Rewrite, Rewind
Chapter 21
"Grandpa!" thins shrieked up a storm upon sight of the freighter, bouncing up and down at the port, waiting for their grandfather to finally arrive. Ursa stood nearby, just waiting for the twins to miss the wood in their eager hopping about and land in the gentle pool of the port.
"Hello, my loves," Azulon greets as he walks down the steps with Liah's help. "How are my grandchildren today?"
"I'm doing great," Lu Ten snickered from behind, he was firmly elbowed by both Hai He and Iroh. Azulon ignored the jab with a soft chuckle.
"Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa!" the children chorused, "We wanna show you around!"
"Alright, Alright," Azulon smiled and laughed at the excited bouncing of the twins.
"Easy you two," Ursa chuckled, "not everyone is as fast as you two."
"Yes mama!" the twins chorused again, earning laughter from everyone
"Cousin Lu Ten! Hai He!" the twins shouted and swiveled around their grandfather to charge their cousin and his maid. Hai He laughed as she stooped and caught Azula, snuggling the girl close while Lu Ten did the same with Zuko.
"Father," Ursa greeted, reaching out to take his hands before stepping aside and looping one arm with his. "Do you have the energy to sightsee or do you want to rest?"
"Oh a walk about your island would be fantastic," Azulon chuckled. "I've been on that blasted ship for three days. Don't you dare make me sit down just yet." Ursa giggled, Liah's smile grew to pinken her cheeks, Iroh strode behind them with a content smile on his face. The beaches were a sight to be seen, filled with children, teenagers, and couples alike. The streets were bustling with people too, all laughing and giggling, telling stories and jokes that filled the air with joy. There was a fairly large open market, it was filled with food stands and trinket-stalls, dozens upon dozens of vendors selling everything from fire nation silks to earth kingdom pottery. Ursa talked along the way, explaining that there was a small port village in earth kingdom that sell their pottery in exchange for good guards to protect them from bandits and the like. Azulon will admit, not out loud, that he was not aware of his soldiers burning villages for the hell of it. It's one thing if said village did some damage to their troops or something similar but not for the hell of it. Azulon congratulated Ursa in efforts to try to make peace with some people, even if her fingers only reached to that one single port village in the earth kingdom. The four combat schools were clean and neat, filled with both benders and non-benders, all learning together as one unified group. There were still plenty of wooden homes, with hay stacked rooftops, but most homes were earthen made with gently sloping roofs harboring clay tiles. It was a beautiful display of both earth kingdom and fire nation traditions blended together. He couldn't be prouder of his adoptive daughter. It only made it clearer that Ozai did not deserve the woman who seemed to be a spring-spirit incarnate.
"It's such a peaceful city dear," he said city because the back-water village standing on stilts and waiting for a bad storm to wash it away was gone.
"Just wait till you see my home," Ursa giggled from his side. They were walking up a steep path, smooth stonework lined the road to a home looked as if it were shaped from ocean waves. It was all rolling lines and sloped roofs and strange patters along the walls that made it look like there was fire crawling along its walls.
"How beautiful," Azulon murmured, "I've never seen such wonderful craftsmanship before."
"I asked for help from the same people who sell their pottery here," Ursa admitted, her face bright with a blush. "They were earth benders but they were happy to help. They even transported the ocean rock themselves. They laid up the foundations and then all the curves and designs by hand, using only three tools."
"It's beautiful," Azulon smiled, "I trust they were paid handsomely for their work?"
"I already paid them triple their usual amounts for carving homes, it was the only reason they came here to build it." Ursa said, her smile growing, "but when I tried to give them more, they said that selling their wares on the island is enough. And they wanted to meet my children in their home village again sometime."
"Are they aware of your connection to Ozai?" Azulon asked with a frown.
"They only know me as your adoptive daughter," Ursa reassured him, "and Ikem said he was their father."
