Author Note:
We meet again in 2021!
Compliments of the new season.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm sure some of you are very curious about this chapter.
Does anyone read my author notes or skip to the story?
I know I do sometimes for stories I read. I mean can you blame me? I'd be more interested in what happens next. I won't hold it against you if you skip these little notes.
I give you Chapter 9 of Back Without Regrets.
Enjoy!
Jiang-sama
After about two months of preparation for the voyage, Zuko found himself on a ship headed for the South Pole. To the day he left port, Azula was not happy that her brother would be going to the South Pole without her. Zuko barely convinced her to stay, making her a promise to teach newer more powerful fire-bending moves and week straight-matches. He had Azula promise him to not get into much trouble, to stay by her friends as much as possible and keep the Fire Lord at a distance as much as he could.
Thinking about it now, going back to the land where his journey with Aang and the GAang began was rather nostalgic, a blend of a number of feelings if he had to be honest. For one, he wasn't with his Uncle, which made the journey rather lonesome without the old man bugging him about drinking another cup of tea or playing a game pai-sho. On the other hand, memories of his past tried to flood their way through his mind, some of regret, a lot with anger directed at himself. Zuko shook them off, having to often to remind himself that he was a different man, well child, then.
"Your highness"
Zuko turned to see Yon Rha stand proud before him, compared to the shrivelled up man he had become in his former timeline. A part of him wanted to chuck the man overboard and look the other way to prevent the tragedy that would befall Katara. Although if Zuko had to be honest with himself, he wasn't sure how well that plan would work. What if another soldier would do more harm than good? It was a game of chance that Zuko wasn't to confident in playing.
However, another part of Zuko was curious. To Zuko, Yon Rha was a man full of pride and with no doubt had a lot of merit in the bag to gain favour with a lot of the higher generals and nobles. Yet, when Zuko and Katara confronted him, he was a poor nimble weakling that was basically a hollow husk of the man that stood before him. Which begs the question, how did a man like Yon Rha live like a pauper where he should have been living like a king? Well, not maybe not a king king but a well-off noble. Yon Rha did have admirable achievements by Firenation war standards. So, why? It was a rather curious case for Zuko, but now was not the time for him to figure out the answers he wanted.
"Commander," Zuko greeted, "You commandeer a fine ship"
"Thank you, your highness. I make sure that everyone on board my ship adheres to the rules and upholds the honour of the Fire Nation," Yon Rha boasted.
"Is that so?," Zuko hummed, "How long before we reach the South Pole?"
"We will reach the shores within a week"
"Well then, I will stay in my chambers for today and rest. Do join me for dinner tonight. I would like to hear the details about the plan of action you'll be taking during the raid"
"Yes, of course, your highness," Yon Rha bowed.
Break Time
"Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen!"
*groans and chirps*
"And beloved animals too," the announcer coughs, "I am Jiang-sama, the host of this little segment called Break-Time: ATLA Edition"
*Applause and happy chirps and groans*
"Thank you, thank you," Jiang-sama smiles, "This segment is the first of its kind. We plan to have little chats with key figures of the story as well as entertain navy question from you the beloved audience. Our first guest will appear in the next chapter giving you the opportunity to put in any questions you would like to ask the characters"
"Hey! Where's my meat?!"
"Not those kind of questions Sir Sokka"
"But somebody has stolen my precious meat and I would very much like to have it now," Sokka whines as he steps onto the stage.
"I wouldn't even know who took it! Now go back behind stage." Jiang-sama retorts, pushing Sokka away, "We will return next time with our first guest, Fire Lord Azulon. Till then, Goodby- Sir Sokka put down that cake if you valu- Don't you dare eat MY CAKE!"
Later in Zuko's Quarters
"Commander, why are we going to the Southern Pole?" Zuko asked.
Both occupants of the room had finished with their dinner, with Zuko now preparing tea. Over dinner, Yon Rha spilled the plans of the attack on the Southern Water Tribe which would consist of launching catapults onto the tribe and sending the soldiers in to "search" for the last water bender. Since he did not hold any military rank, Zuko's position in the raid would just be to observe the whole thing and submit his own report to the Fire Lord of his experience on the field. That aside, Zuko wouldn't let an opportunity like this pass him by. While the primary objective was to by all means save Katara's mother from death, Zuko had to account for other things as well.
