This is a sequel of sorts to my story "Mai".
A Decent Proposal
Mai ran the brush lazily through her thick shiny hair. It was shorter now, falling to just below her shoulders and she wore it down most of the time (ponytails were useful when training or teaching her class). Her reflection smiled softly back at her. Her room, the one she had shared with Zuko for two years now, had undergone some changes as well. Though a Fire Nation girl through and through, she had grown tired of the endless sea of reds and golds and yellows that pervaded the palace. Her exposure to the muted greens and browns of the Earth Kingdom and the striking blues of the Water Tribes was beginning to influence her.
The thick red curtains were gone, replaced by delicate white sheers with simple yellow tiebacks. The room seemed lighter, less claustrophobic and the sun had a much easier time making its way in every morning. Instead of the usual red silk sheets and matching comforter, Mai recently purchased soft green bed coverings with cream colored pillowcases.
She kept some red; the carpet remained, and some accessories, such as the tea service. There were little dashes of blue here and there. A Water Tribe tapestry hung on the far wall, over the desk.
All these changes made Mai, and Zuko too, feel closer to their friends, friends she didn't see nearly enough. Her boyfriend, the Fire Lord, agreed with Mai's changes to their room. It was theirs, after all, and they had a right to personalize it. The look was eclectic and a little weird, but somehow it all worked.
~~~~0000~~~~
It was late afternoon. Mai had finished her lessons at The Royal Fire Academy for Girls, come home and had a soothing bath. This group of girls was her third. Mai was proud of herself. She had become a good teacher, tough, and maybe a little rigid, but the girls learned how to throw a knife and how to throw it with deadly precision.
Zuko would walk through the door soon, his shoulders and back stiff with tension. The war had been over for two years now, but still the negotiations went on and the reforms to their own country were a continuing process. Yet, things were easier for Zuko now. The council accepted him fully. He had two years of hard experience under his belt. And Aang flew in occasionally to smooth rough waters.
A man of his word, Zuko kept his promise to Mai about making time for her every day. Breakfast and dinner were daily certainties as were Saturdays with Tom-Tom. Her brother was almost five years old now and never stopped chattering. She loved him. Considering that she was completely indifferent to the boy for the first few years of his life, loving him was quite a change.
Sunday was their day. Sometimes they slept in, lazily making love until noon time. Sometimes they rose early, sneaking away with a picnic lunch or off on a boat for a little cruise. Sunday was Mai's favorite day of the week.
She slipped out of her green silk robe, a gift from Suki, and put on simple black trousers and a short sleeved black silk tunic. Wearing black made her feel elegant. She picked up an ebony lacquer comb; one outlined with reddish orange zinnias and placed it in her hair. A birthday gift from Zuko two years ago on her sixteenth, it was very precious to her.
Her eighteenth birthday came and went a month earlier. Zuko took her back to Ember Island and they spent a few days alone, enjoying complete privacy, walks along the beach and easy conversation. Knowing her likes very well, Zuko got Mai a new set of shuriken, these ones personalized, the characters of her name engraved on each one.
The black haired woman looked up as she heard the door open. Zuko entered shutting the door quickly behind him as if afraid the council would follow him in.
"Is someone chasing you?" Mai asked with her dry sense of humor.
"They didn't want to let me go," Zuko groaned as he moved his head back and forth in an attempt to untwist the knots.
"Come here," Mai commanded.
Zuko walked over to her and she pushed him down on the bed. Mai sat behind her lover, pulled out his royal headpiece and freed his unruly dark hair from its topknot. Zuko hummed happily as she gently massaged his neck and shoulders.
"Thanks," he stated simply.
"You owe me," she replied with a smirk. "Payback is due tonight."
"Hmmm, I suppose I'll manage," he grunted as Mai hit a particularly sore spot.
"Dinner will be waiting in the dining room. Why don't you change?" Mai suggested.
