I do not own avatar.
I did this while listening to "Beautiful Day" by U2. Don't kill me.
Mai gazed dully up at the slowly drifting clouds. Rolling her eyes, she found herself wishing that she had someone to talk to. For the better part of her life she had always been with Azula and Ty Lee, but both were occupied with previous engagements. A sigh of boredom escaped her porcelain lips and she sat up from her bed of grass in the palace courtyard.
"Lovely day, is it not?" The young girl craned her neck, surprised. Her golden eyes widened as she recognized the plump form for General Iroh, more commonly called Uncle.
"Uh-umm," she stuttered, taken aback.
The older man smiled kindly down at the princess' playmate. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to startle you."
A pale blush seeping across her cheeks, Mai dropped her gaze to the ground. "Would you be so kind as to join me for a walk?" The old man inquired, seeing the young girl's embarrassment.
Still unwilling to meet his eyes, she nodded. She stood and began walking slowly by the general. While she remained silent, Iroh chatted endlessly about the weather, the garden, tea, the war, and politics. Even though all discussions were adult topics, Mai found herself listening intently to him. He brought a new spin to the usually dull ideas and had a knack for bringing a child-like view into things. Before Mai realized it, she was laughing at the older man's jokes and smiling in the way all children her age should.
It was evening by the time the two decided to return indoors. Mai turned to the old man, a small grin still smiling on her pale features. "Thank you very much, General Iroh," she said with a polite bow. "I had a very pleasant time walking with you today."
He nodded. "If you do not mind, Lady Mai, I have a couple requests." The young girl smiled, blushing slightly at being called "Lady Mai."
"One," the old man continued, "you join me for a walk tomorrow and two, you call me Uncle like my niece and nephew do. I am getting tired of all these general remarks. I'm out of the military and I want to enjoy the pleasure of my family."
Mai agreed to do both then hurried to her room, still grinning madly. As she ate her dinner and prepared for bed, her thoughts returned to the gen….. to Uncle Iroh. She wondered at how he and the princess could be related. They were polar opposites.
Excited for the next day to come, she fell quickly asleep, happily dreaming of the walks she and her new acquired friend would enjoy.
Mai let herself cry. Rarely had she ever cried in her life, but today was definitely a day to let her immense sorrow show. As she stared out of the window in her room in the glorious Ba Sing Se palace, her mind filled with the horrible image of the old general burning at the stake, a peaceful look spread across his soft features.
Azula had said it was the most honorable way for any man of the Fire Nation to die. Leaving the world in smoke and flame was the greatest privilege anyone could ever ask for, but this did little to soothe Mai. He was still dead, no matter how you looked at it.
As she sat on the edge of the bed, memories floated through her thoughts. She remembered the joy she had felt when he had walked with her that day so many years ago. She also remembered the pain she had housed when he had not been able to come see her the next day. In fact, she hadn't ever walked with him again. And she never would, ever again.
Her golden eyes returned to the beautiful blue sky that hovered overhead. Clouds slowly drifted by. "Lovely day," she thought sadly.
Author's notes:
Okay, I know it sounds like Mai has a crush on Iroh, but that is not the way I wanted it to sound. He is supposed to be like a friend or a father figure. So please don't say anything about them being a couple. They're like forty years apart. :P
Anyway, Please Review! I'm new here and some constructive criticism would be appreciated. Or praise, praise is good.