The sound of someone barging into Tadashi’s room stirred him from his sleep. Although he wouldn’t admit it he was glad for the intrusion. The dream he was having moments ago was more horrid than most other days. Images of a faceless man and woman shooting blasts of fire at a baby Tadashi. The figure of an ancient man, his features indescribably from the shadow created by a huge flame.
“Tadashi wake up!” Azula whispered aloud, slapping her brother’s face several times.
“Wha? How long has it been? Why are you hitting me?” Tadashi asked with a slurred voice.
“Never mind that, follow me!” she replied, pulling on her brother's arm.
Tadashi reluctantly got out of bed, still wearing most of the clothes he had worn when facing his grandfather. He spied Naoko who was kneeling in the corner, most likely hoping to avoid Azula’s wrath. In fact Tadashi was surprised that his younger sister hadn’t said anything to her yet, most usual encounters would start with Azula taunting the girl about her brown hair or putting her down about her status as a servant in which case Tadashi would come between the two and attempt to distract Azula with a new firebending trick. This time however Azula was more excited than usual, almost bouncing on her feet to pull Tadashi out of the room.
Normally Tadashi would happy that his sister was giving him so much attention, even to the extent that she would seek him out but if Azula was happy like this then something was certainly wrong.
“What is it?” Tadashi asked, rubbing edge of his eyes with annoyance.
“It’s about Zuzu,” Azula stated, “Father was speaking with grandfather for almost an hour after you left.”
‘Well at least I slept for that long…’ Tadashi chuckled inwardly.
The two kept on moving until they came up to Zuko’s room, no one was around so they slipped in quickly.
“Dad's going to kill you!” she started singing playfully, before her voice grew serious, “Really, he is.”
“Ha-ha, Azula. Nice try.” Zuko replied bitterly.
Tadashi looked at Azula, although she had her usual playful smile on he was certain that this time she wasn’t lying.
“Fine, don't believe me. But I heard everything. Grandfather said Dad's punishment should fit his crime.” She spoke, before attempting to imitate their grandfather, “You must know the pain of losing a first-born son. By sacrificing your own!"
“Liar!” Zuko shouted, turning to face Tadashi with a glare.
Tadashi simply shrugged before turning to Azula.
“He wouldn’t really say that?” Tadashi asked, even though he knew what the answer would be.
Azula tilted her head towards Tadashi and raised an eyebrow at her brother’s question, giving him a look that said ‘really?’ before sighing.
“Of course he said that, I'm only telling Zuzu for his own good. I know! Maybe he could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt him!”
“Stop it! You're lying! Dad would never do that to me!” Zuko’s rage seemed to be growing with every word.
However when a fourth person slipped into the room and spoke everyone froze.
“Your father would never do what to you? What is going on here?” their mother asked.
Tadashi immediately looked towards the ground, knowing that they’d been caught teasing Zuko, even if he didn’t really say anything.
“I don't know...” Azula nonchalantly spoke.
“Tadashi?” their mother asked expectantly.
“Well…..I don’t know, I only woke up a few minutes ago.” He spoke truthfully, glancing at the frown his mother was giving him, “but it’s probably got something to do with the meeting to-“
Tadashi scowled as Azula kicked him in the leg.
“It's time we talked!”
Their mother dragged Azula away whilst the young girl reluctantly followed, turning to scowl at Tadashi.
“That’s for slapping me earlier….” He whispered.
Upon hearing Tadashi’s words, Azula’s scowl turned into a smirk, her eyes rolled in an ‘I’ll get you next time’ sort of way.
“I wonder what that was all about.” Tadashi said after Azula and their mother had left, glancing at his brother who was clutching the bed sheet tightly.
“Azula always lies. Azula always lies….” He continually spoke, annoying Tadashi slightly.
“Is she really that bad?” he asked in response.
Zuko seemed to wake up from his trance and glared at Tadashi, hopping out of bed and stomping towards his younger sibling.
“You only say that because you two get along!” he argued.
“Well if you didn’t hang around mom all the time I’m sure you’d get along with her as well!” Tadashi replied.
“She’s crazy though, the other day she set one of the servant’s robes on fire.” Zuko fiddled with his clothing before looking back at Tadashi.
