Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Burnings of the Heart ❯ A Message from Roku and the Cloaked Lord ( Chapter 1 )

Burnings of the Heart

Chapter I: A Message from Roku and the Cloaked Lord

 

Night stood strong and fast over the river clearing where and Aang and his friends now lay in hiding from the Fire Nation that now ruled the entire world except for the North Pole and South Poles. The loss of Ba Sing Se was a heavy blow to all of them, especially Aang. Even though, he was the Avatar he was still but twelve years of age in appearance and mind and like many young ones his age when he feels that he made a mistake he often even if but for a short while falls into despair. He blamed himself for the loss, believing that if he had not left the old Guru at the ancient ruins of the Air Nomads he'd have been more prepared for the battle that ensured at Ba Sing Se and that he wouldn't have been caught off guard by the Princess Azula's lightening bolt. Katara and the others tried to reconcile with him that he wasn't to blame, but the wounded Aang did not hear their words.

A week had passed since the fall of the Earth Kingdom and since then Aang and his group had been in hiding. So far the Fire Nation had not tried to pursue them, but they knew it was but a temporary release. They planned to go join up with Sokka and Katara's father at Chameleon Bay, but Aang, being wounded and in despair kept them put. He spent most of his time sleeping and when he wasn't sleeping he was gazing out over the river next to which they had set up camp. With Toph's ever knowing senses as their look out they stayed next to that river. The Earth King, who was used to a certain life style, had a difficult time getting used to sleeping out doors on the ground, but for the others it was business as usual. They no problem getting to sleep and even now they lay still and silent in slumber, but for Aang, his sleep often brought more than simple dreams everyday people have. His dreams were sometimes something a bit more...

 

- - -

 

 

He stood amongst a sea of clouds basked in a dusked sky.

`Where am I?' he asked himself as he stood in his usual attire of yellow pants, light orange belt, long-sleeved lightly loose shirt, with light orange bands tied around his wrist and elbows. To his elbows lay attached the corners of an orange shawl draped over his shoulders with a yellow collar that hid all but a quarter of his neck.

He looked around the mysterious realm of clouds and slowly things started to become familiar to him, “Now I remember this place. This is where Avatar Roku told me about the Avatar State, but what am I doing here now?'

`Aang…” an old and ancient voice cried.

Aang turned around and found a man in a full body red robe and long gray-white bard attached long white hair and light blue glowing eyes.

`Avatar Roku…” Aang said with a smile, but it quickly vanished and he turned his head away in shame, `Avatar Roku, I'm sorry I failed to protect the Earth Kingdom. If I had mastered the Avatar State before going than maybe…'

`There is no time to dwell on that which is past Aang,' Roku interrupted seriously, `A great danger to the world is preparing to awaken and time is drawing short.'

`What do you mean?'

`I am sorry, but I must be brief, the danger that looms also threatens to completely saver your link to the Spirit World and the less time we spend talking the better,' Roku explained, `You must master the last of the four elements before the coming summer's end. The fate of the world depends on it.'

`But the Fire Nation's already conquered Ba Sing Se, what danger could Sozin's Comte still present?'

`Long ago in the ancient past, before the raise of the four nations, the first of all Avatars sealed away a great evil that threatened to destroyed the entire world. Now due to the disruption of balance that evil is preparing to release it self and drown the world in chaos and fire,' Roku said, “When Sozin's Comet arrives this evil will use its power to free it self from the seal that binds it and terrorize the world once again.'

`What exactly is this evil?” Aang asked.

Then suddenly the sky turned red with fire and the clouds turned to flames.

`What's going?' Aang cried confusingly and fearfully.

`The corrupted one seeks to break our link, there is little time left,' Roku said. `Aang, know that you do act alone to stop this evil. Another acts with you. You may not agree with his actions, but know that you can trust the Crimson Dragon.”

`The Crimson Dragon, who is he?' Aang asked.

`I am sorry, but there is no time. I will contact you again as soon as I can. Farewell Aang…'

`Wait, Avatar Roku…wait...'

