Monday, October 15, 1900, 15:02, War Room
Zuko was sitting with Hashi, the Gaang, and Sokka in the Diplomatic Room. The other Sages were present through the domestic portion of the meeting and were excused when it came to the 'colonial question'. Zuko would not have anyone try to veto or in anyway reprove Aang or his advice. He kept Hashi around so that he could inform them of what Zuko would do. He was not afraid of criticism, but the time for sniping about former glories in the War had passed.
"...So My Lord, Chief Hakoda has arrived in the colonies. He has with him forty-five hundred men, to leave each precinct with enough support. Right now, as the letter says, he is sending his men to the polling places now, so that they may secure all of the locations. And he asks Your Majesty for the provisions to pay for all of them to be quartered comfortably."
"Good." Zuko answered. "And write back to him that I shall pay for all of the wages, good lodgings, food, and other accommodations. A million and a half should cover it, and if he needs more, tell him not to hesitate to send a letter to me."
"Yes, I think that amount should be enough. The letter is dated the eleventh, and he says that all of his men will be in place in seven to ten days."
"Where is my father? Where is he based?" Sokka asked.
"He's in Colony Seven, so he is situated in just about the center of them. He's in New Sozin, but I think that the name of that place will be changed rather quickly. Let's say that even though their culture resembles the Fire Nation's more than the Earth Kingdom's, Sozin's name is not popular. They remember the first great crime he committed and would not want his name upon them."
"I wouldn't want to be a New Sozinite either," Sokka commented, "And do the people trust that the Water Tribesman are neutral and will actual ensure the safety of the voters and the vote?"
"Yes, not all, but most of the people in those old colonies look on the Water Tribes with favor, remembering their valor and amazed by their power to command likes, oceans, and clouds." Hashi continued, "I do think that many of the Tribesman may stay in that new country."
"Why?" Katara asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, I must be honest," He bit the end of his pen before going on, "The wedge that has been created between the Northern and Southern Tribes, though exaggerated by some, may prove to be something really dangerous going forward. The Tribes, over that last century went in different directions. My Nation, I hate to say, played a good part in pulling the tribes further South gave more and more individual freedoms to the people to defend themselves, because the government was too far away to help anyway. The North became more and more centralized because it's smaller. I do not know if the two schools of thought can really be reconciled. I hope for the peace's sake that it is fixed. From what I've heard and read, many of the Northerners, soldiers in their own right, might not want to go home to be lorded over by Chief Arnook, who's been trying to consolidate the power.
"The divide isn't that great I hope," Katara said. "I hardly think Dad would argue with Arnook. I-" She could not continue, thinking of how nasty that contest could be. Whatever the case, she knew that she would be with the South. That thought was much too ghastly for her to contemplate further.
"It is generally recognized and said here and in many places in the Earth Kingdom," Hashi started, "that Master Sokka is a prince. Lady Katara, that would thus make you a princess. I know that how the Fire Nation perceives those titles cannot be a great concern to the North, but if this view is held around the world-and I have much evidence to believe it is-then the world sees a distinction."
"You're a very shrewd man, Hashi," Sokka remarked, "And I'm afraid that you're right. When we were children down there, the North was always talked about as if it were a different country. Bato spoke of it not only far off geographically, but politically too. And we do refer to them as Northerners and not some much as countrymen. That said, I think the second this is over… I guess we should try to tie the Tribes back together before they split, but for now… We must focus on the Colonial issue. Have enough ballots been printed?"
"Yes, His Majesty's Stationery has manufactured enough to satisfy one hundred and twenty percent of the population, enough to cover any mistakes that would be made in both question."
"And the calculus remains the same as to what the colonies will say?" Zuko asked.
"I'm not sure I understand you, Sir?"
"I mean do we still think that the northern two will go back to Kuei, the southernmost two will align with me, and the middle thirteen will want to be independent?"
"Yes." Hashi answered with certainty, "No new polls have been taken to see if the mood has changed, but nothing suggests a change either."
"So, Aang, once this vote is over and the people have said that they want to be independent, then what?"
"Then, and I have already written it down, we will meet in New Sozin to chart out a written constitution. I should think that they will want Sokka, because abroad," He turned to the Water Tribesman, "You are thought of as a great statesman of our time.."
