Disclaimer – all original Avatar: The Last Airbender characters in this fanfic (excluding my OCs) are the property of Bryana Konietzko and Michaela Dante DiMartino.

Chapter 39. Plan Revealed.

Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence, Huo's Room.

During their trip home, Weng couldn't stop smiling and trembling from excitement. It was the first time Huo saw the man in such a state. While it would be the perfect time to get some answers, the boy decided to wait with the questions. Once they returned to the residence, the nobleman immediately ordered the staff to prepare a warm bath for Huo. After that, the boy could have anything he wanted for supper. It was evident that he was clearly pleased with Huo's victory.

Once he was squeaky clean and his stomach was full, Huo returned to his room with a bowl of fresh, raw chunks of meat for Nurei. Immediately after opening the door, the vulture drake smelled the meat and flew over, landing in the bowl. Huo chuckled, approached the table, and placed the bowl on the tabletop. "Enjoy your meal, Nurei," he said, gently petting her back.

Even though it was almost nighttime, the room was illuminated and warmed up by flames in the fireplace. Huo sat down at the table with a deep sigh. "What a day," he said, looking at the ceiling. Prince Lu Ten was an awesome firebender, and Huo knew he couldn't defeat him without the Dance of the Dazzed Phoenix. The boy could only imagine how powerful his father was. Crown Prince Iroh seemed to be a nice man, or at the very least nicer than his younger brother. Maybe he'd agree to a friendly spar if he asked nicely.

Huo's thoughts were interrupted by Weng, who entered his room with a big smile. The nobleman opened his arms. "My boy, I said it once before, but I say it again, you are a gem!" he announced proudly. "I knew you were a prodigy when I first saw your firebending, but I'd never even considered you could defeat the firstborn of a Crown Prince! Even Fire Lord Azulon himself was impressed!"

Since he mentioned the subject himself, Huo decided to ask. "Prince Ozai said my future hinged on that fight," he said, squinting his orange-colored eyes. "Care to explain what he meant?"

"I told you that once Prince Ozai pushes us towards our goal, I'll tell you everything," Weng stated, sitting at the table right next to Huo. "And he did exactly that."

"Okay then, I'm listening," Huo replied, genuinely curious.

"When we first met, I told you I want to get rid of corruption in the Fire Nation by bringing the Fire Sages and the nobles back to the power they once had," Weng began to explain. "Only Fire Lord himself would be able to do something like that, and that's were you come in."

"You want me to convince Fire Lord Azulon to empower nobles and Fire Sages?" Huo asked, but Weng chuckled and replied. "Haha, believe me, nothing in this world could convince Azulon to relinquish or even share his power with others. The same goes for his sons. However, we can still influence and wrap the youngest members of the royal family around our fingers, or more specifically, you can."

Huo squinted his orange-colored eyes. Somehow, he didn't like the sound of that, but he also needed clarification. "You're talking about Zuko and Azula?" he asked.

"Especially Princess Azula," Weng nodded. "You need to become her close friend and gradually improve your relationship with her so that when you're both old enough to get married, she'll be inclined to let herself be 'guided' by you."

When Weng finished that sentence, Huo blinked and leaned his head back without a word. His mind tried to process what the nobleman had just said, thinking he misheard him. The boy took into account the possibility of doing some crazy stuff for the nobleman, but he didn't expect that he'd be forced to marry someone he barely knew and didn't even like. Not to mention, he expected Weng's plan to be short-lived.

After a few longer moments, Huo shook his head, regaining his composure, and leaned forward. "Tell me you're joking right now," he said, narrowing his orange-colores eyes.

"I never joke when it comes to my plan," Weng replied.

"But your plan doesn't make any sense," Huo argued. "First of all, Azula is not going to become a Fire Lord. Crown Prince Iroh is the next one in line and after him, Prince Lu Ten. And second, even if Prince Ozai would be the Crown Prince, Zuko is his firstborn so he would be the next heir, not Azula."

"I'm aware of that," Weng assured with a sinister smile. "We're at war, so there's always a possibility that enemies of the Fire Nation could send assassins to eliminate members of the royal family. I have enough talented hands to make that happen. This is a risky and very delicate matter, so we can't rush this. I think Prince Lu Ten should be the first victim of the war. His death would put an end to Prince Iroh's bloodline, and Prince Ozai would surely try to inherit the throne. If they fight and one of them would end up dead, the better for us."

