Ty Lee Woke slowly and rolled over, surrounded by warmth, still unwilling to open her eyes and lose the blissful feeling of half sleep. She rolled to her left and for that it infact got warmer, until she found a body lying beside her as the epicenter of the heat. Still with her eyes closed she ran her fingers lightly across the chest as it rose and lower with breath. It was firm and toned, she made out the abs and pecs on it, tracing them with the point of her finger.

She finally opened her eyes and looked down on Zukos sleeping form, light had begun to slide through the mostly closed blinds and it illuminated what she could only assume was his bed chambers. He was breathing lightly on his back, arm draped across his eyes to let him sleep. She thought back to the night before of blurred passion and deep embraces. She smiled, she had always found Zuko attractive, as he was known to be, and held no embarrassment for the night they had shared.

She gave his side a little tickle and when he stirred she pulled back swinging her feet out to the edge of the bed and sat up, her untied hair flowing down her back messily. She began to pull it back to tie it in a simple bun, just something so she could get dressed; Zuko stirred again and rolled over opening his eyes, a smile playing across his lips.

Zuko felt the sun play across his body and he lay in bed and sluggishly debated within his own mind weather to awake or not, he carefully opened his eyes, allowing the sunlight to creep in and was glad he did. Ty Lee sat at the edge of the bed, turned away form him with both hands tying her long hair into a bun. Her back was smooth and perfectly curved, he had remembered it from the night before and he smiled. She turned and saw him smile at her and grinned back, revealing the slightest hint of teeth.

"I take it this is a good morning for you?" She turned back and finished her hair,

"Definitely" was his simple answer taking in the sight of her.

She rolled back onto the bed, and gave him a sweet kiss, he returned it and kissed her again as she pulled away lying beside him curled up laying an arm across his chest.

A smothered knock at the door drew their attention and Zuko raised his ghead to see past her form beside him but the door didn't open.

"Lord? Uh… The Grand Duke of the Ash Coast will be meeting you in… Ummm… ten minutes." There was a pause as Zuko recalled the meeting on the dossier. "Do you wish the servants to come and help you dress?"

Zuko looked to Ty Lee and knew it to be improper even if it would allow him to meet the Duke on schedule. "No, I will be quite alright." He spoke clear and then there was a muffled "Yes, Lord" and the sound of shuffling away. Ty Lee gave him the look that it was time to get out of bed and he had to agree.

Ty Lee watched him Dress and wondered where her own dress was searching the room with her eyes and attempting to remember where they had thrown it. Nothing came up for either. Zuko was fast, almost completely dressed, and thankfully he had not allowed the servants to enter for it could have been quite an embarrassing situation.

As he pulled his hair back he turned back to her, looking down at her undressed form holding a lush blanket to her chest.

"I can send in some handmaidens to 'help' you if you wish." His voice was playful and teasing obviously enjoying her predicament. She gave an unimpressed look but could hide her smile,

"Yes that would work fine thank you."

Zuko threw a smile and left, rushing to his meeting, stopping only for a second to mention orders to his servant. He thought to himself as he walked, obviously the man had known that Zuko had a 'guest' with him or he would have entered after knocking and if he knew then the entire palace knew, and by afternoon the entire capital would know, by tomorrow morning the whole island. He sighed.

General Shi smiled as he saw the Fire Lord leave his bedchambers; the General had hoped to see the Sovereign to confirm his hopes. Zuko had spent the night with Lady Ty Lee. Though the Young Lord had denied it, Shi had known that the only thing to stabilize this nation would be an heir to the throne and for that he needed a wife. A woman of proper fire nobility and breeding, but Zuko had been gaff and curt with the beautiful woman who were presented before him. The general had almost lost hope, Mai was gone never to return and Zuko saw no need to court anyone else, likely burned by the breakup; it had gotten to the point where unfavorable rumors had spread amongst the peasants that detailed the Lord 'preference'.

They soon realized that Zuko truly only seemed to loosen up around the friends he had made while traveling the world. They had observed as much when Sokka of the Southern tribe had visited, a visible change had fallen on Zuko. They had drafted together the stories of his trials and went through every possible one. The attempts to find the Lord a wife had become a conspiracy, a plot to strengthen the nation without Zuko's knowledge.

Mai was already out of the question, but the others held some promise, A princess of the Southern watertribe, but they soon realized she was already paired with the avatar, and such a spat would likely cause many problems. The young Bei Fong was proposed, her father was cutthroat and she was not of true noble blood, being the daughter of a merchant whose family went back only in wealth, not blood.

Finally Ty Lee was suggested, but for them she was nowhere to be found. Apparently joining an order of warriors or some such. He and the ministers and generals had despaired.

The worst was still to come though; Iroh brought a peasant girl from The Earth Kingdom, a street rat! They had apparently met during his exile to their capital and taken a fancy to him in disguise. The thought sickened him; she had tromped around the palace like she was wearing boulders on her feet. To be with her would to invite mutiny from the noble class. Luckily the assassination attempt had failed to kill him and drove her away from him. Now out of the wilderness Ty Lee had returned. Shi's mind had reeled, such was fate. When they had ducked out of the party he thanked silently and then ordered a servant to bring strong wine to them and then to leave them together; hoping the spirits would speed up the process.

Shi smiled to himself, his fellow Conspirators would toast to this happy turn of events.

***

For the following weeks word spread of the Lord courtship, and while Zuko and Ty Lee refused to refer to it as such, they greatly enjoyed their time together. To Zuko's surprise General Shi seemed very favorable to it, always willing to make excuses and cut meeting short to give him time with her. They enjoyed strolls through the park and along the grounds, including a single highly public trip to the market, but it created such a surge of onlookers that he had decided not to do that again. They did have intimate moments together, but never to the abandon and wildness on the Sun Ball. They had mutually decided to take it slower.

But as the worst of winter passed Ty Lee said her goodbyes and left to the circus in the Earth Kingdom where she would perform, and while Zuko felt sad to she his friend to go but he knew she would be happier. She too had felt bad for leaving him, but felt the draw back to the crowds. And as she left she had almost asked him if she could stay, but stopped herself at the last moment.

After her departure, Zuko dove headfirst into his work, touring at a frantic pace, Meeting leading citizens and local fiefs. People finally seemed to cheer his arrival, and General Shi secretly credited himself for it. Reforms began to show progress and the great change he had promised began to bear fruit. For months he worked himself to the breaking point, and was in turn visited by both Sokka of the Water Tribe and Aang of the Air Nomads. But near the High Sun Festival, to mark the summer solstice, Zuko was beginning to show his weariness. Shi had proposed a break and short vacation for him at a small villa on a far away island. He had relented but only after he "fended off the Bull-Sharks of the Bei Fong group." Shi had smiled and quietly agreed with his assessment, the Bei Fongs had been brutal in their profiteering, dominating local industries in the fragile post war economy and muscling into other nations area. It was rumored that they had a heavy hand in the casting of additional earth Kingdom money, devaluing their currency. Shi Hoped that Lao's daughter would not be present.

***

Well that was quite a wait, but hey I was busy and forgot what was happening. Hope you like it. Or that someone is still reading this, Reviews are encouraged and welcome.