The office of Prince Ozai wasn't that hard to eavesdrop on; Zuko had done it countless times before, wanting to learn about his father's work, so he could try and figure out his own possible duties. That was at least what he told himself, but after so long listening to him, he couldn't help but feel that his father had treasonous plans. The problem was that he lacked any concrete evidence, and any desire to out him, knowing the repercussions would be terrible.
He had hid himself in a closet beside the office, which only had a thin wall between it and where his father would be sitting; he had come around as he noticed War Minister Qin walking over to the office, who was a frequent visitor of his father's. He understood that Ozai was interested in the development of new technologies and their application in the military; given that the number of soldiers and sailors they had couldn't even equal the number of rebels and bandits that remained in the Earth Kingdom, even after the fall of Ba Sing Se, they needed to rely on their technological edge to keep their enemies at bay.
"So, Minister, where are the schematics I was promised?" his father asked Qin, who remained silent, telling Zuko immediately that he hadn't procured whatever his father wanted.
"I- uh, the schematics we have aren't working as intended... the design is similar to a flying lantern, but as you would know, they can only rise... we would have to wait for the air to cool before it would lower back to the ground. Not to mention that we cannot find the right materials to make the craft as light as possible."
"This is for military application, Minister. You are required to follow the regulations on anti-earthbending defences." he reminded him; Zuko was somewhat familiar with the rule, having learnt about it from his tutor on military history- to prevent their vehicles and armour from being easily destroyed by earthbenders, they had to be able to pass a number of regulatory tests against the expected attacks they would face.
"That would require the craft to be far larger than the schematics we have been provided... which may take a few months of rigorous tests and prototypes before we can have it airborne. The most recent schematic might still have use as a reconnaissance vehicle." he suggested, Zuko noting the sound of crinkling paper, perhaps under his father's hand.
"Reconnaissance?" he scoffed, "My father will not be pleased to hear that your prized inventor is unable to give us his 'new dragons'. He has been waiting for over a year since you came to us with the first designs."
"Your highness, I mean no offence, but this craft will not be operational while your father lives." the Minister warned him, referring to Fire Lord Azulon's ill health; he had been practically bedridden for months, only attending the most vital of duties, where he would always remain seated, and even then, he seemed lethargic.
"I understand that, but this project was meant to be completed with haste. I cannot set any resources aside for it until we have a working craft." he explained, "The Treasurer would be most displeased if I told him you needed to spend tens of thousands of ban on mere reconnaissance craft. The cost needs to match the benefit to the Fire Nation."
"I am well aware of that, your highness, that is why I am pressing him for a new schematic, one that can both rise and fall with precision, and... I will send a letter about the armament requirements. I do not believe he has the materials to create a fully armoured craft."
"It can be imitated by putting ballasts on the craft, can it not?" he asked Qin, who hummed positively.
"That could work. I will ensure that he knows of your urgency, your highness. We could send a detachment to the temple to make sure your desires are known."
"No, those resources ought to be spent elsewhere. Bandits are more of an issue in that region than his tardiness... for now, that is." Ozai acknowledged; Zuko furrowed a brow, wondering what he was so concerned about that required the Minister's urgency.
He did not know who they were talking about, but from his understanding it had to be some inventor, living off in the colonies or somewhere else far from the homeland. He didn't know why they would be so far away if they were creating something that had garnered so much interest from his father and grandfather.
"Of course, your highness." War Minister Qin responded, "When should I make your requirements clear to him?"
"Send the letter, demand the new schematic by winter. If he doesn't have it, I want him seized and brought to the capital to work on the project under my direct purview. Is that understood?"
"Yes, your highness. I will make sure you have the craft... one way or another."
"He must be brought in alive. His designs are useless without his mind... the rest of the people living there, however, are none of my concern."
"Understood." Qin responded sharply; Zuko understood the implication of his father's words- if the inventor didn't comply, his community would be punished, the threat of such a move presumably be a motivating factor in his continued compliance.
The inventor, he realised, must have been from the Earth Kingdom, given that his father could not reasonably ask Qin to order the deaths of Fire Nation citizens, especially civilians that were not implicated in any treasonous affairs. Even if they could retroactively make something up to justify destroying a town or a village, it would not sit well with any of the elite, who might see their city, estate, businesses, next on the chopping block if they didn't follow the government's demands.
Zuko was not too well versed in the political dynamics of the Fire Nation, but from what he observed, his father was frequently meeting with prominent industrialists, aristocrats, and merchants, the people that they needed to be working in line with the government to ensure that they could achieve their aims: those being the ultimate defeat of their enemies, and the unification of the world under the rule of the Fire Lord.
He heard the doors open and close, and Zuko let out a deep breath, hoping that he could slip out unnoticed; his father's guards were usually just standing there, bored out of their minds, or even quietly chatting amongst themselves, so he guessed he could slip out without them noticing, especially if his father got their attention.
The Prince stepped over to the door of the closet, pushing it slightly ajar; the Minister was still walking away, and the guards were looking his way, giving him the opportunity to slip out. Zuko stepped slowly, and began to walk down the hallway with haste. He was lucky that he had chosen to wear a disguise, which was the only precaution he could take.
He wore the usual robes that a servant would wear, and he accompanied it with a headscarf that he tied around his scalp, covering most of his face; only a few guards and servants would notice his identity immediately, but that wasn't a concern, he just needed to reach the training yards, where his actual clothes awaited him.
He paced his way down through the hallway, making his way past some guards, dropping his head in case they might recognise him, though it might have just outwardly looked to be an act of deference. They seemed to ignore him, striding past as he turned a corner, taking the most direct path he knew to the training yards. He felt confident enough to increase his pace, and as soon as he reached the entrance to the change-rooms, he slowed, quickly checking behind him to make sure there were no servants on the way. He knew that they regularly came to clean the changing area, providing new towels and restocking the water that he might cool himself with after a long training session.
Zuko stepped into the change-rooms, and before he could get to the men's area, where his clothes awaited him, he heard someone clearing their throat; his eyes turned around, and saw his sister standing before him, in her own training garbs. Her eyes narrowed upon him, scanning up and down at his disguise, before she huffed.
"It's convincing, Brother." she commended him, though he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not, "I know your face all too well."
"Yeah, you do." he agreed with her, before continuing over to the changing area; before he could step inside and just ignore her, she grasped him by the arm, and tugged him back.
"No, no, you're going to at least tell me why you're dressed like that." she demanded; he knew she could tell his father, which could only make things worse.
So, instead of giving her the silent treatment, he relented, and pulled the headscarf from his scalp, letting his hair hang down over his face, "I was sneaking around... eavesdropping. That's all I'm going to say."
"Ah, well, I usually do that by going into the tunnels behind the walls. You don't need a disguise to get in there." she argued, making the Prince raise a brow.
He'd heard about the passages that ran between some of the rooms, but had never been able to find the; he relied on the more well known entrances to the catacombs, which were important for security purposes. When he was much younger, his father had instructed him on their locations; he didn't know if Ozai knew he used them, but he guessed he would; he went over to Mai's often enough, but that's all he wanted his father to think he was doing. He'd snooped around in more places than just the palace.
"I don't know where they are." he admitted, and that made her snicker.
"Really? After all the sneaking out you've done."
"The catacombs are much easier to get into."
"You're dressed as a palace servant... you didn't leave." she retorted, before raising a brow, "Unless you are trying to learn about the servant's personal lives... you're not looking for spies, are you?"
"Of course not." he scoffed, finding that to be a bit absurd; he was sure that his father, leading the Intelligence Service, had had every single one of the servants in the palace checked to ensure they weren't in league with traitors, "Now, let me get changed." he demanded, pulling his arm free of her grip.
His sister let out a sigh, clearly annoyed that she hadn't learned what she wanted, "Fine, but I wouldn't be sneaking around like that if I were you. The Imperial Firebenders might think you're a spy." she warned him with a tap on his sternum; Zuko almost wanted to laugh at the possibility she suggested.
He was Prince Zuko, in line to inherit the throne and become Fire Lord; as soon as he was recognised, he would be released, even if getting caught would cause a fiasco he'd like to avoid.
