"GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!" Aang shouted as he had slammed open the doors to the warehouse where their friends were hiding.
He was met with a ton of people looking at Aang in deep shock.
Aang though was one big grin. "We met the earth king. We showed him Ba Sing Se. He realized the Dai Li has been working against him and he put Long Feng into prison. You're free to go now!" he beamed.
It took a moment but finally relieved smiles started to spread and then chair.
One older man stepped forward smiling warmly. "That's wonderful young Avatar." Iroh smiled then he looked around. His eyes now clouded with worry. "If you would allow me to ask. Where's Zuko?" he asked concerned.
"Oh. King Kuei asked Zuko if he would stay with him for a bit. The King is super taken with Zuko." Aang grinned. "And I don't think Zhau-Li is going to leave Zukos side like… ever again. Unless Zuko makes a run for it, which he might do. And Toph is with them too, she's going to help them find the brain washing lair under the lake. I'm sure they are going to find Ming and Kulai in no time."
Ying had approached them and was clearly just about to ask but then nodded. "I… I understand." Though understandable he was still nervous.
Katara smiled as she stepped forward. "You don't have to worry any more." she said. "You are free to go where-ever you like."
"Jet is safe too?" Smellerbee asked. "They wont come looking for him?"
"Yes." Katara nodded. "You all are. The Dai-Li will most likely be disbanded and soon."
"Thank you young Avatar." The older women Tien bowed for them and they all bowed. "And please bring our regards to Prince Zuko!" then she stood up smiling. "I suppose we should go back to our house now."
"You mean…" Katara halted. "That tiny little house that looks like it was going to fall together at any moment."
Tien blinked. "Where else would we go?" she asked.
Aang halted then suddenly he became a big wide grin. "I have an idea!"
At the end of the day, long after the sun had set and darkness had fallen over Ba Sing Se again. Zuko was just dead on his feet.
He couldn't wait till he made it home and could hit the hay. First there was their storming of the palace, then showing Kuei around and then… He had been by Kueis side for the last six hours while Toph had been searching for the lair.
Zuko had to give it to the young king. He really was trying his best, he was just clueless about how… anything worked.
For the first time ever he had met his own council of five. The highest ranking Generals who were overseeing the war affords. Well… He had met three of them. The two others were actually out on the field.
Thankfully the only one of them whom seemed to have no field experience was Sung. The other two seemed pretty competent and relieved to finally get to talk face to face with the king.
Each of them had their own story of how they had been asking for an audience only for their request to be pending and by the time they had to go back out on the field that pending still hadn't ended.
Kuei looked embarrassed to say the least. Admitting he hadn't even known that they had requested any audience.
Zuko had to feel for the young King. It was obvious what had been going on. Kuei had just been four and Long Feng had found a system to rule the city in the place of a four year old so it still looked like the King had power thus not obstructing their way of living since the people would never accept any other leader than their king.
Issue just was that as Kuei had grown up Long Feng had just kept doing it and extended his hand and his power slowly over time.
For all of this time Zhau-Li had never left Zukos side and acted like a perfect servant… Zuko hadn't even found the time to talk about this with him.
And he kind of hated himself that when Zhau-Li had fetched him dinner he felt eternally grateful for it. And he actually also felt grateful that he was just there. It made Zuko feel a bit more safe in this hostile environment.
Finally after the sun had gone down Toph had showed up with several freed prisoners in tow. Ming with her child in her arms in front.
She was crying as she saw Zuko again. "How many times have you saved me now?" she asked. "My prince." she bowed deeply for him.
Zuko sighed deeply. "You shouldn't need saving from your own nation. It's the least I could do." he said.
Still she was crying and Kuei was left looking at all the other prisoners whom was his own citizens taken by Long Feng.
Finally…. Finally Zuko was now on his way home.
Toph casually walking next to him picking her nose. Zhau-Li walking behind him still acting like a servant and Zuko was to tired to have this conversation right now.
And then there was Ming carrying with her child. Surely Zuko could ask one of the others to go fetch Ying or something. He was to tired to go to the lower ring now.
As Zuko approached the house a yellow light was coming from the windows proving the others were still up and Zuko sighed. Maybe Iroh had been making tea. Zuko could really really go for some of his uncles tea right now.
"Oh my goodness." Toph suddenly gasped and she grinned.
"What?" Zuko asked.
"You'll see when we get there." Toph grinned.
Zuko rolled his eyes as he stepped forward, he got up to the door and opened the front door only to be met by a whole group of people.
"PRINCE ZUKO!" The fire nation refuges all cheered and then they bowed for him. Each and everyone.
Zuko looked wide-eyed at them and then he looked around. "What… What?" he asked.
"Hi Zuko!" Aang grinned as he jumped in front. "I was just thinking. The house Long Feng gave to these people was so small. So I invited them to come live in our house!" he spread out his arms. "It's more than big enough for everyone and we wont be needing it forever. We have to move on ourselves in the near future anyway!"
"Oh." Zuko blinked kind of stunned. "I see."
Just then he was cut off as Ying came running. "MING!" he screamed and almost tripped Zuko in his rush to get to his wife and child embracing them tightly and then he looked up at Zuko. "Thank you! How can I ever thank you?" he asked.
Zuko exhaled deeply. "There's no need." he assured.
"Prince Zuko." Now it was Iroh coming running. "You look exhausted. Come inside! Close the door." he asked pulling Zuko inside. "I know what you need."
