Mostly so that Iroh would get the chance to publicly approach them first, as a gesture of trying to make amends. But also, it'd give Bumi time to marinate in the prestige of being part of ending the long war and shore up his faction against Kuei. Then, once the two kings (or more realistically, Bumi and Kuei's regents) began to really vie for influence, the Fire Nation would seek out Omashu to offer reparations and make things right. That'd shift the balance to Bumi's favor as various states would no doubt try to get a slice of the pie.
That they'd partly be paid with the wealth Xing had looted from Ba Sing Se's palace and noble quarters would be a dark irony for those in the know. Hopefully Bumi wouldn't highlight that to twist the blade against Kuei; it'd have a very real chance of backfiring.
A chunk of the remaining reparation payment would be taken from the losing players in the Fire Nation's brief civil war. Beyond losing their family members involved in royal court, noble houses that could not be trusted were stripped of their wealth and would have to rebuild themselves from the ground up. It was either that or the promise of a thorough eradication by Azula's agents.
All in all, the Fire Nation would not lose too much beyond what it has already lost…at the meager and justified cost of a campaign of character assassination of Ozai and his lackeys. That the Avatar could testify to the assassination attempt on Iroh would enhance Iroh's reputation as a peace seeker and reconciler, which would earn some wriggle room on the negotiation table.
When he thought about it for too long, Iroh found himself rather terrified of how much Xing and Azula had taken things into account, even when improvising.
With his first court held and done with, Iroh rose up from his throne and approached the gaggle of teens that made him Fire Lord. Azula was the first to greet him, wearing a smirk.
"See uncle? You're still alive and well. It's not as hard as your reluctance makes it seem."
"It was too long for my liking," Iroh complained, which got her to shrug.
"Then add cushions to the throne. Or get tea service while you're holding court. It's up to you now to decide how things are run around here."
With the nobles thinning out enough, the banter was quickly dropped for more serious matters. "So, with no one trying to interrupt the coronation, the Fire Nation is effectively in your hands," Aang said with a smile, and then glanced to Xing. "That means we can move on?"
The Prince of Ba Sing Se nodded. "Pri- Fire Lord Iroh is now the fully legitimate ruler of the Fire Nation. If there are any remaining die-hard supporters of Ozai left, they've lost their chance to really make a dent in the regime change."
"So we don't have to go scouring the islands for hidden cells," Katara said with relief, getting another nod from Xing.
"Not without making Fire Lord Iroh look like he's relying on the Avatar as a crutch."
Aang sighed with relief, and his bright smile grew. "Well, that's good news all around. Now we just have to wait for the negotiations with the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes to confirm the peace…"
"And don't forget affirming Ba Sing Se's place in the world."
"Yeah, that too."
Zuko broke from his day-long thoughtful silence to fix his gaze between Xing and Aang. "So, my father…he'll remain prisoner…?"
The light mood that started to infect the group vanished, and the Scorpion and the Avatar gave firm nods in unison. "We'll leave him in the palace dungeons until Sozin's Comet," Xing confirmed. "What happens after will be entirely dependent on how he - and not his followers - behave."
The boy Sokka voiced what had been nagging in the back of Iroh's head. "I'm kind of surprised you're not calling for his head or something."
It was Azula who answered with forced lightness. "A quick execution would be detrimental to what we're trying to achieve in a new Fire Nation. Personally, I'd like to decide his fate with an Agni Kai…" She gave Xing, Zuko, and Iroh a look. "...but he's still my father, as I've been reminded. We'll give him a chance. His last chance."
"Thank you, Azula," Iroh sincerely said, bowing his head at his niece's reluctant mercy. She responded by rolling her eyes to hide her clearly conflicted thoughts.
"Anyway, back to pertinent matters… Is six months enough to allow the free movement of people between the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se?"
"I thought it was three?" Zuko asked.
"Three was for the nobles," Azula clarified. "So that they'll liquify and declare all their incoming or outgoing assets in time for the fiscal report. They'll get less wriggle room for any creative corruption."
"Politics…" Aang sighed wearily. Iroh sympathized, wishing he could simply offer the throne to Zuko right now and set up a tea house somewhere peaceful. But like the Avatar, he had to face the realities and responsibilities of his rank. Still, it needn't be such a dour thing all the time…
"Well, we've been standing about for a while now," Iroh began. "Why don't we carry the discussion to the gardens? I'll have the servants prepare us tea."
The Fire Lord was stung that it was Zuko of all people who replied with ghastly blasphemy. "So long as you don't end up brewing it all by yourself and lecturing them on how to do it correctly, uncle."
"But how can tea be enjoyed if it's poorly made? The servants need a proper education!"
"You're Fire Lord, not a tea house owner." How quickly the cracks between ruler and heir have shown itself.
"You know that you've not been officially confirmed as my heir?"
It was the blind girl Toph that scoffed. "What, you're going to adopt and elevate the best tea brewer?"
"You can dabble in the intricacies of tea brewing during your down time, Iroh."
Dabble?! Iroh glared at Sokka. "Do not belittle the art, boy."
To Iroh's chagrin, the youngsters found the exchange amusing as they headed for the gardens. But Xing, the spirit-blessed boy, proved himself the most considerate and wisest of the group by providing Iroh with a satchel of Black Laogai leaves just as the travesty that was cold leaf water was served, and convinced the others to let Iroh show them how it's done.
Ty Lee did not like the fluttering of trepidation that accompanied her in her return to the home islands. She liked far less the fact that the first thing she had to do when stepping foot back home was to meet with Azula in her old room.
