Looking out over the layers of stone walls and battlements, Sokka was in slight awe of the Fire Nation stronghold; he personally had never expected to be inside one of them unless he was breaking in to take it down- but alas things didn't turn out exactly as he expected they would when he joined up with his father to fight the Fire Nation. Looking out he noted the bay on the horizon, filled with countless Fire Nation navy ships- big and small, the kind his people went after out on the high seas- he hadn't got a sense of scale of the Fire Nation's actual forces until he saw Zhao's fleet, and it was a sight to behold; he knew for certain now that his people didn't really face a chance against the Fire Navy- there were so many ships just before him, and according to Azula it was only smaller portion of the navy, part that which had originally been dedicated to wearing down the Northern Water Tribe. He imagined in his mind what it would be like if Zhao had turned south rather than north- the Southern Water Tribe was in it's weakest position it had ever been, according to his father and grandmother, and if that was the case he knew they faced no chance against the likes of Zhao; he then considered the potential fate of the North- would they be invaded and occupied like Ba Sing Se- or massacred to near-extinction like his people? Sokka personally didn't want the fate of his own people to befall anyone else, but he knew that he had little say in the matter- he only hoped she saw the pragmatism in holding the North without killing it's people needlessly, if she was bold enough to let Zhao do his work without threatening the spirits; he currently found this unravelling civil war to be slightly helpful as to keep on hold the threats against his northern cousins, who he knew to be the only reasonable opposition to the Fire Nation.
"So- are you appreciating the view?" he heard a voice ask him, which he immediately recognised as hers; she walked up beside him at held her hands out to clasp the balcony.
"I wouldn't say I appreciate the greatest threat to my people- Zhao is still as bad as his worst qualities." he noted, making her chuckle at him.
"Well unbridled vanity and hubris are the fall of all great men, so history isn't on the Admiral's side." she explained, Sokka raising his brows and nod in approval.
"You are the Fire Lord- so will you trip his fall, or are you going to let him face plant himself?" he asked her, who smirked at his question intently.
"Now that you mention it- I'm unsure if I want to purposefully make him realise his idiocy and sycophancy can only get him so far, or just to let his men turn against him and let them do the work for me." she wondered, the Water Tribesman beside her grinning his teeth.
"Either way I'm going to mock the bastard- he deserves it." he told her, Azula laughing at him before turning around.
"You've picked up my humour more than I thought you would- now how can I compete with the mockings of an intelligent savage." she jested to him, who raised his hands defensively.
"I've learnt to pick my fights well Princess- you're not the kind of person anyone should want to fight." he admitted as he followed behind her; Azula opened the doors into the General Shinu's planning room, where the Admiral and General sat discussing their own plans intently.
She stood walked up and stood before them, the two officers noting their de facto Fire Lord and stood to bow before the Princess, "I assume you both have formulated some more systemic plans from our discussions on the pier?" she asked, the two of them bowing, General Shinu standing forward first.
"Your highness- I believe that it would be our best interests to move our land forces as quickly as possible to assert control over the colonial cities- the Fire Nation has a number of logistical routes that we take northward- these paths can be used by my forces, the Yuyan Archers and your remaining forces that will arrive from the east- these will converge on the colonial cities and ensure that they fall in line- with the colonies under our control we will ensure that the pretender cannot try and use the full industrial potential of our nation against you." he explained to her, Azula nodding in confirmation.
"What of the potential rebels and my brothers supporters in the region?" she asked Shinu, who curtly nodded in response.
"They must be handled swiftly and with caution- we cannot aggravate the local Earth Kingdom natives- if they try to form a proper rebellion, I believe that it will give your brother the upper hand in any forthcoming conflict." he strategised, before continuing, "The Fire Nation's military forces are already spread thin throughout the Earth Kingdom. If we do not consolidate those forces which declare loyalty, they would be under threat from rebels that would seize the opportunity of division- that would only cause more chaos and detract from your cause."
Sokka stepped forward, raising a hand, "And getting all your forces out of the areas where they are threatened means less confrontation with potential rebels." he noted, Azula nodding in agreement, making Zhao grimace at his idea.
"So you're proposing we abandon our territories to the people we seek to defeat- that goes against the whole idea of our Nation's great march forward- Princess, you can't agree to such a policy." he tried to reason with Azula, who glanced at him with offence.
"I am the Fire Lord- not you- 'the great march forward' is whatever I decide it to be for the greater good of our people, and currently that is to defeat detractors and their supporters- I am to be Fire Lord, not the Queen of the Earth Kingdom." she explained to Zhao, stepping closer to the man and intently glaring him down; the Admiral conceded with a nod, before she raised a brow at him, "So what are your plans, Admiral?"
He nodded with a sense of fear before explaining, "Our naval forces are well equipped to achieve the planned blockade of the Mo Ce Sea- once we are able to block in some of your brother's forces, we will easily be able to force them into our fold, or more simply seize the vessels for our own fleet- the navy will ensure that your brother can never take a force from the homeland to try and fight us on land, making our goal of consolidation far more straightforward- if the colonies cannot be protected by your traitor brother, they can only be protected by you, the rightful Fire Lord." he proposed, the Princess raising a brow at his 'plans' which seemed far more to be a reassurance of his own authority and power through his naval forces, which to her seemed far more like an implicit threat toward herself than to her brother.
