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Zuko fumed as he followed behind his uncle, they were once again on the run. They were always running and it not only irked him but pissed him off. He was a prince, a banished one, but a prince none the less. He should not be here in the middle of nowhere!
Steam started to unconsciously leak from his ears due to his anger.
"Calm yourself prince Zuko, we are in a holy place. It has been untouched by humans for quite a long time." Zuko snorted, everything was holy to his uncle in same way shape or form. "If it's so 'holy' then why are we here? Going to ask the spirits for a cup of tea?" His voice was full of sarcasm.
Sarcasm that rolled off of Iroh's back. He was more then used to his nephews sour attitude. Then again some of it was justified, but that did not make it okay. Yes, Zuko had a hard life but that did not excuse his bad attitude. Even so he knew better then to rile him up, even if intentionally.
"Actually…I wouldn't mind a cup of tea…" Both of them jumped lightly and spun on their heels to face the female voice.
Their eyes widened, in front of them stood a young woman whose beauty was by far the best in all the lands. She was garbed in a plain dark blue kimono, yet on her it looked like she was wearing the finest of robes.
She had long raven black hair that fell in silk waves down to her mid back. Her skin was pale and blemish free. Her body was lithe and womanly, yet she was petit. She stood no taller than five foot four, at most, yet her very aura more than made up for it. On her heart shaped face was a small serene smile, yet it was her deep blue eyes, much like the ocean, that drew their attention.
"Who are you?" It was Zuko's loud demanding and distrusting voice that broke the serene trance that befell them.
The young woman merely offered him a friendly smile. "I am called Kagome. May I ask your names?" Zuko blushed lightly and was about to lash out at her, which was his defense mechanism, but Iroh beat him to it.
"Ah, what a beautiful name for a beautiful young woman. My name is Iroh but please feel free to call me uncle. This here is my nephew, Zuko, please excuse him, he's not used to seeing such beautiful young women." Zuko huffed.
"Oh, it is fine. Any company is welcome. Er…that's not to say you're bad company…I mean um…" She trailed off a light blush on her cheeks.
Zuko rolled his eyes, yes she was pretty but they did not have all day to sit around and chat or in her case blabber on. "Look, we don't have time for this, it was nice to meet you but we must be going now." Iroh lost his cheerful grin and seemed to sulk making Zuko resist the urge to roll his eyes.
Kagome bit her lip, not knowing if she should voice her words or not, yet she deiced to at the last second. "Um…about that cup of tea…." She trialed off not knowing if she came off as rude or not, it had been so long since she had company, let alone human company.
Iroh immediately perked up, much to Zuko's annoyance. Yet he held his tongue, he knew his uncle like the back of his hand and if they did not sit down and have tea with her he would sulk about it for weeks. So with a huff he plopped down on the ground and looked away from them both.
Iroh smiled as he nodded happily. "Of course my lady!" She smiled and clapped her hands. "Wonderful! It's been so long since I've had visitors! Please follow me." With that she mentioned for them to follow her. Iroh happily skipped behind her and Zuko grumbled under his breath as he got up, with a blush, and followed after them. He did not recall seeing a house around here. After all didn't his uncle say that these woods were holy and untouched by humans?
It was five minutes later that they approached a small but nice house. She opened the door and mentioned for them to enter her home. They did so and almost instantly they were stuck with a feeling of being home, of being welcomed and loved.
"Well this is home sweet home!" She smiled and held out her arms. They were in a small hallway which lead to a medium sized living room, which held a couch and some tables. To the left was the kitchen, from what they could see. Beyond that was another hallway which lead to what they assumed was her living quarters. It was a far cry from what they were used to, but it was homey.
"You have a lovely home." Kagome blushed and nodded at Iroh. "Thank you…since you are my guests please allow me to make the tea."
Iroh shook his head and held up his hands. "Oh no, we invited you to tea. Besides I for one love to brew tea. Please allow me." Kagome frowned lightly and worried her bottom lip, she did not want to seem rude…
Zuko sighed, this was getting them nowhere. "Look just let him make the tea or else he'll pout about it." Kagome blinked and nodded, tossing Zuko a small friendly smile. "If you're sure…"
Iroh nodded happily. "I am! I will go make it, I hope you don't mind me bumbling around in your kitchen!" She shook her head with an amused smile. "Not at all…would you like me to help you?"
