Disclaimer Part 2: I am not a gemologist or a jeweler. Not even an incompetent one. All references to gems, jewelry or metalsmithing I got through some feverish research on the Internet, and the rest from some feverish workings of my imagination. Any errors I made regarding the crafts are not only unintentional, they're inevitable as well. Also, Disclaimer Part 1 still stands: no progress yet on buying the rights to Avatar from Nickelodeon.

III

Another miserable day, another miserable town. Zuko trudged silently behind his uncle Iroh as they made their way through the crowded streets. Except that he didn't trudge. Years of rigorous training in both the bending arts and princely decorum kept him from walking with anything but rigid, stiff-shouldered dignity, the unconscious arrogance and self-possession of royalty reflected in every movement of his body. The need to appear inconspicuous and to blend in with the rest of the teeming masses, however, had forced him to curb some of that arrogance. It was just one more thing to add to the growing list of offenses committed against him.

His uncle's blithe response to the disaster that had befallen them did not help matters at all. They may have been forced into exile in a painfully humiliating way and treated like beggars by the very people his country had conquered, but Iroh continued to behave as though this was merely the latest in a series of amusing adventures designed to liven up a somewhat dull holiday spree. Even now, he could see his uncle's head turning this way and that as he peered into one shop after another, eyeing the various merchandise with childlike curiosity—"imbibing the local color" was the charming way he had phrased it. Zuko set his jaw. He wasn't a blasted tourist. He was the prince of the greatest nation in the world who had been reduced by circumstances to the level of a fugitive and a common criminal, deceived by his own sister and hunted down by the same army he had once commanded. Imbibing the local color was the last thing he wanted to do.

In fact, if he were to be completely honest with himself, the first thing he wanted to do was find some money so he and his uncle could buy something to eat. Somehow, the four rather bland mung-bean pastries and two shriveled oranges that they had purchased that morning only made the hunger pangs worse, but with their earnings from Iroh's panhandling and impromptu street performances, that was all they could afford. To make matters worse, the Earth Kingdom garments he and his uncle had "acquired" in order to blend in turned out to be exactly what they appeared to be: cheap, ill-fitting and poorly made. To someone accustomed only to the finest silks, the softest leathers and the most well-crafted armor, the shoddy, scum-colored peasant rags were an affront to his sensibilities. Then again, everything around him was an affront to his sensibilities, and he had just had about enough of—

"Zuko, you shouldn't grind your teeth like that," Iroh chided him mildly. "You could wear them down to stumps, and then you'd have to spend the next sixty years drinking only tea and eating honey jelly. Although the tea doesn't sound like a bad idea," he added, grinning over his shoulder.

Zuko frowned at his uncle from underneath his woven hat, tugging at the reins of the riding-beast they had also "acquired" from Song and her family. "I do not grind my teeth."

"Oho, are you serious?" Iroh halted, forcing Zuko to do the same. "You see that man over there? The one with the loud voice and happy disposition?" Zuko followed the direction of his gaze to a nearby watering-hole where a man, obviously well into his cups despite the fact that it was barely midday, was belting out a drinking song at the top of his lungs. His unmusical braying easily overpowered the noise of all the shouting, haggling, jeering and plotting that were presently going on around them. "Well, I could hear your teeth grinding even over his singing," Iroh informed him. "Ho, you see? You're doing it again!"

Zuko took a deep breath and forced his jaws to unlock. "Uncle, what are we doing here? This place is nothing but a den of thieves and cutthroats, and you know as well as I do that there's a Fire Nation garrison not far from here. I have no interest in playing hide and seek with those soldiers."

"Really? Hmm." Iroh scratched his face thoughtfully. "You know something? I rather like it here. It's a very interesting place. Did you know that this is less a town than it is a huge marketplace? This is one of the major trading hubs of the Earth Kingdom. Merchants and craftsmen come here to buy products wholesale. Anything you want you will find here, even if what you want will have to arrive here through, let us say, unconventional means."

Zuko's flat stare took in the decrepit buildings, the dirty streets, the dimly lit shops and seedy cafes, the hundreds of carts parked in every available space and covered with a dizzying array of merchandise, and of course, the town's inhabitants themselves, who seemed to consist mostly of grubby, sly-eyed, granite-faced men. It reminded him too much of those murderous, double-crossing pirates for comfort. He watched as a fight broke out in yet another liquor-pit, ending in a couple of men chasing another man down the street, overturning a cabbage cart that hadn't been quick enough getting out of the way. "I believe it," Zuko stated darkly as the cabbage cart owner burst into tears.

Iroh beamed. "There's a reason why the garrison was established near here. Soldiers who go off duty have to have somewhere to enjoy it, right?"

"I wouldn't know," Zuko muttered.

"In any case, practically everybody here is wanted by the law," Iroh went on cheerfully. "Which is why here, we will blend in perfectly."

