Author Announcement: Well finally. To any faithful readers that are still around I extend my apologies for this hiatus. I will elaborate on the state of affairs in the AN at chapters end.

For starters I would like to thank Akatsukileader13, who's Avatar TLA story provide me with the final kick to the rear to get this rewrite launched. On that note I recommend you read "A Twist of Fate", the story that finally knocked my head back into the Avatar world.

Kindred: A Tale of Love & War

Partings and Lessons

When you wear a mask long enough it starts to feel like your real face, Azula had read in some text. As one experienced with schooling her expressions and actions into a mask, more masterful than anything ever carved from wood, the Fire Nation Princess disagreed. One simply doesn't mistake the mask for your true self, or at least someone of her intellect did not do something so stupid. It was more like clothing, and taking the mask off left you feeling exposed, naked even.

Azula was cunning, powerful, fierce, intelligent, and admittedly very proud of herself in almost every regard. Her mask was a matter of omission rather than lies, showing parts of her that were true and simply concealing inconvenient truths. The truth was that there was only one outright lie in regards to her mask that held any prominence.

Her relationship with Zuko, her dear brother she was obligated to despise and belittle. Their father had taught her attachments were vulnerabilities, and that at least was something she could agree on, as her mask threatened to slip before the masses and the court.

She sat upon a dais, enthroned to the left of Fire Lord Ozai, her mother the Fire Lady seated to his right as tradition dictated. Her position under these circumstances should have been that of the Fire Lord's heir, as the younger sibling she should be standing as a sign of respect to the heir. The gesture was intended as a slight on her brother, lost on the commoners but sending a clear message to the nobility.

Uncle Iroh's scheming had saved her brother from the disgrace of de jure banishment and disinheritance, but it could not prevent the Fire Lord from flaunting his disfavor.

"Sadistic, he has already taken so much and he still insists on grinding his heel into Zuko's back," she seethed behind her mask. Azula found it hard to believe that they had ever looked upon this man with love and admiration.

Her face was schooled into bred indifference, and her body language stated for anyone who cared to read it that she would rather not be here. To stay in character it would probably be best to flash her brother one of her superior smiles, the one reserved for losers when she bested them. But it was too risky.

Azula wanted to cry. And mask or no mask she was loath to shed tears under any circumstances. She was not the emotionless weapon her father had wanted, but she was still a warrior and aristocrat who held herself to high standards in all things. But the princess was losing her only real family, and she could not even give him a sign of encouragement, or show that she was sorry to see him leave. All she could do was sit and fake apathy.

The festive mood of the send off rankled. Her brother's exile was being dressed up as a heroic quest, to find the Avatar of all things. Scores of ships and a virtual army of hunters had failed to find the Avatar; the idea that Zuko with a single ship under his command could do anything but fail was ludicrous.

He would still try though, and if the Avatar truly was out there he would search to the edge of the world and beyond to find him. That was simply the kind of man Zuko was, the man she loved.

Zuko wore the armor of an officer; she thought they suited him more than princely garments. Like the rest of the Royal family he was a scion to an age of war, not the pampered aristocratic royalty of past ages. He certainly looked the part of a hero setting out on a great and noble quest.

There were proclamations given and cheers made, oh and of course she picked out the harlots and fools that had tried to court her brother looking on like wounded puppies. For a moment the thought of incinerating her would be rivals lifted her spirits.

Fortunately time did not drag on like she had feared. Though she wished it would slow as her brother and Uncle Iroh ascended the gangplank to his ship. Once the far too tiny vessel had cast off her father rose from his seat, the deed was done and now he had business to attend to.

Azula knew Zuko would watch from his vessel, looking back even when the island itself had vanished into the distance. It was stupid, but just the sort of foolishness that made her fall in love with him in the first place. Strange one of the few times she felt like emulating him she was unable too, lingering would arouse suspicion, already the usual parasites were drifting off to emulate her father's example.

She delayed her departure by glancing over at her mother. Fire Lady Ursa looked tired, and actually old. That last part came as something of a shock for Azula, despite her temperament and education the mortality of her mother was still something that required witnessing to fully grasp. The Fire Lady was devoid of the indignation and anger that had filled her when confronting her daughter on the affair. That had been both predictable and easy for Azula to withstand. After all she had long since accepted that her mother's love was something she would never receive.

It could have been a moment for the two women to find common ground, as one lost her beloved son and the other lost both brother and lover. But there was no warmth in Ursa's eyes when she turned in acknowledgement of her daughter's attention. No malice or anger either, but to Azula it seemed clear that the sorrow was solely for losing the only child she cared about. When Ursa learned the truth of her children the gap between mother and daughter that had slowly expanded over the years ripped into a chasm.

Neither acknowledged the other's pain, the moment passed, and Azula rose to follow the Fire Lord leaving her mother to stare out to sea.

The Western Air Temple

The Western Air Temple was a marvel, Zuko conceded grudgingly. From this courtyard he could view several of the strange stalactite towers that hung beneath the cliffs. He idly wondered what sort of people the Nomads had been to not only come up with such an idea, but commit years of labor and engineering to actually make this place a reality. The Prince returned to the present as his uncle approached, coming to stand at his side.

"I first came here when I was sent to the Continent to wage war on behalf of your Grandfather. I persuaded my escort that a slight detour would do no harm. I wished to spend the night actually. The local fisher folk say the ghosts of the airbenders still haunt the place when the sun sets," General Iroh recounted stroking his beard.

"Was it true?" Zuko inquired, he knew he would find out whether he liked it or not.

"Search me, my father's men were not about to let me waste anymore time. What a spectacle it would have been to have been delivered to Azulon bound and gagged by my own bodyguards!" the general chortled. The Prince suppressed a sigh at his Uncle's antics, turning a perfecting gaze on the temple complex, willing something to happen.

"Enough, we will begin our search here. We will start immediately while we still have daylight," the Prince declared. The wind picked up and whistled queerly through the ruined temple. Ghosts indeed, more likely the wind and frightened peasants letting their imaginations run wild, the prince concluded. His concern was reserved for a living Air Nomad.

