They laid on the grass together, occasionally turning their heads to smile at one another as Azula sat with her back against a rock, so they wouldn't know she was spying on them. She knew she should've been happy for them, but she wasn't. And as if by a lever, as she pressed her head pressed against his chest, hers, almost instinctively hung in sadness. It was funny to her, Zuko saw her as the only thing that mattered now that the war was over, now that their father was imprisoned, and Azula, had grown up as he put it.

Azula loved him, but she knew he could never love her. What she described for her brother was what she thought, the sun's glow as warm as the midday sun, and you could stare at it as long as you wanted to.

To lull herself to sleep she would pretend he was staring at her with those eyes, his eyes, as she slowly closed hers. It brought her closer to Agni, closer to what she had missed during her childhood. Real love. Tomorrow she would not be silent anymore with him. She would tell him, and admittedly she wanted to show him how she felt. Not like anything like that could happen… she kept telling herself that as she went to bed that night. For it only rooted her conviction to the floor and through the earth itself.

"Where is my brother?" Azula had passed a guard on her way through the palace, trying to find Zuko.

"The Firelord is in the War Chamber, meeting with the generals of the earth kingdom and Water Tribe Lady Azula." Azula ran as fast as she could, and didn't care if she got banished for interrupting a meeting with the generals. She ran faster than she thought, it seemed like she got there in only a few seconds. Azula took a deep breath and stepped past the draped threshold. Overtaken by the inferno that surrounded the Royal throne. "You must understand, the airships-." The generals from all three nations rose to their feet at her presence.

"Azula, so glad you could join us." The Firelord spoke with the utmost respect almost as if he was speaking to his father, normally royals were looked at as lower than the Firelord, naturally. Herself however, because she shared the Agni Bloodline, was looked at with the same respect, no more and no less. "Angi protect and guide you, Firelord Zuko." Azula bowed her head to her brother in reverence as she gave the customary greeting to the Firelord.

Zuko nodded and motioned to her reserved spot at the center of the four Fire nation generals. A great map sprawled out, along with what looked like military shipping and inventory lists, including ground and air machinery. Avatar Aang, who Azula glanced over to only once, acknowledged her with a respectful nod. As well as Queen Bei Fong, who only smiled and glared silently.

One of the Fire Nation generals turned to her, Quo was his name as she recalled. "The Avatar had a private conference with the Firelord and then this meet was called."

"Concerning what?" Azula asked.

"With peace now, there is no need to spend resources on our war machines." General Quo then guided Azula's gaze to the Earth Kingdom queen. "The queen, also being the head of her nation's military, has concerns about natural resources, specifically the crystal cave systems underneath her city. We have come to an agreement to mass produce the modified drill-tanks as diggers for excavation."

"That is absurd. Have their benders make the tunnels. We need our machines." Her tone showed her feelings immediately, she was shocked but also somewhat angered that Zuko hadn't included her in the discussion with the Avatar.

"This is no longer on the table at the moment my Lady, the decision has been made." Azula looked like she was about to scream… or fry a curtain, Toph couldn't decide which, so she decided to defuse Azula before things got worse.

"Relax bright eyes, you can keep the airships at the very least, I plan to go underground, not harvest moisture from the clouds." The earth Queen laughed.

"You want us to spend good resources so that you can go treasure hunting?" Azula asked almost stunned, her face read as if to ask what gave her the right to ask such a thing of the Fire Nation.

"Mind your place, Lady Azula." The Firelord told her curtly, trying to save face in front of his guests as well as calm his sister.

"It is not right Zuko!" Azula yelled. Just then a giant gust of air came from the back of the room. Everyone fell silent.

"Lady Azula." Aang began, being as diplomatic and respectful as possible. "While your concerns are noted, the matter is now off the table." Aang stared straight at Azula, she seemed to understand the intensity in his words.

"It is simple economics, the earth kingdom needs our drills and in exchange they will let us -." Azula's hand shot up with her palm facing General Quo, silencing him immediately. She rose, bowed to the Firelord. "I think I've heard enough for one day." Her tone was cold and unforgiving, good old Azula.

Azula then turned and exited through the archway without another word. The Firelord sat for a minute or so, searching for words, anything, to make up for what just happened.

He then sighed and addressed the delegates and generals."My apologies to all."

"Not at all Firelord Zuko." One of the generals of the Earth Kingdom spoke up. "The other nations have their politically passionate royals the same as you." He continued, sensing the Firelord's uneasiness at the humiliation his sister brought him. "Shall we move on to other matters?"

"Yes." Was all the Firelord could muster at the moment, as his mind was preoccupied with other things. Even as the buzz of the three great nations and the Avatar continued, the Firelord wondered what had happened with his sister.