MARKED
Xx~xx~xX
XxX
X
"I don't care for politics" Toph snapped but Kim was unmoved by her scowl, smiling slyly at the blind girl.
"And yet… you are engaged to the King's successor" Kim pressed. "It is a great benefit to the royal family, to have you. The darling of the Earth Kingdom"
The stout man kept up easily with Toph and as his thoughts turned, her own spun; she didn't care for politics but she was being pushed increasingly into a position where her own moves were seen as an agenda by forces hidden from her.
Takeshi being Kuei's son seemed so simple to the world but she knew better. King Kuei had learnt a hard lesson when he had come face to face with the Fire Nation; it worked to his advantage to maintain an image of oblivion to the world around him.
But he wasn't oblivious and the Earth Kingdom was torn between forgiveness and avenging the scorched earth left by Ozai. She refused to get involved in it and felt pity for Aang; they wanted someone to pay… no one had paid… Ozai's bending removed? That was not enough.
The body count was washed down, the lives lost and wealth stolen… it hung heavy over the peace; the smoke that lingered after the flames had been put out.
Kim was part of the army, a general of some sorts; a tactician. Toph and Takeshi did not trust the army; Takeshi argued countless times with his father over the trust he had in those men. She didn't want to get involved; but she did want to protect those she cared about.
Her heart wrenched; she had promised herself to leave out the one who had her heart, from that protection. She wouldn't do it; couldn't.
The lies we tell ourselves, she grimaced.
"I am not some pretty flower!" she punched her fist into her open hand. She was playing her own politics; everyone was… what she cared about didn't matter in the present if she was ever going to have a future. The abomination of her to want what all young men want; as though warriors were reserved to the Kyoshi.
"But you are and you know it" his tone dripped with cunning, youth and gender were constantly seen as a weakness in this world. "The Fire Nation's friend, marrying into the royal family; it must make certain deals and negotiations easier for the King. The truth of the matter, Lady Bei Fong… is that he let his people down the first time around… and many are no longer convinced of the effectiveness of his rule"
Loyalty had been so straightforward when she was a young girl but in the face of a new era; where there wasn't just one evil guy and the world wanted more than to just coexist… she had found herself evolving.
Takeshi would be with Zuko, Sokka too; everyone thinking they were as smart as the next person but it paid… to be a walking lie detector; it paid more to never assume she was the smartest person in the room. To understand that sometimes, she needed the eyes of others.
The guard opened the gate and her and Kim both stepped out, leaving the academy behind them. She smiled, tilting her head a little to him. Ty Lee stood under an umbrella, Suki next to her.
"Lord Kim, it is never a pleasure" she smiled and he laughed. "…and, for one so wise you should learn to tell the difference between a flower and a weapon"
Xx~xx~xX
"That seemed… unpleasant" Ty Lee noted.
They walked in silence down the road. Up ahead Toph could see the construction site for a factory; a weapons depot. Where the academy lay was slowly turning into barracks and she frowned at that. The Academy was the second one she had helped create; the one she had found she had limited say in; between Kim and King Kuei she felt like she was training something that was more a personal guard unit.
To whom was the question, because Kuei and Kim had different intentions. If she were Kuei she wouldn't spend her breath arguing with Kim; the cunning of the man wasn't such that he was the brains behind investing in metal bending.
There were other forces.
She shook her head. She sounded like him, the Fire Lord.
"They all think they are smart" Toph finally gave Ty Lee a comment.
"They do" Suki agreed. She was talking about Sokka, Toph thought. She was talking of her own troubles… so similar to Toph's, that now permeated the Water Tribe. No one was exempt; you remove one evil and many more sprout and soon they would challenge each other.
They reached the carriage rank, and flagged down a large carriage. Ty Lee gave the destination and payment and they entered the carriage with more silence. The driver kept a steady pace back towards the Royal Palace.
"Do you think they are plotting against the King?" Suki asked. Toph sighed deeply, unsure how to answer.
