The False avatar

Chapter 3 A future for a bride

The day was bright and hot, the halls of the palace had taken a new life for a great ceremony the marriage of Prince Ozai of the dragon throne to ursa a lowborn from one of the backwaters towns of the firenation. Many of the noble ladys and lords alike couldn't fathom the idea of a prince, the highest amongst high marrying a lowborn. And thus ursa of Hira'a became the eye of a storm of gossips, controversy and envy from the whole nobility.

But for the bride herself, if you asked her how great her life had changed ? She would look at you and she would tell you a convincing lie. While she screamed and shriek that she lost everything and was left with nothing, alone in her chambers. With no one to hold onto anymore.

Ursa sat quietly on the soft and extravagantly made bed. As she looked at the pictures of her parents. Tears gathered her eyes, as she stared at the last token everything she will never have anymore. That's when the doors to her chambers opened slightly. Quickly she wiped her tears off her pale face. As she expected the arrival of another servant. Instead a boy that looked to be at least 7-8 years old with pale skin, blue and greys eyes and the most noteable was red and white hair that was spilit evenly down the middle. The boy wore the traditional firenations armour, with a red crown on a topknot.

The boy looked at her with innocent expression and gestured to the seat besides. She gave the boy a nod and allowed her to be seated next her. For a moment both of them sat in silence, before it was broken by shoto. "It's okay to cry." Shoto said. "What ?!" Ursa asked confused. "I said it's okay to cry." Shoto repeatedly calmly. "I am not crying. Why did you think I am crying ?" Ursa tried to attempt to be fake her suffering. But boy turned his head and looked at her.

"The tears on your cheek says a different story." Shoto spoke at an even voice. Ursa looked taken back by the comment, and then continued to tightly grip onto the photo. Shoto watched the older woman let her tears fell for a few moments. "I am sorry for everything you loss." Shoto said with sympathic tone.

Ursa scoffed and looked at the boy. "Sorry sorry ? I will telling you a sorry doesn't fix or bring back anything that I lost. It doesn't bring me my parents nor my lover back to me." Ursa screamed at the boy. The boy looked at her and then calmly said, "I lost my parents too."

Those words caused Ursa to snap herself from her blinding rage to look at the boy more closely. "Don't you have Iroh for you ?" She asked him. Shoto looked at her and said, "Iroh isn't my birth father. I was taken into the court and forced into being his adopted son. He barelys sees at all. He only sees Lu ten the candy of his eyes. I am just the child that he doesn't want. But had anyways forcefully by the firelord. " Shoto explained coldly with a visible lack of emotion.

Ursa flinched at the cold words and then her look shifted into pity and understandment. "What happened to your birth family ?" She asked him. "I want to hope that everything is alright. But hope will get me nowhere." Shoto said with somber tone. "Why did somethings happen to them ?" Ursa asked. "My father happened. He broke our family apart. Now touya is gone and my siblings hate me." Shoto said to her. "Touya ?" Ursa asked him.

"My elder brother, he couldn't control his own flames and burned himself." Shoto said as saddness slipped into his voice. Ursa looked with concern and asked one last guestion. "What of your mother ?" Shoto looked at her, his expression shifted into saddness before turnings back into blank expression.

"My father push my mother so far that, when she looked at my face. She saw my fathers face and she couldn't handle that. So she took a bolling kettle of water and poured on my face. And my father sent her away." Shoto with saddness seeping in his voice.

Ursa then quickly embraced the boy in a tight hugged. And softly patted the boys and gently rocked him. "I'm sorry little one you didn't deserve that." Ursa said with kindness in her voice. "Don't be, I had to get over it. I just wanted you to know that you don't have to suffer alone in this." Shoto told with a bit of hope in his face. "You shouldn't get over it. Your allowed cry and grieve for your loss." Ursa said to him. "There are was no one to see my tears. But I want to be here so that atleast you don't have to cry alone." Shoto said truthfully.

