For the Love of a Princess
- Thread starter drakensis
- Start date
ôWhat are you doing here?ö ZukoÆs voice was tight as he addressed his sister. The scar was ugly enough, but I was more concerned by the look in his eyes. Iroh wasnÆt looking cheerful either, reinforcing my impression that he was dangerous and not just as a firebender, but ZukoÆs instant suspicion was just one step short of hatred. I suppose I should be comforted that he wasnÆt looking at me like that.
WeÆd been sitting on either side of a window when the other pair entered the small building. This part of the local colony was almost a resort. Very pretty. Walking from the bright sunshine outside, it wasnÆt entirely surprising that neither man appeared to have noticed us until now.
Azula played innocent, picking up one of IrohÆs keepsake shells to examine rather than facing her brother. ôIn my country we exchange a pleasent hello, before asking questions.ö The last three words coincided with her returning her attention to Zuko and the vitriol in her gaze was matched by an increasing coldness in her voice. She uncrossed her legs and walked over to him. ôHave you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?ö
ôDonÆt call me that!ö
Iroh kept better control of himself, bowing slightly. ôTo what do we owe this honour?ö A flicker of his eyes suggested he was keeping tabs on me as well.
ôHmm. Must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point.ö She closed her fingers and the delicate seashell fragmented. Iroh looked shocked and then annoyed. Great. Just perfect. Piss him off, why donÆt you? At least he was focusing on Azula again. ôFather sent me with a message.ö IÆd advised her to get that out front straightaway. Not even Zuko was foolish enough to believe that his sister wanted him to return from exile, so indicating that it wasnÆt her preference would provide verisimilitude. She looked away. ôHe wants you home. Family is suddenly very important to him. HeÆs heard rumours of plans to overthrow him, treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust.ö
I donÆt think Zuko had heard a single thing after the word home. The one eye I could see widened û IÆm sure the other one did too, as far as the scar tissue allowed. He looked younger without the scowl. For a moment I felt the temptation to pin him down, shave off the topknot and paint an arrow on his scalp. Failing to get an audible reaction she turned her head back towards him. ôDid you hear me? You sh-ô
I coughed discreetly. ôAzula, give him a moment. IÆm sure heÆs just surprised.ö I lowered my voice slightly. ôWho wouldnÆt be.ö
ôHmm. Perhaps youÆre right.ö She ostentatiously ignored the fact her brotherÆs moment of absorption. ôAh, the two of you havenÆt met before, have you? This is my brother, Zuko. And Zuzu? This is my fiancÚ, Liao.ö
ôDonÆt call me that,ö he mumbled reflexively and then he blinked. ôFiancÚ?ö
ôYes, the man IÆm going to marry someday. Surely you do remember that grandfather arranged a marriage for me.ö And not for you, was the implication. A touch unfair of course. IÆm quite certain Azulon would have, if heÆd lived longer.
Iroh smiled politely. ôI thought I saw a resemblance to the great General Quan. How is your father?ö
I bowed slightly. ôDead, sir. Just a few weeks ago.ö
ôI am sorry to hear that. He was a fine officer and a good man.ö
I nodded solemnly. ôHe died doing his duty, general. And it was a clean death as such things go.ö Stoicism seemed like the best course of action. It was hard to muster a great deal of emotion now. IÆm hardly immune to grief, but it was hard to muster for a man I had never actually met.
Having gathered his wits during the conversation, Zuko stepped over to the window and rested his hands on the wooden sill. ôFather... wants me back?ö He sounded as if he was afraid to believe it.
I looked over at Azula and she smirked as if to say æitÆs your plan, you do thisÆ. I squared my shoulders. ôNo, he doesnÆt.ö
ôWhat!? But ûô
ôHe wants your uncle to be visible support for him. As Azula said, there have signs of disloyalty. Your ship being destroyed would be one of them. However out of favour you might be, you are part of the royal family. An attack upon you is an attack on your fatherÆs authority. You are being allowed to return home because the Fire Lord does not wish to ask that General Iroh choose between obedience or your protection.ö I paused, trying to ignore AzulaÆs predatory smile and the way ZukoÆs shoulders slumped. ôWith that said... you have, as it were, a second chance. If you can impress him, show that youÆve changed, that youÆre worthy of his respect... well. Who can say?ö
æNot many get a second chance. DonÆt screw it up.Æ Who had written those words for me to read?
Zuko looked torn between tears, relief and challenging me to an Agni Kai. Given his past experience I thought that the latter was the most likely. ôYou think IÆll fail, donÆt you?ö
I shrugged. ôLike most things, your highness, itÆs in your hands. If you have the strength to be the next Fire Lord then good for you. If you donÆt, then I wonÆt weep for you. Now, are you done posturing or shall I send you to your room while the adults are talking?ö
ôYou û!ö Zuko looked ready to do something IÆd regret. Azula seemed eager to step in if her brother threw the first punch.
ôThatÆs enough, nephew.ö Iroh caught hold of ZukoÆs shoulder. ôAs you, Liao, I expected better from the son of my old friend.ö
ôPerhaps we should give my brother to take this in,ö Azula suggested in a conciliatory tone. ôIÆll come call on you both tomorrow.ö She gestured sharply with her fingers towards me and started towards the door. I obediently followed. Quite honestly, IÆd be more than happy to let his temper cool û as first impressions go, I think IÆd managed to anger him.
Of course, there arenÆt many things that donÆt at this point in his life.
ôThat was very good,ö Azula said. ôThe scar suits him.ö Her eyes narrowed with the suddenness that I had come to recognise, if not be comfortable with. My first thought had been that her mood was changeable, this princess of mine. My second that she was constant in this, mad all of the time. ôSuggesting he would be the Fire Lord was too much though. You should know better.ö
I shook my head. ôHeÆs said to talk about honour, but itÆs not what IÆd call that. I baited him with what heÆd understand, my princess. We both know that heÆd have to surpass you to achieve that. Do you really think it likely?ö
She just looked at me for a moment and it took everything I had not to be the first to look away.
Likely or not, that was what she feared. More than death, disgrace. To see Zuko elevated above her. To lose value in her fatherÆs eyes. And yet, despite OzaiÆs dislike for me, she was actively pursuing our courtship. That might not put her in line for a sainthood, but it meant that she wasnÆt a devil either.
ôI wonÆt do it again then.ö
ôGood.ö She looked around the colony as we approached her palanquin. ôWerenÆt you going to buy me a puppy?ö
ôOf course, my princess. How foolish of me to forget. IÆll see to it immediately.ö
.oOo.
There wasnÆt exactly a pet shop in the town û the economy wasnÆt operating at quite that level and even if there was, I couldnÆt exactly check the phone book to find one. Fortunately, I had access to the next best thing: there was a garrison compound outside the town and where you find soldiers û for a given value of soldier, admittedly û you find sergeants. You do in the Fire Nation, anyway, I donÆt know about the Earth Kingdom. CanÆt recall any offhand and Liao had his prejudices when it came to the Earth Kingdom army.
Sergeants, if theyÆre any good, have two very important functions: turning inexperienced young men into soldiers and keeping inexperienced young officers from getting themselves and their commands killed. So the sergeant in charge of the garrison was quite accustomed to young, well born men coming to them with problems that their upbringing hadnÆt quite prepared them for.
ôNot a problem, Lieutenant,ö that bearded worthy assured me. ôI know two farms around here with bitches that littered recently. What do you want one for?ö
I spread my hands wide, as if in supplication to the heavens. ôA girl, what else?ö
The sergeant frowned. ôI donÆt know about that,ö he mumbled. ôIs she highborn? The litters I was thinking of are sheep-dogs.ö
ôOh thatÆll do perfectly.ö
He gave me the sort of look that aged sergeants give dumb young officers that they arenÆt allowed to clip around the ear. Liao had seen it around a million times in the last couple of years. ôSir, they arenÆt exactly pets. These are working animals.ö
ôExcellent, sheÆs probably never seen one before then.ö I smiled confidently. ôTrust me, sergeant. The lady in question is very special and if I give her one of those yapping pests kept as pets sheÆll have it spit-roasted after the second day. Sheer novelty will have her keep it around long enough to grow fond of it, and if itÆs unusual then itÆll be a point of pride for her.ö
ôIf you say so, sir.ö Poor fellow was probably delighted that I wasnÆt his lieutenant to mould. It crossed my mind to think twice before explaining any innovations I might come up with. Talking about a printing press would probably have most people assume I was spirit-touched (1).
And so, when Iroh found me walking through the marketplace, I had a basket containing a white, woolly (2) mammal in one hand. That was worth a confused look from him, clearly it didnÆt fit with the first impression he had of me. ôAn interesting purchase, Lieutenant Liao.ö
ôTruth being stranger than fiction, itÆs a gift for my beloved.ö The stall I was at had some genuinely decent leather, much to my surprise. Mind you, there had to be something fairly stiff inside those damn shoulder boards that Fire Nation fashion dictated.
I saw absolutely no sign of suspicion on his face. He hadnÆt masked his feelings this well around Azula. Then again, he probably considered her a known quantity. It might take her swatting him down with lightning before Iroh learned better than to see her as his little niece, however sharp her teeth. ôAh? I donÆt recall my niece being very fond of animals.ö
Well sheÆd quite liked the flying lemurs. Rare, whereas I preferred my meat well done. ôIt surprised me too. Still, if thatÆs what she wants...ö And there was the message: if it comes to a fight between to the siblings, IÆve picked my side.