"But what about the fact that Zuko has chosen me to-"
Aang answered, "Well, they think that you're here to help Zuko run this country and help him stabilize it. In the eyes of many, you were the only person who could have had the power to help him. So, naturally, they think of you as a worldly wanderer willing to help anybody. And they think of you as a great inventor, military leader, and most of all, able to make compromises or think up unique solutions to problems. When they're wrangling over their constitution, and there is no doubt they will, they will want you Sokka, more than me. "
"Me?" Sokka said, "It surely cannot be me. I should think that Iroh or you, Aang, but surely not me."
"It's still understood abroad that you are negotiating a deal between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation," Hashi added, "And to keep your political popularity and transcendence, I wouldn't get too close to any one country."
"Isn't that your place, Aang?"
"Not quite, Sokka." The Avatar answered, "I'm supposed to be a unifier as far as the things that are not political. I only had a reason to bring an end to the war because it was the world's problem. Afterward, I cannot have an affinity or hatred towards any country or people. I don't hate the Fire Nation or Zuko's subjects, but their safety in particular is Zuko's charge. All I want is to count the all the leaders of the world as my friends. I will be there to support and help stabilize their becoming a country, but the politics are something I have to avoid."
"You have me as a friend." Zuko answered.
"Yes." Aang answered, "I also have Hakoda. Hopefully the colonists I still think Arnook blames me for the you know-. And Kuei hates me, I'm sure."
"No, that can't be." Zuko answered. "Frustrated by your lack of alliance with him surely, but no one, especially in the Earth Kingdom can hate you for delivering them from the Hellfire my father was unleashing on them."
"Then the people must love you Aang." Zuko answered.
"They do." Toph answered.
"But I need to have their leader's ear." Aang said, "And right now the only person who possibly could speak to him is Suki."
"My Lord, I must ask." Hashi started, "I know that you said that you were concerned about Miss Mao having compromising information about our position."
"Yes, but having spoken to her, everything she knows is old news. And I managed to plant some misconceptions that might help us." Zuko said, half lying. "She thinks that the treasury is empty. So if she reports that to the Earth King, we will have some reasonable deniability in regards to paying them anything. I'm willing to find a suitable arrangement, but I'm not going to break my country's bank in the process."
"Speaking of payments," Hashi remembered, "I did have an idea of how to save face for the Earth King and save some You some money."
"Yes," Zuko answwered.
"Instead of just paying plain reparations, we can claim that we're going to buy the two colonies that are going stay with us anyways. We could say that we will purchase the land for say eight or ten or fifteen pounds per square mile. It would be a nice addition to his purse without you parting with too much."
"I will have to think about it," Zuko said, "And we need to know again what the Earth King wants. If he says a nice little number that's less than what we expect, I would agree to it in a second."
"What if there is no deal? What if one of the sides walks away?" Toph asked.
"I won't be the side to walk away." Zuko answered plainly.
"Fine, what if he does?" She persisted.
"I asked the Prime Minister prepare some plans just in case." Zuko answered, "And, much to my displeasure, I have made time to also meet with some of my military advisors in case of-"
Aang interrupted, "No more war, Zuko. The last thing the world need is more war."
Zuko answered solemnly, "I don't want it Aang, but if it is thrust upon me, I can't shirk. Besides, I do not think it's likely. Our preparedness is only insurance against a possibility. I call it deterrence. If I got my way, the way to smooth this over is the tension is through trading. My shepherds have good wool, my farmers grow the best coconuts, sugar cane, agave, peaches, oranges, bananas, almonds, pineapples, mangoes, guavas, olives, rice, indigo, peanuts, and cotton. We have glass and metal to trade, machines too. And for our part, we need timber, oil, apples, pears, wheat, meat, preserved fish, hemp, more silk, cactus juice, jewels, and gold, and silver. We could even use earthbenders to recover some land from the sea to increase our output. If we could find a way to open up the markets to our goods, their people could be satisfied with wonderful goods. And he can collect the taxes. He'll make more money that way."
"He would also do well to allow some of the great inventions here to be used by his people. As a child, I never dreamed of being able to have a real-time conversation from a hundred miles away, but here it is. And now I hear that the Earth King won't even allow the inventor to demonstrate it for him."
"What?" Aang asked.
Hashi answered, "Kuei has simply called it 'a cunning spying device.' I don't even have a response to that."
