Avatar:
The Last Airbender Created By: Michael
Dante DiMartino,
Bryan
Konietzko
Avatar:
The Last Airbender Owned By: Nickelodeon, a subsidiary of Viacom
All original content and characters © Acastus
Chapter III – The Storyteller
They stopped and Trimazu threw open a sliding panel in front of them to reveal a long hall filled with perhaps a hundred men and women in colorful dress. A group of musicians played peaceful music on a variety of wind instruments somewhere out of sight. Three long, low tables were set up as three sides of a rectangle that ran up and down a large part of the hall. The guests were standing in small groups chatting idly with each other as the host's party entered.
"Welcome, friends and associates!" boomed the merchant. All eyes turned to him as he swept into the hall. The unseen musicians halted their playing as the master of the house and his companions approached the head of the table. Once in front of his seat, the merchant bowed low and continued his address.
"My apologies for arriving late, but I was accosted on my return from the auction by a group of bandits. I think somebody here thought they could get out of paying what they owe me!" he put his hands on his thunderous hips and queried, "Now who here is going to fess up to it, eh?"
Iroh was astonished to hear most of the guests begin to laugh at the merchant's outrageous accusation. In the Fire Nation such a comment would have undoubtedly caused a riot followed closely by the sudden appearance of a pile of flaming corpses. The retired general wondered in silence at the strange people who inhabited the Earth Kingdom.
"All right, dear guests, please sit down and stuff yourselves! Xian, Li – sit here on my right! You're my guests of honor. It's all right; you're only displacing my neighbor, Chen Ho." The merchant sat down heavily, crossing his legs and motioning with both hands for the servants on either side of the room to begin serving.
Now that the host had seated himself, the guests moved to follow suit. Iroh sat on Trimazu's right, his nephew in turn beside him.
"You've sunk to a new low, Trimazu, a feat even for you!" came an infuriated voice from behind them.
Laughing, Trimazu turned and replied, "Chen Ho! How wonderful to hear your voice! What an honor it is to have the patriarch of the noble Ho family attend my feast! Now, you should be honored to meet these people – judging from where we met I'd say they were working your peach orchard today. This is Xian and his nephew, Li, and they're from, uh," the merchant turned to Iroh to inquire, "Where are you from?"
"Oh, we are, uh, refugees from Omashu," supplied Iroh.
Chen Ho, a tall, gray haired man with a long, drooping moustache, looked briefly at the two exiles as if they were insects.
"This is an outrage." Chen remarked flatly.
"In every possible way," remarked Zuko, softly enough that only Iroh could hear.
"Oh, peace, my friend!" replied Trimazu, holding up his hands in defeat. "These men saved me from bandits on my way here tonight, and it is only just that I reward them with a seat of honor. So, go sit next to Li over there, or I'll rethink my decision to exchange your enormous debt to me for a share in your failing bakery business!"
Fuming, Chen Ho, hesitated. His cheeks flushed red at Trimazu's indiscreet revelation regarding his personal finances. The closest guests had finished seating themselves. Many, including, it would appear, Governor Tao and a few others nearby were starting to look over at the scene with interest. Chen turned without another word and took the seat next to the banished Prince.
The merchant leaned over to Iroh, poured him some tea, and remarked in a whisper of barely suppressed glee, "I never tire of abusing that snob! His family owned my father!"
The guests had now seated themselves. A small army of servants were busy placing huge plates of food on the tables. Iroh grinned as small bowls of steamed rice, large bowls of spiced noodles, exotic fruits and platters of roast duck and cured ham were placed near him. Each guest was poured a glass of wine in preparation for the toast that Trimazu gave in honor of the Earth Spirit. The harvest had been abundant last year and the mood in the room, withstanding even Trimazu's coarse humor, was generous.
Iroh served himself large helpings of everything in reach as the feast began in earnest. Servants brought along many small dishes of raw fish wrapped in rice, breads and vegetables. A sip of the tea confirmed that is was a delicious ginseng. After satisfying his immediate hunger, Iroh noticed his nephew sitting impassively at his side.
"You had best eat something. It maybe a long time before we eat like this again. Besides, the food is delicious! Eat, Prince Zuko, even you cannot fight on an empty stomach."