ôI am glad to find that AzulaÆs fiancÚ cares for her so. I do recall that she was less than reconciled to the arrangement when I was last at home. But then, that was before your famous adventure with her.ö I was struck with a sudden curiousity as to what would have happened if the ship that found Azula and Liao on their castaway island had been ZukoÆs. Mayhem, probably. ôBut that does not excuse your rudeness to my nephew.ö
ôGeneral ûô A description that caused the stall keeper to start and re-examine Iroh. ô- if IÆd patted him on the head and assured him that everything would be alright, then IÆd be insulting his intelligence. Worse, IÆm seriously concerned that he might have believed me if I told him that.ö
ôKicking a desperate man is not virtuous.ö Iroh nodded very slightly to indicate that we should, perhaps, walk as we talked. Looking at the stall-keeper, I believe he had a point.
I turned my head to face him while we made our way through the crowd. ôYou assume that I have the time or inclination to get him past his issues ûô I raised my free hand to gesture for forbearance. ô- which I do realise I can hardly claim to understand. Unfortunately this brief period youÆve had to recover is probably all youÆre going to get. Quite honestly I have my doubts about a peaceful voyage with those two aboard. I have no doubts that there will be little peace in the capital.ö
Iroh looked amused by that. ôI see. I must say you donÆt seem besotted by my niece, to say such a thing.ö
I laughed. ôIf youÆre thinking of that idealistic state where one believes that the one they love has no fault or flaw, then I have to tell you that in my experience such a paragon does not exist... and would be quite boring as well. IÆm very happy with Azula the way that she is. I couldnÆt say that honestly without knowing her ways.ö
ôThen you enjoy living dangerously.ö IrohÆs smile slipped very slightly. ôI doubt that the sheep-dog pup is precisely what she asked you for.ö
ôIf paragons donÆt exist then I can hardly claim to be one.ö I felt the corner of my lips curve with mischief.
The old man at my side gave me a look that should have made a boy LiaoÆs age wince. I just kept grinning. ôDo you like tea?ö he asked at last.
ôIÆve been prescribed jasmine or ginseng tea at every meal for medical reasons,ö I told him, the smile falling from my face. ôAzula pours enough of it down me to float a battleship.ö
ôAh, well youÆve probably just not had the right cup yet,ö he assured me. ôCome back to our rooms and IÆll show you how it should be done. ItÆll give you a chance to make a better impression on Zuko. YouÆre going to be brothers after all.ö
Oh great. Third degree over tea with Zuko. This was going to be pleasant. ôHow can I refuse such a graceful invitation.ö I tapped the basket handle with one finger. ôHowever, I really should deliver AzulaÆs gift first. Perhaps I could visit a little later in the day?ö
Iroh nodded. ôI shall look forward to it.ö
We parted ways at the edge of the market although I was tempted to backstep a little and pick up a rather impressive looking cloak. In the end, the sheer impracticality of wearing something long and flapping that could easily be set on fire persuaded me that it would not be wise. I did invest in a nice sturdy bowl though, and a couple of fireworks that had been soaked before they were used at a festival the previous month. The storekeeper assured me that they had dried out and would be perfectly usable again, but I had my doubts.
.oOo.
(1) Which is not a compliment. Think lunacy for comparison, although Sokka probably wouldnÆt appreciate the comparison.
(2) Yes, I know. It wasnÆt my first thought when I heard Sheep-Dog either.
WeÆd been sitting on either side of a window when the other pair entered the small building. This part of the local colony was almost a resort. Very pretty. Walking from the bright sunshine outside, it wasnÆt entirely surprising that neither man appeared to have noticed us until now.
Azula played innocent, picking up one of IrohÆs keepsake shells to examine rather than facing her brother. ôIn my country we exchange a pleasent hello, before asking questions.ö The last three words coincided with her returning her attention to Zuko and the vitriol in her gaze was matched by an increasing coldness in her voice. She uncrossed her legs and walked over to him. ôHave you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?ö
ôDonÆt call me that!ö
Iroh kept better control of himself, bowing slightly. ôTo what do we owe this honour?ö A flicker of his eyes suggested he was keeping tabs on me as well.
ôHmm. Must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point.ö She closed her fingers and the delicate seashell fragmented. Iroh looked shocked and then annoyed. Great. Just perfect. Piss him off, why donÆt you? At least he was focusing on Azula again. ôFather sent me with a message.ö IÆd advised her to get that out front straightaway. Not even Zuko was foolish enough to believe that his sister wanted him to return from exile, so indicating that it wasnÆt her preference would provide verisimilitude. She looked away. ôHe wants you home. Family is suddenly very important to him. HeÆs heard rumours of plans to overthrow him, treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust.ö
I donÆt think Zuko had heard a single thing after the word home. The one eye I could see widened û IÆm sure the other one did too, as far as the scar tissue allowed. He looked younger without the scowl. For a moment I felt the temptation to pin him down, shave off the topknot and paint an arrow on his scalp. Failing to get an audible reaction she turned her head back towards him. ôDid you hear me? You sh-ô
I coughed discreetly. ôAzula, give him a moment. IÆm sure heÆs just surprised.ö I lowered my voice slightly. ôWho wouldnÆt be.ö
ôHmm. Perhaps youÆre right.ö She ostentatiously ignored the fact her brotherÆs moment of absorption. ôAh, the two of you havenÆt met before, have you? This is my brother, Zuko. And Zuzu? This is my fiancÚ, Liao.ö
ôDonÆt call me that,ö he mumbled reflexively and then he blinked. ôFiancÚ?ö
ôYes, the man IÆm going to marry someday. Surely you do remember that grandfather arranged a marriage for me.ö And not for you, was the implication. A touch unfair of course. IÆm quite certain Azulon would have, if heÆd lived longer.
Iroh smiled politely. ôI thought I saw a resemblance to the great General Quan. How is your father?ö
I bowed slightly. ôDead, sir. Just a few weeks ago.ö
ôI am sorry to hear that. He was a fine officer and a good man.ö
I nodded solemnly. ôHe died doing his duty, general. And it was a clean death as such things go.ö Stoicism seemed like the best course of action. It was hard to muster a great deal of emotion now. IÆm hardly immune to grief, but it was hard to muster for a man I had never actually met.
Having gathered his wits during the conversation, Zuko stepped over to the window and rested his hands on the wooden sill. ôFather... wants me back?ö He sounded as if he was afraid to believe it.
I looked over at Azula and she smirked as if to say æitÆs your plan, you do thisÆ. I squared my shoulders. ôNo, he doesnÆt.ö
ôWhat!? But ûô
ôHe wants your uncle to be visible support for him. As Azula said, there have signs of disloyalty. Your ship being destroyed would be one of them. However out of favour you might be, you are part of the royal family. An attack upon you is an attack on your fatherÆs authority. You are being allowed to return home because the Fire Lord does not wish to ask that General Iroh choose between obedience or your protection.ö I paused, trying to ignore AzulaÆs predatory smile and the way ZukoÆs shoulders slumped. ôWith that said... you have, as it were, a second chance. If you can impress him, show that youÆve changed, that youÆre worthy of his respect... well. Who can say?ö
æNot many get a second chance. DonÆt screw it up.Æ Who had written those words for me to read?
Zuko looked torn between tears, relief and challenging me to an Agni Kai. Given his past experience I thought that the latter was the most likely. ôYou think IÆll fail, donÆt you?ö
I shrugged. ôLike most things, your highness, itÆs in your hands. If you have the strength to be the next Fire Lord then good for you. If you donÆt, then I wonÆt weep for you. Now, are you done posturing or shall I send you to your room while the adults are talking?ö
ôYou û!ö Zuko looked ready to do something IÆd regret. Azula seemed eager to step in if her brother threw the first punch.
ôThatÆs enough, nephew.ö Iroh caught hold of ZukoÆs shoulder. ôAs you, Liao, I expected better from the son of my old friend.ö
ôPerhaps we should give my brother to take this in,ö Azula suggested in a conciliatory tone. ôIÆll come call on you both tomorrow.ö She gestured sharply with her fingers towards me and started towards the door. I obediently followed. Quite honestly, IÆd be more than happy to let his temper cool û as first impressions go, I think IÆd managed to anger him.
Of course, there arenÆt many things that donÆt at this point in his life.
ôThat was very good,ö Azula said. ôThe scar suits him.ö Her eyes narrowed with the suddenness that I had come to recognise, if not be comfortable with. My first thought had been that her mood was changeable, this princess of mine. My second that she was constant in this, mad all of the time. ôSuggesting he would be the Fire Lord was too much though. You should know better.ö
I shook my head. ôHeÆs said to talk about honour, but itÆs not what IÆd call that. I baited him with what heÆd understand, my princess. We both know that heÆd have to surpass you to achieve that. Do you really think it likely?ö
She just looked at me for a moment and it took everything I had not to be the first to look away.
Likely or not, that was what she feared. More than death, disgrace. To see Zuko elevated above her. To lose value in her fatherÆs eyes. And yet, despite OzaiÆs dislike for me, she was actively pursuing our courtship. That might not put her in line for a sainthood, but it meant that she wasnÆt a devil either.
ôI wonÆt do it again then.ö
ôGood.ö She looked around the colony as we approached her palanquin. ôWerenÆt you going to buy me a puppy?ö
ôOf course, my princess. How foolish of me to forget. IÆll see to it immediately.ö
.oOo.
There wasnÆt exactly a pet shop in the town û the economy wasnÆt operating at quite that level and even if there was, I couldnÆt exactly check the phone book to find one. Fortunately, I had access to the next best thing: there was a garrison compound outside the town and where you find soldiers û for a given value of soldier, admittedly û you find sergeants. You do in the Fire Nation, anyway, I donÆt know about the Earth Kingdom. CanÆt recall any offhand and Liao had his prejudices when it came to the Earth Kingdom army.
