Zuko sat in the study and glared at the scripture in front of him. But the stubborn thing just didn't give him the answers he was looking for. He had come back from Yu Dao a changed man. Suddenly, the Harmony Restoration Movement didn't seem right anymore. He knew it was wrong to separate the people living in the colony. It would tear families apart, separate friendships and destroy businesses. He couldn't let such harm come to his people. It was his duty as Fire Lord to stand in for them. Why couldn't Aang and Katara understand that? Maybe they would. After all, they were now on their way to convince the Earth Kingdom to sit down and discuss the fate of the remaining Fire Nation Colonies – those who had been around for more than a century.

Unfortunately, Zuko wasn't to sure that King Kuei would agree. Or, that the outcome of the discussion would be favourable for the people of Yu Dao. That was why he had spent most of his day reading through his copy of the Harmony Restoration act, trying to find a loophole that would allow the Fire Nation citizens of Yu Dao to remain in the Earth Kingdom. But there was nothing. The directive was very clear: all the Earth Kingdom colonies were to be given back to the Earth King and their Fire Nation inhabitants returned to their home country.

Tired, pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and started another re-read of the scroll. Maybe, he should order some tea? His uncle had always said that the world looked very different through the steam of a hot cup of tea. As if he had heard his thoughts, the doors suddenly opened and one of his servants entered the study. "Please forgive the disturbance, Fire Lord Zuko. There is a young woman here who claims to have been sent by your uncle", the servant announced and Zuko raised his good eyebrow. A woman? Who did his uncle send? He had no idea but since he wasn't getting anywhere with the task at hand anyway, he might as well see the visitor. "It's fine. Please show her in and bring us some tea", he ordered, rolling up the scroll and pushing it back into its sleeve.

The servant bowed and left, only to return a few seconds later with his visitor. The young woman was dressed in traditional Earth Kingdom colours and her face was covered by the hood of her dark green cloak. She is too tall to be Toph, Zuko concluded. Also, she wore shoes. Curious, he rose from his seat just as the servant closed the door again and left him alone with the stranger. The visitor stepped forward and dropped elegantly into a deep bow, greeting him: "Thank you for receiving me, Fire Lord Zuko." The voice sounded familiar but Zuko couldn't match it to its owner. Not until she finally pushed her hood back and the waning sunlight illuminated her features and the dark auburn hair.

"Kayia!" Surprised, he let out a small gasp. Out of all the people that his uncle could have sent, he didn't expect her at all. And yet, in a strange way he was relieved to see the familiar face. He had only met her once before in his life - back when he was scouring the world for the Avatar – but he would probably never forget their first encounter.

xxxx

It had only been a few weeks after the fateful Agni Kai with his father. They had travelled to the Western Air temples, hoping to find any clues to the Avatar's whereabouts or his identity. But of course, there was nothing. His great-grandfather's army had turned the temples – metaphorically speaking – upside down when they realised, that the Avatar hadn't been reborn into the Water Tribes. If there was anything to find, it had been discovered nearly a hundred years ago.

At this point, the realization that he might not return home for years – possibly even decades – slowly crept in and Zuko became restless. His uncle tried to console him, suggesting that he should take some time to heal and regain his strength, but the young prince didn't listen. Not until a few days later when they were travelling towards the Northern Air temples and he decided to use the time he had on sea to practice his firebending.

Zuko's blasts were bigger and stronger than ever before – fuelled by his anger and despair. Under different circumstances, the Dragon of the West would have been happy for his nephew's progress. He knew, how Zuko had suffered under Azula's shadow when it came to firebending. However, Iroh couldn't help but notice how his nephew flinched, whenever flames flared up in front of his eyes. Having lived through the horrible pain the element could bring first-hand, it was obvious that the boy was frightened at the sight of his own element. And this was something, Iroh could not allow.

This time, he didn't ask Zuko but rather gave the orders to change course himself. And when morning came, they had already reached the Earth Kingdom provinces. Zuko, of course, was furious but when his uncle sat him down and revealed, that he saw how frightened he was to get hurt again, he suddenly fell silent. That night, the young prince sought out his uncle and reluctantly agreed, to let him help deal with his fear.

