As the afternoon sun lit her gloomy dark red and gold bedroom up, Mai turned away to avoid the glare of the sun as she sat reading on her bed- she was bored, as she usually had found herself everyday, especially when not attending official duties as the daughter of the Governor, which she found to be slightly more engaging than sitting around doing nothing, because she actually found some responsibility in her actions. Her recent 'interest' of sorts had been snooping around her father's office to find out as much as she could about the events that actually transpired in the past few weeks- her current reading was a report of the supposed defections from Zuko's rule in the past days- a list growing in number with speed; the succession crisis at hand was less important to Mai than the people involved- Zuko and Azula, the two siblings whose actions in the past few months Mai had only a vague idea about. From what she had gathered, Mai understood that she had gone missing after her Royal Barge was shipwrecked, and later appeared in some cruddy backwater Earth Kingdom town- during this time he had defeated Admiral Zhao in an Agni Kai before somehow getting to the Fire Nation Palace and defeating his father in another duel.
The details Zuko and Azula's stories Mai had no proper certainty on- which frustrated her slightly, knowing that there might be things she was in the dark on- especially on his behalf- she didn't know if he would even tell her the whole truth of his actions, not that she would expect him to after the ordeals he had gone through- fighting his own father was one thing, but killing him in a duel was a completely different story. Mai knew that Zuko was a good person, at least in heart, and doubted he intended to kill his father in their duel- he was obviously angry at his father for the treatment he had been given over the years- being banished and burned was just the surface of it, and Mai understood well enough from the things Azula had once told her that their father was beyond cruel and unforgiving, especially when it came to his eldest son; she had personally claimed this because he was 'weak', which Mai knew couldn't have been the whole story- he had done nothing but aspire to follow his father's ideals, and where it got him was a banishment and scarred face- a face she hadn't seen in five years because of it.
On the other hand, she hadn't seen her in years either- her father's posting in New Ozai made sure of that- the Princess had left the capital a few months prior to leave for Ba Sing Se on a diplomatic posting; according to her father's reports- which were further than second hand accounts- the whole diplomatic posting had been a sham cover for the Princess to uncover a conspiracy against Fire Nation rule and with that she had gained the support of a large section of the military, which she was now using as her personal force against her brother. The most unusual thing Mai had heard was that she had found the support of an outsider- described to her from reports as a foreign mercenary- in her work against the conspiracy and then in whatever she was now planning against Zuko; Mai knew she wasn't one to easily make friends- she knew Ty Lee and her were Azula's only real friends she had as a child, and that friendship was primarily maintained by the intimidation that she held over them- not that she didn't appreciate she for none of her more admirable attributes, such as her intelligence and wit, but Mai wouldn't deny that it was unusual to hear that Azula of all people was making friends in the time she spends being shipwrecked and fighting conspiracies, let alone ones from outside their own nation, the kind of people that she explicitly disdained and looked down upon.
Mai's train of thought was broken by a knock on the door, which she curtly responded to with a stoic and somewhat antagonistic "What?"
"My lady- a message has arrived for you, from the Capital." a servant explained, before she got up off her bed and opened the door- she looked at the somewhat short man, who held out the message while avoiding to look at her, making Mai feel that he was not the most sociable servant in their home; she simply took the message out of his hand and nodded.
"Thank you." she simply stated before turning and closing the door behind herself.
Looking down in her hands she examined the message and immediately noticed the seal of the royal palace on it's binding- meaning that it was most likely from Zuko, who she knew would eventually have to respond to her letter; Mai tore off the seal and binding, rolling out the scroll as she sat back down on her bed.
She begun to read the message out in her head, not wanting anyone else to hear the contents of his private message, "Dear Mai- I've so glad you wrote to me- I don't know what to say, but I'm sorry that I never tried to message you while I was away that whole time- it was stupid and ignorant of me- I was a mess, for a long time, and now after all that I'm the Fire Lord. I would like to see you again too, but I have so much to deal with at the moment- being Fire Lord is as hard as you would expect. I will try to organise something- but we'll see each other again soon, I am sure of it- from Zuko."
Mai smiled at Zuko's words, and appreciated his genuine apology- she knew that he would be under a lot of stress after all that happened to him- she was glad that he admitted to his faults and understood that he might have acted up in the past; she could only feel a bit sorry for his uncle for having to deal with his antics- she of all people knew he was one for overreacting and dramatic antics. Mai grabbed the message and took it to her desk, where she retrieved a blank piece of paper to start writing a response; she pulled out a brush and some ink before being interrupted by another knock on her door.
"Who is it?" she asked out, before hearing a throat clearing, marking the arrival to be her father, who opened the door before looking at his daughter with hopeful eyes.
"Mai- I wanted to know if you've gotten any news from Fire Lord Zuko?" he asked, Mai shrugging her shoulders, but glaring back at her father with a sense of slight annoyance.
"If you meant to ask if Zuko wanted me to go see him in the Capital: he told me he would organise something- whether that involves him coming here, or me going to meet him somewhere, I don't know." she explained, Ukano looking at her with his own sense of frustration.
