Out of all of the issues flitting around in Prince Zuko's mind - and, there were several, some very pressing and of great concern - there was one that managed to wriggle its way to the forefront just about every second he let his mind wander.

An itch he could not scratch.

A ringing in his subconscious that never faltered.

A metaphorical fly that could not be swatted away.

Katara.

What to do with a girl like Katara?

Marry her, but she said no, his inner voice would remind him.

She said no...for now, he would reply to his own devil's advocate. But a part of Zuko always knew she'd say no. She wouldn't have been Katara if she hadn't. He had faith that one day, she'd say yes, but it had sprung up out of nearly nowhere to ask her this time. In his wildest dreams, the competition would be over by now and he'd be preparing for his wedding, something he had previously been less than enthusiastic about. Katara made him want it all; a large ceremony, a quiet life, children...

He would have been thrilled, obviously, if she had said yes, but he may have been concerned for her safety.

Zuko knew the dangers of the palace, and he knew them well; that much was not something he felt right to argue with her about. He would, however, rebuff her crazy idea that the safest place wasn't at his side as the Fire Lady, a woman who held the near entirety of the world in her palm. He was sure that if he ascended to the throne with Katara at his side, he already would have won half the battle. He could sway the council, expose his father...make sure he could never hurt her.

But, Katara persisted.

Marry someone else. He recalled what she'd urged him with a mildly uncomfortable rock forming in the bottom of his stomach. His chest had dropped when he'd heard that.

Maybe it would have been smart.

Maybe...but lately, Zuko found his common sense being chipped away at an alarming rate.

He filed through the remaining girls in his mind as though he was looking through a folio, considering and weighing each girl very carefully, as he'd been doing for the last few days. Examining them. Scrutinizing them. Trying to imaging marrying one within a week, if things went really south.

Not long ago, Toph strangely would have been his first choice, if he were so pushed against a wall. Not because he held any romantic affections for the girl, but because he did not. He was absolutely sure that they could work out an agreement to benefit everyone. Toph would not have to return to her shitty family, and she would not have cared if Zuko continued to see Katara. He could convince Katara to stay on as a representative in some capacity, and as the years grew on, at least he knew he'd always have a friend in his wife. Sure, the idea of producing an heir with her wasn't the most appealing, but he'd do it to hold onto Katara. This idea, of course, hinged on Katara also being okay with this. As it was, that idea was no longer viable, because he doubted he could get Toph on board anymore. So.

Mai was the girl that many Fire Nation officials were rooting for. She had the poise and grace that they thought a Fire Lady should possess. Zuko wasn't thrilled with the idea of marrying her, at least, not as their relationship was now. A small part wondered if he managed to get Mai alone again, if she'd become more like the friend in his childhood years. She'd never been overly chatty, looking back, but she had been a companion.

Yue was soft-spoken and just as poised as Mai, but much nicer. If he considered his future children in the mix (which he had to), Yue was a more appealing choice. They sometimes had awkward moments of silence, but he figured that could be fixed with time.

Suki was also on his list of people he could see himself marrying, at least, in another life in which Katara had never come to participate in the Choice. A lot of what he liked about Suki was what he liked about Katara - her strong will, her sparring abilities, her political interest - so he worried if he married her, it would always be a competition between her and a girl that he couldn't have chosen if he wanted to-Katara. All things came back to her.

It was all rubbish anyway, every girl he considered just felt so lifeless next to Katara. Katara and her waterbending. Katara and her inquisitive eyes, which held the ocean. Katara and her warm, earth-toned skin. Katara and-

"Zuko." His father's velvet voice purred over the table. "Would you kindly come back to join us?"

Zuko lifted his chin from where it rested on his fingers. Had his Uncle called him out, he would have apologized for his absent mindedness. However, since it was his father, Zuko would not give him such satisfaction.

"I haven't left, father," Zuko said shortly. "We were discussing the reparations to the Hall of Histories, were we not?" he countered. He'd learned since he was a very young boy that not listening could sink him deep into trouble, so as much as one part of Zuko's mind whirled around the Southern Water Tribe girl he was besotted with, the other part listened and digested whenever his father opened his lips.

