Book 0, Chapter 5: What do you want?
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
[X]Home Life: You are going to see how Zuko and Azula are doing. Maybe you can… try and follow the sage advice.
Book 0, Chapter 5: What do you want?
You smiled as you resisted the urge to scratch your scars, and walked into their part of the chambers. "Zuko, Azula, I'm-" You saw that the guards that were there were not there, and much of the entire household was absent.
You sighed and realized that it seemed Ozai was doing a headcount and muster. As was his bloody mind. He was too paranoid for his own good, always thinking that shadows were against him, that his people were agents of Azulon, looking for even a hint of betrayal to stop Ozai from taking the throne.
That was your mind at least. Azulon wasn't a fool. He knew that with Iroh dead, and you disinherited, there was a truly magnanimous fact that Ozai, not his beloved son, or his not-so-favored grandson… would take the throne.
Though of course, it was a difficult decision for everyone, to save Ozai, he craved power like an unquenchable flame ready to burn the world to ash, he could have the damned throne.
You didn't know what you wanted anymore. You didn't want to see your ghostly friends anymore, judging you. Yet there were still there, watching you, as if waiting for you to finally speak to them.
You wandered for a time, to see that in the front gardens, you saw the staff, the household guard, and Ozai's family all there, standing and watching as Ozai inspected them all, questioning, berating, trying to break them. The occasional compliment was there, but you were not happy with it. You were not surprised that there were false pleasantries. Ozai was nothing if not a proper and pure politician. He'd never been to war. He was content with having others die for him.
You whistled, and it cause much of the entire staff to look at you, and to stare, to gawk even. "I was hoping that there was no parade today. Unless we're going for a progress around the city?"
"What are you doing here?" Ozai was almost spitting those words out with each syllable. But he did respect you in one respect. He looked you in the eye, and didn't flinch in horror at your face. He was far too angry for that. "Why-"
"Well Uncle Ozai, I'm happy you asked. I wanted to visit my young cousins, and see how they were doing. Considering I have heard many rumors about your reformed tax policy that has lessened the burdon on many in the fire nation itself."
You were gritting your teeth ,but you wanted to see your cousins. So it would be best to not antagonize him, and play to his pride. That and he was forward thinking… if only he didn't punish the peasants and the colonies so much, he might even be considered a baneveolent one. Harsh but fair.
But you knew better than that. He was a spineless worm, at least that was how Father had claimed it. He was never… brave enough. Good enough even for Grandfathers attention. "I see you did read those letters?"
Halfway. Iroh had little patience for politics beyond what was necessary. And war councils were boring. And filled with nothing but… empty words and men dying while generals sat and ate. At least in the homelands. "Enlightening Uncle, some would say benevolent."
"What are you doing here nephew?" He asked as he nodded, dismissing his staff and a moment later, his family was all that was there. "I am not here to play Pai Sho as your father would offer. And you were not there at the ceremony, most dishonorable."
You didn't want to see your father turned into another Myrter. He was a warrior and a great general yes. But he also understood things. You did too, to a lesser extent.
That and we've burned enough friends and family to last a lifetime…Iroh hated funerals, he loved singing and dancing with the men, playing the horn, and telling stories to the youngsters. He'd rather do anything but attend a funeral.
"I have already watched him die. I didn't want to watch him be buried." You replied.
Ozai nodded. "Very well. But why are you here? You have already brought dishonor to this family and our nation with defeat."
"It was not only my defeat." You whispered. "I just want to see them. Maybe teach them a little bit."
Ozai was about to say something, but Ursa said. "No Lu Ten. That would be improper of you."
"They are my family too." You said.
"And you have brought shame to it." She whispered.
You turned to face her. "How dare you say that to my face, when you see what war has done to it. I just want to talk to them, to be able to see them."
Both Zuko and Azula seemed excited at that prospect. But they didn't say anything, because both their mother and father seemed to disapprove.
You wanted to say something, but than Ozai looked to Ursa. "Let them be. But you will not remain here."
"You would bar me from seeing my family?" You protested. "The Firelord-"
Ozai looked at you dead in the face. "My brother is dead, because of you." He didn't care, but he was pretending, a fine actor, and it almost made you lose your mind. "I will wait and see… if such a thing can be forgiven."
You wanted to fight him, to burn him… yet you couldn't. You didnt have the strength or the rage or the anger to do such a thing. Not now… not since your father died.
Forced away. "Good bye." You whispered, and both children nodded.
A moment passed, and then Ozai looked at you. "Why are you still here?" You hadn't moved, about to say something.
You turned around and left speaking something he knew you wanted to say. "Someone has to tell you no."
"I admire that you think that I need to be told something like that. But you will leave." He said.
And you left, walking away.
You wanted to make things better for those two. But their parents wouldn't let you.
----------------------
What do you do now?:
[]Go back to the Sappers: You are going back to your men. Maybe they will be better now that you are back in the ready.
[]Have Tea with Azulon: You had never seen Grandfather so tired. "Why am I here?"
[] Retracing your Steps: You are going to follow your father's footsteps again… and your own… back to the Sun Warriors, back to the Dragons.
[]Meditate: You are going to rest and find balance if you can. Maybe you can ask them for forgiveness, the ghosts that still haunt you.
