Disclaimer: I do not own avatar or any of the characters.
Sorry for the slow update. I hope it is worth the wait.
Iroh tried to hold his wayward great nephew still as he forced the small boy's arms through the sleeves of the decorative costume. Zoren kept turning around trying to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror and then swivel impatiently to the door. The black silk haori was finally in place, the dragons picked out in gold thread shimmering brightly in the morning sun.
Zoren traced the raised patterns in the fabric, his fingers lingering on one of the mighty dragons whiskers. "Ah, now you look like the prince of the fire nation. Let's see if those dragons can protect your clothing from holes and mud," Iroh chuckled patting the boy fondly on the back.
"What kind of things will be at the common festival?" Zoren asked excitedly taking his Uncle's hand. "Is it much like the summer solstice held at the palace?"
"Don't worry it's not nearly so boring," Iroh told him letting loose a deep laugh. "There will be many children instead of politicians and lots of food, shows, and of course the fireworks".
"Will they be as grand as the palace fireworks?" Zoren asked his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I'm not sure, but we will be able to see the palace fireworks from the town as well so do not worry". Iroh assured his great nephew. "So what fearsome mask have you picked to go with your costume. "Perhaps the dragon of the west to match your costume," Iroh suggested with hopeful innocence.
"I picked a blue spirit mask". Zoren said showing Iroh the blue and white mask that had become a common site at masked parties ever since the real blue spirit stopped appearing several years ago. Though there were of course rumors of blue spirit sightings, and Iroh couldn't help but wonder if some of them were real reports. He was far to old to keep track of his nephew's night time activities any longer.
Iroh took the mask from Zoren's hands and examined it. "And why would you pick the blue spirit. He was a criminal against the fire nation," He turned the mask so it caught the lights and smiled wickedly back at him. "I don't know if your father will approve of your decision". Iroh frowned slightly in thought.
"Yeah, well you and father were criminals at one point. Besides the blue spirit saved the Avatar that one time, so he can't be all that bad," Zoren told him.
Iroh laughed a deeply clutching his belly. "Yes, yes. I suppose you are right young prince". Iroh wiped the tears from his eyes. "You are very wise for your years. Not even your father will be able to argue with that logic".
Iroh motioned for Zoren to turn around and tied the mask in place. "There. You may go now," Iroh told his great nephew. Zoren looked down at himself and then sauntered over to the floor length mirror in what the young boy imagined was a very dignified fashion. He examined his front and turned to his side. He traced the gold dragons with his fingertips noticing how the thread matched his fire nation eyes. He nodded in satisfaction to the mirror.
By this point Iroh was nearly set to burst with laughter, but he muffled it and changed it to a cough with his sleeve. He may love his great nephews, but their prides were easily wounded and they had tempers to match their fathers. Iroh knew better than test the royal temper.
"Can we get Kiela now?" Zoren asked pulling the mask off his head. Iroh smiled brightly, "Of course, but let us not forget your brother. Rukon could use a little fun too". They left Zoren's room in search of the two other children, Zoren practically bouncing down the hallways. His mask was dangling from his hand by a white silk ribbon the light dancing merrily off the blue and white surface.
Zoren shoved open Kiela's door without knocking causing Kiela to gasp and turn about in surprise. When she noticed Iroh, she quickly tugged down the left sleeve of her kimono. Iroh frowned slightly. He had noticed the hand shaped burn when it appeared seven months ago right about the time Zoren started showing his fire bending potential.
It didn't take a genius of Iroh's caliber to piece together what had happened. However, neither of the children said anything, and the burn didn't seem to affect their friendship. Iroh had not told Zuko, unsure of what his nephew's reaction to the situation would be. He loved both of his sons deeply, but he was very protective of Kiela.
Kiela looked every bit as beautiful as her mother. She was just starting to enter that gawky phase filled with losing teeth and growth spurts but that didn't affect her beauty as far as Iroh and Zoren were concerned. After all Kiela was perfect in every way. She smiled at them brightly, displaying two gaps in her row of bottom teeth, before rushing at both of them and giving them tight hugs. Though in Iroh's case, it was more of an attempted hug as her arms barely stretched across his wide stomach.
Iroh chuckled at patted her made up hair. Her costume was blue and covered in dancing koi fish and lilipads. It made her look even more the water tribe child that she was. She held her orange koi mask up to be examined by the pair.
"What do you think," she asked excitedly.
Zoren wrinkled his nose. "It's a fish," he said unenthused. "Why didn't you pick one of the pretty lady masks or maybe the moon spirit?"
Kiela tightened her mouth and let her smile drop. Iroh never realized that someone so young could appear so stern. "I like fish. What's wrong with fish?" Kiela asked accusingly.
It looked like Zoren was preparing to deliver a list of all the things that were wrong with fish. Iroh decided to interrupt the beginnings of one of the rare fights between the two children. "The koi fish is a very noble creature," Iroh told them both. "In fact, I know from personal experience that the moon spirit would very much approve your choice of mask," Iroh told her.
