CHAPTER 10
"Iroh, you are getting fatter." Azula replied. She had hoped for a slightly terse reply from on her uncle's part, but instead he laughed, holding his belly.
"I am, aren't I?" he asked, chuckling. "I suppose I'm eating way too many cookies."
"And drinking way too much tea." she muttered.
"That's a given," he said. "But what happened to Uncle, huh? Even if you like it or not young lady, I'm still your Uncle." he noted in a little more severe tone.
"Well, if I recall correctly you never addressed me as your niece," the Princess refuted, quirking an eyebrow. "Instead, I was... how was it?" she placed a hand under her chin. "Zuko's evil little sister? Or it was the devil's little reincarnation? Tsk! I just can't seem to remember which one it was." she muttered.
Iroh gulped and cleared his throat. "You are right. And I apologize for that, my niece," he expressed with seriousness. Before side smiling. "It's good to see you. I heard you have been doing an outstanding job with your brother." he complemented.
A gesture that surprised Azula. It has been over a year since he had last gone to the Fire Nation. However, the rumors of the quick progress that the Nation had reached during the past year had spread to him in Ba Sing Se, as well as the news of Zuko and Azula working together.
"We're not trying to kill each other, if that's what you're worried about," Azula said. "Even though, sometimes he does makes me want to choke him whenever he doesn't listen to me." she admitted, shaking her head.
Her uncle snickered. "He is stubborn. But eventually, he comes around."
"Yeah, and his mood swings are worse than a teenage girl's." she pointed, quizzical.
Iroh laughed, throwing his head back. "You should've seen him during puberty." he mocked.
"Ugh… No, thanks." the Princess said with a grin.
"Huh? Are you two bonding through trash talking me?" Zuko intervene, crossing his arm.
"Jeez… No one is trash taking you, Zuzu," said his sibling. "We're just pointing out the obvious, right Uncle?" she asked with a smirk.
"Right, niece," Iroh agreed. "Now, come on. Take a seat you two." he said, offering a place at the table.
Iroh sat at the head, with Zuko on one side and Azula on the other.
"What can I get you?" a boy named Ra On appeared to take their order.
"For me, a cup of jasmin tea." said Zuko.
"Very well," he said as he wrote down his order. "And for you, miss?" he asked, glancing at Azula.
"I…"
"Ask for ginseng tea," Sokka advised her, next to her. "It's great."
"Alright," she muttered, turning towards the waiter. "Surprise me." she said, winning a bad glance from Sokka which she replied with a sarcastic smile.
"Oh, okay then." he said.
"Ra On," Iroh called him and whispered something in his ear.
"Got it." the boy replied before heading to prepare their drinks.
"So? How is everyone doing?" Iroh asked, leaning on the table, "It's been years since I last saw you all together."
"Well, we…"
"Mister Iroh?" a little girl with a round face and short dark hair appeared next to him.
"Yes, Doti? And haven't I told you not to call me Mister?" he said.
"Yes, sorry Mis... Iroh," she replied, correcting her mistake, "There is some man outside. They are saying they have a delivery for you."
"Oh, I see. I will go in a second," he told the girl, which looked around the table with her big eyes before bowing and returning to her job.
"Must be Tai Cho and Reiko," said Zuko, "Do you want me to go with you?" he asked his uncle.
Iroh shook his head. "No. Don't worry, Zuko. I will be back in a second." he said, before disappearing through the stairs.
"I never thought a tea shop would be this remunerable." said Toph.
"Yeah, me neither." admitted Katara.
"Being honest," Zuko said. "It took me years to acknowledge tea as something other than leaf-juice."
"Well, technically it is." Toph pointed.
"Shush… Don't let my uncle hear you. He takes his tea very seriously." said the Fire Lord.
A few minutes later, their waiter named Ra On returned with their drinks. "Ginseng tea, and Iroh told me not to tell you what it is until after you tasted it, miss." he said, placing Azula's drink in front of her.
She raised a brow.
"Told you to ask for ginseng tea." Sokka muttered, scolding her, looking at the odd drink.
"Is he planning to poison me?" she asked, looking at the brown drink.
"Of course not, niece," he said appearing behind Ra On. "But you said to surprise you and that's what we are doing. Go ahead. Taste it." he sat in his place again.
Everyone at the table turned their attention to her.
She frowned, looking at the drink more closely. She noticed that it had a peculiar scent. She brought the cup to her lips, and a sweet taste filled her mouth. She raised her eyebrows, amazed, taking another sip.
Iroh smiled. "What do you think?"
"This is... delicious." she admitted, astonished at the delicious taste. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She had tasted it before, but she couldn't remember where.
"Really? Let me taste." Sokka said, reaching for her cup.
"No, get yours. This one is mine." she replied, moving it out of his reach.
"Don't be greedy." he said, struggling to reach it.
"Order yours, oaf!" said Azula, placing a hand on his face and pushing him away.
"Ra On, can you bring one for each of them?" Iroh asked to the boy next to him, "And don't forget what I asked you to bring."
"Of course." he muttered.
"And a refill for mine," the Princess pleaded, still trying to push Sokka away. "See, you are getting your own. Now, move over and drink your ginseng." she said, pushing him with more strength than necessary.
"Argh…" Sokka complained.
"What is it, uncle?" Zuko questioned, intrigued.
"It's a drink made with what you brought me from the Fire Nation," Iroh said, "The last time I went, I brought back a few sacks of it and began to experiment. It took me a few tries, but eventually I was able to come up with this. When I first added it to the menu, it became a total success. People from all over would come to the shop just to taste it," he explained, "Sadly, due to the success I ran out of it very quickly. Even though the business keeps growing thanks to some additions I made."
"Like what?" Aang asked.
"You will see." he replied.
"But, Iroh, you still haven't told us, how is it called?" Katara questioned.
"Tablea," he said, "Or hot cocoa, as I wish to call it. It's made from a plant that only grows in the warm climates of our nations. That's why I asked you to bring me so much. There is nowhere else I can get it."
"Ah, at first I was intrigued by it… but I supposed that you had a reason." said Zuko.
"And what do you plan on doing once you run out of the supplies we brought you?" Azula asked, taking the last sips of her drink.
