A Spiritual Request

In the Throne Room, preparations were being made.

A table had been erected at the foot of the staircase leading up to the Earth Throne, and a pair of large chairs had been erected at opposite ends of it. In the middle sat a magnificent teapot, gilded and shimmering with precious stones. A cup sat in front of each chair, made in a similar yet less grandiose style as the teapot.

This was no mere meeting of state. Rulers came and went, often sooner than they would like or expect, but one thing was eternal through all of the turmoil and struggle in the world - the Avatar. The current incarnation of the immortal spirit was Wren Xue, a man who had been born and raised in the Earth Kingdom capital. He had travelled the world, as all Avatars must, but he had come back home to make his residence.

Lu Meleng had never met the Avatar before, nor did he believe that he had ever even seen him. He was well known in Ba Sing Se, but Lu Meleng was not want to frequent the same social circles as the younger Avatar - in fact, he didn’t frequent any social circles at all.

But now the Avatar had requested an appointment with him, and of course, his secretary had accepted as soon as it had come in. As the newest of the World Leaders, it made sense for him to meet with the person who was in charge of maintaining order and balance across all of the nations. Unfortunately for him, he had no family history of meetings with the Avatar to lean back on - as the first of his new dynasty, it was up to him to set the standards and relationship that he would have with the Avatar.

The Earth King sat in the chair nearest to the throne and steepled his fingers in front of him. The Avatar would be here soon, and he would be waiting ready for him and whatever he had come to talk about.

A lone figure marched steadily towards the Earth Kingdom Palace.  Fine robes suitable for being in the presence of Royalty.  Neatly groomed hair and a clean face.  Wren Xue, The Avatar, was on a mission today that involved the New Earth King.  It would be Wren's first meeting with the General turned King.  He crossed his fingers hoping the meeting would go well.  He may be the Avatar, but he was also a citizen of the Earth kingdom and as such did not want to anger his leader.  He had been taught quite a bit on Diplomacy, so Wren figured he would be fine.

He Marched closer, a guard hailed him.  He looked up. "I am Wren Xue, the Avatar, I have a meeting with the King today."  The Guard looked him up and down.  "So it would seem, please proceed."

Wren eventually entered the throne room where the Earth King was waiting and prepared.  A table set up with a teapot and chairs.  Wren approached until he was in earshot and gave a respectful bow.  "Greetings Earth King Meleng, I am Wren Xue, The Avatar.  I appreciate you allowing me to meet you so quickly."  Wren awaited a response.

As the large doors at the end of the Throne Room swung slowly inwards, Lu Meleng rose to his full towering height. He waited patiently as the Avatar walked the length of the room and offered a respectful bow to the new King. Lu Meleng bowed his head in return, motioning to the other seat with his arm.

”Avatar Wren Xue, it is nice to finally meet you. Please, take a seat.”

He sat down himself and as if summoned by an invisible rope, a servant appeared holding a kettle of boiling water. Lu Meleng lifted the lid from the teapot and the servant filled it with hot water before the King replaced the lid. The smell of jasmine tea seeped out from the spout, a small funnel of steam protruding from the enamelled neck.

The King’s eyes stayed on the teapot for several seconds before he looked up at the Avatar, no hint of a smile on his face. ”Now tell me, Avatar - why have you come? Unless, of course, you have already figured out my secret.” A smile came to his face, but there was little mirth in it and it did not quite reach his eyes. ”I’ve been hoarding the greatest tea-maker in Ba Sing Se - they say his particular style has been passed down master to apprentice and claims to be able to trace his learning back to Iroh himself, the famed Dragon of the West. Soon, we will see if that is true - no doubt you will remember the taste from when you were Avatar Aang?”

The New Earth King was a Large man, very tall. He definitely had the look of a General. Wren joined him at the table sitting up straight and in a professional manner. The Avatar took in every detail of the King as he spoke, from the smile that was half genuine, or just how the man smiled, to the immediate seizure of the conversation and the interesting turn.

