The Traitor Princess

Chapter 7 - The King of Omashu

TW: Abuse

**5 years ago**

"Again!" Ozai shouted at his daughter.

Eziri panted and wiped the sweat from her forehead before taking her stance and going through the advanced firebending set. She was exhausted. Eziri was training with her father for hours on end without stopping.

Eziri went through the motions, bursting blue fire from her fists and her feet as the set required. As she made it to the last form, she felt her legs shake and she fell forward onto her hands and knees.

Ozai let out a frustrated growl from behind his daughter.

"Get up! Run it again!" He shouted angrily.

Eziri was breathing hard as she tried to push herself off the ground, but her body was weak and she couldn't stand.

Behind her, her father crafted a fire whip and lashed it at his daughter. She heard the fire crackling behind her and didn't move out of the way in time. The end of the whip left a thin line across her left shoulder. She felt the pain from the burn and stifled a cry.

Ozai dropped the whip and stormed over to his daughter.

"You're weak" He spat.

"I'm sorry, father" Eziri said from her hunched position on the floor.

"Leave. We will resume in the morning."

Eziri scrambled to her feet and bowed before hastily leaving the training area. She made it to her room as fast as her feet would take her before collapsing onto her bed into a fit of quiet sobs.

Her mother had disappeared about 4 months ago. Ever since her father assumed the role of Fire Lord, he had been relentless with Eziri's training.

Her stamina was incredible, but she was still only 11. There was only so much she could do.
When she showed weakness, her father would attack her. He was tactful with his hits--never leaving scars on her face or anywhere easily noticeable. She had scars lining her back from the fire whips he so often used.

Eziri knew her father didn't train her siblings this way. Sure, he was hard on them--especially Zuko--but he sent her siblings to train with their own masters. However, Ozai spent time training Eziri himself. Her siblings knew their father trained her individually, but she never spoke about what happened during her sessions.

Eziri continued to sob on her bed until she finally drifted off to sleep.

--

"Eziri, wake up"

Eziri felt someone lightly shake her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Katara hovering above her. Eziri felt something wet on her face and quickly turned away from Katara to wipe away her tears. Was she crying in her sleep?

If Katara noticed the firebender's tears, she didn't comment on it.

"Come on, we're getting ready to leave." Katara said with a smile before walking away from Eziri and packing her belongings. Eziri sighed before getting up and doing the same.

As she rolled up her sleeping bag, her thoughts drifted back to the memory she re-lived in her dream.

Since Eziri joined the Avatar, she started dreaming more and more about her childhood--specifically about her father. So far she didn't think that news of her treachery reached the Fire Lord. Although Zuko was furious with her, she hoped Zuko would never be the one to send the news of his sister's actions.