"No, they wouldn't." he retorted, before stepping into the changing area.
"Don't do anything stupid, Zuzu." she warned him; he didn't give her the chance to mock his decisions, because he wasn't going to tell her anymore than he already had.
Zuko quickly dispensed with his robes, and took off the shoes he was wearing, leaving himself in his undergarments. He picked up the robes he had ready, and pulled them over his torso, tightening his waistband. He then slid on his boots, and grabbed his epaulettes, placing them on his shoulders. With his clothes in place, he stepped out of the men's area, his sister still standing there with her arms crossed.
"You aren't going to say anything?"
"Why should I? I don't need you to tatter on me." he asked her, the Princess rolling her eyes.
"I have my own escapades. I don't want you to do the same."
"Well, would Father believe me?" he leaned toward her; she snickered, and flicked her head away, one of her bangs swiping across his face.
"No, he probably wouldn't." she agreed with his own assumption, "Maybe just go sneak off to Mai's. That's probably going to be far more useful for you than pretending to be a servant." she offered a suggestion, which he couldn't take seriously; she was acting as if he was just dressing as a servant, doing duties, and eavesdropping- he was trying to learn how to serve as a Prince, and he couldn't do that without knowing what their father was up to.
"I am not playing servant. I have to be ready." he argued, crossing his arms, "To serve the Fire Nation."
"Huh." she murmured, before pacing out into the training yard, "I guess I don't need to ask then."
He narrowed his eyes, knowing that he hadn't directly revealed anything, giving himself some plausible deniability. She knew, however, what he had been doing; Azulon was off in his chambers, withering away at the ends of his life, while his father was the only one really taking his duties seriously. His uncle might have met with the Council of Ministers, but that was a formality to make sure they were actually doing their jobs; Father was working behind the scenes to ensure the success of the Fire Nation, something he certainly saw himself doing in the future, even if Ozai didn't think he had what it took.
"I will be Crown Prince." he warned her, and she just laughed.
"You have a long while until Father will have to make a decision." she retorted, before shooting out a fire stream from each palm in quick succession, showing off her brilliant blue flames; his sister then turned to him with the usual smug expression that lay upon her face, "I wish you luck, Big Brother... you'll need it."
The Fire Lord had heard about the events in Kurosuna, but he had hoped that the stories weren't as bad as he imagined; the reports were vague enough, and he hadn't yet received a personal letter from his niece or nephew, only a warning from the commander of the Imperial Firebender unit with them that they would be returning to the palace, and required an escort from the yards where the tank-trains were stored.
When they entered the palace, he was waiting for them, and he tried to keep himself composed as he bore witness to his niece's state; her left side was covered with bandages, all up her arm, reaching up to her neck, which was bound with them. They were partially obscured by her robes, which were worn loose and long over her body, obscuring any other injuries she might have had. Azula stood beside her elder brother, who was wearing his armour, with his hair tied up, though his stern, cold look told him that he was affected by the events quite strongly.
His hard look softened when he looked at Iroh, and he stepped closer to his uncle, before kneeling down, "I am... I am deeply sorry, Uncle. I have failed you."
"Prince Zuko." he spoke his name, reaching a hand to his shoulder, "I did not expect you to take your father with ease. It is not your fault."
"No, it is both of ours." Azula admitted calmly, though her voice was notably quiet and croaky, sounding a little like how her brother had when he was younger; that must have been due to the burns, and he grimaced, wondering how much pain she must have been in, just standing there, "We devised a plan... it failed."
"We destroyed the criminals that were aiding him, and we have a number of undercover agents in our custody. The Intelligence Service will make sure they tell all my father's secrets." Zuko assured him, as if he had to prove himself; Iroh had not asked him to go out of his way to turn a royal progress into a mission to capture his father, but he was not surprised that he had.
Zuko was beholden by his fear of Ozai, which was more than justified; he had almost died, just as Iroh nearly had. He was afraid of his brother, but he had to swallow those fears for the sake of the Fire Nation, and for the peace he wanted to build between the nations. He could not succeed if he did what his brother would in his circumstances; he could purge his government, have mutineers executed en masse, and bring the full strength of the Home Guard, Navy, and Army upon his brother's allies in the homeland, who were likely helping him hide after his escape from Kurosuna. That would make him look like a tyrant in the eyes of his people, and a danger to the rest of the world.
"That is good to hear." he acknowledged, even if he didn't fully agree with the tactics Zuko was employing; torturing spies for information would likely give him everything he needed, but it would not inspire any loyalty within the Intelligence Service, which was likely still full of closeted supporters of Ozai.
Iroh stepped closer, unable to ignore the looks on his niece and nephew's faces, "We should discuss what happened, over a cup of tea." he suggested, "I have some news that will be of interest to you both."
"Hm, Father hasn't been found already, has he?" Zuko asked, sounding more sarcastic than hopeful; the lack of response told him all he needed to know, "Yeah, I guessed as much."
He stepped past Iroh, and glanced towards him, "The tea room by the gardens, Uncle?" he asked, referring to where they'd be drinking their tea.
"Yes, that's where I thought. It's quite a calming place to sit." he acknowledged, Azula letting out a huff, almost seeming ready to laugh.
"After all the medicine they've made me take... I could do with being a little less calm." she admitted; Iroh could see her dour face, with downturned lips and hunched shoulders.
She looked ready to lie down and go to sleep, but her words said otherwise; he was sure that after spending a few days recovering all she wanted was to go and train her firebending, even if it would be a bad idea. After being burnt near the core of her body, across many important muscles, she would struggle to firebend correctly, let alone train her sets.
"I'll go make sure the tea is ready." Zuko decided, before pacing down the hallway, leaving him with Azula and some of the Imperial Firebenders, who remained by her side, despite having returned to the palace.
Behind her were Mai and Ty Lee, who he hadn't addressed since they stepped inside; the latter stepped over to Iroh, and bowed towards him, "Good day, your majesty."
"Lady Mai." he acknowledged her, "Are you going to follow my nephew?"
"That was the intention. I... I had something I wanted to talk to you about... but it can wait." she admitted, making Iroh raise a brow; he assumed it had something to do with Zuko, or perhaps something related to her family.
Her father was a prominent bureaucrat and a known associate of Ozai, and her maternal uncle was Warden of the Boiling Rock, the most important prison in the Fire Nation. He knew that she might have things to say related to both men, and he was hoping for either some good news, or at the very least, a plan to try and stop Ozai. Mai was clearly an inquisitive and capable girl, and he trusted that she would want to speak with him for a good reason.
"Of course, I have time to talk about things, but yes... I believe there are things I need to attend to first." he acknowledged, Mai nodding before she paced on after Zuko.
Iroh's gaze then turned to his niece, who was standing beside Ty Lee; the noblewoman was whispering something to Azula, though too quietly for Iroh to hear. His niece nodded with a smile, and Ty Lee stepped past Iroh.
"Hi, uh, your majesty, I'm just... uh, going to make sure the spa is ready for Azula. We need some beauty time." she declared her intentions, making Iroh snicker; his niece truly did love that spa more than any other place in the palace, and though he wasn't too familiar with all that went on inside, he was sure it was as relaxing to her as a good cup of tea was to him.
"I'm sure she will enjoy that." he admitted, smiling at her before he turned his eyes to his niece; she seemed slightly pleased, but her cold expression remained, her eyes telling more than her lips.
Ty Lee strode off towards the spa, leaving them with the guards, and Azula let out a sigh, "What was the news you had for us, Uncle?"
"It concerns War Minister Qin... it seems that he has been up to things while on his trip to the colonies." he explained the situation vaguely, "I would prefer to discuss that privately with you and your brother."
"That is in order." she acknowledged, before turning to face the guards behind her, "Leave us... or trail from a distance." she ordered them, and they nodded, Azula gesturing down the hallway, "Let's go, Uncle." she commanded him; he was the Fire Lord, but he wouldn't refuse her, not when she had such a face.
