Flameheart | Zuko

FIVE

The western side of the palace was bathed in light this afternoon, rays of sun slipping in through the open curtains to the many rooms located in that side of it. Among them, was a room unlike most. It had bookcases all around with books lined on the shelves, bare of all furniture but a grand desk in the end of the room, right in front of a bare wall with a portrait hanging from it - it was a portrait of two men, a short old man with a merry smile holding his belly and a young man, dressed in high quality clothes with his hair up in a bun, the side of his face scarred - the desk was meticulously clean, an only scroll rolled out, two books stacked on top of the other to the side. It was a study room, sank in silence, a quiet that was disrupted only by the scratching sound of a quill on paper.

The man sitting behind the desk, writing on the scroll, was the same young man featured in the portrait behind him. He was dressed in red and gold, his dark hair set in a bun, the Fire Nation insignia - a gold item forming a flame - holding his bun in place. A side of his face was scarred, an angry red that almost matched the colour of his robes. He was the Fire Lord.

He had been sitting behind his desk since morning and now the sun was setting. He hadn't had a break and in all honesty, he was exhausted, but there was nothing he could do to change the position he was in. His position as Fire Lord came with responsibilities and he wasn't planning on giving up any time soon. He didn't have the room to give up.

The Fire Nation had gotten out of a hundred year war just a few years ago and plenty of things needed to be done before he were to rest. He had to set things straight, in his nation and the world. There was no time for rest. Not for him.

The light was getting lost the more he stayed in that room. When it was almost lost, he didn't even look up as he raised his arm he didn't use to write and shot fire at a lantern hanging from the wall beside one of the numerous shelves in the room. There was light in the room once more and he could work in peace for some more time.

He didn't stay there for long, though. As soon as he had finished what he had been writing, he left the quill to the side and rolled down the scroll. He took it with one hand, holding the two books he had retrieved at some point during the day with his other hand, returning them to the shelf he had found them on before moving to another shelf to place the scroll at, alongside countless of other scrolls. With a small sigh and a last look around the room, he left, the fire from the lantern going out with him.

He left his study and got down the corridor of his palace, heading to the dining room at once. He hadn't eaten anything all day and now he was starting to feel the consequences.

"Fire Lord Zuko."

The sound of the voice calling him had him turning around to face one of the servants. The woman bowed deeply before meeting his eyes once more. "Master Sokka let me know that in case I find you, I should tell you he's in the dining room."

Zuko nodded, already walking away before he replied, "Thank you."

He resumed his way to the dining room, greeting any servant or guard he encountered on his way there. A few short minutes later, he was standing in front of the door leading to the dining room. He could already hear laughter coming from inside, and despite his exhaustion, he found himself smiling. It was time for him to leave his worries behind and enjoy a meal free of any mentions of his duties as Fire Lord.

He got inside. He instantly noticed his guests were already seated. His eyes took in Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee and Homura before he walked over to sit in the spare seat between Homura and Sokka. He was greeted with smiles.

"It's about time you came," Sokka spoke up, his eyes narrowed in a playful manner as he leaned forward and started helping himself to dinner. Zuko took a quick look around the table, smiling as he realised the rest of the plates were empty as well. They had been waiting for him.