Disclaiming Banner: If you actually believe that I own ATLA, I have a drill to sell you.
Pretty little Thing
They were bred for war. Out of duty and the obligation to continue Firelord Sozin's great work. Well, the men were anyways. The women, they were the last, most crucial line of defense. They were meant to keep the home islands safe: because sooner or later the savages would come knocking.
The peasants were expected (read allowed) to go into the Home Guard, but noblewomen like Mai were expected to go to the Royal Academy. No matter how boring it was for any reasonable eight year old. No, her parents insisted that she go and learn the proper way to defend their nation. That meant guile, a good marriage, and minimum effort from themselves.
Truthfully though, it wasn't all bad. She kind of, sort of, liked the idea of being around other people. And by the time her instructors got to recognizing and crafting poisons, she was a little less bored than at home.