Focused Fire (ATLA)

It took a couple of weeks after the unbelievable report for Azula and Xing to return to the home islands. Up until then, Iroh found amusement in watching the courtiers from the traditionalist faction scamper to find something, anything, to prove the news false. 

Xing had done the impossible. And not only that, he’d done it in an irrefutable way. It wasn’t just Azula that confirmed the news, but also the seals and testimonials of three captured enemy generals, as well as the fact that beside Xing’s name was the unmistakable royal seal of the Earth King.

Not to mention, Iroh was in attendance the night before the princess’ report came, when the Fire Lord’s own spies confirmed the news.

The mighty walls of Ba Sing Se had been melted through by a lone, young colonel, who also proceeded to seize the royal palace by himself. The ‘observers’ embedded in General Hwa’s army left no room for doubt about that. The Earth King had fled, thanks to the Avatar, but as much as Ozai might want to raise a fuss about it, even he readily relented to the fact that Xing kept to the letter of his word. 

Ba Sing Se was now part of the Fire Nation, to be governed by the spirit-blessed prodigy that took it.

And said prodigy would now be engaged to the crown princess of the Fire Nation, leaving Ba Sing Se effectively in royal hands. It was impossible not to spin it as a great triumph for the nation. 

And then there was the dark revelation of Lake Laogai. It was hard to believe that the Impenetrable City would victimize its own people. Yet, Azula’s message also contained the official letter by the Earth Kingdom’s Dai Li, a monthly accounting of the women being ‘processed’.

It was tremendous news, the sort that could tear down all but the stubbornest of Earth Kingdom resistance, and at least bring them to the negotiating table. Assuming Ozai wielded such information properly. The keen political mind of Prince Iroh understood that they could easily reframe the war now, and with some careful editing and propagation of the truth, the Earth King could be villainized to further break down the cohesion of the remaining states. 

How many lords would willingly flock to a king who commanded or allowed for such a thing to happen out of loyalty?

And how many ambitious lords might try to use the distrust to usurp their king?

Iroh didn’t know how to feel about the long war potentially coming to an end because of this, but he at least felt thankful that the spirits had guided Xing to put an end to the Dai Li’s despicable actions.

The veracity of the frankly fantastical tales were further when news from the new eastern front returned. The Avatar had been sighted, dropping off the Earth King in some minor lord’s realm before heading south. 

Ozai had been surprisingly content with that. “We have their capital. Avatar or not, Earth King or not, the heart of the Earth Kingdom has been broken. Victory would soon be in our grasp.”

The Fire Lord’s mood improved further when his daughter returned, alongside the man of the hour. Ozai didn’t seem too agitated by the prospect of the engagement anymore. Perhaps he’d finally accepted the fact that Xing was truly a great firebender and leader, and that having such might tied to the royal family was a good thing.

It showed too.

Rather unusually, the royal palace actually pulled out all the stops without Iroh having to pester his brother. The buildings lining the main roads were told to tidy up their facades, while bright lanterns criss-crossed the roofs. A legion of servants polished every tile, column and vase within the palace.

Iroh saw defeated officials forced to plan out a grand banquet, apparently a few select chefs were called in to build a series of meals into the likeness of Ba Sing Se. The prince wished the artisans all the luck in the world, and hoped they were paid well enough for the ordeal.

So when Azula and Xing returned, riding atop an ornately barded ostrich horse, their procession was greeted by the unending, deafening cheers of the exultant populace of the capital city. Iroh watched from the palace wing as a barrage of fireworks were set off to try and compete with the echoing roar.

It was perhaps the most approving the city’s residents have ever been, the prince noted. As the procession grew nearer, so too did the celebratory ruckus that heralded it. By now standing by the palace’s stairs, ten steps below his brother as his position dictated, Iroh could make out some chants within the jumbled cheering.

“All praise Xing! Xing the Wall-Melting Scorpion!”

“Hurrah to the princess! Hurrah to Xing!”

“All praise to Princess Azula and Colonel Xing! All praise to the Fire Lord!”

So much joy, and that was only from the publicized news that Ba Sing Se had been captured. Iroh could scarcely imagine the monikers they’d give Xing if the discovery of Lake Laogai had been made public as well.

Neither could he fathom how the reception might change if the whispers about Xing’s coming engagement were officially confirmed.

Still, the old prince smiled at the exuberance heading towards the palace, and glanced about to see those nobles and officials in Azula’s corner being infected by the cheery mood as well. In contrast, Xing’s detractors stood around with varying degrees of sheepishness, as if they wanted nothing more than to quickly leave. The palace staff arrayed around the royal court were stoic enough, though Iroh did note Azula’s handmaidens and palace servants betraying faint smiles.

A prickling feeling in the back of his neck made Iroh turn to glance behind him, and he found his brother’s once satisfied expression flickering for the briefest of moment with that of…anger?

No, not anger.

Fear. Fear and envy.

Iroh turned back to the front, pretending to ignore what he’d seen and kept himself from frowning. Why did his brother’s mood suddenly take an about turn? Iroh looked out to beyond the opened palace gates, where the princess and her fiance-to-be could finally be seen. What did the Fire Lord have to fear from his own daughter?

