Maya(Zuko X OC)

Chapter 1: The meeting

Maya disguised as a common citizen roamed around the streets as her maid, Divya remind her to decide something for her seventeenth birthday.

"Lady Maya, you'll be seventeen in a few weeks and you still haven't decided what you want."

Maya ignored her as she went into a jewellery store.

"Welcome! what can I get for you?" The shopkeeper walked to her.

"What is the most beautiful thing you have?"

The shopkeeper looked around before taking out a few necklaces and earrings. Maya checked out the half the store before deciding to buy seven rings and a pair of earrings for herself.

"This is my gift." Maya showed Divya the jewels. "Tell my father that I have already gotten my gifts and he need not worry about them."

Divya nodded as Maya held her hand as the two teleported to the princess' chambers.

Time skip

A week passed as she sat on her throne. Her father had given her more contol over the kingdom. A guard walked into the throne room. "Your highness, there is a message from the observatory towers."

Maya motioned him to continue as he announced. "A flying bison is roaming near the borders of the country. Not close enough for them to see us but they will be able to soon. They are asking about what to do with them."

"Let them come." Maya answered in a calm tone. "I was always curious about the land outside my kingdom." She stood up and walked off.

Time skip

Zuko pointed to the thin line which was land in the distance. "I guess that's Dhanloka." Aang squinted as he steered Appa towards the island.

"I didn't know that there was an island here." Sokka scanned the map. "It's not even on my map!"

"Well.." Zuko began. "It's because of my ancestors. After they started the war, Dhanloka shut its gates to the outside world. They have recently opened them."

"Have you ever visited the place?" Katara asked to which Zuko shook his head. "I haven't."

"Are there any benders?" Aang turned to the group.

"From what I've read, yea. There should be benders there."

"I hope we find airbenders as well!" Aang smiled. "It'll take us another fifteen minutes to reach there."

...

On the island, Maya prepared for a small test of the travellers heading for her kingdom.

She changed into simple cloths as Divya held a tray with her usual ornaments. "The people have been instructed to pretend that you are a common citizen. They shall not know of your identity until you give the order to."

Maya nodded as she went out of the palace.

She saw the bison land in the middle of the forest as she teleported nearby.

"Now what?" Aang asked the rest as most of them just shrugged.

"There's someone here." Toph sensed the ground.

Suprised, Maya slightly levitated off the ground as Toph's face turned into a look of suprise.

"They just.... vanished.."

"You need to get your feet checked." Katara walked around. "I knew we should've landed somewhere public, not in the middle of the forest."

Maya walked into their field of vision, pretending to pluck some fruits. She had a basket with fake fruits.

"Excuse me!" Aang called out to her. "Can you show us around?"

"Who might you be?" Maya placed a fruit in her basket.

"I'm the Avatar. This is Firelord Zuko, Toph Beifong, Katara, Sokka and Suki."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "I'm.." she contemplated whether to tell them her real name. "Maya."

"Well.. Maya.. we don't really have a place to stay nor someone to show us around."

"You're not from here?"

"Of course not." Zuko frowned. "From what I know, I don't think there is another Firelord here."

Maya raised her hands in defence. "Just making sure."

She kept the fruit basket near them and gripped Appa's leash and pulled him forward. "You do whatever you want, I'll take your bison."

Maya left and travelled a small distance, making sure that they couldn't see her, she teleported herself and Appa to the palace's stables. Handing the leash to Divya who took him into a massive barn with hay.

...

Aang reached down to pickup a fruit was caught off guard when his hand went right through the apples and basket. He felt the lush grass on his palm as he pulled his hand back. "What."

Zuko tried the same but neither could touch the fruits.

Katara tried to pick the whole basket up but failed.

Maya returned to the puzzled group and picked up the basket which made their jaws drop.

"Let's get going. I have prepared a place for you to stay."

Maya led them to a carriage as they crossed the palace.

"Is that really made of gold?" Sokka peered out the window as Maya nodded.

"There is your house." She pointed to a bungalow in the distance.

Time skip

Maya returned to her palace and was greeted by her father.

"Maya, where are the guests?"

"In one of the guest houses." Maya walked to her chambers. "They don't know who I am yet."

"Do you intend to keep it that way?"

"For now."

...

Zuko had chosen the bedroom which had the closest view of the magnificent palace.

Sokka walked in as he informed. "Appa is in one of the 'royal stables'. If we want him, we will have to ask Maya. Also, there is going to be a festival soon. Maya has invited us for a shopping spree."

"She's going to pay for all of us?" Katara joined in. "She didn't look like someone who had a lot of money."

Zuko blankly nodded, clearly not paying attention to the conversation.

"Zuko? Zuko!" Sokka called. "What's with that dazed expression? You like Maya or something?"

Zuko refused the claim as they went to their separate rooms.