The Fire Lord

Appa, to his enormous weight, gently landed in the middle of The Fire Nation capital’s centre square. Zuko and Toph fast jumped out of the saddle. The young prince has hoped they weren’t too late, if Azula is already crowned Fire Lord there was not much he could have done. Of course then again he has heard rumours about his sitter having mental problems and banishing everyone in service from the palace, probably that was the reason why he haven’t got surprised on that no one shot at them while they approached the capital.

As they ran up towards the palace building to Zukos relief they noticed the coronation wasn’t done yet. ‘Wait a moment Zuko’ said for himself in thought, ‘they haven’t even started yet…’ he wondered just for a moment. As they got closer he noticed Azula sitting in her coronation throne, impatiently waiting for something, while as the Fire Sages with the crone were standing right behind her ‘is she waiting for me?’ Zuko asked again surprised, but then forced himself to continue with  the plan.

“You won’t be crowned here today Azula” he shouted out as they got into hearing distance “not while I’m here.” he continued still shouting.

“Oh hey there Zuzu” Azula looked up “I was waiting for you to show up” she continued with a smirk “let me guess you came to challenge me to an Agni Kai over the throne, right?” she asked not even bothering to get up.

“Yes that is correct” Zuko continued awkwardly, not really knowing how he should react, Azula seemed to be in her element just as usual.

“I see” Azula stood up finally; “I’m sorry but my answer is no.” she answered bluntly surprising Zuko once more.

“What?” Zuko asked back trying to at least keep the illusion up of that he is in control “Y-you have no other choice, I won’t let you be crowned today and as I have heard you have banished all your servants, so there is no one to defend you, which means… you will have to fight me…” Zuko tried get down to it logically although he was very much confused on Azula’s calm reaction

“Correction, I banished all my father’s servants, those whom I couldn’t trust. Besides I still have here all whom I need,” she pointed towards the shade of the portico surrounding the coronation square, from where two, one at each side, wearing the blue colours of the water tribe walked out. A young girl at Azula’s ages and slightly older men walked out, Zuko had seen them before on Amber Island, he knew how capable benders they were.
“Oh and if you would be wandering, we even have backup, although I doubt we would need it.” Azula continued as four more, from behind the throne walked out to the light, two in the Dai Lee’s uniform wear, a Koyoshi warrior and on older men in the blue inform of the southern water tribe.

“As you can see, we are more the capable to take you two down” Azula looked first at Zuko, then for a second at Toph who stood a bit further away. “even without me having to fight” she laughed a little. “but that’s not why I was waiting for you, with this” she pointed backwards at the waiting Fire Sages, meaning the coronation  

“Zuko, we need to talk” the princess said, finally, with a gentle and personal touch in her voice, what just pierced all of Zukos mental armour, he has built up for this battle.

“not about the coronation, not about this war, or the avatar, but just about us” Azula got into this, walking down the stairs towards Zuko. “About you and me, our family, or at least what’s left of it” she finished getting down next to her brother “I won’t fight you anymore brother” she spoke silently so just Zuko could hear it, “I need you on my side, next to me, I need you to help me correct the mistakes, father and…” she could hardly say it “mother made, the wounds on the world all around us… all alike as the ones inside you and me” she spoke sadly, but confident “I set out on this journey about a year ago and I have no intention of stopping with it, b-but I would be happy to have you at my side brother, Zuzu” she faced Zuko finally, “so what do you say?”

Zuko at first wanted to find a way out, after all this must have been just another one of Azula’s sick games, but he just couldn’t help how it all got trough him, it all was in her eye as his sister faced him, he has never seen her like this, expect… it was so long ago… the morning after their mother  left… all out Azula seemed uncaring for it, she even informed him happy about it the next morning, but then after she couldn’t been seen for days, she locked herself in her room, not even her friends got trough to her, no one expect Zuko, he was the only one knowing the secret passageway into Azula’s room, he has sneaked in  every night on that week, to be there for his sister, she have told her little of what really happened, but still that was the only time, when he, they have felt close together, when Azula looked at him, with such honest and open eyes. Since then he has forgot those days, but now she was here again, his sister needed him, well then how could he say no, to at least listen to her.

“I will listen to what you have to say Azula” the prince said finally.

