Book I: Resurrection
Chapter XIV: Pain and Politics
It took over a week for all of the warlords to respond. A week of checking with the hawk handlers every day, running drills with the Sun Guard and whatever parts of Sunjin's normal guard that were brave enough to join, and wondering just exactly what Sunjin was planning by allowing him sanctuary on his islands. It unnerved Zuko. Things never moved this slowly during the war. In fact, it had often seemed like things were moving too quickly back during the war. He'd had just over a month to teach Aang firebending, and Zuko had thanked Agni every day that Aang had been even more of a prodigy to firebending than Azula could have ever dreamed of. The Fire Prince was sure a thousand past lives that had mastered firebending certainly helped, but still.
Not that Aang learning the true nature of fire helped much after the world was over, it seemed. Here Zuko stood, in the war-torn ruins of his homeland with a bitter taste in the back of his mouth that no amount of Uncle's tea could ever wash away. The bitter taste of what Zuko knew to be a betrayal. Zuko had risked life and limb to teach Aang firebending so they could guide his country onto a better path, only for Aang to either forget or blatantly ignore Zuko's wishes the second that the war ended. Why? Why had his friend abandoned his people?
In the end, Zuko supposed it didn't matter. Now it was up to Zuko alone to fix his country. Well, if you want something done right, do it yourself.
A knock on his door shook Zuko out of his internal dialogue. Sighing, the Fire Prince made his way over to the wooden door and opened it, greeted by the face of a servant who immediately bowed low.
"Yes?" Zuko asked blandly, half expecting another invitation from the Sun Guard to come train with them once more. If nothing else, Ujio and his men were eager to learn the ways of sunbending. It was a start. A small one, but still a start. At this point, Zuko would take what he could get. At least they weren't trying to blow him up. That had been a less than pleasant experience.
"Firelord Sunjin requests your presence in his war council chamber. His Majesty has instructed me to inform you that the pretenders to the Dragon's Throne have responded to your calls for a peace council, Prince Zuko," The young servant repeated, her head still bowed down low. Zuko blinked once, then twice as he took in the news. They finally responded? All at once or had Sunjin been keeping him in the dark until all the responses had been gathered?
With a nod of his head, Zuko gestured for the young woman to lead the way, following her as thoughts ran through his head. None of them were pleasant, and each one painted a less than favorable image of Sunjin than Zuko already had.
He sincerely doubted that all the warlords had responded in one day, which meant that Sunjin had been hiding them from him, and had instructed his hawk handlers to do so as well. Zuko highly doubted that the hawk handlers were completely incompetent or had devised some grand scheme to keep this information from him on their own, there was no point to it. Which left Sunjin. What was that man up to?
Zuko shook the thoughts off and continued to follow the servant to Sunjin's council chamber. He would find out in time anyway. Zuko just prayed that he saw it coming before it bit him in the rear like so many other plans devised by others had in his life. It was tiring being a part of the schemes of others, but for now, Zuko didn't have much of a choice. Half of the Fire Nation seemed to think he was an imposter anyway. Unless that was another lie told to him by the rest of the world.
Zuko wasn't even sure if he'd be surprised if it turned out to be yet another lie.
Eventually, Zuko found himself standing in front of a large set of wooden doors, painted crimson that Zuko knew led to Sunjin's council chambers. Nodding to the servant, she quickly ducked inside to inform whoever was inside of his presence. He knew how this song and dance went. Just because Zuko had never been good at court politics didn't mean he didn't know how they worked. The servant would step inside, wait to be addressed, inform Sunjin of Zuko's presence, and then Zuko would finally be invited inside. How pointless. He was here because Sunjin had invited him. Why did he need another invitation to accept the man's invitation?
Politics. They always left a bad taste in his mouth. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.
After a few brief moments, the doors opened and the servant gestured for Zuko to enter, her head bowed low. Giving her a small nod, Zuko stepped inside and was met with a blast of hot air to his face. Great, Sunjin enjoyed the same tactics as Ozai had even in his council chambers. Make whoever is talking to you sweat so much they can barely think about what they were there to tell you in the first place.
A pity for Sunjin that Zuko had grown up around these games.
Stepping inside, Zuko glanced around the chambers and took in the room. Aside from Zuko, there were only two other people in the room. Captain Ujio stood at attention near a large table seated at the center of the room, turning his head to face Zuko and bowing his head in respect, but not deeper than Zuko suspected he would bow for Sunjin. The man was footing Ujio's bill after all.
Sunjin himself was standing near one of the windows in the room, gazing out the window and taking in the scenery of the island of Shu Jing, seemingly unperturbed that Zuko had entered the room. The red curtains that were the exact same shade of red as his robes forced Zuko to swallow a snort as he made his way over to the table. For half a second, the man had looked like a floating head. Would it really have killed the man to invest in more than just one shade of red?
"I've been informed that all of those we sent messages to have responded," Zuko stated calmly as he stood over the table, glancing down at the flattened surface of wood and lacquer. The table itself was unnaturally tidy with all the documents that laid upon it. Each was in a neat stack and had been sorted through. Not to mention clearly opened, which didn't exactly boost Zuko's hopes of an open and clean partnership with the warlord standing near the window. Sunjin had read all of the responses before consulting with Zuko.
