Zuko was stood at his balcony door gazing down at the small figure sleeping on the balcony itself. She had brought a blanket and a pillow before obviously climbing up the wall like had done as a child. He opened the door quietly and knelt beside the sleeping child.

"Kira," he said softly. He did it again until she stirred and opened her big amber eyes. She smiled at him but Zuko wasn't smiling back. "What in Agni's name are you doing?"

She looked confused. "I was sleeping?"

"On my balcony?"

"Well, your door was locked."

"Because it was the middle of the night!" Zuko stood back up and rubbed his tired eyes, "You know you can't leave Iroh's house yet, if the guards find you then they'll not bring you back to me, you know that right? They'll toss you in a prison cell then throw away the key and I'll never know because why would they tell me about some Burakumin intruder? You'd be lucky if they didn't kill you the second they see that brand!"

Kira gasped and hid her hand behind her back. Zuko was livid right now. Kira was clingy, he knew that, but he hadn't thought for a second that she'd put herself in danger because he had decided to sleep in his own bed for a change. In the two weeks since Kira arrived he had spent most nights at Iroh's and Kira always took the opportunity to sleep beside him. "I can't keep sharing a bed with you, you know that right?"

"Why not?"

"Agni, give me strength," Zuko grasped her hand and pulled Kira to her feet. The girl was smart, he knew that, but she had no idea how to act around people. She was impulsive at best and downright inappropriate most other times. "Go back to Iroh's please."

"But I want to stay with you?"

"That's not possible right now," then he sighed. Just then Zuko realised how much he pitied full-time mothers but their children weren't at risk of being lynched for simply existing.

"Sorry if I did something wrong?" Kira said to him, "I just wanted to be close to you." She blushed and wiggled her foot nervously. "I...I feel safe when you're around." Zuko sighed again. He had so much to do today. He was still in the process of planning for the construction of the school and he hadn't even decided where to build it. To do that he was meeting with a city architect to at least try and draw up some plans.

Zuko realised he hadn't answered her question. "Yeah, you kinda did do something wrong," he told her honestly, "Sneaking into the Palace is dangerous, even for a normal person, so from now on you need to promise me you won't leave Iroh's house at all, not until I know you'll be safe."

"But I get so bored," she argued, "All General Iroh does is drink silly tea and play that stupid board game all day long!" Zuko smiled at the thought of Iroh hearing what she had just said, just how would he react to his two favourite pass times being insulted?

"What did you do for fun when you had free time at the slaughterhouse?"

"I never got any free time...I ate, I slept and I worked."

"Days off?" she shook her head, "So all you did was work?"

Kira shrugged but then nodded. "Maybe I...could...go back to work?" Zuko shook his head at that idea, the last thing he wanted was for her to go back to the Slaughterhouse. "But I hate doing nothing all day!"

Zuko then had an idea. "So you'd feel better if you could work?" Kira nodded enthusiastically, "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"No General Iroh, I won't do it!"

"My dear Tatsui, you've said it yourself, you don't like her lounging around my house all day so why not take Kira under your wing?" Kira hid behind Iroh as he spoke to his head housekeeper, still afraid of the woman after she had hit her when they first met. "From what Fire Lord Zuko tells me, she's a very capable and bright girl, she'll pick up her duties in no time if she has a good teacher and it'll only be temporary."

Zuko had summoned him to the Palace not too long ago and he had been surprised to find that Kira had sneaked out of the house to try and be with his nephew. He had summoned him to ask him to take Kira back to the house but to also put her to work. Iroh had been confused, wasn't being forced to work for a living the reason Zuko had rescued her?

"We have to accept that she's not like other children, Uncle," Zuko had said, "She doesn't like being lazy, sort of like me I suppose." Iroh had then agreed to the idea. If she wanted to be useful then who were they to deny her?

Tatsui looked down at Kira. The fear in her eyes when she looked at her almost made her feel sorry for the girl but then she saw that cursed brand. A brand she had been taught to despise all her life, and yet she had never really been around a Burakumin. She had kept tabs on Kira at first, spying on her to make sure she didn't pilfer anything or take advantage of General Iroh's kind nature, but surprisingly she had been the perfect house guest. Maybe she was worth giving a chance, just one though.

