Part 4: Chapter 24
"Oh day of fire and sun,
Pure as a naked flame,
Blue sea, blue sky and dun
Sands where he spoke my name;
Laughter and hearts so high
That the spirit flew off free,
Lifting into the sky
Diving into the sea;
Oh day of fire and sun
Like a crystal burning,
Slow days go one by one,
But you have no returning."
-Sara Teasdale, "Debt"
Zuko dipped his stylus into red ink as he sat at his desk. His royal headpiece was nestled in an ornate wooden box lined with purple velvet. He had stopped wearing it two years ago. After Aang had died at Szenton and Mei had taken her life as she languished in prison waiting trial for treason, little things like tradition and gold didn't seem to matter as much to Zuko. Thankfully the past two years had been quiet. Dealing with rogue pirates seemed like child's play after the Glass Triangle. Once Mei had been exposed as the Glass Priestess, the organization had little political power, and remaining pockets of insurgents were relocated to the Earth Kingdom where they couldn't harm anyone else.
Zuko straightened the paper on his desk and began writing.
Dear Suki. It was wonderful to see you, Sokka, and Toph last month for the summer solstice. I'm thankful we've all decided on meeting at least once a year. I only wish Katara and—
Zuko took a deep breath as a wave of grief crashed into him again. He thought the feeling would subside after two years, but his uncle had told him he'd carry it with him for the rest of his life.
"Grief changes us," Uncle Iroh had said once as they sat in Ursa's garden. "And we change grief. A hermit crab changes its shell, but it is still the same crab. It looks and feels different than it did before, but at its heart, it's still the same."
Zuko wiped his damp eyes and continued writing.
"—and Aang could have joined us. I hope you're still in contact with Katara. I thought Aang's death would bring her back to us, but I shouldn't be surprised she left Szenton immediately. We all deal with grief differently. I still grieve for Mei too. Despite everything, I loved her, and I know she loved me. She just wasn't sure about her place in the world, so she needed to feel like she was in control. Our reports still don't know if she started the Glass Triangle or if she simply took control of a leaderless organization. I don't know if it matters. What's done is done. If you still send letters to Katara, please tell her that I would love a letter from her. Or she can come to the Capital at any time. I'd like to see her again. And apologize. For everything.
Zuko blew on the ink and quickly scrawled a goodbye. Once the ink was dry, he rolled the paper into a tight scroll and rang a bell for Ming. He and Suki exchanged letters frequently, although they usually avoided the topic of Katara. Suki had written once that Sokka kept putting off their marriage until Katara reappeared, but that she wasn't holding out hope. Zuko wanted to believe she was still alive, still healing people somewhere in the world, and that she would find them when she was ready. He only wished he knew when that would be.
. . . . .
Dear Nephew. It's a beautiful summer here at the Western Air Temple. The moon peaches still ripen on the trees, and each day they grow sweeter and juicier. If only I could make a tea out of them! I could reopen the Jasmine Dragon! Ah, a dream for retirement I suppose. The Airbending Academy is thriving. All fifty-five pupils seem to have inherited their father's, let's say, mischievousness. The oldest have just passed the two-and-a-half year mark and will soon be named after the traditional Airbending tradition. I've always found it interesting that the Airbenders give their children names on their third birthday. As it is, we differentiate the children by referring to them by their birthplace. It keeps this old mind on its toes! I look forward to visiting you again soon. I pray for your health and happiness. Your loving uncle, Iroh.
Zuko realized he was smiling as he finished reading his uncle's letter. Between the monotony of running a nation and the loneliness as he walked through the days, the letters he received from Iroh and Suki were like a ray of light piercing a gray sky. He glanced out the window and realized he was late to a meeting with his advisors. Straightening his robes, he hurried to the royal hall.
As soon as he took his seat on the high dais, Advisor Liu spoke.
"Sire, your royal advisors are concerned," she said. Zuko absently thought her gray bun had more streaks of white than before. She probably needed a vacation.
"Is this about the search for the Avatar? I told you, I've spent too much of my life concerned with finding the Avatar. The Order of the White Lotus will begin investigating the water tribes in the next few years," Zuko said.
"Sire, this is a matter that is… closer to home," Advisor Chang said. Zuko noticed how frail the old man looked. Is everyone getting old around here? he thought. Can't imagine how I must look to them.
"Let's stop beating around the fire-bush," Zuko replied. "What's the problem?"
"You have no heirs," Liu remarked matter-of-factly. "When Fire Lord Ozai was your age, you and Princess Azula were already learning basic firebending forms. It is most uncommon for a Fire Lord to not have children by your age."
"Gods, you make me sound ancient. I'm only twenty-five," Zuko snapped.
"Sire, your royal advisors are in agreement, for once," Chang added. The twenty men and women around the room nodded. "We all believe it's time for you to marry again."
Oh gods, Zuko thought. That's the last thing I need. Instead, he said, "I've given some thought to this myself. However, the issue is that I have no heirs, correct?" He looked at each of them in turn as they nodded.