Once they were moving, and some distance from the guards, he stepped closer to his niece, "Azula... is something wrong? I mean, other than what must have happened with your father?" he pressed her, knowing from how she was acting that she wasn't merely pained from her injuries.
"Father fooled me." she explained herself, her eyes narrowing; he could see the rage simmering right beneath the surface, but she was unwilling to let it out completely, "Zuko doesn't know what really happened. I refused to tell him... Mai and Ty Lee, well, I had to."
"What is it?" he asked, "Did he threaten to do something?"
"Worse. He already did it." she mumbled, biting her lip, before her eyes turned to face him, "Do you know of a palace servant by the name Jia?"
"Jia... uh... yes, I know she attends to the cleaning and maintenance of your family quarters. I believe she went off on the train with you. Did- did she do something?"
"Well, not with any ill intent." she admitted quietly, "She laid a letter underneath my pillow on the train. It was from Father."
"So, she's a spy." he murmured, before furrowing a brow, realising that she specified she had acted with no ill intent, "But why?"
"She is... or was, Father's lover." she answered, Iroh's eyes widening; Ozai had long given him ill for his own desires, since it had been so long since own wife died, but to hear that he had his own lover did not surprise him.
Ozai had needs, like any other person, and to be loved and love was one of them, even if he denied it himself. A servant woman was not what he was expecting; some high and fancy young noblewoman would have made more sense, someone that he would have had more in common with. It made him think that his brother's pride about lineage and their rank as royals was more a justification for his actions than a strongly held belief.
"Jia... your father talked about her, why? Or did you figure out her complicity yourself?"
"Not directly." she clarified, before looking away from him, her eyes staring down the hallway coldly, "He had a child with her... a bastard son, only two years younger than me."
Iroh's eyes widened, not expecting to hear that; it explained a few things, one of which was how willing he was to throw Zuko to the wayside when it suited him.
"Then, what was that letter about... the one she laid under the pillow?" he asked, and Azula let out a laugh.
"He wanted me by his side... a farce, obviously, but I tried to play along thinking it was true." she explained herself, sounding angry, though her feelings must have been directed inward; if that wasn't the case, he knew she would have shown her rage far earlier, "His son is his new heir. Sozin is his name."
Iroh almost laughed at that, wondering if Jia or Ozai had named him; perhaps the servant woman thought it would be dignified to name him for the great Fire Lord who had led their nation to many victories, and his own great-grandfather, but it was just as likely that Ozai himself saw the boy as holding the potential to succeed him, and named him with that in mind.
"Well, that's unfortunate." he mumbled, "I don't think he'll be friends with the Avatar." he admitted, before realising that the boy was actually the same age as Aang had been described to be; that was a coincidence to be sure, but the parallel didn't miss him- Sozin and Roku were born on the same day, and his grandfather had just as much a chance to have been the reincarnation of Avatar Kyoshi.
If that had been the way fate had turned, things would have been very different for the Four Nations, and Iroh may never have been born, though he couldn't say he would have disliked a world without the great war that had loomed over his entire life, from birth to coronation.
"I have never met him, and don't know much of his character." Azula referred to her half-brother, her expression seeming to indicate some regret on her behalf; perhaps it was because of her rocky relationship with Zuko that she had desired another chance for a brother who might have treated her with more kindness.
Being Ozai's son, Iroh was immediately doubtful of such a possibility, but he knew also that Ozai was Azulon's son all the same; being raised as he was, it was no surprise that he turned out a malicious, amoral schemer who tried to undermine his own kin, even when it would be better to try and make allies of them. Azulon had been absent with Iroh as much as he had with Ozai, but at the very least, he had their mother to guide him, who died when his brother was very young.
"I don't know if this boy has inherited your father's character, but... I cannot even say how much of it came from how my father treated him."
"Sozin is the spare of a spare... If he knows who he truly is, then he must feel some resentment." Azula gave her own conclusion, before grimacing, "But I do not blame him for Father's actions. You don't blame me... even if he has raised me in his image."
"He has done a poor job if that was his intent, my niece." he reassured her with a hand on her shoulder, "You have far more honour and dignity than my brother has even hoped to earn."
"That's the problem, Uncle... all of this fighting is because somebody has to be the Fire Lord, and you... well, you happened to be born first." she acknowledged, before narrowing her eyes, "Have you made a decision?"
"Would you expect me to... this soon?" he asked her in return; in all honesty, he hadn't considered the pressing issue of his successor with the issue of Ozai and looming rebellions in the Earth Kingdom.
He had to fix things, and who would follow after him in that task was not in his mind all that often. He wanted to just take the cop out and say that the eldest would follow the eldest, and thus, with Ozai disinherited, Zuko would follow him, but he knew that wasn't fair to Azula, when both her and Zuko had shown their tenacity and ability for leadership, and had made sacrifices in his name, for the longevity of his own rule.
"No." she murmured, her eyes averting from his own gaze, "You have your own issues to deal with... but, you must see, if you do nothing, then we may repeat the same mistake." she warned him, and Iroh sighed.
"Well, at least you are more cognizant of it than I ever was." he acknowledged a positive, though that just made her scoff.
"The circumstances led to my awareness... and I wish that they had never come about." she retorted, before shaking her head, "I am just a fool for thinking that Father would ever lie down and let you rule."
"My ambitions conflict with his own." he conceded, "I cannot blame him for acting against me, if he truly believes I will harm the Fire Nation... but I can blame him for the way he has done so." he explained his own position; even after all that had happened, he could sympathise with his brother, even if he would never agree with the stance he held, and the virtues he claimed to stand for.
"So, I will try to avoid doing the same." she assured him, "Zuko and I, if it comes down to it, will duel to determine who should rule." she reminded him of the very obvious solution to their problem, which would potentially lead to one of them dying at the hand of the other, "I don't think Zuko would kill me... at least, not anymore."
Iroh's gut sunk in his chest as he heard those words, and realised what she had just said, "You... you really thought he could?"
"I didn't know. Zuko has always kept his pieces close to his chest, even if he's a terrible liar. I couldn't tell if he'd fight me for the throne... or kill me for it. I mean, you know he does take after Father in more than just looks." she admitted, something that he would be flabbergasted to hear her say only a few months prior.
Zuko was always touted by his niece as the less competent, kinder, and more reserved of the two, but clearly, the events that had transpired had shown her that he was not necessarily as kind-hearted and reserved as he appeared. Iroh genuinely had believed his nephew to be kinder than her, at least in the sense that he knew when not to be rude, and when to comfort others, but he was never nice, not like how Iroh or his own son had been with others. The two of them were always distant and aloof, ever since they learned to walk, talk, and understand their father's expectations.
"I don't think he can ignore his own morals, Azula. I cannot, and mine have changed, but only because I have learned through the wrongs I committed. Zuko will do the same, and I feel that he has. He must know that violence is not always the answer, especially with you... you are brother and sister, after all."
"To anyone else, that might have been reassuring, but you know where we are, Uncle. Feuding for power is in our nature... not because of blood, but because of what we are, and what we will always be."
"If I had any say in the matter, I would not die upon that solemn throne." he admitted his own feelings, knowing that he ought to assure her that his own mind wasn't constantly looking to the next political play and move, like his entire life was a Pai Sho game.
"There is nothing preventing you from avoiding it." she reminded him of a technical fact that meant little to him, "You can abdicate, Uncle."
"And that has not happened for hundreds of years. I would prove my detractors right by doing so... unless you and your brother were able to take on all my duties, and enact them with skill and grace." he warned her, "I do not doubt your ability to firebend, nor your intelligence... but you lack experience. You both do."
That seemed to hurt his niece, who looked to the floor, almost looking like the pouting little girl she had been when he first left for Ba Sing Se; how things had changed so much since then, not just her, but him. They were different people, but then, all the same; his hair might have greyed, and his waist thickened, and she might have grown tall and graceful, but she was still that bright-eyed little girl, and he was still the Dragon of the West.
"Don't worry, little one." he tried to reassure her, "You have all the time in the world to learn those skills, and for better or worse, the best possible circumstances to learn them quickly."
She almost laughed, "Little one? I'm not five... and I'm nearly taller than you, Uncle."
