========= 69 - The Renegade Prince ==========
"Ugh, how untimely all this is, it's as if misfortune has fallen on my head," rubbing his tired eyes, as if exhausted by endless work, Airo sat at the table sorting through a collection of letters, while Zuko, sitting next to him, frowned and pondered the recent situation. Everyone was in a melancholic and bad mood — it seemed like we were supposed to leave soon, but until a few things were taken care of, continuing the journey could be dangerous. Airo's letters were one of those important things.
The local members of the order had resigned due to old age, and since this was the case, they asked Airo to find replacements for them. As the head of the order, he had to send a letter to the person who would be responsible for information throughout the entire territory... The nature of this work, which had been revealed, was stressful even for me.
Members of the order had to constantly eavesdrop on people around them for rumours, popular and not-so-popular news, and endlessly double-check them; establish connections with the higher echelons of power and communicate with neighbouring settlements beyond the reach of the Lotus leaves. And the need to constantly write letters to everyone was insane, which is why I was surprised by my own position.
I had no interaction with the order as long as it was not necessary. In the note "report important information," I had written "as desired." If someone wanted information from the library, I could safely refuse and still continue to receive strong support. Yes, seeing how Airo worked, trying to find the right person, I realised that I didn't really appreciate my position.So I wanted to repay Airo for his help and make up for what happened with the local elders. I'm sure he knows what happened, but he tactfully keeps quiet about it.
"Uncle Airo, I wanted to talk to you about your position in the country of fire. I may be wrong, but right now you are practically refugees helping the enemy, only you haven't been recognised as traitors yet," I said, drawing the attention of the two fire mages and eliciting different reactions from each of them. Airo smiled quietly, while Zuko looked down at the table in disappointment, but did not say anything against it. "I understand what you had to give up, so you can ask me for any book you want. You can even take several, not just one.
"But I don't need anything," Airo refused without hesitation. "I've already learned a lot about this life, and anything I want to know can be found in any book. Instead of asking for yourself, you could give a book to Zuko. It would be useful for him to read something."
"Hey!" he exclaimed, but quickly fell silent. When our eyes met and the former prince realised that this request could be fulfilled, he realised one important thing. He had no idea what he wanted. "Um... what can I ask for?"
The hunt for the Avatar was over, there was no point in asking about similar topics, the goal itself no longer existed. The reason for his gloominess over the last few days was precisely his inability to understand the new meaning of life. As Ty Lee had said, all this time he had only been fulfilling his father's will.
"Think of something," he shrugged in response. "Just don't ask about the Fire Nation, there's almost nothing about it in the library. Your good friend, Zhao, burned the entire section," Airo's indignant face was a work of art. He began to lament, not without reason, while his nephew looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
Before asking for a book, he first had to come up with a new goal, and that was more difficult... so I left him with Airo, there was no point in hovering over someone who was rethinking his principles. That takes a long time.
After a while, Airo found new people who were more loyal to me, and Aang finished his part of the job. Yes, after Yangchen, he too found a new meaning in life.
"Everything is ready, now there is a spiritual place here that will prevent the curses from spreading quickly," Aang returned to our room with his girlfriend, rubbing his wind symbol pendant.
"We built it not far from the shore. The rituals of nomads are so interesting," smiled Katara, standing nearby.
"And what spirits did you pray to exactly?" asked Sokka, yawning and doing nothing.
"I don't know. But I think it was the ones who sent the tsunami.
Well, if it was really them, then we'll meet them in person soon.
***
"Uncle, I've been thinking about what Dagoth said... we're really no longer on the side of the Fire Nation, I don't even feel the anger that drove me forward. What is all this for? Standing in the harbour area, looking at the team gathering to equip Appa for the flight north, the young man placed his hand on his beating heart. He felt empty and completely lost about his future.
"You have long struggled with the fact that you are now travelling not with your team of soldiers, but with the goal of hunting for yourself. Surrounded by friends, anger quickly gives way to love and happiness. You need to find something else to fuel your flame of will. Don't just follow someone, but determine your own path in life, otherwise you will become a person without inner fire.
With his lips pressed together, Zuko saw Dagoth turn towards him, ready to fly away. He waved calmly, urging him to finally fly away and find absolute freedom from his previous life. Then the rest of the team looked at them as if they had no intention of leaving without them.
"I saw how my father's ideals were focused solely on his people, but he forgot about those who had also become part of his responsibility. If my father is not overthrown, I will make him realise that he has more citizens than he realises. With the resources he already has, he could support them all.
Pulling a knife from his belt, Airo nodded respectfully and with one swift movement cut off his own tail, symbolising his departure from home. Zuko did exactly the same, accepting his new ideals and position. Scattering the severed tufts in the wind, they slowly made their way towards Appa.
"HAHAHA, look at Zuko, he looks like an egg now!" Sokka raised his finger, immediately forcing the prince to lower his gaze, which was filled with unreadable emotions.
"I'll burn you.
"Go ahead! I'll shoot you in the legs spiritually.
"Um... Sokka, I think Yangchen meant something else~~
***
"I can't believe this plan. If anyone else but you had suggested it, I would have advised them to get their head checked. It might be completely empty," said the irritated-looking girl, staring at the blue-pearl sea resembling the night sky, a slight hint of concern appearing on her expressionless face. "I bet we're going to get killed.
"Come on, May, their intentions are obvious," the princess of the fire people sat down abruptly at the table next to her black-haired and perpetually gloomy friend and smiled cruelly. "It's a pity, of course, that Tai Li isn't with us. No matter how hard I looked for her, I couldn't find anything. She covered her tracks so she wouldn't see me again — how sad.
"You got her," she said, looking at Azura with an unreadable poker face, seeing only a sneer on the face of the cunning and vile princess.
"Why is that? I've changed and I'm not going to fight with anyone anymore," the maniac covered in intestines looked more trustworthy than that look, which Mei wanted to express aloud. But the princess didn't even let her get a word in. "Once the Avatar is strong enough that even the Generals and Admirals can't defeat him, then all we can do is negotiate. We will meet in person and offer an agreement that cannot be refused: peace between the two sides, a personal audience with the Fire Lord... ugh, I wonder if we have much in common with such a cruel man?
"I know what will happen. We won't even have time to negotiate before they kill us.
"You're always so sceptical, May. We're not sailing north on a single ship for no reason. It's a sign of peace... a sign that the Fire Lord sees the futility of the recent military campaigns and has decided to negotiate.
"Is that true?" her cool friend squinted.
"Who knows..." She took a letter from her bosom and placed it in the centre of the table, causing May to open her eyes in disbelief. It was the personal seal of the Fire Lord and familiar paper.
"Temporarily suspend expansion into enemy territories and wait for the project to be completed. Send gifts to the North and conclude a defence agreement with Chief Arnuk. Arrange a meeting with the Avatar and return Prince Zuko from exile."
It was short, but everything quickly became clear. To always be victorious, one must adapt to the situation and make compromises. After the failed invasion of Omasha, there was no other choice.