when you'll beg me to kill you. And on that day, the entire world would have forgotten your name. If it hasn't already."
He had uttered those exact words to his father many years ago. Did Ozai invent them on the spot or had he heard them somewhere before?
Although Zuko was experiencing inner turmoil, he managed to maintain a composed exterior.
"Prince Zuko, do you understand?" his father asked.
"Yes."
Ozai grinned. "Good. Your tutor will come tomorrow afternoon, so I suggest you start preparing for that." he announced before leaving his son deep in contemplation.