Zuko pulled up his chair at the table, adjusting his robe. Th weather was perfect; the sky clear and a gentle breeze keeping the air fresh and welcoming in the garden. That was why he had chosen to have lunch in the garden in place of the stuffy dining room. He waited, watching the servants put out the two place settings, diverting their gazes from his. He cleared his throat, trying to get himself in the mindset he needed for the rest of the day. Kaori was to meet him to go over plans. He tapped his hands on his tea cup, gritting his teeth. Where was the food? He wanted it here when she arrived, all laid out and ready.
He heard footsteps and he turned to look. She walked up the path toward him, wearing a far more formal outfit on than the day prior. Her curls were pulled up in an elaborate braid, two braids looping around her ear and back around.
She stood beside him, bending beside his seat to hand him a file. "Good afternoon Fire Lord Zuko." She murmured. "I've gone ahead and-'
"Have a seat." Zuko said, gesturing to the table.
Her eyebrow rose. "Your majesty?"
"Have a seat. Lunch will be arriving shortly."
"Sir I-"
"Please. If we're to be together so much... I'd... like to at least have it be pleasant," He stumbled.
She pursed her lips and sat beside him, pouring herself a glass of juice.
She tinkered with her folder, and he looked around awkwardly. "So, how did you end up working for my uncle?" He asked.
She looked up at him. "He saved my brother, at the final battle at Ba Sing Se. Since I lived in Yu Dao and was Fire Nation, he figured I could help him navigate the red tape of the White Lotus."
He nodded. What happened to her brother? Why was she in Yu dao? He had so many questions… but withheld.
He nodded. "Thank you... For all your help yesterday."
She sipped her juice. "Of course. It's my job, your highness."
He sighed. "You don't have to call me that." He regret the hint of irritation in his voice.
She looked up at him. "Are you certain?"
"Yes. Just call me Zuko. Please."
She bobbed her head, "Alright, Zuko." She smiled.
He looked down into his tea.
"How was your morning?" She asked.
He looked away, "um... fairly uneventful. My meeting with the fire sages went well. I followed your agenda."
"Wonderful." She said with a half smile.
"How was yours?"
"I met with Suki to discuss your security detail and their rotations, and I organized your office."
His eyes widened. "You did?"
She nodded, clearly pleased with herself. "Entirely."
He smiled, "I'm already not paying you enough."
She laughed, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Lunch is plenty."
He watched her, his smile growing, "You're welcome to join me for all of my meals," he said stuttering, "that is… if you'd like... of course."
"Thank you." She smiled graciously.
He returned to his office. She'd organized everything, from the books, the paperwork, even the artwork. He was able to complete his paperwork faster with the help of her filing system and helpful notes, making it easier for him to navigate the sea of references, footnotes, and citations.
"Lord Zuko, you cleaned up."
Zuko spun around to see Suki standing before him, leaned in the doorframe.
"Suki," he greeted, a small smile finding his lips, "Kaori did this. Doesn't it look nice?"
She smiled and bobbed her head, entering the office.
"It looks great."
He sat in his chair, more than a little pleased with his new work space. It'd been steeped in his father; every book, every file reminded him of Ozai, of the way he worked and Zuko's younger days spent sitting in the floor in his office, ordered to play silently. Kaori had broken that, tearing down the strange fog that separated Zuko and the tools at his fingertips, all stored neatly in the shelves.
That was what he did until dinner time, easily moving each from his to do pile to his done pile. Work that had haunted him for weeks was finally finished, signed and packaged to be delivered to the necessary authority. He even managed to find a book he'd been searching for when he first became fire lord, excited to finally be able to navigate his resources.
Once the sun began to fall behind the horizon Suki walked Zuko down to the dining room. He'd told the kitchen staff that Kaori would be joining him for most meals, and her setting beside his own made him smile. He hated sitting at the head of the table, eating entirely alone.
"I'll be going, fire lord. I'll be back to retrieve you."
"Yes." Zuko said quietly, sitting at the table. He waited, having the servants bring him only his drink. She didn't show, however, even after a few glasses of wine, and he finally allowed them to serve him his dinner. Her setting mocked him, the empty glass glimmering in the light of the chandelier. He thought back to the time the table had been full- Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka, Iroh, even Hakoda had joined them, laughing and smiling. Now the chairs sat empty, collecting dust.
He went to bed early, his mind whirring. The palace was empty, his family was gone, not that any of them cared about him to begin with. Iroh had gotten tired of him, as did Aang and the others. He'd once heard Toph call him tolerable in small quantities, and although she was kidding, it had stuck.
It seemed to be true.
They all cared, but only enough to be able to leave him whenever they needed a break from him. He groaned, tossing his hair piece on the ground. He was a fool for thinking someone would want to spend time with him. Even Mai had grown tired of him, returning to her family once and for all. Why couldn't he get people to like him? It was a childish thought, but one that stuck with him. The only people that would spend time with him were those that had to.
He tossed and turned that night, the words of his father, Azula, and his friends haunting him. He was irritating, abrasive, and difficult to look at. That part he knew. He'd seen the looks he got, eyes that lingered just a little too long on his face. It was a constant reminder to everyone, not just himself, of his father's lack of care for him. Was his life just meant to be paperwork and public appearances? Never having a family of his own, a life?
