"So, the great Dragon of the West, we meet at last." King Bumi grinned as he stared down at Prince Iroh who stood beside Aang. "You know, don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look too…princely to me."
The prince merely smiled, as if it was a compliment. "I'm afraid my time away from courtly stages has worn away my old trappings."
"Hm." Bumi looked to his friend, who seemed a bit off-center. "So what brings you here with him, Aang?"
"King Bumi," the boy said in a passable formal tone, which rang the playtime bells in the king's head. "I don't know if you've heard of the recent happenings in the west, but-"
"I've heard." He rose up in his seat and cackled a bit. "A family squabble made the Fire Nation collapse on itself. The Fire Lord's daughter is plotting with his brother and her fiance to turn on him, or the Fire Lord was caught trying to take them out before they outshined him. Pretty awesome stuff."
"Er…yes. Well, I'm here to help mediate between Omashu and Ba Sing Se."
"So, the Scorpion's really claimed the place for himself, eh?"
Aang glanced at Iroh, who then gave a reassuring nod for him to continue. "Um, yeah. Through Ir- Prince Iroh, Xing- Prince Xing wishes to discuss the possibility of peace between his land and yours."
Huh. The kid's a year ahead of schedule, but still… Bumi put on a deep frown and stroked at his chin for a moment, making a suitably showy hum before answering. "Peace between the Scorpion who deposed the Earth King, eh?"
Prince Iroh's hands opened palms up as a gesture to open talks. "Prince Xing understands that there is bad blood between him and you, but he hopes that a compromise can be achieved."
Hm… "Tell me first, Avatar Aang, Prince Iroh… Why should I bother treating with you? My advisors are asking me to just start marching north to reclaim the continent."
"The chao-"
"Because Prince Xing wishes a swift end to the conflicts," Iroh interrupted Aang with a surprisingly steely expression and voice. "Not just for the one he will face with the Fire Lord, but with this century-long war. And he wishes for a resolution that caters to the new, regrettable balance of the world."
Bumi almost grinned as he noticed how much Iroh didn't like saying that last sentence.
"Which is why I am here seeking an audience with you, and not the former King Kuei."
Boy did that get a reaction from Omashu's royal court. Bumi saw how frowns of suspicion slowly turned into those of wary approval. After all, while Kuei was busy being turned into a headpiece again by his 'vassals' up in the northeast, Omashu had been solidly leading a coalition that kept the south stable and peaceful.
"So, the stories about the Dai Li," Bumi said slowly and clearly, to make sure everyone heard this. "Kidnapping and…turning their own people into empty-headed slaves. Are they true?"
Aang looked a little sick as he nodded. "I was there at Lake Laogai, it is true. The Dai Li operated without King Kuei's knowledge."
This time, Bumi did grin as the murmurs rose up around him. Such incompetence wouldn't earn the young exiled monarch any new fans.
"And as we left, the city has still not risen in revolt against Prince Xing's rule," Iroh chipped in again. "Quite the opposite, despite the recent attempts on our lives, the citizens are overall more tolerant of his rule."
"For now," Bumi added, mostly to keep up his role, though he knew that the reputation on Ba Sing Se's old rules had been irrevocably scarred in his court's minds.
It was interesting how Aang was reluctantly nodding to confirm the prince's claim. As useful as that gesture was, the old king still felt sorry for his friend being unwittingly used as a pawn in this grand and crazy scheme.
Xing was right, the Avatar needed an education beyond just mastering the elements if he's going to deal with the world's many issues.
"Regardless, Prince Xing's mandate to rule the city is arguably stronger than the ousted King Kuei. For the time being, at least."
Bumi slowly stood up, and put on a fierce scowl, one that he rarely used anymore. "So you're expecting me to accept a Fire Nation Scorpion ruling over the Earth Kingdom's capital?"
As if they were reading off the same script, Prince Iroh bowed deeply as he spoke with slow gravitas. "Please understand that for the time being at least, we require a home to survive our coming civil war."
"Hm." Bumi was almost exaggerating with his slow nod. "If what you say is true, you've got one heck of a treacherous brother, Prince Iroh. And loathe as I am to say it, at least the boy Xing has been more…reliable, for how much of a Scorpion he is." He threw Aang enough of a frown for a wary king, he hoped. "And since you've got the Avatar speaking for you, I guess I'll allow you to continue wasting my time. Prepare a room for my friend, the Avatar. Oh, and for Prince Iroh too."
Bumi made it look like he was about to dismiss his court, but then froze at the last minute for a not-so offhand comment. "Oh, by the way. Do you play Pai Sho, Prince Iroh?"
*****
Being involved in actual diplomacy made Aang realize just how out of place and depth he was. The words Bumi and Iroh spoke to each other said one thing, but the airbender couldn't help think that there was at least one other layer of meaning behind the words.
The king and the prince wore polite smiles as they conversed and negotiated, but their eyes were sharp, and there were flashes of smirks and frowns exchanged every now and then. They talked over meals, over games of Pai Sho, and even while Bumi observed Iroh training Aang in firebending, there was a constant dialogue.
To Aang, it was as if his eccentric old friend and the genial old prince he was getting to appreciate had transformed into different people. They were behaving like kings and princes.
That realization was an annoying sting to Aang. It meant that Xing was right in suggesting he take lessons in politics. He was already missing out on a lot right now, and he'd been briefed by Iroh and Xing on what was being secured for Ba Sing Se.
What kind of Avatar would he be if he remained oblivious to the undercurrents of diplomatic exchanges? He'd be terribly vulnerable to being tricked into supporting the wrong cause…
Was he being tricked into supporting the wrong cause now?
