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Deception - Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two
At Shung Wu, the residence of the Zanoda clan.
A castle sat upon a hilltop overlooking an isolated rural Fire Nation city that was currently teeming in disarray.
A growing gathering of peasants were marching rampant in the streets while guards struggled to get the crowd under control.
"Governor Joza has ordered you to go back to your homes and disperse at once!" A guard commanded in a frustrated voice while the shouts of the increasingly furious mob resounded all around him.
"We're not leaving until the governor stops hoarding his food stores!" Shozak yelled out in a defiant voice while many other voices in the streets roared in agreement alongside him.
And then before the soldiers could so much as even get out another word they watched warily through their helmets when the mob began to charge them.
As the crowd rushed forward in an angry frenzy as the soldiers hurriedly backed away into a defensive formation.
And just like that, roaring shouts split through the street as the peasants clashed with the guards once more.
Meanwhile, back on the royal sloop.
The ship sailed through the waters as it approached Shung Wu.
Mai and Ty Lee had just stepped out onto the upper deck of the royal sloop.
Their gazes were quickly drawn to the princess's palanquin that was surrounded by opulent curtains.
And located inside the palanquin was her lavish throne.
It was situated on the highest level of the deck.
So that the princess could take pleasure in making her intimidated soldiers feel even more uncomfortable in knowing that she could watch their every movement from above.
And so, the two noblewomen then began to make their way over to speak to their leader.
Only to find themselves pausing in their tracks in disbelief when the inside of the princess's personal seating area inside her palanquin came into view.
Azula was elegantly seated in her royal robes in her luxurious throne with her legs gracefully crossed like always.
And standing faithfully right beside the ruthless princess was Elle.
Only that wasn't what took them by surprise.
It was the fact that the girl…was wearing a collar!
A plush red collar with an intricately designed blue Fire Nation insignia!
And now attached to the girl's chest was a golden pin that also adorned the Fire Nation symbol.
Elle stood by her seated mistress as she bashfully blushed when the older woman's possessive eyes turned to gaze dominantly at her once more.
Only for the couple to notice the approach of their friends as they turned to gaze back at the two taken aback noblewomen.
Azula's lips were now curving into a coldly arrogant smile as she took great delight in her childhood friends' reaction to her young girlfriend's new collar.
"Hello oneesans!" Elle cried out in her usual lovable voice as she watched at the two older girls while they recovered from their shock.
As Azula smiled smugly back at her fellow aristocrats as they gazed incredulously back at her.
"Azula…why is my little sister wearing a collar?" Ty Lee questioned with her arms folded over her chest as she attempted to cast the smiling woman a scolding stare.
Mai gazed on with monotone tawny eyes back at Azula's more than apparently greatly pleased face.
"It's not a collar Ty Lee! It's a symbol of the royal sigil that Her Highness and all of her subjects are going to bear when she becomes Fire Lord! And I have the honor of being the first follower to wear it!" Elle explained with a bright smile on her lips as she proudly puffed out her chest in a show of innocent pride.
As the princess sat beside her with a charming smirk on her lips as she gazed back at her two unconvinced friends.
"And there you have it, Ty Lee. It is an honor for only my most faithful follower to wear." Azula spoke in a perfectly refined voice as she smiled confidently while her serving girl visibly swelled in pride beside her.
Mai and Ty Lee exchanged a momentary glance knowing all too well that it had nothing to do with honor.
The collar, necklace and all of the other emblems that the young girl wore was Azula's way of announcing to the entire world that Elle was hers.
It was Azula exhibiting the behavior of a frighteningly possessive lover.
And Agni help, any unfortunate soul that was foolish enough not to pay heed to the Fire Princess's declaration of ownership!
But there wasn't anything that they could do about it.
And strange as it may be, they could see that it made the girl happy.
So, it was all the two could do just to sigh as they shook their heads while the princess once more gazed at the girl with greedy amber golden eyes.
Like everything else with Azula, it was best that they just go along with it.