"Very well General Iroh, I'll give her a chance," she said to her employer. "You'll call me Madam," she then said down to Kira, "I expect you to be at your very best, do that and I think we can at least get along."

"Yes Madam," Kira said with a small bow. Tatsui nodded her approval. At least the wretch had manners.

"Thank you Tatsui, I'm sure you'll come to adore her as much as I have," Iroh clapped Kira on her head before allowing Tatsui to take her away. Kira looked back at Iroh who gave her a half-hearted smile. He was going to miss her company.

For the rest of the day, Kira followed Tatsui around the house performing various chores under the older woman's command. She never spoke unless spoken to or complained about performing any task she was given. By the evening, Tatsui was told to bring Kira back to Iroh who met them in his sizeable lounge.

Kira was filthy and covered in sweat. "You certainty worked Kira hard, Tatsui," Iroh observed as she stood before him.

"In all honesty, I was trying to make her slip up," Tatsui admitted with her head down. Iroh gave her a stern look but before he could speak, she continued. "I'm surprised to say that she was the perfect little helper."

Iroh then fixed her with a smile. "Very good," he said happily, "And Kira, how was your day?"

"It felt good to be useful, General Iroh," Kira said with a tired smile, "Madam kept me very busy." Kira then looked up at Tatsui. "You're not so scary after all." For the briefest of moments, the side of Tatsui's lip rose into a faint smile at Kira's remark.

Tatsui bowed to Iroh before leaving, "See you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Yes Madam," Kira bowed to the woman then looked back at Iroh, "Can I have a bath please?"

Zuko returned to his bedroom in the Palace late that night. He had spent far too long trying to find a suitable place to build the school but the architect had been adamant that if it was going to house Burakumin then it should be on the outskirts. Zuko thought it better to keep the building more central as he was trying to stop the idea of keeping the Burakumin out of sight and out of mind.

In the end, the architect had caved but Zuko knew he wasn't pleased with the idea. He had thanked the man regardless though only received a grudging bow in return. Zuko fell into his bed, not even bothering to change, and just closed his eyes. Last night he had been too tired to register Kira's absence but tonight, after a whole day of not seeing her, he missed her. The warmth of her small body as she lay near him, her soft breathing, the twitches and the moans as she dreamed...or had nightmares...it was hard to tell. Maybe they were all nightmares. Either way, he missed her.

He stared over at his balcony door and contemplated going to Iroh. Kira was clingy but now he suspected that so was he. It felt good to be so adored by her, so needed and so important in her life. He shook his head of the idea. He was the Fire Lord, he had to sleep in his own bed and so did she but as he rolled onto his side he still missed her warmth.

What was working late to some people, it was perfectly normal for Julin but after a particularly violent patron had decided he would enjoy himself more if she had some bruises, she had been given the rest of the night off which meant she was only getting a fraction of the pittance she was usually paid. There weren't many perks to working in a brothel in the lower quarters but at least she got a real bed every night and a meal in the morning. Julin entered her room and bolted the door closed before igniting a small candle on a table by the door. Its dim light flickered warmly, making her tiny room seem almost cosy.

The room was nothing more than a bed with space to store some belongings from her old life. A locket with her parent's pictures in it lay on a shelf beside her old foot soldier uniform's helmet. The rest of the uniform was tucked away in a corner along with her military-issue Dadao blade. Sure it was a shoddy blade made with cheap steel and fastened to a low-quality hilt but it was hers. Sadly, if she was ever caught with it drawn she would be arrested, or worse, so she had wrapped a length of string around the hilt and scabbard to remove the temptation.

It didn't stop Julin from practising with it as often as she could. It had been six long years since her conscription and the daily drills she had learned kept her fit and healthy to this day. She had been fifteen when she was forced to join the army but like every other good student of the Fire Nation, she didn't see her conscription as anything other than a chance for glory. That was until she had seen combat first hand and had to kill just to stay alive. The Earth Kingdom soldiers didn't care that she was a child, they only saw soldiers in red armour. In a mere two weeks since finishing school, she had taken her first life.