Iroh shrugged. "I guess I would wait until you come again. Or I will have to take the trip myself."
"Ah…" she muttered, pondering a few thoughts. "And what would you say if you could get a restock of it every… I don't know three weeks? Or every month?"
He raised his eyebrows. "That would be amazing," he said, before raising an eyebrow and leaning towards her. "Why? What do you have in mind, niece?"
The Princess lowered her cup. "I'm thinking we could do business, uncle," she tilted her head, "Interested?"
"Of course, I'm all ears."
"First, tell me something. How long can you make it last, the batch we just brought?"
Iroh placed a hand under his chin. "It depends of the demand. Two to six months, why?"
"Azula, what do you have in mind?" Zuko intervened.
"Zuko, shush…" she shut him out. "Adults are talking."
His friends giggled.
"I know someone who can help you solve the matter of exportation." she said.
Azula explained to her uncle her proposal of having farmers sow and harvest the amount of sacks he needed for a constant resupply without having to go to the nation whenever he ran out of them.
"... That way you will have stock all year around and can have the tablea as a permanent drink on your menu." she said.
Her uncle pondered a moment. "And the winnings?" he asked.
"That's something you will have to settle with her," said Azula, "Once we return to the Capital, I will contact her. She would probably come to discuss all the matters with you, including the winnings, deliveries, amounts… and ya-da, ya-da, ya-da." she said waving a hand.
"Azula," Aang muttered.
"What?" she replied.
"D-did you think of all that just now?" he asked flabbergasted.
"Yeah, why?" she frowned.
"Sorry for the delay," said Ra On, reappearing. "They were making inventory and also, a lot of customers were also asking for hot cocoa." he said placing cups with the new drinks on the table. He also placed a plate with some cookies in the middle.
"What are these?" Katara asked.
"Fortune tea cookies," said Iroh, "My latest addition to the menu."
"They are quite popular," said Ra On. "We gained more customers after Iroh's included them in the menu. People seem to love reading their fortunes."
"Fortunes?" Zuko inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Please tell me you don't believe in such nonsense, Iroh." said Sokka. Still remembering the Aunt Wu incident.
"I don't," said Iroh, "People call them fortune cookies, but actually I just write my proverbs on them. Sometimes for fun, I just sneak one or two about people's luck."
"Who would've guessed all the proverbs you once spoke of would now make you rich?" Zuko mocked.
"Hush… Go on," he encouraged them. "Take one. Break it in the middle and read the paper." he explained.
"Alright."
Everyone took a cookie and did as told.
"Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure," read Katara on hers. "Oh, I love it."
"Before being a dragon, you have to suffer like an ant," said Zuko, reading his. "Couldn't agree more."
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make," Aang read out loud. "That sounds like something the monks would have said."
"Those seem pretty nice. Let's read mine," said Sokka, unfolding his paper. "Your life will be filled with disappointment," he read. His eyebrows twitched. "What?! What kind of fortune is that?" he squealed, glancing at Iroh.
Everyone snickered.
"Hey, don't blame me," he said, raising his hands. "I only write the proverbs. I had no way of knowing you would get that one."
"Tsk!" he pouted, "Good think I don't believe in that kind of stuff," he said wrinkling the paper, irked. "What did yours say, Toph?" he asked earthbender next to him.
"Huh?" she raised an eyebrow.
"She can't read, idiot." Azula mumbled.
"Oh, right," he uttered. "Still, where is your cookie Toph? Do you want me to read it for you?"
"Nope." she replied.
"She already ate her cookie, Sokka." said Katara.
"Did you eat it with the paper and all?" he asked.
"Yeah." Toph said.
"Ah," he muttered. "What about yours, Azula? What did yours say?" he turned to ask the Princess who was drinking from her cup.
"I'm not interested." she replied, stoic.
"Oh, c'mon. Just read it." he insisted.
Azula glanced at him and then into the plate in the middle, where there was one remaining cookie.
"Fine. I will read it for you then," said Sokka, reaching for the last one. "I'm sure you didn't want to read it in case it was something bad like mine. Let's see… All your wishes would soon come true." he read. The Princess suppressed a little chuckle. "Oh, come on!" he whined. "Why was mine the only terrible one? Let's do it again." he said, "I want a second try."
"Sokka, it's just a cookie," said Katara. "It means nothing."
Sokka huffed. "Of course you would say that. You got a good one," he complained. "Even Zuko got a better one than mine. And Zuko tends to have bad luck."
"Hey!" The Fire Lord retorted.
"He does have a point." said Azula.
"Shut up." he snarled.
"Well? You haven't told me what you guys think of the hot cocoa." said Iroh.
"Oh, right." said Aang, before taking a sip along with the others.
"Whoa…" they all mumbled, amazed by the taste.
"Nice, isn't it?" he inquired with a smile.
"Oh, yeah."
"Yup." Toph affirmed.
Iroh glanced through the window.
"Well, everyone," he began. "I'm so happy to have you all here. But I have somewhere to go," he said standing up, "Feel free to make yourself at home, while I'm gone. I will be back in a while."
"You are leaving? Where to uncle?" Zuko asked.
"There someone I need to visit," he explained, "I will see you all in a while." he said his farewells, but Azula grabbed him by the wrist before he could take another step.
"I know where you are going," she said glancing blankly. "And I was wondering, If I… If I could go with you?" she stared at her uncle, afraid that he was going to deny her request.
Iroh smiled, warmly. "Of course. I would love that."
"Wait," Zuko stopped them. "Can I at least know where are you two going?"
"No." Iroh replied, before rushing down the stairs.
Azula shrugged when her brother glanced at her. "It's a secret, dum-dum." she said before following her uncle down the stairs.
...
They walked for a while in silence.
Azula didn't complain when her uncle stopped to buy some flowers and some incense, or when they had to leave the upper ring to go inside the middle one and later into the lowest one.
Still, she couldn't stop herself from making grimaces at the smell of filth and dirty animals. For a moment she thought that her uncle taking her through the worst route possible was a way for him to give her a lesson.
It took them a moment to reach their destination.
It was her first time going there. The first time she was visiting Lu Ten's grave.
