Wednesday, October the 3rd, 1900, 9:00 AM
"The question has gone through all of the courts and unfortunately none of them could agree." Hashi said, sitting at his chair at the conference table, "The lower courts just sent it up higher or made a ruling that the litigants did not like. Many of the lower courts with multiple judges could not agree or threw it like a hot potato, saying that that this wasn't in their purview. Even the Supreme Court was evenly split."
"How is that even possible?" Zuko asked, "There are five justices who sit on it."
"One of them had abstained my Lord." Hashi sighed, "He said the question was too complex and for him to answer."
"He's a judge, a high judge, a justice," Zuko sighed exasperated."How could he recuse himself?"
"I wish I had an answer Your Majesty, but there is none." Hashi responded feeling the same vague dread at this sort of question. It really was a mind fuck.
"I won't send this to the Star Chamber, they would just send it back to me, and they're still busy concerning my sister." Zuko spat out that last word. "Most of them would become diplomatically ill" Zuko scoffed, "So, leave it up to me."
"It made it up the circuit really, really quickly. You said this was filed on the 17th of September, and it's already at the top. I can't believe it. It's amazing." Sokka commented. He was feeling conflicted by this particular thing. It was strange indeed. He couldn't believe that in 1900, they'd have to answer a question such as this. The thought had never entered into his head as a possibility. The twentieth century was starting in a couple of months, and new ideas were coming with it. Now, about the question itself, he was sympathetic to it, really sympathetic, but this question would shatter everything he was taught. The fundamental things that had shaped him were being changed. The old way was right, but this new way was not wrong. The old way was good, but this new way was not evil. At least that is how he felt. It wasn't his decision to make. It was Zuko's.
It was even more proof to him that the world would become more complicated and bewildering in peace. It already became a little louder with the ringing of telephones and brighter with the new electric light bulbs that Zuko had installed last week. It had already become quicker with the newspapers discussing events in Ba Sing Se that had happened only a day earlier. Sokka realized that soon enough he was going to have to find that peace within himself and share it with someone. He'd have to share it with Zuko, and he would love to share it with Zuko. Making that dream come true would be a process of diligence and Sokka was ready.
Hashi was surprised too, and let them know why, "I've checked with several clerks, Master Sokka, in the lower courts and the Supreme Court, and the constitution has never been challenged this way. Unfortunately, both options seem constitutional, and the question is which one is more constitutional."
"So, you mean the question is: Which right is the more right right?" Sokka confused himself slightly, but knew that the question was just that complex.
"Yes," Zuko cut in, "And now it's my first Lap Case."
"Lap Case?" Sokka asked, still a little foggy on the unwritten, almost always unspoken, yet complex set of rules that ran the Nation. The Southern Water Tribe had written out and described on paper how the Government was to work and function. All things were enumerated and neatly categorized in what they called the 'Great Paper' in the Southern Water unwritten charter in the Fire Nation was a bit of stretch for him, it was too ambiguous. It left too much to the imagination and it was too conducive to crises.
"Yes," Zuko started, "Anything that cannot be settled in lower civil and criminal courts ends up in the Fire Lord's Lap, usually in the form of a yes-no question or questions."
"I see." Sokka understood completely.
"Most Fire Lords get a couple of years, at least, before an unanswerable question hits them. I got… what? Three weeks?"
"You're historic." Sokka answered, "Everything has been so different and will be different. You're going to be a unique Fire Lord, and you're the perfect person for these new and exciting times we're in now." Sokka looked down and blushed ever so slightly, feeling embarrassed that he was gushing over Zuko that way. He meant every word, but it all came out so corny.
"Don't remind me," Zuko joked, noticing Sokka's reaction and wondering what it meant.
"Read the question again, please." Zuko said to distract himself from his now shared embarrassment.
Hashi read it aloud, again, "Having served our country bravely during the War in the Ninth Division Fire Nation Army, and wanting to pursue happiness as guaranteed as our right by the Fire Lord., we soldiers who have fallen in love wish to marry. We ask His Majesty this: is it lawful for two members of the same sex to be married in the Fire Nation? If it is, is the marriage complete with the same status, dignities, and rights secured by spouses in a marriage between a man and a woman?"
"That's really two very distinct questions," Zuko pointed out, "Can two people of the same sex be married and is that marriage equal in every way."
"Of course, the most important question is the first," Hashi pointed out," because if the first answer is no, than the second question is rendered void."
"I have to think about it." Zuko said. "This is a tricky one." Zuko could not be seen to support it too easily, as it might compromise him, but he was going to have this law changed anyway, just in case. You know, one day, the unlikely happened.
"Why? My Lord, why?" Zuko looked up and over, and saw the same Sage who had insulted Sokka was talking again.
Zuko felt his blood pressure rising, but tried to remain calm. "What?"
"Marriage is sacred," he said quickly.
"So sacred that my great-great-great-great-great grandfather did it six times and killed two of his wives and divorced two more. I don't know if it has ever been sacred in this nation, at least not since 1547. And as many mistresses as my grandfather had and the fact that my father ordered the death of my mother says that I cannot come close to saying that this family respected the sanctity of marriage as it now stands."
