Chapter 5: No Secrets From the Fire-Lord

"Wow! Look at this place! It's amazing!" I siad a s we walked into the dinning room.

"It's a good thing that you like it because I didn't plan on changing it!" Zuko said and laughed. I hadn't heard that laugh since his sister. I remember her because Nico's first cruch was on her. I thought to myself.

"Would you like to go sit by the river with me?" Nico had managed to studder out of him. She just giggled.

"Nico! I can't I have to leave pretty soon!" She would always be telling him. She finally left a couple of years ago.

"Well let's go tell the Fire-Lord about 'our little girl'!" Nico said and winked at Zuko. "1...2...3!" And they both grabbed hold of me and carried me all the way to the Fire-Lord. We all bowed and said "Peace be unto you." He said in return. "And peace be unto you my children."

"Father you must watch Shawntel! She bends two elements!" Zuko said and pointed to me. I waved shyly.

"Then let only her and I go into the 'practice room' come child." Fire-Lord Ozai said, obviously in a good mood. We followed him in.

"Just concentrait and remember what we did last night and you'll be fine." Zuko said and hugged me.

"Don't let him intimidate you. Take your time." Nico said and hugged me too.

"Okay will do." I said and followed Ozai into the 'practice room'. "Can I start out with some water bending?"

"Start and finish how you please ." He said. I did some relaxing water tricks then moevd on to some more difficult tricks finally I got into the proper fire-bending stance and closed my eyes the simplest fire tricks then I put my defense up and a ring of flames flowed around me. I opened my eyes, put my defense down and walked up, without the ring of flames, to the Fire-Lord.

"You did a wonderful job young lady. Are you doing to the ball with anyone? Because if you're not I know my son would love to go with a gifted double-bender." He said and pointed at Zuko watching from the other side of the door.

"He has already asked me and I have already said yes." I said sort of afraid of what he was going to say.

"Well my son does have a gift for seeing the best person for a certain event." The Fire-Lord said and laughed.

"What do you think their talking about?" Nico asked impationatlly looking in through the window.

"They're talking about the Ball and who Shawn is going with." Zuko said not turning his head.

"What! How did you know that?" Nico asked amazed.

"I've been in this castle for sixteen years I know how to lip read." He said still not moving his head.

"I'll have one of my servents take you into the market place to ensure you will get the best dress possible." The Fire-Lord said.

"Oh no, I couldn't do that. Your servents are your servents." I said flabbergasted.

"Yes they are my sevents and I am telling them to help you. No 'if's 'and's or 'but's about it." Ozai said his voice booming. "Now you can use Zuko's shower. He should be in his room, so should your brother. Peace be unto you."

"Pease be unto you." I siad then bowed and headed out the door.

"Come on let's go!" Zuko said in a hurry and grabbed Nico's hand and they ran inot his room. Zuko shut the door and grabbed a towel and put it in the bathroom.

"Why did we run to your room?" Nico asked out of breath.

"Shawn is coming to take a shower." Zuko said as I walked in.

"Hey Zuko do you mind if I take a shower?" I asked. "I feel like I just went for a swim in a toilet."

"Sure, go ahead." Zuko said as he headed for the door. "We wil go get you some clean clothes. Come on Nico." And they left. "Have someone prepare the guest room next to mine." Zuko told a solider standing by the bedroom.

"Yes sir." He siad and went to go find someone.

"So where are we going?" Nico asked.

"To your house to get your sister and your over night stuff." Zuko said as they were walking out of the castle. They grabbed Nico's stuff fairly quickly, but had no idea what to get of Shawn's stuff. So Nico took the official fire nation outfir out of her closet and into her bag then some pj's, a toothbrush, a brush, and then left.

'Hold on I have to lock the door." Nico said and grabbed the keys, locked the door and headed towards the palace.