Expansion
Chapter Eight: I Wish that I Could Fix Things
2 days later
Mai shivered and wrapped her deep red cloak close. She shifted over on the bench, pressing her shoulder and thigh against Zuko. He gave her a quick smile and took hold of her hand, injecting warmth into it from his own. The heat traveled from her fingertips, moving along her arm and into her body. She sighed with relief and contentment.
"How do you do that?" she asked.
Zuko shrugged. "The more I practice my firebending, the more things I discover. That encounter with the dragons changed everything for me when it comes to bending."
A non bender such as Mai would never completely understand but she nodded anyway, acknowledging the profound affect learning the true, original nature of firebending had on her husband. She was especially grateful right now on this exceptionally chilly weekend day that was on the cusp of winter.
Their children, Ryuhito and Miyako were unaffected by the cold. They ran around the fountain, chasing a ball and laughing uproariously, tripping almost as often as they made it around its circumference. Their clothes were rumpled and dirty and to Zuko's eyes they had never looked more beautiful. The sound of their happiness and the sight of them playing together warmed him inside better than any firebending could.
"What?" Mai asked, noticing Zuko's thoughtful expression.
"They're amazing," he replied. "And I can't wait until this one's born."
"Hmm, then how about you push her out," Mai retorted tartly.
Zuko moved her cloak aside and placed a warm hand on the solid bump that was her abdomen. Mai rolled her eyes as he whispered words of love to the unborn child, rubbing his hand around and around in a circular motion that made his wife sleepy.
Their quiet moment was disrupted by cries of "Tom, Tom" from both children. Mai's brother, Tomiko, now nine years old, bent down and hugged his niece and nephew. Mischievously, he took the ball and ran away with it. A chorus of shrieks followed and the twins gave chase, finally tackling a slow moving Tomiko and bringing him to the ground. All three were bright eyed and breathless with laughter. Holding his aching sides, Tomiko walked toward the bench and greeted Mai and Zuko.
"Bring your sword?" Zuko asked with a grin.
"It's over there," Tomiko answered, pointing to a spot on the grass.
"Are you ready?"
The young boy nodded and went to retrieve his wooden practice sword. Zuko untied his own cloak and dropped it on the bench beside Mai. The twins climbed up the wrought iron seat and snuggled close to their mother, waiting for the training session to begin.
Zuko led Tomiko through a series of moves, increasing their difficulty gradually, as he did every session. Mai's brother was not a natural with the sword, but his hard work and desire to please Zuko brought results. He still couldn't touch his teacher but he got close a few times and Zuko praised his efforts.
"You're doing well," the Fire Lord said warmly, ruffling his brother-in-law's hair.
"Yeah, but I'll never be as good as you are," Tomiko said with the hint of a whine.
"Give it some time," Zuko replied. "I've been doing it a lot longer."
"It's not like you're going to be another Piandao," Mai drawled. "It's supposed to be fun."
"But…." Tomiko continued.
"Look, if you really want to get good, you need to practice a lot," Mai offered. "I threw my knives all the time."
"And your sister is the best," Zuko added.
"You would say that," Mai said dryly.
"Mom and Dad think I spend too much time with the sword already."
"They told you that?" Mai asked.
"Well, sort of. They think I should study more."
"Oh, why; aren't your grades good?"
"Pretty good; but they're not really good."
"You're only nine. What's the big deal?" Mai wondered.
She caught Zuko's eye and raised her perfect brows. He shrugged in response, having no good explanation for Akira's and Hoshi's feelings.
"Tom come play," Ryuhito implored his uncle.
The toddler jumped off the bench and onto the ground, reaching for Tomiko's hand. He tugged the older boy along until they reached the discarded ball, picked it up and threw it wildly. It ended up in the fountain and Tomiko dragged it to the edge with his sword before grabbing a hold of the red sphere.
"Can I hold it?" Ryuhito asked, looking at the sword with gleaming gold eyes.
His little fingers reached outward but Tom moved the sword away, hiding it behind his back.
"You're too young," he stated.
Ryuhito's lip pushed out and he began to cry, big tears rolling down his face. The little boy lay flat on the ground, pounding his feet into the hard earth and wailing loudly
"Shhh," Tomiko hissed. "Stop it!"
Zuko picked up the distraught boy and soothed him. The Fire Lord ran a hand down the toddler's head and gave his ponytail a playful tug.
