The dragon's keep

1

You stood in the hallway of the palace. Your armor clung to your body. The moon took over the night sky. The windows were open, letting in the cool breeze from the summer night. Pitter patters of feet down the hall jerked your attention back to reality.

"Princess kiyi." You called out running after the footsteps. You caught up to the girl. "Princess, you should be asleep. What's wrong?" You kneeled down next to her.

"I'm scared. I can't sleep." She mumbles, then hugs into your body, pulling you in to comfort her. You immediately wrap your arms around her and hold her.

"What are you scared of?" You asked gently to the girl. You picked her up and walked back to her room.
"I had a bad dream about a dark spirit." She whines into your shoulder. Her tears were starting to roll.

"It was just a dream, Princess Kiyi. You don't have to be scared. How about I sit with you and tell you a story?" You smiled brightly as the girl wiped away her tears nodding her head.

You laid her down on her bed and tucked her back in. You sat and told the story of the  little dragon named Kioko. He was a very adventurous little dragon who learned he had to rely on others for aid. He couldn't do everything by himself. It was a firenation tale you heard many times from your parents.

She had fallen asleep, and you pet her hair before slipping back out into the hallway.

The next morning, Ursa was tending to the very energetic girl. She had retold the dragon story to her mother. "Where did you hear this story from?" Her mother giggled at the girl as she continued to almost the end, but kiyi didn't know how it ended because she had fallen asleep.

"Ayushi told me! I was going to get ZuZu up to scare away the spirits, but Ayushi told me a good story, and the spirits went away." The girl smiled proudly.

Zuko ate the breakfast in front of him, not paying too much attention until his nickname was said. "You were scared last night?"

"Yes, but Ayushi made it better. Mommy, I want Ayushi to tell me the rest of the story tonight. Can she please?" She spoke up to her mother.

"You can ask her before dinner tonight." Her mother smiled pleased that one of the kyoshi warriors was being so kind to her daughter and not just being a fire nation guard that was heartless like the old days.

You woke up getting ready for the night shift. You had been guarding at night. It was a long shift, but it was important to look after the royal family. You had stopped your fair share of criminals from getting to them.

Your job was about to become more interesting. "Ayushi, dear, will you come here, please? Kiyi has a question to ask you." Ursa's voice sounded through the hall out from the throne room.

You entered the room and bowed to the firelord and to the royal family.

Kiyi ran up to you. You kneeled down, sitting on your knees to face her. Your face brightened as she laughed energetically.

"Can you tell me another bedtime story tonight?" She said as she got to you.

You nodded. "Of course, Princess Kiyi. I would love to."

The girl jumped in glee. She wrapped her arms around you with a smile. You hugged her back, and then she ran back to her mother happily.

"Ayushi, I asked Suki if it was okay for you to take a daytime shift so you could tell Kiyi a bedtime story every night before your shift ends so you could sleep during the night." Ursa politely spoke.

"Yes, of course. What times work for you, work for me." Your voice is calm and respectful.

"You can have the next two nights off to readjust to daytime." She offered happily.