Sergeants, if theyÆre any good, have two very important functions: turning inexperienced young men into soldiers and keeping inexperienced young officers from getting themselves and their commands killed. So the sergeant in charge of the garrison was quite accustomed to young, well born men coming to them with problems that their upbringing hadnÆt quite prepared them for.
ôNot a problem, Lieutenant,ö that bearded worthy assured me. ôI know two farms around here with bitches that littered recently. What do you want one for?ö
I spread my hands wide, as if in supplication to the heavens. ôA girl, what else?ö
The sergeant frowned. ôI donÆt know about that,ö he mumbled. ôIs she highborn? The litters I was thinking of are sheep-dogs.ö
ôOh thatÆll do perfectly.ö
He gave me the sort of look that aged sergeants give dumb young officers that they arenÆt allowed to clip around the ear. Liao had seen it around a million times in the last couple of years. ôSir, they arenÆt exactly pets. These are working animals.ö
ôExcellent, sheÆs probably never seen one before then.ö I smiled confidently. ôTrust me, sergeant. The lady in question is very special and if I give her one of those yapping pests kept as pets sheÆll have it spit-roasted after the second day. Sheer novelty will have her keep it around long enough to grow fond of it, and if itÆs unusual then itÆll be a point of pride for her.ö
ôIf you say so, sir.ö Poor fellow was probably delighted that I wasnÆt his lieutenant to mould. It crossed my mind to think twice before explaining any innovations I might come up with. Talking about a printing press would probably have most people assume I was spirit-touched (1).
And so, when Iroh found me walking through the marketplace, I had a basket containing a white, woolly (2) mammal in one hand. That was worth a confused look from him, clearly it didnÆt fit with the first impression he had of me. ôAn interesting purchase, Lieutenant Liao.ö
ôTruth being stranger than fiction, itÆs a gift for my beloved.ö The stall I was at had some genuinely decent leather, much to my surprise. Mind you, there had to be something fairly stiff inside those damn shoulder boards that Fire Nation fashion dictated.
I saw absolutely no sign of suspicion on his face. He hadnÆt masked his feelings this well around Azula. Then again, he probably considered her a known quantity. It might take her swatting him down with lightning before Iroh learned better than to see her as his little niece, however sharp her teeth. ôAh? I donÆt recall my niece being very fond of animals.ö
Well sheÆd quite liked the flying lemurs. Rare, whereas I preferred my meat well done. ôIt surprised me too. Still, if thatÆs what she wants...ö And there was the message: if it comes to a fight between to the siblings, IÆve picked my side.
ôI am glad to find that AzulaÆs fiancÚ cares for her so. I do recall that she was less than reconciled to the arrangement when I was last at home. But then, that was before your famous adventure with her.ö I was struck with a sudden curiousity as to what would have happened if the ship that found Azula and Liao on their castaway island had been ZukoÆs. Mayhem, probably. ôBut that does not excuse your rudeness to my nephew.ö
ôGeneral ûô A description that caused the stall keeper to start and re-examine Iroh. ô- if IÆd patted him on the head and assured him that everything would be alright, then IÆd be insulting his intelligence. Worse, IÆm seriously concerned that he might have believed me if I told him that.ö
ôKicking a desperate man is not virtuous.ö Iroh nodded very slightly to indicate that we should, perhaps, walk as we talked. Looking at the stall-keeper, I believe he had a point.
I turned my head to face him while we made our way through the crowd. ôYou assume that I have the time or inclination to get him past his issues ûô I raised my free hand to gesture for forbearance. ô- which I do realise I can hardly claim to understand. Unfortunately this brief period youÆve had to recover is probably all youÆre going to get. Quite honestly I have my doubts about a peaceful voyage with those two aboard. I have no doubts that there will be little peace in the capital.ö
Iroh looked amused by that. ôI see. I must say you donÆt seem besotted by my niece, to say such a thing.ö
I laughed. ôIf youÆre thinking of that idealistic state where one believes that the one they love has no fault or flaw, then I have to tell you that in my experience such a paragon does not exist... and would be quite boring as well. IÆm very happy with Azula the way that she is. I couldnÆt say that honestly without knowing her ways.ö
ôThen you enjoy living dangerously.ö IrohÆs smile slipped very slightly. ôI doubt that the sheep-dog pup is precisely what she asked you for.ö
ôIf paragons donÆt exist then I can hardly claim to be one.ö I felt the corner of my lips curve with mischief.
The old man at my side gave me a look that should have made a boy LiaoÆs age wince. I just kept grinning. ôDo you like tea?ö he asked at last.
ôIÆve been prescribed jasmine or ginseng tea at every meal for medical reasons,ö I told him, the smile falling from my face. ôAzula pours enough of it down me to float a battleship.ö
ôAh, well youÆve probably just not had the right cup yet,ö he assured me. ôCome back to our rooms and IÆll show you how it should be done. ItÆll give you a chance to make a better impression on Zuko. YouÆre going to be brothers after all.ö
Oh great. Third degree over tea with Zuko. This was going to be pleasant. ôHow can I refuse such a graceful invitation.ö I tapped the basket handle with one finger. ôHowever, I really should deliver AzulaÆs gift first. Perhaps I could visit a little later in the day?ö
Iroh nodded. ôI shall look forward to it.ö
We parted ways at the edge of the market although I was tempted to backstep a little and pick up a rather impressive looking cloak. In the end, the sheer impracticality of wearing something long and flapping that could easily be set on fire persuaded me that it would not be wise. I did invest in a nice sturdy bowl though, and a couple of fireworks that had been soaked before they were used at a festival the previous month. The storekeeper assured me that they had dried out and would be perfectly usable again, but I had my doubts.
.oOo.
(1) Which is not a compliment. Think lunacy for comparison, although Sokka probably wouldnÆt appreciate the comparison.
(2) Yes, I know. It wasnÆt my first thought when I heard Sheep-Dog either.
Azula was practising when I got back, just the forms. I guess she didnÆt want to wear herself down if the big day was going to be tomorrow. Her and Zuko, final show down. And she intended to be just as perfect about it as she was in training. Interrupting that would be a bad idea.
Instead I went below decks (the pagoda structure might look ornamental but it was actually all business as far as the ship went) to the passenger quarters and entrusted basket and puppy to one of AzulaÆs servants to look after until the princess was done playing on deck. Another quick detour to my quarters and I was ready to go.
Checking my appearance in the mirror û yes, IÆm a little vain, so what? û I saw a broadshouldered young man wearing red and black, dark hair up in a top-knot. Picking up the Ba Chui racked near the door I worked through a slow, careful kata. So this was me now. Liao Quan. Soldier. Firebender. FiancÚ to Azula.
The man in the mirror didnÆt seem to share my fears. Hopefully he would have courage enough for both of us.
I replaced the weapon in its place. It would be more than a mite unfriendly for me to turn up at General IrohÆs armed with anything more than my wits. If I wasnÆt a bender, I could probably justify a dagger but firebenders were never considered unarmed.
Hmm. I had a sudden appreciation for Ty Lee, along with a desire not to get on whatever passed for her bad side. To a firebender, her particular talents made her almost the Black Sun incarnate. Decent armour might protect some of the critical pressure points, but blocking them all would mean removing your own mobility as surely as giving her free rein.
IÆd only been bending fire for a week, but the thought of being without it hit me on a level that wasnÆt all Liao.
Firebending wasnÆt just something that you did. It was part of who you are. Part of who I am. Funny. IÆd never have pegged that as my element. Water maybe. Or earth. I considered for a moment OzaiÆs likely reaction to finding out his favoured child was engaged to marry a ælesser benderÆ and winced. Probably for the best.
Unfortunately that was the man who would choose to end the war by killing everything in his path with fire. And it was the suggestion of my lovely, lethal princess. ôYour heart is as hard as stone or mahogany. ThatÆs why IÆm in such exquisite agony. My soul is on fire, itÆs aflame with desire, which is why I perspire when we tango...ö Hmm. I was fairly sure that Azula didnÆt dance. Daddy dearest wouldnÆt approve. Ah well, not as if I was prone to it myself, much less the tango.
.oOo.
ôWhat are you doing here!?ö
I was beginning to wonder if Zuko had a limited vocabulary. Then again, it was a reasonable enquiry and he wasnÆt quite as rude about it as he was with his sister. ôI was invited, your highness.ö
It didnÆt take him more than a second to figure out the most likely culprit. ôUncle!ö
ôIf heÆs going to marry your sister then you should get to know him, Prince Zuko.ö Iroh was mixing tea leaves carefully into a steaming kettle. The absence of a fire simply highlighted the versatility of bending.
ôThe two of them deserve each other.ö Somehow that didnÆt sound as if he intended it as a compliment.
