Book 1: War
Chapter 5: Coming of Age
The evening's dark and gray colored skies covered above the military camp in northern Pingyao. The clouds were far less noticeable here than in other parts of the province. It made the night seem melancholy.
Avani, Airen, and other benders stood beneath it in stances for running. In front of them was a field marked by Baoshou and Shuaige earlier in the afternoon. Twenty non-benders were hidden behind a left wall rising out of the ground for the exercise. Fingers wrapped around bows, each man had a quiver slung on his back. Closest to the benders stood Shuaige with his hands behind his back, his lips curled to the right in a slight smile. His favorite part of the training, he always told himself.
He began the training exercise and instructed the benders, "This is an exercise we call live-round course, you run to the end of the path while avoiding arrows coming in from the left side. The arrows being used are, of course, practice arrows. Their heads are flat, so you won't die, but you might get injured or knocked out unconscious."
"Live-round course?!" exclaimed one of the men concerned for his well-being.
"Biehe, you're not afraid of being shot at, are you? These past two months, you haven't complained until now," commented Shuaige.
"That's because I wasn't expecting to do this," responded Biehe.
"Don't wet your pants just yet, kid; this is just the beginning," chuckled Shuaige.
The teenager gulped; Captain Qishi shouted, "Ready? Action!"
The archers aimed their arrows at the ready; when Baoshou signaled them, they fired their flat-head arrows to the right. At the same time, Avani sped through the course as she enhanced her speed with airbending. She danced and twirled around the projectiles effortlessly. She made it to the other end without a bruise.
The men dodged, rolled, ducked, and jumped over arrows while they screamed at the top of their lungs. However, like Biehe struggled, some of them rapidly crawled under the trajectory of the arrows instead. By the time he reached the end, Airen and some of the other benders pointed and laughed at him. Shuaige facepalmed when he noticed the kid had wet his trousers just as Qishi foretold.
Captain Qishi faced Avani being the first to finish the course; he complimented her, "Good job, you're the fastest runner here."
However, she ignored him and walked off instead. Shuaige slightly frowned and scratched the back of his head. Ever since he punished her, she did everything she was asked to do. But she's been cold to him. He's had second doubts that maybe he was too hard on the Avatar. But he knew it was to be expected from the Council of Five. Baoshou directed all forty non-benders to the same course.
"Wait, what are we doing here?" wondered Fangzhu.
"Oh, you're running the same course, except the benders had it easy. You'll be outrunning actual boulders; try not to die please," replied the First-Lieutenant.
Zuqiu shared the same feelings that the other recruit felt; he, too, was terrified of being smashed by a boulder. The benders split into two halves, twenty on the right and the rest on the left. Shuaige explained further, "Your goal is to get to the end without being hit by a boulder, while the benders are to toss the boulders back and forth to each other."
"Go, go, go!" yelled Baoshou.
The boulders flew back and forth while the non-benders ran for their lives. Zuqiu rushed down the field as he sidestepped, ducked, and front flipped over boulders. As he reached the finish line, a boulder nicked him and scraped the top of his right shoulder. He shrieked in pain as Shuaige ran over to him. One of the distracted soldiers was struck in the legs by a smaller projectile. Thus it knocked him into the air, then he hit the ground in a loud thud. Fangzhu, who almost finished the course, ran back to rescue him.
The Air Nomad used air suction and drag and slide the unconscious man across the grass toward the finish line. The man's body only made it a bit closer to the end; this is where Baoshou and Shuaige dragged him by his legs to safety. A boulder was close to hitting the airbender, but he spun around and redirected it to the initial thrower. It smashed into the bender, but he was unharmed. With both fists forward, he decimated it to bits.
Baoshou facepalmed his forehead when he forgot to tell Fangzhu he couldn't use his airbending like that. The rest had made it out unscathed; Baoshou ignored it while Qishi checked up on the bender.
"Are you alright?" he questioned the earthbender.
"Yes, sir. It was unexpected though," answered the soldier.
"Baoshou gather up the huolongchushui while I and a few others set up target dummies for the exercise," ordered Shuaige.
Baoshou nodded and pointed to a few men; he gestured them to assist him. After about half an hour, the course was set up outside the camp. Everyone partnered in twenty teams of two, each with their own pair of spark rocks. Ever since the Taobing incident, every non-bender has refused to work with her. Although every time Zuqiu tried, he was denied by Baoshou.
"We've set up twenty target dummies; your goal is to aim and make sure the missile hits the target. Without killing yourself, your partner, or everyone around you," began Shuaige.
Baoshou opened a crate of spark rocks, then he grabbed a pair, "With these spark rocks, you'll collide them against each other until they create a spark to light the wick. Use these after you've set up the angle from which you'll shoot the missile from. Any questions?" he explained, then asked the soldiers.
Everyone remained silent; the non-bender partners headed toward the crate to grab their own pair of spark rocks while the benders set up the rockets. When Airen aimed the missile, Avani sat and waited.
"Wait, we don't have spark rocks," mentioned Airen.
"We don't need spark rocks, genius," said Avani; she conjured a flare from two fingertips and lit the wick. After she had done, this Airen rose off his knees and incidentally kicked the stand. Avani screamed and picked up the missile. The head of it blasted off into the air. A screech from the explosive rung in her ears as it crashed into the ground several ma away from them.
It had exploded and caused a small fire. Shuaige murmured to himself, "Why? Why me? Why me Tiandi? How could you send me this!" as he looked up into the skies above.
The Captain was furious; he shouted at her, "Avani! You could've had someone killed!"
"Calm down, piyan. It was an accident, and it landed outside of the target zone!" Avani exclaimed.
Avani ran toward the small fire, the Shuaige, Airen, and others trailed behind. She used her fingers on her left and pointed them at the flames while Avani pointed her right fingertips to the sky. Avani redirected the fire's heat to extinguish the fire; smoke emerged from her right hand and into the air. After a matter of minutes, only scorch marks stained the ground.
"What do you think you're doing?!" demanded Shuaige.
"It was an accident! I put out the fire, get out of my gaisi de face, it wasn't even my fault!" argued Avani.
Airen raised his hand out in her direction and gestured her to stop, "Settle down, kid. I'll handle this," he said.
Avani was angry that she was being accused again, she crossed her arms; Airen explained, "Captain, it wasn't her; When I stood up, I accidentally moved my foot forward and knocked the stand over. She saved you all from immediate death. I think you owe her an apology."
"Avani, I'm so-" Qishi called out to her in a calm tone; she shook her head and stormed off.
Avani declined his apology, "Save your breath, piyan."
Shuaige lowered his head and sighed; Shengqi chimed in, "You should work on that apology of yours."
"I know, I made a mistake," frowned Shuaige in disappointment.
Baoshou rested his hand on his friend's shoulder and advised, "Yeah, he's right, if she goes back to Shuicheng with this, you'll be court marshaled. I think you should ease up on the kid, Captain."
Royal Palace, Omashu, Oma Kingdom
The beefy young king yawned on his way to the throne was the wee hours of the early morning. He rested and relaxed on his throne. The furs always made his warm-up; he scanned the entire throne room for his uncle. The doors of the throne room opened wide as six men entered the halls. All of them knelt before him and greeted him on a new morning.
"Where's my uncle?" he questioned one of the berserkers.
"Grand Secretariat Cai Dao is with the Queen-Mother planning out the Princess's birthday decorations in the dining hall, Your Majesty," answered one of the guards.
Yeman's court stood on opposite ends of the massive rug sprawled across the halls that led from the throne to the doors. The young king commented, "That was today? I forgot it was her birthday."
"Not just any birthday, Your Majesty," a familiarized voice called out. The Queen-Mother appeared, and she knelt before her son.
The Queen-Mother insisted, then sighed when she mentioned her late husband, "How could you forget that today is the day your sister becomes of age? She's been waiting for this day since she was a little girl. I wish your father could be here to celebrate."
Yeman rested his head on his right hand and related, "Yeah, I miss father dearly too. At least now, I hope he will appreciate the next few months as he watches from the Great Beyond. His dream of establishing an alliance with the Isoro Empire will come to fruition."
