The Sun, the Moon, the Dragon - A change of plans. (Patreon)

Princess Azula, Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se – Earth Kingdom

-Retreat! Fall back! We…AAGHHH!- screamed the Earthbender completely bewildered as a powerful blue inferno erupted from the edge of the Wall, followed by the three infamous women, who had ascended the Wall mounted atop armored mongoose lizards.

-Secure the perimeter for the troops girls- ordered Azula with determination while Mai and Ty Lee immediately moved into action.

Ty Lee danced gracefully between the Earthbenders, striking pressure points with impossible precision and disabling them effortlessly, while Mai hurled her knives with lethal accuracy, pinning enemies against walls and stone flooring, making her beloved Ty Lee’s work infinitely easier.

Meanwhile, Azula moved with terrifying precision and elegance, launching concentrated fire blasts to destroy the Earth Kingdom war machinery.

If this can even be called machinery, the princess thought with contempt.

Slowly, the Tundra Tanks began reaching the top of the Wall, loaded with Firebenders and soldiers who rapidly began taking control of the area while, below them, the Drill continued piercing through the colossal Wall with slow but unstoppable momentum.

Azula observed her troops critically.

Her soldiers had adapted to the new orders surprisingly well, many of them even appearing…

Relieved.

Azula had studied Daeron’s tactics obsessively.

The princess had watched carefully how the soldiers of her beloved dragon, regardless of their nation of origin, displayed absolute loyalty toward the White Wolf.

And one night, while both lay naked beneath the sheets, Azula finally asked him the question tormenting her mind.

How was it possible that hundreds of thousands of people from every nation remained utterly loyal to him?

Daeron’s answer had become the mantra by which Azula now commanded her armies.

-They are not tools or simple numbers, they are people. People with lives, families and fears. Treat them as such, protect them and they shall do the same for you-

At first, Azula believed Daeron’s words were foolish and naïve.

However, her beloved dragon remained insistent and, wishing to please him, she eventually chose to follow his advice.

Making use of her brilliant mind, Azula began speaking with her soldiers, truly learning about them, their stories and their dreams.

Some came from distant corners of the Fire Nation wishing to bring glory and food back to their families, others had left behind wives, children and aging parents.

The faces…

The “soldiers” ceased being numbers.

They ceased being ranks.

They became people.

For example, Azula now knew at least ten members of her Royal Guard were named Lee, four were married, one intended to marry a peasant girl from his home village and five had children waiting for them back home.

And thanks to that…

Azula also understood their strengths and weaknesses.

Allowing the princess to coordinate them far more effectively.

-Red One, fire wall formation, keep them away from the edge and slowly push them toward the fortress. Black One, seal the escape routes, crab maneuver, NOW!- ordered Azula, and every soldier obeyed instantly.

Because after weeks of marching, training and campaigning, these men no longer belonged to her father nor the Fire Nation in general.

They belonged to her.

The advance of her soldiers was relentless.

They moved with disciplined and unwavering precision while firebending granted them overwhelming superiority, steadily forcing the Earthbenders backward, their attacks limited by the dangerous terrain atop the Wall itself.

Still, Azula noticed resistance beginning to stiffen deeper along the defensive line. Earth Kingdom veterans regrouped behind stone barricades while hidden catapult positions unleashed sudden volleys of sharpened rock toward her advancing troops. The conquest would not remain effortless forever.

After several brutal minutes, the Earth Kingdom soldiers found themselves cornered with their cowardly General finally within sight.

Meaning it was time to end this.

-Path of Agni! NOW!- roared the princess, watching with satisfaction as her soldiers obeyed without hesitation, bathing the battlefield floor in roaring flames, destabilizing the Earthbender frontline and granting Azula the opening she desired.

The princess propelled herself forward with firebending, using the chaos her soldiers created to launch directly toward the General.

As she advanced, Azula unleashed powerful flaming kicks and punches, overwhelming the Earth Kingdom defenders until finally reaching the General himself, who greeted her with a massive stone wall that the princess evaded effortlessly.

It was obvious the General was an experienced Earthbender.

Perhaps not the brightest commander.

But as a warrior…

He was fierce.

-FOR KING KUEI!- roared the General while raising enormous boulders around himself and launching them toward Azula with terrifying speed and deadly precision.

Normally…

The old Azula would not have hesitated to slaughter this man instantly.

One lightning bolt through the skull and the problem would have ended.

However, Daeron’s influence upon her had become deeper than she realized.

