Sitting at the head of the table, I put my hand on my head I can feel a headache coming, I have made a team consist of the best fire nation have to offer, then I divided them into different categorize respectful to their skill,
The team that will design the city, the team that will form the democratic system, the team that are making laws, we are making human rights that will be part of the law, so no one can be treated inferior because of their gender, bending abilities, and origins, that is Aang's idea, he is head of that too,
"So we all agree that the main council building will be on the side?" head architect Aki asked, people, nodded their head in agreement,
"Aki I want the pillar of the official building that will be in the middle to be so long that it can be seen all around the city, that will be a symbol of the authority," I said rubbing my forehead,
"Of course Fire lady" he bowed, then continued talking about his plans,
The peace treated is being created by Aang, Sokka, and Katara they insisted on that, which is good there is already a lot on my plate, the changes in the interior of the palace are going good, Kai and Jun are working hard on that they have made a little team of their on to help them,
Zuko and I are having problems, well he is not me, he is mad because of me being busy, it's been almost a month since the meeting, normally by the time I get to bed he is already asleep,
Yesterday he was awake, and he started a fight well in which he screamed at me for not giving him enough time don't he knows that I am working for our nation I am not partying around, he ends up leaving the room he returned hours later and joined me in bed, I pushed myself in his arms, a few seconds later he gave in and wrapped them around me, In the morning I woke up to empty bed,
"So I think the sewage system will do much better this way," Aki said,
"Aki, can we call it a day?" I asked, looking tiring at him, he is standing in front of a board with a long pointing stick in his hand on the other side of the table, "Of course, Are you okay fire lady?" he asked,
"Just tired, we will continue tomorrow," I said standing up, they all stood up and bowed as I walked out, today I will go back early, I am planning a special dinner date for him to make up for not being around that much,
"Kai everything set?" I asked, "Yeah" I walked into the garden we have lit the garden with lanterns and candles with a table full of food in the middle, spring flowers all around us, "Good job, now go get him," I said, she nodded and left,
I took a seat on one side of the table, I took a sip from my drink this has been a long day, I had four meetings, the team that is designing democratic policy is so hard to handle, I thought I collected the most intelligent and educated people but all of them are idiots who need me to guide them every step of the way,
Zuko himself has been busy with everything, there have been two more assassination attempts, both were captured the moment they entered the palace, the security is so tight not even a bird can fly in at this point,
Zuko walked into the garden, I stood up and walked up to him as his eyes scan the garden, "I thought a dinner date may help make up for my absence?" I said,
I hold his face in my hands and pull him into a kiss, "I am sorry for not being around, I will try harder" I said, his features relaxed at my apology, he wraps his arms around me pulling me closer,
"This past month I missed you so much," he said burying his face in my neck, "Sorry, I will make up for that tonight," I said, he kissed my neck,
I pulled away "Dinner before dessert," I said pulling him by his arm to the table, "Can we just skip to dessert" he chuckled,
"Nup," I said pushing him down on the floor cushion, I walked up to mine,
"So husband, tell me how your month was?" I asked, "Good but tiring there is a problem with the military but we are handling it, other than that those assassins are not letting me have a break"
He took a sip from his glass and put it back down, "Wife what about you?" he asked,
"Fine, it shocks me how stupid people can be, the republic city project is going in the right direction but slower than I want it to, the renovation project is going good as you can see," I said,
He took my hand in his, "You look beautiful" he said kissing it, making me blush, "Thank you my lord" I said,
We start eating, "What about Peace treaty?" he asked, "Sokka, Aang, and Katara are creating it with Admiral Chao, I have read it, so far I think it's going good" the rest of the dinner went smoothly we ate, drank a little, talk about non-sense most of the time,
"So she threw me off the stairs" Zuko is telling a story about princess Azula, his eyes have sadness in them when he talks about her, he wants to make amends with her,
"Where is she now?" I asked, "I don't know, she escaped after we found mother, she never came back, that scares me because she can attack any point," he said moving his drink around in his glass,
"It's okay if she came you have me, we will deal with it," I said walking up to him, I kissed him, he grabbed me by my arm and pull me in his lap, "Zuko" I was going to complain but was cut off by him grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me into another kiss,
After a few seconds he let go to breathe, "Take me to your room" I said, putting my forehead against his, he nodded as we gasp for air,
