Title: "Lady Behind the Fan"

Summary: A young lady from the court of the Fire Nation must balance duty, honor, and love to find herself and her prince. Arranged marriage, court intrigue, and one flying bison served together for one not-so-typical romance.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, own or claim Avatar: The Last Airbender as my original work. It is the property of its creators, Nickelodeon, and Nickelodeon's parent company. I am in no way receiving compensation for my work and it is written for the sole purpose of recreational enjoyment. In short, I'm just borrowing the characters for a little bit. I promise to put them back where I found them after I get done playing with them.

Author Notes: BIG NEWS! My little ficcie has been presented with two (!) awards by Unseen Paths, the Avatar fansite by Lala-Ness. Needless to say, I seriously freaked out when I got the news—did the 'happy dance' and everything. I am so geeked out! Just so you know, Lady Behind the Fan is the Fanfiction of the Month at Unseen Paths and has the Heroine Award (do forgive the Spice Girls moment but...GIRL POWER!).

In some less big news, I am departing for college on August 19, so updates may be a little hectic ('cause I'll have to actually study…scary Oo). Never fear, I refuse to abandon this story—there's so much in store!

Book Two: Fire
Chapter Five: Tea and Tribulations

Etsu's fainting spell had given her an iron-clad reason to remain in seclusion for a few days. Yuri had made a spectacle of herself, shrieking hysterically for a healer and creating such a ruckus that Etsu did not remain unconscious for long. Chaos ensued, with palace guards running towards Yuri's screams and a whole herd of nosy courtiers gathering outside of Etsu's rooms. Within twenty minutes the Fire Lord had dispatched his own personal army of healers to the aid of Etsu.

Throughout the commotion, no one had bothered to help Etsu off the floor.

The next day was completely taken up by the arrival of sympathy gifts. With a complete disregard for the healers' orders, Etsu had gotten out of bed and aided Yuri and Kohana in cataloging each gift and its giver. Kohana resolutely refused to speak to Etsu or even look at her unless it was absolutely necessary. Kohana was still upset about her dismissal, and Etsu knew better than to inform either attendant that Zhao was interested in courting her. The less people knew, the better.

Zhao had sent her an extravagant flower arrangement that was nearly as tall as she was. Etsu gladly threw them out.

Now, three days later, Etsu felt reasonably well enough to leave her quarters. She dressed modestly in only a seven-layer robe, her hair smoothed into a sleek bun, and her face adorned with little make-up. Yuri and Kohana, dressed identically again, waited patiently as Etsu tucked a fan into the wide sash about her waist.

Stepping out into the corridor, a smother giggle caught Etsu's ear. She jerked her head about quickly, just in time to catch a small flicker of orange disappearing around the corner. Etsu peered down the hall, annoyance welling up inside her.

"Wha—?"

Etsu held up a hand, silencing Yuri's inquiry. She was positive she had seen someone vanish around the corner. Pressing a finger to her lips, she motioned for her attendants to follow her. Covertly, Etsu led them down the hall in the opposite direction, determined to put an end to the mischief. Taking a roundabout route, Etsu managed to come out behind intruder—or rather intruders.

A group of five ladies stood in a tight huddle, smothering giggles and peering around the corner. Etsu scowled mightily. Her nerves were already strained with Zhao and the rest of that mess. She was not going to tolerate this incursion on her privacy. Moving silently, she stepped out into the middle of the hall, with Yuri and Kohana flanking her on either side.

"Is it a common practice to lurk in palace corridors and trespass on a whim?" Etsu asked in an imposing voice. The women jumped in shock and twittered nervously as they spun to face her. Etsu pointed her closed fan at the group, sneering at them regally, "I demand explanation. Now."

"Well, this certainly is a treat! It has been so long since we've seen you last, Lady Etsu," the foremost lady in the group bowed to Etsu in an effort to appease. Etsu did not even bother to glance at the crests garishly embroidered in gold threads on the lady's robes. Ino of House Wei had the singular misfortune of being quite wealthy and quite ugly, making it easy to recognize her. Her head seemed to border on bulbous while her body was stick thin, giving the impression that Ino could easily double or even triple her weight if given the opportunity to gorge herself. Sly as a fox and with a tongue as sharp as a blade, Ino's personality only further drove off any potential suitors.

