Concession
The mournful sound of a tsungi horn greeted Mai and Zuko as they approached the front door of the Jasmine Dragon. Wrinkling her nose, Mai nudged Zuko and wondered whether Iroh might be "melancholic or something."
The young Fire Lord shrugged and pulled open the door, stepping aside so that Mai could enter first. "Agni, I hope not; Uncle gets, weird, when he's sad…and that's saying something."
It wasn't Iroh drawing long, almost achingly beautiful notes from the instrument; it was a young man, maybe five years older than Zuko, who sat with three other men, one with a drum, one with a pipa and one with a flute. They took no notice of the royal couple, or of anything really, but the sound of the horn.
Iroh came out from the kitchen and putting a cautionary finger to his lips, waved them over to a table. "Do you like my new band?" he whispered and then gave them each a crushing hug. "I thought the tea shop could use a little music."
"Wouldn't something, I don't know, cheerful, be more appropriate?" Mai asked.
"Oh, they play all kinds of music," the old man countered. "Happy, sad, whatever the crowd seems in the mood for."
"Ah." Mai sat, tugging on her husband's sleeve until he plopped himself down beside her.
"Brings back memories," Zuko mused. His eyes were closed as he listened, letting the music carry him back to earlier days, painful days, days spent on-board a rickety Fire Nation ship, his only purpose to find the Avatar.
"Good ones?" Iroh wondered, his rich voice full of hope.
"No," his nephew replied brusquely. "All I can think of is music night on my ship; you remember, don't you, Uncle?" Zuko shuddered as he recalled just how terrible those days were. But that wasn't the music's doing or his uncle's.
"Of course I remember. I loved music night. It was my idea after all. Those were difficult days, but I think the music made them a little bit brighter." Putting a still strong hand on Zuko's shoulder, Iroh squeezed. "Don't you agree?"
The Fire Lord looked to his lady. His gold eyes searched her gold eyes. Mai gave a barely perceptible nod and moved her hand beneath the table, letting it rest on Zuko's thigh. "Yeah, Uncle, you're right. Music night did make things a bit more bearable."
"I'm so glad," the tea maker sighed with relief. "Now, why don't you two make an old man happy and get up and dance?"
A protest formed on Zuko's lips, but Mai gave him a pinch.
"We'd be glad to dance, Iroh." The Fire Lady smiled at him and then at Zuko. Standing up, she put out her hand and waited for him to take it.
They held each other close, probably too close for what was considered proper, and stole furtive glances at Iroh. He sat at the table, sipping tea and beaming.