It was one year, four months, and one day before civil war erupted in the Fire Nation.

But the signs had been present long before that this was not the happily ever after everyone had hoped for.

The first sign was in fact a lot of small, and not entirely unexpected, problems. There were Fire Nation colonists in the Earth Kingdom who had been born and had lived their entire lives there. They were in no hurry to return to an island nation they had never seen. But return they must, for Earth Kingdom refugees were flocking back to their villages and their homes, reopening stalls and markets, and resuming life as usual.

There were no mean number of altercations all of which required the Avatar's personal attention and all of which seemed to end the same way; disenchanted Fire Nation citizens, mistrustful of the Earth King's offers of hospitality and citizenship, making their weary way 'home.'

The second and third signs were of a far more personal nature.

Sokka, on his first post-war visit to Suki and Kyoshi Island, found himself the unwilling object of attention to a certain acrobat who had difficulty abiding group identity and the responsibilities of a uniform. The details were never really explained; but when all was said and done Ty Lee and Sokka departed Kyoshi Island in opposite directions, unlikely to return.

Toph was next. Tired of being the third wheel and after one of the trio's lengthier visits to the Fire Nation capitol, she chose to remain behind. She found a fast friend in Ty Lee and together they made it their mission to disrupt the Fire Nation court and sunder Mai's porcelain composure with under-toned remarks. It was during just such an endeavour that Toph received some entirely unexpected visitors.

It was equinox and, despite rice shortages and the ever-rising cost of meat, the equinox festival went ahead as planned. Toph was tilting on her chair, twirling a chicken-pork dumpling on her chopstick. She did not need to have her feet on the ground to know that the comment she had just made about Zuko had made Mai's heart race. Ty Lee was giggling into her cup.

'Toph?'

Toph almost lost her balance but managed to regain her feet as her chair clattered to the floor. Heads turned at the noise.

'Mom… Dad…'

A hush seemed to have fallen over the room. What sounds there were came to Toph as though through a curtain. Only her parents, their breathing, their heartbeats, were clear.

'Sweetheart, we-,' her mother did not get to finish.

Toph flew at them, vaulting the table and throwing one arm around each of their necks. She grinned at the strangled noises they made and the indignity of the pose; they'd deal with it.

However when she released them, they seemed reluctant to do the same.

What followed was a series of tense conversations which quickly became heated. Glad as they were for their daughter's apparent health and good grooming in their absence, the Bei Fongs still wanted their child home. She still stoutly refused to go.

In the end they reached a compromise: She would return to Ba Sing Se with Iroh so that they might visit her more easily and she would inform her parents when she intended to travel and where. So it was that with the end of the equinox festival, she left the Fire Nation behind.

And with little time to spare. In the ten months since the war had ended, the Fire Nation's population doubled and their food supplies shrank. Taxes on the aristocracy rose as Fire Lord Zuko tried to purchase legally what his people had once taken as the dues of war. Housing became scarce and shanty towns sprang up on the outskirts of every major city. Beggars became common place in every village. The great munitions factories, which had provided so many jobs for over a hundred years, were closed, leaving hundreds out of work and with no skills with which to earn their next meal. Even in the closed city of the capitol there were mutterings of discontent as the aristocracy lost their factories and their colonial assets, and their relatives, governors and generals long stationed in foreign lands, returned home empty-handed.

And all the while they whispered: They would have had Azula as Fire Lord; Ozai would have won the war; their prosperity would have been assured, had not Fire Lord Zuko joined the Avatar.

It was barely six months after Toph's departure that Aang and Katara, now travelling alone, realised they were having difficulties of their own. That which had been strong under threat of war seemed less and less stable once they were no longer running for their lives. They fought often, frequently over how best to handle others' disagreements. As tensions heightened the world over, Katara found herself more and more irked by Aang's casual attitude towards his ever-mounting duties. Aang, for his part, found himself more and more pressured by Katara and her constant efforts at motivation. And as time wore on, they found themselves seeking more and more time apart.

It was after one such separation – after flying off the handle and off a cliff – that Aang returned to a half-heartedly prepared dinner and a confrontation.

'I need to talk to you.' He stood behind her as she leant over a pot of soup.

She turned on her knees and looked up at him, wide-eyed and blank-faced. Her eyes betrayed just a hint of puffiness, the irises turned eerie in the last light of dusk.

'I know.'

'About us.'

'Me too.'

He opened his mouth as though to speak, closed it again, firmed his jaw and nodded once, 'You go first.'

Instantly she was reminded of that moment, more than a year ago now, when warm dry lips had pressed hurriedly against hers for the very first time, and then lifted just as abruptly as he leapt for the skies. She blanched and looked aside.