 

- - -

 

“Wait!” Aang screamed rising up from his sleeping bag.

Breathing in and out a cold sweat and shirtless he looked around and found that he was beside the river with Katara, Sokka, Toph, who was in her usual earth tent; and the Earth King, who by all surprise was a snorer. Not too far away, was Appa, their Air Bison, a ten-ton six lagged, three black toes on each lag, flat tailed, wide beaver nosed, two horned, white furred creature with a streak of gray fur in the shape of an arrow running down the middle on his back, with the point of the arrow positioned at his head. Upon Appa's head slept the winged Lemur, Momo, a small no bigger than twice size of a human hand, bat eared, white and grey furred, wing-like patagia underneath the arms, creature. It lay curled up like a ball, like the Earth's King's pet bear Bosco who was asleep at his master's side.

The roar of gently flowing, but rushing water sang about the air, mixed with the usual sounds of the night and the wind's rustling through the trees above. Slowly his breathing calmed and he got up from his sleep and walked over to the river. The moist cold feel of the earth rolled through his feet, but disturbed him not. He sat down on a rock plate with lags crossed and his hands on knees. He looked out over the river depression and sadness eating away at his mind.

“Aang are you alright,” a gentle feminine voice asked.

He turned his head and found Katara, in her usual sleepwear, mostly her undergarments, of a strip of white cloth wrapped around her chest hiding that which no man should see and long pieces of cloth warp around each thigh like bandages, and large single piece warped her waist like a like a skirt that reached down to her knees. She was of blue eyes and light brown skin and her long wavy black hair reached half-way down her back.

“Katara…” he said calmly and sadly. He turned his head back to the river, “I'm fine I just had a bad dream, well not a bad dream mind you, but it still got me worried.”

“What was it about?” she asked.

“It was a message from Avatar Roku.”

“A message from Roku!” Katara said surprisingly. “What did he say?”

“It's a little confusing...but he said that I needed to hurry and complete my training before Sozin's comet arrives.”

“But why, the war's The Earth Kingdom's already fallen,” Katara asked.

“He told that a long time ago the first Avatar sealed away a great evil and that when Sozin's comate arrives it'll its power to break free of its seal.”

“Did he say what this great evil was?”

“No, right when I was about ask him something really strange happened,” Aang said.

“What?”

“Just as I asked him what this great evil was, the sky turned red and the clouds changed into flames. He then said that something or someone called the corrupted one was trying to breaking our connection and then said goodbye.”

“Then what happened?”

“I woke up.”

“Oh.”

The two were silent.

“Everything's so confusing now,” Aang said holding his knees, “First we lose Ba Sing Se and then Roku sends me this message telling me about a great evil. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do about this great evil. Let alone what it is.”

Katara was silent for a moment and lowered her head. Then she raised it with a gentle, smile, “Well don't stress over it too much. Let's just focus on doing what we can right now.” She stood. “I think it's time we tried to find you a new Firebending teacher so you can complete you're training as the Avatar.”

Aang's eyes widen with worry and fear, and he lowered his head into arms upon his knees. The memory of his Firebending training with Jeong Jeong replayed in his mind. He shook his free of the cruel thought of his mistake born of arrogance and stubbornness. “But the last time I Firebended...” his eyes closed half-way, “I lost control and hurt you. What if that happens, I could worse than just hurt you.” He gripped his fists and shook his head. “No! I want do it; I might hurt you again or worse. I couldn't forgive myself if that happened.”

“But you have to Aang,” she said kindly. She kneeled down and touched his shoulder gently. “I know you don't want what happened before to happen again. But Roku said you had to master all of the elements and Fire is the only one left for you to learn. Jeong Jeong said that you had to master all the other elements first before you learned Firebending and you've done that. You're wiser and more experienced than you were before. You won't make the same mistake again. I know you won't.”

Aang rose up his head and looked at her and smiled at him kindly. He lowered his eyes and smiled a little, “Who would be willing to teach me?” he asked.