I smiled. ôItÆs good to know that I have your approval. Now if I could only win your father over.ö He gave me a sceptical look. ôYou spent three years hunting someone that most of the Fire Nation didnÆt believe still existed. I spent two on the frontlines to keep me away from your sister. If I was paranoid, I might wonder who arranged the ambush that killed my father. Of course, some questions just arenÆt safe to ask.ö
ôYou canÆt possibly think my father would...ö
Loyal even now? Zuko has the virtues of his vices, thatÆs for sure. Not a surprise, but impressive in person. ôThereÆs an old story. I donÆt recall the names involved but there was a powerful lord. HeÆd arranged for one of his loyal supporters to take a powerful political office, reasoning that by extension it would allow him to suborn the position. ThatÆs not quite how it worked out, you see, the man he chose happened to have a conscience and executed his office dutifully and without favour to anyone. Quite frustrating for the lord, who made a chance comment: æWho will rid me of this troublesome clerk?Æ.ö I paused to let that sink in. ôFour of his retainers took that a hint and the poor fellow had his brains dashed out fairly publically. They thought that they would be rewarded, it seems. What they accomplished of course was to scandalise all the lordÆs neighbours and make him a pariah. One might imagine that he was less than totally grateful.ö There was an awkward silence and I smiled. ôThen again, sometimes itÆs just convenient for a ruler to have scapegoats.ö
Iroh placed a cup of tea in front of me. ôThatÆs a very cynical view for such a young man.ö
ôItÆs a rare thing to get out of politics alive,ö I pointed out. ôYour own accomplishment aside. They only thing IÆd gladly go to the capital for is Azula. As she isnÆt there right IÆm not having to make that sacrifice right now.ö
The younger of the two soon-to-be-former princes scoffed. ôIf you think Azula will stay away from my father for your sake then youÆre dreaming. SheÆll chew you upö (I rubbed my neck before I realised what I was betraying) ôAnd destroy everything you care about before she discards you.ö
ôI appreciate the warning, your highness, in the spirit in which it was given and I will not allow her to destroy herself. However, the word you seem to have forgotten from my comment was ægladlyÆ. And while as her brother there are some things IÆm sure youÆd rather not hear about our relationship -ö His face went crimson and Iroh coughed into his tea incredulously. ô- I assure you that I have no regrets about it.ö
ôThatÆs good to hear,ö Iroh managed, tears in his eyes that might have been due to tea going down the wrong way or possibly the look on his nephewÆs face. ôHowÆs the tea, by the way?ö
I sipped at it. It was... It was tea. Meh. ôWell since I seem to have made a habit of impolite degrees of truth, I really canÆt tell the difference. Sorry.ö Zuko bristled at that and I gave him a sceptical look. ôItÆs not a taste IÆve cultivated. Still, IÆm told itÆs good for my health.ö I drained the cup. ôThank you.ö
ôTea is very good for you.ö Iroh offered me a refill. Possibly there was some English in his ancestry. WasnÆt that the traditional remedy for anything: a cup of hot, sweet tea?
ôYou donÆt know her.ö Zuko glared into the middle distance, fists clenching where they rested on his thighs. ôYou donÆt know Azula half as well as you think you do.ö
ôYouÆre right, I donÆt.ö He seemed surprised by my ready agreement. ôAnd she doesnÆt know me as well as she thinks. ItÆs going to make things interesting and I like things when theyÆre interesting. Besides, how much have you spoken to her for the last few years? Look, I donÆt think weÆre going to agree here. For now, why donÆt we just agree to disagree about your sister?ö
Zuko shook his head, not in disagreement I realised, but in resignation. ôFine. Just donÆt say I didnÆt warn you,ö he told me in a disgusted voice and lifted his own cup of tea.
I waited until he was sipping before I asked: ôSo, tell me about the Avatar?ö
Heh. What a waste of IrohÆs tea. IÆd have to have my shirt cleaned though. It had Zuko-spit all over it. Now let me guess... ôWhy do you want to know about the Avatar!?ö
ôItÆs good to know that you have nice healthy lungs.ö I looked over at Iroh. ôMind you the colour of his face might indicate potential for heart problems. Do you have any tea thatÆs good for that?ö
He nodded wisely. ôOolong. Oolong is very good for that.ö His face brightened. ôI have some here, IÆll make some for you right away, Prince Zuko.ö
ôI donÆt need tea, uncle. I need answers.ö
I sighed heavily. ôLook, I realise that you donÆt have to be polite to me. Really, you donÆt. But I do hope that if you carry on like that once youÆre home then youÆre just going to get yourself exiled again. IÆd really hate for that to happen, so you might want to work on that.ö
I really expected another explosion, but Zuko surprised me by showing some maturity. Maybe his later potential wasnÆt as deeply buried as I had thought. ôPerhaps I was too abrupt.ö Not an apology, but more than I had expected from him. He looked away for a moment. ôI was enquiring why you wanted to know about the Avatar so I could provide you the most relevant information to your interests.ö
ôOf course, your highness. I suppose my main concern is the nature of the threat he poses. I am, after all, a soldier and you and General Iroh were have seen him clash with Fire Nation soldiers several times. My understanding is that he is primarily an airbender?ö
ôHeÆs a master airbender,ö Zuko corrected me. ôAnd from what I saw at the North Pole, heÆs mastering waterbending rapidly.ö
ôI see. Well, I believe that he was already travelling with a waterbender, so that isnÆt too surprising. Still, thatÆs worryingly soon. If I recall correctly, most Avatars took a decade or more to master all four elements. But this one û do we have a name for him?ö
ôAang.ö
ôAh. Thank you. Well this Aang seems to be advancing much more rapidly than I would have expected. I gather that heÆs actually younger than either of us, your highness?ö
ôHeÆs still a child. Twelve, perhaps thirteen.ö ZukoÆs lips curled disdainfully. ôHe acts as if heÆs half that age.ö
ôWell, I canÆt say that I didnÆt make any mistakes at that age myself...ö I looked rather pointedly at ZukoÆs scar, causing colour to rise in his face again. ôStill, he managed to travel from one end of the world to the other, despite the best efforts of some very capable people, and caused no end of trouble in the process. It would take more than just bending to do that. Maybe luck û IÆve been a soldier long enough to know it never hurts to have the spirits on your side, and he is the Avatar after all û or maybe he has more of a brain in his head than he lets on.ö
Zuko looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head. ôThat wouldnÆt be hard but trust me. ThereÆs nothing between his ears but empty air.ö
I looked doubtful. ôWell, it would be foolish of me to ask your opinion and then ignore it,ö I conceded. ôIf it wasnÆt for the North Pole, I would have guessed we had a year or two before he was more than a nuisance, however fast he might learn. I take it that he was responsible for that mess û beyond, uh, the less than brilliant strategy of Admiral Zhao?ö
ôI believe,ö Iroh advised, the teapot already steaming again under his ministrations, ôThat the Avatar joined himself to the Ocean Spirit in order to destroy our fleet.ö
I let my eyes widen and spilled some tea on my fingers. It should have been painfully hot, but instead it was merely uncomfortably warm. ôWait, when... when you say joined to the Ocean Spirit, you donÆt mean...ö
They both nodded.
ôAnd you fought him how often? IÆm surprised youÆre not dead.ö
ôWell, that was a little more extreme his usual measures.ö Iroh passed Zuko a cup of tea. ôThus far the Avatar has always tried to escape my nephew, not to destroy him.ö
ôThen I suppose he was less intimidated by Zhao û or perhaps more infuriated.ö I frowned, checking whether or not Liao had met the late Admiral. ôI never met the man, but his reputation would lend itself more towards the latter.ö
That got a wry snort from Zuko. ôIf anything, his reputation was understated.ö He paused for a moment, probably reliving past clashes with Zhao. ôIt was an ugly way to die.ö
ôThe Avatar killed him?ö
ôNo. Not the Avatar. We were fighting û he admitted that heÆd conspired to have my ship blown up û and then the Ocean Spirit swept down and took him.ö
ôTook him?ö I stared at him. ôWhat do you mean ætook himÆ?ö
Iroh cleared his throat. ôI believe that the Ocean Spirit took him into the spirit world, to punish him more severely than he could in this world. I doubt very much that anyone will ever see Zhao again.ö
ôI... probably donÆt want to know what La was punishing him for, do I?ö
ôYou are correct, Lieutenant Liao. Some things are best left unknown.ö
.oOo.
I wasnÆt entirely surprised that Zuko and Iroh decided to accompany me back to the ship. The timing of the events I recalled from the show was uncertain but I knew that they hadnÆt waited for Azula to make a follow up visit. And it made sense tactically for them not to adhere to her schedule.
Soldiers for the Royal Procession lined the pier like statues as we walked towards the ship. I couldnÆt see Iroh, as he was taking up the rear, but I could almost feel his fire focusing for battle. He suspected. No surprise there. Zuko, beside me, looked only ahead. At the ship. At Azula, standing at the head of the gangplank.
She was the same clothes as before and while they looked very official and impressive, they werenÆt particularly flattering. Baggy breeches are easy to move in, and the thick shoulder-piece provided decent protection, but they werenÆt exactly calculated to show off her figure. Ah well. My currently teenaged hormones had had plenty of opportunity to enjoy looking at her in less formal clothes as we travelled. A little denial of them might not be a bad thing. This really wasnÆt the moment to be drooling, it would have looked undignified as I stepped to my left and positioned myself opposite the shipÆs captain, framing the bottom of the gangway.
ôBrother, Uncle.ö She spread her hands and bowed. ôWelcome. IÆm so glad that you decided to come.ö Clearly any welcome I received was going to be more private. And there was of course the risk that she was be mad at me over the sheep-dog.
They both returned the bow, Iroh more deeply than his nephew, as the imperial firebenders moved sharply and smoothly into two lines behind them.
The captain turned to look up at Azula. ôAre we ready to depart, your highness?ö
ôSet our course for home, captain.ö She sounded genuinely happy about the prospect. In fact, she looked much more the young girl than the haughty princess at that moment. A mask? Probably. But equally, she had every reason to be happy. Getting her favourite chew-toy back.
Zuko looked misty-eyed. ôHome,ö he whispered. Sorry kid.
ôYou heard the princess!ö shouted the captain as he started up the gangway. ôRaise the anchors. WeÆre taking the prisoners home.ö Zuko was only a few steps behind him when he said that. Iroh, trailing, was just abreast of me.
AzulaÆs eyes went wide with anger. Someone was going to die.
