The ferry crew already felt uneasy on approach as, for whatever reason, the lower lights were not visible. Then, a light briefly flickered from the shoreline, confusing the sailors and refugees onboard once it stopped. On the bridge, the watch officer attempted to figure out why. "I don't understand. There should be more lights. I can barely see the dock."
"Should we change course, Sir?" asked the helmsman as he stood at the ship's wheel.
"No, we-" The officer paused as he focused on the Bulwark towering over the harbour just as the sun began to rise. The walls seemed damaged, with large chunks missing from the ramparts, while the soldiers on top stood near a dozen or so small tubes pointing toward them. Above the wall flew a black, yellow, and navy blue flag. "What in the name of the spirits-" The sound of thunder filled the air as one of the tubes lit up, spewing fire and smoke as a small projectile shot into the air. "EVASIVE MANUVERS! HARD TO PORT!" he bellowed as the helmsman began violently shifting course. Meanwhile, on the deck, the crew and refugees clung to anything they could get their hands on as the ship listed violently to the side while making its abrupt turn.
Captain Ivanov watched the warning shot slam into the water just short of the vessel, with a large column of water shooting up in its wake as the ship turned sharply to the left and quickly retreated the way it came. "Cease fire!" he shouted as the artillerymen moved the gun back into place and loaded another shell. In the meantime, Oleg watched through his sight as the ship continued its course toward the far side of the lake. "Good work, guys," he said as he tucked away his sight just in time for the relief shift to appear from the bowels of the fort. "Now, why don't we go wash up before breakfast?" his men cheered as they dashed into the fort before exiting the wall and making for the lake. The soldiers ditched their clothes as they jumped into the cool water, receiving their first bath since coming to this world. However, no one seemed to notice as a massive shadow moved beneath them.
After the chaotic movement of the ship, all the officers knew it was only a matter of time before- "Captain on the bridge!" shouted one as all the officers turned to the Captain as the helmsman maintained their course for Fullmoon bay.
"What is going on!? Why have we turned about!?" the chubby older man bellowed.
"Apologies, Sir," the watch officer began. "But it appears the bulwark is no longer under our control."
"What do you mean "Not under our control!?" The Fire Nation never even bothered to attack it!" the Captain shouted as he glared at the man before his eyes turned to his spyglass. "Give me that," he said, taking it from him as he turned and left the bridge through the back door. However, upon his return, his eyes were wide with confoundment. "I... Don't believe it..."
After hearing hundreds of distant explosions and seeing the smoke rising from the South the previous day, Azula decided it was high time she found out what happened. So, she, along with Mai and Ty Lee, made for the Ruskian camp for an unofficial visit. "It was nice of you to invite us along!" shouted Ty Lee.
Azula rolled her eyes as she turned to her from atop her mongoose lizard. "If I didn't, you two would keep hounding me to spend time with you. Besides, you're just excited to see your Ruskian boy toy," she said before turning away. "Now come on, I want to arrive before it gets too late!" she shouted as she spurred her lizard to go faster.
Ty Lee shook her head. "Why can't she just be nice for once?" she asked as Mai sighed.
"Let's just get going. My makeup is starting to melt," said Mai as the two girls forced their mounts to follow after Azula's.
After everything the previous day, Tiya only felt uncertainty. All her plans, everything, had gone awry once again. However, where before there was only ash, she instead awoke inside a small tent. After finding a small chest at the end of her "bed," she opened it to find the most beautiful clothes she'd ever seen. It was a plain white dress of foreign design with frilly accents, a long circular skirt, a thin waist, and short puffy sleeves with white undergarments. Then Tiya was joined by two older women who bathed her, washed her hair, and helped her get dressed. Though she didn't understand a word they said, she was grateful regardless, especially after seeing all the dirt that came off her body. For the first time in months, she felt like a real girl again, not the urchin she had been. But, alas, her moment of bliss didn't last long, for as soon as she left the tent, saying her "thank yous" to the women who helped her, she accidentally bumped into someone. "Oof! Watch where you're going!" she heard a voice shout as she fell to the ground: A feminine voice. At first, she couldn't see who she bumped into as a Ruskian boy helped her stand, and she dusted herself off. But when she turned around, she couldn't help but freeze in absolute horror. Standing before her were three girls, three Fire Nation girls.
Azula couldn't help the irritation and embarrassment she felt as she watched Ivan help the girl up. After her initial reaction, she opted to say nothing as she waited for him to finish so they could meet with his father. However, when the girl got up and turned to face them, her reaction surprised Azula: Her eyes were brimming with fear. She tried to hide it, but Azula could see the slight movement of her hands, the way her fingers gripped her dress as though she were clinging to it for dear life, and her eyes shifted as though looking for escape. She'd seen others give her many such reactions over the years, yet what surprised her most was she didn't even know this girl. However, even though she wore a Ruskian dress, Azula could already tell: She's Earth Kingdom. "Pardon me, Miss. Are you alright?" she shook her thoughts as she registered Ivan had spoken.
