A/N: Ah, secret other pairing revealed! Wahoo! This is going to be fun. First person point of view again. Thanks for the reviews! They make me feel all warm inside. Zutara story will be posted after this one sort of as a sequel to The Best Form of Torture from Zuko's POV explaining what he went down to the dungeons for…(tee hee)
Zukoscute2: (I like your penname) You asked if there would be some Zutara (Zuko/Katara). Of course! It wouldn't be Southern Water Tribe/Fire Nation Royalty without Zuko/Katara! Thanks for review!
Kayko15: WHOO! Sokka Plushie! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! He's my second favorite character next to the dreamiest prince ever! Thankies:gives you real Sokka: You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to tie him up…phew. Well there ya go! Thanks again. And yeah it was one-shot. But there will be more of Sokka/Zula I'm sure!
Iziz: Yeah the creators said she's supposed to be really evil. Did you she her when poor Zuko got maimed. She was like "OH YEAH!" Anyway thankies!
Almostinsane: Thanks :D
Remember Me AlwaysI can say I never intended on getting married. It didn't matter anyway. Only my brother had to get married, being he would one day rule the nation and had to produce an heir to the throne. So from the moment his betrothed was born she was promised to him. And although younger than myself, Ozai would be the Fire Lord when our father passed on.
This was because I, the elder child declined the position at an early age. Why? Fire Lord never sounded that glamorous anyway. Anyone could just sit on a throne and order people about. When I was young I wanted to be at the head of the troops, and fight in the army. Being a fire bender and of royal descent I had an obvious advantage over other new recruits. When I had first joined at the age fifteen I was only a private. In just three years I became a Lieutenant. I guess at the time I thought I was much more capable than the others were. Now I know better.
When I was 18, father considered sending his legions of troops to Omashu, one of the biggest Earth Kingdom cities next to Bai Seng Sai(sp?). There had been attacks on Omashu before this time but it was a powerful city. Father wanted to launch a surprise attack on the city, slowly approaching it from the south, rather than the west. He wanted the ships to sail down to the Southern Water Tribe and stay there for a few days before executing the plan.
I along with the rest of the army journeyed to the South Pole. The journey was long, but since I was young I knew that patience is a virtue. Something I tell my nephew when he is fuming about the Avatar. When we were getting close, the temperature began dropping rapidly. The Fire Nation Army's traditional garments luckily were pretty cold resistant.
I remember seeing the Southern Water Tribe for the first time. I had seen paintings of its sister tribe and they were so different. At the beginning of the war the Fire Nation obviously had a much easier time destroying this site than the one in north. It was small, and it seemed that less that fifty people lived here.
The people of the village began congregating outside at the site of our ships. Even from on deck I could see their terrified faces. They must have expected an attack. But father had just ordered them to dock here for a bit, to confuse the troops of Omashu. He also suggested we ask for an extra supplies or shelter. But seeing their current position, they could offer us little.
When our ships docked on the icy shore, the General on our ship commanded us to leave the ships. The General was a cruel man, he reminded me of Ozai a little bit. He was much taller than I was, and his black hair was dusted with gray streaks. He wore his hair up and his side burns long, the customary style of the Fire Nation. He had a long mustache that dripped down past his chin. And although we normally referred to our betters with their rank and last name, the general insisted that we lower rankings should merely call him by his title.
We were to assemble down below on the ice. As my feet brushed against the frozen snow covering the ice below, I studied the villagers before us. They varied in height, age and size. Almost all were clothed in blue attire, with white trim from a type of Arctic animal. They had patterns on their clothing consisting of different colored triangles and other simple designs. The all had dark, tanned skin that greatly contrasted to us who were mostly pale. All their hair was dark brown, and it was worn in my different fashions.
Once the troops had emptied from the ships, we assembled into lines, with the old general at the front. He didn't address us, but turned around to speak with the villagers.
"Citizens of the South Pole, we of the Fire Nation's Royal Fleet do not come here for malicious reasons," he began. "Being that you pose little threat, the Fire Nation has mercy on you," he continued, pacing around. He began walking around the semi-circle the villagers had formed. He was attempting to frighten them. "All we ask, is that for the next several days you let us port here before we begin an attack on an Earth Kingdom City and perhaps some extra supplies for our voyage."
The people of the Water Tribe looked outraged. "Like we'd ever help you, Fire Nation scum!" A young man, no older than myself said. He stepped out in front of the rest of his cohorts. A young woman desperately tried to hold him back but he forcefully pushed her back. "Please," I could hear her beg. "Don't do this, it's not worth it,"
The old general's swift amber eyes immediately shifted towards the defiant young man. He took a slow stride over to where the boy stood and too a long careful look at him. "Would you be so kind as to repeat that again?" The young man looked a bit frightened, perhaps worried of his fate but he did not stand down. "I said – " he began, trying not to stumble over his own words. "That there's no way we'd help you, after such rudeness," he finished.
