The Fire Nation Prince

Chapter 11: Citizens of the Empire

The sharp, clean crack of boots upon stone echoed with discipline across the long winding path leading to the heart of the village. At the forefront, the Prince of the Fire Nation walked with measured calm, his crimson and black robes glinting beneath the pale morning sun. Behind him followed Sergeant Rin, then Commander Jee, and close to sixty Fire Nation soldiers, handpicked from the exile ship the and the Prince's personal cohort, marching in quiet, impeccable unison. The banners of the Fire Nation fluttered from their spears, but none were held aloft. Zuko had commanded restraint. This was not a conquering, sort of.

It was a homecoming.

The village of Kyoshi, nestled between coastal cliffs and deep pine hills, had never looked more orderly. The main square had been swept clean, its earthen walkways stamped into readiness, and jade green banners hung from posts and balconies alike, each flanked by the gold-painted masks of Avatar Kyoshi, stoic and fierce in her eternal vigil.

Standing at the center of the village square beneath the tallest post, Mayor Hanoo awaited, hands folded respectfully at his stomach. He was a broad man in his mid-fifties, his robes finely embroidered, a sky blue and ivory silk clasped with an antique stone brooch bearing the Kyoshi insignia. His beard was long and messy, stained gray at the corners and oiled flat. His shoulders held a quiet tension, and though he bore no weapon, his posture told of a man who once had to fight for peace.

To his right stood a figure far more striking, Lady Akari, wife to the Mayor and current Head of the Kyoshi Warriors. She wore the traditional Kyoshi battle dress in full regalia: jade armor plates over black undercloth, her lips painted red and her face ghostly white beneath the golden warpaint. Her dark hair was tied high and fanned in a lacquered crest of pins and combs. The nearly five dozen Kyoshi Warriors behind her, all women, all tall and broad-shouldered, stood with matching poise, their fans folded, blades sheathed, yet eyes sharp. Not one of them flinched as the Fire Nation column approached.

And then the villagers began to kneel.

One by one. First an elderly potter near the wells, then a fishmonger boy who dropped his woven basket. Then a couple with their arms wrapped around a daughter. The bowing spread through the square like an invisible wave. The blacksmith and his apprentices, the seamstress, the tavern keeper, the orchard owner, the messenger boys, all fell to one knee, heads bowed low to the earth. Even the warriors did not remain standing; only Akari and Hanoo held their upright stance. And behind Zuko, his own soldiers mirrored the gesture with the precision of training, boots planted shoulder-width, left fists slammed across armored chests, heads lowered in a unified sign of respect.

Zuko walked forward in silence, his steps neither rushed nor regal. Each movement was a deliberate balance of authority and restraint. His topknot was bound in imperial fashion, high and tight, and his flame-shaped circlet gleamed beneath the sun.

Jee, ever the shadow, flanked him on the right, his hair longer than the last time they'd stood here, his armor dulled from travel but kept spotless. His face remained unreadable, though his eyes swept the crowd constantly, memorizing faces.

As Zuko stopped before the mayor and his wife, he gave the village a pause, just long enough for the silence to deepen.

Then he spoke, low and clear.

"Mayor Hanoo. Head Kyoshi Warrior, Lady Akari."

The Mayor lowered his head in a bow, slow and ceremonious. Akari did the same, dipping only her chin, her eyes never leaving Zuko's.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, flame of the East, defender of the Caldera Throne, rightful heir to the Phoenix Throne…" Hanoo's voice was practiced, smooth. "We are honored to receive you on Kyoshi soil."

Zuko nodded slightly. "I remember your voice from my last visit. It hasn't aged."

Hanoo smiled, but carefully. "Neither has your presence, my Prince. It fills the square more sharply than any blade."

Zuko's eyes flicked sideways to Akari. "And the head of the warriors has not changed either."

"She changes when her duty commands," Akari answered evenly. "Not when men do."

Zuko's smirk was the barest twitch. "Spoken like a true Kyoshi."

Behind him, Jee leaned in slightly. "Sir, the perimeter is secured."

Zuko gave a half nod but didn't break eye contact with the mayor's wife. "Good. Let's not keep the village waiting."

Mayor Hanoo turned and lifted both arms. "Rise, sons and daughters of Kyoshi. Stand in honor. We welcome the Prince of Fire, not as conqueror, not as enemy but as a savior. As one who kept his word."

The villagers rose slowly. Some hesitated longer than others, their eyes clinging to the red-clad soldiers. But there were no jeers. No murmurs of rebellion. Just the careful breath of civilians weighing survival against pride.

