Sokka cringed when Song placed herbal moisture on his legs' damaged skin. He knew the treatment would help him in the long run, but as it was, it only enhanced his pain. Song had been doing her best to cure him for about three days, using her talents as a healer to treat his wounds and ease the fever he had been suffering from, but he was still far from recovering completely.
Song hadn't questioned him regarding why he had ended up in such bad shape this time around, but Sokka could tell she was waiting until he felt better to ask him about it. She kept him resting at most times, only waking him once in a while to change his bandages and give him medicines. Due to how badly wounded he was, the meals Song provided him with weren't as plentiful as usual, but, since Sokka's appetite had been faltering for a while now, he didn't complain about his new diet.
Song wiped away the ointments after leaving them on Sokka's skin for several minutes. Sokka groaned a little as she used a wet towel to remove the moisture.
"I… I never got around asking…" muttered Sokka, panting as the pain flared up and down his extremities. "Are my bones damaged…?"
"On your legs?" asked Song. "No, they aren't. Whatever hurt you didn't penetrate your skin deep enough to reach your bones. You should count yourself lucky."
"I do… I was sure those blades had reached them," said Sokka, chuckling a little and laying down on the couch.
Song looked at him, concerned. He had been brought home by the Royal Guards, but the Princess hadn't come with them. She hadn't dropped by to check on his recovery either. Seeing how Sokka's behavior had changed again after this fight, Song had somewhat expected it to mean their relationship was back to normal… but when she studied Sokka closely, she could see there was something else bothering him now, something other than the injuries he had sustained. There was regret in his eyes. There was a hint of sadness beneath his reassuring smiles whenever she asked him if her treatment hurt too much.
And seeing how he didn't seem to be as displeased as he had been before that fight, maybe it was finally the right time to delve into what had happened between him and the Princess…
"Sokka…"
"Hm?" he muttered, his eyes closing as he breathed heavily.
"C-can I ask you something?"
"I… I suppose," he replied, frowning slightly and looking at Song warily.
"What… what happened to you these past few weeks?" she asked. "You weren't acting like yourself."
Sokka would have sighed if he could have done so without agonizing. Even breathing was painful right now.
"Yeah, I guess I've been acting like a jerk these days."
"Well, I wouldn't go so far…"
"Not so much towards you," said Sokka, closing his eyes again. "Towards other people. Towards people who didn't deserve it."
"Are you talking about the Princess?" asked Song, biting her lip.
Sokka opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, images of Azula flashing in his mind. Song was shocked to see the regret she had previously seen in his eyes was suddenly growing stronger than before. Maybe she really shouldn't have asked anything…
"Not only her… but mostly, her," said Sokka. "I've been making so many mistakes lately I can't even keep count anymore. I ruined everything, Song… everything. I was stupid enough to think I understood her. I didn't understand her, and I don't think I ever will. She'll never forgive me for what I've done… and heck, I don't see why she should."
"W-what did you do to her?" asked Song, shocked.
"I… I hurt her, Song," he muttered. "I made her cry. I was so lost in my own point of view that I never tried to think of what I was putting her through. And now… now it's too late. There's nothing I can do to repair this."
"Sokka…" whispered Song, lowering her gaze.
"She trusted me and I betrayed her, Song…" said Sokka, grimacing as tears stung his eyes. "I ruined everything."
"Is that why she… why she won't come to see you?" asked Song.
"She has no reason to come see me," muttered Sokka. "I earned these wounds. I deserve every single one of them."
"But… but you're her gladiator," said Song. "If only because of that, she should care about you."
"I don't know if I'm her gladiator anymore," said Sokka. "I don't think she wants anything else to do with me. And I can't blame her if she doesn't."
"But…" Song muttered, not knowing what else to say. This couldn't end like this. She could see Sokka didn't want it to end either, but he didn't have the courage to fight anymore. He truly believed there was nothing he could do to make up for his mistakes. And maybe there wasn't, but… "If you really ruined everything, at the very least you should go see her and tell her how sorry you are for having hurt her."
"That won't be any use…" said Sokka. "What good would it be at this point? She doesn't want anything to do with me. She probably doesn't want to see me ever again…"
"You regret whatever you did to her, don't you?" asked Song, raising an eyebrow.
"With every fiber of my being… well, with each fiber the Hook didn't chop off me," he said.
"Well… even if there won't be anything else you can do for her, at the very least you can go to her and apologize, and ask if there's anything you can do to make it up to her," said Song.
"I don't think there's anything that could be done about this," Sokka muttered. "I probably could spend the rest of my life trying to make amends, but she'd never forgive me anyway."
"Even so, Sokka… you have to try," said Song, biting her lip. "You can't let things end like this. Even if it takes your whole life to fix it, you have to try."
Sokka frowned a little, Song's words stinging him just as her healing balm had. He doubted Azula would take kindly to him attempting to make up for his mistakes. She had already given him too many chances, and he sure as hell didn't feel worthy of another one. But Song was right… he couldn't let go of this as it was. Azula's tears haunted him still… he had hurt her in ways nobody had ever hurt her before.
That was why he had to go to her once again and try to set things right. He was sure it would take him his every breath to try and restore what he had damaged, but he would go to any ends to make sure that, one day, Azula's tears would turn into smiles instead.
"Princess, the meeting will begin in fifteen minutes," said the Captain, bowing down to Azula as he delivered his message.
Azula nodded and placed her hairpiece on the topknot the servants had just finished arranging. Nowadays she would choose to wear a half-knot, allowing her long hair to slither down her back, while her golden crown nested within a smaller knot. But seeing how she had to attend a very important war meeting today, she had decided to return to the top-knot, the hairstyle of her teenage years.
