The Girl and the Fire Lord

2 The Turtle Ducks - Kaori's POV

I let myself slide down the palace door and fall onto the floor. How could I have been so stupid? It was his garden anyhow! I lay my head in my hands.

Months of feeding the turtle ducks and walking each morning alone and then he conveniently decides to come to the garden on the one day I'm not paying any attention?

I was furious with myself. Maybe I should start looking for a new job. I thought. 

My job at the palace was everything I had ever dreamed of and more. Growing up in the fire nation with no bending abilities made me feel like I didn't mean anything - like I wasn't worth anything to my nation - but here, I felt like my job mattered. Tending to the garden made me happy, and seeing everyone at the palace enjoying my work gave me such a sense of pride and joy. I'd jeopardized all of that by going into Fire Lord Zuko's garden before hours. And in my night clothes at that. I wanted to die of embarrassment.

I was still alone in the palace, but I needed to get back to my quarters and change in case anyone else woke up extremely early. Of all people, why did it have to be Zuko?

On my way back to my home, I thought about how he had reacted to me in the garden. I'd been so frantic I hadn't really stopped to listen to what he was saying. He seemed upset, but I vaguely remembered that he'd said something about the turtle ducks. Surely he would feed them or at least get someone else to feed them. 

I put on a lot of makeup that day to hide my features in case I saw him later. I didn't want him to recognize me. With my hair done, makeup put on thick, and clothed in a traditional gown, I looked nothing like I did earlier that morning. As I tended to my plants, I thought of him. He had a little piece that hung in front of his burned eye. I wanted to ask how he got his scar, but that would have been horribly out of place. I'd already been rude enough.

I sprinkled the compost around the white dragon bush flowers and admired them. They were my favorite in the whole garden, despite them carrying a deadly poison. I watered in the soil and smiled at my work. 

As my work day came to a close, I decided to go in for an early dinner and visit with some of the other ladies in the palace. Some of my closest friends, Hana and Hiromi told me they would be at dinner early. When I walked into the grand hall, they were sitting at a small table with a beautiful red table cloth. The room was gigantic, prepared to seat at least five hundred people. The wait staff at the palace was exceptional, and the dinners were always lovely. That was another perk of the job - we could enjoy every meal at the grand hall at no cost. 

"Hello Hana, Hiromi, you both look lovely." I sat down next to my friends as I greeted them. 

"Wow Kaori! You look so gorgeous! What's with all the makeup?" Hana asked, beaming and moving my face side to side. "Your eyeliner is so sharp!"

"You'll seriously catch some attention looking like that." Hiromi said with a smirk.

I wiped my hands on my dress. I wouldn't catch the Fire Lord's attention in this makeup, and that was what mattered most today.

"Thanks, you're both very sweet." I said politely, and I picked up the menu to hide the blush in my cheeks. Hana and Hiromi talked about which of the guards' rooms was the messiest until the second the waiter came to our table.

"Good evening ladies, how may I serve you tonight?" He asked politely. I didn't recognize him. He must be new. I decided. Once we all ordered and he left the table, the girls exploded into a frenzy. 

"Kaori, I think he's new" Hana burst out.

"He's the hottest server I've seen in the palace." Hiromi agreed.