The walls of Ba Sing Se stood tall, towering above the scrubland below, and yet, despite their size, the Fire Nation had breached them. Iroh and a vanguard of troops had scaled up an access staircase on the inner side and reached the command centre, where a General commanded the defenders of the Outer Wall. The fighting had been tough, and a few boulders had been close to striking him from the staircase. His son was back down on the ground fighting off the defenders by the breach, giving them the time they needed to secure the command centre. Lu Ten, as well as a few other officers, had then come up to participate in the most ritualised part of war Iroh knew: surrender.
The enemy leader was a man by the name of General Huang. He had fought valiantly for months against Iroh and his forces, repelling their assaults against the wall, and attacking their siege weapons that lay away from the walls. The siege was a constant back and forth, but now, they had broken through the walls. It was only a matter of time before he led his forces through to establish a new siege camp by the Inner Walls. Beyond that, he had the city itself, which could take weeks to assault, even once they had gotten through the walls.
Huang was accompanied by a dozen ranking Earth Kingdom officers, all of them grizzled and weary from the fighting. Most of them had to be restrained and held down before they stopped trying to bend or use their weapons. Iroh respected their efforts, and was relieved when Huang allowed a messenger to leave with the order to surrender all their positions. Iroh wouldn't allow them to leave the wall, but he would permit them to enter Fire Nation custody unharmed.
The officers were kneeling before him, their eyes turned towards the ground, each of them holding their weapons out as a sign of goodwill. The Crown Prince acknowledged this with a bow, and gestured for his guards to take their weapons.
"Thank you for your cooperation. You will be treated fairly... You will be taken to our encampment, and I assure you that once the war is over, you will be permitted to return to your homes." he gave a promise he truly intended to keep; he could not say how long they would be held for, but Iroh had every intention of defeating the Earth Kingdom, once and for all, so there could be lasting peace between them.
"I do not think things will be as easy as you hope, Prince Iroh." Huang warned him, still holding a ceremonial dagger in his hand; Iroh grasped the blade, and eyed its inscription.
"Never give up without a fight." he read it aloud, and smiled, "I respect that." he acknowledged the words and how they related to everything Huang had done so far, "The war is over for you, General. Take the time to rest... I'm sure you'll need it. I do."
"If you're tired, then why don't you go home?" the General asked him, and Iroh just laughed.
"After coming all this way? Fighting for all this time? No, I will make sure that all this is worth something." he stressed, "Take them down to the tank-train. I won't have them walking all the way to our camp." he directed his guards, who saluted him before grabbing an officer each and taking them to the exit, leaving Iroh with a few guards, his own officers, and more importantly, his son.
Lu Ten stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, "It's done, Father."
"Not yet." he reminded him, "My father will not have us just take the Outer Wall and be done with it."
His son grimaced, and then strode forward, to the window that looked over the inner side of the Outer Wall; out in the distance, Iroh could make out the Inner Wall, and the three rings of Ba Sing Se, noticeably distinct with their different colour roofs. He could even see the gilded eaves of the great palace of the Earth King, their ultimate destination. Because of the massive area of Ba Sing Se's farmland, and the city within, the palace was a mere speck on the horizon, reminding him of the distance they still had to cover before they would have their victory.
"How many more months will we spend toiling away?" he asked Iroh, before looking down, "What am I saying? It's the soldiers of the Fire Nation doing the work, not us."
"We do not shy from battle, son, but yes, you're right. They deserve all the applause and commemoration for the victory we achieved today." the Crown Prince agreed with his son's analysis.
"Why can't we just try and negotiate a settlement?" Lu Ten asked him, and Iroh grimaced; he had brought up the very same idea to his father on numerous occasions, especially after his victorious campaigns.
"Your grandfather will not accept any settlement the Earth King would actually agree to." he conceded, "We could force a settlement on them, but that would involve blockading the city proper. Occupying the fields and keeping any smugglers out will take as much effort as the siege we've already undertaken."
"That would cost us less men." Lu Ten admitted, and Iroh sighed.
"That is true... but the Comet is coming in only five years. If we take too long, the Fire Lord will decide to use it to destroy Ba Sing Se, instead of wasting resources besieging the city."
"That..." his son gasped, his eyes telling him what his mouth wouldn't dare to utter.
"I know." he assured him, "The war has already made enough monsters of us."
"Do you think we're going to win, Father?" he asked, "I mean, you don't sound overly confident."
"Overconfidence is the death of every strategist." he raised a hand, before turning around, "Guards, assemble my tea set. I'm in need of a drink." he explained his intentions, making Lu Ten laugh, before he placed a hand on his father's back.
"You're right... some tea would be pretty good right now." he admitted, following Iroh to sit down by a table that lay in the centre of the room; it had some figures and wooden representations of weapons, camps, and units on it, on top of what looked to be a map of the section of the Outer Wall they were inside.
His guards retrieved his teacups and teapot, and placed them down on the table in front of Iroh and his son, and the General pulled out some leaves from his robes. He always had some on hand in case he wanted to drink; he sprinkled them into the pot, and poured some water from the flask he carried with him. Then all he had to do was firebend a small flame on his palm and let the pot boil.
"So... back to the battle, Father." Lu Ten redirected his attention, and the Crown Prince laughed.
"Ah, yes, war. We have to breach the Inner Wall before we have any hope of actually achieving victory. Without a way to seize their defensive positions and remove their government from power, we will have little hope of winning, barring a coup."
"A coup?" Lu Ten raised a brow, "You think they'd start killing each other if they got hungry?"
"I mean, the commoners might rise up when they're hungry enough, but that's not what I meant. The Council of Five are the heads of the Earth Kingdom military, but they follow the Earth King's orders. The Earth King is really just a puppet of the Dai Li." he explained the situation, "When push comes to shove, are the Council of Five going to just let the city burn so that they can maintain their pride?"
"I don't know." his son conceded, grimacing in thought, "The Earth Kingdom is as stubborn as a mountain. They just might."
"I know people, and I know war. They will want to give up eventually, if the only other option is an uprising that leaves them dead and the Fire Nation nonetheless victorious." he acknowledged, "So, we could wait for that, but I would prefer to use our strength while we are still high off the glory of this victory." he gave his thoughts, gesturing to the city that lay off in the distance, "I will not allow all this effort to be in vain."
"The entire war has really been leading up to this." Lu Ten realised, and a smile formed on his face, "I'm just glad I was here with you to see it."
"I would have preferred if you were not, but... you will be Crown Prince soon enough." he admitted, "There will be much for you to do after the war, Son."
"I know that, Dad." he admitted quietly, before pointing to the pot, "I think the tea is ready." he noted, steam billowing out of the spout.
He poured himself and his son a cup, before he picked up his, and sniffed at it; he had brewed them some ginseng tea, something that he was in desperate need of after all the fighting. Most commanding officers wouldn't throw themselves into the battle as much as he did, but the loyalty and morale of his men had to be earned, not expected. So, he would face what they did: sleep, eat, and shit in the same conditions, bask in their victory, and suffer the same losses.
He took a sip from his cup and sighed, enjoying the taste thoroughly; he could see the worry on his son's face dissipate as he too took a sip. Iroh then put his cup down and raised his right hand to stroke his goatee.
"Lu Ten, what do you want to do after this is all over? I know I've asked this before, but your answer might have changed after all this fighting." he asked a question that had come to mind when they discussed the matter of the war's end.
