A/N. Yet another slower chapter, but a very necessary one! Next one is Aang, I promise!

"How many dead tonight?" Someone on the council asked as the rain poured against the walls. Orsu sat at his usual place, judging the time must be around two. After his visit that morning to the governor, a council had been called, to present the princess, or rather Fire Lord… to the council. After the night's events, he felt he could sleep for twenty years, and then some more.

How could Shoji have been so incredibly stupid? Trying to kill a man just because… Well, he supposed out of jealousy. If the Avatar was indeed this Kuzon he had heard so much about from the children in the town, he knew it would have been jealousy.

After leaving the waterbender and the Avatar, he had tried to speak with the young man who had been a guest in his house for years. Shoji had not been very clear, skirting around the reason why he had tried to kill someone, but Orsu had seen the slight awkwardness in his daughter, and he knew.

Well, knew… He suspected it was because Shoji had been jealous of Kuzon. That was no great mystery. Orsu had seen the looks Shoji had given his daughter at the moments he thought no one was looking. But although Orsu had never disliked the young man, he was no match for his daughter. Not only was he far below their rank, which, if both parties were interested in each other, he could have overlooked… But On Ji like Shoji as a friend, that had been clear to him for years. But apparently, Shoji had not understood that part.

"Four." A guard who had been called into the room answered before being dismissed. Orsu didn't look at the head of the table, where Kantuno normally sat. His place was now occupied by the princess, looking bored, but he had seen the expression in those wide ember eyes. She may have looked bored and as if she wasn't listening, but she heard every word. The girl, for she was no older than the waterbender who was currently trying to heal the Avatar at his home, was clearly too intelligent for her own good.

"That brings the total of soldiers on four and a half thousand, give or take." The man on his left spoke, and Orsu nodded at that. Ever since the reinforcements had arrived, tavern brawls and street fighting were a daily occurrence. Agni, how he hated what they had turned their peaceful town into.

"The traitor is going to break on these walls. Kirashi will be well rewarded for that sacrifice." The princess spoke at least, her tone also bored to death. But it was still clear to him that she had been listening intently. After what she had said this morning about him being a traitor, he didn't dare contradict that statement.

"Lord Piandao." He spoke instead, "Isn't your brother… He will not do something so rash." Glancing towards the princess, he saw her bored expression vanish, to be replaced by something rather disturbing. It hung between anger and gleefulness…

"Orsu… Right?" It wasn't a question, she knew who he was. But the man knew that it was asked to remind him that she knew his name.

"Yes." He answered.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Yes, Your Highness." It was a stale response, but what else could he have said. He had heard the stories from Master Katara, and from rumours. The Princess was mad, or perhaps truly lost. At any rate, he shouldn't try his luck. He had been good at pretending to be humble. He had months of experience with Kantuno. But somehow, he doubted that empty flattery would work with this girl.

"Have you any military experience?" The princess asked, suddenly sounding quite sane and kind. But he saw the eyes, glimmering with hidden rage.

"Not at all." He answered truthfully. He had been born in a time where military duty had been slackened, where the frontlines had become rather static. It had been only under Prince Iroh that the movement had picked up once more, taking huge swaths of the northern Earth Kingdom, even going to besiege the Walled City.

"Then you can't know this, but let me tell you." It sounded sweet and scornful at the same time, "My traitorous brother has some peasants fighting for him, but they won't be able to break through these walls."

It sounded far-fetched. Peasants? Perhaps, but those peasants were armed, had probably enough benders to pose a serious threat, and they had catapults… Sorry, but they were more than capable of breaching the walls. And if they did, Orsu imagined there would be fighting in the streets, screaming as the population was killed for having resisted the inevitable for so long… Because he may not have any military experience, but Orsu knew what happened when a town fell to an enemy.

Lord Piandao would perhaps be able to restrain his forces, but he doubted it. No one would pass over the opportunity to be cruel when the chance was given to them. No, if the town fell, the enemy would sack it. Of that, Orsu was sure. The soldiers would be enraged by the death of their comrades, and no one would be able to stop them.

Well, perhaps the Avatar could. That was also one of the reasons he trusted Master Katara. Because she was the only chance for his town to survive this siege. The Outer Islands had all fallen into Prince Zuko's hands without a fight, the Capital was his, he had the support of Prince Iroh and most of the army, except the fighting regiments of the Earth Kingdom. The garrisons of the colonies were clearly waiting to see what was going to happen in the home islands, but the reinforcements the princess had brought had to come from somewhere… So, he supposed that the fighting units had declared for Azula.

