Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 98: Family Ties

Fire Lord Iroh was sitting in a meeting with his council of advisers when a messenger entered the room and bowed to him. The Fire Lord beckoned him forward, and the messenger spoke to him in a low voice.

"Ah, yes, thank you," said Iroh who stood up. "Meeting adjourned," he addressed the men in the room.

"But Fire Lord, we still haven't discussed..."

He raised his hand which instantly silenced the man. "Whatever it is can wait. I have more important business at the moment."

He left the room leaving a few of the men looking perplexed. Admiral Jeong Jeong, Commander Sozoh, Commander Tezam, Zaro, Yuzo, and Akio, however, were less surprised by his abrupt departure.

"At this rate we'll never get anything done in this Nation," grumbled one of the men.

"It will get done," said Jeong Jeong. "But to the Fire Lord, his family is priority."

Tezam got to his feet as well. "That means my daughter has returned then too," he said with a smile. "I wonder how her adventure went at the North Pole."

"Far more successful than Zhao's I'd wager," said Jeong Jeong in a low, dark tone.

One of the other men in the room looked affronted. "That's not funny, Admiral."

"And when have you ever known the Admiral to be funny," said Sozoh. "He doesn't know how to joke."

"It's still a dark thing to say," argued the man. "We lost most of our fleet during Zhao's campaign."

"A fate he brought on for toying with the spirits," said Jeong Jeong deeply. "His and Ozai's hunger for power earned the wrath of the spirits upon our Nation. And it needs to be said and said repeatedly and taught in the schools, otherwise it will be a tragedy repeated by another over-ambitious fool in the future."

Jeong Jeong's words silenced any other complaints.

--------------------

"Ezih, bring tea to my office," Iroh ordered out in the hall.

Ezih bowed and walked off while Iroh continued towards his office followed by two Imperial Firebenders.

He had not been waiting in his office long when Zuko and Chiara entered and bowed low to him.

"Nephew." He moved around his desk to hug him. "It's so good to see you again," he said as if they had been gone for months rather than weeks.

"You too, Uncle."

Iroh took Chiara in his arms next. "My daughter, lovely as ever." She returned his tight embrace. "You look radiant," he said to her.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"How is my little grandchild doing?" he asked taking her hand and leading her to the table.

"I wouldn't even know he was there if it weren't for the firebending."

Iroh laughed as they knelt around the table. "I have yet to find anyone able to explain it. Great Sage Shyu is still researching it, but neither the sages nor the doctors have heard of anything like it, not even among the mixed Nation families in the colonies."

Ezih entered the room carrying a tray with two tea pots and a plate of cakes "Fire Lord," he acknowledged as he placed the tray on the table. "Prince, Princess, welcome home."

"Thank you, Ezih," said Chiara.

Iroh poured his special blend tea for Chiara before pouring jasmine for him and Zuko.