"Death is too kind."

Azulon's words hung in the fiery air, lingering after the air cooled. He knew his words burned, burned as much as the burns he'd inflicted upon his own son, returning like for like.

"Death, after all, means he doesn't have to suffer as Zuko does from the burns inflicted upon him. Death means he never learns of the greatness that boy eventually achieves, or how perhaps even that daughter he prizes so much falls into ruin because of his ministrations."

And yet—

Some felt death was the fitting punishment, whispering behind Azulon's back, not understanding the kind of punishment living could bring, let alone how death didn't allow him to drive home the amount of anger at the way his youngest betrayed him.

Nor were those the only rumors floating around. He knew, as his most loyal brought him news of rumors flying around, some of which he didn't wish to believe, such as the rumors of Ozai's youngest wreaking havoc on the teachers at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls.

"Perhaps," Azulon thought. "Perhaps with rumors like that, the recent turn of events wasn't as unexpected as I like to believe."

The Fire Lord's fingers tapped the armrest of his throne, frustrated at not being able to approach his youngest grandson, his now only living grandson, for he saw the look of fright in Zuko's eyes.

"Ozai planted it there, but I dare not go near, even to ask the healers about his progress. Agni, don't let me lose another grandson. Don't leave me with a granddaughter who is not quite right in the head, who is as unhinged as she is because of her unhinged father."

"Father?"

Azulon's eyes blinked, his mouth twisting into a smile. "Iroh? You've seen the boy? How is he?"

"Thank you for placing Zuko in a place he feels safe when he wakes," Iroh said.

"Unless he sees me," Azulon scoffed.

"So Ursa's told me," Iroh said. "Among other things." Iroh stepped into the upper part of the throne room, sitting on the floor near the throne, showing his back to his father, in turn showing a great deal of confidence that his father wouldn't kill him for whatever he said, which often foretold Iroh saying something Azulon might not like. "Zuko is not well."

"Yet something tells me that is not what you wanted to ask me?" Azulon said, tapping his fingers.

"Our healers can not heal him, not in a way..." Iroh took a deep breath, glancing over his shoulder, looking at his father, letting his eyes plead his case. "But I think you know who can, or at least has the greatest chance of Prince Zuko being able to bend properly. The choice, though, is yours as Fire Lord."

Azulon frowned. "Or what do you mean? Do I have to choose between being Fire Lord or being a grandfather?"

"I don't see a difference between the two, given the Fire Nation needs an heir to the throne they can place their confidence behind, but I've heard the rumors, Father, and I'm sure word's already gotten back to you that some in our great nation wonder if Zuko will inherit his father's unhinged nature, but if he isn't able to bend normally?"

"Do we still have waterbenders within our prisons?"

"I wouldn't have come to you with this decision to make if that weren't the case," Iroh said. "Though they are weak, given they've lived off prison fair for who knows how long, their numbers aren't the same as they once were."

"Ask that the most skilled among them be brought here," Azulon said, watching Iroh leave, muttering to himself. "Yet we know they won't do anything without something in return."

Eventually, Iroh returned, bringing with him an older waterbender, her dark skin wrinkled with age, her eyes sharp with a deep seeded anger that Azulon recognized as a great hatred for his nation, their people, meaning—

"I wish for you to heal someone," Azulon said.

"I've no reason to do so," the woman said, spitting on the floor.

Azulon watched his soldiers raise their arms against her only to lift his hand, seen even though veiled by the flames as Iroh stood nearby, already ready to respond. "I will release half of the waterbender within the prison to go home, with the understanding that they are being released because you performed a great dead for our nation."

"By healing this person?" the woman said. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing someone from the royal family; otherwise, you wouldn't do something this desperate."

"For my people and yours," Azulon said. "We do what we must."

"And what's to stop me from killing this person?"

Azulon watched Iroh tense, knowing full well should the woman in front of them do such, that Iroh himself would strike her down, but he wondered if Iroh regretted bringing the suggestion to him.

"If you kill Prince Zuko, then not only is your life forfeit, but so are the lives of the remaining waterbender," Azulon said. He watched Iroh tense, taking a deep breath, knowing Iroh's distaste for doing dishonorable things, a stark difference to his younger brother Ozai, who ended up doing something so dishonorable even Azulon couldn't forgive him, at least he never saw himself forgiving his youngest. "Perhaps this is where he learned it, from the cutthroat ambitions here in the Fire Nation court. There are, I guess, times I should have done things differently, not followed my father's path and instead made my own."

"Of course, that's what you mean by the other half going free?"

"No," Azulon said. "Both halves will be free should you do as I ask, but the second half, not until I am guaranteed you've healed Prince Zuko as well as not done anything to harm the prince." His nostrils flared, as did the fires around the throne. "So you must know that when I mean free, I don't mean freeing them from this life, but the Fire Lord's word is his word."

"Perhaps the Fire Lord should have used his words rather than his flames in conquering my people," the woman quipped. "But I've no reason to trust your word." She took a deep breath. "But, whether your word is false or I don't do as asked, I know my life is forfeit, so I will do what I must, but if it brings freedom to some of my people kept in the hell you've kept them in, then so be it. Do know my skills may not be what you wish either, given you've kept me prisoner for so many years."