"Standing before you today are representatives of all four nations, come together for the single purpose of unifying the broken bonds of our people," Zuko's words echoed out to the massive crowd beneath him. The balcony he stood on was elaborate, his clothes adorned in rich hues of red and gold. To his direct left was Aang, but his choice of clothing was far more subdued. His yellow traditional robes hung loosely on his small frame, a seemingly heavy wooden pendant draped across his neck.
"After many years of travel, learning, and obtaining knowledge, I stand before you today, not the boy who sought to bring our sister nations to their knees, but instead someone who has seen our world coast to coast and witnessed the very humanity of all those who I came across," On the other side of Aang was Toph. Her parents had arrived from Gaoling and completely dolled her up. She was not the Blind Bandit, as she wanted to be, but rather Toph Beifong, the daughter of Lao and Poppy Beifong and the embodiment of the Earth Kingdom: strong willed and powerful. Her parents added a perhaps unneeded delicateness to her, but her reputation had already swelled. The feminine green and cream dress with the fragile pins holding her hair could not stop her face from firmly showing how she felt. She was expressive; agreeing with Zuko's words, but also beginning to experience boredom.
"My father mismanaged the power he had taken, seizing a crown that did not rightfully belong to him. But he was not the only Fire Lord to do such a thing. My grandfather conquered Garsai and the Hu Xin Provinces of the Earth Kingdom and nearly destroyed the Southern Water Tribes. My great grandfather was the man who started this One Hundred Year War, but he, like my grandfather and father, did not do this better the Fire Nation. They did not cause the suffering of others for our betterment. No, our brave men, women, and even children were sacrificed by them for a foolish pursuit of domination. But what would have happened if they would have succeeded? Would they be happy, content? No. That raw, craving desire will never be filled," On Zuko's right was Sokka and Katara. Both were much older than the children he had met struggling to keep the Avatar alive over a year ago. His blind ambition failed to let him see the bigger picture at the time, but it was through them that he learned. Light blue and almost ethereal like airy clothes whipped in the wind. On Sokka's side was his trusted boomerang, on Katara's was her water pouch. Some things would never change.
"We have experienced a time of division. There are deep wounds that we all need to work together to heal. But whether you have wanted this war to cease or continue, you surely must acknowledge that in the end, we all would have suffered, the people of the Fire Nation and others alike. Today, I, Prince Zuko, accept the burden of leading us all together to bind our history as nothing more than the past. I welcome to our country, our capital, and to my home, Avatar Aang and his companions, as well as all other members of our sister countries."
And with that, the ceremony was complete. The crown was on his head, and his royal title changed to the most powerful in the Fire Nation, if not the world. He was perhaps the youngest Fire Lord at a mere seventeen years old. Sozin had been twenty four, Azulon twenty, and his father was forty two. If his uncle had been able to properly take the throne, he would have been almost sixty. But here he was, still a teenager. Iroh had no desire to take on the crown at his age, considering as he put it, that it would soon belong to Zuko anyways. He would be his chief adviser instead, that Zuko had insisted upon and they agreed on it mutually.
The next few steps would be difficult ones. For a century, his people had thrived on the annihilation of the others, which resulted in the massacre of the Air nomads. Now he had to make them think differently, act differently, and accept the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes as equals. The children would be easiest, simply by manipulating their school curriculum. But those who had already been grown and raised with this belief? It would certainly prove a much more difficult task that he was sure he could take on.
"Zuko," Iroh's calm voice shook him back to reality. "Enjoy yourself," He waved at the massive banquet in front of him. Sokka and Aang, unsurprisingly, were already enjoying themselves while Katara and Suki chided them on manners in front of Fire Nation officials. Toph's parents were hovering over her, trying to convince her to find a safe place after today because it might be unsteady for a little while. They were not kidding about that… his own insecurities refreshed those thoughts continually. But for the moment, one simple, mere moment, he should relax. Starting tomorrow he would never find the time.
Sitting down at the head of the table, he looked around. Iroh to his right now as his right hand, Aang to his left, a balance and reminder of everything they had been through. They both bore scars, Zuko's just more visible. Glancing further down the table, he tried not to sigh. It wasn't just Iroh and Aang in their respective seats, but every official on the right and every outsider on the left. Division, it seemed, would find him everywhere. But perhaps… Just perhaps he could work with it. To not view it as division, but instead facing the differences head on. Besides, bringing everybody together to enjoy a meal was a great improvement on what it was recently.
A/N: Here is an idea I'm working on about Zuko building up the Fire Nation. I may leave it as a oneshot, unless you would like me to continue. Thanks so much for the input!