Trial by Fire
Chapter 11: The Art of Persuasion
Ty Lee's sister, Sonomi, packed up her books with a sigh and headed downstairs to the study.
"Because I'm the nicest and best sister in the whole world, I'll let you two have the room to yourselves. You owe me one, sis." She tossed her head, making her long brown braid, exactly like Ty Lee's, flop about on her back.
"I won't forget," the acrobat called after her older sister. She giggled and then turned her attention to Mai, who was over for another visit. "Do you want me to go get us some snacks?" she asked.
Mai shook her head. "I'm good."
"So, you said that you have something to tell me. What is it?" Ty Lee was sitting cross legged on her bed with a fluffy pink covered pillow cradled in her lap. "Did Zuko do something? Oh, your Mom and Dad didn't find some creep for you to marry, did they?"
"No!" Mai exclaimed, her eyes widening with horror at the thought. She paused for a few moments, not sure how to break the news to Ty Lee. Of course, it wasn't a certainty yet that she was leaving Capitol City, but it was a good possibility."I, um, well, I might be moving away with Zuko and Iroh." She squished her eyes shut and tensed her body in anticipation of screams or squeals or shouts of protest. Nothing but silence greeted the dark haired girl. Slowly, she opened her gold eyes and peered at Ty Lee. "Aren't you going to say something?"
Ty Lee was rarely speechless. But her mouth hung open now and no words would come out.
"Are you okay, Ty? You're not mad at me, are you?"
When the words finally did come there were a flood of them. "I don't understand. What about me? And where are you moving to? You're parents are going to let you go? And your uncle; isn't he freaking out or something? Are you and Zuko going to get married one day? Is that why you're leaving with him?"
Mai felt a bit overwhelmed. "One thing at a time, Ty Lee." The expression on her friend's face was sad now and Mai felt a lump form in her throat. She didn't want to hurt Ty Lee and she didn't want to leave her behind either. But that was not within her control. "I don't know about my parents yet. My uncle is going to talk to them, probably now. He's okay with it and the prison isn't very far away either. And Iroh, he's friends with Piandao, you know Piandao, the sword master?"
Ty Lee nodded. "Yeah, I've heard of him. You've mentioned him enough times."
"Well, he lives on one of the outer islands and he's okay with us staying there. He's going to train me, Ty Lee, a real sword master." Mai's unscarred cheek was pink from excitement now. The thought of getting away from her claustrophobic home and having the chance to learn from one of the world's non-bending greats, thrilled her. Even her friend's sorrow could hardly diminish her joy. "And yes, Zuko and I will get married when we're older. The Fire Lord gave his permission as well. But…"
"But what, Mai? What's wrong?" The grey eyed girl reached out and touched Mai's hand.
"Zuko won't be Fire Lord. Azula will. He's okay with that, though, and so am I."
"Azula will be Fire Lord? That's awful, Mai. She'll be the scariest Fire Lord ever. I mean, look at your face." She slapped a hand over her mouth and stared at Mai with shocked eyes. "I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean anything."
Mai couldn't help it. Her eyes filled with tears. She wouldn't let them fall, though, and blinked furiously. "It's okay, Ty Lee. Maybe Iroh has some sort of plan. Maybe Zuko will be Fire Lord one day."
"Iroh is pretty smart. Maybe he does have a plan." Ty Lee sounded hopeful now. "I wish I could go with you, even for a few weeks. Do you think I could? Could I ask my mom and dad?"
"I don't know, Ty. I'll ask Zuko about it, okay? I'd like it if you came."
"I'll miss you too," the acrobat smiled sadly. "I'll really miss you, Mai. You're my best friend. And I'll miss Zuko. What am I going to do here by myself?"
"You've got your family at least," Mai reminded her.
"I know, I know. Hey, let's go ask my mom now." She hopped off the bed, tugged on Mai's hand and dragged her toward the bedroom door.