'This isn't working, just the two of us,' she hesitated, the corners of her mouth turning down as she tried to find the right words. She was tired of fighting him and tired of seeing his face fall every time she said the wrong thing, 'I thought-… when the war ended-… in Ba Sing Se – I thought this was what I wanted. But…' She faltered and looked away.

'You don't love me.'

'No! No, that's not it. I do love you.'

'You say that, but you never want to spend time together!' His voice came out harsher than he intended it to be and he tried to calm himself, all too aware of the tears slowly gathering at the corners of her eyes, 'When you kissed me… And you said we'd be together. I thought things would change. I thought we'd be different. But you still treat me the same, just like you treat everyone else. You still treat me like I'm the little brother you have to take care of!' He turned away, unable to look at her face any more. The anger was returning and he willed it away with clenched fists, 'Always nagging me about what's next. I thought you'd want to take some time out just for us, so we could have fun together. Like we used to.'

When he turned back, she was gaping.

'Well I'm sorry if there was work to be done and you were too busy having fun to help me with it! Someone's got to look after us, Aang and if it's not going to be you than it has to be me. And as for fun… I can have fun, Aang. And I wanted to have some time for us too. But I can't walk away from people who need my help – people who need your help – just so I can go and goof off for a while!' She had got to her feet, her fists clenched around her skirt and tears falling freely. Aang felt cold guilt twist his middle.

'Wars don't just fix themselves. There's still a lot of work to be done and you're the only one who can do it. Things don't just change over night… And neither do feelings.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm sorry, Aang. I still love you, so much. But… I'm just not in love with you.'

'Oh.' He expected sadness. He expected that uncomfortable prickling feeling behind his eyes and at the back of his throat. He expected anger to tense in his chest. Instead, all the tension seemed to flow out of him in a single deep breath as though he had been holding it in for a very long time.

'We can still travel together if you want, but I think we should stop being a couple for a while.'

'No, it's ok. You should go home. Your family's probably missing you.'

'You're part of my family, Aang. And you always will be.' She reached out to take his hand but then dropped her own hand back as though she had thought better of it.

Aang hung his head. In truth he did not know how he was feeling. Shouldn't he feel crushed or disappointed? But no, instead there was a strange lightness in his chest.

Katara had turned back to the soup pot and begun ladling out the soup. With a sigh, Aang took his seat. They ate the meal in relative silence, speaking only occasionally to wonder if this or that aspect of the southern tribe would still be the same.

They were not, in fact. As the icy hills came in to view over the horizon, Katara found herself pressing forward on Appa's back, trying to catch a first glimpse of her home even as she told herself it was useless. They were too far away. She'd never see from this distance.

And then she saw. A glittering wall had been raised. It shone an eerie blue in the late autumn dawn and beyond it were igloos, igloos and houses. She could not keep from exclaiming, 'Oh!'

'Wow. They're really fixed up the place.' Aang chuckled as Appa drew closer.

'Is that a Fire Nation ship in the harbour?!' She leant dangerously far over the front of Appa's saddle and pointed.

'Don't you mean "Is that a harbour?"?'

She shot him a glare by way of reply and he grinned right back at her. The look faded quickly, however, to be replaced by a slight frown. His own expression was mirrored on Katara's face.

The time they had spent travelling to the South Pole had been almost surreal; carefree moments like those they had shared early in their travels were halted by abrupt awkwardness as they both remembered what had transpired between them. They were no longer a couple, and this may well be the last time they travelled together.

All in all, Aang was glad for the distraction the reconstructed village provided. In moments the silence was broken. Katara was leaning back over Appa's saddle and pointing again.

'Look! It's just like when I was little!'

Looking down, Aang saw a sprawl of closely-set igloos. Some of them were connected by curved passageways. Others seemed to stand alone. It was difficult to tell where one house began and another ended, as they seemed to observe no roads but one; a wide boulevard led from what were clearly a set of carved-ice gates, now closed, to a cleared circle of snow in the very centre of the village, just before an enormous domed hall of ice.

People were streaming into this circle now. They gathered around what Aang now saw was a large bonfire pit. He circled Appa once around the large ice hall and then brought him in to land in what was apparently the town square.

The crowd pressed in on them. Some of the bolder children ran forward to pet Appa's fur. The rest of the villagers hung back, waving, cheering, and chattering, and at their forefront stood a familiar figure. His shoulders were broader and his hair longer than when they had last seen him, but his grin was exactly the same. As soon as Appa's feet touched the ground, Katara launched herself into his arms.

'Sokka!'

