Aizon was an exceptional young man. His handsome aristocratic face and sharp silver eyes belied a cunning unmatched by his peers. He was the top student of his class, and he had just earned a rare commission into the imperial firebenders.
A small smile reached his lips as a warm feeling of accomplishment filled him as he once again read his letter of commission into the royal procession for the millionth time. His years of hard work had finally paid off, but it hadn't always been this way.
His early life had been mired by misfortune. Born into a poor, but respected noble family in 83 AG on Ember Island, young Aizon's future had been promising until he was two years old.
Aizon's father, a high ranking logistician for the Fire Nation army, had gone to an Earth Kingdom colony to inspect the progress of some of the new steel making factories being built there. Aizon's father was said to have been a very intelligent man, and under his watch, the new factories tripled their steel production in under a month.
The Fire Lord himself caught wind of this miraculous feat, and there were rumors that Aizon's father was in line to receive a position on the national war council, one of the greatest honors possible. Then, tragedy struck.
During a routine inspection of one of the more backwater factories, a disgruntled earthbender worker attacked Aizon's father when his back was turned. A huge slab of rock was sent slamming into the back of his head. The worker was arrested and executed after a quick trial, but it was already too late.
After a few days teetering on the brink of death, Aizon's father succumbed to his wounds.
The assassination shocked the entire Fire Nation. Reprisals on the Earth Kingdom, and crackdowns on "rebellious" colonies ensued, but there was little else that could be done.
Aizon's mother was a homemaker, and made no money of her own. After the death of her husband, she could no longer afford to raise young Aizon. But to the shock of many, Fire Lord Ozai personally intervened and arranged for Aizon and his mother to be provided for.
It was an act of kindness that Aizon would never forget.
He had vowed to repay the Fire Lord one day, and it was his dream to personally serve the ruler of the Fire Nation. Serving in the royal procession wasn't an easy job to acquire however. Only the best of the best of all the firebenders in the entire Fire Nation earned a spot in the elite bodyguard unit of the royal family.
Thankfully, Aizon had been blessed from a with a prodigious ability in firebending. The golden flames he produced were ferocious, and backed by a seemingly endless amount of pure power. Yet innate talent alone wouldn't be enough to fulfill his dream.
He would need a teacher to train him in the vastly complex art of firebending to stand any chance of being selected for such a prestigious roll. The only problem was that lessons from a master firebender didn't come cheap. And although Aizon and his mother were provided for, they didn't have nearly enough money to pay for private tutoring.
When Aizon had figured that out, he had felt crushed. He had all but resigned himself to being drafted as a logistician like his father. Then he was twelve years old, he saw an announcement posted on his school bulletin board.
It said "CALLING ALL FIREBENDERS: A REGIONAL AGNI KAI COMPETITION WILL TAKE PLACE ON EMBER ISLAND IN THREE MONTHS TIME. OPEN TO ALL AGES AND WEIGHT GROUPS. TOP TEN WINNERS WILL BE ENROLLED IN MASTER JEONG JEONG'S FIREBENDING ACADEMY."
Aizon's silver eyes had grown wide after reading the last sentence. Master Jeong Jeong?! The legendary firebender and semi-retired admiral had become something of recluse, and had all but stopped taking on students in recent years, only occasionally being seen in the Fire Navy.
This was the opportunity Aizon had been waiting for, and there was no way he would miss it.
Three months later, Aizon found himself waiting in line with hundreds of other people. He was waiting for his chance to enter the competition. A small placard with the number 387 hung around his neck.
Aizon had trained almost non-stop in preparation for this day. Although he couldn't teach himself the more complex aspects of firebending, he could learn the simpler parts. Aizon had drilled himself on the basic movements of firebending until he could do them flawlessly.
He only hoped that it would be enough.
"NEXT!" called the competition organizer, a man with a bushy white mustache. The line slowly moved forward as two more people faced off against each other. Before he knew it, Aizon was at the front of the line. He quickly stepped up onto the Agni Kai dueling platform and surveyed his opponent.
