New chapter, new arc! I hope you guys will like this one, because it packs quite a few punches I'm sure a lot of you have looked forward to for a while.
But that's not why I'm making this particular author's note right now: I have a new poll on my profile, for the first time in eons, and I'd really like to know your opinion on the idea of changing the chapter titles to the names of each arc. I'd do this to help make it easier for you guys to navigate through the story. The Navigator over at Gladiator' blog is already supposed to help, but I have the mild suspicion not everyone uses it... so, if you think this subtle change would help (or, conversely, if you think it'd be a waste of time), let me know by voting on my profile's poll!
And that's that. Enjoy the Whaletail Island arc!
Each agreement reached by the council meant they were one step closer to finishing the new slavery laws. Azula's patience was tried and tested by how slow the process was, for the mid-morning meetings in her father's Throne Room were never as fruitful as she wanted them to be due to all the protests and doubts put forward by the Fire Lord's most trusted advisors. Even so, Azula had found answers to every possible argument against her laws, presenting them with the right words each time, without contradicting herself. Without revealing her true purpose and interest in helping slaves for their own sakes, rather than doing it for the Fire Nation's advancement.
So far, she had convinced them to approve of most the contents of her proposed legislation. Nearly every meeting had ended in full agreement by the council, though when it came to the punishments for mistreatment of slaves she had no choice but to relent and allow the unified council to have their way: instead of proper prison sentences, any slave master who was deemed unfit to own slaves would simply be barred from buying any; only if they were found breaking said law, by owning slaves without permission, would they be sentenced to prison. Azula had known Sokka would be outraged to know that the worst penance for breaking the new laws would hardly be a slap in the wrist, but after three days of arguing over the same subject and finding one too many generals with unbending wills when it came to this matter, Azula had no choice but to comply. Clearly, they didn't wish to ever face dire consequences for their own mistreatment of slaves.
Not that it would matter if they had mistreated their slaves before the laws were official, though, another thing Azula had no choice but to give in with as well. While her heart knew how wrong it was to let Amateur Arena handlers get away with all the murders they were responsible for, the new legislation couldn't hold people accountable for crimes committed when said legislation didn't exist yet. It was a point she had ceded far more easily over sheer logic, but no less begrudgingly.
Outside of those two regards, she had swayed the council every time, and in the process, it seemed she had earned even more respect from them than she had commanded before. Where they had been wary of her initial proposals when Ozai had first announced the creation of these laws, nowadays they seemed much more accepting of the new restrictions on slavery.
Azula's schedule had been quite busy outside of these meetings, though: other than her duties to her father, she would check on the rehabilitated homeless people at least once a week to ensure their progress continued smoothly. And nowadays she had yet another group to supervise, aside from them…
She had rushed to Xin Long's refuge as soon as today's council meeting ended. Xin Long groaned as a greeting, and Azula merely patted his head gently before leaping onto his saddle.
"Yes, we're always in a hurry lately. I'm sorry, Xin" said Azula, as the dragon set off through the nearest open gate "We're checking on Haiyan today"
Xin Long seemed pleased: he rather enjoyed it when Azula allowed him to frolic in the city's streets. Visiting Haiyan meant he could sit outside the house, waiting for his rider to be done with her business while the passersby admired him with their typical fascination. Azula snorted and shook her head upon sensing her dragon's thoughts.
"You know, I'd think you'd grow weary of it after all this time" she said "You've been basking in everyone's attention for plenty of years now, and you still relish in it without fail. It feels like your true vocation in life isn't setting things on fire, but being at the center of attention…"
Xin Long waved his mane in midair happily, quite pleased to acknowledge Azula was right: he thrived in the awestruck faces of all humans who gazed upon him. Never was he bored of it.
"Well, then, do enjoy their fawning over you while you can, but keep in mind my visit shouldn't take long" Azula said. Xin Long groaned in disapproval "I know, I know, but I have to check on the Enforcers' recruits, remember?"
Of course he remembered: she did that every day now. It wasn't like Xin Long didn't enjoy longer journeys with his rider, but as things stood, she spent more time with her Enforcers than at her gladiator's house lately, didn't she?
"I know, but that will change today" Azula said, steering Xin Long in the right direction towards Haiyan's house "Or, well, at least it should after we stop by the Dome, so…"
The Dome? Xin Long spared a glance at Azula over his shoulder, even if that disrupted his flight direction. Azula rolled her eyes and made him turn forward again, but Xin Long's tail waved circularly, as he remained confused by her latest claim. Sokka had no fights today, did he?
"We haven't scheduled any lately, no. I've been too busy the past month" Azula admitted, gritting her teeth "Which is why we're going today. Sokka made enough progress, and it's not right for it to go to waste when he's only just become the top non-bender and breached the top hundred, so…"
Xin Long seemed to understand now, and he dove towards Haiyan's house. A fresh air current enveloped Azula as they moved downwards; the wind played with her hair gently until they finally were on solid ground again. Releasing a deep breath, the Princess heaved herself off the saddle with a smooth motion.
"And after that, we'll take Sokka home" Azula said, patting her dragon's neck "So by then we can go back to old routines… if just briefly"
Xin Long seemed to snicker at her before turning to study the street with interest. Already, a couple of teenagers watched him with gaping mouths. Azula smirked and shook her head.
"Well, please try not to fry your fans just to impress them, if you'd be so kind" she said "I'll be back shortly"
Xin Long nodded before taking his seat in as fancy a manner as he could, playing the aloof dragon to his admirers. Azula couldn't help but laugh as she made for the door…
To find two young women standing at either side of it, wearing a red-and gold scale armor with matching helmets, all of it over black clothes. Their stance was steady, though their expressions betrayed how nervous they were. Azula raised her eyebrows as she assessed them quickly.
"The two of you were assigned guard duty today, I take it?" she asked. Both girls nodded.
"We were…!"
"We arrived as…!"
Their attempt to talk at the same time resulted in the two of them falling silent, freezing in place with wary grimaces on their faces. Despite her attempt to remain stern for discipline's sake, Azula couldn't help but smile a little.
"One at a time, if you would" she said.
"We arrived as early as possible" said the one to the right, lowering her gaze as her cheeks flushed "As Captain Mei Xun commanded"
"Good to know" Azula said, as the other readied herself to talk.
"We've already reported to Lady Haiyan, as we were told to" the girl said. Azula nodded.
"Then carry on. You may rejoin your fellow recruits when the next shift arrives" she said "I'll be heading inside shortly"
"Of course!" said the first girl, moving to open the door in a hurry. Azula raised her eyebrows.
"No need to be in such a rush, it's not very professional to be hasty about fulfilling your duties" she said. The blush on the girl's face only grew more pronounced.
"I… I'm sorry. I will do better" she said. Azula smiled.
"You've only been leading this life for one month, it's hardly like you were born into it. Nonetheless, staying calm and level-headed will be essential for your future duties. Keep that in mind"
"Yes, Princess" said the girl. Azula nodded and finally made her way inside the building.
The Enforcers had been recruited over the past month, and already they were deployed for small missions, such as keeping guard at Haiyan's Social Rehabilitation Center. It had taken Azula longer than it should have to finally settle on a name, and it had wound up being a straightforward and simple enough one at that. Either way, as Haiyan continued to make progress with readapting her charges to normal lives, the Enforcers would stand guard outside the building unless they were required for any tasks inside. Granted, it wasn't considered a fun mission, but for women who only had one month of soldier training so far, it was a good starting point, so that they could uphold their upcoming, far more serious duties as their roles would require them to.
Haiyan had been eager to help Azula in any way she might need it, so she had agreed quickly to the Princess's request for her Rehabilitation Center to serve as the first location the Enforcers would be deployed to. It was a simple mission, even more tedious than patrolling the Palace grounds, it seemed to Azula, but so far no one had complained to her about it. They ought to enjoy the simplicity while it lasted, if anything: as soon as the new slavery laws were officially issued, they were bound to miss the easy vigilance duties they'd handled so well up to date.
Matters inside the Rehabilitation Center seemed to be moving along quite smoothly too, something Azula could only be grateful for. She stepped inside to find a far more orderly and decorated house than it had been before, with bookshelves, ornate vases, even small plants and flowers: Yuu, the youngest of the group, had taken to designing floral arrangements and he often practiced at home what he was learning from his mentor. Each of the residents had been honing new skills so they could eventually begin careers of their own, as Azula had intended for them all along. It pleased her to know they were on the right path to building better lives for themselves by now.
