Old Friends/The War Meeting
1
He sat in a corner of the room, much like his predecessor had. He hadn't eaten his breakfast either, and nothing suggested he slept on the comfortable bed, or that he had touched a single book, which had been provided long ago for the entertainment of the cell's previous occupant. A notorious difference between both cases, however, was that the cell's door was properly locked this time, where it hadn't been when Kuei had been its resident.
Tiang had ever been a put-together, perfectly cleaned up official of the Fire Nation. His top-knot was nowhere to be seen anymore – he had cut his hair, Sokka realized, at some point after his surrender. His wounds had been healed by Katara, but the changes of clothes remained untouched in a corner and he continued to wear the same attire as when he had been defeated, suggesting quite strongly that, even if weeks had passed, Tiang's mind remained stuck in the events of the Fire Nation's loss in Ba Sing Se.
"Jin's not going to be happy if you refuse to eat," Sokka said, curtly. Tiang frowned: his amber eyes, focused on the floor until then, rose to meet Sokka's own gaze with a glower.
"I've eaten… mainly when she's here," Tiang said, curtly. "I'm not hungry now, though. If that's all that concerns you, feel free to take your leave."
"You must imagine already that it isn't," Sokka said, arms folded over his chest. "Just as I know, all too well, that you might not respond to my inquiries no matter how nicely I may ask…"
"So… you won't ask nicely at all?" Tiang asked. "Plan on torturing me for information?"
"I'm afraid that's your Fire Lord's style, not mine," Sokka said, curtly. Tiang shuddered. "Me? I prefer to trick Fire Nation soldiers into thinking I'll torture them, or their allies, and then get the truth out of them once they're shitting themselves out of how badly they fear I'll hurt their friends. That's way more effective…"
"And crueler," Tiang said, bitterly. "You take advantage of our willingness to protect each other?"
"Huh… I take advantage of your fear, rather. Less harmful, ultimately, than your lord's willingness to kill anyone who looks at him funny," Sokka said. "Honestly, I thought you'd appreciate this method rather than full-blown torture… I learned it from a Fire Nation genius, after all."
Tiang frowned: his confusion was clear at first, then his eyes were touched by a smidge of fear. It seemed that he knew exactly who Sokka meant, even if he had no way of knowing what he was referring to… but Sokka wasn't here to share stories about how Azula had deceived Jeong Jeong's men once, pretending she'd stoop to no end of cruelty in order to obtain what she wanted, only to deceive them into making a counterproductive mistake. Unfortunately, her plan hadn't paid off… but Sokka's had, back in the South Pole. Kino's deception proved effective, but the soldiers with him lacked the information Sokka had been looking for: he hoped Tiang would be a much more effective source of news than the Water Tribe's prisoners could hope to be.
"Rest assured… I have actual respect for you, so I won't resort to that kind of scheme this time. You and I can have a proper, civilized conversation, can't we?" Sokka asked, stepping forward and leaning down, a hand on the cell's metal bars as he eased himself down, sitting on the floor.
Tiang didn't seem any less tense upon hearing those words, or upon seeing Sokka taking his seat. It was the third time Sokka had done as much with a man who had previously ruled over Ba Sing Se and then wound up imprisoned… but just as the man within the cell was a different one, Sokka as well appeared to be a wholly different man from the one Tiang had known in his very last visit to this city.
"Contrary to what you may have believed after our battles, I didn't come here on a vindictive spree of some sort," Sokka said. "I'm not in Ba Sing Se just to throw a tantrum at Ozai, or to taunt him about how he can't kill me even if he tries. The truth is, while a lot of people feel quite triumphant about what we've done here… I hardly do, myself, because of everything this place meant for me in the past. Because of the people I knew who live here… even if I wasn't close to all of them, I didn't mean to subject you all to the anguish of war. But… while the initial push was inevitable, I gave your forces many chances to surrender, same as I did with you. If my approach had been to lay waste upon this city, you would be dead by now. You understand this, don't you?"
"It doesn't change anything," Tiang said, bitterly. "Whatever your intentions might have been… ultimately, you've taken this city and condemned us all to whatever the Fire Lord will do to retake it. He won't spare me… he'll think me an incompetent fool for failing to hold out against you. All those who failed to defend our position… all those who turned their backs on the Fire Nation and joined your army, too, they'll be deemed traitors unworthy of being part of the Fire Nation."
"And that's the kind of man you want to follow?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow. Tiang snarled. "Your loyalty is yours to give to whomever you see fit, I'm not saying otherwise. But if you know your Fire Lord thinks you and your people are worthless, regardless of your efforts to fight back…"
"Then why won't I turn my back on him?" Tiang asked, with a sardonic smile. "I suppose I could've asked you to turn your back on the Water Tribe a couple years ago and you would have done it gladly, wouldn't you? Had the Fire Lord asked you to fight them, you'd have jumped at that chance, perhaps?"
"It's not the same thing," Sokka hissed.
"It is in ways you refuse to acknowledge," Tiang growled. "The Fire Lord may not be the ideal, heroic man a leader ought to be. But the Fire Nation is still my nation. I've sworn myself to it, and no persuasive charisma will sway me from my chosen course. If in refusing to join you – if that's what you want me to do – I earn myself nothing but an execution, so be it."
"Really? You surrendered before, but you're willing to die now?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows. Tiang gritted his teeth.
"I gave the others a choice and a chance to survive by surrendering. I didn't do it for my own sake," Tiang answered, truthfully. Sokka frowned. "I'm not interested in discussing the subtleties and complications of loyalty with you, Gladiator. Your presence here, your actions from weeks ago… they filled me with confusion that I'd rather not see dispelled, truth be told. Whatever guided your hand… whatever led you this far, it doesn't change the truth of what you've done."
"And what's that, according to you?" Sokka asked.
"You've condemned us, like I said. The Fire Lord would sooner destroy this city than let it fall into enemy hands… into your hands more than anyone else's, I suppose," Tiang said. Sokka's brow furrowed more heavily.
"You know that for a fact? That he resents me more than anyone?" he asked. "Or is it because of the things I've said? Is it… just a guess?"
"That's what you really want to know? If… if I have any clue of whatever is going through the Fire Lord's mind, these days?" Tiang said, raising an eyebrow.
"Ukano clearly had no clue, and he said you were more likely to know than him, so…" Sokka said, with a shrug: Tiang's eyes widened.
"You said… you said you'd taken Omashu before. Does that mean you're allied with Governor Ukano?" Tiang asked. "Is that where you got, well, some of your army, at the very least?"
"No, and yes," Sokka answered, truthfully. "He's not my ally: he's my prisoner. But a lot of people from Omashu wanted to help take back the continent and reinstate the Earth Kingdom properly, so…"
"Reinstating the Earth Kingdom, then," Tiang concluded, a shiver rushing unpleasantly down his body. "By… by making us your prisoners. You… how? How could you…?"
"Is this an accusatory question or is it genuine curiosity?" Sokka asked. Tiang swallowed hard.
