THE RISE OF THE DRAGON
THE GREATEST TRICK THE DEVIL PLAYED WAS CONVINCING THE WORLD HE DID OT EXIST
CHARLES BAUDELAIRE
"There are forces that will seek to destroy you, Iroh"
"I am already destroyed" he rasped, his hand flinging out from under him, sliding over the dusty cemented floor of the mouldy cellar.
"There are forces that seek to destroy him" murmured the glowing man in the cover of the shadows, floating in the corner of the gloomy abandoned cellar and watching him with loving eyes his pathetic broken form on the ground. Disposed of by Garza's men, left to either die from his heart attack or die from being forgotten after time.
"He is dead" he coughed rolling on his side and trying to get a clear visual on the man in the flowing white royal garment.
"Are you Ozai?" he asked the white-clad man. "Are you Ozai from the after life…?"
"He will be destroyed" the man said stepping closer. "Father"
"Lu…?"
"Zuko" Lu Ten murmured crouching by his father. "If he dies father, then you die and if you die then he will die"
"He is already dead!" Iroh cried his voice sifting through his split vision on reality but remaining unheard in the dark desolate old wine cellar.
"Then surely you would be dead too?"
"I am… I am… they killed little Toph and my son!" he wailed. "They killed them and will desecrate his memory to the world… everything he worked for, everything he will achieve…"
"What did Garza ask of you…?" Lu Ten whispered tensely. "What did he say to you last?"
"The house of Sozin may live on under Garza's charge but Ozai and Iroh's sons are no more" Iroh said softly the words ringing and bounding of the walls of his mind.
"The house of Sozin may live…?" Iroh murmured thoughtfully but Lu Ten had left him-his son had left him lucid and with hope.
"The house of Sozin may live…" Iroh coughed. "There is an heir… he wants to be… he will rule behind this heir…"
He wobbled to his swollen feet, ignoring the sharp pain shooting up from the bare soles through to his calf and coming to rest on his hip. He blinked rapidly, focusing and diffusing his vision and letting the shadowed light become sufficient enough for him to navigate his way to the front of his large prison.
"If I die… he will die…" he said softly. He thought of how sure Garza had been of Zuko's death… but Lu Ten knew otherwise and even in his old age… even in his rational mind his soul begged for him to believe his dead son.
"How dare I lose hope in you, Zuko" he said voice full of strength and self disappointment. "Forgive this old fool my son-my nephew… how dare I doubt the strength you possess, how dare I doubt Lady Grand Master Bei Fong's immoveable conviction… he could ever be able to kill two such forces…"
"There is an heir and he will not have it" he growled.
"The Dragon lives on"
Xx~xx~Xx
xxx
X~XxX~X
"Prepare the Royal Board room for a meeting" Garza murmured touching a finger to the black scorch on the giant table. "I want a new desk… with gold in lay"
"Yes… General Garza?" Qie Chang , the secretary said watching as the well fed man walked the length of the desk, his fingers feeling the grain of the dark wood, his entire being at peace and ease as his heart rests knowing his plan was executed with precision.
"Leave" Garza said softly sitting down in the grand chair behind the desk. "Take the letter to Lady Kuya directly… it is sealed"
The skinny boy left swiftly and uneasily-the recent weeks had been entirely torturous for him. He may not know the inside circle of the 'Big Men' in the nobility but he knew the Fire Lord. He knew Lord Zuko…
He may have been the youngest Fire Lord but he had been the most compassionate in his own gruff way, he may have had a temper that was reminiscent of Ozai but he never intentionally hurt anyone if he could help it… he also gave Qie Chang a bonus and two beautiful Ostrich-Horses after he had flung his writing coal at his head in anger…
He liked Fire Lord Zuko just as much as he was terrified of his wayward temper… and the Fire Lord's sudden disappearance after the attack on the palace, the Fire Lord's disappearance after the soldiers had attempted the coup only to be foiled by the Avatar and General Iroh… it had worried him. It had worried several other staff members who knew the Fire Lord outside of his title.