"Just checking." Ozai raised an eyebrow.

"A future Fire Lord shouldn't need to be 'checked'," Azula threw in. "What could be more important than these meetings, Zuko?"

If they were children, say even the ages of fourteen and twelve, Zuko would have heard a teasing tone in her voice, and he would have replied back that Azula had no to right to tease him, when she was burning her notes at the edges or ripping tiny holes in her stockings in boredom, too.

But they were not children, and there was only malice in her tone.

"Now is hardly the time to be attempting to undermine your brother, little cousin," Lu Ten said, a warning in his tone. "Isn't there enough upheaval without so you so gaudily attempting to steal what your brother has? You are like a child, taking Zuko's toys just because it so displeases you to not have something also."

"The Throne is not a toy! We've all accepted that things are changing after the attack, so why not a change in the lineup for the ruler, as well? It's been done once before," Azula added, staring down Lu Ten with a wicked smile.

"So it is not just to do it again." Uncle Iroh frowned. "Azula, your comments have been noted but have grown tiresome on all of our ears."

"Let them," Azula barked out. "He is hardly acting as a prince, did you see the way he was kissing Lady Katara-"

"Princess Katara. As is his right," Ozai broke in, but Zuko wouldn't say his father was on his side. He wasn't sure that he was on Azula's side though, or else she would have been given the throne months ago. Ozai was on no one's side but his own. "It is his prerogative, may I remind you – daughter - that Zuko may kiss whomever he pleases, if they are in the Prince's Choice."

Azula was not dumb. Whenever Ozai stepped in, she would shut up. Also, as there were only immediate family members sitting at the table, there were not many minds to enchant with her poisonous words. Her family had heard them all, and most of them could spin words as skillfully as she, so they knew her silver tricks. Zuko had never had that skill, but he trumped her in just about everything else, he liked to think. Maybe not firebending, either, but that was a work in progress.

Zuko shot an appreciative glance toward his cousin and uncle. He was especially glad that there were no hard feelings about the fact that their lineage's birthright had been removed. As it was, Zuko did not care much for the throne. It may have sounded awful to say, but he thought that Lu Ten would have made a fair and just Fire Lord. He was absolutely sure, with every fiber of his being, that Uncle Iroh would have been a better Fire Lord than his father. Had the hands of fate swung the other way, Zuko could not have been upset.

But that was not so. Zuko was the heir apparent and this left him, more times than not, very much alone in the world.

He was thrown back to an event, years ago, but a moment that has never left him.

He recalled being young, hardly thirteen, and Azulon was beckoning him to his bedside with a spindly and wrinkled finger. He'd swallowed down his terror at being called to face his very imposing grandfather alone, and bravely approached the bed, his shoulders squared.

At the time, his grandfather had been gravely ill. The Fire Sages had warned the family that he could go any day, so Zuko was told very firmly not to do anything to upset his grandfather. He'd gotten a murderous look from his father when Zuko has responded, "Do anything to upset him? He's likely going to upset me!' Azulon did end up biting the bullet, a whole year later, but remained in a state of perpetual sickness up until the end of his days. Zuko thought this was only fair.

He recalled the smell of something smoldering, something burning. Azulon always smelled like that, and not a pleasant fire smell, but a noxious one. When Azulon had grasped Zuko's wrist with a startling strength, Zuko had nearly cried out.

Azulon pulled Zuko down to his lips, his breath coming out in rasps and his whole body quaking with sickness.

"All living things die alone," he'd said, forcing the words from his lips, "And so shall you."

Then, he released Zuko just as suddenly as he'd grabbed him and turned over. Zuko had stumbled out of the bedroom and into the gardens, where he'd heaved his stomach, but only brought up bile.

Something about his words had been so prophetic, so startling. The words of a very ill elder shouldn't have shaken him so much, but truth be told...it did. It was the certainty with which Azulon had said it, the near smugness in his voice. The way he'd said it would never leave Zuko.

