Chapter 3: The Law of the Land
The sun shone warm and golden upon one of the palace gardens. Although one knew he was still on the palace grounds, the garden gave no indication of this. Its vast expanse of lush vegetation reached as far as the eye could see. It was disorderly and yet in perfect order. Bonsai-like trees twisted like mazes around themselves and interlaced with each other. Bright flowering bushes broke the monotony of green with splashes of red, orange, and yellow. But in the midst of this veritable jungle was a medium-sized pond. The glassy surface of the water was dotted with turtle ducks. A young man stood by the duck pond and watched the odd creatures. His face had that subtle mix of little boy and grown man, with the grown man dominating, which is so common among seventeen-year-olds. He was tall with dark hair and pale skin and was clad in varying shades of red armor. The armor accentuated the broadness of his shoulders. It covered his entire chest and his thighs. Underneath his armor, one could catch glimpses of grey silk. His carriage made it clear that he was used to respect and demanded it daily. A middle-aged, balding servant wearing dark red silk approached the young man quickly and whispered something in the boy's ear. The servant's eyes never left the ground after he was beside the seventeen-year-old. The teenager nodded and quietly replied to the servant's announcement. The servant retreated silently. The boy glanced at the pond and sighed, and then he turned back towards the place where the servant had disappeared.
"Announcing, Lady Song," the servant stated as he extended his arm towards Zuko. The fire nation prince merely looked past him toward the beautiful girl that stood by a tree. Her abundant ebony hair was pulled up into an elaborate hairstyle, the shape of a butterfly. Kohl lined her eyes and made their dark irises shimmer like a night sky. Her lips were full and a rich red, and her cheeks were flushed a charming pink. The kimono that adorned her slim, graceful body was black with a red sash. She was a stunning image of a proper lady of the Fire nation. "Lady Song," the servant continued, addressing the lovely young lady, "may I present Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."
"Hello," Song said demurely with downcast eyes. I didn't expect him to be so…charismatic? No, he's something else. Domineering? That's closer to what he is. Still he isn't really domineering. He demands respect in such a way that, were he not royalty, would be rude. I wish I could have even a fraction of that presence. Song recalled his picture mentally and blushed even more profusely. Why didn't anyone tell me the prince was this handsome? I must be blushing furiously. He is a vision on perfection with that unmarred face. "I am very pleased to meet you, your highness." She bowed until her head was even with her waist. I wonder if he thinks I'm pretty. Her thoughts continued in this vein. "Song, your hair—it's so soft," Zuko breathed as he ran his fingers through it. "Do you know I've been in love with you ever since I first saw you?" Song giggled.
Zuko hadn't moved during since Song had entered until he heard the giggle. He cocked one eyebrow at this sound. She was creeping him out a bit. He shrugged slightly and cleared his throat. "I enjoyed meeting you, my lady, but I must be going. I have things to attend to," Zuko said dully. He turned on his heels and began to stride off in the direction of the garden entrance. Song jerked upright as if she was pulled by invisible strings. As he passed her, he brushed her ever so slightly that Song almost did not realize he did. He was engulfed by the trees.
"Oh," she whispered to no one. "I guess that's all right." She remained where she was, frozen with disappointment and confusion.
"So, Song, was my son polite while you were together?" Ursa asked as she poured Song some tea. The beautiful queen sat across from Song at a low table. Ursa had the same black hair, pale skin, and golden eyes as her son. The upper half of her hair was pulled up into a topknot decorated with a flame-shaped hairpiece while the rest of her hair fell to her waist. Her silk robes were red with golden accents. She was in her thirties and her expression was one of a mother concerned over her child's behavior. Despite this, dignity and grace exuded from her.
"Oh, yes, your majesty! He was very polite," Song assured the queen quickly.
"He didn't leave early, did he?" Ursa inquired with feigned innocence. Her eyes were full of worry and suspicion. Please say he didn't do it again, the queen begged Song mentally. I hate to push him into marriage but with the current situation, the country needs him to be married before he assumes the throne. I would love for him to marry for love. That's why I haven't pressed him after he refuses a girl. But still…he can't keep doing this.
"Well, yes, he did but he said he had things to do. I'm sure he's very busy," Song smiled sweetly at Ursa. Song took a sip of tea and so missed the frown that passed over the mother's face.
"Yes, he is," Ursa agreed. "Perhaps you should arrange for another meeting with him. Just tell me when you want it and I'll take over his duties. That way he won't have to leave early."
"Oh really? You would do that?" Song asked eagerly.
"Of course," Ursa replied. "It would be the perfect way to get better acquainted with my son."
"Oh, yes. I suppose it would," Song blushed profusely. Ursa smiled slightly. Since Song liked Zuko already, that took one thing off the queen's mind.
