Chapter Text
Zhao had always wanted a family. His oldest Half brother, the obvious future fire lord, already had an heir. He knew it wasn't long until his other half brother's bride produced an heir of the previous Avatars lineage. As the son of a simple concubine, Zhao wasn't given such favor as to have such a marriage arranged. He had to fight for everything he had. Even the power he had, he had earned by himself.
Though he considered many women, few had the political connection he wanted. Meeting her took him completely by surprise. He had been given a new post in the Earth Kingdom colonies. She wasn't anything he had wanted in a bride, a simple earth kingdom peasant. The delicate maiden with jet black hair and skin the color of her nation's element had met his disdain with a smile, a flower that blossomed in the sun rather than shrivel in its heat. Hinata Gan-Lan.
She had quickly made her way into his otherwise untouchable heart. As time passed, he and Hinata would see each other often, though she was fearful of what her family would say to her seeing a Fire Nation soldier. Much would be the same if his family learned of her.
Soon after, the news came that Ozai's wife had given birth to a son. This put him even further down the line of succession, but mostly it made him long for a child of his own. The news pushed Zhao, in his desire for a real family and his desire for the woman he loved, to propose to the maiden. She couldn't give him an answer, her heart was torn between her family and her love.
Zhao wasn't used to being told no by people outside of the fire nation. He tried, over and over. He was driven by a deep loneliness he didn't even understand. Eventually, one night, when he kissed her passionately, her undecided mind blurred. Her own love and desires temporarily won that night.
He didn't see her much after that. She avoided him whenever he approached. Zhao wasn't sure how long he could stand it.
A few weeks passed, when a man suddenly came up to him and punched him, right in the mouth. “You bastard! How dare you seduce my daughter!”
Other soldiers witnessing the scene ran up and grabbed the angry father. Zhao wiped away blood from his lip. He was about to retaliate, when Hinata ran up to him with a pleading look,”Please, Zhao please,he's just upset. Don't hurt him, please Zhao.”
“He hit a soldier of the Fire Lord's army.”
“He-he's just upset because he found out-” she stopped herself from something.
“That you were seeing a Fire Nation bastard?” He sneered humorlessly, trying to hide how this whole scenario was making him feel.
She bit her lip, holding back tears. “That I'm with child.”
Zhao froze.
That was when his commanding officer arrived on scene. The man heard what happened and ordered her father arrested.
“No! Please! Zhao please do something.” she begged in a panicked voice.
“There's nothing for your lover to say here, little lady. Who he is isn't an exception. An attack on a Fire Nation soldier is an attack on the Fire Nation itself. Your father should have thought of that before making such a public display.”
His commander turned to him, giving him a pointed look,“Lieutenant Zhao, I believe it would be best if you refrain from becoming too close with the female populace of this region from now on.”
“...Understood, Commander.” He resigned.
As the commander left, Zhao tried to ignore the look that Hinata was giving him.
“Zhao..” her tone tugged at him.
“There's nothing I can do.. I don't have the power to grant your request.” he refused to make eye contact.
She stood there with her head down, the silence building between them. “...then I don't have the power to grant yours either.”
He could hear the tears in her voice as she turned to leave. He grabbed her wrist. He softened his voice, “Once I have the power…”
“You will always belong to the Fire Nation, as its dutiful soldier.” She refused to look up.
“I could have any woman I want at my choosing. But I want you. Don't you see how much I care for you?”
“I do… I'm sorry.” she said softly but resolute.
He let go of her wrist. Her smile was no more, the flower no longer stood tall under the heat of the sun.
He could easily burn this place down and take her by force, but then he'd never see that smile again.
“What about the child?” He could see the tears that built as she closed her eyes. She didn't answer.
He lifted her chin, forcing her to open her eyes and look at him. “Even if you leave, I will be back for them.”
She shoved his arm away, “Good bye, Lieutenant Zhao.”
He watched as Hinata walked off as fast as she could while maintaining dignity. What was going on in her mind? Thinking, what had she seen in him? Viewing him as a lost soul desperately searching for recognition, honor, and affection he was denied his entire life. That she had fallen for the man he could have been. But, it was clear, now, even their love was not strong enough to heal the brokenness that lived in the depths of his heart.
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She never saw Zhao again. As months turned into years, money and the occasional gift was delivered, or every so often, a letter telling her of his latest promotion and rewards he earned accompanied by a reminder that his offer of marriage still stood, should she ever change her mind. Even after she married and moved she still received letters, showing that he must have had someone watching her and their son.
Hinata had to catch herself from wondering what Zhao thought of the fact that he fathered a non bender.
The boy still had his temper though. It was strange how that was the one thing he inherited from Zhao. Even though he couldn't create fire outwardly, Jet had a fire that burned in his heart.
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Zhao wasn't one to give up easily. She may have moved on and married some earth peasant, as much as he hated it, she chose her people just as he did. He could respect that as her choice. The boy would be eight now. Soon, he would take the boy even if his mother protested.
She may have made her choice but she wasn't going to keep him away from his own son forever. It was time the boy was taught his true lineage. The fact he couldn't bend was bothersome, but after some time under Piandao, the boy would at least be a master of arms.
Such dreams came to a crashing end a couple of days later when the news came that the Fire Nation army burned down several villages in the colonies surrounding West Lake, one of which was the one his beloved flower had set root in. The reports said there were no known survivors. Unable to accept that at face value, Zhao ordered a small dispatch he managed to hire to search for survivors, but to no avail.
After that, he grew colder. If he had the power, he could have saved them. He should have made her come away with him back then.