"Haiyan?" she called out loudly into the house, for there was no one in sight so far.
Within moments she heard the sound of movement upstairs. She waited, a keen eye on the stairs until Haiyan's tall frame appeared at the upper floor, rushing towards her at haste.
"Princess! I had thought you might arrive a little later, with all your council meetings…" said Haiyan, smiling as she made her way towards Azula "Is everything well?"
"Well enough, so far" Azula said, nodding "It seems the council's debate is near its completion by now… which only means I'll be busier yet in the coming months, but I hope I'll be able to make time to drop by once in a while"
"If it's too difficult for you to check on us, I can write reports for you, send them through messenger hawk, perhaps?" said Haiyan "You know things are moving along smoothly here, so it might be best if you focus on your new endeavors…"
"It might, but I'd rather involve myself with everything, even if just slightly" Azula smiled "So, how smoothly, if I may ask? I was under the impression Zan's apprenticeship was near its end by now…"
"It is, and she's done well enough that her master has already offered to hire her in full" said Haiyan, smiling "She always says it's not the most difficult of jobs, but there seems to be plenty to deal with in managing stores, from my understanding"
"That's good to hear" said Azula, nodding "And the others?"
"Still hard at work. Lee has had some trouble keeping up with other apprentices at the Royal Smith, but he's still doing his best… Min worries me slightly. I thought he was on the right path at last, but he's decided education isn't his thing and…"
"And?" Azula said, raising her eyebrows.
"Well, he's fallen back on helping me around the house again, as he did back when he first got here" said Haiyan, biting her lip "He fashions himself as my assistant, or so. I can't say I mind, it's nice to have help but… I don't know if it's the best he can hope for"
"From what you've mentioned, he appeared unlikely to pursue any traditional professions" Azula said, raising an eyebrow "Either he just lacks any such ambitions, or his actual vocation is to be found here… and I can't say I mind if that's the case. As long as he's helpful and not a burden for you, all should be well"
"I thought so too, but… I figured they should try to take their chances to have better lives, right?" said Haiyan "Kun has had a steady job for three months now, he's even talking about finding his own house to live in once he's saved up enough… it seems unfair that Min wouldn't have a similar opportunity"
"Well, his fortune may yet change. It's too soon to tell so far" Azula said, shrugging "Either way, I'd give him time to decide what he hopes to make of himself. Try not to worry about it too much"
"Very well, then. I'll try" said Haiyan, with a weak grin.
"At any rate, here's your allotted money for the coming month" Azula said, offering a bag to Haiyan "You've managed your finances successfully, but, as ever, if anything comes up…"
"I'd let you know for sure, but I think we'll be fine" said Haiyan, smiling "Thank you, Princess, as always"
"I take it your husband is busy at work too?" Azula asked "If he were home, he would've likely already talked my ear off about whatever nonsensical story he wants to write next…"
"Oh, yes" Haiyan smiled fondly "It seems there was a good lineup of fighters at the Dome today. He's quite pleased, it seems his articles are doing well, and his boss is finally trusting his judgment better"
"Well, considering his articles may just have breathed life into the dying League after that catastrophe earlier this year, it's only fitting" Azula said, breathing deeply "Greet him for me when he returns, I suppose"
"Of course" said Haiyan, bowing her head and smiling as Azula made her way to the door again "Like I said, it's fine if you can't make time to come next week… but if you can I'll see you then!"
"Indeed, you shall" said Azula, grinning back and opening the door "Have a good day, Haiyan"
"You too, Princess. Thanks for your visit!"
Azula acknowledged the two Enforcers outside once more before striding up to Xin Long. The dragon was busy fluffing up his mane before his many new admirers now, a satisfied grin on his face, his eyes closed. Azula rolled her eyes and stepped up, arms crossed. Upon her arrival, the many onlookers bowed and scurried away quickly, without the dragon's awareness.
By the time Xin Long opened his eyes again he found he was alone, save for his skeptical, judgmental rider. His gasp was comical enough, easily shattering Azula's resolve to remain stoic. The dragon glared at her accusingly, quick to determine it was her fault that his many fans had vanished.
"Yes, that's quite right, they saw me and fled" Azula smiled "I'm just that terrifying"
Xin Long grumbled that she was nowhere near as scary as she pretended to be, but Azula had climbed on his saddle by then and spurred him to take to the skies once more.
"That's the secret to success, though, Xin Long. You ought to know as much" she said "Intimidation is ever a helpful tool, even if it requires a bit of exaggeration and a lot of acting…"
Xin Long snickered, acknowledging he had learned quite a bit about her philosophies of intimidation over the years. He made his way through the skies as he agreed with her, admitting it was a lot of fun to play with people's perceptions and misconceptions as they both often did.
The Enforcers' Compound had been erected well outside the Capital's crater, to the north. Construction had been taken care of within a short time, an advantage only available nowadays, since earthbending builders sped up processes that could easily take the Fire Nation half a year without any earthbending involved. The Compound was wide rather than tall, consisting of a large building with several inner courtyards equipped for different kinds of training: firebenders, non-benders and even two earthbenders had enlisted when the recruitment call had been issued, and there were areas enabled for the practicing of each art.
Regardless of bending skills, though, everyone was required to learn non-bending forms of combat, as commanded by Azula. Unsurprisingly, the benders were less used to fighting with weapons, but within a month of training they had adapted well enough to new fighting styles. At least, that was what the Enforcers' sword master had told Azula, the last they'd spoken of the matter.
She smiled immediately upon glimpsing him in his courtyard, even at a distance. He stood at the front of a group of sixty women as they progressed through a routine of katas they had been rehearsing since last week. Their footwork had improved considerably, and by now they were far more confident in the handling of their blades.
All in all, it was obvious Sokka was proud of his progress with these soldiers. He watched them intently, his eyes trained to find each flaw in their movements, but by now there were far less mistakes than correct stances, and he considered that a victory. Merely two months ago, most these women wouldn't have expected to pick up a sword in their lifetimes.
"Parry, dodge and stab!" Sokka finally commanded, and with the respective war cries, each woman followed his orders until they were pointing their wooden blades forward, their bodies lunging carefully enough, maintaining balance while stretching to meet an invisible enemy with their weapons.
Sokka smiled and nodded, raising an arm to signal the end of their drill. As they had been taught by the Armed Forces instructors, the Enforcers fell into a perfectly rehearsed position of ease, their hands behind their backs, their legs separated on the same level as their shoulders.
"Not bad at all! You're getting the hang of things by now" Sokka declared "Most of you have it already, but… Yazhu, more power into those thrusts. Xiulan, you lost balance at the third stance: be more careful next time…"
Xin Long landed carefully at the rooftop that surrounded the courtyard. Azula smirked as she listened to Sokka's recommendations to the Enforcers, amused by how serious he was with his instructions. After all the grief Azula had given him when he first taught her the basics of sword fighting, she had no doubt he was rather pleased that his newest students were far more dutiful and eager to listen to him than she had been.
Azula wasn't the only spectator of the lesson, though: not far behind the group of recruits stood a woman at least twenty years Azula's senior. She hadn't risen above the position of Lieutenant in the Domestic Forces: as soon as Ozai's announcement about the formation of the Enforcers had become public, Mei Xun had come forward to request a transfer into the new squad, where she had been promoted immediately into the position of Captain. She seemed quite satisfied with the group so far, ever obedient and awaiting Azula's orders and updates regarding the new slavery laws.
She wasn't the only new face Azula had grown accustomed to over the past month: three male officers had joined the Enforcers as well, one of them a recently retired commander who hadn't adapted to life outside the military world as well as he had hoped to. He was tasked with administrative duties, whereas the two others, a Captain and a Sergeant of the Domestic Forces, were handling the thorough military instruction along with Mei Xun. They took care of theorical lessons, such as history, geography and strategy, as well as the discipline and military procedures the recruits had been learning through the month.
It wasn't an easy process, let alone could it be any easier when they were working against the clock as it was: Azula's plans required the Enforcers to be ready to uphold the new laws as soon as possible, and as promising as everything looked so far, the thought of failure was never too far from her mind. If the people, the nobility in particular, didn't take the Enforcers seriously, things could take an ugly turn for their service even before it began.
