A/N: I've rewatched "The Firebending Masters" like 3x in the past week to make sure I get the details about the Sun Warriors right (in addition to some basic research into Mesoamerican civilization) and damn it's truly a top 10 episode of the show huh?

Disclaimer: don't own ATLA!

Azulon III, cont.

The recollections Iroh and Ursa included of the Sun Warriors were purposefully vague about the logistics of the society itself, to protect the warriors in case the writings ever fell into the wrong hands. Of course, now that the Sun Warriors have begun reconnecting with the world, I've been permitted to include some framing details about what exactly their civilization looked like in the year 69 AG.

Following the growing industrialization and fixation on material prosperity within the Fire Nation during the rule of Zenshin, the Sun Warriors saw that the ways of firebending - and indeed, bending itself - were becoming increasingly detached from the spirituality that had granted those abilities to us. To preserve their lifestyle from outside corruption, they decided to cut themselves off from the outside entirely. As Zenshin neared the end of his life, the Sun Warriors began greatly reducing contact with the rest of the world, culminating in the abandonment of their great city by the time Zenshin passed and Sozin took the throne.

But what became of the warriors after? In 69 AG, their civilization had dwindled to a few hundred, although their strong spiritual connection meant their bending power never left: all the remaining Sun Warriors were firebenders, much like all Air Nomads had been airbenders. To stay hidden from prying eyes, they settled on the far side of Sun Island from their old city, carving new homes into the rock of the barren mountains surrounding Ran and Shaw's nests. Their agriculture occurred strategically, with creative irrigation and minimal acreage based on what they could maintain near the mountains without drawing attention. Their knowledge of the outside world was kept up to date via their strong spiritual connections and some occasional careful voyaging.

So, this was the state of the Sun Warriors when Ursa and Iroh came upon them in 69 AG. A fraction of what they'd once been, but still proud and powerful all the same.

The sun had always called to Iroh. It was in his nature as a firebender to be almost hyper aware of it, the fuel for his power hanging in the sky. He'd been thirteen when he'd started automatically waking at dawn, his body surging with energy at the feeling of the sun peeking over the horizon, and he'd maintained the habit ever since. It was easier to continue developing his fine-tuned sense for sunlight than try to ignore it for the sake of sleep.

After the dragons, however, daybreak was the sun all but screaming into him. His eyes snapped open, head throbbing even as the window carved into the stone wall showed the sky had only barely begun to lighten. He reached up to rub at his temples only to realize his hand was trembling and itching terribly in a way it hadn't since his first time generating lightning. His entire body felt coiled tight; he groaned, moving to massage his neck in an attempt to relieve the sensation.

"Iroh?"

Ursa's voice, velvety soft with sleep, called his attention away from his own plight to glance at her. The pain in his head subsided as he took in her appearance: curled up against him with her good arm draped across his torso, dark wisps of hair falling out of her braid. She yawned before snuggling closer, clearly having just been woken by his sudden movement.

"You okay?" she breathed, the words little more than an exhale on her lips. Her half-open eyes threatened to slide shut again even as she spoke, long lashes fluttering as she fought to keep them open.

"Yeah," he told her, smiling at her efforts to stay awake. "I'm just feeling antsy, so I think I'll get up now and find somewhere to meditate."

"Anything I can do to help?"

There was something so endearing about Ursa dozily looking out for his well being. "Sure, by going back to sleep. I'll be fine. Promise."

She pouted adorably but seemed to accept this answer, sinking into her pillow with a sigh as Iroh got out of bed. If it weren't for the ache in his muscles, he happily would've stayed and spent the morning with her in his arms. It wasn't often he wanted to sleep in, but she looked so peaceful, and he couldn't stop thinking about that kiss on the cheek the previous day…or how they'd gone to bed, with her practically clinging to him, murmuring about how glad she was that he was okay.

The dragons had granted him an immeasurably precious knowledge of fire, but the fact that they'd prompted Ursa to kiss and embrace him so openly - to cry for him - gave him a new appreciation for the beasts. He'd never thought he would receive such affection from her, even if it was just relief that she wouldn't be the Sun Warriors' captive for the rest of her life.