No one would've stopped the son of the Fire Lord's concubine from bringing home an Earth Kingdom maiden, they would have just considered her spoils of war. A simple plaything for a Fire Nation soldier's pleasure. Why hadn't he? Because she said no? He could have disregarded her wish and brought her home anyway, at least she'd be alive, their son would be alive.
These thoughts plagued him. Because of that, he threw himself deeper into his quest for power. It was during this time he discovered the Spirit Library of Wan Shi Tong and the information he needed to bring the Water Tribes to their knees.
He felt like that was his purpose, like that what he was born to do. He'd one day become the Moon Slayer, and no one would dare defy him, no one he might come to care for would ever die because he was powerless to protect them. Never again.
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Another two years passed and the crown prince, who had waged siege to Ba Sing Se, lost. One of the most historically embarrassing failures of the 100 year war, as well as his only son and heir. Zhao's nephew, as well as childhood friend, Lu Ten.
They were around the same age, due to Iroh and his age gap, so naturally they played and trained under Master Jeong Jeong together despite being so very different. Zhao's desire for the power that was to be given to Lu Ten after Iroh strained their relationship at times, but they each had a mutual respect for each other. Zhao found it pathetic that with all the power and military genius his eldest half brother had, he could lose his only son in a battle, especially when he was there with him.
Not only had he lost his son, but he lost his heir, the obvious future Fire Lord. Zhao blamed Iroh for his friend's death. How could he not?
Then, not even a week later, news came that Ozai's wife had assassinated Fire Lord Azulon. All these years of trying to win the approval and recognition of that man, and suddenly he was gone. Just another loss to weigh on his soul.
Prince Iroh had gone missing while in mourning, so there was no choice but to make Prince Ozai the next Fire Lord. It was said to be the Fire Lord's request, but his father would never have replaced Iroh's birthright. Iroh was his favorite, even so his eldest half brother was still plenty young enough to father more children if he wanted to.Clearly something wasn't right.
Due to this, Zhao made haste to return home. Ozai had quickly and quietly banished Lady Ursa, only those of note knew how the Fire Lord had met his untimely death. He of course would be present for the funeral and would have to be present when his half brother was crowned, just for political reasons, but he'd have to work extra fast and hard if he wanted to find the Lady before her trail was lost and she completely disappeared.
The woman was too gentle and, frankly, too dense a creature to kill someone like Fire Lord Azulon without having been pressured into it. He needed to know, to hear the story from her own lips, as to why she had murdered his father. So, once his duty to watch Ozai’s hurried coronation had been fulfilled, he pulled what resources he had in order to locate the would-be Fire Lady.
Once he found her, it became abundantly clear that his dear half brother had wanted her to disappear permanently, having sent assassins after her. Fortunately, Ozai didn't think it'd be difficult to kill a lone non-bender woman and sent a group of non-benders to do the task. It may also have, probably, been so there'd be no connection to him. Either way, it was fairly easy to take them out.
“Captain Zhao… what- why are you here?” she was clearly shaken by what had just happened and visibly confused that he, of all people, had saved her and wondered if it was so that he could do it himself.
“First, why did you poison the Fire Lord?” he gave no sign of his intentions and spoke calmly as if he was simply asking about the weather.
“Prin- Lord Ozai.. he… he made a request to Lord Azulon to be made the next in line for the throne, since Prince Iroh no longer had an heir.. His Lordship took offense and told Lord Ozai that he needed to feel Prince Iroh's pain.. by killing his own son. I had to…He was actually going to do it... he was going to kill Zuko! I had to!”
Tears came to her eyes as she recounted what almost happened, but there was no remorse to be seen for what she did. She had done what she did for her child. Zhao couldn't hold that against her for some reason.
She clearly chose the wrong target. Ozai was the one that should be dead right now, but she didn't seem bright enough to have reasoned that out while scared for her child. She was so brainwashed by her likely abusive husband that she had probably thought he was untouchable or more scared of him than the elderly Fire Lord.
“Come.”
“What?” she blinked dumbfounded.
“You're coming with me.” he grabbed her wrist and started walking.
“What? No! Let me go!” She started fighting him and he grabbed her other wrist and pushed her against a wall.
“Your husband wants you dead. How long do you think it'll be before he finds you again after he finds out his attempt failed? You won't survive without my help.”
“What do you want from me, Captain Zhao? There's no way you'd go behind Lord Ozai’s back to help me without something to gain from doing so.”
He let go of her wrists, but kept her pressed between the wall and his body, keeping her from escaping. “What I want.. I want what Ozai has. Everything.”
Ozai had everything he wanted now. Power, respect, a wife, children, a legacy. He wouldn't have attempted something like this when Lu Ten was alive. He would have settled for becoming a famous high ranking officer, but now there was no reason to hold him back. Ozai had tried to use his friend's death as a means to gain the throne through his heirs, which resulted in him losing his father as well. Ozai would pay for it.
“I'm going to rise through the ranks and make a name for myself. Until people can't help but know the name Zhao. I will show everyone I deserve everything that I've fought to obtain and I'll claim the power that is as much rightfully mine as it is Ozai’s. And you, dear Lady Ursa, will help me get there.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I know your weakness. You'll do anything to protect your precious little boy. If you don't help me, then consider what will happen to the lad when I get there without your cooperation.”
“You and Lord Ozai really are cut from the same brutal cloth…" he stared at her with such an intensity she dared not venture to meet his gaze,"l Fine, I'll help you, but you must swear to me that you will not harm my son .”
“I swear, I will not lay a hand on the boy.” but he made no promise on fire touching him.
“Then I will help as you wish.”
She truly wasn't thinking straight when it came to that child. Ursa was much too trusting in human nature. In that one way, she was much like- he stopped himself. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of her.
“In that case, I think it's time we were going, don't you?”
