Ivan arrived at the Bulwark around noon after departing from the Fire Nation headquarters. He dined with his fellow officers of the Zlachny Life-Guards before retiring inside the fort to change and gave his uniform to the washerwomen. After taking a bath, his Father ordered him to change into his extra uniform to prepare for dinner later that night, as he was expecting the rest of the reinforcements to arrive and the commanders to dine with them. After spending the day alone, Nikolai came to fetch him for dinner, and they arrived in the dining room shortly after, followed by the rest of the Ruskian staff, including the newly arrived Major General of Artillery Viktor Kraznov, commander of the 3rd Siege Artillery Brigade. "I wish you good health, Your Imperial Highness," the General greeted as he shook Nikolai's hand.
"I wish you good health, Major General," he replied nigh simultaneously with a grin. "Ivan, I believe you've met Viktor Ruslanovich?" he asked as he turned to his Son.
Ivan nodded. "Indeed I have, father," he replied before turning to the General with a beaming expression. "It is good to see you again, Sir."
The man smiled behind his trimmed brown mustache. "Likewise, Grand Duke. The last time I saw you, you were but a boy. Now, battle has made you a man," he said as he walked over and shook his hand. "Now, why don't you tell me what's happened since I saw you in the hospital?"
The youth adopted a look of consideration. "I'm afraid there isn't much to speak about. Save our new allies. But Princess Azula said she would visit during the day, along with her staff. So you and the others should meet her nonetheless."
The seasoned General's eyebrows rose in surprise. "A Princess, you say?" he asked rhetorically with a broad grin. "My my, you've moved along quite well since lying in the hospital bed!" he jested, though the other commanders in the room seemed less enthused.
Ivan smiled back awkwardly. "I suppose I have, Major General," he replied as he thought about everything that had happened since arriving here: From meeting Azula and the Fire Nation to preparing for the coming battle. However, at least this time, he and the rest of his unit wouldn't be facing a peer enemy, though he imagined that wouldn't do much to console the loved ones of those who would die.
The General nodded before turning to his direct superior. "And what about you, Sir?" he asked.
Vassili smiled sadly. "My men captured the fort we are currently occupying," he began before sighing, seemingly considering his words.
"Our men, you mean. General Alexeev," added General Mazurenko. "You seem to forget me and my Cossacks covered your flank, and my guns supported the siege."
The artilleryman shook his head before turning to the elder Grand Duke. "My apologies Yaroslav. But regardless, may I speak frankly, Your Imperial Highness?" The man nodded. "I fear that the Fire Nation may not be as decent as we first thought."
"What do you mean, Vasha?" Nikolai asked with a cocked brow.
The General took a deep breath. "I mean to say that there may be more here that we do not know. After all, you've said they've been at war for roughly one hundred years. Surely that should be suspect on its own?"
Nikolai nodded. "Of course it is. But, at the same time, we've already committed to our alliance, and I refuse to be the one to break it," he replied firmly. "Now, does anyone else have any objections?" when all the others present shook their heads, he gave an approving nod. "Good. Now-"
Suddenly, the door opened, and the Dobrish staff entered the room. "Ah, good, we arrived before dinner," said Haller as he and one of his Colonel's sat across from the Ruskians.
As the sun began to set, Prince Regent Kossuth and General Branimir reached the location of the Ruskian headquarters, and they and their staff sped through the encampment and arrived at the base of the fort. "Greetings, Sirs," saluted a Ruskian officer in Vusonian who stood before the entrance. "The Grand Duke is having dinner. But I can bring you to him if you so wish."
"Indeed we would," the Prince replied coolly as he and the Bulgarian General dismounted their horses and followed the man inside. "Now, please, lead the way."
The Ruskian nodded before spinning on his heels and marching inside with the two men and their staff following behind him. Once they reached the dining room, the Ruskian officer opened the door and gestured for them to enter. Upon going inside, they found several Ruskian generals, Dobrish officers, and a single Ruskian Captain. A Dobrish General Kossuth recognized walked up and embraced him. "Két jó barát, együtt harcol, s issza borát!" Kossuth shouted with a hearty laugh.
"Dwa bratanki i do szabli i do szklanki!" Haller replied with vigour as the two men stepped back. "I didn't know you'd be coming along, but I am glad to see you, my friend."
Kossuth smiled and nodded. "Likewise, Jan," he replied in Vusonian before turning to the Ruskians, his smile souring as he did. "Grand Duke Nikolai, I presume?"
"Yes, that I am. And you are the Prince Regent of Magyarzag," he said with a slight nod. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance, Your Excellency."
"Likewise, Grand Duke," the Magyar Regent replied evenly. "I only wish it were under better circumstances."
"Indeed," the Ruskian replied before turning to the only Bulgarian in the room. "And it is also a pleasure to see you again, Branimir. I hope the trip wasn't too hard for you."
