The Fire Lord's bed was enormous. The Fire Lord's bed had sheets made from the finest of silks. The Fire Lord's bed was magnificent; the finest bed in the nation- perhaps the world.
Zuko starred across the room at the Fire Lord's bed willing himself to sleep, as he nestled uncomfortably into the arm chair that he had slept upon for the past six nights.
He was the Fire Lord, but the Fire Lord's bed was not his bed. On the second day of his rule the sheets had been scrubbed one hundred times. On the third day the old sheets had been burned and new ones retrieved. On the forth the maids were thankful that the strange requests had finally stopped. On the fourth day Zuko had resigned himself to spend the rest of his life with a slight rightward crick to his neck.
Mai had woken up in a good mood. Her childhood sweetheart had finally begun to recover from the mental breakdown he was refusing to acknowledge. Zuko had appeared at dinner the previous night in good spirits and actually talked to people without scowling or excusing himself. The noblewoman believed that things could only get better, at least until Azula decided to mount her severed head on a pike, but Mai was determined to enjoy every minute she had left.
She entered the Fire Lord's room with a pile of golden scrolls and steaming tea. "The servants are already terrified of you. If you don't emerge soon then all of my careful planning will be ruined."
The Fire Lord formally known as Prince Zuko was nervous, hungry and desperately trying not to appear nervous. "Planning?"
"Since you've finally decided to do things the easy way I thought it was time for you to meet personally with the people who have the ability to make your life a living hell." At this Mai's mouth creased awkwardly into a smile before quickly jerking back in to neutrality, the noblewoman seemed extremely disturbed by the attempted gesture. "And at midday you have a war meeting with the..."
It was then that Mai saw the arm chair, covered with ruffled sheets. Her gaze turned from the chair, to Zuko and then to the bed. She placed her load on a nearby table and silently exited the room.
Minutes later eight startled servants and kitchen hands rushed into the room and began frantically disassembling the gigantic centrepiece. They worked like a group of ants picking away at an oversized silky slice of red and golden bread.
Minutes later the pair was sitting next to each other on an armchair that hadn't been used as a bed.
"I was looking through the proposals for viable wives." Zuko started conversationally, as if the matter were of little importance to either of them. "I was hoping that you would provide your advice on the matter."
Mai sat silently, apparently considering the alternatives. "I hear the Bo Feng family has a daughter, a bit old- already seventeen. But she is fairly adept at political manoeuvring."
"And why isn't she already attached?"
"Her childhood sweetheart was banished." A faint sorrow seeped in to Mai's tone.
"And she's over him?" Mai gave Zuko a sidelong bored glance, indicating that he had extended the exchange one step too far.
"... So this Bo Feng girl would be your choice?"
"No. A girl from the Si Gwong family would better strengthen your rule." Mai's voice remained casual and detached. An amused smile spread across Zuko's face.
"I love you too." As Zuko said the words he took her right hand into his own. Mai had never been as happy in her entire life- she was so happy that she didn't want to spoil it by forcing a smile. It was the first time either had said the words.