What he would give for her to kiss him again…maybe somewhere besides his cheek…

He shut down that thought. Yesterday had been plenty. Hoping for more, like he had on Ember Island, would only upset their delicate balance. And hadn't he just learned the importance of balance?

Mindful not to disturb her sleep, he pulled on the robe and sandals his hosts had given him. Hopefully, he could find a quiet spot somewhere outside to stretch and meditate until his body settled down from the new energy that had wound it up.

"Good morning, Prince Iroh." Chief Sunook was waiting by the entrance to their guest chamber, already dressed for the day. "How's your head?"

"Abysmal, but it seems you knew that would be the case."

"I did," she smiled. "Come with me. Let's start your training."

Sunook led him to the top of a rocky outlook at the edge of the Sun Warriors' little settlement, providing a lovely view of the rising sun over the city ruins.

"Do you have any experience with meditation?" she asked him.

"I do it every morning," he answered truthfully. "I find it helps me center myself for the day."

"Good. Mindfulness is critical to maintaining the balance of your new fire, and meditation is one of the best ways to facilitate mindfulness." She sat cross-legged and patted the ground next to her.

Iroh joined her, gazing out at the landscape with a lump in his throat. It was a wonder that the Sun Warriors were still here, but seeing what they'd once been made it bittersweet. "Doesn't it make you sad?" he couldn't help asking. "Looking at all this?"

"The nature of time is such that things will never be the same as they were. But yes, sometimes it does make me sad. I wish my people could live openly, with the freedom to see the world, as we once did."

He could certainly sympathize with a desire for freedom. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for things that can still be made right, young prince."

Her pointed words stoked an idea in his mind: maybe he could still make things right for the Sun Warriors. His father was not one to be reasoned with on something this big, but once Iroh took the throne…Ran and Shaw could be saved. The Sun Warriors could come out from hiding. It was still possible for them to reclaim a shred of their former glory, if he conducted himself properly.

Perhaps the same thought had occurred to her. "Is that why you took me to face the dragons?" he asked.

"I took you to the dragons because we haven't seen an outsider like you in many years, let alone a prince like you. Sozin and Azulon only ever came here to plunder, and they left with a scoff when they found nothing but booby-trapped ruins. You came to explore, repeatedly and respectfully."

"Who was the last outsider who faced the dragons before me?"

"A young man named Kuzon, some sixty-odd years ago. He'd dedicated himself to fighting against dragon hunting and came to the ruins looking for help. The masters deemed him worthy as well." Her lips pursed. "Clearly, it wasn't enough."

The name was unfamiliar to Iroh, but his heart sank along with her expression. Even with the dragons' wisdom, Kuzon had failed.

"Well, maybe I can at least hide Ran and Shaw from the world. Especially with your help," he added, trying to make his tone more upbeat. "So, what am I going to learn today?"

"I've been thinking about that. There's only so much I can teach you in a day, but there might be one feat that would make it unquestionable that you've conquered a dragon." She glanced over at him. "Is it still true in the Fire Nation that dragonslayers are given the title of 'dragon'?"

"Yes."

A slow smile spread across her noble face. "Then a 'dragon' such as yourself ought to know how to breathe fire."

Iroh, cont.

Words fail to describe the import and impact of everything I absorbed in a mere two days on the Sun Warriors' Island. Firebending comes from the breath, and no firebending civilization has understood that as well as the Sun Warriors did. But what was equally fascinating about the Sun Warriors was their expertise in areas unrelated to firebending. They were a fraction of what they'd once been, now composed entirely of benders much like the old Air Temples, yet they still preserved precious knowledge about spirituality, botany and medicine that had been forgotten in the Fire Nation's industrial march.

Back then, I was of course more interested in their firebending skills, with a secondary curiosity about their spiritual connection. But Ursa had no firebending, positioning her perfectly to understand the other aspects of the Sun Warriors' wisdom.

