Author's Notes: And the plot thickens, it seems. I just wanted to thank you all for reviewing and being so nice. Seriously, it's awesome. And credit/thanks/love/muffins go to margaritanightly because she has brilliant ideas and gives me romance novels. Hehe.

…

"And how," Zuko began to ask, his eyes on his personal record books as he jotted down the latest movements of rice resources and water, as told by Aang, who had a dazzling memory for that sort of thing, "are the people in the southern areas faring? When I traveled there, it was mostly small villages with few able workers. I ordered some charity money and a few men to be sent there."

Zuko had made the decision that the first three days of the Avatar's stay would be solely with him, as he had the feeling the truth was being whitewashed for him by his lower advisors, and therefore, Zuko needed to catch up with the last few months, but the fourth and fifth days would be spent in general court with the ranking nobles and the Fire Lord's staff. The sixth and seventh days… well, those were for Aang to cause as much trouble as he, Toph and Sokka could manage to burn off steam.

Katara, who was also present, responded. "They seem to be doing really well. Their crops are growing, and if all goes well, they should have a hefty surplus to be sent to you at harvest time. The villages are still small, and there are very few workers, but they seem to be capable enough to handle the strain until there are more people of working age." She quickly flipped through her notes and then handing him a neatly written list of names and a different number by each name.

His fingers brushed hers as he accepted the piece of paper. He set it on top of the other lists he had collected over the past two days; what he was doing was amassing a list of every single person who had had property damage done by Fire Nation soldiers, and he was planning to pay it all back. He had seen how the soldiers treated the commoners, how the simple folk were extorted and forced to comply with their needs, in the name of the Fire Lord, and it was despicable. Though there were so many other things that needed to be done, it was his life's mission to atone for every sin that had been committed in the name of the Fire Nation, and this was simply one part of it.

"Why do you need all of this information?" Sokka asked curiously, leaning forward and reading the list upside down.

Zuko looked up from his writing in his record book, and gave Sokka a humorless smile. "The Fire Lords are to blame for the entire war, for starting it, for continuing it and for not ending it when the chance came. I have to repay my people for that, and for the way my family has treated them."

"I don't think that's your problem, Sparky." Toph said. "You didn't do it."

"That's true." He agreed with her as he closed the record book. "But I still have to do this."

He saw Katara smile sadly at him from the corner of his eye, and his neck nearly flushed when he felt her hand cover his knee underneath the table. He turned and smiled back gratefully. Already, he noticed, he felt as though she was his Fire Lady. He coughed to clear the lump in his throat the notion caused, and smiled once more at the group, this time more genuinely.

"I think that's enough for today. Thank you, and make sure to tell the staff if there is anything you need, and no, Sokka," Zuko cut him off before he could begin. "They already know you require… many meals." He vaguely wondered if there was enough food in the entire Fire Nation to feed that kid. He'd have to beg food from King Bumi at this rate.

"Great!" Sokka jumped to his feet and started towards the door. "Which way to the kitchens, Zuko?" He asked over his shoulder.

Zuko felt like hanging his head in defeat. "To the left, Sokka. And then two more lefts."

"You know, I'm actually pretty hungry too. I'll go with him." Aang said as he created an air scooter and rushed after the Water Tribe boy.

Toph stood up, scowling as she followed the two boys. "If they get into any trouble…" She trailed off dangerously, her hands in fists at her sides. The two had already broken several vases, ripped up a tapestry that (fortunately) wasn't an heirloom and nearly killed a poor stable hand when they'd taken up Appa for a late-night flight over the capital city. Anything more, and she'd probably put them into one of her original stone prisons for the remainder of their stay.

Katara giggled as she stood up, collecting her papers and instinctively straightening Zuko's. She looked up when she saw him smiling at her in the corner of her eye. She faced him, still smiling. "What?"

"Nothing." He covered, his smile disappearing, deciding to leave his books in the room so they would still be straight and perfect when he walked in the next morning. "I'm serious," He added when she gave him a look that clearly told him she knew he was lying. "It is absolutely nothing. Now, are you going to come with me on a walk or are we just going to stand here until I go mad from wanting…?" He stopped himself abruptly, his face suddenly hot.

Okay. So he hadn't meant to almost say all of that. It had slipped out. He'd meant it as a joke, in all honesty. A joke, yes. The absolute truth? By Agni's sacred fire, it was. It wasn't as though he'd wanted her in that way the entire time they'd been sitting around talking, but now, it was an ever so tempting prospect.

She blushed, grinning, as though she wasn't sure to be horribly offended by his suggestion or entirely too pleased. "A walk sounds nice." She stammered, wishing she could melt into the floor. He shouldn't be allowed to say things like that, especially when he was just so darn handsome. It was also rather naughty, which shouldn't have thrilled her as much as it did.

Zuko didn't say a word to her, and merely offered her his elbow. She took it, and they left the meeting room, turning to the right and walking nowhere in particular. For a long while, they didn't speak. The silence was comforting, and Katara found more comfort in the man who walked beside her. He was known as a pillar of strength for his country, a Fire Lord to remake what a Fire Lord was supposed to be, and he was everything she would ever need.

Though losing part of her childhood was hard, she had lost the majority of it in the war. She was letting go of the last strands of innocence, and she was scared, but… at least she had Zuko. There was that, and that alone was enough.