'Easy there, Katara,' he laughed. 'You wanna crush me in front of our tribe?'

Katara released him and glared, her hands on her hips. 'Did you just call me fat?!'

'No! No!' He raised his hands in a half-defensive, half-placating gesture, 'Although now you mention it, your cooking could use a little more meat and a little less oil.'

'Urgh!' with a single waving motion, she bent snow into his face, effectively stifling his laughter. 'I can't believe I missed you!'

While Sokka spluttered and rubbed snow out of his face with his parka sleeve, Katara surveyed the crowd before her. Here and there she thought she saw faces she recognised amongst the women and children, but she couldn't be certain, and all of the men were strangers. One thing she was certain of, however; the two faces she longed for most were absent.

'That cannot be my little waterbender.'

Katara turned. Her face was more lined, her posture more stooped, but the same blue eyes – a feature Katara shared – shone out of Gran Gran Kanna's face as a smile crinkled her features. She opened her arms and Katara hugged her tightly.

'How I have missed you.'

'I've missed you too, Gran-Gran.'

By the time they were done, Sokka had occupied himself introducing Aang to all who were present and regaling them with a story about a run in with some pirates. When he saw Katara watching them, Sokka's grin broadened.

'That'll have to wait til another time folks. I've got a tour to lead.' And puffing his chest out, Sokka strode toward her. He threw one arm over Aang's shoulders and one arm around hers and leaned in conspiratorially. 'So, what do you want to see first? I know! My watch tower!'

The tour was long and consisted mostly of Sokka rattling off the names of people who lived in each house as they passed by. Some names Katara recognised. Others she didn't. Sokka seemed to know them all, and what each of their roles was within the tribe. There was always a gaggle of people following behind them, talking amongst themselves and sneaking furtive looks at Aang, Sokka or herself. But it wasn't always the same people.

'-And this is where Nauja lives and next to her is Qaminiq and that's Gran-Gran's and Pakku's house and this…!' he paused before a small igloo with a much larger igloo attached to its side, 'Is our house! Come on, lemme show you around!'

He pushed aside the hide-and-fur curtains hanging in the entryway and Katara followed him through to a small living area. The floor was covered in thick, luscious white furs. Pottery cookware and weapons were neatly stacked off to one side. Katara could see an ice box, food just visible inside. The walls too were curtained in hide and fur. Katara felt her eyes widening.

'Through here's where Dad sleeps,' Katara peeked through an archway into the larger attached room. The floor here was covered in piles of pelts. Clothes, pots of war paint and other knick-knacks were gathered neatly in the corner. 'You'll notice the tunnels leading off it. Those go to my room and your room and Aang's room.'

'Why do I need a room?' At the sound of Aang's voice, Katara tensed. He had been unusually quiet since the start of the tour.

'For when you stop by!'

'Uh, Sokka? I probably won't be stopping by.'

'What? Why?' Sokka's jovial manner seemed to fall. Katara could not turn to face either of them.

'We haven't had time to tell you yet… Katara and I broke up.'

'Oh. Bummer.'

'But that doesn't mean you can't stop by.' Katara said, turning her head slowly so that she could see Aang's face.

Silence greeted her. Aang was shifting uncomfortably and avoiding her gaze.

'Well, you're better off without her, buddy,' Sokka's voice cut through the growing awkwardness, 'Take it from someone who's known her her whole life; Katara is a pain!'

'Sokka!' Katara rounded on him just as Sokka threw his arm around Aang's shoulders, a grin stretched from ear to ear, 'I'm standing right. Here.'

Sokka just shrugged, 'Bathroom's down that way. And over here,' Sokka tugged Aang by the arm to the other side of the igloo.

'Sokka, this leads under ground.' they stopped. Katara came up behind them and stared down the dark, sloping passage.

'Yup! Are you coming?' Without waiting, Sokka started down the passage.

Katara rolled her eyes and with a final glance at her new home, she followed the two boys down the passage.

It was not long, but it was dark. The walls and floor were roughly textured which effectively stopped them slipping on the ice. The passage had barely stopped sloping down before it begun sloping up gain and soon Katara could see warm light filtering through the other end.

They emerged into what could only be the town hall. Katara noticed several other passageways leading off both the far and near walls. Here too, the floor was covered in a carpet of furs, and circles of cushions surrounded unlit oil lamps. She felt as though she did not know where she ought to be looking. Thankfully, a moment later the decision was made for her.

A flicker of movement caught her eye. Looking toward the back of the hall, she saw a flight of ice steps. Coming down them was a man whose topknot and red cloak clearly identified him as Fire Nation. He could only be from the ship in the harbour.