"Princess Ursa," Maya passed her a bowl amid the commotion of the Sun Warriors' communal breakfast, "Porridge. It'll keep you full, and it goes nicely with that chocolatl you like so much."

Embarrassed at the old physician's playful observation, Ursa blushed. "Thank you. You know you don't have to keep using my title. I'm not the Sun Warriors' princess, and I've only been a princess at all for a few months."

Maya chuckled, seating herself cross-legged next to Ursa at the table with her own food and drink. "Titles have power however they have been gained. But if it pleases you, Ursa it is."

The previous day had been filled with similar cryptic comments and wry wisdom, as the tall, willowy Maya had been the physician who'd treated Ursa. After studying her half-healed burn, smearing it with a rather smelly gray paste and rebandaging it, Maya had proven to be a very helpful and talkative guide to the Sun Warriors' society. Ursa was glad that she had the same guide now, given that Iroh still hadn't returned from wherever he'd gone for his morning routine. The Sun Warriors were certainly hospitable since Ran and Shaw had given Iroh their approval, but they had a blatant curiosity that made her feel a bit like a zoo animal as she ate among them.

At least the children's curiosity was more innocent. "Gramma," a girl who was maybe six ran up to Maya with a cup, "chocolatl for the princess!"

"Thank you, my little firebrand. Go ahead and set it down for her."

The girl, whose tan face wasn't marked with red paint like the adult warriors yet, very shyly set the cup down next to Ursa's bowl and nodded without looking up when Ursa thanked her as well.

"Come on," Maya cajoled, "show some manners and introduce yourself to our guest."

"Um…um…" she shifted on her feet, ponytail swinging as she hopped back and forth, "My name is Itzel. And you have very nice hair."

"Oh, thank you. I'm Ursa. And I like your hair too." Ursa smoothed her own braid over her shoulder with a smile. "Itzel is a very pretty name. What does it mean?"

"Itzel is our goddess of medicine and midwifery," she recited, like it was an answer at school. "Right, Gramma?"

"Exactly right. Go get me a cup of juice now as well, and I'll let you come with me to the infirmary later."

The girl brightened, skipping off to do as asked. Maya watched her go with a fond smile. "The children don't have much experience talking to outsiders, as you might imagine," she said to Ursa. "Not that us old ones do either, but we know more of how to handle it."

Sipping the spicy-sweet chocolatl refreshed Ursa at once; it really did go well with the warm porridge. "How many grandchildren do you have?"

"Three. Itzel's the youngest, and she'll be grown soon enough," Maya sighed. "Nothing makes you realize how quickly time flies like having children with children of their own."

"Iroh's grandparents said something similar. And, um, speaking of…do you know where Iroh is? I haven't seen him."

Itzel ran back up with the requested cup of juice before Maya could answer. "Ah, thank you darling," she addressed her granddaughter. "Tell me, is our other guest still with Granny?"

"Mm-hmm." Itzel's ponytail bobbed up and down as she nodded. "On the hilltop. She told me they don't need breakfast."

"There you go, Ursa," Maya told her as Itzel scurried off again. "Your husband's busy training with the chief of the Sun Warriors. Do you want to go see him?"

"Well…I don't want to interrupt." Iroh had been excited to train with Sunook, and there would be plenty of time to chat whenever they left the island. "So Chief Sunook is Itzel's other grandmother; that makes you two in-laws, then?"

"In a manner of speaking. We've been married for thirty-eight years."

"Oh!" The thought hadn't even occurred to Ursa. "Oh, I, um-"

"It's alright. I know the Fire Nation outlawed such relationships well before you were born."

Maya's gentle smile didn't mask the sorrow in her eyes. There were reasons behind the ban against homosexuality - the decline in firebending population among them - but they seemed rather meaningless looking at Maya and the family she'd made for herself even in the isolated remnants of her people. Swallowing down her curiosity, Ursa nodded awkwardly.

"Now," Maya skillfully changed the subject, "while our spouses are off together, we should do something interesting with our time, don't you think?"

