The Education of Miyako's Father
Chapter 4: Change is Hard, Part 1
Once Mai and Zuko decided to have a second child, they set to work immediately. Mai ceased to drink her contraceptive tea and they made extra time for lovemaking, above the time they usually spent in that pursuit. Miyako, now five years old, noticed the changes right away.
"How come Midori's here all the time?" The little girl pouted as she held onto Susu, stroking the cat's soft, silky black coat. "I don't like it."
They sat in one of the palace's many living rooms, Miyako's toys scattered about the carpeted floor, tea pot and cups along with cookies on the table and Mai's books in a tidy pile beside her.
"B, but, I thought that you and Midori got along well," Zuko stammered. He looked over to Mai, hoping she would rescue him.
Rather than help, she smirked, got very comfortable in her chair and gazed at her husband with sparkling gold eyes. "You can field this one, Zuko. I'm sure that you'll do fine."
With a little growl, (he immediately thought of fun ways to punish his wife later), the Fire Lord turned back to their anxious looking little girl. "Well, um, your mother and I are, um, working on a bit of a project."
Mai snorted and reached for her tea. "You're doing great," she giggled.
"What's a pro, project?" Miyako asked. She cuddled against her father's side, gently dragging Susu along with her. The cat gave a little meow of protest and the girl immediately soothed her, cooing nonsense words and scratching behind her ears. "It's okay, Susu."
"A project can be anything, like something that you're building or something that you're writing. Oh!" Zuko got a sudden rush of inspiration. "Remember when we went to Ember Island a few weeks ago?"
Miyako nodded. "Yep; it was fun."
"It was," the father agreed. He recalled the family vacation with a smile. Compared to his trips there with his own parents and sister years earlier, it had been idyllic. "Do you remember that huge sandcastle we made?"
"Uh-huh, it was as big as this room." She sat up straight, moved to the edge of the sofa and stretched her arms out wide to demonstrate.
"It was certainly big. It took us a long time to finish it, right? That was a project that you and I worked on." He paused and looked questioningly at Miyako. "So, do you understand now?"
The princess scrunched up her face. "Um, you and Mommy are making a sandcastle?"
Zuko groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Not quite. Look, Miyako, how would you like a little brother or sister?" Perhaps simply blurting it out would be better. Silence greeted the Fire Lord and the Fire Lady. The princess slid of the couch, Susu still cradled in her arms, and left the room. "Yeah," Zuko drawled. "That went well."
They found her out in the garden, practicing her firebending. Actually, it was more an angry display of her gradually increasing power and precision. Zuko and Mai were proud that she had taken her anger outside, where no one would be hurt.
Mai beckoned the girl over to the bench that Susu hid beneath. "Miyako, come here; we need to finish talking."
"Don't wanna talk," the princess spat. Her ponytail swung back and forth wildly. She curled her fist and shot of another bit of fire.
"I said to come here," Mai ordered, not so nicely that time.
Miyako knew that tone well. She let the fire fade and walked toward her mother and father. Susu got up and wound herself around the little girl's legs, purring contentedly, happy to have her mistress back. "Hmmmph," the princess grunted as she sat. "Don't wanna baby either."
"That's not your decision," Mai replied firmly. "Your father and I do want another baby. We hope that you'll be happy when he or she finally gets here. But you sulking now will not stop us. You need to get used to the idea, Miyako and you have lots of time for that." She ran a hand over her daughter's head and gave the girl a smile. "I promise that it won't be so bad."
"Think about all the things you'll be able to show the baby. You'll be a big girl, at least six years old before he or she arrives. Won't that be fun?" Zuko hated, absolutely hated, seeing his little girl unhappy. He was feeling almost desperate now.
"Can I help make the baby?" Miyako asked innocently. "I can go in your room too. And Midori can go home."
The Fire Lord's good eye was wide with panic and Mai doubled over with laughter. "How are you going to field this one, Daddy?" she teased.
He bemoaned his fate. "They're so much easier when they can't talk. Oh, Miyako, no, making the baby is something that only your mother and I can do and it's a private thing between just the two of us. But when the baby is here, you can help."
The princess thought hard for a moment. "Like when you kiss?"
"Yeeah, something like that," Zuko agreed.
"Okay. Can I go play now?" The princess bent down to scoop up Susu and ran off further into the garden.
They watched her get smaller and smaller, each of their hearts bursting with love for the little girl. They had so much love, that they wanted to give some of it to another child. And a small part of Zuko wanted to prove that royal siblings could get along, could be close, could act like family rather than enemies.
"That's not really the end of her questions, is it?" he asked his wife.
Mai shook her head. "I think it's just the beginning." She leaned over and kissed him then. "Now that she's occupied, we should go to our room."