"If you say so kid." Mai stated in a deadpan voice as she gazed fondly back at the younger girl's infectiously sweet face while she stopped to stand beside the princess's throne.
"And that's not all! Azula-sama has begun teaching me how to read and write in Fire Nation! She's even teaching me firebending breathing techniques to help me manage my breathing condition!" Elle quipped with an admiring smile on her lips while her big sisters gazed on with pleased looks in their eyes.
As the imposing princess sat on her plush throne with her callous eyes gazing back at her two lifelong friend's relieved faces.
"I am so happy to hear that Azula is helping you out little sister!" Ty Lee replied in a warm voice with a grin on her lips while the petite girl smiled back at her.
She turned to smile back at her royal friend as the princess stared stonily back at her.
"She really is oneesan. And I know that I couldn't ask for a better teacher. My princess is the best mentor there is." Elle piped with endless reverence in her voice while a sanguine smile returned to her princess's lips.
"Naturally. The girl couldn't find a better mentor than me." Azula boasted as she reclined in her throne as she studied her fingernails on her clenched fist while her handmaid stood smiling widely beside her.
The two noblewomen just stood beside their two friends as took their princess's ego in stride.
They watched the ship make its way through the ocean's waters as they drew closer to their destination.
"Oneesans? Would you both be willing to teach me as well?" Elle pondered in an adorably respectful voice while the two older girls turned to gaze back at her in bewilderment.
Azula arched a regal brow as turned to stare back at her young beloved with a questioning expression in her cold amber golden eyes.
And her ruthless eyes even flashed with a gleam of jealously over the prospect of anything but herself teaching the young girl.
"Huh? Us teach you little sister?" Ty Lee answered in a confused voice while Elle excitedly nodded her head.
"Mhm! I was wondering if you could teach me acrobatics! T-that is if you don't mind." Elle explained in a mousy voice while her friends gazed back at her in surprise.
The princess's eyes shimmered with thoughtfulness over the possibilities that could come about from the girl learning combat skills from her elite friends.
As she found herself unable to resist pondering once more how strange it was that they were friends with this commoner girl in the first place.
Who would have ever thought that one day she and her elite team would be teaching a peasant girl how to fight?
Only for both Azula and Mai to suppress a sigh when they saw how Ty Lee's brown-gray eyes were already gushing over the chance to teach her adopted sister her talents.
And not a second later Elle let out a lovable yelp of surprise when she was crushed in a bear hug in the noblewoman's arms.
A blush came over her cheeks when she found her face being affectionately shoved into the cheerful woman's breasts.
As the princess's amber golden eyes instantly darkened with possessiveness while she now directed a chilling glare back at her squealing childhood friend.
"Aww! I would overjoyed to teach you acrobatics baby sister!" Ty Lee shouted as she grinned while she lovingly hugged the smiling girl's face into her chest.
"O-oneesan…" Elle stammered in a cute voice as she hugged the older girl back while the noblewoman smiled down at her.
Only for the sound of a boot stomping down onto a wooden platform to resound into the air.
While all three girls now turned to gaze back at the princess's frighteningly jealous face as she glowered down at them.
"Peasant! Get your face out of her breasts right now or you won't be laying in my chamber for the rest of this month! I forbid you from enjoying the body of any woman that is not my own!" Azula bellowed in a beyond authoritarian voice with her callous amber golden eyes narrowing into slits back at her little girlfriend's trembling face.
The two noblewomen just stared in exasperation back at the overbearing woman.
"Azula…." Ty Lee trailed off in a sigh as she released the girl from her arms while Elle quivered under the princess's controlling glare.
"N-no. P-please don't take away my snuggle rights Princess." Elle stuttered in a pleading voice while the older woman stared dominantly down at her.
Only for the tall princess to lean back in her seat with her hands clasped in her lap as she still glared down at her little girlfriend's adorably gulping face.
"Then do as your queen commands girl." Azula stated in a supremely imperious voice with her authoritative amber golden eyes staring strictly back into her handmaiden's panicked nodding head.