"You're fine. And Tomiko's right. Swords aren't for two year olds."
"When I'm three?" he sniffed, wiping at his nose.
"No," Zuko answered. "I'd say more like seven or eight. Not for a while."
He put the boy back down and Miyako ran over immediately. She gave her brother a tight hug and rubbed his back, a perfect imitation of both Mai and Zuko.
"Is okay," she whispered.
Ryuhito returned her embrace, wiping his nose off on her heavy red tunic.
"Ugh," Mai said from the bench. "We don't pay the servants enough."
Ursa, who used to spend the first day of every weekend visiting Azula, sat in her room writing a letter. She was still in her sleepwear and her long brown hair was loose, cascading down her back in gentle waves. Her face glowed with not happiness exactly, but a hopefulness that made her look almost youthful. She took a sip of tea and then replaced the cup on her breakfast tray. Resting her chin on her left hand, she picked up the brush with her right.
Dearest Iroh,
I woke up with the greatest urge to write you a letter. I feel excited and life seems full of possibilities. Yes, I met a man. His name is Hideo Koga and he works out of the Capitol City University. He's a sort of legal and cultural expert (both of the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom) and Zuko brought him to the palace in order to help Toph. That's another story.
We talked and got along very well. He came back again and I asked him to stay for dinner. We enjoyed a lovely walk in the gardens first. Then yesterday, we had lunch in town. He makes me feel good, Iroh, like I'm important and worth listening to. He's warm and kind and unassuming and intelligent.
Zuko is always a little uncomfortable when I talk about men around him. I guess the thought of his mother acting like a woman still shocks him. And he's so protective of me. I love Zuko for it, but sometimes he goes overboard.
You understand these things better than most. It's been so long since I've had anything to do with a man and my experience with Ozai is not something I wish to use as a template. I'm afraid that I'll chase Hideo away somehow or he'll come to hate me. Silly feelings, but I have them nevertheless.
I want to see where this road takes me, Iroh. Please lend me some of your wisdom.
Much love,
Ursa
P.S. Everyone is doing well. Mai grows a little bigger every week and the twins are a joy. I hope that you and Lan are well.
Normally, I would be on my way to the asylum to visit Azula right now. I can't face her yet. When I've dealt with all the feelings my last visit there created, I'll go back.
Satisfied with her effort, Ursa left the letter to dry. She yawned and got up from the desk. Sleeping in, it seemed, left her more tired than rising early. A bath would wake her up and the thought of heat seeping into her muscles was very appealing. She would send the letter after.
As was routine, Tomiko ate lunch with Mai and Zuko after his training session with the Fire Lord. The group sat in the small informal dining room and waited for servants to bring in the food. The twins were impatient, bouncing in their seats and swatting at each other.
"Keep your hands to yourselves, kids," Mai chastised.
"I hungry," Miyako said petulantly.
"Not surprising," Mai replied. "You and your brother are always hungry."
"You must be growing again," Zuko said with a broad wink. "Pretty soon you'll be as big as Tomiko."
The twins giggled at the thought and thankfully servants brought in steaming trays of delicious smelling food, spooning out some for everyone.
"Remember Ryuhito, small bites," Zuko reminded his son.
The little boy grabbed a hold of his cup of water and pulled it close just in case. Then very cautiously, he bit into a piece of meat, chewing slowly. He grinned.
"Yummy!" he exclaimed.
Miyako began her meal as well, stuffing food in quickly. Apparently her tolerance for spicy food was higher than her brother's was.
"So, Tom," Mai began cautiously. "What else have Mom and Dad been saying, about you, I mean?"
The boy looked a little uneasy and fidgeted with his chopsticks. He lifted a hand, pulled on his topknot, and then turned sad gold eyes to his sister.
"What's the matter, Tomiko?" Zuko asked.
"I don't know but they're always talking and they stop whenever I'm around. And they give each other funny looks. Something's going on and I'm kinda scared."
Mai looked pensive as she tried to put odd pieces of the puzzle together. She had an idea, one she hoped was wrong, and looked over to Zuko. From the look on her husband's face, his conclusion was the same. The Fire Lord rubbed unconsciously at the large scar surrounding his left eye, and then moved his hand down to his chin, stroking thoughtfully.
