The icy breeze against her face eventually woke Izumi, accompanied by a muffled crunching sound. Her eyelids flickered open, but what she saw confused her; most of her vision was obscured, except a small window in the upper right corner. She could make out a white blur that moved past with each crunch; she felt herself gently rising and falling, as if she was floating on the waves at Ember Island. Her breath formed wispy clouds in front of her face, and smaller flecks of white danced across her vision. Since when did it snow in the Fire Nation Capital, even in the dead of winter?
A particularly hard jolt struck her in the side. She tried to twist herself sideways, and the dark material blocking her vision pressed against her face; her nose told her it was old leather, perhaps a cloak or a blanket. She was laying across something smooth and warm, but rigid; it pressed into her ribs, her body hanging over either side. She tried to brush aside whatever was covering her face, but her hands wouldn't move. Her arms were dangling in front of her, her wrists encased in what felt like... stone? She flexed her fingers, scratching at the surface of her bonds. Yes, it was stone. What was going on? She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was gone; her throat was so dry, all that came out was a raspy cough.
"Sounds like she's regaining consciousness." A familiar male voice spoke from nearby; the accent was Earth Kingdom. "I was beginning to worry she was in a coma."
"Me, too." A warm hand touched Izumi's shoulder. "We'd better find camp soon, she'll need to be kept warm." This voice was familiar as well. A woman's...
Then, it all came back to her in a rush. Takeo's rebels and the rogue Earthbenders had taken her from the Capital. Aunt Kiyi and her mother had been hurt trying to protect her. Several of the Imperial Firebenders had been killed. And Iroh...
Izumi squeezed her eyes shut, but she could feel tears of grief and rage welling up and running across her face. If Granduncle Iroh had been killed... She didn't know how, she didn't know when, but she would find a way to make these murderers pay. But for now, she needed to figure out how to get loose. She sniffled, and her nose caught another smell, one she remembered from trips to Ba Sing Se: ostrich-horse fur. The thing poking her in the side was a saddle, and she was laying across the beast's back.
"Not to worry, there's a village around the next bend." The male voice spoke again. This time, she recognized the voice; it was the huge, bearded Earthbender who had tried to reason with Mai. "Keep her under the cloak, though- and I'd advise hiding your tattoo and armor. We've infiltrated this village before. It's so isolated that no one's heard about the Earth King's spat with Zuko yet, but all the same, they aren't fond of Fire Nationals. There's a few Earthbenders there who might try to pick a fight-"
"Maybe a few of us could use a good fight with a Mudslinger." Sneered an unfamiliar voice, this one with a Fire Nation accent. "Besides, you lot are wearing Omashu uniforms; they won't suspect a thing if you just wave us through."
"We're taking a risk, passing through here. If the girl's seen and recognized-"
"There's no one left there to recognize her." Izumi recognized the next voice as Shingen. "I got a hawk from my father, a day ago. His troops burned the village to the ground last week. No survivors."
"What?!" The bearded Earthbender exclaimed. There was a sound of stones cracking and grinding together. "Why the Hell would Takeo do that?!"
"Your precious 'Grand Secretariat' ordered it. Who else?"
"Long Feng would never-"
"Never what?" Shingen sneered. A fluttering noise came from nearby, the sound of a flame igniting over someone's hand. "This entire alliance is built around Long Feng and my father restoring each other to power. You actually think they're going to achieve that from exile without getting their hands dirty? Don't pretend you're that naive. You Mudslingers spilled Fire Nation blood when you made that false-flag attack on Hira'a."
"We limited the casualties, as the Dai Li always do! Fear is a more effective tool than actual bloodshed!"
Izumi froze. Dai Li. Her mind swept through dozens of history lessons on the Earth Kingdom, and conversations with her parents. The Dai Li were the former secret police of Ba Sing Se, so obsessed with keeping order that they'd brainwashed anyone who questioned them- and so corrupt that they had defected to the Fire Nation, rather than give up their power. She struggled to angle her hands into a Firebending position, to somehow burn through her bonds-
"Maybe for idealistic underlings like you." Shingen replied. "As for actual strategists-"
There was a whistling of a heavy object flying through the air, then the thud of rock slamming into an armored body and a grunt of pain. The snarl and crackle of flames suddenly came from multiple directions, but it was drowned out by two sharp cracks and an explosive bang that jolted the ostrich-horse. It reared up, squawking frantically, and Izumi was nearly thrown off. She felt as if she were back in the ventilation shaft; everything around her was dark, shaking, ringing with horrible noise. Instinctively, she twisted her body away from the fight, her fingers clawing frantically at the stone manacles, her breath coming in faster-
Her breath. That was the answer, as Iroh had told her so many times. Fire comes from the breath, Izumi, never the muscles. She stopped moving, curving her fingers into a crescent shape, and inhaled slowly and deeply through her nose.
"Enough." The voice of the tall, tattooed woman rang out. "Stand down, Shingen. We're within sight of our goal, we can't afford to break our alliance now."
"Don't hide behind that excuse, Rila." Shingen's voice became resentful. "You're just trying to keep your Mudslinger boyfriend safe from me-"
"Don't you question my loyalty to the cause, you aristocratic toad." Rila's tone sharpened. "You think you have a grievance against Zuko? I've been training to avenge my father for almost fifteen years; you've been living on Takeo's estate or in cushy officer's quarters since the end of the war."
"I threw all of that away and joined my father, the moment Zuko named him traitor-"
"Because you're hoping to get it back, plus interest, as soon as Zuko's dead." Rila scoffed. "Wake up, Shingen. The Fire Nation will never accept Takeo as its' leader, even if he uses the girl as a puppet."
After a pause, Shingen chuckled darkly. "If that's what you think is going to happen... clearly, your Dai Li bedfellow hasn't told you everything. But you'll find out, when we reach Zamyn Togsgol." His steps faded away. There was a jingling of reins, and the ostrich-horse grunted and began to march again.