"Okay," he agreed, getting off the bed reluctantly. "How was your day?"
"School went well," Mai replied briefly. "I take it your day was more difficult."
"No one could agree on the amount of sea prunes to import from the Southern Water Tribe. The argument lasted most of the day."
Mai giggled. Zuko gave her a mock glare and then rolled his eyes.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm the oldest person there," the Fire Lord continued. "It's like holding court over twenty Tom-Toms."
"Aww, poor baby," Mai crooned as she tossed some casual clothes at her boyfriend.
"It's awful," he replied indignantly.
Zuko peeled off layer after layer of heavy clothing, fumbling with shoulder pieces and sashes. It amused Mai to watch him struggle. Frustration was a cute look on him. Reaching for the simple red tunic and belt and black pants, he put them on hastily, looking relieved to be in more comfortable clothes.
"Agni, those robes weigh a ton."
"Yes, maybe you could change the design of the Fire Lord robes. You are the Fire Lord after all."
"You know, that's worth thinking about, Mai. Who says they can't be made out of lighter material?"
"Right, who says?"
"Are you mocking me?" Zuko asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"Nooo," Mai replied exaggeratedly.
"Hmmph," he snorted. "Let's go eat. I'm starving."
~~~~0000~~~~
"It's a nice night. Do you want to go for a walk in the gardens?" Zuko asked Mai as he finished the last of his meal.
Mai took a sip of her tea and nodded. The couple left the dining room and walked along a maze of hallways and out into the well kept gardens. Mai had helped in the revamping of the palace's outdoor areas. They suffered a few years of, if not outright neglect, at least a lack of love. Instead of just a stone pathway leading to the fountain that Mai and Zuko thought of as theirs, there were now colorful beds of flowers planted along the path and beautiful wrought iron benches for relaxing in. A young apple tree grew opposite the old one that Mai used to sit under. The covered walkway contained an array of lovely potted flowers that drew the eye.
The sun was already down. Wispy bits of pink still streaked the sky and a handful of stars were visible. It was mild for autumn in the Fire Nation and the couple strolled at a leisurely pace, stopping to look at particular flowers that Mai liked or a new shrub that had been planted. Eventually, the pathway led to a more private area, an alcove of sorts with a pair of chairs and a small table. It was open on top so that the stars were visible. The pair sat down and looked upward. In silence, they observed the sky, smiling as more and more stars appeared.
"You're still happy, right?" Zuko asked randomly.
"Where did that come from?" she retorted. When she saw the genuine concern on his face she added, "Zuko, stop worrying. I'm very, very happy."
"Good; just checking," he replied with a smile. "And how long do you want to keep your teaching up?"
"Um, what's with the questions?" she rasped.
"Nothing, nothing," he stammered. "I'm just curious."
"Well, I guess I'll teach until we get married," Mai stated coyly.
"Oh, oh, yeah, that makes sense. Look at that group of stars up there, Mai," Zuko said, pointing to a large constellation. "That's the Dragon Fire constellation. Can you see the dragon and the flame?"
"Yes," Mai replied tilting her head. "When did you become an expert on the stars?"
"I just remembered Uncle showing it to me. It was much more visible out in the open, away from any cities or villages. He tried to teach me about the stars, but I wasn't interested. I was too busy complaining about sleeping on the ground."
Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Mai reached over and covered his hand with hers.
"When we visit Iroh next time, watch the stars with him. Show him that you're willing to learn now."
"Yeah, I will," Zuko answered and squeezed her hand.
~~~~0000~~~~
They retired to bed, cuddling close despite the warmth of the night. Mai couldn't get to sleep if she wasn't touching Zuko. Her mind went back to those questions Zuko had asked her earlier. Was he just curious as he explained or was there more to it? She pulled Zuko's limp arm tight around her waist and held onto it, playing with his delicate looking fingers. He had beautiful hands. Agni, he had a beautiful everything. Mai's thoughts drifted to her lover's scars and how she saw them as part of his beauty. They were both symbolic, one of an event that changed the course of his life forever, and one of his willingness to sacrifice. Shaking her head, she tried to clear her mind and sleep finally overtook her.
