If he was completely honest with himself today was certainly not the worst day of the young Fire Lord's life. He had lost his mother, he had been banished from everything he'd ever known, and he had the one thing that could end his exile escape again- and again. All of those days far outranked the misery and despair that civil unrest and the inevitable betrayal of his sister could cause.

However, people tend to discount past ills and amplify those currently suffered- and as such Zuko had no doubt in his mind that today was the worst day of his life. Azula had fled under cover of night, there were talks of an uprising, and there was no reason to think there was not a band of Earth Kingdom assassins lurking behind every corner.

The meeting in which Zuko found himself was doing little to quell the anger, fear and annoyance that swelled within him. He could at least comfort himself with the knowledge that soon enough he would become numb to the stress, and either pass out or fall in to the comforting arms of blind fury.

Mai for her part looked worriedly, or at least felt like she was looking worriedly, around the rest of the table. Yan was being uncharacteristically authoritive, uncharacteristically confrontational, and seemed to be acting uncharacteristically selfless in his pursuits. Having grown up, and been bored to death, with the individual and collective rules concerning upper-class society, Mai was especially confused by this course of events.

The Sen Wi's, and especially Yan being that he was the perfected model of generalisations, did not attack in the open- or 'speak out'. There should be cheerful assurances, knives in backs, veiled threats in the form of secondary advice.

Despite the hatred and bitterness with which she viewed her childhood, it had always been a silent comfort to Mai that she could at least make sense of the auspicious and needlessly complex inner workings of an outdated and largely irrelevant royal metrocracy. Or to be truthful, that never comforted her but the fact that the obscure skill had suddenly been lost irked the young noblewoman to a degree far above and beyond anything she had ever experienced prior.

During her internal struggling Zuko had begun to shout and threaten, Yan had become an even greater champion of 'right' and 'the people', and the other dignitaries had both shrunken in fear and risen in impudence to maintain an inappropriate midpoint of neutrality.

The cold steel of a blade rested against the skin of her upper arm, comforting her. With everything swirling around in her head and the screaming of heated rage close to her ear- Mai's gaze began to centre on the exposed throat of Yan- making everything seem so simple- so clear.

Her parents flashed in to her mind, the laughter and joy that were never meant for her. There was only the silent implication of disappointment, the worried concern of what to do with her- of where she would be put. What a waste it was- all that effort. A shame the future could not 

be told- how everyone should have benefited. She couldn't even figure out a silly little quarrel, how sad- how disappointing- but what else can you expect really?

The screaming stopped. Mai found herself outside with no real understanding of how she got there. The irritated chattering figures of Fire Nation nobles walked past a nearby corridor.

"Councilor Sen Wi." The man stood out clearly within the decrepit crowd. He lacked the mean titled arrogance of the many other heads- constant air and exercise if she remembered his explanation from half a decade ago.

"Young Mai Bo Feng. A pleasure to see you again, I hope you are not feeling unwell." Mai wondered if losing time was something she should be worried about. But for now the others had wondered off and she was alone with the Councillor.

"I get tired quickly when time is being wasted."

"A fine, yet unfortunately uncommon quality. I've always believed you to be a true diplomat- ever since you told me how ugly my chairs were at age eight."

"And uncomfortable."

"Yes. Yet two hundred or more had remarked on my exquisite taste before you came along. Ever since then I knew that I should keep an eye on you."

"And if I am so wonderful why are you trying to bring down Zuko? To spite me? Why the fashion show? The increasing hostility? If Zuko hadn't missed three years of court etiquette he might already have had you executed." It had become too much- the useless civility- the convoluted purpose. The cheerful old fool before her now represented everything that she hated- everything that she didn't want to become.

"We all need our goals young Mai."

"And what are your goals?"

"To safeguard the security of the nation, the well being of the people..."

"And?"

"And, of course, the future of my family." Yan's tone was low and indifferent as if to indicate that the words had little importance. He gave a hand gesture to confirm the point. This of course meant that these were the only words of importance.

"Yes, family is important..." Mai considered her words for a moment before continuing. "On a separate matter entirely- and I realise that this is fairly premature- but I have been wanting to ask your opinion on a subject of great importance- you being such an old friend of the family and all."

"Anything that you require my dear."

"I was trying to pick a suitable candidate to be the godfather of my first born son."

"I believe that I may be too old for such a responsibility."

"Then perhaps your son?" Mai's words were tired, somehow rehearsed. She was going through the motions.

"My faith in your better judgment has been confirmed."

Mai smiled- it was almost painful. It took all the effort she had not to sling a knife in to the old man's gut.