Even at that age, there had been discussion of Zuko ascending to the throne instead of Lu Ten. Zuko, at that point, had thought his father's plight near impossible. It was in the moment that Azulon told Zuko this, and no one else, that Zuko knew deep down one day he would rule. It felt like his grandfather's words went without saying, but that promise weighed heavier on Fire Lords than anyone else.

And so shall you.

And so shall you.

And so shall you.

A part of Zuko had prepared himself for this, for this loneliness, for this gripping coldness. Azulon had died in his sleep with not another soul around. And, even if someone had been in the room, he was so estranged from any other person that he would have died alone anyway, dying alone in the spirit of the sense. Azulon -better than anyone - would know this truth.

Then, he'd met Katara. For a wild, fledgling second, he'd thought that the few and final words his grandfather had ever spoken to him would never come to pass.

Still, now, he wasn't so sure.

He knew that as an adult - as the future Fire Lord - he should not let such things bother him in the present. He had the ability to forge his own destiny, and further than that, he had the ability to ask anything of his people. It would be for naught if he forced their love, and he wanted to be a better Fire Lord than his three predecessors - though he was sure his father would tell him his plans would make him worse, would make him weak.

Frankly, Zuko did not want to be the Fire Lord if it meant ruling through tyranny and fearmongering. And, since he was about to inherit the throne all too soon, he was in a position to be deciding such things.

Zuko turned his focus back to the meeting. Uncle Iroh was going on about the crown molding in the Hall of Histories and arguing that maybe some mirrors would be a nice addition, and Ozai was waving his hand in a firm dismission. It was nothing exciting (this whole meeting hadn't been 'exciting') but Zuko was semi-glad he didn't need to focus on it, anyway.

The door opened and Aang appeared, itching the fingerless gloves that covered his arrows. While the rumors had been spread to the public, through no effort of the Royal Palace, that Aang was covered in horrid burns, Zuko's family believed otherwise. He'd managed to convince his father that the sect that Aang, er, Kuzon had grown up with had been very religious and very covered, and it would offend the old gods to show an abundance of skin. He'd been able to find an old Fire God somewhere that had believed the sweat built up from uncomfortably heavy clothes was spiritual and it was apparently enough.

It, so far, seemed to work. Kuzon didn't go out of his way to have times in which Ozai would see him other than required attendance.

"Great Uncle." Aang bowed respectfully in Ozai's direction. Zuko could see the way that Aang's jaw clenched, how he forced the words out with some difficulty. Aang had been unsettled since the discovery in the caverns, to say the least.

"Kuzon, I take it that classes have concluded for the day?"

"Yes, sir." Aang sat next to Lu Ten, where he was instructed to sit during family meetings. His presence had grown over time. At first, Ozai hardly took note of him. But, slowly, as his stay in the palace had extended, his participation began to be more of a regular occurrence, because let it never be said that the Royal family did not honor the covenant of blood.

"How is your training going?"

"Fine," Aang answered stiffly. After the attack on the palace, Ozai had insisted that Aang start taking part in military training. Zuko found it hard to disagree, especially since Aang could only whip out his firebending in a pinch. Having other skills would be most valuable.

They'd tried to keep Aang out of the military as long as possible. Having him in a situation in which he would have to train shirtless was obviously a problem, not to mention that Aang was a pacifist by upbringing.

Zuko could not budge his father on this decision, however. Aang was funneled into the sessions. Iroh had noticed Aang's unease and convinced the Junior Captain to allow Aang to remain covered, as long as it did not hinder Aang's learning. So far, so good. However, that didn't mean it wasn't difficult for Aang to acclimate to this lifestyle. The military was structured and taught with an iron fist. It had adopted an 'eat or be eaten' mentality that related not only to training, but how they should approach undesirables in the field. Ozai was the one to thank for that, Zuko thought with frustration.

It was what Ozai did when backed into a wall: respond with war and violence. It was all he'd ever known. He was hailed as the one who revamped the entire military structure as Zuko was doing with the trade routes. He knew the military better than any living man.