Word seemed to have spread that they had made their way to the town hall, for the crowd that had departed once they entered their house was now filtering in. The Fire Nation captain paid them no mind and passed through the hall without a look to either side. Katara watched him until he disappeared through the entry flap.

'Uh… I'll just go check if Dad's free. Wait here.' Sokka darted away and up the stairs before they could respond.

Katara stood in silence for a moment, trying to avoid making eye contact with the ever-growing number of people sending furtive looks her way. But that left her with only one person to look at: Aang. And he was steadfastly avoiding her gaze once more.

'What do you suppose the fire navy could be doing here?'

'What? Oh. I don't know,' Aang reached round and scratched the back of his head, and then met her gaze. His eyes widened, 'Don't worry, Katara. If there's a problem, I'm sure your dad can handle it. And if he can't, well… The Avatar's here.'

'Aang, about…'

'Dad says come up guys!' Sokka was bent down so that he could peer at them without descending the stairs more than necessary. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Katara made her way over and began to climb to the second level of the building.

This too was only one room, and much smaller than the first. It was domed and decorated much the same as the rest of the village had been. But on the far side of the room from the stairway, a low slab of stone sat propped up to form a low desk. Katara stared. Behind it, seated on a cushion, sat her father. He seemed to be poring over some scrolls and hadn't noticed her yet. Sokka gave a very fake cough. Hakoda looked up.

'Katara.' He smiled and stood, opening his arms wide. Katara rounded the desk and fell into his embrace, a smile claiming her own face.

'It's good to have you home. And good to see you again too, Avatar,' Hakoda released Katara and offered his hand to Aang, who stepped forward. The older man clasped the younger's forearm for a moment and then released him too. He surveyed them both.

'You should know that with you home, our population has risen to one hundred and eighteen.'

Katara took a moment to realise she was gaping, 'How?'

'Well with our warriors returned home and the migration from the north, a population boost is to be expected. There have also been quite a few babies born throughout spring and summer, and then there's the reconstruction crew Fire Lord Zuko sent-,'

'The what?' Katara found she was gaping again and snapped her mouth shut.

'Don't look so worried, Katara. They're all non-benders. Most of them only last three months before heading home, but some of them have decided to stay on permanently and have become part of the Tribe. It's taken some getting used to.'

'I think it's great that your tribe's been able to put aside the war so quickly.' Aang said.

'Not so quickly. It's been over a year, Avatar. A lot has changed.'

'Yeah, we noticed.' Aang chuckled.

'You've done a great job with the village, Dad, it looks fantastic.' Katara could feel something swelling inside her, as though laughter had lodged itself in her chest and left her perpetually smiling.

'Oh most of that wasn't me. Master Pakku organised most of the labour. Everyone helped, but the benders and the Fire Nation reconstruction crew did most of the work. And your brother was in charge of the design. He's proved himself a regular town planner. You've seen the tunnels. Those were his idea.'

Katara turned her head to see her brother beaming.

'They're not finished yet,' he said. 'There's still work to do. We hope to get them insulated before the winter and build enough that we don't have to go outdoors too much.'

'Sounds like a great idea.' Aang said.

'So is that why the navy ship's here, Dad? For the reconstruction crew?'

'Oh no. That's a trade ship picking up our excess produce.' Hakoda answered.

'Excess produce?'

'Oh yes. We had a very good harvest of kelp and sea prunes this year, and the Fire Nation will take any seal blubber we can spare. In return they give us clay or cloth, and other things. And they brought a letter from Fire Lord Zuko. I was just reading it when you arrived.'

'How is Zuko doing?' Aang asked.

'Not well, or at least not as well as we are.'

'The Fire Nation has had it easy for over a hundred years,' Sokka said, 'It's no wonder they've started complaining now things are balancing out.'

'I think it's a little more than just complaining, Sokka. The Fire Lord obviously won't tell me everything, but the way they're buying up our food supplies, it looks like there's serious trouble. I should respond before the ship leaves and let the Fire Lord know you're here, Avatar.'

'If things are as bad as all that, maybe I should go help Zuko out.' Aang said.

'What?!' for a moment, Sokka looked stricken, 'After I just spent all week planning a festival in your honour?' His eyes narrowed, 'Oh no buddy, you're staying right here!' And he poked Aang in the chest playfully. Katara giggled.

'But Zuko-,' Aang protested.

'Can write if he needs you. Besides, you know he'll just get all defensive and proud if you show up to help when he hasn't asked.'

It was Aang's turn to chuckle, 'Hehe, yeah.'

