Is The Truth Treason?
South Pole
100 AG
Aboard the Wani
08:45 AM
"I don't believe he is fit for the role,"
Zuko's words hung in the air for a moment, as though frozen in time and space while the boy and man seated on the bed understood what was just said.
Zuko felt lighter as soon as he said it, but upon realizing the weight of what he said he froze back up. His mouth felt dry as he tried to swallow his anxiety and meet Iroh's eyes. The older man had yet to say anything and if Zuko was entirely honest the silence from his gaurdian was more worrisome than any possible response he could get.
While Zuko sat with his head bowed and eyes squeezed shut, Iroh sat next to him, looking at the youth with a different lense than before.
The boy before him clearly understood some of what he'd seen since his banishment, and in the intervening years had seen various examples of leadership, comparing the world around him to the world he knew. It was likely that the jarring difference was part of what fueled the boy's animosity towards everyone.
He was scared, and wanted comfort, but didn't understand that wasn't a weakness. Iroh shook his head sadly, understanding now that the Zuko before him was as close to the true Zuko as he'd gotten in years, and knowing the reason behind it.
"Zuko," Iroh began cautiously. The teen snapped his head towards him, throaght bobbing nervously. Iroh reached his hand for Zuko's shoulder, but retreated when he noticed him tense. "You aren't in trouble Zuko," he began again, maintaining eye contact with his nephew.
Zuko's eyes stared back at Iroh's, searching for any hint of deceit. Upon finding none his shoulders visibly relaxed, but not by much. "Not with you I'm not," he said, now looking away. The rest was obvious.
"Zuko," Iroh placed his hand on the shoulder farthest from him, pulling Zuko to look at him again. The boy averted his eyes. "Zuko, please look at me," he pleaded. His heart clenched as Zuko warily looked back at him, expression gaurded but eyes clearly worried. "Zuko, I won't tell my brother, or anyone who reports to him,"
Zuko looked incredulous. "But Uncle, he's the-"
Iroh put his hand up. "He usurped me. And I have not trusted him since I came home to him on the throne and your mother gone," he shook his head at the thought of what happened not more than 5 years ago. "Do you really think I would let my brother know anything about dissent?"
Zuko shook his head. "But dissent is treason and treason is punishable by death," he argued, reciting that which had been drilled into his head from an early age. "Besides, so few people-"
At this Iroh laughed, hands on his belly as he laughed harder at Zuko's expression.
"Uncle, this is serious!"
Iroh shook his head, wiping away a small tear as his chortles petered off. "Nephew, the Fire Lord cannot have every citizen of the Fire Nation monitored for having 'treasonous opinions'," he put his fingers in air quotes before grinning at the horrified boy before him. "Believe me Nephew, the Fire Lord has lost the favor of many a citizen,"
Zuko looked incredulous. "But he's the Fire Lord," he stated, brows furrowing in confusion. "As a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation one must honor and respect him," he glanced up at Iroh who's calm demeanor only confused him more.
"That is what every citizen is taught, yes," Iroh admitted, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"And to honor the Fire Lord is to respect the Fire Lord,"
"In theory,"
"And to respect him is to not question him,"
"That is what is taught, however I among many who believe that respect includes being able to criticise one's leaders and idols,"
"But criticism is disrespectful when talking to one's superiors?"
"Nephew, criticism helps us grow," Iroh began as he shook his head. It was something he'd been doing a lot in the past few years, with his orders and requests becoming more fantastic by the day. "When I first became a general," he paused, for once at a loss for words.
"What is it uncle?" Zuko looked so confused as he leaned forward towards Iroh, taken in by the wisdom he radiates to others.
Iroh bowed his head and began again, eyes closed as he spoke. "When I first became an officer of the Fire Nation military, I was an awful leader. All I cared about was improving my own rank with little regard for the safety of my men," he grimaced in shame. "I lost many great men in my quest to gather knowledge and renown and did not realize this for many years. I believed winning battles was a mark of a great leader and that such victories guaranteed me honor and respect from those around me,"
Zuko looked puzzled, but stayed quiet as he waited for Iroh to finish. In any other situation Iroh would have thought his nephew's silence worrying but in this moment it brought him hope. The boy was no lost cause, he knew, and his uncharacteristic paitience only solidified this belief.
"The day I became a general, a certain admiral who was around my age came to see me in private to tell me, quite simply, that I was a terrible leader and even with my title I did not have his respect,"
Zuko looked astonished. "Uncle!" He gasped. "Wad he punished for insolence?" He asked in awe that anyone would say such a thing to Iroh.
Iroh shook his head a small smile playing at his lips. "No Zuko, I was just as shocked as you back then and I tried to intimidate him into taking his words back and once he refused I asked him why he believed me an unfit leader. As soon as I asked," he grinned sheepishly. "He proceeded to point out every mistake in my career and my failings as a leader and everything that detracted from my image,"
"Is he still alive?"
"I believe so,"
"Is he retired? Did he get in trouble for that? What happened to him after?" The boy rasped, desperate for assurance. He knew Iroh to having been ruthless in his early career, and to imagine someone below his rank dressing him down in such a manner was unthinkable.
Iroh laughed. "He's alive, I think. And he is technically retired..."Iroh trailed off. "He is now considered a traitor to the Fire Nation, but that happened many years later, and I believe he did the right thing," Iroh admitted, testing the waters for this line of thought.
"Admiral Jeong Jeong," Zuko breathed out in awe. But quickly scowled. "What did he actually do? It's never said in any detail. People always just say he committed high treason against the Fire Nation but there are so many possible offences that count as high treason he could've done anything,"
Iroh breathed in relief. "Nephew, I am so pleased right now," he said, smiling at the teenager before him. Zuko's eyes narrowed in suspicion, on the defensive in an instant, his brow arched in question.
"Zuko," Iroh gripped his shoulders and smiled wide, eyes bright with pride, "You passed,"
"Passed what? What are you talking about?" Zuko questioned, pulling himself from Iroh's grasp. "I asked about Admiral Jeong Jeong, what nonsense are you spouting now, Uncle? What kind of test" he spat that word. "Was this?"
Uncle shook his head and put his hands up in peace. "Nephew, it may be best if we talked over tea in my chambers. We've spent enough time in yours and the crew may start asking questions if we don't get to our usual routine soon..." Iroh looked thoughtful. "Let's just say you're getting sick," he chortled, reaching for Zuko's phoenix tail and immediately pulling a few strands out for a more 'ill' look.
"Uncle I-"
"Your voice could be a little raspier but who'll be able to tell?"
"Uncle-"
"Shh shh sh Prince Zuko," he nodded his head sagely. "If you want the answers you seek you must act as though you are getting sick,"
Silence from the sullen boy.
"You're a good actor nephew, you can do it. Now come along,"
"You will tell me about Jeong Jeong, right?"
"Of course!"
And they walked out of the cabin to attend to their daily tasks.
End of Chapter 2