I am so sorry for the previous version of this chapter. I was just not happy with it so I went ahead and revised it. But this is where you guys come in! Let me know if you read the previous chapter and if you think the revision is better or just a ton of crap too. XD At any rate, this is the new version of Chapter two and you guys will get a real update sometime very very soon. When I don't have a million and ten things happening at once. :)
Zuko sighed as quietly as possible as he signed the parchment before him. After weeks of mindless bickering with the elderly men of the trade council, Zuko longed for the rest and relaxation he had been denied as of late. Breathy chortling and the sound of rolling parchment filled the conference hall as the geriatrics swapped bows and handshakes amongst each other, polite nods in the direction of the young Fire Lord who simple smiled.
"Well, then, if we're finished here, my lord," Seto, with his graying eyes and stubble and round head proclaimed boisterously, "my grandchildren are awaiting me for an early dinner!" He patted his robust stomach and elicited some grunts of agreement from his peers. "Is there anything else you require from us, my lord?" He smiled wide.
"No," Zuko replied, almost too quickly, "that is all for today. Thank you, gentlemen. You are dismissed." The young lord in his tunic of silk the color of bricks turned and bowed, then sunk back into his chair while the others took their leave.
Closing his eyes, Zuko found his head drifting towards the table slowly. He could sleep here, if only for a moment; no more meetings, scheduled outings, conferences…He was officially signed out as Fire Lord for the evening and the sun had not even set! He cradled this thought in his mind as preciously as a child and felt a slight rush as he prepared his head for the impact of the rough surface. Just as the smell of the cherry wood stain rose into his nostrils, a rapping jolted him from his near slumber. Without waiting for a reply or permission to enter, the door opened, revealing a petite figure in a modest black dress. The neckline rose up to the woman's ears, as a cloth throttle that choked out a chiseled face. Soft black hair tufted high above pointed shoulders and flats two sizes too small accented obviously uncomfortable feet.
"Mai." Zuko nodded at her while she quietly closed the door. Her soft footprints drew nearer and Zuko suddenly found himself craving a glass of water.
"Zuko." A delicate hand fell on his shoulder. "I have something I need to discuss with you." Her voice was chilly but pressing although her eyes betrayed a soft expressionlessness that Zuko had always found trouble deciphering.
Zuko tucked his hands underneath one another and placed them on his lap, careful not to lean too far back or he would risk falling asleep. He was very exhausted. The trade council had met almost eight times in the past three days to discuss the final changes in a bill that would be passed to create a trade route into the mountains of the Western Fire Nation. This would also open the West Coast to creating port cities, stimulate trade with the Earth Kingdom and also allow for more tourism attractions to be settled in the harsher wilderness destinations west of the Fire Nation capitol. The bill had caused much controversy, as did everything nowadays, and Zuko had far too many late nights lying awake in bed with the stress on his mind. In fact, he was almost certain that he hadn't seen Mai in over a week. An obvious annoyance for her.
"The Council of the Fire Lily met today, Zuko." Mai's tone was serious, like a mother scolding her child for something they didn't know was wrong.
Zuko sighed, once more, as he knew what was coming. The Council of the Fire Lily had been his gift to Mai following his coronation as Fire Lord. It consisted of her and fourteen other young women who acted as delegates for matriarchal projects around the Fire Nation. They had successfully opened orphanages, reduced city waste and even helped to repurpose Ember Island to house a larger port city and more middle and lower class citizens looking for good work. All in all, they had been much more productive than Zuko had originally thought they would be. Mai had selected the other women due to their noble backgrounds, intelligence and sometimes even their beauty, so it honestly did not come as a surprise to her when their naturally dominating attitudes started to question her authority over them. As a Governor's daughter, she was quick to flaunt her superiority and take charge once more, however the events of the day's meeting had been something she had not anticipated so soon.
"Zuko, the delegates of the council are pressing further on your," she hestitated for a moment, drawing in even breaths, "your…reluctance to choose a wife."
How did he know this was coming? "I see," Zuko treaded lightly, placing his hand over hers on his shoulder, "and what did you have to say on this matter?"
"That the Fire Lord is of age and is currently… considering…who will fill the open seat of the Fire Lady." Zuko felt the hints she was pushing on him like a wave. However, Mai drifted off slightly, pulling her hand from his and wandering to the far east wall of the conference room, fingering the spines of the books on the large shelf as she walked by.
"Good, so what is the issue then?" Zuko pressed his fingers to his temples and tried to coax away his impending migraine. He had hoped to put this conversation off a bit longer and had especially hoped it would occur sometime when he had found the proper rest.
