Author's Note: I don't know about you guys, but I am a huge fan of the "slave Zuko" idea. I typically see stories with Katara being enslaved to Zuko, and while that is all fine and dandy, I thought it might be fun to turn the tables for a change *evil cackle*. I've never written anything like this before, but I figured I would give it a shot. The original storyline of the series is altered in this fanfic, because I needed a legit reason for Zuko to be enslaved to Katara. In my story, Azula never tricked Zuko, Zuko never joined the Gaang, but instead fought alongside his father. I'll update this story as often as I can, which will probably be on weekends. Comments/suggestions are welcome and appreciated, thanks for reading! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.
The sound of screams echoed through the cold, dark hallways of the facility. But heads did not turn, and eyes did not widen as a chorus of strangled cries carried through the corridors; it was something that was heard every day underneath Lake Laogai, and the pale, near-dead occupants of the prison were far beyond caring. Their dignity and pride had been withered away during the months –years, for a few of them – they had spent living in this former training facility for the Dai Lee, and whatever self-esteem they had managed to hold on to was quickly stripped from them in the torture chamber.
Zuko, former crowned prince of the Fire Nation, was discovering just how cruel that chamber could be.
The sharp crack of the whip and cries of its victim was the melody of the dark, damp room in which Zuko was chained. His arms were spread out along an old wooden beam, bound there by rusty metal shackles that scraped together as he struggled against them. His broad chest was pressed against the beam, chafing painfully against the old wood. Sweat dripped down his face, and his black hair was matted against his pale skin from both the sweat and dried blood from earlier beatings. His knees were rubbed raw from the rock floor on which he kneeled, streaking the floor with dark red stains.
Zuko's torturer, a member of the Earth Kingdom named Rafael, was a broad-shouldered man with a lust for blood. His large, burly hands flexed around the leather handle of the whip he held, and his dark eyes gleamed as he watched his victim's blood drip from the end. "You think you have felt pain, boy?" he sneered at Zuko as he raised his whip. "Your pain has just begun!"
Zuko clenched his jaw and flinched as the whip cracked on his skin, leaving a bright red stripe that blended in with countless others. His hands grasped the old wooden beam tightly, his knuckles white with tension. Splinters dug into his palms, and dark red drops hit the floor and stained the wood. The dark liquid slithered down his forearms, leaving glistening trails. His breath came in short gasps as he tried to suppress his cries of pain, and he could feel tears spilling from his eyes and down his cheeks. The former prince's bare back was completely destroyed, a dark red mass of mangled flesh that glinted in the low light of the chamber; the only skin still intact was covered with dark bruises, evidence of his experience with the wooden clubs that hung on the walls of the chamber.
Another crack of the whip sounded, and he couldn't stop the scream that escaped his lips as a wave of sheer agony made his back feel as if it were on fire.
Zuko cursed himself inwardly. He refused to be weak; weakness was not an option here, for it would only encourage further torture from his captor.
"Scream for me, my prince," Rafael whispered, suddenly so close to Zuko that the teenager could feel the hot breath on the back of his neck.
"Go to hell!" Zuko spat at him, hatred burning in his golden eyes.
Infuriated, Rafael backhanded Zuko's face with a sharp crack. "You will learn respect, boy," the man snarled, "and suffering will be your teacher."
Heavy footsteps echoed off the walls of the chamber as Rafael stepped in front of Zuko. The brute kneeled down, pressing his face close to his prisoner's. A rough hand reached out and slowly slid the bangs off Zuko's forehead; hot breath swept across the prince's face as a sickly sweet smile appeared on the man's face.
"You and I," Rafael whispered slowly, "will always be together." He trailed his fingers down the side of Zuko's face. "Because you will never leave this place."
Zuko's heart beat rapidly in his chest as he felt fear wash over him. This was different than any fear he had ever known; this was the type of terror that made his hands shake, and his throat constrict.
"Please...please..." Zuko whispered through clenched teeth as he screwed his eyes shut. The pain in his back was like that of burning tongues of fire, searing everything they touched. It nearly consumed all his senses, and he could feel bile rising in his throat. Make it stop, He prayed silently to any god who would listen.
Rafael chuckled darkly at the prince's display of weakness. "The mighty prince of the Fire Nation, whimpering and crying on his knees before my eyes. Look at what you've become," he spat at the younger man, snarling as he stood and paced behind Zuko once more.
Zuko sensed the raising of the whip mere seconds before he felt the tell-tale burning sting of the weapon on his lower back. He cried out softly, groaning as his back arched with another crack of the whip.
How has it come to this? Zuko wondered helplessly as hot tears pooled once more in his eyes. He had had a family, once. How quickly that had changed; his mother had vanished without a trace, and his sister and father, who did not conceal their hatred for him, were far out of his reach now. For all he knew, they were dead. Iroh's whereabouts were a painful mystery to the teen now as well. It was all Zuko could do to pray that his uncle was alive and in good health.
The faint glow of moonlight washed the walls of the cell a pale gray, and the only color that could be seen was the deep red blood of the former Fire Prince. With shaking hands, Zuko scooped up water from a small bucket and spread it over his back, nearly screaming in pain as his wounds burned like fire.
Zuko had been beneath Lake Laogai for two years. After Fire Lord Ozai and his daughter had been defeated by the Avatar, every Fire Nation soldier and royal member of the realm had been captured by Earth Kingdom forces and imprisoned. The generals of the Earth Kingdom had decided that the Fire Nation inhabitants were untrustworthy, and as a result, every person of Fire Nation descent was captured and locked away.
It hurt Zuko's heart to hear the wails of small children during the night, afraid to be separated from their mothers and fathers in this strange, dark place. Those who were able to withstand the torture chamber were faced with the problems of sickness and starvation, as they were only fed once a day; their meals consisted of low-nutrition rice, and occasionally a roll of stale bread. The food was filled with crushed herbs that prevented firebending, and Zuko hated the thought of his best defense being taken from him. But he had no choice; he needed to eat, whether it took his bending or not.
Once a week, General Fong would come to the prison and select three prisoners to take back to the world above. No one knew what happened to them or where they went, but once they were gone, they never came back. Every week, Zuko would try to look for a pattern in how the General chose the three, but it seemed that the man picked at random; he took all sorts of people, from old men to young women, and he even took a child once, too. The mothers would scream in anguish as their children were ripped from their arms, and children would wail as their parents were separated from them.
Isn't it bad enough that we're trapped here? Zuko wondered, closing his eyes as his hands ran over his destroyed body. They take the only comfort this place has – loved ones. Zuko's heart throbbed painfully as he recalled the sight of his uncle being dragged away by the Earth Kingdom soldiers. His only comfort in this awful place was ripped from his grasp, and now he is alone in this cell, alone in the world.
So chapter one was pretty sick and twisted, but don't worry…this story actually turns out sweet. Who knew, right? I know this first chapter is a bit short, but I'll make them longer once we get into the story. Anyways, if you would be so kind as to take the time to write me a review, I would really appreciate it. Thank you for reading!
Son_of_Sin