The man shook his hand. "Not at all. The train system worked rather well," he said with a small smile before turning to Kossuth. "I also lament that I am not driving the Kordish back from my nation's borders. But I consider it an honour to pay back the debt to you for your Father's efforts to keep Bulgariya independent."
The Ruskian Grand Duke nodded. "And I, too, apologize. But, I am grateful for your support," he said, considering it better to conceal the fact the Kordish had invaded the Far East of Ruskia. He would have continued, but it was then dinner arrived. Thankfully, where before, he only had enough pre-cooked formal dishes for a single meal for meeting foreign dignitaries, now his chefs could cook fresh meals using the kitchen inside the fort. As a result, the meal consisted of freshly baked bread, cheese, cutlets of pork, beef, lamb, perogies, pelmeni, and borscht, with tea as refreshment.
Once the men finished their meal, they cleared off the plates, and Nikolai had the map from his previous headquarters displayed on the table and one of the boxes of photographs. "Now, gentlemen, I think you should all be informed first," Nikolai said, taking the box and handing it to each of the allied commanders.
"How is this humanly possible?" asked Kossuth as he held up one of the pictures displaying an Earthbender in the midst of throwing a boulder.
"That would be bending, Your Excellency," answered General Boskovsky. "Our allies explained that, while it is similar to sorcery, it does not affect the natural order," he explained, getting uncertain looks from the Dobrish and Bulgarian commanders.
"What he means. Is that one of our highest-ranking priests checked to ensure what they said was true," added Alexeev. "That being said-"
"Then how can we be certain that this bending is natural if one of your priests checked?" asked Kossuth with a questioning tone.
Nikolai shook his head. "Regardless, I merely presented this to you so you understand the enemy we face. However, it appears they also can control the Earth itself, as demonstrated by the Earth Army when our army attacked this Bulwark."
"I see," began the Dobrish commander as his expression turned thoughtful. "Then how are we to defeat them?"
The Elder Grand Duke tuned to General Alexeev. "Why don't you explain the plan? After all, you're the one who has the most experience facing our new enemy."
"Of course, Your Imperial Highness," the General nodded before turning to the table. "As you can see, we've drawn a rough sketch of the city based on the photographs provided by our aviators. We are here," he said, pointing at the Bulwark. "So, we plan to advance the guns to within range to punch a hole in the wall here," he tapped the wall across from their current position. "They likely saw what happened to the Bulwark. So, I can imagine they will react more aggressively," he stroked his chin in contemplation before inclining his head. "Therefore, they will likely attack, as they would have no choice but to face destruction at the barrels of our howitzers."
"When they do-" Boskovsky continued as he stepped ahead of Vassili. "-We will be waiting for them. As our infantry and field pieces will entrench here," he said, placing down a marker beyond the Bulwark. "Once they come within range, they won't know what hit them, and they will either freeze in place or begin to withdraw back toward the breech created by our heavy guns. Then, when they do-" he placed down a wooden game piece representing cavalry. "-We'll crush them!"
The allied commanders thought for a moment before Haller cleared his throat. "Very well, but where do we fit in?" he asked, turning to Nikolai.
The Elder Grand Duke nodded. "Of course," he began before gesturing to the pieces Boskovsky placed. "Your men will stand with ours. Though under your command, of course."
Branimir stroked his chin. "Understood. But are you certain this plan will work? I mean no disrespect, but it seems much too ambitious," he stated as he gazed at the table. "I believe it overly depends on their reaction."
"Vasha?" Nikolai asked, turning to General Alexeev, who clicked his heels and stepped forward.
"Yes!" he said before clearing his throat. "I constructed this plan based on the information I have gathered from one of our prisoners, the former commander of this fort," he began. "His people are stubborn, like ours, filled with vigour and determination. However, they usually have a passive approach," he continued, beginning to pace. "During our bombardment, his men did not once attempt to sally out and attack my forces, though for what reason, I know not. Regardless, I suspect it was due to the number of troops, or lack thereof, that he had at his command, but I'm positive he would have gone on the offensive if he had more."
"That makes sense, I suppose," Kossuth replied, though his expression openly displayed his doubts. "But, if we are all in agreement, I should like to turn in for the night," he said before turning and departing the room, followed by Haller, his aide, and Branimir.
"Wait, so this is the plan?" Ivan asked, curious.
His Father nodded. "Yes, it is. I know it may sound simple, but it will require us to prepare our positions as quickly as possible, starting first thing tomorrow morning," he began as he put a hand to his chin. "The artillery is already in position, but getting the infantry entrenched will likely take all day when we include Sunday and pre-battle service."
"Pardon, Sir," Vassili interrupted. "But, might I make a suggestion?"
Nikolai turned to him with a cocked brow. "Yes?"
