ATTENTION! THERE ARE NOW 37 CHAPTERS, NOT 24! I HAD TO REDO THE LENGTHS OF EACH, STRETCHING IT OUT MORE! THE NEWEST CHAPTER IS CHAPTER 37 (STRATEGY)! START FROM THERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN READING THE NEWEST CHAPTER! IT WILL TAKE PROBABLY A FEW HOURS, POSSIBLY DAYS FOR ALL THE NEW CHAPTERS TO BE UPLOADED! PLEASE GO TO CHAPTER 37 AND READ THE NOTICE AT THE BEGINNING FOR EXPLANATION! MY APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION!
Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate hearing the feedback from you guys!
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
XxXxXxXxXxX
He did not like how Chin V stared at him. There was something different, a glimmer—a darkness, perhaps. The spar was unlike previous spars; there was a subtle lethality that hissed with each attack, more ferocious and more biting. Words were not exchanged—no instructions or corrections given. There were only his dark green eyes, set in a disfigured, inbred face that watched him, seeming to wait for him to commit a mistake.
Ozai punched through the rock with his one hand and sent his own attacks at Chin V, one after another, rapid and explosive, but Chin V swept each aside with a graceful flourish. He rocked back from a sudden rumble but adjusted swiftly, corrected his footwork, and pivoted, slamming his single forearm against his chest. The wall roared and eruption as two boulders ripped free and slammed against Chin V, who raised two slabs to protect himself from either side. Instantly, Ozai surged toward him, earth blasting him forward in a spring, and shot his rock glove—learned from the Dai Li—at Chin V.
Chin V staggered as the rock snared his arm and wrenched him back, leaving his position vulnerable. Ozai stomped his feet multiple times, again and again, disorienting Chin V, and balanced his position, legs squatting, before he heaved a massive wave of earth. Chin V slashed the rock glove off his body and spun around, body swaying in a graceful rhythm before his arms extended back to him. The air superheated as lava roared past Chin V, summoned by his powerful will, and swallowed Ozai's wave of earth.
However, before Ozai could attack again, the lava did not stop—it continued its path. The lava howled at him, air hot in a flash even to him, and Ozai reacted instinctively; he smashed his hand down, parting the wave of lava—a traditional firebending move—using lavabending and jumped to the untouched side as the other part of lava swept past him and sizzled against the stone where it landed.
Ozai glared at Chin V, too vexed—and suspicious—to celebrate his progression into lavabending. "What was that?"
Chin V stared back, face betraying nothing. "I had faith in your abilities. You just used lavabending for the first time—I commend you."
"I did."
There seemed nothing congratulatory in Chin V's eyes. "You do not like fight like an Earthbender."
"An advantage," he pointed out. "I am unlike any Earthbender, Metalbender, or Lavabender."
Chin V's lips stretched, but his eyes remained reviling. "May The Avatar think so."
Ozai frowned. "May you think to be wise and tell me what displeases you."
"Nothing displeases me."
He laughed in derision. "That may work with your kinsmen, but it will not work with me."
Chin V's eyes flashed. "Do not presume to order me."
"Do not presume to deny me," he warned, voice darkening. "What is your bother?"
"My sister," Chin V answered after several moments, looking away. "She has not given me an heir; her womb lacks all the nourishment of the earth."
Ozai kept his disgust for the obvious inbreeding from showing on his face. "Family tradition?"
"To retain our purity. We preserve Chin II's holy blood. To sire an heir by a woman other than my sister or cousin, also descended from Chin II, is a crime against my kin. Only by keeping ourselves pure will we be able to triumph over The Avatar. My father and mother did the same and their father and mother before them and their father and mother before them."
"You have me now for that," he pointed out, feeling a brief pity, before it was swallowed by disgust. He knew better than any man the compulsion to please a father's mandates, but unlike him, it was clear that Chin V would never rebel and go his own way. "Vaatu and I will destroy The Avatar. You can take a different woman."
Chin V glanced at him. "I had a plan many years ago to give myself an heir by a woman necessary but unworthy as I was desperate and vengeful, but it was ruined. She was a cousin available to me, whose father was exceptionally powerful, but before I could take her back here and breed with her consistently to produce my heir, I was attacked—the chance was stolen from me."
Ozai wondered who was powerful enough to attack Chin V and take his 'prize' away from him, forcing Chin V to retreat. "You can take another woman—do as you tried before."
"I can, but only my sister is worthy. I failed with my cousin because she was unworthy; Devi showed to me that breeding with my cousin was wrong. It must be my sister—must be of my blood to preserve my blood, which is the Conqueror's blood."
"Can your sister be worthy if she does not provide you an heir?"
"She will."
"She has not yet. Have you any children?"
A flash of bitterness ignited in Chin V's dark eyes. "No."
Ozai scoffed. "I envy you. I would have never known shame again if not for my children."
Chin V's smile was not sympathetic or kind; it was sharp and glaring. "Was that due to their failures as children or your failures as a father?"
He almost resumed their spar but refrained. "I strengthened them into premier presence, more than my father did for me. They failed—and they will die for it. They chose the wrong side."
"They ally with The Avatar?"
"With weakness."
Chin V's eyes glittered with scorn. "I suspect they inherited that weakness from you."
Ozai took a step forward. "Careful. I tolerate much—but disrespect never."
"As you say, vessel," Chin V murmured and inclined his head before spinning on his heels and stalking away.
He stared as Chin V continued his retreat; suspicion seeped into his awareness, for Chin V's sudden hostility was something he had not prepared for. It did not match his calculations. He thought Chin V's hostility would appear immediately when he arrived, but Chin V showed minimal hostility toward him beyond an instinctive dislike and distrust of him as of Fire—it had surprised him before pleasing him.
But why did the hostility appear now? Did Chin V know his identity? Had his nobles not been as careful as he ordered? Had whispers of 'my lord' and 'Fire Lord' reached Chin V's ears? Had he seen a portrait of him? Had he heard of The Avatar's attack and somehow put it together that the one-armed man, who was 'Fire Lord Ozai,' was him? Had he heard rumors and believed them? Had one of his kinsmen been to the Fire Nation before and recognized him? Had Vaatu mentioned something?
No, Chin V could not know—it was something else; it had to be. If Chin V knew his identity, he would have rallied his numerically superior kinsmen—a vastly larger number than Ozai's own exiled nobles that had joined, outnumbering them by well over a thousandfold—to attack him.
But what was the hostility's source? It was not due to his despair of lacking an heir from his sister—it was something more.
Was Chin V jealous? Was that it? Did he desire the power of Vaatu's regard? Did he desire the supremacy that came with connection to and mastery of all the elements? Did he desire the glory in leading the crusade against The Avatar as a direct rival? Did he desire the legend that will arise after The Avatar is defeated? Did he desire for his name to be known by everyone through the coming generations? Did he desire to be the starting point of a new age? Did he desire to be envied by all men and beloved by all women?
That was it—Chin V was bitter that he was not Vaatu's chosen vessel, rejected from the embracing grandeur and majesty of being an Avatar.
How reasonable of him.
Ozai understood Chin V's clear jealousy but knew to keep an eye on him, particularly with his many, many kinsmen. However, the fact that no attack had occurred conveyed that Chin V knew, deep down, that he could never succeed as Vaatu's vessel, lacking the intrinsic qualities necessary for greatness. Otherwise, an attack would have slammed against him at one point or another, led by Chin V, who led his vast brethren.
But it still needed to be monitored for signs of treachery and disloyalty. It was possible, however improbable, that Chin V's jealousy would rise to a critical level in which he found the thought of an alliance with The Avatar more beneficial.
"I need you to do something for me," he greeted as he stepped into Hama's room—inside one of the Children of Chin's various structures to accommodate his forces.
Hama glanced at him, one brow risen as water floated in the air, hovering over her outstretched fingers. "Am I your servant?"
"It changes nothing if you consider yourself such."
Her dark blue eyes glittered with subtle amusement before she pulled out another stream of water from a potted plant; she directed the previous stream into the plant and did the same for the other. Both plants accepted the foreign waters, malleable to Hama's will. She hummed, satisfied, as she turned to face him, gesturing for him to sit on the cot—as was their pattern. "Tell me what you need."
Ozai reclined on the cot as Hama pulled water from the air and began soothing his gaping shoulder. "What do you think of Chin V?"
"He's the ugliest man I've ever seen."
He smirked. "Is that why you spend so much time with me, for I am the most beautiful man you have ever seen?"
Hama smiled thinly at him; the water sharpened in chill against his shoulder, freezing him, making him inhale sharply and buck to get away from the frigid touch before it vanished. "Nobility has little to do with beauty, Piandao."
Ozai rubbed the edges of his missing arm, grazing the glowing, healing water held in place by Hama, staring at the blue hue for several moments. "What an ignoble thing to say."
"What of Chin V?"
"Do you think he is capable of treachery?"
Hama looked unimpressed. "Anyone is capable of treachery."
"Very good," Ozai praised; he was beginning to seriously like Hama. He was already fond of her due to her dedication in healing him, but he was actually starting to like her. His fondness was no longer a small thing but a powerful thing now. "Do you think he would kill me?"
"You would crush him," she dismissed, eyes tracing her work with care; she seemed distracted by her work, which she took seriously.
"It is not only he who would attack. His kinsmen are all around us. He has gained close to four million men since The Avatar murdered Ba Sing Se, from what I was told."
He believed it based on the numbers he saw.
Hama's gaze darted to his for a moment; her hands stilled, which, unfortunately, diminished the pleasure evoked by her kind attentions. "What are you saying?"
Ozai adopted a worried tone. "I fear he is jealous of me." He shrugged his good shoulder. "There is much of which to be jealous even without my arm, of course. But he may seek to strike and eliminate his jealousy."
"Why?"
"He wants to be Vaatu's vessel."
Hama's blue eyes flashed, alight with the same glow of the healing water she controlled. "Of course, he does," she muttered in disgust. "What are you going to do?"
"Nothing for now. Until he tries something, nothing will happen. If he stays in his place, he has nothing to fear."
"What do you want me to do? Why tell me this?"
Ozai was quiet for several moments. "Be on the lookout for treachery. I trust your judgment—and discretion."
Hama shook her head. "Why not attack him first? You know his aims. Destroy the threat now."
"That is not tactically wise," he dismissed, though he appreciated her fervor. "I have mastered earthbending and know metalbending and lavabending now, but he is still useful. He alone holds the loyalty of his kinsmen; he is their leader, and they outnumber us drastically. My noble reinforcements are not enough to even register to their numbers."
"They should be loyal to Vaatu, not him."
Ozai twisted his body and reached across with his remaining arm; he dared brush his fingers against her cheek. "Are you loyal to Vaatu more than me, Hama?"
Hama smacked his hand away with an annoyed scoff. "Of course, I am. It wasn't you who rescued me; it was Vaatu."
"But because of my wounds," he pointed out in amusement, holding his hand in front of her face, hovering.
"Which were because of The Avatar," she pointed out in return with a glimmer in her eyes. "Which was because of your daughter's treachery."
Ozai soured at the reminder of Azula's betrayal and grunted as he reclined back, returning to his previous position. "Well played."
Hama hummed. "Of course," she said. "I'll be on the lookout. But I don't actually think he'd try anything."
"He has not yet," he agreed. "He is intelligent. He might be conspiring. If he is, this is how he would play it—wait for a long time to strike."
"The moment to strike would have been before you mastered earthbending."
"I would have expected it then," Ozai corrected. "He thinks I will lower my guard now, but his mistake lies in holding treachery in his heart to begin with. I have been betrayed too often—too many times—to not be prepared for it. He thinks I am an amateur when he is the amateur. I am no virgin when it comes to these breaches."
Hama's face twisted. "Me neither."
Ozai stared at her for several moments, watching the painful memories stretch over her face; he felt a kinship to her. "Your niece—Katara, yes?"
Her blue eyes darkened like the ocean. "Grandniece, but yes."
"I will help you avenge yourself on her," he vowed. "You have done me a powerful service since I met you—you do this service now. I can only hope to equal that service by helping you kill Katara."
"I don't want to just kill her," she hissed. "I want to destroy her."
Ozai smiled and inclined his head. "I understand—I do."
"I believe you."
"Believe my vow to help you destroy Katara. It will be my second aim behind my first aim in becoming the new Avatar—as healing me is your second aim behind destroying Katara."
Hama looked at him strangely, eyes roaming his face, as if seeing him for the first time. "Yes," she whispered. "It fits."
Ozai felt a brief laugh escape him—a genuine one. "Balance. I must consider such things if I am to fulfill my imminent ascension."
"You look to the world now," she observed.
"As you pointed out I must if I am to succeed."
A peculiar smile stretched her lips. "Your quest brings you into direct conflict with The Avatar, which means defeat. But for you, you alone, success is possible, even if it's impossible to see how. You're different."
Ozai nodded in confirmation. "I am. I see difference in you, as well. You could rule your race—perhaps you should."
Hama blinked. "I have never thought what I would do after this. That seems really far away."
"I will be Avatar, and you will be Water's Chiefess."
She clearly did not envision such a position for herself as she laughed. "I love many things about my race, but I hate many more. I know them—they would never embrace bloodbending. I've always known it, but I showed it to Katara because I thought she would see the truth—she's family. Family should see the truth, but she couldn't. And she destroyed me for it. I'll never be Water's Chiefess—I don't want to be. And they'll never have me. There are no Chiefesses, only Chiefs."
"If you use bloodbending, they will accept you."
"That's not acceptance," she dismissed. "That's force."
Ozai frowned. "Acceptance is force."
Hama laughed again, though it had a disdainful echo. "You're Fire. I don't expect you to understand."
"People do not accept; they fear," he explained. "People never act out of acceptance; they act out of fear. Fear motivates; acceptance does not. Fear improves; acceptance does not. Fear strengthens; acceptance does not. You accept fear, but you do not fear acceptance. Fear is primary; acceptance is secondary. Because fear is primary, force is required. Force keeps people in line; force is the only thing that overpowers fear."
"That's not Water's way."
"That is why Water was never going to win the Great War."
Hama looked away. "Maybe," she admitted, voice almost hoarse with emotion. "But we stayed who we are; we didn't change ourselves. We stayed true to us and accepted what we are."
Ozai's eyes narrowed. "You changed yourself. How else did you discover bloodbending while you were imprisoned? No other Waterbender would have, according to you. Do you believe that?"
"Yes," Hama confirmed with an adamant fervor that encouraged his belief in her. "None of them would have done it. I was the only one—me. You understand because you're going to be the new Avatar. Not just anyone can do it, not Chin V. Only you can do it."
"Yes. You understand greatness. You must rise above that which is around you—the limits you see everywhere you look. That is how I will become the new Avatar."
"And you'll live a long life," she added, watching him; he stared back. "You'll live for centuries, and I'll die quickly in comparison."
Ozai found, to his surprise, that such a thought irritated him. "If The Avatar does not slaughter us first."
Hama had the audacity to smack his forehead, shoving him back onto the cot. "I will slaughter you if you don't stop bothering me. I'll freeze you in place if I have to."
His powerful fondness for her became more powerful.
However, Ozai acquiesced, and though the angle was difficult, he shifted his head slightly and watched Hama, tracing her face, following her hair's flow, and resting on the protrusion of her breasts, which stretched the fabric of her garments. He heard her inhale deeply, watched the rise of her breasts, and glanced up to see her eyes shut in concentration. Her face held a tranquility that intrigued him, for it reflected the glowing water healing his shoulder. The glow radiated her face with a vibrant hue, and he found himself staring.
From what he knew, Hama was over twice his age, but though she looked older than he did, she looked remarkably preserved—remarkably young for a woman in her nineties. She looked no older than forty, a worthy master to teach him waterbending and bloodbending, but the more he looked at her, cataloging her features, the more he was reminded of her exotic appeal. She looked like no Fire woman—no woman he had ever encountered, shared company with, or laid with.
It had been so long.
During his imprisonment in shame enforced by The Avatar and Zuko, he lacked any contact and connection for eight years. It was not until Vaatu freed him and awakened his firebending when he had first been able to relieve himself after eight long, lonely years. There were several alleviating days he had spent in brothels releasing his compromised seed to liberate the purity dwelling within, hidden behind and beneath all the layers of torture and agony endured in his imprisonment. Since those first days of freedom, he had sparse encounters—only a few. Since The Avatar's sudden attack, directed by Azula and her treachery, he had no encounters—nothing to relieve him of the mounting weight and pressure. But now he finally found a woman who not only enticed him with her exotic appearance but intrigued him with her resolve and aspiration.
How desperate was he that he desired a Water Tribeswoman? Her exotic allure enticed him, but was it enough? Was she worthy of his seed?
Ozai watched the rise and fall of her breasts, up and down, up and down, gently rising and slowly falling.
Yes, she was worthy—attested to by his own gently rising appendage.
Suddenly, the glow faded, and Hama's hands fell away from his shoulder.
He realized instantly that Hama was staring at him, clearly aware of the where the blood in his body had traveled. Her blue eyes were impenetrable to decipher, even for him, when he looked at her. "Well?"
"Well what?" she snapped, scooting away with a startled hiss, almost as if burned.
Ozai swung his legs over the cot, relieved—and in his shoulder, too. "Am I the only one interested?"
Those blue eyes flashed finally. "You're blunt!"
"I want to feel rejuvenated. Do you want rejuvenation?"
"I need to from this stupid conversation," she sneered, but she kept looking at him.
"Why not?" Ozai challenged, watching her—glimpsing a subtle struggle on her face, conveyed by her blue eyes. Perhaps she desired it but hated her desire. She hated Fire and undoubtedly resented that she held attraction for a man so prominently of Fire, displaying all of Fire's foremost characteristics; she undoubtedly perceived laying with him as lowering herself to something worthless, turning her back on things in which she had always believed.
He understood. After all, he was lowering himself—debasing himself—by choosing her as a bed companion, enticed by her exotic appearance and intriguing character. Was it the same for her? Did she find his appearance exotic and character intriguing after living in Water's homelands? But no—she had lived for decades in the Fire Nation, according to what he had pieced together from what she shared.
"I don't trust you," she said, but her intensity was a lash.
"Ask me anything," he dared, undaunted; he found it thrilling—he would have her.
He had to have her.
Hama's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Did you know Zhao before all this?"
Ozai nodded, surprised she asked him such a thing out of any of the things she could have asked. "Yes. Why?"
"You look at him differently than the others, even those other Fire nobles. Were you a soldier like him?"
"I never served, but that never meant my inability to serve," he explained. "My brother served, and if I needed to, I would have. However, I was needed elsewhere. My brother needed no help."
Iroh never needed help—the esteemed firstborn heir of Father.
Ozai stood to his feet and approached, to which she backed away, but he kept at it. "But unlike my brother, I know when to ask for help. I ask for your help—as I have since I met you. Will you rejuvenate me?"
Hama scoffed, back colliding against the wall; there was nowhere else to hide. "You insult us both by thinking it."
