Authors note: Mai returns to her home and is ready to go back to the Fire Nation. However, there is some very horrible news that will be breaking all trust…

Chapter Thirty-Six

Broken Trust

"Oh Mai, you've finally returned!" Mrs. Chi Poi screeched as she scooped her daughter into her arms, "Don't you ever do that again."

"Mai, you've had your mother and I sick with worry," Mr. Chi Poi said with a frown.

"Well I'm fine, okay? So don't worry," Mai stated, pushing her mother away, "I'm sorry I disgraced you."

"You should be," Mr. Chi Poi replied, "You had General Iroh go through all this trouble just so that you could see the Prince Zuko."

"It wasn't any trouble, General Iroh told me. He said it just three weeks ago."

"Fine then. But don't think this get's you out of punishment."

Mr. Chi Poi walked away with the other general while Mrs. Chi Poi grabbed Mai's hand firmly.

"Promise me you won't ever do another stunt like that," she said.

"I promise."

"I know you like the prince and all but that was just ridiculous. You could have been killed."

"I know, mother. I was willing to take that risk."

"Well I'm not. Now I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"We're, you, me, and your father…we're going back to the Fire Nation."

Mai smiled immediately and turned to her mother, "When?"

"In two weeks."

Mai felt like touching the sky as the words filled her head. Just two weeks until she would be able to see Zuko again.

"You had better not think this get's you out of your punishment though."

"I know but…two weeks! I can't wait."

Mrs. Chi Poi sneaked a smile in as her daughter ran to her tent, excited about the days to come.

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"I wonder what he will say when I return," Mai thought to herself, "Maybe he'll just laugh, or smile, or…these days won't hurry up. It seems like it will take forever."

Mai gleefully spun her "hope" dagger around her finger. She then walked out of the tent to search for her parents.

"Mother, father, where are you?"

No answer came as Mai walked further.

"Where are you?"

No answer came yet again. Mai began to become quite frightened as her parents had seemed to disappear. She ran to the other general's tents to find them but they weren't there. Finally Mai walked up to one of her father's friends and spoke.

"Excuse me, but can you tell me where General Chi Poi is?"

"Oh him, he is in the meeting tent with his wife. You must be there little girl."

"I am. I've been wondering where they are."

"Well a lot of the parents are in the meeting room. It looks like some terrible news has come from the Fire Nation…palace."

Mai didn't even ask what. In a few minutes, she had made it to the meeting tent, wondering what this was all about.

"What's going on?" she asked when she came in.

Suddenly, all the talk in the tent stopped as everyone looked at the flustered face of Mai.

"Mai, this isn't a meeting for you," her mother insisted.

"I need to know what happened…at the palace."

Everyone glanced around but said nothing. At last, Mai couldn't take it anymore. She ran into the tent and grabbed the letter with the fire emblem right in the middle.

We are sorry to report to you all that the Fire Nation prince, Zuko, has been put into exile. The details are not yet being distributed and the cause is unknown. He has been accompanied by his uncle, the brother of Fire Lord Ozai, with a scar to mark his betrayal. We have not yet-

The letter was then ripped from her hands by her father, who looked more sad then upset.

"Now Mai-"

"This can't be true, I don't believe it! Not Zuko…he promised. No!"

Mai felt tears beginning to swell as the letter went through her head. Exile, betrayal, a scar, it was all unreal. Mai sank to the ground in despair, forgetting every other part of the day. For the letter of broken trust had devastated all.

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Authors note: This chapter broke me personally because it is so sad to break Zuko and Mai apart but everyone knew it was coming. Only four chapters left.