Chapter 3

Apparently being Fire Lord meant being subjected to endless meetings. Countless ministers demanded Azula's attention, insisting on updating her on the progress of various programs and campaigns. Agriculture, education, finance, industry, labor, health, environment — and that was before the army and navy got hold of her. Not even the running commentary of her chorus of voices could make the presentations bearable.

"Shouldn't you be paying attention to these daily governance meetings?" Mother nagged.

"Ugh, they're so boring!" Mai groaned.

"La dee da," Ty Lee sang, playing with her braid.

"These men know what they're doing." Father shrugged. "I hired them, after all. Better if you just let them do their jobs, and don't get in their way. You'd just mess it up."

"Did you hear what they said about sending more troops to put down rebels in the northern Earth Kingdom? Do you know how many people they're going to kill?" Aang prodded her, appalled.

All she really cared about was getting Aang back. The real Aang, not this one that disappeared when she tried to touch him. The closest her ministers came to even addressing her constant preoccupation was when the press secretary proudly showed her a pair of wanted posters displaying the Avatar and the peasant.

Azula grabbed them from his hand and ripped them in two.

"Many apologies, my lord!" The man bowed fearfully. "If you would deign to give me to understand—"

"How many wanted posters for my brother and uncle have you printed?" she demanded. "And yet they remain free. Why do you think these will be any more successful?"

"Perhaps if we disseminate them widely and quickly, we can find them before they ensconce themselves in a hiding place, or induce friends to conceal them?" the man ventured.

She held up half of one of the posters and pointed at the arrow on Aang's head. "Tell me, do you think the Avatar is particularly inconspicuous?"

"No, he does, um, stand out," the press secretary had to admit.

"And are his tattoos a secret?" she pushed.

"No, everyone knows…."

"Then why is it necessary to publish a poster to inform everyone what they already know he looks like?"

The press secretary sat down meekly, and the meeting moved on to other matters.

Azula's true reason for discouraging the search for the Avatar was to buy herself some time. She did not truly want to capture Aang until she had a plan for not only ensuring his safety from execution, but also making him love her.

After several days of inane presentations from self-important dignitaries, Azula could not take it anymore. When the last meeting was over, she collapsed into bed, more tired than she should be, given she'd done nothing all day but sit and pretend to listen.

"I told you being Fire Lord would be tedious as hell," Mai chided her.

"What if Li or Lo washes your hair for you? Or you could call the seamstress in to pick out a new dress?" Ty Lee suggested. "Maybe you need a vacation. Oh, I know! Mani-pedis!"

"It looks like this is harder than you thought it would be," Aang sympathized.

"Pathetic," Father sneered.

"Now, dear," Mother murmured at him, the strongest admonishment she ever dared give her husband.

"You let them make you miserable? You're Fire Lord!" Ozai stormed at her. "That means you can do whatever you want!"

Azula perked up. She liked the sound of that.

The following morning, the Fire Lord swept into her throne room and demanded all of her head ministers to attend her. When they were assembled before her, she spoke imperiously.

"From now on, there will be no more meetings. You are all to do what I want, and you are not to bother me about it. If you do not know what I want, you are to guess. If you guess wrong, you will lose your job, and perhaps your life. When I wish to spend my time listening to you, I will send for you and ask you a question. If you do not hear from me, then you are to carry on doing my wishes as before."

A minister timidly raised his hand, and Azula turned her glare upon him. "Did I give you permission to ask questions?"

He paled. "No, my lord."

"Then why do you imagine that I wish to hear what you have to say? Did I not just tell you to stop bothering me?"

The man stuttered for a minute, before she waved her hand dismissively and made an example of him. "You're fired." As the crowd of ministers gaped at her, she stood and left the room.

Raiden found a pale flower by his bedside a week after the coronation, and knew he'd been summoned. Luckily, he wouldn't be on duty until afternoon, so he would have time to make it to Shu Jing and back before he'd be missed.

Fat let him in as he approached the estate, and led him to a bright solarium where the old master sat with a brush and easel, peacefully copying the landscape.

"Congratulations, captain!" Piandao looked up from his painting and greeted him warmly, setting aside his colors.

Raiden frowned. "I'm not—"

"You're about to be promoted." Piandao clapped a hand on his back.

"Oh!" He crossed his arms, annoyed at the interference with his career. It felt as if his mentor didn't trust him to rise in the ranks on his own merit. "I suppose I have you to thank for that?"