During her previous time in Ba Sing Se, she had been so focused and so desperate in taking control of the city and freeing herself from the arranged marriage her father had in mind, that she didn't get the time to visit her cousin's place of rest.
And even if she had had time, back then she was not aware of Lu Ten's resting place and her uncle despised her so much that he would have never told her.
It was on the 12th anniversary of his death, that she had finally been able to come.
She followed her uncle up onto the hill where an immense tree raised itself towards the sky.
Iroh kneeled at the base of the tree and lit the incense. Azula turned and glanced around aimlessly, wanting to give him some privacy. A huge part of the city was visible from there.
"I should have chosen a better hill," her uncle mumbled, "A prettier one. Maybe one closer to the lake, or somewhere where he could be surrounded by flowers. Or maybe even a park, surrounded by people…"
"No," she replied. "It's a nice hill. He would have loved the view." she said, noticing how not too far away, there was a park with families.
Iroh used his hand to try and clean up the base of the tree somewhat. "I have been trying to take care of it, but every time I come…" he made a pause, "It still hurts."
"Of course, he was Lu Ten after all," she gulped. Her cousin's death had been more painful than her grandfather's.
Iroh patted the ground next to her. Azula hesitated for a moment, but she kneeled next to him. She noticed the portrait of her cousin. He looked just like she remembered him.
"Careful, little mochi."
"Higher, Lu. Higher!" she repeated with a smile, as her cousin Lu Ten pushed her on the swing. She must have been no more than eight years old.
"Fine. But don't you dare jump again, Mochi! he scolded her. "If you get hurt, your father is going to kill me." he said, trying to sound menacing, but he knew that still it would not work with his little cousin.
"Chicken." the little Princess mocked her cousin.
"Chicken?" he repeated, raising his eyebrows, "Are you calling me a chicken, huh?" with a swift move he got her off the swing and started to tickle her. "You little brat, calling me a chicken, huh? I'm going to teach you a lesson." said Lu Ten, scowling, but playfully so.
Azula bended back and forth, trying to stop the tickles. "Chicken." she repeated between laughs. It only prompted her cousin to tickle her even more.
After a while, both exhausted from the tickling, they were laying on the grass, under the shadow of a tree, looking at the clouds.
"That one looks like a rat-bunny." Lu Ten pointed at one.
"How?" the Princess asked. "I don't see it." she could only see a white stain.
"Look," he pointed. "There is the head, the ears and there is the tail."
Azula frowned. "I don't see it."
"Tsk!" Lu Ten snickered. "Are you sure you are a child? You are more like an adult, trapped in a child." he mocked.
Azula poked her tongue out. They remained a moment in silence, looking at the sky.
"Do you have to go?" she asked him. It was her cousin's last day in the Palace, before departing the next day at mid-day.
He rolled on to his side. "Mochi. We have talked about this," he said, tucking one of her bangs behind her ear and placing an elbow on the grass to support his head.
She also rolled on to his side. "You just arrived!" she complained.
"It's been a month already. I have to return to the siege."
"I know… It's just..." she sighed, deeply. "I'm going to miss you." she admitted.
His heart jolted up at his little cousin's expression.
Lu Ten smiled, dearly. "Okay, I will promise you something," he said, sitting up in the grass.
"What?" asked Azula, doing the same.
"I promise you this time, it will be just for a short amount of time, okay? I will make sure to take Ba Sing Se and win the war. Like that." he snapped his fingers.
"Promise?" she asked.
"Promise," he replied. "Also, if you miss me so much, you can always play the music box I got you." he said standing up and extending his hands towards his cousin.
"I will."
"Will you come tomorrow and say your's farewell to me?" Lu Ten asked her as they returned to the Palace.
"Of course." said the little Princess.
"Really?" he quirked a brow. "You will come so you can wish me a safe trip or… Because you want to see Goong Yoo, huh?" he teased her.
Azula rolled her eyes. "You… Of course, dummy."
"You better, huh, young lady. You are not allowed to date anyone until you are twenty… seventeen, you hear me?
"But that number doesn't exist." she stated, frowning.
"It does!" he refuted. "Twenty-seventeen, it's a really, really high number. Which you are years, and years away from."
"Alright. Alright." she said, rolling her eyes.
"And also, if you ever want to date someone, it would have to be taller than me. Stronger than me. Funnier than me. Better looking than me. And smarter than me."
She placed a hand under her chin and smirked. "So… Goong Yoo?" she teased him.
Lu Ten raised his eyebrows. "Goong Yoo?" he scowled. "I'm better looking than Goong Yoo!
Azula shrugged. "Debatable."
"Oh, really young lady?" he said before wrapping his arms around her and raising her from the floor and resuming his tickling.
"I never got a portrait of him," Azula mumbled. "All I had to remember him by were… just memories. And in a few of them, I couldn't even remember how he looked clearly." she admitted, her voice cracking at the end.
"One lives with the hope of becoming a memory. As long as we remember him, he will live in us. When someone we love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure." said her uncle, with the softest voice she had ever hear him talk.
"Uncle," she said after a while. "Can I ask you something?"
For years, after her cousin's passing, there had been a question that she had always wished to ask to her uncle. To listen to his explanation, but her rage towards him, had been bigger and stronger than her curiosity, so her question had remained in the back of her mind. Until that moment.
"Of course."
The Princess gulped. "I have been wanting to ask you this since his passing, but the moment never seemed right. Why… Why did you leave the siege?" she asked, "I mean, after all the men you lost. After all that time wasted. And after… after Lu Ten died… Why you didn't stay? Why did you…?"
"Decided to drop everything and go home?" he finished the question for her.
"Yes… Why would you…?"
Iroh lowered his eyes to his lap. "In all honesty, when I got the news of his passing… I… I was so full of rage, of anger. And all I wanted was to burn the entire place down. I wanted to avenge his death more than anything…"
Azula glanced at the portrait of her cousin. He looked so handsome and serene in the painting.
"Then, why didn't you...? Why you didn't stay?" she inquired, her eyes filling with tears, "To make them pay... for taking your only son's life."
Her uncle remained in silence for a moment. "Because I saw him…" he said, finally, "I mean, I saw his spirit." he corrected.
