Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legend

Fully completed story on:

patreon.com/FanFictionPremium

***

Once his arm was back to relative normal, Yuu was able to begin his long-awaited training. He was forbidden to do any vigorous exercise during his treatment, so when he got to exercise, he would work out all day long, falling exhausted with a happy smile on his face.

Yu never imagined that he would miss the feeling of exhaustion after exercising so much. Lying on the floor of the hall, he spread his arms out and enjoyed the coolness of the wooden floor. His wet hair was strewn around and his chest heaved frequently, trying to gulp in more air.

Quiet footsteps caught the boy's attention. Turning his head, he caught sight of the Viceroy's son examining him with an amused expression. His sluggish attempts to rise and bow were interrupted by a wave of his hand. Tse came close and sat cross-legged, striking the stubborn child on the forehead with the edge of his palm.

-I was told you were training here, but I honestly didn't believe it. I thought you'd be more sensible. What if your injury worsens?

Wiping his forehead from the symbolic blow, Yu looked away embarrassed, squeezing his eyes shut.

-I only started today when I got the permission from the infirmary, Mr Tse.

-Eh, I hope you're not lying,‖ ignoring the indignantly sniffling child, the Liping heir rose to his feet, reaching out to help, -Okay, I'll believe you this time.

-Thank you...

-Why are you even here? It's a month off, they let everyone go home.

-Home is empty and lonely, and here there's a canteen and a library. -Why are you here?

-You mean you've been to the library? -You've been to the library? Too many surprises in one day.

-Mr Tse!

-Joking, joking. Hmm,' rubbing his chin, the young man briefly thought about it and flashed a mischievous smile, 'I have an idea!

-And yet, I don't think it's the best plan, Mr Tse.

Fearfully looking around, Guan Yu was experiencing a mixture of conflicting emotions. Excitement and impatience were mixed with animal terror and embarrassment. The forest surrounding them was larger than an entire neighbourhood, and the gate visible ahead was more like the protective structures at the entrance to the city. The Viceroy's huge palace was very impressive. Many different colours were growing on all sides. Sun Ce said that it was his mother and sister who were busy decorating the garden. Among their collection of plants, one could find the most incredible specimens that don't grow anywhere else in the world. On being fairly asked why this was so, the heir was embarrassed into silence, and got off the boy with a brief reply.

-Father loves the women of our house.

Further questions seemed inappropriate. Yu looked around curiously, for the whole area was enclosed not only by high earth walls, but also by water, and there were only two bridges leading to the island on which the palace was situated. The first one - the official one - was flooded with petitioners and guests who wanted to get to the viceroy's reception, and the second one was used by countless servants and guards who were going about their business. In general, the entire island of the Viceroy was a strange mixture of small islands, which the earth mages had connected to form several defences against attacks from the sea. The second entrance was easily collapsed, and the main one consisted of three gates, making these islands a hard target for any enemy.

Not wanting to embarrass the orphan further, Tse set off through the second entrance, hoping their arrival would go unnoticed for as long as possible. But reality showed the fallacy of expectations. At the entrance to the inner grounds-where the Viceroy's family and their personal guests resided-waiting was the mother of the family, surrounded by servants and guards.

The beautiful woman of short stature was dressed in a multitude of exotic robes that completely concealed her body. Her pretty face was leaning to the side, and her squinting eyes were watching her firstborn son, saying, 'Did you seriously think I wouldn't recognise?'.

Turning his head to the side, Tse covered his mouth - pretending to cough.

-Try not to say anything about our training. And don't say anything about practising in the forest, especially about the bandits. And nothing about your acquaintance with Wenling.

Turning to face the boy, Tse made a sad face and raised his eyes to the sky.

-It would be better for you to keep quiet altogether.

As the two young men approached the company that greeted them, they respectfully bowed to the lady of the house. While Yu bent his back at a right angle, Tse leaned within the limits. Without waiting for action from her son, the woman stepped forward, clutching her child in her arms.

-My boy, it's so good to see you.

-We saw each other this morning, Mum-

-Why didn't you warn us,' ignoring her offspring's questions, the woman glanced at her child's companion, 'that we would have guests?

-We always have guests at home...

-I'm so glad you've made a little friend. I'm sure we'll get along well.

The woman who had come close to her froze in anticipation, but Yu, who had not expected her approach, stood bowed and thinking about his own thoughts. It was only Tse's voice that brought the boy out of his stupor.

-Yui, raise your head, my mother wants to meet you.

Straightening up abruptly, the orphan froze with his mouth hanging open. The beautiful woman up close looked stunning.

'If Sun Ren grows into such a beauty, there will be no shortage of suitors.'

-Ha-ha, what an interesting young beau. Flirting with a married woman just like that?

A slap of the palm of her hand on her forehead drew the attention of the crowd to Sun Ce. Shaking in a terrible convulsion, he covered his face with his hands, feeling his ears turning red. Realising that he had said the last sentence out loud, Guan Yu let go of the items in his hands, falling to his knees. Crouching on the ground, he was shaking with fear and drenched in sweat, realising the audacity he had shown to the lady of the house. Stammering, the frightened child, trembling, recited the apology Uncle Ping had taught him. The self-deprecating words echoed around the neighbourhood, embarrassing Tse more and more.

