Chapter Thirty One
Interludes Two
Hahn. Jet. Arnook. Haru. Tema. Kuei.
I
Hahn
Hahn stepped back and ducked under the lightning-quick whip of water his father had attacked with. Rolled closer quickly, taking care to not tangle his spear in his movement. He bounded to his left and was caught in the face with the butt of his master's spear. His concentration broken, he stumbled to the side and was caught by Laluk's bending attack. He was hoisted in the air, and he admitted defeat.
A slow clapping filled the training yard, and Zhao spoke. "That was better. Not good enough yet, I'm afraid, but better."
Laluk placed his son on the ground again as he walked to join the Admiral. Laluk had been commissioned as an officer in the Fire Navy, serving as Zhao's right hand and doing anything the Admiral assigned him to do. How that had been arranged, Hahn didn't know, but he was glad all the same. Anything that benefited Zhao and his father would benefit their order.
"I've just got to learn to be faster, Admiral." Hahn said as he bowed to the older man. Qiang, Hahn's spear master, cleared his throat.
"It is not a matter of speed. It's a matter of timing and intuition. You must learn to read your opponent, to predict where he is going to strike, and then be elsewhere when he does." Qiang said.
Hahn looked at him. He considered the man's words and nodded. He had a point. He knew that he had little chance of meeting Sokka's speed, for his enemy had some strange supernatural power that made him at least twice as fast as a regular man, if not more. Hahn would have to already be in motion by the time Sokka struck, or he would fail. His mission would result in his own death. If he could not master the skills, he would be unable to kill the First Son.
II
Jet
Jet opened the door to the small apartment he shared with Longshot and Smellerbee. The three of them had made it to Ba Sing Se a little more than a week ago, and they had found this apartment rather quickly. He and Longshot shared a room, while Smellerbee had one to herself. She had protested that just because she was a girl didn't mean that she required special treatment. Jet had just shrugged and threw her stuff in there anyway.
Now he walked in on the two of them in the main room of their home. Smellerbee sat on the one stool they had while sharpening her knives, and Longshot was at the stove making dinner, while wearing a pink and frilly apron for some reason.
Jet let out a slow whistle. "Wow, Longshot, that's quite the look."
The silent archer looked at him. He smiled and gave a thumbs up, at which Jet snorted.
"Any luck on the job front?" Smellerbee asked. Jet nodded.
"Yeah, I went to the army office down the street. They're taking me on as a wall guard," He said. Smellerbee frowned slightly and stood. Her knives clattered to the ground as she walked over to him.
"You're joining the army? I thought we came here to get away from the war."
"We did, and it's not the regular army. The wall garrison doesn't go on deployment, they just… guard the wall. Besides, it's not that much of a big deal. I come back here after my shift each day, as long as we're not under siege."
Smellerbee looked slightly appeased, and Jet asked, "What about you two? Have you found anything?"
Longshot looked over to them and nodded. Smellerbee elaborated on his response. "Longshot's entered an archery competition. The top five competitors win some money. We figured if he makes a good showing, then some nobleman or rich merchant would take us on as guards. Too bad there's no grappling tournament that I could enter."
"Give it time, eventually we'll have enough money to start our own dojo."
Smellerbee laughed as she bent to retrieve her weapons. "Yeah, that's true. No matter how you look at it, things are looking up."
III
Arnook
"What do you mean it's binding?" The chief asked, staring at the scholar before him. He sat in his council chamber with the entirety of his government officials and the heads of noble houses, as well as various elected representatives.
"W-well, Chief Arnook, sir, they fulfilled their end of the agreement in good faith." Said the nervous, balding man. The assembled officials and representatives murmured amongst themselves. The scholar swallowed and continued to speak.
"Chief Hakoda sent the shipwrights and warriors that you had agreed upon, as well as his son. And, when you sent Pakku and many other waterbenders to the South Pole, you, uh, fulfilled your end of the treaty."
"How can there be any treaty when the marriage between Sokka and Yue, the crux of the whole agreement, shall never come to pass?!" Demanded an angry official from somewhere out of sight. Arnook shot a glare in the direction the voice had come from.
"There was no clause stating that the treaty would become null if one or both of the heirs died, only that the treaty would be binding if both parties carried out their obligations in good faith. In other words, it doesn't matter that the pair were never wed; all agreements and obligations were fulfilled to the best of either party's ability." The scholar looked around the room, as if hoping that he had not offended anyone.