He stared at her, recognizing her clear passion and applying it to sharing a bed with him; it was an enticing wonder to imagine—he had to have her. "When was the last time you were rejuvenated?"
Though Waterbenders were incapable of lightning, there was no doubt that lightning brightened in Hama's blue eyes, almost appearing as the sky itself. "Before I was kidnapped from my home and imprisoned by Azulon."
Her obvious hatred for his father made his heart accelerate in fondness. He may even have begun to start loving her. How wonderful it felt to encounter a woman who hated Father as he did! Unfortunately, Ursa had never hated Father; she had loved Father with a powerful devotion like he was her own father.
"That was a long time ago," he pointed out. "Vaatu already rejuvenated you upon freeing you, but how much more rejuvenation do you need? Is Water not supposed to be loose? But you are constricted- "
Hama's teeth flashed in a warning snarl. "Don't pretend to know me or how I feel."
Ozai smiled. "You fear me but trust me—I know you do. That is how you feel. But there is more. How long have you held yourself together? How long has ice swallowed you? How long have you resisted any warmth? How brittle is your body now after so long in the cold? Where is the warmth you covet? I can give it to you."
Something wavered in Hama's face, breaking slightly to reveal a deep longing, before it repaired itself, and her defiant fury roared in reinforced presence, blazing in her blue eyes. "Whatever you think, whatever how right you are, there's one thing you're missing."
"Which is?"
"You're not worthy of me."
Ozai laughed, charmed by her self-belief. "I am worthy of the world, and you are worth much less than that."
"You're Fire. You'll never be enough."
"Do you think you are enough?" he demanded, disgusted. "I look for my wife—I want my wife. I have not embraced her in over fifteen years."
"I don't care to replace your wife," Hama snapped.
"And I do not care to replace the love you lost so long ago."
Hama's fists clenched; there was an insistent passion in the blue depths of her eyes. "You'd never replace him even if you tried. But you're going to share his fate, anyway."
Ozai leaned closer. "I will never die."
"You will before you have me."
"We both know you lie."
Silence.
"Step aside," Hama demanded, glaring up at him. "Or must I grip your heart and throw you?"
Ozai moved, watching as she stalked past him without looking, more assured than previously that his pursuit was reasonable; his prize was imminent.
He would have her.
XxXxXxXxXxX
"It takes a lot to surprise me, Fire Lord," King Bumi said with a hoarse laugh; his lopsided eyes glowed like poisonous, pristine emeralds. "I didn't actually think I could be surprised anymore. The last thing to surprise was Aang fucking Ba Sing Se like he did. And this isn't the same as that at all, but it still surprises me. Dragons that still exist—by Devi, I thought they were all gone. I never thought Sozin's conquest, either of them, could leave survivors. I'm glad I was wrong about both."
Zuko's eyes closed briefly as he nodded. "Me too."
"I had a friend named Kuzon- "
"Aang's told me about him."
A sorrowful joy flashed across King Bumi's withered face. "I'm sure he did," he whispered with a grieving fondness. "Kuzon was a good boy and an even better man."
Zuko stared at King Bumi. "He murdered one of my great uncles and great aunts, taking two of Sozin's line—two of his children—to the grave with him."
King Bumi just stared back. "I didn't think you knew about that."
"The name 'Kuzon' was banned from use on pain of death after it happened by decree of Sozin," he said flatly. "When Aang was going off about his friend Kuzon who was an amazing Firebender, I knew—I just knew who his friend became. I knew it was that Kuzon."
"I wept that day he died—or when I heard about it," King Bumi said distantly. "Not only because he died or because he was my great friend, but because he didn't take Sozin with him like he tried to. He only got two of his brats, not the real thing. I know he didn't die regretting killing those brats, only that he couldn't get to Sozin."
"He took a chunk of flesh with him," he commended. "It is impressive. I admire his courage and conviction."
King Bumi smiled strangely. "You should admire his rage. It was not courage or conviction that motivated him to stand against the full weight of his race, directed by Sozin; it was his rage that did it—the hatred he felt at the tragic, evil injustice in Air's murder."
Zuko shook his head. "I understand why he did it."
"But you disagree."
"It's occurred to me that he would have killed me for my lineage's sins—I disagree with that. I want someone to kill me for my sins, not my lineage's sins. It's something you learned, which is why I respect you."
King Bumi's eyes roamed his body for several moments. "I like you but hate your lineage—does that make any sense?"
"It does."
"If I was a younger man, I'd kill you," King Bumi said with a casualness that forced Zuko to admire him—no one ever spoke to the Fire Lord with such bluntness. "But I'm not that young man anymore. There'd be so much more I could do, but I'm not as restless anymore; I don't have so much energy and hatred anymore. I'm old now—it's that fucking cycle. The young man can't be young forever; he's got to eventually become the old man. I once thought I'd be different, better than all the men to come before me, but I'm just like all the rest. I'm an old man who's going to die with a lot of regrets."
"Is one of them not killing Kuei when you had the chance?"
"It sure-as-shit is."
Zuko admired him greatly. "Aang told me he crushed Kuei's skull between his hands."
King Bumi whistled, impressed. "I'd have given up my throne to see that."
"I would have if I had an heir."
"Besides your sister and Iroh, you mean."
"Right."
King Bumi hummed before nodding. "Speaking of your heir, I've thought about your idea of tying us together. I won't force Anju to do it, but I will ask her. Perhaps you can charm her or something. You seem charming enough—you charm me."
Zuko cleared his throat, awkward. "That is no longer necessary."
"Why's that? You going to take one of Aang's sons by your sister as your heir?"
He shook his head, though the thought had already occurred to him. "No, Katara and I cleared things up. She will be my Fire Lady when it's time."
King Bumi stared at him for several long moments before a long-suffering sigh echoed. "Fucking youngsters. Why'd you have to waste my time? I actually gave your idea some thought. Do you know how rare that is for me? I just wasted time thinking about something that didn't need to be thought about."
"But I'm serious about an alliance with you," Zuko added, trying to save the situation, though it didn't seem that King Bumi was upset, only annoyed and exasperated. "What of Bor?"
"What about him?"
"Does he have a match?"
King Bumi waved a hand, disgruntled. "Don't even bother. He's going to marry Toph—I'm fucking sure of it."
Zuko blinked, recalling the disinterested hostility Bor directed at Toph in glares, while Toph seemed to want to be nowhere near Bor, going out of her way to avoid him. "Really?"
"I know him—and I know her. They're both idiots and deserve each other."
"What about our heirs marrying?" he suggested, seeing King Bumi's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Not my first son, but my daughter or second son will marry one of Bor's children—or Anju's. Whichever works. That will tie us together, giving us a permanent alliance."
King Bumi chortled. "That sounds like a deal to me! We'll make it official as far as we can with no actual children to show for."
Zuko smiled slightly in amusement. "That will be a long way off."
"Not until this war with Vaatu's over," King Bumi concluded, nodding his head. "This Sun Warrior Tribe you mentioned—the one with the last dragons. I'm surprised you don't want one of your heirs to marry into that tribe to incorporate it into Fire, unifying everything—finishing Kai's Unification."
"I respect their decision to separate and be separated. The fact is—the only reason the dragons still exist is because of that separation. I'm not going to interfere with that."
"Kuzon had a dragon, bonded with it several years into the War—don't know what happened to it. I'm guessing it was cut down in Sozin's conquest."
"Probably," Zuko agreed softly.
"Beautiful creatures," King Bumi whispered, seemingly to himself. "They were beautiful. I never thought Fire was capable of beauty until I saw dragons. Those fanged beasts—mesmerizing. I remember them darting through the sky like winged arrows."
Zuko yearned to hear more of the era when there had been no world brutally molested by the Great War and leaned forward. "I've seen the dragons, but what were they like when they were free? What were they like in their glory and natural state?"
"Kuzon told me that once you get to know a dragon, it surprises you with fierce intelligent; it can be dominant. But as a Firebender, naturally dominant, you have to intimidate it until it respects you. But that's if you're not bonded. I heard Sozin was scared of dragons."
"I don't know," Zuko responded honestly. "Maybe he was and maybe he wasn't—Uncle might know."
King Bumi sighed. "Dragons fell out of the minds of everyone; nobody remembered a time when dragons flooded the sky alongside sky bison and razed down forests in a display of their legendary tempers. It's a sad thing. They were a majestic breed of creatures, on par with the mighty sky bison, burly badgermole, and savage polardog. The end of their kind was a tragedy. When the dragons fell, Sozin skinned their tough, almost impenetrable hides, and I heard he kept each head as a trophy."
Zuko remembered the scrolls in the Dragon Bone Catacombs that he had studied upon his ascension to Fire Lord. He memorized all of the facts he could about the dragons, yearning to simply know about the majestic breed of creatures that had taught him the true meaning of firebending. From what the scrolls had divulged, dragons had strong scales covering the majority of their bodies, which could resist most weapons, bending and animal attacks. Apparently, the only breed of creature that could pierce their scales and thick, tough hide beside other dragons themselves were a sky bison's horns. Despite their great armored scales, a dragon's underbelly was vulnerable, an access point of vulnerability—a prominent target of dragon-hunters and Sozin himself.
"Did you ever see a dragon fall?" he asked softly, almost hesitant to hear the answer.
King Bumi gazed at him with such heavy eyes that he knew the answer immediately. "I did, and I'll never forget it—I'd like to, but I won't. It was before I became King of Omashu. I was on a hunting trip with my platoon of Earthbenders, coming back from the outskirts of a trip to a village notorious for its heart-stopping women. Me and my men had several fun nights there—may have been a week for all I know. But as we were coming back, we received word from a scout that on the peak past the forest, a Fire squadron was hiding. We went to fight them, and we fucking fought them. We killed them and made a sport of it. Whoever killed the most would get money from every other man to go back to that village and spend one last night with all those heart-stopping women before meeting back up with the others in the morning. What a time to be alive—because I won that fucking pool. My reward for fucking those soldiers was a nice fucking of those women. And they were worth the price—I emptied my pockets. But I never intended to spend the whole night with them. When I was through with them, I left and went back to my men, who were camped in the forest. But on my way there, a flash of fire erupted in the sky; it was a scorching heat that blanketed me for several moments. When I looked up, there were two dragons fighting."
"What happened?"
"I only saw what happened because there was so much fire spraying everywhere. Their jaws—with those sharp teeth, like swords—tore at each other's hides, making blood fall to the ground like rain. Some even landed on me. Their claws, long as spears almost, ripped flesh from flesh, and their howls and shrieks rattled in my ears. They were both blue dragons roaring fire at each other, but there was a difference—there was a man sitting atop one, commanding it."
Zuko blinked, seeing the haunting knowledge on King Bumi's face. "Sozin."
"Sozin was riding that dragon and attacking the other one."
"Azar," he whispered in recognition of Sozin's legendary dragon.
King Bumi nodded and his voice was soft. "That's right. It was at that moment I realized I was watching Sozin's famed dragon-slaying dragon, Azar. The other one didn't stand a chance—I watched it happen. Azar was mauling it until finally, Sozin shot lightning into its underbelly, and it was killed instantly. Its body plummeted like a star itself and smashed atop the village of heart-stopping women. When it fell, when it landed, the village was decimated in a fiery explosion. Its corpse was the only thing visible amongst all the crushed buildings and raging fires. My men met me in the forest, drawn by the commotion; they had seen the dragons fighting, too. We knew it might be suicide, but we knew it was our chance. That was Sozin—there was Sozin. He was there for the taking—for the killing."
Zuko leaned back, staring at King Bumi in a fresh light; he was awed. "You fought Sozin? And you survived it?"
A hoarse chuckle echoed in the air. "I survived because he wanted me to, not because I was great in any way. And I was the only one to survive it."
"Meaning?"
"He killed everyone else."
"No, why did you survive?"
King Bumi looked hollow. "I've asked myself that so many times. Why me instead of those other men? What was it about me that made him spare me? Was it just luck? Was it random? Did he see something in me that he respected, or did he just see a eunuch who'd bow to him and do as he said? Could it have been anyone? Did he foresee what I would become? Or did he just want to send a message, and I was just there to deliver, the one he saw when the thought crossed his mind, nothing more than chance? And he didn't give a shit about my men—I saw it. Those were good men I served with; I loved them, and I would have died for them. But when it came time for me to die for them, it was denied to me—by Sozin. He spared me, and I've never felt so small in my life. That was the first time I ever encountered greatness in my life—actual greatness. He gave me the example; he gave me the lessons; and he gave me the motivation to be great myself."
Zuko was fascinated by someone—the Scourge of Fire—who encountered Sozin in his prime before he retired from the war effort and lived to tell the tale. "What happened?"
Green eyes became hazy in recollection. "Azar landed in that destroyed village, and Sozin hopped off and began to skin the dead dragon with a flaming sword."
"Embers," he recalled. "It was his legendary fire-blade; he forged it himself in the lava lakes beneath the palace."
"That's when my men and I attacked. But it was suicide with a dragon there, especially when we were attacking that dragon's bond. Azar descended on us like a flood, tearing through bodies like paper and tearing off heads, swallowing some whole. Then Sozin appeared, and my platoon was wiped out. It was fucking massacre. There was blood and guts everywhere; there were brains staining my clothes. My body was black with gore—my men's gore. And I had to wear it like a fucking trophy because Sozin was unstoppable, and I didn't have time to prevent anything. All my men died so quickly, and I was the last one, and I saw Sozin's face; I stared into his eyes. I've never seen eyes like that—until I saw your eyes, Fire Lord, when you came here."
He tensed. "So, my father and I have Sozin's eyes."
"Iroh must have his mother's eyes," King Bumi said distantly.
"Grandmother Ilah—Fire Lady Ilah," he supplied quietly.
King Bumi sighed and scrubbed his face. "But it wasn't even the color, although it was unique—it is unique seeing your eyes. It was the experience there, the memories, the weight, the ferocity, and the power. I always feared Sozin behind my hatred for him, but I never realized how scary he was, not until I thought I was going to die, denied the chance to avenge everyone who deserved to be avenged—not able to avenge Aang and the Air Nomads and so many more. And in what I thought were my final moments, I realized I didn't hate him as much as I feared him—I hated him with all the blood in my body, but he scared me so much more. That's never happened before or since—because he taught me how. My platoon and I would have defeated Azar if Sozin wasn't there, but Sozin was there, and I was the only one left. It all happened so fast; it was chaos. But there I was, surrounded by flames and bodies. I was scared, and I tried to run, but Azar blocked my path. I had no choice but to turn to face Sozin—face my death."
"He let you go?"
"He asked me my name, and I told him. Then he gripped my chin with his fingers and glared at me; the back of his throat glowed with color. 'You hail from Omashu,' he said. 'Your uniforms do little to diminish the fact you serve a coward king. He and his ilk wanted this war, not me. You blame me for it—I see it in your eyes, coloring your face—but you are wrong. Blame your king; blame all the Earth Kings. They ensured this war.' Finally, I had enough and yelled that he murdered Air and that if it's the last thing I do, I'd avenge them. But Sozin just stared at me, unsurprised—but he looked disappointed, too. 'You will never understand my reasons until you cast off the yoke imprisoning you, held in place by your coward Earth Kings—like I cast off Fire's yoke held in place by Air. Return to your home and tell that vain, coward king to whom you kneel that his time is imminent. He will never stop me. The Avatar could not stop me and chose to let me live when he should have killed me. The Avatar died trying to stop me, and the same will happen to an upstart King of Earth—and soldier of Earth. I will see a plague overtake your king and his entire family, eradicating his entire bloodline. Omashu will fall, and for the slight of instigating this war when peace was more than possible, his name will be forgotten. He will know nothingness forever—I will bring it to him. I will burn him of his obstinance, and when he is left weeping, I will stomp on him. If not by my foot, my heir and his descendants will see to my promise. Will you uphold your end of our bargain and tell your coward king, Bumi of Omashu?' I had no choice but to accept, and he spared me so I would live in shame, reminded forever that I had the chance to kill him but lacked the power and will to do so. I felt so impotent by it—I still do. By Devi, I wanted to kill him—I would have castrated myself if it meant he died. He fucking deserved it, and I wanted to be the one to bring it to him. But I couldn't—all I could do was run. I ran back to Omashu and gave that message to Guron." King Bumi ran a hand over his worn, wrinkled face. "That's my story, Fire Lord. I wish it was more heroic."
"I had no idea," he whispered.
"Why would you?" King Bumi asked with a snort. "It was Sozin—just an everyday experience for him while it was the biggest moment of my life. I always failed when it came to the big moments."
"Why tell me this?" he asked, watching King Bumi. "I'm Sozin's heir."
King Bumi's head turned, and his ancient lopsided eyes slanted over him, rooting on his gaze. "So you'll be better than him. I don't mean greater than him—I don't even think that's possible. But be better than him."
Zuko stared back. "I already am."
"Stay better than him. These dragons you told me about, don't destroy them like he did."
"He didn't do it out of hatred or greed; he did it out of desperation," he corrected. "There were famines- "
King Bumi looked pained. "Just message that tribe you mentioned. Two dragons would be a major ally in our fight against your father. Use a messenger whenever you're ready."
Zuko nodded, understanding that King Bumi didn't want to hear about the complexity surrounding Sozin; it was easier not to, especially after a lifetime of only believing one thing about him. "Thank you. I will also write Uncle."
A sound echoed, and Zuko turned around and watched the door open; Aang appeared in the doorway, followed by Azula. "You needed me?"
King Bumi waved him in and grabbed a parchment from his desk. "I got a message from Lonin."
Zuko watched resignation cross Aang's face as he shut the door and sat down beside him; Azula sat on the other side. "What does he want?"
"You dead for starters, but he said that since that wasn't possible, he needs something. He said the only way he'll ally with us is if he gets Zaofu and Ba Sing Se; he wants to be king of three cities—three quarters of the entire continent."
Azula laughed. "Of course."
"You can't let that happen," Zuko cut in, staring at King Bumi. "This is a power grab, nothing more. He doesn't actually expect you to accept. It's too absurd."
Aang grit his teeth. "He's using Kuei's designs as his own. He's trying to unify Earth under his name and blood."
"A single King of Earth to match the imminent single Chief of Water to match the renowned single Lord of Fire," Azula observed.
"No man can hold the entire continent—it's not possible," King Bumi dismissed. "Not even Chin was able to do it; he faced too many rebellions."
"But he crushed those rebellions."
"Until Kyoshi crushed him. Lonin isn't Chin, not at all. I wish I was surprised by his demand, but I'm not. He's nothing like his father, sadly."
"What can we do?" Aang asked, running a hand through his hair. "Can we counteroffer?"
King Bumi shrugged. "Don't think so. What counteroffer would have the same weight and significance?"
"He's not inclined to ally with us to begin with," Zuko realized. "He doesn't want to. My guess is he's already allied with Father and Vaatu."
Azula nodded. "I agree. He already has an agreement in place with them, and he dares us to make him a better offer."
Aang sighed. "But that 'better offer' would only be something we can't make."