The Captain grimaced as he looked at Azula. Once again, she had left the Arena looking as if her heart had sustained worse injuries than the ones that had almost killed her gladiator… and once again, he hadn't been around to protect her. He hadn't kept her safe from the pain. Something had faded from her eyes, a spark that had been there before… and instead of wearing her trademark arrogant smirk on her face, her brow was furrowed and it had remained that way for three days now. Whatever Sokka had done to her this time seemed to have been the last straw. She was obviously determined not to show how emotionally scarred she was, and in doing so she had become far colder than ever before.
"Thank you, Captain," she muttered, her voice cold enough to match the glazing glare on her eyes.
The Captain gaped at her, in shock. Yes, perhaps that slave had put her through a lot more pain than any person should put another… and Azula had been badly hurt because of him. The Captain couldn't forgive him for it. But before knowing him, Azula would have never thanked him for fulfilling his duties. She would have never acknowledged him as anything but a guard, seeing how that was the only thing he had ever been to her. Now he was her ally… a man who knew to respect her personal space, but would still stand by her no matter what. The Captain thought she'd never come to appreciate that, and he was thoroughly surprised to discover otherwise.
Azula exited the room with her head held high. The servants who had helped her get ready bowed down as she walked away, followed by the Captain and a few guards who had been standing by the door. Clad in her royal armor, Azula walked towards the Throne Room with determination. This was what she had been born to do. This was what mattered most to her. It was time to put aside the lowly matters that had clouded her better judgment these days and become the perfect heir her father wanted her to be.
The guards opened the curtains that concealed the Throne Room, and Azula strode inside with steady footing, leaving the Captain and the other men to await her in the large hallway. Most the council members had already arrived, ten minutes before the meeting's appointed time. Fire Lord Ozai was sitting at his rightful place in the throne, surrounded by the flickering flames that each Fire Lord would cast around himself when he sat on the high chair. There were two more seats up in the dais, each at either side of the Fire Lord, and, naturally, Azula headed towards her father's right while wondering who would be sitting at his left. These past few years the only seat available by Ozai's side had been her own…
Azula climbed to the seat on Ozai's right and bowed down at her father as solemnly as possible. Ozai gave her his trademark confident smirk and nodded at her. Azula took her place with her legs crossed beside him, hardly taking notice of the hot flames next to her.
"Welcome, Princess Azula," said Ozai. "I trust you're ready for this meeting, as ever."
"Naturally," was Azula's reply. "Who shall be joining at your left hand, father?"
"Oh, that would be your uncle," said Ozai, his apparent joy fading upon that confession. "Being the important public figure he is, he must be present at war meetings such as this one."
"Is that so?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. "Are all important public figures supposed to attend war meetings now?"
"I know what you're concerned about," said Ozai. "But you needn't worry. So long as your brother's honor remains as stained as it is, he will have no part in these meetings. But your uncle, despite what my better senses advise me, is a man of experience. He might be able to provide useful insight regarding what we must discuss today."
"And what shall we do if he resorts to talking about tea throughout the entire meeting?" asked Azula, amusing her father.
"Such behavior would be inexcusable and he wouldn't be welcome in my council anymore," declared Ozai. "If tea is what he wants, he would do best to set up a shop instead of bothering us with his nonsense."
"I agree," said Azula, nodding promptly. "Although it would truly be shameful for the Fire Lord's brother to waste away in a teashop."
"Iroh never shows any shame when it comes down to his hot-leaf juice," said Ozai. "He doesn't show much shame regarding anything."
"Indeed," said Azula, shaking her head. "So much for the great Dragon of the West."
Ozai smirked again. That girl was his one true heir, there was no doubt about it. He was proud of the woman his daughter had become, mostly because she reminded him of a younger version of himself. He also had been a prince eager to earn his place at his father's right hand, willing to overcome any obstacles to fulfill his ends. He had made everything easier for his daughter, for he had seen many traits of himself in Azula even when she had been just a child. He had meant for her to grow into the most extraordinary Princess the Fire Nation had ever seen, and his efforts had paid off. Azula was the right person to take charge of the Fire Nation once he was gone.
Time passed them by, and the remaining Fire Nation military leaders arrived, taking their place before the world map that was extended across the center of the room. Ozai began frowning when his brother was still nowhere in sight and it was already time to begin the meeting.
"Shameful indeed…" he muttered before raising his voice and addressing the present members of the council. "Let us begin this meeting, generals, Princess."
Upon his words, every person in the room stood up and bowed down towards him. Ozai remained seating on his throne, the flames flickering as he smirked, as ever pleased to listen to his people reciting the Fire Nation Oath at unison.
"My life I give to my country, with my hands I fight for Fire Lord Ozai and our forefathers before him. With my mind I seek ways to better my country, and with my feet may our March of Civilization continue."
"Take your seats," he said, and he was obeyed immediately. "War Minister Qin, let us hear your reports regarding the situation in the Fire Nation Colonies."
"Yes, My Lord," said the War Minister, standing up and bowing at his superior once more. "The Fire Nation Colonies have been…"
"Ah, I'm so sorry!" said a familiar voice, interrupting through Qin's report carelessly. "I'm most ashamed, Ozai! I was taking a nap and I lost track of time…"
If Ozai's glare had been any harsher, it would have been strong enough to scorch his older brother to cinders. Iroh had entered the chamber noisily, his behavior betraying he was not embarrassed in the slightest by his lack of punctuality. Azula joined her father in glaring at the man as he walked past the council members, who eyed him with distaste as well.
"Your negligence speaks ill of you, brother," said Ozai.
"I apologize, Ozai…" said Iroh, smiling clumsily at him. "It wasn't my intent to interrupt the meeting."