"The Fire Lord has not stated any military objectives for our local forces or any change in administration- that means we're staying in this city until he changes his mind- I'm sure you wouldn't want to be here any longer than you need to be." he told Mai, implicitly commanding her to hurry up and sway Zuko- her father didn't want to keep holding his post as Governor of the rebellious colony of New Ozai for any time longer than he needed to- he longed for the homeland, and with it some kind of promotion that would return him to living in the Capital, Mai knew this well enough.
"Yes- I understand, father." she simply stated to him before turning back to her desk, "Now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to write my reply."
Her fathers footsteps moved back out from her room, and moments later she heard the door thump shut, leaving her alone again; Mai turned back to her brush and ink and begun to write her letter to Zuko- she wanted to know what was going on- and she was going to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Knowing him, she guessed he would make some unintended mistakes along the way, things she didn't think he ought to do when he held the highest office in their Nation, that of the Fire Lord.
Standing on the deck of his vessel, the Captain stood watch silently, keeping to himself on the centre of the deck; the royal guard was certain to remain on the orders of his Princess, that being to wait for the potential arrival of Admiral Zhao or any further orders- the two ships had not separated yet, meaning that he was certain to remain on watch. As he stood his mind crossed the events of the day- he knew that the Water Tribesman had been searching around for the Princess to find any dirt or secrets from the Admiral, one thing that seemed certain that the vain man had. He was not one to judge a military man for his achievements, but he knew well enough that Admiral Zhao had not achieved his title on the grounds of merit or long service; he had risen through the ranks in previous years, seemingly at the Fire Lord's personal discretion- and he didn't seem to be the most competent strategist in the Fire Navy- let alone one that should have earned the rank he held. The Admiral however was known to be man that ought not to be crossed- the Captain had heard rumours which described the underhanded tactics he had used against rivals- sabotage, defamation, even assassination had been mentioned, although he was unsure of the validity of these claims, he certainly took them seriously- he was a threat toward the Princess with his rank, military force and history of greed, vanity and ruthlessness. The man he had been judging at that moment appeared before him on the deck of his own ship, flanked by two personal guards.
As he walked up to the Captain, he flaunted a fake smile at the royal guard, "Ah- you must be the Princess's head guard- I've heard of your feats in Ba Sing Se," Zhao smiled at him, trying to show him a little respect in the context where he was a source of information, "I do wonder however, where is her royal highness?"
He coughed before trying to make an excuse, "She was just dealing with that confidential message- I'm sure she will be on the deck in a moment." Zhao raised a brow in thought before nodding at his statement.
"Fair enough- is there anywhere I can wait for her highness?" he asked, the Captain thinking momentarily; he didn't know exactly where the Princess would want him to house the Admiral while he waited, so he decided to just give another excuse.
"This vessel doesn't have any suitable areas for formal meetings- I'm afraid you'll just have to wait here on the deck, if you need something, I can ask the servants at once." he explained, adding a bit of an offering in exchange, hoping that would appease his desire.
"Of course- if it wouldn't be a trouble, some tea would be wonderful- I haven't had a brew today." he requested, the Captain bowing slightly for him.
"Yes- I will get a server immediately." he told him, quickly turning to pace over to the central access into the brig at the centre of the deck, before going down the stairs into the ship.
Quickly pacing himself to the kitchen of the ship he signalled a servant with a whistle, "One of you- the Admiral is on the deck and wants some tea, get a cup for the Princess as well." he requested, knowing that even in 'casual' conversation, the Princess would be expected to drink tea with him- it was rude to let a guest drink tea alone.
Pacing back through the halls of the brig, he made his way back to the deck stairs, shuffling himself up with some speed- he didn't want to seem lazy in front of a guest, even if he looked down upon him; as he returned to the deck he walked up to the Admiral with his two guards, nodding at him as he returned.
"A tea-server will be up momentarily, as will the Princess." he affirmed to Zhao, who nodded before glancing back over to the bridge.
"She is taking awfully long- are you sure she was just reading a message?" he questioned the Captain, who looked back at him and nodded with a face of slight offence.
"Of course- I know what the Princess is doing during waking hours- it is my duty to ensure her safety." he explained, Zhao nodding understandably.
"What of protecting her- you're here serving me- isn't this a bit above an elite guard?" he asked, trying to appeal to his sense of self-importance, making him chuckle lightly.
"I am following my Princesses orders- she commanded me to await your arrival on the deck." he explained simply, before hearing a thumping noise ahead of him- Azula stood at the door of the bridge, noting the arrival of Zhao.
"Admiral- I see you have come to my ship, what is it that you desire?" she asked him, speaking in a somewhat more deferential tone that the Captain would ever expect her to- he guessed it was a case of keeping your enemies closer than your friends.
"Your highness," Zhao bowed, "I simply have come to discuss the matters at hand with you- I hope that you wouldn't mind going over some of the issues we are facing." he asked, Azula shrugging.
"It cannot hurt to reaffirm your strategies Admiral." she commented, before staring him down, waiting for Zhao to ask some kind of question.