"Yes, Sire, but I mean, your Majesty, there's also the fact that they're ill. They have a mental defect, that I am sure can be cured" The old man said, "Surely you're not even going to give this filthy notion another thought."
Zuko's hair bristled at the accusation and the crude language. He took it quite personally, but he had a response that was measured. "If they were so mentally defective, as you say, how did they pass the rigorous psychological tests to serve in the armed forces in the first place?"
"I… all I meant a that-"
"Exactly," Zuko said with authority, cutting him off. "There is no mental defect in them. If they were deemed well enough to serve, that means that they are not only sane, but of 'mind in the most excellent and prime condition to take forward the work of civilization.' If we trusted them enough to do that, will you still call them insane?! Will you still presume to treat them with anything less than the utmost respect?! If you presume that far, you may be relieved of your so-called service." Zuko's words came out with a swift, venomous tone that made everyone in the room, including Sokka, remember that Zuko, and only Zuko was, without any doubt, the most powerful man on the planet. Sokka was absolutely bedazzled at Zuko's fierceness. It was alluring and attractive.
"Milord, I-"
"I thought so. For as long as any of us can remember men and women have served this country with honor and bravery, and without complaint, overworked and underpaid, fighting on the wrong side of a costly and unjust war. You will not malign any of my soldiers, so long as I am sat on this throne. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, my Lord." The old man replied bitterly, seeming to gnash his teeth. He didn't take getting told off by someone so much younger than him well.
Hashi and Sokka both took mental note of it. Neither of the liked his particularly strong reaction.
Zuko got up suddenly, taking a deep breath. He was royally pissed off, literally, and he needed to let off some steam. The Sages, surprised got up and bowed as quickly as they could, though their monarch was already halfway out of the room.
"I have to think about it." He exhaled, rushing out of the room, talking to no one "What an awful old man."
The Sage who had just been excoriated shuddered and gasped at the insult.
Sokka, once he realized what was going on in full, looked at Hashi, eyes questioning, and at some of the other Sages. Their eyes were just as wide with surprise. Sokka got up and gave chase, this time not hobbling around, as he was last month. He followed the flowing, red robe in front that was a few hundred feet in front of him. Damn Zuko was a quick walker.
"Zuko!" Sokka shouted
No response.
"WAIT!" He shouted louder, sounding more desperate than he would have liked. "I SAID, WAIT DAMMIT."
Zuko pushed open the doors to his room. Sokka ran in just before they had the opportunity to close.
The double doors shut behind them and now they were alone in his room, his drawing room in Zuko's apartment. Sokka wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he was sure that Zuko would let him know. Zuko was pacing back and forth, furiously, swearing under his breath,
"Zuko?" Sokka sounded more timid than he wanted to, but there was nothing that he could do about it.
"HOW DARE HE?" Zuko asked yellow-orange flames shooting out of his mouth with every breath. "WHO THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS?"
"What?" Sokka was beyond confused, but not alarmed so much with the fire breathing. It was cool looking.
"First, he insults you. Then he insults my soldiers. Both of those things insult me. Who is he to speak about anyone that way?"
"Zuko, please, calm down." Sokka asked stepping closer to him, "Please." Zuko was still pacing.
Sokka started speaking, "Look, I'm upset too. I didn't like what he called me. I didn't like what he had to say about those soldiers." Sokka found it strange that he was siding with Fire Nation soldiers, but as a warrior he understood them slightly."But most of all I don't like seeing you this upset and angry. Please can you calm down? Please, for me. I can't take seeing you this angry it's not the Zuko I know."
Zuko was still pacing. Sokka stepped into Zuko's path and suddenly they were face to face. Sokka grabbed Zuko by the hands, and was thrilled by how warm they were in his. Their foreheads came together and Sokka looked deep into Zuko's eyes. Zuko was feeling dominated. "Please Zuko," Sokka was whispering reassuringly, "I don't want you to be that angry prince that I met a year ago. I want you to be that rational Fire Lord that his people love and adore."
"Okay," Zuko was completely calmed by the calm deep voice, those deep blue pools, the strong hands on him, handling him and that manly scent that Sokka had. He liked the way he had to look up into Sokka's beautiful, blue eyes. Sokka was taller than him and it was satisfying to say the least "I'll calm down, for you." Zuko said.
"Good, I like that." They felt so close right then. Their mouths were starting to drift closer and closer to one another. Sokka's hands relinquished Zuko's and started drifting towards Zuko's ass, in an attempt to bring their bodies closer together. Fuck, Zuko had such a little waist. Zuko's hands were drifting up Sokka's back, as he started to feel the muscles through the silk. Their lips were only a inch apart when there was a knock at the door. They recoiled from each other. Sokka leaned on the sofa in front of him. Zuko, still blushing,walked over to the window, opened the curtains and peeked outside, looking at absolutely nothing.
"It's Hashi." The voice called out.
"Come in." Zuko said.
The door opened and Hashi walked in. He was a bit confused by the strange scene in front of him, Zuko looking out of the window and Sokka leaned on the back of the sofa looking down at the carpet. Hashi did not know what to make of the situation. It was strange.
