Author's note: I'm finally able to update! Sorry for the long delay, guys. Real life has interfered a lot these past weeks. Hopefully, this chapter would worth the wait. And once again, a special thanks to my beta-reader Fire Lady Ursa, whose corrections helped me a lot in this chapter.

And if you like this story, or even if you don't, please review ^^

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own A:tLA. All I own is this little story, I hope you can enjoy it!

Azure Flames

Chapter 1: After the war

The sun had risen just three hours ago and Zuko was already walking frustratedly through the Fire Nation palace's halls. That morning he had gone cheerful and hopeful to the first council session since his coronation, he had been wishing to know how much the relations between the nations had improved with the new peace. However, his good mood lasted less than five minutes after the session's beginning when his ministers began to notify him of all the problems that had emerged.

Conflicts, fights, economic problems… why can't the nations get along with each other? he thought although he knew it wasn't as easy as it sounded, which just increased his frustration

Only four days had passed since his coronation as Fire Lord and the postwar issues were already giving him severe headaches. If the world had been wounded and destroyed during the war, now the picture wasn't much better. Despite Zuko and Aang putting all of their efforts to strengthening the peace between nations, the new monarch sometimes thought that it could fall apart at any time.

The biggest problems were generated by Fire Nation's citizens, especially those of the nobility. Many of this range still couldn't understand why they should apologize and build peace with their enemies when they had been very close to being the winners days ago – to give the final blow in a war that had lasted one hundred years. The nobles knew that Ozai had lost against the Avatar and that Zuko, after defeating her sister in Agni Kai, was allowed to occupy the title of Fire Lord, but still they didn't understand their new ruler's logic and his latest decisions only made them want Ozai to continue ruling.

Most of the complaints were over the fact that Zuko, as compensation to the Earth Kingdom, had decided to return the colonies conquered during the war to their rightful owners. The gesture awaken anger in most of the nation's nobles - who ruled many of the lands as governors - and acquired large sums of money thanks to the trade that was generated through the territory. Thus Zuko had lost the majority of the support of the most important people in his country and he feared that this would bring him consequences later.

They don't understand, they didn't have to suffer through the war like everyone else did... they just worry about getting money from deaths of enemies and their own nation's soldiers! Zuko thought angrily they can't comprehend that, if my father and Azula had achieved their goal, all we would have lost this war.

Things had been easier with the rest of the people of his country, since they didn't receive the privileges of the nobles. Many of them, especially people living in the periphery, were exhausted for the endless fight, for sending their sons to fight and for paying high taxes to support a war receiving only receiving suffering and pain in exchange. While there were some people who called themselves "patriots" and said at first impression that they wouldn't accept a peace forged so unexpected days ago, all their rebel thoughts vanished from their minds at being reunited with their families and realize that they could have a better life now.

"Zuko!"

A female voice interrupted the young monarch's thoughts. Zuko turned her head to the right and wasn't surprised to see a woman dressed in dark clothes walking towards him.

"Mai!" he exclaimed as he hugged his girlfriend "I hadn't seen you all day"

"Of course you hadn't. How would you do that?" Mai asked with a slight tone of reproach "You were with your council all the morning and when you finally finished you came out of there as fast as possible... you didn't even notice me as I approached you to greet you when you left the War Chamber"

"What? Really? Were you at the entrance?" after seeing the look of 'what do you think?' Mai gave to him, Zuko slapped himself on the forehead "sorry, Mai... I think my mind was elsewhere"

"And where could that be?" the girl took her right index finger to her chin in mock thoughtfulness "In the colonies? Or perhaps in the economy of the Fire Nation?"

"How do you know?"

Mai sighed.

"I know you, Zuko… besides I heard all that talking with your officers, the entryway of the chamber is perfect for that"

"I told you that you could go to the council meeting... there was no need to spy from the door."

The girl looked at him with her characteristic expression of boredom.

"It was necessary, those meetings are too boring... I couldn't bear to be there more than five minutes… besides I can entertain myself with my knifes while spying."

After saying that, Mai began to stretch the Fire Lord's robe and shook some dust that had fallen on his shoulders.

"Tell me, Fire Lord, what are you thinking?"

Zuko let out a sigh as he directed his gaze to the garden.

"The current situation is very unstable," he began "most of the nobility want my father back in the throne because they could continue their dirty business." he stayed silent a few seconds before continuing, "Also due to the repairs and compensations that I have been ordering we have lost a lot of money... and it has only been four days since I started to rule." Zuko watched Mai for a moment and then lowered his gaze to the floor "I'm not sure if I can do this, Mai."