"Both. We… we received no word. I had no idea anything was wrong in Omashu, I heard nothing of a marching army…"
"We were careful, though it's possible that we might have been spotted here and there," Sokka said. "Our tactics to stay hidden were definitely unorthodox, but I always meant to be as subtle about the takeover of Omashu as I could possibly be. The idea was for Ozai to learn about both Omashu and Ba Sing Se's, uh, collapses, so to speak, at the same time. This way, he won't know how to split his forces: taking back Omashu could be easier, theoretically, if King Bumi were still likely to surrender without fighting, but he's not bound to do so a second time around. Ba Sing Se should be the priority, but if it took your people a massive drill and an atmospheric, cosmic miracle to take it the first time, would it really be that easy to just send all his army here? How would he be certain that Omashu won't send backup forces right up his rearguard to strike at his army while they have their pants down? He can't be. So… if he commits to any rash courses of action, he'll lose. And if he continues to lose, my path forward will be much easier, that's for sure."
"You're mad," Tiang said, eyes wide. "You're… smart, for sure. But you're mad."
"No need to flatter me that much," Sokka said, with a weak smile. "I'm not doing this recklessly, alright? I'm not just trying to take some mindless revenge against the Fire Nation. A lot of people do want that… but not me. I've suffered indignities by the Fire Lord, firsthand, I've nearly been killed by the bastard… but I know, as well as you do, that the Fire Nation isn't inherently rotten or broken. I know there's good people there, people who have suffered over the Fire Lord's actions too, people who are powerless to change the war, people who can't fight back because, if they so much as try, they'll face the same fate Ozai reserves to all his enemies. I don't care to be someone who mindlessly demands for others to constantly make sacrifices that I wouldn't be ready to make… and if I'm ready to make them, it means I also understand what it would mean to make them in the first place. Which inherently implies that I'd know why they wouldn't want to make them… eh, you get my point, I'm sure. Not everyone has the strength to stand up to the Fire Lord, not everyone has the chance to, not everyone knows that their nation is on the wrong path because this is all they've ever known. People are judged as good or bad depending on their choices, you'd think, but if they're never aware that they have choices, if they can't even be educated into understanding their implications, the consequences of standing by the Fire Lord… can you genuinely blame them for not knowing any better? It'd be like throwing a toddler in prison for having hurt another child when it's, ultimately, the parents who should be blamed for their kid's misbehavior…"
"People can think for themselves…" Tiang said, gritting his teeth. "And a lot of those who do have chosen the Fire Lord's side anyway. What do you have to say to those people? What kind of mercy would you show them?"
"A final chance to make a different choice," Sokka said, earnestly. "If they won't take it… then that's that. I've got enough on my plate as it is to try to reeducate people who don't want to be reeducated. It's the ones who don't even have a chance to learn any better who concern me, frankly. But anyway… you're trying to say you're the kind of person who threw his lot with the Fire Lord even if you weren't blind to the horrors of his war?"
"I… I suppose so," Tiang closed his eyes. "I saw enough war and destruction since I joined the army. Fifteen years ago, I… I lost the most valuable person in my life at the time to war, just the same. It would have been possible to give up… I could have done it, same as General Iroh did. I should have done it… but a burning rage fueled me in those days. After I grieved, I only wanted to fulfill our duty, to do it for his sake, too. But after it was done… after Ba Sing Se was under Fire Nation control, my heart wavered. I saw that landscape on fire and I knew… I had made the wrong choice. I had inflicted that same suffering upon millions of others. And I never… I never could deserve forgiveness for it. I've spent all the years since then hoping to atone for my sins, but it's never enough. And it won't ever be enough for you, either. You'll be tormented by the screams, by the fire, the collapsing walls, the deaths you caused and inflicted personally… and for your sake, I hope you never have to lose someone the way I did. For, if you do… however righteous your cause may be, you'll have to be a thousand times stronger a man than I could ever hope to be to keep going with your life after facing that sort of pain."
"Well… she didn't die," Sokka said. Tiang's monologue ended as he stared at Sokka apprehensively. "But I've lost the most important person for me just as well. Maybe that's the difference between us: whoever you lost, you couldn't get them back, but I still have a chance to save her. I can't waste away my life by living mindlessly and forsaking everything I was, everything I became when I stood by her side, while she's losing her will to live while the Fire Lord stomps on her neck, for all I know."
"So… you're doing this for her sake, you think?" Tiang said. Sokka's brow furrowed. "You expect this will… help her, somehow? If you do, then… I'm sorry to say your intentions, however pure they may be, are only likely to condemn her further. Once the Fire Lord learns it's you who took his city, who do you think he'll hold responsible for it?"
"Himself, if he had any brains," Sokka said, bitterly. "I know what you're getting at, but…"
"You're putting her in a worse position than she's already in," Tiang said. "Gladiator, he… he has broken her. As hard as it may be for you to hear this, it's…"
"Why do you say that?" Sokka said: his heart felt as though someone was clutching and squeezing it with a steel grip, but he managed not to lose himself to emotion as he asked his question. "How are you so sure he did? Tiang, if you know anything about her circumstances, anything at all…"
"Is that what you actually meant to ask me?" Tiang said, his voice softer now. Sokka clenched up, eyeing the man within the cell reproachfully, with fear he couldn't mask as anything else. "Not… not for advice on how to defeat the Fire Lord. Not for secrets or information pertaining this war you're waging…"
"I wouldn't be against it if you shared those things, but… she's the real priority here. Whatever you know about her, I beg you… tell me about it, now," Sokka said. Tiang gritted his teeth.
"You do know some of it, don't you? If you've been in Omashu, surely Ukano has told you about… about the wedding?"
"I knew about it before that," Sokka said: hearing the words from Tiang again felt like a new slap across the face, more painful than the one Jin had struck him with. That same sensation accompanied every reminder of that unbearable reality. "Also… that she's with child. But I don't know anything for sure beyond that, so if you do…"
"You know… huh," Tiang swallowed hard. "You're a lot more informed than I feared you might be, then. But… you're the reason why all this happened, aren't you? Her sudden marriage to Zhao, the child, her loss of power…"
"Well… I'm afraid so," Sokka said, gritting his teeth: it hurt to speak those words instead of saying it was, in fact, Ozai's fault, or Iroh's… but ultimately, he couldn't shake off his guilt regarding the role he had played in causing Azula's downfall.
"You two…" Tiang said, breathing deeply. "I wasn't wrong to think you had a clandestine relationship, was I? You and the Princess…"
Sokka closed his eyes tightly, hanging his head in a silent confession. Tiang's chest ached at the resignation in the man he should be regarding as his enemy… and yet a part of him, a terribly sentimental one, couldn't help the empathy that bloomed in his heart for the mighty warrior who had vanquished him in battle.
"I thought so. I… figured that was why the Fire Lord inflicted that marriage on her," Tiang said, closing his eyes. "I didn't wish for it to be true, though, because…"
"Because?" Sokka asked, as Tiang faltered halfway through his sentence. The firebender sighed, dropping his head against the wall behind himself.