The girl, still trembling slightly, quickly turned to him. "U-Um, yes. I-I'm fine," she answered with a clear local accent.
"Good," he said with a nod before he placed a hand on his chin. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I've seen you before."
The girl appeared to shiver as she watched Azula from the corner of her eye. "I-I-"
"Ahem," Azula heard as she and her friends turned to see none other than the General with the black and red collar. General Alexeev, if she recalled correctly. Saying nothing, he walked over to the Earth Kingdom girl and placed his hand around her. "My apologies, Your Imperial Highness. I'm afraid my daughter is quite shy," he stated, his voice even as Azula felt taken aback by his blatant lie as he turned to her. "Natasha, why don't you introduce yourself?"
Upon hearing her title, the girl held her skirt while she gave Ivan a somewhat sloppy curtsy. "It's- uh, nice to meet you."
In response, the Grand Duke took her hand and kissed it lightly. "And I can say the same, Miss Natasha," he said as he stood. "I am Grand Duke, Ivan," he told her as he turned to Azula. "And this is Crown Princess Azula of the Fire Nation and her friends."
"Greetings," she replied as the girl seemed on the verge of falling to her knees and begging for her life.
However, it seemed that the man had caught on to her fear, as he almost put her behind him as he stepped forward and faced Ivan. "I mean no disrespect, Your Imperial Highness. But I think Natasha's just hungry. Aren't you, dear?" In response, he turned toward the girl, who nodded before both departed. What are you playing at? Azula thought as she watched them leave.
"Weren't we going to speak with Nikolai?" Mai asked, causing the Princess to turn toward her friends, all giving her curious glances.
"Of course. Now let's go," Azula said before again taking position beside Ivan and continuing toward the Ruskian headquarters as the others followed.
Upon arriving, Ivan spoke with the guards outside before one of them drew the tent flap aside, and Ivan gestured for Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee to enter. Inside, they found Nikolai sitting with one of his commanders. "Ah, Ivan, Princess Azula, it is good to see you," he began as both men stood, and the Grand Duke walked over to her before kissing her hand. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Azula refrained from rolling her eyes at his question and instead remained focused on him. "I wished to know what was going on yesterday?"
Nikolai nodded as he pulled out a chair and gestured for her and her friends to sit down. "Then please, have a seat."
Azula nodded as she took his offer, and Nikolai walked back to his seat while Ivan pushed her chair in. "Thank you," she said as he, Mai, and Ty Lee took the empty seats around her. "Now, what happened exactly?"
"Hm. Straight to the point, I see," The Grand Duke said with a nod of approval before he returned to his businesslike demeanor. "Yesterday, our forces captured the Bulwark facing the lake," he stated, pointing to it on the map before turning to her with a questioning gaze. "Tell me, Your Highness, why did your commanders say nothing of this fortress?"
Azula shrugged. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand. You said you wished to capture Ba Sing Se. Not some fort that has little to do with the city itself," she stated as she cocked a brow. "Why do you ask?"
Nikolai's gaze turned deathly serious. "Your Highness... Are you aware of the purpose of this structure?" he asked pointedly.
Azula shrugged. "So what if I did? It's just a fort. How was I to know you were going to capture it first?"
The Ruskian merely glared at her in response. "You didn't answer my question, Princess Azula," he said, his tone similar to how her father would when she tried to hide something from him when she was younger. "What was its purpose?"
Azula, taken aback by his aggressive attitude, attempted to piece together what had set him off. I don't understand. Why is he mad? "It's just a fort, isn't it?" Ty Lee chimed in, breaking Nikolai's focus as he turned to regard her.
"Just a fort, you say?" he began with a mirthless chuckle. "Then care to explain this?" He pulled out a piece of paper and laid it on the table:
"Его Императорскому Высочеству Великому Князю Николаю-
Пишу, чтобы сообщить вам, что силы Царства Земли сдались после продолжительной бомбардировки, и мы захватили Оплот и имеем доступ к пресной воде. В ходе этого процесса мы потеряли тридцать человек убитыми и дюжину ранеными в обмен на взятых в плен 423 солдат Царства Земли, а также около 1386 беженцев. Мы не знаем, сколько именно пало в бою, хотя кажется, что их было не менее нескольких сотен. По вашему приказу я сделал мирных граждан гражданами Рускии. Однако нам не хватает припасов, чтобы накормить и одеть их, и, судя по тому, что мне сказал их командир, нам, вероятно, понадобится еще больше, когда мы захватим город.