“Really?”
“Exactly,” Zuko said smugly, “She even called the palace physician over because one of her nails didn’t grow like she planned.”
“Oh, that did happen.” Tadashi conceded the argument with a sigh, “I guess she can be a bit…..”
“Troublesome?” both boys spoke together.
They paused, looking at each other in mock surprise before laughing. Zuko was the first to speak after a few moments.
“We should do this more often.”
“Hang out or mock Azula?” Tadashi asked with a smirk.
“Hang out, although I wouldn’t mind the second option either” Zuko replied.
The two stood there for a few moments, taking in the silence. Azula’s words reverberated in their heads, a thought that neither of them wanted to be true.
“Do you think she was lying?” Zuko asked somewhat timidly.
“I don’t know….” Tadashi shrugged, not wanting to believe those words either.
Again they stood, unsure of what they should do. Tadashi’s stomach then made a sound, making Zuko laugh until the same thing happened with him.
“Should we head to the kitchen and see if we can rescue some Fire Gummies?” Tadashi asked with a grin.
“From the treacherous hands of the killer kitchen staff? Sure!” Zuko joined in, running off towards the kitchen.
Both ran with bright smiles on their faces, the words that had been spoken earlier were quickly forgotten as they indulged themselves with the game their minds concocted.
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Tadashi, for the first night in many, slept peacefully. Although many events happened, some upsetting and some minor, he couldn’t have asked for a better day.
Azula was Azula, he would never ask anything more of her, or rather he couldn’t. By creating a blue fire, something he had only read about in scrolls, he had set the bar in terms of firebending. Although no one had yet to speak about it he knew that Azula would be pestering him in the future in a race to not only catch-up but out firebend him. That much couldn’t be avoided but Tadashi didn’t mind their competitive yet playful relationship. Zuko was slightly different. They both found Azula annoying at times, Zuko to a much worse degree than Tadashi but they both enjoyed eating spicy food, something their mother claims comes from her side of the family. Today they’d broken down a barrier that was keeping them apart, it seemed like they too were going to spend more time together.
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His father and grandfather had finally acknowledged his abilities, it had taken years of practice to get to the level he was and it paid off during that one performance. All he had ever wanted was for his father to acknowledge his presence as a prince of the Fire Nation and today his goal was realised. His mother on the other hand was still a mystery, the words she had spoken still wrapped his heart in guilt, all the disdain he held towards her evaporated and he made a promise to himself to try and understand her more, something he would regretfully admit to not doing enough.
Sleep came easily, so much so that he barely recognised when his mother entered the room and sat by his bed. By her heavy breathing he could tell that she was either tired or extremely nervous, that much he had picked up over the years from watching his family. She carefully placed a hand over Tadashi’s head and sighed.
“I’m so sorry, you should never have had to live this life.” Her words slow and steady.
Ursa pulled back her trembling hand, unsure of what to do anymore, she sighed to herself and pulled away from the half-sleeping boy.
Tadashi continued to sleep, barely registering the words his mother spoke but unable to hold back the tears that were escaping his closed eyes. For hours he stayed like that, turning every now and then in frustration, the words echoing around his head as if he were some lost cause. In fact he almost found solace when a loud and childish voice stirred him from his sleep once more.
Almost.
“Brother, I’ve got some interesting news!”
Azula ran into Tadashi’s room and jumped onto the bed, shaking Tadashi awake.
“Ugh…..it’s not even sunrise yet,” Tadashi groaned, turning away from the small Firebender.
“But mother is gone, oh and grandfather passed away.” She spoke, knowing it would catch her brother’s attention.
Tadashi almost jumped out of the bed, frowning slightly before coming to terms with what Azula said.
“How?....wait, what! Really? Does that mean Uncle Iroh will be the new Fire Lord?” Tadashi asked curiously.
Azula put on a face of mock surprise, holding her hand over her mouth whilst holding back a giggle.
“And how about mother, you don’t seem sad that she’s suddenly disappeared?”
Tadashi thought to himself for a moment, the voice he had been thinking of whilst sleeping long lost from his mind. He couldn’t help but feel angry for some reason so wasn’t surprised by his own words.
“Are you? If she really left without saying goodbye then it’s got nothing to do with me.”
