Disclaimer: Do not own ATLA characters or they would have a happier ending.
Azulon III, cont.
Before delving into the next part of the story, both Iroh and Ursa included specific instructions that their recollections of the events on the Sun Warriors' Island (known to us now as Sun Island) should not be publicly shared until deemed fit by both the Avatar and the Fire Lord. Avatar Aang had begun openly discussing his own experiences on Sun Island before his death, which for the purposes of this record, his wife Master Katara agrees constitutes tacit approval on his part. Likewise, the Fire Lord's consent has also been obtained. Hence, we now proceed to one of the most closely-guarded secrets from the Hundred Year War: how Iroh won his title of Dragon, and what Ursa learned along the way.
Iroh easily leapt down from the small skiff that had carried them to Sun Warrior Island, using the anchor to pull it to shore on the small beach.
"Are you sure this is fine?" Ursa called out from the deck, a little nervous about the fact that it was just the two of them. "Won't the boat get stuck?"
"Nope. The engine's strong enough to push it back into the water. Worst case scenario, it stalls, and we have to wait a few hours for my grandparents to send backup." He grinned up at her. "If you're changing your mind, we can always turn back."
"Who said I'm changing my mind?" Ursa clumsily swung her legs over the edge of the boat, grateful to be in a tunic and leggings again. "Should I come join you?"
"Yes, toss the supply bag down to me and then jump. It's not too far."
Hoping he was right, Ursa obediently dropped the bag into his waiting arms before taking a deep breath and pushing herself off the edge. She stumbled as she hit the sand, Iroh quickly steadying her with his warm hands on her shoulders.
"All right?" he teased. "Feeling seasick at all?"
"I'm fine, thanks," she blushed, hoping she could pass it off as the late morning sun beating down on her.
"Let's get going, then." He slung the bag over his shoulder, waving off her protests that she could carry it. "It's a bit of a trek to the city, so just let me know if you need a break."
Ursa was determined to not need a break. This was her first real test since the incident with Tiron; Iroh had wanted to bring Korzu along on their little day trip, but she'd insisted that was unnecessary since she was feeling much better and wanted Korzu to have a break too. If she ended up struggling here, she would be back under near-constant medical supervision, which got annoying quickly even though she enjoyed Korzu's company.
Still, as she followed Iroh further inland, she felt a momentary shudder of apprehension. But none of that mattered when he turned and smiled, holding out a hand to help her hop over a small stream.
"All right?" he checked again, running his thumb over the back of her fingers before releasing her.
"Yes." There was a strange tingle of heat left behind from his touch. Ursa decided not to think about it.
Soon enough, they found the winding path leading uphill to two stone pillars that marked the entrance to the civilization. At the top, Ursa's breath was taken away by the gorgeously sculpted, but thoroughly abandoned, city of the Sun Warriors.
"Wow," she whispered, eyes drinking in the intricate carvings covered by vines and the proud pyramid rising at the center of the city. "You said these people were primitive."
"Primitive compared to us," he clarified. "But ahead of their time for sure. Look, if you examine some of the carvings, you'll find that they're much like the ones in Fire Sage temples. I bet these were the basis for our modern spiritual designs."
"I've never actually been to a temple. Not one of the fancy ones, at least."
"We'll have to visit one while we're traveling, then. They're not nearly as spiritual as they used to be, but they're still something to behold from an architectural standpoint."
"Which one is most impressive?" Ursa questioned. "I'd like to see that."
"Definitely Avatar Roku's," he said with a laugh, the words making her stiffen with shock. "Only the best for your family, hm? It's rather far east, on the way to Ma'inka. Maybe we can make a brief stop there."
Her grandfather's face appeared in her mind's eye. What would happen if she stepped foot in his temple? A wild idea took shape; would he be able to speak to her again if she went there? But how could she explore her connection to Roku with Iroh watching?
"When did you visit Avatar Roku's temple?" she asked, shoving those nerve wracking thoughts away as they began walking into the city.
"I went there after my father told me about the prophecy of our marriage. I wanted to see if the Avatar's power was really worth it even after he's been gone for decades."
"And what did you decide?"
"That there's no denying the power of the Avatar." He cast her an appreciative look. "Even the temple is otherworldly. Some of that comes from how strategically it's built, at the island's spiritual center, but I felt…a kind of presence there. The Sages say Avatar Roku carved parts of it out of the volcano himself, so he may have even infused it with his own energy to guide future Avatars."
Perhaps it would guide Ursa too, if she made her way there. "You must have been rather disappointed when you met the Avatar's nonbending granddaughter, then."
"No." A gentle touch to her arm prompted her to meet his eyes. "I wasn't pleased to be married, but your lack of bending never bothered me. I've got enough fire for both of us."
"Oh," Ursa smiled. "Well, lead the way, mighty firebending husband of mine."
"As Her Highness wishes," he laughed. "I'm just taking you down the central path of the city. I've been through it enough times to have cleared out all the traps, and when we reach the pyramid at the center, it'll have a great view for lunch. Sounds good?"
"Sounds great."
Despite her professed enthusiasm, Ursa couldn't help thinking that walking through this abandoned sandstone city alone would've been quite eerie; Iroh managing the trip by himself for years was astounding. She allowed her eyes to travel over the vine-covered architecture, drinking in the details as Iroh told her his knowledge and theories about the Sun Warriors. The traps he'd triggered over the years were primarily designed to catch clumsy, careless explorers, indicating a respect for intelligence and curiosity. Clearly, their civilization hadn't been entirely hostile to outsiders - just a certain type of one.
One particular stone mural caught her attention. "What is that?" she whispered, taking in the image of what appeared to be a Sun Warrior cornered by a dragon on each side, their fire consuming him.