A portly, grey haired man hurried toward the duck pond. "Zuko, I have great news for you," Iroh approached the prince. Figures he would be training here. He enjoys the relative quiet of this garden.
"If it's about Lady Song, I don't want to hear it," Zuko said as he carefully shifted stances from a lunge to a squat.
Iroh paused then shrugged. "Lady Song has asked that the two of us join her for tea!" Iroh announced joyously. "Isn't that wonderful?"
"Uncle, I don't drink tea," Zuko gritted out slowly. His body was stiff from the effort of reigning in his temper.
"Well, you can at least go and talk to the girl," Iroh pointed out. "You don't have to drink any tea."
"I don't want to talk to her."
"All right. It's settled then! I'll tell her to expect us at one in the afternoon tomorrow," Iroh smiled as he moved towards the palace.
"Uncle, wait! I never said I was going!" Zuko shouted from his spot by the pond.
"Be sure to wear your training outfit," Iroh called to the prince. "You look especially dashing in it!"
"UNCLE!" Zuko roared as he ran after his uncle.
"I can't believe you tricked me into this," Zuko sulked as he and his uncle walked down a covered pathway on their way to Iroh's personal garden. He wore red armor again except this time it had gold accents.
"Oh come now, Zuko, I didn't trick you," Iroh reasoned. He wore a suit of red armor similar to Zuko's with plenty of gold filigree. However, while Zuko's shirt underneath his armor was rather fitted in the sleeves, Iroh's sleeves were capacious and Iroh had hidden his hands in them.
"Oh, really?" Zuko frowned. "Because as I recall, it was while I was telling you that under no circumstances would I have tea with Lady Song that Song showed up and overheard 'will I have tea with Lady Song.' Then she said, 'Oh how wonderful! I'm so glad you decided to accept my invitation,'" Zuko said Song's part in a slightly higher and much happier voice. "Then you said we wouldn't miss it for anything. The next thing I know, you've arranged the entire tea party!"
"I do not consider that tricking," Iroh defended himself. "It is not my fault that you said that just as Song came along."
"But you did finish arranging the tea drinking ceremony!" Zuko ranted.
"Yes. And it is not a tea drinking ceremony. It is a tea…party."
"Wonderful. I'm officially at the level of a little girl," Zuko glowered at his uncle.
"Announcing their royal majesties, Prince Zuko and General Iroh," the servant crowed as the two men entered the garden and stepped onto a cobblestone path.
"I am deeply honored that you agreed to join me for tea. Oh, and thank you for letting me use your garden's tea house, Iroh," Song said as she curtsied. She was wearing a subdued red kimono with a cream sash. "Please, come this way." Song lead the two men down the path. Iroh stayed with Zuko.
"Smile," Iroh ordered the prince. "Be nice. Talk to her." Zuko slumped slightly. "And stand up straight!" Iroh's final admonishment was before Song stopped. She turned around and smiled.
"We're here," she announced. Behind her a small teahouse, modeled after a Shinto shrine's gate, stood. "Shall we go in?" she asked shyly.
"You first, my dear," Iroh said. Song once again took the lead.
The room was sparsely furnished. A low table of cherry wood was surrounded by reed mats. On the table was a vase of irises. The two men sat down and Song gestured to the opposite door. A geisha stepped forward with a tray. On the tray was the tea set. The geisha laid the tray on the cherry table. Song knelt at the table.
"Tea, General Iroh?" Song asked as she picked up the teapot.
"Is it jasmine?" Iroh inquired.
"Yes."
"Then yes. Thank you very much," Iroh smiled.
Song carefully poured the tea into a cup and handed it to Iroh.
"Tea, Prince Zuko?" Song offered.
"No," Zuko said in a monotone voice.
"Oh. Okay," Song's expression fell. "So what do you like to do, Zuko?"
"I like meditating," Zuko replied.
Iroh didn't reply, being too busy enjoying his jasmine tea.
"Anything else?" Song asked hesitantly.
"Not really," Zuko answered. "Oh, wait. I like firebending too."
"Are you sure you don't want any tea?" Song offered again.
"Yes."
"But it's really good! I brewed it myself!" Song told him.
"I don't like tea. You didn't hear it on my list, did you?" Zuko frowned. "Now if you don't mind, I like silence while I meditate." He began to breathe deeply and evenly after he closed his eyes.
"But--!"
"Shh!" Zuko shushed her.
"Zuko," Iroh began. He stopped at a glare from Zuko. Iroh shook his head. This was not looking good.
"Umm, Zuko," Song began timidly. "We're supposed to be getting to know each other better."
"What did I just say?!" Zuko shouted as he leapt to his feet. He breathed flames out of his mouth.
"Aaah!" Song screamed as she scrambled backward to avoid the flames. She was not fast enough, however, and the flames licked at her skirt. But Zuko stormed out of the teahouse without a second glance at Song. Iroh set down his tea with a low grumble and stared after his nephew until Song screamed again.
