Iroh gave away, traded, or sold the last of the non-essential things that Zuko had procured while they had still been together and set out in the general direction the boy had taken the day before. He had decided shortly after his son left that he would follow his trail. His own past told him that there were some lessons that a young man had to learn for themselves. So he promised himself he wouldn't interfere with Zuko's journey unless of course the boy really him, in which case he would be there. Once more Iroh let his mind drift to the past as he walked through the woods along an ostrich-horse path.
アエ 父の日 恋仲
"Is the paint really necessary?" Iroh grumbled to Quidel as one of the younger women of the boy's tribe painted his face with a rusty red substance.
Quidel shrugged as he sat across from the older boy, watching the show with obvious delight. "It's part of the Sun Warrior tradition. This is a huge deal you know, not only did Dad let you stay, but now you get to meet the Masters."
"Yeah I get that." Iroh leaned back and looked at the small boy who had become like a little brother during the two months Iroh had been in the village. "But makeup and a skirt? Why can't I just meet these two guys in my own clothes? I mean Chief Nahuel let me train with the other warriors in my stuff before."
"I told you; tradition. Each year when the sun lines up just right all the boys of the village who have reached the age of manhood are taken up to Sun Temple. Once inside they are taught a final lesson before receiving a piece of the sacred flame. Then they must carry the fire up to the lair of the Masters where they will be judged to be worthy or not. Only then can anyone know the true meaning of firebending. It's a big deal."
"I still feel positively ridiculous." Iroh said grumpily. He was dressed in little more than a few scraps of red and gold cloth strategically wrapped around his lower body to form a very loose skirt-shorts kind of thing. His long black hair had been removed from its topknot and pulled into a high ponytail at the back of his head like those worn by everyone in the tribe.
Thankfully, with a large amount of help from his new friend, Iroh had been able to convince the Chief to allow him not to shave the sides of his head in to the Sun Warrior mohawk. He'd also been allowed not to pierce his ears, which had looked more painful then Iroh cared to think about. Those two concessions, however, seemed to be all the more he was going to get for this particular ritual as the girl before him put the finishing touches on the thick stripe that now adorned each cheek.
"I think you look very handsome." Iroh looked down at the girl that had been completely silent until that moment. A pale blush colored her cheeks as she looked away shyly.
"Do you?" Iroh asked as he smiled down at the girl his whiskey eyes shining with things meant for dark nighttime rendezvous. She was called Sacnite, which he'd found out meant white flower, due to her uncommonly pale complexion compared to the others of her tribe. Iroh thought it was a beautiful name, for an equally beautiful young lady.
Sacnite nodded, her blush growing deeper, as she gathered her things together. The outsider had away about him that drew her, even against her better judgment. She knew that the day would come very soon when he would leave their secret village for the world he'd come from never to return. Still she could stop her heart from beating a little faster whenever his warm eyes turned her way.
Iroh stood up and held his hand down to the girl to help her do the same. His voice was low with duel meaning. "I'm grateful to you Sacnite."
The girl looked at the hand he held out to her debating whether she should take it. Reaching up she marveled at the rough but warm feeling of the outsider's palm as it made contact with her own. She let Iroh gently pull her to her feet, and growing bold she met his eyes. "I wish you luck with the Masters."
Iroh grinned at her, and then moving faster than she was able to react to, he laid a quick kiss over her soft pink lips. Pulling back he smiled fully at the look of shock and passion that came into the girl's brown eyes. Sacnite pulled her hand from his, and he let her, as she backed away.
"For luck." Iroh explained away the kiss as she watched him questioningly.
Sacnite stood frozen as Iroh, still smiling, looked over to where the seven year old boy sat watching the exchange curiously. "It is about that time isn't it Quidel?"
Quidel looked between the two teens and then not sure what to say nodded as he too got to his feet. "Then we better get going, wouldn't want to keep the Masters waiting."
Iroh smile only grew as he started out of the small room where he'd been prepared, glancing back at the girl just before leaving. She was still blushing and her hand had come up over her lips where he'd kissed her. He started humming to himself as he thought about what he would do when he found the girl tonight after he was done with the meeting.