But still, they should just surrender. The princess had lost the night of the comet, fair and square. But here she was, trying to claim something she had lost all rights to.

"And they are probably drowning in mud as we speak." Kantuno spoke up for the first time, and Orsu looked at the governor of his hometown. How could a man be so cruel and arrogant, yet so stupid? Sure, he had acted as if the governor was a friend, a man worthy of becoming his daughter's father-in-law… But now, he saw what he should have seen months ago. That Kantuno was like a bat moth to a flame, attracted to the thing that shone the brightest. And right now, in his eyes, it was the cause fighting for the Princess.

"That makes them only more dangerous. Piandao is no fool." One of the councillors spoke softly, "He has taken the Eastern Islands without so much as a fight, taking hostages. He will have known that the monsoon was coming, and probably prepared for it. I wouldn't be surprised if he has proper buildings in those woods, ready to resist the worst of the season."

Of that, Orsu doubted very much. The only wood in the forest was green, ill and still young. No… Those poor souls outside the town were having a worst time than their soldiers.

"Our own soldiers are rested, dry and in high spirits." Kantuno nodded as if the man had not spoken at all.

"They are fighting among themselves." Orsu muttered loud enough for the rest of the room to hear. He could hear the soft gasps, quickly hidden behind polite coughing. For the first time, someone had said something about the state of their own garrison, or rather, the state in which it found itself despite the illusions presented to the princess.

"Pardon?" Kantuno now sounded angry.

"The soldiers are killing each other, the inn at the north gate is killing more soldiers than the enemy is doing." Orsu waved irritably towards the north, as if it reinforced his point.

"This is not of any use. While you cowards are talking, I'm going to walk the walls. It will be far more useful to us." With that, the princess stood up, and just… walked out of the room. The guards she had brought from wherever she had come followed her through the door. Kantuno, casting a dirty look towards him, quickly followed.

As the council sat in silence at the sudden disappearance of the princess, something akin of fear settled around them. Princess Azula wasn't known to be reasonable, and that was before she apparently went mad. What was her point, walking out of a council? Of course, they weren't a war council of any sort, rather a town's council of leading men and women… But they deserved to be heard, right?

"Orsu… You were walking a very thin line there." Mikano, a widow trading in pottery, spoke softly beside him.

"And yet, we must say it if we are to take meaningful decisions." He answered louder, "We must say the truth, for once. Enough of the lies, enough of the empty threats and empty promises. The war is at an end, and we are only prolonging the suffering…"

"But Lady Azula is the rightful Fire Lord." Someone spoke up.

"Is she?" Orsu didn't know where this brazen behaviour was coming from, but perhaps Master Katara had influenced him just enough. She had been direct and to the point each time she had spoken about how the world might look like if peace was given a chance… And Orsu liked the idea of peace. And if he was to be a little bit rebellious to achieve it, why not?

Just not while the people who were holding the real power in his town were there to hear him. That, he didn't dare yet.

"Orsu…" Mikano put a hand to his arm, clearly trying to stop him, "Lady Azula did lose the fight against her brother, the announcements made that clear. But the traitor was helped by that Water Savage, which is against the rules, remember?"

Enough. The older man stood up, having enough of it. His town was going to be attacked, and everything he loved was going to be destroyed. The leaders of the soldiers outside the town were probably aware that the Avatar had gone inside the walls, and had not returned. They would be shouting for revenge, or at least, they would want to know where the Avatar was. And no one but him, On Ji, Shoji and Master Katara knew what had happened. He had not even told his wife, to his shame.

Princess Azula had acted as if she was holding Master Katara hostage, and with the Avatar missing from the camp outside the town, he knew what would happen. The water tribe girl had been clear enough. Avatar Aang was the one holding them back. She had told him he hated violence, and Orsu had seen it clearly the day before, when he had talked to the Avatar and his friends outside the gate. The young airbender was so patient and understanding… But his disappearance from their camp would enrage his friends. And with the mud floods coming in any day, that rage would be fuelled by the desire to get behind the town walls when that happened.

They would attack the moment they were sure the Avatar wasn't coming back.

