Chapter 7 – There's a Million Leas…
"You're dying?"
"That's what I said, isn't it?" Iroh, still sobbing, turned over and wept into his pillow. Suddenly, the door opened and light flooded the room, blinding Zuko. A servant poked his head round the door.
"Sorry, Your Fieryness, sir." He bowed low. "Is there anything I can get you?" The young servant, who had just started last week, seemed very nervous.
Zuko opened his mouth to say 'no', but Iroh said, "A pot of Ginseng, please." Zuko looked at Iroh, a scowl on his face. "What, you know that's my favourite!" They both chuckled through their swollen eyes and wet faces.
Neither spoke while they waited for their drink.
The new servant, this time remembering his manners and knocking, peered around the door. Slowly and steadily, he placed the tray on the floor just inside the door, as if in an attempt not to show his shaking arms. Iroh murmured a quick 'thank you' and the servant gave a relieved smile and shuffled out of the room, which then returned to darkness. Iroh waited until he could no longer hear the servant's footsteps to get the tray. Zuko and his uncle sipped their tea in blackness and silence. All of a sudden, a high-pitched, piercing noise rang through the palace and cut through the silence like a sword through soft flesh. The palace inventors had installed a new system, the 'Fire Alarm', because they thought it would be useful, and your safety is of utmost importance, Your Fieryness, they said. The noise was terrifying, and Zuko and Iroh sprinted out of the bedroom and followed the source. Their ears led them to Zuko's sister's bedroom.
Lea was fifteen years old, born just before Ursa had been banished. She wasn't particularly good at firebending, and did not appear to have any of the characteristics typical of Zuko's family tree. When Zuko slammed open the door he saw a ruined tapestry and a lot of smoke.
"Oh my gosh Zuko I'm really sorry I ruined your tapestry well what happened you see was I was practising my firebending and you know I'm not very good at that anyway and sneezed and it went everywhere and I'm really sorry and the tapestry's the main casualty but that pot over there is a little singed and those candles are kinda melted…are you crying?"
"No, well, I was, but anyway tell me about the tapestry."
She did.
"…well I'm really sorry but the bottom of it just sort of caught on fire when I sneezed and…"
Zuko interrupted. "It's fine Lea. It was in your bedroom, therefore it's your tapestry. It doesn't matter. You don't need to apologize to me." His voice faltered.
"Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yes I'm fine!" He growled. "Just clear up the mess – I'll get a servant to help you – and no more firebending in your room. Do it outside, if you must."
"No, wait, you're upset, I can tell."
Lea, in an amazing way, was brilliant at sorting out problems. She was just like Ursa in that way. In fact she was just like Ursa in many ways. She looked exactly like her, but not at all like Ozai.
Zuko looked at Iroh as if to ask him: "Should I tell her?"
Iroh nodded.
"He's…he's sick."
"Oh no! Is it bad?"
"Well…"
Iroh grasped Zuko's shoulder and gripped it, as if to tell him to stop.
"…no."
"Oh, ok. Well, get better soon, Uncle." She began to walk towards the door, "I'm just going to go get a broom," she said and skipped off into the bright hallway.