"It could be nothing," Zuko stated in an effort to comfort the boy. "Maybe they're planning a surprise for you, something nice."
"Oh, it will be a surprise, alright," Mai added. "They're up to something and I'm going to find out what. I'll walk you home when you're done, Tom, and Zuko, you can watch the twins."
"Find Toph, Daddy," Miyako implored. "We play with her."
"If she wants to," Zuko agreed.
They finished the rest of their meal in relative quiet, ending with some hot chai tea. Mai was eager to leave, seeing an opportunity to spar with her parents. Tom was a little more reluctant.
"Mai, what if it's bad?"
"It can't be that terrible. Don't you want to know?"
"I guess," he replied, chewing on his lower lip.
Zuko took Mai aside for a moment, while Tomiko waited out in the hallway.
"Do you really think confronting your parents is a good idea? You're interfering in their business with their son, something you hate them doing to you."
"I know that I'm being a hypocrite. But I just want Tomiko to feel better or at least know something. Think of it as giving my mom and dad a little push."
"Okay, you know what you're doing."
He gave Mai a lingering kiss on the lips before letting go of the arm he was holding gently.
"You worry too much," she replied breathlessly. "I'll see you soon."
"Let's go find Toph, guys," Zuko suggested to the twins, holding out both his hands for them to take. "Where do you think she is?"
"In the dirt," Miyako guessed.
"Maybe," Zuko agreed with a smile. "Or she could be in the kitchen because it's lunch time. And we all know that Toph gets really hungry. So, what's closer, the kitchen or the garden?"
"Kitchen!" Ryuhito exclaimed.
"Right, so we'll go there first."
The Fire Lord led his children down the corridor toward the large, warm and busy kitchen. Sure enough, Toph was joking with the cooks while grabbing little bits of this and that. They scolded her but did it with smiles on their faces, making feeble attempts to swat her roving hands away.
"Hey, Grumpy and kids," Toph declared while the kitchen staff bowed and immediately began concentrating on the food for that night's dinner.
"Toph!" the twins both yelled.
The earthbender, still on the short side, but slightly leaner than she was when Zuko first met her, pushed back her ebony hair and grinned happily. She was wearing Fire Nation reds again, simply because Mai had ordered her closet filled with comfortable casual wear. Toph grabbed whatever her hand touched first in the morning.
"Hey, guys," she replied warmly, patting small heads and giving Zuko a resounding punch.
"You leave bruises wherever you go, don't you?" Zuko asked while massaging his aching arm.
"My trademark," she smirked. "You're a big, tough man. You can handle it."
The Fire Lord just sighed. Toph was as stubborn and immoveable as the element she manipulated with such spectacular ease. Nine times out of ten, arguing with her was not only a waste of time, but an exercise in mental anguish.
"Are you finished eating? Do you have some time to spend with us?"
"Yeah, I'm done for now. Where's Mai?"
"She walked Tom back home. She's got a few questions for her parents."
"Uh-oh," Toph replied. "That sounds like potential trouble."
"I really hope not," Zuko stated.
"Play now?" Miyako asked hopefully.
"Sure, kiddo. What's say we go to your room and get some of those toys out?"
"Yay," the twins responded excitedly.
They bolted out of the kitchen and began running down the corridor. Miyako tripped on the edge of the beautiful runner that extended the length of the hall. Her elbow dragged along the carpeting and she howled in pain, looking at the livid red scrape that ran up from her elbow.
"Damn," Toph said to Zuko. "That sounds like it hurts."
He knelt down beside his daughter and wiped her tears away with his thumbs, amazed once again just how much she looked like Mai. Taking her arm in his hand, he examined it carefully and then blew on it, attempting to take away the sting. Miyako watched him carefully while Ryuhito squatted down beside his sister.
"Does it hurt, Miya?" he asked with concern.
She nodded and more tears spilled down her cheeks.
"There's some ointment in your bathroom I can put on it," Zuko told the girl. "Let's go."
The group continued walking down the hallway until they reached the twins' bedroom. Once inside, Zuko took Miyako into the bathroom and tended to her 'wound' while Toph and Ryuhito took out some toys from the large wooden chest that was carved with various whimsical animals.
After some brief comforting time, Miyako joined her brother and the two played contentedly on their own. Toph and Zuko got up from the floor and moved to the sofa.
"So what exactly is up with Mai?" the earthbender asked curiously.
