Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Vongrak.
Zuko POV.
I didn't even stop in front of my bedroom door. I went inside, feeling sharp pains from the headache the meeting had given me. Once inside, my gaze fell on Mai. She was sitting in a recliner, reading a book, her six-month pregnant belly clearly visible. I finally sighed with relief as I relaxed at the sight.
I firmly closed the door before taking long strides toward Mai. I knelt before her without a care in the world and rested my temple against her stomach as I closed my eyes. Mai's hand moved immediately and began to play with my hair in a fluid motion, something we were doing more and more often.
"Is the council causing you problems?" Mai asked casually. I just sighed wearily.
"It's the council." I said dryly without opening my eyes.
"Then it's a yes," Mai huffs dryly. "What do they want now?" she asks easily. I just hum.
"They wanted to talk about Azula," I said honestly. Mai snorted.
"They always want to talk about Azula. There's nothing new about that," Mai mocked. I chuckled.
"Unfortunately, this was important." I said, slightly tense. Mai's hand paused for a fraction of a second before continuing.
"Does it have anything to do with the Seoul Trilateral Agreement?" Mai asked sharply. I stopped. The Seoul Trilateral Agreement on Cooperation, Security, and Response to Extraordinary Threats. An agreement and treaty signed between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea that gave rise to the new Trilateral Alliance, colloquially being called the Jeju Alliance.
Or it would be, once everything was signed and the ink was dry. The president of the Korean Hunters Association had announced the alliance along with CEO Costa-Brown and UA director Nezu almost a day ago.
Nothing had been signed yet, but the world had turned completely upside down. With this, all political and military power had just shifted 180 degrees, for better or for worse. And even more so for us, who were in a regrettably precarious position.
"They want Azula to marry Miyamura when she sets foot in the nation, or... they want me to completely disown her from the royal family and permanently exile her from the Fire Nation" I muttered in pain, gritting my teeth. Mai's hand stopped rigidly.
"What?" Mai asked incredulously.
"The trilateral alliance is dangerous for us. The Hundred Years' War ended less than five years ago. We are still paying reparations to China, and while we managed to maintain our independence, it is not incorrect to say that we are subordinate to, or under their control."
"Izumi Miyamura has made a name for himself. He helped and was the key person in clearing an S-rank dungeon. He's halfway within the requirements to be named a National Hunter in the future."
"The council believes that Azula dating Miyamura could and will jeopardize our relations with China. They fear that China will think we are considering joining the Trilateral Alliance and will try to start a war once again. They want me to completely disavow Azula before anything happens."
"The other half believes we should move forward, but as quickly as possible. That Azula should marry Miyamura immediately and beg to join the trilateral alliance to escape China's influence. Or at least, to have insurance to protect us if everything goes wrong." I muttered through gritted teeth, growing increasingly tense. My fist clenched tightly.
"You know, Ember Island is wonderful at Christmas," Mai said dryly. I stopped, blinked, and stood up to look at her, confused.
"Ember Island?" I asked, confused. Mai just looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Ember Island. And it's a long way from the palace. One that will definitely explode when you tell Azula. I won't be here when that happens. It was good meeting you, Zuko. I'll tell our child you were a good man." Mai said in her neutral, dry voice. I snorted at her and rolled my eyes.
"Oh, come on, Azula won't kill me, none of this is my fault," I said curtly. Before stopping, I looked at Mai with a hint of fear. "She won't... will she?" I asked uncertainly. Mai just raised an eyebrow. I groaned louder and rested my head back on Mai's lap. Mai chuckled.
"You already told me what the council wants," Mai said with a humming sound as she went back to playing with my hair. "And you? What do you want?" Mai asked softly.
"I…" I said before stopping as I closed my eyes. "I have to do what's best for the Fire Nation," I said slowly. Mai snorted.
"I asked you, Zuko, not the Fire Lord," Mai mocked. I paused slightly.
"Is there any difference?" I asked, almost with self-deprecation.
"There is," Mai said firmly. "So, what do you want, Zuko?" she asked once more. I closed my eyes before sighing.
"I want Azula to be happy," I said with a sigh. "I... made the mistake of not helping her sooner. I even abandoned her in that mental institution for years, telling myself it was for the best while I focused on my work as Fire Lord," I said regretfully. Mai just nodded.
"Then tell Azula," Mai said easily. "Let her decide," Mai said. I stopped.
"But the Fire Nation-" I tried to say uncertainly.
"Give her the options. Give her all the information. You know Azula is smart. Irritatingly smart and a good strategist. She was raised to be that. And in her own twisted way, she wants what's best for the Fire Nation. Let her choose for herself."
"She'll be furious if you tell her what to do. Very furious. Even though everything went well with her going to Japan, I have no doubt she resents that you ordered it as if it were an exile. So, whatever she does, let it be her decision," Mai said gently. I paused briefly before sighing.
"Is that... the best I can do?" I asked, almost ruefully. Mai just hummed.
"And prepare yourself for whatever she decides. As her brother, giving Azula the choice of her future is the best thing you can do under these circumstances. But as Fire Lord, you can only prepare yourself for whatever she decides."
