Expansion
Chapter Thirteen: That Pretty Well Says Everything
The Next Day
After barely one day at Sacred Flame Academy for Boys and Girls, Tomiko felt a terrible sense of unease. He wasn't comfortable with his roommate, another nine year old named Jiro. Larger and bulkier than Tomiko, he boasted about his grandfather, a war hero, conqueror of Earth Kingdom villages and captor of thousands of prisoners of war.
"Uh, we lost," Tomiko reminded Jiro.*
"No we didn't! My grandfather says that the Avatar cheated and only defeated Fire Lord Ozai with spiritual mumbo jumbo. And he says that that traitor Zuko had a waterbending peasant helping him. That's the only reason he beat Princess Azula."
Tomiko literally bit down on his tongue until he drew blood to stop himself from correcting the smug brat. He recalled Zuko's words to him about knowing the truth and smiled a secret smile.
"What's so funny?" Jiro asked and gave Tomiko a little shove.
"Nothing I want to tell you," Mai's brother replied.
"What, you don't think my grandpa's a hero?"
"I really don't care. Just leave me alone."
"I know lotsa people here, even the headmaster, so watch what you say. I can get you into a lot of trouble."
"Wow, I'm scared," Tomiko retorted sarcastically.
"You should be," Jiro asserted and gave Tomiko a harder push this time, sending the boy flying back into his desk.
"Now, stay on your side of the room."
Tomiko remained on the floor for a minute, letting the pain subside. When he stood up, the golden eyed boy reached for his satchel, stuffed his writing kit and some paper into it and headed off to the library. He didn't know what he would do there, but it was better than staying cooped up with Jiro.
As soon as he stepped out into the corridor, a stern looking man in his thirties spotted him. Crooking his index finger, he almost hypnotically drew Tomiko toward him.
"The rules of Sacred Flame Academy are quite simple, boy. What is it you don't understand?"
Tomiko shrugged and looked down at the floor.
"Not very bright, then, are you? No one is to leave his or her room after dinner unless it is to use the bathroom, an emergency or you are called upon by one of the illustrious staff. None of those apply to you," he sneered.
"I forgot," Tomiko mumbled.
"Hmm," the man said as he looked at the boy appraisingly. "What's in the bag?"
"Nothing, just writing supplies."
"I sincerely hope you weren't planning on writing anyone, Master Matsuo….your sister perhaps? Or you brother-in-law?"
"Why would I do that?" the boy snapped. "I have no way of sending the letter anyway."
"Hmmm, that's true, but your mother expressed concern over your excessive interest in them. Try not to think about that part of your life anymore. It's gone now."
Tomiko chewed on his lower lip and a war waged inside him. He wanted to yell at this supercilious prig. He also knew that it would only make him feel good for a moment and he wouldn't be blending in like Mai and Zuko asked him to.
"Yes, sir," he said firmly and then bowed.
"Good boy," the man, Takeshi Kimura, said patronizingly. "You made the right decision. Now, get back in your room."
Inside again, he avoided Jiro's cruel brown eyed gaze. He took off his satchel and curled up on his bed, hoping that sleep would come. There was nothing else to do.
While Tomiko searched for peace in sleep, Mai and Zuko sat with Ursa and Toph in a cozy sitting room. An empty teapot and four drained cups sat on the low table.
"Would anyone like more tea?" Mai asked.
"I'm good," Toph replied.
"No thanks," Ursa said and then went back to her book.
Zuko reached for Mai's hand and pressed down gently. His wife was in a decidedly subdued mood, even for her. She looked over at him and gave him a small smile, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
"That portrait Tom was talking about made me think," she said out of the blue a few minutes later. "We should have a new one done; the twins are older now and I would like a reminder of being pregnant."
"It will be hard to get them to sit still, even for a little while," Zuko reminded her.
"They can do it, at least long enough for the artist to get a sketch done."
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Ursa exclaimed.
"You should be in it too," Mai declared.
"Yeah, Mom, that would be great. I only have that old portrait of you."
"Have I changed that much?" she asked jokingly.
"You look the same to me," Toph stated and began to laugh.
"Thank you, dear," Ursa said gratefully before groaning.
"You really don't get tired of doing that, do you?" Mai asked.
"Never," the earthbender replied. "And what's great is you guys fall for it all the time. When Sokka and Katara and Aang and I traveled on Appa, I would get them so ticked off; ah, sweet memories."
They all laughed at that.
"Toph, you are truly a unique young woman," Ursa declared. "Your parents are missing out on a lot."
"That seems to be going around," Mai observed dryly.
"Yes," Zuko's mother agreed. "I don't understand your parents at all anymore, Mai. Your mother was always worried about appearances and climbing as high as she could on the social and political ladder, but she doesn't even make sense any more. She's driven you away and now her son. And it's all for what?"