Arnook rubbed his mouth absently. The casual mention of his daughter's death caused a sharp pain in his chest, but it had dulled over the month since her passing, if only slightly. He mulled over the subject at hand: Sokka was still the heir apparent of the northern Water Tribe. Arnook considered that he could do much worse for an heir.
Sokka had a sharp mind. He had been the one to realize there were spies in their midst, he had planned much of the city's defense, and he was very close with the Avatar. He also seemed to have a somewhat not terrible relationship with Prince Zuko, who allegedly had turned against the war. He licked his teeth as he pondered the problem. Or, he thought, perhaps, it was a boon.
IV
Haru
Haru walked in a military manner as he marched his way to the General's office. Each precise and sharp step took him closer to the destination. General Fong had summoned him, and he assumed it was to berate him for not helping to arrest Sokka in his endeavor to assist Aang and Katara.
He thought about Sokka. When he first met the Avatar, he hadn't spent that much time speaking with him. Most of his conversations had been with Aang and Katara, but he had shared some laughs with Sokka. The young man he had met then was a far cry to the empty shell he had seen the previous week. A whole week, and only now was he being summoned before the General. It was odd, he thought, both that it would be a whole week, and that Fong would see to it personally that he was punished.
He arrived at General Fong's office and was allowed up the stairs. When he stood before the man in question, Haru gave a smart salute and stood at attention.
"At ease." Fong said as he pressed the seal on a scroll. There was another scroll, but that one had been sealed already. "I have messages for you to deliver. Both are to be delivered to the Earth King, though you won't likely get through to see him. Nobody has had contact with the Earth King since the last one died, around twenty years ago. Even still, Ba Sing Se is the communication hub for the Earth Kingdom."
Fong handed over the message and Haru stowed them in the belt pouch of his messenger's uniform. Fong spoke again. "The scrolls may be given to the grand secretariat, a man named Long Feng. He will see to it that the information is given to the pertinent generals. I explained in one of the scrolls that you are friends with the Avatar, and given a description of him and his companions, that they may be recognized if they visit the city."
"Don't worry, Haru," Fong said as he saw the look of dismay on the messenger's face, "It's a letter of introduction. I don't harbor a grudge, if anything, I'm chagrined at my behavior during their visit. I was… well, never mind that. I merely advised that they be given every courtesy. The second letter is a request for reinforcements and a convoy to retake Omashu. It might be weeks before the letter even gets to Ba Sing Se, as we're no longer permitted to use eagle-hounds to carry messages. If we were still, then we would have heard of the city's capture before and warned the Avatar. But that's beside the point. You have your assignment."
Haru stared at the general. Omashu had been captured? That was where his friends were going, they might have already gotten there, they might have-!
He was cut off from his monologue when the general spoke once more, "I've never understood the position. Around fifteen years ago, the Earth King decreed that eagle-hounds were no longer permitted for military correspondence. It made no sense then, The Earth King was only a child, and his regent shouldn't have-!"
Fong stopped speaking and looked at Haru. The man stood and raised his voice, "What are you still doing here?! You have a message for the Earth King! Go!"
Haru turned on his heel and ran from the office. He raced to the quartermaster and requisitioned supplies and a steed for his journey. Within the hour he left for Ba Sing Se.
V
Tema
She took a slow drink of her tea in the mess. She had disembarked from Admiral Zhao's ship and been assigned to another vessel that was being repaired at the same port that the fleet had mustered in. She drained the cup and placed it on the tray. She raised her eyes to meet those of a man she had spoken with a few times, and now she was beginning to wish she had never met him. He said nothing that she disagreed with, but…
"I don't know, Jee, it's risky." She said. The lieutenant nodded, but didn't press the issue.
"I understand, Tema. Take some time to think about it, but at least promise me you'll hold your silence."
Tema closed her eyes and nodded. She opened them again and stood from the table. "If you would excuse me."
Jee bid her a polite goodbye and she returned to her assigned room in the barracks. She placed her helm on the desk and leaned against the back of her chair. She exhaled slowly. She considered Jee's words, his attempt to recruit her into his subtle rebellion. Honestly, she felt no love for the Fire Lord. He had sacrificed thousands of men in the siege of the North Pole, and many other doomed operations, and for what? What did the Fire Nation gain? Nothing, and neither did anyone else.
