AN: Hi everyone! sorry for not updating sooner, but this chapter was hellish to write. I always felt like the dialogue between the characters was to forced so I re-wrote that many times. I hope they come off less forced now and that this turned out to be an enjoyable chapter :) This is my longest chapter ever so I hope that makes up for the long wait.

Mai

Commander Zhao was a tall man in his mid-forties with broad shoulders and piercing yellow eyes. His brown hair was tied in a traditional topknot with a red ribbon, a signal of his rank in the fire nation navy. The commander would have been a handsome man if it wasn't for those ridiculous sideburns that might have been in fashion centuries ago, but now made him look like an angry lemur instead off a high ranked officer. At least that's what Mai thought of it.

Zhao was clearly not intimidated by her presence. Where other servants and soldiers bowed and cringed, the commander stood straight and relaxed like he was having a conversation with an ordinary person over the weather. His yellow eyes shining with a slight hint off amusement when he spoke.

'Lady Mai, what brought you to my humble chambers at this early hour?' His words where polite, but his tone suggested a hint off sarcasm.

'I came to ask for a special favour, sir' She did her best to keep her voice from betraying her nerves. The commander seemed unsurprised by her announcement like he had been expecting her to come to him in her time off need. He tilled his head slightly to the left a smirk hinting at the corners off his mouth.

'What favour could I possibly own the beloved of our honoured prince?' The sarcasm in his voice was more clear now. He obviously didn't see Zuko as an honoured prince.

Mai got up from her chair slowly walking towards the commander. His eyes followed her every move. She gracefully put her hands on his chest while showing him a seductive smile.

'I have heard that my commander here is the most skilled fire bender on this vessel.' 'Even more skilled than the prince himself.' His smirk grow even wider as she made this bold move. Touching another man is forbidden for a royal concubine if she got caught, that would mean death for both off them. As a commander off the fire nation fleet Zhao was well aware off those rules, but he did not push her away. He will fall to my bait! she thought victoriously.

'My lady is as smart as she is beautiful.' The commander smiled a wolfish smile, bringing his face closer to hers, their lips almost touching. 'However I don't see how this is relevant to the situation.'

Mai looked him deep in the eyes before she spoke.

'I need your legendary skill in fire bending to bring shame on a common enemy '

Zhao's smile grow even broader and embers off hate flared up in his eyes.

'It will be a pleasure to serve my lady.' He spoke.

Mai smiled gently at him brining her face closer to his. 'I know my commander would always step in to help a lady in her hour of need.' She whispered the las part off her sentence in his ear now fully leaning against him.

Her lips touched his ear briefly, before she moved to peck his cheek. His yellow eyes looked at her hungrily. She giggled fluttering her eyelashes at him in a flirtatious way.

'I heard my commander has another legendary skill' She spoke stepping away from him.

A frown appeared on his face. He looked as if he was trying to understand what was going on. His eyes calculating her next move.

Slowly she slit her robe off her shoulders exposing the smooth pale skin underneath. His eyes lit up as he took a step towards her.

'It will be a pleasure for me to confirm the roomers for my lady' he spoke while his arms encircled her wait, bringing her closer to him than she ever wanted to be.

The idea of what she would have to do next made her sick in her stomach, but if this is what it took to get back at Zuko, She would do it without looking back.

So instead off pushing him away she moved even closer, seeking eye contact. Her eyes were seductive and her lips inviting.

He wasted no more time and slammed his lips on hers.

At least his reputation as a lady's man was true. Mai could only pray the same would go for his fire bending skill.

Zuko

'Enough!' His father's voice boomed trough the ballroom. The tone off his voice made Zuko' s blood run cold. The fire lord rose from his seat at the platform, eying the crowd with an angry scowl on his face. Azula and his mother quickly exchanged a worried glare before looking in his direction. The room suddenly felt too hot, sweat appeared on his forehead. This is not how things are supposed to go. He thought slightly panicking over the situation.

'You are a shame to your country and traditions' His father spoke addressing the fear stricken group off girls in front of the platform. Where is he going with this? Zuko had not even the faintest idea why his father could be mad at the noble girls. They had done nothing wrong. At least not something that would make them a shame to their country.

'Today my son has become a men.' 'But how can he ever prove himself worthy off the throne if the test our traditions require him to take, are no real tests anymore!' His father spat out the last words off his sentence. The faces off the girls in front of the platform had gone pale. One off the girls had even started crying her eyes turning red and puffy.

Zuko noticed his mother kept looking straight ahead avoiding making eye contact with him. She knew this was coming he realized.

Azula on the other hand, had gone back to being bored. She studied her nails, acting like the scene in front of her was something she saw daily. As expected she would be no help for him. He was all on his own again. As he always was when it came to facing his father. But this time he would not back down.

Slowly he rose from his seat. 'You are right father' he spoke. 'Choosing one off the girls who throw themselves at me would be a shame to my country and honour'.

Gasps off shock where heard in the crowd, the crying girls sobs grew even louder. Ursa and Azula shot him looks off utter shock. They must be thinking I lost my mind facing father while he is angry. And they are probably right, but what choice do I have if I want to leave this party with my honour still intact?

