Familial Love

"Finally." Azula breathed out in relief as she dismounted from her giant eel-hound and put her feet back down on dry land. "I thought these creatures were about to walk backwards given their insufferable slow pace."

"Don't tell me my little sister gets seasick." Zuko said with a mocking smile and chuckled after seeing her angry expression.

It was plain obvious she was afraid of him, and yet she couldn't help but to be genuine in times like these.

"Not at all... my emperor." She replied while resisting her urge for gritting her teeth. "It's just that they have short tempers, and even less obedience."

"I don't know what you are talking about, mine has yet to fail me." Zuko said with a light shrug, looking around his belongings for some metal spikes and unwrapped some of the meat he'd brought for the journey. "Besides, it was after all your decision. I told you I could've carried both of us through the skies in much less time." Zuko said as he finished making the pile and ignited it with a small gout of blue flame, completing the campfire.

"I would rather not bother you with the effort of carrying me." Azula answered while she ignored his annoying demonstration of superiority towards her.

Besides, she feared he might consider giving in to the temptation of dropping her from such an altitude.

Zuko skewered the pieces of meat on metal spikes and held one of them over his fire, handing the second one to Azula.

"What's on your mind?" He asked her out of the blue.

"What was it like..." Azula asked expectantly. "Killing father? And uncle? And all the others"

Zuko's piece of meat kept rotating over the flames as his expression turned into a thoughtful one before looking towards her.

"Honestly..." He began, his voice not faltering for even a second. "It all came so naturally to me. I concluded it as the only reasonable decision I had."

"That's surprising!" Azula said almost evenly, her voice betraying shreds of emotion. "I mean... I didn't think you had something like in you... I-I'm trying to say, ever since we've known each other you never..."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, allowing a smile to take shape as he turned his head and continued to roast his steak over the fire.

"Never stood my ground?" He finished her line of thought. "At first I found it amusing to pretend inferiority... but father decided to spoil my fun and push me while I was still dissatisfied with mother's leave." He spoke while inspecting his piece of meat with a calm expression. "Uncle and his supporters were only natural enemies to everything I stand for."

"I've heard about your coronation speech... I never thought you hold such strong opinions against the avatar." Azula bit out, this recent display of sentimentality getting under her skin. "I've never framed him as a tyrannical overlord as you described."

"I hate you, you know?" He said after a few moments had passed. "I mean, I do love you my dear sister. But seriously, the things I'm considering to do to you are unspeakable even for me."

Zuko blinked once and tilted his head slightly to the side, giving Azula a long look.

For an instant she was afraid that she'd pushed too far, and braced herself for the inevitable consequences.

But Zuko just gave his sister a genuine smile, his eyes making Azula even more uncomfortable.

"But I'm not cruel enough to let you, dear sister, live in despair under the sickening cycle of balance it forces onto the world."

Azula's eyes widened as Zuko finished cooking his lunch and tore a large chunk of the meat off the skewer with his teeth.

The emperor chewed his meal with a refined manner, ignoring the role of emotions in Azula's face.

She might not admit, but she was starting to respect her older brother, certainly for the first time ever.

Back then, she never would've thought she'd eventually see him as a war-hero, fearless and relentless ruler.

"You want to know what is so bad about the centuries old bender, known as the bridge between two worlds and keeper of balance." The young emperor's calm voice cut into her thoughts with eerie accuracy. "Am I right?"

Azula nodded without noticing, and Zuko gave her a small smile as he charmingly winked.

"Perhaps later, my dear sister." Zuko teased Azula. "Behave and I will share a few things I know."

After his reply, Azula became quiet for a few moments, before she began chewing through a small bite of meat.

As they waited for their mounts to rest properly, silence dawned over between them.

Both of the siblings were eating their meals, but to Azula's dread, her older brother's expression suddenly changed to a more serious one.

However, contrary to all of Azula's expectations, Zuko just laughed.

All of the gloom vanished from the atmosphere as if it had never even been there, and he faced her with a look of plain enjoyment.

