Trial by Fire

Chapter 2: The Ugliness of Jealousy

The princess loomed over Mai and Zuko like a monster, one of those horrible creatures that slept beneath a child's bed waiting only for nighttime to strike or hunkered in dark forests, always on the lookout for vulnerable prey. But it was a bright, sunny Fire Nation day, and the princess was lovely to look at, aside from the mocking coldness in her eyes. She was a monster of a different kind, a ten year old girl, bright and talented, strong and determined but cruel and relentless in her torment when she chose to be.

Perspiration beaded on Mai's upper lip and her grip on Zuko's hand tightened. The expression on Azula's face was a combination of rage and jealousy and anticipation. It was the anticipation that frightened both Mai and Zuko most. They knew what Azula was capable of. Mai had witnessed her violence and Zuko had experienced it firsthand.

He was two years older, taller and heavier, but was still no match for his sister. Azula loved the irony of their situation. It should be the older sibling who dominated, bested the younger one in everything, led, inspired and taught. But Zuko was weak and soft, a Momma's boy without a mother, a blathering mess of insecurities and failures. It was the princess's skills that far exceeded those of her brother. And she reveled in her domination, enjoying it more than any normal human being should. Making him feel inferior and generally worthless was one of her special joys.

Why then, when Zuko was such a waste of time and space, did Mai gravitate to him? Why did she want to spend time with the dumdum? Sure, Azula had gotten a kick out of their little crushes before. It could be fun to watch them squirm. But that had been on her terms. Mai taking the initiative and going to Zuko always irked her, this time more than most, for some unknown reason. Mai was Azula's friend, hers, and she shouldn't be running to Zuko as soon as the princess's back was turned. Something needed to be done, something that neither Mai nor Zuko would ever forget.

Azula's pretty but cold amber eyes were narrowed and they practically glinted with evil intent. Shoulders were rigid and fists were clenched at her sides.

"I told you to wait for me, Mai. Why are you with him?" Azula glared at her brother and then turned her gaze back to Mai.

The older girl didn't know what to say; every answer would anger the princess. That much was obvious. And anger built inside Mai too. Yet again, someone was dictating to her what she should do and how she should feel and what she should want. The black haired girl was tired of it, tired of sitting back and saying nothing. Most things weren't worth protesting about, but Zuko was.

"I like being with Zuko. And waiting for you is boring." Mai's voice bordered on defiant, though she clutched even harder to the prince's hand.

"Oh, you like being with him, do you?" the princess taunted. "Isn't that sweet? Isn't that adorable?"

Everything suddenly seemed surreal to Mai. What kind of children spoke like this, acted like this? What terrible world had she stumbled into? It was all wrong and she wanted to leave now, dragging Zuko, somehow still sane despite his circumstances, along with her. But she couldn't. Mai was transfixed, rooted to the spot, immobile. She had to see what would happen next.

Beside her, Zuko was experiencing something similar. He had pulled his hand out from beneath Mai's and taken hold of her elbow. The prince sensed that something was coming, something horrible, and every instinct that he had was screaming in his head, "Run!" But Mai's jaw was set stubbornly and it was as though she had dug her heels into the damp ground near the turtleduck pond.

"Let's go, Mai," he whispered, hoping that Azula wouldn't hear. His heart was beating double time and he wanted to wipe the dampness from his palms off on his leg. But he resisted the urge.

Azula gave her brother a smirk. "What's the matter, dumdum, are you scared?"

"No," he shouted angrily, his face growing red. But that was a lie and Zuko was a worse at lying than at bending.

"Hmmph," Azula sneered. "You are and you should be. I wonder if you'll want to spend time with Mai after I get through with her."

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, panic evident in his voice now. "Come on, Mai. Let's go!" He was tugging on her elbow now and stood up himself, hoping Mai would follow.

But she was busy watching the fire that surrounded the princess's hand, her eyes focused on the unusual blue flames, somehow unable to move, unable to save herself.

There was no pain at first. When the fire collided with her face, Mai felt a tingling sensation and could sense the flames lapping at her skin hungrily, looking to burn up everything in their wake. She heard Zuko scream, saw him kick out viciously at Azula, knocking her feet out from under her. And she felt the prince's arms around her, dragging her into the pond. Then she was cold and wet and the tingling became a pain like nothing she had ever experienced. Mai wanted to crawl out of her own skin, leave her body behind. It was far too much to take. She sank into blissful unconsciousness next and didn't wake for hours.

