Miscalculation
Chapter 9: Lull
Ba Sing Se
Jet was exhausted. He hardly slept; what with his constant surveillance of the three 'refugees' he was convinced were Fire Nation. His friends and fellow Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot thought he was losing the tenuous grip he still had on reality. He could see the disgust and pity and frustration in their eyes. Stopping was not an option, though. Jet couldn't let it go. He knew that they were Fire Nation and he wanted them to pay. If Jet had his way, he would rip open their throats and let the blood run down the cobblestone streets, write the characters for Fire Nation down on the road beside the corpses. But, the city was different from the forest. In Ba Sing Se there was always someone watching; better to confront the bastards, over and over if he had to, try to make one of them bend and then hand them over to the authorities. If what he had heard about the infamous Dai Li was true, the trio of savages would suffer greatly for the very sin of their existence.
"Jet," Smellerbee said pityingly, as though he was some soft in the head asylum resident instead of a skilled warrior. "Please, Jet, you need to stop. Let it go. Even if they are Fire Nation, they're not hurting anyone. They're working in a tea shop." She leaned against the alley wall and shook her head.
"Do you hear yourself, Bee? Do you hear what you're saying? What happened to you?" Jet put his hands on the girl's shoulders and he looked into her eyes imploringly before giving her a little shake.
She removed his hands gently, not wanting his touch, and reached for Longshot's. "We were supposed to change, Jet. We came to Ba Sing Se to start a new life, not do the same thing as we did in the forest. Longshot and I have been talking."
Jet snorted and then flashed his trademark charming smile their way. "I don't think Longshot has said two words in the past four years."
"You know what I mean," Smellerbee corrected her former leader. "He, he agrees with me. We're not going to watch you destroy yourself. We're going to get jobs and an apartment and live, Jet. You can join us if you want, but only if you stop watching them." She jerked her finger in the direction of Yun's tea shop.
"Is that true, Longshot?" Jet leaned in and peered deep into brown eyes. "Is it true?"
The archer nodded and tightened his grip on Smellerbee's hand.
"Fine then; do whatever you want. I'll do everything on my own. Go. Get lost. I don't need you." Jet turned his back on the pair, chewing hard on the grass stalk that dangled from his mouth, and waited until they walked away. When Longshot and Smellerbee were gone, he allowed his shoulders to slump. Dragging a hand through his shaggy hair, he walked toward the tea shop.
Mai kept expecting to see Jet out back of the shop or out in the street or even inside; he was certainly brazen enough. Zuko was on alert too and his protective instincts were in high gear. Jet would not touch Mai again if he could help it. The Freedom Fighter had no right to terrorize Zuko and the only two people in the world he loved.
"Have you seen him today?" the prince asked while they sat at one of the tables enjoying a brief break.
The breakfast rush was over and the lunch rush was still more than an hour off. Yun allowed them to sit for a few minutes and enjoy a cup of tea along with some of the biscuits Iroh had begun to bake. The one time general had really taken to his job and in just the few days that they had worked there, the tea shop was already a very different place. Yun was going along for the ride, letting Iroh make whatever changes he wanted to. And why not? His business had increased dramatically and word was spreading throughout the lower ring.
"Nope, but I'm sure he's around somewhere, skulking in the shadows, waiting. That guy is intense, dangerous and intense and I don't think he'll stop, Li." Mai hated using that false name and every time she did it felt as though she was somehow betraying Zuko. She knew only too well how he felt about it. He was proud to be the prince of the Fire Nation and denying his heritage, denying his name was anathema to him. Sometimes, though, people needed to do things that they did not like, in order to survive.
"Who won't stop?" Yun asked. The shop owner had approached the young couple quietly while straightening pai sho boards and benches.
"Uh, oh, just some guy who likes Mai." The prince met his girlfriend's eyes and she nodded.
"Not your worry," Mai added rather brusquely.
Yun had a tendency toward nosiness and it got on the girl's nerves.