"Rest." he gave a jestful answer, though it was wholly truthful; they would be in dire need of rest after they took the city and brought the Hundred Years War to an end.
"And after that?" he asked, Lu Ten chuckling.
"I guess I'll go off to the other fronts... finish this off. There's still a few provinces outside our grasp, not to mention Omashu. That's been a hard nut to crack."
"I doubt Omashu will last very long once we have all our energies focused upon it... Although the landscape is far more challenging than the one we face here. A mountain is far more sturdy than a wall." he noted what he knew about the city.
He had once tried to lay siege to it, but was met with stiff resistance by its defenders, and the environment made it a challenge to maintain a siege camp, let alone block smugglers from resupplying the city. That had all ended with Earth Kingdom reinforcements relieving the city, and repelling his army; it was one of his more embarrassing victories, though he could not have faced worse odds.
"Perhaps we'll go there next." Lu Ten suggested with a smile, "I'd say that'd be a vacation in comparison."
"No, it won't be." Iroh assured him, "Perhaps Gaoling and the southern provinces. There's far less of a military presence there, nor mountains to aid our enemies." he suggested another place to attack, "I believe Father had some plans in the works to send a few armies there."
"We can't spare the manpower at the moment." Lu Ten realised, before scrunching his lips, "Do you think they'll take this chance to attack our weaknesses... supply lines, outer colonies, labour camps?" he questioned Iroh, who shrugged his shoulders.
"None of the men defending those locations have come here to aid us. This expedition was designed to avoid straining our supply lines or exposing our defences."
His son scrunched his lips and nodded, "Then I guess it doesn't matter, we've spent months here already." he noted how long it had taken them to actually breach the walls; Iroh could not say for certain how much longer it would take them to reach the city proper, and the palace that lay within.
"Yes, the Fire Nation's position is secure." he assured his son, "There is nothing to worry about here, other than protecting our fellow soldiers and ensuring this victory is as easy as possible."
"So... that idea you had about waiting for them to overthrow each other... why not try that?"
"I said it was a possibility, there is nothing to say that the Council of Five will actually want to make peace with us. They may double down and put as much resources as possible into defeating us, and given the size of the Earth Kingdom, they might be able to persist for another generation even without this city."
"All of their standing armies have been defeated, Father. The only substantial forces that remain are those defending Ba Sing Se." he argued, and Iroh laughed.
"Oh, if it was only that simple, Son." he acknowledged, not wanting to mock his son, but he knew the lesson ought to be learnt before they were done with the so-called impenetrable city, "They can raise more armies. They do not have a dedicated, volunteer fighting force as we do. That makes their soldiers less competent and not as strong-willed in battle, but numbers have kept the Earth Kingdom alive for a hundred years."
"What about the earthbenders?" he pressed Iroh, "If we were really able to arrest all of them, they'd have much less of a chance to resist." he offered, and the Crown Prince grimaced.
"Do you really think that will stop them from fighting us, Son? As much as I tolerate such practices, they have only earned us hate amongst the populace." he asked Lu Ten, whose formerly confident expression weakened.
"I- I guess you're right, Dad." he admitted quietly, "We want to have peace, and if they want to fight us, then that'll never happen."
"Some in the military would support such an 'endless war', but that will bring ruin to our economy, and eventually, the commoners will have had enough of it. No amount of schooling on the virtues and glory of the Fire Nation will make men fight in a hopeless conflict." he argued, crossing his arms, "I know you believe in our cause, as I do, but... belief is not enough."
"Hope is what keeps them fighting, Father." he acknowledged with a disgruntled look, "Hope that they'll prevail... or somebody else will."
"Nobody is coming to save the Earth King." he reminded him, "Once this city is ours, hopefully those left will see reason, and perhaps, my father will understand the need for leniency upon the defeated."
"Tell that to the dragons." Lu Ten joked, though his expression told him he disapproved of Azulon's actions there.
"My point exactly."
Azula's breath was steady, and her feet were firmly planted on the ground; she knew she had to be ready for combat again, so she forced herself to move from simply practising a few simple forms, and decided to return to doing her usual firebending sets. Each punch and kick caused her left side to ache a little, but the pain was getting less and less noticeable with each passing day. Her skin was still healing, but her body as a whole felt closer to what it had been before.
She had received a few burns in training before, but nothing like what her father had done; it was a stark reminder of her weakness, and she knew that she had to be faster, stronger, and smarter if she was to avoid it happening again. The anger was boiling beneath the surface, and firebending was an easy way to let out that rage. She wasn't going to scream and shout, but she would throw her energy into her sets, silently making an imitation of a beatdown that would probably never come.
She trusted her brother would find Ozai eventually, and he would be dead before she would have the chance to see him; she preferred it that way, as she doubted she could hold herself back from burning his face off the next time she saw him. Fear might have held her back before, but she was so far from that tea room, and anger was far easier to draw upon than her fears.
She spun herself around and shot her right leg out, shooting a fire stream from her sole; it coursed out and threw back the dummy on the other side of the yard. As it recoiled, she dropped her foot down, turned to face it, and kicked out ehr left leg, conjuring up a wall of flames that shot forward, covering the other side of the yard by the time it reached the dummy. It didn't fall back, given the dissipation of the attack, but if it were a living, breathing man, he would surely be dead by that point.
She let out a deep breath, and breathed in before she moved back into form, ready to go through another set. She turned herself around, facing another dummy, and rushed at it, conjuring two fire daggers at the ends of her fists, before she slashed them up, scorching the face of the dummy; the black marks covered where its eyes and mouth would be, and she didn't look at it as she jabbed her right hand forward, covering it with flames as she struck its neck. The dummy's head flew off from the force of the strike, fabric tearing and the woollen stuffing setting alight. As the head tumbled down to the ground, she took another deep breath, before stepping back.
She would have done another set with another dummy, but she heard somebody clapping; her head spun around, remaining alert and poised to fight. She had guessed it might have been her brother, who may have wanted to test her before she left the capital again. It wasn't him, but her uncle who was beaming with pride as he looked at her.
"Brilliant." he commended her, "You're back up to speed, Niece."
"That I am." she nodded, before narrowing her eyes, "I was expecting some kind of criticism." she added, feeling that comments about her firebending wouldn't feel complete without some suggestion of what she could improve upon.
"Well... if you really need to hear it, you should probably focus more on the ranged sets. You don't want to be getting that close to your enemies... it's useful to know, but you should want them beaten before they can even lay a hand on you."
"They won't." she reassured him, "I mean, that's why I'm practising." she gestured to the dummies that she'd already beaten up or torn apart with her bending; she was practising with less hardy dummies, given that the others were so strong they wouldn't be a fair representation of a human being.
"Of course." Iroh acknowledged her statement with a nod, and then sat himself down by the edge of the training yard, "Please, continue. I didn't want to interrupt you."
Azula didn't want to be annoyed with him; in fact, she'd hoped he would come and watch her train, and give her the advice and affirmations she desired. Her father was usually stern, but supportive of her training and achievements, but being reminded of that just made her feel wrong. The world was upside down and out of place; things were not meant to be the way they were. She knew she was meant to be a dutiful daughter, and that her uncle was meant to rule undisputedly; Lu Ten should have been alive, above all else.