Huo's eyes widened, and he almost became pale as he realized what Weng had in mind. The nobleman wanted to kill the royal family members so that Azula would be the next in line to the throne. The boy couldn't say that he would miss Prince Ozai, however...

"Once that would happen, we need to get rid of Prince Zuko, allowing Princess Azula to beco-"

"Noo!" Huo exclaimed loudly. The room immediately became illuminated by blue light as Huo's outburst affected and intensified the flames in the fireplace. "There's no way I'm helping you kill Lu Ten or Zuko!"

Nurei stopped eating and looked at Huo curiously. Turning her head toward Weng, the vulture drake growled silently.

"Shhhh! Not so loud!" Weng raised a finger to his lips and took a quick glance at the door. "All servants will hear you!"

"Prince Zuko is a kind and good person like his mother!" Huo pointed out. "And Prince Lu Ten isn't a bad person as well!"

"They could become bad once they grow up, but that's beside the point," Weng replied. "I'm not saying I'm happy we need to do this, but there's no other way. Their deaths are necessary for us to succeed."

"I said no!" Huo said decisively. "Zuko is my friend and I won't hurt him!"

"Have you forgotten our deal?" Weng asked, his smile vanishing for the first time since they got home. "Do I need to remind you what will happen to Eilu and Shaku if you won't cooperate?"

Huo frowned and closed his fists. He had such a good time with his new friends that he forgot he was being blackmailed the whole time. The boy slowly became angry, and a smile on his face was clear proof of that.

Noticing the smile, Weng sighed. He was so close to achieving his goal, and he did not want to push the boy too far and ruin everything. "I know that this is a lot to take in at once, so I'll let you sleep on it and calm down," the nobleman got up and turned towards the door as Huo stared daggers at him. "We'll continue this conversation tomorrow, but you need to decide who's more important to you. The friends you know your whole life or the people you just meet and who only like the person you pretend to be."

"Goodnight," Weng left the room, leaving Huo alone with Nurei. The boy stared at the door for a while with a twitching smile. He eventually took a deep breath and exhaled, allowing the flames to cool down and return to their orange color. He shook his head, got up, and began to pace around the room.

He liked Zuko, and Lu Ten was okay as well. He didn't want either of them to get hurt, all the more killed. Zuko's mother would be devastated, and Huo didn't want to participate in this horrible plan.

He could talk with Crown Prince Iroh or Princess Ursa and reveal to them Weng's scheme, but no one could guarantee that they would believe him. It was the word of a kid against the word of a known and influential nobleman. Even if the Fire Lord cancels the arranged marriage and foils Weng's plan, the man still has enough time for revenge. Plus, no one could ensure Huo that Fire Lord Azulon wouldn't simply blackmail him after dealing with Weng and use his talents for their own benefit. Every outcome was terrible. Not for Huo, but for Eilu and Shaku. The situation sucked.

"Ugghhh... this is bad," Huo muttered, placing his hand on his forehead. He went to his bed and sat down. It was possible to ask Wei'Rai if he could take his friends to the Spirit World for some time, but it was not exactly a safe place for them. Also, no one could be sure that no harm would come to them once they returned to the mortal world. And even if they would be safe in the Spirit World, their parents could face Weng's wrath instead.

Nurei flew over to Huo and landed on his head. Noticing that her friend was worried, she placed her head on his head and spread her wings, resting them on the sides of his head in a hug-like gesture. "Thanks, girl," Huo sighed and smiled weakly. "Heh, I can't even imagine what my mom would say if she'd learn that I'm supposed to marry a Fire Nation princess. Speaking off, I wonder how Azula will react when she finds out."

Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Ozai's Villa.

With a last fire jab, Prince Ozai finished his training. Usually, he was already in bed, but his recent success made him all work up, so he needed to release some steam. He was about to leave to take a bath before going to bed. As he grabbed his towel, he noticed that his daughter, clad in sleeping robes, entered the training chamber.

"What are you doing here, Azula?" he asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "It's late, you should be in bed?"

"I can't stop thinking about the duel between Lu Ten and Huo," Azula answered wide-eyed, pretending to be excited. "I want to firebend like Huo. Can you ask him to train me?"

Huo's victory over Lu Ten proved to Azula that she couldn't defeat him the way she was now. However, the difference in their power could change quickly with proper training, and nothing could be better than making Huo train her to ensure his own undoing. Once she'd become strong enough, Azula would put Huo in his place.

