Being a royal bodyguard was supposed to be boring but prestigious work. It was why Qi Song tried so hard to secure the post in the first place. The posting at the palace demanded sharp discipline, prompt obedience, and a near-total discretion, but in exchange the pay was better than anything short of a noble's station, the respect earned undeservedly high, and it was as far from the front lines as anyone could get.
Until the royal princess decided to get involved with military matters, anyway. Now the hazards had increased from practically nonexistent to something to genuinely worry about, but the pay remained the same. Qi Song was not a coward, but he very much liked to stay alive long enough to meet his wife for the first time. It was sheer foul luck that his prearranged union had overlapped with his assignment to guard the princess.
At least the regiment she sponsored was competent. Qi Song would readily admit that the older soldiers scared him almost as much as the royal family did. It was something the royal bodyguards and the newer batch of soldiers initially bonded over.
The veterans of the so-called Defiant 11th were not really soldiers, someone had said, and the bodyguard accepted that truth. The colonel, his officers, the hardened soldiers…even some of the camp followers… Upon closer observation, one might come to realize that these men and women were not truly soldiers.
The young colonel especially was a monster of a firebender, but his inner circle were intimidating as well. Qi Song had witnessed the casualness these veterans had taken to slaughter, how they almost reveled in the bloody carnage they wrought. They were more akin to dark spirits, violent, bloodthirsty ones that were shackled by discipline and protocol. They fought as easily as they breathed, and killed with barely any consideration.
Scarier still was the fact that these sanctioned murderers were slowly converting their new comrades to be like them. Qi Song had seen how the first battle with the liquid fire and the casual dismemberment had acted like a sort of tantalizing appetizer to the inexperienced troops. The night battle had further drawn them in.
Pretty soon Colonel Xing would have his regiment the way he liked it, and Qi Song might have to find new friends for the sake of his sanity.
The only consolation Qi Song took from all this was the knowledge that as scary as these psychopaths were to him, the enemy on the receiving end would undoubtedly be scared shitless. After what was done to the poor fuck who was stupid enough to try a false surrender, he wouldn't be surprised if the boy commander had other creative means of expressing how death was not the worst thing that could happen to you.
At the same time, the regiment also seemed as capricious as the corrupted spirits. One moment they were incinerating Earth Kingdom soldiers, and the next they were helping the surrendered ones into specially built camps, offering the same quality of food and bedding that they themselves had. The badly wounded prisoners were treated at the same time as those of the 11th, and at the end of the day, the enlisted men were always let go with a day's ration.
The crazies of the 11th were a close-knit group that cared for those they deemed a part of their group, and that included the prisoners...and the princess and her bodyguards too. It took little time for their stiff salutes to fade into casual greetings, and Qi Song and his colleagues were given considerations like specially reserved side dishes or training tips.
After several weeks with them, Qi Song would gladly admit that these murderous dark spirits in human shells were far better peers than even the many colleagues back in the castle.
He wouldn't word it like that out loud, of course. The princess was already taken in to their lifestyle; the last thing Qi Song needed was to insult the people protecting him, and draw the ire of his charge for insulting her new friends.
He wanted to meet his wife, preferably in one piece.
The 11th Regiment encountered a few minor skirmishes with the Earth Kingdom in the following days, mostly reinforcements sent to bolster the already defeated army of Colonel Somsak. They were quickly resolved, and the princess didn't even need to be kept in camp in the last one.
At the same time, Colonel Xing had freed the enemy commander a few days after chasing off a second unfortunate band of earthbenders. Supposedly, Colonel Somsak and his fellow officers were to take a message back to Chenbao. Qi Song thought that it was more to spare the poor colonel from the vindictive needling by General Yama; That old man was acerbic in his verbal lashings, particularly to the earthbender prisoners he unofficially represented. It often took the intervention of the matronly Elder Kilin to shut him up for longer than an hour, or one of the officers of the 11th.
Sometimes it felt to Qi Song that the Earth Kingdom should pay the 11th Regiment for hosting that prickly commander.
Eventually, just over a month since their landing, Chenbao city came into view, its daunting walls wedged at the intersection of the mouth of a river and the coastline. Out at sea, Qi Song made out the familiar and rather comforting sight of Fire Nation warships, who were undoubtedly blockading the city's port.
There was also a large camp flying Fire Nation banners at a distance from the walled city, sitting comfortably along the same side of the river, as if sandwiching the city with the coast. It was from there that the regiment encountered their first friendly soldiers since their march north.