Hanoo turned back toward Zuko, gesturing toward the main longhouse behind him, its painted doors wide open, incense already curling in faint streams from within. "We have prepared a welcome feast inside the Hall of Clouds. There will be smoke-grilled boar-fish, seared pine-grass dumplings, and plum wine from the last Kyoshi harvest, stored in casks older than your exile. Musicians will play before sunset, and a dance by our youngest warriors has been arranged."

Zuko nodded once. "Then I accept the hospitality of this island."

He stepped forward, hand open, not in a bow, but in gesture of political respect. Mayor Hanoo returned the gesture, clasping wrists, a Kyoshi tradition.

"I had hoped," Zuko said softly, "that this time I could stay longer than a day. Unfortunately, there is much more to do."

Akari's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and her lips pursed. "For the sake of the island… I hope so too."

Commander Jee stepped forward and bowed. "We will secure the Hall of Clouds. Sergeant Rin has the escort detail."

Hanoo gestured, and the Kyoshi Warriors stepped aside, their movements synchronized and silent. One of them, shorter than the rest, with a thin scar above her right brow, glanced at Zuko briefly. Perhaps it was recognition. Or a grudge remembered.

As the soldiers and Warriors moved in tandem to escort the Crown Prince inside, Zuko took one long look over his shoulder at the village square. The people were watching him still, some with fear, others with curiosity, a few with what might have been hope. Or calculation.

He was no longer a stranger here.

Not entirely.

And soon, he wouldn't be a guest either.

The Hall of Clouds was a long, lantern-lit structure, curved at the edges in traditional Earth Kingdom fashion but retouched with fresh lacquer and meticulous tapestries, likely commissioned in haste after the pirate siege. It smelled faintly of juniper wood and steamed rice. Dozens of low tables had been arranged in tiers, and musicians with bamboo flutes and tsungi horns lined the eastern wall, playing soft, warm melodies. Fire Nation and Kyoshi Island dishes intermingled in elaborate spread: roasted sea fowl, pepper-crusted pork belly, mango blossom salad, and flame-brewed rice wine shimmered in carved jugs.

At the center of it all sat Prince Zuko, reclined against a silken cushion at the head of the highest table. His circlet had been replaced by a slimmer band of bronze, ceremonial rather than warlike. His expression was unreadable, though his eyes never stopped moving, taking in every gesture, every sideways glance.

To his right, Lieutenant Commander Jee sat in full uniform, arms folded over his knees, head slightly bowed in the presence of higher rank, though not without a veteran's poise. To Zuko's left, Mayor Hanoo occupied the honored guest position, a subtle honor the prince had not granted lightly. Hanoo's robes were more formal now, a thick green sash replacing his everyday shawl, and though he spoke with courtly calm, sweat glistened at his temples.

The rest of the hall was filled with a mixture of Fire Nation officers, Kyoshi elders, surviving warriors, and village heads. Akari sat further down the left side, speaking in hushed tones with two of her captains. Suki was notably absent.

A hush passed through the hall as the first toast was offered. Zuko rose with his cup, wine deep and red as lacquered armor.

"To those who held the line when the Earth Kingdom turned its blades inward. And to those who rose from ash to offer their loyalty."

A resounding echo of "To the Prince!" followed, though some Kyoshi voices were quieter than others. The music resumed, and with it, the ceremonial start of the feast.

Zuko sat again, letting the silence between him and Hanoo stretch for just long enough to remind the mayor who truly commanded the tempo of the evening.

Then he leaned forward, his voice low but precise. "Let's begin with the casualties."

Hanoo blinked. The feast was barely underway. "Of course, Your Highness. A formal report is being compiled and will reach your ship by dawn, sealed and notarized."

"I don't need a ledger to tell me what I've already seen," Zuko replied, his gaze locked ahead. "The square smelled of burnt cloth and blood beneath the incense. The shrine roof was scorched, and your soldiers were missing limbs. I want a number. Dead. Wounded. Displaced."

Hanoo cleared his throat. "Eighty-three dead. Fifty-two wounded, of which eleven are children, four beyond healing. We've buried forty-seven. The rest are in temporary shrines awaiting family rites. We lost three entire warrior trainees, and nine structures along the western ridge were razed."

"And the artifacts?" Zuko asked without turning his head.

"The Kyoshi masks were saved, but the shrine's east chamber was looted. Two original fans belonging to Avatar Kyoshi herself are missing. So are seven ancient scrolls, two ceremonial spears, and three jade medallions once worn by the first generation of Kyoshi Warriors."

Zuko's jaw clenched faintly, and Jee caught it.

"Was it the pirates?" Zuko asked. "Or your people, hiding them away before surrendering?"

