Chapter 117

Mozi sighed with some resignation as he stared at the map of the Earth Continent. The other streams of refugees had brought news that helpfully revealed the progress of the Fire Nation armies. As expected, they faced several smaller armies that were spread across the colonies. 

Interestingly, Princess Azula's evacuation order had been taken up rather enthusiastically by the colonists, who gladly tore up their homes before fleeing. It showed on how little progress most of the armies made. Not a few had barely left their landing sites, being forced to wait until they could establish a supply point. Most others were making their advances along the major roads, based on news given from loyal colonial patrols. The few colonies that had been captured intact were making the most progress, but even that was relative.

That was mostly thanks to stubborn rearguard actions by the colonial guards to buy the refugees time to escape. Whole colony garrisons willingly sacrificed their lives for their neighbors and friends to make it to Ba Sing Se, with many being personally led by the nobles Princess Azula rescued from the home islands. And judging by the progress made across the continent, they were doing a damned fine job in bogging the enemy down.

Loyalty begets loyalty, and Mozi quietly thanked their selflessness every now and then, especially when he was looking at the map or discussing logistics.

Both Xing and the princess had made that particular news public, making heroes out of the brave men and women, be they firebender or earthbender, native or colonist, who stood before the armies of the home islands. It helped that Princess Azula was genuinely affronted by the fact that her father's madness has forced the expenditure of lives.

"This should be a matter handled personally, between me and my father, or at least me and my prince, against him and his cronies," she had told an overpacked square in the Middle Ring. "It should not have come to this, where your children, your spouses, your parents, have to die on our behalf. But it has come to this, yet me and my prince are doing our utmost to ensure that it does not spiral into another long and wasteful war." Her outrage was infectious, enough that the Ba Sing Se citizenry watching from their rooftops and balconies were also infected and chanting her name at the end of her speech.

"We are deciding on our options," Xing had declared. "Thus far, King Bumi of Omashu has graciously given our cause a chance and extended the offer of peace." That the crazy king was here was still kept secret for now. As Mozi understood it, Xing wanted King Bumi's presence to only be announced once his army of volunteers made it to the city. The Mad King had promised the services of five thousand earthbenders.

Mozi seriously believed that that was five thousand too many. One Mad King and one spirit-guided Xing was all they really needed when the time came, but the gesture was still appreciated.

"The Northern Water Tribe too has agreed to exclude us from their grudge against the Fire Nation. They also are willing to seek peaceful relations with Ba Sing Se."

That it was a peace bought by Xing's unbelievable feat against Zhao was kept hidden for now. It was agreed that such information and other dirt of the Fire Nation would be released only much later, and only once Prince Iroh and the Avatar agreed to Xing's plans.

It was no simple decision to establish an independent state, after all. Especially for those not familiar with Xing.

For now though, Xing had to secure his influence on the city, which involved the 11th serving as middlemen of sorts between the city garrison under Generals Yiu and Sung, and the various colonial troops that poured in.

Which meant Xing had promoted Mozi to Ba Sing Se's first high general to grant him the authority needed to accomplish the unenviable task of integrating the various groups into a united, cohesive force. At least the job was made easier with the Earth Kingdom generals affirming their loyalty to Xing in public, and denouncing their former colleague's treachery. 

Could they be fully trusted? Mozi and the other officers of the 11th would've preferred keeping hostages to be sure, but Xing had Princess Azula deploy her administrative staff she had left as 'insurance' instead. 

The leadership of the 11th had been initially skeptical about whether experts at Fire Nation intrigue would translate well over here. But seeing the spate of resignations and retirements of the more reluctant supporters barely a week later, it was decided that the regiment would keep out of the way of those polite and soft-spoken servants of the princess.

They delivered the near-impossible proof of a captain under General Yiu being…intimate with ostrich horses. You do not mess with people that could not only recite word for word what the man said to the beasts as he rutted with them, but also produced his whole feather-infested and ostrich horse-scented wardrobe as evidence. 

That and other less scandalous dalliances created openings that were filled with officers who were less resistant to Xing's rule, if not outright more approving of it. Officially, it was all a very fortuitous turn of events. Unofficially, even Yama was showing more respect to Princess Azula.

It goes without saying that the Avatar and his friends were oblivious to all of this, of course. They were insulated from the ugliness that occurred in the shadows of politics, mostly so that they could remain focused on their own goals. 

The Avatar continued his training with Prince Iroh, with King Bumi chipping in as well. Supposedly the lessons were more than just firebending now. The young warrior Sokka trained under Ren, while his sister Katara honed her waterbending with Kilin. 

Toph of the well-known and well-connected Beifong family worked with Yama's earthbenders, interestingly, was the only one whose training Xing directly intervened in. Last Mozi heard, the girl was being put through a series of tests to overcome her biggest weakness. Supposedly, she compensated for her blindness by having a highly attuned sense of picking up vibrations from the earth, and only the earth. Xing had her spending time in a metal box, which all but dulled that sense, and forced her to workshop a way around that weakness.

