Chapter 1: A Royal Roasting
"Ah Jade there you are! Oh and you brought the tea! Excellent!"
A wise old voice called out jovially as Jade stepped out from below and onto the large metal deck carrying in her arms a tray on which a large steaming red tea pot was sitting along with a set of cups.
She couldn't help but smile amiably as she approached the voice's owner, an old greying, if overweight man in red robes with a kind jolly face and patient warm brown eyes.
He was sitting at a large low square table and setting out a series of circular tiles into two piles.
"Shen said you wanted to see me Lord Iroh?" Jade gulped as she made her way over to the man, her eyes darting about nervously as she set down her tray beside the table.
The deck was mostly deserted, save for a couple of guards that stood at the entrance to the lower deck and the occasional sea birds that sat perched on the frozen ice bergs that floated past the ship.
"Don't worry you're not in trouble" Iroh's smile softened with almost fatherly affection as he reached out. "indeed quite the opposite. Please sit. Oh no please let me" he added before quickly taking the teapot from her ready hands.
Jade nodded silently and though she was not quite sure what was going on she sat down opposite the old man who smoothly made to pour out some tea in a cup before handing it to her.
"Thank you sir" she mumbled softly under her breath as she took a timid sip.
"You're very welcome Jade" Iroh nodded before taking a sip of his own cup.
There was silence for a moment as both the old man and the young girl sat with their tea, the former drinking with great gusto whilst the latter took timid little bird like sips.
Finally after what seemed an age, the question that had been burning in Jade finally cracked from her.
"umm…not to sound rude Lord Iroh but…um… why am I here?"
She bit her lip nervously as she waited for Iroh to finish his sip, but she needn't have worried. When he spoke to her his voice was steady and kindly.
"The crew tell me that you have been feeling under the weather since we encountered that storm. I just wished to see how you were faring."
Jade flushed a deep pink.
"You are kind to worry sir" she mumbled "but honestly it is only just a little nausea after that storm a couple of days ago. I feel much better today"
"Ah. Good, good." Iroh nodded before adding quickly "I was beginning to worry whether I'd ever get to taste any of your delicious tea ever again"
"Oh don't you worry Lord Iroh" Jade couldn't help but smile "A little sea sickness will not stop my tea brewing"
"ha! That's good to hear" Iroh chuckled heartily though he was quick to cough and subdue himself "Though I do hope that you don't over strain yourself with your duties. Sometimes when one is facing physical ailments it is better to let the body and mind, recover and relax from its daily chores. Such relaxation can be achieved by drinking calming tea, by meditating-"
"By Playing Pai-sho?" Jade quirked an eyebrow in amusement as she eyed the checker like game table set before her.
"Well yes I suppose. If you're feeling up for a game that is" Iroh shrugged but Jade could see the happy twinkle suddenly spark in the warm brown eyes.
She smiled widely.
"I would be delighted to play Lord Iroh. If I knew how to play in the first place" she added with a nervous scratch of the head.
The old lord chuckled.
"It's no matter I can teach you. Come select your tiles"
Time passed and Jade listened raptly to Iroh's teachings as he informed her of the game's rather complex but still very logical set of rules.
Soon after a couple of guided rounds she was able to place her tiles on her own and begin to form small simple strategies, even though none of them seemed to work.
A couple of times she got frustrated but patiently Iroh pointed out in his old sagely way, that being a beginner it was alright for her to stumble a couple of times before she got the hang of the game.
All in all it was a very peaceful morning. That was until a certain somebody decided to storm up onto the deck.
Oh great Prince Grumpy-ass is up!
Jade quietly tilted her head down to roll her eyes at the Pai-sho table, as she heard the disgruntled stomping of booted feet.
Iroh however looked up at the newcomer a teenage boy, who like the guards to the lower deck was wearing dark red and black armour. However unlike the guards he wore no helmet to cover his head which was pale in colour and topped with a high black ponytail.
But what stood out most starkly on him was the large red burn scar over his left eye, which unlike the right side one was more like a slit. It narrowed even more as it glanced in the direction of Iroh who smiled benignly at him.
"Good Morning Prince Zuko"
"Good Morning Uncle" Zuko muttered his eyes swivelling to glower at Jade who dropped her head down to hide her annoyed scowl.
"Prince Zuko" she mumbled but already the young man was striding away from her to brood at the far bow of the ship.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Jade allowed herself a scowl.