Zuko was in fact starving. He met his uncle's eyes briefly, then, with a slight shake of his head in resignation, began to eat.
Iroh had just finished another cup of tea, when the merchant turned to him and said, "Xian, this is Tao Lin, former governor of this province." Trimazu leaned back to allow Iroh a line of site to the man sitting on his left. Tao's face was angular and chiseled, and though clearly middle aged, his body was in good condition.
Tao smiled, bowed slightly in place, and began, "Greetings, Xian. Trimazu has just told me of you and your nephew's heroics tonight. It isn't often one hears of freedmen who have such skill in combat. You come from Omashu. Tell me, were you soldiers of King Bumi?"
Iroh's eyes widened at the question. He bought a few moments by slurping up the noodles left in his cup. Zuko leaned back and regarded his uncle calmly; a slight smile the only indication of his amusement at his uncle's discomfort. The retired general then replied, "No, Governor, my nephew and I sold wares from a shop cart in the market. We left as soon as we heard that the, uh, "fascists" were nearing the city."
Governor Tao looked disappointed, "A shame. I was hoping for news of the city's fall. Many rumors have spread that King Bumi surrendered Omashu without a fight – which I find hard to believe."
"Believe it," interjected the merchant, "And it isn't Omashu anymore, that bitch, Princess Azula, has renamed it "New Ozai City!""
Zuko looked over in surprise at Trimazu at this and blurted out, "Azula in Omashu! What was she doing there?"
Trimazu turned to Zuko and his eyes disappeared beneath his bangs, for this was the first time Zuko had spoken to the fat man since the bridge.
"Well, Li, glad you decided to join the conversation! I heard all this from one of my suppliers who used to have operations there, and I asked him the same question. He said he heard she was there to see a friend. I don't believe that for a second though."
Leaning toward them, he continued in his conspiratorial tone, "From what I hear that girl is a demon from hell sent to torment the whole world. I'd bet my weight in gold there's not a soul on earth that'd piss on her if she were on fire!"
Tao and Iroh laughed at this, and so, though very much against his will, did Zuko. It was a bitter laugh, but a laugh all the same, for of course, he would have given anything for what the merchant said to have been true. As it was, everyone he cared about save his uncle favored his sister over him.
"Anyway, sounds like you have a crush on her or something! I hear she's beautiful, if cruel. Still, I doubt she'd be interested in you. Tao has a good looking daughter your age, though!" Trimazu turned back to his other guest with wide, expectant eyes, "What do you say, Tao?"
"My daughter is not marrying a freedman, Trimazu," replied Tao, stiffly.
"Oh, bull! If I offered you two hundred thousand for her to marry Li here your only concern would be how to get the loot home without getting mugged! And no – don't ask me about it later, because I'm not really making an offer." Trimazu laughed and continued, "Anyway, my supplier also told me that Princess Azula basically threw out the Governor appointed by her father – after publicly humiliating him!" Trimazu slapped Tao roughly on the back, "Be thankful you aren't Governor of Omashu, my friend!" Tao grimaced at the physical contact, but refrained from the smart reply he might otherwise have delivered.
Zuko slipped back into his sullen silence after this exchange, but proceeded to eat his fill without further restraint. After he had finished eating, Zuko felt his eyelids grow heavy, as his body registered both the day's labor and the food he had just eaten. Just when Prince Zuko thought the feast would never end, however, the merchant stood up and addressed his guests once more.
"I have a special treat in store for us. As everyone knows, I spare no expense for my parties and tonight shall prove no exception. I have paid an obscene amount of money to have Gao Xingjian, the storyteller, here with us tonight."
Trimazu clapped his hands together and a wall panel opened to his left. Through the open door strode an old, thin man in a plain green robe. As the merchant resumed his seat next to Iroh, many of the guests looked upon the old man with wonder, impressed despite themselves. Gao walked around the end of the table closest to him and then came to stand in the center of three tables.