The teenager standing opposite him sneered maliciously and cracked his knuckles. Aizon ignored him, instead taking a deep breath as he planned his strategy. He knew he couldn't afford to use firebending just yet. He would exhaust himself if he tried to do that. There were simply too many competitors to get through.
The sound of a gong being struck resounded through the air, cutting off his deliberations.
"BEGIN!"
Aizon's opponent attacked first, charging Aizon with a wild battle cry. Aizon didn't move. Just when his opponent was a foot away, he rolled forward, ducking under the punch that had been aimed at his face. Not stopping his movement for a second, he spun and swept the legs out from under his opponent, knocking him off the platform.
"WINNER, NUMBER 387!"
And just like that, it was over.
And so it went, a smaller and smaller number of people advancing each round. It wasn't until the fourth round, about halfway through the tournament, that Aizon found himself facing a challenging opponent.
Aizon panted as he jumped left, dodging a fireball just before it could hit him. He glared as the shirtless man on the opposite side of the platform laughed openly and taunted him.
"What's the matter little boy? Forgot this was a firebending tournament? You can't dodge forever!"
Aizon grit his teeth, but otherwise didn't respond. He had been jumping, rolling and running for the past fifteen minutes, but he was no closer to winning now than when he had started. The man had a flawless defense, and Aizon could not find any holes in it. It looked like he was going to be forced onto the offensive.
"Fine," Aizon growled. "You want firebending? I'll give you firebending!" he shouted the last sentence.
He dove forward, somersaulting midair over another attack. When he came out of his arc, he kicked out his left foot, sending a wave of white hot fire racing across the platform at blinding speed.
Aizon's opponent never stood a chance.
"AAAAAAaaaaaah!" his screaming grew fainter as he was thrown into the air by the explosion, flying father and father away until a crash could be heard in the distance.
"WINNER, NUMBER 387!" came the voice of the event organizer, starting Aizon back to reality.
Aizon was further surprised when cheering reached his ears. He ducked his head and quickly hopped off the platform. He smiled graciously at all the pats on the back and congratulations he received.
He accepted a cup of water and tried to get his breathing under control. Aizon had made it look easy, but he knew he had just given up his one advantage. The element of surprise. Whoever his next opponent was would know what to expect.
Before he knew it, the gong sounded out again, and Aizon was back up on the platform.
Climbing the steps, Aizon was confused for a moment when he saw the crowd had thinned out quite a bit. With a start, Aizon realized there were only 15 people left now. He had almost secured his spot for the academy. If he could survive this round, he would make it. Eagerly he awaited his opponent.
This time his opponent was an old man. A long silver beard reached down to his knees. For a long time they simply stared at each other, neither willing to make the first move. Finally Aizon could take it no longer.
A stream of fire so hot, he had to look away, erupted from his palms. But rather than being blown away like Aizon's prior opponent, the old man redirected the fire straight back at Aizon. He only just managed to dive out of the way of his own attack.
Aizon landed hard on his back, but he jumped back immediately to his feet and started throwing punch after punch of fists full of fire. But just like before, the old man remained unfazed, dissipating Aizon's barrage without barely moving.
Aizon growled, anger starting to cloud his vision. He was breathing hard, and sweating heavily, yet his opponent seemed to have barely moved at all.
"That's it!" he said, before charging the infuriating old man. He got barely two feet before a wall of fire was thrown up in front of him, blinding Aizon. He put a hand up to cover his eyes, taking a step back from the searing heat, but then he felt his foot slip, and Aizon saw stars as the ground came up to meet his head.
When the world finally stopped spinning, Aizon felt his stomach drop out from under him. And the dizziness had nothing to do with it. He blew it. This was his one chance to get a master to teach him, and he had let his anger get the best of him. He put his face into his hands.
Suddenly a shadow came over him.
Aizon slowly looked up and saw the old man standing over him.
"What do you want?" he grumbled. "Come to gloat?" he asked bitterly.
"On the contrary, I've come to congratulate you on a well fought Agni Kai," the long bearded man replied.
Aizon rolled his eyes and wearily got to his feet, brushing off the dirt from his clothes.