She raised her eyebrows. "How? I heard rumors about your spirit travels but… Whenever I got too curious and asked, Father would shut me down."
"I was meditating. Pondering what would be the best strategy to destroy the city, when, I… He appeared to me. Like a vision Or at least, I think it was a vision," said Iroh. "And... he told me to forget my revenge and go home. To be with my family… and that's what I did."
Azula remained silent. Lu Ten had always been the purest soul she had ever known. And truthfully, even during the war, it would have not surprised her that her cousin would have sent her father home rather than encourage him to keep fighting.
"However, till this day, I'm not sure if I saw his spirit or I just simply wished it or… perhaps, I imagined it. I know you might not believe me but…"
She shook her head. "It's not that. It's…" she took a deep breath before confessing. "When the news of his passing arrived... I was so angry. I was so furious… I was furious at my grandfather for sending him. At you for… for not protecting him," her lower lips trembled as she clenched her fists. "And at him for dying…. And when we got word of you coming back... I guess I…"
"You couldn't understand…" he finished for her.
"No," she wiped a tear that escaped her eyes. "I couldn't. I didn't understand why you would be coming back so soon... I hoped that you would stay to take revenge on the Earth Kingdom, for taking his life… And you..."
"I didn't…" he whispered.
"You didn't," she mumbled. "And I guess after that, and after growing up continually hearing my father say that you were a coward, useless and a quitter for leaving the siege… I just... I just agreed with him. Because how could you not have wanted to destroy everything when they destroyed what was most important to you?... To me… So, I began to despise you, too."
Iroh remained in silence. For years, he had wondered why the sudden despite l that her niece showed towards him after his return to the Palace. He had always wondered the cause. He knew Ozai's influence had something to do with it, but now, after listening to her, he could understand. He could finally understand. He had disappointed her. He had disappointed her in the worst way possible.
And there was only one way he could -and hoped- to redeem his mistakes towards his niece.
"Azula," her uncle called her, turning to face her. Then, he bowed before her with his head touching the ground.
The Princess widened her eyes, because of her Uncle's sudden bow and the meaning behind his action. "Uncle? What... What are you doing?" she asked.
He raised his head to reply. "Something I should have done years ago... I guess I owe you an apology." he said lowering his head once more.
"W-what for?" she asked, not understanding what his apology was for.
"For being selfish," he said, glancing at her. "Back then, I was thinking I was the only one grieving him… And I was selfish to not acknowledge that there were other people grieving him too. I lost a son… But you lost your cousin."
The Princess shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. "He wasn't only my cousin. He was my other half… I loved him… I loved him…" she said, between sobs, a hand clenching at her chest. "For days, I refused to cry, to grieve him. When mother told us the news, I was so shocked that I didn't know how to… how to react… I just stood there without crying because… because I couldn't believe it. And I didn't cry. I didn't cry because… I knew that if I… If I allowed myself to cry… it would become real. His death would become real and I… I couldn't… I didn't want it to be real… because I loved him… I loved him."
Iroh reached for her clenched hand in her lap. "I know you did. And that's why I finally understand after all these years why you despised me…" he said in a soft tone, as he tried to contain his tears too. "I guess I deserved it. I was so immersed in my own grieving that I let you think for so many years I had failed Lu Ten's memory. And I never cared to clear that out with you."
"Well... I never asked you why you had done it," she said, "I was just… Angry at you… Furious at you… And then, my mother's thing happened and… I got even angrier, and I just… I let everything eat me in the inside." she admitted.
"We all have our sins and regrets to carry," said Iroh. "Azula, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for not taking care of you like I did with Zuko."
"It's not like I gave you much choice," she said. "Still, I would admit that for so long, I was so angry at you for not choosing me. I resented you because I thought you let the only person who truly cared for me die. So, I became this... enraged version of myself. This version, I hated it. I still do." she self-confessed, glancing at her hands.
"One of my biggest regrets is... that I never reached out for you, as I did with Zuko." he said, with a tone of shame, and squeezed her hand.
"I get it. You lost a son, not a daughter, so..."
Azula had always assumed that her uncle had taken her brother under his wing because he had lost a son, and he saw Zuko like a way to "replace him."
Iroh denied with his head. "You were and still are family."
"A very mess up family." Azula muttered.
"But family in the end," he said. "You know, I always saw myself reflected in you. The prodigy, the one that was always praised. And I saw a lot of Ozai in Zuko. Always craving for his father's love. And I guess that was one of the things that pushed me to protect and guide Zuko and… not you," he admitted, "It was the fact that I was afraid that he was going to end like up like my younger brother. Full of hate, spite and rage. While you... I always thought you were going to be fine. Because you were under your father's wing, like I was with my father. But I never realized how much more damage he was doing to you.
"My son always saw the good in you. And I was foolish to ignore that. You were his little dragon," Azula smiled at the nickname Lu Ten had impressed on her. It had been so long since she had last heard it or been called like that. "I remember how before his last return to the Fire Nation, he spent a week trying to find a gift for you, claiming that you were his little Princess and only deserved the best of the best. He looked around until he found…"
"The music box." both said at the same time.
"I still remember it," she smiled at the memory. "And I still remember the engraving in it… 'No matter where you choose to go or what you do with your life, I will always be your biggest fan. That's because you are my little dragon Princess, and I will always love you, Lu Ten'." she recalled, trying to not cry again.
It had been the most precious gift that she had ever received. She had treasured it so much and played it so much until the small pin drum was so used that it could not play the tune anymore.
She had sent it to many places to have it fixed, but no one in Caldera City had been able to repair it, as it was originally from the Earth Kingdom.
"He got you an amazing gift, while I got you a stupid doll." said Iroh, ashamed of his old mistake.
Azula side smiled. "It was... cute." she lied. She had burned the doll as soon as she had received it.
"I know you hated it." her uncle stated.
She gave him an apologetic smile. "A little bit." she confessed, making her uncle chuckle.
After that, they remained in a moment in silence, until Iroh broke it.
"You know," he began, "During the siege, Lu Ten meet a girl. Rin."
The Princess raised her eyebrows, astonished at the revelation.