"It would seem old age is getting to you, brother," muttered Ozai. "Perhaps you'll need a nurse to look after you so she can make sure you'll arrive to your appointments on time. That is, if you're not senile enough to be sent to an asylum instead."
The council laughed at Ozai's cruel comment, but so did Iroh. Azula merely scowled. Her uncle really had no shame whatsoever… where was his pride? Where was his honor? Where was the man who had laid siege to Ba Sing Se for five hundred days? All three things had been lost long ago, apparently.
"I believe I still have a grasp on my senses, Ozai," Iroh said, chuckling. "We don't need to be concerned about my mental health just yet. Give it a few more years."
"We'll see about that…" muttered Ozai, turning to Qin again. "Resume what you were saying, War Minister."
"Right away, My Lord," said Qin, bowing his head at Ozai. "There are small rebellions in the Fire Nation Colonies, but they are nothing our forces can't handle. The major cities in the land are perfectly safe as of now, the last earthbending vermin who tried to lead an insurrection in Ba Sing Se was given the punishment he deserved, and all his allies were captured as well."
"Very good," said Ozai, nodding. "How is the recruiting for the army coming along?"
"Oh, it goes along really well, My Lord," said Qin. "We've had a hundred newcomers in a single month."
Ozai nodded. The war was close to ending to their favor, but the Fire Nation's army was spread too thin throughout the world. New recruits were most welcome. They would be quite useful to keep the people of the former Earth Kingdom at bay.
"What news do we have regarding the North Pole?" asked Ozai, turning his attention away from Qin.
"My Lord," said another man, Commander Gei, standing up and bowing towards the Fire Lord as Qin took his seat again. "The northern siege… isn't proceeding as well as we wish. The dark period has begun and we struggle to have the upper hand in those conditions. Their waterbenders are becoming more powerful on every opportunity. Admiral Zhao has decided to take a defensive approach to the siege until the light period begins anew."
Ozai rubbed his forehead with his fingers. His frown was deep as he analyzed the information he had been provided.
"It's been four years," he growled. "Four years since we began attacking the Northern Water Tribe. Most our navy was sent there so that Zhao could seize control of that wretched pole as soon as possible. He told me he had a plan. Why hasn't he put it into action?"
"I'm sorry, My Lord," said Gei, grimacing. "It would seem their forces are far stronger and in better synch than we anticipated. They've even captured some of our vessels, and there's little we can do to retaliate right now…"
"This is shameful. I expected better from Zhao," grunted Ozai. "When will this period end?"
"In a few months' time," said Gei. "But I'm afraid the circumstances are against us in this war against the Water Tribe."
"So it would seem," said Ozai. "What are we to do, if that's the case? Await until Sozin's Comet returns? The Northern Water Tribe is our greatest threat. We need to annihilate them or risk losing everything we have obtained in this war!"
"It's a more complicated gamble than you think, Ozai," said Iroh, staring at Gei with keen eyes. "Some wars might have been best not fought at all."
"Such is the wisdom the Deserter of The Siege of Ba Sing Se provides us with," Azula declared, surprising most the council with her unexpected intervention. "You had no problem with letting a siege of over five hundred days go to waste. But if you had taken over Ba Sing Se when you had the opportunity to do so, we could have used the power of the comet to melt those useless poles until there was no trace left of them but the scorched corpses of those savages floating in the ocean. Is it really that some wars are best not fought, or is it you are unwilling to acknowledge that we might not be facing this predicament in the first place if it weren't for your incompetence?"
Azula's harshness shocked most people, even Ozai. Her enmity towards Iroh was well known to any noble who had ever seen them interact, but hardly ever did she display it so bluntly. Ozai eyed his daughter, realizing she looked far more stern than she usually did. Attacking Iroh like that had been startling… although he couldn't help but think she had been completely right about everything she had said.
"Discussing what could have happened if our lives had developed differently isn't what we've come here for, is it?" asked Iroh. "You may question my decisions later, but doing so now will lead us to no useful conclusion regarding the matters we came to discuss."
"Perhaps," said Ozai. "She is right on some account, though. Nevertheless, if her intervention wasn't helping our cause, neither was yours. I will not hear of surrendering. This war is ours. We'll win it, no matter what's at stake."
Iroh's expression grew darker upon those phrases as he eyed his brother. Azula glared at her uncle from across the room, folding her arms firmly across her chest.
"There's little that can be done by firebenders during the dark period, father," she muttered, shifting her attention towards the Fire Lord. "I learned that on my short visit to the South Pole. Our main forces are comprised by firebenders, and the light period would have to begin anew for us to have an advantage over the savages."
"And it still wouldn't be a great advantage," Gei added. "Even if the sun comes out, the weather is too cold. We have lost men to frostbite and other diseases caused by the unfavorable conditions…"
"It's remarkable that those incompetent ice savages have figured how to survive in that pathetic frozen wasteland of theirs," said Ozai, shaking his head. "Very well. If that's the case, we'll have to continuously renovate our forces to avoid losing power. We will exchange the firebenders who were stationed there for those who have been in the Fire Nation Colonies or those on the mainland. It could help us regain some of the edge we've lost."
"But many of those warriors are already used to fighting in the North Pole… trading them for those who have no experience in the poles might not work to our favor as you hope it might, my Lord," muttered General Bujing.
"Do you have any better ideas, General Bujing?" asked Ozai.
"N-no, my Lord," the man admitted, looking somewhat surprised at being shut down so brusquely.
"Then this is what shall be done. If the soldiers in the North Pole right now could grow accustomed to the cold, the ones to replace them will be capable of doing the same thing. Begin trading soldiers right away, Commander Gei. I want the entire fleet at north to be renewed by the time we reach the light period once more."
"Does that include Admiral Zhao?" asked the Commander, surprised.
"Zhao could use a break," said Iroh. "He has been up north for far too long."