Kaori was in the sitting room, surrounded by her two youngest girls, Mimi and Nori. They were reading books, various volumes spread out across their laps.
"Hi, Ty Lee," Nori cried. "We're reading."
"Uh huh," the girl acknowledged. "I need to talk to Mom." She waited for the girls to leave but they didn't.
"They can stay," Kaori warned her ten year old. "Girls, take your books down to the floor. Ty Lee, talk."
She explained about Mai possibly moving away and their idea of Ty Lee going along for the first few weeks.
"Let me get this straight." Kaori's kind eyes darted between Mai and her daughter. "Mai's not even sure whether she's moving to this island or not. Am I right?"
Mai nodded. "My parents still have to give their permission."
"Then why are you worried about whether Ty Lee can go along for awhile; and what about school?"
"I betcha school will be on break, Mom. Please, can I go if Mai goes, if it's okay with Master Piandao, I mean?" Ty Lee's hands were clasped together and her tone was wheedling, like it was when she begged for another helping of ice cream.
"I'll have to discuss it with your father. And you'll need to get some dates for us. Then we'll talk again. That's the best that I can do." She shook her head and grinned at Ty Lee. "I think it might be good for you to see something different too, dear. I hope it works out, though I'll miss my girl like crazy."
"You won't even know I'm gone with everyone else here," Ty Lee grinned back.
Kaori reached over and gave Ty Lee's braid a playful tug. "Oh, I'll know, Ty Lee. Despite what you may think, I do notice you. Now, you take Mai into the kitchen and give her something good to eat." She looked at Mai. "You stay as long as you like, all right."
Mai smiled. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, dear. You're very welcome."
"Oh, for crying out loud, Akira, would you calm down?" Katashi lowered his head into his hands and growled with frustration. "Hoshi, do something with her, would you. She's being a damn drama queen."
The three sat in a small parlor, a cloying sort of room filled with ornate tapestries and thick, red carpeting. The chairs and sofa were done in red as well, while all the wood was dark. The room had no windows and Katashi hated it. He tugged at the collar of his tunic as if that would somehow get him more air.
"And why do we have to talk in this room. I hate this room." He growled again.
"Mai hates it too," Akira sniffed. "I think it's cozy. And it's private. The door is made of the thickest wood, brother. And there are no windows for people to listen at or peek in."
Hoshi patted his wife's shoulder and then poured her another cup of tea. "Really, dear, I don't understand why you're upset. The whole issue with Mai can be taken care of. Zuko is still a prince, right, even though he is no longer the heir. He's actually willing to marry her; well, he is now, anyway. That's something, right?"
For the umpteenth time in Mai's young life, Katashi marveled at the selfishness of her parents. He shook his head in wonder.
"Yes, but she'll be living out in the country, away from any sort of social activity. And that traitor will be teaching her how to use swords for Agni's sake. What kind of life is that for a young noble girl? What will I tell my friends?" She wiped at her damp eyes and sniffed again.
"Akira, look at me!" Katashi's voice was stern and demanding. Akira looked. "Mai wants this. It will be good for her to get away. She'll learn a skill and she'll be with the boy she cares about. Iroh will take good care of her, and I'll be close by. I'll be able to visit her often, sister, and make sure that she's all right. What more could we ask for? You do want your daughter to be happy, don't you? Remember those days so long ago when you wanted something different, Akira? Remember when you fought against our parents?"
The woman rubbed at her temples as if trying to ward off an oncoming headache. She stared down at the carpeting and her brown hair fell forward, hiding her attractive face from view. "I, yes, Katashi, I do remember that. It was so long ago, though, and it did me no good, did it?"
"No, it didn't. But Mai's life can be different. Maybe, I hate myself for saying this, but maybe, some good can come out of the princess giving her that scar. She could be really, really happy, Akira." The warden's gold eyes sought out Hoshi's. 'Convince your wife,' they said. 'Do this one thing for my niece. She deserves it.'
