Azula yawned, opening her eyes and lying on the bed for a few minutes. In the past, whenever she woke up, she immediately had to get up, always with an annoyance that made her start the day with a frown.
But now, she maintained a calm expression, with her golden eyes focused on the wooden ceiling.
It was strange how an old bed like the one she slept in now was much more comfortable than the one she had in the castle that was once her home.
It was difficult for her to get up, just because she was too comfortable. She even wanted to close her eyes again and sleep a little more.
However, upon hearing the sound of plates hitting the table, she turned her gaze towards her older brother, who was at the kitchen table, preparing breakfast.
With all the new customers their uncle had brought in with his tea, he gave them the luxury of better food.
"It's for you," Zuko placed a bowl of cereal with milk on the table, while he helped himself to a bowl as well.
Getting out of bed, Azula stretched until her back cracked, combing her hair a little she got up to sit next to her brother at the table, "Thank you." At least she had to appreciate the gesture.
"It's strange to hear that from you," he muttered dryly, as he also sat down next to his younger sister.
Even as the weeks passed, neither of the two brothers could get used to this, as simple and easy as just having breakfast together could be.
They couldn't remember the last time they sat at the same table, having breakfast.
"Don't get used to it," Azula growled in response, who began to eat.
The silence between the brothers was long. For the first time in a long time, it was just the two of them. Their uncle had gotten up early to go out to buy some things, although they both talked and interacted more than they ever did as children, the tension was still there.
"What happened that night?"
And the tension would become much heavier.
"What night?" Azula asked, curious about her brother's penetrating gaze.
That he had an even more penetrating gaze than hers could not be less so, considering that he was bringing to light a topic that was too delicate for the two of them.
"The night we both snuck away... to see our father before Grandpa. I want to know the truth..." he wasn't asking for the truth, he was demanding it.
"I told you the truth," the girl's expression became more intense, "Grandfather was angry at our father's audacity to say that when Uncle Iroh lost his son, he had become weak and inefficient, that he could no longer... It was an option for the throne."
"Was it true? That grandfather asked our father to sacrifice one of us?"
"…"
Zuko would never forget that night, when perhaps he saw the worst side of his father.
Azula apparently didn't either, due to the long time she remained silent without saying a single word, she slowly put her spoon back in the bowl, and turned her head to look into her older brother's eyes.
"Yes..." that single word had barely escaped her lips, and it made the tension seem very thick for both teenagers.
"..." Zuko only clenched his fists, his expression still hard and cold, as he continued to look into Azula's eyes.
That decided to continue.
"He... grandfather wanted our father to feel our uncle's pain... the worst pain imaginable that a father could suffer, as a test... a test that our father did not hesitate to accept."
Azula had stayed that night, to hear it all, and even though she was four years old, and some words had been erased from her memories, she still knew exactly what had happened that night.
Pandora's box was opened, and the darkest memories between both brothers came to light, one that Zuko sometimes wished he could erase.
"What you said that night... in my room?" Her question was slow, but direct, something that made Azula's gaze darken due to her hair.
"I..." a lump was forming in her throat, the words were struggling to come out, but ignoring the sick feelings in her chest, she continued, "I know I told you that I wished it were you, the one who was banished, but... you also know how I, that it wasn't going to be an exile."
What had been decided that night was something that changed the lives of both brothers forever, something that marked them until now, and from their looks, it was obvious that they knew the truth.
"No… it wasn't going to be banishment," Zuko murmured, almost as if saying that was blasphemy, something, even if it was painful, was the truth.
And as always, the truth could be worse than a lie.
And the truth was, that their father was going to sacrifice one of them, in order to prove that he was worthy of the throne of the lord of fire.
Both brothers remained silent for a while, looking down.
"That boy was right..."
"..." Zuko saw his sister's fists shake, digging her long nails into the wood of the table.
"I'm a monster…"
Those words were like acid to Azula, who left the marks of her nails on the table, and clung to her scarf with all her strength, to the point of almost tearing it.
"..." It was the first time in a long time that Zuko saw his always arrogant, determined and calm younger sister break that mask that... characterized her for a lifetime.
Now, her posture, her eyes, looked like a glass doll about to break.
"I wanted you to die... I wanted you to be my father's sacrifice..."
He was finally able to say it.
Words that she had always kept to herself, and that no other person in the world had heard.
He had said it... with an almost broken voice.
"..." Zuko felt his own chest ache, hearing what he always thought, but for her to say it now, his own little sister... it was hard to process.
Even worse than the fact, his father could have done it.
Azula, she could no longer look her brother in the eyes, as he continued to tell one of the biggest secrets, which he thought would take them to the grave.
"I... I... I thought... I thought that, if you weren't there, mother would finally look at me like she did with you, that I would be the only one in line for the throne... that I would have everything" her voice became as trembling as her hands, that they were tearing the red fabric of his scarf, which he used to cover his face.
Shame.
Disgust.
She hated herself.
So many dark emotions that had always been there.
"I…I…I'm sorry Zuko."
The silence had already become unbearable, for Azula who couldn't stop shaking, the image she had of herself when she was a girl.
Was all Jet said.
She was a monster, she hurt and manipulated others to get what she wanted.
" You have the same look as the people who took everything from me... my town... my friends... my parents"
She was no different than her father, the same man who marked her older brother and banished him never to return, fulfilling a task he would never accomplish.
"You took everything from us! You killed thousands and ruined millions!"
She had killed people, many of them for nothing, enemy soldiers, her own soldiers...civilians who just refused to bow down to someone like her.
"I don't care why you are here or why you decided to leave your nation! But... I know that a firebender will always be what he is... a monster, what have we done for you to attack us?! Crush us and "Spit like garbage! You started a war that won't end until all of us are dead and only you are left standing!"
He did everything to achieve his goal, his objective.
Be the supreme leader of the fire nation.
"You do not deserve a second chance and live as if you had done nothing! You deserve the same as the rest of your people! To die!"
Azula stopped shaking, when strong hands wrapped around hers, with the greatest care in the world, Zuko had lowered the red scarf that covered his face, never stopping holding her hands with all his strength.
But the grip on his hands was weakening, it was no longer hard and abrupt.
Zuko's hands wrapped around Azula's small hands in a hold so gentle and loving that only an older brother could give.
In the dead silence, everything didn't matter for the two brothers, they just stayed holding hands, with their gazes crossing.
"I forgive you, Azula…"
Zuko's soft words were just a murmur that only his younger sister could hear.
"…"
"Mother... she would have wanted us to stay together, to always take care of each other... that is what she would have wanted and that is what we are going to do..."
Azula felt her insides crumble, her vision was becoming blurred by the tears that fell from her eyes, yet she could see her older brother's expression.
He…was smiling.
Neither brother knew how long they held hands, enjoying their first moment as brothers in their lives, which ended with Zuko rising from his chair.
To approach her, and wrap her arms around her younger sister, who broke down, she returned the hug with everyone, while crying hard against her chest.
Not far from them, behind one of the walls of the small house, was Iroh holding a vase of flowers in his hands.
The old man's face was filled with happiness; he could not contain the small tears that fell from his eyes, tears that fell on the white orchids that he had in the vase.
He was glad to have returned a little earlier, to hear, perhaps not the end, but the beginning of the salvation of a broken relationship between two brothers, which little by little would be restored.
To be a love, as pure as these flowers could symbolize, which meant pure love.
Like the love and affection that exists between brothers.
[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to Pat reon and support me there.
PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]