This next chapter took longer than I expected it to as I was distracted for a while so I couldn't write for a few days.

Chapter 3

It was about a week later and the terrible meeting which Prince Zuko attended had passed and he was now preparing for the agni kai due to take place in one hour.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the palace Princesses Azula and her two friends were walking over to where the cherry trees were in bloom. "So Mai, I trust that you've heard all about that meeting that your darling Zu-Zu attended and messed up so much." Azula said in her sickly sweet voice.

"Honestly Azula I can safely say that I have not heard anything about that meeting as I haven't spoken to your brother at all for the past three days." Mai replied in her usual monotone.

"May I ask, how did the meeting go? Surely it wasn't that bad was it?" Mai enquired, eager to know how the meeting went.

"Well, all I will tell you is that there is an agni kai in one hour due to that meeting, if you want to know any more you will have to ask the fool himself." was Azula's brief answer.

"You can go find him if you want, he's in his room, preparing so he might not want your company at the moment but oh well I have no use for you so you may go to him." That was all Mai heard before she ran gracefully across the courtyard and down the corridor which led to Zuko's room.

The knock was almost inaudible but Zuko heard it and called for Mai to enter.

"Hi, I heard about the meeting." Mai said nervously. Even though they had known each other for years she still got nervous when speaking to him.

"Off Azula no doubt, sorry I'm just nervous though it's only an old man so I'm sure to win. The Prince stated proudly.

"That's good...Well I'd better be going Mother wants me home soon and I don't want to be late again." Mai said, gaining a little more confidence. Zuko took a step closer to Mai and gently took hold of her hands.

"So your not coming to the agni kai then?" Zuko asked.

"No, Mother says that it isn't the a woman's place to go to them." Mai stated looking down at their hands and then at the floor in an attempt to hide her reddening cheeks.

"All right then Mai, I'll see you after." Zuko replied. After placing a passionate yet small kiss on Zuko's lips Mai exited the room and walked through the grounds of the palace onto the street. She crossed the street which was filled with people buying and selling goods and entered her home.

Mai was about to go into the kitchen when she heard her mother and father talking so she decided to stop outside the door and listen.

"He was and absolute disgrace to both the council and to our glorious nation." said Haruko

" Yes dear I understand that but we cannot tear Mai away from him like that she is finally happy, well happy-ish." Was Kagami's reply.

"Mother cares, she actually cares, or is it just an act." Mai thought to herself, astonished.

"No Kagami you do not understand, this boy will have a bad influence on our daughter" Haruko was shouting now and Mai didn't have to listen so closely to hear what was said.

"Haruko you must see sense, if Mai actually marries this boy in the future then it would automatically boost our status" Kagami screamed back.

"I knew it was to good to be true, she doesn't care about my happiness all she cares about is their position and their status." Mai thought as she walked back down the hall to her room.

Mai thought about the things her parents had said in the kitchen and realised that if the agni kai ends badly Zuko could be burned or even killed but if he refuses to fight he could be banished and she might not see him again.

"Mai, come down here this instant, I have to talk to you about something."Haruko shouted up to his daughter.

"Ah, Mai, there you are, I wanted to tell you who Prince Zuko will be fighting today in the agni kai, he won't be fighting the old general that he disrespected though I am sure that is what you have been told, he will actually be fighting the Fire Lord himself, who will be much less forgiving than the general. You may never see him again Mai." Haruko told her with slight sorrow in his voice as his only daughter would no doubt end up very much heartbroken. Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to fall but Mai refused to let them. The tears in her eyes made her beautiful pale gold eyes glisten in the light making it obvious that they were there.

" Yes father I understand the situation and if I never get to see him again then... well... I'll think of that later." Mai said with a more obvious hint of sorrow to her voice.

" You may leave now Mai, I have work to do." Haruko said with a wave of his hand while looking back down at the document he was reading.

Mai left the room immediately and ran up the stairs to her bedroom. She entered the room making sure to lock the door behind her and threw herself onto the bed and wept. She cried for hours on end and ignored when her mother called her for as long as she could before she came to the door of her bedroom.

" Mai, you open this door this instant do you hear me, Mai, Mai get out here now!" Kagami screamed at her daughter.

"Make me!" the raven haired girl screamed back clearly annoyed

"Mai, I swear if you don't open this door right now then I'll...I'll" Kagami shouted stumbling over her words trying to figure out the appropriate words to say in the situation she found herself in.

"you'll what Mother, break the door down" Mai replied shouting.

"Yes that's exactly what I will do I'll break you door down" Kagami shouted enraged.

" yeah... sure you will." Mai said rather amused.

Mai cried herself to sleep that night and woke up the next morning with streaks down her face. She washed her face in the bathroom and got dressed in her usual cloths and went down for breakfast.

"Good morning Mai, did you sleep well." asked Haruko politely he wasn't angry at the incident the night before as his wife was."Good morning Father, good morning Mother and yes I slept rather well thank you, did you?" the ebony haired knife thrower replied looking every bit the perfect noble lady.

" Yes thank you dear I did indeed sleep well." replied Haruko.

"Mai darling your presence is requested at the palace today by Princess Azula you may go as soon as you are ready." Haruko continued.

Mai finished her breakfast then walked the short distance to the palace to see Azula.

"Mai, Zuko wants to speak to you, he is in his room." Azula said with a wave of dismissal. Mai bolted down the corridors to her boyfriends room to see what he wanted her for.

" Ah there you are, I need to tell you something, I have been ordered to leave the country and not return to it's water's without the avatar." Zuko said sorrow and a hint of anger evident in his voice.

A/N

Thank you to my reviewers for the support and the guidance that you put in your reviews.

Thank you especially to azulastar for reading through before I published and for pointing out my mistakes.

Ohhh cliff hanger, there will be an unexpected twist in the next chapter which I look forward to writing. Thanks for reading winterdevils. x