“I'm sure there's someone out there who's willing to do it,” Katara said with confidence. She then thought for awhile, “We could try and find Jeong Jeong.”

“Or maybe…maybe the Crimson Dragon,” Aang said.

“The who?”

“The Crimson Dragon, Roku told me that I can put my faith in someone called the Crimson Dragon.”

“Who is he?”

“I don't know,” the young Avatar said standing up, “But someone with a name like that gotta be famous,” he said with a smile.

“Maybe,” Katara said, “We'll start searching tomorrow, but for now let's get back to sleep.”

Aang smiled in agreement and the two of them returned to the warmth of their sleeping bags, but neither one of them notice the two shadowy observers hiding in the trees nearby. As soon Aang and Katara were back in their beds. They fled the screen, moving through forest with such agility and swift it was as if they had been born amongst the leaves.

They jumped from one breach to the next near complete silence filling every step they took. They stayed up in the trees, moving around clearings that were too wide for them to jump until they came upon a small clearing situated within thick portion of the forest with a small campfire sitting in the center. Surrounding it in silence were three figures, their bodies hidden within dark cloaks, only their mouths and chins were visible. They stood silence when the two figures jumped into the clearing down the trees, the light of the fire banishing away the darkness from their fronts revealing their own dark cloaks that hid all of their bodies but their chins and mouths.

Silence ruled the clearing, disobeyed only by the light roar of the campfire. The figures stood straight and still, until one of them took a knee and pulled out a piece parchment, a small thumb size clay bottle of ink and pulled out a thin bronze rod no longed than his hand. He dubbed the rod into the ink and then began to write a message. When the message was finished another one of them pulled out a thin grass whistle from his cloak and blew on it. The soft but echoing sound of the wind blowing through a thin but hollowed tube rang through the air. A screeching like that of a bird of prey echoed through the air and down from the tree flew a messenger a hallowed wooden tube, bearing the tear shaped flame symbol of the Fire Nation, strapped to its back. He then took the message and placed it into the tube on the hawks back. He made some quiet sounds to it and sent the hawk on its back way.

The hawk flew into the air and through the night, passed Dawn's early light as it came upon a large fleet of steel ships all flying the flag of the Fire Nation. It flew down to the largest of the ships flouting in the center. It gave out a cry catching the attention of a seventeen year old, light tan skinned young man, in blood red clothing and dark brown clay gloves, “He raised his arm and the creature landed on it.

He took the message out of the creature's tube and then made some sounds and sent into the air. The hawk flew and the landed on ship's railing gazing out over the sea. The young man read the message and then turned and went to the back of the ship where a large wide tower stood. He entered the tower and went to the room on the top floor that held the appearance of a royal's room. Standing by a large window in farthest reaches of the room was another young man looking to be about sixteen in a dark crimson red cloak and hood, the hood hide all of his face but his chin and mouth and the rest of the cloak hung behind him like a cap. At his side lay a sword with a blade two inches width and a two and half feet in length, and a gap running straight through the middle from the hilt, which had two block-like hooks in it on the bottom of it, to the tip of the blade. He wore a regal dark red short sleeved tunic, black pants, a robe like short sleeved coat that's back starched to his ankles, which were hidden within his black boots. His wrists were held inside dark red steel bracers and around his neck hung a dark red tear shaped flame with a short stem at the end.

“My Lord,” the young man said, “the Yu-Yan have sent a report. They've found the Avatar.”

“Good,” he the Cloakeded lord said. “Send a reply ordering two of them to remain on his trail and watch him and have the rest head for mount Han Zhang, to keep track of the rebels' movements.”

“Yes My Lord,” Sun Su replied. He left the room just as another man in the helmless uniform of a Fire Nation navel captain, entered.

“Lord, we are approaching Ba Sing Se's Chameleon Bay harbor, but the current tides will not permit us to land,” the captain said.

“Tell me caption who commands this fleet the tides or me?” the Cloaked Lord said coldly.