No. Aang almost hated that he was confident in that answer. Xing had taken Ba Sing Se, but after what was uncovered and the changes he had in store for the city, it was undeniably for the best, at least for the near future. King Kuei's own surly uncle, Yama, had been adamant that the city state didn't need his nephew's return.
"This city don't need a useless king. My clueless nephew might have inherited the throne, but he definitely does not deserve keeping it, after all the shit that went on right under his nose."
"You don't care that the Fire Nation's taking over your home?"
"Pfft. The brat might represent the Fire Nation, but trust me, Xing's anything but Fire Nation… Too smart, too competent, too dangerous. Oh, don't tell him I said all that though. He doesn't need more praise getting into his head."
That sentiment was, Aang found out with some asking around, shared by the people who were once prisoners of Xing's regiment. From what he learned from Iroh, they must've been through a lot to have the soldiers and prisoners trust each other so much.
So, unless things changed for the worse, Xing will still be in charge of Ba Sing Se, and he'd have Aang's reluctant support. After all that he's done for the city, he deserved at least a chance at proving himself.
Now if only Xing could stop being so easy to dislike, or make an effort to be at least a bit more approachable as a person.
Aang ran through those thoughts and more as he stood at the edges of Bumi's and Iroh's negotiations, after mostly giving up on trying to chip in. They were debating over historical borders, generational rights, and other such things that Aang understood was highly significant but couldn't really grasp just yet.
"So if we are to return things to what they were, Omashu should also give up its eastern grasslands to its neighbor. As I recall, it used to belong to Nushang before they got pushed out by force."
"Hey now, that's a different story-"
"Is it? If I remember my lessons right, the king of Omashu at the time marched his army to claim the precious grasslands to give the city more farmlands. It's been a while longer than the colonies, but the Nushang has been asking for their old land back for a while before giving up…because Omashu simply ignored them, claiming that it had a generation at least born and raised there, and called it their home."
"Hmph. I see that your family shares a common trait in being annoying."
"You flatter me, King Bumi. I'm sure you're just as acquainted with royal insight as I am."
It was mildly exasperating for Aang to keep up with their topics, especially when they devolved into trading gentle insults like they were in a play. But what really threw the boy off was when Bumi and Iroh talked over Pai Sho. It seemed like they were making their moves on the board in time with their words, like there was some sort of code to it that Aang was not privy to. They smirked a lot too, while they played.
It was weird.
Like there was something obvious and glaring that Aang was not getting.
In the end though, the meeting did its job, and Aang felt uncomfortable as he stood between Bumi and Iroh in the former's throne room. He had to remind himself to speak loud and clear, and maybe use his airbending to carry his voice throughout the hall.
"I, Avatar Aang, hereby witness the agreement made between Omashu under King Bumi, and Ba Sing Se under Prince Iroh, on behalf of Prince Xing."
The whole formality was not as intimidating as he first thought, but Aang still did not look forward to doing more of this.
"Omashu recognizes Prince Xing as the current sovereign ruler of Ba Sing Se. Ba Sing Se recognizes King Bumi as not only the king of Omashu and the leader of the Coalition of Southern Earth Kingdoms, but also the most suitable representative of the Earth Kingdom as a whole for the time being."
Aang at least understood the implications of that last part. For some reason, Xing was championing Bumi to become the new head of the Earth Kingdom. It was understandable, after what went on in Ba Sing Se, but outright shunning King Kuei like this felt rude.
"Ba Sing Se will not continue the Fire Nation's policy of expansion. Ba Sing Se also confirms that it does not hold any claims to any holdings in the Earth Kingdom, beyond the colonies that have pledged their allegiance to Princess Azula. That contention will be discussed at a later date. Omashu will not take any action to directly or indirectly support the recapture of the Fire Nation colonies until that contention is resolved. Both states have agreed upon a non-aggression treaty-"
And boy did that treaty cover a lot of scenarios; both Iroh and Bumi extensively briefed Aang about what it did and did not cover. There were a number of slimy ways for states to get into 'non-aggressive' conflict that still could see lives lost and homes burnt down.
"-and the exchange of trade delegations. Omashu will not interfere with the developing internal Fire Nation situation, and has no obligation to aid Ba Sing Se."
Aang signed his name on the thick official paper containing the entirety of the agreement, and watched both Bumi and Iroh take turns stamping their seals below his name. Only after that, and when they shook hands did he exhale loudly with relief that his part was done with. For some annoying reason, the old men were smiling too calmly at each other.
"Just so we're clear, from king to prince, we're not allies, understood?"
Iroh nodded slowly. "Of course, King Bumi."
"Good." Bumi then turned to his court. "Righto, boys and gals. I want copies of that whole agreement. Get word out to the rest of the Coalition to make sure they're updated. Now, as agreed, Omashu will be sitting back to enjoy the Fire Nation burning itself from the inside out. On an unrelated note, I am taking a much needed but short break from the throne, and will be handing over my duties to my stewards and advisors for a bit."
The grin that grew on Bumi's face sent a shiver of dread up Aang's spine. "And on another unrelated note - completely unrelated, I assure you - I suddenly remember that Ba Sing Se is looking for any help to join them in fighting off the Fire Lord. Is that right, Prince Iroh?"
Of course Iroh nodded, wearing a serene smile all the while.
Bumi clapped his hands together a bit too eagerly. "My, what a coincidence! I'm just off my throne, so now I get to volunteer in a purely personal capacity. Where do I sign up, Iroh? Oh, is it okay if I brought some friends along? I'm sure I can find a warrior or a hundred who'd be interested in throwing rocks at firebenders. The bad ones from the islands, of course."
Aang sighed. Maybe he can put off firebending mastery for a bit, and immediately begin his studies with Iroh and Bumi on court politics, intrigue, and disgustingly creative loopholes.