Things weren't like that, and never could be; so, Azula did the only thing that made sense. She planted her feet firmly, took a deep breath, and showed her uncle her strength. Her hands rushed back and forth, like she was running upon them, except she struck the air, instead of the ground, flames coursing out in quick succession, the blue bolts striking the dummies that lay across the yard from her. She spun around, and sent an arc of fire towards them, the flames making a black line across their chest plates. She then threw up a wall of flames between herself and the dummies, before she lunged forward; her uncle had warned her to focus on close combat, but she knew that there was more to fighting than shooting fireballs from afar.
She closed her eyes, the flames obscuring her targets already, making her sight redundant. She knew where they were, and let the flames cover her arms as she thrust them through the wall of fire. The jabs were calculated, striking the wooden necks of the dummies, before she kicked the last one in the side, knocking it over and setting the flameproof fabric alight. It wouldn't burn through, but the flames hung over it long after the wall of flames had dissipated.
There was one last dummy she missed, and her uncle must have realised it, his eyes focused upon it instead of her. So, Azula pivoted herself upon her right leg, spun herself around into a kick, striking it on the chest and throwing it down to the ground. She smirked, eyeing her tarred but practical metal boots. Her uncle remained silent, but began to clap, and smiled at her achievement.
"Well done, Azula." he commended her, "That was a quick and effective display of your strength. I don't recall that being a set."
"It's loosely adapted." she admitted, "The enemy would run at me anyways... so the original set was less realistic." she clarified, explaining why she ran up into close quarters.
She sighed as she felt her left arm aching; she was able to avoid using it, all the way until she had to jab one of the dummies in the neck. Flexing her hand muscles, she felt the ache on her fingertips, but didn't complain; the pain on her lower arm was less, as her father had only lightly burned it as she tried to get him off her.
"Your arm. How does it feel?" the Fire Lord pressed her, and Azula's lower lip stiffened.
"It was much worse a week ago." she said the most positive thing she could, "I am ready to leave, regardless."
"You need not be so urgent, Niece. I doubt that you will be able to apprehend War Minister Qin quickly whether you get there in a week or in three months." he tried to reassure her, but she shook her head.
"The quicker we secure the Mechanist, and what secrets he spilled, the quicker the Fire Nation can be prepared for whatever Father has planned next." she told him the fact of the matter; there was no reason to soften things for the Fire Lord of all people.
"That... that is true." he agreed with her point, placing his hands behind himself as he watched her flex her arms, creating flames in both her palms to see how well she could bend.
Her flames were as strong as each other, but bending a brighter flame on her left side made her ache; it wasn't sharp enough to impair her any longer, but it was frustrating, and she guessed, given how tired she already was after a few ordinary sets, she would lose advantage in any fight if it drew out for too long. The pain sapped her strength, but she knew she had to power through it; it was either that, or die, in the circumstances she was preparing for.
"So, will you be getting ready to leave?" he asked, and she raised a brow.
"I have already had my things packed and prepared. The servants are taking my things down to the ship as we speak. I'm waiting for Ty Lee to get here, and then we'll get to the ship."
"I will see you down." he promised, and she almost laughed.
"I knew you would." she admitted, trying not to sound sentimental, but she realised she did; she didn't want her uncle of all people to feel bad about sending her off.
He was stronger than she had realised, but even then, he had to be afraid; he had seen war, and fought for years against their enemies. He had never faced a conflict like the one they were facing at that moment; she imagined he was mentally preparing for it over the years, anticipating Ozai's treachery. With that in mind, she realised that perhaps Lu Ten was not the only thing dampening his spirits the day he was crowned Fire Lord.
"Don't be afraid for me, Uncle." she tried to reassure him, and he chuckled, though his eyes remained solemn; he might have been trying to support her, but he clearly still had things on his mind, "You're distracted."
"Well... I've had a lot of work recently. Meetings with ministers and notables, sending out commands, organising the palace defences... it's like I'm fighting in the war again." he acknowledged, not sounding nostalgic in the slightest; he liked his retirement, after all.
"Perhaps you need to go to the spa instead." she suggested, half in jest, though knowing its benefits could be of use to her uncle.
"Oh, I could, but I already know how to relax. This is the kind of thing you can't just wash away." he admitted, and she huffed, understanding the sentiment very well.
"I know." she responded, her calm and reserved tone telling him everything he needed to know; he already knew it- he'd seen her state when she arrived at the palace, and he'd heard everything that had happened in Kurosuna.
The Fire Lord turned around, looking towards the way back into the depths of the palace, "Did you need to ask anything of me, before you leave?"
"Nothing sentimental." she stressed, not wanting to give him any more reason to think she was going out there to face down death, like she was obliged to make their last few hours together rosy and high spirited; she was not going to let her guard down and let herself end up in a stupid, avoidable situation like that she was with her father.
"Then what do you need to ask of me, as your Fire Lord?" he rephrased his question in a darker, more confident tone; that was the voice of the Dragon of the West, the man who conquered Ba Sing Se, and Azula smiled, pleased that he understood her perfectly.
"The peace settlement. What Sanyan and Father bungled in Omashu." she reminded him of why they were there in the first place.
"That was not a proper peace settlement... just negotiations between people with the power to influence such a settlement."
"You were by far the most important person there. The only other man or woman there who can even command an army was Bumi." she argued, and he narrowed his eyes.
"You're wrong." he warned her, and Azula raised a brow.
"The Open Eyes... some of them were there. What, did you want to side with them against Father?"
"No... I wasn't suggesting that in the slightest." he reassured her, "What I meant to say was that there are those in the Order of the White Lotus who have a more proactive attitude towards peace."
"So... the Open Eyes."
"No, they were disbanded many years ago, and solely focused on the Fire Nation. As soon as they realised their plot was futile, they decided to go into hiding. Some of them are in the White Lotus, because we... well, at least hold some principles in common." he explained, before sighing, "There are those from the other nations who feel that I am not trustworthy... even some from the Fire Nation. They would not come to that meeting, and likely won't come to the next one."
"And?" she pressed her uncle, unsure what he was trying to get at.
"Those people will want to manipulate the peace process out of our favour, and I cannot blame them for it... or outright support the festering conflict within the Fire Nation. I understand why, but I cannot agree with it; we need to be united so we can ensure the peace is lasting."
"I see." she mumbled, wondering if those malcontents would try and get in her way, "Do you think they will come to try and stop Aang?"
"No, there is no reason for any member of the White Lotus to act against the Avatar. He will do what he must." he explained, before turning his head, eyeing her, "Perhaps we should walk and talk... I feel a bit awkward just standing here in the yard."
She followed the Fire Lord out to the changing area, knowing she needed to get into her actual robes before she would leave the palace; he sat himself down on a bench, and Azula stepped inside the women's section, pulling a curtain back before she started to switch her articles of clothing.
"I won't be long, Uncle." she reassured him, "We can continue speaking, if you wish."
He made a snort, sounding amused by her desire to continue speaking, but he seemed to accept it.
"Well then... I believe that you and the Avatar will be the best poised to find those in the Earth Kingdom we will need to speak with. He would have gone to the North Pole, knowing my intentions, if Sokka relayed them to him; hopefully, he has spoken to the Chief there about a settlement."
As she replaced her tunic with a longer robe to cover her torso, Azula shook her head, not thinking that involving the Northern Water Tribe would be productive, "The Northern Water Tribe has stayed out of the war since we last tried to invade... that was long before even you were born."
