Chapter 6: Serious People

Having satisfied her base desires by defeating her opponents in the sandy training arena, Azula had released her stress with a good fight and the humiliation of the weak guards. If escaping while trying to survive and not get burnt by Princess Azula's blue flames could be called a fight. The guards weren't weak by the country's standards; it was just that Azula was excessively strong.

After fulfilling her desires, she sprawled out, sweating heavily after the workout. The fight had ended very quickly; the guards, exhausted, hadn't even noticed how rapidly the approaching princess had knocked out the first one and then the other with a single strike, causing them both to rest on the sand. After informing the nearest palace guard about her sparring partners getting overly fatigued, she left the training halls. The man was an experienced palace guard and understood everything without extra words. The princess had made her opponents reach such a state more than once... not the first time by any means.

"Good fight, you didn't even kill anyone or make them disabled! I'm pleasantly surprised," the spirit spoke after a long silence.

After venting her emotions during the training, Azula felt quite good and even forgot about her fatigue. The spirit kept its promise and didn't interfere with her, allowing her to rest, not so much her body as her mind. The princess had endured insults from the spirit for quite some time, and almost an hour of his silence was very welcome. She was even ready to talk to the unknown spirit without the usual sarcasm and animosity, had it not been for servants, guards, and high-ranking military officials she encountered on her way. Her good mood didn't cloud her judgment; she maintained her usual composure, refraining from engaging in conversation with an extra presence in her body, well aware of how it would look to others.

"I know this way," the contemplative voice responded in the princess's head when she turned towards the wing of the palace where her chambers were located.

"The hot springs, right? Do you want to wash away the sweat? Good decision, considering the upcoming war council. Will you yield your place for a while? It seems like I haven't been to the hot springs for an eternity..." the spirit spoke with a touch of longing, adding more food for thought for the young woman.

"Let the servants know, and they'll prepare new clothes and inform you half an hour or even an hour before the council starts. I'll transfer control to you, and you can rest a bit. Everything will be fine, I promise," Azula couldn't reply to the spirit, as there were too many people in the palace corridors due to the approaching council. Servants were preparing the hall, rushing through the corridors, while military generals and admirals were arriving at the palace.

However, all of this didn't hinder the princess from thinking, and even the spirit didn't particularly interfere with her thought processes, rather serving as a minor distraction with its conversations.

The spirit was behaving completely differently from when they first met. It must have felt its victory! Azula had been backed into a corner, humiliated, and forced to obey an unknown demon. But the girl had no intention of surrendering in their confrontation! She wasn't in the least swayed by the spirit's friendly behavior; she still believed she could win this game! Messenger hawks had already been sent to all Fire Nation temples. Perhaps she would find a way to get rid of the unwanted resident in her head through the information stored there. The results of their... more peaceful conversations were already making themselves felt. The girl was fairly certain that the spirit couldn't read her thoughts or delve into her memories. So there remained a not-so-small chance of victory. All she had to do was pretend to be obedient, defeated, go along with him, play with the truth, and wait for the right moment...

Deep in thought about her not-so-grim predicament, she reached the corridor leading to her personal chambers. One of the attendants immediately noticed her. By the princess's personal orders, at least one servant should always be near the designated state rooms to attend to the princess or call for the others. The other girls typically went about their work: cleaning the princess's personal chambers, her training hall, and similar tasks.

"Your Highness?" the woman inclined herself in greeting.

"I will need clean armor for the war council. Prepare it as quickly as possible," Azula ordered, remembering the spirit's words. She decided to add, "And if I haven't left the hot springs an hour before sundown, remind me of the impending war council."

After giving her orders, Azula walked past the servant toward the palace's hot springs.

"You seem to be in a good mood, don't you? I think you'll appreciate silence a bit more now than before. No need for thanks," the spirit chimed in with a hint of amusement, causing the first signs of irritation from its cheerful tone.

Azula entered the designated room and began to undress. This time, there were no comments from the spirit about her appearance. It was for the best. She discarded her dirty armor onto the floor and, closing the door behind her, was left alone with the spirit and the hot water.

The hot springs in the Fire Lord's palace were quite spacious for one person. They were constructed, like the entire palace, in the red and black-gold tones, exuding opulence and grandeur. Submerging herself in the water, Azula felt no discomfort about the fact that a demon saw through her eyes. She calmly began to wash, inspecting her legs and other parts of her body, waiting for the spirit to make its demands.

"I think nothing will hinder us from talking here," the spirit spoke not long after Azula had settled in.

"Except for the Firebending masters patrolling outside the door every twenty minutes. Besides that, sure. What do you want to talk about, spirit?" Azula replied quietly, leaning against the edge of the small pool.

