>>6003652“There.” Iroh says as he moves the Pai Sho piece forward.
“Huh?” Zuko looked at the board confused. A broad smile appeared on Uncle’s face.
“You lost, stupid.” You say. “He just used the Red Dragon Gambit. Didn’t you learn Pai Sho at all?”
“Ugh.” Zuko flicked one of his Pai Sho pieces to the wall to stave off some of his anger, but Iroh catches it.
“Treat your Pai Sho pieces well, Prince Zuko.” Uncle says, flicking the piece he caught from one finger to another. “Even the White Lotus has its use, if you know when and where to use it.” He looks over to you. “Lady Azula, who taught you Pai Sho?”
You feel a slight headache coming on. “Uh… Lo and Li.” Though you remember a young man’s face as well.
“When are we leaving this harbor?” Zuko ponders. “We have to pursue the Avatar.”
Iroh is putting the pieces back in an adorned cloth bag. “We cannot sail the seas blindly looking for him.”
“He probably isn’t at sea anymore. That flying bison needs to rest and eat.” Zuko says.
“So we look around the whole Earth Kingdom?” You ask. “That’s your best plan, Zuzu?”
“No.” He says. “The southern coast of the Earth Kingdom. The Avatar couldn’t have gone much farther.”
Iroh stores the Pai Sho pieces in one of his drawers, and takes a steaming kettle of tea from his small stove. He serves a cup for each of you. “Ginseng tea has to be taken boiling hot, so drink up.”
You take your own tea and sip it up. Hot bitter leaf water. You watch your brother make a similar face to yours.
There’s a knock on the door of Uncle’s room. “Lordships, Commander Zhao has urgently requested to see all of you.”
Uncle doesn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry as he pours a cup of tea for himself, but Zuko gets up. You lazily follow along with him, then Iroh admits defeat, pours a second cup which he rushes to enjoy.
Zhao is backed up by a small cohort of firebenders, his hands behind his back. “Princes, ex-general, I have good news for all of you.”
You can’t tell if his tone is sarcastic, Zhao continues. “I have just received news from the capital that the Avatar is, in fact, active, and that all of the Fire Nation military must remain watchful. If we meet the Avatar, we have orders to capture them.”
Zuko looks Zhao over with a stoic stare. “Then we have to move out.” He says, hiding the fact that he already knew.
“I would recommend looking around in the port settlements of the Earth Kingdom. They will not deny representatives of the Fire Nation.” Zhao says. He takes a scroll from one of the soldiers beside him and offers it to you.
“A message from the capital addressed to you, Princess Azula.” He says. “It bears the royal seal, so I did not dare open it.”
You take it. When you see your father’s name inscribed upon it, you feel… fear.
“Then I will take my leave. Good luck on your search, Prince Zuko, Princess Azula. The Fire Nation depends on you.” He bows slightly and heads back to his camp.