"I know, but they are the only other nation with a formidable fighting force... well, a united one. They would be helpful if we had to undertake peacekeeping operations in the Earth Kingdom. Our occupation cannot continue everywhere, and not indefinitely." he explained his reasoning, which was completely reasonable in her eyes; the Water Tribes were less involved in the war than either the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom, and would be good intermediaries by which to ensure peace while they transitioned from war to a lasting peace.
"You shouldn't say you are going to withdraw so soon." she warned him, "That will only embolden our enemies... and they are justified to fight... but that fight will just drag on and bring suffering to all the nations."
"I know that, and that's why we need to make peace with our foes. The earthbender labour camps will be disbanded as soon as I can negotiate with their release and cooperation."
"I don't think the Army or Navy is going to appreciate a new threat like that." she warned him as she fastened her forearm guards, before slipping her training boots off.
"They already are split between supporting myself and Ozai. I need to get assurances from the prisoners that they will not terrorise our country."
"Most of them would have been imprisoned merely for earthbending. I think legalising it nationwide will work as a short term solution." she added, slipping her leggings on, before she stepped into her steel boots.
"That was my intention. I cannot alienate the frontier governors... so, I will need to provide them with more men and orders to reprimand but not arrest troublemakers." he clarified his intent, before she fastened her boots and stepped through the curtain.
"And what about those rebels at large, continuing to harass our forces?" she asked Iroh, who grimaced.
"Those forces will hold out... and I have already sent out orders to delay offensive actions with Ozai's rebels harassing supply lines. It's a good excuse that appeases the officer corps." he explained, making her smile.
"Good. They're a bit too full of themselves anyway... so that'll stop any rebellious thoughts forming, at least for the moment. Do I need to negotiate with those rebels?"
"Yes... if you have the opportunity. I need as many potential participants in the peace settlement. Though I would have simply preferred to negotiate with the Earth King, that cannot happen when he is in hiding, and without any real power." he explained what he wanted her to do.
"What if the Earth King returns?" she asked, "I mean, given the current situation, it's not out of the question that the Dai Li could stage an uprising in Ba Sing Se." she warned her uncle, whose eyes narrowed.
"I've already warned the garrison of such a potential, but at the moment, there are little resources we could spare to reinforce them." he acknowledged, before crossing his arms, "The only solution I can see is a new civilian government."
Azula's eyes widened, realising what her uncle was suggesting, "You mean to give the city you conquered back?" she asked, and he cringed, before shaking his head.
"Not to the Earth King... or the Dai Li. I want to bring about a new age for the Earth Kingdom... let the people there see an alternative to war or an oppressive monarchy." he suggested, and Azula scrunched her lips.
"You would best avoid going too far there, Uncle. What do you think the commoners here will think?"
"I have put my life on the line countless times for our nation. If the people do not believe I am worthy, then perhaps I deserve to lose." he retorted, his tone shift telling her he was not trying to make light of a potential uprising; he truly believed in that idea that the worthy should rule, and that made her realise why he was so conflicted on selecting either her or Zuko to succeed him.
"Then you should make sure to keep a firm hand on our enemies. I know that peace is the best solution... but if it is their wants or ours, the Fire Nation must come first." she warned her uncle; she knew she was giving him an impossible demand, given what a peace settlement would expect of the Fire Nation, and what he was expected to do as Fire Lord.
"I wish it were that easy." he admitted quietly, before smiling at her, "Your observations are astute, Niece."
"I don't know what every person in the world thinks of peace, and how it should be handled... but I think we can come to some compromise. We have to, if we are to win."
"Against your father... or against the other nations?" he asked her cautiously, and the Princess stepped past him, towards the door out of the training yards, back into the depths of the palace.
"Both." she gave her honest opinion, "And when I say win... I don't mean condemning us to another war which forces thousands... millions of people to die for little gain." she added, "We should not repeat Grandfather's mistakes."
"You are right, Azula... but I believe your father has been using the same line of thinking."
"Of course he has. He's not stupid... if he wants to destroy all our enemies, he will do it efficiently."
The doors of the palace opened for Ty Lee, who had her bag slung over her shoulder; she didn't have anyone to carry it for her. Her parents had not been happy when she told them she was going with the Princess, but they knew that she couldn't refuse 'an order', which she had claimed it was. She knew that wasn't true, but the lie was necessary to stop them from demanding she remain in the palace. So, when she left, no one was sent to take her bags; she only had the one, which had enough clothes and essentials inside that she would be prepared to travel around with her friend wherever she might go.
She knew that the ship would be well stocked, but she would prefer to have more than one change of clothes, which was the situation she had been faced with ever since she was found by Haru in his barn. All her other clothes were burnt or lost with the fire in the camp; some of those she had had for years, and though it was frustrating, she had more than enough replacements at home, with six other sisters wearing the same size and style of clothing.
She paced her way down the hallway, knowing that Mai would be with Zuko, probably either speaking, training, or doing things in private that she'd love to gossip about with Azula. She hoped, for their sake, that she didn't catch them doing anything of the sort, because she had every intention of telling the Princess everything. That didn't mean she would care, as she usually was ambivalent towards Zuko's relationship with Mai, if not a little disgusted. She found it adorable, as it had always been, ever since they were little.
The servants bowed to her when she came past, which was a surprise, given that she wasn't a member of the royal family, though it must have been because she was coming by so frequently, and always in the company of the Prince and Princess that they must have just grown accustomed to it. Ty Lee quickly made her way to the section of the palace where Zuko and Azula lived, and she stopped in front of the guards stationed there.
"Is Mai here?" she asked them, and the guards shook their heads, one of them stepping forward.
"His highness and Lady Mai are having tea at this moment." the guard clarified, pointing down the hallway, "In the tearoom closest to the gardens."
"Thank you." she acknowledged his assistance with a bow, before pacing off in the direction he indicated.
Ty Lee made her way down the hallway, following its winding path past halls, offices, small guard barracks, and eventually, the throne room, which was distinct by being guarded by the Fire Lord's Imperial Firebenders, even though she doubted he was inside. She continued along to a better lit portion of the palace, where some walls opened up to training yards and small gardens. She noted that Azula wasn't in any of the yards she walked past, which told her that she was either getting her things ready, or was already prepared to leave. She might have been in her room, though that was not where Ty Lee was headed.
She reached the tearoom the guard referred her to, and as expected Mai and Zuko were sitting there by their lonesome, though there were guards stationed by all the exits, facing outwards to give them a bit of privacy. Ty Lee being there would remove any privacy, but she knew that they'd have all the time they could ask for once she and Azula were off on their next adventure. Framing it that way made it seem less dangerous and more fun, and that was what she needed after all that she'd seen so far. So much anger, conflict, and needless bloodshed, things that she wanted to try and keep out of her mind, preferring the idea of serving her nation alongside one of her best friends.
Zuko turned his head, and though he didn't seem pleased at seeing her, he forced a smile, and gestured for her to approach, "Ty Lee, it's good to see you." he gave a pleasantry she didn't expect, though she guessed that he was just in a better mood being with Mai.
"Uh... you too." she awkwardly responded as she approached, standing in front of the pair while they held their teacups, "So, are we going down to the ship?"
"What, do you need me to hold your hand?" Mai asked her sarcastically, making Ty Lee snicker; she at least had a sense of humour, even if the way she kept a straight face and monotone voice would make it seem otherwise.