But it would do her no good to trouble herself with such thoughts right now. It was better to focus on how smooth the process had been up to date, on her efficiency at juggling her duties to near perfection so far, and that she had gotten along fairly well with all her newly appointed leaders for the Enforcers. As long as everything continued along this path, success would stop looking like a wishful dream and it would shift into a much more solid possibility.
"… And Lei, your legs don't need to be so far apart, you're more likely to lose your footing that way. Anyways, I think we're done for today…"
"Really? Can't we try the routine at least once more…?" asked one of the recruits at the front rows, looking at Sokka with hopeful eyes. He snorted.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it so much, but save it for tomorrow. Or, you know, practice it by yourselves later, why not?" he said, smiling "You're making great progress, though, so take pride on that!"
"Not too much pride, mind you" Captain Mei Xun declared, as she watched the recruits smiling excitedly at each other. Their expressions froze upon hearing their leader's voice "You have yet to be truly tested in battle, remember? Stay level-headed. Duty comes before pride"
Sokka's eyebrow twitched at Mei Xun's words, though he had no idea how to counter them. Unsurprisingly, the recruits seemed to agree with the Captain, and he decided to let himself lose that fight rather than defend his words. Mei Xun was probably right, after all…
"Well, be that as it may, class dismissed!" he said, waving one hand carelessly as he sheathed Space Sword with the other.
Xin Long decided to announce himself then, groaning before leaping down into the courtyard, right between Sokka and his recruits. The gladiator and sword master to the Enforcers smiled blissfully at the sight of the dragon, but most of all, at the rider on his back.
As much discipline as the recruits had been taught, they ever were awed in Xin Long's presence. So, once again, the dragon puffed his chest and waved his mane proudly before yet another crowd of admirers that gathered around him. Azula rolled her eyes.
"I think the one who needs to learn from Captain Mei Xun's lessons the most is you, obnoxious dragon" she said, pushing herself off the saddle and landing hard on the dirt courtyard.
"Azula!" Sokka exclaimed, beaming happily as he rushed towards her "I thought I'd heard him land on the rooftiles, but I didn't know for sure…!"
"Huh, you weren't sure, then?" Azula smirked "So, if Xin Long had decided to pounce on you, you would've had your guard down?"
"Uh… maybe. I mean, I wouldn't expect him to do me any real harm, right?" Sokka said, with a clumsy smile.
"Of course" said Azula, raising her eyebrows "If that's the kind of example you'll set for the Enforcers, perhaps I really should have looked for another sword master"
"Yeah, yeah, say what you will, you'd have to pay another sword master if you hired one and you know it's just so much cheaper and effective to have me train them" Sokka smirked knowingly.
Azula sighed in defeat, trying not to smile at being cornered by her gladiator's accurate enough assessment: as soon as she had brought up matters of instructing the Enforcers he had offered his services as freely as she could have expected of him, and she had known there was no better swordsman for the job either way. As it was, the Enforcers were competent enough fighters on par with senior students in the Military Academy, something unthinkable for soldiers who had spent only a month at work. As much as Azula believed many of the recruits were talented, she knew a lot of that progress came from the quality of their instructors, and Sokka was, without a doubt, one of the best amongst the four of them.
"Welcome again, Princess" said Mei Xun, smiling as she stepped through the group of recruits on her way to where Azula stood.
"Thank you, Captain Mei Xun" Azula said, nodding in her direction "I take it you've been hard at work since early in the morning?"
"Indeed, the soldiers are used to their routine by now" said Mei Xun "Will you offer them a new firebending lesson today? Or are you busy, perhaps?"
"I wouldn't say I'm too busy anymore, but I do have one pending matter to deal with" said Azula, glancing at Sokka. He had been silent through the women's conversation, and he held his tongue even when the Princess's attention was on him "I have no doubt he enjoys teaching swordsmanship over fighting in Arenas, but we've been away from the Gladiator League for far longer than we should have been"
"Oh? We're going to schedule a new fight?" Sokka asked.
"Unless you'd like to risk dropping out at this point, yes" Azula said. Sokka shuddered.
"After all these years, dropping out now?" he said "Yeah, I'd much rather not"
"I understand" said Mei Xun, nodding solemnly "Then I wish you the best of luck with that, Princess, Instructor Sokka"
"You could just call me Sokka…" he mumbled, despite knowing Mei Xun was ever proper and never seemed to drop the title when addressing him, regardless of how many times he had asked her to.
"I'll stop by tomorrow again, probably for a longer visit" Azula said, returning to Xin Long's saddle: the dragon was annoyed now because his admirers had decided to stick to protocol and not be distracted by him even if he was, indeed, magnificent "Keep up the good work with the recruits in the meantime"
"We shall, for sure" said Mei Xun, bowing her head as Azula climbed on Xin Long's saddle and offered Sokka a hand so he would climb after her.
"Do pass on my regards to the other commanding officers" said Azula, smiling a little "Until tomorrow, then, Captain Mei Xun"
"Of course, Princess" said Mei Xun "Farewell!"
Sokka waved at his students, who watched him with wide eyes, unable to contain their amazement now. The Princess always took off with her gladiator, but the recruits generally didn't get to see it directly, busy as they often were with other duties. This time around they were treated to the whole spectacle of the dragon flying with his rider and passenger, and it made for quite the impressive sight…
"Well, well, what are you all looking at? Head indoors for lunchtime right away or you'll go hungry for the rest of the day" Mei Xun declared, interrupting the girls' contemplation, and they scrambled quickly to the dining hall, in a not-yet orderly fashion. They still had plenty of work left in regards of discipline, but they would learn it before long, Mei Xun hoped.
It was hard to blame them for being distracted by the Princess and her gladiator, though. The flight of a dragon was ever a fascinating sight, and it didn't matter how many times she might watch it happen, even Mei Xun couldn't hold back from admiring the graceful creature from afar.
Xin Long didn't act half as gracefully when he was alone with Azula and Sokka, though. As easy as his flight was, he kept snorting and complaining about how dead-like the recruits were and how boring it was to visit them these days. Azula could only laugh and roll her eyes, relaxing against Sokka as soon as they were far enough from the Enforcers' Compound that not even the sharpest eye of any recruit would be able to discern their closeness.
"Setting aside Xin Long's lust for fame for now, you seem to be handling your class better and better every day, Sokka" said Azula, her face against her gladiator's neck "Well done"
"I'm just happy I can help you out somehow" Sokka said, a goofy grin on his face "In a sense, this whole matter of the laws and the Enforcers didn't feel all that real when you first told me about it, but now…"
"Things are looking a little more promising, at least?" Azula asked, her voice small. Sokka smiled at her and kissed her brow.
"Yeah, they are. We're making good progress, too… or at least, I assume we still are. Everything went okay with today's meeting?"
"Generally, yes. Though in regards of retribution there's no longer anything I can do at this point" she sighed. Sokka grimaced and shook his head.
"Wretched slave-holders, one day they'll really pay…" he grumbled. Azula smiled weakly.
"Even I shall, I suppose?" she asked. Sokka's eyes widened "You know, I've thought about it… if these laws were to hold me accountable for what I've done to you over the past years, and I were punished fairly-…"
"Oh, come on! That's not…!"
"I would surely be sentenced to at least ten years in prison. And that's being generous" Azula laughed.
"Not true! You're the best sponsor and I love you!" Sokka roared, hugging her tightly. Azula couldn't seem to stop laughing.
"Come on, I've set you on fire, I called you all sorts of insulting names, I've gotten you hurt so many more times than I can count…!"
"That doesn't matter, I would've gotten hurt for you even if you hadn't asked!" Sokka pouted.
"Ah. But the setting-you-on-fire part, and the name-calling, does count, right?"
"No, it doesn't, because…!"
"And this is exactly why you shall never be a man of law" Azula laughed "You are biased, terribly so. Shame on you, Sokka"
"Ugh, fine, I accept the wretched council's terms" he grumbled, dropping his head on her shoulder "But it's not fair for slaves who actually had it bad, way worse than me, and we both know it"
"That's what we'll remediate later on, I suppose" Azula said, biting her lip "This is bound to be a long process, but if we succeed at these early stages of enforcing the new laws we should have opportunities to change things for the better in the future too"
"I hope so" Sokka pouted before sighing and hugging her tightly "Say, though… we'll schedule a bunch of fights and then we'll go home?"