"For once, we agree on something, brother," said Ozai.
Azula cringed at those words. Zhao, returning? Not too soon, surely… but she didn't like the sound of that, not at all. Four years away from the man she had come to despise hadn't been enough for her contempt towards him to cool down. She didn't want to be around him ever again. She hoped secretly that a waterbender would freeze him alive before he could return, sparing the world from his existence…
"But, knowing Zhao, he most likely will want to see this siege to the end," said Ozai. "He shall be granted the freedom to decide whether he shall remain in the pole or not."
"Understood," said Gei, nodding.
"If he decides to leave…" said Ozai, turning towards the oldest general in the room. "You shall be the one to take his place, Bujing. Your experience as a military leader ought to serve to our advantage in the North Pole."
"Of course, my Lord," said Bujing, bowing down to him. He didn't want to go to the North Pole, but if Ozai commanded it, he wouldn't oppose him.
Ever since Ozai had discovered Azula had been the one to save him and the others from the savages down in the South Pole the Fire Lord had taken a very cold approach towards all the men his daughter had saved. Of course, the one who had earned the worst punishment had been Chan, who had been stripped off his every title and was stuck in the position of private once again. From what Bujing knew, he had forced his son to enter the military as well, seeing how they weren't in the highest social class anymore and the boy could no longer freeload off his parents as he always had.
"Are there any other matters to discuss?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.
"My Lord…" spoke General Shinu, looking at Ozai doubtfully. "There's something I would like to bring up to the council."
"Pray tell, what might that be?" asked Ozai, curious. The director of the Yu-Yan archers hardly ever spoke out in these meetings.
"There was a ruckus at Yu Dao recently," he muttered. "As you know, Yu Dao is close to the Pohuai Stronghold, so rumors of what happened reached me…"
"Yu Dao?" repeated Ozai. "War Minister Qin, didn't you say there had been no rebellions in the larger cities?"
"I-I've had no reports of rebellions in Yu Dao, my Lord!" said Qin, blurting out his response quickly to avoid getting scolded.
"It wasn't a rebellion… at least, not one led by bitter earthbenders," said Shinu. "It was led by people of the Fire Nation."
The eyes of everyone in the room widened as they looked at Shinu in utter shock.
"What?" asked Ozai, frowning. "A group of Fire Nation outlaws?"
"And it's not any group of Fire Nation outlaws…" Shinu continued. "It's the Rough Rhinos, my Lord."
The room was filled with chatter after those words were spoken. Azula frowned as she thought of the little she knew regarding the group. They were considered a freelance team of Fire Nation elite soldiers who roamed the Earth Kingdom and took over any villages and towns they came across. Not all their assaults were successful, but most of them had worked to the Fire Nation's favor.
Yet, when the Fire Nation had taken over Ba Sing Se and assessed control of the entire Earth Kingdom, Fire Lord Ozai had decided to assimilate the Earth Kingdom instead of destroying it. The attacks on the villages had stopped to provide the Fire Nation Honorary Citizens with the safety they had been promised when they swore fealty to the Fire Lord. By changing their approach on the war, Fire Lord Ozai had forced freelance groups to either join the main forces of the army in disbanding rebellions, or to head towards the North Pole… but the Rough Rhinos had decided to ignore his command. The council had been aware that the group was traveling through the continent, but they had never gone against the Fire Nation's new directions so openly. It was the first time such behavior reached their ears.
"Mongke and his friends…?" muttered Iroh. "What have they done in Yu Dao?"
"From what I heard, they sacked some shops and attacked a group of Honorary Fire Nation citizens, claiming they were Earth Kingdom scum," said Shinu. "They pillaged a section of the city before the soldiers came to restrain them. They fled, and nobody knows where they are anymore."
"They attacked Honorary Fire Nation citizens?" General Ling shouted, shocked. "What has gotten into them?!"
"That sort of behavior is reckless and harmful to our nation," muttered Bujing. "If they attack another city in this same manner, our credibility will be doubted by the former Earth Kingdom citizens. We promised to protect them all the same as if they had been born Fire Nation…"
"And they are likely to strike again," said Shinu. "I investigated what I could about the Rough Rhinos' recent activity, and this isn't the first time they have attacked after the Fire Lord ordered them to rejoin the army. They had tormented minor towns and villages before. This is the first time they attack a city like Yu Dao."
Ozai frowned, shaking his head in disapproval.
"This is no good for us…" he muttered.
"Why would they do this?" asked Ling again, angry. "They may be a freelance group, but they are bound by their honor to obey our Fire Lord!"
"They do it because they have war fever," said Iroh.
"War fever?" asked Ling, surprised.
"It's a way to call it," said Iroh, smiling. "Men who kill for a living can't let go of the exhilarant sensations of war so easily. Letting go of their experiences in order to return to a life of boredom isn't an idea they can fathom. Even if it means to go against their beliefs, they'll do whatever they can to bask in the vicious joy they obtain through looting villages and murdering their enemies, no matter if they aren't enemies anymore."
"This is no good," grumbled Bujing. "They must be stopped at once!"
"Bujing, put together an emergency team and send them to track the Rough Rhinos down so they stop these…" started Ozai, but his brother interrupted him.
"The Rough Rhinos are too strong for an emergency team to handle," Iroh declared.
"Then what do you propose, General Iroh?" asked Bujing. "Would you rather go stop them yourself?"
"Oh, me?" asked Iroh, surprised.
"You know Mongke well enough," said Ozai, thoughtful. "By taking a good group of soldiers to back you up, you might be able to stop them."
"I rather doubt it, Ozai," said Iroh, chuckling. "I'm too old to chase after criminals."