"That's the question we all want answered," Zuko stated. "Why are she and Hoshi so determined to turn Tomiko into a, into a…"
"brainwashed advocate of Fire Nation superiority," Mai finished for him.
"Yeah," Zuko sighed. "Why can't people be happy with peace? I know that war is an industry in itself and our nation prospered during those one hundred years, but we're not so bad off now. I mean, we trade with the other nations, we have tourists, our technology is being used to help people rather than slaughter them, our children are being enlightened, there is more fun here now than there has been in a long time, and most important of all, the true nature and meaning of firebending is part of our culture once again. Our country was heading down the wrong road. It seems that some people want to use that road again."
"You don't have to convince us," Mai reminded Zuko.
"Is it war they want?" Ursa mused. "Or do these people just want the Fire Nation returned to its previous condition, pre Zuko?"
"Let's hope we know soon," the Fire Lord stated. "A civil war will be equally devastating to us. Dammit, I really wish that I could just go to Sacred Flame myself and find out."
"Maho will get the job done, Grumpy," Toph said in an attempt to soothe her friend. "You might have some information in a few more days."
"It's the waiting I hate," Zuko said with a grimace.
"I just thought of something," Mai interjected. "You should write Iroh about this and ask him to notify the Order of the White Lotus. They could be a lot of help if things get bad."
"Well, it's a good thing one of you has brains," Toph joked.
Zuko gave the earthbender a withering look while squeezing his wife's hand again.
"Good idea," he said softly.
"I do have one occasionally," Mai quipped.
She leaned comfortably into Zuko and he wrapped an arm around her. Mai covered a wide yawn and then snuggled even closer to her husband.
"I could fall asleep here," she muttered.
"Let's go to bed then," Zuko replied.
"Don't want to move," she yawned again.
"Come one," he encouraged, helping her up. "Lean on me."
"Goodnight," Mai said blearily.
"Goodnight," both Ursa and Toph replied.
Once in bed, even though she was deliciously warm and comfortable and Zuko's breath tickled her hair while his own special warmth infused her, Mai could not sleep.
"I thought you were tired?"
"I am but I guess the worry is winning out," Mai replied as she shifted in Zuko's arms and struggled to turn over so that she could face him.
"I wonder how Tomiko is too," Zuko said and caressed her cheek.
"When did my mother become such a monster?" Mai asked brokenly. "I think that Tom's afraid of her. And if I find out that she's part of some plot to overthrow you somehow, I, I, I don't know what I'll do."
"We'll deal with it. I don't know what has happened to your mother. You'd think she would be happy. Her husband is part of the Fire Lord's council. He daughter is married to the Fire Lord. Isn't that what she wanted all along?"
"She was raised with very strict rules, I think. Everything had to be done just so. Marriages of nobles were arranged. Couples didn't live together before marriage. Nannies did most of the work with the children. School was rigid and conformist. And you certainly didn't have friends from other nations."
"Yeah, but things change. What hardships is she suffering?"
"None, but it's like she's consumed with bitterness and jealousy. It's like she wants to bring us down, make us suffer somehow and taking Tomiko away was the first step."
"Your father is no better. He's just a little less vocal about it all."
Mai nodded her agreement. "What if we don't hear from Maho?"
"We'll need plan B then."
"What's pan B?"
"I haven't thought of it yet," Zuko replied with a wry grin.
"Okay," she chuckled. "I'm going to look into that portrait tomorrow. And I really need some time in the training room. Throwing knives clears my head better than meditation."
"Well, I get to see your father tomorrow at the meeting."
"Mmmmhmmm," Mai responded. "Keep a close eye on him. Watch his expressions and his body language like I've tried to teach you."
"I'll do my best."
"I'm ready to sleep now," Mai said softly.
Zuko leaned over and gave her a lingering kiss. He ran his free hand through her raven locks and then stroked her face lovingly.
"Let me help you turn back over," he offered.
Back in the same positions they started in, both found sleep easily.
It was the beginning of Maho's second full day at Sacred Flame Academy. As of yet, it had been difficult to find both the time and the space to be alone. She, like Tomiko, had a roommate. In Maho's case, it was a sweet woman in her forties named Ume Endo, who kept to herself for the most part. When she spoke however, it was with great kindness.
"Is this your first time away from home, Izumi?" she asked. "You're such a young girl."
"Yes, ma'am," Maho replied politely.
"Do you miss your family?" Ume continued.
"It's just me and my mother, but yes, I miss her. She's sick and I need to make money to help with the expenses."
"I'm sorry to hear that. But the pay here is good even though the people aren't very friendly."
"No, it's all business. Speaking of which, my shift starts soon."
"I'll let you be then, dear."