"I don't know for sure. Tom's worried that their mom and dad are up to something, have something planned for him. Mai's going to try and find out. For someone who started out indifferent to her brother, she's very protective of him now. She worries that Akira and Hoshi will repress him like they did her."
"Yeah, but what can she do?"
"Nothing really, except tell them off, which will go over so well."
Toph snorted and put her feet up on the table. Zuko let his head fall back onto the sofa and sighed.
"Parents," she exclaimed. "Sometimes they're a real pain."
"Yeah, I just hope they don't ever feel that way about Mai and me," Zuko replied, indicating the children.
"You and Mai are great," Toph reassured her friend. "I'm pretty sure that they won't."
"We'll see," the Fire Lord laughed softly. "We'll see."
Mai took a deep breath before pulling open the back door of her parents' house. She and Tomiko decided to sneak in the back way like a pair of thieves hoping to come upon something interesting, information in their case, not goods. They wandered through dark hallways and peeked into impeccably neat and well decorated rooms filled with expensive oddities that Akira had collected over the years. The woman's decorating style was a sort of cluttered chic.
"They're probably in the sitting room. Or dad might be in his office," Tom offered.
"I know," Mai replied in whispered tones.
It was strange wandering through the back, less used section of the large, lovely home of her childhood. These were rooms and hallways she hadn't entered for years, since before the end of the war. She didn't feel nostalgia exactly, since she had never been truly happy in this house, but she did feel a sense of déjà vu. Sometimes, during a particularly dull party or dinner, Mai would sneak off to the more disused rooms of the house and hide herself away, pulling out books, most ordinary, but some racier, and reading old letters that her father and mother had exchanged. She would stay for an hour or so and no one would notice her absence.
"Do you ever sneak back here when they have company?" she asked her brother.
"Mostly, they send me to my room after they show me off. But once I did, when they let me stay up later."
"When you're older, you probably will. Now, let's see where Mom and Dad are."
Brother and sister both wore silly smiles on their faces, finding their stealthy sneaking humorous. Akira would definitely not be amused if she discovered them and that made the act so much sweeter. They made their way to the front of the house and heard voices. One was deep and stern sounding and despite its harshness made Mai feel warm inside.
"Uncle Chung!" she exclaimed. "He never told me he was visiting."
"I didn't know," Tomiko added with a shrug.
"Hmmm, it sounds like they're discussing something serious. Let's move closer."
Mai nudged her brother, pushing him forward toward the door of Hoshi's office.
"Mai, in Agni's name, what are you doing?"
The Fire Lord's wife felt suddenly very foolish. Before turning to face her mother, she erased any trace of emotion from her features, a skill honed over the years of her childhood and youth.
"Mother," Mai replied neutrally. "I just accompanied Tomiko home."
"You were skulking, you a pregnant woman, the Fire Lady and a mother; it's indecent."
Mai's lips twitched and she fought the urge to make a nasty reply. Instead, she stood up tall and dignified, her burgundy robes that hugged her swollen breasts and then fell to her ankles swung gently as she moved. She looked her mother in the eye and let Akira's remark go unanswered.
"Tomiko thinks you and dad are planning something behind his back. Is he right?"
The middle aged woman looked suddenly flustered. Her cheeks reddened and she looked everywhere but at Mai or Tom. Straightening a tiny crease in her luxurious pale red robes, and adjusting a jeweled pendant that hung from a heavy gold chain, Akira shook her head and moved toward the door of Hoshi's office. Her lips were pursed and anger had replaced her momentary discomfort.
"Hoshi dear, Mai is here."
Mai heard the scraping of a chair being pushed back and the sound of her uncle's pleased words. The thick, muscular man opened the door and gave Mai one of his rare smiles.
"Come in, niece. I haven't seen you for a long time; you too, Tom-Tom."
The nine year old cringed at the name but kept his mouth shut. Like Mai, he had a special affection for the tough prison warden.
"Thanks for letting me know you were coming," Mai replied with her patented sarcasm. "Were you planning on seeing me too?"
"Yes, when I finished up here."
"Good. So what's going on?" Mai rasped.
"We were discussing Tomiko's future," Hoshi replied. "That's not really your domain, though, is it, Mai?"
She casually tucked her hair behind her ears and raised her eyebrows.
