A/N: In her review of 'The Education of Miyako's Father', FairladyZ2005 wondered if I would make a series of stories revolving around Zuko as a dad. At the time I had no plans to, but the idea sort of stuck. So, yes, there will be more to come eventually.
The Education of Miyako's Father
Part 2: She's not a Baby Anymore
It seemed that Zuko had only just gotten used to holding and loving and caring for the tiny bundle that fit in the crook of his arm. But Miyako wasn't that tiny bundle any longer. She was turning one; she walked, albeit only a few halting steps at a time and she could speak a few adorable sounding words.
The Fire Lord had never been more proud than when Miyako had first uttered, "Daddy." Had it been possible, his heart would have become a puddle of goo, completely melted forever. Agni, he adored his little girl. Between his love for Miyako and his love for Mai, he was fulfilled beyond any of the dreams for happiness he had once cherished.
He couldn't get angry at anything his daughter did, whether it was knocking over a pot of ink and soaking his documents, throwing up on his finest robes, or taking her bowlful of food and heaving it gleefully down onto the floor. There was no maliciousness behind any of her actions, of course. She was barely a year old. Besides, one look into those gold eyes that were duplicates of her mother's and any bit of irritation he felt fled, impotent in the face of little tears or little grins.
Quite simply, Miyako had Daddy wrapped around her finger.
"She's going to need discipline, you know," Mai smirked as Zuko swung their daughter into the air. "Will you be able to give it?"
Zuko looked at the child, her black hair pulled into a pert ponytail, six tiny white teeth showing as she giggled, chubby cheeks pink and glowing, and grinned.
The thought of raising his voice to Miyako or taking a toy away made his heart ache, but he didn't want an unmanageable, spoiled princess of a daughter either. "Yes," he sighed heavily. "When the time comes, I'll manage." He put the toddler back down on her feet and she hung on to his robes for balance. "Look at her, Mai, she's actually walking. It's incredible." Miyako, feeling safe once again, let go of the red cloth and headed for Mai.
"Come here, Miyako, it's time for your bath." Mai held her hand out, encouraging the little girl to make it that far on her own two feet. When she did, the toddler let out a cry of triumph and fell into her mother's embrace.
After her bath, they put Miyako to bed and had some adult time, something they both insisted on and realized the importance of. Mai sat on the sofa reading a book, while Zuko lay with his head in her lap and enjoyed the luxury of musing and dreaming.
"You know, I never had a pet." He craned his neck around and looked up at Mai. Her book covered her face. "My father thought that bestowing love upon a lowly animal was a waste of time."
"He thought bestowing love upon people was a waste of time too," Mai reminded him pointedly. "And I never had a pet either. Mother didn't want any messes." She paused for a moment, read another few lines, and then put the book down. "Where are you going with this, as if I didn't know?"
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could get a pet for Miyako. We're trying to be different from our parents after all." His voice was wheedling and Mai rolled her eyes automatically. "I know you're rolling your eyes, but I still think it's a good idea."
"She's far too young to look after an animal; which means we'll be looking after the animal. Is that what you want?" Mai poked him in the chest and stared down into his eyes.
"I know, but when she gets older, she can help and she'll have a little friend to love. Sokka's kids have all kinds of animals." He sat up then and wrapped an arm around Mai. "And no, this isn't a competition thing with Sokka. That's what you were going to ask next, wasn't it?"
"All right, say I agree; what kind of pet did you have in mind?" Mai was almost afraid of the reply. "And you may as well admit now that you've already looked into this. I can see it on your face."
Zuko's good eye opened wide. He was still surprised sometimes how well his wife of five years could read him. "Okay, okay; I've spoken with a dealer in animals, pets for families more specifically. He's kind of coming to the palace tomorrow with a whole bunch of creatures for us to choose from." Zuko said the last sentence quickly, trying to skim over the details, hoping Mai wouldn't hear everything."
Mai looked reasonable. She sounded reasonable. "I see; and what time tomorrow will this happen?"
"He'll be here just after breakfast. Miyako's going to be so excited. And we can consider it a birthday gift for her. She is turning one next week." The Fire Lord was twenty four years old, but sometimes he felt like a little boy around Mai. Now was one of those times.
"All right, birthday gift it is. Now let me get back to my book." That was the end of the discussion.
