By Your Side |ATLA|

Scarred Beginning/Prologue

"What do you mean Zuko has been banished?" I rear myself up from my vanity in the room I had grown to appreciate over the years and staring at the younger princess. "That can't be true."

"Yes it is, it was very pathetic if you ask me." She flicked her hair staring at me in the mirror with a cold smirk.

"Azula, you can't mean that, Zuko is your brother." I frown at her expression as she rolls her eyes.

"He should have kept his mouth shut." She walked forward and took the space next to me. She gave a small grin at my grim expression.

"What happened Azu?" I called her by her nickname I had given her as I placed my hands on the vanity awaiting her answer. She crossed her arms across her chest before replying.

"Well it's been the talk of the palace I'm surprised one of these servants haven't mentioned something to you." She looked down at her fingernails. "Anyway  Uncle Iroh brought poor Zuzu into a war meeting, and well ZuZu spoke out of turn and disrespected our father in his war meeting thus Zuko had to battle him in an Agni Kai," she continued on. "He refused as the little coward he is and showed his true weakness, long story short Zuko's face was burned as a lesson and now he's banished." She spoke lightly as if it was nothing to her.

  Azula was always a bit on the cold side. Well maybe more the definition of cold hearted. However I couldn't deny how close she and I had become since my family had been moved into the royal palace roughly when I was 3 years old. My grandfather had been appointed as the highest advisor to her grandfather, and then my father taking the same position to her father when he assumed the throne and thus he was required to be close at all times.  That gave me the life I had now, growing up as practically royalty along side the two actual royal siblings. Azula and I were complete opposites but somehow we were close. Close enough that I considered her to be my best friend.

"Oh lighten up Asana, I'm sure ZuZu will be fine," she spoke and then stopped in thought."Of course he will be left to wander around the world, never able to return home unless he captures the Avatar." She trailed off holding her finger to her chin.

As she said it my mouth dropped open in shock. The avatar hasn't been seen or heard from in over a 100 years. He was never going to be able to come home. The knowledge was beyond saddening to me. Seeing as I was close to both siblings.

"But Azula the avatar-" I stopped looking down. "The avatar hasn't been seen in 100 years, he's dead there's no way he survived after the raids on the Air Temples all those years ago."

"Right." She agreed.

"How could your father be so cruel?" I began. "To his own son!"

"Oh be quiet Asana, Zuko really only has himself to blame."

"Ever so cruel as usual Azula." I commented at her distaste in showing her older brother any form of sympathy.

"I most certainly won't feel sorry for someone who could have avoided this all together, but alas I can't," she stood up. "But I only came to tell you in case you wanted to tell him goodbye."

"Azula that-" she cuts me off.

"I know no need to thank me, I shall be off now." She turns and walks to the door of my room before stopping. "Make it snappy he leaves tonight." She finishes and then closed the door on her way out.

I sighed as I rubbed my face leaning on my knees. I stood from my spot looking outside seeing the sun not long from setting. So I left my room walking into the luxurious red black and gold lined walls of the palace. I walked quietly down the halls in search of Prince Zuko. I turned the corner as a guard was coming the opposite way. He bows to me intending to move pass me quickly before I stop him grabbing his arm.