Lu Ten was in limbo, and he hated it. He was in Ba Sing Se, living a lie, but now dating a lovely girl. His lie may have just cost him his own succession rights. But if he was being honest with himself, he'd never been excited about becoming fire lord someday. It seemed to consist of stuffy war meetings and stiff audiences with strangers and uncomfortable formal wear, and even your own family had to request an audience if they wanted to see you. When Lu Ten was homesick, he was homesick for training in fire bending and for sword fighting with master Piandao and for feeding the turtle ducks in the pond at the palace.

When it came down to it, what he missed were the peaceful times at home. And now his lie had created peaceful times at home for others, so he supposed it would work out somehow. His only regret was knowing that somewhere out there, his father had been brought to his knees by grief. Someday he would find his father and make things right. But for the meantime, Iroh was strong. He would be all right for a little while.

True to her word, Ayeshi took him out again on their next day off. His leg was healing, and now he only walked with a slight limp. "Where are we going again?"

"The military cemetery. You need to see what your people have done." They took a train past the inner wall and out to the great expanses of fields within the out wall, where the military cemetery was squeezed between crop pastures.

"This is where . . . this is where fallen earth kingdom soldiers are put to rest."

Lu Ten shuddered. There were simply too many graves, all crowded together. Was this his legacy? Was this the cultural superiority the fire nation had tried to pass on to the rest of the world. Nothing but mounds of earth and broken families. He looked up and saw Ayeshi had moved away from him, trailing between the stones. He gulped and ran after her. She'd stopped in front of stone. She knelt, tears beginning to flow.

"Hi Dad. We miss you." She reached out and caressed the rough stone under her delicate fingers. Pin Wu. He'd been dead for more than five years.

Lu Ten shifted uncomfortably. Growing up in the fire nation, he'd had too many experiences with dysfunctional family. But this was worse. An empty seat at the table. A father who never got to see his children grow up. This was the legacy he would've inherited as fire lord.

"I'm sorry, Ayeshi."

"For what? You didn't kill him. You're not personally responsible. You're not like them."

"Not for your father. But somewhere out there, there's a grave because of me."

"You need to know what you come from though. How the rest of the world sees you. You need to know that, if you want to be in my life."

"I know. Thank you, for strengthening my resolve. I know what I would've inherited if I stayed. I would've inherited the war. Some families pass down stories or heirlooms, and you have your father's teapot. In my family, we inherit my great-grandfather's bloodlust."

"Your great-grandfather? What did he do?"

"He was the worst of the worst. His name was fire lord Sozin. Look, Ayeshi, I haven't been entirely honest with you. My name isn't Lee, it's Lu Ten. My father is Iroh, Dragon of the West."

Ayeshi turned pale. "You—you're related to the fire lord. Your father wants my people dead." Her lip was trembling. She turned on her heel and ran.

Lu Ten watched her go. He wasn't surprised, but it still hurt. His family was poison. It infected everything it touched, leaving nothing but death and destruction in its wake. He knelt in front of the headstone. "Rest in peace, Pin Wu. I'm sorry. About my father." Pin Wu would've died before the siege started, but it didn't matter. "And I'm sorry for how I've hurt Ayehsi." He leaned back on his heels, biting his lower lip. "Tell you what. I'll go. I won't hurt her family anymore." He stood and began walking. He didn't want to take a train; he just needed the feel of the earth passing under his feet. He began to half-sing, half-hum an old tune his father used to sing to him. "Leaves from the vine. Falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home." How many brave soldier boys hadn't come home?

The house was loud and bright as always, but Lu Ten still felt dark and cold on the inside as he slipped through the door.

"Lee, do you want some noodles?" Miyo asked. Another person he'd been lying to.

"No, that's all right. Thank you, though."

"Did Ayeshi come back with you?"

"No."

"Ayeshi. She's probably off on her own again. She'll be fine, though. She's always been a loner."

Lu Ten nodded and slipped down to his cot in the basement. He'd expected this all along. Fire benders were bad, but the royal family was the worst of the bunch. There was no way Ayeshi could know his past and still accept him. He'd leave her alone. He'd go somewhere else—Omashu, maybe—where he wouldn't hurt her anymore. It was what she deserved. He began packing his things, stopping only to light a torch. "Gah!"

"This explains everything." Ayehsi was leaning against the wall with her arms folded. "This is why everything started happening as soon as you showed up. Why the siege ended because the Dragon of the West was so sad, and why succession was switched so soon afterwards. And you didn't even tell me."

"Look, I lied to protect myself in enemy territory! Wait, were you down here just waiting for me? In the dark?"

"Shut up. Maybe I was. Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"I was scared of what you'd do to me if you knew who I really was."

"That's fair. I already tried to kill you once."

"I'm sorry, what?"span class="Apple-converted-space"

"Water under the bridge. My mother told me to finish you off not long after you arrived. You, though, you never hurt me. Never even tried. I knew you were different. I don't think you're like your family."

"You saved my life. It would be dishonorable to kill you. Believe me, if there's one thing we value in the Fire Nation it's honor. But I think my honor might here now, in Ba Sing Se. You see, as long as I'm dead, so is the siege of Ba Sing Se. People like your family won't get hurt anymore."

Ayeshi stepped closer to him. "I'm glad you're staying. I want you, in my life."

"Are you sure? My family is cruel. I'm from the worst of the worst. You don't have to stay with someone like me."

"No one's perfect." Ayeshi moved even closer, putting her tiny hands against his face. "And I think I kinda . . . I think I kinda love you. Lu Ten." She smiled as she said his real name for the first time. "And I want you to stay with me."

"I think I love you too. And I will stay." Lu Ten leaned down and kissed her, and everything else floated away and it was just the two of them, just the two of them loving each other in a basement in Ba Sing Se.

A/N: yes I know they're taking the romance a little fast. I wanted to get to the mushy romance scenes. sue me.