Chapter 1

Fire Lord Zuko sat in a carriage looking out through the small crack the curtained window left. He was being escorted to a small celebration. The celebration was for the treaty he had signed just a week ago with an Earth Lord. The war had ended but, many were still cautious of the Fire Nation. The Treaties were a way to calm the citizens. The Earth Lord had asked Zuko to go to a celebration to honor the treaty and Zuko could not refuse, for he wished them to trust him.

He sighed, truth be told, he didn't want to go. He had just come back from a journey last night. He had been visiting his friends Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph. Sense the ending of the war; they never got to see each other anymore. They were all just too busy. Well, mostly Zuko. He was the Fire Lord after all. Aang too, being the Avatar. They had to deal with a lot of the Nations problems now to restore peace.

He watched the houses and markets of the city pass by his crack in the curtain. From what he saw, the place was fairly poor and run down. He continued to see the squalor as they continued to even the more noble part of the city. They were almost there. He straightened himself; he was in a slouched form before. He did not what to make a bad first impression.

The carriage stopped. A servant soon opened his windowed door, and bowed as Zuko rose and exited his carriage. Before him, stood a fat man in fancy green robes with delicate designs of swirls and zigzags. He also had a large Earth pendant around his neck. Beside him was a beautiful woman in a green robe with a hair style so high and thick it could be a chair for the fat man beside her. Both their wear looked more expensive than Zuko's own clothing. Behind them was a very nice and pricy looking mansion.

Zuko bowed to them and they returned the bow. The servant left with the carriage, a guard stood beside Zuko.

"Greetings, Fire Lord Zuko. I hope your trip to our house was enjoyable?" the Earth Lord had a high voice.

"Yes, thank you." Zuko replied.

"This is my wife Kina."

Zuko bowed, "Greetings."

Kina bowed slightly back.

Zuko looked up to admire the Earth Lords finely put mansion.

"Like it?" the lord said with a mischievous smile, "I just finished remodeling it. I had to raise my taxes to a very extreme amount to get it to be so perfect. My wife believes it was wrong of me to do so, but they're just peasants. They don't know how to appreciate architecture. Right?"

The Earth Lord eyed Zuko, as if testing him. Zuko, of course, did not agree, but he could not simply argue with him. It was his city, and Zuko needed to act on his best behavior so that things went smoothly.

"Yes. That makes sense." He replied with a hint of sarcasm. He just couldn't help himself.

The Earth Lords lip twitched in slight irritation, but he smiled and held his arms out.

"Thank you! Please, come in. The Celebration will take place in a few hours. My men will escort you and your guard to a room for you to wait. You are free to move where you wish in my village."

"Thank you."

Two men in uniform guided them through a very long large hallway going through the middle of the mansion. A large room at the back of the mansion was Zuko's room. When the men left, Zuko's guard turned to him.

"Sire, is there anything you need?"

"No, thank you."

"Then, I will stand in post outside your door." he bowed and left.

Zuko looked out an opened window in the room. The mansion stood on a hill overlooking the small city. He watched as the citizens bustled around the square putting up decorations for the celebration. The square was mainly for performers and beyond the square were booths full of games and snack. Or soon to be filled with games and snacks. Suddenly, a face appeared inches from his.

"Waaah!" Zuko stumbled back in shock.

A child propped her head and arms up on the window seal. She had big brown eyes and a white and light gray robe on that probably used to be pretty, but was covered in mud and worn down. Her robe was so ruffled up that it opened at the bottom and revealed that she wore brown pants.

"It's the Fire Lord!" she said happily, "are you evil? The last one was."

Zuko watched as the child scrambled through the window into the room. She stood with her fists on her side. Her face look looked like she was scolding another child for being bad.

"Well? Are u being evil?"

"No, I am not evil." Zuko said, not really startled anymore.

"Oh, Akane said you weren't. But I didn't believe her."

"May I ask who you are, young one?"

"Oh! I'M THE DAUGHTER OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL EARTH LORD!" she bellowed with her arms in the air, "He didn't want me to come out because he's scared I would offend you."

"Yet, here you are."

"Well yeah! I wanted to meet you! I don't know why father thinks I'm gonna offend you. Look at this face! Do I look like I would offend anyone?!" she pointed to her face and put a 'duh' look on.

"No, you do not." Zuko let a small giggle leave his lips.

"So you're really not evil! Evil people don't laugh nicely like you do. Akane told me that too."

"Who's Akane, again?"

"Oh! She's the girl me and my friends play with. Though, could you not tell father about it? He doesn't like that I play with Akane. He doesn't like that I play with the other kids from the city either. But Akane says that I need friends to beable to live a long and good life."

"Akane seems very wise."

"Oh! I have to go! I gotta go tell Akane she was right about you being good! I'll tell her you have a beautiful laugh too! Be my friend good Fire Lord!"

And with that the child jumped out the window. But then she turned, "oh but you have a really ugly face and u stink like coal." Then she ran down the hill towards the city.

"Yeah, you sure don't offend anyone." Zuko said with a smile.

Zuko closed his window then slipped into sleeping wear. He napped until his guard awoke him for the celebration to begin.