Fragrantia consoled her son and told him to stay away from all this. As a righteous man, Vertex was having a hard time dealing with all this, after all, the attack on his sister was followed by this attack on his life. This was a shock to him, he could not comprehend why would his ally want to attack him at such a crucial stage.
However, his mother 'clarified' that it all was a plan, the so-called enemies would first end him, and implicate his brother with this accusation. In the end, they will let Azula take the throne, as she has passed the trial of freedom, and propose a marital alliance between the two families, which will allow the children born from this marriage to ascend to the throne.