"What...was he talking about, Genpei? What did Shingen mean, when he said you hadn't told me everything? What's waiting at Zamyn Togsgol?" There was a brief pause, then Rila's tone turned bitter. "You aren't going to tell me anyway, are you? Because you've been spying on me the whole time. Because I'm an Ashmaker, a threat to the stability of your precious cause."
Half of Izumi felt curious, while the other half wished she could put her fingers in her ears. This conversation reminded her of the few occasions she'd overheard her parents fighting...
"Who and what you are has nothing to do with it." Genpei's voice sounded both hurt and guilty. "Yes, I reported some of what you said to the Dai Li- as I do with most people I interact with, or overhear. You've known since we started sleeping together, I've been a spy more than half my life. But on Xi's grave, I never mentioned anything that would put you in danger. And I never told him about your endgame... because I already know it's going to fail."
"What?"
"Takeo told us things in Omori, that I couldn't share with you. I wanted to, you have no idea how many times, you have a right to know... But I still can't, not yet. Certainly not in front of the girl." A bulky hand touched Izumi's back through the leather blanket. "If she somehow escaped, anything she revealed could compromise both our causes-"
"'The cause, the cause.'" Rila's voice hardened. "You always come back to that, in the end, even though you're too naive to see that you're just a pawn! You don't trust anyone, except the man who's leading you to your doom! At least I've got sense enough to cut and run, once I've taken Zuko's head!" Her tone softened for a moment. "Why... why won't you come with me? You know where I'm going. It's a chance for a fresh start."
Izumi strained to catch Genpei's reply, but all she heard were the crunching of boots and stone shoes in the snow. As the ostrich-horse turned again, there were several sighs of relief from the people ahead of her; they must be nearing the village. Someone jerked the beasts' reins, and it began to slow down. Izumi craned her head sideways, trying to nudge the leather cover off so she could see more clearly, but it wouldn't budge. But from the small window she could see, the light was definitely getting fainter. Was it sunset already? She took another slow breath through her nose. Yes, it was taking her longer than usual to draw the energy to her palms. On the other hand, if she was going to escape now, the night would help her hide. She wasn't sure where she would go yet, though...
The ostrich-horse suddenly came to a stop. The leather blanket was lifted off, and Izumi found herself staring up at Genpei and Rila. She flinched as the tattooed woman reached toward her. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"
The Firebender's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to hurt you-"
"Like you weren't going to hurt my mother?! And my granduncle?!" Izumi hated the way her voice was shaking, and she raised it again, trying to banish her fear. "T-touch me and I'll kill you!"
Rila's jaw tightened, but the bearded Earthbender put a hand on her shoulder. "You can't blame her for reacting that way, Rila. It's how she and Hou-Ting were raised, to think they're untouchable. Even if that wasn't the case, we did attack her family."
"We didn't kill them, or her." Rila shoved his hand away as she lifted Izumi off the ostrich-horse and set her down against the wall of a small stone shrine, at the entrance of the village. "That's fairly different from what happened to my father at Zuko's hands."
Izumi stared up at her, a pit of confusion and fear growing in her stomach. "Wh...what do you mean, at Zuko's hands?" She'd known her father had been ruthless in his past, but everyone had always told her that he'd avoided taking lives...
"Oh, so Daddy never told you he was a killer?" The woman's lip curled. "Never mind, kid, mine didn't either. Lucky for you, I don't have the stomach for killing children-"
"But you're planning to do the same to her, that Zuko did to you." Genpei gave her a direct look. "I know you need closure, Rila, but be careful how you justify this-"
"Oh, like how you're justifying the restoration of the Dai Li? Shingen just told you that your boss ordered an Earth Kingdom village massacred, just to manipulate a few vassals to his side. You think that kind of dishonesty is the right way to restore order?"
Forcing her attention away from them, Izumi glanced back and forth. To her left was the burned out-village. Shingen's rebels had turned one of the remaining houses into a bonfire, and most of them were huddled around the blaze. A few others were standing guard at the village gate, while the Dai Li were busy herding several ostrich-horses into the half-wrecked stable.
To her right, was the slope of the mountain. Several sections had been cleared and terraced for growing crops, but apart from a small footpath and a frozen irrigation channel, the rest of the mountainside was untouched. Beyond that, snow-capped trees and fog-shrouded peaks, as far as she could see. Izumi took another slow breath, feeling the energy build between her cupped hands, ready to ignite.
The big man glanced away. "I... need to speak with Long Feng. Figure out how close we are to the endgame, and exactly what his strategy is-"
"It's the same as Takeo's, and you know it. He isn't killing any royals, because Kuei's too valuable and too weak to fight him, with his daughter as a hostage. But anyone who he deems necessary will be removed. You should already know that; you lost your mentor, just for the sake of capturing her." Rila jerked her chin in Izumi's direction. "How long before he sees your loyalty to the Earth Kingdom over him as a liability, and decides to - LOOK OUT!"
She grabbed Genpei's shoulder and shoved him to the ground, as Izumi's charged fireball screamed over their heads. It struck a supply cart behind the last ostrich-horse, igniting it and throwing flaming debris in every direction; the poor beast panicked and took off, dragging the blazing wreckage. As shouts of alarm and curses came from all sides, Izumi sprang to her feet. She swung her forearms as hard as she could against the shrine wall, shattering her bonds. Launching a jet of of flame from the heels of her hands, she ran to the edge of the path and threw herself over it. Ignoring the chill of the snow and frozen rocks jabbing her from all sides, Izumi tucked her head and legs in and kept rolling down the slope.
The ground suddenly leveled out, and Izumi realized she'd hit the farmland terrace. Leaping upright, she ran as she had never run before, praying she could reach the treeline before a Dai Li agent grabbed her-
A fireball whistled over her head, and she ducked lower, her breath coming in sharp gasps. She heard the rumble of someone Earthbending, and thrust her arms behind her, launching fire-jets from her fists. The blast rocketed her forward, between two pines. A branch scraped the side of her face, and then she landed on her stomach in a small snowbank. Dazed, Izumi sucked in another breath and forced herself back on her feet. The trees and the growing darkness would help hide her, but she wasn't safe yet. Already, she could hear shouts and footfalls approaching.
