ATLA: The Lost Airbender

Chapter Five

Sen watched a five year old Azulon playing around the turtle duck pond, the young child had grown over the past five years. Sen was dressed in red robes that were for people who served the Firelady, he didn't like the colour but he had to make due with what he got. He got up and walked closer to the pond where Azulon was playing.

"Azulon?". Sen said, picking up the five year old prince.

"Look, I found this!". Azulon said, holding up a golden hair piece crown.

Sen took it from Azulon's hands and examined it carefully,"This is your mother's, she lost it a few days ago. She has been going crazy looking for it. Good job, Azulon".

"Yay!". Azulon said.

"Come on, let's go see mommy". Sen said, as he carried the child.

As Sen was walking, he felt Azulon tugging his hair which usually hurt but he left it for the sake of the child. Azulon had grown a thing for his white hair and always tugged at them when he found the right time.

"Stop tugging my hair, Prince Azulon". Sen said jokingly.

"But they're so pretty". Azulon said.

Sen laughed a little and Azulon saw that as his chance to laugh as well. Sen then noticed Firelady Hirohitaba walking in the garden with a servant, she was discussing something with him before sending him away. She then turned and saw Sen with Azulon in his arms.

"Mommy!". Azulon exclaimed.

Sen put him down and the child for his mother.

"Oh. Come here, my little prince". The Firelady said as the child ran into her arms.

She hugged him and picked him up and flooded him with motherly kisses.

"Firelady Hirohitaba?".

"Oh, Sen. Don't be so formal, just call me Baba". She said.

"Baba, I found something of yours". Sen said, handing her the hairpiece crown.

"Is that......? Oh Spirits! I have been looking all over the place". She said,"Where did you find it?".

"Well, Azulon found it around the turtle duck pond". Sen said.

The Firelady took the headpiece before kissing Azulon again.

"That's my good boy". She said.

Azulon giggled at the kisses.

"Thank you as well, Sen". She said.

Sen looked confused,"I didn't do anything".

"You brought him to the pond and he found it. So, it was thanks to you". She said.

Sen bowed.

"Take care of yourself, Sen". She said, walking away with Azulon.

"Bye, white ferret". Azulon waved.

Sen smiled and waved back.

          ....................................

Sixteen years passed and Sozin had passed away. Azulon had grown into a young strong man, Firelady Hirohitaba was proud of what Sen had instilled in Azulon since raising him. A year back, the Firelady made Sen the royal liaison. He was the personal servant of the royal family and he had the authority to order other servants and soldiers, he carried out requests from the royal family.

Azulon left on wars to conquer the rest of the Earthkingdom, he wanted to continue his father's vision and make the Fire Nation into an empire. Sen didn't like this at all, since he had been trying to get Azulon to stop the war but the young and brash youth didn't listen.

Since Azulon left to fight the war, Hirohitaba made it her mission to find a wife for him. She gave Sen this special task and he immediately left to find the perfect girl for Azulon.

"It is not that easy finding a girl who knows everything about tea like you do". Sen said, pacing around the Firelady's office that afternoon.

"There has to be one woman out there who has some knowledge about tea". She said, drinking a cup of tea.

"My Lady, your men and I have looked everywhere". Sen said,"How long do we have to keep looking?".

The Firelady's eyes brightened in anger,"As long as it takes!".

Sen sighed,"Yes, my lady".

It was getting more difficult talking to Hirohitaba because of her deteriorating mental state but she was still strong and that's why she kept herself together, Sen knew she was going to succumb to her condition someday.

             ...............................

Fifteen years passed and Azulon had taken the throne and had become the new Firelord, Sen was proud of Azulon for finally taking the throne and not keep on running from his responsibilities. Azulon was now thirty five years old and Sen still had not found the perfect woman yet, Firelady Hirohitaba's patience was also wearing thin.

Sen kept thinking about this as he walked through the streets of the Fire Nation, he eventually came to an outdoor cafe and sat down.

"Can I get you anything, sir?". A man who approached asked.

"Some tea will help". Sen sighed.

"Ilah, bring this young man some tea". The man said.

"Okay, father". Came a female reply from inside the tea shop.

A while later, a young girl around 18 came walking out with a tray of tea and she gently placed it on the table in front of Sen. As Sen opened the pot, he got a sweet smell that tea didn't usually have.

"What's in this?". He asked out of curiosity.

"It's a blend of jasmine and mint. It gives the tea a tantalizing sweet taste". The girl known as Ilah said.

Sen looked closely at the girl,"You must know a lot about tea".

"Oh, yes. My daughter has drunk only tea during her young life and I only gave her water for the first time three years ago". The man said.

Sen couldn't believe his ears. This girl in front of him was the answer to his problems, but he had to make sure she passed all of Hirohitaba's tests. He quietly drank his tea as he mulled this over.

"Ilah, would you like to meet the Firelady?". He asked.

          ......................................

As expected, Ilah passed all of Hirohitaba's tests and she and Azulon got married a week later. Hirohitaba and Azulon thanked Sen dearly for his effort but he shrugged it off as his duty, he was modest because of his airbender nature.

Hirohitaba retired as Firelady and went to Ember Island to live at the Royal Family's beach house, Sen was saddened by this as he had gotten used to being around her and she felt the same as well.

The relationship between Azulon and Ilah was awkward at first, but after they both got advice from Sen they started to get used to being around each other and they even started to flirt here and there. Of course, Sen happened to excuse himself whenever that happened and he would curse himself for giving those two that much confidence.

Ilah was a very beautiful girl and he would have gone after her if Azulon hadn't been looking for a wife, but he knew he had to wait for years until the war ended and his aging was resumed again. Because he couldn't date someone while he was ageless because only the girl would grow old alone. He didn't want that.

Where are you, Aang?