"Well..." He sighed with a satisfied pat of his stomach. "That was delicious. And it looks like our mounts have rested well enough and are ready to continue." He said, gesturing over at the two eel-hounds that were chomping at their bits. "Shall we?"

Azula nodded and rose, wiping a few stray blades of grass from her skirt as she did so.

The pair re-mounted their eel-hounds and resumed the journey toward Gaoling, the sun shining down at them from its zenith.

Azula snuck a sideways glance at her brother as they raced along, suddenly acutely aware of a knot growing larger and larger in her stomach.

The image of Zuko spending time with everyone else but her flashed through her mind, unbidden.

She waited for a fortunate gust of wind before letting go of a breath she had been holding for quite a while, hiding her anxiety from her brother.

But unbeknownst to her, Zuko grinned.

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The two cloaked figures made their way towards the gates of Gaoling on foot, having tied up their mounts a mile back down the road.

"Skulking around like miserable peasants is completely undignified, my emperor." Azula complain pettily. "But I understand you have chosen for the stealth approach, so I won't complain."

Zuko chuckled. "Remember Azula, we're after someone who laid waste to an entire platoon of our soldiers." He reminded her. "Besides, I wanted to try a different approach from the time I rescued mother." He added with a smirk.

"Although, to be honest with you." Zuko said thoughtfully as he looked ahead of them towards the plain village appearing on the horizon. "I'm not entirely sure if I want to capture this place yet. Its major quality is the concentration of rich people, from my scouts reports. Imagine the immense wealth that an old aristocrat family like the Bei Fong possesses."

"In a place like this, we would find only a few rebels that can be easily crushed." Azula opined. "But this Blind Bandit that we're after is certainly something unexpected." the princess finished with disdain. "Shall we just finish already with this annoying kid?"

"A kid who has far more practical battle experience than you, sister." Zuko admonished her gently. "She might be young, true... and more than a little short-sighted, but she has earned my interest. And as for the easily disposable rebels, we shall see if they hold any valor." He continued. "You know that every capable individual who bends the knee and swears loyalty to me gets extensive support from my empire."

"All the more reason why I shouldn't waste more time with unnecessary precautions." Azula countered sharply, and Zuko let the matter drop with a grin.

They were almost at the gates of the city now, anyway; it was as good excuse as any to end an argument he knew he wasn't desiring to win.

The pair reached the entrance to Gaoling and walked into the village, which up-close was much larger than it had appeared from a distance.

It was a market day: the streets were lined with vendors tending to their portable stalls, hawking everything from gardening tools to protective charms.

Zuko took in a deep breath and smiled, basking in the atmosphere.

"I'm glad I decided to have you come with me." He said to Azula. "This isn't something you get to experience living in the palace all the time."

"I feel so deprived, my emperor." The princess said dryly, forcing a beggar out of her way with a sharp elbow to his belly. "I hope whoever this girl is, she refuses to come quietly."

"As do I." Zuko replied amusingly. "But if I can avoid, I'd rather not burn this place down."

"As if anyone would miss it, bro- I mean, my emperor." Azula grumbled as politely as she could, but said nothing else on the subject.

"Alright, you may call brother already." Zuko smiled at his sister.

"I rather-" Azula began before Zuko grabbed her wrist and faced her with his usual smirk.

"Oh please, I insist." He said before returning to walk forwards.

"You know, I heard from my sources about an underground Earthbending circuit here in Gaoling." Zuko broached as the pair made their way through the main market thoroughfare. "If we're lucky, it's still running. Any Earthbender strong enough to face our armies would definitely be strong enough to win some money on the side with their skill."

Azula nodded. "That's reasonable." She said. "Have your sources provided you with information regarding a way to get in…" Azula trailed off as she looked up to see a sign for 'Master Yu's Earthbending Academy'. "Ah." She said. "This might be of some help to us, brother."

"I agree." Zuko replied, cycling through possible approaches in his head before coming up with a better idea. "How do you want to handle this?"