-There's no need to be so shaky, pup. If you really insulted me, I would summon you to Agni Kai. These delicate hands hold more strength than all my eldest son's muscles.

Rolling up her sleeve, the woman showed off her graceful arm with white marble skin. But ducking his forehead into the ground, Yuu saw none of this. Even her words flew past his consciousness.

-I certainly like that he understands his transgression, but this is a bit much. Doesn't he have a shred of self-respect?

The last question was asked with a touch of carelessness and slight disgust. The woman was losing patience and her mood had changed dramatically. Deciding it was time to end this circus, Tse lifted the frightened child to his feet. Straightening the boy's shoulders and cocking his chin, he stood beside him, placing a hand on Yui's shoulder for support.

-He was born into an ungenerous family, mother. His parents are honourable people who made sure to instill in him respect for nobility before they died. Sometimes he doesn't watch his tongue,' At those words, the grip on her shoulder became painful, but it allowed Yui to slowly return to reality, 'I apologise to you.

Bowing in a bow, the young man tilted Yui's body once more in front of the woman and immediately returned to his previous position. Meeting his gaze with Sun Ming's golden burning eyes, the orphan unpleasantly shivered as he tried to hide his fear.

-How interesting...

The further settlement took place in a pressurising silence. The woman did not say anything else, only accompanied every action of the child with an attentive look. Walking over him from head to toe, she kept a benevolent smile, but her eyes ... They were like a pair of Dao swords that were crossed near her neck, ready to cut off her head at any moment.

Tensely following the heir, Yu tried not to meet the gaze of this creepy woman, more often looking at the floor or the walls. When Tse led him to a small room for the guests' servants, the boy was finally able to be alone and exhale in peace. Falling on the bed, he stared at the wooden ceiling, not knowing how he could live here for a whole week, but Tse's offer was too tempting, so Yuu decided not to back down and stay in the manor.

He wouldn't need to see Madam Ming every day, the purpose of his arrival was something else, and it was not in his rank to sit at the viceroy's table and make small talk. Yu honestly admitted to himself that he knew perfectly well how to kill animals and people, how to organise forage and build a military camp, but talking about politics with a lot of innuendo and veiled suggestions.... No, that's not him. If you say something to a pompous aristocrat, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

-It's better with ordinary people.

Even Sun Ce, who had been treating him much better over the past year, still maintained a decent distance that Yu didn't have with his former friends. Zhang Fei, Yuan Shu, Liu Bei, Wen Chou - each of them were plain and simple. Sure, two of them had noble blood flowing in them, and Chou was from a hereditary military family, but still. They weren't born with a golden spoon in their mouths, nor were they boiled in a cauldron of intrigue and conspiracy. They were not taught by their parents to be brutalised by everyone below them. Even the pompous Yuan Shu ended up being a good person who was just looking for friends, as he had survived alone in a den of snakes all his life.

Now he found himself in the home of one of the most powerful families in the Fire Country. Sun Jian was a very powerful man, his surname had been around since the birth of the entire Fire Nation, and his personal strength and successes at the front had only improved their wealth. After defeating Colonel Biao, the Viceroy had swept all the power in the city under him, spreading his networks to all the nearby towns and fortresses.

'I don't care, none of this matters to me.' After calming his rebellious mind with such thoughts, the boy was finally able to let go of his worries and drift into sleep.

The next day brought much more pleasure. Leaving his rich chambers (Yu still didn't understand why they called it a servants' room) early in the morning, the orphan went to his morning training, where Sun Ce was already waiting for him.

Instead of greeting him, the young man gave him a few slaps. Fairly bowing his head and accepting the punishment, Yu listened to a long speech to himself as they approached the training ground.

-You could have been whipped. Do you know that a good whipping cuts the flesh to the bone? You don't say anything? You're right not to say anything. They'll beat the crap out of you today so you won't talk any more.

Following the angry heir, Yu warmly smiled at Qie's reproaches and scoldings. In the early days of their acquaintance, the young man always carried out the sentence himself, and in times more subtle and offensive. So sparring in full contact seemed like a finger wiggle compared to the past.

They were already waiting for them on the large sandy range. A tall grey-haired man, looking more like a fat ape. His hair was tied up in a bundle, and his arms were folded across his chest with arms full of steely muscles. Dressed in old-style armour, the man stood beside a halberd stuck in the ground, exactly like the one in Guan Yu's hands, only larger in size.

Pointing his open palm towards the old man, Sun Ce introduced the future teacher with a wry smile.

-This is Huang Gai, my sister's bodyguard. She doesn't leave the manor now, so he's getting bored here,' nodding at the heir's words, Gai did not take his malicious anticipatory gaze off the boy, 'I asked him to train you. Don't die here...

Tse muttered the last words as he walked away from the training ground. Walking towards the exit, he waved his hand in the air as if he was saying goodbye to his classmate forever.