Chương 9: Chapter 8: Azula and...
Waters of the Fire Nation.
A lone ship sailed towards its intended destination, cutting through the sea expanses, unaware of any obstacles in its path. It was a dark night, with only the lanterns and distant stars illuminating the sea along with the ship's deck. The wind howled, and the waves crashed loudly against the hull. It was an unremarkable night on the Fire Nation's ship.
Li carried out his duties calmly. Walking through the corridors, moving from deck to deck, and patrolling the ship's edges, he occasionally glanced out to sea, searching for potential threats. Li knew that the ship was close enough to the Fire Nation's lands that there should be no enemies around. However, he feared not them but the wrath of the princess, whose ship he was ordered to guard. Li took his duties as a patrol soldier seriously, not without a healthy dose of fear of the formidable princess.
As he continued to patrol the area assigned to him, Li counted down the minutes until dawn, when his shift would end. Taking a left turn, he expected to soon meet a familiar face from the group of soldiers who had been the first to take the night patrol duty. Soon enough, Li saw another soldier approaching him as he came around the corner.
"How's it looking?" Chan, a friend and a familiar face to Li, spoke first.
"Everything's clear. How about you?" Li replied calmly to his friend.
"Everything's clear."
"Shall we continue patrolling?"
"Yes, it's still a long way to dawn. Li, be careful, especially when passing by the princess's cabin," Chan decided to share important information with Li.
"What's going on?" Li asked.
"It's just that she hasn't gone to sleep yet. Be on your guard. Don't get on her bad side. I wouldn't want to find out if she'd toss someone overboard for any wrongdoing," Chan explained to his friend, clearly concerned for his well-being.
Rumors among the crew varied, but all spoke of the severity, and at times, the horrifying cruelty of the princess. These rumors were only confirmed by Azula's chilling speech delivered to the entire ship's crew as they were about to set sail. Li had encountered tough superiors before and was accustomed to many things, but the princess left him with a desire to stay as far away as possible; she made a profoundly terrifying impression.
"Do you think she was serious back then?" Li asked, to which his friend responded with ominous silence.
"I understand you. See you at the meeting," Li said.
"See you, and take care of yourself."
Li resumed his patrol, now moving to another part of the ship. Everything was calm: the same sea, the same wind, familiar corridors. However, when he reached the corridor leading to the princess's cabin, he paused and remembered his friend's words. In the tiny window of the door blocking the entrance to the princess's quarters, there was light. It couldn't be missed, as all the other windows were dark. After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He was a soldier, in uniform, and he would do his duty!
Having made his decision, he continued his path. He needed to reach the last door in the corridor and then return.
"R-r-r-r…" He heard a faint growling and froze in his tracks.
His heart pounded loudly, and he felt a lump in his throat. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, hidden by his helmet. Standing still, listening intently to the silence, he didn't know what to do next.
No, it was all nonsense. There was no way someone could be growling in the princess's cabin; it must have been his imagination. It was probably the ship's creaking, yes, that was it. Convincing himself of this, he continued on as quietly as possible. Approaching the door, he inspected it briefly and found it locked. He turned around, retracing his steps quietly.
"Slap!" He heard a slap sound right behind the door to the princess's cabin. Freezing in his tracks again, holding his breath, he tried to quickly assess the situation and decide on the best course of action.
"Perhaps someone has infiltrated the princess's cabin and is doing something right now. I could knock and check, but what if there's no one inside, and the princess is busy with something? No, that's foolish. The door is locked from the inside; no one could have entered. Unless they were a trusted person… a traitor? No, no, I'd rather not think about it. If there's a traitor inside and the princess is dead, I still won't open the door; I'll just raise an alarm, and maybe the traitor will be executed, but I'll be killed as a witness. And if it's a secret lover? Or something that a simple soldier is better off not knowing? They'll eliminate me as an undesirable witness! Better to leave, let someone else try to wake the princess in the morning, and everything will be sorted out then. Of course, it will come to me sooner or later, but later is better than now!" The rapid stream of thoughts in Patrolman Li's mind was interrupted by another terrifying sound.
