a/n: slowly bringing in more characters...
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After the bad joke of a meeting that was Ozai's supposed 'training session,' the Prince had more or less lost interest in getting his new bodyguard acclimated anymore, or even so much as speaking to him. He was stewing on his loss hard. Sokka was summarily dismissed back to the guardhouse without another word, and the two of them went their separate ways for the day.
Being defeated in that way clearly affected him enough not to be venting about it.
Regardless, Sokka couldn't be bothered with the Prince's tumultuous moods, and decided that it was best that he made some headway on his job instead of worrying about it. It was as much for the warrior's self-interest as much as his employer's. With the abruptness of Ozai's various moods, Sokka wouldn't put it past him to kick his own savior out on his butt if he didn't make any progress with the investigation; Ozai obviously wasn't the patient type.
Sokka's first step was acquiring a guard roster from the barracks so he could reference the schedules of the patrols, and get a list of their names. That way he would know who exactly was on duty on the night of the attack. From there, it became a matter of cross-examining the guards themselves and looking for inconsistencies in their stories. He could always try throwing around the Prince's name to add some more authority to his interviews.
Sometime soon Sokka would have to do a bit of research on the Conqueror's Law, as Ozai's explanation wasn't quite enough for him. It would help to know a bit of history if there happened to be an unpleasant loophole somewhere that the Prince would spring on him in the near future. The guards already knew Ozai brought him here as a kind of special case, considering his very public release from prison and ranked armor, so most of them probably wouldn't make trouble for him.
Maybe. There was still the fact that he was Water Tribe, after all.
Even none of them were directly responsible, Sokka could narrow down the list of suspects, look for gaps in the security net someone might have left, and get some clues in the process.
And something was always better than nothing.
It was surprisingly easy to get the roster after bringing up the Prince. Apparently, the captain of the guard had little interest in dealing with whatever unusual jobs the warrior was up to. "Just take it and get out of my office," The man told him, handing Sokka an ink-blotted roll of parchment and gesturing toward the door. The one and only visible mark against him was the activity sheet the man had him fill out to keep track of his request. Sokka could have done without that detail, but the legitimacy of doing things by the book might help him at this stage. And there was a certain appeal in making it seem like he was simply concerned for the Prince's safety.
As strange and off-putting that was for him to ponder.
As it was, roster in hand, there wasn't much he could do that day. The time was already passing into the evening hour, sun set and the last traces of colorful dusk fading into the night. Most of the guards he needed to interrogate were either asleep or on-duty, and thus unavailable to talk.
But, even if he couldn't talk to his targets, there was still someone important he could see.
Sokka ducked out of the barracks building that night, using the cover of encroaching darkness to make his way out of the busier upper streets and away from the public eye. Normally, he would have stopped there, but the night was warm and Sokka wanted to be closer to the water. He made his way to a borderline of rocky outcroppings that formed the outer ring of the capital city, peering over the edge of the valley and overlooking the sea.
It was a great view. Perfect for satisfying his late night excursion.
The wide-open sight and sprawling slopes leading down to the water energized him.
Sokka sat down partly under the shadow of one of those crags, resting with his elbows balanced on his knees, waiting as the luminous form of the moon grew brighter as stars sparkled into sight. He waited as a cool–yet somewhat out of place–breeze heralded her return.
In another moment, Yue was there beside him, fading into existence as smoothly as though she were there the whole time. But then, she said that was exactly it. Yue never went anywhere.
"I'm so glad to see you again," Sokka confessed, his stressed expression softening the moment their eyes met.
"I'm never far," Yue assured him. "I did tell you before that...I'm with you every step of the way, even when we can't talk to each other." Her form glittered in the light, even now that she was reduced from being as powerful as a Moon spirit. "It seems like a lot has changed since the last time we got to talk. I'm glad you managed to find an agreement with the Prince."
Sokka sighed, leaning back against the rock wall. "Agreement? I don't know," The warrior mumbled, thinking about Ozai's difficult emotions, his selfish attitude, and the absolute mess that was the entire royal family. "He's a big pain in the butt, and I can't even look at him without thinking of…" He trailed off, distinctly aware of the spirit girl's curious gaze on him, "Never mind...as it is, I haven't even tried to bring up the war. I know a losing fight when I see one."