Thanks to the tight network of the White Lotus it hadn't been too hard to track down the group of entertainers Kayia was travelling with at that moment. They found her in a small Earth Kingdom town and Zuko was less than pleased when he realised, that his uncle had asked him to abandon his hunt for the Avatar to watch some no-name entertainers perform. "I swear uncle, if we are here for some stupid special tea blend these jesters carry around, I am going to…", he threatened, pulling the hood of his cloak deeper into his face. "Don't worry nephew, that's not why we came. However, there is always time for tea if you would like…", his uncle replied but he immediately cut him off. "No, I don't want tea! I want to know why we're in this agni-forsaken town. How is this going to help me with my problem?" Annoyingly, his uncle just smiled in response and continued to watch the performance.

After what felt like an eternity, the performance finally came to a close and they continued their journey out of the city and to a field, where the troupe was erecting a camp. "Remind me again, why we concern ourselves with these peasants?", Zuko asked when his uncle suddenly stopped and extended his arm, pointing at a young girl that was unloading wood from one of the carriages: "Because she is going to help you." Zuko recognized the girl as one of the dancers from the show and was sure, that his uncle had finally lost his mind. Nonetheless, he followed the old man as he approached her.

"The White Lotus opens wide…", his uncle greeted her, and while Zuko shot his uncle another crazy look, the immediately turned around and replied: "… to those who know it's secrets." Iroh had started to smile and opened his arms wide for the girl: "Kayia, it has been too long." The girl let go of the firewood and threw herself into his arms: "Master Iroh, I am so glad to see you!"

Zuko's patience had already been exhausted, which was why he rudely interrupted the reunion by audibly clearing his throat. His uncle got the hint and let go of the girl, introducing him: "Let me introduce my nephew: Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation." The girl's eyes widened but she immediately composed herself again and fluidly transitioned into a respectful bow: "It is an honour to meet you, Prince Zuko." He nodded at the gesture, not being able to shake the uneasy feeling he got from her address. He had lost his honour and still this Earth Kingdom citizen bowed to him as if nothing had happened. It was wrong.

The reunion was followed by boring exchanges and tea in the girl's tent. Zuko didn't follow the conversation closely, but he gathered that his uncle knew Kayia through her father and that she was travelling with the troupe for almost a year now. Then, finally, the topic turned more interesting when Iroh revealed, that his nephew needed her help. Zuko shot the old man a disapproving glance, he didn't ask for help from anyone. However, the girl didn't seem to notice this and turned to him. "I would be honoured to help. How can I be of service to my Prince?"

"You are from the Fire Nation?", Zuko asked, puzzled by her response. The next Fire Nation colony was days away – weeks on foot. This was an unexpected turn. "Yes, I am but I haven't been home for many years. I guess you could call me a fugitive, like yourself", she explained and Zuko's eyes narrowed in anger. "I am not a fugitive. I will find the Avatar and restore my honour!", he lashed out and nearly spilled his tea in the process. "Prince Zuko, restrain yourself. We are guests here. Surely you haven't forgotten your manners", his uncle scolded and turned to the girl, "You must excuse my nephew, he is a bit short tempered." Again, Zuko disapproved of the statement but nobody seemed to care about that.

"No apologies needed. I didn't mean to offend you Prince Zuko", she replied and he simply nodded. It hadn't been the worst thing he was called in the last weeks. "You haven't told me how I can help you", Kayia pointed out, still looking at him. How would he know? He didn't even know why they were here. However, before Zuko could say anything of the sort, Iroh explained their request: "We were hoping, that you would be willing to perform for us."

"What?", the fire Prince immediately rose to his feet, staring at his uncle in disbelief, "We came all this way for a show?" – "Patience nephew. Not just any show, we have come to see Kayia dance", Iroh elaborated, not sounding any less crazy to Zuko than he had before. However, his words seemed to have a curious effect in the girl, as her face turned serious and she rose to her feet as well. "I haven't practiced in a while. The Earth Kingdom citizens don't take kindly to my… our kind. But I owe you so much Master Iroh, I will not refuse your request. Meet me after sunset behind the camp. I'll need some time to prepare", she then instructed, opening the entrance for them to leave. "This better be some dance", Zuko mumbled as they left the tent and returned to the village for dinner.

