"Wow." Sokka blinked the next morning as they were about to make ready to force themselves into the palace. "Look at you looking all fancy." he smirked at Zuko.
Zukos cheeks grew read as he looked down. The only difference was the hair piece, otherwise he was wearing the same red earth kingdom robes he had been wearing all day yesterday too.
"That looks really good on you." Katara cut Sokka off before he said anything stupid. "Is there a reason though?"
Zuko inhaled a deep breath. "I'm the Prince of the fire nation and I'm going to meet the earth king today." he said. "It is going to be our first official meeting. Though if things goes as we want, there ought to be many more. And a good relationship is going to be very necessary for the future we want to build." he swallowed as he closed his eyes and tried not to shake. "This meeting will be important in many more ways than one."
"Oh wow. I didn't even think of that." Katara admitted. "Now when you say it like that. I'm getting kind of nervous."
"It'll be okay. He has to listen to us." Aang stated firmly.
Zuko sighed deeply. "I just hope this wont end in disaster." he said as he felt a hand on his arm and looked down to see Iroh. Who as always were there to give him encouragement and support.
At that Zhau-Li stepped forward as he looked at Zuko. He took a deep breath and then he bowed. "I just wished to wish you good luck and Agnis blessing." he said.
Zuko looked at Zhau-Li. "Actually…" he hesitated. "I was thinking. Would you join us?" he asked.
Zhau-Li's eyes widened. "Join you? In meeting the earth king?" he asked.
Zuko nodded. "Yes. To bring the dragon of the west, the man who laid siege to Ba Sing Se for six hundred days, to the earth kings door step doesn't really seem like the best idea when our goal is peace. It is going to look bad enough when we force our way through." he said. "How-ever… It would be nice with the support from an actual fire nation citizen at my side." he said.
"Excellent thinking Prince Zuko." Iroh beamed proudly.
"I… I would be honoured!" Zhau-Li exclaimed.
Zuko looked at Zhau-Li then he took off the outer layer off his own clothes. The thing about these high quality earth kingdom clothes styles was that they had multiple layers and that suited Zuko pretty fine now as he handed the outer robe to Zhau-Li. "Here. We ought to wear our nations own colours as we face the earth king. It's not ideal. But it's the best we can do right now."
Zhau-Li gasped as he looked at the piece of clothes in Zukos hand. Then he slammed a fist into the palm of his hand and bowed for Zuko. "Thank you Prince Zuko!" he said before finally accepting and putting it on. And then he stood there beaming as if Agni himself had just given him his blessings.
Wide-eyed Zuko looked at Zhau-Li not really knowing how to deal with this and ended on an awkward. "Yo-You're welcome." he said and finally managed to turn away.
Only then to be faced with another awkward situation…. It was Smellerbee. Just standing there looking wide-eyed up at Zuko.
"Erhm… hi." Zuko tried.
"You're really the crown prince of the fire nation?" Smellerbee asked as she pointed at Zuko.
"Well… Erhm." Zuko halted. "Technically I have been banished. Then marked for treason which means I have definitely been dis-inherited." he said. "But… Yeah."
Smellerbee frowned. "And you're teaching Aang fire bending."
"Yeah." Zuko said again.
"And you want to fight against the fire lord to end the war." Smellerbee continued.
For a third time Zuko nodded his head. "Yeah."
Smellerbee frowned as she crossed her arms. "You're weird." she said.
"Heh… Well I guess." Zuko commented and he halted. "How is Jet?" he asked.
Smellerbee sighed. "Same as last night. He wouldn't even eat by himself. Had to feed him. But thankfully he swallows by himself."
"Oh.. I'm really sorry." Zuko said.
"Pff. You need to grow a backbone." Smellerbee. "You saved his life right. So clearly you aint owing us anything." she said. "And… People have been pretty nice. They shared their food with us." she nervously looked around. "Dammit! I hate owing a debt fire nation scu…" she cut herself off. "People." she finished instead.