The girl looked at Zuko for a few moments without saying a word. Finally, she put her hand on the Fire Lord's shoulder and, after that he turned to look at her, she and captured his lips in a tender kiss.

After breaking the kiss, Mai looked at her boyfriend in the eye.

"You're just thinking about what went wrong," she said quietly, "also think of everything you have achieved in this short time: you stopped the countless deaths that occurred from the war, you get families reunited and even ordered the construction of new schools... the citizens aren't afraid to express their opinions any more and in these four days you've shown them that you will lead them to a more prosperous future."

"Mai..."

"We all knew this would be difficult, but that doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do... that it isn't what we should do," Mai smiled a bit, "it's normal to have some problems, but I know we can deal with them, Fire Lord."

Zuko stared at the girl in his arms in silence for a moment and then he smiled and nodded.

"It's true... you're right."

"Of course I'm right" She added slyly as her smile grew slightly.

Zuko was about to answer when a servant came to him. He bow to the waist before speaking to the firebender.

"Your Highness, my Lady, the Avatar and his companions have come as you wished."

"Alright," Zuko said still holding Mai in his arms, "have them go to the War Chamber, I'll go there immediately."

The man nodded and after a short bow he went down the hall. The firebender wasn't even worried about keeping a safe distance between him and Mai to keep appearances. To keep appearances... that was another reason for him to start to hate most of the nobles.

Although they believed the Fire Lord had done well to choose someone from the upper class of society as her girlfriend, the nobles considered inappropriate that he was always hugging and smiling to Mai when they appeared in public. The nobility claimed that these practices just take away seriousness to the title of Fire Lord.

Zuko couldn't agree with them.

When he had been a prince he had always been with Mai, either in the palace or in the girl's home. For the citizens was perfectly normal to see him with his girlfriend and the palace servants had already been accustomed to see the young couple walking through the garden and to indulge Mai with the exotic desserts that she ordered.

Now that Zuko was Fire Lord he didn't want to change that. It was true that he had more responsibilities than when he was a prince, but just for that he wouldn't set aside Mai, the only girl he loved and who became a traitor in the eyes of Azula and her nation just to save his life.

"Did you tell the Avatar to come?" asked Mai.

"Yeah, I need help with one of the problem... I think Aang is the only one who can aid me," Zuko broke the embrace and extend his hand to Mai, "I'd better not make them wait, do you want to join me?"

The girl shrugged as she took the proffered hand.

"Okay, why not?" she exclaimed as she walked beside Zuko

After walking the long corridor they knew they had reached their destination when the red curtain with a picture of a golden flame was a few feet of them indicating that there was the chamber's entrance. Two servants located on the sides opened the curtain and bowed their heads to Zuko as a sign of respect. The young king couldn't help staring at the entrance remaining silent and still.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked a little concerned when she noticed the boy's pale face

The Fire Lord closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh to try to relax. The memories he had of that place weren't nice. The incident that caused the Agni Kai with his father and his subsequent exile had happened there. When he finally returned to his country after conquering Ba Sing Se the few times he had entered to the Fire Lord Ozai's War Chamber he had always felt a mixture of fear and anxiety.

What will I do if I can't do what my father expects of me? Can I have his approval? What if happens something like… that time? That's what I always asked to myself.

When he began to occupy his father's charge Zuko observed that most people feared him although they knew his character from before: the title of Fire Lord made them think of him as if he was Ozai. Zuko now understand that he wasn't the only one who felt that way in the presence of his father.

But the situation has changed... I have changed... and I will do anything to bring happiness and stability to the people of my nation so they can forget the reign of my father... and understand that I'm not like him.

After these moments of deep thought, the Fire Lord looked at Mai.

"Is something wrong?" the girl asked again.

"No, it's nothing..." Zuko shook his head and gestured with his hand to go into the chamber, "Let's go in, I don't want to make everyone wait for so long."

The inside of that room had changed a bit since it started to belong to Zuko. The most striking difference was that the throne's fire wall was gone. Zuko didn't raise those huge flames as his father used to do to inflict fear and pretend to be a deity in the eyes of his servants, on the contrary, the new Fire Lord wanted to be closer to his people and so, although he always used his firebending to create small flames that brighten the room, they just reached to his knees when he sat on the throne.