"Because Lu Ten would have wanted his cousin to find happiness," Tiang whispered. Sokka winced, raising his head quickly. "And I… I can't imagine he would have disapproved of you. He would have… he would have been so fond of you. You would have had a wholehearted ally in him, for sure. He would have fought Ozai if he had to… he would have stood up for Azula for sure, if you were the man she chose. You two were… were extraordinary together. You're clearly extraordinary without her too, but…"
"I'm not, I… I'm not. She's the one who…" Sokka said, tears burning in his eyes – curses, he wasn't supposed to break down crying while interrogating a prisoner, was he?
"Don't delude yourself. Maybe reality is more bearable if you tell yourself that she was the only one who was special… but after conquering the two biggest cities of the Earth Kingdom, you've proved why the Fire Lord fears and hates you as much as he does," Tiang said, gritting his teeth. "No other military leader has taken both those cities, you hear me? Not as far as I've heard. Even Chin the Conqueror failed to take Ba Sing Se, and his conquest was an effort of years, not a matter of… of months, as yours has been. Could Princess Azula have done the same thing, were she in your place? I… I don't know. I wouldn't put it past her, for sure. But you've done it objectively, empirically, not theoretically… so, as much as I wish I had been strong enough to fight you, I'm not so arrogant as to not know I'm outmatched. And I was outmatched, on all possible levels, when I fought you. It's not my problem if you don't want to accept it, but that's the truth."
Sokka breathed deeply, shaking his head but steeling himself anew after hearing those words. He glanced at Tiang with determination again, even if his true emotions were finally plain and clear: where he had been the ruthless, coldblooded conqueror the last time they had crossed paths, suddenly he was a fragile man, desperate for any news, any information he could cling to at all, about the woman he loved.
"What do you know?" he repeated, shivering. "Tiang…"
"I… I have no comforting news for you," Tiang said, closing his eyes. "As may be obvious… I don't know the full details of whatever happened when you were discovered. I don't know how it happened, or why… just that the Fire Nation mainland was unexpectedly incommunicative for months until I suddenly received a wedding invitation."
Sokka winced, as though Tiang had stabbed him in the gut. Regardless, Tiang kept going.
"I didn't understand it. Didn't want to believe it. I told Jin… I told her it sounded like the two of you had been caught. My suspicions about your relationship… they were likely spot-on, I realized," Tiang said, dragging his knees up as he rested his arms over them. "I didn't want to see it. I didn't want… to watch something so gruesome. A royal forced to marry someone she didn't love, someone thrice her age, as far as I know? It's… it's appalling. Revolting. It's happened constantly through history, so nobody ought to be surprised… and yet I was displeased, disappointed that the Fire Lord would ever do this to his own daughter. I won't pretend I've agreed with all his choices before then… but I didn't believe he'd stoop this low when it came to her. Still, I… I came up with an idea. A way to convey a meaningful message to her, to show her there were many of us who still… who would stand with her, if she wanted us to support her. Many of us who had her best interests at heart for good… who would help her, if she needed us."
"You…?" Sokka's breath caught in his throat as his face seemed to light up. "You encouraged her? You helped her? Tiang…"
"I brought her… a relic. A gift," Tiang said, mournfully. "A wedding gift, is what it was supposed to be, but… she knew better. I could tell she understood it was only meant for her… that it was meant to give her strength when I knew she'd lack it. It was… it was Lu Ten's old guzheng. As far as he told me once, she meant to learn how to play once she started going to school, in the Royal Academy for Girls…"
"A… a guzheng?" Sokka repeated: a sudden blast of a memory returned to him in a quick flash: a joyful day, unlike many that had followed it, where he had playfully told Azula to start a band with him, when she had confessed to knowing a few melodies for that very instrument… Sokka covered his mouth with a hand, tears burning in his eyes again.
"She… seemed grateful for it. She actually thanked me, too," Tiang said. Sokka gritted his teeth, nodding in grateful approval. "But… she was not alright, Gladiator. She was… soulless. She must have... must have closed her heart and mind to most anything that happened on that terrible day just to bear with the pain of what she was enduring. That I got a reaction out of her said enough about how deeply affected she was by my gesture… but she seemed empty on the inside. She seemed…"
"It's… it's a defense mechanism," Sokka said, breathing out slowly and nodding. "One I had to resort to in the past… in order to survive if just for another day. It must have been one of the worst days of her life… maybe she still has to shut down that way these days, I don't know, but… thank you. Thank you for what you did. If she responded to you, if she was grateful for your gift, t-then… your choice to give her that guzheng might have helped her keep going. It might have helped in more ways than you know. I get that you must think I'm a monster, but I… I'm grateful for what you did anyhow. Thank you, Tiang…"
"I… I don't think you're a monster. But I hope you realize…" Tiang said, gritting his teeth. "That if you'd gone about this differently, we might have reached a compromise. I might have cooperated with you, your people, with no need for a battle of that magnitude. With no need for so many to risk and even lose their lives…"
"I know… and I'm sorry," Sokka said, breathing deeply. Tiang frowned. "But I had no way of contacting you without risk… just as I can't contact anyone else from my old life without risk. On top of that… I really have no choice but to do this, Tiang. I can't return to the Fire Nation and simply steal her away from under Ozai's watch, she might still be too stubborn to even let me, to begin with, so…"
"She… what?" Tiang frowned. "She wouldn't…?"
"She sacrificed herself to save me, my tribe, our friends, everyone she thought she could shield by giving herself up to her father all over again, after having escaped with me to save my life," Sokka said, bitterly. "I don't know if it worked… but what you've told me makes me think it did, on some level. If Ozai thought she was broken after forcing her to marry Zhao… if she really felt that way at that point, then the bastard should have no more reasons, no more excuses, to continue hurting her. She… she did what he wanted her to. She's even… e-even carrying an heir to the throne, so…"
"Is she?" Tiang asked. Sokka blinked blankly and glanced at him in perplexity. "Well… I suppose it would be one by blood regardless of who the father is. But… after confirming your relationship I can't help but wonder if that's part of why she made the choice she did. Of why she relented when she did. Perhaps… the only way to ensure a child of yours could survive was by marrying another man and pretending it's his."
"I… I know that's a possibility, but I don't want to cling to it, alright?" Sokka said, dropping his head in his hands. "If I succeed… I'll be with her again. And I won't be a good father to her child if… if I'm only wondering who its biological father might be. I want to be a good father, simple as that, and help her raise her children. That's it."
"You're incredibly noble if that's the case," Tiang said, eyeing Sokka with sympathy. "You love her beyond reason, don't you?"
