"I see."
At this point, he was open enough for a relatively direct conversation, but not yet angry enough to reject everything I said out of hand. More importantly, he expected me to agree to change his assignment, so he probably wouldn't try to punch me... Immediately, at least.
"Tell me, Prince, how would you feel about speaking frankly?" After briefly stepping into the hallway to ensure no extra ears had magically sprouted outside my office, I shut and locked the door.
"What do you mean?" The young man frowned, though some of the heat drained from his expression.
"Your current situation. Have you ever considered why Lord Ozai exiled you?"
"I..." The prince looked away. "I broke my promise to remain silent during the war council and insulted one of the generals. Then I lost the Agni Kai."
It was obvious how difficult it was for him to say those words. The fact that he managed to say them to me at all was already a positive sign.
"Only because of that? Do you truly believe that?"
"I don't believe it! That's what happened!"
The candles and torches illuminating the office flared bright orange-red.
"I see. But doesn't that strike you as an unusually severe punishment?"
"I... My relationship with my father is complicated..."
"I understand. However, if you'll permit me, I'd like to share a few observations of my own."
"What?"
"You see, Prince..." I walked over to the nearest brazier and stared into the glowing coals, gathering my thoughts. "You and I are not enemies. We are not rivals. To be perfectly honest, our interests barely overlap at all. At the same time, you are a powerful firebender, an heir to the throne, and, as I've had occasion to observe, far from the least intelligent representative of the Fire Nation. For that reason, I believe it appropriate to offer you something that may prove useful to you—something that no one else is likely ever to tell you.
"If you have no interest in hearing it, you may refuse, and I give you my word that I will never return to this subject. But if you are willing to listen, I must warn you in advance—you will not like what I have to say. More than that, if you find yourself insulted by my words, I am prepared either to offer a formal apology or to meet you in an Agni Kai."
Zuko froze in place and stared at me with considerable surprise. Yes, that was a serious proposition, even coming from one of Ozai's favorites.
"Speak," the teenager finally said after nearly a minute, clenching his fists.
"As you wish. But remember—these are merely my conclusions, based on observing you and on what I have managed to learn about the events of three years ago. Now then, your outburst at the war council and your insult to the general... Perhaps that was indeed inappropriate. But you were not punished for that."
"Then what was I punished for?" the young firebender hissed.
"For not being afraid to challenge a frail old man to an Agni Kai, yet the moment you discovered that your opponent would be one of the strongest firebenders of our age, you threw yourself at his feet and begged for mercy instead of accepting the duel with dignity.
"Yes, you could not have won that fight. But victory was never required. All you needed to do was show courage and demonstrate to everyone present that you were willing to stand by your convictions and face the consequences head-on. Instead, you became frightened and behaved like a spoiled child, publicly humiliating the Fire Lord himself through your actions.
"He simply could not ignore such an insult in front of dozens of the highest officials in the nation. So he responded as any man of our people was expected to respond."
Zuko flinched, clearly remembering how I had scorched the face of the fishhead who spat at me.
"As for your family relations, I cannot pretend to know enough to judge them. But I will say this: he dealt with you as leniently as he possibly could."
"Leniently?" the prince echoed, unable to hide his astonishment.
"Of course. As a firebender, you should understand the degree of precision and control required to inflict a burn like yours without damaging the eye at all. Your eye still sees, does it not?
"Then you were given a personal ship and crew, along with the right to resupply at any naval base. That is no small privilege when you consider that the realistic alternatives included execution or complete exile without a single coin to your name—a nameless vagabond cast into the world. Some parents disown their children for far less.
"Finally, General Iroh was permitted to accompany you. Not only is he a master firebender with tremendous life experience, he is also one of the very few people both willing and able to provide you with genuine emotional support during your exile.
"As you can see, Lord Ozai did everything he could under those circumstances, and perhaps a little more. Perhaps your relationship is not the best; I can't say. But he fulfilled his duty as a father."
"Why..." Zuko swallowed. "Why are you telling me all this?"
(End of Chapter)
Even the smallest flame needs fuel to endure.
If you wish to see this story burn brighter, consider leaving a review, a comment, or offering your Power Stones.
🔥 Bonus chapter at 200 power stones.