Azulon sighed in relief. He never told her that it was the earth Kingdome who sent the assassins the last time the twins got sick in the palace. He was just happy to hear that not all of the Earth Kingdome wanted to kill Ursa and her children, even if that was just a simple pottery village on the edge of the Earth Kingdome. It was dangerous to not tell Ursa the news but since that day there have been no other attacks, his hope was that whoever sent the assassins wouldn't send them again for a very long time. Perhaps now, with the knowledge that she is not truly apart of the bloodline, they'll leave Ursa and her children alone. Hopefully. An old man can hope.
"Mom, dad?" Ursa's voice called out, soft like flower petals and warm like a summer breeze. "We're home!" Azulon looked up from his steps to watch two people walk around the house, the woman had a rag in hand was whipping what he assumed to be dirt off her boney fingers, the man had a piece of wood and a small carving knife.
"Ursa?" her mother called; she was dressed in a simple-looking pink dress with a shawl over her pale shoulders. "Who are they?" he watched as the woman's brown eyes swiveled to the ten guards following them up the path, worry shinned in her eyes and he could understand why.
"Mom, Dad, this is Fire Lord Azulon," Ursa introduced him with a smile.
"You," the old man's voice was tinged with anger
"Dear," the woman called warningly, placing a gentle hand on the arm that held the knife.
"How dare you adopt my daughter! I'm not dead yet!" the was waving the piece of carved wood at Azulon, he could hear the shuffle of feet behind him, his guards tensing and readying for a fight.
"Heh," Azulon snorted in amusement, "I suspect that had my daughters lived, I'd have the same view as you." He did have the same view as him. The man who asked for Lian's hand in marriage almost ended up needing a funeral pyre, he only allowed their marriage because Lian threatened to run away somewhere he wouldn't find them. He felt Liah clutch his hand, a reminder that his daughters were still technically living despite the lies that habitually fell from his lips. Ursa's father's face pinched, tears sprung to the couple's eyes, they both turned to face each other.
"I still don't like you," the man grunted, turning to wrap an arm around his wife and tugging her inside the large house. "Well then, come on in! there's plenty of room!"
There wasn't enough room.
As it turned out Ursa shared originally shared a room with her children until they got old enough to have their own room. Thus it was large enough Azulon to share with Liah and Iroh. Yang shared a room with Doctor Lee and two guards. Ursa shared a room with her children, the twins taking delight in a 'sleep-over'. Ursa's parents slept in Zuko's room since Ursa and the children would be in Azula's. Ikem and Xiulan shared the later's room, much to the couple's chagrin. A couple of the guards would be in the living room, switching out with rotation when it was their turn.
It was a peaceful night with Liah having cleared his breathing only once.
When the sun began to rise, Azulon awoke slowly, the pull of the morning sun tugging at his senses but his body felt so heavy he did not wish to wake. He felt Liah place her gentle hands on his chest and comforting feel of cool water caressed his lungs, making it easier to breathe. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled at his teenage daughter, too soon would be her twentyish birthday; perhaps he should try to find her a husband. Azulon had noticed that his daughters target a boy with aggression and dislike and eventually that dislike becomes love at some point down the road. Lyra had done it to him, Lian had done it to her husband, Ming had done it to her husband, and Yang did it to her husband before he passed away. The only thing Azulon could think of is that it was a water bender-thing. The only problem he saw now was that Liah did not show this strange trait.
He wondered if things would be different if she could speak, maybe then he'd noticed who had gotten under her skin. Unfortunately, the tattoo process of the Fire Nation was meant to be painful, to the extent that some people screamed till their throats went raw. Some of these punished people can't speak ever again, so Azulon wasn't entirely surprised that the tattoo on his daughter's throat was so painful she screamed herself mute. It made him angry, beyond all reasonable levels, but he understood why she could no longer speak.
"Father, are you awake?" Iroh's sleepy voice called out from his temporary bed.