"Indeed," Sunjin mused as he turned from the window and faced the Fire Prince. "Even Liu Bo, who I expected to send back a dead messenger hawk. Your arrival has caused quite the stir, Prince Zuko."
"What were their responses?" Zuko asked, opting to ignore that small jab. Of course, his arrival had caused a stir. Princes don't just pop up from the afterlife every other week.
Sunjin hummed as he made his way over to the table, before picking up a small stack of papers and sliding them across the table to Zuko. "See for yourself, Prince Zuko."
Zuko supposed that was better than simply being told what the letters said. At least this way he knew he wasn't being lied to outright. Picking up the first response, Zuko glanced down and began to read. Though the first letter didn't fill him with much hope.
From the Court of Phoenix King Naro, True Heir of the Dragon's Throne, King of Shuhon Island, the Black Cliffs, and the Isle of Holy Roku.
The court of Phoenix King Naro is disgusted by your outrageous claims, Lord Sunjin. Death is the final sunset of life, from which no one, save Holy Agni, may rise again. To claim that Prince Zuko walks the earth once more is tantamount to heresy, and the court of Agni's holy prophet shall have no part of this.
Your attempts to persuade the world that one of the blessed line of Sozin walks upon the Fire Isles once more are revolting and seen through like the mists of early morning. Your call for a peace council to hear revolting lies from this heretic's mouth is denied. This blatant disregard for the Sun God's righteousness has turned the stomachs of all within Phoenix King Naro's lands. Speak no more of this pretender. It is the belief of the illustrious Phoenix King Naro that you do as any true follower of Agni should, and strike this heretic from this life and let him face Agni's judgment for his lies and deceit.
No calls for peace shall be listened to while this false prophet walks in our world.
Sighing, Zuko laid the letter down on the table and fought the urge to rub his temples. So, the council of nations had not been lying about Naro it seemed. The man named himself a prophet of Agni, named Zuko a heretic, decreed that he wouldn't listen to anything Zuko had to say, and called for Zuko's immediate execution all in one letter. Not to mention that Naro was indeed claiming the title of Phoenix King. A title best left dead, in Zuko's opinion.
Zuko was almost impressed. Almost. Picking up the next letter, Zuko knew immediately that his growing headache wouldn't be going away anytime soon.
From the court of Firelord Liu Bo, True Heir of the Dragon's Throne, Lord of Hing Wa, Ember Island, and the lands stretching from Zoryu's Penninsula to Szeto's Pass.
The court of Firelord Liu Bo has no interest in a peace council with the court of Firelord Sunjin, nor with the supposedly resurrected Prince Zuko, a man who betrayed his nation so many years ago.
"I'm sensing a theme here," Zuko muttered under his breath as he laid the second letter down on top of the first, eliciting a small chuckle from Ujio while Sunjin remained impassive, the man's cold eyes watching Zuko carefully, most likely judging his reactions to each letter.
Well, Zuko had no intention of showing the man anything. He may have welcomed into his halls, but Zuko knew that Sunjin didn't trust him, a feeling that went both ways. The man reminded him a tad too much of Zhao for his tastes.
"I suppose I should be thankful he got straight to the point at least, Naro spent half of his response rambling," Zuko remarked as he picked up the next letter, gaining himself a small snort from Ujio and another round of pure silence from Sunjin. Whatever, if the man wanted to imitate a statue then so be it, Zuko had more important things to worry about at the moment. Liu Bo's letter was somewhat high on that list.
The man had said he had no interest in treating with him, which disappointed Zuko but didn't terribly surprise him. However, Liu Bo had also said that he had no interest in treating with Sunjin either, which had caught his eye, and reminded Zuko that he should learn about the relations between these warlords. They were all technically at war, yes, but knowing who hated each other the most could come in handy in the future, as well as who was amendable to peace with who. That was an issue for another time, though.
Glancing down at the third letter, Zuko felt that overwhelming urge to sigh once again.
From the court of Firelord Matahiko, Sovereign of the Dragon's Throne, Warden of the Great Gates of Azulon, and Firelord of Caldera and all her lands.
The court of Firelord Matahiko is intrigued by this offer of a peace council. A united Fire Nation is a rising tide that would lift all ships. The court of Firelord Matahiko would be pleased to accept the fealty of the rebel lords infesting the lands of Her Imperial Majesty. Upon the acknowledgment of the falsehood of their claims to the Dragon's Throne, Firelord Matahiko will graciously allow passage through the Great Gates of Azulon to Caldera for each rebel lord to swear fealty to her in person, once and for all ending this age of strife that has plagued our people for over seventy years.
Should these rebel warlords decline Firelord Matahiko's generous offer to lay down their arms, the court of Firelord Matahiko and the people of the Fire Nation will have no choice but to continue the conflict that has ravaged our lands for so long. There can be no peace while usurpers claim the throne of Firelord Matahiko. The court of Firelord Matahiko is confident in the ability of Prince Zuko to persuade these false Firelords to come to their senses and bow before their rightful Firelord so that we may end this bloodshed and unite under one banner once more.