Bowing low, Gao greeted his host, "I thank you, Master Trimazu, for your generous introduction." The storyteller straightened up and turned to address the guests in an affected voice, saying, "Greetings, noble lords. Many of you already know of me as the most famous teller of tales in the eastern lands. I have entertained kings in Omashu, generals in Ba-Sing-Se, the noble rulers of the North Pole, and yes, even in the palace of the Fire Lord in my youth. I am honored to be your servant this evening. Please, lords, tell me your desires, your secret longings and I shall fulfill them. What tales can I tell to gladden your hearts, elevate your spirits and free your minds?"
Gao ended his short soliloquy with a hand raised to the ceiling in a dramatic gesture. He looked around him making quick eye contact with members of his audience. After a few moments of silence several audience members spoke up at once.
"How about how the return of the Avatar?" asked a middle aged man to Gao's left.
"Or the siege of Ba-Sing-Se?" said another.
Zuko's weariness vanished as he looked over at his uncle with wide eyes. Iroh sat expressionless. He met Zuko's eyes briefly then refocused on the storyteller.
"Bah!" interjected Trimazu, "how many times have you heard those! If you wanted to hear something like that you might as well have me get up there and tell it!" Many in the crowd looked aghast at the mere mention of such a possibility, but the merchant barreled ahead without notice, "Come, friends, challenge him! He's costing me a bloody fortune, don't waste it!"
Gao replied to the audience members who had spoken, saying, "Thank you, good sirs. Both are worthy subjects. As to the former, Rumor, the omnipresent spirit who walks wherever man treads, has spread the tale of the Avatar's return far and wide. Even I, however, who have traveled the world, cannot attest to the truth of these stories. As for the latter, the siege of Ba-Sing-Se and General Iroh's defeat within the very walls of our mighty capital is indeed a spectacular tale. It is also, however, a well worn story which I am sure everyone here has heard recounted many times before."
Governor Tao then spoke, "Ba-Sing-Se is a moth-eaten tale, I grant, but I would hear tell of a Fire Nation defeat tonight if I can manage it. I have not heard the story of the Battle of Lake Myojin and the end of Prince Xian in many years. Would that suit?"
Gao's white eyebrows disappeared under his brows and a smile lit his face, "Indeed, Lord – it is an excellent choice. The story of the ill fated cousin of Iroh and Ozai is a good one. The fall of Prince Xian, however, is but a piece of the larger tale that I shall tell, for I know many things about that episode which are not common knowledge."
"If you wish to hear of disaster and defeat within the very organs of the Western Power that threatens us even today, we must go back before that famed battle and hear also of many events after its conclusion. And yet I must warn you, Lord Governor, that what I give with one hand, I must take away with the other. To tell the tale I have in mind, we must not only be present at Lake Myojin, but at the lamented Battle of Mequon as well." Then, turning to Trimazu, "May I proceed, Lord?"
"Yes!" cried Trimazu and clapping his hands together in excitement, "I know where this is going, and it sounds too juicy to pass up. Let's hear about old Iroh's misfortunes then!"
Zuko's gasp was cut short before it became audible by Iroh's strong grip on his wrist from underneath the table.
"Then let us begin. Of the events I will relate, some are well known, others known to but a few. Tonight we follow the life of one man, a man whose life has touched each of ours in some way, whether we realize it or not."
"The Battle of Lake Myojin is part of the sad tale of General's Iroh early public life. Yes, long before he came to be called the "Dragon of the West," General Iroh, conqueror of Xinhua and victor of the Battle of Five Forks and a hundred other campaigns, was then Prince Iroh, eldest son of Fire Lord Azulon."
"All here know of Prince Iroh's infamous duel with his step brother, the hated Prince Tien Shin. How he spent seven long years in exile on the island of Planasia before his father released him to serve in the army once more. Most believe that the hatred between Iroh and Tien Shin, a hatred exaggerated by years of intense conflict, had simply erupted into violence upon their return from the Earth Kingdom. But this is not so! Tonight you shall learn the true cause of their infamous duel."
"Does this tale interest you, lords?"
The guests, clearly intrigued to learn something new about their legendary antagonist, murmured its assent, and the storyteller began anew.
"Thirty years ago, at a Harvest Moon feast much like this one we enjoy tonight, when Prince Xian of blessed memory, yet lived…"
