A Hero's Beginning
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The Ursa walked the long halls of the palace. She walked with her father-in-law and her husband, although her husband couldn't care less. They came to a door which Ozai held open for the two others.

There a woman laid in a bed after hours of labor holding a baby wrapped in blood red blankets. She smiled weakly. She motioned then to her.

The three adults gathered around the bed as the woman passed the baby to Ursa. "I'm dying. I guess I wasn't as strong as Iroh thought. I can feel it now. Please, tell my child of me."

"What do you want her to be called?" Fire Lord Azulon asked after gazing at the child.

"Zara."
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After they left the woman to pass in peace Ursa took it upon herself to write a letter to her brother-in-law. She told him of the unfortunate news and of the brith of his second child. She also wrote of the fortune teller that Azulon ordered to look at the child.

The royal fortune teller was old, he wore grand robes that almost touched the floor. His gray hair was tied into a top knot like most important people in the Fire Nation. When he reached for Zara his hands shook slightly.

"The child, give her to me." He told Ursa who then passed Zara into his arms. "I see great power. She will grow up to be a powerful bender, one of the strongest we've seen in a while. Raw talent and drive to succeed will either be her savior or her demise. You must make sure she is properly trained so she can fight for you. Many battles will end with her." He paused as if troubled by something. "I sense a power so strong it could ruin all your war efforts or win you the war entirely. Be careful with this one, Fire Lord Azulon."

He passed the child off to Azulon. "You are dismissed." He said in a hard tone.
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After winning another war, Iroh was finally coming home. The boats docked and after everything was done an anxious Iroh made his was to Fire Lord Azulon's throne room.

"Welcome back, Iroh. I'm happy to hear of your recent success in the Earth Kingdom and how the death of your wife didn't deter you from greatness." Azulon smiled sinisterly at his first born who was taken aback at his words. "Now, I'm in a good mood today so go meet your daughter but after you will come and give me a full report."

And with that Iroh stood and walked out of the throne room. Once he was clear of his father he ran to where Ursa had said was made his daughter's nursery.

After letters and letters from Ursa, he was ready to finally meet Zara. Once he reached the door he stopped to compose himself before knocking. One of the servants assigned to Zara answered with the toddler. She had shining amber eyes and her hair, dark brown, was pulled back in pigtails. Both of those features she got from her father. Zara giggles at the crowned prince who was frozen in place. The servant bowed to him before offering the child to her father.

Iroh took Zara from the servant and took in her face. Tears formed in his eyes as he saw his passed wife and himself in the toddlers face. After three long and painful years he was here, holding his two year old.

Zara told his face in her tiny hands and squished his cheeks together. She giggled in delight at the funny face he made. "Dragon! Dragon, dragon, Dragon of the West!" She exclaimed and pointed to the huge picture of Iroh, his wife, and his son Lu Ten who was almost old enough to fight in the war with Iroh.

"Zara." He finally said. "My beautiful daughter, Zara."
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If there was one thing Zara hated it was being stuck in school. The teachers were stuck up pricks who were supposedly the best of the best. She wished she could be out playing with Zuko or training. But no, as her father was heir to the throne that meant that Zara would eventually be Fire Lord and so she had to sit through classes on ruling and etiquette, even though she was only seven. She glanced out the window of the tiny room that Azulon had called to be made a school room for her and saw grand battle ships pull into the harbor.

"Daddy!" The young girl exclaimed, shutting the teacher up after his hour of talking.

"General Iroh will come see you when it's time. Now Zara, it's important that you know this stuff-" The teacher started but it was to late. Zara saw the ships and now could only focus on seeing her father and brother again. It was her brother's second battle and from the letters they sent it seemed a successful one.

Zara bounded out of her seat and ran as fast as her little legs could go to the entrance of the Fire Palace. She wasn't allowed to go beyond as Azulon said she must have more training before she could venture out as he was fearful of what the fortune teller had said.

She ran past Ursa, Zuko, and Azula all in the courtyard. She ran past servants and walked past important generals while giving them the proper greeting and once she was clear she ran again.

One corner she couldn't see who was there and she accidentally almost ran into her uncle, Ozai. "I'm sorry, uncle."

"A lady should not be running around. Aren't you supposed to be in class? Where is your teacher, where is Master Lee?" That question was answered when said person came skidding down the hallway after chasing the girl all the way from the third floor.

"Daddy!" Zara exclaimed again as she saw her father walking up the long staircase in front of the palace. She ran past Ozai and left Master Lee to deal with him. She stopped at the top of the staircase and waited anxiously for her father and brother to make it to the top. Once they did she threw herself on them in a big hug.

"Hello to you to, Zar." Lu Ten laughed as he ruffled her hair. He towered over the young girl with an eleven year age difference. He knelt down to her level. "We got you something."

