We are BACK y'all! I hope you all had a great 2 months :) I'm so excited to return to posting this, though. Awesome things are coming your way...
Let me just take the time now, though, to thank all of the people who reviewed, because damn there were a lot! So, this is the combined list from the preface of The Warrior's Gambit, as well as the last chapter of The Prince's Choice. If you were a guest who reviewed TPC and have something that I would want to respond to, I'll be doing that here. So, without furtur ado, a very long list of thank yous that really made me feel like a celebrity or something: (THE PRINCES CHOICE) marikita07, Resonate14, Guest54, feireia, yourock980, AteaSoul, Kushina Nar, Doctorwhofan101, Zebra Blu, Knightowl247, family adventures, Aaliyah92, The Queen of Thrones, Cherokee96, lauren. kennedy. 794, waves20, BendingDreams, Hristonostore Onnediel, Guest, Who, Guest, Guest, Guest, Iris Quincy Rosewood, Miss Jinxy, Tiernank, jacpin2002, Happyhippoes124, Icjga, ShadowHunted, Ruby Winter, Lady Films, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, Lurker, Another Lurker, Ashyash95, Moonflier, II1v3inmyhead, Crimson Tales, lucel18, Charmfeather, Guest, Guest, The Raven Lurker, Guest, Readingwhilewalking, Guest, Guest, myottodog, whygrayturtle, Coleyeva, torauma5, dumbstruck4u, sydneymariana, laseichan, Etta D, Guest, TheGhostofSam, A Very Excited Lurker, Sportsowl, Nightfox K'Treva, Voldinette, Alias093001, bloomsburry, amaryllis529, Renae Rose, Little Margarita, LlovableLlamas, Sebastian Orian Weasley, ZabuzasGirl (THE WARRIORS GAMBIT) Lady Films, Who, Guest, dazedliz, Zebra Blu, Cherokee96, lauren. kennedy. 794, Miss Jinxy, jacpin2002, ShadowHunted, tiernank, touslesnoms, lucel18, Charmfeather, writingnerd291, The Queen of Thorns, Elizabeththelast, xXxJustLivingLifexXx, Alias093001, and Little Margarita! Whew *wipes sweat* you all are rockstars!
Guest 54: Thank you m'dear ;)
feireia: I'm trying to kick this semester's ass...sigh XD And oh god, you want angst? You'll get angst...
Guest: That part def should have been hard to read. It was hard for me to write, but I'm glad you found it fitting
Guest: I've been thinking of you all constantly, don't you worry. It's one of the few things that brings a smile to my face, day to day!
Guest: There will be a couple of exciting 'turning points' just to keep you all on your toes!
Guest: One of the best you've ever read :D That's high praise! Thank you so much!
Lady Flims: Sub ships are the best, and I'd say you're pretty might right on track ;) And yes we for are going to get a ton more Fire Nation history, and yes we will be exploring other locations this book! Lots, to be honest! Also, oh baby, are we going to get the ANGST. It will be ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE. I can't really answer how much 'global war' i'm going to get into without spoiling it, but know that it will be a big part of both these remaining books. Those two arcs will be addressed, but in different ways. And oh my god, those two fic authors were like my biggest heroes back when I started reading Zutara, so it's amazing that you consider me up in their ranks. I'm majoring in English Lit to be an English teacher one day, but I would love to publish something on my own, because I'm always, always writing. It's for sure on my bucket list ;)
Guest: Well, it worked, huh, since I got you and other to review ;) But you caught the tail end (which might have been nice, didn't really have to wait until now!)
Who: We're gunna get a litttle bit more suffering before good, but I promise it will be worth it.
Guest: That's a huge compliment, thank you so much (To the guest who said it was the most interesting and compelling Zutara fics I have ever read). I'm glad you can appreciate all the details.
Lurker: Glad you liked the pace. It's for sure a thin line between a slow burn and a too-slow burn to the point it fizzles. Katara's headstrong and for sure in some fics I could see her falling quick, but not this one.
Another Lurker: Wow, thank you so much! And I agree; I'm a huge advocate for all the things fanfiction can be. I've read ones myself that I consider better than the things published, on the market. Plus, a ton of previously hailed books are just fanfictions (ie; anything ever written about the Bible, like Paradise Lost), but I'm getting off topic XD
Guest: Wow, nice to see you've stuck around that long! Most fics are just cute and short a fun, some are not. I do both, but this one, from around chapter 10, I realized it was going to be so much more. And I do know that, but it's still nice to hear!
Guest: That's what I aspire. To make you feel like you're reading a real book.
The Raven Lurker: You expressed yourself just fine! I'm glad that, at it's core, it still makes you smile. And I've for sure read until 4am before XD
Guest: I don't ask for much, just a review here and then ;) But, that's fair. I read a lot on my phone and have a whole list of things to go back and review on my computer, so I get it.
Readingwhilewalking: Ugg, computer difficulties are the worst. I feel ya. And since May? That's a long time lol. And my Katara is never submissive. Zuko is far more submissive to me than Kat is haha, and Zuko is also the worst at pickup lines. Even Aang is more suave than Zuko! Tahoe did survived, no fear there! And no, I LOVE long reviews!
Guest: I'm sure part of it probably is. However, it was made/created by two Americans, so I'm sure that both were at the forethought of their mind. I didn't know that previously, so it's nice to learn something new!
