XXXV/ An uncle perspective
Standing near the icy cage that still trapped his nephew, Iroh observed with a furrowed brow as the Avatar's sky bison soared into the night sky, carrying the Avatar and his companions, including the mysterious woman Zuko had encountered twice – first on Kyoshi Island and then on Crescent Island. Seeing her was a wellspring of fascination, intrigue, and a touch of unease. Her features, as Zuko had described, were unlike anyone he'd ever met, hinting at a unique origin. The faint, otherworldly presence further solidified this impression he felt when their eyes met. His suspicions on what she could be since the stop at the Mo Ce Sea Prison. were both confirmed and yet not in the same he would have thought.
She was undoubtedly human, and a beautiful and exotic sight to behold. But she also had that energy and feeling that reminded him of the spirits he encountered during his journey to find his lost son. It was like discovering another Avatar, a notion that filled him with awe and trepidation, but also concern and uncertainty.
"What does it mean for our world?" The thought lingered as his gaze followed the sky bison.
Had she been drawn here by the imbalance caused by the war and the long absence of the Avatar? The Dragon of the West found it plausible as the war provoked a lot of damage and imbalance. He thought it even more likely as the young woman – Elsa, if he recalled her name well – was accompanying the Avatar and it was obvious she had built ties with the young boy and his companions and was determined to help and protect them. Such a sight reassured the old general a bit because he knew that the Avatar was having someone he could rely on, as Zuko had him, even if his nephew could deny it. This shared responsibility for younger individuals created an unexpected bridge between them, a silent understanding that transcended their opposing sides.
That sight was also reassuring, because otherwise, he wasn't sure the world would manage to deal with further imbalance. Angry or dangerous spirits weren't something to mess with and should they interfere with the mortal world... The old general shuddered at the thought.
While pondering those questions, Iroh wondered how Elsa would achieve her promise to free his nephew and his men as she was now on the sky bison who was flying away. While he was aware of how powerful she was, the Dragon of the West wondered how far her powers extended. It was one thing to freeze a gigantic structure like the Mo Ce Sea Prison, it was another to dispel a personal creation from a huge distance.
His questions didn't linger long as he felt a tremor in the air and heard a shining sound nearby, immediately followed by shouts of surprise from Zuko and his men. Iroh turned to see the ice cages around them dissipating into flurries that floated up into the night sky. The flurries gathered and formed a large snowflake before dissipating into the darkness like a cold firework.
Iroh's eyes widened slightly at the sight, a mix of admiration and concern flickering across his face. "Fascinating," he murmured with a smile.
Zuko and his men were stunned by the sudden disappearance of the icy cages. Relief washed over the soldiers, but the prince's expression was a mix of irritation and anger. He clenched his fists, glaring in the direction where the sky bison had disappeared. His frustration was palpable, his anger barely contained.
"What just happened?" one of the Firebenders muttered as he looked at the sky.
Zuko clenched his fists, his jaw tight with frustration. "She let us go," he spat out, his eyes still fixed on the distant sky.
Iroh stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "She kept her word, Prince Zuko. She showed you mercy and honor when it would have been easier for her to leave you trapped."
Zuko tore his gaze away from the dark sky and whirled on his uncle, irritation and confusion clear on his face. "Why didn't you do anything, Uncle? You could have stopped her. You saw how powerful she is! "
Iroh sighed, his eyes filled with a weary understanding. "Exactly, nephew. If she can dismantle those ice cages from afar or freeze an entire prison rig, how easy do you think it would have been for her to overpower us all? And who knows if she would have let us go free afterwards. I wouldn't have been able to make tea to warm you all."
Zuko's eyes narrowed, groaning to his uncle's last words. And yet, he couldn't argue with that logic. He recalled the chilling efficiency with which Elsa had dealt with him or handled Zhao and his men on Crescent Island, her ice magic a force to be reckoned with. Even the memory of her blasts sending him crashing against a wall and then encasing him in ice sent a shiver down his spine. He knew that if she had wanted, she could have trapped his men and him in ice in a snap. Perhaps even turning them ice. And that idea both unsettled him and confused him as it went against anything he knew and was taught.
