Chapter 43

After entering Omashu, Haru walked with Suki. He started showing her the surroundings. As the citizens noticed Haru, they surrounded him. Smiles filled their faces. Haru smiled back at them and waved his hand. 

Some started telling him their complaints about the war, and they asked if the rumours about him taking a near base, alone, were true. 

Haru replied. "Yes, that base is now a grave for the Fire soldiers. The town is back to where it belongs, to its people. Soon, the whole Earth Kingdom will be back to us." 

An old woman, who was with the crowd, yelled. "Make the Earth Kingdom great again." 

"Make the Earth Kingdom Great Again!" 

"Make the Earth Kingdom Great Again!" 

Haru smiled wryly. It seems that they inspired a catchphrase from his speech. 

Making the Earth Kingdom great wasn't an impossible dream. All it takes was making the proud earthbenders do the chores, farm, and build. The Earth Kingdom always had the greatest potential compared to the other nations.  

Suki stared around, before turning to Haru. She whispered. "You defeated a base, on your own? What are they talking about? " 

"Oh, right, I didn't tell you," Haru said. "Since this is war, we are taking back our territories, by the end, the Earth Kingdom will be one." 

Seeming to be triggered as she remembered someone, she asked. "Are you trying to pull Chin on the Earth Kingdom?" 

"Chin didn't have an oppressor on his land," Haru replied. 'But I plan to pull him and have the Earth Kingdom one.'

"True." She nodded. 

After finishing his talk with the citizen, Haru and Suki went to the palace. Haru met with the guards at the entrance. He asked about Ron, and it appeared that he was scouting somewhere else. 

After getting inside the palace, Haru stopped a near maid.

"Please, find a room for this pretty girl." He introduced Suki. 

"Oh, is she your guest, prince?" the maid asked. 

"No. She is my girlfriend," Haru replied. 

"In that case, it would be proper to take her to your room, Prince." The maid gave a slight bow, and she then turned to Suki, saying. "Please follow me." 

Seeing that Haru was about to leave her, Suki asked. "Aren't you going to rest? You know, it was a long travel." 

Haru shook his head. "I have to do something. After that, I will come to you." 

"Alright, I will wait." She kissed his cheek before turning to the maid. She said. "Guide me then." 

"This way." The maid bowed slightly and took Suki. 

Haru turned and walked to the main hall. Flicking his finger, the great gate was opened on its own. 

On the throne, Bumi was lying on his back, snorting. 

Haru's eyelids twitched. Bumi was wearing his shorts, just that. 

"Is it this hot here?" Haru wondered. 

The bubble on Bumi's nose blew up. He woke up and looked at Haru with sleepy eyes. 

Muttering, he said. "Oh, you arrived. Did I sleep for too long?" 

"You weren't even sleeping," Haru replied. 

He could sense Bumi's internal system, and he could tell that this name hadn't slept for the last 12 hours. 

"Kehehe," Bumi laughed. "Seeing how you took your time to arrive here, at this urgent time, I couldn't help but sleep." 

"Good for you, I guess," Hare replied. He picked up a chair, which was at a table in the middle of the hall. Haru sat down and stared at Bumi. "The only one who should sleep is me. I arrived as fast as I could." 

"You only need one hour to rest," Bumi said. "I envy you on that." 

"Afraid to waste the remaining life span?" Haru replied.

"No, afraid that you will age faster than me and I will have to call you grandpa." Bumi narrowed his eyebrow. "People who sleep less age the fastest." 

Haru rolled his eyes. "Enough with the jokes already. What happened?" 

"Heh? So this is how our reunion will end." Bumi sighed, sounding disappointed. "I guess it's good to see you, alive. Follow me." 

Bumi stood up. He went behind his throne and pulled something. Seeming to activate a trigger, the wall behind the throne started moving, creating a door. 

"What is this?" Haru asked. Although he had always known about the existence of this hidden passage, he had never known what it was for. All he knew was it led to a secret room. Using his earthbending sense, Haru could tell that there is another passage to enter that room, and it comes from outside the kingdom. 

Someone can get here through that passage without having to pass through the walls. 

"A meeting room for a secret organisation," Bumi said.  Raising his eyebrows, he picked up his green robs and wore them. He then entered the passage. Following him, Haru stared at the walls. Some white suits were hanging, and in the middle of the chest plates, there was a white lotus pattern. 