He wasn't disappointed. On the contrary, the Fire Prince had never seen anything more beautiful than Kayia's performance that night. They had followed her to a small clearing in the forest, away from the prying eyes of the village, where they sat down in the grass as she continued to take her shoes off and then walk towards the centre. Suddenly, light was illuminating her childlike frame and it took Zuko a moment to realise what was happening: That girl he had believed to be an Earth Kingdom jester was firebending.

Kayia had started to move to a silent melody, her body flowing fluently from position to position, twirling and leaping in front of them with an elegance that most dancers he had seen at the Palace would be jealous of. Her fire flew like ribbons around her body, accompanying her every movement and illuminating the clearing. However, it wasn't the beauty of the movements or the immense control she exerted over the element that captured his attention. It was the nature of her fire. The yellow and orange tones he knew morphed into a green, purple and red whirlwind at her will. He had never seen anything like it before and Zuko couldn't take his eyes of it.

His reaction was no different when he unexpectedly came across the colourful fire again: years later, when he and Aang met the last dragons.

xxxx

"I hope I am not intruding?", Kayia asked with a smile on her face, letting her bag slide from her shoulder to the floor. "No, you are not. It's just that of all the people in this world, I wouldn't have expected you to knock on my office door", Zuko explained his reaction, now smiling as well. Now standing directly in front of her, Zuko realised that she had grown quite a bit. The last time they met, he was about one head her superior Now, her eyes were nearly on par with his. As she pulled of her cloak, he noticed that her figure had changed as well; morphing from a teenager into the young woman she was now. This was to be expected, after all, he had changed as well in the four years since they had last seen each other. And still, he couldn't help but look at her.

Mai wouldn't be pleased with him, he finally realised and quickly regained his composure. "Here to collect on that promise I made you?", Zuko asked, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk. Unfortunately, Kayia's answer was cut short by the servant who brought the tea he had ordered. "Thank you. I'll serve it myself, you may leave", Zuko instructed and the man quickly placed the tray on a table near the windows before retreating through one of the smaller service entrances. "So, you were saying?", Zuko reminded his guest, walking over to the table and pouring two cups of tea.

"Yes and no. I didn't want to pester you with my request, since I suspected you'd have your hands full with restoring peace. And looking at the chaos you have here", she gestured to the scrolls on the table, "I believe I was right. However, your uncle insisted that you could use a friendly face and, as you know, it is really hard to turn him down." Kayia smiled and accepted the tea he was handing her. "He wasn't wrong, I am glad you're here", he admitted, taking his seat on the opposite side of the table. "Actually, I expected to see you at your father's pardoning, but you weren't there."

Kayia nodded and seemed like she wanted to explain herself, but she was interrupted again. This time by Suki and Ty Lee who entered the office unannounced, wearing their Kyoshi warrior uniforms and traditional face paint. Zuko wasn't yet accustomed to the new bodyguard detail Mai had introduced upon his return this afternoon and it took him a moment to understand, what was happening. "Zuko… Oh sorry, we didn't know you had company. Should we come back?", Ty Lee said and already turned on her heel before he could say anything. "No, it's fine. Ty Lee, Suki, meet Kayia; She's a good friend of my uncle's. Kayia, my new guard detail, Suki and Ty Lee from the Kyoshi warriors."

Kayia placed her cup on the desk and rose to her feet, bowing to the warriors. "It is an honour to meet you. I have heard many tales of the brave Kyoshi warriors and I trust that our new Fire Lord is in very good hands with you." From the size of the girl's grins, Zuko could tell that they enjoyed their reputation proceeding them. "It's nice to meet you too, Kayia. Any friend of Iroh's is also a friend of ours", Suki replied, smiling kindly before turning to Zuko: "We have received an urgent messenger hawk from the border."

The young Fire Lord sighed. Work never was too far away for him. He pondered his options for a minute, before deciding that given the current situation, this couldn't wait. "Of course. You can leave the message with me", he replied and turned to Kayia. "I'll have to tend to this. But why don't you join us for dinner tonight? We'll have some more time to catch up and discuss that promise I made", he suggested, and to his relief, Kayia accepted his invitation. The dancer picked up her bag and cloak, looking a bit unsure about what to do now, when she turned back to Zuko. By all means, how could he have forgotten this? He really needed some sleep. "Ty Lee, would you be so kind and show Kayia to our guest quarters? Suki, I need you to fill me in on the situation at the border."