"We have to make a decision that none of us like," Zuko pointed out after several moments of silence. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we may need to think like Kuei."
"That prick wasn't capable of thinking," King Bumi said immediately in derision.
"Do tell, Zuko," Azula said, staring at him with a raised brow in intrigue.
"Who's Lonin's heir?" he asked.
King Bumi's head tilted. "A son—his only son—named Bipin. Why?"
Zuko grimaced slightly. "What if we put Bipin on Chyung's throne? He might be more receptive to an alliance."
Aang stared at him, face miserable. "You want to assassinate Lonin?"
"Games within games," Azula whispered, seemingly thinking to herself, analyzing the probability of success. "It was Kuei's game, and now we play it."
King Bumi snorted. "Believe me, I played that game long before Kuei was even born."
Aang sighed and patted King Bumi's shoulder in worn sympathy. "I hate this."
Zuko watched him. "I know, but it's a solution. Lonin's not agreeable; he's stubborn. He's already chosen his side, and he's not going to budge. We already chose Chyung as our target for alliance. Unless you think trying Zaofu would be easier- "
"No," King Bumi cut in. "I've never trusted Tornor—or any of his line. Zaofu's farther away, too. Chyung is a more optimal target, and I've always had success with Chyung's kings."
"Except for Lonin," Azula pointed out. "Why?"
"He might blame me for his father's death—I'm not sure. But his father died when he was young, and he didn't have that influence. And I was too busy with so much else to ever make a real connection with him. I only reached out in service of a ghost, and I think he knew that and didn't trust me because of it. I look for his father in him, and I've never found him."
"The question is—would Bipin be more receptive?"
Aang gripped the edge of the desk. "We're talking about assassinating someone! I don't want to do that."
"You may have to," Azula mused. "We are short on allies. We need help. If Prince Bipin is more open to an alliance with us, we must consider it—consider him."
Zuko nodded. "I don't want to do it, but we are desperate, Aang. I can't think of anything else that will bring us success. We have no momentum; we have to make our momentum."
Aang glared at him. "I thought you'd be against this considering how many assassins Kuei sent after you."
King Bumi's brows rose in curiosity while Zuko inhaled slowly. "I know. But once I figured out Kuei's aims, it made perfect sense. Why wouldn't he send assassins after me? It was the only logical conclusion. I hate him and will always, but it was logical for him. And this seems to be the only logical conclusion now."
"This makes us no better than Ozai," Aang whispered, agonized. "I don't want to build momentum by assassinating someone."
"We never were better than Father to begin with," Azula observed quietly, but she held firm when Aang glanced at her. "What did you tell me about your trip you took after we married? What did you learn? Nothing is as it seems. There are no heroes, only players with schemes."
Aang swallowed, and his face flashed with a lifetime of memories that Zuko never knew. "There are no good guys, not for this; there never are. We're at the top, and there are no good guys at the top—ever."
"King Lonin is not a good man, for he is a weak man," Azula continued, watching Aang with evaluative golden eyes; she clearly understood his struggle better than anyone else and knew precisely what bothered him. "No weak man is a good man. He allied with Kuei and with Vaatu and Father. His vision is narrow and limited; he cannot see the horizon, obstructed by his ambitions. He revealed his unruliness by demanding an absurd amount of territory and power for doing what is right. He does not care about what is right; he cares only about what is good—good for him. If you think Chyung will mourn him or regret his death, it is unlikely. He is a weak man who provokes discord and strife—and blames others when accountability is demanded of him. The world will not miss King Lonin."
"I'm the leader, which means making hard—ugly—decisions."
"Yes."
Aang rubbed a hand over his face, squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment, before he opened them and nodded. "Would Bipin be more receptive to us?"
King Bumi stared at Aang before shrugging. "Yes. My spies in Chyung are clear on it. Bipin and Lonin are in conflict a lot. But we don't know how receptive Bipin is. It may just be a little bit; it may be a lot."
"A little bit is better than nothing, which is what Lonin is," Zuko pointed out. "If there's a chance, we have to take it."
"There is no authority to judge us," Azula added. "We answer to ourselves, no one else."
"We judge ourselves," Aang corrected. "We have to judge ourselves. I agree there's a chance—but there's also a chance that this goes wrong and somehow benefits Vaatu."
Zuko frowned. "How? That would only happen if Bipin joins Vaatu in revenge, but Lonin's already allied with Vaatu."
"We don't know if Lonin is allied with Vaatu. What if he's not?"
"Then he's going to die regardless," King Bumi said softly, closing his eyes. "His obvious attitude in his badgermole shit demand isn't the way to be build a bridge. I think he's already allied with Vaatu—it makes sense. And from what I know about him, he would jump at the chance to ally with Vaatu, especially now—especially when there is territory up for grabs."
"You already hold Ba Sing Se," Aang pointed out. "He knows that. He wouldn't try to fight you."
"But he would get Vaatu and Father to do it for him," Azula replied. "Those are the perfect allies if your goal is to gain territory, which his seems to be. He is ambitious, but he fails to discern that there are people more ambitious than him—us. Our ambition is to save the world; his ambition is for himself—a weak man. He seeks to be the last man standing—or one of the last men standing—and absorb all the power he can from the void that arises in all the destruction."
King Bumi nodded, apparently agreeing with Azula's theory. "And he expects that we'll all be too dead to stop him or stand in his way."
Aang groaned. "I don't like that this is all hypothetical."
"War is hypothetical, Aang," King Bumi said. "Our victory is hypothetical; our defeat is hypothetical. No one knows—there is no knowing, not until it, whatever it is, happens. Everything is hypothetical for this. That's what's so fucking stupid about it. Believe me, I know."
Azula held Aang's gaze. "All our decisions will be based on the hypothetical, including this. I am in favor of putting Prince Bipin on the throne to secure us an ally, which we need desperately. Our only allies currently are King Bumi and Uncle."
"And Chief Hakoda in the South," Zuko added, recalling his future father-in-law. That was going to take some time to adjust to. "Katara will write him when it's time, when we're ready for him and his forces to join us."
"Vaatu's allies undoubtedly number much higher," Azula continued. "He has Agni and Devi to start with, who are the best allies to have. I think Agni and Devi's worth to Vaatu more than surpasses all of our worth to you, Aang. We need allies. Prince Bipin is the best chance of obtaining an ally now."
"And that means killing Lonin to make room for Bipin," Aang concluded, tired; his gray eyes were miserable in resignation. "Someone has to kill him—an assassin."
"I've killed an Earth King before, Aang," King Bumi whispered. "Devi already damned me. She can't do it worse. I'll kill Lonin."
"No, he's your friend's son," Aang protested.
King Bumi withered, but his eyes remained stern. "I know. But I'll do it—it needs to be me. I'm not dragging Bor into this. He's going to be free from my sins—my crimes."
"Perhaps I should do it," Azula interrupted, raising a brow. "If it is suspected that a daughter of Agni killed King Lonin, allying with King Bumi will appear more appealing, perhaps."
"But you are dressed in Air garbs. And it's known that I'm allied with the Fire Lord and his family. That wouldn't make me appealing."
"Maybe the Blue Spirit should do it," Zuko suggested. "He was known in the Earth Kingdom, and no one knows who he is. I can sneak into the palace and kill him. It will be quick."
Aang glanced at him. "I hate it, but that would be the best option. If we do this, I'll go with you."
"No- "
"Yes," Aang said, adamant. "I'm the leader. I need to see the consequences of my decisions. I'm not hiding from it or giving myself deniability or anything."
"Then make sure not to feel guilty about it," Zuko warned, holding Aang's gaze. "I don't feel guilty about it. Lonin was allies with Kuei and had to know what Kuei was doing to me. We do this for balance. Sometimes death is the only way to make balance. You told me you should have killed Father to end the Great War."
Aang nodded. "I should have."
"You learned your lesson from that; you learned from your mistake. When it comes to matters like these, death is the only option, isn't it? It's an evil solution, but that doesn't erase that it's a solution, and this solution is less problematic than the problem—the problems—we face."
"It is unwise to expend great effort to discern 'noble' solutions when Vaatu and Father hold no reservations," Azula added. "Why waste energies and strategies by limiting ourselves when our enemy does not?"
King Bumi looked his age. "There's no nobility in war, only ugliness, and this is fucking war—it's going to be worse than the Great War because the stakes are higher. And this time, we actually know what we're fighting for rather than serving lies, whether the Earth Kings' lies or Sozin's lies. We can't hold back from doing things that need to be done."
"You're right," Aang whispered, clearly regretful that such solutions were necessary but recognizing their necessity. "Whenever you're ready to put Bipin on that throne, let me know, and we'll take Appa. I don't want the others to know. This will just be us. I don't want to make a big deal of it, even though I know it's a big deal."
"Agreed," Azula said.
Zuko winced and looked at King Bumi. "You wouldn't happen to have a blue demon spirit mask, would you?"
A mischievous glint appeared in those ancient eyes. "I think your face works well enough, don't you?"
Azula laughed, but he was unimpressed. "Maybe you should go. Your face is ugly enough to be a demon spirit's face."
King Bumi shrugged, unashamed. "Never stopped me from getting any woman I wanted—except your mother."
Zuko groaned, wondering why he tried. "Because she's wise. Do you have a mask or not?"
"I'll have something for you—and for Aang, too."
Aang smiled, though it was worn with bitter sadness. "Thanks, Bumi."
XxXxXxXxXxX
"What's wrong?" Katara asked, recognizing the look on Zuko's face when he entered her room.
"What makes you think something is wrong?"
Katara recognized the deflection and refused to accept it. "Because I know you. What happened?"
"Nothing- "
"What's wrong?" she repeated, standing to her feet.
Zuko shook his head. "I'll be gone for a few days with Aang, that's all—nothing major."
"Why?"
He hesitated for several moments. "Lonin refused to ally with us, not until we give him the whole Earth Kingdom except for Omashu. We're going to negotiate something more favorable for us—to get us an actual alliance, something we really need."
Katara stared at him, aghast. "That's 'nothing major'?"
"Considering what we've been through, it doesn't seem major; it's not significant."
She was quiet for several moments, realizing he was correct. There were so many other things that had happened that were bigger and more pressing. "Why just you and Aang?"
Zuko stared at her; something passed over his face that she couldn't decipher before he sighed. "Aang wants this to be a secret, and him and I are the best secret-keepers."
"I thought Azula would go then," she pointed. "Her and Aang are married now. Don't they do everything together?"
"This is only a two-man job- "
"Hence, Aang and Azula going."
Zuko's lips twitched. "The Blue Spirit is needed—that's why I'm going instead of her. And Azula has the very big habit of turning subtlety into grandeur."
There was a clear reluctance to tell her more but a simultaneous urge on his face to tell her more, and Katara didn't understand the significance of it. "Why are you going?"
"We're going to put Lonin's son, Bipin on the throne, giving us a better chance of an alliance."
Katara frowned, understanding what he meant. "You're going to depose Lonin?"
Zuko's jaw clenched for a moment. "Do you have a better idea?"
"Negotiate with him- "
"He already opened with such an absurd offer that it's clear he can't be swayed," he interrupted, shaking his head in frustration. "He wants to control three quarters of the Earth Kingdom—he wants Ba Sing Se and Zaofu to go along with what he already has in Chyung. I'm certain he wants the entire continent and is hoping King Bumi and his heirs die in this war."
Katara struggled to understand his logic, which, apparently, Aang agreed with. "Why not try to negotiate?"
"We need people interested in helping us save the world, Katara; we don't need people interested in only helping themselves. We don't have time to negotiate with self-glorification-seekers like Lonin."
"But you can't just depose him because that would give him a possibility to come back or certainly go to Vaatu with the goal of revenge and taking back his throne- …" She trailed off abruptly as she realized that Lonin's overthrow had to be permanent, which meant only one thing. It was a blinding realization that made her sit back down in her chair. "You're going to assassinate him."
Zuko didn't deny her realization; he simply watched her with heavy but resolute eyes. "It's the only option."
Katara stared up at him, trying to find the words to express her horror. "This isn't what we do!" she exclaimed, hugging herself. "Assassinating people we disagree with- "
"It's the only option that gets us anywhere, gives us the momentum we desperately need."
"You want to get momentum by assassinating people?"
Zuko sighed. "That's what war is, Katara—it's all about who kills the most. This is a war. Lonin's going to be one of the many casualties."
She flinched. "I don't want us to do this."
"Did you learn nothing from Kuei?" he asked almost gently. "Lonin was allies with Kuei; he agreed with everything that Kuei said and wanted."
"But you said Kuei held Lonin's testicles, dominating him," she reminded. "If we can make a real connection with Lonin- "
Zuko laughed slightly. "You never want to make real connections with men whose testicles are for grabs and can be dominated so pathetically. We already decided; we don't like it, but we see the necessity for it."
"And Aang's going along with this?" she demanded, horrified.
"He hates it more than you do, but he knows it's the only way. He doesn't want anyone to know, but I didn't want to keep a secret from you—not like this, at least."
Katara squeezed her eyes shut for several moments before she opened them, seeing Zuko watch her carefully but sadly. "I know you don't want to do this."
A bitter laugh echoed. "I don't want this war to be happening, but we all have our parts to play. This is just one tiny part in the expanse of this overarching war. No one's going to remember it—no one's going to know about it. No one knows who the Blue Spirit is, and Aang will be similarly dressed. I care about saving the world and giving everyone peace after so much war for so long; I care about making sure we all stay alive. I don't care at all about Lonin. I'm not kind enough or flexible enough to care."
"Is this really the only way?"
Zuko's golden eyes flickered with memories. "Force wins the day—force wins wars. We have to use force. We're not heroes here, Katara—we can't be. This is a war, and Lonin had his chance to be on our side. Sometimes you only get one chance in your life, and he just blew his. Now he's our enemy, and we have to put in the place of our enemy a possible ally."
Katara blinked away her emotion, understanding his point but hating it all the same. "You're going to be the one to kill him, aren't you? That's why you're going. Or is Aang going to kill him?"
"I think Aang has enough blood on his hands; I can spare to get mine dirty," Zuko answered. "Frankly, it's about time I get mine dirty, and I'm okay with getting them dirty. No one can go through this unscathed—unscarred. I spent eight years keeping my hands clean, trying to play the 'game' so no one would die—so there would be no war. But there is a war now, and everything I did previously didn't prevent it from happening. It just made Kuei, Lonin, and Tornor more likely to use force against me—against us—because I refused to fight back. Now we fight back, and I'm going to do my part, no matter how ugly it is. We got lucky last time with the Great War; we're not going to be lucky this time."
She watched him sit on the edge of her bed, fingers brushing over the blankets, clearly thinking about how lucky they weren't going to be. Standing from her chair, she approached and sat next to him on the bed. "I hope this will be the least lucky thing we face."
Zuko pulled her against him, and she treasured the contact. "Me too, but I know it won't be."
"I know."
"We do all that we do now so our children don't have to do it. Our generation will be the last one to know war like this—because we make the sacrifices we have to make to make it so."
Katara closed her eyes and nestled her cheek against his chest, finding pleasure and relief in his powerful warmth. "I know. It's a hard thing to do, but we can do it."
"I don't feel guilty about doing it, but I'm also not going to take pleasure in it or from it—if that helps."
Something told her that he might take a little pleasure—vicariously killing Kuei by killing Kuei's ally, Lonin. "Just come back. Don't get caught or anything."
Zuko's lips stretched slightly. "The Avatar and the Fire Lord—we'll never be caught."
She was quiet for several moments. "Was that the only reason you came, to tell me about this?"
"I also just wanted to see you."
Katara smiled. "That's sweet of you, Fire Lord."
The scowl was audible in his voice. "The Fire Lord's not sweet," he muttered. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"Then it's noble of you," she corrected with a brief laugh. "Is that better?"
Zuko huffed and squeezed her. "I suppose. I finally sent a letter to the Sun Warrior Tribe asking for their help, specifically for Ran and Shaw. And I sent a letter to Uncle, letting him know what is going on."
"Good. I can't wait to see the dragons," she said, imagining the sight of living dragons, powerful and majestic. "One's red and the other's blue, right?"
"Right. They are beautiful."
"I can imagine."
"It makes me wonder how Sozin could destroy them," he mused, conflicted. "I know why he did, but how could he go through with it? How did he have that kind of willpower?"
Katara didn't want to think about Sozin's greatness, but she knew it was there all the same and could never be denied. "I know."
Zuko shook his head, body jostling slightly. "We were going to lose something either way. We would lose ourselves and be overrun in the Great War, invaded, raped, and slaughtered, or we would lose the dragons, our symbol of strength. I bet it felt like ripping his arm off to save his heart, but he made the decision he had to make—like we make our decisions now, even if we hate our options. I think I'm starting to understand him—I mean, really understand him. How scary is that?"
She swallowed, understanding what he meant. "Terrifying."
"I used to think he was such a monster," he continued, voice dimming in volume but retaining its intensity and presence. "I used to think I would never be him. But now I realize he was just one of us, like us in every way."
Katara brought one of her hands up to Zuko's bearded cheek, gentle fingers trying to soothe not only him but herself. Zuko nestled his head in her hands, bringing a soft, tired smile to her face. "His legacy is history just as our own will be. Maybe he was just dealt a bad situation like we were. I never thought I would say that."
"I never thought I would hear it, least of all from you." He clasped one of his hands over hers, holding it against his bearded cheek. "I owe him a lot, don't I? The only reason I sit on the Dragon's Throne—the only reason I can sit on the Dragon's Throne—is because of him, because I'm of his line, born from his seed. And because I'm the Fire Lord, I have the chance to save the world because of my power and influence, which I inherited directly from him. Really, he's fighting to save the world right now through me."
She was unable to stop the hysterical laugh from escaping her. "And fighting to enslave the world right now, too, through your father."
Zuko hummed. "Right. But there are more of us descended from Sozin—me, Azula, and Uncle—fighting to save it than enslave it. I wonder if Sozin would fight to save the world if he were still here."
Katara cringed at the thought, disgusted; she dropped her hand from his bearded cheek. "He already had his chance to fight to save the world."
"But he never knew the stakes," Zuko responded, voice sounding far away. "If he knew the stakes, knew what was really going on, would he fight to save it? I can't help but think he would. He fought for so long and hard for our race—for Fire—when it was us against the world. Why wouldn't he fight for the world? I can't think of why he wouldn't."
She stared up at him, startled. "He murdered Air and wanted to destroy The Avatar."
"I know. But I wonder at his reasons—reasons we don't know because he is not alive to defend himself. And we judge him because of it. I realize now that it's a dangerous thing to judge like that. I just have this instinct—this feeling in my gut—that he would fight to save the world if he had all the knowledge that we had. Remember, he was friends—best friends—with Roku, so he already got along with The Avatar. It must have torn him apart to leave him to die on that volcano. But he did it anyway because he had willpower. He let Roku die because he wanted to save Fire and change the world, usher in prosperity and glory. I think he would do what we're doing now if he were here."
The disgust within her grew; she felt nauseous by how Zuko seemed to defend Sozin—to explain away and rationalize his actions. "You're wrong."