"Zhao- our goals involve far more than simple projection of power- we need a tactical plan to invade the homeland- it is the worst option we may have to face, but you must have a plan, otherwise we cannot be certain of our victory." she told Zhao who gulped in regret, realising that he had completely avoided the possibility of invading the home islands of the Fire Nation.
"T-the home islands will require a large pool of manpower to subdue, to take them would require a large scale invasion, unless we try to strike the capital in a decapitation attack- the common people wouldn't oppose you if you took the physical throne and were properly crowned by the sages- not that it really matters, the old crooked bastards have little worth to your supreme authority and right to rule, your highness." he explained to her, trying to assure Azula that she was unstoppable, which despite her desire to believe as well, she knew far too well that the pure threat that she held as a leader and fighter would not threaten enough people to abandon ship if they could see the benefits of supporting her brother- more authority for those who back the winner, just as he had taken upon himself already; the minor issue of the Fire Sages was more to do with her own pride and an understanding of the respect the sages garnered even in their warlike nation that had little concern for spiritual matters in decades gone by.
"Fine then- we'll have to do it in the most direct fashion possible: an Agni Kai with my brother, which I assure you, I will win." she told Zhao and Shinu looked at her in shock, hearing of the fate to befall her own father at Zuko's hands.
"Your highness- you should reconsider such a bold move- your brother's prior victories-" Shinu pleaded, glancing at Zhao's scar momentarily, "they have been unprecedented- in no records of our great history has a prince so young ascended to the throne by right of Agni Kai- there has been cases, few and far between of such ascensions." he explained, Azula smirking at the General.
"Do you doubt my abilities, General? I will become the second Fire Lord in recent history to claim the throne through the ancient tradition- the Agni Kai is the epitome of honour and righteous rule in our nation- if I did any less, that would make me either honourless or a coward- which I am neither." she affirmed to the two of them, the officers nodding in acceptance of their Princesses plans- they wouldn't dare oppose her, but they both understood the threat of her fighting her brother one on one- they knew she was an unprecedented prodigy- but her brother had killed the most powerful firebender alive, making him as big as or more of a threat than her.
Finishing her declaration, she looked upon her subordinates with a sense of pride- she was fearless- and if she was to be as weak to fall short against her pitiful excuse of a brother, she ought to be as dead as her father- such dishonour disgusted her to her core; she believed her father was correct about one thing over any- the strong should rule over the weak, and the weak should never have power, because they are incapable of making the decisions only a strong leader could make- incapable of making the hard decisions that Azula knew she would have to make once she took the throne. Turning her head, she saw Sokka looking right at her, realising that she hadn't noticed his intent stare that seemed somewhat fearful- although she couldn't tell what- she would have expected her bold words to perhaps scare some, but he wasn't one to shy away from a fight, especially one that an individual was honour-bound to do- as he believed of his own crusade against the Fire Nation.
She raised a brow at him, "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" she questioned him, forcing him to come up with some answer.
He shook his head quickly, "No-no-no- I'm just considering the strategies that you were all just talking about." he dismissed her claim, turning to face the General and Admiral, who both were catching each other's glances of slight worry- the Princess was an intelligent and decisive leader, but her decisiveness had led her toward a path they both knew might not go their own way.
She stepped closer to him, looking with slight suspicion, "Are you certain that's the case?"
"Why are you asking me- if anyone, they look sick." he deflected, Azula raising a brow at his claim.
"That's something quite forward of you to say- these men are high ranking, respected officers of the Fire Nation military- your words should afford them the respect they deserve." she talked him down, trying to make an example that he certainly shouldn't be so open with his words, making him open his eyes in fear again- knowing he had just made a brash decision.
"U-uh- um- I'm just going to wait outside-" he stammered, rushing himself to the door and opening and closing it with haste, disappearing from view.
She rolled her eyes at his erratic and somewhat overly defensive attitude, turning to Zhao and Shinu, "Sorry for his words- but he is right- you ought to know my word is final-
Zuko will be defeated in battle, or if the opportunity presents itself, an Agni Kai that I am quite personally hoping for at this point- he's asking for it." she told them, the Admiral nodding in understanding that her plans would at least assure that he would get his own revenge, albeit indirectly; having appeased the two men through an affirmation- she was certainly not going to change her mind because they fear an outcome that she couldn't even reasonably comprehend- the Princess sighed upon realising Sokka's abrupt departure and sought to physically return him to the fold, him walking out on her made her plans seem weaker, because the person she desired to spout as her strategic adviser left the room in fear.
"Now, if you would excuse me, I have to berate the weak-willed buffoon outside." she explained, Zhao and Shinu nodding at her curtly, assuring her that they weren't going to be argumentative any more than they had to; Azula walked to the door and quickly swung it open and closed it in motion, standing before him, who leaned back on the wall beside the door.
He glanced back at her, knowing that she was going to question him about his reaction, "I would like to say that I am sorry, but that wouldn't stop you questioning me until I die." he bluntly joked, making her smirk at him momentarily, before her face became more serious.