Maho dressed in her uniform, a dull brown tunic and pants designed to blend in rather than stand out. She pulled her dark hair into its regulation topknot and left the room, giving Ume a wave. All service employees were housed in a plain two story dormitory building at the far end of the campus. The women were on the first floor and the men on the second. Visitation between floors was strictly forbidden.
She walked along the dirt path with her head down. It took fifteen minutes to reach the imposing grey stone building that housed all the classrooms. Huge Fire Nation banners hung on either side of the dull coloured entranceway, framing it with bright red. Beside it was a library, smaller, but built from the same grey stone. Banners framed its doorway too. In fact, the rich red with a black flame at the centre hung alongside each main entranceway at the school. The teachers' residence was an elegant building with a peaked roof and new gardens just coming into their own. It was next to the students' dormitory, a low slung simple building with a flat roof and no personality to speak of.
An outdoor training and exercise area was set up in a field some distance away from all the buildings. Maho could see huge circular targets used for archery practice and several climbing walls. When the weather was bad, training, including firebending for those children who could, was held in a large domed gymnasium.
The entire institution left Maho feeling cold. There was little if any laughter to be heard. The children marched wherever they went. Running or strolling were frowned upon, unless part of an exercise.
The only beauty to be found was in Tokoma Island itself. The school was built on a large plateau of lush green sprinkled with palm trees and bushy wildflowers, that began at the sea and stretched out for a few miles before craggy, black rock and jagged peaks took over the landscape. The ocean was a deep blue and a massive dock capable of handling a few decent sized ships stretched far out into the water. The beach itself was rocky rather than sandy and had a rough, dangerous appeal. Maho loved it. Too bad she hadn't seen it since her boat had arrived two days earlier.
She sighed as she entered the school and stepped into the foyer. Portraits of Fire Lords hung on the walls. Noticeably absent was a portrait of Zuko, the current Fire Lord.
"That pretty well says everything, doesn't it," she whispered to herself.
Maho made her way to the small room that held all the cleaning supplies and tools. Classes wouldn't start for another half hour. She hoped that she would see Tomiko today. At least she knew what area of the school to search. The nine year olds had classes on the main floor's right wing. She would make a point of seeing to the floors and washrooms in that area today no matter what kind of smooth talking she had to do.
"About time you got here," a fit looking older man scolded. "Here's your mop and bucket and cleaner. The boys' bathroom needs a going over. Someone just got sick in there."
"Great," Maho moaned. "Classes haven't even started yet."
"Some of the kids are here early for a meeting of the 'Patriots' Club'."
"What's that?" she asked, genuinely curious.
He leaned in and whispered, "Sounds strange to me. They're chanting and singing Fire Nation songs and talking about our great triumphs."
"Oh, sounds boring," Maho replied with a little shake of her head.
She made a mental note of what the man had said, though, and would include it all in her first letter to Zuko. Taking her equipment she walked down the hallway and knocked on the door to the boys' bathroom.
"Is anyone in there?" she called. "Alright, I'm walking inside now."
She pushed open the door with her backside and pulled the wheeled bucket and mop in after her. The stench of vomit hit her like one of Toph's earthbending strikes. Maho fought the urge to add to the mess on the floor. Once in control she cleaned quickly and efficiently while silently cursing whatever caused the boy to get sick.
Once she was done, she went back into the hallway. A flood of students, all marching in pairs, made its way down the corridor. Maho scanned the faces for Tomiko's. He saw her before she saw him and wondered if the pretty young woman in the drab clothing was the one Zuko had told him about. Shifting over slightly, Tom brushed against her. Maho looked down and winked at the handsome little boy. He winked back and then was gone, propelled forward by the force of the children behind him.
"You," a teacher yelled and pointed at Tomiko. "No breaking stride. If I catch you again, it's detention."
Tomiko nodded respectfully and caught up with his partner. Maho watched as he disappeared around the corner and then followed discreetly behind, grabbing a broom and pretending to sweep. The door to Tom's classroom was closed but she could still hear the deep and almost melodic voice of the teacher. She focused on a stubborn bit of grit on the floor and listened carefully.
"The history you've been taught the past few years is false, fabricated, twisted to suit the needs of the current regime. Here you will learn what really happened six years ago. You will learn what a traitor is. You will learn why we, sons and daughters of fire, are considered the same as a Water Tribe peasant, when we are so obviously superior. Forget whatever was fed to you. Cleanse your mind and prepare for the truth."
A murmur traveled through the twenty or so students. Some stared at the teacher with disbelief while others nodded approvingly.
"Silence," the instructor bellowed. "You do not speak unless I ask you to."
Instant quiet reigned.
"There are some students here at Sacred Flame who may have a difficult time accepting the truth."