"Your Majesty, I believe you should do the honors and escort your sister to the altar. We've prepared a wether-swine as an offering to Di," implied the Queen-Mother.
Yeman sighed and removed himself from the throne. Three royal berserkers joined him as they ventured toward Chu Zi's chambers. Inside, the girl finished dressing with the assistance of her caretakers. Today she was over joyous; today, she was sixteen years old. She heard a knock on her chamber door, "Coming!" she piped.
A minute went by, and Chu Zi answered the door; she was surprised to find her brother, the Earth King, at the door. She lowered herself to her knee and bowed before him, "Your Majesty, I...I wasn't expecting you."
"Our Queen-Mother wishes I escort you to the altar; today is your big day. And even bigger for the Oma Kingdom," said Yeman.
"Aw, I am thankful for this opportunity to walk alongside you, Your Majesty," beamed the girl.
Her caretakers exited her chambers and shut the door on their way out. The royal berserkers led the Earth King and the Princess toward the front courtyard outside the palace. While Cai Dao finished his coordination of the decoration efforts for the afternoon. Soon the Pharaoh of the Isoro and his family will come to Omashu.
Meanwhile, somewhere between Omashu city and a tiny hamlet nearby rode a large carriage. The wagon was painted white with blue accents carved into the shapes of avian creatures. The carriage was pulled by scaly-plated reptilian insectoids. While more of the beasts encircled the cart with men riding on their backs. These towering scaly beasts were known as skink mantid. Their front legs were designed for grasping. Their four hind legs used for movement and climbing, the snout of a reptilian critter, and the mandibles of an insect. They used their blue tails as a decoy for unsuspecting prey, they're known to be land and seamounts, but the ones native to some parts of Si Wong rarely saw water. In rare cases, they're known to eat people, but these were tamed since birth.
The cart rolled off to the southwest inside; a quinquagenarian man with medium earth brown-toned skin sat across from a much younger man in his late teens and a child who was fast asleep. His coily textured hair was jet black, and his eyes were a combination of forest green and brown. His eyes were outlined by black paint and sparkling green paste on his eyelids used for cosmetical purposes. He wore an iron cast on his chin and a white and blue striped cloth headdress known as nemeses. The cap had a golden frame that held tightly onto the wearer's cranium. His tunic and kilt were made of white linen. Around his neck was a golden-plated necklace; there was an ankh engraved into it in the center of it. His fingers were adorned with several golden rings with blue gemstones alluring to the eye. An emerald scarab rested on one of the golden bands of his middle finger.
The young man was the crowned prince or repat in their native tongue. His skin color was a warm jambalaya brown tone, his eyes were hazel like his father's, he was bald, and his head reflected off the sunlight's rays. His jaw was defined, and he had high cheekbones. He wore black eyeliner, too; his mouth had a curvature toward the right. The left portion of his mouth revealed his white teeth. He, too, wore white linen clothing attire like the Pharaoh. His nails were painted with green paint; Setka was his name. Setka carried a curious and intrepid demeanor, mainly for someone who's never set foot outside of Upper Bekini, let alone the palace.
The prince held his toothy smile, amazed by the alien-like environment outside the carriage. It was Setka's first time outside of the sandy arid surroundings of the Si Wong territories. Although Bekini itself did have vegetation as the Neter river rested nearby the capital of the Isoro and ran straight through into Hami Tribe lands.
Next to the Crowned Prince was his younger brother; the small boy was darker than his older brother and father. His warm, umber skin was similar to that of his mother's and sister's complexion back home. His eyes were a dark brown color; unfortunately, the boy was not a sandbender. He, too, wore a similar outfit to the men in the carriage. Unlike the common folk, his sandals were made of leather, although he preferred being barefoot like most children back home. His head was mainly shaved except for a crimped side tail on the right side of his head.
"How close are we to the Kuiwu clan capital, Adeben?" Pharaoh Shabakah inquired as he raised his voice a bit louder for the guard captain to hear him.
"We are mere ma from the chasm, Djer," answered Adeben.
Some of the men that guarded the chasm harbor stared at the exotic beasts and design of the wagon being pulled by the tall monster-like animals. Two of them gestured the men to halt.
"Halt, who are you, and what do you want?" asked one of the barbarians.
"We're here for the coming of age celebration of Princess Chu Zi; we are from Bekini in Isoro lands," responded Adeben.
"Hmm... we've been expecting you," recalled the other.
"Construct the bridge!" barked the first; a group of ten made strong movements and pushed with such great strength. The ground trembled as a vast land bridge emerged out of the chasm's walls and led straight to the city walls.
The second gestured with his arm, "You may pass."
The city's walls tore open too after the land bridge formed, the carriage moved forward with the royal guards on skink mantid. At the same time, a mudcat osprey flew in and perched on a royal berserker's forearm. He removed the note and read it, then he announced, "The Isoro Royals have entered the city; they'll arrive here shortly."
A wooly swine struggled on the altar it was strapped to; it whined loudly as it attempted to break free. Dai Hau nodded and resumed to recite some words. She then handed her daughter the ceremonial dagger. The Princess's hand trembled as it hovered over the throat of the wether-swine. Chu Zi didn't want to take the life of the creature. But she knew she had to. She turned away and shut her eyes and then plunged the dagger into its neck.
She slid the dagger down across it and slit its throat. She felt a wet sensation on her hand; she dropped the blade on the altar in disgust. The Queen-Mother wiped her daughter's hands still stained with the blood of the wether-swine.
Meanwhile, in northern Pingyao, the sun rose, and breakfast was already over; the men ran around to their training stations. The benders worked on their bending skills while the non-benders fought each other with wooden weapons. Shuaige was inside his command tent by himself while he worked on paperwork. Baoshou supervised the warriors when a courier galloped into the camp. The courier saluted Baoshou, "Orders from General Da."
"So soon?" wondered the First-Lieutenant.
"Sorry, I only deliver the orders," shrugged the military courier.
Baoshou read the orders, then he clenched the parchment in his hands and ran for Shuaige's command tent. The sun-filled the tent when the flap opened, briefly blinding the Captain; Shuaige turned away, and then suddenly it was dark again. Shuaige asked, "What is it?"
"We just obtained orders from General Da Taifeng," replied Baoshou while he handed the scroll over to the Captain. He curiously grabbed it and opened the scroll to read,
"Captain Qishi Shuaige, I write this to you from the city of Taiyuan. You are one of the several camps in the region training recruits. Yours was chosen explicitly by His Majesty Wanggoudexin. You and your company of men are to travel to Zi Guangi. Once there, you will report to Magistrate Minsheng, where he will instruct you about the town's weapons vault. There you will pick up and transport a large wagon full of weapons and artillery to the city of Taiyuan. Once you leave Zi Guangi, trust no one. Know that there has been enemy movement north of the capital. I hope they don't become an issue, and I guarantee they're primarily scouts.
General Da Taifeng"
Shuaige gave a toothy grin and ordered, "Tell the men we have two hours to break camp; we're moving out!"
"As you command, Captain Qishi," slightly nodded Baoshou; First-Lieutenant Er left the tent and headed toward the training fields. He rose his arms up in the air and shouted to grab everyone's attention, "Hey, everyone, gather up!"
Fangzhu grasped a wooden hilt with a slit on it and a hole in the pommel when he heard Baoshou's voice for everyone to gather up around him; Zuqiu had smacked him across the face with a sword during his distraction. After he lost concentration, his wind sword's blade waned and disappeared.
"Ow!" he squeaked, then he glared at the young man and rubbed his cheek. He turned his attention to First-Lieutenant Er. Airen ceased his wrestling with another and jogged toward Baoshou.
"We've got orders from the General; we have to break camp and head for Zi Guangi. We're escorting a shipment of weapons to Taiyuan," announced Baoshou.
Zuqiu raised his hand and asked, "Why us?"
"I'm guessing because the Avatar is in our midst, and he knows it will go smoothly," answered the First-Lieutenant.
"Will we see combat?" inquired another.
"The General only mentioned scouting parties in the area, nothing too big," explained Baoshou.
Shuaige exited the tent and joined them. Avani stepped out from her tent, "First-Lieutenant Er, what's going on?"