"I suppose… unless you have something else in mind?" Azula asked, with a smirk "Perhaps we could run more errands, though Xin Long will probably have a fit of rage and make us walk places instead of flying with us if we overwork him. He's not in the best of moods today"
"Oh, come on, buddy" Sokka said, patting Xin Long's flank. The dragon huffed, his tail swaying side to side "We believe you're magnificent and wonderful! You should stick with us rather than running off with complete strangers!"
Xin Long disagreed, especially as he knew the pair on his back were far more likely to forget all about him and devote themselves to each other completely, with their naked body-coupling and whatnot. He wasn't about to bother expecting otherwise from them, not at all.
Azula's blush told Sokka the dragon's response to his words had likely been inappropriate, so he smiled weakly and decided against convincing Xin Long of anything. It wasn't like Sokka wanted to keep on flying all day long, anyhow.
"Then again, I actually don't want to run errands. I don't know why I was trying to convince him to do it with us" Sokka said. Azula laughed softly "So, we'll have more than ten minutes of privacy for once in, well… a month?"
"Sounds like it. But we do have to go to the Dome first of all" Azula said, raising her eyebrows "So try to put all naughty thoughts out of your mind until we're on our way to your house, at the very least. You aren't exactly good at concealing that you're having dirty thoughts…"
"Oh, please, how would you know?" Sokka smirked "It's not like you can tell when I'm imagining whatever I might have a chance to do to you later…"
"So you'd think, but that goofy smile on your face and dazed eyes sure speak for themselves" Azula said. Sokka's grin vanished immediately, replaced by nervousness "Yes, you get so immersed in your fantasies you literally lose control of your facial expressions. It's actually pretty funny"
"N-no, it's not! Azula!" he squeaked, blushing as she laughed against his chest.
"Ah, somedays I just can't take how much I love you" she said, shaking her head as he remained flustered behind her. The words had appeased his outburst, though his heart still beat wildly upon hearing her say that.
"Heh. Somedays, you said?" he smiled, embracing her again "Damn it, Princess. You can deny it all you want, but you keep on proving you're a true romantic at heart"
"I'm hardly as bad as you are…"
"Sure, only because you're so much worse, we've been through this" he snickered, pressing his lips to her cheek. Azula scoffed playfully, reaching to clasp the neck of his shirt before pulling him in for a deeper kiss.
They parted once Xin Long alerted Azula that they were near the Dome already. Erasing the evidence of their crime was an easy routine by now, but pleasant warmth gathered in Azula's lower belly upon knowing this kiss was merely a first taste of what they would enjoy for the rest of their day. Ever since the slave executions and everything that came afterwards, both Azula and Sokka had been far too caught up with their duties to spend time together as they wished to, and needed to.
Finally, things were poised to change. Or so Azula hoped as they landed on the street, where Xin Long's ego was stroked again by the many passersby who gazed at him in wonder.
"It really baffles me how he just won't grow out of it" Azula was telling Sokka as they climbed the stairs to the building "I can barely tolerate it when people bow to me for too long anymore, but as far as he's concerned, everyone should be singing praises to him non-stop"
"He's becoming real needy lately" said Sokka, though his smile weakened quickly "I suppose it could be that he's lonely, last of his kind and all…"
"I know I should probably have given up all hope by now" Azula said, sighing "But there's no reason to assume there's no dragons left altogether. I'd like to think we just need to look harder"
"Yeah, I hope you're right" Sokka said, sighing "Though it does feel like we're way too busy lately to help him, huh?"
"All things considered, we may be able to take breaks soon" Azula said "I don't think it'll take over another week of debates with the council before the laws are finished. You should continue to train the recruits, but they've progressed enough that Mei Xun could take over for you, if need be…"
"And then we could just travel the Earth Kingdom to find more dragons?" Sokka asked, amused.
"You know, we did tour the Earth Kingdom long ago to find Rhinos, so…" Azula said, smirking "It might make Xin Long happy if we do that, who knows?"
"He should definitely have more fun if he travels with us" Sokka said, smiling approvingly "Of course, this is all pretty vague, but it'd be great to do it one day"
"One day. Like so many pending things we still have to do" said Azula, with a shrug.
"Well, Piandao wanted me to learn patience ages ago. If anything, I guess I've learned some, after all this time" Sokka said.
"I suppose Xin Long has had no choice but to learn some, too" Azula admitted with a sigh, as they finally reached Shoji's counter.
The young man had been busy stashing away newly-filed challenges when he sensed two shadows towering over him. He was on edge immediately, fearing it would be an intimidating sponsor or two… and his face broke into a smile wider than Sokka's own as soon as he identified his favorite gladiator and sponsor combination.
"Princess! Blue Wolf!" he exclaimed happily "Oh, I'm so glad you came back! Have you recovered from the poison, then?"
"Oh… yeah, actually" said Sokka, with a crooked grin "At this point I'd damn near forgotten about it…"
"Seriously? After all the trouble it gave you, you forgot about it?" Azula snorted, rolling her eyes "No sense of self-preservation, I could swear…"
"It's great you're here, though" said Shoji, beaming "I'd been wondering if it was right to send your challenges to the Palace, but it seemed a bad idea at the time…"
"Well, you could do that. I've been busier than usual lately" Azula admitted. Shoji smiled with unease.
"You sure? Because… it's a lot of challenges" he said, standing up and biting his lip "Much more than your usual amount. Uh, you want to see them, I suppose?"
"Of course. That's what we came here for" Azula stated, and Shoji nodded nervously.
"Okay, okay, I… I'll bring them in a second. Just… wait shortly"
Azula raised an eyebrow when Shoji didn't walk to his usual cabinets. Instead, he entered the storage room where he had kept Sokka's boomerang safely until Azula could retrieve it, back when he had lost it in his fight against Toph.
"You don't think we had so many challenges they no longer fit in a cabinet, do you…?" Azula asked Sokka, who snorted and looked at her in disbelief.
"That's ridiculous, who could possibly get that many challenges?"
Azula couldn't quite answer the question before Shoji reappeared, pushing a two-decker cart with him. A cart with three different baskets, all of them full of organized papers.
Both Azula and Sokka stared in shock as Shoji smiled awkwardly, stopping the cart right before his counter. On the upper deck were two baskets, one so stuffed it looked like the papers barely fit in it, the other still full but not quite as much. The bottom basket was slightly emptier than the others. Shoji breathed deeply, running a hand through his hair as the gladiator and sponsor failed to give their eyes any credit.
"Well, if you really wish to know who gets so many challenges… I have a few carts like these, for some gladiators" he said, with a small shrug "Such as Combustion Man, Flameheart, the Lightning Master…"
"Huh. And… we're already getting so many challenges you need a cart for us too?" Azula asked, eyebrows raised. Shoji shrugged.
"You did defeat the top-ranked non-bender. It's only part of the consequences" he said "At any rate, I've worked to keep this well sorted but, uh… it's hard. I think I forgot to put away this week's expired challenges… but I'm still storing them in the bottom basket! I kept them there in case you'd like to fight anyone whose challenge is already past the time limit, if they interest you…"
"Uh, so that's the bottom basket?" Sokka asked "And the top ones are…?"
"Ah, non-benders and benders" Shoji pointed at each basket. The fuller one, of course, was that of non-benders.
"Okay. I guess people want to kick my ass more than ever, huh?" said Sokka, picking up a few challenges from the non-bender basket "Did I get challenged by every non-bender in the League, by any chance?"
"Well, possibly not. But you did get challenged by several of them more than once, so that's also why you have so many challenges" said Shoji "Uh, the Dark Rook alone must have sent around seven challenges, I believe"
"Woah, boy. You don't suppose his sponsor wants to dethrone me, do you?" Sokka asked Azula with a derisive smile. Azula snorted.
"He may wish to, but we are free to avoid him for as long as we feel like it" she said "I think I'd rather have you fight a bender this time, truth be told"
"Yeah, I agree" Sokka said, smirking at her "I do miss beating up firebenders as easily as I ever do…"
"Oh, no doubt you do" she asked, raising her eyebrows and glaring at him meaningfully. Sokka chuckled "Seeing as the only firebender you've been fighting lately is me, and I defeat you thoroughly every time…"
"Every time? Now that's an overstatement, Princess, really…"
"You're incorrigible" Azula said, rolling her eyes but smiling "Come on, stop talking nonsense and help me choose someone"
"As you wish. A firebender it is" he snickered. Azula lightly elbowed his ribs, only prompting him to laugh more.
