Prompt: Forgiveness

"I can't believe you're so angry about this!"

Servants down the hall flinched at the tone their Fire Lord had. One servant was holding a tray of tea, tea cups, and the fillers for it, and another was holding a tray filled with various fruits and a few morning pastries. The two were supposed to be delivering the breakfast to the royal couple, but based on the shouts echoing down the hallway, the two weren't in the mood to eat st the moment.

A good servant would turn back to the dining hall and set the table with the food. Then they'd write a note for the couple and set it outside the door, not disturbing them during their argument. Then they'd leave and go about their other duties. That's what a good servant would do, had they caught their ruler and his wife in the middle of a fight on their way to deliver breakfast.

The two servants knew this. With a glance, they had a silent conversation.

And decided that sometimes being good was overated.

As quitely as they could, the two crept closer to the large door. Other than themselves, they hallway was bare of people. It was still too early for anyone to be up and about at this hour, save for the servants getting to their duties. The only ones that would be coming near here at this time would be themselves only to give the couple their breakfast and then take their leave. The chances of them getting caught was almost zero. Even if either Fire Lord Zuko or Fire Lady Mai were to open the door, they'd probably only think the two servants were doing their job, not eavesdropping.

As they got closer, the words became clearer. Mentally, they both decided that they never, ever wanted to get in between the two in a fight, ever. Stand on the sidelines listening? Well, in a few moments they might be able to tell you whether or not it was a safe thing to do.

"I wouldn't be as angry if you'd own up to your fault instead of blaming it on me!"

Wide eyed, the servants spared a glance at the other. Never had they heard Lady Mai's voice so loud before. She'd always been so cool and collected. Right now, she sounded like her husband when he was angry. It wasn't any good when he was in this state, so with her as well? The palace may just go up in flames. Quite literally.

"My fault—" it was a bit muffled, but it sounded as if the Fire Lord has scoffed. "How is it my fault?! I don't see how what I did was a bad thing!"

"Of course you don't! Because it would kill you to think that maybe, just maybe, you made someone else angry. It's not like any other person in the Fire Nation can have anger as an emotion, save for you."

Lady Mai's voice had gone down a bit, and it surely wasn't as loud as her husband's, but her tone was icy enough that the words alone could cut through your heart.

"Sorry but last time I checked, you were hardly one for showing any kind of emotion at all!"

Silence for a moment. Not even breathing could be heard from the other side of the door. The two servants themselves held their breaths, wondering if Fire Lord Zuko realized what he'd said or not.

"Oh, Spirits—"

He had. Before he could say anything, however, a 'thunk' soundedbehind the doors. The servants winced, almost dropping their trays in the process. Everyone in the palace knew that the Fire Lady's lack of showing emotion was something you did not speak of. Not near her, not near her husband, not near anyone or anywhere. Not unless you wanted a knife in your throat, anyway.

"I'm sorry!"

More 'thunk' noises sounded from inside the bedroom, the apology obviously not deterring the Fire Lady from throwing her weapons at, most likely, her husband.

"That was a low blow—"

The sound of fabric tearing was heard and then silence. The two servants held their breath, waiting to hear what would happen next.

"Mai," that was Fire Lord Zuko. He sounded a bit calmer, but it was easy to hear the nervousness in his voice. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. I said something I didn't mean because I was angry."

A sigh, then nothing for a bit. The eavesdroppers were about to just leave, thinking Fire Lady Mai had just simply walked away from the argument, until they heard a small, raspy voice from behind the door.

"I'm not entirely innocent myself. I was being snappy, and even if you are a pain in the back a lot, you didn't deserve that. Truce?"

A chuckle that was definitely from Lord Zuko. "Truce."

It went quiet again, but the servants outside didn't wait around this time to hear any other juicy details. With a smile on their lips, the two turned their heel and headed towards the dinning areas. They'd set the table, like the should have done earlier, and come fetch the royal couple later.

Inside the bedroom, Zuko had his arms wrapped around his wife as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"Think they're gone now?" Zuko asked a few moments into the silence, after the sound of footsteps had faded.

"Yeah," Mai replied with a small smile. "You'd think that they'd be more afraid of the Fire Lord to refrain from spying in on his marital issues, but apparently not. If anything, I thought they'd fear me a little more. We must be getting rusty with our intimidation factors, Zuko."

The Fire Lord laughed lightly and moved one of his hands so that it rested on the Fire Lady's belly. "Well, I guess this little one is already having an effect on us."

Mai didn't reply, but the small smile on her face spoke more than any amount of words she could have said in that moment.

"Really, I am sorry for lashing out like that." Mai sighed. She was gonna have to keeping working on that whole 'drop it' thing when it came to fights.

"Zuko, its fine. I already told you that it was partially my fault, too."

"Yeah, but," this man. Good thing she loved him, because sometimes he could really push her patience. "But you can blame it on the hormones from the baby. I was just being a jerk."

"If I agree with you, will you stop?"

"Oh." A blush colored Zuko's cheeks. "Sorry."

"Its fine, its in the past. I don't care anymore."

Quiet once again. Mai relaxed herself again against her husband, really just wanting to go back to sleep. She could fall asleep standing here. In her love's arms, no servants (not for at least thirty minutes or so, since two who were eavesdropping earlier would probably be spreading all that had just happened across the palace along with a warning to leave the couple alone. Sometimes, it was good if someone caught you in the middle of a fight in the palace. It meant you'll have peace for a bit because everyone would be too scared to come bother you.) here to get on her nerves.

Though, right now, her husband is doing a pretty good job at that.

"And to think, all this started because I woke you up too early."

"Zuko?"

"Yes, Mai?"

"Hasn't anyone told you not to anger a pregnant woman, especially after just ending an argument?"

"Sorry."

"I guess I can forgive you."