Chapter 4
The funeral proceeded at sunset as tradition had decreed.
For the past few hours, Iroh had prepared Zuko and Azula for what this all meant.
The Coronation Plaza was filled with crowds of shocked grievers dressed in white, along with rank upon rank of men and women in traditional hooded red robes, containing tall banners reflecting the many islands and crowds that added symbolism to the Fire Nation. The fact that Caldera City was filled like this yet again twice in one month was unnerving. Adorned in the new white silk robes, shaved with gold as was expected, the formerly dishonored Prince remained on top of the airway leading up to the Coronation Temple, staring at the crowds of civilians who were made up of the Fire Nation and the ones who would soon be under his very command.
The first few months of Iroh would be the busiest, perhaps in the history of the Fire Nation. He had to prove that the Royal Family was still one of strength, respect, and honor. Then he had to find a way to end this war without spurring dissent. As he was officially dishonored due to what was his father's last public command, every order he would give would be met with extreme scrutiny by some.
In that moment, it didn't matter what he had to do. He would do whatever was necessary to keep both of Ursa's children safe and usher in a new era of peace.
"Fire Lord Ozai," High Sage Yuzoh spoke slowly, a truly mournful air about him. There were no tributes that could be given to his brother. "You were the brother of Azulon, now passed. Son of Ilah, now passed. Brother of Iroh. Uncle of Lu Ten, now passed. Father to Zuko and Azula." He paused. "All of the Fire Nation weeps your young passing."
Iroh's own grief couldn't be faked. His fists clenched into balls, and the distraught former General could barely keep his composure. He would always wish it could have ended differently. His little brother, the one whom he promised to protect a lifetime ago, was gone.
Murdered by his own hands.
A poison was born in him the moment he'd murdered Ozai.
"We lay you to rest," the Sage finished, turning to face the wide, ornate golden sarcophagus. With reverence, he lifted the Fire Lord's ancient crown from its resting place.
Iroh's eyes locked on his corpse one last time, hoping that his brother did indeed find peace beyond the mortal realms.
Two lesser Fire Sages, dressed in ceremonial white, approached either side of the ornate golden sarcophagus. With a single, synchronized motion, they unleashed powerful blasts of fire, engulfing the oil-soaked remains within. The flames roared to life, their yellow-orange tendrils reaching higher than any man, meeting the tender metalwork of the roof.
"As there is no other choice of this time, the great Fire Lord Azulon's word had been reversed. With your tragic loss, the crown now passes to your elder brother."
At these words, Iroh stepped forward and knelt before the High Sage, his head already bowed.
The High Sage softly lowered the golden crown onto Iroh's head. It fit right in the place. For some of Ozai's dissenters, they would even argue more so than the short-term Fire Lord himself.
Yuzoh raised the ancient crown high above his head, his voice ringing out across the plaza. "Hail Fire Lord Iroh!"
Hundreds of banners descended, and the massive crowd ritually stood straighter as the new Fire Lord rose to his feet. Iroh's golden eyes analyzed the crowd of people, registering the people who were depending on him now.
As their new Fire Lord.
The feast afterwards wasn't met with much enthusiasm. It was mainly a repeat for most, only under a different crown. But yet, it had been a formality. As expected, many questioned the Imperial Firebenders and if they could truly protect them if their last Fire Lord was assassinated under their very nose. Some of them were good people, but Iroh had no choice but to shame and replace them with new Firebenders. Those people would never be able to rise to such reverence again.
This new Fire Lord would be fiercely protected, heavily monitored by the new people who would guard him with their lives.
The whole dinner proved to be quiet and professional; many of the same people who tried to befriend Ozai were attempting to see if his older brother was susceptible to manipulation. There were whispers surrounding the new Fire Lord already. The main question was: Was Iroh next to be cursed? If so, what then? Some even questioned his age, pondering if he was to turn senile. Or, if his father's death was not an age of natural causes, but an actual assassination.