"Oh, I see you nearly are. If you keep growing you might fit into an Imperial Firebender's armour." he joked, and she let out a snicker, before scrunching her lips.
"I doubt it. They're selected because of their size and strength... I was born of nobles. I don't believe we selectively breed... at least not for physique." she noted, her voice quieting upon mentioning traits, as her mind must have turned to the fact of her heritage, and why her mother and father had been wed.
"Firebending cannot merely be predicted from blood... but it does play a role." he acknowledged, before narrowing his eyes, "Your mother was not a firebender, yet she birthed two of the strongest firebenders in our family's history." he reminded her, and she furrowed her brow.
"Truly?"
"Well, I am skilled, and I will not deny my strength, but I had to train for many years to even hope for your power, Niece." he conceded; he was a tinge jealous of his niece's prodigious nature, just as he had been with his father's, though he had never been as focused on firebending as his niece, nor his brother.
He knew it must have been hard for Ozai to know their father was so much stronger than them both, even in old age; he was such a prideful man- he and Azulon had that in common, though he would argue his father had more sense about him, even if he lacked the wit for such a complex plot like the one laid before him.
"Zuko is strong as well. His drive is as strong as Ozai's was when he was the same age." he acknowledged, "Has his firebending changed since he learned the truth of his heritage?" he asked her, wondering if the knowledge of his relationship with the last Avatar would have had an effect on his chakras, and thus, his ability to firebend correctly.
"No... he seems a bit messier, less controlled, but I think that's just the anger. He's always angry." she admitted quietly, as they had nearly reached the tearoom.
"I understand your unease with his... lack of control, but believe me, your brother does not mean you ill will."
"No, he made... he made that quite clear, Uncle." she told him, her eyes averting as she seemed to dwell on the matter of Zuko's anger, "Those criminals... that he said he destroyed. He had them all publicly executed in Kurosuna, and made their leader watch."
Iroh's eyes widened, not having realised the degree of brutality his nephew had reached; he knew that he would have reprimanded them harshly, like had with traitors and enemies of the Fire Nation before them, but public executions was something that even Azulon avoided. It was unseemly to show the people his enemies as even having the chance to face the public, his father had always said.
He was unsure if he was right to think that, but either way, those men could not have faced fair justice. He did not like them, and would have probably ordered their deaths himself if he was in Zuko's shoes, but he was a hardened general, who had killed countless people himself; he had regretted many of those deaths, but they were necessary. To see his nephew do the same, when he was but only a boy, made him uneasy; it was unfair, on Zuko, more than anyone.
"I know that was cruel of him... but can you say you would not have punished them the same?" he asked her, unsure what she herself actually thought of it; she clearly wanted his own opinion, but that said nothing of her own views.
"The theatrics are a bit much for me." she admitted, before her eyes hardened, looking more serious than she had throughout their entire conversation, "I would not let the traitors live either. Uncle, did you think they should?"
"Their leadership certainly would face the block, but the rest, that was probably unnecessary. The message, I hope, was effective. If it was not, then your brother has soiled his hands for nothing but fear."
"Fear is what will get people in line... but that didn't work in the Earth Kingdom, it never has." she reminded him of a fact he had learned throughout the course of his career.
"For some people it will. I just hope those people happen to be those who might have otherwise betrayed their Fire Lord." he gave his opinion with as hopeful a smile as he could muster; he wanted to be there, to be the strong, supportive uncle that he knew she must have imagined him to be.
He could not tell her that he was just as afraid as she was, of Ozai, of what he was forcing them to do, of what he might have to do for his peace that he wanted so desperately. She seemed more tired than afraid, and he understood why; she had expended her energies, and risked life and limb, all for his cause.
To keep Iroh on the throne, when it might have benefitted her if he had died at the hands of Sanyan. Her unwavering honour was what had brought her so much pain, so he knew she would not last longer. She could not defect to Ozai's side; all that had just happened made that awfully clear. So, the only option left would be to disappear, as his old friend Jeong Jeong had.
"Niece, please, hold faith in me." he requested, bluntly addressing the fears he himself held, "I do not want you to think my reign is hopeless because of what happened with your father."
"That was my failing, not yours, Uncle." she retorted calmly, before grimacing, "I cannot give up, if that is what you suggest. I have nothing but my station here... I am nothing without this place."
"You are a great firebender, Azula." he reminded her, "And with more of a knack for strategy and planning than I had at your age... without ever visiting the officer's academy."
"All of that will be of little use if we lose and I am branded a traitor." she retorted, before sighing, "Just... don't ask that of Zuko. He will never give you up, Uncle."
"I- I don't want to be the cause of any more grief for either of you." he mumbled, before eyeing down the hallway, wondering if he ought to try and sue for peace with his brother; negotiations were what he sought to end the war with the Earth Kingdom, but his brother was set on 'his throne', as he saw it, "I was always taught to destroy my enemies thoroughly... and yet, I have never shied from diplomacy and mercy. This is the one conflict I cannot see a bloodless end to."
"I know that, Uncle." she agreed with the sentiment, her tone sounding less afraid and more dejected; perhaps she still didn't want to see her father die, even if she knew it was the only realistic solution, "Can we go inside now? I'm sure Zuko's anticipating the news you have for us."
Iroh nodded, and the two of them strode over to the doors into the tearoom, which were opened by the guards standing outside. Inside the room, by the windows that looked out into the garden, sat Zuko and Mai, who were quietly speaking amongst themselves. Zuko did not seem angry, but rather slightly amused and pleased, telling him that they were discussing a relatively non-serious topic. Whatever that was, it was tossed out the window as soon as they entered.
The Prince rose to his feet and gestured to the pot of tea that was already sitting on the table, "Ginseng tea, Uncle, just how you like it."
"Thank you, Prince Zuko." he acknowledged him with a curt bow, "Excuse me, Lady Mai, but could you go outside for a moment and make sure the guards are not in earshot of his room. I would like to make sure what I discuss with my niece and nephew doesn't leave this room."
"Of course." she nodded, "Must be a pretty serious matter." he mumbled quietly, before she stepped past him and Azula, and moved to knock on the doors.
She stepped out and whispered Iroh's commands to the guards, and the doors were shut not a moment later; he sat down with his niece and nephew, the latter of whom poured them each a cup of tea. Once they all had their tea, Azula leaned forward, and eyed her uncle intently.
"So, what is it? You mentioned War Minister Qin."
"War Minister Qin has been missing for a number of weeks." Iroh clarified, beginning his explanation; he couldn't just publicly talk about the matter, because he was still in the process of investigating it, "He left the capital only two days after our arrival, and ostensibly was heading to the colonies to ensure the military infrastructure and technology projects he was overseeing were following with due course."
"And... he wasn't?" Zuko asked, the Fire Lord furrowing a brow.
"Well, he personally sent me reports, and I had them checked with bureaucrats in his ministry... there was nothing amiss with his trip, that was until he disappeared for two whole weeks."
"Two weeks? What, was he going off on a retreat?" Azula asked, her tone clearly suggesting she found such a possibility absurd.
"I did not question it, as there was much ground for him to cover in the colonies. That was until I received an odd report from a garrison in the northern Earth Kingdom. This was given to me directly by General Mak, who thought it was of interest to all of us. War Minister Qin supposedly attacked the Northern Air Temple and was repelled by the local population, some Earth Kingdom refugees that have been there for the past decade or so."
"Oh..." Azula's eyes widened, "The Mechanist."
"The who?" Zuko asked, unsure who she was referring to; Iroh was familiar with the man, though not as well as his niece was, having heard from Qin's reports over the years about the technological advances they had secured all thanks to one oddball Earth Kingdom inventor.
"An Earth Kingdom inventor, who lives in the Northern Air Temple." Azula answered her brother's question, "He provides new military technologies to the Fire Nation in exchange for being left at peace in the Northern Air Temple along with his little village." she explained, the Prince's eyes darting as he sniffed his tea, considering the new information before he sipped.
"Zuko, did you have anything to say to that?" he asked his nephew, who shook his head, gesturing to his uncle; he presumably wanted him to explain what had transpired at the temple.