"Why did you act up in there? You're meant to be my support and advice, not a tool for my rivals to mock me." she berated him, who shrugged.
"It's not like that could stop you doing what you want to do, and neither can I." he told her, trying to look away from her menacing glare of frustration.
"That's all this is about- you want to decide what I do- I'm going to be Fire Lord, and I will do what is necessary to achieve that!" she declared to Sokka, who nodded in understanding, already well aware of her intentions.
"You can't be the Fire Lord if you brother kills you Azula." he simply told her, his eyes returning to their fearful appearance they had held when he had been staring at her declarations a few moments prior.
She scoffed at his statement, "Like that would happen- Zuko is weak and he could never beat me- that is a fact." she told him, who shook his head in slight disappointment.
"That's your opinion- it might have been valid in the past, but you've heard what your brother did- he killed your father, someone you considered to be the greatest firebender alive." he told her, "Your father is dead, and no offence, that isn't my problem, but keeping you in this game for the throne in something I've taken upon myself and I'm not going to fail." he told her, who looked at him with slight shock and suspicion.
"What? You seriously want me to be Fire Lord?" she questioned him, Sokka shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm not here to wait for you to give me a boat- I'm here to help you, and making sure you can be the best person you can be is part of that." he explained to her, Azula stepping closer to him.
"For the last time- I'm not a good person savage- I don't pride myself on my empathy and humility, may I remind you." she mocked his idealisation of her, which she found to be personally degrading of her self-image.
"You're a proud woman Azula- that pride drives you to prove yourself, that you're better than your brother- wiping out the rest of the world isn't the way I expect you prove your superiority." he admitted his judgement, the Princess raising and brow at his claims and shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm pragmatic, not some kind of idiot who thinks death can solve everything- that's not to say it can't solve anything." she explained to him, "Power and strength of a nation comes from the leadership it has- I'm sure you understand that." she told him, who nodded in agreement.
"Strength- power- they're not just about beating your enemies into the ground, it's about being the leader your nation needs to improve themselves- that improvement doesn't have to involve destroying the rest of the world because you feel like it." Sokka argued, the Princess smirking at his rather argumentative attitude.
"Ah- yes- tell me how you think the Fire Nation can change its ways and build a better world." she mocked him, who looked at her solemnly.
"This world doesn't just have to be about fighting- about death- revenge- about proving yourself- I think we can both learn from each other's mistakes." he told her, assuring Azula that he did think that he had learnt from her.
"Learn from you? That the Water Tribe is as arrogant and close-minded as any other people- strategy and intelligence can only get so far when your people are tiny and insignificant." she mocked him, who raised a hand and pointed at her.
"If we're so insignificant- why do you listen to me? Huh? Why am I here- why aren't I in jail? Don't just tell me it's because I'm useful." he argued back, his tone rising in anger and frustration with her attitude, which he knew to be a farce to try and act like she was above being a normal human being.
"You just said it- you're useful- and I don't have much else to say but that." she simply told him, crossing her arms in frustration.
"Why can't you just say that we're friends- because I'm pretty sure my blunt words would be found with a fist full of flames if I wasn't." he argued to Azula, whose eyes glared back at him with a sense of being cornered- she couldn't make a reasonable argument and decided to turn away from him.
"I-I don't need friends..." she mumbled, Sokka placing a hand on her shoulder, which she deflected away immediately out of reflex, "I couldn't be friends with the likes of you." she told him with a snide glare, the Water Tribesman shrugging his shoulders.
"Sorry Princess, you're stuck with me- now are you going to go back in there and make some argument that doesn't involve you potentially dying?" he asked her, who rolled her eyes at his return to their original dispute.
"The Agni Kai isn't a worry when I don't need to do it- my brother can be dealt with in other ways." she smirked at him, who looked at her with a jovial chuckle.
"Oh what- you want to sink his ship? I know some guys- but I'm unsure if they'll be up for a second round at that." he joked, making Azula chuckle.
"Ah- no- I barely trust you to work for me- I couldn't trust a whole gang of your barbarian friends." she told him.
"You're probably right- one of them ought to be stupid enough to try and fight you." Sokka commented, making her chuckle- they both knew too well how they had first met, with her hammering his jaw like bell after he considered her a reasonable opponent.
"Now- are we done arguing? You ought to voice your 'alternate plan' if you want those two to not act all scared and stuck up about you doing your job." he advised her, the Princess smirking at the respect that he had already returned to her despite their conflict of interests- she could rely on him to at least know what she ought to do, even if it wasn't in his own interest.
"Well- wait are we waiting for?" she acknowledged before pushing open the door to return to her previous conversation; Azula would be the undisputed ruler of her people, and she was going to command her underlings on exactly how they would achieve such a goal- her brother only needed to take one misstep, and he would be prey to her superior forces, leaving her with only one final goal- to show the world who the true heir of Ozai was.
