Ursa placed some food into Ren’s bowl with her chopsticks.
When Ren started to rise and thank her, she gently took his hand and guided him back down, as kindly as any ordinary elder.
“Didn’t I say to treat this like your own home?
There’s no need for so much ceremony.” Ren thought the Princess Consort was surprisingly approachable and quickly nodded his thanks.
Ursa paused, still wearing that graceful, proper smile.
“Ren, how old are you now?” “I’ll be eleven after the end of this summer.” “Eleven.” Ursa looked a little curious.
“Then you’ll be graduating from school soon.” “Yes.” Once she had her answer, Ursa smoothly changed direction.
“Generally speaking, older children find it difficult to play with children younger than themselves.
When you spend time with Azula, do you ever feel any distance between you?” As she said this, Ursa glanced at her eldest son.
Zuko felt a little awkward and lowered his head to eat.
“Not at all, Your Highness.
We actually get along quite harmoniously.” “The Princess is intelligent and broad-minded.
Her views on many things have given me a great deal to think about.
Even in a difficult situation, she’ll do everything she can to win.
In a world changing as quickly as ours, that kind of determination is truly necessary.” Ren’s enthusiastic praise pleased Azula greatly.
She immediately picked up a chicken leg and placed it in his bowl.
“You really do have a good relationship,” Ursa said warmly.
“What do you usually do together?” “Mostly ordinary things.
We talk about which restaurants have good food, or complain about forgetting an umbrella when it rains.” Ren chose his words carefully and answered slowly.
Ursa nodded gently.
“I see.
It sounds like a very comforting, normal routine.” “There are unusual things too,” Azula added, barely holding back a laugh.
“One time, this guy saw a little dog running over and thought it was coming to him.
He crouched down and waved at it all excited, but the dog completely ignored him and ran straight into its real owner’s arms.
So he could only pretend he’d dropped something and was searching for it very seriously, as if nothing had happened.” “Didn’t you promise not to tell anyone?” Ren protested, his face burning from the sudden exposure of his embarrassing history.
Azula crossed her arms, looking entirely unfazed.
“How can you refer to my mother as ‘anyone’?” “Fine, fine.
We’re playing dirty, are we?” Ren immediately launched a desperate counterattack.
“In that case, I should probably inform Her Highness about the time we were drinking orange juice, and you sneezed so hard in front of a dozen customers that you completely drenched me from head to toe.” Azula slammed her hand on the table, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“Then what about the time you mistook someone for somebody else, put your arm around some girl’s shoulders, and her boyfriend chased you down demanding an Agni Kai?” Ren folded his arms and lifted his chin proudly.
“Well, he didn’t catch me, did he?” Azula narrowed her eyes at Ren, lips pressed tight, and began seriously considering whether to silence him permanently.
Ursa watched her daughter bristle with anger and felt a flicker of surprise.
She knew Azula’s temper well.
When someone made her angry, she usually struck back at once.
That was exactly what Ursa had criticized her for so many times: the girl carried far too much aggression.
Yet here was someone her own age who could make Azula angry without being punished for it.
Even Zuko, her own brother, had never managed that.
“It seems the two of you are even closer than I imagined,” Ursa said, sounding a little moved.
Then she placed another piece of meat into Ren’s bowl.
Ren felt that, as an ordinary commoner with no official rank, being personally served food by the Princess Consort probably made him one of a kind in the entire Fire Nation.
“Ren, do you have any siblings?” Ursa asked as she continued serving him.
Ren froze for a moment.
After weighing it in his heart, he decided to answer honestly.
After all, given her status as royalty, discovering his background wouldn’t be difficult if she ever wished to look.
“I’m an only child.
Or… I suppose I am.
My mother remarried, and I heard I have a younger half-sister now, but I’ve never met her.
“I probably won’t go out of my way to disturb them in the future.
They have a complete family of their own.” “As for my father…
he passed away some time ago.” As Ren’s voice fell silent, the lighthearted atmosphere around the dining table vanished instantly.
Ursa found herself momentarily at a loss for words, managing only a soft, “I am so sorry.” Ren shook his head, his expression perfectly serene.
“It’s quite alright, Your Highness.
It happened a very long time ago.
“My father left me enough to live on.
And I’ve always believed that old wounds heal in time.
The things that fail to break us will make us stronger.” “Just eat your food,” Azula awkwardly placed food into Ren’s bowl, rarely showing enough kindness to let the subject pass.
“Thank you.
But please, you should all eat as well, don’t worry about me,” Ren looked at the food already piling up in his bowl and did not quite know what to say.
Ursa looked at him and felt a quiet ache in her heart.
A child his age should not have thoughts this mature.
It was not something to be happy about.
It meant that, through countless days and nights, he had swallowed down his sadness and grievances alone.
Only a child who had asked the world for help and received no answer would force himself to become strong, one step at a time, and climb out of the mire of pain.
Ursa spoke gently.
“You’re still growing.
You should eat more.” Ren made an instant decision and transferred some of the food into Zuko’s bowl.
“In that case, let Zuko help me carry the burden.” “Thanks.” Zuko answered out of habit, only to feel a murderous chill come from the side.
His sister had narrowed her eyes and was staring at him as if she wanted him dead.
Zuko was lost.
He had no idea what he had done wrong.
Watching the children’s childish little exchanges, Ursa sighed inwardly and gently patted Ren’s head.
“In the future, I will have to trouble you to look after Zuko and Azula.” Since I’ve accepted their hospitality, I can hardly refuse, Ren thought, giving a resolute nod.
The mood at the table soon became peaceful again.
After dinner, Ren rubbed his slightly rounded stomach, clearly struggling to digest everything, and said with effort, “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness.
And… thank you as well, Princess Azula, for all the food you kept giving me.
I’ll take my leave now.” “Zuko, Azula, go see Ren out,” Ursa instructed.
Ren quickly waved his hands.
“There’s no need, Your Highness.
It’s just a short walk.” Since Ren insisted, Ursa could only concede with a nod.
“Very well.
Please be careful on your way back.” “I will.” As the evening shadows lengthened, Ursa watched the boy’s slow, measured steps as he walked away, eventually disappearing into the dark contours of the palace gardens.
“He has already done exceptionally well.” “What was that, Mother?” Azula asked, catching her mother’s soft murmur.
Ursa gently caressed Azula’s hair, her voice thick with maternal warmth.
“Anyone who isn’t broken by the storms of life is already incredibly strong.” …