Mai

Part 11 – Homecoming

Mai rose slowly from the chair where she sat reading, and walked to the cabin door to answer the knock.

"Oh, I hope it's not Ty Lee," she thought. "I don't feel like dealing with her now."

She pulled open the door a crack and peered around its edge looking for her visitor. Azula stood imperiously in the hallway, arms crossed. Mai frowned almost imperceptibly. She opened the door wide to allow access to the princess.

"Hello, Mai. Were you expecting someone else?" Azula queried, eyeing the tea pot and two cups on a table next to Mai's reading chair. "You know that I don't like tea, Mai. Uncle Iroh sickened me with all his tea talk over the years. "

"Not really," Mai replied evasively.

"Hmmm, alright, where's my brother? "

"I left him up on deck about an hour ago. I don't know where he is now."

"Seriously, all he does is brood and worry. I've told him that father will welcome him back and restore his honor. He's got nothing to worry about. I've sent a letter to father already. I gave him all the details about Zuko's unusually smart decision and about how much of a help he was in defeating the avatar and that peasant waterbender."

"I suppose he wonders about what has changed in three years. That's a long time, Azula." Mai paused and then asked daringly, "Why do you want him home so badly? I thought you enjoyed having him gone."

"Oh, I did, I did. But I've also missed making his life miserable on a day to day basis. He's such fun to pick on and he's just as easy to manipulate as ever. Just mention the possibility of Uncle Iroh not surviving the trip and Zuko decides to come home after all."

"And the little dinner you set up for me and Zuko? That was more manipulation?"

"Sure. Oh don't look at me like that, Mai," Azula chided upon observing the knife thrower's glare. "You've been pining for Zuko since he left three years ago. Ty Lee and I just gave you two a little push. Now he's got two reasons to go back to the Fire Nation. And believe it or not, Mai, I actually think that Zuko deserves to come home. I needed his help to eliminate the avatar and he came through. He restored his own honor. Besides, he might come in handy at home too."

Mai kept her own counsel. Ever since that vivid, terrible dream in which Azula cruelly shot Zuko down, the Governor's daughter was more careful than usual around the princess. She enjoyed Azula's humor and intelligence but also recognized just how dangerous she was.

"I don't understand how you can spend so much time with him?" Azula added.

Mai smiled. "Oh, I manage," she retorted.

"Just don't slack off, Mai. I still want you in top form. Ty Lee's been practicing her moves all day. The crewmen couldn't keep their eyes off her."

Both girls giggled at the image.

"I'm off to bed, Mai. A princess can't afford to look worn out. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast."

"Sure," Mai replied, knowing that was a request rather than a simple statement.

The knife thrower opened the door for the princess and watched her stride down the hallway. As she began to close the door, Zuko stepped out of the shadows.

"Zuko," Mai exclaimed, "have you been waiting out here?"

"Well, um, I saw Azula knock on the door and decided to wait."

"Were you hiding from your sister?" Mai mocked gently.

"NO, I was just, um, strategically avoiding her."

Mai laughed. Zuko frowned and then joined in.

"Well, come on in," the elegant girl invited.

She sat back down in her chair and indicated a second one for Zuko to sit in. The cabin was small, well smaller than both Azula's and Zuko's, so little distance separated the two teens. Mai looked at the prince expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you," Zuko said, the words tumbling quickly off his tongue.

"Okay," Mai replied. "I have tea. Do you want a cup?"

"That would be nice."

Mai reached for the small red teapot with delicate gold etching. She poured the tea carefully (like she had been taught as a young girl) into the two matching cups and handed one to him.

"I guess it's not that hot anymore, but you can take care of that," she noted dryly.

Zuko sipped at the tea and smiled. "It's perfect," he complimented. "So, what are you reading?" He glanced down at the book Mai had placed on the small table.

"Just some stupid mystery story, I have to kill time somehow. There's nothing to do on this ship."

"Trust me, I know," Zuko answered wryly. "I spent three years on a boat one third this size. All I did was train and meditate."

"Uh-huh."

"Tell me what happened to you over the last three years, Mai."

"Well, let's see," Mai replied, her voice oozing sarcasm. "My parents tried to betroth me to various sons of their nobleman friends. I finished school at thirteen. My parents had another baby. We moved to Omashu because my dad was made Governor and then I went off with Azula and Ty Lee. You know the rest."

"Wait a minute. Your parents had another kid?"

"Yeah, his name's Tom-Tom and he's two years old. He's the boy my father always wanted. Now he has his heir."

"Oh, it must have been weird, you know, with you being the only kid for so long."