Standing by the railing of his new ship, the young Fire Lord found a sense of calmness having returned to the sea; a place which he once found to be his prison was now a place he could return to feel less burdened by his new-found duties as the ruler of an entire nation- that duty of rulership being disputed ultimately driving his entire purpose to return to the high sea. He was sailing east toward the Mo Ce Sea and past that, the oldest colonies of the Fire Nation- Zuko knew these lands were diverse and integral parts of the Fire Nation's overseas empire, and ultimately were vital in ensuring his power as leader- if the colonies were to be controlled by his sister, or worse, warlords who deny any true Fire Lord, it would spell disaster for his own goals and ambitions for the future of the Fire Nation.
Standing beside him was his uncle, who held out a cup of tea for him to drink, a warm and calming smile on his face paralleling the nature of the beverage he offered,
"Nephew- what is on your mind? You seem to be, more deep in thought as of late." Iroh asked his nephew, who returned a face of uncertainty.
Taking the tea cup into his own hands, he looked back out onto the water, "I-I don't know Uncle- everything really- everything's changed- this isn't what I expected when I thought I would eventually come home."
He sipped from his teacup, "But Zuko- are you happy with what you have achieved?"
The Fire Lord lay his forearms onto the railing of the ship, sighing as he looked into the waves below, "Should I be happy? What have I done for my nation? Betraying my father is something I can't regret, but I haven't done anything to make the world a better place- to fix the Fire Nation, correct it's wrongs- that's what we set out to achieve, isn't it?" he layered questions, growing more and more confused and uncertain as he tried to explain himself to his uncle.
The retired general sighed, looking out onto the water himself, "We can't have everything we want Zuko- not without a price- a price we must be willing to pay." he told his young nephew, who glanced back at him with a sense of dread, knowing exactly what he was referring to.
"Lies- lies are all we were taught, and all that she ever told me-" he mumbled to himself, "My sister isn't evil, is she?" he asked Iroh, who grimaced at the question.
"Your sister is determined to do one thing only and that is to make herself the perfect heir of your father, and therefore the 'perfect' Fire Lord; she cannot be reasoned with, not now when you are the threat against everything that she has ever stood for." he explained to his nephew, his tone sad and disappointed, as if he saw another path that he had failed to realise or comprehend; the old general had felt a sense of failure towards his niece, who he should have tried to help- care for- but she wouldn't care for his words, not after his shameful loss in Ba Sing Se- his son had died, and he had gone against the very values that were instilled into their nation's being, and for that he had disgraced his family and his niece's skewed idea of the world.
"So- there's no other choice but to fight- there's no other way?" he asked him, hoping- dare he say begging for another way to achieve peace.
Iroh shook his head, "My nephew- this is not a matter of being a good brother- it is about being a good Fire Lord- there are many paths you could take, but to lack decisiveness would leave your enemies able to fester and threaten the future we both desire." Iroh explained to his nephew, who hammered his open hand down on the railing, frustrated with his current situation.
"I chose my destiny to fight my father- but why is Azula not different- they aren't the same people Uncle." he argued, trying to make an excuse for avoiding the actions he didn't want to have to make.
His uncle patted him on the shoulder, "Well- we can't be certain of her own attitudes- perhaps to our luck she might have changed for the better in the years since you were banished." he tried to assure him, who looked at him again with the same face of dread.
"That's what scares me- that she's just as bad as my nightmares- that she really is this evil and lying woman with the face of our own mother- someone who would kill me without a second thought- I don't want that to be true- it can't be true..." he mumbled, less directing his comments at Iroh but at the world itself- as if to argue with the forces of destiny that they had made his life horrible- and forced him to do things that he had clearly not chosen to do- and knew he would continue having to choose.
He rubbed his nose bridge with his fingers, frustrated and confused with the decisions that lay before him- not in the present, but looming over him like a wave coming into shore- something that he couldn't stop, no matter how much he tried to push it away.
The two royals were interrupted by an Imperial Guard approaching them on the deck, kneeling before Zuko, "Your majesty- a message from Admiral Liang."
He turned to the guard, raising a brow in interest of the news- he was one to theorise on the goings on of the military and his potential enemies, and was pleased that he would receive some new information to satiate his desire to plan; he knew he and Azula must have that one trait in common- they both loved to over-strategise and plan out their own intentions to ensure victory- something he knew he would be dealing with her commanding a large force behind her.
He picked the message out of the guards hand, nodding at him in approval, "Thank you- now you ought to return to your duties." he commanded, the guard nodding before turning to leave the presence of the two royals, Iroh turning to him in interest, his own ideas popping in his mind about the contents of the message.
"Well this might be interesting- open it up." he requested, Zuko looking at his uncle thinking he was a little too eager with his desire to learn of whatever military movements were being made; he deduced his uncle was wanting to update his friends in the Order of the goings on in the Fire Nation's current crisis, as to use it to further their own goals, something that made him slightly uncomfortable after what had seemed to have occurred with Azula's shipwreck.
He opened the letter and begun to read it out loud, "Your supreme majesty, my ships have reported the movement of the disgraced traitor Admiral Zhaos' fleet northward along the Hu Xin coastline- my strategists believe that his forces intend upon Pohuai Stronghold as it's custodian, General Shinu has not made his allegiance explicit to your majesty; I hope that you, my Fire Lord, will use this information to ensure your ultimate victory against those who detract from your rule. I pray for the glory of your reign to be forevermore, your loyal servant- Admiral Liang." he finished, coughing after reading such a long exposition.