Julin tore her eyes away from the armour. From the memories. That girl was long

dead. Julin let out a long sigh and carefully slipped out of her simple kimono gown. It was loose and suggestive, just the way the patrons liked it. She wandered up to a small mirror on her shelf and looked at her naked body in the dim light.

Her hair was fiery red, something her parents couldn't explain since they had both been born with the same dark brown and all her younger siblings were the same. She was unique and that was a bad thing in the Fire Nation. It got you noticed.

"Damn brute," Julin said to herself as she looked at the blotchy, yellow bruises forming over her body. The poor were no better than nobles when they were aroused and had power over someone. As she moved to lift a lock of hair out of her eyes the hard skin of her brand shone in the light. This was why she was here. Why a once-proud soldier had been lowered to whoring herself out. Once she had been filled with rage every time she saw it but now she felt nothing. She chose to feel nothing since it helped her stay sane or maybe her lack of emotion was a sign of insanity.

Her bruises would heal, they always did, she just wouldn't be able to work until then which meant no money until then. What she was paid was next to nothing for the abuse she went through but it was still more money than working in a slaughterhouse or tannery.

Julin then eyed her blade. How easy it would be to just untie the string and slaughter every single last pervert who had defiled and beat her and every other Burakumin girl in this horrible place. The thought was cathartic, it made her feel better, but she could never act on the urges or else she'd risk putting her family, her old family, in danger. Even the poor had more rights than her.

This was her life and no amount of pining would make it better. It wouldn't get better even if she tried so she just had to do what needed to be done and if all else failed, if her body was broken and her mind shattered, then her sword would be useful for one last kill. Herself. That was her plan. Stay strong until there's nothing left but to die.

Still...in the back of her mind that innocent teenager who had gone to war still cried out for help, pleaded that someone would save her. That girl was dead. She had been for years.

Zuko had been sitting by a desk looking at document after document since this morning and his focus only broke when his stomach growled in hunger. To make matters worse, he hadn't slept a wink last night thanks in no small part to his worries about the school. Would anyone even attend? Did the stigma run so deep that the Burakumin would willingly stay a minority?

Right now he was filling in all the necessary permits to allow construction to begin. The land was filled with empty buildings so he planned on renovating what he could and demolishing the rest. He filled in the last signature and dropped his quill back into the inkpot before leaning back in the chair. "The last one," he said under his breath.

A knock came at his study door so Zuko called whoever it was in. The guards at the door let the man through. "General Iroh has asked if you would come to him right away, Fire Lord Zuko!" the man knelt then spoke quickly. Zuko almost leapt at the chance to leave this study but he managed to keep his composure. He thanked the messenger and sent him away before abandoning the stack of papers and leaving the study. His guards would lock up.

He wasted no time in rushing to Iroh's home, he had said to come right away after all. When he arrived he expected Kira to come running like she usually did but not this time. Zuko looked around, confused as to why, before Iroh found him. "Kira is working," he reminded Zuko, "Remember?"

Zuko's heart dropped a little. "Oh yeah," he said somewhat dejectedly then he remembered that he had been called here. "So what's so important Uncle?" Zuko followed Iroh into the lounge and he took a seat on a large sofa.

"You asked me if I could find some ex-soldiers among the Untouchables," Iroh said, "One of my sources among the city guard says she saw an old friend who had served with her in the war but is now Shamed."

"So where is this person?" Zuko asked impatiently. He was eager to get people on board to protect the school, they would also be useful for protecting the construction sites.

"This is the part you won't like," Iroh told him, "She works in a brothel in the lower quarters, one that caters to the poor with...cheap...labour," he said the last few words with distaste in his tone and Zuko knew full well what he meant.

"Why am I not surprised," Zuko said irately, "I can't approach her in a brothel, even if I wear a disguise I couldn't risk being seen in such a place."

"That would be best," Iroh said with a nod, "Why not have guards look for her?"

"Good idea," Zuko then looked around the room, "So, is there any chance I can see Kira?"