Privately.
"Ty Lee." The princess greeted her with a warm smile, set to a backdrop of contented blues and reds. "I'm glad you're here so promptly." There was no snark or hidden context in her words.
Ty Lee kept her usual smile up with ease as she bowed. "You called and I answered, Azula. Congratulations for your successes."
Azula gave a single, proud nod before her aura and tone became blunter. "Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get straight to the point for both our sakes. Ty Lee…"
The other girl couldn't help silently gulping and holding her breath.
"...would you like to remain here?"
Ty Lee blinked at the unexpectedly genuine question. This was not the cold banishment she was expecting.
"I'm sorry?"
The princess shook her head slightly as she sighed. "No, you don't have to be sorry. You've been avoiding me ever since…ever since that incident."
She had, partly out of guilt and shame, partly because she didn't want to face her friend in the midst of processing the tumult in her head.
Azula remained calm and collected as she continued, not a hint of judgment or anger coloring her. "We haven't gotten a chance to talk since then…really talk, but I understand if you do not wish to go over it. I too understand if you find my company to be…awkward to be around." Only then did she stiffen visibly and brownish trepidation began to seep into the edges of her aura. "Therefore, I will not begrudge you if you wish to remain on the islands. If you'd like, I could ask for a referral into a theater or…circus of your choice."
The brittle smile on the princess told Ty Lee that her friend was still being honest.
Ty Lee found herself frowning deeply. Is that what she wanted, truly?
No. Obviously not. Despite the distance she'd put between herself and Azula, Ty Lee still felt attached to her friend, and had found her time in Ba Sing Se to be very much enjoyable. But…
But was it right for her? Was it right for Azula?
Ever since the shock of her impulsive near-mistake, Ty Lee had forced herself to look inward and for some soul-searching. It was a…confusingly painful process, which was mostly because Ty Lee couldn't see her own aura to offer clues to what she was really feeling. She stared at herself in the mirror for nights, finding nothing but an eerie void in her reflection even as she scowled and sobbed in frustration.
She couldn't see her own aura, couldn't see any of the vibrant colors she found in others. It was why she'd been basking in the colors of others all this while. It was why she did her best to craft the lively reactions that brought out the vibrant and pretty colors that she wished for herself.
It had been an ingrained habit of Ty Lee, and only recently did she realize that it might not be the best thing. She was becoming too reactionary, too impulsive in chasing the right shades in the auras of the people she interacted with. And breaking her denial of that fact had raised a lot of uncomfortable questions.
Did she go along with Azula's bullying last time because she didn't know any better, or because she preferred the bright oranges and yellows directed on Azula's target compared to the angry blacks and red Ty Lee knew she'd face if she tried standing up to the princess?
Did she like teasing Azula and Mai because of the sheepish smiles it elicited and the mutual laughter afterwards, or because of the pretty shades of pinks it made?
Did she talk with Xing's people because she was interested in what they had to say, or because their auras danced so prettily as they delved into the topics with gusto?
Did she try to kiss the princess becaus- No, there was no questioning about that one. She'd tried to kiss Azula only because she didn't like the blacks and grays on her at the time, and Ty Lee just wanted to rid the gloomy aura out of her friend. She'd run out of patience, and just wanted the ugly colors gone.
Better embarrassment than fear, Ty Lee remembered thinking at the time.
It was horrid of her to have focused on that instead of the anxiety Azula was feeling. That she and Xing reacted very mildly didn't help Ty Lee's guilt in any way. So she took to the task of training that Xing assigned to her with all the focus she could manage, using it as a convenient distraction. Away from her roiling thoughts. Away from Azula.
"Ty Lee?"
The princess' concerned voice snapped Ty Lee back to the present, where she realized she was gnawing at her bottom lip.
Azula misinterpreted the unconscious action, as she took on a more apologetic expression. "You are free to choose as you wish, Ty Lee. You have my word that I will not hold anything against you." The sting of trepidation in her eyes almost made Ty Lee wince. "I'd…I'd like us to remain friends, but if distance is what you need-"
"No!" The denial came out with a strength that surprised both girls. Ty Lee froze for a second, and then hurriedly delved into herself to be certain of the intentions behind her words. It was hard to meet Azula's quizzical gaze. "I…"
She wanted to stay. She wanted to remain friends. She wanted to be away with the stupid awkwardness between them.
But that would mean trying to explain…everything.
The other girl took a worried step forward, her aura swirling in a deep blue. "Are you alright Ty Lee?"
"I'm-" Ty Lee caught herself from replying instantly, from trying to turn that blue into something brighter. Azula deserved an honest answer.
But how would she answer? How should she answer?
The thought of seeing seething black tendrils from Azula terrified Ty Lee, even more so if it was directed at her. But worse than anger was the possibility that her royal friend might… That she might…
"Ty Lee?"
She looked straight into her friend's concerned eyes. "I'm scared," Ty Lee found herself croaking out through a hitched sob. "I'm sorry Azula. But I'm scared…"
Azula took a step back, an ugly yellow streak shooting across her aura. "I'm sorry that-"
"No." Ty Lee shook her head vehemently. "Please, it's not you Azula. I'm just…I can't…"
She felt herself being pulled forward as her friend's body pressed tightly against her and comforting arms embraced her.
Even with her face half-buried in her friend's shoulder, Ty Lee could see that Azula's deep blue worry was beginning to turn into a mushy gray that-
No! Spirits damn it, not now!