Truthfully he did not have high hopes for this place. The Avatar as an airbender was likely to return to his people's sacred places from time to time, but the Western Air Temple was the least likely one for him to frequent. Still it had to be done; he was hunting a prey whose trail was more than a century cold. Agni had never blessed him with luck so he could only use what he had to scour the world for the lost legend.

Iroh allowed himself a sigh as his nephew turned to leave; no doubt to personally lead one of the search parties he had brought up with them. Zuko had only been separated from his sister for a matter of days, and his mood had progressed from bad to worse. The General was confident though that this exile could be a blessing for the young Prince. Removed from the velvet cage of palace life his nephew could gain invaluable experience of the wider world. It had been his own years on the Continent that had shaped the General into the man he was today after all.

More importantly, he would have plenty of opportunities to show the young prince that there were indeed many fish in the sea. While he had never shared his sister-in-laws harsh views of the princess he was not going to let this perversion ruin his surrogate son's life.

As if summoned by thoughts of the fairer sex he soon found himself joined by a lovely young woman. Perhaps Katara was not quite a woman yet, but he could see that she would be true beauty in the coming years. Her eyes were her best feature in his opinion; not at all icy like many waterbenders he had faced in the past. No, her eyes called to mind waters brimming with life, and depths that begged to be explored.

"Ah Agni, if I was a few decades younger," Iroh thought wistfully.

The former palace slave had accepted the General's offer to accompany them to the Temple. She had been hesitant when it actually came time to descend by rope to the temple, but had surprised the Prince clearly by enduring the deed without complaint. Iroh would grant that Azula set quite the standard when it came to deeds, but Katara may yet prove her worth to Zuko, or so he hoped.

The old warrior was pleased at the look of childish wonder on her pretty face. The resigned sorrow and submissiveness of a slave was ill suited to her strong features. Truthfully he felt those expressions were not suited to anyone, but that was a regret for another time.

"Beautiful isn't it? It is said the Air Nomads thought beyond boundaries, uncontainable like their element. They certainly made that clear here didn't they?" Iroh commented. Sadly her expression fell into a more pensive set at his words.

"Yes they did. Now though it's just a tomb," Katara pointed out. Honestly, these days the youngsters seemed bent on seeing things half empty. Iroh wondered if had been like this as a teenager. Maybe that was why Fire Lord Azulon had sent him to the Continent to learn the ways of war?

"I prefer to think of it as a monument, proof that even after all this time they existed, and a testament to the kind of people they were. But enough of an old man's ramblings, I should join the search before my nephew gets vexed. Don't stay out here too long, or you might catch a chill from this wind," Iroh commented.

Katara gave the kind old man a genuine smile as he departed; she had spent a great deal of her life hating the Fire Nation for all that had been done to her and her people. However, living in the Palace she had been forced to realize the Fire Nation was not monolithic but held people as terrible as the Assistant Head cook, to people like the General.

When he came to her with this plan she had already made something of an acquaintance with the General. He habitually made his way to the kitchen to poach some pastries, and somehow or other the two kept running into each other. He had offered her a chance to escape the life she lived as a palace slave and the possibility of freedom. No guarantees she would actually be able to rejoin her tribe, but a chance. After some consideration she had taken him up on his offer.

Now she was having some doubts. She had been forced to cut the ties she had made among the palace slaves, and now was alone, the only woman and non-Fire National on this expedition. Still, she had more of a chance at getting her freedom here than the heavily guarded palace. Life really never could be simple. With that final observation she turned the way Iroh had gone to escape the winds and see what else this strange and holy place held.

Fire Nation Royal Palace:

Azula was at a loss to what to do next. After detaching herself from the court she had made her way to her personal chambers, instructed her servants not to disturb her, and cried into her bed. She didn't cry out, still mindful of keeping more people out of the secret, but she shed her tears freely. If her father was bothering to have her spied on it was nothing he didn't already know.

After she finally worked it out of her system, she had been at a loss as to what to do next. These last days she had been going through the motions of her life in the royal court, careful to conceal her growing depression. Naturally she had even slipped some moments of good spirit at her "foolish brother's final blunder." That part was a bit easier than before, as Zuzu did not have to hear her insulting him.

Now she sat in one of the less ornate but more comfortable gardens of the palace. She recalled how Zuko and her mother would come here to feed the turtle-ducks. A simple recreational activity, devoid of the politicking that would later sour the relationship between mother and son. There had been no hidden motive or attempts to move the crown prince like a piece on a Pai Sho board, just a parent and child enjoying time together.

Azula tossed a scrap of bread unto the water and watched as a tiny, shelled bird regarded the prize and the Princess before thinking better of it and paddling back to its siblings. Her eyebrow twitched at being rejected by a turtle-duck of all things. The remaining bread ignited in her hand and she let it fall into the water without further ceremony.

It was true their father had favored her, but never once had they even come close to having the relationship of a father and daughter. He had not been unkind to her, but that was more because he was pleased with her progress than any affection. In reflection it had been more like an apprenticeship with Ozai as the master passing on his craft.

Even that was gone now. Her father had not been so… forceful as their mother had been in disgust over the affair between their children. Actually she was not even sure if it was disgust, her father was amoral at best and willfully immoral when it suited him. Perhaps he was more upset it was Zuko she had given her heart to than the fact it was her brother?

Whatever the reason, she was no longer being personally trained by him and the testing by the Fire Lord or tutors had stopped piece by piece. Like Zuko, she was merely an inconvenience to be tolerated.

In the midst of the grandeur of the most beautiful city in the world she was alone.

The Princess had never felt so… weak before. Even the horrid day she had been sent off to the Academy without so much as a chance to say goodbye did not compare. She had known the separation, however painful, was only temporary and that time would see her returned to her brother. Now she lacked any such guarantees.

Much as she tried to avoid it, it was possible she would never see Zuko again. Even without the host of misfortunes that could befall him in that tiny ship, he was on an impossible quest.

Supposedly, signs would have declared the death of the last airbender, so one had to assume he was alive somewhere. But even if there was some ancient Nomad sitting on a mountaintop, no one had set eyes on him in more than a century. If the Avatar was going to reveal himself in opposition to the Fire Nation he would have done so long ago. So either the Avatar was dead, or he didn't want to intervene.