"I see you know your history. I didn't come for tea, but I'm happy to oblige. It is quite an interesting idea. While Wren waited for the tea he spoke on. "Their are a few things I wish to discuss today, just a few ongoing conversations with the previous king. One of the biggest of which is the matter of appeasing spirits, which have become increasingly restless as city borders come closer and closer to their territory which threatens their habitat. I was in talks with the previous King to figure out a solution for both the growth of the Earth Kingdom in addition to keeping the spirits from wiping away that progress. Wren paused to watch the Earth kings reaction. A perceptive eye could see The Avatar keeping his composure completely, but also see that he was a bit tense.

Wren was ready for that tea, he was actually curious if any memory or recognition would come to him.

This time, only one side of Lu Meleng’s mouth curled upwards into a smile - but it was more genuine than the one he had worn moments before. ”Nobody comes to Ba Sing Se for the tea - but strangely it is one of the things that makes people stay. But yes, enough about tea.”

He sat back in his chair, arms resting on the armrests at either side of him. The vambraces on his forearms clunked heavily against them as he locked eyes with the Avatar. ”Appeasing the spirits is, of course, important,” he said, eyes turning thoughtful. ”And of course we must all act as one World in our joint aim to broker peace between the two realms. The Earth Kingdom will, of course, see to it that these spirits are given the due respect that they deserve. There is, however, a few problems with that.”

He cut off there, pausing for a moment before raising one finger from his hand still resting on the armrest. The teapot in between them rose slowly into the air, tilting and pouring the hot jasmine tea into the Avatar’s cup. It floated backwards a moment later, delivering the same liquid into the King’s own. As the teapot slowly dropped back onto the table, Lu Meleng reached forward and took his cup from the table. He took one long swallow before replacing it.

”It is… Difficult,” he said, pausing deliberately between his words. ”For the Earth Kingdom to deliver the aid necessary to the spirits with such conflict still across our lands. The previous King has left the realm in a sorry state, and it is left to me to bring unity once more. I will establish order where there is disarray, and bring peace where there is current animosity. But, now that I think about it,” he said, eyes widening as if coming to a sudden realisation. ”Perhaps the Avatar could be of assistance? After all, is it not the duty of the Avatar to bring balance to the world through peace? Maybe we could, together, form a united front against those that seek to bring chaos and disarray to our great Kingdom. Let the Earth Kingdom be a shining beacon to the world, of peaceful co-existence between man and spirit, as well as man and their fellow man.”

Wren nodded to the first pieces of the King's speech, importance of the spirits and peace between the two realms was something that was part of his duties.  The king's tone shifted a little as he stated ”There is, however, a few problems with that.”  A long pause came from the King as he poured their tea and took a swallow of his.  Wren kept his eyes on the king except for when he himself took a big sip then he immediately re-locked his gaze with the Kings.  He slipped in a comment feeling a slight smile come across his face. "It does taste pretty good!"

As the king explained Wren kept his gaze steady and his facial expressions in check.  He didn't know what it was about this man, his facial expression feigned surprise, but his verbiage betrayed a plan.  Wren couldn't explain it and he had no solid proof at all, but he felt as though he were being manipulated.  Wren smiled and nodded when The king finished his proposal.  It was almost in a way expected, but something about the delivery made The Avatar wary.  

Wren spoke up being very careful with his words, he didn't know why but the situation was tense.  "I see... indeed it does seem more efficient to tackle both problems at once.  It seems I have my work cut out for me."  Wren shifted thoughtfully, at the very least this King was willing to work with him.  "So... Where do you think we... he emphasized the word carefully, gently.  should start?  You do seem to have your goals arranged. Wren did seriously mean the compliment, he hoped it didn't come off snide.  

It was Wren's turn for a smirk. "Indeed, sometimes it is hard to know exactly where I am needed, but someone with your resources could point me in the right direction."  Wren had to be careful, the subtext was heating up.  He didn't like this type of conversation very much, but he did find it necessary in some diplomacy.  Perhaps the Earth King would react well to it.