"There are bound to be some rich brats in there who would know the ins and outs of an illegal fighting competition." The princess explained. "All we have to do is convince one of them to get us entry— and if your sources are right, the Earthbender we're looking for will walk right into our hands."

"My thoughts exactly." The young emperor said approvingly. "Looks like the lesson is still going on, though—how about a snack while we wait for it to end?"

"What?" Azula asked, surprised. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely." He said confidently.

As they made their way back into the throng, stopping at the first food stall they saw.

It was a fish vendor, pedaling fresh fish from the southern coast.

The jars with the new catch smelled off, though, so Zuko went for the cured fish jerky instead.

Tossing the vendor a silver piece more than he owed, the young emperor returned the nod of thanks.

Azula could only frown upon her brother's behavior.

"Hey, listen." He whispered, leaning over the stall's makeshift counter. "Do you know if the Earth Rumble tournament is running this time of year?"

The vendor shook his head. "You don't want to mess around with them." The vendor said lowly. "Bunch of hooligans, if you ask me. Every time that tournament gets to the end, it draws every brawl-hungry low-life from one-hundred miles around here to Gaoling. Just a few days ago another vendor got knocked over by a bunch of thugs for demanding that they pay him—disgraceful."

Hearing the conversation and finding it awfully boring, Azula rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Zuko replied with visible sincerity. "But my sister and I heard that some of the best Earthbenders in the whole Earth Kingdom come here to compete, and she really wanted to see what they could do. Are you sure there's no way to watch the tournament?"

"Oh, there are ways in, all right." The vendor answered, some of the bitterness leaving his voice. "Friends and family of the contestants get in free, but if you're not one of them you'll need a ticket."

"And where might I be able to find one of those?" He asked, only to be met with a shrug.

"Beats me." The vendor replied dismissively, shaking his head. "Like I said, I don't bother with that sort of thing— and neither should you, if you want my advice boy."

Before Azula dared to speak, Zuko refrained her by making a simple gesture of raising his hand.

"Fair enough." Zuko acquiesced with a short nod. "Thanks for the fish."

Azula grunted as she made her way through the crowd again alongside Zuko and back towards the academy.

He needed to find somewhere to get tickets to this tournament, but the last people he wanted to deal with were shifty, back-room bookies.

"Any ideas brother?" Azula asked, finding her older brother's recent failure a little too amusing for her.

"As a matter of fact I do." Zuko smiled back, taking away all of Azula's joy. "Wait for her for a while, I will be back in no time."

"But-..." Before she gave him her reply, he had already left. "Sure."

A few minutes later, Azula was about to consider her brother had abandoned her when someone sneaked behind her and spooked her by suddenly speaking.

"Everything is settled, shall we move now dear sister."

"How odd, care to explain how you succeed?" Azula asked while still recovering from her recent scare.

"I have my ways." Zuko winked at her. "Now, the first match shall start at sundown." He continued. "Let's find somewhere to stay until then."

"Agreed" Azula conceded.

"There should be quieter inns on the far side of this town, between the main district and the wealthy area on the outskirts. Let's check there first." Zuko reasoned.

"Please, lead the way, brother." Azula said with a nod, and the pair set off.

"So, in your opinion..." Azula broached after a few moments. "Who are you considering to marry?"

"What? Marriage?" The young emperor asked curiously, and his sister nodded.

She gave a small shrug. "I mean, now that you are ruling the fir- I mean, Blaze Empire, you ought to sire a heir to guarantee your lineage. You might be an immensely powerful bender, but as you will see, politics never really change. I just want to make sure you are not forgetting nor dismissing these minor details. It's understandable that you might not be aware of the whole courtship ceremony matters as well. Knowing Mai, as much competent as I consider her, I don't think she is up to par for the responsibilities relegated to such a position."

"My eleven years old sister wants to talk about marriage?" Zuko laughed, his voice contemplative. "Are you worried about your big brother? How sweet of you Azula."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Azula replied quickly.

Zuko arched a slim eyebrow at that. "I'm surprised you would badmouth our childhood friend like that Azula."