Hiding his discomfort of her stare, Admiral Zhao simply nodded and looked toward the sea, "This conflict will be dangerous- you know this well enough from your experiences with your disastrous shipwreck." he explained to her, "I believe that it would be in our best interests to ensure your safety at all times- the wilds of the Western Territories are dangerous, full of bandits and undesirables who want to see us both dead."
She raised a brow at his statement, "What exactly are you proposing? I am certainly capable of defending myself." she questioned him.
"We are talking about large forces of guerrilla fighters- there is threats everywhere- and from what you have already gathered, conspirators working for your brother may try to undermine our every step. I believe you must remain safe from these threats, not a front line target." he explained, Azula chuckling at his claims.
"Ah- typical- you think the woman can't get her hands dirty- trust me when I tell you, I am ready to handle whatever is thrown my way- my question is are you?" Zhao stepped back, somewhat aggravated by the Princesses assumption, but held back any anger in fear of a reprisal from her highness- if her brother could burn his face, she could kill him in an instant.
"I-I am capable of handling the threats in our path, I simply desire to ensure a continuity of leadership, you are the claimant to the throne, after all." he explained, Azula nodding at his argument.
"My life is not in the balance at this time- when it comes to be so, your arguments can be reasoned for- right now we're travelling westward toward the homeland, unbeatable at sea." she argued, Zhao nodding with a slight bow, conceding the validity of her argument.
"I do not doubt the power of my fleet- please heed my advice Princess- for the sake of our nation." he stated, the Princess glancing at him momentarily before turning to face the railing of her ship.
"I understand your grievances with my brother Admiral, I know you want him less on the throne than I do- trust me when I tell you my leadership, resolve and pure drive alone will grant us a great victory- you, your fleet, and all the men that follow my word into battle, it is all my responsibility- do you understand?" she asserted to Zhao, who nodded with a sense of near shame- something she thought the man could never bare to muster, before glancing to his right, where a servant had arrived, standing with a tea pot and cups.
"Admiral, your highness- your tea." the servant simply stated, before pouring each of them a cup, the Captain standing awkwardly to the side watching the whole conversation unfold.
"Captain- could you tell the helmsman to be ready to cast off? I want to be at Pohuai as soon as possible." she requested, the Captain bowing at her command before pacing off to the bridge, far less urgent than before; Azula turned back to Zhao, who was quietly sipping from his tea cup, glancing at the Admiral's burnt side of his face, making the vain man twitch and look away, trying to stop himself from grumbling at the Princess in offence.
"How did it happen?" she asked him, making the Admiral glance back at her with a fearful reminiscence; any person would usually be sympathetic asking such a question when they find a person with a half burnt face, but the Admiral was not a person she could find empathy for- she simply desired to know what actually happened between Zhao and her brother, someone who by this point seemed to be an enigma to even her.
Finishing sipping from his tea, Zhao begun to explain, "Despite my best efforts, your brother bested me in our Agni Kai duel- I underestimated his abilities and I- I failed- look at me- I dishonoured my title, my lord, and my nation." he told her, his eyes solemn with a sense of loss and regret- something Azula never thought she would see in the man's eyes.
"But Zhao- this is Zuko we're talking about- the weak, incompetent child who dared to speak against his father." she commented, in a sense of disbelief that her brother could so simply do what he did- he burnt Zhao's face like it was nothing- exactly like their father, which confused her to no end; Zuko was the little angel of their mother and she was the monster of her father- that was how the world had spun her story to her- and to think that she might have thought wrong- that her mother wasn't just wrong, but completely misunderstood her beloved Zuzu.
"He had no remorse- he mocked me before he did it." Zhao commented, looking away from Azula as he explained.
"Wouldn't you do the same?" she questioned, the Admiral shrugging his shoulders."I'm not in a position to even make such a claim- your brother defeated not just me, but your father; he might be a fool- but he beat us both." Zhao explained, trying to avoid making himself seem like a pitiful excuse of a man, but she still thought exactly of that as he worded his disgrace.
"Zuko is not the same boy that I knew- he must be treated as exactly what he presents himself- a ruthless traitor who is willing to kin-slay to achieve his goals, that of which we don't know to be certain." Azula thought aloud, he then turned back to her.
"Well- he actually did tell me before our duel- it's not the best situation." he looked at her stoically, "The reckoning of the Fire Nation- the judgement of all that acted dishonourably- whatever that means in his mad eyes- I don't know."
Azula raised a brow, "My brother has really gone mad- all that time at sea made him worse in the head, not any wiser than the day he left." she thought, Zhao nodding.
"And his insanity will cost our nation dearly- I'm sure you understand that already." he muttered, sipping from his tea cup.
"Yes- does that conclude our discussions?" she asked him, who nodded, and handed the servant his empty cup.
"Yes your highness- I believe that is all that needed to be accorded; thank you for the tea, I hope that you stay safe." he affirmed to her, before signalling his guards to follow him across the gangplank, which was raised a few moments later behind them.