"Fine, fine, as long as he doesn't cause a ruckus here. Break time is over, by the way. There are dishes to wash and the floor needs to be swept. "
Rolling her eyes, Mai got up from her seat and picked up the broom. "Guess you get the dishes, Li," she smirked.
Somewhere outside Ba Sing Se
The Kyoshi Warriors walked ahead of the mongoose lizards, Suki looking back at the body of the dead warrior.
'Her name was Niu,' Suki repeated over and over to herself, though it was difficult to look at the corpse and imagine it once held the vibrant, funny spirit of a young woman. It was simply a chunk of meat now, dressed up like a human being. The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors felt gorge rise up into her throat. She swallowed hard, trying desperately not to throw up. The Fire Nation bitches who were dragging them off to some unknown fate would definitely not take kindly to vomit.
She felt the wooden end of the naginata in the small of her back. The woman who used it, Ayaka, poked and then poked again. With her hands tied and her weapons confiscated, Suki could do nothing to stop the harassment. She knew that speaking was a stupid idea, one of her most stupid ones, but she did it anyway.
"So you're some sort of psycho then, Princess Azula's attack wolfdog? You're certainly not the brains of the operation."
She expected the crack of the wooden pole against her skull, almost welcomed it even. The pain might take her mind of their situation and Niu, splayed out back there, unburied, food for the scavengers. Suki felt the warm trickle of blood along the side of her neck and itched to wipe it away.
The princess moved her mongoose lizard close to Ayaka's and put a warning hand on the woman's arm. "I want her alive and with a functioning brain; no more blows to her head. Ignore her, for Agni's sake. You're a Bringer of Death. Are you going to let some peasant's insult bother you?"
Ayaka blinked and then nodded, shifting her naginata so that she wouldn't be tempted to use it on Suki again.
"Where are you taking us?" Suki demanded. "You could have killed us already, so obviously that isn't part of your plan."
"Oh, I wouldn't count on that, peasant; anger me enough and I will gladly kill you. You'll find out soon enough what my plans are. Try to enjoy the suspense. It will entertain you during your walk." Azula snickered and gave Ty Lee a nudge. The acrobat looked off into the distance. She hadn't said a word since they had left the clearing.
The prisoners were already exhausted, emotionally and mentally and the fight itself had taken a lot out of them physically too. Azula wanted to push them further, drive them into the ground so that when they did reach the track machine, they might be willing to talk. "Walk faster," she demanded, urging her mount up close to the warriors, so close that its snout almost brushed against Suki's back.
The princess underestimated the resilience of the Kyoshi Warriors. After hours of walking, when they finally reached the track machine, the girls wouldn't talk, wouldn't give away anything no matter how much Azula threatened or shot fire or kicked. They remained strong, sitting in a row at the back of the metal compartment, holding hands, trying to do Kyoshi herself proud and paying tribute to the memory of Niu.
Frustrated, Azula put the rest of her plan into action. "Take your robes off," she ordered, "and your hair pieces."
"You'll need to untie our hands first," Suki reminded her.
Azula glared at Suki and gave the order. "Ty Lee, untie them!"
The acrobat did as she was told, again whispering apologies in a broken sort of voice. Ayaka and Azula stood ready to kill should the warriors make any sort of escape attempt. They didn't.
Stripped down to their bindings, the warriors felt vulnerable and exposed, but they held strong anyway.
"It won't work," Suki sneered. "This plan of yours to infiltrate Ba Sing Se, you won't be able to pull it off."
"Oh, really, is that your expert opinion?" Azula sat on her haunches and stared Suki directly in the eyes. "You don't know me very well, do you? I always get what I want eventually. And Ba Sing Se will be no different. Now, let me get a good look at that atrocious makeup you wear." She studied Suki's face, tracing the red and black above the girl's eyes, deliberately smudging the carefully applied colour. "Seems easy enough; I'm sure even you'll be able to do it, Ty Lee."
