Chapter Text
The royal court is as good as a pile of sand without the cogs that make it turn. No, not the monarchs or the dukes or the generals. I'm talking about the ants, not their queen. A palace is a well oiled clock, with every part turning at the exact moment it should, so that the hands may strike the hours precisely at the right second. Every servant knew it's place, so that the Firelord and their family could rule the country as per Agni's will.
At the top of this very complex beehive sat one Koji of Fire Fountain City, the head of staff of the Royal Palace. At only thirty seven, he had been both the youngest head of the staff (starting at the ripe age of twenty five) and the only one to hold the position for longer than ten years. He knew every face, every department, every door and window and corner of the palace. He knew everything and everyone there was to know about the old castle. It came as a surprise then when he ran into a new face, in what was supposed to be a peaceful Saturday morning with absolutely no work until just after noon, in the middle of a corridor that led to the kitchens.
It wasn't that Koji had never met the royal family, far from it. He was well acquainted with Fire Lord Azulon, Crown Prince Iroh, Prince Ozai and Prince Lu Ten (having met them all under wildly different circumstances). It was just that, as much as he knew about the existence of prince Ozai's family, he had never actually met any of them, neither children nor wife. They were not often in the palace, preferring the nearest royal villa as their place of residence. But Koji was no fool, having spent his whole life cataloguing people and things inside the heart of the fire nation. This new face was none other than Prince Zuko, son of Prince Ozai and fourth in line for the throne. His clothes embroidered with golden silk thread and a small but expensive hair piece in the shape of a flame gave his status away (and there was only one child his age in the main noble bloodline).
Koji rapidly stepped aside and bowed, pointedly not asking what the prince was doing so far off the royal rooms. He had stayed head of staff for so long by not questioning the will of the people above him and by Agni, he would keep doing so. However, instead of hearing departing footsteps, he heard absolutely nothing as Prince Zuko stopped right in front of him and cleared his throat. Koji repressed a sigh and slowly rose, dreading whatever request was about to disturb his free morning. When he looked down at the child (Ten years? Maybe eleven? He would have to review the royal family tree, he was supposed to know these things) he found two sparkling gold eyes looking at him expectantly and a slightly hunched posture, unbecoming of a young prince. Well then, time to help a possibly lost child.
"What can I do for you, your Highness?"
Prince Zuko took a step back, looked to the right, then to the left, and shuffled his feet. Nervous child then, possibly from not knowing where he was.
"Perhaps I could direct you to where you need to go, your Highness?"
The boy looked up at Koji, looking relieved and with a small shy smile on his lips. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times, before taking a deep breath and deciding on what to say.
"I was on my way to the kitchens. It would be highly ap... apr... appreciated if you would be so kind as to show me the way" he said confidently, with minimal stuttering.
"Very well, your highness, if you would follow me" Koji bowed once more, before heading to the left and towards the palace kitchens, feeling much better about his morning. He was headed there anyway, he would get his breakfast and then head to his room for bonding time with his cat. Plan back in place with only a slight setback, he picked up his pace.
"I'm Zuko, by the way... Prince Zuko, I mean..."
Koji startled a bit, not expecting the prince to address him and not knowing what he was supposed to answer to that. Introducing himself was always an option, but not always a safe one with a noble. He could say he already knew his name (which was obvious, otherwise he wouldn't have called the child by Your Highness) but that sounded rude. He eventually settled on a softly delivered "Well met" with a small nod.
"You're supposed to introduce yourself before saying well met"
Koji stopped and turned, finding Prince Zuko's staring expectantly at him. Oh well, lucky him founding a chatty prince. Introducing himself it would have to be.
"My name is Koji of Fire Fountain City, son of Caoli, your Highness, and I'm the head of staff of the Fire Nation Royal Palace." and another bow for good measure. Koji had found nobility appreciated too many bows rather than too little.
"Oh..." the prince bowed back at him before saying "My name is Prince Zuko of Hari Bulkan, son of Prince Ozai" he paused before looking up "I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were doing formal introductions"
"That's quite alright, your Highness. Would you like to continue to the kitchens?" The longer Koji spent with the prince, the shorter would be his free time. He sighed internally, he only wanted his pickled tuna and black coffee.
"Yes please".
And they continued in silence, almost to the door to the main chambers of the kitchens, when the boy spoke up again.
"Koji?"
