The Fire Nation Prince

Chapter 80: Short Tales - The Weight of Loyalty

The ship's metal corridors echoed with the heavy footsteps of exhausted men as Jee and his soldiers returned from the village. The air smelled of salt and smoke, the scent clinging to their armor like a second skin. Jee dismissed the others with a curt nod, his voice rough from hours of shouting orders.

"Rest. We sail at dawn."

Then, to Lee: "Join me in five minutes."

Jee's quarters were sparse, a narrow bunk, a rusted washbasin, a desk bolted to the floor. The moment the door hissed shut behind him, his legs gave out.

He collapsed to his knees, the cold metal biting through his pants. His breath came in ragged gasps, his fingers trembling where they pressed against the floor.

The words echoed in his skull, relentless.

"For your loyalty, I will make you a legend."

Prince Zuko had said that to him over a month ago, back when they were still chasing the Avatar, back when the prince had been a banished fool in the eyes of the crew.

Now?

Now Jee was a Lieutenant Commander. Now he would take a Kyoshi Warrior as his wife. Now he stood at the precipice of something greater than he'd ever dreamed.

And yet…

Was he worthy?

He clenched his fists. "Get it together," he muttered to himself. "You earned this."

But the doubt gnawed at him. He was just a man in his twenties, handed power and trust he'd never expected. What if he failed? What if the prince's faith had been misplaced?

A knock.

"Commander. It is I, Lee."

Jee forced himself to stand, his muscles protesting. He wiped his face, straightened his tunic, and opened the door.

Lee stood at attention, his posture flawless, his face unreadable.

"Come in," Jee said, stepping aside.

Lee shut the door behind him. "You and the girl discovered the instructions, correct?" Jee asked, leaning against the desk.

"Yes," Lee said. "Though she tried to hide it."

Jee exhaled through his nose. "There's a leak. Either among our men or back in the capital."

Lee's eyes sharpened. "The evidence would suggest as much. Given the clandestine nature of our deployment, knowledge of Kyoshi Island's significance should have been restricted to Prince Zuko's inner circle. The fact that General Fong was aware of our movements implies a breach in operational security."

Jee nodded. "Whoever leaked it isn't just an enemy of the Fire Nation. More importantly they're an enemy of the prince."

Lee adjusted his collar. "I recommend we inform His Highness immediately. A full report of today's events, including the Earth Kingdom's involvement, should be dispatched via messenger hawk at once."

Jee smirked. "Always thinking ahead, Ensign."

Lee continued, undeterred. "Additionally, we should consider the possibility of counterintelligence measures. If the leak originates within our ranks, a targeted investigation may be necessary to, "

"Enough," Jee cut him off. "Just write the damn report."

Lee snapped his mouth shut.

Jee rubbed his temples. "One more thing. That troublesome Kyoshi girl, Hinaro. You should pick her."

Lee blinked. "Excuse me?"

"She's a liability. If she's not tied to us, she'll start a rebellion. This way, we keep an eye on her."

Lee's nose wrinkled. "With all due respect, Commander, I was hoping for a bride slightly less… homicidal."

Jee snorted. "Tell the prince that in your report. Say we're making her 'volunteer' for the good of the mission."

Lee sighed. "...Very well."

Lee turned to leave, then paused. "Commander."

"What?"

"You did well today."

Jee stared at him. Lee never gave compliments.

"Don't get sentimental," Jee grunted.

Lee almost smiled. "Never."

Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Jee sank onto his bunk, staring at the ceiling.

Somewhere, a messenger hawk would soon take flight, carrying word to a prince who trusted him.

And Jee would not let that trust be broken.

[A/N: So here we finally are, the conclusion of the filler arc. The next chapter begins the official second volume. I appreciate the patients for the past while I finished up on the next volume.]