A unit of scouts rode in their ostrich horses towards the 11th's convoy, seeking audience with the princess to deliver greetings. "Princess Azula. General Meng is glad you brought your regiment so quickly."
Qi Song almost joined in as the eyebrows of the officers and even the princess rose at the welcoming message. Colonel Xing did not seem insulted by the lack of acknowledgement though, if anything he seemed…amused.
The regiment followed their guides towards the camp, staying clear of the city as they swerved towards a makeshift bridge to cross the river. The welcoming party was impressive; Qi Song could pick out the rank markings of one general, six colonels and a small horde of lesser officers. There was even an admiral there, with his retinue of sea boilers. They were all arrayed in neat lines and fell to one knee as Princess Azula approached.
The scarred general offered a passable salute, but at least had the decency to keep his head bowed. "Your highness. The Northern Army is grateful for your presence."
"I appreciate the welcome, General Meng." Princess Azula glanced around the camp, and then made a show of pausing in thought. "I see you have a sizable command under you."
"The Fire Lord has deemed the subjugation of Chenbao a priority." The general rose, and with him the rest of the other officers slowly followed suit. "This way, princess. I will have your troops sent to their allotted grounds."
Princess Azula did not move, and from the way she tensed in front of him, Qi Song could imagine her eyes narrowing into an unamused gaze. "I notice you've left out my colonel, general."
"What? Oh. My apologies. You can follow us too, colonel."
It was subtle, but Qi Song felt the 11th's dark disapproval suddenly simmering behind him. Colonel Xing didn't say anything, but the princess did.
"Do you have a problem with Colonel Xing, general?"
The man gave her a glance, before directing an apathetic gaze to the young colonel. "I meant no offense to you, princess. But I've been in this war longer than this…colonel here was born. Having a mere child put in a rank of command for the sake of propaganda is…foolish, to be frank."
There were some uncomfortable shifting from the officers around General Meng, but it spoke more of their nervous agreement to his sentiment. "Of course, I find it unnecessarily dangerous to have your highness attached to this stunt as well, being forced to come out here for the sake of appearances."
It was rather remarkable how the general sounded both dismissive and considerate at the same time.
"If I were back at the capital, I would have argued against whoever it is that thought this a worthwhile idea. Maybe some sort of hysteria had set upon the advisors to persuade your father to agree to such a plan. A broken regiment is better to be absorbed by commanders who could use their skill."
Colonel Xing had to slightly raise a hand to stop his captains and bodyguards from going for their blades at that point, a gesture that made General Meng smirk.
Princess Azula's head dipped a little, no doubt glaring at the general before her, because the officers around him not-too-subtly moved out of the way. "I chose to support the 11th Regiment and it's outstanding colonel because their accomplishments, and the accomplishments of Colonel Xing, were vouched for. The 11th have already seen through several Earth Kingdom armies on the way here. I can assure you that my father's confidence is not misplaced."
General Meng's features became condescending and almost pitiful as he shook his head. "Your highness is not versed in war. What you've faced were likely roving bandits or peasant mobs. Once we begin the siege, you will see what a proper Earth Kingdom army looks like."
The officers of the 11th did not like that at all. The princess liked it even less. One did not call Princess Azula a liar, whether she actually did so or not.
"I know the differences between conscripts and enlisted soldiers, general," she managed to say evenly.
General Meng's patronizing turned into mild annoyance, but he acceded. "As you say, your highness." He looked far less happy to be in the presence of royalty as he turned to lead the way. "This way, please."
Qi Song saw Colonel Xing just nod to his angered captains to send them off, and the boy followed after the princess alongwith Lieutenant Colonel Mozi, and Lieutenant Koshi's bodyguard unit. General Meng noted the entourage with a contemptuous gaze and kept silent, while some of the other commanders offered apologetic looks to the young colonel.
Probably in an attempt to save themselves in case the princess decided to be particularly displeased.
They reached a large command tent, far larger than what the 11th had, decorated with torch stands and simple stools. At the center of it was a large cloth map of Chenbao city.
General Meng's voice lost all its initial warmth as he gestured to said map. "As you can see, princess, we have the city locked down a few days since our arrival. They've walled up their port to prevent the fleet from bombarding it or conducting an amphibious landing."
"And how are you going to take the city?" she asked, still unhappy as she stared at the map.
The general puffed up a bit. "The warships will attempt to breach the port walls, and send out a landing force. At the same time, we will storm the walls on our end. Chenbao's defenders would be stretched thin covering both fronts to mount an effective defense."
An almost textbook Fire Nation swarm tactic, one that relied on the discipline and determination of the Fire Nation's soldiers to carry the day regardless of high casualties. It'd work against the airbenders a few generations ago, it worked against most Earth Kingdom cities.