“You my lord, but I don't understand what that has to do…”

“You said that the tides would not permit us to land, but it is I who commands this fleet not the tides, am I wrong.”

“No…my lord.”

“And should I were to have you thrown overboard would the tides think twice about smashing your body against the other ships and dragging it beneath their waves?”

“No...no sir they wouldn't?” the captain replied closed and fearful.

“Then perhaps you should worry less about the tides who have already decided to kill you and more about me who's still considering it...” He looked back over his shoulder at him, “...and is very close to a decision you won't like.”

The captained swallowed. “I'll do my best to take us in,” the captain said.

“See that you do, and captain don't be so distressed. Consider this an opportunity to finally prove to me that you deserve your rank because of your skill and not your social status, and know that if you cannot, I will be finding someone of skill and not status to replace you, and there are many in this fleet who could do just that. Understand?”

“Yes, my lord,” the captain said fearfully. He left the room.

The Clocked Lord looked out the window as his fleet neared the mighty City of Ba Sing Se's Cliffside port.

“At last Princess Azula we shall meet face to face,” he held his amulet in hand and breathed slowly. “Only hope that I'm taking the right course of action,” He breathed in and out slowly, “because it is too late turn back now.” He looked out the window. “My act was able to fool Ozai; now I only hope I can fool the princess as well.”

The cliff embedded harbor of Chameleon bay was large and full of activity as the docks welcomed the twenty-eight ship fleet of the Fire Nation. From the deck of his ship the Cloaked Lord gave out orders to be carried over to the other ships. He then left his left ship accompanied by his servant Sun Su, two Elite Firebender guards and two figures in dark cloaks that encased all head all bodies except for their mouths and chins, and looked much like their lord when he encased his own body in his cloak.

The Cloaked Lord looked around the harbor and then forward at the cliff and lay not to for beyond. A giant stone wall that could make a man feel as small as a mouse.

“Impressive wall,” he said dryly when a voice directed his attention down the pier.

“Greeting Grand General,” the voice said. The Cloaked Lord watched as the middle aged man walked towards him. He wore a dark brown gold outlined robe, a black mustache that flowed to the side and bent down to either side of mouth, brown eyes, black hair tightly pulled back into a ponytail, the front portion of his scalp bald, and bore a sly smile. At his sides were two men in balky dark green robes with light green lining, and round hats shaped like wide tie-pies that hid their faces as they held their heads downward.

“I am Long Feng, head of the Dai Li the princess's newest enforcers,” the man said as he came to a stop before the Cloaked Lord and bowed a little, his hands inside the sleeves of his robe. “Her majesty is looking forward to meeting you…given your quickly developed reputation.”

“Where is her Highness?” the Cloaked Lord asked coldly.

“She awaits you at the Palace, I have been sent to escort you. If you will follow me,” Long Feng replied.

They left the port and followed a path that took them before the large wall and onto a stone platform. The two robed men then removed their hands from their robes and faced the wall and waved their arms upward. Suddenly the platform started to rise off the ground and upward along the side of stonewall with the two men move their hands up and down in circler motion near the wall as if they were pushing down on its side. The platform continued to rise up towards the top of the wall.

The Cloaked Lord looked at the two men, “Sun Su, it would appear that you are not the only Earthbender who wears clay gloves.”

“Hum, ah yes,” Sun Su said. “Those two I believe are from the Dai Li. I heard stories about them during my days as an Earth Kingdom soldier, and modeled gloves after theirs.”

“You were once a soldier for the Earth Kingdom, what made you change loyalties?” Long Feng asked curiously.

“That is none of your concern,” Sun Su replied coldly and stoned face.

“Ah, but it is,” Long Feng said, “For you see I can't have you suddenly betraying the princess, now can I,” Long Feng said.

“In terms of betrayal it is not me you need to worry about,” Sun Su said.

“What?”

“Sun Su takes his orders from me and me alone so you need not worry about his loyalty,” the Cloaked Lord said.

