After leaving the tent, Ivan found Azula standing outside, looking at the moon with her back to him. "So, would you like me to escort you to your camp now?" he asked, pulling her from her musings.
"No. I want you to apologize for your father's questioning of my position," said Azula as she turned to look at him over her shoulder.
Ivan coughed into his sleeve before looking back at her. "Yes, I'm...sorry about that. He was curious, and I apologize if he offended you," he said with a flourish of his shako and a bow.
Azula turned around and glared as she folded her arms. "Yes, I should hope so. Now, take me back to my camp," she commanded sternly.
Ivan rose again before placing his shako on his head and fixing the brass chinstrap. "Alright, so, would you care for a ride?"
In response, she seemed to think it over before turning to him. "I would," she said. "After all, I've had a long evening,"
Ivan nodded before walking over to where the aide had tied Adriel, whom he unharnessed and mounted before steering back towards Azula and outstretching his hand. "Care for a hand?"
She shook her head before jumping, doing a backflip, and landing perfectly behind him, causing the stallion to let out a frightened yelp as it turned its head sharply. "Hey, hey, easy!" shouted Ivan as he attempted to calm down his mount as the stallion began to move on his own while turning his head in panic. Ivan pulled tightly on the reins before putting his other hand on Adriel's head and petting his mane. "Shh, it's okay," he said before turning to Azula, who looked slightly shaken by the erratic and sudden movement, with her arms wrapped around his middle for stability. "Why did you do that?"
At this, Azula was shaken from her stupor and let go before recoiling away from Ivan, recomposing herself as she did. "I thought it would be fine," she said, clearly annoyed by the horse's reaction. "Besides, I only let you aid me the first time, as I was unfamiliar with your mount," she finished, crossing her arms and turning her head.
Ivan shook his head before steering his mount and going at a slightly faster-than-walking pace away from the camp. "So, now that you have met us semi-formally, at least, would you mind telling me more about yourself, Your Highness?" asked Ivan as he turned his head slightly while still keeping an eye on the path ahead of him.
At this, she turned back to him. "Well, what more did you want to know exactly? I am Crown Princess of the strongest and most prosperous nation in the world," she began as she cast him a curious gaze. "That said, it is you I am far more interested in discussing," she stated with genuine interest.
"I see," replied Ivan as he turned to face the path, only to have a near-miss with several soldiers, which he avoided by stopping his horse and allowing them to pass. "Well, what is it that you wish to know?"
"You said you came from another world. What did you mean by that exactly?" Azula asked as she again took her time gazing at the camp as they passed. Ivan noted her eyes seemed glued to the stacks of rifles beside bonfires or the soldiers themselves.
"Well, I meant it in the most literal sense. Ruskia is in a different world, your highness," he began as Azula refocused her attention on him. "Which is also how we entered your territory unopposed."
Azula, however, seemed unsatisfied with that answer. "I see. But that still doesn't explain how you managed to do that," she replied. "Would you mind telling me?"
"I'm afraid I cannot, Your Highness," Ivan replied as they continued through the expansive tent city, lit up by the moon and stars as men quenched fires before retiring for the night while sentries began making their rounds.
"Fine, I understand," she huffed, clearly annoyed he hadn't told her. "But, I wanted to know, what is that strange tongue you spoke earlier?"
At this, he smiled. "That would be Ruskian, Your Highness, my native tongue," he replied.
"So, I presume that's why you have an accent?" in response, he nodded. "Alright, so how can you understand and speak to me?"
Ivan chuckled lightly before turning back to her. "You see, there was a nation known as Pogyin, where I am from, and what we are speaking now, I would term as formal Pogyinese," he explained.
Azula seemed to think this over before turning to him. "Interesting. So, you had to learn to speak?"
"Yes, I did, as all those of rank should," Ivan replied with a grin as he passed the last rows of tents leading to the empty, moonlit desert plains between their camp and the Fire Nation army.
"Speaking of which, what did you and your father mean when you both said you were... Grand something? Oh, what was it..." she said as she tried to remember.