It wouldn't be hard to guess what Ozai thought of the war. The majority of any negative words Sokka had heard him say about the conflict had everything to do with being jealous he wasn't involved. He couldn't even begin to guess how hard it would be to turn him away.
It wasn't until recently that Sokka really considered how long this mission of his might take, how long he would be stuck in the past of a country he wasn't welcome in.
But Yue's voice was soothing when she replied, "Don't worry about everything right now, Sokka. You have plenty of time. Focus on the most pressing thing first and let the rest come later. Don't stress yourself out fast before you've even begun," She said, speaking to the young man's paranoia and racing thoughts. Yue smiled in encouragement, "Don't you think what you've accomplished so far is helpful? Standing as a guard at the Prince's side?"
"I...I suppose it is," Sokka admitted, as much as he was thinking about what he had to deal with later. There was a lot he could do from his position, even it wasn't wholly pleasant.
For a moment, they shared the silence, the cool breeze drifting in from the south.
Sokka was taken out of his thoughts as he caught Yue shifting beside him, looking uncomfortable. He gave her a concerned stare and the girl smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry Sokka. I was just thinking about what happened earlier, in the courtyard…"
"Are...you talking about the duel? It did say a lot about the Crown Prince I suppose…"
Yue shook her head, "The duel was what I'd call...eye-opening, but it's not what I was worried about at the time." Her expression turned a touch nervous, avoiding his eye. "It happened after your swordsmanship was all over, and everyone was leaving. You looked up, and saw someone among the watchers. I knew them. I had a...a bit of a negative reaction, and I know that you managed to feel it. It must have been...uncomfortable for you."
Sokka paused, remembering how he'd hesitated, blinked up into the over lookers, and met the eye of a young man with dark eyes. Nothing about the encounter had stood out to him except what came after. When he had the warrior had that feeling, that unexpected burning chill. As if, for a few scant seconds, he was back in the South with a cold wind whipping around his body.
He hadn't realized it was Yue who did that, but in hindsight, it should have been obvious to him. What other unseen presence could inflict a very real icy sensation in the Fire Nation?
But what sparked that reaction was yet to be accounted for. "I'm not upset, just...confused I guess. Who could've…" Sokka stopped, trailing off. The young man had to be someone who would be an adult in their lifetimes, who Yue had to have seen while she was alive and human to illicit the kind of pain he felt before. And like a flash, it came to him, "No, you don't mean…"
Yue nodded, "That person was Zhao, the man who killed Tui. The invader of my home, and the reason I became like this." She rubbed at her fingers listlessly, filling her pause.
Oh yes, Sokka remembered.
And to be honest, he could never really forget.
The wash of fire that sealed Yue's fate, the foolish and irrational anger he felt toward the old man when Iroh pointed out the connection between the girl and the fallen spirit, and the last time her ever got to touch her. Not even granted the decency of a proper memorial when her body faded away, like Yue had never been there at all.
The girl turned spirit looked over at him, regretfully, "I'm sorry, Sokka. I was there at the end of things; I was there with you when Fire Lord Ozai burned the world. I shouldn't have made it seem like your anger wasn't justified, when I still feel like this." She closed her eyes, shame-faced, "I was being hypocritical, even if I didn't know it at the time."
But Sokka couldn't possibly blame her for that. "I'm not going to blame you for being upset, Yue," he told her. He wasn't any better, "I still am too, to tell you the truth. And I'm not forgetting about it in a hurry either. They're emotions like any other, and I think–considering things–that you handled them pretty well. It's not like you lashed out at anyone, and you didn't intend for me to catch the backlash of your pain, right?" Yue nodded, confirming it quietly. "Right; in my experiences with it, spirity stuff is rarely predictable. Besides, you were still right about Ozai. I...I do need him in one piece, no matter how much it hurts, or how much he annoys me."
"But then, what are we going to do about Zhao?" She asked, still anxious.
Sokka only needed to think about it for a moment, "I think you had the right idea from the beginning. One thing at a time." Yue relaxed at his words, her expression easing into a smile. "If Zhao becomes a problem for us, then we'll deal with it. But until then, one step at a time."