It took a second before she realized the weird noise was her sobbing into Azula's shoulder. "It's alright, Ty Lee. You don't have to say anything you don't want to."
But she needed to. For herself, and for Azula to know how bad of a person she was.
If only she could string the right words together and force it out of her sobs.
Ty Lee didn't know how long she lost her composure before she found herself sitting on Azula's bed, with her friend still soothing her with gentle pats with one hand, and offering the other for Ty Lee to squeeze onto for support. The stab of guilt at seeing the bleak chromatic worry on Azula's expression overruled Ty Lee's usual mild distaste at such colors.
"Better?"
"I…" Ty Lee gulped, and then salvaged what resolve she had left to meet Azula's gaze. "I need to explain, Azula. B-But I…I don't know how…"
"It's alright." The princess offered a comforting smile. "Relax. Pace yourself, don't force yourself to make sense. We have time."
"But-"
"Shush. Xing's got things handled, and delegation's a thing. Believe me when I say that I've got time, Ty Lee. Even if we have to bring this back to Ba Sing Se." There was a sympathy in Azula that Ty Lee never saw before, her voice radiated warm oranges like she'd been through the experience before. "Assuming you want to go back there, anyway…"
Ty Lee nodded furiously.
The princess gave a wan lop-sided smirk. "Trust me, you'll need to pace yourself. I went through the same thing, back when Xing made me realize some…harsh truths. Took us days, on and off, to get everything out, to make everything clear. Being able to voice it and having someone listen helped a lot…"
Azula's smirk turned into a wistful smile, which lasted for barely a second before she shook her head and gave Ty Lee a gentler one as she leaned over. "Look at me, making it about myself again. I'm sorry Ty Lee. Let's start slow, alright?"
Ty Lee gulped as she nodded again, and calmed herself by basking in her friend's gentle yellows and cyans before making an attempt at coherency. "I'm…I just want…need to-"
She stopped, and restarted again. Several times, in fact, each time adjusting the words to make the sentence clearer for Azula.
"I-I need you to know why I tried to kiss you that night." There.
The princess frowned slightly and gave a slow nod. "It's important for you, Ty Lee, so go ahead. Don't worry, I promise I'll be listening to everything you want to say."
And listen she did. Azula focused intently on Ty Lee's attempt at explaining herself. She didn't have to reiterate several times that it wasn't an excuse, but the girl did so anyway. And her friend patiently took in every word as she promised to, occasionally snapping an arm up to wave away servants peeking in to interrupt.
Remarkably, she managed to unload most of it, all the important parts at least. And Azula remained seated beside her, her face fixed in a mild frown as she digested Ty Lee's muddy stream of words.
"So, you're trying to move away from your…habit of responding for the sake of making the right colors?"
"Yeah…" It sounded lame when Azula put it that way, but she gave a firm nod that somehow turned it into a grave matter.
"Well then, we'll have to hammer out the details on how to proceed."
"What?"
Azula's eyes narrowed just a fraction. "You said you wanted to stay in Ba Sing Se?" Ty Lee simply nodded. "Then we'll have to figure out how to help you break away from your habit."
"You're not mad?"
The princess stared at her for a second before huffing. "Ty Lee. I'm still trying to make up for my many, many failings as a sister and friend. There's still a lot I need to resolve with Zuko for the many abuses I've dealt to him. Mai too requires a long talk to decide the fate of her father, however she wants to pretend she doesn't care about him. And then there's the fact that I'll have to figure out how to make it up to both my fiance and my new Kyoshi Warrior friend for essentially pimping out the former so that I could…dabble with the latter."
"What?"
Azula rolled her eyes. "Long story. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you following the whims of auras is far from the worst thing around, especially when compared to the shit I've done. So no, I can't even begin to be mad."
A wry smirk suddenly wormed its way on her features. "If anything, I should be thankful that you…expanded my horizons."
Ty Lee blinked in confusion, but the princess shook her head. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. You want to be more sincere in your expressions…"
They plotted (well, Azula plotted and Ty Lee offered some feedback) up until evening, and Ty Lee found herself enjoying the moment of semi-normalcy between them. It almost felt like old times, where the princess schemed to inflict pranks on Zuko or some unfortunate tutor and Ty Lee and Mai would have to listen in to do her bidding. Happy moments, if not happy times.
Azula was right; it felt way better after she had someone listen to her, especially someone who was close like Azula was.
"Everything alright?" Only when Xing appeared by the door did the girls finally put a pause to their conversation.
Azula got up from the bed to throw her fiance a smirk. "Yeah, just girl's talk, that's all. Dinner?"
"Dinner," the prince wreathed in a halo of contented red confirmed, and then gave Ty Lee a questioning look.
"She's not leaving," Azula answered plainly. "I misread the situation."
Xing smiled, happy on her behalf, and then directed it at Ty Lee. "I'm glad you're still willing to stay in Ba Sing Se."
"Well, there's lots of things to do there," she replied half-heartedly, catching herself from making a vapid remark and opting for meeker sincerity. "I love Mai, but I've got friends in your city too."
"I'm sure we can make it so that you're exempt from the movement restrictions," he offered with a sagely nod. "Anyway, we can discuss it over dinner."
"Right then. Come along, Ty Lee."
Catching the looks exchanged between prince and princess, Ty Lee suddenly remembered a pertinent tangent to revisit. "So…what's this about Xing and Suki?"
It was a genuine question, one that Ty Lee couldn't help but ask, aura or not. Still, seeing the couple stumble was pleasing, and with the way Azula coughed, Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle.