"Ah I see," the general said, forcing back is obvious desire to yell. He called over to one of the soldiers. "My cane, please," he said, as the younger soldier scampered off to do his bidding. He then grabbed the young male of the water tribe around the neck and forced him to his knees.
"We have come to your village as guests, and we expect our host to treat us politely, being that it's customary to do so. A host is suppose to welcome his guest humbly into his home. You however, have not been a good host, and for that you must be punished," the general said gripping his throat tighter. I found it difficult to watch. This was the worst part of being in the military. Watching innocence suffer.
The soldier that had been told to fetch the general's cane returned quickly with a long steel rod in his hand. At that moment I knew what was happening. The general snatched the long metal rod away from the other soldier and studied it in his hands. The lower ranked soldier scurried back into to line with the others and myself. He then showed it to his capture.
"Do you see this?" he asked, waving it before the young man. "This is my cane, I take it everywhere. It made of solid steel, finest in the world. Do you like my cane?" He smiled, thinking of his next devious act. The man merely looked away. The General brought the stick up again and then sent the tip ablaze with a flame that emitted from his palm.
"I'll ask again, do you like my cane?" he ask holding the red-hot end of the cane near the man's face. He really looked terrified now, as he nodded to the general's question. The General lowered the cane slightly. "Now are you prepared to be good host to your humble guests?" The man nodded again, unable to speak, fearing his words would betray him. The general grabbed the back of his collar and threw him roughly against the snow. "Consider yourself lucky," he said sending a kick into his rib cage. "I don't do worse." The fallen man grabbed his side to extinguish the pain coursing through his body. The young woman who had tried to restrain him before fell to his side, her cheeks stained with tears.
The general looked towards his legions of troops. "If you want anything, do not hesitate to take it, and if any of these peasants give you a hard time, they'll be answering to me," he said, making his way back to the ship.
It was afterwards, when most of the villagers fled to the refuge of their homes that I first noticed her. I can't believe I had not seen her before, during the General's little scene. A girl, no a woman in her mid thirties. She was the most beautiful thing I had every seen. Her hair was piled high onto her head and tied into an elegant knot. Two long wisps of hair fell in front of her face and were tucked at the ends into the back of the bun. She had a small teardrop painted in the center of her forehead. I had never seen a woman like her.
I feared the worst when I saw a young boy, of three or four wrap his small arms around her leg crying, "Mama, mama! That man was scary!" She crouched down before the weeping child and removed the glove from her hand. Her dainty fingers reached towards his face as she wiped his tears away.
"It's okay sweetheart," she said hugging the little boy to her chest. "Mama will make sure that mean old man will never harm you." He child gurgled happily, encased by his mother's warmth.
I felt my heart sting. Never had I felt affection for a woman like this, and now that I had she was clearly married and had a child. But still, I wanted to say something to her, at least attempt a conversation.
I then saw her being approached by a man of her age, possibly a little older. He put on arm around her, and kissed her cheek while putting his other arm around his, what I assumed to be son.
"How are my darlings?" he said to them, as they all stood up. "Just fine honey," said the woman I was growing fonder of every passing minute. "Someone's just a little scared of that mean old Fire Nation man," she said holding her son a little tighter.
"Oh it's alright my little snow pea," he said wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "I'll protect you," he cooed in her ear. She threw him an amused look over her shoulder.
"Not me! The baby!" she said laughing playfully. I watched her eyes light up as she laughed and I swore that I would never see something as beautiful as long as I lived. Her husband laughed with her. That wasn't quite as attractive. I felt myself scowl.
"Oh so it's this little guy eh?" he said taking the little boy out of her arms. "Well don't worry my boy," he said cradling the child. "I'll protect you too," he said. He leaned over to his wife and kissed her deeply on the lips. I felt like I was going to burst into flames at any moment, but I tried to follow my own principals and now get so upset. A level head is the sign of a good leader as I always said.
"I'll see you later sweetness," he said to her. "Me and the little one here have got some male bonding to do," he said winking at her before leaving her by herself. For a few moments she was just starring off into space watching her husband and son leave her presence. I saw her sigh, with a heavy burden.
As I stood there gawking, pondering how I wanted to approach her something hard and wet smacked the side of my head. Before I realized it I had an earful of snow and I could hear laughter in the distance.
