Watch it Burn

Chapter 25

After so many years away, after everything I had done, I was finally going to see him again. The man who had banished me for being disrespectful to him. Would he accept me with open arms?

I sighed and walked around my room. It was pure luxury. Red covered everywhere. It was almost....suffocating. After traveling so many places, I wasn't used to all of this fire nation....stuff. Especially after being in the earth kingdom for so long.

A pang hit my chest. I remembered how I could barely look at the girl whose eyes showed betrayal and heartbreak.

I remembered the night we shared and how it made me feel so different. I hadn't felt like that sense I was with my mother.

Happiness.

The way she had told me that she would contact my mother and how I felt so amazed and awe struck that she would do that for me, after everything.

The worst part of all of this is....I realized I still wanted her. I still wanted to be with her and hold her and hear all of her inappropriate remarks and see her gorgeous eyes and hear her laugh and-

Stop it.

I have everything I want now. I am the prince once again and based on everything that's happened, hopefully my father's approval. If I play my cards right I could become firelord and be restored into the succession again. Not even my sister could take this away. If I really played my cards right maybe one day in the future I could have her again.

"She would still hate me forever." I thought, "I could feel her heartbreak and I didn't even have to look at her."

"Prince Zuko?" I heard a voice from behind me. I turned to see a servant standing in the doorway.

"Your father will see you now." He told me and motioned for me to follow him.

I nodded and walked out of my room. Ready to see the man who banished me three years ago.

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I walked swiftly down the halls of the fire nation palace. A sort of conditioned fear rising in my chest as I made my way down the all-to-familiar hallways leading to the throne room. So many times I had walked down this hallway, ready to face the wrath of my father or grandfather.

Azula walked ahead of me, strutting with her head held high. I had no doubt in my mind that my evident fear, no matter how hard I tried to hide it, pleased her in a fucked up way.

"Keep your hopes up Zuzu," she said, looking back at me, "I'm sure father will be so excited to see you."

"Shut up," I snapped at her, and she turned back forward. I heard her laughing to herself which only made me angrier at her. Can Azula never shut up?

The anger didn't last long though, because the nervous feeling at the pit of my stomach returned as we neared the end of the hallway. I felt as if I was going to throw up as I stood in front of the doors with the fire nation insignia burned bright on them.

Azula tapped her foot as I studied the doors, her patience clearly wearing thin as I hesitated.

"Are you going to go in or are we going to stand here all day?" she asked snarkily. I glanced at her for a second, seeing her signature grin as she watched me tremble.

"It's just-I've been away for so long." I admitted. I was terrified of my father and what he would say now that I didn't bring the avatar back.

"I mean he will be happy the avatar died in the avatar state. Now, no one stands in our way." Azula shrugged and gestured towards the door.