"All while eating through the city's limited food supply with being unable to meaningfully contribute back.
Now factor in how they've been cut off from their main source of food through the Gaoling-Omashu Trade Route, and Omashu has far too many mouths to feed with not even rice grains to feed them all."
...
Suki looked at the city and realised what must be happening within those walls right this moment, "... and with Omashu full of starving, desperate people with nothing to lose; it's only a matter of time before the city tears itself apart from the inside."
"Precisely." I nodded, as everyone in the scouting party realised the plan, "At this point, we only need to intercept the incoming Ba Sing Se relief caravans undoubtedly coming from the North and Northeast; and Omashu will surrender within the month. However... we don't have that long. I estimate that the Fire Nation Siege Corp will be here in about three weeks, and I will not accept them stealing Omashu from us."
It was part of a common strategy employed by Chinggis Khan. People had always remembered him as some barbarian warlord that overwhelmed his foes with a horde of mounted archers. They almost never mention how he was a master of siege warfare, or that he had a deep understanding of people that he leveraged to deadly effect. And now, his martial wisdom will be put to use once again.
"You're being greedy, Khan." Suki pointed out, and I subtly glanced at the Gamer System window displayed on the corner of my vision.
..
..
[ New Quest: THE CAPTURE OF OMASHU ]
Main Objective: Claim the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu from King Bumi
Secondary Objective: Complete the Quest before the Fire Nation Siege Corps arrives
Rewards:
Massive Reputation increase with the {Fire Nation}
Massive bonus exp
Secondary Rewards:
Perk Points x4
..
..
Four perk points- equal to four level ups at my current Intelligence Stat. It was quite the prize...
"Perhaps I am being greedy." I conceded the point before staring at Suki, "But we're still taking Omashu, and you're going to help me."
I had expected the redhead to disagree- perhaps even argue with me. But instead, she just hesitantly pursed her lips and glanced back towards the city. She seemed to consider the stronghold for a few seconds before looking back at me, "We'll do as you command, Khan. Do you plan to do to Omashu what you did with all the other villages?"
"No." I shook my head, "The 41st Division doesn't have the manpower to process Omashu's gargantuan population. And I have more important things to do than being burdened with administrating an overpopulated Earth Kingdom city. I'll leave that messy job to the Fire Lord's appointed governor."
That didn't seem to be the answer that Suki was looking for though. Her lips pressed into a thin pink line.
"That doesn't answer my question though." She pointed out, "How we're going to take Omashu, the second most powerful Earth Kingdom city, in three weeks!?"
"Three weeks?" I guffawed, "Don't be silly, this won't even take a week. As for the question of how we're going to be taking Omashu... well, I'll brief you all when the rest of the 41st arrives. Scouts, I want to know about every path, every hill, every cavein the area. They'll come useful for our upcoming maneuver."
"Yes, my Khan!" my scouts saluted before riding off with an excited chirp from their ostrich-horses.
"You six." I said- looking over to the Kyoshi Warriors in their green and black uniform. "Set up camp and make preparations for a mission later tonight. We're going to personally see to the downfall of this city."
Suki glanced among the five other Kyoshi Warriors- seemingly in a silent conversation before looking at me. Her deep blue eyes staring at me with an unknowable complex emotion as she quietly replied, "Yes, my Khan."
With those words, she and the Kyoshi Warriors wordlessly directed their ostrich-horses down the hill to pitch their tent. However...
..
..
[ Reputation check failed! ]
66/75 Reputation Required with {Suki & the Kyoshi Warriors}
Obedience save failed!
43/50 Obedience Required with {Suki & the Kyoshi Warriors}
..
..
My eyes narrowed as I watched the Kyoshi Warriors' retreating backs.
Now, that won't do at all. It did not specify what the consequences of failing that obedience check were; but nevertheless, the Kyoshi Warriors were too important in taking Omashu to just leave it be. My hand was forced: It would seem that Omashu will have to wait until I can secure the Kyoshi Warriors' loyalty.
I will need to... inspire some obedience in her and her sisters.
...
(Later that Night) [Kyoshi Warriors' Tent]
Outside their tent, Suki sat by the campfire with her sisters- all of them just staring anxiously at the dancing flames.
"I honestly don't know what to do..." She quietly admitted to her sisters-in-arms.
