Chapter Two

The afternoon with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki had been very pleasant, Mai thought as she entered her apartments that evening. The children were sweet—little Bumi she knew well from Aang and Katara's many visits to Omashu, but this had been her first visit with Zutara and Toma.

Zutara. She couldn't resist another chuckle at the name Sokka had inflicted on that sweet little girl. And Toma reminded her so much of her little brother Tom-Tom when he was a baby.

A frown crossed her face as she remembered how well Sokka had taken care of her baby brother at that moment so many years ago when she was so full of resentment and rebellion that she'd put his life in danger. Fortunately, Tom-Tom couldn't remember any of that, and she'd worked extra hard after the war ended to make sure he had only good memories of his older sister. He was nearly twelve now and studying hard with his tutors so he could follow in her aristocratic family's diplomatic footsteps.

Each visit he made to Omashu, he enlisted her for one tour after another of the embassies and the major trade venues. His questions were endless and his curiosity boundless. More than once he'd announced his intention of becoming Fire Nation ambassador to the Northern Water Tribe. If he found out that she was being visited by the avatar and his powerful water-bending wife, Tom-Tom would move heaven and earth to get there. Not to mention that he'd also get the chance in a day or so to meet the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

Zuko.

She hadn't thought of him in a while. Mai walked through the neat, almost austere apartment's living quarters to her bedroom. It too was a very simple room with few decorations. The cool green of the walls contrasted nicely with the muted red wall hangings that decorated the room. A black, green, and red enameled vase in the corner held a simple arrangement of bamboo, and the bedspread echoed the red and green theme, with its red silk background and soft embroidered florals. On a low table sat framed portraits of her parents and her little brother.

She took a seat in front of her dressing table as her maid appeared as if by magic to assist her in changing from the more formal robes she'd worn to visit the avatar into something more comfortable.

"What do you wish to wear, Milady?" Jun asked quietly.

"Just something casual," Mai responded as she began to pick out the pins that held her hair in place. "I'm not expecting anyone for dinner."

"If you don't mind my saying so, Milady," Jun began, "you really ought to have someone for dinner sometimes. This huge apartment stays so empty all the time."

"Jun," Mai laughed, "quit butting into my personal life. I like my peace and quiet after a long day of debating policy with the always interesting King Bumi and his stuffy diplomats. Trust me, after a long discussion with that crowd, this large empty apartment is all that keeps me sane."

"But you're too young to spend all your time surrounded by old crazy men," Jun persisted as she began to brush out Mai's hair with practiced fingers.

Mai looked into the mirror. Jun was at least ten years older than she, but didn't look it. And it wasn't because Jun looked young—it was because Mai looked old, she thought critically.

Her eyes were tired and drawn all the time. Little frown lines perpetually creased her forehead. As she looked in the gold rimmed mirror above her dressing table, Mai had a little revelation. Maybe she did need to find some companions her own age.

As she shrugged into the soft silk robe her maid held out for her, she made a decision. "Jun, send my secretary in to me, please. I am going to have a dinner party." Maybe that huge apartment would feel less empty with her old friends and their children around.

Within an hour, the invitations had gone out for dinner two days hence. And they were received happily because Katara and Suki appeared at her door the next morning to present their acceptances in person.

"But you know that Zuko and Toph will be arriving with Aang sometime that morning," Katara offered as they each took a seat on Mai's deep red embroidered sofa. "I hate to leave them alone on their first night in Omashu."

"Then they'll just have to join us, won't they?" Mai responded evenly as she poured tea into three delicate ivory cups.

"Are you sure about that?" Suki asked, taking the teacup Mai offered. "We don't want to make you or anyone else uncomfortable."

Mai looked at the two of them in confusion for a moment, then realized what they were thinking. "I know I didn't make the wedding, but it wasn't because I was upset that Zuko was getting married," Mai laughed. "I just had too many obligations here in Omashu. There was a huge trade banquet already set for the same date. A number of major dignitaries would be there. I couldn't just skip it."

She offered them each a light, crispy lemon cookie from a small exquisitely decorated plate. "Besides," Mai continued, "it was Toph's day. Her husband's ex-girlfriend didn't belong there, even though we broke up years ago."

Katara and Suki both looked relieved and the conversation turned to other things. After a very nice visit, the two women took their leave to see how well Aang and Sokka were doing with the children. Mai had to admit that it had been very nice having company.

But once they'd departed, her thoughts turned back again to Zuko. It had been years since she'd seen him last. Certainly, they'd parted on very friendly terms and she didn't regret breaking up with him.

It turned out that they just weren't suited to each other. She'd been drawn to him mostly because she'd always had a little crush on him from childhood. He was always kind to her when Azula was troublesome. They'd worked hard to make his life miserable in those days. When they'd all gotten back together in Ba Sing Se, she'd been drawn to him again, primarily by his broodiness and anger, emotions that so completely matched her own.

But after they'd each changed sides and the war was over, the anger and broodiness had faded and they'd realized that there was little else to hold them together. In fact, they never argued, never disagreed. They just slipped into a routine of casual dates, the occasional dinner, regular Fire Nation events, and their lives got more and more predicable.

Finally, they each knew they would have to either formalize an engagement or go their separate ways. Mai had known Zuko was far too honorable to call it off between them, so she'd done it. The smile of relief that crossed his face let her know that despite his words to the contrary, he was just as glad as she was to move on with his life. She'd rejoined her family in Omashu and made a place for herself here.

She looked around the large, empty apartment with a smile of satisfaction, if not complete happiness. Here she was respected; her opinion mattered. She could serve her country as a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation and still enjoy the company of the always interesting King Bumi and the group of advisors—crazy old men Jun called them—that surrounded him. She'd learned a great deal about politics and city government and was glad to call Omashu home.