Hanoo's face darkened with offense, but he kept his voice even. "We would never desecrate our own legacy. The pirates ransacked the shrine before retreating to the sea. Ensign Lee retrieved part of a manifest, some of the relics were listed as sale items for an auction east of Omashu."

"Then we'll recover them," Zuko said.

He let the words settle, like a promise of thunder before the storm.

Hanoo hesitated, then shifted slightly. "Your Highness, if I may… before the wine flows freely, may we speak of your scroll?"

Zuko looked at him then, fully. "You've made your decision?"

"I've made five," Hanoo replied quietly. "The families have been spoken to. The girls are aware of their role. They understand this is not about love, but legacy."

Zuko's gaze flicked past him toward Akari down the table. "And what of Suki?"

The mayor's expression grew guarded. "She has not yet spoken her answer. But the others, Hinaro included, will honor the pact."

Jee raised a brow, but said nothing.

"I trust," Zuko said coolly, "you've explained to them that these are not concubine arrangements. They will be honored as diplomatic wives. Officially recognized in the land. Should any husband dishonor them, it will be treated as a violation of Fire Nation military oath."

"We made that clear," Hanoo confirmed. "Though some still struggle with the terms. Kyoshi women… don't yield easily."

"They shouldn't," Zuko said.

The mayor blinked.

"You'll send their names and profiles to my staff. Commander Jee will confirm compatibility and oversight. The ceremonies will take place on your soil," he added, "not mine. This is an alliance, not a relocation."

Hanoo nodded slowly. "It will be done."

For a long moment, neither man spoke. Then Zuko's tone softened, just enough to suggest humanity beneath the armor.

"I don't take daughters lightly, Hanoo. I understand what I've asked."

"No," the mayor said, eyes distant. "You don't. But you've given us a better chance than any Earth Kingdom general ever did. That doesn't make it right. But it makes it survivable."

Zuko nodded once, accepting the weight of that truth.

As servants began to bring in hot plates and fresh fruit trays, the prince leaned toward Jee.

"You'll need to monitor the candidates personally. Any signs of resistance, disloyalty, or subversion, deal with it discreetly. No executions. But no indulgence either."

Jee gave a slight bow of acknowledgment.

Further down the table, one of the young Kyoshi Warriors glanced at Zuko. It was Hinaro. Her hair had been redone for ceremony, her face clean of soot, but her eyes remained iron. She lifted her cup toward him.

Zuko returned the gesture with an unreadable smile.

The flames of the banquet torches flickered across their faces as the hall began to murmur with cautious celebration. Yet beneath it all was the thrum of unresolved lines, the silent agreements written in blood and smoke. This was no longer just about Kyoshi Island.

This was now about how much the world would be allowed to change before someone snapped.

A few minutes of eating and pleasantries passed.

The music slowed.

Not stopped. Slowed. Like a wave pulling backward just before it crashes against the rocks. The murmur of conversation dulled into expectant silence as Prince Zuko rose once more from his place at the head of the table. This time, he did not raise a cup. His hands remained at his sides, fingers twitching ever so faintly.

Across the hall, Commander Jee stood as well, and with a curt motion to one of the Fire Nation aides by the door, gave the signal.

A moment later, the large oak doors at the rear of the Hall creaked open, and five couples entered, five matches of political theater, bound now by terms written in blood and ash.

They walked slowly but with dignity. The room turned to face them. The eyes of Kyoshi and the Fire Nation watched in equal measure, curiosity, resentment, and admiration mingled beneath paper lanterns.

Jee stood tall, composed but clearly on edge, his uniform pressed, his brow calm, but his fingers betraying the slightest twitch. Beside him walked Reina, the eldest of the Kyoshi Warriors, not in age, but in spirit. Her armor was older, reworked with heavier padding at the shoulders and knees, and she bore a long diagonal scar that trailed from temple to jawline, an old pirate wound she wore like a badge. She moved with slow confidence, a soldier's grace rather than a dancer's poise. Of all the warriors chosen, Reina had been the most practical about the arrangement. "If we're to be bartered," she had said bluntly, "better it be to a man with a spine and not a smirk." Jee had offered her no flirtation, only a firm nod of understanding. Together, they now stood not like strangers forced into a pact, but like two soldiers reading the battlefield, waiting to see who blinked first.

Kujan grinned like a wolf beside a woman who clearly wanted to run him through. Kyari was the tallest of the Kyoshi Warriors, her cheekbone scar healed poorly, evidence of battle, not ceremony. Her armor still bore the scratches from the pirate raid.

She did not bow. Not to anyone. Her fan remained folded but in her hand.