His men, remembering their previous fight with Elsa and seeing the frozen prison, exchanged uneasy glances as they thought of how it could have turned out.
One of the firebenders spoke up hesitantly. "With all due respect, my general, given you are the Dragon of the West, you could have held against her."
Iroh's eyes softened, and he shook his head slightly. "Could I? Perhaps, though I'm not certain. Her power is unlike anything I have ever encountered. It is wise to be cautious of what we do not fully understand. Even with such a beauty to the eyes."
Zuko made a face at his uncle. Did he just comment on Elsa's appearance? She seemed young enough to be his daughter!
The prince noticed his men exchanging both stunned and uncertain glances, as if pondering Iroh's words and unsettled by them. Zuko's frustration and anger were still evident, but there was a flicker of understanding in his eyes. He didn't like the fact that his uncle considered uncertain his chances of success against Elsa. He was the Firelord's brother, for Agni's sake! Just the idea that his uncle, as easy-going and unserious as he was, didn't think he could win against the icebender made the young prince uneasy. Zuko tried to dismiss that feeling, thinking that his uncle was only the shadow of himself and his own father would easily deal with such a threat.
Iroh then added with a placating hand, "But that is not the point. She has chosen not to harm us and to let you go when she could have easily refused to grant that mercy."
Silence settled over the group as they absorbed Iroh's words, understanding the wisdom and the implications. Zuko's jaw clenched tighter, his gaze turning toward the distant outline of their riverboat anchored along the lagoon's edge. The tension in his posture spoke of unresolved frustration, but he knew better than to argue further with his uncle. Instead, he glanced at his men, seeing their mixed expressions of relief and lingering wariness.
More than ever, the young prince felt torn, aware his uncle was right but also fueled by anger, frustration and disappointment. It was as if destiny was mocking him and that each opportunity that presented to him flew away the moment he tried to grasp it. And yet, he couldn't help but feel that conflicted feeling on Elsa. She was an obstacle and very dangerous and yet displayed restraint and a calm that reminded him of Master Piandao. But it was the way she moved and the concerned and sad expression she sent him that unsettled him the most as it was like facing a shadow of his mother. Tonight, while she was still displaying that power with the ease that reminded him of his sister, she showed herself to be even more restrained, listening and merciful than he would want to admit. Features that he associated with his mother when she was at the palace. His father's voice whispered in his mind, blazing and threatening, dismissive and disappointed.
"Weakness! "Is this what exile has reduced you to? Pathetic! The Avatar slips through your grasp yet again, all because of a girl with parlour tricks! A true firebender would have overpowered her in an instant. Have I taught you nothing? Every moment you waste, every failure you endure brings more dishonour upon our family. Strength lies in dominance, in crushing your enemies, not in understanding them. Your sister Azula would have dealt with them without difficulty and hesitation."
"Remember, you are a Prince of the Fire Nation, not a peasant or water savage. You were born to rule, not to be ruled. Don't let that mere girl of nowhere overwhelm you. She is our enemy! Someone that needs to be eliminated for the glory of the Fire Nation."
Zuko struggled with those words, imagining facing the shadow of his father amid the flames and facing his disappointment and anger. And yet Elsa's words echoed in his mind like an answer to his father's. His troubling thoughts were interrupted as one of his men asked.
"What do we do now?"
Iroh turned to face the group, his expression calm and thoughtful. "We return to our ship. There's nothing more to be gained here tonight. I'm sure most of you would want a cup of tea to warm up after that cold encounter. And some music would help us to have high spirits again, " he added with a jovial smile.
The men exchanged glances, some nodding in agreement, their tense expressions easing slightly at the prospect of returning to familiar territory. Zuko clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he weighed his uncle's words. Finally, he straightened and addressed his crew, his voice firm despite the turmoil within him. "Let's move back to the ship. We need to catch up to the Avatar."