"R-r-r-r…"
"To hell with this! The army didn't prepare me for this!" These were Li's final thoughts before he left the eerie corridor leading to the princess's cabin, remaining unnoticed.
Returning to his patrol of the ship, he had no intention of getting anywhere near Azula's cabin again.
(***)
The same day, a few hours before midnight.
The red rays of the sunset reflected off the calm sea, where a lone ship sailed. It stood out from its companions with its rich finishing touches and some pompous details that seemed to shout, "A very important person is aboard this ship!"
It was Princess Azula's ship, and now, after an exhausting day of training mixed with studies, she had locked herself in her cabin for some much-needed rest. That's what everyone on the ship thought, but in reality, the princess continued with her tasks, not even considering sleep.
I sincerely ask for forgiveness,
For all the offenses that I sometimes,
In life's everyday affairs, inflicted,
Without having malice in my heart.
I sincerely ask for forgiveness,
For all the deliberate wrongs,
For everything that wounded your heart
And brought sorrow.
"Not bad, but I don't sense any remorse. You just inserted lines from various poems without feeling the meaning they carry. That's not enough for my forgiveness!" replied the demon with an arrogant tone, causing the princess to furrow her brows in anger.
"What's wrong with this one? I've already reread a third of the book! I've come up with a fourth stanza! How much more do I have to indulge in such nonsense to beg for your forgiveness?! Is it really that hard for you to just forgive?" the princess retorted angrily, feeling that she was wasting precious time on the whim of a demon. And Azula despised wasting time that could be used to improve her talents.
Closing the book, the princess angrily tossed it onto the table, then collapsed wearily onto her bed. This wretched parasite residing in her body knew how to drain all her strength, leaving her emotionally drained. Perhaps she hated him more than anything else in the world! With all her cruel heart, Azula wished for the spirit to experience all the bad and evil that existed in the world!
"I've already told you, you're a great actress, but that's not enough for me. Your verses lack emotion, they don't touch my heart. But I'm pleasantly surprised that you made it a third of the way through the book. I think you deserve some reward for your efforts," the demon spoke with satisfaction.
"Reward? What are you planning?" the girl asked warily, noticing the demon's pleased tone.
"Nothing that should make you so suspicious. I'm just willing to answer some of your questions. I believe you've accumulated quite a few during our acquaintance. But only some, not all of them. We have plenty of time, so take your time and ask," the spirit explained calmly, his words motivating the girl to rise from her bed.
Azula quickly realized that this was her chance to learn more crucial information about her adversary. However, asking overly direct questions could risk revealing her intentions. So, she decided to start from afar, as far as possible. Even the slightest details about the demon's personality could play a vital role in her game.
"Why me? Why did you possess me specifically?" she inquired.
"You don't want to waste time on reading poems, but you're using your time for questions like these? Don't try to appear foolish; you're not good at it," the demon replied with displeasure but continued calmly.
"Well, alright, I promised to answer. It's simple: strong genes, social status, powerful bending, and a young body. The only thing I don't like about you is your femininity. Besides, I didn't have a vast selection, and time was running out. But I'll keep the rest of it to myself for now. I hope that answers your question," the spirit concluded, revealing minimal safe information about himself. Azula was relieved by his response, especially after enduring so much humiliation and wasting her time.
"Femininity?" the princess inquired, pretending to be interested, or perhaps pretending not to fully understand the issue.
"You see, I'm used to considering myself a man, and I want to keep it that way. So, inhabiting a woman's body isn't my ideal choice. Don't mistake me for a sexist; women have enough advantages, but living in a woman's body isn't something I'm enthusiastic about. You should be well aware of this, shouldn't you?" the spirit's hint in his words was substantial, leaving no room to interpret them differently.
