"Start packing."
Mai looked up from her book, staring up at her blankly.
Lady Michi bustled into Mai's bedroom and started pulling clothes out of her dressing, throwing them into a heap on the bed.
"What are you doing?" Mai asked in a flat voice.
"We are leaving by sunset."
Mai gave her mother a look with raised eyebrows waiting for her to continue. She didn't. "Where." Mai prompted, drawing out the syllables.
"Omashu. Your father has been promoted."
Mai felt anger well up, low in her belly, but she pushed it down. "Let me guess: I can't stay here." It was a statement, not a question.
Mai's mother threw the robes down and glared at her daughter. "Don't get snarky with me. This is a great opportunity for your father. Chances like this don't come every moon." She pursed her lips. "You have no choice but to come." Michi shook her head in disgust. "I thought I raised you better."
Mai gritted her teeth. "I don't want to leave Caldera."
"You don't have a choice," Michi bit out.
"I'm seventeen; old enough to get married. Don't you think I have a right to my own life?" Mai snarled, crossing her arms and rising to her feet.
"That's enough." Mai and her mother glared at each other, the tension broiling in the room.
"I'm not going."
"You don't have a choice," her mother repeated. "There's nothing left for you here. No suitors, no prospects. All of your friends have left. It is time for you to do so as well."
Mai quirked her lip. Her mother was right. She had scared off all of her suitors, not that she cared. Azula was away leading the Fire Nation army. Ty Lee left to join the circus. Mai had just finished her schooling at the Royal Academy. She had no plans and her mother knew it. Her mother had already threatened her with the idea of a betrothal. It wasn't uncommon for those of the court, but Mai couldn't stomach it. She hated life. She had always been quiet and obedient. She wanted to have control of her life for once. "What did father do to get himself thrown so far away from the court?" She asked snidely.
"You will keep your mouth shut," Lady Michi commanded. Her mother's face was red with rage.
Mai bowed her head and sealed her lips. She knew what would come next.
Lady Michi held out her hand. "Give them to me."
Mai sullenly unhooked her collection of shurikens and placed the stackin her mother's hand. Lady Michi nodded at her obedience. "Now get packing. I'll send a servant up with a trunk." She motioned to the weapons in her hands. "You will get these back when we arrive in Omashu, but only if you behave. Understand?"
"Yes, mother." Mai kept her head bowed as her mother left the room. Mai's hand rested on the pocket hidden in her bodice, feeling the outline of her last shuriken. Mai curled her fingers into a fist at her side.
"Lady Mai?"
Mai turned around at the call of her name and she met the eyes of an old governor, one that she remembered was close to the Firelord. She inclined her head and walked over to him. She had just been in an early morning meeting with the governor and several others as a part of the Firelord's council to discuss the upcoming battles. She had been taking notes for Princess Azula yet again. At the look on the governor's face, Mai became wary. His smile did not quite reach his eyes.
"Yes, governor…?" Mai paused, not caring to recall his name.
"Yi," Governor Yi supplied, grimacing at her for a moment. "I was wondering if I could speak to you about a few policies that pertain to your father?" he offered, holding his hands in a placating manner. The towering dragon statues behind him provided an ominous feeling to his words.
Mai looked the man up and down. Mai was not in the mood to deal with court problems. It had been a long night of no sleep after her misunderstanding with Zuko, and she just wanted to retire to her rooms for the rest of the day. Besides, Governor Yi looked like he was up to something. In the war meeting, he had been rather silent, making Mai instantly apprehensive of him. She gave him a tight smile that barely reached the corners of her lips. "I'm afraid I haven't talked to my father recently, and I won't have the opportunity to meet with him right away."
"Of course, but surely you will be able to deliver my message to him somehow," the governor continued, not leaving room to argue.
Mai took a glance around the empty hallway outside of the council room, realizing it was just the two of them in the space. She pursed her lips. "Of course, but would it be alright if you told me about it over some tea?" she offered in her cold, unbothered voice.
The governor smiled greasily. "Of course, Lady Mai; whatever makes you comfortable," he added.
