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Chapter Text

The small-ish lounge in the palace would never have the same atmosphere as Iroh’s tea shop back in Ba Sing Se, but Zuko was still thankful for an opportunity to have tea with his uncle. It was something that he greatly missed while Iroh was away in Ba Sing Se. Despite years spent living apart, Zuko couldn’t forget the years in which Iroh had been the only person he had to rely on.

“Even in Ba Sing Se, your reforms make it into the newspapers,” Iroh said, his cup of jasmine cradled in his hands. “Not many people who visit the shop realize who I am, so I get to hear Ba Sing Se’s opinions of you. Even Earth Kingdom citizens are fascinated by what you’ve done. I’m very proud of you, Zuko.”

Zuko shifted uncomfortably and tried to hold back the smile that wanted to erupt on his face. He never knew what to do with himself when people complimented him, especially when it came to the reforms he’d worked tirelessly on. It didn’t feel right to just agree.

“I’m trying my best,” he said, running his fingers over the smooth porcelain of his cup. “Some changes have been easier to implement than others.”

Iroh nodded, still smiling softly.

“Republic City is facing its own share of problems from what I’ve heard, but you can only do so much about that, Zuko. Its citizens must chart their own course. In the long run, too much continued interference from the Fire Nation would only hurt Republic City’s future.”

Zuko sighed, his gaze on the calm surface of his tea. He wished that the calmness could transfer to him when he drank. Sometimes, it did; others, it had no effect at all.

“It’s true,” he said quietly. “Every time something happens, I hesitate, knowing I shouldn’t get involved but sometimes being unable to help it. Republic City wouldn’t exist if the Fire Nation had treated the Earth Kingdom with respect. I can’t escape feeling responsible for ensuring its future somehow.”

Iroh reached for Zuko’s forearm and gave it a squeeze.

“You’re doing more than enough. Our world hasn’t seen an entirely new government like that in centuries. At least not at Republic City’s scale. There will be trial and error, but we must believe that the people there know what’s best for themselves. I’ve also heard that some Fire Nation citizens are still making the decision to return, but the Earth Kingdom news doesn’t bother to discuss what happens to them once they arrive in the Fire Nation. Have they reintegrated peacefully? You wrote about a program you were planning?”

“I think it’s going well?” Zuko said, unable to stop his voice from lilting upward like a question. “The former colonists themselves have spoken positively about it. Many of them retained strong enough ties to the Fire Nation that they claim not to experience much culture shock.”

“I suppose those with weaker Fire Nation ties are the ones who’ve chosen to remain,” Iroh said with a nod. “But at any rate, I’m glad to know their specific concerns are being considered. It’s not something that would have occurred to your father, and that alone says something about you as a leader, Zuko.”

Zuko nodded absentmindedly. There was something else he wanted to say, but he hesitated before doing so.

“There’s something else I’ve been working on, but I hadn’t gotten a chance to write to you about it yet.”

He paused, not continuing until he got an encouraging nod from his uncle.

“We’re working on opening a chain of schools across the nation. They’ll be public firebending schools but unique from the ones that currently exist. My hope is that they’ll provide firebenders with more uses for their abilities than simply joining the military. There are the more obvious options, like smelting that isn’t for weapons, but there have been some quite creative ideas too, like making art by scorching wood. I’ve been kind of amazed by what the committee has come up with. I expect there will be even more ideas as more people learn about the project.”

He finally chanced a glance at his uncle and was floored by the pride he saw on his face. He looked away again as he continued.

“The selection of classes available at most of the schools will be limited at first. We could only find so many teachers, especially for the more creative ones, but I’m optimistic. If this works, I think it could be a great thing for the country. It would give kids a better idea of what they could do with their lives now that they won’t be fighting any wars.”

Tears made Iroh’s eyes shine, and he unabashedly wiped one away with a finger.

“Zuko, I can’t express more how proud I am of you.” He reached across the table to take Zuko’s hand. “What you’ve done for the Fire Nation in the past few years is more than I could ever dreamed of achieving myself. If anything, the supposedly great Dragon of the West only harmed our nation. Watching you do better than me has been the greatest highlight of my life.”

Zuko couldn’t fight back the tears in his eyes. He clutched his uncle’s hand tightly, though he wasn’t sure if it was to steady Iroh or himself.

“Don’t say that, Uncle. You liberated Ba Sing Se. And you mentioned the Dragon of the West… That was you protecting the dragons! You saved them!”

Iroh gave Zuko a pained smile and shook his head.

“At the time, I convinced myself that the lie was to protect them. In a way, it was. As long as people assumed there were no more dragons to hunt, they didn’t go looking for them, but the further removed I become from the decision, the more I regret it. The dragons may be safe now, but I had too little faith in our people. Dragons taught us how to firebend. They are a fundamental part of our culture as a nation.

“I should have trusted that people would understand that if given the chance, that they would want to protect the dragons if they could only witness their majesty for themselves. Instead, I lied, and out of a false sense of paternalism, I furthered the narrative that dragons are a thing to be killed. It’s a harmful belief, and it doesn’t do a thing to erase the harm of the past. It only perpetuates it.”

He locked eyes with Zuko and leaned forward, pinning his nephew in place.

“Zuko, you’ve done so much good for the Fire Nation already, and I don’t wish to add anything to your already full plate. All I ask is, if a time comes when you must make a decision about the dragons, don’t perpetuate my mistakes. Have faith in your citizens. Help the country grow even more in understanding. I have to believe that it can be done.”

Zuko watched Iroh for a long time, their cups of tea forgotten between them. A million thoughts raced through his mind, and he didn’t have a single clue how to process them.

“Ran and Shaw run through my mind constantly,” he admitted. “I’ve wondered before if I should do something to protect them. Each time I consider it, I push it off as a task for another day. There’s been so much to do after the war… But, Uncle, maybe it’s time. If there’s something I can do to help the dragons, I should at least consider it.”