"Everyone is plotting" she grumbled. "We are so wrapped up in peace that we want to pretend that everything is fine"
"Everything is fine" Ty Lee insisted. Toph didn't disagree and Suki kept her own worries to herself; both of them grateful Katara was not around. Warriors dealt with things differently and Katara… although a Master; had no stomach for the world they found themselves in.
Naivety wasn't allowed anymore.
"I hear the Fire Lord is around" Suki said, almost pleasantly. Fishing, Toph thought. They had an unannounced alliance; deeper than their shared gender, stronger because of it but Toph's nonchalance with information always aggravated the Kyoshi warriors.
"He was invited" Toph tilted her head. "It shouldn't be surprising?"
"Well, I hear he snuck in announced… at a date earlier than he had stipulated"
"Takeshi is with him" Toph turned her head away from Suki. "Sokka too"
Suki was silent for a moment. Toph thought she could almost hear the Kyoshi's teeth grinding.
"What…" Suki began and Toph huffed.
"Who knows the ways of men" Toph grinned.
"I do" Ty Lee smiled. "One of the girls at the Rose Bush told me they were instructed to be ready to entertain dignitaries… by your Takeshi"
Toph frowned.
"The Rose Bush has a few of our trainees" Suki smiled.
"So they went to entertain themselves…" Toph couldn't stop frowning. Her mind pulled on the scent of Zuko over her, so long ago and the boldness he had in him when he was drunk. What would he reveal, if he were taunted?
Takeshi was smarter than that; almost as cunning as Kim but with none of the outright arrogance.
"To fuck and drink" Ty Lee chirped.
Toph was silent. Takeshi mentioned intelligence on Zuko's pastimes in the Fire Nation royal grounds. Her disinterest in the matter had been genuine then. It was hard, it had been so hard to get to the point she was at. She had been haunted by her childishness, her burning lust and the fear of heartbreak; the reality of it had made it necessary to build a high wall.
"Toph…" Suki called her attention. "You know my concern. This Capital Project is causing conflict"
"I can't do much about that" Toph snapped. "Why shouldn't it be in the Earth Kingdom? Why shouldn't the Earth Kingdom dominate the world space" she growled-words that she had heard Takeshi sing "The project is for everyone. All tribes, nations and kingdoms. It symbolizes so much"
"Some believe its heresy to have people… mix" Suki said slowly. "There are rebels…"
"That's not my problem"
"Not yet" Suki muttered.
They had arrived.
She got out of the carriage, revelling in the feel of the ground beneath her feet. She walked off from Suki and Ty Lee immediately. She knew it would end up her problem; just like Kim and Kuei had their eyes set on a guard, she too had her eyes set on training the elite and gifted.
Xx~xx~xX
"Lady Bei Fong!" Aryn reminded Toph of her mother. She could never get over that fact; they both were the same physically, had the same obsession with cleanliness and perfection; but where her mother was only concerned with beauty and household…
"Is it safe?" Aryn was whispering violently, skittish "My Takeshi, he is a delicate boy!"
Aryn's concerns were ruefully coddled with prettiness and simplicity; what Takeshi lacked through his delicateness, he compensated in his intelligence. Aryn's perceptiveness.
She appreciated this about Takeshi's mother; the ability to sense where people's strengths lay. She knew that Toph was the strength that her son did not have; the same way that Poppy Bei Fong knew Takeshi was the astuteness that Toph was too arrogant to embrace.
"I can't tell right now" Toph said honestly "I don't think anything bad would happen… even if it were found out that the Fire Lord was stupid enough to roam free without an escort"
"But Takeshi…!" Aryn insisted. Toph shook her head.
"Takeshi's danger lies only in being in the Fire Lord's company at this stage" Toph sighed. "If any trouble were to happen, it would happen only because of that fact"
Aryn calmed down somewhat. Although she was concerned about Takeshi, she approved of the association being formed. "Kuei found out he arrived without announcement. He has taken offence"
"That was expected" Toph moved carefully between the manicured bushes. She was a guest in the royal palace, as was Aang and the Fire Lord, and many other dignitaries.