Mai inclined her head in acknowledgement and guided him out of the room, giving a pointed look to her maid that stood outside of the hall to go get some tea and snacks. She guided the governor into her sitting room that was connected to a small chamber that was hers for whenever she attended meetings for the princess.
"What is it you wanted me to relay to my father?" Mai prompted, clearly wanting to get the meeting over with. She sat down unceremoniously and gestured for the governor to do the same.
Governor Yi made himself comfortable on the plush chair in front of her in her sitting room and carelessly threw some fruit off of her food tray into his mouth. He chewed loudly and looked at her, eyes roaming everywhere. Mai slid a blade into one of her hands surreptitiously, wary of his gaze.
"I believe your father will be pleased to know that his plan is working, and I want you to tell him that he needs to be careful of his next steps. He will need a bargaining chip to get any farther." Governor Yi leant forward in his chair, his hand creeping onto the tip of Mai's knee. Mai jerked her knee away and placed the blade on top of his skin, just breaking the surface of it. Governor Yi just laughed, his nasally tone permeating the air of the room. "Of course you know what I mean, little girl."
"Enlighten me," Mai gritted out, not removing the blade.
Governor Li laughed again. "The Firelord is enjoying the relationship you are building with his bastard son. You have become an important bargaining chip."
Mai's skin crawled with the false silkiness of his voice. She understood what the governor was hinting at. She hadn't known, however, that the Firelord knew about Zuko and her relationship. Her argument with Zuko, only the day before, creeped into the forefront of her mind. Girlfriend, a fitting title for a simple position. Mai shook her head inwardly. That's not how Zuko sees me. However, it seems the rest of the court saw her as such. How the governor had come to know about them, much less the Firelord, was suspicious. The way he held himself inside her own room and addressed her was improper as well, not to mention the lack of a chaperone in the room. "You will address me as Lady Mai, Governor," Mai suggested in a velvety voice, fitting of a woman of the court. Yelling at him would do her no favors.
"One day I may call you My Lady," Governor Li continued. "My Lady of the Fire Nation. Can you imagine it? It is the perfect place to guide the Fire Nation to a greater future. I would advise you to listen to your father, little girl."
Mai felt her stomach drop as his words seeped in. She gritted her teeth, and forced herself to keep a calm exterior. She curled her hands into fists as she glared at the man, but she knew she couldn't do anything else for risk of hurting her family's reputation. Mai wanted to slap the stupid grin off the man in front of her, but she knew the repercussions that would come with it. Her father was the governor of New Ozai, and if she wanted it to stay that way, she would have to behave. So she kept her mouth shut, reluctantly.
Governor Li patted her knee again, noticing her compliance. "We need you to get close to the line for the throne, and you will do nicely. Easy to control..." His hand slipped just a little farther up her leg and Mai pushed his hand away without hesitation. Governor Li shrugged. "And easy to make silent. Make sure no one knows of the plan. Let your father know we are ready for the next step." Governor Li stood up and feigned a yawn. "May the Phoenix King reign over us soon. Good day, My Lady. " his grin slimy as he left the room.
Mai took a deep breath, but dug one of her blades deep into the fabric of the couch. She should have known her father was up to something. She didn't know who had heard about her and the prince, but word had gotten out fast. That meant that there were more eyes watching than she thought. Mai growled at herself, shaking her head.
Mai looked at the room around her and tried to soak in the walls of the fire palace that she had come to know since she was little. Mai knew she was brought up to be a lady of the court, but she wondered how deeply her parents were trying to breed her to fit right into the royal family. Mai remembers a dinner she had with her family right after Zuko's banishment. Her mother's words rang in her head as the situation settled in her mind and bones. He would have been a good match, were her mother's words so many years ago and it suddenly made sense to Mai. She had always been expected to become the next Fire Lady, or at least since Fire Lord Azulon had died and Prince Zuko became next in line for the throne. With his banishment, her family lost the prestige of being the family of the next Fire Lady, but that didn't stop the plotting. Mai felt sick at the possibility that her whole life had been planned out without her realizing. Mai didn't know how to feel now that by choosing Zuko she had fallen right into the trap set by her parents. She was once again being the obedient, young woman they always wanted her to be. Mai glared blankly at the walls of the room, unwillingly to let herself think.