The Earth King’s finger tapped slowly on his armrest as the Avatar spoke. His positive response was expected, but it pleased Lu Meleng nonetheless. He nodded slowly at his words, putting on a thoughtful face. ”There are, primarily, two areas that I believe you can help. One is a simple matter of internal disputes, but the other is potentially more… problematic. As you know, the Earth Kingdom has always been a place that has strove for equality in its laws and decrees. Even here in Ba Sing Se, a man in the Upper Ring would face the same punishments for law breaking as one from the Lower Ring. Across the Earth Kingdom our people rely on this structure and rigidity to go about their daily lives - people in the outlying villages can depend on the strong hand of Ba Sing Se to uphold their freedoms, while business owners can rely on our deft touch when it comes to their business dealings. But, alas, there is one place in the Earth Kingdom that strives against our ideals, and I believe that you are in a perfect position to ease relations.”


He shifted slightly in his seat, but didn’t take his eyes from the Avatar. ”For too long now, the tribes of the Si Wong Desert have pushed the boundaries of autonomy to near breaking point. My predecessors have been willing to let them continue with their campaign of harming the Earth Kingdom, but I am not. Freedom of passage is a cornerstone of this Kingdom, and I will not allow the sandbender tribes to take that from my people. Omashu, Kyoshi Island, Gaoling, all of these places are cut off from Ba Sing Se by the raiding parties of those that claim to be fighting for independence. Together, we need to bring them in line - I plan to appoint, in time, a ruler of the Desert, a custodian of the tribes. The regency of Omashu had always proved prosperous, so why should the Desert prove different? They will retain their historic identities, but will conform to the laws and edicts of the Earth Kingdom, the same as any other citizen.”

He let out a deep breath, reaching for his cup once more and taking a drink. He had to choose his next words carefully. ”As you are no doubt aware, the western tip of our land was, many years ago, taken from us during the Hundred Year War. My ancestors, who were born and raised in Yu Dao, were forced from their homes and fled in terror to escape the clutches of the Fire Nation. Although they now call it the Kumamoto Province, these lands are still a part of the Earth Kingdom - and, by rights, they still owe allegiance to the Earth Throne. Now, before you start to panic,” he said, raising a hand with a wry smile on his face. ”I am not suggesting that we march on those lands that were stolen from us to claim them for ourselves. War is not the aim here - the aim is for the Earth Kingdom to be able to rebuild the culture that was lost years ago, to re-center ourselves with the ideals that our forefathers instilled in us. Only then, I believe, will we be able to truly become one with the spirits that haunt our lands. The Emperor, I am sure, will not simply give us back what is rightfully ours however - and, for now, I am willing to concede full ownership of the Province in favour of a graduated approach. Yu Dao, now known as Kumamoto, must be delivered back into Earth Kingdom hands. All of the citizens there will be given a choice - compensation for their property and belongings, or to swear fealty to the Earth King. Those that stay will still be considered Fire Nation citizens, and will pay their dues directly to the Emperor. Their children, however, will be full-fledged Earth Kingdom citizens beholden to none but the Throne of Ba Sing Se.”

He took another drink from his cup, draining the tea from it. ”In return, we will build a great structure at the point closest to the Fire Nation islands - a great embassy for the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom to work together, to forge an alliance and to establish order and peace across the world. The other nations will, of course, also be welcome to join the enclave and take part in the work that will establish our relationship with the spirits - it is my hope that you will lead that work, Avatar. You are the bridge that connects us, and it is time that we work as one to further that aim.”

Avatar Wren Xue listened intently, his eyes locked with the Generals.  He was searching, for any crack in the facade or any speck of evidence in the Generals body language.  He was stone cold, there was nothing along the lines of what Wren was looking for.  He waited patiently for him to finish his speech.  Again, nothing direct was off, but the Avatar was suspicious.  

Wren leaned back thoughtfully stroking his chin a bit.  "The Si Wong I can certainly make an attempt at peace with.  It may require you to compromise, in what way I do not know, but I get the feeling they won't surrender independence easily, might be easier to ask them for permenant passage if that's what you're really interested in.  I certainly can give it shot and I have some optimism that it may work if I can coordinate with both sides.  

Wren sat back up straight the King certainly had some interesting ideas.  "As far as the Kumamoto Province goes, that sounds like a more difficult matter of diplomacy, in which I can certainly act as a neutral party, such as a mediator between diplomats. However, that matter will be very complicated, the nobles of the Empire are not easily persuaded in some cases.  I will help how I can, but I'm not certain that it will make much of difference."

