Avatar doesn't belongs to me, but I can still hope.
CHAPTER 1
Zuko glanced over his men, all standing stiff before him as they saluted him. The Prince of the Fire Nation stepped with long graceful steps before them, inspecting them one by one for any weaknesses the soldiers could shown. Zuko nodded his head in approval as he passed the last soldier, turning around as he did so. His uncle stud at the other side, he was observing the Prince throughout the inspection and was now awaiting Zukos' orders to his men.
"I want every man looking for the Avatar. Search through every house, behind every tree and don't miss anything in your search. No one may return before the Avatar has been found and brought here before me."
Zuko narrowed his eyes, glaring at every person who dared to misjudge his order. The faceless masks were all facing the banished prince as they awaited the signal to be giving to move, so that they could finish their order.
"All dismissed!"
The faceless soldiers marched off the deck and now moved over the beach. Zuko had seen the Avatar flying with his bison to this direction and knew about a small village not to far from here, the Avatar most likely to stock up on their resources. He had decked his ship before a small beach which would lead to a small path to the village. The Fire Nation soldiers were now marching over said small path as the Prince watched them vanish behind a small hill.
His uncle was now standing beside him, placing his hand on the Prince's shoulders to comfort the depressed teen. Zuko choice to ignore the small gesture as his glare was still aimed on the small hill in the distance where his man had marched over not too long ago.
"You should rest nephew, it's beginning to get late as you can see."
It was indeed becoming late; the sun was almost below the horizon behind them, taking its warmth and light with it. The sky seemed to be painted with warm colors, mostly red by the sun. If Zuko wasn't as bitter as he was now he would have enjoyed the beautiful sight behind him.
The banished Prince sighed, he was indeed feeling tired now. His uncle saw this and let his nephew to the chambers, wishing him a good night rest as the door closed behind Zuko. The Prince didn't wish his uncle the same, too tired to care as he slumbered to his bed.
He removed the armor from his body clumsily, letting the cuirass bang on the hard floor carelessly, the sound echoed through his small room but he ignored the sharp noise. The Prince also removed his garment till he was only left with his pants on. Zuko let himself fall on the hard bed, so much harder than his larger bed back home. He couldn't compare them anymore after all these years, his memory of the silk beds and their comfort now long gone from his mind.
He groaned as he moved his body to face the wall, not caring to go under the blankets for more warmth. He didn't need it, anyway. He was a Firebender, thus having control over his own body's temperature.
His glance fell on the red silk curtain on the wall, marked with a large Fire Nation emblem in the center. Zuko longed to return to his homeland. It had almost been 3 years since he was last behind the borders of the Fire Nation. His brow furrowed, now irritated at how fate always seemed to spit at him in the face.
It was unfair, how could his own father disgrace him, marking him as he did so for life. Zukos' hand touched his scar unconsciously as he thought back at the event that had accord 3 years back. He closed his eyes forceful, almost flinching as he was reminded of the pain that he felt when he got marked by his father. The Prince would never forget that pain that he felt, the burning sensation that shot through the left side of his face as the flames licked his skin.
The hand that wasn't touching his face balled into a fist, rippling the covers below it ugly. He would get his honor back, no matter the cost. He lifted his hand from his scar and waved it with a swift motion above him, the flames died at his command and the room fell into darkness.
The Prince closed his eyes as he let his arm fall beside him, more relaxed as he forced his muscles to loosen. His breathing evened after a while as he fell into a dreamless slumber.
---
Katara was lying in her sleeping-bag, her head facing the red sky. They had gone to bed a little sooner than normal, to reserve our strength for tomorrow had Sokka told them, the rest hadn't complained. She could hear her brother snoring at the other side of the campfire but she choice to ignore it.
They had been traveling for quite some while now with Aang, searching for bending Masters to teach him to bend the other three elements. She helped him to Waterbend but they still needed to find a Waterbending Master for Aang. And to find one they had to go to the North Pole.
Katara yawned, blinking her eyes afterward to get the tears out off her eyes. She closed her eyes, submitting to the tired feeling that was engulfing her. She had almost drifted off towards a peaceful slumber if not for the shocks that rang through the ground below her now.
Kataras' eyes flared open as she shot up into sitting position in her sleeping-bag. The shock-waves now finally registered by her tired mind.
"Everyone, wake up!"
Groins could be heard as the rest of the gang woke up. Sokka faced her with half-lidded eyes that clearly stated that he was still half asleep.
"What's wrong Katara?"
Aang asked her with a worried tone in his voice. Katara turned her head to look at him.
"Can't you feel that, I think someone is coming?"
Katara saw Aangs' eyes narrow as he concentrated on something that could conforms the concern of his friend. He nodded to her, signaling that he was indeed feeling the same thing as she was.
"What ya talkin' 'bout Tara?"