"You said it would take all day for the men to entrench themselves. But what if I could suggest a faster method?" he asked, to which the Elder Grand Duke encouraged him to continue. "We have many Earthbending prisoners and citizens who likely know how to manipulate their element. So, why not have them do the digging for us?"
Nikolai seemed to think for a moment before nodding in affirmation. "Very well, Vasha, I shall implement this. Thank you."
The man bowed to his superior. "Of course, Your Imperial Highness. I merely think it best our men have a day of rest tomorrow," he said before heading toward the door. "Goodnight, Your Imperial Highness," with that, he departed, followed by other commanders, until only Ivan and Nikolai were left.
"Well, my Son, did you learn anything tonight?" the Elder Grand Duke asked.
Ivan thought for a moment. On the one hand, he'd seen firsthand how delicate the situation between them and their allies was. "My father, I have no idea how you deal with this," he said before both began chuckling.
"What can I say? I try," his Father said as he smiled and gripped Ivan's shoulder. "But, remember, my Son. Someday, I will depart from this mortal plane, and as my heir, such things will become your responsibility, but you must be ready."
The Younger Grand Duke nodded in gratitude. "I thank you for the lesson, Father. I will not forget."
Nikolai patted his shoulder before embracing him. "I pray you never do," he said before breaking the hug. "Now, you should probably get some sleep. It would be best to be well rested when you see Azula again."
Ivan shook his head to hide in amusement. "Goodnight, Father," he said, barely holding a laugh as he turned and left the room. As he entered his new room, he breathed a sigh of relief that Azula wasn't there to hear his Father's comments.
At sunrise, Azula set out, accompanied by her guards, Mai, Ty Lee, and General Xang, as she felt it best to distance herself from the War Minister. Upon arriving at the fortress, she couldn't help but notice as she watched Earthbenders creating ditches and short walls of some form under the observation of unarmed Ruskian soldiers. "Huh, I wonder what they're doing?" Ty Lee asked as the group rode by.
"Looks like building fortifications," Xang replied, shaking his head. "Not that it will do them much good if the Earth Army sally out."
Azula nodded. "Indeed. But perhaps there's another reason for it?" she asked as the General seemed to think of an answer.
"Perhaps they are looking to conceal themselves?" he asked rhetorically. "It is the only thing which seems sensible to me."
Azula put a hand to her chin. "I suppose that would make sense, but I think it would be better to ask once we-" she paused as she realized they reached their destination. "-Arrive."
"Приветствую, Ваше Королевское Высочество," greeted a Ruskian officer as she and the others dismounted. "Вас ждут великие княз Николай."
Uncertain of what he'd said, Azula nodded, and the man gestured for her and her allies to follow him. Not long after, the group arrived at a spacious dining room filled with familiar and unfamiliar faces. Upon spotting her, Nikolai and Ivan stood up from their seats and walked over to her, with the rest of the room following with their eyes. "I was worried you wouldn't come, Your Highness. Welcome," Nikolai greeted before turning to the rest of the room. "Messieurs, permettez-moi de vous présenter Son Altesse Royale, la princesse héritière Azula de la Nation du Feu," he said, gesturing to her.
The men in the room eyed her with interest as Ivan gestured for her and her entourage to follow him to their seats. "Please, allow me," he said, pulling out a chair and gesturing for her to sit down.
"Thank you," she said before sitting in the offered place before turning to the others in the room. Xang, Ty Lee, Mai, and her Captain sat to the left of her while Ivan took his place to her right, with Nikolai and several other Ruskians on the same side. Across from her were about a dozen men, each dressed in a distinctive uniform. The first wore a navy blue jacket with red, silver laced cuffs, a collar, and several medals decorated his chest. He had a plain, pale face accented by slim sideburns, curly brown hair, a large nose, and bright hazel eyes that gazed at her curiously. "Salutations, Princesse," the man said with a grin.
"He said: "Greetings, Princess," Ivan translated to her.
Feeling slightly awkward about the situation, Azula cleared her throat. "Hello, Sir, and you are?" she said before Ivan translated.
The man's smile seemed to grow as he regarded her. "Je m'appellee Grzegorz Blinkiewicz," he said as the men beside him appeared on the verge of breaking out into laughter, as Ivan squinted his eyes in confusion, and the other Ruskian commanders appeared sour, though for what reason, she couldn't understand what was causing these reactions. Was it something he said?
"Grez-Grzgez-Grzegorz Blinkevich," Ivan attempted to say as the other side of the table began laughing, and Nikolai slammed the table.
"HALLER ! Arrêtez immédiatement ces jeux d'enfant !" he bellowed, with the men opposite him shutting up immediately as they recoiled in fright. "My apologies, Your Highness. It seems our allies cannot be civil at the best of times," he lamented with a sigh before turning to finish where he started. "Maintenant, essayons à nouveau, d'accord ?"