"We're leaving soon; Wanggoudexin tasked us to escort weaponry from Zi Guangi to Taiyuan," surmised Baoshou.
Avani listened and spoke more with Baoshou than Shuaige; whatever they might have had as far as a possible friendship was severed the day he punished her. She bowed to Er and said, "I'll get my things ready," she smiled at Baoshou then glared at Shuaige, who hadn't paid attention.
She re-entered her tent, and Hansuke popped into existence, "Ooo! How interesting, do you think you'll finally get to knock some Oma Kingsmen heads in?" he questioned Avani excitedly.
"Why do you bother me at times when it's completely unnecessary?" she begged Hansuke.
Hansuke gasped, "Avani, I'm all in your head."
"Yeah, well, I wish you weren't, but then again, here we are," frowned Avani.
"Together, we'll knock 'em dead!" beamed Hansuke.
"No, you got me caned for taking your advice the first time. Last time, you got me banned from serving food in the mess hall," declined Avani.
"Oh nonsense..." he paused as he gestured with a flick of his wrist; then he continued, "that was to build character, I'll be honest with you, kid. You're a bit impatient, you remind me of...well me when I was your age," excused Hansuke. Then he recalled something about himself when he was in his late twenties.
Avani removed the nails and guy lines from her tent, then folded the tent into a carriable item. She placed it under her arm and headed for the stables where her ostrich horse was kept. During this time, the men broke camp; she resumed talking to herself about something until she realized no one responded. Avani turned her head to her left and right and noticed Hansuke was no longer around.
"Finally," she sighed.
Avani mounted her ostrich horse while everyone else put things into wagons and mounted their mounts. Except Avani's mount seemed to be more intelligent than the others, the pack animals had an overbearing weight from things being strapped to their backs. Shuaige rode forward, "From here to Zi Guangi is a few days, be prepared to march for several days on end. We'll set up camp where I deem it necessary and safe. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the men shouted in unison.
"Understood?" he repeated to Avani.
She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, let's not show up late; Shuicheng likes things to be on time."
Setka had never met Princess Chu Zi; they only spoke through letters; what he knows about her is seen through paintings he's been sent over the years. Also, his imagination helped him familiarize her features, which reminded him to remove a scroll from his waistband. He unrolled the scroll to reveal the beautiful slender girl painted onto the parchment.
A warm smile grew on his face; his father glanced at the image then whispered to the young man in their native tongue, "Put that away."
Once escorted off the carriage, they were led toward the elevators that were only moved with earthbending. All three of them rose their chins to peer at the mountains' height; floors came and go until eventually, the top of the royal palace came into view. At the same time, Chu Zi stayed in her chambers along with the Queen-Mother Dai Hau. Her mother supervised the caretakers and corrected any errors as they painted her face a skin tone lighter and big pink circles on her cheeks for blush.
A knock on the door alerted the women inside; Chu Zi's primary caretaker slightly opened the door, "What is it?"
"The Isoro royals have entered the palace; they await the presence of the Queen-Mother and the Princess," reported a royal berserker.
The girl let out a soft gasp; she felt highly nervous; this was her first time meeting the crowned Isoro prince. Does he look like the paintings? What's he really like? Her hands shook in anxiety; she squeaked to her mother, "Mother, I don't know if I'm ready."
"Don't worry, my daughter. I was once in the same shoes when I met your father," related Dai Hau.
"You'll be fine; know that what you're doing is for your kingdom," Dai Hau reminded the Princess.
"What if... he's not the man I thought he'd be?" worried Chu Zi.
"He will be; you can't be having second thoughts now. Your father is very proud of you, and so am I," assured Dai Hau.
"Just try not to think about it too much; you're going to have fun starting this afternoon. The nobility was notified, and soon all your friends will arrive too," smiled her mother.
Dai Hau embraced her daughter and kissed her forehead. Chu Zi, for years, seemed ready for this moment, but when it came down to it, now she felt terrified. She stared at the painting pinned to her wall. It was that of a dark-skinned young man around her age, the latest one. The writing was peculiar. Instead of characters, it seemed more like doodles. The Isoro writing system was more like cryptographs.
Cai Dao pushed the massive doors toward the throne room open. The Court of the Clans turned their attention to the entrance where three individuals stood. With proper manners, they stepped off to the sides of the carpet and allowed the three strangers to enter. The little boy walked with his brother and father. The child scanned the new environment. It was nothing like back home; this palace astounded the boy.
The Pharaoh padded in between his two sons; he remained nonchalant, his eyeshadow gleamed in the firelight. Yeman watched as the individuals came forward. He's met the Isoro Pharaoh at least once. Back when Earth King Gun was still the reigning monarch. He stared at the young man to the Pharaoh's right. His skin was much darker than Yeman expected. He painted his eyes too and was bald, something they can relate to. But unlike Yeman, the teen was wiry and fit.
"Goodness, I haven't seen you since you were a boy. Since you're here, I'm assuming Gun abdicated?" spoke Shabaka.
"My father is no longer with us, but welcome," answered Yeman; he then welcomed the foreign monarch.
"And this must be the crowned Prince, we've never met though," guessed Yeman.
"Crowned Repat Setka, Your Majesty," he introduced himself.
"My apologies about your father, King Yeman," apologized Shabaka. He slightly bowed his head. The young Earth King ignored it; he was so used to everyone asking for Gun.
"The boy to your left, who is he?" inquired Yeman as he pointed to the child.
"My thirdborn Zaphnath," replied the Pharaoh; the boy hid behind the Pharaoh's legs; he was shy.
Yeman exclaimed during an awkward silence, "Bring out the princess; it's time the crowned Isoro prince and my sister meet face-to-face."
A few moments later, a girl in a beautiful dress and fantastic jewelry had been guided into the throne room by the Queen-Mother. Setka felt a presence and glanced back. He turned around when he realized it was the girl in the paintings. Chu Zi was nervous, she tapped her fingers amongst another, and her voice shook. She gave him a coy smile but had no idea how to adequately react. Setka's smile grew from ear to ear, all while an intense emotion overtook his body. He felt a ticklish sensation in his stomach; he felt flutterflies inside.
What an eventful day; Shabaka held a smile on his face, a familiar voice called out to him, "Shabaka is that you? Where is your wife, Asenath?"
"Dai Hau, you haven't aged a day past thirty. Unfortunately, my Asenath is back home. She had to remain seated on the throne," answered Shabaka.
"Such is the duties of a queen," agreed Dai Hau.
Chu Zi held her hands together as she looked up to gaze into Setka's eyes. Setka beamed, "Wow, I would've never thought the girl of my dreams would be standing in front of me."
"I-I..." she nervously paused.
"Don't worry, I'm anxious too," admitted Setka; Chu Zi's hand shook when she rested her left hand on Setka's left hand. Their fingers locked, and her skin reacted; goosebumps formed on her arms. A caretaker approached the Queen-Mother, "Queen-Mother, the chambers have been prepared for the guests."
"Shabaka, come I must show and your boys your guest chambers while you're here with us," offered Dai Hau. The Queen-Mother and the caretakers led the Pharaoh and Zaphnath to another wing of the palace.
Yeman cleared his throat loudly enough for the two teens to snap out of their romantic stare. Setka scanned the area for his father; Yeman pointed to the left, the prince and a royal berserker followed him in that direction. The young Earth King shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Kids."
"He's a year younger than you," commented Chu Zi.
She scoffed; the two of them usually irritated one another. They didn't have a close relationship either. Chu Zi had more freedom than Yeman growing up. He was isolated by King Gun since he was the crowned prince. Yeman waved his hand forward and ignored his sister. He sat there and thought to himself, the court rejoined in the center of the room.
Lao padded forward and kowtowed before the Earth King; he mentioned, "I normally don't notice things, but you seem to be bothered by something, Your Majesty."
The dark-skinned individual from the Oi clan agreed, "You can tell us anything, Your Majesty."
"I'd rather not," answered Yeman; he hesitated to tell them his personal issues. Instead, he quoted his father in his head, which washed a flashback into his mind. The shadowed individual faced the window and didn't face his son.
