Zuko
I stared at the scroll for what felt like hours with many different questions running through my head. Was it real? Or a trap? Was this a test from my uncle or something else entirely? I refused to believe that a secret society would ever lose something like the mail of one of its highest-ranked members.
Nevertheless, the most important question remained, should I open it or not?
"Zuko?" Katara's voice broke me out of my thoughts. I turned to look at her and thought about telling her of the White Lotus but I wasn't one for info dumping and more importantly, knowing of it wouldn't help her at all in fact it just make her more bitter. After all the White Lotus could be seen as a group of powerful men that kept relations going even with the war on without care on how to stop it, they were waiting for the Avatar so I didn't blame them since the White Lotus was very cult-like with the balance shit but I'm not sure Katara would think that as a good enough reason.
Not when stopping the war earlier might have ensured she grew up in a complete home and without worries about Fire Nation ships raining black snow and fire on the South Pole.
"It's nothing I just saw the symbol and it reminded me of my uncle, he likes to play Pai Sho and was very insistent on using the White Lotus for his strategies" I answered with a smile but Katara just stared at me with suspicion in her eyes, she was starting to read my tells and I was very rushed in my delivery, nevertheless I had one last card in my arsenal "…I miss him"
That did it, Katara's look of suspicion turned to one of understanding and a sad smile appeared on my face "I know how you feel, I miss Sokka and I never thought I would, it feels like forever since we went our separate ways but we'll see them soon"
"Of course…umm…Katara this might be a little rude of me but could you give me some time to see what this is all about"
"Did Mai send you something?" Katara spoke casually but I didn't miss the rising waves on the ocean or the way her hands clenched at her sides.
"No! I mean no, ok, I'm gonna be honest with you Katara, if you're around all I can think about is fucking you until you're covered and filled with cum and I can't work like that" My delivery was perfect and thanks to my ability to sense heat I said the last part as one of the soldiers was walking back and he immediately did a one-eighty right from when he came.
"Zuko! Don't say that in front of everyone" Katara covered her face with her hands and looked over from the gaps between her fingers "I don't think I will be able to see your soldiers in the eye for a few days, once you're finished with your work you better come and apologize to me!"
"A real apology or a sexy apology?"
"Both" Katara answered before running away. My eyes didn't leave her ass until she finally disappeared.
Truly weaponized embarrassment was the strongest thing on the planet.
I decided to wait until I was in my room to decide about the White Lotus one. Coincidentally this one was from Minister Qin.
Prince Zuko, I beg for your forgiveness since I'm skipping the formalities, but you must receive this message as soon as possible. I have been in talk with the greatest sword master in the Fire Nation and he has pledged his support to you, right now there are many of his disciples meeting with him for the express purpose of joining our growing faction, it is also my duty to inform you that some of the most brilliant strategist and warriors now retired from the war are now coordinating with my won people for any possible eventuality even as our numbers grow.
The minister was careful with his language and nothing was explicitly said but from the subtext, it was quite clear that this was treason. I don't think he can betray me but this certainly seemed suspicious and while I was glad to know of such things nothing seemed so urgent. Still, there was still more to the letter.
You may or may not have heard about the rumors circulating about your parentage and how you're in truth the son of Iroh and Ursa born of an affair covered up by Azulon himself as he favored Iroh over Ozai. This rumor has been gaining a lot of momentum and many in the nobility are starting to believe it, this has resulted in a great divide among the nobles putting the question of succession into a very strange quandary. Something even more damming is the whisper of some kind of document hidden by Azulon confirming such rumors. I don't know the truth of it but once we are assembled in full it would be for the best for you to choose a stance where such a thing is concerned.
I would also like to say that no matter the truth you're still favored by many and the guidance of the great Agni will surely be felt when you reign.
I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or scream, what the hell was happening? A secret document by Azulon? Someone must have heard the previous Fire Lord when he was chastising Ozai! That's the only explanation as I could see how someone would reinterpret the 'losing a son' thing he said as while he was always ruthless overseas Azulon had a great reputation at home.
A dynastic dispute between brothers would probably be worse than one between father and son! Those wishing to usurp their brothers would rise to fight for either side but it was true that it would be more acceptable for me to kill Ozai as my uncle than as my father… maybe I should really just stage a coup as fast as I can before the rest of the world can organize any kind of retaliatory strike…
As I contemplated the decision I almost tore the scroll but then noticed that there was something weird with it. One of the tips was peeling away as if someone had stuck two pieces together, then I noticed that it was the same with all four corners, I pushed a finger in the gaps and carefully tore them apart leaving me with an entirely new message.
"What the fuck?! he should have done the same with the other thing" Whatever, but I hoped that this hidden message was indeed more dangerous than the one I just read, or else I would have to dispose of minister Qin because of his incompetence.
I hope that you find this, the truth of why this message was so urgent. Azula wants to marry you-
What?! I reread the words several times before I realized that I wasn't hallucinating but seriously what the fuck?! what is happening to Azula who more than once threatened me with death to say something like this and to the fucking minister! The fucking rumors! Cousins get married all the time in royal lines…well, I wasn't opposed to the idea, but the optics of the situation would be difficult to say the least.
The princess believes the rumors are true and is prepared to support your bid to the throne along with several other concessions, such as you having a second wife to carry on the royal line and others that she says will be discussed between you. She has ordered me to spread the word about the offer among your supporters and I fear that she may find a lot of people that would wish for this arrangement to proceed if you are in fact not Ozai's son.
This would neatly tie back all the succession problems and ensure that Azula births no claimant for the throne that is outside your control, the princess also has some very enthusiastic backing from some nobles that could prove to be a tipping point for our plans against Ozai. I don't like it, it's too good to be true. I suspect her real aim is for you to lower your guard after accepting and then killing you allowing her to claim your base of support with a pledge for vengeance in your name, something that would resonate with our more militant allies and that would sway most of the neutrals.
Shit! that was a good point, I mean what were the odds that Azula was genuine about this? The minister was right, I was thinking with my lower head and that might have gotten me into a very problematic situation, I'm pretty sure that I can be killed by drowning and Azula has always been very clever. If she had come to me with seduction in mind I would have fallen for it. as I grimaced my eyes went back to the hidden message.
On the other hand, it is possible for her to marry you only to kill you sometime after you've had a son with your consort allowing her to control your child and rule for even longer. Whatever the case, I warn you now and hope that you can reach out to Iroh so that he can help with this situation.
Right! If my uncle said I wasn't his son then that would take out the whole plan…but I don't want that, so now I have a very good argument on why I should marry Azula. I would just tell my uncle that it's for show and that we won't sleep together!
Oh yes it was all coming together.