Iroh raised a brow at the information provided, "General Shinu- I have known the man for many years during my time in the army, and he is one of the better ones- overly pragmatic and a straight-forward commander- I doubt that he would openly go against you unless he believes the odds are against us." he advised, his nephew sighing in disappointment.
"These men want power and authority- the 'peaceable' Fire Lord is not the one a man like him would support; the loyalty of one man is nothing- his fortress is one of the primary ones on the western coastline, is it not?" Zuko asked him, who nodded in response, "Then it is vital that once Zhao's forces move out to face Admiral Liang's that a force is directed to reclaim the fortress."
Iroh chuckled at Zuko's plans, "Don't be too bold nephew- I've heard that the Stronghold's walls are threefold and it's garrison large- it would be better to force their hand by showing them that you are indisputably Fire Lord."
Zuko raised a brow at his uncles advice, "And how exactly would we achieve that? By a show of force?"
"We merely need to have enough men to surround it and force a surrender- I believe my friends will be some help with this issue- they can intercept messages between the fortress and your sisters supporters- if they believe that they are losing at sea, then they'll fear being cut off by Liang and be scared into joining you if you show up with a division, Fire Lord leading his men, they couldn't oppose you." Iroh theorised to his nephew, who was impressed with his uncle's strategic prowess.
"Uncle- that's a good plan- I should ask for your advice more often." he admitted, making him chuckle after taking a sip from his tea cup.
"Ah- well that is why I'm here, to be your wise and well-knowledged Uncle." he proclaimed, "Oh and to give you advice about the more important things in life- like how to talk to the ladies." he added, making him blush deeply, knowing his uncle knew about the frequent letters he was now corresponding with Mai.
"Urgh U-uncle!" he stammered, glaring at his uncle for his seemingly inappropriate comments.
"Nephew- you can talk to me about your love life- I'm well versed in the art of romance." he smirked as he explained to his nephew, whose face went red with embarrassment.
"I don't want to hear about your youthful escapades Uncle..." Zuko face palmed, his uncle patting him on the shoulder with a grin.
"I won't give too much details- but what I will say is that love is one of the most powerful things you can use- it is the strength of any great man or woman!" he proclaimed, making him furrow his brow with interest.
"The power of love?" he questioned, his uncle smiling back at him.
"That's something that I've learnt over my many years- hate and anger can only get you so far, but love- love is something that can make you do things greater than you could otherwise imagine." he explained, before looking at him momentarily, grimacing with a face of regret, "Advice that I didn't take fully to heart when I should have."
He looked at his uncle with concern, unsure why he would be getting so emotional, "Uncle- what's wrong- what do you mean?" he questioned, Iroh sighing as he looked back at his nephew with sad eyes.
"My beloved son was lost because I lacked the love in my heart to see the world for what it was- and I didn't think of my love for you Zuko- I let you get burnt- I let your father be Fire Lord- it's my fault, and it was because I didn't care enough, or not in the right way." he explained to his nephew, his eyes solemn and saddened by his own hindsight.
"How could have you known at the time Uncle- it isn't your fault any of this happened." Zuko assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "If it wasn't for my banishment and my father's cruelty, I could have never come to see the world in the way I do now, to see the true path for our nation." he explained to him, trying to turn his argument to show that he did no wrong.
He smiled at his argument, "You do have a love Zuko- for our nation, and it is greater than most- even when I fought under Fire Nation flags to take Ba Sing Se, it was out of my personal desire to fulfil my idea of destiny, not because of an honourable duty to my nation; that is something that I respect you for Zuko- you care so much for what you must do now because you love your nation, as any good Fire Lord should, and this love will drive you to do things that you mightn't expect yourself to." he assured his nephew, who smiled confidently at his uncle, turning back to the look at the horizon.
"Thank you Uncle- I-I think I understand what you were saying- what ever I do, it is for our nation, not for me." he confirmed to his uncle, who smiled back at him, knowing that his nephew now had realigned his mentality and made light of a situation that he was conflicted on.
Standing in the darkness of the prison in her ship, Azula looked upon her half-asleep prisoner, tapping on the bars of the cell with her fingers, as if to force Long Feng to respond, lest she continue to drive him insane with the sound; the Princess of the Fire Nation was preparing to leave her ship for the mean time, and she considered it would be best to question Long Feng one last time- he obviously had more information than he originally provided her, and his time in the cell likely weakened his resolve. She guessed that Long Feng would be more palatable to the point of telling her something that she desired, if only for the security of knowing that she wouldn't have him killed purely on the basis of being a mute and therefore worthless source of information.
The former Grand Secretariat grumbled in frustration upon realising the Princess would not relent with her incessant tapping, "Urgh- for spirits sake, just stop it already."
She chuckled at his weak response, "So- are you going to talk?" she questioned, Long Feng lifting his head from his pillow to glance at her.
"About what exactly?" he responded, the Princess rolling her eyes at his attempt of avoiding the obvious.
"The whole deal with the White Lotus- my brother- I want to know what exactly is going on." she demanded, gripping the bars with her hands, pulling her face closer so he could see her indomitable glare.