Kayia followed Ty Lee through the long, dark corridors of the Palace. She never understood this building. How could a Nation whose bending and power came from the sun build a Palace that allowed for so little sunlight? Luckily for her, Ty Lee seemed to know her way around the building, something that struck her as strange, since Zuko had previously introduced her and her fellow warrior as his "new" guards. Kayia was wondering, if she should ask the other girl how long she'd been working for the Fire Lord, when Ty Lee started the conversation herself: "So, how do you know Zuko's uncle?" Her cheery expression didn't really fit with the serious look of the face paint but this somehow made her even more likeable.

"He helped me and my mother escape when my father deserted the Fire Nation Navy. I owe him my life", she explained and Ty Lee gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, I am sorry to hear that. How long has it been since you were home the last time?" - "Eleven years. This is actually my first time back in the Fire Nation. I could have returned earlier, since Fire Lord Zuko pardoned my father, but I was not yet ready to leave my life in the Earth Kingdom behind", Kayia replied as they turned another corner, now walking along a long corridor with portraits of the previous Fire Lords. "Do you have family there?", Ty Lee continued and Kayia entertained her curiosity. It was nice to make conversation after having travelled alone for weeks. "You could say so. I have spent the last five years with a troupe of travelling entertainers, they have sort of become my family."

Apparently, this had been the right answer, since Ty Lee stopped in her way and her eyes widened. "Entertainers? That's amazing! I have spent a few years with a Fire Nation circus myself – most fun I have ever had! But it's always so hard to find someone to talk about these things, most of the girls I know have lived in one place their entire life. They don't understand how great it is to move around, every week in a different city…", the warrior exclaimed, her words trailing off as she revelled in memories. Kayia reciprocated her smile, she could understand exactly how the warrior was feeling. "You must tell me, how Fire Nation circus artiste became a Kyoshi warrior. I'm sure it is a fascinating story", she said, gently laying a hand on Ty Lee's arm. The warrior's smile widened in response and she immediately started to tell her story, as they continued their path.

Of course, the story wasn't told when they reached the guest rooms, so she invited Ty Lee in and continued to listen to her fascinating tale over some tea. When Ty Lee finally left, Kayia felt like they had really bonded over their similar pasts and she felt less like an intruder in the Palace. However, they had spoken for so long, that she only had a few minutes to freshen up before a servant appeared and escorted her to dinner. When they reached the big dining room, Zuko was sitting at the table all by himself. This was unexpected, since he had previously announced that she would be joining "them" for dinner. However, Kayia forgot to ask when they reached her seat and she got a better look at the Fire Lord's face. He looked tired and somehow spirit less. A harsh contrast to the boy she had met four years ago.

She was so startled by his appearance, that she nearly forgot to bow. However, the servants indignant look quickly reminded her of the faux-pass and she hurriedly lowered her upper body before taking her seat at the table. "Thank you for the room, it wouldn't have been necessary. I could have found accommodation in the city", she said, downing an honest smile and hoping, that this would perhaps lift her hosts spirits a bit.

Zuko tried to return his guests smile, however it turned out more forced than he wished it to be. He had been lost in his thoughts. Apparently, Mai was still too angry with to join them for dinner. He couldn't hold it to her, after all he had left without saying goodbye. And, of course, the omnipresent matter of Yu Dao also still laid heavy on his conscience. But he silently vowed to put these things aside for the moment. It wouldn't be polite towards his guest and if he was honest, he truly needed some distraction from all the bad that was pulling him down. "You're welcome. You'll always have a room here if you need one", he returned just before the soup was served.

They both thanked the spirits for the food, before tucking in. Kayia had just taken a first taste, when her eyes widened and her hand desperately reached for the cup of water in front of her. Zuko raised an eyebrow at this display. The soup didn't taste any out of the ordinary for him. "Everything alright? Is there something wrong with your soup?", he inquired, taking another spoon of his own to ensure that his was just fine.