She looked at the portrait of her grandfather on her desk. She slumped into her chair as she remembered him, his wisdom, of how he had taught her to live. He had remembered the old ways of the Fire Nation, the way to live and die with honor. Her grandfather had been ancient: already a teenager when the war began. He had never approved of the war, and had he still lived, he wouldn't have approved of her joining it.
What would he have done in her place? Tema snorted, for she knew what Grandpa Kuzon would have done. He was a warrior, a man of the old breed. Stoic and strong, he had thrown aside fear and replaced it with the desire for justice. He would have joined the subtle rebellion in seconds. Had he known about the Avatar's return, he probably would have started it.
She took out a cloth and polished the glass covering the small picture. She remembered what he told her when she was just beginning to learn to fight, back when she still cowered in fear. She had been, what? Ten? She was frightened by her firebending. He had taken her by the hand and soothed her worries. He asked her what she was afraid of, and she had said she was afraid to die. The old man had laughed at that, as if one's own death was nothing. To him it was.
"I know how to fix that," He had said, "You must rehearse your own death, every morning and night. Do that and you will not be afraid, and when you do not fear death, you will awaken from your dreams."
Tema had been horrified at her grandfather's words. In later years, her father had explained to her that her family followed the old ways. Bushido, the way of the warrior. She still followed, and that gave her strength. She sat on her bed and meditated, following the traditions of her family. Once she had done so, she knew the answer to Jee's question. She would join him.
VI
Kuei
The Earth King sat on his throne. He wondered if the chief of either Water Tribe had issued a reply. It had been months, and nothing had come. Surely they would have gotten the message by now. The eagle-hounds his army used were fast and sturdy, surely they couldn't have taken much time at all to get there. Maybe the hounds had gotten lazy, as there was little need of them at times of peace.
He shifted on his throne and looked at Bosco. The bear chuffed at him.
"That's a great idea, Bosco." Kuei said. He knew the bear didn't have an actual idea, but he enjoyed talking to the animal. He turned his attention to a servant and waved them over. "I need you to take a letter. Address it to Fire Lord Ozai."
The servant paled, and sweat started to bead down his face. Kuei took no notice, and he closed his eyes before beginning to speak.
"The land of the earth sends their greetings to the land of the sun- no, that's terrible." Kuei said, "I'll start again." He cleared his throat.
"To the esteemed Fire Lord Ozai, from Earth King Kuei." Kuei nodded, that was good, at least to start.
"In order to foster peaceful and beneficial relations between all nations, I humbly invite your nation to send representatives to the City of Ba Sing Se, so that we might join with the other peoples of the world in noble competitions of a game and sport."
Kuei nodded, thinking that it was good so far. "In centuries past, a series of athletic competitions was held every few years, and the four nations would take it in turn to host them. I wish to restore that tradition, and to reopen trade with your great nation."
Alright, now to come up with the end. Better to keep these things short. Kuei rubbed his chin in thought. He finished the message, "I seek only to promote peace, and healthy relations between our people."
He opened his eyes to see Long Feng, his most trusted adviser, standing beside the servant.
"Ah! Long Feng, you're just in time. I've just dictated the letter for Fire Lord Ozai. Please ensure that it has the proper seals in place. Oh, and while you're here, have you heard back from the Water Tribes? I know that the Air Nomads have been rather elusive, but I'm sure one will come down from their temples and into Ba Sing Se soon"
"Of course your majesty," Long Feng bowed, "And no, the Water Tribe has not yet responded to the message you have sent."
"Are you really going to sue for peace?!" The servant blurted out. Kuei turned his attention to the man. He frowned. What was so surprising about wanting to establish stronger ties with the other nations…
"Do not address the king so casually!" Long Feng snapped, glaring at the servant. "You are dismissed, and I have half a mind to have you flogged for your insolence!"
Kuei was taken aback by Long Feng's outburst. He had never known the man to be so quick to anger. The servant bowed low and backed out of the throne room. Kuei frowned. He had the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye.
"I shall see to it personally that the Fire Lord is sent this message, your majesty." Long Feng said, and he too left the throne room.