"I guess. I really didn't pay that much attention to him. I figured my mom and dad gave him more than enough, more than they ever gave me." Her words were laced with a bitterness that surprised both Zuko and the girl herself. "Whatever, it doesn't matter," she continued.

"So will you be staying at your house all by yourself?" Zuko inquired.

"Yep, just me and the servants," she answered.

"Hmm," Zuko mused.

"What are you thinking?" the girl asked, twisting one dangling piece of hair in her fingers.

"I can visit you there and Azula won't bother us…that is, um, if you want me to visit you," he added.

"I suppose I'll allow it," Mai stated with a dead-pan expression.

"Um, gr..great," the prince stuttered. "Anyway, maybe I should go now. I was thinking of checking on my uncle before I go to bed."

Mai watched Zuko's body stiffen and his hands tighten at the mention of Iroh. He blinked rapidly as if holding back tears and his expressive golden eyes showed all his pain and confusion.

"It will all work out, Zuko. You worry too much." The Governor's daughter placed her hand on Zuko's arm in a gesture of comfort.

"I hope so, Mai," he replied with a sigh.

The once-exiled prince rose from the chair and moved to the cabin door. "This," he gestured to Mai, the room, everything, "was…nice."

Mai got up too and walked with Zuko to the door. They both moved in for a kiss, one filled with hope for what might come; one that spoke of future passion.

"You know," Zuko ventured when their lips parted, "I thought maybe that when you saw me," he paused and touched the fingers of his left hand to his scar, looking down at the familiar hard, cold floor of the cabin, "you wouldn't…"

"Zuko," Mai interrupted. "That," she said emphatically, her hand hovering near the scar, "doesn't matter." Her fingers moved in and ever so lightly traced the scar's outline. Zuko tensed at the unfamiliar touch and then relaxed into it, a slight smile playing with his thin lips.

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The couple fell into an evening routine that followed the model of their first one aboard the ship. Zuko stood on deck, a faraway look in his eyes, watching the moonlight dance upon the gentle waves. He brooded and mused about how his father and the Fire Nation would accept him, what would become of his uncle and so on. Mai knew enough to leave him alone to think. But every evening she walked aboveboard and checked on the prince, giving him an unspoken invitation to her room. And every evening he knocked on her door.

Mai spent her days practicing her shuriken-jutsu, watching Zuko train, reading and talking to Ty Lee. She wrote a letter to her uncle, the prison warden, informing him of her return home. The days wore by slowly and the elegant young woman found herself looking forward more and more to those visits from Zuko at day's end.

Neither were skilled conversationalists. Usually, they sipped the tea that Mai always had ready, and sat quietly, just enjoying the other's presence. The young woman could relax with Zuko. She knew that she could let her mask of indifference slip but still found it difficult to do so. Years of conditioning would not fade immediately. And Mai was never, and never would me as intensely emotional as the prince. She felt quietly, and he felt loudly.

The knife throwing girl envied Zuko's great capacity for feeling. She wondered sometimes why he didn't explode from its fervor. He seemed to her like a boiling sea of anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem, pride, fear, sweetness, shyness and occasional flashes of joy and humor. He was still the Zuko she spent stolen moments with as a child and yet he wasn't. Mai could see the three years of banishment and suffering on his features, both in the literal form of the scar, a 'gift' from his father, and in his loss of innocence.

She comforted him with light touches and kisses, an arm around his shoulder, a cupping of his cheek. Words were just too hard. But she listened to his words when he needed her to.

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Mai walked up the white stone steps that led to the imposing red double doors of her family's home. The house itself was white stone as well, topped with the traditional red tile roof and gold edging. She pulled open the doors, yanking on the flame shaped handle, and walked inside. Two servants greeted her promptly.

"Welcome home, Lady Mai. Your room is ready for you. And lunch will be served in an hour."

"Fine," Mai stated dismissively.

"Oh, and there's a letter for you." The older servant handed Mai the neatly rolled scroll.

Mai went to her room and shut the door firmly. She sat down on her plush, comfortable bed and unrolled the parchment. The letter was from her Uncle Chung.

"Hmm, he's taking a day away from the prison just to come and see me," Mai mused as she read.

The young woman looked forward to seeing her uncle, her favorite relative for as long as she could remember. He would be at her house for lunch the next day.

"I'd better tell the cook to make lunch for two tomorrow," she reminded herself.

Thinking of tomorrow's meal reminded her of her present hunger. She left the bedroom and made her way to the spacious kitchen. No one was about so she helped herself to some fruit and made a pot of tea. Mai had come to enjoy tea very much since her evenings with Zuko. That would have to tide her over until lunch time.