There was a knock on her door, and Mai collapsed her head in her hands. "Go away," she whispered low enough that the visitor would not hear her. "Come in," she said louder, reluctantly raising her head and pushing her emotions to the back of her mind.
"Is this a bad time?" Ty Lee peaked her head into the room, instantly noticing Mai trying to collect herself.
Seeing Ty Lee, Mai crumpled slightly. "No," she admitted. Ty Lee closed the door with a soft click and floated briskly to Mai's side.
"Would a hug help?" she asked respectfully, holding her hands behind her back but still hovering over Mai willing to hug her at any moment.
Instead of an answer, Mai simply pressed her head into Ty Lee's shoulder seeking the comfort of her friend. Ty Lee's arms wrapped loosely around Mai's shoulders, allowing space for Mai to break away at any time.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Mai shook her head vehemently. "It's nothing," she assured, pulling away from Ty Lee's arms already. She pressed the heels of her palms under her eyes and let out a deep breath. "Just one of my father's friends wanted to talk to me."
"Did he try to pull anything?" Ty Lee immediately asked, going on the offensive. "Let me at him." She jabbed her fingers into the air like she was freezing the governor's chi. She got a small chuckle from Mai as a reward. "Seriously, did he do anything to you?"
Mai was silent for a moment, cluing Ty Lee in that something was actually wrong even though Mai didn't want to voice it. "It doesn't matter that much. He was just trying to throw his weight around. The usual. He didn't get any information he didn't already know," Mai hinted.
Ty Lee tilted her head in confusion. "He found something out? What?"
"He knows about me and Zuko, so the whole Fire Nation knows of course." Mai rested her head in her hands, letting some of her worry slip into her features.
"Oh...that may have been my fault…." Ty Lee murmured. Mai's head shot up.
Ty Lee held up her hands in a placating manner. "I didn't mean to, but I thought you would be announcing something about it to the public soon so I thought it wouldn't matter. I mentioned it to Azula and well she..."
"She made her own conclusions and spread the rumours," Mai finished, defeated. "I should have known this would happen, especially if there was a chance for Azula to get to Zuko."
"Azula doesn't want to hurt her brother, she loves him," Ty Lee protested. "'Zula wouldn't do anything purposefully to hurt him."
Mai gave Ty Lee a skeptical look. "I'm not so sure Ty. I mean she told the Firelord that she didn't kill the Avatar, but her brother did it. Isn't it a little suspicious that she didn't want the glory for herself?"
Ty Lee shook her head. "'Zula's not that bad, Mai. She doesn't have to have an ulterior motive for wanting Zuko home."
Mai tightened her lips. "If you think so...I trust you," she concluded. Mai gave Ty Lee's hand a squeeze before sitting up in her chair. "Why did you come here, anyway?" Mai instigated.
"Oh!" Ty Lee's face lit up. "Azula wanted me to tell you: we are being sent to Ember Island for a vacation!" she announced.
"Ember Island? Why now?"
"The Firelord wants to send us on a mission to grab some more intell from the governors at Ember Island, but he also offered to send us as a reward for killing the Avatar," she explained.
"Us?" Mai asked.
"You, me; Azula and Zuko. A little family vacation!" Ty Lee beamed at Mai, and Mai couldn't help but give her a small smile.
"When do we leave?"
"As soon as we get packed! Make sure you bring some warm weather clothes and some sun protector." Ty Lee prodded at Mai's pale hand. "Don't want to get burned too badly."
Mai rolled her eyes. "I'm not that pale."
"Vampire," Ty Lee whispered with a teasing hiss.
Mai stuck her tongue out at her, the anxiety in her chest loosening momentarily. Ty Lee just laughed.
"It smells like old lady in here," Zuko said, holding a hand up to his nose in disgust.
"Gee, I wonder why?" Mai replied sarcastically. Zuko glared at her.