Her brother slurred the words as he asked her the question, still groggy from sleeping. She stud up from her sleeping-back, Aang doing the same as they both got into fighting stances. Katara had her hand now posed over her water skin as she observed her surroundings.
Some Komodo rhinos, mounted by Fire Nation soldiers ran past the trees and knocking a few over that surrounded their campsite. Not too far behind they were followed by soldiers on foot. Sokka yelped, now clearly awakened by the man that surrounding them as he launched for his boomerang.
She let the water free from her water skin and bended it around her, shielding herself for any fire the man could shoot at her. Aang dived for his flyer, rolling over the ground and standing up swiftly with his staff now posed in his hand as he faced the soldiers before him.
A soldier began the fight with a shot of fire which was directed on Aang. Katara shot her water forward, blocking the fire as steam erupted after the contact. The Avatar shot her a quick smile before he sprung in the air and pushed his staff downward, sending a large air-wave to a couple of soldiers.
Most men dived out of the way but one was hit and launched into the air, hitting a tree hard as he slumped to the ground with a groan. A Komodo rhino charged towards Katara, hoping to crush her under its claws.
The Waterbender reacted fast, blocking the way towards her by a wall of ice. The Komodo rhino wasn't faced by this and rammed through it, ice shards flying in every direction as the beast broke through her defenses.
Kataras' eyes widened in terror, her body didn't move on her command to flee from the large beast because of the shock as it neared her. The Fire Nation soldier took this opportunity to its fullest as he led his rhino into a full sprint towards her.
The beast was send sidewards as an air-wave connected to its side. The man yelled out of surprise as he was launched from his mount to the ground.
Aang ran towards Katara as he planned to protect her. He didn't saw the soldier behind him with a catapult as the man shot a hunting-net towards him. Katara opened her mouth to yell for him to look out but it was too late, Aang was caught into the net and tripped to the ground with a loud yelp.
Katara ran towards him but stopped in her track as she got hit by a hard object to the head. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness and fell to the ground were the eyes of Aang who stared at her with horror, yelling her name.
"Katara!"
---
Bang… Bang…
Zukos' eyes shot open and a snarl formed on his mouth at the loud noise. He sat upright as he faced the door, a scowl now formed on his brow out of irritation.
"Who's there?"
Zuko said as he stud up from his bed and walked to the door. He didn't care that he was shirtless as he opened the door to see one of his soldiers standing before him. His eyes narrowed unwelcoming at the man as he waited for the other to report his business to him.
"Sorry to wake you Sir but we caught the Avatar."
Zukos' good eye widened for a split second.
"Where is the Avatar now?"
"He's in one of your cells, Sir."
The features on the Prince's face relaxed slightly as he straightened himself.
"Good. I will see the Avatar shortly, you are dismissed."
The soldier gave him a quick 'Sir!' as he turned to his left and marched away through the corridor. Zuko turned sharply and closed the door with a hard bang. The Prince took his garment from the floor, not caring to take fresh ones from his closet as he hastily put them on. He first thought was to leave the armor off but decided against it.
He placed the armor on but left the helmet off. The thing felt annoying and sweaty on his bald head and because of this he always choice against it. Zukos' sight was also less at his left side because of his scar and the helmet didn't help with his sight ether, another reason for him to leave it off.
He left his room with haste and got to the lower floor where the Avatar was now being hold. His uncle was already present and looked at him as he entered. Zuko raised his only eyebrow in surprise at the expression that his uncle was wearing, he seemed almost sad. Wasn't he happy for him that they finally caught the Avatar and that they could go home?
Zuko dismissed the thought off and walked past him, his uncle didn't take the action to stop him as Zuko passed him. His sight fell on the unconscious form of the Avatar and his friends lying in the cells. He faced the soldier that was stationed to guard the prisoners with a scowl on his face.
"Why are they together? I want the Avatar and his friends separated in different cells right now."
The soldier seemed to shrink at the hard tone of the Prince but did as he was told and opened the cell carefully as he unlocked it with the key, hoping to not awaken one of the prisoners. Luckily none stirred and the Waterbender witch was the first to be moved away from the cell to be placed in another one.
Zuko noted the blood that trailed down from her head and ordered for one of his men to take care of her wound, he wanted them alive, not dead. After the Waterbending girl was taking care of the Water Tribe peasant was to be moved from the cell. The boy stirred as he was lifted from the ground, the guard knocked him out swiftly again with a good placed punch to the head and he was placed into an unoccupied cell, away from his companions for safety so that they wouldn't escape as easily.
After that was done the cells got locked again and Zuko faced the prone form of the Avatar again. This was what the Prince had hoped to see for years now, the Avatar chained in one of his cells too be lead off to his father. He couldn't help but to smile at the thought of returning home, his honor restored and to have his rightful place back as the heir to the throne, everything as it should be.
He saw the Avatar stir in the cell, sitting up as he did so. Zuko smirked as he saw the Avatar trying to move his hands but failed as they were hold firmly behind his back by shackles.
