Chapter Text
The palace is quite empty, Iroh noted, as he walked in. It had been a year since he left and so much had changed. The palace didn’t look different but it definitely felt different. A veil of sorrow, a repressed choking feeling too hold and almost made it hard to breathe.
Ignoring the choking feeling, Iroh walked to the throne room to announce his arrival back. He had been sorry that he missed his fathers funeral, but by the time he had heard about it, it had been weeks, since he was too far away to make it on time.
The throne room was like it always was. Empty. Barren. A sense of stillness was here, like if you breathed wrong the fire would consume you. He hated this room the most.
As he walked in, he took a deep breath and sighed. He wished someone was here to wish him luck.
He would need it.
I can't believe they are gone, Iroh thought. Sending kids out for the Avatar, what was he thinking?
He shook his head in disgust and looked around the room. Zuko's room was barren, no life lived in there. A picture perfect room for a prince. No personality or thought in here. It was very clean, orderly, but a sense of sadness blanketed the room.
He remembered when Zuko was younger, back when there wasn't a need for him to change who he was. It is one of Iroh’s greatest regrets he was here when Zuko needed him most.
I can't change the past though, so no use feeling bad over it.
That's what he tells himself anyway.
As far as outings go this is a relatively tame one. Ember Island was a popular vacation spot, one for tourists and native Fire Nation people. The sun was shining brightly, it was a cloudless day and Zuko was playing in the sand with Lu Ten as Ursa rocked Azula to sleep.
She had been cranky all day, refusing to sleep, and Iroh could tell Ursa was wearing herself thin. Before he could offer to take Azula to let her sleep (even though he was pretty sure she ddin’t like him, although Ursa said that was absurd since she was a baby, and liked everyone) Zuko spoke up.
“Momma, can I hold her?” he said, turning away from the sandcastle he built.
She sighed wearily and said, “Sure, but make sure you hold her carefully, she’s very small, and can be hurt easily.”
Zuko scoffed, making Iroh laugh. Iroh was glad his brother was too busy today to go, this moment would have never happened then. “Of course mama, I’m her big brother, and it's my job to protect her.”
He held out his hands for Azula and she handed her over carefully. After settling her in Zuko's arms, she looked at the two of them. Azula was fast asleep. No squirming or whing, she had just closed her eyes. Iroh watched as Zuko’s eyes lit up in excitement.
He made a ‘shhh’ motion and pointed to azula. Zuko nodded, and Iroh spoke quietly. “I guess she likes you.”
Zuko beamed and looked to his mother who gave him a soft smile.
A few years passed and Iroh would hold that memory close as he watched the two grow further apart and the siblings closer together.
Sometimes Iroh wondered if that was ever a good thing.
He looked out the window and decided he was going to help. He needed to find them, get them to see that there was more to life than capturing a myth.
That the war was wrong.
When Zuko took the throne he needed to have the war ended. It can’t keep going on like this, Iroh thinks.
He packs up his bags, walks out the door, and leaves.