Twelve year old Zuko sauntered through the palace hallways, his expression less than favorable. Should you have asked him why he sauntered, he would have supplied you with the firm and legitimate response: "Because." Now, you could infer from this simple word many prospects. Prince Zuko might have sauntered because somehow he had been blamed for the fire set in the banquet hall, which had been Azula's doing. He might have sauntered because he had failed the last test administered by his tutor; it had been a little difficult to study without his textbooks, as Azula had hidden them somewhere in the vast scope of the royal library. He might have sauntered because he had been promptly shown up during his firebending lessons when his little sister had demonstrated the techniques he should have been learning with perfection. Regardless of the reason, Zuko sauntered and had taken care not to allow his spirits to be risen for the remainder of the day.
He slunk into the eastern parlor, his eyes transfixed on the floor until he heard a familiar sound- the sound of a blade being unsheathed from its holster. Instinctively he shuddered, his eyes shifting from left to right as he tried to identify the source of the noise. He noticed something flicker out of the corner of his eye, and he peered around the marble column before him into the vastness of the parlor. In the far corner of the room was one of Azula's closest companions. Mai, as he recalled. In her hand she held a sleek dagger, which she was weighing curiously in her right hand with a puzzled expression on her face. Zuko paled, his first instinct being to lunge across the room and swipe the knife from her hands. He had never seen a lady of the court handle a weapon before, and she would most likely be hurt if she wasn't careful. Nevertheless, he remained shrouded behind the column and watched as the girl turned his back to him, perpendicular to the wall about twenty-five meters away. She drew the blade to her chest and her body tensed, before she flung the knife toward the banner fostering the Fire Nation insignia. It struck the banner dead center before bouncing off the wall behind it. Zuko's lips parted in shock; her aim was perfect! Nevermind that she'd just hurled a dagger at the sacred crest of their nation.
She stepped forward to retrieve the knife, and then repeated the motion. She struck her mark again. And again. And again. And again… With every strike Zuko felt himself take another silent step, until he had emerged from the shadows directly behind her. "You're really good at that."
Mai inhaled sharply, her wrist twisting in mid-toss. The dagger clattered to the ground as she whipped around to face the Prince. "Your Highness." She masked her shock with a slight bow, her gaze flickering to the knife on the floor. "My apologies. I was just occupying myself while Azula was attending to her firebending lessons." The slightest of blushes tinged her cheeks, though it went unnoticed by the other who had stooped down to retrieve the fallen weapon.
"Do you practice often?" He held the blade up to the nearby lantern to admire its commendable build. It was stained and worn, but a decent weapon nonetheless.
Mai shrugged, her eyes revealing her surprise. How could it be that the Prince was even remotely interested in her undertakings? Reflexively, she itched to reach out and take back her weapon, though it certainly was not her place. He was a Prince; he was entitled. "As often as I can. It was one of my father's old knives."
"I see." Zuko twisted his wrist, rotating the blade with curiosity. "Say, how did you manage to hit the exact same place every single time? What's your secret?"
Mai felt an inexplicable heat rise to her cheeks as the young Prince stared her down intently. He was asking for… her advice? He was admitting that she possibly knew something about weaponry he had not yet discovered? This was unlike everything her mother had ever taught her about males. Males were prideful, stubborn, and could never be made to believe that they knew anything less than their female counterparts. Perhaps Zuko, despite being handsome and cordial, was not yet a 'man' bound by these unwritten absolutes. "Well, you see… it's not always reliable to make your point of focus the center of the banner. It's inconsistent. Try lining up your elbow with the candleholder there. It's easier than trying to rotate your wrist to accomplish the angle." The authoritative words felt strange in her mouth, as she was addressing one of the highest standing nobles in the entire Fire Nation. Zuko's eyebrow quirked as he squared his posture and assumed his stance with an uncertain expression. He focused his attention on the motion and strength of his throw in relation to the foreground, rather than weakly eyeballing the target.
Upon releasing the dagger, he was pleased to find that he was but a few millimeters off target. A little more concentration and he'd be tossing dead center in no time. "Hmm." Zuko's expression shifted into that of amusement as he scratched the back of his neck shyly. "Thanks." His eyes widened as though undergoing a sudden realization, before dashing forward to retrieve the blade. His cheeks were tinged with a light pink as he approached the girl, weapon in hand. "Would you… like to learn a trick? It's something my cousin taught me a few years back." Mai felt her head incline with a nod, her blush mimicking that of the boy's. Her blush intensified and her lips parted in wonder as the other took her right hand into his left, before pressing the hilt of the knife into her palm. "This works for most standard blades. Steady it with your index curved beneath the hilt. Yes, just like this." His hands were soft and gentle against hers, a sure sign of his royal upbringing.
