Here it is! The much anticipated (in my mind) second chapter of Young Rhinos: The Lu Ten Chronicles, where in we get to know the most mysterious member of the Fire Nation Royal Family a little better.
Young Rhinos: The Lu Ten Chronicles
Chapter One
The Way of the Sword
The Royal Garden was located in the north-eastern corner of the Palace. Turtle-ducks bobbed in the pond beneath the cherry-blossom tree, surrounded by Firedrop Lilies, Agni Bloom, and Painted Ladies, the most beautiful flowers the Fire Nation had to offer.
Fire Lord Azulon had it constructed as a birthday present for his late wife Fire Lady Ilya. Every tree, flower, and stone were arranged in a way that inspired peace and tranquility.
"Hyaa!" cried seven-year-old Prince Zuko, as he lunged at his fifteen-year-old cousin, Prince Lu Ten, blindly swing a stick.
Unfortunately, the landscapers the Fire Lord had hired all those years before had not taken into account a pair of rowdy Fire Princes tearing through the garden.
Without taking his eyes from his book, Lu Ten lazily dodged out of the little prince's way, smartly whacked him on the behind with his own stick, causing the younger boy to stagger and do a face plant right into the Firedrop Lilies, crushing the delicate flowers beneath him.
"In theory," said Lu Ten conversationally, turning a page. "A battle cry can inspire fear in one's enemies. In practice, however, you depend too much on your opponent's cowardice, and you forfeit the element of surprise, laving yourself open to counterattack."
The little Fire Prince glared up at his cousin accusingly, spitting out crimson petals as he righted himself into a lotus sitting position.
"This is stupid!" he groused petulantly. "You promised you'd teach me secret firebending techniques. So far, all you've done was read your dumb ol' book while I fell all over myself."
Lu Ten didn't meet the boy's gaze as he continued to read, which irked Zuko even further. "My exact words," said the older boy patronizingly. "Was that I would teach you secret moves. There will come times when you will be unable to rely on your firebending, and when that time comes you'll think to yourself 'if only I had listened to someone older, wiser and all around better looking than me so that I'd have a back up plan to save my scrawny ass'."
Zuko, wobbled to his feet, scornfully threw his 'weapon' aside and snorted, "Fire is the ultimate element. That's why the Fire Nation is the greatest in the world. Nothing can beat firebending, especially not your silly stick -swinging."
Lu Ten sighed as he dropped his stick on the ground and snapped his book shut. "Always have to learn the hard way," he muttered.
He then gently laid the book on the ground and, with a swift fluid motion, drew his wickedly curved dao sword from the scabbard that hung on his back. With liquid grace he twirled the blade from one hand to the other, in front and behind, the polished steel flashing in the sunlight. Then, as if by magic, the single dao sword became two.
Zuko stood mesmerized as his cousin twirled both swords in deadly arcs, and Lu Ten smirked smugly. He wants firebending? he chuckled to himself. I'll show him firebending.
He swung the blades in circle, creating a ring of flames where the steel touched the grass.
"So," he said regarding his little cousin, who gazed at him standing amidst flames, in slack jawed wonder. "Still think my 'stick-swinging' is silly?" He then realized that he had set fire to his grandfather's garden, and that he had endangered the safety of his precious book, and hastily put the flames out. He'd kill himself if he didn't find out the ending of Makeout Reef: An Ember Island Romance.
"That was amazing!" cried Zuko excitedly, as his cousin hastily stamped out the last bit of flame. "Teach me how to do that!"
"Slow down there, Zuko," smiled Lu Ten. "That was just to give you a taste of what you could accomplish if you work at this. You can only do that when you get really good at both firebending and swordsmanship. Nothing in the world is given to you, not even when you're the Fire Prince. You've got to earn it."
"Aw," whined the little prince. Then he brightened, "Can I at least see your swords?"
Lu Ten hesitated for a moment before shrugging, "Alright, but be careful. There would be no living with your mom if I let you chop your foot off."
"I'm not an idiot!" protested Zuko.
"Famous last words," muttered Lu Ten under his breath, as he drew the swords and handed them to Zuko.
"They're heavy," the seven-year-old commented.
"That's the heft of real swords," said Lu Ten.
The little Fire Prince swung them experimentally before his cousin said, "You're holding them all wrong."
He gently took the swords back and demonstrated the correct sword stance as he explained, "Keep in mind, these are dual swords, two halves of a single weapon. Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're two different halves of th same whole."
Then with another smooth motion, the swords clicked together and he sheathed them, "So, do you want to learn how to use them?"
Zuko gazed at his cousin, enraptured but his words, and nodded.
"Great," smirked Lu Ten, bending to pick up his book. "Pick up your stick and try to hit me."
- - -
"I think that's enough for today," smiled Lu Ten.
Zuko glared at him from the turtle-duck pond as its occupants quacked their discontent at the intruder. The younger prince had seen an opening and made to hit his cousin in the side, but Lu Ten flowed out of the way, stuck his foot out and tripped Zuko face first into the pond.
