Summary:
Prince Zuko, rising naval star, makes his appearance, confronting and fighting opposing forces both familiar and new.
Meanwhile Azula is doing her own part in advancing the Great Cause.
Will they successfully overcome the obstacles in their way? What are their true drives, thoughts and motives?
What are their feelings for each other and how will their inevitable meeting go?
Chapter 3: The Sea Snake
Zuko had done it.
He had done what no one really expected him to succeed at, or didn't want to. His uncle had faith in him though and the knowledge that he made him proud invigorated him. The embers of hope he had to make another important man proud had grown dimmer over time but the fire refused to die. Those embers might rise to an inferno again if destiny proved his friend. One thing was for certain however, the path to the Inner Sea was now clear.
The pitiful iron chain the Earth Kingdom had desperately hoped would prevent him and his navy from entering the Sea through the Great Western River had been sent to rust and rot at the bottom of the waters and its defenders were scattered. He needed to push his advantage however. Life had taught him that no victory was great enough to not be challenged or undone. The river could be retaken and blocked and his navy sunk. Thus he needed to sink them first, make his success so important for the Nation that even his most bitter rivals wouldn't dare risk losing his achievements and be thus compelled to secure the river with their own forces. He had given the enemy civilians the chance to flee from their villages at the shore, even take their belongings with them. He knew the rest of his colleagues wouldn't have been so merciful. Zuko hoped the villagers won't ever become foolish enough to go back and turn their former homes into bases for attack, for whoever comes after the prince was sure to taint the river red with blood for such an offense. His first mate of his command vessel, captain Jee, had assured him his actions weren't just compassionate but smart. Future enemies were more likely to surrender to them if this reputation of mercy and fairness spread. The unspoken part of this truth was that for it to work other people in the Nation's military needed to be seen as monsters. Perhaps one day he could prove to them that one can afford a bleeding heart as long as it's made of steel. Thus, he was grateful to have a man like Jee by his side, who understood, whom his uncle approved of too.
Prince Zuko had learned over the years not to mind the fact that people around him could come up with plans and options faster and more throughout than him. At least he didn't show it, too much, or too often. The memory of what happened when he interrupted someone's tactical exposition too soon and too violently still haunted him. Though, the temptation to inflict the same ordeal on someone else for similar behavior wasn't always easy to contain.
Captain Jee had become a trusted exception. Over the course of their collaboration they've come to regard each other as friends, almost. The unbridgeable difference in rank prevented them from ever being true equals. Azula might have learned it sooner than him but for a royal, friendship truly was a rare luxury. At least Zuko's almost but not quite friendships were more functional and firm. He had reason to be convinced his men risked their lives not because they feared consequences to their skins but to their souls if they didn't. Not that cowardice, disrespect and disobedience weren't punished. Zuko was glad though that it seemed no one was criticizing his decisions for being unjust or disproportional.
Still, he didn't expect to feel a tinge of pleasure upon condemning his first man to death. He wondered if his sister felt any guilt when she did the same, at least the first time. Probably not, probably nothing, but the question still lingered.
Fortunately, despite all of this, Jee felt comfortable enough to tell the prince all reasonable options for going forward. He felt safe partly because he knew that Zuko would without hesitation claim ultimate responsibility. Not just for glory but for shame too.
Captain Jee stood right next to him on the broad deck of the commanding flagship, turned his gaze towards him and said:
"It was a hard battle but we control the mouth of the river now, it's the perfect choke point. We can hold off a much larger force from there. Why leave it my prince?"
Zuko wasn't the best known for taking criticism lightly but with the captain he felt his authority was more than secure, thus he answered in what for him was a calm tone:
"Because the enemy knows that too, hence why they won't attack. If we want to destroy them we need to make them think they have a chance."
Though it wasn't the case that prince Zuko had completely abandoned the hard won position at the river's mouth, some of his troops remained there, hiding, watching, ready to fight. Perhaps they wouldn't be able to destroy a whole Earth Kingdom flotilla but they would probably cause enough damage and trouble, steal enough time until the rest of the Fire Navy could arrive.
A few smaller battleships sailed ahead of Zuko's flagship and scouted the waters and shore before them, ready to signal the rest should any opposition appear. As the fleet moved away from the mouth the terrain to their north rose in height, to the point that the cliffs became tall and jagged enough to make docking impossible. This would be a good spot for enemy infantry to attack, the prince concluded. The territory north of the river and west of Ba Sing Se was under Fire Nation control, on paper. In practice the Nation has been battling with pockets of resistance for years, and Zuko knew this. Thus he ordered the ships to assume a distance from the rocks that was greater than the average earthbender's rock throwing range but still in reach of their own flame throwing catapults. The prince was happy he didn't have to crunch the exact numbers though, mathematics was one of those skills he really didn't feel jealousy over not knowing it as well as some other people.
