13
It's the first official Fire Nation Ball since Zuko's coronation, and everyone's here. It's a high celebration at the peak of the Summer Solstice and I'm finding myself wearing Fire Nation clothing for the first time. It's strange to be in material that is so light, I have to constantly look down to make sure I'm not naked. I'll admit silk lends itself to the heat better then skins do.
Staring at myself in the golden framed mirror, I breathe in deeply. Here I go. I'm feeling nervous; it's been a month since we last saw each other. This is my first night back in the Fire Nation, after going back home, a home I no longer felt was so. It was nice seeing Dad and Gran-gran, but everything felt so wrong without him there. Everything felt empty, cold, and pointless if I didn't wake to see him.
So I came back. I had sent forth a proposal that would proclaim me Water Nation Ambassador in the Fire Nation, and Zuko quickly appraised it, the very next day I found myself on a Fire Nation trade ship, waving goodbye to my family, tears in my eyes knowing that I'd miss them, but my stomach fluttered at the idea of seeing Zuko again. And here I am, the fluttering has turned into knots, the anxiety of it settling in as sweat on my brow, and I'm looking at myself in the mirror, the gold and red Fire Nation dress looking very strange. I'm not so sure I enjoy it. None the less, I lifted my head and made my way towards the dining hall. This would be my first appearance as the Water Nation Ambassador; I just hope I don't mess it up.