"I was a rich only child who got anything I wanted as long as I behaved."
Mai woke quickly to the soft sounds of her caretaker, Koto. The old lady was prodding her gently and withered under the look Mai gave her.
"What is this?" She asked. Although her voice was devoid of emotion, Koto bowed her head, hearing the unspoken scorn.
"You must get ready for the state reception tonight, Miss Mai."
Mai groaned and lifted her dark head off her pillow. She yawned quietly before following Koto to the adjoining room. Mai faced the long, slim mirror and gazed into her eyes before removing her clothes. Her lush black hair framed a pale face devoid of emotion and gave an appearance of a child that was not altogether there. She stood still as Koto began to zip up the traditional Fire Nation formal wear. Mai's dress was crimson red with detail in gold and an onyx flower pattern. Koto slipped golden shoes onto Mai's tiny feet and led her to a stool, in which she began applying makeup. As layer after layer was applied to her face Mai felt herself slowly losing herself, as if her soul had been replaced with a haunted ghost that looked like Mai, but wasn't. The real Mai would have been outside trying to catch the attentions of the Fire Nation Prince, Zuko, or walking through the city streets. Instead, she was shut up at home like a prisoner, forever roaming the endless gardens and weaving for eternity. Mai felt her lips being stained with red and her eyes deepening but said nothing. She reached for the wooden box lying on the far left of her dresser and took it into her hand, tracing the intricate inlay of fire breathing dragons over and over. Koto opened the box and took out delicate earrings of ruby and gold, a gift from Mai's father on her 13th birthday. Mai felt the earrings being fastened onto her ears and could not believe she was only thirteen. It was as if she had lived for an eternity. As if she had already died and was reliving her life again. Imitating the successful wives of Fire Nation generals, she gracefully rose up from her stool, walking to meet her mother in the garden. Her mother was already dressed, her eyes flickering quickly as she appraised Mai. Mai's mother beckoned Mai to follow her into her own bedchamber and sat Mai down at her own dresser. Her mother began to slowly brush Mai's hair as Mai's eyes traced the design of her mother's mirror. Mai's mother picked up a hair clip that sparkled in the candle light and fastened Mai's hair so it was half up, half down. With that, mother and daughter stepped out of the bedchamber to await the carriage that brought Mai to the mouth of the Fire Nation Palace.
Inside, there was quiet, ambient chatter. The best bands from captured colonies played for their lives as royalty greeted each other in an already predesigned fashion. Mai followed her parents to greet Ty Lee and her family, who was dressed in a perky ensemble of pink and red. Ty Lee's smile was no match for the dull spirit of Mai, who quickly felt herself perk up before rearranging her features to have no emotion. Throughout the reception, Mai felt as if she was watching herself as a robot. The plastic smiles of people who she knew hated her father never came off as they complimented her hair, her eyes, her smile, everything. She responded with flattering but graceful remarks, and could feel her father's eyes watching her as her mother beamed with pride. No other family had such a beautiful, well behaved child like Mai.
But it could not go on forever. Mai's dress was getting awfully tight, and her lips were dry from smiling so often. She felt dizzy, as if she was to faint, and was about to retreat into a secluded corner before she heard the trumpets sound. It was the royal family. It was Zuko! Mai felt a real smile tug at her lips as she made eye contact with the handsome young boy. Within a second, he was by her side, leading her away from her family and into the gardens. Away from the scathing remarks her father had made in the carriages, from the bitter bruises she knew Zuko did his best to avoid when he held her, away from the wild look in her mother's eyes, away from everything.