Khan was an overconfident fool- he had allowed his victories over small Earth Kingdom villages to get to his head, and it was such a shame. Because if it was just any other Earth Kingdom stronghold or town that they were assaulting, she and her sisters would have aided in it. Even killed innocents in his name... but assaulting Omashu? It seriously made her doubt that Khan was going to live long enough to see the end of the war and write that passage that would clear the name of the Kyoshi Warriors.
"Khan... he has some great ideas." Suki murmured- poking at the campfire, "He even knows how to make them a reality, and with the nudge in the right direction, he can make a positive difference in the world, but... I think his ego has gotten the better of him."
Her sisters' faces- illuminated by the orange glow of the campfire- nodded.
"I had doubts even before we saw Omashu ourselves, and now that we have..."
"It just seems impossible."
"We're seriously outnumbered, and that city... there's no way to attack it."
"If we try to attack that city, we're going to get massacred... or just fall to our deaths."
"... We're not going to clear the name of the Kyoshi Warriors this way."
"No, we're not..." Suki agreed with a heavy sigh. It didn't help that Khan had yet to brief them on the plan- keeping the 41st Division in a standoff with Omashu.
Oh, the 41st Division was well-coordinated, alright. Scouts in every direction to act as an early warning against any force wishing to attack the main force. Well-organised and familiar tent layout where everyone could figure out where the relevant tents like the mess, the quartermaster, the medical tents were in a snap. The troops practicing their usual training drills and maneuvers. All in all, Khan led his troops well, but... there was nothing that can actually help them capture a city whose garrison had them outnumbered.
"Doesn't matter how you slice it: This just seems to be a stupidly reckless move." She murmured- glancing down the hill they were on and to the myriad campfires of the 41st Division. "I may be a stupid islander who failed history class, but even I know that we need actual siege engines to take a city. We have none. Did Khan just forget to bring some along? Does he expect us to just charge down that narrow approach and drown Omashu with our blood? I really wanted to believe in him, but now, I think we have to consider actually-"
Suki's rebellious proposal to her sisters was cut off however as everyone around the campfire stiffened and quieted as a Fire Nation soldier climbed up their hill- her boots crunching against the soil in the silence. It was only when she neared that Suki recognised who she was: The Fire Nation sergeant who usually guarded Khan's abode.
"Khan is expecting you in his personal quarters now." She curtly said to them.
"We'll be right there." Suki replied. And with a sigh, she and her sisters stood up and followed the Fire Nation sergeant.
Meanwhile, Suki could feel heart beat nervously in her chest. Was it just her or were things just a bit tense right now? This actually reminded her of the first time she was led out of their cage where Khan was once again an unknown factor. Did Khan suspect that they might be having doubts? Was he thinking that they might actually break their Oath and run?
Those worrying questions stayed with her as they walked through the war camp.
It was just a short walk though, and Suki found themselves stepping inside Khan's metal shack- her sisters following behind her. The metal door clicked shut behind them, and Suki couldn't help but nervously fiddled with sleeves of her green kimono as she and her sisters entered to find him once again at his book-covered desk.
"Kyoshi Warriors." Khan's smooth voice greeted them. Still in his usual casual red robes and still preoccupied with an open book.
"K-Khan." Suki gulped back. Was it just her or was there a certain intensity in the giant's eyes tonight? The green almost sparkling like emeralds being held against the candlelight, and tonight, they were staring at her and her sisters with unusual interest. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought that he was undressing them with his eyes.
It was always like this. The possibility looming over her head that- at any moment he pleased- that man could just stand up at any time and launch her into another steamy night of amazing sex as he did what he pleased with her.
A shiver ran along her entire body at the thought, ghosting along her skin and terminating at her nipples and her crotch in a flighty tingle.
Suki had to remind herself that he wasn't interested in those sorts of things- not really. Always pragmatic, always surprisingly bookish, and always stinging at her womanly pride for overlooking her so easily. Even when he had been wantonly taking her body every night, it felt like she was just a passing interest on the way to more stimulating things. How many times had she wished that he'd take her seriously as a woman? Well, she had gotten her wish tonight, it seemed. His stare was so intense, and her body- which was already well-trained at this point- responded by heating up and growing wet.
Khan looked at them with a smouldering look in his green eyes.
Suki swallowed nervously. It was now or never. They should talk Khan out of assaulting Omashu. "Khan, please reconsider your a-"
"I want you." came the three words that she had always hoped for, but never actually heard from him. Suki immediately quieted down at that... maybe he'll be in a better mood to listen to their plea after taking out his sexual frustrations on her.