Chapter 9: Moving In/The announcement

Kaizar's POV

Iroh and I walked out. My heart still full of shock. In a moment, I had gone from a nobody guest in the palace, to a Prince of a Fire Nation and adopted son to the Crown Prince. Iroh and I walked to the area of the palace where I had caught the assassin. It was still under repair. I saw pieces of the shattered boulder that I broke my wrist on.

Iroh stopped at the rubble looked down and picked up a piece, "Here you go young Kaizar." He said as he handed it to me.

I looked up confused, "what is this for sir?"

He smiled and laughed, "haha non of this 'sir' nonsense anymore. I have adopted you into my family. You may call me Iroh, father, or dad if you'd like. I will not force you to call me anything else. Anyways, I am handing you this so you see how far you have come. When I met you I saw a boy eager to learn, but an empty cup none the less. You were weak in skill as you knew nothing, but strong in the mind. You were a blank slate, but through your own training the training of my son and time you have put into your studies you have become incredibly powerful. No one I have ever met other than an earthbender could shatter a boulder like that and you did. You saved my life and….your new brother's life. So, keep this piece to remind yourself how your consistent training and discipline has affected not only you but saved the lives of those around you." He smiled.

I looked in awe of the great man standing before me. As literal legend that had become a dear friend and mentor. He handed me what I considered just a piece of dirt and made it so much more…He said I could call him dad. I'm not sure I was ready for that so Iroh would do for now, but he was a father figure and I now had a brother.

Emotion was always hard for me as I was usually treated with mild neglect from most people in the palace and my old family, but something welled up inside of me. Iroh, Lu Ten, Zuko, Ursa, and Azula were the only people to ever show me kindness. They had made me feel something akin to family. I lunged forward and hugged Iroh as tears formed in my eyes. The events of everything caught up to me. The rescue, the adoption, the speech Iroh just game me and I did something I hadn't done in well…ever. I gave Iroh a hug. I had never been one for human contact but deep down I think I craved someone to hold me and tell me they cared for once. In that moment my heart outran my brain.

"Ooof" Iroh said as I gripped him tightly.

"Thank you, Iroh, for everything. I was so scared. I remember your's and Lu Ten's training, but I almost froze." I cried and admitted in his shirt.

Iroh smiled as he embraced his newest son, "I was scared too, and you never should have needed to act, but you did. You did everything right and saved everyone important to you. Remember courage is not the absence of fear, but is the ability to act in the service of others and yourself despite the fear. You acted with great courage and honor Kaizar. I am very proud of you….my son. Now come let us get you settled in."

We walked into the royal chambers and it was incredible. It was much more ornate than my old room. And Lu Ten was there studying. He got up and rushed me quickly into a hug himself "you saved my life. Thank you." He let go of me looking great full.

"Lu Ten I have news." Iroh said.

"What is it father?" He asked.

"The fire lord, in his great wisdom, has seen fit to bestow a reward to Kaizar for saving us. He wished for him to be adopted into the royal family seeing as he does not have a family of his own. This was the greatest gift the Fire Lord could give him. I have been thinking about bringing him into this family for some time and his recent actions have cemented these thoughts. You have often talked of having a little brother in him anyways, so I accepted him as my son. Is this alright my son?" Iroh explained.

Lu Ten looked shocked. He then looked to me, smiled and yelled, "LITTLE BROTHER!" as he wrapped me in a bear hug. "Come on you can share a room with me." He smiled. We walked off to get myself settled in.

We walked into a huge room with lots of room and even a small exercise area. "I'll have the servants put a new bed in here by the end of the night! We can talk about training techniques, I can help you with your homework! It will be great. I've always wanted a little brother." He said.

"Me too Lu Ten! I'm even happier it's you. I've considered you a big brother as well as my master for awhile now." I said sheepishly

He grinned, "don't think I am going to take training easy on you now that you're my brother. It's going to get even more intense now."

I gulped.

Iroh POV

As I watched the two of them walk off my heart became full. I had always felt bad I could not give Lu Ten a sibling after his mother died, but now here he was in a different but not unwelcome way. He will be treated as a blood son to me for all time. I would treat him no differently than Lu Ten. He will be loved.

Truly though, this boy was something special. When he shattered the boulder, he did what no other fire bender could do. Haha maybe I should train with him. He could teach me something. I could see my father really did believe him to be the avatar for a moment.

