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“Mai?”
She heard a knock along with a soft-spoken call of her name as she was peacefully reading a book in her room.
Mai dreaded the social season, what kept her peace for the last counted days was that the end of it was days away. She had already convinced her mother that she wouldn’t be attending the last ball. Something about already failing this season and not attending for desperation along with accepting unknown consequences had seemed to convince her mother. Thus, it was odd that she would be interrupted in the middle of the day by a voice and a knock, just silent enough for her to recognize the fear inside it.
“What is it?” She raised her voice slightly. Proper for a lady of some sort, but she wasn’t going to stand up for something she already sensed she didn’t want.
“Miss, your mother requires a chat with you.”
“I am reading.”
“She says it’s urgent. I am sorry. I do realize you don’t wish to be interrupted. However- “
Mai put the nearest piece of paper in-between the pages of the book before putting it down and getting up with frustration. She walked towards the maid. “It’s okay don’t worry. Let’s just see what she wants.” It wasn’t the maid’s fault for not wanting to go against the lady of the house. Mai’s mother could get… intense when she didn’t get what she wanted. So, she just followed her into the main chamber where Michi was embroidering what Mai guessed to be a pillowcase. “I’ll let you two talk.” The maid took a few steps back right after.
“Mai, sit.” Her mother motioned to the chair in front of her. “What a sincere way to talk to your daughter.” Mai talked back.
“Is that how we talk to our mother Mai? What have we talked about manners?”
My bad. Mai thought. She knew better than to talk, to use her voice. She sat down, back straight, arms in, legs proper. Just as her mother would want. She kept her mouth shut. She did notice her mom gazing at her top to bottom, possibly waiting for a little response. However, she knew better.
“It is a shame you haven’t found a suitor yet don’t you think?”
Silence.
“This was your second season out and yet you chose to sit back.”
“You know I don’t seek a husband.”
“Silence.” Better than to talk.
“It’s not how things work. Although, I have given up on letting you find your match.”
Good Mai thought.
“So, we have arranged a marriage for you.”
Bad. “You cannot just-“she did speak back.
“Hold it.” Michi continued anyway. “Listen. I believe you won’t be as mad when you learn who it is.”
“Try me.”
“I will if you keep up with this attitude. Listen to me.”
Mai crossed her arms and leaned back.
“Like a lady.”
Mai stood back up and kept her arms crossed.
“We did start our search around dukes and earls.”
“I do not want dukes or earls.” Mai raised her voice. The more her mother talked, the more Mai felt threatened. It wasn’t just her freedom Mai would’ve lost, it would’ve been someone. Someone she couldn’t dare to court in the public eye. She would be too daring.
“Mai!” Her mother raised her voice higher.
“You have a son to continue your name, which also means I have a male relative. We are rich enough. I do not understand why you want me in more strings than you already bind me by!” She dared once more.
“Mai!” Michi spoke even louder. Straight up yelled at her face. Mai stopped. She didn’t like it when she was yelled at. That scared her.
“Listen! Or there will be consequences.”
Of course there would.
“I will not hear another word.” She continued.
“As we were searching for the highest rank we could, it appears that the word got around. It got to the palace.” The palace?
“We were stopped immediately. For the prince asked for your hand.” Her mom was just as good as keeping emotions in. However, marrying her daughter to a much higher rank, it seemed that she couldn’t keep her laughter in.
“Of course, we accepted in your name. We didn’t dare think your nonsense courtship disguised in friendship through the princess would ever result in any kind of security, but it did! You’ve been fond of the boy haven’t you Mai? You weren’t so delusional after all. You’re to be a princess!”
Mai didn’t really know what to say. She didn’t really know what to feel. Zuko was a reason she wanted to stay out of the market, but he wasn’t the only one. Her mother made it out as if it was pure luck that he would court her, but they’ve been friends for more than Mai could even remember. She was confused by hearing how bearable her future might be, but she was also… mad.
“Delusional? I’ve been friends with him, not just Princess Azula for ages. What made you think I was such a horrible person for him to detest me so?” It seemed that she had startled her mother a little.
“And it was not your place to accept for me. You should’ve told me, asked me before making anything official.” She protested. Though she realized she didn’t say she wouldn’t marry him.
“We didn’t-“ her mother tried. Mai stood up from the chair and turned her face to her mother for the last time. “Is he attending? The last ball.” she asked.
“Always.”
“I’ll attend. And you will keep quiet about any sort of marriage. Please, mother.”
Michi quietly nodded. She was aware Mai didn’t refuse his hand. Mai knew that.
-
There she was in the looking glass. Half of her pin straight hair put up in two buns, both accessorized with golden flowers and chains that fell right alongside the rest of her hair. A dark red dress (which her mom did not favor for it was an old lady color) without puff sleeves because she hated them. Lined with floral lace, darker than the red the rest of the dress was, gloves that matched the color and ended on her wrists. Golden jewelry, florals of course, on her ears and neck that matched the rest of her vibe. She did love flowers.