Iroh smiled and patted Zuko’s hand before withdrawing his own. He sat back in his chair and examined Zuko with continued pride.

“I’ll visit the Sun Warriors,” Zuko continued. “But only if you come with me.”

Iroh chuckled and shook his head.

“Somehow, I knew you’d say that. While I feel like I should say no, I have to admit that I’ve longed to see the dragons again for decades. I will accompany you on your journey if that’s what you’d like.”

Zuko beamed. He’d desperately wanted to return to see Ran and Shaw since the war had ended, and getting to do so with his uncle by his side was more than he had hoped for.

“I’ll ready everything immediately,” he pledged.

Chapter Text

Convincing his advisors that he really did need to go on an unexplained journey to an undisclosed area of the Fire Nation with no one but his uncle was a challenge that Zuko hadn’t relished, but it was one that he was at least finally able to succeed at.

Even after several years of doing his best to reorganize the palace, there were some top level officials who Zuko didn’t entirely trust, but there was also Mai. She knew what Zuko wanted for the nation, and she would make sure nothing went awry while he was gone. That knowledge let him relax and even feel excited to see Ran and Shaw again. They had occupied so many of his dreams since he had last seen them.

The Sun Warriors weren’t even surprised when Zuko and Iroh arrived. In no time at all, Zuko found himself standing between his uncle and the Sun Warriors chief watching Ran and Shaw perform their magic in the sky. It was just as mesmerizing of a sight the second time around, and Zuko was filled with a renewed sense of purpose.

“I want to do something to help them,” he blurted out, hardly willing to take his eyes off the dragons to look at the chief. “As long as people think dragons are meant to be killed, they’re not entirely safe. There must be something we can do.”

When the chief didn’t respond, Zuko turned to face him. The chief’s brow furrowed as he watched Zuko thoughtfully.

“We have been protecting the dragons for thousands of years,” he said, turning his gaze back to the creatures. “There is no safer place for them than here, and as long as these are the only two surviving of the species, their safety can’t be risked.”

The thought of any harm coming to Ran or Shaw sent a shiver of fear down Zuko’s spine.

“Of course not,” he agreed. “No one wants to risk Ran and Shaw’s safety. However, I would like to help the people see how important the dragons are. I’m just not sure how to do that yet.”

The chief hummed in response but didn’t say anything. Zuko suspected that the Sun Warriors had lost faith in anyone else understanding the dragons years ago. At least on a nationwide scale. He didn’t have much hope in any plan that Zuko could come up with, and Zuko didn’t dare argue against him. No one outside the Sun Warriors understood just how persecuted the dragons had been.

Iroh remained silent as well, mesmerized by the colorful fire above them.

Zuko sighed and turned back to the spectacle. He’d never seen anything like it. No human could have produced such magnificent fire, but Zuko had seen it before. It was one of the stage effects used during Love Amongst the Dragons. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought back on the familiar show that punctuated some of his fondest childhood memories.

Before meeting Ran and Shaw, that play had been what had mesmerized him most. He’d always understood why it was such a hit around the country. If the people could be won over by a fictional depiction of dragons, then surely they would be the real thing too.

But Zuko couldn’t risk revealing the real thing until he could be sure of their safety.

And Love Amongst the Dragons had clearly never been enough to dispel thoughts of dragon hunting. Perhaps there was another way to present people with the wonder of dragons without the dragons themselves.

The sudden inspiration washed over Zuko, and he felt an itch to move even though there was nothing he could do in that exact second. He couldn’t reveal Ran and Shaw to the nation, but he could reveal what he felt when he saw them. It wouldn’t be the same, but it was what he had, so he would work with it.

Zuko took a deep breath as he gazed down the table. His advisors looked back at him, some with smiles and some with frowns. It had become a familiar sight, and one that Zuko frequently dreaded. No matter what he suggested, some of them would have criticisms of it. That was their job, and on a certain level, Zuko welcomed people being there to assure he didn’t get too full of himself or too drunk on power.

Still, it was unnerving when he wanted to propose any dramatic changes to Fire Nation law.

“I want to outlaw dragon hunting.”

A hush fell over the table. There were none of the immediate protests that Zuko had been expecting, only confused silence.

“Lord Zuko,” one of his most trusted advisors said carefully, “I’m sorry, but I must ask—what is the purpose? General Iroh killed the last dragon decades ago.”

“Not to mention it’s an important part of our culture!” an older advisor, who was never a fan of Zuko’s proposals, thundered from the end of the table. “Our ancestors have been slaying dragons as a sign of honor for centuries. What message does banning such an important tradition send to the nation?”

Zuko took a deep breath and pulled himself up to his full height.

“It’s a reminder of a history that’s even older than that,” he said. “Yes, dragon hunting has a long history, but millenia before that, the dragons taught us how to firebend. The Fire Nation would not exist if they hadn’t helped our ancestors, and we repaid that kindness by ending their species. This nation needs a reminder that who we are extends far past our most recent mistakes.”

Even the surliest of the advisors was silent, though several of them gave Zuko looks that assured him they weren’t entirely convinced.

“It may be purely symbolic,” Zuko continued. “But sometimes symbolism is what people need. Our people are more than hunters. More than fighters. This is about more than just the dragons really. It’s a commitment to remain true to the foundation of this nation while continuing to better ourselves.”

He fell silent, waiting for the arguments he was sure that the others wanted to make, but no one spoke. The silence stretched on for an uncomfortable length of time before Zuko cleared his throat and turned to a scroll sitting near his elbow.

“I’ve already written up the document. It just needs the signatures.”

Which it received with no more arguments except for a few grumbles and huffs.

The law would potentially be useful should someone stumble upon the dragons accidentally, but it’s usefulness was limited. It was entirely possible no one would take it seriously until it was too late for Ran and Shaw, and Zuko was under no illusions that it would change minds. It was merely there for punishment if it came to that.

His real plan wasn’t one he could set into motion until he was alone in his chambers, brush in hand as he stared at a scroll.

