Sakura finished her training as a medic after three years, there wasn't anything left to teach her. The pinkette could hardly call it training, it was merely revising what she knew so that Ping, the Chief Medic of the Royal Family was absolutely sure that she would not accidentally poison the Fire Lord or set a bone improperly. She never understood how she was so good as a medic, her knowledge was far beyond her years. She also never understood why she was a Chi bender. The ability didn't exist until she used it eight years ago. There weren't any news of another Chi bender and she guessed that she was the only one. She believed that she had somehow reincarnated, just like the Avatar cycle. Perhaps she had been a very talented medic. Or even a bender. Which element suited her best?

She thought maybe earth as she was hard-headed and unrelenting like the said element but fire suited her as well, Azula said that countless times. Though she had a fiery temper, she could also be very calm and understanding, like air. She was also adaptable to every situation, like water. Perhaps she would've been the Avatar or the gods decided to gift her the ability of manipulating Chi in its raw form since she couldn't be the Avatar. She laughed at herself for thinking that she could've been the Avatar. That was highly improbable.

With so much time on her hands, Sakura found herself in the presence of Ozai more times than she could count. Whenever the Fire Lord wasn't busy with ruling the country, they would be in his personal quarters discussing politics and war strategies over a cup of tea. Of course, a reasonable distance would be between the two and Sakura made sure to wear appropriate clothing so that the man's eyes did not stray where she did not like. Lady Ursa and her marriage to the Fire Lord stuck like glue to her mind. She knew that Ozai was training her for a special position, she knew ever since he began to train her in martial arts.

Though she didn't know what position that was but it certainly wasn't being the Fire Lady. The only reason she entertained him was that he was the only person with enough brain cells to fully understand what she thought, nothing else.

"I think you should've had more children."

Ozai spluttered, spraying tea all over Sakura's face. The pinkette took a napkin and wiped her face, expecting no apology. "Why would you think something so absurd?" he asked his eyes narrowed down dangerously at her. She had almost forgotten how intimidating and powerful that the man could be. She cleared her throat.

"I mean, you always complain that Zuko and Azula are nothing like you and fear that they are going to try and steal the throne from you or will fail the nation. Why didn't you just have more children? Maybe along the lines, you'd find someone who's exactly as you are or who you can control even if you're no longer Fire Lord. Even if they weren't the rightful heir to the throne, I'm sure you know your way around to make sure he or she would become Fire Lord," she told him as she stared at him with an air of confidence.

Inside, she was scared that the man would snap and kill her for indirectly calling him out. She gripped her fork tightly in her hand as the man gazed at her pensively. "Hmmmm," his voice rumbled deeply. "I suppose it would've been intelligent and less exhausting than constantly watching my children if they are capable of becoming rulers of the Fire Nation," he stated. Sakura let out a silent breath of relief. At least, he didn't kill her.

"Though, it would need more than one woman for me to have such many children," he commented offhandedly as he nursed his cup. His eyes found hers and Sakura's breath hitched in her throat. "Not to mention, the baby making process would be tiring, though undeniably enjoyable," he added with a smirk. The pinkette's face burned in embarrassment. This was not happening. She seriously wasn't discussing sex with the Fire Lord. "I suppose you can help me with that since you brought up the suggestion."

It was Sakura's turn to splutter. Thankfully, she didn't spray tea all over his face. She stared at him in disbelief. "I'm just fourteen years old!" she cried in indignation. "I can wait," he retorted simply and Sakura felt mouth open in incredulity. She was probably gaping like a fish out of water. "Besides, I'm not really that old. I had Zuko when I was eighteen," he told as he chuckled at her expression. Wait, was he really that young?! "You mean you're thirty four?! I thought you were in your mid-forties or something," the medic exclaimed. "I'm quite sure that I do not look as old as you imply," he remarked with a pointed look at her.

Sakura shook her head. She was probably dreaming, this conversation was seriously not happening.

She avoided the man like a plague the next week. She wasn't sure she could ever look at him the same.


News of Prince Zuko's return spread like wild fire. Sakura was at school in the midst of drawing the skeletal structure of the human body when their art teacher, Mr. Fei announced that the Fire Nation Prince had returned along with Princess Azula after they had conquered Ba Sing Se and killed the Avatar. A ceremony was being held to welcome them back and celebrate their victory. Everyone was to go home and prepare as it was being held today.

Sakura was in a daze as all the students cheered and hollered in excitement of getting a chance to enter the palace. Aiya dragged her out of the classroom and it was only when she was at the school gates that she was brought back to reality.

"Earth to Sakura!"

The pinkette snapped out of her moment of stupor. "Are you okay? You have to go home and prepare for the ceremony," On Ji spoke with concern laced on her features. Sakura hadn't told her friends that she was a Royal Physician or a war veteran. Not even the teachers knew, they thought her to be a regular student with odd colorings. "Um, yeah. I have to prepare. I'll see you at the ceremony," she replied, hoping her smile wasn't forced as she thought it to be. They waved goodbye to each other and parted ways. Sakura doubted she would see her at the palace considering she would be with other physicians as they welcomed the two siblings back.


The pinkette was nervous as she stood near the throne with Teka and Amaya, along with three other physicians. The Fire Nation Prince and Princess were to first see the Fire Lord and the Royal Court before going to address the masses. She could feel Ozai's eyes on her, they hadn't spoken since the sex talk. The medic refused to acknowledge his gaze. A part of her was betrayed that he had entertained an idea which was against every moral code but she wasn't surprised. This was Fire Lord Ozai she was talking about. He cared for none but himself, not even his own children.

The iron doors opened and everyone's attention snapped to the two figures who were dressed in their royal robes as they strode towards the throne. Sakura hadn't seen Azula for over two months and the girl was unchanged. She didn't see Zuko clearly as Azula covered her view from her position beside her older brother.