"Poor, sheltered man." Toph answered, "I think the Parliament compel make him. They want to see all of these new exciting things they've heard about, telephones and telegraphs and electric lights."
"Haven't you heard?" Hashi asked, "It was in the papers two days ago. Maybe, you were in transit when it happened, but he permanently dissolved the Parliament five or six days ago. He dismissed them saying that, with a heavy heart, for the safety of the continent he had to dissolve the body indefinitely."
"That's unconstitutional! If a hundred years of war wasn't enough of an emergency, then what could it be now."
"He says, 'unfriendly acts by the Fire Nation in so-called peacetime made him fear more for the safety of his people'. I don't even know what to make of that." Hashi shrugged in consternation and pointed disbelief. "I think by unfriendly acts he means the colonists about to choose to remove themselves from him. Without a doubt, he knows that if he marched into those colonies, He'll have another bloody, multi-year, unwinnable war on His hands."
Toph shook her head, and tapped her foot in the most obvious sign of nervousness she had ever shown. It was slight, and in a normal person would have been considered too minor to even think about. But Toph, gifted with the mastery of the Earthbending craft, was no normal teenager. Her nerves were usually steel,but now she wobbled.
"Toph, what's wrong?" Zuko asked, noticing her distress.
"It's just, if he's willing to get rid of Parliament and he's willing to invade a country that hates him without the Parliament debating it… what will he do with the property owners in his own realm? What will he do to the nobility? That man's trying to consolidate all of the power he can, and now he has the means to destroy the last group that stands in his way, the nobility. He does something unpopular and he next thing to do is take the people out who would stop him."
"We cannot know that for sure." Katara said.
"The Parliament was the only the voice the commons had. He has taken away the people's right to object to his government or avenge themselves against his actions. The nobles are the only ones left with the means who could fight him. They would have to look to the gentry and the commons to fight the army. The people wouldn't want to do that for fear of losing. If you lose in a fight like that, it's considered treason. And that's a capital offense. The way they execute you for treason... it's a brutality unto itself."
"And how's that?" Katara was now squirming too, feeling the same discomfort that Toph had fallen into.
"Stoning." She answered. "And if the King so orders, it can be death by a thousand cuts, or the breaking wheel, or both."
"And of all the noble families—" Aang started.
Toph finished it for him, "The Beifongs are highest. The King is my cousin through my father. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think of me any differently. I didn't want it to look like I was gloating about it because, if I'm being honest, I never cared for it, and I never wanted to be his cousin."
"I understand what it means to be born into something you don't want, Toph." Aang patted her shoulder.
"So do I, Toph. If I could be a commoner, I would be."
"And that is why the people love you, Sire," Hashi was still
"Toph," Zuko asked, "How close are you to the throne?"
"Well, if he gets married, of course, I get further away, but right now my family is the closest in blood through him through my great-grandfather. He was the King himself. He had two children, a son and a daughter. The son went on the be king and have Kuei as his only was my grandmother and she married a Beifong, had my father, then you can figure the rest."
"So, you're second in line?" Zuko's jaw dropped, "Behind your father."
Took continued, "Yes and no. The heir apparent who is not a child of the king he is always made to sign a declaration obscuring himself. He can never say outwardly that he is the heir to leave some obscurity about who an Earth King would pick to succeed him. This was done back in the old days to make sure that if the King was unpopular the heir didn't usurp or provide the focus for a conspiracy to displace the King."
"Oh?" Zuko listened intently.
"My father wouldn't sign it."
"Why?" Sokka asked curious to learn her family's story.
"Because he said that he never wanted to be King, and it was believed back then that the King would get married and have children of his own."
"So what happened next?" This time it was Hashi who leaned in like a gossiping schoolboy. Every word and detail of the story made him more curious. He absorbed the information like a sponge and listened intently. His attentiveness reminder her of someone she knew and liked, but she could not think of whom.
"Well, by refusing to 'relax his claim' as they call it, he made himself ineligible, but did not destroy his line's legitimacy…"
"So… no way… you're the heir presumptive?" Zuko asked.
"Heir statutory is the better term. Yes, if he has a child, he or she would become heir apparent, but the only person he can marry, by law can be a duchess or baroness. And there are only two women in the whole land who are either. My mother is married and I'm heir, so I wouldn't give my crown away if he tried. And I'm too young for him to marry."