"I suppose not. But Tom told Zuko and me about his worries. I wanted to put his mind at ease. So I told him we would find out what you guys have been plotting."
"Plotting; it makes your mother and I sound nefarious."
"Hardly," Mai replied.
"Sit down," Chung ordered his niece, suddenly remembering her pregnant state and looking at her swollen middle.
Not wanting to argue, she sat but rolled her eyes at Chung. Akira entered the office. She was followed by a servant carrying a tray with a teapot and several cups. Akira took a seat next to Mai and shot her daughter a withering look. Mai pointedly chose to keep her eyes focused on Chung and Tomiko who sat on her other side.
The servant poured the tea and then slipped out silently, shutting the door on her way out. Akira sipped genteelly. She looked at her husband who sat behind his very neat desk, tapping a writing brush on the shiny wooden surface.
"Dear, let's give Mai her explanation. Agni knows, she informs me of every decision she makes regarding her children. We should return the favor. If we don't the Fire Lord might get angry."
Her voice was bitter and practically dripped venom.
"Mom," Mai began. "I'm just worried about Tomiko."
"And I just worry about Ryuhito and Miyako."
"No, you want to make them little perfect nobles and destroy any sense of fun and spontaneity they have. Let's make them little adults when they're two," Mai stated mockingly.
"They need to learn propriety. If you and that husband of yours can't do it, I can. What kind of Fire Lord is he anyway?"
"The kind that employs your husband," Mai drawled in response. "Why do you have such a problem with Zuko?"
Akira's eyes twitched ever so slightly and she gripped her red and gold porcelain teacup tighter. The possibility of Hoshi losing his esteemed position as one of Zuko's councilmen just occurred to her. Hoshi himself appeared calm.
"I hope that's not a threat, Mai," he said. "It's unbecoming a lady."
"Agni forbid," Mai replied. "No threat, but Zuko does have a temper and he loves Tom. Who knows how he'll react to this news or what he'll do? Now, what exactly are you doing with my brother and again, why do you have such a problem with Zuko?"
Mai's eyes blazed with a cold fury but the rest of her face betrayed nothing.
"Simply put, I think that he's too big an influence on your brother," Akira replied.
Mai was dumbfounded. She crossed her arms over her breasts and waited for more. When Akira didn't say anything else, Mai prodded her.
"How?" she asked succinctly.
"All Tom ever talks about is Zuko and their training and how much he likes spending time with him. If it isn't the Fire Lord, it's you and the twins. He neglects his school work and is inattentive during our social functions. He needs to go somewhere with less distractions, somewhere he can learn to be a proper young man of high status. There's a wonderful school on Tokoma Island and we've registered Tom."
"But that's close to the Earth Kingdom. It's further away than Azula is."
"Exactly," said Akira. "It's a boarding school for boys and girls. They're separated of course, but the children learn proper etiquette, proper courting rituals, how to dress like a nobleman, exquisite table manners and so on. Also, their academics are very strict; none of this freer atmosphere that Zuko has established in the public schools. The school does not allow visitors or correspondence from home for the first year so that each child makes a clean break from his parents."
Mai looked over at Tomiko who was crying quietly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, hard. He looked up at her and put a weak smile on his face but his eyes were so sad. Mai's heart broke.
"But away from his family and his home just to learn manners; can't he learn that here?" Mai implored.
"I'm tired of him sneaking over to the palace and spending time with you. He rushes through his homework and then watches your children run around in the dirt like savages. The Fire Lord doesn't wear his formal robes most of the time and his hair is a disgrace. Your guests are of questionable character. I could go on."
"So this is all because of me and Zuko? You're jealous," Mai sneered. "You're jealous because Tomiko enjoys spending time at the palace. Do you know how pathetic that is?"
"Mai," Chung broke in. "Maybe it's a good idea for you to go home. I'll come over and visit later, okay?"
"Fine, fine, I can't wait to get out of here," she said as if spitting out something distasteful.
Pushing aside Chung's helping hand she heaved herself up out of the chair and then looked down at her brother.
"You'll be okay," she whispered.
Inside she wondered just how different her brother would be when he finally came home from that school, that dumping ground that her parents decided to lose their son in. She felt heartsick and needed to tell Zuko everything.
"You had better let us say goodbye," Mai warned.
Not waiting for an answer the Fire Lady moved as gracefully as she could out the door and into the front foyer. A guard waited to accompany her back to the palace.