Ozai smirked and placed the towel on his shoulder. "I believe that can be arranged, my dear," he replied. "After all, you're going to see the boy more often from now own."

"Hmmm?" Azula tilted her head, looking at her father curiously. "How come?"

"I have big plans for that boy," Ozai answered. "And, of course, you are included in those plans as well."

"What plans?" Azula asked, puzzled.

"You and Huo are going to ensure that our bloodline will remain the strongest in the whole Fire Nation and that no one will ever oppose the power of the royal family," Ozai explained, moving behind Azula and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Azula, I don't need to tell you how gifted you are and that's the result of my blood running through your veins. You inherited my talent and power and when you're old enough, I expect your child to be even more powerful."

"Ummm... okay," Azula replied, arching her black eyebrow, unsure what to make of this. This was a strange conversation and topic that she never really expected to have with her father.

"To make sure your firstborn will be the strongest, you need a suitable partner," Ozai continued, lifting his head to look at the chamber's far end. "In case you didn't guess already, Huo is the one who will become your husband and the father of your firstborn. I talked with Huo's father and he was more than happy to have his son become a member of the royal family. Not that he had anything to say in the matter."

If Ozai could see his daughter's face, he would notice that her eyes had become like saucers, and her skin had become almost paper-white. Her trembling mouth was open, and she stared blankly at a random spot.

"Just imagine how powerful a child of two great prodigies will be," Ozai smirked and chuckled ominously. "Hehe, I never thought I would say this, but I can't wait to become a grandfather."

The prince squeezed Azula's shoulders. "If you want to train a little, go ahead, but don't stay up too long," he said and simply left the room, leaving his daughter stunned.

Azula wanted to scream and argue, but she knew better than to go against her father's wishes. She closed her fists, took a few deep breaths, and calmed herself down. It didn't matter in the long run, and her plan hasn't changed. Once she'd become stronger than Huo, she would get rid of him for good and make it look like an accident. She could accept any other 'candidate,' but she'd sooner kill Huo in the most gruesome way possible than become his wife and have his child.

The next day – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence, Huo's Room.

Huo didn't sleep well that night. Too many thoughts invaded his mind as he tried to figure out a way to thwart Weng's plan. He even had difficulty meditating into the Spirit World to ask his father for some advice, but thinking of spirits gave him an idea that could work.

From the old history book of the Fire Nation, which he borrowed from Wan Shi Tong's library, he remembered that before the Hundred Year War, the people of the Fire Nation were very spiritual. Their beliefs affected the nation to such a degree that Fire Lords could even lose their positions if they were believed to be unfavored and cursed by the spirits.

If the royal family learned that a powerful spirit was against Huo's marriage, Weng's plan would be foiled. With his ability to create violet flames, Huo could pretend to be a spirit. Of course, he couldn't simply do that right off the bat, or else Weng would realize he had something to do with this. Huo needed to play along with Weng's plan and slowly make appearances around the Fire Nation capital as a spirit.

With a groan, Huo got up from the bed and rubbed his eyes. He lazily went behind the folding screen and began to put on his clothes. He heard the door to his room opening and sighed, knowing exactly who entered.

When Huo walked from behind the folding screen, Weng was already sitting at the table with a serious expression. "I see you had a tough night," he pointed out, noticing the black circles around Huo's eyes. "But that's good because it tells me you thought about the situation carefully."

Huo stared at Weng with narrowed eyes. Hastily changing his mind, even grudgingly, could make Weng suspicious and wary. "If you have ways to kill the royal family, why didn't you kill them earlier without having me befriend them?" the boy asked. "It would be better if I wouldn't be attached to them."

"Without the royal family ruling over the Fire Nation, there would be a power vacuum," Weng explained. "Even if the nobles would try to take control, a military official would quickly fill the ruling spot since we're at war. That's something I can't allow to happen because it would shatter my plan. As you can see, I can't fulfill my dream without you."

Huo inhaled and exhaled through his nose, lowering his eyes to look at the floor. "Believe me, this is anything but a bad deal for you," Weng assured. "You'd become a consort to the Fire Lord and the second most influential person in the Fire Nation. Many nobles would do anything in their power, even kill, to be in your place."

After a moment, Huo looked at Weng. "I'll go along with your plan on one condition," he said, and the nobleman arched an eyebrow. "Let's hear it," he said.