"I told you she's working," Iroh said again, "You remind me of my wife when Lu Ten was a boy, how she would worry."

"That's not how I see her Uncle," Zuko said defensively, "I'm just..." he didn't know what to say so he fell silent. Iroh's beaming smile made him blush. "I enjoy spending time with her, that's all."

"I'm sure it is," Iroh's smile widened and Zuko looked away, "Shall I go fetch her?" He wanted to be stubborn, to say that he would be fine, but no such luck. He gave Iroh a small nod. "I'll be right back."

Julin took a bite out of the steaming hot sweet potato she had bought and smiled at the familiar taste, a small reminder of the girl who once loved these. It was good to know that even if her kind were shunned by society at large at least an honest merchant wouldn't turn away one if they had the money. As she walked she barely registered when people gave her a wide berth anymore. It was fine, she got to eat in peace.

As she lifted her arm to take another bite, sudden pain in her side made Julin cry out. The beating she had received last night had done more damage than she first thought. To make matters worse, she dropped her sweet potato. Julin stared down at the now mud-covered potato and sighed before picking it up and brushing as much grime off of it as possible. When she took a large bite of the filthy area she heard someone mutter 'disgusting vermin' but when she glanced in the direction of the voice whoever had said it had just kept on walking.

"Why don't you try working in a brothel for a few measly coppers a night?" Julin thought, "Then see how hungry you get." She could tolerate a bruised rib but not wasting food so she put it out of her mind and kept walking.

As she neared the end of the street she became aware of two guards following her, one male and one female. She hoped it was just a coincidence but when she tried to lose them in an alleyway they followed her. Julin stopped in her tracks and pocketed the rest of her potato before turning towards the guards, eyes down.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked them, trying to sound respectful.

"You that Unclean who works in the brothel nearby?"

"Lots of Burakumin work in brothels sir," she told him.

"Yeah but how many have fiery red hair?"

So they were looking for her. Once again she cursed the spirits for being so noticeable. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked again. Past dealings with guards had taught her three things. Be polite, to the point and don't look them in the eyes.

"There's a warrant out for your arrest," the female said, "Turn around please."

"I didn't do anything," Julin said calmly.

"Take the sword off your belt and drop it on the ground," the male guard added. Her sword was on her hip though she knew better than to put her hands anywhere near it. Julin had seen his type before, he had that look in his eyes. The look of a man who had never thought twice about killing those he considered lesser. "Did you hear me, wretch?"

"I did sir," she said quickly, "I just want to be sure you won't attack me when I do."

"Don't get smart with me bitch!" the man shouted, "Unfasten the weapon and put it on the ground then turn around!" He put his hands on the hilt of his sword.

"Why in Agni does an Unclean even have a blade?" the female guard looked at the weapon then compared it to her own, "You an ex-soldier, vermin?" Julin nodded. "Deserter?"

"Not a chance," Julin said angrily.

"Enough, comply or I will kill you!" the male drew his sword now, he really was just looking for an excuse. He began to approach her, "Just slowly take the sword off." Julin's heart began to beat rapidly. The second she even touched the hilt he would probably run her through but he was going to do it anyway. Only one option.

Julin reached for the hilt of her sword and the second she did the guard rushed her as expected. With a quick movement, she pushed down on her hilt before he closed the distance then she pushed on it and the guard fell backwards when he was struck by the covered end of the sword. Before he could get up again Julin had already thrown her sword down and was on the ground with her hands on top of her head.

"You'll pay for that!" the man growled, now covered in mud.

"I surrender," Julin said clearly, "I'm sorry for attacking you but you didn't give me time to obey your command!"

"Shut your smart mouth!" he raised his sword and Julin readied herself for a fight but before either of them moved the female guard stepped in between them.

"Orders are to take the girl in alive you dolt!" she said angrily, "What in Agni's name are you thinking, disobeying a direct order from the Fire Lord like that?"

"The Fire Lord?" Julin thought. Why would he want her arrested? Then she remembered the guard had asked if she worked in a brothel and it became clear in her mind.