Still, the tradition of this affair, tiring as it was, demanded that Iroh fulfill it throughout. TendÅ Wine was included in the last hours of the night. Iroh refused to allow the children on his watch to have a slip. He'd led both back into their rooms as soon as he could, two guards stationed at their doors already. Iroh was protected equally. Removing the crown but keeping the garments on, mainly due to exhaustion, Iroh allowed sleep to claim him.
Breakfast the next morning proceeded to be much more cordial, save for the new gold flame topknot piece robes of office that Iroh now was expected to wear, with black in between. Both children have noticed his appearance, though neither said anything about it. Nevertheless, the odd trio ate together in a peaceful calm, but he noticed that Zuko and Azula were at least trying to bond. He wasn't blind. He knew that the emotional episode from yesterday was impactful and, hopefully, a sign of changing times.
As the mounting meals were ending, the servants arrived, collecting their plates and exiting.
"Uncle, where are our strolls?" Zuko asked what was on both of their minds.
"For now, I will prefer for you two to rest and recover," Iroh responded simply.
"Rest and recover?" Azula repeated.
"Yes, Azula, you have just lost your parents and grandfather in a matter of weeks. I do not wish for you both to endanger your health."
"But father-"
"I don't want to put too much pressure on you. Your duties can be picked up at another time. It's been a long month for you both, and cruelty to you two will be undeserved. We'll discuss what procedures you can do in the following week." He declared." Iroh responded. "I am your legal guardian at this time."
"Oh yeah... does that, er, mean we have to call you Dad now?" Zuko chimed in.
He could tell by both children's faces that "just doing nothing" would make them uncomfortable. While Iroh was driven to protect them from the negative influence of Ozai, the new Fire Lord wouldn't make such a requirement. Whether they continue to acknowledge him as Uncle or Father in due time, that would be their choice to make. But he needed to supply himself, not as a vindictive guardian figure, but as a patient mentor who would guide them down the right path.
'Protect both of them. Learn about my niece.' Iroh thought. He'd found out in a lengthy conversation with Zuko, as he'd reflected yesterday, that he didn't really know Azula, and that was extremely disheartening. He didn't know his own niece loved knives and things that his nephew usually did, as compared to dolls. Iroh gave her the doll in good faith to help her, and he'd assumed that she was still into those types of things. But Azula, being a kid, of course, wanted more than that. It wouldn't surprise him that little stuff like that helped reinforce the notion to Azula that Iroh and Ursa didn't love her as much as Zuko, even though they did.
Despite that, there were mistakes on both his and Ursa's part, too, and something Iroh would have to acknowledge to rebuild.
"No," Iroh shook his head, "not unless you really want to."
"Alright then, Uncle..." Zuko answered after a moment of reluctance.
Azula frowned, looking at him questionably.
"Is there something the matter, Azula?" Iroh asked.
Azula blinked, "But how am I going to be effective without my firebending teachings, Uncle?"
"Resting is another form of labor, Azula. If you do wish to do more, it is within your right, and I will not ban you from such. You can go to the training mats and steady, but I do not wish for you to attend the Royal Fire Academy for Girls today."
"B-but father would make me train for eight hours; more if it is required."
"Eight... hours?" Iroh asked in a strained voice. "Azula, that is beyond the standard requirement of such teachings. A usual firebender would train for one or two hours."
"I am not going to be weakened!" Azula snapped.
"Azula, your devotion to your studies are remarkable, and it's amazing that you wish to delve into your training, but you have to allow yourself to have moments of reprieve. Overtraining doesn't give you reflection; the opposite, in fact, it only risks great harm to your person."
"I'm not weak! I will never be-" Azula growled.
"There's more to learn about life than throwing fire, Azula. I want you and your brother to be as normal as you can be. I want you to be yourselves." Iroh paused, seeing that the young girl was adamant. "Is that all?"
"Well, it's not just that," she admitted. "There is also battle strategies I have to learn."
"Battle... strategies?" Iroh froze.
"Yes, for war," Azula nodded at once. "Dad always taught me that I must push through the pain." She pulled up a sleeve, and Iroh's eyes almost popped out of his sockets.
He saw many marks on that arm alone; a lot of them were red, painful, and blistered; a tell-tale sign of Ozai's teachings of the girl. Others likely were on her body. They would heal... in time, but that was cold comfort.
