Once they made landfall, the entire ship disgorged itself from the metal belly. A camp was set up while Lu Ten tried to coerce Zuri into wandering the ruins. They smiled and glanced back, meeting Zuko's eye.
"You, my prince, have work to do. But perhaps the younger legs could use some stretching." They said.
Lu Ten paused and turned, blinking as he registered seeing Zuko there.
The last time Zuko had seen his Lu Ten, he had been a child. At certain moments, where this Lu Ten looked so cleanly back at him, Zuko felt like he was a child again. He felt small under his cousin's gaze, and insubstantial.
What would happen to him if Lu Ten found out?
"Did you want to go Zuko? Seeing as how you've finally stopped puking at every port, you might be up to it." Lu Ten asked. Zuko felt his face warm and he clenched his hands into fists.
He had gotten sea sick in the beginning in his timeline as well.
"I can handle it." Zuko stated.
Lu Ten nodded and turned back to Zuri. "You'll go with him? He is second in line after all and you have a knack for saving princes."
Zuri made a noise and slapped Lu Ten's arm.
"I will. And I'll take the little tribals along." They added. Lu Ten's face changed and Zuko stilled.
The Fire Nation had lived through generations of war. Zuko had grown up on stories on his family's prowess in battle and imagined a burning brightness tearing through enemy lines. Something different to the cold burn that made sharp slivers of Azulon and Ozai.
Lu Ten looked like a sword blade pulled straight out of the coals.
"It's not appropriate for a Fire Nation prince to associate with peasants." Lu Ten stated.
"It's also not appropriate for a Fire Nation prince to go ignorantly into a foreign kingdom." Zuri countered. "The tribals can teach him a few things. And they're kids, let them have some fun."
"When I was his age, I was a soldier." Lu Ten muttered, sounding more like a petulant child. Zuri shoved him.
"You were an officer because your daddy was the crown prince." They corrected.
Lu Ten made a show of sighing and throwing his hands into the air.
"Fine. But make sure none of them fall off the island." He said and walked away.
Zuko and Zuri watched as Lu Ten strolled over to a group of officers. It was bizarre to see how Lu Ten flickered between calculated seriousness and congenial nonchalance. From experience, Zuko knew that most people would assume the Crown Prince was unrestrained. To him it was more like keeping a firm hand on the fuel gauge.
Zuri patted Zuko's shoulder.
"Let's go collect the tribals." They said.
Katara and Sokka had been penned off by armed guards while other soldiers put up a tent. All parties looked displeased.
"Your highness." One guard said and the entire group straightened to salute. Zuko awkwardly held up a hand.
"The prince is going to walk the ruins and has invited our guests." Zuri said.
The soldiers tensed but Katara grinned. Knowing them, or at least versions of them, they had probably tried to wander off as soon as they landed.
"The Crown Prince promised his guests an enjoyable trip." Zuri added, firmly reminding all of them og the boundaries in place. "And he wishes that Prince Zuko become more familiar with the Water Tribe's culture."
Zuko had forgotten how his royal voice had been protected when he was younger. None of the family was permitted to speak freely with others and every time his father spoke, his words were treated like a commandment from the heavens. Iroh had not been that way, and this Lu Ten had clearly cultivated the same familiar manner, but both had spent most of their time in the army.
For himself, Zuko had fallen out of practice during his exile and his throat tightened around his own words.
"Why thank you." Sokka said, stressing his words and looking indignantly at the guards. "I tried to stretch my legs earlier but apparently these matchsticks thought I was stretching them too far."
Katara nodded solemnly and Zuko fought down a smile.
"The ruins are a dangerous place. But I will be caring for your safety." Zuri replied.
Their words were calm and almost friendly, but Zuko did not feel comforted.