Author's note: There is something wrong with my email the past few days and so FF. Net is no longer sending me notifications of reviews or PMs. So apologies if it takes me a little longer to notice anything.

Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: I don't know, there is war, and poverty, and famine in their world as there is in ours. I'm not sure I could quantify anything in their world which is better apart from the person of the Avatar and they have been shown to be very, very fallible.

Guest: Thank you, I took the war out to make sure that Aang could have his time in peace and so ensure Yue becomes the Avatar, but the knock-on effects are huge for the rest of the worldbuilding.

Zigzagdoublezee: Apart from anything else, her new hairstyle has to be more practical.

As Always, Please Review!

The Firelord was home, and he was not happy. It was obvious from the raging inferno surrounding his throne, flames higher and more intense than anything he had displayed before.

As Mai stepped into the room, trailing her parents, she couldn't help but notice the atmosphere was very strained. They had been summoned to meet the Royal Family as they returned to the country, along with most of the rest of the nobility, and now Ozai intended to give them a speech.

She felt a tap on the shoulder, and turned to find Azula standing there, a furtive look on her face. She immediately tensed up. If Azula was looking like that it could not mean anything good.

"I need to warn you," Azula hissed.

"Warn me about what?" Mai asked, baffled.

"I know you're very fond of my brother," Azula told her. Mai made sure her face was unreadable.

"What about him?"

"I'm afraid something went wrong in the North Pole, and Zuko may have accidentally committed some light treason while we were there."

"What?" Even Mai's legendary self-control failed her at that news.

"Oh yes," Azula nodded. "He helped the Avatar escape us."

"Oh." Mai's shields raised again and her face and voice were restored to their neutral state. The Royal Family had kept their cards very close to their chest before leaving, and now she understood why. They had gone after the new Avatar. And, clearly, failed.

"Who is the new Avatar?" She asked, trying not to look too interested in Zuko.

Azula leaned in conspiratorially.

"She's a Princess," she said. "Just like me! I didn't know they were advanced enough in the water tribes to have princesses, but there we go. Her name is Yue. There's something very strange about her. She's only a teenager and yet she has the most pale white hair."

She paused.

"But she's not a very good bender, so I don't think it matters. I had her dead to rights at one point and she had to be saved by others."

"Including Zuko."

"Especially Zuko. In fairness to my brother, he didn't know what he was doing was wrong."

Azula spoke frankly, which shocked Mai.

"He didn't?"

"Of course! Father never let him into any strategy meetings, so he didn't know the Avatar was our enemy and acted accordingly. I don't blame him. But don't let my father hear me say that."

"So why are you saying it at all?"

"Because it doesn't matter any more. Zuzu is out of the picture."

A chill ran through Mai's spine.

"Don't worry, he's not dead!" Azula rushed to be sympathetic after not reacting for just a second too long.

"He fled in the night. He snuck off the ship on a little boat. He's in the Earth Kingdom right now."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"To warn you. My father is now absolutely convinced his son is a traitor, and he may try to root out his co-conspirators. I know Zuzu didn't have co-conspirators, because he wasn't conspiring, but even so."

Azula looked her dead in the eye.

"I know you were close with him. So be careful. You could end up on my father's bad side. I wouldn't want that. Not when I need your help."

Mai was snapped out of her thoughts by that last comment. So it seemed that Azula's concern did not come for free after all.

"What with?"

But Azula just smirked.

"I'll tell you later," she said. "For now, I'll just say that the chance for promotion has arisen. See you after!"

And she turned and walked away.

Mai's mind whirled as she took her seat among the other nobles, rows and rows of the most prestigious families staring up at the swirling flames. All of them knew vaguely what Ozai was probably going to talk about, the war was no longer a secret after all, but Mai's knowledge of what had happened to Zuko added an extra layer of uncertainty.

Finally, Ozai stood up, flanked by Lu Ten on one side and Azula on the other, the Princess having appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"A century and a half ago," he began, "my predecessor, Firelord Sozin, had a dream. A dream of a world united, a world marching into the future with us leading the way, benefiting from our industry, our trade, our prosperity. But not everybody saw it that way. Avatar Roku viciously attacked him in his own palace, and forced him to give up on his dream."

Ozai drew himself up to his full height.

"But Sozin's dream lives!" He called. "For a week ago, our valiant forces began the process of realizing his ambition. A week ago, Fire Nation forces occupied the North Pole. A week ago, they attacked Yu Dao."

Ozai went on at some length, listing towns in the Earth Kingdom which had been attacked, occupied, or bombarded by the Fire Nation on that initial day of the war."

"And a week ago, our forces occupied the Western Air Temple and expelled the nuns living there," he finished. "A potential threat from inside our own nation has thus been extinguished."

He held his hands up.

"I am aware that sounds harsh- the Air Nomads are famous pacifists. But the Air Nomads are not the issue here. We are now at war, and the Temple could potentially be used as a base to build up a hostile invading army within our territory, under our noses. With it taken care of, the way to the future lies open. Even as we speak, my armies probe inland in the Earth Kingdom, ready to advance towards the heart of their King's power. So far we have encountered no real organised resistance. But there are two problems I feel compelled to tell you about."

He paused.

"Firstly, the attack on the North Pole achieved its primary objective, the occupation of their city, with ease. But the secondary objective failed. The new Avatar managed to escape."

Mutterings were heard across the hall.

"Silence! But that's not too much of a problem," Ozai explained. "The new Avatar is none other than Princess Yue, daughter of their chief. She has a very distinctive appearance, so she cannot hide easily. More importantly, she believed she was a nonbender. She is starting from scratch in her quest to master the elements, and so this buys us a lot of time before she will be ready to pose a threat. Avatar Yue is an obstacle, but not an overwhelming one unless we let her become one. Rest assured, I have zero intention of letting things get to that stage."

He took a deep breath.

"But there is another issue," he said. "Treachery."

Another gasp.

"My son was kidnapped," Ozai proclaimed, "during the attack on the north, and his assailant ran with him into the Earth Kingdom."

More gasps and a burst of excited chatter, but Mai just narrowed her eyes. It was surely more acceptable politically for the Firelord to say that Zuko had been kidnapped rather than the truth, but it was still a blatant lie. Lu Ten shifted uncomfortably, but nobody else seemed to notice.

"I thus have need for a loyal subject to travel into the Earth Kingdom," Ozai said. "Potentially, behind enemy lines, save my son, and bring him back to me. Honour and glory will be their reward. And I have a candidate in mind.

Mai sat there impassively, but couldn't help but notice that Ozai's eyes were now boring into her. She gave an imperceptible gulp.

"Mai!" Ozai called. "Daughter of Lord Ukano and Lady Michi! Trusted friend of Princess Azula and of Prince Zuko himself! The director of the Academy recommended you personally. I do not pretend it will be easy; A letter will of course be provided compelling my generals and admirals to assist you in all ways possible, but you will have to travel alone. Will you accept my mission? Will you save my son?"

Mai took a shaky breath and got to her feet, all eyes on her, except Azula, who was staring at her father, outraged. Nobody noticed, too busy as they were just gawking at her. She felt incredibly uncomfortable with all the attention. There was only one thing that Mai could do now. To turn down a mission from the Fire Lord was unthinkable.

She bowed deeply.

"I would be honoured."

But in her heart of hearts, she did not know just how much of an honour it truly was.