"A nice cup of tea?" Zuko asked.
"Why nephew! You're learning." Iroh beamed and Zuko smiled.
Aang smirked. "Iroh has been making a new pot every half hour just to make sure it would be ready for you when he came home."
"Have you eaten?" Tien asked as she stepped forward. "I made sure to safe some for you."
"Oh that's fine. I ate at the palace." Zuko assured.
Iroh looked questioning at Zhau-Li.
"He did." Zhau-Li confirmed in a light bow.
"Oh that's all fine then. Zuko you must come sit down. You look tired." Iroh said guiding Zuko towards the table and the big cushions.
Zuko nodded as he reached up and pulled the crown off his hair. Allowing his hair to freely fall across his face and he sighed deeply feeling a little lighter. Then he looked around looking for a place to put the crown before he turned to Zhau-Li. "Erhm… Could I ask you to put this with my things?" he asked. "I sleep in that room at the west end of the house." he pointed. "My futon is the left one and the bag next to it is mine."
Zhau-Li gasped as he stood straight and reached both hands forwards accepting the crown as he bowed. "Of course my Prince." he said in a deep bow then respectfully walked out as if this was the most important gesture on earth.
Toph grinned as she sat down next to Zuko. "Nice job your highness."
"Please don't call me that." Zuko asked.
"Okay your princeliness." Toph replied.
Zuko glared at her.
"Hey relax. I'm just joking Sparky." Toph smirked elbowing him and Zuko sighed as he shook his head while Iroh poured tea for him.
Finally Zuko was allowed to just take his tea and felt the familiar warmth in his hand as well as the calming scent of herbs. He took a sip and felt the calm spreading with the warm liquid as he sighed deeply.
"Your tea is so good." Toph grinned as she sipped her own cup. "How do you do it? What's the secret ingredient?"
"Secret ingredient. That's quite simple." Iroh held up a finger. "The ingredient is love." he stated.
Toph laughed. "You know what's funny about that?" she asked amused. "I can tell that you are not lying."
Aang now sat down too next to Iroh and smiled. "It's really nice here with everyone together. It almost feels like one of the air temples like that."
"So everyone is here huh?" Zuko asked.
"Yeah." Aang nodded. "We still have the same room as before. Just the five of us. No one else is allowed in. Iroh has said he doesn't mind sleeping with the other elderly."
Zuko smirked. "I suppose we each need to stick to our own."
"Hey." Iroh said. "As I recall it was you who said the other day that I am not that old." he stated.
Zuko chuckled as he shook his head. "Where's Sokka and Katara?" he asked.
"Sokka went to bed half an hour ago." Aang admitted. "Katara… Is trying to heal Jet. Doesn't seem to be working though. Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot shares the small room upstairs." he pointed upwards. "The one I actually think is meant for washing."
"Huh. Kind of surprising they are willing to stay under the same roof as fire nation citizens isn't it?" Zuko asked.
"They wanted to allow Katara another try." Aang said. "Aaand… they don't have a home either. They were living on the street."
"Right." Zuko nodded. "Well I'm glad they could all come here."
"Really?" Aang asked.
"Yeah." Zuko said. "That other house was awful and you are right. We got more than enough room. It felt really wrong with such a big empty house we didn't even use when they were cramped like that in the lower ring."
"I'm afraid this wont be solving the larger problem though." Iroh commented. "But I also feel that is a conversation for later. Like after you slept Prince Zuko."
Zuko nodded as his eyes were just about to close on their own. He felt warm… Drowsy. The presence of people was warm and happy.
Iroh was there. His voice just felt so comforting and so did this tea. "Let me just… Finish this first." he asked taking another sip of the tea. Just trying to enjoy the moment.
They were going to discuss plans with the generals tomorrow. Maybe he should bring Sokka? Sokka really was a very good strategist. And he would enjoy it. Yeah he should bring Sokka, Sokka would hate being left out when he would be of the most use.
Should Zuko bring Iroh? There was still the unfortunate story of Iroh being the Dragon of the West. Maybe that was just to big of a risk right now.
Then again, he was Iroh, he could make anyone turn over a new leaf and like him just by giving them a cup of tea.
Suddenly Zuko almost dropped forward only held up by Toph.
"Yeah. It's bed time now your highness." Toph smirked amused.
Zuko nodded a drowsy nod and he felt himself being pulled up and guided by familiar hands. This man smelled like Pai-Sho and tea… It was uncle.
In the room Zuko shared with the others Sokka was already snoring happily from his own bed and Zuko soon found himself laying down. And then a blanket gently tugged around his shoulders in a way that hadn't been done for years.
"Prince Zuko. You have every right to be so proud in yourself." Iroh's familiar voice spoke quietly. "What you have done today is… Nothing short of incredible. More than that." he said. "For a hundred years the fire nation has been at war. Creating nothing but even greater divides between nations. And here you are, creating peace… Friendship across nations. Zuko… Ones again I am so humbled to be part of your family. Humbled that I got to know you. And words cannot describe, just how proud I am." he said. "So far you have come and yet you are not even done growing… My nephew." he said and Zuko felt a light touch on his hair. "Only my son I have loved as much as I love you. Please have a restful sleep." he asked as the hand finally removed and Iroh stood up quietly leaving the room while Zuko was lost in the warm cocoon of his own blanket and all these warm amazing feelings.
At least for tonight. Things were pretty all right.