Just as Ty Lee set her palm in the younger girl's hair while Elle turned to peer happily up at her.
The noblewoman beamed warmly down at the shorter girl's face as she ruffled the blushing girl's hair.
"Oh, stop being so hard on the poor girl Azula." Ty Lee chided in a cheery voice as she giggled over the younger girl while Elle smiled under her patting hand.
As Mai stood gazing on with a flicker of amusement in her tawny eyes.
And the princess just stared back at the two as she let out a haughty scoff.
"How many times do I have to tell you Ty Lee. The girl is my pet and I will do with her as I please." Azula remarked in a highly conceited voice as she stared arrogantly back at her young girlfriend's pretty face.
Her ruthless eyes took profound joy in the way that the girl swooned under her domineering amber golden gaze.
As Ty Lee just let out another frustrated sigh knowing that it was futile to argue with the Princess.
Especially, now that her adopted sister let the spoiled woman put a collar around her neck.
"Hey Mai? Do you think that you could teach me some moves too?" Elle inquired in a gentle voice as she gazed back at the gloomy noblewoman's now caught off guard face.
"Me teach you some moves? But knives are used to kill and you're a pacifist." Mai answered in a calm voice while she studied the younger girl closely.
"I know. But I was thinking that I might be able to apply the skills that you teach me when I use my powers against the Avatar." Elle commented in a contemplative voice while her highborn friends stared back at her with surprise in their eyes.
The princess's eyes flashed with a pleased gleam to see that the girl was giving thought to how she could better master her powers.
Only for a smile to spread across Elle's lips when her adopted big sister nodded her head.
"Fine. I'll teach you Elle." Mai agreed in a stoic voice while her tawny eyes gazed back at the younger girl's now beaming face.
And somewhere deep down inside she couldn't deny that she felt moved that her little sister wanted to learn from her.
And not a moment after that the girl hugged the surprised taller woman around the belly.
Ty Lee let out another gushing sound as she smiled widely back at the two.
As the princess glared at her friend with coldly narrowed amber golden eyes.
"Arigatou Mai!" Elle cried out in a sweet voice as she embraced her big sister's stomach while the noblewoman squirmed in her arms.
"You're welcome kid but I have already told you that I don't do hugs." Mai sighed in a voice of resignation as she allowed the girl to hang onto her.
"Maybe we can start when we get back!" Elle exclaimed with eagerness in her voice.
The three highborn women fell silent as they each found themselves unable to speak.
As Mai tensed up as she turned to gaze away with a frown pulling onto her lips.
"Yeah Elle. Maybe." Mai spoke in a quieter voice as she felt the girl hug her.
And yet again she found herself thinking about how she was truly going to miss this girl's company.
But more than that.
She was concerned over how the girl was going to take her being sent to Boiling Rock.
And then before either of the three highborn women could say another word.
All four girls turned around to hear Nako approaching their way.
Just as Mai and Elle separated from their hug while the Nako came to a stop before the seated princess.
Team Azula took note that they were now sailing into the harbor of Shung Wu.
The Crown Princess stared on with coldly authoritative amber golden eyes as she watched the woman bow before the foot of her throne.
"Your Highness! I came to report that we have arrived at our destination!" Nako announced in a reverent voice as she knelt on the floor while Azula's strict eyes gazed back down at her.
"What's our destination?" Elle asked in a naïve voice as she gazed back at her mistress's stony face.
"Shung Wu, it's the home of the Zanoda clan. Azula is here to address the peasants who are revolting against Governor Joza." Mai informed in a near emotionless voice while she gazed down at the younger girl's now emotional face.
Her own tawny eyes suppressed the slight concern in her gaze.
As Ty Lee shifted on her feet as she turned to stare back at her friend's callous face.
She silently hoped that Azula wouldn't be too cruel to their own suffering commoners.
"Good. Prepare for my transport in my palanquin Nako. I wish to go address this little peasant 'revolt' personally." Azula declared in an utterly imperious voice with her imposing amber golden eyes glaring down at her swiftly nodding subordinate.