I could see two of my fellow Lieutenants standing several feet away crackling like mad. "Hey Iroh!" screamed another a few paces away. "Heads up!" I turned my head just see the second snowball aimed at my head. Lucky for me, it just skimmed the edge of my ear and crashed into the snow behind me.
I was feeling unusually giddy I suppose (though compared to most of the Royal Court, I was always the most happy…then again, they were mostly boring old people. I swore if I ever became old, I'd never be boring) and I decided to join in the merriment. Besides, Princes rarely had any fun. It was war strategies one day and table manners some other day. I was still young and I decided to make the most of it.
I scooped two heaps of snow and carefully crafted them into two spheres. One I hid on behind my back and purposely threw other one right between the two soldiers.
"Hah!" said one. "Missed me –" my second snowball slammed into the front of his face. While his comrade stood there laughing at him, a third snowball came hurtling his way. It hit him square in the face. I could help laughing. It was possibly one of the most fun things I had done.
After they wiped the freezing snow from their faces they immediately crouched down to gather some more snow. "Now you're gonna get it!" one said as he readied his snowball. I smiled, before I turned around and began sprinting. I didn't want to meet the barrage of snowballs that soon would be raining down on me.
My fellow soldiers didn't give up so easily though as they chased me snowballs clutched in their fists. One aimed the snowball and it made impact with my shoulder. Snow bits flew everywhere as I took a brief moment to return fire. I hit one in the abdomen with the frozen weapon and I continued running. For several minutes in continued this way, them chasing me and trying to hit me with snow and my every once in awhile returning fire.
But as I found myself trapped between a glacier and running into the village things changed just a little. Rather than admit defeat in a silly game I decided it might be fun to see if I could lose them among those of the Water Tribe. I expertly wove in and out of the crowd, keeping my eyes in front of me.
"Hey no fair!" I heard one yell from behind several townsfolk. I knew they were still following me though because I could hear irritated villagers yell as fire nation soldiers pushed them out of the way. But I was gaining distance and fast. After awhile I turned around to see if they were still following me. Hah, they weren't! I had won.
Unfortunately, at that moment, as my head turned back around I crashed full speed into another person. Upon impact I fell face forward into the snow…or what I had planned to be snow. But it was the other person I had landed on top of.
"I'm terribly sorry," I began, brushing some snow from my hair. "I was just – " it was then that I got a good look at the person I had knocked over. It was she! My face suddenly grew very hot has she starred into my eyes. I could hear my heart beating faster than the drums in the Festival of Flames. I could swear I was going to crazy if I didn't stop starring at her.
I tore my eyes away from hers, and slowly shifted my weight off of her. I got to my feet and brushed the snow from my uniform. As she began getting to her knees, I extended my hand down to her for support. She took it, and I felt my palm growing sweaty. Never had my teenage hormones been more active. I had barely even looked at a woman until now.
When she was to her feet, I pulled my hand back, lest I look like a lovesick teenager and averted my eyes to the snow. "Sorry," I mumbled incomprehensibly. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"That's all right," she said pulling the flakes from her hair. "I wasn't paying much attention either – " She stopped when she saw my clothes. Oh no, I thought. She thinks I'm scum…she hates me. She probably I was a ruthless fire bender like Ozai was, or like the General.
"I see that you are part of the Fire Nation Military," she said. I could detect no emotion in her voice. That could mean anything!
"Well, yeah…I guess I am," I saw her turn away from me, perhaps in disgust. "I am very sorry sir," she said, now addressing me as though I was going to burn her with the butt of my iron cane. "I do hope I have not offended you. And I do not mean to be rude, but I have much to do," she said turning away from me.
I was about to let her walk out of my life forever. But something inside of myself said, 'let her know you're more than just another vicious fire bender'. "Wait!" I called to her. She stopped dead in her tracks. Probably afraid I'd ask her for all of her food or something like that.
"I mean listen, I'm…I'm not a bad guy, which I bet you're thinking. I am loyal and devout to my nation…but that doesn't mean I can't have a heart. Please, don't think badly of me," I said, speaking my mind to a perfect stranger.
"Why do you care what I think?" she said her back still turned away from me. "I'm just a worthless peasant, aren't I?"
"No, of course not. You're a person just as much as anyone else," I said honestly. Her head turned towards me, as though she wanted to see if I was lying. She examined me a good thirty seconds before she made up her mind about me.
"Against my better judgement, I'd say you're all right, boy," she said smiling. She extended her hand, and I readily took it. I kissed the back of her hand and then held a few seconds longer.