"Yeah well, not that well fought. I don't think you moved an inch during the whole fight. I was nothing more than a nuisance to you…"
Aizon looked closer at the old man's face. There was something familiar about it, but he couldn't quite place it.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"To be honest, I don't even know why you're competing. You definitely don't need lessons from Master Jeong Jeong."
Strangely, a half smile came over the old man's face. "Oh? Why do you say that?" he asked, sounding intrigued.
Aizon laughed. "Well it's obvious isn't it? Master Jeong Jeong is famous for his fire walls and defensive fighting style. Seems to me you have those down pat."
To Aizon's surprise though, the old man disagreed.
"Master Jeong Jeong does not believe in a "defensive" or "offensive" fighting style. Master Jeong Jeong simply recognizes the importance of self-control, precision, and patience."
For a few moments, Aizon found himself nodding along. Then he snapped his head back in the old man's direction, a deep look of suspicion on his face.
"Wait a second. How would you know that? You're competing in a tournament to win a spot in master Jeong Jeong's academy… How could you possibly know what Jeong Jeong believes?"
The old man smiled fully this time, a sight that seemed strange and unused on his face. With a flourish, he ripped off what turned out to be a fake beard, revealing a signature goatee and pencil mustache that could only belong to...
"Because young firebender. I am master Jeong Jeong!"
Four years later
Jeong Jeong had accepted Aizon as his student that day, and Aizon took to his lessons like a turtle duck to water. Every day after school, for four years, Aizon would run over the academy to practice with Jeong Jeong. His dedication was absolute, and he quickly rose to be Jeong Jeong's star pupil.
Aizon learned discipline. He learned patience. But most of all he learned the power of firebending. Of course, he would never tell Jeong Jeong that. His master was under the impression that Aizon was a kindred old soul.
Jeong Jeong thought that Aizon, his protege, wanted nothing more in life than to spend the rest of his days defending people. Never to use his prodigious firebending skills to hurt anyone unless absolutely necessary.
But if there was one thing that Aizon was good at even better than firebending, it was keeping secrets.
And while it was true that his dream was to become an imperial guard, a protector of the royal family, it was also true Aizon had never forgotten that an earthbender had murdered his father in cold blood.
His other dream, the no one knew about, not even his Jeong Jeong, was to one day see the destruction of the Earth Kingdom.
And when that day finally came, Aizon planned to be there.
But he never gave any sign indicating such a thing. Just last week he went in to try out for the Imperial Firebenders. Even getting an opportunity to try out was extremely rare and very competitive.
Luckily status wasn't dependent on wealth in the Fire Nation, as his family was very poor. Children of noble birth were usually allowed to try out for any position they wanted in the army. It wasn't guaranteed they would get it, but they would usually be allowed to try at least.
But even being of noble blood wasn't enough to be allowed to try out for the Royal Procession. You had to be a very powerful and skilled firebender to be accepted into the most elite unit in the Fire Nation. It was only because he had trained under a master firebender like Jeong Jeong that Aizon was given the chance.
His actual task during the tryout had been simple. Protect a straw dummy from assassination.
Normally, protecting something as flammable as straw from fire by using more fire would be a recipe for disaster. But Aizon wasn't your normal everyday firebender. He had spent years under Jeong Jeong, the master of defensive firebending, learning how to firebend without burning what he didn't want burnt.
Aizon didn't hesitate at the seemingly impossible task. He raised a ten foot fire wall completely encircling himself and the dummy. For twenty minutes, he held off against an all out barrage from all sides, his fire wall absorbing the blasts of flame and redirecting them before they could get anywhere near him.
When he finally collapsed to his knees in exhaustion, he heard gasps of shock. But it wasn't because of him. It was because of what was revealed when his fire wall finally fell.
Not a single piece of straw on the dummy was burnt.
Almost needless to say, Aizon was only slightly surprised when he received a letter by messenger hawk informing him of his acceptance into the royal procession the next day. He had hesitated to tell master Jeong Jeong for three days. He didn't know why. He just had a bad feeling about it.
But today was Aizon's last day on Ember Island before he had to board a ship to travel to the capital. He could delay no longer.
