Truths

My dearest love,

Does your heart break as you think of the many years we will be apart? Mine has shattered. Though as a man of my stature I will never show it. I can only hope my love and longing for you inspires me to a quick and easy victory at Ba sing sei. Wait for me Ursa, I will return to you with a heart full of love.

Your one love.

Zuko blinked several times after reading the letter. Then after a moment he read it again, picking out every word, every detail, though there were not many. The note was simple and plan, but it explained enough. It was clear what this person had felt for the receiver. The question was did his mother feel the same way?

He hadn't expected to find this in his mother's belongings. In fact if he knew this was here he would not have open the trunk in the first place. He would not have gone through all these old boxes and he would have just walked by.

But ever since his mother had disappeared he had wanted to go through her stuff. At first it had been hard. Now even though the hope was not gone, he was becoming less sure she was safe or even...alive. Lately he had been rummaging through her personal belongings, trying to find a clue of where she had gone or where she was.

He didn't know he'd find this box, these letters, this man. He put the note down and reached for another. Perhaps he was wrong, maybe he was just an admirer or stalker. Maybe his mother couldn't stop his letters. Yes, that was the answer.

My dearest love,

I have done as you asked and left your name (as well as my own) from my letters to you. It is painful to do so however. For you see I love to write your name. It is the only connection I have to you while a reside so far from home. How I long to hold you in my arms once again and kiss your sweet lips. It is these times that I miss you most. It is also at these times that I long wish that when I returned I could greet you as my wife. Sadly this is a reward I will never be granted. There are times I am urged to kill Ozai and claim you as mine, and I'm sure this is a desire you share. If only I were not a man of honor. I must go now my love I have a battle to prepare for, but I will write again soon.

Your one love.

No this letter killed that theory. This man talked as if he knew her, as if he had touched her, and kissed her. It also appeared that his mother had wrote back to him. Maybe he misunderstood and she had told him not to write. No that was foolish. If his mother didn't care of him, why not burn his letters. If she didn't care she wouldn't have keep them.

But he couldn't believe it, it just wasn't possible. His mother, his loving, beautiful, faithful, mother, had an affair. Zuko clutched the letter hard and slammed his fist into the floor. No it wasn't possible. His parents had loved each other, they must of. They had two kids together. It just couldn't be it was a lie.

He read through more letters, all had the same type of message. 'Ursa my love I miss you' or 'Ursa how I wish to hold you once more.' These proved nothing he told himself, these meant nothing. He poured through them hoping and wishing it was not true. However it wasn't long before he saw messages saying things like, 'I remember the first time we kissed below the moon' and 'I can still recall all the sweet nothings I whispered to you our first night together.'

Soon Zuko realized there was no denying it. His mother had a boyfriend. She had cheated on his father. He felt his throat go dry and when he tried to swallow it hurt. His mind went blank and his eyes stared far away. Why had he never known? He was sure the clues had been there. He must have just ignored them.

Now a new question leaked into his mind. Who was this man? Who was the dirty piece of slim who had come between his parents? There must have been clues, but he had left most of his letters unsigned. 'Probably so no one would catch them' he thought bitterly.

Defeated he began to pack away the things from his mother's trunk. All that is but the letters he had found. They were still scattered all over the floor around him. He didn't know what to do with them. He could burn them, but strangely he didn't want to.

He didn't want to keep them though. He decided he'd just pack them away for now and deal with it later. He reached over and began to pack them up when the answer hit him.

"Wait." Zuko breathed as he stopped in his actions. His mother had asked the sender not to include their names. That meant he must have been signing his name in earlier letters. Zuko's eyes lit up and he had hope.

He didn't know why, but he needed to know who the sender was. He settled back down on the floor. He looked around and finally picked one. He heard a familiar voice call him as he slowly began to read.

My dearest love Ursa,

The door opened and the voice called again, it was Uncle Iroh. "Prince Zuko." he chuckled warmly, "Where are you?" He pushed the door fully open and saw Zuko reading the small paper in his hand. He was in deep in reading, and looked to be concentrating hard.

I can not believe what has happened between us these last few months. I feel like a whole new man. I know I am some years your senior, but I do not care. I love Ursa, even though you are married mother. I myself am a widower with a son of my own as you know.

