CHAPTER 1 – MAI
Zuko has run off again in the middle of the night. I awoke soon after his departure, and watched him lightly tread through the night until the dark engulfed his swift figure.
Since the end of the Hundred Year War and his subsequent coronation, many changes had come about. Avatar Aang had collaborated with Zuko to create the Harmony Restoration Movement. Zuko had recently been working to remove Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom. In some sections, especially those close to Ba Sing Se, his efforts were met with eagerness to return home. In others he was met with stubbornness and resistance. Some of the colonies that were longer established had intertwined with the Earth Kingdom.
Zuko's journey to Yu Dao had revealed some of these relationships to His Highness. Earth and Fire nation peoples had learned to live together despite their differences. That trip had been another he had failed to inform me of. I had to discover his whereabouts through city guards, much like a commoner would. Upon his return, heavy bags had placed themselves beneath his golden eyes. I buried my fury and tried to console him. He had been exhausted and stressed. After multiple attempts on his life, Zuko lived in constant paranoia and uncertainty nowadays. He was no longer a Prince, but the Fire Lord. Great responsibility had weighed on his shoulders since the coronation.
.o00o.
My love for the Fire Prince began when I was young. He was not yet maimed. While Azula and Ty Lee practiced cartwheels and other acrobatics in the gardens, I remained slumped under the shade of a nearby tree, watching for a glimpse of the perfect boy who lived with my best friend.
Nearly any moment Zuko was on the grounds of the Royal Palace, his mother was with him. Princess Ursa was beautiful and kind, making it difficult to comprehend why she had married Prince Ozai. Azula had remarked to me and Ty Lee before that Ursa believed her daughter was a monster. Azula believed something quite different. Her thought was all of the royal family's boiling rage had been dispensed into her. All the way from Fire Lord Sozin, the murderous fire in the royal patriarchs was combined in her. It explained many things, such as her obvious disdain for her brother and her constant tormenting him.
I had then feared Azula, and did not dare speak out against her actions towards Zuko. Part of me believed if he was strong enough to be part of the fiery royal family, he would stand up for himself. But in his childhood, he never did.
.o00o.
Fifteen minutes since Zuko disappeared. I have yet to move from my vantage point. Sometimes his actions make me furious: the running around, the deceit, the quietness, the refusal to confide in me. I was his girlfriend for dragons' sake! With no family left, I'm the closest thing he has. Uncle Iroh permanently moved to Ba Sing Se after he reclaimed it for the Earth Kingdom. He reopened the Jasmine Dragon in the Upper Ring. From his most recent letter, it seemed his shop was doing very well and drawing a crowd of the city's most important and influential citizens daily. Iroh had a gift for wedging a way into people's hearts and souls, whether through his words of wisdom or exquisite tea.
Now twenty minutes…
.o00o.
At my uncle's prison, located in Boiling Rock, I fended off the Fire Nation guards to save Zuko, my uncle, as well as a few of the Avatar's other friends. Azula was furious that I had saved her brother's life and began to attack. Before she could deal the first blow, Ty Lee disabled her. Azula ordered the both of us to be imprisoned. That was better than death by fire, I guess.
Prison life proved to be just as uneventful as living in Omashu. The guards had stripped me of all my toys, leaving me bored and defenseless. Ty Lee, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy being locked up with nothing to do other than socialize. She bounced around, chattering like the Avatar's pet lemur. She made many friends this way, including the Kyoshi Warriors, who she later joined.
Most of my prison days were spent curled on my pallet. My thoughts continually swirled around Zuko: His half-scarred face watching me save him from the gondola, that awful letter he had left me with before he joined the Avatar.
Though his betrayal had cut me deeply, my love for him was deeper still.
.o00o.
After the Yu Dao expedition, I ordered the Kyoshi Warriors to watch after my love. I feared that any more attempts to assassinate him would prove successful. That would have been most devastating to me, and not much would manage to completely destroy my soul. Only the death of the Fire Lord would lead me to take my own life. I could accidentally slip a poison into my afternoon tea. I could cause one of my arrows to deflect and rip into my chest. I could drown myself at sea. Imagine that, the dead Fire Lord's girlfriend dying at the cause of his opposite element. How tragic.