When she awoke, Zuko was standing at the desk still in his sleeping pants. His hair was delightfully tousled and his chest was bare. He was holding something in his right hand and looking at it intently. When he felt her eyes on him, Zuko furtively placed the item back in the desk and closed the drawer quietly.
"What are you doing?" Mai asked.
"I was just thinking," Zuko replied lamely.
"No, you were holding something," Mai corrected.
"Oh, that, yeah, that was a ribbon," the Fire Lord lied and badly.
Mai knew he was flushed even though his face was turned away from her. She decided to let the issue go. If he had some sort of secret, he would share it when ready.
Later that same day, Mai visited Zuko in his office where he diligently read papers, wrote replies to letters and jotted down ideas. A dark green ribbon caught her eye.
"You got a letter from Iroh?"
"Oh, yeah," Zuko acknowledged. He put his hand protectively over the letter.
"What does he say? May I read it?"
"It's just boring political stuff, you know, advice."
"Uh-huh," Mai replied. "So, maybe I can learn something."
"You can't!" Zuko said harshly.
He regretted his words and tone immediately and reached for Mai's arm.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm tired and…"
"Whatever," Mai said as she pulled her arm away and left the office.
She wandered back to their room and grabbed a book. It was another gorgeous autumn day and she felt like reading outside. As she passed the desk on her way back to the door, an urge to ransack it hit her hard.
"Stop it, Mai," she told herself.
The knife thrower passed a quiet afternoon, reading and wandering through the gardens, speaking to the palace gardener and thinking about her boyfriend. He was definitely up to something.
Dinner, which they ate in their room, was a little strained. By the time they were finished eating, Zuko broke down.
"Okay, Mai, I'm trying to plan something and it doesn't seem to be working out."The Fire Lord buried his head in his hands and sighed. "I suppose I'll have to improvise," he said.
His voice was muffled and Mai had a hard time hearing him. Zuko got up from the table and went to the desk. He retrieved something and kept it hidden in his hand. He sat back down at the table and looked Mai in the eyes.
"I don't want you to do something you're not ready for," he began.
The dark haired woman looked puzzled.
"I mean, I've been holding onto this for months now."
He uncurled his fingers and revealed a tiny wooden box, engraved with even tinier flames. Mai gazed at Zuko expectantly.
"Zuko, just tell me," she urged gently.
"I had something planned in my mind, something romantic, but…."
He opened the box and revealed a ring, golden with a scarlet gemstone cut like a flame.
"I know that rings aren't traditional, but I want you to have a symbol of my love for you, one that you can wear always. And I thought of this. Mai, will you marry me?"
His golden eyes were wide and full of hope.
'How could he think I would refuse?' Mai asked herself.
Her hesitation caused panic to flicker across his orbs.
"I'm, I'm sorry," he stuttered. "You're not ready. You've got things you want to do still."
Mai put a finger on his thin lips to quiet him. She smiled and took the box from him.
"Why don't you put it on me, Zuko?" she suggested playfully.
"You mean, you will…"
"Yes, I will marry you, tomorrow or six months from now. I am ready. I want to be your Fire Lady. Nothing could make me more proud than to be your wife."
"Oh," he said in a strangled voice, "Mai, here."
Zuko reached into the box and took out the delicate ring. He placed it on the ring finger of her left hand, and then kissed each finger, one at a time. He brought her hand to his cheek and held it there, clearly overcome. His eyes were shiny with tears and Mai's filled up in response.
He leaned over and traced her lips with his finger before brushing his own gently against them.
"Mai, I love you. I honestly would be lost without you."
"Yes, you would be," she agreed, a wicked grin on her face.