Disaster arrives as a visitor from the Earth Kingdom.
Her name is Kaiza, and she is perfect.
Descended from an ancient Fire Nation line but colony born and bred. She is the niece of two of his ministers but she also has significant ties to Earth Kingdom wealth.
She is poised. She is pretty enough. She seems to be intelligent.
She also has a certain way with people that Mai, for example, lacks.
Zuko notices that when she smiles at his courtiers, it seems genuine. He finds that he has no idea when she might be lying and when she might be telling the truth.
She seems genuinely interested and genuinely kind, but always demure and always polite.
Zuko knows. Before she steps off the ramp of one of the new sea-fire ships to explain herself, Zuko knows the truth.
This woman can only be a gift from Mai.
Mai has outdone herself.
She has found the perfect bride.
Zuko smiles a brittle smile as he welcomes Lady Kaiza into his palace.
He knows, he already knows, that he will marry her.
He can delay the inevitable, but he must marry her. She is perfect. There will never be a more perfect bride for him, for his nation.
Mai has sent him poison in bloom.