Zuko's way of ruling was... interesting, to say the least.

He was far from being a pushover, but he certainly acted in a way no Fire Lord would or should. During the council meeting, he wasn't sitting in a privileged position, making sure all eyes were on him and allowing him to see everyone else in the room. There were no flames burning behind him to demonstrate his unbelievable power. Not only were there foreigners in room, but said foreigners were actually the ones sitting next to him.

But the most shocking aspect of the whole situation was the way Zuko spoke to the people around him. He sounded less like a Fire Lord in a meeting with his subordinates, and more like an ordinary man having a conversation in which the other parties had as much say on every matter as he did.

Father would have never allowed this.

Azula shook her head negatively, as if trying to physically remove that thought from her mind. Ozai was not the Fire Lord anymore. He wasn't even a free man. He chose the wrong side in the war and payed the price. What he and those who came before him would have done didn't matter. Zuko was the one who would determine what is or isn't acceptable now.

Fire Lord Zuko is a disgrace, a voice insisted.

That wasn't true. Even though her brother allowed them to have way too much freedom while interacting him, all the sages, ministers, dignitaries, and generals were not being disrespectful or questioning his authority (though they certainly questioned his ideas). She still couldn't understand his methods, and maybe she never would, but it was clear that it was efficient enough that their nation was still prospering and he was now about to complete his second year as ruler.

There was, however, one action that the previous Fire Lords would have approved of: Zuko's decision to allow her to watch the meeting, despite the evident discomfort of everyone else around them, including his friends. She wanted to be there, and he wanted her there. No one else in the room had a say on the matter - they were not the Fire Lord, so they had to keep their mouths shut and settle for angry looks and nervous glances at her direction

Zuko had kept his eyes on her as well. He would look at her from across the room and watch her reaction to all of his decisions. But there was no visible insecurity or need for approval on his demeanor. It seemed like he was simply fascinated by her confusion at his actions. For the first time, she was the one who had to catch up with him and struggle to predict his next move.

This isn't the way it's supposed to be. You were born and raised to be an instrument of war, not peace. You don't belong here anymore.

Whether she did or did not, it was clear that her brother was determined to keep her around him. Even now that she was a bit more stable, guards and doctors were always around her, making sure she wouldn't try to escape or attack anyone. Zuko was taking the whole thing so seriously he was essentially one of them, taking care of all her needs and protecting her (and others) whenever she wasn't fully in control of her actions. It would often get a bit overwhelming.

But still, when the meeting finally ended, she couldn't hide her satisfaction as everyone else watched in absolute discomfort as her brother started following her like a shadow.