After Mei-Ling finally steps into her role as princess, the pressure on her grows fast. People who don’t want her in the royal bloodline start to grow bolder while attempting to assassinate her. To them, she’s nothing more than a flaw, a weak link in the bloodline, and the idea of her becoming the next Fire Lord terrifies them.
Mei-Ling tries to stay strong but it wears her down bad. She hates the thought of anyone getting hurt because of her, especially the people who protect her every day. And so she starts slipping away on her own. She’d rather face the danger herself than watch someone else take the hit for her. She hides outside in the palace garden up in the cherry tree, which only makes things harder for everyone who’s trying to keep her safe.