Chapter Text
Azula frowned, struggling not to yawn as she surveyed the line of men and women kneeling at the foot of her throne. The duty weighing upon her had already put her in an unpleasant mood, but the disappointing selection only made it worse. Weak was far too kind a word for most of them, and not one seemed worthy of the honor she was prepared to bestow. Honestly, this was all father could find? This is the best the Fire Nation has to offer? If I didn't know better, I'd almost think he didn't want me to pick from this pitiful group.
She peeled her lips back in disgust, huffing through her nose. From the top of the steps, Fire Lord Ozai watched her every move, waiting for her to make her choice. The heaviness of his gaze made her bristle, but she tried not to show it. She and her father were caught in an uneasy balancing act, and any sign of weakness could tip the scales of power in his favor.
This is all Zuko's fault. What was he thinking, running away with Mai? Only he would be stupid enough to pick an infertile beta as his mate and get himself banished.
It had been an incredibly foolish decision on both their parts, although one she had relished at the time. Mai had been her best friend, but having her elder brother out of the way was worth the loss. She had always planned on securing the throne for herself anyway. Alpha though he was, Zuko had never been worthy of the power that came with it. His cowardice had left the way clear for her, and she hadn't even needed to challenge him to agni kai first.
Only after Zuko's abrupt departure had she realized power wasn't the only thing that came with being next in line to the throne. All the expectations that had once rested on Zuko's shoulders were now hers to bear. That was why, on what should have been the festive occasion of her twentieth birthday, she was stuck sifting through the inbred stock her father had scrounged together for her. At least she had the circus to look forward to later. The performers were usually good for a laugh—and if they weren't, she always found creative ways to liven up their shows.
With one last glare of annoyance, Azula turned away from the omegas and faced her father once again. He didn’t speak, but she could tell by his stony expression that he expected her to make a decision. And a decision she would make, but on her own schedule, not his. "An... interesting selection, father," she said, deliberately measuring the space of her pause so he would catch her meaning, but have no excuse to reprimand her for it. "However, I need more time to weigh my options."
"More time, Azula?"
Azula could tell Ozai was angry, but she didn't care. She was more than his pawn, more than a way for her father to assure himself that some part of him had cheated death. "Yes." The single word carried all the weight she could put into it. "Choosing a proper omega to carry on our family's proud legacy will take careful thought. The choice is an important one."
Ozai looked as though he wanted to disagree, but to her immense satisfaction, he didn’t insist. Appearances were important to him. The Royal Family was supposed to be above petty squabbles, especially when it came to personal matters like producing an heir. Divinely appointed rulers of the world had no need to reprimand their daughters, after all. He nodded his head once, and Azula smiled. It was as close to a victory as she would get.
"You have until after the feast. The entertainment should be arriving any moment." He aimed a stare at the guards, and two of them hurried to open the massive double doors leading into the grand hall.
Completely ignoring the omegas she had just rejected, Azula took the stairs at a leisurely pace, returning to her throne. She didn’t even bother waiting for them to be led away. They would be kept somewhere nearby, but she already knew she wouldn't be asking a single one of them to return. She was under a lot of pressure, but she was far from desperate. There would be plenty of omegas at the feast for her to choose from.
* * *
Unfortunately, the evening's celebration proved almost as boring as the afternoon's torture. The crowd's energy was lackluster at best, perhaps because Prince Zuko's abdication had left a shadow over the royal house. Azula hated to admit it, but part of her thought Ozai might have a point. News of an heir would be an excellent way to improve morale among the people, and from the looks of them, it was desperately needed.
The circus was little better. The performers seemed nervous, often missing their cues, and the animals were simply dull. Azula usually took at least some paltry amusement in their displays, but tonight, she had too much on her mind. She scanned the throne room with purpose, eyes lingering on anyone that might arouse her interest, but no one engaged her for more than a moment. All the omegas in attendance were perfectly good looking, perfectly suitable, and perfectly awful. She couldn't have come up with a blander selection if she tried.
Eventually, she slumped down in frustration, unwilling to continue sizing up the crowd. Ozai shot her a look of disapproval, but he didn’t say a word. One look conveyed everything he was thinking. If she didn’t pick someone soon, he would pick for her, and she would be forced to live with the consequences. With a fair amount of reluctance, Azula straightened once again, forcing herself to watch the next in a series of disappointing acts.
Only, to her surprise, it was not disappointing at all. Instead of another sad old magician, depressing clown, or nervous animal trainer, a young girl sprang into the middle of the room. She had a willowy frame, lovely cream-colored skin, and a beaming smile that took up most of her face. Her outfit showed a good portion of flesh, exposing the toned muscles of her midriff, and a long braid whipped behind her as she moved. Still smiling, she dove into her routine, crossing the stage in a series of quick, neat handsprings.
Azula's jaw dropped. She stared in amazement as the girl moved, leaping, twirling, and twisting into impossible positions. The slender acrobat's long legs were up over her head more often than not, and her confident, cheerful smile didn't leave her face for a single moment. She was beautiful. She was breathtaking. She was as smooth as running water, and Azula found herself entranced. This. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Someone new, different… someone far more interesting than the nobles I’m forced to deal with day after day.
The girl seemed to notice the extra attention she was receiving, but she didn't falter. Instead, she added even more energy to her performance. On her next series of stretches and spins, her face hardly ever turned away from the royal thrones. Azula took the opportunity to examine the acrobat's taut body, eyeing it with approval. The girl was thin but shapely, with small, firm breasts and sweetly curved hips. Although she wasn't tall, her legs were long and luxurious in proportion to her torso, and Azula almost groaned as they spread in a perfect split.