"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. Everything I know about the Sun Warriors indicates they worshipped the dragons as the original firebenders, so I don't understand why this mural depicts the dragons attacking them." Iroh's eyes roamed over the wall. "Of course, this probably isn't too far from what actually happened: human benders becoming too close to beasts and getting devoured by them. Maybe the Sun Warriors saw it coming somehow and accepted it as an honor."
Ursa shuddered. "I suppose…there are less honorable ways to die."
"Sure, but there's a difference between dying in combat with a dragon as opposed to simply taking it. I don't know," Iroh shook his head. "The Sun Warriors were the first firebenders in the world. They had a connection with the dragons and the origins of firebending unmatched by any civilization that came after, yet they were still wiped out by the same dragons. How could that have happened? It just doesn't make sense. And since the Sun Warriors and the dragons are both gone now, it never will."
His voice had taken on an oddly depressed tinge. Ursa leaned into his side. "You think about this a lot, don't you?"
"Not constantly or anything. Every now and then the Sun Warriors cross my mind, and I think that maybe there's a dragon left in the world I could see, and then I spend a few days terrorizing Master Qin in the library for information before a more current topic comes along." He smiled at her. "There's something a little more light-hearted that this place reminds me of, though."
"What?"
"A poem. It goes like this: In shadows of past / new roots take hold/ finding purchase in soil / nourished by old / bygones and watered / by memories made gold / in the sunrise until / a new story is told." Kneeling, he plucked a dandelion flowering out of a crack in the ground.
"That's lovely," Ursa told him. "I see how this place is like the poem; the foundation for something greater, gone now."
"You know, there's another poem I quite like that reminds me of you."
Her heart fluttered. "Really?"
"Do you want to hear it?"
"Of course."
"Gliding on a west wind / silhouetted in sunshine / A mystery to all but few / who've seen her wide eyes," Gently, he reached up to brush Ursa's hair behind her ear. "A blessing indeed for any man / to be trusted by a bird so wild." With a small flourish, he tucked the yellow flower into place.
"That makes you think of me?" Ursa asked, voice faltering as Tiron's voice calling her a "wild bird" suddenly echoed in her ears.
"Yes. Is that okay?" He pulled back hesitantly. "Or too much too soon in our little courtship?"
"No, it's…it's fine. Just, um…" Suddenly, Ursa felt nauseous. "Um…Tiron."
Iroh immediately straightened. "What about him?"
"He said something…kind of similar about me. He said a prince like you had no clue how to tame a wild bird."
"Ursa…" Iroh's warm hand gingerly cupped her face, and she realized she'd started to weep. "I'm so sorry I said anything that made you think of him. He's…spirits, I'm sorry."
"Was he right?"
"What are you talking about? He wouldn't know his ass from his face."
"No, I mean…" Ursa leaned into his touch as his thumb brushed away her tears. "Am I too wild…too unsophisticated…too irrational for you?"
"Never in a million years," he promised. "If you are a wild bird, I have no desire to tame you. Your 'wildness' is what I adore."
She laughed. "What you 'adore,' really?"
"Yeah." He pulled back again. "Is that fine?"
"I suppose, since you're courting me and all." Ursa wiped the remnants of the tears from her face, the wave of sorrowful fear gone as suddenly as it had come upon her. "Thank you."
"Hey, if you were a wild bird, which one would you be?"
"I don't know," Ursa said honestly. "Maybe a songbird of some kind?"
"No," Iroh tilted his head. "You'd be something with more fire. Like a phoenix."
"That's giving me too much credit."
"It's not. You're one of the most resilient people I know. And just as enchanting as a phoenix too."
"Have you ever seen a phoenix to know?"
"I don't need to. I've seen you."
His easy response made her turn away, toying with the flower behind her ear as a pretext for hiding her red face. Such a compliment surely called for a response in the same vein, but she couldn't find the words to match Iroh's literally poetic manner of speech.
"Do you really wish you could see a dragon?" she asked instead.
"I do."
"What would you do if you saw one?"
"My father would like for me to slay it. Family tradition: Sozin started the dragon hunts, Father continued them, and it's only fitting that I should end them by killing the last one, if it's not dead already."
Ursa had learned how to pick up the careful phrasing of Iroh expressing his father's wishes rather than his own. "But what would you do?"
He chuckled. "Honestly…before the dragon hunts, the royal family and nobility used to ride dragons as mounts."
"You'd want to ride one?"
"In a perfect world, sure. But the dragons returned to their wild nature after Sozin's Comet came; Sozin thought they'd maybe never been truly domesticated. If I found a dragon now, I would have to kill it, even if it would be a tragedy to wipe them out."
"What if…it was a baby dragon?" Ursa suggested playfully, noting the depressed tinge was returning to his voice.
"Well, I suppose we could keep it and train it in that case," he laughed. "Come on, we should keep moving if we want to be at the central pyramid by lunchtime."
"Okay." Ursa had never been great with affectionate words, but as they continued moving past the strange mural, she wound her arm through his. Iroh flashed her a smile, and they continued down the path in a comfortable silence.
This is nice, she thought to herself as more of the ancient city became visible. I never would've imagined myself traveling the country like this a few months ago. I'm grateful for all the places you've shown me outside of the festival. Once she'd practiced those lines a few times in her head, she prepared herself to open her mouth and say them out loud, but Iroh suddenly jerked to a stop.
"What is it?" she said instead, anxiety roaring to life at the small frown on his face.
"I need to check something out." He removed his arm from hers. "Stay here."
Keeping his gaze intently focused on the ground, he took a few steps forward even as Ursa tried and failed to find what had aroused his suspicion. Cautiously, he picked up a pebble and threw it ahead. The area where it landed dissolved into a yawning pit. Ursa gasped.
"That's so strange," Iroh muttered, more to himself than her. "I could've sworn I'd triggered that exact trap already, on my first trip here. How could it reset itself?"
"Maybe it's a duplicate?"
He hesitated, then nodded as he looked back at her. "Yes. I probably just got mixed up."