Slowly, the cliffs began to descend again, which meant Zuko and his crew were getting closer to the shoreline east of the great mountains that had protected Ba Sing Se from the lands west until very recently. It didn't mean earthbenders wouldn't attack from the positions they had just passed, it just meant they didn't choose to attack right now. Earth Kingdom commanders were known for their patience. That patience often had the habit of turning into passivity but when used well it could irritate a Fire Nation officer into doing something rushed, reckless and stupid that would doom them and their men. Even after almost a century of war the Earth Kingdom as a whole seemed to be treating the Fire Nation presence in their land as a temporary nuisance that could be waited out; which was an attitude most military men who were hoping for a quick career absolutely hated. It often irritated Zuko too, when he wasn't busy admiring it and trying to emulate it against his domestic rivals with varying degrees of success.
His meditations were cut short by a flag signal from one of the scouting ships, opposition had been spotted. The prince immediately lifted his telescope and brought it to the right side, the unscarred side of his face to take a better look.
The time he was forced to rely on solely one eye and one ear has made the prince better than most at using both. Once functionality returned to the scarred half of his face, no one could, with a few exceptions, ambush, startle or surprise him personally. Sometimes it almost felt like a blessing of sorts, a cruel one certainly but still. His father's words echoed in him from time to time, and then again:
"You've preserved your honor, but I will make sure you never forget respect."
He didn't dare to think what could have happened had he not listened to Azula's advice and fought, yet in his darker moments he still did. Yet an even darker part of him found the true blame in her, had she known her true place, certainly he wouldn't have needed reminding of his.
Perhaps the fear of dwelling on the deeper part of his soul was useful too, for it prevented him from forgetting his surroundings. The most easily distracted men of his crew were the ones who fell most easily, stupidly, to the tactics and warriors of the snow peasant raiders. Zuko didn't deem them worthy of being called the Southern Expeditionary Corps, which made their victories all the more infuriating. Still, they were feared by many and the fact that he had driven them off time and again made him proud and he swore he would one day cause them casualties too.
His scar however, filled him with shame. On many occasions his uncle tried to make him see it as a mark of something else, of respect earned and honor gained. Many shopkeepers were keen to employ thieves who had a hand cut off, for it showed the world they had learned their lesson and could be trusted even more than people who hadn't fallen into temptation and born the consequences. Similarly, the fact that Zuko walked among the living, a survivor of great danger, was testament to his valor and ferocity, that he had earned the respect of whoever fought him.
"Your revered grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, sends his congratulations and regards, and commends you on your actions."
Those were the words of the letters he received, signed with the seal of his father, every time he won a significant victory. Every time he wonders whether behind the words of lord Azulon, there's the true spirit and feeling of Ozai. How many more soldiers and pirates will he have to send to the bottom of the sea before his own reputation resurfaces in the eyes of the man who gave him life?
Once again, it was time to work towards this goal. The enemy was approaching and his crew gathered around him. With one glance he assessed them all, they seemed just as eager as him, still drunk on their previous victories, ready to fight. It was time for him to say some words that would inspire them all to triumph.
Some would call Zuko's speech vulgar, surely he did forget himself now and then during conversations with men of higher station. Yet his princely origins couldn't be hidden away either, he still often sounded distinctly highborn compared to his men. Didn't mean he didn't learn how to speak to their hearts. Seeing the Earth Kingdom Navy close in ahead he turned to them and said:
"Their wooden boats are rushing eagerly to battle our steel ships. Truly they are filled to the brink with brave men. Let's kill them!"
The roar of the men filled the air with fire and their cheers made the water underneath shake.
Zuko's statement wasn't fully accurate but it had the desired effect. Earth Kingdom ships often DID have metal plating as protection, though the ships themselves were usually made out of wood. It must have been some kind of cosmic joke that the Earth Kingdom contained more metals beneath its soil than the Fire Nation could dream of yet the people themselves weren't nearly as good metalworkers as their enemies. Perhaps it was yet another sign that the Fire Nation truly deserved to rule, for no earthbender, not even the greatest ones ever recorded could bend metal directly. The war might have gone in a completely different direction if they could.
As it stood the Earth Kingdom Navy employed a variety of tactics to overcome the natural disadvantage they had from being separated from their element. Some did stockpile rocks, stone blocks or even disks to throw at their opponents but it made the ships carrying them slow to move and quick to sink. Some lighter vessels with a lesser load focused on harassing the crews of their Fire Nation counterparts, the projectiles they carried were much smaller and the idea was to throw them with enough force to injure or kill individual soldiers, not sink entire ships. Another common tactic was to focus on quickly approaching, boarding and then wiping out the crew in close combat. Depending on the quality of the Earth Kingdom forces, their training and experience, swords, spears and maces could have quite the devastating effect. Some soldiers were even specialized in wearing heavy stone as gloves and facing their enemy in a sort of supremely deadly boxing match. Being crushed to death by the armor that was supposed to protect you wasn't a fate Zuko envied… Then there were the suicide boats, packed to the brim with flammable and exploding material that had to be stopped at all costs before they could reach their target. Overall, the smartest thing an Earth Kingdom naval officer could do was to make it really unclear to their Fire Nation counterpart which kind was which.