The male guard sheathed his weapon and pushed his cohort aside. He quickly bound Julin's hands in a pair of iron manacles from his belt before pulling her to her feet. Before they started moving

however he made sure to punch Julin right in her side, right over one of her already sore ribs after he noticed the bruise. The pain that coursed through her body made her legs weak and she fell to the ground again.

"Get up you filthy little whore!" Julin was dragged back up as she gasped in pain, her breaths quick and shallow. The female guard looked at Julin with a hint of concern but it quickly faded when their eyes met. "Not sure what the Fire Lord wants with you but I hope he makes you scream."

Just as it was getting dark, Zuko received word that his guest had been picked up. Iroh had offered to come along but he didn't want to crowd the woman so he declined the offer. Kira had also asked to come but, once again, Zuko reminded her that she had to stay indoors for now. They had taken this woman to a local guardhouse where she was being held in a cell. Zuko wished he could have done things differently but he knew he was lucky to have been able to catch her so quickly.

Fire Nation prison cells didn't have bars. Bars could be melted quickly with Firebending if the prisoner was powerful enough but a solid metal door was a different story. "Wait here please," Zuko said to the prison guard who had escorted him, "I'll speak to her alone." He had decided to come alone, leaving his personal guard behind at the Palace. He knew it was their job to protect him but he never did like being crowded.

The guard opened the door for him and Zuko stepped into the small cell. He held out his hand, illuminating the room with a small flame. At the back of the cell sat a young woman with her arms folded. She had bright amber eyes and a head of fiery red hair.

"Hello, I'm-uh-I'm Fire Lord Zuko," Zuko said awkwardly. The woman stood up and moved slowly into a bow though she seemed to be in some pain. No doubt the guards who brought her in treated her like a criminal. "Please, there's no need." She didn't speak or move. "You're hurt, why don't you sit down?"

"Permission to speak," she said simply. Kara said similar things from time to time and he realised it was likely a lesson shared among the Burakumin to always ask permission around normal people. Zuko berated himself for thinking of them as anything but normal again.

"Speak freely," he told her, "No need to ask again, just speak like you would to anyone else."

"Why am I here sir, I did nothing wrong?"

"I know you didn't," Zuko assured her, "I had you brought in."

"Then why, sir?"

"To make you an offer." Zuko eyed what she was wearing. Though she wore a pair of trousers and sandals all she wore on her chest was what appeared to be a strip of cloth to cover her breasts. He looked around for a coat and saw only a thin, sleeveless tunic. "You can stand now, I insist." He couldn't help staring at her exposed midriff and he began to blush. Thank Agni it was dark in here.

Zuko watched her strain to get up. When she moaned in pain again he moved to give her a hand but when he reached out she jerked away from his touch. Zuko took a step back. "Sorry," he said, "I should have asked."

"You're apologising for trying to touch me?" the woman sounded amused.

"It's only polite right?" Zuko tried to play it off as casual but even he knew how stupid that was. The woman stared at him with curiosity and a little bit of confusion. "Well-uh-I guess you'll want to know why you're here?"

"That'd be good," she now stood with her arms folded with an impatient look.

"I'd like to make you an offer," Zuko began, "One that'll make use of your skills and give you a better life and a warm bed at night." When Zuko tried to smile pleasantly he only got a weird look back. "What?"

"Don't even try it," the woman said, "Don't even pretend to care about me! I'm Burakumin, not some naïve little girl, so if I go with you then I know I'll never be seen again!"

Zuko could have headbutted the wall for being so stupid. It was like his first real conversation with Kira where she had assumed he was trying to bed her as well. "Okay, first off that isn't what I meant," he assured her, "Secondly, do I really look like that kinda guy to you?"

"All guys can be that kinda guy," she said stoically, "So why do you want me if it isn't to warm your bed, sir?"

"I was told you were a soldier," Zuko now said, "Is that right?"

"I was," she admitted, almost sounding sad at the thought, "You looking for me to kill someone?"

"No!" Zuko said quickly, "Agni save me, let me just explain alright, no interruptions?"

