Hi. I'm new and was writing for Tyzula Week. Now I decided to continue this story without the prompts but still as drabbles. Feel free to suggest prompts :)

Handwriting

"She doesn't have trouble making friends. She has trouble keeping them," Princess Ursa states.

It is the most certain she has been about anything said in this conversation. Ursa and her husband have debated the fact that Azula seems to prefer the company of intelligent adults, which Ozai vehemently defended, solely because the adult most charmed by her is Fire Lord Azulon.

They at last delved into the matter that children want to befriend Azula, even without the vicious nudging of their parents. She attracts people. But Azula does not know how to behave, how to be a child, and that is why Ursa did not relent about having this conversation.

She may have never gotten over how she has the creeping sensation that Azula remembers her mother's rejection after her birth. She may be well aware that the reason Azula quickly became a force of destruction in their small family of four is because Ozai had intended for her to be that way.

But, so help her, Ursa will get that girl an actual childhood.

Without one, she will not be a ruler. She will just wind up flat fucking crazy, as Ursa pointed out, even if her voice quavered.

"Well, if her friends won't stay, we get her one that can't leave," Ozai says, as if it is so obvious.

Or, we teach her how to keep her friends, is Ursa's thought, but she holds her tongue. His offer is better than nothing.

"What do you propose? A betrothed? To Zuko, I mean, not to her," Ursa suggests and he seems very unimpressed by that idea. She does not know why but she does not want to argue either.

"A slave, of course. There are so many of them to choose from." His cavalier tone bothers his wife, but she rubs her arm and conceals that discontent.

"Those have... connotations," she demurs and he looks at her as if she is crazy.

"Not a little girl. Are you saying that a little girl would have sexual connotations?" He stars at her and she supposes she does not want to argue with that. It does not seem worth it, is all.

"We should..." Ursa does not think she is going to be listened to.

x

The man running the business, standing in the very well decorated waiting room, is writing down the information about the girl that the two royals saw. He is nervous and it keeps making the ink smudge, but, of course, the prince and princess are statuesque and do not offer a condolence.

Ursa was frustrated at buying a human pet for Azula when she has seen what her daughter has done with animals, but she was never bothered by slavery. She is, however, discomfited by the little girl very patiently waiting, with a very nice braid in her hair, who could pass so easily for any child Ursa has seen among her children.

It is very different than a serving woman or man.

The idea that someone would be so desperate as to need to sell their child is disturbing to Ursa. She cannot imagine what would drive someone to that extreme... but she should not complain if it is going to help her daughter.

But here she is with a bill of sale in her hand, one that has just been signed by the man she is married to, and she does not know what to make of that. She does not know how to feel about his signature on the neatly handwritten slip of paper that bought a friend for Azula.

"Thank you for your business," the man says, still sounding nervous.

He watches them leave, with the girl holding the princess's smooth hand.

Kittens

"We are not going to tell Azula that this little one is hers until she's old enough to understand," Ursa demands and Ozai gives her at least that.

She is staring at the little girl, who is playing with the two fluffy white kittens that Azula is getting for her birthday along with her slave.

Ursa stares at the gleeful child and hopes that this does not turn out as poorly as she thinks that it will.

x

Azula wanted a kitten for her birthday, and she gets two.

But while the two kittens are cute as could be, it is her other gift that intrigues her the most.

"They're really cute," the other girl says brightly as she scratches one of the furballs behind the ears. Azula looks up at her mother, and how her mother is being so kind to this other little girl. It makes Azula want to burn everything.

"That's Azula," Ursa says tenderly to the girl in the braid and Azula takes a huffy breath.

"It's my birthday and I don't even know her. She is not invited here and not allowed to touch my new kittens." Azula then gestures at the other gifts. "Or anything else."

"Okay," says the girl, whom shrugs and releases the kitten that she was snuggling against. "Whatever you want, princess."

The girl seems quite pleased with that idea and Azula is unimpressed.

"Of course you will ─"

"Azula," father says and suddenly she is listening attentively, unlike she was when it was just her mother. "Go play with your new friend. She is here exclusively for you."

Azula stares at him. She then picks up one of the kittens in her arms and stalks away with the new girl walking after her, looking so confused.

Of course they would try to make her a friend when she has no need for one.

x

Ty Lee follows Azula without a single thought about getting in trouble. She has the other cat with her, even though Azula told her not to which is really scary because she knows that she is supposed to do whatever Azula wants.

Azula finally stops at her bedroom with the cat clinging to her shirt.

"What do you want?" Azula asks.

"Whatever you want." Ty Lee blinks. "I brought your other kitty for you."

Honestly, Azula is used to people groveling, but she does not quite know what to think about this particular girl.

"Fine. Let's see how much you really mean that," Azula says sweetly and Ty Lee tries really hard not to be nervous.

Let the games begin.