And one lesson he had taught her remained firmly engraved within her mind.

Mercy, applied at the correct moment, was often far more powerful than fear.

Like now, thought the princess while continuing her precise assault against the General.

And simultaneously allowing Mai to approach silently from behind.

Her friend and future sister-wife launched her knives perfectly, slicing across the General’s arms and distracting him for one critical second.

The only second Azula needed.

The Fire Nation princess pointed her elegant fingers directly toward the distracted General’s chest and unleashed a concentrated blast of blue fire.

The cerulean flames struck instantly.

Ending the battle immediately and sending the General collapsing onto the ground screaming in agony.

And the instant the General fell…

The remaining defenders broke completely.

One by one, Earth Kingdom soldiers began surrendering while Fire Nation troops captured them efficiently, more and more tanks reaching the summit of the Wall while the Drill continued tearing through the colossal structure beneath them.

For one brief instant…

Silence ruled the battlefield.

Then the soldiers erupted into celebration, roaring triumphantly while streams of fire illuminated the sky all around them.

Azula allowed her men to celebrate.

Celebration was an essential part of warfare.

It maintained morale.

Something critically important during prolonged campaigns such as this one.

-Our men are to begin securing the area. Order the ministers to establish a military encampment the instant the Drill breaches the Wall completely. Secure the prisoners, all provisions and any relevant military information from this outpost- ordered the princess calmly, causing every soldier nearby to move with disciplined precision in order to obey her commands.

Once finally alone, the Fire Nation princess walked toward Mai, who silently recovered her precious knives while frowning at the sight of blood staining the polished steel.

-Cleaning my girls is going to be such a headache- muttered Mai with a heavy sigh, causing Azula to roll her eyes immediately.

-Order one of the servants to do it Mai, we have more important matters to concern ourselves with- replied Azula calmly while both women looked over the edge of the Wall.

The Drill had already reached nearly halfway through its objective while troops descended along the front section to establish a secure perimeter and begin constructing a military base for the invasion of the city itself.

And despite succeeding where her ancestors had known only failure…

Azula’s victory felt…

Empty somehow.

The Earth Kingdom had been disappointing.

She expected greater resistance, greater power, ruthless Earthbenders fighting with savage determination, not…

These clowns.

Because that was exactly what Azula had witnessed throughout this battle.

The warriors of the Earth King were a joke compared to the Earthbenders from other regions of the Kingdom.

-This battle was disappointing- declared Azula with a sigh, causing Mai beside her to nod slowly in agreement.

-At this pace, we shall subjugate the city within only a few months- replied Mai in her characteristic monotone voice while absentmindedly touching her neck with a thoughtful expression.

Azula did not need prophetic abilities to know exactly who her friend was thinking about.

-You miss him- stated the princess simply, causing Mai to blush faintly before nodding.

-I do…his mere presence is utterly intoxicating. A few nights within his arms and he completely ruined me for every other man alive- admitted Mai shamelessly, her eyes revealing the immense depth of her feelings toward Daeron Targaryen.

Not that Azula could truly blame her considering her own situation.

The princess prepared to answer when suddenly Ty Lee’s voice interrupted both women.

-Azula! Mai!- exclaimed the beautiful acrobat while running directly toward them, her face filled with an emotion Azula rarely saw within her beloved companion.

Fury.

And Azula understood perfectly well that very few things were capable of making Ty Lee genuinely angry.

Meaning the situation had to be serious.

-What happened Ty?- asked Azula while gently taking the acrobat’s hand, attempting to calm her.

The beautiful young woman clenched her fist furiously before finally speaking.

-While you and the soldiers were dealing with the General, I…I entered deeper into the defensive complex. I found several Earthbenders wearing different uniforms from the regular soldiers, dark green robes with wide hats and gloves made from stone- explained Ty Lee.

The princess merely raised an eyebrow.

-Is that all? You are one of the most talented and dangerous warriors I know my love. I doubt those clowns represented much of a challenge- replied Azula confidently.

Ty Lee attempted a smile though it was painfully obvious she remained deeply disturbed.

With a sigh, she continued.

-I incapacitated them immediately, they were not truly dangerous but…my attack interrupted some kind of escape attempt. They were transporting something, trying to use the invasion as cover to disappear unnoticed-

Mai stepped forward immediately and frowned deeply.

-What exactly did you find Ty? What has you this upset?- asked the gothic young woman seriously.

Azula watched as Ty Lee attempted to answer before sighing and shaking her head.