The acrobat clenched her fists tightly at her sides and breathed in deeply. "No problem," she finally said with a bit of the old cheeriness in her voice. There was no point in making Azula suspicious of anything. Ty Lee needed to bide her time now and wait for an opportunity.
"Good; Ayaka, will you be able to manage?"
The Bringer let her cold eyes rake over Suki's form and then gave a brief nod. "Yes."
"All right; we need to get rid of these girls and then we can be on our way."
Suki shuddered at the words 'get rid of' and recalled again Ayaka slicing her fellow warrior open. She had witnessed it all through barely open eyes, her vision fuzzy and her head pounding from the blow the Bringer had given it. But still, it was an image that would haunt her forever; that, Suki knew for sure. No matter how many days or weeks or even years passed, she would see it in her dreams and recall it every time she looked at one of her girls.
But Azula had something else in mind; Fire Nation prison. As War Minister Qin and his team of men retreated from the outer walls of Ba Sing Se, the princess met up with them, handing off the Kyoshi Warriors with orders to have them put on the next ship back to the Fire Nation. "I want them put in the Capitol City prison for now," she informed Qin. "They are to be treated like any prisoners of war. Chain them up below deck and make sure they are guarded at all times. She's" Azula gave Suki a kick, "a crafty one. If I hear about a Fire Nation ship overtaken by Earth Kingdom rabble, I would not be pleased and nor would my father be."
"Of course, Princess Azula; I assure you that the prisoners will be dealt with properly." Qin gave Azula a bow and gesticulated to some of his men. They understood and herded the four girls into tanks, two in one and two in another.
"I'll be seeing you again," the princess called out to Suki. "And I'm looking forward to it. I have a feeling that you will be my favorite prisoner."
Refusing to acknowledge the taunt, Suki kept her head high and stepped into the tank. She whispered words of encouragement to her partner in the journey and then leaned back, closing her eyes. She opened them again quickly for all she could see was Niu.
The track machine pulled to a stop a mile or so from the great outer wall of Ba Sing Se. The three young women, dressed in their confiscated Kyoshi Warrior garb, fans and katanas tucked into their green sashes, faces caked white with makeup and eyes highlighted dramatically in red and black, walked the rest of the way, heading for the nearest check point. Both Azula and Ayaka strode forward confidently, certain of their entrance into the city. Ty Lee was nervous though and she felt uncomfortable in the uniform. It wasn't hers to wear. She hadn't earned it.
In a rare moment of self awareness, Ty Lee realized that a few months ago, most of this would not have bothered her. The killing would have; that was always distasteful, especially when it wasn't necessary. But taking the clothes from a prisoner and wearing them as a disguise, would have been fun, an adventure. Now, so much had changed. She had changed. The acrobat couldn't keep her sanity any longer and remain with Azula. Ty Lee was by nature a kind girl, a follower definitely, but good hearted. It was time to stop following, though, or to at least find someone better to look up to.
The princess had changed too. Oh, Ty Lee had always known that Azula could be cruel. She had been on the receiving end of that cruelty more times than she cared to remember. But this, this senseless murder, this viciousness was different, more extreme and Ty Lee would not be a party to it. Or maybe the princess was finally letting her truest nature come out, without restraint. That was a terrifying thought and a tremble made its way through the girl's body. Somehow, she would slip away, once in the city probably, and never look back. Yes, she would, even if Azula struck her down as she made her escape. It was the only way she could live with herself.
"If I didn't know any better, I would swear that you were plotting something, Ty Lee." Azula's taunting voice pierced the acrobat's thoughts.
"Wha, what? No, of course not, Azula; I would never do that." Her words sounded convincing enough to her own ears.
Azula stopped for a moment and put a restraining hand on Ty Lee's arm. "I would hope not, after all that I've done for you; saving you from that circus, giving you a certain status that comes from working with the princess of the Fire Nation."
"Right, yes, you've done so much, Azula. I'm a different person because of you." The acrobat looked down at the dusty ground rather than into the princess's perceptive gaze. 'If you only knew,' she thought, 'what would you do to me?'
