Zuko rubbed the back of his quill against his temple, frustrated. He had been staring over this contract declaring the fire nation's soldier removal from Earth Kingdom colonies for over an hour, and he felt no closer to understanding the meaning of the conditions and contingencies placed by the Earth King's scribes. Who knew ending a 100-year war would require so much paperwork?

"Fire Lord," Zuko jumped a bit as the guard addressed him. He had not noticed the man enter. "There are people here to see you."

"Thank-you, please show them to the councilmen meeting room." Zuko set his paper aside and begin to prepare to end his work for the day. When he looked up, the guard was still there.

"Um, sir? The councilmen meeting room…" the guard trailed off, staring decidedly at the floor. He was afraid to disobey the newly entrusted Fire Lord, not knowing how Zuko might react to his questioning. But he was also very confused. The councilmen meeting room was a room for planning, for important, closed-door discussions and personal acquaintances of the Fire Lord. In all of his time there, he had never seen a Fire Lord take a meeting there. They took them in the throne room, where the abundance of décor and flames showcased the extremity of the fire nations' power.

Zuko nodded in understanding. "I understand most traditional meetings take place in the throne room," he said. The guard nodded. "But these are very special guests, so I would appreciate it if you could show them to the meeting room, as I commanded."

The firmness of Zuko's voice with a hint of finality sent the guard on his way. Zuko shook his head to himself, mumbling about cramped traditions as he continued sorting out his papers. Within ten minutes he was finished, and made his way to meet his guests.

On his way to the meeting room, he passed the legendary throne room. Zuko had to repress a shudder as he walked by the magnificent doors. That room held nothing but painful, demeaning memories for him. He had not yet been able to bring himself to hold intimidating meetings there himself.

Although, Zuko convinced himself that this was not due to his own insecurities with the past connotations of the room. I could hold meetings there if it was necessary, he told himself. But I have simply not had any meetings yet that required its' use. And these guests are special.

As he entered the meeting room, he was greeted by the welcoming tone of friendly chatter. About ten girls were spread about the room, clad in deep green robes and talking excitedly to each other.

"Zuko!" exclaimed one of the girls when he entered.

"Good evening, Fire Lord Zuko," said another one pointedly as she approached him. Zuko recognized her immediately, despite her heavy layers of makeup.

"Hey Suki," he said. Zuko offered her his hand, but she dropped into a bow instead. Zuko awkwardly retracted his hand and bowed as well, feeling inelegant. He had forgotten in the moment of seeing a friendly face that a barrier had arisen around their friendship the moment he had been crowned Fire Lord.

"Sokka spoke very highly of the Kyoshi Warriors," said Zuko, addressing the other girls now. "He said you would be more then fit for the task I require of you."

"We have all trained for many years in exclusive academies with the best the Earth Kingdom has to offer on our island," said Suki. "We can handle anything."

"Perfect," said Zuko. He pulled from his robes some Fire Nation wanted posters. Each one depicted a dark-hooded figure and a warning to Fire Nation citizens to approach with caution. "Since I have taken the throne, there has been some resistance by Ozai's most-devoted fans. They have joined together, and call themselves the 'New Ozai Society'. At first, they simply wrote letters calling for citizens not to let these new treaties 'take away their demand for respect' and posting Ozai support posters around cities. Recently, however, they have become more bold. Last week, a servant that worked at the place under Ozai used the secret passageways to break into my study and tried to assassinate me."

"Oh no," gasped the first girl who had called out to him.

"Everything was fine, I was not even in my study at the time. But it was then that I realized I might need to hire a team with no affiliation to the previous fire lord for my personal safety."

"That's awful," said Suki consolingly. Zuko shrugged.

"I was excepting some resistance to the new regime, there always is with change. I'm just not sure I was expecting such a violent outbreak. I need to stay on task to keep the ending of this war as smooth and thoroughly as possible, which is why I told Sokka that I needed an elite team, and he suggested the Kyoshi Warriors. I need a group that can assure my safety to continue the ending of this war. Can you do that?"

Suki nodded, gesturing to the girls around her. "We are the best fighters you could hope to have at your side for a time like this. Our skills in combat and inconspicuousness will keep you safe and keep us out your way so you can continue your normal routine. Plus, being from the Earth Kingdom, you can rest assured that we have no loyalties to the previous Fire Lord and are only bound to serve you in the quest for peace in the modern world."