Nervously, he walked up the path to Jeong Jeong's academy. Even the weather seemed to be off today. The normally bright and sunny skies of Ember Island were covered with fog. Heavy rain and harsh winds made Aizon shiver and moved quickly to get indoors.
He threw the door open and slammed it behind him, his teeth chattering as he struggled to get warm. But then Aizon noticed something odd.
The normally bustling academy was completely empty. And it was completely dark as well, with not a single torch lit in the entire entrance-way. Straining his ears, Aizon could only hear silence.
"How strange…" he said quietly to himself, as he slowly began walking down the hallway, his footsteps echoing eerily in the darkness.
"Perhaps master Jeong Jeong has gathered everyone in the meeting hall?" It wasn't uncommon for Jeong Jeong to hold academy wide meetings when he had an announcement or something administrative to do.
But when Aizon arrived in the meeting hall, he found that the room was as empty and dark as the entrance-way. Now Aizon was truly alarmed. There was always someone in the academy. Whether it was late night training or early morning studying, there was always a few people here. Aizon had never seen the place completely abandoned like this.
Aizon ran from room to room, throwing open doors and peeking his head in the different rooms, but he found no one. Finally starting to feel a bit of panic, Aizon ran straight to Jeong Jeong's personal office. Normally it was forbidden for anyone to enter, but Aizon felt the situation warranted it.
He wrenched the door open and saw something truly shocking. Master Jeong Jeong was halfway out the window, looking like he was going to climb out.
"Master Jeong Jeong!" He called.
Jeong Jeong pulled himself back inside the office.
"Aizon. What are you doing here?" The old man asked.
"Me?! What am I doing? What are you doing?" he asked incredulously.
"I'm leaving, young Aizon. And I'll have to ask you not to tell anyone that."
Aizon's silver eyes narrowed. "Leaving? Where are you going? What's going on here Jeong Jeong? Where is everyone? And what do you mean don't tell anyone?"
To Aizon's increasing frustration though, the old man didn't answer. Instead he just smiled.
Finally, Aizon gave up and rolled his eyes. Sometimes Jeong Jeong acted weirdly. It was just his personality.
"You can't leave anyway. On my way here I passed the harbor, and they're requesting you come down to secure one of the cruisers. They need all hands for the storm."
A brief look of anger flashed across Jeong Jeong's face. "The Fire Navy is no longer of concern to me," he said after a moment.
Aizon's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "No longer of concern? What do you me…"
And then it hit him.
The empty building. The lights off. Sneaking out the window like a criminal.
"You're deserting," Aizon whispered in dawning realization.
Aizon expected to be called an idiot. He expected to be called a foolish little boy. He expected to be told he was dead wrong.
What he didn't expect was dark laughter.
"You were always too clever for your own good, weren't you Aizon?"
Aizon took a step back as Jeong Jeong took a menacing step forward.
"I'm not sure what you mean, master?"
More dark laughter and Aizon felt his back hit the wall as he took another step back.
"I'm afraid I am no longer your master, young Aizon. Nor are you my student any longer. I've taught you all I know... It pains me to do this, especially to one as bright as you, but you leave me no choice…"
Jeong Jeong rushed forward, but Aizon was already moving. He jumped over his now former master and lept out the window. He hit the roof running, his breath visible in the cold air. He jumped from the edge of the roof to the roof of the building next door, his body rolling on impact to lessen the blow when he landed.
He was up and running to the next roof in seconds. He could hear Jeong Jeong behind him, but he didn't stop to look back. He lept from roof to roof, never stopping, looking for a way to escape.
Just as he was about to jump to another building, he felt his legs get swept out from underneath him. Blearily he looked up to see Jeong Jeong standing over him. Aizon's head pounded as he dangled halfway off the edge of the roof.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"It's over Aizon. You were one of my greatest students. Why couldn't you have just stayed home today Aizon?"
Jeong Jeong a sigh that even Aizon could tell was truly regretful.
"It brings me great shame to do this, but it must be done. Goodbye Aizon…"
Jeong Jeong held his hand up, a ball of fire quickly growing in size despite the pouring rain. His hand went back, but then, just before he could bring his hand down, Aizon threw his hands up in one last desperate gambit.
