Zuko, the prince of the Fire Nation, was preparing to vow an oath of heresy. His mind was unmade with the decision of how to tell Mai, constructing an endless stream of different compositions he could make to convince her that his choice was devoid of loathing for her. The first letter: scrapped. The wording was far too ill-scripted. The second letter: trashed. Mai would be convinced it was some form of twisted humor. The third letter…
The third letter…
Dear Mai,
I realize that this may come as a shock to you, or perhaps you have already foreseen this coming, for I know to what degree your comprehension of me extends, but none the less, I feel completely obliged to tell you: I am leaving. With all honesty, I note that my heart is torn between you and the choice I have pledged my allegiance to, but in order to keep this world from smoldering into ruins, I must go. Please understand that as the brush in my hand paints these words, each trail of obsidian ink abuses my heart with the penetration of a million blades. No woman that I have ever encountered has amounted to your persona, nor has any other been able to relate to me the way you do.
The love I harbor for you is utterly non-malleable to those who seek to contort it, including my sister. Why? Because none could ever contend with the wonderful, glorious power you hold over me. My admiration and affection for you pertains to a vast multitude of reasons, some I am even incapable of putting in words, however I shall give a few to hopefully rest assured that, despite my absence, my love is forever yours.
My sweet Mai, there are no bounds to which you astonish me. You rise with neither the sun nor the moon, but of your own reasoning and accord. Though you are without the shine of either spectacle, you shine upon me with a brilliant gleam; one that only you could master. You give me the smile I had long forgotten; you give me the kindness I had become foreign to. If I had never known you, I may have never known myself. When you and I join, there is no separation. Your stark difference from the other, unintelligent, orange-loving girls is only what lures me in, further and further, until I am forever lost in your soul.
Know that these words are true.
Mai, I beg of you, for the sake of both of us, please abandon any thought of me. If we continue to fret over one another long after this departure, neither of us may ever find love again. Your happiness is my happiness, therefore if you never mind I again, and instead fall for another, I shall not grow melancholy. Yes, I will grieve, and yet another wound without hopes of mending may be bestowed upon me, but I will always, always smile for your joy. Perhaps you will find a better man; a man that I could only aspire to be. Now, I must give you my final farewell, but forever know that my love belongs to the one and only...
…You…
With undying love,
Zuko
The prince reviewed his work endlessly, searching for any fault, any insincerity he may have overlooked, though discovered none. What would her reaction be…? he inquired of himself. Only the thought of her doubt and spite surfaced into his mind, her emotions pertaining to those of mockery toward his weakness… Or was it he that was feeling vulnerable?
With a weighted sigh, Zuko discarded the parchment and began anew. It's best if I just keep it simple… he told himself. Those words, however, could not have been any more honest.