"Can't he just make some woman, any women, he loved a baroness or duchess?"
"No, well he couldn't while the Parliament was around. He would have to send it through them and the Speaker would do the preferring of titles. But since he got rid of Parliament last month, he can do whatever he wants now. I will say this. If he disinherits me, the people will have an outcry. They would hate the uncertainty of not having any viable successor. "
"He can't force you to marry him." Katara said half-chuckling, then, remembering what had happened to Gran Gran, she relented and her face dropped, "Can he?"
"Yes," Toph answered seriously, "But if he did, he would die on our wedding night before he ever touched me. Be assured of that Katara. He wouldn't survive to see the sun rise."
"Do you think you should go back to the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked, "It could good to help you put your affairs in order in case the situation changes. And the Earth King would listen to you, so long as you don't remind him of your position. The more time you spend here, with me, the worse you might look especially if Suki gets into his head. I can only imagine what's going through hers right now. Right now, she might be thinking up what she wants to say. "
"Whether she does or doesn't, I don't think I could go home right now. I don't have a home to go to because I'm sure my father still hates me. And again, I don't know how safe it is to go there when there's so much vitriol towards the moneyed classes. The tension was always there. I mean, it's obvious, Ba Sing Se is just a big puzzle of Wall after wall, separating the people on the lines of class. Those who have spent some of that money on segregation from the poor people, and it was going to have to come to an end at some point. I am in the former."
"The people must love you." Zuko said, "You're the great heroine who stopped the drill at Ba Sing Se, you're the-"
"It takes only one lie, only one good spark to light a great fire, Zuko." Toph spoke the truth. "Everyone in this room knows that."
"You sound like my uncle, now." Zuko said, crossing his arms. He knew that she was right. Though she did not see her hands in front of his face, she could see the plain wisdom that eluded old men.
Toph turned her head towards the door and pointed at it, "Speaking of the devil."
On cue, the door opened, and the Dragon of the West walked through. The man was still ripped, covered in muscle that men forty years younger would envy. He stood, dressed in normal, Earth Kingdom working man's clothing. He looked as modest as he actually was. He was clean, freshly shaven, and groomed. He looked a bit younger from the last time Zuko saw him, but the Fire Lord was not concerned that Iroh's health. Zuko stood up immediately. "Oh my goodness, you're back!"
Zuko forgot ceremony and sprinted towards his uncle. Proceeding with no care for any of the others in the room, Zuko wrapped his arms around the solid physique that was the man who raised him. The others looked on with joy that Zuko could be lifted up so easily. For the second time that day, and without shame, Zuko started to shed tears. This time the tears were happy and hopeful. Toph felt fluttery too; a wise fried was back. Something about Hashi's reaction to seeing the General also piqued her interest. She couldn't put her finger on it, so she let it go.
"Nephew, nephew," The older man reciprocated the gesture and held the young man tight, "I'm so glad to see you too."
Iroh grabbed Zuko by the shoulders and held him out to he could inspect him. Zuko could scarcely wipe away the tears that rolled so freely down his cheeks. The General spoke again, "And I see you're happy and healthy too."
He embraced his nephew again, "Have you all been taking care of him?"
"He's been taking good care of himself." Toph answered, "And he's been taking great care of his kingdom."
A bit of time passed before Iroh sat down. He sat beside Hashi, who had made plenty of room for him and the box of papers and information he had. The General had come back to his home bearing news. Questioning every detail was the endeavor for all around the table for the next hour. All of them were equally concerned for a myriad of reasons. They, Zuko and Toph in particular, saw danger in every shadow and conspiracy in hid away corner. Zuko, especially, knew that crowns were expensive, but the heads that bore them were cheap. Zuko knew that he had to Aang was very concerned about the violence and death that might result from all of the changes coming. The Avatar figured that history was trying to catch up to the hundred years wasted fighting the damned war. Iroh, for his part in the retelling of the war, simply sat back and sipped his tea. Sokka had told him of his new invention, iced tea. The General had scoffed at first, thinking that such an invention was strange and almost blasphemous. Sokka insisted and the older man assured him that he would try it. The man sipped the cool beverage with obvious reluctance and had to admit he liked it. The Water Tribesman sat back quite content when Iroh asked for another helping. With all the pomp and circumstance out of the way, the group began by letting Iroh speak first.