Shoji smiled as he watched them split the pile of bender challenges evenly. It was ever fun to watch them work together, for it was easy to see just why they comprised such a great team. Their camaraderie came easily to them, and it was something that Shoji had seldom seen in most other gladiators and sponsors. It seemed odd that the Princess of the Fire Nation would appear less stuck-up than other sponsors… but Shoji remembered she had been colder before. She had grown far more responsive to her gladiator's nonsense over time, and it seemed to Shoji she was much happier for it.
"So, who's this Solaris girl?" Sokka asked, bringing Shoji out of his thoughts momentarily.
"Oh, she's around the 300th spot, I doubt you're interested in fighting her"
"Well, no. That's too low, might not be entertaining enough" Sokka continued, ever letting his eyes shift towards Azula, looking for a reaction from his secret lover. Her narrow glare was just enough to make him chuckle again.
"Bonfire?" asked Azula.
"Somewhere near the 250's" Shoji said, nodding. Azula sighed.
"Backbone Breaker? Sounds like someone who's pretty full of himself, huh?" said Sokka "But it's an earthbender, so never mind. And… huh, The Mist?"
"Also around the 250th, but she's a waterbender" said Shoji, biting his lip "Before you ask, I don't know her story. She's never come here. She only fights in the Southern Coliseum"
Azula hadn't paid much attention to Shoji as he offered details about this new fighter, but what he revealed gave her pause once she processed it. She frowned, glancing at the young man with uncertainty, and he stared back at her with clear eyes. No doubt he didn't make the connection, of course he couldn't, Shoji didn't know better. But Sokka…
She tried not to panic, she really did. And yet her stomach sank so hard she nearly lost her footing upon seeing the expression on Sokka's face.
His reaction upon recognizing Rhone in the ranking had been nothing compared to this. Even when he had asked Shoji about Kyoshi's Heir he had been more level-headed…
This time, his jaw had dropped, all jokes about defeating firebenders long forgotten. His eyes were wide, and he was trembling as he held the challenge in his hands. No doubt he had to be experiencing even worse vertigo than Azula was…
"A-Azula…?" he said, his voice trembling as much as his body did, soft and unusually high-pitched "This…"
"Sokka…"
"Did you hear what he just said?! Azula, this could be…!"
"Sokka, I don't want to… I don't really like being the voice of reason here" said Azula, tentatively "But… maybe it's not her"
"What…? How could it not be?!" Sokka exclaimed, his eyes out of orbit as he waved the challenge around in a frenzy "A… a female waterbender! In the Southern Coliseum! W-where exactly in the south is that, Shoji?!"
"Uh, the Southern Coliseum is located in Whaletail Island" said Shoji, blinking blankly and glancing between the pair.
His answer only seemed to make the Blue Wolf more frantic. He even squeaked, dropping the paper, and walking in circles as he grabbed his head with both hands. Azula breathed deeply and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingertips. So much for a peaceful, happy afternoon, huh?
"Sokka…"
"It's her! It might be her! I-it could be her?!" Sokka exclaimed, rushing back to Azula to look at her desperately.
"Sokka, I understand… I think it's worth checking out too, if you do" she said, surprising Shoji when she grabbed Sokka's forearms as though to stabilize him "But… as much as the odds are in your favor, if it's not her, you're not going to fall apart on me, are you?"
"I… don't know. I… I would try not to" Sokka said, swallowing hard. Azula sighed and shook her head "B-but it could be Katara! Azula, please…!"
"I know that, but…" Azula said, letting go of him and huffing. Her true reservations were best not spoken, let alone spoken when they had company. She knew her personal fears were no reason to keep Sokka away from people he loved…
And yet amongst said fears was the thought that this could be a trap of some sort. What if it was a White Lotus agent, some northern waterbender posing as his sister just to lure him into their grasp? She was no stranger to manipulating challenges to trick an enemy, she had done it the moment she had stepped into the Gladiator Business…
But that was unimportant for Sokka. He'd rather be tricked and trapped than not find out if it was his sister or not.
"You'll never forgive yourself, or me, if we don't do this, right?" Azula finally said.
By then, Sokka had yanked his hair enough that most of it had fallen out of his wolf's tail. Instead of looking graceful, as he often did with his hair down, he looked like he'd been struck by lightning. No doubt, he had to be feeling as though that had just happened to him, too.
"I… w-well, I don't know if I'd go that far, but…" he said, calming down enough for moments just to look at Azula pleadingly "It could be my sister, Azula. I can't just… not do this. You understand that, right…?"
Azula sighed again and grimaced. Shoji's jaw had now dropped at Sokka's last revelation: so far, he had been conjuring all sorts of explanations, such as that they spoke of the Blue Wolf's waterbending wife whom he hadn't seen in years… but that it could be his sister only impressed the young man further. He stared at Azula intently, wondering now if the Princess would comply.
"Understand…?" Azula repeated "I can't say I'm remotely as desperate to see my brother as you are to see your sister, but… I guess I do understand, to some degree?"
"S-so… we'll do it? Yes?" Sokka asked, eyes glowing with hope. Azula swallowed hard.
"What are the odds that it's her?" she asked "I mean it, for real. I understand the location is good, and the gladiator's description fits, but… why would your sister leave the South Pole, and why would she join the Gladiator League if she did?"
"Uh… good point" said Sokka, blinking blankly "But… it'd mean she knows I'm in it too. I mean, a waterbender near the 250th position, challenging the Blue Wolf out of nowhere? Isn't it, well… likely that it was done on purpose?"
"I suppose…" said Azula. Sokka breathed deeply, despair now gleaming in his eyes.
"I need to know, Azula. I know things are busy, so if we can't go right away, I get it, but… at least can we challenge her for a fight in a few months? Something like that, I don't know…? Anything, really, so I can see if… if it's her?"
Azula gritted her teeth, but she knew she had been defeated anyhow. When had it really been a question whether she'd agree to this or not? She was incapable of denying this to Sokka. She knew how much his family meant to him, and after years of encouraging him to meet them, how dreadful would it be of her to take this opportunity away from him?
And if it wasn't his family… she'd be on her guard. If this was yet another ploy by the White Lotus, or some other enemy… well, perhaps it wouldn't even be a terrible thing. They had discussed joining forces with them to take down her father. They might have an opportunity to establish a truce of sorts with them, as long as they played their hand carefully… and as long as the White Lotus was involved at all, in the first place, and at this point she couldn't be sure that they were.
She breathed deeply, but instead of speaking, she nodded.
Sokka's eyes lit up, his face breaking into the largest grin it had sported in weeks.
It had been a longer blizzard this time. They huddled together under the thick and heavy blankets, waiting it out while hoping to save their energies. Their food supply had decreased through the week, unsurprisingly: finding prey had been difficult lately, and even fishing hadn't led to better results than the occasional small catch.
Even so, Zuko tried to remain optimistic. He had told Mari stories, he had talked with Suki about what they should do once the blizzard ended, promised he'd work extra hard at finding solutions for their food shortage… that Suki seemed reassured relieved him, although he had no idea how he would go about fulfilling any of those promises.
It had been fine for one day. On the second day, Mari had started complaining about wanting to go out. Within five days she was nothing but frustration, her energy finding no other outlet aside from tantrums and racing around the igloo recklessly. It didn't matter how much she complained, her parents were adamant about how dangerous it was to leave the igloo.
By the seventh day, the three were lying across the large sleeping bag, staring up at the ceiling with uncertainty. Gruff was lying down at their feet, napping as though he knew this would be yet another day without enough food to go around, and not much action to speak of. It would have seemed ridiculous to imagine they might spend the rest of their lives locked inside the igloo, but after seven days it was difficult to think otherwise…
"I want to be out" Mari pouted, for the thousandth time. Suki sighed and stroked her daughter's hair.
"So do I, dear, but if we leave now we'll end up buried in snow. And you don't want that, do you?"
"I… I burn it!" she declared, furrowed brow and arms crossed over her chest. Zuko smiled.
"As far as I know, snow can't burn, but I suppose if someone could set it on fire it's you" he said. Mari grinned proudly.
