"What's that for?" The new, young General asked the tall General next to him, motioning to the small chair that had been placed next to a large one at the head of the table.
"Oh." Mak smiled, "This is you're first briefing, huh?"
The young general nodded, "What's with the chair?"
He just smiled, shaking his head, "You'll see."
Everyone stood as the Fire Lord entered the room. He wasn't the tallest or strongest in attendance, but one could look at him and know, and tell that he was the one in change. He flashed them all a soft smile, nodding his chin down ever so lightly as he made his way to the head of the table.
It was then than the young general say the small human tottering after the Fire Lord, her dark hair pulled back into a tight bun, a green dress covering her and a stack of papers being held close to her chest.
The young general went to speak out, to question the attendance of the little girl who looked to be around 5, but didn't have the time. Fire Lord Zuko sat at the head of his table, the girl sitting next to him. As all the men in attendance sat down, he pulled out a small stack of coloring crayons from his pocket and placed them next to her. She then gave him some of the papers that she had been carrying, him thanking her silently.
The meeting started, with seemingly no mention of the little girl. She sat by The Fire Lord, colorining happy as the meeting was conducted, listening as she did. No one seemed to notice it, or even talk about it. Even the Fire Lord seemed unfazed by it. He would occasionally lean over and speak to the girl or make a mark on her paper with one of the colorful wax crayons.
Once the meeting was done the men in attendance got up, but seemed to meander around the room. The little girl jumped off her small chair, papers in hand as she walked to the men in the room. She handed them each a picture that she had colored, offering a short explanation to each of them on what it was. They took the paper happily, thanking her and leaving once they got it.
Mak and the young general were last, the little girl approaching them with a large smile.
"You look very pretty today, Princess Ki." Mak smiled down at her.
"Thank you." She beamed, offering him up a piece of paper, "I drew this for you."
Mak took the piece of paper, inspecting it carefully for a long moment. "I see…" He finally said, kneeling down next to her, "What is it?"
Ki let go a slightly annoyed sigh, pointing to the figure in the center, "That's you." She motioned to the squiggly shapes all around him. "And those are all the flowers. You are dancing the flower dance."
"Oh…" Mak looked at her with a smile, "My dress is pretty."
"I knooooow!" She giggling.
"I love it, sweetie."
Ki smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, him hugging her back quickly. He stood up once she pulled away, her attention turned to the new general.
"I don't know you, so I didn't know what to draw you." She chirped before offering him a piece of paper. "It's a picture of you playing with our puppy." Ki explained as he took the picture.
"Well…" He finally croaked, noticing that she wasn't the only one looking at him in that moment. General Mak and Fire Lord were also looking at him with anxious eyes. "I like puppies."
"Good!" She smiled wide, walking back to her father who was still sitting at the table.
"Thank you both." Fire Lord Zuko nodded, smiling ever so lightly.
"Our pleasure you're majesty." Mak smiled, him and the young general leaving the room as the Fire Lord and the Princess started talking.
"That was weird." The young general sighed, folding up his piece of paper and stuff it in his pocket.
"You don't have kids, do you?" Mak asked, gently putting the picture in with his other papers as they walked away from the meeting hall.
"No, why do you ask?"
"Just a feeling."