"Summer" & "Numb" (Iroh, D, air)
Title: "Summer" & "Numb"
Author: grumpymo
Claim: Iroh
Challenge: Duality
Chakra/Themeset: Air
Prompt: Love/Grief
Summer
Light was flooding the gardens as the sun reached the highest point of its journey through the sky. Sitting in the shade of one of the tall trees standing in the palace courtyard Iroh watched the children play. Ursa, his brother's wife was sitting next to him, her legs neatly tucked in they way all noblewomen were taught to. The thin silk of her clothes fell in small ceases, rustling when she moved ever so slightly. Her presence reminded him of his wife, how she used to sit next to him, just like that, when the sun was sinking and the shadows grew longer and longer. Ursa's presence refreshed the pain of her absence and Iroh had to concentrated on his son to avoid a slip of his dignified expression.
Screaming in a high-pitched voice a young boy came running up a hill, followed by a tall young man. The boy stumbled, fell, but instead of crying started to laugh. "Gotcha!", the man shouted, throwing himself down next to the boy. He started to tickle the four year old who was trying to kick him, unwilling to give up and surrender. Iroh watched the two, admiring the strength the younger one displayed. Finally, Lu Ten decided it was time to rest in the shades for a while. Sweat was running down his brow and he wiped it away before he picked up his opponent. Quietly Ursa poured some cooled tea for them. Iroh's eyes met those of his son who smiled in return. When Zuko's feet hit the ground he ran towards his mother, fell around her neck and sat down in her lap. Iroh smiled. No words could express how much his family meant to him.
Numb
The fire had died a long time ago and cold was creeping through the windows, seeping in through the doors, but Iroh felt nothing. For months there had been the same numbness, the only emotion he was left with. He didn't see the steam curling in the cold air coming from the small china cup of tea a maiden had just poured. Everything was gone. His wife had died, but the pain had not been as harsh as the feeling he was experiencing now. Which father would wish to outlive his son. He had lost first his son, Lu Ten, and he felt like he would never understand. Yes, was a soldier, trained as soldiers were, and he knew how many men a war could cost, but it had never been one so close to him.
Then he'd lost his father, who had always protected him from the growing greed and envy of his younger brother. With his father he'd lost his throne, an empty word now. Power and war did hold a bitter taste for him now. He didn't care about the ambitions of the fire-nation to conquer the know world. What good was the world if you had to pay with the life of someone you loved. There was no right war, no just war, no matter what they had been told, there was only war that killed and left others grieving.
Ursa had vanished to. With the death of his son his world had begun to fall to dust and he felt too old and too tired to act upon it. He hadn't succeeded in saving his own son, he was a dead end, a future king without kingdom, a dead line in the family tree. How bitter life had been.
Iroh bit down on his lip until he could feel the sharp taste of blood, the only sign he was still alive. Suddenly though the numbness he felt something warm on his back. It brought him out of his meditation and he felt with amazement a small, warm body, pressing against his back everytime he breathed. He was well aware of his breathing, of the small arms coming around his body. He heard the small sniffing noise of a boy close to crying and carefully turned around. His arms came around Zuko's small frame as they clung to each other grieving quietly for their losses. Two lonely souls, clinging to each other.
Author: grumpymo
Claim: Iroh
Challenge: Duality
Chakra/Themeset: Air
Prompt: Love/Grief
Summer
Light was flooding the gardens as the sun reached the highest point of its journey through the sky. Sitting in the shade of one of the tall trees standing in the palace courtyard Iroh watched the children play. Ursa, his brother's wife was sitting next to him, her legs neatly tucked in they way all noblewomen were taught to. The thin silk of her clothes fell in small ceases, rustling when she moved ever so slightly. Her presence reminded him of his wife, how she used to sit next to him, just like that, when the sun was sinking and the shadows grew longer and longer. Ursa's presence refreshed the pain of her absence and Iroh had to concentrated on his son to avoid a slip of his dignified expression.
Screaming in a high-pitched voice a young boy came running up a hill, followed by a tall young man. The boy stumbled, fell, but instead of crying started to laugh. "Gotcha!", the man shouted, throwing himself down next to the boy. He started to tickle the four year old who was trying to kick him, unwilling to give up and surrender. Iroh watched the two, admiring the strength the younger one displayed. Finally, Lu Ten decided it was time to rest in the shades for a while. Sweat was running down his brow and he wiped it away before he picked up his opponent. Quietly Ursa poured some cooled tea for them. Iroh's eyes met those of his son who smiled in return. When Zuko's feet hit the ground he ran towards his mother, fell around her neck and sat down in her lap. Iroh smiled. No words could express how much his family meant to him.
Numb
The fire had died a long time ago and cold was creeping through the windows, seeping in through the doors, but Iroh felt nothing. For months there had been the same numbness, the only emotion he was left with. He didn't see the steam curling in the cold air coming from the small china cup of tea a maiden had just poured. Everything was gone. His wife had died, but the pain had not been as harsh as the feeling he was experiencing now. Which father would wish to outlive his son. He had lost first his son, Lu Ten, and he felt like he would never understand. Yes, was a soldier, trained as soldiers were, and he knew how many men a war could cost, but it had never been one so close to him.
Then he'd lost his father, who had always protected him from the growing greed and envy of his younger brother. With his father he'd lost his throne, an empty word now. Power and war did hold a bitter taste for him now. He didn't care about the ambitions of the fire-nation to conquer the know world. What good was the world if you had to pay with the life of someone you loved. There was no right war, no just war, no matter what they had been told, there was only war that killed and left others grieving.
Ursa had vanished to. With the death of his son his world had begun to fall to dust and he felt too old and too tired to act upon it. He hadn't succeeded in saving his own son, he was a dead end, a future king without kingdom, a dead line in the family tree. How bitter life had been.
Iroh bit down on his lip until he could feel the sharp taste of blood, the only sign he was still alive. Suddenly though the numbness he felt something warm on his back. It brought him out of his meditation and he felt with amazement a small, warm body, pressing against his back everytime he breathed. He was well aware of his breathing, of the small arms coming around his body. He heard the small sniffing noise of a boy close to crying and carefully turned around. His arms came around Zuko's small frame as they clung to each other grieving quietly for their losses. Two lonely souls, clinging to each other.