-No…it is better if you simply follow me. Come on, this is important- declared the acrobat with unusual solemnity and seriousness, immediately causing both Azula and Mai to follow behind her without hesitation.

For several long minutes, the trio of beautiful young women descended deeper into the stone fortress, following the trail of destruction Ty Lee had left behind through the defenders.

Eventually they arrived at an isolated section revealed through a hidden tunnel built into the wall itself, one that clearly should have remained concealed.

-Well done Ty, it is obvious this tunnel was secret- declared Azula approvingly, thoroughly enjoying the way her beloved companion blushed happily beneath the praise.

The three women walked silently through the mysterious tunnel until finally discovering the Earthbenders Ty Lee had mentioned earlier, unconscious beside an enormous chamber filled with—

-Fuck!- exclaimed Mai suddenly, her face overflowing first with shock before transforming into pure fury.

And Azula shared the emotion instantly, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the horrifying sight before them.

Children.

These Earthbenders had been kidnapping children.

And the princess fully intended to discover why.

A cold sensation crept down Azula’s spine as she slowly observed the chamber. Dozens of cages. Chains. Blankets tossed carelessly across stone flooring. Some children cried softly while others remained completely silent, staring ahead with the hollow expressions of those who had already lost hope.

Azula walked slowly toward the nearest cage which contained a young peasant girl.

Her clothes clearly belonged to a farming family.

Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly while her eyes remained blindfolded and her mouth gagged, trembling violently like a terrified hatchling.

Carefully and surprisingly gently, Azula removed the gag from the young girl, who immediately began pleading desperately through tears.

-Please…I want to go home…I want my Mommy and Daddy…please- sobbed the little girl helplessly.

And Azula felt something within herself she rarely experienced.

A feeling so natural in this moment…

Yet so alien to her existence as a princess.

Compassion.

-You are safe now. The men who imprisoned you are gone- declared the princess softly, her voice far gentler than anyone outside her inner circle would have believed possible.

Those words seemed to calm the little girl slightly, enough for her sobbing to weaken momentarily.

-Thank you- whispered the child while still trembling.

-Why were they keeping you imprisoned here?- asked Azula carefully while slowly removing the blindfold from the girl’s eyes.

And when the child saw the uniform of the Fire Nation…

She did not react with hatred or fear as Azula expected.

Instead…

Relief.

Immense relief that they were not Earth benders, Azula realized immediately.

-I…I was helping my Daddy at the farm because he is old and cannot bend down properly anymore. Then one day…I sneezed really hard and suddenly I flew into the air! Those men appeared afterward. Please…I want to go home with Mommy and Daddy- pleaded the child desperately, looking toward Azula with such raw and heartbreaking hope that the princess frowned deeply.

What the girl described…

Sounded dangerously similar to air bending.

-I will personally make certain you return safely to your parents. But…I need your help first. What else can you do?- asked the princess gently, even with a trace of genuine warmth while breaking apart the ropes binding the girl’s hands and legs.

The child smiled gratefully before simply bringing her hands together, creating a small tornado for several brief seconds.

Immediately confirming Azula’s suspicions.

The little girl was an Air bender.

And apparently…

The Earth Kingdom knew they existed and had been kidnapping them for reasons still unknown.

Azula’s mind began racing instantly. Hidden Airbenders changed everything. Politically. Spiritually. Militarily. And if Daeron and her father learned the Air Nomads had not vanished entirely…then the entire balance of the world could shift overnight.

Azula smiled softly before speaking again.

-Help me free the others. You are all safe now, you have my word. I will personally ensure you return home- promised the princess sincerely.

The exhausted little girl smiled brightly despite everything she had endured, offering Azula one of the purest smiles the princess had ever received in her life.

Excluding Daeron, Mai and Ty Lee.

And then, to Azula’s even greater shock…

The child suddenly threw herself into the princess’ arms, embracing her warmly and thanking her again and again.

Completely paralyzing the Fire Nation princess.

This sensation…

Was pleasant.

And dangerously addictive.

No fear. No manipulation. No expectations. Only gratitude. And for perhaps the first time in her life, Azula realized how desperately starved she truly was for simple human affection.

Azula looked toward her companions who stared back at her seriously, awaiting orders.

-Free them all and ensure they are protected. One of you is to send a message to Daeron immediately. This…this changes everything- declared the princess firmly, causing both women to nod and obey without hesitation.

With this discovery…

The plans for the conquest would have to change completely.

Of that, Azula possessed absolutely no doubt.