"We'll keep it quiet. Do you already have ideas on how to go to Piandao without arousing suspicion?" the spirit inquired with interest.

"Yes, would you like me to voice them?" Azula asked, with a hint of hesitation, receiving another confirmation that the spirit couldn't hear her thoughts.

"Yes, please do," the spirit responded.

"Alright, I plan to visit Lord Ozai some time before the council. We usually attend military councils together, so we'll have a chance to exchange a few words. I intend to tell him the truth. I've suddenly become interested in the swordsmanship of a master like Piandao and want to train in it with the best martial artist in our country."

"Not bad, and what if he refuses?" the spirit asked suspiciously, but it didn't shake Azula's outward composure.

"I'll tell him I wish to continue my training in lightning on Ember Island, but instead, I'll head to Piandao. I have no desire to tarnish my reputation in my father's eyes with a lie that can be easily exposed, so this plan will be a backup," Azula explained.

"Could he refuse you due to imperfect lightning?" the spirit inquired.

"My lightning bending is close to perfection, but there's always the possibility. However, I know what to say to convince my father. My plans never fail," Azula replied confidently, having thought everything through to the smallest detail.

"Alright, you've thought everything out quite well. Good job. Care for a soak?" the spirit casually asked, as if inquiring about a trivial matter.

"Only if you... won't act too suspicious," the princess calmly responded, recalling the spirit's behavior the last time.

"Of course, relax your mind and enjoy. I'll take care of everything else, and I'll behave quietly and not draw attention as soon as someone appears, I'll immediately return control to you," assured the spirit.

It was a little unpleasant. Giving her completely naked and defenseless body over to the control of a spirit, but there was no choice, as such. She wished with all her heart to put his vigilance to rest with ostentatious trust. Having no trouble squashing any interfering feelings within herself, Azula rested her head back, relaxing in the hot water, and closed her eyes. Drowsiness and fatigue quickly reminded themselves, distancing the girl's mind from what was happening.

Soon, a broad smile graced her calm face. Taking a deep breath, Azula opened her eyes, which shone with pure, unadulterated happiness. Settling into a comfortable position, she began to breathe deeply, clearly displaying her enjoyment of the hot water. Feeling moisture gather in her eyes, she submerged herself in the water, beginning to swim in the spacious pool. Slowly gliding through the water, she gazed up at the ceiling, sensing the element washing over every inch of her body. "Azula" was currently savoring every moment of her life and was delighted with the simple pleasure of the hot water.

"Wonderful sensations, which you don't appreciate at all, Azula," the girl mused in the third person, emerging from the water.

The spirit within Azula's body continued to bask in the hot water. While submerged, he could barely contain tears of happiness, feeling alive again. Behaving unrestrainedly, he reveled like a true child, bathing, playing, and clearly enjoying every moment of his life. Not once did the spirit remember that he was inhabiting a female body, showing no interest whatsoever in Azula's intimate areas. He was engulfed in the pleasant sensations of the hot springs.

Time flew by...

Having enjoyed himself, the spirit leaned against the edge of the pool and continued to relish the pleasant feeling of the hot water and the magical atmosphere of the place until...

"Knock, knock!" came a knock from the door on the other side of the hot springs.

"Madam, you asked to be reminded about the war council," a timid voice of a servant called out.

"I heard you," Azula's authoritative voice echoed from the hot springs.

Leaving the hot springs in high spirits, Azula ordered her retinue of servants to prepare her. The girls worked very quickly. Thanks to a firebending technique, the princess quickly dried her hair, after which the girls tended to her hairstyle. Simultaneously, other servants worked on her pedicure and manicure, feeding the princess pitted cherries. Fifteen minutes later, Azula left her retinue of personal servants. Dressed in clean armor, she headed to see her father, the Fire Lord.

As she walked through the palace corridors, she frequently encountered generals and admirals. A few polite greetings were all the high-ranking officials of the Fire Nation received. With a calm stride, Azula made her way to her father's office, knocked, and upon receiving permission, entered her father's office.

"Azula?" the Fire Lord said with a calm voice, glancing briefly at his daughter.

"Fire Lord," the girl bowed, lowering her gaze.

"What distant relations you have... and is this formal tone necessary when you are alone? It seems that his tea is much more important to him. But what do I know about your family?" The spirit's voice was simply ignored.

Azula continued to stand, bowing, waiting for her father to acknowledge her. The Fire Lord finished his tea, glanced at the scrolls brought from various corners of the nation, and then looked at his daughter.