But instead of fire pouring forth from his hands as he intended, the dark sky turned bright as day when a bolt of lightning streaked down and exploded into the ground between Aizon and Jeong Jeong. The last thing he saw as he felt his body tumble off the roof was the look of absolute shock on his former master's face.
Then Aizon felt a sickening crack on his head before he blacked out.
When he next came to it was to the sound of waves crashing. Wait… waves? His eyes flew open, but he quickly shut them again as he was blinded by intense sunlight. A few seconds later he opened his eyes again, squinting to adjust to the bright light.
Aizon sat up and took a look around. It immediately became apparent where the sound of waves was coming from. He was on a ship, in some kind of infirmary room lined with beds against the wall.
The room was completely empty at the moment, but he noticed a letter at his bedside table. He opened it up gingerly, curious of what he would find inside.
Aizon felt his throat constrict as he instantly recognized the loopy handwriting of his mother. He hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to her…
The letter read: Dear Aizon, You gave me quite a scare when I was informed of what happened. I spent the entire night by your bedside until it was time for you to board the ship to the capital. The doctor said it was nothing serious, just a concussion, but you know how I worry…"
Aizon ran a hand through his dark hair, and was surprised to not find any bandages or wounds. With the way he had hit his head, Aizon was grateful to even be alive. He looked back to the letter.
"My little boy is all grown up, off to serve the Fire Lord himself at the Royal Palace. You make me so proud Aizon. Never forget that…"
splotches of water hit the letter as he read the final sentences.
"You father would be proud too. There was no one more dedicated and loyal to the Fire Lord than your father Aizon. If he could see you now, I'm sure he'd have the biggest grin on his face. Good luck in the Imperial Guard Aizon. Come back to me when you're a General. With Love - Mother."
A knock at the door startled him, and he quickly hid the letter in his pocket. Aizon looked up to see one of the sailors standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Lieutenant Aizon?" The sailor asked.
Aizon blinked, but then nodded. He supposed that he would have to get used to that title now.
The sailor gave him a small smile. "It's good to see you're awake now. We'll be arriving at the capitol tomorrow." The sailor walked over and set two scrolls down at his bedside table. "These are your orders. Don't lose them. All the details are inside. Good luck sir."
With a salute, the sailor walked out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway after him. When Aizon could hear them no longer, he took out the letter again and gripped it tightly.
His mother might have written it jokingly, but Aizon didn't care.
When he next returned to Ember Island, it would either be with an army, or in a coffin.
The next day
Aizon's thoughts wandered as made his way through the market. The ship had docked at sunrise, and now he had a few hours to kill until he was due to report to the palace. He was to present himself to someone called "Captain Masao." The first scroll he had gotten had said as much.
What the second scroll said had stunned him.
It was an official commendation for helping to capture Jeong Jeong. Or as he was now known "The deserter." Aizon shook his head in dismay, his own feelings over the whole incident unclear even to himself.
He knew Jeong Jeong had always been… different. That much had been obvious after the hundredth time that Jeong Jeong had referred to firebending as a "curse."
But Aizon just couldn't understand why he would do something so dishonorable as turn traitor. And then to attempt to murder him? Aizon was just a boy barely out of school for goodness sake.
Needless to say, Aizon's opinion of his former teacher had dropped several fold.
Jeong Jeong had been knocked unconscious after falling from the roof, leading to his capture before he could make an escape. Apparently, Jeong Jeong had been under suspicion for a long time.
The whole affair left a sour taste in Aizon's mouth, and he felt ashamed to be even remotely associated with a turncoat.
The one part that still confused him was the lightning. His commendation made no mention of it, but Aizon knew what he did. He felt the impossibly powerful bolt of pure fire respond to his command.
Aizon knew he was a very powerful firebender. Even Jeong Jeong would admit that much. But he had never wielded lightning before. It was supposed to be impossible except for all but the most legendary of firebenders.
Aizon had once heard a rumor that the crown princess was able to wield lightning. Maybe he would be able to ask her…
"You there! You look like you could use some cheering up!"