"Perhaps we'll get to that topic after dinner. And the topics related to that…"
Judging from the speculative looks Ty Lee was receiving from both of them, she found her curiosity significantly piqued.Suki did her best to keep a stoic mask on as she entered the dining hall. Xing and Azula were already in their seats, along with Ty Lee, Mai, Aang and his friends, and Iroh and Zuko. The other bodyguards stood outside, making her the only one in that role to be in the oversized room. Or sitting at the huge, round dining table.
She did as Xing had suggested and walked at an even pace, acting like she wasn't feeling at all embarrassed or self-conscious as she made for the seat reserved for her.
"Ah, Suki. Glad of you to join us."
Azula's greeting almost caused Suki's overstrung facade to snap, but she rallied in time. She gave the princess a quick nod before picking up the pace and slipping into the chair right beside Xing.
It took an unbelievable amount of willpower for the Kyoshi Warrior to keep her head up instead of curling up out of awkwardness. But nobody brought up the obvious, only giving polite greetings, with the worst of it being Katara trying to open a conversation about Kyoshi Island. That Suki could reply without stammering or breaking eye contact was a marvel, that still nobody mentioned anything even more so.
By the time the food came, some of Suki's anxiety bled away, and she began to relax. She gladly let the table talk wash over her, hoping to be completely ignored so that she could focus on her meal instead of the impulse to feel her lips again.
It was supposed to be just a short conversation with Xing, while Azula was having a heart-to-heart with Ty Lee, one where Suki only felt a little ashamed that she offered no resistance at all when he brought up a potential future for her.
"It will take some effort in navigating and balancing, but Azula and I would like to offer you a place within our family. There will be some hierarchy to it, especially on the outside, but I can promise that I'll at least do my part to keep things as…fair as I can."
Suki understood the dynamics between royalty like them, and commoners like herself. Within most of the Earth Kingdom, people like Suki could only hope to be a favored concubine, relegated to a comfortable but severely restricted life within a gilded cage. At worst, they'd be promoted above their station to be their patron's peer, and be forced to fight for their lives against jealous spouses and their lackeys in the battlefield of highborn politics. There's enough sad stories sung and acted out about such things, where the maidens and farmhands involved often ended up dead or starting a new life after faking their deaths while their noble love interest wailed about their loss for a whole arc.
What Xing and Azula were offering went far beyond being a simple kept woman; the princess had made it clear that she'd like Suki to be actively part of their relationship. Instead of being a powerless concubine, she'd have her own roles and duties, and a say in family matters. She'd be made princess, but with the support of both Xing and Azula to keep the petty politicking at bay.
And as expected from the couple, they had made the relationship politically rational. Suki was a Kyoshi Warrior, and even if she left the sisterhood, that reputation would linger. And having a member of that order, former or not, be a member of Ba Sing Se's palace was a big enough deal for Azula to be offering Suki guarantees about her freedoms on the few times the princess brought the topic up. Usually after they spent a quiet moment 'acclimating' with each others' lips.
"If you want to be cynical about it," the princess had explained on the first night traveling across the sea, "having the Avatar work with us really made your presence beside us highly significant. The Kyoshi Warriors being an order formed by one and all that. Simply by bringing you into the fold, we gain a measure of legitimacy from the common people of the Earth Kingdom that even a royal marriage between nations might not achieve."
Suki remembered Azula's grin back then. "However, for better or worse, we're not so cynical in our intentions."
Xing was far less calculative with his proposal. "While we'd be glad to have you join us quickly, I understand if you need time to mull it over. Actually…it'd be best if you did take your time thinking it through. This is a big decision, after all."
He was being too considerate. Suki already had her answer ready. She already had too many days to mull over the matter ever since the couple brought it up. Too many days of phantom tingling on her lips as flashes of Xing kissing her distracted her from her normal tasks.
And in the end, it was a very simple calculation.
Did she like Xing? Yes, very much so. More than just like, especially after having a taste.
Did she mind having to…work with Azula beyond mere kissing? Not really, no…and even then, it'd be a very small price to pay to be by Xing's side.
So Suki simply gave her answer immediately, though for some reason her body was rigid with trepidation as she delivered a stiff nod. "I…I'd like to…to be with you…"
Xing then went on a spiel about whether she was really sure about her answer, that neither he nor Azula wanted Suki to have regrets.
Suki's nerves and patience frayed, and she shut him up by taking a bold step forward to capture his face in her hands and bring her mouth to his. The look of surprise on Xing was satisfying, but not as satisfying as the experience of pressing her lips against his, or how they felt with her probing tongue.
"I know what I want, Xing," she told him after she forced herself to break the kiss. "I want you, and I don't mind sharing."
His smile turned from polite and accommodating to a kind of delight that made Suki's breath catch in her throat. They kissed again then, this time with Xing brushing her hair back and leaning in slowly. Suki instinctively applied the lessons she learned firsthand from Azula and worked her lips beyond just opening and closing her mouth or clumsily lashing her tongue out.
Xing reciprocated, and Suki lost herself in the giddy moment. At one point, she guided his hand up to her neck, and the prince…her prince gave a light squeeze, just the right amount to make her gasp and quiver with pleasure. She shuddered harder when his hand slipped under her dress and his fingers brushed against her bare skin. Strong hands, not the pincers from her dreams, held onto Suki, and it felt far, far better than what her subconscious had offered.
It might've gone further, but then someone had to knock at the door to inform them about dinner. Suki was panting lightly as Xing pulled away and stepped back, wearing a grin on his face that bore both amusement and satisfaction.