Mai didn’t hate balls. She liked the sweets and the music, even the dancing. She liked observing people, overhearing gossip. She just didn’t like every man on the premises, hunting her like a fawn. She’d usually attend the balls that were more on the political side. Balls thrown by the palace or the ladies in waiting. Those would be the balls Zuko would attend as well. She did enjoy bringing him the gossip, sharing a dance, maybe two if she didn’t mind the whispers it would bring. She even enjoyed seeing her friend Ty lee jumping around, excited to get to know everyone and Azula’s unhinged comments on everybody else in the place. A nice friend group of four they were. It would be weird when she was Zuko’s wife though.
But she did imagine; the freedom to dance with him more than once, all the other girls not around Zuko as if he was the fawn to be haunted, going into one chamber after balls instead of two separate ones. Maybe him gently stroking her body with his warm hands as he helped her out of her garments, maybe having him at the end of all of it.
But she was still mad. When they did arrive at the garden the ball was held, it was the prince she seeked. Not for a dance, not for gossip.
He was there. Right behind the pile of young girls surrounding him, like how ants surround the dead bees on a cruel summer day.
“Prince Zuko.” She called to him, causing the chatter to settle down, the heads to turn at her, revealing the crown prince behind all the pastel sparkle.
“Mai.” He uttered as he swallowed half of his voice. He knew she would be mad; he was scared.
She simply stood there. Crossed her arms, looked directly into his eyes. Zuko looked around, trying to find a way out before he kindly ordered, “Ladies, please.” And the frustrated girls began to dissolve the crowd they created.
“Mai.” He said again, “I’m sorry.” She quickly looked around to see how many were watching. A lot were, just as she expected. She mindfully closed the distance. “We have to talk. Find a way.”
“Behind the fountain in five. Azula is right there, she will help you to not be seen.” Then he bowed his head just a bit as a kind salute. She returned a small bow, he was the prince. Then made her way to Azula.
Azula was only about ten paces away. Mai greeted her with the usual bow, followed by a hug Azula suggested. “Congratulations.” She jested, sincerely. “Please.” Mai rolled her eyes. “Cheer up sister, they could’ve married you off to anybody else. He might have saved your ass.”
“They can hear you. Don’t call me sister.” Azula held her wrist and dragged her into the palace. “No, they won’t.” She assured her. “I’m going to drag you into the palace; we’re going to the restricted bit. You know the passage to the fountain. Everyone knows we’re friends, they won’t suspect a thing. Ty Lee will be guarding the door either way. I’ll keep an eye on anyone that may be lurking. We also have close friends keeping an eye on everyone else. Just, don’t speak too loudly.” She let go of her wrist after they got to the blind spot. “I won’t return just yet, not before they can’t suspect I’ve dragged you here and disappeared. Have fun.”
“Hey!” Mai said in some form of a joke. “Thank you.” She added. Azula nodded before she motioned her to go.
‘Behind the fountain’ was where the four of them grew up playing and hanging out. It was in the private part of the garden; it had passages leading to it from inside the family rooms in the palace. Azula dragging her lifelong friend in was a well thought disguise. It made her happy to think Zuko thought this all trough.
He was pacing back and forth near the fountain. She could see he was stressed, she guessed. A part of her wanted to just get over with the bitter part, so she walked right towards him. “Hi.” He softly spoke. “You could’ve asked me.” She responded.
“I’m really sorry. I knew you wanted us to go at our own pace and I did too but- Azula heard, from father. You know they are closer and she got me to talk to your dad directly. The way he talked… If I didn’t ask then, I think you were already promised to someone else.” He explained. “You could’ve just asked for his blessing.”
“I did. I only asked for his blessing. He told me no unless I actually proposed right there. I promised I’d propose to you. But he just said you accepted and the conversation just- ended.” Mai took one step back. She knew, all along, that Zuko meant no harm nor possession. She still didn’t love the idea of being… traded.
“Mai, I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you. In the right place, the right time. Making sure you were okay with everything, from being with me and becoming part of a royal family. Moving forward bit by bit. Look, I will not take anything as a yes until you tell me so and if you do, we can deal with the pacing from here. If you don’t, we can find ways for this to work in your favor. I’m just- really sorry.”
She knew that everything he said, he meant. She also knew her parents wouldn’t let her go unmarried after this, if she didn’t marry him now, she wouldn’t have any of her life left. She wanted her life. She wanted her life, with him.
She took a step forward. Looked at him, right in the eyes. Then got even closer to him.
“You have to ask first.” She said under her breath.
Zuko took another step forward, grabbed her right hand. There was almost no space between their bodies, just the few centimeters of their height difference. “Mai, I ask you and only you. In your time, your allowance, your decision. Will you accept my devotion to you and marry me with yours?”
None of the rules nor the expectations of anyone mattered when he asked her, with his own words, at their own terms. So, with all her will she answered him;
“Yes.”
Zuko couldn’t seem to hide the smile that settled on his face. He took a beautiful ring from his pocket, one that Mai saw on Ursa’s finger once, one that she complimented her on. He let Mai raise her left hand, then he gently placed the ring on her finger.
They raised their heads to look back at each other. While Zuko slowly got closer to her face, Mai accepted the soft kiss by rising on her toes, just a bit.
-
They went back into the main hall together, hand in hand. No member of the ton, including Mai’s parents, expected the wedding to be announced tonight. But it was theirs. Their marriage, their decision, their life. They took that back.