They still had a Prince to deal with.
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The following day was Prince Ozai's birthday.
To hold this, an opulent gathering was held in the palace grounds, hosted in one of the adjoining buildings, one only meant for celebrations. It was one that only the royal family and the upper class were invited to partake in.
Ozai certainly wasn't the one who invited them.
In fact, he didn't even personally know most of the people who showed up, even if some of the family names were familiar enough. It was traditional that the palace extended a hand to those who lived in the inner city for certain events, regardless of how much or how little they contributed to the family personally, but that didn't mean any of them actually belonged there.
If it weren't for how they looked, some may have deserved to be there less than his warrior did.
Or at least, of the two distinctions, someone was actually making themselves useful.
But that was a pointless thing to fuss over; with the royal family's attendance, someone from the Water Tribe–even one that Ozai claimed firm ownership of by Law–wouldn't be allowed to take one step inside. The Fire Lord made absolutely certain of that. "Keep your stray outside where it doesn't dirty up the carpet," Father had said, standing placidly nearby as the young handmaid finished adjusting the Prince's silken attire. "Having an interest in exotic pets is difficult enough already; don't make the situation any worse." His youngest avoided his eyes tensely.
Ozai had no intention of testing his decree and asking to bend the rules, not even when father had approved the Law without fuss. For all that he had shown portions of disapproval when talking to Sokka, Ozai had learned over the years not to question his father to his face.
Eventually you learned that you just don't do that to Azulon.
Unfortunately, that meant that Ozai had no one to converse with but upper class strangers.
Besides the general guards on standby and business-like military guests, the ever-elusive Xu family and their daughter who flitted in an out of sight among the fringes, most of the party-goers didn't meet Ozai's requirements of actually being interesting.
Some of them surely fit the description of a crude slang term he'd overheard from the serving staff: schmoozers. Upper class who served little real purpose in the court aside from throwing some money around occasionally to help support the military, and probably for personal gain at the same time. They accomplished this by sucking up to their betters and putting their best face forward (likely because the hidden one would be unpleasant to look at for him).
The problem was that Ozai was not yet adept enough at picking apart which ones were genuine and which weren't at all.
A lot had what he'd called the "Iroh look." Polite and gracious enough, but with the attitude of someone who was "hiding something" under the surface. But did he already know enough about high society to know that some of them were being deceptive.
Thankfully, the nobles that weren't worth his time usually made themselves known by seeking out an audience with his brother anyway. And having the gall to use his birthday as an excuse.
The Prince wouldn't admit it, but part of him was nervous that the reason why none of them wanted a decent conversation that wasn't basic politeness was because Iroh's humiliation of him at the arena had already infected the upper class rumor mill. There was nothing pleasant about the idea that he'd have to contend with an already spoiled reputation on a celebration. But thankfully, there was nothing to confirm that Iroh's machinations were responsible just yet.
Speaking of his brother and his various hangers-on's…
Ozai stood over the long banquet table that took up the center of the room, casting his gaze around until he found the older man. Iroh was standing near one corner of the hall amid a circle of guests, smiling and talking casually about some story or another, a steaming drink held in his hand. Ozai thought he looked so smug, standing there like that, having successfully stood in his brother's way yet again, not a care in the world. The mere sight set a taste in his throat bitterer than the sting of wine on his tongue. Iroh may have beaten him, but one would think that having his soldiers thrashed by Ozai's warrior would dampen the spring in his step.
The Prince blinked, momentarily sidelined by this line of thinking.
Iroh did in fact lose the secondary test, didn't he? His soldiers were certainly defeated.
Ozai didn't know exactly why he'd bothered to test Sokka in the first place...unless it was just an excuse to take him away from the younger Prince if the warrior failed to pass the fight. But there was no reason not to just do it outright if that was the case. Ozai didn't see the reasoning there. But maybe it was as simple as Iroh just felt like annoying him again.