Kayia had to take a big sip of water, before being able to answer his question. "No, everything is fine. I simply didn't expect how spicy it is. Looks like eating Earth Kingdom food for years does that to you", she explained, laughing off her embarrassment. Zuko joined in and as they both laughed, he felt the burden in his chest lighten. It felt good to be carefree for once. "I could order you something less spicy, if you prefer. After all, I am the Fire Lord now", he offered, still smiling. "Oh right, nearly forgot that with the big headpiece and everything", Kayia replied, obviously joking but then continued to shake her head at his offer. "Sooner or later I will have to get used to this again. Might as well start today", she explained, taking another, demonstratively big spoon of soup.

Zuko asked her about her travels in the last years and she gladly shared some of her stories, ending with how she visited Iroh in Ba Sing Se and was basically harassed into coming here to visit the new Fire Lord. "I apologize on my uncle's behalf. You shouldn't have to come here, if you don't want to", he said, setting down his spoon. "Oh, don't worry, I wanted to. I just didn't expect it to be so soon. But sometimes you need someone else to tell you what's right for you", Kayia returned, her expression turning more serious as she looked at him.

Her brown eyes rested on him for a moment, examining his face. "How has the crown treated you, Zuko? I remember four years ago you weren't so sure this day would come. And I don't think anyone expected it to be so soon…", she finally asked, her voice filled with honest concern. Zuko sighed, he really must look terrible. But she had a point. Four years ago, when they first met, he had sincere doubts whether he would ever be able to return to the Fire Nation and take his rightful place.

xxxx

Zuko and his uncle spent three days in the small Earth Kingdom town and after Kayia's presentation on their first night, he hardly left her side. He was completely infatuated with the colourful fire and wanted to learn as much about it as possible. This was something Azula couldn't do. It was something that – once he mastered it – would make him her superior. However, there was just one problem: Kayia refused to teach him.

"Zuko, even if I could teach you – which I definitively cannot – I wouldn't. So please, do not force me to", she had replied one afternoon, when he followed her into the forest to gather firewood. Zuko wasn't content with her reaction, however it felt wrong to force his whish onto her. Thus, he settled for questioning her about her teacher: "Fine, but then at least tell me who taught you!" Kayia froze in place and seemed to struggle with her composure for a moment, before turning back to him. "My mother. But you shouldn't waste your time trying to find her. She has passed last spring." Zuko immediately felt guilty for asking. "I am sorry Kayia, I didn't know… My mother left two years ago and never came back", he apologized and dropped his gaze at the thought of his mother's disappearance. To the young Prince's surprise, Kayia gently took his hand in response and nudged him forward: "Come, I think there is something I should tell you."

He followed her through the woods until they finally reached a cliff, where she sat down and faced him. "What you observed the other night, wasn't just firebending. It was a sacred ritual my mother taught me", she started to explain and Zuko was immediately captured by her storytelling. "You might know that before the war, our people worshipped the dragons. They were the original fire benders that gifted us the power to create life from our chi and bend the element to our will. As a sign of the fire nations continued gratitude, Imari, the first Fire Lord, established a convent of female benders that dedicated their life to serving the dragon masters. They were called the 'Dragon Dancers' because they would perform dances in honour of the great masters. Dances like the one I showed you."

"Back then, it was customary to offer all girls to the masters, whenever they showed the first signs of bending abilities. Being accepted to serve the dragons was one of the highest honours a girl could bring to her family and it was believed, that having a Dragon Dancer in the family would strengthen bending within the lineage, as well as bring prosperity and good fortune.

"When your great-grandfather started the dragon hunts, he abandoned this tradition and dismantled the order of the Dragon Dancers. My great-grandmother on my mother's side was one of the last children to be raised in the order. The dancers were never warriors, so when their convents were raided and burnt to the ground, most of them died quickly. My great-grandmother was lucky: a young soldier took pity on her and helped her flee. They eventually got married and started a new life, but she never forgot where she came from.

"To save the knowledge and traditions for future generations, she passed them on to my grandmother, who then taught my mother. She didn't care to much about it, since the dragons had been extinct for years and she lived a good life with my father in the capital. However, when he deserted and we were confronted by the consequences of the war first-hand, she realized how wrong the Nation was to turn fire into a symbol of destruction and fear. That's when she decided that she wanted a different life for me.