"He won't show his irritation" Aryn sat down on a garden bench. She fanned herself with her hand; although it was a cool night, her frustration at Takeshi's insistence to be more accepted as a man than a prince, vexed her sometimes.
She supposed to be a future King, he had to embrace that side of himself. "Kuei was afraid of Ozai" Aryn admitted. "I guess a lot of us were"
Toph remained silent. She could feel Aryn watching her; for a reaction or a revelation of the Fire Lord's family… but she had kept quiet on those details; the dearness of the actuality of the Fire Nation Royal family was hers. In the same manner that she herself allowed many to misunderstand her because of her blindness and the way she looked, in the same manner that Aryn let the world believe she was nothing but a pretty face that had had high ambitions…
In the same manner that Takeshi had thought he could lie to her about his innocence…
In the same manner that everyone dressed up their lies; to the world and themselves…
True intentions had to be hidden; to protect or destroy.
"Your husband took offence that his subjects thought he was a buffoon" Toph said slowly. "He couldn't blame himself, so he blames everyone else. Especially his greatest defeat. The demise of Ozai has not satisfied the King… nor a lot of people in the Earth Kingdom. I think it's easy for some to blame the Fire Nation for depriving them of… vengeance. Blame the Avatar. But a majority do blame the King for everything. A Capital where no King or Fire Lord can rule; that's a dangerous thing"
"In the end, someone will have to rule" Aryn smiled. "A Capital where all nations reside? My son was made for this"
Xx~xx~xX
X
Xx~xx~xX
"No earth bending" Sokka instructed.
The ruse of discreteness was for Takeshi's benefit; the young prince was unlearnt in being a warrior. Sokka and I sat deftly on the edge of the wall, tipsy but at home in the environment we were in. This, I had in common with Sokka; being a skilled warrior without the edge of bending.
I smiled from up on the wall. Takeshi frowned, only a little and I could see his calculations on how best to scale the wall. The ruse of discreteness was fun in its own right; the guards had heard us twice, and I wondered how she would react to this: Prince Takeshi was last seen sneaking off with the Fire Lord.
Takeshi moved a few feet backwards and assessed the height, poised himself and ran; he had scaled half way up, reached his hand out and Sokka grasped it. Sokka pulled him up and the prince righted himself on the ledge, a sheen of success visible on his brow in the falling light. He smiled at me; he wasn't pathetic. I was still hoping for pathetic…
Why did I need him to be that way? I looked away, never returning Takeshi's smile and the vision of my father flashed over my eyes; the regret smeared over Ozai's regal face, the burn so cruel… moments before he ruined my face. Brandishing his disappointment on me, and now I wear it everywhere I go; proudly, over it.
It didn't matter. I had been a pathetic prince in those moments. The jumbled excitement I had felt faltered and a vicious paranoia almost enveloped me; for a moment, all three of us sat on the high wall gazing out. Visions of peace, but I had learnt to hide my wayward chi from people.
"Zuko?" Sokka called. I met his blue eyes and he raised an eyebrow. "Don't you dare brood"
I watched as Sokka nimbly descended from the wall, Takeshi now allowed to bend for this part; provided a slope. Takeshi followed and as I landed, lastly… the slope was tucked back into the wall.
We moved in silence while my thoughts ran over each other; loud and demanding; they had been sent to intercept me. That wasn't the problem, the problem was having Fire Nation spies willing to spill to the Earth Kingdom. What could seem innocent in Aang's eyes could be nothing but a temporary calm…
But it wasn't Takeshi who had known. Toph knew about it last minute and Aang too.
The King.
The rage threatened to come back and I almost turned heel, back to the Palace; determined for answers; determined for respect; I was not to be managed.
But I didn't. The shadows hid my face, the light behind us dying out. Ahead was the uptown markets and city, deeper still in the shadows would be the downtown.