The casual words clashed with the tight worry in his face. Iroh was a master navigator, and on top of that, he was fascinated with the Sun Warrior civilization. This wasn't something he would mix up.
"Let's go," he said, urgency seeping into his voice. "It's not safe here if I don't have my bearings about me."
Before he could take a step towards her, fire shot up from the ground between them, forming a makeshift barrier. Ursa shrieked, instinctively turning away from the flames as the memory of Tiron's burning grip surged up from her subconscious.
"Ursa, run!"
The desperate cry pulled her out of her episode enough to register what was happening to Iroh. On his side of the fire wall, six men dressed in tribal attire had emerged to surround him. Two attacked at once, unleashing fire streams that he quickly redirected at the other warriors in the circle. He was fast, but he was trapped and dangerously outnumbered.
There was nothing Ursa could do for him right now. If she made it to the skiff, and somehow got back to Senlin by herself, she might be able to get help before it was too late. Knowing those facts was one thing; actually bringing herself to break out of her terror enough to leave Iroh here was another. Just as she finally convinced her petrified legs to run like he'd said, another wall of flames leapt up behind her, cutting off her escape.
Not just cutting it off, she realized with alarm, but drawing closer to her. She was sandwiched between two impenetrable fiery barricades, unable to do anything but shrink into herself as she stared at the slowly approaching burning wall.
"Leave her alone!" Iroh's voice, heavy with exhaustion but commanding all the same, echoed through the crackle of fire. "She's a nonbender, you cowards, leave her!"
"Surrender, then." A deep female voice, not one of the warriors, responded to Iroh's demand. Ursa peered over her shoulder, through the fire to see a figure standing atop one of the stone walls and surveying the scene. "We have no interest in hurting anyone we don't have to, Prince Iroh."
Did these people…know Iroh? Did he know them?
Whatever the answer, Iroh immediately lowered his hands. "Fine. I surrender."
The fire vanished. Cool air washed over Ursa, leaving her with an unobstructed view of her husband allowing the warriors to chain his hands behind his back.
"You." The woman leapt down from the wall, studying Ursa. "Who are you? His girlfriend?"
"His wife." Her voice sounded very small. This woman was clearly old enough to be her grandmother, but still moved with the strength and grace of a warrior in her prime. The red and white tribal paint covering the upper half of her face lent a ferocity to her proud gaze that made Ursa want to drop her own eyes to the ground. She didn't, though; she'd been enough of a coward that Iroh had just surrendered for her sake, and her pride refused to let her be cowed further.
The woman's mouth curled upwards. "I didn't know the royal family had started wedding nonbenders - they were always obsessed with bending purity, in my memory."
Well, that certainly hadn't changed. Azulon's desires for an Avatar-descended heir had simply superseded Ursa's lack of bending. She didn't volunteer this information, instead choosing to purse her lips. Iroh remained silent as well, looking straight ahead with a resolutely set jaw as the warriors chained his feet together.
"Chain the princess as well, when you're finished," the woman called.
"No," Iroh looked at them, eyes flicking over Ursa with clear concern. "She's an unarmed civilian, and she's injured. Let her walk freely. I'll cooperate all you want."
"Injured?" The woman assessed Ursa's appearance with a frown. Ursa attempted to maintain her proud expression, but her bad arm instinctively tightened against her side, catching the woman's attention. "Show me."
Her pride railed against letting this stranger see what had happened to her, but she was in no position to argue. She held out her arm, wincing as she pulled back the sleeve and exposed the bandages.
In response, the woman simply held a hand out over the bandages, not even touching her. "A burn, I see," she said, surprising Ursa - how could she possibly know that without even looking at the injury? "A bad one." Her frown deepened, eyes meeting Ursa's as she spoke the next part for just the two of them. "Did he do this?"
Ursa blinked, struggling to compute the impossibility of what the woman was asking. "What- Iroh? He would never!" The vehemence in her voice caught her off guard.
The woman raised her eyebrows. "I apologize for the implication. I was curious about how a nonbending civilian ended up with such an injury, but I suppose that's not my concern." She lowered her hand, regarding Ursa with a warmer expression. "What's your name?"
"Ursa."
"Princess Ursa, I'm Chief Sunook. Walk with me. You won't be burned again while you're here."
It was a simple statement, with no guarantee it was true, but the promise made Ursa relax. Sunook's eyes were surprisingly sympathetic.
"You, on the other hand," Sunook addressed Iroh, "if I see even a hint of smoke before those chains come off, I'll have you tossed in this pit right here to rot."
Iroh's mouth tightened at the threat. "I understand."
Sunook led the small procession through a tunnel in the wall, conjuring a fire in her hand for light. It wasn't unlike the palace's own maze of secret passages; Ursa figured this was how the warriors had been able to surprise them. Iroh's chains, loose enough to allow him to walk, clinked behind Ursa as they made their way down the path. She glanced over her shoulder at him every few moments, unable to hide her worry. He winked playfully even as the rest of his face remained impassive; trying to comfort her, even now.
"Do you know who we are, Princess?" The chief asked.
Ursa hadn't considered it, given how fast everything had happened. But given the circumstances, she could only think of one possible answer. "You must be the Sun Warriors. What's left of them, at least."
"Exactly." Sunook nodded. "Your husband figured it out, of course. Every time he came here, he got just a bit closer to stumbling across some clue of our continued existence. It was only inevitable that this confrontation happened." She glanced back at Iroh. "The Fire Lord is the last person who needs to know we're still here."
Iroh spoke in a deadpan voice. "If you're aware of my previous visits, you know I respect your culture and your people enough to keep my father at bay."
"Perhaps," Sunook said. "But I need more concrete proof."
Ursa couldn't help asking, "If you get your proof, will you let us go?"
"Of course. It's a messy business, kidnapping royals. I'd much rather return you to your palace than deal with another form of cleanup."