"So... as I was saying, the Air Temple was attacked, and this was spotted by soldiers who had been guiding the Minister and his entourage to the temple. Qin has left the area by now, but the fact of the matter is, he did not send me a word, not about the technology he hoped to gain from the inventor, nor why he attacked the place." Iroh explained the situation, before scrunching his lips, "This cannot become public knowledge. War Minister Qin has access to and control over much of our weapons development, which has been key to our efforts in fighting the Earth Kingdom. He is almost certainly working for your father."
"That was obvious enough." Zuko scoffed, "And what can we do about it?"
"Qin will be long gone before any forces I can call upon can reach the Northern Air Temple, but I need to find out what exactly he is planning. It must be part of Ozai's plans, which still elude us."
"Did the letter say where Qin went... or what he wanted from the Air Temple?"
"No, other than that he ordered the guides back to their base of operations. By the time they had returned, their base's messenger hawk coop was destroyed and their commanding officer dead, apparently in a freak accident."
"Wh-what?" Azula scoffed, "You could have led with that."
"I was going to get to it." Iroh assured her, "From that, General Mak has made the same conclusion your brother just did; Qin is working with Ozai, though to what end is unclear."
"Then somebody should go there." Zuko acknowledged, "The Intelligence Service... No, Military Intelligence, they should do a thorough investigation, track down Qin, and make him squeak."
"I expect you to order them to do such, and Mak has already ordered soldiers to try and parley with the occupants of the Air Temple so they might investigate why Qin was there." he explained what was already happening, before sipping from his teacup.
"Azula,you've been to the Northern Air Temple. Did you look into this... Mechanist's projects?" Zuko addressed his sister, who scrunched her lips up.
"I knew that he was working on some new glider designs, by retrofitting Air Nomad designs for their own gliders. That doesn't seem like something that would be of interest to War Minister Qin, unless those gliders could be powered by firebending." she explained her own knowledge, and her brother raised a finger.
"Then, perhaps you should visit the place." he suggested, "You seem pretty good at this whole... investigating thing, and plus, you need to get to the Avatar. He'd be heading for the North Pole as we speak."
"That is correct. I have received reports of the Avatar being sighted flying across the Northern Sea by one of our regular patrols." Iroh confirmed his suspicions, and his niece looked away.
"I don't see how that will hurt... though I doubt Qin would have left anything for me to find, that being, anything that the soldiers will already find." she gave her thoughts, scratching at her bandaged shoulder as she spoke, "Do you agree with this, Uncle?"
"I mean, it would help to see if you could recruit this Mechanist directly. He obviously is willing to cooperate, but if you indicate my intentions to him, I am sure we could come to some kind of agreement, which will ensure your father doesn't have the upper hand with whatever inventions he has been supplying to Qin as of late." he explained his idea to Azula, who smiled briefly, before nodding.
"Yes... that sounds far more productive than just following the Avatar and his friends around." she acknowledged the merit of his proposal, "But... I need to rest, Uncle."
"Of course, you can take as much time as you need, but I do not believe the Avatar will be at the North Pole for long. The Comet is just over half a year away... he might have to master the elements before then if the worst comes to bear."
"Are you really that pessimistic, Uncle?" Zuko asked him, the Fire Lord glancing to the garden that the tearoom sat beside; it was beautiful and calm, unlike their home, which was filled with turmoil, and had been ever since his son's death.
"I am a hopeful man... or at least, I think that I am. I just know that we are not fighting the same war we were a year ago." he admitted his feelings, unsure where the conflict would lead him, and his niece and nephew.
"Father's plot will surely be dealt with quicker than the Earth Kingdom was." Zuko reassured him, though those words didn't mean much when he actually considered the present state of affairs with the other remaining nations.
"The Earth Kingdom, or what's left of it, still resists the Fire Nation fervently, as they always have. My brother is no mountain, but he will not falter as easily as the Air Nomads did during the last passing of the comet." Iroh acknowledged the frustrating facts as they were; the war was not truly over until all parties came to an agreement, and with his brother leading a rebellion, that seemed impossible in the near term.
"What can we do, Uncle?" Azula asked him, her voice quiet and calm, rather than sounding annoyed, as he imagined she was.
"Resist your father's plots, and find a way to stop him, once and for all. Even if he was somehow killed by the Intelligence Service or Home Guard, that would not stop his cause from fighting on... they want to continue the war and bring terror and destruction to their enemies."
"Not ours?" Zuko asked, his tone cold and sharp, "Uncle, the Earth Kingdom still fights us. We cannot ignore them if you hope to keep the throne."
"I know that, that is why I need Azula to make inroads with the Avatar, and for the two of them to work with the Earth Kingdom." he acknowledged what would have to come next, once his niece reunited with the boy.
He knew she wouldn't be pleased about that, and her face told him that, even if she lacked the energy to be truly angry about it; she let out a long sigh, and eyed the garden blankly.
"What do you require of me?" she asked, and Iroh reached a hand out to grasp her unburnt arm.
"To be true, and keep the Avatar from harm. Do not lie and act as if you support the dismemberment of our nation. You must show him that we are willing to cooperate, and that will show the other nations that we are not what they think we are."
"We conquered the Earth Kingdom. You did." Zuko reminded him, "They should rightly fear us."
"Fear is not the only way to peace... and not my preferred one."
"How about mutual fear?" the Prince pressed him, "Of him."
"Perhaps it may be enough." he mumbled, sipping from his tea as he pondered on what the remaining warlords in the Earth Kingdom would think about working together to defeat Ozai; he only knew King Bumi personally, so he could only guess what the others would have to say.
"We will see."
The spa was what Azula needed after spending days aching and groaning; she knew that nobody wanted to be around her when she was so dour and temperamental, and she didn't like being around herself either. Her burns had barely healed so the pain had lessened notably; the servants paid special attention to not touch her shoulder and neck, though they had applied some of the ointment that had been brought back with them from the tank-train.
She was mostly done with the spa, having gotten a manicure, her hair washed, a massage of her back, arms, and legs, and her leg hair shaved; the only thing left was the drying of her hair, which came along with a scalp massage. Ty Lee was lying beside her receiving the same treatment, and without any pain to bog her down, she seemed as blissful as she could possibly be; though she would have preferred to be in her shoes, she did not want her friend to be burdened as she was.
All that had had happened to her so far, either directly or through her inability to act or solve her problems, was for her, and not for Ty Lee, who might have enjoyed aiding her, but she clearly didn't want to be bossed around, and Azula understood why. Their 'triumph' at Kurosuna, if she could even call it that, was a result of Ty Lee listening to her and Zuko and following their commands, even when that led to her getting burnt and beaten, and her father making his escape. If she did not fear them, then perhaps she might have done things differently, and their victory mightn't have felt so hollow. She did not know how much that weighed on Ty Lee, and she didn't want it to; Azula could blame Zuko, and Zuko could blame her, but neither of them could blame the girl who was following their own plan.
The girl seemed to have noticed her deep in thought, and tapped her on the arm, Azula's eyes darting over to meet her own, "Yes?"
"You're worried about something. Is it that plan Zuko gave you?" she asked, and she shook her head.
"No, I'm not afraid of going to the Northern Air Temple... the journey may be dangerous, but it is not because of what I'll find there." she reassured her, knowing that her father would have ships, soldiers, and agents, all waiting for the chance to catch her, if not kill her.
She trusted the Imperial Firebenders to keep her safe, though she could not say for certain how effective they'd be at holding off a flotilla of ships. She thought Zhao might be assigned to protect her vessel out on the high seas, given his previous assistance in protecting her ship from their mutual enemies, though she did not know if that could work in the long term. The Fire Lord needed every ship he could command to hunt down her father's own supporters in the navy. Without the seas under their control, the Fire Nation's world spanning empire would crumble with little delay.
"I am worried about the Fire Nation's prospects with the Fire Navy torn between my father and uncle." she spoke of her present fear, not wanting to address her own concerns about Ty Lee's own sense of guilt, if she held any.