In response, Ivan couldn't help but chortle. "Ah yes, we are Grand Dukes. It is our title, similar to how you are Crown Princess," he explained.
"And how does that work, exactly?" she asked.
"Well, it is the title given to the brothers of the Tsar, his younger sons, and those born to said brothers. The actual translation is more akin to a Grand Prince," said Ivan as he turned back to find Azula staring away from him while she gripped the saddle with her hands.
When she realized he was looking at her, she turned back to him. "So, is this Tzar of yours the ruler of your nation?" she asked.
"Yes, he is," Ivan answered truthfully.
"So, that would make you royalty?" she questioned with interest.
At this, Ivan chuckled slightly in response. "Yes, the Tsar is my uncle. My father, his younger brother," he said as Azula pierced him with a glare cold enough to cut his mood. "What?"
"You should have said that first!" she replied in a deadpan. "I mean, I understood you were a noble of some sort but not a royal," she said, more to herself than to Ivan, as she looked off into the distance before turning to him with a gaze he couldn't quite place. "Hm, that is very interesting," she said as Ivan tried to read what she meant by that, but he could not. "Though, I did have one more question. What do you plan on doing tomorrow?"
At this, Ivan put a hand to his chin. "Well, I presume we'll have an assembly in the morning, perhaps even a parade. Then, well, I will most likely be with my unit, though my father might decide otherwise," he said before turning back to steer.
"A parade... Would it be possible for me to attend?" Azula asked, curious, while Ivan turned to face her.
"Of course, Your Highness. It would be an honour to have you," said Ivan with a smile before turning back. "Though I must warn you. I'm not sure you could understand most of what is going on, though I would be happy to translate for you."
The rest of the ride was silent, as Azula didn't feel the need to discuss more. Besides, she couldn't have been more satisfied with how she dealt with the situation. Not only were the negotiations to continue tomorrow, but she had gained more information. To her, it was incredible that this boy could be royalty and yet be so foolish as to give her exactly what she wanted, at least for the most part.
His Imperial Highness was turning out to be quite the source of information, and while she didn't know as much as she wished, Azula had enough to know who to talk to if she needed more. But, no matter what happened, tomorrow would go down in history as either a great success or an equally great failure, and it would be the latter so long as she was involved. But, she couldn't help but feel something toward this boy who had been the first to kiss her aside from- No, he was the first, now that she thought about it. Father never showed that particular form of affection toward anyone, even his wife (her mother,) she reminded herself. As for said mother, well, Azula couldn't exactly blame her. Who could kiss a monster like her? But, then, why did this boy? Did he not know what she could do? Maybe then, he would reconsider? After all, every boy she'd come across came to avoid her like the plague. So surely this situation would end the same way? Then again, he also might prove a good ally. So, perhaps, just this once, it was better to keep him in the dark, at least for now. Not to mention, who knew what her father might need her to do, and it was always better to keep potential enemies at arms reach. "Какая прекрасная ночь," said Ivan, pulling Azula from her thoughts.
"What was that?" she asked, ever suspicious.
In response, Ivan turned back to her. "Oh, I said: What a beautiful night," he replied.
Azula pierced him with a glare. "Oh really? And how do I know you weren't talking about me?" she inquired.
Ivan seemed to ponder this a moment before turning back to her with a slight frown. "Unfortunately, I have no way to prove that to you," he replied with an awkward chuckle, and she could tell he was being honest from his gaze.
"I see," Azula deadpanned as she sat back and glanced disinterestedly at the barren landscape. However, as she did, an idea came to her, and Azula turned to Ivan. "Hm, you find the night beautiful?"
In response, Ivan gestured with his free hand to the sky. "Of course. It is always beautiful to gaze at the night sky when it's clear, and you can see it all," he said before turning to her with a gentle smile.
"Hm, interesting. I prefer the day to night," Azula stated in response. After all, while she had to admit that the night sky was something to be respected, it was also when she felt weakest. As a Firebender, the sun was the source of her strength and always served to reinvigorate her.
