Flameheart | Zuko

FORTY-ONE

Dinner at Iroh's house seemed for once awkward. Sitting in between Suki and Zuko, Homura almost couldn't believe they were here with her. She found it even harder to believe she had admitted how fond of the Fire Lord she was to his own Uncle. Zuko beside her seemed to be equally as awkward at the thought of his Uncle talking to the woman he liked and telling her all about him. He knew first-hand that it could become embarrassing and his Uncle seemed to enjoy making him embarrassed.

Dinner passed with mainly Suki and Iroh talking and a few pointers were made - like how Homura shouldn't go around singing traditional Fire Nation lullabies in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se - and after dinner was over, Homura returned to her home with Suki in tow. The moment they were in the safety of her home, she spoke up.

"I can't believe I didn't recognise the Dragon of the West!"

Suki seemed sympathetic as Homura trudged upstairs. "Well, you didn't see him a few years ago when Kiyi was kidnapped. You've never seen him, actually. You couldn't have known it was him."

"He has an obsession with tea, says wise phrases no one asked to hear, he stays in Ba Sing Se, his eyes are the same as mine!" she burst as she turned to Suki. "How could I have not noticed him?"

Suki only smiled as she got up the stairs as well. "No one expected you to notice him, Homura. He wouldn't have thought anything of you if you weren't so alike to your mother."

She groaned, "Of course he knew Chiaki. What kind of General would he be if he didn't know the best spy in the Fire Nation?"

Suki didn't say a word as she followed after Homura to her room. It was just like the room she had stayed in Iroh's house. Homura's sword was placed in the side against the wall but other than that, nothing else could be seen in the room. Homura sat on the bed and Suki sat on the edge, watching her carefully.

"Are you upset you didn't realise who he was?"

She shook her head, "No, I couldn't have recognised him. I wouldn't have ever thought another Fire Nation citizen would be in Ba Sing Se."

"Are you upset we found you, then?"

She fell silent as she slowly turned to face Suki. She seemed to be waiting for her response patiently, and Homura couldn't bring herself to answer while she was looking at her. With a sigh she turned away and finally, she brought herself to speak.

"I was expecting Zuko to search for me. I didn't know he would let you know as well and I hadn't thought you'd find me that quickly. My life here is peaceful and nothing has happened to make me second guess my decision but no matter how friendly Iroh is and how fun it is to hang around Chin I still miss you. It's not quite the same. Kyoshi...I spent my best years with you in Kyoshi island but I'd never been happier when I returned to the Fire Nation capital. That's home for me. But I need to start over."

"Why can't you start over in the Fire Nation capital?"

She sighed. "What will the people say if they learn the daughter of Ozai's greatest spy, the woman who almost killed their Fire Lord and his family, has come to live among them?"

"Your family has always been loyal to the Fire Lord," she pointed out with a smile, "your mother spent years in prison, she's deranged. No one will associate you with her."

"And what if they do?"

"They'll realise soon enough you're nothing like her," she assured her as she scooted a bit closer. "I don't think you'll be happy in Ba Sing Se, Homura. You said so yourself, the Fire Nation capital is your home and you have friends there. You've Zuko and Mai and even though you might think she doesn't like you, I assure you that's not quite true. After all, she did let you leave the palace."