"I don't mean to burden you."

"Nonsense, having a well-mannered outsider here is a treat. Let's see; you told me yesterday you'd been learning herbal medicine from your mother. Why don't I teach you some of what I know as well? And I can take another look at your arm."

That piqued Ursa's interest. Based on the little she'd seen of their plants and medicines so far, the Sun Warriors clearly had a unique understanding of healing. How could she turn down the chance to learn some of it herself?

"It would be an honor to learn from you, Maya."

"The Dancing Dragon is an ancient, sacred firebending form - the oldest firebending form in existence." Sunook and her grandson - a quiet teenager named Xiu, with the same stocky build as his grandmother - demonstrated the form with twelve crisp, deliberate movements for Iroh to follow as she spoke. "Legend says its inspiration came from the first Avatar, who studied the dragons' movements and taught our ancestors to do the same."

"The first Avatar?" Iroh's careful attention faltered at that bit of information.

Sunook and Xiu ended the form by joining their fists together in an arch. "I know the Avatar is the enemy of the Fire Nation these days, but thousands of years ago, the four nations themselves didn't exist," she explained. "The Avatar was a friend to all, benders and nonbenders, humans and spirits, and he strived to keep them in balance."

Balance. There was that word again. If the Avatar had once been about balance, what had turned him against his once-best friend Fire Lord Sozin?

The wind rustled through the grass around them, making a few stray flowers dance. Iroh lost his train of thought once again, now wondering about the Avatar's granddaughter and the pretty bracelets she wove out of such flowers. Surely, Ursa would be awake and looking for him by now…

"Iroh," Sunook snapped him back to attention. "Am I wasting my time here?"

All at once, he was twelve years old being scolded by Jinpa again. "Of course not. The Dancing Dragon: it's incredible knowledge for you to entrust to me." He shifted his feet, lifting one and spreading his arms to mimic the first movement. "I'm sure I'll need some guidance in getting it right."

"That's being generous," Sunook sneered, tapping his elbow to correct his posture while Xiu helpfully demonstrated the proper stance again. "If you're the product of generations of royal training, I hate to think of what the average firebender is like these days."

Iroh's lips twitched. Sunook's words were even harsher than Jinpa's, but she had the same unserious demeanor beneath them.

Looking at her arm was difficult, but Ursa grit her teeth and forced herself not to turn away as Maya carefully unwrapped the bandages she'd applied equally carefully the day before. The skin had started trying to knit itself back together over her reddened flesh, but Korzu had made it clear it would be an extremely slow process. Not to mention the nerve damage underneath…

"Promising," Maya pronounced, as if they weren't alone in her infirmary. "Very promising. I'll give you a jar of this to take home, and if you keep up daily application, you should see good improvement." Her fingers dipped into the same gray paste as yesterday, delicately brushing it over Ursa's wound like it was a painting. The smell, still strange, was growing oddly comforting in its familiarity: like the ashes of something fresh that had burned.

"Maya-" Ursa's voice faltered; she wasn't sure she could handle a bad answer to this question. "Will- will my arm ever heal completely?"

"Oh, Ursa. I unfortunately don't think so."

That was what she'd suspected, but it still made tears spring to her eyes. Maya paused what she was doing to hand her a handkerchief.

"Now, it's not all bad. It's still early enough in the healing process that this medicine will make a difference. You'll regain most of the use of your right arm. The skin will rebuild itself faster. But there will be a scar, and I can't say for sure what the long-term effects will look like."

"I can live with a scar," Ursa said dully. "Princesses wear long sleeves anyway."

"There's no shame in scars, no matter how they came to be. But it takes time to get used to a new one." Maya put the paste away and began rebandaging Ursa's arm.

"What is this medicine? Is it a plant the Sun Warriors grow?"

"Sort of. It's a blend of herbs and the dragons' shed skin."

"Their skin?" The disgust crept into Ursa's voice despite herself.