"But you're a fearless and prodigious leader!" said Ling. "You're a top-rate firebender too! You can devise a strategy to take down the Rhinos, I'm sure…"
"If that's what you think will stop the Rhinos," said Iroh. "I think there's a better option than me. A top-rate firebender, a fearless and prodigious leader, who can devise a strategy to take down the Rhinos…"
"A better option…? Who are you suggesting?" asked Ling, puzzled.
"Why, my niece, of course," said Iroh, beaming.
Azula's eyes snapped wide open. She turned towards Iroh, not understanding why he would propose her for a mission of this magnitude…
"The Princess?!" said Ling, shocked too.
"I'm afraid the Princess shouldn't be a choice here…" said War Minister Qin.
"Well… she is perfectly capable of defeating the Rhinos," Bujing admitted. "But I agree. It would be best to find someone else."
"Why?" asked Iroh, confused. "She has every trait you believe necessary to take down the Rhinos, and she will likely catch them without breaking a sweat. Just give her a proper soldier squad and she'll bring the Rough Rhinos to justice in no time."
Why was he complimenting her? Why was Iroh giving her a chance to prove herself? Azula couldn't understand it. This was absurd on every level. He was right, she could pull through this mission successfully… but for him to propose she should be given said opportunity was completely preposterous.
Ozai frowned and turned towards his daughter.
"You know I don't doubt your aptitude to take care of a mission like this, although it would be the first time you'd be entrusted with such a task. It's a good opportunity for you, my daughter… I believe a good leader needs to be the one to lead his men into battle, even if only against useless traitors. Yet the decision is all yours, Azula. Do you wish to take upon this mission?"
Azula blinked repeatedly, not sure of what answer to give her father. To refuse… why would she refuse? Because she distrusted her uncle? She couldn't blurt that out blatantly in front of the council. It wasn't because she had better things to do either… this was truly a rare opportunity to prove her worth to her father and all the men in this room. She could tell that they feared that giving a woman such an important mission would be no good, they believed she would be unsuccessful. To prove them wrong, to capture the Rough Rhinos and make them cower in fear before her… it was the perfect answer to most of her life's wishes. But Iroh had been the one to suggest it… Iroh…
"I will need some time to consider this," said Azula, frowning. "It's a complicated mission to plan out. It would take me some time to devise what to do to capture a group of the Rough Rhinos' quality…"
"Indeed," said Ozai. "Therefore I advise you to decide whether you shall do it or not as soon as possible. We have no time to waste. If the Rhinos continue attacking the colonies, we might find ourselves dealing with a larger insurrection than any we've seen so far. You have three days to make your choice."
"I understand," said Azula, nodding. She was surprised her father had been so flexible upon her request for more time to ponder her options.
The meeting continued, although Azula could tell it would end soon. Still, her mind wasn't focused in it anymore. She had nothing to lose by going after the Rhinos, but why did Iroh do this? There had to be an ulterior motive, there had to be… he had been trying to pester her by joining the Gladiator business, so how come was he trying to help her now…?
Her brow contracted at those thoughts. Of course, that's what it was. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Her uncle had realized the Blue Wolf had pulled ahead of the Blind Bandit. By sending Azula away on a goose chase, he would have enough time to get his earthbender to surpass Azula's gladiator once more. The nerve of that man, trying to fool her into something like this…
… But then again, that was no reason to refuse chasing after the Rough Rhinos. Not only was that excuse something Ozai would consider unacceptable, seeing how the Gladiator Business was nigh irrelevant to him, but Azula herself didn't think it was that important anymore. Not after what she'd been through because of Sokka. She had felt tempted to drop out of the Gladiator business altogether, and seeing she would likely have to devote quite some time into chasing the Rhinos, there was little chance for her to schedule any new fights for Sokka.
And that was actually a relief. Now she had the perfect reason to drop Sokka and forget about him completely. The sickening situation between them had gone too far, and just thinking about it made her insides contort painfully. She didn't want to feel this way anymore. And the best way to accomplish that would be to get Sokka out of her life for once and for all.
The Captain of Azula's Royal Guard used to perform vigilance rounds through the Palace whenever he didn't have more urgent matters to tend to. And he had nothing else to tend to right now. The Princess had three days to convey her father her decision regarding the hunt of the Rough Rhinos, and apparently she'd spend them by gathering as much information about the group as possible, to see if she would be able to catch them or not. And she had established that she didn't want him around as she pondered her choices.
He happened to spot a carriage that was stopping on the Palace gates when he was passing by the location. He had meant to ask the guards if everything had gone smoothly today, but instead he focused on staring at the old-fashioned carriage in question. It was one of the self-employed carriages people could hire to drive them from one place to the next instead of the personal carriages most noblemen had. That was enough to tell the Captain that whoever had come by the Palace didn't belong to the Fire Nation's highest class…
The driver had been standing by the door, taking the money his passengers were paying him with. He smiled and sat on the front of the carriage once again, taking the reins in his hands and ushering the Mongoose Dragons to lead the way as soon as the two passengers had climbed off the cabin…
The Captain forgot all about the carriage when he identified the two arrivals. Seeing Song once more wouldn't bother him… but spotting the man she was assisting certainly did.
Seeing how badly wounded he was actually elicited a small sense of satisfaction in the Captain. It seemed to be divine punishment for distressing the Princess as much as he had. But why was he here? Why wouldn't he stay home to heal those nasty wounds and to stay as far from Azula as possible?
The guards let the pair of slaves pass them by when they recognized Sokka as Azula's gladiator, although that didn't stop them from staring at them with distrust. The Captain made his way towards them as Song helped Sokka walk. He limped slightly, his legs only starting to regain their strength.
"What have you come here for, gladiator?" the Captain spoke harshly, his glare fixed upon Sokka alone.