'C'mon buddy. Let's go introduce you to your adoring public so they're done fawning over you by the feast tonight.'

Katara rolled her eyes as Sokka threw his arm back over Aang's shoulder, and guided him toward the stairs. She started to follow them, but as they disappeared down, a hand fell on her upper arm.

'Katara.'

She turned to see a serious look on her father's face.

'What is it?'

'Sokka told me what happened between you and the Avatar,' His gaze softened, but Katara felt her eyes widen all the same, 'Are you alright?'

'I'm fine. I'm more worried about Aang. When we were talking, he didn't tell me how he was feeling. But I don't know how to talk to him about it now.'

'Sokka will get it out of him one way or another. Don't worry about it. And if you need to talk-,'

'Yeah. I should probably catch up to them.'

'OK.' He released her, and she began heading once again for the door.

'And Sweetheart?'

She paused again and threw a look over her shoulder.

'Welcome home.'

She smiled and followed her brother and best friend down into the waiting throng.

_______________

Zuko slammed the door that separated his private quarters from the rest of the palace. From the couch where she had been lounging, Mai looked up. A senbon was poised between her fingers as though she had been about to throw it. A servant stood at the edge of the couch, ashen faced as he held a cork board before him. Several of the needles were already embedded in it.

'Someone's had a great day.' Mai flicked the dart and it vanished back to wherever she kept them. Her gaze had shifted back to her target.

Zuko huffed out a breath. He turned away from her and pulled the crown piece from his topknot.

'Must have been you then. I spent all listening to people do everything but tell me that my people are starving because I was too generous in the peace settlement!' A few practised tugs and his hair fell loose about his shoulders.

'I'm sure it's just you. Give me a few minutes and I'll go tell them they're wrong.'

'This isn't funny, Mai.' He turned back to face her, just in time to see her hurl another senbon at the target. The servant cringed behind his cork board as the needle hit. Zuko's eyes widened slightly.

'You are dismissed.' He waved a hand at the man, and in an instant he was snapping into a bow and scuttling from the room. Zuko only just caught the grateful look on his face before turning back to face Mai's now-slightly-frowning visage.

'Don't take your anger out on me, Zuko.'

'I take barbs from people all day. If you're not going to bother showing up to court, you could at least try to be a little more supportive.'

'Only when I actually support you.'

Zuko stood stunned for a moment.

'Is that what this is about? Is that why you're acting this way?'

She huffed a sigh, 'I'm not the one who came storming in here and started shouting.'

'You don't support me any more than they do!' He gestured wildly at the door.

'We've been over this. I've told you what I think,' she rolled her head back to rest on the arm of the couch, showing him her profile as she swept her gaze to the ceiling. 'What more do you want from me?'

'I want you to understand!' He started toward her.

'Shouting at me won't make me understand any more than it will make them.'

'Well then what am I supposed to do?!' He threw his arms in the air and stalked around the couch toward his study. Half way there he whirled back to face her.

His glare was met by her champagne gaze. Her perfectly porcelain expression was the only answer he received.

His eyes widened, 'No!'

'It's the only way, Zuko.'

'It's not! And I'm not doing it! Stop looking at me like that!' smoke hissed from his nostrils. Immediately her gaze hardened into a glare. Zuko snapped his mouth shut and inclined his head to avoid looking at her.

'Are you done?' Her words were hard and cold.

'I-…'

'Just because you have the same argument with your courtiers every day, Zuko, does not mean I have to have the same argument with you.'

'I-… I know,' he took a step back and his calf bumped against a low table. He sat abruptly, 'I'm sorry,'

He propped his elbows on his knees and rested his forehead on his palms, his fingers running through his hair, 'I just don't know what to do.'

He did not look up as the couch creaked. A moment later, Mai's hand brushed his cheek. He had not heard her approach. He never heard her approach.

She turned his face up toward her and bent down to place a single chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth before straightening up. He placed his hand over hers and continued to grip it as it fell away from his face. She stared down at him.

'The world's not going to fall apart if you don't solve every problem today, Zuko.'

His brow creased. 'You're right,' he said aloud. But he could not stop a scowl overtaking his features.

'Now when's dinner? I'm hungry.' Mai spoke about his head, and by the rustling in the background, he knew that servants were already flitting in and out of the room, responding to her words.

Dinner was a quiet affair. They passed on the formal dining hall and took it in his rooms that evening. Neither of them spoke of the days' affairs or their disagreement. They talked instead of Ty Lee's antics in court that day, and the letter he had received from Ba Sing Se. But Zuko could not dislodge the lingering worry from his mind. It pressed on him as he lay awake later that night, staring at the canopy of his bed. And when at last sleep took him, it was fitful at best, as though his troubles chased him through his dreams.

