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Curse nature and its unpredictability. Prince Ozai was seething as he waited outside the infirmary, where Princess Ursa was giving birth to their first child. Grimly, he glared at the door. Fire Lord Azulon was most likely already informed and the last thing he wanted was for that wrinkly, old man to be anywhere near him or his family. The mere thought made bile sour his mouth in anger. A pained wail rang through the door and Ozai massaged his temple as seeds of concern grew. Sometimes, he was still surprised by the extent Ursa managed to evoke emotions within him. Ruk was still dearer to him, but Ursa had managed to cross the line which made him willing to fight for her - and thus, their children.
Speaking of Ruk, why is that bastard not here when you need him?, Ozai mentally grumbled. Almost longingly he thought of Nizero, where Ruk had stayed behind, and where Ozai would kill to be right now. Cursed palace and its fakeness. It was filled with idiots. Lapdogs of that old man.
“Brother.”
And here comes the greatest and most loyal of lapdogs. Ozai’s face became a neutral mask as he glanced at Iroh.
“What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for my nephew or niece of course.”, Iroh grinned broadly and slapped Ozai’s shoulder goodnaturedly. Ozai’s eyes turned ice-cold and his brother quickly pulled his hand away.
“So, how long is it still going to take?”, he coughed and Ozai sneered.
“How am I supposed to know? Can I see through walls?”
Iroh said nothing and they sat there in silence, listening to Ursa’s pain.
“I really don’t envy women.”, Iroh said, wincing.
“Would you mind stopping this needless chatter?”
It took a few more hours until the door finally opened and one of the midwives stepped out. She bowed before turning to Ozai.
“Your Highness, congratulations. You have a healthy baby boy.”
“A nephew!”, Iroh shouted joyfully and shot up, eager to enter the room.
“Sit down.”, came the sharp command and Iroh turned around to look at his brother in surprise. Slowly, Ozai rose and walked past Iroh.
“Do not let anyone in unless I say so.”, he said to the midwife, who bowed. The doors fell shut behind him and Ozai looked at the bed with his wife in it, though his view was blocked by the maidservants.
“Step aside.”
Gasping, the maidservants parted, allowing him to look at Ursa. Ursa was still pale and her eyes were ringed with fatigue. A bundle was in her arms.
“M-My prince, the princess is not yet presentable.”, one of the maidservants stammered. They had just finished changing the sheets and cleaning Ursa’s face and body, but the makeup and proper hairstyle were still missing. Why had the midwife already let the prince inside?
“Leave us.”, Ozai ordered and hesitantly, the women did as ordered. For a moment, the room was silent. Ozai stepped closer.
“I must look terrible.”, Ursa weakly said.
“You just gave birth for the first time. I don’t expect you to be all dolled up.” Ozai said and looked at the bundle. “I hear we have a son.”
“Yes…we do.”
“But?”
“I…I’m not…sure he is a bender.”, Ursa confessed and her husband lifted an eyebrow. He took the bundle from her arms and she averted her eyes, unable to bear seeing his disappointment at her failure to birth a powerful firebender.
Ozai looked at the squirming baby in his arms. Golden eyes stared at him. Ursa’s hunch might be correct. He did not find the spark, which would betray the boy’s firebending ability.
Weak.
Perhaps he should be ashamed that this was the first word he used to describe his son, but Ozai had been taught to value power and control. Although, perhaps there was something barely visible. Either it was his imagination, or the boy was either a weak firebender or a late bloomer. It was hard to tell. Ozai waited, though for what he only realised a few seconds later. He had heard of men talking about the joy and love swelling in their chest when they held their baby for the first time. His chest, however, stayed cold. Ozai did not feel any different.
He lifted her chin and the unexpected tenderness in his face made tears well up in her eyes.
“No, Ursa, don’t cry.”, Ozai said, not knowing what to do. Theoretically, he knew what to do: Comfort her. In practice, however, he had no clue how he was supposed to do that. “Why are you crying?”
“I…f-failed.”, Ursa sobbed and the second-born prince looked at the baby, then at his wife.
“...He’s healthy.”
“But no firebender. I was supposed t-to give birth to a powerful firebender. Th-That’s why the Fire Lord married us, remember? My parents…What if he-he punishes them f-for my failure? What if -”
“Hey, hey, calm down. You’re spiralling.”, Ozai interrupted her. Grimly, he saw her point. Ursa’s position was still a vulnerable one, and will be so until she fulfilled her duty. Before he could utter a word, he heard the door open and close. If Iroh entered without his permission…
It was someone worse than Iroh. Ozai despised Fire Lord Azulon with every fiber of his being and he cursed that small part of him which still feared his father.
Fire Lord Azulon took one look at the baby. Then, a harsh slap followed and Ozai, caught off-guard, tumbled to the ground. Shocked, he grabbed his stinging cheek with a shaking hand and looked at his father in disbelief.
“You…You dared to hit me?”
“What is this?”, Fire Lord Azulon sneered. “Is that the best you can do? A nonbender? I expected more from the strongest Firebender and the granddaughter of Avatar Roku! You -”, he turned to Ursa, who clutched the baby against her chest, “Your lineage is the only reason I allowed you to dilute the royal blood! You will do your duty, am I understood?”
“Y-Yes, your highness.”
Before Fire Lord Azulon left, he turned around again and addressed Ozai.
“You will get rid of the child. I will not have a nonbender in the royal family. You will give me the powerful benders I want, and if it takes ten children to do so!”
When the door closed, Ursa’s shoulders started shaking, while Ozai was still frozen on the floor, unable to process what had just happened. Has his control over his father disappeared? Had he become too lenient and needed to put the Fire Lord in his place again? The sudden rage nearly choked him and he only snapped out of it when the floor started smoking.
He rose to his feet and turned to his wife.
“Don’t, please don’t take him away.”
“He’s not going anywhere.”, he told her and Ursa relaxed. Ozai’s eyes widened marginally when the baby grabbed his pointer.
“What would you call him, Fire Lily?”
“I was thinking ‘Zuko’”
“Zuko? Hm, I like it. And don’t worry, we’ll go back to Nizero as soon as you’re well enough to travel.”
“Good.”, Ursa smiled tiredly.
“Rest.”, Ozai said and took Zuko, putting him in the crib. “I will watch over you.”
When the baby - no, not the baby, but Zuko - looked up at him and smiled toothlessly, something sprouted in Ozai's chest. It was small and lukewarm, a shadow of what he had heard the other men talk about. However, when had relationships come easy to him? Ozai was certain that, if he cultivated that fragile sprout, he would one day, most likely, learn to love Zuko. It would be a slow process, but with Ruk and Ursa by his side, it should be manageable.