He said, "The Court is there to support you, but they will attack at any given time."
"They're your friend-foes, and if you're not confident in your ability to rule this kingdom..." paused Gun.
"They will grow scared and usurp you; that is the power they were given," resumed the former king.
Yeman missed Gun dearly; he had issues of uncertainty within himself. Could he really run an entire kingdom at war with another? He's winning the war, sure, but all the actions are done by what was left from King Gun. An older gentleman in his mid-sixties entered the throne room, decorated in armor and a massive ax on his back. He kowtowed before the young king and mentioned, "I don't mean to disturb you, Your Majesty. But we have a business to discuss in the war room."
Yeman pushed himself off of the throne and headed over to the Commander of the Triumvirate. He thought to himself, "Finally, a much-needed break!"
"It's urgent news and for your ears only, a definite threat from the Haijun Kingdom," he added.
They headed off to the war room while another individual of the court stepped forward as the door closed behind Yeman. The man opinionated, "Is it just me, or is the young king acting strange? There's something about him I don't like."
"Perhaps, he's having a bad day, Mong. Surely you must give Gun's heir a chance," defended Sen.
However, Mong was in the court on his own agenda; he wanted to challenge Yeman for the throne he could. Then he could've established Uuguul's champion as the new Earth King. At the same time, Yeman is taken inside the war room, located somewhere outside the palace. The other three seats were filled by generals of Earth King Gun.
The first to greet the young king was Bu Lu, "It is good to see you again, Your Majesty."
"I'm being told we have a problem," said Yeman; he went straight to it instead of giving pleasantries.
Bu Lu acknowledged, "After the victory of the Haijunese in Laofung, the two governors of the northern states have worked together to invade West Hu Xin."
"There is heavy enemy presence in the northern part of the province, but they are far from the capital. We can amass a force big enough to attack, but we need time to gather more men in the arera," briefed Bu Lu.
"Attack Yizhu, win the province and force them to defend Yu Qing," suggested the Earth King.
"We can do that," nodded Bu Lu.
"Was that the threat?" inquired Yeman.
"Well, no, we'll get to that," Zhang shook his head.
Ji Du Wei spoke, "We're attacking Taihao now; the governor of Huai province is at the helm of the assault. But I should warn we're losing ground in Gongzhu."
"It seems they're avoiding Bu'Keng at the moment; I'm guessing they want to win support from turncoats first," assumed Ji Du.
"Kill them all," ordered Yeman.
Commander Zhang and General Wei exchanged looks, then Wei asked, "Can you explain further?"
"Kill all the mayors of Gongzhu; I don't want to take any chances. We cannot afford to lose Gongzhu province," declared Yeman.
"That is...doable, I'll send orders to the governor of Gongzhu, I'm sure he'll command the troops in the towns we control. Shouldn't be too hard to rid of their leaders," agreed General Wei.
"While we've got that out of the way, what about the presence of enemy soldiers?" General Wei Ji Du inquired.
"Rally the town troops and raid enemy camps; I want them out of Gongzhu," ordered Yeman.
"Of course, you should know Governor Lundu is amassing a huge naval presence in Dahongpao. I believe his navy is larger than Shengdi's," mentioned Ji Du.
"Gan is now in the Ru province; we hear rumors of something big though," mentioned Zhang.
"Scouts have reported the northern Earth King has gotten someone to pay attention to the civil war. One we haven't seen in centuries!" General Yun added.
"Out with it!" barked Yeman.
"The Avatar is involved in the war now. Normally, that is not an issue since, for the past centuries, Avatar has remained out of the civil war. But this Avatar is quite involved," revealed Yun.
Yeman sat there, then he shrugged; Yun added, "That's a bad thing."
"I don't know much about this Avatar; have we lost ground to them?" inquired Yeman.
"The last activity of the Avatar was Suzhou City, your father had the Tsust clan siege the capital of Duryaja. Bakharkhal and his entire clan were decimated; the Avatar survived," recalled Commander Zhang.
"Are they fully realized?" asked Yeman.
"Aye, master of the four elements and of the Avatar State, I'm afraid," responded the Commander.
"Not much is known about the Avatar's whereabouts. Actually, we don't know where she is, in fact," answered Yun.
"We don't know what she looks like either; we only know her name is Avani, that king has his Avatar on a tight leash. Your father feared this would happen, the way things are in Ba Sing Se and the Haijun Kingdom.
That girl is only a superweapon," Zhang added.
"I'd recommend finding records written by your father's scribes. Perhaps they can detail you further on the girl," suggested General Yun.
"The Haijun King is desperate to win this war; he's breaking international law," mentioned Commander Zhang.
Everyone looked at him, "International law? What does this have to do with the civil war?" argued Yun.
Zhang divulged further, "An agreement between Avatar Masaru and the world's leaders, the war was too big for the Avatar, and so he refused to involve himself in it. Since then, the other two never paid much attention to it."
Meanwhile, a carriage pulled lazy soldiers, gear, and other things. Men on ostrich horses journeyed to the west. Zuqiu clopped after four hours of marching; he desperately wanted to rest.
He whined, "My feet hurt!"
"Quit your whining!" Airen scolded him; their friend Avani slept on her mount as she used the ostrich horse's neck as a headrest. The plump Air Nomad inquired, "How far is Zi Guangi?"
Shuaige answered, "We're halfway there."
"If you ignore the pain, you'll push through," commented another.
"This feels like a moment to entertain ourselves by song!" cheered Zuqiu.
"Please don't," disagreed Airen.
"We're traveling to Zi Guangi to deliver shipment for the Earth Kiiiiing!" began Zuqiu.
His singing was off rhythm, but he resumed his lion vulture screeching; Airen covered his ears, "Please, someone make him stop!"
"Some of the men don't want to speak up, but they feel like livestock!" he continued.
"Our throbbing feet are only easily ignored through this songgg," Zuqiu sang.
"You're the only one singing!" shouted another.
"Shut up, already!" yelled Taobing.
"Hey! Don't hate on my talent!" sassed Zuqiu.
"I've got a better song; what about the Girls of Ba Sing Se?" wondered Wei.
Airen hated this song, too, because he didn't find any of the Haijunese women attractive. Besides them being snobbish and having lackluster personalities, he found them pretty ugly. He did have a mental bank of individuals he found alluring to the eye, but he kept that idea to himself. He'd live longer if he kept it that way.
"I want her browner than cocoa beans, with eyes that remind me of the trees they grow on!" began Zuqiu while he eyed Avani, who slept silently up ahead of the men.
Wei continued, "She'll adore my achievements and worship the ground I step on!"
"I could care less about what she wears or looks like. I'm just desperate!" another sang.
"I want one that cooks like my mother," mentioned Biehe; he clasped his hands up the top of the other and winked to the skies above.
"Hey Airen, I'd like to believe the city girls thought you were quite the womanizer!" smiled Wei.
Airen glared at Wei; he refused to participate in the rest of the soldiers' mindless entertainment. Mainly because he knew those weren't the lyrics to the song. Wei attempted to persuade the nobleman, "C'mon, you've got to sing!"
"I said no," declined Airen.
"Mine will ask me not to wear anything but my armor," grinned Shuaige as he rose both eyebrows. "I'm glad I'm not distracted; I've got one back at home," said Baoshou.
"Wait, wait, wait, these aren't lyrics to The Girls of Ba Sing Se,'" interrupted Taobing; he cleared his throat, and his singing commenced.
It was far worse than Zuqiu's singing, "It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city, they look so pretty!"
"They kiss so sweet that you really have to meet, the Girls of Ba Sing Se!" continued Taobing.
"Their hugs are warm, like a mother's love, their affection is sweet, it'll make you feel complete!" Shuaige sang.
"Then you'll really want to meet, the Girls of Ba Sing Se!" Fangzhu, Shuaige, and Wei sang the chorus in unison. Their ruckus awakened Avani from her slumber; she took a gander at the men who were in merriment as they marched. She seemed bothered, and she heard the last few lines from the song.
Zuqiu continued, "Their personalities are unique. They make my knees weak."
"Their bodies are shaped like pears, but none of us care; trust me, you'll fall in love with..." sang Taobing.
