Playing With Fire
Chapter 25
Steam rose in lazy coils from the surface of the water, spreading the clean, almost flowery scent of soap around the room. The sloping sides of the metal tub held onto the heat from the water and were almost uncomfortably warm against her sensitive skin. Though the wonderfully hot water was a decidedly huge improvement from bathing in whatever body of water they could find, Aria would have given it up to be back on the road with Aang and the two Water Tribe kids. Holding her nose, Aria slid under the water to rinse her hair before getting out. Gingerly, she stepped out of the tub, not caring about the spreading puddles beneath her feet; somebody would be in to remove the tub and could clean it.
The past couple of weeks had passed slowly for Aria; filled with monotonous routine and very little social interaction. She had possessed freedom to roam the ship that one day before Zhao had cracked down; it didn’t surprise her, she had after all used that day to get into a fight. Her schedule was assigned by Zhao and it was with dogged determination that he made sure it was followed. Every morning began with a great tray filled with breakfast options brought by a different sailor every day. The food itself was divine compared to the fare she had been existing on, food that the enlisted men could only wish for. Some days Zhao would stay and eat, leisurely eating while watching Aria with the possessive, smug look one might look upon their prize racing Mongoose-Dragon. Other days he dressed with barely a glance at Aria before rushing from the room. After breakfast, Aria had the option of bathing before taking a walk topside accompanied by Xan; this also being the only chance she got to practice her bending. The sailors bustling around the deck determinedly avoided looking in her direction and it was easy to guess that Zhao had given them a rough way to go. Meals were taken in the Officer’s galley where she could make polite conversation or privately with Zhao if he had the time or inclination; usually five or six times a week. The rest of her time was spent in their room, doing anything to keep busy; reading, drawing, playing solitary games. Above all, two aspects of the regime were followed almost religiously; Aria was only left alone when in Zhao’s quarters and the nights belonged completely to Zhao.
From the serious drop in motion, Aria could tell the ship had stopped but had not yet left the room to find out what was going on. As she ran the downy towel down her body she vaguely wondered if this was a life she could ever actually get used to. It didn’t seem like it; the lack of activities was maddening. Thankfully, Zhao had been gone all morning, leaving well before breakfast had been brought. After dressing, she exited the room and stalked down the corridor without acknowledging Xan; she was infuriated at his complete loyalty to Zhao and wanted nothing to do with him. Jeong Jeong’s words ringing in her ears, Aria pushed herself through Firebending, almost negating the effects of the bath. After well over an hour of practicing, her stomach rumbled and though it was somewhat early, she decided to eat lunch. Her feet seemed to know the way to the Officer’s galley on their own, freeing her mind to dwell on two of the thoughts that seemed to make up her life. With desperate strength, Aria willed Aang and Katara to master Waterbending; Zhao was coming for them with an entire fleet and he was determined. She had contemplated trying to get a messenger hawk to them but with Xan constantly breathing down her neck, it would be difficult. And then a horrible ache in her chest blossomed when Zuko came to mind. No word had reached her concerning his return to the Fire Nation and she resolved to confront Zhao again; it had been weeks since the agreement had been made, there were no excuses.
----
Zhao listened impatiently to Iroh’s polite, rambling conversation as he followed him down into the ship’s bowels to Prince Zuko’s quarters. It was hard to believe the old man had been one of the Fire Nation’s best generals and had almost had the title of Firelord; he had shamefully let himself go. It was ridiculous that Zhao had been asked to come to Zuko; that brat should have come running the minute Zhao had stepped foot on the ship. Two of Zhao’s men followed silently, their job nothing more than to make Zuko think twice before losing his temper. Coming to a halt at a plain steel door, Iroh knocked gently, almost hesitantly. Zhao waited a grand three seconds before, with a faked apologetic look at Iroh, he flung the door open and stepped aside for Iroh to enter first.
“For the last time, I’m not playing the Sunki Horn!” Zuko’s voice issued commandingly when Iroh peered around the open door.
“No, it’s about our plans.” Iroh answered gravely, “There’s a bit of a problem.”
“I’m taking your crew.” Zhao announced, stepping into the room. Zuko had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed but at the sight of Zhao, jumped forward.
“What?” Zuko exclaimed angrily, his fists balling up.
“I’ve recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole.” Zhao answered casually, his hands clasped behind his back. He watched Zuko’s face contort in anger and he had to struggle to stop a smug smile from appearing on his face; this was perfect.
“Uncle, is that true?” Zuko asked, pathetically holding out for a last hope; as if his washed up uncle could do anything.
“I’m afraid so. He’s taking everyone; even the cook.” Iroh answered sadly.
“I’m sorry you won’t be there to watch me capture the Avatar.” Zhao stated seriously, watching Zuko closely and hoping for an excuse to arrest him. “But I can’t have you getting in my way again.”
Zuko violently pushed himself away from the wall but with a quick step, Iroh put a restraining hand on his shoulder and shot him a warning glance; it’d be disastrous if Zuko attacked Zhao. Zhao cast his eyes around the room, utterly unconcerned about the boy who thought he was a man, and froze; hanging on the wall were two broad swords. And that day, at the fortress, when Zhao had finally captured the Avatar only to have him helped by the Blue Spirit, came flashing back with breathtaking speed. The Blue Spirit with that taunting, infuriating mask had used broad swords, was incredibly skilled at wielding them. When Zhao had thought he had won, he had the Avatar stored away in the fortress in chains, had Aria, who had unbelievably showed up in the middle of the fortress, the Blue Spirit had broken the Avatar out and the two had fought their way out and disappeared into the woods. Aria too had proven herself to have a brain behind that pretty face when she tricked a soldier into showing her the way out. Though that was in itself infuriating, it was the Blue Spirit that had earned Zhao’s attention and now, staring at those hanging broad swords, he had a strong inkling as to the identity of him.
“I didn’t know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko.” Zhao stated, taking one down and swinging it experimentally.
“I’m not, they’re antiques.” Zuko answered defiantly, though Zhao couldn’t help but notice his eyes slid down to the floor with this response.
“Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?” Zhao asked, pretending to be absorbed in examining the blade.
“Just rumors, I don’t think he’s real.” Iroh answered steadily.
“He’s real alright. He’s a criminal.” Zhao answered, finally looking up intently at Zuko and handing the sword back, “And an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon.”
“Maybe he’s trying to help the Fire Nation and it’s only you he’s against.” Zuko burst out, sounding like a sullen little boy. In his peripheral vision, Zhao saw Iroh’s hand twitch up as if to cover his face before growing unnaturally still.
The already strained situation intensified as Zuko’s words ruminated, waiting for a response from Zhao. Their eyes bored into each other’s, both seeming to consider the offered explanation for the presence of the broad swords.
“Leave.” Zhao commanded his men with a wave of his hand. Zuko leaned against the wall looking surly while Iroh and Zhao’s soldiers made an exodus from the room. When the door swung shut with a solid clang, leaving them alone, Zhao continued idly, “You know, Aria has been residing on my ship for some weeks now.”
“You’re lying.” Zuko hissed, “I’ve seen her; she’s with the Avatar.”
“Let me update you on a few things, since you’ve been out of touch for so long. As soon as you dishonored yourself, General Jirou accepted my marriage proposal. You will never have her; she’s as good as forgotten all about you. And here’s the kicker; Aria sought me out, turned herself in. I’ve got the girl and you’ve got nothing; you’re through. Nothing but a banished Prince.”
“Get out.” Zuko spit out, his face looking as if he had ingested something particularly nasty.
“I’ve just one question.” Zhao stated, a nasty smile creeping up, “Was she such a wildcat when you had her? Oh, when she screams my name; drives me wild. And how she tastes-”
“SHUT UP!” Zuko roared, his face had turned an ugly puce color and his fists were balled up.
“Don’t tell me you never got anything?” Zhao asked in fake astonishment, “She was more than willing to spread her legs for me.”
“GET OUT!” Zuko screamed in fury. The tendons in his neck looked as if ready to burst from his skin and his body trembled. “Don’t you dare- Shut your- DON’T EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!”
“If you’re not careful, you’ll get yourself arrested. Remember what happened last time you insulted a high ranking officer. Anyway, I’ll take my leave; Aria will be waiting for me. I’m sure you can find some Earth Kingdom peasants to crew your ship.” Zhao responded, sick amusement evident in his voice. At the door he paused and glanced once more at the displayed swords. “Keep in mind, if you get in my way, I’ll kill you.”
“Back to the fleet, sir?” The pilot of the small patrol boat asked when Zhao boarded once again.
“Yes, then take a patrol back to that trading village. I need a certain group of men brought to me immediately.”
---
Entering the galley, Aria came back to her surroundings and sat at a table between a couple of Chiefs. Within seconds, an enlisted sailor placed a plate in front of her and bowed. After greeting her politely, the men resumed their conversation and Aria began picking at her meal. Her appetite had completely left her since boarding the ship and she rarely ate more than half of what was given. It wasn’t until she picked up on someone talking about Zuko that she paid attention to the men.
“Has Admiral Zhao returned from recruiting Prince Zuko’s men?” A smooth voice asked.
“Yes, they’ve all been assigned to a squadron already.” The Chief to her right stated. “A few of them made it into mine.”
“I wonder why Zhao went himself.” The original voice stated, “He could have sent any of his officers.”