Ty Lee seemed confused momentarily, but grimaced anyway, telling her that she at least understood her rationale for being focused on the Fire Lord's crumbling grip over his military forces.
"That... that is bad." she mumbled, "Well, hopefully Zuko will figure out a new plan to take down your father. He can't hide forever."
"He can hide until my uncle is dead." she countered her argument, knowing that even if she doubted that any assassin could get past the Imperial Firebenders, his father was more than likely formulating a new plot on Iroh's life.
Without Iroh, the line of succession was in dispute between Ozai, Azula, and Zuko, not even considering her father's bastard son who could be raised up as Fire Lord even if her brother managed to kill their father. Ozai was slippery, and he had backups upon backups; that was obvious after all she'd seen and heard of his actions so far.
"We'll stop him Azula. You can." Ty Lee tried to reassure her, though given what she had experienced over the past few weeks she was doubtful.
The Princess just let out a sigh and glanced towards the roof with indifference. She could not argue against her friend and make herself sound like a weakling; she could not, however, lie to her face and claim she was completely confident in her abilities to destroy her father's plot.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything " her friend tracked back, sounding almost ashamed.
"Talking is what you're good at... I am just not in the mood to be talking about my feelings."
"You never are." Ty Lee responded in jest, before clearing her throat, "I mean, you don't like to."
"Not these feelings." she retorted, before she tried to change the topic, "Your family. Have they adjusted to your return? I meant, from the circus, not today."
"My sisters are as annoying as ever." she commented and Azula just smiled.
"Ah, so you understand how I feel." she prodded her friend casually, though the jibe could have slipped by.
Her friend was not dull, and after a few moments of contemplation, she just snickered, "I annoy you in a different way to how they annoy me. You might not like my attitude sometimes, but I have to compete with them over everything."
"And we don't compete?" she asked, Ty Lee furrowing a brow.
"I haven't heard you claim you're the greatest acrobat alive." she argued a valid point; though the two of them spared, they did not specialise in similar techniques.
Azula did note she was familiar with acrobatics and Ty Lee with firebending forms; that was best so they could complement each other, not simply outcompete each other. Competition for her lay only truly with her brother. Zuko was no pushover, and he had more reason to have Iroh's favour than she had, given their close relationship and frequent discussions, long prior to Iroh coming to the throne. She knew that gaining her uncle's favour would be key to her eventual succession to the throne, though she was growing to understand that her brother would likely not accept her as the Fire Lord without a fight.
"So... was that all you wanted to ask?" her friend pressed her; Azula stiffened her lower lip, realising she had distracted herself with thoughts about coming conflicts, once again.
"No- I- urgh..." she grumbled under her breath, trying to think of something to say to keep her mind away from serious matters.
"You're really not having a good time with this whole mess." Ty Lee observed, "Well... let me talk about something that has nothing to do with any of that."
"Yeah? Go." Azula allowed, and her friend just smirked, with a kind of devious look that could only mean trouble.
"Why do you like spinning so much?"
"Wh-what?" she asked, confused by the nature of the question; she didn't have any preference for 'spinning', in whatever sense she meant it.
"You know, when you firebend? You like to jump around and spin."
"It's called being evasive. I can't just stand in one spot and lop fireballs at my enemies." she argued, "It's not just spinning. I have to weave, but keep myself as level as possible, so I don't miss my hits. Spinning allows me to stay in one spot, which makes that easier."
"What if your opponent's running right at you like a sabretooth moose lion?" she prodded her, the Princess rolling her eyes.
"That's why it's called being evasive. If I have to move, I can do it immediately. I'm not an earthbender- I must be able to respond in some way other than just... what, more fire?" she asked, making Ty Lee snicker.
"I mean, given how hot your blue fire is, that might actually work." she commented, the Princess scrunching her lips.
"No, it would just cause a forest fire, or worse, burn down a building while I'm inside it. I do not have to tell you how many stupid firebenders have met their ends that way." she warned her friend, who just giggled.
"You're not stupid, Zula. I'm sure you'd find some way out of that burning building." she reassured her, as if to imply that she would actually find herself in such a position.
"Yes, by not setting it on fire." she snapped back, glancing back to see that the attending servant had moved away from massaging her scalp, "Tie up my hair, would you?" she ordered the woman, who bowed before scurrying off to collect her hairbands and headpiece; the servant behind Ty Lee leaned over, and the girl nodded, telling her she wanted the same.
It was a bit unfair to ask a servant to tie her hair, given how Ty Lee demanded her hair to be in its distinctive long braid at all times, compared to Azula's simple style of wearing all but her side bangs in a top knot. She couldn't find herself to feel bad for the servant, however, as it was her job to attend to them, and tying hair was certainly better than cleaning the floors or washing linens.
Azula's hair was done with quickly, the servant pulling her hair into a topknot before placing her usual headpiece on the crown of her scalp; she rose up and fastened the robes she was wearing around her body, before eyeing the closet that sat in the corner of the room.
"Get my dress robes ready. I am not to be seen in a gown like this out in the palace." she ordered the servant, who looked at her nervously.
"Your highness, you came here in different robes than usual." she reminded her, "We can have them retrieved from your quarters, if that is what you would like." she offered, the Princess stiffening her lip before sighing.
"Fine, go get it." she allowed, sitting herself back down on the table while Ty Lee patiently waited for her hair to be tied into a braid.
"I guess we'll both be sitting here for a bit." she prodded the Princess, who crossed her arms.
"Not for the same reason." she argued, quietly making her point rather than getting snappy; she knew that she didn't have the energy for it, and Ty Lee didn't either.
"So... are we going to talk about your plan to go back to the Earth Kingdom?" she asked her, the Princess raising a brow.
"I thought I said I didn't want to think about serious matters." she reminded her, and her friend raised her hands defensively.
"I'm not asking about you... I meant me."
"You?" she furrowed a brow, before it struck her; Ty Lee had come all the way with her back to the capital after her ordeal with the Intelligence Service and escapade with the Avatar, and now, she seemed ready to leave with her on another trip, though clearly not eagerly.
If she was eager, she wouldn't have bothered asking; she would have shown up to the palace, unannounced, on the day of her departure, which she would hear from Mai, who would hear it from Zuko. She was not, and her eyes told her why: Ty Lee was afraid, and Azula didn't have to think hard to guess why.
"Do you want to come?" she asked her friend, who nodded cautiously.
"I should." she gave her opinion; the Princess tilted her head and wondered what to say to that.
"Should? Well, do you want to?"
"I-" she began, before sighing as she looked away, letting the servant continue to braid her hair, "I don't know."
"Well, if you were asking, you must have thought about it." she deduced, before crossing her arms, "I won't force you to spill your guts... but I warn you, I don't want to have to deal with your ums and ahs about whether you'll go on this trip. So, we can talk about it now, or you can come back to me with a decision later." she gave her some options, which she thought were reasonable and prevented her from getting stuck in a back and forth.
That would likely end up having Mai involved and have a big, long discussion over whether it was smart for Ty Lee to remain in the capital with her or join Azula and aid her in her duties. Azula didn't want that, and she doubted Ty Lee would, so it didn't surprise her when she nodded and began to speak.
"I want to help you, Azula... but I know that things are dangerous. You know what happened at the circus... with Haru. That was all- well, I guess it was kinda Mai's fault, but it was definitely your dad's fault."
"Certainly." she agreed with her analysis, "But that won't happen with me by your side... or you by mine." she reassured her, "I am not going to coddle you, but I am a dutiful friend. I will not let you be harmed... again." she assured her, the last word coming tough as she remembered what had happened with one of her treacherous guards; if he had been faster and more ruthless, he could have killed Ty Lee then and there, and her blood would have been on Azula's hands.
"That wasn't your fault." Ty Lee reassured her with a smile.
"No, it was. I am not as astute as I like to say I am... I will try to prevent that from occurring again, but I cannot promise that it will not. I will not... I will not lie to you."
Ty Lee's face spoke of her fear, but her lips formed a smile as a tear dropped from her right eye, "Thank you, Zula."