More on Hashi: He was young and handsome. He looked quite a bit like Zuko, but his face was squarer and he was shorter. His physique was bulkier and his muscles were big and solid, like Sokka's. He like a bit like the younger pictures of some of his ancestors, not quite like Ozai but similar. He had quite a pensive face and air about him. He shaved as much of this younger generation seemed to. His voice was deeper and slightly richer, but lacked the pointed authority that Zuko's carried. There was royal blood in him, but then again, there was royal blood in all the Sages. He carried himself carefully, proudly, but not boastfully. He wore his pensive face right now trying mightily to figure out what this scene meant. No luck.
"I've just come to apologize." Hashi said, as his sovereign turned around to look him in the eye, "I know that your people mean everything to you, and that you cannot stand to have them insulted."
"No, Hashi, I cannot, and I will not, but you aren't the one who upset me." Zuko's calmness shocked Hashi, only fifteen minutes ago the fires in adjacent room had grown hotter and burned brighter. Now Zuko was almost serene.
"Is there anything I can do?" Hashi asked.
"Do?" Zuko asked.
"Yes, my job is to advise you as to the constitution."
"Yes, Hashi, let me ask you this. Is there anything codified that makes this illegal?"
"No."
"And is there any precedence of this question being asked?" Zuko needed to know.
"No."
"And there is nothing concerning this in any of the exemplar documents?"
"No."
Sokka was following Zuko's logic closely and quietly, amazed again that the Fire Nation's laws were so flexible.
"Then what is my legal way to stop this, if I wanted to?"
"Royal Prerogative."
"And to pass it?"
"Royal Prerogative and/or signing it into law. Of course the former would only involve you answering the questions and the latter would involve me drawing up the laws to have you sign them."
"I have to think about it." Zuko said. "I will discuss it with Sokka and I will let you know the answer and write to those gentlemen." He still knew that he could not be seen to be in support of it too quickly, lest he reveal himself.
"Yes, Sir." Hashi left the room, literally bowing out. He shut the door behind him.
"I don't know, Zuko." Sokka said, "Changing the definition of marriage is big Zuko." Sokka didn't want to show his hands. He was all for it, but he didn't want Zuko to know that he was gay about him, not yet.
"But, it's a matter of fairness. They fought their War and now they want to be happy together. WE fought our War and we want to be happy with whoever we end up with, right?"
"Right." Sokka said.
"I mean it's between them who they love, right?" Zuko asked, closing the curtains and moving from near the window into the center of the room
"Right. It's no one's business." Sokka added.
"Exactly," Zuko said, "What do I care that two men love each other?"
"I know I don't, Sokka added."
"Good, I don't either."
"Yeah, it's not like there's anything wrong with it," Sokka said, finally forsaking all that he had been taught about these things 'down under'.
"Oh?" Zuko moved a bit closer to him, still a friendly distance, but not too far.
"I mean, love is love, right?"
"Yes, I think so." The Fire Lord replied. "It just happens right?"
"Right."
"I control a lot, but I can't control that."
"And you can't tell anyone who they can and can't love? Sokka asked taking another step closer.
"So what should I do?" Zuko moved closer too as they were now face to face.
"Do the right thing." Sokka said.
Just then Zuko stopped. He backed up. He wanted it badly. He wanted Sokka badly, but he wanted to wait until Friday. He wanted it to be special, whatever this was going to be. He wanted it to be someplace special. He didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what had gotten into Sokka, but the closeness was welcome. Awkwardly, Zuko walked over to his desk, trying to suppress the boner under his robes. Sokka was visibly let down by this, but not completely discouraged. While Zuko was sitting at the desk writing, Sokka leaned over him, reaffirming their closeness.
12:06 PM
Hashi read it aloud, for a third time to the chamber, "Having served our country bravely during the War in the Ninth Division Fire Nation Army, and wanting to pursue happiness as guaranteed as our right by the Fire Lord., we soldiers who have fallen in love wish to marry. We ask His Majesty this: is it lawful for two members of the same sex to be married in the Fire Nation? If it is, is the marriage complete with the same status, dignities, and rights secured by spouses in a marriage between a man and a woman?"
Zuko was seated on the throne. Sokka was sitting in the lower seat right beside him.
Zuko answer with a short sentence, the same sentence that he was going to send to those men and have enforced throughout the land. He read it out loud to the gathered Sages.
Zuko read the nine words loudly and clearly "The answer to both of your questions is yes."
Several of the Sages had a reaction as if they had eaten something bad.
"Do you have confidence in my answer?" Zuko asked in accordance with tradition. He did not need their confidence, or their advice, but he wanted to see it. He wanted to see how they would react. All twelve said 'yes'. Some said it with confidence while others were almost inaudible. It was then that he realized his reign was born unto trouble and that he needed someone beside him. He looked down at Sokka and felt a great sense of hope.
"Sire, shall I publish the question and answer in Marketplace Green and on the South Gate?" Hashi asked.
"Yes, and put it in the newspapers this afternoon." Zuko said.
This was a gamble. He didn't know how the people would take it.
"What a Wednesday, indeed." One of the Sages who agreed with the decision said, "What a Wednesday!"