"We'll continue later?"
"Y-Yeah," she breathed out, and glancing down, noticed the state of disarray her attire was in. Without her realizing, her belt sash ended up strewn by her feet, while her dress had been pushed past her shoulders, leaving her torso exposed for Xing to see…and touch. Her chest binding had loosened up and was on the verge of slipping off.
"Do you need help?" he cheekily asked, and Suki felt her cheeks warm up as she shook her head.
"You can go on ahead," she said with surprising evenness as she started to tidy herself up. "Don't let me keep you from dinner."
"'My' dinner?" Xing asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You mean 'our' dinner, right? Since you'll be part of the family now." At her gaping silence, the prince chuckled and began to move for the door. "I'll go check on Azula. See you at the dining hall?"
Which led Suki to the present, doing her best to eat unobtrusively as she sat to the right of Xing. Azula was to his left, trading words with Ty Lee, Mai and Toph. The new Fire Lord Iroh bantered with Aang, while Zuko beside him engaged Xing and Sokka in conversation. Suki didn't even try to keep up with what was being said by who. She also did her damnedest to not glance Xing's way, as to avoid being drawn to his lips again.
The comfortable lack of notice didn't last though. It was Zuko who, in the midst of replying to Xing, gave Suki a sideways glance, and rather than return to Xing, his eyes lingered for enough seconds that she could feel the puzzlement sprout behind his gaze.
"Zuzu, something the matter?" Azula interrupted in a sweet voice.
The prince snapped out of his staring and shook his head, but Suki caught the glance he gave both Xing and Azula. "Ah, it's nothing. I was just…thinking."
Regardless, the irregularity had been highlighted, and soon after Iroh was giving Suki a look, which was again interrupted by Azula. "Yes, dear uncle?" the princess challenged.
The Fire Lord frowned a little as he met his niece's gaze. There was a silent question in his look, which was in turn answered in the way Azula's head shifted vertically ever so slightly. Iroh passed that look to Xing, who shrugged, and then finally sighed with resignation. "It is nothing, Azula."
"Oh? If you say so, uncle…"
Suki quickly finished her dinner as politely possible, but she couldn't leave fast enough. Katara and Toph were just as quick to corner her in the hallways with worried frowns on their faces.
"Suki, are you alright?" the waterbender asked in a cautious half-whisper. Suki stared at the other girl as she fought back a welling embarrassment at the situation. "Xing isn't making you do anything…weird, is he?"
Spirits, how she wished to curl up out of sight right now!
But instead Suki forced herself to answer, highly conscious of how her voice wavered nervously. "H-He's not. We just, uh…"
"Is it Azula?"
"No! It's not like that!"
The answer made Katara lean back a little and trade looks with Toph for a second. Then the Beifong girl fixed Suki with a speculative look. "Is it…both of them?"
She didn't have to answer, because her expression was obvious enough that even the blind earthbender was grinning, and Katara was bringing a shocked hand up to her mouth.
"They didn't force you, did they?"
Suki shook her head meekly. "It was…an offer…"
"Uh-huh."
"It's true!" Suki asserted, staring at the smaller girl's sightless eyes. "They didn't threaten me or make me do anything. I just…" And then words failed her, as she realized what she was about to admit, and Suki had to break eye contact as her cheeks warmed up again.
"See? Told ya it was nothing to worry about, Princess Busybody."
"I'm not a busybody!" Katara protested. "I was really worried for Suki!"
"Pfft. Xing and Azula might be a pain to deal with, but even I know they're not that scummy. Right Suki?"
Spirits, why did Toph have to bring the conversation back to her?
"T-They're not," Suki confirmed nervously. "I mean, they make hard decisions, but they genuinely are good people."
"So good that a Kyoshi Warrior is taking up their…'offer'?"
Suki felt like her face was burning up out of embarrassment as she nodded.
"I hope you're not giving up too much…" Katara remarked warily, and horrifyingly, Toph's amusement instantly switched to match the girl's concern.
"I heard stories about how-"
"Suki, are the Avatar's friends harassing you?" Azula suddenly called out, and the trio turned to find the smirking princess and her equally smirking friends.
"No, they were just…asking…questions."
Azula's eyebrow went up.
"We're not harassing her," Katara replied, with vehemence initially, but then awkwardness settled in as she grasped the extent of the situation. "We just thought that Suki needed some help. But we were…wrong."
"Indeed." The princess walked over to them, her smirk growing sharper with amusement as it was fixed on the Water Tribe girl. "I trust you understand enough to not form…poorly assumed conclusions?"
Suki could hear Katara blink. "Uh, yeah."
"Good." Azula drew herself up with a soft inhale, and then took on a more formal voice. "On our part, know that we've not, and will not force Suki to…join us. If you're worried about her well-being, she will not be consigned to be a mere bed warmer." That last line got practically everyone blushing. Azula then smiled as she focused her attention on Suki. "I've grown to trust and like Suki as a dear friend, and I would like to retain that friendship."
"Well," Katara almost stammered, "If that's…I mean…as long as you know what you're getting into…"
"I am," Suki answered with her rallying resolve.
"Great then," the princess chimed in with a clap of her hands. "Now that the air is cleared, come, Suki..." And Azula stepped forwards with a hand brought to Suki's cheek. Suki instinctively parted her lips and tilted her head to receive Azula's kiss, ignoring the embarrassment of having an audience. If anything, the brief contact imparted a comforting warmth for Suki to anchor her nerves around.
