Chapter Three

Part 3

Although he was surprised to see the general commit so much to it.

That much was obvious, but there was more to it than that.

Rama might be showing off, but it wasn't a flex of superiority.

The festival was apparently dedicated to Iroza, so using it to intimidate him wouldn't jive at all with that.

If Ozai was visiting, flexing would make more sense.

A military parade would be the best way to impress him.

But seeing as the local soldiers were actively participating in the merriment...

Goddamn amateurs.

Well, Iroza doubted that was what Rama was doing.

They might be trying to strategically flaunt their wealth, as opposed to their military, which could inspire important people to take an interest in the economy.

Nobles, or people like him and his father.

But again, it didn't fit.

There were no stalls selling goods unique to the city, or the province, either along the road or in the marketplace.

It was just a party.

Tourism would be a valid guess, except no one with money would ever visit a poor city so close to the war for kicks.

Part of Ji's earlier words gave him another angle to consider.

Raising people's spirits.

Wan Bhing was poor and close to the fighting.

It had been for years now.

That had to be depressing.

Give the people something to celebrate, get them good and drunk, and Rama could cultivate a lot of goodwill with the people.

Ease unrest in the province.

Bread and circuses.

Throwing a big party to distract the commoners.

Solid plan.

A pretty good one, even.

But Rama hardly needed an excuse like a visit from royalty.

He could have done this at any time.

Heck, he likely did this with some regularity.

If not at this scale.

So where did Iroza fit in with this?

As it came to him, his eyes deadened and he valiantly resisted the urge to sigh.

Throw a big party.

Dedicate it to the arrival of a member of the royal family.

A young, impressionable member.

Dazzle him with the spectacle of it all.

Show him a good time.

Enamor him with the city.

Wasn't Wan Bhing just delightful?

A true diamond in the rough of the Fire Nation.

Oh yes, he would be sure to tell his lord father all about it when he returned home.

What a joke.

With that in mind, a lot of the hedonism on display lost its luster for him.

Hard to take it seriously with his new bias.

Still, Iroza had to roll with it.

He had his Own reputation to worry about, especially seeing as he was only here in a military capacity.

Iroza was a prince.

But General Rama was still his Superior.

Him, and whoever else he might be assigned to work under.

Being an angsty, annoyed teenager wouldnt be conducive to a good working relationship with the man.

Even if he was feeling angsty and annoyed.

Which he was.

Very much so.

Honestly, who the hell did this guy think he was?

Trying to butter him up....

He bit his tongue.

Whatever, whatever, whatever.

Good first impressions were important.

Forget Rama's roundabout attempts to impress him.

He needed to focus on his attempts to impress Rama.

Or at least start out on the right foot.

Impressing him was probably more work than he was willing to commit to, going by

how far the general had gone, but tailoring his own reaction to the party in a positive light..

That could do a lot of the legwork in getting Rama to work with him.

Because even if Iroza was royalty, he was still here on assignment.

He had a reason to be here.

Prove himself in the military chain of command and earn his firebending mastery.

Somehow.

Even though nether of those things meant much to him.

Proving his worth to his father?

As if he would stoop so low.

Who was he, Zuko?

That was slightly harsh, but there was a stark difference between the two of them.

Okay.

To be fair, earning his mastery meant a little to him.

But only a little!

Mastery in the Fire Nation was the equivalent of a college diploma, but for firebending.

Anyone could achieve a level worthy of mastery and never be recognized as one by way of the 'official' channels.

Ozai and the Fire Sages.

It was a lot of politics and nepotism.

Go figure.

So Iroza had never been all that enthused about pursuing it.

The approval of his father, the Fire Sages, and the Fire Nation aristocracy?

Didnt mean much.

Firebending was great, and he enjoyed it, but all the politics around it were boring and lame.

Not to say he wasnt trying, just that he wanted to get it over with.

Plus, when he did earn his mastery, hopefully soon, then maybe Azula would finally stop passive-aggressively nagging about his and bragging about hers.

He snorted.

Well, it was a nice thought.

His stunted growth in bend honestly.

It was Ozai's.

Sure, he could feasibly blame most bad things in his life on the man, but that, in particular, was absolutely his fault.

Iroza had maybe been the tiniest bit stubborn.

Azula had said as much, and who was he to disagree?

But seeing his father near apoplectic in rage, while Iroza refused every opportunity to stoke his own inner flame on that mans say-so?

Wasnt even his fault, Priceless.

As for getting back home.

Well, Iroza didn't love the thought of leaving Azula alone with their father.

Not one bit.

He bit the inside of his cheek, distracting himself by looking back at the festivities.

It would be fine.

He'd get home soon.

The carriage continued its agonizingly-paced journey through Wan Bhing.

A city that was, unfortunately, properly city-sized.

Iroza struggled to keep his eyes open through most of it.

Ji seemed content to babble on about the virtues of the city, how wonderful its people were, and how the place had truly blossomed under Fire Nation rule.

It was a bit much, honestly.

Then they finally, finally arrived at the governor's mansion..

General's estate.

Whateverville.

Predictably lavish, the most festive decorations so far, and lots of stairs and stone walkways.

Servants and guards all lined up and dressed up as the carriage pulled up.

A few noble families.

Local ones, most likely.

Fire Nation banners and emblems flying high and prud, and only the most skilled and spotless of their retinue in the front-most formation.

Very well put-togethe.

He suppressed a yawn.

As royalty, Iroza was pretty much numb to extravagant displays of wealth and power.

It sounded arrogant, and it kinda was, but that was his reality.

Something, something,. privilege.

Sormething. something, silver spoon.

As Ji stepped out of the carriage to loudly, and unnecessarily, announce his arrival for everyone present, Iroza rubbed some of the sleep out of his eyes.

No sense in putting his boredom and travel fatigue on display.

"Presenting his grace, the son of Fire Lord Ozai and here on his behalf, Prince Iroza!"