Herald Chan. Two weeks after Iroh and Zuko departed for Yu Dao.
I finished the latest list of orders and sealed it with my personal signature and stamp. At last, I could breathe a little easier and maybe get some sleep.
These past weeks had been the most exhausting of my life. Even Piandao's endurance training paled in comparison to the bureaucratic nightmare I'd been forced to endure.
Reports.
Briefings.
More reports.
People waiting for my decisions.
And then more reports.
Oh, right—and reports. How could I possibly forget those?!
If not for the repeated circulation of internal Chi techniques combined with water from a certain interesting pond, I probably would have collapsed from exhaustion a week ago. As it was, I remained alive. The downside was that my subordinates had begun shying away from me, though I couldn't really blame them. At one point I happened to catch my reflection in a mirror and nearly blasted it with a jet of fire out of pure reflex.
Sharpened features.
Pale skin.
Gray streaks in my hair.
Sunken eyes glowing faintly with a yellow-orange light.
Dark circles beneath them.
And an expression that practically screamed, I cure constipation. With a stare.
Now add the fact that the strain on my energy system, combined with the recent awakening of my Water Chakra, had left my firebending not exactly out of control, but leaking into the surrounding world. I had to make a conscious effort to prevent flames from turning a rich blue whenever I was nearby. Since I was, to put it mildly, too busy to waste concentration on that as well, the atmosphere in my office had become rather ominous.
So ominous, in fact, that Captain Renshu—the master executioner from the Retribution—had complimented both the décor and my appearance. According to him, the environment thoroughly unsettled anyone who entered the room, and even he, a seasoned torturer, found it somewhat uncomfortable to remain there.
After receiving praise like that from an interrogator, I finally decided enough was enough.
But I couldn't simply drop everything and go to sleep. Much less pack up and head home. My subordinates would absolutely find some way to screw things up! The thought of flushing all the time and effort I had invested down the toilet because I'd given in to a moment of weakness was unbearable.
So, after selecting the sharper officers from among the ranks—fortunately, after two months of sailing together and several weeks of sorting paperwork concerning the occupied territory, I had a decent idea of who had a head on their shoulders—I began gradually handing over responsibilities.
After all, I could spend years "herding penguins" up here, and that was very much not part of my plans. The Avatar was still alive, healthy, and apparently preparing to spread democracy. Not to mention that I hadn't seen Suki or the other Kyoshi girls in months, and life was noticeably less entertaining without Toph's sarcastic comments.
I wonder how they're doing.
Hopefully, Iroh won't forget to pass my letters to Morishita. From there, he should be able to track down the warriors and send word to them.
But as I said, I couldn't simply slip away from the Pole. Reliable deputies had to be left behind. The forces necessary to hold the North had to be calculated. Troops aboard the ships needed to be reorganized. The traditional gifts owed to the Fire Lord had to be gathered…
My pennant had to be raised above Zhao's former flagship…
There was an endless list of things to do, and I didn't even have enough time to sleep.
After some deliberation, I drew up a rough plan for governing the conquered territory. I decided to begin with the occupation administration, staffing it primarily with the officers my father had assigned to me. Naturally, there weren't enough of them, so I had to dilute the ranks with Western Fleet officers to about a quarter of the total. That solved several problems at once.
First, the leadership of the new Northern Colony would be completely loyal to me, which might prove useful in the future. You never know. Second, most of Chan Senior's trusted men—or, to put it more accurately, spies—would remain in the North instead of surrounding me. It wasn't that I distrusted my father, but his excessive protectiveness and habit of sticking his nose into matters that didn't concern him were not things I could simply let slide, if only out of self-respect.
Besides, a move like this might serve as an interesting signal to certain interested parties. Perhaps it would stir up some intriguing rumors. Perhaps I might even receive a few entertaining proposals. The chances were slim, but even that would serve as a useful litmus test. It would also help me compile a list of individuals who had an unhealthy interest in our family. Later, I could show that list to the admiral, repair our relationship, and "restore" myself in his eyes. Heh.
Let the old man start believing that all these maneuvers involving Suki and the removal of his people from my immediate entourage were simply part of an elaborate scheme to identify potential enemies of the family. Though no, he definitely wouldn't buy the Suki part. Others, however, just might...
Hm. There really was something appealing about these court intrigues. The sensation of fencing with words, hints, and gestures resembled a duel with swords, where a single tiny mistake could cost you your life... It was exhilarating. It made the blood race through my veins.
But enough of long-term plans. Back to immediate concerns.
I left Tandao in charge as my replacement, appointing him the acting governor. The officer was thoroughly stunned. Rising from executive officer to one of the highest-ranking officials in the Fire Nation in the span of a single year was no small achievement, especially for the fourth son of a minor landowner.
The words "acting" meant very little. Unless he committed some truly catastrophic blunder, he would almost certainly become governor in his own right, especially considering that the appointment came from the Herald himself—a Herald who happened to enjoy Lord Ozai's favor.
(End of Chapter)
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