Chapter 19: Return Trip

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It's a beautiful moment. As the Dai Li ripple down the wall, the great wall that is supposed to impenetrable. But they slide further and further down, until they reach the ground...and boom the walls collapse on themselves. For a hundred years the wall has standed, and in less than a hundred seconds it falls. It has a sort of poetic beauty to Azula, a fitting achievement to her status as the Crown Princess...and no sooner does the dust dissipate, when the first crimson and black colors start to appear. The northern-army had arrived, and start to pour into the city.

"I think...our work here is done," said Azula. Having re-dressed into her Fire Nation Royal armor, with the added accessory of his ring.

"You head back, my Princess. I have to meet someone," replied Zhan, starting to go down.

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"I'm going to see my father," he replied, looking her in the eyes, then starting to descend.

'His father?' she thought, then she realized what he meaned. If his father was commander of the northern army, then likely he'd be here aswell. She slowly started to descend aswell, intending to find out, what Zhan' father looks like.

Walking into the army' path, he soon started to walk towards a large burly man who was marching in the middle. His facial distinction: having black sideburns, a black goatee and a bald head, along with a nasty scar near his left-eye. He had a large metal halberd, strapped to his back; wearing a distinctive Fire Nation army armor, along with General rank markings.

Azula doubted that this man, who was as high as her father Ozai, and looked as large as a wolf-bear...could be Zhan' father. Yet she could see Zhan, making a slow pace towards the man, who stopped in his tracks upon seeing the boy.

Stopping infront of the man, Azula saw him making the respectful bow, to the man. Then they grabbed eachothers wrists, looking eachother in the eye. Then the man, placed his large right-hand on Zhan' shoulder, as they soon started to speak. Clearly they were related, as Azula saw it. Deciding to make her time, to get on-board her vessel, for their return trip to the Fire Nation.

"...aswell...I didn't expect to see you here Zhan..." spoke General Zhu, to his son, keeping a strong face on.

"Neither did I father...yet I had good reasons to be here...specifically aiding in the fall of Ba Sing Se," replied Zhan, keeping eye-contact with his father.

"You don't lie to me...don't you?" mumbled his father. Zhan was known to always speak the truth around him, his father.

"No I don't," replied Zhan confidently. "Yet...I have to return to the Fire Nation."

"Important?" asked his father, to which he nodded too; Zhan was now politically involved in the Royal Palace. "Very well...keep an eye on your mother. Tell her I miss him."

"Of course father," replied Zhan, as they did a quick pat on eachother' hands, keeping their wrists locked, before they released eachother and went their separate ways.

XXX

Their return trip home was slow one, due to the fact, that they had no rush to be anywhere. The last Earth Kingdom stronghold had fallen, it denizens under-control. Yet Azula still managed to find her way up-deck, where Zhan was admiring the night-sky.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, turning towards her.

"Not much. I have been meaning to ask you a few questions, about this morning," she replied, taking a spot near the rail, at the edge of the ship.

"Ask," he replied calmly.

"About your family...they seemed the opposite of what I expected," she said.

"Namely?" he asked, confused about her statement.

"Your father seemed like a complete opposite of you..." said Azula.

"Ohh..." teased Zhan, grinning at her. "You were spying on us?"

"Like you wouldn't..." she replied. "And also...your mother...she seemed an opposite of you and your father."

"You heard the old-romance idea: that opposite people are attracted to each-other?" he asked, facing Azula.

"Maybe..." she replied, hiding her blush.

"Actually my father isn't, so much different from your father, Fire Lord Ozai," he said, catching her attention.

"How so?" she asked, getting curious about his family.

"My father is the strong, hard-handed general you may of heard, yet he does focus on his troops morale and equipment. He runs them tight, demanding loyalty...yet he has their respect. Also being he's more of an on-hands man himself. He likes to lead the hardest or most important charges himself, hence the fact of his status," he explained. "Being a respected general in the field, while seeming like the strong-headed general in a war-room...also don't expect him to stay in Ba Sing Se for long. He'll probably order a transfer, to another front - since he hates: sitting around and doing nothing."

"And you?" she asked.

"Same as you, if the rumours are true. He raised me disciplined and respectful - being a general' son...and being a carrier of my legacy," he added. "Yet he let me on my own path, being disciplined but also creative and ingenuitive. In his mind, I could've done anything that interested me...as long as it was beneficial to me somehow. We might've seemed to talk and interact barely, but I know he loves me as a son. He was blunt and demanding...but I know it was for my own good. So I'd be more prepared for the future."

'Was it that simple?' thought Azula. Her own father, raised her similary: hardship and training...yet he had mentioned on a few occasions, she was proud of her. Actually thinking back further, she wouldn't be suprised if Azulon raised him similary - they were the Royal Family, after all...so they needed to be strong. "...and your mother...?"

"She might seem cheerful and loose-headed, but don't be fooled - she's smart and caring. She is mostly alone, due to me and my father being away, so she has the run the estate by herself. I don't know how she does it," he told. "When I was growing-up, she was the more defensive in the marriage - protecting me, helping me recover from my occasional mishaps, and so on. And I mean she WAS defensive, home-woman or not...you got her mad, and she'd immediately singe your face."

"So...she protected her young?" she asked, turning a bit sour.

"Yeah...I know its difficult for her, being mostly alone, but she has managed to keep herself busy: meeting with other nobles, chatting, gossip...you know the occasional noble habits," he said. "But somehow...she always manages to make time, to put a warm welcome when I visit."

That statement, had gotten Azula into a sour mood, losing any interest in his family anymore, due to her family.

"Didn't you have a mother?" asked Zhan.

"Did...she left," said out Azula, in a venomous tone, avoiding eye-contact. "Yet she paid low-attention to me. Focusing on my traitor of a brother. Basically...I doubted if she even liked me!"

"Now...now.." he said, turning her face to face his, then kissed her ring-hand. "Who couldn't love a beautiful thing, like yourself?"

"You flatter me," she replied.

"I try..." he replied, returning to watching the night-sky.

"You get any plans for the Invasion? she asked, changing the subject.

"A few..." he replied. The Day of Black Sun - a solar eclipse, blocking out all firebending, and the Avatar's group' plan of doing a second darkest day to his Nation...not if he could stop it.

"Namely?" she asked.

"Its a suprise..." he said. Wrapping an arm around Azula' waist and pulling her closer. "But I can promise, that after that day - you'll be easily soaring in the skies."

"I look forward to it," she replied, easing into his touch.

A little farther away, two girls were watching this moment between the two people.

"Ahh...isn't it romantic Mai?" asked Ty Lee, in a dream-like state.

"All this lovey-dovey stuff makes me want to puke?" replied Mai, her dull self.

"Oh...are you still mad, about what Zuko had done?" asked Ty Lee.

"What! No!" replied Mai, rather forcefully. "Those two' acting makes me sick..."

"Ahh...be happy Mai," replied Ty Lee, back in her dream-like state. "...you think we'll be invited to their future marriage...?"

"Ugh..." shook Mai, hearing Ty Lee' idea. "I'm leaving."

"...suit yourself..." replied Ty Lee, watching Azula and Zhan. One of her best-friends was in love, arranged and now engaged. And she couldn't be more happy - already what to wear, what to do, and how to look like, in the couples future marriage.

XXX