Iroh was at first curious as to what his nephew was reading. Then his eyes fell upon Ursa old trunk and the many other letters surrounding the young prince. Soon his mind made the connection and his heart stopped. His eyes widened.

My only regret is not marrying you first, not claiming you as mine before Ozai. I know we should not continue our relationship, but I feel I can not survive without you.

"Zuko." Iroh started quietly, "Zuko listen to me. Zuko please stop reading" Iroh's voice began to intensify.

You are like the air I breath, the fire in my blood. Please never leave me.

"Zuko."

Your one love,

Iroh.

Zuko's eyes shot from the paper in his hand to the old man in the doorway. He could only stare his mouth agape and eyes wide. His expression soon changed from shock to anger. He slowly stood and glared at the man he had cared for like a father. Steam poured from his nostrils, and he began to grind his teeth. He crumpled the paper in his hand and charged his uncle at top speed.

"Zuko let me explain."Iroh tried to reason with the young fire bender, "You do not clearly understand." But his pleas fell on deaf ears as the young prince almost collided with his uncle. Iroh moved out of the way, not wanting to fight his beloved nephew. Zuko stopped himself just before hitting the wall.

"You and my mother."he screamed turning to Iroh. Hurt stained his young face and his eyes began to water, "You and my mother." Zuko charged his uncle once more. "You dirty, lazy, cradle robbing, old man." Zuko was enraged, he wanted to kill. Uncle had held his mother, had kissed her, whispered in her ear. The thought sickened him to puking.

Maybe that's why his parents were never close. Maybe this was why his parents were never in love. Uncle had come between them, he had torn them apart and destroyed their family. He was to blame. That's why his mother left, because of Uncle Iroh.

Zuko raised his fist high, "I hate you."he screamed as his fist came down. Iroh grabbed him by his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. Then gently, but firmly pressing on his neck lowered Zuko to a kneeling position.

"Now"Iroh yelled, "you will stop this foolishness at once."Iroh sounded commanding, and strict, but not angry or even disappointed. If there was any disappointment in him at the moment it was with himself. He should have never let Zuko find out, or maybe he shouldn't have let any of it happen to begin with.

Iroh released his nephew slowly, but Zuko remained on his knees. Soon sobs could be heard and tears began forming a puddle under the young fire bender. He openly cried as Iroh walked away and closed the door. Then he sat there on Ursa old trunk waiting for Zuko to stop. Any other time Iroh would have stroked his back and soothed him, but this time was different. This was pain he had caused Zuko.

After some time Zuko calmed down and sat back on his knees. He turned to face his Uncle who was still quietly waiting. Iroh gave a small smile at the boy he loved like a son and asked, "Are you ready now?"his voice shook and he appeared scared himself.

Zuko nodded and gave a sigh, "Yes, uncle I'm ready." It was true he was ready. He wanted- no he needed to know what had happened between them. He breathed in deep and decided the best way to start was to plunge right in. "Tell me-" Zuko froze.

"Yes?"Iroh encourged.

"Tell me about you and."he paused and sighed, "my- my mother."he finally managed.

"I knew that sooner or later the day would come for me to tell this to you."Iroh began, "Though I wish I were better prepared for it."He sighed and sat back against the wall.

"Where to start?"he pondered aloud. "Well Zuko, as you know your mother is a fine, fine women." Zuko cringed a little, but did not interrupt. "She was remarked far and wide as the most beautiful women in the fire nation. Every man wanted her for miles around when she turned the age for marriage including your father."

"At the time I was a married man and was much too old to care about some hot young pair legs, which most men saw your mother as. She was a trophy wife, one you marry and then dress up pretty to show everyone you got the best. It was not her fault though, she did not ask to be regarded only for her looks. Anyway Ozai was always competitive, he thought everything was a contest and marriage was no different. He wanted the smartest, strongest prettiest wife in the whole nation. Feelings meant nothing as long as his wife was best."

Zuko felt an urge to object but thought better of it. If he did he may never have gotten the answers he wanted. "So that's how mom and dad got together then? He won her like some prize?" it both angered and disappointed him. Somewhere inside he had hoped his parents had loved each other.