Подпись, Генерал-лейтенант артиллерии Василий Сергеевич Алексеев-
Конечно, это еще не все: много больных и раненых, и у нас нет необходимых лекарств на случай вспышки как у наших солдат, так и у тех, кто вскоре окажется под нашей опекой.
Подпись, старший хирург майор Асипов Александр Константинович-"
When trying to read it, Azula's eyes widened as she realized she could not understand what she was looking at. It seems Ruskian is just as confusing written as when it is said aloud. "Ivan, translate, will you?" his father asked.
Ivan nodded before doing as his father ordered, presumably reciting word for word as he translated the text so Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee understood its meaning. As he did, though, Azula still could not understand what had made Nikolai so angry. After all, the Ruskians only took forty-five casualties in exchange for killing hundreds of Earth Kingdom soldiers and taking many more captive. Of course, there were also the civilians. But he wasn't upset about that, right? Yet, as Ivan continued reading, it became clear that was the case. Why care so much about people who aren't even your responsibility? She thought as the younger Grand Duke finished. "Azula, did you know about this?" she heard Ty Lee ask as Nikolai continued to eye her with interest.
The young Princess tried to maintain her composure as best she could while attempting to come up with a satisfying answer. Of course, she'd known the fort's purpose from the start. How could she not? It played a role in her nation's plan to capture Ba Sing Se. Yet his reaction puzzled her: Why should Nikolai take responsibility if he planned to take the city? Surely, Ba Sing Se couldn't handle the constant stream of refugees pouring in unimpeded as they had for the last decade. Yet, for the first time, the Earth Kingdom had no control of Full Moon Lake, and with it, the refugees would stop coming, giving their foes time to recover from overpopulation. Yet, that only left her with one conclusion. But he couldn't be planning an assault, could he? Sure, he'd taken the Bulwark practically painlessly. But this was Ba Sing Se. The impenetrable city! Since her disgraced uncle's failed assault and the drill debacle, she believed the only way to destroy the Earth Kingdom was from within. Yet here stood a man who seemed to think he could prevail where her uncle's ferocity and the War Minster's machinations met with failure: The city which claimed cousin Lu Ten, the only one aside from father who ever cared for me. The thought surprised her, sending an uncomfortable chill up her spine, and while at first she was confused by the turn her mind had taken, she supposed it was his birthday. "Your Highness?" she heard Nikolai ask, stirring her mind away from these uncomfortable introspections, which she quickly buried.
Thinking it was better to remain on his good side, Azula opted to tell the truth or at least most of it. "Yes, I did," she explained with a sigh. "However, you never once stated your intentions to capture it, so I felt no obligation to inform you it held refugees."
Of course, that wasn't the complete truth, and from the look on Nikolai's face, he knew as well. "Very well, Your Highness. I understand," he replied as he leaned forward. "Is that all?"
"Yes, thank you," Azula replied as she stood up and waited for Ivan, Mai and Ty Lee to follow her out of the tent.
Once they left, Ivan quickly caught up with Azula. "Your Highness, what was that about?" he asked.
She shook her head before turning to him. "Are you telling me you care for people you don't know?"
Ivan seemed taken aback by her response. "Yes. Why wouldn't I? They, too, are children of God," he told her.
Azula hummed in thought as she considered his strange response. Of course, she didn't understand what he meant by "children of a god," but what was more telling was his tone. There would be no backing down on the matter, and if she wanted to maintain a positive relationship with the Ruskians, she would have to put up with their ways, even if just killing or leaving the refugees seemed more logical to her. "Hm. I never thought of it that way," she replied as she continued walking.
Ivan, seeming satisfied with her answer, remained silent as Ty Lee came up beside him. "Hey, Ivan, can you show me where Petr is?"
Azula rolled her eyes before she saw a pair of Fire Nation soldiers running up to her. "Y-Your Highness!" said one, attempting to recover his breath. "It's General Chi! He's in critical condition!"
Azula didn't have time to comprehend what he'd said before her mouth moved faster than her mind. "WHAT!?"
As Yaun waited in line with the remaining refugees, he couldn't help but consider his predicament. He recalled what that man said yesterday, speaking things he didn't understand. Afterward, Yuan and the other refugees were to remain where they were while they took several groups up to where the train station was supposed to be. Surprisingly, the men guarding them had provided food and water, which was incredible compared to what he'd endured for the last year.
