AN: a new idea that popped up a while ago. I'm still not sure where I'm going to go with this…but I think it'll be good.

I hope you like it and any ideas for chapter ideas would be welcome, also fan art I love it and hope that someone would draw some for me :D

Enjoy and read and review,

Arty x

Prologue.

Hatred and pride.

Zuko had always known that his father hated him.

He may have been a child, but he knew even though he wished it wasn't true.

He was not an idiot.

He saw the proud smiles Azula got, when all he got was an angry frown and if he was lucky a slap round the face.

He saw the disappointment in the mans face, the darkness that entered his eyes when Zuko failed to be strong enough in his eyes.

But while Zuko knew his Father hated him…he knew his Mother loved him.

Zuko saw the way she watched Ozai and Azula plotting imaginary massacres together, the way her eyes filled with horror, sadness and fear. He felt the way she would always hold him tighter when they were near. How she would place herself, seemingly unknowing. between Zuko and her husband and daughter.

Zuko saw the pride burning in his Mothers eyes when he had gotten burnt saving the turtle ducks from his little sister.

He had seen that pride burning in her eyes, when she told him to 'Never forget who you are." The night she vanished into the darkness.

The loss of his Mother changed how he viewed his home.

His Sister tormented him, always lying, twisting his thoughts.

His Father grew so angry, always yelling, always belittling him, hurting him.

His home became a dangerous place, filled with shadows and danger.

He only felt safe with his Uncle, who was so sad and mournful, but also studied the remains of his family with narrowed, thoughtful eyes.

Zuko remembered the worry and fury in the man's eyes when he saw the burns and bruises that littered his skin. How the man made him promise to stay close by his side and to hide if his father or sister searched for him out.

Zuko became a ghost.

Uncle Iroh taught him the ways of stealth and his sister grew furious when she could no longer corner him to 'play'.

And his destiny changed forever when he overhead a conversation he was never meant to hear.

Chapter One.

The Spirit.

Zuko's feet were soft and silent as he moved through the halls of the palace. He silently giggled as he snuck past the guards and servants, a wrapped present tightly clutched in his hands.

A birthday gift from his Uncle who was away visiting friends.

He was eager to open it.

His presents where the only one he ever received after all.

He's laughing stopped when he turned the next corner, he paused staring down the hallway leading to his father's rooms.

He shivered at a sudden feeling of being dumped in cold water.

He started to take a step down the hallway that lead him round his Fathers rooms, when he felt a sudden urge to go down the path he usually avoided like the plague.

He had taken several steps before he even realised it. He froze in horror as he heard footsteps coming from behind him and forcing down his terror, he darted silently down his Fathers hallway.

His eyes darted around for someplace to hide himself. Some shadow that his darker than usual red clothes would blend him in. He spotted two tall golden statues of dragons standing either side of a door up ahead.

The door was vaguely familiar, but he ignored the feeling and leapt behind one of the statues, breathing heavily.

He waited for whoever was coming his way to walk by, so he could get out of the hallway, something about his fathers part of the palace had always felt dark and dangerous to him.

But to his confusion he heard no more footsteps and no one appeared.

Something tickled the back of his neck and he spun round eyes wide and terrified.

There was nothing there.

'Listen'

He froze up at the almost inaudible whisper.

He could see no one.

He wanted to let out a whisper, ask who was there, but his voice had vanished.

'listen little prince…listen.'

The voice made him think of water, ebbing and flowing…it was in his head.

Memories of his Uncle's tales of spirits flashed through his eyes and he sucked in a sharp breath.

A sudden flash of a white markings and blue skin, grinning at him eerily from the shadows, made him jolt back in terror.

'Listen!' The Voice was demanding now, almost desperate.

So with a nervous swallow he did as The Spirit asked…after all it was not a good idea to anger spirits.

At first he could hear nothing but his own breathing and then he heard shifting from behind the door.

"Are you sure about this Fire Lord Ozai?" A timid, slightly horrified voice asked quietly.

Zuko froze in terror as he realised his Father was just feet away, only an extremely flammable door between them. He was turning to run away, when he felt something cold and wet wrap around his wrist tightly. He looked down horrified to see a hand almost seeming to be made of shadow, holding his wrist.

There was nothing attached to the hand, it just faded away at the wrist and once again, the blue face flashed in the shadow still grinning, but a warning finger pressed over his pale lips.

Zuko shivered but stayed still and silent.

"Do not question me General Hao!" His Father hissed from behind the door, his voice dark and dangerous.

"I-I forgive me my Lord!" The other man, Hao gasped desperately, and Zuko heard shifting and pictured the man on his knees bowing. "It's just…to do such a thing…to your own Son."

