Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 92: A New Reign

"The real hero is the Avatar."

He looked back at Aang and beckoned him to come out. The Avatar obeyed, walking out to stand next to Iroh.

"This war is finally over!" announced Iroh. "We must work together to restore the honor of the Fire Nation. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting have left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path and begin a new era of love and peace."

"Ahem," the High Sage interrupted softly.

Iroh looked at him, and the Sage nodded his head indicating that it was time. Iroh faced forward, and as the sun peaked over the horizon, the first rays of light fell upon him. He slowly knelt down. The High Sage stepped behind him and placed the royal headpiece into his topknot.

"All hail Fire Lord Iroh!" the Sage announced.

Iroh stood while the cheers rose up from below. The crowd was happy that the war was over and that a dictator had been replaced with someone they hoped would be more benevolent.

Iroh looked back at Zuko and Chiara and now beckoned them to come out. They glanced at each other with puzzled expressions. The High Sage took the headpiece from Zuko, and then the couple obeyed their new Fire Lord's gesture.

"Kneel, Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara," he said to them.

Again, they obeyed his order. The crowd quieted down as everyone watched the scene. Fire Lord Iroh motioned to the High Sage who brought out the headpiece of Avatar Roku. Standing before Zuko, Iroh placed the headpiece over his topknot securing it with the pin. He then took another headpiece offered by the Sage.

"This is the headpiece of the wife of the Crown Prince," he said while placing it in Chiara's hair. "It belonged to the late Princess Mina."

A tear slid down her cheek as she realized he was giving her the headpiece of his late wife.

"Rise, Crown Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara," he announced loudly before presenting them to the cheering crowd.

When the cheers were dying down, the High Sage stepped forward. "To celebrate the coronation of our Fire Lord, there will be a grand banquet in the plaza."

One loud "woohoo" could be heard among the crowd that was clearly Sokka's voice. Zuko and Chiara glanced at each other stifling their giggles.

After the Sage had made his announcement, tables were carried out into the plaza and set up, and servers began laying out food.

Iroh turned to Zuko and Chiara. "This is my favorite part of the coronation."

There had been no banquet at the last coronation, and Zuko silently wondered if it was a new addition to the ceremony by his uncle or a tradition that was just skipped by Ozai.

Iroh offered his arm to Chiara. "Shall we go, Princess Chiara?"

"Yes, my Lord," she said taking his arm.

He looked at Zuko. "Are you coming, Prince Zuko?"

"I'll catch up with you, Uncle...I mean Fire Lord," he corrected.

"I still prefer 'Uncle'," smiled Iroh. He leaned towards Chiara. "And 'Father,'" he added.

Zuko took one last look at his princess before the Fire Lord and his daughter turned to descend the temple steps followed by their guards and the sages leaving only him and Aang at the top while Kaito remained inside waiting for him. The prince's eyes moved to the multi-colored crowd below. While traveling the world on his ship or living in exile in the Earth Kingdom he had never imagined that one day he would be standing next to the Avatar at his uncle's coronation.