A Beautiful Flame: ~Rules Are Rules~

Chapter 2

Zuko ran as fast as he could, he ran through the doors, catching his breath.

"Where were you this time!" His grandfather growled, he could swear that he can also hear his father growling at him too,

"I..." Zuko panted. He felt his toy in his coat pocket, he immediately thought of an excuse to say,

"I was playing with my toy," He said,

"Foolish child!" His grandfather replied,

"Because of your silly toy, you kept us waiting!" The fire lord continued,

"Maybe you should get RID of it!" Azula murmured,

"Azula!'' her mother whispered firmly,

"Your majesty he's just a child, he will learn soon enough," The princess said to The fire lord, he grumbled and sat back into his chair,

"Fair enough, you may sit," The fire lord said with a wave of his hand.

The princess nodded to Zuko to sit, He walked over to his chair and sat as Breakfast was finally served.

After a while, Azula spoke up,

"Grandfather, a permission to speak," She said, Zuko rolled his eyes,

"Permission granted," Her grandfather replied,

"I fear that my brother isn't following the rules we have at breakfast, if he continues like this he'll follow no rule at all," Azula said as if she was the queen,

"I think we best settle it by getting rid of that toy he has, it's an obstacle to obedience," She said,

Zuko glared at her, The princess looked firmly at her as well.

"What do you think, father?" She asked him, Prince Ozai barely smiled.

"I agree with you, child," He said as he took out his hand.

"The toy, Zuko," He said,

"What! no!" Zuko panicked, he looked at his mother for help, her eyes saddened, telling him to do nothing other than to obey,

"The toy," Ozai said once again, Zuko slowly took out his wooden horse, he hugged it tightly before handing it to him, the Prince held in his hand and burned it, leaving it to small ashes. A servant nearby, held a tray, the Prince wiped the ashes upon it. As the servant left to dispose it. Zuko could only watched silently, letting tears fall down.

"It's for your own good," The prince told him firmly,

"After all," Azula said,

"Rules are rules,"

Zuko ran up to his room afterwards and cried, His mother felt sorry for him, surely she could give him another toy, but why on earth did she let him go through something like that! no child ever deserves this, much more less her own son. But if she tried to defend him, Azula might've push it even further, probably she would've brought up the subject about Zuko's friendship with Omi. She couldn't risk, now that Zuko finally has a friend.

~meanwhile~

"What do you have there child?" Omi's mother said as she finished washing the last pot,

"It's my doll," Omi said as she held up a doll that her father made for her out of hay and old cloth.

"Oh, and how lovely she is!" Her mother said, stroking her daughter's hair,