"I am," Azulon sighed, pushing himself up with Liah's help. "Liah…" he hesitated, perhaps now wasn't the time to think about such things. Liah tilted her head to the side and smiled at him, in the same manner his wife did when she wanted to ask questions but wasn't sure how to phrase the questions. "Liah do you have anyone you like?" Liah blinked big dumb orange eyes at him, confusion written all over her face. "Like… in a romantic sense?" her face flushed bright red and she made a horrible sounding squeaking noise, like a startled elephant rat. "Your sisters each started hating their husbands before, somehow, magically falling in love with them. Don't ask me how that works, it just happened. Your mother was the same way with me so I figured it was a—" he stopped himself, blushing at the memory of his wife and daughters, "A girl thing…" it was a weak cover-up but Liah seemed to understand what he meant. She giggled at him, a smile on her face, then she shook her head gently to indicate that she didn't have anyone in mind. Azulon sighed heavily in disappointment and Liah tilted her head to the side at him again.
"Do you want me to find a husband for you?" Azulon asked, "your sisters each had husbands by now, husbands they found on their own. But it seems like you're more like me, too blind to see what's in front of himself if his life depended on it." He remembered the day he realized he liked Lyra, more than just an annoying companion who he forced to travel with himself. Liah reached out and patted his hand, her smile small and affectionate before gesturing with her chin outside. When he turned to look, he saw the sun was about two fingers over the horizon and there was a sort of excited whispering from outside. Azulon carefully stood from the bed with Liah's help to look out the window curiously, there he saw two young boys and two young girls surrounding Azula's bedroom window. Azula was carefully climbing out the window with Zuko's help and another boy's help but if they weren't careful, Zuko would slip from the window and fall atop Azula and the other boy.
"What are you children doing?" every single one of them turned into a statue, turning their heads shakily towards Azulon.
"Grandpa," Azula greeted, "Um…" she looked at the boy whose hands were on her waist, "its school time?" He slightly noted and dismissed the other children's bizarre expressions they turned to her. Lying defiantly wasn't Azula's strong suit.
"Your school requires you to sneak out of your home at dawn?" Azulon questioned, one brow raised.
"Yyyeeeesss?" Azula stretched the answer out unsurely, her smile awkwardly placed on her face.
"you're as bad as your mother at lying," Azulon sighed. "Zuko, you will leave the house like a gentleman. Azula and friends, you will meet me at the front of the house imminently. Understood?"
"Yes grandpa," Azula sighed as she slipped from Zuko's hold and let the boy holding her gently set her down on her feet. Azulon watched as Azula walked away with pink cheeks, refusing to look at the boy who helped her down. He also noticed how said boy had red ears, a wobbly smile on his face as he looked out at the sunrise. The other children walked ahead of Azula and the boy, looking sullen as they walked. Azulon smiled to himself and pulled himself back into the room. Liah helped him change, his joints were too stiff in his old age to be of much use in this endeavor and helped him out of the room.
He found Iroh and Lu Ten in the hallway, a sleepy-looking Hai He leaned against the wall, struggling to keep herself awake. He nodded in greeting to his son, daughter, and grandson, but they were engrossed in their conversation and didn't notice him. He shook his head fondly and followed Liah down the stairs, one hand on the banister and one hand tangled with Liah's. they walked slow and steady, keeping an eye on each step-down. Ursa's parents were already awake, as was Ursa and Lian. The three women were in the kitchen, moving with practiced ease around each other as they made their dishes and set the large table with the morning's meal. Ursa's father was sitting on the porch beside the dining room, carving away on another piece of wood, a guard at his side watching intently.
"Ursa, dear," Azulon called, looking about at the end of the steps, his eyes narrowing as he saw that Zuko was not present. "I'll be going out with Liah and the children."
"You're not going to eat with us?" Ursa asked, turning from the stove to look at him.
"I'll eat with the children in the village." Azulon reassured, "I'll need only one guard, Liah you choose." Liah rolled her eyes at him but she didn't get to gesture before the guard that was beside Ursa's father scrambled through the house to stand before Azulon.
"This guard would be honored to travel with Fire Lord through the princess's city," The man said, bowing towards Azulon with a red face. Ursa's parents snickered together, prompting even Yang to look up from what she was chopping to give them a bewildered-looking smile. Azulon looked towards Liah for her opinion, she shrugged carelessly and turned her face away from the guard; that was how he noticed the tips of her ears were bright red. Oh his daughter was just like him, everyone else's faces may flush when they're embarrassed but he and Liah's ears changed color in embarrassment.
