Chapter 7

The few days off we had ended quickly. Zuko and I told Iroh we were together, which made him smile and hug us both. Expressing how he always knew we would eventually become a couple.

Work was busier than normal, but we had no word on weather or not Pao would be getting the loan to expand his business. So, we just continued like normal—making sure to give great customer service despite the possible negative new.

"This tea is the absolute best," an older man compliment the tea while I placed a plate of some fresh sweet rolls in front of him.

"Thank you," I smiled. "Our tea maker takes his time perfecting each brew, even coming up with new flavors on his time off."

He thanked me for the rolls and then I walked to the other tables, making sure everything was going good.

"My OWN tea shop?" Iroh exclaimed.

The man I was just talking to was now talking to Iroh, who had a look of shock on his face. Pao was standing beside him, looking rather nervous.

"What is going on?" Zuko came up to me, placing an arm around my waist as we watched the exchange.

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring, for you and your family." He smiled at us. "The tea shop is yours to do whatever you wish with."

"I even get to name it?" Iroh said. "Did you hear that, nephew and Sayuri? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city!"

"That's right you two, your lives are about to change for the better!"

Excitement began to fill my body, I looked at Zuko who was wide eyed in surprise. Zuko's look of surprise was placed with annoyed look.

"I'll try to contain my joy." He replied to them sarcastically. I watched as he walked outside and then slammed the door.

I was a little taken aback. Why was he upset? We would be able to live a comfortable life, we would be able to live a luxurious life in the Upper Ring.

"Well, I for one and extremely happy for you uncle!" I exclaimed and gave him a hug. "I'm excited for all that this opportunity will have to offer us."

—

We thanked Pao for the job, and then quit as we would be moving to our new place within the week. Zuko still hadn't returned and I was left feeling strange. Maybe he was full of mixed emotions. Moving forward with a life in Ba Sing Se wasn't exactly his plan. I'm sure when the Avatar first emerged, he imagined he would be back in the Fire Nation by now.

Instead he was here, stuck in a city that would likely prison or even kill him if they recognized who he was.

The door slammed shut, and I rushed to the living room area to see if it was Zuko.

"So," Iroh began, as he was moving some boxes around—preparing for our upcoming move—"I was thinking about names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it."

"I love it!" I beamed, it was perfect for Iroh. I was so happy that he was having all this happen for him, and I was so grateful I got to participate.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se," Zuko took out a flyer and showed it to Iroh. "He's lost his bison."

My heart dropped.

"Good things are happening to you." Iroh said, grabbing the flyer from Zuko. "If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things happening for us."

"Good things are happening for you!" Zuko yelled, I didn't think he realized I was in the room. "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and job serving tea?"

"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. As well as a life of love," Iroh motioned his hand toward me. Zuko looked surprised I was there, like he had completely forgotten about me for a moment. "I suggest you think what it is that you want from your life and why."

Zuko stayed silent for a moment, "I want my destiny."

"What that means is up to you."

Iroh walked back down the hall, shouting off other names for his tea shop.

Zuko and I stood in this awkward silence for a moment. I wasn't sure what to say. I was starting to feel that maybe he thought he was settling. Settling into this life he didn't want. Perhaps he was just settling with me too. My heart felt heavy, and I couldn't help the tears that began to fall out of my eyes.

I couldn't understand why Zuko couldn't see that things here weren't bad at all! We had shelter, food, water, comfort, and now we were going to get all those things and more. It was more than anyone could ever ask for.

He walked over to me, pulling me into a hug probably in response to seeing my tears.

"I want you, and I want my destiny. I am meant to be in the Fire Nation, training to become Fire Lord one day."

I nodded my head understanding, and feeling relieved that he did want to be with me.

"I am going to find the Avatars bison." He finally said, pulling away from me after a moment of us standing there.

Before I could even protest, he was already out the door.

—

I was up all night, tossing and turning in bed.

Iroh had left about an hour after Zuko had, and I had hoped he was going to do something to stop him but I couldn't be sure.

When I finally did fall asleep, I woke up in what felt like an hour later.

I decided to just get up and get ready to continue packing anything I felt necessary to bring to our new home.

Iroh was already in the kitchen.

"Good morning Uncle," I said, unsure if I should ask if Zuko came home as well.

"Good morning," he smiled at me. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," I said, my stomach growling in response to his words. "I can cook us something though."

"Not necessary," he smiled, showing me the already made breakfast.

He made me a plate.

I thanked him and then sat silently for a few moments.

Zuko emerged from the bedroom and I felt a sense of relief wash over me at seeing him.

"Uncle," he called wobbling down the hall way. "I don't feel right."

"Zuko!" Iroh and I yelled in unison, rushing over to him.

He was hot to the touch, hotter than normal.

Iroh and I managed to get Zuko laying down, stripping off most of his clothes to get him to cool off. I rushed to get a bucket of cold water and a rag. I dipped the rag in the cool water and placed it on his forehead after ringing it out.

"He is like this because he made a big decision last night," Iroh confessed to me. "He found the Avatars bison and chose to set him free."

"He did?" I said, shocked that Zuko would make such a decision.

"I think he recognized what would happen if he did capture the Avatars bison." He looked down at Zuko, who's face was scrunched up in pain.