The guards and Firebenders started to walk back, their wariness lingering but now masked by their disciplined movements. They began to make their way back towards the riverboat anchored along the lagoon's edge. Iroh fell into step beside Zuko, his hands clasped behind his back, his pace leisurely compared to the determined strides of his nephew.
As they walked, Zuko's thoughts churned. The night's events replayed in his mind—the ease with which Elsa dismantled the ice cages, the way her powers seemed to flow effortlessly from her, and the hauntingly familiar sadness in her eyes. His anger was a turbulent storm, but beneath it, something else was stirring—a faint, reluctant admiration and a gnawing sense of confusion.
His mind was also still wrestling with conflicting thoughts on Elsa and her own abilities. Her words on Crescent Island echoed again in her mind, provoking an uneasiness that unsettled him further. He didn't want to deal with such a situation or to consider that she might be right or that she was showing him compassion he hadn't felt outside of his uncle for years. He tried to reject that feeling, reminding himself she was a threat, an obstacle to achieving his task and an enemy to his people. His father's imaginary words were still plaguing him and he felt turmoil within him, something he disliked as it gave him the feeling he was weak and a failure. He shouldn't be that! He was the prince, the heir to the Fire Nation crown.
Iroh watched his nephew closely, noting the tension in his posture and the furrow in his brow. After a few moments, he spoke softly, his voice carrying the weight of understanding. "How are you feeling, nephew?"
Zuko hesitated, his gaze fixed ahead on the dark waters of the lagoon. "I'm fine, Uncle," he replied, though his tone betrayed uncertainty.
Iroh sensed his nephew didn't tell everything, but didn't press on, thinking it wouldn't be a good time with everything that happened this night. He also hoped that Zuko would mention whatever tormented him on his own accord. He placed a reassuring hand on his nephew's shoulder, his touch warm despite the cool night air. "It's natural to feel unsettled when faced with the unknown. Elsa is a formidable adversary, but remember she has shown us mercy tonight. She could have been a polar dog bear, but she was more like a turtleduck mother."
Zuko's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in frustration. His uncle's words also sparked a memory of a moment with his mother. Why did his uncle needed to say that?
"I know," he muttered, his voice tinged with irritation.
Iroh let out a quiet sigh, recognizing the turmoil brewing within Zuko. As they neared the riverboat anchored along the lagoon's edge, he spoke again, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of experience. "Learn from this encounter, Zuko. Failure can be a great teacher, the greatest of all I would say. I didn't become a master of making tea without my own trials and failures."
Zuko huffed, his frustration evident. "Tea isn't the same as capturing the Avatar," he retorted, though there was a hint of begrudging respect in his voice. He knew his uncle meant well, but his thoughts were still clouded by his father's harsh words and the expectations weighing on him.
Iroh chuckled softly, despite Zuko's lack of reaction. "Ah, but tea teaches us more than just how to brew a perfect cup," he mused, his eyes crinkling with a hint of amusement even as Zuko remained stern. "It teaches patience, understanding, and sometimes, the wisdom to see beyond what's immediately in front of us."
Zuko let out a huff, frustration evident in his demeanour and yet shot a sidelong glance at his uncle, his expression conflicted. Iroh's words often carried a deeper meaning, one that resonated despite Zuko's stubbornness. He felt a flicker of irritation at the calmness Iroh maintained in the face of their setbacks, but he also knew there was wisdom in his uncle's perspective.
As their group was finally arriving at the riverboat, Iroh felt something in his sleeve and had a sudden realization. "Oh! Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. That lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" he exclaimed, pulling out a lotus tile from his sleeve with a big grin on his face.
Zuko's initial reaction was to snatch the tile and hurl it into the lagoon as he thought of all the waste of time because of that tile or the fact his uncle was once again going into his antics. He however stopped himself, his hand trembling with restrained frustration. Instead, he clenched the tile tightly in his fist, his knuckles turning white. "Uncle, you..." he started, then sighed. "You had it all along?"
Iroh chuckled heartily. "I did indeed. Sometimes, the answers we seek are closer than we think."
Zuko couldn't help but smirk despite himself. "You could have mentioned that earlier."
