After Dark
Part 6
Katashi burst into the house with a lot of banging and clattering, setting down a small overnight bag and another filled with gifts for both his niece and his new nephew. Mai ran to the front hallway while her parents waited in the sitting room. Masami was still a little tender from childbirth and never ran anywhere anyway, while Sen was putting off the inevitable for as long as he could.
"Uncle," Mai cried.
The burly man looked up from his bags as soon as he heard Mai's voice. He was the opposite of Mai in appearance, with a wide nose and wide face to match, darker eyes and brown hair. In fact, most people called him ugly and wondered how he could possibly be Masami's brother. Mai never thought of him as anything but wonderful, however.
"Mai," he replied and opened up his thick, muscular arms.
She let him hold her for a few minutes and enjoyed the feel of loving arms around her. When he pulled away and looked into her eyes, Katashi frowned.
"You look a little sad and a little something else, Mai. Let's get the formalities over with; then you and I will go out for tea."
"Okay," Mai agreed with a smile and led the man into the sitting room.
Tom-Tom was fed and happy and even Mai had to admit that he looked cute in her mother's lap, tiny almost bald head resting against her stomach.
"Oh, Katashi, it's good to see you. Didn't a servant help you with the bags? I'll talk with them."
"No need, Masami. How are you? "
"I'm exhausted. You have no idea how much effort it takes to care for a baby. But, I'm coping."
Mai looked up at her uncle and he gave her a wink. He knew his sister very well. The servants and soon a nanny would look after most things for her.
"Sen," Katashi said with a curt nod.
"Katashi," Sen said with an identical nod.
"Now, let me have a look at my nephew."
He sat down beside his sister and reached for the infant. Masami handed him over and immediately instructed him to be careful.
"Gently," she chided as Katashi held the infant up and gave him a good going over.
"He's a fine looking boy," the warden said as if pronouncing sentence on someone. "You must be very happy."
"You know very well how long Sen and I have waited for a son. I had just about given up, thinking that somehow I offended Agni and was being punished."
"Remember that you have a smart, beautiful daughter, Masami. Sons are wonderful but so are girls."
"You've been stuck on that island for years, Katashi. I think you forget sometimes how things are in our world. You deal with the very worst people in our nation, people from the lower classes that marry indiscriminately and breed like rabbaroos. They don't have to worry about finding proper matches for their daughters."
Mai leaned against the doorframe and looked down at her glossy black nails. It was like looking at miniscule patches of her sleek, shiny hair. She seethed inside and wanted to give her mother a good smack but her expression betrayed nothing but boredom. She'd been working on perfecting the look in her room. Mai would sit at her dressing table and watch herself in the mirror. Agni knew she really was bored most of the time but she wanted her whole body to convey apathy. She wanted it to ooze from her pores. She crossed her arms loosely and let her body slouch a bit. Bad posture irritated Masami too.
"Everything with Mai will work out. Stop worrying. She's only thirteen years old."
"Yes, but I was betrothed to Sen…"
Katashi brought the baby close to his chest and gave him a cuddle with one hand while he held up the other to his sister.
"I know the story. I was there. But Mai isn't you. I didn't follow the path our father wanted and I'm doing fine. I'm still a respected Fire Nation citizen. I love our nation and support our way of life. But sometimes, some people don't quite fit the mold. Why try to shove Mai into something she obviously doesn't want. Give her some time."
"Why do you always take her side?" Masami asked petulantly and gave her brother a frown.
"It's not about sides. I care about Mai. Sometimes I wonder if you do."
Things were getting interesting now. Mai slouched down a little further and watched the drama unfold.
"How dare you!" Masami said in a high pitched voice and Tom-Tom began to scream.
"Mai," Katashi ordered. "Take the baby."
Her gold eyes widened briefly but she moved into the room and took the little bundle with trepidation.
"Go upstairs," the warden continued.
"Now see here," Sen said, finally joining the conversation. "Don't order my family about."
"Mai," Katashi repeated and she left.