"Indeed. Like many animals, Ran and Shaw shed their claws and skin from time to time. They allow us to collect their sheddings and use them for our people. And given the nature of dragonskin, it serves as a powerful healing aid."

"I see. How else can you use what they give?"

"Weapons, clothing, even fertilizer. Our civilization has always been built around the dragons, and they bless us in return."

"That's…astounding. I don't understand why the Fire Nation started hunting them if there was so much to gain from a friendship with the dragons."

A small frown came across Maya's face. "That's the problem right there, Ursa. The modern Fire Nation only views nature as a resource to exploit, not as something that should be cared for and respected by itself. Your mother's a herbalist; surely she taught you something of the old ways?"

"I suppose she did, although she never put it in such plain terms." Ursa suddenly felt embarrassed about her ignorant she must have seemed to Maya.

"There's a lot about the world that is difficult to understand until it's put plainly," came the wise answer. "You are still young. Keep your mind and heart open, and such truths will come easier to you."

Keep an open heart, Roku had told her. If she was receiving the same advice again, perhaps she needed to act on it.

The dragon's talons - each like a thick, curved blade - looked deadly, even though they were now detached from a dragon and sitting in the Sun Warriors' armory.

"Gifts from Ran and Shaw," Sunook said as she held one out for Iroh to take. "You can use them as proof you've slayed a dragon. Just be careful not to let them fall into the wrong hands. They have special properties."

"I thought that was a myth," Iroh said as he traced the surprisingly smooth claw. "My father harvested from every dragon he slayed for the 'special properties,' and nothing ever proved to be useful."

Sunook's eyes flashed. "Your father's mistake," she said coldly, "was thinking he could take what's meant to be given."

"Oh." Shame filled him. "So…because Ran and Shaw have given these willingly, they still hold their power."

"Exactly," Sunook's tone softened. "I'm trusting you with such power since the dragons do. Be sensible with how you use it."

"How can the talons be used?"

"Most commonly, we fashion them into weapons or talismans. My chief's staff is even crowned with some shaped and coated talons; Xiu just adores that he'll inherit it someday. The power manifests when needed."

A talisman. Instinctively, Iroh fingered the thread necklace Ursa had made for him in a hurry the previous day. Perhaps she could use a dragon-powered talisman to keep her safe as well.

"Thank you, Sunook," he said, reverence settling over him as he realized the magnitude of what he was being given. "I promise I'll be careful."

Just then, Xiu returned to the armory from wherever he'd gone, panting a little. "Granny," he said in the timbre of a boy trying to sound like a man, "watchers have sighted a ship coming our way from Senlin. With the tide, it's expected to make landfall in three hours."

"Thank you, Xiu. Iroh, I imagine you plan to intercept what I assume is your grandparents' search party before they get too close to our city, correct?"

"Of course."

"Then let's not waste time. You still haven't gotten the hang of the breath of fire."

"What about Ursa?" Iroh asked as he followed her and Xiu out of the armory. "Where is she?"

"She's with my wife."

"Your wife?"

Sunook glanced at him. "Yes, you met her yesterday at dinner. Maya the physician." The glint in her eyes and Xiu's small frown showed they both knew what had really caused Iroh's surprise. He quickly suppressed it; what business was it of his if the Sun Warriors had different customs around marriage?

"Well…good. That's good," he said awkwardly.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you have time to show off to your bride before you have to leave." The chief grinned as Iroh's face warmed.

Itzel playing around the infirmary under Maya's watch made Ursa oddly wistful for the grandmother she'd never had. Roku had said Ursa had her grandmother Ta Min's voice…what else had she inherited from her? If she saw Ta Min next to her own mother, would there be a resemblance?

"Darling," Maya called as Itzel attempted to balance one-legged on top of a stool, "I've asked you before not to put your feet anywhere but the floor."

"Sorry, Gramma." The girl jumped off and sat next to Ursa on the carpet, clearly ready to play the part of the attentive student again. Maya suppressed a smile as she unrolled her next scroll.

"Now, girls, does this look familiar to either of you?"