"Welcome to Ember Island," Li and Lo announced, opening their arms to their...comfortable home. Seashells and coral shades decorated every surface of the small beach house. Mai swallowed carefully, trying not to retch. It reminded her of her great-aunt's house. There were too many knick-knacks for her own taste. Mai caught Zuko, from the corner of her eye, poking at one of the figurines placed on a shelf near them. The figurine instantly started making noise like a crying baby. Zuko backed away instantly, clutching Mai's arm for help. Mai hid a snicker under her breath.
"Who are these two beautiful women?" Ty Lee asked, pointing at a picture from the other side of the room. From what Mai could make out from far away, the picture was of two young women posing with their butts touching.
"Can't you tell?" Li and Lo asked sweetly, standing back to back like the ladies in the picture. Zuko started gagging at the sight. Ty Lee gracefully smiled at the two, very old women. Azula looked disgusted at the thought and Mai kept an even face as she inwardly was attempting to give herself amnesia.
"You look like you haven't aged a day," Mai said tactfully. The two older women smiled, pleased. Mai nodded to the pile of luggage by the door that they had brought on vacation. "Which rooms are we staying in?"
It turns out, the place they would be spending the night in a single room that was just as tactlessly decorated. The room smelled like it hadn't been aired out in at least ten years. Mai resisted the urge to gag once again. There were three beds pushed into the room with barely any room between them. The one good thing about the lounge room, turned guest room, was that it outlooked the ocean beyond. The salty air made Mai's skin crawl.
"Looks like Father spared no expenses in our lodging," Zuko growled under his breath.
"Oh relax, Zuko. The old beach house is boarded up. This was the only place available at this time of year," Azula sighed, picking at her nails as she let Ty Lee arrange her own and Azula's luggage. "Stop being so grumpy and enjoy the time off Zuko. This is your first vacation since when? Since you were thirteen?" Azula knew she was pressing his buttons, and Zuko rose to the occasion.
"So what? You think I didn't want time off?!" Mai put a hand on his shoulder and he stilled before throwing her hand off. Mai pursed her lips, but said nothing, and neither did he.
"Let's all just take a deep breath," Ty Lee said calmly. Mai sent her a look, making Ty Lee bow her head. "I just want to have some fun, like old times," Ty Lee added quietly.
"In this dingy bedroom?" Azula laughed. "How fun.
"Keep an open mind, children. Put these on," Li and Lo cried, throwing bundles of clothing to each of them. Mai raised an eyebrow at the lack of fabric in her pile. "Ember Island is a magical place. Give it a chance, and it might help you understand yourselves...and each other," they said cryptically. Mai was tempted to knock herself out with the bluntest object nearest to her. She didn't know how much mystical talk she could take in one day.
"The beach has a special way… of smoothing even the roughest of edges," they continued. The two old ladies looked at each other before smiling at the kids. "Time to hit the beach!" They threw their robes off, revealing very old swimsuits. Mai's eyebrows rose as their chests fell and she reached up to shield Zuko's eyes automatically. No one needed to see that. With the groans of disgust all around the room, the rest of the group agreed.
Mai slid her beach outfit on in the adjoining bathroom. She looked skeptically at herself in the mirror. Azula came up beside her in the mirror and hung an arm around her shoulders. "We look like twins," she grinned, pointing at their nearly matching swimsuits. "I think the red really brings out our hair," Azula nodded, giving Mai a rare, kind squeeze on the shoulder. Mai gave her friend a tilt of her lips.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that."
Ty Lee popped out of her changing space and grinned at the girls in her bright, white swimsuit. "What do you guys think?" She posed for extra emphasis.
Mai and Azula shared a look. They both shrugged. "It's...white," Mai supplied.
"Yes, very white...very….bright," Azula finally added, seeming to be struggling with the appropriate words. Ty Lee didn't seem to mind her friends' emotional imcompetence.
"I think we make a great team," Ty Lee stated, and the three friends shared a look through the shared mirror. For once they looked like a pair of silly teenagers who lived on the beach.
