Right after the performance, Suiren and Chiyo made their way over to the Royal family and bowed. "Fire Lord Ozai, my apprentice and I are honored to have you here tonight." Suiren smiled sweetly up at the monarch.
"That was a very impressive performance," The Fire Lord addressed Chiyo, who bowed her head in respect. "You certainly take after your teacher, in talent and charm."
"I have a long way to go before I could even reach a quarter of my mentor's talents, my Lord."
Several nobles and town folks paid their respects to the Fire Lord and his family, as well as steal a glimpse of the Lady Suiren and Chiyo, who still donned the heavy makeup and the elegant cheongsam.
Suiren turned to her pupil. "Find your Auntie Lee and Auntie Anita, and get changed. We should head back to the palace soon."
Chiyo pouted. "Can't we stay and enjoy the festival a bit more?" It was actually Chiyo's first festival and she wanted to explore the plaza. It's been quite a while since she stepped out of palace walls.
"Chiyo," Suiren said in a sterner voice. "Get changed, we are going home."
"Yes, Lady Suiren..." She turned and made her way back to the tent to look for Lady Lee and Anita. She spotted the organizer and asked him, but found out they had left early for some emergency back in the troupe quarters. Left alone in the tent, she changed back into a white yukata and tried her best to remove the thick makeup.
"You were amazing out there..." A voice spoke from the tent entrance and Chiyo turned to find the prince. He approached her and pulled three long-stemmed fire lilies from behind his back. "For you."
Chiyo smiled and took the beautiful fire lilies. "Thank you, Prince Zuko. For the flowers, and for coming to the festival."
"You..." He pointed at his cheek. "Still have some of the white stuff on here."
She used the back of her hand to try and wipe the residue off. "Did I get it?"
She tried a few more times before Zuko reached out and wiped it for her, his palm cupping her cheek and his thumb took care of the smudge. "There, all clean..." Chiyo could feel the heat rush to her cheeks. She must be as red as a tomato by now. She cleared her throat and looked away. "Shall we head back now, Chiyo?"
Chiyo looked down. "I kind of wanted to stay behind and see the town a bit more." She suddenly had an idea and took the prince's hand. "Let's go around for a bit, then we'll head back, I promise!"
"But Chiyo, they are going to be looking for us..."
"Please?" She looked up at him with her wide amber eyes. "We'll only be a few minutes, and then, we'll go back."
How could he resist her? The young prince sighed and nodded his head. "But how will we get around town? The guards and the town people will easily recognize us."
Chiyo thought hard, looking around for something around the tent until she spotted what she was looking for. She picked up the blue mask she had discarded during the performance and gave it to Zuko. "Here, you wear this. The people won't recognize me without the makeup. It'll be easy! Now let's go!"
Zuko put the mask on and Chiyo helped him tie it behind the back of his head. Once everything was set, they head out to the plaza.
The streets were alive with light, music and people. The young kids tried everything from eating fire flakes and gummies, to trying to catch goldfish with a paper net, and admiring the fire dancers in the plaza. All the while, Chiyo held on to Zuko's arm so as not to lose him in the sea of people, the fire lilies he gave her in her other hand.
Zuko happily followed the young Chiyo around. Tonight, they weren't prince and apprentice. They were just Zuko and Chiyo, going around the festival and enjoying it to the fullest. It was a good thing that the blue mask hid his flushed cheeks while she took him to several other kiosks.
Suddenly, they heard a loud whistle followed by an explosion. The sky filled with colors and light. They both looked up and watched the fireworks, hand in hand. The red and yellow light of the fireworks took the shape of a giant fire lily, earning gasps of awe and amazement from the crowd watching below.
Zuko took off the mask and held Chiyo's hand tighter, he looked at her and smiled as he saw her bright wide eyes and carefree smile. "It's so beautiful..." She whispered as more fireworks were sent up to the night sky.
"Yeah..." He agreed as he kept his gaze trained on her. "Beautiful..."
"Prince Zuko!" One of the soldiers who had scoured the entire plaza approached the pair, panting. "We've been looking everywhere for the both of you!"
Chiyo approached the soldier. "Just a few more minutes, please... Just until the fireworks are over..." She gave him her best pout, much to the slight jealousy of the young prince.
Even the soldier was not immune to Chiyo's charm. He acquiesced and watched over the prince and the apprentice. When the display was over, he took the kids back to the awaiting palanquins. Suiren was waiting in one, looking very stern at her apprentice. Chiyo bowed. "I'm sorry..."
"Well, did you at least enjoy?"
"I-I did! There were lots of music, and food, and fireworks!"
Suiren could not resist the smile that crept to her face. No matter how mature Chiyo was at the age of twelve, she was still just a child. Being a mother figure to her apprentice really did soften her.
And she did not mind the slightest. "Alright... pay your respects to the Fire Lord."