She raised a hand to the bridge, where the Captain was standing above her, nodding at her signal; a few moments later Azula could hear the rumbling of the ship's engine as her ship begun to move away from the Admiral's flagship. Glancing out to sea she felt a sense of calm from the waters, but felt internally in turmoil over the words Zhao had spoken to her- if Zuko was just as bad, or worse than her, then who was the real monster?
The darkness of the prison of the brig made Sokka shudder in it's sight, looking across at the half-conscious and broken Long Feng- a man who he had put in his place, proving that he couldn't try and take power by abusing the weak- that was at least how he justified his actions to himself. Looking upon the former Grand Secretariat, he could only feel a sense of regret- the man's arms and legs were broken prior to him being handed to their custody, and he hadn't personally given him the best treatment he could have offered- it was all to prevent him or his organisation from trying something of course- but this made him confused- he couldn't admit to himself whether he did it out of self-preservation or a desire to protect Azula from the Dai Li and their insidious plot.
Long Feng pulled himself up from his bed, eyeing off the Water Tribe warrior who stood in the shadows across the room from him, "Barbarian- you've come to seek my wisdom?" he mocked, making Sokka chuckle.
"No- I don't think you can offer much good advice seeing where you ended up after all that." he jested, making Long Feng roll his eyes, "I want information- something that you seem to have in abundance." he asked of him, Long Feng glaring at him with a face of disappointment.
"Oh savage- you know how to make a man talk, don't you?" he mocked Sokka, who glared at him, holding his hands on the bars of Long Feng's cell.
"You know why I was sent to capture Azula- the Order of the White Lotus- what do they actually want to do?" he asked him, who chuckled before lying himself back onto his bed.
"The Dai Li and the Order have some common interests, one of them being the liberation of Ba Sing Se- however we disagree on the fate of the world after the Fire Nation is finally dealt with." Long Feng explained, Sokka sighing at him in frustration.
"The Dai Li doesn't matter anymore- they're sitting around in your shit-hole of a city trying to make sure the Fire Nation doesn't rat them out." he grumbled at Long Feng, "I want to know what the White Lotus wants with Azula." he asked, the Grand Secretariat chuckling at him mockingly.
"Oh- aren't you a romantic- what next- you'll kill the next man who lays his eyes on the Princess?" he jested, Sokka hammering his fist on the bars.
"I can just as easily beat you to death you bastard- remember that." he gritted his teeth at Long Feng, who doubted his threats with a smirk, laying his head down onto his somewhat uncomfortable pillow.
"The White Lotus- at least some of them- probably want her dead- she's an obstacle in their goals- just the same as she was to my people, but she's out of my way now, despite having broken my limbs." Long Feng explained, the Water Tribesman chuckling at his claims.
"Out of your way- you're imprisoned right here- she has you under her foot and she can squish you at a moments notice." he argued back.
"I am but one member of my organisation- they will achieve my goals with or without me being in the city." he explained.
"I already know well enough what those are- and I'll have you know I do agree with you in some parts- your methods, however, are disturbing beyond belief." he explained to Long Feng, making him chuckle audibly at his comments.
"Well, we can still make an asset out of you Water Tribesman." he mocked, Sokka holding his hands on the bars, staring the practically immobile earthbender down.
"Watch your tongue- I'm sure we can find a way to break that too." he warned, Long Feng making no response, simply lying on his bed without a word, "I am not here because I'm a prisoner- but because I have honour, that's more than you could ever say." he insulted, before walking away from the prisoners cell to the heavy metal door that led in and out of the prison.
He opened the door, nodding to the guard stationed before walking along the halls of the brig, feeling that he had got the confirmation he desired; the Order of the White Lotus wanted Azula dead- her brother had something to do with their plans- he would get to the bottom of it and ensure that she didn't suffer for the crimes of her forefathers. Walking through the brig, he made his way to the stairwell and made his way up the bridge of the ship, each climbing of stairs distracting him from the thoughts he was experiencing- he was worried, and rightfully so, but he knew he ought to not fuss over the ordeals of the Princess too much- he was here not as her guard or some kind of intelligence officer- he was here to advise her, because for some reason she had the initiative to respect and harness his ideas and plans for something productive, at least in his eyes. As he reached the top of the ship, he made his way out to the viewing platform, where he noticed that he wasn't alone at the top of the vessel- the Captain stood solemnly looking out to the waters before them, eyeing off the land on the horizon.
"So- feeling lonely, Captain?" he asked, the guard looking at him with a consideration of whether his statements were empathetic or mocking.
"Depends- I'm unsure if you'd make me feel more or less lonely." he suggested to him, who opened in his mouth and looked on in offence.
"I doubt that I'm that much of bore- unless you're still angry at me over your failings on the Royal Barge?" he asked, the Captain glaring at him and rolling his eyes.
"Of course you came to gloat- why am I not surprised." he commented, Sokka opening in his mouth and looking at him in offence.
"Man- it was just a question- no need to get antsy over it." he defended himself.
"Urgh- why are you here, or did you just want to start an argument?" the Captain questioned, the Water Tribesman sighing as he lay his arms to rest on the railing.
"Came to get some fresh air after I went to question that snake down in his cell- nothing overly productive, I might add." he explained, the Captain gruffly nodding in agreement.