Ty Lee ran at full speed down the garden path toward the turtleduck pond. Zuko's unearthly scream and Azula's horrible laughter had sent a chill coursing its way down her spine. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. When the acrobat arrived she spotted Azula sitting on the grass, a satisfied grin on her face and a gleam in her eyes. Zuko was dragging Mai out of the pond and he laid her gently out on the bank. Thick black hair clung to the sides of Mai's face. Her bangs were plastered to her forehead. And on her left cheek, from the edge of her perfect nose to her jaw line was a red, raw, hideous burn. Bits of flesh hung in shreds, reminding Ty Lee of rotten meat. Gorge rose up in her throat and she bent over, letting it fly, unable to hold it back.

Wiping her mouth, she stumbled by the princess, part of her afraid that Azula would do the same to her, and part of her so angry that she wanted to pummel the girl senseless. "Zu, Zuko," she cried. She didn't know what else to say and the naked emotion on the prince's face rendered her completely mute. Zuko's expressive gold eyes were wide with shock and horror, and his hot tears mixed with the cold water of the pond, dripping down his cheeks in little torrents. His mouth hung open and he kept looking between Mai and his sister. One hand rested against Mai's whole cheek while the other was clenched so hard his knuckles were white.

"Get help," he hissed through his teeth. "Please, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee didn't hesitate. She ran again, skirting around Azula, tearing along the path and into the palace. If Princess Ursa had still been around, Ty Lee would have gone to her for help. But Zuko's and Azula's mother was gone and if she'd still been at the palace, none of this would have happened anyway. Of that the acrobat was certain. So who would she go to now?

Desperate, the girl stopped the first servant she encountered and managed to utter the words 'burn' and 'garden' and 'Mai'. The older woman put a comforting arm around Ty Lee and took her to the kitchen, leaving here there with the cook. She heard the pounding of feet a few minutes later. Getting up from her seat, she spotted the Royal Physician, robes flying out behind him, streaking down the corridor. He carried a pouch of medicines in one hand and held the front of his robes up, away from his flying feet with the other. Ty Lee wanted to follow but the cook's firm hand on her shoulder restrained her.

"You sit down here and have a cup of tea." From somewhere, the older woman produced a steaming cup of chamomile, every mother's calming elixir. The aroma soothed Ty Lee and she wrapped her arms around the cup, holding on tightly. "There's nothing you can do now if your friend is hurt. You'll only be in the physician's way. But she will need you later." The ten year old took a few sips.

'Later,' Ty Lee thought. 'What would happen later; oh, Agni, Mai's face.' She began to weep then, quietly at first, unwilling to cause a commotion. But her fear and sorrow and anger took over and she began to sob. Her entire body shook with the force of her emotions.

The cook folded Ty Lee into her arms and the girl did not protest. She pressed her face into the woman's chest, the smells of cooking filling her nostrils, and cried unabashedly.

Patting her back over and over again, the cook whispered, "It will be all right. It will be all right."

Ty Lee moved her lips and repeated the words, comforting herself now. She prayed that the words were true.

The Royal Physician, an older man, experienced and competent, rushed to Mai's side, dropping down onto his knees, dampness soaking into the expensive silk of his robes. Though hardened by years of treating burns alongside many other injuries and illnesses, the terrible wound to that beautiful face was jarring even to him.

As for what exactly had happened and who had burned young Mai, that was not his concern. Treating her was. He took her pulse first and found it to be strong. Pulling back and eyelid, he peered into Mai's eye. The pupil contracted as it should. The burn appeared to be the only injury.

"Is this it?" he asked the prince harshly. "Is she hurt somewhere else?" Zuko shook his head. Tears were still spilling down his cheeks. "I know that it's bad and I know that you're upset, but crying won't help. I need to get your friend inside, all right?"

Zuko nodded this time and brushed his tears away, trying valiantly to put on a brave face. He watched as the healer picked Mai up with care, hovering protectively close by.

"Princess Azula; perhaps you could have a servant run across the street to inform Mai's parents. They'll want to know what's happened and want to be here." He stopped for just a moment in front of the princess, who still sat in the same spot with the same triumphant expression gracing her features.

"She's no good now. She'll be a burden and they'll just want to get rid of her. No one will marry a girl who looks like that." She pointed up to Mai and laughed. Then suddenly her voice changed, becoming deeper and more forceful. "And you don't give me orders."

Flabbergasted by the young girl's cruelty, the physician moved on, urging Zuko to come along. He would have word sent to Mai's mother and father. Then they could do what they wanted. His job was tending to Mai, all the other issues be damned for now.