Sufficing to say, Etsu was not fond of her.

Nevertheless, alienation of any one courtier could make life very difficult, a fact that Etsu had to keep reminding herself of as she returned the bow. "I highly doubt that your presence is unintentional," Etsu told her in honeyed voice that did not reflect her present mood, "Continue to lurk about my chambers and you will be most unhappy with the outcome." Etsu enjoyed her privacy; if a well-placed threat kept Ino and her gaggle of friends away, then so be it.

Ino flushed an unflattering shade of puce before one of her followers—dressed in orange—piped up in a shrill voice, "We only heard that you had taken ill, my lady, and were unable to attend the Winter Tea the other day. We were only wondering if you would be so kind as to come to a little impromptu tea party that Lady Shiko is having in her apartments right now."

There was nothing in the request that Etsu could object to without being rude, and she had missed the Winter Tea… "I would be delighted to accompany you to her apartments," Etsu told them, tucking her fan away.

"Wonderful!" Ino exclaimed as she latched onto Etsu's arm and began to pull her down the hall. There was something unsettling about Ino's eagerness. "There's just so much gossip to catch up on!"

"How delightful to see you!"

Etsu fought back the urge to pummel someone as yet another court lady bowed to her, gushing over some facet of her appearance like her hair, her robes, or in the case of Lady Yamahiro, how absolutely adorable her cuticles were. The only blessing from Prince Zuko's banishment was her restricted number of public appearances. With Zuko's banishment, Etsu remained tied to the Prince since neither her father nor the Fire Lord had yet terminated the engagement. She did, however, receive the luxury of entering a bereaved state, limiting her attendance to superfluous court functions.

To the minds of most of the woman in the room, being bereaved was a fate worse that death—what was there to do if you couldn't gossip and show off your newest robes? To Etsu's occasional ire, they seemed to take it upon themselves to cheer her up. Thankfully, Lady Shiko was a bit more levelheaded than her fellow ladies, which boded well for the afternoon. Hopefully, Etsu could actually glean some worthwhile information from the chatter.

"Ladies, let's give Lady Etsu some room," a voice called over the din. Lady Shiko pushed her way through the crowd so that she too could pay her respects. Shiko was unbelievably pretty, both in her face and in personality. Though from a family of modest means, she had managed to marry a young captain of much nobler blood with a promising future. "Come, Lady Etsu, I would be most honored if you sat beside me," Shiko smiled as she guided Etsu to the low table.

Another girl was already seated to the left of Shiko as the ladies took their seats. Though she looked to be barely twelve, the girl was clearly a close relative of Shiko's, judging by her similar facial structure. It was a common practice of the court to have young girls come to court at the age of twelve, in order to cultivate marriage prospects. With especially large families, the girls often took up residence with their older—and presumably well-connected—sisters and female cousins. Keiko, the oldest daughter after Etsu in House Reizo, was due to arrive within the next few weeks.

Noticing where Etsu's attention was, Shiko gestured to the girl beside her. "May I introduce Lady Shimiyo of House Chiang to you?" The girl blushed bashfully before inclining her head. Shiko chuckled as she patted the girl on the shoulder. "Don't be fooled by her. She's anything but shy!"

All the ladies giggled politely, before each one took a turn introducing themselves to little Shimiyo. Even if Shiko had neglected to mention her House, the girl's name alone confirmed Etsu's guess. It was an old custom for daughters of the same woman to share some element in their name—such as Shiko and Shimiyo. It helped cut down the confusion when there were multiple wives and concubines in one House. Etsu alone had three half-sisters, named Keiko, Keiha, and Keiyumi. Boys, on the other hand, were free from such naming practices.

"Finally, I am Lady Etsu of House Reizo, by Lord Yasou's first wife," Etsu murmured as she bowed to the girl. Shimiyo's eyes widened in surprise as the name registered.

"Y-you!" Shimiyo squeaked, "You're the Prince's bride?" Poor Shimiyo looked like her entire world had just been turned on its ear. For a daughter of the provincial House of Chiang, meeting Etsu was probably beyond her realm of experience.

