The next morning I went out into the city again to try and gauge the general mood of the commoners. Of course I was required to take a pair of bodyguards, but I also decided to take Chi Song along with me. As a local and civilian she might be able to provide insight my soldiers wouldn’t think to report.

It was also a scheme to see if she would eventually relax around me.

Chi Song still held herself in an almost painfully rigid manner any time I saw her, and while I was hoping it was a temporary thing, if it meant I just needed to treat her like the maids back home it was best to learn early.

As expected of a major trade town, the streets were fairly busy even in the early hours of the day. Merchants were setting up stalls for the day, traders were making deals, and sailors were heading back to the docks to prepare for their journeys.

Not much different from the Capital in places. Honestly I feel a bit disappointed that things are so similar in a city an ocean away, but in a way it's reassuring that I don’t need to assume everything is different anytime I go to a new city.

I turned to Chi Song. “So what were you shopping for yesterday?”

She jumped the tiniest bit at being addressed but calmed down quickly. “Nothing specific really, prin- *ahem*. I had been planning on finding a new outfit but the merchants are increasing prices so much I’m not convinced it's worth it anymore.”

Aimless wandering it is then. And Chi Song remembered not to address me by my title in public for now.

“Anything of interest then? Favorite shops, parks, or things like that?” I asked, trying to at least find a starting point.

“Uhm, one of the open air markets perhaps?” she replies, visibly racking her brain for ideas where to take a princess and her guard. “Or maybe one of the teashops?”

“A little early for the teashops I think. What are the open air markets like?”

Chi Song starts leading your party down the road. “They are a bit more informal than any dedicated shop.” She explained. “People traveling through the city can rent a spot in the market to sell just about anything. We often find craftsmen or hobbyists selling odds and ends no one else wanted as well.”

When we arrived at the market the first impression was...interesting.

Despite it being a little early, the space was quite full of people out looking to get some shopping done. We weren’t shoulder to shoulder by any means, but there were enough people that my guards immediately moved closer and started scanning anyone getting close to us.

Of course the appearance of two Fire Nation soldiers made the crowd shrink away a bit so we had no trouble moving around.

We toured some of the stalls. Just taking in the sights, rather than looking for anything specific. I came across an older lady selling some wonderful looking brass decorations and had a fun time haggling with her. Not a skill I used for simple purchases much. Normally I either set the price with the first offer or they recognised I was the princess and just gave it to me.

Getting the opportunity to properly argue the price was pretty enjoyable.

After the first minute or so I also came to the realisation I wasn’t the best at haggling without those advantages. The stall keeper easily wound her way through my arguments and I realised a sliver and five copper coins was the best my novice skill could get me.

Setting the coins on the countertop in acknowledgment of my defeat I continued to haggle just for the practice if nothing else. The lady smiled in recognition of what I was doing and while she continued tearing my arguments to pieces, she lost the gleam in her eye and even subtly nudged me towards some better ones.

I was having fun, which meant something had to happen to ruin the moment.

There was a sound of commotion as one of my guards moved to intercept someone coming up behind us and a loud angry voice cut through the background conversations in the market.

“So it isn’t enough that the Fire Nation keeps driving up the prices for everything in the city but now you aren’t going to pay until we practically give you everything?!”

I hear Chi Song inhale sharply. Curious, she knows the man.

Turning around I immediately retract my last thought. The boy in front of me is definitely not a man yet. He’s still stuck in that awkward langley stage most teens go through.

“What nothing to say?” he barks.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” I ask, confused.

Before he has a chance to answer Chi Song practically jumps between the two of us. “He’s no one, Azura. People are getting upset about the rising costs all over the city and are looking for someone to blame. I’ll talk to him and we can move on, okay?”

It was obvious Chi Song was trying to de-escalate the situation, but the teen was having none of it. He kept trying to get in my face despite one of my bodyguards practically wrapping an arm around him to keep him back.

“Hiding behind the mayor’s daughter? Huh?! What’s wrong? Can’t give us a reason?” The teen was getting really noisy and it was starting to draw a crowd.

I sighed.