"I see that you have awakened, Avatar."
Zuko said with malice to the boy in his cell, almost spitting the title of Avatar out. Aang moved to face the Prince and a scowl formed on his brow as his glance fell on him. He said nothing, though and Zuko smirked, seeing the fear in his eyes as the Avatar noted that he was alone in the cell.
"Don't worry for your friends; they are save, at least till I say otherwise."
Zuko said as if he had read the Avatars mind.
---
Katara opened her eyes groggily. Faint voices could be heard on the background, she couldn't focus on them to identify them as a firm headache plagued her mind. The place on the back of her head throbbed and she placed her hand on it. Her fingers touched the texture of the bondage and she sighed.
She tried to recall what had happened before she had lost awareness. A fight with Fire Nation troops, defending Aang, a Komodo rhino charging towards her, Aang saving her and running towards her and then…
She flinched as pain shot through her head, her hand moving to the wound on instinct. The wound was deeper than she thought it would be and she choice to observed her surroundings then to think back at the event. She was placed in a small cell, big enough for two persons to fit on and to still be able to walk around a little. The place surrounding the cell was dark; the walls had no windows and the only source of light was the small lamps on the walls which gave the place a reddish look.
"Where are they?!"
Her eyes shot up at the voice that echoed through the clamp room, she recognized the voice to be Aangs'. So could hear someone reply but to soft for her to understand. She could hear a voice reply, most likely from Aangs' again, to the other voice.
"Aang!"
She yelled, her voice echoing through the cells and the other voices stopped to speak for a second before she could hear Aangs' voice again.
"Katara, is that you?"
She opened her mouth to reply but shut it as a voice boomed through the cell-room, cutting her off.
"Quiet!"
The commanding voice could only be off the Fire Prince; Zuko. She could recognize his cocky voice anywhere. Her eyes narrowed, anger clearly shown on her face as she began to rebel against his will.
"Who are you to order us to do?!"
She yelled, almost shouted and her voice echoed almost painfully against her ears, making her head hurt even more. She could hear boots beings stomped hard on the floor, each step harder as the source of the sound neared her.
She could see Zuko turning a corner and was now pacing towards her, a scowl clearly shown on his face as he neared her. She refused to seem intimidated by him and stud tall in her cell as she faced him fully.
He stud before her now behind the bars, his fierce gaze now pointed at her. She shuddered at the ferocity that lay in his hard stare as he glared at her.
"Surprised to see me?"
She raised her eyebrow skeptical at his sarcasm, not thinking he would say something to her like that in this situation.
"Not really, your highness."
She replied with the same sarcasm as he had begun with. He seemed amused at her answer, a smirk now forming on his lips. It wasn't a good smirk, more a menacing one that promised her much displeasure.
"You'll be staying here for a long time, peasant. I would behave if you don't want me to lose my temper."
Everyone knew about his infamous temper in the group, they having encountered him more than once to know that small fact about him. She choice not to push his buttons and she turned her back towards him.
---
The amused smirk didn't leave his features as he watched her back that now faced him. So the peasant choice to ignore him, not something he couldn't handle.
"How is your head?"
He asked her with fake-concern, hoping to get her attention back to him with his out-of-character question. It seemed to work because she looked over her shoulder to him, her eyebrow raised in confusion. His gaze fell back on the bandage that was wrapped around her head as he crossed his arms before his chest.
"It slightly hurts but not something I can't handle."
He nodded, faking that he cared as she turned towards him again. He saw that her face had softened a little but she was still frowning slightly at him.
"Why would you care, anyway?"
He just shrugged his shoulders at her and let his arms fall at his sides again.
"I don't want you to die here because you're injured. So don't get any funny ideas in that head of yours."
He told her sharply and he saw her defense building up again. Her brows furrowed as she turned her head away from him, pouting slightly.
"Your food will be brought shortly, I hope you like it."
He said, again with the sarcasm. She turned her head to make a sharp remark at him but he had already facing his back to her as he paced with graceful steps away from her. She glared at his back all the way till he turned around the corner again he had come from.
---
She sighed, glad that Zuko had left as she slumped to the ground. She sat against the wall as she stared ahead of herself, she didn't even acknowledge the guard that brought food to her and only started eating when she was sure he had left the cell-room.
The food tasted awful on her tong and she had a hard time swallowing it, her stomach rebelling against the food and she coughed. She didn't finish the bowl as she placed it on the floor, disgust clearly shown on her face at the foul taste that still lingered in her mouth.
She lay down on the hard floor of her cell as she tried to get herself to sleep. She didn't know what time it was; no windows that showed the outside and the state of the day. She hoped that Aang and Sokka were okay, and that they weren't chained or that something awful had happened to them. Her mind drifted off and her breathing evened as she fell into sleep.
She dreamed about Zuko setting her friends on fire as he looked at her, smirking the whole time as the sound of tortured souls filled her mind.
TBC.