"You see, the 'colourful fire' - as you call it - is not something that I can teach. It must come from within you. In order to master it, one must achieve perfect harmony between mind, body, spirit and chi. And with all due respect Prince Zuko, it doesn't take much to see that you are completely out of balance." Zuko stared at her. How had he never heard of this before? He was the Prince of the Fire Nation for Agni's sake! It felt like, there was a whole chapter of his country's culture that he just wasn't aware of. "I understand", he finally said and rose, "I think it is time my uncle and I got back to our ship."

That night, when Kayia came to bid them farewell, she had asked him for a favour. He didn't have much to give her, but still it felt wrong to not at least hear her out. "When you become Fire Lord", she started her request but Zuko interrupted her: "If I become Fire Lord." Kayia smiled at the notion but stood by her word: "When you become Fire Lord, would you please allow me to return to the Fire Nation and teach my great-grandmother's legacy? I believe our people need to be reminded, that fire is so much more than an element of war."

xxxx

"Zuko? Did I say something wrong?", Kayia's words returned him to reality and he rubbed his eyes, as if he had just woken up. "No, I was just remembering the day we last saw each other… You were so confident that I would become Fire Lord back then, even though I was a banished Prince sent to hunt down a man that the four Nations hadn't seen in a century. How did you know?", he replied, looking at her out of tired eyes. "I believe, that every single one of us has a path to follow – a destiny to fulfil if you want to call it like that. And I just had a feeling, that yours would be to change the direction of the war. After all – who would be better to end the destruction than someone, who had lived through the despair himself?", she replied, leading him to subconsciously touch his scar.

"I know now, why my uncle likes you so much: you sound exactly like him", he finally said, the smile returning to his face. Kayia joined in. "Your uncle is a very wise man, I'll take that as a compliment." - "Yes, he is", Zuko agreed, a warm tone in his voice. He missed his uncle. He missed his presence, his advice. Agni, he even missed the way he talked about tea. He could really have used his advice now. But his uncle had expressed his desire, to live a quiet life and Zuko wouldn't take that from him.

The servants reappeared and Zuko watched as they took their empty bowls away. "Since I sound so much like your uncle – as you so poignantly put it – might I offer some advice?", Kayia asked, drawing his gaze back to her. "You should get some sleep. You look tired." He laughed dryly at her proposal. "You're not the first one to tell me that", he explained, plucking the golden hairpiece from his head. He eyed his reflection in the golden flame. The shadows under his eyes were deep and if he hadn't known it better, he would have thought that maybe, he was sick. His thoughts began to wander, going back to the assassination attempts, he had to fight off over the last year.

Six. There had been six attempts on his life, and each of them would have been fatal, if his instincts hadn't warned him. Sure, maybe things would change now that the Kyoshi warriors were in the picture. He trusted them. But would it be enough? "Maybe then, you should take it", Kayia suggested and he put down his hairpiece with a heavy sigh. If it just would be so easy. "Iroh would be very disappointed with me, if he knew that I kept you from your sleep. Maybe it's time that I retire for the night", the dancer added and rose from her seat.

Zuko looked up at the young woman, who was again bowing respectfully in front of him. "You know, you don't have to keep doing that. You're a friend", he commented, feeling uneasy at the sight. A traitor, a coward – that's what the Mayor of Yu Dao had called him. Did he really deserve all the respect, she was showing him? "Thank you, that's very kind. But I think I'll still keep with it. I have a feeling that some of the people around here don't show you the respect you deserve. I refuse to make the same mistake", she returned, giving him another smile before she turned on her heels and walked towards the door.

However, before she reached it, she halted and addressed Zuko once more: "I would love to visit the city tomorrow, however I fear that I'd get lost. Could it perhaps be, that having the Fire Lord as a friend comes with the perk of a guide?" He chuckled at her words and nodded: "I'll ask Ty Lee to show you around. She'll be happy to get out for a few hours and from what I heard, she seemed to be very smitten with you." Kayia laughed wholeheartedly at his remark, the clear sound of her voice filling up the whole room: "I like her too. We have a lot to bond over."