His death would leave the Fire Nation in a state of turmoil. There would be no heir to the throne, not that I would ever care. Even before the birth of my baby brother, I could not stand children. I will never bear a child. It would be raised by a nanny, I serving as its vessel into the mortal world.
Bearing on that thought still, bearing an heir to the Fire Throne would mean that I marry the Fire Lord. Being the child of a politician and watching the quiet sufferings of my mother as the wife of a politician, I had vowed young to never marry one myself. Zuko, being Fire Lord, would qualify as a politician. Even given the most perfect proposal ever by my beloved, I have conflicts as to whether I would accept.
.o00o.
Our triumphant return from Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation was met with much cheer and celebration. Zuko was credited by Azula for killing the Avatar, which gained him the love and honor of his father.
When we first walked through the gates, first Azula, then Zuko, Ty Lee and I trailing them, many girls swooned after the Prince. I had gritted my teeth in anger. Those stupid peasant girls. They had not known him since childhood. They had not worked for his affections. They had not missed him every day since his banishment. They were fools, and did not deserve Zuko's love as I did.
After the downfalls of the other members of the royal family, Zuko had his coronation day. That day, I found him in his chambers, struggling to put on his ceremonial robe. His chest was still bandaged from Azula's lightning attack. If not for the waterbender, there may not have been a crowning that day. I assisted with dressing Zuko for the ceremony and received a loving kiss as my reward.
At the coronation, Zuko shared some of the day's glory with Avatar Aang. The crowds from all nations cheered for both men on that wonderful day.
Immediately following, a huge feast was thrown for the Fire Lord as well as the Avatar. It was held in a magnificent banquet hall right off the courtyard where the coronation had taken place. A large stage stood at one end of the room while the royal table was at the opposite end. Other tables were placed at perpendicular lines to the stage, hundreds of chairs lining them. Servants served everyone their meals, but special, more gifted servants served Aang and Zuko at the royal table.
All the happiness and joy within the volcanic crater was contagious. Several benders performed upon a stage for the crowd. Eventually, Avatar Aang got up there and performed with all four elements, creating wonderful entertainment. Even I, and I know how dark and depressing I typically am, was happy. My chest felt as though it were filled with bursting sunshine. Glancing at Zuko increased this feeling, but when our eyes would meet, my heart would explode.
I was seated next to Ty Lee at one of the center tables. My personality matched hers for the time being and we were both bubbly. The joy made everything better: the food was delicious and unlike any other I'd eaten, the colors in the room were brighter, all the people seemed attractive and bright. On that day, my happiness was so great even the worst of all tea would have been on level with Iroh's. A servant refilling my tea informed me that the Fire Lord wished to speak to me on an important matter later on that night.
As the darkness fell that evening, everyone was ushered out to the courtyard to watch the brilliant fireworks. Some very special firebenders had learned to manipulate the sparks into something more beautiful and more spectacular than normal fireworks. Feeling the energy begin to drain from my body, I began to move toward the Royal Palace. When the fireworks were over, I could simply cut through the building to my own home.
I stood, leaning my elbows against the banister of the balcony. I felt a presence suddenly behind me. As I tried to turn sharply against the invader, arms slipped around my waist and a familiar voice slid into my left ear.
"Enjoying the show?" he asked me. For my answer, I simply twisted in his arms and kissed him. I began to pull back from him, but he pushed my back into the banister, wanting a deeper kiss. He eventually ceased, resting his head on my shoulder to watch the fireworks behind me.
"What were you going to tell me?" I asked the Fire Lord.
His face then met mine. His eyes roamed to anywhere but mine and he started stammering.
"I, uh, w-w-was going…" His cheeks were blushed to a bright red. I raised my eyebrow at him. He visibly straightened up and looked me in the eye. "I made a room for you in the Royal Palace. I already arranged for a servant to deliver your things so you can sleep there tonight." He looked away, and then glanced back at me for reassurance. "I mean, it's your choice. You can sleep there, or on my old bed, or on my new bed. But that's only if you want to."