"Well, I'm gonna miss you, so I thought we could at least go down together." she gave her reasoning, and Mai shrugged.
"We were going to go anyway." she assured her with a seeming lack of care in her voice, "Iroh told Zuko he had to."
"I was always going to." he responded snappily, the haste with which he spoke making it sound like a lie, though maybe he was just feeling embarrassed, "Uncle just wants Azula and I to get along... I thought I was doing a good job so far."
"You say that like you don't want to." Ty Lee observed, before cringing, "I mean, Azula hasn't been in the best mood since the whole... burning thing."
"Yeah, I know." Zuko nodded, the look on his face distant, but pained; she hadn't expected him to take the ordeal as badly as Azula did, but perhaps, after seeing her in so much danger, after working so hard on a plan to beat their father, he felt like the blame rest on his shoulders.
Ty Lee wouldn't blame him for that, and she knew that it would be hard to persuade him to think otherwise. After a few moments of awkward silence, Mai turned to look out at the gardens, clearing her throat to get his attention.
"It's not like she's going to never come back, Zuko." she assured him, though Ty Lee seemed unsure whether to believe she was certain in her claim; she was purposefully looking away from either of them, who could read her emotions better than anyone else.
"She will." he agreed, his own face telling her of his uncertainty, "She has Ty Lee, remember."
"And all those guards." the acrobat added with a smile, "They'll make sure everything goes smoothly. Rebels, Earth Kingdom, pirates, bandits... whoever gets in our way, we'll beat them, I'm sure."
"I know Azula would say the same." Mai mumbled, before turning back so they could see her face, "You've got to be careful out there."
"I've seen the colonies." she assured her, "Things aren't as bad as you might think."
"That was before this." she retorted, "The Fire Nation is turning on itself. There is no way anyone can assure the public they'll be safe... and that you can even protect yourselves."
"Azula is... well, come on, we've all seen her bend." the acrobat argued, knowing that Azula was one of the most powerful firebenders alive.
"Not since the last fight." Mai reminded her, though Zuko scrunched his lips, telling Ty Lee that she was not correct.
"I have." he admitted quietly, "She is slower... more reserved. I mean, you remember what happened after the explosion. I was the same as her... but I'm back." he reminded Mai, who grimaced.
"No, no you aren't." she retorted, pointing a finger at him, "You've done things that you never would have done before then."
"The circumstances changed, not me." he defended himself, sounding a little offended, "I don't have to justify my actions."
"Maybe not to me... I understand, but do you think your uncle understands? Does Azula?" she asked the Prince, whose frustrated glare became more conflicted; his eyes darted away, and he sipped from his teacup.
"They know me." he softly made his point, his frustrations subdued, "Azula should know more than anyone that I do what is necessary. I know my duties... as does she."
"I mean... Azula's killed people before." Ty Lee conceded, knowing that she had saved them from an assassin and personally fried one of her guards with a lightning bolt after he betrayed her.
"It doesn't surprise me." Zuko mumbled, "My sister and I are siblings after all."
"It's not like you're predisposed for violence, Zuko." Mai argued calmly, though her choice of words suggested that she was annoyed, "Your father taught you that."
"I mean... it wasn't really him." he conceded, "That's how our world works. I don't mean everyone, everywhere... I mean here." he gestured to the table in front of him.
"And do you think it should be that way?"
"If I wanted to change it, it wouldn't be easy." he gave his opinion, crossing his arms before he turned his gaze back down to the tea he was drinking; he seemed to have gotten so engrossed in the conversation that he forgot about it.
He sipped the rest of his cup down before rising to his feet; Mai finished her own tea and then followed suit.
"It's not nice when you guys fight." Ty Lee admitted her feelings, knowing that they ought to be getting along and supporting each other instead of butting heads.
"That was a fight?" Zuko raised a brow, "I wouldn't call that a fight."
"Of course you'd say that." Mai rolled her eyes, "She means a spat... an argument."
His expression softened upon realising what she really meant, and he turned his gaze away, "Sorry, I'm just... well, I don't want Azula to be in danger out there."
"I never expected the protective big brother act from you." she noted with a bemused tone, though her phrasing made it sound like she didn't believe his intentions were as noble as they sounded.
"What, just because I don't like her doesn't mean I don't care about her." he retorted, "Azula has always been my rival, but other than uncle, she's the only real family I have left."
"What about your brother?" she pressed him, and Zuko raised a hand, not wanting to discuss his half-brother; after speaking with Azula about him, Ty Lee understood why, or at the very least, had a pretty good guess as to why he was avoiding the topic.
"I don't know him, and he's not involved yet." he argued, "I don't want to have to think about involving a child in all this."
"He's only twelve... that's barely two years younger than Azula." Mai added, and Ty Lee furrowed a brow.
"Huh, I wonder if he's like you."
"In what regard?" Zuko raised a brow, clearly offended by the possible implications on her words; she had been thinking about his personality and appearance, not to say anything about his bending abilities, which is what he was presumably thinking about.
"Looks... how he thinks, acts. I mean, you're brothers, after all."
"I doubt he has the refinement and education of a royal... but maybe that did him some good." Zuko gave his thoughts, before approaching the doors, "A commoner's life is not without its benefits."
"Less responsibilities." Mai noted, "I certainly wish I had less overbearing parents."
"A normal childhood." the Prince gave his own idea, "Whatever that looks like... perhaps I'm just being nostalgic for something I could never touch."
"Enough of this... whatever you want to call it. Moping? Social brooding? Can we actually have a nice thing to talk about for once?" Ty Lee asked them, and the others seemed to find her reaction amusing, though Mai barely showed a smile.
"I agree." Zuko spoke up, before rising to his feet, "Uncle has probably already retrieved Azula."
"That makes sense." the acrobat nodded, before turning to her friend, "Maybe keep the arguing to a minimum." she prodded her; Mai almost looked ready to accuse her of something, probably to deny that she and Zuko were a couple when it was awfully obvious that they were.
"And you keep the fawning to a minimum." she retorted calmly as she stood up.
The three of them strode over to the doors, which were opened by the guards, and they accompanied them as they made their way down the hallway. As they made their way along, she leaned over towards Zuko, unsure where exactly they were going.
"Where are they?"
"They'll be going to a palanquin by the palace gates." he explained, "Azula wouldn't dare walk when she has a choice in the matter."
"She's not that stuck up... I've seen her walk plenty." Ty Lee argued, before tilting her head, "Though, I would prefer a palanquin than having to walk all the way down the caldera rim to the port."
"It is a long walk." he agreed, before they turned a corner and made their way towards the centre of the palace, where the throne room and gallery lay.
They paced their way past the massive tapestries of the previous Fire Lords, with the latest tapestry only partially complete, but clearly depicting Iroh as the Fire Lord. Zuko took a moment to look at it before continuing along, though Ty Lee was a bit interested in what they adorned the tapestry with. The other Fire Lords were surrounded by things that marked their reigns, and given Iroh had only just taken the throne, she couldn't guess what they'd depict, unless the war with Ozai was what was in the minds of the palace artists.
The bottom of the tapestry featured a depiction of the city of Ba Sing Se, though its walls were shattered, showing a clear path into the city, which was partially obscured by the walls. But above him, hung something she didn't expect to see; just like with Fire Lord Sozin's tapestry, there was a depiction of the comet that bore his name. That made sense, given that the comet was going to pass over before the first year of his reign was out. The implication that he would use it in war was concerning, given that the only reasonable target he could apply it against were the rebels within their own nation.
