Amethyst

A/N: Whew. This one was a doozie. And really long. UGH. I hope you enjoy it!

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Thanks

"Thank you," Iroh said quietly. "For coming."

Asami smiled up at him and readjusted the hand she had tucked in the crook of his elbow. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Iroh. I wanted to do this."

"And I want you to know how much I appreciate it," he responded seriously. She met his eyes for a long moment and they both stepped into the grand ballroom.

Every year the Fire Nation Royalty held grand parties worthy of great praise for multiple occasions. But this year was special. This year, the youngest daughter of the Fire Nation Royalty turned fifteen and was finally being crowned an official princess of the Fire Nation. It was a special event open to friends and family closest to the Royal family, and when Iroh prepared to take a ship back home, he asked Asami to come with him.

She was dressed in a glamourous shimmering silver floor-length dress with her long hair pinned back away from her face. Iroh had forgone the usual United Forces uniform for a more traditional warrior-style Royal garb. Dressed in deep red with accents of gold, Asami was finally starting to see him for the Prince he truly was. They were a little late upon arriving in the Fire Nation and dressed into their fancy clothing upon the ship. Luckily though, they were there before most of the guests, which Iroh said would pacify his mother enough to overlook their slight tardiness.

The ballroom itself was decorated lavishly with long tables lining the edge of the room stacked high with brilliant foods from all around the world. High-end citizens of the Fire Nation talked in small groups, their clothing just as lavish as the brilliant dress Asami wore. Near the front of the room where the thrones stood, was the Fire Lord Zuko himself and his daughter Honora. They stood with such regality, delicately holding goblets of the finest wine the Nation had to offer, that Asami had to force herself to swallow through her unexpectedly dry mouth.

Suddenly, she reminded herself that she was going to meet Iroh's family that night.

Iroh's Royal family.

Being the daughter of a wealthy and famous inventor her entire life, Asami was not one who was easily star-struck, but standing in the presence of the Fire Nation Royalty, she was starting to feel a little faint. She tightened her grip on Iroh's arm and pulled a wide smile across her face as they walked straight for them. Halfway there, her fingers were starting to shake a little when Ta Min caught sight of them.

"IROH!" she shouted, running a little ungracefully in her traditional crowning robes towards her brother. Iroh laughed and greeted his sister with a hug. The girl had a huge smile on her face and she stared up at her brother with palpable admiration. From across the room, Asami noticed the exasperated look upon Honora's face at her daughter's undignified actions and Zuko's calm smile. She felt a little less nervous from watching their very normal reactions.

"Iroh, you haven't been home in ages," Ta Min complained. "Kuzon's been such a pain in the butt lately. He's been drilling me in all this boring stuff like history and strategy. UGH. Can't you come home already? I want to play Pai Sho with you instead!"

"If I could, I would be home in a heartbeat, you know that Ta Min," Iroh responded. "But I've got things I need to do in Republic City. Besides, Kuzon's only helping you with your studies. You should thank him for that."

She groaned, tossing her half-bunned hair. "But it's so boring and he teaches it so slowly! You teach it so much better."

Iroh grinned. "Well, I can't argue that."

They both laughed before Iroh looked back over at Asami with his grin. Ta Min followed his gaze, her eyes widening when she noticed the beautiful lady standing patiently beside them. A small blush of embarrassment crawled across her cheeks when she realized how un-Princess-like her previous behavior was. She sent Iroh a helpless look, but he wasn't worried about it.

"Ta Min, I'd like to introduce Asami Sato," he said. "She has been a wonderful companion during my time in Republic City."

Ta Min's eyes seemed to light up a bit at that like she recognized Asami's name. Remembering her etiquette, she gave a short and awkward curtesy. "H-hello."

Asami matched her curtsey the best she could. "It's very nice to meet you, Princess."

Ta Min blushed and gave a wide smile at the address. "Thank you for coming to my party, Miss Sato!" she said.

"Thank you for having me," Asami responded.

Ta Min nodded and looked at her brother. "You better dance with her tonight, Iroh!" she warned and gave a wave as she ran away.

Asami smiled as Iroh offered his arm to her again. "She's cute."

"She can be," he agreed. "She's just really excited today."

"I can tell," Asami noted with a laugh. "She really loves you."