“Maybe he didn’t think the Prince would listen to anyone else.” Another man, a Captain, answered. “That’s got to be hard to swallow; your entire crew being taken. Admiral Zhao even took the cook. I was told he offered General Iroh a chance to serve as the fleet’s General but got turned down.”
“When did this happen?” Aria asked quietly.
“Early this morning, ma’am.” The Chief to her right answered immediately, “Zhao halted the fleet and was ferried over to the Prince’s ship with one of our patrol boats.”
“He stopped an entire fleet to recruit, what, maybe thirty men?” Aria asked.
“This campaign is going to need all the man power we can get.” Someone answered in a reasonable voice.
“Do you know where Zhao is now?” Aria asked, as politely as she could.
“I believe he’s in the Chart Room planning the approach on the North Pole, Ma’am.” The Captain answered.
“Thank you.” Aria answered in a clipped voice. As calmly as she could, she stood from the table and stalked out, leaving the hovering enlisted man to pick up after her. Zhao didn’t need those thirty men; he needed an excuse to mess with Zuko. Angrily, she stormed up a couple flights of stairs and into the Command Tower, seeking the man she usually tried to avoid. He had effectively stranded Zuko wherever his ship had been; two men couldn’t operate a Navy ship alone. And why was Zuko even still out in his ship anyway, when he should have been on his way back to the Fire Nation.
Pushing as hard as she could, Aria swung the heavy door around until it clanged against the wall. Zhao stood with his arms crossed, rubbing his chin and listening intently to another man- high ranking by the look of his uniform- who was moving small pieces shaped like ships across a map. At Aria’s less than subtle entrance, Zhao glanced up sharply, a frown marring his brow. The other men in the room also looked in her direction, straightening up from leaning over the map table. Aria stormed up to Zhao, ignoring the others and leaving Xan to hover uncomfortably in the doorway.
“What’s your problem?” Aria growled, poking him hard in the chest.
“Aria, I think you’re forgetting yourself.” Zhao answered with a tight smile. He grabbed her arm and began steering her out of the room, “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me.”
Aria remained silent as she was marched from the room, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
“Have you lost your mind?” Zhao hissed in her ear when they had reached the outer hall, “How dare you, you ignorant little idiot.”
Aria tried to rip her arm out of his grasp but his hand closed tighter like a vice, making her wince. They walked in silence for another minute before Zhao stopped, flung open a door and pushed her through it. The room they had entered was taken up by a large table surrounded by chairs; an empty conference room by the looks of it. Finally he let her pull her arm away and she backed up a couple of steps, trying to ignore the automatic nervousness that permeated her body upon finding herself alone with him.
“What were you-” Zhao began angrily.
“No, what were you doing?” Aria interrupted furiously, “Earlier today?”
“I assume you’ve heard about the new additions to our crew then.” Zhao answered, his expression changing to look mildly amused.
“What is going on?” Aria demanded, “I turned myself in weeks ago. Does Zuko even know he can go home? In fact, I demand you take me home! I was only supposed to be on this ship long enough to head you in the right direction for the Avatar. You know where he is; take me home.”
“Relax.” Zhao answered impatiently. He took a few steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, “Don’t be worried about your precious Prince, he’ll get what’s due. I want to know what makes you think you can embarrass me in front of my most senior officers.”
“I will not relax.” Aria growled, shrugging his hands off and standing on her toes to get in his face, “I want to know when Zuko will be called home and I want to know why I haven’t been taken home! I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do but you and my father haven’t delivered anything!”
“I’ve delivered plenty.” Zhao answered with a nasty smirk, grabbing her around the waist. Aria’s mouth went dry and her heart fluttered madly but she continued to glare up at him.
“When will Zuko’s honor be restored?” She asked adamantly.
“When will you learn to behave?” Zhao retorted. When Aria’s expression hardened and she tried to yank away from him, he laughed and pulled her closer, “It’s hard to receive messenger hawks with the fleet on the move. The hawks tend to get confused without a fixed position. When we reach Makapu early tomorrow morning we’ll have a couple days layover to resupply; you’ll get your answers then. Now, as I’m sure you understand, I can’t let you interrupt meetings and disrespect me in front of my officers. Seaman Xan will see you to my quarters and I’ll be there when I’ve finished, to take care of your attitude.”
“My attitude? You sound like you’re trying to be my father too.” Aria said scathingly. Zhao ignored her but relinquished his hold and swung the door open.
“Xan!” He barked over his shoulder. Within seconds, Xan came hustling in and bowed to Zhao.
“Sir.”
“Take Aria back to our room.” Zhao answered brusquely. “Arrange for dinner to be taken there. I’ll be joining her this evening.”
“Yes, sir.”
When Aria moved past him toward the door, Zhao caught her arm and used her momentum to swing her around to face him. With convincing gentleness, he gave a quick kiss on her lips while Xan stared pointedly at the wall.
“I’ll be with you later, Aria.” Zhao stated softly, his tone of voice and facial expression at odds with the malicious glint in his eyes. Resisting the urge to spit and wipe her mouth like she did as a little girl when receiving unwanted kisses, the corners of her mouth twitched up in the semblance of a smile.
“Looking forward to it.” She answered sweetly before following Xan.
Leaving Xan behind in the hall outside Zhao’s room, Aria immediately sank satisfyingly into the thick mattress and reclined back to stare at the featureless steel ceiling. Lack of sleep was making her eyes prickle and burn and she rubbed at them tiredly. Sleep in this bed did not come easily and when it did, it came in fitful bursts filled with nightmares. When Zhao himself wasn’t keeping her awake, the thoughts of what had happened in this bed were more than enough to keep her eyes wide open. She was incredibly frustrated at the lack of information she had received from Zhao but her exhausted brain seemed unable to form any coherent and tangible thought process, instead, thoughts jumbled around in broken lines, jumping around in a bewildering mess. From what felt like a great depth rose an uninvited memory; “Sometime, very soon, you will have to choose between continuing on your current path or returning to your roots. Weigh each choice carefully; the consequences have the potential to change this war. Do not be lured by false promises.” Aunt Wu’s voice echoed around her head, repeating the same cryptic warning she had given months ago. Had she been taken in by “false promises”? Though it was a troubling train of thought, drowsiness was taking its toll and before Aria could really delve into that possibility, she slipped into the foggy realm of wonderful dreams and terrifying nightmares.
A loud clanging rap on the door jerked Aria out of sleep immediately though it was another couple of seconds before she got her bearings. The knocking persisted and she slid out of the bed and stumbled over to yank the door open. Five enlisted men, their faces hid by the face plates of their helmets, stood outside; two held a low table between them, one carried two luxurious looking cushions, the others strained under the burden of two great, covered trays. Aria stood aside and allowed them to enter the room, smiling faintly in response to their attempts at bowing. They worked quickly, setting the table and cushions between the sitting area and bed. They were in the process of setting the table with a ridiculous amount of food for two people when the door swung open again. Sitting in one of the low chairs in the sitting area, Aria’s head immediately snapped around to observe the only person she knew would walk into this room with impunity.
At the sight of Zhao, the men all stopped what they were doing and stood at attention for the few seconds it took Zhao to take in the scene and give a dismissive wave of his hand, giving them permission to carry on with their job. With a final burst of movement, they finished their task and left, bowing deeply to Zhao, who didn’t acknowledge them any further. Aria turned back around in her seat, trying to appear unconcerned about his arrival.
“What have you been doing?” Zhao asked, glancing over the layout of the table.
Aria didn’t answer; she couldn’t stand when he made conversation as if they were some happy couple. It was infuriating. The situation could have been bearable if it had been presented at face value, if Aria would be treated as the prisoner she was. The constant façade being presented to those on this ship was exhausting and singing his praises to the men on board left a bitter taste in her mouth. Even when left alone with him, Aria was forced to participate in the charade.
“I asked a question.” Zhao stated.
“Nothing. I’ve been doing nothing.” Aria answered evenly. Dutifully, she joined him at the table and grabbed food at random to put on her plate. They had provided four different platters of food, each still steaming and looked fit to grace General Jirou’s table; upon closer inspection, Aria found she had grabbed hippobeef and komodo rhino tail. Zhao ate steadily while Aria picked at her food, keeping her eyes averted.
“Don’t make me start forcing you to eat, too.” Zhao said, watching her closely. Aria looked up at him and deliberately dropped her chopsticks onto the table where they bounced off onto the floor. “I’m starting to think you actually do like being punished. Do you get a thrill out of it, Aria?”
“If you’re asking if I enjoying infuriating you, then yes.” Aria answered, “These days I live to get under your skin.”
Zhao laughed and wiped his mouth with a linen napkin before responding.
“I hate to ruin your fun, but I enjoy it as much as you do.” He answered seriously, “You’re a challenge that I plan on overcoming. The more difficult it is the more fun I have.”
Aria’s lip curled in a sneer but she remained silent. Shoving the cleared plate away, Zhao stood and began undressing, seemingly not caring that Aria was still staring at him. For the second time, Aria found herself appreciating his good looks and wondering how such an ugly person could be hidden behind such a mask. His muscled back rippled when he stripped off his armor and threw aside his shirt carelessly. Naked from the waist up, he washed his arms, chest, and face in the wash basin before turning back to Aria.