It was time for Zuko to channel the Fire Lord and Azula within him.
"I would like to believe I explained that, Prince Zuko"
"You told me about the plans of attack, not the reason why we attack"
"To conduct a raid and search of the last water bender," Yon Rha answered, although confused as it was the most obvious answer that anyone on the ship would know.
"The last water bender was apprehended years ago, and follow up raids saw to it that no water benders had been born in the South, raids which I believe you were a part of. Do you know why we raided the water tribes before?"
"To apprehend the waterbenders, my prince," Yon Rha answered. Why is this brat asking all these questions when the answers are obvious as day? Yon Rha thought, Is he an idiot dressed as royalty?
"I can see that you're confused by my questions and I must say," Zuko sighed, leaning back onto chair, "your near-sightedness in this entire matter concerns me as a man of your position"
"With all due respect, your highness," Yon Rha growled, "The orders we receive are clear. We attack to eliminate all other inferior bending races to display our strength and fortuity as a superior bending race"
"And that's where you get it wrong, Commander," Zuko simply stated. He took the pot of tea and poured a fresh brew into his cup.
"Forgive me but you do not carry the skill set or experience of battle, Young Prince Zuko," Yon Rha spat.
Zuko breathed in the steam from his cup and took a sip of his jasmine tea.
"When my grandfather, started the raids on the water tribes and in due course capturing the water benders, it was a method to stop the birth or possibly realisation of the next avatar. The campaign on the Southern Water Tribe was the most successful of its time because that tribe was not as formidable as her sister tribe. Has it ever crossed your mind why the Northern Water Tribe has not come to the aid of their sister tribe? Or why we haven't launched any attacks on the North Pole?"
"No, your highness," Yon Rha answered.
"The most obvious reason is that we focused most of our forces on subjugation of the Earth Kingdom," Zuko stated, "What most would not realise is that once we secure the Earth Kingdom, we could just as easily access the North Pole from an established base there. But that's one way of looking at things"
Zuko took another sip of his tea and continued, "The Northern Water Tribe does not have an avatar. If they did, chances are they would have attacked the Firenation and teamed up with the Earth Kingdom at that. More importantly, the people of the Northern Water Tribe are people of preservation. When we take over the Earth Kingdom, Northern Water will follow naturally because they would have no allies to fight with"
Zuko finished up his tea, not looking at Yon Rha. He knew that the words he said would
"Now, back to my first question. Why are we going to the Southern Water Tribe?," Zuko asked, "we have taken hostage of all the waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe, the Southern Water Tribe hasn't posed as a threat for more than a decade, we don't take any resources from the South Pole. So what are we going there for and why now?"
Azula would be proud, Zuko thought as he watched the gears turn in Yon Rha's head. Zuko knew that the military of the Firenation were undoubtedly loyal to the Fire nation, but the higher ranking more respected officials who wielded a lot of military power, the likes of admirals, generals etc; were loyal to the Fire Lord. Zuko, despite being the Crown Prince had no power worth speaking of. Sure he could order people around, but that was just the power that came with the title of Crown Prince. Fear and charisma would be a good basis would to gain power, its what worked for Azula in his former timeline. But Zuko could not effectively use those tactics being who he was, but that didn't mean they were the only options available to him. For now, all he could do was plant seeds of doubt in Ozai and slowly build the number of people that would be loyal to him.
And it would seem that this seed was taking root in Yon Rha.
"You look like you have a lot on your mind," Zuko said, breaking the silence, "It seems I have burdened you with a lot. Please don't think too much of it. I have much to learn about the art of war and I hope that you can teach me that, Commander Yon Rha. I am tired now and I wish to rest"
"Yes, my lord," Yon Rha answered, but his response lacked the strength that was usually present in his voice.
Zuko watched the man get up and leave his quarters after that.