Azula's Recovery - Avatar: TLA

9.2 - Zuko

Zuko arrived at the throne room, and took a steadying breath as he headed inside. The assembled advisers all stood while he walked up to the throne to take his seat. His advisers sat after that, immediately presenting him with issues of security, funds, crime – you name it. 

He raised a hand, "We are waiting for another guest. If you would please wait a few more moments."

They shut up for a second, but then began muttering amongst themselves until the doors opened, and Azula strode in. The advisers hesitantly stood as she walked past. She bowed to Zuko, and he gestured to the seat to his right. 

She sat down beside him silently, but he didn't miss the slightly smug smile on her face as she did so.

One of the generals cleared his throat, "If I may Fire Lord, the Princess need not be here today, especially since she is still...recovering."

"Thank you for your concern General, but Princess Azula is here on my request. You will respect that wish."

The general nodded, backing down, albeit unhappily. 

"Very well, I believe our most pressing issue is still Cranefish town, so unless anyone has any other urgent requests, we will begin with that today."

The advisers shuffled around papers and muttered their assent, as an ambassador stood and bowed, "Fire Lord." A beat, "Princess. I have only recently returned from the town, and I still believe it would be best to send a platoon of soldiers to police them. They have been attempting to assemble an adequate police force for almost a year now and they haven't been able to. It is time for the Fire Nation to take decisive action."

Zuko frowned, "We formed this town with the Earth Kingdom, we promised them that we would remain peaceful. I don't want to do anything that might threaten that, or make it seem like we are trying to conquer them. I don't believe that sending a platoon of soldiers sends the right message, or solves the issue. Do you have any other suggestions?"

The adviser opened his mouth, then shut it again, "With all due attention my Lord, if the Earth Kingdom was serious about working together on this, they would have responded to our pleas for help and would have sent people to help earlier."

Zuko knew that his adviser had a point. Zuko had been trying to help get a police force and justice system in place in the town for months, but it seemed nothing was working. He also had no illusions that any help the Fire Nation provided would be warmly accepted. Despite all his hard work, Zuko still had a long way to go before his nation could reach atonement. 

"Fire Lord, I understand your hesitations, but the longer we leave this, the longer our people suffer in lawlessness. And the weaker we look to the rest of the world. We have committed our share of crimes in the past, but we cannot be afraid to shut down threats to our peace."

The other advisers mumbled their agreement, and Zuko thought about his options: send a platoon of soldiers and potentially lose their alliance with the Earth Kingdom, or do nothing and allow their people to suffer even longer.

"Fire Lord, if I may?" Azula said loudly, silencing the room. 

"Yes?" 

"I agree that we need to send soldiers to the town," the advisers began to smile, "But I also believe it should be temporary, a few months perhaps. In that time, they should be able to properly train up a police force, and it gives the people time to get used to it too. If you are truly worried about the Earth Kingdom's perspective, you should advise them send soldiers to train the police force too. The two nations working together would show solidarity and peaceful cooperation. A great message for the people of the town, and the world, that unrest will not be tolerated."