"That bastard ought to have hung for his actions against her royal highness- but she had enough mercy to hand him in with just some broken limbs." the Captain thought out loud, Sokka agreeing with the sentiment.
"Well I was going to beat him to death- then again I'm unsure what I would have done if she hadn't told me to stop." he admitted.
"I do have to admit, you did a good job that afternoon dealing with the Dai Li- the best I've seen a non-bender put up in a fight for a long time." he admitted, Sokka chuckling at his unexpected compliment.
"Ah well- most nations aren't overly reliant on non-bending warriors, but my people- we have to make use of what we have." he explained, "I always wanted to defend my people- to defend those who cannot defend themselves- to serve justice- it was my calling, for as long as I could remember." the Captain raising a brow at him.
"So what are you doing here then- Water Tribesman turned Fire Nation adviser?" he asked, genuinely confused by his idealised view of the world.
"To help someone out- someone who needs my help, whether they'd like to admit it or not." he explained, making him chuckle in consideration of his wording.
"Don't let her hear you say that one, or she'll beat you far worse than she did during that training session."
The orange haze of sunset covered the sky as a Fire Navy fleet approached it's target- the great fortress of Pohuai Stronghold; days of non-stop travel, fearing attack from all sides, the fleet was finally safe in harbour and most certainly stronger with the support of more forces. Princess Azula smiled at the sight of the stronghold, well aware of it's necessity to her plans for the colonies- she had little desire to remain holed up in a military installation against her will, but she was planning to ensure that wouldn't happen; turning to her side she eyed off the figure of Admiral Zhao, who stood on the helm of his own ship as it approached the port- she was well aware that the man she would have to rely on was inherently unreliable in a sense- his desire for power and unbridled vanity was unmatched amongst his peers, meaning that he would fight for her as hard as he could- that is as long as it benefited him in some way. Examining the fortress from a distant, she noted the layering of walls and massive expanse of it's grounds- it was designed to house a large number of troops and supplies, which is exactly what she desired for her plans- any potential invasion of the homeland, no matter how undesirable it might be, could not logistically be achieved without control over Pohuai and the colonies that she could command from it. The Fire Nation Princess turned around to face her two most relied upon subordinates- the Captain and Sokka- who despite his best wishes, had become a functional part of her crew- he wasn't much good for tea-serving or cooking, but he served a far more valued purposes of strategic insight, good conversation and a well-rounded critique- although she would never admit that last part to his face.
"You both will be accompanying me to meet with General Shinu, along with a group of guards- Captain, I assume you can pick out some men who are ready to do their jobs?" she asked, the Captain nodding.
"Of course your highness- I'll assemble them on the deck immediately." he bowed before walking into the bridge to find the guards she had spoken of.
Turning to him, Azula raised a brow, "Are you ready to figure some things out?" she questioned, Sokka smirking and raising his own brow.
"Well- what kind of things- the sneaky illegal kind again?" he asked, the Princess rolling her eyes at his comment.
"No savage- I simply want you to strategise- plan out ahead to ensure that we will be able to handle whatever comes our way." she explained to him, the Water Tribesman thinking amount her statement momentarily.
"So... you think there might be something out there?" he pointed out into the wilderness around the fortress.
"Perhaps- my people might hold this fortress and the adjacent areas under a tight grip, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few guerrillas have slipped through their lines- outside of the colonies, I fear that the Fire Nation's military control is rather nominal."
"The Fire Nation is a tough bunch- but they're used to hammering this into the ground until they've destroyed them- the Earth Kingdom can't exactly be destroyed." he explained, Azula glaring at him for a moment.
"So you think it's futile trying to try and control these lands?" she asked, Sokka raising his hands at her as if to state the obvious.
"I don't think the Fire Nation should have started their war in the first place, let alone try to conquer the world." he complained, before turning to walk back into the bridge.
"I'm going down to the deck- I'm assuming you'll want to greet the General personally?" he asked her, who looked at him for a moment before smirking and making a light laugh.
"Actually- I've got a better idea." she told him, making him raise his brows before shrugging in dismissal, walking into the bridge and closing the door behind him.
Glancing back out over the railing, she looked at Zhao's ship enter port, and decided that she would best head down and follow his lead to go meet General Shinu- she decided she would come down to meet him after the Admiral had made his introductions, personally so that she could observe the relationship of the two men. She knew that Zhao was not well liked by many of the other high ranking officers in the Fire Nation's military, and observing his conversation with Shinu would best show the attitude the General held toward him- the worse he thought of the Admiral, the better it was for her; she knew the less he thought of Zhao, the less likely he would give him any purview to her commands and discretion which she would prefer to keep away from Zhao when necessary. Turning from the railing, Azula walked into the bridge, glancing at the helmsman, who she had already given explicit commands on docking her vessel, before walking to the stairwell of the ship, making her way down to the the deck floor; as she walked out she noted that the Captain had most certainly and quite hastily assembled a few men to accompany her, while Sokka stood in his armour by the railing of the vessel, looking at the port as their ship closed in on the long stone pier.