"She doesn't want much, does she?" Zuko grumbled as he tossed the letter on top of the other two, finally giving in to the urge to rub his temples and letting out a low groan as he did so, before lowering his hands and glancing once more at the room's occupants.
Ujio once more had a look of mild amusement on his face, though it hardly seemed malicious in Zuko's opinion. More so that he found Zuko's reaction vaguely amusing and was doing a poor job of hiding it. Not that Zuko could fully blame the man. He had seen Sokka fume enough times about something going wrong that he would be forced to admit that the pure frustration that was probably shining through was somewhat amusing.
Sunjin, on the other hand, still wore his visage of stone, with no hint of what his inner thoughts may be shining through. Despite being a man of fire, the man showed as much emotion at the moment as a rock. Not to mention he looked about half as warm. Agni, it was like dealing with Ozai or Azula all over again, just with less fire. Though Zuko suspected that might soon change if the man saw a chance to pounce.
Picking up the final message, Zuko took a deep breath and steeled his resolve. He could make it through one more rejection letter to the peace conference. He'd been dealing with rejections all of his life. From his father, his sister, his own country, and even Aang and the others when he had first tried to join them. Giving up was just failing by another name. Flicking open the piece of paper, Zuko began to read. A few words in, and this one was already different.
I have heard the whispers of your revival, Prince Zuko. Many of our people wish for them to be true, but we have no way of confirming their authenticity. Should you be who you claim, I would be interested in hearing your offers of peace. I served under Firelord Iroh for the duration of his reign, and have fought under his banner ever since. When a man of Sozin's bloodline speaks, it is wise to listen.
However, I am reluctantly placed in the position in which I must decline this offer of peace until I have seen for myself that the offer of peace was written by Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. My people have known too many cruel tricks to listen to words without proof of their intentions. Thus, I propose a preliminary meeting, Prince Zuko. Upon neutral ground, with just us. No armies, no spies, just two men who wish to see our nation heal. Perhaps the Western Air Temple?
If you should find that destination unsuitable, then I await your proposal of an alternate location. My people and I shall await your response.
General Khublai, Lord of the last remnants of the court of Iroh the Wise, protector of Kirachu Island, Lord of the Tetsu Islands, and Warden of all lands south of Caldera Pass to the tip of Senshi's Peak.
That was… different, Zuko pondered as he set the letter down on top of the others. He hadn't even read the word Firelord, which was an unexpected sigh of relief. Though, it did cause Zuko to ponder what he knew once more. The council of Republic City had said that Khublai had claimed the title of Firelord, but in his missive, he referred to himself as General, Warden, and Lord, but never Firelord.
Who was telling him the truth, then? Was Khublai attempting to lull Zuko into a false sense of security and strike when his back was turned or had the Council in Republic City told him false information? Agni, how he hated politics. How did Uncle ever think he would be a good candidate for Firelord again?
With the letter set down on the table, Zuko turned his gaze to Sunjin and Ujio. Their reactions remained the same as before, which both comforted Zuko and unnerved him simultaneously. With a sigh, Zuko closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he steadied himself for a conversation Zuko was sure he wasn't going to enjoy.
"At least Khublai is willing to be reasonable," Zuko commented as he glanced over the table to see if there were any more messages for him to receive. None, just crop reports, expense reports, and lists of fisherman hauls from across the islands Sunjin ruled.
Ujio let out a small chuckled and uncrossed his arms, letting them rest on his hips as he took in the two men in front of him. Sunjin's expression, however, did not soften for a second as the man slowly made his way over to the table and picked up Khublai's letter, eyeing it suspiciously.
"Khublai has never accepted any offers of truce, ceasefire, or alliance from anyone before during his reign. Not even the forces of the Earth Kingdom or the United Republic have been able to talk him into diplomacy before. Why now? What does he want from us?" Sunjin mused as his beady eyes read over the letter again as if the answers he sought would leap from the page itself.
"Princes hardly rise from the dead very often, Lord Sunjin. My resurrection would stand as a point that even the most stubborn of men would pause and wish to take note of," Zuko answered as he scratched his chin, taking in Sunjin's words. It hardly surprised Zuko that a man claiming to be loyal to Uncle's memory would refuse to lay down his arms and work with those he deemed as usurpers.
"Or, he has an ulterior motive. Your blessing on his reign could bolster his reputation from the few villages that have opted to remain neutral or aid any who pass through," Sunjin shot back, frowning at the letter as he tossed it back onto the table with little care.
"I have little interest in blessing the reigns of each claimant, Lord Sunjin," Zuko answered, and could tell that those were the wrong words the second that they left his mouth. Sunjin clearly expected Zuko to bless his reign. Was that why the man had agreed to send out the call for a peace council?
Judging from the way the warlord's face twisted ever so slightly, Zuko had a sneaking suspicion that yes, that was indeed why Sunjin had sent out the call for peace.
"That matters little," Sunjin shot back, the lightest of venom dripping from his words. Zuko had struck a chord, it seemed. "The other three will never agree to peace. Naro wants your head, Liu Bo named you a traitor, and Matahiko will only listen to you if you grant what she wants."
