Relieved that she extended her protection to defectors like him, Zuko brushed aside a pang of guilt that came along with the feeling. He knew he wasn't telling her the whole truth and while it didn't sit exactly right with him, for the moment he felt it was a low-risk decision. Besides, if Azula did come it might be better for the young queen if she didn't know anything about who he was.
He brought his arms up, his balled fist meeting his curved palm as he bent in a deeper bow. "You're very generous," there had been times when he had taken advantage of people's kindness, had stolen their ostrich horses, or their tea sets - but he was trying to be better. If his dreams were right maybe he could be better, maybe there was wisdom to be gleaned from these dragons. They still were firebenders, weren't they?
"Fire was given to mankind by the dragons, along with the knowledge of how to bend it," Zuko began his voice was quiet but he spoke without hesitation. He would be deceptive about himself at least for now, at least to some degree, but he wasn't going to mislead her about what brought him to her dragons. They were sacred after all, it felt wrong to tarnish something sacred with mistruth.
"The Fire Nation disgraced themselves, hunting them for glory in the last few generations," he lowered his head, the shame of that fact compounded by the knowledge that it was his great-grandfather who popularized the tradition. "Dragons are the original firebending masters, and I wish to meet yours and learn whatever they might be able to teach me," he bowed briefly. "With your permission, your highness."
She's not so naïve as to doubt that her kindness might be taken advantage of, but if and when that came, she would deal with it as a queen should. For now, he looked weary and likely had traveled far. She wasn't about to turn him away because there was the possibility of betrayal. A queen who trusted no one was as foolish as one who trusted everyone. If he kept something from her, if he had ulterior motives, they would appear in time. For now, he could rest, regain his strength and enjoy her hospitality.
Hadn't she done the same in other cities, before they turned sour and she was forced to leave? That thought made her smile, even knowing Ser Jorah would be urging her to be caution. The queenly disposition was gone for the moment, replaced by her girlish amusement and interest in the stranger before her.
His request though brought a bit of sobriety back to her mind. "I'm afraid I don't know very much about the history of the Fire Nation or the benders, but what I know of dragons is that while they are untamed, they are capricious and unpredictable. I don't have the books that were at the disposal of my ancestors. I'm still trying to train my children." It was going rather poorly at the moment, along with many of her decisions, it seemed.
"If you wish to meet them, you have to understand the risk. Dragons are intelligent, but they are still-" monsters, "wild. If you still want to meet with them and learn from them, I will allow it, but it's no small matter. It could be dangerous for you."
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Date: 2021-11-22 06:38 am (UTC)He brought his arms up, his balled fist meeting his curved palm as he bent in a deeper bow. "You're very generous," there had been times when he had taken advantage of people's kindness, had stolen their ostrich horses, or their tea sets - but he was trying to be better. If his dreams were right maybe he could be better, maybe there was wisdom to be gleaned from these dragons. They still were firebenders, weren't they?
"Fire was given to mankind by the dragons, along with the knowledge of how to bend it," Zuko began his voice was quiet but he spoke without hesitation. He would be deceptive about himself at least for now, at least to some degree, but he wasn't going to mislead her about what brought him to her dragons. They were sacred after all, it felt wrong to tarnish something sacred with mistruth.
"The Fire Nation disgraced themselves, hunting them for glory in the last few generations," he lowered his head, the shame of that fact compounded by the knowledge that it was his great-grandfather who popularized the tradition. "Dragons are the original firebending masters, and I wish to meet yours and learn whatever they might be able to teach me," he bowed briefly. "With your permission, your highness."
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Date: 2021-11-29 08:57 pm (UTC)Hadn't she done the same in other cities, before they turned sour and she was forced to leave? That thought made her smile, even knowing Ser Jorah would be urging her to be caution. The queenly disposition was gone for the moment, replaced by her girlish amusement and interest in the stranger before her.
His request though brought a bit of sobriety back to her mind. "I'm afraid I don't know very much about the history of the Fire Nation or the benders, but what I know of dragons is that while they are untamed, they are capricious and unpredictable. I don't have the books that were at the disposal of my ancestors. I'm still trying to train my children." It was going rather poorly at the moment, along with many of her decisions, it seemed.
"If you wish to meet them, you have to understand the risk. Dragons are intelligent, but they are still-" monsters, "wild. If you still want to meet with them and learn from them, I will allow it, but it's no small matter. It could be dangerous for you."