To Lose or to Gain: Iroh's Child (AtlA Fanfic)

Day of Giving

So many feelings welled in Iroh's chest at the birth of his niece. There was a nice warm feeling in his chest from seeing Kiya in the arms of first her mother and then her older brother, yet a gut-wrenching feeling at how Ozai was the last of the family to show up and how the entire event went over the head of Azula. He saw in those moments how she lacked empathy for others, which Iroh thought stemmed from Ozai never snowing any form of empathy towards others.

And there was the memory of Lu Ten's excitement over the birth of both his previous cousins, let alone how he smiled down at both the moment he got a chance to hold the young prince and princess. Lu Ten certainly wouldn't like what Ozai turned Azula into, let alone how Ozai treated Zuko. Family, for all the sins of the Fire Nation, was still an important fundamental core, yet there was the inkling that if Ozai had his way and become Fire Lord even this would go out the window.

Of course, Azula insisted on being a part of the gift-giving and Iroh couldn't deny her that, despite knowing how she treated Zuko. "Azula's going to ruin everything."

"I doubt Azula would ruin anything while being so closely watched, not when her behavior could easily get back to her grandfather," Iroh murmured.

"It was already bad enough that grandfather suspected it would be mostly girls and it's turned out to be true," Zuko spoke softly as Iroh helped him fix his top knot as they were to be in their royal best for the social occasion.

"I know. Not what any of us were wanting for your first major social event. And, I must admit that there will be a fiasco for the entire royal palace if Azula does anything, but hopefully, Ozai has the sense to tell her to put on her best presentation. She's not been to any major social events. In her case though, I do believe it was your mother's decision as she knows Azula's temperament all too well. But on the positive side, your friends will be there."

"But they've got to go through the exact same hell as me," Zuko sighed.

"Friends who will go through hell with you are not friends to be taken lightly, Prince Zuko, but I'll be outside of the room as well some others in case anything does happen," Iroh smiled at him from behind, yet Zuko could see his uncle in his mirror. The man placed hands on his should. "My. You're debut into the social life of the Fire Nation noble, and Lu Ten's missing out on it."

"But you're smiling."

"I'm smiling despite missing him because I see a young man in that mirror that he would be proud of."

"Really?"

"Really, my dear nephew and son."

"I'm both, aren't I."

"Well, I like having the title of both your uncle and father," Iroh laughed. "Let's be on our way."

The two-headed out through the halls that they come to know quite well, even though Zuko traversed far less into that part of the Royal Palace before being appointed the esteemed prince and heir to the crown prince, although he seemed just as nervous as when they first started, his eyes to the floor.

That was until they heard a soft crying of a child. Iroh watched Zuko's head perk up. The boy's step quickened as he headed towards the sound of the crying child without hesitation, but he didn't hesitate in approaching the small girl far younger than him with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Are you alright?"

"I lost Cha-Cha!" the girl blurted out.

"Then I'll help you find Cha-Cha, whoever that is," Zuko held out his hand, but then looked back at his uncle for any ideas regarding how they might handle the situation.

Iroh smiled at her, taking notice of her clothing as her sobbing slowed to a small sniffle. "I think she's one of the children here for the gift-giving, as her clothing indicates she is of noble status and not one of the servant's children."

"Then if she comes with us, she should be able to find them?" Zuko asked. His eyes asked another question, one of whether nobles were so desperate for him to marry their daughter, that they would send someone so young.

"I believe so, so care to join us fair maiden?"

"Un—father. Is that actually appropriate?"

Iroh laughed. "Oh my! That would have been Lu Ten's response." He watched Zuko's face falter, though some of the glare remained. "You've not replaced him, Zuko, if that's what you're thinking. It's more of—"

"You're Prince Zuko?" Suddenly, the little girl stopped crying and looked up at the boy who now held onto her hand as he guided her to the gift-giving. "Father says Ming should be good so that Cha-Cha can make friends with you."

Zuko's eyes blinked, looking at his uncle. "I'll explain later."

What he would explain later, was that there were other ways that parents would try and take advantage of the gift-giving, yet also when they were alone he'd tell Zuko that him doing things that reminded him of the good memories of Lu Ten was actually a good thing. They headed on their way, with Ming chattering away about how nice Zuko and Iroh were, and not at all scary like her entire school thought which in turn led to Zuko asking about school, something he'd never experienced and her talking Zuko's ear off.

"There you— " Iroh glanced up to see a young man, whose face went pale upon seeing who was with Ming, but he guessed the boy was in fact Cha-Cha. The girl hurried over, with little to no hesitation, but then he glanced over at Zuko to explain that he might be met with this kind of reaction simply for being a member of the royal family.

Yet—Iroh spoke softly. "Zuko, do you know this boy?"

Zuko was startled, shaking off the shock of seeing the boy as Ming prattled on to the young man who was very likely her older brother about meeting Prince Zuko and Prince Iroh and how nice they both were. "Uh. No. I've never been outside of the palace, remember?"

Except, Zuko had been outside of the palace to learn how to use the sword and there had been an incident that the boys didn't want to talk about. There had to have been something regarding badmouthing Lu Ten, as that conversation had come up because of that event. Iroh sighed, bowing. "Well. We must be heading on our way. Prince Zuko looks forward to seeing you at the gift-giving Lady Ming."

"Yes. I'm glad we were able to find him," Zuko piped up before they headed into the courtyard where they would wait with Zuko's friend until the servants said the room was ready, but once they were out of sight, Zuko breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll not ask, particularly since I think the boy had enough of a comeuppance for whatever he did upon realizing how much trouble his family could have been in for doing whatever he did to a royal."