Chapter Text
Iroh didn't want to leave Zura behind.
He hadn't wanted any of this to happen. He wished he could go back, tell Zura that if she knows what's good for her she'll keep her mouth shut.
Not that it would do any good. Zura had always been stubborn, and more than that, she was too kind for the cruel world she'd grown up in. It was inevitable, Iroh supposed, that one day she'd speak out against the injustices committed by her father.
He didn't know how she'd even found out about it. But his niece had come to him, ranting about her father's plan. And before he'd been able to stop her, she'd barged into her father's office, demanding to know why he thought sending those soldiers to die was justified.
Ozai had calmly gotten up and locked the door. Locked Zura in with him.
For a few, agonizing minutes, Iroh thought the silence inside the room was the worst sound he'd ever heard.
Then Zura had started screaming, and he knew he'd been wrong.
The next thing he knew, his niece had been thrown out of the room, sobbing and clutching her face, and Ozai had announced that she was banished.
Iroh couldn't just let her go alone. But in leaving with her, he'd declared himself a traitor to the Fire Nation. And that put a giant target not only on his own back, but on Zura's, as long as she was with him.
He had to take her somewhere safe, and he had to leave her there, without him.
That's why he was headed to a remote village in the Southern Water Tribe.
Kanna would keep Zura safe. He knew her almost better than he knew himself, and he knew she wouldn't let any harm come to his niece.
****
"Kanna."
Kanna gave Iroh a warm smile. "It is wonderful to see you again, Iroh. A shame it had to be under these circumstances."
Iroh nodded. "Thank you for agreeing to take my niece. I do not know where else I could take her... she certainly cannot stay with me. It's too dangerous."
Kanna nodded. "I understand." She knelt down to talk to Zura. "You're going to be staying in my village, alright?"
Zura shook her head. "I don't want to! I want to stay with Uncle Iroh!"
Kanna sighed. "I know you do, sweetheart. But that's just not possible."
"Why not?! Uncle won't tell me!"
"Because... Because it's not safe for you to stay with him. Leaving the Fire Nation was very dangerous for him, and as long as you're with him, you are also in danger. It is better this way."
For a minute, it looked like Zura was going to start yelling, or worse. Her fists clenched at her sides, and fire sprang from them. Kanna instinctively stepped back.
Then, the girl burst into tears. Iroh immediately pulled her into a hug. "Shhh. It's okay, Zura. Everything will be okay."
"Please don't leave me, Uncle...."
"I'm sorry, Zura. I have to go. I wish I didn't have to leave you... but you're safer here. You're safer far, far away from me." He stood up and turned to leave.
"Uncle?"
"Yes, Zura?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He turned and walked away, and Zura collapsed, sobbing, into Kanna's arms.
"Shhh. It's going to be alright, little one." Kanna gently wiped Zura's tears away. "How old are you, Zura?"
"I'm 10."
"Only a year older than the Chief's son, then. His name is Sokka. I believe you two will get along very well." She stood, grabbing the girl's hand. "Come on. I'll take you to meet the others."