peacekeeping- zuko

Palace Duties

My dad was visiting the Palace again. For some sort of war meeting or something, I don't know, I didn't ask. My mom was visiting her friends in the Earth kingdom, so my dad had brought me with him. I didn't really wanna go because the Fire Lord's granddaughter, Azula, gives me scary vibes. But he made me go with him anyway, because he doesn't fully trust the servants. And apparently the Fire Lord wanted to see me. That guy really scared me. I don't why but the energy around him just screamed , 'run'.

I walked through the halls of the Palace, holding my dad's hand. As a little 12 year old, big halls and tall people really scared me. I wasn't used to seeing anyone but royals and the house servants. At least, in my royal clothes. Me and Zuko would sneak out a lot, because we don't like the rules of the Fire Nation, and would meet a lot of new people. But that was when I was wearing my cloak, not when I was seen as a royal, with standards and what not. Servants bowed to us and I hid behind my dad even more, panic and a sense of urgency entering my mind. We passed an door that lead outside into the garden. My dad and I walked outside and on the porch. The garden was really pretty with a fountain in the middle and bushes with buttercups dotting the edges. Azula had burned them once, and the Fire Lady had yelled at her. "Dad, can we go home". My dad looked down and smiled at me. "Sweetie, this is an important meeting. It won't take long. I promise." He consoled me, though it didn't work. I looked at the garden where Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were playing. Well, Ty Lee and Azula were doing cartwheels and Mai was just sitting there, being Mai.

Ty Lee and I were best friends and Mai was chill with me but I didn't like Azula, though she didn't mind me much. She'd always respected my fighting skills, even though she thought I couldn't bend. In reality, I could bend. Three elements, actually. But, my mom had told me to keep it a secret so I did, knowing it was for the best. I turned my gaze back to the front and saw the Fire Lady and Zuko walking towards us. Zuko and I were also best friends and would sneak out whenever we could, like I said before. We visited the small shops and restaurants that royalty could never go in. It was really fun and surprisingly, we never got busted. My dad and the Fire Lady talked to each other while me and Zuko just stood there, waiting for our parents to shut up.

"Mom, can Zuko and his girlfriend play with us?" Azula said running up to us. "I'm not his girlfriend!" "She's not my girlfriend!" Me and Zuko exclaimed. We denied, but mind games were Azula's specialty. "Don't you think that we should spend time together as brother and sister?" She asked with a innocent tilt of her head. "Zuko, it is important for you to spend time with your sister. You too, Y/N." Ursa smiled. "But she's not my sister!" I exclaimed. Ursa smiled, "Come'n, it'll be fun. Just for a little bit."

We reluctantly walked down the stairs, towards the fountain. Azula placed an apple on my head and stepped back. "What game is this, exactly?" I asked. "It goes like this; you place an object on someone's head and then try to knock it over like-", A flame lit up the stem of the apple, and my eyes widened. Zuko tackled me into the fountain, our robes getting soaked. "Azula!" We both yelled, indignantly. Zuko got off of me, and I wrung out the bottom of my robes, while Ty Lee and Azula laughed. I stormed off inside, after flicking Azula's forehead, looking for a secluded spot to bend the water off. I hid behind a colum, and bent off the water, throwing it into a plant pot. "Miss, Y/N," said a guard approaching. Frick!

I dropped the water, attempted to act normal, which did not work. "It's okay, we know," the guard smiled. "What?" "Your father told the Fire Lord. We're grateful to have such a skilled bender in the Fire Nation." Oh no. The guards said that the Fire Lord wanted to meet me. And not following the Fire Lord's order meant exile. I followed them, well, they followed me, but I stayed behind not knowing a thing about where I was going. I don't like these guards. Well, I don't really like anything about the Palace. It all gives me bad vibes. Scary energy. I can't explain it.

It seems almost spiritual. The guards stopped and I stopped too. An awkward silence hung over us. The guard gestured towards the door. Oh, I'm supposed to go inside. I've never gone into the throne room before. I took a deep breath and pushed open the giant doors, three times my weight and height. The Fire Lord looked up from the flames. Honestly, how do they sit there all day, surrounded by flames, just waiting for someone to walk in? Seems kinda boring. My father, Iroh, and Ozai also looked up from their seats. Iroh seemed worried, but Ozai and my father were smiling. I'm scared.

"Ah, Y/N, my favorite royal," the Fire Lord mused. Funny, since I've never had a full conversation with the guy. "Your father told me that you recently discovered that you can bend more than one element. Is that true?" So, my dad sold me out? "Yes," I answered, throat too closed to say anything more. Mom would be furious with my dad if she heard this. "Would you care to show me a form or two?" I nodded, blowing out the candles in the room with airbending, and lighting them again with fire. Iroh still looked worried, though I don't know why. He'd have to explain to me when me and Zuko are having our little tea plus story time sessions with him and his son, Lu Ten.

"Hmm...and you can bend water as well?" Fire Lord Azulon asked. I nodded, my voice not seeming to work anymore. Ozai and the Fire Lord shared another look. "I want you to go find Hama, the bloodbender. If she can master water, she can master the subbendings as well. I would also like you and Iroh to teach her firebending, as well as lightning, so if we'll ever have to face the Avatar, we'll be ready." Ozai nodded, and so did Iroh, though much more reluctantly. The Fire Lord sent me off on my way once telling me that I'd start my lessons tomorrow. I headed back outside to see Zuko storming up to me, water dripping from...everywhere. "Your still soaking wet?" I mumbled, stating the obvious. Zuko grabbed my hand, pulling me with him, water dripping onto my sleeve. "Girls are crazy! Except for you."

He dragged me to who knows where, storming around the Palace. I pulled my slippery fingers out of his and he stopped, turning around. "What's wrong?" Zuko asked. I bent the water off of me and Zuko, while he stared. "Uh-y-what- you're a waterbender." I nodded, smiling, "And an airbender. And a fire bender. But not an earthbender." Zuko stared, confused.