His hand maidens who would fan him on hot days and serve him his food and snacks; they talked about his fondness for his Uncle and his abrupt handsomeness over the years that accompanied with his prominent scar gave him a fierce beauty that made it hard to think… difficult not to wonder and accompanied with surprising awkwardness with women was entirely appealing. They would giggle together on their tea-breaks on how they had spotted him leaving the bath or were luckily enough to be on hand during his shirtless training…
His training assistance spoke of his strict regiment and unwavering focus to be good at anything he set out to do. They spoke of his acknowledgment of their presence which was unlike most Nobles who would move past them as though they came with the furniture. They spoke of his requests to have the mirrors removed in his room-which they knew was to do with his scar.
And they all spoke of those deciding weeks before his disappearance when strange things had been happening in the palace. They spoke of the Water Master's constant rips to the forbidden chambers and the burn marks she would have on her return back. They spoke of the striking Earth Nation Blind Beauty who seemed to not realise she was of great Nobility and had insisted on being taught by Oishii how to cook for herself, had asked a hand maiden to show her how to prepare her hair and make it straight on her own because she didn't like all the "Moving around her face" that accompanied preparing for a formal ball. They spoke of the Fire Lord's tense movements around her, they spoke of the General Iroh's little tea meetings with her and they knew her as the 'Lost Daughter of Iroh'.
They watched with in horror as the Fire Lord began to lose his hold on his own mind. They watched with distress as his focus was lost and a weird obsession with training past his Master Fire Bender title ensued.
They saw the order signed by Lady Mai for the sleeping medication from the Royal Herbalist. They murmured their concern when their presence around the Fire Lord was restricted by Lady Mai's mother…
Doors were suddenly locked; movement restricted and strange meetings between unlikely individuals took place around the Royal grounds.
And when he did disappear… with the Earth Nation Beauty, the night the soldiers stormed the ground baying for the removal of other Nations and their Fire Lord to be handed over so they could clear his mind of evil whispered by treacherous family members… they knew he was safe.
But now… things were different. The Dragon General who had worked so hard to ensure stability who had braved numerous assassination attempts-was missing.
All they could do was watch… till the end.
Xx~xx~xX
"Lady Kuya …?" the thin young man murmured. "I have a letter for you… it is urgent"
"You may leave" Kuya breathed taking the letter and walking over to the dressing table where Mai was sitting still. She read it quietly-careful that Mai remained engrossed in her thoughts before burning it slowly in the flame of a scented candle till it was an ashy pile.
"We will announce your pregnancy in a few day's time" Kuya said softly, taking a comb from the ornate comb stand and combing her 'soon to be Fire Lady' daughters hair.
"Why?" Mai asked. She gazed at her image in the mirror. She was thinner, her eyes sallow and dark and behind her, her mother stood with perfect poise and the utmost picture of health and wealth.
"He is found" Kuya murmured giggling a little. "With Iroh's Earth Bending whore…"
"I know you don't believe that" Mai rasped before coughing a little "Are these burning spices really necessary… they are wreaking havoc on my sinuses!"
"They help you to relax Mai" Kuya muttered frowning slightly, her daughter was so weak, punishing herself for something she had no part in directly or held any knowledge of and her odd fuss over the unborn baby accompanied with her slight dislike of the tiny child growing in her was concerning…
The order was for her not to know of Zuko's death. The order was that she would find out at the unveiling of the body… she would weep like a widower and clear her name and any suspicions…
"You should be happy to be carrying his child" Kuya murmured tying the thin limp hair and twirling it into a bun. "If you love him so much you should be honoured to be carrying his child and stop trying to starve the child through yourself…"
"It is because I love him that I do this" Mai whispered and Kuya saw form the mirror the red ring forming around her eyes and the thick liquid covering Mai's large eyes. "I have dishonoured him…"
"It had to be done…" Kuya snapped. "He was under the influence of the Water Bender… she wanted him…"
"But she loves Aang…" Mai bubbled
"Stupid girl… she is an ambitious pleb… she loves all men with a title!" Kuya hissed tugging the bun sharply and tying it to tight at the base of Mai's head.