Iroh shook his head negatively. "No my dear please sit down and relax. Also a word of advice ignore half of what spews out of my nephews mouth. He's doesn't mean it." Zuko huffed again, smoke lightly coming out of his ears.
Kagome laughed lightly, wising she had someone who knew her so well, but any that did had long since passed. She shook off her sad aura and nodded at him before turning to Zuko. "I understand. Well Zuko would you like to take a seat while your uncle makes the tea?" He nodded and took the offered seat on her black plush couch.
Iroh smiled as he made his way into her kitchen, humming a small tune. Thoughts of tea and beautiful young women on his mind.
Kagome twiddled her thumbs, they had been sitting in silence for the past few minutes and it was awkward, yet she knew that Zuko was mostly likely a quiet person. His aura was distrusting and she had no doubt it was with just cause, even so she was a chatty person by nature it the silence was uncomfortable for her. "So um…what are you doing in these woods?"
Zuko blinked and looked up at her, passively, making her fidget. "We're traveling." His answer was short and to the point.
She nodded and looked away from his gaze, not knowing what to say, she wished that Iroh would hurry up. She wasn't trying to be rude but Zuko had a very powerful presence and he was full of such anger and rage that it seeped out of him. He must have had a reason for it but even knowing that it rubbed against her aura harshly.
As if reading her thoughts Iroh rounded the corner from her kitchen carrying with him a tray of tea. "The tea is ready!" His voice was filled with joy and it was contagious, with a smile she quickly stood up to help him.
Once the tea and cups were set on the table they all took their seats. Kagome once again sat in the chair opposite of the couch. Zuko also regained his seat and his uncle sat next to him a happy smile on his face.
Kagome smiled at them both and reached for the tea pot. "Allow me to pour the tea." Iroh made to stop her but she merely smiled at him in an 'Ah, ah, ah' way. "You my kind sir have made the tea the least you can let me do is pour it."
Iroh nodded and sat back. "Of course it is after all your home." She nodded and gracefully poured the tea, much like a professional tea maker.
Iroh's eyes widened at her technique, it was almost perfect and on par with his own. It also told a lot about her. She gripped the handle with a firm yet soft grip which showed she could be firm and stand her ground but she could also be flexible and go with the flow. She supported the bottom of the tea pot showing she was a cautious one and ready for the unpredictable.
She poured steadily not even a drop of teas splashed up showing she was precise and knew what she was doing at all times. She stopped the flow of tea right before it overflowed the cup showing she knew when enough was enough yet she liked to push it. She set the tea pot down quietly, almost making no sound, showing she was a calm person and did not like to draw attention to herself.
"You have a marvelous technique." She smiled at him yet it was not a smile that reached her eyes. "It comes from many years of practice though I must say I am glad to have the chance to show it off." He nodded and took his offered cup of tea. Even the way she held it told him about her. She had one hand firmly wrapped around it and one hand supporting the bottom of it.
While she handed it to him she did not spill a drop nor did she seemed worried she would and even if she did it would spill on her hand not his. That showed she was a self sacrificing person and that she cared about others more than herself. It also showed she had confidence in herself to not mess up and trust in others to do the same.
Zuko sighed under his breath as he grabbed his cup of offered tea from the young woman, their fingers brushing against the others lightly. He blinked as he felt a wave of something yet before he could think on it more she pulled her hand back and offered him a small smile.
He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously and she merely smiled more at him before picking up her own cup of tea and sipping at it. "Oh my I must say this is one of the best cups of tea I have ever had."
Iroh smiled at her praise and sucked it up like a sponge. "Why thank you my lady. Though I must say it's because I use real tea, not the stuff these youngsters are coming out with now a days."
She nodded and chuckled lightly at the scrunched up face he made. "I agree, while I myself have not ventured out of these woods for quite some time the ones who bring me my supplies have often complained about it." They both laughed lightly as if in on a joke only they knew and it irked Zuko. He did not like to be ignored. So he deiced to wiggle his way into their conversation. "I had no idea people lived on these lands. From what my uncle said they are holy lands. Are they still considered as such?"
Kagome blinked placing her cup of tea down on the table. "Oh! They are and I am the only one who lives here."