The other man shook his head and muttered something under his breath before huffing. "Je m'appelle le baron Jan Haller, lieutenant-général et commandant de l'armée libre de Dobrish. C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer. S'il te plaît, pardonne-moi, je plaisantais simplement."
Ivan heaved a sigh of relief before turning to her. "He said: My name is Baron Jan Haller, Lieutenant General and Commander of the Free Army of Dobrish. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please forgive me, I was only joking."
Azula shook her head, inwardly sighing. "Since you apologized, I will accept it, but do not test me again," she replied firmly, and Ivan translated.
The man nodded, and Ivan gestured to the man several seats away from him. He wore a black hussar uniform with gold lacing and a green, white, and red cockade on his chest. On his face, he had a thick beard and a curled mustache, with shallow features and bright blue eyes. "Alors, vous êtes la princesse le jeune grand-duc mentionnée, n'est-ce pas ?"
"Oui, elle l'est bien," Ivan replied before clearing his throat. "He asked if you're the Princess I was referring to over dinner, and I said you were."
"I see..." she began as she cocked a brow. "And you are?"
"Je suis Kossuth Lajos, prince régent de Magyarzag. C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer," he replied after Ivan translated her question.
"I am Kossuth Lajos, Prince Regent of Magyarzag. It is a pleasure to meet you," Ivan repeated so she could understand.
"Likewise," she replied, already beginning to feel her frustration mount, knowing Ivan would have to translate any time she wanted to communicate or understand what anyone said. Of course, this wasn't an issue on its own, as she secretly liked hearing the Young Grand Duke's voice, but rather, the inefficiency of it she knew would drive her mad.
After about half a day of introductions, small talk, and other useless pastimes, she had just about enough when the Ruskians and the others began to stand up and leave the room. "What's going on? Where is everyone going?" Azula asked as she'd not been paying attention for at least the past hour.
Ivan turned to her in surprise. "Oh, we're going to have an extra service tonight. To pray for the battle tomorrow," he told her.
"Wait, you're attacking tomorrow?" Ty Lee asked, nearly springing out of her seat as Ivan nodded. "But, what about Petr? I mean, what if he gets hurt or-"
Mai put her hand over her mouth as she heaved a heavy sigh. "He's a soldier. You can't prevent him from doing his job."
The jumpy girl removed her friend's hand before shaking her head. "Yeah, I guess that's true."
Xang had already begun following after the Ruskians by the time the others headed toward the door. When they arrived outside, Azula couldn't believe her eyes: Men stood with their backs turned to them as far the eye could see, their voices echoing louder than even the cannons during the demonstration, yet where the cannons caused her discomfort, there was something almost ethereal about the hymn they sang:
"Σώσε, Κύριε, τον λαό Σου,
Και ευλόγησε την κληρονομιά Σου!"
Suddenly, she noticed the crowd begin to part as Ivan, his Father, and the Ruskian and Bulgariyan commanders made their way forward, with Ivan gesturing for her to follow, which she did.
"Δώσε νίκη στον Αυτοκράτορά-
μας επί των βαρβάρων!"
After walking for a short period, she found herself in the thin lane beside Ivan as she caught sight of the strangest thing she'd ever seen. Atop a hill, surrounded by men dressed in black robes, stood two banners on either side of a massive, ornate portrait in a heavy gold frame, though she couldn't tell what it depicted. Whatever it was, it certainly seemed important as the men stood, their heads uncovered as they gazed with tearful eyes, making gestures with their hands across their chests as she followed the others toward the small mound upon which it stood.
"Και διαφύλαξε την κατοικία Σου!
Με τη δύναμη του Τιμίου Σου Σταυρού!"
And as the men hit their crescendo, she saw it clearly: A babe, wrapped in plain white, carried in the arms of a woman gazing lovingly upon the child. Of the two banners, one was darker red, with a gold four-pointed cross with a strange symbol on the end, while the other appeared to be a banner depicting a crucified man. Of course, she knew what crucifixion was, as she'd read that the Earth Kingdom used it as a punishment for criminals until the time of Avatar Kyoshi, who deemed it unnecessary. However, so wrapped up was she that Azula didn't even realize how close she'd gotten to bumping into Ivan, who stood just in front of her, in the same attitude as the rest of the Ruskians and Bulgariyans. Strangely, she noticed the Dobrish and Magyars were nowhere to be seen. But, regardless, she continued staring forward, her eyes transfixed on the portrait, so much so she could almost feel it staring back.
Well everyone, next chapter is when it all begins. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and while I know there's much I could have covered, I'm trying to post a new chapter every Sunday. Anyway, thank you all so much, as always, and please, if you have any ideas, or something you wish to say, please review. Thank you for your time, and see you next week!