Guest: I can't believe I actually finished it either XD That's pretty rare for me lol. Aiga! Oh, I love Aiga too :) And never be shy! Unless you leave a flame, I'll pretty much always shower you with praises for taking the time to leave a comment. I hope the EU's copywright laws get better too :(
Etta D : Interesting! You'll get more info on Aiga later, and one day this comment will seem ironic to you, but I can't say much more than that!
Guest: I'm super glad your first experience with fanfiction was a good one, because there are some...er...not so good ones around XD But, I can totally give people a list of good ones I've read, (more on that at the bottom)
TheGhostofSam: Glad to please! And yeah, Zutara is lagging a bit, but maybe it will come back with the news?
Lady Films: We'll be getting some more POVs, just to spice it up! And yeah, you might wanna be anxious...
Out of all of the issues flitting around in Prince Zuko's mind - and, there were several, some very pressing and of great concern - there was one that managed to wriggle its way to the forefront just about every second he let his mind wander.
An itch he could not scratch.
A ringing in his subconscious that never faltered.
A metaphorical fly that could not be swatted away.
Katara.
What to do with a girl like Katara?
Marry her, but she said no, his inner voice would remind him.
She said no...for now, he would reply to his own devil's advocate. But a part of Zuko always knew she'd say no. She wouldn't have been Katara if she hadn't. He had faith that one day, she'd say yes, but it had sprung up out of nearly nowhere to ask her this time. In his wildest dreams, the competition would be over by now and he'd be preparing for his wedding, something he had previously been less than enthusiastic about. Katara made him want it all; a large ceremony, a quiet life, children...
He would have been thrilled, obviously, if she had said yes, but he may have been concerned for her safety.
Zuko knew the dangers of the palace, and he knew them well; that much was not something he felt right to argue with her about. He would, however, rebuff her crazy idea that the safest place wasn't at his side as the Fire Lady, a woman who held the near entirety of the world in her palm. He was sure that if he ascended to the throne with Katara at his side, he already would have won half the battle. He could sway the council, expose his father...make sure he could never hurt her.
But, Katara persisted.
Marry someone else. He recalled what she'd urged him with a mildly uncomfortable rock forming in the bottom of his stomach. His chest had dropped when he'd heard that.
Maybe it would have been smart.
Maybe...but lately, Zuko found his common sense being chipped away at an alarming rate.
He filed through the remaining girls in his mind as though he was looking through a folio, considering and weighing each girl very carefully, as he'd been doing for the last few days. Examining them. Scrutinizing them. Trying to imaging marrying one within a week, if things went really south.
Not long ago, Toph strangely would have been his first choice, if he were so pushed against a wall. Not because he held any romantic affections for the girl, but because he did not. He was absolutely sure that they could work out an agreement to benefit everyone. Toph would not have to return to her shitty family, and she would not have cared if Zuko continued to see Katara. He could convince Katara to stay on as a representative in some capacity, and as the years grew on, at least he knew he'd always have a friend in his wife. Sure, the idea of producing an heir with her wasn't the most appealing, but he'd do it to hold onto Katara. This idea, of course, hinged on Katara also being okay with this. As it was, that idea was no longer viable, because he doubted he could get Toph on board anymore. So.
Mai was the girl that many Fire Nation officials were rooting for. She had the poise and grace that they thought a Fire Lady should possess. Zuko wasn't thrilled with the idea of marrying her, at least, not as their relationship was now. A small part wondered if he managed to get Mai alone again, if she'd become more like the friend in his childhood years. She'd never been overly chatty, looking back, but she had been a companion.
Yue was soft-spoken and just as poised as Mai, but much nicer. If he considered his future children in the mix (which he had to), Yue was a more appealing choice. They sometimes had awkward moments of silence, but he figured that could be fixed with time.
Suki was also on his list of people he could see himself marrying, at least, in another life in which Katara had never come to participate in the Choice. A lot of what he liked about Suki was what he liked about Katara - her strong will, her sparring abilities, her political interest - so he worried if he married her, it would always be a competition between her and a girl that he couldn't have chosen if he wanted to-Katara. All things came back to her.
It was all rubbish anyway, every girl he considered just felt so lifeless next to Katara. Katara and her waterbending. Katara and her inquisitive eyes, which held the ocean. Katara and her warm, earth-toned skin. Katara and-
"Zuko." His father's velvet voice purred over the table. "Would you kindly come back to join us?"
Zuko lifted his chin from where it rested on his fingers. Had his Uncle called him out, he would have apologized for his absent mindedness. However, since it was his father, Zuko would not give him such satisfaction.
"I haven't left, father," Zuko said shortly. "We were discussing the reparations to the Hall of Histories, were we not?" he countered. He'd learned since he was a very young boy that not listening could sink him deep into trouble, so as much as one part of Zuko's mind whirled around the Southern Water Tribe girl he was besotted with, the other part listened and digested whenever his father opened his lips.
"Just checking." Ozai raised an eyebrow.
"A future Fire Lord shouldn't need to be 'checked'," Azula threw in. "What could be more important than these meetings, Zuko?"
If they were children, say even the ages of fourteen and twelve, Zuko would have heard a teasing tone in her voice, and he would have replied back that Azula had no to right to tease him, when she was burning her notes at the edges or ripping tiny holes in her stockings in boredom, too.
But they were not children, and there was only malice in her tone.