Whatever the answer, her father won and they lost. The scandal Uncle Iroh manufactured was workable, but for a Prince of the Fire Nation to return after such a public announcement as anything except a success would see him disgraced to the point of seppekku. The only way he could return without the Avatar would be at the Fire Lord's command, and that would happen the day after the sun was snuffed out.

Azula's eyes snapped up from the turtle-ducks, realization having blazed, dispersing doubt and revealing a course of action. She did not notice the errant ducklings gather to their parents as if they sensed her intent, her mind was far from this serene setting.

When she rose to stand it was with the confidence and elegance that had come to define her. The mantle of depression slipped from her shoulders, the weight's absence making her feel light as air. Her lips pulled back into the smile of a predator that has just found the trail of its prey.

She already knew the distance was great between her and the prize, and what's more it was an elusive goal. That did not matter in the least. She was no longer drifting in the wilderness, she had a trail to follow, a direction in which to move.

First though she would need to write a letter, Azula realized as she swept out of the garden into the viper's nest.

Royal Way

Omoro Kuzan felt nostalgic, a sensation that had become far too familiar since his retirement. He tried to recall exactly how long it had been since he had been to the Royal City. Unless he was mistaken it had been when he formally left the service and been decorated by Fire Lord Azulon himself for services to the Fire Nation. Considering Azulon's son was Fire Lord now he decided it was better not to dwell on the exact amount of time.

At least he could still ride his own mount, he thought as his reptilian steed ascended the road to the Upper City. Hopefully there would be no more checkpoints; he did not come all this way to be cross-examined by youngsters whose parents had been playing spark tag while he was carrying the Fire Lord's banner across the Continent. He was certain in his day security had not been so foolishly thorough. After all it would take a full-scale invasion to bring an enemy this far in the first place.

The thought of an army of Water Tribe warriors and Earth Kingdom soldiers trying to make the Inferno Run from the Great Gates to the Upper City was so ridiculous he laughed aloud to the mountainside.

His good cheer evaporated as it turned out one checkpoint remained. Handing over the seal and formal audience request he had received he watched, increasingly irritated as the guardswoman looked them over. Kuzan was weighing the pros and cons of blasting her when she finally concluded the documents were not forgeries and returned them to the old soldier.

"Welcome honorable General. The Princess is expecting your arrival, she informed us that she would be at a friend's house today, one of us will show you the way," she informed him. The General frowned, he would prefer directions to having to follow after some guide, but it was probably some foolish protocol to escort new arrivals to where they said they were going.

"Heh, this nation has been going down hill ever since Fire Lord Azulon passed," General Kuzan griped internally. Their destination was a residential compound that was very close to the Palace itself. Not surprising, the owners seemed to be on friendly terms with the royal family, and ones proximity to the palace traditionally reflected royal favor.

He vaguely recognized the crest of the Noble house emblazoned over the gateway, not a military family then. That was discouraging; rumor had it Fire Lord Ozai had been giving preference to the courtly aristocrats and industrialists over the martial court Azulon had presided over. It seemed the rumors were not unfounded.

A slave came forward as he guided his lizard into the miniature courtyard. Dismounting unaided presented some difficulty, but he was loath to accept aid from anyone, much less from a slave – another new development, in his day slavery had been barred from the Homelands.

Uncrinching his back General Kuzan raised himself to his full height, aided by a strong but Spartan cane, and set off towards the residence entrance. It was time to see what this girl wanted with an old man like him.

Fire Nation Royal City

It was an interesting experience, Azula concluded. She was sharing tea with Mai while awaiting the arrival of General Kuzan. She had meet and aligned with this girl during her term at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. Along with Ty Lee the trio had been able to carve out a niche for themselves among the often-cutthroat student body. Well at least Mai and Ty Lee had, Azula as both royalty and a prodigy had quickly gained respect and fame among the other girls.

That had actually been a problem, or rather great annoyance. While the stated purpose of the Academies was to provide education for the aristocracy, while removing them from the favoritism of their own households, it served another purpose. For the younger generation to work to create contacts and even friendships that could benefit their clans for decades to come. So naturally the students had been ordered by their parents to gain favor with the second in line to the throne.

At first it had been amusing, seeing how cutthroat they could be in trying to one up each other, or sabotage one another's efforts. Azula had even leaded a few on to see just how far they would go. But in no time at all the endless empty offers of friendship became nothing but an annoyance and she began to aggressively discourage them. To her credit she did no permanent damage, using words was so much more fun and effective. Besides she had already been a match for the upper classes in firebending, so that would have been no fun.

There had been other distractions of course; the Academy was not for the faint of heart. The girls were often left to their own devices and a pecking order was encouraged; the teachers believed intense competition helped build character. At her father's request special pressure had been placed on her, ruling the school was just another one of his tests for her.

It had been a bright spot to meet Mai and by extension Ty Lee. Azula found the eternally gloomy girl refreshingly frank. She made only one attempt to befriend Azula and said from the outset she was only doing it because her mother would keep annoying her until she tried and failed. Somehow that strange encounter turned into a long association. Ty Lee came with Mai as the pink girl had already decided Mai was her friend and after a cursory glance extended that title to Azula.

For all the strange camaraderie since her return to the palace she had not seen either of them, or tried to contact them. They were companions in the Academy, and she thought since the Academy was over the relationship was likewise finished. Yet after Zuko's exile Mai had invited her to talk if she wanted to, surprising Azula to learn she was in the capital.

Her initial suspicions of Mai using their past relationship to further her family's agenda had apparently proven false. Just like at the Academy her family seemed her least favorite group of people in the world. Strangely enough it seemed the noble girl just wanted to talk with the Princess since she had known despite appearances Azula was close with her brother. Thankfully neither the gloomy or perky girl knew how close.

So it was that Azula found the act of sharing tea with a friend and talking about the bizarre antics of another friend unusual, but pleasant.

She was actually disappointed when a servant announced General Kuzan had arrived. She found that odd since she had only been talking with Mai to fill the time while she waited for her guest.

