Fanfic: Slippery Slope
Title: Slippery Slope
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: G/K
Characters: Long Feng, Kuei
Summary: Long Feng has to deal with the Earth King growing up.
The Crown Prince of Ba Sing Se was only four when his father died. The newly-crowned King Kuei was far, far too young to properly rule, so the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, Long Feng, took control of the city as regent for the boy king. He made no mention of the war then, for the boy wouldn't even understand what war was. Far better that Long Feng deal with it.
~*~
King Kuei was eight when he insisted he be involved in some matters of state. Long Feng only smiled indulgently and allowed it; as expected, Kuei swiftly grew bored with the reports and changed his mind. As the boy wandered away, Long Feng noted relief that the boy hadn't gotten to the reports of the war raging beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se. He was just a child still; there was no need to involve him just yet.
~*~
Kuei was twelve and still showed no interest in ruling the city. Long Feng worried about that sometimes - the boy was of an age to start learning the ways of rulership, after all. And he still didn't know about the war. On the other hand, the boy was happy, unlike the poor refugees pouring into Ba Sing Se. Perhaps it was better this way? Let him enjoy the last years of his childhood.
~*~
Kuei was sixteen. An adult, and ready to rule in fact as well in name. Except he wasn't ready, and might never be ready. Long Feng should have had him preparing for this day for the past six years, rather than continuously putting it off. And now he would discover everything that had never been mentioned in his presence. (Long Feng had forbidden any mention of the War within palace walls for the last eight years) He would want to know why Long Feng had never told him. He would be crushed.
Long Feng shook his head.
No. Kuei didn't need to know.
It would be far too easy to continue things this way. Take all the responsibility, all the heartaches (all the power) that came with being the Earth King, and let his boy continue with his happy, oblivious existence.
Kuei didn't need to know.
Nobody needed to know.
There was no War in Ba Sing Se.
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: G/K
Characters: Long Feng, Kuei
Summary: Long Feng has to deal with the Earth King growing up.
The Crown Prince of Ba Sing Se was only four when his father died. The newly-crowned King Kuei was far, far too young to properly rule, so the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, Long Feng, took control of the city as regent for the boy king. He made no mention of the war then, for the boy wouldn't even understand what war was. Far better that Long Feng deal with it.
~*~
King Kuei was eight when he insisted he be involved in some matters of state. Long Feng only smiled indulgently and allowed it; as expected, Kuei swiftly grew bored with the reports and changed his mind. As the boy wandered away, Long Feng noted relief that the boy hadn't gotten to the reports of the war raging beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se. He was just a child still; there was no need to involve him just yet.
~*~
Kuei was twelve and still showed no interest in ruling the city. Long Feng worried about that sometimes - the boy was of an age to start learning the ways of rulership, after all. And he still didn't know about the war. On the other hand, the boy was happy, unlike the poor refugees pouring into Ba Sing Se. Perhaps it was better this way? Let him enjoy the last years of his childhood.
~*~
Kuei was sixteen. An adult, and ready to rule in fact as well in name. Except he wasn't ready, and might never be ready. Long Feng should have had him preparing for this day for the past six years, rather than continuously putting it off. And now he would discover everything that had never been mentioned in his presence. (Long Feng had forbidden any mention of the War within palace walls for the last eight years) He would want to know why Long Feng had never told him. He would be crushed.
Long Feng shook his head.
No. Kuei didn't need to know.
It would be far too easy to continue things this way. Take all the responsibility, all the heartaches (all the power) that came with being the Earth King, and let his boy continue with his happy, oblivious existence.
Kuei didn't need to know.
Nobody needed to know.
There was no War in Ba Sing Se.