Azula was surprised for a second, she knew that the relationship between the two wasn’t too good but she never expected those words to come from her brother.
“I guess not,” Azula admitted, her face changed for a few moments to one Tadashi recognised as genuine sadness.
Tadashi patted her head, an action he’d rarely do and one that Azula would never usually allow him to get away with.
“Don’t worry, I’ll always be here to play pranks on you,” he gave Azula a smile, genuinely grateful he has a sister that approves of him.
Azula almost smiled, a pure happy smile that Tadashi hadn’t seen since she was a baby but then her mouth changed into a smirk, befitting that of the manipulative prodigy he knew. She withdrew a knife, one Tadashi recognised as a gift from their Uncle Iroh to Zuko.
“How did yo-” Tadashi began to ask when Azula placed a finger on her lips.
“That’s a secret, but I’m going to find Zuzu now, I bet he’ll be devastated!” Azula giggled in delight as she jumped off the bed and ran off to find her eldest brother.
Tadashi frowned slightly, he didn’t know what to say or think but he knew that Zuko would need a friendly shoulder to cry on later, but as he tucked himself back into bed he thought another five minutes of sleep wouldn’t hurt either.
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Within hours arrangements for Fire Lord Azulon’s funeral had been complete and Zuko, Tadashi and Azula were standing beside their father garbed in the ceremonial cloaks worn at such events. Tadashi tried to gauge how the others were feeling but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Zuko was still upset, most likely missing their mother, Azula was bored, sighing every third second and their father seemed to tapping his foot impatiently, a chuckle attempting to escape his mouth every time someone would offer their condolences.
“Where’s Uncle Iroh?” Tadashi leaned to the side and asked Azula.
“Still on his way home from Ba Sing Se, the failure shouldn’t be allowed to be here anyway.” Azula grimaced, having missed out on firebending training to attend this funeral.
Tadashi simply nodded and straightened his posture, attempting to look as sad as possible without looking weak. It was a look he had learned by watching his father and perfected years ago, whenever his parents forgot to include him in their plans. All of a sudden one of the fire sages stood forwards and started speaking.
“Azulon. Fire Lord to our great nation for twenty-three years. You were our fearless leader in the Battle of Garsai. Our matchless conqueror of the Hu Xin Provinces. You were father of Iroh, father of Ozai, husband of Ilah, now passed. Grandfather of Lu Ten, now passed. Grandfather of Zuko, Tadashi and Azula. We lay you to rest.”
The smell of burning flesh threatened to fill the area when two attendants bent fire into the casket. The wood had been heavily drowned in perfume to help mask the smell but it did nothing to alleviate the disgusting feeling in Tadashi’s stomach, something his siblings seems to share.
“As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son.” The fire sage continued speaking.
Tadashi’s head snapped to the side, looking at his father that now had a stern expression on his face. He looked back to Azula and confirmed that she had known all along, their father was now the new Fire Lord. It all made sense why the funeral was planned and conducted before their uncle could return. Not knowing what to feel, Tadashi realised what this all meant, if his father was the new Fire Lord then Zuko would become the crown prince and he’d be second in-line for the throne.
Everything made much more sense to the boy, the reason why their mother disappeared, the meeting between their father and grandfather and now why their Uncle didn’t get a chance to come home in time. Although he struggled to put all the pieces together Tadashi couldn’t help but smirk in admiration for such a well thought out plan. In his mind such an act, especially as Uncle Iroh had no child, meant that the Fire Nation would prosper for much longer. As the Fire Sage begun hailing the new Fire Lord, Tadashi turned to Azula who had put on the biggest grin he had seen from her all day. Zuko on the other hand was seemingly terrified as he shuffled backwards, wanting to run away, but Tadashi grabbed his hand and raised an eyebrow, mentally slapping his elder brother who seemed to understand what Tadashi was doing. It goes without saying if Zuko was to bail now then it would be the ultimate disrespect towards their father and no one, especially not their missing mother, would be able to stop him.
“Hail Fire Lord Ozai!” the crowd cheered, waves of approval reaching the new Fire Lord who smirked triumphantly.
In his heart, Tadashi approved too, but subconsciously his mind was already planning something far crueller.