The implications of the chief's statement made Ursa shiver. What would happen to her and Iroh if they couldn't convince the Sun Warriors they would keep the secret of their civilization safe? The Fire Lord would surely want to avenge his heir, but with those booby traps in the ruins they'd been exploring, it would be so easy to make it look like an accident…
At least Sunook seemed to want to keep them alive. Ursa clung to that reassurance as they emerged from the tunnel, the sudden daylight making her squint and shield her eyes. There was a grunt behind her, and she turned to see Iroh steadying himself after seemingly tripping. Once he and the rest of the warriors were out of the tunnel as well, it sealed itself shut with a resounding thud. She and Iroh were well and truly cut off from their means of escape.
In front of them stood a hill with some sort of structure at the top. Ursa couldn't see clearly what it was, but as their small procession proceeded towards the stairs leading up to it, she felt queasy at the thought of making that trek. Even worse was the idea of Iroh doing it in those chains.
"Are we climbing up there?" she asked Sunook.
"Yes, to a sacred temple at the top."
"What will we do at the temple?"
"That's more for your husband to worry about. I'll explain when we're there."
"How can he make the journey in those chains?"
Sunook stopped and nodded at one of her warriors, who stepped forward and released Iroh from his bonds. "Thank you for the reminder, Princess. I just wanted to be sure he wouldn't do anything foolish on the journey here. There's no way in or out of this part of the Sun Warrior civilization without our guidance, and in any case, he's not going to try fighting for his freedom when he's got his wife to worry about. Are you, Prince Iroh?"
"No," he ground out, and the clench of his jaw made it clear how much he loathed admitting his helplessness. Ursa wished she hadn't insisted on coming here. If Iroh had been alone, he might've successfully escaped the ambush, or even be able to put up a fight now. It was Ursa - useless, wounded Ursa - who was keeping him captive more than anything.
"Come on, then. Come see what the Sun Warriors have in store for you." Sunook jerked her head, motioning for Ursa to start up the stairs with her. Behind them, the warriors surrounded Iroh, keeping a careful barrier between him and the women walking ahead. Ursa would have preferred to walk next to her husband, but she understood why they were being kept apart. Iroh wouldn't attack if he couldn't guarantee her safety first.
Embarrassingly, the trek up the hill took more out of Ursa than it rightfully should have, and she found herself all but gulping down air. She'd thought her body had mostly recovered from Tiron's attack, save for the healing burn, but she supposed it had been some time since she'd truly challenged her stamina like this. Still, she had enough breath in her lungs to gasp when she took in the sight waiting for them.
A magnificent fire, taller than any human, comprised most of the temple. It roared mightily within its stone cavern as a pair of Sun Warriors tending to it turned and bowed to their chief. A roof overhead further shielded the flame from the elements; somehow, Ursa knew that this great fire was not meant to go out.
Behind her, Iroh inhaled sharply. "Is that…is that the Eternal Flame?" There was awe in his voice that he couldn't disguise, even in their dire circumstances.
"You know your history," Sunook praised, before explaining to Ursa, "This is the first fire ever given to humans, bestowed upon us by the dragons. Our people have kept it burning for thousands of years. It's a critical part of many of our rituals, including the one you must face now, Prince Iroh."
"Just me?" he asked. "What about Ursa? What will happen to her?"
"This is a ritual for firebenders. Since you are married, your passage of the ritual will be good enough for both of you, and you'll be free to go. She'll stay with us until you complete it."
"And if I don't pass?" Iroh's face tightened as he glanced at Ursa.
"I assure you you'll have bigger things to worry about in that situation."
"I don't think so."
A smile tugged at Sunook's lips. "Well, aren't you the caring husband? If you don't pass, your wife will live out her days with the Sun Warriors. She won't share your fate."
"What?" Ursa butted in now, anxiety spiking. "Does that mean- you're saying he might die? What is this ritual?"
"If you'd let me explain, you'll find out shortly."
Obediently, Ursa bit her tongue, noting that Iroh also pursed his lips instead of offering further remarks.
"Thank you," Sunook said. "Prince Iroh, you are going to face our great masters Ran and Shaw, who will determine if you are a true friend to the Sun Warriors as you claim. They will judge you on more than just your actions on this island: the masters are experts in arts beyond firebending. They will study your ancestry, your mind, your very soul, and see who Iroh really is." Her eyes narrowed. "Considering your forefathers' relationship with our people and the dragons we revered, I'd expect you to feel a little nervous about this now."
"I believe the time to be nervous passed when I surrendered," Iroh replied evenly.
She scoffed, but it wasn't an entirely hostile sound. "If they find you worthy, you will return home a wiser man, one of few who know the secret of the Sun Warriors. If they don't…" Sunook glanced at Ursa. "I don't wish to widow you, young Princess, but I'm afraid even I can't oppose the masters' will."
Fear choked up Ursa's throat, and she instinctively turned to Iroh. His jaw was set in that familiar determination, but her fear was mirrored in his eyes.
"What if I don't partake in your ritual?" he asked, not looking away from Ursa as he transparently considered his options.
Sunook frowned, and the warriors unsubtly shifted their stances. "I'd prefer you did, seeing as I can't rightfully let you leave this island without the masters' approval."
As trained as Iroh was, Ursa didn't want to find out if he could fight his way through the scores of Sun Warriors surrounding them. "Iroh," she said in a voice that really was much too small for the situation, "Do the ritual."
He raised his eyebrows. "You think I stand a chance?"
"I know how much you admire the Sun Warriors. Surely the masters will recognize the same. I…I believe in you." Even as the threat to his life rattled her nerves, she smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging manner. Iroh was a good man; Ursa believed that much, if nothing else. Hopefully, it would be enough for the masters.
