Northern Prince Zuko

Life at the Palace

Zuko was 5 when it happened.He bent water in the garden while he was playing with a baby turtle duckling.A maid saw and instantly told Ozai and Ursa.Ozai was furious to say the least. Zuko was walking to his parents room to show his mother a pretty flower he saw in the gardens when he heard yelling "NO I DIDNT CHEAT ON YOU I SWEAR" "THEN EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOUR SON IS A WATER BENDER" "I DONT KNOW THE MAID COULD BE LYING OR-" Ursa was cut of by a harsh slap the sound echoed around the halls. "Why don't I pay your lovely son a visit ,I'm sure he'd enjoy a visit from his father" "WAIT NO PLEASE DONT! PUNISH ME INSTEAD HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING WRONG" "well then if your asking" Zukos eyes widened as his father raised his and grabbed his mothers bare arm.The screams of his mother were loud and he was pretty sure even the people outside could hear.He'd hear those screams in his nightmares for years.He was scared he couldn't move his breaths coming in fast as if he couldn't get enough air. "We don't talk about what happened here" was all his father said before going back to bed while his mother sat there shaking a hand over her mouth.His mother walked out and gasped when she saw him by the door. "Mom....are you ok?" she looked at him and gave him a smile.He could tell it was fake.It was like the kind of smiles Azula would give him.Fake.As fake as can be.Fake, just like his father. "Why don't we go to your room?Ill read you a story as well" he simply nodded and went along with her but he was pretty sure they both knew that this was just the beginning.

When they entered his room he finally asked the question "mom...why did I bend the water?" "......well your special ...your not like the other kids" "...so I'm like the ugly turtle duckling from the story?" Ursa smiled a real one this time Ursas smiles were always small and reserved but they could still brighten Zukos day either way "yes you are, your not like the others but  you will grow into a beautiful peacock swan with time ,you just have to be patient" Zuko looked at the vase of flowers that was beside his bed.It always felt as if water was calling him asking for him to bend it telling him what to do even if he didn't know.And that when he saw it a woman pointing at the vase with a calm smile on her face.She did a flowing movement with her hands and arms and then gestured at him.He tilted his head slightly in confusion the woman shook her head her pure white hair flowing as she did so.She repeated the movement and gestured at him again and he realized he wanted me to copie her.He moved his hands in one fluid motion like the woman and all the water in the vase lifted into the air in an almost perfect circle.Ursas eyes widened as he looked at her son.The maid wasn't lying.Zuko looked at his mother and quietly asked if he could see her arm ,she agreed reluctantly ,a child shouldn't have to see such wounds.He looked at it and instantly felt as if it was all his fault, if he wasn't a water bender would his mom never had gotten hurt?He looked at the strange woman again and she smiled warmly and did another fluid gesture with her hands before looking at him.He nodded his head determination burned in those molten golden eyes he once  again moved his hands and the water was now resting on the burn and he moved his hands back and forth back and forth back and forth.The water started  glowing a bright luminous blue and when the water was taken away and dropped back into the vase the burn was gone.

Zuko was nine when Azula first asked him the question "Why are you still here you know your not actually dads son" it was a question but it seemed more like a demand.He didn't know how to answer that question and Azula just smiled and walked away.Azula always lies.Even her expressions are lies.

They were told to show their father all they had learned so far the next day.things went down hill fast "Zuko tell me how old are you?" "Nine ,father" "and how old is Azula?" "Seven ,father" "then tell me how Azula has mastered the basics of fire bending while you are yet to produce a tiny spark?"  he didn't answer "Azula was born lucky you were lucky to be born remember that you are dismissed" spite filled his fathers words a if the very thought of him disgusted him to his very core.he didn't move "I said you are DISMISSED" even Azula was gone now she always knew what father wanted.he still didn't move, he knew it was wrong to disobey the firelord but he couldn't make himself move.There was someone there telling him to stand up for himself ,telling him he could disobey.His father was furious he tried to strike him but he moved first.Well he didn't the water did.It jumped out of the jug a servant was holding and came crashing down onto his fathers face before turning to ice.He was shocked he didn't do that ...did he?Ge suddenly saw a woman with white hair and blue eyes looking at his father with a furious expression before they disappeared.Who was that woman he saw everywhere?His gaze then went back to his father.His father was even angrier now ,the ice melted of his face .a look of pure rage on his face as he grabbed his son. "WAIT NO FATHER PLEASE THAT WASNT ME" "YOU DARE LIE TO YOUR FIRELORD?" "I SHOULD HAVE DONE THSI YEARS AGO YOU ARENT MY SON AND NEVER WERE" next thing he knew was an immense pain on the the left side of his face he screamed at the top of his lungs but he could barely hear it the smell of burning flesh filled his nose and then everything went black.