She took her cup of tea and her mango with her and headed out to the garden. She sat down on one of many ornate benches. A warm breeze played with her hair and the sun felt warm through her clothing. She sipped contentedly at her tea and munched on her fruit, throwing the pit into a flower bed when she finished with it.

Setting her teacup down on the bench, Mai walked over to her old practice area. Her target was still nailed to the largest tree in the garden. Out of nostalgia more than anything, Mai pulled out some blades and tossed them in slow arcs toward the red, black and yellow target. The last time she was here, Mai had no idea where Zuko was in the world. Now he was back at home with her. She smiled and threw her last knife into the bull's eye.

"Lady Mai," one of the servants called, her voice breaking through Mai's pleasant thoughts of her boyfriend. "Lunch is ready. Would you like to eat out here in the garden?"

"Yes, that will be fine," Mai replied, walking back to her spot on the bench.

Mai ate her lunch slowly, savoring all the spices and seasoning that made Fire Nation food so tasty. She had missed it. When the servant returned to collect Mai's dishes, she handed her yet another scroll. This letter was from Azula, and demanded her presence at dinner that evening.

She passed a quiet afternoon, walking through her family's house and garden, reading for a while and finally taking a bath in preparation for her meal at the palace. She decided to forgo her usual outfit and dressed in burgundy tunic over black skirt. A black sash fit snugly around her shapely waist.

Leaving her house, she walked quickly to the palace's front gates. The guards opened them for her and she walked along the familiar path to the palace's main doors. Yet more guards let her through. A servant awaited her arrival and escorted her to a secondary dining room where the princess, prince and Ty Lee awaited her.

Mai met Zuko's eyes and her lips curved slightly upwards. His golden eyes followed her admiringly as she took a seat beside him. She did look especially lovely.

"Hi," he said, speaking softly into her ear.

"Hi," she replied.

"Alright, everyone's here. Let's begin," Azula said commandingly.

Everyone dug into the food hungrily. It seemed they had all missed Fire Nation cuisine while on their travels.

"So, Mai, what did you do today?" Ty Lee asked the knife thrower in her typical bubbly fashion.

"Not much," she shrugged. "What about you?"

"I went shopping. It's been so long since I've had a chance to do any," the acrobat replied enthusiastically.

"Please, Ty Lee, do not give us a store by store account. We don't care," Azula implored.

Pouting slightly, Ty Lee replied, "I wasn't going to, Azula."

"Well, I know what Zuko did," the princess added. "He brooded about why father hasn't seen him yet."

"Be quiet, Azula," Zuko snapped.

"I told you not to worry. You're a hero now. He'll see you."

Mai looked over at Zuko and caught his eye, silently telling him to ignore Azula. They all continued eating while Ty Lee and the princess made conversation. Neither Mai nor Zuko joined in. As soon as he finished, Zuko got up from his cushion and announced that he was going for a walk.

"Do you want to come, Mai?" the prince asked hopefully.

"Sure," she agreed, putting down her chopsticks. "I'm full. Thank you for dinner, Azula," she said politely, giving the princess the traditional Fire Nation bow.

"Fine, just go with my loser brother, will you. He's so depressing to be around. I can see why you two get along; although, you seem happier than usual, Mai," Azula observed.

Mai flushed slightly and left to catch up with Zuko. He was standing just outside the room and took her hand when she moved in beside him. They left the palace confines and their feet took them to the familiar garden of their childhood. They walked along the pathways and paused now and again to look up at the night sky, sprinkled heavily with stars.

"I should get home, Zuko," Mai said.

"But no one is waiting for you," he objected.

"I know, but I'm tired and my uncle is coming for lunch tomorrow," she explained.

"Oh," Zuko said his voice suddenly sad.

Mai mentally slapped herself for bringing up uncles.

"Is it alright if I walk you home?" he asked, brightening.

Mai nodded and they headed out of the garden and to the palace gates. Zuko walked Mai the short distance to her house. They said good night with a kiss, deeper than their previous ones. Mai was flushed when they parted. He waited until she was safely inside and then walked home. She watched the departing prince from a front window until he was out of sight.

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Mai's Uncle Chung arrived for lunch promptly at noon. He hugged his niece tightly with his muscular arms and pulled back to look at her. Usually a gruff man who spent his days intimidating prisoners, with Mai he displayed a rare softness. His broad face, all angles and wide lips broke into an almost charming smile.

"So, you're back, Mai, and you're living here all by yourself."

"Yes, Uncle," Mai said with exasperation, rolling her eyes for added emphasis. "I'm a big girl. I'll be fine. And there are servants here to look after things."

"I guess so. I hear that Prince Zuko is back too. Have you talked to him?" the warden asked, as if afraid of hearing the answer.