"Now…"Kuya said softly, regaining her motherly composure "You will eat for your baby… okay?"
"Yes, mother" Mai said dryly wiping the tears from her eyes with her cotton disc. "Maybe Zuko won't mind…"
"What the hell are you on about?" Kuya shouted, dropping the brush on the marble floor and wheeling Mai around. "What man will mind his fiancé carrying his child…!"
"None" Mai answered clearly.
"So stop this nonsense…!" Kuya hissed. "Men do not get raped and more especially not by their future wives!"
"I didn't rape him…"
"Exactly" Kuya breathed, her hand resting over her pounding heart. "You didn't… you are pure and innocent in all of this"
"No one is pure or innocent" Mai said coolly "Not even this child"
Xx~xx~xX
"Do you know why he has called us…?"
"Shut up you paedophilic fool…" Ming hissed to Yu Lee, rolling his head irritably on his shoulder. "The boy has been found, what else could he have called us for…?"
"The boy has been found…"Fang murmured grinning widely "And he is dead"
"How…?"
"Well, we locked him in with the Earth Nation spy…" Fang said slowly, his frame glowing with the pride he felt at being the one to cast the differentiating blow to Sozin's line "Cut of the air supply in the casket and stabbed the girl"
"How… did anyone…"Ming stammered looking to Yu Lee for support on his worries and doubts "No one saw the bodies…?"
"Done through the casket by an unassuming soldier" Fang snorted. "It was too easy and simple… Garza has a way of making everything seem so dramatic… that boy is no Force to be Feared"
"Hmm" Yu Lee murmured his beady eyes swivelling over the other Noble men before him. "This is good… as it is my resources that sponsored the ship to sail for days…."
"And as it is my navy skills that managed to locate the cloaked island…" Fang breathed sharply eyes narrowed over the fat Yu Lee's greedy posture.
"You are all mistaken…"Ming laughed. "I worked closely with Garza on this plot… it was I who convinced Kuya to get the girl to…"
"Are you implying you are to be Fire Lord?" hissed Fang. "You did not lift a finger to this change…!"
"And you did?" Ming shrieked, rising abruptly from his seat on the board table and thin long fingers curling into shaking pallid fists. "It is your father Fang who has been the driving force behind your campaign… and by all essence maybe he should lead your house…"
"You insult me!" Fang roared pushing out of his chair clumsily "You insult me Ming… you insult…"
"Do shut up the both of you " Garza said softly entering the board room swiftly and with little sound, Mahazai in tow. "You insulted yourselves by assuming too much. No one is to be Fire Lord"
"What!" the three men gasped, eyes wide and unbelieving over Garza's calm smug face.
"Sit down and stop thinking before you give yourselves brain aneurisms!" Garza laughed, indicating for Mahazai to take the seat by his right hand side.
"Now… I am guessing you want details?" Garza asked standing behind the large leather seat reserved for the Fire Lord.
"Well…" he murmured, smiling softly-almost innocently. "I shall tell you the story of the destruction of Azulon's house, Iroh's house and finally Ozai's house…"
"Iroh is dead" Garza sneered. "I saw to it without even lifting a finger. All the assassination attempts he managed to avoid, the poisoning of his food, the young girls he turned away from his chamber that were sent to kill him… all of it counted for naught. He heard his nephew was dead and had a heart attack-as simple as that… he is currently rotting in a cellar somewhere in the underground labyrinth of the palace"
"But I thought Iroh was to take the blame…?" Fang muttered.
"He is…" Garza frowned at how he had to rely on these dim men who could barely keep up with simple logic of a coup "To the rest of the world he has run of at the announcement that Fang retrieved the Fire Lord and heard the confession from the Earth Bender that Iroh instructed her to poison his mind, and the bitch then killed our poor Zuko"
"Oh…" the three men murmured while Mahazai sat still and emotionless.
