Chapter Text
In the past....
"That'll be all for today, the council is dismissed."
The FireLord Spoke to the council filled with ministers and advisors as he stood and began to leave. It was a long dreadful meeting with discussions about trades, policies and all that stuff.
Zuko simply sighed as he walked about into the hallway to see his wife, Mai with their daughter on her hip.
"How was the meeting?" Mai bluntly spoke as 2 year old Izumi tugged her hair a bit.
"Same thing, My Secretary keeps on drafting long scrolls."
Zuko smiled, relieved that it was finally over.
But soon enough, General Yoshin, approached Zuko.
"Greetings, Firelord Zuko." The General bowed a bit, but Zuko sensed something wrong with the delivery.
"What's the occasion?"
"Well, we need to keep the Royal lineage strong right?"
Zuko looked at the General carefully.
"Go on ..... "
"Well, seeing your children have similar age, I propose a strong bond, perhaps a permanent one between your daughter and my child. I am sure you want the future of your daughter to be strong and secure."
"You are deciding the future of our child now?"
"Well, it's a tradition to secure it. When she grows up, she'll have a nice powerful man to support her in every ways. He'll be a fine husband."
Zuko looked back at her daughter, who continued to tug at her mother's hair and switched back to Yoshin.
"I am not deciding her future, she is not some political tool. She will decide her own and she will decide herself who she want to be with. Not me and certainly not other people."
"Your majesty, it is important for the Royal Family to create a strong bond as it was done for centuries. And soon enough, more families will come to you for your daughter and I suggest we start this early."
Zuko was about to respond when Mai spoke up.
"No. Our children barely know each other. And besides our children are toddlers. You do not get to decide their future. Am I clear?"
The General was silent for a bit before weakly responding with "Understood, my lady." and leaves the hallway.
Izumi continues happily aggressively tugging her mother hair, unknowing about what just happened.
12 years later
14 year old Izumi leaning on a fence, looking into the vast garden, along side her longtime friend, Soku.
"So how's your life has been?" Izumi spoke casually. It was one of the few time she did not have to maintain her Royal demeanor.
Soku looked on, taking in the view of colourful plants and trees.
"Well, Mostly the same..... Just my father pushing the same old stuff."
"The Same 'Future lies on your shoulder'?"
"....Yeah."
"Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it. But at least my father is not a FireLord."
Izumi nodded as Soku looked at his friend for a bit. He did sometime wondered how things would have been generations ago. Had her father been like his, maybe Fire Nation would be a different place.
Soon enough, Soku sees Izumi has been looking at someone, another friend of theirs, in the garden, sitting by the tree, reading the scroll.
Izumi looked on as she was interrupted when Soku pulled out a flower. The flower was a bunch of poppies and tulip. When Soku spotted Izumi looking at him, he offered her the flower.
Izumi stuttered. "What-"
"Not for you, for you to give it to him. You have been staring at Kazo for a while."
"No, I was not!" Izumi responded far too quickly to her liking.
"Thanks...." Izumi trailed off as she looked at the flower. She has been friends with Kazo as much as she was friends with Soku. She reluctantly took the flower, Soku wa sholding out for her.
"So when are you brave enough to ask Kazo out?"
"Not now we are just best friends."
Soku looked at her briefly, unconvinced.
"Best friends I see. Very close"
"Fine, think what you like." Izumi huffed as she put the flowers down gently.
For a moment, the palace was a peaveful as ever, the birds chirping, leaves flattering, as the wind weaved though them.
"You know, my father keeps on telling to date someone specific, but he doesn't know I don't have feeling for that person."
"Who's that?"
Soku paused for a bit before answering "She lives in Fire Nation Capital."
"That's not an answer, tell me." She gently nudged her friend.
"There's no point. Why do I want to think about her. She is not that attractive to me ... subjectively. Besides, she has a crush she wants to ask out"
"Well, I hope she dates that crush."
As soon a Izumi finished, Soku smiled a bit before looking back at her. Izumi soon realized what her friend had just pulled.
"..... Oh."
"Ok, now go ask Kazo out."
"Fine ... when I am ready."
"I got you the flower."
"That's doesn't mean now"
Izumi and Soku leaned against the fence in silence.
"You think my dad will approve?" Izumi broke the silence.
"Don't ask me."
"He will, I know he will. I can choose who I want to marry, love who I love." Izumu paused, before continuing, in a quiet tone. "Unlike you..."
"I am my own person, don't forget that."
Izumi was about to respond when one of the Place Guard approached the Duo.
"Princess Izumi, the Council session is beginning. The Firelord request your presence next to him"
Izumi then looks at her friend before leaving.
"My first council session. See you later."
Soku looked on before continuing on about his day.