"Well, I'm glad at least that you understand that." Azula moved forward again, removing her hand from Ty Lee's arm.
They reached the checkpoint shortly after, Azula easily stating their identities as Kyoshi Warriors. Each of them produced the correct papers which were examined with due diligence by the guard.
"Where in the city do you plan to go?" he asked. With a bored expression on his face, he wiped at his damp forehead and awaited the reply.
"Actually," Azula began, "we plan to visit the Earth King. We're friends of the Avatar, you know, and would like to pay our respects to the great leader. But first we want to tour Ba Sing Se. We've heard so much about it."
The young man scratched his head and peered closely at the girls. "Friends of the Avatar, huh; he's in the city too. Isn't that a coincidence?"
"Oh, how wonderful; perhaps we'll be able to meet up with him as well. So, are we free to enter the city?" Azula was growing impatient now and the desire to toss a fireball at the guard's head was almost irresistible. But, the princess needed to act like a sweet little Earth Kingdom girl, all in awe of the world famous walls and the huge city that lay inside.
"Um, well, I'll need to talk with my boss first. Wanting to see the Earth King is serious business. You can't just walk into the palace you know, even if you are warriors. Give me a few minutes." He left his post, earthbending an opening in the wall and then closing it behind him.
"Peon," Azula snarled as soon as the man was out of sight. "How dare he make us wait?"
"Well, he doesn't know who you really are, Azula. If he did, he would be afraid, wouldn't he?" Ty Lee was the one being rational for a change. The princess felt as though she had been thrown into some sort of strange dream world.
An hour later, the guard came back, all smiles and bows. "You have permission to enter the city but will need a special escort into the Upper Ring. There you will be free to do as you please, find lodging, enjoy the city. Perhaps it would be best for you to get settled and get a feel for Ba Sing Se before you approach the Earth King's palace. Joo Dee will let you know when the time is right."
Azula smiled as pleasantly as she could. "Joo Dee? Who exactly is that?"
"You'll find out," the guard answered mysteriously. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, for pity's sake, we're ready." The princess was leaning forward eagerly.
Once again, the guard earthbended an opening in the wall, this time allowing the three girls through before sealing it up again.
"This is only the beginning," Azula crowed. "Ba Sing Se won't know what hit it."
A brightly smiling woman approached the trio and bowed. "Hello, my name is Joo Dee. I will be your escort to the Upper ring. Welcome to Ba Sing Se."
Ba Sing Se
Work was finally finished for the day. After taking off her slightly dirty apron and putting it in the laundry bin, Mai rolled first her shoulders and then her neck, getting all the kinks and twists out.
"Are you ready to go?" she called back into the kitchen where Zuko, Iroh and Yun were tidying up.
Zuko emerged and slipped his apron over his head, throwing it down on top of Mai's. "I can't wait to get out of here," he admitted. The prince could tolerate the work but he took no pleasure in it. It was something he needed to do to blend in and that was it.
Iroh, on the other hand, the world's most ardent tea lover in Zuko's estimation, had taken to the work and the shop like baby turtleducks took to water. A hardened warrior who had seen hundreds die, some at his own hands, and had sent many more to their deaths, a strategist, a powerful bender, was content to putter in the kitchen and brew tea. He was more than content. It was as if he had found his true place in the world. The only step up would be the proprietorship of his own tea shop one day.
"What about your uncle?" Mai was tapping the toe of her boot on the stone floor. "Is he coming?"
"Uncle," Zuko shouted. "Mai and I are leaving."
Iroh poked his head out of the kitchen. "You young people head home. Here's the key." He fished the barrel key out of his pocket and threw it at Zuko. "Yun has graciously allowed me to stay late and work on something in the kitchen. I hope to have my special new tea ready for tomorrow. And, then I have a pai sho tournament to go to. Kueng, you know the lovely man who always sits in the seat by the window, invited me. So, go out if you like or cook something at home, but be careful." He grinned then and winked broadly. "Don't wait up for me. Oh, and we have the morning off, so stay out late if you wish."