Ty Lee shivered as she stood beside the mutually silent Mai.
As Elle now chewed on her lip as she stared on with worry in her gentle eyes.
"Yes Princess! But I must also inform you that Chancellor Terak has arrived in port and he wishes to speak to you briefly in private!" Nako informed as she stood up from her bow while the princess's amber golden eyes now flickered with aggravation.
Azula now sunk back in her throne as she let out a low grumble under her breath.
As the two noblewomen stared on with a shared sense of annoyance in their eyes.
And then before the princess could so much as say a word in reply.
The three highborn women, the royal pilot and their young friend found themselves turning around to see the robed chancellor shuffling towards them.
While Elle stared back at the man with innocent amber eyes unaware that her friends were exuding protective auras as the man approached.
"Chancellor Terak." Azula greeted in a frigid voice with her icy eyes watching the smiling man closely as he moved forward.
She had to give the man credit where credit was due.
Even she couldn't deny that his deception was impressive.
He even purposefully walked to make himself look as pathetic as he possibly could.
All so that he could fool those around him into believing that he wasn't a threat.
But his ruse didn't fool her.
"My princess…I come bearing good news. If I could…have but a moment of your time to relay it to you." Terak spoke in a cordial voice as he bowed at the hip while his princess's imposing amber golden eyes stared harshly back at him.
His golden eyes briefly swept over the strange young girl's confused face as he cast a smile in her direction.
Only to find himself his gaze back to his princess when the powerful princess stood up from her throne.
She now loomed over the intimidated man with her tyrannical amber golden eyes staring frighteningly down at him.
"For your sake Chancellor. You had better hope that this news pleases me." Azula stated in a beyond commanding voice with her naturally authoritative amber golden eyes gazing down at the bowing man.
She began to walk off with her hands folded behind her back while the chancellor arose to follow after her.
Both noblewomen also glared at the chancellor's back as he hurried after their princess.
As Elle stared after her mistress with curiosity in her amber eyes.
"Oh, you will be pleased Princess. Very pleased." Terak purred as he folded his robed arms over his chest.
Azula rose a regal brow as she gazed at the man through the corner of her callous eye.
Five minutes later.
The mighty princess now sat in a throne in a private room while she stared coldly back at the man as he closed the door behind him.
"Do not keep me waiting Chancellor. Deliver me your report." Azula remarked in an effortlessly commanding voice with her demanding amber golden eyes watching as the man turned to smile back at her.
"I have done it Princess. I have successfully infiltrated your uncle's spy circle using a broken Kyoshi Warrior as my pawn!" Terak exclaimed in a joyful voice as his golden eyes now gleamed with cruelty while his princess gazed back with surprised amber golden eyes.
Only for the princess's lips to curve into a cruel smile of her own as she held her face up in the palm of her hand.
"Have you now? Was it Suki by any chance?" Azula purred with her full lips forming a sadistic smirk while she studied the chancellor's deviously smiling visage.
She had to admit that she was surprised over the quickness of the man's work.
And using a Kyoshi Warrior at that…
"No. The one called Suki was…much too spirited. I chose another…one sufficiently demoralized and devoid of hope who now serves to further our plans." Terak answered with a conniving smirk upon his lips while the princess rose her regal brows in rising interest.
"Oh? Does she? And how do you know that she won't just run away?" Azula questioned in an interrogative voice while her cold eyes followed the man's every move as he strode about before her.
"Because she believes that I am the leader of a Zuko coronation movement…that is working in conjunction with the Avatar and Princess Ling to overthrow the current tyrannical government in order to crown your brother Fire Lord. And also, because she believes that if she does well…that she will win her sisters freedom." Terak revealed in a slithering voice with a dark smile on his lips while the princess listened with a grudgingly impressed expression in her amber golden eyes.
As she recalled the words that the man had told her from before about forming a movement in her brother's name.
When in reality…
It was in truth a movement to crown her Fire Lord!
"This girl believed you?" Azula snorted with her amber golden eyes eying the chancellor's smirking face as he stood before her throne.