He smiled. "I seem to remember someone having a crying fit when me and Mai began to get along a few years ago."

Azula bristled underneath her cloak, a heartbeat later, she'd continued her stride without missing another step.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Azula said stiffly. "Forget that I even brought this topic then. If you choose to waste your time on that humorless aristocrat, what business is that of mine?"

"None, of course." Zuko said calmly, stifling his smirk. "But rest assured, as far as I'm concerned..." The young emperor continued, smoothly steering the conversation. "Mai and I are only friends who really enjoy each other's presence."

Zuko chuckled scornfully at his sister's confusion, suddenly turning into embarrassment.

"Stop talking nonsense." She parried. "Mai would rather turn you into a porcupine than to accept second place."

Zuko laughed openly at that, and Azula's eyes narrowed.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, and Zuko shook his head.

"I'll tell you later, when you are older." He said, gesturing up ahead of them. "Here we are."

The inn was a humble building.

It was out of the way and affordable, however, which suited Zuko and Azula's needs just fine.

The young emperor paid for a room with one bed and thanked the innkeeper, his mood improving noticeably when the woman mentioned that supper would be served in a few hours.

"We'll be there." He said immediately.

Azula just shook her head, muttering something insulting that Zuko didn't care to pay attention. "Thank you for letting us know."

"My pleasure." The woman said with a short bow. "Please enjoy your stay."

The two disguised young siblings climbed up the stairs to the second floor, making their way to the room and going inside.

It was spacious enough, with a small balcony on the far side covered by a screen of decorative tapestry.

Zuko set down their packs and rolled his shoulders with a sigh, glad to be free of the burden.

He kicked off his shoes and collapsed down onto the bed with a casually flop.

"Wake me when they call for dinner." He said hazily, already sounding half-asleep. "If you would be so kind…"

Azula suddenly noticed there was only one bed, after hesitating for a few seconds, she settled down besides her brother and sighed, glad to feel something soft beneath her after a long journey away from home.

She rested her head against the pillows and closed her eyes, trying to drift off to sleep.

But it didn't work.

All she could think about was her brother's enigmatic laughter when she'd mentioned Zuko's relationship with Mai, and the cryptic promise that he would tell her about it when she is old enough.

Azula hated secrets that she didn't know, and something she didn't know about her brother was just that much more insufferable.

What was he keeping from her?

Frustrated, the princess got off the bed and took a series of calming breaths, beginning the motions of a basic Firebending kata.

She was resolved to take her mind off of this annoying, ultimately pointless mystery: Zuko might have been hiding his power, but she would definitely catch up.

Somehow.

Azula had sworn years ago that no one would ever beat her in a duel, and she intended to uphold that oath—especially where her own brother was concerned.

———————————————————

"Mmmmm." Zuko exhaled appreciatively as he leaned over the hot bowl of stew and let the aroma waft up to him. "This smells delicious. Thank you very much for the meal."

"You're too kind young man." The innkeeper said with a smile, her cheeks dimpling slightly. "It's nice just to have some company, to be honest. Not many people come through here, even when that tournament's going on."

The woman bowed and left the pair to their dinner, busying herself with tidying up the adjacent main room.

Azula took a spoonful of the stew and sipped, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"That's… actually consumable." She said with her usual tone. "I keep trying to talk the cooks at home into roasting our turtle-ducks into a stew like this, but you have always been too attached to them."

Zuko chuckled. "Guilty, I have a soft-spot for animals." The young emperor said.

Noticing the searching look his sister was giving him over her spoon, he finished up his spoonful and sighed.

"Spill it already?" He asked. "I can read your mind, you know."

"So... tell me what is in my mind?" Azula asked after finishing a sip of her soup.

"You are curious about my sudden interest in Mai and Ty Lee. You question, what could they have to offer that is worthy of attention from the all mighty me." He said casually while staring into her golden eyes.

"Ho- Let's pretend that's the case, what would your answer be?" Azula quickly recovered from her shock and countered his teasing with another question.