"So you want to do this in private?" Mai asked in her usual empty tone. Azula considered this for a moment, and decided it would not hinder her endeavor to have Mai here for her proposal.

"Stay if you like," Azula answered her.

"May as well, there's nothing else to do," Mai sighed. She simply took another sip of tea before setting out another cup at one of the vacant spots at the table. Right on time as the elderly general picked that moment to walk in unannounced.

Azula had seen pictures of the former general, and known he was old, but still she was a bit surprised. The man was nearly as old as her grandfather would be if he were still alive. But whereas Fire Lord Azulon had aged gracefully, like most of the royal line, Omoro Kuzan looked his age, possibly more. His head was bare of hair, exposing a much-winkled brow and a spotted scalp. His face was extremely wrinkled, with his snow white dangling goatee hiding nothing. Perhaps most disturbing for her was the apparent arthritis in the hand that gripped his cane as he hobbled up to the tea table.

"I am humbled you have requested an audience with me Princess Azula," he croaked at her. He leaned heavily on his cane as he made to bow. Azula did not want him falling so she waved her hand in a manner she had actually been taught.

"You honor me with your presence general. Please have a seat you must be weary after your long journey," Azula stated. The old man grunted by way of response; pulling himself back up he advanced and took the vacant spot across from Azula with Mai to his left. The hostess did not opt to introduce herself and Kuzan did not seem inclined to inquire about her.

"I trust your journey from Ember Island to the capital was pleasant?" Azula politely asked, holding to etiquette.

"Ships are never pleasant in my experience, and sleeping at sea makes my bones ache these days," he growled holding out his cup. Mai looked to Azula, who shifted her head slightly. After sending her friend a glare Mai picked up the teapot and filled the general's cup.

"Perhaps for your return you should buy passage on a sky ship?" Azula suggested.

"Hmm, those floating coffins? I would sooner jump in the ocean and swim," Kuzan barked. He sipped the tea and frowned, turning to look at Mai.

"You should invest in better tea, jasmine is overrated," he informed her.

"General Omoro, I would like to-" Azula blurted before Mai could reply.

"Are you finally going to say why you called me here?" he demanded. And it was clearly a demand, his eyes locked with hers and the tone made it an order. Azula was taken aback, no one outside the Royal Family presumed to order her around so. Even the instructors of the Academy had been more of a passive aggressive type. Kuzan did not seem inclined to wait for her to gather yourself.

"Out with it, I left the comforts of my home to endure the sea and your asinine check points. Tell me why I had to waste my time," Kuzan continued. Now Azula was getting angry, to be personally summoned by Royalty was an honor, sharing tea with Royalty even more so, and he acted as if she had slighted him.

"I am a princess of the Fire Nation, I will not be… scolded by a subject I have honored with an audience," Azula seethed.

"Then tell me what you want and we can get this over with," he replied, unperturbed by the Princess' apparent anger. Recalling her reasons for this situation Azula schooled her features, and spoke next in a civil tone.

"General Omoro, I have called you here to request that you tutor me in the art of war as you did for my Uncle, the Dragon of the West," Azula explained. She even went so far as to lower her eyes while making the request as a show of respect.

"No," Kuzan answered. Azula's face snapped up while the elderly general held out his cup for more tea.

"What? Why?" Azula growled. Mai noted that while Azula may not always get her way, her birth and status as a prodigy meant she was used to it.

"I said no. As to why, why not? Teaching is not something I enjoy, and I only taught young Iroh because Fire Lord Azulon ordered me to take him under my wing in the Fifth Army.

"I received my commission from Fire Lord Sozin himself. I served under Crown Prince Azulon in the Hu Xin campaign. It was that campaign which saw me promoted to general of the Fifth Army, on Azulon's glowing recommendation. I demoted Iroh when he proved too wild for my staff and sent him to the front as a field officer until he was ready to take the trade seriously. For years I had a seat on the High Command guiding the dispositions of every campaign on the continent.

"I retired after Iroh invaded Ba Sing Se, and in return for my services to my nation have asked very little. That is to leave behind all the politics of the military and court to spend the rest of my days enjoying the luxuries of Ember Island and my nights with women young enough to be my grandchildren.

"In conclusion I see no reason to involve myself with such a political position just because a royal who has yet to accomplish anything noteworthy asked me too," he declared. Azula was too stunned to respond before he decided to continue. Mai for her part quirked an eyebrow, deciding this was actually quite entertaining.

"I have heard about you of course, the great royal prodigy Azula. You mastered firebending at an age where most firebenders are still burning themselves through over eagerness. By now you probably are working on harnessing lightning, a feat I myself never quite accomplished. Your most well known trait is that you can bend blue flames, a talent not seen since before the War. Finally, you are supposed to be a genius who goes through tutors the way other aristocratic women go through shoes.

"But for all that you have never been in an Agni Kai, or been in any situation were the safety of yourself or others has been threatened. You have never had to take a life or I wager gone a day without the luxuries of one possessing noble birth. Regardless of whatever potential you may or may not have why should I waste what little time I have left playing sensei to Ozai's number two brat?" General Omoro concluded.

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel?" Mai wondered aloud. This statement seemed to snap Azula out of the state of shock at the verbal assault, as she crushed her teacup in her grip.

"No need to be rude," Kuzan chided her, wagging his finger. Azula's eyebrow twitched at that particular statement.

"I am curious why you picked me though. I have been out of the service much less the field for a long time. We didn't even have armored cavalry, much less these flying machines everyone is fixated on, back in my day. They change the way the trade is done, and you would be better off learning from someone with a fresher perspective," Kuzan commented stroking his beard. Mai was surprised to see Azula actually unwind at this statement; maybe the old fart knew what he was doing? When Azula answered she seemed to be back to her usual controlled and casually arrogant self.

"I have been tutored on modern warfare, and weaponry, and a variety of subjects that would probably qualify me for the officer corp. even without royal preference. But you survived and thrived despite being a commoner in a military dominated by aristocrats and became the most powerful man in the Army as the personal representative of my grandfather in all but name. I know that your career is unprecedented in history; no one else could truly teach me what I need to know.