"Captain…" said Song, gulping as both she and Sokka came to a halt. She could sense he was more than willing to set Sokka on fire, his bodily language said as much. "G-good day to you. Sokka has something he needs to talk to the Princess about…"
"And why should I let him?" asked the Captain, folding his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry to be so blunt, Song, but I'm not going to let this man through just because you ask me to."
Song would have been surprised to see he remembered her name, but his words were so unexpected she put that matter aside for now.
"Y-you don't understand, Captain…" she started, but Sokka shook his head, asking her to let him speak. His arm was draped over her shoulders as she held him up by the waist, trying to support him so the weight on his legs wouldn't be too much for him to handle.
"Captain…" he sighed, staring straight into the mask. "I understand your displeasure. In fact, I share it. I shouldn't be here, and I know it."
"Then why did you bother coming?" asked the Captain.
"Because I've been a fool all this time," he said. "And I want Azula to know how much I regret everything I did. She may not want to see me ever again, but she should know I'm sorry. She should know I've realized I was wrong, and she was right. Everything I've put her through these days… it's all on me. She didn't do anything wrong. And I know there's likely no chance she'll let me try to make up for what I've done… but maybe it'll help to put her at ease if she knows how sorry I am."
The Captain frowned deeply as he studied Sokka. His blue eyes gleamed with sincerity. Was it a good idea to let him see Azula? Most likely, it wouldn't be. The last time he had left them to themselves, things had gone from bad to worse. But Sokka had come here, bearing all those injuries in hopes to do the right thing for once. Maybe he could get another chance…
"Alright," he grunted, and Sokka smiled to hear his positive reply. "But you're not going to see her alone. I'm going to be there too, and you're going to keep the proper distance with her. And if you dare say anything to displease her, I'll make you wish the Savage Hook had killed you when he had the chance."
Sokka gulped at the threats, knowing the Captain was serious. The extent to his devotion towards Azula was impressive. Even Song was frightened at the way he had delivered his last sentence.
"Got it?" asked the Captain, coming closer to Sokka and glaring at him fiercely. For the first time, Sokka managed to catch a glimpse of his golden eyes through his mask.
Sokka nodded solemnly, staring at the Captain with determination. This time he wouldn't mess things up. Anything Azula said, he would accept. He was completely willing to take the blame for everything he'd done. There was nobody else to blame anyway.
The Captain took Sokka's arm on his shoulder, telling Song to leave carrying Sokka to him. The Captain was quite harsh as he dragged Sokka through the Palace, making him wince in pain more than once, but Sokka kept himself from faltering or complaining out loud.
The Captain loosened his grip around Sokka when they reached one of the Palace's open hallways. A figure with long, dark hair, was sitting before the wooden fence. She had discarded her armor, and she was dressed now only in the robes she used to wear underneath it. It seemed as though she were meditating regarding something. Sokka couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind.
"Princess…" said the Captain, approaching her almost unwillingly. Disturbing her was the last thing he wanted to do, and doing it to make her talk to that moron only made him feel worse about himself. "There's someone here to see you."
The Captain's elusive way to refer to her visitor was enough for Azula to guess his identity right away. She heard someone stumble behind her, as if limping… Her hands balled into fists instantly. The Captain glared at Sokka to tell him to stay several feet away from her. The Water Tribe man understood the message and halted, staring at Azula's shape from where he was.
"Leave, Captain," Azula commanded suddenly, surprising the other three people in the hallway greatly. "This is a matter I can settle on my own. Leave. And take the other slave with you."
Song was impressed. How had she noticed she was there if she hadn't even turned around? That Princess's intuition was astounding…
The Captain nodded and bowed to her, acknowledging her order although he truly didn't wish to do it. Azula listened keenly until the footsteps of both the Captain and Song had faded away, and she heard how Sokka cringed as he sat on the floor, unable to stay on his feet for much longer.
Sokka stared at her back, dread filling him. This had only been a waste of time, hadn't it? There was nothing to be done… he was pleased that Azula had sent the Captain away, though. It would have been awkward to apologize about everything he'd done with him and Song listening. Surely Azula thought so, too.
"H-hey…" he whispered, staring at her intently, wondering if she'd react at the sound of his voice.
She didn't. Her back was still straight, her gaze still settled on the gardens, her hands still fisted over her crossed knees. She remained completely impassive to him. Well… that might make things easier.
"Azula…" he muttered, wondering if he was still allowed to call her by her name. "I came here because… well, I think you know already."
Azula's eyes narrowed. Was he going to play the game like this? Had he come here in hopes she would just guess whatever was going on in that lousy mind of his?
"In any case…" he continued. "Things have been really messed up these past few days. And… it's my fault. Everything's my fault."
Azula frowned now. Was he really acknowledging he was to blame? It had to be the first time she heard a man admitting his guilt openly like this…
"What I did on the Arena with Kyoshi's Heir…" he whispered. "It's what messed everything up in the first place, and it was no use either way. It was my first mistake, but not my last."
Hearing the gladiator's name brought forth a burning anger Azula wasn't too comfortable with, but she managed to hold her fury at bay and listen to anything else he would say.
"I should have known my place in the world," he whispered. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did that day, at any point in time. I was a fool… worse than a fool. I was despicable. I look back at everything I did and I wish I could go back in time to change everything…"
But you can't Azula thought, gritting her teeth.
"But I can't," said Sokka. "And I'll live with the consequences of my mistakes. And about… about what I said to you… I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I can't even start to say how badly I regret it. I shouldn't have come here that night. I should have never said any of that… I was drunk and stupid, and I wasn't thinking straight. I know saying that is no way to excuse my behavior… but there's nothing I regret more than that, even if you choose not to believe me. Well, maybe not. I… I regret having made you cry. That's what I… what I will never forgive myself for. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
Azula shook her head, a hand on her forehead.