"Here," said Lu Ten extending a hand to his soaked cousin, which he grudgingly took as he peeled a lily-pad from his plastered black hair.
"Oh don't look so sour," scolded Lu Ten. "Believe it or not you did pretty well for a beginner. Keep at it long enough," he added with a mischievous smirk. "And you'll have some awesome moves to show off to your girlfriend."
"Shut up!" squeaked Zuko, flushing. "She's not my girlfriend!"
"Ah ha!" said Lu Ten triumphantly. "So you admit there's a girl!"
Zuko flushed darker when he realized his tactical mistake. "M-Mai's just one of my sister's dumb friends! I only gave her a Painted Lady! Azula made her cry so I gave her a flower to make her shut up! It doesn't mean anything!"
Lu Ten made mock sobbing noises. "My little Zuzu's finally discovered girls," he whimpered, wiping away an imaginary tear. "They grow up so fast!"
"No!" cried Zuko in dismay. "It's not like that! And don't call me Zuzu!"
"Zuzu loves Mai! Zuzu loves Mai!" crowed Lu Ten in an obnoxious sing-song tone. "Smoochy! Smoochy! Smoochy!"
With a shout the little Fire Prince tackled him and for once Lu Ten was caught off guard. He teetered at the edge of the pond, desperately flailing for anything to restore his balance, and grabbed Zuko. Unfortunately the seven-year-old's weight wasn't enough to compensate, so they both fell into the pond.
Amidst the angry turtle-ducks and the upset lily-pads, the two soaked princes sat there in a damp daze for a moment or two. Then they looked at each other and Lu Ten burst out laughing. After a moment Zuko joined in.
"I was under the impression that you were going to be giving Zuko firebending lessons," came a woman's voice. "Not swimming lessons."
The cousins turned and saw Zuko's mother, Princess Ursa, gliding toward them, an expression disapproval etched upon her lovely face.
"Well," chuckled Lu Ten, nervously. "It's important to know how to swim too, in case he finds himself at sea."
"Granted," conceded the Fire Princess. "But fully clothed?"
"Won't have time to change into his trunks if his ship's under attack," reasoned the fifteen-year-old, flashing his aunt his best smile.
The edges of her mouth quirked and she shook her head in mock dismay. "What am I going to do with you two."
"We'll settle for some hot towels," shivered Zuko.
"You could tell all your female friends how handsome and witty your favorite nephew is," ventured Lu Ten hopefully.
"You're my only nephew,"corrected Ursa. "And all my friends are at least twice your age."
"I'll settle for some dry clothes then," shrugged the Fire Prince.
The princess summoned her servants and moments later the cousins were dry, in fresh robes, and sipping warm tea.
"So Zuko," said Ursa, conversationally. "Did Cousin Lu Ten help you with your training."
"Yes mother," said the younger Fire Prince, giving his cousin an admiring glance. "He taught me that in order to achieve anything I must earn it."
"That's the best advise you can get," nodded Ursa in approval. "Your cousin is wise beyond his years."
"Thank you Aunt Ursa," smiled Lu Ten.
Then the princess frowned. "Though I find his taste in reading material lacking," she sniffed as she held up the Fire Prince's copy of Makeout Reef: An Ember Island Romance.
Lu Ten coughed nervously, blushed furiously and tried to conceal his embarrassment with a chuckled, "Well...er...the art of warfare is surprisingly similar to the art of love."
"Is that so?" inquired Ursa, raising an eyebrow. Lu Ten knew that look all too well. That look preceded Aunt Ursa's Gauntlet of Silent Doom - agonizing silent treatment that had been known to drive men to madness. If something didn't come along to change the subject soon, he was done for.
"So Lu Ten," began Zuko, trying to break the tense silence. "Is it true you can see ghosts?"
The older Fire Prince tensed and looked at his cousin. "Who told you a crazy thing like that?"
"Well," said the little prince, sheepishly. "Azula said you were able to see the spirit of Auntie Rumiko after she died."
"That sister of yours can get you to believe anything," grumbled Lu Ten. "The problem is you take things too seriously so you make it too easy for people like her - and me - to tease you."
"So you can't see ghosts?" asked his cousin. Lu Ten couldn't tell if he were disappointed or relieved.
After a long pause, Lu Ten sighed, "I used to..."
"Fire Prince Lu Ten," came a haughty voice from across the garden. All three Fire Nation Royals turned to see a group of Fire Sages striding towards them, their crimson robes dragging upon the grass and conical hats brushing the branches of the cherry-blossom trees, causing the soft pink petals to drift to the ground like snowfall.
"What happened?" demanded Lu Ten leaping to his feet. "News of my father?"
"Yes," answered the lead Fire Sage. "And no. The Fire Lord wishes to see you in the War Room."
Still a little short, but I think that works for this particular story. You've read it, now you can't un-read it! Stay tuned for more TALES OF INTEREST! R/R Shibui out!