Aang and Katara were sitting to the right side of the long table in the center of the chamber while Sokka, Toph and Suki where to the left. All of them were wearing the same clothes as the last time in Ba Sing Se. Only two days had passed since Zuko and Mai had been with them in Iroh's teahouse in the Earth Kingdom capital, but Zuko felt like it had been forever. The days were getting longer and longer since being Fire Lord.

"Wow, look at who we have here! Our new Fire Lord Zuko!" Sokka gave an exaggerated bow

"It's good to see you, Zuko," Katara said with a sweet smile.

"Hi, guys" Zuko sat beside Sokka while Mai take a seat next to Katara.

"Umm… aren't you going to use the Fire Lord's throne?" asked Suki.

"No," Zuko made a hand gesture, clearly indicating that he couldn't care less about the throne "I spent three hours sitting there listening to my council ... I don't want to use it for a while."

"Well, you'll have to get used to it, almighty Fire Lord," Toph grinned as she tilted her head towards Zuko "I think you'll spend a lot of time on it."

Zuko sighed tiredly.

"I know..." it was all that he managed to say as he lowered his head.

"What's wrong?" Aang asked worriedly.

"Nothing that we didn't expect... I got some bad news in today's meeting... most of the nation's wealthiest people want to continue the war and so we have some conflicts and economic problems," after a short silence in the room, Zuko lifted his head to see Aang and added, with a tone of decision in his voice, "but I'll take care of it... I won't let this nation slide back into a senseless war, I promise."

Everyone in the room smiled and nodded, pleased that the boy had taken the position of Fire Lord. Mai could not help but show a small smile.

It seems that the little talk we had helped him a lot.

"Then I think the Fire Nation is in good hands," Katara said smiling "you will do well, Zuko. We're counting on you!"

"And don't worry, we'll help you as much as possible!" Sokka raised his fist to increase the effect of his words.

"Thanks..." Zuko scratched the lobe of his right ear a bit embarrassed, "actually that's why I gather you here... I need help with a problem that is occurring in the colonies," he look at Aang - "especially your help, Aang."

"My help? What happened?" the monk asked somewhat surprised .

"I think you know I want to return the colonies conquered during the war to the Earth Kingdom."

The Avatar nodded.

"You said that when we were at your uncle's shop... Are the nobles giving you problems with that?"

"Yeah, my father gave titles to most of the court as governors of the colonies, but that isn't what bothers me. I already promise to the Earth King that I'll give back their lands and I will, despite what the nobility thinks... that isn't the problem which I need your help with."

"So which is it?"

Zuko sighed before continuing.

"My officers told me that there have been some conflicts in the colonies, there are people who feel part of the Fire Nation and want to remain citizens of it. They have been arguing with those who want to be part of the Earth Kingdom... the people war divided," Zuko remained silent a few seconds in order to give more weight to his last words, "if I only had the opposition of the governors I wouldn't have a lot of trouble to keep my word, but, if the same people who are living on the land before it was conquered want to remain as part of the nation, I don't want to force them to choose between agreeing to be Earth Kingdom or moving to another territory within the nation."

"Now that you mention it..." Aang murmured thoughtful as he took his right hand to his chin "when we went to Ba Sing Se Katara and I paid a visit to King Kuei and he mentioned the same issue. He said he didn't mind to give some of their land to the Fire Nation if he saw that all the inhabitants of the colonies wanted to belong to that nation, but he said there were also people who wanted to be part of the Earth Kingdom and he didn't know how to react."

"Exactly, I think we think alike" Zuko nodded.

"Alright, what do you want me to do?"

"The citizens of the colonies are very exalted... I believe that, if I send an ambassador there, they won't want to talk to him for the simple fact of being Fire Nation and I think the same will happen to the Earth Kingdom. That's why I thought maybe you'd be the only one who can solve this"

"Me?"

"You are the Avatar, you can act as an impartial judge in all this... I'm sure they'll listen to you"

"Zuko is right," Katara added fixing her blue eyes on Aang, "there're a lot of people that respect you because you put an end to the war, I think you're the best person for the job."

After a few seconds of deliberation, Aang nodded and gave to Zuko a smile that managed to irradiate innocence and profound wisdom at the same time.

"Okay, I'll do it. First, I want to speak with King Kuei to have both countries agreement then I'll go to the disputed lands."

"Thanks, Aang," Zuko smiled, "that'll help a lot."

"I think I should leave immediately," the young monk said as he stood "I don't want people to start fighting senselessly for this..."

