Chapter 21.4- And so the Dragons Danced

The Princess scared him. She just had that look in her eyes that said she wanted to kill you and take your skin off and wear your skin, and all that weird painful stuff that he shuddered to even think about. Now, she was knelt before her father, but Masashi knew that if she found that he’d done anything to displease her, she’d find him later. Not even the FireLord for all his power and glory could stop Princess Azula from expressing her displeasure. Most people agreed that it was better to be in the daughter’s good graces than the father’s. At least the FireLord would satisfy himself by banishing you from the palace. The Princess would ensure she kept you close while she exacted her revenge in a million slow and painful ways.

“I serve at your pleasure, Father” She said. Lie, his brain recognised. He had a very technical and complex method for telling whenever the Princess lied. It had a 100% success rate to the best of his knowledge.

“Well done, Azula. I am told that your lessons continue to progress at an astounding pace. Your teachers sing tour praises to me night and day.” The FireLord could not see her face, but from the angle he occupied, Masashi could spot the reflection of her smile in the polished floor of the throne room. She was pleased with her father’s praise it seemed. Lie, his brain pointed out and he nodded.

“All I do, I do to please you, Father. To make you and our ancestor proud” Lie.

“And you are doing so. But there is one task I must require of you to prove yourself as the leader I know you can be” He said.

“Whatever it is father. I am your loyal instrument. Ask me to boil the oceans. Ask me to cast down the clouds. Ask me to cleave asunder the walls of Ba Sing Se themselves. Whatever you ask, Father. I will do. I will not fail you” Lie.

“Thankfully, your task will be easier than all of those. Your Uncle Iroh is a traitor. Your brother, a failure. I require you to bring them to me for punishment”

“Is that all, Father?” There was something in her tone. It sounded like a vague note of disappointment. The fact that he could hear such a thing told him that she was consciously projecting the feeling. She wanted it to be caught.

“Do my orders somehow displease you, daughter? I thought you served at my pleasure or did I mishear?” There was a dangerous note in the FireLord’s voice. Masashi was reminded that this was the man who burnt half his Son’s face and left him both scarred and partially blinded for an implied insult that no one had taken as such. He did not broker insubordination in his children, and it seemed that the Princess could hear it as well. She was much slower in her response than he was used to. Usually quick witted and unafraid to show it, the Princess was careful about her next words.

“No Father. Of course not. I serve at your pleasure, always. But as a good daughter, I wanted to take some initiative. To deal with a problem that has plagued the Fire Nation for a century now.”

“You want Zuko’s mission”

“Yes, Father. He has failed. But I will not. I am your right arm. I will take your will to all corners of the world and seek out the Avatar. I will strike him down, Father. Just as you will it.”

“The Avatar is a powerful bender who destroyed hundreds of Fire Nation Ships in one go."

“If he could reliably reproduce that kind of power, there would be no Fire Nation anymore.”

“I agree” The FireLord said with a nod. And then he appeared to be considering things. Assuming Masashi had not been present at the meeting where the FireLord decided to entrust the Princess with the mission of hunting down the Avatar, then he would have fallen for the theatre the man was putting up.

“Are you sure about this, Azula? He remains a powerful bender of much renown either way”

 “I am your daughter, Father. The Blood Of Sozin. I was born for this.”

“Then go forth with my blessing. Take whatever resources you need from wherever you need. I want Iroh, Zuko, and The Avatar, brought before my feet in chains.” He finally ordered.

A/N; Here ya go