He looked pointedly at Tomiko. The boy met the man's gaze unflinchingly, no expression on his face. The teacher looked away first.
"But mark my words; those students will accept the truth, one way or another."
Tom gulped but was careful to keep the fear off his face. Other children looked gleeful as if anticipating the punishments of their fellow classmates. In the hall, Maho missed the stares and expressions but heard the words and got a pretty good idea of the atmosphere this school would perpetuate. She moved away from the doorway and continued to sweep the hall. With any luck she could actually get inside the history classroom later, clean it and snoop around a bit.
She swept outside a language class for a few minutes and gathered that the only stories read would be tales of Fire Nation glory; the only things written would be essays about war heroes, great Fire Lords or stories that depicted a fierce and dominant Fire Nation. There was no room for creativity or individual thinking here.
"It's almost like brainwashing," Maho thought to herself as she moved on. "If only I could eavesdrop on a meeting of the teachers. That might prove very interesting."
Ursa knelt on the soft damp grass and dug a hole in the loose soil. Horticulture students at the university had, at Hideo's request, divided some of their more obscure perennials and delivered them to the palace. The Fire Lord's mother invited the thrilled students into the palace gardens as a thank you, showing them her own small attempts at replicating some of the country's greater botanical gardens. When they left she set to planting.
As her hands and arms worked, her mind wandered. She hadn't seen Hideo since he had spontaneously declared his love a few days earlier. A sudden shyness afflicted Ursa and she suspected that Hideo suffered the same affliction. Someone would have to make the first move and in keeping with her new determination not to sit back but to show boldness, Ursa decided that it would be her.
She smiled and hummed to herself as she formulated a plan. Five plants and a lot of soil and water later, it was complete. She moved back from her work and appraised the overall effect. The grouping of new plants looked good and once they established themselves and filled in a bit, they would look great. Ursa was pleased, both with her garden and her idea.
"Now," she said to herself. "I need to send Hideo a note."
She left the gardens and walked to her room, washing up once she stepped inside. Clean and wearing fresh robes of muted red, she sat at her desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. She grabbed a brush and popped open the jar of ink.
Hideo,
While putting the perennials you sent to me in the garden, I was inspired. Thank you, by the way; what a thoughtful gesture that was. Remember when we spoke of the night sky? I have a perfect spot in mind where we can view it.
Meet me outside the palace gates just before sunset…today.
Ursa
A servant was called to dispatch the letter. Ursa then walked to the kitchen to speak with the cook about making some of Hideo's favorites.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Three shuriken hit the centre of the target at the far end of Mai's training room. Her balance was off a little due to her pregnancy, but skilled as she was, Mai adjusted her aim and her timing and got results any expert would be ecstatic with.
Miyako and Ryuhito had practically begged to come and watch "Mommy throw things". With Midori there to keep them quiet and far away from any blades, she agreed. Besides, in a few years, she hoped to teach one or both the skill. It did wonders for concentration and improved coordination. Firebenders or not, all of her children would have the opportunity to learn shurikenjutsu.
Mai gave the twins a wave which they returned. Their gold eyes were big and their mouths hung open slightly, giving them the appearance of fish. Miyako clutched Midori's hand on one side and her brother's on the other but her gaze never left Mai. Ryuhito looked around the training room, taking in all the targets and cabinets which contained Mai's blades. The sound of more steel hitting a target focused his attention again.
When she was done, Mai wiped down all her blades before locking them safely away. The kids ran to her once all the sharp things were out of sight. With a nod of her head, the Fire Lady let Midori know that she was free to go. The nanny gave the kids goodbye kisses and then slipped out the door. Mai took the two out into her little garden. She rested on her bench while they ran about using up some of their seemingly endless supply of energy.
With her hands folded across her belly, Mai enjoyed the feel of the cool early winter air. She watched the children play, caught up in their own private world of make believe. Sometimes, when she sat quietly and just observed them both, a feeling of wonder would claim her. She had always imagined herself married to Zuko, but children were never part of her fantasy. If she did think about children it was usually with a shudder. And here she was, the mother of two with a third on the way. And she loved being a mother; she loved it more than she ever imagined she could. It was funny how often what you expected to happen in your life differed from what really happened. It was funny how you grew and changed and came to appreciate things that you once thought silly or dull.
Her thoughts turned to Zuko. He had been a part of her life for years now. Banishment didn't stop that. Neither did all too vague goodbye letters and abandonment. It seemed that the bond they had formed in childhood could withstand a lot. He was her husband and her partner and the father of her children. He was a really good father too. She enjoyed parenting alongside him. It made them even stronger, brought them even closer together.
"Agni!" Mai declared. "What's with me and all the introspection? It's your fault, baby girl," she said, rubbing a hand across her abdomen. "You're making me unbearably sappy."
