The Unpredictable Fire Queen [Fire Lord Zuko x Reader]{ATLA}

... and the dilemma

With Zuko off in his own meetings and your advisors strolling the city, you finally had time to yourself. Ever since you left the Royal Palace, every day had been grueling. The minute you awoke you had to behave properly, be dolled up, and visit hundreds of people. By the end, you were exhausted enough to collapse on your bed and fall asleep.

Today was different since the meet-and-greet began at night. It was one of those rare days that you could do as you pleased, and you took advantage of that. Waking up around noon, you took a long bubble bath, ate great food, and sat yourself down to write letters.

The first one was for your students who missed you terribly. The next one was for your friend Lee, whom your mother mentioned was asking a lot about your whereabouts. The last one was for your mother, responding to all her tedious questions. Were you enjoying yourself? How was Zuko treating you? Were you securing the deal with Zuko (whatever that meant...)? The list went on.

You stopped the movement of your pen, distancing it away from the letter. Glancing at the window, you felt this dread that something was wrong. As you set your pen down, you stood from your chair and inched towards the glass window that overlooked the garden. The clear blue skies and melodic bird chirping signaled the peaceful atmosphere outside, but you didn't believe it. If your gut said that you were in trouble, you were in trouble.

You pressed your hand against the window glass, slowly pushing it open as you held your breath. You were more than capable of taking of yourself, that much you knew. You just hated the unknown. It made your palpitations soar and sweat begin to appear. The foreign sensation of fear attacked your nerves as your eyes scanned the vacant garden.

"I wouldn't enter your room through the window," a menacing voice spoke up by the door. "That's beneath me."

You whipped your head over your shoulder, eyes widening at the sight of Princess Azula. She went missing years ago as Zuko had mentioned, but no one ever knew what happened to her. There were rumors that her insanity tore her apart, and she was probably dead... But to see her here...

Speechless, you watched her slink towards you with an eerie smile. "I find it odd that Mai isn't the one marrying my brother. After all, she did betray me for him." Her statement oozed bitterness, though it didn't seem that her anger was aimed at you.

You opened your mouth to speak, but she threw a blue fireball at you. Although you were in a state of shock, you still had your instincts intact, and with the flick of your wrist, you dispelled the fire. Although you deflected her attack, it still managed to scathe your hand. It made you wince, but you recovered upon noticing that Azula's hands were forming two fire blades.

"So I guess we're not going to talk?" you laughed nervously.

"Talking isn't how we do things in the family," came her sarcastic remark.

x-x-x-x

Zuko returned to the resort, panting and shaking. During his meeting, he overheard a few patrons citing that a large fire had emerged from his temporary home. Along with the news that Azula might be nearby, he knew it could only mean one thing. She was here to kill you and take away everything he worked for. It was what he did to her when he took her chance of ruling the Fire Nation (and probably the world), and now she wanted payback.

When he stood in front of his suite, he noticed several guards lying around unconscious. He swallowed his saliva as fear settled itself in his body. Although he wasn't sure of his feelings for you, he still wanted your safety and companionship. There would be hell to pay if he found you--

"Oh, Zuzu!" you exclaimed as you waved at him.

He blinked a few times as his serious facade dropped. "What the hell happened?"

Everything in the suite had turned to char including the roof. Nothing was untouched by the burning fires, and it was obvious that there had been a serious fight. You didn't come out unscathed, but you were holding up just fine with a few burn marks here and there.

"Just talking to your family," you answered in a laidback fashion.

"... Where is Azula then?" he hesitantly asked.

You shrugged, "Who knows! But I did ask her to come to the wedding and be my maid of honor." You seemed proud of yourself for upholding your promise to him, even though he never wanted that of you. "And she was sooo happy."

Azula happy? Yeah right. It meant that she was plotting something diabolical.

"She said that she's always wanted a strong sibling," you laughed. "And all she had was a prissy sister."

"But I'm her brother."

"Mhmm," you hummed as you walked off towards your (nonexistent) room.

"H-Hey! I'm not a girl! And I'm not prissy!" Zuko exclaimed.

He stepped forward to go after you but stopped. He realized that you undermining his masculinity was the least of his problems. You colluding with Azula? Now that had to be the worst dilemma he could ever be in.