Dragon At Heart

Chapter 23

23. The Bigger Picture

Katara wasn't sure what to think of the story she had just heard.

She had always known there was almost nothing the Fire Nation wasn't capable of, but it still sounded impossible that the Fire Lord would've done all that to his own son.

There was one think she was sure of, though.

I can never look at Prince Zuko the same way again. Literally. Not now that I know where the scar is from.

ooo

At the beginning of the story Sokka had tried to hurry Katara on, but then he'd gotten wrapped into it himself, too. Now neither of the kids was in particular hurry to crawl the rest of the way to safety.

Although Sokka knew they had to keep going eventually, he also knew this was once in a lifetime opportunity to learn more about their enemies: Prince Zuko, the Fire Nation, the Fire lord. All the people and stuff they would have to figure out how to defeat.

Since Iroh was the Fire Lord's brother and apparently a General, he if anyone knew secrets about the war and might slip sometSign invaluable.

Hell, before today, we didn't even know the Fire Lord'sname, let alone anything about his familial relations. We've already learned a lot of important stuff.

ooo

"So that's how Prince Zuko got the scar", one of the men gathered around the fire exclaimed.

Yes, Uncle thought, Zuko has carried many scars with him since that day, some more visible than others.

"No wonder the Prince is so determined to capture the Avatar. It's the only way he can return to the life he used to have", Lieutenant Jee said seriously.

Iroh realized his story, under the circumstances, might have been a bit misleading: "Yes and no. For along time, Prince Zuko's desire to go home was his main source of motivation, but it isn't that anymore."

"My nephew has slowly grasped what I've known since that faithful Agni Kai: that his life can never return the way it was, not even by capturing the Avatar", Iroh explained.

"Is that why he's been so different lately?" Seaman Oki's question caught Iroh completely off guard.

The reason to Zuko's weird behavior wasn't just one thing or another, but Oki's guess was so close to the truth that Uncle didn't want to contradict him.

"That, among other things, has certainly played a part", Iroh hesitated for awhile, wondering how much he was in a liberty to tell them of Zuko's recent discoveries.

Zuko trusts them, Iroh reminded himself, He trusts the crew, that is. The Water Tribe siblings, on the other hand... well, he'll forgive me.

"Another reason is that Zuko has recently learned more of another event from his past. One that has haunted him for years: his mother's disappearance six years ago when Zuko was only ten", Uncle continued.

"That is another long and eventful story, one I cannot share with you today, but one that has altered my nephew's outlook on his life and nation forever."

"I can't believe Zuko has been struggling with all this stuff, you know, his father banishing him, his mother disappearing, but he hasn't said a word about it to us", Juva said, looking more puzzled than accusing.

"Like I said, my nephew is a very private person. He has the tendency to carry all his problems alone, which I fear has lead him to became quite burdened and lonely. However, he has made some significant progress on that topic lately", Iroh concluded on a happier note.