"Don't start crying... it will ruin your moisturiser." she warned her, the acrobat snorting before she giggled, amused by the shift in tone; she didn't want to remain on serious topics, but she knew that if Ty Lee wanted to discuss her trip, then she would oblige her, "Do you trust me?"
"With my secrets? No." Ty Lee jabbed back, before her face became more stern, "But with my life... Yes, I do."
Azula felt her unease lessen with those words, but she could not say she was confident, in herself, or in the ability of her guards, the Intelligence Service, or her uncle, to keep her safe from harm. She had always expected to one day face combat- real damage, at the hands of the enemies of the Fire Nation. She was facing not who or what she expected, and far sooner than she had hoped; when Lu Ten was her age, he was in the academy, without a concern in the world about fighting or his life, and when her father was the same age, she imagined he was lounging about, mad that like Zuko after him, his father wouldn't give him the attention he wanted.
More than fear for her own life, she was afraid for Ty Lee, and though the both of them were more than capable of defending themselves, it was already well and truly proven they were not invulnerable. Azula looked at her bandaged arm, and tried to keep a straight face, wondering what else could happen to her in the coming months. Eventually there would be a confrontation; her father would die, or her uncle would die, or maybe she would meet her own end. She did not want to think about it, but the burns would constantly remind her- she was weak, she could be defeated, and she could be fooled.
"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe. We'll watch each other's backs." Ty Lee reassured her, with the same warm smile she always gave; that stern look had melted while Azula was consumed with her own thoughts, and she was glad for it.
She did not want her to be so serious, because it was just a reminder of the danger they faced; Ty Lee was happy-go-lucky, that was what defined her in stark opposition to both Mai and Azula, and what made the Princess drawn to her. Her skills were a bonus, but she had to admit that her outlook and attitude were what made her so dependable; she was resilient, like herself, but in a very different way. Not everyone had to be cold, calculating, and ever-serious to assume a position of strength; Ty Lee could smile and coax her way through every situation, and even when she couldn't, she would not falter.
Once her braid was tied, Ty Lee turned and smiled, "Did you want to go get some mochi or something after this?" she suggested, ever wanting to keep the Princess appeased.
A pang of guilt hit the Azula; that was not something usual. She had been so out of it, so focused on her own problems that she didn't realise how much she had been thinking about her, even when she had her own, well-justified fears about the trip they would undertake.
Azula stepped over to her friend, who seemed a bit surprised, but smiled as she leaned in and hugged her tightly, "Thank you."
"Uh... it's all good, Zula." she assured her quietly, sounding less eager than she had before.
"Not about the mochi." she clarified with a whisper, "My cousin was right."
"About what?"
"Friends are more than allies. You're-" she began, before sighing, "I need to earn my place." she decided to frame her issue, standing back up, "As your friend."
Ty Lee scrunched her lips and tapped her chin curiously, "And... how?"
"Saving your life would be the most fair way, but... I would prefer to avoid putting either of us in needless danger."
The acrobat reached her left hand out and grasped Azula's right, squeezing it softly as she looked at with a sweet, soft smile; not cheery, bemused, or playful- simply pleased to look at her. It felt strange, even if Lu Ten, her uncle, and even Zuko had looked at her like that before; perhaps it was because she had never had a mother to coddle her. She frowned at that thought, as it made her feel weak, but that feeling dissipated when Ty Lee leaned in and hugged her back.
"Just being there is enough."
She was sitting in the gardens by her lonesome, meditating while the evening wind brushed her face. Zuko did not want to interrupt his sister, but he knew that they ought to speak, given he had effectively forced her on a mission. He did not regret his idea, but he knew that his sister was still recovering from the burns she received from Ozai. The very fact their father had done that to her still made his blood boil; rivalry and spats aside, he did not want to see her be hurt so viciously. She had proved herself more than once to be loyal, and even if they would still have Iroh's succession to contest in time, that was a far off problem, unlike their father and his plots. They threatened all their lives.
"Little Sister." he addressed her, in a way that might have seemed mocking, if it weren't for the fact that he had proved his loyalty to her.
She turned her head, her eyes still closed, her face telling him that she wasn't pleased to have him there, "Zuko." she mumbled under her breath, before turning back to face the garden.
He glanced up to the dim blue sky above them, the clouds scattered with an orange hue from the already set sun, "You're keeping your eyes shut from that?" he gestured up, and she let out a huff.
"I'm not here to look at a pretty sky." she retorted calmly, and Zuko approached, sitting himself down beside her; to be respectful, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes, joining her in a meditative pose.
"Then what are you here to do?" he asked softly, not wanting to press, but still curious as to what was on her mind.
"To try and train myself to ignore the pain. Usually I'm doing things, so it's easier to not focus on, but sitting here, all I can feel is the ache all the way up my left side." she frankly explained her intent, and he stiffened his lip.
"Have you been taking your burn ointments?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Yes... but I cannot stand spending my days in a daze. I have had enough of doing nothing."
He felt the need to remind her that meditation was in fact doing nothing, but the voice of his uncle in his head told him to hold his tongue; he did, and instead tried to calm down himself. He didn't have any injuries to distract him, only his thoughts and fears.
"Does sleeping stop it?" he asked her, and Azula's lower lip stiffened.
"The pain?" he asked, and the Prince grimaced slightly as he realised how his question had lacked much context; pain was something she could overcome and ignore, but fear was a different kind of beast.
It could be strength, but just as much, it could be debilitating; he didn't have to read his sister's mind to know that her fear of Ozai would hold her back. It may not have before Kurosuna, but it certainly would now that she had looked death in the eyes.
"No, the fear." he corrected her; her face turned away from his own, and he could not tell if she had opened her eyes.
"Why are you here, Zuzu? To mock my weakness?" she questioned him, her tone sharp and biting, though he could see from her posture that she wasn't as mad as she was trying to make herself sound.
She had had enough, and so had he; so, Zuko decided to be frank.
"No, I won't ever call you weak." he reassured her with as firm a voice as he could muster; he did not want to lie to her, and he did not, but she was a suspicious person, who might take the smallest inkling of doubt to call him a liar and discount his every word.
"I am weak." she retorted, "Weaker than I should be... I don't need you to remind me of that fact, because it's always on my mind. These burns are a constant reminder."
"Strength doesn't just come from beating people." he argued, knowing that something Lu Ten had once told him might lighten her spirits, "It comes from being right... and being just. Father is neither of those things, in any sense of those words."
"That kind of strength will mean nothing when we are dead." she retorted, her voice still calm; despite her acknowledgement, she could not muster to show her fear.
Ozai had ingrained that into her, and into him; Zuko was at least willing to show it to Mai, and to Uncle, at times. He came to the realisation that she couldn't do that unless she was alone; Zuko knew that was unfair, and the more he thought about it, that unfairness was a mirror to the disdain and disregard he received from their father.
"Righteousness matters." he tried to reassure her, unsure if he truly knew what was right; he could better define the conflict in knowing what was wrong, "We are right, and he is wrong... he definitely is."
What his father had done was wrong, what he planned was wrong, and what he may have had to do with the Dai Li and the Siege of Ba Sing Se was beyond reprehensible. Nothing else withstanding, if his fears had been proven true, even without the conflict, without the threats against their lives, he would have killed his father without a second thought. Zuko was so confident in that feeling that he cut his hair and disregarded any loyalty, any inkling of desire for his father's respect.
"I don't want to die." she stressed her stance, though her voice cracked, and Zuko turned, realising that wasn't just a retort; her teeth were grit, and though she tried to retain a semblance of calm, it was lost within a few moments, "Do you, Zuzu?"
"I cannot." he declared, and she raised her right hand to cover her face.
"That's what he would say. Cannot. Must not. Forbidden to... You can die Zuko. Anyone can, everyone will." she stated the facts as she saw them, the linking of his statement to their father making him tense.
"I am not him."
"But you're thinking like him. I can't blame you... I do it all the time." she commented, her voice soft and less fearful, "Why are you here?"
"I want to know how you feel... about leaving again." he stated his intentions, and she smirked; that was the Azula he knew.
"I am but the Fire Lord's humble servant, and shall do as he commands." she declared, making a curt bow as she sat, though it was clearly to mock their duties; she knew she could refuse Iroh, just as he could.