"Zuko," Mai turned back to him and took the seat directly across from him at the foot of the table, "the women of the Council, as you know, are mostly eligible young women of nobility, save for the few that married into their titles. There are currently ten women…including myself who are seeking husbands and…Well," she bit her lip, trying to focus on the delicacy of the situation, handling her romantic life like a business transaction. "If an announcement is not made soon, I am afraid, my lord, you will be courted." Mai only addressed him by his title when her patience was wearing thin and three years of dodged dinner dates, quietly sneaking around the palace halls and brief nights of intimacy ending long before sunrise had wrung her patience like a ripping towel.
Zuko had been aware of his feelings for Mai for quite some time. What feelings they were, however, were a complete enigma to him. All of the Fire Nation could suspect they had an ongoing affair, but Zuko would never confirm or deny it. He knew of Mai's burning affections for him for a while as well so it was only natural for the two of them to be hurled into a relationship of sorts. For a year following the war, it had been blissful; Mai would sneak through his window or slip extra coins to his bedchamber guards, and as a noblewoman, no one questioned her presence walking freely through the palace in wee hours of the morning and no one dared question her attire that looked shockingly similar to the previous day's dress. They would flirt over tea or visit the royal summer home on Ember Island together, ducking in an ally or a cluster of trees. Zuko grew busy, however, and in the wake of his coronation, Mai felt a change in the winds. Zuko became Fire Lord and Mai was lost in the shadows, only to steal sweet kisses more and more infrequently and finding herself embarrassed when doing so.
Something was lost in Zuko the day the golden crown was pushed into his ebony hair…
"Zuko, if you could just make an announcement of the choice of your betrothed, I am sure that that it would put the minds of the entire nation at ease." Mai regained her composure and confidence as she addressed the young man in front of her.
Zuko could see the logic in marrying Mai; they got along fairly, she was very pretty… but there was a piece missing, something she lacked and he knew she could never gain…
However this had gone on for long enough. He knew he had to make a tough decision to appease his people. Zuko ran his fingers back through his hair and stood, walking towards Mai. He found himself almost bounding, actually, taking the seat to her left very quickly. The silence pressed on as he cupped her hands that were delicately draped across her lap. There was something so tame in her. She was a noble lady of the Fire Nation and she made damn sure to remind herself and everyone around her constantly with her body language, treatment of the service staff, even her attention towards Zuko…
"Lady Mai," he addressed her formally, dropping her hands and placing his own flat on the table, palms down. He could feel heat swelling in his head; his body's way of trying to cope with the lack of sleep. "Lady Mai," he began again, "it would do me a great service if you-,"
Oh gosh, he's serious…
"Lady Mai," he cleared his throat, catching her stare and fumbling on his words like a grade school student, though not for a childlike wonder of nervousness, but an impending doom that towered above him. "It would be very honorable of you-"
This is happening, oh wow…
"-if you could-"
Yes, go on…
"-please inform the Council of the Fire Lily-"
Zuko, oh…
"-that I will not be announcing my engagement or accepting any offers of courtship…"
The words drifted off like they were being said by someone falling from a cliff. Mai's eyes burned in her sockets and her head felt dizzy. Had she said the wrong thing? Was Zuko not understanding…No, he was definitely understanding what her intentions were the moment she walked into the room. His eyes were pleading orbs of honey sunk into a half clear half clouded sky of ivory skin. Mai could see under his palms that small puddles of sweat and wood stain had formed from his nervous manipulation of the element imbued so clearly over his left eye. No words could cut through the tension of the moment, even as Zuko's final words rippled past Mai's ears. She did not hear them. She was in shock. She sprung from her chair and a ringing smack shot into the air as her palm and fingertips caressed the Fire Lord's dumbfounded face with all the ferocity of a tiger wolf, taking a small bit of scar with them. And finally, like the snuffing of a candle, the flame inside Mai had gone, just as she did.
There was a point of exhaustion that even firebenders faced where sleep was no longer an option that would sate the weakened mind. However, Zuko felt it was still worth a try as he kicked his boots under his bed and fell back into the satin sheets. He did not bother to undress or redress or even close the curtains to block the fiery sunset that reflected in every golden polished surface of his ornately decorated room. The stinging of his face had long subsided, replaced with a numb swelling that tingled deeply into his cheek. His eyes fluttered shut and he rolled, burying his face into a pillow of turtle duck feathers. Finally, he had some sort of peace. Darkness cast itself over him and the sun bursting through his window eventually faded into a moon, bold and red like an orb of blood hung high in the sky.
Iroh had not visited the Fire Nation capital in almost six months. Still, no matter how long he spent away, as long as his nephew was on the throne he felt warm and welcome walking the halls of the great palace. Tonight was no exception. His ship had come in earlier in the evening but he had enjoyed walking through the city in the warm fall air. His attentions were now focused on finding his nephew.