"Daddy says I'm the best firebender!" she said, and Suki smiled warmly at her daughter's claim.
Zuko and Aang had taken to bringing Mari to their training sessions on occasion, sometimes focusing on teaching her rather than Aang. The young firebender was, perhaps, too young, but Zuko knew it was better to teach her how to control her fire properly as soon as possible. He had once admitted to his sister that he feared his own fire, to some extent… her response to that had prompted him to believe it was best to teach Mari to love her fire, to cherish it, to consider it a gift rather than a curse. There was, no doubt, much about fire that needed to be handled with caution… but that was what the training was for, anyhow.
"No doubt your daddy is right" said Suki, smirking at Zuko "He's the second-best firebender, after all, so he should know just what he's talking about"
Zuko chuckled, but Suki's words confused Mari. She blinked blankly and looked at Zuko.
"But Daddy…" she said "He is the best too!"
"Oh, now, I'm sure he disagrees" Suki taunted Zuko, who chuckled and nodded.
"Absolutely. No way I'm better than the smartest, cutest and strongest firebender ever" he said, leaning close to kiss Mari's brow. She giggled, wagging her small feet under the blankets. Her ankle grazed Suki's prominent womb.
"Can I be out now?" she asked again, and the pleasant mood defused once more.
"No, love, not until we're told it's safe" said Suki, sighing.
"Though, how will anyone know if it is when they're all in their houses…?" Zuko asked "How does Hakoda know when this stuff's over, anyhow?"
"He lives with a waterbender who can keep the snow out of their house whenever he opens the door to check what's going on outside?" Suki theorized. Zuko bit his lip and shrugged.
"Well, makes enough sense, I suppose… though I suspect Mari would be able to burn the snow if we open the door, too"
"Well, of course she would, wonderful bender she is" said Suki, chuckling as Mari sat up, pushing down the covers when she did.
Doing so exposed Suki's body, as well as Zuko's. They were both thinner than when they'd arrived in the South Pole, even if they were also happier. Precisely because of how thin she was, Suki's newest pregnancy had been apparent even at its earliest stages. Now, five months in, she tired easier and needed more and better sustenance, despite she constantly claimed otherwise. It fell to Zuko often to remind her that she needed to eat well for their baby's sake as well as her own, for she often tried to take smaller rations to make sure Zuko and Mari had more to eat than she did.
Zuko had wanted this second child, but he hadn't expected life in the South Pole to take such a harsh turn throughout Suki's pregnancy. This wasn't their first blizzard in the last six months, even if it had been the longest: finding food had become difficult, many igloos had collapsed, and their occupants were forced to take refuge in other people's houses instead. The community was tighter than ever, but it took more than good bonds with other people to survive in these circumstances.
The more he thought about the future, the more Zuko worried. It was the light period, and thus, the ideal time to hunt and fish. The unforgiving weather conditions were generally bearable during the dark period, as long as they'd had a bountiful six months before it started… but if the light period was already so difficult, the dark one would be even worse. How were they going to ensure their survival at this rate? It tormented him to ponder such things, but Zuko's uncertainties only seemed more justified with each day they spent locked inside, with each time he laid eyes upon his wife's growing belly, ever wondering if they would be able to feed another child if they were already struggling so much with the first one.
In a sense, he wished now that they had waited. But at the same time, he already loved and treasured the next baby as much as he loved Mari. He only hoped he could guarantee it a decent life, much better than what they were undergoing right now.
"I want a cookie" Mari declared. Suki sighed and shook her head.
"We don't have any, dear" she said "As it is, we're left with… jerky"
"No, no jerky" Mari pouted.
"Hey, Mari?" Zuko called her "You haven't talked to Mommy's belly today. Want to give it a try?"
"Oh. The baby talks today?" she asked, excitedly, putting thoughts of food out of her mind.
How it pained Zuko to find himself looking for any means to distract his daughter from hunger rather than offering her food… while on some days he felt he had done right by his growing family, some days he wished he were stronger, more capable, more decisive: his daughter certainly deserved better than living like this. And yet he wasn't sure how to provide a better life to her, outside of leaving the South Pole…
And that, for the time being, seemed a terrible idea to him. The living was difficult, and the people could be harsh and set in their ways, but Zuko had never experienced genuine feelings of belonging before settling down in the South Pole. He was happy, if just for the small details in his daily life, and he could take pride in working to sustain his family. Once he had dreamt of being Fire Lord, the strongest man in the world, basking in his power, pride and riches… nowadays, he found the humble life of a commoner had become far more appealing for him.
That life would vanish if he left the Tribe. Outside of the South Pole he wasn't a refugee: he was an outlaw, or he would be considered one, for he had already spent over half a year helping Hakoda plan a small-scale incursion into Fire Nation territories. There wasn't meant to be a place for the Fire Lord's discarded son in a world where the freezing poles were the only lands free from his father's tyranny. Going anywhere else could be dangerous, and he wouldn't know for sure if he could provide for his family elsewhere. Even Kyoshi Island had lost some of its original appeal: if there were Fire Nation soldiers stationed there, as Suki had mentioned, there was a chance they might capture him and ship him off to the Capital before long, all be it so his father could lock him up someplace dark and distant, where he would no longer pose a threat, even if a minuscule one, for his plans for the world.
So the South Pole looked like the only alternative. And with the shortages they were experiencing, it seemed that their family's one opportunity for survival could also mean their doom.
Suki's insistent gaze upon him brought Zuko out of his ruminations. Mari was rambling at her mother's womb, her hands gently on her belly as she tried to feel the baby within. Zuko smiled nervously, knowing Suki had noticed he had been on a daze, and not of the good kind.
"What is it?" she asked, softly. Zuko sighed and shook his head.
"Nothing. Everything. Being cooped up in here makes me think too much about stuff I probably shouldn't be so worried about" he said, leaning closer to her for comfort "One thing at a time, right?"
"Right" said Suki, reaching out for his hand with her own "And for now, what matters is that we're safe and sound at home. We'll be out of here before you know it"
"Let's hope so" he sighed, biting his lip "I'm going to have to ask Hakoda about better hunting areas, though. If I'm going to bulk up our reserves…"
"One thing at a time, Zuko" said Suki, smiling fondly at him "Just relax, for the time being at least. Maybe this is the last blizzard and all the prey will come right out of their hiding places and…"
"Mommy, too noisy!" Mari exclaimed, startling her parents "I don't hear the baby!"
"Oh. Sorry" said Suki, grimacing.
"Are you hearing anything, though?" Zuko asked, amused. Mari huffed.
"No. Mommy's tummy is noisy too" she said "Mommy wants cookies!"
Suki sighed and dropped her head back in defeat. Their attempt to change the subject had failed, and their daughter still couldn't seem to feel her sibling kicking or shifting or doing anything that could hold her attention for longer than two minutes.
"There aren't any cookies, Mari" Suki repeated "I'll prepare lunch in a bit, so until then…"
"What do we lunch?" Mari asked, crawling up over the sleeping bag so she could be level with her parents' heads.
"It's going to have to be stew again" said Suki. Mari grimaced.
"Prune stew?"
"It's all we have left…"
"Prunes are gross!" Mari exclaimed, burying her face in her father's chest, as though hoping he'd protect her from the prunes. Zuko chuckled.
"Imagine they're cookies"
"No!" Mari insisted, pouting and groaning "Prunes are gross, gross, gross…!"
The girl repeated the word more times than Zuko could count, but his attention was grabbed by another sound he'd heard, under his daughter's cries. He bit his lip, hoping he wasn't hallucinating…
"Mari, love, can you be quiet for a moment?" he asked her. Mari pouted as Zuko hoisted her off his chest and sat up.
"Daddy?" she asked, as he scrambled out of the room.
"Zuko? Is something the matter?" Suki called. Zuko was already halfway to the igloo's front door.
A harsh knock brought a wide grin to his face. And as both Suki and Mari had heard it this time, they beamed brightly too.
Zuko opened the door at haste, finding a man clad in a blue parka outside. The snowfall had been so harsh that Katara and Aang were currently busy using their bending to shovel off mounds of snow off some rooftops past Zuko's home: going by the look of his igloo's entrance, they'd had to clear it too before Hakoda could knock on it.