Zuko forgot the phantom hand, forgot his fear, instead he leaned forward, desperate to hear more suddenly, his teeth gnawing his lip painfully.

"Zuko is not fit to be called my son! He is weak and pathetic, where Azula is strong and disciplined…she will be my heir…she will continue to carry this nation to greatness when she takes the throne." Zuko's hands curled into fist and he couldn't help the tears that fell down his cheeks…his father had never said it out loud before and it hurt more than he ever thought it would.

A cold hand rested on his head gently and almost caringly.

The Spirit.

"This is better for our nation, if Zuko ruled it would be ruined with his soft heart….the only choice is to remove him from Azula's path…you will make it quick…a week from today…a fall perhaps? Or drowning in that pond he loves so much…yes that would do." His father whispered softly, and seemingly more to himself than the general.

Zuko felt his blood run cold and would have collapsed if not for the silent supporting hand of The Spirit.

His father was planning his assassination.

His father wanted him dead.

"As you wish Fire Lord Ozai." Hao said quietly.

Zuko followed the tug to leave silently.

He was forced to stop a few corridors later, his legs shaking dangerously. But as he started to head towards his room he felt another tug, pulling him the other way.

Gold eyes flashed in the direction that The Spirit wanted him to go and widened as he recognised the doorway at the end of the hallway.

His mothers room.

'Look.'The Spirit whispered in his ear.

Zuko didn't try to fight it this time and his shaking body led him to the doors and he slipped inside.

It was just like he remembered.

He closed his eyes as he breathed in, his mothers perfume seemed to fill the room. He opened his eyes and looked around slowly, his eyes searching for what The Spirit had brought him there for.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

He jolted slightly at the quiet noise, eyes locking onto the source.

A chest.

Zuko moved to it carefully, running his hands across the carved wood, a whisper of awe slipping from his lips.

The box was old and across the wood, air benders danced with bison and flying lemurs, Earth benders dug with badger-moles, a Waterbender rode waves up to a full moon that was half a koi fish, and a fire bender danced with a Dragon under The Sun. and on the lid and acting as the handle was a beautiful carved white lotus flower.

Painted in his mothers writing in small barely noticeable characters, was his name.

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and hefted the chest into his arms. It was bigger than him and he had to place the long present that his uncle had sent him on top, to carry them both.

He was nervous to carry the chest back to his room though , it would make it so hard to hide in the shadows.

But The Spirit, as if it had read his mind, ruffled his hair reassuringly.

So he squared his shoulders and walked from the room, as a prince of his birth should.

He had almost made it to his room before he met someone walking the other way.

He heard the man's familiar voice before he saw him.

"Monster…he's just a child…" General Hao's words were barely audible, but Zuko felt a stab of pity for the man, when he realised he did not like the orders he had been given.

The man's eyes widened in almost horror, when he turned the corner and saw Zuko standing before him.

Golden eyes pierced straight into the older mans amber eyes.

The man was young for a general, barely half his Uncle's age.

Zuko searched the eyes silently, seeing the sadness, regret and hesitation that swirled within them.

He smiled up at the man softly and Hao startled back slightly. "p-Prince Zuko!?…I…I…"

"Don't worry General Hao…everything will be fine, you'll see. I won't die as easily as my father thinks." He said softly , his golden eyes glinting eerily as the torches that lit the corridor flickered suddenly into blue flames, that seemed to twirl with a life of their own, reaching for Zuko, before they dimmed back to red and barely there.

He slipped past the stunned man easily and melted into the shadowed hallway that led to his bedroom.

He could feel general Hao's eyes boring into his back and heard his shaky voice whisper. "Agni."

The Spirit was laughing.

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief when he reached his room.

He placed the chest carefully on the bed with his uncles present and collapsed onto the bed besides it, face down.

He lay there silently, part of him wishing he had never left his room at all.

A sudden feeling, like someone had flicked the back of his head, made him start, and lift his head.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Urgh…alright…alright…are Spirits always this bossy?" He muttered under his breath, another flick to his head, this time slightly more painful.

"Sorry!" He yelped batting the invisible hand away.

He sat up and reached for the chest, he grasped either side of the lotus and pulled gently. The chest opened and Zuko, holding his breath, peered inside.

A scream tore from his lips, which he quickly muffled, as he stared down at what lay in the box.

A blue mask with white markings grinned up at him from its bed of scrolls.

'Hello, little Prince.'The Blue Spirit whispered in his ear.

Chapter End.

AN: so what do you think so far huh?

Let me know what you think :D

Arty