Another potentially blindingly obvious point Zuko will take a long time to realize: the masterful genius of making the next Fire Lord a Herald as a method of overturning Karse's current path, and the high likelihood that it was entirely, well, deliberate in a divine way. Zuko, at this point, has completely written off ever being the Fire Lord. Emotionally, it feels like it's been a long time coming rather than a surprise... and doesn't that just say everything. He fully expects to be in for a rough time, because he always is; he doesn't know if he even wants to have others understand just how fully he is unwanted in his own family. That would be horrible in a completely different, and more sharply personal, way.

In the present moment, he struggles to parse and accept the reality of Valdemar. "Don't worry, I'm used to drawing attention," he answers flatly, folding his arms. "Not like I can hide who I am with this scar." The Crown Prince, now an infamous traitor, having a giant burn scar on his face is certainly both memorable and identifiable even to those who've never met him.

Some of his floundering uncertainty becomes obvious, Zuko terrible as always at hiding his feelings. "... We can go to the temple if we want?" That seems obvious from the window, but Zuko is having a hard time figuring out what he has to let go of about Karse and what he can keep. He's never been an especially religious person, but the royal family, of course, knows every ritual and ceremony backwards and forwards and frequently has their own unique place in them. There's a comfort in that familiarity, and in knowing the rules.

Zuko slowly meanders over to a chair not next to Alberich and tentatively sits.