Frozen Flame

Chapter 40: Uprising in the North

Fire Capital

The great doors to the hallway opened quietly as the Fire Lord slipped through. Then, gently, they swung closed behind him. His hands plastered against the doors, he took a large breath before letting it out, stepping away from the door and straightening his clothes... to run into Geoira, literally.

"Woah," came the voice beside his ear as he was stabled by hard and calloused hands. "Are you alright, sir?"

He cleared his throat, clutching his head. "Yes, so sorry about that, Geoira." Pushing his hair back in a smooth wave, he righted himself and begun. "Let's find somewhere more private to talk."

She smiled at him and directed them towards a room opposite with a smaller door-frame and seemingly far less space than the one he had originally been in. As he entered, the walls widened to form something of an office lit with candlelight.

He smiled, "Perfect."

She glided to a chair opposite to him and took a seat, folding her arms in front of her as she did so. "The Northern army position?"

"Yes," he too sat down, placing his hands on the intricately designed desk in front of him. "I've been hearing some rumours that our Northern people have been revolting against the ruling of Fire."

She swallowed. "Yes, I'm afraid they've been getting quite agitated. The Northern state leader, as you remember, already had some qualms towards the Fire Court even before you were instated. He's been... encouraging the rising and it's gotten quite difficult to control with the laws limiting our involvement in their affairs."

The Fire Lord sighed. "I don't understand why they're acting this way! My mother and father formed an agreement with them – that we would allow them their own elected leader with their separate laws so long as they came to our aid and obeyed us when it was critical or necessary. They allowed them freedom of rule even as almost every other state fell under one of the Fire Council member's leadership. They got what they wanted; they formed an agreement! Why are they not following orders? Why are they retaliating?"

She drew back, allowing the Fire Lord his space even as she realised what kind of pain he was going through with the responsibility he had to rule all of Fire. "I don't know."

He looked up, eyes calculating. "With this news being given, I thought long and hard on how to correct this lapse in judgement, however I need to know how the troops are holding and their positioning."

She swallowed. "We lost about five hundred soldiers in their first attack on us but we pushed them back without too many casualties. They didn't attack us in a large number again, but with the small attacks we've fought since then, we've lost about two hundred soldiers. The Northern leader is yet to attack us with his trained soldiers, but when he does, I fear we may lose enough soldiers that we'll have to draw back or send reinforcements.

"We're positioned along the south and west sides of their nation but we can't cut through their eastern border. We're thin in certain parts, but I made sure we spread thick on all high military areas so they'll be hard pressed to cut through. That said, as I mentioned before, if they mount a full-scale attack with their military force, we'll be defeated for sure."

The Fire Lord nodded, seemingly unperturbed. "Wonderful, I want you to draw back all the troops."

She sat there stunned, her face a mass of confusion before finally lowering her arms and saying, "Pardon? You want us to retreat?"

He smiled and sat up straight. "Yes."

Now it was her turn to place her arm on the desk separating them. "But... why? Are you abandoning the North?"