Rewrite, Rewind
Chapter 25
"But Why?" Ursa questioned, it was the fourth day after the new year day, and she was standing on the doc with Azulon and Liah. At some point in the night, the guards had all packed up their things and readied themselves for departure. The children were at a different doc, saying their goodbyes to Lu Ten and Iroh, still convinced that they would see their grandfather in a few days' time. How was she supposed to tell them that they weren't going to see him for a few years at best?
"It's too dangerous daughter," Azulon stressed, one wrinkled bony hand tight on her own. "I've been gone for a few days but Ozai is already causing trouble. I need to return and this time…" Azulon caught himself in the middle of his sentence, heaving a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping heavily. "Please, please, my daughter, do not return to the palace. I need to set some things in place first, okay? I promise you're not being punished and you're not in trouble… it's just that… I have to do some things to make it safe for you and the children, okay?"
"Won't you come to visit, then?" Ursa asked, "the children will miss you terribly…"
"I'd love to," Azulon smiled bitterly, gently pulling himself away from Ursa as her hands fell limply to her sides. The 'I can't' went unsaid as Liah followed Azulon onto the ship and the forgotten father and daughter pair stood aside, watching Ursa fade away on the doc to her island.
"It feels as if I'm leaving home for the first time," Azulon whispered, Liah sighed and snuggled close to his side, still supporting his weight despite her own thin stature. "I'll need all your help in the coming days," Liah hummed in acceptance, having already perceived that much. "Promise me something Liah," She looked into his golden eyes, staring at the tears that still had not fallen, "Promise me you'll follow my every word from now on." He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and tightened his hold on her supporting arm. "From now on, it's a lethal game of Pai Sho. The loser will die and the winner will be Fire Lord." He opened his eyes and stared into Liah's perfect orange orbs, his lips quivered with the suppression of a wail, his heart constricting with the knowledge he now had in possession.
"Should I fall, head to the South Pol. Ozai will not be able to reach you there." Liah started to shake her head, she'll die before she leaves his side, but then remembered her promise and she wept as she finally nodded. Suddenly it was Azulon holding Liah up, the ship barriers bore all their weight as their semi-peaceful worlds seemed to crumble around them.
"I wish I chose a different path," Azulon whispered into his daughter's auburn hair. "I wish I chose the Spirit Forest… over my tainted crown…"
four days later
"Damn it Hai He! Get back here!" feminine laughter sounded throughout the ship as an irate Prince took after his personal maid. The young woman herself outmaneuvered him at every turn, slipping between narrow gaps and bouncing off walls with the grace only a professional acrobat could perform. Meanwhile, the Prince of the Fire Nation was charging after her with the grace of an angry Bull-bear trying to run on ice. He stumbled around corners and apologized to every soldier he ever ran into before taking after Hai He again. His dear maid, however, seemed to pace him in the tight halls of the ship, choosing instead to dive for the ship's deck.
"This is your worst mistake Hai He!" Lu Ten shouted as he clambered up the stairs to charge his childhood friend, only to stop at the sight of twenty men standing patiently in neat rows.
"Whatever do you mean your majesty?" Hai He asked, laughter shaking her voice, her smile still stretching across her pale face.
"…What did you do?" Lu Ten asked as he slowly walked onto the deck, observing the soldiers as he walked towards his 'Personal' maid.
"Oh, nothing," Hai He sang in answer, "I just that after four days on the ship, everyone is bored as hell. So we devised a training session! This should relieve at least some of the stress in the air."
"Lady Hai He," one of the commanders called, giving the young maid a pointed look. "I asked you to bring Prince Lu Ten up here to participate, not anger him into chasing you here."
"Are you kidding me?" Hai He asked sarcastically, "In order for that dunderhead to practice at all is if I chuck something at him and lure him to our training grounds."
"…You know how to fight?" another captain asked, voice full of bewilderment.
"Well you weren't protecting him from the assassins," Hai He retorted. "Besides, its some kind male-ego thing going on that makes assassins underestimate us maids. It's so stupid. Do you know how many assassins have gone after Lu Ten? Dozens, no hundreds. So many I've lost track."
"I stopped counting after we met," Lu Ten admitted, stopping beside Hai He.
"Wasn't that like, the tenth attempt?" Hai He asked
"Something like that," Lu Ten shrugged carelessly before turning to the five commanders. "So what's our first lesson?"
"…wait you can fight? Like, real fighting, not throwing pans at people, right?" one of the younger commanders asked. Hai He gave the young man a bewildered look before standing up and pointing at her pendant, a simple carved sapphire that looked like the royal family crest.
"This is the crest of those chosen by the Fire Lord and Lady, themselves, and trained by said people." Hai He said, pointing the pendent. "Why do you think each member of the royal family has a 'personal maid' always following them around?"
"Everyone but uncle," Lu Ten corrected.
"yeah but that's because the Fire Lord can't kill Ozai for being a massive dick," Hai He retorted
"An abusive dick," Lu Ten corrected again with a grin.
"…That's 'Prince Ozai' to you," one of the commanders said weakly, trying to correct the maid.
"Then its 'Lady Hai He' to you," Hai He retorted with a dull look. "each of us 'personal maids' outrank you, generals. Fire Lord Azulon has specifically written the law that should any general prove to be inadequate in their job, we 'personal maids' may replace them until the job is complete."
"In other words, she outranks you," Lu Ten grinned.
"Other than that, carry on like none of this was just said," Hai He waved a dismissive hand at the commanders. "Spar start! The first one to land a hit on Lu Ten gets ice cream!"
"What is wrong with you?!" Lu Ten shouted at Hai He
"Ice Cream is a specialty frozen treat that I make," Hai He explained. "I usually make it with sugar, milk, and fruits. The only other people to eat it are Ursa and her children, Lu Ten because he's a baby when he gets sick—"
"HAI HE!" Lu Ten screeched in a tone of betrayal
"And my elder siblings!" Hai He ignored Lu Ten with a smile and clapped hands. "Well go on, first one to land a hit gets the treat!" Proceed with chaos, accompanied by Lu Ten's shouts of punishing Hai He later and said woman's laughter at his expanse. The five commanders remained on deck, just watching the chaos unfold, not entirely sure how to proceed.
"So all the personal maids know how to fight?" one of the commanders asked again
"How many times are you going to beat the dead ostrich-horse?" Hai He asked, "Lu Ten! That is not the form!"
"Bite me!"
"…how many siblings do you have?" the same commander asked
"I don't know, how many people are on the ship?" Hai He asked, "Lu Ten! Use your forms!"
"BITE ME!"
In the end, when every soldier on deck was laying in exhaustion and Lu Ten was left standing (technically he was bracing himself on his knees) Hai He called the exercise a close. To reward everyone for their hard work, she awarded all the soldiers present were given her specialty made ice cream. The next day, there were forty soldiers waiting for Lu Ten and the nearby ships were close enough for cheering to be heard. Hai, He joined in on the fray this time, working together with Lu Ten as his only partner. Hai He may have revealed herself to be bender-less, but she whooped every soldier's rear end in a display of snake-like movement none of them saw coming. It took an hour before the forty soldiers were on the deck exhausted, none of them could even move a muscle more to continue the attack.
"I have a question," one of the commanders called, raising one hand as if he were in school. "have the two of you ever fought before?"
"All the time," Lu Ten answered. "Grandfather made us a special training room just for us. The only other ones who are allowed to enter are the personal maids."
"hah!" Hai He scoffed, "more like his favorites!"
"Fair enough," Lu Ten shrugged.
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