I hovered over the map for what felt like the 5th hour today, in reality, just waiting for Lu Ten to come through the tent flaps. And eventually he did, and I was forced to hide my relief, and act the General. "Did you send the messengers?" I asked, waiting for the "Yes" I knew I would get. He was the model soldier. Never failed a single assignment in his career. Until today, apparently.
"No, father."
"What?"
"We didn't send the messengers. The messengers came to us. Men from the 5th Corps, 15th armored."
"So they've arrived."
"Yes. And they're here to make sure we take out that listening post and get the siege together."
I sighed. Ever since we learned of the listening post having been taken, it was all Lu Ten would talk about. Now the smile on his face was obvious. He was about to get his wish and I would have no choice but to send him to do the job."
"Very well. Send him in."
And in he came, but not the messenger my son spoke of. My mind went to the description I had read in the messenger hawk's letter. Brown of hair and gray of eye, approximately 12 years of age. The alleged spy that Zar'un had spoken of, and he had come right to me. I prepared to call for security to apprehend the child, but then saw that my son wasn't giving me a spy. He wasn't handing me a leak. Did my son know? Did he realize what he had? Or was I wrong? Was it the faith in my son's eyes that discouraged me from taking that drastic step or was it the look in the child's light gray eyes that did it. I didn't know what it was, but something told me not to call for security and to listen to what he had to say.
"Thank you, Lu Ten." I said. "You may go."
"Yes father." He bowed and left.
Once my son left, the gray eyes boy seemed lost, mid-way between a salute and a bow, or was it a kneel? In time, he made up his mind, and kneeled. His guess was right. Somehow, he knew the formality of greeting Fire Nation royalty, despite some lack of confidence in his movements. Nonetheless, it wasn't something I expected of an Air Nomad spy.
"Rise." I said. "This is a military base, not a throne room."
He rose, nodding, still seemingly unsure of where he was or why. In some ways, I pitied him for the uncomfortable situation he found himself in. I couldn't let that pity grow, however. If this was the scout my son promised, he had information I needed to know, and if he was the spy Zar'un promised, he was a threat to the Fire Nation. Who did I trust more?
"I presume you're the scout sent by the 15th then?" I asked.
"Yes, sir, your grace."
I smiled, empathizing with hm more and more with each passing minute. He already reminded me of my son when he was his age. No. I can't let that get in the way.
"Report, then."
"Uh. Yeah. Okay. So. The 15th Corps is here. Well, not here here, but north of here. Northeast. A bit more north than where we're supposed to be."
"You're saying you aren't where you're supposed to be stationed?"
"Yes sir."
I sighed. Yeah. That was Zahckrael, all right. "How many of you are there?"
"5000. 1000 armored, 4000 infantry."
Not even half the size of what they should be at. They were grossly outnumbered.
"And why were you sent here?"
"The listening post between you and us is occupied by the enemy. We've already lost a good amount of men trying to retake it. They sent us north of here, between the city and the coast and through the mountains to get a message to you saying, well, we're here."
He got through the mountains?
"How many of you were sent?"
"Just one tank sir. We're all fine though we took some hits."
And just one tank.
"And what does Lieutenant General Zahckrael want then?"
"Well sir, he wants to get this siege going, but for that, we need to take that listening post."
"Your words or his?"
"Anyone with sense to realize if we don't organize our men, we're going to be here a lot longer, and a warning sign to the next army that comes to replace us."
I smiled, trying to prevent myself from laughing, but failed. Soon, I was laughing. This kid was older than he seemed, at least in terms of his mind. "Very well then, messenger. Your mission was a success. We'll take that listening post."
"That's great! When?"
"Tomorrow morning. Get your wounds patched up and get some rest. The real siege for Ba Sing Se begins tomorrow."
I didn't know how, but somewhere between him coming through that tent flap and him leaving, I'd made a decision to take a risk I never would have. Was Zar'un wrong? He had to be. That kid couldn't be a spy. And, well, if he was, he was darn good at hiding it. There was a mistake, obviously. There can't be only one child in this world with brown hair and gray eyes, right? This couldn't be who I thought he was. If he was, well, if he was, then I was a darned fool.