Self-control was something Iroh tried to learn a long time ago. It was something to be advised to everyone. Giving in to impulses could be the destruction of even the well-mannered. But in that moment, Iroh couldn't stop his jaw from falling on the table.
'My niece. My little niece. The niece I'd failed to protect...'
Grief and guilt settled at first. Rage and anger burned within his chest. Iroh's fists shook. His entire body followed suit, rage boiling within the deepest, darkest depths of his heart. Flames unleashed from his mouth, smoke filling the air. The skies outside seemed just a little bit darker. Zuko and Azula were taken aback, having rarely seen their uncle this angry before. The storm of their father was nothing compared to the storm of their uncle in this moment.
'What did Ozai do to this girl?!' Iroh demanded in his head. He wanted to believe that somewhere in Ozai loved Azula, at least. But now, he recognized what Ozai saw in Azula. She was a mere instrument. Her safety, her concerns, her insecurities, and all of the forefronts of what was needed in a parent didn't matter to him.
He remembered his beloved son. While they were fighting a war, Iroh always prioritized Lu Ten's safety, until he couldn't, and his son most certainly didn't fear him, despite the firmer disciplinary actions that Iroh had to take when he was younger.
Zuko and Azula didn't love their father the way they should. It was not a normal parental love. Ozai only taught them fear and a twisted sense of respect.
Originally, Iroh's plan upon returning to the Fire Nation after losing the initial drive to usurp power was to mentor Zuko down the correct path after realizing Ozai was a lost cause. It made sense at the time. Azula was aggressive and cold, while Zuko was always more passive and just wanted approval from his father, something he never had. But he had been a terrible uncle, not to Zuko, but to Azula. He should have also tried to help her.
He had held out hope that a part of Ozai did love at least one of his children, enough to not torture her. And his hypocrisy and apathy cost him dearly.
And finally, Iroh mentally counted from 1 to 10 before addressing both. "Forgive me," he looked now at his niece, debating how to respond to this.
Morality wouldn't appeal to Azula, nor to many people of the Fire Nation. A full victory would.
And Iroh wished that he wouldn't be the one to give that call, but it may be expected of him when the new era started.
"Azula, you will be, at least fourteen by the war's conclusion. Despite our lost at Ba Sing Se, we are winning in other areas. We can at the very least secure negotiations with any disgruntled parts of the contingent. The return of Sozin's Comet will hopefully put an end to all of this. I won't allow a child to go fight our battles when we have over thousands of soldiers who are fully trained and adults that can handle such a task and gladly."
"I'm not only a child," the little girl interjected. "I'm a proud successor of Grandfather Azulon. I would be a vulnerable part of the Fire Nation." She sounded like she was re-reading a script. "I am expected to fight and win."
Iroh resisted gritting his teeth, his jaw fuming hot at the pressure. It wasn't her fault. "No, Azula, you are expected to learn and grow. To be a proud child apart of your nation. Resistance is expected after the war, but there are more than enough adults who could handle that situation."
Azula's lips curled slightly, and Iroh saw her confusion, "Dad said I must learn to focus earl-"
"What your father says is no longer important," Iroh declared icily, standing up, moving over to her, and gently grabbing her arm.
Azula gasped and pulled away on reflex as Iroh pulled her in.
"Oh, my niece. I'm so sorry." Iroh cried. "I didn't know. Please forgive me."
"Uncle?" She actually sounded scared.
Azula was stiff for a moment before she returned the embrace uncertainly, until he rubbed the back of her hair.
"Uncle, are you okay?" Zuko asked, fidgeting with his hands.
Iroh pulled him next without a word, allowing the two kids to settle against him.
In all honesty, he knew that Ozai's insane teachings couldn't be reversed so easily. He had to teach them his new philosophy of embracing peaceful negotiation, love, acceptance, and siblinghood through this difficult time. The pain of knowing that he had killed his younger brother, justified as it may have been, had left a heavy burden in his heart, but he would shoulder it forever if he had to for the prioritizing of his brother's children.