"Since the very first start of the siege, that scoundrel would manage to sneak into the city without my awareness. He met her while wandering the streets, and he was instantly in love," he remembered with affection. "Of course, he never told her who he really was. I believe the story he made up was that he was a refugee that was fighting in the Earth Kingdom army to bring food to the table because his father was a drunk," he huffed, "Can you believe the story he invented?" he snickered.
Azula chuckled as well. Her cousin had an unusual talent to invent silly stories.
"He managed to sneak into the city without a problem to see this girl during almost the entire length of the siege. He was clever enough to circumvent my Royal Guards and Earth Kingdom soldiers." he said with disbelief.
"Well, he never liked to follow the rules," said Azula, remembering the uncountable times they had broken the rules back in the Palace or sneaked out to wander around the streets of Caldera City. Lu Ten had been her biggest encouragement to investigate the Palace. "Me neither and that's something I will blame your son for. He was always a bad influence on me." she sneered.
"How come?" said Iroh, snickering.
"You know he hated to follow the rules."
"Most of the times he would just do the entire opposite just because he hated to be ordered." said her uncle, rolling his eyes.
"He was reckless like that. He was the one who taught me how to sneak around the Palace and not be discovered."
Iroh sighed. "He could have taught you so many other things and he chose to do that?"
"Yeah, and he also was the one who always encouraged me to wander around the secret hallways." she said.
"That sound just like Lu Ten." he muttered, defeated.
"And then what happened? With Lu Ten and… this girl, Rin?" she inquired, curious. "How did you discover him?
"Well," he caressed his beard. "One day in the camp we ran out of a specific supply."
"Tea, wasn't it?" Azula raised a brow.
Iroh smiled. "Yes," he admitted. "The thing is, I sneaked into the city and while I was walking through the streets trying to buy some tea, I ran into them. Holding hands and…"
"Tell me you embarrassed him in front of her." she said, quizzically.
"I wish I could tell you I did. That would have been amusing, but I didn't," he said. "He looked so happy that I didn't have the heart to. So, I let it slip and returned to the camp. But when he returned, I scolded him. But no matter what I told him, he didn't seem to care. He was just happy.
"He even told me he was going to marry her," he recalled his son's claim. "I almost had a stroke when he told me. We were in the middle of a siege and he was telling me that…"
"He always had a special timing for being inopportune." she said, a little amused.
"Don't say," he said with a smile. "He said that he was going to tell her the full truth after taking the Palace and ending the war. He'd offer her to go to back to the Fire Nation with him. He also said, that in case that she said no, he was going to abdicate the throne and move to Ba Sing Se."
Azula raised her eyebrows. "Well, that's unpredictable… but for some reason, it doesn't surprise me. He was always like that."
"He was."
"Uncle," she asked after a moment. "Did you ever find out what happened with her after… he died?"
Iroh shook his head. "No," he muttered, "I never knew her personally, but I know that Goong Yoo did and he informed her of his passing."
"I see."
They remained at the hill for a while in silence. Both immersed in their own thoughts, until the sun began to set.
"We should head back now," said her uncle, "It's going to get dark. Zuko is going to get worried if we don't return soon." he began to pick up his things.
"Uncle," Azula's voice made him freeze. She had been pondering a question for her uncle, one she really wanted an answer to.
"What is it?" he inquired, when he noticed her clenching her fist.
"D-do you think... Do you think I can still find redemption, like you did?"
Iroh smiled warmly at her, akin to how he smiled at Zuko so fondly. "If I could find redemption in my fifties, you certainly can in your twenties, my niece."
"But... But how can I move forward when the past keeps chasing me?" she asked, truly troubled. "I'm trying, I'm trying really hard to be different to who I was… I'm trying to be better, but everything I did…"
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence," he advised her, "Unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the past is the past and you can't change it and you let it go, and only when you do that, can you move forward. That's what I've learned," he said, before adding. "And also, I heard that you are doing wonderfully in helping Zuko."
"I'm a little mad at him right now, because he hid something from me. But after everything we have gone through, I think I can let it slide." she said with a sigh.
"Zuko is really trying. But just as it is something new for you -being reunited as siblings-, it is a novelty for him as well. Still, I firmly believe you two can accomplish amazing things." he said, whole-heartedly.
"Even if I want to kill him more times that not whenever he doesn't listen to me?" she raised a brow with a grin.
Iroh chuckled. "Even then. You and your brother might believe that you two are total opposites, but that's not true. You two are just different sides of the same coin." he said whilst standing up.
Azula stood up. "Thank you, uncle." she said, honestly.
"You are welcome, my niece." Iroh began to descend the hill.
The Princess dawdled a few moments more at the top, admiring the view one last time. It was truly a beautiful view.
He would have totally loved it, she thought, before trailing behind her uncle.
She was able to catch up with him when he stopped almost at foot of the hill. He had crossed paths with a woman.
She had slightly tanned skin, and brown hair, her features were delicate and elegant. She was carrying a bouquet and gave them a slight smile as she passed by them and began her trek uphill.
Azula's gaze followed the girl until she was about halfway up.
"Every year at his anniversary I've seen that girl." he muttered, stopping on his tracks too and glancing back at the girl. "A few times I have seen her joined by a couple of twins."
"Don't you think it could be...?"
"I don't know. I never saw her face," he said, "And I suppose I'm scared of finding out if she's Rin." he acknowledged.
"Why?" she asked.
"I don't know. I guess, I'm terrified to find out if it's her and having to face her. After all, it was me who couldn't protect Lu Ten." he confessed with sorrow.
The Princess glanced at her uncle. His expression was filled with sadness. "You are afraid she would blame you for his death?"
"I've blamed myself for his death every day since his passing that…" Iroh gulped hard. "I'm afraid she wouldn't," he sighed. "Come on. Let's go. Your brother must be having a panic attack by now."
Azula took one last look at the girl. She was already at the top of the hill. And like that, they undertook the journey back.
...
"Where are they? It's getting dark." asked Zuko for the hundred times since his uncle and sibling had left the shop.
He was standing by the door of the shop, staring at the distance and waiting to see if they'd be back yet.