Azula pulled away smoothly, and her hand slid down to hold Suki's. "Xing's waiting for us. We've got to hammer the details of your…promotion. Ty Lee, Mai, I trust you two can find your own entertainment in the meantime?"
Suki let herself be led off, wishing at the moment that she could ignore the looks she got from the other girls, particularly Katara and Mai.
"Congrats, and all the best Suki!" And Ty Lee's cheery, enthusiastic wave was somehow worse.Credit to the treacherous children, the cell Ozai was put in was comprehensively secure. It was a perfect cube hole underground that, thanks to the earthbender builders, was absent of the weakness of a door. Instead, save for mealtimes where the wall would slide up, he was surrounded by six stony surfaces.
Four fist-sized holes on the ceiling allowed weak sunlight from above to trickle in, serving as his sole light source. More holes at the top of the sliding wall provided minimum air circulation as well as some light when the sun was out. A raised block of dirt in one corner with a hole in it served as a latrine, while a wooden basin of water was provided each morning .
If taking just these elements into consideration, the holding cell was a simple one, meant to keep non-benders and weak benders in place. Any real firebender could just blast their way out in a myriad of ways.
But leave it to the insidious children to figure out a way to deter any breakout. When he was first interred, Ozai's blindfold was lifted by the guards as he was right at the entrance. They gave smug grins as they explained why the walls between his cell and the hallway were so thick, one of them even thumping a foot to lower the entrance's section to reveal barrels sandwiched between the walls.
"Prince Xing asks that we inform you that blasting jelly is stuffed behind your cell's walls, floor and ceiling. You might notice the sharp smell in the air, that's the firepowder that's embedded onto every inch of your room. The prince asks that you be careful with your firebending, or he'll have to regretfully explain to his fiance how her father turned into a massive underground firework."
It was a demeaning, but - Ozai had to begrudgingly admit - effective captivity. He quickly got used to the sulfurous smell from the gray powder mixed in with his cell walls, nevermind the humiliatingly simple wooden furniture. They only gave him a bed (with mere hay for mattress stuffing at that), a stool, and a raised surface not big enough to be called a table.
Beyond the briefing by the guards, the betrayed Fire Lord did not have any further social interaction with anyone. Not that he needed to talk to traitors and invaders anyway. Instead, Ozai spent most of his isolation steeping in the disappointment that was his children.
Zuko was an utter failure, weak and useless to the very end, barely worth being a pawn of any value. Why many courtiers favored the useless boy was beyond Ozai's comprehension. They liked him so much that they admired his time in exile, framing it as a valiant effort to catch the Avatar. Idiots. Ozai should've ejected those fools out of his court rather than magnanimously tolerating their presence. He should've rejected Azula's offer of turning Zuko into a recruit, and thereby letting that weakling be party to her treachery. Zhao had the right idea, put the boy on a boat with blasting jelly and get it done with.
Azula had shown promise, but she'd let her ambition lead her down a treason path. It stung Ozai that he almost believed his daughter's claims of just wanting to keep the colonies running efficiently. That she only cared about maintaining a level of competency within the Fire Nation. He should have listened to his instincts, that the girl was building up a power base to launch a coup, that her 'culling' of supposedly corrupt and ineffectual officials was actually meant to chip away at his supporters. But he let his paternal pride blind him until the very last moment.
The truth only dawned on Ozai when he saw Azula presenting herself with a preening, smug grin alongside the insidious Xing after the latter's victory over Ba Sing Se. He had been cornered by the two scheming children, forced to celebrate their usurpation of his power and influence that was wrapped in an overblown victory.
He should've reneged on their engagement back then, even if Ozai only had his hunch to rely on.
Xing was as untrustworthy as his moniker. Scorpion indeed. He was too smart, too capable to be trusted. No doubt he prodded and encouraged Azula's treachery to gain a share of the spoils. He hid dragons from Ozai and effectively made him a fool to the world. In hindsight, Xing no doubt seized Ba Sing Se in more practical means like bribing enough earthbenders and dressed it up as some glorious, impossible feat of bringing down the walls by himself. He probably orchestrated the failure of the War Ministry's drill too, and conspired with the Mad King to turn Omashu into a humiliation for Ozai's rule.
The more Ozai thought about it, the more it became clear that his first and biggest mistake had been allowing his daughter out of the palace with the Scorpion to shape her education. If she had stayed, Ozai could've corrected her treacherous behavior, and Xing would be able to parasitize her to rise in power so quickly.
He also shouldn't have relied so much on his court for advice. The officials and nobles were supposed to be extensions of his will, but Ozai had slackened their leash too much. He had entertained too much of their schemes, and what results did it produce? Their proposal to send off the home islands' garrisons to the front only made the girl's invasion easier. The new tanks and heavy infantry of the War Ministry were useless against Azula's coup. They omitted the fact that the Avatar was involved, which made his escape on the airship a major mistake…
Or…or did the damned girl get to them as well? Did they purposely sabotage his rule? But he was sure that she was disliked. Despised even.
As he processed his thoughts for the nth time to form a clearer picture, a hole opened up at head level in the sliding wall. Ozai stood up and found no one on the other side, but one of the guards' voices rang through while the walls around him rumbled softly. "Ozai, you got a guest."
Despite himself, Ozai took a cautious step towards the hole, but he froze in surprise as Iroh's face appeared on the other side. Iroh, in the robes and headdress of the Fire Lord.
Of course. Ozai scowled as the loose pieces all fit together.