"Well, friends," the wise and wordly man started, "I have seen many thing in my years on this planet, but the happening in Ba Sing Se are like nothing I ever witnessed before. Three weeks ago, he sent troops into the upper and middle rings and he put many of the nobles under house arrest. He said that he had to have the nobles examined for their loyalty, and that he needed to take their land while these examinations were taking place."
"Only in the city?" Toph asked quickly, concerned for her father and mother's land and safety.
"From what I can ascertain, the Earth King didn't have enough forces to confiscate the holdings of the landed gentry or the landed aristocracy outside the walls. This is especially true after he sent the armies into the colonies. He removed many troops from the east."
Feeling the greatest sense of relief that she had had in years, Toph sighed and sat down into her comfortable chair. She knew, though she hoped against hope, the relief would be temporary. "My parents are safe for now." Toph breathed again, feeling like a weight had been shifted.
"Yes, but I do fear that the Earth King is going to use this time as an opportunity to purge his enemies. When I went to try and speak to him, he dismissed me because of my title 'Dragon of the West'. I half-expected that, but then he dismissed the rest of the White Lotus, saying that he would not take advice from the people who allowed the war to go on so long."
"And the people, sir," Sokka started, "Are the people scared of what is going on?"
"I'm afraid that the Earth King has figured out the techniques being used by the Dai Li. He has taken control of the press in the country because he doesn't want dissent in the streets right now. The people who are in the places to know what's going on are being locked up, and the common man in the street is only reading lies in the newspapers."
"What sorts of lies?" Toph asked again.
"Well," Iroh grabbed a newspaper and was about to pass it to her, then he remembered the obvious problem that prevented her from being able to read it. He handed it to Hashi.
Starting at the headline, the young sage began to read it, "King Confiscates Land of Traitor Nobles."
Toph just shook her head.
"Yesterday, the King said that he had found proof that no less than seven noble families, the Wangs, Bao-Tongs, Yangs, Tans, Zhengs, Lins, and Liangs were involved in collusion with the Fire Nation during the War. According to an indictment made by the King's Dai Li, these families are shown to have given material and monetary support to the Fire Nation or its soldiers. The Lins and Liangs specifically accused to quartering and feeding soldiers in their lands within Ba Sing Se during the occupation. In His Majesty's own words, the families have been put under attainder 'to prevent further treasons in these new fragile times.' He added, 'the war may be over, but there will be no peace as long as the Fire Nation continues its aggression in the Far Western provinces and through other subversions of the government'. The trials before the King are-"
"I beg your pardon, Hashi… but did that say trials before the King?" Zuko asked.
"Yes, sir, it did." Hashi answered.
"He's judge, jury, and executioner?" Zuko asked incredulously, coining a phrase.
"Yes, Zuko."
"I cannot imagine doing that to my own subjects, or to anyone…" In a state of fantastic consternation, Zuko sat back in his chair, "If people can't trust that they'll get a fair trial, they can't trust me. Surely the same is true in the Earth Kingdom."
"It takes only one lie, only one good spark to light a great fire, Zuko." Iron repeated that sentence inadvertently, "And nephew, when things are on fire, people will do anything to put it out."
"What does that mean, Uncle?" Zuko was confused by the corollary.
"Zuko, when people are panicked, they don't take the time to think about all of the things going on around them. The Earth King has mastered the politics of fear. He has convinced the people that the Kingdom is on fire and that he is the only person who put the fire out. The people don't care what he does so long as he puts the fire out."
"Well, when you put it like that…" Zuko understood now.
"Our family peddled in the same system, but now we're, you're making amends for it."
"Well, Uncle, I wrote a letter to him last night. You've seen him on the throne. Do you think he'll read it and respond?"
"Were you genuine in the letter?" Iron asked.
"Yes."
"Were you concise?"
"Yes."
"Well that is the best that you can do. He'll read it certainly, and I'm fairly certain that he will respond. But there will be venom in the response I'm sure." Iroh answered, "He hates this country, Zuko. He hates everything we stand for. I don't know what will become of this uneasy peace, but I would try to maintain that."
"It was not I who sent hundreds of thousands of troops to the colonies." Zuko answered, "I desire peace as much as any sane person would, and I have not made any aggressive moves. None."