She caught up with the others, realising that she had been standing in front of the tapestry for too long. When she caught up to Mai and Zuko, they were speaking about something quietly, though she couldn't tell what. They stopped when she returned, so she decided to prod them just a little.
"What were you two lovebirds talking about?" she asked, and Zuko just rolled his eyes.
"Nothing that interesting." he assured her, and Mai didn't say a word, just giving her a glare that told her to shut up.
She did, but then, her mind went back to what had come to mind upon examining the tapestries, "What about the comet?" she asked them, and both turned to face her with confused expressions, though it clicked in Zuko's head much faster than it did Mai's.
"I hadn't thought about it too much." he admitted, turning his eyes away as he continued walking forward, "My father will want to abuse it to his advantage... but he probably doesn't realise that it gives just as much power to our side as it will his."
"He's probably not going to attack the homeland during the comet... if anything would make the people hate and fear him, it'd be that." Mai gave her own opinion, "But, the Earth Kingdom... well, you know more about military history than I do."
"Things won't go well for them, even if the remaining forces can hide, the land won't be safe, and neither will the people." he acknowledged, before shaking his head, "Father will be dealt with by then, so you don't need to worry about it, Ty Lee."
"I- uh, I was thinking more about your uncle." she admitted, "I mean it might give him a chance to fight the Earth Kingdom and your father at the same time, and make sure the Fire Nation is safe."
"Uncle doesn't want to rile them up any more than they already are... even if they keep attacking us, the Fire Nation has won the war." Zuko explained what he knew of Iroh's plans; that was reassuring, though she knew that things could change drastically if Ozai kept undermining the Fire Nation.
"Winning the battles doesn't mean we've won the war." Mai acknowledged, "The fact your uncle wants to make peace with the Earth Kingdom and not end all resistance makes that obvious."
"Uncle doesn't want-" he began, before holding his tongue, "The Fire Nation has lost enough men, time, and resources to a war that looks unwinnable, at least in the way that my grandfather had been fighting it. It's like trying to put out a forest fire... embers keep sparking new flames, even if we douse the flames or firebend them to our control."
"Nice metaphor." Ty Lee grinned at him; if he wanted to give off a visage of being wiser than his years, he certainly was achieving it, even if he was more than a little abrasive.
"My tutors loved the fire metaphors." he mumbled with a tone of disdain.
As they made their way down to another fork, Ty Lee spotted Azula and Iroh, who were slowly walking along, chatting quietly enough that she couldn't get anything that they were saying; the Fire Lord noticed them first, raising a hand to greet them, and the Princess turned around next, her face seeming stiff and displeased. She was probably just in a bad mood from her burns; it was either that, or she and her uncle were discussing more serious topics, the kinds of things that they might even argue about. However, the Fire Lord's demeanour suggested none of that as he paced over to meet them, hugging his nephew as he approached; he probably wasn't expecting that, as he almost flinched from the contact, but accepted it nonetheless.
"Good day, Nephew. You're coming to see your sister and Lady Ty Lee off?" he asked, and he nodded, before Iroh gestured down the hallway, "Well, we best be off. The palanquins are waiting for us outside."
"The less walking we have to do, the better." Zuko acknowledged, eyeing his sister as he said it; she seemed a little amused by his words, but turned her eyes away and started pacing down the hallway.
"I'm not waiting any longer. You are coming, aren't you, Ty Lee?" she asked her friend, who nodded before stepping closer to her.
"I am... I got my bag and everything."
"Try not to let all your things get set on fire this time." she suggested, joking about what had happened back at the circus; Ty Lee awkwardly laughed, having mixed feelings about that experience.
It had been exhilarating and terrifying; the Intelligence Service truly did not hold back when it came to doing their duties, and that was why she was relieved that they were firmly under Zuko's grip. Such a group of people ought to actually be doing the right thing instead of hunting down innocents. She might have been guilty in Ozai's eyes, but Ty Lee had just been helping her friend.
"Don't joke about that." Mai reprimanded the Princess, "Would you say the same to Zuko about getting his back burned by that explosion?" she asked, and Azula's expression softened slightly, though she retained a visage of cockiness.
"Of course not. Zuko might actually hurt me." she argued, and the Prince snickered.
"Not likely." he retorted, before pacing ahead of her, "If you say it's so urgent, then let's get to the palanquin. We can talk all we like inside.
"We're not all fitting in one." Azula reminded him, "I'll go with Ty Lee and Uncle. You two lovebirds can gossip all you like?"
"About what?" he decided to follow her mockery up, and she just smirked at them all.
"About how you're all so sad about seeing me go. Without me, you have no hope of even finding Father." she declared, though her words were clearly in jest; she was just making light of a terrible situation, which had affected her worst of all.
"We'll see about that, Sister." he took her words as a challenge, amusing Ty Lee.
"Ah, see there's the rivalry we've been missing." she gestured to both of them as they walked along, and they looked at her with perplexed faces, Zuko seeming more confused while Azula seemed more frustrated, "Things might actually start going back to normal."
"In that regard, I'd prefer not." Iroh gave his opinion, smiling at them warmly, "It is good that you two have been working together."
The sun was already low in the sky as they arrived at the docks. The first thing Iroh noticed when he arrived was that the security presence was extreme. He did not think he had seen that many Home Guardsmen assembled and on duty since the Open Eyes attack on the palace. The palanquin was a little stuffy with Azula and Ty Lee, and the latter would not stay quiet. Of course, he preferred conversation to silence, especially when it would involve him looking dead into the eyes of his niece. Her burns had not healed properly, and she remained uncomfortable just sitting there, so the conversation was a fine alternative, if it was a bit frustrating on his end.
Ty Lee had many questions for Iroh, mostly about his experiences in the war; after decades fighting the Earth Kingdom, there were a lot of stories to share, though he tried to remain succinct, not wanting to dwell too much on any given tale. That was because most brought back bad memories, one way or another; there were many comrades he had fought alongside who had died at the hands of their enemies, and even more innocents whose lives had been lost because of his efforts for victory. He could not name every campaign he'd been on, but the most interesting ones, at least to the ever talkative noblewoman, were the ones where he faced down comparable opponents.
Though they weren't taught to students in Fire Nation schools, the Earth Kingdom had a number of ranking officers who were just as well-renowned as he was. They had led their nation through countless campaigns defensively and offensively against Fire Nation forces. He had met even a few in direct combat; most were earthbenders, which made them serious threats, but even the non-bending generals were still a threat. If a non-bender chose to lead frontline troops against the Fire Nation, they were more than worthy of his respect.
"So, this General Xiong, how did you beat him?" his niece asked him, referring to the last general who had spoken of.
"Well, that's the thing, I never did." he conceded, that specific campaign in the southwestern Earth Kingdom being a long and tedious one; General Xiong had been the local military governor, who had used the mountains and forests to his advantage, attacking Iroh's men in ambushes, and harassed their supply lines constantly.
The campaign lasted over a year, before he finally withdrew his troops to the coast to consolidate their positions, rather than press inland to fight the General's forces. He had faced the man only once in battle, though that was before the events of the campaign; that was when they first attempted to besiege Omashu, decades before the current siege. Xiong had arrived with his detachment of grizzled mountaineers and sappers, who destroyed their encampment, and allowed King Bumi to claim victory, even if both sides lost much in the fighting.