Like many, he had lost his home to the Fire Nation. In his case, Omashu. So, he'd struggled and endured the rough, unfriendly wilderness to get. But, when he and his wife, Ruyin, arrived at the Bulwark, he felt that all the hardship was worth it. Getting inside Ba Sing Se would guarantee his and his wife's safety and hopefully allow them to raise their young family without the threat of the Fire Nation. But instead of dwelling safely behind the city walls, he was standing in a line heading toward a desk where the men at the other end would determine his fate. "Next?" he heard one ask, his distinct accent alerting Yuan to the man's identity as one of the foreigners. In response, he stepped up to the desk. "Papers, please?" the man asked pointedly with an outstretched hand. Sighing, Yuan pulled out his Earth Kingdom passport and handed it to the pale-skinned man, who took it, gave it a once over, and put it aside. "What is your name?"
"Yuan Shun," he replied as he watched the man write something on paper.
"What is your profession?" he asked without looking up.
He felt a chill down his spine from the question. "I don't have one."
The man continued writing before turning to him. "What did you do before?"
"I was a farmer," the man wrote something else.
"Are you married?"
"Yes. My wife's name is Ruyin Shun."
"How long have you been married?" he asked once he finished.
"Two years," Yuan replied as the man nodded and wrote something else.
"Do you have a criminal record?"
Yuan shook his head. "No," he firmly stated.
The man nodded before adding to his list. Once he finished, he ripped the paper from its book and handed it to him. "This is your temporary passport. It shows you are an adoptive son of Ruskia," he explained as he leaned forward and gave him a deadly serious look. "If you don't want trouble. Don't. Lose. It. Understood?"
Taken aback, Yuan quickly recomposed himself. "Y-Yes, of course," he replied before turning and leaving. But, upon looking at his passport, Yuan found it made no sense. "What in the name of the spirits?" he asked, confused. What was this script? It was strange, written horizontally, with characters he couldn't understand.
Amid a massive chamber, a lone man sat atop a raised platform. He was roughly middle-aged, with square features and a long, thin beard on his chin. Upon his head was an ornate, gold hair piece formed as a five-pronged flame, which held his topknot, making him appear taller than he already was. In his hand, he quietly sipped a cup of tea while waiting for his generals to arrive to discuss the next phase of the conflict with the Earth Kingdom. However, he was interrupted by the main door opening far earlier than he expected, and he opened his gold-amber eyes to see an Imperial Firebender enter the throne room. Upon catching his gaze, the man fell to his hands and knees in a kowtow. "Your Majesty, I did not mean to interrupt, but we've received a message from your daughter," the man said, still lying on the ground.
The man on the throne placed his teacup down and took the stairs from the platform to be on the soldier's level. "May I see it?" he asked, his voice impassive as the soldier stood up and handed it to him. As soon as he did, he waved his hand, and the soldier bowed once more, this time with just his upper body, and took his leave. Once the man was along, he opened the scroll and began to read:
"To his Majesty, Firelord Ozai.
Father, it is with immense solemnity that I inform you Ba Sing Se is, for the moment, out of our reach. While I know this news will disappoint you, there has been an unfortunate turn of events. That is, as of two days ago, a new force has approached us, and due to our lack of concentration, I have agreed on your behalf to allow them to besiege the city and take control of the regions not currently under our direct occupation. I made this decision based on what I knew, and considering what I have since learned, I think it was the correct move. Namely, their weapons are like nothing we have ever seen before, weapons which are almost as effective as a bolt of lightning but used by non-benders, likely able to pierce even the strongest armour out to two Li, and this is not all; they also wield highly accurate cannons which fire devastating explosives over an unknown range but presumably quite far, though this is merely my observation based on what they showed us. Before I conclude, I should also inform you of their leaders. Both claim to be royalty from a distant world, though I have yet to confirm this. Regardless, Grand Duke Nikolai is the father and overall commander of the Ruskian army here. He is tall, with sickly pale skin, typical for all of them, it seems, with dark brown hair, a beard, and bluish-grey eyes. His son, Grand Duke Ivan, bears the same features. They are well-mannered and intelligent, though their customs are foreign, to say the least, as is their tongue and manner of dress. At their back is an army of 70'000 men, all well-equipped with the weapons I alluded to earlier and access to a similar technology to ours, though once again, theirs of a distinctly foreign design. They also seem to lack benders entirely, but their weapons would likely give them the advantage at range, which is the only reason I agreed to this in the first place. I hope this clears up any confusion and aids you in understanding my actions.
Sincerely, your loyal daughter, Crown Princess Azula."
Well, Ozai got the letter, and a little earlier than expected, and General Chi looks like he'll be down for the count.
Tune in next time to see Long Feng make a difficult choice, and what part team Avatar will play in it.
And guys, thanks so much for the continued support, as we have breached 70 favs and 90 follows!
So, have a Happy New Year everyone! Hopefully this book one will be complete by this time next year.