"Don't get your feelings hurt. Jinan is finally retiring, and recommended you."

"I'm sure I wasn't the only candidate," he replied cynically, thinking of a couple of rivals who would resent his rise in the ranks.

"No, but the only one supported by my friends in the upper echelons of the army. You did earn this position." Piandao assured him.

"By joining—-"

"Precisely."

"And what will I be expected to do in return?" Raiden asked cannily.

"Your new regiment will be stationed in the palace, guarding Fire Lord Azula and carrying out her orders. All you have to do is—"

"Tell you what she's up to?"

"See, I knew you were a smart boy." Piandao tweaked his chin affectionately, then shook his head. "You'll see soon how important it is for us to have ears inside that palace. Just yesterday our dear Fire Lord decided she's sick of meetings, so she told all the ministers to do as they please! Well, what she really said is that she expects them to read her mind, and do as she pleases, or she'll fire them."

Raiden couldn't help laughing at the audacious selfishness of that demand. "And what will be the result of that policy?"

The old master shrugged. "As far as the country's internal affairs, nothing but good. Too often, recent Fire Lords have overridden the advice of educated ministers, and interfered in the country's economy, causing only chaos."

"And for the war?"

"Well, in my opinion, also good. Without explicit direction from the Fire Lord, the army and navy cannot attack. As long as Fire Lord Azula refuses to give them orders, the war will be at a standstill."

The young soldier blinked in astonishment. "So this is basically a ceasefire?"

"No, but almost. An actual settled peace would also require the Fire Lord's approval. As things stand, soldiers will remain stationed in forts defending our current positions, but no new offensive campaigns will take place."

"Do you think she knows that?" Raiden wondered.

"Perhaps," Piandao shrugged. "But no one can ask her that, and keep their job. I'm afraid she may have other plans she wishes to focus on instead."

"Like?"

"No way of telling yet, but based on the scene in that throne room a few nights ago, she may try to track down the Avatar, or attack the Resistance in some way. The archers were always used to guard the Avatar's training sessions, so it seems likely that she will need you if she makes an attempt on his life."

"Right." Raiden paused, unsure if he should ask, but unable to suppress his curiosity. "Have you heard from—"

"No, but it's too soon. I have faith they're all safe."

Katara perched on the bison's shoulders, while Aang stood on his head, working his arms diligently to help his injured companion to stay aloft.

The waterbender surveyed the land below. They were approaching the hideout, but she wasn't sure she would recognize it from this angle. She had told Aang to follow the river; waterways were always the way she understood a landscape best.

The time Katara and Aang had just spent together at the Southern Air Temple, mourning his culture, had further cemented their love. Their days on the mountain had been cathartic and emotional, a necessary pause so that Aang could say goodbye to his childhood before moving on with Katara. Their relationship had been born in captivity, lies, and the desperate need for companionship in a bleak environment that made trust near impossible. But despite its dramatic inception, their love had proven its tenacious ability to overcome all obstacles. And recently, Katara had found that witnessing Aang's grief and helping him to bear it had only bonded her to him more strongly. She was sure her feelings for him would only grow in the years ahead. She felt incredibly lucky to be at his side, and excited for the next part of their lives together.

Now she was looking forward to introducing him to her adopted family, the Resistance. She was also a little nervous about it, as she had left for the Fire Nation to rescue her brother in defiance of Zuko and Iroh's advice. But she was returning triumphant, and Sokka should have arrived ahead of her, safe and sound. Even better, she was bringing the Avatar with her, one more friend to add to their clan, and a strong ally for their cause. She was eager to see what this collaboration could mean, not only for her friends, but for the world.

She spotted the bend in the river, and just beyond that, the waterfall. Camp was hidden in the nearby trees; they had probably already been sighted in the air.

"There it is!" Katara cried out, jumping up and joining her boyfriend on Appa's head. He wasn't expecting her to stand up like that while they were still flying, so he laughed at her enthusiasm and grabbed her around the waist to steady her.

"Careful! I've got you." He squeezed her, grinning down at her.

"You do." She gave him a firm kiss on the lips. "Are you ready for this?" she asked him, full of thrilled apprehension.

"With you by my side, I'm ready for anything," Aang answered confidently, and directed Appa to begin his descent.

Author's Note: Please leave me a review! I'll update on Friday