More like a slave than a Fiancee

Disclaimer:D I Erica, her father, mother and any other OC's.I do not however, own the Avatar characters :D I wish!

Iroh had told them that she would sleep with Zuko in his room, seeing it only fitting. Oh how Zuko protested, but Erica stood in the background as the two bickerd over the matter. Iroh had won of course; Aneglique had come with them on the ship, yet again with Prince Zuko's displeasure. He had taken Erica to his room to lay down a few ground rules. She sat innosently on their bed, normally it would be his bed, but she'd be joining him in his sleeping. She had such high hopes that the man she was suppost to wed; was kind, gentle, loving, and a real romantic. But the first rule broke her heart.

"Look." He began. "When I say jump, you say how high; when I saw run, you say how far. Got it?" Erica nodded sadly. "Good." She couldn't believe that the man her father engaged her to was so cruel! She was able to get him to allow her to unpack her things before beginning her work. She put her dresses in the wardrobe he had his shirts in. She placed her shoes with his; and set up her dog's bed. She set up her vanity beside Zuko's meditation candles and looked at herself in the mirror. What was her life going to be now if she was married to a bossy man? She sighed, she'd have to just find a way to face through it all; and pray that she has the strenth to make it through it all. She placed her make up on the vanity mirror, and put her hair accessories in the drawr. She had only closed her eyes for a second, but the next thing she was awaire of, her hair pins had been ripped out of her hair and put on the vanity. She opend her eyes and saw it was Zuko whom had ripped them from her. He orderd that she change out of that gawdy outfit and into something that is durable. She didn't know what that ment, but after he left, she stood alone in that room. What was she to put on that would please him? She looked through her dresses, and picked out a long yellow silk dress. That was... 'durable' whatever that ment. She changed out of her Kamono and into the yellow dress. She put on her grass green long sleeved vest. She kicked off her blue high heels and put on yellow silk slippers. After she walked onto the deck; Zuko saw what she had on.

"You don't have anything else?" He hissed, she shook her head.

"You said 'durable.' whatever that means. So I put on this one." Zuko growled in displeasure, he already hated his fiancee.

"Just clean the deck. I want to be able to see my face in the metel work." He scowled. She nodded, her displeasure to confrentation forced her to do what he had told her, not wanting to start a fight. So, she got herself a wet sponge; and soap, and began scrubbing.

She had been scrubbing for hours, everytime she'd have it inspected by Zuko; he'd spit on it and say she missed a spot. The crew would walk past her and give her an unwelcome glare. She never felt so out of place; she was a princess who was buisy scrubbing floors instead of trying to fix kingdom matters. Her heart ached;she had only been on his ship for a few hours, but it felt like an eternity. She kept scrubbing, trying to please him so they wouldn't get into a fight, that was the deal afterall...he could do whatever he pleased with Erica. Thats exactly what he entended. Somewhere in her train of thought, Erica had allowed tears to drop onto the deck she was scrubbing. She hated it there so much, but she knew she had to suck it up and take it. Zuko angerly stomped onto the deck adn scolded her.

"You still arn't done! You've been at that same task four hours!" Erica hung her head, and whisperd to herself. "What was that?"

"Y-You told me...that you wanted it to shine...so I have to obay." Zuko growled and smacked her across the face, leaving a red mark.

"Don't test me! Go fix dinner!" Erica left her sponge on the deck and walked into the hull and into the kitchen. Iroh stood beside the angry Prince Zuko.

"Don't you think you wre alittle hard on her?" Iroh asked him, Zuko shook his head.

"The deal was I could do whatever I pleased with her, and I plan to use her as a slave instead of a fiancee." Zuko hissed at his uncle. Iroh just lowerd his eyes.

"Maybe so Prince Zuko. But I think you took it way too far. Hitting her like that won't get you respect." Iroh told his nephew wisely. Warning him that if he was going to treat her like that, they might as well have a prisoner work for him than his Fiancee.

"Whatever. She gets the work done; and no problem." But he was wrong, there would be a problem. This was the woman he was suppost to marry was he going to be the world's worst husband, beating her; forcing her to work? at this point it looked like a: Yes!

