The Order of the White Dragon

Chapter VI

"Wait. You're the new Governor? You're Fire Nation?" Jin pointed at Zuko accusingly.

Zuko's jaw dropped as if he intended to say something to defend himself, but nothing came out.

The group was led to the Palace's Throne Room by Azula. She insisted that Jin should get the ultimate tour, led by her.

"Yes, he is!" Azula walked past Mai and headed towards Zuko. She stretched her arm to feign patting Zuko's shoulder supportively. "The whole Nation is proud of my dear brother here. Only sixteen and already a governor of a colony. He will bend Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation ways." Azula's sneer widened when she saw fear and hurt evident on Jin's face.

Under his robes, Zuko's fists clenched harder, his fingernails very close to breaking skin. He could not argue with Azula, that was the objective given to him by his father. Zuko shrugged Azula's hand off his shoulder and took a step towards Jin, "Yes, it is true. But I want all of Ba Sing Se's citizens to contribute to the changes we will be making to this city. I want to do my best to rule fairly." His amber orbs left Jin's and twisted his head to face Azula when he said the last sentence, indicating that it was for her.

"Is this ruling fairly?" Jin asked, "You've overrun our home. People's livelihoods have been burnt to dust back in the Lower Ring. And my family-" Jin's voice broke, "I don't think they'll ever come back for me." Jin swallowed a sob, "All because you've made this city unsafe for my siblings!" It shocked Mai to hear such a heart breaking powerful speech from an overwhelmingly positive girl.

"Don't forget who you're talking to." Azula's sharp voice boomed, shutting Jin up, "But yes, we do owe it to you to at least let you stay with us here at the Palace for a while. You can explore the Upper Ring further, how exciting!" Jin's mouth formed an 'O' as Mai's eyes narrowed. What is Azula planning? Is Jin even safe to stay here?

"You there." Azula nodded to Suki. Suki's shoulders straightened she was able to mask her fear of being recognised by the Fire Nation Princess, "Prepare our guest a bedroom. Oh, and give her one with a great view of the city." Suki nodded.

"Follow her. Go on, now." Azula waved Jin and Suki away. The Kyoshi warrior immediately obeyed, Jin hesitantly followed Suki. But Azula's dominating presence bent her will. Jin looked back at Zuko before disappearing into the hallway. Her face contained a variety of emotions, confusion, disappointment, pain.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zuko asked, his voice full of suppressed anger. He refuses to be Azula's puppet, she just gained control of the situation by letting poor Jin stay with them for reasons unknown. Mai was right. He had endangered Jin by letting her return to the Palace with them.

"What?" Azula asked innocently, "Don't you think she deserves to live like royalty after what our soldiers did to wreck her life?"

Yes, but-

Zuko's mind was arguing with himself. Who was he trying to kid? There was no way around this. There was no way around Azula.

"See? You think so too. Don't worry yourself too much, brother. You'll get worry lines." Zuko's lines between his brows only deepened, "And while you were out galavanting with peasants for a day, the council waited not so patiently for you to come back. I'd check on that if I were you." Azula's tone knew not to offend. The faux innocence she was trying to sell was what made it so offensive. Zuko growled, and without a glance at Mai, he stalked off.

Azula won today, but never again. Zuko promised himself that.

While Zuko's footsteps grew quieter, Azula assessed Mai's features and found nothing. The quiet girl blended so well with any environment; she was so easily ignored.