Zuko took a few deep breaths to keep all his emotions in control. When he felt that he had enough control over his voice again to speak he continued watching his father's face carefully.

'Instead I will fully honour our traditions and steal a bride who does not want to be stolen. 'A bride pure and worthy for the future fire lord.' 'That I promise.'

His father's face did not betray any emotion. His mother however seemed in shock over his announcement. Shaking her head from left to right like she was trying to stop him from making this promise.

Too late Zuko realised his mistake.

He woke up in his bed. Gone was the ballroom and the crowd off fancy dressed girls. He was happier with the later than the former.

It had not been the first time that he dreamed about the events that happened on his 18th birthday. The spirits probably knew what he was planning on doing so as a punishment they took away his precious night rest. Or maybe it was just his famous bad luck following him out here on the open ocean.

No matter the reason for his dreams they did help him keep his eyes on the goal.

The sun was already setting and pulling on him. There was no way he was going to get any more sleep with his inner fire awake, fuelling him with energy and strength.

Not much to his surprise the spot next to him was empty. Mai was suffering from restless sleep lately and often left the bed early at night to wander around the ship as if she was trying to escape the problems that obviously haunted her. Many times had he offered to talk about them with her. He even offered to stay awake with her. She turned down all his offers and advices which he probably could not blame her for. He was the last person in the world she wanted help from right now.

So instead of working through this together and becoming closer again, He felt her drift away from him more and more with every sleepless night that passed. Nothing he said or did seemed to truly reach her. For once in his live he wished that she would cry. That she would throw her arms around his neck and sobbed in his shirt, wetting him with her tears.

But showing emotion was not something a royal concubine would ever allow herself to do. And Mai was the perfect image off one. Never had he seen her shed a tear. He could only imagine the burden off all these pent up emotions.

But wasn't it that lack of emotion that attracted him to her? The fact that she was stable and unchanging? Hadn't it always calmed him down in times he did not see the light at the end of the dark tunnel? It had. But times had changed.

Yesterday when he burned her cheek, he had finally realized just how big the change was. He needed someone to help him deal with his emotions instead off a girl with no emotions at all. If none of them could help the other with all the pent up emotions they would soon reach a bursting point.

Somewhere deep in his heart he had always known that Mai was not the girl for him. But afraid for things to change as he was, he had banned this knowledge away to a far corner off his heart, hoping his love for her would make it disappear.

It had been surprisingly easy to forget about that little nagging feeling in easy times. Of course there where the arguments and always present disappointment that surrounded his father and the constant worry off his mother along with a never ending stream off teasing remarks from his little sister Azula. But really that was nothing he could not handle. It had been hard at times, being the crown prince everyone had high expectations off but all things considered he had done a pretty good job. He had made a few regretful mistakes along the way, but his uncle had reassured him that this was part of growing up. Or as his uncle liked to put it: 'No river reaches his end without having to overcome obstacles.' Or at least he thought it was something like that.

To be completely honest through the years he had stopped paying too much attention to his uncle Iroh's often vague attempts off wisdom. This of course was not completely fair to the good natured man that had been a second father to him in times he needed one.

Maybe if he had paid more attention to his tea loving uncle and his wisdoms, he would not have been in this situation right now. Hadn't his uncle always warned him for his father's unpredictable temper? But he had failed to remember that in time off need and he paid a high price for it.

Now even his uncles wisdom could not help him avoid the fate he was heading towards.

The whole room was silent. Everyone was waiting for the fire lord to speak the dreadful words.

Zuko tried to keep his legs from trembling with all the remaining strength he had left in him. He kept still and waited for his father's next move.

Fire Lord Ozai turned away from his son and faced the crowd off startled nobles. 'A promise made to the fire lord is a promised kept.' His father's voice was deadly calm. 'the punishment for breaking a promise to the fire lord will be banishment.'

The crowd inhaled sharply as one man. A nervous chattering echoed through the crowd. Just the very thought off the shame failing such a quest would bring upon there crown prince and eventually on their country as well was a very unsettling thought.

Keeping his face blank and his breath calm Zuko waited for his father's final words that would seal his fate.

'In the power given to me by Angi himself, I lay upon you, Prince Zuko off the fire nation, To bring back home a bride so beautiful and exotic that the fire court has to agree with the marriage between the two off you.' 'If you fail to complete this quest you will be stripped from all your titles and all bound to the crown will be cut.' His father spoke with a strange air off satisfaction for his sons action. As if for the first time in his live, his father was proud off him.

'I will not disappoint you father.' He spoke with his head raised. Facing the restless audience. From the corner of his eye he saw the only woman he had hoped would not attend the party leave the room.

Shortly after this his mother flew out of the room as well Azula hot on her trail. It was just then that he realized the true meaning off the word his father had spoken. All blood drained from his face and his troth turned dry.

'What in Angi's name had he done?'

AN: Whoo hoo! Finished it ^^ What will happen next? When will we meet Katara? And will Zuko be able to return home? You will find out if you review:P

Love,

Girlygamer1996