The sun had just set and the moon now hung in the sky. It was red, like a blood orange, but too red to be a harvest moon. It was the kind of red that prompted mothers to hug their children for an extra few seconds before sending them to bed; the kind of red that called for an extra few checks of the locks on the doors; the kind of red that screamed death or despair. A red moon was the only omen of red that did not bode good tidings, even for those in the Fire Nation.
The Fire Lord's bedchambers were in the east wing of the palace on the third floor. It was a climb, but Iroh ascended the stairs in his old age with the grace of a zebra gazelle. A guard was posted outside of his room.
"Sintag." Iroh approached the guard and bowed.
"General Iroh, sir, it's an honor." The guard returned the gesture. "Is there something I can assist you with?"
"Sintag, my friend, I was hoping to visit with my nephew this evening. I granted myself the liberty of searching the library or his office but he was absent from both. Is he feeling well?" Iroh smiled.
"Well, sir, he was very tired when he arrived at his room this afternoon. He has not had any other callers."
"If you don't mind," Iroh allowed himself to reach for the door handle, "I will let myself in. Can you have a servant bring tea? Jasmine, of course."
"Uh, well, yes, sir." Sintag fumbled slightly, unsure of whether to stop the Dragon of the West from entering the Fire Lord's chambers. He ultimately decided to allow it, scooting down the hall to find a free hand to fetch tea this late in the evening.
Iroh opened and shut the door with a ferocious bang. Zuko's chambers consisted of four rooms. The first was the antechamber that housed a small table and chairs, a sofa and bookshelves lining every inch of the walls. To the left in the antechamber was a door that lead out onto a large balcony that housed a raised garden. To the right lead into the Fire Lord's bedroom and ultimately a wash room and closet. The room itself was decorated in the finest gold and cherry wood ornamentations and furniture. Red curtains sheathed the moonlight out of the room, small flickering candles were scattered on shelves and bureaus and the table in the center of the room for heat and light. Iroh made his way to the large door that lead into the bedroom. He rapped lightly on the door, just as he heard a rapping come from the antechamber door. He decided that Zuko could use a few more minutes' rest and he walked back over to the door he had come through, letting in a young maid who carried a silver tray with a tea kettle and warmer, two cups and a basket of tea leaves and sugars. She bowed to Iroh as she placed the tray on the table.
"General Iroh, this message was also brought by courier and meant for immediately delivery to the Fire Lord." She smiled sweetly and slipped the crisp parchment envelope to Iroh, who slipped her a few coins from his pocket. The envelope had a weight to it and Iroh could feel a small object inside, like a stone.
"Thank you, dear. That is all." He smiled as she exited and the young Fire Lord emerged from his bedroom, groggy and barely conscious.
"Uncle Iroh." The old man approached Zuko as he wandered over to the table and wrapped him in a fatherly embrace. Zuko hugged back lightly and plopped himself down in a comfortable chair while Iroh prepared the tea.
It was always a pleasure to see his uncle, and although Zuko lacked enthusiasm due to his current state, Iroh knew he was happy to see him.
"What's the time, Uncle?" Zuko accepted the tea cup being offered to him. Iroh took a seat across from him and smiled.
"Why, Zuko, it is roughly half past the twenty first hour. You have been sleeping since before sunset, correct?"
Zuko nodded, sipping his tea and relaxing. It was nice to keep the presence of someone who did not feel the need to badger him with insolent questions or have him sign books full of parchments. Zuko pondered whether or not he should tell his uncle of his afternoon, including his time with Mai. He decided that was a conversation better had by the truly lucid.
"Zuko, this was also delivered to you just moments ago." Iroh passed the envelope to his nephew and watched as he tore it open, pulling out a piece of parchment. He lazily let the envelope fall to the floor, a small item rolling out of it and under the table. Zuko sighed loudly in frustration and as his uncle bent down to pick it up, the Fire Lord read the message aloud;
"Fire Lord Zuko,
A young woman was found on the shore outside your home on Ember Island. She is currently being held in our cells on the island but refuses to speak with anyone until you arrive. We at the Ember Island Police Force desperately apologize for disturbing you, but the young peasant insisted that we at least send the disclosed item to you for inspection. We await your reply.
General Anto, Ember Island Police For-" Zuko glanced up, noticing his Uncle's wide- eyed expression at the object he turned over in his hand. "Uncle, what is it?"
Iroh held the object up to the light for his nephew to see. Zuko's eyes fell upon the small blue trinket and he felt the heat of a gasp escape his lips.
"Katara."
So I guess I am going to do my author's notes in weird formats every single time. For those who are slightly confused, again, I edited and revised this chapter. I really hope this turned out better than before and like I said, this isn't how every chapter is going to be, so I am so super duper sorry! Maybe because I feel so bad you guys can tell me I am doing a kinda okay job and I will have more inspiration to post another chapter! :P Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following!
