Zuko's Family

Ozai still learned that Kahn had come to visit their home-a maid had told him.

"I told you to stay away from that lowly commoner, yet you dared bring him into the palace behind my back. Haven't you brought enough shame on our royal family already?!"

At the dinner table, Ozai viciously berated Zuko, while Zuko kept his head lowered and said nothing.

Seeing Zuko meekly accept his abuse, he grew bored and turned to Iroh:

"And that Iroh, bringing someone like that into the palace. Has losing his son just recently addled his mind?"

Zuko had kept his head lowered in silence through all his earlier abuse, but hearing him slander Kahn and Iroh, he could not help arguing back despite his fear:

"Kahn isn't lowly, and Uncle Iroh isn't out of his mind. They're both very good people."

Bang!

"Shut up! You dare talk back to me?!"

Ozai slammed his fist onto the table, his voice abruptly rising as he said viciously:

"How dare you? With that barren little brain of yours? With that disgraceful firebending?! So weak and useless, you're nothing like my own son! You-"

"Enough!"

Yin Shu slapped her chopsticks down on the table and rebuked him. "How could you say something so cruel!"

"Cruel? Why would you say that?"

Faced with Yin Shu's rebuke, Ozai seemed to lose all his anger in an instant. Like a different person, he responded in a rather relaxed tone:

"I'm only teaching him, helping him understand basic right and wrong. I'm very worried about him if he keeps going like this."

"There's nothing to worry about. I think Zuko is fine as he is."

Yin Shu cut Ozai off, her stance firm.

"Yes, what a fine child you've raised."

At last, a faintly sinister smile appeared on Ozai's face. Had Kahn been there, he would have understood exactly who Azula had learned to manage her expressions from.

He deliberately slowed his speech, giving Yin Shu a meaningful look:

"His personality is just like yours. Kind, gentle... everything about him is like you. Nothing like me."

Without waiting for Yin Shu to say anything else, Ozai waved a hand and turned to Zuko, his voice disgusted:

"In any case, I don't want to hear about that lowly brat again. Otherwise-"

"You'll never hear from him again."

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. An indescribable sense of helplessness washed over him.

Sitting beside them, Azula swung her feet, watching everything at the dinner table as though enjoying a show, keeping herself aloof as if none of it concerned her.

But when she heard Ozai's prohibition, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Then she spoke with a playful smile:

"Wait, Father."

Her voice drew everyone's attention, and they all looked over.

Ignoring the heavy atmosphere and tense situation, Azula smiled at Ozai:

"I met Zuzu's friend today too. I thought he was quite interesting."

Had Zuko openly defied Ozai's orders like this, it probably would not have ended well for him. With Azula, however, Ozai was exceptionally amiable, replying with interest:

"Oh, really? Quite interesting? That's rare praise. Does my daughter have something in mind?"

"Isn't it a good thing that Zuzu wants to make friends? Why stop him?"

Azula revealed a smile identical to Ozai's:

"I'd like to have some 'proper' fun with him too. And if it lets us siblings 'properly' bond like we did today, all the better!"

"Ha ha!"

Azula's words brought a gratified laugh from Ozai, and he readily agreed:

"In that case, of course there's no problem. I hope you'll 'entertain' him properly. Don't neglect our royal manners."

Now, he made no mention whatsoever of royal status or anything of the sort.

Ozai smiled, but the smile in his heart was even broader, and even more twisted and sinister.

Azula's behavior pleased him immensely. Now this was his child: clever, strong, cruel, decisive. She had inherited everything about him perfectly.

Listening to Ozai and Azula's conversation, Zuko bit down hard on his lower lip, his hands clenched together beneath the table, trembling uncontrollably from the force.

Then a pair of warm, soft hands enveloped his fists. Zuko turned to see Yin Shu watching him worriedly. She shook her head.

The rest of dinner passed in silence.

After dinner, Azula left with Ozai. Following behind him, she skipped along like an ordinary, lively little girl.

Suddenly, she wheedled:

"Father, I'm getting a little tired of the maid serving me now. Give me a different one!"

Ozai smiled kindly:

"Of course. Who would you like instead?"

"Hmm..."

Azula pinched her chin and thought for a moment before deciding:

"How about Xiao Tao?"

"Of course."

Ozai nodded indifferently.

Xiao Tao was the name of the maid who had reported to him today.

"Thank you, Father. I'm going back to my room!"

Having achieved her goal, Azula stopped following Ozai and turned away in a cheerful mood.

But just as she reached the corner, Zuko unexpectedly appeared and blocked her path.

His sudden appearance startled her. Once she recovered, Azula said in disgust:

"Are your eyes on your backside, so you can't see where you're going?"

Zuko's eyes were red. He had clearly been crying.

He said:

"Thank you for stopping Father from driving Kahn away, but I won't let you bully him."

"But if you really do bully him, I'll never forgive you!"

Zuko tried hard to look fierce, but he looked rather comical instead.

To Azula, such a threat was utterly feeble. She rolled her eyes disdainfully and walked straight past him:

"Boring."

But unexpectedly, Zuko grabbed her and said firmly:

"I'm serious!"

Still disdainful, Azula teased:

"Really? Then I'll look forward to seeing what you do."

Zuko did not argue. Having said his piece, he left without another word.

Brushing at the spot on her clothes where Zuko had grabbed her with distaste, Azula watched him leave and sneered:

"Idiot."

With that, she turned and left.

"Time to see my new maid. Let me think, what sort of 'surprise' should I give her? Heh heh heh..."

Yin Shu watched their departing figures from a distance, her expression deeply conflicted. She opened her mouth, but could not utter a single word. In the end, all she could do was let out a long, mournful sigh and leave as well.

From the very beginning, this family had been woven together from wrongs such as bondage, anger, desire, and ambition. By now, no matter what happened, they could only continue uncontrollably farther and farther down this twisted road, until they entered a terrifying abyss beyond imagining or redemption.

However...

For some reason, Yin Shu recalled what she had seen today: Zuko, Azula, and Kahn getting along harmoniously.

Kahn-not only did Zuko trust him deeply, but even Azula seemed to treat him somewhat differently. At that thought, a little hope appeared in Yin Shu's eyes.

Although she was very strict with Azula, as a mother, how could she not love her own child?

But Azula had been influenced too deeply by Ozai. Yin Shu was already powerless.

She wondered whether this young man's arrival might bring some different changes to Azula.

"Achoo!"

Kahn suddenly sneezed, rather puzzled. "Am I catching a cold?"

Having washed the bowls and chopsticks, he walked through the courtyard and casually glanced at the sky.

Dark clouds filled the sky today, and a strong wind blew. It looked like the sun would not be showing itself. Muffled thunder rumbled through the clouds from time to time, heralding the coming wind and rain.

He remarked offhandedly:

"Wild winds, pouring rain, a moonless sky, and howling gusts. What a night for murder."