"I know I may be," he confessed freely. "But I just have that feeling—I have that hope, I guess."
Katara shook her head. "I don't want to talk about Sozin. He's dead—let's leave him there."
Zuko nodded, beard rustling against her hair. "I'll have to leave Father there, too, when he dies."
Something heavy settled in her chest. "How do you feel about that?"
"I'm prepared for it, but that does not equal being ready for it—no one could ever be ready for it. Even long after he is gone, I'm going to think about him—not a lot, I'm sure. But he will pop into my mind when I least expect it—I know he will. There is no forgetting him. It will be the same for Azula and Mom. He deserves to die—I want him dead just so I can finally relax. But I don't know if I will ever have peace about it. It has never been easy being his son."
"I can't imagine," she whispered. "Your father is nothing like mine. I'm sorry for that."
Zuko jerked and looked down at her, single brow furrowed. "Is your father going to be furious at me?"
Katara blinked, surprised by the question. "What are you talking about? Why would he be mad at you?"
"For ruining his deal with Kuei- "
"I ruined the deal with Kuei," she interrupted with a small laugh. That seemed like such a long time ago—longer than the year it actually was—when she broke the betrothal. So much had happened since. "You had nothing to do with it."
Zuko looked unimpressed. "Only because I told you what he was really like and was planning. Otherwise, you would have married him and been queen- " He gestured vaguely to their surroundings. "- of this place."
She didn't want to think about how possible such a scenario was. "It doesn't matter. My dad's not going to be mad at you for that or anything. He never liked Kuei, only what Kuei could do for him—for Sokka, specifically, in getting Arnook to name him the North's heir. And if he is mad, I'll just tell him that I prefer being Fire Lady. It's a better alliance with you, and you can tell him that you'll work something out so that Sokka gets the North."
He was quiet for several moments. "Will he approve of me? You are his only daughter and, thus, his favorite daughter."
Katara smiled. "His favorite child, but don't tell Sokka."
"I have a lot of practicing not telling him things," Zuko quipped before his face became serious. "But will your father approve?"
"I don't see why he wouldn't," she assured, recalling Dad's outlook on things. "He liked you—actually liked you compared to everyone else. He'd always say after those Great Gatherings when he got back that if everyone was like Fire Lord Zuko, there would be a chance of lasting peace."
Zuko snorted slightly. "I was thinking the same thing."
"About you or about him?"
"Both."
She smacked him half-heartedly. "He may not like that you're not humble."
"I'm Fire Lord—I don't have time to be humble."
"Then your Fire Lady will have to be humble," Katara concluded graciously. "I think I'm up for the task."
Zuko laughed. "What a very 'humble' thing to say."
She grinned. "I thought you'd like that. But I promise you—there's not going to be a problem," she said with firm finality. "He will like you because he already does. I think it's sweet that you're worried that he won't like you- "
He groaned. "That's not the reason."
"I think it is but you don't want to admit it."
"I've had enough 'fathers' in my life hating me," Zuko explained, voice rising slightly in frustration. "I don't want another one."
Katara felt her amusement vanish; she felt cold, instead. "He won't hate you, Zuko. He may feel like he owes you a debt."
Zuko's face twisted. "For taking you on?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, for giving him—and Sokka—the same deal that Kuei gave but with so much more. He won't be mad at you."
"I'll hold you to that if he gets mad at me," he warned.
Katara shook her head. "He's going to be fine with it. If he's not, I'll handle it."
Zuko sighed in relief. "Thank you. I have too much going on to deal with angry fathers—I have my own to deal with as it is."
"A lot to deal with," she whispered, recalling his imminent departure to go assassinate King Lonin of Chyung with Aang. "But we'll deal as we can."
"It's all we can do," he pointed out softly, squeezing her tighter.
Katara closed her eyes and leaned against him, savoring his presence—because she knew she would not always have the chance.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Chin V entered his sister's room with a grunt of annoyed impatience as he sealed the room shut; his sister paced before him, not even seeming to register his entrance. "What is so important that you summoned me?"
His sister's eyes were frantic as she whirled to face him. "I think Fire Lord Ozai is here."
Chin V stilled. "Why?"
"Those nobles speak too freely; they share looks when they think I'm distracted. They keep referring to Fire Lord Ozai, especially when I asked after him; they speak too familiarly about him—as if he is near. They speak of him in the present tense, not the past tense. It's with too much insistence. They could talk about anyone else, but they spend their time discussing him. It's like it's a hidden joke."
"Have they said he is here?" he demanded, wondering if the nobles were that arrogant.
She looked disheartened. "No, but I think he is—somehow."
"What of Piandao? Do they speak of him?"
A swift nod answered him. "Yes, but not as much as Fire Lord Ozai. They refer to Piandao only in the present, saying he needs this and that and to expect his pressure here and there; they refer to Fire Lord Ozai so vaguely, but they do it so often it makes me suspicious. When I asked if Piandao knew Fire Lord Ozai, they laughed like they knew a trusted secret that they will forever hoard to themselves. Then they said Piandao didn't know Fire Lord Ozai, but I didn't believe it. I think Piandao was one of Fire Lord Ozai's leading nobles. The other nobles speak about them too often in the same sentence, stretching their thoughts to include one with the other."
Chin V wondered at Fire's noblemen's boldness, but it was no surprise—such was their despicable constitutions. "They laugh at us," he whispered, fists clenching. "They trick us and dare us to call them out on it. They know we know, and they dare us to do something about it. The arrogance—I despise Fire. Yet I despise The Avatar more."
"You think Fire Lord Ozai is here?"
"I believe so," he agreed, spacing his words in delicate thought. "Continue your mission. Make them talk. Try to discover Fire Lord Ozai's plans—what he will do to us and our kinsmen once he is through with us."
Something stern flashed over her face. "Vaatu will deny any harm to us."
Chin V shook his head. "Until we are not useful to him. As long as we are useful and hold purpose in his plans, he will protect us. But we are expendable. We will never be his favorites."
"You said you would convince him that you should be his vessel," she reminded.
"That takes time," Chin V stressed. "And I can do nothing now because he is elsewhere. He has been away since bringing Zhao here. There is nothing to do but wait and continue as we have."
An urgency appeared in her eyes. "Perhaps I will have proper motivation if you impregnate me with our heir."
He sighed, turning away from her. "We have tried many times. You can carry no son of mine that will live."
It was the truth they had known, deep down, for decades, which was why he had implemented a plan to kill two birds with one stone—obtaining simultaneous vengeance on a bitter enemy, the traitor to his blood, while securing his heir by capturing a fertile cousin to breed with for months and/or years, depending on how long it took to give him his healthy heir. But his cousin, even if sired by the Traitor, was no longer an option; she died months after his plan was ruined when he was trying to conceive a new plan to obtain her. When his spy notified him in-person of the news, he killed him in a fury before he could even finish delivering his intelligence.
"Only I am worthy to bear your heir," his sister protested.
A withered breath escaped him, rough and painful. "You are, but all our children die," he whispered, hoarse. "Why? Why this generation? We have bred for generations since Chin II and his sister. Why do all our children die? Why do they leave you cold and dead, either months into the pregnancy or the full nine months, or live for a few days before dying? Why are they deformed, twisted, and broken, and look more animal than human? Maybe we are wrong—maybe you are not worthy. I do not think we can have healthy, living children."
"Mother was worthy to bear you," she protested with tears in her eyes, clearly feeling the same heartache and anguish that he felt. "You know our truth! We sacrifice beauty for bending."
Chin V closed his eyes, remembering their rightful, honorable pursuit. "Though we hold ugliness in place of beauty, within us, because of our willful sacrifice, dwells the Conqueror and The Avatar's union. There is glory within us. Because of our intentional striving, we are still children of the Conqueror and The Avatar rather than diluted down into great-great grandchildren. The primacy still exists; it will never become secondary and forgotten."
"Devi is testing us—that is all," she claimed, voice trembling, wavering with emotion—with faith that her claim was the only explanation because it had to be the only explanation. "We must continue."
His eyes snapped open in ire. "I will be having words with her when she reforms and Vaatu brings her here. We have waited decades for our heir."
She beckoned him closer and grabbed his hands. "Instead of 'having words with her' when we meet her, we can celebrate with her that our heir has arrived. We must try again. Let's try now. Please, Brother."
Chin V's restraint withered, and he allowed her to pull him to the bed. "This will be the last time we try."
"No, it won't."
Unfortunately, he knew she was correct.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Azula began to feel annoyed; she kept glancing at Aang often, feeling his frustrated solemnity prickle the air, but he seemed to be unaware of it. He had been too quiet, thinking too deeply, and though she suspected the source of his disturbance, she lacked the solution she knew he would demand. For so long, since Samir was put to bed, he simply sat on the floor next to their bed, looking at nothing, face carven like stone, impenetrable—only to those who did not know him. There was a difference when he thought of Avatar things or Air things, when he truly became impenetrable to decipher, even to her with her extensive experience and intelligence, but since she could decipher the origin of his displeasure, it was an easier task. However, that did not mean it was pleasant. She knew better than anyone how lost in and consumed by his thoughts Aang could become.
"Your thoughts rend the air around you," she observed, lying on the bed near him, watching him. "You try to meditate, but you fail to do so."
Aang finally reacted, gray eyes darting up to meet hers. "I don't know why I thought things would get easier."
Azula nodded. "I think it is easier, but you wanted it to be too easier."
He grunted and stood up before reclining on the bed near her; he seemed immune to the fact that she wore only a gown, the promise of a night of pleasure. "I shouldn't care, but I do care." His brows pinched, face tightening in strength and frustration. "I don't want to do this, but I know I must."
Azula's golden eyes roamed his face, recognizing how harsh it looked, for several moments before she hummed. "Why do you not want to do it? This has the possibility of success."
"I never wanted to use my power and authority like this, killing people who don't agree with me," he stressed. "Do you realize how stupid that is? It makes no sense. I thought I'd be done with making these terrible decisions. I didn't kill Sozin when I had the chance to, and no one has ever disagreed with me like him. I didn't kill him, but now I'm going to kill Lonin? It's stupid to the core."
"Zuko will kill him- "
"You know what I mean."
Azula shuffled near him; her fingers drifted over his garbed chest in consideration. "You knew the result if you killed Sozin; you knew why Sozin did what he did and accepted it—possibly agreed with it on some levels. You do not know the result after King Lonin dies, and you know why King Lonin does it, but you disagree with King Lonin. It is okay to disagree with him. What he wants is terrible; he is a weak man. Sozin was a great man who sacrificed his soul to save Fire."
Aang closed his eyes briefly. "I can be greater than Sozin in every way- "
"You already are," she pointed out. "Your achievements already surpass all that he did, and you will accomplish so much more in the coming months and years. Defeating Vaatu, with all the advantages Vaatu has held, is the greatest triumph in the history of the world. I will argue it to my death if I must."
"But I don't want to sacrifice my soul in the process," Aang whispered. "I can't even believe I have soul left after letting my race die, but I do. I have a lot of soul left, actually. But by killing Lonin—no, it's not even killing. It's murdering. I'm going to walk into Chyung with the aim to murder him, and I'm going to walk out having accomplished it. By doing that, I feel like I'm sacrificing my soul."
Azula sighed and knew her own experiences with murder would not help. "On some level, perhaps. But this is one man. King Lonin is one man—nothing more. In fact, I doubt he is actually one man. He appears to me as half a man. Why would you lose your soul by murdering half a man?"
"Because it's murder. This changes things."
She watched him for several moments before shaking her head. "Things already changed, Aang. Ba Sing Se changed things."
He sagged. "I wish it didn't change things so much. I want to still be me when this is all over. I don't want to lose myself."
"You will lose that which you no longer need."
Aang glanced at her with distant, heavy eyes. "Why does that feel like losing everything that's good about me?"
Azula did not answer immediately but knew not to wait too long. It was a startling question. "I disagree. King Lonin is an enemy. The time to spare your enemies has passed. You must eliminate your enemies. Every enemy you spare is another ally Vaatu obtains."
"You're right. I wish you weren't, but you are." His fists clenched. "I'm just frustrated by it."
Realizing there was no adequate solution to his disturbance, she elected for the pleasant solution as she smirked. "Then release your frustration for now. It will return, and it will haunt you, but free yourself now. I can think of one thing that will suffice—something most vigorous and pleasurable." She brushed her fingers to the straps of her gown. "Do you think I wear this because it is comfortable?"
"Yes."
"It will be more comfortable off."
Aang smiled slightly. "If you're not careful, one thing will turn into two things and three things."
"If you are up for it, Avatar," Azula drawled in tease.
"I'm up for it," he confirmed.
Azula's eyes drifted. "I see that."
There was no resistance when he pulled her to him.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Hama had encountered many Fire men and women, and there was never a connection but hatred that she felt. She had learned to focus her hatred and not let it control her, giving her the freedom to do everything she needed to do. Every day, she had breathed the same air as Fire men and women, walking through the town, seeing golden eyes—and she had forced herself to smile at each. When asked where she was from, a result of her obvious foreign appearance, she claimed her father was Fire, uttering the disgusting, evil lie with calm assurance. She had learned to perform, to play a perfect part to such mastery that no one discerned the hatred surging through her body, inflaming her mind with memories.
She had extensive experience dealing with Fire men, but Piandao was different; there was something different. Unlike every other Fire man, she felt a connection to Piandao. It didn't make sense because it wasn't just Piandao's notable beauty; every other beautiful Fire man she had encountered didn't diminish her hatred. But her hatred wasn't like it once was. It still burned for Fire, but she had a hard time associating Piandao with Fire despite him looking more Fire than anyone she'd ever seen.
She didn't have to perform for him. He knew that she hated Fire but didn't care; he almost seemed amused by her obvious hatred, which, on one hand, infuriated her, but on the other hand, it intrigued her—because he knew what she could do but didn't fear her. He knew that she could destroy his heart by crushing her fist, but he didn't try to control her or treat her differently; he treated her like he would anyone else.
The problem beginning to hinder her was that she was having a hard time treating him like she would anyone else, especially a Fire man.
His blunt offer to lay with her enraged her—but, unfortunately, tempted her.
Even when she had seen and met beautiful Fire men when she lived in the Fire Nation, she never felt tempted or any inclination to burn her womb. But the temptation existed with Piandao, which angered her because he wasn't worthy of it—not at all! It didn't matter that he was beautiful—it shouldn't matter! It didn't matter that he intrigued her and made her feel fascinated; it didn't matter that he possessed a renowned power and promised her wrath against Katara; it didn't matter that he seemed to be the first one who ever understood her and the horrifying grief of being betrayed by Family; it didn't matter that he seemed to understand the betrayal of Family more than she did; it didn't matter that his dedication and striving reflected her own; it didn't matter that she understood his pursuits and motivations because she felt similarly; it didn't matter that his trust in her, simply trusting her to heal his body, was unlike any trust she had experienced since before she was imprisoned by Fire because he accepted and commended all parts of her; it didn't matter that she felt protective of him because she had been healing him for so long and felt a fondness for him because of it; it didn't matter that she watched him as she healed him and had become intimately familiar with the shape of his body and strength of his face; it didn't matter that he had become an integral part in her life, becoming her only friend; and it didn't matter that he was a beautiful man who possessed many admirable traits for which she admired him.
But unfortunately, it all did matter—because she was tempted, more tempted than she would ever tell him.
Maybe it had to do with the fact that she hated Fire less than Katara, willing to ally with Fire men and women to see The Avatar's destruction, which meant Katara's destruction. Family never betrayed each other, but Katara betrayed her, elevating her villainy and evil over anything Fire could ever achieve against her. Not even Sozin or Azulon themselves could compare to Katara's wickedness!
It opened the way for Piandao to slip through and seize her affections.
It made her hate Katara all the more because she shouldn't feel such things for a Fire man, but Katara made it possible by betraying Family. Katara probably did it on purpose, foreseeing years in advance, to show her that Fire wasn't evil or anything, seizing her hatred to make room for a Fire man, like Piandao, to seize her affections instead of hatred because the affections were all that were left as the hatred was taken by Katara!
It was horrible!
She should resist! She should fight whatever insanity had overcome her! She should march up to Piandao, stare into his undeservingly mesmerizing golden eyes, brace her hand against his annoyingly powerful chest, and call his heart into her hand, showing it to him before he expired! She should embrace whatever fate Vaatu would give her for murdering his beloved vessel! She should die with a smile on her face, knowing that she lived her life to her aims in avenging herself on Fire!
But she couldn't do any of what she should because Piandao had seized her affections, and he would never let go.
She didn't want him to, unfortunately.
Damn Katara!
Hama fumed, helpless, as she watched Piandao's lavabending training with Chin V; he had asked her to watch, possibly as backup in case Chin V attempted something, and she had accepted. But she should have said 'no' to spite him! She should have denied him to prove to him and herself that he didn't have any power over her! She should have told her affections to shut up and stop bothering her life!
But there she was, watching him train, tracing his bare upper body, sans one arm, with her eyes, memorizing him. She told herself passionately that she was just preparing herself for what it would be like when she started seriously teaching him waterbending, getting used to the way his body moved so she could show and explain waterbending to him in a way he could understanding, but it was just a terrible, weak lie.
She watched him because she wanted to—because she liked what she saw, even the unnatural image of him with only one arm. She much preferred looking at Piandao when compared to Chin V's apparent inbred and deformed ugliness.
Chin V's sister watched, as well, and if Hama didn't know better, she would judge that Chin V's sister was there for the same reason Hama was—as a backup to fight a possible enemy. But that meant Chin V knew of Piandao's suspicions about him, which was unlikely. Based on how Chin V's sister stared at Piandao with an anxious look on her face, she was probably worried that Piandao would hurt Chin V in the training session. It was an understandable worry since Piandao was noticeably so powerful.
Hama hated that she wondered if she needed to—or should—feel jealous, trying to evaluate if Chin V's sister was attracted to Piandao and sought to make a permanent alliance between her brother and Piandao. Was that the real source of her staring, trying to gather the courage to approach Piandao? Was that it? She certainly understood why Chin V's sister would be attracted to Piandao but hated that she understood. It was a nightmare.
When Chin V's sister slowly shuffled over to stand next to her, Hama feared that her thoughts were visible on her face, but before she could attack or deny—she couldn't decide which option—Chin V's sister gestured vaguely with her head, stretching it back. "Can we talk somewhere?"
Hama frowned. "We're somewhere now. Just say what you want to say."
Chin V's sister frowned back. "There are ears here."
She stretched her senses; there was only herself, Piandao, Chin V, and Chin V's sister in the vicinity, according to the blood she sensed. "It's just us. There's no one else here."
"My brother and Piandao are here."
It was a swift realization, followed by a disgusting relief that Chin V's sister surely felt no attraction to Piandao because she clearly didn't want him to hear her. "You don't want Piandao to listen?"
"No."