"Either we stay under China's yoke until they get tired of us and leave us to our own devices, which you know won't happen. Or... we join the alliance and prepare for what might happen in case of Chinese retaliation." Mai said easily. I tensed up completely.
"I don't want another war." I said, my voice choked, as my eyes began to burn. Mai's hand stopped.
"Nobody wants one," Mai said softly, her voice heavy with sorrow and pain. "The council, the nobility, and Ozai's military supporters may think what you did was a humiliating capitulation, but you've bought us half a decade of peace."
"I call it five years in which our soldiers and our people were not sent to be massacred against Liu Zhigang. You saved the nation from a war that was going to end in disaster. Liu Zhigang is a weapon of mass destruction. And there was no other option in sight, but now... now you have one."
"Will it be dangerous? Yes, but it's an option. We still have 15 years of reparations to pay China. And even then, do you think they won't leave us alone?" Mai asked tensely. I gritted my teeth.
"I know, I know it's impossible for China to completely abandon us. I knew that the moment I signed the surrender. But... what other choice did I have?" I sighed in pain. "It's not as if we have the means to refuse," I said, closing my eyes. "With Liu Zhigang in their ranks, we have no way to defend ourselves. They could do whatever they wanted, and we couldn't do a thing."
"And... and it's not like they aren't doing it now." I said dismissively and with self-loathing. "There aren't many, and it happens every few months, but there are people disappearing without a trace." I sighed wearily.
"Yangban." Mai said tensely, I could only nod ruefully.
"I... I want to believe it's not. But it's the only explanation. If it really is the Yangban who are kidnapping and enslaving the people of the Fire Nation, there's nothing I can do to stop it. I try to prevent it, but I don't know where they're attacking from, who they are, or even how they're getting them out of the nation."
"And I can't close the border to them, even if I wanted to; the treaty guarantees the entry of Chinese citizens. Refusing to allow it... China could accuse us of violating the agreement."
"I... it's so frustrating," I said shakily. "I feel like I'm failing my people. One way or another, everything I do ends up failing. I feel... so powerless." I said in frustration as I clung to Mai.
"Zuko," Mai said sadly, clinging to me. "You're doing everything you can. Everything within your power to help everyone. The council and the nobles may not like you, but the people love you, Zuko. You're doing an excellent job." Mai said firmly. I could only manage a shaky sigh.
"I... I know." I sighed heavily as I calmed down. "But... sometimes, when I feel so... helpless, I really think Azula could do better, that she could sort all this out before nightfall." I confessed to Mai. Mai stopped before she could snort.
"Maybe so," Mai said playfully. I shuddered and pouted.
"I thought you were comforting me," I said pitifully. Mai chuckled.
"I'm not a woman who lies, Zuko, you should know that," Mai said with a slight smile. "And credit where credit is due. Azula is an excellent strategist; she's a prodigy for a reason. But you—" Mai trailed her hand through my hair. "You understand your people. You make sure they're okay no matter what. You care about them, and they notice."
"Azula would be a disaster at it. All she knows how to do is give orders; she's excellent at it, and I'm sure she could solve any military problem faster than anyone in the palace. After all, that's how Ozai raised her," Mai said gently. "But that's not what the Fire Nation needed, what it needs. You've given the people what they needed, not Azula. You're doing an excellent job, Zuko," she said softly. I could only nod slightly.
"You seem...too nice to Azula." I said gently, afraid Mai would explode. But I was confused enough to risk asking. Mai laughed bitterly.
"You know, since I've been pregnant I have so much more time to think. Apparently people think I'm made of glass and don't let me do anything so I don't get stressed." Mai scoffed dryly.
"I'm sorry," I said shyly.
"Don't worry. It doesn't bother me. The more time I spend away from council duties, the better," Mai said dryly. And I chuckled. "But still, it has... given me plenty of time to think."
"And believe me, I'm not as good company for myself as you seem to think," Mai said mockingly. I chuckled. I took one of her hands and gently kissed the back of it.
"You're the best company I could ask for," I said honestly. I heard Mai sigh softly.
"Idiot," Mai said softly, but I could hear the smile and warmth in her voice. "But as I was saying. So much time to think. To think a lot. About the past. About the future. About… about our child. Motherhood… even with three months to go before our son is born… it gives you a new perspective."
"Especially when all I have to read are these parenting books," Mai said, holding up her book. "It actually explains a lot about Azula, and I hate that I can't blame her for a lot of her attitudes." I blinked slightly.
"Seriously?" I asked, surprised. Mai just snorted.
"Believe me, this doesn't make me like Azula right away. I still hate Azula. What she did was completely her. The fact that it was the only thing she was taught to do doesn't excuse what she did, it doesn't justify what she did. But I understand WHY she did it."
"And I guess... that changes things." Mai sighed softly. "I guess if anyone deserves better, it's her." Mai finally murmured as she looked away. I stood up and smiled broadly at her. "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill." Mai grumbled, blushing slightly. I just laughed and kept smiling.
"Thank you," I said to Mai gently. Mai just nodded stiffly. "I hope everything goes well for her too," I said softly. Mai just sighed.