The shop was almost empty by that time, so they had moved to the first floor while waiting for Iroh and the Princess to return, so they could head to the Palace.
"Buddy, calm down," said Sokka, patting him on the shoulder. "You'll wear out Iroh's floorboards."
The Fire Lord had been coming and going from their table to the door multiple times. He was worried due to two things; One, that his uncle and sibling could be followed and maybe ambushed in the streets of the city, and he had no idea where they were heading to, and two, that maybe at some point things could get tense between Iroh and Azula, and she would end up losing it.
"Why are you so worried?" asked Katara, "If Azula tries to do something to your uncle, I'm sure he can handle her."
"I know, it's just…."
"Huh? They are coming." Aang pointed at the distance.
"Finally," said Zuko, sighing in relief. "Are they… laughing together?" he inquired, tilting his head as he saw his uncle laugh at something Azula said, who was also smiling. A wave of confusion hit him.
"That's good, right?" the Avatar asked.
"... Like that time when he was fully covered in paprika," recalled Azula, chuckling when the image of her cousin fully covered in the spice appeared in her mind.
Iroh threw his head back. "Ohh, yeah… I never got the full story out of him."
"Probably because he was too embarrassed to tell…" said Azula, "I was having a fever, and he went to the kitchen to get me something to eat. He tried to sneak in without being noticed and just when he was about to be successful, he tripped. The floor was slippery, and he crashed against a vase full of paprika. He broke it and ended up being covered in it. He sneezed paprika for a week."
They were so focused on their conversation that they passed next to Zuko without even noticing. They headed to one of the smallest tables to rest, still chatting under the wary gaze of the whole room.
"And got banned from the Royal Kitchen for life…" Iroh smiled, "I never saw the Royal Cook as angry as that time. Tablea?" he asked her.
"Yeah…"
Her uncle returned just a couple of seconds after with two cups and a teapot. He filled both cups and sat on the table.
"Earlier, when I tasted it. I… I couldn't quite remember why it tasted so similar to something that I haven't drunk in ages," she muttered, blowing at the hot drink. "It was Lu Ten's favorite. And you used to brew it whenever he was feeling sad."
"He used to say that the sweet flavor would sweeten and warm his life," he remembered, "One of the few things he inherited from me was his love for nice, hot drinks. Either tea or hot cocoa."
"As well as eating." Azula added, making her uncle laugh.
"Of course, how could I forget that one," he smiled, "But he was also picky sometimes… He used to make very exaggerated grimaces whenever he didn't like the food."
The Princess snickered, remembering. "His grins were the funniest thing in the world. Also, the nicknames he had for every admiral…"
"Or sages… Remember when he…" Iroh laughed.
"The pervy-sage thing?" she finished with a little laugh. "The entire temple went silent. I couldn't believe he had shouted that nickname in the middle of the temple. And even after the judgmental glares of all the sages, he didn't care, he just kept calling him that. I thought the head sage was going to challenge him to Agni Kai at that moment."
"He was the worst… Always being so careless." he chuckled, "He also used to call my father 'Grandpa Old Man' when addressing him. Now that I think about it, he probably just used to do it to annoy him." he took a sip of his drink.
"Lu Ten was the one who showed me how to sneak into the throne chamber when I was little. He used to carry me on his shoulder or would always prepare a small bench for me so I could sit and watch comfortably," she remembered with endearment. "His mouth worked faster than his brain."
"Indeed. He could come up with dozens of nicknames in a blink. He had a nickname for each General and Admiral. Like, General Bushy Eyebrows, Admiral Sideburns or General Whiskers," Iroh laughed. "But my favorite without a doubt, was Pervy-Sage. I'm sure the Head Sage didn't see it coming."
"Nobody did," Azula stated. "It was a second nature to him. Putting ridiculous nicknames to people. He could easily remember ten different nicknames for the same person, but not their actual name." she smiled with disbelief.
"Now that I think about it, I believe he used to do it on purpose. Just to annoy people." said her uncle.
"He could get in trouble and he would still find a way to joke about it or would find a way to convince you to also get in trouble."
"When he and Goong Yoo were younger, they both used to deal out so many headaches," he said, "There wasn't a day where they didn't get into some kind of trouble or fight."
Over at the other table, several eyes were starting at them, warily.
"That's nice, isn't it?" Sokka muttered to Zuko, who didn't look away from the table where his uncle and Azula were chatting.
Sokka glimpsed at them, and a smile sneaked onto his lips when he noticed that real, -but almost nonexistent- smile on Azula's face. She was naturally beautiful, but that smile made her look dazzling. She was happy, truly happy.
"It's… weird," he said with a grin, "Nice. But weird."
"Well, I think you should be happy that for once those two are actually getting along." said Toph, emptying her drink.
"I agree with Toph," Aang added, "Didn't you say that your uncle and Azula used to keep some unknown resentment towards each other? Well, it looks like they overcame it."
"I mean, just look at their faces," said Sokka, "I have never seen your sister smile that like that." he said, with his heart racing a little bit.
He felt a little kick under the table. He turned to find Toph smirking at him. He rolled his eyes.
"I would like to know what they are talking about." muttered Zuko standing up.
"... He was happy." said Iroh.
"He was," Azula agreed, "I never saw him angry, sad or anything like that… He was just…"
"Out of this world."
It had been ages since the last time she had ever talked about Lu Ten and being able to recall all those memories that she believed were buried. It was pleasant to be able to laugh at the silly things he used to do. And to remember him in such a dear way was something she didn't know she needed.
The Princess nodded in agreement. "Even though he was imprudent regarding some stuff, he was so wise in some others… He always knew what to say… to me, to everyone… and he was also excellent on the battlefield. The best one I have ever seen."
"But his best quality was his big heart. In the end he died doing what he loved the most... protecting his loved ones." he said with a bittersweet tone.
Ra On placed a small plate of more fortune tea cookies.
"Thanks, Ra On." said Iroh to the boy.
"Hey," Zuko said, standing next to them. "Hmph… What are you two talking about?"
"Oh, not much," said Azula. "Just the usual. Trash talking about you," she mocked. "Who would have thought it would make us bond again, aren't you pleased Zuzu?"