Mai walked as quickly as she could across the street, through the palace's main gates, along the walkway and finally down the hall toward the nursery. She gave Ming a cursory glance and pushed the door open, eyes falling on Toph and Zuko dozing lightly on the sofa while the twins slumbered in their beds.
Zuko's eyes opened right away and he went to Mai, reading anguish in her defeated posture. Putting an arm around her shoulders, he pulled Mai into a soft embrace. She tucked her head into that little space between Zuko's head and shoulder and sighed softly.
"Hey, are you okay?" he whispered.
"No," she replied shortly.
"Let's go somewhere and talk. The twins are okay with Toph."
Zuko opened the door softly and they slipped out, letting Ming know they would be back shortly. Once in their own room, angry tears slipped down Mai's pale, regal features.
"I would not cry in front of them," she spat out angrily.
"They're sending him away, aren't they?" Zuko asked, pulling Mai close again.
She just nodded not quite ready to speak yet. The Fire Lord waited patiently, letting his wife gather her emotions and her thoughts.
Composed once again, Mai began the tale, making it brief and to the point.
"Agni, they hate me, don't they? And Tom has to suffer because of it."
"They're small minded, narrow, petty…and there's absolutely nothing we can do. They have the right to send him to any school they want no matter how miserable it makes Tom. And it's so far away and we can't even visit or write."
"Hold on, Mai. I've got some ways around that."
She sniffed and looked at Zuko questioningly.
"Fire Lord, remember? I can visit the school, do an official inspection, bring my wife and children. It's better than nothing," he shrugged.
Mai nodded. "Make it a few inspections. Oh, he looked so upset, Zuko. He won't get to see the new baby or play with the twins and all that sword work will be forgotten. And I'll miss the little brat," she smirked. "To think I used to want him to disappear."
"That was a long time ago, Mai."
"I thought my parents were bad then. They've only gotten worse."
"They resent the fact that we chose to live our lives our way, not their way. You were supposed to be just like your mother and you're not anything like her. You're wonderful and you're mine," Zuko said almost possessively.
"Really, I'm yours, am I?" Mai asked with a sly smile. "You're very confident.'
"I am," he answered with a smile of his own. "And I'm yours."
Zuko's eyes were like warm molten pools of gold, filled with affection. He kissed Mai softly.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I wish that I could fix things."
"I know you do," she replied gratefully. "And that makes all this bearable."
Warden Chung joined Mai, Zuko, Toph, Ursa and the twins for an early dinner. The passage of years had not lessoned his fierceness or his devotion to duty but he loved Mai and the twins and tolerated Zuko for their sake. He was dressed in long sleeved formal robes of black and red and his graying hair was in a tight topknot.
Ursa made polite small talk with the formidable man, asking about his job as warden of the infamous Boiling Rock Prison. Chung spoke with great enthusiasm about his job while Ursa nodded at all the appropriate times. There were fewer prisoners nowadays then there had been during the war but that just gave Chung more time to work on his theories regarding criminals and their behavior. The man was fascinated by the subject.
As with Zuko, Chung had developed a tolerance for Ursa, another person who violated his Fire Nation ideals. If he thought about it, Mai did to. But his niece would forever have a tight grip on his heart and he excused her just about anything.
"Do you remember, Mai, when you and I snuck out of that boring garden party your mother threw? You were about six years old."
"That party was horrible; all those simpering women and little cakes with flowers on them. My mother wanted me to wear pink like Ty Lee always did, because my personality was just so sunny."
Toph laughed. "I don't know what pink is but you and sunny sure don't go together."
"Ha, ha, my friend; I should slip a pink outfit into your wardrobe. You're lucky I have such good taste."
"Hmm, whatever," Toph shrugged. "You're the one who would have to look at it."
"Anyway," Chung continued, "I took Mai for a walk down to the docks and showed her some of the not so savory side of life. She was fascinated. We didn't tell my sister, of course. She still doesn't know."
"No wonder Mai likes you so much," Toph exclaimed. "I wish my parents had done that."
"Hmm, Uncle took me on a few unusual excursions. It broadened my mind," Mai stated. "There are only so many times you can hear about hair ribbons and remain sane. Thank Agni he showed me some other things."