"Hm. She does. She believes that I am a friend of the Earth Kingdom…that is sickened by your evil rule. And she is not wrong! I feel shame over the cruelty of your deed's Princess! Such immense shame!" Terak stated in a dramatic voice while the princess rolled her amber golden eyes in an almost bored fashion.
"And this Kyoshi Warrior…has joined my fat uncle's spy circle and actually reports what she hears back to you?" Azula inquired in a searching voice while scrutinizing amber golden eyes watched the man rapidly nod his head.
"She is a Kyoshi Warrior…the Kyoshi Warriors are friends of the Avatar and therefore your uncle's spies have opened up to her in ways that they would not had it been a face that they didn't trust." Terak purred as he crept forward with a deceptive smile on his lips.
Azula sat back in her throne with an intrigued expression in her ruthless amber golden eyes as she held a contemplative finger underneath her chin.
She studied the man carefully through the corner of her merciless eye as he took another step closer.
"And now she has unknowingly penetrated former General Iroh's circle…where she continues to report back to me under the belief that I am conspiring against you to coronate Zuko and liberate her people. When in truth…it is a movement to crown you." Terak continued with his hands clasped together while he smiled slyly back into his princess's increasingly gratified face.
A domineering smile began to slowly but surely make its way onto the princess's ruthless crimson lips.
"As we speak, I am infiltrating even deeper into your uncle's network with additional spies who are not supporters of your brother or your father but Princess Azula loyalists!" Terak informed in a gleeful voice while Azula's controlling amber golden eyes flashed with an immense hunger for even greater power.
"Princess Azula loyalists…I like the sound of that." Azula trailed off in gratified voice with a huge smirk curling onto her lipstick covered lips.
"As time goes on your loyalists will pervade your brother's true supporters thereby fracturing them from the inside out. While giving the illusion that their power has grown. Eventually word will flow through the vine back to your brother and uncle making them think that they have more friends at court than they truly do." Terak explained in a sadistic voice with a scheming smile on his lips while his princess listened with a smug smirk on her lips.
"I must say I approve of the way you think Chancellor. You have certainly thought this through." Azula purred in an exalted voice with a regal smile adorning her egotistical lips.
Her power-hungry amber golden eyes gazed in rising delight back at the chancellor's face as he stood grinning before her throne.
"Meanwhile, we gather the names of all of your brother's followers and we quietly remove them one by one! Until we have completely assimilated the circle…and all that remains are loyalists of Princess Azula!" Terak declared in a devilishly crafty voice while Azula's lips were now creasing into an absolutely diabolical smile.
"I want you to deliver me the names of every spy that dared to plot against me. Understood Chancellor?" Azula commanded in an utterly merciless voice with her callous amber golden eyes staring back at the man's eagerly nodding face.
"Yes, yes my princess! And soon…soon I will even be able to give you the identity of the noble clan that is responsible for making an attempt on your life." Terak spoke in a sly voice with a devious smirk while he rubbed his hands together in a crafty manner.
As the princess now glared on with her amber golden eyes wide in murderous wrath as she exhaled intense flames through her seething nostrils.
And not a moment later a great many flames lit up throughout the chamber with azure fire while she narrowed her terrifying eyes into a supremely imposing stare.
"So, a noble clan truly conspired to kill me with my uncle and that wretched puppeteer!" Azula hissed with her fists clenched in her fury on the arms of her throne while her unforgiving amber golden eyes glared a hole into the closest wall.
The chancellor's intuitive golden eyes flickered with a brief flash of curiosity at the mention of a puppeteer.
"Mhm. Indeed Princess. Right now, all I can tell you is that it wasn't the Song clan, the Saolin clan, or the Wan clan…it was one of the others." Terak purred as he moved about before the mighty princess's throne while she gazed back at him with callously intimidating eyes.
"I knew it. That story of yours about the Saolin clan conspiring with my uncle to coronate my brother was nothing more than a ruse to get back in good graces with Governor Yoko." Azula snorted with her brilliant amber golden eyes watching the chancellor closely as he feigned an innocent smile.
