First of all, I want to thank everyone who takes the trouble to read my fanfic! :)
And especially, I want to thank everyone who left such kind reviews and feedback! It truly brings a smile on my face every time I read your sweet words!
The ride to the Pohuai Stronghold took less then twenty minutes. Elyrie hoped her red eyes were not that visible after they arrived. She felt foolish for crying like that. She almost never let her emotions take the better of her, especially when it concerned herself. She sat up straight in the soft cushions of the carriage and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She checked her reflection in her locket - for as far she could - and when she was convinced she looked presentable, she leaned over to push the small curtain aside.
Kun was riding his komodo-rhino beside her. "How far is the Stronghold?" she asked. He motioned for her to look ahead.
"We are nearly there, Miss." he said while she turned her head and fixated her eyes on the enormous fort rising in the distance.
It was an impressive fortress, surrounded by multiple stone walls. She counted three walls, each one smaller than the first which circled around the centre of the stronghold. A large pagoda tower dominated the centre of the fortress with it's enormous height and red stones. The walls of the stronghold seemed to be 10 meters high, but the tower was at least three times as tall.
When they got closer, she noticed that the outer wall of the fortress was coated in a shiny substance. Furring her brow, she tried to guess what it was. The faint shimmer in the sun made it look like metal. Of course, she thought, Metal to protect the walls from earthbenders. She had to admit she was impressed by the stronghold. Uncle had told her it was a major depot for the Fire Nation and one of the places firebenders were trained if they were to be deployed in the Earth Kingdom. But most important of all, the Pohuai Stronghold was home to the most elite archers in the world.
The Yuyan archers were famous for their skills and precision. It is said they could pin a fly to a tree from a hundred metre distance without killing it. Uncle told her that the archers are under the command of Colonel Shinu, with whom he had worked during the Siege of Ba Sing Se. The strategic position of the fortress meant that it directly supplied the front near Ba Sing Se. The archers were trained to be used as a secret weapon during battles, which gave the Fire Nation armies a huge advantage. As the commander of the Pohuai Stronghold, Colonel Shinu took special pride in his position, or so Uncle had informed her.
When the carriage reached the gate, Elyrie pulled her head back into the carriage. With a loud cracking noise, the metal doors opened for them. When the carriage came to a stop, she straightened her dress and tucked her loose strands of hair behind her ears. When the carriage door opened, she rose and took Kun's extended hand to help her out of it.
She looked around and smiled when she recognized Jin standing at the door, waiting for her. She immediately walked towards her with extended hands. She resisted the urge to embrace her maidservant, but her smile widened as she looked at her friend.
"I am so glad to see you." she said genuinely. Jin smiled back, happy to see her Lady in good health.
"So am I, Miss." she responded while making a small bow. She happily took her hands and studied Elyrie. She noticed the scar on her temple and her smile faltered a little, but she quickly retook herself.
"Commander Zhao instructed me to take care of you." she said with an apologetic smile. Elyrie frowned slightly but swiftly nodded. She did not expect Zhao to personally welcome her, not after the stunt he pulled on the harbour. I must be fixed up first, she thought with an amused grin, Can't risk embarrassing him with my unkept appearance.
Jin led her to the fourth floor of the Pagoda Tower, which housed the luxurious quarters for the Colonel and guests. Jin opened the second door, which revealed a beautiful room. It had a bed large enough for three people with at least a dozen pillows on it. On the left side of the bed stood a dressing table with a oval shaped mirror. On the right side of the bed was a tub, made completely out of marble. The floor was made of ebony, but a large burgundy carpet was placed over it in the center. A low table was placed in the center of the room, completely with a teapot and small treats.
The room was luxurious but what drew her attention were the double doors, which she opened immediately. It led to a balcony, from which she could view the centre of the fortress and the forest they had passed through on their way here. She saw the main entrance, the enormous metal doors. The forest stretched far, but she also noticed a small harbour next to the fortress where Zhao's ship was docked. Zhao probably did not want Zuko so close for some reason, so they had to dock at another harbour a few miles further. Her eyes drifted towards the sea and looked at the horizon. What she would give to be able to sail to that horizon right now.