"Shimiyo! Don't ogle her, it's rude!" Shiko swatted her sister on the shoulder with her fan. Shiko quickly turned to Etsu, obviously mortified, and bowed apologetically, "Do forgive her, my lady. My sister has taken leave of her senses."

It was hardly a matter to get ruffled about. Etsu waved aside the apology, "Don't worry about it—"

"—after, she is the ever-benevolent Prince's bride. Any girl here would gladly sacrifice several years of her life just to have a shadow of Lady Etsu's fame and renown," Ino interrupted in her high breathy voice from the other end of the table. Ino leaned forward, waggling her closed fan at Shimiyo in a mock threat, before announcing to the table at large, "Here's a piece of advice for all of you. Lady Etsu personifies the propriety and decorum that is so highly prized at court, especially in the face of scandal. Her example is the one to follow." Ino's cold eyes turned to Etsu, "Isn't that right?"

"You give me too much credit, Lady Ino," Etsu ground out an answer between clenched teeth. Ino was trying to stir up something—by her own initiative or on someone else's orders, Etsu could not be certain of yet. Etsu's hands, folded inside her voluminous sleeves, were balled into fists. If she wanted to cross verbal swords, Etsu would be all too happy to trounce her. "You know very well—as does the rest of the court—that I behaved as was expected of me. My honor and the honor of my family were at stake."

"Yet to remain loyal to the depraved worm!" Ino tutted to herself, feigning to be indignant. "Your father was perfectly within his rights to end the engagement that very day if he had so chosen."

"Oh, but Etsu—she actually interceded on behalf of the Prince!" another lady chimed in. She had a dreamy look on her face, as if imagining Etsu's intercession was a great heroic feat, perhaps even throwing herself at the feet of the Fire Lord himself.

Etsu swallowed hard, trying to get a stubborn lump out of her throat. There was nothing remotely heroic about it—her trembling knees, the horrible rushing sound in her ears, that tightness—that suffocating pressure gripping her heart. And all the while, he just stood there. He just…stood. His one good eye would not look at her, his face would not to turn to her. All the while, he just stood, the putrid scent of burnt flesh poisoning the air. Etsu's vision blurred as the memories came.

She was a coward.

"Oh! How terribly brave of you!" Shimiyo gasped, eyes round in admiration. Her brow furrowed, "But I still don't understand. What exactly did the Crown Prince do?"

In an instant, the room fell deathly silent. Etsu closed her eyes in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose. This week was simply one disaster after another.

"We…do not speak of it," Shiko answered in a small voice. "Just know that it was an act of treason, little sister."

The silence persisted for a few more minutes as servants quietly brought forward the tea, along with a collection of beautifully delicate teacups. Matching teapots were set before the more prominent ladies, waiting for their attendants to pour. Kohana, as the junior of Etsu's ladies-in-waiting, reached forward and steadily poured the tea for Etsu before filling Yuri's cup. The tea ceremony was an important part of the Fire Nation culture, but in such an informal setting and with so many guests, strict adherence to the steps was hardly possible. Typically, the tea ceremony was used for smaller parties and in the presence of possible suitors.

Ino, more brazen than brave, broke the pervasive silence. "It was such a terrible shame that you couldn't come to the Winter Tea, Lady Etsu. Commander Zhao was most disheartened by your absence." Ino took a dainty sip of her tea, her eyebrows raised innocuously. "You must have made quite the impression on him in the gardens."

"Lady Etsu!" another lady gasped teasingly before she could reply. "You are a sly one! He's one of the most eligible bachelors at court!"

"But he's so terribly elusive…," Lady Yamahiro sighed, examining her nails in great interest. "Commander Zhao is a military man—he'd rather be at sea with his men than in a party with a room full of ladies."

"I heard a rumor that he won't be a royal commander for much longer," a bookish girl mentioned. "Fire Lord Ozai is so pleased with him that there's talk of a promotion to admiral!"