The ships were approaching quite quickly, which meant decisions had to be made even quicker. Some were aided by sails but what moved them forward was in large part the stream of the freshwater sea itself. Luckily for Zuko, his command ship was hard to distinguish from most of the ships of his fleet, only the various flags, sound and smoke signals revealed his role, and like any good commander, he changed them frequently enough to confuse the opposition.
The scouting vanguard already opened fire and while waiting for the rest of the fleet to advance so they could safely fall back. They didn't wait for orders, and that was a good thing. Zuko had allowed each captain to act with autonomy as long as they didn't break with previous orders or disobeyed new ones coming directly from him. This was part of the reason they had thus far performed so well. That, and Zuko overcoming his reluctance of playing the Tsungi-horn during downtime with the captains. Find a use for your useless talents, his sister would say. Sometimes he could almost forgive her for being right.
Be that as it may, it was time for strategy. Most Kingdom commanders knew they didn't stand much of a chance against the Fire Navy on more open waters so they usually tried to stay at least in sight of the shore. If the old maps and reports were true there should be fishing villages along the beaches. The fact that Zuko hadn't seen one yet told him that some messenger sparrows must have gotten through, even though he had sent hawks to hunt them down. The Earth Navy must probably be trying to protect them, which meant that Zuko had to maneuver his own ships between their ships and dry land, thus taking the civilian population hostage in a way. Whether the enemy would respond by ceasing their attack or by fighting more desperately, both would suit him, he was prepared for either.
It wouldn't be the first time an Earth Kingdom naval force would be too confident in their assault troops and thus doom itself. It was time for Zuko to show them all the ferocity and power of his rage.
His eyes focused on what was clearly the largest enemy ship at the upper middle of their armada. It might not be the flagship, there was no way to know yet but its size meant that it either transported most of their missiles or most of their troops, or both. He quickly had an idea and immediately set his will on realizing it.
Meanwhile the Fire Navy ships on Zuko's left were advancing in their task, raining fire and arrows down on the opposition. The enemy resisted fiercely, responding with their own arrows and deadly rocks. However the superiority of speed and skill of Zuko's men was quickly withering them down. One of their mostly wooden boats even tried to move ashore, perhaps with a strategic reason. Unfortunately for them the closest Fire Navy ship rammed them with enough force to make it start splitting apart. Soon enough both halves were burning and sinking.
The large Earth Kingdom ship Zuko had singled out then started a volley of larger rocks, sending them flying toward him. Luckily only one of them hit, the others were skillfully shot down by his skilled crew who manned the catapults, causing explosions to decorate the sky. His ship might have been shaken to a degree, but Zuko's determination wasn't in the slightest, he was about to bring the battle close to them. He could easily spot the flaws in the riveting of the armored Earth Kingdom ship, the spots where the plates didn't fully nor truly connect. The frontal tips of Fire Nation ships were ridiculously sharp and reinforced for a reason, and it was moments like this. With full steam ahead he aimed for exactly one such spot.
Unaware of its impending doom the Earth Kingdom ship advanced too. A few rocks and arrows did fall on Zuko's ship, a few men were incapacitated or injured but a flaming catapult load landed on the enemy vessel too, causing a fire despite the protective coating over its wood. Before that fire could be put out Zuko's flagship had already rammed and pierced them, cutting through the slit between plates easier than a knife through warm butter. Zuko's personal crew of seasoned warriors didn't even have to board the condemned vessel, they just had to hold off the desperate enemy's attempt to save themselves by boarding them. Soon enough, the sea had another sunken ship to feed on.
Some Fire Navy ships had trailed behind Zuko, now his fleet had the Earth Kingdom's one in a pincer, his left flank had succeeded in placing itself next to the shore. Seeing this, the prince hoisted a special red banner high for all his navy to see, signaling the enemy's demise. It was time for a series of obliterating salves. Instead of one Fire Nation ship fighting one Earth Kingdom ship individually, ALL Fire Navy vessels released all their firepower upon just one opposing ship simultaneously. The enemy found themselves annihilated.
After every enemy ship was sunk Zuko sent the signal to all his captains to rescue and lock up all survivors. The captains and their crews were quick at this task too but it would be inevitably too late for some. The superstition that a sailor shouldn't know how to swim lest he taunt and anger the sea itself was not uncommon in both warring nations. Still, Zuko felt glad that he wouldn't be forced to attack any fishing villages. They did come in sight later and filled him with unease as they passed. Luckily none dared to stupidly attack and risk retaliation of the more trigger happy captains of Zuko's armada. Thus the prince looked ahead towards his next task, the main port city of the western half of the Inner Sea.