Iroh nodded and sipped his tea. "I see, if you don't mind me asking what is such a beautiful young woman like yourself doing out here alone?" Zuko sighed into his tea as his uncle once again stole the show from him, it wasn't that he was jealous of his uncle it was just that he truly hated it when he felt left out especially when his uncle was sitting right next to him.
"Well you see…I was banished here…" Her very aura seemed to dim and her shoulders slumped a bit.
At the words banished Zuko looked up with wide eyes. "What did you do?" His voice was not accusing not by a long shot, it merely held curiosity in its rawest form.
She gazed into her cup and swirled around her tea, her aura forlorn. She debated on what to say, while she hated to lie she knew she should yet at the same time these people had been so nice to her. They invited her to tea and complimented her and most of all they sat down and talked with her like she was normal. Unlike the many others who came by, if only to drop off her supplies and then left with a sneer of disgust on their faces.
She looked at her reflection in the tea and made up her mind. She would not lie to these people, no, she would tell them the truth and though they would more than likely be disgusted with her and leave she would be comforted by the fact that she told them the truth. "I…fell in love…"
Iroh frowned, setting down his cup of tea. "That's not a crime." She sighed and looked up, meeting both of their gazes for a few seconds, as if searching them for something only she could see. She must have found it. "It is if the man is human…."
Zuko blinked in confusion. Human. What did she mean human? "What do you mean 'human'? What are you if not that?"
Iroh's eyes widened in understanding. "You're a…" He trailed off as she smiled sadly. "Hai…I am not human I am…well I was a spirit. The spirit of purity in fact…but after my crime I was stripped of my titles and banished to the mortal realm."
Zuko stared at her, as if trying to see if she was lying, when he concluded she was not he took a sip of his tea, a habit picked up from his uncle. "So…where is the man you love?" He blinked as his uncle elbowed him in the side, almost making him drop his cup of tea.
"Zuko!" Iroh glared at him.
"It's okay, that is a valid question. He is dead. He has been for the last one hundred and thirteen years."Kagome smiled sadly.
"I thought you said they striped you of your titles?" He watched with narrowed eyes as she nodded and offered him a small smile.
"They did, but not of my powers. Even if I am banished and my titles striped from me I am still a spirit well kind of…I'm not really sure what I am but I do know that I have a longer life span then humans." She smiled lightly trying to lighten the mood. It didn't really work because an uncomfortable silence so wrapped its arms around them.
Zuko fidgeted as he sat, sipping his tea. He hated uncomfortable silence's, they reminded him to much of his home life which brought with it a hollow longing feeling. Yet, he did not know what to say or do to break the heavily silence that fell over them.
Iroh smiled into his cup as his nephew twitched, he knew all too well about the boys reaction to silence and was about to break it when she spoke up herself, most likely having taking notice of his nephews un-comfortableness, he smiled. She truly was a kind woman….thing.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking…is it true…about the rumors. The Avatar…is he alive and well?" She blinked when Zuko narrowed his eyes at her in distrust. "What do you know about the Avatar?" His voice was cold and distrusting.
Kagome wondered who had made it so. She blinked as Iroh cleared his throat reprehending him for his harsh voice. She sipped at her tea and answered nonchalantly. "Well, he is my son. I would like to know if he is doing well." She hid her smile behind her tea cup as both Zuko and Iroh spit out their tea.
"Y-YOU! You're…what…how?" Zuko trailed off not really knowing what was going on anymore. Iroh cleared his throat his eyes lightly narrowed as he placed his cup of tea on the table. "What my nephew means is, not to be rude, but how is it possible…I mean…" He to trailed off a small blush on his face.
Kagome smiled as she decided to take pity on them and explain things. "The man I fell in love with was an Air nomad. He loved me in return and we decided to um…consummate that love. It was after we did so that the high spirits found out about my 'betrayal' they stripped me of my titles and banished me to these lands. They were merciful in the sense that they let me have my child but he was taken away from me and sent to live with the rest of the air nomads. My husband was forbidden from seeing me ever again so he stayed with our son. He sadly died a few months later." Her voice was low and they stained to hear her.
Iroh looked at her in pity. "I'm so sorry for your loss." He was surprised when she smiled sadly at him.