It had made the Fire Nation an impenetrable nation, until the Equalists. In response, Ozai was just throwing more violence at the problem. While Zuko highly doubted that if they threw daisies and banjos at the Equalists they'd surrender, his father was taking things to maniacal levels by demanding every son over the age of 12 should go into the military training.

"Oh, Kuzon is too humble," Iroh said at Ozai's less-than-pleased face. "He is a rare find. He already shows restraint when needed, but is able to hold his own swimmingly."

Aang blushed at the praise, however he still looked upset. Zuko knew that Aang would hate to be known by a military status one day, if the whole affair with his true identity lasted longer than anyone expected.

"I'm glad to hear that. I cannot afford in another attack for you to be undefended, Kuzon. While Guardsman Shoji has shown great initiative, we must always expect the worse," Ozai said. "I am pleased you are here for the last bit of the meeting, nephew."

"Oh?" Aang asked, shooting a nervous look to Zuko, but Zuko had no idea why Ozai would want Aang around.

"We have a matter of grave importance to discuss, for the moment family and need-to-know only, and I wish not to repeat my suspicions..." He paused for a second. "I believe the Avatar has returned."

Zuko choked on his own breath, managing a strangled, "But it's been 104 years, Father." He covered his horror with faux disbelief.

"I know, quite a time for the spirits to be quiet." Ozai was stroking his beard. "And I hadn't thought it possible until very recently."

"It is not possible," Uncle Iroh insisted firmly. "Whatever you have heard-"

"It's not what I've heard, through the whispers through the palace are suffocating," Ozai cut him off. "It's what I've seen. The day of the attack, the idols of the past Avatars lit up with a brilliance that cannot be explained away. We all must assume that the Avatar is the number one enemy of the Fire Nation and is working with the Equalists to disassemble us as we know."

There was a stunned silence. Zuko scrutinized his father carefully, trying not to let his internal thoughts show on his face. He'd assumed his father was puppeting the Equalists. Was he still, and this was his way of creating an excuse to kill the Avatar if he found him? Or, were his father's thoughts genuine, and he had nothing to do with the Equalists?

The sureness in his father's voice made him actually think the latter, which would do him no good to have his suspicions back to square one. He decided his father was a master manipulator and he should equally be prepared to believe either one of the two options.

Belatedly, he thought of Aang. He resisted the urge to swing his head to his friend too sharply, but instead looked at Lu Ten and Aang as if to ask 'do we believe this?'Aang's face was as white as a sheet, and Zuko wasn't sure he was breathing. He seemed frozen in the spot, until Zuko caught his eye.

Aang slowly morphed his face into one of half-concern, half-interest. Zuko had spent years with Aang practicing his poker face and today - more than ever - it was a necessary mask.

"Okay, so..." Lu Ten licked his lips nervously, frowning. "104 years? That's what, three generations? So, it's back to a Firebender now?"

Sweat beaded on Aang's head. It seemed if Ozai believed this, and it was a fair assessment, then Aang was still in the danger zone, since his cover was as a firebender.

"Actually, I have reason to believe it's still the same airbender." Ozai leaned back on his grand chair, pressing all his finger together at the tips, a rather pensive look gathering on his face. "And if that's true, then this Avatar is a master already and our most important mission."

"There are no more airbenders, Father," Zuko attempted to scoff out. "They all died a long time ago."

"So I thought too, but I have gotten rather disturbing reports that their kind are popping up, one here, one there." Ozai waved his hands to indicate 'here and there'. "And we can only assume that any airbender is going to side with their leader, or have information about where we can find him or her."

"You can't be serious!" Lu Ten argued. "Implicating an entire race to the same crimes, the crimes you claim?"

"Son," Iroh whispered sternly, "Be cautious of what you say next."

"I knew you'd see the logic, my brother," Ozai said, nodding.

"Logic? You misspeak, brother." Iroh's face was furious. "You are speaking of blind hate and fear."

"Father fears nothing!" Azula snarled. "How dare you insinuate-"

"Azula, please," Ozai said softly, and she sat back, frowning and glaring down her Uncle. "I do fear for the safety of my family. These airbenders are dangerous, make no mistake."

"What?" Aang finally spoke up. "They're