"My skirt's on fire!" Song began to panic.
Iroh scrambled to his feet. "Calm down, Lady Song," Iroh instructed Song.
Song began to cry and was soon on the verge of hysterics. Iroh grabbed the teapot and tossed its contents onto Song. The fire quenched, Song stopped crying and Iroh lifted the scorched hem of her kimono to examine her leg.
A frown crossed Iroh's face as he surveyed the damage. "That won't heal without leaving a scar," Iroh murmured under his breath. Song pushed Iroh away and stood shakily with a wince of pain. Tears of pain streamed down her face as she gingerly placed some weight on the injured leg. She sat back down, unable to withstand the pulsing heat that continued to burn her skin.
"How could I have been so stupid as to think he would fall for me?" Song sobbed out of hurt feelings and physical pain. "I was so stupid!"
Iroh's expression darkened and he left the teahouse. "Zuko!" Iroh growled when he spotted the prince. "Do you have any idea what you've done to Song?"
"Scared her off?" Zuko guessed with his back to Iroh.
"Yes, and you've burned her!" Iroh began and the young prince whipped around to face his uncle. Zuko's iron mask fell away and his remorse showed slightly.
"I'm sure she'll heal, Uncle," Zuko tried to say confidently.
"I'm afraid not completely, Zuko. She'll be scarred for life," Iroh told Zuko the diagnosis.
"Iroh, I'm sorry. I…" Zuko's apology trailed off. Zuko turned away from Iroh.
Ursa's eyes widened in shock as she watched Song's mother hurtle past her toward the gardens.
"Oh dear," Ursa said with a frown and hurried after Song's mother. What has Zuko done this time?
"Zuko? Where are you?" Ursa called. She spotted him and Iroh in a small copse of trees. "Zuko, what happened?" she asked as she joined the two. "Lady Song just ran past me crying."
"Nothing," Zuko replied.
"He scared her away," Iroh informed Ursa, leaving out Song's injury.
"Zuko, you can't keep doing this!" Ursa remonstrated her son. "You must get married soon."
"Why?" Zuko snapped. "I don't want to!"
"Because your father will not be with us much longer," Ursa sighed. "We want you to be married before you assume the throne to guarantee that there will be an heir. We want the people to feel secure when we reveal your father's secret condition."
"Why don't you let Azula assume the throne?" Zuko demanded sourly.
"Your sister is not to be trusted," Iroh reminded Zuko.
"Her ambition has no bounds. She would throw the balance of power among the nations and the capital into chaos," Ursa continued. "Zuko, please, don't let that happen. At least tell me what type of person you would like to marry. You've turned down the best warriors, aristocrats, and princesses. Who do you want?"
"I don't want to be king!" Zuko replied. "At least, not yet. I want to see the world. I've never been outside the palace because of Father's illness. I'm always needed here. I want to be free for one day."
"Zuko, you know I can't give you that. Once you are king though, you could do all those things. Please, don't let your sister come to power," Ursa pleaded with Zuko. "She…is too dangerous."
"Fine," Zuko sighed. "I'll…" Zuko pause, racking his brain for one of the names his mother had mentioned last week. There was one, a waterbender princess, what was her name? Yue! "I'll marry Princess Yue."
"You mean it, Zuko?" Ursa looked at her son doubtfully.
"Yes," Zuko refused to meet her eyes. "I'll marry Yue. Now, I have to go and think." Zuko began to walk away but paused. "And—I'll visit Father and tell him of my decision," he added quietly and left. Iroh and Ursa watched him.
"There's something I didn't tell you, Ursa," Iroh confessed.
"What is it, Iroh?" Ursa asked.
"OW!" Song sobbed as the doctor rubbed a salve on her burn. Instead of taking Song to the doctor, the doctor had been sent to her. In addition to Song and the doctor, the tea house held Song's father Ryuu, her mother, and Ursa.
"I'm so sorry, Lord Ryuu," Ursa apologized for the hundredth time. "I assure you I will punish Zuko for this."
"That doesn't erase the scar!" Lord Ryuu snapped as he helped his daughter to the door of the tea house. "We'll be leaving now." Song's mother followed them quietly.
Zuko, you monster! I hope you never have children, Song thought venomously as she limped away.
"See, Zuko? Even though you barely knew your father before he fell into his coma, Ozai has left his mark on you. You're losing your compassion which I believe was your best quality. If you don't turn away from the path you're on, you'll be just like Azula and your father," Ursa whispered as she stared after Song and her family.
A/N: That was one loooooong chapter. And also one of the hardest. I'm so sorry it took so long to get it up! I hope you enjoyed. And for anyone who wonders, yes, zuko can breathe fire. He does it on the show a couple of times.