Aizon was alarmed when he felt himself pulled over to one of the market stands. He brandished a flame in his hand and was satisfied when heard a yelp of pain. A merchant that greatly resembled a ferret taken human form was sorely rubbing his now burnt red hand.
"What'd you do that for?" The ferret man asked indignantly.
"You should know better than to accost a member of the Imperial Guard," Aizon replied with equal indignation.
"I..I.. Imperial G..Guard?" The man stuttered, before throwing himself to Aizon's feet. "Forgive me sir, If I had only known…"
Aizon kicked him away. Technically, he had not yet been inducted. But that didn't mean this sketchy looking man needed to know that. Even his mustache looked like a pair of whiskers.
"Small recompense it may be sir, but I'll offer any of my wares here at great discount…"
Aizon had started to walk away, dismissing the groveling cretin entirely, when something caught his eye.
There perched in a cage was a messenger hawk, and not just any messenger hawk either. Instead of the usual red and brown coloring, this bird was a solid black color. The dark color contrasted with piercing blue eyes that could only be found on an apex predator.
"This messenger hawk," Aizon said, turning back to the merchant. "How much?"
A look of greed entered the man's eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly.
"A mere 10 gold pieces is all I ask sir," he said in a voice that indicated what a sweet deal he thought it was.
Aizon was no fool though. He knew he could buy ten messenger hawks for half that price. But glancing at the sun's slowly heightening position in the sky, he knew he didn't have all day to haggle back and forth.
"1 gold piece. Take it or leave it," Aizon offered.
"3 and I'll throw in this free map of the city," the merchant countered.
Aizon almost walked away but then stopped. A map would be useful…
Sighing, he grumbled and fished out three gold pieces. "Here," he said, shoving the money into the merchants hands.
"Nice doing business with you," the merchant said, before handing over the cage with the hawk and a piece of parchment into Aizon's hands. Then he completely ignored Aizon and walked over to another person walking through the market. "Excuse me ma'am, could I interest you in…"
Aizon lost the rest of what he said in the noise of the crowd as he walked away. He had a palace to get to.
A slightly sweating Aizon walked up the palace gates twenty minutes later. It was lucky that the merchant had given him a map, otherwise he would never have found the right gate in time. The palace was huge.
Just the outer walls, themselves so tall Aizon couldn't see over them even from a great distance away, seemed to go on for miles in every direction.
Nervously, he walked up the unmoving guards posted in front of the gate. They were so still, Aizon had could've mistaken them for statues. He set down the cage with his hawk, who he had yet to decide on a name for, and fished the scrolls with his orders out.
He stepped up in front of the taller guard and handed him the scrolls, then performed a tense salute.
"Lieutenant Aizon, reporting as ordered, sir," he snapped out.
The guard took the scrolls and read over them. Aizon was a little surprised when the guard gave an appreciative whistle.
"Barely been drafted and already earned an official commendation… Lieutenant Aizon did you say it was?"
Aizon squirmed uncomfortably under the man's scrutinizing gaze. "Yes sir," he eventually answered.
The guard nodded. "Well I'm Captain Masao. I'll be your commanding officer for the time being. Head inside and wait with the other new lieutenants. You can leave your things here. Princess Azula will be performing an inspection."
"P..Princess, sir?" he repeated faintly. He had thought he would get at least a day to settle in before meeting any of the royal family.
A strangely gleeful look came over the captain's face. "Oh yes. The Princess insists on personally inspecting each new guard before they start their duties. She says it's to prevent impostors from sneaking in…"
The captain shrugged his shoulders as if that was something completely normal to be concerned about.
"Anyway, you better get going. She'll not be happy if you're late…"
Aizon took a deep breath and nodded, before saluting once more. "Yes sir."
Aizon was halfway through the gate when he glanced back at the captain. He was unnerved to see that the man had returned to his position. Completely still as stone.
There were only three other lieutenants waiting for him inside the palace. Aizon didn't know if that was because very few guards needed to be replaced or what, but it seemed like he had barely walked through the door when they were called to attention.
