Zuko stepped down his carriage. He was burning within, but he dared not show it, not because of his pride, but humbly, because of respect.
It was a happy day for the court. One of his young generals, to be beloved as much as Uncle Iroh he suspects, got married today. He himself has just come from the ceremonies, although it was barely over since the whole nation was celebrating the nuptial of one their heroes. Sai-yok, the groom, is the best among his generals. No, he did not fight in the battlefields that still plagued the land because of factions within the country, he could not even bend... but he is vital to the rebuilding of their torn and broken nation. For a hundred years, the fire nation did inflict so much harm against the other countries, but it also severely hurt itself. The war robbed their own people their peace, lands of their farmers, merchants their trade... families their sons. Everywhere desolation, in every belly hunger.
Sai-yok was a young rebel who took after his father, and grandfather's quest for peace. His family, being a devout follower of the Avatar Roko, kept faith that the new avatar would come and save all. Sai-yok had said that at age 15, he had travelled all of the vast fire nation, spreading the word of hope to the common people, while rousing their desires to fight to resist war for their own peace. And those from all the parts of the country did remember him, and so the people trusted Zuko, blood and heir of the fire lords that brought them agony, who rode with him. Although Zuko felt that the people did love Sai-yok more, he never envied him, not until now.
He hated that Mai did not look bored, did not look so much like she didn't care. He was jealous that she shared her smile to everyone in the large room. He always thought that that smile was his only... what bastard would teach her to give that freely away? Among all the living, he had loved her second only to Uncle Iroh. That was after the war. Because some time after which, he had loved his nation more. And Mai thought that she still loved only him, and became very jealous. And Mai became impatient, and Zuko became impatient with her. If only for that, they could have still stayed together. but other things did not stay the same, or did not feel the same.
"You loved me because you had nobody else," she said mockingly last night, just before she went to sleep early for her wedding. There was no hint of hurt, instead she was full of joy and he knew he would never be able to make her feel like that. "And i loved you because I was young and stupid." She added. Their relationship was ridges deeper than that, he was sure, but it was also true somehow.
And she hugged him, and he knew that he would always be there for her, he would still kill for her if he had to... but he did not love her the way he did when they still stayed at the beach house and when his mother left him... if only it was him who taught her to be selfless with her smile... and her time and her love... maybe he would still have loved her like before.