A Princess' Destiny ✘ZUKO ✘

19

"I don't wanna go to school!" Reid pouted as Sueh and Soana were by his side.

Soana giggled.
"If it weren't for school then you would probably be mistaken as a wooly pig."

She snorted like a pig in Reid's ear, making him release a childish laugh. Sueh rolled her eyes.

"Soana!" The three of them heard a voice.

They turned their heads and saw a guard coming towards them.

"Hey, Gato!" Sueh greeted, smiling his way.

Soana awkwardly stood as she knew why Gato was approaching them.

Out of breath, Gato stopped near the three and smiled.
"Hey, Sueh." He looked at Reid and rubbed his hair.
"Kiddo."

Reid swatted Gato's hand away in irritation and fixed his hair the way he wanted it.

"What brings you here?" Sueh asked.

Gato shrugged and looked at Soana.
"I was thinking about asking Soana on another date, but then I thought she might bail on me like the other night."

Soana felt disappointed in herself.
"Gato,"

"No," he said. "Don't give me any excuses, Soana. Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you get to treat other people terribly."

"Hey! Cool it, Gato!" Sueh defended.

"Yeah!" Reid spat with his face scrunched, ready to use his fire bending to protect Soana.

Gato's face tensed as he squinted his eyes at Soana.
"You just made enemies with a Dai Li agent."

He then turned and left the three of them standing there.

"Dai Li? I didn't know he got promoted." Sueh furrowed her brows.

"We might want to tread lightly now that we're in uncharted territory with him. Who knows what things could be lurking around for us." Soana informed them before she urged them to move forwards.

"I could so burn him to a crisp!" Reid said, making the two women laugh.

•

"So, you're the genius behind this incredible brew!"

At the tea shop a man in upper ring clothing approached Iroh with two servants behind him.

Iroh stared pleasingly at the man who praised him for his wonderful tea brew.

Soana gazed about the shop to see what the commotion was about.

"The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well."

"Good tea is its own reward." Iroh said in a wise manner.

Soana smiled heavenly at the sight of Iroh starting to receive respect from people of the upper rings.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward. How would you like to have your own tea shop?"
The man asked.

Soana's eyes lit up in excitement for Iroh as he grew stunned.
"My own tea shop? This is a dream come true!"

Amid the conversation, Pao overheard the conversation and decided to intervene himself between Iroh and the rich man who could Iroh's dream a reality.

"What's going on here! Are you trying to poach my tea maker!" Pao exclaimed, protecting Iroh like he was his property.

"Sorry, Pao, but that's business for you, as I right?"
The man smiled humorously.

Pao looked worried and hastily turned to Iroh.
"Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you assistant manager. Wait! Senior assistant manager!"

The man smirk devilishly.
"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the upper ring. The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom."

Zuko turned his attention to the conversation with Soana. Although he was not too keen on the idea.

"I even get to name the shop?" Iroh asked.

"Of course!" The man complied.

Pao grew scared of the proposition.
"Uh, senior executive assistant manager?"

Iroh put a finger to his chin and thought before looking at Soana in the corner of his eye.
"Can the apartment be big enough to room four people?"

"Absolutely!" The rich man continued grinning, knowing he was winning.

Iroh looked to Pao and handed his tea pot to him before bowing to the rich man.

Pao grunted loudly in defeat knowing that he had just lost his entire tea house in one day.

Pao then turned and did the walk of shame back to the kitchen to grieve.

Iroh turned to Soana and Zuko then grinned.
"Did you two hear that? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city!"

"That's right!" The man raised his cup at Soana and Zuko. "Your lives are about to change for the better!"

Zuko released a humph and started to head towards the door.
"I'll try to contain my joy."

Soana frowned at the way Zuko left the shop, so she followed him outside where he leaned against the front wall.

"You should be happy for your uncle, Zuko." Soana said, making his arms cross.

"How can I be happy when I'm stuck here?" He spat.

Soana bowed her head as if she were silently praying for Zuko.

"You should try to make the most of it, Zuko. You never know when you could get this kind of quality time again with him."

Zuko crossed his arms tighter and made his face scrunch in frustration.
"You act like you're so wise, but in reality, you're just a runaway. You don't understand my problems."

Soana sighed.
"Yes, I do, Zuko. I get that I haven't been through the grief of doing so, but I understand the concept of it. You are angry at him, but mostly at yourself for not fulfilling his quest. Marrying me was part of it, but capturing the Avatar was the greater part."

Zuko did not say anything. He grew silent but still held down his frustration.
"I understand he's your father, Zuko, but that's his goal; not yours. You're supposed to choose your own destiny for your own good, not for your father's respect."

"Don't talk to me about respect!" Zuko shouted at her, his face inches away from hers.

Soana took a step back to give him space.
"If you wish to live another person's life then that's okay. Just know I'm not going to tolerate it."

She turned on her heels and stepped back into the tea shop with her head hung low.

The second she shut the door she was attacked with a hug by Sueh.
"Mushi got us an apartment!" She cheered, squeezing the life out of the princess.

Soana then had been let go by Sueh only for her to go to Iroh and tackle the old man with a loving, thankful embrace.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said to him.

Iroh chuckled.
"As long as we all work together, we will stay together. Right, Soana?"

Soana thought about Zuko and how he snapped at her not even a minute ago. Did she really want to stick with Zuko and Iroh after Zuko made it perfectly clear that he is still a raging pain?

"Right." She faintly grinned.