Blazing Crystal

Rotten Fruit

Just an early notice, but I'm going to switch up the order of the gangs journey through the Fire Nation so it might aggravate all of you die hard Avatar fans. I have an idea of how I want these next few chapters to go, and that involves moving the episode order around from the show. The plot will be the same for the most part. You'll understand what I mean soon in the future. You don't have to worry about it right now. For those who are curious though, the episode order in this work will go "The Painted Lady," "Sokka's Master," "The Avatar and the Fire Lord," "The Puppet Master," then "The Beach" and finally "The Runaway." ~Faithy Waithy

Third Person POV

The dimly lit room was silent besides the crackle of the flames that rose on both sides of the raised platform where the Fire Lord's throne was. A guard stood at the bottom of the steps on both sides in silent alert, their eyes scanning the room for any danger. A middle-aged man with graying black hair and a sharp goatee sat on the throne, his gold eyes showing a deep darkness of malice and hate. His fists clenched the edge of the arms of his chairs as his thoughts ran wild. The red fire rose and fell with his breathing, and the other servants in the room holding water and food made no move to upset him.

The messenger before him shook with fear as the Fire Lord stared at him with irritation and impatience. The messenger was a lean frail old man in a dark robe, and he stayed on his knees with his eyes downcast in both fear of angering the man before him and of being disrespectful.

"Speak, Commander Yung," Fire Lord Ozai ordered, his voice echoing around the room with both authority and sternness. "I have a meeting soon with a very important councilman, so say what you need to."

The man nodded. "Yes sir... I apologize for intruding on your time, but you ordered that any suspicious activity be reported to you right away. It's Princess Azula... You've had my men watch her these last few weeks. The other night one of my spies saw your daughter speak to a man with a metal boot and strange tattoos. After interrogating the man when he left the palace, we have learned that your daughter is attempting to send out an assassin to kill the waterbender Admiral Zhao told you of before his death."

The Fire Lord's ears perked up at this, and he leaned forward in his chair with sudden interest and irritation. "Really... My daughter is sending an assassin after the young waterbender my treacherous son is so fond of..." He sneered. "Even after I told her that I wanted that temptatious wretch alive!" Fire shot up towards the ceiling from his rage. He stood from his seat and stepped to the edge of the platform. "Keep your spies on my daughter for now. She clearly is not capable of being left to her own devices." He then asked, "Is the assassin you interrogated still here?"

Commander Yung nodded again. "Yes my lord. He is being detained by my men outside."

Ozai sneered. "Bring him in here at once."

His order caused the man to stand quickly, bow, and depart the room backwards. Once he was through the doors, the Fire Lord stepped back to his throne with a sudden fire building inside him. He'd heard about his son's feelings for the waterbender captured so long ago from the Southern Water Tribe. He knew of the affection that his son had for the girl, and he also knew that the girl was the reason his son turned on him. As much as he understood Azula's plan to kill the waterbender, he had other plans for punishing his son. He had given Zuko the chance to come home, and yet the banished prince had chosen to betray him and the throne for a poor Southern Water Tribe chief's daughter. Ozai knew the best way to get his son to come back to him was leverage, and that leverage would be the thing Zuko loved most.

The doors to the throne room opened once more, and the sound of metal clomping against the stone floor echoed around them. The Fire Lord remained in a perfect posture as he returned to his seat on the throne. He watched the tall brawny man with an eye tattoo and a metal boot step towards him, two armored men on both sides grasping his arms in case he tried anything. Fire Lord Ozai smirked at the plan running through his head.