Xx~xx~xX
The noise and chatter in the narrow alleyways was warm. Takeshi and Sokka were unnoticeable, and looking around I could see that a lot had changed. Sokka had been right; my absence from the world had not been felt, and the absence of Ozai's influence instead had seen a great change in people.
A world once divided seemed to be slowly spilling over into each other. Sokka and Takeshi were unnoticeable but I had to keep my hood up. The warmth was enticing, the ordinary so beautiful; when was the last time I had strolled like this in my own Nation?
Had I ever done so?
"How about… that one?" Sokka whispered close to me. He pointed up ahead; a tavern with lamps hanging low, an ant-eater of sorts branded over the entrance. "Empty enough"
By empty enough, he meant half filled. There was excitement in the air, so different from the uptown we had long left behind us. A world were riches were nothing but far away dreams gave a authenticity that was enigmatic.
I had lived this life.
I felt robbed thinking of it at times; there would have been peace if Uncle and I had stayed in that tea shop so long ago. Peace for ourselves, while the world burned on.
We entered slowly. Sokka and I were considerably tall that eyes automatically pulled to us and my hood was not helping. I had to remove it. I reached up, first unclipping my royal emblem from my hair so my hair fell out, before bowing and removing the hood. My hair immediately loosened and spilled around my face, covering the side with my scar with the right head tilt.
We moved to a dark corner, by the bar and were immediately served crude beer. Takeshi puckered, much more differently to the fire whiskey "Right" he breathed.
"Not to your liking?" Sokka smiled. He had downed his cup, watching Takeshi. "A nice sheltered life? Like Zuko here?"
"Sheltered?" I growled.
"Being royals and all" Sokka called for another drink casually.
"You are a chief's son" I gulped down my own drink and raised my hand for a refill too.
"I had no servants" Sokka said sadly "No one to serve my tea and fan me"
"You think I had it easy?" I laughed. I looked around me, at the peace and joy in the small tavern. I didn't engage Sokka but I did however catch Takeshi's frown. It seemed that was a sore spot, as it was for all ambitious young princes; earning your place versus having your place pre-reserved.
Would he benefit from a good banishing too?
"Excuse me…" a woman interrupted us. She touched Takeshi's arm who immediately took it back. She was unperturbed. "I was wondering if you could buy me a drink?"
"My friend will buy you a drink" I patted Sokka's back and gave him a pointed look. Sokka shrugged, already on his third drink and moved to the woman, leading her a little away from us.
"Thank you" Takeshi smiled.
"What is your father planning" I immediately demanded. He nudged his drink in shock, the liquid slopping over.
"You know… about the Capital?" Takeshi laughed nervously, allowing the barman to wipe the counter top.
"Everyone does" I growled "It's his business… the same way the Fire Nation is my business. I don't stick my nose in anyone else's business" I drank, deeply. "Fire whiskey!" I pushed the empty mug to the barman and he nodded, his eyes roving my face, trying to penetrate through my hair to the scar.
"I do what they ask of me" I said softly. I looked at him; he was resolute although slightly wary of my aura. "I've removed so many fire nation soldiers from the villages have I not?"
"Well… yes" Takeshi smiled. "My father was never a warrior as you must know"
"I doubt that slipped anyone's observation" I looked quickly to Sokka; he entertained the woman well enough, but his eyes kept finding my own. What are you up to, they asked. "I was unaware that Kuei had such a fondness for women, though"
"Yes" Takeshi's eyes darkened. "He is King. Your father was a King" he fingered the rim of his mug contemplatively and gave me one of his sly side glances "But you, Lord Zuko… seem… unlearnt"
"Careful, boy"
"I have always had a politician's mind" Takeshi smiled. "I got it more from my mother than my father. I don't presume to know the customs of the Fire Nation…" he left his mug alone, and inched his hand towards my arm. "But… I can tell you this; you are more a warrior than you are a politician, and it makes you naïve"
His hand stalked and reached my arm. "Everyone needs allies. And an ally isn't always someone from your childhood" his eyes turned to Sokka before resting on my arm, were his hand clutched "No one wants the Fire Nation to once again, outpace the rest of the world. It was smart of you to send the letter asking the repatriation of some of your engineers through your mother… while you were busy dragging them back forcefully to the Fire Nation"
I pulled my arm back.