Either way, Sokka did succeed and–in whatever small way–could have thrown Iroh's plan for him into disarray. He should be...rewarded for that, right? That's what a Lord did for a capable vassal, right? Sokka hadn't mentioned wanting to be paid for his service in any way other than bed and board (not even with a soldier's commission–which shouldn't be too hard to manage if the Prince was so inclined), and Ozai hadn't thought to bring it up at the time either. In all realness, Ozai didn't have to bother; he already had the right to do whatever with him insofar as the Law was concerned, but it was the first time he'd ever called Conqueror's Law and the act of annoying Iroh in whatever small way piqued his generosity just a tad.
What would be acceptable? Ozai didn't want to give him more than he deserved for one day…
The Prince remembered the previous day, during their talk in the dining hall, seeing his newfound guard drooling over a list of food of all things like an idiot. There was an idea.
He looked over the sprawling feast, food which Ozai already knew wouldn't be finished by the nobility and their trained to be minimal appetites. No one would care about it if there was a bit missing from the table. That was good enough.
Ozai called over one of the serving girls and directed her to collect a mixed portion from the table. Among the platters laid out were roast pig-hen garnished with onion and matsutake mushrooms, blue tuna and seared roe, and seasoned stir-fry. The young woman assembled a plate, taking a bit from each dish, and covering the assortment with a rounded lid. "Where would you like me to take this, my Prince?" She asked, inclining her head respectfully.
"Take it to room twelve in the barracks and leave it there," Ozai told her, already turning away. That should satisfy him. No one could accuse him of going overboard with just a little food.
He stepped out of the limelight, tired of the pointless guests enough to sequester himself somewhere on the fringes where there was still some remaining privacy.
A voice from his blind spot made him take pause, "Taking care of an errand, your Highness?" Ozai turned quickly upon hearing it, finding an older teenager standing before him, bearing a confident smile and umber eyes. The Prince didn't recognize him from any previous gatherings, but then, he didn't usually bother to take stock of everyone there. And maybe Ozai had seen him before? That would be the only reasonable explanation for the tone of familiarity in his voice. "My apologies for not announcing myself, Your Highness," He continued, sounding contrite, "but I had hoped to catch an audience before the festivities had concluded."
"If this is about my brother again…" Ozai trailed off, letting his obvious displeasure fill in the blanks for him. Agni forbid someone wanted to talk to him about something that didn't have to do with the man on his own birthday. He was already at his limit with that.
"It isn't," The young man said, and Ozai reflexively relaxed just a tad. "I'm curious if my Prince would be willing to entertain a...political venture of sorts. I've been planning this opportunity for quite some time, and I think the result could be beneficial to both of us."
Ozai's brow rose, intrigued. A political direction...with him? "And...who are you again?"
The young man's smile stuttered for a moment before he regained himself, "Apologies, we met briefly before but...never mind. I am Zhao Tai, and the only heir of my line, Your Highness."
Nope, didn't ring a bell.
The family line he recognized–if only by their name–but he thought they were on the lesser scale of nobility, not much pull. Well, as audiences went, as least it was something.
Ozai gestured for him to continue, curious about the offer regardless.
"Word has made the rounds that you have been seeking the chance to go abroad," Zhao opened. The Prince cringed a little; all of his railroaded attempts were stewing in the rumor mill after all. But the next words made him perk up. "I have an associate in the military who owns a private cruiser, and between the two of us, we have the connection to hire a crew for an expedition." His grin crooked, and slowly spread his hands before him, "My ally informed me that he found the location of a rebel cache. Imagine how it would sound if, on his first trek into unknown waters, the young Prince of the Fire Nation located a valuable resource of the Earth Kingdom. It could open doors...for the both of us."
An expedition. In any other situation, it would have been more innocuous, but coming from the mouth of a member of the nobility, the word had a certain additional connotation. Upper class who made partnerships with commanders on 'expeditions' were often seeking to form connections with the military to help advance themselves, or fulfill favors. They usually came with an excuse in the form of a weak outpost to take, or an enemy cache needing acquisition, or something similar. But the point of the journey was advancement and an increase in personal connections; the excuse itself was just used as mostly PR to satisfy others' curiosity.