"Coming here and saying all of this changes nothing, Sokka," she managed to say, her voice steadier than she expected it to be. "Saying you're sorry… Who do you think you're dealing with?"
"I know… I know," said Sokka, sighing and tilting his head. "I understand you can't forgive me. I can't forgive myself either… not for that day, or for how stupid I acted before going against the Savage Hook. I understand it… and I get that you wouldn't want me around anymore."
Azula was surprised at those last words. Was it time to say farewell to him now? She hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly… but for him to make their parting of ways so simple was quite a relief.
"I'm not worthy of being near you," Sokka admitted. "I… I hurt you. No man should ever do that to a girl like you. You deserve much better than that. You can find another gladiator, a stronger, smarter one, who won't ever let you down. I'm a failure, so… your odds to get to the top of the ranking would be better if you found someone else. I'm grateful for everything you gave me, I can assure you of that. It was more than… than a snow savage like me could have deserved. I'm sorry for everything, Azula… and I hope you make it to the top of the ranking soon, with a better fighter than me."
Azula sighed, shaking her head again.
"I don't think I'll be sponsoring anyone else anyway," she muttered, surprising Sokka.
"What… what do you mean?" he asked, curious.
"My father has in mind to send me on a very important mission to the former Earth Kingdom," said Azula.
"What?" said Sokka, shocked. "W-why you? You're his heir! Shouldn't he want to keep you safe?"
"It wasn't his idea," Azula muttered. "My uncle said I'd be the perfect person for the job. And he's probably right. I don't know how long it'll take me to finish the mission, so I can't sponsor a gladiator as I travel through the former Earth Kingdom."
"Oh…" said Sokka, grimacing. So her attempts to become the top sponsor had been thwarted… that was also saddening. He wished she could have accomplished her goal, even if she could only do so with another fighter. But something about what she just said hadn't seemed quite right. "W-wait a second… your uncle? Iroh?"
"How many uncles do you think I have?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes.
"He was the one to suggest you'd do it?" Sokka mused, frowning.
"Did the Hook chop off your ears?" snarled Azula. "Or did he beat you up so badly your brain has been damaged?"
"N-no, none of that…" said Sokka, gulping. Clearly, his apologies hadn't been much use. He hadn't expected them to be. "But… if it's him, he's only doing it to surpass you. After beating the Hook I wound up above Toph, so he sent you to do this to get rid of the competition."
"You think I don't know that?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes again. "Yes, I know why he's doing it. But I honestly find no further value in Gladiator fights. They're no use, and they'll get me nowhere. This mission is far more important than a pathetic ranking. And besides, you're obviously not fit to fight again after sustaining those injuries. So, all in all, giving up on this is the one thing I can do at this point."
Sokka frowned. No… she couldn't give up. Azula wasn't a quitter. She was the kind of person who would do anything to accomplish her goals. For her to give up and let her uncle win… it was wrong. It was completely wrong. There was no way she wanted to let the guy defeat her this way. There had to be a solution.
"You really want to give up?" asked Sokka. "I know I've done bad things… really bad things. And if you don't want to deal with me anymore, I get it. But to let your uncle win…"
"Of course it bothers me," Azula grunted. "Why do you think I had to ask my father to give me time to think about it?"
"Uh, I didn't know you were given time to think…" he mumbled in a small voice.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing, nothing," said Sokka, gulping. "But… hey. Maybe something can be done. Maybe he doesn't have to win."
"Pray tell, what grandiose idea has come to your feeble mind?" asked Azula, thoroughly irritated.
"W-well… I was thinking," Sokka muttered, her sarcasm hitting him as daggers. "There are Arenas over at the Earth Kingdom too, aren't there? I think Shoji said the Hook came from Ba Sing Se…"
"Yes, there are," Azula replied. "So?"
"Well… I'm not sure what your mission is, exactly," said Sokka. "But for the Princess to travel all of sudden to the Earth Kingdom for no apparent reason would seem weird."
Azula frowned. He was right. The Rough Rhinos might hear she was tracking them down even before she got to the Earth Kingdom, if word of her mission got out. And if they heard about it, they would likely hide away until the danger had passed. They had spent a long time in the Earth Kingdom, they were perfectly familiar with those territories… as opposed to her. If they heard of what she was trying to accomplish, it would become nigh impossible for her to catch them.
"But it doesn't have to seem like you've done it for no reason," said Sokka, smiling a little. "I'm just guessing here… but proud sponsors who have a lot of money are bound to go tour around the Arenas of the world to show off their gladiators. If you make it look like that's what you're doing, people won't suspect you're trying to accomplish any complicated missions… that is, if it's a complicated, secret mission. If it's something the general public already knows about, you can forget what I just said…"
Azula's hands came together, her fingers intertwined as she pondered her options once more. If she went with this, she wouldn't lose to her uncle. She could catch the Rhinos while still being involved in the Gladiator Business, just as Sokka had suggested. With that, she would outdo her uncle in every way… for her to manage to do both things would baffle him. It was a very appealing suggestion…
But she wanted to drop out of the Gladiator business.
Her enthusiasm faded upon that thought. Sokka was still Sokka, he was still the man who had hurt her so badly that words couldn't describe the pain she had endured. He was the man who had betrayed her trust, who had made her feel horrible about herself, who had twisted her world around even though he was only a pathetic slave. She didn't want him nearby…
But he was nearby right now. And she was alright. Sure, she hadn't even turned around to face him, but he hadn't hurt her any further at the moment. Probably because she hadn't given him the chance to do so. And she wouldn't give him that chance, never again.
