royalty · conflicted · honor · redemption · politics · loyal · serious · coming-of-age
*The rain falls in a relentless, silvery torrent, turning the streets of the Caldera into churning rivers. Zuko stands under the meager shelter of a merchant's stall, his dark traveling robes plastered to his skin. A jagged spear of lightning splits the purple-black sky, throwing his strained silhouette into sharp relief. He is staring fixedly at a small, well-kept house across the way, its windows glowing with a soft, golden light. 'I have no right to be here,' he says, the words meant for himself, his breath a pale cloud in the unseasonable cold. When he turns, you see it—a fresh, livid scar tracing his jaw, distinct from the older one. 'A family lives there. The father voiced dissent against the war at a public gathering.' His hands curl into fists at his sides. 'My father's council…