Who are you? she wondered, spreading her knees apart. Her cock, which had remained soft between her thighs even with a line of half-naked omegas waiting for her pleasure, was suddenly standing at attention. It swelled further each time the girl's dazzling smile turned on her, straining against the front of her pants. She smiled, stroking a hand down along her stomach to cup the growing bulge. The slender woman before her had managed to capture her full attention in seconds when all the others had failed. She knew with fierce certainty that this was the one she wanted—and Crown Princess Azula always gets what she wants.
"Father," she said, pointing at the pretty acrobat as she arched into another backbend. "I've made my decision. I want that one."
Ozai wasn’t pleased with the request. His normally stoic face twitched into a frown, but Azula didn’t waver. She continued pointing at the omega she had chosen, unwilling to be denied. Swiftly, everyone else in the room focused their attention on her. The entire hall went silent. Even the music petered out. The circus performers stopped in mid-act, and the audience held their breath. Best of all, the omega straightened up, and her eyes went wide as she realized the careless gesture had been directed at her.
Azula finally lowered her arm, satisfied that her public display would earn her the prize she wanted. Her father wouldn't dare refuse her in front of so many people. He might not approve of her pick, one with no chance of a political alliance, but he couldn’t afford to scoff at it either. Not when he had so much to gain if she produced him a grandchild. That's right, she thought, narrowing her eyes at him as she waited for his answer. If you want me to sire pups and continue your legacy so badly, I get to choose the bitch.
"If that's the one you want," Ozai said at last. It was stiff, unwilling permission at best, but Azula didn't care.
"Oh, she is," Azula purred, returning her full attention to the shocked-looking omega in the middle of the throne room. Her shaft gave another needy pulse, pushing against the front of her pants. "She really, really is."
Several murmurs rippled through the crowd, but they went silent as Ozai spoke again. "Are you sure of her status?"
Azula was already certain. The girl's movements, her lovely hips, her slender build and soft brown eyes, everything about her screamed omega. Even though she knew it was impossible, part of her was convinced she could smell the girl already. She stood, abandoning her throne and prowling down the steps, taking wide strides to leave room for the heavy bulge between her legs. The other circus performers scattered, scraping into bows and groveling at her feet as she passed. Only her omega remained, lower lip trembling, throat bobbing with fear.
And such a lovely throat it is, Azula thought. Her mouth watered at the thought of taking it between her teeth. She stepped closer, invading the girl's space and inhaling deeply. The rich, thick scent that filled her nose only reaffirmed her choice. This lovely creature was all omega. Unable and unwilling to resist temptation, she reached out to caress the acrobat's shoulder, fingertips sliding along the vulnerable line of her collarbone.
The girl trembled at her touch, but remained rooted to the floor, spellbound or afraid or both. Her breath hitched, and her shaking grew worse as she averted her eyes. Azula took another step closer, almost near enough for their bodies to brush. "You already smell like you want me," she murmured, flicking the girl's long braid away and curling a hand around the back of her neck. "Maybe I did scent you from my throne after all. In fact..." She inhaled again, and a low growl rumbled in her throat as her suspicions were confirmed. The girl she had chosen wasn't just an omega. She was also in heat. There was no mistaking the call at such close range, and the ache in her cock confirmed it.
The omega seemed just as surprised by the revelation as she was. Azula caught the exact moment understanding dawned on her face, and a flash of fear followed. "Please, Your Highness," she whispered, so low that her voice was barely audible. "I'm not due for another month. I never would have come—"
Azula cut the girl off with a sharp look and a slight tightening of her grip. Once her wordless command earned silence, she skimmed her nails teasingly through the soft wisps of hair at the back of the omega's neck. The small patch of skin she could feel beneath her fingertips was already burning. There was no doubt in her mind that she had triggered the girl's heat herself. It wasn't the first time her dominant aura had inadvertently caused an omega to become fertile.
"Oh, you're going to come," she said, the corners of her mouth twitching into a selfish smile. "The omegas lucky enough to take my knot always do." She pulled the girl into her arms, sliding a hand down along her lean back to cup the firm swell of her ass. The muscles were just as tight as they had looked from a distance, and her length throbbed in approval. She pressed herself against the girl's stomach, making sure she could feel everything and enjoying the way she whimpered.
This one really is too delicious. I almost want to take her right here in the throne room... Her eyes flicked over to her father, and the idea lost its appeal. The last thing she needed was him criticizing her technique. Reluctantly, she let go of the girl and turned back to Ozai, chin tilted up at a proud, defiant angle. "With your generous permission, father, I beg to be excused for the rest of the evening. I'm eager to break in my new pet. You'll give her master a fair price, won't you?"
Even though it was framed in the form of a question, it was not a request. Ozai seemed even more displeased with her arrogance than with the woman she had chosen, but he dismissed her anyway, perhaps to save himself further grief. "Go," he rumbled, his searing eyes silently ordering her to prove herself useful. Azula could tell he was already thinking of ways to manipulate the situation to his benefit. "And don't come back until she's pregnant."
Azula both heard and felt the girl give a soft gasp beside her, but she ignored the slight sound even as it sent a shiver down her spine. The hot pulse ended between her legs, and the base of her shaft thickened even more. "As you wish," she said, finally giving him the deep bow that was expected of her. The gesture of respect was adequate enough. Ozai waved her away, allowing her to focus her attention on the guards. "Take my girl to my room," she barked, sending the omega toward them. "And hurry. I won't be kept waiting."