Great his royal highness is throwing another hissy fit again
But even as the thought came across her mind she bit down hard on her tongue. No the prince was already peeved off as it stood. It wouldn't do her or anyone else for that matter, any good in antagonising him further.
It was almost three years since she'd agreed to serve aboard this ship. One would think that after so long at sea the prince would at least acknowledge her and the thirty or so other crew members with some familiarity.
Not that Jade ever wanted to be pally with the prince. Far from it. But she would've at least settled for seeing him get whatever stiff stick was up his butt and relax for even two minutes. Just his mere presence made everyone close by tense.
Therefore it was safe to say that her patience with the temperamental young royal was running very thin indeed.
"Be careful Jade. If you keep staring so hard the table might catch fire"
Jade blinked and looked up to see Iroh smiling amusedly at her as he moved his next Pai-sho tile.
"Well then its lucky for both of us that I'm no fire bender Lord Iroh" she smirked back and the older man chuckled heartily.
But even as she made to pick up her next piece the entire ship shook and suddenly there was a light engulfing the ship.
Jade and Iroh quickly turned in astonishment to the bow where Zuko was rushing forwards for a closer look.
There in the distance but still very strong and bright, a column of blue light was beaming upwards into the clear skies above.
Jade gasped as when the beam hit the highest levels of the atmosphere it seemed to break apart like ripples around a stone dropped in a pond.
"Finally" Zuko growled as he eyed the rippling energy before turning on his uncle, both his scarred and his good eye gleaming with triumph "Uncle do you know what this means?"
"That I won't get to finish my game with Jade?" Iroh blinked up at his nephew with innocent disappointment.
"It means my search is about to come to an end. That light came from an incredibly powerful source it must be him." Zuko declared only for his uncle to sigh heavily just in time before the pillar of light faded in the distance.
"Or it was just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please sit and join us." He gestured to the pai sho table "and while you're at it why don't you enjoy a cup of Jade's lovely Jasmine tea. It's very calming for the nerves!"
"I don't need any stupid calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar" Zuko yelled, so loudly and so angrily that the sound went straight through Jade's ears.
Just count to ten Jade. He's not worth losing your cool! Just keep counting to ten like you usually do. One…two…three…
She mentally tried to soothe herself only to wince as the prince continued to bark out orders.
"Helmsman! Set a course for the light. And you!" Zuko turned on Jade, steam literally puffing out of his nostrils as he fumed at her "Shouldn't you be below deck in the kitchens!"
But Jade did not respond. She was still counting down as calmly as she could in her head.
Five…six…seven…
"HEY! I'm talking to you!" Zuko growled reaching out with a rough hand to grab at Jade's shoulder. But before he could even touch her she spun round and smacked him away.
There was some shocked gasps from the guards and Zuko's eyes widened in shock as she sprang to her feet glaring so fiercely that he actually took a step back from her as she yelled:
"Would you cut it out with the yelling already! Seriously it's hard enough to find some peace on this ship without you throwing temper tantrums like a spoiled two year old brat!"
Not that anyone could blame him. Even Iroh was staring in astonishment as the young girl made to storm off in a huff.
"If anyone needs me I'll be in the kitchens! Royal highness my butt. More like the royal pain in my butt" she added with a dark mutter as she disappeared below deck.
As soon as she was gone the guards began to snigger softly only to flinch as the prince's voice snapped in their general direction.
"Hey you! Stop chatting and get back to work!"
"Yes sir!" both guards bleated and Zuko rolled his eyes grumbling softly under his breath.
"How - that little-Agh! How dare she speak to me like that? Just who does she think she is?"
Iroh sighed from his seat. A bright light appearing in the sky. His tea was cold. His game interrupted and now both his favourite tea brewer and his favourite nephew were in foul moods and it was barely even mid-morning.
This was going to be a very long day.
It was evening when Jade had finally emerged from the kitchens to do her serving duties for the evening meals.
Unsurprisingly the entire mess hall was full to bursting and she was kept on her toes for a good hour before she even had a chance to catch her breath.
She sighed heavily as she made her way to the last table at which a middle aged man and a younger junior officer with similar faces and black hair tied in top nots, were seated and laughing.
"Aha! The Jade dragon emerges from the deeps" the latter chuckled as she took a seat next to him.