Hoshi gave his brother in law a nod. "Akira, I think we should let Mai take this opportunity. There's nothing for her here any longer." Once again, he patted her shoulder.
She leaned against her husband and began to sob. "Yes, but I'll miss her. She frustrates me and makes me angry and we don't agree on anything, but she's still my little girl."
"There, there; we can always visit too, now can't we?" Hoshi looked to Katashi and raised his bushy eyebrows.
"I don't see why not," the warden replied. He took a swig of his now cold tea (wishing for a brief moment that he was a firebender) and sat back in his chair, almost relaxed for the first time since the little meeting began. His thoughts wandered to Azula; she was what bothered him most about this entire situation. The thought of her becoming Fire Lord, that vicious, cruel girl, stuck in his craw. Of course, Ozai was no better. And Katashi had never had a problem with the man before. But the warden's entire perspective had changed and now he wished that Zuko would be the next Fire Lord. But that would entail the young prince somehow overthrowing his father and his sister. Was that even possible? Could Iroh have something in mind, something that he had yet to share with him?
Heaving a sigh, Katashi got up to leave.
"Are you going to tell Mai when she gets home from Ty Lee's?" Akira stood up as well and walked with her brother to the parlor door.
"No, I think that you should tell her, Akira. She'll appreciate it more coming from you." He gave his sister a smile. "Maybe it will help mend things between mother and daughter, eh?"
He left, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it for a moment. "That went better than I expected," he muttered and headed for the kitchen in search of food.
Zuko was leaning, in what he hoped was a casual fashion, against the gate that led to Mai's family's garden. He cleared his throat and looked about once more, disappointed that Mai had yet to arrive home. It was Katashi who had informed the prince that Mai was at Ty Lee's and should be returning soon.
The prince knew that she always walked around to the back and entered her property from the garden. It gave her a chance to sit in peace for a few minutes or throw her knife for a bit, without explaining anything to her parents. Casually and to kill some time, he made a pretty little ball of flames in the palm of his hand and bounced it about, making it leap from one palm to the next. It was a simple enough trick, something Azula could do when she was only seven, but Zuko still enjoyed it.
"Trying to impress me?" Mai's raspy voice asked, breaking Zuko's concentration.
The fire sputtered and died and Zuko lost his balance, his casual pose becoming a near fall. "Mai," he declared. "I'm glad you're back. How was Ty Lee?" He regained his iffy composure and gave the girl a shy glance. He focused on her eyes, the scar on her cheek not even mattering. The prince was actually amazed that even after such a short time, he hardly noticed it. The mark was simply part of Mai now, not a distraction, not something that made him look away, but part of her overall allure. He wondered if that was what love was, that complete and total acceptance of someone. He figured that probably it was.
Mai swallowed down a laugh at Zuko's expense. "She's Ty," the girl answered as if that was explanation enough. "She wants to come with us for a few weeks if it's okay with everyone."
"Oh, uh, sure, I'll ask my uncle tonight. So, do you want to walk around the garden?" He opened the gate and stepped aside for Mai.
"Yeah," she said, taking hold of his hand and pushing the gate shut again with her foot.
They strolled in silence, communicating their thoughts with looks and touches rather than with words. It was bizarre walking along beside the person you were to marry in four or so years. It was strange being so young and even thinking about marriage. Both wondered what would change in that time, how much their affection for each other would grow. Neither even contemplated that things could go the other way; that their feelings could wane or leave all together. They simply knew that their bond was stronger than that.
"So, wanna throw my knife," Mai smirked and pulled out the special blade that Zuko had given her.
He grinned and took it from her, enjoying the feel of it in his hand once more. He aimed for the tree and let it fly. "Not as good as you," he admitted.
"But not bad," Mai shrugged and took her turn.
They spent an hour like that, throwing, not saying much, but growing closer all the same.
"I should get back," Zuko muttered eventually. "Uncle and I are having dinner together." His voice lacked any real enthusiasm. He would rather stay with Mai.
