[Rabbithole: Loo and Sokka, post Mikideath]

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The Fire Palace is techincally a series of much smaller buildings grouped together and locked by walled footpaths and ornate gardens. The Imperial audience chambers are in the centre, near where the Royal family live in a smaller, heavily walled domicile. Guests are quartered in expansive rooms in one of the outer rings, a short walk away from the temple, used by all who live in the Palace.

One of the low buildings in the temple itself is dedicated to memorials to the departed. Smoke rises in thin worms from a thousand incense sticks, set before rolls representing the dead, individually or collectively. At the front, facing the worshipper as he enters, are twin rolls representing the parents of the current Fire Lord - one handsome king with his face marked by a hug burn scar, and one exotic looking blue eyed woman, sporting a scar of her own. As only four people in the world have ever met Melaka Fray, no one's arguing the likeness.

The victims of the recent border attack are in a temporary position next to Zuko. Each name is written out in perfect and careful calligraphy grouped by nation, and not one is left out, no matter who they might have been or which element they subscribed to. The sand in front of that scroll burns with more sticks than anywhere else, today.

Comments

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"Yup. She laughed, too. She's always been mean like that, though."

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Ursa pouts in the direction of Louise, who raises a finger and says, "Drowned."

"Drowned," Ursa repeats, looking back to Sokka.

"Are you here for the trial?"

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"Mean," Sokka repeats in a mock whisper, nodding back at Loo and nodding sagely. That turns to a softer thing with her question, though, his entire expression lightening save for a gaze that sits heavy on her when she nods. "Yes, I am. Did your mom ever tell you about your cousin Miki, Ursa?"

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Louise steps forward from behind him and places a hand on her shoulder, but Ursa's more interested in Sokka right now.

"Yes," she says. "He was one of the people the bad men killed. He lived in the Earth Kingdom with his family, but he was Water Tribe."

Her golden yes then go wide at him. "Was he your son?"

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Sokka gestures as Louise steps forward, glancing back with a tight smile. He opened the door to this conversation - he'll follow through on it, too.

"He was," he answers Ursa softly, turning back to her with that same smile, arms over his knees. "And his wife was practically a daughter. Their little girl lives in the Southern Tribe with my wife and our daughters, until your cousin Sakari goes back to the North."

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"I'm very sorry for your loss."

It's overly formal, but that's only because at seven, she has no idea how to address that issue.

"I was going to stay with them when I got older," she informs him instead. It's her way of sharing that she's sorry, too.

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Still smiling, Sokka nods for both the apology and the news. "Well, I'm sure King Bumi would still like to have you, when you're ready. And you're welcome to come visit Kanna, Miki and Ai-ling's daughter, whenever you want, too. I know your Aunt Steph would like that - we've been wanting to meet you for a long time."

He winces a second later, wobbling in his crouch before rising to his feet awkwardly. "But there's-- plenty of time for that stuff later. Besides, it's cold there."

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Louise is there for support when he rises, but his hand is being dragged down by a tiny hand that slips into it.

"Meila was going to stay with him next year," she says, conversationally. "But Mom won't let her anymore."

Oh, the things kids say.

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Yes, kids are hilarious.

With one hand holding Ursa's and the other on Lu's shoulder for support, Sokka turns to his other niece with an arched brow. The expression isn't accusing, but it's close if only by habit.

"Well, maybe later. Next year is maybe a little too soon."

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Louise is avoiding Sokka's eye, but she echoes "too soon" softly when he says it, and places her hand over his on her shoulder.

"Do you know Meila and Roku?" Ursa asks Sokka. "They're in lessons right now."

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Sokka's hand rises to cover Loo's, squeezing gently while he looks down to smile at Ursa. "I do. I haven't seen them for a few years, though. I live very far away and don't really travel much. Why aren't you in lessons?"

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"I've finished mine for today," she says proudly. "I learned a new move today, want to see it?"

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"Of course!" Sokka replies, looking absolutely stunned that she hadn't offered earlier. Lifting his hand, he swings her a little before letting go, grinning as he nods her off to demonstrate.

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"Away from the wood, Urs," Louise warns, and Ursa smirks over her shoulder to say of course, dancing into an open part of the courtyard. She stills and glances at the adults to check they're looking before she shuts her eyes. As she draws in her breath to prepare, Louise whispers,

"I just want them near me for a while."

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"I know," he whispers back, squeezing her hand again with his eyes on Ursa. "Why do you think I've been ignoring Arnook's requests to have Sakari sent back?"

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Ursa pushes forward suddenly, snapping out focused flame from her hands and feet as she dances through a basic firebending kata.

Louise is smiling in pride as she replies, "I just don't know how to tell them... Oh, that's rocketship, Ursa!"

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Sokka laughs abruptly when Ursa goes through her routine, smile wide and proud as he watches. "Look at her - that's you and Iroh as kids, making every training session look like a dance. Jesu."

Her hand is patted again and Sokka glances back briefly to smile. "Tell them the truth. Compromise. It's the only way to get anything done with stubborn kids."

Gee, how would he know that?

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Ursa's beaming in pride as she runs up - not to her new uncle Sokka this time, but to her Mom, who breaks off her thankful glance to her uncle and sweeps the child off her feet.

"Was it good?" Ursa's asking. "Did you see? Did I do it right?"

"Of course you did, sweetheart," Louise said. "That's one of the best I've seen that one done. Well done!"

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Sokka is smiling - not at his new niece Ursa, though she's partly included, but at Loo. It's the smile he gets whenever she particularly reminds him of Mel.

It's a very complimentary smile.

"Perfect," Sokka adds with a firm nod, grinning at the little girl.

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Louise notes the smile out of the corner of her eye, and smirks faintly. Ursa turns to Sokka and she does smirk.

"I'm going to join the army like Mom and Dad," she informs him firmly.

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"Well, of course you are!" Sokka replies, expression and tone as if he never would have expected anything else. "With moves like that, how could anyone tell you no?"

He pauses for a second before ducking a little to look Ursa in the eye, brows up. "Of course, you'll wait a few years until you know everything there is to know about bending, right?"

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"Of course!" Ursa says indignantly. "You're not allowed to sign up before you're fifteen."

"And officer training starts at eighteen," Louise fills in. "So you'll have to wait just that little bit longer, I'm afraid."

Ursa pouts and rolls her eyes dramatically at Sokka.

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"Isn't that just like a mom?" Sokka says, shaking his head in disappointment at the older of the two nieces in front of him. "Always trying to ruin your fun until you're legally old enough to have it. How mean."

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"Uncle Iroh fought in the war when he was thirteen," Ursa points out.

Louise, having rolled her eyes at Sokka, adjusts the child on her hip and says, "Uncle Iroh doesn't always know what's best for himself."

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"Uncle Iroh set a bar on fire with my boomerang once," Sokka confides, shaking his head in long-ago disappointment. "It's possible you should immitate a family member with better judgement skills.

"...unfortunately, Ursa, honey, that leaves very few options for you in this family. Sorry about that."