Zuko had never had a way with words. Honestly, he usually hated them more than anything else. He’d been tutored in rhetoric from a young age, but though he understood it in theory, he’d never particularly taken to it like Azula. When he’d finally been placed in charge of people, it had been difficult for him to convince them to do things. Even since becoming Fire Lord, he’d relied far more on his passion for the things he supported than he did persuasive speeches or the like.

Passion could perhaps save him now. He let the feelings he’d experienced seeing Ran and Shaw wash over him like he did when he relived the experience for himself. As he put his brush to the paper, he tried not to think too much about what words he needed. Instead, he let them flow naturally.

It was entirely likely that nothing would come of it. Zuko was more likely to reread the words come morning and set the scroll alight than actually do something with them, but it was a start.

If he could convey just a fraction of what he’d felt witnessing the dragons into a book, then maybe—just maybe—some minds could be changed.

Chapter Text

A year later, the finished book was heavy in Zuko’s hands. He couldn’t believe it existed or that copies of it were being sent to shops around the Fire Nation as he stood there admiring the cover art. Though the artist had never seen Ran or Shaw—or even knew of their existence—she had captured their likeness exactly, and Zuko hoped that was a sign that he hadn’t failed in his description of the creatures.

He ran his hand over the embossed name at the bottom of the cover. It wasn’t his own. No one except a few employees at the publishing company had any idea that their Fire Lord had written a book, and it would stay that way. Zuko wanted to change hearts, and that meant allowing people to come to the experience without preconceived notions of him or presuming that the book was little more than a political ploy. Though Zuko supposed it was that, even if it had never felt exactly like one while writing. What he wanted to achieve felt so right to him that he could hardly think of it as politics.

A hand on his back startled him. He fumbled with the book as he craned his neck to find Mai sidling up to his side. She took the book from him, turning it over in her hands.

“I’m proud of you,” she said, allowing him a small smile. “I know how hard you worked on this thing.”

Zuko shrugged, turning his gaze to the fireplace. Mai was the only person who he’d been brave enough to tell. Not even his uncle knew what he’d done, though Zuko had a sneaking suspicion that Iroh would figure it out if he ever got his hands on a copy. He also secretly hoped that never happened. He couldn’t shake his embarrassment over what he’d done. The publisher had sworn that it was a potential best-seller, but he’d known he was speaking to the Fire Lord. What would everyone else actually think?

“It might not sell,” he said. “I could have just wasted a year on this thing that no one will read.”

Mai squeezed him around the middle and shook her head.

“You poured all of yourself into this thing, Zuko.” She waved the book in front of his face. “That wasn’t a waste, and it could make a difference. If it doesn’t, at least you tried.”

Zuko sighed and pressed a kiss to her temple. She was right, and he was trying his best to believe her.

The joy Zuko felt when all of his friends arrived at the palace was quickly muted when Aang pulled him aside with a serious glint in his eye. Zuko watched him with a furrowed brow.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Is it Republic City?”

A list of possible conflicts around the world ran through his mind, but he couldn’t think of one that would be causing Aang any distress. As far as Zuko and his advisors were aware, the world was more at peace than it had ever been before. Aang kept himself busy with Republic City, but there wasn’t anything catastrophic.

“No,” Aang said with a wave of his hand. “Nothing like that. It’s not even that serious. I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

He reached for the bag that was still swung over his shoulder from traveling. He tugged out an embossed novel that Zuko would have recognized anywhere.

“I wanted some reading for the trip,” Aang explained. “The bookkeeper said that this was the current bestseller in the Fire Nation, so I decided to give it a go. Zuko, the dragons in this book reminded me so much of Ran and Shaw…”

He trailed off, studying Zuko’s face closely. Zuko knew in that moment that Aang could read him like a book. He deflated. Keeping his writing a secret from his friends had been more about his own embarrassment than anything else. He’d achieve nothing if he lied in that moment to one of the people he trusted most in the world.

“It’s not a coincidence, is it?” Aang asked.

Zuko shook his head.

“I’ve been writing them in secret,” he admitted, keeping his voice low. He still didn’t like talking about it out of the privacy of his own chambers, too fearful that word would leak out. “Dragon hunting has been a sport in the Fire Nation for centuries. I grew worried that, should people learn dragons were still alive, that really would be the end of Ran and Shaw. But if I could share with people what seeing them up close is like, maybe I could change some minds.”

Aang clapped him on the shoulder, a bright smile lighting up his face.

“I think that’s a great idea, Zuko! The book’s good too. At first I couldn’t even believe you could have written it. No offence. But as I kept reading, it was so similar that I knew it had to be written by someone who’d seen Ran and Shaw for themselves.”

Zuko shook his head goodnaturedly.

“Well, you were right. I never expected for you to read it. Do you mind keeping it a secret? I’m worried that my identity might harm the dragons more than help them. People will start accusing me and the books of having an agenda.”

Aang mimed locking his lips and throwing away the key.

“Your secret is safe with me,” he promised, giving Zuko one last smile before they rejoined their friends.

Chapter Text

Most of the time, Zuko treated his position with the respect he felt it deserved. He could listen to the endless problems, small and large, that plagued the nation and brainstorm ways to fix them. In a strange way, he had almost come to enjoy it, knowing as he did that it had a positive effect if he did well.

Some days, however, the stress was too much, and no matter how important the current issue, he struggled to give it his undivided attention. He was having one of those latter days as the plans for a new bridge were presented to him. He trusted the engineers who were working on it, and he didn’t know enough about the subject to point out any mistakes even if there were any. The presentation was more about giving Zuko talking points when reporters inevitably asked about the project than anything else, and on that particular day, that wasn’t enough to hold his attention.

So he was even more stunned when an attendant came hurrying into the room and bent low to speak in his ear.

“There’s an odd-looking man here to speak to you, Lord Zuko. He says he’s a Sun Warrior and that he has emergency information, but it can’t… He says it’s about dragons.”