"Please, call me Iroh," I said releasing her hand. She nodded, "Very well, Iroh." She then looked thoughtful for a moment. "That name, it sounds so familiar. Where have I heard that name?" I know where she had heard it. All Nations knew of the Royal Family in the Fire Nation.
"Oh really?" I said avoiding her curious stare. I was tinkering on the idea of telling her, when she interrupted my thoughts. "Well it will come to me eventually," she said. "For now, why don't I show you my home?" she said grabbing my wrist.
"Uh…yeah sure," I said, tumbling over my words in a mix of pure delight and shock. She tugged on wrist as a signal to follow her. I obliged instantaneously.
That day she showed me around the village, and told me of her people. We explored outside the town and went around telling each other what different ice formations looked like. And she was enjoying my company. Later in the evening we laid down in the ice and starred up at the night sky.
"Iroh," she called to me. "Hmm?" I said turning my head towards her. "Don't you think that that bunch of stars there kind of looks like a penguin?" she said pointing to the cluster of stars she was referring to.
"Yeah a little," I said studying it further. "Although," I admitted. "I think it looks a little bit like bison…" She sat up quickly. "What?" she said as if I was crazy. She turned her attention back to the stars. "No, I don't see it," she stated folding her arms.
"Look I'll show you," I said sitting up and scooting over to join her. "See look there. Those dots are the arms like on the penguin. But instead of that being the head it's the tail…see?" She squinted at the star formation. She looked pensive for a moment then shrugged. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she laughed.
We fell backwards into the snow continued stargazing. I heard a sorrowful sigh escape her lips. My gaze shifted towards her. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, Iroh, why do we fight this war? What is the purpose?"
"To be honest with you I don't know. I've often times wondered of the times before war," I said earnestly.
"Ah if only you had some command in the military. If you were the next in line. You could stop it Iroh. But you'd have to either be Prince Ozai or Prince – " She sat up abruptly, wide eyed. I sighed as I too sat up.
"Iroh…you are the Prince of the Fire Nation, aren't you?" I looked away from her as I silently nodded. I could see from the corner of my eye though that she put a hand to her head in frustration. She stood up quickly and began dusting herself off. "I don't know what I'm doing," she sighed heavily.
"What are you talking about?" I said turning my head back towards her lovely azure eyes.
"I saying, we don't know anything about each other, and I'm married and we shouldn't be here together! I mean just one day together and we're on a first name basis. I know nothing about you! How old are you? I must be at least twenty years older than you! I don't know what I'm doing here!" she said rubbing her temples in frustration.
"Well, maybe we don't need to," I said getting to my feet. "All I know if that since I laid eyes on you I knew you were special." She turned to me with sad eyes.
"Love at first sight doesn't exist…that's attraction. And even we were potential lovers you're leaving in two days and I am married! I promised to love and honor him! I will not break that promise!" she shouted.
"I won't make you, but I do want to tell you that I will never feel this way about anyone else…" She sniffed lightly. She turned to me and threw her arms around me. I heard her cry into my chest. I stroked her hair gently as she did so.
"Oh Iroh, if only things were different. Then we could be together. Had I been younger, and you born to the Water Tribes…"
"That doesn't matter now. We've found each other and that's all that matters now. Let's try to enjoy the next few days we have with each other."
And we did…
It had been the three best days of my life, and now it was all gone. I had to say goodbye to her, and I might never see her again. I couldn't bear thinking about it. I couldn't say goodbye to her, not now or ever. I just wanted to be with her.
The rest of the military was boarding the ships, fueling the engines, checking supplies. Basically preparing for their departure. No one was around, the villagers in their homes doing their work and the soldiers on the ships doing their work. I, however, stood on the icy shore and looked out onto the ocean. That was my future. A life a war and armies. I turned my head back towards the village. That's what I wanted my life to be. But I could never have it.
I continued to stare out in the icy waters until I heard a heavenly voice from behind me. "Iroh," she said. Ah, her voice was lovely. I didn't turn around to face her though, because if I did, I'd never want to look away. I felt her small hand rest upon shoulder. The other wrapped around my upper arm.
"Please, don't be upset. We knew it had to be this way in the end. I'm married, I have a child. And I'm too old for you, you should have a beautiful young princess – " I whirled around to face her.
"But you are beautiful, and you are perfect to me, just the way you are. Age is just a number, we can work this out, I know – " but she cut me off as she placed a finger to my lips.
"Iroh, don't make this any more difficult then it needs to be. The feelings we have for each other…will forever be buried in our hearts. I'm sorry, but you know it has to be this way." I nodded, she was right. I had been dreaming. I bit my tongue in effort to keep myself from crying, a sign of weakness among men.