"Mahazai is to reprise his role as Governor of New Ozai" Garza said placing a stout had on Mahazai's shoulder.
"Why…!" Fang hissed.
"The Capital is to be renamed yet again back to New Ozai?" Ming asked eyes wide and thin face comically resembling a scarecrow.
"Why" Yu Lee asked leaning back in the luxurious chair and narrowing his eyes on Garza's face.
"In essence… we would not be here if not for Ozai's ambitions" Garza laughed. "And besides… the order comes from high up… from those who are more intelligent than us…"
"What can be higher than you?" Ming asked softly, his heart beating slightly faster as he calculated the situation they had found themselves in-conspiracies on top of conspiracies. "What can be higher than you…. my greedy two faced friend and loving enemy?"
"You can fill in that answer for yourselves" Garza laughed. "If you want and if it would make you feel better… I can say that Agni spoke to me in a dream?"
"And of course…" Garza said wiping the tears of joy from his eyes "Mahazai's daughter will hold the title because it is necessary she be deemed Fire Lord. The child is to be immediately influenced by your house, Mahazai… and as the father has no living descendants left to contest… I will be giving you orders and instruction"
"And I…?" Fang growled. "It was I who captured him… it was I who brought about his destruction…"
"You did not capture him!" Garza roared and Yu Lee snickered at Fang's incredulous terrified look at the change in Garza's mood.
"What you did do… and if you wish to live you better recite this you silly monkey-rabbit" Garza said softly walking over to Fangs seat and wheeling him around, watching the sweat droplets begin to cover Fang's face "What you did do is rescue the Fire Lord who was delirious and under the influence of Iroh's Whore-an Earth Nation Noble who seduced Iroh into betraying his nephew. The Earth Nation bitch killed him by some weird dirt suffocation technique and you were forced to slice her"
He let go of the chair and returned to his seat, calm and collected and heaved a heavy breath.
"This will all be announced at the casket's unveiling… the two bodies shown to the Noble houses and community leaders and Fire Sages" Garza said smiling. "You will be receiving a new title Fang-for your efforts-that rivals Sainthood for your Moral efforts in rescuing our young Fire Lord as well as riches"
"Hmm… that sounds like second prize" Fang whispered scowling violently.
"Do you not want a prize then?" Garza asked.
"Fine" Fang snapped. "Fine…"
"Gentlemen" Garza addressed eyeing his treacherous allies. "You need to remember the Avatar is back and the other Nations wont hesitate to unite against us… we have to keep the illusion of legal honourable events on our part that ended with the house of Azulon. None of us can take the title of Fire Lord without sending the Fire Nation into chaos"
"Then…?" Fang murmured frowning in confusion.
"The dead boy's child…"
Xx~xx~xX
X~x~X
X
She stands still in the shadows of the trees, gazing past the shadows and peering through the darkness with veiled eyes, green and opaque-unseeing and perceptive… she stands still under the trees the sun filtering through the green canopy and casting a glowing green shimmer around her…
"Zuko…"Ursa murmurs, tugging my hand and demanding my attention. "We need to speak…"
"Yes..?" I say hoarsely-my fears of her leaving me again, Azula regressing and forgetting the importance of being loved and the impending departure of Toph from my life, possibly forever…. Looming heavily over my heart and throwing up through those simple tense words-"we need to speak"
"Come" she instructs her fingers weaving into my thicker longer ones and grasping my hand tightly. "In private…"
I want to joke on how we would need to take a fifteen minute walk into the woods to get any privacy but any mention of Toph out loud hurts. She leads me a little further of from the dense trees we had been hidden under-away from Azula's scowling form seated at the base of a tree, watching my two flowers and Toph's eerie motionless presence in the splayed light filtering through the leaves.
"Zuko…" she says softly her eyes closed but a small smile playing on her lips. "You need to concentrate"
"What…?"
"You have forgotten why you needed to return to your Nation…"
"I have not…" I begin but I stop when the truth becomes plain to me.