The attendant struggled over the word, clearly feeling like he was relaying something ridiculous, but Zuko’s senses were on high alert for the first time since he’d woken up that morning. He glanced cautiously at those gathered, but if something had happened to bring the Sun Warriors to him, he doubted he could keep up the secret much longer.

“Please escort him here,” Zuko told the attendant. “I wish to speak to him immediately.”

The head engineer on the bridge project was frowning, but she rearranged her features to something more neutral when she realized that Zuko was looking at her.

“I’m very sorry,” Zuko said, inclining his head. “I didn’t want to cut this short, but I’m afraid there may be an emergency that I need to attend to. Is it possible to reschedule?”

Of course it was. No one ever turned him down when he suggested it. He tried to tell himself that, as leader of the country, he could afford to be strict about when he had time for things, but he still felt incredibly guilty any time he did it. But the engineer packed up her things without complaint, keeping her disappointment contained until she was out of the room.

Zuko’s guilt was immediately forgotten, however, when a man entered wearing the traditional clothing of the Sun Warriors. He looked vaguely familiar to Zuko as a close confidante of the chief. Zuko’s advisors began murmuring among themselves as the Sun Warrior approached Zuko, eyeing the stuffy Fire Nation aristocrats with the same unease they were showing him.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” the man greeted, even providing him with a bow that seemed to make him physically uncomfortable. “I’m sorry for arriving on short notice.”

“Please, don’t apologize,” Zuko said, making sure his voice carried easily across the table. “I know you wouldn’t have come to the palace unless you had no other option. What’s happened?”

The grave look on the man’s face made Zuko freeze before he’d even heard the news. The man tossed one last uneasy look at the advisors before he answered, his own voice also carrying.

“Ran has been kidnapped by an unidentified group. We weren’t able to save her. She’s gone.”

More confused murmurings from the advisors.

“Lord Zuko, what’s going on?” one was brave enough to ask.

Zuko turned to them, doing his best to appear strong and confident as he spoke.

“Years ago, during the war, I learned that two dragons still lived safely hidden among the Sun Warriors. Today, we’re learning that one of those two has disappeared.”

The advisors glanced around at each other, varying degrees of shock coloring their faces.

“Impossible!” one exclaimed. “Your own uncle killed the last dragon. Everyone knows that. Are you calling him a liar?”

“Or weak enough to be tricked?” another added.

“I’m calling him neither,” Zuko said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the man and woman who had spoken. “My uncle saw the dragons in person and was mesmerized by their power. Having seen it myself, I understand completely. They were the only two left, and he decided they must be protected. He did lie, but it was an attempt to do the right thing. I agree with him, which is why I haven’t spoken about the dragons’ existence until now. But if Ran is missing, we must find her.”

There was a moment of silence. Zuko wasn’t sure what he was waiting for or if he should just spring into action immediately. Finally, someone was brave enough to speak once more.

“But why? It’s just a dragon, last of its kind or not. It’s not our responsibility—”

“Dragons were the first firebenders,” Zuko interrupted. “Dragons are our heritage. We cannot let them be lost forever without doing everything in our power to stop it. I’m not asking for much, but I will oversee Ran’s rescue myself.”

He turned to the Sun Warrior.

“Do you have any idea where they’ve taken her?”

The Sun Warrior had been eyeing the advisors warily but turned to Zuko with a regretful frown.

“From what we could tell, they were heading to the Earth Kingdom, but we lost track of them quickly. It would be smart. The Earth Kingdom is the last place someone would go looking for a dragon. Except maybe the Water Tribes, but that would be far too conspicuous.”

It was better than no lead at all, though the size of the Earth Kingdom meant it wasn’t exactly narrowed down.

“I’ll set sail this evening,” Zuko said. “Mai will be left in charge while I’m gone as always. First, I’ll go to Republic City to enlist the help of Avatar Aang.” He turned to the Sun Warrior, inclining his head towards him. “I promise you that both of us will do everything in our power to get Ran back safely.”

The Sun Warrior nodded.

“I trust your word, Fire Lord Zuko.”

Zuko shifted from foot to foot as he waited for Sokka to respond to the knock on his door. It wasn’t like Zuko to show up unannounced, but there hadn’t been time to spare.

He tossed a glance over his shoulder, anxious that one of Sokka’s neighbors would recognize him and cause a scene. He was dressed inconspicuously, but his scar was more recognizable than ever and prevented him from ever blending into a crowd.

Sokka opened the door, and Zuko sagged in relief.

“Zuko?” Sokka asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What are you doing here out of the blue.”

“I need to talk to Aang about an emergency,” Zuko said, stepping inside to let Sokka close the door. “But I went to his and Katara’s house, no one was there.”

Sokka frowned at him.

“They’re in the South Pole for the next couple of weeks.” He motioned for Zuko to take a seat, which he did. “We could write to them, but it would take a while for them to get here of course. What kind of emergency are we talking about?”

Zuko took a deep breath, prepared to give Sokka the explanation that he had prepared for Aang. He wasn’t sure what help Sokka could provide, but he trusted that his friend was resourceful enough to have some ideas. That had always been what he was best at, and Zuko still wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing if he was honest with himself. He could use any help he could get, and Sokka would be a cool head to bounce ideas off of.

“Remember how Aang and I met two dragons and learned the species wasn’t extinct after all?” he asked.

Sokka frowned, the seriousness of the situation hitting him.

“Of course. Did something happen?”

“One of the dragons has been kidnapped. The Sun Warriors think she was brought to the Earth Kingdom, but that’s all we know. If she dies, there’s no more hope of reviving the species. Shaw will be the last one.”

Sokka was silent as he stared back, but Zuko could see the gears turning in his head.

“How many people know about them now?” he asked.

“Hopefully just the kidnappers and some of my advisors back in the Fire Nation, but I can’t guarantee that word hasn’t spread now.”