Xiong had been a massive man, taller than his brother Ozai and broader too; King Bumi was well-built and in shape for an old man, but he had nothing on General Xiong, who was built like a hippo-ox. The man wielded a meteor hammer which he used to devastate Iroh's personal guard. He came into close quarters, and was barely able to fend him off with his firebending; the meteor hammer was surprisingly fast, given its size. He had to rely on reinforcements coming in with artillery to batter the field and allow Iroh to draw back to a more defensible position.
"I fought him once before that. I never sought him out after that." he explained, and Azula seemed amused.
"A man that could beat you?" she raised a brow, "We best send that man after Father... that'd be the fastest way out of this predicament."
"This was many years ago. For all I know, he's retired and possibly dead." he acknowledged, "That's if he didn't get mixed up in the political intrigues in Ba Sing Se."
"The military held little power there, didn't they?" she asked Iroh, who scrunched his lips.
"Perhaps back then... but during the siege, the military were the ones staving off absolute defeat." he stressed, knowing that even if the Dai Li were a precise, deadly fighting force, they were masters of subterfuge, not open battle- when it came to that, he and his men annihilated them without any real struggle, at least compared to the siege that preceded it.
"So, did you send anyone after him?" Ty Lee asked him, and the Fire Lord smiled.
"Oh, we did. We even had the Yuyuan Archers brought in to try and handle his forces... but even they couldn't find him... at least without taking massive casualties. They found a few decoy bases, which were rigged with blasting jelly. I lost a few guards... men I'd known for years, because of those." he recalled sadly, knowing that having to tell the families of his guards what had happened was just devastating for them; they had not died protecting their prince in battle, but from a trick meant to kill him.
"That's sad." she acknowledged with a pensive look, "Did you win the campaign?"
"No, not that one. It was a failure... and my father considered sending me to the other side of the Earth Kingdom to try and cover up any tarnishing of my reputation." he explained what had followed, and Azula looked at him suspiciously.
"And you did?"
"Of course not. I stayed in a field hospital for a few weeks recovering, organised a new expeditionary force, and offered aid to the commoners we found who were displaced by the fighting, providing them with housing the government had originally intended for colonists. They gave us the positions of General Xiong's hideouts in the mountains, and we found them abandoned." he explained, Azula humming with interest.
"So, they bled you dry and ran with their lives." she noted, "That's... very un-Earth Kingdom of them." she acknowledged, and Iroh nodded.
"That's why Xiong sticks with me in my head. He just left with his men... and we could not find them anywhere, not even across the ranges where the Earth Kingdom still had a sizable force protecting the towns and villages. A few guerrillas, some locals who didn't accept our offers of aid, harassed us for weeks, but they were rounded up and sent to prison." he told him the resolution of the conflict.
He had half expected to face General Xiong in a battle to the death, but the General had more wits than pride; he left without any consideration of the political effects of his retreat, and probably faced harsh punishment because of it.
"So, what did the Fire Lord think of all that?" Ty Lee asked, and Iroh shrugged his shoulders.
"He did not give any tacit approval, nor did he reprimand me. The plan worked, and my reputation was saved... at least in his eyes. I did not care for it. I just wanted the war to be over for the people there, so we could get on with the real job of taking Ba Sing Se."
"This would have been decades before that." Azula realised, and he nodded.
"It was... but I always intended to take the impenetrable city. As soon as I saw it my dreams... I couldn't resist the challenge, and the hope of a grand victory. The end of the war... all the anguish would be snuffed out with one battle. I was foolish to believe that would truly be." he acknowledged, knowing that the present circumstances proved his aspirations were ever foolish; the greatest threat to peace was not any other nation, or even the war itself- it was always the Fire Nation.
"Did you ever find out where Xiong went after all that?" Ty Lee asked, and the Fire Lord shrugged his shoulders.
"No, not really. I knew he wasn't on that front anymore, but for all I know, he could have been reprimanded and discharged for abandoning a province." he explained his thoughts on the matter, before he felt the palanquin thump against the ground below- they had reached their destination.
One of his guards opened a door for him, and he stepped outside onto the pier; they were already beside Azula's ship; it had been cleaned out, and restocked since she last used it, and she had a new tank-train, as the last one had been destroyed outside Omashu. Iroh turned to face her as she stepped out of the palanquin, and smiled at her.
"Well, this is where we leave you, Azula."
She looked at him solemnly, but didn't say anything, stepping past the palanquin to approach the one ahead of them, where Zuko and Mai were; they climbed out, and the usually stoic girl stared the Princess down. They whispered something to one another, and then, Azula punched her brother in the shoulder, rather weakly; that amused both the Prince and the Fire Lord, and she turned back around, before eyeing her ship.
"So... is there anything you wanted to speak about before you left?" he asked her, and she placed her hands behind herself as she approached the gangway slowly; he followed, awaiting a response, which didn't come until she had reached the base of the gangway.
"I will probably be gone for some time, Uncle." she acknowledged, "The Avatar will need-" she began, before turning her face away, seeming annoyed, "He'll need me to watch his back. A ship should be sufficient, assuming Father doesn't have a fleet sent after him."
"Yes, that's true. I'll make sure to keep a tab on their movements. If you need assistance, I will make sure it is sent as quickly as possible."
"The Intelligence Service will aid you where it is possible." Zuko spoke up as he approached the gangway, "I know it isn't much, given they're not exactly the most combat-ready servants of the Fire Nation, but they have hideouts across the colonies and are undercover in the Earth Kingdom- they'll be able to keep you safe from Father, if you happen to lose your ship."
"I'm not losing another expensive craft to assassins." she assured him, "I'm going to plot out my course and prepare for every possibility." she stressed, her words making Iroh smile; she was being more forward-thinking than usual, and that was saying something about the orderly, perfectionist Princess.
She usually would just have to worry about the other nations sending people after her, or perhaps the odd pirate, bandit, or thief, but with the Fire Nation divided in loyalties, it was only a matter of time before somebody tried to prove themselves by attacking her. Iroh did not envy her in the slightest, but he knew he was no safer in the homeland. Ironically, the Earth Kingdom, far from any military bases or major settlements, would be the safest place for any of them to be at that very moment, assuming the locals didn't find out their identities.
"That would be wise." he agreed, and turned to Zuko, "Your brother can send you reports on a weekly basis to inform you of any suspicious activities in the colonies. Your intervention... though less useful than an army, could certainly help us take down your father's loyalists." he explained, having already discussed the matter with his nephew a few days prior; just like in Kurosuna, where they had hunted down Ozai's agents, she would be capable of investigating and outing traitors to the authorities.
"That would be helpful." she acknowledged, nodding at her brother, who did the same back; her expression became less cold and more pained as she turned back to Iroh, "But I wasn't going to talk about my duties... I meant to say, things could get a lot worse here. If I'm not here, I can't help."
"But you can." Iroh assured her, "That's why we should remain in contact. You can leave the matters in the homeland to your brother."
She nodded, seeming unsure of their plan, but accepted it nonetheless; she turned her gaze back over to Ty Lee, who had been listening to the conversation with an uncertain look, "I won't force you to come along to hunt down traitors, Ty Lee."
"Why do you think I'm coming, Azula?" she asked her, sounding slightly annoyed with the Princess, "I'm coming to watch your back. Plus, I work pretty well with the Avatar and his friends... we can probably use their help."