“I’m going to bed.” He stated, bending down to unlace his boots. He flung them off and pulled his trousers off. Aria continued to watch him, unabashed by his nakedness; her time on the ship had ripped away much of her modesty and embarrassment of “sensitive” topics.
“I’ve got a question.” Aria said idly, “Was there ever a time you were happy just to be happy? Or has it always been this way? The only time I ever see you smile is when you’re making me, or someone else, unhappy.”
When Zhao moved to stand next to her, Aria looked down at the floor; sitting on the cushion put her at a decidedly uncomfortable height in relation to his body. His fingers closed around her chin and pulled her face up. Clenching her teeth, she met his gaze evenly; a small smirk lifted the corners of his mouth though his eyes remained cold. Slowly, he put upward pressure on her chin, making her get to her feet. Without a word, he kissed her roughly on the mouth and, retaining his hold on her chin, pulled back slightly to look at her again.
“I’m going to sleep.” He murmured against her lips.
“Which means, bed time for me…” Aria responded.
Minutes later, Aria found herself in that suffocating cage of Zhao’s arms, resigned to spending another night staring at the wall.
“I thought I was in trouble.” Aria said cautiously.
“Do you want to be in trouble?” Zhao answered, sounding half asleep with his face half hidden in her fanned out hair.
“No.”
“I’ve had news; you’re going to be punished enough while in Makapu.” Zhao said mysteriously.
“I thought you said you couldn’t get messenger hawks.” Aria said, frowning, unsuccessfully trying to scoot away from him; he radiated heat like a furnace.
“I said it’s difficult, not impossible.” Zhao responded, starting to sound impatient.
“Why is Makapu going to be punishment?” She asked.
“Go to sleep.” Zhao growled in a tone of voice that immediately quelled any questions Aria may have gone on to ask; she wouldn’t risk bringing him to full wakefulness again. “I’ve got an early morning.”
Soon enough Zhao’s breathing slowed and Aria could feel his body relaxing. She was beginning to realize that somewhere along the way, at some point during the weeks she had been on this ship, her fury was beginning to ebb and it terrified her. Her original anger and hatred for Zhao had been muted into a bitter, angry acceptance. Her own body betrayed her, relaxing against his chest and trying to pull her into sleep. Fear kept her from immediately following sleep’s alluring call. Fear that one day she would wake up and find Zhao a perfectly acceptable bedmate. Fear that what Zhao had promised, a broken and accepting version of her, was on its way to becoming a reality. As if to emphasize her train of thought, her eyes slowly drifted shut and for the first time, she fell into a real sleep with Zhao in the bed.
Aria awoke violently when Zhao put his hand on her hip, squeezing it tightly. He applied pressure, forcing her to roll over onto her back. Aria stared around, bewildered from the abrupt awakening, before meeting his amber eyes. In one swift movement, Zhao pushed her legs apart and settled himself between them; his mouth caressing her collarbone and chest.
“Leave me alone.” Aria mumbled, her voice sounding thick with sleep. She hadn’t slept like that in what felt like ages and she was having a hard time coming out of it.
“I’d love to spend the morning teaching you to be respectful when addressing me.” Zhao murmured against her skin, “Unfortunately, I’ve got a busy day. We’ll be making port in Makapu within the hour.”
He sprang athletically from the bed and began dressing, moving efficiently. There was a timid knock at the door as Zhao finished tying his hair up in a top knot and he yanked it open to reveal a sailor waiting outside, his face hidden by the face plate of his helmet.
“Sir.” The man bowed then stood at attention, waiting for Zhao to acknowledge his presence or shut the door on him.
“What?” Zhao barked, making it evident that he had better have a good reason for coming to Zhao’s private quarters.
“Sir, you asked to be alerted to when we made our final approach to Makapu.” The man answered.
“Make the preparations for docking.” Zhao answered, “Send someone to prepare my dress uniform for tomorrow evening and to make our move to shore. If Aria has to lift a finger, you’ll all find yourselves on the front lines in the Earth Kingdom. And she’ll need a dress for tomorrow; find one of the local women to serve as a maid for the time we’re here.”
Not waiting for the man to answer, Zhao shut the door and turned back to Aria, making final adjustments to his uniform.
“Go back to sleep, it’s not yet daylight. Someone will be in to move you into our quarters in port. I’ll be back this evening.” Zhao stated, in a businesslike tone. Aria gave the best sarcastic salute she could muster and Zhao left without another word.
The low creak of the door swinging open brought Aria to awareness slowly and laboriously, like trying to come up from deep water. It felt so good to keep her eyes closed, stretched out on her stomach but after only a couple of seconds she realized she was cold; she had kicked the blankets down around her legs and goose bumps were erupting down her arms and back. Then she remembered what had woken her up; someone had opened the door. Her eyes snapped open and she pushed her tousled, almost black hair out of her face. Five men stood just inside the doorway, come to clean away the dinner mess and bring breakfast. The front two stared at her stunned, trying desperately to backpedal but running into the three men behind them.
“Oh.” Aria uttered softly, groping for the blankets.
Seeing her awake, the men immediately dropped their gaze to the floor and halted their disorganized retreat.
“I-ma’am, I’m so sorry.” The man in front stammered, staring hard at his boots, “We knocked and no one answered-we thought no one was-I’m sorry.”
Succeeding in grabbing hold of the blanket, Aria yanked it up around her neck and sat up, pushing herself up against the headboard.
“We’ll come back later ma’am,” another man added, “please, forg—”
“Just get your job done and get out.” Aria interrupted, embarrassment making her voice sound harsher than she had intended. The men set in motion quickly, clearing the short table of last night’s food and laying out breakfast. None of them dared look past the small area of floor they could see by staring at their boots. Aria sat awkwardly, wishing she could sink into the mattress and disappear. As soon as the men left, swinging the door shut behind them, Aria leapt from the bed and got dressed as quickly as she could. She gave a cursory glance at the table; apparently they had docked as there was now fresh fruit laid out on the table but she had quite lost any appetite she may have had. Pacing the room, she felt as if she could never get up the nerve to leave this room and interact with the men who now knew she was barely better than a street whore. It was irrational; anyone with a brain would have assumed her and Zhao were intimate, but nevertheless, it was how she felt. With a nervous swallow, she flung the door open and headed topside; she wouldn’t hide away all day only to be deemed a coward as well. Without her acknowledgment, Xan detached himself from the wall and followed.
The gust of wind that hit her as she emerged on deck was marvelous and she stopped to feel its caressing fingers on her face. For weeks, it had smelled purely of the sea, salty, fishy, sea. Today it carried with it the smell of early summer blooms and dirt and grass. And then she saw the gangplank in the lowered position and she all but flew to the side of the ship; below the dock was teeming with life and not all of them Fire Nation Navy. Makapu had been an Earth Kingdom village before the Fire Nation had moved in. Now the villagers tried to profit as much as they could from the Navy sailors who had quite possibly not had luxuries like fresh food in months. Women of questionable character stood advertising for cheap inn rooms. Men and women pushed small produce stands, aggressively selling to the eager men. Faint cries were reaching Aria and she listened in for a bit, leaning far over the side of the ship.
“Have a pretty lady at home? I’ve got the perfect necklace for her! Pure gold, an authentic Earth Kingdom souvenir!”
“Good booze and cheap rooms at the Drunken Badger!”
“Papayas! I’ve got papayas!”
And unable to stand being on that ship a moment longer, she dashed down the gangplank and into the bustle, Xan trying desperately to keep her in his sights.
“What pretty skin you have.” One of the scantily dressed woman cooed at her, reaching out to touch her face, “Have you ever been with a woman?”
“It is rather nice, isn’t it?” Aria agreed, nimbly evading her grasp, “I find bathing really helps.”
Spotting an open fruit vendor, Aria trotted forward and seized a great, ripe peach and sank her teeth into it.
“If that’s it for you, it comes to three copper pieces.” The man behind the stand pronounced, eyeing her expectantly.
“Xan!” Aria called, only having to wait seconds for him to appear at her side, “Take a record of everything I buy. Turn it into Zhao tonight and he can see to it that all these wonderful people get recompensed.” Then addressing the Earth Kingdom man said, “Is that acceptable?”
“A-Admiral Zhao?” The man asked, looking at Aria in a new light, “Uh, yes, of course.”
And with that Aria moved on to marvel at a stand stacked with sweets; brightly colored taffy, gooey caramel, bricks of fudge, and rich, dark chocolate. Within seconds, she had the stand keeper wrapping up a bit of everything with the promise of having it delivered within the hour to their shore quarters.
“Have you discussed this with Admiral Zhao?” Xan asked blandly.
Aria ignored him and continued on, moving down the dock like a whirlwind and buying anything that even remotely caught her attention; the prospect of sticking Zhao with the bill was delightful. For some reason, this morning’s embarrassment implanted the urge to irritate him as much as possible. Silk scarves, odd shaped Earth Kingdom nuts, a pretty silver chain, and a few other Earth Kingdom trinkets were soon added to the list of things Zhao now owed money for. Though all the vendors were friendly enough and went through all the motions of proper customer service, underneath was an icy contempt; though they profited from the Fire Nation Navy, they hated them and wanted their city back.
