Sorry about the late update, I've been having a little bit of trouble getting going with my writing, and I've been rather busy lately. BUT, I'm currently a little ill so I have time to write due to my absence at school.

This is my life, Chapter 7

It was a few months after the stop at the village where the fight had taken place and everyone was still doing fine on board the ship, though Zuko's temper had not lessened any. Zuko, Iroh and Mai were currently sat on the deck eating their breakfast as the sun was rising, the early morning sun setting a calming glow to everything around them and the sun just barely visible. The air was still quite cold due to the early hour and there was still an early morning breeze which was rather cold.

Mai wrapped her cloak tighter around herself as the wind blew against her, sending shivers through her body and also making Zuko worry about her just in case she because ill.

"I'm fine Zuko, just a little bit cold" Mai said, sensing the young man's concern for her well being.

"Yeah, okay, just tell me if you get to cold." Zuko said, his worry clear in the way he spoke.

"Yes, I will" Mai said back, rolling her eyes.

Once breakfast was over with, the group went back below deck to get ready for the day. Once in his own room Zuko decided to take a quick bath, he sat in the hot water for almost an hour letting the heat of the water envelope him and calm him considerably. Once finished with his bath he went back above deck to see if anyone was out there, much to his delight Mai was sat out there enjoying a cup of tea with Iroh. Considering the fact that Mai was once extremely quiet around everyone she was quite comfortable to just sit and talk with Iroh now.

"So, Mai, how are you finding this little trip so far, nothing to difficult I hope." Iroh asked, beaming due to his constant good mood.

"Well, it's different, though that's not exactly a bad thing, I rather enjoy being here on the ship with you all... It's much simpler than living with my parents." Mai said, stopping part way to sip at her tea.

"Good, good, anyway, we will be stopping at another port in just a few days so make sure you get everything you need for a few weeks while we are there, don't want you running short on anything now do we, especially not with you being female after all, there is always that time of the month you need to be fully prepared for." Iroh said winking at the young girl.

"Seriously Iroh, don't go there, just don't even start that conversation, I don't need to hear it again, my mother has already been through it all a few times in the past, I'm afraid that if I hear it again I'm going to scream." She replied laughing slightly at the end of her sentence.

"Don't worry, I won't go into it if you've heard it all before." Iroh chuckled, then continued with "Anyway my dear, I have been meaning to ask you this for a while now, how many children do you want when you get older?" Iroh said with a smile, not really taking any notice of the shocked look that crossed Mai's features.

"What!, that was...unexpected, I suppose I want three but why on earth do you need to know how many children I desire when I'm older, that's far off in the future Iroh and you know it is." Mai said, calmly trying not to let on the fact that she was shocked.

"Ha, ha, I know it is dear, I just wanted to see if you would answer, and I'm sure Zuko would just love to know, after all, he is stood right behind you." Iroh said to her, still beaming at her. Mai quickly looked behind her to see if he was just lying but there was Zuko, as he said, stood right behind her, looking a little bit shocked over what she had said.

"Um, well, this is awkward isn't it. Um, I think I'm going to go and see what I need for when we get to the village." Mai said, a little bit flustered that Zuko had just heard what she said. She rushed back below deck and didn't come out for the rest of the night, she eventually came out the next morning and went above deck to find that it was raining heavily. So she decided to turn around and go back below. The day she had was an average one, as the day wore on the weather became progressively worse, the later in the day it got, the harder and faster the rain fell, the rain beating down on the metal ship relaxing everyone on board the ship, by time the sun had set for the night there was a full on thunderstorm.

"Mai, are you okay, are you scared?" Zuko asked, he assumed that Mai was scared of the storm because she walked out of the room the were in and down the hall.

"I love thunderstorms, especially if there is lightening with them as well, I'm going near the door to go and watch." Mai stated calmly as she began climbing the steps that led to the door. She opened the door and sat down just inside of it, she watched as lightening flashed across the darkened sky, giving everything an eerie blue glow for a second before going dark again. She listened as each clap of thunder sounded in the night adding to the noise the rain made as it pounded heavily on the metal deck of the ship she was on board. Each clap of thunder and flash of lightening sending a jolt of excitement down Mai's spine, she truly felt alive during a thunderstorm, like firebenders felt alive during a comet and waterbenders felt alive during the night, she felt more natural and free during storms, where the ink black sky was being lit up by the bolts of blue lightening flashing across the sky and the loud, rumbling thunder sounded through the dead of the night. It amazed her how a light rain can turn into something so spectacular.

Ty Lee's house, Fire Nation Capital.

" How was school Ty Lee, anything exciting happen?" Umeko asked.

"Nothing really mother, just the usual learning and talking with Princess Azula." Ty Lee answered after finishing her mouthful of food that she was eating.

"Why does that not surprise me." Naomi said, rolling her eyes at Ty Lee's reply. The group of people were sat eating dinner in the dining room of their large house.

Later that night, Ty Lee and Naomi were sat in there small bedroom talking about the usual things, clothes, make-up, the things that girls usually talk about.

"So Ty, you still miss Mai?" Naomi questioned, she knew that it was a sensitive spot for her younger sibling.

"Yeah, Naomi, I do, but I'm use to her not being around now, I still miss her though, I pray to Agni that she's all right." Ty lee said back, looking down at her hands which were rested in her hands as she sat on her bed.

"She'll be fine Ty, I just know she will." I hope she said, the last part just in her head so not to upset her sister.

Fire Nation Palace

"Daughter, you will be leaving school in a few weeks am I correct?" Ozai said to his daughter as they walked through the palace gardens.

"yes father, you are correct, I am almost done with school." Azula replied, a shine in her eyes because of the fact her father had remembered. Her father had been a slight bit more distant lately. She wondered what had happened to make her father more reserved.

That night Azula was sat in her room, writing in a journal which she had recently begun writing each night.

Dear Diary,

well, I'm beginning to think that I need another friend, now that Mai has ditched me Ty Lee has become almost unbearable, despite her friend being missing she is still far to bouncy for my liking.

I also think that something is going on with Father, he has seemed more distant and reserved towards me lately, we haven't spoken nearly as much as we use to years ago, or even a few months ago, I'm beginning to worry about him, no, I'm not worrying, that's not me at all, I'm just over reacting that's all, nothing to worry about...I hope.

That's all for tonight, write again tomorrow,

Princess Azula.

As she wrote in her journal she annoyed herself greatly because of her worry about her father, it was certainly not something expected of her and was definitely not something desired among royalty.

A/N

I'm so, so sorry that this is so short, I just couldn't think of anything more to write. Sorry about the wait as well, I was suppose to upload quicker but my mind was refuseing to let that happen.

Anyway, thanks to those who read and review, hope you enjoy.

winterdevils xx