Hama admired her honesty and decided to repay it with her own; she gestured to Piandao and Chin V's training session. They had switched from lavabending to metalbending. "He's far away enough, and he's training right now. Piandao is great, but not even he could listen to us from this distance while training. He is focused on that, not us. What do you want to tell me?"
Silence.
Chin V's sister looked at her, worried; her ugly appearance was still difficult to accept, but Hama smiled tightly. "What?"
"Piandao knows Fire Lord Ozai."
Hama rolled her eyes. "He lived in the Fire Nation; he was a nobleman."
Annoyed desperation met her. "We think he was one of Fire Lord Ozai's leading nobles."
She recalled Piandao's confession of being around Azulon enough to say that it was a 'good day' when Azulon died. "He's from one of Fire's prominent noble families," she revealed. "Of course, he knew Azulon's son."
Far apart green eyes stared at her in disbelief. "You're not worried?"
"Our goal is to destroy The Avatar, not Azulon's son who was replaced by Azulon's grandson," Hama pointed out, unimpressed, although she more than understood the bitterness and worry. "Fire Lord Zuko is who we have to worry about now."
"Fire Lord Ozai is here!"
Hama froze as hysteria erupted in her mind at the fact Azulon's son—descended from Sozin!—was so close, but she shook herself. "No, he's not. Maybe he's an ally, but he's not here."
She would know if Azulon's son was so close.
Chin V's sister gripped her arm, ugly face stark in its nervousness. "I've spoken with those nobles Vaatu brought and who swore allegiance. They are Fire's nobles, and they speak often about Fire Lord Ozai, and they talk about Fire Lord Ozai and Piandao too often together in the same sentence. It's like when two people are connected, so you mention them in the same breath. I wonder if Piandao is Fire Lord Ozai's brother or cousin; they are connected. They must be."
Hama was quiet for several moments, trying to calculate the odds that Azulon's son was part of Piandao's inner circle or anything. But it didn't make sense for Azulon's son to be part of Piandao and Vaatu's quest because Azulon's son was deposed by his own son in Fire Lord Zuko, who reigned over Fire. Azulon's son would want to reseize Fire's throne—that damned Dragon's Throne!—and return to Fire, demanding that Piandao, as one of his nobles, focus his efforts on Fire, but Piandao wasn't focused on Fire; he was focused on the world, seeking to become a new Avatar. Azulon's son would be outraged, especially by Piandao's power, and try to kill him, but Piandao would fight back.
Maybe Piandao had killed Azulon's son, which was why the other Fire nobles kept talking about them in the same breath. Maybe they agreed with Piandao's actions, or maybe they were too scared to be anything but subservient and agreeable to him.
No, she had seen Piandao was the other Fire nobles, and they clearly respected him; they seemed to be in awe of him and hold reverence for him.
They must agree with Piandao killing Azulon's son if that's what happened.
The thought of Piandao killing Azulon's son was an amazing one and made too much sense because Piandao had already confessed that he had always wanted to kill Azulon himself, but now he had vicariously killed Azulon by killing his son. Unfortunately, she felt her heartbeat pound to a quicker speed because it was such a lovely thought!
By Tui and La, she was starting to love Piandao!
"I don't think Azulon's son is here," Hama replied, watching Chin V's sister's ugly face deny it. "I'm serious. It doesn't make sense. Azulon's son would never share power, and Piandao has the power here. There's no rival or anything, or we would know. Piandao isn't interested in Fire, which wouldn't sit well with Azulon's son. Piandao is bigger than Azulon's son—bigger than just Fire. He's going to become another Avatar. I think Azulon's son is dead."
"No, he's here," Chin V's sister whispered, seeming far away. "He must be. I want to find him and destroy him. I need your help to do it."
"We destroy The Avatar first," Hama reminded. "After that, after Katara is dead, I'm more than willing to help you find Azulon's son and kill him if he's here somewhere—I'll be first in line. But The Avatar is our enemy now."
Chin V's sister glanced back at Piandao. "He better kill The Avatar quickly."
Hama felt anticipation surge through her; an expectant smile crossed her lips. "No, it will be long, full of suffering. I expect nothing less. It's what I'll do to Katara."
"Your niece, right?"
"Grandniece," she corrected bitterly.
"She allies with The Avatar?"
Hama dismissed the memories of Kuzon, that naïve, gray-eyed boy. "She was his waterbending master."
Chin V's sister's far apart eyes flashed, reviling. "Then she deserves to die."
"Yes, she does," Hama confirmed. "I'm going to kill her. It's what's owed to me."
XxXxXxXxXxX
Azula did not react as Zuko's attempt to produce lightning exploded in his face once again. She had decided to finally approach him about generating lightning to hopefully give him a powerful advantage, if necessary, for when he traveled with Aang to Chyung to assassinate King Lonin. She knew better than most how useful and effective a lightning strike could be, and she wanted not only her husband but brother to hold such a knowledge and wield as necessary.
Aang had lowered them into Ba Sing Se's catacombs and left with a brief smile and 'good luck' to Zuko, leaving them alone to practice.
Unfortunately, it went as she expected, reflecting their shared childhood in which he could never follow her instructions and guidance. While he already knew the movements—apparently, Uncle had tried to teach him during the Great War, but Zuko was unable to find proficiency, not even possibility—his previous experience did nothing to help him.
All his attempts erupted in his face.
"You cannot force it," she called out from a safe distance away.
Zuko whirled around, golden eyes glaring like Father's. "Of course, you do! Lightning does not come naturally! It's not like our firebending." He held up a flaming hand, enlarging the flames with his words. "This is natural, but lightning is not. That's why you have to force it. You must command it."
Azula sighed. "I can shoot lightning. I know what it takes- "
"I knew this was a bad idea," he muttered, frustrated. "This is just like when we were younger. You could never explain anything right."
"You try too hard," she pointed out. "You can never force understanding. This is about understanding. This is different. This is not about knowledge—you already have the knowledge. You need the understanding."
Zuko scoffed. "I have a terrible teacher."
"You must let it flow," Azula explained, ignoring his frustration. "I know it is difficult, but you must let go—that is all. There is nothing but the lightning. It has no source but the energy itself—nothing more. Unlike your firebending, which is fueled by rage or peace, there is nothing that fuels the lightning. You are a simple conduit."
"How do you do it?" he whispered, seeming far away, a lost echo of the boy he was before Mother left. "How do you accept that?"
"By accepting it and to stop fighting it. You are trying to control it, but you cannot control it. You can only summon it, which already exists, and direct where you wish. Do you understand? Fire has a source, but lightning does not; lightning is the source. The lightning simply is, and you must direct that already existing energy, which dwells within you, at whom you please."
Zuko flexed his fingers. "You make it sound so simple."
"For it is a choice. You have a choice to make, nothing more and nothing less," Azula pointed out, suddenly remembering Aang's advice when she was relearning how to shoot lightning after mastering her chakras. "You have made choices before, and now you must do it again. Do you know what lightning represents?"
"Cold-blooded fire."
Azula shook her head. "That is what it is. What does it represent?"
Zuko glanced at her, eyes roaming her face for the answer. "Death."
Considering his experience with lightning, she understood why he considered it, though she felt hollow by the memory. That was the worst day of her life, followed by many more bad days. "It is Power, Zuko, for lightning is Fire's ultimate property. What does Power represent?"
"I have never been good at these questions- "
"This is how understanding begins. What does Power represent?"
Zuko slung his arms to the side, irritated. "Intimidation."
Azula nodded. "Yes, it is coercion. Yet, it is more, yes?"
"Sure."
"Be serious—serious as lightning."
Zuko huffed in minor amusement. "You're not that intimidating."
Azula smirked. "Exactly. I have chosen a different path—a different energy source from which to draw when I tap into Power."
Finally, she saw the recognition flash across his face. "That is what I must tap into."
"What do you think that energy source is?" she challenged, proud that he was starting to follow along. "What else does Power represent? Aang considers it the most important thing in the world. It is Air's very ethic."
Zuko leaned back slightly, golden eyes evaluating her, tracing the Air garbs wrapped around her. "Freedom."
Azula extended her fingers, letting the lightning flow out, watching as it exploded into the ancient rock; the sound was thunderous for a brief moment. "Yes. Liberation. Power is made of coercion and liberation, but when we use it, we use only one part of it, for we are incapable of using Power in its purest form."
"Not like Aang," he concluded, nodding; he seemed to understand. "He can use both simultaneously, but we can only use one. Coercion or liberation—force versus acceptance."
"I wondered where your intelligence lingered?" she mocked lightly before waving a hand. "Correct. From which energy source will you draw, Zuko? What do you want? Will it come from a place of power over—coercion—or power for—liberation? It is perspective, from which comes understanding, that which you lack."
Zuko looked away. "A Fire Lord needs coercion. Being Fire Lord demands it."
Azula's brows rose. "Yet, you are free to choose rather to abide by precedent. You adore precedent—I know. Now create a new precedent. Have liberation."
"How?"
Azula blinked and raised a shoulder. "Aang told me to follow instinct, not indoctrination."
Zuko's sigh sounded ragged. "Aang taught you lightning?"
"I taught it to him first on Ember Island," she reminded. "He mastered it in a single attempt—hold your envy."
"Too late," he muttered, though he sounded amused.
"But I could not shoot lightning. Not until after I mastered my chakras was I capable, but I did not know how to start. Aang helped. Now I help you."
He smiled slightly. "You're a good teacher."
Azula felt insulted. "Of course, I am. You mastered your chakras because of my guidance. Now you will shoot lightning. Go on—do it now."
A steady silence blanketed the catacombs as Zuko turned around; his shoulders rolled back before he wound his arms in the familiar motion, sparks blooming across his fingers as always, but this time, Zuko's movements were sure and calm rather than agitated—rather than forceful. He was liberated from his compulsion for precedent, able to make a new precedent and draw the energy from a new source.
Zuko's arms were fully apart, and after a moment, they came together like light and darkness, day and night, yin and yang. Lightning exploded from his fingertips, sparkling through the air, the crackling sound echoing in her ears like roaring thunder. She held up a hand from the immediate haze that clouded the air from the dust of obliterated rock, and her lips curved into a smile.
"All about acceptance," she called out over the receded thundering noise. "You could always do it, Zuko. It is our familial inheritance. Sozin, Grandfather, Uncle, Father, Mother, me, and now you."
Zuko turned to her with a bright smile plastered on his face, face flushing with delighted awe. Azula had not seen that smile for well over a decade, and she was relieved to see that Zuko still knew how to smile using his true smile. "And Aang. He's part of the family now." He walked to her and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Azula. You are the best teacher."
Azula froze, and slowly wrapped her arms around his back, squeezing hesitantly. "Of course. It was always yours to seize. It relieves me you understand now. When you go to kill King Lonin, perhaps you can use this new talent to kill him."
He pulled back and looked down at her with a pointed roll of his eyes. "We need subtlety, not grandeur."
She scoffed, though understood his point. "Grandeur is more fun."
"It's not about having fun."
"Your loss," she dismissed, jesting. "Be careful when you go. Watch your back and Aang's back."
Zuko's face cleared before he smiled slightly. "Are you worried about me?"
Azula smirked. "I worry for my husband. Anyone else is merely emanation."
"How flattering," he drawled, amused.
She was quiet before she let go from Zuko and sighed. "He hates the solution. He understands it, but he hates it."
Zuko snorted. "I think that's understanding to begin with. You often hate what you understand."
"If he is distant, that is the reason."
"I talked to him earlier. I don't know if he told you, but we're probably going to leave tomorrow—or the day after."
Azula nodded. "I deduced. Why do you think I wanted to teach you lightning now?"
Zuko's only eyebrow rose. "Unfinished business?"
"Everything is unfinished business," she dismissed. "This entire war is unfinished business—Vaatu's unfinished business with The Avatar."
"Which has made it our unfinished business with Vaatu—not to mention our personal unfinished business with Father. We all have unfinished business during this."
Azula watched him, seeing the truth in his face. "I take it your unfinished business with Katara has concluded."
Zuko looked surprised before sighing. "How did you know?"
"You are less grumpy."
"You are making me grumpy now."
She bowed her head. "Then I will lessen it by vowing that, as a dutiful servant of my Fire Lord, I will strike her with lightning if she betrays or threatens you."
He snorted. "You are not even loyal to the Dragon's Throne anymore."
Azula smirked. "But that does not mean I cannot hold exceeding fondness for he who sits upon it."
"You did teach me lightning, after all," Zuko pointed out, golden eyes light and warm.
"And anything else I can, though I doubt there is anything more you can know. You are a master, Brother—one beyond me," Azula praised and bowed. "May Agni smile on you forever, Fire Lord Zuko."
Though Zuko did not bow in return, he inclined his head. "May he realize his error in condemning you, Princess Azula."
Azula laughed. "Being ripped in half should illuminate things for him."
Zuko smirked. "Can Agni be illuminated since he is the source of all illumination?"
"He will need much more if he remains allied with Vaatu."
"I anticipate it."
"What a very un-Fire Lord-like thing to say."
A solemn determination settled in his golden eyes. "This is bigger than being Fire Lord."
Azula felt the same determination inside her. "It is bigger than any of us. We must all sacrifice."
"Even our lives," he concluded softly.
Reminded of her previous sacrifice that resulted in her death, she nodded. "Yes."
XxXxXxXxXxX
It was still hard to believe. She even surrendered to the impulse to pinch herself, and she had many, many times, but it was still real—it was still happening. She had begun to resign herself that it would never happen, losing hope that she was healthy enough or capable enough for it. After all, it had reached the point of six years without anything to show—ever. There had never been any feeling or phantom—just nothing.
Just barrenness.
But now she had the evidence that none of it was true, which would secure her marriage against all the questions and accusations that had devastated her over the years and would grow louder, crueler, and more insistent as time passed. But none of it mattered anymore! She did it! Well, she and Sokka did it, but she retained it! Whereas she had always failed before, she had finally succeeded!
But she couldn't tell anyone, not even Sokka, not yet. How could she? How could she give such joy and hope and rip it away if she failed? How could she live with herself if she did something so horrible?
She had to keep it a secret until she was sure, until enough time passed that there was certainty.
"Those are some heavy thoughts you're thinking."
Suki refrained from jumping when Toph appeared past one of the pillars, but it was more difficult to prevent her instincts, which demanded an immediate attack. "How are you today, Toph?"
Toph's milky eyes squinted at her. "Better than you are with all that stress you got."
She shook her head. "I know. This war makes you think about things- "
"That's not it."
Suki paused for a moment, watching Toph's face for a sign. Was she found out? "What do you mean?"
Toph's foot tapped against the ground. "I'm thinking about telling you something that I'm not sure you know, but it occurs to me that you might know. Do you know what I'm talking about?"
She forced a calm over herself; it wasn't too difficult. "No, I don't."
"Really?" Toph challenged, sounding doubtful. She patted her own stomach with her hand. "Nothing in there?"
"Just food," she deflected, worried because she knew her heartbeat quickened.
Did Toph know? Could she possibly know so soon?
A snort echoed. "I'm not Snoozles. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I do know. If you need help at all, just let me know. I'm pretty good at keeping secrets- "
Suki closed her eyes and gave up. "How long have you known?"
Toph approached, face open, and her voice was softer. "Not too long—just a few days, really. I only noticed because I was bored."
"I've known for over a week," she revealed, fingers brushing over her flat stomach. "I thought it might be nothing, like I just missed my cycle or something- "
"It's not that," she interrupted. "I feel the heartbeat. It's really, really faint—it's hard to even notice—but it's there. I have to really concentrate—like, really concentrate—but I'm picking it up. You are pregnant, Suki."
The relief of confirmation from someone else was numbing to her; she slid down the pillar, strength vanishing from her legs. Toph sunk down next to her. "I kind of figured when the sickness started, but I still wasn't sure," she breathed as a hoarse laugh escaped her, though her amusement was genuine. "Sokka thought it was from dinner the night before. He gallantly said that he would eat all my food for me if he needed to."
"Now you have to eat for more than you."
"I started to think I was barren—I was sure I was," she whispered, breath rattling in her lungs, emotions clawing at whatever control she possessed. There was so much joy inside her—she wanted to tell everyone!—but there was a deeper fear, a worry that she would lose her baby. "It's been so long. We've tried for so many years. We weren't desperately trying, but we were still trying. Do you know what I mean?"
Toph's face was sympathetic. "Not personally, but I think I get it. Congratulations—I'm really happy for you."
Suki wiped her eyes as tears started to leak. "Thank you—I mean that. But since you know, and since you're you, I need to ask you something."
"Anything."
"If you notice anything different, let me know immediately," she stressed, voice cracking. "If nothing feels like it should, tell me; if you feel something's wrong or off- "
Toph clasped her hand and patted it. "I'll tell you. I can tell you every day how your baby feels if you want."
"Please," she croaked, not bothering this time to stop the tears; the emotion heaved through her. "I can't lose this baby—I can't. I couldn't live with myself I did, not after so long of wanting this."
"I'll update you every day," Toph promised. "If I don't, you have my permission to kick my vagina."
Suki's laugh was closer to hysterical than she wanted, but she couldn't stop it. "I think a gentle reminder will do."
"Motherhood's going to look good on you."
She swallowed. "I hope so."
"What do you want to tell Sokka?" Toph asked gently.
Suki shook her head with a jerk. "I can't right now. I can't look him in the eye and tell him and make him so happy only for me to lose this—lose our miracle. I need to be sure."
Toph squeezed her hand. "I won't tell him—I won't tell anyone. But Aang may feel it. His earthbending is stronger than mine—and so is Bumi's."
"I trust they will be discreet," she said, sighing, leaning her head back; she felt tired.
"That's not really Bumi's style," Toph pointed out with a wince.
"I have faith he can be."
Toph boldly reached over and rested her palm on Suki's stomach and patted gently, adjusting her placement every few moments, and Suki only shook her head at the bold gesture. "I've never felt a pregnant woman before, or paid attention, I mean. But it all feels good—all feels right."
"Good," Suki whispered, placing her hands aside Toph's, trying to feel what Toph felt, but she felt nothing. "This little one won't be quiet long."
A snort echoed. "Being Snoozles', no."
She watched Toph's face, tilted away, looking at nothing. "Thank you, Toph."
Toph's lips pulled. "You're welcome, Suki."
XxXxXxXxXxX
The climate was frigid, biting through his parka effortlessly. The icy wind howled, contrasting with the glow in his heart—he was so close! Hahn stared up at the Moon from his window overlooking the North's capital city, wondering if Yue saw him—wondering if she regretted her pathetic failures. He could forgive many things, and he had forgiven many things, but he would never forgive ugliness, and Yue had made the North ugly with chaos and instability.
It was unforgiveable.
Ever since the Great War had ended, the North had been heirless because Yue sacrificed herself to save the Moon Spirit and became the Moon Spirit. He didn't understand how it worked, but he knew it was the truth based on the pain in Chief Arnook's face whenever he talked about it.
