He shifted in his saddle from atop is ostrich- horse as he rode ahead of the group and looked at the surprisingly large fort in the distance. To think there were natives who’d live behind stone walls?

‘Ugly stone walls but stone none the less…’

'Damn, this cold... They want me to go on this suicide mission? Hippo-bullshit!' He thought as he pulled his crimson fur-lined coat closer to his exposed neck. As an esteemed denizen of the fire islands, he wasn’t used to this type of harsh weather.

'Damn the prince, damn the admiral, damn the captain!' He raged internally while imagining himself raining a litany of curses at the bastards who assigned him with the mission to parley with savages. He didn't know why the prince would rather try to communicate with savages when more appealing actions could be taken.

So what if their teams were finding and interacting with supposedly less savage native tribes? They were all one in the same in his mind. The natives were all ugly, gigantic, unwashed brutes. Barely human- if even that.

These man shaped beasts were known cannibals! Who's to say they would be capable of any higher thought? Wouldn’t these savage overlords just attack their group even if they had natives with them?

'If only it were Prince Ozai, we would've brought these creatures to heel and put them to work.' He thought.

He was of the mind that the fire nation was supreme to any other civilization, all others were to bow and submit themselves to their rule or be broken against their weapons and burn to ash by their fire.

'What good will courting with man-eating brutes do!?' He wished to shout in the face of the balding prince.

However, he had no choice in the matter. If only for his own safety, he needed to ensure at least some peace with the savages, the admiral made sure he knew the importance of this suicide mission to the crown prince and the potential for failure. He was not only responsible for the lives of all the men under him but the civilian diplomats and interpretation teams.

Captain Mao already warned them all to be careful after they were found to be stranded in some strange world. The orders and mission given to them by prince Ozai… the rightful heir, were now uncertain. The situation they were in was dire... trapped on an unknown island in some strange land, it would be too dangerous to attempt anything that would anger Iroh.

They were cut off from the prince and any political aid he may send. His current situation was a reflection of that. Why was he of all military personnel sent to commune with the savages? He had no tolerance for the poor and reviled foreigners, especially these man-eating barbarians.

'Yet here I am.' He glowered as his forces entered the sprawling village just outside the primitive Fortress. It was an ugly, smelly place not too different to the coastal village they first disembarked to find. The village was much larger and filled with rough spun huts and tents. His armoured fist smoked as the gazes of the ugly natives turned to them.

Though they weren’t given any trouble as they rode through. The natives had the sense to look fearful and shy away from his vanguard forces. Soon, the procession passed through the primitive village and approached the pitch lack stone walls of the fort.

“It seems they've spotted us." Fushi narrowed his eyes at the movement atop the fort’s battlement in the distance. The massive wooden gates were being closed.

He spun his Ostrich-Horse to address the civilians who finally caught up. "You there, tell the barbarian to get ready to meet his masters and explain why we are here."

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The man didn't say a word to him but did as he was told, rattling off in the savage tongue as he conversed with the natives all while the group kept a slow, but steady pace towards the native fort.

Fushi swallowed to calm his nervousness and gripped the reigns of his steed tighter as steam seeped from his fingers. He focused his eyes on the stout black walls, eyeing the now visible murder holes of the castle walls. Now that he could see the individual cuts of stone in the walls, he idly wondered how the barbarians were able to move these massive stones to build the castle walls.

There were no earthbenders or benders here at all, they certainly had nought the minds to build the most primitive of cranes and construction tools. He cast these thoughts aside as they finally arrived within shooting and shouting distance at the gates.

(-)

"Who goes there!" Jaroll recognized the voice of one of his friends shout down to him. He almost teared up at the sound of a familiar voice but also felt dread at the conversation and meeting to come.

'If we even make far enough for a meeting to happen and they don' jus’ rain arrows down on us.' He lamented.

One of the invaders who barely learned his language began conversing with his fellows in their native tongue briefly before motioning to him.

"Answer them. Tell them we come here place, having things and to speak to your leader." The man told him in his broken and heavily accented common tongue.

He could hear the men behind him gripping their weapons. He knew he needed to calm the situation down and try to ensure peace. He couldn’t allow them to break out into conflict without him even getting to talk with his lord.

He looked up at the gates and locked eyes with his friend who had a shocked look on his face. "It's me Threnn. It's Jaroll, I come with these fire men. They are ‘ere in peace, bearing gifts and with hopes of speaking with Lord magnar!"

Threnn looked at him wide eyed for a moment before turning away.... Possibly relaying his message and receiving orders.

The wait was tense and dragged on for what seemed like an age. He could see men taking up positions on the walls and could already imagine them doing so inside them.

He exhaled as he heard the men call for the gates to be open.

As he urged his unicorn onwards through the castle walls, Jaroll was, for once uncertain of what would greet him. He scanned the large court yard, it didn't change much in the few moons since he’d been gone- of course not taking the legion of guards and men at arms lining the courtyard- many of whom he was familiar with. They were all now aiming their weapons in his direction.

He could see the line of bowmen ready to draw their weapons. With only a single word, he and his... companions be pelted with arrows, though he doubted the fire men and their armour would be in danger, he knew he was likely to be killed in the cross fire. His eyes scanned the area, over each face. He couldn't see his family though that was a given as all the servants and smallfolk were hiding away.

He could barely see his lord at the back with his sword drawn and surrounded by guards, strangely he even saw his own Stonebrother standing guard as well.

He and his fellows stopped in the middle of the courtyard, few paces away from his lord who walked from the back of the assortment. Jaroll gracefully dismounted his steed- the new seat the fire men placed on his unicorn was rather helpful in this.

"I greet you milord." He said from his kneeling position as he eyed the man's feet.

A long pause ensued before Lord varamyr spoke up.

"What is this Jaroll?!" He all but shouted.

"Ye bring these… witches into my castle, ‘ave ye been seduced by their magics?!"

"No milord I woul-" His words were cut off.

"Then what is this!" Varamyr pointed at the still mounted and armoured Fire men a few paces away.

"I gave ye orders ta watch the invaders! Not ta bring them back here!" Lord magnar was shouting now, spittle flying from his mouth and falling on jaroll’s face.

"F- forgive me m’lord, we were captured an’ held for some time. The Fire men wished to come here ta meet ye. I saw it as my only chance ta come back an’ report to you. I swear ta the gods." He said his voice trembling.

The lord didn't say anymore for a time.

"Ah damn it all." His lord cursed as he looked at the still mounted fire men all but a few paces away.

"…Get the bread and salt an’ offer it to the witches. I hope these invaders know of guest right." He heard lord Varamyr say to a man who ran off.

The lord then fired off a barrage of orders to either settle the fire men or securing the castle.

"An’ ye!" He knew the lord was speaking to him.

"Come with me to my chambers, if ye haven't forsaken the laws of the gods and men ye will tell me everything you saw in the camp of these invaders."

"Aye m’lord!” He swallowed in grim anticipation for what he was tell the Lord magnar.