It was a good life, if a quiet one.

A knock at her door aroused her from her reverie. The footman opened it and took delivery of a hawk scroll that had apparently just arrived. Then he crossed the room, his footsteps making no sound on the thick carpet, and with a bow, presented the scroll to her.

She opened it to see that it was a message from her brother, Tom-Tom. He had gotten wind of the goings on in Omashu and wished to visit. Unfortunately, their father was far too busy with dealings of his own in Ba Sing Se and Tom-Tom asked if there was any way she could see to his travel arrangements to Omashu.

Mai sighed. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her little brother's company, nor was she overly concerned about having to entertain him. The major hindrance to his visit at this particular time was that with King Bumi beginning his search for the new king of Omashu, there were certain to be a large number of meetings and conferences between the king and all his advisors, including the representatives of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe—as a matter of courtesy if nothing else. Tom-Tom would want to be in on as much of the action as possible.

Plus, travel this time of year was always difficult due to the roving bands of bandits that tended to come out of the hills. The extra traffic on the roadways due to King Bumi's festivities would make it that much more hazardous for Tom-Tom to make the journey.

Mai sighed again and pushed back her signature black bangs that hung down nearly into her eyes. Then with a resigned shrug, she took up her brush to draft a reply to Tom-Tom and a request that her major domo put together an armed caravan to make the trip to Ba Sing Se to fetch her little brother. They should make the round trip in a week or so, if the weather held good. That should bring Tom-Tom into town well before King Bumi's contests got underway. She only hoped he could put together a decent guard on such short notice.

Later that afternoon, Mai's major domo, an imposing man named Tiandu, entered a small cafe in the seedier area of the city. At the entrance of the tall man, robed resplendently in his Fire Nation garb with two armed swordsmen at his side, all conversation came to a halt. Tiandu glanced around the room sharply, then moved to a quiet corner where a lean, leather-clad young man lounged at a table, seemingly completely at his ease.

"Are you the mercenary Tong-Li spoke of?" Tiandu asked the young man.

The man's dark green eyes looked up from beneath the brown hair that fell into his face, and he gave Tiandu a look of wry amusement. He casually shoved a chair out from beneath the table with one booted foot and motioned for Tiandu to have a seat.

The major domo eyed the chair with distaste, then brushed it off and sat, his swordsmen never taking their eyes off the young man. He wore brown leather armor and a sword hung from a worn belt at his side. A light layer of road dust coated his boots and heavy brown trousers.

Without a word, the young man cocked an elegant eyebrow at Tiandu, inviting him to speak.

"Tong-Li informed me that you would be able to guard a caravan traveling from Ba Sing Se to Omashu," Tiandu began.

"When?" the young man spoke; his voice was rough, as if he didn't use it much.

"You leave today. You will escort the younger brother of Lady Mai of the Fire Nation to attend the king's coronation activities," Tiandu explained.

At the words Fire Nation, the young man straightened slightly. "Why would I want to babysit a Fire Nation brat all the way from Ba Sing Se to Omashu?" came his harsh reply.

"Because we will pay twice the usual rate for guarding a caravan, for you and your men," Tiandu explained.

The young man considered Tiandu's words, then pushed back his chair. The wooden legs scraped across the stone floor as he stood. "A job's a job, I guess," he stated. "I'm in. We'll get ourselves to Ba Sing Se. You just let them know to expect us. What's this kid's name?"

"Tom-Tom," Tiandu replied, passing a seal over to the man, who he could tell was much taller and stronger than he'd looked lounging in the chair at the table. "This is your pass to get into the Fire Nation embassy at Ba Sing Se. Don't lose it."

The man took the red and gold seal, turning it over in his slender fingers, his lips pursed in a little whistle. "Pretty impressive, this is," he commented as he slipped it into his inside vest pocket. "I'll make sure to keep up with it."

"Please do. Here is one-half the fee up front, as usual, the other payable upon delivery of Master Tom-Tom to his sister's quarters," Tiandu replied, holding out small leather bag. As the young man reached out to take it, Tiandu pulled the bag back again and looked him squarely in the eye.

"I have never worked with you before," Tiandu began sharply, "but you come highly recommended by someone whose judgment I have grown to trust. Even so, let me remind you that your reputation is not the only thing at stake here. Master Tom-Tom will be delivered safely to Omashu, or you and all your men will pay serious consequences. Do you understand my meaning?"

The young man's dark emerald eyes flashed fire for a moment and one hand reflexively went to the hilt of the sword at his hip. Across the small cafe, voices grew silent and the clatter of dishes stopped as the patrons caught onto the tension across the room. Tiandu's two swordsmen tensed in anticipation.

Then with a smile and a laugh, the young man reached out to take the bag of gold. "I understand you completely, Master Tiandu," he said with a bow and an arched eyebrow. "Tell Lady Mai she has no fears for her brother's safety. We will take good care of him."

Something in the young man's voice eased Tiandu's concerns and he favored him with a smile of his own. "I believe you will, Master --?" Tiandu's voice trailed off in question, inviting the young mercenary to supply his name.

"Jet," came the smooth reply. Tiandu watched as the mercenary sauntered out of the cafe, casually plucking a stem of hay from a passing cart to place it between his teeth.

"He better be as good as they say," one of the swordsmen spoke up quietly. "I hear the gangs of bandits have been really bad lately."

"Tong-Li said he was one of the best," Tiandu sighed as he rose to leave, dusting the front of his silk robes. "Let's hope Master Jet lives up to his reputation."