If she could bear being near him if only for moments like these, then she probably could use him as a smokescreen as she chased the Rough Rhinos. It was actually a really good idea, way too good for it to have come from a useless man such as Sokka.
"It… it seems to be a good option," Azula admitted. "It could work to my favor."
Sokka's eyes gleamned upon hearing that. The weight he had felt in his chest suddenly faded away as he smiled in grateful disbelief. He had helped her somehow. He had given her a good idea! And he wouldn't be torn away from her side just yet… so maybe he could find a way to make amends after all.
"I'm glad," said Sokka, smiling. "I'm glad I helped you somehow…"
"Indeed," grunted Azula, standing up. "It was about time something useful came from that foul mouth of yours."
Sokka gazed up at her when she turned around. Their eyes met, but not in the way he would have wanted them to. His newly found enthusiasm faded into oblivion when he looked into her amber stare, discovering how badly hurt she still was. The icy glare she provided him with was daunting, but it also proved his fears a reality: he had broken something within her. And it wasn't something he could fix just by saying he was sorry.
Azula eyed Sokka mostly to assess the damage on him, wondering when it would be safe for him to fight once again. His head was covered in bandages, and so were his legs and right arm. It would still take some time for him to recover… time she would use to plan their pursuit of the Rough Rhinos. Adding the gladiator combats into the mix would make everything far more complicated than it should be… but, in a way, it would also help her figure out what her approach to her mission would be.
"You're a mess," she said, her voice colder now that she was looking directly at him. "You're not to do anything but recover from your wounds for these next days. The minute I'm ready to set out to find the Rough Rhinos, you'll be coming along too, no matter if you've gotten better or not. My main priority is to finish my mission, so I won't give a damn if you get yourself killed in an Arena. I'll have no qualms with leaving your corpse behind so that sea vultures can feast on your remains. They'll likely wind up getting food poisoned if they do, but I care as little for their fate as I care about yours."
Sokka grimaced but nodded, not having expected anything kinder from her.
"You're getting a second chance… as a matter of fact, a third chance, to remain as my gladiator," said Azula. "You let it go to waste this time, and I assure you I will take it upon myself to finish you off for good."
Sokka tried not to shiver at those words. He wanted to hold her gaze with his for as long as possible, without faltering… but it was becoming increasingly difficult with every passing moment. The hatred she felt for him knew no ends, and he had been the one to ask for it…
"Do we have an understanding?" Azula asked, the flames of gold in her eyes the coldest thing Sokka had ever dealt with, despite having been born and raised in the South Pole.
"Y-yes… Princess," he said, bowing his head towards her as he submitted himself to her will completely.
"If that's the case, get out of here already," she declared, turning around again towards the gardens. "You're an eyesore."
Sokka winced at her cruelty but obeyed her nonetheless. He had a hard time standing up again, and he limped his way down the hall, looking for Song and the Captain. He found them a few halls away, apparently too uncomfortable by the situation to talk much. Song ran towards Sokka and let him support his weight on her shoulders again, and the Captain glared at the gladiator from his mask.
"So?" he asked. "Did you do anything stupid this time around?"
"I tried not to…" said Sokka, smiling sideways. "I tried to help her out… gave her a little idea to solve her predicament."
The Captain's eyes flew open. He had given her an idea? He had been able to help the Princess sort out her current troubles? The Captain had been unable to aid her… and the gladiator had been of some use?
"She'll probably explain everything to you later," said Sokka.
"And… are you two getting along again?" asked the Captain, suspicious.
Sokka's eyes fell as he shook his head.
"I don't think so… it's not… it's not that simple," he muttered. "She can't forgive me just because I said I was sorry. I never expected her to."
"I didn't think she would either," said the Captain, sighing. "Whatever you did, you'll spend the rest of your life paying for it."
"I know," said Sokka, nodding. "And even that might not be enough. But I'm going to do it anyways."
The Captain was surprised to see how determined the slave was. Even after facing Azula he seemed devoted to making things up to her… he hadn't wavered after meeting her, it only seemed to have enhanced his drive to fix what he had broken. His eyes still blazed fiercely, his mind set on making sure Azula would be able to smile again someday.
The Princess, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about smiling again. She stood before the garden, her nails grazing the wooden fence. She didn't quite understand it, but her heart hadn't lost itself in Sokka this time around. Maybe it was because he hadn't been behaving as stupidly as always. But she didn't feel more enraged towards him after this last meeting, she didn't feel sad… she didn't feel anything anymore. And that was the way it should have always been. Caring for the man had never been a part of the plan, and it definitely wouldn't be part of her new plan either. Sokka had provided her with a very clever solution, but that didn't mean anything would change between them. He wasn't important anymore. The one thing on her mind right now was catching the Rough Rhinos, defeating her uncle in their battle of wits and making her father proud once he saw what his daughter was truly capable of.
A/N:
Hey there, everyone ^^ here it is, the beginning of a new story arc! Yes, some of you expected things to work out differently… but sorting out our set of problems will take quite a while. So buckle up and get ready for the ride!
I'm making this author note because of a little something I decided to do since Gladiator has breached through the 500 reviews mark! I'm very thankful to all of you, my readers! And I figured I would celebrate this achievement by doing a special event over at my tumblr. You can find the link to my account in my profile ^^ For twenty-four hours you can ask me anything you wish to know about Gladiator, and for once, I'll give you solid answers! I'll be accepting anonymous questions too (so long as they're Gladiator-oriented questions), so you don't need a tumblr account to take part in this event ^^ just go to the link that says "Ask away!" and I'll answer anything you send my way. It's a twenty-four hour deal, though, so if you want to ask anything, make sure to send the question quickly!
But most of all, I want to thank every single person who has reviewed, followed or marked this story as a favorite. Your support fuels my writing! Thank you very much! See you on the next chapter!