"Ah, I was wondering if you were asleep" Hakoda said, smiling "All good in here?"
"Yeah! Well, other than desperate to leave, I guess" said Zuko, grinning as he heard the hasty footsteps of his daughter racing over the wooden floor, along with those of Gruff: the wolf-dog had woken upon hearing the creaking sound of the door, and he seemed pleased to know he finally would be free to go out into the snow again.
"Hakoda! Hi, Hakoda!" Mari exclaimed, beaming too as she reached the door "Can we be out and play?"
"I suppose you can, if your father and mother approve" said Hakoda, smiling gently "Though make sure to wear your boots and coat, Mari. It's very cold out here"
"Yeah!" Mari exclaimed, racing back inside to look for better clothing. Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes.
"As far as she's concerned, you're a bigger authority than either of her parents" said Zuko, looking at Hakoda matter-of-factly "If we told her no, she'd still run out because you said it was okay"
"Huh. Sorry about that" said Hakoda, grimacing "Parents should be the higher authority in their household, no doubt…"
"Well, hopefully Mari will learn that one day" Zuko smiled "Everything okay so far? Anyone ran out of supplies?"
"Kino and Aang did" Hakoda smirked "Only because Kino started stress-eating over the fifth day. Aang had to teach him meditative Air Nomad techniques so he'd calm down, and I don't think he succeeded"
"Kino, meditating? Sounds unreal" said Zuko, with a small grin.
By then, Mari had already put on her parka, drawn her hood over her head and tucked her small feet inside her comfy boots. Zuko watched her silently as she ran to the door, and she stopped only for a moment to glance up at him.
"Gruff and I are going out now" she said. Zuko raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"With whose permission?" he asked.
"Hakoda said we could be out!" Mari declared proudly. Zuko sighed and shook his head.
"Stay close by, alright? Or at least near Katara and Aang, you hear me?"
"Yeah!"
Without further ado, the toddler raced out into the snow, kicking it excitedly as she jumped and laughed, rejoicing in her regained freedom, with her father's wolf-dog trailing after her. Gruff wasn't as likely to play as he was to protect her, serious and fierce as he ever had been. Zuko watched the pair with a small smile, hoping Mari would know to stay away from the igloos Katara and Aang were currently digging out of their respective snow-ins…
"She's so light on her feet…" said Zuko, proudly.
"She certainly is" chuckled Hakoda "At any rate, is Suki well?"
"She's… hungry" said Zuko, biting his lip "Truthfully, we were running out of supplies by now, too. Are you guys any better off?"
"Not quite, but…" said Hakoda, before shaking his head "No worries, Zuko. It looks like the worst of the storm is gone by now. We can have an outdoors meal, the whole Tribe, and that way we can put together all we have left to help each other"
"Thank you" said Zuko, relief surging inside him "I'll probably not eat too much anyhow, but… Suki really needs it"
"Pregnant women are always given priority in the Tribe, don't worry" said Hakoda, patting Zuko's shoulder "Nevertheless, we'll send out the hunting parties as soon as everyone's accounted for. Things are getting pretty dire for everyone"
"Yeah, that's what it looks like" said Zuko, sighing "What do you guys do with harsh winters? I mean, this isn't exactly winter, but…"
"But it makes you wonder, huh? If it's this bad in summer, winter will be a nightmare" said Hakoda, shaking his head "The Tribes have endured bad seasons, we will survive these as well. But… I'd be lying if I said it's easy. Not everyone lives to see the coming year"
Zuko's heart sank upon hearing those words. Hakoda didn't mean to scare him, only to prepare him for what might come in the future… but it was a terrifying prospect nonetheless. He swallowed hard, nodding as his jaw remained set, tense, his fists clenched.
"Hakoda?" Suki called from inside the igloo. Just from her voice tone, Zuko could tell she was smiling "How are you? Did Katara and Kanna handle the blizzard well?"
"Well enough" said Hakoda, smiling "My mother doesn't often leave the house these days either way. She seemed happy enough for the company"
"She's strong, always has been" Suki said, climbing out of the igloo, fully dressed in her coat and boots.
She surprised Zuko when she clad his shoulders with his own parka. It wasn't until she'd done it that he realized just how cold he was, standing at his igloo's threshold without the proper outerwear for it. He smiled gratefully at his wife, who grinned back at him before squeezing his shoulder gently.
"That she is" Hakoda said, smiling and nodding "Either way, I hope you're feeling well"
"Better now that this mess of a blizzard is over" said Suki, grimacing "How much damage was there this time?"
"We're not sure yet" said Hakoda "Aang and Katara wanted to unearth you guys as quickly as possible, though. Well, Katara unearthed Aang and Kino first, then she and Aang came to your door, but they're busy digging everyone out, so…"
"We shouldn't distract them yet, I take it" said Suki, smiling with understanding "Not even to thank them, they're working so hard to help everyone out…"
"Kat-Kat! Kat-Kat!"
Mari's nickname for Katara broke through the mostly silent Tribe. Her parents, so relaxed a moment ago, were now grimacing with uncertainty.
"So much for no distractions" sighed Zuko, helping Suki out into the snow as they set out to fetch his reckless daughter.
The little girl had raced happily through the snow until she had found her very favorite Tribe member: Katara and Aang were brushing off the snow piled on an igloo when the girl's voice reached them.
"Ah, Mari!" Katara said, beaming as she greeted the red-haired girl "You're looking as cute as ever, aren't you?"
Mari stopped right before Katara: Gruff, always tailing her, had slowed down as Aang offered to pet his head. The Avatar had a way with animals, having charmed the generally stern Gruff with the ease expected from him.
"I'm glad you're okay, Mari, Gruff" he said, smiling at them both.
"We are hungry" said Mari, grinning "Do you have a cookie, Kat-Kat?"
"Not right now, dear" said Katara, smiling sympathetically "I'm helping the rest of the Tribe, you see…"
"They're hungry too" said Aang, with a sad smile. Mari bit her lip and looked down at the snow.
"Everyone needs cookies…" she said. Katara smiled and nodded.
"Everyone should have cookies together, yes. Even your parents, who are storming their way towards us right now… quite awkwardly, too"
Aang chuckled at the sight of Zuko stomping through the thick layers of snow that Mari had raced over so easily. The banished Prince grimaced with annoyance, clearing the way so Suki could follow him far more easily through the snow he had already shifted.
"Mari!" Zuko called the girl, who turned and looked at him with innocent and confused eyes "I said you could stay near them, but they're working, okay? Don't hinder them"
"What's… hinder?" Mari asked, the word foreign to her still-growing vocabulary. Zuko grimaced.
"It means don't be a bother" Katara said, curtly, before wrapping her arms around the little girl "What your goofy father doesn't know is you're never a bother, little one!"
"I'm not a hinder! I don't hinder Kat-Kat!" Mari declared, proudly. Zuko scowled at Katara.
"Well, fine. If you can't finish unearthing everyone today because you're distracted with Mari, that'll weigh on your conscience, not mine" he grunted. Katara laughed and shook her head.
"Nonsense. Mari will help us!" she said, lifting Mari carefully "She's the best firebender in the world, isn't she?"
"Yeah!" Mari exclaimed.
"She can help by melting the snow" Katara said, poking the little girl's nose with her fingertip. Mari giggled as Zuko raised an eyebrow.
"That… sounds like a good training exercise, to some degree" he acknowledged. Behind him, Suki laughed.
"Thanks for helping us out earlier" said Suki "Let us know if you need us to take Mari out of your hair later"
"I'm not in Kat-Kat's hair!" Mari exclaimed, and Katara laughed while nodding.
"Thank you. I'm sure it'll be fine" she said, before glancing at Aang "Ready for the next one?"
Aang nodded and grinned, patting Gruff's head gently again.
"Go back to your family, buddy. I'll play with you later" he said. Gruff panted happily as Aang turned to the nearest igloo and set himself to work on bending away the snow before it, with Katara's help.
Mari seemed to rejoice in melting the snow with her small plums of fire, and Zuko was left to sigh as Gruff returned to him, ever dutiful and protective of his masters.
"At least she's being helpful. It could be worse" said Suki, sliding a hand into Zuko's. He grinned.
"Yeah. I have to say, though, she really loves involving herself with just about everything that's happening, huh?"
"I don't think that's always a terrible thing" said Suki, watching as Mari finished melting a batch of snow at Aang's request "But I guess she'll learn her place better as she ages, right?"
