The Twin (HEAVY RE-WRITE AS OF 2022)

A Chance for Vengeance

The meeting was quickly adjourned and everyone scattered out of the room. I could feel the nervous buzz of energy in the room and I wanted out as soon as I could. I can't believe father had challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai! A firebending fight- Zuko could barely even firebend! As much as my legs screamed at me to run, I knew better than leaving the meeting hall without being directly excused by my father.

After what felt like an eternity in silence, I felt father's eyes on me.

"Sozia, dear."

As soon as those words pass his lips, I feel a shiver go through me. Nothing good has ever started with those words.

"Yes father?"

I return quietly.

"You know that I did not plan on Zuko fighting General Bujing, correct?"

The bad feeling in my stomach intensifies tenfold. I knew father had a plan for Zuko and it was turning out to be worse than I expected. I was confident Zuko would not even win an Agni Kai against the old general, much less whomever father had in mind.

"Yes father."

Even though I wasn't sure exactly what his plan was, this was always the safest answer with him.

"I was planning on fighting him myself, but I know you have surpassed Azula in your lessons.."

Father dragged on. The pit in my stomach felt like a black hole, never ending and eating everything it could get its hands on.

"Yes father, I have."

Azula was good at firebending, I'll give her that. But no matter how hard she tried, I still managed to be one step ahead of her. Her flames may have burned blue first, but mine now burn white- even hotter than hers.

I was shocked out of my thoughts by my father loudly clapping his hands together once.

"Great! It's decided then that you'll fight him."

My mouth went dry. Me?? Fighting Zuko at the Agni Kai?

Not only would that not even be much of a fight, but how would father explain to Zuko why I was fighting him? I tried not to show my displeasure of father's plan on my face.

"Dear, don't look so confused."

My heart dropped. Apparently I was doing a worse job than I hoped.

"Sozia, I know what you saw all those years ago when your mom...left."

I didn't think that the pit in my stomach could get bigger, but it took over my whole body, suspending me in air the instant those words let his mouth.

How could he know? We were hidden!

I didn't know how to respond. These passed three years he's known! Why was he just now bringing this up to me? I stayed silent, not wanting to say the wrong thing and make him mad. I needed to be calm, collected. Surely he must have a reason to bring this information up now.

"Sozia, you and I both know Zuko is the reason your mom had to leave us. This is your chance for revenge for what he did. He broke up our family!"

My breath caught. He was right. All those years ago...Zuko was the reason mom wasn't here anymore.

"Don't you wish you could get revenge on him, dear? And with Zuko gone, you would be heir to the throne."

A fire lit in my chest. All the sadness and anger that I felt, maybe this would be the chance to make it all go away? A chance to take revenge on Zuko and his shortcomings. If Zuko had just been stronger- or better yet just kept his big mouth shut I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Plus, everyone was wondering when father would appoint me the next heir. This would be the perfect opportunity to announce it. I took a deep breath.

"Yes, Father."

"Good. I knew you would understand. Now, when Zuko loses, we will send him away so that you can take your rightful place as heir. Isn't that just lovely? And once you defeat him, I'll forget all about your little spying."

"Yes, Father."

"Perfect, now that it's settled I will tell the fire sages that the agni kai is to take place tomorrow at sunset in the royal stadium. You are dismissed, Sozia."

I tried to maintain an air of calmness while also trying to get out of the room as soon as possible. Once the doors shut behind me, I ran to the only person I had in the palace. Azula.

I shoved Azula's room doors open and found my sister diligently studying at her desk. These days it seemed she would do anything the try and get ahead of me in firebending.

"Sister!" I shouted "Sister you'll never believe what happened today!"

Azula looks up at me from the firebending scroll she'd been studying and smirks.

"Oh about poor Zuko? I heard from some gossiping mouths about it already."

Azula, while fierce in both firebending and personalty, her biggest strength was eavesdropping. There was nothing that happened in the palace without Azula knowing. I figured with news this big, she had known the second the war meeting adjourned.

"Sure, sure. But you'll never guess who he's going to be dueling."

Azula's eyebrows shot up. It seemed she hadn't heard this information yet-though I didn't doubt there were servants hiding in the war room while father and I talked.

"Me! He told me I would be the one fighting Zuko!"

Azula's loud laughter rang through her room.

"You? Oh Zuko's never going to get out of this one. You're going to burn him, of course?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I am! You know how he is the reason mom isn't here anymore."

Azula's eyes darken. Mom and Azula didn't have the best relationship, but I know that Azula still missed her. She certainly would be fine with me taking this opportunity to remind Zuko how little he was worth.

"Well then you'll have to remind him why he's the weakest sibling."

Azula laughed out once more before returning to her scrolls. It was my cue to leave. As I walked through the corridors between Azula and mine's rooms I thought of what was the come tomorrow. My stomach rolled at the thought, like whatever happened was going to change our lives forever.

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A/N: A shorter chapter, but we'll kick things up next chapter! As of 07/10/22 the third chapter will be down for renovations hehe! Thank you for your support- Mina