The Earth Kingdom Revisited

Chapter 12 – Pleasant Surprises

A young boy dressed in the greens and browns of the Earth Kingdom ran into The Jasmine Dragon. He pushed his way past patrons and servers alike, looking for the owner. Sweating and out of breath, he gulped air frantically into his lungs.

"What is all the commotion about?" asked a chubby, yet still fit looking older man wearing a handsome green robe edged in gold. "Gen," Iroh exclaimed upon seeing the boy literally panting. "What is it?"

"I have a letter for you. It's from The Fire Nation. Maybe it's from the Fire Lord."

"It wasn't necessary to run all the way here at top speed, young man. But thank you." The kindly tea shop owner and one time General of the Fire Nation Army and heir to the throne of Fire Lord, dug around inside his robes until he found a suitable coin for the boy. "Here you go, Gen," he said, holding out the money. The messenger took the coin and bowed but did not leave.

"Is there something else, Gen," Iroh inquired, his eyes sparkling.

"No, sir, I was just hoping that you would open it."

Iroh chuckled. "I believe the letter is private. But if anything in it pertains to you, I will let you know."

"Yes, sir, I understand," the boy said flatly, while it was obvious that he didn't. Iroh walked into the back room of the tea shop and sat down while Gen left with a dejected look on his face.

"I never get to hear anything exciting," he complained.

Iroh poured himself yet another cup of tea and carefully opened the scroll. His eyes went directly to the signature and he was surprised to see that the letter was from Mai, not Zuko.

Iroh,

As you know, Zuko took a little trip to the Earth Kingdom with Piandao. He promised to write often. At first, I got letters regularly, but they've stopped. And this nasty general named Meng has been threatening Zuko.

They should be at their rendezvous town shortly. It's called Yanhai and it's close to Ba Sing Se. Is it possible for you to go there and investigate a little? At least you can see if Zuko's ship is still waiting for him.

Knowing that you're checking into things would ease my mind.

Thank you,

Mai

Iroh sighed and rolled up the scroll. "Oh, Zuko, what have you gotten yourself into?" Walking to the front of his shop once again, Iroh told his two helpers that he would be gone for a few days. "I'm putting The Jasmine Dragon in your hands," he stated. "Please take good care of her. And remember the water must be hot, but not boiling; and its two generous scoops of tea for every pot."

"We know, Iroh, we know. Just go. Everything will be fine."

Taking one last look around his shop, Iroh walked out the front door and down to the docks

"Let him go, Ursa. He just needs time to think," Piandao insisted while gently grabbing hold of her arm.

"I don't want to hurt him. He's suffered enough. But I just can't go back to that palace," Ursa declared.

"I understand. I may have a solution, though," Piandao said, smiling.

"What's that?" Ursa asked. She was curious to know what the handsome man, her son's friend, had up his sleeve.

"I own an estate in the Fire Nation. It's very large, massive in fact. And it's only my butler and me living there. I certainly have room for you, Ursa. You can have the best of both worlds. You can avoid the palace and all its memories and connotations. But you can be close to your son and your daughter. Azula is in a facility on a small island near my home. And Zuko and Mai visit me once a week at least. So you will see plenty of them. What do you think?"

Ursa pondered the offer for a brief moment. "Are you sure, Piandao?" she asked breathlessly. "Are you really sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Ursa," the sword master laughingly replied. "I'm offering for your sake and for Zuko's. I know how much he's missed you. To find you and then lose you again would be very hard on him."

"Alright then, I accept your offer. I'm very grateful. And I will do my part to earn my keep."

"Let's not worry about that now," he said.

Spontaneously, without thinking, Ursa threw her arms around Piandao. She flushed light pink and withdrew herself quickly. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm not sure why I did that."

"Don't apologize. I enjoy being hugged by a beautiful woman."

"I sent a letter to Iroh, asking him to check up on Zuko," Mai informed First Minister Cheng.

"I think that was wise, Lady Mai," the older man said agreeably.

"I just want him home," Mai declared in an unusually vulnerable tone.

"I'm certain that both he and Piandao are fine, ma'am. The Fire Lord can certainly take care of himself."

"Yes, I know. But sometimes that isn't enough," she sighed.