Chiyo ran to the largest palanquin where the Fire Lord was scolding his son harshly. She mustered up all her courage and ran to Zuko. "Fire Lord, please don't be mad at Prince Zuko! I-It's all my fault! I wanted to see the Capital and festival a bit more..." She went on her knees and bowed deeply. "I'll take whatever punishment it is, I deserve it!"
"Chiyo, don't—" Zuko tried to stop her, but the Fire Lord interrupted him.
"You should know your place, apprentice! He is a prince, a respected figure in all of the Fire Nation. He cannot be seen gallivanting around town like a commoner with the likes of you. Think of his reputation!" His tone change from loud and harsh, to low and frightening. "I will not give you lenience, even if you are Suiren's apprentice. Learn your place, or else I will make you learn it the hard way." He looked down menacingly at the child, as if she was a street rat in his presence.
"I-I'm so sorry, F-Fire Lord Ozai, i-it won't happen again! I p-promise!" She had tears streaming from her eyes, but having bowed to the ground, no one saw them.
The prince was forcefully sent to his palanquin and the Royal family set off. Chiyo was still on the ground, bowing her head to the leaving royalty. The fire lilies in her hands were crushed, the red petals, blown away by the wind.
It must have been an eternity that she stayed there until Suiren had approached her young ward. Carefully, she lifted the head of her apprentice and her heart broke, seeing the tears of the young child. "Oh, Chiyo..."
The child wrapped her arms around Suiren, finally letting out the sob she had been holding off. They exchanged no words, they just held one another tightly while Suiren stroked her hair gently and hummed a soft tune to calm her distraught apprentice.
They stayed there for a while, then Suiren asked one of the soldiers to carry Chiyo to the palanquin. They headed back to the palace. Suiren took care of her young ward personally, changing her out of her clothes, running a cool, wet cloth over her body and dressing her in a light dress for sleeping. She tucked her in like a mother would her child and gently kissed her forehead.
Chiyo's expression was still pained as she slept. Suiren stood up and leaned against the door frame, "I'm sorry that it had to be this way, Chiyo." She whispered softly. "I'm sorry we have to be this way..."
The next day, Chiyo did not get up from bed. It was as if her energy was all drained out from yesterday's events. She lay in bed, covered in cold sweat, shivering as if cold despite it being the middle of summer.
Sol brought the young ward jasmine tea in her room, but upon seeing the girl's condition, she dropped the tray, spilling and breaking its contents, and rushed to Lady Suiren. "My Lady! My Lady!"
"What's with the rush so early in the morning, Sol?" Suiren was woken up abruptly and she turned to Sol.
"I-It's Chiyo—" The handmaiden did not need to say more, Suiren got out of bed, barefoot, and ran to her ward's room.
The lady burst into the room and saw her ward. She rushed to her side and cradled her body. "Oh child, wake up!" She gently tapped Chiyo's colorless cheek, hoping it would make her conscious. "Chiyo!"
The child whimpered and weakly opened her dull eyes. "I-I'm sorry...I couldn't stretch t-today..."
"You brainless child! Why are you still thinking about stretching?! You performed so greatly yesterday, you don't have anything to practice for now! I'm going you today off, alright? You can stay in bed and rest. I'll keep you company, alright? We'll play pai sho, I'll teach you!" Suiren tried her best to ease her young ward's heart.
She gave her mentor a weak smile. Suiren ordered Sol to get some towels and a basin of water. Sol wiped the tears from her eyes and did as she was told.
She knew this was coming, she just did not expect for it to come so soon.
Sol bumped into Ai along the way and she told her the events. She also asked her for some porridge or soup for the young lady, and Ai rushed off. On her way to the kitchens, she accidentally ran into the Prince who was pacing the hallway. She hastily bowed her head. "Where's Chiyo?" He asked the handmaiden.
"She is... not feeling well today, Prince Zuko. P-please, come back some other day..."
"I have to see her..." Zuko looked pained. He knew that his father's words have gotten to her, and he did not even have the chance to comfort her. "Please, let me see her."
"Get the food for the child, Ai!" Suiren shouted at the handmaiden as she approached them. Ai bowed once again and ran for the kitchens.
Zuko ran to the concubine. "Please, Lady Suiren. I need to see Chiyo."
"You need to leave, my Prince." Lady Suiren's voice and expression turned cold as ice, very much unlike her. "Chiyo does not want to see you."
The prince clenched his fists tightly in anger so hard that his knuckles turned white. "I am the Crown Prince of this nation, Lady Suiren. I will not ask again."
The lady stood her ground. "And I am speaking not as a Royal Concubine of this palace, but as Chiyo's caretaker. She will not see you today. Now leave, Prince Zuko, before I call your father's guards on you."
Suiren turned around abruptly and left the sad, fuming prince to his own miserable thoughts.
'Oh Chiyo, what have you done? What have I done?'