"Now is hardly the time to be attempting to undermine your brother, little cousin," Lu Ten said, a warning in his tone. "Isn't there enough upheaval without so you so gaudily attempting to steal what your brother has? You are like a child, taking Zuko's toys just because it so displeases you to not have something also."
"The Throne is not a toy! We've all accepted that things are changing after the attack, so why not a change in the lineup for the ruler, as well? It's been done once before," Azula added, staring down Lu Ten with a wicked smile.
"So it is not just to do it again." Uncle Iroh frowned. "Azula, your comments have been noted but have grown tiresome on all of our ears."
"Let them," Azula barked out. "He is hardly acting as a prince, did you see the way he was kissing Lady Katara-"
"Princess Katara. As is his right," Ozai broke in, but Zuko wouldn't say his father was on his side. He wasn't sure that he was on Azula's side though, or else she would have been given the throne months ago. Ozai was on no one's side but his own. "It is his prerogative, may I remind you – daughter - that Zuko may kiss whomever he pleases, if they are in the Prince's Choice."
Azula was not dumb. Whenever Ozai stepped in, she would shut up. Also, as there were only immediate family members sitting at the table, there were not many minds to enchant with her poisonous words. Her family had heard them all, and most of them could spin words as skillfully as she, so they knew her silver tricks. Zuko had never had that skill, but he trumped her in just about everything else, he liked to think. Maybe not firebending, either, but that was a work in progress.
Zuko shot an appreciative glance toward his cousin and uncle. He was especially glad that there were no hard feelings about the fact that their lineage's birthright had been removed. As it was, Zuko did not care much for the throne. It may have sounded awful to say, but he thought that Lu Ten would have made a fair and just Fire Lord. He was absolutely sure, with every fiber of his being, that Uncle Iroh would have been a better Fire Lord than his father. Had the hands of fate swung the other way, Zuko could not have been upset.
But that was not so. Zuko was the heir apparent and this left him, more times than not, very much alone in the world.
He was thrown back to an event, years ago, but a moment that has never left him.
He recalled being young, hardly thirteen, and Azulon was beckoning him to his bedside with a spindly and wrinkled finger. He'd swallowed down his terror at being called to face his very imposing grandfather alone, and bravely approached the bed, his shoulders squared.
At the time, his grandfather had been gravely ill. The Fire Sages had warned the family that he could go any day, so Zuko was told very firmly not to do anything to upset his grandfather. He'd gotten a murderous look from his father when Zuko has responded, "Do anything to upset him? He's likely going to upset me!' Azulon did end up biting the bullet, a whole year later, but remained in a state of perpetual sickness up until the end of his days. Zuko thought this was only fair.
He recalled the smell of something smoldering, something burning. Azulon always smelled like that, and not a pleasant fire smell, but a noxious one. When Azulon had grasped Zuko's wrist with a startling strength, Zuko had nearly cried out.
Azulon pulled Zuko down to his lips, his breath coming out in rasps and his whole body quaking with sickness.
"All living things die alone," he'd said, forcing the words from his lips, "And so shall you."
Then, he released Zuko just as suddenly as he'd grabbed him and turned over. Zuko had stumbled out of the bedroom and into the gardens, where he'd heaved his stomach, but only brought up bile.
Something about his words had been so prophetic, so startling. The words of a very ill elder shouldn't have shaken him so much, but truth be told...it did. It was the certainty with which Azulon had said it, the near smugness in his voice. The way he'd said it would never leave Zuko.
Even at that age, there had been discussion of Zuko ascending to the throne instead of Lu Ten. Zuko, at that point, had thought his father's plight near impossible. It was in the moment that Azulon told Zuko this, and no one else, that Zuko knew deep down one day he would rule. It felt like his grandfather's words went without saying, but that promise weighed heavier on Fire Lords than anyone else.
And so shall you.
And so shall you.
And so shall you.
A part of Zuko had prepared himself for this, for this loneliness, for this gripping coldness. Azulon had died in his sleep with not another soul around. And, even if someone had been in the room, he was so estranged from any other person that he would have died alone anyway, dying alone in the spirit of the sense. Azulon -better than anyone - would know this truth.
Then, he'd met Katara. For a wild, fledgling second, he'd thought that the few and final words his grandfather had ever spoken to him would never come to pass.
Still, now, he wasn't so sure.
He knew that as an adult - as the future Fire Lord - he should not let such things bother him in the present. He had the ability to forge his own destiny, and further than that, he had the ability to ask anything of his people. It would be for naught if he forced their love, and he wanted to be a better Fire Lord than his three predecessors - though he was sure his father would tell him his plans would make him worse, would make him weak.
Frankly, Zuko did not want to be the Fire Lord if it meant ruling through tyranny and fearmongering. And, since he was about to inherit the throne all too soon, he was in a position to be deciding such things.
Zuko turned his focus back to the meeting. Uncle Iroh was going on about the crown molding in the Hall of Histories and arguing that maybe some mirrors would be a nice addition, and Ozai was waving his hand in a firm dismission. It was nothing exciting (this whole meeting hadn't been 'exciting') but Zuko was semi-glad he didn't need to focus on it, anyway.
The door opened and Aang appeared, itching the fingerless gloves that covered his arrows. While the rumors had been spread to the public, through no effort of the Royal Palace, that Aang was covered in horrid burns, Zuko's family believed otherwise. He'd managed to convince his father that the sect that Aang, er, Kuzon had grown up with had been very religious and very covered, and it would offend the old gods to show an abundance of skin. He'd been able to find an old Fire God somewhere that had believed the sweat built up from uncomfortably heavy clothes was spiritual and it was apparently enough.