"Ah, I see. Though, considering your country's preference to fire. I can't say I'm surprised," Ivan stated while Azula peaked over him to find they were approaching the gates to the fortified iron wall of her encampment. "Well, Your Highness, it appears that we are here. Would you like me to ride you in, or would you prefer to walk?"
Azula thought it over for a moment; on the one hand, her feet were still sore from the long march back and her scuffle with the Avatar. But on the other, she had to admit that being seen riding on the mount of a stranger could be seen as a weakness on her part, which was something she could never allow. So, shaking her head, she turned to find Ivan gazing at her, awaiting her reply. As she stared into his bluish-gray eyes, she almost wanted to remain with him for longer. However, she had her image to uphold. "I'm sorry, Ivan. As much as I enjoyed your company, I think I can walk from here," she said, at last, never taking her eyes off of him as she spoke to ensure he didn't second guess her.
"Of course, Your Highness. Just be sure to go down Adriel's side, as he might kick you if startled," warned Ivan to Azula, as she nodded before moving her legs up and over before sliding down and landing on the rough ground.
"Well, I thank you for the ride. So, I suppose I'll see you tomorrow?" Azula asked as she turned to him.
"As I said, that would be up to my father," Ivan replied as Azula turned to see several soldiers exiting the camp before Ivan cleared his throat, regaining her attention. "Goodnight, Your Highness," he replied as he steered the horse around and made his way back.
"Princess?" asked an officer as she turned to face the group. "What happened?"
"We'll see tomorrow. But, for now, I wish to be escorted to my quarters," Azula commanded.
When she arrived at her tent, she couldn't help but sigh in relief as the guard let the flap fall behind her. Now, she was finally alone. Alone to consider the day's events without worrying about anyone seeing how she truly felt. She turned to her mud-covered boots and shook her head, pulling them off and placing them on the ground just off the crimson decorative silk carpeting covering the floor, allowing her to walk around with bare feet. At times like this, she was thankful she was a princess, as such a thing was expensive. So to have the luxury of a comfortable floor for what was essentially her home away from home was a nice bonus. Well, more like a temporary place of residence until she conquered Ba Sing Se. "Though, considering the current situation, that may not happen," she whispered dejectedly. As she looked around, she realized she had forgotten to turn the lamp on, as the only light currently was through the small gap between the tent flap and the ground. "Seems I was more concerned with my tired feet," she sighed as she took a light breath and effortlessly conjured a weak blue flame at the edge of her index finger. Now that she could see where the lamp hung, she walked closer before lighting the lamp with a wave of her hand while snuffing the flame on her finger. At first, the room lit up with a dull blue light before quickly losing heat and settling into a bright orange flame. Now she could see everything, from the wooden closet to her silk-covered bed; there was even a desk with a mirror covered in all the makeup she could need and a comfy chair, not to mention an actual tub. But, as Azula began to walk over to the closet and change into her nightly robes. She paused as she heard voices outside her tent and the sound of the tent flap being pulled open.
"There you are, Azula!" shouted the familiar voice of Ty Lee as she ran up and nearly tackled Azula with a hug. Thankfully the girl had bathed and changed, so Azula didn't worry about getting mud all over her expensive clothes.
"Yes, I'm back. Now would you please let me go?" Azula asked with a roll of her eyes as she saw Mai walk inside, with the guard lowering the flap behind her.
"Right, sorry," said Ty Lee apologetically as she let go of her. "It's just. Everyone's been worried about you," she finished as she turned to Mai. "I mean, some of the officers were even considering mounting a rescue,"
"The War Minister was more shaken than after the drill was disabled," droned Mai in her typical monotone as she dusted off her robes. "So, what happened?"
Ty Lee's eyes flashed with realization as she snapped her finger. "Yeah, what happened with that boy?" she inquired as she stared at Azula.