"I live for her," Sokka said, wholeheartedly. Tiang's eyes widened upon hearing those words. "And I know she won't be able to live freely… she won't be able to find any peace in this damn world until her father is defeated. Had I sought a more civil approach to helping her, Ozai would have retaliated even more violently than my actions have been thus far. Any alliances I attempted to cling to would have been dangerous, not just for me, but for whoever I tried to build that alliance with. Even if you had never meant to give me away, had I come here, could you be fully certain that no Fire Nation soldier would have given away my presence, my identity to Ozai or his goons so he could kill me as he always wanted to? And he'd have killed you too, of course, for harboring a fugitive of my caliber. He meant to annihilate my Tribe in retaliation for having loved his daughter, he would have done nothing less for anyone whose support of me amounted to betrayal in his eyes. His forces down south caused damage to the Tribe regardless of our defenses, they hurt Zuko's wife and even were ready to kill their children, too…"
"Zuko's…?" Tiang gasped. "He's… married? He has kids?"
"Yeah," Sokka nodded, his voice grave as Tiang gaped at him in shock over this new discovery. "He's here to fight for them, too. He could have lost them, I'm not exaggerating. A soldier tried to set an igloo on fire, the igloo his daughters were sheltering in, his wife fought and took a bad wound in her efforts to protect them…"
"Hell, that's… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Tiang's eyes widened as he covered his mouth with his hands. Sokka stared him down reproachfully.
"I don't want to go to war. If I thought any other approach would work, I would choose it without a second thought," Sokka said. "But his daughter's pleas meant nothing to Ozai. To him, all her choices were meaningless as soon as she went against him. And there was no stopping him until, like you said, he broke her. She's still alive, she's still doing her best to endure every day, I know she is. I can feel her, her energy is so intertwined with mine that I know exactly how she's feeling, that I know how anguished she has been whenever he inflicts misery upon her… and I don't want her to ever feel that way again. If I have to become a villain in the eyes of the Fire Nation people, of the friends I left behind there, in order to save Azula and ensure Ozai can't ever hurt her again, then that's exactly what I'll do."
Tiang gritted his teeth, gazing at Sokka hopelessly. The Gladiator swallowed hard, breathing deeply once more.
"Did you… did you have any other chances to see her again after that?" he asked. "I suppose you might not have been able to talk to her properly, Ozai must have been looking for signs that even the rats in the sewers were plotting against him on that day, but…"
"I left the Capital and came back to Ba Sing Se shortly afterwards. I'm sorry," Tiang said. "Like you said… there weren't many chances for me to convey what I wished to say. It was one of the most unpleasant things I've witnessed in my life… and I wanted to stop it somehow, to take a stand and defend her, but… I suppose you'll think I'm a coward for doing nothing, heh. I honestly don't think I have an excuse…"
"It would have failed. That's the excuse," Sokka said, startling Tiang. "And you would have only caused her more grief and anguish if you'd paid a lethal price for trying to help her or save her when Ozai wouldn't have allowed it. I… I'm not holding that against you."
"I… I almost hate that you're so reasonable," Tiang said, gazing at him remorsefully. "At any rate… we've received very little word about what happens in the Capital since then. There are countless rumors, but nobody knows what's real and what isn't. One of the more believable ones was that… that she was seen in Memorial Day, partaking in the rituals both at the temple and the Lake. Her public appearances have become so uncommon that even that amounts to news these days, as you can see…"
"I… I'm not surprised, but… that wasn't so long ago," Sokka said, frowning slightly. "If this is true, then… d-did the rumors say she was with child too? It might have been noticeable..."
"It was made public knowledge about a month after the wedding," Tiang said. Sokka gritted his teeth, but he nodded to encourage Tiang to continue. "So most everyone is aware that she's with child, but… yes, the rumors mentioned she was showing already. Beyond that…"
"Beyond that?" Sokka said, hopeful.
"Well, it's a more unbelievable thing. It's probably not true, but… they said she gave a crowd a thumbs-up gesture at one point," Tiang said. Sokka's eyes widened. "Some people were terribly adamant about that story, I don't know if there's any truth to it or if it's just embellishment, it sounds very informal of her and I can't even say she'd be the type to do something so…"
"So casual?" Sokka said: his lips broke into a heartbroken smile that silenced Tiang immediately. A soft laugh escaped Sokka, and he shook his head slowly. "She's… she's incredible. And reckless, but… she might have done that, yes. She might have."
"Well… you'd know, I suppose," Tiang said, gazing at him compassionately again. "Beyond that, I'm afraid most rumors are just about whatever happened to her to result in this fall from grace. Some definitely suspected you… and while most of those are close to the truth, others have believed some rather gruesome stories instead, such as that you, well…"
"Ah. That I forced myself on her? I bet it's Ozai himself spreading that shit," Sokka said, his bitterness blooming all over again. Tiang sighed.
"I wouldn't be surprised if it were," he said. "Gladiator…"
"Hmm?"
"You do realize your situation isn't… it isn't the finest?" Tiang asked. "I've said it already, but by doing what you're doing… you'll put her in a complicated position as well. I respect what you're trying to do… I understand it all too well. All I could do for Lu Ten was… was avenge him mindlessly only to find myself wondering, later on, if that was what he would have wanted, had he still lived. All I could do then was live my life in the way I hoped he would have, if I'd been the one to die instead of him. I mean, it should have been, to begin with, but… you understand what I'm trying to say, don't you?"
"You think it should have been you?" Sokka asked, frowning. Tiang winced.
"Can we focus on your situation instead, please?" he said. Sokka shook his head subtly.
"No… no. Damn it, no. You're trying to tell me… that Lu Ten sacrificed himself to save you, just as Azula sacrificed herself to save me?"
Tiang's heart seemed to collapse in his chest upon hearing those words. A sudden burst of understanding rushed between the two men as their eyes met, as their alarmingly similar realities took proper shape for them both…
"I… I know what it's like, being in your shoes. Better than I should, for a thousand reasons," Tiang said, wincing as he leaned in on himself. "I'm not extraordinary, and in my case that's a certainty. His life was a million times more valuable than mine. I was a nobody in the end, a mediocre nobleman's son, and he was going to inherit the throne: how the hell could he push me out of the way to save my pathetic hide? What the hell could ever make him think…?"
"That it would ever be an equivalent, worthy tradeoff?" Sokka finished. Tiang gritted his teeth, throwing his head back against the wall anew.
"Every damn day of my life I think… it shouldn't be me here. It's why I'm ready to die, anyway," Tiang said. "If you want me dead, I might thank you for it, even. For he's the one who deserved this life, not me. He's the one… he should've been happy. He should have been the leader to guide this city into a brighter future, the Fire Nation as a whole. If he had lived… then none of this would be happening now, damn it. He would have become Fire Lord after his father, even if Azulon died…"
"With all due respect… Azula always spoke highly of her cousin," Sokka said, gravely. "And she believed him the best member of her family, without a shred of a doubt. But I have to say… it wasn't easy for her, or for Zuko, to see the wrong in their family's legacy. However good Lu Ten was… are you sure he would have ended this blasted war, ensured that every nation was free and created actual balance for everyone?"