"Hello Shen. Father" Jade's lips twitched upwards as she nodded to both her father and brother as she placed the tray in her hands down onto the table
"ooh. That smells wonderful" Shen almost drooled as she opened up the bamboo steamer to reveal succulent freshly cooked dumplings.
"There's chicken, roast duck and pork. But be careful they're hot" Jade quirked a brow but nonetheless let her brother take a couple.
Her father on the other hand hesitated as voices from a nearby table wafted over to them through all the hubbub.
"Wow I didn't think the kid could ever get pissed off like that? Not that I blame her." one of the guards by the doors to the lower deck leaned over to his friend beside him who responded with an amused smirk
"Yeah and about time. I'm glad somebody on this ship had the guts to yell at the prince. I'm just sorry it wasn't me."
Jade gulped, her face paling as her father turned a stern eye on her.
"Jade is that true? Did you really yell at the Prince?"
"Yeah he really was asking for it" Shen laughed loudly from beside her. "The way she yelled at him! HA! You'd think Prince Zuko was being chased down by an angry Rhino. Seriously father, it was totally…priceless…ehe…"
Shen trailed off under his father's withering glower.
"This is no laughing matter Shen. And you young lady" he turned on Jade who shrank in her seat.
"You should be more mindful of your temper especially around royalty"
"Easy for you to say" Jade's huffed folding her arms "you're up at the helm. You don't have to follow him around on a daily basis and deal with his tantrums. I don't care if he's the prince or not but I'm really getting sick of being yelled at all the time like I'm his emotional stress ball! Honestly if it weren't for the fact that you and Shen were here I might have left to go back home a long time ago."
Her father sighed heavily and rubbed at his wrinkling brow, an occurrence that Jade was becoming quite familiar with over the past few months.
"Jade I know it hasn't been easy for you these past two years what with your mother..." he quickly coughed as both Jade and Shen looked stricken "But remarks like that can get you into serious trouble if you give them to the wrong people. You're very lucky the Prince or his uncle didn't order for you to be locked up for mutiny"
"I know" Jade nibbled timidly on her dumpling.
"Jade!" a loud voice called from behind and Jade turned to see the cook, a fat man with a thin moustache and a messy apron poke his head out of the door, his face very apologetic. "I'm sorry but could you come in here. I need you to take Prince Zuko's meal up to him! He's at the lookout deck on the command tower"
"Just a moment Dango! Wow talk about brilliant timing!" Jade grumbled and quickly stood up ignoring her father's disapproving shake of the head.
"Lord Iroh is right. You work yourself too hard on this ship. I don't think I've seen you finish a proper meal even once for the past four months"
"Don't worry father. I'll be back as soon as I can. Trust me; serving the royal jerk is the last thing I want to be doing now!"
"Plus if she doesn't come back" Shen mumbled through a mouthful of food "I'll eat all her food"
"Do that and I'll chuck you overboard dear brother" Jade growled and everyone around her chuckled.
All save one guard, who had been sitting alone in the corner with his helmet still on. When Jade darted into the kitchens he too rose quietly and left. But no one noticed him for he was as quiet as a shadow.
The air was chilly as Prince Zuko stood atop the command tower's lookout deck, but that wasn't what had him scowling.
He was staring at a point in the distance, a point at which a few short hours ago a beam of light had been glowing.
It has to be the Avatar
His brow furrowed deeply as he glared hard at the icy waters about the ship.
It has to be. Nothing else could explain-
"Prince Zuko" a voice clipped and Zuko quickly turned to see Jade walking towards him a tray of food in her hands.
He eyed the bowls of rice and meat warily even as she strode towards him her eyes set on the horizon just beyond his shoulder instead of his face.
"Oh. Come to serve the Royal jerk have you?" he snapped softly when she was close enough.
He was pleased to see her eyes widen for a moment in surprise, however she was quick to recover with a glare of her own.
"Yes. You have a problem with that?"
Zuko only hmph'ed in response and turned back to glowering at the ocean view.
Jade bit on her lip, her willpower the only thing stopping her from letting loose the loud scream of pent up frustration even as she carefully placed the food tray down on the floor by the prince's feet.
She was so peeved she didn't notice Zuko's eyes, both the good and the scarred one, follow her till she past out of both sight and hearing.
Hmph! Getting all pissy over some stupid tea. And she calls me a Royal pain!