Mai sighed. Her uncle was a little overprotective of her. She appreciated his concern but sometimes it was overwhelming and rather fierce.

"I met him in Ba Sing Se after he and Azula defeated the avatar. We spent lots of time talking on the ship so I guess you could say that we're together."

"Well, all I can say is that he better not hurt you again."

"It wasn't his fault that he left for three years, Uncle," Mai defended the Prince.

"Still, you were upset for months. You tried to hide it but I know you Mai, better than your own parents do."

"That's because you're not so concerned with smothering me and marrying me off to some creep."

"True, now how about lunch; I'm hungry. Keeping unruly prisoners in line always works up an appetite."

"Okay, let's go into the dining room," Mai suggested.

They enjoyed a leisurely lunch, talking about Ba Sing Se, Omashu and Mai's trip home as well as the goings on of The Boiling Rock Prison. Mai's uncle took his duties there very seriously. One might even say that his devotion was extreme. So after a few hours, Chung left Mai and headed back.

"Duty calls," he declared, giving Mai another hug. "Be careful and take care of yourself. If that prince hurts you, I may have to kill him."

"Stop worrying. Everything will be fine," Mai said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I will never stop worrying about you, Mai."

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Zuko, in a rare romantic moment, had suggested a sunset picnic outside of the capitol city proper and atop a rocky outcrop that promised privacy if not comfort. The previous day, Zuko was in a foul mood, full of anger. Mai decided that the picnic was Zuko's way of apologizing. And that was fine with her. She didn't need to hear "I'm sorry," from her boyfriend. When he was, she knew it.

They walked up the steep rocky path, Zuko in the lead. When they reached the summit, Zuko spread out a red blanket and opened up the picnic basket.

"I brought glazed chicken- pork and dumplings. They're your favorites, right?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, Zuko," Mai replied, inwardly smiling at his fumbling attempts at courtship like behavior.

"Here," the prince said, handing her a bowl full of steaming hot food and a pair of chopsticks.

"Thanks," she replied and began to eat.

After they finished the food, the couple sat quietly, enjoying the peace and the view. Mai silently wondered why sunsets had to include the color orange. She hated it with a vengeance. The evening air was cool and Mai pulled her cloak around her for warmth. She leaned into Zuko. He put his arm around her shoulders and she felt immediately warmer.

"Orange is such an awful color," she stated, articulating her thoughts.

Zuko laughed nasally. "You're so beautiful when you hate the world."

"I don't hate you," Mai declared, a statement of affection from her.

"I don't hate you too," Zuko responded.

They leaned towards each other and shared a heated kiss. Their kissing had gone from awkward and bumbling to skilled and passionate in just a few weeks. The couple had been practicing a lot.

The irritating sound of a clearing throat spoiled the mood. They broke apart, looked and saw Princess Azula standing there, arms crossed. Zuko was angry. It flared up so quickly in him, Mai observed.

"Zuko, can I have a word with you?" Azula inquired.

"Can't you see we're busy," Zuko answered and moved in for another kiss, trying his best to ignore his sister.

"Oh, Mai…Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid."

Mai knew that tone. It sounded deceptively casual but was really an order to leave. Mai obeyed but she wasn't happy about it.

"Sounds pretty serious," she replied agreeably enough.

But just as soon as Mai passed by the princess, she shot her a cold, angry glare. The Governor's daughter was getting tired of being dismissed by Azula, especially when said dismissal interrupted her time with a happy Zuko.

She made her way back down the slope and to her own home, bypassing the palace. Maybe Zuko would come over later to see her, maybe not. Mai wondered what Azula had wanted with Zuko. She had walked out of the caldera and all the way up the long path for something.

The knife thrower still couldn't quite remove that dream image of the princess slaying the prince. It was as if the nightmare had grown tentacles and embedded them in her brain, digging in deep, not letting her forget.

She shook her head as she opened the door to her home, trying to dislodge the image. Mai decided to concentrate on packing. She, along with Zuko, Azula and Ty Lee were leaving in a few days for a weekend on Ember Island.

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Author's Note: I just had to include that bizarrely hilarious exchange from The Headband.

I kind of like the idea of Mai's dream being a continuing thread for awhile. It's like it opened her mind up more to Azula's true nature. So she's alert and wary now, in her own blasé way.

I also wanted to mention Zuko's anger problems that plagued him in early season 3 as a set up for The Beach next chapter. No, Chapter 12 will not be a rehash of The Beach; it will be Mai's thoughts on the argument, break-up, make-up and aftermath.

And Uncle had to show up too. His attitude in the future TBR chapter won't be surprising.

Anyway, thanks so much for reading. Please review.