It was the most bitter tea he had ever tasted. The flavour welled up in his nose and mouth overriding his senses. There was a sweet citrus tang amongst the dancing leaves that had slowly settled to the depths of the teacup.
"So? What do you think?" Uncle Iroh looked at him from across the table, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Zuko swallowed the tea passively with only a slight twitch of his eyes. "Uh…" he stammered," I...think..it could...use some more honey," the last few words came out in a flood of sound, hitting feebly against the ears of the auditor.
Iroh smiled joyously, "Why nephew! Don't you know the benefits of a bitter tea?"
Zuko sighed. Once again, his opinions had quickly dissipated in the wake of his Uncle's positivity.
"Zuko, bitter tea must not be coated with foreign tastes. Sometimes you must let the original flavour seep into your senses and you must accept it."
Zuko's face scrunched up in disgust as he made another attempt to drink the tea.
"Bitter tea," Iroh continued, "holds the essence of honesty."
There was a slight pause and Zuko could hear himself exhaling a breath that he did not even notice he held.
Iroh looked into his eyes, "Tea does not always need added flavour t o be enjoyed. Just like a person, you must be able to appreciate them even at their rawest. And you too must stop hiding yourself between all those layers. Zuko it is time you face yourself with honesty."
Zuko placed his teacup back on the table. The clinking of the ceramic rang through the metal of the ship.
"Is hunting the Avatar truly what you desire?"
"Yes!" Zuko cried,"when I return home with the Avatar in my hands, father will finally realize my worth. My honour will be restored and I will be heir to the throne again!"
Rage filled his mind and a burst of flame spewed from his hands. He stormed out of the room just as the ship hit a turbulent wave, his footing slipped and his left hand was caught hanging onto the doorway. He huffed and stalked away, not bothering to turn around to see if his uncle was concerned. He hated the way his uncle always thought that he knew what was right, because he didn't. If he knew what was right, he wouldn't be questioning Zuko's intentions to capture the Avatar. Just as he reached the corridor where his room was located, one of the ship's officers raced to speak to him.
"The captain…" he panted," wished to send a message conveying his sincerest apologies. The waves were too large to manoeuvre through and he apologizes if he caused the prince any distress."
Zuko's eyes narrowed before turning to face the officer. "I'm fine," he growled," Now go tell the captain that he better fucking steer the ship properly or there will have to be a new captain on this ship."
Zuko stared at the officer whose eyes stared straight down into his. He was going to have to teach the man some respect.
"Now get the fuck out of my sight!" he screamed.
The officer dropped his head and bowed before striding down the hall. Zuko snarled. The audacity of these men were getting out control. They knew their sacrifice when they joined the hunt for the Avatar. The men on board this ship were supposed to help him, not alienate and repudiate him. He could feel the heat inside of him. This is what it meant to be a bender, to be able to feel the elements coursing through the world. He could feel fire. Fire existed everywhere under the heat of the sun and Zuko knew that when the Fire Nation finally won the war - the sun would never set upon its empire.
The Fire Nation symbol hung over the walls of his room, draping a background behind his desk and bed. They were the same symbols embellishing the banners that hung on the gates of fallen cities. it was a symbol of not only the power and accomplishment of the Fire Nation, but also a symbol of something better for the nations. Zuko was sure of this. When the war ends after the arrival of Sozin's comet, his father would surely welcome him back, even if he failed to capture the Avatar. By then, the war would have been over and the Fire Nation would have risen in victory. He would be able to celebrate next to his father and sister; and they would bring prosperity to the world, together.
"Zuko?"
He turned around and came face to face with Uncle Iroh.
"Zuko, I am sorry our lovely tea time was disturbed."
Zuko sighed, "It's not the tea." He could feel the warmth in the room, hands clenched, eyes closed, and his jaw slacked to let the words come out. "The Avatar's dead. Father's never going to let me return is he?"
"Oh Zuko. The Avatar will not help your father, and you know that. Capturing the Avatar is not the solution, it will only bring imbalance."
"No. Not for me. when I bring the Avatar back to my father, he will restore my honour, my family will be reunited. We'll be happy again."
"But Zuko, all that will be left in the world - "
"Screw you and your imbalance! I don't care what happens to the world. I just want to go home."
A lone tiger lily stood in a vase on the dresser. It's orange petals lightly dotted.
"The flower," Iroh started, his hands gently touched it opening it even more, "does not wilt because it blooms alone on the mountaintop. Instead it is beautiful for itself, and when the wind blows, the seeds are carried along the currents until the flower finds itself a new home."
Iroh placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Right now, you are like the seed floating on the ocean current. We do not know where it will take you, but I am positive," he said with a smile, "that something new awaits."
With soft steps, Iroh walked to the door, the crows feet next to his eyes were wrinkled and deep. Turning around he said, "It's late. Goodnight Prince Zuko."
He stared at the Fire Nation banner that hung next to his bed. The red banner that symbolized not only prosperity and hope, but also home. Zuko traced the symbol in the air, fingers curving up and down. He didn't want to be on this ship that made him vomit and shake the first few weeks he was aboard. He didn't want anything new in his life. He felt sick and he just wanted to go home.