The twins ran toward Mai, giggling almost maniacally and stopped just before piling into their mother's legs.
"Whoa, slow down a bit. Now, let me guess."
Mai pressed her left index finger to her lips and put an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression on her face.
"You stopped playing because you're hungry."
"Yess," Miyako agreed. "Me hungry again."
"Then I suppose we should get some lunch."
"Is baby hungry, Mommy?" Ryuhito asked with concern.
"I think so, sweetie. And Daddy will want some lunch too."
"And Toph, and Grandma?" Miayko asked.
"We'll have to wait and see. They might be busy doing something else."
The children climbed onto the bench and sat with Mai. Most of Miyako's thick black hair had fallen out of its ponytail, her face was smudged with dirt and the knees of her maroon pants were covered with grass stains. Narrow gold eyes, replicas of Mai's, looked up expectantly. Shadows from the small trees flickered across the sharp angles of her features still partly covered with baby fat. Mai reached out and brushed some stray hair off her cheek.
Ryuhito tried to place his black hair back into a topknot and grew frustrated. Chubby two year old hands were just not coordinated enough for the job.
"I can do it," Mai offered.
He turned his back to Mai so she could gather the hair and swiftly pull it into place.
"I still have to help your father too," she said dryly and the boy smiled.
His face was heart shaped like Mai's but his eyes were wider, and his nose was more like Zuko's. He was quieter and more hesitant than Miyako, though he had a temper to match that of his sister.
"Come," Mai said and held out her hands for the children to take. "You can wash up here and then we'll get some lunch."
"K," both of them exclaimed.
"Do you know what?" Mai asked them as they messily washed their hands.
"What?"
"We have to sit for our picture tomorrow. When it's done we'll have a portrait with Grandma and the two of you and Daddy and me."
"And baby," Miyako reminded Mai.
"Yes; and the baby. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished painting but it will take some time. And you'll need to sit still for awhile."
Mai silently wondered just how they would accomplish that. It was difficult to get them to stop for much besides food and sleep.
"Me done," her daughter declared and held her hands up for Mai to inspect.
Ryuhito did the same and the trio headed off to the dining room, hoping to meet up with Zuko.
The sun had almost set and Hideo had not shown up yet. Ursa was beginning to regret her brazen invitation when she spotted her friend running toward the gate. She moved forward, saving Hideo some steps.
"I'm so sorry that I'm late," he apologized.
Once he looked in to Ursa's eyes, he blushed furiously, the memory of his last words to her echoing in his head.
"No problem," she replied while secretly thinking the blush was adorable. "We've got lots of time."
"What do you have there?" Hideo asked, spotting the picnic basket in Ursa's hands. "It smells wonderful."
"This," she gestured with the simple basket, "is dinner. And we're eating it up there."
Hideo followed her gaze and smiled. "Oh, we're climbing out of the crater."
She nodded and began to walk along the still busy street, heading toward a path that led up and out of the rock enclosure that housed Capitol City.
"Ursa, let me take the basket," Hideo offered.
She handed it to him wordlessly and continued walking. He followed along behind the woman unsure what to say. Once they made it up the incline and stood above the city on a flat overlook, he found his tongue.
"It's magnificent," he cried. "Oh, look at the sky."
Ursa nodded and reached for his free hand, holding on to it gently. Hideo looked over and gave her a smile that almost glowed. They admired the sunset for another few minutes before Ursa took the basket from him. Inside was a blanket, a small lantern and spark rocks and of course, dinner. She spread out the red blanket and invited Hideo to sit beside her.
"I'll light that," he said.
Ursa handed him chopsticks and then a covered container with a sort of chicken stew. It was simple fare but savory and filling.
"This is really your favorite dish?" Ursa asked.
I'm not complicated," he replied with a lopsided grin. "It really is my favorite dish."
"Hmm, it's very good."
"Thank you for this, Ursa. After," he paused for a few seconds, "the other day, I wasn't sure how to proceed. I wondered if you were angry at me and was too afraid to ask you myself."
"I couldn't be angry at you for saying…..that. But I was surprised and unsure myself how to act."
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Ursa. It just came out….not that I didn't mean it because I did, but perhaps I should have kept those words to myself."
"Oh, Hideo," Ursa sighed.
She took a few more bites of her stew, clearly thinking about what to say.
"You're so very sweet and I love spending time with you. I'm just not quite ready to make that kind of commitment yet. I mean, I'm not sure if I love you. I'm a little mixed up."
"I can wait," he replied with absolute certainty. "You, Ursa, are worth waiting for."
It was Ursa's turn to blush. Her gold eyes looked into his brown ones for a minute before she leaned over and kissed him hard.
"Like I said, you're very sweet."