Resolve slid into his gaze. With a wry answering smile to Ursa, he lifted his chin and turned back to Sunook. "Well, my wife makes a good point. If your masters are so all-knowing, I have nothing to fear." It was Crown Prince Iroh accepting the challenge, all booming voice and broad stance and bold gaze. "Where do I find them?"
The rules of the ritual were simple: Iroh would take a piece of the Eternal Flame, trek across the Sun Warriors' lands alone to the rocky mountain top where Ran and Shaw resided, and present himself to them for judgment.
"The flame is an offering to the masters, and a test in itself," Sunook explained as she extracted a handful of fire from the ever-burning altar. "Controlling it on your journey to their homes is an exercise in Sun Warrior philosophy. Make it too small, and it might go out. Make it too big, and you might lose control."
Iroh was familiar with such exercises, Jinpa having challenged him to maintain a constant flame over an extended period of time quite frequently in his younger years. He was grateful for the old captain's unorthodox training as he accepted the piece of the Eternal Flame from Sunook, feeling a strange stirring within him from the new fire.
"It's…" He faltered, unable to find the words. "It feels happy," he said finally, immediately regretting the simple words.
Surprisingly, Sunook took his remark seriously, nodding in agreement. "This is not a fire of war, young prince. It's much more."
Ursa, standing by the stairs with a few female warriors around her, was doing a marvelous job of hiding her worry. She really was a talented actress: in less dire circumstances, she likely could have concealed her nerves completely. Even now, the only indication of her true feelings was the way she kept toying with the edge of her sleeve, before catching herself and stopping, then starting all over again. Honestly, it was adorable. Iroh just wished something less life-threatening was prompting it.
"Good luck," she told him as he and Sunook approached the steps.
"I don't need luck," he said, hoping the words sounded more confident than he actually felt. "You believe in me. That's more than enough."
That lovely, rosy blush colored her cheeks. "Well, take the luck anyway. Better safe than sorry."
"If you insist." There was more he should say to her, he vaguely knew, but he couldn't find the words. He might die at the end of this: what if this was the last time they saw each other, and this was all it was? Another stupid confession of his feelings wouldn't help her feel better, and most of the traditional husband-wife goodbye gestures were off the table. I'm sorry I got us into this, I should've known better-
"What shall we do when we get back to the festival?" he asked, groping for some way to leave her with a semblance of hope and amusement rather than the worry that had her wringing her sleeve. "We deserve something fun after all this. What should it be?"
She smiled at him; a real smile, thankfully, now if only he could make her laugh. "Maybe…the beach at Senlin like we said? I could use more practice with sandcastles."
"Alright. When we get back, I'll school you in sandcastle building."
That made her giggle, and he felt just a bit better about leaving her behind to do this. "Okay. I'll hold you to that."
Sunook descended the stairs with him and pointed out the mountain top again. "Go due west. Hurdle any natural obstacles as they come, but don't deviate from your western path. Considering your royal training, it shouldn't be any issue for you to reach the mountain by dusk. Be careful with the flame."
The sun was high in the sky, indicating it was a bit past noon. Iroh's stomach rumbled - he hadn't had lunch, a small handicap to start him off - but he ignored it. Breakfast had been plentiful, and he'd suffered through worse hunger in survival simulations at school.
"You promise my wife will be cared for?" he asked. "No matter what happens to me?"
"As long as she cooperates with us, of course. We may not treat her as luxuriously as the royal palace-" Sunook smiled wryly- "but she will be a welcome guest. I plan to have our physicians see to that burn of hers while you're busy. They might be able to speed up the healing process."
If anyone would have some secret all-powerful remedy for burns, it would be the Sun Warriors. "I appreciate that."
"You might not believe me, Prince Iroh, but I would prefer you make it through this. Your wife's too young to be a widow, and I'd hate to see that you weren't a true friend to us after all your visits here." The chief nodded, a gesture between equals. "Whenever you're ready."
Iroh wasn't sure he was, but he'd been taught early in his life that 'not feeling ready' was an excuse for indecisiveness, and indecisiveness was not for crown princes. He took a breath, giving himself a moment to bask in the sunshine and channel its energy to the miniature Eternal Flame in his palm, then began walking.
The first couple of hours weren't so bad. Going west took him on a steady path across rolling, grassy meadows. All things considered, if it wasn't for the life-or-death test he was moving towards, he might have actually enjoyed this little stroll on the green. This was the kind of thing Ursa would like: he could just picture her, radiant under the sun, maybe with a picnic basket so they could lay out in the grass and make a proper afternoon of the thing. He hadn't taken her on a picnic since that first one outside the palace, which felt like a lifetime ago….and now the one they'd planned for today was ruined as well. He really needed to see about rectifying that when he got back.
If you get back, came the needling doubt. No, when I get back, he squashed it down. Making a widow and an eternal captive of Ursa on top of everything else he'd brought upon her simply wasn't an option. Of course there was his own life and his family to worry about, but Ursa felt like the most pressing issue. Ozai could become the crown prince if needed (although it would take a lot of work, and Father certainly wouldn't make it easy for him). But Ursa deserved to get out of here, and he was the only one who could ensure that.
Eventually, the pleasant meadow reached an end. The westward path started sloping incessantly uphill through a forest. Iroh trekked along dutifully. Now thirst began to press on him - he hadn't had water since they'd landed on the Sun Warriors' island that morning, and he'd been pretty physically active in those hours - so he dug into his survival training. The forest and the meadows beneath it were lush enough that there was surely water nearby. He just had to track it down.
A series of animal prints moving in the same direction clued him in, and eventually, the trickle of freshwater reached his ears. Careful not to get the flame too close to the stream, he reached down with his free hand and clumsily drank from his cupped palm. This specific scenario hadn't been covered in training, he thought to himself as water ran down his wrist, but he supposed being in the field called for some improvisation.