"I know that, Zuko," Aang answered, "I hate to have to take sides in this thing that's developing. But if I must take sides, I must side with you. He's locking people up without trial, he's stealing land, he's lying to his people, he's stymieing the peace we have all worked so hard to create, and worst of all he thinks he's right."
"Well, I was thinking." Zuko answered Aang, "I was thinking that the best way to deal with this would be to publish the letter I wrote to him. Let the world see that I'm honest. For the moment, Aang, I think you should stay out of it. Don't pick sides here."
"Why?"
Zuko answered. "Because there's nothing the Earth King can do to make His subjects hate you. Being seen to side with me will only give Kuei the chance to degrade your name and status."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, your power, your political power doesn't come from your mastery of the elements, but from your detachment from all the nations. Your status as arbitrator must depend on you're not being on my side or his side. You're my friend, but we can't let him trick his people about you. You said so yourself not too long ago."
"But the situation has changed since then, Zuko."
"The solution remains the same." Zuko answered.
Deeply impressed with Zuko's foresight and political savvy, Iroh merely nodded in agreement. "Your wisdom will be rewarded, nephew.."
"I should go back to the Colonies then, huh?" Aang thought aloud, "That would be the middle of the road solution that neither nation likes, but that all people could see an Avatar working out."
"Yes." Zuko answered.
"For the time being, Zuko," Sokka added, "You should take a more hands off approach to the colonial question."
"I can't." Zuko sighed, realizing what Sokka meant. "I can't let the people think that I'm just letting the colonies go, like sand slipping through my hands."
"No, Zuko that's not what I meant. Since there's about three weeks left till the votes, I would remind the people that the colonies are more complex than they seem. First, I would also say that even if we wanted to keep the land, the people living there would not be content and maybe violent. Second, the Earth King by also wanting the land would instigate more unrests and wars. Third, it would be very expensive to defend these people who do not want the Fire Nation there anyway. Fourth, the colonies would be great allies and a buffer against the Earth King's aggression. Last, that it's better to have happy neighbors in a new country than it is to have an upset lodger."
Iroh could only continue to nod. He was very pleased that Sokka could offer such good solutions. He was surprised, however, that Sokka knew the situation so well. The General set his wondering aside. "I hear that the telegraph cable up to the colonies is almost completely laid."
"Yes," Hashi said. "They expect it to be done within the next week. It used to take weeks to get communication. Then with the steamship, only a few days, with ocean liners hours. And now the inventor of this says that messages will be passed in a matter of minutes. Three minutes and thirty seconds for news from the colonies."
"And, the colonies are already connected together in a telegraph system?" Zuko asked.
"Yes sir, the Earth Kingdom forces use the lines themselves, but many of them have retreated."
"Then we can get the results of the poll in real-time."
"That had not occurred to me sir, but it is very possible to do that. The counts are reported when completed by precinct and we can fill in the precincts by the numbers when we get them."
"We could even get a map," Sokka said, "a blank map of the colonies and fill them in with the colors so that we can keep a good count."
"I want the people to be kept informed too." Zuko said. "I want them to know what their countrymen and soon to be close allies are doing."
"You could just make a bigger map and have people paint it in accordingly. You can put it outside, and people and journalists can view it."
"The results will go way into the night," Katara said.
"We'll rig up some big electric lights to illuminate it then." Zuko stated, then he looked over at Hashi, "Prime Minister, do you think you can arrange all of this."
"Certainly, Sir."
"Prime Minister," Iroh mulled the sound of those words in his head, "Somehow, I really like how that sounds."
"With all do respect, Sir," Hashi answered Iroh, "It sticks in my throat. I don't think I could ever really say that I'm that important."
"You are the second man in the Kingdom," Zuko asked, "If ever I need something done and done well, I go only to my Prime Minister. Remember that. In fact, Mai's family sold their house across from the Palace. I bought it from them, and that shall be the official home of the Prime Minister. It gives you proximity to the Palace, and it gives you plenty of room to meet with the other Sages to craft policy. It certainly has to beat that dark room in the Sages' Dormitory."
"Thank you, Sir." Hashi felt himself welling up a bit because it made him happier than words could say to make his sovereign happy. Hashi made Zuko's life easier which was his duty, but that task was also a delight. He had seen who and what Zuko's father was, and he was most grateful that Ozai's son was the opposite. Hashi could not help but beam with a childish pride. To all of the Gaang, the smile looked familiar, but they could not place it.