It, so far, seemed to work. Kuzon didn't go out of his way to have times in which Ozai would see him other than required attendance.
"Great Uncle." Aang bowed respectfully in Ozai's direction. Zuko could see the way that Aang's jaw clenched, how he forced the words out with some difficulty. Aang had been unsettled since the discovery in the caverns, to say the least.
"Kuzon, I take it that classes have concluded for the day?"
"Yes, sir." Aang sat next to Lu Ten, where he was instructed to sit during family meetings. His presence had grown over time. At first, Ozai hardly took note of him. But, slowly, as his stay in the palace had extended, his participation began to be more of a regular occurrence, because let it never be said that the Royal family did not honor the covenant of blood.
"How is your training going?"
"Fine," Aang answered stiffly. After the attack on the palace, Ozai had insisted that Aang start taking part in military training. Zuko found it hard to disagree, especially since Aang could only whip out his firebending in a pinch. Having other skills would be most valuable.
They'd tried to keep Aang out of the military as long as possible. Having him in a situation in which he would have to train shirtless was obviously a problem, not to mention that Aang was a pacifist by upbringing.
Zuko could not budge his father on this decision, however. Aang was funneled into the sessions. Iroh had noticed Aang's unease and convinced the Junior Captain to allow Aang to remain covered, as long as it did not hinder Aang's learning. So far, so good. However, that didn't mean it wasn't difficult for Aang to acclimate to this lifestyle. The military was structured and taught with an iron fist. It had adopted an 'eat or be eaten' mentality that related not only to training, but how they should approach undesirables in the field. Ozai was the one to thank for that, Zuko thought with frustration.
It was what Ozai did when backed into a wall: respond with war and violence. It was all he'd ever known. He was hailed as the one who revamped the entire military structure as Zuko was doing with the trade routes. He knew the military better than any living man.
It had made the Fire Nation an impenetrable nation, until the Equalists. In response, Ozai was just throwing more violence at the problem. While Zuko highly doubted that if they threw daisies and banjos at the Equalists they'd surrender, his father was taking things to maniacal levels by demanding every son over the age of 12 should go into the military training.
"Oh, Kuzon is too humble," Iroh said at Ozai's less-than-pleased face. "He is a rare find. He already shows restraint when needed, but is able to hold his own swimmingly."
Aang blushed at the praise, however he still looked upset. Zuko knew that Aang would hate to be known by a military status one day, if the whole affair with his true identity lasted longer than anyone expected.
"I'm glad to hear that. I cannot afford in another attack for you to be undefended, Kuzon. While Guardsman Shoji has shown great initiative, we must always expect the worse," Ozai said. "I am pleased you are here for the last bit of the meeting, nephew."
"Oh?" Aang asked, shooting a nervous look to Zuko, but Zuko had no idea why Ozai would want Aang around.
"We have a matter of grave importance to discuss, for the moment family and need-to-know only, and I wish not to repeat my suspicions…" He paused for a second. "I believe the Avatar has returned."
Zuko choked on his own breath, managing a strangled, "But it's been 104 years, Father." He covered his horror with faux disbelief.
"I know, quite a time for the spirits to be quiet." Ozai was stroking his beard. "And I hadn't thought it possible until very recently."
"It is not possible," Uncle Iroh insisted firmly. "Whatever you have heard-"
"It's not what I've heard, through the whispers through the palace are suffocating," Ozai cut him off. "It's what I've seen. The day of the attack, the idols of the past Avatars lit up with a brilliance that cannot be explained away. We all must assume that the Avatar is the number one enemy of the Fire Nation and is working with the Equalists to disassemble us as we know."
There was a stunned silence. Zuko scrutinized his father carefully, trying not to let his internal thoughts show on his face. He'd assumed his father was puppeting the Equalists. Was he still, and this was his way of creating an excuse to kill the Avatar if he found him? Or, were his father's thoughts genuine, and he had nothing to do with the Equalists?
The sureness in his father's voice made him actually think the latter, which would do him no good to have his suspicions back to square one. He decided his father was a master manipulator and he should equally be prepared to believe either one of the two options.
Belatedly, he thought of Aang. He resisted the urge to swing his head to his friend too sharply, but instead looked at Lu Ten and Aang as if to ask 'do we believe this?'Aang's face was as white as a sheet, and Zuko wasn't sure he was breathing. He seemed frozen in the spot, until Zuko caught his eye.
Aang slowly morphed his face into one of half-concern, half-interest. Zuko had spent years with Aang practicing his poker face and today - more than ever - it was a necessary mask.
"Okay, so…" Lu Ten licked his lips nervously, frowning. "104 years? That's what, three generations? So, it's back to a Firebender now?"
Sweat beaded on Aang's head. It seemed if Ozai believed this, and it was a fair assessment, then Aang was still in the danger zone, since his cover was as a firebender.
"Actually, I have reason to believe it's still the same airbender." Ozai leaned back on his grand chair, pressing all his finger together at the tips, a rather pensive look gathering on his face. "And if that's true, then this Avatar is a master already and our most important mission."
"There are no more airbenders, Father," Zuko attempted to scoff out. "They all died a long time ago."
