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Absolution
Lu Ten’s father was such a gentle and wise man–who had only grown in these virtues after Lu Ten’s passing–that the spirits allowed them to meet in the ethereal environs of the Spirit Realms for a conversation before his father passed.
“I’m sorry for getting you killed, son.” Tears streaked down Father’s wrinkled cheeks.
“You did not get me killed, Father.” Lu Ten found there was nothing like death to lend clarity to his life. To the choices he had made in every moment of it. “I got myself killed. I chose to go to war. To join the siege and attack at Ba Sing Se.”
“You would never have chosen to go to war if I hadn’t trained you to be a soldier since the time you were a little boy.” Father’s guilt and grief were unabated by Lu Ten’s words. “If you hadn’t believed that marching off to war would please me. Make me proud. What son doesn’t want to please his father? Make him proud? Follow in his footsteps?”
“A bad one,” Lu Ten said reflexively. Then remembered Uncle Ozai and Cousin Zuko. “Or one with a bad father, which you were not. I loved you. Of course I wanted to honor and obey you. You earned that by loving me. By being gentle and affectionate with me always.”
“I taught you to think of conquest and the glory of the Fire Nation.” Father’s voice was heavy with remorse. “To value that more than your life.”
“Of course you did.” Lu Ten spoke the truth softly. Not wanting to shatter a broken man. “That’s what your own father taught you. Why would you have questioned what your father raised you to believe?”
“If I were a better father to you, I would have questioned sooner. Before you died at Ba Sing Se.” Father’s eyes were wet as they fixed on Lu Ten. “Forgive me for not being a better father to you, Lu Ten.”
“There is nothing to forgive.” Lu Ten shook his head. “You were a good father to me. You never beat or burned me.”
“That’s all it takes to be a good father?” Father snorted.
“In the Fire Nation Royal family?” Lu Ten smiled crookedly. “Yes. You always made me feel loved. I died knowing I was loved. That was enough–more than enough–for me.”
There were so many sons, not only in the Fire Nation, who couldn’t say the same. Who never knew a father’s love. Died without knowing it.
Lu Ten could not complain. Not when he had known love when he lived.