Meanwhile Azula was riding on her komodo-rhino, flanked by her mounted vanguard, with commander Hakuin close by and the infantry, together with the mobile artillery a few paces behind. It was mostly a silent trip, the surroundings mostly uneventful and not worth remarking on much. They were mostly open and flat with some hills adding diversity. The army could probably be seen from a longer distance but it also meant no one could truly sneak up on them. Azula occupied herself with her thoughts, mostly contemplating strategies and possibilities but also entertaining some observations one might consider more philosophical. True power is where people believe it resides and that rule applies to beasts and steeds as well. A komodo-rhino is by all measures much larger and stronger than an average person, even a great bender, yet it goes where you tell it to go because it believes it should follow orders. The relationship between people and their rulers wasn't too different from that either, was it?
In conclusion, mounting a beast was great fun and she had grown very loving of it. The devious, very girlish and slightly silly part of her wondered whether riding a man was just as enjoyable if not more.
But before her mind could wander off too far into such fantasies, Azula and her colleagues spotted something in the distance, a small caravan of what appeared to be Earth Kingdom merchants. She immediately ordered Hakuin and a few cavalrymen around her to ride out forward at her side. It seemed for a moment the caravan was about to flee but in the end they had the good sense to throw their hands in the air instead. Once they were surrounded Azula asked them about their intentions. They seemed truthful enough when they answered that they headed out early this morning to sell their wares in Ba Sing Se. This pleased her greatly for it meant the governor of the Port must have not gotten any news that the land army of the Fire Nation had broken through the Barrier. Knowing that the element of surprise would be on her side no matter what she did next, she told the leader of the merchants the following:
"Turn back and tell the governor of your city to surrender. I know he probably has his pride but if he can get over it and not offer any resistance we can even discuss terms. But even if he decides to be stupid, we will still accept a white flag at any time, it's just that we will demand compensation for every one of our men who falls during the assault… We'll also keep your wares as a collateral to make sure you deliver the message. Now go!"
The scared merchants didn't need to be told twice. Azula knew she and her army were less than halfway away from the Port. She also knew an enemy who didn't expect any mercy would fight to the most bitter of ends. Giving hope for clemency could indeed be a good way to sew confusion. Hakuin however had a somewhat different but not incompatible view of her actions. He looked at her and remarked:
"Judge wisely and choose mercy whenever you can afford it. That way even the spirits of peace will help you at war."
Azula smiled one of her small smiles when she saw the understanding in his eyes and said:
"I'm beginning to see why the sandbenders let you go. It makes me want to keep you around."
Some time later she arrived at her destination. No white banner in sight. Now the walls stood before her, having chosen to resist. Thus it was time to raise the spirit of her troops high enough to make them crumble. Azula's voice was usually measured, smooth and soft but she had learned over time to make it loud and clear without breaking it. Thus she spoke:
"Their walls may be tall but they are nothing compared to the walls of Ba Sing Se. Even the defenses of the city are nothing, mere illusions, we can overcome them all! For no matter how high they build them they will never reach the Sun. We are the truest sons and daughters of this mightiest of gods. There's no place for them to hide, neither above or below. Many of you might have lost fathers, brothers and sons to their armies, maybe even mothers, sisters and daughters to their raiders. Here's your chance to avenge them! Show them that no matter what they do we remain unbent, unbowed and unbroken!
As she observed the men under her command proudly raising their fists into the air she remembered for a moment the time when she was younger, when she practiced her speeches in the secluded company of her friend Ty Lee, how Ty Lee would always hand her a cup of perfectly warmed tea and comment with a smile how scary she sounded. Those memories now carried a taint of bitterness but Azula pushed them back into the darkness of her mind, the fragrance of burning cities was better than the smell of even the best tea anyway.
Thus, she ordered the mobile catapults in place, most of them close enough to throw their flaming loads not just at the walls, but above them, targeting the city and its dwellings themselves, hoping to divide the garrison between defending the walls and helping the city. Perhaps it could even incite the population to panic and force the governor to ask for a truce. Meanwhile her cavalry was ordered to take position and patrol along the walls, to watch out for and combat any enemy attempt to flank them. The infantry on the other hand was preparing to scale the walls, linking their steel ladders together to reach their height. The sharp hooks at the end of the ladders were there to prevent the earthbenders from just throwing them off, while the archers in Azula's army were ordered to shoot at anyone unfortunate enough to stand where the assault ladders were supposed to dig in.
The fight would prove to be intense yet quick for it would be decided by a spectacle that was to unfold within sight of both opposing forces.
