"I know." Despite those words, his nephew couldn't bring himself to stand. Zuko could only stare at the four candle set out on his meditation table. It was childishness, this sulking, and Iroh had thought his nephew had long ago outgrown it. Yet his reaction was understandable, no man could take the thought of failing their wife or daughter lightly.
Iroh closed the cabin's door. Leaning forward with both hands on the golden dragon's head knob of his cane, he took care to enunciate each word properly as he spoke, "What happened could have occurred to anyone holding the Avatar captive, Prince Zuko."
Once, Zuko might have given into rage at that reminder of his personal failing. Now he merely closed his eyes in shame. "The Avatar was in control of the situation all along, Uncle, even when he was in chains. How am I to defeat a man who has mastered himself, let alone the four elements?"
"By mastering yourself first, which you have," Iroh said. "A lesser man would have carried out the order to send the 41st division to its annihilation. You recognized a way to win the day with less bloodshed and to honor the trust of the men under your command."
"I might not have been able to live with myself for dishonoring those men's trust in the Fire Nation," Zuko said, "but at least that punishment would have hung around my neck."
"You don't mean that."
Zuko stared blankly ahead at the unlit candles. After a few moments, he sighed and stood. Iroh smiled, the fullest effort of his face's right side not quite rising to match the left. "Never let fear and guilt steal you from your family, nephew."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
The World of Broken Glass [10/14] - Iroh
Date: 2010-11-29 08:16 pm (UTC)"I know." Despite those words, his nephew couldn't bring himself to stand. Zuko could only stare at the four candle set out on his meditation table. It was childishness, this sulking, and Iroh had thought his nephew had long ago outgrown it. Yet his reaction was understandable, no man could take the thought of failing their wife or daughter lightly.
Iroh closed the cabin's door. Leaning forward with both hands on the golden dragon's head knob of his cane, he took care to enunciate each word properly as he spoke, "What happened could have occurred to anyone holding the Avatar captive, Prince Zuko."
Once, Zuko might have given into rage at that reminder of his personal failing. Now he merely closed his eyes in shame. "The Avatar was in control of the situation all along, Uncle, even when he was in chains. How am I to defeat a man who has mastered himself, let alone the four elements?"
"By mastering yourself first, which you have," Iroh said. "A lesser man would have carried out the order to send the 41st division to its annihilation. You recognized a way to win the day with less bloodshed and to honor the trust of the men under your command."
"I might not have been able to live with myself for dishonoring those men's trust in the Fire Nation," Zuko said, "but at least that punishment would have hung around my neck."
"You don't mean that."
Zuko stared blankly ahead at the unlit candles. After a few moments, he sighed and stood. Iroh smiled, the fullest effort of his face's right side not quite rising to match the left. "Never let fear and guilt steal you from your family, nephew."
"I know. Thank you, Uncle."