It was extremely fortunate that Ozai's children weren't as lost as their father, though there would be plenty of work to be done, especially with Azula. Pretty words and attempting to sway her from power would not be enough for the young girl. She'd needed a father who accepted her positive and negative traits, one who was able to remind her that imperfection was normal and everyone makes mistakes. The same could be said for Zuko, though to a lesser degree.
They'd suffered so much, and Iroh never did anything...
For now, being here was enough.
As expected, Ozai surrounded himself with yes men and advisors who didn't dare tell him bad news, as well as those who used their positions to feed on their ambitions. While such fear-mongering worked in the short term, Iroh needed competent people who could speak up for themselves and would generally voice their disagreements with plans and such.
It was only convenient that some of the old and more pragmatic advisors of his father had disappeared following Ozai's rise to power.
It was as if he never cared about winning the 100 Years' War because he had no power in peacetime. He needed an enemy to fight, people to fear him, and the like. Iroh had just discovered some of the issues that the Fire Nation caused; attacking settlements for having benders was going to have to stop. The return of the Avatar was something that put fear into people's hearts, and something his father continued to search for. Assuming the Avatar was killed during the genocide of the Air Nomads, the Fire Nation would have to seize control of the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom to guarantee one of two things for the same goal: they'd abduct the next Avatar, or kill them and bring the cycle back to the Fire Nation. Either way, his father and grandfather had assumed they'd win the war and gain control/regulation of the Avatar cycle.
As much as Iroh wanted to give the bloody call, there was no way to end the war. Many of the soldiers on the front lines have given their lives for the Fire Nation under Ozai as it was, and even more, under Azulon and Sozin. To end the war short of their final victory would be a slap in the face for so many Fire Nation. It wasn't just the leaders but the people behind the nation that empowered so many to enlist in the military. It was the loss of their family members and friends that gave them the ambition they'd needed.
And if Iroh broke that ambition, it would just go downhill from them. When Zuko eventually became Fire Lord, he would suffer due to Iroh's own beliefs interfering with reality, and Azula would also feel the backlash from it. The same would be true for the rest of the world since the war would continue with no end in sight, or a new war would be born that would be consumed in flames. Either way, more people die.
No, Iroh would have to devote coming to some deals with the Earth King so the Fire Nation could at least be somewhat satisfied, but even the political process of that wouldn't be simple. Those people would want Fire Nation's proud leadership to be a part of the political spectrum.
If he couldn't end the war, that meant Iroh would have to set up the groundwork for a more pragmatic Fire Nation still devoted to its goals. It would be settling himself up as a tyrant in many ways, but it won't lead to civil unrest and problems. To be an Autocrat but a more benevolent one who was shown to be concerned with the Fire Nation would be sounder than a dictator where things like the attack of the Southern Water Tribe won't happen again.
But first, Iroh had to worry about another problem.
"Fire Lord Iroh, you call for me?" A young dark-skinned Grand Advisor, who went by the name Shamoh, inquired, punching his fist into one palm, and bowed his head respectfully. Middle-aged, he had a challenging and rebellious air about him, something that Iroh encouraged. It was likely Ozai wouldn't have kept him for long.
"Yes, my friend," Iroh responded with a small smile. "I need you to deploy hunters to locate someone for me."
"Oh, who is this someone, your Majesty?" The advisor asked, arching both eyebrows.
"While I wish to respect my lost brother's wishes, I do find the banishment of former Princess Ursa to be odd," he informed. "I am seeing accusations of treason and no clarification. As such, I wish to hear her story. Send the hunters. Under strict orders, she is to be located and brought here alive. This is unarguable. Oh, and finally, your most important assignment."
"Yes?"
A small, crooked smile broke out on his lips. "Do tell the aids do be quick about bringing my ginseng tea. I fear without it, this grueling work will be added on." He had a distant feeling that Azula loved ginseng tea too. Much more than her brother at least. But he would get them both to open up in time.
"As you command, my Lord," the advisor replied, repeating the gesture from earlier before walking out.
'I should make it a law that tea is to be drank everyday.' Iroh thought in amusement.
Zuko was not amused when he brought the idea up later.