"Alright then," Azulon smirked at the guard, catching Liah's sideways glance in his direction. "Make sure to be at least three steps behind us. I doubt we'll be needing you so I apologize for the boring task."
"I assure you Fire Lord Azulon, this is not a boring task." The guard said, still bowing, "it is an honor to guard you."
Suck up, Azulon thought with a smirk. He looked at Liah, she was refusing to look at the guard, finding the floor at her feet to be interesting instead. But not for me, should I do something about this or let these to awkwardly continue? No, she might pull a Lian and threatened to leave me too. Chuckling warmly he gestured for Liah to take him from Ursa's house. Outside he found his grandchildren, standing with pouts on their faces before two guards. One looked painfully board out of his mind as he stared at the sky seeking some kind of salvation and the other one was bent over the group of six children giving them a tongue-lashing hat ultimately wasn't his right as he wasn't their parent.
"Fire Lord Azulon!" the board as hell looking guard gasped, slamming a fist into his partner's back before swiftly kneeling on the ground. the other guard scrambled to follow suit, nearly dropping his spear while he was at it. The children looked at Azula and Zuko in bewilderment before following the guard's cue and kneeled on the ground.
"Enough of that children," Azulon called as he approached them, "your robes are much too cute to be getting dirty for little old me." The children shared bewildered looks before standing slowly again.
"What about the guard's grandpa?" Azula asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion
"Oh I'm mad at those two, for now, so they can keep kneeling as punishment," Azulon retorted with a chuckle. "Now then, my sweet grandchildren, won't you show me around your home? I believe Ursa took charge of it yesterday."
"Can we really?" Zuko asked loudly
"Uh-huh," Azulon smiled at him. "Oh but wait, I thought you all had school? Shouldn't we go there first to make sure you don't get in trouble with your teacher?" the twins shared dismayed looks and the other children groaned loudly. "Oh yes, I almost forgot, Azula, Zuko, who are your friends?"
"These are Ruon-Jian, Mai, Mu-bai, and… and Chan," Azula introduced the four, her face pinkening as she turned away from the boy closest to her. Azulon thought her painfully obvious awkwardness for 'Chan' was completely adorable. Zuko stood close to Mai, who had the unnerving blank face of a porcelain doll. In the village, Azulon noticed many tea houses, no doubt Iroh's influence, almost all of them were named after some kind of Fire Nation Spirit. There were a few inns as well, these ones named after delicate flowers, and many more were homes or shops or a combination of both. The city was bustling with excitement, everyone had an exciting vibrating ball of energy with a smile on their face and laughter in their voices.
Azula took him first to their school, a building dedicated to children under the age of ten. The first person Azulon recognized was Jeong-Jeong, who was sipping on some tea beside a few other teachers next to a Pai Sho Table. Azulon and Jeong-Jeong stared at each other for a long moment before Azulon smiled and nodded in greeting, to which the instructor did the same. Zuko then hurried towards the table to greet his favorite teacher, Piandao, who greeted him with a smile and warm chuckle. Azula hurried to Jeong-Jeong, smiling shyly as he gave her a stern look.
"Aren't you supposed to be in class young lady?" Jeong-Jeong questioned slowly. Azula giggled nervously at Jeong-Jeong, knowing the wrong answer could result in a scolding.
"Ah, yes, Zuko, what's your excuse today?" Paindao asked, clearly used to the boy kipping out on his other classes
"We're showing grandpa around!" Zuko answered honestly, "Do we still have to attend class?"
"Not your morning ones," Jeong-Jeong sighed in acceptance, "but this afternoon you'll be making up for it!" he gave Azula a glare, to which a big grin spread across her face.
"Whoop!" Azula cheered, throwing her hands in the air and bouncing in place. "Don't worry master Jeong-Jeong! We'll be there!"
"You better be here by two meters past noon," one of the other teachers sitting at the Pai Sho Table ordered with a dismissive wave of one hand. "Don't think you can escape all of your classes."
"Mai, Mu-Bai, Chan, Roun-Jian," the other teacher at the Pai Sho table called, "you're not needed for the tourer, go back to class."
