"Chiyo, wake up. We're here." Reiko gently nudged her arm. They have been travelling for days by carriage and by boat. Finally, the pair had arrived in Hira'a. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and gazed out from the window of the moving wagon.
It was different from what she had expected.
Hira'a was a very quaint village far from the modern furnishings of the Capital City. The roads were unpaved, the houses were made of stone, wood and straw. The remoteness of the village showed in the lack of technological developments and overall modernization.
Yet still, there was a certain beauty in simplicity and peace, and she found it comforting.
The carriage stopped in front of a gathered crowd. Apparently, news travels faster than anything. Excited murmurs encircled onlookers as they await the appearance of the apprentice entertainer. They had only heard news and hearsay and now it was time to see her for themselves.
Reiko stepped out of the carriage first to greet Noren who marched forward and shook her hand. "You must be the entertainer Lady Reiko, Lady Suiren's sister. My name is Noren, I am the director of the Hira'a acting troupe."
"Oh!" Reiko was flustered by his strong grip, but she managed to compose herself before replying. "Ah, yes! But I'm no lady actually, just Reiko is fine! Also, I'm not an entertainer. I'm here as a guardian of my sister's apprentice, really..." She smiled awkwardly.
Chiyo soon followed Reiko out of the carriage and the earlier buzz of excitement was silenced. The first thing that caught their attention was her gold and red robes, and silk shoes. Though considered plain and simple in the Capital, here in Hira'a, it was rare to see expensive textile that was so vivid in color. The apprentice luckily decided to forgo the accessories except for Zuko's necklace, lest she be deemed overdressed for the first meeting.
When she lifted her head, they saw her red-amber eyes, another rarity. Even in the Capital, no one notable had eyes like her.
Just when she thought she had gotten used to people staring, a sudden uneasiness settled in her gut. It was clear that she was out of place in the picture. What if she was more of an oddity than a rarity? Why were they so silent?
Thousands of questions plagued her thoughts. She wanted to jump back in the carriage and head home.
In the back of her mind, she heard her mentor's calm and comforting voice. "Smile, Chiyo. When you don't know where or how to start, smile."
And so, she did.
A lot of changes and reforms were proposed during the meeting with the Fire Sages and the Council of Elders, as well as the war ministers and generals. Just looking at the stack of papers and scrolls on his desk made him groan.
"If only uncle was here, he'd know what to do..." Zuko muttered, taking the first document from the first pile and viewing its contents.
"Do you think being Fire Lord is easy?"
"The throne comes with many pressures, and those pressures will change you! But if you can stand the heat, you'll become something more. Of all the people in the world, I have the wisdom you need, the wisdom of experience!"
Aside from these reforms, the issue of the Harmony Restoration Movement was met with much opposition, especially from the elders and the ministers.
But Fire Lord Zuko wasn't to be deterred. He expressed his views, and the views of the Avatar and the Earth King. He stressed on the fact that the imperialistic ways of the former Fire Lords have caused destruction, and have brought harm, not glory, on the reputation of the Fire Nation.
He told them of his ventures into the Earth Kingdom during his exile as the banished prince. He told them of the hatred, the fear, the disgust that he had received simply from being someone from the Fire Nation.
And when asked what the first order of business was, Zuko relayed the plans to pull out the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom.
It was easier to convince the younger ministers and the sages, and they expressed their full support for the movement. Though it might take a lot more dialogue with the elders and the generals who gained power through Imperialism.
Hours into reading, a knock from the door of his study startled him. "Who is it?"
"It's Sol, your Highness."
He got curious. What was Chiyo's handmaiden up to? "You can come in."
Sol opened the doors and came in holding a tray. "Lady Chiyo told us to take care of you while she was away." She set down the tray on a side table and poured the steaming Jasmine tea into a cup. "Also, she reminded us to remind you to eat your meals at the right times."
Zuko couldn't help but smile at his girlfriend's thoughtful gesture. "Thank you." He received the cup and took a sip of the relaxing drink. "Sol?"
"Yes, your Highness?"
"I know it's only been a few days, but has she sent word yet?"
The handmaiden shook her head as she set down the Fire Lord's dinner at his desk. "I have no news so far, Fire Lord Zuko. But no news is good news, right?" With a deep bow, she left the study.
Restless, he set aside his dinner and reached for a blank parchment. "Dearest Chiyo,"
"Man Wol will be a few days late. There has been a delay with his travels." Noren handed a letter sent by messenger hawk to Reiko, who read through it. "In the meantime, please make yourselves at home."
The director had generously offered his home to Reiko and Chiyo as a temporary settlement. They were welcomed by Noren's wife, Noriko, and their daughter, Kiyi.
Disappointment flashed briefly through Reiko's face but she still greeted them respectfully. Chiyo followed suit and introduced herself. "My name is Chiyo, and I am an apprentice entertainer."
"Pretty..." The young girl, Kiyi, stepped out from behind her mother.
Chiyo stooped down to meet the girl eye-to-eye and smiled. "Hello..."
"Wanna meet my doll?" Somehow, Kiyi's enthusiasm reminded her of Yona, and for the briefest of moments, she wondered how they were faring. "Her name is Kiyi!" She held in front of her a handmade rag doll.
"But I thought your name was Kiyi?"
"It's such a good name, I used it twice!"
She couldn't help the laughter that escaped her. Kiyi's mother, Noriko, invited them in and made some tea and rice cakes.
"This is my favorite!" Kiyi showed her a pink rice cake and stuffed it in her mouth.
"Kiyi, that's for our guests!"
"They can have the green ones!"
"Kiyi!"
Chiyo picked up a green rice cake and ate it. "It's fine. I love green rice cakes—"
The child squealed happily and immediately sat on Chiyo's lap, taking the plate of rice cakes with her. "I have a feeling that we are going to be great friends!"
After having sent the letter, he retired to his room. The Fire Lord's quarters was the largest of all the bedrooms in the palace, fittingly decorated with murals and lavish furnishings, and heavily guarded by the imperial firebenders.
Zuko refused the help of the eunuchs and took off his armor and clothes on his own. He dove into bed and pulled the covers over his head, wishing sleep would claim him fast.
It was around midnight when he heard the heavy footsteps of someone within the room. Feigning sleep, he pinpointed the direction of the intruder and sent a ball of flames towards him.
The intruder barely avoided the attack, the light of the fire illuminating him, Dressed in all black, the lower half of his face covered with black cloth. He had a large build, easily larger than Zuko, and in his hands, he held a sword. "Down with the traitor! Down with the Fire Lord who betrays his own people!"
He raised his sword to attack, but what he had in build, he lacked in speed. Zuko easily took him down with a swipe of his feet, restraining his arms behind his back. "Who are you, and who do you work for?!"
The Fire Lord's shouts roused the guards outside the room and they came in, only to find that Fire Lord Zuko had already taken care of the intruder.
"Traitor!" The man kept shouting as he was dragged away by the soldiers. "Traitor of the Fire Nation!"
The words haunted him. It was the first time in his reign as Fire Lord that someone attempted to kill him.
And it wasn't the last.