bentflame | (no subject)

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Current Location: Tokyo, Japan

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(no subject)

So. It seems I'm alive after all- which, I'm sure, is an unfortunate thing for most of you. Rest assured, you all have my sincerest apologies.

OOC: Yue, I'll still finish that RL, but Azula would get back on her feet pretty quickly. XD

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Oh? So are you saying that people shouldn't have a say about what others do to their bodies, then? In that case you can hardly complain about murder.

Oh no, I think people should have a say. Generally.

I just think that your opinion is a bit too irrational to count, so obviously that doesn't apply to you.

...in case you can't tell, I'm joking Princess.

You had certainly better be. If anything, my opinion should matter more to you.

Why should your opinion matter more than others'?

Because of who I am, of course.

What about who you are?

Everything about who I am. My title, my status, my birthright...

Please. Those things mean nothing.

I have title, status and birthright, but I don't throw it around like a club. Learn to use it properly, and perhaps you will earn the respect that you believe you are due.

Until then, you deserve nothing but mockery. Princess.

They mean everything. And of course I use them properly.

Oh, really. What's your title, then?

They mean nothing. Look at how easily I penetrated your defences. Your title does not win you automatic respect, deference, or power. It is only the way in which you wield the things you have been given which determine those things.

My title happens to be Marquis.

Titles are just words. They only have the power that other people give them. Not you, but other people. Those who wish to use you, or who fear the influence that you have over others, or whose loyalty you have won. But kings can be killed, betrayed and overthrown. The title itself means nothing if you do not have the loyalty of your subjects.

You didn't do it, your off-world powers did. They do not mean nothing.

That is far below royalty.

Wrong. I keep my own power, and I am used by no one.

Royalty isn't some magical formula making it impossible for someone to dislike you or plot against you, Princess.

History teaches that sooner or later, even royalty that commands huge armies can piss off enough people that they get put in their place. Usually that means death for the royal line.

Personally, I prefer being a commoner, and avoid having to act in my capacity as a nobleman as much as possible.

I realize that.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know how things work on your world. Therefore, I expect you to do the intelligent thing and realize that you know just as little about mine.

I don't know much about your world, it's true. But I know human nature ;)

I also recognize that I know little about you or how you rule. I was not implying that you might personally inspire a change in government. But your attitude is one I find reprehensible, and laughable.

And yet my people find me admirable.

Do they? Or is that just what they tell you to your face?

They do. I do a lot of good for them, and they are grateful for it.

Well, if that's true then I'm glad of it.

As you should be.

I just wonder if they're only tell you that to pacify you while they sharpen their knives, that's all. You're not exactly a people person, Azula. Do you care about your subjects?

I care for my country, as do they.

For your country, or your people, Azula? There is a distinction.

And that distinction would be what? I don't care for each and every one of my people on a personal level. I would think that that much would be obvious. My people don't want a bleeding-heart ruler who spends her time visiting orphanages and petting small, fluffy animals. They want someone who actually gets things done.

Getting things done is admirable, and no one expects you to know and love each individual person in your country.

But a ruler should care about the well-being of those within their country, and not just the political prosperity of the country as a whole. That is what I was getting at. A country can be expanded, or make its nobility rich, but if the people don't benefit, then they will still be resentful.

Rulers can grow fat on the backs of their subjects, the country becoming rich and prosperous, while the commoners that you are so contemptuous of starve and suffer.

The well-being is directly related to the political prosperity. If the people are starving and suffering, than obviously the ruler isn't doing a very good job, and the country will eventually fall in one way or another. People here like to say that that will happen to me, but the fact is, my people are happy. They don't want to overthrow our government, because they have no reason to.