"You're kidding right?" Mai spoke for the first time. "The first class of the day is an hour-long etiquette class, it's annoying and pointless."
"Doesn't mean you can skip," the first Pai Sho-teacher yawned. "you might have mastered the classes already but you're starting to set a bad example for the other students."
"Only if they skip without mastering the etiquettes," Mai retorted. The two Pai Sho players looked up at each other, blank looks on their faces, then they turned to look at Mai.
"Fine, but you have to attend the others." The second Pai Sho-teacher ordered. "if you're not there, I'll send a letter to your parents."
"Then we'll leave the island that much faster," Mai smirked at him.
"Lucky," Chan sighed, "I wanted to hag-out longer."
"Chan, I will tell your father about your skipping sessions," Piandao called as he took a bite of some food next to him. Chan yelped and rushed for the door, Roun-Jian chasing him. "Mu-Bai? What are you doing?"
"…Mom says we're going to be moving to the Earth Kingdom to support dad in the war-efforts," Mu-Bai answered slowly. "Tomorrow is the last day I'll be here… I wanna be with my friends…"
"Why do you have to leave?" Azula asked, rushing her friend and grabbing her hands. "You're like nine and bender-less! If you go to the war-front you'll die for sure!"
"Mom says she'll follow dad and dad fights best when he knows his family is watching," Mu-Bai smiled bitterly. "something about knowing his family is in danger giving him the strength to defeat any bad guy that approaches."
"It's still stupid," Azula retorted. "What am I going to do without you? You're my only girl-friend."
"Uh, what am I? chopped liver?" Mai asked with an annoyed look on her face
"You'll be fine with Mai at your side," Mu-Bai chuckled, "Besides, I'll write to you often, okay? Every day, promise!"
"Then we better make the best of the two days we've got!" Zuko laughed, pulling the three girls into a hug. Azulon watched the children, laughing and giggling, finding such warmth in the scene that for a moment he forgot all the hardships of his title. The children made way for the gates of the school, still laughing, and Azulon turned to the group of teachers playing Pai Sho. He wasn't fooled though; he knew their attention was riveted to him. They were only pretending to be absorbed in their game.
"Masters Jeong-Jeong and Piandao," the two men looked up at him as if surprised he remembered their names. "I am a withered old man on his last legs of life." Liah's hands tightened on his arm, her face pinching in worry and anxiety. Honestly, he had forgotten her ever silent presence at his side. He smiled bitterly at his daughter, knowing the truth of his words. "Can I entrust my grandchildren to you?"
"You just met us," Jeong-Jeong frowned at Azulon. "How can you trust us?"
"When the children are at the palace, they do not smile as brightly as they did when they saw you," Azulon answered. "When they visit me, their smiles are stiff, their bodies stiff, and the words they speak are strained at best and stuttered at worst. I am not so foolish to not know that my son Iroh has enlisted every known master of the Fire Nation to reside on this island and teach the next generation. I do not know what Iroh has promised you but I have never seen my grandchildren act in such a way towards anyone but me and their mother." Azulon leaned against Liah affectionately, feeling her hands trembling on his arm, she tucked herself closer to him, burying her face into his shoulder. "The palace is not a safe place for them, they will not be returning. So my hope is for you two to take care of them in my stead." Azulon smiled, "if you promise to take care of my grandchildren, I'll overlook the obvious disrespect to the Fire Lord." Two the teachers choked on their tea, their faces paling as stammered apologies tumbled out of their mouths with all the grace of a newborn calf.
"Oh calm yourself," Azulon chuckled at the teachers. "no one is to know of my presence here. Much less the children's connection to me. I've strived hard to keep them safe and this is as close to safety as I can get for them."
"The Royal twins have already secured a station in our lessons," Piandao murmured. "give them a few years and they'll be able to protect themselves."
"Hm," Jeong-Jeong bobbed his head in agreement.
"I am more worried about Ozai," Azulon told them. "He will do whatever it takes to take Azula back as his heir."
"What of Zuko?" Piandao frowned at the information. "They are twins with equal talents…"
His answer was a heartbroken smile.
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