"Thank you but I do not consider it a loss I was able to love and have a child out of that love. Yes, our love was cut short and my son has no idea of who I am let alone what I am but it was worth it." She blinked as Zuko snorted and slammed his cup on the table.
"How selfish of you. Do you know how hard it is on a child to grow up without a mother? Let alone without a father? You and your husband were selfish and you deserve what punishment you go-" He was cut off by Iroh striking him.
Zuko held a stunned hand to his flaming cheek and looked at his Uncle in surprise. Never in his life had he ever thought his uncle would hit him let alone look at him with such fury. "U-uncle…"
Iroh shook as he held back his anger. How dare his nephew, the boy he thought of as a son, say such things and to one as pure as her? Yes, he knew the boy had issues from his own mother leaving him at a young age but for him to thrust that anger upon this poor woman was unforgivable. "You have no right to speak to her like that. Apologize now."
Kagome looked away from the scene in shame, she was the cause of this, it was her fault. "He does not need to apologize. I-…you are right Zuko it was selfish of us. I know what we, no what I have put not only my husband through but my son is unforgivable but…it was out of love and while I know that is a horrid excuse for the things I have done it is the one that I use. I loved my husband and I love my son. It tears me apart that I cannot be there for him…that I have to go off of rumors and gossip just to learn if he is alive…" She trailed off as she took a shaky breath to calm herself and looked at both of them. "I'm sorry."
Zuko let out a small gasp as he saw the amount of pain and self loathing in her eyes and he felt bad, truly felt badly, and he knew he was wrong. Wrong to thrust his feelings about what his mother and father had done to him onto her. It was…there was no excuse for his actions. "I…I'm sorry."
Kagome smiled at him and wiped her tears on the back of her sleeves. "It's okay Zuko, I know that you weren't mad at me alone." Her worried eyes landed on his cheek when he let his hand fall and she quickly got up to kneel in front of him. "Oh dear, that looks painful. Shame on you Iroh."
Iroh smiled as Kagome easily accepted Zuko's apology and kneeled down in front of Zuko to look at his cheek, which he now felt bad about because it was an angry red. "I'm sorry, it's just I view him as my son and when he said such horrid things it angered me. I thought I had taught him better."
Kagome hmmed in response and held her hand to his cheek, noting that he flinched away, and crooned to him. "Come now Zuko there is no need to fear me." She smiled as he blushed lightly yet let her touch her fingertips to his cheek and let her healing powers flow into it. In now time the swelling was reduced and the angry red welt was gone. "There! All done!" She smiled as she pulled away and sat across from him and leaned against the table.
Iroh was impressed, for just a split second when she was healing his nephew he had felt her power, all of it, and it was large, untamed and pure. It was the purest thing he had ever felt. "You truly are a marvel Lady Kagome."
Kagome laughed and blushed lightly praise. "Thank you, are you okay now Zuko? No numbness or anything?" He shook his head. "No and thank you." She smiled at him and waved it off. "There is no need to thank me for something that I in a roundabout way caused."
Zuko was slightly flabbergasted and annoyed at her words and sheepish way she rubbed the back of her neck a sheepish grin on her face reminding him far too much of a certain bald headed kid. "He really is your son! You both do that when you're embarrassed."
It was easy to see the way she perked up at the mention of her son and Iroh couldn't help but to smile as his nephew launched into a very detailed description of the Avatar. He shook his head and chimed in to fill in the gaps that Zuko left, of course they didn't tell her they were hunting her son down, but they told her of everything they knew of him.
It was odd how getting lost in the woods could lead to such a confusing and interesting turn of events but as he watched his nephew talk adamantly, looking much like the child he was, he was glad for the turn of events. He could tell that they had just made a very good friend and as he watched his nephew breath hope and happiness into Lady Kagome with mere words and tales of her son he knew that his nephew felt the same.
Sometimes walking down the wrong path lead to the right answers. Not that he would ever admit to his nephew that he purposely chose this route because he wanted to find the 'Legendary hot springs' that was rumored to be home to a beautiful water nymph. Then again he had his suspicions that lady Kagome was the 'water nymph', people now a days wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a lizard and a dragon if it bit them on the you know what, but that was the generation gap, even so he would never voice his suspicions. Because he was a good honorable man, he did not chase rumors of water nymphs and magical hot springs, nope. Not him.