"But… Fire Lord, did you really think that the news of King Kuei's plan to pardon the war criminals and grant asylum, against your wish to have them repatriated to your nation… do you really think that news reached your ears because of Agni?"
I blanched. He was too young to be this crafty.
"They didn't expect you to do it yourself" his hand left my arm but his eyes darkened. I was giving him the reaction he wanted; and although it was a power play… there was something else; awe. Still, that awe…
"You expected me to trust a general?" I breathed.
"Me?" he shook his head, his eyes serious. "They, Lord Zuko. I am not pulling any strings. My intentions are as clear as day; I am your ally. There are so many people who have other intentions, however and at times… they tell my mother at a dinner…" his eyes narrowed, a frown disrupting his youth "They tell one of the girls at the Rose Bush. You may not trust people, but I have learnt that we all need allies"
I laughed cruelly at his wisdom, petulantly drinking my drink. "Trust the Fire Nation army? Interesting… for all I know that's where you and Kuei get your information from!"
"Trusting is not something you are good at, is it? We have that in common…" he reached for my whiskey, turning the glass in his hands until the side I had drank from was aligned with his lips. He drank, his eyes on me. He smiled, trying his best not to let the burn of the whiskey show on his face. "Ruthless fathers…" he twirled his hand and I sneered at him.
"Kuei can hardly be called ruthless!" I took my glass back and downed the drink. I was unlearnt, he was right; this was a game for someone else… and as though he could read my mind, he smiled and touched my arm once more.
"I didn't send you that information Fire Lord Zuko, and I honestly cannot say who did" his breath was too close. I felt… intimidated, by some anticipation that was not that of a fight or strength. "But I can tell you that the person who did must have observed what I had observed from our last encounter"
I felt ice drip down my spine.
"The Fire Lord is not very trusting… but he does trust his sister"
My head snapped towards him. He revelled in my undivided attention. "Azula" I breathed.
"She is rumoured to be involved in political affairs?"
I said nothing, my ears ringing with the many times I berated my little sister in her inability to stay away from fire. My ears rang with the sound of that fateful bomb blast all those many years ago; my eyes burned with the way she was looked at… they may want to drive the new era of power-generation; they may want… so much, but there had not been enough blood spilt to replace the blood of their loved ones.
Accountability. Some wanted this too.
Sokka returned. "What are you two ladies gossiping about?"
Takeshi immediately began to lie, fluidly. I zoned out, drinking deeply.
The thoughts ran wild but at the end of it, my paranoia gave way to logic; there was benefit in people thinking my emotions ruled me. What Takeshi didn't realise was that princes only become warriors out of necessity; and that was the difference between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.
It was always necessary for those in the royal family to know how to fight.
He insinuated his father in this; but King Kuei had no interest in Azula-he just wanted to get ahead. The removal of Ozai had only caused a brooding gap in power that, behind everyone's sincerity… someone had to fill, as such was the way of men.
As smart as Takeshi was, he was the naïve one to think that only nobles hungered for power. Let my paranoia rule, it had saved my family countless times.
Xx~xx~xX
"Yeah, well… at least one good thing came out of our 'adventures'" Sokka seemed almost… bitter. "Katara and Aang… lasting forever. Beautiful"
He puckered at the word beautiful and drank. "I should warn you…" his dark blue eyes moved to my face, and I saw worry in them "The water tribe… has had its fair share of drama. The wedding…" he shook his head "You know, it's going to be spectacular but I mean… gosh, everyone has their own little notion on what's right and wrong. It's been coming up and getting louder. I mean Aang is so busy trying to keep the peace and I keep telling him and Katara that… some people don't just want peace. They want peace on their terms"
"It's the narrative in my Nation too" I sighed and he nodded. Takeshi leaned against the bar casually, his eyes alert. In a second, Sokka had gotten up from his stool wearily and moved to where he had left the girl he had been entertaining.
