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The plum that blossoms in autumn	By : MaiLee Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female Views: 16842 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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The Fire Lord saw the girl enter and kept looking, as she made her way to his throne. But Ozai made absolutely no attempt to welcome or explain his request to see her. When the orange flames were only a couple of feet away, she kneeled in her deepest bow, forehead touching the cold stone floor and waited for his approval, though none followed.

He just looked at her thin figure, bent at his will. It was already nearing morning, and the girl was here: ready for any order, but probably not for the one he had in mind. He kept his gaze on her and her fidgeting was starting to become visible to the Fire Lord’s eye. She shifted her weight, adjusting to the uncomfortable position, turning her head a bit, trying to see him.

Looking at her small childish attempts to understand the purpose of the wait, he couldn’t help but hook his finger around the collar of his heavy shirt, trying to loosen it the smallest bit; his breath getting heavier. Ozai couldn’t take his eyes off of those white hands, folded carefully before her head; the long fingers that seemed to be carved out of marble by a talented artist. She was just so well-built in all the ways.

He wanted to see her face, but prolonging the anticipation was worth the time. The girl’s body was too young to stay in the same position for such a long period, that and her childish curiosity. Her parents might turn her into a little lady, but no one can tame a young daring mind.

She lifted her head, afraid to change her position. She looked at him unsure and afraid, as if expecting some answer. He decided that he could nod - it didn’t really matter now…. And the girl sat on her knees, looking down.

Ozai followed Mai’s every move: the way her back arched when she rose, and the neck straightened, so long and graceful. Her face was white and delicate, and he traced in his mind the thin curve of those soft lips and the round jaw line. Her face resembled a heart, and he smiled at the comparison: just how much heart would the girl possess to obey him? Would she run away crying or fight him? She could look harmless, but he’s heard some facts.

Since his daughter had “friends”, he had to have all the information concerning the Royal Fire Academy’s pupils, Mai and Ty Lee in particular. And his people had good news for him, though he would never expect a bad choice from his favorite offspring. None possessed firebending abilities, but Ty Lee could do unimaginable acrobatic stunts (not a large feat, but nonetheless), and Mai was just special.

Not only she showed interest in obscure fighting styles, but she happened to be well-educated in political and social matters. Ever since the time Azula became close with the girl, he kept an eye on her family. Obviously, they knew of the nature of favors they were getting, but it was better to think differently, wishing the truth away. And he kept his eye on her.

As it turned out, the Fire Lord and the Princess weren’t the only ones, showing interest in the high-class kid. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation became very close with Mai. Their childish games, when one would throw mud at the other, as they matured turned to small glances and blushes whenever their hands accidentally touched.

The girl bit her lip and took a quick glance at the Fire Lord’s face, before lowering her head and blushing. And Ozai decided it was the right time to start their conversation:

- Has your family heard of Prince Zuko’s banishment? – Mai’s eyes widened, she jerked her head upward, looking him in the face. But he was serious, telling the truth.

- No… - she breathed out, her shoulders sinking. The kid felt a bit dizzy, as if the ground was taken from under her knees: questions buzzing in her head. Ozai’s lips curled in amusement:

- Oh, he was banished tonight for his utter disrespect and cowardice. He may not come back until he completes his mission of finding the Avatar. Maybe he could actually do something decent for once in his life? He could regain his honor and wash the disgrace off of his name.

Mai breathed in through clenched teeth wondering, how this man could be a good father, if he did such terrible things to his child. Zuko was always teased by his little sister, who was considered a true prodigy. But she could never think of his father treating the crown prince in such a horrible way.

- He had been stripped of his birthright and... trust me, Mai, life in exile should teach him a valuable lesson.

The girl shuddered when he pronounced her name, thinking that if this was all he wanted to see her for, their beloved Fire Lord was pathetic. In her opinion, none true royalty would do this to children: exiling one and telling the other of it. At that moment she felt a strong urge to spit at him, and doing so express all the hatred she felt.

But he motioned for her to stand up. Mai’s eyebrows rose and she tried to do it as carefully as possible. She had been sitting for a long time and the sudden flow of blood to her legs turned into a funny and unpleasant sensation.

- Come up to me, Mai.

She hesitated before moving slowly to the Fire Lord’s throne. He bended away the fire, letting her enter the upper part of the room.

- Sit before me.

She moved closer to him and started to lower herself, as he grabbed on to her belt and made her come even closer, pulling her to the ground. Now she was almost sitting at his lap, with their knees touching. It seemed obscene and disgraceful, but she didn’t make an attempt to move away. The words of her mother were ringing in her ears: “Obey your Fire Lord”.

- How old are you, Mai?

- Twelve, Fire Lord Ozai.

- You’re nearing your teens, girl. Very soon you’ll be maturing into a young woman. In fact, you are already, - and he reached his hand to stroke her cheek.

He was warm, as if fire itself was rushing through his veins. And he happened to be gentle, slowly patting her soft skin. The tips of his fingers encircled the right cheek, and then slid down to her chin. He took hold of it, pulling her head up:

- Are you afraid?

She weighed her choices and nodded, keeping her eyes on the floor, or rather on his knees, because that was all she could see at such a short distance.

- Please, answer me. I want to hear your voice.

