Purple Flame

20

"Your Princess Azula, clever and beautiful, disguised herself as the enemy and entered the Earth Kingdom's Capital. In Ba Sing Se, she found her brother Zuko and his bride to be Hai, and together they faced the Avatar ..." Li started.

"And the Avatar fell! And the Earth Kingdom fell!" Lo and Li said.

"Azula's agents quickly overtook the entire city. They went to Ba Sing Se's great walls ..."

"And brought them down!"

"The armies of the Fire Nation surged through the walls and swarmed over Ba Sing Se, securing our victory." Li and Lo with Azula approaching between them.

"Now the heroes have returned home!"

"Your princess, Azula ..." Lo said.

"And after three long years, your crown prince and princess have returned ..."

"Zuko and Hai!" We approached together. My hands, once hidden in the sleeves of my hanfu now out. One holding Zuko's hand and the other resting upon my stomach.

As I walked through the palace. I noticed both Ty Lee and Mai had joined me. My hands resting against my stomach in a traditional manner.

"With the way you guys were on the ship, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a little Prince growing." Ty Lee said causing Mai'a face to darken. I smirked and shook my head.

"You are the only one who carries yourself with such posture." Mai said blandly. "Slouch or something."

"Mai, as someone not born of high standing in the fire nation my every move is judged accordingly. When I walk through the halls and meet anyone I have to hold myself to the highest of standards to even seem fit as a future queen."

"You're the strongest person here." Ty Lee said.

"Whether I believe that or not I still personally by myself have no rank. I'm just the girl with the purple flames." I said before approaching the doors of the throne room. The doors I first entered when arriving here, when my flames were blue.

"Only Princess Hai has been permitted to enter." A guard said. Ty Lee and Mai nodded before stepping back.

"We will wait out here Princess."

"Don't." Was all I said before entering the room. The flames were burning bright orange and in the middle the fire lord sat. I bowed deeply to show respect. "Fire Lord, you asked to see me?"

"I was talking with Azula on your part in the fight against the Avatar. It seemed you didn't actually fight."

"I believe my job is to make Zuko appear stronger. I didn't wish to show up your children. The Fire Lords protégés."

"Good thinking. I would like to know, has your flame progressed anymore?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Show me." He said before moving and walking through his flame wall. His tall height towered over me as he stood in front of me.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Just raise up your flame." The lilac colored flame appeared in my hand as I held it up. I noticed his eyes widen then they sparkles with joy.

"The flame has more then triple the amount of heat I previously was able to conduct. I have yet to try lightening but I have been able to start using combustion bending. Not in the traditional sense, but very close to it."

"Show me. There's a practice target." He said as a servant brought in a test dummy. I looked over at it as the flames in my hand disappeared. I focused on the dummy before imagining an explosion. An explosion now standing in the test dummy's place.

"Magnificent." He put a hand on my face and looked at me in the most sickening way. "You're dismissed Princess."

"Thank you, My Lord." I said before bowing and turning to leave the room. I slid my hands into the supposing sleeve as I walked through the hall.

That night as I lay in bed, I finally let the weight of my decisions sink in. I turned to face Zuko, only to see his bare chest. His soft snores filling the silence. I moved closer and hid my face against him as the tears poured down my face.

"What's wrong?" He said waking up. I sniffed and looked up at him.

"We made a mistake. We should've helped Aang and Katara."

"You..Hai."

"I let my anger take over and decided to walk away. I knew Katara needed me and I abandoned her."

"We're going to fix it." He mumbled quietly. I hid my face against him and closed my eyes.

"If we can."

*time skip*

"You did what?!" I snapped at Zuko as he sat on the bed.

"I hired a man to find them."

"A man who can use combustion. Zuko that's my family too!"

"Hai! Enough!" He said standing up. I flinched back and then frowned. "I didn't pay him to kill them. I paid him so he could find them."

"Did you make sure it was clear in his head? No harming them. Just track them down."

"Yes."

"Are you sure Zuko?"

"Maybe." My eyes fell and I sighed. "Hai I'm trying my hardest here. I feel like I don't belong here anymore."

"We don't belong here." I said quietly. "First chance I get, Zuko, I'm leaving."

*short skip*

"I'm so excited to spend the weekend on Ember Island. It's going to be great to hang out on the beach and do nothing." Ty Lee said, her hands behind her head, imitating a relaxed position.

"Doing nothing is a waste of time." Zuko said rising from his seat next to me." We're being sent away on a forced vacation. I feel like a child."

"Lighten up. So Dad wants to meet with his advisers alone, without anyone else around. Don't take it personally."

"Doesn't your family have a house on Ember Island?"

"We used to come every summer when we were kids." I said as I approached Zuko. I put my hand on his back and smiled softly.

"That must have been fun! And! Since we're going to the beach, Hai won't wear a hanfu!" I looked at her and rolled my eyes.

"That was a long time ago."

"I can still where a hanfu."

When we arrived on Ember Island's shore, many elegant-looking, before stopping at a dock. The boat moves toward the dock. Lo and Li on the docks as the boat moves to block the view slightly.

"Welcome to Ember Island, kids." They said in sync. I sighed and we began following them into the house.

"It smells like old lady in here." Zuko said. I snorted and held his hand.

"Gee, I wonder why." Mai replied looking at Zuko. I looked at her skirt. I imagined it lighting ablaze and just as it sparked Zuko pulled my hand lightly making me lose focus.

"Who are these two beautiful women?"

"Can't you tell?"

"It's Lo/Li and me." They said imitating the painting. Everyone looks at them, disturbed. Zuko covers his mouth with his hand, about to vomit. I looked away as my face scrunched.

"Let's just get ready to go the beach." I said. I went into mine and Zuko's room, him following close behind.

"You know we could just stay in." I giggled as he kissed my shoulder. I pushed him back with a smile and untied my hanfu.

"Come on dork stop staring and get ready."

"Yeah." I walked behind the changing curtain and put on a tight red sleeveless tube top and short skirt, bikini bottoms under. I slid my shoes on and stepped out to see Zuko dressed and ready.

"My Princess."

"My Prince."

"I think we should just take a few minutes." He said before leaning down and brushing his lips against mine. I bit his bottom lip and then ran out of the room.