Instead I went below decks (the pagoda structure might look ornamental but it was actually all business as far as the ship went) to the passenger quarters and entrusted basket and puppy to one of AzulaÆs servants to look after until the princess was done playing on deck. Another quick detour to my quarters and I was ready to go.
Checking my appearance in the mirror û yes, IÆm a little vain, so what? û I saw a broadshouldered young man wearing red and black, dark hair up in a top-knot. Picking up the Ba Chui racked near the door I worked through a slow, careful kata. So this was me now. Liao Quan. Soldier. Firebender. FiancÚ to Azula.
The man in the mirror didnÆt seem to share my fears. Hopefully he would have courage enough for both of us.
I replaced the weapon in its place. It would be more than a mite unfriendly for me to turn up at General IrohÆs armed with anything more than my wits. If I wasnÆt a bender, I could probably justify a dagger but firebenders were never considered unarmed.
Hmm. I had a sudden appreciation for Ty Lee, along with a desire not to get on whatever passed for her bad side. To a firebender, her particular talents made her almost the Black Sun incarnate. Decent armour might protect some of the critical pressure points, but blocking them all would mean removing your own mobility as surely as giving her free rein.
IÆd only been bending fire for a week, but the thought of being without it hit me on a level that wasnÆt all Liao.
Firebending wasnÆt just something that you did. It was part of who you are. Part of who I am. Funny. IÆd never have pegged that as my element. Water maybe. Or earth. I considered for a moment OzaiÆs likely reaction to finding out his favoured child was engaged to marry a ælesser benderÆ and winced. Probably for the best.
Unfortunately that was the man who would choose to end the war by killing everything in his path with fire. And it was the suggestion of my lovely, lethal princess. ôYour heart is as hard as stone or mahogany. ThatÆs why IÆm in such exquisite agony. My soul is on fire, itÆs aflame with desire, which is why I perspire when we tango...ö Hmm. I was fairly sure that Azula didnÆt dance. Daddy dearest wouldnÆt approve. Ah well, not as if I was prone to it myself, much less the tango.
.oOo.
ôWhat are you doing here!?ö
I was beginning to wonder if Zuko had a limited vocabulary. Then again, it was a reasonable enquiry and he wasnÆt quite as rude about it as he was with his sister. ôI was invited, your highness.ö
It didnÆt take him more than a second to figure out the most likely culprit. ôUncle!ö
ôIf heÆs going to marry your sister then you should get to know him, Prince Zuko.ö Iroh was mixing tea leaves carefully into a steaming kettle. The absence of a fire simply highlighted the versatility of bending.
ôThe two of them deserve each other.ö Somehow that didnÆt sound as if he intended it as a compliment.
I smiled. ôItÆs good to know that I have your approval. Now if I could only win your father over.ö He gave me a sceptical look. ôYou spent three years hunting someone that most of the Fire Nation didnÆt believe still existed. I spent two on the frontlines to keep me away from your sister. If I was paranoid, I might wonder who arranged the ambush that killed my father. Of course, some questions just arenÆt safe to ask.ö
ôYou canÆt possibly think my father would...ö
Loyal even now? Zuko has the virtues of his vices, thatÆs for sure. Not a surprise, but impressive in person. ôThereÆs an old story. I donÆt recall the names involved but there was a powerful lord. HeÆd arranged for one of his loyal supporters to take a powerful political office, reasoning that by extension it would allow him to suborn the position. ThatÆs not quite how it worked out, you see, the man he chose happened to have a conscience and executed his office dutifully and without favour to anyone. Quite frustrating for the lord, who made a chance comment: æWho will rid me of this troublesome clerk?Æ.ö I paused to let that sink in. ôFour of his retainers took that a hint and the poor fellow had his brains dashed out fairly publically. They thought that they would be rewarded, it seems. What they accomplished of course was to scandalise all the lordÆs neighbours and make him a pariah. One might imagine that he was less than totally grateful.ö There was an awkward silence and I smiled. ôThen again, sometimes itÆs just convenient for a ruler to have scapegoats.ö
Iroh placed a cup of tea in front of me. ôThatÆs a very cynical view for such a young man.ö
ôItÆs a rare thing to get out of politics alive,ö I pointed out. ôYour own accomplishment aside. They only thing IÆd gladly go to the capital for is Azula. As she isnÆt there right IÆm not having to make that sacrifice right now.ö
The younger of the two soon-to-be-former princes scoffed. ôIf you think Azula will stay away from my father for your sake then youÆre dreaming. SheÆll chew you upö (I rubbed my neck before I realised what I was betraying) ôAnd destroy everything you care about before she discards you.ö
ôI appreciate the warning, your highness, in the spirit in which it was given and I will not allow her to destroy herself. However, the word you seem to have forgotten from my comment was ægladlyÆ. And while as her brother there are some things IÆm sure youÆd rather not hear about our relationship -ö His face went crimson and Iroh coughed into his tea incredulously. ô- I assure you that I have no regrets about it.ö
ôThatÆs good to hear,ö Iroh managed, tears in his eyes that might have been due to tea going down the wrong way or possibly the look on his nephewÆs face. ôHowÆs the tea, by the way?ö
I sipped at it. It was... It was tea. Meh. ôWell since I seem to have made a habit of impolite degrees of truth, I really canÆt tell the difference. Sorry.ö Zuko bristled at that and I gave him a sceptical look. ôItÆs not a taste IÆve cultivated. Still, IÆm told itÆs good for my health.ö I drained the cup. ôThank you.ö
ôTea is very good for you.ö Iroh offered me a refill. Possibly there was some English in his ancestry. WasnÆt that the traditional remedy for anything: a cup of hot, sweet tea?
ôYou donÆt know her.ö Zuko glared into the middle distance, fists clenching where they rested on his thighs. ôYou donÆt know Azula half as well as you think you do.ö
ôYouÆre right, I donÆt.ö He seemed surprised by my ready agreement. ôAnd she doesnÆt know me as well as she thinks. ItÆs going to make things interesting and I like things when theyÆre interesting. Besides, how much have you spoken to her for the last few years? Look, I donÆt think weÆre going to agree here. For now, why donÆt we just agree to disagree about your sister?ö
Zuko shook his head, not in disagreement I realised, but in resignation. ôFine. Just donÆt say I didnÆt warn you,ö he told me in a disgusted voice and lifted his own cup of tea.
I waited until he was sipping before I asked: ôSo, tell me about the Avatar?ö
Heh. What a waste of IrohÆs tea. IÆd have to have my shirt cleaned though. It had Zuko-spit all over it. Now let me guess... ôWhy do you want to know about the Avatar!?ö
ôItÆs good to know that you have nice healthy lungs.ö I looked over at Iroh. ôMind you the colour of his face might indicate potential for heart problems. Do you have any tea thatÆs good for that?ö
He nodded wisely. ôOolong. Oolong is very good for that.ö His face brightened. ôI have some here, IÆll make some for you right away, Prince Zuko.ö
ôI donÆt need tea, uncle. I need answers.ö
I sighed heavily. ôLook, I realise that you donÆt have to be polite to me. Really, you donÆt. But I do hope that if you carry on like that once youÆre home then youÆre just going to get yourself exiled again. IÆd really hate for that to happen, so you might want to work on that.ö
I really expected another explosion, but Zuko surprised me by showing some maturity. Maybe his later potential wasnÆt as deeply buried as I had thought. ôPerhaps I was too abrupt.ö Not an apology, but more than I had expected from him. He looked away for a moment. ôI was enquiring why you wanted to know about the Avatar so I could provide you the most relevant information to your interests.ö
ôOf course, your highness. I suppose my main concern is the nature of the threat he poses. I am, after all, a soldier and you and General Iroh were have seen him clash with Fire Nation soldiers several times. My understanding is that he is primarily an airbender?ö
ôHeÆs a master airbender,ö Zuko corrected me. ôAnd from what I saw at the North Pole, heÆs mastering waterbending rapidly.ö
ôI see. Well, I believe that he was already travelling with a waterbender, so that isnÆt too surprising. Still, thatÆs worryingly soon. If I recall correctly, most Avatars took a decade or more to master all four elements. But this one û do we have a name for him?ö
ôAang.ö
ôAh. Thank you. Well this Aang seems to be advancing much more rapidly than I would have expected. I gather that heÆs actually younger than either of us, your highness?ö
ôHeÆs still a child. Twelve, perhaps thirteen.ö ZukoÆs lips curled disdainfully. ôHe acts as if heÆs half that age.ö
ôWell, I canÆt say that I didnÆt make any mistakes at that age myself...ö I looked rather pointedly at ZukoÆs scar, causing colour to rise in his face again. ôStill, he managed to travel from one end of the world to the other, despite the best efforts of some very capable people, and caused no end of trouble in the process. It would take more than just bending to do that. Maybe luck û IÆve been a soldier long enough to know it never hurts to have the spirits on your side, and he is the Avatar after all û or maybe he has more of a brain in his head than he lets on.ö
Zuko looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head. ôThat wouldnÆt be hard but trust me. ThereÆs nothing between his ears but empty air.ö
I looked doubtful. ôWell, it would be foolish of me to ask your opinion and then ignore it,ö I conceded. ôIf it wasnÆt for the North Pole, I would have guessed we had a year or two before he was more than a nuisance, however fast he might learn. I take it that he was responsible for that mess û beyond, uh, the less than brilliant strategy of Admiral Zhao?ö
ôI believe,ö Iroh advised, the teapot already steaming again under his ministrations, ôThat the Avatar joined himself to the Ocean Spirit in order to destroy our fleet.ö
I let my eyes widen and spilled some tea on my fingers. It should have been painfully hot, but instead it was merely uncomfortably warm. ôWait, when... when you say joined to the Ocean Spirit, you donÆt mean...ö
They both nodded.