She spent the day roaming the village, taking advantage of Zhao’s absence and the confusion of docking to do what she wanted. It was fabulous, stretching her legs on dry ground and away from that imprisoning steel ship. When she judged she had seen anything worth anything in the village (the port was really the only truly expanded part) and getting bored of her sport, she had Xan direct her to the quarters designated as hers and Zhao’s for the time they were in port. They were being housed in one of the biggest houses in the city though that meant little; Makapu was a small port village populated by mildly successful traders. The couple and their child that normally occupied the house were now sleeping in one room while the Admiral was in town, occupying their grandest rooms. Aria knew she was likely missed and she headed, with directions from Xan, to the room she would be presumably be sharing with Zhao.
----
Unbeknownst to her, while Aria was gallivanting around the town, Zhao had entered his command tent to hold a meeting with questionable guests. The guests had entered the port as inconspicuously as strangers dressed so roughly could and as they passed, several merchants found their purses significantly lightened of their load of gold. Zhao, himself, had opened the tent flap for them and bowed them in before sitting behind his desk and beckoning them to sit. He surveyed them over the tips of his fingers for several seconds. The leader wore a long grey beard with a great reptilian bird sitting on his shoulder and the men accompanying him seemed to have a seedy, unwholesome look; pirates.
“I’m very impressed,” Zhao stated smoothly, leaning forward, “you all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind.”
He pushed a wooden box across the desk at them and sat back. He watched as the Captain opened the box and examined the gold within and greed lit up all of their faces. They were pathetic, perhaps after this little problem was taken care of, the pirates would find themselves taken care of.
“What do you need us to do?” The Captain asked, attempting to sound unconcerned by the amount of gold being offered.
“I believe you’re acquainted with Prince Zuko?” Zhao asked, a small smile appearing breaking through his composure. At the pirates confirmation, the smile grew wider.
Another twenty minutes passed before, first the pirates, and then Zhao emerged from the tent, both looking supremely satisfied. Finished with the day, Zhao strode off toward his shore quarters, hoping to find Aria waiting and in a fighting mood.
-----
Upon entering the room, she immediately noted Zhao’s presence, sitting at the same large desk that had been his on the ship. In fact, it seemed that the normal furniture of this room had been shoved unceremoniously aside and replaced with the contents of Zhao’s quarters on the ship.
“Haha, that made it to shore?” Aria asked amusedly, pointing at the well-used liquor cabinet. “Really? Maybe it’s time to admit you have a problem.”
Zhao looked up at her but didn’t respond immediately, instead grabbing a scroll from a large pile, unrolling it and pursuing it intently. Used to being ignored by him, Aria sat in one of the low chairs and reclined back.
“Where have you been?” Zhao asked after several seconds, leaning back to look at her.
“Shopping. Xan has the record of everybody you owe now.” Aria answered, staring back with a smile threatening to ruin her façade of indifference. She had to irritate him. She had to do everything she could to infuriate him; the ever present fear that she was becoming accepting of him drove her to defy him in every little way she could think of.
“You think you’re clever.” Zhao stated coolly, “It’s of no matter to me if those peasants get paid. You’ve only hurt them, not me.”
“Not if you want to maintain good relations with the locals.” Aria retorted, “They’ll want their money or I suspect there’s going to be some resentment toward the Fire Nation Navy.”
“There’s already resentment. They know better than cause trouble with me; they’d end up buried in the ground they love.” He said, “That’s something you need to learn.”
“Perhaps if I had a better teacher…” Aria said flippantly, turning her back on him to examine an ornate vase sitting atop a small table near the door. The flowers arranged in it were a vibrant purple, something she had never seen before.
Moving so fast Aria only had time to process the sound of the chair sliding forcefully back, Zhao flew from his chair and slammed Aria against the wall; the vase shattered between her and the wall and cold water thoroughly soaked the front of her thighs and stomach. With his hand tangled in her hair, he pulled her head back and to the side so as to get in her face.
“You want a lesson? Fine, let me teach you.” Zhao growled.
“I was beginning to wonder when we’d see that temper again.” Aria breathed, her neck aching at the unnatural angle, “What are you going to do? Burn me again? Slap me? Do it so your men can see how the mighty Admiral Zhao handles his anger.”
Zhao let out a frustrated growl and fear began warning Aria to stop, hinting that maybe she wasn’t prepared for the outcome of pushing him.
“You can’t even begin to comprehend who you’re messing with.” Zhao snarled, “I will take everything from you. You’ll have nothing but me when I’m done; your two water tribe friends are on borrowed time. When I catch up with them, I will kill them. I’ll bring the Avatar so close to death you’ll wish I did kill him. The Prince’s fate is in my hands. I know where that fool, Kon is and at a word from me, my men can infiltrate that prison and he’ll be just another casualty of this war. Believe me, you will lose this battle of wills.”
Aria grit her teeth together, unable and perhaps unwilling to retort to Zhao’s promises. An icy fear had settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe; Zhao had threatened with such certainty that no trace of doubt as to the truth of his words was left.
“Ah, finally my little siren has run out of words.” Zhao murmured, “Good. Perhaps my teaching methods aren’t quite as ineffective as you thought.”
When Zhao let his grip loosen, Aria’s knees almost buckled and she stumbled back into him, trembling slightly. Looking disgusted, he pushed her back toward the wall and moved back across the room to sit in the chair in front of his desk.
“Pull yourself together and get undressed.” Zhao ordered without looking back at her.
The next evening found Aria rifling through the home owner’s drawers, curious about Earth Kingdom clothes and trinkets and having nothing better to do. Finding a book of Earth Kingdom poetry, she plopped down on a chair, folded her legs beneath her, and flipped the book open to a random page to begin reading. The only sound was of Zhao popping open the wax seals on scrolls to read before making out a response on fresh parchment. Making slow progress with the uninteresting poetry, Aria’s eyes were constantly drawn up to watch Zhao, in the same way a grazing prey animal kept tabs on a sleeping predator, never knowing when it would wake up with an appetite.
There was a solid knock on the door and at the sight of Zhao continuing his reading, ignoring the presence of someone behind the door, Aria tossed the book aside and got up to open it. A stout woman dressed in Earth Kingdom fashion stood holding a long, fire red dress; her face was hard though the features looked as if, in better times, she’d be warm and motherly. She gave a funny little twitch in Aria’s direction, perhaps an attempt at a bow, and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.
“She needs to be ready within two hours.” Zhao said, without turning around to look at the woman.
“Yes sir.” She answered stiffly, turning her expectant eyes on Aria. Realizing the woman was waiting for her to undress, Aria grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head.
An hour and a half later, Aria was dressed and ready; the dress she was now wearing was such a brilliant red, it made her pale skin look alabaster. The satiny material hugged her hips, making her seem curvier than she ever accomplished when wearing trousers. The Earth Kingdom woman had proven herself to be skilled at manipulating her hair and it was now twisted up behind her head in an elegant bun. Despite Aria’s best efforts at engaging the woman in conversation, the woman had remained stoically silent, only indicating she had heard Aria with small nods. As soon as the woman had left, bowing again to each of them, Zhao locked his correspondence in the bottom right drawer of his desk and began dressing for the dinner.
Aria admitted, grudgingly, that he truly did look splendid. The colors of his dress uniform were a much more vibrant red and black than his working uniform and there were several points of gold trim that pulled out the gold in his eyes. It fit him perfectly, profiling his shoulders and waist to look incredibly fit and trim. For some reason it irritated Aria to the extreme.
“I might have to end this dinner early.” Zhao said suggestively, eying Aria’s figure.
Putting his hand on her lower back, Zhao steered Aria out of the room and through the house to the front door. A palanquin sat resting on the ground outside with several men loitering around it, waiting for Admiral Zhao to make his appearance. At the sight of him emerging from the house, the men snapped to attention and positioned themselves around the luxurious conveyance; they almost needn’t have bothered, Zhao continued walking with hardly a glance in their direction.
“I hope you don’t mind walking.” Zhao said to Aria, “I’d rather not crease my uniform in a palanquin.”
“And if I do mind?” Aria asked testily, silently scoffing at the Zhao’s concern for wrinkles.
“I was being polite.” Zhao answered, “We’re walking.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Aria struggling to keep up with his ground eating strides in that restricting dress. The sky was that particular purple blue that preceded real night and the sun was visible only as a bright light sinking below the horizon. As there were no permanent buildings large enough for the gathering, the dinner was being held in a large pavilion at the edge of the city, close to the docks for the convenience of the Naval Officers. Within minutes, they reached the deep red pavilion with gold trim and lively chatting and laughing could be heard emanating from within. At their approach, two liveried men pulled the flaps in the pavilion wall open and bowed. His hand still resting on the small of her back, Zhao steered her through the entryway and stepped in after her. With the entrance of the fleet’s Admiral, the entire room fell silent and stood at attention. Aria stared around at the interior of the pavilion in the few seconds Zhao had paused in the doorway to receive the salutes of his officers.
Two long, low, rectangular tables stood end on end in the middle of the pavilion, surrounded by good sized cushions and laden with dinnerware. Men in highly decorated uniforms stood all around the table, at least forty in number. A host of waiters stood to one end of the pavilion, waiting patiently under the soft glow of the lanterns lining the walls. Zhao walked with purpose to the head of one of the tables, the honored position, looking every bit the arrogant officer he was. Aria, who had followed behind, took the empty seat to the left of him and while Zhao remained standing, she sank gracefully onto her cushion and then completely lost her composure. Luckily the men were watching Zhao otherwise they would have seen Aria’s jaw drop and her eyes grow wide; directly across from her, and to the right of Zhao, sat General Iroh.