The only problem was she was now entertaining another man, a uniformed man… a soldier.
"Do you think all these issues are related?" Takeshi slid closer to me once more.
I had removed the hood, and a few men had recognised me. I didn't care for the glares or their obvious discussions. What I did care for was the aggression that those who saw who I was, had scribbled on their faces.
"No" I said without thinking. "There are quite a few Water Tribe men here?"
"The Capital Project commences" Takeshi smiled. "Sokka has made it his business to ensure his people aren't left out"
"The King started it before hand, much earlier than he had insinuated" I muttered. "I guess you don't want the Fire Nation as involved…" I glared at Takeshi and he blushed "But you want our engineers. Our expertise. Our resources?"
"I am not my father" his mouth was set in line, anger flashing in his eyes "Why he does what he does… only he knows"
"But you do know" I moved closer to him, daring him to deny it. "You know how he truly feels, don't you?"
"A lot of people believe you haven't paid enough" Takeshi said breathlessly. His eyes locked with mine.
"You don't know what I lost!" I snapped.
He looked me over, and behind us I could hear a raucous beginning. "You aren't alone, Fire Lord… Zuko" he told me, sincerely. His hand touched my arm again and I looked at it in confusion, but when I looked back at him he was too close; he kissed me.
I doubled back, the stool toppling over. We stared at each other and I could feel the nerves in my face quivering in anger, my fist curled tightly; the anger had to be spent, and as his lips began to move into a smile-whether it was mocking or sincere in his misplaced actions; I relaxed the fist and withdrew the heat before smacking him hard. He toppled, falling to the ground.
"Do you feel united now?" I crouched by him. He was on the ground, no one the wiser as chaos began to unfold around us, a fight breaking out a few tables ahead. He wiped his mouth and looked at me.
"I misread that" he still smiled. He reached his hand out and I glared at it, before glaring at him. My mind whirled; burn his face! I took his hand and hoisted him up.
"Zuko!" Sokka yelled. Both Takeshi and I looked at him; the soldier had him in a chokehold while another pulled his arm back and a third man delivered a punch to Sokka's gut.
"Idiot!" I hissed but I made my way to him nonetheless and effortlessly struck the third man, allowing Sokka to gain a free arm in the distraction. We brawled for a few minutes before the men realised they were outmatched.
They stood before us, wiping their faces free of blood. Their scowls deepened upon seeing the burn-scar on my face.
"You think you own everything!" one man roared at me. I said nothing, looking back to where Takeshi was. He was on his stool, drink in hand and expression slightly concerned; as though he had not just kissed me, as though the Fire Lord wasn't in some dingy bar fighting off drunk men… the side of his face where there would have been a burnt flesh bruise, was blotching to purple.
I sighed in relief, the fire had threatened to explode with the anger of my chi. He was bruised and yet… smug.
"Sokka… you are drunk" I patted Sokka's back and he nodded his agreement. "We are all drunk in fact and we have a long day tomorrow. Let's call it a night"
He looked back at the girl who he had decided was worth the fight; she smiled sheepishly at him. "I told you I was… Sokka… the…"
He didn't finish his sentence but I knew it would go along the lines of 'great water tribe warrior who had defeated the Fire Lord'.
"Takeshi…." Sokka asked. "What happened to your face?"
Takeshi touched the tender flesh and smiled. "Defending my friend"
Xx~xx~xX
The journey back was in silence, frequented with intervals of Sokka's explanation of his 'break' from Suki. Takeshi was relaxed, agreeing with all of Sokka's theories on women. Anger coiled inside me, raging ravenously whenever his eyes slid to look at me.
I wanted to give him a burn-scar on the side of his face too.
But I didn't.
The entry into the Palace was noisy enough that a noble woman met us as we were being led to the south wing, were Sokka and I had sleeping chambers.
"Mother" Takeshi greeted the woman. "Fire Lord… Lady Aryn" he introduced.