"I want you to teach me how to apply the art of war in not only defeating my enemies, but in defeating my allies and superiors," Azula announced. Mai was surprised at the possible implications of the Princess' words; there was only one person Azula would willingly acknowledge as her superior. General Omoro Kuzan stroked his beard as he looked Azula over, after a few moments of consideration he nodded his head.

"Do you play Pai Sho?" he asked Azula.

"I know how to," Azula conceded. Though in truth she had not played it since she learned how the game worked.

"You, fetch us a Pai Sho set," Kuzan ordered Mai.

"Does he think I'm a servant?" Mai wondered internally. Since she wanted to see how this turned out she decided to humor the old man. Once she was gone leaving the two alone Kuzan regarded Azula with hard eyes that unnerved the princess.

"I suppose one should expect vipers to breed vipers. But I feel young Fire Lord Ozai is long overdue for karmic retribution. I am not saying yes though, the game will decide that," he announced. He smirked seeing her squirm just a bit, it had been worth the trip after all, he decided.

The Throne Room of the Fire Lords was designed to inspire awe in those granted an audience with the Ruler of the Fire Nation. Unlike Continental Royalty or the chieftains of the Water Tribe the audience chamber was not meant to display the wealth of the sovereign. The Fire Lord must be a firebender, and the sole light in the otherwise darkened chamber was provided by the Fire Lord. Fire divided the Fire Lords from those who sought their favor, symbolic of their power and the gap between a supposedly divine dynasty and mere mortals.

Among Fire Lord Ozai's earliest memories was looking up from the floor of this room to a figure obscured by flames. Even though his father was the one beyond, in this place the Fire Lord had indeed seemed to be something more than a mere ruler or man. It was in those moments that he had first come to covet that position, even before he even knew what it truly meant to be Fire Lord, he had desired to sit enthroned by flames while all others kneeled beneath him.

Today it was his second great disappointment that bowed before him begging favor. It was most frustrating that after all the years spent shaping his daughter into the perfect instrument for securing his reign and legacy, she proved utterly flawed. Still while Ozai was a man devoid of compassion he realized casting her aside in the same manner as his failure of a son was not possible at the moment. Perhaps he had been too bold in favoring Azula? For to suddenly reverse his favor would attract far too much attention, particularly following on the heels of Zuko's exile.

Keeping her around the palace was also unacceptable. The Fire Lord had no patience for things that he could not use to further his ambitions, and his offspring were no exception. And considering the scope of Azula's failure the very sight of her was an irritant.

Agni had allowed the solution to his dilemma to fall right before him. Azula actually wanted to leave the center of power that was the palace. It seemed she wished to study under Omoro Kuzan, a formerly powerful figure in the military. The Fire Lord was quite surprised the man was still alive, much less that Azula would be seeking his outdated knowledge.

Had he still favored his daughter he would have refused. He would not want his heir removed from a setting he could control, where her development into his instrument could be compromised. Besides that Omoro was a commoner who lived above his station, with a military record far from pristine. No he was hardly the influence Ozai would have wanted.

But so long as Azula was gone he no longer cared what became of her. If she could still be useful after a fashion he would make use of her. If she or her brother died he would also make use of that as he had Lu Ten's death.

Through feigning contemplation he granted her his leave to study under the old man.

Royal Highway:

"You cannot be serious," Azula told the old man. They had departed the Capital together, General Omoro allowing no escort and no luggage beside the clothes on her back. Now camping among the trees by the roadside he had offered her a change of clothes, and she was not amused.

"Are they damaged?" Kuzan asked. His tone was innocent and questioning but in the firelight she could see the twinkle in his eyes. The fact it reminded her of Uncle only further irritated her.

"No, they are perfectly fine, for a servant!" Azula barked. Emphasizing her point she threw the bundle of pink and red bordered clothing to the dirt. Kuzan's eyes narrowed as he stroked his beard.

"Exactly. I am interested in teaching Azula, not a spoiled Princess. When we arrive at Ember Island you be joining my staff as a servant. Your grandfather is an old comrade who has fallen on hard times. As a favor I am taking his only grandchild as an apprentice to secure you a commission in the Army. Since your family cannot pay for my services you will be paying through labor. So when I am not teaching, you will be working to keep my villa and its grounds presentable. Incidentally you will need a new name while you're with me," he explained matter-of-factly.

"You expect a Princess of the Fire Nation to lower herself to scrubbing floors," Azula growled.

"No, but I expect such from my student. If you are not interested in learning by all means turn around and go back to your father. If you still want to learn what I have to teach pick up those clothes," General Omoro stated. Azula meet his gaze with a stare that had made more than one tutor loose their nerve; the old man did not waver in the slightest. Azula looked away first; she would do what she needed to get what she wanted.

"Wise choice. Now get those cleaned off, you aren't exactly in a position to buy replacements with your salary," Kuzan commented. The old man did not begrudge her the daggers she stared at him.

Ember Island, if she recalled her history, in the old days was dominated by a collection of shrines held by a sect of the Fire Sages that followed the Spiritualist teaching of the Air Nomads. Like other such holy places the end of the Sage Era saw them fall from favor and die out either quickly or slowly. Some clever nobleman had purchased the newly available lands and promoted the pristine island as an escape from the more developed regions of the Fire Nation. Thus, temporary residents drawn from the elites and middles classes of the Fire Nation had dominated Ember Island for more than a century and a half.

It was definitely beautiful; perhaps once the majority of the Fire Nation had resembled this scenery, before overpopulation and industry took their toll on the Home Islands. Regardless, Inazuma had no time to take in the sights, much less join in the endless frivolity or laxness that defined the temporary residents.

Her family had once held land on Ember Island, but the collapse of the Hokkai Ring had left the family in financial ruin, leaving only the stubborn pride of impoverished nobility. Which was why she had come here, her family history would work against any hopes of reaching the officer ranks without wasting years as a common soldier. So in exchange for knowledge and a recommendation she had been sold as an indentured servant to the great General Omoro.

Her clothing reflected her new status, though it was perhaps more dignified than the fine but out of style garments she had worn as a member of fallen nobility. Her hair as always was pulled back into a braid to keep out of her face. Fortunately the neutral expression she had worn as befitting one of breeding served well enough for an obedient servant, so long as she kept her eyes downcast.

