A Family of Bad Assassins

Assassination Attempt No. 2 - The Girl Who Was Never Afraid

Alright, so this chapter we're looking at things from Izumi's POV rather than Azula's, so the wholesome family situation may look a little different from this perspective.

oooooooooo

At age seven Izumi was already aware her mother wasn't well.

She was used to the screaming and the crying during the night, but only recently had she thought to try to help her mother through it. Like every night, Azula was talking in her sleep. Apologizing for something this time, Izumi had long since stopped listening to the words. They were always nonsense, no matter how seriously her mother said them. Tonight, for example, her mother was apologizing for breaking into the royal palace...

"I didn't mean to... I didn't... I... He had to be taught a lesson, I wanted..." Azula kept tossing and turning. "No, no... I didn't mean it! Please!"

Izumi couldn't sleep. Not while her mother was like this, not anymore. She carefully made the trip from her room to her mother's and stood at the door watching. Her mother was always so strong. Always so happy and proud. Then why did the nightmares come to her every single night? Izumi didn't think her mother deserved them.

"No! Leave her! I'm sorry! No... No... No..."

"Mom, it's okay," Izumi said softly, while getting under the covers.

"Zuko, don't leave me here! Don't you dare! Don't leave me... Don't... Zuzu... Please..."

The only idea Izumi had was to stroke her mother's hair, just like the woman did for her when she was scared. It didn't seem to help. Izumi tried a tight hug next. There were no immediate results, but within a few minutes Azula quieted down. She was still talking, but not screaming. The crying was softer and Izumi felt her hug back.

"I know you all hate me," Azula said. "I know I'm nothing but a monster to you. How could you understand?"

Eventually, however, Azula went completely quiet and Izumi fell asleep with a smile on her face. Tomorrow morning Azula woke up with her daughter in her arms and naturally had some questions.

"Were you scared? Is that why you came to sleep here with me?"

"Yes." It was not a lie. Izumi had been scared. Scared for her mother. Scared to leave her alone with her nightmares. She was too young to understand what was happening to her mother, but not too young to try and make it better.

The same thing happened the next night too.

"Dad's going to kill you... I heard... I know... It's not a joke!"

It was hard on Izumi, seeing her mother like this. She wanted to do more. Really help. This was the first time in her life she was faced with a problem that a hug and a kind word couldn't solve. No matter how many nights Izumi spent awake hugging her mother, she'd be woken by screams the next night all over again. It didn't stop her.

In time she picked up on Azula's patterns. Izumi went to bed early to get some sleep before the nightmares started, then held her mother through them for a few hours until she inevitably calmed, and then finally returned to her own bed to avoid any questions. Azula complained about Izumi sleeping in every day, but Izumi endured it. Somehow that was preferable to telling the truth.

oooooooooo

They learned about the Hundred Year War in school when Izumi was ten. That was the first time she'd ever heard of Princess Azula, but something about it felt wrong straight off. It was a common enough name up until the end of the war. People loved naming their children after royalty, as it was supposed to bring good fortune. At least the teacher told them so. A girl in Izumi's class had an aunt named Azula, and decided to share it with everyone. A quiet boy sitting by the window said his older sister was also called Azula after the Princess, but his newborn cousin was named Zuko just a month ago.