"Thank-you," said Zuko. "I will have some guards show you to your new rooms."

Nighttime was always the worst for the Fire Lord. The darkness reminded him of all the worst times of his life; times of loneliness and pain. In the palace, they brought back painful memories of his childhood. His mother escaping, Azula telling him she had heard that father planned to kill him, his last night in his rooms, packing to leave the fire nation and knowing he would never be able to return.

He always tried his best to sleep, knowing he would not be able to well serve his people unrested. However, little things kept him awake throughout the night. Creaks that sounded like the footsteps of his retreating mother, or his coming father, bound to inflict some new punishment on him simply for not being the star his sister was. The outdoor noises reminded him of his nagging trainers who were never pleased with his fire bending forms, constantly praising Azula and threatening him if his could not compete with his younger sister.

Now, his childhood insecurities were enhanced with adult fears. He knew that he had taken the throne during a dangerous time, and assassins lurked around every corner for him. The New Ozai Society was a violent group, and each night Zuko feared they would come slit his throat before the night was done.

It was not dying he feared, it was more him not being able to help his people if he was dead. His personal security was not nearly as important as the security of his citizens through the restoration.

Finally, when the night became too much for him to bear, as it often did, he rose from his bed and made his way out of his bedchambers.

He crossed the halls and followed the twisting paths of the royal palace carefully and quietly, unable to shake the feeling that he was being stalked in his own house. He told himself he was being ridiculous, as he always did, and made his way hurriedly through the secret passageways generally reserved for the Fire Lords.

"Where are those Kyoshi Warriors?" He wondered aloud. "I suppose they must be doing a very good job of hiding. That, or there not here at all and I am talking to myself." Zuko honestly did not know which would be worse. Despite the fact that he got no response, however, the act of speaking aloud for himself gave him a certain comfort in the big palace. It was almost as though the shadows and villains that he feared thrived in the silence, and his speaking forced them all away, chasing them back into whatever dark holes they came form.

It was a childish thought, but it had comforted him in his younger years. He had originally tried to use his firebending for light to chase them off, but had set fire to his bed and suffered severely for it, mostly from his father. Since then he used sound, often humming to himself at night. Now, he hummed his childhood favorites as he made his way down into the bowels of the palace.

Soon, he reached his office and ducked inside. Before shutting the door, he quickly lit the lamps and checked the room, his eyes scanning every surface twice before shutting the door completely.

"I suppose I might as well get some work done while I am awake," he said, making his way to his desk. He had no sooner settled himself behind his stack of paperwork when he heard a knocking at the door.

For a moment, he was frozen to his seat, fear keeping him irrationally still.

Stupid boy, he though. An assassin would not knock first. Still, he seemed unable to make his was to answer the door.

"Zuko?" came a voice from the other side. "It is me, Suki."

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. "It is open," he called back, rushing to straighten himself as the Kyoshi warrior entered the room.

Suki looked him over curiously, then observed the room, much like he had, before shutting the door and making her way to the desk. She moved smoothly and silently, like a cloud of green smoke, checking every corner and window of the room continuously on her way to him.

"I did not realize you would be awake," said Zuko, trying to make conversation. Her constant observation of the room was making him nervous, especially the way her eyes were continuously drawn to himself, still in his sleeping robes. He felt a little strange in this states of undress, when she had somehow found time to change and apply a fresh coat of makeup before coming out to follow him to his office.

"Do not be silly, I was never asleep," she responded. So that explained her put-togetherness.

"Are your rooms not to your likening?" asked Zuko.

"No, they are quite nice," Suki assured him. "But my job does not allow my regular sleeping hours. If someone was to kill you, it would be silently in the night, not in broad day light at one of your grand council meetings."

"Oh," responded Zuko, not sure what to say.

"We Kyoshi warriors take our jobs very seriously," she continued. "We have a system set up to keep eyes on you every minute of every day. You passed at least three of our guards on your way here."

"Oh, right," said Zuko, feeling very awkward now. "That's…well, a very effective system, I am sure."