Zuko was at last nearby, seeing the city and the battle through his telescope. The port itself didn't seem to hold any vessels that could pose even a minimal, much less a serious threat; they were all distinctly merchant or fishing ships. However, some distance further, out in the sea he could see one, just one, single lonely warship heading for his position. It moved rather quickly, indicating that it barely carried any crew or war supplies. What was even more mystifying than its suicidal confidence was that a strange sound could be heard emanating from it, even from a great distance, apparently coming from a large horn. Zuko had never heard anything like it before, finding it chilling and unsettling, a sense of danger filling both him and all around him.
Soon the trepidation became worse when he and his men noticed a rising tide of water approaching them, as if pushed by the dreadful horn sound. When the tide started getting nearer it became clearly more and more unnatural. Then the surface of the water broke, revealing a long body of poisonously green scales. They moved with ferocious speed towards the ship nearest to it, hitting it with enough force to send dozens of men overboard and almost keelhauling the entire vessel. When the unfortunate men who still managed to cling to the deck started showering the snake-like body with fire, its monstrously ugly head finally reared out of the water and rose high above the vessel, making a deafening and disgusting hissing sound. The beast even gazed around as if cursing everyone it could lay its eyes on.
Zuko almost fell into the temptation of retreating. However, the sight of a royal blue dragon banner in the distance, near the port city itself, besieging it, made that choice impossible. He wouldn't buckle before the challenge. He wouldn't risk the lives of his crew either. Instead he would bring pride and honor to the spirits of his ancestors, the dragon riders and dragon slayers of history and legend. His uncle Iroh had always told him that if he listens carefully, looking both without and within, his destiny would reveal itself to him; while his sister Azula assured him that his destiny was whatever he wanted it to be, provided he was strong enough. In this moment of truth, Zuko felt that both of them were right. The challenge had presented itself and he would challenge it back. He would slaughter this sea demon himself, by himself.
Thus, Zuko instantly ordered his best catapult shooter to aim for and hit the animal's head with a volley of searing fire, telling him a few short but meaningful words of encouragement and absolute faith along the way. The choice of both man and words was soon blessed with a direct hit, first stunning then enraging the snake. It then headed straight for prince Zuko, who steeled himself in anticipation. The serpent was clearly too angry to think clearly, thus it aimed to swallow whoever attacked it instead of dunking beneath the water and attacking the same way as before.
The young prince had learned a skill mostly used by performers and entertainers and saw fit to apply it in the moment. Instead of shooting a beam of fire directly ahead he created a large hot ball of fire and sent it out from his hands and directed it like a kite, curving its course and hitting the snake's right eye with powerful precision, forcing the beast's course to go left, enough to avoid hitting the ship.
However this was just the beginning. Zuko sprinted forwards with lighting speed, gaining momentum and using the front of the ship as a ramp to catapult himself into the air. While in the sky he unsheathed the dual swords he always kept at his left and channeled his firebending into them. He kept them as one but soon they became glowing hot while still retaining their unyielding yet flexible strength. Zuko himself could similarly perform well under pressure. It was moments like this where his calculating skills proved more than adequate, for he managed to land on the snake right on its right eye, stabbing it and piercing it right to the very marrow.
Pained and panicked, the sea serpent dived underwater, hoping to liberate itself from the pain and the attacker causing it. Unfortunately for the beast, Zuko didn't suffer from any kind of sailor superstitions and could hold his breath underwater for a significant amount of time. Disoriented, the beast tried to shake off the prince by rising above the water again, with a greater speed, yet this proved futile. The swords were stuck too deep and Zuko's grip on them was too strong.
Now that he was above the water again, Zuko could proceed with his quickly thought out slaughter. With his right hand he reached out to the spot between the snake's eyes and focused all the heat of his bending on it until the scales melted. Once the scales no longer stood in the way he raised his fist and violently punched at the bone of the animal's already weakened skull. Aided by the force of his bending the skull cracked, damaging and exposing the beast's brain. The stream of fire he sent through next boiled the snake alive from the inside and no amount of last, desperate trashing could save it.
Feeling his task accomplished, Zuko slid out his sword's from the animal's eye socket, letting the beast sink to the bottom of the waters while he remained floating on the surface. He knew two things now, why the midpoint region of the Inner Sea was called the Serpent's Pass, and that he needed a change of clothes if he didn't want to catch a cold. The lone Earth Kingdom warship which had hoped to turn the tide of the conflict had wisely sailed out of sight.
The port city governor, seeing that he was surrounded by all sides, both land and sea, and that not even the summoning of a literal monster could prevent the fire demons from advancing, made the heavy decision to order all of his soldiers to lay down their arms. He sounded the horn for it and prayed both for his ancestors to forgive him and for his citizens to be spared of future horror. The city gates were opened and together with his underlings he went out from the municipal palace to meet the princess, white banner raised high, to make his decision official. They came upon each other at half the distance between the walls and the palace and he said:
"By right of conquest, the city is yours."
