XXXII: Matters at State

A meeting was held to discuss matters of the old Fire Nation colonies. Zuko had already retracted all of Ozai's colonies. King Kuei and Zuko were now in an agreement that these colonies no longer belonged to the Earth or Fire nations, and so they were ready to declare it a whole separate nation with its own head of state. The question was how?

They attended a meeting, where they began listening to this one man lecturing about the past. Being boys, Sokka and Aang readily tuned him out, Katara actually could stand listening to him, but Zuko was almost as bad as the Avatar. He tried to listen, he really did, but his voice went from: "Blah, blah, blah, fate of a nation deeprners grrrmmm, blah, blah, blah."

Then:

"Blah, blah, blah, family, blah, blah, blah."

Zuko's attention snapped back and he politely requested the man to repeat himself.

"I suppose a teenager is still a teenager, apparently, even if he is head of state." The lecturer spoke as he stroked his beard; he then elaborated: "I was explaining, Fire Lord Zuko, an ancient Earth Kingdom philosophy: Family is in essence a small nation, and the nation a large family; in treating his own family with dignity, a ruler learns to govern his nation with dignity."

Zuko lowered his head, not to go unnoticed by Aang, Sokka, and Katara.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Aang asked in a whisper.

"I've imprisoned my father and stripped him of his title, and put my sister in a mental hospital. What will that mean for my nation?"

Sokka whispered that the guy was a blow hard, and not to look too deeply into it. Still, even after they left the meeting, Zuko was still thinking about the professor's speech. He had striped his father of everything he had, and Azula was locked up in a mental institution. Although he had found a certain inner peace within himself, he still feared that there was some of the monster of his forefathers resided within him. At least Iroh's a good man, and he remembered his mother fondly… but where was she?

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No more waiting, no more mystery, and no more secrets. Zuko had his sister brought to the prison to see Ozai in his cell. He allowed them to sit alone for a while, but his Kyoshi warrior guards told him that after an hour they've not spoken a word.

"Not even a whisper, Suki?" Zuko asked.

"With how quiet it is in this hall, we would've heard a whisper. No, the only thing they've done is look at each other, but sometimes Azula's tried to spot Ty Lee through the walls." She replied.

"Even in a straightjacket, unable to run, and unable to bend, she's still scary." Ty Lee stated.

"I can handle Azula, but if they're not going to talk, I'll just have to talk to them to get my answers… I want them to have a little dignity in this meeting, it's the first time they've seen each other since Sozin's comet, Ty Lee, would you mind bringing some tea and some food while I have Suki adjust Azula's restraints?"

"Gladly!" Ty Lee replied and she took off for the kitchen.

Suki went inside to adjust Azula, she freed one hand but put a chain linking her arm to her belt, giving her enough room to feed herself, but restricted her so she couldn't bend.

Ty Lee returned with a pot of tea and some food, Zuko accepted her tray and stepped inside, glancing at his father and his crazed sister allowed for his eyes to flash their glow for a second, it wasn't his intention, but it reminded them of the power he possessed.

Zuko handed out the tea and bowls, and sat down: "I thought that we could have a small lunch with a little dignity.

"Why are you here?" Ozai spoke.

"I know what you've done to get the throne, you yourself said that mother helped you to get it, and then you banished her… So, I believe that Azula and I deserve to know where she is."

"Hahaha, and what makes you think that I'll answer to you? After all Fire Lord Zuko, you've striped the world of everything I've ever claimed, my title, my colonies…"

"Enough! I was willing to offer you a piece of land. A comfortable house with land that you could do with what you wished, and allowed you to make an honest living and earn back your dignity; a place where you may be able to find inner peace, but still under guard. I remember a time, although it feels like a lifetime ago, where this was once a happy family; now, look at what's become of my face, look at what's become of Azula's mind! I don't think that you were born evil, I think that the thirst for power your father and grandfather had got to you too, and it's poisoned this family."

"Well I didn't send her to any place in particular. She was simply banished from the capital."

In the end, Ozai spoke in a riddle to give a hint as to where their mother may be, and Azula had it figured out rather quickly, but that was because she knew of all the secret passageways in the palace.

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Zuko had Azula spend the night in the palace, a break from the institution, but she broke loose from her restraints and bolted inside! Zuko ran after her, his eyes flickering, Lux's spirit giving him a boost in speed.

He caught up to her in time to watch her fire at an emblem on the wall to open a secret door, he ran into the room with her as she lunged for a trunk against the wall.

"GET BACK, ZUZU, OR IT'S SCORCHED!" Azula shouted.

"Azula, whatever is in that box is something that you need as much as I do. For once can we put our differences aside and look inside it together?"

Listen to him, Azula, he means well! Ursa's voice spoke.

He's already taken the throne from me! I've got to hold onto everything I've got left, mother!

Azula, being the Fire Lord is not your destiny, the throne belongs to Zuko.

With her mind distracted Zuko had already gotten inside the chest.

"Letters, written by mother?" He spoke. He looked through one written to his grandparents, wondering why these weren't sent and moreover, there were no replies at all! Whatever this trunk was, Zuko doubted that it belonged to his mother. No doubt that Ozai had something to do with this. However, the letters revealed the location of where his grandparents lived; a small village of Hira'a

Azula plucked one letter, again it had a mention of Hira'a, but it also had a strange man's name. Ursa's father was the Magistrate Jinzuk, but this had mention of a man named Ikem, and among the words to Ikem was the phrase 'our son'.

"Well, we at least have a place to begin the search for mother." Zuko stated. He had Azula escorted to a room, once he knew for certain didn't have a secret passage or any other means of escape, and she was kept under guard.

In the meantime, Zuko sent a hawk to Aang, Sokka, and Katara bearing a letter to tell them of the adventure he was planning, and why having them along would prove to be of use.

With that done, he wandered the palace for a while, when he happened to meet up with Mai. He had given her a permanent invitation to the palace since his coronation.

"You've been busy." She spoke. Zuko elaborated the events leading up to the fight at Yu Dao, and his plans for a journey to Hira'a.

"Wow, it would've been interesting to've been more involved in these events." Mai spoke in her usual dull tone.

"I'm sorry I haven't been spending much time with you, but would an invitation to go to Hira'a help to make things up to you?" Zuko asked.

"I'll sleep on that." Mai replied with a small upturn of her lips, and Zuko gave her a room with one of the loveliest views to stay for the night.

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So, should Mai go or no?

Please review.