"I… I don't know. I have no idea, I… I wish I could say he would have, but I don't know," Tiang admitted, shaking his head and wiping his tears. "Doesn't change that he shouldn't have died… if someone like you had come along, if he'd seen you with her, then I'm sure he would have changed his mind about the Fire Nation's ideology if he hadn't questioned it enough himself already. But I suppose… it's not so easy to see it at first. It wasn't for me until I was standing in an inferno anyway. So… fine. Maybe he wouldn't have been perfect, but…"
"I'm not trying to guilt you into feeling this is the right course history should have taken or anything…" Sokka said, compassionately. "He meant a lot to you, I understand that… I'm just saying, we all make mistakes and choices that others have to live with, whether they want to or not. Azula is still alive… I can still fight for her, but I would have never left her side if I'd had a choice. I'd have kept her with me to the end and protected her from Ozai's madness if I could have. But… my hopes aren't completely lost. I know my choices will bring her pain and strife too… but one day, when I'm back by her side, when I've ended this war, I'll do everything in my power for as long as I live to compensate every moment of pain with happiness instead. It's… it's what I'm living for right now. It's what I'm hoping to do… what I imagine you would have done too, if Lu Ten had given you that chance."
His last words saw Tiang reacting with more emotion yet, containing a sob with difficulty as his shoulders shook. Sokka closed his eyes, understanding Tiang's pain all too well, reminded of his father's anguish upon hearing the truth about Rhone and his family…
"I don't have all the answers. My choices aren't always spot-on, I fear," Sokka said. "I might make a thousand mistakes, she knows that better than anyone… but this is the only path through which I know I can save her. I understand Ozai might… he might do something awful, and I really hope he knows better than to blame her for my choices when she and I have been away from each other for… f-for half a year, as it is. She begged me to stay put, to live out my life, to stay with my tribe until one day I could come back, and I'm breaking that promise because I can't stand living in freedom while he kills her spirit more mercilessly with every day that goes by. I know… I know I'll put her through awful ordeals once Ozai knows what I've done… but I hope the bastard will at least focus on killing me for as long as he can. The city's defenses have been rebuilt… I know enough about the Mechanist's devices to know how to disable that drill effectively, if Ozai tries to deploy it again. I'll be safe in this city until I'm ready to take the war further… I'll do that in time, too."
"You really will, then? You're not just going to make a stand here and wait for him to attack you recklessly?" Tiang asked. Sokka shook his head.
"Ozai will know I'm the one who did this. I've seen to that," Sokka said. Tiang's eyes widened. "Ba Sing Se was the biggest of my immediate goals… but it's far from the end. I may need to stay here for some time to decide what our next moves will be, but this isn't where I intend to hold my final stand. I can't imagine he'll be open to surrendering, so… I have no choice but to fight to the end. For all those who can't fight against his cruelty anymore… all those whose lives he stole without hesitation. All those who always wanted to fight but never had the chance to, all those who needed a reason, a cause to follow and rally behind in order to feel safe in taking a stand against him. For all those he'll see as traitors, like you… for all those he wants to murder in cold blood, like me. And for those he holds hostages, whose lives and choices mean nothing to him, those he punishes mercilessly until they even find themselves wishing they were dead rather than enduring a life under his yoke for a moment longer: I fight for all of them, for all of us… I fight for her. Whatever needs to be done to end this war, to bring back balance and to set her free, I will do it without a second thought."
Tiang probably should have said something discouraging, something to convey his utter distrust of Sokka's intentions and beliefs… but no such thoughts crossed his mind anymore.
To Sokka's surprise, the man pushed himself up, knees trembling even as he did. The Gladiator rose too, and where they had been of similar height before, Tiang seemed much smaller today. The firebender stepped forward, a hand falling upon the cell's bars, his eyes set on Sokka's firmly.
"Then, for her sake and yours… win, Gladiator. Achieve the impossible, the unthinkable, by ending this war… and set our Princess free."
Sokka's heart pounded fast in his chest as he nodded, accepting the former Governor's request without hesitation. Of all the Ozai-appointed governors Sokka had known, Tiang seemed the most sensible out of them all. Now, even though he could have just as easily been spiteful and resentful, he actually had listened to Sokka. He wanted him to succeed for Azula's sake. As ruthless as Sokka had been against him on the battlefield, he couldn't help but feel some fondness for the man standing behind those bars.
"If I do succeed… your fate will be determined after the war is over," Sokka said. Tiang gritted his teeth and nodded. "I'm not interested in advocating for any manner of lethal punishment for you… which I now realize might not be what you hoped to hear. Either way, it won't be me who will choose that fate…"
"If it's King Kuei, I'll be dead for certain," Tiang said. Sokka shook his head.
"I don't think he'll get the final say upon the matter either," Sokka revealed, startling Tiang. "I… I don't know what Jin has told you, but while I don't think I should have the power to determine how the Earth Kingdom rules itself, I can't feel comfortable handing the reins of this city mindlessly to Kuei just because he was born to a royal family. My current position of authority in my army has seen to it that Kuei feels like he has no choice but to listen to me…"
"He owes you his freedom, and his city," Tiang finished. Sokka nodded.
"He might retake his throne eventually… but I intend for him to learn a thing or two from the better governors of this city before he does," Sokka said. Tiang's eyes widened.
"Jin said… you'd asked her to work along with him. I wasn't sure what that meant, but… is this it?"
"I'd much rather she were Earth Queen instead of Kuei, honestly," Sokka said, with a sad smile. "She's learned a lot alongside you…"
"We learned everything about governing together… and I learned far more from her than she ever did from me," Tiang said, firmly. Sokka smiled and nodded.
"I believe you. Either way…" he said, breathing deeply. "Neither you nor Ukano will be handed over to the Fire Nation in exchange for something or another. You'll be safe in our custody. Eat, rest, replenish your strength, advise your wife however you wish to, whenever she visits. But ultimately…"
"I should just get used to the fact that life will never be the same again, right?" Tiang asked. "That… that I won't ever reclaim everything I lost on the day you defeated me. Everything I shouldn't have had in the first place, I suppose…"
"I fear as much," Sokka said, gazing at Tiang solemnly. "Finding a place for yourself in a different land, with a different culture… it's possible to go about it in the right way. I believe that, firmly. If you love Jin, if this is the city you wish to live in for the rest of your days, with her… there's ways to do so without enforcing the Fire Lord's authority, or Fire Nation culture and traditions over this place. You weren't all that bad about those things while you were governor, as far as I know, but…"
"There's better ways to belong than by recklessly barreling into a place, setting it on fire and then calling yourself its king," Tiang concluded, breathing out slowly. "Is that what you intend to do as well, once you reach the Fire Nation? To find a way to live there, alongside the Princess, without enforcing your beliefs of what the world ought to be like?"
"I was doing that for as long as you knew me," Sokka said. Tiang gritted his teeth. "It wasn't until Ozai decided to kill me that I changed tunes. And even if I do win… I wouldn't be Fire Lord, for crying out loud. I don't… I don't want to rule the Fire Nation. The notion is so absurd it could be funny, even… I'm sure Azula would find it absurd, too."
"Would she? Wouldn't she want you by her side, if she ever takes that throne?" Tiang asked. "If you intend to rescue her from that unwanted marriage… don't you mean to marry her, too?"