"Hopefully" said Zuko, glancing behind himself now.
Hakoda was knocking on other unearthed igloos' doors, checking on their residents to ensure they were okay. The families who had the bigger igloos had taken in those who only lived in tents, offering them better protection than a few furs ever could. Hakoda himself had taken in a few of them, seeing as he even had a room to spare, aside from the space in his living room. Once it was clear the dangers were truly behind them, they would all return to their tents and everything would go back to normal… or at least, that was how it had been over the course of the previous blizzards.
"So… one thing at a time indeed" said Suki, noticing Zuko's daze once more. He bit his lip "I guess the first thing's done. Now… what do we do about food?"
"Hakoda said he'll call for an outdoors meal, for everyone to share the food they have left" he explained "He said he'd arrange for hunting parties to take off soon, too. So…"
"Right" said Suki, biting her lip "And I suppose you absolutely must go along, huh?"
"Well, I wouldn't quite say absolutely, but I'd like to" Zuko said, frowning "I need to do my part too, both for our family and for the Tribe"
"Right" said Suki, smiling fondly and gazing up at him "Well, I'm certainly glad you're so committed to helping everyone out. Who knew we'd feel so attached to this icy, forsaken tundra as we are now?"
"I certainly didn't" said Zuko, with a weak grin "Either way, I'll try to go out hunting more often. All the planning for that crazy rescue mission has been more time-consuming than it should have been, anyone would agree on that…"
"Well, you've all been working hard on building and strengthening the new ships, too" said Suki, with a shrug.
"And after the blizzard they're probably a mess now" Zuko sighed, shaking his head "All that hard work, gone to waste…"
"Not to waste. It's only a setback, I suspect" said Suki, patting his chest gently "You've done well, Zuko. Don't punish yourself for not being able to stand against literal forces of nature, of all things…"
Zuko chuckled a little, the teasing smile on his wife's lips too inviting not to steal a kiss from them. It was easy to forget the hunger, the struggles and even the coldness that often chilled them to the bone when she smiled at him that way. She grounded him so easily it was uncanny: he belonged by her side, he had no doubt about it, and he would ever welcome her wisdom when she offered it.
"A-ah, there you are, you guys…"
Unsurprisingly, their kiss was interrupted by the usual source of interruptions in the Tribe. Zuko held back from rolling his eyes at the sound of his voice, and Suki smiled despite knowing Zuko was as exasperated by Kino's bad timing as ever.
Though when they both glanced at him it was hard not to laugh at the sight of the shivering man, shifting in the snow with difficulty due to the multiple layers of parkas, coats and furs he had wrapped around his body. Even like that, his teeth chattered under the cool breeze.
"Wow. I had never seen a talking pile of laundry in my life. That's new" Zuko said, earning himself a playful slap to the shoulder, courtesy of his amused wife.
"I-I know this is very undignified, but it's bloody cold!" Kino whined "I mean, it tends to be cold, but that blizzard was just too much and I just…"
"Ate all your igloo's food supply, from what Hakoda told me" Zuko said. Suki's eyes widened as Kino grimaced guiltily.
"You… oh, Kino! That's so reckless!"
"I was anxious! It was, well, stress-eating! It wasn't even that much food!" he pouted.
"I'm just glad you weren't hosting anyone else at your igloo" Suki sighed, shaking her head "You need to think things through when facing emergencies, Kino. You should know that"
"I guess I should, I mean, I was a soldier and all!" Kino sighed "But it's just so hard… I think it's because I've been living like this for too long. The sunlight doesn't warm, I can't eat fire flakes…"
"Yet you can go fishing, just as you always dreamt to" Zuko said, with a crooked grin "Actually you should go again soon, I suppose, unless you'd rather join the hunting party…"
"Ugh, no. I suck at hunting. And at fishing too, admittedly" Kino said, scratching his head "But at least with fishing I can just sit and wait for the fish to do the work rather than sneak around like some creepy predator, right?"
"That's what I am, then? A creepy predator?" Zuko asked, an eyebrow twitching as Kino looked at him in terror.
"N-no, no, no! I wasn't trying to insult…!"
"Well, I'd much rather describe you as a handsome and skilled warrior" Suki said, smirking and wrapping an arm around Zuko's waist. He smiled at her "But to each their own…"
"Oh, why do I always say the wrong thing…" Kino sighed, shaking his head even though it was clear neither Zuko nor Suki held his bad choice in wording against him, chuckling as they were.
Hakoda had finished his checkups in most igloos near Aang's area, and he walked back towards where Kino, Zuko and Suki stood, only to find the married pair visibly enjoying themselves at Kino's expenses. The sight brought a smile to his face as he moved past them and made his way towards one of the latest igloos Katara and Aang had cleared.
It was the most recent one in the village: Yuro had worked hard on it, and it had stayed strong through the blizzards so far. All the same, their circumstances were worrisome: Yuro's wife, Siku, had given birth to their son merely a week before this blizzard started. As such, they were, presumably, one of the more defenseless households in the face of the crisis they'd just dealt with.
Yuro was a smart and cautious young man, though. Chances were he had stacked up on supplies, that he would have helped his wife and son to bear with the harsh conditions of the blizzard… with such hopes in mind, Hakoda knocked on the door and waited for a response. It came within moments, the door swinging open hastily.
And there stood Yuro, eyes red and puffy, his body trembling for reasons other than the cold.
Hakoda froze at the sight, not realizing Yuro was mouthing something, even if his voice didn't seem to accompany the movement of his lips right away. Only after a moment did Hakoda understand what Yuro wanted:
"Katara… please, Katara…"
"Just… wait a moment. Wait, Yuro" said Hakoda, gritting his teeth before rushing through the snow.
The blur of blue that was Hakoda's racing shape caught Zuko's eye. He frowned, following him with his gaze as Hakoda dashed to his daughter's current location, many igloos away already, with Mari still in her arms.
"What just…?" said Suki, eyeing Hakoda with uncertainty too.
By the time Katara handed Mari over to Aang and ran back to Yuro's igloo with Hakoda, Zuko and Suki had seen Yuro. He stood like a ghoul before his door, eyes wide and unfocused, body swaying gently as though a slightly stronger breeze might knock him over. The horror across his features spoke for itself.
"Zuko…" said Suki, all good humor and relief forgotten by now. Even Kino, ever inappropriate and clumsy, was staring at Yuro in silent shock, uncertain of what to do or say.
Katara reached Yuro, who reacted by pulling her inside the igloo quickly. Hakoda seemed hesitant to follow at first, but he did as much before long. After that, there was nothing but silence. Absolute silence.
That should have spoken for itself. Few two-week-old babies were silent in the Water Tribe. It took Zuko longer to reach that conclusion than it took Suki, who covered her mouth with her hands as realization dawned upon her.
"Guys…" said Aang, approaching them with Mari in his arms "Did you see anything? Is Yuro alright, or…?"
"We don't know" said Kino, biting his lip "He just… stood there, waiting for Katara, I guess. But… we don't really know what's going on"
Suki reached out to pick up her daughter, who seemed delighted to be taken into her mother's arms now. And yet Suki's frantic embrace wasn't merely an attempt to alleviate Aang from having to look after the little girl, nor was it meant to appease a child who didn't understand the gravity of the situation, of the tragedies that could take place in such merciless living conditions…
Suki's behavior alarmed Zuko, whose eyes widened as he finally inferred what was wrong with Yuro. The blood seemed to chill inside his body as he stared at the open door of the igloo, waiting, waiting for good news, dreading that they might not receive any…
A woman's cry pierced through the silence suddenly. An anguished wail, carrying with it the unequivocal quality of grief.
Aang's stomach sank. Kino gasped. Suki pressed her face to her daughter's shoulder, hiding the tears that were already pooling in her eyes.
And Zuko's hands tightened into fists, his teeth clenched.
It was Hakoda who climbed out of the igloo again, sorrow plain across his weary features. He had lost more than enough throughout his life, and he was no stranger to death… but it hurt all the same.
He raised his eyes to look at the group, and with just that glance, he confirmed Zuko's fears.
The Tribe had lost one member that day. And now, the fear in both Hakoda and Zuko's minds had shifted into even darker thoughts: how many more people would they lose by the time the merciless winter arrived?