With his thirst slaked, the forest terrain was easier to traverse. However, it kept leaning further uphill, until he left the cover of the trees to find he was staring up at a near-vertical slant of cliffs and rock faces. This would likely be the homestretch, and the most challenging part by far. The slow movement of the sun in the sky told him he'd spent maybe four hours on his feet; he could afford a quick break to summon his strength. Based on the way the wind had picked up as his altitude increased, scaling these rocks wouldn't be the only obstacle. The fire in his palm shivered as he sat, and he instinctively inhaled to send it more energy. It would literally be an uphill battle to climb one-handed and maintain a steady flame. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if he appeared before Ran and Shaw without the Eternal Flame in hand, but it didn't seem like anything good.
Ran and Shaw. The few Sun Warrior texts Iroh had gotten his hands on over the years had never mentioned anything about such mysterious masters. He knew the warriors revered the dragons as the original firebenders, a sign of their primitiveness according to Fire Nation history books. That was the widely-accepted explanation for the end of the Sun Warriors: they'd refused to advance with the rest of firebending civilization, clinging to an outdated philosophy that placed mindless beasts above human benders, and then paid the price by fading away into nothing, undoubtedly devoured by the carnivores they'd venerated.
Of course, Iroh's current situation blew a giant hole in that story. He ran over the facts in his mind as he began climbing again. The Sun Warriors were alive, and had jealously guarded their existence from the rest of the world for centuries. Iroh had always found them fascinating - the very first human firebenders - but this discovery was beyond any of those stories. If the history books were wrong about this, what else could be in question?
And what could he possibly say to Ran and Shaw that would convince them to forgive him for what his family had done to the dragons? After decades of dragon-hunting initiated by his grandfather Sozin, the once-prevalent beasts were thought to be basically extinct: one hadn't been seen in over a decade, although rumors occasionally surfaced of a dragon hiding in the outer islands. Iroh's own father had slayed several dragons in his younger years. Sunook had made it clear these masters were unhappy about the decline of the dragons, and the blame rested squarely on Iroh's family. His mouth felt dry. His hand slipped from the rockhold he was gripping, prompting a swear as he nearly twisted an ankle. The Eternal Flame trembled dangerously in the breeze.
Stupid mistakes like that were not an option. He had to pass this ritual; for Ursa, if for nothing else.
But as he hauled himself up over the ledge and caught his breath, another thought struck him: what if the masters looked into his mind and found what he'd done to Ursa? Stealing her from her home, then chasing her away with his words, then failing to save her from Tiron…any merit he had apart from his family's actions was hard to reconcile with the state of his marriage.
That was all it took for the rest of the hike to turn into Iroh counting off his failures in his mind. There was Ursa, of course. There was the fact that he'd been an awful brother for a solid dozen years of Ozai's life. There was Piandao, who Iroh really should be doing more for (Piandao would never let him, but that was no excuse). The times he'd lashed out at Yuna, the punishment Aisha had faced because Iroh'd been stupid enough to get himself locked in a pantry as a boy, the way he'd refused to say goodbye to Jinpa because he was so upset the older man was retiring, the scrolls he kept taking from Qin without returning…
It was incredible, how thinking of Ursa the floodgates for all his failures to come bubbling to the surface. Iroh was half-resigned to the masters executing him when he finally reached the top of the mountain he'd been climbing, the sun hanging low in the sky.
Then, he saw the crowd waiting for him in the valley below. The Sun Warriors had gathered to witness the end of the ritual, gathered around the foot of a staircase that led up to a bridge between two mighty caverns. And, as he descended towards them, he saw it wasn't just the Sun Warriors who were watching him.
Ursa was there too, standing behind Chief Sunook. The sight of his wife - of her small, nervous smile when their eyes met - filled him with new determination. It didn't matter what he and his family had done in the past. He couldn't change any of it. What he could control was the Eternal Flame in his hand, and his own mind and body. Those would be the tools he used to prove his worth to the masters and win Ursa her freedom, or die trying.
Was he ready to die trying, if it came to that?
He caught sight of Ursa fidgeting with something in her hands. It didn't matter if he was ready. There wasn't another option.
"Prince Iroh," Chief Sunook greeted, "how did you enjoy the trek to the masters' home?"
"It was bracing," Iroh replied, refusing to give away how taxing the last stretch had been on him. "I was thinking that some parts might have made a lovely spot for a picnic. If you'd allow us the privilege, my wife and I would certainly enjoy exploring the grounds more after the ritual is complete."
"We can discuss it afterwards," Sunook said amenably, the glint in her eye showing she hadn't missed his confident statement that he intended to live through this. "Allow me to prepare for the masters' appearance while you take a moment with your wife."
Nearly every part of his being focused on Ursa as she approached him hesitantly. Out of the corner of his eye, he registered Sunook extracting a portion of his Eternal Flame and handing it to the circle of warriors around them, each person creating a ring of fire before passing the flame onto the next. It was an intricate, almost dance-like sequence that he knew he should be observing more closely as part of an important Sun Warrior ritual. But Ursa's eyes looked beautifully molten in the evening sunlight, and that somehow felt equally demanding of his attention.
Spirits of the islands, when had he become this smitten?
"Are you okay? Really?" she whispered once she'd drawn close enough for him to see her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked rapidly, lips pursing with worry.
"Please, it's nothing that dinner and a good night's sleep can't handle. What about you? Did they feed you, check your arm?"
Nodding, she tugged back her right sleeve to show him that her injury had been rebandaged. "They fed me, and one of their physicians put a salve on my arm. I'll have to wait and see how effective it is, but it smelled very…interesting." Her nose wrinkled playfully, and Iroh was overcome by an urge to kiss it.
"Good." The circle of warriors around them had finished forming their rings of fire, and Iroh glimpsed Sunook standing by the foot of the grand staircase. Waiting for him to face the masters. "You still believe in me?" he asked Ursa, only half-joking.