The palace's largest sitting room had become a zoo in the space of just a few minutes. Zuko watched, Miyako riding on his shoulders as the animal dealer and his men carried in cage after cage. Mai directed the man, sternly telling him to avoid the sofas and the chairs and the tables.
"Watch that!" she exclaimed as two men nearly knocked over a lantern. She picked it up and placed it safely at the top of a nearby cabinet, taking time to shoot her husband a fiery look. Miyako laughed and waved at her mother. The anger Mai felt dissipated and she waved back with a smile.
Cages filled with everything from exotic birds to lizards, platypus bear cubs to piglets, and monkeys to puppies were finally lined up so that the royal family could inspect all the animals.
"What do you like, Miyako?" Zuko asked as he lifted her off his shoulders and placed her down on the floor. "Show Mommy and Daddy."
The little girl was enthralled with the cacophony of noises that arose from the different animals and birds. Mai covered her ears and gave Zuko another dirty look. "Isn't there a quieter animal?" she asked. "Something less, I don't know, annoying."
She trailed along behind, watching as Zuko and their daughter looked at each and every creature available. The birds seemed to frighten her while the lizards incited no interest whatsoever. She stared at one of the monkeys for quite some time and laughed at its antics, then moved on, suddenly captivated by the little bear cub.
The animal dealer was putting the hard sell on, informing the Fire Lord and Fire Lady of each animal's and bird's wonderful qualities as a pet.
Mai tugged on Zuko's sleeve. He turned and when he saw her face, almost blanched. He knew that look well. "Most of these would not make very good pets. The bear will get huge, the birds have to be kept in cages, and the lizards aren't exactly warm and cuddly. One of the puppies is best, but Miyako doesn't seem interested."
Zuko was irritated suddenly. His great idea had been deflated and the morning was not turning out as wonderfully as he had expected it to. "Well, I don't know, Mai. Let's have another look." He shrugged off her hand and kept walking.
It was then that the animal dealer pulled a tiny black kitten, an ordinary cat, not a hybrid, from a pocket inside his coat. It fit in the palm of his large hand and observed everything around it with intelligent yellow eyes. Mai saw it first and, forgetting everything else, strode toward the dealer, intent on having the kitten for herself, or rather for Miyako.
"May I see it," she asked the dealer. Her words were polite but the tone was demanding. She would see the kitten.
"But it's just a cat," the dealer reminded her. "Wouldn't you like something more exotic and unique for the little princess?"
"No, I want something manageable and quiet, and that kitten looks perfect." Mai put her hand out and waited for the pushy man to place the kitten in her palm. The warm little bundle began to purr as soon as Mai cradled it close. It nestled into her chest, completely at home already. "It's a female?" Mai asked, confirming what she had already seen.
"Yes, and she's only a few weeks old. But I still don't know why you would want that when you could have…."
"Your opinion is of no interest to me," the Fire Lady interrupted the man. "Get all these cages out of the palace and tell me what you want for the cat."
"Hmmph," he huffed indignantly. The dealer considered overcharging Mai; she was rich, wasn't she? What were a few extra coins to her? But something in her eyes made him change his mind. "Fine then; I'll take two coins. That's a bargain, by the way."
"I'm sure that it is." Mai dug out two coins from her pocket and thrust them into his hand. "Now go."
"Why are they leaving? Miyako was just warming up to the piglet."
Zuko was almost whining and Mai had to laugh. "I found our pet, Miyako's pet; look!" She knelt down in front of her daughter and showed her the kitten. The toddler laughed and reached out to pet, her fingers gripping the short, ebony hairs. The kitten squirmed a bit but continued to purr and looked at the girl with beautiful yellow eyes.
"A kitten; but that's so ordinary and they're sneaky, aren't they? What if it scratches Miyako?" The Fire Lord wasn't particularly pleased. A kitten was not what he had had in mind.
"Then she'll learn to treat it better, won't she? And I always wanted a cat; there's something elegant about them, something noble and they only give you affection when they damn well feel like it. I admire that." She stroked the cat's back and rubbed behind tiny ears. "And see, Miyako loves her already."
It was true. Miyako was in love. She watched the cat's every move with her shining gold eyes, and pressed her little nose into its even smaller damp one. Zuko had to beam at the sight.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." He knelt too and took a closer look at the kitten. "It actually reminds me of you, so how could I say 'no'?" Zuko reached out tentatively and petted the animal's head. "Welcome to the family, kitten."
"It's name is Susu*," Mai informed him. "Don't you think that's appropriate? And it's easy for Miyako to say."
