I forgot to mention in my last Authors Note that if you DO review then you get mentioned in the next chapter. Now whether as a character or just in the Authors Note is up to you. Just thought I would mention that. ;) If you DO want to be mentioned in my story, then give me a description of what you want it to look like and the name and I will gladly do so!
"Red's" refer to fire nation soldiers.
REWRITTEN!
Thank you kitkatlover and Katrina3064!
Katara could feel the volcanic ocean floor bang against the bottom of the boat as the ground slowly started to make its way upward. She knew it would only be a matter of minutes before a red came to take her away. And just when this cell was starting to feel like home. She grinned at the thought. Like anything here could feel like home.
Sure enough, ten minutes passed and a guard came to her cell, his armor clanging with each stiff movement. She stood and calmly stared at the man. He motioned for her to exit and led her to the main exit of the ship.
The dimly lit hallways provided just enough light for her to see Sokka ahead of her in the distance.
Shivers passed across the flesh of her back and arms.
He was covered in dust all the way from the crown of his head to his dirty, hole-ridden boots. There were multiple tears in the fabric of his pants and shirt with bits of bloodstains showing around his ankles. The left side of his face was red and blotchy from where the soldier had hit him.
Katara wanted to run into his arms and cry her eyes out into his ruined shirt, but she knew better than to appear weak in front of these men. She had to be strong, not only for herself but also for her people.
The main exit door lowered and they were forced off of the ship and onto a platform. It was made of wood and metal so no one could bend it.
A man with a feather in his helmet glided to the front of the platform. He must have been the general. Katara didn't move as the man came to rest in front of her. Her body raced with adrenaline as the instinct to fight or flight rushed through her head.
"Where are you from?"
The answer was automatic. "The Southern Water Tribe."
The man said nothing for a minute before barking a command. "Let me see your eyes!"
Katara continued to look past him, but he grabbed her chin and forced her head to rise. She had no choice. The general gave a deep throaty chuckle that came from the very pit of his rotten heart. He roughly released her and pushed her to the soldier standing at attention to his side.
"Take her to the palace. I'm sure Fire Lord Ozai can make use of a royal beauty like her."
Fear automatically gripped her as the soldier lead her to a small group of people. They were all very nice looking and ranged from four to fourteen. She glanced behind her to see Sokka again, but the guards were already taking him away. She started to fear the worst. What if they killed him? What if he was forced into slavery? Even that option sounded better to her than death.
She stopped breathing when arms wrapped around her from behind. Small sniffles were heard behind her and her heart started to crack. A young girl, about four or five, was crying into Katara's back. She glanced up at Katara with hope. "Have you seen my mommy?"
Katara didn't know what to say so instead she just shook her head and got on her knees to hug the girl. She sobbed for a few more minutes before looking again at Katara. "You have pretty eyes," she said. Katara blushed and told the girl her name. "My name is Kaylena," the girl said with a smile. She was missing one of her front teeth.
Katara wrapped Kaylena in her arms as the group started to leave toward some Fire Nation wagons. Once everyone was settled in, the soldiers took off. The last thing Katara remembered was the general setting a young boy on fire. She knew the vision would haunt her for years.
The dirt roads provided little comfort on the long ride to the Fire Nation Palace, but Katara tried to ignore the pain in her back as Kaylena slept peacefully on top of her with her head nestled in Katara's chest.
As they traveled, she looked at the Fire Nation markets with bright, colorful fruit and the red and gold buildings seemed to stretch for miles. Each sight and scent was foreign to her and she morphed her face into a scowl.
She turned away from the beautiful colors. She hated them. She hated this city, these people...this nation.
But even she could not stop her eyes from bulging out of her head as she saw the Fire Nation palace. It had three entry gates with a garden separating each one before actual entry to the palace. The front had a large doorway that could have fit ten igloos in it and a large balcony above it. Flames were everywhere. On posters, artwork, and even real fire, casting shadows in little pots against the wall. The palace itself was inside of a dormant volcano!
The group made their way through elaborate doorways and corridors until they reached a grand door with two dragons as handles. Kaylena released a small whine and gripped Katara's hand harder as the guards awaited orders. A man signaled for them to proceed and Katara watched in fascination as the two guards positioned themselves on either side of the handles. Then they simultaneously crouched and blew fire into the handles until they flew though small holes leading to the top of the doors, casting the whole room in yellow light.
Katara widened her eyes as the throne room was revealed. A world map lay in the center of the floor with cushions lined on either side and above that was a monstrous sight. A wall of flames spread across the room and in front of it lay four thrones. She couldn't see what the people looked like, only their shadow's.
The Fire Lord stepped down from his throne and commanded the dirty children to line up. They did as told and stared at the ground.