He groaned, nearly a whimper, and got up. He couldn't take any more of the silence. He walked by Kaori's room to the sitting room. The floor to ceiling windows let in the light of the moon and stars, twinkling happily. He lit a lantern, ensuring it was entirely closed before making his way over to the book shelf, combing through the books. He found his favorite from just before he'd been banished, a story of a prince and a princess that ran off together to a mysterious island. He carried it over to the couch, his mother's voice in his mind, reading gently through the chapters each night before bed.
"Zuko."
Kaori was sitting before him, her dark eyes searching his face.
He rubbed his eyes, the shining light making his left eye water horribly. He was on the couch, the book on the floor beside him. "What time is it?"
"Seven. You have a meeting in an hour."
"Ugh." She stood, and he sat up, his head spinning.
"How late were you up?" She asked.
"Late." He frowned. He figured if she was going to live with him she'd be learning about his insomnia, but he was hoping it wouldn't be so soon.
"You can always wake me, you know." She said, and he pressed his hands over his eyes. His head was pounding.
"Come, we have to get you ready."
He nodded, and she followed him into the hall. "Do you want my help?"
Zuko knew the chambermaids had gone, and his head was pounding… but his room? It felt so… personal.
"It's alright I'll wait here for you." She said, standing next to Suki in the hall.
"No, I'd like your help. Thank you." She followed him into his room and he ran into the closet, pulling the typical crimson robe on. When he emerged, she helped him into the second, which required tying from behind. Over that would be his gold epaulet, which was also attached behind. Kaori secured the small metal hooks, her fingers brushing his neck sending a shiver down his spine. His head was pounding, and his eyes were shut,his hand over his face.
"Sit." She said and he did, sitting before the mirror in his closet.
A servant popped in and spoke briefly to Kaori, before shuffling out. His eyes flew open at the feeling of her hands in his hair, and his face turned a horrific crimson. No one had really ever touched his hair. Her touch was remarkably gentle, the brush of her fingers gathering hair along the side of his head strangely soothing. She ran the brush through his hair with expert hands.
"Drink your tea, it'll help your head." She murmured.
He looked at the tea on the vanity. The servant must have brought it. "How'd you know?"
She smiled, "I never used to be a great sleeper myself. Now it comes and goes."
He stared at her in the mirror and caught a glimpse of himself, looking away. She ran the brush gently through his hair again and he closed his eyes. She pulled the top half of it up in a knot, and paused.
"Where's your hairpiece?"
He looked away. "On the floor."
Her eyebrow rose, and she retrieved it. "Clearly you were upset last night?"
He frowned. "not that it's your business." He cringed. He didn't want to push her away.
She didn't blink. "It is, because now I'm dressing you, aren't I? Your business is my business, Lord Zuko," she said with a bite.
He rolled his eyes and stood. "Thanks." He murmured, and stalked out the door Suki and Kaori close behind.
"What I don't understand, your highness, is why you think that the outlying villages would simply fold to having their local governments uprooted and replaced."
The man had been hammering zuko for over an hour, and his headache raged. He sipped his tea, trying to reformulate his previous statement to get through to the man. The local governors and generals didn't see the larger need for local reformation to demilitarize the Fire Nation, and Zuko's already limited patience was growing thin.
"If I may, my Lord?" Kaori chirped from behind him. He nodded, his eyes wide.
She cleared her throat, opening her folder. "In a survey done by the fire lord's office, less than a quarter of the residents of the seven outlying villages disagree with the proposed plan. Of that quarter, half still support reform from the new administration."
The general stared at her.
Zuko smiled confidently, and the general withered.
"The people have spoken, General, its simply leadership and clarity that's needed in order to guide our people into the new era of peace."
The meeting ended shortly after, the remaining generals and governors folding to the data provided. On their walk back to their wing, Zuko was beaming.
"That was incredible."
She smiled, "It was your data, I simply pulled it from your files to back your statements. It was your idea to survey the people."
He smiled again, his headache still raging, but less so. The tea she'd brought was remarkable at lessening the pressure behind his eye. They rounded the corner, and Zuko's joy died quickly. The kyoshi warriors were outside his office.
"Lord Zuko." Suki said, jogging over to them.
"What happened?"
"Your window, someone broke it while you were out and took a few books off your shelf-"
He raced into his room, eyes wide. The books on the first shelf had fallen in the center, and he bent to look.
"Your father's books." Kaori said quietly.
Zuko stiffened. His father had written those books by hand. Who would have taken them?
"We'd like for you to stay out of here while the window is repairs and the other warriors and I investigate," Suki said quietly.
"Thank you." Zuko said, looking to Kaori. She too looked nervous. What would someone want with Ozai's books? Azulon's journal?
"Why don't we go have some tea?" Kaori suggested.
The other kyoshi warriors we're watching expectantly.
"Sure."
Kaori followed him down to the kitchen where he had the servants bring them tea and fruit. They also handed Kaori a letter, the handwriting on the front a sloppy yet elegant script.
She ignored it, and Zuko tried to read it while still focusing on his tea cup.
"I don't understand why they'd go for my father and my grandfather's books. With what was in those drawers…" he sighed.
"It's probably some crazy fanatic of your father's. The kyoshi warriors are on top of it. They'll figure out why."
He looked into his tea.
"Have you read them?" She asked.
Zuko looked up. "Yes. Several times when I first became Fire Lord."
"What was in it?"
Zuko shook his head. "Nothing personal. Mainly his own thoughts on political topics." She hummed, blowing on her tea.
"We'll figure it out, Zuko."
He nodded, but worry tugged at his mind.