ôAnd you fought him how often? IÆm surprised youÆre not dead.ö
ôWell, that was a little more extreme his usual measures.ö Iroh passed Zuko a cup of tea. ôThus far the Avatar has always tried to escape my nephew, not to destroy him.ö
ôThen I suppose he was less intimidated by Zhao û or perhaps more infuriated.ö I frowned, checking whether or not Liao had met the late Admiral. ôI never met the man, but his reputation would lend itself more towards the latter.ö
That got a wry snort from Zuko. ôIf anything, his reputation was understated.ö He paused for a moment, probably reliving past clashes with Zhao. ôIt was an ugly way to die.ö
ôThe Avatar killed him?ö
ôNo. Not the Avatar. We were fighting û he admitted that heÆd conspired to have my ship blown up û and then the Ocean Spirit swept down and took him.ö
ôTook him?ö I stared at him. ôWhat do you mean ætook himÆ?ö
Iroh cleared his throat. ôI believe that the Ocean Spirit took him into the spirit world, to punish him more severely than he could in this world. I doubt very much that anyone will ever see Zhao again.ö
ôI... probably donÆt want to know what La was punishing him for, do I?ö
ôYou are correct, Lieutenant Liao. Some things are best left unknown.ö
.oOo.
I wasnÆt entirely surprised that Zuko and Iroh decided to accompany me back to the ship. The timing of the events I recalled from the show was uncertain but I knew that they hadnÆt waited for Azula to make a follow up visit. And it made sense tactically for them not to adhere to her schedule.
Soldiers for the Royal Procession lined the pier like statues as we walked towards the ship. I couldnÆt see Iroh, as he was taking up the rear, but I could almost feel his fire focusing for battle. He suspected. No surprise there. Zuko, beside me, looked only ahead. At the ship. At Azula, standing at the head of the gangplank.
She was the same clothes as before and while they looked very official and impressive, they werenÆt particularly flattering. Baggy breeches are easy to move in, and the thick shoulder-piece provided decent protection, but they werenÆt exactly calculated to show off her figure. Ah well. My currently teenaged hormones had had plenty of opportunity to enjoy looking at her in less formal clothes as we travelled. A little denial of them might not be a bad thing. This really wasnÆt the moment to be drooling, it would have looked undignified as I stepped to my left and positioned myself opposite the shipÆs captain, framing the bottom of the gangway.
ôBrother, Uncle.ö She spread her hands and bowed. ôWelcome. IÆm so glad that you decided to come.ö Clearly any welcome I received was going to be more private. And there was of course the risk that she was be mad at me over the sheep-dog.
They both returned the bow, Iroh more deeply than his nephew, as the imperial firebenders moved sharply and smoothly into two lines behind them.
The captain turned to look up at Azula. ôAre we ready to depart, your highness?ö
ôSet our course for home, captain.ö She sounded genuinely happy about the prospect. In fact, she looked much more the young girl than the haughty princess at that moment. A mask? Probably. But equally, she had every reason to be happy. Getting her favourite chew-toy back.
Zuko looked misty-eyed. ôHome,ö he whispered. Sorry kid.
ôYou heard the princess!ö shouted the captain as he started up the gangway. ôRaise the anchors. WeÆre taking the prisoners home.ö Zuko was only a few steps behind him when he said that. Iroh, trailing, was just abreast of me.
AzulaÆs eyes went wide with anger. Someone was going to die.
ôYour highness, I -ö
It would have been the perfect moment to facepalm. Really. If IÆd been surprised û no, to be fair I really was surprised. There was every probability that my presence would cause enough butterflies to eliminate that stupid error on the captainÆs part. But if I hadnÆt been aware of the possibility of him giving the game away, I might have yielded to the temptation.
Instead while he was stammering excuses and realisation was beginning to trickle through ZukoÆs brain I went for Iroh. What the hell, I wasnÆt likely to actually hurt the Dragon of the West, but I might as well make it look good.
About a second later, I was in the water and to this day IÆm not entirely sure how it happened. Other, of course, that Iroh predictably brushed me aside with no difficulty whatsoever. And even from that modest height, hitting the water wasnÆt what you might call painless - I barely gathered my wits sufficiently to paddle out of the way of some of the Royal Procession joining me in aquatic adventures.
Floating in a harbour wasnÆt exactly the best place to watch the man work, but I can claim the rare distinction of having had a ringside seat to Iroh, son of Azulon, cleaning the clocks of some of OzaiÆs best. He didnÆt have AzulaÆs razor-sharp precision although there were traces of it in his style. Instead it was almost like he had û in his experience û a map that led him from standing menaced by the lot of us and ended with us scattered and with little interest in resuming the fight. He just followed that map and got where he was going.
It was an impressive display and IÆd wager it was well under a minute before Iroh was alone on the pier. ôZuko! LetÆs go!ö
I could hear AzulaÆs voice from the deck above, although between the water and the distance I couldnÆt make out her words. Iroh ran up onto the ship and I struck out towards the pier, grabbing the nearest firebender by the collar. ôGet your asses up out of the water!ö
The side of the pier wasnÆt smooth, although wet rock isnÆt exactly idea for hand and footholds. I kicked off my boots before scrambling up the side and had barely found my feet when lightning flashed. The sound of rocks tumbling from the cliffs below the colony was masked by the roll of thunder. I was running for the gangplank before recognition of the sound had been fully processed, taking a guilty pleasure in knocking the dripping captain back into the water when he didnÆt dodge fast enough. If the man had a brain heÆd be running for the hills just as fast as Zuko and û
Iroh hit me harder this time. IÆd have appreciated something with less impact, like a sledgehammer, I reflected as I performed a lovely parabolic arc towards the bow of the ship. The expression on ZukoÆs face suggested he was tempted to send a fireball after me, but with Iroh setting the pace he didnÆt have the opportunity. I must presume that he took his frustration out on the still disorganised Royal Procession, judging by their later bruises and singed condition.
Despite having the wind knocked out of me, there was enough of a fall to the water for me to turn the tumble into something like a dive and this time I hit it cleanly, plunging almost as deep as the shipÆs keel before I managed to kick my way back to the surface. My hair had almost escaped its clasp during my first dousing and it was now loose ûthe clasp is probably still somewhere at the bottom of the harbour.
Gasping for breath and glad that it was late enough in the day for the waters to be fairly warm I swam for the bow and the anchor chain, which would be the fastest way to get up onto the deck. And if Azula had been thrown overboard û likely, unless Iroh had developed a previously unseen vicious streak. I swam a bit faster.
Naturally, I had nothing to worry about. I rounded the bow and saw Azula already halfway up the chain. She looked down when she felt the chain move as I grabbed hold of it. ôWhat happened to you?ö
ôOther than the obvious? Not much.ö
Reaching the top, she vaulted over the bulwark and a moment later I was able to do the same. There was no one on the deck except a couple of firebenders, presumably having fallen victim to Zuko at some point. Running to the rail we could see the remains of the Royal Procession, mostly trying to stay afloat, and in the distance Iroh and Zuko disappearing out of view at the far end of the pier.
Azula started what I recognised as the first movement to generate lightning. ôNot when youÆre wet,ö I warned her absently, eyeing the landscape and relying on LiaoÆs memories to pick out the most likely route that the two fugitives would take out of the town.
ôYou donÆt give me orders, Liao.ö I didnÆt have to look at her to know that her brow was lowered in anger, partly at me, partly at herself... mostly at her brother and Iroh.
ôI do give you advice. Bend lightning right now and thereÆs a very good chance of it grounding itself through your own wet clothes.ö
Li and Lo moved out from the shelter of the pagoda. ôWe had not heard that you were well-versed in the use of lightning, Lieutenant Liao.ö You see, this is one of those times when being better at detecting sarcasm would be helpful.
ôWhatever.ö I turned and started squelching towards the gangway. ôIÆll turn out the garrison. Not much chance of catching them right now, but we might get lucky - at the least, we might get some idea of which direction theyÆre taking.ö
ôDonÆt do anything reckless.ö AzulaÆs voice was as sharp even now that her words themselves betrayed her concern.
I smiled as I turned to walk down the gangway, knowing that she would see it. ôDonÆt worry, my love. After all, I donÆt have your permission to die today.ö
Out of the corner of my eye I saw her nod. And then a bolt of blue fire smashed down from her hand onto the pier, immolating the hapless Captain of the ship.
Like I said. Someone was going to die. In that moment, I was just glad that it hadnÆt turned out to be me.
.oOo.
The sergeant looked up as I crashed through the door to the garrison. I must have looked quite the sight, soaked to my skin and wet hair at all angles. ôNow look sir, I told you that it wasnÆt exactly a pet...ö he protested.
ôNothing to do with that, sergeant. Two prisoners just escaped from her highnessÆ ship. TheyÆre on foot, probably heading inland along the river. We need a search party immediately.ö
He was a good man, sounding the assembly gong before wasting time with questions. ôWe donÆt have any komodo rhinos here, sir, so weÆll be on foot ourselves,ö he warned.
ôI understand.ö I looked down at my feet. ôAre there any sandals or boots I can borrow? Mine are at the bottom of the harbour.ö
For a miracle, the man was able to provide sandals that fit well enough to do for now. By the time I had them tied on, around thirty soldiers had assembled in ranks outside the headquarters building. They were a more or less even mix between raw recruits and aging veterans û second-line troops that could defend a minor outpost if necessary but wouldnÆt be up to a real campaign.