He picked at the sleeve of his tunic, a habit that he’d tried hard not to indulge in since he was a child.

“Would you be opposed to telling the rest of the Republic City Council?” Sokka asked. “There’s not much I could do on my own, but with more political force, we could have more luck.”

Zuko considered it. The council hadn’t been on his mind before. They were still in their early days and figuring out the internal affairs of the city. Ran had been taken to the Earth Kingdom, making Republic City’s involvement a bigger deal.

“How well do you trust them?” was the only answer Zuko had. He knew each of the members, and he also knew that Sokka was the only one who trusted him. It wasn’t so much that Zuko feared one of the members helping the kidnappers as it was that he worried they’d be careless with the information. Republic City had already been through several information leaks in its short existence.

“As well as I can,” Sokka admitted. “I trust that they all mean well, but I can’t claim to agree with all of them. In this case, I honestly don’t know if they’d be willing to help except…”

Zuko raised an eyebrow.

“Except?”

Sokka smirked.

“You know Toph has a habit of sitting in on council meetings. She likes politics about as much as she likes swimming, but she does have a knack for telling people off when she doesn’t agree. And she’ll support you in saving Ran. I think that’s more important than the council, but if I recruit the Republic City police chief for unsanctioned business and am found out..”

“You and Toph’s reputations would take a hit,” Zuko finished, giving a tired nod. “Yeah, okay. I wouldn’t mind Toph’s help. That’s for sure.”

He hadn’t even considered it a possibility before, her job being what it was.

“How soon can you gather the council together?” he asked Sokka, taking a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for the oncoming conflict.

“Give me a couple hours at most,” Sokka promised, already out of his seat.

Sokka was successful in gathering the council as promised, but it was clear from the moment Zuko entered the council room that things weren’t going to go his way. The entire council eyed him distrustfully and questioned his presence, and even the story of Ran and Shaw did little to move even the firebender on the council.

“We can’t afford to get involved in outside affairs,” the firebender in question said. “Especially Fire Nation ones. There is still too much tension between former Fire Nation and former Earth Kingdom citizens. If we aid either one, we risk charges of favoritism.”

“And would they be unwarranted?” the earthbender on the council asked, her eyebrow raised at her colleague. “As tragic as the loss of dragons might be, it’s of the Fire Nation’s own doing. It has nothing to do with Republic City. Why would we get involved except because of favoritism?”

“Because we’re talking about one of the last dragons in the world,” Toph spoke up, making most of the council cringe. She had leaned back with her feet on the table in a position that Zuko could only stare at in awe. “Dragons were the first firebenders, which makes them important to every firebender in Republic City, right? Firebenders are just as important as everyone else. If we were talking about the last of the badgermoles, I’d be throwing rocks around until someone listened, but that’s not what’s happening. It’s the dragons that need help, so obviously, we help them.”

Zuko gave her a smile that he knew she couldn’t sense, her feet being up as they were, but he hoped she got the sentiment anyway.

“Besides,” Sokka said, “we did approve of the sky bison breeding program out on Airbender Island. And Aang’s the only airbender in the city! It seems prudent for Republic City, if it wants to be proud of all of its citizens, to provide support for all of the original benders too, doesn’t it?”

No one gave an immediate response, with most of the council eyeing Toph like they knew the consequences of arguing with her and weren’t interested in experiencing them again.

“I’m not asking for much,” Zuko asked, going for a softer approach than the mental bender. “Right now, I don’t even know where Ran has been taken. All I really need is someone to help me scout and track her down. Honestly, Toph would be an incredible help.”

Toph paused, turning her head in his direction as he spoke. Her lips slowly quirked upward in a smirk.

“Of course you could use me,” she said, reaching out to punch him in the shoulder. He cringed, still not used to how she showed affection no matter how many times he experienced it. “I’m going,” she announced to the council. “There are more than enough metal benders in the city now. They can handle things while I’m gone. Consider it my yearly vacation if you want.”

She dropped her feet down to the floor and stood up, making the legs scrape loudly against the stone floor.

“Let’s get going, Mighty Lord. Do you want to find that dragon or not?”

Zuko gave the gathered council a sheepish smile before hurrying after Toph. Behind him, he could hear Sokka smoothing things over with a practiced patience that showed this wasn’t the first time Toph had left him in the thick of it.

Chapter Text

The admiral whose ship Zuko had arrived on watched the gathered group with a vague sense of distrust. He had privately voiced his opinion that some of the Fire Nation military should go with Zuko and Toph, but Zuko refused to make such a move. Aside from being more likely to attract attention, the idea of their military secretly traipsing through Earth Kingdom land—so soon after the war nonetheless—was a disaster waiting to happen.

Toph sniggered next to him, more than aware of the dark looks the admiral was sending her way, but somehow, she refrained from making any snide comments or sending him into oblivion.

“Do you think you have everything?” Sokka asked, standing next to his two friends and looking at them seriously. “Any other people?”

“No one else worth taking except you, Snoozles,” Toph said, yawning in a display that Zuko thought was for the disapproving glances being tossed their way by those standing a little farther away. “We’ll be fine.”

Sokka sighed but didn’t argue as he nodded. There was worry in his eyes, but Zuko knew that it wasn’t because he lacked belief in their abilities. There was a lot of potential for things to go wrong, and Zuko still wasn’t sure what they were going to do if they found Ran. He just had to hope that he and Toph would be able to wing it.

“I wish I could go with you,” Sokka added. “But someone’s definitely going to need to smooth things over here.”

“Yeah, try to make sure they don’t fire me while I’m gone, will you?” Toph asked with a smirk.

Sokka sighed again and ran a tired hand over his brow, apparently having done that at least once before already, but he smiled slightly at Toph.

“You’ll have your job when you get back, Toph. Promise. And I’ll write to Aang and Katara as soon as I can. Having the Avatar on your side will go a long way. Just focus on getting that dragon back.”