"TAKE HER ALIVE, YOU FOOLS!" Shingen's voice bellowed from somewhere above. "Unless you want to share the fate of those left in Omori!"
Izumi ducked low and ran to the next tree down the slope. She had no idea where she was going, but lower ground was further away from the village-
A barrier of rock suddenly erupted from the snow in front of her, forcing her to stop. She spun around, flames igniting over both palms. Genpei stood next to a gnarled stump, his rock-gloved hand pointing at her.
"Come quietly, Princess." His low voice was soft, but commanding. "You can't hide from me, I can sense the vibrations wherever you move. Rila and I only want to keep you safe-"
"I'm going nowhere with you, Mudslinging murderer!" Izumi froze the moment the hateful word left her mouth, in spite of her fear and anger. Had she really just used her ancestors' name for Earth Citizens, the one meant to mark them as lesser people?
Genpei's expression hardened instantly. His hand molded into a crescent shape, and the stones around his outstretched fingers fused together. Before Izumi could react, there was the faint whistle of a moving object, then a ringing pain in her right temple. Everything went dark again...
A brazier of blue flame tinted the luminous crystals in the ceiling turquoise. Azula sat on her crossed heels at the far end of the stone table; opposite her was Long Feng, surrounded by eight Dai Li officers. Only four Fire Nationals flanked Azula: Takeo and his adjutant at her right, and Ty Lee and Tomoe at her left. She needed no others on her war council. Long Feng's need for a full squad of bodyguards simply betrayed his insecurity.
"We should include Nishi in our demands, if he's still alive." Takeo leaned forward. "He's always been loyal, and a skilled General-"
"His common birth and hatred for the monarchy made him foolish enough to try to assassinate my brother."Azula cut him off, sharply. In truth, Nishi hadn't put their plans in serious jeopardy, but the more obligated Takeo was to her, the better. "It was risky to begin with, and now that he's failed, opposition to our faction within the military will harden. He made a mistake- which means you made a mistake, in recruiting him as a spy." Her voice became a patronizing sneer, as if explaining something to a child. "If someone makes a mistake, they've shown a weakness. When weakness is found, you remove it, or it removes you-"
"Like your father did to you? After I left... and again, before Sozin's Comet."
Azula froze. Her eyes swiveled to the left, glaring at Ursa. For a moment, rage flared in her chest like a volcano ready to erupt. Then she felt Ty Lee's fingers under the table, squeezing hers gently. Azula closed her eyes briefly and took a slow breath. When she opened them, her mother was gone. She snapped her gaze back to Takeo, who hastily bowed his silver-haired head.
"Forgive me, Fire Lord. I merely meant, as a token of gratitude for the loyalty Nishi has shown our faction-"
"His 'loyalty' hasn't put me any closer to the throne." Azula felt a faint impulse to draw her kukri knife and cleave Takeo's offered skull open. She adopted a tone of indignation instead. "Besides, I've already agreed to wed your son after the Capitol falls, General Takeo- and, to grant him co-rule of the Fire Nation despite the fact that he has no Royal Blood. I'd say that 'token of gratitude' outweighs any services you or Nishi has made me."
An undercurrent of anger entered Takeo's voice. "It is my son who's successfully retrieved your niece, giving us leverage over Zuko and opening your path to the throne in the first place-"
"And it's Fire Lord Azula's support you'll need, to secure the Noble-born officers, like my brother Tianze." Tomoe shot back. "They may not like Zuko, but they'd take him or Azula over a Warrior-Clan upstart in a heartbeat."
Takeo rolled his eyes. "They won't abandon Zuko anyway, not until he loses the Mandate of Heaven beyond all doubt. And that won't happen until he faces the true Fire Lord." He glanced across the room. "Talking of which, how's the Agni Kai arena going, Long Feng?"
The Earthbender's pale green eyes moved briefly across Ty Lee and Azula before meeting the General's gaze. Azula didn't like the way Long Feng kept watching the two of them. She'd avoided sharing Ty Lee's bed after reaching Zamyn Togsgol, but the Dai Li continued to tail them both, foolishly thinking she didn't notice. If Long Feng confirmed this weakness... She was considering cutting it out beforehand, following her own advice. It was better for her, and for Ty Lee.
"If you keep lying to yourself, the way you always did to everyone else, you'll end up tearing yourself apart. Just like you did at your own coronation." Ursa's voice came back again, this time stern with reproach, but Azula ignored it, closing her eyes tightly. When Ty Lee reached for her hand again, she slapped it away.
"-Already complete." Long Feng was saying. "We'll be happy to host the Fire Lord's final duel... providing there's no other outside interference."
"There won't be." Takeo gestured at a device held by his adjutant. It consisted of a small wooden box, with a hinged metal lever and several discs and wires protruding from it. "We received a telegram from one of my other spies in the Capitol, Nodoka. Zuko's already left the Fire Nation, he's on his way here."
Long Feng's eyes gleamed with interest as he gazed at the telegraph. "The engineering guild in the United Republic town of Gigye have been working on an electrical device that can transmit messages over great distances. But it requires a generator, and wires to carry the signal."
"Adaptations have to be made, when local resources are limited." Takeo shrugged. "My engineers were isolated in the Western Air Nomad lands, which denied us the option of telegraph wires all the way to the Capitol. Hence, we designed an electro-magnetic device, to transmit wireless signals. Luckily, we have several Firebenders who can generate lightning, so we didn't need to build a flywheel generator-"
"Your spy saw Zuko leave?" Azula interrupted, impatiently. She didn't need Long Feng getting any more technological information than necessary, regardless of Takeo's deal with him.
"Not personally; she overheard someone in the Air Fleet, the day after she sent Zuko my message. I'm afraid I haven't heard from her since. Her ship was probably searched, in which case she destroyed her telegraph to keep it secret. Which means this is probably the only one left, in existence." Takeo tapped the device. "Nishi never knew about Nodoka, so he can't betray her under interrogation. Still, if she doesn't disguise herself properly, she may wind up in Mai's hands. Either way, she did her duty."