"Nice to hear that such a detail helped me in life," the girl replied dryly, succumbing to unpleasant memories.
Yes, she was well acquainted with such drawbacks. In the Fire Nation, a woman had never become Fire Lord, even among the highest-ranking military officials. She lived in a patriarchal society where men played the primary role in any endeavor, more so than women. She had to work harder than anyone else to achieve the reputation she had today. Her gender had often hindered her in many ways, so she had to be stronger, faster, smarter, and much tougher than the men around her.
"What else interests you?" the spirit's voice interrupted her inner musings. Azula quickly recalled her goals, forcibly pushing aside her trivial thoughts and memories. She gathered herself and asked a crucial question.
"Conquering the blue flame," the girl pronounced, inwardly hoping that the spirit had no connection to this.
"This has nothing to do with me. Your fire is the result of your diligence, study, good genes, superior chi, and a touch of genius. Well, that ritual did help you fully unlock your potential, though in my opinion, you're still far from the desired ideal. However, you already surpass most contemporary Firebenders by a long shot. True, I can only judge based on your sparring matches with other masters. As I've said before, they didn't show any significant skills and were rather mediocre to me," the spirit casually replied, downplaying the mastery level of Firebenders. However, Azula heard something essential in his words.
Over the past week since the ritual, when her fire had turned blue, she had repeatedly witnessed in sparring that her blue flames were significantly stronger than those of other Firebenders. In direct confrontation, the blue flame consistently defeated ordinary fire, overwhelming her opponents with its explosive power, even if they managed to defend themselves with their firebending.
Her blue flame set her apart from all other Firebenders, and it was significantly stronger than regular fire. Parting with it would be unpleasant for Azula. It was a source of pride, a unique trait that elevated her above all other firebenders. She was not willing to give up such an advantage, which was an integral part of her identity as the Princess of the Fire Nation.
Now that the spirit had confessed that he had no involvement in this matter, she could confidently make plans to eliminate him without fearing the consequences. The prospect of dealing with the spirit without any hesitation pleased the princess. However, she made sure not to let the spirit even begin to suspect her thoughts. She maintained complete control over both her body and her emotions.
"Anything else?" the spirit continued with a languid tone, waiting for her questions.
Azula, in her masterful way of intrigue, proceeded with the conversation indifferently. "Yes, why poetry? Why choose verse?"
"Oh, that's quite simple. I wanted my forgiveness to be special for you. That's why I opted for the most intricate method, introducing you to the entirely unfamiliar world of poetry—a realm of beauty in language, rhythm, and rhyme."
"I must admit, Spirit, that this is the most useless pastime I've ever engaged in during my life. Did you really take pity on me and couldn't come up with a more... sophisticated punishment?" Azula responded with a hint of sarcasm, teasing her interlocutor.
"Are you asking for it? Poetry is the mastery of words, sentences, and the expression of thought. A magnificent and multifaceted language that signifies advanced culture and complex interactions that even astonish gods. People who do not possess this skill are despicable. Your people might call them barbarians, I believe? In any case, this is your punishment for bad behavior; accept it gracefully!" the spirit replied, his tone slightly irritated.
"Hah... oh yes, you can't see me from the outside, so allow me to say this: I just rolled my eyes," Azula remarked, indeed rolling her eyes.
"Good sarcasm, well done. But we've deviated from the topic. Do you have any more questions for me?" the spirit asked, completely unfazed.
"Who are you?"
"I believe I've already mentioned that. To answer that question, you'll need my forgiveness. For now, I'm just a spirit or a punishment for sinful deeds, both yours and your relatives'. It doesn't matter," the spirit replied arrogantly, disregarding all unwritten and written rules of propriety. In any case, Azula couldn't physically summon or punish him for his audacity.
"Why Piandao?" came the next question from the princess, who maintained her composure as she continued her plan to study her enemy thoroughly.