"Um, okay, thanks," Zuko stammered. He felt his cheeks go red at the possibilities the night held. "Let's go, Mai." He held out his hand and she took it, giving his fingers a sensuous sort of rub.
Once out in the street, they strolled slowly, stopping here and there to look at anything interesting and considered the possibilities for the evening ahead. There was a bit of a lull in the crowds with a lot of people still working and many at home preparing dinner for hungry children.
"We can do anything you want," Zuko offered. "I don't really care, as, well, as long as you're with me." He stopped by a vendor's stall and stared at a simple ring that caught his eye. "Do you like it?" he asked Mai.
She looked perplexed. "Um, why?"
"I, I thought that girls like jewelry and things like that. I could buy it for you…" he trailed off, blushing now and fidgeting awkwardly.
"Guess I'm not your typical girl then, because I don't care about that stuff. It's pretty enough, but I prefer knives." The prince looked momentarily crestfallen. "Come on, don't do that," Mai said with a roll of her eyes. "Thanks for the thought, okay." She kissed his cheek and trailed her fingers down his chest.
"Okay," Zuko agreed softly. "So what do you want to do?"
"Bath house," Mai said without hesitation. "I'd rather pay for that than for dinner."
Choosing between a good meal and being clean was a new experience for Mai and it wasn't one that she particularly enjoyed. As much as she had hated the suffocating life of a nobleman's daughter, she did enjoy the luxuries that such a life had given her; the best quality foods prepared by skilled cooks and baths that she would have happily spent half the day in.
"Oh, yeah, sure, that actually sounds good. I haven't had a real bath in weeks. I miss them." Zuko looked wistful for a moment.
"A man after my own heart," Mai quipped as she guided him toward the only bath house that she knew of. "We can cook something at the apartment later."
'Lin's Bath House' was a large well-kept establishment, divided into two sections, one for males and one for females. For a small fee, you received soaps and shampoos, a freshly laundered towel and the right to sit in the deliciously warm water for as long as you pleased. Mai handed over the coins for both of them, gave Zuko a quick kiss on the lips and disappeared down the hall that led to the women's side.
The prince bathed efficiently, washing his hair and scrubbing his body, enjoying the feel of being immersed in water for a few minutes before climbing out and toweling off. He was accustomed to his own private bathroom, not a public bath and felt a bit uncomfortable. Dressing again, he left and waited in the lobby for Mai.
She took her time, washing and rewashing her long ebony hair until it squeaked then concentrating on her body, soaping herself over and over again, reveling in the scents that surrounded her. Once clean enough to meet her strict standards, she leaned back and let her muscles relax in the warmth, closing her eyes and imagining Zuko next door, just beyond the thin wooden wall that separated the two sections.
She felt her skin heat up even more as her thoughts became lustful. Peering around the room through half lidded eyes, Mai saw that she was alone anyway and permitted her fantasies to roam free. Time completely to herself was almost unheard of now and time to dream was therefore rare. She made the most of it and when she had finished drying off and dressing wanted nothing more than to grab Zuko by the collar, drag him home and have her way with him.
It still hadn't been a week, though, since she began taking the contraceptive tea, so making love was out of the question for another day. But that didn't mean they couldn't kiss at least and simply be close to each other.
"I want to go home," Mai announced as soon as she stepped out into the lobby and linked her arm through Zuko's.
"We could go eat somewhere, as long as it's cheap," Zuko suggested sheepishly.
Mai repeated her words. "I want to go home." Her pale gold eyes smoldered as she stared deep into his.
"Home, right, let's go then." Zuko looked every bit as eager as Mai did.
As soon as the door to their apartment was closed behind them, Mai pressed Zuko against the wall and began to kiss him, letting all her restrained passion free. It was as if a lever had been pulled or a switch hit inside her and everything now flowed freely. Years of holding back and keeping things inside, years of imagining a moment much like the one she was experiencing came to a head and she put every bit of feeling she could muster into her kisses. She wanted Zuko to know what it was so difficult to put into words. Surely he could feel what she was feeling. Surely he knew now how much she cared. He must know that she loved him.