"You shouldn't have confirmed the girl's capture so soon." Long Feng remarked scornfully. "Kuei's been dithering in fear since Princess Hou-Ting's abduction; he still doesn't have a clue who's actually taken her or where she is. And as his indecisiveness grows, his vassal's faith in Ba Sing Se's leadership weakens. Everything you've done to distract Zuko, has just made him more determined to destroy you."
Gritting his teeth, Takeo gave Long Feng an icy smile. "I'll admit, Zuko has more brains and more resolve than your moth-eaten Earth King... which is why he must lose the Mandate and die, rather than become a puppet. But that'll come soon enough. He'll probably try to sneak into the mountain to rescue his daughter-"
"It won't be him that's looking for the girl." Azula interrupted. "Mai will be coming as well; Zuko will just be the distraction." She hadn't seen Mai since the Kemurikage crisis. But when her brother Tomoru had been kidnapped, the noblewoman hadn't panicked or stayed behind; she had come after the Kemurikage with everything she had. She would do the same, if not more, for her daughter.
"You think they both left the Fire Nation?" Takeo frowned. "That seems a reckless gamble, to leave the country leaderless-"
"As was your decision to trust the Dai Li. But it'll make our coup all the easier." Azula replied curtly. "Double the guards on the mountain entrance, the moment my niece arrives." Her eyes flicked sideways to Ty Lee, willing her to get the message: Don't try anything, Ty... Please. Once Mai and Zuko arrive, I won't be able to keep you safe.
Ty Lee met her eyes briefly, then dropped her gaze to the floor, her expression unchanged. Azula felt frustration surge through her, but she kept her face blank, hardened her resolve. Ty Lee could run, or she could submit. Anything else meant death.
"I have one additional request, given that both our factions are nearing our goals." Long Feng spoke up suddenly. "General Takeo's raids against the local villages and the patrols of... 'volunteers' sent by General Fong, have augmented the Dai Li's numbers and undermined the Earth King, as I hoped. But our area of support remains quite small, and the Earth Kingdom is larger than all the other realms combined. When I launch my coup, the Dai Li must be able to respond immediately if any of King Kuei's vassals refuse to submit- particularly the forces of Omashu, who never received my invitation. I have spies across the continent, of course, but their ability to respond is far too slow." He gestured to the telegram. "I believe that this device... may be the answer."
Tomoe's eyes narrowed. "This goes too far. Transports and weapons, within reason. Prototype communications technology, in the hands of Mudslinging turncoats? Not a chance-"
"Then I may have to withdraw my support for your campaign... including the hospitality I'm showing you now. You would be expelled from Zamyn Togsgol at once." Long Feng's mouth twitched, as if amused. "That would be a pity, given that you've burned nearly all the nearby communities. Add in the fact that several Earth Kingdom armies are approaching the foothills of the Dragon's Back, in search of suspected Fire Nation forces..."
Tomoe glared at him. "You think we'll stay quiet about your little sanctuary, if we run into Earth Kingdom soldiers? If we go down in flames, we'll turn you to ash with us-"
"Enough." Takeo finally spoke. "No need for any of us to get bullheaded. The Dai Li have been generous hosts throughout our stay here, have been instrumental in securing the Fire Lord's succession. Perhaps it is time for us to begin paying our dues."
He glanced meaningfully at Azula, who locked eyes with Long Feng. If neither of them could keep this little gamble going, a little longer... After a long pause, she nodded curtly to Takeo's adjutant, who laid the telegram on the table. Long Feng's gaze hung on Takeo for a moment, then he flicked his wrist. The stone surface rippled, sweeping the device across into his hand. He handed it to one of his officers, rose and bowed mockingly in Azula's direction before sweeping out.
"He's less arrogant than when we met in Ba Sing Se, I'll give him that." Azula remarked loudly, as the last of the Dai Li disappeared after their master. She glanced into the flames, then quickly looked away when she saw Ursa's eyes staring back at her. "A pity all his confidence went with it. How many more Mudslingers do you think he had concealed behind the walls, during this meeting?"
Takeo shot her an irritated look, but kept his voice calm and polite. "He remains our ally, at least for the time being, Fire Lord. He keeps his men with him at all times, because he trusts them-"
"You'd think he would have learned from Ba Sing Se." Azula scoffed. "Trusting others leaves you open to attack. His followers deserted him once before, the same may happen again."
"I don't think we can sway the Dai Li to our side this time, Fire Lord." Tomoe spoke up. "None of them have forgotten that you banished them from the Fire Nation just before your- er- coronation, and if they know you don't trust anyone from the start-"
"I did NOT ask for your opinion, Lady Tomoe." Azula suddenly found herself on her feet. The decrepit old wretch really had the gall to bring that up, now? She let her voice rise higher, mirroring her fits of anger during Sozin's Comet. "There are two very good reasons I don't trust anyone, and one of them is in this room!" She gestured to her right, not looking at Ty Lee. A tongue of blue flame sparked between her fingers. "If you want to become the next example, keep talking. Otherwise, go and prepare your followers for their task."
Tomoe pressed her wrinkled brow to the ground. "Forgive me, Fire Lord. If I spoke out of turn, I will gladly accept your verdict."
For a moment, Azula considered demanding an Agni Kai. It would quell any open rebellion from the New Ozai Society, at least... but an Agni Kai would end too quickly. And for now, Tomoe was still vital to her plan. All the same, she would have to keep an eye on her. Azula shook her head. "Just keep your mouth closed, and your ears and eyes on the Dai Li. Get out, before I change my mind." She turned back to Takeo. "You're dismissed as well, General. Oh- and have your son Shingen meet with me, as soon as he arrives with my niece. It's time my intended and I, got to know each other." Once again, she didn't look at Ty Lee.
Takeo followed Tomoe's lead, bowing his head to the stone floor. "As you command, Fire Lord."
When Izumi's eyes opened again, a pair of amber ones were staring back at her. She noticed a small tattoo in the shape of a kirin on Shingen's cheek, disappearing into his fringe of side-whiskers. Glancing down, she noticed her forearms were manacled again- this time, encasing her entire hands.