"Brother."
"Iroh," he forced through gritted teeth as the archtraitor, the true hand behind all of this. "I should have known."
The statement caught the usurper off-guard, and Iroh, ever the over-expressive fool, regarding him with what was definitely false confusion. "Ozai? What do you mean?"
"All this time…you couldn't let your better claim the throne, and so you turned my children and my advisors against me."
Iroh frowned. "You are greatly mistaken, brother. The needs of the Fire Nation has forced me to assume-"
"Please," Ozai scoffed with disgust. "Spare me the spiel for the gullible masses." He stared hatefully at his traitorous brother, who still had the gall to feign ignorance. "How long did it take for you to worm your way into my court's confidence? What did you dangle for my daughter to accept your treasonous schemes?"
"Ozai, I do not want to be Fi-"
"Hah!" he spat back. "Of course you'd say that, now that you're on the throne. No doubt your simpering courtiers and noble houses will gladly swallow that excuse."
Ozai growled with rising anger. His brother had fooled him completely with his soft act. Even if he mostly stayed out of politics, everyone still held him in high regard. Enough so that it overrode their rightful fear and respect for Ozai's station. Zuko of course looked up to Iroh as a role model for weakness. No doubt his brother used that influence to keep his son impotent and meek. As for Azula… He probably blunted her ambition, made her content to be nothing more than a broodmare to a freak.
It was so obvious now.
"So, I was set up to fail, is that it?" Ozai needlessly asked. "My rule undermined from the start, so that you can sweep in and be proclaimed the savior of the Fire Nation."
"You are deluding yourself, Ozai," Iroh finally retorted with some hardness in his voice and features. Ozai smiled at his brother's frustration, at having ruined Iroh's attempt to gloat. Now that he's on the defensive, the usurper could only settle on glaring at him with disdain, showing his true colors at last.
And Ozai would not give him the satisfaction of submitting.
"So, are you done looking down on me?" he asked defiantly.
Iroh continued glaring for a few seconds more, before he let out a theatrical sigh and shook his head. He still had the gall to put on his compassionate mask, the bastard. "I came to see how you were doing, but…"
It was satisfying for Ozai to see his brother's face harden, to see that stupid mask of Iroh crack. "Ozai. Someone has brought a grave accusation against you. A man called Vachir-"
Ozai stiffened, unable to hide his surprise at the name. Another incompetent or treacherous servant. Had he, too, turned to Iroh immediately after his failure?
"Are you listening to me, brother?" the traitorous sibling asked, snapping Ozai out of his thoughts. "Why did you send a Yuyan Archer after a mere commoner?"
It rankled Ozai to have his brother continue pretending to be oblivious. "Don't be obtuse. You know who he is, brother."
"Then why kill a man who has nothing to do anymore with your wife?"
"That's a lie!" he snapped, only his surroundings keeping him from displaying his rage in flames. The words were forced out through gritted teeth, the years of resentment and hate urging them on. "She was supposed to be mine! Yet she only ever sought her past life, sought him! The ungrateful wench never knew how to appreciate her place as my wife. Ungrateful. Treacherous. Just like everyone I've known."
"Ozai…"
He snapped a finger up at his brother. "Don't you dare play the sympathetic card on me, Iroh! I know what you are now!"
Iroh sighed again, and Ozai was treated to the sight of the old hardened general that had earned the moniker 'Dragon of the West'. His brother's glare would've been withering, if not for how little Ozai regarded him now.
"Very well then, brother. Tell me then. Did you have anything to do with our father's passing?"
The deposed Fire Lord scoffed. He should have expected that as well. It was obvious, now. "What? Sour that I beat you to it, brother?"
Iroh's face tightened with rage, and Ozai basked in the one victory he got over his brother. "You, who were trying to play the long game, were ruined by my involvement. Is that why you set me up for such failure, brother? Were you angry that I rightfully snatched the throne from you?"
"You are a disgrace, Ozai!"
"Disgrace? From you, of all people, who plotted behind my back for taking what is mine? For all your scheming, you're as much of a blinkered failure as our father was, unwilling to make the hard decisions. Soft. Weak. I would've led the Fire Nation to new heights."
A noise came from outside, and Iroh visibly calmed. Of course he'd bring an audience to share in the gloating. Well, Ozai was not going to play along.
"How did you do it, Ozai?" his brother's voice was delivered very evenly. "How did you assassinate our father?"
Should he take that secret to the grave, or would that only give Iroh a bigger opportunity to slander him?
Ozai grinned, realizing who else might be affected by the truth. If he was going to fall, then he would not do so alone.
*****
Azula watched as Zuko had to be held back and gagged by Xing's people. Not that she had any right to be smug about it, Suki was still in front of her, keeping her back after she'd listened to her father's madness.
Did he really think so little of his children? Were Azula and her brother truly little more than convenient pawns for him? Even if she'd accepted that possibility, it was still…hurtful to hear it straight from his mouth.
They continued to watch from the sidelines as Uncle Iroh drew out their father's eager confession, and Zuko had to be dragged back once more as Toph from beside Iroh gave a scowling nod of her head.
"If you damn me, then damn that stupid bitch as well!" the former Fire Lord said, and the princess could imagine his spiteful smirk. "I might have instructed her, but it was her hands that poisoned our father! It was the only thing she ever did right, and it took pitiful threats to get it done…"
Azula felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see an apologetic Xing. She gave a shrug, showing that she didn't blame him for her father's delusions.