He sighed and sat himself down on the floor beside the tray, letting his legs dangle through the railing as he reached for the bowl of food in which was steaming rice, vegetables and salted pork.
It was, as usual, delicious and in no time all of it was wolfed down hungrily. But as he chewed the prince could not help the way his eyes wandered over the frozen waters.
The place was so desolate but at the same time quite beautiful even if it was rather cold for his liking.
But why would the Avatar want to hide out here in the south pole?
Zuko's eyes narrowed once more as he heard the heavy footfalls of Iroh coming up behind him from the Helm's station.
"I'm going to bed now"
Zuko just stared straight ahead blankly completely ignoring the loud yawn that escaped his uncle as he stretched his arms out.
"Yes… a man needs his rest."
Again nothing from Zuko.
Iroh frowned.
"Prince Zuko you must get some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive. You won't find him. Your father, grandfather and great-grandfather all tried and failed."
"because their honour didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture" Zuko snapped "Mine does. This cowards' hundred years in hiding are over"
"I see…" Iroh muttered stroking his greying beard as he eyed the state of his nephew. No matter what the younger man said, he did look very tired.
Oh well at least he finished his meal…
But when Iroh glanced at the empty bowl a smile suddenly crept up his face.
"Zuko"
"Yes?" Zuko grumbled back at him only to be startled by his uncle's rather knowing smirk.
"Nothing. I'm just glad to see that you've enjoyed your meal. Especially since Jade cooked it"
"What?!" Zuko's eyes widened almost it seemed in horror. "No she didn't! Dango did!...he did…didn't he?"
Iroh shook his head. "No Prince Zuko. Ever since Dango hurt his hand two weeks ago he's been having Jade cook the meats for him."
"Hmph! No wonder it was tasting off" Zuko huffed but Iroh only chuckled.
"So off that you'd finished all of it in five minutes?"
"agh! Fine! So I ate all her food" Zuko pouted angrily and turned his head away to hide the embarrassed flush over his ears. "Still doesn't mean I enjoyed it"
"I never said you did. Though if you did I wouldn't blame you. I mean, she does cook a mean salted pork. But even better is her roast duck. It's truly delicious. Though I think you already know that."
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation as his uncle smiled knowingly at him. After two years at sea, it was no secret to the whole crew that both uncle and nephew were particularly fond of roast duck.
Though the young prince was seriously reconsidering correcting this particular trait.
But even as the thought crossed his mind, another more fierce voice snapped in his brain.
What does she know anyhow about royalty? Nothing! That's what! And why should I have to change my habits or behaviour? It's my ship! My expedition!
Iroh seemed to guess what was going through his nephew's head because his face softened.
"Zuko" He muttered as he gently reached out "We have been on this cold sea without sight of land for three weeks now. Tensions on the ship are bound to run high and some people's patience will begin to crack if the wrong buttons are pushed. If we want to keep our ship running all of the crew, us included, must make the effort to co-operate with one another to maintain balance and order"
"Co-operate? She's just a kitchen maid" Zuko snapped.
Iroh shook his head and stepped forwards to stand at the railing.
After a moment of looking over the view he quietly pointed his finger out onto the horizon line.
"Look there Prince Zuko. What do you see?"
Zuko squinted to where his uncle pointed and snorted.
"Just a small iceberg"
"Wrong" Iroh gave him a small frown. "What you see before you is only the small uppermost tip that has been worn away by the wind and weather. But I'm willing to bet that below that tip the ice berg actually runs very deep, so deep that even if you were to dunk your head in underwater you wouldn't see the bottom. The same goes for people. Jade's position aboard this ship looks small but she is much more than just a kitchen maid, just like you are more than just a prince. You are each your own person with your own feelings and your own personalities and faults. And I'm sure if you both were to realise that you might be able to make peace with your differences."
There was silence as Zuko's eyes dropped down to look down at his hands on the railing. For all his warm gear and his fire bending skills, they were cold and beginning to turn grey from the icy chill.
"I'm going to bed" he grunted and before Iroh could get another word in he strode back into the command tower.
When he was gone Iroh chuckled softly to himself.
Ah…they grow up so fast
HI guy's me again.
So that's chapter 1, not much really happening but don't worry more action is in store for next time i promise.
I hope you enjoyed and keep Reading and reviewing for more if you liked