He's just happy to be here

[hotleafjuice]

You know, mun, at my time of life, it is usually nice to be left alone with my own thoughts. I do not mean that your offer is unappreciated. There are so many wrongs to right, and fascinating strangers to have tea with! Perhaps there is no life that has seen enough adventures, after all, and I would never wish to be rude. But I hope you take some care about where you send me. I'm an old man, you know!

Comments

[hotleafjuice]

I would be glad to have you with me if you think you would enjoy serving tea, but I don't think you'd find any true happiness that way.

[burnedbrighter]

I am not fallen so far that I am a servant!

[hotleafjuice]

[He'll leave aside the idea that a servant is a bad thing to be for now. That's probably too much at once.]

A tea server is no more a servant than a grocer or a weaver. We should have taken you and your brother out of the palace more when you were children.

[burnedbrighter]

Yes well, you can add that to your list of failures then. I will not lower myself to bringing tea to those less deserving then myself.

Even my idiot Mun has icons of me wearing Earth Kingdom clothes and serving tea.

[hotleafjuice]

[...Siiiigh.]

We cannot lead our lives waiting for one or the other of us to deserve. That smacks of debts and judgement that would stand in the way of living.

[burnedbrighter]

You act as though it's wrong for the superior to judge those beneath them. More foolishness.

[hotleafjuice]

And you act as though any one soul has more weight than any other. I wish that idea were stranger than it is. Where do we learn such silly things?

[burnedbrighter]

Experience. Logic and reasoning. Some people are just more worthy then others.

[hotleafjuice]

Worthy of what? We are all too varied to value the same things, and too alike for one to be greater than another.

[burnedbrighter]

Again you speak foolishly! How anyone mistook you as wise is beyond me. It should be obvious what traits should be valued above others. Intelligence, strength, skill, perfection! Those of respectable royal breeding even more so.

[hotleafjuice]

The boy who delivers my jasmine tea every morning can do sums very quickly in his head, is very strong, and drives his family's delivery wagon with a great deal of skill. By the measure you have given me, he is of great value, and I would agree, yet I suspect you would not, Princess.

1/2

[burnedbrighter]

...

2/2

[burnedbrighter]

...well played old man.

[hotleafjuice]

I wasn't only a general thanks to birth, you know.

[burnedbrighter]

I'm marking this one up to exhaustion. It's difficult to sleep waiting for mother's inevitable attempt on my life.

[hotleafjuice]

[...Too many problems to begin to unpack there. He'll try going about it gently. And just a little sarcastically. He's only human.]

Ursa would hate for you to go without your sleep. It always did make you crabby.

[burnedbrighter]

[Very dry look, she is not amused by you Iroh! Even if her Mun adores you]

But she just loves knowing how far I've fallen. I'm sure she and the "Fire Lord" have long laughing conversations about it before he comes down to pretend he still cares about me. I know he only does it to make sure I'm still securely where no one cares to come looking.

Locked away in the darkest corner of a closet like a nightmare.

[Her eyes have glazed over a bit and she's grinding her teeth glaring at the ground as if it wronged her]

[hotleafjuice]

[Calmness is perhaps not working, but it's probably better than any other option. An impassioned plea or even an attempt to scold some sense in her would probably just get her hackles up all the more.]

Of course we're all glad we know where you are. You worry us, you know.

[burnedbrighter]

[Ah good, she focuses again on that]

Of course you do! Imagine what would happen if I were free and sought out those who supported father and would support my seizing the throne!

But instead I'm sent away on some fools errand. These mun creatures...this one in particular. I'd rather die then see through another one of his "Character building experiences."

[Practically spitting the words]

[hotleafjuice]

So you would rather be a puppet for your father's old loyalists than see a little more of the world? I don't believe that. You're too clever a girl.

[burnedbrighter]

I am a clever girl, but no amount of sight seeing and adventure is worth...

...

...what he did.

[hotleafjuice]

[Well, now he's distressed.]

You can tell your old uncle about it.

[burnedbrighter]

[She considers it then turns away]

You don't want to know. Zuko was involved.

As much as I would love to tarnish your gleaming opinion of him.

[hotleafjuice]

You must keep in mind that I have seen both of you at your worst. Sometimes I think the only difference is the time I had to spend with your brother. You both have the potential for balance, for good and evil in great measure.

TLDR this is the last time I had a really good run of plot with her XD

[burnedbrighter]

...

I've wondered sometimes just how different things would have been if I'd traveled with you instead and father had loved Zuko.

[A sigh, she still can't look at him]

It was some time ago...I think. Time loses itself when you spend so much time without windows.

I was in a "Game" where we were in a ship that traveled among the stars. That in itself was madness. I awoke naked and confused on this ship and by the time I was clothed...I saw the Waterbender. The Avatar's nursemaid.

I attacked of course. The element of surprise...I admit it was not the most tactical action I could have taken given the situation but I was furious and she had her back to me!

Zuko arrived, as did the Avatar, Sokka and Mai. They had me out numbered and frozen...again. People were starring. I was humiliated. Zuko insulted me and turned his back on me. I couldn't control it and I struck out again landing a beautiful strike!

I was incapacitated, locked away for months with now window, no time out of my cell. Just my thoughts. When I was finally set free there were no doctors, and the others from our world avoided me...

...can you blame them?

The only two who sought me out was a girl from the Northern Water Tribe, and an Airbending woman from before we destroyed them all. I know this all sounds even more insane then I usually am but it's true!

They actually tried to help me...fools.

The final straw came on the day, when that horrible ship brought Father to us. He had his Fire, and he struck out to end Zuko and the Avatar once and for all. I aided him until...she returned as well.

Just like she ALWAYS does. Promising me she loves me! Swearing she never meant to hurt me! LIAR! I could not strike her without alerting the rest of the ship so I ran...failing father again. But I had no idea how much until later.

Father fought them to a stalemate. The Avatar did not dare attempt to take his bending again. And while they argued about what to do with him...Mai murdered him in cold blood.

And Zuko tried to lie and take the blame. Tried to protect her from me!

But it didn't matter. The ship took her away before I ever had the chance to face her.

And before I could even begin to pick up the pieces...the "Game" ended and I was back here.