He awoke to a bang and a shout. Even over a year after his ascension, the experience of what a sudden waking meant in a warzone had him out of bed and in a low bending stance before his mind had even truly registered what it was that had woken him.

'My Lord! My apologies!'

Zuko rose from behind the bed and saw that the man now bowed before him was one of his scribes. The man was gabbling away, even as he pressed his forehead to the floor in contrition. Zuko's sleep-addled mind took a moment to catch the thread of what he was saying.

'-people flooding the streets, my Lord! Not just the soldiers or the unemployed, everyone! The whole lower city is on strike, and they march up the mountain towards the Capitol as we speak. The city guard is in chaos. No idea what to do. Some of them have even deserted and gone down the mountain to the strike-,'

Zuko gaped.

'How-…?' But the scribe had not paused.

'They demand rice, my Lord. They're all shouting for rice. As they expect us to produce a paddy field and hand it to them. And every hour it gets more organised. It began at dawn in the shanty town and instead of going to work, people have simply joined the crowd-,'

'Began at dawn?! What time is it?!' Zuko ignored Mai's groan from the bed behind him at his shout.

'It is the fourth hour after dawn, my Lord.'

'What? Where are my attendants? Why wasn't I told about this sooner?'

For the first time, the scribe raised his face. Myriad expressions flickered across it: bewilderment, surprise, fear.

'No one could find you, my Lord. It is shift change today. M-many of the servants did not arrive. It is possible they have been waylaid or joined the strike. Your wake-up call-,'

'Aargh!' Zuko seized a robe and threw it on. In moments his hair was in a messy pony-tail and he was charging from the room, barking orders.

'Assemble the captains of the city and the palace guard, as well as my advisory council. I want to see them now! I want strengths doubled on the crater wall and the switchback checkpoints.'

Without a backward glance, he strode from the room.

'Now' turned in to half an hour as what few attendants remained tried to make Zuko presentable around his constant fidgeting and barking of orders. Every five minutes or so someone would rush up to him and give him an update on the strikers' progress. They seemed to be proceeding with caution for now, that or the crowd had not yet fathomed how to negotiate the bottleneck of the mountain road. They had only just reached the second switch-back by the time Zuko entered his audience chamber.

He ascended the steps to his throne and sat. Flames roared to life either side of him, their height and heat reflecting his mood. Captains and council sat bowed and still below him. The instant he raised his hand, they began clamouring over one another.

'This cannot be tolerate-,'

'-Must exercise caution.'

'-no circumstances will the Fa family-,'

'-unable to withstand civilian onslaught if-,'

'-as your advisor, I must-,'

'ENOUGH!' Zuko cut the noise off with a gesture. The room fell silent. Zuko inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled just as slowly through his mouth, the faintest puff of smoke ghosting out with his breath. He turned his gaze upon the captains of the guards.

'Captains, your report on the strikers' current movements, demands, and the city's current state of readiness.'

The two men bowed their heads and then exchanged looks. The captain of the palace guard nodded and the captain of the city guard stood.

'My Lord, while our forces were greatly enriched by returned soldiers, many of them reside in the lower city. We will be unable to rely on them as reinforcements and therefore have only the current shift's guard to defend the city.'

Zuko resisted the urge to smooth his creased brow with his thumb.

'The strikers have not moved beyond the second turn at this stage however a greater crowd is massing behind them. This appears to have been a spontaneous affair on the part of many, with few showing true organisation and very few more choosing to follow them. Were we to implement a plan of action at this stage it is unlikely they would make it half way up the mountainside.'

'What plan of action are you suggesting?'

'My Lord, the consequences for an attempt to unlawfully enter this city are the same for a citizen as they are for a foreigner. The standing instruction is to use whatever force is necessary.'

Zuko's eyebrow rose. 'Many of those people aren't warriors! Some of them are children. They wouldn't even be able to defend themselves.'

'My Lord,' Councillor Zheng had raised his head. Zuko nodded. 'My Lord, this may be viewed as an opportunity. You must demonstrate the might of your will to your people. I strongly recommend a show of force.'

'Then what am I supposed to do with the widows and injured? A show of force isn't going to feed those people!'

'The masses must be shown that rebelliousness and disrespect of your reign are not a means to achieving their ends. I would recommend you only attend to their rice problem after they have returned to work.' Councillor Jiang interjected.

'I concur,' Zheng spoke again, 'you must instil respect, my Lord. Otherwise, your people will never uphold your law.'