She walked up to her subordinates and acknowledged them, "Men- I hope you are all primed and ready to do your duties- as should be expected of your ranks." she told them, a berating in all but the tone she held, as if to make sure they explicitly understood her without making her seem to aggressive- she was sure to try and act the part of a diplomatic and polite Princess when it suited her, and the meeting she was about to have would require that of her.
She walked up to where the gang-plank was to be drawn, standing next to Sokka, who idly stood by in a slight daze, "So- back to what I was saying- the Fire Nation occupation of these lands." she begun, making him look at her and roll his eyes.
"So are you trying to aggravate me?" he asked, the Princess chuckling at him.
"No Sokka- I want to understand the situation more holistically- I don't like the dirty Earth Kingdom peasants myself, but I ought to understand why they're still bothering to fight back." she simply explained, leading him to point at his own face.
"See me- I didn't end up here on a holiday- I was fighting against your people after mine had their villages pillaged and our benders stolen- we had already lost, we had no other choice." he told her, Azula considering his statements for a moment.
"Aha- so you're saying because you had nothing to lose, you were willing to continue fighting?" she asked, Sokka nodding before shaking his head.
"No- I- we- we don't have nothing to lose- my people still are free from your rule, but the Earth Kingdom isn't- how do you think people like Jet and his Freedom Fighters exist?" he asked her; she shrugged her shoulders before raising a brow at him.
"So you meant what you said in Ba Sing Se- about developing the city would help the city become more peaceable?" she asked him, to which he returned with a nod.
"Well yeah- it's better than nothing- and if you're not willing to forgo ruling these lands, at least have the courtesy to let the people here live their lives in peace and maybe a little prosperity." he told her, Azula nodding before silently looking out to the horizon, looking at the ships as they entered the harbour behind them.
"Your honesty- it's appreciated." she quietly told him, making Sokka turn to her with a small smile of his own appreciation; their eyes caught each other momentarily before she turned to signal her men to get their gang-plank with her a motion of her hand.
The gang-plank was quickly retrieved and lowered onto the pier, after which the guards filed behind and in front of her down onto the pier; Sokka followed in suit, acting as he had for the last previous official situations as one of her guards, although his swarthy skin tone and blue eye colour caught him out as a foreigner in their midst. As the group moved along the pier, they approached Zhao's own squad of guards, which had met with General Shinu- standing on the pier between them and the stronghold; she walked ahead of her guards to catch their conversation and she planned and wasn't disappointed with what she heard.
"Admiral- I am on the side of the Princess, do not doubt it for a moment- I believe in our nation and our proud history of warrior rulers- she is no different from her grandfather and father before her." Shinu argued, Azula missing Zhao's prior statement and therefore the context of their argument, but she assumed it had to do with the enforcement of loyalty to her as the rightful ruler of the Fire Nation.
"General, I simply need to understand the loyalty of all men before her royal highness, it is my responsibility." Zhao told Shinu, who grumbled at him with offence.
"Are you her personal enforcer- no? I want to swear upon her highness myself." he shouted in frustration, Azula stepping forward from behind Zhao's guards.
"Well- isn't it wonderful timing that I've just made my way here- Admiral Zhao, General Shinu." she acknowledged with slight bows, the General looking at her in shock upon understanding she had heard and seen his outburst before he knelt before her, almost in penance.
"Your highness- I'm sorry for my behaviour, I simply want to swear my oath upon you, as rightful Fire Lord." he explained, the Princess nodding with a smirk at the deference he held for her- the General was a pragmatic and well-thought man- his deference meant far more to her than a lying bootlicker like Zhao's could.
"Go ahead." she simply replied, Shinu nodding before dropping his head deferentially as he begun to swear his oath.
"My life I give to my country. With my hands I fight for you, Fire Lord Azula, and your forefathers before you. With my mind I seek ways to better my country. And with my feet may our march of civilisation continue." he swore upon her, who nodded respectfully at his show of complete submission as well as loyalty to her and his nation.
"That is all that is required of the formalities;" she admitted before to turning to the matter at hand, "General I require your assistance-" she begun, the General nodding immediately.
"You require the use of the Yuyan Archers?" he asked her, Azula nodding back, before he continued, "The Archers will provide you with an impermeable defence, and an efficient task force for any military operation." he affirmed to her, who smirked in agreement.
"That is exactly what I need- I will also require your stronghold as a supply point for my land forces that are heading westward as we speak- I'm unsure of the logistical support that you hold here, but I assume that there will be enough to feed and supply a small army of a few divisions worth?" she questioned, the General nodding, before turning around toward the fortress.
"We will be able to supply your army, but we will need time to prepare- the logistical support has always been taxing here, and that is why the Yuyan Archers were stationed here- to protect the life lines we have." he explained, Azula walking up beside him with a stoic face.
"I am planning to handle any potential threats along the way- I assure you that your men will no fall blow to any surprise attack while the Yuyan Archers aren't here to protect the stronghold." she affirmed to the General, who nodded with a smile.
"Yes that would be an effective use of our resources- handling the colonies and any subversive forces at once." he agreed, Zhao walking up to follow behind them as they walked along the pier.