Zuko chuckled at the image of a tiny Mai inspecting drunkards and con men, prostitutes and hoodlums. She probably never batted an eye.
"So Uncle, how was Tom when you left?" Mai asked, bringing the conversation around to the unhappy subject.
"He threatened to run away before they send him. He also asked if he could just move in here with you."
"Mom must have burst a vessel," Mai replied.
"She was angry and sent Tom upstairs."
"It's like they're banishing him," Mai continued. "No contact with anyone is kind of cruel."
"Banishment," Zuko sighed. "Yeah, it kind of is like that. And I should know."
"Maybe it will make him tough," Chung offered.
"Or maybe it will just make him a very angry boy," Ursa said. "I can't imagine why they would willingly not see their son for an entire year."
Zuko's mother shook her head and looked sad as she recalled all those years apart from her children. They were torment for her, not something she would ever volunteer for.
"Yes, well, it is their decision," the warden reminded everyone. "And they're certain it's the right one. Tom-Tom will leave in two weeks."
"Harsh," Toph stated. "I feel bad for the kid.'
"Where Tom goin'?" Miyako asked mournfully.
"Um, well, he's going away to school. So we won't get to see him for awhile. But he's not leaving for another two weeks," Zuko ended brightly.
"Why?" Ryuhito asked. "We love Tom."
"We love him too," Mai answered as she ruffled her son's hair.
On that sad note, dinner ended. Chung helped Mai bathe and dress the children for bed. It gave him a chance to spend time with his niece and her children before heading back across the road for the night.
Zuko, Ursa and Toph had tea together, talking about everything from Tom, to Toph's new position to Ursa's new friend.
"So when are you seeing Mr. Koga again," Toph asked with an exaggerated waggle of her eyebrows.
"Toph," Zuko chastised.
"It's fine, dear," Ursa said, patting her son's hand. "I'm not sure, Toph. He talked about giving me a tour of the university. I would like that."
"Sounds about as fun as that trip to the library I had once," Toph retorted. "But whatever makes you two happy is just fine, right Zuko."
"Yeah, right, Toph."
Ursa laughed at the expression Zuko wore. He still looked like a little boy sometimes.
"Oh, Zuko, what are you going to do when your daughter falls in love?"
The Fire Lord groaned, dropping his head down hard onto the table and rattling the tea cups.
"That I can't wait to see," Toph declared loudly.
Zuko gave her a narrow eyed glare, despite her blindness.
"Your turn might be coming one day, Toph. Just you wait."
Everyone had retired for the night and Zuko and Mai were getting ready for bed. Mai sat at her vanity running a brush through her thick ebony hair. She was facing the mirror but did not really see her own reflection. Her stare was distant and sad and her thoughts were of her brother, not the number of strokes she'd made already.
"Hey," Zuko said, bending down to kiss the top of her head. "You're not going to have any hair left."
He placed warm hands on her shoulders. Mai placed the brush on the vanity and reached up, covering one of Zuko's hands with her own.
"Tom will be okay," Zuko whispered. "We'll do whatever we can for him."
"Yeah," Mai sighed despondently. "It's not fair, though. He shouldn't have to just be okay."
"Oh, Mai," Zuko said softly.
Helping Mai out of the chair, he took her face in his hands and kissed her, trying to let every bit of the enormous love he felt for her transmit itself. It must have worked because his wife pulled back and looked brightly up at him.
"He'll be okay," she repeated. "Now come to bed and warm me up."
"Gladly," Zuko smirked as he took her hand and led her to the huge bed they shared.
He pulled back the brown Earth Kingdom comforter and the red silk sheets. Mai clambered up into the bed, turning onto her side and wrapping her arm around her abdomen. Extinguishing the lights, Zuko climbed in after her, closing the space between them.
A/N: Whew! Poor Tom! But, with Akira's and Hoshi's history in my stories, their actions are not so surprising. Mai got a little taste of her own medicine, so to speak. Although, I think her concern is much more justified than her parents' concern re Miyako and Ryuhito.
I really hate Akira.
Tom's not gone quite yet, so you'll see a bit more of him.
I had to throw in a little story about little Mai and her uncle having adventures together. That bond they have had to form somehow.
The next chapter will definitely focus on Toph beginning her new job. That should prove amusing.
Thanks so much to all those who are enjoying this story and extra thanks to any and all reviewers. I want to hear what you think.
Alabaster