"...the girls of Ba Sing Se!" all the men finished together as a choir.
Avani rolled her eyes and mocked them in a sing-song tone, "Right because any of the Girls of Ba Sing Se would want smelly mediocre men."
"Hey, don't hate because you can't find love, you shrew!" insulted one of the men in the company.
Avani's voice gradually rose in anger, "I can't find love because maybe I DON'T WANT ANY!"
She turned around angrily and crossed her arms; her ostrich horse went forward along the road. The men murmured between each other. Maybe she was a shrew? Or perhaps she had impossible standards.
Back in Omashu, the Isoro Royal Family was led by the royal berserkers to a platform. There they met Dai Hau, Cai Dao, and Yeman. Down below them was a large arena made of sandstone here is where the Kuiwu family shed blood between each other. Often times the royal berserkers dueled here from time to time over bragging rights. It has been quite some time since a Kuiwu member has set foot inside.
Yeman remembered the times that his father wanted him to prove his worth as heir. With Yeman being a non-bender, Cai Dao convinced the Earth King to allow the boy to prove his ruthlessness and strength. Now he continued to prove himself in the eyes of the Court of the Clans. The crowd cheered when royal berserkers slowly dropped a platform where Chu Zi and her mount stood. She was equipped in the finest armor found in Omashu, the plate was smithed from iron, and it had pieces of leather for mobility purposes.
Today was her special day; of course, her left was completed covered in thick leather, while on the other, she only wore a glove. On her back rested a quiver of arrows and a bow. On her waist was a saber. Those who filled the stands were the royal guardsmen, commoners, soldiers stationed in the city on break, and nobles. She mounted her short, comprehensive, and fat mount; it had tusks and a black mane that ran from his head down to its rear. The warthorse was native to Omashu province, usually found in wild herds. These were only tamed by the Kuiwu clan, and these creatures are known to have a temper often; they killed weak trainers.
Chu Zi whistled, and the screech of a mudcat osprey echoed inside the arena. A golden feathered avian creature flew through the air and encircled her master. The Princess rose her arm to signal the bird to perch on it. Yeman rose from his throne and announce from the platform, "This afternoon we witness the coming of age of Her Highness Princess Chu Zi. Alongside her trusted allies, Altandol, and Aduu, here she will either fail or succeed in the slaying of a few beasts!"
Dai Hau minced forward and shouted, "As a daughter of the Kuiwu clan, every girl at the age of seven is given a mudcat osprey. From seven until they become sixteen, they spend these years training their pet to become a dangerous predator and a lifelong friend. On this day, you will see that the Princess is a capable and formidable future Queen for the crowned prince of the Isoro Empire!"
"Release the first beast!" commanded Yeman.
Chu Zi took in a deep breath and whispered to herself, "I hope you're watching, Dad. This one's for you."
She concentrated on the gates as they lowered, a sigh of relief when a small Leporidae critter with antlers hopped out of the cage. It freaked out and sprinted around the arena. It was stressed out as it searched for an exit; these critters were known as jackalopes. Its antlers were short but thick, obviously as a form of self-defense. Chu Zi petted her mudcat osprey affectionately and reminded her pet, "You know what to do, Altandol."
Chu Zi pulled her bow and notched an arrow, her avian pet launched into the air. The prey felt the presence of danger that it sprinted around the arena. Chu Zi dug the spurs of her boots into her mount; this prodded the animal forward. The warthorse chased the critter around the stadium while the Princess aimed her arrow. She whistled again, and her mudcat osprey echoed its screech in the arena. It dove toward the jackalope. The creature attempted to defend itself, but its antlers evidently failed.
Altandol grabbed hold onto it, and both creatures struggled as they scuffled about. Patches of fur and feathers flew in the area the two animals wrestled in. During the altercation, Chu Zi inhaled and focused, then released an arrow and struck her mark. Altandol clenched onto the dying jackalope and brought it to her master. Chu Zi grasped the carcass and stuffed it into a basket strapped to her warthorse's saddle.
The crowd applauded her victory, but this wasn't over; her brother ordered from the platform, "Quite an easy challenge, let's make it a bit more difficult. Bring out the squirrel fox!"
The gates lowered to reveal a medium-sized animal with orange fur, whiskers, small ears, and a large furry tail. The critter was omnivorous, while in the winter, it stuck to a high-fat diet. The creature purred as it explored the grounds of the arena. Confused and stressed about the number of predators in the stands. The Princess strapped poison dipped spikes around the feet of the mudcat osprey.
Chu Zi whistled again, Altandol shrieked and soared into the air. The bird descended legs first at the squirrel fox. Altandol missed her target; she gained altitude as soon as she flapped her wings again. Chu Zi gave signals to direct her pet around the arena along with whistles. Altandol gave it another go; this time, when she plummeted down, she twirled down toward the animal. This proved successful and permitted her to dig her spikes into the torso of the squirrel fox. The critter tumbled down as the crowd roared while it laid there dying.
By the time Chu Zi reached the squirrel fox, it was already dead. She picked it up and placed it into the basket. Yeman commanded as he pointed to the gates across the arena, "The final challenge is here. Release the gemsbok bull!"
A furious enclosed beast raged inside the cage it was being held in; Chu Zi gasped. There was no way Yeman would put her in the arena against a monster. The royal berserkers used their bending to drop the gates. The beast looked bovine primarily in nature, its body was toned and muscular, and its personality was definitely a furious one. It taunted the warthorse as it dragged its left front leg back twice while it exhaled air out of its nostrils. The monster pointed its cranium at the Princess. It indicated that it was about to charge.
The Princess was scared, and she knew the poison that took down the squirrel fox wouldn't work right away. She quickly and shakingly removed the spurs to put on new ones before the beast could kill them. She accidentally dropped one of the new spurs as her hands trembled in fear. Her warthorse had other plans though, it accepted the challenge of the gemsbok bull. She screamed when the warthog charged forward without her command. Some of the spectators covered their eyes. Her chest began to tighten, and she felt her breath shortened.
Chu Zi tried to notch an arrow, but it fell on the ground; she grabbed another and then took aim. But the warthorse and the gemsbok bull collided with each other. The force knocked her off Aduu; Altandol flew into the air without Chu Zi's command too and plunged its single spur into the neck of the massive creature. To no effect, of course, her vision blurred as she stood up and saw that her Aduu laid on the floor without a move. She wasn't sure if he was dead or unconscious, but surely she knew Aduu lost the challenge.
Two royal berserkers observed the carnage and dropped into the arena grounds to save Chu Zi. Then Yeman signaled them to step away; the men saluted the Earth King and used pillars to push them back to safety. Instead, she threw her bow to her side when the bull charged at her. She rolled to her left and clenched the pommel of her saber. Tears filled her eyes when she caught a glimpse of her brother when he signaled the guards to stay back. She felt like he abandoned her at that moment to die in the arena.
The beast came back around and roared again; Chu Zi turned her face away and shrieked loudly while her saber pointed forward. She opened her eyes again after she felt her hand was soaked in something.
Horrified, she peered down to only see her armor had dented, but when she peeped up, she saw the saber lodged into the throat of the beast. It slumped over when she used all her strength to get her sword off of it. The audience went ecstatic; Yeman shouted, "Praise be the Princess of the Oma Kingdom, where she demonstrated her true power and tenacity to the Prince of the Isoro Empire!"
"You make your clan proud, little sister!" yelled Yeman.
"That is a mighty fine warrior, son," complimented Shabaka.
"Indeed she is, father," grinned Setka; the Princess wiped her tears while the crowd kowtowed before her. The royals followed and knelt. Then, the Isoro royals, Yeman gazed at his sister with a smile. The two eyes met for a few miao, and he too knelt before her, a moment which she thought would never happen. The royal berserkers formed a platform around her and lifted her from the arena grounds. Altandol perched on her master's right shoulder.
She questioned one of the guardsmen, "Will my warthorse Aduu be okay?"
"We are not sure, Princess. The healers will do what they can," answered one of the men.
The stable master and healers rushed toward the animal. Dai Hau neared her daughter and hugged her; she kissed her cheek and beamed, "You've pleased your father's spirit, little one. I know that he is smiling from the Great Beyond."