[]Rest: A Man needs his rest.
Book 0, Chapter 5: What do you want?
You smiled as you resisted the urge to scratch your scars, and walked into their part of the chambers. "Zuko, Azula, I'm-" You saw that the guards that were there were not there, and much of the entire household was absent.
You sighed and realized that it seemed Ozai was doing a headcount and muster. As was his bloody mind. He was too paranoid for his own good, always thinking that shadows were against him, that his people were agents of Azulon, looking for even a hint of betrayal to stop Ozai from taking the throne.
That was your mind at least. Azulon wasn't a fool. He knew that with Iroh dead, and you disinherited, there was a truly magnanimous fact that Ozai, not his beloved son, or his not-so-favored grandson… would take the throne.
Though of course, it was a difficult decision for everyone, to save Ozai, he craved power like an unquenchable flame ready to burn the world to ash, he could have the damned throne.
You didn't know what you wanted anymore. You didn't want to see your ghostly friends anymore, judging you. Yet there were still there, watching you, as if waiting for you to finally speak to them.
You wandered for a time, to see that in the front gardens, you saw the staff, the household guard, and Ozai's family all there, standing and watching as Ozai inspected them all, questioning, berating, trying to break them. The occasional compliment was there, but you were not happy with it. You were not surprised that there were false pleasantries. Ozai was nothing if not a proper and pure politician. He'd never been to war. He was content with having others die for him.
You whistled, and it cause much of the entire staff to look at you, and to stare, to gawk even. "I was hoping that there was no parade today. Unless we're going for a progress around the city?"
"What are you doing here?" Ozai was almost spitting those words out with each syllable. But he did respect you in one respect. He looked you in the eye, and didn't flinch in horror at your face. He was far too angry for that. "Why-"
"Well Uncle Ozai, I'm happy you asked. I wanted to visit my young cousins, and see how they were doing. Considering I have heard many rumors about your reformed tax policy that has lessened the burdon on many in the fire nation itself."
You were gritting your teeth ,but you wanted to see your cousins. So it would be best to not antagonize him, and play to his pride. That and he was forward thinking… if only he didn't punish the peasants and the colonies so much, he might even be considered a baneveolent one. Harsh but fair.
But you knew better than that. He was a spineless worm, at least that was how Father had claimed it. He was never… brave enough. Good enough even for Grandfathers attention. "I see you did read those letters?"
Halfway. Iroh had little patience for politics beyond what was necessary. And war councils were boring. And filled with nothing but… empty words and men dying while generals sat and ate. At least in the homelands. "Enlightening Uncle, some would say benevolent."
"What are you doing here nephew?" He asked as he nodded, dismissing his staff and a moment later, his family was all that was there. "I am not here to play Pai Sho as your father would offer. And you were not there at the ceremony, most dishonorable."
You didn't want to see your father turned into another Myrter. He was a warrior and a great general yes. But he also understood things. You did too, to a lesser extent.
That and we've burned enough friends and family to last a lifetime…Iroh hated funerals, he loved singing and dancing with the men, playing the horn, and telling stories to the youngsters. He'd rather do anything but attend a funeral.
"I have already watched him die. I didn't want to watch him be buried." You replied.
Ozai nodded. "Very well. But why are you here? You have already brought dishonor to this family and our nation with defeat."
"It was not only my defeat." You whispered. "I just want to see them. Maybe teach them a little bit."
Ozai was about to say something, but Ursa said. "No Lu Ten. That would be improper of you."
"They are my family too." You said.
"And you have brought shame to it." She whispered.
You turned to face her. "How dare you say that to my face, when you see what war has done to it. I just want to talk to them, to be able to see them."
Both Zuko and Azula seemed excited at that prospect. But they didn't say anything, because both their mother and father seemed to disapprove.
You wanted to say something, but than Ozai looked to Ursa. "Let them be. But you will not remain here."
"You would bar me from seeing my family?" You protested. "The Firelord-"
Ozai looked at you dead in the face. "My brother is dead, because of you." He didn't care, but he was pretending, a fine actor, and it almost made you lose your mind. "I will wait and see… if such a thing can be forgiven."
You wanted to fight him, to burn him… yet you couldn't. You didnt have the strength or the rage or the anger to do such a thing. Not now… not since your father died.
Forced away. "Good bye." You whispered, and both children nodded.
A moment passed, and then Ozai looked at you. "Why are you still here?" You hadn't moved, about to say something.
You turned around and left speaking something he knew you wanted to say. "Someone has to tell you no."
"I admire that you think that I need to be told something like that. But you will leave." He said.
And you left, walking away.
You wanted to make things better for those two. But their parents wouldn't let you.
----------------------
What do you do now?:
[]Go back to the Sappers: You are going back to your men. Maybe they will be better now that you are back in the ready.
[]Have Tea with Azulon: You had never seen Grandfather so tired. "Why am I here?"
[] Retracing your Steps: You are going to follow your father's footsteps again… and your own… back to the Sun Warriors, back to the Dragons.
[]Meditate: You are going to rest and find balance if you can. Maybe you can ask them for forgiveness, the ghosts that still haunt you.
[]Rest: A Man needs his rest.
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