"And so, what if it was? Did it not work out to your benefit? Did I not provide you with the opportunity to make a necessary example that your will is not to be defied? Did I not assist you in preventing a civil war between the Song clan and the Saolin clan?" Terak countered in a clever voice while the princess furrowed her brows as she sunk back on her throne.
Once more she had to give the snake credit.
He knew how to play his hand.
"So, it did. But those same words…apply to you. Everything that you did…I can do without you. I caution you to remember that." Azula stated with a menacing undertone to her cruel voice as her flames burst forward out before the chancellor's now intimidated face.
As the politician speedily nodded his head as he lurked outside the reach of his princess's flames.
"I could never forget your brilliance Princess! Much less your ingenious conquest of Ba Sing Se at only fourteen years of age. But is it not to your advantage to let me handle such trivial matters for you? After all you have many more important matters to concern yourself with. Why should you spend your valuable time sifting through lowly spies when I can do the work in your stead?" Terak questioned in a perceptive voice with an amicable smile on his lips while his princess sat scowling on her throne.
And once again.
As much as the princess hated to admit it the man had a point.
Things are much more complicated than they were six years ago.
She has far more matters to concern herself with than just her uncle and his spies.
Between dealing with her newfound enemy in Silah.
As well as this business with this Elder One and her serving girl's newfound power.
Not to mention the threat of this Reiko and her Apostles that waits beyond the mysterious World Gateway.
Which was to say nothing of her own father plotting against her.
She needed to focus her priorities.
"Very well Chancellor. I will leave this task to you. But you will continue to deliver me progress reports every step of the way. Should you fail to do so…you will find yourself suffering my wrath." Azula remarked in an effortlessly tyrannical voice with her frozen amber golden eyes staring piercingly back at the man's yielding face.
"As you order Princess. I will notify you of each and every move that I make." Terak assured in a groveling voice as he lingered submissively before the ruthless woman's throne while penetrating amber golden eyes seemed to stare uncomfortably right through him.
"See to it that you do. Now…are you finished now? I have other business to attend to." Azula commented with a cold edge to her strict voice while she eyed the man in rising boredom.
"Almost Princess…almost. I have something to show you and then I will go." Terak replied in a tricky voice as he smiled back while he reached into his robes.
The princess stared on with her icily disinterested amber golden eyes.
Only for a sliver of curiosity to come over her eyes when a rolled scroll was deposited into her waiting h and.
Her amber golden eyes narrowed into slits back at the smiling chancellor as she remembered the last letter that the man gave her.
That detailed her own father's plans to betray her!
"And just what would this be Chancellor? Did you pilfer more of my father's writings?" The Princess demanded in a glacial voice with her imperious amber golden eyes causing the man to hurriedly shake his head.
"Oh no Princess! I took the initiative to send your enemies a letter…that I feel you will find most beneficial." Terak answered in a sneaky voice as he cackled while his princess arched a brow as she eyed him inquisitively.
And not a moment after that the Fire Princess unrolled the scroll.
Only for her merciless amber golden eyes to widen an ever so slight fraction as she stared down at its contents.
And just like that an approvingly cruel smile was already beginning to pull its way onto her beautiful lips once more.
The letter was just beautiful.
It was completely and utterly sadistic.
Not only did it demean and deride the Avatar and his friends with even further humiliation.
It provoked a sense of urgency that they had to act quickly if they wished to save their captured friends.
Thereby increasing the likelihood that they will make a fatal mistake that will reveal their location!
As the chancellor stood waiting expectantly before her throne like a dog waiting for praise from his master.
"Between now and the next time that you meet the Avatar in battle…they are going to become overwhelmed with emotion…they are going to feel that time is running out to save their precious friends. And that my princess…is when they will slip up." Terak explained with heartless glee in his excited voice while he grinned darkly back into his princess's cruelly smirking face.
And then the princess set the letter aside on her table as she returned her pleased gaze to her waiting subordinate.
She found herself unable to fight the devious smile that was making its way onto her lips.