“Will do,” Zuko promised, clapping Sokka on the shoulder in a show of affection.

Sokka tugged him into a hug instead, and Zuko couldn’t help but smile, still not used to such sudden shows of affection. When they pulled away, Sokka fist-bumped Toph, only for Toph to slug him on the shoulder a second later.

“Don’t mess up, Mister Council Leader,” she tossed over her shoulder as she and Zuko began on their way.

It would be a slow journey, with them traveling on foot at least at first. It would, after all, give Toph the greatest use of her abilities, and that was the best chance they currently had of finding the dragon. That and asking villagers along the way for anything out of the ordinary they’d seen. Zuko had to hope that it would be enough.

“That admiral dude seems like a piece of work,” Toph said once the group was little more than small dots on the horizon. “He’s still trying to scope us out. How do you not just tell him off? You’re Fire Lord! You should be able to do what you want.”

Zuko couldn’t help but laugh.

“I wish it was really like that,” he admitted. “And maybe it could be, but I’d rather the people around me think that I value their opinion. My word being the final word every single time would be pretty daunting I think. Every mistake is yours and yours alone. Even with their help, it kind of is as far as the people are concerned. I don’t think there’s a way to get out of dealing with so many people.”

Toph grumbled a bit but was otherwise quiet for quite a while. Finally, as if unable to hold it in anymore, she spoke.

“That’s what being police chief is like too. I’m supposed to be in charge, but there are so many people to listen to all the time. And I should because I’m supposed to acknowledge that I don’t know everything all the time or whatever. But I hate it. I just want to do what I want to do sometimes, you know? If I’d known it would be like this, I don’t know that I’d have agreed to do it.”

Her face turned a light pink that Zuko didn’t dare comment on. He kept his gaze straight ahead instead, nodding only slightly to her admission.

“It’s okay if it’s not what you imagined,” he said quietly. “You’ve trained so many metal benders at this point. If you wanted to do something else… Well, I don’t think the entire department would fall apart.”

Toph hummed but didn’t provide Zuko with anymore of an answer, and he didn’t dare press the topic further.

All told, it took them longer to find the kidnappers’ trail than Zuko had expected. Eventually, they wound up in a village that told them of a mysterious group of men who’d been there only a few days previously. With Toph’s sensory abilities, they were able to find their hideout not long after that.

They hovered in the bushes, looking out at the encampment with disgust. It was smaller than Zuko had expected it to be. He wondered if this was the full group or only part of them. It didn’t seem like they had enough to control a dragon.

Ran was the centerpiece of the camp, almost as if she’d been put on display. She was in a cage much too small, and her eyes were half closed as if she were depressed. Zuko’s heart felt like it had been stabbed in his chest as he watched her. It wasn’t something fit for a dragon.

“Zuko,” Toph said quietly, her voice trembling, “you realize that there’s more than one dragon in that cage, right?”

Zuko hadn’t, but his eyes searched frantically to see what Toph already had. There it was. Curled into Ran’s side was a little ball that could only be a baby dragon. Zuko gasped. The baby was the exact same shade as Ran, which helped it blend into its mother completely. Had the kidnappers gone after Ran only after she was pregnant on purpose? Had the Sun Warriors known? They certainly hadn’t mentioned it.

Bile stung at the back of Zuko’s throat. He’d been desperate to help Ran, but now every cell in his body was vibrating with energy.

“We have to get them out of there,” he muttered.

“Obviously,” Toph said with a roll of her eyes. “I thought we were just going to sit here and watch forever.”

“Look at her,” Zuko continued, ignoring Toph’s sarcasm. “That’s not what she used to look like. She’s lost so much weight.”

“I can tell by how she’s carrying herself that she’s weak,” Toph said. “The baby seems to be doing better. She might be focusing on it more than herself.”

“Anything else you can tell?”

“Most of the group holds themselves like firebenders,” she said. “But some seem to be nonbenders. None of them seem to be earthbenders.”

Just what Zuko was expecting on that front then.

“That’s good,” he said. “If they’re all Fire Nation then they’re all my responsibility to punish, and as guilty as I feel admitting this, I really want to punish them.”

Toph punched him on the arm, and it took all of Zuko’s willpower not to let out a noise that would detect them.

“We’ll do just that. Don’t you worry.”

Chapter Text

Zuko stared into the small fire he and Toph had created in the woods far enough from the dragon kidnappers’ camp that they were unlikely to be spotted. Toph’s feet remained firmly planted on the ground, allowing her to notice if anyone strayed too close.

Zuko, too, tried to listen for anything out of the ordinary, but his mind kept drifting to his memories of Ran and her baby locked in that cage. His thoughts weren’t even particularly useful, like ways he and Toph could ambush the kidnappers, it was all merely worry about the dragons’ safety. He’d been so adamant about protecting the dragons. He’d wanted to change the Fire Nation’s perception of them, but he hadn’t expected something like this.

“You thinking that your books weren’t as successful as you hoped?” Toph asked before taking a large bite out of the meat she’d just held over the fire.

Zuko froze, raising an eyebrow at Toph over the flames. The heat on his face wasn’t just from the fire anymore. Toph smirked, able to feel how tense he’d suddenly become.

“How did you figure out that I wrote them?” he asked.

“When we went to visit you in the Fire Nation, Sokka complained that the book was absolutely everywhere, remember? You brushed it off, but I could feel how tense you were about it being brought up. You were so nervous, it was the only explanation for it that made sense.”

Zuko sighed and shook his head, but there was a small grin on his lips.

“And you didn’t say anything?” he asked.

Toph shrugged, busy going to town on her meat for a few moments before she bothered replying.

“What would I have gotten out of revealing your secret? For all I know, it’s a masterpiece, so I wasn’t about to make fun of it without reading it. Besides, it was more fun watching you squirm whenever someone brought it up.”

“I just wanted to help the dragons,” he admitted, giving her a sheepish smile. “I didn’t really know what to do because I couldn’t reveal they were alive, and I remembered how I felt while watching Love Amongst the Dragons, and well… The book happened, and I just did what felt right.”

