Maya(Zuko X OC)

Chapter 3: A day together

Zuko walked to the gardens and found Maya sitting on a luxurious chair as a few entertainers danced infront of her.

A few advisors sat around with some watching the dancers while some talked to the princess.

Even if Zuko himself was a political leader, he felt out of place. Maya's attention fell on him as she stood up, the advisors following behind out of respect.

"You're all dismissed. We shall discuss this tomorrow." Maya walked to Zuko. "I see you remember the way to the gardens." She began but was interrupted by the arrival of the rest of team Avatar.

Sokka screamed in fear as the dragon dropped out of a tree. Blood red in colour, its scales reflected the sunrays and gave it a eerie celestial glow. It barred its teeth at Sokka before flying to its master.

"Amusing." Maya commented as she stroked the dragon's snout. "Very well, where would you like to go today?"

"What options do we have?" Aang asked.

Maya snapped her fingers as a few holograms appeared. "Anywhere here."

Katara pointed to a golden temple.

The rest of the gang agreed as Aang smiled at the princess.

"Where's Appa?"

Time skip

Maya's delicate eyebrows furrowed in worry as the bison flew out of the stables. "I'm not riding that."

Zuko elbowed her ribs which took her by suprise.

"What was that?" She turned to the Firelord.

"What? Have you not been elbowed before?" Zuko asked.

"Well, no one has dared to touch me." She straightened her veil.

Zuko remembered that the girl was a princess and immediately apologized.

"It is alright." Maya walked into the palace. "I do not mind."

Zuko smiled as he jogged after her to convince her to ride the bison.

Time skip

Maya held onto Zuko as the bison took off. She had worn much simpler clothes which gave her a more youthful appearance. "How do you ride on this?" She asked her eyes fixed onto him. "This is absolutely terrifying!"

Zuko chuckled as he shrugged. "You'll get used to it."

"So you're tell me, The crown princess of Dhanloka, who has a dragon as a pet, is afraid of heights?" Sokka piped in.

Maya's eyes immediately became cold as she went still.

The skies darkened as thunder started.

Maya's usual smiled was there but it didn't reach her eyes. "Excuse you?" Maya asked in a cold voice.

"I-Uh-" Sokka stammered. "Nothing. Sorry."

Maya sighed as the weather turned back to normal. "You do not have the best first impression."

"Well he didn't have the best first impression infront of me but now he's my boyfriend." Suki tried to lighten the subject.

Maya gave a small nod as she told Aang to stop the bison. "We have reached."

"But you didn't even look down-" Aang look back at Maya, who was still clutching onto Zuko.

"We have reached." Maya repeated.

Aang lowered Appa as Maya immediately teleported to the ground which caught the gang by suprise.

"She really acts like Toph." Katara helped the blind girl down. "Can't stay a second away from land."

Maya walked into the forest as the gang followed her.

Time skip

They ended up at a massive temple made of pure gold.

Maya waited for everyone to go inside. The floor of the temple collapsed as only the tile on which they were standing on remained intact.

Lava pooled into the hole as they could almost feel its heat on their skin.

Maya kept Appa outside the temple next to her. "I hope you succeed." She walked away.

Time skip

The skies darkened as Appa growled, urging the gang to come out.

"WE CAN'T APPA! WE'RE SORRY!" Aang shouted.

Zuko saw that a small tile had returned back up. He tried to jump onto it but failed. Expecting to feel hot magma he shut his eyes, he instead felt the ground.

Opening his eyes, he saw himself standing mid-air on top of lava. The molten liquid vanished as the solid ground revealed itself.

Just then, the entrance doors slammed shut.

"It was an illusion?" Zuko mumbled.

They walked into a smaller room which had a magnificent statue which seemed to be a god.

A pandit sat next to the statue as he got up. "I welcome you to our beloved temple. I had made sure her majesty only showed you all the places where I could meet you. Please, take a seat." He motioned to a few cushions on the floor.

They took their seats as the man began. "Many don't know the origins of her highness."

"Why are you telling us this?" Sokka picked his ear as the pandit turned his back to them and began cleaning the statue.

"I got a vision. You all are going to be intertwined with her life. And I have taken an oath to help her highness make the best of possible decisions. Hence, I wanted to see if you all are worthy of being in her life."

"Her highness is the incarnation of illusion. That is why her father named her Maya. Her highness is a incarnation of a major god. Her emotions are connected to the weather and her wishes are connected to reality itself. She, who bring fortune to Dhanloka. She, is the one who brings the 'dhan' to our loka. She, who is the future ruler of our nation. And she, who is the most powerful force of humanity."

"How do you know so much?" Katara asked.

"I have always gotten visions of a beautiful princess being born to our king and queen. The gods came in my dreams and gave me the ability to see snippets of the future, the present and the past so that I could protect the heir."

Time skip

Maya saw Appa land in the gardens as she walked out the court room. The guards bowed as the princess smoothly walked past them with her head held high.

Reaching the gardens, the gang walked upto her as the bluntly asked about her birth.

"How were you born?"

Maya frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? How do you expect me to know how I was born?"

The queen walked to her daughter as the nearby maids bowed and left. "Why do you all wish to know about my daughter's birth?"

An advisor came near as he informed the princess. "His highness needs help with a few things. He has requested your presence."

Maya left as the queen repeated her question.

"We met a man in the temple in the mountains, he told us that we were going to be a part of Maya's life." Aang explained.

"Princess Maya." Kamala corrected. "I suppose you are the people. Then listen."

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Pandit- a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge in Hinduism, particularly the Vedic scriptures, dharma, or Hindu philosophy.

Dhan- wealth