"Some of our ships have sustained damage. Nothing severe, but enough to require repairs at a proper shipyard. We also need to transport the wounded and at least some of the prisoners. The problem is that I need all of my senior officers here. As for the middle ranks..."
I didn't even have to fake my displeasure. Whether it was the influence of my father or simply the fact that I had trained and begun my career in the Eastern Fleet, the Western Fleet captains struck me as less than exemplary officers, to put it mildly.
"...none of them possess the authority, experience, or my trust necessary to get a squadron safely as far as Yu Dao, let alone all the way back to its home port."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Zuko frowned.
"You are a prince of the Fire Nation. Your rank and status are sufficient to maintain discipline and prevent conflicts within the chain of command."
"I'm only an exile." Hm. Did he derive some sort of masochistic pleasure from reopening that wound? "Why would you entrust a flotilla to me?"
"You are a member of the royal family. Your relationship with your father is your relationship with your father, and it doesn't concern me. Besides, Prince, you are an impartial party in this matter. You would focus on leading the flotilla rather than arguing with the other captains over who possesses greater valor and why they've been 'banished' to ferry 'cripples and Water Tribe bastards' while everyone else is either 'receiving honors' in the capital or 'dividing the spoils' here.
"And General Iroh will always be able to assist you with advice or practical matters. As I understand it, you intend to continue accompanying your nephew?"
"Yes, Chan," the old firebender grumbled, shifting more comfortably in his chair and slipping into a less formal tone. "You're doing quite well without me, and the climate of the North Pole is hardly ideal for a man of my age. Besides, we're obviously not leaving immediately—likely not even this week. Which means I can still help with urgent matters, assuming you're willing to accept that help."
"More than a week?!" the young man exclaimed. "There's no way to speed things up?! I can't afford to waste that much time!"
"No, Zuko," the Fire Lord's brother shook his head. "The voyage will be a long one—a month at minimum. The ships have just come out of battle and must be inspected and patched up before we can be confident they'll withstand the journey. We also need to select guards for the prisoners.
"And that's before we even get to the problems of food, medicine, and equipment. Our forces here require provisions, because we can neither fish nor hunt without first gaining a proper understanding of the surrounding area. More importantly, we cannot allow the locals to fish or hunt either, which means we must feed them as well. Consequently, we won't be able to take many provisions with us."
"And sending our wounded out to sea with only a small guard force and no reserves of food, medicine, or means of defense in case of unforeseen circumstances isn't an option either," I continued the general's line of thought.
"Calculating the necessary supplies, unloading the ships, and preparing them for departure will take time. And the difference between preparing an entire squadron and preparing a single ship isn't all that great. You would have had to wait regardless, even if I violated every order imaginable and simply 'given' you a ship."
"Very well." The prince sighed. "I understand, and I thank you for your help, Herald. I won't forget it." Zuko offered a formal bow.
Hm. Even if it was merely common courtesy, the sight of a prince—even an exiled one—bowing before me was pleasantly flattering. Mmm... I really ought to get rid of that bad habit. If only I knew how.
"It's nothing, Prince. Helping you costs me very little. The ships would have had to be sent back anyway, and your command of the group will make my life considerably easier."
Well, if I were being completely honest, not that much easier. I could just as easily have given one of my own captains the necessary authority and sent him instead. It was unlikely any of the Western Fleet officers would dare protest a direct order from the man whose threats had made even the Ocean Spirit back down.
But by using the prince, first, I kept that captain here. And second, transporting a flotilla wouldn't be the end of it. There would be other offers—ones Zuko would find difficult to refuse... and each of them would slowly place him on a sort of leash woven from gratitude, attachment, shared interests, and joint endeavors.
What would come of it, only time would tell.
"For now, however, I would like to invite you to assist with several tasks. It will help pass the time and may even free up manpower, helping get the ships ready sooner."
"Mm-hm, and what might that be?" Iroh sipped his tea. Judging by the subtle nods he had given during my conversation with the prince, he either approved of my proposal and reasoning or, at the very least, had no objections to it.
After all, formally speaking, I had declined to collect on Zuko's "debt." Granted, it was no secret to the general that I had done so because I expected something more valuable later. Still, I was offering quite a bit in return rather than simply trying to exploit the prince.
(End of Chapter)
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