Zuko grimaced. The name reminded him of his own nickname from years ago, one his sister Azula used to torment him with. But when Miyako, as if proving her mother's point, shrieked out "Susu" at the top of her lungs, all bad associations were forgotten.
"Susu it is," he chuckled, placing a kiss on Miyako's head and then one on Mai's lips.
Within days, Susu had not only won a spot in the hearts of each member of the royal family, but had the entire staff enamored with her too. She would stroll down the corridors as if she ran the palace, Miyako crawling, sometimes walking after the kitten, a toothy grin on her pretty little face. Mai remained a discreet distance behind, close enough to aid Miyako if she needed it but far enough back to give the girl the illusion of freedom.
When they both ducked into the kitchen, the cook, part of the royal staff for years and years, snuck Susu a scrap of fish and Miyako a fresh cookie or bit of bread warm from the oven. By mid morning, both little ones were ready for a nap. The princess had taken to curling up on the rug at the foot of her new bed, right next to Susu. She refused to leave the kitten and put a possessive arm around it if Mai or Zuko tried to pry her away.
"Do you think she's getting too attached?" Zuko asked on the eve of Miyako's birthday. He put the sleeping girl carefully into her bed and covered her up.
Mai bent down and kissed the girl's forehead. "Zuko, you wanted her to have a pet and she does. She adores Susu. Stop your worrying."
"All right, all right; I know I worry too much, but I can't help it, Mai. I love her so much and I want everything for her to be perfect."
Mai snorted then and choked back laughter. "Perfect; that's a sweet dream, but it will never happen. She's going to get hurt and she's going to cry and people will be cruel to her. It's inevitable, Zuko, and it will make her stronger. We can't protect her from everything."
Zuko sighed and stared down at their daughter. "I don't want her to get hurt, Mai." His voice was thick with tears.
She coiled her arms around Zuko's waist and pressed her body close to his. "I know. I'm not relishing the idea either. But it will be okay."
They kissed then, slowly and carefully, allowing the passion to build before they moved to their own room. For a time, neither Zuko nor Mai worried about Miyako.
Rather than have a party with their friends and family, Mai and Zuko decided to make Miyako's first birthday a private affair for just the three of them. They took Susu along with a picnic lunch out into the gardens and just relaxed. The little girl played with her kitten, ate her fill and explored. A toddler couldn't possibly ask for more and her parents were just as content to watch, stealing a few kisses here and there, and making sure that neither Miyako nor Susu took a dive into the turtleduck pond.
It was one of those days that seemed to stretch out into infinity, not because it was dull, but because it was surreally perfect and every moment seemed crystallized as a memory to treasure, something the young parents would look back on for years to come.
"Are you still worried that your uncle will be upset he wasn't invited?" Mai teased as she reached for another piece of melon.
Zuko nabbed his own piece of fruit and bit at it delicately before answering. "No, I'm not worried. And we'll be visiting him soon, so it's fine. Besides, I wouldn't change anything about this day, nothing at all."
"Neither would I," Mai sighed contentedly. She leaned back then, laying her head on Zuko's lap and closed her eyes. "Watch them for a few minutes, will you. I feel sleepy."
The Fire Lord kept a sharp eye on his daughter while stroking Mai's hair and it wasn't long before he needed to fight his own drowsiness. He blinked furiously. Falling asleep was not an option. Eventually, Miyako and Susu joined them on the blanket and flopped down, both of them stretched out on their backs, Miyako's chubby fingers resting lightly across the kitten's stomach.
"Hey, Miya, are you going to sleep like Mommy?" Zuko stifled a yawn and rubbed at tired eyes.
"Seep," the girl repeated and was out.
Zuko was more than content to watch his three girls. He could happily spend the remainder of his life doing just that.
Rain beat against the shutters mercilessly. It was just past midday and was almost as dark as midnight. Lanterns were lit all across the palace, three alone in Zuko's office where he worked away diligently.
He would much rather be with his family, but the country wouldn't run itself. He delegated a certain amount of work to his councilmen, but there were particular things Zuko wanted to keep a hand in, no matter what. And he had no intention of being just a figurehead.
Occasionally, he would hear Miyako out in the hallway, giggling uproariously, chasing after Susu. Four months had passed since they made her a member of the family, and while she was nowhere near full grown, she had changed quite a bit. Mai's raspy voice or the lighter voice of the nanny they used occasionally would follow shortly after. Zuko shook his head and laughed, wondering how Mai kept up with them both. It was no wonder that his wife was exhausted at the end of most days. It was probably easier hiding out in his office, reading documents, and composing letters. At least it was peaceful.