Iroh met her eyes with soft agreement. "Yes. She does."

Iroh continued to lead them around the room, greeting family friends and introducing Asami easily. She was polite and answered the few questions directed her way. As they moved between people, Iroh would lean down and whisper who the people were in her ear so she got a good grasp on whom she was addressing. Every once in a while he would add a bit of unexpected information that would make her laugh. They were nearing the front of the room when they ran into the eldest children of the royal family: Crown Prince Kuzon and Second Prince Shu.

"Well, well! Way to go, little bro!" Shu crowed as they approached. Kuzon shot him a disapproving look as Iroh rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion that had Asami struggling to stifle her giggle.

"It is good to see you again, Iroh," Kuzon addressed them politely, ignoring the abrasiveness of his younger sibling.

"You as well, brother," Iroh responded. Both princes looked to be somewhere in their thirties but their postures gave totally different impressions. While Iroh tended to stand with a strict military discipline, Kuzon had a graceful, authoritative stance that really gave the impression that he was a prince. Shu, on the other hand, stood with his hands on his sides in a casual, carefree sort of way that Asami had come to associate with Commander Bumi. They were both dressed in a similar attire as Iroh, but their hair was swept up in a traditional topknot for the occasion. Nestled in Kuzon's hair was the official crown of the crown prince, which Asami found to be quite beautiful.

She blinked in surprise when he had addressed her. "I'm sorry, what?"

He gave her a careful smile. "I said, I've heard about your endeavors in Future Industries. They're quite impressive."

Asami blushed. "Thank you, but my father is really the one who did all the work. I'm just doing what I can with what he's left behind."

"I wouldn't sell yourself short, Miss Sato," Kuzon said. "My brother has spoken about your prowess and innovative abilities with quite an admiration."

"Seriously," Shu chimed in. "He wouldn't stop talking about you the last time he came to visit."

"Is that so?" she asked. She noticed that Iroh was blushing, but when he didn't bother to correct his brothers' statements she let a small smile pull up her lips. "I'll have to thank him for speaking so highly of me."

Shu gave a snicker at his brother's embarrassment, which Iroh met with a distasteful frown. Kuzon eased the heated air by addressing Asami again.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sato, but I'm afraid we must continue to speak with the other guests here," he said. "I hope we can speak again soon."

"Of course," she agreed with a smile.

He nodded and turned to his youngest brother. "I suggest that you greet mother before the crowning ceremony begins. She's been anxious for your arrival for quite a few days now."

Iroh looked over where Honora was talking politely with a few guests. Asami couldn't tell if she was worried, but the brothers seemed to see it.

"Thank you, brother," Iroh said. Kuzon nodded and Shu waved as Iroh led Asami towards the front.

Asami adjusted her grip on Iroh's arm again, suddenly feeling that same curl of nervousness that she did when she first entered the ballroom return with a vengeance. She swallowed thickly and set her shoulders, preparing herself for a meeting of a lifetime. Iroh noticed her strange behavior and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," he said quietly. "They already like you."

She nodded, unconvinced, but pulled a smile on her face when Honora noticed them. She politely ended her conversation and quickly walked over.

"Oh, Iroh," she said with a smile, reaching up to kiss her youngest son on the cheek. He took his mother into a brief hug that warmed Asami's heart a bit. The Fire Lord's daughter gently placed a hand on her son's cheek before turning to greet Asami. She gave her a warm smile. It was hard for Asami not to return the smile with the same amount of sincerity.

"You must be Asami," she said. "My, you are truly beautiful."

Asami blushed. "Thank you, your highness."

"Oh, psh," Honora said, waving off the title. "Please call me Honora. Iroh has spoken so much about you, I feel as though I know you already."

Asami gave Iroh a quick glance, wondering just how much he said about her. "I wish I could say the same, um, Honora."

"You will in good time," she promised. "Now, Iroh, will you be a dear and come with me for just a moment?"

"Of course, Mother," Iroh responded. "I'll be back shortly," he said to Asami. She nodded with a smile and watched as the two of them disappeared somewhere near the sides of the room. She gave a tentative look around the room, unsure what to do in the meantime when somebody came up beside her. She gave a small jump and looked at them, a lead brick falling in her stomach when she realized it was the Fire Lord. She swallowed nervously, and he gave her a reassuring smile that looked so much like Iroh's.