Azula responded, sounding both cold and very pleased:
"Try not to think of it as conquest, more like, under new management. You can keep your position as governor, as long as you no longer take orders from Ba Sing Se or any other Earth Kingdom authority. Your wise choice to surrender will be rewarded."
She took the knife offered by the kneeling governor and examined it with deliberate slowness. A large number of Earth Kingdom officials, both military and civilian, had knives of various designs as a symbol of rank. This one wasn't half bad by a long shot, another good addition to her collection. She wondered whether Zuko had a number close or greater than hers, but Lu Ten found this particular part of their eternal competition too silly to suffer so he made them both promise to stop. Besides, in Azula's mind an entire mountain of them couldn't compare in value to the single, trusted and tested knife she had from Mai, which she always carried around.
There was no desire on her part to waste anymore time with the formalities of national expansion. Thus she quickly left, leaving the officers in her army to handle the rest of the occupation. Something far more interesting and important called for her attention: a certain someone. Azula made her way to the beach, observing the landing boats of Zuko's flagship arriving ever closer until they docked. Even from a distance she could hear his men jubilantly shouting his new, well earned title: Sea Snake.
At last, Zuko walked up the shore towards the place Azula was standing, his most loyal men trailing behind him. Though the sand was slippery they all walked confidently, drunk on victory. Zuko's destruction of the Earth Kingdom fleet and the beast they awoke to ally with it had saved the port city from the hunger of fire. Azula knew that her brother was a bit more cavalier about casualties than her. Still, he had just enabled her to enjoy one of her favorite feelings: the knowledge that the enemy was defeated and that they would go on to live with the taste of humiliation embedded in their minds, powerless to ever undo what happened to them. At least, that explanation is how she deflected accusations of being too merciful.
As she watched her brother slowly, proudly climb closer she couldn't help but imagine herself running down to him and throwing herself into his arms like the "stupid girls" in fairy tales. The impulse was almost too strong to resist. Almost.
Instead, she slowly raised her arms to her sides to the speed of his approach. Once he was in conversation distance they were fully outreached. Then he said, in a tone that seemed flat to most but behind which Azula could sense surprised amusement:
"What's the meaning of this?"
"Has your time at sea made you forget manners? I'm asking for a hug without using words."
Zuko couldn't help but glance to the side in the direction of his men. None of them were completely unfamiliar with his stories about her, though most had never met her in person. Especially Jee, his most trusted among them, knew how tumultuous their relationship and how complicated his feelings for her were… at least the surface of it. When he faced her again he spoke:
"I haven't, it's just surprising to see this from you."
"Why should it be? You just did something to be truly proud of, the least I can do is show my appreciation. False modesty doesn't suit you Zuus."
With quite some effort, the prince ignored his first impulse to sigh in exasperated defeat and instead proudly replied:
"No, it doesn't."
He crossed the few remaining steps and embraced her. Feeling her warmth was truly pleasant, and truly dangerous, for it made him forget what kind of person she was and made him think of the person she could have been instead. As both his men and hers clapped and cheered he held her tighter, slowly losing himself, feeling all thought, both good and bad drift away.
Then she did something that shook him out of his bliss. While resting her head on his right shoulder she got close to his ear and whispered:
"How about a kiss?"
Arctic winds couldn't compare to the shiver he felt, and she sensed it. He didn't have to look at her face to see her smirk. He slowly let go of her and took a step back, her face now looking perfectly innocent, at least to the uninitiated. Seems his sister would never grow out of playing her games. At least the years have made him better at countering them, or so Zuko hoped. Though, part of him could never quite shake the feeling that she was simply letting him.
"Pick another favor." he said.
"Well, since you refuse to show me your love, show me your hate. Let's have a nice battle, I'll let you pick the art."
"Hm, it's your lucky day yet again. I don't want to hurt you, not as much as usual. I'm choosing matrak. Any objections?"
"Fine, we'll play your little sword and shield game for big babies, but somewhere secluded. It's a great day for us both, it would be unseemly for either of us to be seen lying in the dirt."
"Alright, I'm sure you don't need encouragement, but try being a bigger challenge than my first mate Jee."
"You never seem to get tired of eating your own words Zuzu."
"We shall see."
Less than an hour later they both snuck out from their camps and met each other at the edge of a small forest not too far outside the port city. They were alone, having instructed their most loyal men to lie and cover for their absence should it be needed. The Sun, the patron of their element had begun to set but the fire in both their spirits ran high.
They had agreed to not use any firebending though, it was to be seen if they would respect the rule though. However, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for Zuko to cheat because he expected Azula to cheat first, or for her to do the same for similar reasons, or just out of fun. Thus the two siblings held up their shields and maces, either high or low, depending on the guard position they were adopting. Neither wore much armor, agility was a great asset at matrak. They circled each other like sharks or wolves, both knowing that an epic, drawn out duel wasn't the point of the game, you either knock down your opponent in your first attack or they attack you first and you defeat them in a decisive counter maneuver. Azula watched her favorite opponent with a dangerous smirk on her lips, for she liked what she could sense in him.
