What is Mine-Part One

My Father took me to see my grandfather when I was about ten years of age. My real grandfather that is. Not the one that I had long considered more than a great-uncle. He took me to a prison buried deep beneath a volcano and told me not to speak; to just stay quiet and let him talk. I was so scared, that I clutched the backs of his robes the entire time we were descending into the prison. I had never met the man my father hated so much. I hated him, too. But when I finally set my eyes on the sunken bag of bones slumped in a corner, I found that I didn't hate him. I pitied him. His prison garb was moth eaten and swallowed him whole. He was emaciated from eating nothing but prison food and when he cast his golden eyes on me, I drew back frightened.
"Well if it isn't the Royal family coming to greet me. I'm afraid that I'm not quite dressed for company, though." His eyes bored into mine and a quiet smirk slid across his face. "I see you have not failed to produce an heir. Shame it's not a boy, although I myself do know how valuable daughters can be."
My father squeezed my shoulder tightly and pulled me closer. "We're not here to discuss my daughter, Ozai. I'm actually here to discuss my sister. It seems she has escaped from prison."
Ozai throws his head back and laughs thunderously. "Your sister always had the knack for strategy. I don't doubt she bided her time in that gods forsaken place you call a mental ward until she had the chance of escaping."
"She's after my daughter. I won't let her lay a finger on her. We'll find her and she'll be transported back to where she belongs. I need your help in doing so." My father's words were curt and strong. I could sense that he was afraid and trying his hardest not to show it.
"What do you want me to do? I'm stuck in this cell to rot out my days."
"I was wondering if you knew of anywhere she might be hiding. Where would she go?"
"Your sister's mind is unfathomable to me. If she were to be hiding anywhere, it wouldn't be what was expected of her." He takes a shaky breath then speaks again. "What makes you so sure she is after your little princess?"
Father crouches to my level and offers me a kind smile. "Show him the note, dear. It's okay, he can't hurt you."
I fish the little wad of paper out of my pocket. I had received it the following day with the ominous words scrawled across: I will regain what is rightfully mine.  I shove my tiny hands through the bars and hand Ozai the note. He studies it for a moment, then hands it back to me.
"She wants her crown back."
"I already knew that!" Zuko snaps. "Say something a little more helpful."
"Maybe I could offer better assistance if I wasn't in here and completely void of my bending, as it is I can't really help you. Even Azula's closest subjects couldn't predict what she was capable of."
I could see the steam radiating of my father. "Thank you for all your help." He grabs my arm and marches me out of the prison. He was still shaking by the time we were back in our palanquin.
"I brought you for a reason, you know?"
I nodded as if I understood, but I really didn't.
"I wanted you to see the man that made me who I am today." He wraps me in his arms and I could feel how rigid his whole body was. "I won't ever be like that man. That I can promise you. I will also never let Azula harm you. She has tried taking everything that is precious from me. I won't let her take you."  






The men watch as she strolls in to the barracks. They probably haven't seen a woman in months much less the Fire Nation princess. Honoura watches amused as all the United Forces recruits scramble to pack away stained undergarments and brush fresh dirt off their skin. She flashes them a smile and walks up to the nearest bunk.
"Excuse me, have you seen Bumi around?"
The man bows before stuttering unintelligible comments. "That isn't necessary. Please don't do so. You already humble me by bravely serving our nation."
She thought that the boy was going to faint. Thankfully Bumi came to her recscue. She felt his warm hands slide around her waist, hot from sweat where he had been training. He brushed her hair back and kissed her neck eagerly.
"Maybe we should go somewhere more, uh, private?"
Honoura stares at the recruit before her all red faced and bulging eyes; thinking yes that would be best. She takes Bumi's hand and lets him lead her outside. The blinding sun greets them and she is already starting to sweat from the heat.
"To what do I owe this honor, princess?" He gives her a mocking bow complete with a full arm swish and curtsy. She punches him and giggles.
"Stop that! It's bad enough that whenever I come to visit, your buddies almost fall apart."
He pulls her to him. "Hey, they are just jealous that they aren't dating the most beautiful woman in the Fire Nation." He goes to kiss her but before he can, she thrusts an envelope between them.
"What's this?"
"An invitation to a party celebrating our father's finishing of Republic City. They're finally going to cut the ribbon and officially open it. You and all the United Forces are invited."
Bumi takes the envelope which has the seal of the Fire Lord stamped into it. He pulls out his knife and breaks the seal pulling out the letter inside.
"A party, huh? It's not going to be as stuffy as it was last time, is it?"
Honoura laughs as she remembers the world summit in which all the world leaders had visited the palace. A ball had been held upon their arrival and as Bumi had stated, it lacked certain luster.
"Don't worry. This will be held in Republic Cities own capital building. Oh! I can't wait to see it! My father hasn't even taken me once since construction."
"Yeah, guess I better brush up on my dancing skills." A whistle blows in the distance signaling that whatever break that had consisted, was now over. Bumi gives her a salute and runs off to the training center. She goes to wait in his quarters.