Elyrie sighed and turned around.
"You can't imagine how much you had us worried, Miss." Jin said while she poured her tea. Elyrie sat down and thanked her as she took a sip when Jin extended the cup to her. She motioned for Jin to take a cup as well. Jin sat down, smiling. It was not customary for maidservants to drink tea with their ladies, but she knew Elyrie appreciated her company. Moreover, Elyrie had insisted to join her the first time she had served it. Jin had been surprised and cautious, but the girl seemed genuine. So they had grown closer over the past months and Jin truly came to see her lady as a friend.
Jin sipped her tea when she heard the whole story. Elyrie had been dying to tell the whole story to someone and who better than Jin to listen and give her advice. She told about the Temple, the accident and how Zuko and Iroh had taken care of her. She absentmindedly touched the scar on the side of her face while she told about how the Temple came down. Jin's mouth fell open when she heard Avatar Roku had appeared. She had heard from the soldiers that the Avatar brought down the temple, but she assumed they had been too shocked to think rationaly.
"Avatar Roku?" Jin repeated again with her eyebrows raised.
"Yes, I wouldn't believe it myself if I had not seen him with my own eyes." Elyrie answered as she put down her empty cup. "It made me realise that Zhao is toying with things he cannot possibly understand." she continued as she remembered the force Avatar Roku showed when he took down the soldiers present.
"And what happened here after the whole ordeal?" Elyrie asked while she poured herself another cup of tea. For some reason, she was hesitant to discuss how she and Zuko had interacted on his ship. Jin put down her cup and picked up a biscuit.
"The ship returned, but when Kun and I asked for you, nobody knew anything." Jin said. She remembered when the smaller ship had returned and Zhao and the soldiers had disembarked. There had been no sign of Elyrie, but no one seemed to notice it. "Commander Zhao was furious, as he had assumed one of the soldiers had escorted you back to the ship." She quickly added when she saw the look in the eyes of her lady.
"Really?" Elyrie said pensively as she nibbled on a biscuit. It took him a few hours to notice I was gone, she thought darkly. Something inside her snapped at that moment. She had never made illusions that he loved her or particularly cared for her, but this was something else. The whole damn temple came down and he only cared for himself, she thought as she dug her nails into her palm. No more, she silently vowed.
Jin said nothing as she saw Elyrie's face harden. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but Elyrie's face seemed to relax again.
"Okay, now let's make me look more presentable." Elyrie joked as she stood up. Jin laughed and rose to fill the bath.
"A warm bath would do you good, Miss." she said as she picked up the vanilla scented soaps. Elyrie simply laughed as she started to undress herself.
A few hours later, it was time for dinner. Elyrie looked in the mirror and was again amazed at Jin's skills. Her hair looked better than ever, with her curls beautifully pinned up in an elegant updo which let free a few strands on the sides of her face. In her neck, one ringlet was loose and hung over her pale shoulders. Jin finished decorating her hair with a few red stones, which complimented her bright red dress. Jin put on a little bit of lipstain to darken Elyrie's lips and a bit of kohl around her eyes, which made the blue stand out more.
Elyrie looked at her face in the mirror and felt a numb pain in her chest. Gone was the girl with the loose curls and rosy cheeks. The woman who looked back at her was every bit a noblewoman. She absentmindedly played with her little finger as she remembered the past few days. She already missed Zuko and Uncle, she had to admit it. She missed Uncle's tea, she missed Zuko's smile when he thought nobody saw it, she missed singing to her hearts content. She missed the freedom to be herself.
"It is time, Miss." Jin said, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"I'll be ready in just a few minutes." Elyrie answered as she stood up. Jin nodded and discreetly left the room. She felt her lady needed to be alone for a moment.