That selfish bitch ruined his opportunity, casting the North into confusion, into prime position of being conquered! It was a disgrace! If she had just waited, they would have come back to strength and defeated Fire's invasion, motivated by the Moon Spirit's loss, and The Avatar would have restored the Moon Spirit to prominence with his immortal power—the obvious conclusion after witnessing his immortal wrath and destruction consume Fire's navy in minutes. But Yue had been short-sighted and weak, reacting to chaos, and decided to match the chaos with her own chaos! And Yue hadn't considered what her actions meant for him and his position—his very future.
Chief Arnook always wanted him as his heir, but because of Yue's short-sightedness, Chief Arnook's ability to designate him as heir was eviscerated, ruined to the core! His position was secure as Yue's husband, for his children by her would have the royal blood through her to sit on the throne after him. It was all perfect! Everything was worked out! Everything was accounted for! Chief Arnook was satisfied, and Hahn felt the same satisfaction! The betrothal was finalized in which he would marry Yue when it was time, and he would start a new dynasty for the North, stemming from his lineage, becoming one of the leaders of the world.
Then Yue destroyed everything, banning him from the icy throne, casting him out of the agreed line of succession because he needed her tied to him to rule. Because she died before they were married and, as a result, gave him no heirs, he lost all potential rights to becoming the Chief. Had she done it to spite him? Did she hate him that much? Sure, he knew she never liked him, and he never particularly liked her, but he thought it was possible for the marriage to work, at least on some level. But he never got the chance to find out because Yue took it from him—and took it from the North, too, making peace and stability impossible.
The biggest question after the Great War wasn't just about getting revenge on Fire, even though it was a major question. There was one more pressing. Who would be the North's heir? After Chief Arnook died, who would lead them? Who would they look to? Who would they trust? Who would they give their loyalty to? That was the pressing issue for years, all made possible because of Yue's short-sightedness. Chief Arnook told him many times, assured him constantly, that he would find a way to make him the heir, saying his mind hadn't changed and would never change and that he would make him the heir, no matter what it took.
But Sokka—Sokka!—was named the heir after years of suspense! That polardog shit-fucker was the one who failed to stop Yue from making the blunder above all blunders! He had been there when she sacrificed herself and didn't stop her! He had been assigned to protect her but did nothing when she killed herself! He let it happen!
Was it intentional? Was it a designed, calculated move? Maybe Sokka played the long game, anticipating the conclusion of Yue's death all the way back then, analyzed the options, saw his chance, and capitalized on it and let Yue make the 'heroic' sacrifice—all to clear his path to the North's throne, making himself the 'optimal' choice.
He wasn't sure, but he would never put it past that cunt-bag.
The North's nobility certainly thought Sokka was the optimal choice and never failed to notify him of their opinion on the matter, declaring that Sokka was a war hero while Hahn was a war failure. They declared it was disgraceful that the North had no presence in the Great War, which meant they had little say in the post-war discussions concerning reparations. It was one of the major points leveled against them by Chief Hakoda, which the North's nobility knew and embraced, knowing a change was needed.
Hahn agreed, knowing that their isolation during the Great War would never be considered anything more than weakness, and if there was any chance for them to have a bigger role in the world's political future, they couldn't have such a shameful reputation. But even though he told the nobility that he agreed and would do everything in his power to ensure it, they still argued that Sokka was the rightful heir and could lead the North into strength and glory, demanding that a real change was needed. According to them, only Sokka could achieve it because he had a working relationship with the other nation's leaders having personally fought alongside Fire Lord Zuko and knowing King Kuei—not to mention Avatar Aang.
It was disgusting because the nobility so clearly shared the same short-sightedness as Yue.
But while Hahn struggled with trying to convince the nobility to accept him, Chief Arnook struggled with trying to convince Chief Hakoda and Sokka to accept his reasoning. After all, Sokka was already going to be the South's chief. What need was there for him to the North's Chief as well except for greed? Apparently, Chief Hakoda argued for Water's future and declared that Sokka had the necessary experience for such a renowned, revolutionary position from his exploits during the Great War. Chief Arnook told him personally after many of the negotiations, repeating it over and over again in frustrated exasperation, that, really, Chief Hakoda was getting revenge on the North for its isolation during the Great War since the South had been conquered twice with no help from the North.
No matter what Chief Hakoda said, Chief Arnook held firm and vowed to Hahn that Sokka would never be the heir unless he died. Hahn had even married Chief Arnook's nearest relation—a second cousin—to strengthen his claim to being the Chief. He had done everything that Chief Arnook asked of him.
But then Sokka was named the heir against all logic, honor, and decency. That buffoon of a warrior was going to become the first true Chief of Water, ruling both the North and South unanimously and unchallenged!
Sokka was the Usurper, whose wife was a non-bender, descended of Earth! It was ridiculous!
Hahn always knew his limitation in being a non-bender, but unlike the Usurper, he was from a long line of powerful Waterbenders. One of his ancestors had trained Avatar Roku in waterbending, pushing Avatar Roku rigorously until he mastered it. It was one of the many reasons for his betrothal to Yue—his bloodline was worthy. Chief Arnook was a powerful Waterbender, trained by Master Pakku, and Yue was a Waterbender, touched by the Moon Spirit, ensuring she was a powerful Waterbender, even though she was already descended from two Waterbenders of prestigious lineages. It was so obvious that all his children by Yue would be Waterbenders, and the North's future would be secured! But the Usurper was nothing, just a stain in the snow! And his wife was of Earth! They were going to ruin the North and give them muddy Chiefs! The Usurper was borne from a line of non-benders from everything that he had heard since both his father and mother were non-benders; the only exception was his sister, Katara, who was an anomaly in her family.
When the Usurper begins to sire his children, only non-benders will be the result! His wife was of Earth! For reasons that were impossible to find—because there were no reasons!—Chief Arnook was weakening Water's royal bloodline, diluting it with Earth! How could Water—how could the North—hope to emulate Fire? The line of Sozin was hailed as the strongest bloodline in the entire world, second only to The Avatar's direct descendants in each lifetime. Fire's royal bloodline was supreme across the world in both influence and strength as Sozin himself had seized all power unto himself and his lineage—and those who married into his lineage.
Why did Chief Arnook betray him? Why did Chief Arnook betray Water? Why did Chief Arnook lie to him for years, filling his ears with promises of assurance that he would be the heir and sit on the throne after his death if he was always just going to give the heirdom to Sokka? Why did Chief Arnook marry him to his cousin? Why did Chief Arnook change his mind so suddenly? Why did Chief Arnook concede to Chief Hakoda's demands? Why did he hold firm for over six years and slacken his grip? Why did he give up? What was the point of it all? Why—why?
When he had demanded answers, Chief Arnook only apologized, looked ashamed, and said that it was an opportunity that he couldn't reject—that it wasn't personal but political, instead. But he refused to elaborate on it! He left him flailing for answers, desperate to find his footing as he needed to adjust to the unthinkable change in position. He had done everything for Chief Arnook, devoted his life to him, was loyal to him, and married his average-looking cousin, but Chief Arnook betrayed him and told him that he needed to accept the new situation.
But maybe it was The Avatar's doing! Sure, Avatar Aang hadn't been seen with the Usurper in years, but they were still friends—still shared that connection of ending the Great War. And no one could stand against The Avatar's authority and will, unless you were Sozin. What if Avatar Aang pressured Chief Arnook, imposed his will onto the situation, and demanded that Sokka be made the North's heir? That would connect to Chief Arnook's confession that it was a 'political' reason rather than a personal one. But it made sense that The Avatar interfered in politics on behalf of his friends. King Bumi of Omashu never made any secret of his hatred for the other Earth Kings, vocally declaring during the many Great Gatherings that he would open up their skulls and shit in them to actually give them something of substance since, according to him, his shit was more worthwhile than their minds.
While Kings Kuei, Lonin, and Tornor always dismissed the words as those of a bitter old man, Hahn knew better—because he knew that King Bumi was friends with Avatar Aang. He remembered Avatar Aang from all those years ago when that boy had brought Fire's entire navy to the North. There was one day he overheard Avatar Aang ask Sokka's bitch of a sister if 'Bumi' had been to the North. Sokka's sister questioned if Avatar Aang referred to 'King Bumi,' and the insulted, angered look that crossed his youthful, fat face was unforgettable.
The Avatar was, somehow, a friend of King Bumi, reinforced by the fact that King Bumi sought out Avatar Aang at the Great Gatherings, and Avatar Aang accepted him, though with strain sometimes.
All Hahn's worries were proven true when after Avatar Aang's unholy murder of Ba Sing Se, King Bumi seized control of Ba Sing Se and rebuilt it, making half of the Earth Kingdom, the largest of the Four Nations, under his power and control. It was clear that King Bumi coveted the entire continent, making his lineage supreme over the Earth Kingdom! It was all anticipated and concluded by Avatar Aang! That was the reason why Avatar Aang murdered Ba Sing Se, to pave the way!
It was obvious that Avatar Aang was 'cleaning house' amongst the Four Nations. He was reshaping the political forces of this world, creating a loyal network of the world's most powerful men in the world—all loyal to him. There was Fire Lord Zuko, a personal friend, King Bumi, a personal friend, and the soon-to-be Chief Sokka, a personal friend.
It was tyranny!
Because of Chief Arnook's weakness, Water—the North, specifically—was cursed to kneel forever before false Chiefs hailing from Avatar Aang's chosen Chief and Chiefess in Sokka and Suki.
Water's future Chiefs would have mud in their veins rather than Water!
It was unacceptable, but he was the only one who saw it! The nobility wanted Sokka to be the next Chief, and all of Hahn's arguments were ignored—they were insane, incapable of logic and honesty! He thought he would always have Chief Arnook on his side, supporting him, but Chief Arnook ended up betraying him after years of promises never to betray him. Chief Arnook demanded that he accept his decision, but since he always had a talent for disobedience, he refused to.
It drew him to Vaatu.
All of a sudden, all his dreams and ambitions were possible because Vaatu made it possible, a greater source of power and promise than anything Chief Arnook could ever give him. He recognized it as his chance in which he could reverse his fortunes, the unlucky fate imposed on him by Chief Arnook, the Usurper, and Avatar Aang. By allying with Vaatu, he would be one of the survivors of the new war, rising the seize the many voids of power left in the war's wake; he would be one of the leaders of the new world, leading a new age; he would be the one to whom everyone looked for guidance and leadership; and he would be the one remembered for many generations—Chief Hahn.
Hahn devoted himself to Vaatu and fulfilled all his requests, and in return, he was able to eliminate the major voices against him amongst the nobility with the help of Vaatu's servant, Lee the Compromiser. For the first time since Yue's death, he felt secure about Water's future, knowing there would be stability and order after Chief Arnook's death because there would be a clear succession—and it was all made possible by Vaatu, to whom he owed his loyalty because of it. Ever since Chief Arnook's evil betrayal, he was more loyal to Vaatu, and it would remain so.
Even after King Kuei's shocking murder—Ba Sing Se's shocking murder—by The Avatar, he no longer held trust for Chief Arnook, even after he renamed him heir officially and cited the marriage to his cousin as reason enough, which notified him that King Kuei was the reason why the Usurper became the heir in the first place. Too much had changed. It was clear that Chief Arnook didn't think as highly of him despite all praise he had tricked him with for years; it was clear that he was expendable in Chief Arnook's eyes, not worth the effort to keep, not only as an heir but a friend.
He found purpose in serving Vaatu, obtaining regard and respect, preparing him to become the Chief—because Vaatu vowed he would be the Chief. Unlike Chief Arnook, Hahn believed him. Vaatu had never let him down. When Hahn requested help in thinning Sokka's noble allies in the North, Vaatu agreed and sent Lee the Compromiser to help him, which went gloriously. Though Hahn didn't order all of Sokka's allies to be killed, lest he become a suspect, Sokka's biggest noble allies were killed, making Sokka's memory in the North dim and hazy, on the verge of being forgotten.
It was perfect.
Of course, after all the murders of such prominent men, people looked rightfully to the outsider as the culprit and deduced that, somehow, Lee the Compromiser, with obvious Fire features, was behind the murders. Chief Arnook was furious and condemned Lee the Compromiser to execution. However, a mob attacked Lee, and Hahn led the mob as the most furious, declaring they were all betrayed by a murderous madman. To ensure that no accusation could ever befall him, Hahn stabbed Lee through his skull with his sword in front of the mob, who cheered and jeered in joy. Lee collapsed to the ground, and many boots trod over his body, kicking him and crushing him, assaulting what they thought was a corpse—before everyone dispersed, leaving the body.
Chief Arnook disagreed with his methods but agreed with the conclusion, though Hahn no longer cared what Chief Arnook thought—as Chief Arnook chose not to care about what he thought.
But it had all been a ploy, agreed to by himself and Lee to ensure Hahn kept his position and would continue his advancement to the icy throne. Lee survived the attack, miraculously healing from it, declaring that a chi's energy was a powerful thing and that it was with the help of all the murdered noblemen, all Waterbenders, that he survived. He didn't know the specifics, but he knew that Lee returned to Vaatu after helping him in his quest.
If he had to, he would call on Lee's services again, but he didn't anticipate much trouble. He had made great strides in securing his imminent grab for power. Not only had Chief Arnook reneged on whatever political deal he made with King Kuei and named him the heir, the remaining nobles were much less severely in favor of Sokka; there were some who supported Sokka while the rest supported him.
It was perfect.
Suddenly, Hahn inhaled sharply when the shadows in his room thickened and began to swirl; out of the inky darkness, a mass appeared visible with glowing lines of energy visible in the blackness.
He bowed. "Mighty Vaatu."
"Hahn," Vaatu murmured. "Why did you deceive me?"
Hahn faltered in shock; disbelief ravished him as his mind raced for an effort to decipher the impossible accusation. He had never deceived Vaatu! "I never deceived you- "
The darkness sank into his flesh, eliciting a shriek of pain. "You refrained from notifying me that Tui and La's mortal forms are here! If not for your deception, I would be closer to victory rather than stranded in suspension!"
"What are you talking about?" he howled. "What the fuck is Tui and La?"
The darkness subsided. "You do not know your Elementals by name?"
"Elemental?"
"The Ocean and Moon are Water's Elementals; their names are Tui and La."
Hahn grunted and shivered at the cold that was unlike the North's chill. "I didn't know they were here. All I know is that Yue, my former betrothed, became the Moon Spirit; she replaced- "
"Use your intelligence," Vaatu hissed. "She did not replace Tui. Tui is still the Moon but has taken on this Yue's form. There is no more 'Yue'—there is only Tui through her."
"Good," he commended. "Yue doesn't deserve immortality after her stupidity. But she saved the Moon Spirit by sacrificing herself. I don't know how she did it or where she did it, but I know she did. It's what Avatar Aang and Chief Arnook told everyone."
Vaatu seemed to seethe in his primordial darkness, making Hahn's heart swell in both awe and terror. "Tui and La are here; their mortal forms are here. I know their location finally. I can get to them and ally with them."
Hahn swallowed and bowed his head, knowing his purpose. "What do you need me to do?"
"Prepare for an invasion," Vaatu said.
He hesitated. "An invasion?"
"To ruin The Avatar's spirit and sense. Do what you must to welcome the invasion—sabotage your defenses here, as necessary. I need as much catastrophe as possible."
"Catastrophe means the death of everything here," he pointed out, heart racing—he never wanted to destroy his home! "I never agreed to destroy my home. How can I be the Chief if I have no people and territory to rule?"
Vaatu's shadows rippled in warning. "Our enemies are one and the same. Why do you doubt me? Of course, you will have people and territory to rule. The invasion will wipe out some of you, leaving survivors, including yourself, to tell The Avatar—all to destroy him in his guilt and sorrow. He is the destroyer of the Races, which he must realize."
Hahn's fists clenched. "What about the Usurper?"
"If The Avatar brings him when he comes, kill him if you desire. It is your decision. I trust your judgment."
"Thank you for your trust. If I had known the Moon and Ocean spirits were here, I would have notified you immediately."
"I believe you, Hahn."
His posture relaxed in relief. "Do you want me to find their specific location?"
"I know their specific location. All you must do is prepare for the invasion."
"When will it happen?"
"When I judge that Tui and La's ire has faded."
Hahn didn't understand what that meant but nodded. "I will prepare as quickly as possible."
Vaatu seemed to purr. "You will. Your reward will be the icy throne."
XxXxXxXxXxX
Aang slung his bag into Appa's saddle. "You almost ready?"
Zuko grunted and climbed into the saddle. "I'm waiting on you now." He glanced at him with quirk of his lips and gestured back with his head. "Now say goodbye to your wife."
He sighed and turned back, seeing Azula waiting; he stared for several moments before approaching her. "We shouldn't be gone too long," he promised once he reached her, not willing to bridge the distance, not when he felt so heavy. Why couldn't he have easy decisions to make after making the hardest decision in history by letting Air's murder happen and sparing Sozin? Assassinating Lonin was nothing compared to that, but it was still unwelcome. He had thought he turned over a new leaf after accepting what happened to his race and embracing Azula as his wife, beginning a new journey across a brilliant valley, but it was clear that he was still in the same valley in which he had always been, just walking in a new direction. "We should be back in a few days."
Azula nodded. "You will need to scout King Lonin's patterns and understand the situation there to evaluate when the best time will be. I trust you will return in a week if not longer."
Reminded of what specifically he was doing, what he was endorsing, Aang closed his eyes. "Good thinking. I know what I have to do."
"You are a great Avatar," she said quietly, intent golden eyes rooted on his face. "Never think otherwise."
"I think 'tortured' is more accurate."
One brow rose. "I would have never married you if you were simply a tortured Avatar."
Aang's lips stretched slightly. "I thought you didn't mind the sight of blood."
"Only enemy blood," she dismissed as her hands gripped his Air robes, similar to the ones she wore, though adjusted slightly differently. "Do not be afraid of greatness, Aang. Embrace it, lest all be lost to others who do embrace it. Greatness changes the world, for better or worse. You must be greater than any other great man; you must be greater than Vaatu and Father. Only he who is the greatest will be left standing."
He recalled the promise he made to Gyatso to focus on roots—to return Air to its roots. But right now, he couldn't do that until he dealt with Vaatu and Ozai, which could only happen by being The Avatar and embracing The Avatar's roots, which were born of greatness. "I'm the greatest."
Azula nodded with swift adamance. "Yes. Never forget it. You must embrace it now, and your reward for doing so will be the ability to release it once you defeat our enemies."
Aang lowered his head and found her lips with his, kissing her powerfully for longer than what could be considered 'chaste' or brief. When he pulled back, he swallowed. "If you catch me slipping, let me know."
"Always," she assured with a wonderful light in her golden eyes. "Now go before Zuko scars his other eye to make him forget what he just saw."
"I love you." He kissed her again quickly before leaping the large distance to settle on Appa's head. When he glanced at Azula as he grabbed Appa's reins, she stood gracefully to the side, watching; he waved, and she waved back. "Come on, Zuko," he teased. "Wave to her."