"My sister," Zuko blurted out as soon as they were inside the physician's office and Mai was safely laid out on a bed, "she did it. She did it on purpose and she doesn't even care that Mai is hurt."

"I figured as much, Prince Zuko. I'm not sure what I can do about that. The Fire Lord…." He stopped there, knowing full well that Ozai, who favored his daughter and had a cruel streak as wide if not wider than Azula's would not care a bit. Azula would suffer no consequences. She would not be punished for her behavior and actions. If anything, Ozai would praise her. "Let me help your friend now. Perhaps it's best if you leave."

"No," the boy said defiantly. He crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his chin. "I want to stay. You can't make me go."

"Then stay out of the way," the man admonished as he began to treat Mai's burn.

Outside the physician's office, Ty Lee waited. She sat beneath a tapestry, head resting on her knees, arms curled around her legs. She'd stopped crying awhile ago. There were no tears left to shed. All that was left was weariness and sorrow and that lingering anger toward Azula, anger she knew that she couldn't express without dire consequences.

When Mai's mother and father appeared in the hallway, she jumped up and went to them, hands now clasped together and grey eyes impossibly huge. "She's in there." Ty Lee pointed to the closed door.

"Tell us what happened, Ty Lee?" Mai's mother, Akira, grabbed hold of the girl's shoulders and shook.

"She, Mai, was with Zuko. And then Azula went over there, to the pond. I heard a scream and ran. Mai was burned and Zuko was helping her." She couldn't tell them that the burn was on their daughter's face. She didn't have the courage. And she couldn't tell them that it wasn't a horrible accident, but rather a malicious act by the princess who was supposed to be Mai's friend.

Akira fell into the warmth of her husband, Hoshi's, arms and wept. "Oh, dear, what if it scars? What if it's where people can see it? She'll be ruined, won't she? Then what will we do?"

"Now, now, dear; let's wait until we know more. There's no sense getting all worked up without facts." He patted his wife's back and ran a hand through her hair.

Ty Lee's entire body grew stiff and she trembled with rage. They didn't care about Mai at all. What was wrong with them? "It's on her face," she said emphatically, no longer afraid. "And Azula did it, on purpose."

Akira broke free of her husband's arms and swung around, grabbing hold of Ty Lee again. "On her face? It's on her face?" She was shrieking now, loud enough for the entire main floor of the palace to hear.

The office door opened then and a frowning physician stepped outside. "Yes, it is on her face. Would you like to see your daughter now? She needs her parents, people who love her. And I need to explain some things and then I want her brought home to her own bed. I'll arrange for a palanquin."

Trying to gain control, Akira brushed away her tears and smoothed down her robes. "Show us," she demanded and walked past the physician and into the office.

"How can you eat?" Zuko stared at his sister. His food lay untouched.

Azula was enjoying her dinner, relishing every bite, every spoonful. She reached for another dumpling, and stuffed it into her mouth, managing to smirk as she chewed. "Oh, stop being an idiot, if that's even possible."

"You burned Mai." The prince's voice was low and full of anger. "You hurt her. She'll have a terrible scar on her face and you don't even care. You're sick, Azula, sick. And I'm going to tell Father what you did."

The princess sneered. "Go ahead. I don't care. And Father won't care either."

"What's going on in here?" Ozai strode into the dining room, handsome and regal and late as usual for dinner. He looked at his daughter, and a small smile tugged at his mouth. When he turned his gaze to Zuko, Ozai frowned, his eyes narrowing. "I will not tolerate any arguing during my dinner."

"Of course, Father. Zuko's just whining about Mai and her stupid burn. He's in love with her, you know. But now she's ugly!"

"Shut up, Azula!" Zuko stood up from his seat, banging into the table and knocking over his bowl of soup. "She did it, Father, she burned Mai on purpose. Aren't you going to do something? She's a monster, a freak and I HATE her." It was Ozai's hand across his face that Zuko felt next. And he heard Azula's ringing laughter.

"Whatever Azula did, I'm sure that Mai deserved it. I'm generously providing the treatment for the girl. That's far more than I am obligated to do. I want you to leave now, Zuko. And think very carefully before you speak to me again." Ozai wasn't even looking at his son as he spoke. He was busy eating, concentrating hard on his meal.

But Zuko knew that tone well. He ran out the door and didn't stop until he reached his bedroom. Then he turned the lock and crawled into his bed, not bothering to undress. All he could think about was Mai. And she was what he dreamed of too.