Mai let another knife fly, sending it slicing through the air before burying it up to the hilt in the center of her target. This time it landed in the eye of a Fire Nation noble's statue, but the knives scattered at various heights and in a plethora of penetrable objects about the room suggested that it was no more significant a throw than the many before it. After the war, knife throwing returned to being a leisurely activity for Mai, one reserved for intense stretches of boredom or great anxiety. In this case it was the latter. She was to travel as an Ambassador to the Earth Kingdom and she already missed who she was leaving behind.
She raised her hand again, aiming this time for a book, barely visible, lying horizontally on an enormous bookshelf. Before she could release it, sturdy arms grabbed her from behind and wrapped her in an embrace. The tension in her body released slowly and she let herself sink into his solid body, feeling warmth course through her body as if her blood had been set aflame.
"Mai, I didn't think you'd wait for me," Zuko said through a smile, letting his hands travel to Mai's slender waist and lowering his golden eyes to meet hers.
"You're lucky I hadn't run out of things to stab," Mai replied tersely, before returning his smile and leaning in. She traced his scar with her lips before settling on his mouth, kissing him softly as his hands ran through her long black hair.
They broke away quickly as the thick library doors swung open resoundingly. They grabbed random books and dove into separate chairs, attempting to look absorbed in reading as a tall, solemn looking man strode in.
"Screeching Dodo Ownership and Maintenance Manual. I didn't realize you were interested in such topics, daughter." Her father strode up to her, barely attempting to conceal his loathsome glare towards Zuko. Regardless of the amnesty Zuko offered her family, Mai's father remained bitter, though he wouldn't dare to act upon his feelings.
"I'm reading this with the hope that it can help me understand you," she responded impassively.
Her father hid his reaction well and pulled her out of the chair by her arm. "Your presence is requested for the meeting of the Diplomacy Council."
"I'll be there, but allow me to finish this chapter. It's rather intriguing… did you know that an annoying dodo can have its syrinx removed?" She responded, looking up at him icily, waiting for him to register the remark.
"Be in the council room in five minutes. And gather your knives, I'm tired of you leaving your toys about like a child," he said, narrowing his eyes. He turned and exited, his footsteps echoing before being cut off by the slam of the library doors.
As soon as he was gone, Mai tossed the book across the room and stood up, pacing to release her anger.
"I'm sorry about him. He's an ungrateful –" Mai started, trying to wrench a knife out of the leg of a table.
"It's alright, I understand parents like him," Zuko replied, a shadow crossing his face for a second. He shrugged, as if suggesting she forget about it. Mai rested her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. She hesitantly began pulling away before he stopped her and let his hand brush over her cheek.
"I want to go with you," he murmured.
"You have plenty to manage here, and I can take care of myself," Mai replied, trying to excuse her own desire for him to accompany her. "I have to go, but I'll miss you." She quickly broke away from him and turned to exit the library, hoping that he would not see her emotions from behind her carefully maintained mask. "I love you," she said quickly, looking back, before rushing from the room.
She ran into the meeting room, stopping in front of a crowd of stoic and vindictive faces to catch her breath. A woman at the head of the table they gathered around met her eyes disapprovingly before rising before her. Her piercing amber eyes and aggressively pulled back brown hair gave her the appearance of a lion vulture.
"There is no time for formalities. You were told you were being sent on a diplomatic mission to the Earth Kingdom but that was simply a cover for other motives. We will brief you on the way, but for now you must put this on and be prepared to travel covertly and as soon as possible." The woman handed her a bundle of emerald clothing. "We will wait for you outside this room." The group left the room and Mai held the outfit in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise and she felt a strange mixture of excitement and dread.
It was the uniform of a Kyoshi Warrior.