Zuko rolled his eyes but half-heartedly waved at Azula, who smirked and bowed brazenly to her Fire Lord in what Aang knew was not the 'proper' form. "Take off before I have to defend my honor," Zuko drawled, voice carrying, but he looked amused and fond simultaneously of Azula's antics.
Aang smiled at Azula one last time before flicking the reins. "Appa, yip-yip."
The darkness concealed Appa's take-off, preventing anyone in Ba Sing Se from seeing it. When they reached the clouds, Aang patted Appa's head and instructed him to keep straight before he hopped into the saddle to discuss strategy with Zuko.
Zuko held up a hand after several minutes of Aang explaining his thoughts on the matter. "You're making this too complicated. It's only the two of us. Remember how well we worked together when I rescued you from Zhao?"
Aang's brows rose. "We had a common enemy."
"And we have even more common enemies now. We are both light and fast. It will not be hard. All we must do is figure out Lonin's schedule to ensure he is alone. With your senses, you can keep us from being discovered much better than I can. You do the sensing while I do the assassinating."
"What about communication?" he asked. "We are supposed to be silent spirits."
"Basic hand signals will work."
Aang relaxed back against the saddle's lip. "I know it's not going to be hard. It's going to be easy. The thing that was hard was making the decision to do it."
"I know."
"We'll tell all the other when we get back after it's already done," he decided softly. "If we told them before, I may have lost my nerve."
Zuko nodded in understanding. "Very aware. But not Samir, right?"
Aang was horrified by the notion. "Of course not!"
"What does Samir think about you leaving?"
"Azula spared me from telling her. She said she would tell her after we left when Samir woke up."
"What will she tell Samir?"
Aang sighed, suspecting what Samir's reaction would be. "I don't know. But it all happened so fast that I didn't want to deal with telling her. This is the last time I'll be a coward about it."
Zuko smiled slightly in respect. "I believe you. If it's any consolation, I also didn't tell her that her 'Uncle Zuzu' was leaving. She may be madder at me than you."
He shook his head. "What about you? Did you tell Katara goodbye?"
Zuko looked insulted. "Of course, I did."
Aang smiled. "I'm glad to see that it worked out with you two."
"I wasn't expecting it to," Zuko admitted, voice in peculiar wonder. "Right when I had accepted that it was never going to happen, it happened. That kind of broke my mind a little bit for a moment there."
He felt a laugh rumble in his chest, but out of respect for Zuko, he didn't let it loose. "How do you think I felt with Azula? I was so certain that it was the evilest thing I'd ever done, so sure I felt it in my bones, but then when I realized that it wasn't, I felt like I was insane. But then it all worked out."
Zuko stared at him for a long moment with an unreadable look on his face, but Aang simply stared back. "I'm glad it worked out," he said finally.
"Me too. How did Katara take you leaving?"
"She was fine. She said not to leave her stranded too long with Sokka, though."
Aang smirked. "I thought she would have said 'Azula.'"
"She was being nice," Zuko defended before his only brow furrowed. "I think she was, at least."
"Was she nice about our reason for leaving?"
Zuko looked startled. "I didn't- "
His brows rose in knowing. "I know you told her what we're doing. She knows. She knows why we're going, doesn't she?"
A flicker of memories flashed over Zuko's face. "She accepted it after I explained it to her."
Aang felt a strange laugh escape him—it was one of shock and amazement. He had been prepared for Katara to be disgusted of him and hate him for making such a decision. "I never thought she'd accept it."
"This is war," Zuko pointed out. "You know it better than anyone—War pulls your layers and reveals things about you never imagined or realized. Everyone's capable of accepting something like this, even Katara. She understood. Still hated it, but she understood."
He glanced at his tattoo of mastery. "I wish War didn't have the same effects on other people."
"All the more reason to do this now and end this new war as quickly as possible to prevent a long outbreak that touches everyone."
Aang's resolve strengthened; his fingers curled around the saddle grips in tight fists. "I'll be greater than anyone who can oppose us."
Zuko's smile was a distant but real one. "Thank you."
XxXxXxXxXxX
Aang and Zuko were gone, leaving in the middle of the night. It was obvious that Azula, Bumi, and Katara knew the reason for them leaving, but Toph was more than annoyed that she was left in the dark—just like she was always blind! Her only comfort was that everyone else had no idea, and based on the way that everyone seemed unconcerned, not really worried, there was nothing to be anxious about. From what Azula shared, Aang and Zuko would only be gone for around a week, possibly a little longer. The only one who was outraged at the hidden departure was Samir, but she was quickly mollified of her indignation by Ursa, who promised to fill Samir's memory with funny stories of Azula and Zuko from when they were children. While Azula, of course, was not amused by the promise, Samir was delighted and begged to hear the stories.
Toph was considering listening to the stories, too.
But before she could hunt down Ursa to get those juicy details, Bor showed up outside her door and knocked—which slowly morphed into pounding. "I know you know I'm here!"
She debated vanishing into the ground and getting away from him, but she knew he would follow her; it was time to actually talk to him, it looked like. She walked to the door and swung it open. "We're doing this?"
Bor stomped past her. "About time, don't you think?"
Toph sighed and closed the door and knocked her knuckles against it briefly before she turned around, giving Bor her attention; she knew if she didn't 'look' at him, it would only piss him off even more. "Well? What can I do for you?"
"You could give a badgermole's shit," he muttered, pacing before her. "But you keep doing nothing. You keep acting like there's nothing going on; you could keep acting like everything is fine. I almost think you'd start treating me like you used to if I didn't know that you hated my guts."
"I don't hate you," she corrected, shaking her head with a startled jerk. "I know why you think that, but I don't."
"You've given me no reason to think otherwise. You may just be lying to me right now. You are so good at lying, aren't you?" Bor accused before a powerful scoff echoed. "Of course, the girl who can sense any lie is the best liar around."
"I'm sorry for that," Toph whispered.
Bor's heartbeat thundered in her feet. "I never thought I'd hear you say that," he sneered, and she hated how far away he was from the Bor she knew—the one she loved. "I'm not sure I believe you."
Toph winced. "That's why I never said it."
Bor's laugh was nothing like she remembered. "I thought you'd fucking take the first step since you're the one who took the last step. I never took you for a coward, Toph, but you keep proving me wrong."
She tried not to get angry because she understood his anger and even agreed with it on some level because she knew he more than had the right to be angry—she was angry at herself—but it was hard. "I know I went about it wrong, but I didn't ask you to ask me- "
"You could have been honest with me from the start!" Bor shouted, arms swinging wildly. "But you let me think everything was great and perfect—before you made me become as blind as you are!"
"I panicked!" she exclaimed. "You caught me by surprise! I didn't want to deal with all that shit right then, so I said yes! What the fuck were you thinking asking me like that? I thought you were just going to shackle me like my parents!"
"That's stupid!"
"That's what you were being like and going on and on about all that I would need to learn all the 'queenly' protocols and everything and how our children would be the start of a new royal line for Earth that could match Sozin's greatness! You were just like my parents with all the pressure!" She crossed her arms over her breasts to stop her hands from shaking. "And since you were being just like my parents, I knew I'd start being like them! Whatever kids we had would end up fucking hating us like I hate my parents!"
Bor was quiet for several moments. At first, she thought he finally understood her fears and why she did what she did before he shook his head. "I never understood Grandfather's dislike of you; I never understood why he always said you'd be fucked by Sozin and kill yourself because of it. But I understand now. For all your prodigiousness and unconventional orthodoxy, you're not that smart, are you? How could you possibly think we'd be like your parents? That's the dumbest thing you've ever said to me."
Toph's face twisted. "No, that was saying 'yes' to your stupid proposal."
"For which I'm still not hearing a reasonable reason!"
"My reasons are my reasons! They're reasonable to me! I didn't want to marry you! I wasn't ready! We were too young- "
"At least I was honest about what I wanted! I thought you wanted the same thing!"
Toph's fists clenched, trembling at her sides. "Don't act like you're so much of a catch! I've heard how ugly you are! Apparently, you should switch your face with your anus because it would have to look better!"
"You're one to talk," Bor snapped. "It's not like you're much of a beauty."
His heart never wavered or fluttered or quickened; it was steady in its rhythm, which meant that he was telling the truth—he really didn't think that much of her appearance.
Toph didn't know why it hurt so deeply that he didn't think she was beautiful since she had never considered beauty to be important for her because she couldn't see herself and had no idea what she looked like. It's not like she had ever considered herself beautiful like Azula or even Katara or something, but it still hurt to hear, especially coming from Bor. She panicked over what her face might be showing, and she tried to keep it blank, but she had no foundation of understanding from which to work on how to make her face depict something in a performance to mask the truth of her feeling; her only solution was to be angry, instead—it wasn't hard.
"You wouldn't know beauty if it fucked you!"
"Maybe you should have fucked me over harder than you did! But I still wouldn't know beauty because you don't have it!"
The unforgettable feeling of mist clouding her eyes registered. "You're a cunt-face just like Bumi! I guess you think I'd look better without feet, hands, or breasts just like he does!"
Silence.
Bor's heartbeat finally stuttered. "What?"
Toph didn't feel forgiving anymore. "He said you know about him murdering Guron's family and creating a fake history for everyone to believe in, shitting on Earth's ethic. I found out about it months before you proposed, and I told him to his face that I thought he was a cunt; I was going to tell you the truth, but then he attacked me." The ground rumbled as the memories ravished her, making her feel cold and in dread. "I thought I was going to die. He crushed me—he beat the shit out of me and said he would kill me if I told you the truth. He said he'd chop off my feet, hands, and breasts to make me a real blind girl—completely undesirable."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, sounding aghast; his heartbeat had slowed in horror and shock. "Grandfather would never- "
"Yes, he fucking would!" she cried out, spit spraying out of her mouth. "You don't know him like I do- "
"You don't know him like I do! I have known him way longer- "
Toph began to shake in place from her rage and the fearful memories associated with it. "He's the Fucker of Fire and Earth! You don't think he would kill me? You're a fucking idiot for thinking that! He scared the shit out of me! He scared the courage out of me! I couldn't tell you! I was afraid you'd take his side!" Toph made sure to 'look' pointedly at him. "He's your grandfather. You adore him- "
"And I adore you, too!" Bor protested, sounding furious. "Why can you not see that? I would never let him hurt you!"
Toph laughed, but it sounded hysterical to her own ears. "You think you'd stop him? I couldn't even fucking touch him when he attacked me! He's unlike any Earthbender to ever fucking earthbend! He'd destroy you if he wanted to."
Bor shook his head, heartbeat surging in speed. "He would never destroy me or hurt me—he would rather die. And he wouldn't hurt you, either, because he knows that I would never forgive him if he did! You weren't thinking at all!"
She almost threw a boulder at his head. "Fuck you, Bor! Of course, I was thinking!"
"If you were, you would have realized that you were easily able to come to me and talk about it!" he hissed with a passion. "But you chose to leave me in the dark. Every decision you made was the wrong one. If you actually thought about it, you would have realized what I'm saying!"
Toph shivered upon the realization that he was taking Bumi's side—because of course, he was! "Bumi is a cunt, and you're just like him—a cunt, too. The worst decision I made was even going to Omashu and staying there, and the worst part of that worst decision was ever thinking that we could be something."
Bor laughed, but it was derisive and almost near a sneer; it was so unlike him that it was painful to hear, more painful than anything else she had heard. "How did we get here?"
"Because we brought ourselves here," she whispered in answer.
There was no response except him marching out of her room.
XxXxXxXxXxX
"Piandao."
Ozai turned to Zhao, seeing he was alone and wore an uneasy expression. "What do you have for me?"
Zhao's expression strengthened in its uneasiness. "Chin V's sister is aware of Fire Lord Ozai."
He was quiet for several moments, absorbing the words. "Indeed?"
"She has been conversing with the nobles; she has gotten close with some. She keeps asking after Fire Lord Ozai. She does not know you, but she knows that he is near from what I gathered. Her insistence was originally secretive, but it will change. She will alert her brother and kinsmen- "
"An interesting development," he commented, nodding his head as he considered his options. He could wait until Chin V's sister alerted everyone of 'Fire Lord Ozai' being near, which would put the Children of Chin against him, depriving him of powerful allies, or he could act quickly and kill Chin V's sister, reducing the possibility of loss. By killing Chin V's sister, he would likely only lose Chin V, which was not a paralyzing loss—it was not even a loss at all—as he had mastered earthbending and knew enough about metalbending and lavabending to teach himself the rest. Even if Chin V's absence had a negative impact on the Children of Chin and their loyalty, he would seize control with Vaatu and force their devotion to their cause.
He could not have word of 'Fire Lord Ozai' spreading while still being allied with the Children of Chin and Hama, and anyone who jeopardized his security was a powerful threat. There was only one solution that mattered.
"What do you want to do, Piandao?" Zhao asked after a long silence.
Ozai glanced at him, eyes alight with promise and adamance. "This will eliminate multiple obstacles. Chin V's sister's usefulness is no more. She is expendable. We will kill her."
Zhao bowed but hesitated for the briefest moment. "Do you want the honor yourself- "
"She is mine to kill," he confirmed. "I will kill her. I will kill her brother, as well. He has changed recently in our interactions. It is obvious that he wants to be Vaatu's vessel and thinks himself both worthy and deserving of the honor."
Zhao's eyes sharpened. "Do you think he knows about Fire Lord Ozai? Do you think his sister told him?"
"Killing his sister will tell us if he knows. His reaction is critical."
"And when he attacks you, Piandao?"
A sharp smile stretched Ozai's lips. "I already told you—I will kill him. He has taught me all that I can. The student is the master now, and I will become master over his abundant kinsmen. No man can stand against my firebending and earthbending—and Vaatu. Chin V is no longer necessary. Let him attack—I will respond with death."
XxXxXxXxXxX
"Have you ever been to Chyung before?"
Aang nodded in answer to Zuko's question, even though he doubted Zuko saw the motion since it was so dark; it was the middle of the night. "Yes, but not enough to be familiar enough with it from here."
Appa had landed in one of the provinces outside of the city, leaving Aang and Zuko to walk the rest of the way, adorned in their spirit masks and garbs; only the grinning faces of the demon masks revealed their presences, for their black garbs blended them into the shadows of night.
"What does your earthbending tell you?" Zuko asked once they reached the city limits.
He shook his head. "The city is very populated. Until we get closer, I won't know where we are or need to go."
Zuko snorted. "You can fly now. Just go into the sky and look."
Aang hesitated for a moment before jumping into the sky with a flourish of his airbending; he ascended to the clouds, having a perfect vantage and cover from which to observe in sovereignty. After several moments, he dropped down and landed next to Zuko. "It's as I remember. There are no changes or new defensive structures or anything."
It had occurred to him that Chyung may have revamped its defenses after Ba Sing Se as a precaution if The Avatar visited and did the same thing he did to Ba Sing Se.
Zuko tipped his mask up, connecting their eyes. "If you fly us in, do you think we'll be seen?"
Aang pulled his mask off fully and adjusted the straps with his fingers. "No. I'll fly too fast. I can go higher, too, if necessary, at certain points. I'll keep an eye out for anyone."
The blue mask covered Zuko's face. "Are you going to change your mind?"
He knew that Zuko alluded to the assassination specifics, not the journey into the city. "No."
Zuko's grinning spirit mask gleamed under Tui's light. "Are we planning to come back? I doubt we can blend in once we're in the city. We can't wear these things during the day, and we are too easily recognizable if we wear anything else."
"I want to get this over with," he decided. "Let's at least try to get into the palace tonight, see if we can locate Lonin. We'll go from there."
"Are you sure?" Zuko asked. "We want to be familiar with- "
"I've been to the palace several times. I know the layout. We could go there right now and do it, but we just need to find Lonin and get him alone. The quicker we do this, the less likely something will go wrong or we're caught or something."
Zuko sighed. "If we do this too quick, it could go wrong."
Aang was reminded painfully of ambushing Vaatu and Ozai, which culminated in Azula's death when she sacrificed herself for him. He knew consequences of quick action better than anyone, but there was a critical difference, one that made things much, much easier. "I know. But this isn't Vaatu or your father; this is Lonin, who has no capability to hurt us."
"What if Vaatu is here?"
"Then we leave immediately," Aang said instantly, leaving no room for debate; he knew it was the only option because he remembered what happened he tried attacking Vaatu, thinking he had the advantage of surprise. "We'll go back to Appa and regroup. If necessary, we'll go back to Ba Sing Se.
Zuko nodded. "I follow your lead. Fly us to the palace."
Aang scooped Zuko under his arms and flew into the sky. If anyone saw anything strange, like a shadow dart across the night, illuminated only briefly by Tui's light, it would be forgotten within moments, thinking nothing strange of it. It was the perfect cover; it was the perfect time; it was the perfect moment.
Chyung was a beautiful city with sprawling architecture dazzled by many towers. It was unlike the other cities on the continent, for there were scarce straight lines because the city was built outside of a mountain, growing directly out of it like an extension of Earth's will—or some clever Earthbenders, in reality. The mountain was the foundation of the entire city, the many buildings and towers swirling through, under, and out of the mountain. It was as natural a city as any to be found, and legend said that Chyung had always been the most spiritual of the cities on the continent, gathering all the greatest Earth Sages of each generation. Chyung wanted to be closest to Devi and lived in a city literally part of her in her natural essence by using the mountain and embracing it as a home.
He recognized a familiar building and followed his memory, darting through the sky, holding Zuko beneath him; none of the garbs rippled violently, only gently—ordered by his airbending. When he saw the palace, he flew higher into the air, not wanting to be seen by possible sentries or guards, always vigilant for a sign of an attack. However, he continued his pace at the higher elevation, but at the last moment, he zipped down and landed on the palace's roof beside one of the guards. Immediately, before the guard could even react after the clearing the wind from his eyes and ears, Zuko sprang forward and knocked him unconscious with a crunching fist, wrapped around his sword pommel, to the side of the head.
Aang absorbed the vibrations inside the palace while Zuko dragged the unconscious guard farther into the shadows.
"Do you remember what Lonin feels like?" Zuko asked, crouching next to him.
He shuffled through his memories but realized that the memories would help because he had never focused on what Lonin 'felt' like to begin with. "No. But I'll find him. A palace's layout says a lot about a king. And it's in the middle of the night. We need to go to a room with one occupant—or two if Lonin's working to make another son—that has guards stationed outside it."
"Do you want to interrogate one of the guards and see if we can get the answer that way?"
Aang glanced at him, surprised. "We're supposed to be anonymous. If we talk, we ruin that."
"I agree, but we need to keep that as an option."
"Let's go."
The palace was silent in the night with only guards and several courtiers walking around, but Aang refused to lessen his guard—he had learned his lesson not to underestimate. He followed his memory, taking him and Zuko to the places of the palace to which he had been before, hoping that he would sense something, hear something, or see something that pointed him into the right direction to find Lonin.
Thankfully, there was a clear center of activity to be sensed where there were more guards congregated and spaced around a specific room—or rooms, as it turned out the further he approached. But it became obvious that there was going to be no sneaking into Lonin's room without raising a commotion as there seemed to only be one way into Lonin's room.