What Zuko and Iroh could do to them given half a chance didnÆt bear thinking about.
I drew myself up to address them. ôLess than an hour ago, two dangerous prisoners broke loose from Princess AzulaÆs ship. They were last seen heading inland on foot. My orders are to capture them if possible, and to establish their direction of travel if not. Both men are military-trained firebenders who were under arrest for acts of treason against the Fire Lord and they must be considered desperate. If we find them, the first priority is to report their location, not to attempt any foolish heroics. ö
The older soldiers seemed, on the whole, to take my words at face value. The younger ones seemed less impressed. I say younger, but really they were about LiaoÆs age. Just more naive. ôI suppose I could try stressing this, but some of you evidently arenÆt listening. Sergeant, you take half of the men and follow the north side of the river. IÆll take the rest along the south bank.ö
ôYes sir.ö His face was impassive. ôDo you have a description of the two fugitives?ö
DÆoh. ôThank you for reminding me, sergeant. You are aware that Prince Zuko and General Iroh have been staying in town.ö
ôYes sir.ö
ôThatÆs them.ö
He almost dropped his helmet. ôSir, youÆre asking us to arrest the Fire LordÆs son and brother.ö
ôThose are my orders. I received them from Princess Azula herself.ö (Actually, of course, I was improvising and usurping authority shamelessly but initiative is generally frowned upon in most militaries). ôAnd she was personally assigned the mission of bringing them back in chains. You donÆt have to like that. IÆm not ecstatic about it myself, but it is the will of the Fire Lord and thatÆs all there is to it.ö
I turned and walked out the gate. After a moment there was a shout from inside the compound and about a dozen soldiers ran out after me. The sergeant followed them, another file of men following him. ôI hope you know what youÆre doing, sir,ö he said in a long suffering voice.
ôSo do I.ö And I really wished IÆd had time to go back and pick up my ba chui and some armour, but those were the breaks.
.oOo.
Much as IÆd have liked to get myself chucked into the river by Iroh, by the time that the sun set I still hadnÆt found a trace of them. No footmarks, no discarded clothes (Iroh had been wearing armour, but IÆm reasonably sure heÆd ditch it since it was rather recognisable)... not even the top-knots that I presumed they would by now have cut off and thrown into the water.
ôWe arenÆt going to catch them in the darkness, sir.ö
ôWe arenÆt going to catch them at all,ö I replied to the sergeant. WeÆd regrouped at a convenient ford in the twilight and IÆd started a campfire for the men. ôItÆs clear that either they picked a different route or that theyÆre moving too fast for us. In either case, youÆve done all that you can.ö I glanced around. ôSorry to have dragged you all this way.ö
He chuckled. ôIf nothing else, a little unscheduled camping should toughen the boys up.ö
ôBuy them all some wine when you get back to town tomorrow.ö I pulled enough coins to cover for a small keg out of my belt pouch and handed them over to the sergeant.
ôYou arenÆt coming with us?ö
A twist of my wrist and a flame came to life, cupped in one hand. ôNo, IÆm heading back to the harbour. I have to report to her highness.ö
ôI hope she lets you go back to your young lady then, sir. IÆve heard rumours about her highnessÆ temper.ö
I laughed out loud at that. ôSergeant, she is my young lady. And I can promise you that sheÆs every bit as fiery as rumour says.ö With a wave of one hand, I left them behind, walking swiftly through the otherwise dark night. Even with fire to guide me, IÆd make faster progress by daylight, but something told me that Azula would want a report as soon as possible.
.oOo.
Sure enough, when I reached the ship she was there to greet me, although from her light robe she had been roused from her bed when I was seen coming down the pier. I didnÆt really mind. With her hair down, and only a thin robe between her and the wind she looked far more like the girl that Liao remembered from that island years ago.
ôThey got away?ö
ôThey got away.ö
She sighed. ôThatÆs a shame. Father is going to be disappointed.ö
ôThatÆs very likely.ö I took a step into the wind, creating a windbreak for her. ôI suppose that we canÆt return home without the pair of them?ö
ôOh, I could. But that would mean that I had failed. You know that that is not acceptable.ö She rested one hand in the crook of my elbow and looked up at me. ôWhere do you think theyÆll go?ö
ôIf theyÆre caught in the Earth Kingdom, then theyÆll be killed. If theyÆre caught here, on the other hand, theyÆll be placed in your custody.ö I remembered that part of the reasoning and saw no reason not to divulge that. ôIÆm sure that they fear the latter far more than mere death, which means theyÆll leave the colonies as fast as they can.ö
She smiled at that. ôSo we should...?ö
I chuckled. ôIs this a test?ö
ôThatÆs right.ö She stepped closer. ôYou know why.ö
This was how she had been raised. Everything a test, a challenge from her father to ensure she had grown into what he wanted in a child, pruning away anything else. I cupped her face gently in my hand. ôThe obvious first. Public announcement that theyÆre traitors, posters offering a generous reward for their persons, dead or alive. If theyÆre desperate enough they might think that it would be daring to hide right under the nose of the Fire Nation. So close that door.ö
She pressed herself against me. ôI announced it while you were giving chase. Posters will be displayed in all the colonies within the week, all across the Fire Nation by the end of the week after. My brotherÆs disgrace will be total.ö
ôAfter that, their movements depend on who is making the decisions. Iroh is smart. HeÆd find our enemies û not the Earth Kingdom perhaps, heÆs too hated there, but perhaps the Northern Water Tribe or some of the more primitive peoples in the southern continent. One old man and his nephew could melt into refugee groups without a trace.ö I could feel tension in her shoulders. ôBut that wonÆt happen. Your uncle has been following your brother for three years and that isnÆt an easy habit to break. And Zuko will want what he always has. To redeem himself.ö
ôThe Avatar,ö Azula whispered triumphantly and relaxed against me. ôSuperbly reasoned, Liao. Just as I knew you would.ö
ôDid you ever hear that Admiral Zhao captured the Avatar once?ö I feel that her surprise was genuine. ôHad him in chains and everything. But a mysterious swordsman broke him out that very night. Now, the Avatar doesnÆt associate with any swordsman. But your brotherÆs ship was in port just then. And heÆs been travelling the world for years, meeting all sorts of people. Perhaps he realised that if someone else brought the Avatar to your father then he would be in exile forever. So if we capture the Avatar, then weÆll have the ultimate bait for Zuko. We wonÆt need to look for him: he will come to us.ö
It would have been the perfect moment to facepalm. Really. If IÆd been surprised û no, to be fair I really was surprised. There was every probability that my presence would cause enough butterflies to eliminate that stupid error on the captainÆs part. But if I hadnÆt been aware of the possibility of him giving the game away, I might have yielded to the temptation.
Instead while he was stammering excuses and realisation was beginning to trickle through ZukoÆs brain I went for Iroh. What the hell, I wasnÆt likely to actually hurt the Dragon of the West, but I might as well make it look good.
About a second later, I was in the water and to this day IÆm not entirely sure how it happened. Other, of course, that Iroh predictably brushed me aside with no difficulty whatsoever. And even from that modest height, hitting the water wasnÆt what you might call painless - I barely gathered my wits sufficiently to paddle out of the way of some of the Royal Procession joining me in aquatic adventures.
Floating in a harbour wasnÆt exactly the best place to watch the man work, but I can claim the rare distinction of having had a ringside seat to Iroh, son of Azulon, cleaning the clocks of some of OzaiÆs best. He didnÆt have AzulaÆs razor-sharp precision although there were traces of it in his style. Instead it was almost like he had û in his experience û a map that led him from standing menaced by the lot of us and ended with us scattered and with little interest in resuming the fight. He just followed that map and got where he was going.
It was an impressive display and IÆd wager it was well under a minute before Iroh was alone on the pier. ôZuko! LetÆs go!ö
I could hear AzulaÆs voice from the deck above, although between the water and the distance I couldnÆt make out her words. Iroh ran up onto the ship and I struck out towards the pier, grabbing the nearest firebender by the collar. ôGet your asses up out of the water!ö
The side of the pier wasnÆt smooth, although wet rock isnÆt exactly idea for hand and footholds. I kicked off my boots before scrambling up the side and had barely found my feet when lightning flashed. The sound of rocks tumbling from the cliffs below the colony was masked by the roll of thunder. I was running for the gangplank before recognition of the sound had been fully processed, taking a guilty pleasure in knocking the dripping captain back into the water when he didnÆt dodge fast enough. If the man had a brain heÆd be running for the hills just as fast as Zuko and û
Iroh hit me harder this time. IÆd have appreciated something with less impact, like a sledgehammer, I reflected as I performed a lovely parabolic arc towards the bow of the ship. The expression on ZukoÆs face suggested he was tempted to send a fireball after me, but with Iroh setting the pace he didnÆt have the opportunity. I must presume that he took his frustration out on the still disorganised Royal Procession, judging by their later bruises and singed condition.
Despite having the wind knocked out of me, there was enough of a fall to the water for me to turn the tumble into something like a dive and this time I hit it cleanly, plunging almost as deep as the shipÆs keel before I managed to kick my way back to the surface. My hair had almost escaped its clasp during my first dousing and it was now loose ûthe clasp is probably still somewhere at the bottom of the harbour.
Gasping for breath and glad that it was late enough in the day for the waters to be fairly warm I swam for the bow and the anchor chain, which would be the fastest way to get up onto the deck. And if Azula had been thrown overboard û likely, unless Iroh had developed a previously unseen vicious streak. I swam a bit faster.