Zuko was extraordinarily good at the ordinary, be it weapons or bending, and no matter what anyone might think about hearing that phrase, Azula did not consider that compliment to be backhanded at all. Iroh's insistence that her brother focus on the basics paid off more than handsomely, the basics were in his blood by now. Whether it was firebending or sword fighting, every move, every stance, every variation and every counter were burned indelibly into his soul. One could theoretically beat him through more advanced techniques but if you displayed even the slightest hesitation, uncertainty or lack of practice, he could sniff it out instantly and exploit it ruthlessly. As long as his mind was balanced and unperturbed, he was a more solid rock than most earthbenders could dream of.
This, the mind, was exactly where Azula had to attack if she was hoping for any kind of advantage. Despite having more than enough of his own power, she was hoping he still resented her enough for not having hers. Taunting someone into carelessness was her specialty, and she probably wouldn't be a master of it if she hadn't had so many years of practice with him. Thus her tongue fired the first shot:
"You are in luck, I will use my left hand to fight."
"But you ARE left handed!"
"It's the principle that matters dum-dum."
"If you're so principled, why not let me attack and then if you survive you get your turn?"
"I thought chess made your little head hurt too much?"
"It's still the royal game."
"Explains why you always struggled with it so much."
The taunt worked, with a growl Zuko attacked first, raising his mace up high to bring Azula low. Most would probably stay in place or pace back in response but Azula stepped forward and crouched into a powerful, stable position. Just in time, she covered her head with her shield and instead of just waiting for the attack to hit, she pushed her shield forward with all the strength from her legs. The power of the mace hitting sent both combating siblings back, Zuko more so than Azula.
Immediately afterwards the princess swiped her own mace at her brother, but his height advantage saved him. Her attack almost grazed him, but almost was never good enough. Still she had the sense to use the momentum of her failed offensive to quickly move out of his reach, preventing his mace from hitting her now exposed back.
It didn't take Zuko long to once again close the distance but in that short time Azula did manage to turn herself around and have her weapons face him. He was impressively relentless and Azula had to think quickly. False attacks in firebending were her specialty, she would often make an opponent believe she was about to strike with one leg but then use another. This time she decided to strike with the mace in her left hand and regardless whether Zuko would block with his mace or with his shield, she would swipe up with her own shield and hit his head with its padded edge.
Unfortunately for her, Zuko didn't need to think, he had pure instinct and training aiding him. He deflected her mace with his own in his right hand with such power that she almost lost grip of it. She couldn't even properly raise her shield for the second part of her plan, in fact her attempt made her more vulnerable.
Seeing Azula's torso almost completely exposed, Zuko pushed his shield against it with enough force to send her back, staggering. He didn't give her any time to reestablish balance, instead he used his mace like a spear pointing at her neck. Her instinctual desire to avoid being stabbed finally caused her to stumble and trip and she landed on her back with a thud. Knowing she was beaten, Azula released her hold of her equipment.
As she lay down sprawled on the ground, looking up at her big brother with a gleam of pride in her eyes, she couldn't help but notice how he held the padded mace in his hand above her, as if he was ready and eager to pierce her with a sword. In that moment she couldn't help but desire to be pierced by something else. She wondered if somewhere just underneath the surface he held a similar desire too. Thus she exclaimed:
"Fuck me!"
The sudden, violent expression of utter horror in his face answered her question. Still, since it was a very special day for both him and the nation she decided not to leave him in a state of torment for too long, at least not longer than usual. With a somewhat forced giggle she said:
"Come on Zuzu, it was just an exclamation, not an invitation. I'm sure your buddies say the same when you beat them at their games."
"None of them play your game."
"I'm sure someday you'll meet someone who does and then you'll appreciate all the countless lessons I gave you."
Azula and her brother Zuko, though not always respecting it, had an unspoken agreement where they acknowledged each other's triumphs without saying it out loud, thus preserving dignity. In the spirit of that pact Zuko sighed deeply enough to calm himself, dropped his weapons and held out a hand to help his sister up.
Once she stood upright he turned his back to her and his gaze away from her. He didn't want her to see his face and the storm in his eyes. No other person in the world could go under his skin as deeply as her. He hated it, he hated the fact that even though she rarely made him feel appreciated, she always made him feel understood, that it was impossible to dismiss everything she ever said as a malicious lie. Sometimes his traitorous mind filled him with images of strangling her, burning her flesh or worse. But the worst part of it all was that quite often, his heart wasn't the only place where his blood raced. He knew his sanity demanded distance from her but at the same time he knew deep down that losing her forever would leave a hole in his soul not unlike the one the disappearance of their mother had left.