"Would that be so terrible? Should I give Matahiko what she wants then the Fire Nation is united once more," Zuko questioned, probing for a reaction more than giving the idea any thought. He highly doubted that Matahiko was a kind and benevolent ruler, judging from what he had heard back in Republic City of her financing her armies through unknown means.
"And none of us would ever agree to it, my Prince," Sunjin all but snarled, his eyes hardening. "Fire respects strength, as you know. You will need a colossal show of strength before any of us would consider uniting under the banner of any of our rivals. Something you currently lack, my Prince."
Oh they were going to play with poorly veiled insults, were they?
"Returning from the dead is not a show of strength? Of Agni blessing my cause here in our homeland? Tell me, Lord Sunjin, how many of our people have ever returned from the dead in all of our history? I seem to recall that number being zero," Zuko shot back, crossing his arms and leveling the warlord in his sights. If the man wanted to play with words, then Zuko would give him his game.
"The peasants have no way of telling if you are being truthful or not, Prince Zuko," Sunjin responded cooly, making Zuko's title seem almost like an insult. "I may believe you, but most will not. How do you plan to convince all of my people that your words are as you say, and not some clever ruse to rally everyone to your banner?"
My people. Zuko noted. Not our people, or the people. Sunjin's people, as if the entire of the Fire Nation was his already. Not to mention the barb at Zuko's honestly. The old friend that Zuko had never wanted but had haunted him ever since that fateful Agni Kai. Every port official, every officer he met, even his own crew at times. 'How can we trust a man with no honor?' they all whispered behind his back.
Zuko was done with people calling him a liar.
"If you are questioning my honesty, then I must question yours as well, Lord Sunjin," Zuko snapped, causing the man's eyes to widen slightly before narrowing dangerously. Yeah, that probably hadn't been the smart thing to say, had it?
Well, when had he ever done the smart thing?
"During my brief time in your realm, I have heard tales of vast plantations tended to with convict labor. Vast production and export of luxuries during a time of war. Focusing instead on making coin instead of making sure that your people, all of your people, not just those on Shu Jing, are safe, secure, and healthy. Even under my father's rule, placing coin over the citizenry would have seen you shipped to Boiling Rock. Perhaps a death sentence if he felt you needed to be taught respect," Zuko snarled, the fire in his soul beginning to build once more. "How can I trust a word you have told me when you place coin over the well-being of your people?"
"I would choose my next words very carefully, Zuko," Sunjin growled, his entire posture stiffening as his feet slipped into a stance Zuko was very familiar with. Inwardly, Zuko smirked. Unfortunately for Sunjin, familiarity with said stance also taught Zuko the ways to counter it.
"If the other warlords think me weak, then what do they think of you?" Zuko shot back, forcing himself to smother his smirk as Sunjin slowly withdrew his hands from his robes, ready to throw flame at the drop of a hat. "And it is Prince Zuko, Lord Sunjin."
"You should learn respect, Prince Zuko," Sunjin sneered, slowly raising his hands as he watched Zuko's unmoving form with the gaze of a leopard-wolf seconds before it pounced. "It is bad manners to insult the man who has taken you into his court."
"I learned respect at an early age, Lord Sunjin," Zuko snarled back, narrowing both eyes, unblemished and scarred, at the man across from him. "Suffering was my teacher. Perhaps it should become yours as well if you want the respect of your rivals."
The room stood in silence as the two stared each other down, moments away from throwing flame at one another. Interesting, to Zuko at least, Ujio had not moved from his position. The man was watching them both calmly, his hands still on his hips as he observed both men casually. Something that didn't instill Zuko with much confidence. Either the man was confident that Sunjin could take him in a fight, or something else entirely was brewing inside the man's mind. Zuko wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what it was.
Then, with an almost inhuman hiss, Sunjin dropped his arms to his side and stormed towards the door. With a crack, the door flew open and the warlord stormed out into the hall. Zuko felt pity for whatever servant was due to check in on their warlord next. It was hardly going to be a pleasant experience for whoever drew the short straw. Exhaling slowly, Zuko let his body relax as he gazed upon the empty doorway, before turning to face Ujio, who still hadn't moved.
"I feel the need to inform you, that was hardly a wise move to make, Prince Zuko," Ujio remarked calmly as he finally moved, striding over to the door and closing it before turning to face Zuko once more. "Men have thought to challenge Lord Sunjin before, and just as many have either found themselves in a labor plantation or suddenly no longer breathing."
"Which do you plan for me, Captain Ujio," Zuko shot back, his inner fire still burning hotly at the barely concealed threat from the captain.
"Neither, my Prince. I am paid to protect Lord Sunjin from assassins in the dark, not to fight his battles of wit for him. However, my employer will be far from pleased at this confrontation."
"He wants my endorsement at this peace council, assuming it will ever happen. If he wants that wish to become reality, then he will know to stay his hand," Zuko bit back, eliciting another small chuckle from Ujio.
"You may be right, Prince Zuko. However, the Lord's words were not without some truth. Many will not believe that you genuinely returned from the dead until they see your eyes as I did, my Prince. A show of strength may go a long ways to turn the minds that you cannot meet face to face," Ujio explained calmly as he made his way over to the Fire Prince, a knowing look in his black eyes that made Zuko internally sigh.