…

Head Advisor Daiki had spent the last several hours in the Fire palace library. Why? Well, he couldn't quite say. He had an inkling there was something in the historical records that was just begging to be uncovered, but what… again, he couldn't say.

He had taken to pacing up and down the long aisles of bookcases, trailing his fingers over the spines of the old volumes, as if one of them, the one he needed, would jump out and bite the offending digits of his hand. At that thought, he pulled his hand away. Not that he was frightened of the thought, but crazier things had happened, so there was no telling what was possible anymore.

Daiki, as his sister was well aware, was fiercely loyal to his Fire Lord and to what the Fire Nation stood for. He still considered Zuko a friend, and wanted his friend to be happy. Beyond that, Zuko was a damn good Fire Lord and had proven himself thousands of times over in the past three months, and he needed a Fire Lady with experience who could rule and could temper Zuko's sometimes rash approach with a gentler demeanor. As he'd observed, Katara seemed to be that person.

She was charming. She really was. She was personable, interesting, and could hold a conversation. She was also intelligent and intensely opinionated (as he'd heard her scolding her brother for whatever comment he'd made or whatever he had done from halfway across the palace). And Daiki wasn't blind; he'd seen how well they worked together.

Zuko seemed to instinctively match her body language. His shoulders would curve downwards, and he'd look at her with his head tilted slightly to one side so he wasn't as tall and imposing. He kept his body turned into her so he could protect her if a situation turned bad. Daiki could tell Zuko was in love with her, and Katara didn't seem the type to sleep with whatever man showed interest in her, so he could only assume she loved him as well.

But all personal ties to the situation aside, Daiki knew Zuko would break if he couldn't be with Katara, and so the Head Advisor was on a mission to find a way to make that happen. Yes, Mai was a suitable candidate to be the Fire Lady, but she didn't have that spark. She was intelligent and all of those other things that Katara was, but she wasn't personable. She didn't seem to really care about politics and all those things. And when it came down to it, Zuko and Mai didn't love each other, and call him a sucker, but Daiki was a romantic.

"Oh, Head Advisor, I did not expect to find you here."

Daiki looked up from his pacing and instantly bowed. "General Iroh. A pleasure to see you, as always." He greeted sincerely.

"And it is a pleasure to see you." Iroh came to stand at Daiki's side and looked up at one of the bookcases. "What has you in the historical section? You have always struck me as a man to enjoy a good mystery novel, as I do, from time to time. There is one novel, The Murder of the Captain, that is best read with a cup of jasmine tea. Very gripping." Iroh nodded sagely.

Daiki had a feeling that The Murder of the Captain wasn't a real book and that Iroh was trying to say something. "I'm not quite sure, General. I feel as though… I might find answers here."

"Oh? And what is the question you are attempting to answer?" Iroh asked.

Daiki rubbed his smooth chin in thought. "Again, I don't know." He paused, and then continued, speaking carefully, as always. "My sister has returned, and that bothers me. She has always been very vocal in pointing out the flaws in whatever situation, but now… she worries me. She has her own resources, and she's very intelligent. If she wanted to attempt something… she could." Saying the words aloud made Daiki's heart pound.

"I'm sure she could." Iroh agreed. "Tell me, Daiki, what troubles you. Speak plainly; I won't divulge your secrets, and I won't break the air of mystery you seem to enjoy having."

A smile danced around the edges of Daiki's mouth. "Very well, General." He took a deep breath as his eyes fell on a historical book about every single royal since the Fire Nation had taken to keeping records. "I believe I know the truth about the Waterbender… among other things, I think she is the perfect Fire Lady, and I know Zuko loves her. He would fail as a Fire Lord if it turns out he cannot have her. I want to see that she becomes the Fire Lady, for Zuko and for the Fire Nation." He spoke quietly, his tone betraying nothing of his emotions.

Even to Iroh, who was trustworthy beyond any reproach, Daiki couldn't find it in himself to be entirely frank.

"And you think it is possible to sway the nobility?" Iroh finally asked after a long period of silence.

Daiki furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "No, I don't think it's possible. But if there were to be some evidence, some piece of history that could prove that there was no reason why a woman from another country shouldn't become the Fire Lady… it would make it impossible to be against the marriage, since she's traveled with the Avatar."

"You are quite intelligent, Head Advisor." Iroh complimented gravely. "I may know of something that could be of some use. I will help you."

"I greatly welcome it." Daiki finally smiled. It was a small one that barely tugged at the corners of his mouth, but it was still a smile. He could trust Iroh with this.

Iroh nodded, and thoughtfully turned back to the bookcases. He bent down to the lowest shelf, where dust and grime had accumulated over the years and extracted a thick, heavy book. When the General brushed away the first layer of dust, Daiki read the title. A History of the Fire Nation Royalty.

"This is an old book, and it doesn't even cover Sozin's reign, but it will do." Iroh said as he went to a table that was away from the bookcases that was used for studying.

As Daiki followed the old General, a smirk appeared on his lips as he suddenly realized what Iroh had in mind. He had to give the old man credit; he put on a jovial persona so no one could see the brilliance that was behind it. Iroh was much like him, the Head Advisor decided, and found the idea warming. With Iroh on his side, everything would come together as it should.

...

Author's Notes: And yet... is Daiki truly good? Is Iroh blind to Daiki's potential evilness? And what are those two cooking up? Please review; it encourages me and I would love you forever.