The air under the royal canopy is stifling. Its ornate red and white striped pattern does much to block the sun, yet offers little in the way of insulation. It is only bearable for me because I am sitting on the side closest to the sea; where the breeze easily rolls in. Inside this tent, which seemss to be an entire world within itself entirely apart from the festivities commencing outside, a huge assortment of advisers, military council, and other court magistrates sit crisscross from one another in a circle, chatting amongst themselves about what needs to be attended to. The tent is well furnished. On a platform at the far end, the Avatar and I sit on each side of my father, who sits on a simple wooden folding chair while we sit on lower ottomans. On the walls there are many shields and decorations adorning the sides, interlaced with elaborate emblems that have been stitched into the canopy. All in all, it is an impressive sight to say the least.
I fan myself with a silk fan imported from the Earth Kingdom. Its intricate patterns, stitched together with delicate silk fabric, make its air cool and refreshing. I peer over to Aang, who is looking quite composed, taking what looks to be a meditating position. His eyes are closed and he breathes deeply. Suddenly, my father gets up to point to a huge map of the fire nation that lays on a coffee table in the center in the room, to talk about some matter. I let my mind wander off on things as I fan myself. I try to keep the movements fast and precise; thereby making me look more sophisticated. I do this for awhile, then look back to Aang. He is no longer in his meditating position, but is staring at me. There is a deep red hue in his cheeks. At first I pay him no heed. I ignore him and attribute his flushed appearance to heat. But after a minute of his stare painfully agonizing me, I look back at him and silently mouth "What?"
He points down at his own shirt with frankness. I look down at where I am sitting on my stool and notice that my dress pleat has slipped from its holding and is now revealing a huge portion of my thigh. I gasp and frantically pull the dress to cover the offending area, now with my own cheeks turning a bright violet. I glare at Aang and see he is sporting a sheepish grin. I give him my death stare and his face slowly turns into a mask fright and horror. I nod my head as he looks at me in disbelief.
Father at last concludes his business, and asks that everyone be escorted out, including our esteemed guest. It is only I who am allowed to stay. All the magistrates file out silently, while Aang is taken aside by a few guards who now act as his "bodyguards". When the entire tent is empty, I stand before father in humble obedience and dignity, knowing it is in our own country's custom for a subject to be summoned and give a report after a task (given by the Fire Lord) has been completed. This practice, as I understand it, had evolved over many years to make sure corruption did not take root. But as it is now, I figure it to be little more than a long repetition of the "glory" I have brought to my country, a long and drawn-out ingratiation where in which I will be granted some kind of title, or given some land, or both. Soon this dull affair will commence and soon be over and I can retire.
"Azula, my daughter, we have much to discuss."
"Yes, Father."
"Your capture of the Avatar has put the tide of the war in our favor. Not only his capture, but you have managed to convince him of the righteousness of our cause. Something I cannot begin to stress the gravity of, for it seems as if you have pulled a miracle from thin air and turned this stalemate into a decisive campaign. For this; for your selfless act to your people, your country, and your Fire Lord, I restore your honor." I heave a heavy sigh of relief. There was no question in my mind that my honor would be brought to its rightful position. But when one is released from the yoke of dishonor, its a feeling of utter bliss.
He continues to talk, "I have sent ambassadors to the Earth King to negotiate a truce. With this new tool at our disposal they have agreed to mutual truce, wherein for the keeping of our territorial acquisitions in their land we may now openly trade with the Earth Kingdom."
"If it was your majesty's desires..."
"No, you misunderstand me. Peace is the last thing I desire. I am only using this time a breathing period to consolidate our position and to strengthen it. I will not make the mistake my grandfather made and rely solely on the Avatar as my 'wonder weapon'. The Avatar is, after all, a human. A human who one day might turn against us. That is why I must usurp his power to increase mine."
"If it does not offend you, Father, may I ask how you plan to accomplish this? The Avatar is the master of the elements and poses a great threat."
"Recent developments in foreign trade have allowed us to come across weapons that no one, not even the Avatar, has seen." He summons the guards, "Bring him in!" I turn to see the guards open the tent flaps for a tall, pale man. His eyes are blue, yet they are wider than any eyes I have yet seen. His facial features have a broader complexion and his hair is a hue of yellow I have never seen. "I would like to introduce to you Senor Mendoza; ambassador to our fair nation from the Land of the Nanban."