"I will get rid of Zuko, but on my own terms," Huo stated. "I can make Azula the Fire Lord without killing him."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Weng asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"At some point, when Prince Ozai becomes the Fire Lord, I can convince him that Azula is better suited to be his heir," Huo answered. "He considers her to be a better firebender than Zuko anyway so that won't be hard. Zuko may be his firstborn, but a Fire Lord can pass over an elder child in the succession if he wishes to. At some point, when you decide to kill Ozai, Azula will be crowned Fire Lord according to her father's dying wish. Even if Zuko will challenge Azula for the throne, he won't be able to beat her."

Weng stroked his chin. "To be fair, that is an interesting idea," he noted. "Okay, I agree, but if that won't work, I expect you to take responsibility and 'deal' with the problem in the right way."

"Fine," Huo replied, thinking that Weng agreed too quickly. The boy guessed that the nobleman didn't accept his solution and still planned to kill Zuko. To be honest, Huo also didn't believe that his plan would work, but at least now Weng believed he was on board and could start his own plan.

"Good," Weng smirked. "I'm glad we came to an understanding. Now come down; the breakfast is ready."

When Weng left, Huo exhaled and heard a growl from underneath his pillow. Nurei crawled from under it and flew over to the boy, landing on his shoulder. "We have a lot of work to do girl," the boy said. "And it won't be easy."

A few hours later – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence.

After eating breakfast, Huo decided to take a short nap under the tree in the back garden before dinner. As he stretched and looked at the clouds, he began to think about his plan. He needed to discreetly buy some things to make a disguise. Since he already pretended to be a violet phoenix spirit once, he decided to continue with that. A mask was necessary, and he needed something to make a coat with feathers. No one could recognize or even think he was a human.

The boy got up and went inside the residence, thinking about what to use and buy. As he entered the foyer and was about to head upstairs, he heard a knocking, and a nearby male servant quickly approached the front door. Upon opening, the man's eyes widened, and he gasped. The boy realized why.

"Lord Ozai," Huo said as the servant backed away and prostrated himself before the prince, who entered the residence with his daughter. Any other servant who entered the foyer immediately followed suit. For them, it was something remarkable. First, Princess Ursa visited with her son, and now, Prince Ozai himself and his daughter honored them with their presence.

"Go get my father," Huo instructed a random servant, who quickly got up and went upstairs. The boy approached the pair. "Welcome, my lord," he knelt before the pair and bowed his head.

"Greetings, my boy," Ozai nodded and gestured for Huo to stand up. "Did your father explained everything to you regarding our arrangement?"

"Yes... he did," Huo stood up and looked at Azula, who was looking at him with apparent disdain and hatred. It was clear to the boy that the princess knew everything as well and was as upset as him, if not more. Plus, he had a strange feeling she blamed him for this situation. "I must say, I was astonished when my father told me. Too bad I didn't know that before my duel with Prince Lu Ten."

"We didn't want you to be unfocused," Ozai smirked.

Huo heard quick steps and turned his head, spotting Weng descending the stairs. "My lord, what brings you to our humble home?" the nobleman asked and took a knee before the royalty once he approached them.

"My daughter was impressed by Huo's victory over Lu Ten and asked me if he could become her firebending teacher," Ozai answered, placing a hand on Azula's shoulder. "He's clearly more than suitable for the job."

"Oh, I'm sure Huo would be delighted to train her," Weng stood up and looked at Huo, who looked at Azula curiously.

"To be fair, I always wanted to see Azula's firebending," Huo replied truthfully. "Ty Lee, Mai, and even Zuko were saying that she's a prodigy, so I was anxious to see her skills."

"She won't disappoint," Ozai assured. "And since we have a few hours before dinner, you can give her a few lessons right now, and I'll send for her when dinner is ready."

That wasn't something Huo had in mind. While seeing Azula firebending would be interesting, being alone with her while she was like this didn't sound fun. Quite the contrary, but Huo had no say in the matter. "Of course," he nodded.

"In that case, I'll leave my daughter in your care," Ozai said and looked at Azula. "Listen carefully to your teacher."

"I will, father," Azula promised, and Huo could only imagine how difficult it would be. Forget don't like; the girl hated him now and surely wanted to use him as a training dummy.

When Prince Ozai left the residence, Azula looked at Huo. She smiled, but it was a forced, awkward smile. The two began to stare at each other in silence. Noticing the tension in the air, Weng placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't make the princess stand in the foyer, Huo, take her to the back garden," he said as the servants got back up.

"Have the staff bring us something cold to drink," Huo said without breaking eye contact and gestured to the side. "Follow me... princess."

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