Dragon of the West

Chapter 2- Tea For Three

Hello and thank you for reading! After last chapter Iroh found out that his grandfather, former Fire Lord Sozin, a.k.a the guy who killed all of the Airbenders, passed away. Now he's disappeared. Where did he go? Why did he disappear? Find out in Chapter 2 of Dragon of the West!!!

-Darthlane

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Chapter 2

Iroh sat down at one of the few tables in the Golden Rose Tea Shop. It was a small and cramped place, and was slowly falling into disrepair. Its best days were long past and it probably only had a fair number left. It had been a very popular place years ago, but it had been driven to near bankruptcy by newer and cheaper businesses. All but only a few loyal customers had left, leaving it almost empty. Iroh still believed it had the best tea in the entire Fire Nation.

A woman easing into her elderly years approached the table. "Iroh! It's been forever since you've visited, dear. What can I get you?"

"It's good to see you, Rhia. You look as lovely as always." Iroh said nicely. "I would love some tea if you could spare the trouble, you can choose whichever kind you like. Also can you let Hieu know I'm here? I would like to speak with him."

"Sure, Iroh. I know he'll be happy to see you." She walked away and entered the back room where she and her husband Hieu lived. While he waited Iroh considered what he had learned. For the most part he had managed to avoid most of the war meetings and such, but now that his father no longer had his grandfather to advise him he would probably rely more on Iroh. Iroh didn't want that kind of life. He had seen the pressures it had put on his forefathers and he knew he wanted something else. He, crowned Prince of the Fire Nation, the most powerful nation in the world, didn't want his inheritance. Of course he couldn't tell his family that. They would scoff at him. They had a fair point too. Who in their right mind could possibly pass up becoming the most powerful man in the world?

Iroh knew in his heart that he and his family were very different. They assumed that their power was deserved. They believed that they had the right to rule the world. But Iroh had been curious about the people he would one day be responsible for. Many of them were just as smart and deserving as the Royal Family, some more so. And Iroh had discovered quickly that most were nicer. He had grown to love the people he had met, and he had gained an enormous amount of wisdom from them. Their goodness revealed to Iroh just how messed up his family was. All of them, even his little brother Ozai, were ambitious and manipulative, cold and bloodthirsty. He didn't belong. Not to say that he didn't love them as they were but he recognized that they were different. Iroh had already decided years ago that when he became fire lord he would change things. The people would have more of a say in what the country did.
Hieu walked out of the back room with a pit if tea and two cups. There was a large grin on his wrinkled face. He was short and was bald on top of his head but still had gray tufts encircling his head. He sat down with a plop into the chair opposite Iroh.

"It has been so long since you drifted through these doors that Rhia and I had started to wonder if you had lost your taste for tea. It's good to know you found your way back." Hieu started pouring them cups. "Your favorite is Jasmine, correct? Yes, an excellent blend, but I always preferred Ginseng tea myself."

Iroh chuckled. "I guess we're fortunate that tea preferences seem to be our worst disagreements. How have things fared around here?" He accepted his cup and took a sip.
Hieu's brow wrinkled. "Well, Iroh, things haven't really been doing too well. In fact, it's been worse than ever since the last time you dropped by. People just don't want to come get tea here anymore. The fewer customers we get the more we have to charge the ones that do still come. Then the raised prices make the faithful not want to come anymore and soon enough the place is empty. It all snowballs into depression and for an old man like me that is a very steep hole to climb out of. It worries me, but you shouldn't concern yourself with it. We'll find a way."