"Zuko" she opens her eyes and I feel like buckling under the love she has for me- I immediately feel guilty for forgetting my purpose…
"Zuko, Toph has to leave" she whispers.
"I know…" I gulp glaring at a shrub behind her and clenching my fists.
"Azula is leading this operation… you realise that?"
"Yes…" I hiss trying not to get angry at her for pointing out reality when I had been following blindly with every step Azula had laid out for me and shielding myself from life-my mind locked in the safety of the large wood casket with Toph…
"Your sister is not well" Ursa says softly, sadness creeping into her eyes. "She never will be… but she is not disillusioned…"
"Yes…" I breathe looking at the ground guiltily. I was the head of our house… I was the Dragon of our family now but I had been acting like a little child… like a Lizard-bug… squirming and skittering after them.
"Azula…" Ursa murmurs and I see the liquid crystal swimming in the rim of her large eyes-my own eyes perfectly beautiful on her face "She needs your protection…"
"I would never harm her" I say in confusion.
"That is not what I meant" she says frowning at me oddly. "She thinks her worth is tied into how useful she is… to the Nation… it is odd. Her utter conviction with all things…"
She pauses and stares at me for seconds, first frowning and then smiling before reaching her hand up to touch my face-my shaved cheek.
"You are very handsome" she says softly and I blush. "What I mean is… she cannot be allowed to go anywhere near politics and that is going to be what she wants"
"Then she won't…" I murmur.
"Yes…" Ursa says but begins fiddling with the hem of her shirt before looking up at me with vulnerable scared eyes. "But… I think…"
"What is it?" I urge.
She looks up at me and the tears escape down her cheeks in tow glittering lines and she turns her head brusquely to the shadows to her left, wiping the tears gently.
"There is something that has happened to my baby" she bubbles softly. "More than just…"
"What… did Azula say something…?"
"No… I can tell" she mumbles looking down. "A mother… I can tell and she needs… we need to protect her. When we return, her presence will be revealed and she will have to be involved in the politics for that time. She will have to fight… she will want to fight for you because you are the one person she trusts to never harm her… you have never harmed her Zuko… and you saw what happens to her when she taps into her chi"
The memory of flames-blue and cold-licking out of her mouth when her fire bending was cut of from her hands by those green elemental shackles etched in my mind. In the dark cell, tied up and insane beyond sympathies…
"She will ever return to that" I say softly-dangerously-and my mother shudders at the authority in my voice.
"Do you understand…?" Ursa asks and I nod.
"Stability" I murmur. Something we had for a short period in our lives-something I had but was a visage for Azula by the time she was born and raised. She needed it now… we had to prevail, I had to fight and be focused.
"You have to let her go… you have to concentrate on your nation" Ursa says clearly.
"I was never…" I begin and then gulp hard at the realisation that back in our little casket heaven it had seemed innocent enough to touch and then release. "I am with…I am with…Mai"
"I see it, Zuko" she whispers peering up at me. "When you look and hen can't look away from her…"
"You are mistaken" I mumble and I can feel my face contorting into a pained frown. "We were just… it was nothing serious…"
"It is not in your nature…" Ursa laughs. "You are all about serious"
"I joke sometimes" I say trying to make light of the giant lump in my throat.
"Do you now" Ursa says, reaching for my hand and leading us back. "Tell me a joke then… son"
"What do you call a mountain with hiccups?" I say slowly-remembering Uncles many unfunny jokes on our journeys and hoping they were only unfunny to me.
"What do you call a mountain with hiccups?" Ursa laughs.
"A volcano"
"You got that one from Iroh didn't you?"
"How did you know…?" I ask smiling a little.
"He has a talent for burning up jokes till they are dry"
Xx~xx~xX
"What is the plan?" Azula asks picking up my Fire-Lily and Lotus flowers carefully.
"You know the palace secret passages better than anyone" I say softly. "We enter quietly and…"
"No" Azula says. "Wrong plan"
"What… why?" I shout. "It is I…"
"Make use of your resources Zuko" she sighs. "We cannot be known as alive just yet…"
"Oh…" I murmur as my mind clears somewhat. "We have to… everyone has to know…"
"Exactly" she says nodding a little. "It is hard to kill someone in plain sight…"
"Do you think they have found out about the bodies?" Ursa asks.