Itzel's hand immediately shot into the air while Ursa studied the picture. "I know it, Gramma!"

"What is it?"

"An…acupuncture diagram?" Previously very certain of herself, she now trailed off as she squinted. "But it looks funny."

Ursa was inclined to agree. She'd seen her mother's acupuncture diagram plenty of times growing up, but this had details and arrows sketched on it that added a whole other layer of information.

"Ursa?" Maya raised her eyebrows at her. "What do you think?"

"Itzel's right. It's some kind of acupuncture diagram, but not a traditional Fire Nation one."

"You're both right. This came from the Western Air Temple, a long time ago."

"The Western Air Temple?" Ursa asked as Itzel 'ooh'-ed. "It must be ancient."

"We've made copies of it to be safe. But this is the original." Maya traced along the main lines within the body diagram. "Once, our people shared a great friendship with the nuns of the nearby Western Air Temple. They taught us how to maximize the power of breath in our firebending, and we taught them about using bending to track the flow of energy in the body. Afterwards, they were able to combine the knowledge with their own spiritual techniques to develop this diagram."

"It must have been hard when the Air Nation turned against firebenders, then," Ursa said sympathetically.

"Hm," Maya's mouth tightened. "I see the Fire Nation spares no expense in teaching its history. In any case, the study of chi is critical to understanding the body. Bending, healing, and so on; it all comes back to the flow of energy. I know the Royal Fire Academy has distilled this study into chi-blocking, but it can be taken so many other ways. Undoing chi blocks with elemental bending, or careful acupuncture. Masters can even use chi sensing and spiritual awareness to track the presence of others as far away as the other side of the world, depending on their skill level. That's part of how our people stay informed about the state of global affairs."

"Really? You can meditate and see what's happening off your island?"

"To an extent, yes. Itzel-" Maya interrupted herself to narrow her eyes at her granddaughter's sticky fingers, "hands off the scroll, please. Go find your sister and tell her I said to spend some time together."

"Okay!" Clearly having run out of interest in sitting still for the moment, Itzel bounced out of the room without protest.

"You know, Ursa," Maya said in a secretive tone, "some years ago, our priests told us of an interesting prophecy they'd seen."

"What was it?"

"They said that the union of the Avatar's bloodline with the royal family would restore balance to the ways of firebending once more." Maya rolled up her scroll again, studying Ursa carefully. "They said Azulon was eager to strengthen his family with the Avatar's power, but his wife Ilah was not of Roku's hidden bloodline. But you: well, your marriage was a bit of a shock, wasn't it? A nonbender wedded to the crown prince at such a young age."

Ursa's throat went dry as she nodded. Had Maya figured it out? Would it hurt to admit she was correct?

"It's not my place to question how such things came to be," Maya shrugged. "But perhaps it is yours."

"How can I question the Fire Lord?"

"Who says the Fire Lord is the one to question? Prophecies are obscure, and are made even more obscure by the biases of those who receive and interpret them."

"Then…who am I questioning?"

"I don't know." Maya unfurled a smaller copy of the acupuncture diagram she'd rolled up. "Chances are, though, it's not someone easy to talk to. Perhaps enhancing your understanding of chi will help you start that conversation."

The crypticism of Maya's speech was difficult to decipher; Ursa thought to herself that Iroh would probably be able to make perfect sense of it, if he were here. "You mean…building up my spirituality?"

"Absolutely. If I may be honest, Ursa, you have the mark of the Spirit World upon you. It's why I've decided to give you this little lesson."

"I do?" She instinctively glanced down at herself, like there was a tattoo marking her as a visitor to the Spirit World she somehow hadn't noticed.

"Not a physical mark. It's in your aura, and a little bit in your eyes. Only those with spiritual training can sense it."

"Oh…" That was a relief, at least. "Well, I would love to learn what I can about chi and spirituality while I'm here."

"Wonderful. Now, close your eyes. Let's practice finding the flow of chi."

Ursa, cont.