The baby was warm against her chest as she carried him up the stairs and into the nursery. He slept in a bassinet in Masami's room but the nursery was ready for when he began to sleep through the night. He was calmer now, but still made a sort of hiccoughing noise and buried his runny nose against her robes.
"Great," Mai stated with disgust. "Why do you have to leak everywhere?"
A comfortable chair sat in a corner of the room, next to an elaborate dark wood crib with Fire Nation symbols painted on its head and its foot. Red blankets and a little red pillow lay inside along with a few stuffed animals. Mai sat and held onto the boy snugly, not because she felt anything but because she wouldn't be responsible for killing the little brat. The baby seemed content enough and was quiet now. Mai strained her ears, trying to hear any snippets from the ensuing argument. Someone must have shut the sitting room door. All she could hear were muffled, far away sounding voices, not actual words.
It usually took longer for the disagreements to begin, but they began nevertheless. Somehow, though, the brother and sister managed to work things out in their way and another visit would come about in another few months. Or maybe, Masami just didn't want the scandal of a family rift. Servants heard things and according to the woman, spread their malicious gossip everywhere. That certainly wouldn't do.
Half an hour later, Mai heard her uncle's footsteps outside the room. She got up from the chair as smoothly as she could. Tom-Tom was sleeping now, and a little string of drool ran from the corner of his mouth to Mai's tunic. When Katashi entered the room, she handed the infant off immediately. He chuckled softly.
"You might have a baby yourself one day, you know. It's not impossible."
"I suppose," Mai agreed. "But not with any of the idiots around here."
"Hmmm, let's talk while we're out. Your mother is already all wound up."
"Okay," the knife thrower said and walked back downstairs with Katashi.
He gave the infant back to a still glowering Masami and then gave her a tentative pat on the shoulder.
"Mai and I are going out for tea," he informed her. "We'll be back in a few hours."
"As if I could stop you anyway; it's clear that Mai likes you more than she does Sen or me."
"Masami, you're being childish. We'll see you later, for dinner I suppose."
"Humph, fine," she replied and gave Mai a sharp look. "Be on your best behavior Mai. You'll be out in public and you never know who you might run in to."
Without answering, Mai slid gracefully out of the room, and reached for her uncle's arm.
"So what tea shop are we going to?" she asked as the shut the front door behind them.
"Let's just walk around for awhile. I haven't been to Capitol City for months."
Walking around the city with her uncle was infinitely more enjoyable than doing the same thing with her mother. Katashi looked in stores, picking up various items and joking with his niece, talked with shop owners and asked Mai her opinion about anything and everything. She felt like a person with him rather than an appendage that needed to be gotten rid of as soon as possible.
"I assume you still like knives and other blades," Katashi asked and gave his niece a playful nudge.
"I've gotten more since the last time I saw you. I practice a lot too. That tree in the back yard is pock marked."
"Ah, you need a proper target, Mai. Let's see if we can find one today."
Mai's eyes shone with excitement.
"Can I show you how good I've gotten when we get home, or tomorrow?" she asked.
"Of course; I want to see just how skilled you are."
Katashi asked around about weapons shops and was told to go down a narrow roadway packed full of shoppers. Near the end of the dead end street they saw a shop sign with crossed swords and walked inside. Mai was the only female there. That didn't bother her in the least. She walked around slowly, examining every small blade on display. The selection was impressive and Mai could probably have spent the day there.
She could hear Katashi in the background discussing targets with the owner, but their voices sounded distant. When she saw a beautiful knife so similar to the one Zuko used to carry (Did he still carry it, Mai wondered.), it made her gasp in recognition and she felt sorrowful pains in her chest and tears prick her eyes.
'Damn,' she said to herself. "There's always something that reminds me of him. It won't ever stop. I don't want it to.'
"Mai, what just happened?" her uncle asked with concern.
"I thought you were busy with the owner," Mai replied evasively.
"As a warden, I need to be very aware of my surroundings and the people in them all the time. I was keeping an eye on you too."