Long Feng looked at the Cloaked Lord and smiled, I see because as long YOU are loyal than so is he.” Long Feng narrowed his eyes and lowered his head slightly, “And I take it the same is true for the rest of your men.”

“What is it to you?”

Long Feng smiled the cold smile of someone who is impressed, “You're an interesting young man, Grand General.”

When they finally reached the top of the wall they got off the platform. The wall's walkway was vastly wide and looked as if it could hold entire house for a family of ten. The Cloaked Lord and looked around at the many soldiers stationed on the wall, some of them were wearing Earth Kingdom Uniforms, others wearing Fire Nation uniforms and a few bore the robes of Dai Li agents.

Long Feng guided them to a large building and waiting inside for them was a large small chamber with a roof of its own and many windows, and a set of stone double doors on each side; behind it stood two shirtless, barefoot men. It's width was the length of two averaged sized human bodies and it length's four. It was royally decorated and the inside held cushioned seats along each wall, its path broken only by the two sets of doors. Its underside took shape of the groove in which it sat, an inner groove no wider than half the size of five year old and an outer groove that shared the wideness of the room. This path of short flowed out of the room and into path of shorts suspended by stone pillars.

Long Feng guided the group into the chamber and the two men behind it started to push against it and started to move forward along the strange path and out of the large room. The Cloaked figure gazed out one of the windows, as room followed the path to a low level half down the wall the. Beneath the path was a vast plain with a few hills here and there and deer like horned animals grazing about them. On the more even portions of the plains lay farms with people working on fields of various crops.

“An impressive invention you have here,” he said dryly.

“You like it, the chamber we're in is called a Terra Carriage or Terra Car for short. It and others like it moved along what we call a track through the use of Earthbendering. This one car in particular is used only for members of royalty. Few have the honor of riding in it.”

“I'm SO honored,” the Cloaked Lord said voidly.

The car continued along the track through the vast fields of farms the Cloaked Lord watched from the window as the track got nearer and nearer to a second enormous wall and then entered a tunnel impaled within the wall. The car was darkened for a few moments. When full light returned the Cloaked Lord beheld a city miles wide, its enormous wall like a horizon behind the vast number of buildings of Stone and Earth, their triangular roofs starching as far as the eye can see. Stone tracks lay through out the city going to and from large walless buildings with nothing but pillars holding up their roofs.

As he stared out over the city, the Cloaked Lord creaked a serious, but small smile, “So, this is the great City of Ba Sing Se, the city that Iroh, the Dragon of the West, laid Siege to for six-hundred days and was still unable to topple it.”

“Even with just this city alone, the Earth Kingdom could have continued fighting the Fire Nation, but now…” Sun Su said.

“It belongs to the Fire Nation,” the Cloaked Lord said. “I'm impressed, the Princess archived a great feet by conquering it and judging by look of the buildings and the fact that she has EarthBenders serving her, she took it from within.”

“You are correct,” Long Feng said.

“I imagine it was impressive an plan, though I also imagine the locals weren't two please with the sudden change in government,” the Cloaked Lord said. He turned to Long Feng, “What is the status of the populous?”

Long Feng frowned as he looked at the Cloaked Lord, “I'm sorry, but I'm not authorized to release that information.”

“Do I look like I care,” the Cloaked Lord replied harshly, “What is the status of the city?”

Long Feng remained silence and tightened up as he felt the temperature in the car slow start raise.

“My lord gave you an order Long Feng I suggest you answer,” Sun Su said coldly.

Long Feng remained silent for a few moments longer closed eyes and answered, “After the take over and Princess Azula announced herself ruler of the city under her father, the people got a little rebellious, as did the nobility.”

“How rebellious?” the Cloaked Lord asked.

“It was nothing we couldn't handle. The lower classes were easy to subdue with a show of force from Fire Nation soldiers based near by, but the nobility…”

“Have attempted to assassinate the princess,” Sun Su said figuring out the rest of Long Feng's words.