She swallowed, managing to squeeze a breathless “yes”, trying not to let her voice tremble too much. Mai’s body was shaking, unable to help the emotions that were taking over.

He was so close, and as she opened her mouth to answer, his fingers slid to her lips. The girl froze, afraid to move. His fingers started to circle the pale skin surrounding the pink folds, barely touching her. It seemed as if butterflies were fluttering their wings at the naked nerves of her senses. And he did it so well, in such a tender fashion, that she could barely suppress the shudder that was building up inside. She even forgot that this was inappropriate and if word spread out, she would turn into a disgrace to her family.

- Do you know that Zuko was exiled after an Agni Kai? He showed absolute disrespect for me and my guests at one war meeting, so I burned his face. Tell me, girl, you liked his appearance, didn’t you? – And the fluttering of his fingertips changed to more aggressive patting. He leaned in closer, as if trying to breathe the words into her. - You loved his soft peach skin and its perfect smoothness. Well, now it is nothing else, but burnt raw flesh.

Mai squeezed her eyes shut, tears gleaming in the light of the flames. It was getting hotter, as the wall of fire rose up, separating them from the rest of the room.

Sweat trickled down his chest and – looking at the crying twelve year old in his hands - he wanted nothing else than to burn off his clothes and take the girl. But he had to make one step at a time: it could have been too soon and his beautiful toy would be broken.

- You dreamed of being his betrothed, alas now the Prince is no longer your best choice. But remember that you are special, Mai, - and he slid his fingertip to the base of her neck. - You can still be of service in this Palace. You could help your family, and it seemed to me that it had always remained your top priority.

The girl looked into his amber eyes, her gaze full of despair and hatred. He saw it, and all the Fire Lord did was laugh out loud.

- I now see what my children find in you. You are truly special, Mai, a tamed tiger in a cage. To whom do you obey?

She tried to free herself, clawing at him, but was stopped in her attempt. He grabbed both of her hands and whispered, leaning closer to her mouth:

- We will work on that. You must obey your Fire Lord, isn’t that what they teach you at school?

And Ozai pressed his lips to hers, hungrily seeking the moist paradise of her mouth. She was shocked but tried to regain control fast, squeezing her teeth together. But he would not give up, and soon the Fire Lord started to bite the delicate skin of her lips. At first the bites were soft and a bit playful, but soon turned to uncontrollable and angry. She could already feel the blood trickling down her chin.

And she succumbed. She accepted that no one would be coming to save her, and in any case, no one could help her. She would become the Fire Lord’s maiden, so her family could have everything they wanted.

As her jaw relaxed, he loosened the grip on her arms, sliding his tongue into her pink mouth. Without the support, her limbs felt weak, and she lowered her arms. One of Ozai’s palms cupped Mai’s head, the other rested on her neck, rubbing his fingertips on the soft thin skin.

She thought of Zuko, the only person she wanted to share her first kiss with. He was banished and she was left here, abused by his father, the powerful Fire Lord Ozai.

Her first kiss. She imagined herself and the Prince of the Fire Nation under the blossoms of her favorite plum tree that grew in the Palace garden by the pond. He’d be gentle and the only signs of their passion would be their glowing eyes, puffy lips and the naïve blush on their pale cheeks.

Instead she got Fire Lord Ozai in the Grand Throne Room, encircled by the orange flames. Her beloved was banished and she was to become a dishonored woman: bruises on her face and arms, the broken bleeding lip - the signs of her fall.

As the Fire Lord got enough of her mouth, he backed away for a moment, before moving their foreheads together looking her in the eye. She couldn’t help but notice the way he breathed, and how his body shook slightly, which made her even more nervous than she could get. She tried to get over the nausea that took over, when the thought of being… dishonored in THAT way occurred in her head.

- You may go now, my little Mai, - and he released his grip, pushing her off of him. The girl fell to the floor on her backside, but didn’t hesitate to stand up. As she did so, he noted her disheveled look and the bruises that were beginning to mark their purple appearance on the snow white skin. – I will see you again.

She bowed to him, lowering her head so as not to see him and then went towards the exit without looking back.

The sun was already up in the sky, when Mai returned home. The day was starting, but hers was just ending. Mother and Father were sitting in the living room; both seemed worn out and tired. When she turned up at the door they jumped to their feet and hurried to her, but stopped in their tracks.

Their eyes glanced over the bruises, broken lip, her messed up hair (she tried to pat them down on her way back, but it was all in vain) and the serious look in the kid’s eyes. Her Father leaned on to the nearest wall, but Mother stood on her knees and took her daughter into a gentle embrace. She patted Mai on her head, whispering some words. But Mai remained aloof, looking at her Father:

- Everything’s fine, Mother. Fire Lord Ozai is generous, he promised his help. We are still in his favor.

Mother clung to her, blabbering something silly and meaningless, but her Father looked his daughter in the eyes and said:

- Thank you, Mai. There are no words that could describe how proud I am, - he was talking seriously, but was even paler than before.

The twelve year old didn’t reply. She looked down, thinking about her first-kiss dream and the plum tree in the Palace garden.

Very soon the diplomat’s family moved into a larger house that was situated closer to the castle.

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The plum that blossoms in autumn