Toph nodded, tossing a bone over her shoulder without a care for where it landed.

“I get it. I’d do the same for the badgermoles. They helped me so much. Who knows what I’d be doing now if they hadn’t taught me earthbending. The teachers my parents hired would never have got me to where I am.”

She shot Zuko an almost overconfident smirk.

“We’ll help Ran and the baby. Promise. It’ll be pretty badass to have helped a dragon too, so it’s not like I have anything to complain about. I haven’t gotten to do anything like this in ages. It just doesn’t compare to being a police chief.”

Her shoulders drooped as she remembered what she would be returning too after their adventure together. Zuko watched her closely, carefully debating over his words before he finally spoke.

“Toph, if you dislike being police chief this much, why did you agree to the job in the first place?”

Toph shrugged, her face turned towards the fire and her shoulders stiff.

“It sounded cool at the time. Forming a whole police force and being in charge? I’d get to use my bending and boss people around. I didn’t think about the other aspects of it. I definitely didn’t think I’d have to deal with the council as much as I do. If I’d known all that, I’d have realized that the rest of it wasn’t worth it.”

“Why not quit then?” Zuko asked, watching her carefully for signs of anger. The last thing he needed was a sudden rock banging into his side. “You said yourself when you left that the police force can handle themselves without you. You could try something else.”

Toph shrugged.

“It’s not like I have any other ideas about what to do with myself,” she said quietly. “I can’t think of a single job that I’d actually want to do. If I resign as police chief, then what? I just lay around all day and earthbend? I’m not gonna lie, it sounds pretty appealing, but it’s not very acceptable is it? Plus, I feel like I’d just be letting my parents win. Isn’t that basically the life they wanted for me without the dresses and with some special earthbending thrown in?”

Zuko was nodding along without realizing what he was doing. He’d never felt the way Toph had. He’d always felt like he had some kind of purpose or other, something he wanted to achieve even if it had felt impossible at the time. And he’d struggled with the idea of letting down his father, not with rejecting what he’d wanted from him.

“I can understand that,” he said, though in reality he only kind of could. “I can’t say I have any answers, but if you ever need some space to figure stuff out, you’re welcome to come stay in the Fire Nation as long as you want. Sometimes a change of scenery can do a world of good. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for the time I spent in the Earth Kingdom.”

Toph sighed but gave him a smile that left Zuko feeling like a success.

“I’d be careful,” she said. “You might regret that offer if I take you up on it.”

The kidnappers weren’t prepared for the ambush. Toph smirked as she stomped her foot on the ground and encased half of them in prisons of rock.

Ran stirred immediately, letting out a groan that sent shivers down Zuko’s spine. She shook her head, the chains hanging off her muzzle clinging loudly on the early morning light.

Toph ignored her as she continued to fight off the firebenders that ran towards her. They weren’t particularly talented as it, luckily, turned out. Toph incapacitated them one after the other.

Zuko made a beeline for Ran, or at least as much of a beeline as he could make as various kidnappers stepped in his path. They weren’t as light on their feet, and Zuko’s dodging left some of them falling to the ground. Others he kept at bay with well-aimed bursts of fire, but he left actually capturing them to Toph as he approached the cage.

He wasn’t entirely sure what unleashing Ran on the world would do in that moment. Perhaps he should have cared that she could potentially kill the men who had captured her before they’d been found guilty, but in the moment, he only wanted her and the baby free.

He reached the cage as Toph finished off the last of the kidnappers. Heating the lock was enough to unlock it, and Ran burst out a second later, muzzle still around her snout.

It turned out that he need not have worried. Ran circled the clearing, but she didn’t actually attack any of the kidnappers once she realized they weren’t a threat.

Toph caught the last of the group and smirked in Zuko’s direction. Her expression turned mildly concerned a second later.

“I can’t sense the dragons,” she said. “They’re not about to burn me to a crisp, are they?”

Zuko couldn’t help but laugh, adrenaline still surging through his veins.

“No, they’re just flying around. We did it, Toph! They’re free.”

There was still the question of how to get all of the men to the Fire Nation where they would need to face justice, but for the moment, at least, they could relish in their achievement.

Chapter Text

Shaw greeted them while they were still in the air. The little dragon that Zuko had taken to calling Druk let out a small, pleased noise at the sight of his father, and Zuko smiled as he watched them interact for the first time.

Ran settled onto the ground gently, and Zuko slid from her back, coming face-to-face with the Sun Warrior chief, who beamed at him with unmitigated happiness. The rest of the community stood behind him, all of them watching the newly reunited dragon family with awe. Zuko joined them at first, his throat closing up at the sight of all three of them gathered together, with Shaw grooming the little dragon as he jumped repeatedly out of excitement over seeing his father.

“Thank you for bringing them back to us,” the chief said.

Zuko turned to him, not even embarrassed by the tears that stung at his eyes.

“I couldn’t have lived with myself otherwise,” he admitted. “Seeing them in that cage was terrible. It will never happen again if I have anything to say about it. The kidnappers will face punishment, and as soon as I get back to the Capitol, I plan on introducing even harsher penalties for would be dragon poachers. My only regret is that it might be too late to keep the dragons’ existence a secret. This trial will likely become a spectacle, and people will learn the truth. The law will need to reflect that reality as much as possible.”

The Sun Warrior gave Zuko a small smile.

“It’s not your fault, Fire Lord Zuko,” he said. “If the dragons have any hope of becoming a strong population again, people would have to learn about them eventually. I’m happy it’s happening during your reign instead of that of any of your predecessors. I trust that you will do everything in your power to protect them, and we will do the same here. We will not be caught off guard again.”

Zuko nodded, turning back to the dragons. His eyes were still wet. He had to go back to the palace. There was a trial to prepare for and new laws to pass, yet all he wanted was to stay with the Sun Warriors longer and assure the dragons’ safety for himself. The baby had curled up against his mother’s side and drifted off to sleep.

