74 Chapter 73

As we traveled in the following days, we journeyed to the northeast vaguely in the direction Ba Sing Se. I had convinced/coerced Azula to work towards a peaceful conclusion to the war, but we had yet to decide on a full plan. So, as we marched Azula, Ty Lee, and I discussed strategy. In addition to strategy, I considered how best to keep Azula mentally healthy in the long term.

"Having Azula teach the Avatar fire bending seems like a good way to end the war, but how do we make sure the other nations don't restart it?" Ty Lee asks.

"Well, we have 4 nations to consider why don't we go nation by nation?" I respond.

"If I as Fire Lord end the war, the only way for us to start the war again is by me being deposed or a civil war. The war isn't extremely popular, especially with all the wartime measures. If we make sure wartime measures like rationing and inflation get better or stay the same it will limit civil unrest. If we limit concessions it will keep the nobility happy"

"Right. The Fire Nation hasn't lost it will be ending the war in order to restore balance. I think the largest problem will be the Earth Kingdom and the Fire nation colonies"

"The Colonies are going to cause problems no matter what. They caused the war. The colonies sprouted up from tiny villages and are now major cities. The colonies are just as much if not more Fire Nation as they are Earth Kingdom. Despite that everyone but the Fire Nation sees the colonies as part of the Earth Kingdom, so the Earth Kingdom is going to want to take control."

"You're right Ty. If we keep the colonies the Earth Kingdom will push to continue the war, but the nobles back home will never want to give them up. None of that even takes into account what the colonies will end up doing or what they want."

"So Princess, the Fire Nation doesn't want the Earth Kingdom to get the colonies and the Earth Kingdom doesn't want the Fire Nation to keep the colonies. What's the solution?" I ask Azula

She thinks for a moment. This may be difficult this world has only ever had the four nations. There has never been a neutral nation before. The closest thing is when the Earth Kingdom splits up in civil war.

"The colonies leave the Fire Nation, but Don't join the Earth Kingdom. It seems like an obvious answer, but how would it work?" Azula asks me back.

"Ideally the colonies would become a neutral independent nation. They would have open markets to help economically. They would also act as a buffer between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom so that neither could easily invade the other."

"I think the nobles could be interested in that, but I'm not sure the Earth King would ever allow it."

"They would if they have bigger problems going on. We need to start a civil war!" Ty Lee asserts with a surprising amount of glee surprising Azula and I. The two of us are stunned into silence for a moment. Before Azula turns to me.

"You were trying to end the war and now you're okay with starting a new one?"

I shrug "The Earth Kingdom averages 2 civil wars a century. The only reason they haven't had one is because they're at war with you. If that war ends either a civil will happen or they'll restart the war with the Fire Nation. "

"I don't get you. You kidnapped me to test my 'temperament and now your fully on board for this." Azula says incredulously.

"The Earth Kingdom is ruled by a puppet king. It is instead governed by the Dai Li the most brutal government in the world. The generals are independent and poorly monitored. Plus city-states with their own king like Omashu pop up all the time. The Earth Kingdom is a mess. While it is in a civil war the rest of the world can begin to rebuild, so if pushing the kingdom to have a civil war early means a better long term peace I'm fine with that. My problem with you is strictly in regards to the Fire Nation. I think after your uncle is done with him, Zuko will make a stable if average ruler. I know you would be the more talented ruler. I'm concerned you wouldn't be stable enough, that you would be too much like your father. It hasn't been very long, but that concern is disappearing."

Azula takes and deep breath and sighs. "Fine. The Fire Nation will relinquish control of the colonies to themselves for self-governance. The three of us need to set up a civil war before we meet up with the Avatar. What about the Water Tribe."

"The war is already in a stalemate after the recently failed invasion of the Northern Tribe. Just give some reparations to help rebuild the Southern Tribe and maybe give up some of the Spice Islands in the South Sea." I tell Azula, but she seems confused for a moment.

"We don't control the Spice Islands," She tells me. I go to add something, but Ty Lee interiors with some giggles.

"That just makes it even better. No one controls those islands, but we have a claim to them. We're not losing anything but the opportunity to control the islands. Plus we don't have to give all of our claims up we can pick and choose what Islands we want in the post-war."

"The Islands used to be Air Nomad Territory, but now it's kind of ours because we won. You're right that seems like it would work. Do we need to worry about the Air Nomads at all?" Azula further elaborates in part for her own understanding.

"Aang is the last of them. I think as long as the war ends he'll be happy. Plus I could always give some people air bending and help them repopulate."

"Sounds like a plan. Some reparations for the Water Tribes and you'll give a bunch of people the ability to air bend... WHAT!?" "WHAT!?" Both Azula and Ty Lee shout.