“Thank you Zuko, that’s all I need from you” the Fire Princess responded, leading Zuko towards the inner gardens, right after he, told Toph to wait with Appa for a little. Soon they got to the turtle duck pond where they were playing a lot, when they were little, Only Katara and Soren escorted them, but now even they stayed out of hearing range.

“look Zuko, I know you have no reason to trust me now, but pleas really just hear me out, I know it’s confusing and that you will have questions, but we don’t have much time, so first just let me try to explain” Azula started finally, receiving a nod from Zuko

“Its about father and all this war. As you probably have noticed too, he is crazy and he along with this war, with this Phoenix king business has to stop.” the raven hair girl explained. “And he will be, I made sure of that Zuko, he won’t ever hurt you or me, or anyone on this world ever again.” she spoke with devotion in her voice. ‘what has happened to you’ he didn’t say it, but Azula could see the question in Zuko’s eyes, so she quickly continued

It all started a bit more than a year ago, by father’s order I was checking upon the Southern Raiders, while testing a prototype ship, close to the southern pole, we got into a storm and the ship was damaged. We had to pull it to shore to fix the damage, so we get ashore at a small tribe, where I have met someone, who become very important to me” the fire princess paused here and looked at Katara with a warm smile and blazing eye, what Zuko couldn’t help but notice. “I have fallen for her first sight, at first she was afraid of course, actually ran out of the tribe into the ice fields with me after her   a blizzard caught us in the middle of nowhere so we had to take shelter in a cave for days. I have kept her warm” she was still smiling from the memories; Zuko was just surprised how happy and content she seemed to be. “then we started talking, she have told me how the Southern Raiders took away her mother from her, while I have told her how I-We lost our mother. We healed each other just by being there for the other, understanding deeper than anyone else could, she was there for me I was there for her, as we are ever since, we came out of that cave stronger, cleaner and as lovers, as one. I also have promised her that I will end this war once and for all.” the raven hair girl explained to her brother.

“I actually have noticed the problems with father a lot earlier, as I bet you also did, but I just didn’t couldn’t act on my realizations, I-I didn’t want anything just him, to accept, praise and love me, well after I returned from my mission it was no longer the case, I could see right through him, but I couldn’t just walk away as you did on the Day of The Black Son, I had a promise to keep and the best way, place for me to accomplish that   was on the Fire Nation war council. We have sneaked in the Northern Water Tribe took some bending Scrolls. Hunted the Avatar and you in the Earth Kingdome, Conquered Be Cing Ce and stopped the avatars attack on the capital, but all along that I, we were planning for today, where it all comes to its end.” Azula looked at Zuko here if he has any questions.

“How actually do you plan to overthrow father? This is his day after all, with Comet he will be stronger than ever, do you plan on challenging him to an Agni Kai” he asked, causing Azula to chuckle

“No Zuko that would be you, I will let other deal with him, namely the avatar, who is if I’m correct is at the moment engaging him.” Azula answered still grinning  

“And what’s with his troops, cannot they pose a threat to you and the avatar?” the young Prince asked again.

“I have full control over the Air Fleet by my Admiral Sisko who commands it, they pull out as soon as the battle starts leaving Father alone, as for the garrison in Ba Cing Ce, yes there he has some loyal units, but so do I alongside with the Dai Lee.” she explained.

“I see” Zuko  stated, “I’m sorry but we/I have to tell you there is one more element in this game what you haven’t consider, Ba Cinge Ce won’t stay in Fire Nation hand after this day.”

“I Assume you mean Uncle Iroh and the White Lotus underground,” Azula smirked “I can assure you I’m very much aware of his actions as I have made those plans myself” she couldn’t help but laugh out loud seeing Zukos confused face “Zuzu did you really think Iroh could break out from that cell all alone without bending? he is good, but not that good, Soren here have helped him, ever since he prepared at Ba Cing Ce to assure to end this war today” she put her hand on Zukos shoulder,

“as you can see I have considered every possibility and I have everything under control, expect one thing and that is your role, you are my brother, my family and I don’t want to fight with you anymore, so I ask you, please join my side and let us end this war together and bring that new area to the word what Shozin had dreamed off, expect not by war, but by peace.” Azula finished waiting for Zukos answer with genuine hopeful expectation in her eyes.

After a long second of thinking Zuko just looked into his sisters eyes, amber met amber, and he just nodded, their eyes told the rest to each other. He then kneeled down before Azula , took her right hand, kissed it. “Long Live the Fire Lord” he stated lastly.