"Yes." No hesitation in the answer, or in how she held up what she'd been fidgeting with in her hands: a good luck talisman. "Some extra protection for my husband," she explained shyly, reminding him of the Hira'a custom. But this protection was woven out of thread, not grass and flowers like the first one she'd given him.
"You made that for me?"
"Well, one of the Warriors helped, but I had time while you were busy checking out picnic spots." She smiled wryly. "Can I put it on you?"
Immediately, he offered his free hand, but she shook her head. "Around your neck, if that's fine. The protection is stronger if it's…closer to your heart."
His heart. Which felt like it might beat out of his chest as he carefully held the Eternal Flame to the side so Ursa could draw even closer to him and work the necklace over his head with her good hand. Her fingertips ghosted across the sensitive skin at the back of his neck as the token of her protection settled into place.
"There," she breathed once she'd satisfied herself with her work, "All set." She pulled back to study his face, her hand resting on his shoulder now. Iroh had the presence of mind to hope he didn't look as warm and flustered as he felt on the inside.
Then Ursa's lips were on his cheek, and that hope was immediately dashed as the Eternal Flame in his hand surged in a betrayal of his true emotions.
It was the chastest kiss possible - a quick peck with a whispered "For good luck," before she was gone, and Iroh was staring down the path towards Sunook and the staircase beyond - but oh spirits if he was going to die here, at least he'd been able to experience that bliss first.
Iroh gave himself ten seconds to commit the kiss to memory - the softness of her unsure lips, the scent of her chrysanthemum perfume, the sight of her pink cheeks, the sound of her intimate whisper - and then he approached Sunook.
"I'm ready for the masters."
Sunook smiled and signaled the Warriors, who commenced an intense chant and a deep drumming that sharpened Iroh's senses back onto the task at hand: proving his worth to Ran and Shaw.
With a deep breath, he stabilized the Eternal Flame and began to climb. Each step, oddly enough, calmed him further. There was nothing for him to do now but stand tall and face whatever waited for him at the top of the stairs…and Ursa would be waiting for him when (if) he returned. The Eternal Flame felt light and joyful in his hand.
"Those who wish to meet the masters Ran and Shaw will now present their fire," a booming voice announced as he reached the top. Iroh glanced at the caverns on either side of him, unsure of which one he should be presenting to, then decided to split the fire in two and bow towards the setting sun with a hand extended towards each opening. The sun would give him strength, after all, and this way he wouldn't accidentally offend one of the masters.
"Sound the call!" Sunook's voice rang out faintly from the ground. The swell of a horn resounded, echoing off the rockface around him in a way that seemed to vibrate through the very earth. Briefly, Iroh wondered how powerful the masters were to merit such fanfare for a simple appearance.
Then, the earth beneath his feet actually did shake. Iroh did as he was trained: he held his stance, determinedly keeping his head bowed towards the sun and his arms extended with the Eternal Flame in each palm, even as he heard a rumbling from somewhere deep within the caverns that sent loose stones clattering to the ground. What could the masters possibly be doing; what kind of power could they possess to create such a reaction?
He got his answer when a blur of red shrieked and flew out of the cavern to his right with all the force of a hurricane, streaking through the air as effortlessly as fire itself. The motion was mirrored by blue on his left, the two creatures whipping up a wind around Iroh that felt like he was standing in the eye of a storm.
Dragons.
Ran and Shaw were dragons.
I'm so screwed.
But they didn't attack him. They didn't take his offering either, even while he remained rooted in his bow more out of fear and awe than respect. Rather, they simply continued soaring through the air, looping and winding around him with an ancient power that shook him to his core despite his utter lack of understanding of it.
Was this how dragons hunted their prey? As he got up the nerve to stop panicking and actually look at what they were doing, it occurred to him that their movements were like a hawk in a holding pattern: not ready to swoop in for the kill just yet, still assessing the terrain. They were waiting to see what he would do.
Prove your worth, he reminded himself. The sentiment felt pointless now that he was seeing the masters in all their glory. What could he do that would impress a pair of dragons, the original firebenders? How had his father ever conquered one of these beasts? All of his most grand firebending was child's play to them, and his family history was a permanent stain on his soul.
As he lifted his head, he caught the fierce eye of one of the dragons swooping over him. His entire body went cold, the undeniable truth of his situation settling over him: he was going to die here.
And Ursa would be lost to the Sun Warriors forever.
What are you doing? Jinpa's voice came into his head. You're so afraid to lose the fight, you don't even strike? How do you square that?
Iroh stood tall. He took the Eternal Flame and bent it into a ring of fire, planting himself in a similar stance as the warriors below.
"I am Crown Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation," he called to the dragons, unsure and uncaring of if they would hear him over the winds. "I am son of Fire Lord Azulon, dragonslayer, and the grandson of Fire Lord Sozin, dragonslayer. My family has wronged your kind, and I am sorry. I know no apology can suffice, so take your vengeance on me if you wish. At least I've been able to see there are dragons left in this world before I go."
All at once, the dragons stopped their flight and hovered in the air on either side of him, studying him. Judging him: his heart, his soul, his ancestry…Iroh didn't dare turn to look at them lest he accidentally roused their ire. Not that he needed to, with their snarling fangs and piercing eyes more than visible at the corners of his vision, their hot breath and earth shaking growls seeping into his very bones. He focused on keeping his fire steady. If they decided he looked like dinner, he would at least not be cowardly about it.
Hopefully, Sunook would have Ursa turn away. She shouldn't have to see it happen.
The ground trembled as the dragons descended, anchoring themselves to the platform like a weight around his neck. Was the judgment over? Was this it?
He got his answer when their mighty jaws unhinged, each unleashing a mighty stream of fire. Instinctively, he closed his eyes against the onslaught, one last thought flashing through his mind: I'm sorry, Ursa.