"Line up and present your orders," ordered a silky voice that sent shivers down Aizon's spine. Quickly he stood at the end of a line with the three other lieutenants.
He felt his draw drop involuntarily as a girl like none he had ever seen stepped out of the shadows. Midnight black hair was done up in a neat bun, held in place by what he recognized as a royal hair ornament, which was decorated with the insignia of the Fire Nation.
Two perfectly symmetrical bangs framed a pair of golden amber eyes that were simultaneously extremely intimidating, and paradoxically, also extremely alluring. He snapped his mouth shut as he saw them look in his direction.
The princess - because who else could it be? - raised a dignified dark eyebrow, but made no other sign of noticing. Aizon let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when she looked away and started her inspection.
When it was his turn, Aizon found it hard not to stare as she stepped close. Of course, he had seen pictures of the crown princess. There were portraits of the royal family hung practically everywhere in the Fire Nation. But pictures didn't do her justice.
Everything about her screamed dangerous perfection. The sharp curves of her pale face. The way her golden amber eyes narrowed in warning. Even the way stood imperiously, like someone who knew they were born to rule… It gave Aizon the distinct impression of a predator.
A royal predator.
"Are you going to stare at me all day, Lieutenant? Or are you going to give me your orders?" A pair of ruby red lips demanded in question.
Aizon blushed and looked away. "Apologies princess," he hastily replied, fumbling to get out his orders. She grabbed them out of his hand as soon as they appeared and started to read.
Aizon was very aware of his own heartbeat as she stood in front of him. He berated himself silently for his slip up. So much for making a good first impression.
"Captain," she suddenly called to a guard standing just to side that Aizon hadn't noticed before.
"Yes princess?" answered the man who Aizon now recognized as Captain Masao.
"Take these three to get organized," she said, gesturing to three lieutenants besides Aizon.
"And Lieutenant Aizon?" the captain asked.
She shook her head, staring at Aizon with a look that set alarm bells ringing in his head. "No, he stays."
Thirty seconds later and Aizon found himself alone with the princess.
He gulped. No big deal, right? It was only Crown Princess Azula… who could have him executed at a moment's notice. And who he had just irritated.
What had he gotten himself into?
Just when he was about to apologize, she asked a question he was not expecting.
"Lieutenant Aizon, is it true that you are responsible for the capture of the deserter, formerly known as Admiral Jeong Jeong?"
Aizon had to force himself not focus on the way she seemed to purr his name.
"Yes princess," he answered, swallowing thickly.
A glint of… something appeared in her hypnotic golden eyes. "And how exactly did you do that, Lieutenant? I was under the impression that he was a master firebender. Traitor he may be, but weakling he was not.
She walked over to his side and leaned in to whisper in his ear. Her hot breath making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"In fact, I read an intelligence report that you were his student… I hope you do not share in his sentiments about the Fire Nation…"
Aizon rushed to answer the unasked question. "No, never princess. I would give my life before deserting the Fire Nation," Aizon said with conviction.
She stepped back, and Aizon didn't know if he was more relieved or disappointed.
"Then how is it you bested him? You would have had to do something very unexpected indeed to surprise a firebender of Jeong Jeong's caliber."
Aizon mumbled something.
"What was that? Speak up Lieutenant!"
"Lightning! Okay? I don't know how I did it, but somehow, I made lightning strike the ground between me and Jeong Jeong."
He expected to be laughed at, or reprimanded for speaking in such a way to the princess. But no such thing happened.
He looked up to see a strangely contemplative look on the princess's face. She turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"Princess?" he asked in confusion, not knowing what was going on.
"Come with me Lieutenant. There's been a change of plans."
A/N: Wow, that was a lot for a first chapter. I promise though that the next chapters won't be nearly as long, it's just I dunno. I had to keep going until Aizon and Azula had finally met I guess.
A few clarifications, yes I know that technically Jeong Jeong canonically deserted 10 years before meeting Aang, but here, he didn't, and he also had an academy to teach firebenders for a while. I don't think it's that OOC. Being a teacher was something he was destined to do anyway.
Aizon is 16 also, just btw. So he's two years older than Azula.
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