"Our job is to keep you alive and keep out of your way," continued Suki. She had now finally made her way to the other side of his desk, and perched upon his table beside him. "But I saw you coming here tonight, and I had to break part of our contract to come check on you. Are you alright?"

Zuko was shocked by her question. He was not expecting that monologue about the invaluable aspects of the Kyoshi Warriors to lead to such a personal inquiry.

"I am fine," he said cautiously. Suki seemed unconvinced by his answer. Instead of pursuing it, however, she scanned the room again and changed the subject.

"This palace seems to exemplify the ideals of the past Fire Nation regime," commented Suki. She glanced over at Zuko. "Power, supremacy and the such. No offense."

"Welcome to the place I apparently call home now," agreed Zuko somewhat sarcastically. "For my whole life it was a stark reminder of the Fire Nation's power and influence throughout the world. I always hated it. When I first moved back, I had planned to return it to its original grandeur. Before Sozin, we actually had decorations that did not involve taking over land that is not ours and ruining innocent people's lives."

"You had a culture before the war, I understand that," said Suki. "Back on Kyoshi Island, we have dances and plays that describe our history for us. Paintings and art telling the story of Avatar Kyoshi are everywhere. It seems to speak of power, but a welcoming sort somehow."

"Not the kind you see here," said Zuko bitterly. "The only power my father was interested in was the kind that included destroying other civilizations."

Suki nodded. She had a hard time understanding Zuko's position, but she was trying her hardest. The Kyoshi warriors were trained to be fighters, but also to be understanding citizens of the Earth Kingdom.

"It must be hard to be back here, in such a place that has painful memories from your childhood. And with a secret society trying to assassinate you."

"I must admit, it is not the most favorable conditions to take over a throne," admitted Zuko. "I knew that restoring the Fire Nation's proud heritage after the war would be hard, but I never expected I would have to do it in such strenuous conditions."

"I suppose all the paperwork regarding the restoration is hard enough, without having to worry about your personal safety every minute of the day."

"Night is more like it," said Zuko. He pushed his chair back from his desk and ran his fingers through his tangled hair, wondering how much he should tell the Earth Kingdom Warrior. He did not like showing others his weaknesses. However, she was his guard now, he supposed letting her know his fears might even help her keep him alive.

"I cannot really feel…safe, in my own palace," admitted Zuko at last. "It seems every noise could be an attack, every corner could house a Secret Ozai Society agent. Every painting and decoration in the palace reminds me of a horrible past in this place, and all I want is to escape from it all. I cannot, of course, otherwise there would be no one here to stabilize the Nation after the war."

Suki nodded her understanding. She could see this stress was getting to the Fire Lord, and rightly so, but she thought he might have been fretting about his safety more then necessary. She supposed a lack of sleep and strain from the work might have been adding to his tension.

"I understand your worries, Fire Lord, but you have the Kyoshi Warriors here now. You need not worry about your personal safety; I am personally responsible for your wellbeing, and my agents and I will see to it that you are keep safe enough to complete your work in the restoration."

Zuko nodded, and replaced his hands on the desk. "Thank-you Suki, I trust your agents. Hopefully with your help I'll be able to restore the Fire Nation's honor after this war."

"I will leave you to your work then," she said, rising to go.

"Yes, I have some things to see too," said Zuko, begin to sort through some papers. Suki made her way to the door, but she turned back to the Fire Lord at the last minute.

"I would not presume to tell the Fire Lord how to do his job," she said. "But I would advise getting some sleep. Those papers can assumedly look after themselves until the morning."

"I suppose they can," said Zuko doubtfully.

"My guards will be watching," promised Suki.

"Such a comforting thought," said Zuko. "Thank-you."

Suki nodded, and turned to leave again. She knew her and her warriors could handle the Fire Lord's safety, but she feared it was going to be a long road before Zuko would feel comfortable at all in his own home.

My second themed piece for my Avatar Writing Competition! Hope you all enjoyed it! I always loved the Restoration idea...so I just really wanted to write this! It also fits in well with the comics, especially "The Search" if you guys like reading those. :)

Team: Fire Nation

Round: 3

Category: Security

Prompt: 1. (Speech) "Welcome to the place I apparently call home."

Word count: 2,683