His mother was beautiful, slender in the light; his eyes were hers, his hair too. She bowed and I bowed back, unable to relax my face. I still wanted to punch the boy but something in his actions gave understanding to too many things I had been ignorant off.
"I am going to bed myself" I told Takeshi, although I kept my eyes on the Lady Aryn. "I apologize"
"Of course, Fire Lord…!" she smiled but when she looked at Takeshi closely, her tone changed. I didn't wait around; already confident the boy would speak no words on our altercation.
I moved from them brusquely, replaying the odd day and the stranger night. My own guards had found me, never questioning me; unlike many in the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation knew of my temper.
I was failing to connect the dots; they were so scattered and far removed from any logic but just as soon as I was getting to one conclusion; the one involving Takeshi and his desire to be a King… I entered my bed chamber and found Aang standing agitated in the middle of it.
I shut the door carefully. He did not turn to look at me, staring at a wall.
"Has the King run out of beds?" I asked him, removing my coat and tunic. He heaved a breath, looking at me and the judgement in his eyes made me laugh. "You are here to give me a lecture?"
I took a glass from a little table with a decanter of whiskey. I poured myself a drink and he air bended, the decanter smashing to the ground. I drank my drink, making a show of enjoying it and smiled "I only needed the one"
"You had better be sober tomorrow morning!" he hissed, walking towards me.
"Or what?" I smiled. "You'll break something?"
"Zuko!"
"I had an interesting night" I sat on the bed. "I learnt a lot today; Sokka is not taking his break up well, did you know that?"
He said nothing. Angry, disappointed… naïvely self-righteous.
"Did you know that King Kuei was keeping tabs on me?" I kept my voice pleasant "It seems the Earth Kingdom is still infatuated with all things Ozai!"
"You agreed to give the King assistance with the project and yet you sneak into his back yard?" Aang's eyes were unnerving.
"I didn't want to cause a scene… and as far as assistance, haven't I?" I raised my good eyebrow. "Do you want me to give him the very food I eat to prove I will not steal his? Shall I starve Aang? Shall I starve my Nation in order for everyone else to grow nice and plump? Retribution seems to be an eternal agenda against me!"
He had no retort to this. We were on opposite sides of a fence that someone else had sneakily built between us. I could see the scepticism in his eyes; Zuko, my good friend… paranoia is still getting the best of you.
"You once told me that achieving peace would never be easy" I said seriously. "I wonder, what did you think the hard part would look like, Aang?"
"Not a drunk you, that is for certain"
"This?" I tilted the glass in the light. The liquid swished elegantly to the tilt, complying trustingly that I would not spill it. I drank and finished it, his eyes on me. "This is nothing!"
"That clouds your judgement!" he scolded.
"The only thing insistent on judging here is you" I countered. "We are not children and some of us, were not even given the chance to be children when we were children. So excuse me if my adulting is not satisfying your… expectations!"
"I am sorry we are all disappointing you Aang" I laughed. "At least, you have a perfect Katara, eh?"
He shook his head twice before leaving.
Xx~xx~xX
Alliances. The word stung in my mind as I mulled my actions over; the consequences of it all. The news of my brawl in the tavern would be garnished and spiced to a new flavour. I barely cared. The threats that had seemed so one dimensional now had tentacles that reached not from within the Fire Nation but everywhere.
I thought about Tanaka and his surprise that it was I who had found him; what an honour, he had said. The Fire Lord is now a bounty hunter too? He thought the family he had created in hiding in Yu Dao, in the end… where the reason he had been captured. An Earth Kingdom wife with green eyed children from one of Ozai's most hard-line loyalists.
"The only way to ever succeed…." Tanaka had said, bound and sporting a black eye for all his troubles. "Is to have no one. To have nothing. You need to lose it all, Fire Lord… to be invincible! Your honour…?" he gestured with a nod to my scar. "You lost that long ago, didn't you…? That's one down"
"It hasn't ended; you've only reset the powers"