"So, we're sitting for the portrait tomorrow afternoon?" Zuko asked.
"Yes, so make sure you finish what you need to finish in the morning," Mai replied.
The twins were already in bed and fast asleep. The Fire Lord and Fire Lady walked through the gardens, enjoying the play of moonlight and shadows. The air was very cool and both wore cloaks as protection against it. As soon as they came to a bench, Mai sat and pressed her back against its hard metal one.
"Oh," she groaned.
"Back sore again, huh?" Zuko asked.
"Just a bit," she retorted. "Seriously, we can skip the next few months. I'm fine with it."
Zuko chuckled and pulled Mai around. He rubbed her back, adding a generous amount of heat to his hands. She sighed with contentment.
"I knew firebending had a purpose," she stated.
"Do you want to go inside and sit somewhere more comfortable?" Zuko asked.
"No, this is too nice," she replied and pressed herself into Zuko's chest.
He moved his hands up to her shoulders and rubbed them, moving up and down her arms as well, always applying that heat. Mai moaned with appreciation
"So do you know where my mother is tonight?" the Fire Lord asked.
"No, I don't and I hope you're not going to wait up for her or something stupid like that."
"Of course I'm not," Zuko replied, quickly pushing that very idea from his mind.
"Right," Mai stated with a smile.
She wriggled out of her husband's grasp and turned to face him.
"What?" he asked.
Mai just looked at him. Zuko began to fidget, playing with the ties of his robe and running his hand through thick dark hair.
"You're a dork," Mai finally proclaimed. "But you're my dork."
She ran slender, sensitive fingers across the rough and ridged skin of his scar, then leaned in closer and kissed him. Zuko returned the kiss with barely restrained passion. They broke apart for air and looked at each other expectantly. He cupped Mai's face in his warm hands and placed little kisses all over making her giggle. Reaching inside her cloak, he found her breasts and stroked them lightly.
"What are you waiting for," she stated breathlessly. "Let's go inside."
As Mai had advised, Zuko spent the next morning working very hard to finish a full day's work in half the time. An hour was spent in a private meeting with Omashu's leader. He wanted to broaden the trade between the Earth Kingdom city and the Fire Nation. The pair worked out an agreement of sorts out but decided to ask their advisors about it before finalizing the deal. Zuko liked the man. He was firm and decisive but had a quirky sense of humor and a real desire to help his people.
Once the meeting was over, the Fire Lord did some reading. The council members' reports had arrived earlier in the morning and he wanted to get through them all if possible, in preparation for the next day's meeting. If he couldn't, Zuko would be up late reading them and making note of any questions he wanted to ask.
He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear the timid knock on his door. The servant knocked much harder the second time. Zuko looked up from his work and looked at the middle aged man standing there.
"You have a visitor, my lord."
"Who is it?'
"Hideo Koga. Shall I let him in or send him away?"
"Send him in," Zuko replied. "And shut the door."
"Yes, my lord."
Hideo entered the office and the servant pulled the door closed.
"Please have a seat, Hideo," Zuko stated politely. "What can I do for you?"
"I love your mother," he declared proudly. "Oh, I did it again."
Hideo dropped his head into his hands and bemoaned his lately acquired habit of blurting important things out without thought.
"You….. love my mother," Zuko repeated, his eyes open as wide as it was possible for them to go.
"Yes, I, uh, I feel as though I should make my intentions known."
"Your intentions?" Zuko repeated again. "Oh, would you like some tea or something else to drink?" he asked, remembering his manners.
"No, thank you." Hideo fumbled awkwardly with his sleeves for a minute before continuing. "I'm so bad at all this kind of talk."
"I am too," Zuko admitted ruefully. "So what are your intentions?"
"I told her that I love her a few days ago. I wasn't planning to but the words just sort of ran out of my mouth. She's not at that stage yet and she told me so. But I'm going to wait patiently for her feelings to catch up….if they ever do."
"Okay, so if my mother ends up loving you back, what are your intentions?"
"I'll ask for her hand in marriage."
Zuko smiled at the old fashioned term. "Do you want my approval?"
Hideo nodded. "Zuko, I want you to know that I respect your mother very much. I admire her and I care about her. I won't hurt her. I would sooner die myself than cause her pain."
"Well, if my mother wants to marry you, she'll do it with or without my blessing. But, Hideo, I like you. It's obvious, even to me, that my mother has feelings for you. She's been very happy the past few weeks. She deserves to feel like that and it's been a long time for her. So, yes, I approve. Just know that if you ever do wrong her, you will answer to me."
"I understand. You want to protect your mother."
"Yes, I do."
"I appreciate your time, Zuko. Thank you."