"They're children." Azula reminded her, and Ty Lee shrugged her shoulders.
"So are we... and it's not like they haven't proven they can't handle tough situations. Crescent Island, the offshore prison, Omashu." she reminded her, and Azula scrunched her lips.
"Well, they've saved my life at least twice... so I can see your point." she cautiously accepted her advice, and Iroh ran his fingers through his goatee as he listened.
"Ty Lee is right. They will be helpful, but... not being Fire Nation, involving them in some places will become... prickly, to say the least." he warned them, and Azula nodded.
"I will try not to bring them to the colonies." she decided, and turned her eyes back up the gangway, "So, what will you do here?"
Iroh didn't know what to say, given they had already discussed both their ideas in detail before coming to the port, "Well, I will make sure resources are allocated to deal with your father's insurgency... but I must begin preparing the nation for the coming peace. The Fire Nation's military will have to be reformed in the coming years, and the political discourse must move away from the jingoistic views my father and grandfather have pushed for so long." he explained what he thought needed to be done; the ministers would follow his commands, but the general population and public servants might not understand his rationale or agree with his plan.
He had to explain himself, and give them a new framework through which to view his policies; he was not going to give up every gain made in the war, but neither would he deny the Earth Kingdom the opportunity to co-exist with the Fire Nation. Everyone with a brain understood that continuing their policies of violent suppression and the indefinite detention of earthbenders would only lead to more revolts and discontent towards Fire Nation rule. Before he could even consider a negotiated settlement with those rebels that remained standing against them, he would need to appease those already under his rule.
"The Fire Nation longs for an end to this war." Mai spoke up, "We can only hope that the people understand that we aren't... losing."
"Everyone loses in war." Iroh conceded, "It's just a matter of who loses the least." he added, knowing that the Fire Nation by that metric were certainly the victors, though he imagined that without the war, their nation would have likely been far more prosperous, given they would lack the need to fund such a massive military and colonial apparatus.
The Fire Nation had gained much land and resources from the Earth Kindgom's defeat, but that had not given them the prosperity they so-desired. For every tract of land they took, they needed more men to hold it, let alone considering the inordinate resources needed to be spent on rebuilding the decayed or nonexistent infrastructure in the Earth Kingdom, and then the decades spent on educating and integrating those new subjects under their rule. He had foolishly thought that once they took Ba Sing Se, the costs of maintaining their military would decrease, and they could actually focus their efforts on infrastructure and bettering the conditions of those living in the Earth Kingdom.
"Well, you have time before the Earth Kingdom realises the opportunity before them... not much time, but time." Azula warned him, "Use it well, Uncle."
"I will, Azula." he assured her, and she looked at him with a grimace for a few moments before she leaned in and hugged him, something he had not expected to receive unprompted, "I- uh... I didn't expect this." he mumbled.
"Shut up." she snarled quietly, and he let her hug him for a little longer, before she let go and paced up the gangway, without a word.
"I will miss our Pai Sho games." he spoke his mind, knowing that was easier to say than saying he would miss her and fear for her safety; it felt so much worse to him than when she had gone to find the Avatar- at least then, he was confident that she would be safe on her ship, protected by some of the strongest firebenders alive.
"And I won't." she retorted, though he could tell she was joking, her face looking pained, "You always win."
"It cannot last forever. We should play when you get back... perhaps you'll have learned some new tricks on your trip."
"What, from 'seeing the world'?" she asked, and Iroh shook his head.
"No, the Avatar might know how to play. I'm sure he'd be good with the wisdom of all his past lives." he suggested, and she laughed.
"I doubt that." she argued, and Iroh was inclined to believe her; she had actually spent time with the boy, and understood the extent of his abilities, unlike himself, who had only met one of his Water Tribe friends.
"Well we shall see, my niece." he declared, crossing his arms, before he noticed Mai pacing up behind him, to step down to the base of the gangway.
"Do us a favour and stay alive." she requested, and Azula almost laughed, smugly looking down upon them; for a few moments, the old Azula returned, unburdened by the conflict with her father.
"Oh, I'll do more than that, don't you worry." she assured Mai, before gesturing for Ty Lee to follow her, "Come on, Ty Lee. We can't stand around and be sentimental forever."
The acrobat hugged Mai tightly; Iroh found the moment quite touching, as the usually stoic and serious girl smiled, and closed her eyes, accepting the embrace. Once they were done, Ty Lee dashed up the gangway and waved back at them.
"Good luck." Zuko farewelled them, and the Princess waved a hand his way.
"I think I'm due for some after the debacle we've been through." she declared, and then turned her head around, walking up to the top before she strode along the deck, "We're moving out!" she called up to the bridge, and Iroh noticed a little flash of light through the glass, telling him that they heard her order.
Iroh turned his gaze away from the ship, knowing he would wave once the ship took off, and he stepped over to his nephew, who was looking up at the ship, watching Azula and Ty Lee walk towards the superstructure of the ship. Zuko noticed his gaze, and narrowed his eyes, but didn't look at him.
"Something on your mind, Uncle?" he asked him, and the Fire Lord placed his hands together, knowing that there were security matters they still had to discuss.
"On the issue of your father... and the fact the Intelligence Service has failed to apprehend him." he reminded the Prince, whose gaze turned to him, now having gained his attention.
"Is this you reprimanding me, Uncle?"
"You are not responsible for their failures... or the fact they are heavily infiltrated by his own supporters. He did run the organisation for years." he reminded Zuko, whose glare remained steady; Mai was looking at Iroh as well, though her face remained serious, no more than it usually was.
"So, what will be done?" he asked Iroh, who had already come up with a solution.
"We will outsource part of the effort. A two million ban bounty for your father would be more than sufficient." he explained his intention, "A thousand for any ranking officers or fugitives in league with him. Double the bounty for higher ranking officers... fifty thousand for any generals or admirals."
"So, basically Admiral Chan?" he asked, and Iroh nodded.
"Yes, only him, that we know of. He has not made any communications to the capital since your father's escape from the palace... and as you told me, the White Lotus already recorded his involvement." he explained what he knew about the man; given that they couldn't reasonably reach him without sending a good portion of the Fire Navy to take his flagship and any other vessels in his personal flotilla down.
"So, what, do you think some really eager bounty hunter will snatch him in port and hightail it for the closest jail in the homeland or colonies?" Zuko asked with a clear tone of disbelief.
"It's a lot of money. You needn't think about such amounts... because you usually never have to pay for anything."
"I-" he began, before turning his eyes away, "I realise that."
"So, bounty hunters? Are there any good ones? Like the kinds that could beat Ozai?" Mai asked Iroh, who laughed.
"Well, I killed the best one in the Fire Nation." he admitted, recalling his bout with Sanyan.
"The three-eyed man?" Zuko raised a brow, before smirking, "You truly are one of a kind, Uncle."
"If I weren't, you'd be disputing the succession with your sister instead of bidding her farewell." he argued, and Zuko's eyes turned away.
"Didn't he nearly kill her too?" he asked more quietly, and Iroh sighed, looking up as the gangway was drawn up.
"Yes, but that's why he's dead, Nephew. I won't let anyone hurt you if I can do anything about it." he declared confidently, his eyes turning up to the bridge, where he saw a spark of blue light through the glass.
"Be safe, little one."