Cai Dao appeared although he missed the arena match; he arrived to announce to Dai Hau, "The hall is set. Am I too late for the arena fight?"
"Yes, she fought bravely, and her determination did not fail her," responded the Queen-Mother.
"I apologize for missing the battle, Your Highness. I was occupied with your celebration," apologized the Grand Secretariat.
"Tell the caretakers to prepare the princess for her evening celebration," ordered Cai Dao.
The guards nodded and walked off; Dai Hau said, "Come, you must visit your father's urn in the Shrine of Shanshen."
The family was escorted by more berserkers toward a chamber near the arena where Gun once worshiped Shanshen daily. Here his urn rested for the time being. The vast rocky vault was decorated to look like a man-made grotto. However, a shrine to the patron deity of Earth King Gun was constructed centuries before the conquer. The statue in the center of the vegetation belonged to Shanshen, the planet deity. Shanshen was the god of the earth itself and possibly earthbending as a whole. He was depicted as a golem made of the planet.
The chamber's path had stepping stones that led to the statue and the shrine in front of it. To the left were exotic trees of fruits native to the Fire Nation. To the right inside the artificial garden was a big pond filled to the brim with water. Small fish swam within, unbothered by the world around them. Yeman smiled when he entered the shrine because he had so many memories here with his father.
Yeman asked, "Did you bring forth the remains of King Gun from the chamber?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, with the utmost care," replied one of the caretakers.
The royal family was brought to an immense obsidian urn with the late remarkable Earth King Kuiwu Gun's cremated remains. The Earth King's regnal name was carved into the vase, 'Handezhengfuzhe' in their tongue, which meant 'Conqueror of Han.' A small description underneath Earth King Gun's regnal name read, "He who saved Queen Oma's seat of power from the corruption of the Southern Han Dynasty, enemies of Shanshen."
The Kuiwu family knelt before the urn while the Isoro family quietly and patiently stood there by them. Chu Zi cried, "I slew a jackalope, a squirrel fox, and a gemsbok bull for you. I wish you were here to see it, but I know you protected me from the Great Beyond in my final challenge."
Cai Dao rested his hand on her left shoulder then he commented, "I know your father is extremely proud and content with what you did today. He observed you since you were seven as you trained your mudcat osprey and grew to be the strong young woman that you are today."
Chu Zi embraced her uncle and wept; he whispered, "There, there."
After fifteen minutes of the family inside the vault, one of the caretakers arrived to pick it up. The family minus Yeman left. He asked them, "Can you leave the urn here for just a bit longer?"
"Certainly, Your Majesty," smiled a caretaker.
The caretaker left; the royal berserkers stood vigilantly as they alerted themselves to their surroundings. He felt their presence then commanded them, "I'd like to be alone with my father."
The guardsmen crossed their arms in an X and slightly bowed to the young king before departing the chamber. Silence filled the vault, not a soul in sight but Yeman and the ashes of his father. He knelt before the former Earth King's remains and broke down. He was emotional; he silently wept to the former king.
Yeman cried, "I-I can't do this alone; you left us abruptly. I don't th-think I'm ready yet."
"The war has added too much stress on me. I can feel the Court of the Clans breaking their faith on me," Yeman whispered to the urn.
"You left and never gave me your blessing; you only gave Uncle a dying wish," squalled the young king. Yeman closed his eyes and took a deep breath; a flashback filled his mind. He recalled when he was the crowned prince. He examined his hands, and in front of him was his mother and sister wept as Gun laid on his deathbed.
Yeman felt helpless again as he gazed at his father dying. The man was likely in his early fifties. The Earth King was pale-skinned and wrinkled; one of his eyes was forest green-colored while the other was a solid white. His untied brown hair was long. His eyebrows were bushy; he sported a long unkempt beard, a large scar ran across his face, his crown rested beside him. The young crowned prince stared into his father's eye as their gaze linked on each other.
His father whispered to him, "I'm dying, boy..."
"T-take...care of your m-mother and sister for me," he told Yeman.
"F-father I-I..." Yeman paused as he began to choke on his words as he fought back the tears.
".. I'm not r-ready to lead...," Yeman stammered his words.
"Y-you must be! A king is ready to l-lead his people at..." coughed the Earth King.
"...at a moment's n-notice!" resumed his father.
"You must be strong and a ruthless Earth King. Be w-wary of the C..." he coughed.
"Court...of the Clans...they are your allies but willingly they w-will betray you...and stick your h-head on a pike!" mentioned Gun.
"What about U-uncle?" bugged Yeman.
"Uncle Cai Dao is a natural-born leader; he should hold the thr-" said Yeman before his father interrupted him.
"Y-yeman! That is the language...of the w-weak, show some strength! Grow a pair of kuaxia wu! You're of the Kui-wu clan, y-you are the crowned prince it is time you...act like it! Make me proud..." hacked the Earth King.
"Make me proud...Yeman or I even I can't protect you in spirit from the...Court," Gun scolded his son.
"Your uncle...will serve as your Gr-rand Secretariat...shut your mouth and listen to his advice...he will help...y-" coughed Gun, his breathing and words now more labored than the last.
"...you along the way..." he whispered.
"I-I love you all..." he finished with his final breath.
Yeman wiped his tears while his mother and sister cried as soon as the last breath escaped Gun's lips. He held himself together and ordered the berserkers at the door, "Alert Regent Lord Cai Dao of Earth King Gun's passing, make sure the caretakers arrange his funeral as well."
Yeman began to weep in front of the urn; he wiped his tears when Cai Dao came out from behind some bushes. Cai Dao started to, "I knew you were in here."
The young Earth King turned white as a chill ran up his spine; he gasped, "Uncle!"
"H-how long have you been here?" Yeman stammered his words; he was frightened.
"Long enough, Yeman," responded Cai Dao.
"What's this all about?" he questioned his nephew.
"I-I'm having second thoughts about being King; it's my fears not filling his sabatons," admitted Yeman, as his head nudged over to the urn.
Cai Dao disclosed information to his nephew, "My brother might have left us early, but believe me when I tell you that you did not need his blessing. Earth King Gun praised you. He knew that someday you'd be one of the most powerful and feared Earth Kings of all time."
"This war is stressful to us all, kid. Not just you. After all, we're in this together, you and I; I promised your father that I would watch you grow to be the Earth King the Oma Kingdom deserves. Do not allow the court to intimidate you, Yeman. I've been watching Mong and the others. They will not dare to attack for as long as I live," assured Cai Dao.
Yeman wiped his tears and nodded to his uncle's assurance, "C'mon, your sister needs you at her party."
Yeman joined his uncle; Cai Dao wrapped his arm around his nephew as they exited the chamber. The royal berserkers followed behind as the caretaker returned to put away Gun's urn.
The men and Avani finally arrived at their final destination, Zi Guangi. Just outside the big town, Shuaige circled around an area with his mount and declared, "This is where we set up camp, we'll rest for the evening, and in the morning, we'll break camp and escort the shipment to Taiyuan."
When they came to a stop, an exhausted Zuqiu fell face first. The others were tired as well and began to slowly set up the camp. While Avani was awake and full of energy because she slept the entire time on the way there.
Baoshou suggested, "I'll stay here with the men; you should go and seek the magistrate of the town. Let them know we're here."
Shuaige agreed with him, "Good idea."
"Avani," called Shuaige; her irises and pupils rolled to the corners of her eyes as she glanced at the Captain of the company. She heard Qishi from a distance say, "I need you to come with me to meet the magistrate. It'd be convincing to let him know the shipment is in good hands."
"Why not take Airen? He's a noble from a well-known family," mentioned Avani. She made an excuse because she refused to be stuck with Shuaige.
"Because Airen's not the Avatar, you are. You give people...hope," commented Shuaige.
She sighed; she knew the entire way she'd have to listen to him yap about unimportant things. She only wanted a quiet and peaceful trip. She finished, "Fine."
Shuaige smiled and told Baoshou, "We'll return shortly."