Iroh's smile softened. "It slipped my mind. Or perhaps it's a reminder that sometimes what we seek is closer than we think."
Zuko's expression softened slightly, though the conflict in his eyes remained. "Yeah," he replied quietly, his voice rough with emotion.
The young prince gave his uncle his tile back. Iroh knew his nephew was dealing with more than just the pursuit of the Avatar. He saw the weight of responsibility and expectation bearing down on his nephew's shoulders, amplified by the encounters with Elsa. He was glad to see Zuko wrestling with these deeper questions, even if it made his path more difficult.
They boarded the riverboat, joining their men who were already preparing to sail back to their ship. Zuko gave the order, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. "Let's head back to the ship."
The crew obeyed without question, bending the coal to heat the boat's engine. Soon, the riverboat left the shore and began its journey back toward the seedy merchants' pier.
As they sailed, Iroh noticed Zuko looking at the lagoon, his expression contemplative. He knew his nephew's thoughts were still grappling with the events of the night and the presence of Elsa, whose impact seemed to grow with each encounter. It wasn't just about her bending prowess or the fact she was preventing him from capturing the Avatar; it was something more. He had some suspicion on what was the nature of his nephew's turmoil, but he would need his nephew to open up to him. Iroh knew Zuko could struggle with expressing his insecurities and vulnerabilities, especially when they were new and unexpected or tied to the struggles he was already dealing with.
Iroh's thoughts drifted back to the encounter with Elsa by the lagoon. Her abilities were undeniably impressive and a captivating enigma. The way she manipulated ice with effortless grace and intricate movements defied the traditional bending arts. It felt more like an extension of herself than a separate skill, perhaps tied to her spiritual nature. The effortless control she displayed when manipulating ice, the intricate formations she conjured with a flick of her wrist, and the lack of reliance on water as a source all pointed towards something unique. The sheer power she had displayed in freezing the Mo Ce Sea prison or the ability to dispel her creations from distances were things not even his ally and friend from the White Lotus could achieve. The thought made Iroh chuckle, wondering how the old waterbender master would interact with the mysterious woman. Knowing well the Northern Tribe traditions, there were high chances such an encounter would be very interesting and a sight to behold. That also made him think he would need to contact his allies to inform them of those new developments. Elsa was potentially an ally to bring back balance and peace, but they needed to know her intents to be certain.
Those thoughts also reminded Iroh of the whole implications for the war and his people. As he stroked his chin in reflection, Iroh knew Ozai wouldn't accept any challenge to his power. It was one of the reasons why he persuaded the former warden of the Mo Ce Sea Prison to claim that the Avatar was being the destruction of the prison should he report it to the Firelord. Not only the tale of a powerful and mysterious woman with waterbending-like powers would be greeted with disbelief by his brother, but the Dragon of the West also wanted to preserve his nephew from being deprived of the hope that was now fuelling his mind. More importantly, he didn't want Ozai to have more of a focus on a mystery whose role might impact the end of the war.
Glancing at the sky and the direction the Avatar's sky bison went, Iroh however knew it would be a matter of time before Ozai found out about the existence of Elsa and her ties to the Avatar. The moment he would find out who really froze the Mo Ce Sea Prison, the Firelord would likely see that destruction as more than a message of defiance, but as a direct challenge. His brother's response to such a powerful adversary would be ruthless and Iroh shuddered at the thought of a confrontation between the two. While he felt Elsa would be strong enough to face his brother, he wondered whether her compassionate heart would hold against the ruthlessness and cruelty of Ozai. This uncertainty gnawed at Iroh, especially as he was aware that Sozin's comet was approaching, meaning that his brother would be far more of a challenge for the young avatar and his ally. Hopefully, her presence would prepare the young boy for his responsibilities and fate to bring back the peace the world needed.
On those thoughts, the old men glanced at Zuko's men and felt that after the events of the night, a good Jasmine tea and a music night would be welcomed by the crew and hopefully by his nephew. A good night of entertainment and sleep was always good for the mind.