#Ursa cant take the throne if Ozai annulled their marriage

[trekkele]

Pre-canon Azula assassinates Ozai and frames Iroh for it?

Wow y’all really have me entirely figured out today. This is also less about that and more about…idk even.

“In the beginning,” Ursa said, sweeping the flame from the candle into the palm of her hand, guiding it counterclockwise with her finger, “when the fire benders where only dragons and the people huddled cold at the base of their mountain, the first snow fell. The people could not understand the ice that fell from the heavens, grey clouds hiding Agni from them.”

The tiny flame burst into sparks, drifting slowly down to her palm. Azula wondered if her eyes were as wide as Zukos, as bright with the flames' reflection.

“But in this village there was a girl, whose eyes had long been turned to the top of the mountain, who’s heart held a coiling flame” her mother traced a heart with two fingers, and the flame followed. “She did not fear the snow, or the cold it brought, but rather the way her people had lost their fire in the face of Agnis Shrouds.”

“And so she began the trek up the mountain, passing by the frozen stream and the trees bowed under ice, until she could see her village, tucked into the whitened valley, spread below her feet. And she sat down to wait.”

“Wait?” Azula asked, lip curling. “I thought she wanted to find a dragon? What use is waiting.”

Ursa smiled, tiny flame dancing, running up and down her palm as her fingers guided it. “The dragon was not used to strangers on their mountain. The girl knew they would see her, and come. Knowing how and when to strike,” the flames seemed to burn deep in Ursa’s eyes as Azula watched it form a tiny dagger, “is just as important as knowing where.”

Zuko gasped as the dagger flame changed to a bow flinging arrows, two swords crossed, and finally a vial dripping flame.

“And when the dragon came, the girl was still warm, and rested, and had arranged herself as though they sat in the finest sitting room, silks and tea,” Azula pulled a face that made her mother’s shoulders shake, the flame between them flickering, “and mochi all before them.” Azula grinned even as Zuko snickered. Mochi was a much better diplomatic tool than tea, even if tea was traditional.

“The dragon landed softly in the snow, settling in with wings tucked behind them. “You do not belong here” they said, rumbling like an earthen flame* and breathing colored sparks to the air. “And yet I am here.” the girl said.

The dragon glared at her, fierce and foreign. It was odd to see anger in the face of a serpent. The girl did not shake, or apologize. “Why.” the dragon swept their tail over the ground, snow piling on either side of its path, “Why have you climbed this mountain”

The flame in Ursas palm grew wings, rising slowly between them, “My people grow weak with fear. Agni has been hidden to us for the weeks of this storm and they fear or spirit has grown angry, or distant.” The dragon huffed, disdain dripping like flames from their fangs. “Did not the Great Sun bless you with fire? Do not your veins flow like the blood from a Sparked Mountaintop?” the girl still not shake. “The turtle lions blessed us with Agni’s spark, but we do not know how to use it.” she said, hands folded in her lap. The fabric of her coat was warm with her anger, but the dragon could not see the heat of her palms. He could not hear the anger in her voice.

“What the spirits did or did not give you is none of my concern, now leave me. I must return to my hoard.” Ursa lowered her voice when she spoke for the dragon, rumbling with something below her tongue. Zuko shuffled closer to Azula, who leaned closer into him.

“Your hoard?” The girl asked “are gold and coloured stones so precious that you would deny the chance to become the first master to a new class of student?” the dragon laughed. “What foolish stories do you tell of us? My hoard are my children in their eggs, and my hoard is my family. I would deny the chance to become legend for them.”

“The girl was clever, and quick, and stood before their wings could unfold. “My hoard is dying.” the dragon paused. “My hoard is dying and I am here to teach how to live.”

The dragon shook out their wings, rising to their full height and glaring down. The snow had begun to fall again, and if the girl closed her eyes, she thought she could smell the smoke from her village, the panicked silent breaths of people who could not see the sun. “I cannot leave my hoard.”

“I can.” the girl said, standing in the snow, praying to a spirit buried in clouds. “For as long as I need to.”

“Why you, little spark-bender?” the dragon said finally, their student starting to shiver.

The girl did not rejoice in her success. There was never a place for failure in her plans. “Someone had to.” she shrugged, and followed the first dragon master up the mountain.”

Ursa let the flame in palm burn down, placing it gently back to the week when it was no more than a spark.

“What happened to the village?” Zuko demanded, hands around his knees.

“The girl came back and taught them how to fire bend, using what the master showed her. Once they could learn to manipulate their chi, the villagers always felt where Agni was, and always knew they were close to them.”

“What happened to the girl.” Azula did not demand an answer. She did expect one.

“Well, the legend says she traveled to other villages and taught them to fire bend as well. And once she settled down, her children became great and powerful benders, till Agni blessed on with the wisdom to unite our people. But now,” Ursa waved the candle shut, “it’s time for bed.”

—-—

Later, after Azula learns what burnt skin smells like, how the ashes taste on her tongue, Iroh stands next to her in the garden.

The guards are uneasy. They are unnecessary too, but Azula will make allowances for their skittishness.

No one trained them to fight dragons, after all.

“Why.” Iroh asks, and Azula is tempted. It would be so easy to crack, right here, and scream her grievances to the world. To the sun, its chosen heir lying burnt on white sheets, fists clenched around his loyalty and heart weeping.

Why. She thinks instead of a girl, and a mountain, and facing a monster that is suddenly an ally in the face of greater threats.

She thinks of a heart, filled with coiling flames.

“Someone had to.” She says, eyes turned towards the sun. It winks lower over the caldera cliffs, sky clear and blue.

—-—

She never tells him how it easy it actually was.

Her Uncle does not want to know.

—-—

Ursa does not ask Why. Her mothers return to the palace is a quiet thing, hastened by the servants who remembered her and the courtiers who eyed the royal children with pity and unease.

Zuko uses their pity. Azula uses the unease. They want neither, but they will not waste what is given.

Ursa does not ask. She sits in the garden, lets Azula huff and throw scrolls and braids little twists in her hair till it is piled like black silk on her head.

Once, she holds Azula's hands in her own, and lets a flame dance over their palms. “My only regret,” she says, eyes steady even as the wind sweeps between them, “is that you did what I did not.”

“Would you have?” Azula does not want the answer. She needs it, desperately, but she doesn't want it.

“If I had known half of what he would become, the sun would not have risen on him after your first breath.”

Ursa does not ask. She does not push. And she does not expect Azula to mourn her actions.

Azula is not surprised. No one ever expects a dragon in a woman’s skin.

But she's since learned to see the glint of fangs in her mothers smile. She sees it in the mirror, after all.

[send me an ask of ‘I wish you would write’ with a story idea and ill react. I’m very suggestible, clearly]

#I wanted to frame this with something to explain Azulas state of mind #The thing is depending on the timeline I don’t even know if Iroh would get in trouble for it? #Especially if you consider who would support him within the FN and why #Or how #like I’ve said before the last thing ou want during a global war is an internal power vacuum which pre canon Zuko or Azula in the throne #Would probably get you #Ursa cant take the throne if Ozai annulled their marriage #Which he might have for efficiency #Unless this is pre-pre-canon #And Ozai gets Merced by a six yr old Lula #…i can see it #In case anyone is wondering Zuko is also down for murder in this au #Ozai just didn’t plan on Azula being #Should’ve burnt both kids at once pops ¯\ _(ツ)_/¯ #royal fire hazards #Asks #ficlet #flash fic #listen if you hate it you can send another ask #…or if you love it? You can send another? #avatar aus