"Zuko!"
"Mae Lee!"
Both children ran to one another, excited to finally meet after being apart for days.
"So you Zuko, what kept you too busy for your best friend?" Mae Lee asked teasingly.
Zuko's eight-year-old face turned red, "Mother and Father wanted me to meet some girl who could be my bride…"
"Eww… Gross, you're only eight! I'm only seven and my parents haven't even thought of making me someone's bride," Mae Lee said, scrunching up her nose. Zuko smiled before grabbing her hand and running towards the garden.
"Mae Lee, this job is very important to Mama. Mama's friend is going to let her watch the Prince and Princess. The Princess is your age, Prince Zuko is a year older…Promise Mama not to cause trouble?" A mother asked her young child.
"Mama, I never want to make trouble. Is it because of my hair?" The six-year-old asked, pulling her shoulder length silver hair with a slightly chubby arm.
"Oh dear," the mother quickly grabbed her child's hand and led her into the room. There was a girl "playing" with an Earth styled doll and a boy holding a dagger gilded with gold calligraphy. They stop what they're doing and stand to "welcome" their new "nanny" and her daughter. The Prince sat back down after greeting them with a stiff nod, lounging on the mats and large stuffed pillows. The Princess walked over first and studied them with sharp eyes.
"I suppose you'll do," she turned to the Prince, "Zuko, you can take the girl, she can be your maid. The mother will cater to my needs." She pushed Mae Lee to Zuko. Mae Lee crashed to the ground near Zuko's feet. Slowly she pushed herself to her knees and looked at him through lowered eyes. Zuko rolled his eyes as he sheathed his dagger. He got up from his lounging mat and walked out the door, it is ignoring her. Mae Lee groaned as she got up and followed them.
Zuko was sitting on the ledge of a water fountain in the garden. Mae Lee sat quietly next to him, her hands busy making a crown of daisies.
"Sing," the command came with no warning. Mae Lee froze and raised her eyes to his.
"You can talk right?" He asked. Mae Lee suddenly realized she had never said a word to him since her mother began working at the palace last month.
"Yes, I can talk… Sir," she said, careful of what she said.
"Then sing," he said, lightly tapping his foot on her leg. She did as she was told, and sang of the spring when flowers came out to say hello. When she finished, her head bowed itself. A firm hand patted her shoulder.
"You're good-" He said, thinking for her name.
"Mae Lee… My name is Mae Lee, Prince Zuko," she whispered.
"Just call me Zuko, Mae Lee," he said before taking the daisy crown she made and placing it on her head.
"What do you mean Zuko?"
"I mean I really like you."
"Zuko…"
If anyone cared to look towards the royal balcony, they'd see the 15 year old prince embracing the soon-to-be 14 year old girl whom he was inseparable from.
Mae Lee was walking to Zuko's to wake him up. Today he turned 16, and in a week he would be fighting his father. She turned another corner to see Zuko kissing May, a "friend" of his sister. She watched, rooted to the spot as they continued kissing. When they pulled apart, they smiled before turning towards her and freezing.
Mae Lee woke up and pushed herself into a sitting position. Grabbing her pouch, she stood and began running back to the Air Temple… Something was about to happen.