"Try something smart," she muttered as they stepped into the circle. "I'll bend you like a garden rake."

Kujan winked. "So romantic."

Lee's uniform was pristine. He adjusted it thrice between the doors and the dais. His eyes flicked from face to face, calculating, constantly aware.

Beside him walked Hinaro, spine straight, chin high, her movements as sharp as the fans she wore. She had cleaned the blood from her boots, but not the fire from her eyes. She said nothing. She didn't need to.

Everyone in the room could feel her hatred. It hung off her like perfume.

Barun walked with the confidence of a man who had survived too many battles to care about titles. His armor was dented in the chest and shoulder, and he bore the look of a brawler. His brow was heavy, but his smile was real.

Meika, his partner, was short and wide-hipped, her hair in a long braid over her shoulder. She did not look like a warrior. She looked like a tavern cook—but the twin knives at her belt were sharpened to a mirror's edge.

"I'll cook for you," she'd told Barun in private. "And if you cross me, I'll season your entrails."

He had laughed for ten straight minutes. They walked now like old frenemies, annoyed to be together, but strangely in sync.

Ren, silent, lean, the darkest of the five men, with ink tattoos coiling down his neck and under his collar. His eyes never blinked more than necessary, and he smelled faintly of ash and lacquered blades. He said little. He watched everything.

His partner, Tanari, was the second-youngest of the warriors, barely into womanhood but already marked by the horrors of war. A burn scar peeked from her sleeve to her wrist. Her expression was hollow, detached, her body moving as if guided by muscle memory rather than choice. But she didn't falter.

They were both ghosts. Both survivors. And they stood together in silence that echoed louder than words.

The five couples lined before Zuko. The room held its breath.

The prince stepped down from his dais.

He did not shout. He didn't need to.

"I asked you all to gather not to shame you… but to mark a beginning."

His voice echoed through the hall, iron wrapped in velvet. No stutter. No hesitation.

"Kyoshi Island once belonged to no one but itself. It was a whisper of the past, a monument to a long-dead Avatar and her ideals. But the world does not bend to ghosts."

He began to walk, slowly, eyes passing over each couple.

"This island is no longer irrelevant. It is mine now. But not because I marched in with fire and swords. Not because I burned your homes. No. I took this island with a scroll. With ink. With will. And with the awareness that legacy, true legacy, is not born from conquest alone."

His eyes met Suki's. Then Jee's. Then Akari's.

"You surrendered. Let's not pretend otherwise. Some of you bowed out of survival. Some out of strategy. Others still kneel only in your bodies while your hearts remain clenched like fists. That is understandable. It is even… expected."

He stopped.

"But from today onward, you are more than survivors. You are witnesses to a shift in history. This island stands now not as a broken province, not as a victim, but as an extension of the Crown Prince himself. You are a jewel in the flame. And flame, though dangerous, gives light… when respected."

He turned slowly, letting the weight of his words settle over the crowd.

"These marriages, yes, they were proposed by me. Arranged, calculated, and undeniably political. But don't mistake strategy for cruelty. Each of you," he said, gesturing to the couples, "were chosen not for obedience, but for your strength. Your fire."

His tone deepened.

"You don't need to love each other. But you will respect the vows you've taken. Because if you do, you'll carry your names into legend as the first wave of the New Accord. If you don't…"

He paused.

"…then you'll remind the next generation what happens when loyalty is taken for granted."

Murmurs spread through the villagers. Akari's jaw clenched.

"I did not force you into these bonds. I offered a blade with one edge dulled. You took it. Now wield it. Raise your children knowing they will be safe under my shadow. Build homes that will never see pirate sails again. Because I promise you this, no one will touch Kyoshi Island without facing the full fire of the royal lineage."

He stepped closer to the couples now.

"To the brides: your bloodlines are now immortal. Your names will cross maps. Your children will be taught in Fire Nation academies and worshipped in shrines with both Kyoshi and flame."

He turned to the men.

"To my soldiers: dishonor them, and I will make you disappear without flame or sound. Guard them with your lives. Serve with them. Build with them. Or die quietly."

He stepped back.

"This is not peace. Peace is a lullaby whispered between wars. What we have here… is stability. Claimed through fire, preserved through unity, tested by blood."

The hall remained in silence.

Then Zuko raised his hand and gestured to the crowd.

"Kneel. Not to me. But to the future we are forging. One that may scar you. But one you'll survive."

And one by one, they did.

First the elders. Then the soldiers. Then the warriors. Then the brides.

Even Hinaro.

Only after the hall had fully bent did Zuko speak again.

"Rise… as citizens of my Empire."

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