Shuaige and Avani rode beside one another; it was perhaps the early evening when they entered the town. The town itself was surrounded by farm fields with flood irrigated vegetation on all sides. The military camp nestled about a quarter li from the nearest area. Farmers tended these lands, and this is how this town grew its food.
Their ostrich horses walked into the town's checkpoint, one of the soldiers questioned them, "Papers."
Shuaige flashed his rank on his uniform; Avani revealed her papers which included her surname, name, and title, along with the lion bear seal of the Xinao family. The soldier bowed before her, "Welcome to Zi Guangi, Avatar Xinao Avani."
She rode up ahead of Shuaige since she disliked the Captain and didn't want to speak to him. Shuaige called out, "Wait up, I know the way to his estate."
Shuaige caught up to Avani; she turned her cheek and avoided eye contact with him. They silently rode for a while; in the meantime, Shuaige thought of something to say to make the ride less awkward. He scratched the back of his head as he tried to find the words to begin a conversation.
He apologized, "I want to apologize about everything since we've met...I kn-"
She cut him off and said, "Save your breath, you don't have to try to talk to me."
Shuaige lowered his head and sighed, "Look, I know we have our difference, but th-"
She interrupted him again, "This is why I didn't want to come with you. Because I knew you wanted to have a conversation."
"Well, I'd like if you'd stop cutting me off," he said.
"Let's just ride silently to the estate, please," Avani requested from Shuaige.
"I just wanted to have a decent commander-to-soldier relationship until things get better," added Shuaige.
"By the gods, don't you understand Kingsmen? I don't want to talk..." she paused, then pointed at him and resumed, "...to you."
Hansuke popped up behind her and tapped her shoulder; she jumped and gasped. Shuaige only stared at her like she was crazy. She took a gander to see Hansuke behind her on her mount, and then her eyes focused on Shuaige.
She cleared her throat and said, "I thought I felt a bug."
"And I thought we weren't talking," said Shuaige; he turned to face another direction.
She whispered to herself, "What do you gaisi de want?!"
"Just wanted to check up on ya! Wow, you're so rude to your Captain here; give him a chance!" chimed in Hansuke.
"Not in a million years!" she whispered.
"What was that?" Shuaige questioned Avani.
"Nothing," she said.
"Leave me alone; now's not the time," she whispered to Hansuke.
"Tsk, tsk, Avani, you've got forgive and forget, here let me do it for you," Hansuke shook his head; then he took possession of her body and called out to Shuaige, "Captain Qishi, I should apologize for the way I'm acting."
Shuaige turned his attention to Avani; she covered her mouth as she wasn't aware that Hansuke could do that. Under her breath, she said, "Get out!"
"Huh?" he leaned his head to the right while he tried to understand her.
"I've been so uncivil with you, it's not how my parents raised me..." she paused; Hansuke extracted himself from within her then commented, "Ahh, that's how it feels to be a lady."
She already found herself between a rock and a hard place and realized there was no other explanation to give Shuaige. There was a silence before Shuaige mentioned, "Look, I've noticed, since day one, you've been uncomfortable with being drowned in men."
"The way some of them look at you even makes me feel uneasy, I understand. I just want to make sure that you feel at home. At least while you're with us before Shuicheng moves you elsewhere," added Shuaige.
"If you wanted me to feel at home, you'd treat me like an equal," said Avani.
"I treat you on an equal level to the men, but you do get out of hand sometimes. If I didn't punish you all those times, you stepped out of line. Those men would complain and say that because you're a woman, I'm going soft on you," continued Shuaige.
"No, I want to be treated equally like you are with Baoshou," declined Avani.
"My orders from the Earth King were to treat you like a soldier, not give you special treatment. I'm just doing my job, but I'd still wish you would accept my apology," added Shuaige.
Avani thought about for a moment, and Hansuke tapped her shoulder; he gestured that if she didn't, he'd possess her again. Avani glared at her predecessor and grumbled internally.
"I-I forgive you," she said.
"What was that?" he inquired.
"I said, I forgive you," repeated Avani.
"Can I ask you a question?" Shuaige questioned her.
She nodded; Qishi wondered, "I've noticed at times that you talk to yourself. What is that all about? Is that you...you know communing with a past life?"
"Oof, he knows about us, I should go," commented Hansuke; he jumped off Avani's ostrich horse then dispersed into thin air.
"Wait, you can see him?" she asked Shuaige; she pointed behind her.
Shuaige looked behind the Avatar and then bugged, "See who?"
She facepalmed and explained, "He disappeared, didn't he... it's hard to explain, yes and no. Normally it takes tranquility and concentration to speak to a past life. But this particular predecessor appears at random moments even without me calling him."
"Ahh, so you're saying he was here with us," guessed Shuaige; he felt like this was a joke, though.
"Precisely, and he's annoying too. He's sort of like..." Avani said, then Shuaige interrupted her.
"Sort of like...a guardian spirit?" he wondered.
"Less of a guardian spirit, more of a mischievous apparition in my opinion," she finished.
"How so?" Shuaige asked her.
"Remember the time when I sparred Taobing? Or when I swore to everyone that a Fire Nationalist was in my tent? How about the time where Baoshou's undergarments were dyed a red color?" Avani blurted out with examples.
"I get it, but why did you take his advice?" Shuaige pondered further.
"I wanted an easy way out of things," admitted the Avatar.
"Well, there are no shortcuts to success," quoted Shuaige.
Omashu, Oma Kingdom
The Princess was escorted to the royal palace's dining hall by eight royal berserkers that surrounded her. The hall was massive and decorated with pelts of slain beasts, nature-like décor, and floral pieces in some corners. The skulls of the same beasts she slew this afternoon were adorned over the throne of Earth King Yeman, as well as the seats of the royal family. Her family awaited her appearance in the hall at the reserved dining table. While her friends, peers, and nobles were organized at other tables in the dining room.
Dai Hau rose to her feet as the royal berserkers entered the hall with the Princess in the middle. She ordered them, "Royal berserkers scatter!"
The men scattered from encircling the Princess of the Oma Kingdom. Her hair was adorned with rich jewels and rare metals. Her black hairstyle in braids reached her waist as the guests saw the actual length of her hair. Her dress was made of spider silk and bedazzled with diamonds; she looked like a winter queen Setka thought to himself.
She gleamed in his eyes; she appeared to be a bright white light that shined in the dining hall from afar. The foreign prince witnessed the enchanting beauty of the Oma Kingdom princess. The woman he'd soon take back home to Bekini. The nobles and politicians rose from their seats to applaud the young woman's entrance. Her peers cheered and rapidly clapped as they wished to be as pretty as she was.
The Queen-Mother shared a speech, "You've given me complicated childbirth, and through it all, I've witnessed as you grew. From your first steps to your first time training Altandol. Today we celebrate your departure from childhood and the beginning of womanhood. I wish you strength and confidence in facing the challenges which your future hold, my daughter. Wisdom will help you on your path, while joy, adventures, and contentment will be born from the littlest of things.
Most importantly, I wish you love. I know you're making your father proud with each choice you make daily. We've raised a powerful and beautiful young woman!"
Chu Zi gazed at her mother during the speech; a tear welled up in her left eye; then it slowly slid down her cheek. Cai Dao commented, "As your uncle, I only hoped the best would come to you. Alongside your father, I helped in making your dreams come true. I wish you merriment and luck in your future away from home, darling."
"I'd like to thank all those who could make it to this wonderful celebration, friends, peers, relatives, clansmen. We will cherish this night for the rest of our lives, bring forth the feast!" finished Cai Dao.
Servers swooned into the dining hall when their supervisor rang a small bell in his hand. Men and women waltzed across the room with platters of food. After the royal family was served first, food was passed around to the guests. Once the meals were given, Yeman rose from his seat, "Tonight we dine, drink, and party in honor of my little sister. Tonight the Kingdom witnesses you as a young woman. I'm proud of you, kid."
The guests applauded, and the family and guests feasted. Merriment and laughter were shared throughout the dinner. After the dinner ended, Cai Dao snapped his fingers twenty musicians began to play music. The musicians' instruments ranged from the ostrich horse-headed fiddle to the yochin. Traditional barbarian clan music was played with tiny throat singers thrown into the mix. Chu Zi was pulled out of her chair by her mother to get her to dance to the music. The middle of the dining hall suddenly filled with guests as they danced all evening.