"I'm a bit out of date your highness... You'd best find another crippled man to interrogate." he mocked her, before she lit her hands with flames, lighting up the brig with a dark blue tinge.
"I can do exactly that if your attitude doesn't improve- do you want to be redundant, Long Feng?" she asked him, her eyes clearly visible to him with the light of her flames; her dead serious expression was enough to make him concede that he had to say something.
"All I know is that your uncle 'Grand Lotus' Iroh, messaged out his intentions to the membership of the Order, which then coincidentally led to your shipwrecking by your savage friend." he simply explained, "Then they kept an eye on you- somebody in that hole of a town down south- can't remember it's name; the Order's been watching you every step, and if you're not careful they'll try and get you again, with some one a little more competent than that barbarian of yours." Long Feng glared her down, his eyes without any emotion or empathy, akin to her own.
Her bow furrowed at the words he told her, "Trust me- I can handle what ever a bunch of idealistic old farts can throw at me." she assured Long Feng, who only chuckled sadistically, dropping his head back onto the pillow.
"Your hubris will be your downfall- trust me Princess, I learnt that from experience." he mocked her, before rolling over on his bed, turning away from her.
"You are wrong- I will defeat my brother, my uncle, all that stand in the way of my destiny- even you, if you're stupid enough to break out of this cell and oppose me still." she proclaimed to Long Feng, her flames intensifying before dying down to a cinder, leaving them in the darkness once more.
She turned to leave the prison, before hearing Long Feng's mocking laughter, "Send my wishes to your lover-boy from me- he'll need them now." making Azula turn back and glare at him, throwing a ball of flames right above his head, frightening the half-asleep man and making him shriek, much to her amusement.
The Princess left the small prison without another word, opening and closing the door, walking out into the hallway, which unlike the brig's prison, was well lit; she walked along the hallway toward the centre of the brig, where she walked up the stairs, leading her to the open wide expanse of the deck, empty besides for one other individual-
Sokka stood by the railing, having decided to wait around on the deck once she told him she would have to go back to the ship for some final things before they went back to the stronghold.
The Water Tribesman turned his head, noticing her return, "Azula- you're back." he acknowledged, the Princess rolling her eyes at such an obvious statement.
"And you're still standing there- how brilliant." she mocked, before walking up to stand beside him, looking out onto the water, which was lit with the reflections of each of the ship's lights- the fleet and it's reflection looked like stars in the water from their distinctive colour and distance.
"So- did he tell you anything?" he asked her, who shook her head immediately with disappointment.
"As much as you already told me he said- he was making threats- that the Order was going to try and kill me- again." she told him, whose eyes opened wide at the potential situation.
"I mean- I'm not surprised- these people have it out for you- they must really want your brother on the throne." he acknowledged, Azula sighing in frustration.
"My Uncle is the source of this treasonous mess- at least that's what I can gather- I don't know if he was behind the shipwreck, but someone must have been- we'll find out soon enough." she explained, making him raise a brow at her claim.
"Find out soon? What? Do we have a location on the White Lotus?" he questioned, the Princess shaking her head, before smirking.
"No- we're going to find my brother, and I'll beat the bastard in a duel, then I'll politely question my beloved Uncle about the White Lotus." she explained, the Water Tribesman chuckling at her plan.
"It's not like you to politely question anyone about anything." he joked, the two of them laughing at his comment, knowing all too well her not so humorous intentions.
"So- are we going to get back to the stronghold, it's a bit cold out." he asked her, who looked at him with confusion, knowing too well his heritage from the South Pole of all places.
"Sokka- you can't be serious- it's just night- have you lost your spine for the cold ever since you left home?" she questioned her, who shrugged in response.
"Do you see me wearing my furs- no? Exactly." he answered his own question, glaring at her jokingly before walking back across the deck toward the gang-plank that led down to the dock.
"Do you need me to go buy your some furs, so you can feel comfortable with a night-time breeze?" she mocked him, who grumbled in response.
"I'm usually asleep right now- and seeing that I'm not in a fighting mood- can we just head back?" he requested of her, his eyes pleading.
She rolled her eyes and nodded, following him toward the gangplank, "It's not like I need anything else here- the servants have gotten my necessary supplies to the stronghold already." she noted, Sokka immediately making his way down the gangplank before standing to wait for her at the bottom.
As she made her way to the bottom of the gangplank, he bowed jokingly to her, leaving his arm out, "Your highness- the palanquin awaits." he joked, making her sigh at him with disapproval.
"It's sad because you're joking- the palanquin would have been a wonderful idea," she pouted, continuing along as she frowned at him accusingly, "but you just had to ask if we could walk because you were feeling all mistreated by the Princess of the Fire Nation getting palanquin privileges." she berated him, the Water Tribesman raising his hands defensively."Hey- I'm just glad it's fair- fair and equal is how I do it- unless you want to get me in a palanquin with you?" he asked, the Princess gulping and shaking her head in disgust.
"Sokka- you smell like a wet dog half the time- too much training and not enough cleaning." she bluntly told him, who glanced back at her with his mouth agape.
"And you're the one who opposed me bathing while we were in the forest! Such a hypocrite!" he nearly squealed, offended by her double standard, who corrected him with a raising of her finger.