Half of her wanted to scream, half of her wanted to spit at him. She opened her mouth, but only a hoarse croak came out; her throat was still raw and dry. Her temple throbbed where Genpei's rock-gauntlet had struck.
Shingen shook his head in exasperation. "That damn Mudslinger. He's obsessed with doing as little harm as possible, keeping you safe, and he nearly killed you. He didn't even bother to give you water; he wouldn't last two days on a Fire Army survival trek." He held a waterskin to her lips, and she guzzled greedily. Once it was empty, he laid it on the ground. Strips of cloth were bound tightly around his hand, where Mai's dart had pierced the palm.
Izumi finally found her voice. "Are you... are you going to kill me?" She'd meant to sound defiant, but to her fury her voice still shook a little. After the way Shingen had threatened her mother, aunt and grand-uncle, his protective gesture confused her a little.
Shingen gave her a curious expression. "...Not yet. The Fire Lord wants you kept safe, at least for now-"
"You're working against my father." Izumi's anger made her voice stronger, pushed away the tremor she hated so much. She pushed herself upright on her elbows, wincing as another wave of pain shot through her temple. "You don't serve the Fire Lord."
"I don't serve the false Fire Lord, if that's what you mean." Shingen glanced at her scornfully. "Zuko lost his claim to the throne twice, by law, and Ozai never restored it the second time. The only way for him to regain it was to defeat the current Fire Lord by Agni Kai. And that never happened."
"He defeated Azula, during Sozin's Comet." Izumi paused, inhaling through her nose as quietly as she could. The Breath of Fire was the first advanced technique Iroh had taught her; now, it might be her last chance of escape. "He left her lying in chains, screaming and sobbing-"
"He never actually burned Azula, let alone struck her down." Shingen cut her off. "She gave him another scar across his chest, before he sent her to the asylum. And the one who actually beat her was a Waterbender, of all people. Zuko never legally secured his claim. My father and the warrior class only surrendered after Sozin's Comet because they had no better choice. Azula was insane, Ozai had lost his bending, and the other Nations, the White Lotus and the Avatar were united in support of Zuko. But he's weakened his throne, in the last twenty years. Now, it's ripe for the taking."
"He didn't make the Fire Nation weak." Izumi inhaled again, but the energy that should have been gathering in her chest was fading away as quickly as it came. Her rage at the insults toward her father should have made it burn hotter, but instead she felt strangely tired, as if her body was sinking deeper and deeper into cold water. "He gave the people more of a voice in the government than any Fire Lord before him-"
"The commoners." Shingen scoffed. "The ones who have never had to plan or lead a campaign, haven't trained for it their entire lives. Only those educated in war or peace should rule."
"Everyone... has a voice. Not just the monarchs, not just the leaders." Izumi struggled to remember the words her parents and granduncle had told her, so many times. An icy fog seemed to be gathering around her mind, as hard as she tried to fight it. "And if you don't... listen to them all...they will rise up against you-"
"More of your father's words. He never understood... except for a moment, during the Kemurikage crisis." Shingen shook his head dismissively. "If they rise up against you, you put them back in their place." He gave her an amused look. "And you can forget about the Breath of Fire, Princess. No one's able to bend with two vials of Mábì juice inside them."
He tapped the neck of his empty waterskin. Izumi's eyes fell on it, and a chill passed through her. She struggled to bring her arms upright, but numbness was creeping through her joints; her eyelids were already flickering. Shingen was a traitor and the son of a traitor, why wouldn't he be lying about planning to kill her?
The Colonel noticed her expression and chuckled. "Nothing deadly, Princess, you're worth far too much for that. Just enough, that you won't cause any more... inconvenience, before you're presented to the real Fire Lord."
Ty Lee knew she shouldn't care. She had been telling herself since the night in the cave, Azula was a danger to everyone she loved. Every memory of her reinforced the fact that she couldn't be trusted, that she was a master of deception.
And she was deceiving Takeo now, with her over-exaggerated temper. Azula might be more unstable than before, after twenty years of lonely exile. But from what Ty Lee had seen on their journey, she was also more cautious. If Takeo had known her as well as Ty Lee did, he would have realized Azula's paranoia wasn't just her mental instability; it had always been her habit, to think two steps ahead of everyone else. The old general was somewhat suspicious of Ty Lee, but though Azula's contemptuous, arrogant outbursts clearly irritated him, he seemed to accept them as part of her 'insanity'. Takeo's troops seemed equally taken in by her act; Ty Lee had overheard several of them expressing skepticism of Azula's leadership, citing her paranoia, instability and lack of battlefield experience.
Long Feng was another matter. The Grand Secretariat had once made the same mistake Takeo was making now: he'd fallen for Azula's feigned narrow-mindedness, assumed he could handle her. Having been soundly defeated, he was twice as alert now, watching them both like a hawk. Ty Lee knew why Azula hadn't touched her since they entered the stronghold, knew she shouldn't care. And yet, the Princess' words at the end of the meeting, had stung more than the slap to her hand.
Footsteps sounded in the passage outside. Ty Lee tensed, wondering if another Dai Li agent was shadowing her, but then the door slid back and she relaxed, not turning around. She knew Azula's breathing by heart, after laying next to her for so many nights.
"What have you heard among Takeo's troops?"
"That they're more loyal to him, than to you. That some are anti-monarchists, ready to die just for the chance to oust Zuko-"
"Which is why Takeo is leading them, and not Nishi." Azula shrugged. "Takeo's at least practical enough to get his power base onto the throne before he burns it down. Nishi didn't have to know that."
"I thought you didn't want him to assassinate Zuko-"
"It exposed Nishi as the mole. Zuko and Mai will probably take care of him for me, and they're welcome to; I don't need radicals like that running around, when I take the throne." Azula hesitated, drumming her nails on the doorpost. "I'll... be needing you to re-visit your skills as a spy once more, in the next few days."
"I'm yours." Ty Lee replied mockingly, as she finally turned around.
Azula's eyes narrowed, but she went on. "I need you to keep an eye on Lady Tomoe, and the New Ozai society. Speak with her, see if you can gain her confidence."