The past couple of weeks had passed slowly for Aria; filled with monotonous routine and very little social interaction. She had possessed freedom to roam the ship that one day before Zhao had cracked down; it didn’t surprise her, she had after all used that day to get into a fight. Her schedule was assigned by Zhao and it was with dogged determination that he made sure it was followed. Every morning began with a great tray filled with breakfast options brought by a different sailor every day. The food itself was divine compared to the fare she had been existing on, food that the enlisted men could only wish for. Some days Zhao would stay and eat, leisurely eating while watching Aria with the possessive, smug look one might look upon their prize racing Mongoose-Dragon. Other days he dressed with barely a glance at Aria before rushing from the room. After breakfast, Aria had the option of bathing before taking a walk topside accompanied by Xan; this also being the only chance she got to practice her bending. The sailors bustling around the deck determinedly avoided looking in her direction and it was easy to guess that Zhao had given them a rough way to go. Meals were taken in the Officer’s galley where she could make polite conversation or privately with Zhao if he had the time or inclination; usually five or six times a week. The rest of her time was spent in their room, doing anything to keep busy; reading, drawing, playing solitary games. Above all, two aspects of the regime were followed almost religiously; Aria was only left alone when in Zhao’s quarters and the nights belonged completely to Zhao.
From the serious drop in motion, Aria could tell the ship had stopped but had not yet left the room to find out what was going on. As she ran the downy towel down her body she vaguely wondered if this was a life she could ever actually get used to. It didn’t seem like it; the lack of activities was maddening. Thankfully, Zhao had been gone all morning, leaving well before breakfast had been brought. After dressing, she exited the room and stalked down the corridor without acknowledging Xan; she was infuriated at his complete loyalty to Zhao and wanted nothing to do with him. Jeong Jeong’s words ringing in her ears, Aria pushed herself through Firebending, almost negating the effects of the bath. After well over an hour of practicing, her stomach rumbled and though it was somewhat early, she decided to eat lunch. Her feet seemed to know the way to the Officer’s galley on their own, freeing her mind to dwell on two of the thoughts that seemed to make up her life. With desperate strength, Aria willed Aang and Katara to master Waterbending; Zhao was coming for them with an entire fleet and he was determined. She had contemplated trying to get a messenger hawk to them but with Xan constantly breathing down her neck, it would be difficult. And then a horrible ache in her chest blossomed when Zuko came to mind. No word had reached her concerning his return to the Fire Nation and she resolved to confront Zhao again; it had been weeks since the agreement had been made, there were no excuses.
----
Zhao listened impatiently to Iroh’s polite, rambling conversation as he followed him down into the ship’s bowels to Prince Zuko’s quarters. It was hard to believe the old man had been one of the Fire Nation’s best generals and had almost had the title of Firelord; he had shamefully let himself go. It was ridiculous that Zhao had been asked to come to Zuko; that brat should have come running the minute Zhao had stepped foot on the ship. Two of Zhao’s men followed silently, their job nothing more than to make Zuko think twice before losing his temper. Coming to a halt at a plain steel door, Iroh knocked gently, almost hesitantly. Zhao waited a grand three seconds before, with a faked apologetic look at Iroh, he flung the door open and stepped aside for Iroh to enter first.
“For the last time, I’m not playing the Sunki Horn!” Zuko’s voice issued commandingly when Iroh peered around the open door.
“No, it’s about our plans.” Iroh answered gravely, “There’s a bit of a problem.”
“I’m taking your crew.” Zhao announced, stepping into the room. Zuko had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed but at the sight of Zhao, jumped forward.
“What?” Zuko exclaimed angrily, his fists balling up.
“I’ve recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole.” Zhao answered casually, his hands clasped behind his back. He watched Zuko’s face contort in anger and he had to struggle to stop a smug smile from appearing on his face; this was perfect.
“Uncle, is that true?” Zuko asked, pathetically holding out for a last hope; as if his washed up uncle could do anything.
“I’m afraid so. He’s taking everyone; even the cook.” Iroh answered sadly.
“I’m sorry you won’t be there to watch me capture the Avatar.” Zhao stated seriously, watching Zuko closely and hoping for an excuse to arrest him. “But I can’t have you getting in my way again.”
Zuko violently pushed himself away from the wall but with a quick step, Iroh put a restraining hand on his shoulder and shot him a warning glance; it’d be disastrous if Zuko attacked Zhao. Zhao cast his eyes around the room, utterly unconcerned about the boy who thought he was a man, and froze; hanging on the wall were two broad swords. And that day, at the fortress, when Zhao had finally captured the Avatar only to have him helped by the Blue Spirit, came flashing back with breathtaking speed. The Blue Spirit with that taunting, infuriating mask had used broad swords, was incredibly skilled at wielding them. When Zhao had thought he had won, he had the Avatar stored away in the fortress in chains, had Aria, who had unbelievably showed up in the middle of the fortress, the Blue Spirit had broken the Avatar out and the two had fought their way out and disappeared into the woods. Aria too had proven herself to have a brain behind that pretty face when she tricked a soldier into showing her the way out. Though that was in itself infuriating, it was the Blue Spirit that had earned Zhao’s attention and now, staring at those hanging broad swords, he had a strong inkling as to the identity of him.
“I didn’t know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko.” Zhao stated, taking one down and swinging it experimentally.
“I’m not, they’re antiques.” Zuko answered defiantly, though Zhao couldn’t help but notice his eyes slid down to the floor with this response.
“Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?” Zhao asked, pretending to be absorbed in examining the blade.
“Just rumors, I don’t think he’s real.” Iroh answered steadily.
“He’s real alright. He’s a criminal.” Zhao answered, finally looking up intently at Zuko and handing the sword back, “And an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon.”
“Maybe he’s trying to help the Fire Nation and it’s only you he’s against.” Zuko burst out, sounding like a sullen little boy. In his peripheral vision, Zhao saw Iroh’s hand twitch up as if to cover his face before growing unnaturally still.
The already strained situation intensified as Zuko’s words ruminated, waiting for a response from Zhao. Their eyes bored into each other’s, both seeming to consider the offered explanation for the presence of the broad swords.
“Leave.” Zhao commanded his men with a wave of his hand. Zuko leaned against the wall looking surly while Iroh and Zhao’s soldiers made an exodus from the room. When the door swung shut with a solid clang, leaving them alone, Zhao continued idly, “You know, Aria has been residing on my ship for some weeks now.”
“You’re lying.” Zuko hissed, “I’ve seen her; she’s with the Avatar.”
“Let me update you on a few things, since you’ve been out of touch for so long. As soon as you dishonored yourself, General Jirou accepted my marriage proposal. You will never have her; she’s as good as forgotten all about you. And here’s the kicker; Aria sought me out, turned herself in. I’ve got the girl and you’ve got nothing; you’re through. Nothing but a banished Prince.”
“Get out.” Zuko spit out, his face looking as if he had ingested something particularly nasty.
“I’ve just one question.” Zhao stated, a nasty smile creeping up, “Was she such a wildcat when you had her? Oh, when she screams my name; drives me wild. And how she tastes-”
“SHUT UP!” Zuko roared, his face had turned an ugly puce color and his fists were balled up.
“Don’t tell me you never got anything?” Zhao asked in fake astonishment, “She was more than willing to spread her legs for me.”
“GET OUT!” Zuko screamed in fury. The tendons in his neck looked as if ready to burst from his skin and his body trembled. “Don’t you dare- Shut your- DON’T EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!”
“If you’re not careful, you’ll get yourself arrested. Remember what happened last time you insulted a high ranking officer. Anyway, I’ll take my leave; Aria will be waiting for me. I’m sure you can find some Earth Kingdom peasants to crew your ship.” Zhao responded, sick amusement evident in his voice. At the door he paused and glanced once more at the displayed swords. “Keep in mind, if you get in my way, I’ll kill you.”
“Back to the fleet, sir?” The pilot of the small patrol boat asked when Zhao boarded once again.
“Yes, then take a patrol back to that trading village. I need a certain group of men brought to me immediately.”
---
Entering the galley, Aria came back to her surroundings and sat at a table between a couple of Chiefs. Within seconds, an enlisted sailor placed a plate in front of her and bowed. After greeting her politely, the men resumed their conversation and Aria began picking at her meal. Her appetite had completely left her since boarding the ship and she rarely ate more than half of what was given. It wasn’t until she picked up on someone talking about Zuko that she paid attention to the men.
“Has Admiral Zhao returned from recruiting Prince Zuko’s men?” A smooth voice asked.
“Yes, they’ve all been assigned to a squadron already.” The Chief to her right stated. “A few of them made it into mine.”
“I wonder why Zhao went himself.” The original voice stated, “He could have sent any of his officers.”
“Maybe he didn’t think the Prince would listen to anyone else.” Another man, a Captain, answered. “That’s got to be hard to swallow; your entire crew being taken. Admiral Zhao even took the cook. I was told he offered General Iroh a chance to serve as the fleet’s General but got turned down.”