"Yes, your Highness?" the head of staff answered automatically.
"You're the head of staff, right?"
"Yes, your Highness" Koji hoped the child wasn't half deaf, he hated having to repeat himself.
"Then, you wouldn't happen to know everything that goes on in this palace?"
"Yes, your Highness, I would" It didn't mean he could share it, mind you. There were things better not heard by impressionable young minds.
"You wouldn't happen to know what happened last night, would you?"
Koji, with one hand on the door handle, turned slowly and asked the increasingly nervous child.
"What would you mean by last night?... Your Highness" he tacked the title quickly at the end. It wouldn't do to disrespect the royal family, even those that talked in riddles.
"Would you happen to know what happened to Fire Lord Azulon? And my mom?"
With mounting horror, Koji noticed tears building up in the boy's eyes. He instantly regretted going to bed early the night before and waking up late that day, for he had no idea what Prince Zuko was talking about, but he had a growing suspicion he very much should.
Turns out, Koji didn't get his breakfast or cuddles with his cat. No. Because Agni had decided that day was a perfect day for regicide, which meant, the busiest day in at least the previous three months.
After leading Prince Zuko to the kitchens (and leaving the child without any possible answers, but with heavy reassurances that he would find information as soon as possible) he left the crying boy with Mio, one of the only competent cooks, and practically ran out of the kitchens. He had a lot to do and he was hours behind (mostly on funeral preparations).
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Zuko wished he could go back two days. Just two days. If he ever got to find a moth wasp spirit, that's how he would use his wish.
See, his life two days before had been filled with ample time with his mom at the turtleduck pond, the occasional interaction with his father (never a pleasant one, but necessary nonetheless), enough tutoring lessons befitting his status as a prince and playing with his sister and friends (sometimes fun, sometimes not). Either way, it was a nice life, if not filled with more pressure and responsibility than the average peasant and more lessons than the average noble (and more burns than anyone else acquainted with Azula).
In exactly forty eight hours, his life managed to completely crumble before his eyes. He might be exaggerating, of course, he was still alive, still a prince... He ought to be grateful to his father, really (the void left by Ursa begged to differ).
It had been a regular autumn morning, when news of his uncle's return circulated throughout the palace and surrounding villas. Zuko was immediately excited. His uncle returning could only mean his cousin's return and a glorious victory to the Fire Nation. By sunset, the narrative in his head was completely different. Lu Ten had died. Uncle Iroh gave up on the siege. Father was called up to the throne room. Azula and Zuko managed to sneak in and hear the meeting.
Not only did he loose his favorite relative (aside from his mom), the fire nation had lost. And his father wanted the throne. That rightfully belonged to Uncle (who had no one to pass it down to). His eyes had filled with tears and he ran from the room, like a coward (like a grieving child).
He had been in his room for barely an hour, before Azula barged in, eyes sparkling (with excitement or terror, he could not say). Azulon wanted him dead, she said. To punish his father, she said. Zuko was going to die.
Morning came. Zuko had accepted his fate as truth. He would die so Prince Ozai could learn and better serve his country. He could do nothing. He would never manage to run away. He could plead, but it would only make him look weak. No, he decided he was going to face his death with honor.
He passed by the turtleduck pond to say goodbye. He reread Love amongst the dragons.
He ate the last of his secret stash of fire flakes. He wrote a small will, leaving his knife from the earth kingdom to his sister and everything else to his mom. She would know what to do with the infinite amounts of clothes, scrolls and various knick knacks that loitered his room. He secretly cried, bundled up in his favorite blanket, watching the sunrise with rising dread. "Anytime now", he thought, a void in place of his chest, eyes dry but still red.
When his door opened he immediatly turned to face... not anyone he had been expecting. It was his uncle Iroh. Well, he was not expecting the killing blow to come from his loving uncle, but perhaps he was to be taught a lesson too. No earthly attachments or how not to hesitate when delievering necessary violence (his uncle had never been decisive enough or cruel enough, if Ozai was to be believed).
Before he could say anything, his uncle strode across the room and enveloped him in his arms. The killing blow never came. Instead, he received the worst news of his life, worse than any burn he had ever felt. His mom was gone. His grandpa dead. His father was Firelord. And uncle Iroh was leaving the palace.
A spirit journey, he said, to find inner peace.
Well, all Zuko could think was that his own inner peace had left the palace with his mom and would be missing for the foreseable future.