Yon Rha walked into the opulent dragon-themed office, known to be the working space of Crown Prince Iroh while stationed home in the Fire Nation. The leader of the Southern Raiders was due for his next assignment.
As he approached Iroh's door, he could hear voices inside. Iroh's notable guffaw was one of them, and it was a relief to hear General in good spirits.
Opening the door, Yon Rha prepared to salute the general out of habit - yet he was caught off guard by the presence of two others.
On one side of Iroh was his son, Prince Lu Ten; only today he was not clothed in regal attire. Instead, the young man was bedecked in traditional Fire Nation armor. It made him look years older than he was, and more like his father, as though someone had taken the stout general and stretched him out a bit into a taller version of himself.
But it was the figure on Iroh's other side that caused Yon Rha to freeze, just before he fell to the floor in reverence.
Fire Lord Azulon stood next to his eldest son, his regal visage unflinching as the soldier quickly bowed.
"Ah, Commander Yon Rha," Iroh said without hesitation. "Thank you for being here early."
Yon Rha peered up, catching Iroh's hand motioning for him to stand. As he did, he watched Iroh pore through some scrolls on the handsome desk in front of him.
"Is... everything alright, General?" Yon Rha asked, doing his best to not panic. Had he done something wrong? Was he being dismissed? Or worse?
"Hmm? Of course; forgive me, we are trying something new today."
Yon Rha blinked as Iroh handed Lu Ten a scroll.
"You see," Iroh continued, beaming at his beloved only child. "Today will be Lu Ten's first day handing out assignments to the regimens. Father and I are here to assess his decisions."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Yon Rha watched the young prince open the scroll he'd been handed. He read it, then closed it back up. He motioned for another, and Iroh reciprocated. Lu Ten read the next scroll, and he looked satisfied.
"Commander," Lu Ten's voice was sharp and clear. "There's news about sightings of a waterbender in the South Pole."
Yon Rha's eyes widened. "It's been years since we've seen a waterbender there."
"Indeed," Lu Ten answered. "But we cannot risk ignoring this. I'm sure you've heard of the one that escaped some time ago, using her waterbending to control the bodies of the guards?"
Yon Rha swallowed, feeling his skin crawl as Lu Ten looked up at him. Despite his young age, the prince was already looking very much like his stern grandfather.
"We cannot risk a power like that getting out of hand. I want you to take your fleet to the South Pole and find the Waterbender."
Nodding, Yon Rha didn't hesitate to accept the scroll as Lu Ten handed it to him. "And... where shall I take the prisoner? Boiling Rock?"
Iroh and Azulon looked to Lu Ten as he squared his shoulders and made his first executive decision.
"There will be no prisoners, Commander."
Yon Rha saluted the young prince, bowing as he put the scroll into his belt. As he straightened up, he saw Iroh and Azulon looking upon Lu Ten proudly.
"I will not fail you, Prince Lu Ten."
Lu Ten smiled. "I have seen your records, Yon Rha. I know you won't."
The words weren't so much as affirmative as they were a demand of continued perfection.
Moments later, Yon Rha was exiting the office as Iroh and Azulon regarded the young prince as he looked to them for guidance.
"How was that?" Lu Ten asked. Azulon chuckled with raspy breaths.
"Very well put," The Fire Lord encouraged his grandson's mind.
Iroh patted his son's shoulder eagerly. "I knew you would be a natural at this!"
Looking upon his son proudly, Iroh could never imagine his beautiful son's decisions bringing about any sort of strife.
But six years have passed, and Lu Ten has passed as well, and Iroh has heard Waterbending Master Katara, a friend of his nephew, reveal something about herself that has made Iroh's stomach sick. She touches the beautiful necklace she wears, something he knows to be a Water Tribe tradition after he asks her about it.
"This is all I have of my mother. She died six years ago in an attack by the Southern Raiders. She gave her life to save me."
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