Zuko rolled his eyes. Sometimes, following his uncle's logic was like trying to build a model ship out of wet noodles, and the fact that he was right most of the time only made it all the more galling. "It's better if we got out of here as quickly as possible. This place doesn't feel—Uncle?"

Iroh had stopped again and was staring intently into a narrow alley. Zuko tensed, wondering if his darling sister had taken to hiring mercenaries to hunt them down. And why not? he thought sourly. He'd done it, and Azula had certainly not been gifted with as much scruples as he was. "Uncle, what is it?" he asked quietly. "Is it bounty-hunters? Fire Nation spies?"

"There!" Iroh pointed. "You see that?"

Zuko squinted into the shadowy depths of the alley. "I don't see anything."

"There!" Iroh said again. "That sparkle, that brief flash of light. There's something in there."

With that, he pushed his way through the forest of crates and stalls, leaving Zuko standing there, gaping after him. "Uncle, wait!"

He followed his uncle, yanking the riding-beast after him, ignoring the yelling and cursing he left in his wake. The alley led to an even narrower doorway over which hung a dusty bead curtain. He found Iroh inside what appeared to be a curio shop, judging from the trinkets and figurines that lined the shelves. Iroh himself was standing in front of a plinth set in a place of honor beside the doorway, placed upon which was a rather ugly toad carved from some sort of shiny burgundy stone. The toad sat upon a bed of gold coins and held a coin between its lips. Its eyes were made of clear, sparkling gems—obviously the source of the flash that had so intrigued his uncle. In the light of a nearby oil lamp, the eyes appeared to wink at him. Zuko glared right back.

The shop owner, a tiny, wizened old man, was looking at him nervously. Iroh gave him a brief glance. "Zuko, don't bring that beast in here. It might break something."

"I won't," Zuko snapped. "I'm just keeping an eye on it. I'm not about to let some filthy thief steal it from right under my nose."

Iroh lifted an eyebrow at that, but Zuko stared back unblinkingly. Shrugging, Iroh turned his attention back to the hideous red toad. "This is the most exquisite carving of the lucky chanchu frog I've ever seen. This is jade, isn't it?"

The shop owner seemed pleased. "Ah, sir, it appears you know your stones. Yes, indeed, this is an example of red or feicui jade, which is harder to come by than the popular Imperial jade. Jade is considered a sacred stone, and red is the color of prosperity. This frog is thrice-lucky for me, as it was carved for me by a jeweler-friend of mine who lives in Tai Shen."

"So?" Zuko put in disdainfully. "How does that make it lucky? It certainly doesn't make it any less revolting to look at. It's even got warts all over its back."

Iroh shot him a disapproving look, but the shop owner took his comments in stride. "You must be strangers around here if you haven't heard about Tai Shen. Tai Shen is a town known for its superb work with gemstones. Many of its inhabitants are highly skilled jewelers, and it is said that they practice a highly specialized form of earthbending there. Here, take a look at these." He ducked down behind the counter, only to come up with a leather case in each hand. He set the cases down on the counter and flipped them open, revealing a stunning array of necklaces, earrings, rings, tiaras, belts, brooches, bracelets, anklets and hair combs. There were pearls, cinnabar, ivory and gems of every hue and color imaginable, glittering in the lamp light like a rainbow in solid form. Iroh gasped in delight and even Zuko, used as he was to the finery of the Fire Nation's royal court, felt his eyes go wide.

The shop owner nodded approvingly at their reactions. "The jewelers of Tai Shen understand these stones. They believe that each stone has its own special power, and when they work with the gems, they perform a ritual that increases that stone's particular energy. My friend calls it 'talking to the stone.' Take this, for example." He lifted a pair of pale blue teardrop earrings. "Among other things, turquoise is used for protection against injuries and broken bones. You can be sure that the jeweler who created this 'told' the stone to keep its wearer safe from harm. And this." This time, he picked out a bracelet made of clear, blue-green beads. "Aquamarine gives one strength and courage and is used for safe journeys over water, so the jeweler must have 'talked' this bracelet into giving its wearer courage, especially when over water."

Zuko looked bored. "So you're saying your friend 'talked' your toad into giving you good luck?"

The shop owner smiled happily. "Why, yes, exactly. You catch on quick, sir."

"This is all so fascinating. All these lovely gems, and such wonderful craftsmanship."

Zuko groaned inwardly, recognizing the glow in his uncle's eyes. He had better get Iroh away from these baubles before they found themselves clapped into prison for shoplifting. "Uncle, this is getting tedious. Let's go."

He stepped out of the doorway and froze. A small troop of Fire Nation soldiers was moving down the street, forcing carts and passersby to shuffle out of the way. Zuko ducked back into the shop so quickly he nearly knocked the jade toad off its stand. "Then again, no reason why we can't stay a while," he said to no one in particular.