One of the most common misconceptions of the modern bending era is that benders are the only ones who can truly manipulate chi, while nonbenders are limited to rote memorization of techniques like chi blocking. This couldn't be further from the truth. While benders certainly have a greater disposition towards chi manipulation, given that bending itself is simply a form of chi manipulation, that doesn't mean nonbenders are completely cut off from other techniques.

Maya gave me the foundations I needed to tap into my own chi and begin to understand it the way master benders do. While I came to learn chi blocking later as a necessary way to defend myself, what Maya taught me was…more complete than simply blocking. Feeling it in myself, in others, extending that energy-sensing to the world around me; I certainly didn't walk away from the Sun Warriors with mastery of these skills, but in the decades that followed, I found other texts and other mentors to build on what Maya had taught me. I knew these were useful skills to hone, but I never imagined just how critical they would prove to be towards the end of the war.

"Maya, my love," Chief Sunook poked her head into the infirmary, breaking Ursa's concentration from tracing the chi path down her spine. "Our guests will have to leave soon, so I was hoping to steal your student for a moment. Her husband's got something to show her."

Ursa's heart fluttered, then she scolded it for doing that. Barely half a day without Iroh, and this was how excited she felt about seeing him again? Ridiculous.

"Absolutely," Maya replied, nodding at Ursa. "In fact, let me come watch as well. I want to make sure you haven't put that prince through too much torture."

"Please, my methods get results." Sunook kissed her wife on the cheek, something the great chief had to tiptoe to do. "Come on, we don't have too much time. The search party looking for the young royals will be on our shore in less than an hour."

Iroh was pacing on the hilltop, toying with something around his neck like he was nervous. He turned at the group's approach, smiling at Ursa, and she realized he still hadn't removed the good luck charm from the previous day. That was…oddly sweet.

"I hope your day was easier than mine," he said.

"I think it might have been," Ursa agreed, clenching her hands into fists to fight the sudden itch to touch him. Sure, yesterday she'd hugged him because he'd risked his life standing before two dragons, but that didn't mean she could greet him that way every time they saw each other now…did it? "What are you going to show me?"

"Ah, I think it speaks for itself. If I get it right." Iroh bounced on the balls of his feet, eyes shining. There was a nervous energy about him for sure, but excited energy all the same. "It's the first time I'm trying it, so…well, it's good that the physician's here, right?"

Maya chuckled, clearly enjoying Iroh's humor.

"Alright, Prince Iroh," Sunook signaled her student. "Let's find out if your wife being here brings out a better performance. Get in your horse stance."

Iroh winked at Ursa, before turning to face the sun and planting himself with his knees bent and feet apart. Slowly, he began breathing deep, like he was trying to fill his lungs as much as possible on each inhale and then empty them out again on the exhale.

"Don't let the pressure of an audience get to you," Sunook instructed, pacing behind Iroh like a sabertooth moose lioness. "Feel the sun on your skin and the breath in your body stoking your inner fire, then release it when it's ready. No rushing." To Ursa, she whispered, "You might want to stand a little further back, Princess."

Blinking nervously, Ursa moved next to Maya, just in time for Iroh to take a final inhale and spew fire from his mouth.

From his mouth.

Ursa watched in awe as the stream of flame lit up the sky, extending further than any street trick fire breathing she'd seen before. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sunook's nod of approval, then Iroh's breath ran out. Now he dropped to his knees, a hand clasped over his mouth as if he were in pain. Worry surged within her at the sight. "Iroh!" Had he burned himself?

"Don't get close yet, Princess." Maya's hand on her shoulder kept her from rushing forward. "Sunook will see if something's wrong."

Sure enough, Sunook was crouching next to Iroh, encouraging him to let it out. Iroh hunched over like he was going to throw up, then puked out a cloud of thick, black smoke.

"Is that normal?" Ursa asked Maya, now in a slight panic about what was happening to him. It looked like his lungs themselves were on fire as he coughed.

"For his first time achieving such strong fire breathing, absolutely. It takes a while for the body to adjust. Particularly powerful young firebenders deal with blisters on their limbs until their skin adapts to regularly producing flames."