Hideo got up from his seat, gave Zuko a bow and left. The Fire Lord stroked his chin and looked thoughtful for a few minutes. An idea occurred to him, one that made him smile crookedly. He just might pay a visit to Ozai. Perhaps this news would interest the former Fire Lord.
"Alright now," the portrait painter said. "Let's get you arranged properly."
Zuko, Mai, the twins and Ursa all waited for his further instructions. They stood just inside the sun filled sitting room, Miyako and Ryuhito bouncing on their heels and already looking as though they wanted to run.
"I want this portrait to be casual, not formal," Mai informed the old man.
"Yes, I understand. I see the Fire Lord standing behind the sofa while you and Lady Ursa sit down and the children play on the floor in front of you. Would you like to try that?"
"Sure," Zuko said agreeably and moved over behind the red and gold upholstered sofa.
Mai and Ursa sat down, arranging their clothing.
Everyone was dressed casually, Zuko in a simple tunic and pants of red and black, Mai in a long maroon tunic over black pants and Ursa in brighter red robes. The twins both wore brown pants with red tunics. Hair was done simply as well.
"Come over here," Mai called the twins.
They plopped down on the rug that lay in front of the sofa.
"Try your best to stay still," Mai whispered as she leaned down and rubbed their heads.
"K," they cried.
"How's this?" Zuko asked.
"It will do," the artist replied.
His easel was already set up and a large piece of white canvas sat waiting for him to make the first mark. He did a rudimentary outline of the adults first, then concentrated on the children, wanting to get a good likeness of both before they lost patience.
The twins held on for half an hour before hunger, boredom and the need to use the bathroom overcame their desire to please Mommy and Daddy.
"I'll take them," Mai whispered to Zuko. "And I'll take the opportunity too."
The artist went out into the hallway to stretch and Zuko and Ursa were left alone. The Fire Lord debated telling Ursa about Hideo's visit but thought better of it.
"So, did you have a good time last night?" he asked innocently.
"I did," she replied but said nothing else. "How was your evening?"
Zuko flushed as he recalled what Mai and he had done after their garden stroll.
"It was good then?" Ursa continued with a grin.
Zuko nodded and then cleared his throat furiously.
"I'm glad to know that you and Mai are so happy."
"Yes, Mom, we are."
"Ah, here they come. It's time to sit still again."
Mai not only took the kids on a bathroom break, she stopped at the kitchen and got them a quick snack. Miyako was finishing off a piece of melon and wiped her sticky hands off on her pants. She dropped back down onto the floor, dragging her brother with her.
"Hey!" he protested as he hit the carpet hard.
The old painter reentered the room and waited for everyone to settle. The process went on for another few hours until he had enough done to finish it on his own. Mai and Zuko took a peek at the detailed sketch and were pleased.
"We would like two extras done," Mai informed the man. "And you might be back to do one of Miss Bei Fong…if I can get her to agree," she added.
"Are we sending one to Iroh?" Zuko asked.
"Mmmhmmm," Mai replied, "and I want one for Tom too, for when he comes home."
"He'll like that," Zuko agreed, not bothering to mention that it might be a long time before the boy made it back to Capitol City.
"Let's take the kids out into the garden. They look ready to burst."
Ursa went along too, enjoying the time with her grandchildren. She showed them her newest plants and let the twins water them. There was a tug of war over the watering can before Zuko intervened and insisted that they take turns. Done watering they ran off to play while the adults sat talking and enjoying the fresh air.
"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?" Mai asked Ursa.
"Yes, but Hideo and I are seeing a play at the theatre later."
"Nice," Mai said approvingly.
"I'm looking forward to it," she smiled in reply.
"How is Hideo doing?" Mai continued.
"He's doing well. School keeps him quite busy."
"But he's still got lots of time for you…..that's sweet."
"He's a sweet man," Ursa declared.
Zuko listened and kept an eye on the twins. He didn't feel like discussing the merits of Hideo right now. His thoughts turned to Tomiko as they often had over the past few days. He fervently hoped that the boy was being as inconspicuous as possible and staying safe. With any luck, Maho's first letter would bring enough information, good or bad, to finally prove or disprove his suspicions. Zuko was torn; if the school was good, Tomiko would be gone for a long time. If the school was bad, it proved that some citizens wanted him gone. He wasn't good at sitting back and waiting patiently. Zuko wanted to do something, anything but was completely powerless and dependent on the actions of others for now. He fumed.
A group of teachers along with headmaster Oono, walked silently down the path that led from their residence to the school itself. Maho watched from alongside the library, making sure to stay invisible until they were well passed. Instead of going to her room after work, she had hidden outside, hoping to get some snooping done. The magic word 'meeting' had passed many lips that day and Maho, astute as she was, knew that the time to find something out might very well be upon her. She would have to spend the entire night outside, show up to work very hungry and disheveled and then make up a story for her roommate (Maho hoped the kind woman would not report her missing, but she had to take the chance).
