Maiko 100: Prompt #34: Attack
Never the Same
Zuko did his best to be a Fire Lord of the people. He walked amongst the citizens, both feet on the paving stones, just like everyone else, rather than take a palanquin or a carriage. He smiled, in his own awkward way, and he even stopped to talk with people sometimes. Agni knew, he could protect himself and guards were always present, though not obvious.
Mai, taking his lead, did the same. And when they went anywhere together, it was on foot as well. They were four years into his reign and nothing bad had happened. No one had so much as said a cross word to him. So when the attack came, both Zuko and Mai were surprised.
Five months pregnant and hardly showing at all, Mai rested her hand on her abdomen. She loved touching the solid little bump; she and Zuko had created it. The wonder of that fact would never wane. Together, they had made a baby. She let the corners of her mouth turn upwards in a small smile.
Zuko walked beside her, holding loosely onto her hand. They were going to her parents' home just across the street. Though relations with them were still strained, Mai was working on bettering the situation. Besides that, her brother, Tom-Tom, had become a delight in her life. She enjoyed spending time with the six year old.
"I can see my brother on the steps," Mai said, gripping Zuko's fingers tighter.
She picked up her pace again. Neither saw the woman in the darkened alley, standing behind neatly stacked crates of goods, pick up a rock and heave it at them. The guards were busy observing the people on the street making their way to work or to shop. They never even looked in her direction.
Mai's fingers went slack and she dropped to the ground, hitting it hard, landing on her side. Zuko took a step forward before he realized what had occurred, then stared dumfounded down at her fallen form. The guards formed a tight circle around them, facing outwards and readying fire in their hands. But nothing else happened. No other rock sailed through the air.
Zuko knelt by Mai, crooning her name and examining her head. Blood flowed steadily from a deep wound on her temple. She moaned but her eyes remained closed and she said nothing. Reaching down to pick her up, he noticed more blood.
"Agni," he moaned. "The baby."
Scooping her into his arms, he pushed his way by the guards and ran the rest of the way to Mai's parent's house, shouting to the men to get the royal physician. Tom-Tom was wide eyed and unsure what to do as Zuko sped past. The Fire Lord hammered on the door, screaming for someone to open it.
When a servant yanked the door ajar he pushed by her as well and placed Mai down on a sofa in the sitting room. The patch of blood on her robes grew larger as he watched with a horrified expression on his face. He kissed Mai's cool forehead and whispered in her ear. Finally, as the physician ran breathless into the room and Mai's parents gathered around, she opened her eyes.
"Zuko," she said in a heartbroken voice. "Our baby…."
"You'll need to move, my lord," the physician ordered gently.
He examined Mai and his expression grew grim.
"I want her upstairs in a bed, now. "
An hour later, their child was dead and all the dreams they had for her were dust.
It took months for Mai and Zuko to recover completely and even then an oppressive sadness could strike them suddenly and without warning. Zuko didn't want to be a Fire Lord of the people any longer. He couldn't trust them. They had turned on him.
The woman was never found.