The words stung abit, ursa didn't mind it one bit. After a moment they talked quite a bit. She shared stories from her childhood. The little boy talked about his siblings. He told her that he missed playing hide and sneak with his siblings. Ursa gave him a comforting smile and gently tapped his shoulder. Shoto sat and listen to her stories and let her vent her sufferings until she calm down. After a moment or two later, he got up from the bed and was about to leave. When ursa asked him, "Did you think I will be great mother ?"

"You will be great mother." Shoto said plainly. "What If I hate them ? What if I pushed them away ?" She asked multiple questions. "You will be great mother." Shoto said repeated. "How do you know ?" Ursa asked curiously. 

To which shoto looked gave a soft chuckle and said calmly "Because you were there to listen to my suffering. When everyone else ignored, frankly another reason is selfish but it's that you looked at my scarred face and didn't flinch. If you have enough love for a child that you never meet before. And are willing to comfort him. Then you surely have more then enough heart to love for any all children you might've have." Then Shoto left the chambers through the door. While giving one last look at her.

Ursa looked at the boy leave and a look of gratefulness washed over her. Maybe the things might not be hopeless afterall. The following days, shoto would come to vist her. Every chance he could get, the boy would enter her chamber and talk to her for long hours. The constant presence of the boy was greatly comforting to her.

So when the day came and marriage had come to pass. Ursa instead of crying for never being able to see her parents after that day. Madesure to spend as long as she could talking to her parents. And eventually when the time came for her to return to her chamber. Where her husband awaited her, she let a silent tear leave her eyes. Before entering the chamber, where he awaited her.

After the marriage ceremony was over, she spend the next few days spending time with shoto. Whom she had regarded as her own child. He would come in and talk to her. After finishing his training with masters. Slowly she settled down into a routine. She would take breakfast with her husband. Before she retreated to her chambers or the library. Then she would have lunch sent into  chambers by one of the servants. She would sometimes talk with Iroh or Lu ten in the afternoon. While trying her best to avoid her father in law. She would then talk with shoto. Whenever he got free from his training. Then she would've dinner with her beloved as they ate in silence. 

That all changed, when the first heir was born. At the hottest point of the day, when the sun was at it's peak a child was born into the world. Ursa lay tired on her bed exhausted by the porcess. The midwives washed the young babe and wrapped a it in red cloth. That when ozai with a few fire sages came into the room.

The midwives handed him the young child. Which he took with an almost excited look. But soon the excited look disappeared and was replaced with disappointment. "The child was born on the hottest day of the year at peak no less. Yet the boy doesn't bear the sparks of flame in his eyes. He will not be a strong bender or not at all. It is better to end this disgrace and start with another one." Ozai said cruely

Immediately ursa eyes were filled with fear and despair. "Ozai I beg of you don't do this, you can't kill him. He just a babe, he will grow up to be stronger." Ursa pleaded with him. "Stronger, If were even lucky at that he will not be a non bender. Even he does become a bender, he will be weak. That weakness is unacceptable." Ozai said harshly.

"Prince ozai I plead you to reconsider. If the child were to be killed, then agni's wraith will be raised upon us. Think of it if the boy is killed even before he is given a proper chance. The disgrace that will be brought to agni will be far to high." The head sage bargain with the prince.

Ozai looked at the boy and scoffed before handing it ursa. Who graciously took the boy into her arms. "Fine, I will let the boy live. But if he doesn't show the signs of bending. I will end him, as he stands." Ozai threatened. Before quickly vainshing from the chambers. Ursa caressed the little boy, as it began to cry. That's when the door, ursa flinched thinking ozai was back. But instead a familiar looking child with mismatch eyes came into the room.

He looked at the young boy that was crying in her arms. He moved forwards to hold the child. Ursa weakly handed him the child. Shoto looked at the little child crying in his arms with protective and kind look in his eyes. "He is perfect mom." Shoto said to her. Before handing her baby, he asked her. "What's his name ?" To which ursa weakly responded with, "Zuko, he will be called zuko." Shoto looked at zuko, with a new found protective and caring look. And promised himself that he will be the best older brother he could be.

To be continued in chapter 4