Everyone except Katara.
She stared at the wall of flames with a determined face. One that promised she could never be broken. The Lord walked down the line, just looking at them like they were going to be his next meal, but he had to choose carefully. He didn't want a spoiled piece.
He walked in front of Katara and stopped.
He bent to her level and grinned. "The Water Tribe, hmm?"
Katara didn't answer him. This only seemed to amuse the man as he stroked his goatee thoughtfully. He stood up strait and then started to laugh. Katara didn't seem to understand what was so funny. "So Hakoda had a daughter." His eyes glanced up her body. "A beauty at that."
Katara froze.
The man grinned. She shivered, not liking where this was going. He strutted around her, picking up her braid, feeling her arms and other places Katara would rather not remember. "Well, Princess. How do you feel about washing clothes? Hm? Or how about...men?" Shivers passed along her skin.
He leaned to whisper in her ear. "I have a special place for you, my dear. A special place for a special girl. I could use a girl like you; defiant, strong, and hateful. Oh yes. I'm sure you will be of great use to me when you are older." She tore her head away from him and glared in disgust. She was not afraid of him. She would rather die than give herself to a man like him.
He stood back up and motioned behind him to the throne on his right. "But for now, you will serve my son, Price Zuko."
She glanced at the young boy hidden behind his father's figure. The first thing she saw was gold. The worst color she had ever seen. Gold. He had his black hair in a pony tail and his unmarked eyes looked strait at her. Glared at her to be more precise.
She looked back at him and scowled.
Just great.
Fire Lord Ozai continued down the line, assigning positions to the older children. Once he was finished he lectured about how this was his nation and they would obey him or else. Katara was not intimidated by his presence.
Afterwards she was led away from the group into the bathing room. The room was quite grand. Murals covered the stone walls and large curtains provided privacy. A smile started to form on her face when the foggy atmosphere created a soft dew on her skin. The first time she has had water fully at her command and she couldn't even bend it. There were too many witnesses. She wanted to keep her bending a secret. Maybe it would come to her advantage one day when she was strong enough to escape this horrible place.
"These clothes are absolutely filthy!" a plump woman in red robes fussed, motioning toward Katara's water tribe clothing. She looked down at them in confusion. They didn't look that bad to her.
"Yes, I fully agree with you, Lee," another woman contemplated. "We must remove them at once."
They both simultaneously pushed her into the hot water and she gasped. It was burning her skin! Immediately hands dived in and started to remove her clothes. "Hey!" she protested. "Cut it out!" They continued to ignore her wishes and stripped her until she was completely naked.
She had never been so embarrassed in her entire life. Her mother was the only one who had ever seen her naked and thats when she was a baby! Now she was showing everyone in this room evereything! Her arms covered her chest self consciously and she pulled her knees to her chest tightly.
The fat women continued to fuss over how dirty Katara was even when she was squeaky clean! She eventually started to think they thought she was fire nation and her skin was just covered in a layer of dirt. Once they were happy with her polished skin, they brushed out her thick hair, painfully, and put it into a traditional fire nation bun. It was hideous.
The women gushed over how beautiful she looked in her new fire nation robes and her hair like she was their own daughter. She simply smiled and thanked them as they led her to meet the head servant to receive her training.
The lady was old. She looked absolutely ancient! Her hair was ashy white and bundled on top of her head in a perfect circle, not one hair out of place. Her eyebrows and mouth were arched into a permanent frown.
"Who are you?" she demanded. Her voice was gravely and smokey, almost like she had been drinking hot coals.
One of the chirpy fat servants who had dressed Katara giggled. "She's Prince Zuko's new "personal" servant."
The old woman glared at the fat woman. "Did I ask you, Miko?"
Miko looked down at the floor. "No, Miss Chou."
The old woman grumbled in reply and looked at Katara. "Well?!"
"I am Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." The old lady "hmm"ed and motioned for the princess to follow. The halls were covered in paintings of the fire nation's history and beautiful, large candelabras hung from the ceilings.
"You will be trained in etiquette once a day since you are the Prince's personal servant. That means you will attend parties with him, tend to him at meals, fufill his every wish and you will do it willingly. That is the job of a servant. How educated are you? I'm sure those uncivilized tribe people have taught you nothing but how to make meat and clothing."
Katara stiffened at the insult. "Actually, my mother taught me how to read and write, plus some arithmetic's."
The old lady humphed. "Well at least thats a start." Katara glared at the back of the woman's perfectly pinned hair. "Your training begins tomorrow. For now, you will become acquainted with the Prince."
Oh, I intend to.
Yay! Introducing Zuko! You'll see more of him in the next chapter of the story, I promise! And it gets happier too.