"Mai," Zuko whispered hoarsely as he tangled his fingers in her hair. "I understand."
Joo Dee was disturbingly cheerful, with a huge smile that set Ty Lee's teeth on edge. The acrobat liked happy people as much as anyone else, but there was something terribly wrong with this woman. The happiness wasn't genuine; she was like a machine whose function was to distract, avoid and speak half truths all while touting the marvels of Ba Sing Se. Ty Lee couldn't wait until she was gone.
The Lower Ring of the city was unlike anything she had seen before. Nobles were never exposed to poverty and struggle or the harsh realities of war. It was a shock to see so many men and women and children carrying their belongings on their backs or working hard at some menial job. People shouted and cursed and pushed. Everything seemed rough and chaotic and loud and Ty Lee wondered how she would fit in there once she made her break from Azula.
Joo Dee's voice droned on and on. None of them paid her any mind. But when they entered the beautiful upper ring with its fine architecture, plentiful green spaces, cleanliness and order, and the carriage stopped in front of a lovely house, they all stared, even Ayaka.
"You will be staying here," Joo Dee announced. "I hope the house is satisfactory."
"When was that decision made?' Azula inquired.
"Ba Sing Se always takes good care of its esteemed guests. Please, go inside, make yourselves at home. Food will be delivered later." Joo Dee stepped out of the carriage and gestured toward the green roofed building.
Azula gave the one woman welcoming committee a searing glare. "What about the Earth King? We want to see him."
Joo Dee nodded, the smile never leaving her pretty face. "Oh, yes, you're on the list. I will let you know when it's time."
"Sounds like a brush off to me," the princess reasoned as Joo Dee got back into the carriage and waved at them from its window. "That's okay; we'll be seeing the King in a few days. Mark my words, girls."
Mai, Zuko and Iroh all slept late. Even the power of the sun couldn't rouse the two firebenders. It was almost midday by the time they had finally risen, eaten breakfast and washed up.
"How was your evening?" Iroh asked the two young people. "Did you have fun?"
"You could say that," Mai replied with a slight smirk. "What about your pai sho tournament?"
Iroh poured himself a second cup of tea and inhaled its aroma before taking a sip. "It was good; I met many kind people. The Lower Ring is full of good souls, I think. And the pai sho was decent too."
Both Zuko and Mai marveled at Iroh's ability to make friends, to talk with anyone from any walk of life, feeling equally comfortable with them all. He fit in everywhere, embracing local culture and customs, endearing himself to the people. Zuko and Mai were his opposites; more dour than cheerful, brief of word and usually unsure what to say to anyone. Needless to say, no one flocked to them, and had they been ugly too, no one would give either a second glance.
"Were any of these people Order members, Uncle?" Pai Sho had come to be associated in Zuko's mind with the Order if the White Lotus.
"Perhaps," the former general replied with a wink. "It's good to make friends, Zuko, to have a network of people. We can all help each other, should the time come when we need it."
Zuko got up from his cushion and placed his teacup and bowl in the tiny kitchen. "I guess; we're going to be late if we don't leave now. Yun will blame me and I'll get yelled at. You can't do anything wrong, Uncle."
"By all means, let's go," Mai agreed, her tone disputing the honesty of her words. "I'm sure there's some garbage with my name on it."
Iroh couldn't help but chuckle and he gave Mai and affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Just think of the money, dear. We need it. And there are far worse jobs."
"I'm sure," Mai sighed. "And I'm sure there are better ones too."
Mai shook off the gloom that had suddenly taken hold of her, choosing instead to focus her thoughts on the evening before and the closeness that she and Zuko had experienced. It had been intense and tender at the same time, sensations overwhelming both of them, something that Mai badly wanted more of. She wondered what the next step would be like, if everything would be almost too overwhelming. Part of her was terrified and the other part couldn't wait.