Ty Lee was surprised. As opposed to the rabidly-ambitious Takeo, Tomoe seemed more genuinely loyal to Azula. Which was why Azula's outburst at the end of the meeting had come out of nowhere. She feigned a hurt tone. "I'm not going to be your pawn, if all you're going to do is keep holding me up as an example of treachery, like you did back at the meeting -"
"It's for the girl's safety." Azula interrupted. "I...don't trust anyone with my life, except myself. But I do trust you, with hers."
"Izumi's life? What about everything else? I told you, I'm not letting you take her choices away from her this young-"
Azula exhaled, impatiently. "Are we really going down this road again? I gave you a lesson on choice while we were in the mountains, and you ignored it... except for that one moment during the Agni Kai. If Izumi ignores it, she's already taken the same path as her father." She noticed Ty Lee's expression, and her face softened just a fraction as she came forward. "I... didn't just come to give you orders." Her aura brightened and her tone became slightly playful as she began undoing the clasps of Ty Lee's Kiyoshi jumpsuit. "You said you'd be mine, if you lost our Agni Kai."
Ty Lee felt a smile touch the edge of her face, in spite of everything. She leaned forward and kissed Azula's lips; her hands found the knot in the Firebender's sash and untied it. The last two days of their journey through the mountains... she would never forget it. The Princess was surprisingly inexperienced, but once she'd overcome her initial hesitation, her drive easily made up for it. "I don't think... that's exactly what I said-"
"Close enough." Azula pushed Ty Lee back onto the bed and pulled the rest of the jumpsuit off. She tossed her robe aside and straddled Ty Lee, leaning over her.
"Long Feng's agents might hear us-"
"Let them. I've given them enough contradictions in public, that they'll think you're just a fling." Azula bent her head to Ty Lee's throat. "I'm the Fire Lord; I get what I want." Ty Lee winced briefly, and Azula paused "What's wrong?"
"Nothing-"
Azula took her face gently in her hands, turning it until their eyes met. "You're not Mai. You don't hide your emotions that well."
Ty Lee took a deep breath. "Shingen. Is he really... what you want?"
She shouldn't have been surprised by Azula's willingness to betroth herself to Takeo's son. Not that she could ever envision Azula sharing power, though it was a shrewd political move. But in choosing Takeo's support for her rule, Azula was denying herself her own identity, her own desires; unlike Zuko, Takeo came from a generation that held stigma over homosexual relationships, especially in the matter of succession.
Azula hissed scornfully. "That lout? Don't make me laugh. You know everything I said in there was for Takeo's benefit." Her teeth raked Ty Lee's left breast, making her dizzy, then moved to the right one. "You... actually thought there was any substance to those comments?"
"I never know... what to believe, from you." Ty Lee was panting, but she forced herself to form the words, even as her aura flared a shocking-pink shade. "Trust... no one, remember?" She pushed herself onto her elbows, forcing Azula to lean back. "But... I'll admit it, it hurt a bit. Knowing that you're going to be... with him. Knowing that you know I love you, even though I don't expect you to say it back, and you're still choosing someone else."
Azula met her gaze. For a split second, something like guilt flickered in her golden eyes, then vanished. "This has never been about you, Ty. It's a political expediency that was decided, long before I saved your ass at Omori." But a moment later, her expression softened slightly. "If it's any consolation, Shingen means nothing to me. He'll be my official consort, nothing more. The buffer that keeps Takeo from eliminating me, once he's become the supposed power behind my throne. But, in the meantime..." Her hand came to rest on Ty Lee's thigh. "...The two of us will be able to do whatever we like, behind the palace doors."
Ty Lee felt a small stab of pain at the 'behind doors' reference; she'd never had to hide any of her past relationships with men or women on Kiyoshi Island. She pushed it to the back of her mind, bringing her hands to Azula's breasts. "What about... succession?"
"What... about it?" Azula inhaled sharply as Ty Lee squeezed. "I have Izumi. Shingen will serve his... purpose, until my throne is secure. Then, I'll do to him and Takeo what my father should have done, years ago. As long as I have my niece... or, if she proves unsuitable, perhaps Shingen can give me a child before his time comes... And then, no one can threaten me. Can threaten us."
Ty Lee felt a jolt go down her spine as Azula's hand slid down her abdomen. Even now, she was reminded just how ruthless this woman was. But Azula's order to spy on Lady Tomoe gave her an opportunity. She couldn't escape and warn Zuko and Mai, not with the Dai Li tailing her everywhere. But if she was able to somehow gain Tomoe's confidence, turn her and the New Ozai Society against Takeo... it seemed unlikely, but it might give her another option for protecting or rescuing Izumi. One that might end with Azula alive...
At the Boiling Rock, Ty Lee had chosen love over duty. Now, she was choosing duty over love.
Izumi's cheek was pressed against a smooth, soft surface. Not her futon at the palace, but more comfortable than the ostrich-horse. How long had she been unconscious this time?
She opened her eyes, but a strange greenish light nearly blinded her, and she quickly closed them again. Her hand went to her forehead, and she noticed her stone manacles were gone. She opened her eyes again and sat up slowly, ignoring the dizzy feeling in her stomach. Once the last of Shingen's sedative wore off, surely she could try to escape again?
But as she looked around the rock-cut cell, she realized that her captors didn't need to restrain her anymore. The cell was lit by luminous crystals fitted into the ceiling, and the only opening was a steel door with a barred portal.
Her eyes fell on a symbol, carved into the wall. Three spiraling crescents, encircling each other... the symbol of the Air Nomads. Was she being held at an Air Temple? Dad had said Takeo's fortress was near the Western Temple, but... Genpei and Shingen had been talking about an Earth Kingdom village nearby. So... perhaps the Northern Temple. Bumi would know, if he was here; He'd visited all four of them with his parents, at least once.
Carefully, she pulled herself upright. Hugging the wall in case dizziness overwhelmed her again, she made her way to the door and peered through the bars. The passage outside was the same as her cell, roughly cut from rock. She could make out the outline of a single armored guard in the passage, wearing the same black and bronze armor as the other Fire Nation rebels.
