Death of a Thousand Cuts 09 - Reunited

Zuko sat through almost the whole morning briefing without hearing a word that the Firebender commander said. (Well, he did catch three words near the beginning, but "hog-monkey uprising" sent Zuko retreating back to his own thoughts.) He was too distracted by the idea of simply staying in Ba Sing Se when Azula and the others left, and it wasn't until the briefing was almost over that he realized that if he was going to rule Ba Sing Se, he probably should have been paying close attention to the briefing.

He restored his attention to its proper place just as the commander was bringing the meeting to a close. "Lastly, the expert consultant from New Ozai, the Deputy Governor, has arrived to advise our occupational government here. I've advised her that a preliminary meeting can be scheduled for today."

Zuko looked over at the girls. Ty Lee was napping, of course, while Azula was nodding as if she expected the news. Mai, however, was leaning forward with something that might have been interest, and her eyes were wide with surprise. Zuko wondered why, and resolved to ask her later.

For now, he said, "I'd like to meet with the consultant."

Azula and Mai whipped their heads around to look at him, both of saying, "Why?" Mai actually managed to be the squeakier-sounding of the two.

Zuko shrugged as nonchalantly as he could. "I'm a Prince of the Fire Nation, just like Azula is a Princess. I've been wasting my time, but I should start acting worthy of my station. I can handle the meeting with the consultant and brief her on what we're facing."

Mai was staring at him, and he almost thought he could see hurt in her eyes. Azula eyed him with her typical calculating expression, and turned to glance at Mai before facing Zuko again and giving a smile that sent shivers up his spine. "I don't suppose you got much news about New Ozai?"

"I-" No, this wasn't the time to lie. Azula would catch it. "No, I've never heard of it. But I'm sure anyone who works in a city named for Father must be quite capable."

Azula's smile turned into a toothy grin. "Indeed. Yes, Zuko, why don't you handle the preliminary meeting? Take Mai with you."

It felt like a lump of ice had suddenly sprang into being in Zuko's stomach (something that he was sure Katara was planning to do to him the next time she saw him). If Azula was so eager about this, it couldn't be good.

What had he walked into?


It wasn't until Zuko was literally walking into the meeting room- once again, the same exact chambers where he and Uncle were supposed to pour tea down the Earth King's ashy throat, the same place where he and Mai had enjoyed their first conversation- that Mai finally explained what was going on. She started with a sigh. "You should know, New Ozai used to be Omashu. Azula renamed it when she picked me up to help chase down... everyone she was chasing down. And the reason I was there was because the governor is my father."

It was like the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, a sun with a smiling face that was ready to explain everything patiently in small sentences. Now Zuko understood why everyone was choking and grinning. Mai's father had sent the consultant, and Mai had father issues. He didn't know what Mai's specific issues were, but he was sure that issues did in fact exist between father and daughter. Everyone he knew had father issues.

"I understand," he said, and gave Mai a confident, understanding smile. He hadn't tried to smile that way since before Mother had... left, and he hoped it didn't look too scary. Mai just gave him a flat expression, and didn't say anything more as they knelt together on one side of the table in the center of the room.

Zuko turned to the servant at place by the door. "We are ready. Send our guest in."

The servant bowed, disappeared through the door, and then-

-and then a toddler with a single lock of black hair on his bulbous head came tearing through the door with a look of pure bliss on his face. "MAAAAIIIIIIII!" The child ran across the room, climbed up onto the table, and then literally launched himself at Mai's chest. She caught him deftly enough, her expression never changing.

Zuko blinked. "Um... who... ?"

"Oh, this little guy? He's just my illegitimate spawn."

"WHAT?!"

The child covered his ears and shouted back at Zuko, "I gitty mit spawns!"

Mai's mouth quirked in a smile. "Sorry, couldn't resist. This is actually my little brother. You've never met him."

All at once, Zuko could breathe again. He grabbed for the cup of tea that a servant was placing down on the table and took a swig. He needed some calming influence after... that.

Mai continued, "The timing of his birth suggests that my parents celebrated your banishment a little too vigorously."

Zuko choked on the tea and spat it out all over the table.

It was into this scene that the consultant from New Ozai entered. "Oh, I see Tom-Tom found you. Hello, daughter." Mai gave a half-hearted wave. The child- Tom-Tom- waved much more enthusiastically.

Zuko said a quick chant begging the Agni Warrior to share some of his dragon-strength. Mai's mother?! He quickly wiped the tea dripping off of his chin and stood. "Uh, welcome to Ba Sing Se. I am Prince Zuko."

"Yes, dear, I recognize you." Mai's mother- ashes, what was her name? Zuko wasn't sure if he had ever heard it. He didn't want to sound like an idiot by asking. Bereft of a name in Zuko's thoughts, Mai's Mother kneeled down on the other side of the table. "I'm so happy you're no longer a dishonorable savage forced to wander the Earth. I always said you were such a nice young boy."

"Er, yes. I mean, thank you." If this was what diplomacy was, Zuko wasn't sure that ruling Ba Sing Se for Father was such a good idea. "So, you're here as a consultant?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you for reminding me, dear. As I'm sure you're aware, Ba Sing Se is the most important conquest in all the war. Everyone wants things to go smoothly, here. And since New Ozai is the Fire Nation's most recent hostile enemy acquisition, the leadership back in the Fire Nation thought that we might have some good information and experience to share with you."

Mai shifted Tom-Tom in her lap so that she could look at her mother. "Didn't you and dad lose complete control of Omashu and let the entire population walk out of the city to set up an insurgency in the hostile terrain surrounding your position?"

"Yes, of course. Thus we know a lot about what not to do, and I'm happy to share that with your own ruler. Tell me, when will I be meeting with Princess Azula?"

Zuko cleared his throat. "Actually, I intend to start taking on more of the leadership duties here in the city."

Mai turned to stare at him. "You do?"

Tom-Tom followed her gaze and pointed at Zuko's face. "Why him ugly?"

Mai's Mother gasped. "Tom-Tom, that's rude! You're not supposed to ask people why they're ugly." She gave Zuko a quick smile. "My apologies, Your Royal Highness. He's just a child, and doesn't know what he's saying." She looked back at her son. "Prince Zuko is ugly because he was bad and his daddy had to punish him."

Tom-Tom squealed and grabbed his face. "I good!"

"Yes, you are. And Prince Zuko has grown into a very nice young man."

"Yes," Mai said softly, "he has."

Her mother leaned forward. "Oh, really? Does that mean-"

Zuko stood up. "Well, this has been a great... introduction? Yes. We'll let you get settled in your rooms, and then I'm sure you have much advice to share with me and Azula. We'll bring in the military commanders, too. Thank you."

Then he made another one of those socially acceptable retreats he was getting good at.


Mai watched Zuko run away like a scared child, and then passed Tom-Tom back over the table to Mother. "Well, great, thanks for that. How long will you be staying? A few hours, hopefully."

Mother smiled. "As long as you're here in Ba Sing Se, I will be, too. And don't slouch; it makes you look like a drooping willow with bark-rot."

TO BE CONTINUED