"I take it you have something in mind?" Zuko asked wearily, already dreading whatever idea the Sun Guard's Captain had cooked up for him. However, to the Fire Prince's surprise, the man just shrugged.
"Not at the moment. Maybe a good spar will give me an idea," Ujio commented flippantly, but there was a gleam in his eyes that told Zuko the man wasn't being entirely truthful.
Zuko held in a groan before glancing out the window. It was barely midday, Zuko supposed he had time for training. He just hoped it didn't end with a knife in his back.
He may have to watch his steps more carefully around Shu Jing from now on.
"Lead the way, Captain Ujio."
By the seventh time that Ujio had gotten knocked into the dirt, Zuko was starting to tire out. That man had inhumane stamina. No matter how many times Zuko seemed to knock Ujio down, the man was always back on his feet and ready for another round. It was impressive and reminded Zuko of himself in a way. At least he wasn't shouting about advanced firebending forms, Zuko wasn't quite sure he was ready to look in that mirror yet. The rest of the Sun Guard were taking the lessons to heart at well. Zuko could already see the men trying to make their motion more fluid, less rigid. Their flames were somewhat weaker by being powered by something they weren't used to using, but Zuko assured them that was normal. They would grow stronger over time as the men understood more and more about what fire truly was.
Plus, Zuko was forced to admit that hitting something after meeting with Sunjin had been somewhat therapeutic.
"Alright, that's enough for today," Zuko told Ujio as he hauled himself to his feet once again. "It's nearly dark."
"I was about to say the same thing," Ujio commented as he dusted himself off once again. Then, before he could continue, one of his men leaned in and whispered something in Ujio's ear. Zuko wasn't quite sure what the look in Ujio's eye was when he heard what his man was trying to say, but judging from the fact that Zuko caught Komodo-Rhino, he wasn't quite sure that he wanted to know.
"Trouble?" Zuko asked, crossing his arms and glancing at the two men, which caused a low chuckle from both men. Another thing Zuko wasn't quite sure that he wanted to know about. He was going to get mugged, wasn't he?
"Quite the opposite, my Prince," Ujio replied smoothly as he gave the man a nod with the beginning of a smirk dancing on his lips. It did nothing to reassure Zuko. "My subordinate just gave me an idea on how we can get started on those feats of strength of yours, as well as a small form of repayment from my men for what you have taught us."
"No ideas huh? Sounds like you weren't being completely honest with me," Zuko shot back, raising an eyebrow. Repayment? All he had done was tell them that Sozin had corrupted firebending and show them a few new moves, after all. It wasn't that much. Just what any half-sane citizen of the Fire Nation should do. It helped massively that they actually listened to him, unlike either Avatar had been willing to.
"Agree to disagree," Ujio commented casually as he watched his man run off, still grinning. "The men want to know if you're interested in a tradition we have here in the Sun Guard, apparently they think that a member of Sozin's line will provide some sort of insight that we've missed over the years."
Well, that wasn't foreboding at all, was it? Wait until he was tired from sparring and then throw him into some tradition that Zuko had never heard of before that may or may night cause him bodily harm. Just what Zuko had always wanted.
"And what would this tradition be, Captain Ujio?" Zuko asked, not moving an inch from his spot. He still wasn't in the mood to get stabbed today, or maimed from some ritual that was even worse. Zuko remembered that some islands had… interesting rituals for manhood and showing their strength. On Caldera, they celebrated birthday parties like sane people, but Zuko idly recalled a tradition on Ma'inka about fishing for catfish-crabs with your hands. The trick was, supposedly, to fling them out of the water after they bit down on your hand but before they pinched you. Utter insanity, Zuko valued his fingers and forearms, thank you very much.
"An old Sun Guard tradition for proving you're a man. It dates back to when we called ourselves the Rough Rhinos, interested?" The captain asked, quirking an eyebrow and grinning at the Prince.
Was this revenge for knocking the man into the dirt over and over again? Or Sunjin's idea of repentance for insulting him in the council chamber? They were going to make him fish for catfish-crabs with his hands, weren't they?
"Am I going to have all my fingers at the end of this tradition?" Zuko asked dryly, not interested in reaching into the water and grabbing sea life with his bare hands. He already had a massive scar and his face and chest, he would rather keep all his fingers than lose a few in some old tradition.
"I would be surprised if you didn't," Ujio commented flatly, raising an eyebrow. Well, hopefully, that ruled out hand fishing. However, it still didn't fill Zuko with much hope for what was to come. Whatever, best to get it over with.
Zuko let out a long sigh before rubbing a hand across his face, wiping some of the sweat off of his brow. "Lead the way, Captain. You've got my curiosity."
The grin that fully broke out onto Ujio's face certainly wasn't predatory, but somehow Zuko still wasn't comforted by its arrival. He might not be losing his fingers but Zuko was still relatively sure this was going to result in some sort of bodily harm. These sorts of rituals always did. Honestly, Zuko was amazed that Sokka wasn't dead when he had told the prince about ice dodging. The Fire Navy stuck to clear waters for a reason. Was the Southern Water Tribe just suicidal?