アエ 父の日 恋仲
Iroh felt a true fear as he stood with three other boys at the top of a seemingly endless flight of stairs. It wasn't the height, however, that had his knees suddenly going weak on him, but the fact that the bodies of two giant breaded dragons flew in circles around the raised platform where he was. Despite the story he had used to get out of the royal palace, Iroh never actually dreamt he would come this close to not only one, but two dragons.
Iroh watched the swirling dance of the two long snake-like bodies; mesmerized by the pure strength they represented. Then as if from a dream he heard a pair of voices calling inside his head, 'Dance with us.' Looking back at the others that stood with him he wondered if they heard the voices too. They must have because they looked at each other utterly confused. Turning back to the dragons Iroh suddenly understood why they'd been taken to the Sun Temple before coming here. With a smile Iroh mimicked the first position of the statues in the temple.
アエ 父の日 恋仲
Iroh sat in a place of honor with the three newest men of the Sun Warrior tribe, as everyone celebrated their great transition and successful meeting with the Ren and Shaw. The mood of the whole village was festive as people played drums, chanted, or danced around the giant central bonfire. Quidel chattered away about the day he would be old enough to make the trek to meet the Masters for the first time. Iroh couldn't help feel the boy's excitement and he smiled as he reached over and tugged playfully on the boy's long ponytail.
"It wasn't that big a deal." Iroh tried to bluff but lost all composure when his little friend looked at him disbelievingly.
The rich rolling base of his laughter carried over the crowd, who turned to him with a cheer. Iroh smile grew wider as lifted a hand to the group in appreciation. Despite the two months he spent with the Sun Warriors he had been nothing more than an outsider. Someone that, while not outwardly feared, was certainly not trusted. It wasn't the case any longer; since coming down from the mountain of the Masters the whole tribe's attitude had changed. He was suddenly one of them.
Iroh smiled at more than one of the young women that past his way; cheeks pink with girlish embarrassment. One girl in particular drew his eye; Sacnite sat at the far side of the gathering talking to a group of older ladies. She looked up at him as if she'd felt him looking at her and smiled.
Iroh didn't realize he had gotten to his feet until he felt a small hand grab his. Looking down he saw Quidel's questioning expression. "Where you going? Dad is about to make a speech."
"I'm just going over there to say hi to Sacnite." Iroh explained pointing across the courtyard.
Quidel looked to where the teen pointed. "Sacnite isn't here."
"Yes she," Iroh's words ended abruptly when he looked up to see that the boy was right and Sacnite was gone. "Where did she go?"
Iroh and Quidel both looked around the fire lit crowd, but the girl in question had simply vanished. Iroh was about to go in search of her when the music suddenly stopped and Chief Nahuel's deep voice rang out in the night. Iroh let Quidel pull him down to sit once more but he found it difficult to focus on what the older man was saying as his mind stayed fixed on the girl.
After the Chief's speech the party roared to life once more as food and drink was brought out. The music played and Iroh danced with different girls into the early hours of the morning. While he'd never felt so free in all his life, something was missing.
That something didn't show up until Iroh was making his way back to the small room he'd be given to stay in while he was with the tribe just before dawn. Sacnite stepped in front of him from between two building, her eyes down cast. "I wanted to congratulate you on meeting the Masters, Prince Iroh."
Iroh's jaw dropped open in surprise that the sound of the girl using his name; aside from Quidel and occasionally his father, he had never heard anyone else in the tribe speak it out load. Truthfully he hadn't thought she even knew his name. Thankfully the shock of it wore off quickly enough and he was able to smile and give her one of his most courtly bows. "That means a great deal to me, Lady Sacnite. Thank you."
Sacnite looked up at him clearly confused by his words and behavior. "Lady?"
"It is what my people call beautiful young women like yourself." Iroh chuckled as he stood up and held his hand out to her. "Would you walk with me, my Lady?"
Sacnite smiled, liking the way the one word sounded on the deep timber of his voice. Taking the hand he offered her, she let him adjust her fingers over his, clearly something else from his people, before he started to walk. "Where are you taking me?"
"Any where you want me to." Iroh turned sparkling whiskey eyes on the girl. The girl raised a thin eyebrow, earning her another chuckle from her companion. "Do not worry my Lady, I saw a lovely brook the other day and thought it would be the perfect spot to watch the sunrise with someone special. Would you like to see it?"
Sacnite's smile was dazzling as she nodded excitedly. "I would love to."