"Erhm. Smellerbee. Look." Zuko tried as he got down on a knee so they were now the same height. "I get it. The fire nation hurt you. Hurt you a lot." he said. "You have a right to be angry. But if you go around hurting innocent fire nation citizens. You aren't going to be any better than the soldiers who hurt you. You understand that right?"
Wide-eyed Smellerbee looked at him.
"We're going to defeat the fire lord." Zuko said. "But we also need to look at what comes after. What do you intend to do? Try to kill everyone in the fire nation? How then would you be any different than the fire lord?"
"I'm not like the fire lord." Smellerbee said in a angry frustrated.
"I know." Zuko said. Sounding calm but also a little sad. "But it was the path Jet was walking. I'm not saying you shouldn't be angry. I am not saying you shouldn't fight back. You should fight back. And you have a right to be angry." he said. "All I am saying is… be aware of where you are headed. And be careful. I was on a very wrong path to ones. We can change it though, take our destinies into our own hands and…. Try to head for a better future."
Wide-eyed Smellerbee looked up at Zuko and Zuko offered her a smile.
"Jet is lucky to have good friends like you to look after him. I'm afraid he is going to need it." Zuko stated as he stood up.
"We'll handle it." Smellerbee stated. "Jet never left us. So we wont leave him and…" she halted. "I'll think about what you said. Thanks I guess." she said as she turned around and walked away with a slightly bowed head.
Zuko glanced up to see Longshot who had been standing next to them observing the entire conversation. Shortly Longshot caught Zuko's eyes and offered him a small nod, as if it was acknowledgement and then turned to follow Smellerbee back to Jet.
They had all crawled outside and up on the roof of the ware house. Those who were about to storm the earth kingdom palace stood in the middle.
Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko and Zhau-Li.
A small force yes. But they were the avatar, three master benders. A brilliant tactician and a loyal soldier.
Iroh stepped forward as he looked up at Zuko. "Be careful." he asked.
Zuko nodded. "I will." he had already seen the hug coming and accepted it putting his hands on Iroh's shoulders.
"Get some sense into that earth king!" Smellerbee exclaimed. "Make them pay for what they did to Jet."
Ying swallowed. "If you can just… Tell me where my wife and daughter is." he asked.
"We'll do what we can." Aang said. "We'll force the earth king to listen. We will not be leaving before he has answered our questions." he said. Then Aang pulled out his bison fluite and blew in it.
It didn't take long before the large bison dropped down on the roof and Aang jumped up on Appa's head. "Come on." he said. "We're going to the palace." he said.
Zuko and the others nodded as they all crawled up on the saddle.
"This wont be easy. They will be waiting for us." Aang said with a determined look on his face. "Get ready." and he lifted the reigns. "Yip yip!"
There was no kidding the Dai-Li was ready. Barely had they gotten into the air before the first builder flew up towards the bison and Katara was the first to react slamming the builder back with her water whip.
Then another boulder came from the other side and this time Zuko send it back with his own flames.
Soon builders came from all sides trying to slow the bison down, but it didn't help. Toph jumped on the ground creating a wave from the ground toppling all the soldiers until Aang swooped down and picked her up.
Katara made the water from all the fountains rise and wash away soldiers and Zuko. Zuko was taking a deep breath as he stood up and then he whirled around making a inferno pushing rocks back.
Zhau-Li had only managed to make single blasts aimed at specific smaller rocks coming their way. Hitting about as many as Sokka had with his boomerang.
Hopelessly Zhau-Li looked at Sokka. "So that's real bending masters."
"Eh. You get used to it after a while." Sokka stated. "It's not that special." he said just as Aang and Katara combined their attacks to create a water pump. Followed up by Toph raising what could best be described as a smaller mountain and Zuko got on top of it kicking it down with fire at his heel.