The only hint she was anything but a commoner servant was her pristine skin, and the daisho wrapped in the blanket bundle on her back. Not blessed by Agni with firebending she had been trained to use her grandfather's blades in lieu of bending. Yet another reason she needed to resort to such measures to gain a leg up in the military. But she figured it was better than being married off to some rich merchant more than twice her age.

When it came down to it Inazuma was just another of the many young women trying to make something of themselves in the Fire Nation.

Thus Princess Azula for the first time in years returned to Ember Island.

The Royal Fire Academy for Girls was meant to teach a degree of discipline and self-preservation to the daughters of the most prestigious families of the Fire Nation. Inazuma had long since concluded that the great clans could save a lot of money and get better results by just setting their daughters to work in anonymity.

She thought of herself as her alias to help maintain her character. Among the many conditions the old sadist had set was for her to deceive his servants. If the staff found out who she really was, even if she was just not Inazuma, he would kick her out immediately.

General Omoro called it training; Inazuma thought it was an old man getting sadistic pleasure out of tormenting his betters.

And it was tormenting. Unlike the academy as the newest addition to the staff she was on the bottom of the pecking order and set to the jobs none of the other girls wanted to do. Additionally, with the staff consisting of common servants she was singled out as nobility, and not in a favorable manner. They rightfully discerned she believed herself better than them, and retaliated by setting her a greater workload than they would assign to one of their own.

She had even been banned from firebending at all. Ever since her bending had awakened, not a day had passed when she did not strive to hone her skill with fire. Her blue flames were one of her greatest achievements; no one else in the world was able to bend blue fire. The lack of firebending was starting to grate on her nerves, and at night chills and bursts of heat tormented her. She was certain any amount of bending would alleviate it. Yet Inazuma was not a bender and so bending was strictly forbidden under pain of her instruction coming to an end.

Stubbornness was a trait that ran in her family; none of them were the type to give up when they set themselves on a goal. In fact, aside from blood that may have been the single commonality between the members of the Royal family. Regardless, she was not above admitting when she made a mistake. And this whole venture was starting to seem like a mistake.

When the general beat her at Pai Sho Azula had thought the matter was closed. But apparently he had been intrigued by how she lost and agreed to instruct her. As he had placed one condition after another on her she had accepted, usually grudgingly, under the belief that for the price she was paying a great prize would be had.

Yet her training was far from inspiring. When he summoned her for lessons there were no great revelations. All they did was play Pai Sho while he prattled on about his days in the army, and then send her to meditate for about an hour. Well, he also had her make tea for the two of them, but that was hardly a skill she needed to overthrow her father. And when he told her to stop meditating it was back to the matron to see what menial task needed to be done.

She had learned more about how to avoid provoking people that hate you from living with the servants than from studying with the old man. That, and to never trust servants. When the General entertained guests the servants picked up on all sorts of things they shouldn't have. Sometimes people talked as if the servants weren't even there.

She also learned the general was a dirty man, who often warmed his bed with one of the servant girls. The stuck up bitch was the only one who was near Azula's level of unpopularity. She also knew the matron was having an affair with a brawny Water Tribe slave from the next Villa over. Not to mention that the gardener stole trinkets from the house every so often.

As time passed her new arrival status became less pronounced and she was able to hide her disdain for her position enough to apparently please the servants.

Even the urge to bend became less pronounced letting her sleep, though the itching in her fingers cropped up often enough.

For months she did the work of a servant and attending useless lessons, until after nearly half a year she had had enough. Having been woken again before dawn to get an early start on her chores, Inazuma decided she was through being the choice entertainment for a dirty old has been. After today's lesson she would tell him off when he tried to send her back to the matron. Inazuma would trade in her servants garb for Princess Azula's royal attire and leave this place to never look back.

Omoro Villa, Ember Island

General Omoro stroked his beard one final time before letting his piece fall back to the board. After letting his gaze linger on the decided game he lifted his beady eyes to regard his discomfited student.

"Congratulations Inazuma, by some stroke of fortune you have forced me into a stalemate," he told her. She jerked her head slightly, her expression conveying she was far from pleased by the outcome.

"If you do not win you are the loser, this just means we both lost," the student declared. As Kuzan shook his head at her statement Inazuma was fuming internally, this was not something she had planned for. If she had lost yet again she would have soured this old sadist's victory with her announcement of departure. And if she won she had intended to rub salt into his wounded pride with the same words. For the moment she was puzzled as to what to do, a situation that always irked her.

"Well you still have much to learn, but thankfully it won't be from me," Kuzan commented. It took a moment for his words to sink in, and Azula blurted the first thing to come to mind.

"What?" she blurted, once more the princess.

"As tempting as the idea of making you scrub floors and pull weeds for a full year is, I have nothing more to teach you," Kuzan explained, sipping his tea as if nothing was different about the situation.

"I have only been here six months! You couldn't have taught me everything yet," Azula accused. For the moment she forgot the idea he was not actually teaching her anything.

"I never intended to teach you everything I knew. You already know a lot from those tutors and have been smart enough to pick up what I wanted to show you. Quicker than I expected too, maybe some of your reputation is deserved. The rest you will have to figure out yourself; after all you don't want to end up being a copy of me," he chuckled.

Azula was fuming and only half listening. She had been about to quit, he couldn't just dismiss her.

"Enough of that Inazuma. You need to stay in character a bit longer. I doubt you want the Court to learn you have been living as a servant this whole time," Kuzan commanded. Azula was accustomed to responding to that tone, and however reluctantly slipped back into the passive role of Inazuma.

"That's better. You can skip meditation if you like, but carry out your chores for the night. Tomorrow Inazuma you will leave us and return to wherever you came from with the letter of recommendation you wanted. No one will ever connect my student/servant with the famed princess and favored heir," the General elaborated.

Azula found herself only able to nod and scowl at his instructions, as usual.

Later that night:

Something was wrong. That was the first thought to enter Inazuma's mind as she awoke in her closet-sized sleeping space. She was not certain what had caused her to awaken but her instincts had not failed her before. Snatching her daisho from their shelf she slipped into a robe and her straw sandals, before slipping into the shadows of the villa.