Walking downstairs with the rest of the girls, Mai's eyes caught on Zuko who was lounging on the couch. He was wearing red, obviously, but Mai appreciated the sliver of chest she could see underneath his vest. She'd seen him training without a shirt, sure, but this felt different. He glanced up at her, feeling her gaze. Mai saw his eyes shift to her visible stomach and shoulders. Mai self-consciously slid her arm across her tummy, itching an imaginary itch.
"You ready?" she asked breathlessly, inwardly cringing at her effete tone. Zuko visibly swallowed, clearly focused on her shoulders. "Are my shoulders distracting, your highness?" Mai asked in a teasing manner, purposefully ducking her head to meet his gaze.
Zuko immediately blushed and started stammering. "I-uh...um...yes.." he finally admitted. He jerked his head up as he tried to defend himself. "I mean you look...good."
Mai bit the inside of her lip to keep herself from laughing at him. "Thank you. You look good too." She patted his shoulders. "Nice shoulders."
Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks," he murmured. He bumped into her gently, giving her a hidden smile as if asking if everything was okay. Mai playfully pushed him back, her nose twitching with the urge to smile back.
"Can we get this palanquin moving?" Azula called from the door, tapping her foot. She gave the two of them a pointed look.
Mai wrapped her arm around Zuko's and pulled him to the door, handing him her bag with the beach supplies. Mai grabbed her red cloak from the hook by the door and wrapped it firmly around her shoulders. She did not want to risk getting burned alive on her only vacation of the year. Ty Lee winked as she placed suncream in Mai's beach bag as they stepped out into the beating sun. With a moment to think, Mai leaned back into the house and grabbed an umbrella. Zuko frowned at her in confusion. "You can never be too careful," Mai explained. Zuko continued to stare at her. "What?" Mai asked after they got into the palanquin.
Zuko looked at all of the sun protection pointedly. He eventually shook his head, tearing his gaze away. "Nothing."
The beach was crowded, as to be expected. The four of them were able to find a fine enough spot where all of them could partake in whatever teenagers do these days. Mai made Zuko set up their umbrella in the sand so they could lay under it. It was cramped under the umbrella, and Zuko's skin was incredibly warm even under his outer coat, and Mai was sweatier than normal. She set her cloak aside, but felt weirdly displaced in such a setting as the beach. She peeked over at Zuko and saw him silently stewing. She touched his arm briefly, but when he ignored her she decided to leave him alone for the time being. Mai calmly watched the crowds of tanned teenagers run across the beach and into the surf, and she found it mildly entertaining to watch some of them freak out over the seaweed that got stuck between their toes.
"Here, for you." Zuko's voice broke Mai's train of thought and she turned to him surprised. In his outstretched hand was a plain old conch shell that had been laying beside their sitting spot for the last ten minutes. Mai looked at the shell then up at Zuko's face.
"Why would I want that?" she asked, her voice flat. She gave him a confused look.
"I saw it," was Zuko's explanation. "I thought it was pretty. Don't girls like this stuff?"
Mai looked at him in disbelief. "Yeah, maybe stupid girls," Mai droned. She watched as Zuko threw the shell away in anger before turning away from her. Mai blinked, processing his actions slowly. She couldn't quite make the connection between the argument they had last night with his current actions. It was clear he was still barely thinking. Mai exhaled a long breath, letting her agitation simmer away.
They sat there in the sweltering heat together, watching everyone around them run and laugh. Ty Lee soon collected a swarm of men around her and Azula began picking a fight but they remained quiet. Off-handedly Mai mentioned she was hot. Zuko shot up and left only to return with an ice treat that promptly melted onto the skirt of Mai's outfit. Mai looked at the pile of colored ice with barely hidden disdain. He was trying, he really was, but Mai couldn't help but feel frustrated at his lack of attention for what she actually liked. "Refreshing," she replied sarcastically. Zuko collapsed beside her, disgruntled once again. Mai opened her mouth, but closed it again. Nothing she could say would make his mood better. It was going to be a long day.
"I'm bored," Mai hinted, staring off into space. The party that Chan and his friend had invited her and Ty Lee to was incredibly disinteresting. Not that it was made better by the two royal siblings who were both in a royal mood, and had been all day.
"I know," Zuko snapped.
