Chapter Text
There was a knock at the door. Zuko found this odd, no one except Uncle visited him, and Uncle lived with him now. No one had a reason to visit a disgraced prince. That’s why he was out here, in the middle of nowhere, there was no one to be a visitor. Another knock, louder this time. Why was this person here?
There was a clap of thunder above his castle. Oh. That explained it. Must have been somebody looking for shelter. Zuko shuddered. He hated thunder because it just meant that lightning was close by. The person knocked again, in time with the thunder this time. Another knock, they were getting impatient. He hoped they’d just get tired and leave. Zuko knew what people did when they were impatient. But he also knew that whoever it was could break down the door.
The door opened. A strange old hag stood there. She had a torch, it was still on fire somehow.
“Hello, deary,” she said as lightning flashed behind her, “Care to let an old woman have shelter from the storm?”
Zuko wasn’t as stupid as Father said, he knew what Father would do to him if he ever found out there was a stranger in the (mostly) abandoned castle.
He shook his head, “No, I’m sorry-” but he barely got the second word out when the hag was glowing - transforming? - and in her place stood a young woman clothed in green.
“Then may you suffer for your selfishness. A horrible beast no one could love is what you are, so your face shall match! It cannot be broken, except by true love, which you will not get! If, in ten years the curse is not broken, a horrid beast is what you’ll stay!”
Light, hard green light surrounded him and his bones shifted - it hurts, it hurts, make it stop - and a scream escaped Zuko’s lips. Lips that were covered in fur. Zuko only hoped that Uncle and the few servants - friends, they were his friends now - was allowed to have did not suffer the same pain. Hoped that, if they were transformed, that it was harmless.
He looked towards the door, the woman was gone, leaving only a rose that looked alive with energy.