Much to Maho's surprise, they didn't enter the school but walked around to the back instead. Treading lightly, her pulse racing, she edged along the wall of the school until she reached its end. Peeking around the corner, she observed the men and women entering a much smaller building. Maho hadn't noticed it before. It seemed to blend right in with the environment. The teachers and administrators shut the door behind them.
Maho inched closer. Part of her was exhilarated and part of her was terrified. If someone caught her nosing around or just outside in general after the evening meal, she would be in trouble. She wasn't sure just how much. But she wanted very badly to prove herself too and help the Fire Lord, someone she admired and believed in.
The building was windowless, but fortunately for Maho, cheaply built with thin walls. She could hear voices clearly and leaned carefully against the building's side, pressing her ear to the wall. At first, the group discussed Sacred Flame Academy's first few days and how successful they were. Then they got down to business.
"We need to get Zuko here," Oono stated. "I will not call him Fire Lord. He's close to that brat, Tomiko Matsuo, and will jump at the opportunity to see him. Once he's here, it will be all over for him. I'm hoping he'll bring his family too so we can do away with the entire bloodline. No one with the blood of the Avatar will ever rule our nation again."
"Excuse me sir, but what about Azula?" a teacher named Isao Ageda asked.
"She's where she belongs. Her blood is tainted too. Why do you think she went crazy? Avatar blood produced a crazy person and a traitor."
"So then Ozai will need to produce more heirs in order to keep the royal line going?" Ageda continued.
"Yes, and I have the perfect mate for him; my daughter, Yoko," Oono announced proudly. "She is looking forward to the day she weds Lord Ozai and to the day she gives birth to an heir."
"Lord Ozai's firebending was taken away from him by that boy," Chika Morita, the woman Mai had met once in childhood, stated with disgust. "He's weakened. Will he be in full control or will you be pulling the strings, Headmaster Oono?"
"You're an audacious one, aren't you?" Oono asked, his voice deceptively calm.
The Headmaster was not a tall man or a big man but his presence was intense and commanding. He had a face like granite and a voice that was cultivated and smooth with an intensity and passion hard to match. Everyone listened when he spoke. And those people who listened usually agreed with him as well.
"Ozai will be a figurehead, someone the people can see and worship. I and a select few others will really be in control. Once he produces a suitable heir and that heir is old enough, he will take over the throne completely."
"What if Ozai objects to that?" Morita prodded.
"He's been in prison for more than six years. I think freedom, living in luxury again and marriage to a beautiful young woman will be hard to pass up."
"Of course, sir, I didn't think," Morita stated sweetly.
"No, you didn't," Oono replied, fixing hard grey eyes on her.
"What if Zuko refuses to visit the school?" another teacher asked.
"I'm confident that he will. And when he does, no matter how many guards he brings with him, no matter how powerful his firebending is now, he will be no match for our archers, our benders and our other weapons masters. Zuko will die."
A titter ran through the small group.
"Silence! Zuko will not expect an ambush in front of all these impressionable youngsters. He has no way of knowing that we have a small army's worth of supporters here, people who have no affiliation with this school, people who possess great skills and want to use them very badly. These discontented citizens approached me and came to the island on their own.** For the last six years, no one has given Zuko any trouble. He's become complacent. He has no reason to suspect anything. Our school is duly registered and completely legal. Everything has been done by the book. And after his death, this school will continue. It will be the school that all other schools aspire to become. All our children will know the truth again and the Fire Nation will be as it was destined to be."
The group broke into cheers of "Fire Nation, Fire Nation" and Oono graced them all with a satisfied smile.
"Let's send an invitation to Zuko. I would like him here next week."
Outside, Maho trembled and felt almost physically ill. These people didn't just want to overthrow Zuko, they wanted to kill him and his family too. Whatever else she did, Maho needed to get that information to Zuko on the next boat. Right now, his life was in her hands.
*a little nod to Mai
**As soon as I wrote that I thought of the show 'Lost'.
A/N: Oono's plan has been years in the making. He's thinking far ahead. But, like most FN soldiers in the show, he's not that smart. He has not anticipated Zuko (and Mai) checking into the school for Tomiko's sake and seeing a pattern with the names associated with Sacred Flame. Therefore, he has not anticipated a spy.
Next time we'll see whether Maho gets that letter off to Zuko or not. His reaction and Mai's reaction should be interesting. And you'll see more of Tomiko's life at school.
Mai's thinking about family a lot lately, but with her about to have another child, I think that's natural.
Toph and Mai will do some bonding next time around.
Ursa + Hideo = lots of dates
Thanks for reading and thanks to those who left such great reviews for the last chapter. I appreciate them all so much. :)
Alabaster