So, Orsu walked to the head of the table, the seat of the governor… The princess had occupied it, as curtesy, but now, Orsu hesitated. It would be foolish to try something like this… So, instead of sitting down, he put his hand on the high back of the chair, standing beside it.

"Friends, listen to me, please." He began, and he could see all eyes on him. Ember eyes, brown eyes… All looking rather confused, or even a little afraid. They were afraid of what he was doing, that was clear. But he could also see some curiosity. They all respected him that he knew. And they all knew him to be a reasonable man…

"I know that you saw what I saw… Princess Azula" He stressed the word princess, "is not fit. She thinks Lord Piandao will break his army on these walls, even though we know full well that he is far too cautious for that."

It was essential for his plan… no, his idea… if it was to work, and it had to work… That everyone in this room would support him. But he saw the doubtful looks some shared.

"Fire Fountain is besieged… We are besieged… Who is winning, in your opinion?" They were all merchants. They knew how to bet on the winning ostrich horse. They would have to listen to reason.

"Azula is going to win." One of the merchants spoke up, but without much conviction. Orsu could hear the soft murmurs around the room.

"No, she isn't." Orsu sighed, clenching the wood of the chair with his fingers, "She is like a dying man. Twitching and sputtering, but her fate is the same as that dying man. Her ambitions won't see tomorrow… The people outside are going to attack. And who do you think is going to win that fight?"

"She has the Avatar in a corner. He won't fight with the enemy, so at least we won't have that to worry about." Mikano objected softly.

"Because she has his wife? Agni, do you believe that? If that was the case, Azula would have shown the water savage." The merchant at the end of the table answered. Orsu couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. So, he wasn't the only one who had at least doubted that. But he couldn't say that Master Katara was indeed free without putting her at risk. Agni, this whole plan was already putting all he loved and all he respected in danger. But if he did nothing that danger would be far worse.

"Avatar Aang won't be with the attack, I'm sure." Orsu spoke gently, but trying to sound firm, "because he loves his wife. All of you who have seen the Air Nomad know this, it was written clearly on his face. He is as much a human being as any of us." That incited some sharp intakes of breath, and no wonder. The Avatar was supposed to be a monster, a spirit on earth come to destroy everything they held dear. But to suggest he was actually capable of having emotions?

"The Avatar can't be like any of us. No human can hold that kind of power and be normal." One of the younger members of the council stood up. Orsu looked at the young man, thin faced and angry looking. Clearly, this would be his opposition.

"Would you not have done the same if someone threatened the woman you loved?" He answered instead of raising to a shouting match, "Maybe… Just maybe… We have been lied to. The princess said she had the waterbender, but I know for a fact that she hasn't. And if I know, perhaps the Avatar knows too."

That was his strategy. They all knew he liked to speak to everyone, hear all the rumours and events in the world. And they also knew that if the so much hated Avatar knew his love was safe, then he would join the attack.

Sharp murmurs resounded through the room, and not for the first time, Orsu felt sweat pool on his back. If someone close to the governor or the princess would relay this conversation to them, he would be judged a traitor. And he didn't need to as what happened to traitors in Azula's Fire Nation.

"If that is true… He will be able to unleash his power on us." Mikano sounded shocked.

"If he wanted to, he could. But he is an Air Nomad." Orsu answered, and he heard someone mutter the word Air Degenerate.

"We killed them." Clearly, the room was on the line. They wanted to save their town, but they didn't want to betray the one they supposed was the rightful ruler of their country, "We killed the Air Nomads. Murdered them in cold blood, because Sozin was afraid of being stopped in his war of conquest."

What he was saying was nothing more than blasphemy inside the Fire Nation, Orsu knew this. But they needed to listen. And they had been nearly convinced by reason. Now, they needed to have the arguments pushed right into their face. And after that, he was going to present them his solution.

"And yet, the rumours say that the Avatar is kind, generous and even likes the Fire Nation. We lost this war the moment he came back. And Ozai lost. Azula lost. We lost! Maybe we should consider that before throwing our own town into the meat grinder of political ambitions." He felt that this was the right thing to say, even if it was far too close to treason… Or at least, treason to the princess Azula and the governor.

"This is treason." The angry young man said, half standing up.

"Is it treason if the princess isn't our ruler?"