Eventually, Cai Dao danced with his sister-in-law, the Queen-Mother then shared a dance with the Pharaoh of the Isoro. While Setka joined Chu Zi and her peers in a group dance. Zaphnath ran around with other children as they screamed and laughed with joy. Yeman sat at the table alone, silent and with a lack of interest. Cai Dao noticed that his nephew sat in the dark alone. His uncle approached him and chimed in, "Yeman get up and dance with someone. There are plenty of unwed young women here for you to choose from."
"I'll pass," responded the young king.
"What's wrong, kid?" he questioned Yeman.
"You already know," Yeman answered.
"I'd reckon a good woman would get your mind off it; you're the king. I'm sure all of them are dying to meet you. Give it a go," Cai Dao coaxed the king.
"None of them are to my tastes; I'm not really into prissy, pretty girls. I want a fearless she-warrior, one that will match my power," said Yeman. His uncle lost interest in getting him to be social, Yeman remained on his makeshift throne. Cai Dao sighed and enjoyed the evening.
A large estate finally came into view; Avani and Shuaige gave each other a slight smile. After they avoided the liveliness of the town, they made it to the estate. It was heavily guarded with retainers hired by the magistrate. Each man wore a tabard with the insignia of the pythaconda nestled on them. Even the wooden doors in the entrance had the carving. They were directly escorted to the main house when they appeared.
Shuaige and Avani came during dinnertime, where the magistrate and his family ate together. His Captain of the guard bowed before him and announced, "You have special guests here to see you."
The magistrate's face turned red hot; he was irritated that someone wanted to disturb him during family time. He questioned his Captain, "Who?"
"Captain Qishi Shuaige and the Avatar, Fumu Guan," replied the guard captain.
"The Avatar? Bring them in!" his tone suddenly changed; he was in awe when he heard the Avatar was also here.
A young woman was led inside along with Captain Qishi, the young man, the county leader, has met before on a separate occasion. The Avatar and Qishi bowed before the magistrate, then he pointed between the two men on the other side of the table and said, "Please, you can sit between my sons Dong and Feng."
The twin teenage boys sat apart from each other at least at two seats in length. Shuaige sat next to Dong while Avani settled near Feng. Feng smacked himself when he noticed that he stared too long at the guest. Thankfully, she hadn't seen then he cleared his throat. His father mentioned to his guests, "I was made aware by General Taifung that you and your men would be here shortly. I just wasn't expecting tonight."
"Well, we're here now, Magistrate Minsheng," greeted Shuaige.
"This is Avatar Xinao Avani," he introduced the Avatar to the magistrate; she reached over with an extended hand to shake his. He gladly took the friendly shake.
Then Qishi added, "The Avatar was eager to meet you."
Avani turned to face Shuaige then back at Minsheng and nodded, playing along, "Yes, of course, I wanted to assure you that the shipment we're escorting won't fall into the wrong hands as long as I'm here."
"This is fantastic news; I was worried that eighty men wouldn't be able to safely transport the shipment," beamed Minsheng; he clasped his hands together in joy.
Avani and Shuaige exchanged looks, then she asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, we've been getting scout reports of heavy enemy movement in the area," frowned Minsheng.
"General Da only mentioned scouting parties in the area between Zi Guangi and the capital. Can you explain this further?" mentioned Shuaige.
"Certainly, according to reports, the western border was overwhelmed by the Oma Kingdom. So far, they've evaded patrols near Ba Sing Se's borders. It seems they want control of Taiyuan and Pingyao before they decide to amount an assault on Ba Sing Se," began Minsheng.
"There are increasing reports of villages and hamlets being invaded by enemy soldiers. Those who refuse to give up their resources are wiped off the map. We've already lost a hamlet in my county; the governor wishes I send men to stop them, but..." he paused.
"I'm not sure how many of them there are; every time we've sent a small party of recon men, they don't return. I fear Zi Guangi maybe next in their conquest," resumed the magistrate.
Shuaige convinced the magistrate, "That's concerning, but I can assure you, you are not defenseless."
"You have my word; I will see to it that these invaders are brought to justice," promised Avani.
"I'm content to hear you say that, Avatar Avani. You give me hope," smiled Minsheng.
"This shipment you're delivering is located inside the town's defense section. There's a vault where we store armaments and armor manufactured here. We need it taken to the capital," summarized the magistrate.
"We have another carriage filled with explosives, be wary of this. Any mishap could cost you and everyone around you their lives. We need you here by early morning before the sun rises. Governor Wuqi expects you to get there in under a day-and-a-half. If you take more time, he will assume the worst and deploy Yanzhao on your route," finished Minsheng.
"Those Yanzhao fellas give me the creeps," commented Magistrate Minsheng. He shook his head as he shuddered in fear.
Shuaige said nothing, then Avani chimed in, "Oh, they're not that bad; I've worked with them plenty of times."
The magistrate didn't press further and instead kept his mouth shut. He took a sip of his tea and then wished them farewell, "I will see you in the wee hours of the morning then?"
"Yes, Fumu Guan," bowed Shuaige.
Avani turned her head to the county leader then she and Qishi departed. After they left the premises and traveled down the road, she questioned Shuaige, "What was that all about?"
"What?" Qishi turned his attention to Avani.
"His comments about the Yanzhao," mentioned Avani.
"I'd rather not speak ill of them; let's just say some people don't like them," commented Shuaige.
"And those people are usually the ones hiding something," Avani defended the Earth King's spy ring.
Shuaige conceded to her, "Well...as I said, I don't have anything to comment about them. I never quite worked with them."
Avani felt they were often demonized by people who've never worked with the Yanzhao. She thought it was right to defend them as she had friends inside the spy ring. They've saved her life on occasion before she became a fully-realized Avatar.
The Next Morning in Omashu
Chu Zi and her mother were face-to-face, the Queen-Mother rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders. She reassured Chu Zi, "You will be fine, you will do great things, and we will come to visit when we can; I love you."
"I love you too, tanii eej," responded the Princess.
The Princess embraced her mother as the Pharaoh approached the Princess and the Queen-Mother. His arms rested behind him; he spoke a bit louder to grab her attention, "The carriage awaits you, sat."
Both women turned their attention to the Pharaoh, and Chu Zi inquired, "What does that mean?"
"It means daughter or daughter-in-law; they've prepared the carriage for our departure. I can promise you that our journey will be long. We will, however, have a blast," affirmed Shabaka.
"A celebration is waiting for you in Bekini; the citizens are dying to meet you," added Shabaka.
"Go now; we will come to visit you in two weeks after you've reached the city," whispered Dai Hau while she caressed her daughter's cheek. The young girl nodded; she nipped briskly to catch up to the Pharaoh. Outside, Setka and Zaphnath waited; the little boy picked his nose then asked, "So I'm finally getting another sister to annoy?"
"She's not going to be your sister, Zaphnath; she will be my queen," answered Setka; he glared at the child.
"If you bother her, you will hear it from our mut," warned Setka.
The boy wiped a long booger on the carriage; his brother reacted in disgust then scorned the boy, "Ew! Don't wipe your b-"
Their father interrupted Setka when he appeared with Chu Zi next to him. Shabaka questioned the crowned prince, "Don't what, repat?"
Setka bowed to the Pharaoh and shook his head, "Nothing, Your Excellency!"
One of their royal guards opened the carriage door; Shabaka entered first, then joined by his youngest child inside. Setka and Chu Zi had a brief moment to themselves. The crowned prince entered the carriage and reached his hand out to the Princess and smiled, "Take my hand, I will show you the beauty of the great blue jewel of the Si Wong."
Still frightened and anxious about her future, she hesitated for a moment but then remembered her duties to her kingdom and gently took his hand. The prince used his strength to lift her into the wagon. The Isoro royals smiled at her and attempted to make her comfortable.
A guard snapped the whip on his mantid skink. The monster made a strange insect-like noise, and the carriage moved forward. Chu Zi stared out the window as she saw the city's environment and that of her lands for the last time.