Zuko smiled slyly, letting the question hang for a few seconds while he ate another spoonful of soup.

As he saw Azula get more and more agitated by his silence, the young emperor's smile widened.

"I can't believe it." He said at last. "My little sister is actually jealous of the girls?"

"I am not!" Azula snapped back quickly, her voice sharp and venomous. "The three of you could all go and die for all I care."

Zuko's smile vanished, and as his eyes darkened Azula suddenly found that she wasn't looking at her lackadaisical, easy-going brother anymore.

Instead, he was once more every bit the cold killer; a powerful bender that killed the fire lord and inherited his position.

"Careful now, Azula." He said flatly.

"Everyone has selfish feelings. Denying them is worse than stupid; it is the quickest way to die full of disappointments. And don't rely so heavily on intimidation, especially when you are so clearly outmatched."

"Forgive me, I wasn't intending to offend you brother." the princess said defensively, taking another sip to hide her growing nervousness at the shift in atmosphere. "I-I've always learned from my father that fear is a weapon to be controlled, and wielded. It can't harm those who dominate it."

Zuko was silent for several beats, his eyes impossibly darkening even further.

His gaze was now cold and ruthless, and Azula was having trouble holding it.

"You have never taken someone's life, have you?" He asked quietly at last, the soft tone of his voice creating such a sharp discord with the look on his face that his sister almost faltered.

Almost.

"No."

"Have you ever considered that there are fates worse than death?"

"Yes."

Zuko smiled, the expression at once icy and profoundly calm. "Then you know at least something about fear, sister." He said, his voice still hushed. "But for your sake, I hope you never get dependent on your ability to provoke fear into the heart of the others." Zuko finished as he raised his bowl to his lips and drank in the rest of his stew. "With all my power, I can easily lay waste to the other nations and burn my foes to cinders, but I would be a complete fool if I didn't cherish all my precious people. Father was an imbecile for not seeing this simple truth."

His words hit Azula like a hammer-blow, forcing her into silence for several heartbeats as she mulled them over.

She finished her meal instinctively, lost in thought.

It was a point of view she'd never heard before, the closest thing she had heard came from their mother, but she had never expected to hear that from the cold blooded Zuko.

Her father had always been her role model, he had drummed into her that empathy was a weakness and the very opposite of strength, and she had vowed to avenge his death when the time came.

"Father would probably disagree with me." The young emperor spoke into the silence, causing Azula to idly wonder if his earlier claim about not being clairvoyant was a lie. "But I'm sure I proved myself stronger than him, even though I held such opposing philosophy."

The next few minutes passed in a tense silence.

The need to do something to take her mind off of her brother's advice trumped her boredom.

"Whatever happens, though..." Zuko said as he drew her attention. "I want you to know that I still love you, despite all of my desire to punish you."

'As contradictory as you were confused, brother' Azula thought, but kept it to herself.

"Come on." The young emperor continued, rising to his feet. "The sun is going to set soon; we should get going."

"I've been looking forward to this." Azula said, her voice edged with vicious anticipation. "The way you've been crediting our target, my expectations couldn't be higher."

Zuko made an offended noise in the back of his throat, his expression lined with mock-hurt. "Am I the kind to compliment someone undeservingly?"

"That's not what I meant, brother." Azula replied airily, the ominous mood of their earlier conversation left behind almost completely.

"Good." He said. "Shall we?"

Azula nodded.

"I wonder if you will end up liking her." He mused to himself, loud enough for Azula to hear.

She flashed him a stony look as the pair left the inn, but he just smiled back.

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(11/10/2020)

*Apologies for my long absence. College is really taking a toll over my free time, and some minor health issues made things even harder for me. But rest assured, I'm not dropping my stories.

Hope this chapter is of your liking. Anything you wish to ask, feel free to do so.

Thanks as always for your attention and please be safe.

Any problems with my writing, just point them out and I will correct them as soon as possible.

** If the characters are becoming too much out of character, I will attempt to frame them more accurately next time! 😅