Qi Song still felt an appalled shiver run up his spine. The admiral was barely biting back his displeasure as well, along with a few of the general's commanders.
Princess Azula frowned at the map for a bit more before giving the general a look. "Is there a reason you chose the most costly method to claim the walls, general?"
General Meng reeled back, but the princess returned her attention to the map, pointing at the coastline between the camp and the fleet. "Why not have the fleet bombard this point, to breach the walls and suppress Chenbao's defenders while the army marches in?"
"It wouldn't work," came his immediate, almost growling reply.
"And why's that?"
"The-"
"The general believes that such action would risk his men's lives from our warship's trebuchets," the admiral interrupted in a tone that clearly disagreed with that assessment.
"As opposed to storming the walls without aid?" the princess retorted.
"Wha-" General Meng stopped and forced himself to bow and salute to hide his glare. "Your highness," he began through gritted teeth, "I have been waging war for decades. I have taken cities before." He paused, and Qi Song somehow knew he was holding back the sentence 'please don't tell me how to do my job'.
Unfortunately for General Meng, Princess Azula didn't care for such thoughts. She glanced at the admiral. "What are your thoughts on the matter, admiral…?"
With a vindictive smile, the lord of the local fleet gave a deep bow and saluted. "Admiral Daeyang, your highness. I have faith in my ships' abilities to breach the walls, and also keep it open for the army to enter. Without a single stray shot hitting the men on the ground. We can stop the bombardment once the troops close in to assault the breach, or redirect our fire to keep the earthbenders on the walls from utilizing their high ground advantage."
"What are the expected losses like?" the princess pointedly asked the gathered officers.
One colonel dared to answer her despite his general's growing anger. "At the worst, your highness, it would be no more than those expected with a pincer attack. But…ah, assuming that Admiral Daeyang's fleet…um, avoids hitting our men, the expected losses are actually much lower."
Qi Song almost scrunched up his face. So why was the general stewing?
As if sensing his question, Colonel XIng gave a soft cough. "Perhaps, princess, General Meng is worried that his twentieth successful siege would be…marred by having the possibility of the navy being involved in a critical manner? Considering that an amphibious assault, however distracting, would likely be unsuccessful once the fighting began to move into the city's heart. Compared to having the navy marines fighting alongside the army."
Admiral Daeyang did not hide his disgusted nod. Now that the boy brought it up, Qi Song suddenly imagined the fleet's marines making it past the breach, only to be cut off from their ships and any form of help from new walls created in the bowels of the city. In such confines, naval bombardment then would likely risk obliterating the landing troops more than aiding them…
"Shut your mouth, boy!" A roar snapped the bodyguard from his imagination as General Meng rose up and surged towards Colonel Xing, arm raised and ready to strike. Only to stop as Lieutenant Koshi and his fellow bodyguards, and Lieutenant Colonel Mozi, drew their blades in warning. That in turn caused the general's own guards to draw their blades, and the tent immediately became thick with tension.
The general stared down the uninterested colonel. "Y-You… Insolent brat…"
"I suggest you compose yourself, general," Princess Azula was saying, but then the commander turned his furious gaze on her, causing her to step back in surprise.
"What do you know, girl!" he shouted, and Qi Song and his colleagues moved to intercept him. They were too late, however, as Colonel Xing quickly interposed himself between the general and the princess instead, simply raising a hand at the enraged man.
"Please, general. You are about to make a dreadful mistake." Despite the cold words, Qi Song had the distinct impression that young Xing did not care if the general calmed down.
This time the general's bodyguards did not react when Lieutenant Koshi quickly stepped in to grab General Meng's hand and stop him from lashing out. Not with the clear attempt at trying to assault the royal princess.
The general yanked his hand free with a furious snort, and then glanced around at the room. Only then did he regain some composure as the gravity of his tantrum set in, though he still clearly simmered with rage.
Colonel Xing spoke up again, this time to interrupt the angered princess. "But the matter stands that you had tried to assault the princess, nevermind the demeaning behavior you directed upon her highness and her regiment." The words were polite and formal, but Qi Song had marched with the 11th long enough to know that behind the Young Dragon's cold mask was a cruel violence just waiting to be unshackled.
"For that, I challenge you to Agni Kai, on Princess Azula's behalf," he finished, and then turned to the princess, whose anger quickly turned into a dark smirk as she nodded her agreement.
General Meng, the stupid fool, accepted gladly with a savage grin of his own.
Qi Song doubted there'd be anything left of him to bury.