He picked me up and we went to his room, where he laid me on his bed slowly carefully, then He kissed me pulling his clothes off himself, we end up making love till late night, after a long day and this I was completely exhausted and end up falling asleep the second he let his body fall off me and to my side,
He wrapped his arm around me, as I was slowly dozing away I heard a faint, "I love you" coming from him, after that all went dark,
The next morning was nice we woke up late missing my first meeting, we ate breakfast together, he hadn't been in this good mood in so long, the smile I once fall in love with was lost but here sitting in front of me it has returned,
"You better not disappear again" he warned, "I won't I will make sure I have time for my lord," I said, half bowing, making him smile, I love when I make him smile, I don't think he knows i heard him saying I love you, and I am not planning to tell him, he will tell me when he is ready, I am just so happy to hear it,
"You better," he said putting a grape in his mouth, "I will my lord"
Kai walks in, "My lord" she bowed, then turned to me, "Ryu you have already missed one meeting, they are asking you for the second," she said,
"Yeah I am coming, meeting is with whom?" I asked, taking a sip of my tea, "The Team who is forming the policy" she said, I can feel the headache I will feel after this already from a mile away,
"Great, you can go," I said, she bowed to Zuko and left, "She doesn't bow to you?" Zuko asked,
"Yeah on my orders," I said, "Why?" he asked,
"Zuko Aang and Katara don't bow to you because they are family, she is family to me," I said taking another sip,
"What about Jiang?" he asks, "He too," I said, he didn't seem to like my answer, well he can't like everything, but in his case, he has a problem with everything,
I kissed him "I have to go," I said getting up, "You better come back to bed early," he said, putting another grape in his mouth,
"Of course my lord" I fake bowed before walking out,
"Have a good day," I said,
The meeting was long and boring, we talked about what will council control and what will be still under Zuko's control, like the army and a few other's aspects so it doesn't get out of control,
After the meeting I canceled the rest of the meetings, It's already evening by the time I was done with this meeting, I walked to the prison, me and Hua are getting somewhat close, I have paid her about five visits in the last month, Zuko doesn't know about them, he wouldn't like it,
I am holding a box with sweets in my hand, on my last visit she complained about the food, so I thought why not, I tell her about the republic cities project, she seems happy about it, she tells me about her past I tell her about mine,
Who could have thought I will form a friendship with the girl I found standing next to my bed holding a sword ready to kill me and my husband,
"Hua, how are you on this fine day?" I asked walking in, she is sitting on the floor, "As good as anyone trapped in stone walls can be" she replied,
I sat next to her, "Is that for me?" she asked looking at the box, I nodded giving her the box, she opened it, start eating the sweets, "Thanks it means a lot, the food here is tasteless, really appreciate this"
"How is the project going?" she asked, "Good, we will start construction in a month probably"
"That's fast," she said taking another bite, she offered me which I declined, "Yeah but not as fast as I would like"
"You are putting way too much pressure on yourself; you are only one girl who much can you do," she said, "Yeah I know, but all those people are counting on me"
She puts her hand on my shoulder, "You have done more for the people than anyone else"
Silence took us over after few minutes she broke it, "Can my parents visit me?" she asked, eating the last bite,
"I am sorry Hua, Zuko is not in the mindset to listen, two more assassins attacked, it's just not good timing" she brings her legs to her chest,
"Can I write them a letter?" she asked, "Yeah you can do that, I will ask someone to bring you paper and pen" I replied,
She looks back at me with a little smile, "Thanks",
After my visit from the prison, I found Jiang practicing fire bending, I haven't trained in so long, I decided to join him, I need this,
"Mind if I join?" I asked, he turned around to see me, he is practicing with two soldiers, "You finally decided to train again?" he asked folding his arms on his chest,
"I know I have been busy, but I am here now aren't I," I said, pulling my cape off, I looked at the soldiers, "You can go" they bowed and left us alone,
"Let's see what fire lady can do," Jiang said talking the fighting stance, "You already know what she can do," I said taking the first attack for a change,
After about thirty minutes, we both are tired, no one could knock other off their feet, I need practice, I can't Ignore my bending like this, what would mother say is she saw me like this? that reminds me her death anniversary is around the corner,
After giving up, we sat in one of the gardens to cool down, this much fire makes body temperature way too much,
"I missed this," he said,
"Missed what?" I asked,
"Us sitting together, just us, we haven't done this in so long," he said,
"Yeah I am sorry, I just have a lot on my plate"
"I am just glad that you are here right now," he said, making my heart sink, I am letting my family drift apart; I need to hold them close,
