The Honor of Love (ATLA fanfic)

22. Cottage at the beach

After the fires were out, Zuko and I dragged Iroh inside a half-intact house. We laid him down on some old blankets that we found. I checked his wound and saw that it was a nasty burn. I searched in my bag and found some cloth to bind him in and some healing herbs. I made a little paste and put it on the wound. Together we bind him in the cloth and laid him back down.

"You will need to change the binding twice a day, otherwise it can get infected. Also let it breathe a bit in the meantime." I said. Zuko nodded. "Okay." He mumbled.

"Could you maybe try and find some herbs for tea? I'm sure it'll do him good when he wakes up." I said carefully. Zuko nodded and he stood up, walking out of the house. I looked around the stuff Zuko and Iroh had with them and I found two pots. I walked out as well, trying to find some wood and water. At the edge of the forest, next to the river I filled the pots with water and my bag with wood.

While I passed the village, I saw a house with a small garden. "Jackpot." I whispered happily when I saw some vegetables in the soil. I took them with me as well and when I returned, Zuko was already back. I cleaned and cut up the vegetables and put them in one of the pots with some of my cooking herbs that I had left.

While both the soup and the tea were brewing, Zuko and I were sitting in silence. The smell of the soup seemed to wake up Iroh and Zuko bend over him. "My wound didn't influence my reaction to the smell of food." Iroh said with a faint smile.

"Well, that is good to hear," I said when I poured him a bowl, "it isn't much but it's hot." Iroh looked at me and smiled. "I did not expect to see you here, it is a lovely surprise. Thank you." Iroh replied and he sat up straight. After he finished his tea and soup he fell back asleep."Thanks," Zuko said quietly while we sat outside of the house, "for helping my uncle."
I smiled. "No problem."

"So, when are you going to run away again? Back to the Avatar?" Zuko asked less friendly. "I'm not going back to Aang, not now at least." I said and sighed. "My mother is still alive, I need to find her... And I want to look for my family in Ba Sing Se."

"She's still alive? How?" Zuko asked surprised. "I don't know... She probably escaped." I replied and shook my head."That's good, I am glad to hear that." Zuko said with a faint smile.
"I thought you were prioritizing Aang over almost everything, at least that is what I... saw." He mumbled.
"I just don't what to do anymore, you know? I am just so tired of running and wandering around. I just want to... maybe start over or something, leaving my past and old life behind. Finally do something for me.""Then what would you do? Where would you live?" Zuko asked. I shrugged and scoffed. "I don't know... Some place nice with lots of green. The countryside maybe, or a cottage at sea... Learn how to farm or whatever."
"You, farming? Sure." Zuko grinned.
"Okay, the cottage at sea then." I replied with a smile.

"We were planning to do that, remember? Living together at the beach." Zuko said quietly. I looked at him, but he didn't look back at me. I grabbed his hand and squeezed in it. "We can still do that, Zuko. We could go... right now." I said with a faint smile. "No," He said and he touched my face, "I first need to restore my honor and take back my rightful place."

"And what will you do?" I asked shakily, "Change the world? Give the people back their land, free the prisoners? End the 100 years of terror caused by your family?"

Angrily Zuko let go of my face. "And? Once I sit on my throne, or next to my father... I will have my life back I-" I stood up and looked at him. "You're naïve if you believe that..." I said coolly.

"Look at me!" He yelled and he stood up as well. "I am royalty! I am rejected by my own family, I don't have any money, I don't have a roof over my head! I have nothing but these old ugly clothes and I have to beg for scraps! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!" He screamed.