When Jin had closed the door behind her, Elyrie turned around and opened the balcony doors. The forest was illuminated by the soft orange light of the setting sun. She placed her hands on the marble railing and inhaled the fresh air. She missed the salty sea breeze. She deeply breathed in and out. Then, she lit up her palm and shoot a fireblast into the sky. The familiar warmth spread through her hands as she released the fire into the air. When the fire had extinguished, she smiled with a wicked look in her eyes.
"I am glad to see you are in good health. The scar is barely noticeable" Zhao said when Elyrie entered the dining room.
Which means he is glad I returned without any actual deformities which would bring him complications upon marrying me, she thought wryly. However, she walked over to him with a smile and extended her hand. He took it and placed a light kiss on it, as was the proper thing to do when one greets his fiancée after days apart.
"I am so happy to be back." she said in a regal tone. Zhao looked at her with approval She had always been a beautiful woman, but now she seemed to radiate new confidence. He liked it, since it meant it would make him look good by comparison. She elegantly pulled her hand back and turned to face the colonel.
"Colonel Shinu, it is an honour to meet you." she said as she bowed to the older man, "I have heard much about your Stronghold, but I have to say that the tales do not do it justice." she added as she smiled charmingly.
The Colonel looked appreciative of her compliments and smiled at the young woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Please, sit down." he said as he pulled a chair back for her. She took place at the table, between the Colonel and Zhao. She mainly talked to the Colonel during the meal, whom she found a charming conversationalist. Zhao was preoccupied with another General on his other side, who visited the Stronghold to select new recruits.
While she diplomatically talked about Zhao's accomplishments, Colonel Shinu observed the young woman. He had heard Zhao's fiancée was younger than he was, but he was surprised at how much younger. The girl looked barely older than twenty years old, but she radiated a confidence which made her appear older. Moreover, he was sure she was well educated based on her choice of words and her manner of speaking. Her education gave her that poise and finish that made her so charming to men and women of mature and brilliant intellect.
"May I ask," he said as he put his chopsticks down, "What do you like to do for your own amusement?" Elyrie raised her eyebrows but was pleasantly surprised at the Colonel's interest.
"I am very fond of literature and music." she answered truthfully as she took another sip of her wine.
"Music? How interesting." he answered with an thoughtful expresssion, "I play the harpsichord myself." he added while following her example and picked up his wineglass. She looked at him expectantly so he continued to tell her about his lessons. "I still like to practice everyday." he admitted, "So I have one in my private quarters."
"How lucky you are." She said as she smiled at him.
"Do you play the harpsicord?" he asked in return as the last course of the meal was served. It was a delicious dessert, made of sweet sticky rice with mango and caramelized hazelnuts.
"I can play the piano." she answered, "I have had lessons since I was five years old."
"You are very welcome to play on my harpsicord during your stay here." he offered with a smile. It had been a long time since he had discussed music with another person in the fortress.
She looked at him with a thankful smile as she said "Thank you. General Iroh told me you were a very talented musician."
"Ah yes, I heard you stayed with the Dragon of the West these past days." The Colonel answered as he dug his spoon in his dessert.
"Yes, I was. He is such a kind man." She answered as she pushed her sticky rice around her plate. She did not know what Zhao had told the Colonel, so it seemed safer not to reveal too much.
"I heard he brought you back after a storm had separated you from the Commander?" the colonel asked with a questioning look.
She simply nodded, but turned to her fiancé on her right.
"I am sure you already sent a note expressing your gratitude to General Iroh?" Elyrie asked with an innocent look as she placed her hand on Zhao's arm. While she looked innocent, the tone of her voice expressed a different message. The Colonel looked at her with an amused grin. They formed an interesting contrast, with her beauty and calm demeanour smoothing the way of the coarseness of her fiancé.
"Of course, I shall arrange it right away." Zhao answered quickly as he motioned for a servant. Elyrie bit on her lip, irritated at his arrogance. You would think a little 'thank you' would be proper, but no. Her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass.