Iroh, after a long day on the boat to Yanhai, descended the gangplank and set foot in the small port city. He immediately sought out Zuko's ship. The harbor was busy and full of seaworthy vessels from all the nations; blue flags flew proudly alongside red ones. Zuko's ship would have a special flag on it, indicating that it carried the Fire Lord. Looking around the harbor with sharp eyes, Iroh didn't see his nephew's ship immediately. It was tucked in between two larger vessels from the Earth Kingdom. The gangplank was up and Iroh tried to capture the attention of one of the soldiers pacing the ship's deck. He waved his hands comically until a middle aged man noticed him.

"Ah, finally," Iroh declared. "I've been trying to get your attention. The Fire Lord is my nephew and…"

"I know who you are, sir," said the soldier bowing deeply. "How can I help you?"

"Well, Mai, uh, Lady Mai wrote me a letter expressing concern for Zuko. It's been some time since she's heard from him. And there was mention of a General Meng from the Earth Kingdom. She's afraid that there's been some trouble. Anyway, she asked me to check into things and here I am. Obviously, the Fire Lord has not made it to Yanhai as of yet. Have you heard from him, by any chance?"

"No, sir, we were told to wait here until he arrives. We've received no communication from him."

"Hmm," the former general said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I'll bet he and Piandao are just having a good time and will be here soon. I'm going to stay until he gets here."

"You are welcome to stay aboard the ship, sir. In fact, it would be an honor if you did."

"I think that I'll take you up on your offer. Zuko and I spent three years on a ship together. It will bring back many memories."

Zuko walked slowly back to camp feeling sorry for his little display of temper. The last thing he wanted was to make his mother feel guilty or upset. He saw Ursa and Piandao huddled around the campfire talking and laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, eyes shifting between the two.

"Nothing, really," explained Ursa. "We're just enjoying some conversation. And Piandao came up with a wonderful compromise."

"Oh," said Zuko noncommittally.

"Yes, he's offered me a place in his home, and I've accepted."

Zuko's golden eyes widened slightly. "You're going to live with Piandao?" he inquired.

"That's right. I can have the best of both worlds. I'll be in the Fire Nation, close to both you and Azula but I won't have to live in the capitol city. Piandao's told me about where Azula is and he'll take me to visit her. And you and Mai come to see Piandao often. So, we'll see a lot of each other. It's a wonderful idea, don't you agree."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed. "It's amazing actually. I can't believe I never thought of it. Are you sure it's alright," Zuko asked, turning to Piandao.

"As I told your mother, it's not a problem. I have plenty of room as you know. Your mother will enjoy the peace and quiet of my estate. And she'll be close to her family. Besides, a little extra company for me wouldn't go amiss."

"Okay, then. Thank you, Piandao." Zuko met the sword master's eyes directly, trying to convey his gratitude with a look. He then turned his eyes to Ursa and smiled widely. "Then it's off to Yanhai and the ship tomorrow. We'll be home in a few days."

Iroh sat cross-legged in his cabin aboard Zuko's ship. The cold metal and sparse decoration were vastly different from his rooms in the Jasmine Dragon. They were warm, welcoming and filled with a heady amount of bric-a-brac. Still, a room much like this had been home for three years and Iroh felt somewhat sentimental. His mind traveled back to those difficult years with his nephew. Trying though they had been, he would not trade them for anything. Zuko had needed him and he had wanted to fill that need.

Iroh decided that a little meditation was in order. A day without meditation was like a day without tea in Iroh's philosophy. He closed his eyes and began to inhale deeply and exhale fully, sinking slowly into that blissful, peaceful state. He cleared his mind of all thoughts and simply was. After an hour the former general brought himself slowly out of his trance. Blowing out the three candles he had lit, Iroh went in search of lunch.

Zuko along with his mother and friend, were making good time on their way to Yanhai. The terrain, while still fairly hilly was far more pleasant to travel through. Trees and flowering plants were everywhere and the spring blossoms emitted a heady scent out onto the air. Ursa breathed in the natural perfumes and exclaimed, "It smells wonderful here. And the flowers are exquisite."

"I have many beautiful flowers on my estate. If you enjoy gardening, there's plenty to keep you occupied," Piandao stated.

"I do and I'm looking forward to seeing your gardens," she replied excitedly. "Just staying put for more than a few months will be a treat. No more moving and trying to blend in."

Zuko smiled at his mother. "I'm so glad that you're coming home."

"So am I," the former princess said happily.

After a passable lunch, Iroh decided to write Mai a short note and send it off immediately with the messenger hawk onboard.

Dear Mai,

I'm here in Yanhai. In fact, I am onboard Zuko's ship. The men have not heard from him and have heard nothing about any trouble he may be in. I will wait until he arrives and I will make sure that he writes you.