“Is that true?” the Cloaked Lord said displeasingly.

“Yes,”

“How many attempts have there been?” the Cloaked lord asked.

“Five so far,” Long Feng said.

“And I take the ones who sent the assassins have been dealt with?”

“Yes and no, the assassins have all been captured yes, but each of them was hired by an extension of the lord who paid them. The city is currently in lockdown while the Dai Li investigate the matter,” Long Feng said.

“I see,” the Cloaked Lords said. “How is the princess taking the current situation?”

“She's not pleased as you can imagine and she's even more displeased with the growing rebel army in the north.”

“Anything else I should know about current situation?” the Cloaked Lord asked.

“Only that in Ba Sing Se with the Dai Li on her side, Azula's word is law,” Long Feng answered.

The Cloaked Lord creaked a smile, “Well now…we'll just have to see about that now won't we,” the Cloaked Lord said coldly.

Long Feng just smiled deceitfully, “Between you and the princess things are going to get very interesting around here.”

As dusk began to settle in the car continued along the track until came to a large building with gold outlining. The car slowly started to stand down as neared a platform near two enormous double doors. As the platform came to a halt his gaze immediately locked on four figures, one was boy who looked to be about seventeen. He had semi-long black hair, eyes of gold, a long, wide sleeved green robe that reached down to just his ankles just barely revealing his brown pants and brown slip on shoes, but the feature the stood out most was with wide spread flame shaped scar on the left side of his face. It started just between his left eye and his nose and slowly it expanded outward over eye, and back around towards the left ear and stopped just slightly after completely consuming the ear. The scar was a grayish-white like light ash with a small portion of skin that covered the eye and its socket that was grayish-black, like dark ash. Standing with him with him were three girls that wore similar clothing and looked to be fifteen.

All three wore brown and dark green shirts with sleeves that went to the elbows, and bore the Earth Kingdom Emblem of a solid green circle with light green outlining and square hole in the center, but only two of them, one bearing dark hair and the other brown, wore dark green pants that stopped just slightly past the knees, brown linen, braces wrapped around their ankles and wrists by green straps of cloth, and both wore brown green outlined slip-on shoes. One had long black hair, with two small buns on her head, and the rest bond into two pony tail that lay draped over hair shoulders; her eyes were of pale gold and she held a depressed look about her face as if she was bored. The brown haired girl, had long brown heir in a braided pony with its base atop her head; she had gray eyes, and perky expression about her, that left her appearing to be nothing but a harmless girl.

The last of them however is the one caught the majority of the Cloaked Lord's attention, as the car came to a stop. She wore dark green pants along with the same shirt as her two female associates, also like them she bore the same braces, but her shoes were slightly curled at the tip. She had dark brown hair, forged into a topknot held in place by a then golden band with a red tear shaped flame stuck in the front of the knot. Her lips were colored pale red, and she bore an expression that was calm with a siren's beauty, but deceptive like a snake, her golden brown eyes bore a seductive look. Her appearance was alluring yet also frightening.

The Cloaked looked at her with a creaked half a smile, “Hah, I got lucky,” he said under his breath.

“My lord?” Sun Su said.

“The outside's impressive, but I imagine the inside is in need of a serious adjustment,” he said quietly.

Sun Su, looked at same the girl and a creaked half a smile himself, “My Lord has dangerous tastes. Do you truly believe you can tame that she-dragon?”

“I've no choice but to.”

The Cloaked Lord exited the car with Sun Su and the rest of his men. Long Feng exited after them with a smile that showed intrigue in coming meeting.

The Cloaked Lord walked forward towards the girl and she towards him both keeping their eyes directly eye on the other. The two groups stopped before one another.

“So you're the new Grand General my father picked out. You don't look like much, but it is hard to read someone who hides himself in a cloak,” the golden eyed brown girl said.

“It's a pleasure meet you too, princess,” the Cloaked Lord said dryly with a cold smile.

