Sun and Moon, Star and Snow (Zuko X OC)

Chapter 1

(3rd person POV)

Sweat dripped down the waterbender's brow as she continued fighting.

"Faster!" Her trainer, Zoun, yelled. "Harder! Put some fight into it!"

A slash. A strike. A dodge. An opening. That was her way of battle.

She tried to ignore the constant shouts of her trainer and the evening sun's glare in her eyes. She made a water whip, spinning it around and around. The guard deflected each hit from it, sending a fireball her way. The waterbender deflected easily, turning the water whip into a dozen ice spikes and sending them flying at the guard. When he deflected again, she tried a different tactic.

"Come on, Lozen," She taunted. "Gimme a real challenge!"

He huffed. "I could say the same to you!"

He punctuated the last word by leaping up and sending a wave of fire at her. She deflected easily, jumping up and pulling the water around her up with her. She slammed back down on the ground, sending the water splashing down on the guard. He sputtered, trying to get back on his feet, but the waterbender was faster. She gathered up more water and turned them into ice shards, sending them flying at the guard. 

He didn't deflect this time. Instead, he let the ice pierce his armor, causing a small amount of bleeding.

The waterbender shook her head. "You should know by now not to spar with me."

He shrugged. "What can I say? I like the scars."

She sighed to hide a smile. Of all the guards, Lozen was her favorite. He loved sparring with her, and he let her seem so good so she didn't have to get more scars. He also cared about how she felt, and never blamed her for anything, except losing to her, saying that she was "too good for the Fire Nation."

"Good work," Zoun said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Go freshen up, both of you. The Fire Lord is expecting you," he addressed the waterbender.

She nodded. "Right away."

She helped Lozen up, patted his arm, and walked away.

No less than thirty minutes later, she was walking up to the Fire Lord's throne room. She often went this route, mostly because he wanted to know how his waterbender was progressing. She didn't like these meetings, often because she had to torture or kill an innocent person who had stolen to survive. Although she did not express her emotions, since it was strictly forbidden for her to, she did still feel emotions as she did this. Emotions like pity, anger, sorrow, and guilt.

She'd always been against killing innocents, but it was her job. Plus, they were going to die anyway, she told herself, so there was no point in delaying the inevitable. She also did not relish the pain and scars she had to endure when she failed. 

Thinking of failure made her think of Crown Prince Iroh. He'd just come back from the siege of Ba Sing Se, retreating after his son, Prince Lu Ten, died in the battle. 

She felt sorry for him. She couldn't imagine losing a child.

She stopped her train of thought there. Now is not the time, she told herself. Focus.

She paused her steps at the giant metal doors to the throne room. The guards on either side of it stepped forward and opened it in unison. They nodded at her when she passed.

She went about three-quarters of the way into the room and stopped to kneel down. "You called me, my Fire Lord?"

She heard the fire crackle around the podium of the throne. Fire Lord Azulon hummed.

"My son, Prince Ozai, has asked for the most astounding and outrageous thing," He answered. "He wishes to become the Crown Prince in the stead of Prince Iroh."