Leader(ship): of Embers and Swords

Chapter 4

The view from the Fire Navy ship seemed to have no end. The rhythm of the ocean lapped against the hull at an inconsistent pace to remind passengers they were still moving. The surrounding air began to feel warmer than it did in the South. They were definitely much farther from the Southern Water Tribe than they realized.

A couple of Fire Navy soldiers were sitting on the deck, sharing stories and expressing thanks to the warmer weather conditions. Another group of muffled voices reminisce fondly over the meal they shared at the festival back in the village.

Sokka turned over in his bunk and opened his eyes to the unfamiliar, dimly lit, steel plated walls surrounding him. The last time he was on a Fire Navy ship felt like an eternity ago.

There was a gentle knock on his cabin door. Sokka rubbed his eyes and sat up in his place. "I'm awake!" He called, and Zuko cracked the door open slightly.

"Are you decent?" Unlike Sokka, Zuko tried to respect other people's boundaries in the morning.

"Ugh, just get in here," Sokka yawned. He waved his hands erratically overhead at the end of the release.

"Sleep alright?" Zuko stepped into the room slowly and rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes slowly darting around the room trying to avoid discovering what state Sokka slept in. It had taken a while for Sokka to get accustomed to sleeping on the ship. "Actually... yeah?" He was surprised by his own acknowledgement.

Zuko looked over to him finally, sensing a smile on his face. "That's good to hear. It's almost the afternoon. It won't matter much anymore, though."

"Awww! Right when I just was getting used to it!" Sokka fell back onto his bunk.

Zuko smirked, "We should be docking in the Fire Nation tomorrow morning." He stood at the foot of Sokka's bunk and stuck his hands into his robes. Zuko was wearing lighter clothes since they were moving into warmer climates. The black and red fabric hung effortlessly around him, before he crossed his bare arms over his chest.

Thoughts of the Fire Nation arrival started flooding Zuko's mind. The number of attendants that would rush to him when they dock and follow him around the palace. The scrutiny of his advisors. The ceremonies...memories of his sister.

Zuko shivered at the thought.

Sokka furrowed his brow, watching Zuko's expression change drastically from seemingly nothing. "Hey, you alright?"

The fire-bender refocused, "Hm? Yeah..."

Sokka feigned ignorance, "Well, how about we just relax for today. I'm sure as soon as we set foot off this ship, we will beg for the work to slow down."

The Fire Lord's face filled red, knowing he couldn't hide his anxiety from his closest friend.

"Are you listening to me? Relax! Gosh, it's like you thrive on stress." Sokka laid back in the bed.

"Er.. Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind."

"Well, I came along to help. So, what's up?" Sokka climbed out from under his blankets and sat, cross legged, more attentively.

"It's the meeting with the other nations. They all think I have all the answers!" Zuko threw up his arms in aggravation. "I don't know what I'm doing!?" He slumped down onto the foot of Sokka's bed, holding his face in his hands. Confused at the candor of his former rival, he lifted a hand to pat Zuko's shoulder. One tap...a hesitation, then a couple more taps, "That's rough, Buddy."

Zuko continued to vent about the details of the meeting. The expectations of a new and cohesive coalition amongst the nations. Exasperated, he fell backward on the bed and stared up at the metal ceiling. There was a long pause and the air seemed to thicken. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be engulfed in the atmosphere.

The silence was broken by Sokka. "I remember when I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders," he started gently. "I gathered warriors from three different nations and had to propose an attack strategy against your father, Fire Lord Ozai, on the Day of Black Sun." Zuko opened his eyes slowly, he felt the tips of his fingers spark with heat.

Control it...

Zuko focused on listening intently. "I had spent months on the research, the planning, the preparation, the organizing of allies... I even proposed new inventions!" Zuko looked up at Sokka's face and glared at him to get to the point.

"My point is, when that day came," Sokka inhaled sharply. "And I stood in front of all those people... willing to work together, willing to fight against impossible odds...willing to get captured...or die, during the course of my plan..." Sokka closed his own eyes and turned away. Zuko lifted himself up with one arm and looked over at the war-torn veteran. "...I completely choked."

Zuko's hazel eyes widened. "I remember that day... That's when I decided to speak my mind to my father, too. But...But you were all still there, fighting. What happened?"

"The mission was more important than the recognition." Sokka continued, "and when we needed it most, I managed to regain the composure in the midst of battle."

Still leaning on his back arm, Zuko's eyes met Sokka's ferver. "It's okay to be nervous. As long as your heart is in the right place, there's no one stopping you, but you."

The anxiety building in Zuko started to overwhelm him. He thrust his right arm up and punched a burst of fire up to the ceiling. The flames filled the top of the room and dissipated as quickly as they manifested. Sokka had ducked down, reactively. Zuko had fallen back onto the bed and felt a hand rest on the forearm that created the blast. He turned and saw Sokka smiling back down at him. "Feel better?"

Zuko exhaled and smiled, "Yeah...thanks."

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A/N: Thank you all for sticking with me! I've been so excited to get more chapters out so that you can see the journey I've prepared. I feel like this chapter has a bunch of foreshadowing.... who knows?!