I leaned in to kiss him, placing my lips on his. "I could stand to sleep next to you tonight," I said. He simply smiled at me and kissed me again.
.o00o.
It had now been close to an hour since Zuko had left. Still in my perch, I watched as one of the Kyoshi Warriors approached the palace. Listening for her footsteps, I waited for a report on the Fire Lord. The footsteps were much heavier than Ty Lee's, and my belief was confirmed a moment later.
"Mai?" a girl's voice asked. I turned to face Suki. She was one of the original Kyoshi Warriors, and their leader.
"Suki," I said, "where is he?"
"Mai," she said, "this has been happening again and again for a while now. I figured he would have told you."
My anger boiled over. With a quick flick of my wrist, a small dagger flew into an ornate vase, shattering it. "Where is he?" I demanded.
Suki bowed her head. "He is visiting Ozai." She looked back up at me. "He has been for weeks."
I began to shiver with rage. "Wake up the best servant in this household, and instruct them to come to me straightaway." I turned back to watch the window.
"Yes, ma'am," Suki said, giving the proper gesture and fleeing the room.
The servant came; I gave him my instructions, and was soon given a voice of confirmation that my request had been fulfilled.
Another thirty minutes passed by before I saw Zuko's figure work its way back to the palace. I stood, letting my legs stretch out, and found a new spot to wait for Zuko.
His insomnia had taken a real toll on him, physically and mentally. He climbed the stairs as though he were eighty-years old. He was nearly past me when I spoke his name.
"Zuko." He jumped into an aware state, and squinted his eyes to find me in the shadows. I stepped out to where I was visible.
"Mai," he said, "why aren't you in bed?"
"I could ask the same thing, Fire Lord."
He absently scratched the back of his head. "I just went for a short walk."
"Over an hour and a half is short to you now?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It was very cleansing," he said. "I think I can sleep well now."
"Zuko, you are lying to me." I crossed my arms, prepared to stand my ground and go through with my plan.
The blank look on his face told me he was pretending to not know what I was talking about. "Suki told me. You've been visiting your father." He continued to stand in silence. I rushed to him, getting inches from his face. "Why would you not tell me? Think! If I hadn't asked the Warriors to look after you, another assassin could have killed you during your night adventures!"
He shifted his feet, trying to edge back from me. "Do you have any idea what your death would do to me? And what could your murderous father be able to tell you that I could not?" He remained speechless. I felt myself beginning to crack.
"Zuko," I said, "you've been keeping so many secrets. You didn't tell me before you left for Yu Dao. I had almost believed you dead! Or worse, a coward running from his duties." Poison began to seep into my mind and voice. "It's not like you've never done that before."
"Mai!" he yelled. "You've never been a Fire Lord! You have never dealt with the issues of this country nor cared about this nation! I do not understand how you could possibly help me! This isn't a matter of putting a gold star next to my name. 'Oh, what wonderful macaroni art, Fire Lord.' No!" He shoved me away from him, knocking me into the wall. He started away from me towards his bedroom.
"You love your secrets more than you love me," I said quietly.
This got his attention and he turned. The brightness of the full moon caught his golden eyes. They had altered from the moment before, transformed from rage into a softer emotion.
"Mai," he said, "that's not true. I'm sorry for not confiding in you." He tried grabbing my forearms to bring me closer to him. I shook my head, pushing away from him. As he made for another grab, I quickly dealt out daggers, pinning his sleeves and pant legs to the wall. He was now helpless. I turned to go downstairs. As I reached the top step, I softly heard, "Mai, I love you." I paused for a moment, but my mind had been made up.
I descended the stairs and went through the palace to the other side Zuko had not just entered through. A carriage awaited me, loaded with all my things. I was not going to stand by as my love destroyed himself. I was resolved to move far away, into a deep corner of the Fire Nation, nowhere near the capital city.