She wasn't as deluded as Ozai was to senselessly blame everyone, after all.
The gathering out of her father's view had had enough of the rambling, as did Uncle Iroh. With a weary and disappointed sigh, the new Fire Lord gave his brother one last look. "I am partly to blame for not taking your derangement seriously. I should have paid your tantrums and lack of empathy more attention. But the fact remains, Ozai, that you have dishonored and disgraced yourself with your schemes!"
"Save your theatrics for people who'd believe your act, brother."
It stung Azula to hear how deluded her father had become. And to think, if Xing had not been around to guide her, she could very well end up like him. The princess shuddered at the thought of turning into a rambling, wide-eyed lunatic.
Uncle Iroh drew himself up, seemingly fuelled by his newfound contempt for his brother. "You will be kept here until we've decided on a suitable punishment. Know that I was against execution before, but now, with your heinous acts, I cannot find any cause to turn that option away. You brought this on yourself, brother."
He gave a nod, and Toph stomped her foot to close up the yard-thick viewing hole and reset the cell's security to what it was before. Azula could hear the barrels shifting from behind the earthen walls to return to their places while the cell itself was moved further back, and she was only slightly disappointed that her father hadn't been made enough to try firebending in his cell. The amusement of seeing him potentially stun himself from the fireworks powder instead of taking out everyone in one last act of spite would've made up for all the nonsense he spewed.
Uncle Iroh walked up to her and Zuko then, looking grievously distraught. "I should have known that my brother could be so bold…"
"His faults are not yours, Iroh," Avatar Aang said from behind the royal siblings. "And at least we now know the extent of his madness." The select few officials and commanders that were brought along were nodding in a mix of shock and disappointment at hearing how far gone their old Fire Lord was.
"To threaten his wife using his own children's lives…" Katara's voice was shaky and rightfully disturbed, which then resolved into something harder and colder, like a dagger of ice. "That's a monster, not a man." Surprisingly, the waterbender gave Azula and Zuko a highly sympathetic and apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you had to put up with…that."
"I've come to terms with it," Azula waved off, and then glanced at Zuko who was only coming down from his rage and spitting out the cloth gag that was supposed to be for Colonel Dao (and that the loudmouth colonel kept silent throughout the whole thing made Azula reassess his character). "My brother, though, might need time."
"He used our mother to kill grandpa!"
"Yes, we heard that part, Zuzu. And he abused you because mother played him at his own game and pissed him off. And he used me as a convenient beat stick to keep you down."
"Why are you not more mad at this?"
Azula shrugged before glaring a little at her brother. "Because he doesn't deserve the effort it takes to be angry at him. To be mad, to be outraged, to be anything but mildly disappointed… That would be proving that he's worth the investment of my emotion. He is not. Therefore, I've written him off. Our father warrants nothing more than a shake of my head and a soft tsk of disappointment, because he's not worth my time or thoughts."
"Wow. Okay, that's…harsh…?" Sokka commented, which earned nods from the rest of the Avatar's clique and some of the courtiers.
Zuko at least calmed down from her explanation and she saw the fog of anger clear from his eyes. "I…maybe you're right."
Of course she was, but it'd be impolite to mention that now. Or the fact that she'd learned it from Xing. Apparently Zuko was still a bit insecure about missing out on Xing's education. But it was an education gained from intimacy, and Azula would not tolerate knowing (or spirits save her, seeing) her brother and her beloved be…close.
"Still, he deserves the full punishment that the Fire Nation can mete out."
"On that we're in agreement, brother. Uncle Iroh?"
Now there was none of the conflicted look that he used to show when the topic came up. Uncle Iroh's face was fixed into a scowl of disappointment and anger, though it lessened as he regarded the people in the hallway. "As you both say. We have enough witnesses here. Once Sozin's Comet has passed, and he disappoints Xing's expectation-"
Xing had the courtesy to remain still and unexpressive. His low estimation on what would likely happen was already known to all in the hallway.
"-then Ozai will face the full extent of our law, with no compromises."
"I'm sorry that my suspicions were not wrong," Xing needlessly voiced, earning him the shaking heads of many present.
"No," Uncle Iroh said firmly. "I must thank you, Xing, for making me consider those questions. It is a harsh and disappointing truth, but knowing the extent of my brother's madness is still important."
Katara gave a glum nod before a conciliatory smile formed. "And on the bright side, we know that your mom's still out there and alive."
That of course made Zuko perk up, and Sokka placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, we still got some time, so we can help you look for her. Right Aang?"
Azula admired the innocent resolve of the Avatar and his friends. Just like that, they were willing to postpone more serious duties to help search for a woman that's gone missing for years.
Perhaps Vachir and his fellow Rough Riders could be of use to help track her down… Not that Azula needed it, but Zuko at least needed the closure.
"Come, let's get out of this stuffy place," Uncle Iroh finally said, his countenance softening as he herded them out. "We've still much to discuss." He managed to break into his old, genial smile once more, directing it at both Zuko and Azula. "Like what we might do to find Ursa again."
Toph grinned. "If anything, it'd piss Ozai off more if she was here to meet him."
There was that, indeed. All the more reason to be involved in the planning at least, but Azula had to be the competent princess here and get everyone's priorities in order.
"That may be so, but we've still more pertinent things to consider. Like the preparations for Sozin's Comet. Uncle, I trust you're alright with Xing's plan now?"
Her uncle's face fell with disappointment again. "Yes… Yes, we've got much work to do. Let us hope that my brother does not have as many supporters as we credit him of having."