Chapter Text
The palace was so...stuffy.
Azula felt more comfortable in her dorm these days.
At least Zuko would finally be getting out of here. Three years of moping around the palace was long enough, and the public basically forgot about him the way Father wanted.
A week of arguing and needling, and just short of begging, and she had convinced Father to let him go to school again. Not just any school, the same pretentious high-school she was going to.
If she didn't, she was certain he would live his life never graduating publicly, having to stay locked up in his room until he shriveled into a little ball of sad hazel eyes.
She wondered, for just a moment, if that would have been a mercy for him. Not forcing him back in public to face what happened to him.
Whatever, she made that choice, she'd have to live with it.
She sidestepped a maid, on her way out the door.
Father was too busy kissing someone's boots in a council meeting to be listening for her exit. Zuko, if all went well, should already be at EmberCrest.
She was worried about him. Two years ago, when she started high school, and he was still 'recovering,' he had said to her "I'm not cut out to be in public anymore."
Father had made him think the pain imposed on him was his own shame. And not the shame of the man who did it.
They were both fools.
"Azula~" one of the advisors purred.
Probably someone she had sucked off for fun when she was desperate for attention.
Any other day she would have played their silly game. Flirted, made some comment about being too busy in a school they had probably graduated from before she was born.
Today was too important for that. She has places to be. She flipped him off, without even looking at him, and slammed the door hard enough to satisfy her spite.
"Princess." Her driver addressed, opening the car door for her.
"Where's Zuko?"
"The Prince was already transported." Her driver said, closing the door.
Good.
She pulled her seat belt on, getting ready for the drive. Of course Zuko got all the protection in the palace, and all she got was a glorified Uber.
Even after the incident, it was clear the crown had Zuko's name on it. She didn't know why Father didn't just change the line of succession, (or put the kid out of his misery.) He didn't want it nearly as much as she did.
She pulled out her phone. No fires to put out, as the only member of the Royal Family on the internet. That was good.
Father and Azula had discussed the fallout of letting Zuko out of the palace. The inevitable pictures that'll start to circulate when people start to see the damage done to him.
That particular bridge hadn't arrived, but she knew it was only a matter of time. No doubt EmberCrest was already buzzing with rumors about him.
And he had been locked away so long he probably couldn't manage it himself. That's fine. She'll manage it for him until he can learn how to answer questions without putting himself on national news.
"Princess?" Her driver asked, like she had missed something already.
"What was that?" She set her phone down.
"I asked how school was treating you." They repeated, not unkindly.
"My grades are good, if that's what you're worried about." She answered curtly.
"My uncle went to EmberCrest. Quite the school."
"How long ago?" She was genuinely curious on what would possess a member of the staff to talk to her like an equal.
"About twenty five years ago now. I imagine that's around the same time the King was there."
"Maybe." Azula chose not to answer the obvious question. "Father says when he went he managed to conceal his identity as heir to the crown."
"If only your brother was granted the same anonymity." They sounded almost mournful.
Could she not have a single conversation today without it always going back to Zuko in some sort of way? Was that the consequence of making father let him out of the palace?
"Have you met him?" Azula tried to layer her voice with scorn, but she really was worried about him.
"I drove him to EmberCrest earlier today. He's a quiet one, that's for sure."
They probably weren't catching his attention, if they tried to talk to him at all. A lot of staff see his face and just...don't talk around him.
"I'm sure I make up for it." She wanted out of this car.
Ty Lee and Mai were probably waiting for her to return. Nobody thought she would take a break in the middle of a semester and then come back with her brother in tow. The same brother that vanished from the public with no clear explanation.
She checked her messages with them.
Ty Lee: girl where are you
Azula: I'm coming. How are things there?
Ty Lee: ew punctuation
Ty Lee: things arent as bad as you might think
Ty Lee: but like
Ty Lee: everyones talking about it
Ty Lee: Mai says stop picking favorites and check ur dm with her
Azula rolled her eyes. Ty Lee was so dramatic, texting in scraps the way she does. But she did turn to Mai's thread.
Mai: You never mentioned your brother would be coming. The school is on fire.
Mai: Why he kinda hot though?
Azula: Ew, that's my brother. And aren't you dating some boy from that city down the road?
Mai: Flings are temporary. Royalty is forever.
Azula: Get over yourself.
Mai: I almost forgot. That Aang kid is hanging out with him.
Mai: Thought if anyone deserved to know, it would be you.
Azula: Seriously? He hasn't even been there a day and he already found the wrong circle?
Mai: I think Jet is being paid to keep an eye on him, too. He's been shadowing them like some stalker since PE ended.
Azula: And you're shadowing him like a double stalker. That tracks.
Mai: You know it. I'm the best shadow in this school.
Azula: I believe it.
She shoved her phone in her bag, as the familiar road outside of EmberCrest came into view. It was so good to be back home.
She'd keep an eye on Zuko, have her fun in high-school, and maybe—just maybe—they could pretend they aren't royalty. If only for a little bit.
Father was healthy. They wouldn't have to worry about the crown for years.