Yevut looked over the courtyard with satisfaction. Everything was laid out as the spy had reported; the villa was built around a courtyard, which was guarded by a simple wooden gate. And nothing else, no soldiers, no guards save for a pair of burly spearmen who had never seen real combat, and no firebenders save for an ancient general.

His warriors cut an impressive figure in the moonlight, the wolf helms of the Water Tribe swallowed their faces in shadow, silver and blue wraiths. His own garb was identical, though rather than holding a spear in hand a large water skin hung from his belt.

While the servants kneeled meekly as two of his warriors kept watch Yevut turned his attention back to Omoro Kuzan. He was far too young to know much about the mans work as a general, besides which the Water Tribe was not nearly as involved in the Continent back then. However, his objective as part of the raid was to bring this fossil back to the North Pole. His reputation should be sufficient to be ransomed for a sizable amount of money for the war effort, or better yet be able to exchange him for some of their captive warriors.

"Where is your cash box old man? My patience is growing thin," Yevut demanded. His orders were to loot and destroy as applicable, and he was certain this villa held more riches than his men had loaded.

"You overvalue me. I am practically a beggar, I live from payment to payment on my pension," Kuzan sighed. Yevut gave a half smile that bared a canine in the moonlit, so this was how the old man wanted to play it eh? Turning from the old man he made for the other captives, he chose a young maid from the front row, but was interrupted from his thoughts by s man who unarmored and not a hostage.

"Lieutenant, we should be going," the slave spoke up. Yevut turned to regard the lanky southerner. For nearly a year this Southerner had been sending reports through the spy network the slaves on Ember Island had established. Much as Yevut loathed those who would let themselves live under Fire Nation rule he conceded their work had made this raid possible. This one however, was treading on his last nerves.

"You are worried about that girl we couldn't find. Calm yourself even if she has swords she is only a woman, we have nothing to gear from her," Yevut told him.

"She could raise an alarm, we should leave while we can," the Southern Water Tribesman insisted.

"Your mistress' Villa is already dead, and with all the mounts accounted for she would have to go on foot. Besides, by now Chief Hakkoda and the main force should be giving the firebenders a lot more to worry about than us. Now head down to the boat and help load the loot if all your going to do here is worry like an old hag," Yevut dismissed the concerns.

The waterbender turned his attention back to the maid – she should do to get the old man to open up about were his money was hidden. Well him or one of the higher servants, it made no difference to Yevut as long as he got what he came for.

The sound of something shattering tore his attention away from women and gold. Instantly on guard and uncorking his water skin Yevut spun in the direction of the noise. It was the cowardly slave; he lay sprawled on the ground, face down. Yevut trotted over as his two warriors also went on guard. The moon, while not full, gave sufficient light to see the pieces of what hit the Southerner, something clay?

He did not realize it was a roof tile, nor did he hear a small figure drop down from the tiled roof into the courtyard. He did hear one of his warriors cry out as that man spotted her and charged.

The man was a Water Tribe warrior, a veteran of the naval war that had been waged in the Artic seas for decades. Yet he had not been among those chosen for the key parts of this raid for a reason. Inazuma flowed around the point of her attacker's spear, her sword already drawn. The motion was smooth, with his momentum carrying him and his spear point past her, he was open to her strike, as her blade sliced into his neck and rolled around his spine.

The dying man fell facedown, trying to stem the flow with his hand, as he drowned in his own blood. Inazuma regarded the remaining warrior, and the leader, a waterbender if the man she had questioned at their boat was to be believed. Waterbenders were exceedingly dangerous at night, and letting him keep an ally was not acceptable. Since this one seemed unenthusiastic about engaging her she took the fight to him.

He actually caught her strike on his guard; she had been too obvious in her intent. He forced her back; he had the better strength and now the means to use it. She recovered her footing in time to dodge his thrusts. Three such blows forced her backward.

She could not believe her foolishness; she had been told her style was weak against the spear. She had used her stealth to dispatch the others; the one fight she had endured had been simple enough. But taking the boat guard as their measure was clearly a bad idea.

Changing tactics, her opponent tried a sweeping strike, taking advantage of his greater reach. She calculated correctly; taking advantage of her lack of hindering armor, she ducked below the strike. Eerily, she felt the wind wake from his spear flow through her untied hair. Two steps took her inside his guard, and let her ram her blade into his chest. Under his cloak he had armor that could stop most arrows and take the edge off slashes, but it did not stop a stab with her full force behind it.

As he coughed blood and fell to his knees she faced a new dilemma, her sword was not sliding back out of her opponent.

"Fire whore!" Yevut growled as water sprang from his skin with a gesture. Inazuma sprang to the side as an ice dagger cleaved through the space she had just occupied. There was no time to plan as she fixed her gaze on the waterbender, reading his movements to dodge the frozen projectiles.

In her haste to avoid being hit she failed to notice the servant who was trying to crawl from the courtyard and stumbled over them. She caught herself from falling, but the stillness let Yevut connect with a water whip knocking her to the ground. As she tried to rise, he struck her again across the back, the chilled water cutting through her robe to leave a red line on her back.

"You should have run while you had the chance, a woman has no place on the battlefield. Did you really think you could beat a waterbender at night? Heh, fighting me and playing soldier, no wonder your family sold you to an old man as a bed warmer. You'll die for your impudence, but you killed two of my comrades. For that you need to suffer, and I know just how to deal with women like you," Yevut growled. He seized the Fire Nation girl by her shoulder and turned her to face him.

His eyes widened in surprise at the grin that split her face, and the triumphant glint in her eyes. There was not even time to form a question in his mind when her hand blocked his vision, and the last thing he saw was a flash of blue.

Morning:

Azula adjusted her armor for the third time, it seemed she had actually gotten used to servant garments these last months. Day had broken and she had returned to the Villa along with the servants. The handful of Water Tribe warriors she had killed were where she had left them, their boat was still pulled up onto the shore.

After killing the waterbender she had lead the surviving staff into the forest; the vessel was a light vessel, likely belonging to a larger seagoing ship. There had been a chance when this party didn't return on time more Water Tribe forces would come looking for them. But if no one had come by now they weren't coming.