Naturally, I had nothing to worry about. I rounded the bow and saw Azula already halfway up the chain. She looked down when she felt the chain move as I grabbed hold of it. ôWhat happened to you?ö
ôOther than the obvious? Not much.ö
Reaching the top, she vaulted over the bulwark and a moment later I was able to do the same. There was no one on the deck except a couple of firebenders, presumably having fallen victim to Zuko at some point. Running to the rail we could see the remains of the Royal Procession, mostly trying to stay afloat, and in the distance Iroh and Zuko disappearing out of view at the far end of the pier.
Azula started what I recognised as the first movement to generate lightning. ôNot when youÆre wet,ö I warned her absently, eyeing the landscape and relying on LiaoÆs memories to pick out the most likely route that the two fugitives would take out of the town.
ôYou donÆt give me orders, Liao.ö I didnÆt have to look at her to know that her brow was lowered in anger, partly at me, partly at herself... mostly at her brother and Iroh.
ôI do give you advice. Bend lightning right now and thereÆs a very good chance of it grounding itself through your own wet clothes.ö
Li and Lo moved out from the shelter of the pagoda. ôWe had not heard that you were well-versed in the use of lightning, Lieutenant Liao.ö You see, this is one of those times when being better at detecting sarcasm would be helpful.
ôWhatever.ö I turned and started squelching towards the gangway. ôIÆll turn out the garrison. Not much chance of catching them right now, but we might get lucky - at the least, we might get some idea of which direction theyÆre taking.ö
ôDonÆt do anything reckless.ö AzulaÆs voice was as sharp even now that her words themselves betrayed her concern.
I smiled as I turned to walk down the gangway, knowing that she would see it. ôDonÆt worry, my love. After all, I donÆt have your permission to die today.ö
Out of the corner of my eye I saw her nod. And then a bolt of blue fire smashed down from her hand onto the pier, immolating the hapless Captain of the ship.
Like I said. Someone was going to die. In that moment, I was just glad that it hadnÆt turned out to be me.
.oOo.
The sergeant looked up as I crashed through the door to the garrison. I must have looked quite the sight, soaked to my skin and wet hair at all angles. ôNow look sir, I told you that it wasnÆt exactly a pet...ö he protested.
ôNothing to do with that, sergeant. Two prisoners just escaped from her highnessÆ ship. TheyÆre on foot, probably heading inland along the river. We need a search party immediately.ö
He was a good man, sounding the assembly gong before wasting time with questions. ôWe donÆt have any komodo rhinos here, sir, so weÆll be on foot ourselves,ö he warned.
ôI understand.ö I looked down at my feet. ôAre there any sandals or boots I can borrow? Mine are at the bottom of the harbour.ö
For a miracle, the man was able to provide sandals that fit well enough to do for now. By the time I had them tied on, around thirty soldiers had assembled in ranks outside the headquarters building. They were a more or less even mix between raw recruits and aging veterans û second-line troops that could defend a minor outpost if necessary but wouldnÆt be up to a real campaign.
What Zuko and Iroh could do to them given half a chance didnÆt bear thinking about.
I drew myself up to address them. ôLess than an hour ago, two dangerous prisoners broke loose from Princess AzulaÆs ship. They were last seen heading inland on foot. My orders are to capture them if possible, and to establish their direction of travel if not. Both men are military-trained firebenders who were under arrest for acts of treason against the Fire Lord and they must be considered desperate. If we find them, the first priority is to report their location, not to attempt any foolish heroics. ö
The older soldiers seemed, on the whole, to take my words at face value. The younger ones seemed less impressed. I say younger, but really they were about LiaoÆs age. Just more naive. ôI suppose I could try stressing this, but some of you evidently arenÆt listening. Sergeant, you take half of the men and follow the north side of the river. IÆll take the rest along the south bank.ö
ôYes sir.ö His face was impassive. ôDo you have a description of the two fugitives?ö
DÆoh. ôThank you for reminding me, sergeant. You are aware that Prince Zuko and General Iroh have been staying in town.ö
ôYes sir.ö
ôThatÆs them.ö
He almost dropped his helmet. ôSir, youÆre asking us to arrest the Fire LordÆs son and brother.ö
ôThose are my orders. I received them from Princess Azula herself.ö (Actually, of course, I was improvising and usurping authority shamelessly but initiative is generally frowned upon in most militaries). ôAnd she was personally assigned the mission of bringing them back in chains. You donÆt have to like that. IÆm not ecstatic about it myself, but it is the will of the Fire Lord and thatÆs all there is to it.ö
I turned and walked out the gate. After a moment there was a shout from inside the compound and about a dozen soldiers ran out after me. The sergeant followed them, another file of men following him. ôI hope you know what youÆre doing, sir,ö he said in a long suffering voice.
ôSo do I.ö And I really wished IÆd had time to go back and pick up my ba chui and some armour, but those were the breaks.
.oOo.
Much as IÆd have liked to get myself chucked into the river by Iroh, by the time that the sun set I still hadnÆt found a trace of them. No footmarks, no discarded clothes (Iroh had been wearing armour, but IÆm reasonably sure heÆd ditch it since it was rather recognisable)... not even the top-knots that I presumed they would by now have cut off and thrown into the water.
ôWe arenÆt going to catch them in the darkness, sir.ö
ôWe arenÆt going to catch them at all,ö I replied to the sergeant. WeÆd regrouped at a convenient ford in the twilight and IÆd started a campfire for the men. ôItÆs clear that either they picked a different route or that theyÆre moving too fast for us. In either case, youÆve done all that you can.ö I glanced around. ôSorry to have dragged you all this way.ö
He chuckled. ôIf nothing else, a little unscheduled camping should toughen the boys up.ö
ôBuy them all some wine when you get back to town tomorrow.ö I pulled enough coins to cover for a small keg out of my belt pouch and handed them over to the sergeant.
ôYou arenÆt coming with us?ö
A twist of my wrist and a flame came to life, cupped in one hand. ôNo, IÆm heading back to the harbour. I have to report to her highness.ö
ôI hope she lets you go back to your young lady then, sir. IÆve heard rumours about her highnessÆ temper.ö
I laughed out loud at that. ôSergeant, she is my young lady. And I can promise you that sheÆs every bit as fiery as rumour says.ö With a wave of one hand, I left them behind, walking swiftly through the otherwise dark night. Even with fire to guide me, IÆd make faster progress by daylight, but something told me that Azula would want a report as soon as possible.
.oOo.
Sure enough, when I reached the ship she was there to greet me, although from her light robe she had been roused from her bed when I was seen coming down the pier. I didnÆt really mind. With her hair down, and only a thin robe between her and the wind she looked far more like the girl that Liao remembered from that island years ago.
ôThey got away?ö
ôThey got away.ö
She sighed. ôThatÆs a shame. Father is going to be disappointed.ö
ôThatÆs very likely.ö I took a step into the wind, creating a windbreak for her. ôI suppose that we canÆt return home without the pair of them?ö
ôOh, I could. But that would mean that I had failed. You know that that is not acceptable.ö She rested one hand in the crook of my elbow and looked up at me. ôWhere do you think theyÆll go?ö
ôIf theyÆre caught in the Earth Kingdom, then theyÆll be killed. If theyÆre caught here, on the other hand, theyÆll be placed in your custody.ö I remembered that part of the reasoning and saw no reason not to divulge that. ôIÆm sure that they fear the latter far more than mere death, which means theyÆll leave the colonies as fast as they can.ö
She smiled at that. ôSo we should...?ö
I chuckled. ôIs this a test?ö
ôThatÆs right.ö She stepped closer. ôYou know why.ö
This was how she had been raised. Everything a test, a challenge from her father to ensure she had grown into what he wanted in a child, pruning away anything else. I cupped her face gently in my hand. ôThe obvious first. Public announcement that theyÆre traitors, posters offering a generous reward for their persons, dead or alive. If theyÆre desperate enough they might think that it would be daring to hide right under the nose of the Fire Nation. So close that door.ö
She pressed herself against me. ôI announced it while you were giving chase. Posters will be displayed in all the colonies within the week, all across the Fire Nation by the end of the week after. My brotherÆs disgrace will be total.ö
ôAfter that, their movements depend on who is making the decisions. Iroh is smart. HeÆd find our enemies û not the Earth Kingdom perhaps, heÆs too hated there, but perhaps the Northern Water Tribe or some of the more primitive peoples in the southern continent. One old man and his nephew could melt into refugee groups without a trace.ö I could feel tension in her shoulders. ôBut that wonÆt happen. Your uncle has been following your brother for three years and that isnÆt an easy habit to break. And Zuko will want what he always has. To redeem himself.ö
ôThe Avatar,ö Azula whispered triumphantly and relaxed against me. ôSuperbly reasoned, Liao. Just as I knew you would.ö
ôDid you ever hear that Admiral Zhao captured the Avatar once?ö I feel that her surprise was genuine. ôHad him in chains and everything. But a mysterious swordsman broke him out that very night. Now, the Avatar doesnÆt associate with any swordsman. But your brotherÆs ship was in port just then. And heÆs been travelling the world for years, meeting all sorts of people. Perhaps he realised that if someone else brought the Avatar to your father then he would be in exile forever. So if we capture the Avatar, then weÆll have the ultimate bait for Zuko. We wonÆt need to look for him: he will come to us.ö
Mostly good but there is one point to pick at. Azula should be rather suspicious of Liao's knowledge about the Blue Spirit and Zhao's capture of Aang. I don't know when that would have been chronologically, but Liao was in a coma for some time and fighting in the Earth Kingdom before that. Also nearly everyone except for Zhao had assumed that the Blue Spirit was from the Earth Kingdom. It's easy to watch the show and know all this of course, but he'd need some kind of quick explanation for how he knew something she didn't.