Honoura thinks of her father's dull eyes and the bags that were growing more present every day. He was fading fast and now with this Republic City project increasing, his stress was mounting. She almost hadn't come this time. Almost. Her grandfather's wise words had convinced her otherwise.
"Do not stress over what we cannot change, for that will accomplish nothing." He had also said something about not trying to not alter the course of rivers but she hadn't entirely gotten that part. Honoura still had the note. It was crumbles up in her desk drawer and she would take it out every now and again to remind herself. She knew that this also why her father's stress was so great. Azula hadn't struck yet. She hadn't even tried. Honoura was eighteen now and would be coronated in a few years. Why was she waiting?


Fire Lord Zuko was sitting in his office pouring over figures when the guard burst in.
"Sir! We have urgent news! We have just received news that your sis- I uh, mean prisoner Azula has escaped!"
The papers fluttered to the floor and at first Zuko were too shocked to speak.
"How did this happen?"
"We don't know, sir. We are investigating it now."
"I want the guard duty doubled. My daughter's and I, our room will be guarded at all times." The guard nodded at his request.
"I want you and every local guard there is to scour the Fire Nation high and low. You will not rest until you find her."
The guard bows and closes the door behind him with a click. Zuko has half a mind to go down to Moon Bay Island and fire every prison guard working there. But that wouldn't do any good. He had been a fool to think that an island could have held his sister. He should have made Aang take her bending and forced her into the same cell as Father. No, he had been soft. He had seen that half crazed look on her face and thought that he could reform her, to help her. To be the brother she had needed. There was no help for the power hungry, though. Some people just wanted to watch the world burn.
The next day he requests an immediate transportation to Moon Bay Island. Aang travels with him, his face finally reaching the stages of adult hood.
"I'm sure we'll find her Zuko."
"You don't know her like I do. She finds it her one joy in life to hurt me."
When they reach the island, they are immediately taken to the rehabilitation center to which she was being held. Fire Nation rehab centers bordered on the level of cruelty, as Zuko came to find out. Aang had the misfortune of asking a guard why they had a chair with leather straps.
"We use this as shock therapy, sir. Lightning is generated and the patient is shocked repeatedly when they don't wish to cooperate."
Aang's face pales. They find as they went deeper, it only got worse.
"This is where when the patient grows too rowdy; they face solitary confinement for several days. The inside is cooled so your sister can't possibly bend. I hope everything is to your liking, sir."
"No, it isn't." Zuko's face is bright red and his anger is threatening to boil over. "Who would ever treat a human being like this? She may have been a crazy psychotic bitch, but she was still my little sister! I wanted to help her not torture her!"
The guard drops to the ground and kowtows before him. "I-I'm so sorry, sir!"
"Take me to her cell." The guard guides him to a small room where a small cot was laid in the corner. He could see that the ends had been burned significantly. As he went in, he noticed all the scribbling on the wall. He recognized Fire Nation laws and certain scriptures carved in. The family tree had been etched in as well. His name had been marked out. Flames were a recurring theme. They amassed the entire walls and burned buildings and little tiny stick figures.
"Zuko I found something." Aang hands him a slip of paper with which he reads with horror.



"Penny for your thoughts?" Bumi sits down on the cot, brown skin glistening with sweat from practice. She slides into his lap and pushes him down on the bed.
"Nothing I want to think about right now."
She releases him of his sweat soaked t-shirt and throws it the floor with a splat. She trails kisses down his neck and torso, his sweat tasting so sweet in her mouth. He takes her gentle frame and guides her closer. When the recruits pound on the walls for them being too loud, they just laugh.