"Good evening, Miss Sato," he greeted.

"G-Good evening, your highness," she responded.

"Nice night for a party," he said casually.

"Yes, it's lovely," she agreed.

There was a brief silence between them and Asami nervously stole a glance at the old Fire Lord. His grey hair was pulled back in a traditional half-up half-down topknot with the brilliant crown resting in his bun. His scar was still obvious upon his face, but less noticeable as it had faded a bit from age. He stood in a strong posture unaffected by the years he had under his belt, with his arms crossed behind his back. He looked just as imposing as he did in his youth.

He gave a small cough. "So, um, do you like tea?"

The question baffled her a bit and she looked at him fully, realizing that the Fire Lord, of all people, was having an awkward conversation with her. A sharp laugh pulled from her lips, and she smacked a hand over her uncooperative mouth. Zuko looked surprised at her reaction to his question.

"I am so sorry," she apologized. "It's just- the way you asked-"

He sighed and gave her a sheepish look. "You'd think after 70 years of doing this, I would be better at making casual conversation."

Asami smiled. "Well, in your defense, it's not easy."

"But it is! Everyone is just too afraid to tell me that I'm extraordinarily bad at it," he sulked. His expression became so childish with a pout that Asami couldn't resist letting out another laugh. Zuko smiled a bit at her laughter.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

She gave him a confused look until she realized that she wasn't nervous anymore. She smiled. "Yes."

He smiled. "Aang used to tell me that the greatest cure for nerves was laughter. He was always the life of the party and made sure nobody was feeling awkward or out of place. It always worked, so I tried to take that lesson to heart."

The legend of Aang was a story she had heard ever since she was a child. It seemed like such a distant memory that sometimes she forgot that some of the people who fought alongside the boy Avatar were still alive to this day.

"You must miss him very much," she said softly.

"He was my best friend," he said simply. "I owe a lot of what I have to him: my crown, my people, and my family. I can only hope that I repaid him enough while he was still alive."

"I think you have," she said. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Your family is full of wonderful people who have the right intentions for the world, and the city you built with him is thriving full of people doing well for themselves. We're a united world thanks to work you both did. Besides, I think you're lucky."

"Why do you say that?" he asked curiously.

"You were friends with the Avatar," she stated. "And as a friend of the Avatar, myself, it's good to know that some friendships aren't over when one of you passes on. I like to think that some friendships can transcend lifetimes."

Zuko gave her a small, nostalgic smile. "I like to think that as well, Miss Sato. Thank you."

She blinked. "For what?"

"For reminding me of something an old friend of mine used to say a lot," he said vaguely. Gently, he put a warm hand upon her shoulder. "You never know when you'll meet somebody who will change your life forever. Thank you for this rewarding talk, Miss Sato."

A warm feeling blossomed in her chest from the Fire Lord's kind words. "It was my pleasure, your highness."

He gave her a kind smile before looking over at his approaching grandson. "I have one more thing to request of you, if you do not mind." Asami nodded, meeting his serious gold eyes. "Take care of my grandson. He's a little too stiff sometimes, and he needs a smart girl like you to keep him on his toes."

She smiled at his unique blessing, grinning wider as Iroh warily came up to them. He looked at them suspiciously. "I'm not sure I like the looks on your faces."

"It's nothing," Zuko said. "I was just telling Miss Sato here about the time when you nine and wanted to become an airbender-"

"Grandfather!"

Asami's grin widened at Iroh's suddenly embarrassed face. She was lucky, she thought, to have been given the opportunity to meet the dynamic members of Iroh's family. Zuko was surprisingly hilarious, especially paired up with his daughter, and Iroh's brothers were quite a pair themselves. His sister took to Asami and even asked at one point when she would become her sister. The look on Iroh's face was priceless. She considered herself lucky that she got to see the special moment where all of their faces beamed with pride as their youngest member earned her crown, and during the festivities that followed, Asami whispered a quiet thank you into Iroh's ear. He was surprised when she said it, but gave her a brilliant smile when he realized what she meant.

She really was lucky, she thought, to have met such a wonderful man.

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A/N: So much gratitude in this chapter. :) I hope you guys liked it!