35 First Flame 13

"On top of that, he seems to have some kind of foresight ability." the fire princess hummed to herself, eyes narrowing in thought. While it was something straight out a child's story, she already saw it in use and would not deny the reality of it like some weakling.

How it worked though, she did not know. He clearly had some grudge against her family to know so much about them and what happened on her fathers ascension to becoming Fire Lord and the death of her grandfather. But, he even knew more about the root of it than she did.

Her father…a cuckold? And that was where his hatred from Zuko stemmed from? But, from what Zan claimed, it was only a falsity her father believed, and Zuko was truly his son.

…She had no idea her father could be so foolish. There was only one person who could make her father believe Zuko was not of his loins, her mother. But how could he allow himself to believe as such? As foolish and as much of a disappointment her brother was, he was clearly leagues ahead of the common rabble, as expected of royal blood, and he was the spitting image of their father in his youth…well before father had melted half his face, but, still.

'So the only reason father truly favours me at all, is because mother has him convinced he's a pathetic cuckold, how unsightly.' Azula snorted. It was no wonder Zan had mocked her father so blatantly in front of her.

…How could her great, esteemed father, be so pathetic?

Well, at the very least, if Zan did not bare a grudge against her family, this apparent dragon spirit that possessed him and passed on these abilities to him did.

After all, if Zan truly did have a grudge against her and her family, he could have killed her, he had her at his mercy, but chose to let her live. And, it wasn't like Mai could ever stand up to Zan who could face her head on.

'For instance, let me tell you this. Despite what you may think, you are not a monster.'

His voice from that night drifted into her ears, and Azula shuddered, and felt her fingers tingle and go a bit numb.

Why did that sentence he said before parting ways with her keep resounding in her mind whenever she was alone? She wanted to hate him, beat him until he begged for mercy for humiliating her like he did.

…But when she remembered those words, her cheeks heated up, her heart thundered in her chest and her whole body felt warm, almost cozy even.

For so long, she had believed she was a monster. Her mother certainly thought so. But Zan, so certain of everything, so certain of himself and not afraid to speak his mind on anything, one who clearly saw no need of lying and boldly declared what he wanted to everyone and anyone, like a proud dragon, had said those words to her.

He knew she thought she was a monster, and was claiming otherwise. And laid the blame at her father's feet? It confused her.

He claimed she was incapable of loving someone, implying she wasn't fit to be his partner like Ty Lee of all people, because her father had brainwashed her? Manipulated her into thinking a specific way?

That didn't make sense, nobody could manipulate her, she was far too intelligent. And even then, what was wrong with her thinking the way she did? It was clearly right considering she was more or less at the highest position and the most powerful besides her father of the most powerful nation in the world.

…But then, hadn't Zan easily bested her? Hadn't he even laughed at her when she resorted to lightning generation, completely confident in his ability to deal with the most powerful form of fire bending?

And hadn't he claimed, that soon, he would be the most powerful being this world had ever seen? More powerful even than the Avatar's of old and not like the half trained bald twit running around currently?

'I need more information!' Azula rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Zan, he seemed to know so much, he had basically all the cards, and she had none.

How frustrating. Was this what Zuko always felt like back in the palace when he was ignorant to utterly everything going on and lost on how to proceed?

…She actually felt a little pity for dear Zuzu now.

And while she was here puzzling over everything and every interaction she'd had with Zan, trying to solve the puzzle he presented to her, he was probably off right now, mounting Ty Lee like a beast in heat and fucking her like the little slut she was.

"I do not understand his tastes." Azula huffed, pushing herself up off of her bed and divesting herself of her armour, tunic, underwear and all.

Once fully nude, the young princess stood in front of her mirror and admired herself. Was it those cow tits of Ty Lee's she wondered? Her eyes dipped to her chest.

It wasn't like she was lacking in the chest department herself, while not having a pair of udders like her former traitorous friend, Azula's own breasts were quite above average in size, more than a handful and topped with rosy nipples.

Her hips were wide, and full, her stomach toned, and her rear, while a bit smaller than Ty Lee's was still quite voluptuous itself, but toned, liker her stomach, and her legs were full, lean and luscious.

Azula would say a lot about her mother, but she would never deny her mother was a beautiful woman, only the best for her father after all, a prince of the fire nation at the time of their wedding. And she was even more beautiful still due to the royal blood in her veins, she was a direct upgrade on her mother.

"Perhaps he's not attracted to me specifically?" she wondered, for a moment, before dismissing that. She'd caught him admiring her backside a few times here and there.

Was it just then that Ty Lee bared more of her body to draw him in then? As it was, he could only admire her backside when she bad to bend over, every time she was around him, she was dressed in her armour and full battle gear after all.

No, it couldn't be that either. Zan, as flirtatious as he was with Ty Lee, it wasn't like he was some muscle headed buffoon that only thought of women, what he revealed to her, and the conversations they had while journeying together presented him as quite the intelligent and well planning one.

Grating as it was to admit, she knew the reason why he left. It was her pride getting the better of her at the same time his did. That was one of the reasons she was so drawn to him after all, he was a proud man, and when she took her anger out on him during her lack of sleep during the hunt for the Avatar and her envy upon seeing him and Ty Lee all up in each others personal space constantly, she'd rankled his own pride.

'If I hadn't done that, he would probably still be here right now, with me.' Azula sighed, shoulders slumping.

How aggravating. Her own pride had led to this situation, well that and her own tastes. As nice as Zan was to look at, she probably wouldn't be half as interested in him if he weren't so ferocious and prideful himself, it was like looking at the closest thing to an equal she would ever have, but one that couldn't quite measure up because he was a peasant in the end.

One that even a softer side that had come out here and there, and especially when he said those words to her. A side that was being reserved for Ty Lee now.

A pit formed in her stomach at the thought. Ty Lee truly was smarter than Azula gave her credit for, going for the main prize as she had. Now, even if she did get a hold of Zan again, which was unlikely unless she hunted him herself after getting stronger, she would be playing second fiddle to Ty Lee of all people.

"…And now I know how Zuzu felt when father favoured me over him, heh." Azula gave a rueful chuckle.

It was so amusing it made her want to cry.

…No, amusement wasn't quite like that…..

She sniffled a bit as her eyes prickled. This wasn't amusing at all.