The morning sun, a gentle caress after the tumultuous night, filtered through the leaves, painting dappled patterns on the cave floor. Iroh was already awake, meditating by a small, crackling fire, the aroma of brewing tea filling the air.
Zuko, despite the exhaustion that still clung to him, felt a strange lightness in his chest. The conversation with Alec last night, the raw honesty, the unexpected promise – it had cleared something within him, a knot of tension he hadn't realized he carried.
Alec, however, was still asleep, curled up in a surprisingly graceful heap, his blindfold a stark band against his pale skin. Zuko found himself watching him, a new curiosity stirring within.
He remembered Alec's strange request, the task of finding a snake to bite an apple. It was absurd, ridiculous, yet there was a glint in Alec's eye, a subtle challenge that Zuko, despite himself, felt compelled to meet.
As Alec stirred, stretching languidly, Zuko cleared his throat. "About that… task," he began, trying to sound casual, "the snake and the apple. What exactly is the point of it?"
Alec sat up, his blindfold still in place, but Zuko felt the weight of his unseen gaze. "Ah, Prince Zuko. Eager to fulfill your promise, I see." A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Alec's lips.
"It's a tale from an ancient book. A story of… forbidden love, perhaps. A love that was denied, a promise broken, and a serpent's bite that sealed a fate. But in this version, the serpent's bite is a symbol of forgiveness, a chance for a new beginning."
Zuko frowned. "Forbidden love? A serpent's bite? What kind of ancient book is that?" He had never heard of such a story, and the concept of a serpent's bite symbolizing forgiveness was entirely alien to Fire Nation lore. It sounded… cryptic, like so many things Alec said.
Alec chuckled, a soft, melodic sound. "A very old book, Prince Zuko. Filled with wisdom, and perhaps, a few embellishments. But the core truth remains. Sometimes, the greatest acts of forgiveness come from the most unexpected places. And sometimes, a seemingly impossible task can reveal the deepest truths."
He paused, then added, with a mischievous glint that Zuko could almost feel, "Besides, it's a test of your resourcefulness. And your willingness to embrace the absurd."
Zuko grumbled, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Fine. A snake and an apple. Consider it done." He stood, stretching his stiff limbs. The thought of finding a snake, let alone convincing it to bite an apple, seemed utterly preposterous.
But the challenge, and the underlying meaning Alec hinted at, intrigued him. And, he had to admit, the idea of seeing Alec's reaction if he actually pulled it off was a powerful motivator.
"Excellent," Alec said, his voice laced with amusement. "I suggest you start with the apple. A red one, if you can find it. The symbolism is important."
Zuko rolled his eyes, but nodded. He grabbed his broadswords, a familiar comfort in his hands, and headed out of the cave, leaving Iroh and Alec to their tea. Sometime , even he can't understand where do they get their tea from - in such an environment. The sun was higher now, casting long shadows across the forest floor.
He scanned the trees, searching for any sign of apple trees. It didn't take long. A short distance from the cave, he spotted a towering apple tree, its branches laden with ripe, red fruit. But there was a problem. The tree was enormous, its lowest branches far out of reach. And at the very top, nestled among a cluster of leaves, was a single, perfectly red apple, gleaming like a ruby in the morning sun.
"Of course," Zuko muttered to himself. "It wouldn't be easy." He eyed the tree, calculating the best way to climb it. He was agile, strong, and a skilled climber, but this tree was a challenge.
Its bark was smooth in places, offering little purchase, and the branches were spaced awkwardly. He took a running start, leaping for the lowest branch, his fingers scrabbling for a grip. He pulled himself up, his muscles straining, and began his ascent.
It was a comical sight. Zuko, the fearsome Fire Nation prince, reduced to a clumsy tree-climber, grunting and straining, his face contorted in concentration.
He slipped, he slid, he swore under his breath. He tried different approaches, different handholds, but the tree seemed determined to thwart him. At one point, he lost his footing entirely, sliding down the trunk with a yelp, landing in an undignified heap at the base of the tree, covered in leaves and twigs. He glared at the offending tree, as if it had personally insulted his honor.
He tried again, and again. Each attempt was met with varying degrees of failure. He scraped his knees, barked his shins, and even managed to get a branch tangled in his topknot. The more he struggled, the more ridiculous he felt.
He imagined Alec, sitting calmly in the cave, sipping his tea, silently judging his pathetic attempts. The thought spurred him on, a renewed determination to conquer this arboreal beast.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached the higher branches. The air was cooler up here, and the view was spectacular. He could see for miles, the lush green canopy stretching out before him, a sea of leaves shimmering in the sunlight.
And there it was, the single red apple, just within reach. He stretched, his fingers brushing against its smooth skin, and with a triumphant grin, he plucked it from the branch. Victory! The apple was his.
Now for the snake. That was going to be the tricky part. He carefully descended the tree, the precious apple clutched in his hand. He landed with a soft thud, brushing the dirt from his clothes.
He looked around, scanning the undergrowth, the rocky crevices, the damp earth near the stream. Where would a snake be? He had no idea. He was a firebender, not a snake charmer.
He walked towards the stream, thinking. Snakes liked water, didn't they? Or was that just a myth? He was about to give up, to return to the cave and admit defeat, when he heard a faint rustle in the bushes. He froze, his senses on high alert.
Something was there. Something small, something slithery. He held the apple out, hoping to lure it out, to somehow convince it to perform its bizarre task.