Mai bit her lip. "I'm hungry," she tried again.
"So what."
Mai dug her crossed arms into her chest and withheld a groan of frustration. "So, find me food," Mai elaborated.
"Sure." Zuko got up and moved off of their bench without thinking. Mai ground her teeth together and crossed her legs. She wanted to go home and forget about this stupid vacation and stupid words that were constantly circling her mind. She knew she should forget about Governor-what's his name, but his threat ran marathons around the caverns of her mind. Mai couldn't help but be reminded of why she came here on the vacation: it was because of her relation with the Firelord's son. Mai felt almost like an afterthought to the group everywhere they went, but at least she was asked to this party simply for being herself. One of the boys whose father owned this house had asked her to come. At least she was wanted somewhere.
"Hey, you look a little lonely all here in the corner. Where did your boyfriend go?" came a voice to Mai's right. Mai swiveled her attention to one of the boys who lived at the house. His name was Ruan-something?
"Oh he just went to get some food," she shrugged.
The boy nodded in understanding. "Cool, yeah, we have some good food over there. I hope you enjoy it." He stuck out his hand. "My name's Ruan-Jian, by the way. I don't think I introduced myself earlier."
Mai took his proffered hand and shook it, giving him a small smile. "Mai," she provided. It felt nice to leave off her family name.
"Pretty name." Ruan-Jian rubbed the shell of his left ear nervously. "I'm glad you could come to the party, you and the other girl." He nodded his head over to Ty Lee in the corner laughing with one of the guests.
"Why did you invite me?" Mai asked. "You don't know me."
Ruan-Jian shrugged. "I don't know. You looked like you needed a change of pace."
Mai let out a wry laugh. "Well, you're not wrong."
"I'm not usually wrong," Ruan-Jian added with a wink. Mai felt a blush rise in her cheeks at the attention. She let herself pretend just for the moment that she was someone else; someone who could enjoy anyone's company and not just one that would further her family's station in life.
"Truth be told, I usually don't like parties, but I suppose yours is okay."
"Okay?" Ruan-Jian laughed. "You seem like a person who is hard to please." Mai noticed how this boy's emotions were written all over his face. Mai only hoped it wouldn't bite him in the future.
"My boyfriend tells me that often," Mai added with a true laugh.
"Well you two look like a power couple, so it is probably best if I leave you alone." Ruan-Jian lifted his hands in a placating manner.
Mai shook her head. "Yeah his bark is just as bad as his bite."
Ruan-Jian slipped his hands into his pockets smoothly and nodded. "Good to know. Well it was nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy the party."
"Thanks for inviting me, again. It was a nice bre-" Mai was cut off as Zuko surged into the space between her and Ruan-Jian, pushing him back forcefully.
"Stop talking to my girlfriend!" Zuko roared, unprovoked.
"Dude what are you doing?" Ruan-Jian asked, confused at Mai's boyfriend's outburst. "Relax, it's just a party."
Zuko pushed Ruan-Jian again, this time practically throwing him across the room. Mai stood up in anger and got between the two boys instantly, shoving Zuko back. "Zuko! What's wrong with you?!"
Zuko pulled away from her grasp and yelled right back, his emotions easily bleeding onto his face. "What's wrong with me?!"
"Your anger is out of control," Mai berated. "You blow up over every little thing! You're so impatient and hotheaded and angry!"
"Well, at least I feel something, as opposed to you!" Zuko snapped, throwing his hands up in defeat. "You have no passion for anything! You're just a big-" He fumbled for a moment thinking of a word to describe her before settling on: "just a big blah!"
Mai flinched back, his words cutting deep. She wrapped her cloak closer around her, but she never broke his gaze. Someone in the background started crying about something being broken, but Mai could barely focus on their voices. "It's over, Zuko. We're done."
Zuko's eyes widened for a moment before his expression hardened. "I'm leaving," Zuko declared to her and the rest of the party before storming out. The party barely noticed his missing presence, but Mai noticed the vacant spot on the couch and the abandoned fruit plate of her favorites discarded a few steps away. Mai pursed her lips before following Zuko out of the manor house.