'He is not wrong…this should make it all the more likely that they will expose themselves in their desperation.' Azula thought with a widening smirk upon her full lips as she lounged in her throne with her well-manicured fingernails resting against her cheek.
It certainly went without saying that she couldn't dismiss the chancellor's merits.
As aggravating as the man may be.
He was proving far more useful than she first anticipated.
The fact that he took the momentum to attack the Avatar psychologically while she was occupied with her affairs in the Forgetful Valley alone made keeping him around worthwhile.
"I can only presume by the contents of this letter that even if your pawn succeeds. You don't actually intend to make good on your word to arrange the freedom of the rest of her fellow Kyoshi Warriors." Azula stated in a naturally noble voice while something akin to an entertained smile graced her lips.
As the malicious chancellor just smiled knowingly back at her.
"Does it really matter what happens to them? After all they are but broken shells of their former selves. You yourself saw fit to that when you captured them over six years ago." Terak responded in an uncaring voice with his sharp golden eyes staring back at his princess's arrogantly smirking visage.
"So, I did. And it serves them right for daring to oppose me." Azula spoke in a beyond pleased voice with a cruel smile on her lips as she leaned back against her seat.
Truth be told.
She didn't give a damn if those Kyoshi Warriors were executed or if they spent the rest of their lives rotting away in hard labor.
And yet somewhere deep down inside her cold heart she couldn't help but feel a stab of concern of how her little girlfriend would react if she were to ever learn of her involvement in such brutality.
That was when her lips began to purse into an ever so slight frown as her conquering amber golden eyes stared harshly into the distance of her chamber.
She once again she found herself cursing her attachment to the girl.
Just why did she have to fall for such a soft-hearted little pacifist in the first place!
And not mere seconds later she was torn from her thoughts when she turned her ruthless amber golden eyes back to the eagerly smiling chancellor as he lurked forward once more.
"Have I pleased you Princess? Are you satisfied with my results? I went to arduous lengths to deliver them. Sailed all over. I even traveled with not a single guard to the prison to present the image of a trustworthy friend. Risking my life if the Kyoshi Warrior had chosen to kill me. All to please you." Terak implored in a kowtowing voice as he slunk forward while the woman's cold amber golden eyes studied him in curiosity.
Suffice to say the princess had to admit that she was a bit taken aback that the man would go to such tedious lengths just for the sake of his manipulation.
"I concede that thus far you impressed me Chancellor. But I can only hope that you continue to deliver positive results. And never forget what happens to those who fail me." Azula announced in a merciless voice fitting of a woman born as true royalty while she stared dominantly back into the chancellor's sycophantic face.
"You need not concern yourself Princess. All will work according to plan. After all, this is my specialty." Terak purred as he bowed at the waist while his princess's harsh eyes still stared coldly down at him.
And then he rose to walk away while the princess still sat in her throne staring at him all the while.
"Oh, and Chancellor? Do keep me posted on everything related to this little pawn of yours. And I mean everything." Azula commanded in a resounding voice of absolute authority while her frigid eyes stared back at the chancellor's scheming countenance.
"Rest assured that I will do just that Princess. You will be informed of everything." Terak spoke in a submissive voice as he began to walk away with his robes flowing behind him.
Azula's amber golden eyes followed the departing man in distrust as she watched him exit through the chamber door.
And then she sunk back with her head resting against the back of her lavish throne.
As a gratified smile curled onto her lipstick adorned lips once more.
This was a superb development.
And if everything goes as planned…
The next day that she finds herself face to face with the Avatar just may well be his last.
AN:
First let me quickly respond to the reviews.
Loligang, I am sorry but I am going to decline to answer that for the time being. Because I feel that answering that may spoil the future direction of the story. For now, I will just leave it up to people to decide who they think is stronger, and we'll see later on as the story unfolds.