Shiko shook her head in disagreement. "It's probably just a rumor. He's only been a commander for two years. No one's been promoted to admiral that quickly…"

The girl just shrugged. "He uses highly effective tactics that gets the results the Fire Lord wants. Even if they tend to be a bit more brutish…"

"He does seem rather taken with the…coarser side of life, doesn't he?" Etsu mentioned lightly. "Commander Zhao sadly lacks—"

Shiko laughed. "All men are coarse, Lady Etsu. That's why they marry us—it is our duty to bring refinement to the union." The ladies all nodded in agreement with her assessment. "Zhao just needs to find the right woman for him."

"He already has."

Every head in the room turned to look at Ino. She sat with a smug smirk on her face, lazily swishing her tea. She fluttered her eyes innocently, "Surely you knew of this happy news!"

"What?" Kohana burst out, her eyes wide. Kohana's bottom lip trembled, a clear sign that she was upset. "There has been no announcement of betrothal!"

"Not yet, no," Ino admitted. "However, I caught a bit of conversation during the Winter Tea—"

"You mean you eavesdropped," Etsu gritted out.

Ino surveyed her with a condescending look. "It was a heated discussion. I could hardly ignore it…"

"Ignore what?" Shimiyo chirped eagerly, her interested piqued.

"Oh, how I wished that all of you ladies could have heard it! Such an impassioned oration!" Ino giggled unctuously. "Commander Zhao was talking about how devastatingly beautiful this particular lady was…how charmingly graceful she was…"

The ladies murmured in interest, whispering to one another. Etsu felt like bolting from the room. She could feel her nails digging deep crescent-shaped gouges in her palms. A lady beside Ino elbowed her, "Come now, Ino, you simply have to tell us!"

"No, no, you'll have to guess," Ino teased. "Let's see…what else did he say? Oh yes, that the lady was sweet of tongue and kind of heart—and that he had never been intrigued in all his life by a woman."

"Goodness, who could it be?" Shiko queried in excitement.

Ino was clearly enjoying herself. "The commander said he would walk the gardens every single day if it meant a chance to see her again."

A collective gasp filled the room. The ladies' heads snapped to look at Etsu, some in shock, others in disgust. Etsu could feel the blood rushing to her face as she turned a brilliant red. How dare that man spread such foul tales! If Zhao wanted to marry her so badly, then why was he trying to ruin her first?

Shiko found her voice first. "Etsu…that isn't true, is it?" She grabbed Etsu's arm and gave her a hard shake. "Do you realize what the Fire Lord will do to you if he hears this?" Shiko's voice got increasing higher and frantic, "You are to be married! What in the world where you thinking!"

Etsu pulled her arm out of Shiko's grasp, trying to keep from screaming. "This is a falsehood—a lie!" She looked pleadingly at the gathered women. "Why would I, Lady Etsu, do something so foolish as this? You know me, I am the Prince's bride!" Etsu's voice cracked as a sob threatened to emerge.

"I'm sure it was just a silly joke then," Ino drawled, in a tone that suggest otherwise.

"I do not find it amusing, Lady Ino," Etsu replied coldly, suddenly furious. "I am engaged to be married. If you further seek to sully my reputation, I promise swift recompense upon your head."

Ino's face twisted into an ugly snarl. "You won't be engaged to Prince Zuko for long—"

"Keep your mouth—"

"The Fire Lord has already agreed to review your betrothal in favor of Commander Zhao—or should I say Admiral Zhao?"

"So help me, I'll—"

Ino sneered at Etsu. "You'll what, dear Prince's bride? Lord Ozai has promised you'll be Lady of House Feng before—"

"ENOUGH!" Etsu shouted, slamming her hands onto the table. Several teat cups rattled and toppled over, tea flooding the tabletop. Etsu lurched to her feet, stumbling back angrily. The ladies in the room stared at Etsu with large, frightened eyes. A slow, evil grin spread across Ino's face.

Etsu turned and ran from the room. She ran and ran until her chest ached and her eyes burned from the tears. She sprinted along the palace halls, mercifully seeing no one. Etsu kept running till she felt weary, no destination in mind except to get away.

Her legs, leaden from the dash, faltered suddenly, throwing her into a headlong sprawl. A strong arm shot out, wrapping about her waist to prevent her from crashing to the floor. Etsu gasped for breath, hurriedly wiping the tears of her face as her rescuer helped her to her feet.

"So," the darkly amused voice of Zhao rumbled in her ear, "shall we take a walk in the garden?"