Aang considered pulling the air from their lungs, forcing them to fall unconscious, but he didn't want to risk it. He may kill some of them, and other who survived would talk about having no air to breathe, which would point, through rumors, to an Airbender, which would point only to The Avatar. But thankfully, there was a much simpler option, at which he arrived within moments. He grabbed Zuko's arms and raised them into the air, reaching the palace ceiling at a delicate ascension, to prevent anyone from noticing anything amiss in the air.
It was a slow process.
"Just hold on to me," he whispered when he reached the ceiling, letting Zuko adjust his grip until he hung off Aang's back so Aang could keep his hands free.
When he reached the edge of Lonin's room, perpendicular to the vast halls below, crawling with guards, Aang dug his fingers gently into the stone—so gently, so precisely, so softly—to prevent anyone, any Earthbender—even Toph herself—from sensing his invasion into Lonin's room. It was steady, insistent, and gradual work as he used earthbending to create a hole big enough to fit him and Zuko but small enough that no guard, if he happened to look up, would notice it.
Once he and Zuko were through into Lonin's room, Aang sealed the hole after them—just in case.
"You hear that?" Zuko asked quietly, adjusting his grip on his shoulders; his fingers were likely exhausted and beginning to cramp.
Aang already heard it. "Two people," he confirmed as he pulled a ledge out of the rock for him and Zuko to sit on. "Lonin and someone."
"Can you hear what they are saying?"
"You can, too. Now listen."
Aang pulled the sounds to them with his airbending and listened:
"This plan is not working," a distantly familiar voice—Lonin—condemned. "If I am to gain the continent, I am to destroy Tornor, not ally with him!"
"My king, you must accept the situation," a different voice replied with the swift experience of an apparent advisor. "Tornor is already allied with Mighty Vaatu, but he is not allied with Chyung. By allying with him, you lower his guard and make him a friend, at which there will come a point when he turns on you his back. You do the work now for the prosperity later on. After this is over, you will attack and kill him. But now is not the time."
"I do not want competition for the continent," Lonin snapped. "Do you not see what is happening? We are all positioning ourselves to take over the continent once this is over. I want to eliminate my rivals now. I must destroy them before they destroy me!"
"If you attack now, you will be destroyed, for Mighty Vaatu will never allow these fractures amongst him, not while we confront The Avatar."
"The Avatar hides again for a century," Lonin muttered with a vicious disgust. "King Bumi says he is in contact—lies! No one lies like King Bumi. The Avatar is nowhere but, thus, everywhere. Everything we do rings of The Avatar's perverse authority. We exist in a world built on his principles and whims—across all lifetimes. We live according to the strings he has tied us to, pulling us and thrashing us whenever he wishes. There are four Earth Kings because he made four Earth Kings—he let this happen."
"Mighty Vaatu will change it, but only if we help him- "
Lonin's scoff sounded painful. "We must help ourselves. I understand focusing on The Avatar—that tyrant should die from the weight of our combined judgment—but we cannot lose sight of our race."
"We do not- "
"There is so much chaos across all the territories!" Lonin ranted, furious. "Look at us! We are ruined! People are displaced vastly, looking for shelter and space after The Avatar's tyranny! Ba Sing Se, even rebuilt, is a graveyard! Everyone is too spooked about going—returning—there, seeing it as a bad omen, a possible duplication of horror! No one wants it with good reason! I have had to turn away from Chyung for lack of viable space flocks of fleeing people. Where can I put them? What can I do? We have no room! And the other cities have no room, either. And if you think King Bumi's granddaughter, the Bitch of Omashu, will open Omashu to these mass refugees, you must be as insane as King Bumi! There is no place for them anywhere! There is nowhere for them to go except into their graves! Millions have died during this chaos—the same amount as were killed in Ba Sing Se, surely! How can we come back from this? It is clear that, during this threat, which is for all-time because The Avatar is for all-time until Mighty Vaatu smites him, we must be united, not divided. That is why there should have never been four Earth Kings. Chin had it right! We need a Chin again!"
The advisor laughed softly. "I guarantee we will have a Chin again. You will clear the way for him- "
"I will be Chin," Lonin whispered, seemingly to himself. "I will be the Conqueror reborn and put Earth under my lineage as he once did. Either King Bumi will give me Ba Sing Se and Zaofu, or I will claim everything from the ashes."
"Remember my cousin—the real Chin. He is of whom much is expected, not you."
"Your cousin- "
"My cousin is a most powerful man," the advisor continued, voice containing a hint of amused triumph. "He is more powerful than you—than any man on the continent. He is the Fire Lord's equal and will the conquer the continent and unite all of us as the Conqueror did before him—his direct predecessor."
Aang glanced at Zuko, whose face was concealed by the grinning mask, but Zuko didn't react, simply listening aptly.
"Your cousin lives in my territory," Lonin reminded sharply. "It is only his connection to my lineage that he and his predecessors have survived in secret. He must not forget his place."
"You descend from the Conqueror's sister but never think you are of his seed. My cousin is—I am, as well. All those refugees you mentioned whom you and the Bitch of Omashu turned away went to my cousin, and unlike you, he welcomed them with affection and warmth—and a deep, righteous fury over what befell them at The Avatar's hands. Yes, look astonished and horrified, my king. It is the truth. He incorporated them into his legions like the Conqueror did generations ago because he is the Conqueror's heir, not you—and not anyone else. It is he alone who carries a monumental legacy within him. There is no one on the continent equal to him. You know it as well as I do—he is the unofficial fourth Earth King, even though his territories exist in Chyung. We both know you will never attack him or try to reseize control. What hope do you have? What hope does anyone have? Countless disgruntled men and women of our race, ravished by The Avatar's tyranny, have flocked to him, inflating his numbers vastly. His army, when it comes, will shake the continent with its march."
"I will kill him- "
The advisor laughed in mockery. "No, my king, you will die if you attack, and he will seize your throne for his own, absorbing all that you are into himself."
"Treason!" Lonin shouted.
"I warn you," the advisor corrected, voice rising in insistence. "I advise you as I have always done. There is a way you live; there is a way you keep power."
Aang heard Lonin's teeth grind against each other before he replied: "How? Why tell me this now?"
"Because an invasion is near, led by my cousin and our kinsmen—and our countless new members," the advisor explained, and Aang leaned closer, listening carefully; he dimly noticed Zuko did the same. "My cousin needs loyal vassals. If you swear loyalty to him, he will reward you with life, wealth, and power; if you pledge trust, he will love you, and he is a man of powerful love. If you do this, I will send word to him immediately, and we can celebrate. You can stay on your throne and hold your power while my cousin gains another ally. And, as you know, he allies with Mighty Vaatu. This decision ensures Chyung's health and presence forever. What is your decision, my king?"
Zuko placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning close to his head. "We need to kill them both."
"Why?" he whispered, knowing it was a stupid question, but he didn't want to kill anyone else.
"We can't let a letter like that reach his cousin, the 'unofficial fourth Earth King,' who is also allied with Vaatu," Zuko explained. "Him and Lonin are dying tonight."
Aang focused back on Lonin and the advisor, hearing Lonin sigh. "I want to meet with your cousin."
"I am his representative; my voice is his voice. You speak to him now."
"Is it possible I can be vassal of more than one of his- "
The advisor laughed. "An ambitious man, my king—my cousin respects it. It is possible, yes, but that will not happen for some time. You will only attain a meeting with him if you agree to vassalage."
Lonin scoffed. "You have never been my man, have you?"
"You always knew that."
"I thought, at least, you carried loyalty for me."
"I carry your intelligence as you forget it most often."
"I could order your execution."
"And draw my cousin's wrath? I think not. What is your decision, my king? Must I ready my quill?"
"Tell your cousin I will be his vassal if he ensures that my son follows in my stead."
Before anything else could be said, Zuko dropped off the ledge and landed with more sound than normal—due to the extensive height—and surged forward into the adjacent room, in which Lonin and the advisor were. Aang followed Zuko's lead, recognizing it was the moment, and when he entered, the man who could only be the advisor was already dead, collapsed in a pool of his own blood that didn't minimize his unattractive appearance.
"What do you want?" Lonin begged, face flashing with promise, desperate as Zuko advanced on him. "Gems? Girls? Please! I will give you anything. Who are you?"
Zuko leaned closer until his mask touched the side of Lonin's head, tilted to Lonin's ear. "Tell Kuei to fuck himself when you see him," Zuko hissed before leaning back and whipping his swords together in a dual arc, precise and swift.
Lonin's decapitated head tumbled from the sliced neck and fell to the ground with a strange weight; blood pooled out of the corpse in an ominous, imminent outgrowth, spreading.
Aang stared down at Lonin's severed head, forcing himself to see the consequences of his decisions and feel the sickening warmth inside him, and didn't move despite the impulse to; he did not step away to distant himself from his crime. He absorbed its primacy—because it was born of his decision. Lonin's flesh was sunken and bloodless, becoming more and more bloodless with each passing moment as the precious supply drained, and his face was frozen forever into an expression of terror—the last sensations he ever experienced in his life, making it the longest moment of his life.
It was an evil thing.
"Quicker than we thought," Zuko muttered, stepping precisely away from the blood to approach him. "Is this what Toph kept calling Airbender-fast?"
Aang finally looked away from Lonin's decapitated head. "Let's go."
XxXxXxXxXxX
That's all for this one! I hope you all enjoyed it.
**Ozai begins lavabending and notices that Chin V is treating him differently, which he translates as Chin V being envious that Ozai is Vaatu's vessel. He doesn't know that Chin V knows who he really is—yet. Ozai then gets closer with Hama as she heals him once more and offers to lay with her, giving them both 'rejuvenation.' Of course, Hama rejects it, but Ozai isn't deterred—he is on the prowl.
**Dragons are spoken of by Bumi! I think Dragons would be very powerful and intelligent in Avatar, kind of like an apex predator. Their only rival would be, in my opinion, a blood-lusted or angry Sky Bison. If Bumi seems like he was beaten too easily by Fire Lord Sozin and Azar, I disagree. Sozin at that point was well over a century old and was more powerful than ever, many years left to his life. He was probably, at that time, the most experienced fighter in the world. Whereas Bumi was still very young—I'd say only around 35-years-old—and hadn't truly come into his own yet in regards to earthbending. Add in a Dragon and Bumi is, in layman's terms, fucked.
Bumi reveals that he received a response from King Lonin of Chyung, who requests outrageous terms for an alliance, and Bumi, Zuko, Aang, and Azula realize, with heavy hearts for some (Aang), that the only solution is to kill Lonin and replace him with his son, Bipin, who will be more receptive to an alliance due to his constant struggles with his father. This is really the only real solution that they can take at this point because they are very desperate for an ally. Vaatu has many allies (more than they are even aware of) while they have no allies except each other, which produces a vast disparity in possibility. Zuko and Aang agree to go to Chyung and take care of it, dressed as demon spirits to conceal their identities.
**Zuko tells Katara about the plan to assassinate King Lonin of Chyung because he doesn't want to keep any secrets from her, and she accepts it with a morose heart after Zuko explains everything to her.
**Chin V's sister is certain that Fire Lord Ozai is near based on her conversations with the Fire nobility allied with them. She alerts Chin V, who tells her to maintain her course and try to discover Fire Lord Ozai's plans, specifically what he plans to do with the Children of Chin, Chin V's kinsmen.
The Children of Chin bloodlines is based on the Spanish Habsburg Dynasty, one of medieval Europe's most powerful noble families. The House of Habsburg was notorious for their inbreeding, trying to keep "it" in the family. In fact, because of their incessant, rampant inbreeding through the centuries, it had debilitating consequences that would ultimately cause the line to die out, particularly the Spanish branch. In fact, nine out of the eleven marriages that occurred during their Spanish reign were incestuous. This is what caused their downfall because, due to the incest, it deteriorated their line until Charles II of Spain, the final male heir, who many say was impotent, was incapable of producing children to continue the line; that brought an end to Habsburg rule. Now, this is similar to the Children of Chin. Chin V is the fourth Chin after Chin the Conqueror and each generation before him was incestuous because they wanted to keep "it" in the family, too—in this case, being the "holy" blood of the children of the Conqueror and The Avatar, children who are beyond powerful. As seen with the Habsburg Family, that has disastrous consequences. Chin V's lover is his own sister, and because of this, because both of them are the products of generations-worth of inbreeding, they can't produce an heir together, who would become Chin VI because ultimately, it's a genetic failure because of too much inbreeding. This is why Chin V is obsessed with having an heir and looked to his cousin before the Traitor stopped it. He recognizes that his lineage is at severe risk of dying out as he and his sister are the last "pure" descendants of the Conqueror and The Avatar—all of the other descendants died out and left no heirs.
**Hama reflects on her newfound connection to 'Piandao' and compares him to every other Fire man or woman she's ever encountered, realizing that he is different. She understands him, and she knows that he understands her because they have both been betrayed by their families. Because of it, Hama is really fond of him and wonders if she is possibly starting to love him. She has spent many months healing him, becoming familiar with him, and she considers him her only friend. She hates Fire, but she doesn't hate 'Piandao.' In fact, she realizes that she is very tempted—more tempted than she wants to be—to agree to lay with him.
**Zuko finally masters lightning! I was powerfully unimpressed when, in Legend of Korra, Zuko didn't show any inclination to shoot some lightning bolts at the Red Lotus in Season 3 of the show. I mean, why would Mako, a kid on the street, and some gangsters in Republic City be able to shoot lighting but not Fire Lord Zuko? I call some major pungent bullshit on that. I think lightning-generation would be a rite of passage for every Fire royal family member and immensely rare for any Firebender to be able to accomplish. (Legend of Korra, in my estimation, made lightning-generation far too accessible for Firebenders. Only the alphas of the pack should be knowledgeable about lightning-generation, let alone capable of unleashing it. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, it seemed that lightning was only a legend, a myth to almost all people in the world, even in the Fire Nation. It's the 'cold-blooded fire,' and I doubt many Firebenders would understand the philosophy behind cold blood.) I undoubtedly believe that Fire Lord Sozin could bend lightning, same goes for Fire Lord Azulon, who was a prodigy on par with Azula based on Ozai's own words in the series. Iroh can do it and discovered the redirecting lightning-generation technique. I made Ursa capable of shooting lightning because I think she is as much a badass as Azula and Iroh are, but she would hardly ever use it, and plus, she's a descendent of Avatar Roku. She's very similar to Azula, so I think it would make sense that she could do it since Azula was shooting lightning from the moment we met her in the show and still uses it often. Then, we come to Ozai. In The Day of Black Sun, with only a sliver of the sun visible behind the moon during the eclipse, Ozai was able to conjure the strongest lightning strike we've ever seen in both series in less than a second. Not even Iroh could do that. It's literally in Zuko's blood on both sides of his family to shoot lightning; he could always do it. I thought it was about time he accessed such a supreme talent.
**Suki discovers that she's pregnant and is adamant to keep it a secret to not jinx it anything, but Toph knows and confronts her about it. Basically, Suki and Toph make a deal to discuss how the pregnancy is going every day because it's such a big deal for Suki. She thought she was barren and never going to be able to give Sokka the children he desperately needed to be the Chief of Water, but then she finds that she's pregnant when she least expected it. Toph understands Suki's fear, and agrees to keep it a secret and notify her about any health changes or anything.
**Hahn appears finally after many, many mentions of him from other characters, and his reasons are revealed. Yue's sacrifice was always going to have severe long-standing consequences for the North, which no one ever seemed to acknowledge or be aware of, which is highly stupid for such a political culture. Hahn is, arguably, screwed the worst by Yue's sacrifice, which he thinks is outrageous, especially since Sokka is the direct beneficiary of the heirdom when Sokka was the one who failed to protect Yue and let her die. He is loyal to the North and loyal to Chief Arnook, but when that loyalty isn't returned equally, Hahn is bitter; he snaps when Sokka is named the heir, hating that the North will be compromised by Sokka, who is born in the South, and his wife, who is of Earth. He sees the North's royal lineage becoming mud because Water + Earth = mud. He views it as the North becoming even weaker in the eyes of the world when they are already so weak, which is unacceptable to him. Thus, he allies with Vaatu when offered the chance. Sure, after The Avatar murdered Ba Sing Se, Chief Arnook returned to Hahn the heirdom, but Hahn doesn't trust Chief Arnook anymore, and he continues allying with Vaatu, who shows up and orders Hahn to prepare for an invasion.
Chief Arnook never struck me as particularly courageous or wise or as a good leader; he struck me as weak-willed and dominated by others—which is Water's culture, ironically enough. A Water Chief could never be like the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord demands compliance and loyalty from his nobles, who obey, while the Water Chief is demanded compliance and loyalty from his nobles, making the Water Chief beholden to their will, not the other way around like it is for the Fire Lord. The problem is—when in a war like the Great War, such a system doesn't usually work, especially in such a highly pressured political sphere. The North, frankly, could never get its shit together and decided to isolate themselves rather than take part in the Great War like the South does. They are never going to lose that 'cowardly' reputation unless changes are made. The nobility recognizes it, which is why they want Sokka as the heir, and even though Hahn recognizes it, too, and vows to make those changes and repair the North's reputation, he's rejected and given the short end of the stick in favor of Sokka, a 'war hero.' Arnook has failed in all regards as a leader, unfortunately. He has made a mess of the North's succession and failed to repair the North's reputation. He scrambled but could never have a position of strength—because the North itself has no position of strength. And Hahn knows all of it, but he blames Yue because he sees Yue's 'stupid sacrifice' as the reason for it all, which is certainly true, but he doesn't blame Arnook when he should because he loves Arnook as a father.
Also, it never made sense that Arnook was never said to be a Waterbender. Benders, just like in the other nations, are ideal, and the nation's leader must be a bender. In this case, the North's Chief must be a Waterbender, especially in a political climate. A single generation being ruled by a non-bender is to be expected every now and then, but never for consecutive generations. The fact that there are two rivals to the North's throne—Hahn and Sokka—who are non-benders reveals that Arnook must be a Waterbender himself. Then there is Yue, who never gave any indication to Katara or Sokka that she was a Waterbender, which was absurd. She was touched, blessedeven, by the Moon Spirit. She had to have been given power over water. It makes no sense otherwise.
**Toph and Bor finally confront each other, and it gets ugly. The worst comes out because it was such a long time coming. Everything, specifically in Bor, has been building for about a year and a half, and he's had no release. He finally got his release in the confrontation, but it wasn't pretty; it was the only way it could go, especially because there were no answers for him. He was operating in the dark for so long, not aware of all the context to everything that happened. And, of course, Toph understands his anger, but she gets angry, too, and it all erupts. But it was the first step—getting it all out there in the air so they both know where each other are at.
**Aang and Zuko arrive in Chyung and assassinate King Lonin and his advisor, who is cousin to a powerful man they do not know the identity of.
That's all, everyone! I believe that was everything, but if you have questions, just ask, and I'll be happy to answer. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it.
Stay Safe
ButtonPusher
