The Officer And The Princess

Chapter 4

Azula was the prizes daughter of Fire Nation, the most powerful Fire bender to have walked the the Earth. Her father Firelord Ozai had made sure of that, ever since she was able to produce her first flame he father had took great interest in her training. For hours she would be forced to drill weather it be in the pouring rain or in the blistering sun, weather it be in the early morning or late nights. Her father demanded nothing but absolute perfection, if she slipped up she would have to do the entire move set until she got it right. when she wasn't on the training field Azula would find herself sitting in on her fathers war meetings "Learning the family trade" she had called it. Yes Azula was her fathers perfect little prodigy and it showed, no one could best her in single combat and she took pride in that knowledge; but that wasn't the only thing that made her special what was truly special was her ability to produce the sacred blue flame, the hottest fire known to fire benders. From her lessons Azula had learned that only three benders in written history could do this feat of fire bending one of them Being a Yang. With her fourteenth Birthday fast approaching she had been given more and more responsibilities. While other girls her age were focused on boys and other such things she was helping her father to win a war. It became overbearing at times yes, but Azula wouldn't dare disappoint her father, she had seen first hand what happened to those who disappointed him. No one was safe from his wrath, not even her own brother the former crown prince. Though she felt as if she didn't have to worry about suffering the same fate, she was her fathers perfect daughter. But for the sake of her face she wouldn't dare test those waters.

It was mid afternoon the setting sun shining through the windows of the royal palace, even inside there was a certain heat to the building that never seemed to go away. That heat fueled her, any fire bender worth his or her salt could say that. The palace was a bee hive of activity today as servants ran back and forth getting ready for tonight's celebration. Today was her birthday yet she didn't feel in a very chipper mood. Her father was in another meeting with his war council yet she had been forbidden from attending, it aggravated her to the highest degree, With her brother banished seemingly never to return she would be the heir to the throne; yet she wasn't allowed to attend this important meeting. With nothing better to do she had found herself wandering around the palace grounds finding herself letting out a sigh as she stepped outside onto the Palace training grounds meant for the Imperial firebenders. To her surprised the grounds were occupied today, with at least forty guards in their red armor forming a circle around something as fire was thrown left and right, the men were cheering at the display not noticing her presence. Stepping closer she saw Sung holding his own against three. In their shared childhoods she had enjoyed watching him try to teach her brother how to use the gift inside him with little effect. Zuko was many things but a master fire bender he was not. Sung on the other hand was. The Yang house had some of the best fire benders in history and their training regimen was a closely guarded secret that they did not share with outsiders even with the royal family, but whatever they did to train their fire benders worked wonders. Sungs form like hers was perfect, but when he moved and when he struck it was with the grace of a water bender and the agility of a Air bender. Azula had asked him once how he was able to combine the two, to her Chagrin he had only responded with a nod and a wink.

"Come on" She heard him shout as he threw his right palm forward to block an incoming orange fire ball. "Are you lot holding back because I am an officer? Strike me like you are trying to kill me!" It was a bold thing for him to say. From what she had seen of her brothers friend he didn't seem the type to be over confident, but he didn't lack in confidence either. Sung knew full well what he was capable of and he made sure to never overstep his means. With one quick strike Sung dropped one of his men and stood over them "Congratulations, You're dead" from where she could see Sung was dead serious. "Learn from this Private Qin, the Earth kingdom will not give you a second chance, an assassin will not give you a second chance!" He then turned his attention to the others, dropping to one knee and sending a blast of crimson red fire fromm hhis fist dropping yet another with ease. "You're dead corporal" he spoke his face still expressionless as he stood back up taking a defensive stance.