A thought clicked in the back of the prince’s head, a nasty, petty thought that Iroh found hard to attribute to his brother. Surely his brother, for all his ambition, for all his vainglory… Surely Ozai did not fear his own daughter‘s rise to power?

The thought was forced back as the cheers reached the palace gates and remained there, the guards helping to ensure that no commoner or uninvited noble stepped foot on royal grounds.

Azula led the procession composed of her friends and the 11th’s select troops just ahead of Xing, and they came to a stop several paces away from the royal court. She dismounted from her mount first, and Xing followed after. Both took a few steps forwards (allowing for palace grooms to lead the ostrich horses away) and knelt before the members of the court arranged along the palace stairs. Silence immediately followed as the soldiers behind the two teens also dropped to their armored knees in a resounding crash of metal and heavy cloth.

“Fire Lord, your royal daughter has returned,” Azula announced with traditional formality, wearing a proud smirk as she gazed up at the court.

Xing mirrored the greeting somewhat, though he also kept his head bowed and saluted palm over fist. “Fire Lord, your First Royal Champion, Colonel Xing of the 11th Royal Regiment, kneels in your presence.”

Iroh smiled at the unsubtle wordplay; Xing emphasized his title as champion- as Ozai’s champion first, reminding the officials present of his exceptional elevation into nobility. And then the nasty thought from earlier popped up, and Iroh began to wonder if the wording was also meant to placate the Fire Lord?

Shaking away the unsettling feeling, the prince forced a beaming smile at his niece and the spirit-touched boy just behind her.

“Welcome home, daughter,” Ozai replied, his even voice carrying clearly through the palace grounds and beyond. “Welcome back, First Champion. What news from Ba Sing Se?”

At being addressed directly, Xing finally raised his head, his expression firmly neutral. “By my hands and flames, Ba Sing Se has been captured, Fire Lord.”

Azula followed after Xing, making sure to rub the good news into everyone’s faces. “By his acts, as willingly testified by even his enemies, the First Champion melted through the once-great walls of Ba Sing Se, and seized the royal palace at the heart of the Impenetrable City.”

Even with the news already known, the crowd still shuffled a bit with excitement or discomfort at the proclamation.

“That is most heartening news,” the Fire Lord said…and Iroh almost frowned again when he thought he heard reluctance in his brother’s voice. “For your enemies to acknowledge your great achievement is great indeed. Your actions have brought the Fire Nation one important step towards victory.”

The Fire Lord paused for a moment, his head slowly turning to the assembled courtiers, servants and soldiers.

“Is there anyone here who wishes to present a case against such claims?”

Pity the fool who dared step forward, Iroh thought, and thankfully everyone remained in their place.

The oppressive silence went on for a while more before the Fire Lord finally raised an arm towards his daughter, and Iroh joined the others in kneeling as his brother gave a royal proclamation. 

“As he has kept to his word, so too will the Fire Nation. Let it be known that effective immediately, First Royal Champion Xing will be elevated to prince of Ba Sing Se. In addition, the royal palace gladly announces the engagement between Crown Princess Azula and Prince Xing.”

Iroh couldn’t help grin at the stiff winces and barely hidden scowls from some of the traditionalists. Just to rub it in, he rose up and began to applaud. “Bravo! Congratulations to the royal family!”

As formality demanded, the cheer was picked up by the courtiers, however willingly or reluctantly, until the air round the palace grounds trembled from the thunderous praises. 

With the engagement now official, nobody wanted to appear as having the slightest bit of skepticism to the Fire Lord’s decision. Nobody wanted to draw the Fire Lord’s ire for not being anything but enthusiastic for his family’s good fortunes.

So of course, the nobles and officials opposing the union were the ones who cheered the loudest.

And then the common people outside the palace walls picked up on the cheering, and joined in as well and added to the noise.

Xing remained kneeling, bowing his head to hide the triumphant grin on his face. Azula was far more open about her joy at the announcement, smiling broadly with a joy that gave Iroh a pang of guilt for not ever seeing.

“Rise, my daughter, and Prince Xing, and be welcome to the royal palace.”

Ozai turned, and the royal court, now including Azula and Xing, followed him into the throne room to conclude the royal assembly. Iroh waited for the young couple to approach before falling in by their side, offering Xing a pat on his shoulder. “Congratulations, Xing, or should I say, Prince Xing.”

He nodded next to Azula. “And you, my niece. Congratulations on your engagement.”

It was the first time Iroh had ever seen her blush from embarrassment, however faint that emotion was. “Thank you, uncle.” The hint of a demure nature quickly vanished as Azula grinned at him. “Would you like to visit Ba Sing Se, uncle? Xing has managed to secure some premium teas from the royal pantries. Ba Sing Se’s own brew, enjoyable over some white lotus chips and a game of Pai Sho.”

Iroh almost froze to stare at his niece, whose grin only grew sharper. Beside her, Xing only shrugged lightly, though there was clear amusement glinting in his eyes.

“I suggest you take her up on the offer, Prince Iroh. The princess is new to the game, like me, but the strategies we’ve brewed up might still surprise you.”

Iroh recovered and nodded hastily, making sure his smile was back up. “I’m sure I can make the time.”