I left to go to the servants and have them move Kaizar's belongings into my quarters.

2 days later

Kaizar's POV

I was just finishing getting ready. Today was the royal address where fire Lord Azulan would announce that I would have my coronation in 4 days and to prepare festivals in my name. It all felt amazing and scary. I felt I did not deserve this. As I finished getting ready, I looked to Lu Ten.

"Looking good little brother. You ready?" He said acting like he was not wearing the same exact thing. He was wearing the prince formal gear…..and now, due to the recent status changes, so was I.

"Yeah, I'm ready, but I still don't fell right accepting this. It was my duty." I said.

"Ah enough of that of course you deserve it. You saved me and dad. Now come on father and grandfather will kill us if we are late." He shouted as he ran out the room.

When we got to the announcement deck, we saw everyone standing there. All the inner circle nobles and even Ozai and his family. Zuko smiled at me but was held in place by proper procedures.

We stood behind the fire lord as the doors opened to the deck. The fire lord made his way out to the sounds of deafening cheers. Azulan had both his hands up as if embracing the cheers. He then turned his wrists signaling the public to stop their cheering as he had something to say.

"I fire lord Azulan have come to you my people with an announcement that will affect us all." I held my breath I was so nervous. "As many of you have heard, the cowardly earth kingdom had sent an assassin after my son, grandson, and after further study myself. However, the attack has shown us our weaknesses and we have become stronger for it!" The cheers deafened the earth around me again and then quickly quieted back down. "My life, crown Prince Iroh, and Lu Ten's life was saved. Not by guards, or my own family, but by a noble's orphaned son."

I really didn't like the way he phrased that. Not only that it made me sound like a pathetic charity case that lived in the castle, but everyone who hated my birth father knew I lived there. They still hated me for what he did to their lands and his unfair taxes. Hell, so did I. A booing rose in the crowd as they knew who he was talking about. The people hated me, and now I'd be there Prince….if that was the case I would be better. I would learn and be a good Prince the people would love.

"I know you had reservations of Onzo, but his sins are not Kaizar's." The people began to settle. "Through his time, training, and dedication Kaizar has become powerful, disciplined, and driven. He is the model citizen and did his duty and more when he himself at the age of 7 stopped a fully grown earth bender and shattered his bending with his bare hands." The crowd began to murmur in approval. "It is for this reason that I have bestowed upon him a great reward. Prince Iroh has agreed to adopt young Kaizar into my family. Kaizar will be the next prince of the fire nation and last in line for the throne. I am here to announce his coronation will take place in 4 days on Saturday at noon. A festival shall also take place to celebrate."

He looked back and gestured me to join him. I stepped forward and the crowd saw me. A mix of cheers for the boy who saved their Prince and the son of the man who put many of them in poverty. "For his second gift I shall bestow an honorary title." My eyes widened. I didn't know I was getting a title! That was a huge honor. Iroh had the Dragon of the West title and he's the only guy I know who has one! I wasn't a dragon for I had not killed one but what was I going to get?

Azulan looked to me lit his hand ablaze and put it on my shoulder and moved it from one shoulder to another, "kneel young Kaizar, my grandson." I did as I was told. "For your amazing feat as witnessed by my son Prince Iroh I name you, rise Kaizar the Earth Breaker." The cheers were deafening and all for me the youngest person to receive a title in 700 years.

Later that night….

I was restless that night and decided to train a bit on my own. I went to the training hall and began my calming dragon katas.

"You have done well Kaizar." A voice rang out

I turned my head in shock and saw the one guy in the palace that scared me as much as the fire lord, Prince Ozai, "O-oh hello Prince Ozai" I bowed.

"The youngest in 700 years to become titled, becoming a Prince with a place in line for the throne, adopted by my brother. You have achieved much in four years. You honor your father, yet you are still training. It is impressive that you are not satisfied."

"Never" I said darkly. And I wasn't I would not be satisfied until I achieved my dream. It developed over time and just grew. I saw the power that was Agni, the people weren't to blame for my father's death my father was. I wasn't strong enough. My goal was to become the most powerful fire bender ever. And I mean sheer power. No tricks, no techniques, just power enough to blow away foes.

"Good" he replied just as seriously, "continue on this path and I see great rewards and destiny in your future." Then he walked away ominously.

Something told me Ozai wasn't as done with me as I once believed.