“When did this happen?” Aria asked quietly.
“Early this morning, ma’am.” The Chief to her right answered immediately, “Zhao halted the fleet and was ferried over to the Prince’s ship with one of our patrol boats.”
“He stopped an entire fleet to recruit, what, maybe thirty men?” Aria asked.
“This campaign is going to need all the man power we can get.” Someone answered in a reasonable voice.
“Do you know where Zhao is now?” Aria asked, as politely as she could.
“I believe he’s in the Chart Room planning the approach on the North Pole, Ma’am.” The Captain answered.
“Thank you.” Aria answered in a clipped voice. As calmly as she could, she stood from the table and stalked out, leaving the hovering enlisted man to pick up after her. Zhao didn’t need those thirty men; he needed an excuse to mess with Zuko. Angrily, she stormed up a couple flights of stairs and into the Command Tower, seeking the man she usually tried to avoid. He had effectively stranded Zuko wherever his ship had been; two men couldn’t operate a Navy ship alone. And why was Zuko even still out in his ship anyway, when he should have been on his way back to the Fire Nation.
Pushing as hard as she could, Aria swung the heavy door around until it clanged against the wall. Zhao stood with his arms crossed, rubbing his chin and listening intently to another man- high ranking by the look of his uniform- who was moving small pieces shaped like ships across a map. At Aria’s less than subtle entrance, Zhao glanced up sharply, a frown marring his brow. The other men in the room also looked in her direction, straightening up from leaning over the map table. Aria stormed up to Zhao, ignoring the others and leaving Xan to hover uncomfortably in the doorway.
“What’s your problem?” Aria growled, poking him hard in the chest.
“Aria, I think you’re forgetting yourself.” Zhao answered with a tight smile. He grabbed her arm and began steering her out of the room, “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me.”
Aria remained silent as she was marched from the room, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
“Have you lost your mind?” Zhao hissed in her ear when they had reached the outer hall, “How dare you, you ignorant little idiot.”
Aria tried to rip her arm out of his grasp but his hand closed tighter like a vice, making her wince. They walked in silence for another minute before Zhao stopped, flung open a door and pushed her through it. The room they had entered was taken up by a large table surrounded by chairs; an empty conference room by the looks of it. Finally he let her pull her arm away and she backed up a couple of steps, trying to ignore the automatic nervousness that permeated her body upon finding herself alone with him.
“What were you-” Zhao began angrily.
“No, what were you doing?” Aria interrupted furiously, “Earlier today?”
“I assume you’ve heard about the new additions to our crew then.” Zhao answered, his expression changing to look mildly amused.
“What is going on?” Aria demanded, “I turned myself in weeks ago. Does Zuko even know he can go home? In fact, I demand you take me home! I was only supposed to be on this ship long enough to head you in the right direction for the Avatar. You know where he is; take me home.”
“Relax.” Zhao answered impatiently. He took a few steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, “Don’t be worried about your precious Prince, he’ll get what’s due. I want to know what makes you think you can embarrass me in front of my most senior officers.”
“I will not relax.” Aria growled, shrugging his hands off and standing on her toes to get in his face, “I want to know when Zuko will be called home and I want to know why I haven’t been taken home! I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do but you and my father haven’t delivered anything!”
“I’ve delivered plenty.” Zhao answered with a nasty smirk, grabbing her around the waist. Aria’s mouth went dry and her heart fluttered madly but she continued to glare up at him.
“When will Zuko’s honor be restored?” She asked adamantly.
“When will you learn to behave?” Zhao retorted. When Aria’s expression hardened and she tried to yank away from him, he laughed and pulled her closer, “It’s hard to receive messenger hawks with the fleet on the move. The hawks tend to get confused without a fixed position. When we reach Makapu early tomorrow morning we’ll have a couple days layover to resupply; you’ll get your answers then. Now, as I’m sure you understand, I can’t let you interrupt meetings and disrespect me in front of my officers. Seaman Xan will see you to my quarters and I’ll be there when I’ve finished, to take care of your attitude.”
“My attitude? You sound like you’re trying to be my father too.” Aria said scathingly. Zhao ignored her but relinquished his hold and swung the door open.
“Xan!” He barked over his shoulder. Within seconds, Xan came hustling in and bowed to Zhao.
“Sir.”
“Take Aria back to our room.” Zhao answered brusquely. “Arrange for dinner to be taken there. I’ll be joining her this evening.”
“Yes, sir.”
When Aria moved past him toward the door, Zhao caught her arm and used her momentum to swing her around to face him. With convincing gentleness, he gave a quick kiss on her lips while Xan stared pointedly at the wall.
“I’ll be with you later, Aria.” Zhao stated softly, his tone of voice and facial expression at odds with the malicious glint in his eyes. Resisting the urge to spit and wipe her mouth like she did as a little girl when receiving unwanted kisses, the corners of her mouth twitched up in the semblance of a smile.
“Looking forward to it.” She answered sweetly before following Xan.
Leaving Xan behind in the hall outside Zhao’s room, Aria immediately sank satisfyingly into the thick mattress and reclined back to stare at the featureless steel ceiling. Lack of sleep was making her eyes prickle and burn and she rubbed at them tiredly. Sleep in this bed did not come easily and when it did, it came in fitful bursts filled with nightmares. When Zhao himself wasn’t keeping her awake, the thoughts of what had happened in this bed were more than enough to keep her eyes wide open. She was incredibly frustrated at the lack of information she had received from Zhao but her exhausted brain seemed unable to form any coherent and tangible thought process, instead, thoughts jumbled around in broken lines, jumping around in a bewildering mess. From what felt like a great depth rose an uninvited memory; “Sometime, very soon, you will have to choose between continuing on your current path or returning to your roots. Weigh each choice carefully; the consequences have the potential to change this war. Do not be lured by false promises.” Aunt Wu’s voice echoed around her head, repeating the same cryptic warning she had given months ago. Had she been taken in by “false promises”? Though it was a troubling train of thought, drowsiness was taking its toll and before Aria could really delve into that possibility, she slipped into the foggy realm of wonderful dreams and terrifying nightmares.
A loud clanging rap on the door jerked Aria out of sleep immediately though it was another couple of seconds before she got her bearings. The knocking persisted and she slid out of the bed and stumbled over to yank the door open. Five enlisted men, their faces hid by the face plates of their helmets, stood outside; two held a low table between them, one carried two luxurious looking cushions, the others strained under the burden of two great, covered trays. Aria stood aside and allowed them to enter the room, smiling faintly in response to their attempts at bowing. They worked quickly, setting the table and cushions between the sitting area and bed. They were in the process of setting the table with a ridiculous amount of food for two people when the door swung open again. Sitting in one of the low chairs in the sitting area, Aria’s head immediately snapped around to observe the only person she knew would walk into this room with impunity.
At the sight of Zhao, the men all stopped what they were doing and stood at attention for the few seconds it took Zhao to take in the scene and give a dismissive wave of his hand, giving them permission to carry on with their job. With a final burst of movement, they finished their task and left, bowing deeply to Zhao, who didn’t acknowledge them any further. Aria turned back around in her seat, trying to appear unconcerned about his arrival.
“What have you been doing?” Zhao asked, glancing over the layout of the table.
Aria didn’t answer; she couldn’t stand when he made conversation as if they were some happy couple. It was infuriating. The situation could have been bearable if it had been presented at face value, if Aria would be treated as the prisoner she was. The constant façade being presented to those on this ship was exhausting and singing his praises to the men on board left a bitter taste in her mouth. Even when left alone with him, Aria was forced to participate in the charade.
“I asked a question.” Zhao stated.
“Nothing. I’ve been doing nothing.” Aria answered evenly. Dutifully, she joined him at the table and grabbed food at random to put on her plate. They had provided four different platters of food, each still steaming and looked fit to grace General Jirou’s table; upon closer inspection, Aria found she had grabbed hippobeef and komodo rhino tail. Zhao ate steadily while Aria picked at her food, keeping her eyes averted.
“Don’t make me start forcing you to eat, too.” Zhao said, watching her closely. Aria looked up at him and deliberately dropped her chopsticks onto the table where they bounced off onto the floor. “I’m starting to think you actually do like being punished. Do you get a thrill out of it, Aria?”
“If you’re asking if I enjoying infuriating you, then yes.” Aria answered, “These days I live to get under your skin.”
Zhao laughed and wiped his mouth with a linen napkin before responding.
“I hate to ruin your fun, but I enjoy it as much as you do.” He answered seriously, “You’re a challenge that I plan on overcoming. The more difficult it is the more fun I have.”
Aria’s lip curled in a sneer but she remained silent. Shoving the cleared plate away, Zhao stood and began undressing, seemingly not caring that Aria was still staring at him. For the second time, Aria found herself appreciating his good looks and wondering how such an ugly person could be hidden behind such a mask. His muscled back rippled when he stripped off his armor and threw aside his shirt carelessly. Naked from the waist up, he washed his arms, chest, and face in the wash basin before turning back to Aria.
“I’m going to bed.” He stated, bending down to unlace his boots. He flung them off and pulled his trousers off. Aria continued to watch him, unabashed by his nakedness; her time on the ship had ripped away much of her modesty and embarrassment of “sensitive” topics.