"I'll find out soon enough," she muttered under her breath, a small smile making her lips twitch.
Zuko put an arm around her waist as they entered the courtyard. "What were you whispering about just then?"
She shrugged but her smile grew bigger. "You'll see."
As she had predicted, Yun had two containers of garbage for Mai to empty into the bin out back. She carried them both at once, one balanced precariously on top of the other. Slamming her hip into the back door, she stepped out into the alleyway that backed on to all the businesses on the street. She glanced around her first, ready to step back inside at the sign of trouble. Though she could see nothing unusual and heard nothing but the chatter from inside the tea shop and the constant murmur that traveled in from the street, Mai felt uneasy. For a brief moment she considered just dropping the containers and going back inside. Yun could empty the damned garbage, if it needed doing so badly.
Giving her head a shake, Mai chastised herself, and moved forward, out of the tea shop's shadow and into the bright sunlight. It blinded her momentarily and she screwed her eyes shut, taking a few hesitant steps forward. The feel of cool metal pressed against her throat made her drop the boxes onto the cobblestones. They made a soft, squishy sort of sound.
"Mai," Jet breathed into her ear. "Let's go for a little walk. I'm tired of waiting for something to happen. Time to make it happen."
The young woman cursed herself for getting nabbed by the Earth Kingdom thug. She curse Yun for making her take the garbage out and she cursed the whole city for existing. It was all done silently, of course, as Jet made her walk out into the street, both hook swords wrapped tightly around her neck. He pushed her forward roughly, thrusting his knee upward and into the small of her back.
The people of the Lower Ring whispered amongst themselves, watching as Jet forced Mai through the front door of the tea shop. No one made a move to help.
Zuko glanced up as the door opened. He reached for swords that weren't strapped to his back, looking carefully into Mai's eyes. She wasn't hurt. He could tell that much, but she was furious.
"Let her go, you bastard," the prince hissed.
"Are you going to admit that you're Fire Nation, all three of you?" Jet let his eyes roam the room, making sure to look at every one of the customers along with Yun who had just stepped out of the kitchen. "Do you know that your tea maker is from the Fire Nation?" he screamed. "Do you know that your servers are Fire Nation too? They're here in Ba Sing Se, just waiting to take over. And you're helping them, giving them jobs, making them feel welcome. I should cut Mai's throat right now. Would you bend then to try to save her?" Jet was staring at Zuko, his brown eyes blazing with fury and pain.
"We're Earth Kingdom refugees. You're mistaken, Jet." Zuko spoke slowly and moved forward, getting closer and closer to Mai. One of the customers was a guard, and Zuko reached for his dual sword, drawing it swiftly, splitting it into two and readying himself for a fight. "Let go of Mai. I'll fight you gladly."
Iroh was there now too and watched, his sharp eyes taking everything in. "You're making a terrible mistake, son, one that you will regret. Let Mai go."
Jet looked smug and confident, so very sure that the enemy would reveal itself. "Admit who you are and I'll consider it."
Mai was trying desperately to reach a blade without Jet noticing. Moving her right hand slowly across her abdomen, she felt around in her left sleeve for the knife strapped to her upper arm. Zuko saw what she was doing and distracted the Freedom Fighter.
"Look at you," he taunted, "taking a girl hostage, not man enough and not honourable enough to fight me. And you think you're so much better than I am. I'd like to prove different."
"How dare you, you piece of Fire Nation filth!" Jet leaned forward, unintentionally loosening his grip on Mai's neck.
She took her opportunity, not bothering with the blade now, and slid down the front of Jet's body, scampering away to stand beside her boyfriend.
"Well, are you going to fight? Are you man enough?" Zuko spat the words out with disgust.
Jet didn't answer but lunged forward, his swords clanging against Zuko's borrowed ones.
"Oh, my tea shop," Yun despaired. "And they promised there wouldn't be a ruckus."