"Unusual. Tell me the reason for this early visit," the monarch inquired, not even deigning to order his daughter to rise. The princess of the warrior nation had no choice but to remain on her knees, her head bowed before her own father.

"Rumors have reached me," Azula began from a distance.

Her speech showed no signs of deception. She spoke confidently, eloquently, and so convincingly that it was impossible not to believe her.

Still kneeling, the girl told her father about the rumors she had heard regarding the great master Piandao. She was prepared to demonstrate her skills in firebending and lightning bending, as well as her prowess in close combat, in order to prove her mastery in all these disciplines. So, she had come to the Fire Lord for permission to go and train with this new master. While masters typically lined up for the opportunity to teach such a brilliant princess, this was a special case. She only slightly stretched the truth in one aspect – her mastery of lightning bending was not yet perfect, but her father, accustomed to her frequent successes, took her word for it.

The Fire Lord listened to his daughter calmly, and after she had finished speaking, he responded:

"I know the heights of your talents; there is no need for further tests to prove your mastery. If you need my permission, you have it. However, I wish to see you at today's war council. We will be discussing the ongoing military campaign against the Earth Kingdom," Ozai replied without any hesitation, encouraging his daughter's endeavors in martial arts.

"This turned out to be easier than I thought," the spirit noted in Azula's mind.

"Thank you," the daughter replied tersely, showing no emotion and maintaining her mask of composure on her face.

"Rise; it's time for the council," her father said.

According to Fire Nation etiquette, the Fire Lord always had to be the first to arrive at the war council, while the other generals and admirals could only wait for the arrival of the ruler of the entire nation, not daring to enter the throne room first. Accompanied by his daughter, they made their way to the throne room, where they could observe the preparations being made by the servants for the war council.

The servants maintained the perfect cleanliness of this place every day, so their work had not changed much. The throne room was majestic and graceful. Numerous red columns supported the ceiling, and the polished floor reflected their images like a mirror. However, all of this paled in comparison to the enormous throne of the Fire Lord, which occupied the entire width of the far wall. The throne was located in the center of the room against the far wall, and right behind it, stretching the entire length of the wall, was a massive golden dragon statue, seemingly breathing fire. The scene was completed by the flames that would rise and dance as soon as Lord Ozai took his rightful place.

Taking his designated seat, Ozai ordered the servants to inform the generals and admirals of the start of the war council as soon as the war map was brought in. The map arrived quickly, as the servants had it ready nearby. The person responsible for the map promptly arranged all the figurines, representing the locations of their troops and the potential positions of enemy forces. The servants then went to summon the highest-ranking military officials. Azula took her place beside the world map, as close to her father as protocol allowed. Soon, after the arrival of the last military leaders, the war council began.

The first topic of discussion at the war council was the reports on the actions of the generals, their victories, and occasional setbacks. Everyone sat and listened to the reports one by one.

"How boring... a gathering of old men sitting so stiffly, as if sticks were inserted into their backsides. How do you endure this?" commented the spirit on the proceedings, but Azula continued to listen to the military reports with the utmost composure.

The first part of the reports did not last particularly long, proceeding dryly and without much interest, strictly adhering to military protocol, without unnecessary arguments, conflicts, or the like. All the military officers behaved extremely restrained, avoiding conflicts in the presence of their ruler. They were well aware of his cruelty and had no desire to meet a fiery end – the Agni Kai.

Once the reports were concluded, the military leaders began discussing the further plans of the military campaign. It was at this point that the spirit reminded Azula of its presence.

"Well, well, and these are the best generals of your army? Now I understand why you haven't won the war yet. If these are your brilliant tactics, then I don't even know what to say. It seems the style of firebending has also influenced your style of thinking. To squander the most important resource in the world so aimlessly, one must possess quite a twisted mind. And this is called a war council? Am I the only one who sees how utterly foolish this all is? With such commanders, the war could drag on for another ten years, ruining countless lives and squandering vast resources," the spirit cynically commented on the tactics of one of the generals. However, Azula remained as composed and indifferent to his words as ever.

The top military leaders of the Fire Nation had never been concerned with losses or expenditures, believing that victory was worth any sacrifice, and that an ordinary soldier would gladly pay any price for the world dominance of the Fire Nation and the prosperity of the state.

The council continued.

The military officers expressed and supplemented various tactics with their opinions, each of which was uniquely cynical and ruthless. They discussed future decisions and the course of the upcoming military campaign against the Earth Kingdom. Azula also participated in these discussions, displaying even more cynicism and cruelty than any other military leader.

The spirit no longer bothered the princess with its opinions until the very end of the war council...

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