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Description

The week had been absolute torture. Zipora hadn’t stopped shaking since the moment when... Lihua had covered her eyes, but she could still hear her brother’s scream of pain, her sister’s raging howl. Nothing could cover those burns on Zuko’s face, nothing hid the burns on Azula’s arms. And now they were gone. They were all gone. Mother, Zuko, Azula. Father was all she had left now.

Zipora was small. She had short, soft black hair and round eyes, the gold irises from her father but the round shape belonging entirely to her mother. She wiped a tear with the end of her sleeve, but the action instead broke her barrier and prompted a downfall of tears.

“It is a pity.” The voice churned fear in the pit of her stomach, but it was there. The fact it was there was comforting. A heavy hand was placed on Zipora’s shoulder as Ozai stepped out onto the balcony with her. “Your sister had so much potential. We could have been very happy.”

“So why did you send them away?” The words were no sooner out of Zipora’s mouth than the hand struck her. She toppled backwards, falling over on the ground. She sat, stunned, cradling her cheek as her father sighed and kneeled in front of her. She didn’t know what hurt more- the sting of her skin or the idea of her father hurting her.

“I’m sorry, little one. But I am not in the mood to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner.” Ozai warned, his voice gentle. He spread his arms out, and Zipora sprang forward, wrapping her arms around her father’s torso. “Come, come, you’re alright.”

“I’m sorry, Father. I meant no disrespect.” The little girl whimpered, and her father stroked her hair. Zipora trembled; this was her father. It was wrong of her to disrespect him in the way she did- after all, is that not what earned Zuko his punishment?

Oh, spirits, Zuko and Azula did not deserve to be so hurt! But the Fire Lord did not deserve insubordination, least of all from his own children!

“I know you did not. But you must learn to hold your tongue.” Ozai said, and there was nothing gentle about his voice anymore. It felt cold now, distanced. The he gained control of his voice and it became kind again. “You are still young, aren’t you?”

Zipora nodded, still enclosed in her father’s embrace. He had struck her, but he hadn’t wanted to. He was just teaching Zipora her place. It was alright. He was safe, and he was warm, and he was all she had left.

“Well, I don’t believe you’re so little anymore.” Ozai laughed, and he eased out of the embrace. He raised a brow and pulled a box from his sleeve. “It is your birthday today, isn’t it?”

Zipora’s eyes widened and she nodded excitedly. Ozai handed her the box with a smile. She opened it, and inside lay a beautifully made doll. Zipora gasped and held up the precious thing carefully, admiring the silky black hair, the satin green robes and carefully painted face. Even the headdress was made of gold.

“I know how you admire Avatar Kyoshi.” Ozai said the name with a vague distaste. “While I find it... unfortunate... that she was of the Earth Kingdom, I do approve of her ruthlessness. I had this made especially for you.”

Zipora’s eyes shone with gratitude. “Thank you, father! Thank you! She’s beautiful”

“You are welcome, little one.” Ozai smiled down at his daughter, but his golden eyes were as cold as beetles as he stood. “Nine years old already. A celebration-worthy cause indeed.”
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The first chapter in my fanfiction... I wanted to draw it along with my ref sheets...
Zipora: Zipora Ref Sheet
Lihua: Lihua Ref Sheet

Description

The week had been absolute torture. Zipora hadn’t stopped shaking since the moment when... Lihua had covered her eyes, but she could still hear her brother’s scream of pain, her sister’s raging howl. Nothing could cover those burns on Zuko’s face, nothing hid the burns on Azula’s arms. And now they were gone. They were all gone. Mother, Zuko, Azula. Father was all she had left now.

Zipora was small. She had short, soft black hair and round eyes, the gold irises from her father but the round shape belonging entirely to her mother. She wiped a tear with the end of her sleeve, but the action instead broke her barrier and prompted a downfall of tears.

“It is a pity.” The voice churned fear in the pit of her stomach, but it was there. The fact it was there was comforting. A heavy hand was placed on Zipora’s shoulder as Ozai stepped out onto the balcony with her. “Your sister had so much potential. We could have been very happy.”

“So why did you send them away?” The words were no sooner out of Zipora’s mouth than the hand struck her. She toppled backwards, falling over on the ground. She sat, stunned, cradling her cheek as her father sighed and kneeled in front of her. She didn’t know what hurt more- the sting of her skin or the idea of her father hurting her.

“I’m sorry, little one. But I am not in the mood to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner.” Ozai warned, his voice gentle. He spread his arms out, and Zipora sprang forward, wrapping her arms around her father’s torso. “Come, come, you’re alright.”

“I’m sorry, Father. I meant no disrespect.” The little girl whimpered, and her father stroked her hair. Zipora trembled; this was her father. It was wrong of her to disrespect him in the way she did- after all, is that not what earned Zuko his punishment?

Oh, spirits, Zuko and Azula did not deserve to be so hurt! But the Fire Lord did not deserve insubordination, least of all from his own children!

“I know you did not. But you must learn to hold your tongue.” Ozai said, and there was nothing gentle about his voice anymore. It felt cold now, distanced. The he gained control of his voice and it became kind again. “You are still young, aren’t you?”

Zipora nodded, still enclosed in her father’s embrace. He had struck her, but he hadn’t wanted to. He was just teaching Zipora her place. It was alright. He was safe, and he was warm, and he was all she had left.

“Well, I don’t believe you’re so little anymore.” Ozai laughed, and he eased out of the embrace. He raised a brow and pulled a box from his sleeve. “It is your birthday today, isn’t it?”

Zipora’s eyes widened and she nodded excitedly. Ozai handed her the box with a smile. She opened it, and inside lay a beautifully made doll. Zipora gasped and held up the precious thing carefully, admiring the silky black hair, the satin green robes and carefully painted face. Even the headdress was made of gold.

“I know how you admire Avatar Kyoshi.” Ozai said the name with a vague distaste. “While I find it... unfortunate... that she was of the Earth Kingdom, I do approve of her ruthlessness. I had this made especially for you.”

Zipora’s eyes shone with gratitude. “Thank you, father! Thank you! She’s beautiful”

“You are welcome, little one.” Ozai smiled down at his daughter, but his golden eyes were as cold as beetles as he stood. “Nine years old already. A celebration-worthy cause indeed.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The first chapter in my fanfiction... I wanted to draw it along with my ref sheets...
Zipora: Zipora Ref Sheet
Lihua: Lihua Ref Sheet