Zhau-Li turned back to Sokka looking at him with wide big eyes.
"I know." Sokka almost cried. "I'm just trying to not feel inadequate all right?! I'm doing the best I can!"
Zhau-Li nodded and finally turned back to the battle.
Finally they reached the earth palace itself and bursted through the doors on Appas back then jumped off the bison.
"Quick!" Sokka shouted. "We have to find the earth king!"
Everyone nodded without needing another word and the chase was on. Checking rooms and fending off even more Dai-Li soldiers.
Just how many had they thought back now? And they caved in parts of the halls trying to stop them.
Sokka though had concluded what did seem obvious. The halls they were trying to cave in were the halls they needed to go through. They wouldn't try to stop them if they were going to wrong way!
So the caved in halls it was and thankfully they had Toph who just moved the debris out of the way with a handwave and suddenly Sokkas voice shouted.
"GUYS! Over here! I found a really really big door! Must be important."
Zuko turned and made his way over there only to halt as he looked up… Yup that really was a big door. He had to crane his neck to look up at it. That door seemed to be at least 10 meters tall.. And five meters wide.
Heh… Just like home. Sure looked like the doors to a throne room.
Sokka was hopelessly trying to push the door open… Clearly wouldn't happen. It was a door in solid stone clearly designed so only earth benders could open it.
Just then Aang jumped forward and slammed his staff into the ground blowing the doors open.
…. Okay or an air bender who also happens to be the Avatar. That's fair.
Without another word Zuko ran inside with all of the rest to face a throne room and there was a throne with a man sitting on it. Dai-Li guards moved in to form a line in front of him and Long Feng ran inside to stand in front.
"The earth king!" Aang shouted. "We need to talk to you!"
Long Feng turned to the man on the throne. "They are here to overthrow you." he said.
Zuko blinked as he looked at the man on the throne and then it hit him. This man… Was young! Really… Really young. He had to be in his twenties. Mid twenties at most.
"No we are not here to overthrow you." Sokka said. "We are here to talk!"
"You have to listen." Aang gasped. "Trust us!"
"Why?" The earth king stood up. "You invade my palace. Lay waste to all my guards. Break down my door and you expect me to trust you?!"
"We had no choice!" Zuko stepped forward. "Do you realize what an insult you committed towards us? The Avatar himself came to this city. To talk to you. And while we were denied an audience you had a party for your pet bear! That's an insult to our honour. In the fire nation Agni Kais has been fought over less!"
"Wait… Avatar?" The king suddenly halted. "You're the Avatar?" he asked Zuko.
"Wait. No. He is." Zuko pointed at Aang who grinned up at him.
"Hi!" Aang waved making a little ball of air with his hand and then stood back.
"But you're the one looking all fancy." The king looked at Zuko.
"I'm the crown Prince of the fire nation and the Avatars fire bending teacher." Zuko sighed deeply. "Which doesn't make this any better. You denied an audience, an important political meeting with a crown Prince of a foreign nation and the Avatar."
"Long Feng is this true?" The king asked Long Feng.
"Sir. I'm afraid you don't understand the whole picture." Long Feng spoke in a kind tone. "While it is true that Zuko is a prince of the fire nation by birth. He was banished from his own nation three years ago and was more recently denounced for treason. When this is the kind of person the Avatar chooses as his teacher, I wouldn't think the Avatar himself is worth meeting."
The king turned to Zuko.
"Yes. I was banished and now I am wanted for treason." Zuko said. "Because my father is at war with the entire world! And I oppose the war itself! He is out there attacking your villages! Your people! And just a few days ago the fire nation was attacking your wall! We came here to see if we could join forces! But you spit in our face and our good will. You insulted us!"
"War?" The king blinked confused. "What war?"
He looked confused. Honestly confused. And unlike the Joo Dees and Jet he did seem to be in his right mind. Just confused.
"Errh… The war that has gone on for the last hundred years." Aang pointed out.