“I’ve got a question.” Aria said idly, “Was there ever a time you were happy just to be happy? Or has it always been this way? The only time I ever see you smile is when you’re making me, or someone else, unhappy.”
When Zhao moved to stand next to her, Aria looked down at the floor; sitting on the cushion put her at a decidedly uncomfortable height in relation to his body. His fingers closed around her chin and pulled her face up. Clenching her teeth, she met his gaze evenly; a small smirk lifted the corners of his mouth though his eyes remained cold. Slowly, he put upward pressure on her chin, making her get to her feet. Without a word, he kissed her roughly on the mouth and, retaining his hold on her chin, pulled back slightly to look at her again.
“I’m going to sleep.” He murmured against her lips.
“Which means, bed time for me…” Aria responded.
Minutes later, Aria found herself in that suffocating cage of Zhao’s arms, resigned to spending another night staring at the wall.
“I thought I was in trouble.” Aria said cautiously.
“Do you want to be in trouble?” Zhao answered, sounding half asleep with his face half hidden in her fanned out hair.
“No.”
“I’ve had news; you’re going to be punished enough while in Makapu.” Zhao said mysteriously.
“I thought you said you couldn’t get messenger hawks.” Aria said, frowning, unsuccessfully trying to scoot away from him; he radiated heat like a furnace.
“I said it’s difficult, not impossible.” Zhao responded, starting to sound impatient.
“Why is Makapu going to be punishment?” She asked.
“Go to sleep.” Zhao growled in a tone of voice that immediately quelled any questions Aria may have gone on to ask; she wouldn’t risk bringing him to full wakefulness again. “I’ve got an early morning.”
Soon enough Zhao’s breathing slowed and Aria could feel his body relaxing. She was beginning to realize that somewhere along the way, at some point during the weeks she had been on this ship, her fury was beginning to ebb and it terrified her. Her original anger and hatred for Zhao had been muted into a bitter, angry acceptance. Her own body betrayed her, relaxing against his chest and trying to pull her into sleep. Fear kept her from immediately following sleep’s alluring call. Fear that one day she would wake up and find Zhao a perfectly acceptable bedmate. Fear that what Zhao had promised, a broken and accepting version of her, was on its way to becoming a reality. As if to emphasize her train of thought, her eyes slowly drifted shut and for the first time, she fell into a real sleep with Zhao in the bed.
Aria awoke violently when Zhao put his hand on her hip, squeezing it tightly. He applied pressure, forcing her to roll over onto her back. Aria stared around, bewildered from the abrupt awakening, before meeting his amber eyes. In one swift movement, Zhao pushed her legs apart and settled himself between them; his mouth caressing her collarbone and chest.
“Leave me alone.” Aria mumbled, her voice sounding thick with sleep. She hadn’t slept like that in what felt like ages and she was having a hard time coming out of it.
“I’d love to spend the morning teaching you to be respectful when addressing me.” Zhao murmured against her skin, “Unfortunately, I’ve got a busy day. We’ll be making port in Makapu within the hour.”
He sprang athletically from the bed and began dressing, moving efficiently. There was a timid knock at the door as Zhao finished tying his hair up in a top knot and he yanked it open to reveal a sailor waiting outside, his face hidden by the face plate of his helmet.
“Sir.” The man bowed then stood at attention, waiting for Zhao to acknowledge his presence or shut the door on him.
“What?” Zhao barked, making it evident that he had better have a good reason for coming to Zhao’s private quarters.
“Sir, you asked to be alerted to when we made our final approach to Makapu.” The man answered.
“Make the preparations for docking.” Zhao answered, “Send someone to prepare my dress uniform for tomorrow evening and to make our move to shore. If Aria has to lift a finger, you’ll all find yourselves on the front lines in the Earth Kingdom. And she’ll need a dress for tomorrow; find one of the local women to serve as a maid for the time we’re here.”
Not waiting for the man to answer, Zhao shut the door and turned back to Aria, making final adjustments to his uniform.
“Go back to sleep, it’s not yet daylight. Someone will be in to move you into our quarters in port. I’ll be back this evening.” Zhao stated, in a businesslike tone. Aria gave the best sarcastic salute she could muster and Zhao left without another word.
The low creak of the door swinging open brought Aria to awareness slowly and laboriously, like trying to come up from deep water. It felt so good to keep her eyes closed, stretched out on her stomach but after only a couple of seconds she realized she was cold; she had kicked the blankets down around her legs and goose bumps were erupting down her arms and back. Then she remembered what had woken her up; someone had opened the door. Her eyes snapped open and she pushed her tousled, almost black hair out of her face. Five men stood just inside the doorway, come to clean away the dinner mess and bring breakfast. The front two stared at her stunned, trying desperately to backpedal but running into the three men behind them.
“Oh.” Aria uttered softly, groping for the blankets.
Seeing her awake, the men immediately dropped their gaze to the floor and halted their disorganized retreat.
“I-ma’am, I’m so sorry.” The man in front stammered, staring hard at his boots, “We knocked and no one answered-we thought no one was-I’m sorry.”
Succeeding in grabbing hold of the blanket, Aria yanked it up around her neck and sat up, pushing herself up against the headboard.
“We’ll come back later ma’am,” another man added, “please, forg—”
“Just get your job done and get out.” Aria interrupted, embarrassment making her voice sound harsher than she had intended. The men set in motion quickly, clearing the short table of last night’s food and laying out breakfast. None of them dared look past the small area of floor they could see by staring at their boots. Aria sat awkwardly, wishing she could sink into the mattress and disappear. As soon as the men left, swinging the door shut behind them, Aria leapt from the bed and got dressed as quickly as she could. She gave a cursory glance at the table; apparently they had docked as there was now fresh fruit laid out on the table but she had quite lost any appetite she may have had. Pacing the room, she felt as if she could never get up the nerve to leave this room and interact with the men who now knew she was barely better than a street whore. It was irrational; anyone with a brain would have assumed her and Zhao were intimate, but nevertheless, it was how she felt. With a nervous swallow, she flung the door open and headed topside; she wouldn’t hide away all day only to be deemed a coward as well. Without her acknowledgment, Xan detached himself from the wall and followed.
The gust of wind that hit her as she emerged on deck was marvelous and she stopped to feel its caressing fingers on her face. For weeks, it had smelled purely of the sea, salty, fishy, sea. Today it carried with it the smell of early summer blooms and dirt and grass. And then she saw the gangplank in the lowered position and she all but flew to the side of the ship; below the dock was teeming with life and not all of them Fire Nation Navy. Makapu had been an Earth Kingdom village before the Fire Nation had moved in. Now the villagers tried to profit as much as they could from the Navy sailors who had quite possibly not had luxuries like fresh food in months. Women of questionable character stood advertising for cheap inn rooms. Men and women pushed small produce stands, aggressively selling to the eager men. Faint cries were reaching Aria and she listened in for a bit, leaning far over the side of the ship.
“Have a pretty lady at home? I’ve got the perfect necklace for her! Pure gold, an authentic Earth Kingdom souvenir!”
“Good booze and cheap rooms at the Drunken Badger!”
“Papayas! I’ve got papayas!”
And unable to stand being on that ship a moment longer, she dashed down the gangplank and into the bustle, Xan trying desperately to keep her in his sights.
“What pretty skin you have.” One of the scantily dressed woman cooed at her, reaching out to touch her face, “Have you ever been with a woman?”
“It is rather nice, isn’t it?” Aria agreed, nimbly evading her grasp, “I find bathing really helps.”
Spotting an open fruit vendor, Aria trotted forward and seized a great, ripe peach and sank her teeth into it.
“If that’s it for you, it comes to three copper pieces.” The man behind the stand pronounced, eyeing her expectantly.
“Xan!” Aria called, only having to wait seconds for him to appear at her side, “Take a record of everything I buy. Turn it into Zhao tonight and he can see to it that all these wonderful people get recompensed.” Then addressing the Earth Kingdom man said, “Is that acceptable?”
“A-Admiral Zhao?” The man asked, looking at Aria in a new light, “Uh, yes, of course.”
And with that Aria moved on to marvel at a stand stacked with sweets; brightly colored taffy, gooey caramel, bricks of fudge, and rich, dark chocolate. Within seconds, she had the stand keeper wrapping up a bit of everything with the promise of having it delivered within the hour to their shore quarters.
“Have you discussed this with Admiral Zhao?” Xan asked blandly.
Aria ignored him and continued on, moving down the dock like a whirlwind and buying anything that even remotely caught her attention; the prospect of sticking Zhao with the bill was delightful. For some reason, this morning’s embarrassment implanted the urge to irritate him as much as possible. Silk scarves, odd shaped Earth Kingdom nuts, a pretty silver chain, and a few other Earth Kingdom trinkets were soon added to the list of things Zhao now owed money for. Though all the vendors were friendly enough and went through all the motions of proper customer service, underneath was an icy contempt; though they profited from the Fire Nation Navy, they hated them and wanted their city back.
She spent the day roaming the village, taking advantage of Zhao’s absence and the confusion of docking to do what she wanted. It was fabulous, stretching her legs on dry ground and away from that imprisoning steel ship. When she judged she had seen anything worth anything in the village (the port was really the only truly expanded part) and getting bored of her sport, she had Xan direct her to the quarters designated as hers and Zhao’s for the time they were in port. They were being housed in one of the biggest houses in the city though that meant little; Makapu was a small port village populated by mildly successful traders. The couple and their child that normally occupied the house were now sleeping in one room while the Admiral was in town, occupying their grandest rooms. Aria knew she was likely missed and she headed, with directions from Xan, to the room she would be presumably be sharing with Zhao.