"Okay; see you tomorrow?" She took the knife from him.
"Yeah," he smiled shyly. "I'll be here."
Zuko had gone to bed. The retired general and the young prince had enjoyed their meal together. The boy had been in a good mood and Iroh suspected that Mai had a lot to do with that.
"She's good for him," he said to himself with a smile. "And thanks to Katashi, he and Mai can get married eventually." Iroh grinned then and hummed a cheerful tune.
Lifting the lid off his teapot, Iroh smelled the brew and grinned. He let it sit for another minute before pouring himself a cup. He was sitting at the antique writing desk in his room and was all set to compsoe a few letters. One would be to Mai's parents and one would be to Piandao. Chewing the end of the brush thoughtfully, Iroh worked out the words he would use in his head before committing them to paper.
Mr. and Mrs. Kato,
As the uncle of your daughter's betrothed, and the one who will be in charge of her until that marriage occurs, I feel that it is my duty to visit and get to know you a little bit.
I hope that, if it is convenient for you, I can accompany Prince Zuko when he visits Mai tomorrow. We can share a cup of tea and talk.
Let me know if I am welcome.
Sincerely,
Prince Iroh
He set the brief note aside, waving it about a bit to help it dry quicker and then set about writing the next letter, a longer one.
Master Piandao,
I am pleased to let you know that everything is falling neatly into place. Ozai has given his permission for me to take Zuko under my wing and bring him to your estate. Well, he actually doesn't know where I'm taking the boy. All he knows is that Zuko will not be his worry anymore. The man, my brother and the Fire Lord of our nation, cares so little for his only son, that where he goes and what he does is not of any concern to him. Ozai has also given his permission for Zuko and Mai to marry. Again, he simply wants the boy gone, out of his way for good, so that he can concentrate on the princess. Fortunately, his underestimation of Zuko works in our favor.
The boy will be much better off at your estate, learning the ways of the Order, training hard, biding his time until he is old enough and skilled enough to make a difference in this world. And I firmly believe that with the support of me and you and Mai, he will go far, become a leader that our nation can be proud of.
Mai's parents and uncle (a real character whom you will be meeting) have given the betrothal their blessing as well. I would like to get Zuko out of the palace as soon as possible, my friend. The sooner we get started on things, the sooner everything will come to fruition.
You've said that we are welcome at any time. I appreciate that so much and will take you up on that kindness. As soon as things are squared away here, and everyone is packed (oh, Mai's friend, Ty Lee, may be joining us for a few weeks), we'll make the journey to your estate.
With respect, friendship and gratitude,
Prince Iroh
"Ah," the retired general sighed with satisfaction. He reread the letter, and pleased with it, set it aside as well. "I'll get those sent off first thing in the morning."
He leaned back in his chair, cradling the red tea cup with a gold leaf dragon embossed on its surface, in his hands. All in all, Iroh was satisfied with how everything was progressing. He could not, of course, predict the future. For the most part he was glad of that. Had he know that his son, Lu Ten, would die at the tender age of eighteen, Iroh wasn't sure he would have remained sane. That sanity had been hard enough to cling to after the young man's tragic death in battle. No, Iroh did not know what would happen this year, or the next or the one after that. But he did know that Zuko was a good boy, stronger than either his sister or his father gave him credit for, and with a moral character far superior to that of most of his family. In short, he would be the kind of Fire Lord who would mercifully and finally end this devastatingly pointless war. He would be the kind of Fire Lord who would take the country into the future, a future in which compassion and love and mercy were not frowned upon. All they had to do was get him on the throne.
"And that will be anything but easy." Iroh took one last swig of his tea. He got up slowly and padded to his bed. It looked comfortable and inviting and he was asleep a few minutes after crawling under the silky red covers. His dreams were filled of images of his beloved son and his beloved nephew, their faces mixing together, becoming one at times. If one could not have a future, he would do everything within his power to make certain that the other one did.