The Fire Lord pouted. "Ha ha, hilarious," he whined, annoyed. "I'm serious."
"Me too," Azula rolled her eyes before sighing. "Jeez… You are just as nosy as your friends. We can talk about what we want. The world doesn't revolve about you, okay princess?" she teased him, returning her attention to her drink.
"We were just having a little chat, through the path of memories, nephew." said his Uncle.
"Ah…" muttered Zuko, still intrigued about what they could have possibly been talking about.
"Zuko," Katara's voice made them turn. "It's getting late, and we should get going to the Palace." she said while standing up from her own table.
"Yeah, we should." he agreed.
"Buddy!" Sokka patted him on the back, a little more brusquely than he meant to. "What do you… Oh, more fortune cookies." he smiled, glancing at the table. "Maybe one of these can give me better luck." he said reach from one, but Azula took aside the plate.
"These aren't yours." she stated.
"Oh, come on. Are you planning on eating all of them?" he asked, struggling to reach one. "Argh… C'mon on! Don't be greedy!"
"Don't be a guzzler!" she replied, riled.
"Just give me one!" he pleaded.
"No. Get yours."
"C'mon!" he insisted once more, bending over and trying to reach the plate so much that his face ended up at the same height as the Princess's.
Sokka's heart began to race faster as he noticed the closeness of their faces. He could feel her breathing.
A warm sensation grew in Azula's chest as she realized the same thing as he. She could feel his warm breathing and her pulse increased.
The Princess cleared her throat. "Fine..." she said, breaking their enchantment. "You can take one." she said, feigning annoyance to try and conceal her nervousness, hoping that she hadn't blushed and if she had, that nobody had noticed.
"Great. Thanks." he smiled, choosing wisely one from the plate. He definitely wished one with better luck than the first one.
"Haven't you said that you don't believe in fortune nonsense?" asked Katara, raising an eyebrow and with her hands on her hips.
"I did," Sokka stated. "Still, I wasn't happy with the last one I got. So, I'm hopping in this one at least I get a nice proverb like the ones all of you got." he said breaking his cookie and unfolding the small paper slip.
"What does it say?" asked his sibling.
"Mmm… Let's see… In life we only have three loves. The idealistic one; almost like a fairytale. The hard one: which teach us lessons. And the one we never saw coming; but it feels just right." he read with a side smile.
The idealistic one: Yue. It had been a short romance, and it had ended too quickly with a sad ending.
The hard one: Suki. He had learned so much from her. Things that would remain with him as long as he lived.
And the one we never saw coming: …
"What?" Azula asked irritated, when she noticed he was glancing at her. She had given him the damn cookie. What else could he possibly want from her?
"Nothing." he replied, looking away, trying not to blush.
"So? You like this one better?" Zuko inquired.
"I do," he said pleased. "And I'm going to keep this one." he carefully folded it and tucked it into a pocket.
"Anyway, I think we should get going now." said the Fire Lord.
"Yeah, let's go." everyone agreed.
They all stood up from their places and headed to the backyard where Appa was resting. Momo jumped onto the Avatars shoulder as he offered him some nuts.
"It was a pleasure seeing you, Iroh." Katara said with a little bow.
"I can say the same. It's always a pleasure having you all around," said Iroh, "I hope your busy schedules allow you all to come again during your stay in Ba Sing Se."
"I hope so."
Everyone began to climb on the saddle of the bison.
"Uncle," Zuko called him, making sure Azula was close to listen too. "Would you mind coming by the Palace? I think we could use some fire bending advice…" he noted towards his sibling.
His uncle doubted for a second. He might be on better terms with the Princess, but he didn't wish to push it too much. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do. "Mmm… I don't…."
"I think... it will be interesting to learn a thing or two from the Dragon of the West." Azula said, interfering with a side smile.
Iroh smiled back at his niece. "I would love to." he replied.
…
"What did yours say?" Sokka asked the Princess as they flew towards the Palace.
"What?"
"Your cookies. What did they say?" he inquired again.
Azula rolled her eyes as she retrieved the cookies. She had wrapped them in a napkin to avoid crumbs in her pockets.
"For someone who doesn't believe in fortune telling stuff, you are quite interested in finding out what they say." she noted.
Sokka shrugged. "I'm just curious."
She huffed, before breaking the first one. She lit a small flame with one of her fingers to be able to read it.
"The past might hurt, but you can either run from it, or you can learn from it." she read on the first one. She continued on to the next one.
"Find a light instead of forever cursing the darkness," Sokka read the second one over her shoulder, jolting her due to his proximity. She glanced in the opposite direction. "That's not fair. You only got good ones." he complained, pouting.
"It's Azula," said Zuko, "Don't get too surprised."
A shiver rushed down her spine when she felt Sokka's warm breath behind her ear.
"Beast, have you ever heard of personal space?" she grunted. "Move." she ordered him, when she noticed that his closeness made her feel too nervous suddenly.
...
They landed on the grounds of the Earth Kingdom Palace.
As they all jumped out the saddle, a servant –an old lady, with a severe expression- rushed to meet them, greeting them and asking them to please follow her to an audience with King Kuei.
The servant led them through the hallways of the Palace, up to an enormous, ornate door.
"King Kuei is waiting for you all." she said opening the door and letting enter.
"Welcome Avatar Aang, Fire Lord Zuko," said the King, greeting them with a smile and open arms. "Welcome Katara, Toph, Sokka."
Bosco, his bear roared lazily behind him.
"Hey Bosco," Aang greeted the bear, "And thank you King Kuei, for receiving us in your home." said the Avatar with a small, respectful bow.
"I hope you had a pleasant trip." Kuei said, politely.
"Well, except for what happened in Yu Dao, I have to say that it was pretty smooth." said Sokka.
"Oh, yes, yes. I was hoping we could talk about that matter more deeply." said the King.
Azula rolled her eyes, irked. She was pretty exhausted, and she wished to rest as soon as possible. And she wasn't in the mood to listen to them ramble about nonsense.
"Yeah, mmm… Sorry to interrupt this little catch up," she intervened with an ironic tone, "But why don't we discuss that matter tomorrow? I have already reached my limit of how much I can tolerate you all."
