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Ozai pulled his arm back, getting ready to send that final blow, the one that would forever leave my face that of a monster's.
Zuko woke with a start, pouring sweat. His father's face had been plaguing my dreams recently, giving him fitful nights of sleep, causing him to be tired.
The war is over. He told himself. I need to relax.
Rolling out of bed, Zuko snatched up his heavy red robes, wrapping them around his lean frame.
The sun was just peaking around the edges of the heavy curtains covering the grand windows in the Firelord's chambers. Regardless of how dark Zuko kept the room, and even if he was as tired as a corpse, he always rose with the sun.
The new Firelord walked down the magnificent hallways, making his way to his favorite spot in the palace; the turtle-duck pond.
As he sat watching the mother teaching her babies how to swim in the early spring morning, a messenger came into the courtyard, bowing low.
Zuko motioned for the man to deliver his news, so he could be back to his peace, so rare in his new position.
"Sir, the ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe should arrive within an hour."
His only eyebrow shot up. Perhaps his tedious day wouldn't be tedious at all.
"Thank you. Is that all?"
"Yes sir." The man bowed once more and scuttled out of the courtyard.
The Firelord knew that his lack of formality with his staff and subjects set them on edge, used to a century living in fear.
Barely dressed, and with his shaggy hair hanging around his ears, Zuko made his way back to his chambers to ready himself for the day.
About a dozen servants tried to offer him various foods and services to help him dress. Waving most of them off, he took his crown from one, and an apple from another.
As their supreme ruler started to unfasten his robes, the servants melted away, knowing they had been dismissed.
Zuko walked to his closet. Excited to see a certain person that day, the anticipation curled in his stomach. He dug through rows and rows of royal robes. He normally didn't care what he wore much, so long as it was comfortable and decent looking, but with the ambassador on their way, he knew he needed to dress to impress.
He snorted. Heck, I'm the Firelord! I should look pretty damn impressive in anything!
Deciding to go with the traditional red and black day robes, Zuko backed out of his mammoth of a closet to finish getting dressed.
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The whole royal entourage had to come with him, of course. Even if the Southern Ambassador was one of his closest friends, it was also a political event, meaning the entire council and all the advisors were present.
Zuko sighed, impatient to be able to get to just be with his friend. He knew it would be hours before all the formalities were over.
The small water tribe ship came just into view, entering the harbor mouth, making its way to the docks.
Zuko paced, patience never one of his virtues.
For what felt like an eternity, he waited. Waited for the boat to dock, unload, and all its precious passengers to make their way up the steep mountain to the palace.
When the whole Southern Water Tribe Group had made its way to the grand room they were going to be meeting in for the next couple months, Zuko's eyes scanned the small crowd looking for her.
He was distracted as the ambassador from the South popped up into his face.
"Hey, Zuko! How's it going?" he asked, his excitement bubbling over.
"Oh, hi, Sokka. Did your sister come with you this time?"
Yes, Sokka was the Southern Water Tribe's ambassador. Zuko hadn't understood why Sokka of all people, was selected to negotiate the political interests of a whole nation.
"Oh, yeah. Katara is somewhere around here. Why are you so interested anyway?" He asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"I…was just wondering. It's been a long time since the Gaang has been together."
Appeased for the time being, and immediately distracted by the servants uncovering a long table covered in food, Sokka abandoned his conversation with Zuko in the interests of his stomach.
Chained to his duties as Firelord, Zuko was stuck greeting all the members of the Southern Water Tribe. He wished to start a search for that water bender, but was swamped with overly excited greetings and bows.
Finally spotting Katara, he felt tempted to push his way out of the corner he had been backed into just to run over and greet her.
Noticing his tortured look from across the room, Katara caught his eye, giving him an apologetic smile and a reassuring nod.
She worked her way across the room towards the Firelord's prison, gracefully weaving around people. Having experience distracting people, she pushed her way to the front of the line of admirers.
"Firelord Zuko," she bowed respectfully, a show he knew, watching the mirth dance in her eyes. "Your Uncle Iroh requests to visit you immediately and apologizes for the timing."
He smirked at her terrible excuse, but taking any escape he could, nodded and said royally, "Then I shall visit him at one. Please accompany me, Katara."
Breaking out of his corner, swept his robes out behind him, overdoing the regal thing, trying to make Katara laugh.
His success came in the form of a few suppressed giggles from her adorable lips as she took his arm and they strolled out of the room.
Once free of the royal demands of the room, Katara burst into a full on laugh, quickly losing her breath.
"Oh, your Majesty, how graceful you are!"
Feeling a little self-conscious, Zuko blushed lightly, grateful for the dim lighting in the hallways. He looked into her eyes that were as deep and as blue as the ocean, and said, "Thank you."
It was said so quietly, and so sincerely, that Katara stopped laughing to look up into his golden eyes.
Her breath caught in her chest, both of them tearing their eyes away, color flooding their cheeks.
He was the first to break the silence that had ensued. "Would you like to see Uncle?"
"I would love that," she replied, a small smile playing across her lips.
"Welcome to the Fire Nation. Again."
They walked down the hall, falling into the footsteps of old friendship.
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