Four
Maya stood silently up on deck, trying to ignore the stinging behind her eyes that had nothing to do with the sea air. Why did he have to act that way? What had happened to him to make him so angry? She shook her head. She was already tired of trying to make Zuko a happier person. She couldn't make him happy if he didn't want to be. And if he was just going to threaten her with adding another burn to her collection, then maybe she'd ask to be let off at the next stop.
Uncle startled her. "You tried talking to Zuko, didn't you?"
She jumped and turned. When she realized that it was just Uncle, she faced the ocean again, back turned to him. "Yes, I did," she said, trying not to put any emotion into her voice.
"Whatever he said to you, it was hurtful. I can tell." Uncle came and stood beside her. Without looking at her, he said, "Would you like to tell me about it?"
At first, Maya wanted to flat-out yell No and then storm off down below and throw herself onto her cot. And then, with an inner cringe, she realized that that would make her just as bad as Zuko. Sighing loudly, she said, "I tried asking Zuko about his past, specifically, where he got his scar from. I told him that if he told me where he got his, then I would tell him where I got all of mine. And then he just… yelled at me to get out. I tried getting him to open up again. I told him he didn't have to hide it. And then he turned around and looked at me with this… really hard, creepy look on his face and he told me that if I didn't leave right then, he would add another burn to my collection."
Uncle flinched. "I am sorry. I cannot believe my nephew would say something so cruel, considering the way in which he got that burn mark to begin with."
"It wasn't an accident, was it?"
"No. But I still don't think it is my place to tell you anything about Zuko. If he wants you to know something, he will tell you himself."
She sighed again. "I knew you would say that. But I honestly don't think Zuko will ever tell me anything." She was silent for a while. And then she burst out laughing. When Uncle asked her why, she said in between laughs, "Zuko… called me a… peasant!"
Uncle looked taken aback. "A – a peasant?"
She nodded enthusiastically, still laughing.
He grinned. "Well, I guess that is a better insult than some."
Maya walked back to her cot, chuckling quietly to herself.