CH2

Iroh was, once again, enraptured by Jin Lian Yang's grace. He was sure she noticed him staring unabashedly the minute she stepped into the dining hall, but who would blame him? All of the eligible, young noblemen and even some older courtiers with sons tried to start a conversation with her, only to be scared off by her father. The middle aged man looked like a dragon protecting its treasure from thieves, while his daughter flushed prettily, embarrassed at the attention she was receiving. Iroh was no different, as young women had crowded around him vying for his attention. Unfortunately, his mother and grandfather had no mercy for him and ignored his frantic looks and excuses disguised as pleas for help.

It seemed like an eternity before Iroh found a way to escape, thank Agni. He snuck into the garden, near the turtle-duck pond. To his surprise, the small, delicate figure of Jin Lian had beat him there, sitting on a rock with her feet crossed and tucked to one side. He saw a pair of high heels discarded in the grass next to the trailing end of the white silk slung over her left shoulder, pooled onto the ground. Her right shoulder, however, was bare to the world, where he followed her exposed skin up the long column of her neck, past the elegant bun secured at the base of her head, and finally, her pale face illuminated by moonlight.

"Ahem," he coughed politely. He watched with amusement as Jin Lian startled, turning around to see the person behind her.

"My prince!" she yelped, surprised to see a member of the royal family join her outside. "Forgive me, I hope I wasn't trespassing…" She mumbled something incoherent as she reached down for her shoes.

"Lady Yang," Iroh replied, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You aren't trespassing, don't worry." He smiled kindly, his golden eyes gazing at her flustered face. It was flushed pink with embarrassment, her lower lip caught in what looked like a 'tiger-tooth' as she bit it nervously.

She sighed, relieved. "I noticed you were receiving a great deal of attention from the other noblewomen, are you sure you aren't depriving them of your presence?" She smiled shyly, looking up at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I could say the same to you, Lady Yang," Iroh retorted lightly. He sat beside her on the rock, his back towards the water so that they faced opposite directions. "You seem to be attracting a large number of suitors for your first day in court."

Iroh was pleased to hear her small, tinkling giggles. Her voice was mellow and soft as she replied, "My mother insists on me finding a husband at court, yet my father chases them all away."

In an attempt to lighten the mood, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation scanned the area, mock fear on his face. "Is your father hiding in the bushes right now?"

Jin Lian blinked for a short moment, swiveling her head back and forth quickly in search of her sire. Iroh chuckled lightly as he watched her fall for his joke. She pursed her full lips soon after realizing her nation's prince was teasing her. "I wouldn't put it past him to be spying on me," she said. "But he should be preoccupied with the other ministers at the moment."

Iroh laughed heartily, his baritone voice filling the courtyard. "Surely you can't be serious, Lady Yang," he said as he wiped a small tear from his eye.

"My father is very traditional, my Prince," Jin Lian replied dryly. "He challenged the last man who courted me to an Agni Kai." She idly traced small patterns on the rock between them with a finger.

Iroh was taken aback. "You can't be serious!" he exclaimed, "Agni Kais have been outlawed since grandfather's reign!"

"Oh, father is well aware of that," Jin Lian said, waving a hand dismissively. "He just challenges them to see if they would actually go through with it. And none of them have ever accepted." She turned her head, making eye contact with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Bronze met molten gold, and for a moment, Iroh felt the same shiver up his spine as when he saw her in the throne room.

"Tell me, Lady Yang," Iroh said, breaking away from her intense gaze to look at the moon in the sky. "Where is your home? Do you live in the capital?"

Jin Lian turned her head back to the pond, shaking her head. "I'm from Shu Jing," she replied shortly. A light, summer breeze drifted through the garden providing much needed respite from the Fire Nation heat.

"I see," Iroh said. "I suppose you will be returning home soon then?" He remembered Shu Jing, the beautiful city atop a cliff, peppered with waterfalls and surrounded by wild plains.

"I believe father has business in the capital," Jin Lian answered. "Lord Zuko has been kind enough to offer us a place in the guest rooms until we are ready to return."