Out of his pocket he pulled an Earth Kingdom doll. On their way back they stopped at one of the already conquered towns to stock up for the journey back. When Lu Ten saw the doll he immediately told his father that Zara would love it. And she did, she loved things from the different cultures in her world plus it was a doll she can play with.

She smiled up at her older brother and took the doll. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. Zara took Lu Ten's hand and started telling him everything she'd learnt with her studies and how her training was going as they walked in the direction of where Azulon was, awaiting reports from them.

Iroh smiled as he watched his children talked, he followed behind them. Zara looked up to Lu Ten and said she was going to fight under him as he fights under their father.

A sad smile played on Iroh's lips when he thought of his father using her as a weapon. Shortly after he had first met her Azulon told him his plans. Raise her in the palace and train her until there are no doubts of her loyalty to the throne and then let her go and fight.

She was a strong fighter even at her young age. She was able to take on three grown firebenders. Now they weren't going hard on her but it still was impressive.
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Late that night Iroh and Zara silently walked through the palace halls. He was taking her out to a secret spot in the woods. Zara wasn't what Azulon and Ozai thought she was. She's a duel bender, but only Iroh knows. It was one of the times he was home. She was still very young when she first demonstrated her powers for him. Iroh told her not to tell anyone and that he'd train her.

He'd tell her what limited things he knew of airbenders but every little bit helped. She was growing stronger and stronger each time they had these secret lessons.

While he was out at war he constantly looked for knowledge about the Air Nomads. It was hard when his grandfather had completely destroyed their culture.
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"Now, Zara, Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom." Iroh told the eleven year old. Tomorrow he was going to Ba Sing Se with Lu Ten and this was the last chance for another secret lesson. "The Air Nomads utilized this as a part of their everyday lives. They used it to get around the temples, take care of daily chores, and even cooked with it. The first airbenders learned from the sky bison."

"You've told me all of this before, dad." Zara smiled at him.

"I'm going to teach you something and for that you want to know the root of your power. Airbending is about flexibility and following the path of least resistance. Airbending is notable for being almost entirely defensive, as well as the most dynamic of the four bending arts. They have the ability to overwhelm many opponents at once with large and powerful attacks that could be fatal. But, because Air Nomads were peaceful those kinds of attacks were barely used.

"Now, an airbender never seeks a fight or seeks to stike an opponent directly unlike a firebender. Fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. Firebending is known for its intense and aggressive attacking style and general lack of adequate defensive moves but it doesn't have to be that way. Our ancestors twisted firebending to be a power fueled by rage and hatred. But, I learned a way from the dragons, the correct way to fire bend. When you use fire fueled by anger it's often hard to control, when you use fire from your soul, the dragons, and the sun it's like an extension of yourself. Fire is often seen as destruction and death but when used correctly it's life and energy.

"You should learn how to balance these two almost opposites and use them to your advantage. But you must never let anyone know." Iroh said solemnly. "Or else my father will either use you as a weapon of mass destruction or will have you put to death."
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Ursa beckoned Zara toward her, Zuko, and Azula. Iroh had sent another letter after being away for almost two years with Lu Ten. Last time he sent gifts. He gave Zuko a knife, Azula a doll, and Zara an original air bending glider. Of course nobody knew it was for airbending they just thought that he sent her a pretty stick.

Zara gave her a big smile but all she gave her back was a grim look.
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Zara gazed out the window, the lecture still going on. She wasn't excited when she saw the grand ships. She didn't run out to greet my father. Because the moment she saw her father is the moment everything becomes real to her. Her brother, her twenty five year old brother, died in the 600 Day Siege of Ba Sing Se.

"And that's where we are going to end off today." The teacher told Zuko, Azula, and her. "You are dismissed."

Zara stood, bowed, and started walking to the entrance of the palace. Ozai had taken her father's place on the throne after Azulon's untimely death and Ursa's disappearance. She made it to the entrance of the palace in time for her to see her father come up the last steps. For years she saw her brother come home along side her father and her heart sank when she saw Iroh's tired face and no Lu Ten in sight.

Zara buried her face in Iroh's chest and hugged him tight. She let out quiet sobs while he rubbed her back, letting his tears fall as well.
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Zara followed her father as he followed Prince Zuko. "Let me in!" He exclaimed to the guards when they stopped him.

"Prince Zuko, what's wrong?" Iroh asked him as he came up from behind. He placed his hands on his shoulders to calm him.

"I want to go into the war chamber but the guards won't let me pass!"

"You aren't missing anything. Trust me." Iroh tried to coax his nephew as he started leading him away. "These meetings are dreadfully boring."

"If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko reasoned with him.

"Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?" He sighed. Iroh put a hand on Zuko's shoulder and held out his arm for Zara. She took it and they entered the room together.

All oblivious that their lives were going to change drastically after.