When they had finished the meal, she thanked the servant who picked up her plate. Zhao was, of course, far too important for that.
Elyrie leaned over the stone railing of the outer watchtower to observe the archers below. Colonel Shinu had offered to show her the skills of his famed archers, which did not disappoint. Their precision was legendary. She saw one archer hit the bullseye and then split the first arrow with another, and then another one. The next archer hit the bullseye of three different targets with three arrows at the same time. Her mouth fell open at this extraordinary display of skills.
She turned around when she heard Zhao discuss the archers with the Colonel.
"Absolutely not." Colonel Shinu said decisively, "The Yuyan archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." Elyrie was not surprised at his response. The Yuyan archers seemed to be the pride of the colonel, so it was not difficult to understand why he refused to lend them out.
"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider," Zhao pleaded as he turned to the colonel, "Their precision is legendary. You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."
Elyrie cringed. If you want to persuade him, you better not insult him, she thought with a mental shake of her head. Diplomacy had never been Zhao's strongest side.
As expected, the colonel turned his head at Zhao and responded with an angry glare, "I can do whatever I want with their talents. They're my archers, and what I say goes."
"But my search for the Avatar- " Zhao began, but he was quickly interrupted, " - Is nothing but a vanity project" the colonel said to Zhao with disdain in his voice. Elyrie raised her eyebrows. She liked the colonel and she had never heard anyone bark orders at Zhao before, which she appreciated. She felt her lips twitch, but dug her nails into her palm to prevent herself from laughing.
"We are fighting a real war here and I need every man I've got, Commander." Colonel Shinu said as clearly he emphasized Zhao's rank. Zhao may be a Commander, but he still has not the power to order other commanders around, Elyrie thought as she watched the two man. And since Colonel Shinu was the Commander of the Stronghold, he had the power to deny Zhao everything.
"But.." Zhao tried, but the Colonel had enough. "And that's final!" he interrupted again, "I don't want to hear another word about it." He added as he walked over to Elyrie, who quickly turned around. She saw Zhao's face darken and she knew he would not let this insult pass. Even if the Colonel outranked him, he would find a way to make him pay for this.
And as if the universe heard the outburst, a hawk appeared.
Elyrie walked over and automatically extended her arm for the hawk to land on. The hawk wore a leather suit with a small note, which she took out of the cylinder and handed to the Colonel.
"News from Fire Lord Ozai." she said as she recognized the Royal Insignia. She petted the hawk on his head as she watched the Colonel unfold the message. His face quickly changed colour and his eyes widened when he read the note. Zhao walked over and took the note from the Colonel. Elyrie saw his smug grow as he read the message as well. Must be good news, she thought as she let the hawk nibble softly on a treat.
"It appears I've been promoted to Admiral." Zhao said arrogantly, "My request is now an order." Colonel Shinu quickly bowed and made his way down to the archers to give them their new orders.
Elyrie was stunned. This was unbelievable. How much luck does one man need, she thought with a clenched fist. Outwardly, she smiled broadly and took his arm. Zhao was again surprised at her newfound confidence.
"Congratulations Admiral." she said with an enchanting smile. He grinned at her as he placed his hand on her hand. She repressed the urge to pull back her hand. Touching him was one thing, but him touching her still made her squirm.
"And this is only the beginning." he assured her with a smug look.
Elyrie smiled at him, but at the same moment felt a sense of uneasiness come over her. What he said sent shivers down her spine and she dreaded to learn what came after the beginning, but she also felt watched. Her sapphire eyes searched across the yard and up the sides of the fortress, but did not find anything out of the ordinary. The feeling persisted and she was certain she felt eyes on her back.
She let go of Zhao's arm. "I am going to bed." she said as she quickly turned around to look behind her.
"Of course." he responded while continuing to look at the archers.
Elyrie took a last look around the watchtower and shook her head. I must be tired, she shrugged as she descended down the stairs.
But barely a few metres above her, a masked figure tried to steady his racing heart.