Zuko could hear his teeth grinding but did nothing to try to stop it. These men knew nothing of what it was like to scavenge for a meal or rely upon the charity of others. They were singing exactly the tune Mai had said they would countless times before. More than that, they would never have spoken to his father the way they were speaking to him now. It was almost like they didn't afford him the respect they were trying to get him to force out of the peasantry. He glared.

'No! I'm not going to attack my own people.'

Several of his councillors were exchanging knowing looks without raising their heads.

'My Lord,' Councillor Fa spoke, his head bowed in a request to speak. Zuko nodded.

'It will be as you wish, of course. However, many of us wish to hear what you would then do once the horde reaches this city.'

Zuko clenched his fists on his knees, his knuckles white. He looked away from Fa and back to the captain of the city guard. They had cornered him, and they knew it. There was just no way that the capitol proper could accommodate even half of the population of the lower city, and he could not expect the aristocracy – or more accurately, their personal guards – to abstain from defending their homes from strikes, rioters and looters.

Zuko fixed the captain with his gaze. 'You will fire one warning blast and instruct them to disperse. That's all.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Report back here once that is done.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Now!'

'Of course, my Lord,' and looking a little startled, the captain of the city guard bowed himself from the room. Zuko watched him go.

Once the curtain had fluttered back over the exit, Zuko turned his gaze back to his councillors. Councillor Fa was regarding him.

'Councillor Fa.'

'My Lord, if it please you we would discuss economic strategies for dealing with this crisis once the crowd has dispersed, and appropriate sanctions-…'

Zuko heaved a sigh and shifted in his seat. In moments, the bickering had begun again, terse and barely restrained, as his councillors tried to sway him.

It was a good hour before the captain of the city guard returned and it was not until he did so that Zuko realised how low he had begun to slump in his seat. He snapped up straight and stared fixedly at the man as he paced the length of the audience chamber, the rapping of his boots echoing around the chamber. One by one, his councillors fell silent and also turned to watch the man approach.

'Your report.' Zuko said. The captain bowed.

'My Lord, we fired a single warning blast as per your instructions. The horde halted for a time. Many were seen retreating.'

Zuko felt a smile begin to grace his face.

'The horde has since split into two groups. The larger is made up mostly of civilians and children and is making for the plaza. However, a sizeable number of ex-soldiers and others are now making steady advance up the mountain path.'

'What?!' Zuko was on his feet and did not remember getting there.

That captain seemed to flinch back within himself. The councillors did not move, though a few showed slight smirks at the captain's reaction.

'What about the guards you took with you to fire the warning blast? What about the reinforcements I ordered at the checkpoints?'

'I gave them orders not to engage, my Lord, as per your instructions. They are falling back as the mob advances.'

Zuko began pacing down from his throne.

'My Lor-,'

Zuko held up a hand to forestall Councillor Shu, 'I'll talk to them myself.'

'My Lord!'

Zuko looked down at Councillor Fa. His head was bowed, but he continued, 'I must strongly advise against this. You presence only lends legitimacy to their cause.'

'The Councillor's right, my Lord,' the captain interjected. 'They haven't been aggressive so far, but only because we haven't either. If you try to stop them, you present a very tempting target.'

Zuko said nothing. He glared at the captain.

'That is not to suggest that my Lord is not capable of defending himself!' the man looked stricken at the imaginary offence, 'However should they attack you, we would be forced to respond in kind.'

Zuko scowled, 'I'm not giving them rice until they disperse. I will inform them of such.'

'Then, if I might recommend, send someone else as your representa-,'

'My Lord, I must advise against any such course of action,' Councilor Fa cut across the captain, 'any form of negotiation, address or acknowledgement on your part, even through the mouth of another, would legitimise their efforts and encourage such a course of action in the future. They must first be taught that such actions will not be tolerated, and only once they have returned to the civilised order appropriate of a citizen of this great Nation will their needs be tended to.'

'Enough! This council is only interested in recommending aggression. I can't ignore them, but I will not attack my people!'

Councillor Fa opened his mouth to speak again, but Zuko held up a hand. There was a flutter of movement at the audience chamber's entrance. A moment later, a page had flitted up to the captain of the city guard and was whispering in his ear. The captain shooed the boy away and straightened up.

'My Lord, the mob has rounded the last turn and is making for the crater wall.'

A murmur ran around the room. Zuko closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled before opening them and turning back to mount his throne. He took his time settling himself before finally he spoke.

'Mount defences at the crater wall. Make clear your intentions. Defend if necessary, without bending where possible. Do not pursue an attack.

'Yes, my Lord.' The captain once again bowed and exited the room.

Silence reigned.

