Long Feng waited in his cell eagerly as footsteps echoed down the hallway towards him. His door opened as his guests were brought in to talk to him. However, it wasn't as he'd foreseen. He thought his agents would bring the princess to him, hands locked behind her back as she lashed out in anger at her capture. What entered his cell was not that.
The princess was there, but she was calm, collected. Like she was going for a relaxing midnight stroll to the kitchen instead of being paraded through the levels of cells. And the man beside her was not part of his order. He had told his agents to bring the princess alone, without backup, to put himself in a position of power to negotiate. The man was tall, towering over him, decked in a blue sleeveless vest. Neither the princess nor the man was cuffed. Long Feng swallowed his unease as he met the princess's eyes.
They met each other's gazes for a moment before Azula spoke, "Long Feng, I presume. I was wondering when you'd show up. I've heard a lot about you in my short time here."
"Princess Azula, you are an unexpected arrival in my city. Disguising yourself as Kyoshi Warrior to enter Ba Sing Se was a most ingenious play I must say," Long Feng replied smoothly right after, not wanting to look uncollected.
If Azula was surprised by his knowledge she didn't show it, "Yes, well I do try my best," she shrugged, "But, you didn't send your Dai Li to meet with me for small talk. What do you want?"
"I want to make a deal," he replied, "It's time I retook control of Ba Sing Se, and you have something I need."
"Oh, and what would that be?"
"The Earth King's trust," Long Feng replied.
"And why should I help you?" Azula asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because I can get you the Avatar," Long Feng said confidently.
"And how would you do that? You're locked here in a cell. Besides, the Avatar isn't even in Ba Sing Se right now," Azula shot back.
"I control the Dai Li," Long Feng remarked, "I have eyes and ears all over this city. As soon as the Avatar returns, I'll know about it. With my agents, I can help you capture him and you, in turn, will eliminate the Earth King."
"And what's to stop me from killing you now?" Azula remarked.
Long Feng's eyes widened at the statement as he glanced worriedly at the Dai Li agents behind him warily as they shifted worriedly. Long Feng glanced around nervously, he was locked in a 6x6 foot metal cell. He had nowhere to go, nothing to bend, and he didn't like his chances. The princess was a prodigy firebender, and the man beside her was rumored to be the most elite and only waterbending bodyguard in the Fire Nation.
A few more moments passed before Azula's laughter echoed throughout the cell, "Relax, I was just kidding," she assured Long Feng. The man glanced nervously as he noticed the wide, relaxed smirk of her bodyguard. He forced a small smile onto his face as he waited.
"I agree with you Long Feng," Azula spoke, drawing the conversation back to her control, "Your Dai Li agents are numerous and obviously adept at getting information if they were able to tell you I was the princess. I can remove King Kuei for you, he trusts me and my companions explicitly, especially with the Avatar away. However, I do have some needs of my own."
"What do you require?" Long Feng asked as he settled back down. Negotiation was much more his forte.
"Command over the Dai Li for an ambush and knowledge when the Avatar returns. I have heard that my treacherous brother, Prince Zuko, is also in the city with my uncle," she revealed to him.
"The Dragon of the West?" Long Feng asked incredulously.
"The very same. I'm sure you understand the importance of capturing them."
