"Stop fidgeting," Azula slapped Teo's hand away from where he'd been worrying at the silver embroidery on his shirt, then again from his carefully combed hair. He made a striking picture in his rich teal shirt and grey cloak, but the whole effect would be ruined if he kept picking at it.

"Like you're one to talk, you're going to rip a hole in your skirt if you're not careful," he pointed rudely, and Azula froze. With a deep, calming breath, she deliberately unclenched her fingers and smoothed the silk under her hands.

The gown was certainly lovely, a deep indigo embroidered with silver stars and flowers along the hems and waist and a lavender cloak draped around her shoulders. Azula wasn't quite sure how she felt about it, though. It was certainly beautiful, and surprisingly comfortable, but it was entirely unlike anything she'd ever worn back ho… in the fire nation. And the heavy skirts and trailing sleeves and cloak would be a hazard if she had to firebend. And her hair was loose. Azula hadn't worn her hair loose except to sleep since she was tiny, and it was weird.

"Relax, you two," Suki clapped a hand on each of their shoulders, "The hard part is over, now all we have to do is keep me from tripping on my skirt."

Azula snorted. Suki was better at walking in these skirts than Azula was, which was why her skirt actually trailed on the ground behind her. Suki's dress was even more striking than Azula's. It was theoretically made of cream colored silk, but it had been so thickly embroidered with red, gold, and violet lions and suns along the trailing sleeves, skirt, and neckline that very little of the original color was visible, and her vivid purple cape only enhanced it.

Laith cleared his throat and nodded to the messenger standing at the door. His medium grey shirt and dark red cloak were rather subdued next to the rest of them, but they shimmered in a way that spoke of wealth, and what little embroidery there was was done in pure gold. It suited him, although seeing him bare headed was strange.

"Your majesties," the messenger curtsied, "it's time."

Right then. Azula took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. Here went nothing then.


"Stop fidgeting" Azula felt almost like she had gone back in time as she lightly smacked her brother's hand away from his sleeve, "You're going to rip it if you don't stop pulling."

"Right, sorry" Zuko let his hands fall to his sides and glanced over at Azula, "You know, of all the ways I thought this might end, this wasn't one of them. It feels almost weirder that I'm being crowned firelord than it does that the war is over."

"I know exactly what you mean," Azula smiled, tucking her hands into her sleeves. Out of deference to the occasion, she wore traditionally fire nation robes and ceremonial armor rather than the hybrid narnian style she'd adopted since the day of black sun. It was amusing to her that she felt almost as strange in the robes as she had in her first formal gown, all those years ago. She'd tracked someone down to help with her hair, but wore no crown. Hopefully Zuko came up with another heir soon, before anyone started getting any ideas about her.

Zuko turned back to the mirror, straightening his already straight robes. Azula rolled her eyes expressively, but laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey, the hard part is over," she said quietly, then let a smirk creep onto her face, "Now all you have to do is keep from tripping on your robes."

He shot her a dirty look, but relaxed, a smile teasing at the corner of his mouth. There was a knock at the door, and a servant peered in, clearly wary.

"Looks like it's time, your majesty," Azula said wryly, "The avatar is waiting for you. Go."

Zuko took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders. "Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, then followed the servant down the hall, every inch the Fire Lord.

Azula watched him go with a nostalgic smile. He'd do just fine.

She checked her makeup one last time, then headed off herself. Suki, Teo, and Laith were waiting for her, and she needed to be in place with them before the coronation started.

So, it's been a while since I updated. I am aware of this, don't worry. I've been busy with several other projects, including the rewriting of some of my older works. If you'd like to check them out I'd love your feedback! I am also doing Comfortember and NaNoWriMo both next month, so, heh heh, wish me luck. I have a few new chapters of this slated for some of the comfortember prompts, and a special chapter planned for either Thanksgiving (u.s. thanksgiving, that is) or Christmas, depending on how long it takes me to be happy with it and/or run out of other things I need to be doing. See you all again soon, I hope!

(in case it wasn't clear, both of the sections were about coronations)