A jolt of electricity shook him out of his thoughts, Azula's hand rested now on his shoulder and she softly said, in a joking tone that almost sounded innocent:
"You are almost twenty Zuko, you won't be able to be a brooding teenager for much longer."
He countered by deflecting and without yet looking at her, he said:
"It seems skill and hard work are on my side, and for once, luck is too."
Azula giggled in amusement and replied in a relaxed tone:
"You are just foolish beyond all measure. The only reason you're alive is that the gods find your antics so entertaining they want to see what will happen next."
If Zuko knew that she genuinely considered him a credible threat he would have the advantage, and she couldn't have that, not least of all because watching her brother figure out things by himself was too amusing a sight to just miss out on.
Besides, she reflected more solemnly, hatred and humiliation were the greatest gifts she ever gave him. For it awoke in him the greed, envy, ruthlessness, desire and aggression he needed to succeed. If it weren't for his wish and hard work to prove himself better, stronger, especially against her, father would have found a way to get rid of him for good long ago. Their mother's constant attempts at shielding him from everything only endangered him. Perhaps he would one day see, understand and appreciate, but then again this gift of hers might be the type of gift to evaporate once thanked for. However, seeing her brother not responding nor yet looking at her, she tried a more gentle tone and said:
"I'm just trying to help you."
It made Zuko respond at last. The way he did didn't surprise Azula even though she secretly hoped for something else.
"Your way of helping me is always hurting me."
She let go of his shoulder and the desire to not fall into old habits again, replying:
"Suffering is a great teacher."
At last he looked at her, old grievances and accusations in his eyes, saying:
"So how come you are so much more capable than me despite suffering so much less?
"It's called efficiency brother, try learning that too."
Azula had responded casually but what Zuko said next cut her deeper than she dared admit:
"And you should learn the role you were meant to fill."
"I do outrank you by all customs and laws, I'm the bride to be of the future king."
"You got lucky in that regard too."
"Careful, for your sake I hope you meant something else. But if you did, I'll have you know that our esteemed cousin is the reason I don't curse the body nature gave me every day. You are lucky yourself in more things than you seem to appreciate."
"Such as?"
"I'm not going to dwell on what you should have figured out years ago, but maybe you truly earned Agni's favor today, something beyond foolishness and luck. Enjoy the blessing of your new title, Sea Snake."
Once again Azula felt the familiar pain of being so close yet so far from the person one desires but…the craving would come back after a while, regardless of what Zuko did. If there was a cure for it, she wasn't sure if she would take it. Certainly her attempts to be near him crossed lines, many in fact, and it always came with consequences. Perhaps the hurt he was causing her would finally push her irrevocably into the arms of her cousin. Her desire to be around Lu Ten was now certainly reawakened. In the morning after the lonely night that was ahead of her, she rode back to the main camp where the best person she knew happily welcomed her. In fact, the first sentences out of his mouth were clever compliments. He said:
"I'm happy you recommended this young Lao fellow to come with me, he more than proved himself. Truly, my love, your talent for making good friends is outshined only by your growing beauty."
"I appreciate your acknowledgement of the undeniable. I'm sure you will find ways to compliment my looks even when I start growing old."
Seeing his little cousin smile made Lu Ten smile fondly as well, and reply:
"Always."
A little while later they would have some privacy to discuss things, their protective guard nearby but out of earshot. The prince was the first to break the comfortable silence and deliver some news:
"I received an emissary of the hillbillies while you were away cousin. Seems they've thrown in their lot with us and want to ingratiate themselves to us further. Apparently there's a whole enclave of airbenders at the Northern Temple, I've already sent a few of my men to confirm the rumor."
"We've captured or killed airbenders before, none of them were the Avatar nor did it lure the Avatar out of hiding."
"If it's an entire community though, it might do the trick. Perhaps this time he really is there. After all, the northern shrine is the only one of the four we never had good enough access to check frequently enough."
"He could be in the Northern Water Tribe too."
"The last waterbending Avatar came from the North, the Cycle says he should have appeared in the South, yet he never did, even after generations of raids."
"I know one thing, love, if your troops confirm the news, we'll go together to wipe them out."
Lu Ten chuckled, saying:
"Have I ever told you that you've always got the best date night ideas?"
Azula playfully smirked, responding:
"Only during romantic dinners."
"How about one tonight?"
Azula loved the tone he used when asking such things, thus she replied in one Lu Ten appreciated too:
"As if I could refuse you my lord. Still, I appreciate that you always ask nicely. It would be a pleasure, especially if your newest war story proves thrilling."
"Just be ready to fulfill your promise of reward for my victories."
"I was starting to be afraid you had forgotten."
Seeing her cousin's warm smile and feeling her own overcoming her, Azula could almost believe that love was a pain worth enduring.