'If it please, my Lord, we would return to the matter of-,'

Zuko raised a hand, effectively cutting of Councillor Fa.

'I won't hear any more of this. We're finished for today.' Without waiting for the barely-concealed annoyance to break over the faces of his councillors, Zuko stood. Immediately those below him fell into bows. He strode to the side door and exited into his ante chamber. The curtains fell shut behind him, shielding him from the dying fire's head. He heaved a sigh, and went to find Mai.

He spied her in the fountain courtyard, under a familiar cherry-blossom tree, but before he could descend the veranda steps, he heard running feet behind him. He turned to see what he thought was the same page who had delivered a message to the captain of the city guard in his audience chamber, though he could not be sure. As soon as the boy caught his gaze, he dropped into an imperfect bow, his forehead pressed to the floor. He was still six feet from Zuko. Zuko could not suppress a smile.

'My Lord Fire lord,' the boy gabbled at the woodwork, 'a message from the Captain of the city guard. He reports that the strikers have halted before the crater wall. The still shout and demand rice, but they have not advanced and are now simply sitting on the mountain path.'

Zuko nodded. Then, realising that the boy had not so much as glanced at him the entire time, he added, 'Thank you. Take a message back to the Captain. Tell him to hold his position. You are dismissed.'

The boy scrabbled to his feet and scarpered. Zuko watched him until he vanished around a corner, and then turned back toward Mai. He could see that she was reading now, a scroll laid out across her knees. He watched her for a moment and then heaved a sigh and turned away.

He had to draft a letter, to family Bei Fong.

_______________

Ozai's fists gripped the upper bars of his cell. His shoulder muscles tensed and rippled under the simple prison tunic and he pulled himself up until his nose was pressed against one of the bars. Five counts passed before he dropped nimbly to the floor, sweat pouring from his brow.

Holding his breath to keep from inhaling the stench, he dabbed at his face with the hem of his tunic. He then seized a roll from the tray of food which had thus far lain unattended in a corner of his cell. He tore pieces off the roll and popped them into his mouth, the stale texture scratching at his tongue.

He dropped cross-legged on to a cushion in the corner. It was one of the few comforts left of those he had managed to extract from his son in exchange for information about his wife. He almost regretted finally telling the boy that shortly after the eclipse he had dispatched a search party and received word of her death. Almost regretted. The look on Zuko's face had been well worth any future comforts that withholding information was likely to have afforded him.

Ozai had finished his roll and was just starting on the bowl of rather sticky rice when the door to his cell screeched open. Having already received his evening meal and not had a visit from his upstart progeny in what was over six months by his best estimate; Ozai did not even deign to look up. That was, of course, until the intruder spoke.

'Fire Lord.'

Ozai slowly set down his bowl of rice, and turned his head. Three men were folded into bows before him, their foreheads pressed against the floor. The first wore the garb of a nobleman, though by his salt-and-pepper topknot Ozai could not recognise him. The other two knelt either side and slightly behind him. They were prison guards. A smirk danced at the corners of Ozai's mouth.

'Speak.'

'My Lord, forgive your servant of his foolishness. Assuredly, his loyalty never faltered, though necessity required he pretend otherwise. But now he fears that should this Nation suffer one more of the pretender's blunders, it will fall into revolt. And so he comes to humbly beg that you allow him to serve you as you ascend to your rightful throne once more.'

Ozai sat in silence, regarding the men before him. They had come to him at last, as he was certain they would once Zuko's failures presented themselves. Something had happened today. Of what, he could not be certain but the prison guards had appeared harassed and frantic. Still, it had taken them beyond a year and it was they who had allowed him to be imprisoned in this place in the first. He would therefore allow them an interval of bated uncertainty before his reply.

'No.'

Immediately, the nobleman began to speak again, 'Please, my Lord, this unworthy servant beseeches you-,'

'A non-bender will never sit the throne of the Fire Nation. My abdication was and is final.'

Silence rang around the cell. The men before him did not seem to breathe. Ozai smirked.

'However, the pretender is so rightly named. Were your loyalties to prove true, I may consent to secure and instruct the reign of the rightful Fire Lord.'

It was his turn to wait with breath bated. Just when the tiniest thread of uncertainty began to worm its way into his thoughts, the nobleman before him rose. Immediately all doubt was banished. Ozai's smirk widened.

With a gesture, the two guards also rose. One of them shuffled forward and inserted a key into a lock and a moment later, the tiny cage door squeaked upon.

Ozai rose. He padded toward the opening and ducked his head before stepping out.

The nobleman and the guards were once again kneeling before him.

'The Fa family is at your service, my Liege.'

Ozai smiled.