"So I thought too, but I have gotten rather disturbing reports that their kind are popping up, one here, one there." Ozai waved his hands to indicate 'here and there'. "And we can only assume that any airbender is going to side with their leader, or have information about where we can find him or her."
"You can't be serious!" Lu Ten argued. "Implicating an entire race to the same crimes, the crimes you claim?"
"Son," Iroh whispered sternly, "Be cautious of what you say next."
"I knew you'd see the logic, my brother," Ozai said, nodding.
"Logic? You misspeak, brother." Iroh's face was furious. "You are speaking of blind hate and fear."
"Father fears nothing!" Azula snarled. "How dare you insinuate-"
"Azula, please," Ozai said softly, and she sat back, frowning and glaring down her Uncle. "I do fear for the safety of my family. These airbenders are dangerous, make no mistake."
"What?" Aang finally spoke up. "They're peaceful people! Pacifists, if I recall my history correctly," Aang added on as casually as Zuko would have.
"The old Air Nomads, perhaps. These are Air Nomads born of years of feeling repressed, feeling anger for a sickness that nature deigned them to have. They are not like what we remember."
Zuko had to grip the handles of his chair so he didn't spring up at the way his father pretended that nature had anything to do with the massacre of the airbenders.
Or, perhaps he truly did not know.
There was a lot he was questioning of his father lately.
Either way, Zuko was disgusted at what his father was suggesting. It sounded too good, it almost sounded reasonable. Ozai was able to twist his words all too easily, and Zuko could see how the average lay person would just feed right into the picture of terror and suspicion his father painted.
"So what do you say we do with these airbenders?" Azula asked, a malicious glint sparkling in her eyes.
"We treat any airbender found as a traitor, first off." Ozai had had time to think of this. He answered without hesitation. "We question them and if they refuse to comply, we dispose of them. They'll be useless to us anyway, and we cannot risk them escaping a prison."
"We could send them to the Boiling Rock," Zuko pressed his father. "That place is secure!"
"Zuko, you don't to be painted as an airbender sympathizer, do you? As an Equalizer sympathizer?" Ozai asked, eyes wide in faux horror.
"Asking for mercy is not the same thing." Iroh was staring at Ozai like he never really saw his brother before now. Maybe he had always clung to some desperate hope he would mend his ways or be a better person than they expected.
"And risk them poisoning the minds of other inmates? Of escaping? Of letting their cancerous ways grow like fungus? I think most would agree with me there is only one way to deal with their kind," Ozai said, throwing the blame off of himself, as he always did. Zuko knew he could bend the council to his will to make this whole thing seem like the people's wish and not his own.
"I have decided this matter must be handled with utmost care. I have called in an old friend and a formidable ally to spearhead this movement." Ozai looked to the side, waving a hand to a guard. The pair opened the grand doors to the war council room, and a man waltzed in, his military boots making sharp clacks on the floor and his medals of honor and accomplishment tinkling against the polished metal of his uniform.
"Captain Zhao. I would say I was surprised, but there are few as...determined as you," Uncle Iroh said, eyes narrowing with clear displeasure. Zuko locked his jaw. On the few occasions he'd met Zhao, he'd disliked him instantly. His uncle's attitude toward the man did not encourage him to budge such sentiments.
"General Iroh, haven't you heard? It's Commander Zhao now." Zhao set his helmet on the table, bowing deeply to Ozai.
"I had not, considering all military rank changes go through me, do they not, brother?" Iroh raised an eyebrow to Ozai.
"Yes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I officiated it. I thought I'd save you some paperwork," Ozai dismissed it simply.
"Thank you," Iroh replied, but Zuko had a feeling his uncle was feeling anything but thankful. He watched the sizzling tension between his father and his uncle for a hard moment before Iroh blinked, breaking it. Zuko wondered, if the paperwork had come across Iroh's desk, if maybe he would have denied it.
"I'd hardly say these are desperate times," Lu Ten said, speaking when his father would not.
"I disagree, young Prince," Zhao crooned, turning to Lu Ten, his tone belittling despite the fact that he was only a handful of years older than Lu Ten; ten, if Zuko recalled correctly. "Wouldn't you say that any assault on the Fire Nation and its Lord calls for a state of emergency?"
Lu Ten licked his lips, but stayed quiet. However, his eyes remained narrowed with heavy suspicion.
"Commander Zhao, what are your plans to deal with these rebels?" Azula asked, leaning forward with a glee that sickened Zuko.
"Well, we take any whisper of an appearance much more seriously. Now that I am a Commander, there will be a task force of guards who will follow me to wherever we hear of an airbender showing up. No corner of the globe is too far to eradicate the vermin they are." Zhao took a seat at the table, which usually would be considered an affront on the most dire levels, but Ozai didn't seem to mind. "We take the ones that seem to know anything. We stop at nothing to learn what knowledge they possess, and then we finish what the plagues failed to do 100 years ago."
"You're still talking about the eradication of a whole group of people," Lu Ten whispered quietly, shaking his head.
"A war always has casualties. However, think of it as...a generosity I'm giving them." Zhao titled his head. "If we allowed them to live, no doubt there would be assassination attempts on their lives for endangering the throne. We will do it humanly."
Zuko bit back the question of how killing anyone could be considered doing something 'humanly'? And, further, did they think the plague was a softer way to go? Did they know the horrors of what the 'plague' had done to the airbenders years ago?
Suddenly, Zuko felt an even stronger urge to dispose of the journal in his trunk. He itched to go find it now and make sure that it never fell into the hands of Zhao or the likes of him.
