A sigh escaped Mizu's lips as she glanced absently around the crowded room from behind the privacy of her hand fan. Fire Nation balls and celebrations had become such a bore to her in the recent years. When she was younger, she used to love getting dressed up to see the Fire Nation's royalty at these events. She remembered one such party where she and Zuko had pranked Azula successfully and escaped punishment- from their parents at least. Azula had her own way of punishing her friends and family with unsuspicious "good intentions."

But Zuko had unwillingly abandoned her to deal with these functions alone and at the mercy of potential suitors. They had corresponded with each other for a while, though the messenger hawks from Zuko appeared less often as he was nearly completing his third year of exile on his impossible mission.

Two potential suitors seemed to have spotted her hiding out in the corner and Mizu grimaced, quickly looking for an escape route. The suitors hadn't noticed she'd seen them so she casually turned and found herself face to face with her own father.

"Daddy, I didn't even see you there," she spoke smoothly, careful to not be too loud or unenthusiastic. Her father had made it quite clear that tonight was the most important night of his life, and if she did anything to cause him to not be promoted, then she might be joining Zuko in exile.

She was starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad idea.

He looked at her suspiciously. "Mizu, dear. I hope you realize that tonight isn't just about me."

Mizu held back a sarcastic laugh. Hold on a second. My father? Captain Zhao, who so desperately revolves his life around his career path to become admiral, is saying this night wasn't only about his job? Something is up and if I know my father, then he is plotting.

"You see, darling, we must start looking for potential suitors. You're at the age now where many of these fine young men should be tripping over each other to court you," Zhao explained as he escorted his daughter through the crowd, eyeing the aforementioned suitors.

"Mizu sighed. Of course. The higher up I can marry, the higher up of a position he could gain if he stays in good favor of the Fire Lord.

"They've been tripping all night, Daddy, but not over me. Besides, to you a 'fine young man' is preferably one with a connection to a title, and to me it's something else entirely," Mizu muttered under her breath. Zhao did not take criticism well, even from his own daughter.

He frowned and gave Mizu a cold glare that chilled her to the bone. She swore internally and tried to backpedal in order to salvage the conversation.

"Oh look, Daddy, it's Mai. You remember her uncle don't you? He's the warden at Boiling Rock. Perhaps if I wander around with her and Princess Azula, I won't be so embarrassed by the suitors?" Mizu held her breath once she finished, hoping for some kind of approval of her upper class friends.

Zhao nodded and dismissed her, though Mizu felt his cold stare long after she joined Mai. The two girls had met each other along with Ty Lee and Azula at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, and they got along much better with each other than with spunky Ty Lee or Ice Princess Azula. Ironic that the prodigy princess of the Fire Nation has so many amazing firebending skills and yet her heart is colder than ice.

Mai and Mizu had been extremely close to Zuko, and both had lost a little more than a sparkle in their eye when he was banished. Mai was crushed as they had just begun dating, and Mizu missed his good company as a close friend.

After narrowly missing an encounter with Chan, Admiral Chan's obnoxious son, Mizu and Mai bumped into Ruan-Jian, whose father insisted that Ruan-Jian escort Mizu to a Fire Nation event later in the month. Mizu kindly accepted, knowing that it would have to satisfy her father for the time being. He kept laying hints that Chan would be the wisest decision as the son of an admiral, but for her own sanity's sake, Mizu refused to follow through.

Thankfully, the event dwindled down as the royalty and other nobility began to take their leave. Zhao beckoned Mizu from her group of friends, and as they rode home together in the carriage, she spoke of the night's events. He was satisfied that Ruan-Jian would be escorting her to the next event, but when no other names were mentioned, Zhao sighed loudly.

"I just wish you would put more effort into this sort of thing, Mizu," he chided. "I know without your mother, it's difficult," he stopped as if mentioning his deceased wife would bring Mizu to her senses. She frowned and flashed her golden eyes at her father.

"Yes, because mother would have adored the company of some of the Fire Nation's finest-"

"Enough!" Zhao's fist slammed into the wall of the carriage and the driver pulled the dragon moose to an abrupt halt.

Heart sinking, Mizu froze and looked down at her hands folded in her lap as she counted down until the explosion. She chanced a glance up at her father and was not surprised to see fury etched in every hard line of his face. Zhao leaned across the carriage until Mizu felt like he was towering over her.

"You may think that you are too good for the Fire Nation's 'finest,' but my dear daughter, until you have proven yourself useful, you are as good to me as that banished prince," Zhao spoke scathingly.

Hiding her face from him, she scowled. Zhao leaned back, satisfied with her lack of retort, and pounded the ceiling of the carriage twice to urge the driver on. Mizu kept her eyes downcast, just as she had seen her mother do so long ago after such a verbal beating. Zhao was too lost in his own world of strategizing, both socially and professionally, to notice his daughter clench her fists as she vowed to never let such a thing happen to her again.

Fixed some formatting issues, but I hope you enjoy! Please leave me a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

~Kiri-chan