Time will tell if anything came out of it, but that wasn't Mozi's concern for now.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked Xing in the war room, as they stared at the latest updates to the Fire Lord's armies. 

"Not exactly, but a message needs to be delivered." Xing pointed at the four invasion armies clustered together not too far west of the city. Those were the forces that had the easiest time landing in the colonies, and as such were far closer to Ba Sing Se than their peers. According to the latest reports, they also had joined up, though who had command of such a coalition was still unknown. "Besides, if we hit them now, while their reinforcements are too far away, we take off that many men and resources from the board."

Prince Iroh was the one to raise a counterargument. "But it's also that many of us that will not be in the city, considering the news from the southeast."

Xing didn't seem worried at all. "Kuei is blinkered, not stupid. His puppetmasters too. If they want to muster a coalition force to take Ba Sing Se, they'll need way more time reaching out to allies and vassals. It'd take much longer to muster such a force. If they send an army now, it won't be enough to take the walls… Right, King Bumi?"

The Mad King actually looked thoughtful throughout the whole meeting, and nodded slowly. "Hm… Yes. Those lords there are still vying with each other for influence. King Kuei is being hosted by Lord Shiku, who's not exactly the top dog in those parts. If he wants to keep the king with him, he'll have to maneuver himself into a position that puts him in charge of his betters. I know three dukes, one high admiral, and two princes that'll not be happy having to bow their heads to a mere provincial lord."

"Any chance they might try to fight over Kuei?"

"Nah, not yet. Too much cons that go with the pros. Having him with them gives them prestige, but also turns them into a target. And none of their lands are as unassailable as Ba Sing Se. The former vassals of Ba Sing Se are used to peace and having the fighting be far away, I'm sure they'd prefer things to remain that way for as long as possible. They'll likely wait until Ba Sing Se is recaptured before negotiating for honors, or at worst swoop in to rescue King Kuei if Shiku gets invaded. More prestige that way."

"Another bunch of cowards," Princess Azula hissed, earning a shrug from the Mad King.

"In this case, cowardice is to our advantage," Xing said, absently placing a calming hand on her arm as he addressed the war room's attendees. "So until our good friend Je-Choi brings us news of actual mobilization, our borders with the…Earth Kingdom in exile are secure enough."

"You sure you don't want me to go down there and secure it some more?" King Bumi asked cheekily.

Xing's reply mirrored the light mischief. "You sure you want to be occupied for the rest of your life trying to beat the lords there into submission? Instead of being part of a whole lot of fighting?"

"Point. Pretend I didn't offer such a blatantly stupid thing."

"I already forgot what you offered." Xing gave a wry smile before turning back to the map again. "Anyway, we have the chance, so we'll take it while that chance is still steaming fresh. Any other questions?"

Mozi raised a hand. "Is it really that important that you and the princess take part in this excursion?" That one probably rankled the new high general the most, even more than working with the barely integrated forces of Ba Sing Se. "It's a great risk, I'd argue an unnecessary one."

"It is," Xing admitted with a shrug, "but as I said, a message needs to be delivered. Ozai's supporters, and especially those under them, need to know what they're in for."

"But Princess Az-"

"I know the risks," said princess cut in with a slightly imposing glare. "If Xing's going, then so am I. Might as well make the message clear."

Once more Xing shrugged. "I tried. But my fiance's as hard to convince out of a fight as I am."

Mozi could only sigh. 

"At least you know what kind of a difficult brat you've been," Kai said beside him through a grin.

"Look on the bright side," the young prince offered with an amused smirk, "at least it's only Azula joining me."

"How's that better?" Prince Iroh helpfully took the bait and asked.

"Lady Su-Wei's still angry that she had to give up her island to flee here. She could be following us to have a severe word with the enemy."

Ah, right. Not even Ren and Ping in their most vengeful would subject anyone to that widow's wrath.

"I suppose I'll begin mobilization," Mozi relented as he ignored Prince Iroh's appalled grimace.

"Good." Xing gave King Bumi and Prince Iroh a final glance. "Avatar Aang and his friends have been informed as to why their intervention is not required?"

Both king and prince nodded. "We've made the reasonings of it clear," Prince Iroh answered. "The Avatar still wishes the fighting could be averted, but he understands also that he is not capable enough to provide any such solutions."

"Well, as long as he's aware of his shortcomings," Princess Azula remarked as she raised an eyebrow at Xing. "Are you sure you don't want me to tutor him?"

"He should be made aware of the hidden wheels of politics," he blandly replied, "not be scared away from it."

With no further topics of note, the meeting was ended, and Mozi began the migraine-inducing chore of organizing an army. As he left, he saw Xing leading Prince Iroh and King Bumi down the hallway to the gardens.

Mozi lost good money when news later came of Prince Iroh being carried over to the healers after suffering a moment of weakness. He should've known that the Mad King would not have been affected at all. But still, it looked like the private meeting with the dragons went well enough.

It was a pity their introductions to the enemy in a few days' time would be nowhere near as pleasant.