The man of his early twenties, bows gracefully and greets me in a foreign tongue, "Bom Dia". His smile seems to reflect nothing but well-meaning intentions. It bears about it such an air of sincerity and enthusiasm, that by his gestures alone he seems trusting and amicable. No doubt then why he is in the field of diplomacy.
"It's nice to make your acquaintance, Senor Mendoza."
When he speaks, his accent bears thick on his words and causes them to sound rather garbled, yet there remains a poetic air of sorts about his sortie of words. "The pleasure is all mine. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your triumph here in your own land. Peace is something my master and I both desire, for our mutual benefit. I, being his humble servant, and you being of royal blood, I give you my utmost in consideration considering all that has been ascertained between our two peoples."
"Senor Mendoza, your flatter me too much. I must ask you to refrain from further compliments at they might drive me to become too proud."
He bares his grin that seems to be his sole trademark and weapon in verbal intercourse, "As you wish, milady."
It is then Father takes to the conversation again, "Senor Mendoza arrived here a little after you departed on your quest. He comes from a land where the art of war, it seems, has come to a...unique science." I notice he hesitated in calling it a "superior" science. Pride is a hard thing to swallow, it seems.
"In return for these common silks and spices," he opens a chest on the far side of the tent with the aforementioned items, "Mendoza has provided us with these new weapons that are sure to turn the tide of the conquest in our favor."
From behind the chest, Father pulls out a contraption, the likes of which I have never seen. It is a metal tube mounted on a wooden stock that has been carved to fit around it. At the far end of the device, there is a hammer connected to a spring-activated lever jutting from the bottom of the wooden stock. On the hammer there is connected a piece of long rope that hangs a few inches off the side. It all seems a bit overwhelming, this new machine or whatever it is. Its design, its solid impression, was certainly tantalizing.
"What is it?"
"Our own soldiers have taken to calling it 'The Lead Dragon', yet Senor Mendoza says the men in his country refer to it as a 'Matchlock'".
Senor Mendoza delicately tries to explain, "In my country these are quite common. Most people own one, though it remains a potent force in trained hands."
"How does it work?"
Senor Mendoza bows to my father, "Fire Lord, if I may?"
"By all means." He hands the matchlock to him.
"One simply pours down two measures of 'black-powder' into this hole." he points to the top of the pipe. "Then, one takes a wad of paper and uses this scouring stick to ram a lead ball into the muzzle." He pulls out the wooden stick on the stock and demonstrates. "After that, one simply puts the remainder of the powder in this catch that ignites the fuse. Then cock this lever and blow on the slow match to get a sufficient fire for ignition. Then, you simply aim, then pull the trigger."
He pulls the trigger, causing a dull thud to sound as the lever hits the empty pan. "The ball is then shot out the barrel towards the target. It can break through the toughest steel and has proven capable, on some occasions, of piercing earthen mounds."
My father speaks with excitement, "This weapon will revolutionize warfare."
Senor Mendoza, perhaps seeing that he is no longer needed, tactfully bows to Father and said, "Your majesty, I wish not to offend you, but the day is hot and I am afraid I am still not used to such an arid climate. Would you excuse me so I may procure refreshment?"
"You may." He then casually strolls out the front of the tent into the festival beyond.
Father continues, "Even now, I equipped and trained my finest troops in this weapon's use; but think of the possibilities! With this weapon in the hands of every common infantry soldier, we can engage the enemy at a distance and be able to dominate the battlefield as never before."
I realize at once the means by which the Avatar is to be supplanted, though I am not convinced of the weapon's potential. However, if Father has confidence in it, then I do as well. If it can really do as Mendoza said it could, we hold a powerful tool for change. As I gaze at this new weapon of destruction, I realize that nothing will ever be the same.
"What will happen to the Avatar the day he is no longer needed?" I ask with a forlorn hope in my voice.
He stares deeply for a few minutes. "He will join us or perish..."
So, traders of a foreign land introducing guns? I like the idea. I ask the forgivance of any Japanese reader for the parralels I'm drawing between this canon and actual Sengoku Jidai Period. Especially using the word "Nanban".