Haru knew about the Order of the White Lotus. It was an international organisation that operated in secret against the Fire Nation. In the other timeline, they will fight against the Fire Nation army with the Avatar. This organisation consists of the most powerful benders and the sneakiest old men from every nation. 

"So, what kind of organisation?" Haru had to ask. If he doesn't, then it will raise a question of how Haru is not suspecting anything.  He couldn't simply say that he has otherworldly knowledge, so he had to act clueless. 

"An organisation that works in secret and wait for the right time to take down the tyrant of Ozai. We had been waiting for the Avatar, my old friend, but there seems to be a new light of hope." 

"Huh?" Haru narrowed his eyebrow. 

"You will get everything once you meet a higher-up like me." Bumi reached the door. 

He opened it, and he got in first. Haru followed after him.  

Sniffing the air, Haru smelt the jasmine aroma. 

*Sip* 

In the middle of the white shinny room, a man in his 40s was sitting. He was short and quite chubby. The top of his head was bald. On the sides, his hair was grey and long. 

"Bumi, my old friend, and the young prince." He said. "Please, come. Nothing is better than having a conversation when the jasmine tea is still hot and fresh." He pointed to the table that had empty cups and a hot teapot. 

"Haru, meet this man," Bumi pointed to him. "This is the Dragon of the West, and the best tea maker and lover, Iroh. Also known as the older brother of the Fire Lord Ozai."

Not acting shocked or hostile, Haru sat in front of Iroh. "I'm Haru, nice to meet you." 

"I've heard about you, young man. I have had plenty of time while my nephew was looking for someone, so I could sneak and visit my old friend here." Iroh replied in a calm voice. "Bumi talked very well about you and how much faith he has in you. He seemed very proud." 

"Hey, don't tell the kid that I praised him." Bumi protested. 

Holding the teapot, Iroh poured some tea for Haru. 

Haru held the cup and started sipping. 

"Hey, Haru, you shouldn't accept things from strangers, even If I was the one to bring them." Bumi narrowed his eyebrow.

Haru turned to Bumi, and he said. "I don't think that the last dragon would need to use poison. Besides, if he was an enemy, he could have led the army of the Fire Nation to get in from the other passage. The enemy won't overthink about their methods, and I won't overthink about my defences." 

"You can tell about the other passage." Bumi tilted his head. "That's great…" 

"I can sense that far." Haru nodded. 

"So you are as talented as the rumours said about you," Iroh spoke. "You don't look as cruel as they described you." 

Haru sipped the tea. Not wanting to talk about his cruelty, he said. "This thing is outrageously good." 

Haru was cruel, only when he has to. 

"You look like a decent person." Iroh smiled as he leaned backwards. "A man who loves tea can't be a bad man." 

"Don't let his handsome look foul you." Bumi picked up a chair for himself and sat. "He is more powerful than I am. And he took 120 men on his own. 

Iroh stared at Haru and said. "So, it appears you know me by the title of the 'last dragon', and you aren't surprised that I am not attacking you, although you are an enemy of our nation." 

"You are within this organisation," Haru said. "Whatsoever it's called." 

"It's the Order of the White Lotus by the way," Bumi commented. 

Iroh and Haru were still staring at each other.

"Let me ask you one thing, young man," Iroh said. "Why did you kill all of those people? I'm not blaming you or anything. I just want to know, do you hate the Fire Nation?"  

Haru chuckled, and Iroh's eyebrows rose. 

"They were about to burn my hometown into ashes, do I need more reason," Haru replied. With a mocking tone, he said. "You can't seriously expect me to hold back for their lives while they are trying their best to take mine. Do you think this is about hatred and love? Only a naive person would believe such tales. I don't care if anyone thinks I'm right, I have had enough cause to kill anyone who threatens the safety of my family." 

Iroh nodded. It appeared that he was satisfied with Haru's answer. 

"That's the right mindset for a leader. Knows what you are fighting for, and most importantly, you know what you have to do to protect it." Iroh said. 

Haru leaned on the chair and turned his head to Bumi. "So, what was the urgent reason you summoned me for?" 

"Well, there are two reasons in fact," Bumi said. "Thanks to the spirits that you arrived early, so I don't have to explain everything." 

Bumi looked at Iroh, and he said. "You explain to him."