Their uncle was not one to refuse them, especially if they gave reason for whatever demand they made of him. He did enjoy their wits, after all; that was something their father never tolerated, unless it was to prove their intelligence. Recalling historical intricacies, firebending forms, or battle strategies were what he wanted to hear, not why or how they should act when it came to their positions as Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation.
"It was my idea... so, I'm taking responsibility." he directly addressed the matter, "So, can you give me an actual answer?"
"Fine." she almost whispered, before tilting her head to the side, "I know the Mechanist. I know the Northern Air Temple. I don't know what Qin was there for... what inventions he has taken for our father. I don't know what the Avatar has to do with any of it." she gave her thoughts, before resting her head on her closed left fist.
"And?"
"I will just have to wait and see. I can't predict what will happen... All I can say is that I will get to the bottom of it. I won't let Father's plans slip by." she gave an assurance, which wasn't what he asked for; Zuko knew he could have just remained silent and taken that answer, but he wasn't just there to force some expectations upon his sister.
"I mean... how do you feel about leaving home again?" he pressed her, knowing that he needed to know the truth; she was burdened with responsibility, so he ought to at least be burdened with her opinions, which he mightn't have valued as much in the past, but were vital if they were going to work together to save their nation from doom.
"Urgh." she groaned, rolling her eyes before she turned to face him, "What do you want to hear?"
"Everything." he bluntly admitted, knowing that she could not truly tell him everything she felt, but he did not want her to lie or obfuscate about what was going through her mind.
He had been in close contact with her ever since she was attacked by Ozai, and he could tell from the way she sat, from the way she spoke, and the way her eyes darted around whether she was out in the open. Azula was afraid, though he guessed it wasn't just for her own sake; she had to worry about Ty Lee, Mai, their uncle, and perhaps, even him. That was all on top of thinking about how she may or may not be able to protect herself against the next attempt on her life.
"We don't have time for everything." she refused, before she let out a sigh, "I trust you are capable, Brother... You will keep Uncle safe, and the rest of the Fire Nation along with him."
He let out a small smile, the affirmation a surprise, but appreciated, "You didn't need to say that."
"No, I didn't... I'm stating what I know. We might have failed to catch Father back in Kurosuna, but you've proven you have what it takes. Whatever you thought Father would say about you... it was wrong. You have the strength to be the Fire Lord." she gave him even more affirmations, the last shocking, given her own desire for the throne.
'Why would you say that?"
"Because it's true. You are capable, Brother... more than a worthy rival." she argued, pointing an index finger toward his face, "I only have to worry about what will happen to me out there... and Ty Lee, now that she's certain she'll come along."
"I thought so." Zuko mumbled, guessing that she would go with Azula; she had left the capital to join the circus, to get away from her sisters and establish herself as her own person, so going once more, but to serve alongside Azula, made just as much sense.
He wasn't too familiar with her own issues, but knew of them from Mai, who was more than well-versed in both Ty Lee and Azula's issues; the latter didn't speak about hers all too often, but what Mai gleaned was enough to tell him what he needed to know- she was not his enemy. She had told him time and time again, but he had refused to believe her until it was too late; if he had acted on her words earlier, perhaps his father's plot could have been snubbed out before it had a chance to set the Fire Nation alight.
"I'm sorry, Azula." he told her his feelings then and there, "I should have listened to Mai... I could have told you about Father's secrets long before... all of this."
"You didn't trust me." she observed the obvious fact, and she seemed amused, "You shouldn't have. I didn't trust you either."
"I don't think that's how trust works." Zuko retorted, "One of us has to... be open to it first."
"Well, that's over and done with, Brother. There's no point arguing over the past." she declared, and he smiled, agreeing with the sentiment.
"Yeah..." he mumbled, and she rolled her eyes.
"Stop smiling. It makes you look stupid." she warned him, and the Prince turned away, forcing his lips to straighten; he noticed her bandages were still in place, and she didn't seem any more physically capable than she had been when she first awakened on the tank train.
"I'll make sure the Intelligence Service looks out for you when you're in the Earth Kingdom."
"Look out for me?" she asked, sounding clearly in disbelief, "Yes, like how they looked out for Ty Lee."
"You know what I mean. They're loyal to me now... seeing that Father's loyalists are being purged as we speak."
"You can't find all of them." she warned him, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"We'll catch enough." he assured her, before rising to his feet; he didn't feel the need to ask her anything else, unless she wanted to tell him something.
His sister noticed him stepping away, and she cleared her throat, "Zu- uh, nevermind." she stopped herself, and he furrowed a brow, wondering if she was going to mention what he guessed she would.
"Uncle and I already spoke, Azula." he clarified the state of affairs, "I know about our brother."
"Wh-" she gasped, before her face turned to one of contempt, "Fucking Uncle."
"No, don't blame him... He is the Fire Lord. It is his responsibility to protect our family." he reminded her, and Azula just clenched her fists, remaining seated.
"And... and what will you do?"
"Nothing." he assured her, "There is nothing to be gained by imprisoning a boy who has had nothing to do with this fight, especially when that might just make him our enemy... somebody Father's supporters could make the Fire Lord instead of him." he explained his reasoning, though he had been persuaded by his uncle to do absolutely nothing, instead of at least searching for the boy so they could ascertain his whereabouts.
"Not that you could find him... right?" she asked, and he nodded.
"Uncle already had Jia's home searched, as well as the school he attends. He's already been taken by Father's men." he explained what he had been told; he did not know if Iroh was being truthful, as he obviously wanted to avoid a confrontation between Zuko and his younger brother, but the Prince had already decided against trying to either capture him or persuade him to their side.
He was raised outside the palace, and likely had little understanding of the political situation he was in; he might have value to Ozai as a successor, but to Zuko, he could only act as a bargaining chip. He knew that with the Intelligence Service, they could find him eventually, and try and bring him to the palace, or at least, back to his mother. She was still travelling back with the rest of the entourage they brought on the train, taking another train from Kurosuna, which would take a few more days to return to the capital.
"Do you know where she is?" Azula asked, obviously referring to Jia.
"Travelling back here. According to the last report I received from Taki, who's been in charge of interrogating all of the servants and agents who could have been informing Father. I guess that process can be shortened, given Jia must have told Father about our plan."
"We can't know that for certain. She's been in contact, but... I think she actually wanted me to join Father." she gave her own opinion, "At least... that's what he suggested."
"He has a propensity for lying." he retorted, before sighing, "Anyways... the boy will not be harmed, you have my word."
"The Intelligence Service might act otherwise." she warned him, and he scoffed.
"I will make sure to inform them to treat him as a political prisoner, not as a combatant." he assured her, "When I tell them about this... tomorrow."
"So... no more work for the Minister of Internal Affairs for the day?" she asked him, as if to suggest he was actually the Minister; he had been vested in power by his uncle, but that did not make him a minister.
Technically, his father wasn't ever Minister of Internal Affairs, and was just the appointed head of the Intelligence Service; usually it was some retired general who was given the honour, but their grandfather, for whatever reason, thought his son was better suited to lead. The Minister, on the other hand, was effectively his subordinate, given his royal status. The previous Minister had disappeared along with Ozai, and a new one hadn't been appointed, leaving Zuko and General Mak taking up his powers and roles.
"I am no public servant... though, I guess I am one, by birth." he realised his own status; a Prince or Princess of the Fire Nation was no bureaucrat by default, but being born and raised in the palace led to expectations of duty to their nation, in the battlefield and in the court.
"That is our burden, Brother." she acknowledged, "I used to be excited to serve the Fire Nation, but now... it fills me with other feelings."
"I know." he mumbled, before turning away, "I hope you recover quickly. You must be itching to train."
"No... I need to go out there and get things done." she declared resolutely, "Training has only ever been to prepare, it's victory I want."
"I don't think it will come easily."
"It never has." she murmured, and he knew what she was thinking about; it was the same thing he was.
That told him what she needed to hear, and he wanted to chide himself for not realising it earlier.
"Go make our cousin proud."