Iroh's ears perked up at this information. His grandfather always told him to never pass up an opportunity which presented itself. That's how he always almost caught Avatar Aang and his friends, the old man would always say with an amused chuckle. "Then would this be the first time you've stayed in the capital?" Iroh asked.

An elegant tilt of the head revealed the pale column of Jin Lian's neck as she thought for a bit. Placing a finger to her lips, she said, "It's been so long since we've lived in the capital, and even then it was only for a short time." Before Iroh could say another word, the young woman swung her legs over the edge of the rock. "Anyway, my father will have noticed I slipped away, I should head back to the banquet."

She rose, bare feet touching the soft grass with heels in hand.

"Allow me to escort you back," Iroh said as he stood to follow. He hadn't noticed exactly how small and delicate she was in comparison to him. Without the heels, the top of her head only came up below his chin. Her features were soft and fine, her perfume subtle as it wafted towards his nose.

Jin Lian put up a hand bashfully, "My Prince, you don't have to come, you just got here."

"It will be my pleasure to escort you," he said, offering his arm.

A short moment passed as he watched her lips tighten in a line before she relented. "A true gentleman," she sighed, resigned. Jin Lian took his arm and the two walked over the grass towards the cement veranda. She placed her shoes on the ground and delicately stepped into them, leaning a bit more on Iroh's arm to keep her balance.

Jin Lian straightened up and looked up at Iroh. "Shall we, my Prince?"

"Let's," he replied. As they approached the doors back into the banquet hall, Jin Lian stopped short and released her grip on his arm. Iroh cocked his head, confused. "Did you forget something, Lady Yang?"

"Perhaps…it is best we go in separately," Jin Lian said slowly. "People will talk if I'm seen with you, and I'm not exactly the highest ranking noble in the room."

Iroh chuckled. "Let them talk," he said. "It'll give the both of us space from our 'suitors', wouldn't it?"

Jin Lian furrowed her eyebrows before letting out a heavy sigh. "I suppose," she conceded reluctantly. Iroh held his arm out once again, secretly pleased with himself as he witnessed the young woman's face flush a light pink when she wrapped a delicate hand around his elbow.

Iroh's plan had worked. The other noblemen and women now kept a wide berth around him and Jin Lian as the pair stood in the room speaking with generals and other honored guests. The young woman breathed a sigh of relief as she stood by her prince's side, nodding attentively to whatever the person she was speaking to was saying.

A few low whispers caught her attention. "Look at the little chit," a voice said. "She dances like a courtesan, shows a little leg, and now she has Prince Iroh's attention."

"She's barely nobility."

"She doesn't belong here."

"Little up-jumped brat."

Jin Lian's ears burned with anger and embarrassment, but maintained a tight, polite smile while facing her conversation partner. Iroh, however, was not as forgiving as he whipped his head around to locate sources of the insult. His golden eyes narrowed as he eyed the gossiping women. A sudden pressure on his arm pulled his attention back to his "date", her elegant head shaking side to side slightly, bronze eyes pleading with him to ignore them.

"Excuse us, sir," Iroh said politely, pulling Jin Lian along with him as they retreated to a corner of the ballroom.

As they walked, Iroh argued sternly, "You should have let me say something, that was incredibly rude of them."

Jin Lian smiled sadly, "Well they aren't wrong. Lord Zuko was the one who gave my family the status of nobility, much to great-grandfather's dislike."

"Great-grandfather?" Iroh asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before he could get his answer, though, a large shadow loomed over the two. "Oh father!" Jin Lian said sweetly, "I was looking for you!" A small smile danced across her face as she looked up to the large man.

The stern faced man that was Lord Yang gave a soft smile to his daughter before bowing before Iroh. "Crown Prince Iroh, I beg your pardon, but I must collect my daughter from you. It is late, and we should retire soon."

Iroh nodded. "Of course, good night, Lady Yang," he said politely. "It was a pleasure speaking with you."

"Good night, my prince," she replied in kind. She executed a smooth bow before departing. Iroh sighed, puzzled by the small woman from Shu Jing.