No comfort was given as Ujio led Zuko to what appeared to be a Komodo-Rhino pen either. While loyal mounts and utterly fearless in the heart of battle, Zuko still preferred to stay away from the animals when he wasn't riding one. They proved to be temperamental at times. His old ship, before it had been blown to pieces, had certainly held the scars to prove it. There were only a few of the animals inside, each with a member of the Sun Guard mounted on their back or leading them by their reins as they steered the animals back into their pens, leaving the corral in front of the building empty.
"So I'm going to be trampled by a Komodo-Rhino?" Zuko asked flatly, turning to face Ujio and getting a small laugh out of the captain before the man whistled at one of the handlers and gestured for them to do something.
"Only if you don't know how to ride," Ujio commented cheekily as the handler he had gestured to ducked inside the pens, probably to fetch whichever Komodo-Rhino was going to cave in Zuko's chest today.
"How comforting," Zuko said dryly as he watched the same handler make his way out of the pens with a Komodo-Rhino. It did not comfort Zuko that the reins used to lead this animal were significantly longer than the usual reins he had seen used in the army.
Then the beast itself came into Zuko's view. It could hardly even be called a Komodo-Rhino. The thing looked more Komodo than Rhino. It stood at least a half foot higher than the usual rhino and was several feet longer, with a tail that looked like it could break a man in two with a single whip. Not to mention it was massive, built with muscle that seemed to bulge under its hide and left clear indents in the dirt whenever it took a step forward. Its hide held more of a tan hue than its grey counterparts and had two smaller horns next to the larger horn that was the prominent feature of these animals.
It looked like it was bred for war.
"You really are trying to kill me," Zuko remarked with distaste as he narrowed his eyes at Ujio, whose grin didn't diminish by a millimeter as he clapped Zuko on the shoulder and laughed out loud at the Fire Prince's statement.
"It's a tradition of ours. That Komodo there has been in the Sun Guard for over a decade and has bucked off every rider that has ever tried to mount him. In all honesty, he's beginning to become a bit of a pain, but he does still have a purpose. The men who can handle him for a certain amount of time get to join our ranks, those that don't usually become good friends with a healer," Ujio explained as another member of the Sun Guard opened the pen's door in front of them and gestured for Zuko to step inside.
Glancing around the corral, Zuko could see that a relatively large amount of the Sun Guard was beginning to amass around what Zuko suspected to be a form of entertainment for them. So, this really was some form of punishment from Sunjin wasn't it? He couldn't kill him or banish him without potentially losing the endorsement that he wanted, but he could certainly rough Zuko up under the guise of a training exercise to try to teach him his place.
With a snort, Zuko made his way into the pen and let them close the door behind him. Unfortunately for Sunjin, Zuko had played plenty of rigged games in his life, and won his fair share. This would be no different. If Sunjin wanted to see Zuko crumble, he'd have to try harder than some overgrown Komodo-Rhino.
Now how in Agni's name did he get on it?
"If I get my chest caved in, I'm holding you responsible, Captain Ujio," Zuko said with a glare, which only caused the Captain to grin wider. In his eyes, Zuko could see amusement, anticipation, and something else entirely dancing around. Though he couldn't tell what it was.
Striding forward, Zuko forced himself not to tense as the Komodo-Rhino's gaze snapped over to him. The beast let out a low huff and stomped its foot into the dirt as he approached, watching him carefully. In the giant animal's black eyes, Zuko could see a lot was swirling in the inky black depths. None of which he liked.
Step by step, Zuko slowly made his way over to the titan, watching it carefully as he slowly reached out to grab the reins. A second before his hands touched the leather, the animal let out a rough snort and swung its head towards Zuko's midsection without warning. Years of combat training and experience kicked in as Zuko threw himself backward, thankfully landing on his feet. With a low rumble, the Komodo-Rhino turned to face Zuko fully, lowering its horns and stamping its feet. Zuko already knew what that meant, it was going to charge.
With a speed far faster than Zuko had expected from a beast that size, the Rhino surged forward, seemingly intent on impaling Zuko on its largest spike. Rolling to the side, Zuko let the beast charge past him before diving for the reins. The ground shook as the war-mount thundered past him, but Zuko felt his hands wrap around cool leather in the warm dirt of the early evening.
What he didn't account for, was that the Rhino was not going to stop charging.
Instantly, Zuko felt himself get pulled forward as the Komodo-Rhino thundered around the corral, dragging Zuko behind it. Gritting his teeth, Zuko forced his feet underneath him and bit back a groan as they dug into the dirt, but still forced forward, leaving divets behind and Zuko all but held on for dear life as the Rhino continued to run.
Around him, Zuko could faintly hear the whoops and hollers of the Sun Guard watching him get dragged through the mud, but Zuko forced their voices out of his mind. They wanted him to fail this test, that's why they found it amusing. Zuko would have to be unconscious or dead before he let them laugh at him without reprisal.