"Oh." Ursa hadn't known. She watched Iroh heave out another wave of smoke, then hawk and spit crudely. Sunook handed him a flask from her waist that he took a swig from with clear relief, before shakily getting to his feet and grinning at Ursa with clear embarrassment.

"Okay," he spoke slowly, voice hoarse. "Not quite as grandiose as I was hoping, but what did you think?"

"You don't mind if I congratulate you from a safe smoke-free distance, right?"

"I mean, if my breath is that bad…"

"I'm just kidding." Tentatively, she closed the distance between them with an embrace. Congratulating him was a good reason to touch, right? "It was incredible. No one will doubt you faced a dragon now."

"I'll be Iroh the Dragon," he laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist. "That's the title given to dragonslayers."

"Prince Iroh the Dragon," she tested it out. "You know, that's not too far from Dragon Emperor."

"I suppose not. Is that good enough for you?"

"Of course it is."

"Well, what have you been up to today? You have to tell me."

"Nothing nearly as grand as this-"

"I hate to interrupt, really," Sunook cut in. "But you don't have much time if you want to get out and meet your search party before they get to our city, and respectfully, Iroh, you hardly look like you've been in battle with a dragon."

Sunook had a point. Iroh was a bit sweaty, but he was wearing Sun Warrior clothing and entirely uninjured. How were they going to sell the story that he'd been off slaying a dragon?

"Well, Chief Sunook," Iroh squeezed Ursa slightly before releasing her. "I'd be honored if you'd spar me until it looks like I have."

Sunook smirked, cracking her knuckles.

"Did you really have to actually injure yourself?" Ursa questioned him as they picked their way through the woods down to the beach, having changed into their original clothing and said goodbye to the Sun Warriors.

"Look, I'll stave off Korzu from giving me too close of an examination, and I'll make up some vague internal injuries, but I couldn't just turn up from a fight with a dragon without a scratch."

"I know, but…" Ursa fiddled with the strap of their supply bag on her shoulder. "I just don't like seeing you like this."

"Hey, I'm okay. Really." Iroh knew he didn't look okay - Sunook had worked him over expertly, singeing his clothes and leaving him with a few mild burns on top of some nasty gashes with a dragon-talon knife - but he'd been trained to take beatings like this and still keep going. "I like that you care."

"Of course I care! I'm your wife."

His heart skipped a beat at the emphatic proclamation. "Aw, I care about you too," he teased to disguise his reaction, enjoying the pouty blush he got for it. "Do you still want to visit the beach at Senlin when we get back?"

"Aren't you too hurt for the beach?"

"Not if you want to go."

"I mean, I do. I really would just like to relax as much as possible until we get back to the palace, though. It's been….an eventful few weeks."

"That's putting it mildly," Iroh laughed. "But you've handled it incredibly and come out brighter than ever. Like a phoenix."

She rolled her eyes. "A phoenix and a dragon. What a couple we make."

"We do," he agreed. It was oddly nice to hear her refer to them as a couple. The afternoon sunshine made her appear as if she were practically glowing, her small smile like a glimpse of the clear sky on a bright summer day.

The sound of the patrol coming near brought him back to earth. "I hear them," he whispered to Ursa. "You remember the story we agreed on?"

"Which one of us is the professional actor here?" She raised an eyebrow, before shaking out her hair, and getting into character. "Hello?" she called in a shrill voice while Iroh prepared to take up the role of an injured prince. "Please, we're over here! My husband's hurt; we were attacked by a dragon!"

Ursa babbled the story of what had happened with all the hysteria of a frantic wife as the search party bandaged Iroh up and carried him back to the ship. It would be told a hundred times over and exaggerated beyond belief by the time it made its way into the official royal record, but Iroh thought to himself that if the truth couldn't be told, he liked Ursa's performance of the story best.

A/N: Promise I'll accelerate to the end of the Autumn Festival in the next chapter, it's served its purpose as a plot device. Anyway, comments?

~Bobbi