Chapter 11:

The Good Fire Lord

Some time later, they were all sitting at a table eating cake. Aang and Katara were now hand in hand as usual, the first hour of the ball was long behind them now. They'd had so many dances that they were now exhausted but, as flustered as they were, it was clear that the two of them couldn't be happier. Sokka was no longer worried about Suki being pregnant and was now relaxed enough to eat a giant piece of chocolate cake. Meanwhile, Toph had decided to spend time with Satoru and the two were sitting together as well after reacquainting him with the group.

Mai turned to Zuko. "Hey, it's 10:00."

"Finally," Zuko said. He stood up. "Let's go."

"Where are you going?" Katara asked.

"We're done for the night," Zuko said as Mai stood up with him.

"It's only 10:00! Are you serious?!" Sokka said.

"The fun meter ran out for us an hour ago," Mai said.

"Aren't you the host though?" Sokka said.

Zuko shrugged. "You'll all be fine without me. You can come get me if another crazed relative comes trying to take the throne." He put his arm around Mai's waist and the two walked off.

The two of them left the ballroom and started in the direction of Zuko's room but he paused. "Hey, there's something I want to do really quick."

"I'll meet you in your room. I've got to take these heels off. My feet are killing me."

He kissed her. "I won't be long."

He went in the opposite direction and made his way down to the dungeons of the palace. He nodded at the guards who gve him a skeptical look although they had a hunch about why he was here, then walked past them and down the dark hallway. Finally he paused at the cell he was looking for.

She was still wearing her dress. Her blood-red stilettos were left in the corner of the cell. The chains around her wrists shuffled as she turned to face him.

"What are you doing down here? Changed your mind about my offer?" She chuckled but there was no humor in her voice.

"I want to know why you did it," Zuko said. "I was giving you a chance. I had every intention of welcoming you home."

Azula's lower lip trembled for a moment and then she scowled and turned away from him. "I was simply taking back what's rightfully mine."

"What would mother say?" he said using her words against her.

Azula's hands burned blue with rage. Zuko jumped back as she turned back to him and a barrage of blue fire shot at him from between the bars of her cell.

"Get out!" Azula shouted.

Zuko observed her for a moment. The blue fire circling her hands, her hair that was half fallen out of its pretty updo, and he noticed there was something else besides rage on her face...pain maybe.

It made Zuko sad, but that didn't mean he could let her out. He had learned his lesson.

He turned and left. As he walked down the hallway, he froze when he heard another voice.

"She's right you know," a deep voice said. "You were never meant to bear that crown."

Zuko turned to find Ozai sitting in the cell on his right. His father's clothes were in rags, his greasy hair hung around his face, and he regarded Zuko with the same cocky look Azula had earlier.

"You're wrong," Zuko said. "It was always meant for me."

Ozai chuckled. "You'll never be a great leader. You'll run the Fire Nation into the ground."

A long time ago, those words would have hurt him. But he had long since learned not to let his father bait him. "I'm a better leader than you ever were. Tonight was proof of that."

With that, he walked towards the exit holding his head high although he could feel Ozai's glare on his back and Azula crying further down the hallway. They weren't his problem. He knew he haad done the right thing by holding the ball; he had done what a good fire lord would do.