She held up the knife, turning it slowly in the dim light of the shop, and then handed it to Katashi. He looked at her with raised eyebrows and gave a shrug that said, 'Okay, it's a knife; so what?' Mai was reluctant to speak Zuko's name. It was a sore point with everyone. She was the only one in the world who missed him. Of that she was sure, and the knowledge broke her heart as much as her undying link with the prince both exhilarated and tormented her daily.
"I see," the warden stated, understanding now. "Would you like it?"
Mai nodded and covered her trembling lips with trembling fingers. The emotional display she gave her uncle was more than either of her parents had seen for years. She felt vulnerable and exposed and a little bit stupid.
"I'll take this knife and the target," Katashi informed the owner.
"Ah, that's a fine piece. It's costly."
"The price doesn't matter," Katashi replied. "Package them please."
Mai watched as her uncle handed over a tidy sum of gold pieces and immediately felt guilt.
"Uncle, you don't have to buy that."
"There's nothing I love more than making my niece happy. Don't worry, Mai."
"It's for the young lady?" the owner said in a surprised tone. "What does a pretty girl want with a knife?"
"I like knives," she retorted coolly. "I have quite a collection and I'm very adept at throwing them."
"Well, isn't that, um, unusual," he replied.
Mai gave him an icy stare and he shut up, concentrating instead on putting the beautiful blade into a velvet lined box and the elaborate target into a large carrying case. Katashi thanked the man when the transaction was complete and they left the shop.
"Are you ready for tea now?" he asked Mai.
She nodded and they entered the first tea shop that they saw.
"Are you hungry," Katashi asked as they sat down at a table for two in an out of the way corner of a tea shop called the Jade Oolong, well known for its excellent tea of the same name.
Mai thought for a moment. "Umm, yes, I could eat."
"You've always had a good appetite, Mai. Let's see what's on the menu."
A pretty young waitress brought the menus, delicate looking pale sheets of paper, and then left, giving the pair time to decide.
"Miso soup sounds good. Mom will be angry if I don't eat dinner; oh, and some green tea."
"All right, I'll get the same," Katashi said and caught the waitress's attention.
They ordered and sat quietly until their tea and soup was served. Once the waitress was gone, Katashi's face became somber looking. Mai spooned in her hot soup eagerly and stole quick glances at her uncle. She had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk about; Zuko and her refusal to forget about him.
"I want you to tell me the truth about something, Mai."
She met his concerned deep gold eyes and nodded.
"Are you refusing all the young men that your parents introduce you to only because you're holding out hope that Zuko will return to the Fire Nation one day?"
The black haired girl put down her spoon and wrapped both hands around the small red teacup. She thought hard before giving her reply.
"That's one of the reasons. But even if I knew Zuko could never come home, even if I had never met him, I still wouldn't want to marry any of those boys. I don't like them. They bore me. All they want is a good wife to help them continue the family line or move up the social and political ladder."
Katashi's eyes were wide. "That's quite a speech for a thirteen year old girl. What you say is true enough but it sounds like you've been talking with someone about the intricacies of the nobleman's and noblewoman's way of life. Either that, or you've been doing a lot of thinking."
"All I have to do is watch everyone. When you're told to sit quietly and behave like a perfect little lady, you watch people. And you get to know a lot about them, Uncle. A lot of it isn't very nice."
"Yes, you do at that. It's a good skill to have, Mai. Hone it as much as you can. But, about the prince; you're still...you like him and hope he comes back."
"Yes, I like him. I like him very much and I think about him when I'm alone and it's dark. Everyone disapproves of my feelings. His sister thinks I should forget about him. Mom and Dad, well, you know what they think."
"They don't want you to lose an opportunity just because you're pining away for Zuko."
"I'm not pining," Mai replied in an offended voice.
She associated pining with weeping and fainting noblewomen waving handkerchiefs around and refusing to eat until their beloved comes back. That wasn't her. Mai grieved. Mai hoped. Mai did not pine.
"It was a poor choice of words; you're set on him or however you want to say it, Mai. What will you do if five years from now, he's still not back?"
Mai shrugged. "I'll figure something out, I suppose."
"Can you promise me something?"
"What is it?" she asked.