She flexed her fingers carefully, then inhaled. Immediately, she felt the fire building in her chest; Shingen's potion wasn't affecting her bending anymore, at least. She spoke out, in the commanding tone she used for the guards at the palace: "You, out there! Where am I?"
A hand slammed against the other side of the door, jolting it. "Shut up in there!"
"You've got no right to imprison me like this!" Izumi hammered her palms on the door in response. "This is Air Nomad soil! You're desecrating the graves of pacifists by using it as a jail-"
"What would you know about the Air Nomads?!" The guard suddenly turned, glaring through the bars. "One of them killed my great-grandfather, during the first Sozin's Comet campaign. Does that sound pacifist to you?"
Izumi flinched, then caught herself. She hadn't expected to get his attention so quickly, but if she could provoke him into opening the door... "Maybe they wouldn't have if our ancestors hadn't been stupid enough to attack them in their homeland! Anyone would fight back-"
There was the noise of a heavy bolt being drawn back, and the door flew open. Izumi stepped back hastily as her guard filled the doorway, flame crackling over his left hand. "Don't talk about our ancestors, you spoiled Royalist brat. Your ancestors sent mine to their deaths, while they sat back and watched thousands die on the battlefield. While Takeo was paying his respects to the fallen and leading us to victory, your grandfather was planning to burn everything he couldn't loot and pillage for himself!"
The accusations stung, but Izumi let the hurt fuel her anger, feeling fire building in her chest, her narrow palms. "Takeo's just leading you to your death! Besides, I've never even met my grandfather, and my father gave war reparations back to the other Nations-"
"He didn't give anything back to his own soldiers, though, did he?" The guard scoffed. "He took the rightful spoils of war from us, what we'd earned with sweat and blood-"
"We're not fighting a war anymore, we haven't since before I was born!" Izumi's mind was screaming at her that this was dangerous, but she let her voice turn scornful, bracing herself. "But what should I expect, from an ignorant soldier who can't even understand, let alone read the Mandate of Heaven-"
She leaped and rolled aside as the guard suddenly hurled a fireball at her. Sending flame jets through her heels, she rocketed toward the other side of the cell and released the rest of the energy into a long fire-whip, the same technique she'd used on Aunt Kiyi. The guard let out a roar of pain as it coiled around his thigh, burning through his leggings and throwing him off-balance. Before he could recover, Izumi sent a barrage of six fireballs at him one after the other, knocking him down. She jumped back, ready to dodge a counterattack, but it never came. She allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction; she'd finally remembered not to close the distance, before the final blow. Granduncle Iroh would have been pleased.
Turning, she sprinted out the door and into the passage. She had no idea where she was, but the statue of a monk with arrow tattoos several yards down confirmed her suspicion: The Dai Li and Takeo's rebels were hiding in an Air Nomad settlement. She paused on the edge of the entrance to a massive chamber, where six armored Firebenders were training together. A sergeant stood behind them, barking instructions as they launched charged fireballs in perfect synchronization; in another corner, a man and a woman were generating lightning. Izumi felt a surge of fear and anger. After all her father and Aang had done to show that peace was the better choice, there were still those who were stupid enough to think that war would solve their problems.
As Izumi continued through the tunnels, she noticed it was getting brighter; there were more crystals fitted into the ceiling, and the stone walls were smoother and more carefully cut. Turning another corner, she came across another barred steel door. The only guard was a young woman wearing a yellow robe and an Earth Kingdom scarf. As she withdrew a bone whistle from her robe, Izumi drop-kicked at her, followed by two quick fist-jabs. Her attacks threw the woman back against the passage wall; she collapsed, stunned.
"Hello? Who's out there? Joo Dee, what's making that terrific racket?!" A shrill female voice came from inside the chamber.
Warily, Izumi pressed her ear to the door, not willing to show her face in case there was an enemy inside. The voice sounded very familiar, though... "Hello? Did they kidnap you, too?"
"If that's the word you want to use for it. 'Kidnap' implies I am a child. I came of age two months ago!"
Izumi suddenly recognized the haughty tone, again from her father's diplomatic visits to Ba Sing Se. "...Princess Hou-Ting?" She yanked the bolt back and threw the door open. A black-haired teenage girl wearing an ornate green-and-gold robe stared back at her, looking just as surprised as she was.
The heir to the Earth Kingdom finally spoke, her tone indignant. "Princess... Izumi? So you did conspire with your father and these Dai Li traitors, to kidnap me!"
"Don't be ridiculous." Izumi grabbed her hand and began half-dragging her out of her cell. "I'm gonna get you out of here-"
They rounded the corner and ran right into a pair of Dai Li agents. Izumi attacked immediately; if she ran, the Earthbenders could easily immobilize her against the tunnel walls. "Run!" She yelled at Hou-Ting, who seemed frozen, unsure of whether to escape or argue. "You're not a bender, you can't do any good here! See if you can find a way out!"
She managed to knock down one of the Dai Li with her first strike, but the second launched his stone glove at her, and she was forced to dodge. The agent turned his attention to the Earth Princess, who was finally running away, but not fast enough. Already, there were shouts of alarm coming from multiple directions. Izumi ground her teeth in frustration. As the Dai Li launched his other glove at Hou-Ting's wrist, Izumi conjured fire-daggers on each of her fists and leaped directly at him. The Earthbender stumbled backward, frantically summoning new stones and earth from the tunnel walls to parry her strikes. Izumi leaped, spun and delivered a flaming axe-kick that broke through his defenses, hitting him in the solar plexus. He toppled to the ground, but as Izumi glanced back to Hou-Ting, she noticed more benders- Earth and Fire alike- in the passage beyond, rushing toward them. Grabbing the Earth Princess' hand again, she leaped over the fallen Dai Li and ran with everything she had.
As they sprinted around the corner, a streak of blue light shot past Hou-Ting's shoulder. There was a whoosh and a burst of heat, and a wall of sapphire-colored flames stretched across the passage, stopping them both in their tracks.