After giving him a quiet nod, Zuko explained everything in as much detail as he could. He told her about how he learned of the Burakumin, how he had met Kira and how she had inspired him to do something to help children like her. When he told her about the school she seemed a little shocked. "I'd also like to hire you to protect the school during and after construction," he said finally.

"Why not hire a normal guard?"

"Because I don't trust them to see past the stigma," Zuko admitted, "I need people who can see how important this school is to protect it."

"And you really want to help the kids?" Zuko nodded firmly to her question, "It honestly sounds too good to be true."

"I know it does, but it is true," Zuko swore to her, "I don't want to be a Fire Lord who just ignores a group of people based on a stigma that could be older than the Royal Line, it just doesn't seem fair."

"And I know I have no right to talk about fairness, my life wasn't exactly perfect growing up but at least I never went hungry or had to do questionable things just to survive and I always had a warm bed," Zuko looked at the woman resolutely, "I understand that trust is something you and your people might find hard to give but will you at least give me a chance?"

The woman's look of bewilderment had been replaced with curiosity again. It was like she was considering his proposal but at the same time, she was also considering the possibility of it being a trick. "I can give you some time to think about it if you like?" Zuko offered but she shook her head.

"Where will you be taking me if I say yes?" The woman reached for her sleeveless tunic and put it back on though it didn't cover much. Zuko found himself staring at her body before he noticed the bruises but he decided to ignore them for now, he needed her to feel comfortable around him, not like a prisoner, so asking question after question was a bad idea.

"My Uncle has a property on the Palace grounds," Zuko told her and smiled at her shocked expression, "Don't worry about not being welcome, he already has a little girl staying with him, she's Shamed too."

"If you say so," the woman looked at the door and Zuko took that as an indication she was ready to leave. He knocked on the door and it quickly opened.

"Thank you," he said to the guard, "The young lady will be accompanying me back to the Palace." As ever, he looked just as confused as anyone when it came to the Burakumin but he said nothing. Zuko also had a mind to cover his bases. "And whatever lewd ideas you have of my intentions, forget them because they're not true and I order you to say nothing of it to anyone, understood?"

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko," he bowed and backed away. The woman followed behind Zuko and she did her best not to meet anyone's eyes on the way out. They walked into the evening air and the woman took a long deep breath.

"Didn't expect to taste free air again," she said to Zuko, "I expected to be boxed up and sent to some nobleman's basement."

Zuko gave her a quizzing look. "Does that happen to Burakumin women a lot?"

"Women, girls, even boys," she counted off her fingers as she listed them, "You have no idea how bad we have it, just because people are disgusted by us doesn't mean they don't find some of us attractive and since we have little to no rights it's easy to pick up a cute Shamed boy or girl and...well...I'm sure you can imagine the rest."

Zuko nodded his understanding. "That's what I'm hoping to put a stop to with the school, a safe place for those who don't have one." They started walking and the women followed behind him. "So, what's your name?"

"Julin," she told him. He watched as she reached into her trouser pocket and pulled out something. It looked filthy with loose pieces of fabric from her trousers clung to it, not to mention it looked slightly crushed. All the same, Julin took a bite out of it and didn't even react to how it must have tasted.

"What is that?" Zuko asked her, "It looks like it should be buried."

"Sweet potato," Julin told him. Zuko approached Julin and took the potato from her. "Hey, I'm eating that!"

"That'll make you sick," Zuko sniffed the potato and turned his nose up at it. He approached the side of the road and threw the potato down the hill. "If you want a sweet potato then I'll happily have one brought to you, trust me it'll be a lot better than whatever that was."

Julin stared down the hill. For the first time, she looked anything other than disinterested, almost sad at the loss of her potato. "That was two days wages," she mumbled...

Kira was stood by the front door gazing at it sadly. Zuko had been gone for at least an hour by now. Was he doing Fire Lord stuff? Just as she was starting to get worried the door slid open and Zuko walked back in. Kira smiled happily and charged at him, throwing herself at his waist and hugging him tightly.

"Hey Kira," Zuko said with a laugh, "Were you standing there since I left?"

"She was!" came Iroh's voice from his tea room.