"What of the fleet Princess? We have made our way this far west that the homeland is in our grasp." he explained to her with a face of confidence as well as pride- he knew that his forces could wipe the floor with Zuko's, if only given the word to attack.
"Remember Admiral- the enemy ships are our potential forces- we cannot sink my brothers fleet, as simple as that would be, if we would consequentially be left without a large naval force to make future operations possible- you wouldn't want that, would you?" she questioned him, noticing his clear change in attitude- she knew he wanted to take down the Northern Water Tribe as much as he wanted to reclaim the homeland- and making his life work complete would require as many ships as possible.
"You are right Princess- but we do need to project our naval power into the Mo Ce Sea- if we don't control it, your brother could just as easily sail an army east to take proper control over the colonies, and with them, the industry and manpower we would require to assault the homeland, if necessary." Zhao explained, both of them nodding in understanding.
"Perhaps a blockade, your highness? That would certainly deter your brother's forces from moving to the colonies." the General advised, Azula stopping her pace and nodding.
"That would be an effective use of our resources." she explained, before raising a smirk, the Admiral consciously noticing her face.
"What else do you think could be done?" he asked her, the Princess considering what could make the plan more effective.
"We ought to leave gaps in the blockade- but ensure they are close enough to spot ships moving through- if we can let a few of my brothers ships in, we can capture them and their officers, force them to choose our side- if not, we can have the officers killed and replaced- you do have quite a few on your side, don't you Admiral?" she asked, Zhao nodding with a smirk.
"It will be done your highness- no ship that passes my fleet will pass your grasp." he affirmed to her with an air of confidence that he held moments prior- making Azula feel assured that Zhao had been appeased with a little power-playing and authority; walking along the pier to it's end, the group made looked upon the walls of the fortress, three palanquins appearing before the group, held up by groups of non-bending soldiers.
Shinu moved his hand toward the palanquins with a nod, "These will take us to the centre of the fortress- I wouldn't want her royal highness walking so far." he explained to her, making her offhandedly chuckle.
"Well it wouldn't be the first time I've walked more than the breadth of the royal palace." she muttered, the General looking at her with slight confusion, before remembering the fact that she had been washed ashore and forced to walk to the nearest settlement after being shipwrecked.
She walked up over to her given palanquin, far more ornate than the other two, although nothing comparable to what she was used to at home, and glanced over at it before the Captain stood beside her and nodded.
"We will walk in file behind the palanquins- don't worry in case you think some nutjobs are going to try and attack you along the way." he affirmed to her, Azula raising a brow at the Captain.
"Captain- it's only a few minutes ride- we can already see the walls from here." she assured him before getting into the palanquin- noting Sokka walking up behind the Captain.
"Urgh- so we have to walk, huh?" he asked her, who rolled her eyes at his attitude.
"Don't you start- you aren't stuck in a forest, so don't act like it." she told him, the Water Tribesman sighing at her rebuttal.
"From the sounds of it, we'll probably be stuck in one soon enough." he noted, before standing away from the palanquin as it was raised by the bearers.
The Captain stood beside Sokka and chuckled, "Aw- all that time at sea make you soft kid- I thought you were the tough warrior?" he questioned him, who looked back at him with offence.
"I'm completely capable of walking- hey- even running to the stronghold- doesn't mean I want to." he explained, the Captain chuckling at him as they watched Azula's palanquin begin to move forward.
"I sure hope that's the case- we can't have a slacker drudging through the wilderness if it comes to that." he mocked, making him glare back at him with frustration, knowing that he was most certainly right, even though he had personally avoided the experiences Sokka and Azula shared from their time in the forest.
The paper window coverings lit the Fire Lord's quarters up a hazy colour as he prepared to don his armour- Zuko had grown to disdain the large and clunky Fire Lord robes that he would wear around the palace and to formal events- wearing his armour meant he was far more mobile and capable of movement; the occasion meant that he wouldn't have to be wearing his armour, as he didn't plan to be having any meetings with the high command or any other officials of his nation. He drew his hair into a top-knot as to fit it with his regal head-piece, instead of his preferred phoenix-tail hairstyle, which he was forced to abandon due to his headpiece requiring a top-knot; the length of his hair dropped down his back, a longer piece signifying the parts of his hair that would usually be in his phoenix-tail, the parts that he had left from when his hair was shaved after his first duel with his father. He drew over his under-robes, a basic red tunic, the same he would wear when he was on his ship, before pulling over the armour pieces, which laid over his torso; he pulled his arm-guards over his wrists, before stepping into his boots and tightening them, giving him the full appearance of a Fire Lord prepared for battle- although that wasn't what he was planning to do with his day. He stepped over to his door, opening it before him, his guards turning and curtly bowing before him before standing to follow their Fire Lord as he walked down the hallway of the palace; he made his way down through the palace to the nearest tea-room, where his uncle was unsurprisingly sitting, awaiting his nephews arrival.
"Ah- Nephew, I see that you've dressed yourself up- are you ready?" Iroh asked him, Zuko nodding at his Uncle, who stood up, having finished his cup of tea.
