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chapter twenty-three
the air was thick with tension in the royal dining hall where Yanmei's friends sat. Aang had decided to be the one to tell Zuko and Ursa about the most recent tragedy, and now the room was full of silence as everyone processed his words into reality.
Zuko abruptly stood up after a few moments of silence, resulting in everyone else to snap their heads towards the young Firelord.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Toph spoke.
Zuko clenched his jaw, "I need to see her"
"she said that she wanted to be alone so leave her alone"
"she's beeen through a lot today... just give her some more time and she'll come," Katara added, her voice was so soft from crying that it was nearly a whisper.
"if you really think that right now is the time for her to be alone then you're all dumber than I thought"
Ursa kept her eyes locked on her hands in her lap. her hands fiddled with nerves and shock. just a couple nights ago she talked with Yanmei, and the smile she saw on the young girls face was the same as when she was a child; full of light and happiness. Ursa wanted nothing more than for this pain Yanmei was feeling to vanish, just so she, and everyone in the world, could see that smile again.
"Zuko is right," Ursa spoke, lifting her head for everyone to see her tear stained face, "but right now what she needs is a mother. I made a promise long ago to be that person for her, so it would be best that only I see her for now. the pain she is going through... I've seen it first-hand many times before. so please, allow me to visit her"
everyone knew that Ursa was right. none of them actually understood how to comfort Yanmei except Ursa, who was a mother herself. they also knew that besides Zuko and Iroh, Ursa knew Yanmei the most. they had a special bond because Ursa had raised her from the day she was born. she was the mother that she didn't get to have. and since Ursa had been gone for so many years, the older woman wanted to make up for their lost time.
but Zuko was more hesitant to agree than the others. again, he knew Yanmei extremely well, so he knew how she handles her feelings. and so as he went back to his seat at the head of the table, he gave his mother some advice. "she has a tendency of turning her feelings into anger, which triggers her fire, so be careful of what you say. if things go wrong or if it's bad when you get to her call for me immediately"
Ursa let out a small chuckle at his words, "I raised three fire-bending children, I think i'll be fine"
and so with that the former Fire Lady exited the dining hall in search for Yanmei. Ursa had multiple ideas to where the younger girl would be, all were her favorite hiding spots as a child or places she would usually go to clear her head. but when the current circumstances come into place, lots of those places wouldn't be the one. for everyone else they would think Yanmei was either still in the infirmary room or out in the royal gardens and immediately go there, but Ursa knew of one other place the dual bender would go.