The stress of their daughter's questions forgotten, Zuko nodded eagerly. "If you insist, I won't say no."
Eight months later
"I said that I wanted the pineapple, not mango," Mai whined like a petulant child. "Go back to the kitchen."
The Fire Lord scowled and put the tray of neatly sliced, just ripe enough mango down on the bed. "NO, you said that you wanted fruit. I brought fruit. Here it is."
"Well, I don't want that fruit. But I suppose that I'll have to walk all the way to the kitchen and get the pineapple myself." She rested her hands on her huge, almost eight months pregnant belly and stared narrow eyed at her husband.
He grabbed the tray and turned on his heel. "Oh, for the love of…..you know, between you and Miyako, it's a wonder I'm not dead."
"Could you bring some of those almond cookies too? Mmm, I Iove those things."
Zuko grumbled something incomprehensible and left, tray in hand. Mai couldn't help but laugh. She felt guilty too, though. Most of Miyako's care had fallen on his shoulders the past few weeks. Couple that with his worries about her difficult pregnancy, his duties as Fire Lord and her sometimes unreasonable demands, it was no wonder he was exhausted. She sighed and ran her hand along the huge mound that seemed to have completely taken over her life. So many hopes and dreams were tied up in this child. She loved it fiercely already, but Mai was tired too, tired of physician ordered bed rest and tired of being in limbo and tired of carrying the baby. She would be quite happy should her labor start right then. But, she also knew that nine months inside her was better than eight, better for the baby anyway.
"Just stay in there for a few more weeks," Mai urged coaxingly. "Then you can come out and meet everyone."
When Zuko returned with the pineapple and the cookies, Mai patted the bed invitingly. "Sit down," she said sweetly.
"Okay." Zuko sat with a bit of trepidation. "Aren't you going to send me back to the kitchen again?"
"No; I realize that I've been a bit of a tyrant for the past few weeks. And you have a lot on your shoulders right now. I'm sorry, Zuko and I appreciate how well you're looking after both me and Miyako."
"There's nothing that I would rather do. I love the two of you more than I could ever express." He put a warm hand on top of hers, both of them resting on her tummy now. "And I love the baby too." His eyes sparkled with an almost childish delight. "I can't wait to see her."
"You're certain that it's another girl, aren't you? Don't you want a son?" She cocked her head and examined his face. Mai was so accustomed to men who wanted boys to carry on their names. Zuko was a bit of an anomaly and she adored him for it. He truly did not care whether their children were male or female. He just wanted to raise them to be happy and decent.
"Sure, I would love to have a son. But I'll be just as happy with another little girl. Miyako is, she's…" He was at a loss, unable to explain in words how much his daughter meant to him.
"I know," Mai agreed, understanding what her husband meant anyway. "Isn't it her bedtime now? You should go to her, Zuko. Kiss her goodnight for me, and tell her we'll visit in the morning."
Zuko got off the bed carefully, kissed his wife full on the lips and then pressed a kiss to her stomach. "I'll be back shortly."
"Thank you, Midori. We appreciate the extra hours you've been putting in." Zuko walked the nanny to the door. "How was Miyako tonight?"
"She practiced her reading willingly enough and we read a story or two. But she's restless, my lord, anxious, if you will. We'll all be glad when the baby is born." Midori straightened her simple red robes and smoothed her long brown hair. "I'll be here after breakfast tomorrow."
"Yes, thanks again." He closed the door and sat down with his daughter. "It's time for bed, sweetie. Are you all washed up?"
The princess rolled her eyes and Zuko immediately thought of Mai. Their resemblance grew stronger the older Miyako got. "Yes, Daddy; I had a bath."
"All right, then, let's get you tucked in. Come on, Susu." The cat jumped up onto the bed, taking her place at its foot as she had for years now. "Good girl," Zuko crooned and gave the feline a pat.
"I hope Mommy has a boy," Miyako declared. She was six years old now, tall for her age and thin like Mai had been. Her black hair was still a bit damp from the bath and hung in a dark cascade down her back.
"Oh, and why is that?" Zuko smiled at his girl as he tucked the blankets snuggly around her.
"'Cause that way, we'll be different and I'll be your only girl."
He sensed a bit of worry and sadness in the declaration. "Miyako, you will always be my first girl. Can I get a kiss?"
She giggled and pulled her father's head down, pressing warm, little lips to his cheek. "There."
"Thank you," Zuko said. "Now, let's see you put out the lights."
Miyako did it easily and her father praised her. "Well done! Mommy says goodnight and here's a kiss from her." Zuko bent down in the darkness and brushed his lips against her forehead. "I love you, Miyako."
"I know, Daddy." She turned over and fell into sleep.
A/N: Haven't given this story a thought for weeks, but inspiration struck suddenly tonight. Hope no one has a sugar overdose.