"I… I have already," Sokka said. Tiang's eyes widened. "Just, not under Fire Nation law. Which means that we'll have to do it again, and we won't do it until after she's crowned, if she is crowned in the end. She would be Fire Lord, not me. That's how I'd always want it."
"Oh… I see," Tiang said, with a weak smile.
"I know you can do better. I know you will do better, once the time comes for you to leave this cell," Sokka said, a hand on the bars, too. "Stay strong and be patient, Tiang. Think things over… and get ready to change the world alongside us, once you have the chance. We're off to build true balance, and I'm sure we'll need people like you to help us do so."
"Sounds like you're making a job offer of some sort. Can't say I'm against it," Tiang said, smiling more earnestly now. "You'll… you'll ensure Jin is alright, won't you? That Kuei won't walk all over her with any royal pretenses or so…"
"She can defend herself quite well, as far as I've seen, but if she needs any help, I'll be ready to offer it," Sokka said, nodding. "She'll be okay. She's free to visit you whenever she pleases, and she gets a say upon everything we're doing to restore the city so far."
"Good," Tiang said, nodding. "Then… thank you, Gladiator. And good luck, too. I never imagined the day would come when I'd… when I'd find myself hoping for the Fire Lord's defeat. But I suppose that's your charisma's doing, huh?"
"Uh, well, I don't think I'd call it that…" Sokka said. Tiang let out a soft laugh.
"Thank you," he said again, pulling back from the cell's bars and returning deeper into the cell… but he approached the bed, this time. "Do your best. The world needs you to succeed… she needs you to succeed. This opportunity before you is one of a kind… so make sure not to waste it."
"I won't," Sokka said, nodding in Tiang's direction. "Thank you for everything, too. I'll come back if I need anything else…"
"And I'll continue to share whatever information I can give, though I think I already have given you everything I could so far," Tiang said, taking his seat. Sokka nodded.
"That's good, then. I might drop by once in a while anyway, but…"
"No need unless you really must," Tiang said. "It's all the better to think that… that the Princess, the world, will be free by the next time we see each other, isn't it?"
Sokka nodded, smiling encouragingly at Tiang. He offered Sokka a weak grin of his own.
"Goodbye, then, General Tiang," Sokka said. Tiang nodded.
"Goodbye, Gladiator."
With one last shared glance, Sokka turned on his heels and returned to the stairs that would lead him back to the upper floor. His chest felt constrained, even if his heart was lighter over Tiang's apparent approval of his course of action. The man's genuine concern for Azula's wellbeing certainly sat well with Sokka. He supposed his closeness with Lu Ten had seen to that…
Sokka marched back to the spacious hall where most meetings took place in as of late: Kuei's throne remained untouched, as no one knew yet who would sit upon it, if anyone should. Yet a full war room had been prepared and set up in that very room: so far, most discussions there had been related to the upkeep and protection of Ba Sing Se, but Sokka knew they'd have to start talking about the future soon. They had to move forward, and while his ultimate goal was clear, things grew a little hazier now that Ba Sing Se was within their reach. He hadn't decided on their next destination yet, let alone had he chosen how to organize their troops by then – much as it had been in Omashu, a massive number of recruits had volunteered to join them, and their army might wind up doubling its previous size because of them. Some of the White Lotus leaders suspected more people from nearby villages and towns would begin flocking to Ba Sing Se to join their army sooner than later, too…
As lost in his thoughts as he might have been, Sokka still was quick to react upon realizing that something seemed to be amiss right now: Anorak spoke to Aang, Katara and Zuko personally, it seemed. Most of Sokka's friends were absent – Kino had taken off with his musician friends for today, for it seemed he was quite eager to teach Momo how to dance to the rhythm of their songs. Toph and Jet were off supervising more repairs in the city – he always referred to such outings as dates, and Toph never failed to dismiss his claims right away. Even Piandao and Iroh were absent right now, while Jeong Jeong, while present, sat in a corner with a hand on his brow, apparently nursing a headache, potentially caused by Jin and Kuei's latest argument. The young woman cast Sokka a quick glance – she had known he had been visiting her husband, but she would likely choose to ask Tiang how that meeting had gone rather than talking with Sokka. The Gladiator offered her a nod, and Jin's eyes drifted away from him at once.
Anorak, Katara, Aang and Zuko were Sokka's primary concern right now, however. Something about how they spoke quietly disquieted him at once.
"What's going on?" he asked, bluntly, without waiting to overhear anything they were saying. Katara winced when his voice echoed in the hall, and Aang offered him one of his tense smiles while Anorak and Zuko remained as serious as expected.
"Did everything go well with Tiang?" Katara asked him. Sokka nodded.
"Better than I hoped, though unfortunately he didn't have a lot more information to offer than Ukano did. Still some, but not a lot," Sokka said, shaking his head. "But I'll tell you more about that later, I suppose. You guys are acting sketchy, and I'd rather find out why that is, so…"
"You know there's been a lot of chaos outside of Ba Sing Se, right?" Anorak said, breathing out heavily. "Rumors of what happened have resulted in a lot of rejection, and a lot of acclaim for us too. Some people see us as nothing more than warmongers, others think we're here to bring real peace, but so far, we haven't released any official information about what's going on in here. The Fire Lord hasn't done it either, who knows if he got your letter yet…"
"It should have arrived by now," Sokka said, frowning. Anorak sighed and shrugged.
"Hell knows if his advisors would hide something like that from him out of sheer panic, I don't know. Anyway, the point is that, while there's rumors that you're the one who led our forces, no official information certifies that yet. There's no wanted posters for you out there or so, no one has reported a manhunt for you so far, therefore, nobody knows for sure what's going on… and yet there's a group of people we've taken into custody, at the Outer Wall's train station, asking to see you."
"Oh?" Sokka blinked blankly. "Uh… are they gladiators, maybe? Could be the ones who were missing from Omashu…"
"Doesn't seem like it," Anorak remarked. "And, well, speaking of which, a lot of local gladiators have offered to join our ranks too. I don't know nearly enough about that League as you do, but it seems that not everyone came forward, and some suspect that it's because of the same reason why some vanished in Omashu, too."
"That's… huh," Sokka admitted, frowning. His confusion regarding whatever was behind the secretive disappearance of gladiators continued to grow, but he couldn't focus on unraveling that mystery just yet. "I suppose we'll have to look into it eventually, maybe the Ba Sing Se ones who intend to join us will have a better idea of what's going on than the Hallowed Rock did. Anyway, then, you don't think the people in the station could be…?"
"Honestly… no," Anorak said, frowning. "I haven't seen them for myself, but the report says they look dangerous. And by that I mean… Fire Nation dangerous."
"Huh? What, they're all Fire Nation?" Sokka frowned.
"They're thinking they could be spies," Zuko continued. "Sent by my father to kill you when your guard's down or something, if you're successfully convinced that they're actually just trustworthy deserters… but honestly, how many successful deserters have there been in the Fire Nation's army's history?"
"Maybe more than we know? It wouldn't be too surprising if a lot of people dropped out and Ozai, Azulon and all the dickheads who preceded them just hid it or had them murdered so no one would know they had been betrayed," Sokka said, matter-of-factly.
