250 word drabble: Never to Relinquish

Written for avatar_500 prompt #8, Token.

Summary: Iroh comes to a realization.

Never to Relinquish

The streets of Ba Sing Se twist around and around, and back on themselves, like coils of knotted rope.  Kuei’s feet follow them through the upper ring gardens, as he trudges beside Bosco, a three day beard on his face, hair springing out of his braid.  He sticks to the shadows as a pair of city guards passed, his hand on Bosco’s head.  Once they’re out of sight, he steps back onto the street and slips through the back door of the teashop he has been told to find.

“I don’t have any stale ca-”

Kuei shake his head, glancing pointedly at the piles of reports lying on a table in the corner.  “General Iroh.  I was told this is where I would find the real government of the city.”

Setting the teapot in his hands down onto the counter, Iroh narrows his eyes.  “Who are you?”

~*~

Iroh pours the tea into the teacup in front of Kuei before pouring his own.  “The Dai Li and my niece once tricked my nephew and I into coming to the palace by claiming we were going to serve you tea.”

Kuei lifts the cup to his mouth.  The steam stings against the freshly shaved skin, the sleeve of Iroh’s borrowed robe trailing behind his arm.  “I wanted to thank you for taking care of Ba Sing Se for me while I was absent.”

As the Earth King speaks, Iroh drinks his tea and wonders if this is what the Dai Li felt.