"Ryu" his voice made us turn around, he is standing behind us with Aang, Katara, and general lee behind him,
"Zuko" I got up so did Jiang, he bowed, "Lord Zuko,"
"What are you doing here, I thought you had a meeting?" he asked, "Yeah I did, I canceled it" I shrugged,
"Why so you can be with him?" he asked, Anger can be seen in his eyes, pure anger, "Zuko I didn't cancel to sit with him, I did because I didn't feel like it, other than that I was training with him, we just finished training and was cooling down," I said I walked around the bench so we are face to face,
Kai came into the garden with Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee, "So you canceled the meeting and thought why not go to him not your husband?" he is yelling at this point,
"I don't see your problem Zuko?" I said, putting my hand on his chest which he pushed off,
"My problem is that my wife doesn't act like my wife, she thinks she can go around and be with other men when she doesn't even have time for me no surprise there, she likes to change everything and start projects she can't finish, she like to go behind my back to visit the girl who tried to kill me, she thinks she can do whatever she wants" he took a deep breath,
He knows I visit Hua, "Are you having me followed?" I asked, he ignored my question,
"She forgot her place, General Lee was right you are way out of control, you have forgotten your place" he yelled,
"General Lee, you are letting him talk about me this way, other than that what is my place tell me Zuko?" I yelled back, everyone is standing around awkwardly except General Lee who has this little evil smirk on his face that I like to punch off,
"I was defending you all this time but now I see clear, you want to know your place I will show you" he lowered his voice and ran his hand through his hair in frustration,
"On your knees," he said, "What?" I asked, "You heard me, get on your knees" he raised his voice again, making my heart drop, he is doing this in front of everyone,
"Ryu-" Jiang took a step forward, probably to come in the middle I can't let him if he got in the middle it will get ugly for him, I can't let him get hurt, I raised my hand making him stop in his track,
"Its fine Jiang, stay out of this," I said, Kai, took Jiang's hand in hers to hold him back if she has to,
"Zuko think this through" I warned,
"I have given you too much freedom, It's not Zuko to you anymore call me by my title, now get on your knees don't make me repeat myself," he said wrapping his arms on his chest,
"Zuko," Katara said, but he cuts her off, "Katara stay out of it, everyone will stay out of it" he ordered,
He looked me back in the eyes, he wasn't the Zuko I knew at that moment, he was too angry to listen to anything, "Now" he said with a more heavy voice,
I let my body fell on my knees with them hitting the stone path we are standing on, sending a wave of sharp pain up from my knees, I looked back up at him, his hand drop back to his sides,
"Lower your head" he ordered, looking me in the eyes, I looked at Jiang and Kai, Jiang has turned his head so he doesn't have to see this, and Kai is holding on to Jiang for her dear life, with tears in her eyes, Sokka is standing next to her with sympathy in his eyes, I slowly did as I was told, looking at the stone path,
"You forgot who I am, who am I Ryu?" he asked, "Fire Lord," I said, "I didn't hear it say it louder who am I to you," he asked louder,
"You are fire lord, my king," I said louder,
"And you are a servant of this nation," he said making my heart sink, is he that same man who told me he loved me last night? To him I was everything what went wrong?, why does he change so quick it's hard to keep up,
"Who are you?" he asked, "A servant of this nation" I repeated his words,
"Say it again who am I and who are you?" what is he getting out of humiliating me like this?
"You are fire Lord Zuko my king, and I am your and this nations servant" I took a deep breath, to control my anger and tears, but he said he loved me, was that in my dreams, he said we are friends, partners, was that all just to get me in bed now I have he brings me back to where he thinks I belong?
"Never forget that," he said, and walked away, leaving me on the Stone path on my knees, I couldn't lift my head to meet all the eyes I know are digging into me, with sympathy I don't want, I want to go run and hide with my bruised ego and pride,
I sat completely down still keeping my head down, Kai came and sat next to me, "Ryu are you okay?' she asked, I took a deep breath, I have to meet their eyes, I looked back up and wiped the tear who dared escape,
"Yeah I am fine" I forced a smile, they all are looking at me, the poor girl who just got humiliated by her husband by the man she loves, how sad,
I got up on my feet, only General Lee and Zuko have left, thankfully he left or I would have punched the general he turned Zuko against me, he must be planting poison in his mind for weeks now, why did I let that happen, how can I be so blind?
But Zuko is not that innocent either, he is not a kid who was turned to the wrong side, he did this,
"Ryu" Sokka said walking up to me, "I am okay guys, stop worrying," I said with a smile,
"I am tired after all the training, see you all at dinner," I said walking away, they let me, I need to be alone to deal with all this humiliation.