“I kind of started calling the baby Druk,” Zuko admitted quietly. “I’m sorry. I have no idea what your usual naming conventions are, but it felt strange not having a name for him, and he responded to Druk so—”

Zuko couldn’t finish. The sound of his name twice had been enough to rouse the baby from his light slumber, and he bounded over the Zuko, almost knocking the man over in his exuberance. The Sun Warrior chief laughed full bodily at the sight.

“He seems to have taken to Druk quite well,” he said. “It seems like a fine enough name for him.”

The baby turned to the chief at the sound of someone else saying his name, and the chief held out a hand for the baby to nuzzle. After a few cautious sniffs, Druk warmed to him instantly. If the experience with the kidnappers had made him nervous around humans, then that apparently didn’t apply to the Sun Warriors.

After a moment, though, Druk turned back to Zuko, brushing up against his side in a fashion that Zuko never would have expected for a dragon. He thought idly of his books, how there were things he couldn’t possibly have known to include in them, and he made a mental note to add something about this. Maybe. If he could. People would know of the baby’s existence now, and writing the books from his own perspective felt more dangerous than ever before. Perhaps it was instead time for him to use all of his energy to protect them as Fire Lord.

He rubbed his hand against the scales on Druk’s head, marveling at the way he could feel the baby’s muscles moving as he moved.

“I wish I could stay,” Zuko said quietly.

Druk almost seemed to understand, moving closer to Zuko as he spoke. The chief gave Zuko a sad, understanding smile as well.

“You’re needed elsewhere,” the chief said. “But you are welcome back anytime you are able to visit. I have my suspicions that this won’t be the last time you and Druk see each other.”

He inclined his head towards Druk, who had now pressed his side fully against Zuko, much like he’d done when snuggling up to his mother earlier. But he wasn’t sleeping anymore. He was staring up at Zuko with large, clear eyes as if waiting for something. Zuko’s heart broke at the thought of leaving him behind despite leaving him with his parents and a whole group of people ready to protect him.

“I’ll miss you,” Zuko admitted to the dragon quietly. “You’ll have a good life here though, and I’ll be thinking about you in the Capitol.”

Druk closed his eyes in response to Zuko’s strokes on his head, but opened them a moment later when Zuko took a step back with a deep sigh.

Ran and Shaw approached, flanking the baby on either side and looking at Zuko with intelligent eyes. Somehow, he knew that they understood the situation. Ran stuck her snout forward, nuzzling at Zuko’s abdomen much like Druk had done minutes before. Zuko placed a cautious hand on the top of her head, and she, too, let her eyes flutter shut for a moment. Zuko forced himself to take a deep breath.

Their journey back to the Fire Nation together had been something of a bonding experience, especially with the amount of it that Zuko had spent on her back. The trip back to the Capitol, which he’d have to undertake on foot until he reached the nearest village where he could rent a carriage, would be entirely different.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Zuko whispered to her as she pulled away.

He looked at Shaw, who inclined his head towards Zuko in a gesture much like a bow. Zuko returned it, feeling entirely unworthy of such a response from a dragon of all creatures. The family stepped backward, with the parents ushering a reluctant Druk with them.

Tears stung at Zuko’s eyes, and he knew he was only a few minutes away from crying. A walk through the forest alone was exactly what he needed for a while. He gave one final nod to the gathered Sun Warriors before turning his back on the village.

It would be a long time before he returned. He knew that for certain. Though people would soon learn that dragons existed, Zuko hoped to keep their location a secret for a while longer, and that meant not getting too close.

Still, he did hope the chief had been correct in his guess that Zuko and Druk would see each other again one day. Though Zuko was sad to be leaving all of them behind, something in his heart was calling him to Druk. He didn’t understand it, but it was enough to convince him that the chief knew what he was talking too.

Zuko held onto that feeling as he traversed through the woods, tears dripping down his cheeks.

Zuko smiled as the baby turtleducks surrounded the scraps of bread he’d tossed to them.Their mother watched on, quacking occasionally but not taking any of the food herself. Zuko sat back, resting his back against the trunk of the tree beside the pond. Even in his advancing age, the pond was his favorite place in the palace.

It was his daughter’s too. He’d made it a habit of spending time there with her, including picnics and games whenever possible. His eyes fluttered shut as a gentle breeze brushed against his face. It was such a peaceful day, with his daughter taking over some of his duties as part of her training. He would hand over the throne to her soon. The idea of it was both thrilling and terrifying.

A strange sound startled Zuko out of his thoughts, almost like something large had settled beside him. He opened his eyes to find himself face-to-face with a dragon. Gasping, Zuko scrambled to his feet. The dragon stooped low, keeping its head bowed as if to show it wasn’t a threat.

It had been over a decade since Zuko had last seen Druk, yet he recognized the dragon as the baby he had once rescued within seconds. His coloring was the same, and there was something in his eyes as he stared back at Zuko that Zuko recognized almost as if by instinct.

Holding his breath, Zuko approached the dragon while holding out a hand. Druk stepped into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed much like they’d done when he was a baby. Zuko’s heart soared when they touched.

Having Druk there felt right, though a large part of him still didn’t understand why the dragon had come to him of all people.

“Hello, Druk,” Zuko said, reluctant to break the silence.

Druk let out a low, soft sound that Zuko took as a greeting. He settled into the grass and got comfortable. Zuko mimicked him, still not sure what to make of his presence. The dragon was nowhere near as large as his parents yet, but he was also a far cry from the small baby Zuko had left behind.

The turtleducks had returned to the water, but none of them seemed particularly concerned about the dragon that had joined them. Druk turned to them with a lazy gaze, watching without making any attempt to chase or harm them. Zuko leaned against the trunk again, watching Druk as if he would disappear at any moment.

Yet, at the same time, Zuko knew he wouldn’t. Druk was there to stay.