“These two ladies are my assistants, the depressing looking one is Mai, and the other Ty Lee, and I'm sure you've heard of my brother, Zuko,” Azula said.

“The scarred exiled prince, yes, I've heard much about him from Lt. Admiral Jee and his crew, who served him during his search for the Avatar.”

Zuko went wide eyed, “What! Jee and the others are alive?”

“Yes, there one of the ships under my command, you may see them if you wish. They're at the Chameleon Bay Harbor, but for now onto to more important matters, such as the rebellion, that needs to be dealt with.” the Cloaked Lord said.

“Indeed,” Azula said, “I heard much about your reputation general. Your victory over the sudden rebellion in our homelands is impressive and defeating the fugitive general Jeong Jeong is no small feet. However, it would have been even more impressive if he hadn't escaped capture.”

“When pursuing an enemy Princess Azula I allow no one to escape unless I desire them to,” the Cloak Lord replied.

Azula smiled and examined the Cloaked Lord, but she couldn't read much from with his cloak in the way and built a hidden frustration within her that annoyed her. “Well whatever you're reason for ALLOWING him to escape is not my concern to me; however…” she put her arms behind back and took on a serious face, “…the rebellion in the north is. I know you and you're men must be tired from you're journey, but I need you set out tomorrow and crush those rebels.”

The Cloaked Lord creaked half a smile, “I thought as much, but I'm afraid that that's where you and I come at crossroad.”

“What,” Azula replied annoyed. “Excuse me general, but you seem to be forgetting who's in charge here.” She frowned. “Let me remind you that I am royalty and that when I give you an order you are to follow it, there is no crossroad.”

“Maybe with other commanders, princess,” the Cloaked Lord replied. His smile vanished and he took on a stone face, “But I'm a different breed. My men will only take orders from me and me alone...”

Azula frowned with anger, “What…”

“Now calm yourself princess,” the Cloaked Load replied with a creaked smile. “I have a plan you may find interesting.”

“And what pray-tell is that?” Azula replied still bearing a frown.

“I'm sure your highness is aware that Avatar is still alive?”

“I've...heard some things,” Azula replied dryly and quietly looking away from the Cloaked Lord.

“Well, my sources tell me that the Avatar has mastered all of the elements but fire. Therefore he will likely be seeking a teacher to help him mastered just that, but as it stands there are only two men in existence who would dare try to teach him. One is your uncle Master Iroh who I'm guessing, seeing Prince Zuko with you, you have in custody and the other is Jeong Jeong who my scouts our tracking carefully as we speak.”

“So what are you suggesting, general?”

“My scouts have orders to follow Jeong Jeong and see to it the he knows about the rebellion in the north and if necessary drive him there. Even if the Avatar reaches him before then my men will see to it that they keep moving towards Mount Han Zhang. In the mean time we send a small but capable force to toy with the rebels and keep them weak with repeated raids. I've sent orders to Rough Rhinos to help with that. I've also ordered scouts there to watch for the Avatar and the moment he shows up…”

Azula eyes widen for a moment and then she smiled a cruel and cold smile, “…we gather our forces and crush both the Avatar and the rebellion in one swift strike!”

The Cloaked creaked half a smiled and tilted his head slightly, “Exactly.”

Azula took on a calm but deceitful smile, “Hum...I like the way you think general.”

“I thought you might like my idea princess,” he replied opening his cloak and putting his arms behind his back, “And considering the future that awaits the two of us I hope we can continue to get along.”

Azula's eyes opened wide as they locked themselves on the amulet hanging from his neck. She frown and gripped her fist trying to control her suddenly growing anger, “If you'll excuse me general, I have business to tend to too, as soon as you've seen to the organizing of your men a servant will come and show to your quarters. Long Feng, Dai Li, Zuko, ladies, come.”

The princess left and headed for the enormous double doors with Long Feng and the Dai Li right behind him. The Cloaked Lord smiled half a smile as he watched her, but neither one of them heard the other say to their men.

“Watch him.”

“Watch her.”