"Azula." Zuko scolded her.
"Oh, Princess Azula," said the Earth King, "It's... good to see you… This time being you." he said trying not to sound too terse. "It surprised me to find out you were joining us."
Azula smirked at his weak attempt of trying to sound genteel. "Huh, I suppose you still have hard feelings for that little trick, right?" she quirked a brow, "For conquering your city and all that."
Kuie frowned. "That little trick allowed the Fire Nation to take control of my city." he grunted.
"Yeah, and also the man that helped me, wasn't he supposed to be your royal advisor?" she refuted casually, glancing at her nails.
"Azula." Zuko chided her again, under his breath.
"What?!" she replied.
"You have no heart." Katara muttered, disapprovingly.
"It's hereditary, Kaila," the Princess retorted, with a fake smile. "Just take a look at my family."
"It's… Argh! Forget it." the waterbender grunted in irritation, giving up.
"Azula"
"What, Zuzu?" she asked, annoyed. "She began it."
Aang smiled nervously at the Earth King. "I think what Princess Azula means is, how have you been King Kuei?"
Kuei sighed. "Wonderful. What about all of you? The Kyoshi Warriors had a successful meeting with my guards, and your family, Fire Lord, is already resting in the assigned rooms." he informed them
"Thank you. King Kuei." Zuko thanked him with a small bow. Azula couldn't help putting her eyes in blank.
"No problem. Also," he turned towards Sokka and Katara, "I received an earlier confirmation that the Chiefs from the Northern and Southern Water Tribes are arriving tomorrow morning."
"Awesome!" said Sokka, sharing a smile of happiness with his sibling.
"We haven't seen dad in almost a year." Katara said, smiling back at her brother.
"I believe once the Chiefs arrive, we will be able to begin with the meetings." said King Kuei.
"Wonderful." said Aang and Zuko at the same time.
"Now, do you wish to have dinner or do you all prefer to head to rest?" he asked his guests.
"I wish to head to bed." said Zuko, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tomorrow is going to be a hectic day."
"Agreed." said Toph.
"Alright, in that case my servant will take you to your rooms. Have a delightful night of rest and I will see you all tomorrow." he said, calling the same servant that had brought them there to meet him.
"Thank you." thanked Aang.
"You are welcome. Rest well."
"You too." said Zuko.
They followed the servant in silence towards their rooms.
"We thought you would like to have rooms close to each other. So, we arranged the rooms for you next to each other," he said, "The adults are at the next hallway. We made sure of keeping you all on the same wing.
"King Kuei also, leaves at your disposal to make use of the Royal Gardens, the training grounds, the Royal Library and the study as you wish, hopping to make your stay in the Palace as comfortable as possible. Your baggage arrived this morning with the Kyoshi Warriors and Fire Lord Zuko's family. You should find it waiting in your room. If you don't, please let me know as soon as possible. There are servants at your disposal twenty-four hours a day so if you need anything please just inform us and we will take care of it." she said with a very strict tone.
"Thank you, really," said the Avatar. "That's very thoughtful of you…?"
"Head Court Lady, Naru," said the servant, before stopping in a hallway. "Boys at the right. Ladies at the left," she indicated. "Fire Lord, Avatar, and the son of the Chief of the Southern Tribe," she pointed at the three rooms in order on the right side, one next to each other. "Princess Azula, Lady Bei Fong, and daughter of the Chief of the Southern Tribe at the left." she repeated the same movements.
The gaang shared a glance before everyone -except Toph and the Princess- bowed awkwardly to the Head Court Lady.
"T-Thanks." they thanked them.
"And one last thing," said the Hear Court Lady. "I beg you all to not cause a disaster like the last time you barged into the Palace," she said, bitterly, glancing especially at the Avatar and his friends. "Several guards needed months of physical recovery, and some others suffered from internal injuries. Plus, all the mess involving Long Feng, only brought extra work for me and the rest of the servants. So please, refrain from attacking the staff of this Palace."
The Avatar scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Sorry, about that. It won't happen again." he bowed once more, perfectly.
"What did they do?" Azula whispered to Zuko.
He shrugged. "No idea."
"I hope for that, young Avatar," replied the old woman. "If you don't need anything else, I will take my leave them. Have a good night, all of you."
"Finally." let out Azula, relieved as she walked into her provisional room and closed the door behind her.
She heard her brother, and her friends muttering something, before saying their farewells and heading to bed.
She looked around the room, confirming her stuff had already being brought. It was a smaller room than the one back in the Fire Nation Palace, but she couldn't complain. It was still of decent size, with her own bathroom.
The bed was covered in green sheets with golden embroidery. There was a vanity next to the door that leaded to the bathroom, which was quite spacious. There were no windows, which made her feel a little safer about sleeping in there. She had also counted at least fifteen guards placed in different points from the main gate up to the hallway of the rooms.
She undid her hair, placing the ribbon and the headpiece on the nightstand next to the bed as she massaged her scalp.
Azula changed into her sleeping gown and tucked herself under the sheets.
She remained awake, glancing at the ceiling for a moment, with random and multiple thoughts rushing through her mind, before exhaustion finally beat her.
"Azula… Azula… Azula…" a voice called to her in the distance, "Azula… Azula… Azula…"
It was only darkness around her. She couldn't see who was calling her or from where.
The closer the voice got to her, she noticed that it was actually two voices. A masculine and a feminine one, but… whose?
"Azula… Azula… Azula…"
A/N:
Tablea.- Indian version of Hot coco.
Head Court Lady: the first rank servant in ancient time that served directly to either the King or the Queen, and whoever she served her role changed.
For the King: they were in charge of basic aspects of his life, like clothing, food and some other luxurious aspects. Sometimes the King could take the Head Court Lady as a mistress.
For the Queen: She helped the Queen to manage the entire staff of the Palace and worked as her right hand. She would assist the Queen in every aspect of her life, including maternity. Something like a modern housekeeper. Also, sometimes they were in charge of taking care of the babies and worked as nannies. If the Queen sadly died during childbirth, they would more likely assume the role of a mother and would be in charge of their education and prepare the heirs to ascend to the throne.