"Does it make sense for it to be spies, though?" Aang said, grimacing. "You said they're all men, right, Anorak?"
"I did, around ten of them," Anorak said. "We haven't really checked if they're benders, but they look like…"
"Wait. Wait just a second…"
Sokka's disposition changed completely before all their eyes. Everyone fell silent as they watched his eyes widening, as he covered his mouth with a hand as he stared at Anorak intently.
"You said… they were asking for me. H-how, exactly, did they do that?" Sokka asked. "Did they… did they use my gladiator name? Or…"
"No. They used your real name, and that's precisely what was so alarming about…" Anorak started… but Sokka's sudden, unexpectedly happy gasp froze him on the spot. "Uh. Sokka?"
"Did you get any of their names?!" Sokka asked, clasping Anorak's shoulders. The waterbender blinked blankly, utterly confused by Sokka's reaction. "Tell me! Was any of them called…?!"
"They didn't give us their names! It's part of what was so sketchy about it!" Anorak winced.
"They… didn't?" Sokka said, releasing Anorak quickly. "Huh… I mean, they shouldn't, it's true. They'd have to be careful, or else…"
"Wait, now… you think you know these people?" Katara smiled awkwardly. "These… ten Fire Nation men who somehow know who you are?"
"Katara… I'm pretty sure I know exactly who they are," Sokka said, a wild smile unlike any they'd seen across his face as of late. "And I'm pretty sure they're not Fire Nation spies at all: they are deserters, hunted deserters in all likelihood, and they'll be great allies for us, so…!"
"Wait a minute," Anorak grimaced, holding up his hands. "You think you know these people and you trust them, apparently…"
"I literally trust them with my life, I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for them!" Sokka nearly squeaked: even now, he couldn't seem to stop smiling. Anorak grimaced.
"Which only feels even more alarming than before!" Anorak said. "What if it's not really the people you think they are? Does the Fire Lord know you have a trustworthy group of Fire Nation men that you'd be quick to trust?"
"Uh… well, yes. He does," Sokka admitted: by now, the realization of who he was talking about was starting to dawn on all his friends, who gazed at him in confusion and wonderment. "You don't think Ozai could be masquerading a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers as the bunch of Fire Nation soldiers I know, do you…?"
"That's exactly what I thought, yes," Anorak said, bluntly. "I realize that, if they're the people you want them to be, they might be helpful allies but if they're not, this could very well be an assassination attempt. We can't risk anything like that. We'll keep them in custody until…"
"Until someone else identifies them?" Sokka asked, skeptical. "I'm sorry, but no one else will be able to. Only I can tell you for sure who those guys are because, as it happens, they lived most their lives under helmets and masks and thousands of covers in order to be proper Royal and then Imperial Guards, so…"
"Then… it's really them?" Aang asked, eyes wide. "You really think it could be…?"
"Yes, Aang: it could be Azula's guards."
Katara and Aang's jaw's dropped. Even Zuko, who had remained skeptical and wary thus far, was surprised upon hearing those words… whereas they meant next to nothing to Anorak.
"You really think so?" Katara said. "Then… Rui Shi, and the rest of the guards?"
"Yeah, Katara. It really… it really could be," Sokka nodded firmly. "Azula… she meant for them to escape, to stay out of the Fire Lord's reach, and if they pulled it off… if they did, they could be here now. I… I know it's crazy, but they're as good as unrecognizable because next to no one ever saw their faces! But I did… and I know them better than anyone here would. Though, well, you could get Jin to confirm who they are, maybe Tiang, they ate meals with all of us at times when we stayed in Ba Sing Se, so…!"
"Sokka… Anorak does have a point," Zuko said. Sokka grimaced. "I don't know how fast or effective my father's reaction could be, but if he's advised by someone smarter than him…"
"Not exactly likely, most his favorite goons are dumbasses so he can keep feeling superior to them…" Sokka said, matter-of-factly. Zuko huffed, shaking his head.
"Whatever: this could be dangerous. If this isn't who you think they are, if the guards ever got caught or something, then maybe he's sent a bunch of people in their place, people you don't know, people who could be under orders to kill you on sight. It wouldn't be the first time he tries to kill you and if you survive, it won't be the last."
"That's if you're both right… if," Sokka said, frowning. "I… I have to see them for myself. I'll be able to tell immediately who they are if I do! Come on, let me just check on them quickly, it shouldn't take so long…"
"You can't do this recklessly, or by yourself," Anorak said, frowning.
"Then… maybe Katara and Aang can come with me. We can take Appa, it'll be even faster!" Sokka declared, grinning proudly. Katara and Aang were perfectly pleased with his proposal, but neither Zuko nor Anorak seemed to be as confident in this course of action as the Gladiator was.
"The Avatar and your sister may be talented benders…" Jeong Jeong's voice interrupted, revealing he had approached and listened in on their conversation so far. Sokka turned towards him, an eyebrow raised. "But trained assassins sent by the Fire Lord would strike quickly. Without a stronger defense than that, you would be at too great a risk."
"So… you want to come too?" Sokka asked, with a sarcastic grin. Jeong Jeong's deadpan expression answered that question for itself. "Yeah, didn't think so."
"Take a non-bending squad with you," Jeong Jeong said. Sokka blinked blankly. "You won't be able to fly with them on your bison… but I suppose you could simply walk to the nearest functioning monorail station with them. If solely over density of numbers, you should be better protected should the worst happen."
"So… you think I should check this out?" Sokka asked, perplexed. "I was pretty sure you were going to…"
"This is a potential alliance or a threat to be neutered. The sooner it is dealt with, the better," Jeong Jeong said, pointedly. "Keep your guard up. Even if they happen to be your allies, there's no telling if there's any dangerous lurkers in their midst. Be cautious, General Sokka."
"I will be, I will be," Sokka said, nodding in his direction… before turning towards Katara and Aang. "You guys want to join in anyway?"
"Sure thing," Aang grinned. Katara sighed but smiled.
"I'll be ready to smack them if anyone tries anything weird," she said. "Of course, I won't do anything if you say it's really them, but…"
"It's got to be. Hell, it's got to be," Sokka chuckled, a hand going to his hair as the reality of this sudden revelation struck him potently.
Rui Shi… he had thought he'd never reunite with his friend until the war was over. He had hoped all the guards had managed to survive and get by after leaving Azula… if this was truly them, then that meant they had succeeded. His heavy heart, constantly dragged under by the pressures of his new role, by the anguish of being torn away from the woman he loved, by the weight of the mission he had undertaken, suddenly seemed to float anew over the hopes of an unexpected reunion with friends he had missed much more than he had ever allowed himself to realize he did…
"Alright, then…" Sokka smiled at his sister and Aang, jerking his head towards the exit. "I'll go get my weapons first just to stay on the safe side, and we've got a squad to recruit after… so let's get going!"