Wren sighed and relaxed a little bit.  Speaking as honestly as I can, I'm looking for efficient solutions that don't require both sides to give too much ground when it comes to the spirits, and also the rest of these matters.  I will make a visit to the Si Wong Desert and then I will visit Omashu and a few cities in the Kumamoto Province, and I will tell you what I've learned once I return.  Hopefully I will find enough information to stabilize the kingdom to your liking.  Either way, I hope you'll be amiable to listening to whatever solutions I propose involving these matters and the matters of spirits.  

The Avatar leaned forward ready to listen to what the king said next, or stand up and leave, depending on whether or not the King had more to say.

The response from the Avatar came, and Lu Meleng’s face slowly turned to a frown. Internally he rumbled for confrontation, but he knew that this was not the time nor the place to challenge the Avatar head on - no matter what the reason for it was.

”Independence? The sandbenders are nothing but rebels fighting without just cause. They seek to destabilise the Kingdom, and I will not stand for it - I will not seek permanent passage through lands that are rightfully mine, nor will I concede any unnecessary ground to these people. My offer is more than generous - they will come back into the fold of the Earth Kingdom or they will see that my kindness has its limits. The desert may be large, but that doesn’t grant them any sovereignty that they have not earned. Only by accepting my offer will they have a real opportunity to shape the Earth Kingdom in a way that benefits them, while contributing to society in a peaceful and productive way,” Lu Meleng said before he could stop himself, and then paused for a deep breath.

”If the Empire is unwilling to listen to reason, then further steps will of course have to be taken,” the Earth King said, his voice flat and calm. ”My people will no longer let the other nations walk over us - and if nobody is willing to allow us our due, then we will do what we must in order to stabilise this world. We will show what the Earth Kingdom is capable of, and all of our citizens must play their part - even you, Avatar.”

It wasn’t a threat - not quite. His eyes bored into the Avatar’s, but they were not filled with burning emotion, no hatred or fury. Only stone cold determination radiated from him - and, like the rocks that he bent, he would not be easily swayed.

”But, yes - efficiency is of the utmost importance. I will of course be carrying out my own diplomatic enquiries - I am hopeful that they lead us in the same direction. After all, the last thing we want is more discord when the spirits are already displeased. I wish you a speedy journey, Avatar - and, for your journey…”

He reached forwards and lifted a small box from the foot of his chair. It was wrapped in a deep green paper and emblazoned with the Royal Seal of Ba Sing Se. ”A gift - a blend of tea that my Tea Maker prepared especially for the Avatar. He tells me that it imbues the drinker with a balance unlike any other, and leads them down a path to enlightenment. Which means, of course, that it is Jasmine tea just like all the rest - I hope it is to your taste.”

He handed it forwards with long arms to Wren Xue, the light glinting off the armour that covered his body. The dragon on his shoulder guard seemed to flash menacingly, the light dancing off a pair of flawless rubies set into the eyes. It was a parting gift, and the Avatar was dismissed from the King’s presence - not that he could say it directly, of course. It was always shrewd to be diplomatic when meeting with somebody such as the Avatar, as rank and decorum often took a backseat when he was involved.

The king had plenty of determination and then some, but Wren had some of that in him too. He was listening intently to the king. He listened to the king's rhetoric as he claimed that the Earth kingdom was done being stepped on. He raised an eyebrow at the implications of his speech. If he knew the king a little better, perhaps he would of even been inspired.

"I see..." Wren once again stroked his chin thoughtfully the words lingering with a note of slight disappointment. "I promise you, I am just as interested as you in stabilizing the Earth Kingdom. I can only say that I will do what I can, no promises. Rest assured that what I can do is..." he paused a slight smile on his face. "...more than the average person."

The king went on to conclude and offer Wren tea. An amused expression crossed his face at the king's mundane attitude on the tea. Wren knew when a diplomatic conversation was over. He gave a slight nod of his head, accepted the tea, turned, and walked with poise out of the palace.

He sighed once he was out of view, he had a bad feeling about this. He trudged on and began making preparations for his journey.