Erica prepaired for them a large meal, which she was not allowed to eat. She had to sit there and watch Zuko and Iroh scarf down the food like two starving dogs. Except Iroh was more polite and offored Erica some. As much as she wanted to take it, she refused. She'd have to sleep beside Zuko that night, so she didn't want to anger him further. She rubbed where Zuko had struck her, it still hurt terribly. Erica couldn't stand watching them eat anymore, she got up and walked off into Zuko's bed room, where she layed down on the bed. After a bit of laying in the quiet, she sat up and picked up her diary from the end table. Her diary wasn't fancy; the spine was yarn, and the cover was a ruby color, mixed with Onix. She picked up a pen that was just laying there and scribbled down some words about what had gone on.

She heard the door creak open, so, leaving a sentence unfinished, she quickly put her diary back and prepaired for what was going to happen. She layed there, turned on her side, eyes shut and trying to make herself believe that she was back in her room; on her own bed with her dog sleeping beside her. Zuko layed beside her after taking his armor off, and his shoes. He was turned away from her, as she was turned away from him.

"Should I turn the light off?" Erica asked him, unsteadieness in her voice.

"It isn't going to turn itself off." Zuko hissed, a hint of irritation in his voice. Erica quickly reached over to the end table that had her diary on it, and clicked the light off. Zuko was fast asleep while she lay awake, stairing at the celine, so many questions running through her mind. How could her father do this to her? How could anyone allow this to happen? Now she was stuck; she'd have to marry him. Another sickly thought came to her head...

Kids... they would have to conseive. Well, they don't have to, but Zuko as far as Erica knew, would force her into conseption, and they would have a child. That made silent tears form behind her eyes, and spill onto the mattrace where she layed her head. Zuko had taken the pillow, she had only a corner of the blanket, and she didn't know how long she'd have that. The moon shined in on them, Erica hated her life now, only one day had she been on his ship and already, she wanted to go home. How could someone be so heartless and cruel? Esspecially to someone he was suppost to marry! She didn't shake, nore did she make a sound while she cried. So Zuko had no idea that he made her cry; but Im sure he knew that was was going to sooner or later. Erica couldn't sleep; so she put on her training outfit and grabbed her Kendo stick; she walked up onto the deck and practiced Kendo.

"What are you doing up?" A voice asked from her left side. She quickly turned and saw Iroh standing there with a tired smile on his face.

"C-Couldn't sleep." She whisperd. "So...I came to practice." Iroh walked twords her and looked at her Kendo stick.

"Don't worry about Prince Zuko; I know he hurt you earlier, but...okay. I have no excuse for how he acted." Iroh told her. Wanting to have her forgive Prince Zuko, but it seems he only made her feel worse.

"Its fine." She sighed. Iroh did make her feel worse; he was awair of that as a definite now.

"Im sorry. That didn't help much." Iroh apoligized, she smiled it off.

"Like I said, its fine." It wasn't fine, she shouldn't be treated like that, but she couldn't tell him he was right; and that he made her feel worse. It wouldn't be proper. She thrusted her wood sword upward and brought it back down, over and over again.

"It isn't alright Miss. Erica. Zuko has no right to-" But Erica interrupted him.

"I'll survive." with that, she walked back down to the hull, and drew herself a bath. The bath was small, and when she got in; the water barely got on her breasts; she hated being naked in such a dreadful place; but she'd have to get used to it.Tears trickled down her face and hit the water in the small bath tub. She allowed herself to be taken in so quickly; never judge a book by its cover, is what her mother had taught her. Maybe if she lisoned...she wouldn't be like this. She looked around her new home. Was there a way to make it...so she can be happy here? Not with a husband like Zuko. Or better yet; Fiance like Zuko. But that doesn't mean she can't try...right?

w00t! here goes chapter two! omg. I want to see CORPSE BRIDE so terrably badly:( But it comes out in two more weeks damn it all! Im trying to get some money to get the Sound track. I don't know if its out, but the flash site doesn't have that COMING SOON thing over GET THE SOUNTRACK. Ah well. :( Guess Im just gonna have to wait...