That earned not only intakes of breath, but some even shouted at him. Orsu had counted on this, but it was needed. Master Katara had been right, Azula was not fit, and their best chance was to join Pri… Lord Zuko and the Avatar. That was not only their best chance… But also, their only chance.

"Listen to me!" He shouted above the commotion, "I cannot promise it will be easy, but you all need to see that Azula is going to take the town with her in her inevitable fall! Do you want to see your homes burned? Your possessions stolen? Our children sold into servitude. And Agni knows what else." He could suggest far worse things than the ones he had just listed, but Orsu had learned it was better to have the imagination of the people do that for him.

His words brought silence into the room.

"And who gives you the right to decide what is good for us?" The angry man shouted at him, breaking the sudden silence.

"I don't. I'm not Kantuno. I just gave you my opinion, and what we should do, in my opinion. You can decide for yourself whatever to follow the princess, but I, for one, am going to the gate, ordered it opened for me, and I'm going to ask what the terms are now. If they are good, I'm going back and I will present them to you."

"The princess will kill you if you do that." Mikano said, and several people sitting around the table nodded at that.

"Then I would ask you to care for my family." This was the honorable thing to do. There was no shame in losing. There was shame, however, in how they chose to undergo their defeat. And Orsu had decided he was not going to allow his town to be a victim of the pointless fight off an already defeated princess.

With that, he released the chair of the governor, turned his back and walked out the room. As he crossed the courtyard of the building used as the council headquarters in the town, he could feel the eyes of several soldiers on him. They had surely heard the commotion, and now, Orsu realized, time would be of the essence. He needed to get to the gate as quickly as possible, before they were warned of his plans.

At least, his wife and daughter didn't know of what he was planning. That could speak in their favour if his plan failed… For what he was doing was surely leading down one of two paths. Either he was going to save the town, or he was going to be burned alive. And to be honest, he would prefer to live. He wanted to see the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes and, if the Avatar would allow it, he would like to see one of the Air Temple… Perhaps the Western, lying to the north of here… He had heard stories, read scrolls of accounts from people had visited them during their long history… And it had sounded nothing more than magical.

But those were his personal ambitions. As he walked into the street, he knew that his personal wishes would have to take a step back. Now, his home was more important. And if he was to die trying to save it, so be it.

"Master Orsu?" His near-suicidal thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a woman, sounding concerned. Looking to his left, he saw that a small woman, her topknot streaked with grey even though she couldn't be over forty had spoken to him. Sighing, he knew what this was about.

"Shoji hasn't come home since yesterday… Would… Would you know where he is?" Asked the would-be murderers mother.

Agni… What was he supposed to say? Sorry, your son tried to kill the Avatar, because he thought it was a certain Kuzon. Oh, and he is a jealous little bastard. No… That would break the woman's heart, and her oldest son was still missing in action in the Earth Kingdom…

"Oh, of course, I know." He tried to smile reassuringly, "Shoji stayed with us yesterday after dinner. Curfew had already started, and I had planned on sending you a message this morning, but I was called away. I'm so sorry." It was a lie… But in this case, a lie to protect the poor woman.

"Thank Agni." The woman relaxed and smiled, making Orsu feel even more guilty.

"I'm sorry, I need to go to the gate." He had to go faster.

"If I may… I need to go that way myself." The woman wrung her hands anxiously for some reason. Stopping himself from rolling his eyes, he smiled as kindly as he could as he gestured her to follow him. Maybe it was better. How could he appear suspicious if he was talking to the parent of his daughter's friend?

"How have you been?" He asked, knowing the siege was probably rather rough on the poorer folk of the town. He himself still had enough to eat, but the poor relied on the sea to provide them with fish to eat and, if the sea was kind, enough to sell.

"Oh, alright." The tightness in the woman's voice suggested that it was a lie, "How come you are going to the gate? Visiting the Master Hide?"

Ah… So she knew about the fact that he had tried to marry off his daughter to that… well, to the person.

"Yes, of course. And I need to talk to a few other people around there." It was true. Just not at this side of the gate.

"Shoji told…" She began before hesitating, "No matter."

"What did your son tell you?" He asked as kindly as possible he stepped underneath a row of arches, above which some people had hung canvas sails. That was a good idea, because the street was turning rather muddy. Before long, Orsu realized, those streets would not only go muddy with water… But not if he could do what needed to be done.

"That the Master Hide is not… ehm… a great commander."