He smiled at him, before raising a brow at his uncle, "Are you sure they will be here already? It was only a few days ago you said they had even replied."
"I am sure the crew will be here, as I requested of them- they can't enter the palace without permission, so I take it that they will be out at the gates." he explained, his nephew nodding intently.
"Well let's go then." he affirmed, beginning to walk, only picking up pace as his uncle stumbling to follow behind him; the two royals made their way through the palace halls, walking all the way to the large gold encrusted doors of the palace foyer, the main doors out of the large building.
The palace guards opened the doors before him, letting the Fire Lord and his uncle walk out into the large barren grounds outside the palace, looking down the long stone path that lead to the main gates in front of them.
Iroh pointed out, squinting as he looked toward the gate, "I can just make them out." he noted, his nephew nodding before they continued walking along, making their way down the stone path all the way to the gate, where the guards held up the crew, led by Lieutenant Jee, who noticed them immediately, kneeling before the two of them.
"General, Fire Lord- it is good to see you both again in health." he greeted them, Iroh walking up to him and patting him on the shoulder.
"It is good to see you again Lieutenant-" he affirmed, before turning to the rest of the crew, "and all of you as well- it has been too long since we had a good music night!" he exclaimed, making the men chuckle at his sentimental joy over their time on the ship.
"So- what are we required for? You wanted to meet us personally, General." Jee asked, Iroh nodding and letting his nephew walk forward to begin explaining.
"Men- my Uncle called you back to the homeland so you could be dismissed, but the turning of events over back in the Earth Kingdom has led to- well- we had to make a decision." he explained, the Lieutenant raising a brow at his vague description; realising that Zuko had been rather vague with his words, his uncle stepped forward to finish his explanation.
"We would like you all to return to service under Zuko's command- he requires to go to the colonies, because of the recent news, you might have heard- his sister is organising a rebellion, and Zuko has decided to go and sure up the moral and defence of our cities there- you don't have to rejoin us, and if you did it would only be temporary- we don't exactly trust many of the people around here, and you are all the most trustworthy sea-men we know." Iroh explained, Jee nodding at his explanation.
"I will go- it would be an honour to serve under you, your majesty." he sincerely bowed to his Fire Lord, who appreciated the respect from the subordinate who he had butted heads with more than he would have liked to.
"I'm grateful of your hard work and loyalty for those five long years-" he begun, holding Jee on the shoulder, "you all had the choice to leave, but you remained by our side- that's the kind of loyalty I can't find anywhere else... even if it was out of respect for 'Retired General' Iroh." he explained, glaring at his uncle jokingly, before chuckling.
Jee smirked and admitted, "Your Uncle is a likeable man- what else can I say?" before he turned around to the crew, "So who of you wants to serve on his majesties ship?"
All of the hands rose up, one by one, making him smirk in confidence, before nodding, "Thank you men- you will be well treated and your service will be rewarded- I promise you that." he affirmed to the crew, before turning to one of the guards that remained stationed by the gate, "You- I need you to send a message." he ordered, the guard shocked at being directly commanded by the Fire Lord.
"Of course your majesty- what is it?" the guard asked
Glancing over toward the palace, he begun to explain "I want his message seen by my Imperial Guards and the War Council- it details my orders and plans while I am out of the capital." handing him a scroll with his seal on it.
"I would handle this all myself but we are on a tight schedule- the Fire Nation's unity is at risk." he explained to the guard, who saluted him in response.
"It is my honour, your majesty." he affirmed before turning to pace his way up the pathway toward the palace with the official message.
He turned to his uncle, "Now that the issue of organising the guards is done- I expect the war council to continue to hold my orders in place while I am chasing down my sister." he explained, Jee raising a brow in shock.
"Your majesty- you mean to say we're hunting your sister down?" he questioned, Zuko shaking his head.
"No, my sister's overconfident attitude will lead her to us- and when that happens I must be prepared to do what I must." he told the lieutenant, who nodded in understanding, before Iroh patted him on the shoulder.
"I hope you understand the ramifications of our actions Zuko- this next meeting with your sister will not be peaceful, let alone with words- your claim to the throne was made the same way your sister intends to claim hers." he explained to his nephew, who nodded stoically in understanding.
"I know Uncle- I don't want to make any mistakes- the fate of our nation is in our hands." he affirmed, before he turned to Jee and the crew.
The Fire Lord, his uncle and crew begun to walk through the streets of the Caldera City, catching the eye of those who hadn't personally seen the Fire Lord since his coronation, walking so casually through the street with his crew like equals; he was happy that he had his crew by his side again, people that he could trust in his time of uncertainty- looking forward, he couldn't help but to smile in thought of Mai and their future meeting. The man who had once seen himself as the dishonoured Prince, a shame to his family and nation, finally found some semblance of hope and camaraderie, from the people that he had been somewhat begrudgingly stuck with for five years, to his own admittance; Zuko was not the same angry boy that wanted to find the Avatar- he was his own man, and he found comfort in a sense of self-confidence he had thought he would never find again.