With all the force he could muster, Zuko yanked on the reins as hard as he could, snapping them towards his body as the Komodo-Rhino let out a roar of protest, but did slowly grind to a stop. The beast turned to see who had pulled on its reins and fixed its black eyes on Zuko once more. Perfect, it was pissed. Just what he needed. Gritting his teeth, Zuko kept the reins in one hand as he sprinted towards the Komodo-Rhino, briefly surprising the beast and offering Zuko the time he needed to plant one foot on its snout and force himself up into the air, over the Rhino's head, and onto its back.
With a thump, Zuko grit his teeth as he landed on the Komodo-Rhino's back. The lack of saddle and tough hide of the animal made for a less than pleasant landing, as the force from his impact traveled up his body to his shoulders. For a fraction of a second, Zuko felt his grip on the reins slip.
Of course, with his luck, a fraction of a second was all that the Rhino needed.
With a loud bellow, the Komodo-Rhino threw itself up onto its hind legs, causing Zuko to lose his balance as he fumbled with the reins for a better grip. None came, as the Komodo-Rhino slammed back down to earth before kicking its hind legs into the air, sending Zuko over the beast's head and slamming into the dirt before a now very angry Komodo-Rhino.
Throwing himself to his feet, Zuko frantically rolled to the side just in time to dodge another charge from the Komodo. Breathing heavily, Zuko watched carefully as the animal stormed around the corral as the laughs and shouts of the Sun Guard echoed distantly in his ears. Wincing slightly, Zuko brought his hand to his chest and grimaced when he drew it back to find blood. Not much, but it did force Zuko to spend a second of his time to glance down at his chest and pray he hadn't been disemboweled, before sighing in relief. His intestines were all still inside of him, but the Komodo-Rhino had scored a minor scratch as it threw him over its head. Zuko reasoned he must have just clipped its front horn, judging from the tear down the middle of his shirt and the thin cut that was now running down his body from his collarbone down to his stomach.
An inch lower and the Komodo-Rhino would have opened him up like a bag in front of all the Sun Guard.
Spitting what was probably blood out onto the ground. Zuko bit back a snarl and focused his attention back on the Komodo-Rhino, which was now growling lowly and staring directly at him, pawing its foot down on the ground as it readied itself for another charge. With a growl to match the beast's own, Zuko took off towards the Komodo-Rhino once more. In a second, he was on the beast just as it began to match his chest. However, instead of jumping off its head as he had before, Zuko leapt into the air and brought a flaming foot down onto the beast's snout in a savage kick. The force of which sent the beast tumbling to the ground with a groan as Zuko landed next to it, fire dancing in his eyes.
"Doesn't feel so good does it?" Zuko growled, uncaring that the beast couldn't hear him. To his silent agony, the beast stayed down for just a few seconds before rising to its feet and growling at him, puffing hot air out of its nose and charging Zuko once more.
Narrowing his eyes, Zuko remained perfectly still as the beast loomed down on him, despite his instincts screaming for him to run. Then, just before its horn ran him through, Zuko forced himself sideways. Physics did its job, and the Komodo-Rhino thundered past Zuko without so much as scratching him. Silently, Zuko smirked as the beast thundered towards the edge of the corral, a collision imminent.
Of course, fate had other plans.
As he watched the bulk of the Komodo-Rhino thunder past him, something slammed into his face with the force of a falling star and Zuko felt himself being forced off of the ground and up into the air, before crashing back down into the dirt. Groaning, Zuko rolled to his feet and shook the stars from his eyes just in time to see the Komodo-Rhino crash into the edges of the corral, shaking the entire pen with the force, but the walls held.
He had forgotten about its damned tail. Now he had a long cut just to the side of his good eye that dipped down into the top of his cheekbone to thank for it. Cursing himself for his carelessness and biting down on his tongue to shut out the pain, Zuko forced himself to his feet as his body screamed in protest.
Ignoring the pain, Zuko pushed himself forwards towards the dazed Komodo-Rhino and leapt onto its back once more, gripping the reins that had slipped from his hands and wrapping them around his palms before tugging back on them viciously. The Komodo-Rhino roared in protest as its head was forced into the air, before shaking itself violently to buck Zuko from its back. Gritting his teeth, Zuko squeezed on the back of the creature with his legs and held onto the reins for dear life, though one hand slipped free and nearly forced him from his precarious perch.
With a roar, the Komodo-Rhino surged forward, jerking at odd angles in the attempt to throw Zuko from its back, but Zuko held firm. Buck after buck he endured, his entire body screaming in protest as the animal continued to thunder around the arena as he desperately thought of a way to calm the beast down. Otherwise, he was going to become a Zuko-sized puddle in a few moments.
Kicking it in the head probably hadn't helped cool any tempers. Or had it?
Fleetingly, Zuko remembered how a few Komodo-Rhino trainers would smack their mounts with flaming hands to get them to fall in line if they were acting rebellious. As a child, he had thought it was animal cruelty, but it was all that he could think of. Other than being stampeded, which Zuko could say with certainty that he wasn't exactly fond of.
