Neapaul Inn
"Here it is." Zuko stood at the entrance of the Neapaul Inn, It had small wooden doors and boarded windows. Another clap of thunder sliced through the air.
"Come on," Zuko opened the door and let it close in Daja and Katara's face.
Daja stood with her mouth slightly open in disgust, "Not quite the gentlemen, but he's your fiancée."
"C'mon Daja, you know were not…you know were not betrothed." Katara started to open the door.
"I want an invitation to the wedding," Daja stepped inside
It was a run down place. It was small too, and at the corner of the room was a place sectioned off for manager. He sat with a long pipe in his mouth, and smoke filled the whole room. His feet were rested on the table and he was engrossed by a parchment in his hands. He wore big glasses that took up half of his face.
Zuko hit a small bell at the corner of the tables to get his attention.
The man groaned, and rolled his neck so he could look at Zuko. Then he looked back down at the parchment and spoke in a disturbed voice, "Lucky for you there is one room left, one bathroom, including a shower, blah, blah, blah and two beds…" He took a short glance at Katara and Daja "They with you?" Zuko nodded "Looks like somebody's gonna be sharin' a bed cause it's the only room we got." He sighed and looked at Zuko though the top of his glasses, "3 silver pieces a night, and, no, there is not a luxury of breakfast in bed." He chuckled, "Actually there is no breakfast, lunch, or dinner here at all." The man pulled a key off of a hook and held it out to Zuko, "We got a deal? Or not"
Zuko took the keys; the old man at the cart told him this hotel was not fancy.
"Room 223, 2nd floor to your left."
Zuko gestured to Daja and Katara to follow him. They followed him up a flight of stairs and to the left and there with half-scratched prints, the number 223 was above the door. Zuko opened the door and a puff of dust was lifted from the floor. The trio coughed as they inhaled the tainted air.
"Well here it is." Zuko stretched out his arm like he was introducing something, in this case: the room.
"Did you find any information on my father?" Daja eyes gleamed with hope
"No, I didn't beat the storm," Zuko looked at Daja who was staring aimlessly into the floor, "But I did ask the man who sold me this cloak about him."
Daja quickly looked up
"But he acted strange, he just up and left after I asked about him…what kinda man was you father?"
Katara hit Zuko on the arm, "What! I'm trynna help!"
Katara ignored him, "We'll all find information on him tomorrow."
Despite Daja's situation she smiled and pointed to the bed on both sides of the wall and said, "Now time to talk about sleeping arrangements," Daja was up to something, "Since you and Lee are betrothed, you should sleep together."
Katara gave her a questioning look as if to say 'you know Zuko and I are not betrothed'
And across the room Zuko gave Daja the same look.
"Uh, I think I could sleep on the floor…" Zuko felt different around Katara.
"Nonsense Lee, the floor is cold and you would definitely catch a cold, not to mention these disgusting floors, you'd get sick as a dog." Daja placed a hand on his face and puckered her lips, like she always did around him.
"But what if I don't wanna sleep with him," Katara walked over to the candle on the night stand and licked her fingers and put out the fire.
"It's Okay, I will" Daja speedily said as a smile grew wide on her face. Then she grabbed Zuko's arm. The moonlight kept the room well lit.
Katara felt that little pang of unwanted jealousy again, "Actually, since we are betrothed we should get used to it, I mean that's what married people do," Katara then took Zuko's arm and pulled him toward the bed on the other side of the room. Zuko tensed.
Zuko stopped and pulled his arm from Katara, "She knows, I told her when you left us in the forest"
"She knows what?" Katara stopped and faced him while Daja stood awkwardly in the other side of the room.
"She knows we're not betrothed, but I reasoned with her to not kill you…I told her that…well it's not important about what I told her, but I'm saying that we don't have to sleep together." Zuko walked back over to Daja who was sitting on the opposite bed in deep thought.
Katara watched his retreating back slightly surprised.
Zuko removed his black cloak, that was soaked and then his shirt that was also soaked from the rain.
Katara looked at him just admiring things; she sat reminiscing on the adventure she had been on with him. All the danger they escaped together, and she thought back to what Daja had said at the clothing store…Zuko killed a man for hurting her, a slight smile grew on her lips, and she realized he did care.
"Uh, Katara you like the view from this room?" Daja laughed and pointed to Zuko with her eyes while he stared out the window.
Katara quickly tore her gaze from Zuko, but kept looking across the room and as Zuko got into bed beside Daja, she knew he did care, just not in the way she hoped.
Katara turned over in her bed and she faced the wall. Her lips started to tremble but quickly stopped as Katara collected her thoughts.
"Why would I expect him to care that way about me, when I don't care that way about him?" she quietly lied/asked herself.
Katara drowned herself in thoughts and eventually her thoughts put her to sleep.