Ozai knew about this because he'd seen certain families try to get a step up by appealing to his brother, and the education that came after that. He didn't remember any of them not being turned down though. "Really…" The young Prince considered it. This wasn't precisely the type of venture he was looking for, but it could be just what he needed. "You should know that the Fire Lord and the Crown Prince haven't been very...open to the idea of me leaving the capital."
"That was before you gained access to an able ship and crew, though, am I right?" Zhao asked, raising his hand in a questioning gesture. "More connections mean a greater chance of success. They would be remiss to let an opportunity to let you prove yourself pass by."
Considering what happened the previous day on the training ground, Ozai wasn't sure of that.
He didn't respond, still weighing the options.
The other teen seemed to understand his doubt and spoke up, "I'll give you some time to think it over. Though it would be a great honor for me to have a Prince with your potential sailing with me, we don't have to rush things." Zhao snagged a drink from a passing serving girl, his smile fading to something more subtle and relaxed. "My associate's ship will remain in port for the next month, if you come to a decision in that time. In the meantime, we will send requests to the Fire Lord for official permissions. It might help to create a change of heart."
Ozai felt somewhat surprised; the noble seemed very determined to make this happen. It was surprising for someone to actually approach him with a venture, but one thing was for sure–it was a long time coming. After all the nonsense of the palace, Ozai deserved a lucky break.
"I appreciate your offer," Ozai returned, "and no one is more eager to see my father's mind to change than me." Still, if they were able to sway his brother and father, that still left the issue of the investigation Sokka was dealing with. It was frustrating to admit that the warrior had him seeing a potential foe where there shouldn't be one, but he didn't want to go and leave a job unfinished either when they hadn't found anything yet. Either way, with his performance before, bringing the eccentric guard with him would be recommended if the voyage became a confirmed option. "I'll have to inform my warrior as well, he could be useful on a ship…"
At the mention of the Water Triber, Zhao's expression seemed to dull, some of the confident energy leaking out of him. "Oh, that one." He took a sip from his glass, suddenly less forward, "Is it strictly necessary to bring along an out-of-place Water Tribe outlander? Have you heard the talk about their kind? There are all sorts of odd or unpleasant rumors floating about the court."
Ozai frowned, not liking to the mention of "rumors" of all things.
How was he supposed to trust a rumor?
Silly talk that the upper class engaged in together to waste time wasn't useful to him, and unconfirmed besides. Ozai had enough standards not to get involved.
"I don't make a point to listen to the rambling of maid gossip or nattering old hens," The Prince said shortly, bringing Zhao's attention back to his face. The noble families had already spread around gossip about him. What reason was there to listen to what they thought of his vassal, especially when he already knew it was negative? "I'd do better than to concern myself with circulating hearsay. For now at least, he's proven to be too useful to simply toss to the side."
Despite his previous discomfort, Zhao was quick to pacify him, "Of course my Prince, I didn't mean to question your choice in guards. I was simply...curious if what they say is true. Not many people in the capital have seen a Water Tribe before, after all." Ozai didn't know exactly what these rumors concerning Sokka's kind consisted of, but he didn't bother to ask. It could just be along similar lines to what his father already told him, and a repeat of that lecture wasn't on his list of priorities. "I may have to make a few adjustments to my requests and talk to the crew, but it shouldn't be much of a change," Zhao continued, amicably. "He wasn't in my initial plans, but rest assured, I have no desire to inconvenience you."
With the hiccup in their deal quickly smoothed over, talk turned to less pressing things, like firebending forms. The Prince was pleased to find someone there he could actually hold a conversation with, and the day passed without further incident.
When the two of them went their separate ways and the party wound down to its conclusion, Ozai was actually looking forward to the chance to depart on a real expedition.
Sure, they still had yet to turn the opinion of the Fire Lord, but he had a better chance with Zhao's supporters than he did by himself. And, if nothing else, father should at least be happy that Ozai would be taking the Water Tribe warrior out of the capital for a time, right? Even if he said yes to the Law, that didn't mean Azulon was enjoying it in the slightest.
Maybe he shouldn't get his hopes up, but Ozai still fixated on it.
He needed one lucky break.
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Little did he know that Zhao was also gambling on getting a lucky break, one that he didn't want to share with a Water Tribe warrior.