But Susu got smart and began to realize that when she wanted a respite from toddler mauling, Zuko's office was the place to go. She would sneak inside, leap gracefully onto Zuko's desk and simply stare at the Fire Lord with her yellow eyes.
"Don't make a mess," he warned her, and pulled an important document from beneath her paws. "And if you spill the ink again, I swear…" Susu began to purr then, jumped off the desk and settled herself comfortably on Zuko's lap. "You're just like my daughter, aren't you? You know exactly how to manipulate me."
Susu looked up at him innocently as if to say, "Who, me? But I'm just a cat; I don't manipulate people."
"Oh, yes, you do," Zuko stated emphatically. He began to stroke Susu's ebony fur and the purr became a deep rumble of pleasure. She shifted a bit, stretched and then closed her eyes, seeming to enjoy the warmth of Zuko's fingers and the warmth of his lap too. If Zuko were honest, he would admit to being besotted with the creature, despite his initial misgivings. "Make yourself at home," he whispered and went back to writing his letter.
Another two months passed and Miyako was one and a half years old. She ran everywhere now and her vocabulary was much richer, her personality somehow more defined. Generally, she was cheerful, though she had her moments of foul temper and moodiness. Miyako was adventurous and daring and a bit impetuous. "I wonder where she gets that from," Mai would joke when they rescued their daughter from yet another tenuous situation.
Zuko was proud to have given his daughter anything. Sometimes still, the Fire Lord marveled that he and Mai had actually created another living being. It was truly incredible and the urge for another had begun to make itself known. He would try to wait, though, for Mai's cue. It was her body, after all, that endured the stress, not his.
"I've got an important meeting this morning," he informed Mai. "It won't finish until lunch time.'
"All right." She kissed him on the cheek, straightened his robes and adjusted his top knot. "You look presentable now."
Zuko scooped Miyako into his arms and peppered her with kisses until she shrieked with delight. "See you later," he chuckled and slipped from the room.
The meeting was indeed important but that did not reduce its dullness. Zuko sat at the head of the large round table, and struggled to focus. He desperately wanted to put his head down but the council members and their special guest would not appreciate his lack of interest.
Men droned on and on, throwing out statistics about trade and profit and population growth and the state of their economy. Four times a year, a meeting such as this was held, one that encompassed all aspects of the Fire Nation and its slow transition into peace time.
The Fire Lord's eyes were about to close when he saw a black streak, running quickly, dart through the velvet curtains that cordoned off the meeting room and dash under the table. Councilmen began to murmur and squirm as Susu wound her way around leg after leg, not stopping until she found Zuko. With a sharp meow she pounced onto his lap and clung on to his robes for dear life. There were bits of mud stuck to her fur and they clearly irritated the cat. She licked furiously but couldn't reach.
"What is the meaning of this interruption?" Councilman Tanaka shouted.
Zuko shrugged and stroked the agitated cat. "My guess is that it has something to do with my daughter."
Sure enough, the young princess tore into the room next, dirty from head to toe and with a handful of mud oozing from between her little fingers. The garden wasn't far from the council room and it didn't take much for Zuko to put two and two together. "Susu," the princess cried. "Here, Susu." She was grinning almost maniacally and Zuko couldn't help himself. He had to laugh despite the critical looks he received from all the older men.
Mai entered next and he had never seen her so flustered. Her face was pink and she had mud on her robes too. She mouthed, "I'm sorry," and scooped the errant child up, whispering stern words of chastisement into her ear. Miyako's mournful cries, drifting back from the corridor, greeted Zuko next and his heart wrenched. That was the discipline that he and Mai spoke of so often.
Susu, meanwhile, had made Zuko's lap her home for the rest of the morning. With a dignified, "Let's get back to work," the Fire Lord got the meeting back on track. The cat's contented purr became a pleasant background noise that quickly had every one of the men soothed.
Later that night, as they lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, Zuko ran his fingers along Mai's arm, tickling the tender skin of her inner wrist. "So, is this a good time to bring up another baby?"
Mai narrowed her eyes and pulled her arm from his grasp. "What do you think?" she huffed. But a smile played at the corners of her mouth anyway.
*susu means soot in Japanese.