I just wanted a nice morning out before dealing with anything. Oh well, might as well take advantage of the gathering.

“And like I asked, who are you? Or is it normal for citizens here to just start screaming in someone’s face without introducing themself?”

The teen’s -I was just going to call him Shouty- face darkened either out rage or embarrassment. I couldn’t tell which.

“I speak for everyone you keep grinding into the dirt trying to bleed more money for your war.” Shouty said loudly.

He obviously wasn’t the best at these types of confrontations, and this was probably a passion moment than something planned. But it was also a decent showing on his part.

For an amateur anyway.

His plan probably went along the lines of; enrage the obvious Fire Nation noble, demonstrate that the local leaders had no choice but to bend to my desires, goad me into either an attack or arrest, and use the whole thing to lower the reputation of the Fire Nation more with the citizens.

I blinked, remembering I wasn’t in the Capital anymore.

I suppose Shouty could also have just gotten mad and decided to pick a fight. Commoners did that occasionally, right?

“Well obviously it's the thieves’ working with the Water Tribe pirates fault.” I pitched my voice so it carried to the crowd and tilted my head as if in confusion.

Shouty’s face darkens even more, “Thieves?! They are the only reason half the workers can find food sometimes after you rich merchants keep raising the price! Especially with your soldiers just taking what they want from them!”

There are some mumbles of agreement in the gathered crowd.

“Because the merchants have an inconvenient thing like contracts with the Army.” I said easily. “They agreed to provide a certain number of goods at a specific time. And while our soldiers are working hard to make sure thieves like that don’t steal anything, when they do the merchants need to raise the price to cover costs to not only restock what was stolen but also feed their own families. It's only reasonable.”

“If the prices were reasonable then w-people wouldn’t need to hope for handouts just to get food!”

Most people wouldn’t have noticed the slip, but Shouty was definitely going to say something else. Interesting. What were you going to say, hmm? What exactly do you know about these insurgents?

“So you’re saying that merchants should just keep selling at a loss and hope that the thieves leave them alone then? Should the guards take that stance with all crimes? Just tell anyone who was robbed that they should lower their prices so thieves will leave them alone.”

That causes all the sellers in the market to scowl. They obviously don’t like that idea at all.

“No! The-”

“And what the rest of you should be worrying about is what happens after the thieves and pirates stop playing nice.” I directly spoke to the crowd, cutting Shouty off. “When the food merchants close shops because they can’t afford to keep having their products stolen will those thieves still provide for you? Once they accomplish whatever goal they have will they suffer with you when the guards need to restore order?

Of course not! They will leave and go to their next destination without a second thought!

I’m sure if they spoke to you they came with kind words and a free meal saying they just want what’s best for you all, ignoring that the goods they stole is the reason more and more of you can’t purchase them legally. That there is less and less coming into the city in the first place.

It’s easy to say you are helping when the aid you provide comes at the cost of someone else, but don’t be fooled! I doubt any of them will stay and care about you once their goal is complete.”

There are a lot more murmurs from the crowd at that. Now it is no longer a question of is what the insurgents doing right? But can they afford to turn a blind eye until things go wrong?

Shouty is trembling at this point and opens his mouth to yell something else when a taller man places a hand on his shoulder and pulls him back.

Shouty takes one look at the man and pales slightly. “Ba-Sir! I was just…!”

“I think you said enough kid. Come on, we have other things to do today.” He turns to me. “I’m sorry for his behaviour, miss. As you saw he has a bit of a temper.”

I examine the man. He looks fairly muscular, weathered like a sailor of some kind with deeply tanned brown skin and blue eyes.

“It’s fine. Addressing concerns of the citizens is one of the first steps to ensure the thieves are brought to justice.” I say with a smile.

“Hn.” The man grunts before leading Shouty off into the mass of people.

I catch the eye of a nondescript man in the crowd and make a small motion at the two. My orders are simple and clear.

Follow them.

I turn back to see Chi Song covering her forehead like she has a headache. It seems this outing has been thoroughly unpleasant for her.

“Well that was fun!” I say brightly. “Where should we go next?”

Her answering groan tells me that probably wasn’t what she wanted to hear.