"Hmm..." the spirit pondered, seemingly considering his response carefully. "I do know of him to some extent, but he doesn't know me. It was simply a whim, a desire to make you leave the palace. You've probably figured that out yourself, haven't you? But the reasons behind my actions run deeper than you think, and I doubt you'll understand them if I were to tell you now," the spirit spoke cryptically, expressing his thoughts in a way that made it nearly impossible to grasp their essence.
"If you have something to say, just say it. Don't indulge in philosophical intrigues; you're not very good at it. Reminds me of my uncle, that failure and dreamer," Azula responded with a hint of sarcasm, taunting her interlocutor.
"You're becoming more like your natural self—sarcasm, insults... that's good. As for your question, your environment, surrounded by servants and palace upbringing, has severely hindered you. I want to rectify that," the spirit explained, hinting at possible reasons.
Possible reasons. Azula didn't particularly believe the spirit's words. She thought he simply wanted her to be alone so he could deal with her more easily. But even this theory was in doubt, as there was a significant lack of information about the spirit—his goals, personality, desires. However, the latter was quite clear, and he didn't even try to hide it. The only question was whether it was intentional.
"In that, we have different views," the princess replied without displaying any emotions, taking note of the new information from the spirit.
"Really? I disagree. Your reliance on lies with fear is foolish and empty. With that approach, you'll only face defeat," the spirit asserted.
"How amusing. This approach has never failed me before. It's doubly amusing to hear this from a bodiless being. Perhaps if you employed such methods, you wouldn't have ended up in such a lamentable situation, locked inside my body?" Azula responded with her main question, veiling her true intent with sarcasm and mild mockery.
The spirit paused for a moment and then replied, "Interesting perspective, but I feel you've strayed from the topic. Or perhaps you enjoy chatting with me?"
He didn't notice the double meaning in his statement.
For the princess, this was an overwhelming success. In just a few sentences, she had realized that her interlocutor wasn't particularly skilled in verbal exchanges, and if she prodded him enough, he might inadvertently reveal some extra information about himself.
In his response to her sarcasm, the spirit had directly implied that he couldn't leave her body, while also stating that he wasn't adept at intrigue or instilling fear. This added to the portrait of his personality that she was building: weak in verbal debates, not skilled in manipulation or intrigue, but quick to exploit his opponents' weaknesses, rudely and brazenly using his advantage.
"You haven't proven yourself to be a worthy conversationalist," she continued, skillfully steering the conversation away from his previous statement.
"Oh, I see, perhaps I was too impolite with someone of your station, but you needed a reality check. Excessive arrogance for a mortal who is destined to die. I couldn't resist. I should probably apologize, but not now. I assume you have no more questions for this evening?" the interlocutor replied, irritating Azula with his arrogance and an overly cheerful tone.
"Perhaps... no," she replied, pondering subtle ways to extract more information from the spirit about himself. And she found such a method.
"Are you going to sleep?"
"No, I plan to read something genuinely useful before bed," she replied, getting up from her bed and heading to her desk, where a chest containing various books lay nearby.
"What other books did you bring, aside from poetry?" the spirit inquired, unaware of Azula's true intentions.
"Keep observing, and you'll find out for yourself."
"Too suspicious. Have I made such a good impression on you? Or have you schemed something?" the spirit wondered.
"Don't flatter yourself; you're not good at making the right impression."
Azula sat down at her desk, taking out several books from the chest. These were quite valuable books: advanced mathematics, in-depth physics, mechanics, chemistry, and other subjects she had been studying, striving to excel in everything.
Azula's goals were straightforward. She wanted to test how educated the spirit was while gathering more details about his personality. As the top student at the capital's girls' academy, the most progressive country in the world, she was confident in her brilliance and education. She believed she could easily outwit the spirit, being smarter than him in everything. After all, how could the spirit know about her country's progress? This supreme confidence made her too self-assured. When she faced the truth, she couldn't accept it.
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