A strangled cry left Ursa's throat at the sight of dragonfire swallowing up her husband. Sunook grabbed her arm, stopping her from rising out of the respectful bow to the dragons. "Wait, child." The chief's grip was strong despite the gentleness of her voice. What was Ursa supposed to wait for: for her husband to be burned to a crisp? She sank back to her knees as tears filled her eyes. "Keep watching," Sunook instructed as she released Ursa's arm.
Watching Iroh's death was enough to make Ursa wish she had never come here, to wish she had never even breathed the idea of venturing to this island to him. Maybe, then, he would still be alive, and she wouldn't have to feel this awful guilt-ridden sorrow that threatened to tear open her chest. It was like that horrible burn on her arm being seared right into her heart.
But even with her vision growing blurry, she was unable to take her eyes off the spectacle of dragonfire before her. It was unlike any fire she'd seen before, with indescribable colors dancing through its immeasurable height. The two dragons' fire joined together where Iroh had been standing, forming a bright, swirling column of flame that reached for the skies.
All at once, it vanished, leaving….Iroh.
Shocked, she wiped her eyes, trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things. It was indeed Iroh, not reduced to ashes like she'd thought, but standing with his head tipped back like he'd also been watching that fiery rainbow surrounding him. For a moment, as the dragons rose into the air and whirled back into their caves, he stayed frozen in place. Then, he moved to climb down the stairs, the sight of it replacing every aching pang in Ursa's chest with a singing joy that poured new energy into her.
It was that joy - and something else, some desperate need to feel for herself that he was alive and celebrate it - that propelled her to her feet as Iroh descended the long staircase towards her, sent her up the first few steps when she got to the bottom before he did, and flung her arms around his neck in a way she never had before.
"You're okay!" she gasped, burying her face in his collarbone. He was real, thank the spirits; he was here with her, smelling more strongly of smoke than usual and a bit sweaty from his ordeal, but still like himself. He was solid as their chests pressed together, her heart pounding wildly. For just a moment, he hesitated in her embrace, hands hovering feather light at her sides; then his arms were circling her waist firmly, and he rested his head against hers.
"Now, my wife," Iroh said in a low, teasing voice, "what's all this? Didn't you say you believed in me?"
Ursa let out something between a sob and a laugh, pulling back to look at his face. He was practically glowing with something new, like the dragonfire had gone into his very being and given him a new light. "That was before I knew there were dragons involved," she told him.
He smiled, but it faltered as he took in her appearance. Tentatively, his hand came to her cheek, his thumb carefully wiping away the dampness of her tears. "Were you really so worried for me?" he asked, sounding almost astonished.
"Yes." She glanced away from his eyes to focus on his chin instead, suddenly feeling shy about how she'd run up and all but thrown herself at him. "Of course I was. I needed you to come back so I could go home, remember?"
"Of course." His hand returned to her waist to draw her against him once more. "Don't cry for me, dear Ursa," he murmured into her hair. "I'll always come back."
Relishing the warmth of his words and his embrace, she leaned into him, before remembering their audience.
"So, Prince Iroh," Sunook said with a smile as the couple reached the bottom of the stairs where she was waiting. "The dragons deemed you worthy and bestowed upon you visions of the true meaning of firebending. What did you take away from it?"
"It was indescribable," he said, eyes shining brightly. "I never knew fire could be so…breathtaking. It wasn't just the colors; it was the way it moved, the way it felt around me. A perfect balance of energy."
Sunook nodded. "Balance is everything. A lesson your people have forgotten."
The smile slipped off Iroh's face at the back-handed admonishment. He turned to look at Ran and Shaw's caves, lit up by the setting sun. "They're the last ones, aren't they?" he asked. "The only ones who've survived the hunts."
"As far as we know, yes."
"I've always heard rumors that there might be a dragon hiding away in these islands. I'm not the only one either."
"We'll defend them to the death," Sunook said pointedly.
"I would too, now that I've seen their wisdom. My grandfather spoke of them as if they were mindless beasts for us to conquer. He never mentioned this."
"Fire Lord Sozin had an interesting outlook on the world; one that drove us into hiding."
Iroh's brow furrowed as he looked back at Sunook. It must have been hard for him, learning that his revered grandfather had been wrong about the dragons, let alone the Sun Warriors. Ursa found herself wanting to embrace him again; she settled for lightly touching his elbow. His face relaxed as he smiled at her, warming her heart.
"I have an idea," he said, both to her and to Sunook. "What if when we get back, we tell everyone I killed the last dragon?"
"That way no one would come looking," Ursa finished his thought. "Do you think they'd believe you?"
"Why not? I'm the crown prince. And I feel…different. My fire feels different. I think I could prove it if they asked."
Sunook interrupted, "It'll take some time for you to settle into your new fire, Prince Iroh. If you want to spin this tale, you should stay with us for another day and let us show you how to best impress your people with your new abilities."
Iroh's eyes lit up. "You'd really teach me?"
"Of course. To protect Ran and Shaw, and to help you take a piece of our wisdom back home. If you want to stay?"
"Yes, absolutely. As long as my wife's fine with it?"
Even if he wasn't looking at her with such a blatantly pleading face, she would have agreed. Iroh would never have an opportunity like this again. "I would love to," she said. His grateful grin felt like being back in his embrace.
A/N: Sun Warriors! I personally think Iroh's journey to the dragons could have been different from Zuko's. A little thing that irritates me is when the fandom assumes Iroh must have had a partner who went to the city with him and performed the Dragon Dance with him to find the sun stone and impress the dragons the same way Zuko and Aang did….there is no canonical evidence that the sun stone and the Dragon Dance are required parts of proving yourself worthy to the dragons. There IS canonical evidence that the dragons are flexible on requirements since they didn't really care about Zuko and Aang losing their Eternal Flame.
Anyway, rant over. Review please! More Sun Warrior content coming soon because I think they're cool.
~Bobbi