"Just block the entrance." A high, cold voice came from behind her. "Don't restrain her. We don't want her thinking that's the level the monarchy has descended to."
Izumi and Hou-Ting spun around. Standing at the entrance of a side-passage, flanked by two guards, was a woman in black and gold armor. Her dark hair was drawn into a topknot, except for two sleek tresses that framed her pale face. She flicked her wrist, and the wall of flames faded, revealing three more black-armored Firebenders behind it.
Another woman suddenly pushed her way between them; she wore the same yellow robe and green Earth Kingdom scarf as Hou-Ting's cell guard. Folding her hands into her sleeves, she bowed low to the Earth Princess. "Your Highness. Please allow me to escort you back to your quarters, for your own safety and comfort."
Izumi felt a chill run down her spine. The woman's mouth was fixed into a wide, toothy smile, but her eyes were empty black pools, staring straight through them.
Hou-Ting looked ready to argue, but she closed her mouth as two more Dai Li agents suddenly appeared, flanking her. Bobbing her head briefly in Izumi's direction, she said, in a tone that was both scorn and reluctant gratitude, "I... appreciate your chivalrous rescue attempt, Princess of the Fire Nation. Ill-carried out though it was."
As the Dai Li hustled the Earth Princess back to her cell, the armored woman turned her attention back to Izumi. She cocked her head sideways, a curious expression on her face. "Do you know who I am, child?"
Izumi stared back. She'd never met this woman before, but her features seemed very familiar...
And then, it clicked. Blue fire. And the eyes were the same shade of gold as Izumi's father, the same eyes she saw in a mirror. But Zuko's eyes were warm, rarely burning with hot anger. These eyes were cold, fierce, predatory.
"...You're Princess Azula. My... my aunt."
And suddenly, Izumi couldn't turn away. This was her mother's former mentor and friend, her father's bitterest rival. The woman who had conquered Ba Sing Se, struck down the Avatar, and tried to kill both Zuko and Mai. Izumi had never seen her face; there was no portrait of her in the Royal Gallery. But she'd often heard the stories her classmates muttered about Azula, told by their parents to scare them into obedience.
She'd always imagined her aunt as she'd been described during the Kemurikage crisis: a purple-robed phantom, smoke and lightning erupting from her fingertips, her face a monochrome mask, featureless except for a single black eye. But Azula was human enough, though her gaze made the hair on Izumi's neck rise...
Azula raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. You seem more measured than your father, though not without his impulsive streak. I hear you already tried to escape once, on the way here?" She nodded when Izumi didn't respond. "Not revealing more than you have to... But both times you were caught quickly enough; you didn't think through what to do once you broke loose. You should know better than to rescue someone who's a liability, when your own survival is on the line. No matter, that can be corrected... soon enough." Her eyes narrowed as they focused on Izumi's forehead. "Colonel Shingen!" She barked.
A moment later Shingen appeared at Azula's side, bobbing his head in a brief bow. "You sent for me, Fire Lord Azula?" He shot Izumi a glare, then put an oily smile on his face and turned back to Azula. Once again, his behavior confused Izumi. Shingen had called Azula insane on their journey, but now his tone was polite and respectful. What was he playing at?
"Her face is bruised, and cut." Azula gestured at Izumi's right temple and cheek. Her voice was quiet, but like Iroh, Izumi could sense the fury hidden behind the calm. "I believe my message to your father was, 'not a scratch?'"
Shingen didn't seem to notice her dangerous tone. "Apologies, Fire Lord; if we'd had ointment, I would have applied it to her injuries myself. She was knocked out during the abduction. Then, when the Dai Li were retrieving her during her escape attempt-"
Azula suddenly whirled on him, jamming her armored forearm across his chest; she shoved him back against the passage wall, pinning his arm to his side. A blue fire-dagger flared over her hand, inches from his face. One of the guards took a half-step forward, then hastily moved back.
"You let those traitors touch her?!" Azula snarled, her eyes blazing. "I knew you couldn't be trusted to keep them in line!"
"I swear, I took her from them as soon as we re-captured her!" Shingen desperately craned his head back. "The only reason we couldn't earlier was because our Combustionbender kept taking their side-"
"The name of the one who marked her, and this Combustionbender. Now."
"The Dai Li agent's a Lieutenant. Name of Genpei." Shingen blinked rapidly as the flame approached his eyes. "But the Combustionbender didn't mark the girl-"
"Both names, if you want to see on our wedding day!" Azula moved her dagger closer.
Shigen took a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly. "...Rila. Her name's Rila."
"Much better." Azula opened her fist, and the fire-dagger dissipated. "I expect nothing but honesty, if you're to join the Royal Line, Colonel. Otherwise, I may have to look elsewhere. Have this... Rila and Genpei brought before Takeo, Long Feng and I at our next conference. Now, get out of my sight."
Shingen bowed low, then left quickly. Izumi felt her limbs shaking. It wasn't just Azula's sudden outburst that startled her; she'd seen her father in a rage before, and it hadn't been pleasant, even if Zuko's anger hadn't been directed at her. But what Shingen had mentioned earlier, before he drugged her... about the 'real' Fire Lord. And Azula had just said 'our wedding day'...Suddenly, everything fell into place.
"No need to look so alarmed, niece. This isn't the end for you, it's an opportunity." Azula's lip curled as she turned back toward Izumi. "How... exactly did you manage to get out of your cell?"
Izumi summoned her last shred of defiance. "I... provoked my guard to attack me. It was easier than I thought, maybe you need to train them better."
To her surprise, an approving smile spread across her aunt's face, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Initiative... good. But on the other hand, I'll have to make an example of that guard. We can't have commoners attacking our family, without a formal Agni Kai challenge. That privilege is only held by those of Royal Blood... something your father needs to be reminded of."
Azula lifted her hand, curved her fingers into a teardrop shape. A small crescent of blue fire danced above her pointed nails, spiraling and coiling around itself... like the fire-dragon that Ran and Shaw had conjured for Izumi at Phleung Wōat. "Talking of whuch... how would you like to learn real Firebending?"