"I'll go with you," Katara also stood and put her hand on Aang's shoulder, "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe so my presence won't cause any problem. Besides I want to help you in any way I can."

Aang and Katara looked sweetly at each other for a moment. None of the others uttered a single word - everyone noticed the love behind Katara's words... everyone except Sokka.

"I want to go, too!" he raised his hand vigorously.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Aang and Katara shouted in unison

They both looked at the other and, when they felt their cheeks burned with shame, they averted their eyes sharply, prompting laughter from all those present.

"I think that Katara and Aang can handle this… alone," Suki emphasized the last word and then added, looking at Sokka "besides it will be better for us to stay in the Fire Nation for now"

"Huh?" Sokka tilted his head a little confusedly "Why do you think that?"

"You heard our new, almighty Fire Lord, right?" Toph said as she put her hands behind her neck and fixed her eyes on the ceiling "He has much opposition from those noble guys... we'd better stay here in case one of them do something stupid against Zuko."

"You don't have to worry about that," everyone looked stunned at Mai, who hadn't said a word throughout the meeting, "if they plan something stupid like hurt Zuko they'll have to pass through me."

Everything always seemed to be boring to Mai, so it was always a surprise that, when Zuko was involved, the girl showed interest so quickly and her eyes became much intense. The others still couldn't get used to those sudden changes of attitude

"I think you have the perfect bodyguard" Toph chuckled and stretched her arms.

"Anyway I think it's better if we stay here," suggested Suki, "until the situation stabilizes a little, at least... I've already told the girls that we'll remain here for at least two weeks before returning to Kyoshi Island."

"Then it's decided," - Sokka exclaimed excitedly "Aang and Katara will go to the colonies while Suki, Toph and I will stay here to help Zuko."

All those present nodded and the meeting came to an end. Aang and Katara quickly departed to Ba Sing Se on Appa's back while Sokka, Toph and Suki began to go to the inn where they were staying along with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors.

In an unusual gesture, Mai walked to Suki before she went to the inn, the latter just looked at her quizzically.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to know how Ty Lee is doing. I haven't seen her since Zuko's coronation."

"Oh, she's fine... she's a very sweet girl, I'm glad that she decided to join us as a Kyoshi Warrior," Suki thought for a moment and then added "now that you mention it, she has talked a lot about you. She says she wants to come see you, but she isn't sure if you will have time to receive her."

Mai smiled slightly, but she turned away before Suki could see it.

"Tell Ty Lee that she has always disliked the formalities..." the girl looked at her nails nonchalantly, "she has never needed an invitation to visit me... I don't think she's going to start to need one now."

Although Mai's voice was cold and distant, Suki realized that the girl cared a lot for the bubbly acrobat.

"I'll gladly deliver your message" she finally said as she left the chamber quickly to reach Sokka and Toph

When Zuko was sure that all of their guests had left, he approached Mai and gave her a tender kiss on the lips.

"Well, well. Looks like someone finally forgot all his problems and is cheerful again" the girl said playfully

"Yeah, I guess having your support and that of the others has given me more energy to move forward."

"I told you, everything will be fine," Mai put her hand on Zuko's cheek, "you don't have to worry."

That's where you're wrong, I have a lot to worry about the young monarch thought as he remember that the next day he would receive the first report from the mental institution where he had placed Azula.

That had been a difficult decision. After beating her in the Agni Kai with Katara's help, Zuko hadn't even the slightest idea about what to do with his sister. After seeing her so broken during her defeat he immediately dismissed locking her in prison. Finally, thanks to Aang's suggestion, the Fire Lord had decided to send her to a mental hospital located on a nearby island that was less than four hours in ship from the capital.

He hoped that that was the right decision. Although all his life he had felt jealousy and resentment toward Azula, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her when he saw her chained and weeping uncontrollably on the day of Sozin's comet.

He had ordered the doctors of the institution to watch her around the clock and to submit a progress report every five days, because with all his new obligations he barely had time to carry out all his daily commitments, even he had to put her mother's searching aside for a time just to focus on stabilizing the critical condition of the nation.

The subtle caress on the cheek that Mai gave him with her thumb brought him back to the real world. Smiling, Zuko refocused his attention on the girl he loved. With Mai at his side he really felt that everything would be fine, that he would have enough skill to help his nation to recover after the war. The Fire Lord toyed with Mai's hair for a while before capturing the girl's lips in a kiss.

Everything else could wait.

Author's note: Well, what do you think? Reviews are love so please click the button, you know you want to!