Iroh and the shop owner were deep in a discussion of Tai Shen jewelry and were oblivious to Zuko's troubles. "My friend the jeweler—the one I was talking about—he and his granddaughter came here yesterday to deliver some of their latest creations," the shop owner was saying. "I haven't had time to sort them out for display yet, but here." He brought forth a couple of velvet pouches and spilled the contents over the counter for Iroh to peruse. "They left with several bags of my new semi-precious beads and some uncut stones besides, so you can be sure that in two weeks' time, I'll have a new batch of creations by Wang of Tai Shen."

"Your friend is very skilled," Iroh commented, examining an opal ring. "He and his granddaughter must travel with a veritable private army. I can't imagine going anywhere alone with all these treasures upon me."

"You don't know my friend Wang," the shop owner said wryly. "He's a bit eccentric, see. You know how those artist-types can be. I've been trying to get him to hire somebody to help with deliveries for the longest time, but he always insists that it's safer with just the two of them. Something about remaining inconspicuous and blending in, I think."

"Ah," Iroh said sagely.

"Yes, Wang can be pretty strange about some things," the shop owner continued, obviously in a chatty mood. "If you ask me, there's something a bit, well, off about his granddaughter as well. Not that I'm maligning the girl, of course. Sweet girl, very good-natured. Too bad about her eyes, though. She would have been lovely otherwise."

"What's wrong with her eyes?" Iroh asked, while Zuko glared at him for encouraging the shop owner.

"The girl's blind as a bat. I've often wondered what happened to her that made her that way. Must have been during the war against the Fire Nation. That seems to happen a lot nowadays."

"Ah," Iroh said again.

The shop owner nodded as though coming to a decision. "Yes, her village must have been raided by the Fire Nation or something. That would explain why she just appeared at Wang's side one day. All these years and I never knew Wang had ever been married. Never thought he had it in him," he added, chuckling.

Zuko's patience was running thin. The shop owner was nothing but a gossipy old coot. He moved toward his uncle, but Iroh had spotted a slightly smaller pouch and was already shaking it out eagerly. A profusion of gold and silver fell out. "Wow," Iroh said with childlike awe. "This is beautiful metalwork. Is your friend Wang a goldsmith as well?"

The shop owner shrugged. "He's trying to branch out into metalsmithing, but he doesn't make a lot of these. He works mostly with gemstones. But as you can see, what few examples of gold and silver jewelry he makes are still of the finest quality."

Iroh gazed down speculatively at a set of gold bangles. "The finest quality indeed."

"Uncle!" Zuko hissed. "Can we go now?"

The shop owner laughed again. "Your nephew seems a bit restless, sir. So, which of these pieces would you like to purchase?"

It took several minutes to convince the shop owner that they were not interested in purchasing anything, and a few minutes more for Zuko to drag his uncle out of the shop. Soon they were back in the streets, wandering around in search of a suitable spot where Iroh could importune people for some coin. "Such wonderful works of art," Iroh sighed. "All those beautiful jewels. And that metalwork."

Zuko snorted. "If you mean those gold and silver trinkets, I've seen better back home. Nobody makes metalwork the way the smiths of the Fire Nation do, Uncle, and you know it."

"Yes, I know it. But we're in the Earth Kingdom, Zuko," Iroh pointed out. "Don't you think it's odd for an Earth Kingdom jeweler to display such talent in metalsmithing? He may not be any better than an amateur goldsmith back home, but he would probably fit right in. Hmm, maybe we could pay a visit to Tai Shen. What do you think?"

"Absolutely not," Zuko stated coldly.

Iroh chuckled. "Ah well, it was worth a thought. Now then, it's time for us to sing for our supper."

"We haven't even had lunch yet!"

"All the more reason for us to sing for it," Iroh said lightly as they came upon a relatively empty corner. He took his reed hat off and thrust it at a stout, middle-aged woman passing by, a mournful expression on his face. "Spare a coin for a hungry old man, pretty lady?"

Zuko slumped down, his own hat dipped low as he listened to his uncle—brother of the Fire Lord, formidable firebender and the once-renowned Dragon of the West—work this filthy, stinking Earth Kingdom crowd for a few copper coins. He gritted his teeth, feeling his gut churn wretchedly with curdling pride. Or acid. With the way their luck was running nowadays, it was likely both.

Another miserable day, another miserable town.

(To Be Continued…)

Author's Notes:

This is actually the seventh, yes, seventh time I've uploaded this thing. Made a few more corrections, that's all. Anyway...

Thank you so much for still reading this. I had fun writing Zuko and Iroh, although doing research was a bit of a headache. And thanks most especially to BN, N1cindyfan, D.Tempest, ravens-lost-sister (who will have to send me some cake from the chapter-update party) and Niana Kuonji (who likes green jade best but will probably be okay with a pink jade lucky frog).

Next update--back to our favorite trio. I just had to get this chapter over and done with.