"No" Toph mutters from inside her rock-hut. She has not left it since the sun disappeared and the temperature dropped. We are huddle in the little rocky clearing, unable to form a fire from fear of giving our position away.
I know she heard the conversation with Ursa... but it was her who had said we should live in the moment and now the moment has passed. She had no right to make me feel foul… like I was abandoning her or abandoning some precious gift for something bland…
"Why do you think that…?" I whisper to Toph.
"The movement in the town…" she sighs impatiently. "When Azula and I went to the edge of the forest… things seemed calm and normal… they have not even announced that the Fire Lord has been found let alone your death"
She says the last part scathingly and I frown-I hate that it is easier for me to understand her tones and inflictions, my oblivion and ignorance to things had been a haven before…
She is talking of my death to her.
"We wait for them to announce my death?" I say, drawing circles in the dust with the tip of my sandal. "That way their treachery will come to light with no doubt"
"I knew you had it in you" Azula grins.
"So… it is done" I breathe. "It ends soon…"
"Finally" Ursa murmurs.
"Finally I rise"
Xx~xx~xX
X
XX~x~XX
"Are you certain…?"
"Yes…" Qie Chang murmurs sipping the tea slowly. "Garza and Fang… I saw them talking"
"You were not able to hear anything?" Oishii asks tensely. "What was their body language…?"
"They were suspicious" Qie Chang says softly staring at the dark liquid steaming in the ornate cup. "But then again they were born weasel-snakes…"
"General Iroh… he is missing" Oishii murmurs heaving and leaning heavily on the giant marble island of the kitchen. "I sent a helper to the office last night, with his meal and he was turned away by Garza. Sent him again this morning with his breakfast and same results. He is not in his bed chamber…"
"He is missing" Qie Chang rasps. "Garza sent me with a letter to the Lady Kuya… he knew she was staying with her daughter, Lady Mai…"
"Did you read it?" Oishii asks pushing a side plate laden with cookies to the young stressed man.
"I am not ready to die as yet" Qie Chang frowns. "It was sealed…"
"And of the Lady Mai?"
"Oh, she is ill… she is definitely ill with something and her mother insists on tending to her herself" Qie Chang murmurs. "She loves him… the Fire Lord…"
"Our Lord Zuko" Oishii whispers.
"This here…" Qie Chang mutters "Is a fight within our nation. There are conspiracies Oishii and it has to do with the return of the battle ship they sent to find him and if you know better… you will keep our conversations to between us"
"I am done with just talking" Oishii snaps. "Not all Nobles are treacherous"
"Name one!" Qie Chang laughs.
"The Dragon General and his Lost Daughter" Oishii says softly. "Even the Fire Lord… Lord Zuko… there is a light surrounding him, I saw it when he was here with the Lady Bei Fong"
"Yes…" Qie Chang breathes. "We have to do something… for too long we have let treachery run us in the guise of Nobility"
"Find out about the General… General Iroh" Oishii says sternly. "He did not leave the grounds… none of the guards saw anything…"
"It may be a dangerous game" Qie Chang murmured. "But it has to be played"
AUTHORS NOTE: well, review your thoughts and suggestions… even this late in the story they are welcome and greatly appreciated. Thanks for the alerts and favourites-really inspiring when one has knowledge people enjoy what you are writing and get the style, humour and methods .
I know I had said the end is near but something came to me in a dream-seriously, I dream Avatar now-and things may get slightly longer and angsty. If suspense is killing you already… sorry, but although this is Zuko's story… I have this nagging obligation to the other characters to tie up their endings and drag Zuko through some lessons in love, lust and loyalty. Also there will be a character death either in the end or near future-tissues may be needed…
Uhm… my 'N' key gets stuck and some of the words are missing 'n' so if you see any, let me kow…
xxTJ