"I think your son used another term madam." Orsu smiled as they stepped into the rain once more. He didn't try to guess what it had been, but he could guess. Shoji had hated Hide even before he had learned what the plans had been for On Ji… But that was not important right now. The northern gate appeared from the rain, and the man knew that somewhere along the wall here, the Avatar had come through the wall. Earthbending… Such a useful bending art. If it could destroy buildings, Orsu guessed it could also make them.

How had they ever thought that the Earth Kingdom subjects were barbarians? The idea alone that you could build a good house with just the flick of a hand… Spirits, no one needed to be homeless. That sounded good.

Firebending could be useful… It could warm your home, give life in the darkest places… Waterbending, as he had seen it, was more than useful. He had seen a woman heal a potentially fatal wound in the blink of an eye… And airbending? He wasn't sure yet, he had never seen it… But it sounded rather interesting.

"No… He did not." Shoji's mother smiled at that, and it seemed, to Orsu, that the woman was aware of her son's feelings. Parents often knew… Even if Orsu had missed the fact how much On Ji had despised his choice for her… And for that, he felt guilty. He should have seen it…

But what he was planning on doing would better her life! She would be able to see more of the world than just Kirashi… Or he would condemn her to be the daughter of a dead traitor. That was also a possibility…

But that fate would only have to be endured for a few days, as the enemy was surely going to attack. And punish the town, set an example… It would happen, he was sure of it. Without the Avatar restricting hand, that would happen.

"I must leave you here Mistress." He used the term to be polite, as the rich never spoke to the poor like that. But why not? She was a human being, deserving to be given respect.

"Good luck with your errands." She smiled, pulling the shawl further above her head to shelter her from the worst of the rain. As he watched her run to the other side of the street, he sighed. This was why he was doing this. Why he was committing "treason". So that ordinary people could live. So that his town, his home, would be safe. When had it ever been treason to do the right thing?

Straightening, Orsu inhaled deeply. Now, or never. Stepping to the gate, he saw two soldiers stand underneath a small roof, under which a brazier burned brightly. The two men were clearly no firebenders, as they were warming their hands above the flames.

"I have orders from the governor!" He called to the two, waving a blank scroll he had pulled out of his pocket. He saw one of the soldiers glance at him, at clearly not wanting to leave the safety of his warm and dry safe heaven, he gestured for him to come closer.

"For what?" The other soldier, a man in his forties, spoke as Orsu approached.

"I need to go talk to the enemy, see if they are ready to surrender." Orsu laughed, acting as if he was like the governor. These two soldiers were clearly not from the garrison, otherwise he would at least have recognized their faces from somewhere. So they would not know he wasn't like that… Hopefully.

"If they are as wet as half the soldiers inside of this shithole, they are probably begging to surrender!" The younger soldier laughed with him. Orsu tried to ignore the insult to his home, glancing at the older man, who shrugged apologetically.

"Can you open the wicket?" He called, rubbing his arms as he approached the warmth of the fire, welcoming it.

"Just you?" THe older soldier asked.

"Just me. Fire Lord Azula and Governor Kantuno don't think they deserve the privilege of a grand ceremony." He rolled his eyes, trying to act amused.

"Sounds like her." The older soldier grunted, grabbing his sword belt on which hung huge keys. As he was looking through the keys to find the right one, the man spoke once more, "Lord Ozai would never have left us in the rain like this."

"Lord Ozai is dead… And we need to be loyal to the Fire Lord." Orsu tried to sound disapproving. That was exactly what he was trying to do. But he wasn't telling which Fire Lord he meant.

"You are right." The man admitted, although he didn't sound convinced. As he found the key he needed, he gestured for him to follow. Orsu quickly went with the soldier, feeling surprised that it had been this easy… Surely, Master Katara would have wanted to leave. And she had tried apparently. But this was far too easy.

"Shouldn't the captain check my papers?" He couldn't help but ask. The captain of this gate was Hide, and he was supposed to check every order that came to his gate…

"Our captain is lying on some whore at this moment I believe. Spoiled brat. The governor cleared you, that is enough for me." The man turned the key inside the lock, and the small door inside the gate swung open. And behind it… Freedom.

Freedom to decide the fate of his town. Freedom to act in the best interest of his home, not just in the interest of Kantuno.

A chance to right the wrongs.

Orsu stepped through it and heard the door fall close behind him.