----
Unbeknownst to her, while Aria was gallivanting around the town, Zhao had entered his command tent to hold a meeting with questionable guests. The guests had entered the port as inconspicuously as strangers dressed so roughly could and as they passed, several merchants found their purses significantly lightened of their load of gold. Zhao, himself, had opened the tent flap for them and bowed them in before sitting behind his desk and beckoning them to sit. He surveyed them over the tips of his fingers for several seconds. The leader wore a long grey beard with a great reptilian bird sitting on his shoulder and the men accompanying him seemed to have a seedy, unwholesome look; pirates.
“I’m very impressed,” Zhao stated smoothly, leaning forward, “you all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind.”
He pushed a wooden box across the desk at them and sat back. He watched as the Captain opened the box and examined the gold within and greed lit up all of their faces. They were pathetic, perhaps after this little problem was taken care of, the pirates would find themselves taken care of.
“What do you need us to do?” The Captain asked, attempting to sound unconcerned by the amount of gold being offered.
“I believe you’re acquainted with Prince Zuko?” Zhao asked, a small smile appearing breaking through his composure. At the pirates confirmation, the smile grew wider.
Another twenty minutes passed before, first the pirates, and then Zhao emerged from the tent, both looking supremely satisfied. Finished with the day, Zhao strode off toward his shore quarters, hoping to find Aria waiting and in a fighting mood.
-----
Upon entering the room, she immediately noted Zhao’s presence, sitting at the same large desk that had been his on the ship. In fact, it seemed that the normal furniture of this room had been shoved unceremoniously aside and replaced with the contents of Zhao’s quarters on the ship.
“Haha, that made it to shore?” Aria asked amusedly, pointing at the well-used liquor cabinet. “Really? Maybe it’s time to admit you have a problem.”
Zhao looked up at her but didn’t respond immediately, instead grabbing a scroll from a large pile, unrolling it and pursuing it intently. Used to being ignored by him, Aria sat in one of the low chairs and reclined back.
“Where have you been?” Zhao asked after several seconds, leaning back to look at her.
“Shopping. Xan has the record of everybody you owe now.” Aria answered, staring back with a smile threatening to ruin her façade of indifference. She had to irritate him. She had to do everything she could to infuriate him; the ever present fear that she was becoming accepting of him drove her to defy him in every little way she could think of.
“You think you’re clever.” Zhao stated coolly, “It’s of no matter to me if those peasants get paid. You’ve only hurt them, not me.”
“Not if you want to maintain good relations with the locals.” Aria retorted, “They’ll want their money or I suspect there’s going to be some resentment toward the Fire Nation Navy.”
“There’s already resentment. They know better than cause trouble with me; they’d end up buried in the ground they love.” He said, “That’s something you need to learn.”
“Perhaps if I had a better teacher…” Aria said flippantly, turning her back on him to examine an ornate vase sitting atop a small table near the door. The flowers arranged in it were a vibrant purple, something she had never seen before.
Moving so fast Aria only had time to process the sound of the chair sliding forcefully back, Zhao flew from his chair and slammed Aria against the wall; the vase shattered between her and the wall and cold water thoroughly soaked the front of her thighs and stomach. With his hand tangled in her hair, he pulled her head back and to the side so as to get in her face.
“You want a lesson? Fine, let me teach you.” Zhao growled.
“I was beginning to wonder when we’d see that temper again.” Aria breathed, her neck aching at the unnatural angle, “What are you going to do? Burn me again? Slap me? Do it so your men can see how the mighty Admiral Zhao handles his anger.”
Zhao let out a frustrated growl and fear began warning Aria to stop, hinting that maybe she wasn’t prepared for the outcome of pushing him.
“You can’t even begin to comprehend who you’re messing with.” Zhao snarled, “I will take everything from you. You’ll have nothing but me when I’m done; your two water tribe friends are on borrowed time. When I catch up with them, I will kill them. I’ll bring the Avatar so close to death you’ll wish I did kill him. The Prince’s fate is in my hands. I know where that fool, Kon is and at a word from me, my men can infiltrate that prison and he’ll be just another casualty of this war. Believe me, you will lose this battle of wills.”
Aria grit her teeth together, unable and perhaps unwilling to retort to Zhao’s promises. An icy fear had settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe; Zhao had threatened with such certainty that no trace of doubt as to the truth of his words was left.
“Ah, finally my little siren has run out of words.” Zhao murmured, “Good. Perhaps my teaching methods aren’t quite as ineffective as you thought.”
When Zhao let his grip loosen, Aria’s knees almost buckled and she stumbled back into him, trembling slightly. Looking disgusted, he pushed her back toward the wall and moved back across the room to sit in the chair in front of his desk.
“Pull yourself together and get undressed.” Zhao ordered without looking back at her.
The next evening found Aria rifling through the home owner’s drawers, curious about Earth Kingdom clothes and trinkets and having nothing better to do. Finding a book of Earth Kingdom poetry, she plopped down on a chair, folded her legs beneath her, and flipped the book open to a random page to begin reading. The only sound was of Zhao popping open the wax seals on scrolls to read before making out a response on fresh parchment. Making slow progress with the uninteresting poetry, Aria’s eyes were constantly drawn up to watch Zhao, in the same way a grazing prey animal kept tabs on a sleeping predator, never knowing when it would wake up with an appetite.
There was a solid knock on the door and at the sight of Zhao continuing his reading, ignoring the presence of someone behind the door, Aria tossed the book aside and got up to open it. A stout woman dressed in Earth Kingdom fashion stood holding a long, fire red dress; her face was hard though the features looked as if, in better times, she’d be warm and motherly. She gave a funny little twitch in Aria’s direction, perhaps an attempt at a bow, and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.
“She needs to be ready within two hours.” Zhao said, without turning around to look at the woman.
“Yes sir.” She answered stiffly, turning her expectant eyes on Aria. Realizing the woman was waiting for her to undress, Aria grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head.
An hour and a half later, Aria was dressed and ready; the dress she was now wearing was such a brilliant red, it made her pale skin look alabaster. The satiny material hugged her hips, making her seem curvier than she ever accomplished when wearing trousers. The Earth Kingdom woman had proven herself to be skilled at manipulating her hair and it was now twisted up behind her head in an elegant bun. Despite Aria’s best efforts at engaging the woman in conversation, the woman had remained stoically silent, only indicating she had heard Aria with small nods. As soon as the woman had left, bowing again to each of them, Zhao locked his correspondence in the bottom right drawer of his desk and began dressing for the dinner.
Aria admitted, grudgingly, that he truly did look splendid. The colors of his dress uniform were a much more vibrant red and black than his working uniform and there were several points of gold trim that pulled out the gold in his eyes. It fit him perfectly, profiling his shoulders and waist to look incredibly fit and trim. For some reason it irritated Aria to the extreme.
“I might have to end this dinner early.” Zhao said suggestively, eying Aria’s figure.
Putting his hand on her lower back, Zhao steered Aria out of the room and through the house to the front door. A palanquin sat resting on the ground outside with several men loitering around it, waiting for Admiral Zhao to make his appearance. At the sight of him emerging from the house, the men snapped to attention and positioned themselves around the luxurious conveyance; they almost needn’t have bothered, Zhao continued walking with hardly a glance in their direction.
“I hope you don’t mind walking.” Zhao said to Aria, “I’d rather not crease my uniform in a palanquin.”
“And if I do mind?” Aria asked testily, silently scoffing at the Zhao’s concern for wrinkles.
“I was being polite.” Zhao answered, “We’re walking.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Aria struggling to keep up with his ground eating strides in that restricting dress. The sky was that particular purple blue that preceded real night and the sun was visible only as a bright light sinking below the horizon. As there were no permanent buildings large enough for the gathering, the dinner was being held in a large pavilion at the edge of the city, close to the docks for the convenience of the Naval Officers. Within minutes, they reached the deep red pavilion with gold trim and lively chatting and laughing could be heard emanating from within. At their approach, two liveried men pulled the flaps in the pavilion wall open and bowed. His hand still resting on the small of her back, Zhao steered her through the entryway and stepped in after her. With the entrance of the fleet’s Admiral, the entire room fell silent and stood at attention. Aria stared around at the interior of the pavilion in the few seconds Zhao had paused in the doorway to receive the salutes of his officers.
Two long, low, rectangular tables stood end on end in the middle of the pavilion, surrounded by good sized cushions and laden with dinnerware. Men in highly decorated uniforms stood all around the table, at least forty in number. A host of waiters stood to one end of the pavilion, waiting patiently under the soft glow of the lanterns lining the walls. Zhao walked with purpose to the head of one of the tables, the honored position, looking every bit the arrogant officer he was. Aria, who had followed behind, took the empty seat to the left of him and while Zhao remained standing, she sank gracefully onto her cushion and then completely lost her composure. Luckily the men were watching Zhao otherwise they would have seen Aria’s jaw drop and her eyes grow wide; directly across from her, and to the right of Zhao, sat General Iroh.