"Flick your wrist at a forty-five degree angle and the knife will always land blade-up." His fingers wrapped around her slim wrist and tilted its position to indicate the motion. "Flick your wrist at a ninety degree angle and the knife will land blade-down. It's strange- it works from no matter what distance. Lu Ten explained it as having something to do with gravity and acceleration."
Mai felt an odd sense of loss as the Prince withdrew his grasp from hers. To cover up her disappointment, she began practicing the technique multiple times. Each time it had the same effect, much to her satisfaction. "This is a handy technique for concealed weapons in a tight situation."
"Yes, well…" Zuko caught the knife in midair with a slight smirk. "You should never have to use it."
Mai felt a great pressure on her chest, and a flare of anger was ignited that prodded her tongue to speak fiery words. "And pray tell, why is that Prince Zuko?" Her gaze hardened as she stepped forward and uncouthly snatched the dagger from his grasp. "Because women are not suited to fight?"
"Not at all. You seem very suited for combat." Zuko leaned forward, tilting his head so that his lips were centimeters away from her ear. "But you will never have reason to pick up a weapon. I would throw myself in front of a thousand daggers for you."
Zuko put a hand over his heart, half-amazed by the rate at which it was pounding. He stood pressed against a chilly marble wall, his form hidden from the passersby on the street by a convenient row of olive trees. He was not sure what someone would have thought if they had seen him lurking suspiciously outside of a window that belonged to a young woman. Zuko tensed, as he heard the awaited footsteps and the soft click of a door. She's back. The expected sounds could be heard- the thump of a book bag hitting the floor, the rustling of a cloak being cast aside, and footsteps rounding the room. Suddenly, all movement stopped and Zuko's stomach twisted. He took a slight sidestep and peered around the vine-framed pane of glass.
Mai had halted by her bedside, her back turned toward him as she picked up the wrapped box that lay innocently on her pillow. She studied the package, before untying the single ribbon that held the red decorative tissue to its rectangular form. After brushing away the dressings carelessly onto her bed, she observed the article intently for a rather extended period of time. Zuko could barely hear his own thoughts over the sound of his heartbeat. Unable to withstand the suspense, he tapped gently on the glass three times, earning a slight jump from the other. Mai turned around swiftly, her alarm morphing into an expression of plainly forced irritation. She set the box down almost reverently on her bed before striding over to the window and unlatching it to meet the Prince face to face.
"You must think yourself rather clever," she scorned, the slightest hint of a smile tingeing her lips. She leaned forward, resting her weight on her forearms as she brought her face a teasing few inches away from his.
"Clever? No, not at all." Zuko took her hand into his and pressed his lips against it. Mai's breath caught in her throat, and she struggled to contain the trembling of her arm. "Romantic, maybe."
"Yeah, sure. You've really swept me off my feet, standing outside of my window like some sort of malevolent stalker." Even through the thick layer of sarcasm that coated her voice, Zuko could sense the affection that was buried deep beneath her indifference. She squeezed his hand and her voice softened. "You know, I never thought it would come to this."
"Certainly you can't tell me it never crossed your mind?" Zuko admonished, inclining his head mischievously. "After everything? Did you think I was leading you on?"
"No, no." Mai looked away, her lips pursed. Something within her was struggling to understand, and Zuko could only raise a curious eyebrow. "That's not what I meant. It's just…" A shadow of doubt passed over her eyes. Her next words were whispered so softly, they may very well have never been spoken. "Why me?"
Puzzlement crossed over Zuko's expression. What a ridiculous question. Why? Why? Because… Because… She was Mai! She was who she was!
"Remember, you're not courting just anyone. You're courting Mai. The point isn't to shower her with useless gifts- it's to remind you both of why you love each other. Give her something that lets her know she's someone you're choosing to be with."
Zuko's eyes fluttered shut, a sweet smile passing over his lips. "I guess you have five more days to find out, don't you?" Using the window ledge as a brace, he lifted himself up and kissed her cheek. A gasp escaped her, and the Prince slipped away as quietly as he had come.
Left on Mai's bed was a new set of throwing knives, with a small piece of paper upon which was scratched, The best thing about owning a weapon is never having to use it.