He was having a nightmare and all I could do was hold him.

Iroh left to go make us some food. We had been sitting here for hours, and Zuko hadn't made any move of coming to.

I looked at him, wishing I could take away his pain. Make whatever feverish nightmares he was having disappear, and help him feel better.

I was surprised to hear he didn't capture the flying bison, I wondered what he would have done if he had caught him. I don't think he thought through a plan that would've made sense. Just because the bison was here, it didn't mean the Avatar was here. It's possible, of course, but we didn't know for sure. That would've meant he would have to hide the bison somewhere, and we don't have any where to put the giant beast.

I wonder how the Avatar felt, I haven't seen him in person but I've seen posters for his arrest that the Fire Nation put up in my town. He was just a little kid. I'm sure he was terrified to be hunted down by people all over the world.

I kept wondering what the Avatar was even doing to help us. I hadn't seen or heard of anything major he has done to help the Earth Kingdom. Perhaps he was here to get an army from the Earth King, but my father said the Earth King was an idiot. He had no idea how much people outside of Ba Sing Se we're hurting, otherwise he would have sent aid a long time ago. Instead it was up to our individual villages to decide who and how many men would go to war.

Once the generals finally did arrive to our little town, we had already been infiltrated by the Fire Nation. My mother would say we were lucky to keep our home, most of the soldiers had taken up many of the nice homes nearby but they left ours alone. I never understood why, but I had a feeling my parents did something they weren't proud of in order to keep it.

My mind went back to the Avatar. I wondered if he was alone or if he travelled with friends. Rumors had spread that he was the last of the air nomads, and he had been hidden away by a secret society to learn airbending. An even more ridiculous rumor was that he was frozen in an ice burg for a hundred years.

Zuko said he had been around when the Avatar first made his appearance, but I never asked where or what happened. It was hard to talk about the Avatar with Zuko. Every time we talked about him, it made me think of Zuko being successful in capturing him and then leaving. He can say whatever he wants about taking me with him to the Fire Nation if that were to happen, but he didn't really have any official word. He was a banished prince who would be returning home, I doubt that he would be in any position to make requests let alone demands from the Fire Lord.

My heart hurt at the thought of him leaving me behind. I could see it now, he would promise me to come back after receiving permission from his father but then he'd never return. After all, what does a Fire Nation prince have to gain from an Earth Kingdom commoner? One who can't bend, who can't fight, and has no status.

I grabbed the rag on Zukos head and dipped in the cool water before replacing it.

It was hard to admit just how much I truly loved him.

I was scared that once I said the words, he would be taken from me.

I think he felt the same as well.

He was tough to get to know, but when I did he was wonderful. He had issues of course, but who wouldn't after being burned by their own father. He just let his anger sit on the surface.

I had my own anger as well, but I kept it buried. I didn't like to think too much about what had happened with my father. I was worried that if I thought about it too much, the pain I felt would engulf me, and that would be all that I felt. I tried to think of the happier times with him, but even that left me feeling sadness. I just chose not to think about him at all.

"Here Sayuri," Iroh broke me from my thoughts. "Sorry it took so long, I got lost in my worry."

"I did too," I confessed.

I wasn't sure what to really say to Iroh, but he didn't try to make conversation either.

Iroh and I had built a good relationship, and I felt I could look at him as a father figure. He cared for me almost as much as he cared for Zuko, and I was grateful for him.

"It's like he's struggling with something deep inside," I finally said to him.

Iroh nodded his head, "it is exactly like that. He is struggling with what he knows is right versus what he feels is right. He wants to capture the Avatar and return home, but deep down he knows what will happen if he does."

I understood what he was saying, "he keeps saying he needs to restore his honor, but I don't think he realizes honor is not something that can be given or taken by someone other than himself."

Iroh smiled at me, "it is exactly that, but I have always allowed Zuko to believe what he needs to. It gave him purpose after the incident. Without it, I fear he would have succumbed to his own mind."

"I see," I said. "I'm grateful he has had you in his life. He would have been so lost without your guidance."

"Zuko is strong, I just followed along to make sure he was okay."

"He is very strong," I said, thinking back to all the times he has protected me.

Zuko suddenly sat up, "so thirsty."

Iroh grabbed the bucket I had brought in to give Zuko water, "here's some clean water to drink." He took the spoon and Zuko grabbed it drinking it quickly before reaching for the bucket and drinking out of that instead. He tossed the bucket aside and then laid back down, Iroh made sure to keep him covered.

—

Night had fallen, and I was asleep on the floor next to Zuko. I woke up to him screaming, he was sitting up holding his face as if he was making sure it was still there.

"Zuko," I said while grabbing his arm gently, trying to shake him from the nightmare.

"Sayuri," he whispered, brought back to reality.

"I don't know what's happening," tears were in his eyes and I wished more than anything to take his pain away.

"You're okay," I pulled him to me, and hugged him tight. Kissing him softly on his burning forehead. "It's all going to be okay, you're just sick. Iroh said it should only be a few days."

"Please stay by my side," he said.

"I'm not going anywhere," I assured him.

He laid back down on the bed, and pulled me to him holding me so tight that I couldn't even move if I wanted to.