There was a lot of depth to Iroh's character in the show and I think the writers would have been able to expand more on his life if they weren't limited by the show's rating. Trigger warnings for abuse, violence, and minor swearing.

The Dragon of the West was a skilled firebender. He was not, however, capable of turning a blind eye on his morality.

Which of course was why the seizure of Ba Sing Se was a failure.

The 600-Day-War had taken its toll on families of the Fire Nation. They had been cast off by the other three nations because of the actions of a power-hungry dictator. Some had fled to Ba Sing Se during the siege. Most of those refugees had been caught and executed for their "treachery" against the Fire Lord.

Weeks had passed since Iroh took his leave. The man was starving. Mourning for his son left Iroh with a wavering appetite. When Iroh finally managed to work up to eating, he found it difficult to find a place to go. He was still Fire Nation, but his failure to conquer the city left him wanted by Ozai, who felt his brother was weak and that he was a disgrace for giving up when his son died. The fact that he was wanted by the Fire Nation was bad enough. To make things worse, Iroh was stranded with only Fire Nation clothing.

Throughout the Earth Kingdom, while many celebrated, a select few grieving people of Ba Sing Se sought to rid the city of any remaining people of the Fire Nation. The witch hunt got worse, and Iroh was sure they'd target him soon. It was not much longer before he found out why he was left alone.

He crouched through the archway of a small tavern. Dimly lit but welcoming enough. A menu was stamped into a stone slate, presumably by an Earthbender. The small dining area was packed with empty chairs and clean tables. It was a decent place, which made Iroh question its emptiness.

A young girl smiled in Iroh's direction. A green kettle in one hand, the other slid a chair from the nearest table, "Good evening, sir. Would you care to try some jasmine tea?"

Iroh kept his head low, knowing one of these days somebody would surely come for him, just as they had with the other generals. He wanted to grab food and leave without a trace. Still, a cup of tea sounded enticing. There was nobody around, surely it was safe. Unlike the rest of the city, the walls were clear of wanted posters or war propaganda. It finally felt as though he was safe. Surely he could stay a while. At least, until Iroh had to return to the Fire Nation and answer to his brother. Besides, he wouldn't dare say no to a thirteen-year-old.

Iroh placed the Earth Kingdom currency on the counter. The young girl smiled with a giggle, "For you, no cost."

A confused brow cued further explanation from the girl, "They say you're the reason we won the war. That you turned your back on Fire Nation in favor of kindness and humanity."

She placed a cup on the table, filling it with the hot tea. Iroh studied his cup, grateful to have someone to talk to. He was a good judge of character and something about this girl eased his mind on his concerns, "My name is Iroh."

"Crowned Prince, of course we know who you are. They say you traded your claim to the Fire Lord title when you withdrew. My name is Kersh'v." She smiled, "Jasmine tea is my favorite. Especially with berries. Oolong is more popular."

"Jasmine is better." Iroh agreed.

Iroh finally took notice of the girl's appearance. Her emerald clothes, consisting of a long green dress with a darker cloak, were frayed and seemed too large, though she was alarmingly thin. Shorter than Iroh, but still fairly tall. Her pale skin, Iroh speculated, was probably from malnutrition. She had dark hair, rolled into a bun and unusual brown eyes that appeared red in all the candles' glow.

Her eyes reminded him of someone he could have sworn he knew. Of course, he had met so many people over the years that he very well could have met a relative or just a common look alike. But her eyes were so unusual. He was certain he could never forget meeting someone with ruby eyes.

"Kersh'v. Such an unusual name." He smiled, raising his teacup, "Here's to my new friend. "

The girl bowed politely before walking away. Iroh took a sip of the tea, his first cup since the passing of Lu Ten. His gaze fell to the floor as he remembered when Lu Ten was the girl's age. Memories of firebending training and how to yield a sword flooded his mind. Iroh remembered how the boy's energy and excitement for training were endless; his sweaty palms were callused from the training, but he refused to stop. That was, until the sword slipped from his hands and he got a large cut on his shoulder.

Just like hers.

And then he remembered.