On the other side of the room Daja and Zuko lay awake talking. ++++++++++
"I know you like her." Daja turned to lie on Zuko's bare chest.
"No I don't." Daja felt him tense under her
"Remember in the forest, when you told me how angry you would be if something happened to Katara? And I know you do because of the way you look at her." Daja traced circles in his chest
Zuko scooted from under her and faced her, "Listen to me; I watch over her as a companion, no feelings have developed between us."
Daja slide closer to him, "Don't lie to me," she placed a hand on his cheek and caressed his ear. She moved her lips closer to Zuko's lips and pressed her body against his.
Zuko felt a familiar feeling throughout him, all he could focus on was Daja, and everything else was a blur. He placed a hand on Daja's hip.
"You killed a man for her"
Zuko nodded his head
"I'll ask you, now," Daja inched closer to his lips
"Do you have feelings for Katara?"
Zuko closed his eyes and turned his back to Daja, "It's complicated," was all he uttered.
Daja touched his shoulder, but Zuko jerked away. "I know you like her; don't hide what you feel…besides aren't you tired of doing that"
"What are you talking about?"
"You know if you don't let out your feelings soon, she'll lose interest."
"What?"
"You're a handsome guy, is it hard for you to believe she actually likes you?"
"How do you know?" Zuko stared at the unlit candle on the nightstand the stood in the middle of the room under the window.
"I just know," Daja turned to face the wall "she acts the same way I do around you."
"What are you saying?" Zuko was clueless
"I like you, she likes you, but you like her," tears started to fall down Daja's face she took a sharp intake of breath
"Daja…"
"Its okay, my father will probably have men lined up to marry me when we return home…" she wiped away the tears from her face
"I don't understand,"
Daja laughed, "There's not much to understand. You like her."
"I never said that." Zuko tensed again
"You don't have to."
"I don't like her,"
"Whatever…"
"I don't!" Zuko raised his whisper, then after a few moments he quickly changed the subject "You and Katara seem to be getting close,"
"Yeah, she is nice," Daja gritted her teeth
"Most people say that about her…" Zuko sighed
Daja cut him off, "Goodnight, Zuko"
"Goodni-, wait what did you call me?"
"I'm not stupid and I've known for quite sometime. I studied all about these things before my journey to the nations."
"And you don't hate me?"
"I just told you I like you, didn't I?"
Zuko shut his eyes, "Goodnight, Daja"
Daja quietly slipped out of bed and made sure Katara and Zuko were still asleep. She tiptoed to the nightstand and knelt by it. She snapped her fingers and a fire emitted at her fingertips and she re-lit the candle. She then grabbed her necklace and bowed her head. The crystal began to glow a deep crimson, and a deep voice inside the crystal began to talk, "Have you gotten a man to carry out the plan?"
"Well, I have a man, but I've hit a speed bump…" she closed her eyes
"What are you talking about, you have a few more hours left or else our plan is tarnished! You don't have time to hit 'speed bumps'"
"I know, the speed bump is a girl," Daja clenched her teeth
"A little girl? You know you have the power to destroy her within seconds!"
"Yes, but the girl is worth something to the man, and the spell doesn't work if he is bonded by the slightest hint of love."
"They are in love or close to it?"
"I'm pretty sure,"
"No! Don't be pretty sure! Be sure!"
"How will I be sure?" Daja grabbed the crystal tighter in fear
"You will lead them to Jarad Lake in the morning, and you will be hidden in the bushes, and I will make sure they are alone, if a moment of intimacy happens you will interrupt the moment with food. You will make bowls of cream for them and slip a concoction into it. It will act as a truth serum. Then separate the two and ask them separately about their feelings for one another, once you return to town. If they do love each other, stay at this Inn another night and perform this same ritual to summon me, then we will figure a way to destroy their love!"
"But we don't have all that much time,"
"Did you forget who I am, Daja?"
"No…"
"Then do as you were told!"
"What about the hunt I sent them on looking for you?"
"Let them receive information from people, but not to much to ruin our plan."
"What will the concoction be?"
"Melon, honey, and a lock of the girl's hair, your hair, and the mans hair."
"Is the intimacy part really necessary?" Daja felt a pang of jealousy
"Yes! If there is not a moment of intimacy, then there is nothing there and you won't have to waste time feeding them the cream. Understand?"
"Yes Father." Daja let go of the crystal and it stopped glowing
She knew they liked each other. The Jarad Lake plan Dahara made was unnecessary. Daja slowly climbed back into bed. She knew she would have to crush Katara mentally, and alter Zuko's feelings for Katara to get what she wanted and more importantly what her father, Dahara, wanted.
A/N: Oh no, the seducing Daja is an evil sadistic seducing Daja! Lol what is her plan that she has for Zuko? What is she gonna do to Katara to reach Dahara expectations?!
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