"I did not say such a thing- I simply told you not to waste our water so we didn't die of dehydration." she corrected, Sokka rolling his eyes upon realising his accusations were inaccurate.
"Urgh fine- I'll wash up once we get to the stronghold- I assume they have somewhere for bathing?" he questioned, the Princess nodding as they walked down the pier.
"Yes- you'll have to be using the common washroom- I assume you won't like the potential company?" she asked him, who sighed in disapproval.
"I mean I'm used to communal washing- but not with your people." he admitted, Azula raising a brow at his comment.
"You're saying that you didn't clean yourself in Ba Sing Se?" she questioned, making him look at her with offence and shock.
"No- I never said that... but uh- yeah I only cleaned after my drunken stupor and that was because I got dirty and bloody after that whole ordeal- other than that, I avoided a situation of being possibly naked around your people; it makes me uncomfortable with them being able to see me, and me to them." he explained, the Princess looking back in disgust of his rather open description of his bathing habits.
"You didn't have to go into that much detail- I'd rather not know about what you do while undressed." she simply told him, Sokka chuckling at her comment before realising the inappropriateness of his reaction.
"Uh- but I have cleaned while on the ship, if that's what you're wondering- I'm not some disgusting slob." he explained, returning the conversation away from him being weirded out by naked Fire Nation guards.
"Well you ought to clean yourself as soon as possible, because I doubt you'll be able to do it again for a while- we'll be heading out as soon as possible toward the colonies." she explained to him, who nodded in understanding.
"Well at least that'll be doing something- I feel we've been on that ship for far too long." he admitted with a sense of relief, Azula chuckling back at him with a smirk.
"Are you sure you aren't just afraid of the sea?" she questioned, the Water Tribesman turning his head with confusion.
"Shouldn't it be you of all people to be afraid of the sea, after my people sunk your ship?" he asked her, who stepped closer to him, who inched back in reaction.
"We aren't safe- you aren't safe because I'm not safe- this stronghold is a wall between me and the forces at be that want me gone- I'm sure you understand that." she explained to him, who looked at her with a face of intrigue, considering her statement.
"Ah- so you're not afraid of the forces of nature, but the people who use them to their advantage?" he asked her with a face of intrigue, she glared at him.
"I, Crown Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, am not afraid of anything- I simply comprehend the threats that exist, and desire to avoid them." she told him.
"And I, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, think that not being afraid of anything is just as stupid as fearing everything." he argued, she rolled her eyes at him.
"Fear is for the weak." she simply told him, stepping up her pace as they walked off the pier and toward the stronghold.
"You keep telling yourself that- and one day you're going to end up hurt, or worse." he reminded Azula, who simply shook her head and continued walking.
Standing in perfect formation, the Yuyan Archers remained silent as their new commander examined them- the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, who was proclaimed to be their future Fire Lord; she looked upon the unit with interest, their form was excellent, able to shoot targets perfectly from a large distance- they would be a perfect scouting team and elite force to assist in her goals in the colonies- there was no need for a large army when all that opposed her were a few self-centred governors and military officers- if she could force them to fold, the rest of the colonies would fall to her rule without much trouble. The overseer of the Archers, General Shinu stood beside her with a smirk, pleased with the show his men had put on for their new commander, knowing too well their efficiency- lethal or not, the Archers would provide the Princess with the force she would need to make rapid enforcement of her rule possible; the colonies themselves were few and far between, Earth Kingdom villages and wilderness mostly filling the gaps- these territories would have no military support other than which the cities themselves could provide, meaning that their garrisons and therefore the leaders of those forces would be the only functional opposition to Azula, bar any reinforcements her brother decided to bring east to try and sure up his own power.
She turned to the General with a smirk, "Thank you again General for the use of these men- their expertise will be utilised to the greatest effect possible." she affirmed, Shinu smiling genuinely in agreement.
"Yes- it is about time that this unit finds deployment outside of basic defence of this region- they ought to be out there fighting for their Fire Lord." he told her, the Princess nodding in approval.
"Well- I believe that concludes the formalities- have the men been prepared for our trek overland? I will need them ready to leave as soon as possible." she asked, the General nodding.
"I took that precaution- all of the Yuyan Archers have packed their supplies and camping equipment if required, they will simply need a few minutes to gather said supplies." Shinu confirmed, before she turned toward the Archers.
"Prepare your marching supplies- we head out as soon as able!" she commanded, the Archers nodding before pacing in formation toward their quarters to collect their supplies, Azula turning back to General Shinu and nodding at him, "I hope that you will be able to hold down the Stronghold for the period in which you lack your elite forces."
He nodded at her worries, "My secondary forces, although less well trained, will nonetheless serve their duties to you and their Nation- under no circumstances will our indomitable walls fall to any enemy, foreign or not." he assured the Princess, who noted behind them the arrival of Admiral Zhao, who was himself preparing to leave with his fleet in preparing the blockade of the Mo Ce Sea.
"Admiral- are you here to see me off?" she asked him, the man nodding his head before smirking.
"I wouldn't waste the chance to see off her highness's great strategies in raising herself to the ruler of these backward lands." he affirmed to the Princess, indirectly offending the General beside her with his comments.