A courier had come by about an hour after daybreak; apparently this scene had played out across the island. Plundering, kidnapping, and a large raid that burned the main settlement, allegedly all organized by the Southern Water Tribe Chieftain. It all sounded like something from antiquity when piracy had plagued the Home Islands, and she was certain her father would have someone's head for this.

She was irrevocably Azula again; no excuse could be made for the blue fire that let her kill that ass of a waterbender. Not that the old man would be scolding her for breaking her cover, or for anything. Azula fiddled with the white band she had tied onto her forearm, and felt the wound on her back ache.

One of the ice daggers had finally done the old general in. She doubted it had even been intentional, just one of the projectiles she dodged found its way to his withered old neck. The thought produced a queer tightness in her chest.

Beyond appearances she should not care, she had not liked Omoro Kuzan, and she had gotten the training she had wanted from him. There was no good reason to be upset over his death. Yet she kept thinking that if she had used her bending the moment the fight began he would still be alive.

That was a stupid thought though. She had refrained from bending at first because of the danger of hurting someone besides the enemy. Her control was better than Zuko's, but in a dark courtyard…

"No point dwelling on it," Azula told herself. She had already outfitted a mount to return to the harbor and make her way home; there was nothing left but the leaving.

"Your highness, a moment I beg," an all too familiar voice called out. Azula turned from the large reptile to see the matron kneeling on the stable floor. This had been happening all night when the staff learned Inazuma was actually the Princess Azula. Despite the temptation she had not punished any of them; she only wanted to leave at this point. Though judging by the long bundle this one had actually come bearing gifts.

"I don't require anything of yours," Azula stated coldly.

"No, it's not mine. The General was planning on giving these to you as a parting gift. He would still want you to have them," the matron explained. She rose to her knees holding up the bundle to Azula.

Having to actually will her hands to be steady, Azula took the bundle and undid the purple cloth. Her eyebrows rose at what now rested in her grip, a daisho set, fairly standard, except instead of the gold inlaid favored by the Fire Nation silver or perhaps white gold had been used. She recognized the set; it had rested in the General's study since her arrival, but she had first seen them on his belt in the Royal City.

"Why would he give me his swords?" Azula inquired.

"He gave me no reason. My only orders were to have them cleaned and bundled for him to present you with them," the matron answered.

"So, the old man took his secrets to the Spirit World? How typical," Azula sighed in exasperation.

"His children are dead and left no issue. Perhaps he preferred to pass his swords onto his student rather than a non-blood relative?" the matron offered.

Azula did not deign to guess with a response. Rewrapping the daisho, she secured them with her other package on the mount. It was time she returned to the Royal City and began to lay the foundations for her father's downfall and Zuko's return.

Fire Nation Ministry of Information Official News Dispatch

LOYAL SUBJECTS OF THE FIRE LORD

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE ENEMIES OF OUR NATION, UNABLE TO DEFEAT OUR FORCES IN FAIR BATTLE, HAVE STRUCK WITH THE COWARD'S DAGGER! LEAD BY THE TRICKSTER HAKKODA, FORCES OF THE WATER TRIBES STRUCK AT OUR CITIZENS ON EMBER ISLAND WITHOUT WARNING AND WITHOUT MERCY! MANY INNOCENT CITIZENS OF THE NATION WERE SLAIN AND DOZENS ABDUCTED BY THE BARBARIANS.

AMONG THEIR VICTIMS WAS THE GREAT GENERAL OMORO KUZAN, SLAIN IN HIS HOME! THE GREAT HERO'S DEATH WAS AVENGED BY NONE OTHER THAN HIS FINAL STUDENT, PRINCESS AZULA HERSELF! WHO SINGLE HANDELY DEFEATED A COMPANY OF SAVAGE WARRIORS AND WATERBENDERS! HAVING AVENGED HER TEACHER FIRE LORD OZAI HIMSELF HAS GRANTED HER THE RANK OF GENERAL AND COMMAND OF THE MIGHTY THIRD ARMY.

MAY AGNI'S LIGHT SHINE ON HER IN THE COMING BATTLES! MAY FIRE STRIKE THE RAIDERS EVEN AMIDST THEIR FOZEN FORTRESSES!

VICTORY FOR THE FIRE LORD AND THE NATION!

Author Announcement:

Well it has been quite awhile. I think some sort of explanation is in order.

For starters this is a rewrite of Kindred Love & War. The failure of KLW was in small part because I felt the story to be inadequate and riddled with flaws. When I hit a block with a story I usually read what I have posted to get into the groove of the story. In this case that tactic only increased the problem as it made the problems more apparent.

The single greatest cause of this delay was my failed attempts to wrap up the Battle of Sanin. Though I had decided to rewrite the story I wanted to give the readers a Season Finale of sorts before restarting. Not to mention a touching bit of Zuko and Azula interaction. Alas, as much as this goat rammed the stonewall, the outcome remained the same; no progress and a headache. Failure generated depression and lift depression I worked on other stories, and well then it was January.

It was happening upon "A Twist of Fate" by AkatsaukiLEader13 that gave me a metaphoric kick in the arse. The concept while not solely AL13's was so rare, and so well written that I was craving more while not being able to satisfy the craving. So while lamenting the lack of a new update or a viable alternative I had a flash of empathy on what I was doing to Azula x Zuko; or people who like my story in spite of the pairing.

Thus I basically said to hell with it, left Sanin and put this story to the grindstone. It was not easy, but satisfying to the extreme to get done. Of course karma hit back with my Beta vanishing delaying this release significantly.

On that topic I would like to thank Zim'sMostLoyalServant for acting as a substitute beta despite disliking the pairing. In the event Whisper goes absent again, is there anyone who would be willing to substitute Beta so as to avoid another such delay?

Hopefully this story will be able to avoid the delays suffered by the original and let me keep my goal of returning to Sanin before years end. Sanin defeated me last time, and when I face it again I pan to have the strong foundations to carry all before the fury of my story. Beyond the Sanin Arc to the Continental Interlude, and even beyond the Kraken Saga!

Oh and please review to let me know how you feel.