"In all, the plan is simple, truly." Zhao was still talking. "But no doubt will it still be difficult on many levels. Lord Ozai has already agreed to allow me to take some of the training guards for my platoon, to teach them in the field, which is much more to truth than training against dummies or stick figures. Master Kuzon, I hear you've recently joined the training ranks, no?"
Zuko breathed in hard, trying not to let his heart hammer.
"Yes." Aang's answer was sharp, resounding.
"Well, how about you come with me? It would surely raise your status."
"A marvelous idea. Having a member of the Royal Family on this expedition will show the people that we stand behind it, as well as broaden Kuzon's abilities," Ozai said before Aang could decline or come up with an excuse.
Zuko, with everyone else, turned to Aang. He could see Aang very desperately trying not to break face, trying to even look excited. There was a pregnant pause in which Aang said nothing at all, and Zhao frowned.
Under the table, Zuko kicked Aang's shins. If Aang didn't speak up now...well, Zuko disliked this too, but Aang had to agree. Ozai had played his hand.
"I would be honored," Aang finally managed, grinning at Zhao. "If possible, perhaps we could push it back? I just began, and to be honest, I still need to master a few basics."
"Well, the airbender factions have been quiet," Zhao said. "So, we won't be shipping out tonight." He seemed genuinely upset about this. The relief from not just Aang, but from his Uncle and cousin as well, was palpable.
In his head, Zuko was already running through scenarios to get Aang out of his, rapidly shoving away the ones that would not work, not even considering those that would lead to Aang being discovered, and entertaining a handful. He wondered if his uncle was doing the same logistical equations too, though he figured it was because his uncle could not approve of this mission.
"Yes, a shame. A show of force would be quite what we need right now," Ozai sighed, stroking his beard.
"Ah, the unsettled few," Zhao said, and for once, Zuko felt very out of the conversation.
"They're just idiots, hardly a concern," Azula laughed. "You can't seriously think they're a danger?"
"Excuse me, what are you all discussing?" Zuko asked, deciding that asking now rather than waiting until it was far past the time to admit ignorance was better.
"I suppose you've been busy with the Ladies, haven't you?" Ozai just blinked at Zuko. "But I find it hard to believe you haven't heard about the few Earth Kingdom leaders that are considering an attack on us, since we've been 'weakened'."
"Oh," Zuko frowned. "Those."
He would have to be deaf not to hear about it. First, the Earth Kingdom leaders who discussed this were not as quiet as they thought they were. Second, when you had loyal serpents at your beck and call, few conversations were truly ever in confidence. Third, it just made political sense that there would be some people begging for thread after such an upset.
"You don't seem worried."
Zuko rolled his answer around his tongue before he spoke. "For once, I agree with Azula. I don't think it's a concern. None of the Earth Kings have the power to overthrow us, even if they tried. Plus, I hope we wouldn't need to remind them what would happen if they made an attempt."
Not that Zuko wanted that to happen, or thought fear was the right way to go. Nevertheless, his father did manage to keep a firm grip on his colonies.
"Shame," Zhao chuckled. "A public treason beheading can be quite the event."
Zuko felt ill just looking at Zhao. If he considered an execution a fun family event, Zuko loathed to think what he'd do to any airbenders to get the information he thought they knew.
"Brother, look at the time," Uncle Iroh said after a tense moment. Ozai gazed out the window.
"I see what you mean. Dinner will be ready shortly and we've been in here much too long. I think we've made a good dent in the list," Ozai said, leaning forward to examine a list of topics he'd written out, mostly on certain restorations of the palace. It was dry as hell, but it wasn't murderous rhetoric, so Zuko much preferred it.
Aang was out of the hall first, just a smidge too fast for normality. Luckily, anyone who would have reason to worry about why seemed preoccupied. Ozai had broken off to speak to Zhao and Azula hung around, like a puppy, eagerly waiting to hear anything of the plans.
Zuko felt torn. On one hand, he felt a certain responsibility for any airbenders out there (adopt one, adopt them all), and lingering may shed some more light on Zhao's plans, but after today, Aang was no doubt in a bad place.
Zuko picked his option without a second thought. Katara had told him once he was a bad politician, but a good person. Of course he'd go see if Aang was okay.
xXxX
Aang stumbled through the doors of his personal quarters, beelining for the bathroom. He felt his knees buckle and before he knew it, his forehead was pressed flush against the toilet, his whole body shaking. Deep ripples passed over his shoulders like an earthquake and he felt his lunch come up violently. He coughed until it was just bile, and then coughed some more.
He was being told to go and murder his own people. The thought made him feel ill again, but his throbbing headache took precedence now that his stomach had been emptied.
He fell back on his haunches, wiping his hand across his mouth. The headache had been unending, honestly. Ever since the night of the attack, there had been a blinding pain in his temples that hadn't subsided.
"Shut up, shut up," Aang commanded in a hushed, but furious, whisper. Alas, it did little to help.
He'd heard the whispers. Not the whispers everyone else was talking about, the whispers of more airbenders, miraculously, or the whispers of some foolhardy Earth Lords planning a coup (or, theorizing and dreaming about staging one). No, Aang was hearing whispers that only existed inside of his head.
Now that the Spirit Link had been established a second time, the Avatars of the past were crawling out of the woodwork of his mind, assuaging him at every second with past memories as well as ongoing commentary.