"I will miss you, my Prince," she said tracing my jaw line with her index finger. "And before you leave me forever, I must give you two things," she extended her fist towards me. Her fingers opened and in her palm was a necklace. It had a black ribbon and a beautiful craved stone attached to it. I had never seen such finery. "Please take it, so you can remember me," but I pushed back her hand.
"I don't need anything, I will always remember you."
"But – " she argued again extending the item towards me, but I refused to listen. "No, I will not take this from you. Something so lovely belongs to you. Pass it down your family for generations. When your son gets married, give this to his wife as a wedding present. And she will give it to her daughter. And she will give it to hers. You can then tell your grandchildren of your secret love, and when they wonder if it's dear old grandfather, you simply say…maybe. And that my love, will be good enough for me," I said smiling. She closed her fist and she two smiled with me. "Very well, if you wish such a deed, it shall be done. But please, there is something I must give you before you leave, I must and I will not accept no for an answer."
I rolled my eyes but obliged to her request. "What shall I receive?" I asked playfully. A smile came across her face. "You must close your eyes," she said. I sighed deeply, but my eyelids dropped as quickly as she had said the words. "May the gods forgive me…" she said softly.
And a married woman kissed me…
But I felt no shame for she was the most perfect woman in the world and I was the happiest man alive.
When that blissful moment ended I knew I would never feel joy like that again. But I would treasure the memory until the day I died. "Now," she said holding back tears. "This is where I must leave you," she said as a single tear spilled onto her cheek. My hand reached up to her face and lightly brushed the tear from her face. I kissed the top of her head and held her for moment. I had to force myself away from her warmth and towards my ship. Her sad eyes followed me. She watched me all the way as I climbed on deck, her eyes never left me. I leaned over the edge of the ship so I would have a lasting memory to hold onto.
"Remember me…" I called to her.
"Always," she replied. That was the last word I heard her say. Right after that, a loud whistle was issued and a roar emitted from the engines. I heard the General shouting something, but I didn't hear what he said. All I could think about was the woman standing on the shore.
And as we drifted out of sight, she was there watching me the whole way. And I swore I heard the wind whisper,
"Remember me always…"
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:Many, many years in the future:
Katara heaved a heavy sigh as she watched the boats disappear on the horizon. Not only had her father left her, but a boy she cared deeply for at the time was also. The twelve year-old water bender recalled of the boy who she'd watch from the other side of the village while she helped her grandmother with the laundry. He was seventeen, and possibly one of the most handsome boys she had ever seen. She thought at that time in her young life she had been in love with him.
But the day her father said he and the other men were leaving, to try and stop the war that had been around nearly a century. All males over fifteen were sent out, leaving Sokka, her brother, as the oldest male of the Southern Water tribe at thirteen years.
It was a painstaking day for Katara, not only was she losing her father, she was losing the first boy she had ever had feelings for (though he would not be the last). She sat and wept quietly on the ice watching the ships leave her sight.
Her grandmother spotted her by the water, knowing how much Katara was hurting inside, for she was losing her only son as well. She approached her granddaughter from behind in an attempt to comfort her.
"Katara, my little water bender, are you alright?" she asked the weeping girl. The young girl shook her head furiously. "No," she said simply before burying her face deep into her fur coat.
"Katara, I will miss your father tremendously, but this is something that all the women here are dealing with. Life must go on Katara, you have things to do. You and Sokka are going to have to be more responsible from now on and help this tribe run smoothly. Do you understand?" The old sage said. Katara sniffed a little and lifted her head from her coat. She hastily wiped the tears out of her eyes and choked back a few more tears that were waiting to spill.
"I know Gran Gran," she said, never taking her eyes from the ships that were rapidly getting harder to see. "I know, but it's not just father. It's some one else. Do you know what it's like to watch someone you were in love with sail away on a ship, knowing that you may never see him again? Knowing that you two could never be together but you still wanted to?" She was speaking to herself more than to her grandmother. She would have been surprised though, had she heard the old woman's response.
"Yes, Katara. I do…"
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A/N: I hope you all understand who the woman with Iroh was…it was Gran Gran! (You did all get that right? Otherwise I must not have written it well enough) WHOO! Anyway this was inspired after I saw some fan art (I believe by Isaia on deviantart) of a young Iroh and young Gran Gran. I said, "wouldn't they be an interesting couple!" Thus, this fic was born. I realize that Gran Gran is probably much older than Uncle Iroh, but I said what the heck. Hope you liked it!
I hope they don't seem way OOC…it's hard to imagine younger versions of them and what they'd be like.