Love,

Uncle Iroh

Leaving his quarters and roaming the halls, Iroh found the messenger hawk and attached the missive. Putting on the leather gauntlet to protect his arm, he carried the hooded bird above deck. Once in the open air, Iroh removed its hood and sent the bird on its way.

The sky was changing from a brilliant clear blue to one tinged with pink and orange. The three travelers spotted the outskirts of Yanhai and decided to push on until they made the harbor.

"Perhaps we can stop at a tavern and get a good meal," Piandao suggested. "It's been a few days since we've had a decent one."

"Sure," Zuko agreed. "But we better stop at the ship first and let them know we've arrived. Oh, and I have to write to Mai. She's probably worried."

"All right, then, ship first, then food," Ursa chimed in. "I'm hungry too."

Another half hour's ride put them in the heart of Yanhai and they headed straight for the harbor. Zuko was quick to spot his ship amongst all the others and he eagerly led the way there.

"There it is," he declared, gesturing towards the vessel. "Wait a minute," he said slowly. "Is that Uncle Iroh on deck?"

Piandao looked too, eyes squinting in the fading light. "By Agni, that is Iroh. I wonder what he's doing here."

Iroh turned around just then as if aware of being watched. He spotted Zuko and Piandao near the ship and waved in welcome.

"Zuko," he shouted. "It's about time you got here. People were starting to worry."

"It's a long story, Uncle. We need to leave these ostrich horses with someone and then we want to get something to eat. And Uncle, don't you want to say hello to my mother?"

Iroh almost choked on the cookie he was chewing. "Teach me to snack between meals," he chided himself. "Ursa," he said with wonder, "is that really you? How on Earth did Zuko find you? How are you doing?"

"It's really good to see you too, Iroh. How about we talk when I get on board?"

"Yes, of course, what was I thinking, shouting into the crowds like that? Let me give you a hand, Ursa," he offered, lowering the gangplank and walking down it to meet his sister-in-law.

"Thank you, Iroh. You're still a gentleman, I see."

"It's important to treat a lady well," he replied smiling.

Piandao turned to Zuko and offered to find a place for the ostrich horses they no longer needed. "I'll meet you back here when I'm done."

"Okay," Zuko agreed.

Zuko practically ran up the gangplank and onto his ship, rushed up to Iroh and engulfed him in a warm hug. Years ago, even months ago, Zuko would never show his affection so openly to his uncle. But the time apart from Iroh had brought Zuko a new sense of appreciation for the man.

"Ah, nephew, I'm relieved that you are well. Mai sent me a letter. She is fretting about you. I suggest you write to her now. That will give me some time to speak with your mother."

"Oh, yeah, I'd better or she'll kill me," he joked.

Zuko made his way to the living quarters, speaking to members of his crew along the way. Once inside his own room, he shut the door, knelt in front of his table, found his writing supplies and thought before putting brush to parchment.

Dear Mai,

I'm sorry that you've been worried. We did run into Meng and he had a terrible plan to take over the Earth Kingdom. He wanted me to give him all the money and supplies that would normally be distributed among many towns and cities. To ensure my agreement (or so he thought), he said that he had my mother and that he would kill her if I didn't comply.

Turns out, he did have my mother but Piandao and I fooled Meng and rescued her. She's coming home to the Fire Nation, but not the palace. She doesn't want to ever go back there. Piandao offered her a place to stay, though, so she'll be close by. I can't wait for her to see you, Mai, and for you to see her.

We're leaving for home tomorrow morning, so I will see you soon.

I love you so much and I really am sorry that you worried.

Love,

Zuko

His letter to Mai finished and on its way to the Fire Nation, Zuko strode over to Iroh and Ursa who were standing on the deck, looking over the edge into the slightly cloudy water and talking seriously.

"Is everything all right?" Zuko asked.

"Fine, fine," Iroh replied. "Your mother and I have a lot to catch up on as do the two of you. Is Piandao here yet?"

"I don't think so," Zuko answered, looking around in the near darkness for any sign of the sword master. "Ah, here he comes."

Piandao boarded the ship and looked expectantly at the Fire Lord. "Are we going to stay on the ship or go somewhere for dinner? I passed many taverns and restaurants walking back here."

Zuko shrugged. "What do you say, Mom? Shall we eat?"

"Please," she replied.

Zuko turned to Iroh next. "I'm always ready for a good meal," the tea maker said with a broad smile and a wink. "Let's go."