Rearing the hand that had been wrenched free back, Zuko allowed his fire to cover his hand before bringing it down against the hide of the massive Komodo-Rhino. The beast roared in protest and continued to attempt to throw Zuko from its back, now with more vigor than before. Gritting his teeth, Zuko reared his hand back and struck the side of the animal once more, eliciting another roar, but not causing it to increase its efforts to throw him from its back.
With an audible growl, Zuko struck the side of the Komodo-Rhino once more, eliciting another roar of anger, this time lower and less powerful than before. Pulling back on the reins tightly, Zuko snarled as he wrenched the beast's head back and made direct eye contact with the animal. He raised his hand, once more covered in flame, and let the animal look at it, causing the Komodo-Rhino let out a low grumble.
Slowly, the Komodo-Rhino stopped bucking and began to calm down. Letting out a long sigh, Zuko let the fire die out of his palms before checking the hide of the animal where he had hit it. No burns, thank Agni. Zuko wasn't entirely fond of the idea of maiming an animal to get it to calm down, even when he had been rapidly running out of options. Rubbing the hide of the animal softly, Zuko steered the now calmed Komodo-Rhino over to where he knew Captain Ujio to be sitting, allowing a small smirk to make its way onto his face as the Sun Guard stared at him in disbelief. All the while, Ujio had a perfectly neutral expression on his face as he watched the new duo approach him.
Bringing the Komodo-Rhino to a stop, Zuko stared dead into the eyes of Ujio, making what Zuko was sure would be quite the sight to any onlookers. The dirty, bloody form of a Fire Nation Prince atop a massive Komodo-Rhino staring down the Captain of what used to be the Rough Rhinos probably hadn't happened in a long time, if ever. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, a smirk began to break out onto Ujio's face as he looked both Zuko and the Komodo-Rhino up and down.
"I'm impressed, Prince Zuko," Ujio said calmly, causing Zuko to blink in surprise as he registered the man's words. Impressed? For not dying in Sunjin's 'punishment'? That was not the word Zuko would have thought the man would choose.
"I don't die in this ridiculous punishment, and you're impressed?" Zuko gawked, causing Ujio to raise an eyebrow as a genuinely confused look came over the man's face.
"Punishment?" Ujio asked slowly, bemusement dancing across the man's face.
"Sunjin's punishment for insulting him, isn't that what this was?" Zuko growled, causing the astonishment on the man's face to grow as he blinked in realization. Then the man did something Zuko did not expect, he threw his head back and laughed.
"Prince Zuko," Ujio began between laughs. "Lord Sunjin has no idea that you're here. Well he might, I'm unsure. What you have just gone through is a long-standing Sun Guard tradition for recruits, as I said. Though I may have misled you a tad with its purpose."
"Then what was the whole point of this?" Zuko demanded, his aching body slowly catching up with him. Swallowing his laughter, Ujio leaned forward on the corral fence and grinned up at Zuko.
"Those who are thrown off the Komodo-Rhino aren't expelled from the Sun Guard. No one has ever successfully mounted him before, as a matter of fact," Ujio explained, glee still present on his face. "The point of this tradition is to see how far each man is willing to go to do what must be done. It gives us insight into each recruit's willpower, and how far he will push himself to uphold our contracts. If our men are unwilling to fight against losing odds, they have no place in our company. Glory-hounds and cowards have no place in the Sun Guard."
Zuko let his head drop as he exhaled loudly, before rolling his head back up and gazing at the quickly darkening sky. It hadn't been a punishment from Sunjin, it had been Ujio curious to see if Zuko was willing to push himself as hard as he had back during the Hundred Year War. He had been too focused on Sunjin that Zuko hadn't even bothered to think of what Ujio might have thought of him.
"Well, I daresay I passed. What now, Captain?"
"Call me Ujio," Ujio said with a grin. "Any man who goes that many rounds with our favorite monster can drop the honorifics. As for now? Well, looks like you got a new mount, Prince Zuko."
Glancing down at the massive Komodo-Rhino holding him up, Zuko blinked a few times at the revelation. Indeed, the mount hadn't thrown him from its shoulders as he was distracted from talking with Ujio. Instead, the Komodo-Rhino was just sitting still, patiently waiting for what Zuko told it to do next.
"I guess I do. Does he have a name?" Zuko asked, reaching down and scratching the Komodo-Rhino under its massive chin, eliciting a low purr from the creature and a thump from its massive tail.
"We call him Ten'no, Prince Zuko."
"Emperor, how fitting."
Well, that took longer than expected. Sorry folks, I did some restructuring to the story that took me longer than I expected. The original plan moved far too quickly for my taste. However, with that out of the way, here we are with Chapter 14. Bit longer than usual, but call that my apology for taking two months to write a chapter. Zuko gets rejected by almost all the warlords, learns a bit more about Sunjin's plans for him, pisses him off a bit because Zuko's never been good at keeping his mouth shut, and gets a Komodo-Rhino out of it all. Ten'no is Japanese for Emperor, for those wondering.
On a different note, it is wildly frustrating at how few named locations there are in the Fire Nation, so I've got even more worldbuilding than I thought on my hands in the future. But I digress, it'll be fun for us all.
Poll is still open for the pairing, so leave your vote if you want to.
As per usual, feel free to let me know what you thought of the chapter. Til next time.