"Ah well Zhao- there isn't much to it- most of my actual plans will be made ad hoc- I cannot personally know the situation in each of the colonies, the sentiment of the citizens, governors, mayors and military officials- once I understand these it will be much easier for me to organise my take-overs- if luck is on our side, most of the colonies will graciously accept my rule, knowing too well the traitorous actions of my brother and uncle." she explained, Zhao intrigued by the Princesses own strategy- to lack a plan was a plan in and of itself, and in some situations quite useful.
"That is an interesting plan Princess- will you require the assistance of my forces?" he asked her, Azula shaking her head with disapproval.
"No Admiral- this operation is on a need-to-know basis, remember our little discussion about subversion? This whole strategy is to ensure that cannot occur." she explained, Zhao feeling uncomfortable with the knowledge that the Princess didn't just mistrust her own people whose allegiances lay hidden, but most certainly didn't trust him, despite his claims of absolute loyalty.
The conversation was interrupted by Sokka walking up to greet the group, instinctively avoiding addressing the Admiral, which frustrated the man's ego greatly, "Princess- the guards and I are prepared to leave- will you need anything else before we leave?" he asked her, his tone more respectful than usual; she had ensured to tell him that he ought to act more formal in the eyes of her subordinate high officers- they would not take his informality kindly.
"No Sokka, that would be all that is required of you; did the Captain get the komodo rhinos?" she asked, the Water Tribesman nodding in response.
"Yes- they were a bit of trouble for him to direct so he got the other guards to handle the beasts." he explained with slight tone of amusement in his voice- he had found the Captain's reaction quite amusing when the animal's nearly trampled him; Zhao now thinking the slight interruption at it's end turned back to she and bowed slightly.
"I wish you the best of luck on your journey Princess- I will return to my flagship and ensure your orders are fulfilled" before turning to General Shinu and giving him a nod, "I hope your walls hold true for our glory, General." he affirmed Shinu, who nodded with a slight glare of suspicion, unsure if he could trust the Admiral to put his duty before his own pride.
As Zhao walked away from the conversation, she turned back to the General, "My forces are far stronger with you in the fold General Shinu, and for that you have my thanks- a man must be willing to do what he must to protect his nation, and that is what you have done by supporting me." she assured him, who nodded at her.
"Your highness- I would have never supported your brother- the threat he holds to our great victory and subsequent peace over the world- the great mission of our nation would have been all but a futile endeavour if he could claim the throne without any repercussions." he explained to her, who nodded with a smile, respecting the General's pragmatism behind his own deference toward her.
"I respect your willingness to be honest with me General, I hope that your service brings further greatest to our cause." she confirmed him, stepping to the side as she saw her guards approaching mounted on komodo rhinos.
The Captain approached on his komodo rhino and nodded to the Princess, "Your highness, we are ready to march- simply say the word and we'll be on our way." he assured her, Azula nodding knowing that her orders had been swiftly fulfilled.
"You've done your jobs well and quickly- the sooner the Yuyan Archers arrive with their own supplies, the sooner we will be on the road- which I assume there is a 'road'." she told the guards, the Captain nodding at her question.
"Yes Princess- there is a path leading north-westward that goes toward the colony of Yu Dao- it is quite the distance however to reach the colony overland, at least two days ride." he explained, the Princess nodding with acceptance of the facts before her.
"Well as long as we don't find any unnecessary delays, we will have a colony in our grasps by the weeks end." she told Shinu, who pleasingly nodded at her quite rapid strategising.
"If you need back-up in case of any resistance, you only need to send a hawk and my men will be on their way." the General assured her, Azula nodding. "I don't believe they will be required, if all goes to plan- be sure to direct my forces that will arrive here to await further command- I can't have them running across the wilderness trying to find me when I'll be on the move- they would be best used defending what we already hold." she explained curtly, the General nodding in understanding.
He stood forward to get her attention, "Princess- your komodo rhino is awaiting you." he told her, the Princess nodding back, trying not to laugh at his rather serious demeanour- the argumentative and sarcasm laden speech defined his personality, and without them he seemed quite dry and boring, much to her amusement.
"Well then-" she turned to Shinu, nodding at him curtly, "I believe that I will be off now- good luck General with your work here- it is vital to our cause." she acknowledged, the General bowing at her courteously before she walked up to and mounted the komodo rhino, which he stood beside.
Sokka bowed, trying to keep a straight face, "Your highness..." he simply deferred before standing back as she got a handle of her mount.
The Princess glanced out over her assembled forces- her personal guard as well as the unit of Yuyan Archers which filed up before her; Azula smirked at the sight of the military power she beheld- she knew well enough that her opponents would fare horribly against both a group of elite firebenders, skilled archers and the greatest firebender alive, at least in her opinion- she finally considered the man standing beside her, her 'strategic attache' as she would describe him to the officers, she knew Sokka was smart enough on his feet to think of something that could defeat any enemies in their path. She believed in her followers, and they believed in her, and with her confidence at an all-time high and her mood calm, she knew she would be a force to be reckoned with if anyone was stupid enough to try and fight her; the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation was going to make herself Fire Lord, and she was prepared to fight every battle herself if that is what it would take.