They nodded and followed him without another word, leaving Anorak, Zuko and Jeong Jeong behind: all of them seemed much warier over this potential reunion than Sokka was… and Sokka hardly blamed them for it. They definitely had a point, his letter to Ozai had been sent about fifteen days ago… he had the time to prepare his defenses somehow, but if this was some manner of deceit, Sokka would be ready to face it, too.
And if it wasn't, reclaiming these bonds would bring him one step closer to the restoration of so much that had been lost, lifting him so much higher than even the conquest of a city could hope to…
Xin Long was playful that day, happily singing along in his awkward way to the songs Azula played on the guzheng. Rei wasn't any more experienced with singing than the dragon was, but Azula was relieved to find in her a much more receptive music student than Sokka or Xin Long had ever been: she had learned almost the full lyrics of one song by the time Azula needed to return to their room, due to her unfortunately weak bladder control.
"We'll be back with more music soon, okay?" Azula smiled, patting Xin Long's head gently as the dragon groaned appreciatively at her. The Princess offered him a gentle kiss before making to rise to a full standing position, ever aided by the diligent Song. "And you… you need to join in with the pipa next time."
"I still haven't bought one, so I have no way of doing that even if you demand it of me, Princess," Song said, with a proud grin. Azula chuckled, shaking her head.
"You're sneaky, Wen. How unfair to leave the heavy duty of instrumental performance to me…"
"But you play so well! I'd just mess up the song, you know I would…" Song said, shaking her head as she helped Azula out of the refuge's door.
"You're always too humble to…" Azula started… but she stopped teasing her friend at once upon finding that both Rei and Renkai had frozen cold right outside the refuge's door.
A most unwanted, unwelcome and confusing sight stood before them all: standing tall, flanked by multiple Imperial Guards, General Shaofeng appeared to have been waiting for them to leave the dragon's refuge. Azula wondered for how long he'd been there… but he surely had arrived not long ago: Renkai would have noticed him and warned her, otherwise. The General wasn't exactly renowned for his patience, and she doubted he would have simply waited for her to be done with her daily greetings to her dragon instead of demanding her attention at once.
Renkai bowed his head respectfully, even if Azula knew his heart likely boiled with rage over having to display any manner of feigned respect towards the man. Rei, as ever, shrank away from the center of attention, and Song's grip around Azula's waist strengthened. The Princess frowned… but she stepped forward, between the others, regarding Shaofeng with caution.
"Is there something I can do for you, General?" Azula asked, curtly.
"You are expected to be present in today's war meeting."
Whatever Shaofeng had wanted, Azula supposed it had to be important, unless he had a mighty urge to mock her for wasting away in her perfectly placid life in imprisonment, somehow. Still, even Shaofeng had to have more things to do in his life aside from ridiculing others, she thought…
But this?
The blood ran cold in her body as she stared at him in confusion. He was unreadable underneath his helmet, and the Princess inevitably wondered if she was being ridiculed in a different way than she had anticipated right now. This was a joke. It had to be a twisted joke… perhaps he simply wanted to humiliate her? To make her show up uninvited to a meeting so her father would lash out at her? That was a possibility…
"Well, that's… curious. I thought you didn't have a sense of humor, but that you'd think I'd ever be invited to a war meeting again, and that you, of all people, would be tasked with being the messenger of such tidings?" Azula said. "It's an odd way to prove me wrong about my assumptions, but I suppose you do have one…"
"I have proven nothing: I do not have a sense of humor, Princess Azula," Shaofeng growled: that he seemed to take pride in uttering that particular statement would have been laughable in any other circumstances. "The Fire Lord's orders are absolute, whether you abide by them willingly or not. Be ready in three hours or I will drag you to the Throne Room myself. Your choice."
Azula could feel her three companions tensing up behind her. Song was reckless enough these days to try to pick a fight with a man as dangerous as Shaofeng just to make him show her respect… Renkai was as antagonistic towards his boss as he was loyal to Azula as of late, too. And Rei, surely, had never heard anyone speaking to her this way…
But if Shaofeng wasn't lying, if this was a genuine order by Ozai…
"I… I see. I understand," Azula said. Her apprehension didn't diminish any further, and her own resentment towards Shaofeng hadn't varied in any way…
But her greater apprehension wasn't directed towards the man standing before her right now. The Fire Lord wanted her in a war meeting?
The Fire Lord wanted her in a war meeting.
Whatever this was about, it could not be good.
It might not be Shaofeng who wanted to humiliate her this time, but Ozai himself. Perhaps this was a test…. A way to check if she knew Sokka was still alive, to shame her publicly before all his council. If that was what plagued him, what had caused his latest hostile behavior, perhaps this was but another trial for her… one on which would ride the fates of everyone around her, including that of the child within her.
"Ensure you're ready by then," Shaofeng repeated, bluntly. "My men will escort her to the war meeting, Captain Renkai: you will offer me a report on the Princess's latest activities while the war meeting is taking place."
"Yes, sir," Renkai answered without losing a beat: Azula's heart clenched upon realizing both Song and Rei would be left alone, with no manner of defense, while both her and Renkai were gone.
Shaofeng turned and marched away without another word, flanked still by the guards he had brought with him. He took for granted that no threats would be needed to ensure that Renkai would do as was expected of him… even if the man was noticeably unsettled already as he glanced back at Song and Rei.
"Don't… don't worry about us," Song said, quickly. "You two… that sounds like, well…"
"Like nothing good," Azula finished, fists clenched at either side of her body.
A hand clasped her fist, easing its grip gently. Rei, trembling slightly, pressed against Azula's arm as she clutched at her. A profound fear had taken over her, surely dreading that the Fire Lord could mean her mother any harm…
Whereas Azula dreaded that Ozai might give orders for his wretched assassin to do something to her allies while Azula was gone.
In a single day, in one fell swoop, it seemed as though all their hard-earned stability, all the peace they had crafted among the four of them had collapsed upon its own weight. The likelihood that Ozai could have planned something nefarious was difficult to shake off…
But even if that was the case, what choice did Azula have but to comply with everything he asked for?
As ever… there was nothing to be done, no defenses to be built whenever the words she most despised in this world had been spoken out loud:
Fire Lord's orders.
A/N:
Yeeeeah... things aren't going to stay as happy as they've been for our poor Princess soon. I suppose it sounds ominous for me to say that I hope you'll have compassion for her, since the challenges that await her won't be a walk in the park, but I feel the need to say it anyway. I hope everyone can understand just how difficult her position is right now...
But that's not why I wanted to make an author's note: Sokkla Saturdays have started again, and so, I have a new story, a multichapter one called The Shadows in her Reflection. You can find it in my profile if you want to give it a go. It's probably my first full attempt at writing a redemption arc for Azula in canon settings (mostly I've worked on implied redemption stories rather than doing the heavy duty work myself, just so I can focus on the side of things that I wanted to develop), so, if any of you have been eager to see how I'd go about Azula's canon redemption arc, feel free to jump right in to read it!
Anyway, hope you enjoy the new story, hope you enjoy the happier side of this arc, and to the wicked people who thrive in angst... I do suspect you'll enjoy the dark side of the arc, too. See you next week!