Azula froze as she tried to think of how, to sum up as much as possible without giving the girl any ideas. After everything that transpired, she had completely forgotten she had Ty Lee with her, which meant Ty Lee would ask her until Azula either gave in and told her everything or until she forgot. Which, knowing Ty Lee, would never happen. While there were many things the acrobat let fly over her head, the subject of boys was not one of them. "Well, he wanted me to meet his father, so he rode me to his camp. When I met with his father, we agreed to a ceasefire. However, I will be meeting with them again tomorrow," she said, trying not to mention Ivan. But when she saw Ty Lee about to open her mouth, Azula decided to continue. "As for His Imperial Highness...we had a short conversation on the way back. But, besides that, nothing too interesting happened," she finished, hoping the brief explanation would suffice.
"He rode you back and got you to meet his dad? The same guy who kissed your hand?" she asked as she gave Azula a look she did not recognize. "Aww, how cute,"
Azula huffed and turned away. "What? Don't be absurd. My feet were tired, and he offered to ride me back. Besides, both Ivan and his father informed me that the kiss of the hand is a formal greeting in their culture," she stated while Ty Lee walked over to the bed and sat down. "Now, if you don't mind, can we continue this conversation tomorrow? I want to be ready for the negotiations, and I suggest you do the same," she said coldly.
"Oh, uh, okay, Azula," said Ty Lee in a disappointed tone as her face fell, and she slowly rose from the bed and began walking towards the exit. "Goodnight,"
"Yeah, my legs ache," Mai complained as Azula listened to Ty Lee and Mai walk out.
Once they were gone, Azula allowed herself a huff of indignation in response to the accusation of her energetic friend. How dare she accuse her of falling for that boy who should have felt honoured to hold, let alone KISS, her hand! Yet, as she mentally fumed, she couldn't get him out of her head. Ivan's young, handsome face, firm countenance, and military nature made him appear taller, majestic even, at least, in her mind's eye. As soon as these thoughts came to her mind, she quickly tried to banish such ideas. She, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, falling for a stranger who also happened to be a foreign Royal? Ridiculous!
All in all, Ivan would say that the day couldn't have gone better: Not only had he helped in the negotiations with the Fire Nation, but he also aided their Princess to and from his camp. However, after reporting to his father and returning Adriel to one of his father's aides-de-camp, he was on his way to his tent when he saw Pyotr walk out from behind one of the tents, startling him. "Ah, there you are, Ivan," he began. "Where were you? You missed the party,"
Ivan shook his head and attempted to push past the man, but he grabbed his shoulder and turned Ivan to face him. "That is none of your concern, Pyotr," he replied as he shook him off and tried to walk away.
"Who was the girl?" he asked, which caused Ivan to turn around to face him. This time with a stern expression on Pyotr's features.
"I-uh-" he paused as he tried to explain, only to be interrupted by Pyotr's frown upturned as he loosed a chuckle.
"You admit it, you did ride with a girl!" he said, loud enough to be heard clearly by Ivan but quiet enough to ensure he didn't disturb the sentries.
Ivan shook his head as he facepalmed. Of course, that would be his reaction, considering his friend always wanted him to get a girlfriend, even going back to his first years in the Svozran Officer School. "Look, I know what you're thinking. But she is not simply some random girl. She is the Princess of the Fire Nation, and I was giving her a ride as she had been walking for most of the evening," he explained before huffing and turning away.
"Was she pretty?" Pyotr asked in a smug tone.
Ivan sighed in defeat. "Yes, she was. Now can I please go to my tent now?"
Pyotr again chuckled in response. "Of course, my friend. See you tomorrow," he said as he waved before marching in the presumed direction of his unit's part of the camp.
Ivan then turned and continued walking, muttering to himself as he did. "I can't believe him. Of course, he waited for me to ask if Azula was my girlfriend. I hope he doesn't say anything like that in front of her tomorrow," he said as he continued. Now that he thought about it, he had to admit she was one of the most beautiful young women he'd had the pleasure of meeting, not to mention intelligent. However, the only thing he found himself disagreeing with was her choice of clothing, for, while appearing rather practical, he had to wonder what she would look like with her hair down while dressed in a court gown.