Travels through the Alphabet Featuring Mai
Chapter One: Apples and Absences
Mai wandered off, away from the garden's stone path, checking over her shoulder every few moments, making certain that no one followed. Once she felt secure, Mai stared down at her feet and noticed the scruffy bits of dead, brown grass marring the expanse of green. That would not have been tolerated in Ursa's day.
But Ursa's gone.
A pang of loss hit the girl and her chest felt tight and achy. Ursa had been so good to Mai.
Ty Lee's laughter and Azula's imperious voice faded more and more until they were nothing but whispers caressing Mai's ears. She headed toward a copse and lost herself inside. In her hand was an apple, fresh plucked from the garden's lone apple tree. Its red skin, smooth and unblemished was almost too pretty to ruin, but Mai took a bite anyway and savored the slightly tart taste. Juice rolled down her throat and dribbled onto her chin. The thirteen year old scrubbed at the mess and wiped pale, long fingers off on her tunic.
Settling down on the soft ground, not so dried out by the powerful sun as those more exposed parts of the garden, Mai took her time with the rest of the apple. Each one she ate from that tree was both joy and sorrow and brought back with poignant clarity the day Zuko had saved her from Azula's burning apple prank. She'd liked him before. She loved him from that moment on.
Mai snatched the fruit in secret and hid the apples inside her tunic. Ty Lee would only give her a knowing glance and speak cheerfully of true love and reunions, while reading her aura. Azula would mock her banished brother; try to make him small and worthless in Mai's eyes. And Mai would stand by silent and still, no expression on her face but burning inside. They'd seen her take an apple once. Mai wouldn't let them see again.
Neither affected her; not Ty Lee's optimism, not Azula's scathing assault on Zuko's character and abilities. Mai had her own thoughts about the boy she loved. She'd grieved his leaving and continued to mourn his absence. She imagined what his life might be like, how he might change, what he looked like. None of that mattered really. He was still Zuko and he would always be her Zuko. But thinking about the prince, trying in her small way to experience what he was going through, kept him close.
Mai's mother and father urged the girl to forget and focus on becoming a well behaved noblewoman who would attract many marriage offers. That was their solution. Mai silently seethed at them too. They didn't understand the depth of her feelings or the wound that Zuko's departure had left. Then, they didn't understand much about Mai at all.
The apple was almost finished. Mai took the final bite and closed her eyes, picturing Zuko's face, his eyes, recalling his voice and words he'd once said. It was all she had left and Mai treasured her memories as a miser treasured his gold. She would not relinquish them for anything.
Breaking apart the apple core, Mai dug out the tiny brown seeds and held them in her palm. It was hard to believe that such an insignificant thing could quicken and grow and become another apple tree. Worming her way back out of the copse she blinked in the bright sun. As she walked, she spread the seeds and wished that one might grow.
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A/N: While I can't seem to focus on my chapter stories, little drabbles and bizarre one-shots are manageable for me right now. I don't promise to finish, but I'll try.
I have a poll up re my 'Zuko is the Fandom Bicycle' Series. Vote if you wish.
Thanks for reading and reviewing, if you do so.