Road to Ba Sing Se | Zuko

11

❃ A subtle attempt ❃

Iroh's statement made Keya think. A pain born out of a son's love? Did Zuko's parents do something, then? Keya decided that it was safe enough to ask her friend.

"What did the Fire Lord do? Or was it the, erm, Fire Queen?" The girl asked timidly, immediately revealing her surmised knowledge on Zuko's heritage.

Iroh's eyes grew wide and his mouth went agape at the mention of his brother and sister-in-law. He stepped back in shock and shook his head to collect himself. He observed his young friend. Her eyes were still glistening with old tears. The skin around her was tinged a dark pink from irritation. Yet, her face only held curiosity.

"Since when did you know that Zuko is the Fire Nation Prince?" He asked her with a perplexed look on his face. She must have known it from the start! Or perhaps Zuko had already told her? No, that was impossible. How had she figured it out? All these thoughts raced through his mind, forgetting his many mishaps and lack of ability to lie.

Keya looked at him with a shy smile. "Oh, well I didn't know exactly -just had my suspicions-, but you did just confirm it."

Iroh's warm eyes twinkled with surprise and delight. Then, his hands grasped his belly and he let out a boisterous laugh. Keya giggled along with him.

"Ha ha ha, ho that's quite extraordinary, young Keya! I should say, at my age I don't often get bested in trickery anymore! You are a surprisingly strategic mastermind." As he spoke, thunder sounded in the distance. Iroh quickly cast a worried glance in the direction of the storm, where Zuko now dwelt. Keya noticed and tried to distract him again.

"I wouldn't call myself a uh, strategic mastermind, but I have been called a kitchen mastermind before (not really)!" She joked lamely. For an airbender, her humour didn't exactly land well. She sucked in a breath. "Anyway, I do make an awfully delicious stew every once in a while. Why don't we head inside before the storm hits and have dinner." She suggested and put a hand on his shoulder to guide the wounded man inside.

Iroh smiled appreciatively. "Thank you Keya, for your cooking and your concern. I do agree that it's time to eat. My stomach is starting to rumble now that I can smell your food."

The two headed over inside, where Keya's stew had stopped simmering. The wood underneath the pot had turned into small embers, only sufficient enough in warmth to keep the pot's contents warm. Outside, small drops of rain started falling. However, it seemed that the storm would mostly stay in the mountains up ahead.

Iroh sat down with a pained grunt as Keya grabbed two bowls and filled them. He gracefully accepted his bowl when she handed it to him and took a small sip. "This is indeed delicious, Keya. Thank you for your efforts."

"It's no problem, Iroh. Feel free to take as much as you need. You need to recover from that nasty wound on your shoulder." Keya replied.

Iroh nodded. "I'm not the only one who needs to recover. You've been through quite the trouble sticking around my nephew and I. He told me that he met you by chance back at the abandoned village. He mentioned something about spark rocks?"

"Oh!" Keya gasped and fished Iroh's spark rocks from her pouch. "Thanks for the reminder. You dropped these the day before we met that little girl, Toph. I wanted to return them to you at the time, but I kept forgetting. Looking back, I realise that you would have survived without them just fine." She handed the spark rocks over to him anyway and Iroh looked grateful.

"I appreciate your efforts, Miss Keya. Your kindness does not go unnoticed. In return, I'd like to answer your question regarding the Prince's past." Iroh quickly finished his stew. Keya continued to sip her own as her companion started his nephew's tale.