Volcasiron30, I am going to have to decline your challenge. This is a huge series, it won't be over anytime soon. This series will likely span a good six more years before I am able to finish writing it. I just don't have the time to write another story, and I am not really interested in doing anything outside of the Princess and the Peasant universe at this time. And on top of that, I don't really like harem stories, and I prefer to write for a monogamous femslash pairing and for me that is Azula/Elle. I hope you find someone to write your story though, and you have a good night as well.
I want to talk about the unity of the Fire Nation and why the peasants are starting to revolt in small numbers.
The Fire Nation is known in canon for its strong unity, the propaganda that the government has instilled in its people ever since Sozin. For being the wealthiest nation in the world, as the majority of the Fire Nation was prospering in canon.
I have put in great effort to stick to all of these canon elements that make up Fire Nation culture, while exploring how the changed timeline affects Fire Nation society.
Despite the nation's great wealth, we saw that there were rural areas where the people were living in extreme poverty, illness and devoid of any political rights such as the village in the Painted Lady episode.
Shung Wu is in a similar position to the Painted Lady village, it is on one of the outlying islands, and while it is a rural city that is larger than the Painted Lady village. It is still rural, and it is the poorest of all of the seats of the seven great noble clans that govern and report directly to the Fire Lord.
The rural commoners are struggling because of a cruel tax increase that Ozai implemented about six years ago, after the coup of Ba Sing Se.
The reason these small revolts are starting to happen, is because like many dictators throughout history that stretch themselves too thin, Ozai has heavily raised taxes on the Fire Nation commoners in order to fund the occupation of the Earth Kingdom
In canon, we saw that the Fire Nation was struggling to hold the Earth Kingdom just for a few months leading up to Sozin's Comet. Which was why they were planning on using the comet to crush the Earth Kingdom once and for all.
And here, the Fire Nation has had to occupy the entirety of a much larger country for SIX whole years instead of a mere few months as they wait for Sozin's Comet.
I am following the layout in canon, the commoners in the big city areas are wealthier, and the rural people are poorer. The commoners in the big city areas are handling the severe tax increase better.
While the rural peasants are losing the prosperity that they have known for most of the war under Sozin and then Azulon because of Ozai's greed.
Part of my reason for doing this, is because it fits Ozai's character and to illustrate how cruel he is. He was willing to sacrifice his son in order to win the throne. He has no value for family, and so it makes sense that he would not consider how this would impact the Fire Nation's lower-class people because he himself has never experienced poverty.
This goes back to what Yoko said in chapter 59, the more a nation tries to win the entire world. The more they lose sight of what they have at home, which means Ozai is losing sight of what he already has in a selfish need to have more.
While the Fire Nation is largely regarded for its unity, it is important to note that the more that the commoners struggle. The more the rural peasants wake up from the propaganda that the aristocracy has instilled in them.
Since Ozai never considered how his wife, son, daughter felt. It fits in line with his personality that he would not consider how his people might feel about this. He thought that they would all just pay it and remain obedient, but now we are starting to see small pockets of commoners in rural areas openly rebel against their government.
What we are seeing here, in order for a government to retain the obedience of their people. They must factor in a certain level of consideration for their wellbeing. And these rural commoners, are starting to see that the aristocracy in the caldera don't care about them.
When you add in, that other forces are manipulating events from behind the scenes like Mava said. It makes sense how the Fire Nation peasants in these rural areas are starting to become disobedient.
Elle is expressing a desire to have Ty Lee and Mai teach her what they know, so we'll see how that goes.
Terak is the one who wrote the letter to Team Avatar. This demonstrates that he is truly one of the cruelest people in the Fire Nation.
While Azula is perfectly capable of doing this manipulation without his assistance, as Terak pointed out. She many other matters on her plate right now, and it is simpler to leave it to him.
And despite Azula's cruelty, she knows that Elle would not think highly of her if she felt that she played a part in killing all of the Kyoshi Warriors. She has to at least monitor the situation for that reason alone.
Next chapter, we'll see how Azula reacts to the matter in Shung Wu, and how she'll attempt to resolve it as a leader.
Stay tuned for next time.
For chapter one hundred twenty-three! The Sparks of Revolt!