It was enough to drive anyone freaking batty.
They had a lot to say about Commander Zhao's announcement.
Sometimes, an Avatar must be a warrior, before anything else. You are less Air Nomad than you are the Avatar-
That was Kyoshi, who had one of the more militant perspectives.
Ozai will make a mistake, have no fear. It will not be long until my kin take the throne, Agni willing. In the meantime, I'd suggest-
Ah, don't listen to Roku! What does he know of modern day Fire Lords, since he thought he knew Sozin so well. If you ask me-
"I haven't asked you," Aang snapped to empty air. "So please, just please, go away."
Nothing, but, it was worth a try.
He wondered if he'd accepted the spirit link earlier if this would have been more gradual. Or, was it always like this, a room of too many people?
The Avatars have always held a place inside the current Avatar's mind, however, this is a special circumstance you have in all areas.
Agh, even his thoughts were not his own anymore.
Technically Aang, these are our thoughts too, since we are all the same person. We are like your conscious, but a bit more formally present.
"A lot more present!" Aang shoved himself up, leering his elbows fall on his vanity as he splashed water onto his face. Luckily, Roku was the main 'speaker' if you will, who he preferred to the others. It was the 'him' before him, after all, which probably was why. He didn't think he'd ever get used to his mind feeling so...full.
"Kuzon?" There was a gentle rap on the door, accompanied by the nervous shuffling of Zuko.
"Yeah, come in," Aang sighed, wiping his face off with a rag.
When Zuko entered, there was a moment of silence. Then, gingerly, Zuko reached inside of his armor and pulled out the journal that made Aang's head swim and his vision blur.
"I was keeping it in my chest of drawers, but now I think I shouldn't let it go." Zuko was the first to speak, switching to the Nomadic Tongue. After Sozin's conquest, he switched all of the nations he ruled to a common language, something that was an amalgamation of mainly Fire Nation words, with some Earth Kingdom roots. Nearly everyone spoke this tongue now, and only smaller communities held onto their native language. The surprise that the Southern Water Tribe had learned it too was staggering, but Sokka had explained it to Zuko, pointing out that it would have been foolish not to learn the enemy's language. At this point, it was just convenient. Aang knew every language, even the obscure ones, if a past Avatar had known it. Early on, in their travels, Aang had taught Zuko how to speak Nomadic, and it was coming in handy now more than ever. It wouldn't be odd for Zuko to know a dead language, since the study of dead languages was a Royal habit, though his sister learned languages like Old Fire Tongue and The Language Before Bending. "And we should get rid of it as soon as possible, with what Zhao is suggesting…"
Aang didn't answer, not at first.
"I just, I don't know how much longer I can do this, Zuko." He crossed his arms, sighing. Zuko pulled out a chair for him, and Aang sat down next to someone he considered to be his brother.
"I know."
It didn't need to be said that Aang was referring to literally everything. The military training, during which he was just waiting for a slip up, causing everyone to know everything. Masquerading as Kuzon, as while he'd grown used to living in the Palace, it didn't mean he'd grown comfortable. Even being the Avatar, specifically an Avatar in hiding, felt like a bit too much to handle sometimes.
"We all know," Aang grumbled. "I'm failing, Zuko. And these voices…"
"Voices?" Zuko jerked his head up.
Aang bit his lip. He'd forgotten he hadn't gotten around to telling Zuko about that yet. "Yeah. Voices. Past Avatars, giving unsolicited advice...all the time."
I'd hardly say my advice is unsolicited! If you think a question, how can you expect no answer!
"Shut up, Kuruk."
Zuko was staring wide-eyed at Aang. "You mean, you hear all of them, all the time?"
"Yeah. It's giving me a headache the size of an air bison. I think I need a spiritual teacher too, someone to guide me through this. The past Avatars couldn't have survived like this, they'd never get anything done!"
Zuko was biting his nails. "We have a lot of problems."
Aang's shoulders deflated. "Yeah. I don't know how I can go and do that to my kin."
"Well…" Zuko began with a slowness Aang did not enjoy. "Maybe it's not the worst thing?"
"You're joking."
"No, I mean, you'd be right at the center of information. I mean, if you get in good with Zhao, get him to trust you, you can learn where these airbenders are. And maybe, they all just vanish or go underground before you get to them, or you find ways to 'kill them' without doing so. They wouldn't pop up again, that's for sure, because I'd send them to Dhakiya and-"
Aang broke through the voices that were telling him how sound Zuko's plan was to squint.
"What does Dhakiya have to do with anything?"
Aang vaguely recalled the dark-haired, quieter twin that had been sent home a long time ago, under very abrupt circumstances. However, he failed to see how she connected to any of this. Frankly, Aang had hardly given her a second thought when she was in the palace, much less since she'd left.
Zuko clasped his hands in front of his face, inhaling. "Aang. I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise not to get upset."
"Oh, that's always a merry old way to start something," Aang scoffed, looking at Zuko with an irritated glare. "But now you've caught my attention."
"Dhakiya...she was an airbender. She is, I mean. I sent her away for her safety. She's with Appa."
At the mention of his beloved familiar, Aang's heart constricted. He shoved away questions he had about his pet to focus on what Zuko had just told him.
"And when, Zuko, were you going to tell me?" he asked, voice dangerously low. He rarely used such a tone, but he figured right now was a good time.