"Right. So I've decided to choose an heir myself. I would like you to assemble thirty to fifty young men and women from around the nation. They must be clever, passionate, and above all, empathetic. We won't rebuild this nation on greed or ambition. You must not tell them the purpose of this. Instead, call it a… mentorship program. Or something."
"Fire Lord, this is most unusual," another advisor said.
Zuko threw his hands in the air. "We're in an unusual time," he said. "Nowhere in the Fire Nation laws does it say that an heir to the throne must be blood-related to the current Fire Lord. In fact, chapter 31 section 2b states that in the event a Fire Lord dies without an heir, the advisors must choose by majority vote." He had looked up this law just the week before.
"Sire, that hasn't happened in over four hundred years," Chang said. "And the chosen heir was the nephew of the deceased Fire Lord. The bloodline remained unbroken."
"Well, maybe it's time to break it," Zuko said. "We can all agree that madness runs in my family. So maybe it's time to end the Azunon bloodline." He noticed the blank faces around the room.
"The Azunon bloodline has ruled this great nation for almost a thousand years," Liu remarked. "But yes, this is a time of great upheaval in our nation. Perhaps this mentorship program is a good idea. Shall we arrange for the choosing of fifty young people around the age of maturity, eighteen years old?"
Zuko didn't miss the glint in her eyes. She's going to try to set me up with a young woman, he realized with annoyance. "No, Advisor Liu, I believe these potential heirs should be younger. Perhaps twelve and below." He tried to hide his self-satisfied smile when she frowned.
"Is there anything else the board of advisors wishes to discuss?" When they remained silent, he stood. "Good. I'm glad this matter is settled. Please let me know when the children will begin to arrive." He grinned as he walked from the throne room.
. . . . .
Dear Uncle. I'm glad to hear about the continued success at the academy. Your latest letter describing young Kelsang's adventures with the airbisons made me laugh. Aang would have loved her antics. I'm just glad to hear you've managed to keep her alive to her third birthday despite her proclivity for danger. Here at the Capital, my advisors have managed to procure nearly thirty children to be instructed in an elite school here in the Capital. Hopefully the next Fire Lord is among them. I'm looking forward to introducing them to you in a few weeks when you visit. I pray for your health and happiness. Sincerely, Zuko.
. . . . .
As the winter solstice approached, Zuko woke each morning wondering if his uncle had arrived during the night. Three days before the solstice, the day that marked the end of the year in the Fire Nation, an attendant rapped on Zuko's door carrying a tray that held his morning tea. Zuko stretched and glanced out the window at the sun cresting the waters of the bay.
"Good morning, Fire Lord," the young man said as he placed the tray on the table next to Zuko's bed.
"Morning, Lee," Zuko replied. "Any news?"
The young man beamed. "Grand Lotus Iroh arrived just half an hour ago."
Zuko shot out of bed, almost knocking the tray over. "Tell the cooks to prepare breakfast for us, and have it delivered to the eastern tea room."
Lee bowed and hurried out of the room. Zuko grabbed the first robe he saw and ran his fingers through his hair. He couldn't care less about looking presentable for his uncle, so he didn't even glance at a mirror before leaving his room for the eastern tea room.
. . . . .
"Nephew!" Iroh said as he embraced Zuko. "It's been too long!" Zuko returned his tight hug. His beard had grown even longer since Zuko had seen him at the summer solstice.
"I'm so glad you could make it," he said. "To be honest, it's been pretty lonely around here since you left."
Iroh smiled and sat on a floor pillow. Raising the lid off a dish, he said, "Ah, the cooks still know how to make my favorite spicy soufflé. You can't find this anywhere else. But perhaps we should wait until our companions join us."
"Companions?" Zuko asked. Through the rice paper wall of the tea room, he heard a toddler's babble. "Did you bring one of Aang's children from the academy?"
"Yes and no," Iroh started to say as a little girl in a pink smock ran into the room. She threw herself in Iroh's lap, giggling. "Hello, my sweetest sugar plum," Iroh said. "Did you help your mother unpack?"
Mother? Zuko thought as the child nodded. She glanced up at him, noticing him for the first time.
"Darling, this is my nephew. Remember what we practiced?" Iroh prodded.
The girl climbed out of Iroh's lap and bowed to Zuko, her little fist below her upright hand in Fire Nation style. "Hey-ho, Firr Lorr Suto," she said. Zuko hid a smile as he returned the bow.
"Are you the infamous Kelsang I've heard so much about?" he asked. The girl turned to look at Iroh, who laughed.
"Oh no, Kelsang is still at the academy. This is her younger sister, Kazia."
"Kazia?" he whispered. He had heard that name before. Back when…
His thoughts were cut off as Katara stepped into the room.
AN: I'm sorry for killing Aang :( I really thought I'd get a horrible backlash from readers for that. Thank you all for supporting me for the past 14 months! I'm going to try to get Chapter 25 written soon!