"Sadly yes,"Iroh continued, "And it wasn't long after that my own wife passed on as well. Your mother was so kind, she helped me get through one of the worst times of my life. That being my wife's death. During the time my son was still a child. He was much to young to live without a mother to care for him. I had to become both of his parents, and care for him as a mother and father. But I loved Lu Tein, so it was never a problem. The problem was with me. I spent so much time worrying about my son I forgotten about myself. I had never even let myself cry when his mother died, because I was far to concerned about his tears."

"Then one night I was sitting alone by the small pond drinking my tea and I heard a small voice ask to join. I turned to find you mother standing there. I believe it was almost two months after your birth." Here Iroh reached over and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "And that was the time of her life when she glowed brighter then the moon if I remember correctly."

Zuko blushed and turned away scowling. Though his uncle could see the secret smile in his eyes. Iroh laughed to himself. Zuko turned his scowl to him and glared again only this time was much less intense. Iroh laughed even harder. "So what happened?"Zuko demanded.

Iroh calmed down and then cleared his throat, "Ah yes, the story. Well your mother sat down by the side of the lake with me and took a cup for herself. For a long time we said nothing and then finally Ursa asked me about my late wife. She wanted to know how we had met, what I felt for her, and what had made sure I wanted to marry her. On and on she went with questions like this."Iroh paused as he remembered what happened next. This part was more difficult to share with his nephew, but it was too late to back down. Zuko look anxious.

"And then?"he asked impatiently.

"After I had answered most of her questions,"Iroh continued slowly feeling his throat start to close, "She asked me the most interesting question I have ever heard in my life." Zuko leaned in listening intently. "She asked me what it was like to be in love."Iroh finally managed to get out. "Then I lost it, I just started to cry and I couldn't stop. I leaned on her shoulder and bawled like a newborn babe. She held me close as I cried and in between sobs I tried to answer her. Almost an hour later I finally stopped."

Zuko leaned back as his uncle regained himself. He just didn't understand. What did this have to do with their affair? Why was his uncle telling him this? There had to be a reason, uncle may have been old and simple, but he was not an idiot.

"But,"Iroh went on recapturing Zuko's attention, "It was what happened after that set off a chain of events that I can't say I take pride in, but will never regret. For once I had finished Ursa did not release me. We held each other for some time. Then as I stood to leave she grab my arm and asked me frantically if I could ever loved a women again. She caught me off guard and I slowly returned to my knees. I held her face in my hand and realized then what she was really asking me."

"She was asking if I loved her."Iroh got a far off gaze as he remembered, "As I contemplated her question, tears were forming in her gentle eyes. She squeezed her eyes tight trying to block them from me, but they were as clear as day. She started to stammer excuses to leave and apologize like a mad women. Finally I put my finger to her lips to silence her."

Zuko swallowed hard as he listened. "Th-then what happened?" Iroh didn't need to say anything, for Zuko knew what happened next. But he asked anyway he needed to hear it.

Iroh sighed and, for the first time in the conversation, looked Zuko straight in the eye. "I kissed her passionately for the first time, but it certainly wasn't the last. Soon after we went back inside and went our separate ways, for the night anyway. That kiss changed the relationship I had with your mother forever. We could never go back after that. It was the beginning of something both indecent and wonderful."

Zuko breathed out hard and faced the ground. The two sat in silence for a short time, then Iroh stood and gathered up the notes spread out on the floor. Once the were all packed away, he closed the box and knelt next to the young prince.

"Everything your mother owned is now yours including these."he began gently. "And you may do with them as you wish. Burn them if you see fit, or shred them and throw them to the sea."Iroh placed the box next to him and headed for the door. He opened it and started out.

"All I want from you Zuko, is whatever makes you happy."he said kindly, "Just as I did for your mother." After that he left and Zuko was alone with the box and the story fresh in his mind. He thought all he had know, and all he had just heard. He began to wonder about his mother and uncle. He knew uncle Iroh had loved his mother, but he still didn't know if she loved him back He mused over everything in his mind for only god knows how long.

Then finally he reached over and pulled a letter from the box. He slowly opened it.

My dearest Ursa...

Yeah that's all. Please no flames about the couple, I don't care if you flame or criticize anything else, but don't dis the coupling I chose. I'm writing TWO Iroh romances, this one and another featuring a different female partner.

Review please.

Kap.