Zuko laughed again. "I've brought someone I want you to meet." Kira stepped back as a lady with red hair walked in. Kira stared her up and down her eyes went wide. "This is Julin," Zuko told the mesmerised little girl. He then raised an eyebrow at her. "You okay?"

"You're so pretty!" Kira said in a drawn-out voice. Julin seemed taken aback at the sudden comment, "How did you get your hair to look like fire!?"

"I...was born with it?" Julin rubbed her arm nervously. "So what now Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Now?" Zuko thought for a moment, "Whatever you want I suppose, if your hungry then the staff have been instructed to treat you like guests so just ask them for anything."

Kira didn't like asking for things and it seemed Julin was the same. The tall lady shook her head and told Zuko she would look after herself. Kira beamed up at the girl now, they were kinda similar, she thought. Julin looked down at Kira again. "What do you want?"

"Can we be friends?" Kira offered suddenly.

"Uh..." before Julin could say anything else Kira took a hold of her hand and led her down the hallway.

"We're gonna have a bath!" she called to Zuko, "No peeking this is just for us ladies!"

"Wait I never said I wanted one?"

"But you're filthy?" Julin looked down at herself. Her arrest had left her a little grimy since she had been kneeling in the mud. She decided to just let the girl have her way. She was dragged into a large bathroom. "General Iroh said the water is brought from an underground hot spring!" Kira said excitedly, "Look, it comes out hot from the pipes!" Kira pulled on a lever and a stream of murky looking hot water flowed into the bath from an open pipe.

Julin watched the bath fill relatively quickly, hot water through pipes was something only nobles and royalty could get. "Wow it is hot," Julin had placed her hand under the stream of water. When she turned around she saw Kira had started to pull off her dress. Julin turned away but the little girl didn't seem at all phased by her nudity. Instead, she was about to dash right into the hot water without even properly cleaning herself beforehand.

Julin reached out and grabbed the girl by the arm. "You don't just jump right in!" she chastised her. Kira looked up at her, confused. It was then that Julin noticed her brand. Another kid thrown to the Wolf Bats.

Julin pitied her but it seemed that Lord Zuko had been treating her well. "Come here," Julin said kindly. She walked to the side of the room and used her feet to move a stool into position. "Sit down, I'll show you how to bathe properly." Julin moved Kira into a sitting position before picking up a wooden basin and holding it underneath the running water.

Kira tried to stand up but Julin hissed at her, forcing the child to stay put. It was obvious that she loved playing in the water. "We're in the Royal Palace so you can't just soak in the water." Julin explained, "You don't get cleaned properly like that."

"The maids don't make me do this when General Iroh has them bathe me?" Kira pouted as she spoke.

"That's because they don't care about you," Julin said bluntly, "They'd let you roll in Moo-Swine poop if gets you out of their hair faster." The weight of her words made Kira. Julin carried over the basin of water and set it beside Kira, now picking up a small cup and scooping up some water. As she was preparing to pour it she looked down at herself and sighed.

"Bugger it," Julin stood up and slid out of her tunic, hanging it up by the door before reaching behind her and unbuttoning her simple covering across her chest. After hanging that up she kicked off her sandals and slid out of her trousers and set them aside too. As she walked back to Kira she spied the girl's dress on the floor and rolled her eyes.

"Hang up your dress or it'll get wet," she told the little girl. Kira sighed and stood up, her bare feet slapping on the tile floor as she picked up her dress and hung it up before moving back to her stool. "Okay, let's wash your hair."

"But it's fine?"

"Shush," Julin knelt behind Kira and picked up the cup again, filling it with warm water and pouring it over the little girl who giggled playfully. Julin looked around the room and spotted a bottle of hair oil sitting on a shelf beside Kira. It looked like it hadn't even been used so she figured nobody would mind her borrowing some.

"Pass me that," she told Kira, indicating what she wanted. She poured a small amount of it onto her hand and smelled it. A strong scent of camomile filled her senses and she knew this was expensive stuff. Julin rubbed her hands together before rubbing the lotion into Kira's long black hair. Her hands kept getting caught on unruly clumps.