"Don't close your mind to other boys or any opportunity that might arise, please. I want the best for you. I don't want to see you hurt."
"Fine," Mai sighed. "I'll keep an open mind. But it won't make any difference."
"Good, now finish your soup and we'll head home. Your mother is probably having one of her fits."
Katashi grinned and downed the rest of his tea, then watched his niece closely as she finished hers. They left the tea shop and ambled home, checking out a few more shops before picking up their pace. As soon as they entered the foyer and Masami heard their voices, she pounced upon them.
"How can it possibly take four hours to have a cup of tea?" she asked testily. "Dinner's almost ready and you need to wash up. What did you buy, Katashi?"
"A few things for Mai."
"Yes, I can imagine. Let me see," she demanded and held her hands out.
Grumbling, Katashi held out the packages. Masami snatched the box first and opened it up.
"What is this?" she frowned.
"Gee, I wonder," Mai drawled and Masami shot her a nasty look.
"Why do you encourage her, Katashi? Ladies do not carry knives. Ladies do not throw knives."
"Maybe I'm not a lady," the girl in question retorted.
"Stop," Katashi bellowed. "Mai needed a proper target so I bought her one. And I bought her the knife because she liked it. If she wasn't throwing knives, what exactly would she be doing?"
Masami sputtered, unsure what exactly to say in response.
"She, she should be perfecting her makeup techniques and her conversation skills and learning how to run a household."
Mai snorted and Katashi laughed.
"There's plenty of time for that," the gruff man replied. "Let her use her knives. Personally, I'm proud of her. Mai has a bit of gumption, at least."
"Fine, you know what? I give up. Throw your knives, Mai, and throw your life away. I have my son now. He won't disappoint me."
Masami handed the box to Mai, her mouth twisted with distaste, then turned with a flourish and walked down the hallway.
"Dinner is in one hour," she called back to them.
"Don't worry about her," Katashi said to Mai. "Let's go set your target up in the garden. Then you can show me just how skilled you are."
They walked through the house and out the back door. The garden wasn't huge like the ones at the palace, but it was spacious enough. Everything was neat and ordered and in its place. Masami didn't like plants growing wild or outside their assigned beds. Bushes were clipped into aesthetically pleasing shapes and trees were kept trimmed. Leaves and petals were raked up almost as soon as they dropped and dead flower heads were removed daily. The paths were straight rather than winding and the benches were cold metal rather than warm wood.
Mai's favorite tree, the biggest one in the garden, was a sturdy oak that grew well past the height of the garden gates and sometimes seemed to touch the sky. Moss covered most of its trunk and the leaves seemed to grow on the branches much like a beard grew on a man, clinging to the wood rather than stretching outwards from it. It was magnificent and the only living thing in the garden that had even a hint of personality.
She caressed its trunk lovingly and showed her uncle the myriad of tiny marks made from her blades. Katashi set up the target while Mai made sure it was straight.
"Where do you usually throw from?" he asked.
Mai moved backwards, almost to the house and smirked.
"From there?" he stated proudly. "Show me."
She showed him, hitting the centre of the target with blade after blade. Her throwing was strong and graceful and Katashi saw a peace in her expression that he had never seen before. Mai didn't say anything when she was done. She retrieved all of her blades, slipping them into their proper spots and then stood beside her uncle who was still staring at the target.
"You're damn good, Mai. You're better than good. You're amazing."
"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "Tell my mother that."
"Dinner," Katashi groaned. "We're probably late. Let's go, before we're locked out."
"I have a way in anyway," Mai blurted without thinking.
"Oh, you do? Why do you need that? Do you sneak out of the house sometimes?"
"I have," she confessed.
"Tell me about it tomorrow. We'll sit out here for privacy. I'd like to spend some time with Tom-Tom tonight, if your mother lets me," he added jokingly.
Mai felt a twinge of jealousy. Uncle Katashi always loved her without conditions. He made her feel special and now she had to share him.
"Stupid baby," she muttered and walked into the house ahead of her uncle.
The smell of dinner hit her nostrils and her stomach growled.