Disclaimer: Asked Santa for ownership of Avatar. Guess I wasn't a good girl cuz I didn't get it. So yeah, this is purely fan fic; no profit on my behalf.
"A large explosion. Utter chaos. Then complete silence. Those are the only things I remember from that afternoon…"
"Ex-excuse me my Lady."
The voice was timid and low. Mai looked up from the Pai Sho board and saw a young woman plainly dressed in the stiff cotton robes all palace servants wore. She remained prostrate in front of her until Mai softly cleared her throat indicating she should rise.
"I've received a message from the Fire Lord. He sends his apologies but his meeting has run longer than anticipated and he will be unable to join you for dinner. He said for you to enjoy your meal and join him for tea in his study after you have dined." Mai eyed the girl momentarily before speaking. She looked afraid and for good reason. This was the third such message she had delivered this week. Mai shifted in her seat and responded with a cool indifference, just as she had done yesterday and the day before, only this time she decided not to finger her knives while giving her response.
After the servant left, Mai returned her attention to the game. Furrowing her brows, Mai contemplated the quickest way to an immediate victory. She had become bored with the game and thinking of 101 ways to skewer a Fire Lord was far more entertaining. Mai had just picked up the Jasmine tile when she was interrupted again.
"Mai." It was Suki this time, her current opponent and one of her closest friends for the past three years.
"What?" Mai's tone held the agitation that her face would not express.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Talk about what exactly? The fact that my husband stood me up for dinner….again? He has a job to do so I've become accustomed to eating alone."
"But you're obviously upset."
Mai shrugged her shoulders, rested an elbow on the table, and absentmindedly rubbed her temple. "True. I said I've become accustomed to eating alone. I said nothing about liking it."
"I'm just saying. With the baby almost here…"
"Oh you're so right Suki," Mai interrupted, mock enthusiasm clinging to her words. "In the past eight months I hadn't once considered that Zuko's political obligations might interfere with his responsibilities as a father seeing as it usually interrupts his responsibilities as a husband!"
"You know Mai, I get enough sarcasm at home from Sokka. I don't need it from you too."
"Apparently you do. You keep coming back." The two young women glared at each other and then broke into laughter.
"I hate you." Suki laughed.
"The feeling's mutual." Mai smiled as she placed her Jasmine tile next to Suki's Rhododendron.
Before Suki could make the next move, an explosion rocked the Fire Nation Palace with such force that both she and Mai were thrust forward in their chairs. A second explosion could be felt seconds later followed closely by a third. There was only a moment of silence before the offensive attack began. On the other side of the wood and paper lattice door, Mai could hear the grunt of fire benders and the whoosh of fire pouring from their grip. The silence that normally enveloped the palace lay shredded and destroyed.
As Mai struggled to rise from her chair, Suki rushed to her aid. Catching her arm she spoke. "I think we need to stay put. It doesn't sound safe out there. We'll be safer in here."
Mai whipped around to face her friend and scowled. "My husband is out there! How can I feel safe anywhere when I know that this attack is an attempt to take his power…..to take his life?" The fear in Mai's eyes as she spoke those last words belied her unwavering voice.
Suki, never one to back down from a fight, sighed and shook her head. Mai was in no condition to fight and Suki had neither her fans nor sword. She knew that if they stepped out that door, there was a possibility that one, or both, of them would not make it back. But, Suki also knew that Mai was stubborn and oftentimes downright unreasonable. Despite the legendary bickering between the royals, Suki knew that Zuko was one subject on which Mai would not compromise, and he her. Giving in, she began walking toward the door. "Fine. Just stay close to me. I doubt you can do much in the way of fighting besides crushing bad guys with your enormous belly!" Suki chuckled in earnest at her bad joke.
"Ha ha" Mai grimly replied while flicking her wrist which caused three stilettos to drop into place.
Suki cautiously slid the door open, careful to remain inconspicuous in the chaos. Servants ran to and fro trying to escape the turmoil with the skin on their backs intact, while men dressed in black from head to foot battled royal guards. Mai noticed that some of the black clad men were fire benders, some earth benders, while others were not benders at all. She wondered who or what could compel such a sundry band of men to fight together. She was interrupted from her musings, however, when she noticed two of the sentries wearing her insignia lay bleeding and dying (or maybe already dead) not ten meters from the door. Each soldier had large gaping wounds which ripped through their abdomens leaving blood pooling around their lifeless bodies. Suki suggested they stop and tend to the soldiers' wounds. Mai, on the other hand, knew these soldiers were beyond help. Besides, about fifteen meters beyond that was the main corridor which leads to the throne room, and it was from that direction that she could hear more intensive fighting. As they neared the corridor, Mai looked over her shoulder. She could feel someone getting closer to her. A man maybe a few years older than herself was approaching. Like the messenger earlier in the day, he wore the stiff crimson robes of the palace servants. Bending imperceptibly forward from the waist he spoke: "Your highness, it is too dangerous that way! Follow me. I will help you escape."
Mai looked back at Suki. It was true, that way was dangerous, but Zuko was there and this was a strange unknown man. "Thank you but we'll manage." Mai turned to leave when the servant caught the hem of her sleeve.
"Please. The Fire Lord has sent me. He is safe in his bunker and requires me to bring you safely to him!" Mai eyed him suspiciously. Of all the men in Zuko's employ, why would he trust this one to deliver his wife? Just a few mornings ago Mai had seen him emptying night waste. Surely he would not send this man…would he? But, a random servant would not be privy to the existence of the Fire Lord's bunker. The servant grew antsy waiting for Mai's response. She turned to Suki searching her eyes for advice. The only thing she found was uncertainty. Well, Mai thought, at least if he tries something its two on one. I don't think the odds are in our favor if we set out on our own.
"Ok. We'll go" said Mai. The guards were still fighting and servants were still fleeing. Men were yelling, women were shrieking, and babies and small children were crying. When they had escaped into the relative calm of a small ill-lit hallway Mai asked, "So my husband, the Fire Lord, he's ok?"
"Oh yeah. Better than ok. Actually, the insurgents weren't after him." At this point he turned, a menacing grin spreading across his lips, and faced the two women trailing him. With one rapid, flawless motion, he pulled a mace that had been secreted in his robes and struck Suki over the head with it. She hit the wall with a thwack and her limp body slumped to the floor. Blood trickled down her forehead were the weapon had made contact with her head, and a light trail of blood marked where her head had made contact with the wall. Before she could think about it, Mai let the three stilettos fly and pinned his left sleeve to the wall. But the hallway was small and as she was reloading he was able to reach out and backhand her with such force that her head slammed into the opposite wall. The force of the slap busted her lip and as she slid down the wall she felt a sharp pain at her temple. As the room grew fuzzier, Mai saw the man struggle to loosen his arm from the wall. Growing frustrated, he ripped the sleeve from the garment leaving it to hang. He leaned in close to Mai, his sour breath assaulting the bruise forming on her face. "Actually, we were after you, your highness."
Mai closed her eyes and allowed herself to be swallowed in the swirling abyss.
Thanks for reading! Please review if you liked (or if you didn't). My first attempt at action so please, I beg of you, give me some feedback. This will be a multi-chapter event so stay tuned! I can't promise that all chapters will have action but my attempt is to start out slow and build it up.
