the plan had barely worked, and if it wasn’t for that idiotic guard, ozai doubted he would be here now. though his friends had instructed him to leave immediately, there was no he could leave without his prodigy. he had heard what they were trying to do to her ( reversing all of his hard work, all of his teachings ) ozai couldn’t believe what he had heard. but no one knew these walls better than him, and his useless son would never have thought to anticipate this ( zuko was never one for planning, too much of a fool ) so he slipped so easily, so poised to take back his daughter. “come azula,” he ordered, voice low. “come back with me we have to fix this mess your brother has caused.” ozai kept calm, ignoring the child’s response when he heard the other’s voice ( the traitor. his evil wife. ) he kept his grip on his weapons, knowing he could best ursa if it came down to it. “azula. you think they love you? are you a fool?”
she’s in the garden, by the turtle duck pond. she can hear in the distance birds chirping as a cool breeze slices through the warm summer air. serenity cradles her. her foot dangles over the edge of the pond, dipping her toe into the water just to allow herself to indulge in its coolness.
but just as her foot touches the water, a hand grips it beginning to pull at her. her breathing grows frantic as she tries to keep out of the water. as she looks into the water, her reflection, no, her father’s stares back at her as he begins to whisper her name. come azula. he begins to tug harder pulling her under the water.
she sits up, waking up, letting out a scream. just as soon as she does she becomes aware of his presence. a looming figure, one that is too familiar. one that has haunted her nightly. this is a nightmare, she thinks to herself. this is not real, she hopes. she tries to call out, but her voice betrays her. she hears her footsteps beginning to run to her room. this is no nightmare. as he whispers again, the door opens and a sliver of light from the hallway breaks through. as azula analyzed the situation, she realized she was helpless. her power drained by the fear. azula you think they love you ? as he whispers her darkest fear she can only let out a sob.
she clutches at her father, giving in. just a child once more.
she’s always wanted a daughter. back in her village, her mother had teased her about the way she’d treat her toys, the way ursa cared for them. when azula was born it was beautiful. she had felt complete, a love like no other. ursa thought to her daughter’s beautiful hair, the one she’d brush every night, the hair she’d cared for when zuko had brought ursa back. no one was going to ruin her daughter. not when ursa loved her.
when she looked at the scene, all she could see was pain. ( flash. it is azula’s second birthday, general zhao has gifted a hairbrush from the earth kingdom and ursa spends forever brushing her daughter’s locks. ) when ursa looks up, she sees his face. his evil arms around HER DAUGHTER ( flash. that night, ozai burned the hairbrush. she needs to focus on her bending ) ursa can’t breathe ( no. no. no. she can’t, she will not be the same woman who left so long ago ) — — — “ step away from her, “ ursa warned. “ your son sleeps just doors away. the fire lord. “
ursa can’t. she will not watch as her child is manipulated again. she will not let every thing they have done to protect azula go to waste. she refuses. “ he’s lying to you azula, “ ursa tries, begs for her to listen. please , if only she could read her eyes , how they beg. she doesn’t cower from him ( but she keeps her distance ) “ ozai you lost. let my daughter go. “ she’s not the same girl he’d married , the coward. she was the woman that had poisoned the fire lord, she would go to war for her daughter. “ azula — we love you. don’t listen to his lies. ozai always lies. “
