To Lose or to Gain: Iroh's Child (AtlA Fanfic)

Unwanted Ministrations

The young prince found himself sitting on his heels with his arms wrapped around his knees while rocking back and forth in an attempt to calm himself. Nothing about the situation made sense but being in Lu Ten's room simply reminded Zuko of how much he missed his uncle and cousin. In the back of his mind, he added missing his mother to that list as her constant oversight was now missing.

"Mothers are supposed to protect their children. Mother said so, and mother never lies."

Ursa didn't prevent the servant and two soldiers from taking him away, nor did she look him in the eye. Worse, Zuko felt, despite the claim from the servant that he wasn't trespassing, that he in reality was. Eventually, the door opened again, but this time Zuko heard the giggles of female servants as they came into Lu Ten's room.

"Isn't the young prince adorable?"

Heat spread across Zuko's face and he found himself burying his face into his knees. His mind drifted to his actual experiences with the opposite sex and found himself remembering the embarrassing situation with Mai. Nothing that happened made any sense in his mind, yet he didn't understand why Azula found the situation amusing beyond the fact it did, in fact, torment him.

"Please maintain your dignity in front of the prince please."

"Yes, Lady Akane."

Zuko kept his face buried while his entire body stiffened at the sound of the servants approaching. In the back of his mind, he wondered if having to deal with females was some kind of punishment for the slight his father caused his uncle, for being in close proximity and not knowing what to do left Zuko feeling flustered. He heard a trey of food put down in front of him, but Akane spoke. "Esteemed Prince Zuko, we have brought your breakfast."

Zuko peeked out over his arm at the trey of food Akane presented him. His head tilted up more when he realized Akene was, in fact, the servant he saw earlier. His eyes drifted down to the food which in turn looked enticing, yet he didn't feel like eating/ Akane waited patiently with her lips pushed together. Eventually, she let out a sigh. "If you aren't going to eat right away Prince Zuko then we servants will proceed in getting you changed out of your night ware."

The young prince thought he heard wrong, yet he still felt the tips of his ears burn at Akane's suggestion. His golden eyes widened slightly as Akane stood and moved to his side. The woman knelt down and hand reached for Zuko's clothing making him realize she indeed said what he thought she said. He felt his breath hitch, but his foot kicked out in his attempt to backpedal away from the woman. The sound of the trey turning over echoed through the room.

"Prince Zuko...." Akane remained calm, but kneeling where he was, but the two servant girls let out sounds of dismayed shock.

Zuko's eyes looked at the food and drink spilled on the rug in Lu Ten's room and swallowed. "I'm sorry." His small hands reached for the trey and turned it right side up before turning his attention to the food. "I am so sorry."

His small hands attempted scooping the spilled food onto the plate, but a firm hand stopped his ministrations. Zuko let his eyes travel from the wrist, towards the arms and to the face of Akane. The look of disgust on her face made him cringe. "Prince Zuko."

"I..."

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Clea..."

"Cleaning is the job of us servants."

"But..."

Akane's other hand lightly touched Zuko under the arm, but her movements ushered him into a standing position. She gently led him over to Lu Ten's bed, but reluctantly under her guidance, he sat down on the edge. Without looking at the mess she barked an order. "Clear away that mess and bring the prince something else to eat."

She continued holding onto his hand, but somehow procured a cloth and started wiping off Zuko's hand. Zuko's eyes widened. "Wait. No." He looked Akane in the eye. "They don't have to do that. I'm not hungry. Really, I'm not."

The look on Akane's face was cold, but she quickly bowed her head to Zuko. "As you wish, Esteemed Prince Zuko."

Zuko swallowed. "Why do you call me that?"

"That is who you are."

"No. Esteemed Prince is Lu Ten."

"You need not worry your head about such things right now." Akane the back of Zuko's hand lightly while the two servant girls cleared away the food. "Everything will be explained to you in time when Fire Lord Azulon wishes it so."

Zuko's golden eyes drifted towards the floor. He felt Akane stand up and follow the girls out of the room. He didn't see her turn in the doorway to face him and instead heard her feet shuffle in a manner which told him this was the case.

"I hope you feel up to eating at lunchtime Prince Zuko."

A sigh escaped Zuko's lips when he heard the door click shut. He slid down to the ground from the bed into a sitting position and proceeded to bury his head into his arms. Akane said he need not worry about such things, yet this didn't stop him from doing just that. Eventually, he lifted his head and rested his chin on top of his arms while looking out of Lu Ten's room at the gardens.

"Why am I here?" Nobody was there to answer his question. Zuko wiped a few tears away from his eyes and sucked in his breath. Even worse than the thought of his father killing him was the thought of his father lecturing him for letting his emotions take control. "I might as well be. Disappointment. Always a disappointment."

Eventually, Akane came back with the lunchtime meal. Zuko reluctantly attempted to eat something lest he become an even bigger disappointment, yet his appetite remained lacking. Akane watched him carefully before asking, "May we change your clothes now?"

Zuko's eyes widened in horror, but his mouth opened slowly. His golden eyes opened and closed in confusion, yet he felt heat in his cheeks and ears. "I... uh..."

"Understood."

He wasn't sure what was understood as he himself wasn't understanding why the servant was doing what his mother usually oversaw. Zuko's eyes closed upon remembering the look on his mother's face. The servants left and came back at dinner time, yet there seemed something familiar about Akane which Zuko couldn't place. The next time around Akane didn't ask about changing his clothes and instead said something about getting a good night's rest.

As the door clicked Zuko realized she meant getting some sleep in Lu Ten's bed. The young prince returned to resting his chin against his arms while his mind contemplated what he thought of as sacrilege. Eventually, Zuko nodded off.