"Oh, it will. But that doesn't change the fact that she's going to kill you when you tell her. Then she'll come and kill the whole council. And then she'll do whatever she wants. So, really, it'll all work out one way or another," Mai said dryly. I laughed.
"Yes. That's what she'll do." I said playfully. I sighed and remained silent, basking in Mai's presence and that of my unborn child as if the world had fallen silent. Sadly, it was impossible for that to happen, and I had many things to do. "So, we'll prepare for the worst." I sighed in anguish. "I won't even be able to do much."
"If China realizes we're preparing our army once again, they'll start to get suspicious. We can't draw attention to ourselves in any way until Azula decides what she wants to do. And the longer we wait without preparing, the worse it will be for us," I said with a sigh.
"Then don't," Mai hummed. "At least not publicly. It's not like we could prepare for Liu Zhigang in any way. But we could prepare them in other ways. The Fire Nation is relatively strong. We may not have any proper S-ranks, but most of our elite soldiers are A-rank, which is quite a lot—a really considerable number. It's largely why we survived China for so long despite being incredibly outnumbered."
"We could begin to publicly 'disarm' the army. But coordinate secretly with some of them. Create Hunter Guilds. Prevent any moles from joining them and send them to the dungeons for training. What happens in the dungeons, stays in the dungeons."
"They could train against monsters, or even among themselves inside the dungeon without anyone noticing what's happening," Mai said as her fingers began to move rapidly. My eyes widened and I sat up straight.
"You're brilliant!" I said with a wide, excited smile.
"Did you ever doubt it?" Mai asked dryly. I just hugged her tightly.
"We need to prepare everything. It has to be done in secret. I may not trust Ozai's supporters, even after five years. But they're the ones best suited to pull this off. And they'll be happy to prepare for something like this. They'll do it gladly, and it'll appease them at least for a while," I said excitedly.
"Are you proposing to create a clandestine military network run by the same group who want to overthrow you?" Mai asked, as dryly as the desert. I remained completely still.
"...when you say it like that, it sounds bad." I said with a pout.
"It's because it's a bad idea," Mai said tersely before shaking her head. "Let them participate, but have someone supervise them, not let them control the structure, at least not completely."
"And before you get too excited, they'll only have a month," Mai said seriously. "It's mid-November, and Azula is coming for the winter break. If China hasn't made a statement by then, they definitely will when Azula comes to the Fire Nation, especially when Izumi Miyamura is with her," Mai said solemnly.
"Wait, did she mention something to you? How do you know she's coming with Miyamura?" I asked, surprised. Mai just raised an eyebrow.
"I know your sister, Zuko. Perhaps less so now than before. She's really changed. And as much as she cares about Kiyi and the promise you made to see Ozai, she'll hate spending weeks here with us around."
"The only thing I can think of is that she'll bring someone with her. And I can only think of one person she might bring," Mai said with a grimace. I blinked and opened my eyes wide.
"Oh shit. I have to start the preparations immediately!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.
"The war ones? Or the wedding?" Mai asked mockingly.
"Both!" I exclaimed excitedly. "I'm sure Azula's dream was always a red and bloody wedding or something like that," I said casually. Mai snorted.
"We really need to do something about the image you have of your sister," Mai said dryly and neutrally. "She wouldn't go for something bloody, but for the smell of ashes. It's obvious she'd get married after conquering and burning some place down," Mai said dryly. I smiled amusedly at her, which Mai mirrored. "Joking aside. First... call her."
"The preparations are pointless if she decides on permanent exile and abandoning the royal family," Mai said with a grimace. I blinked and sighed heavily.
"Yeah, right, Azula would never choose that option," I said, almost amused. Mai smiled too.
"Oh, she definitely won't. But like I said, let her choose, let it be her decision. Azula being so predictable in some cases makes no difference," Mai said mockingly. I just chuckled. "Let her... let her decide. Let her say no because she wants to, not because she's ordered to. It might not make a difference in the outcome, but it will make a difference to her," Mai said gently.
"I'll do it." I said, sighing deeply before making a face. Yes, just thinking about the call made me nervous and tremble with fear.
"And while you're at it, don't forget to tell Ursa and Iroh everything," Mai said curtly. I stopped and shuddered once more. I looked at her hopefully.
"You could-"
"No," Mai interrupted me curtly. "I'm pregnant. I don't need to go through that stress," Mai said neutrally. I just looked at her without any emotion.
"You're using my child as an excuse," I said dryly. The corner of Mai's lips lifted slightly.
"And thanks for putting it there," Mai said mockingly. I just sighed wearily.
"Fine, I'll do it." I said reluctantly. Mai laughed softly. I hummed softly. This... could turn out terribly wrong, but... for some reason, I hoped it wouldn't. Still, I had a lot to do this month.
Author's Notes: Oh no, character development for Zuko and Mai, I really didn't see that coming! It really wasn't planned. But I like how the chapter turned out, I hope you enjoyed it.
A/N: If you liked the story, join my patreon, patreon.com/Camellya_Addams, there are up to 10 chapters in advance, thank you. Or you can also visit my Ko-Fi, ko-fi.com/camellya_addams.