"When was the last time you used a comb?" Julin said irately. Kira shrugged her shoulders, now leaning back and allowing Julin to work on her. Kira's body was very slight, far too bony for a girl her age, but Julin knew she was no better. "Well, how long has Fire Lord Zuko been looking after you then?"

"About a week or so," Kira said thoughtfully.

"Is he nice?" Kira nodded enthusiastically, causing Julin to lose her grip on the girl's hair. "He likes it when we sleep together."

"What?" Julin felt a painful twang in her stomach, "He sleeps with you?"

"Most nights?" Kira looked confused at Julin's expression. "I was scared when I first got here so he let me sleep beside him and it just became a thing we do sometimes, he doesn't even hog the blanket." Julin breathed a sigh of relief, at least it seemed innocent. Maybe the Fire Lord wasn't that kind of guy after all. "Wait, what did you think I meant?"

"Never you mind," Julin asked Kira to pass her a comb from the shelf and began to run it through her hair. She spent most of her time fighting through knots and snagging on clumps but when she was done Kira's hair was smooth and glossy, a big change over the wild mess it had been before. Kira stood up, giving Julin a perfect view of her bottom, and looked in the mirror with a wide smile.

"I look so pretty!"

Julin stood up with her and admired her handiwork with Kira. "Sure do," she then pushed Kira back onto the seat and told her to sit still. Julin helped Kira wash her back while she instructed the child on what to do for herself. When she was done she picked up the basin of water and tipped it over her. Kira gasped in shock and began laughing hysterically.

"Okay now you do me," Julin told her, pulling Kira off the stool and handing her the empty basin. It took Kira two tries to bring the basin over to her since she dropped it on her first attempt and she was far too sparing with the soap but, all in all, it was nice to have someone do this with after bathing alone for so long.

Back in the brothel good hygiene was encouraged even among the Burakumin but with it being in such a poor part of the city, clean water wasn't always readily available. Sometimes Julin was lucky to bathe once in a fortnight.

When she was finished Kira eagerly poured the remaining water over Julin who couldn't stop herself from laughing with the excited little girl. "Okay now you can go into the bath," Julin finally said. Kira whooped with joy before jumping into the somewhat deep bath. Julin slid in after her, soaking up to her neck and just allowing her sore body to relax.

"Hey, how'd you get those bruises?" Kira suddenly asked, paddling over to look Julin right in the eyes.

"Uh, work," she said simply, "Don't worry about it."

"They look painful," Kira moved to sit beside Julin, "I used to get bruises like that back in the coal mine."

"They beat you in the coal mines?" Kira nodded, "What did you do?"

"Tried to run away and go home," Kira's smile faded to a sad look, "They didn't like that so they just started hitting me and telling me I was lucky to even get paid for my work."

Julin wanted to say she was sorry but what good would that do? Instead, she pulled the girl close and held her. Kira didn't hesitate to rest her small head on Julin's arm. "Do you think Zuko will actually help people like us?"

"Yeah," Kira said back quickly, "Don't you?"

"I want to believe it," she admitted.

"Then believe it?"

Julin laughed. "I wish it was that simple."

Kira spent a good portion of their time in the water just splashing about or floating around lazily on her back. Julin found herself keeping a close eye on the girl, she was kinda cute if a little annoying. Another thing she noticed was that Kira was incredibly easy to talk to.

After fifteen minutes of soaking Kira was starting to go red, she was reaching her limit in the hot water. Julin stood up and grabbed Kira's foot as she floated on her back and pulled her to the side of the bath.

"Come out before you start to smell like boiled meat," Julin said. Kira followed her out and they both found towels to dry off with. It was still a chore to keep Kira still long to dry herself properly so Julin ended up doing it for her.

Kira pulled on her still clean dress though Julin was left without anything clean to wear herself so Kira offered to find some clothes. Before Julin could stop her the girl had run into the hall and found Zuko enjoying tea with General Iroh. "Hey!" she said, still flush from her bath, "Julin doesn't have any clothes, she's naked!"

Zuko spluttered on his tea while Iroh chuckled at Kira's bluntness.