"Nephew, I knew that I was right about you. You have a great head on your shoulders, and you've surrounded yourself with good people. I never doubted you for a second."
"Thank you, Uncle."
"I'm not needed here, and that's good news." Iroh said contentedly. "You have the smarts and you have the energy."
"Yes, you are, or you will be soon," Zuko interjected on the contrary, "I might be all those things that you say, but I can't be in two places at once. I will need someone to be regent here while I'm negotiating in the new country. I was going to ask you to come back here shortly as a matter of fact."
"Well, it's just as good that I've been deported from the Earth Kingdom." Iroh jested. He saw the flash of anger on Zuko's face and spoke to quell it before it popped out of his mouth, "Don't worry, Zuko. I was treated gently by the soldiers and given a safe escort to the Earth Kingdom border with the colonies. Though I might have been their adversary for many years, the Earth Kingdom soldiers who escorted me showed nothing but deference for an old General. Some were even a bit excited to meet the Dragon of the West. The good people of the colonies helped me to the ocean, and I island-hopped to the Fire Nation and then the rest of the way here. Nothing untoward was done to me, and you know I can defend myself. And I sold all of the tea and furniture from the shop, so nothing happened."
"Yes, of course." Zuko's anger was indeed assuaged before it could be fully manifest.
"But what would you have done if I was somehow indisposed or unavailable?" Iroh asked.
"I would have asked the Prime Minister of course. And I would have requested that he formed a government in my name."
Hashi was blushing hard at this point, and the flames in the room grew slightly more powerful in tune with his astonishment, proving that he too was a firebender, "Sir, you flatter me, but I am-"
"Very prepared."
"A home and a trust with the regency of this country... You do me great honor, Sir."
Zuko's Bedchamber 22:45
"Do you think I should tell him?" Zuko asked, sitting on his side of the mattress, "You know… about us?"
"Do you want to?" Sokka asked. "I'm okay with it if you are."
"It's just…" Zuko relented a bit, "I don't know."
"Are you nervous with how he'll react?" Sokka put a supportive arm around Zuko's shoulder. Sokka confided in him, "I don't know how my father would react. On the one hand, I want to see him and hug him. You know, make up for lost time. But on the other hand, I don't think I could stand to see him right now because I would have to tell him. I can't stand to lie to him, and I can't stand to lie about you."
"I know, Sokka," Zuko said, "But that's not what it is with me. I think it's that all my life, I've been forcing him to accept things about me. The jolly little kid that was his nephew was much different after that agni kai. And ever since then, I have done nothing but stress him out. I don't think he would be upset that I'm with you. He would be concerned about that news getting out and possibly destroying me, us. He may be in top physical form, but he's still and older man. And I don't want to stress him. Get me?"
"Of course," Sokka answered, "For my father's reaction, spirits only know. I know he wouldn't be as mellow as Katara. And besides I don't want to see him for the first time in months and say 'Hi Dad. Good to see you. By the way, I'm in love with the Fire Lord.' I definitely can't act like everything is exactly how it was either. You get me?"
"Of course," Zuko answered, starting to unbutton his pajama top, "But let's forget about that tonight. Let's just be together." Zuko was now bare chested and looked over at his lover who, for the first time in a while, really inspected his lover's body. "It's been almost a week, and I need you."
Sokka felt that familiar pressure and pleasure as Zuko's hand reached down. Sokka started "I-"
Then, the telephone started to ring.
They both looked at the phone. Zuko, in absolute frustration, and Sokka in wry amusement.
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Zuko yelled, making Sokka chuckle at the irony. The Fire Lord continued, lowering his voice considerably, "All I wanted to do was suck some dick. Maybe get pounded a little… FUCK!" He yelled the expletive again. Zuko started towards the phone.
"Better than Hashi busting in on his King pleasuring me." Sokka mused.
"That's true." Zuko calmed down before, he picked up the receiver. He held the speaker up to his ear and answered calmly, "Hello…It's fine, I know it must be urgent if you called at this hour… What?... I'll be there in two minutes..."
Zuko hung up. He looked over at his boyfriend, "Sokka, get dressed."
"What's the problem?" Sokka sat up.
Zuko merely supplied this, "Earth Kingdom fleet headed this way."
"Fuck." Was all Sokka could add.
TO BE CONTINUED