"Father, we have returned from conquering Ba Sing Se and eliminating the Avatar who was a threat to the Fire Nation," Azula started. "I see," the Fire Lord hummed in understanding. "Along with the help of my companions Mai and Ty Lee, Prince Zuko helped us in capturing the Avatar and incapacitating him. Of course, I delivered the final blow with a lightning strike to his back whilst he was in his Avatar state," she spoke. Sakura detected pride and smugness in her tone, as expected of a princess who didn't know about a thing called humility.

"I would like to advocate for the restoration of Prince Zuko's honor as he was very helpful in capturing the Avatar. Not to mention, he was the very first person who found him after a hundred years in hiding."

Sakura blinked several times in wonder. So he had been the one to find the Avatar after many had tried and failed to do so. She felt pride swell inside of her as if she had been the one find him.

"I'd also like you to consider General Iroh's betrayal of the Fire Nation for he assisted the Avatar's companions when they escaped with his corpse," she added.

General Iroh betrayed the Fire Nation? That was highly unlikely. The man had a reason for assisting the Avatar. The tea-loving elder was a pacifier, wanting peace more than anything. So why would he help the seemingly dead Avatar escape from Azula? Perhaps, the Avatar hadn't died at all. She remembered the waterbending girl from the Northern Water Tribe. General Zhao mentioned that the Avatar travelled with two Water Tribe siblings, one non-bender boy and a waterbending girl.

And waterbenders could heal using their base element. Water from the Spirit Oasis held healing properties, if the girl from the North was indeed the Avatar's companion and had a single functioning brain cell, she would've taken some of the healing water for dire situations like the one they were currently facing. Then did that mean that the boy with the glowing arrow tattoo was the Avatar? But why was he so young? He's supposed to be over a century old!

Now that she considered it, she never paid much attention to the outside world. Ozai had made sure that she was concerned with the Fire Nation, he always told her to have their nation's interests at heart above all. Even in the palace, the so-called savior of the world was rarely mentioned except in hushed whispers. She barely knew him, what he looked like, how he acted and what not. The only closest she got to him was at the battle in the North but she had caught a fleeting glimpse of him and was too busy with killing the moon and evading ice shards from impaling her.

Though she had faced him as he had merged with the water spirit to become a devastating sea monster, she could hardly believe her ears when she was told that she defeated him with a single punch. The Fire Nation soldier hadn't known that her punch had that much effect, she had succumbed to exhaustion as the last of her Chi was dispelled in a single blow. She hoped that he hadn't accidentally received the brute of her attack because it would've been sure to maim him if it didn't kill him.

Sakura snapped back to attention as the Fire Lord stood up and strode out of the room regally. She had spaced out for quite some time. The rest of the Royal Court followed behind him in an orderly manner. She caught a glimpse of Zuko's face as he exited and her breath hitched in her throat. So much time had passed since the last time she saw him. He had aged well. Baby fat had since departed from his face, his jawline angled at the right places showing that he was indeed a young man, no longer the child she remembered. His brown hair was long and held in a bun atop of his head, stray strands framing either sides of his face. Despite having a scar, he was still handsome, even moreso than she remembered. Would he think the same when he saw her?

Disappointment filled her as the Royal Family left the throne room. She had been hoping to speak to him. It was hardly probable that Ozai would have allowed her to speak with her childhood friend when he was watching her like a hawk, just as she was doing to Zuko. Ah well, there would be another time to speak to him.


It turned out, there wasn't another time to talk to him. The infirmary was packed more than usual with soldiers coming for checkups that she had to miss school for almost a week. She didn't have any break in between and food was always sent to their shared office with Teka and Amaya. She wondered if Ozai was doing this on purpose so that she wouldn't see Zuko. After the hectic week at the infirmary, she had a lot of work to cover at school. Her teachers didn't know that she was a Royal Physician hence thought she had skipped school.

The pinkette was annoyed that Ozai hadn't sent someone to the school to inform the administration that she would not be attending school for reasons only known to them. After all, he had been the one to demand that no one except the soldiers who had been at the battle in the North was to speak of Sakura's position as a war veteran. Everyone at the palace had been ordered to remain silent on her position as a medical practitioner for the Royal Family. She didn't know what the man was getting at for making her so invisible when she stood out amongst everyone.

It was a weekend and Sakura had the day off, surprisingly. She thought to visit Ozai and clear the misunderstanding between them so that she could live her life peacefully at the palace before the man ordered someone to assassinate her in her sleep but thought better of it. She would see to him later. She was at her greenhouse, a place she frequently visited whenever she wanted to be alone. Unfortunately, a certain trio didn't seem to get the message as they hunted her down and ambushed her at her sanctuary.

"Are you here to terrorise my peace with your mindless yapping or do I need to heal a broken bone?" she asked without turning to look at them as she watered her plants. Ever since coming back from their siege of Ba Sing Se, Azula visited Sakura every chance she could get with any minor injury. Of course, the medic couldn't refuse as she had sworn an oath to serve the Royal Family in all her ability as a physician. But often times, she felt herself itching to smash her fist into the smug princess's face as she healed a broken toe nail. It would just grow back naturally!

"Is that any way to greet your friends? I thought you were the friendly one between the two of us," Azula spoke as if she was the supreme ruler of the Fire Nation. "Please, we haven't been friends since three years ago. You avoided me like a plague when I wanted to reconcile. Now I don't care. If you don't have anything to say, you can kindly exit and leave me to my doings," the medic sneered.

"Geez, you could at least have a better bedside manner," the Fire Nation royal said with an eye roll. "Anyways, that doesn't matter. I'm here to challenge you to an Agni Kai."


Enjoy! Sorry for any grammatical errors!

Tozoonana

AfricanFire