The king blinked confused.
"You… You don't know. Do you?" Katara asked. "But. How is that even possible?"
"It's entirely possible." Zuko replied. "I didn't know of a lot of the cruelties of the war either before I was forced to leave the palace and my nation. And saw it all for myself with my own eyes. Palace life is like theatre in many ways. A grand big illusion where those in power are just hoping reality wont be coming knocking on the door." he glanced up at the earth king and Long Feng.
"Reality is knocking." Aang stated.
Long Feng frowned deeply. "Your majesty. You do not need to bother with these people. Look at them. They are nothing but children. Let me take care of them."
"I'm sure there must be some sort of mistake." The King said looking up at Long Feng.
"Of course your majesty." Long Feng said. "And I will personally ensure that what-ever miss understanding we are having. It will be rectified."
"Hey who calls the shots here?" Toph asked. "Long Feng or the King."
"The King. Naturally." Long Feng said though his eye was starting to twitch.
"So shouldn't he decide what happens?" Toph asked.
The King was sitting still. Clearly that got to him and he blinked.
Zuko wet his lip. They had to play this right. This could screw it up so easily. "Your majesty." he then finally bowed for him in a respectful bow. "I have a proposition for you." he said.
"And that is?" The king asked.
"Your majesty you don't have to listen…" Long Feng began but the king held up a hand.
"I decide. Long Feng." The king said.
Zuko took in a deep breath. They couldn't proof the war, not now. They had to take smaller steps. "Your majesty. It cannot be denied that when we arrived we were denied an audience with you. And to spit in our faces. While you didn't have time to have an audience with the Avatar and the Crown Prince of the fire nation. You had time to host a party for your bear. A party we weren't even invited to. Even though we were right there, in your city. And we had been told that our request for audience was pending. Then told it would be reviewed in six to eight months and then we find out about the party from a news paper. With no invitation, no consideration. Only ignored."
The king shot a look at Long Feng clearly annoyed.
"I propose." Zuko sucked in a breath. "Walk with me." he said. "One walk with us. And I will consider this insult forgotten."
"But Zuko." Sokka was about to object.
"Quiet you idiot." Toph hissed as she pulled Sokka down. "He's playing the court game!"
"Do you agree with the proposition Avatar Aang?" Zuko asked Aang.
"I… yes. I do." Aang said. "Prince Zuko." he replied feeling awkward using titles all of a sudden.
"That does seem very reasonable." The King nodded as he rubbed his chin.
"Sir! You don't need to walk with these people." Long Feng hissed.
"Long Feng this is your fault." The King said. "You should have invited them to the party then we wouldn't have had this issue. You are the one who taught me that to not invite important people is the same as insulting them."
"Well… Yes." Long Feng said. "But these children are filled with deceit and only seek to sow discord in your court."
"One walk." Zuko held up a finger. "And we will be out of your hair. Forever. We'll pack up. Leave the city. And you will never see us again."
Everyone turned wide-eyed to Zuko and many of them were clearly about to object.
"I accept your terms." The King said as he stood up. "We'll walk."
Long Feng hissed then took a breath to calm his body. "I suppose a walk in the royal gardens."
"No." Zuko said. "I say where we walk."
"But.." Long Feng spluttered.
"Or will the king go back on his promise?" Zuko asked. "A promise made between a king and a crown prince!"
"A dis-inherited crown Prince wanted for treason." Long Feng seethed. Zuko though ignored Long Feng. His eyes were only on the Earth King who looked down at him through his small glasses.
"Very well." The King finally spoke. "Where are we going then?" he asked.
Zuko inhaled deeply and then exhaled. "We're going." he said. "To the lower ring."
Long Fengs eyes widened. Toph smirked, Aang was grinning and Zuko couldn't help himself as he looked the panic starting to rise on Long Fengs face.
The King how-ever was oblivious as he nodded. "So be it then. I accept."