"I'm not sure." Zuko's face was red, and Aang knew that he knew how shitty it was to keep this information from him. "It wasn't...I didn't want to upset you."
"And you figured I wouldn't be upset now? Agni, Zuko...that's the first airbender other than myself I would have actually met! I know there have been whispers, but we haven't found any of them."
"I know. That's because the Equalists are disposing of them. I think they're looking for the Avatar too." Zuko's shoulders slumped low. "I think they might be working with my father. Admittedly, recently, I'm unsure. It wouldn't make complete sense, but it would clear up a few things."
"This day just gets better and better," Aang groaned. "You'd better have a damn good reason for not telling me." he glowered, with a venom in his hissed words.
"I thought you'd go into the Avatar state," Zuko said simply, which wasn't unreasonable to assume.
"And what, now that I have-"
"Yeah, now that you have, cat's sort of out of the bag anyway. Small miracles that it happened in a metal, underground bunker," Zuko said, missing the acerbic way Aang had begun his previous comment. Or, he'd heard it and ignored it.
"I'm pissed at you," Aang said, almost as angry at Zuko right now as he was at Ozai. He couldn't believe he'd been left out of his own people's strife. He shoved Zuko. "Get out."
Zuko got up, sighing hard. "I knew you would be angry. So, take a day. After that, we can't afford to hold grudges when there's so much at stake." He left Aang in his room. Aang slammed the door and threw his scarf off in frustration, looking at the blue arrow peeking past his hair, feeling betrayed and stupid. He hated that Zuko had been handling him like a child. He hated he was just finding out now. He hated that he could have done something.
"Not hold a grudge, the gall," Aang muttered, trying to work through these emotions.
He's right, you know.
"Go walk off a cliff, Yangchen."
NOTES! (and there's a lot, ya dont have to read them all, but you might find it interesting and worth your while!)
1- This is all the girls that remain: Katara Smellerbe Jin Mai OnJi Suki toph TyLee Yue Alcina Avizeh Kilee Maiha Nadhari Ratana Saoirse
2- So, as this chapter shows, we are getting two shiny new POVs that will continue on! I know Katara wasn't in this one, but this was to kinda shove you all back into the story :) Katara's POV will still be most frequent, followed by Zuko's, and then Aang's.
3- Just a note, as I think I've said before, if I had to pick a ship other than Zutara for Zuko, it would Zuko/Suki! Since, as I wrote, she's his 'number 2' in a sense here
4- I've been making aesthetic boards/mood boards for the OCs! You can find them on my tumblr (youngblodlex22) or 'Art of A Delicate Subterfuge' on archive of our own! So far I have Alcina, Aiga, and Dhakiya's boards done, but if there's someone else ya want to see next, lemme know. Everyone's fav OC seemed to be Aiga (tru) or Shoji (who actually isn't an OC, but is a canon-albeit not very fleshed- character). On that same vein, follow my tumblr because I'll be starting up Daily Fic Recs again, some for Zutara/Atla and lots of other fandoms because I read A LOT of fanfiction!
5- I will be planning on update weekly, every Sunday if I can help it :)
6- Can anyone spot the Lost reference in there? Kudos if ya do!
7- So, as I was writing, I totally forgot that like there was an actual different military vs guard in the Fire Nation. SO how I chose to do it from here on out is that EVERYONE starts out as a general guardsman/is taught the same type of skills/has to guard the Fire Nation palace for at least a year. After that, if they show aptitude for other skills such as Naval intellegence, they can get specially picked for other groups, but at any time the groups can interchange each other; ie Zhao can come and take recruits from the general pool, or he could go to the Air Force if he really wanted and take from there.
8- On that note, everyone was asking for Zhao and his evilness. Who is scared/excited to see him?
9- As you might be able to tell, the Aang in this story is very different in a lot of ways from the Aang in the original serious. First off, he's sixteen, so he has sixteen year old thoughts and problems. I chose to have his Avatar pasts very present in his mind, like constantly there (the show isn't like that) to make things more interesting. More than that, he's been living as member of the Royal Family for four years now, nearly five, so that's really gotta take a toll on someone mentally. He's a little less naieve, a little more sly.
10- I love the idea that the nations actually speak different languages! I read an awesome fic on that once, I'll have to find it. Anyway, though, since Ozai took over, there's a standard Language that everyone knows, and Katara's tribe learned it to be able to communicate terms of surrender and keep intellegence up, which is why everyone is speaking the same. However, lots of cities have their own dialect or even own native language apart from the Fire Nation Standard.
11- So I hear there's an ATLA reboot coming out. I have a lot of very mixed thoughts about it. I don't want to overwhelm these notes with ALL my thoughts about it, but if anyone's interested, I'd be happy to talk about it haha. Also, what are your thoughts on it?
12- Last, I swear! For every 10 reviews someone gives me, ie; review ten times, and you get a drabble written by me of a couple of your choice! I do have a list from the previous fic, and I know that I have those to do, but I'm finishing up my last semester of undergrad so I probably won't have time to do those until after Dec. However, once I graduate, I won't be doing much so I'll have AMPLE time to write! Some of you might have hit that ten review mark from reviewing the last chap, but I'll let people know next chapter what the stats are. On that note also, I try to answer every review I can. I also try to do it after I update a new story. But, there's a lot this time, so if you don't see a reply after this posts tonight I'm working through them and if you don't get one, I'm sorry I didn't mean to miss it!
On that note, let me know what you think of this new chapter!