Kiela gave Iroh her gap toothed smile and a 'see' nod to Zoren. However, any tension between the two quickly slipped away and she grabbed his hand leading the way to Rukon.
As the eldest and next in line to the throne, Rukon had to participate in many fire nation ceremonies. Zuko and Rukon had been in the fire temple with the fire sages giving praise to Agni since morning. The ceremony would be complete when the sun reached it's highest point in the sky. The group waited by the door patiently and some a little less patiently for the ceremony to come to a close.
When the doors finally creaked open, the two children were in the middle of a very stimulating game of chase each other around Iroh. However, they both straightened up and came to slightly disheveled attention as they had been taught to appear as fire nation royalty. Not that Kiela was fire nation royalty exactly. Her position was complicated, generally unexplained, and widely speculated upon by the nation.
Everyone bowed lowly to the fire sages as they exited in a dignified line. Zuko and Rukon were last. They paused at the threshold of the door and bowed their heads to the sages. As soon as the sages were out of site Rukon rushed over to his brother and cousin.
Both of whom burst into laughter and pointed at his ceremonial costume, chiefly the overwhelmingly large and decorative helmet that was strapped to his head. He blushed and released the tie allowing it to clatter to the floor. He also socked his younger brother in the arm and pinched Kiela on the arm.
They both tried to protest, but were still recovering from their laughter. "It's not funny," he told them, but he did smile a little.
Iroh had caught Zuko smiling as well, but his nephew's face was quickly schooled into an expression of dissatisfaction. "Rukon is that proper treatment of ceremonial costume," he said sternly.
Rukon turned around with a bowed head and picked up the monstrosity of a helmet. "No father, I'm sorry," he apologized. Iroh frowned pointedly at his nephew trying to remind him that he was a father first and fire lord second.
Zuko rolled his eyes, but knelt next to his son. "It is rather awful isn't it. I threw it in the pond once after my sister teased me," he confided to his eldest son.
Rukon smiled shyly at his father and gave him a rare hug. Well since Zuko was kneeling and apparently in a hugging mood the rest of the children took the opportunity to tackle him to the ground. "Uncle, help!" Zuko pleaded as he tried to pin his squirming children.
"Are you telling me you can face the avatar, fire benders, water benders, and earth benders on your own, but not these children?" Iroh asked receiving a round of giggles from the children.
"That's what I'm telling you. Now help me," Zuko said holding Kiela as far away as he could manage by the armpits while Zoren was pinned under his knees and Rukon was wrapped around his neck.
"Oh alright," Iroh said and joined in the fun that the fire lady would surely disapprove of, but he was certain a very dear water bender would have appreciated.
The children were now in the process of enjoying the festival, while Zuko and Iroh kept a close eye on them. Mai had declined attending the festival, and had reminded Zuko that it was not an appropriate place for their sons. However, Iroh had easily brushed aside her disapproval and convinced Zuko to come as well. He had also convinced Zuko to allow Zoren to keep the blue spirit mask. Iroh secretly thought that Zuko was very proud of his youngest son's choice of mask.
There were of course royal guards disguised within the crowd. Zuko did not take chances with his children. Rukon and Zoren were both attempting to show Kiela how to write her name with the sparklers and doing a rather poor job of it, as the smoke from the two set of characters intermingled. Kiela seemed to be enjoying herself which put a smile on Iroh and Zuko's face.
"I am often ashamed to find myself so happy to have Kiela with us," Iroh said giving Zuko a sidelong glance.
"Yes," Zuko said moving his eyes towards the ground. "I have felt the same way," Zuko confessed to his uncle.
"Do you wish that these children were yours and Katara's and that she was here with us. Do you wish you had waited for her," Iroh asked watching the children.
"Stop, Uncle. Katara is gone and Mai is my wife, mother to my children. I am not Kiela's father and all the wishing in the world won't change decisions made in the past," Zuko said his eyes burning with anger and hurt.
"That may be true, but I know one thing you said that most certainly is not?" Iroh said wisely.
"And what is that," Zuko spat.
"That Kiela is your daughter," Iroh said forcefully. "You can't deny that you think of her as such, and I know she sees you as her father," Iroh told him.
"Hmm," Zuko replied noncommittally. The sun was beginning to set and the fireworks at the palace begun with an explosion of gold. The children abandoned the small fountains they had been setting off and rushed to Zuko and Iroh. Without being asked Zuko lifted Kiela off the ground and placed her on his shoulders, so she would have a better view of the lights. Iroh smiled as the boys pulled over an overturned crate and shared it in order to see above the crowds. Peace was everything Iroh had hoped for. He looked over at his nephew and the girl who had her hands fisted in Zuko's hair. Zuko was smiling, but there was a profound sadness behind that smile. 'Almost everything I had hoped for," Iroh though wistfully before turning his eyes back to the display.
I figured they wouldn't tell anyone about Zuko being the blue spirit. It's one thing for a country to take back their banished prince and another to accept that he was a criminal.
If anyone ever thinks this story strays to far from being classified as ZukoxKatara let me know; I'll take it out of the Zutara search though I hope you zutarans would still read it.