Ty Lee reread the letter that she had received from her father. He was insisting that she become the Fire Lords next mistress, a position that Ty Lee did not find appealing in the slightest. Her sister Ty Lou had once been the favorite mistress of a nobleman in Omashu. Unfortunately, his interest in her was quickly extinguished leaving her with only a small plot of land and a reputation as a common whore. She had become the disappointment of the family. Their father was still trying to find someone who would be willing to marry the girl. Being a mistress was by no means assurance of security.

No. Ty Lee would not be like her sister. If she was going to bed with the Fire Lord, she would be going to bed with him as the Fire Lady. She would not be one of his quickly finished liaisons.

Zuko had shown a lot of interest in her since she had arrived back at the Fire Nation. Almost every night since she had danced with him at his daughter's party he had requested that she join him in his room and she had always denied him. She had, nevertheless, accepted his numerous dining request. This had not gone unseen by the Fire Lady, who had begun to treat the acrobat with increased disapproval. Ty Lee supposed that she couldn't blame her, she wasn't sure how she would react if she had been in Jin's shoes.

"Is there a reason you have not joined me?" Ty Lee jumps, turning around she balls up her father's letter in small hands. The Fire Lord is standing in her doorway, looking her over. Ty Lee felt like an animal on display.

"Good evening, Fire Lord Zuko." The acrobat says, ignoring his question. All his answers would come in due time. "I was thinking that I would go for a ride soon." She says, turning to look out the window. "Would you like to join me?"

The Fire Lord stays silent as he inspects her. Ty Lee turns to him, giving an innocent smile. "I would enjoy that."

Jumping up excitedly, Ty Lee cartwheels before running to the door. "Come on!" She giggles, as Zuko follows after her quickly. "Let's go now."

_Time Skip_

The fields in the Fire Nation were a beautiful sight. Fire lilies covered the field that Ty Lee decided to go to. Smiling she drops off her ostrich-horse to land among the fragrant flowers. Looking over her shoulder, she smiles at the man. "I love it here."

"Is that so?" He asks, approaching her and placing a hand on the small of her back. His pale hand, stood out against her tan skin.

"Yes." She says simply, flipping onto her hands, Ty Lee stands on her hands for a long moment before falling onto her back.

Zuko sits in the grass beside her, leaving only a few inches between their bodies. "You did receive your gifts, didn't you?" He asks, glancing down at the girl.

Ty Lee nods. "Yes. I got them." Shifting into a sitting position, she wraps her arms around her knees. "I think that you should give your gifts to someone else. I am not deserving of such extravagant gifts."

"How can you say that you don't deserve such things, when I say you do?" He asks, raising a hand to place it against her cheek. Blushing slightly, her gaze drifts to the ground.

She doesn't answer. Her father would probably be furious if he learned that she dared to refuse the gifts she was receiving. He wouldn't understand that it was part of the plan. A plan that would make her the Fire Lady by her own devices. Her own rules.

"Thank you for joining me." She says, turning her face slightly to look at him. He was closer than she initially though, his mouth mere inches away from hers.

"No need to thank me." He says, his eyes drifting to her lips before he leans in.

"We mustn't." Ty Lee says, springing to her feet. "Not like this."

"Not like what?" He asks, following after her as she moves hastily back to her ostrich-horse.

Again, the acrobat ignores the question her Fire Lord answers her. Pulling herself onto the ostrich-horse, she avoids meeting Zuko's eyes. "The Fire Lady needs me." She says, before snapping the reins and leaving in a rush.

_Time Skip_

Dear Fire Lord Zuko,

Fire Lord, how odd if feels to call you that. There was once a time I was not required to call you by your title. I suppose things are always much simpler when you are a child. I have returned the gifts that you have sent me. I mean no disrespect by this action. I just feel that they should be given to a woman worthy of your affections. I am returning to my family's house for the holidays. I will see you upon my return.

Ty Lee

Zuko crumbles the letter in his hand. He didn't know whether to be angry with her sudden departure or not. He wanted her in the palace. He wanted her in his room. In his arms. In his bed. He had half a mind to send for her. To have her brought back by any means necessary. That would only cause problems. If Ty Lee wasn't allowed to return willingly, she might loathe him. That certainly wasn't what he wanted. He was not quite sure when he began to find the acrobat so appealing. As a child, she disgusted and annoyed him to no end. Her high-pitched voice, the way that she would join in on the teasing that his younger sister bestowed upon him.

Now… Now he wanted to be near her as much as possible, he found her truly enchanting. Her beauty was not a question, but he felt her quirkiness was what was drawling him towards her.

"Fire Lord Zuko." A voice says quietly from behind him. He turns around to see Jin. "I have not seen you for a while. Are you well?"

He places a fake smile on his face. "Very and yourself?"

"I was wondering if you might be returning to my chambers soon." Jin says, ignoring his question. "We can try again for another son."

He wants to groan. "We can do that."

Walking across the room, he takes the Earth Kingdom natives hand in his own. He had loved her once, but those feelings seemed to have faded away over the years. That night when he took his wife to bed, his thoughts continually drifted to another woman. He knew that he should have felt bad about it, but he didn't.