Disclaimer: We own nothing!
WARNING! If you can't handle attempted sexual assault, when it basically starts, skip down to the final paragraph!
The Festival
Part Two
"Fine, go get drunk. Be stupid." Cheng said. He knew that no matter what he said, his friend and brother were going to do what ever they wanted. Zuko smiled with approval from his friend to drink and have fun. Then Shing looked around the empty street towards the outdoor bar. Zuko and Shing quickly walked to the bar and took a seat. Cheng followed his friends and sat beside his brother. Zuko slapped his hand on the wooden bar to instruct the bartender to give them each a beer. "I'm just here to make sure you guys don't do anything stupid." Cheng told his friends.
"That's what boring brothers are for." Shing said sarcastically. Zuko laughed and watched the bartender slide a drink down the bar in front of each of them. He happily grabbed the large glass and brought it to his lips for a taste of the cool alcohol. Cheng watched his friends and crossed his arms. He looked around the empty clearing and looked at the large banners and decorations that lined the streets. Cheng knew that even with Zuko and Katara's marriage the war wasn't going to end. Cheng thought to himself; then looked back to his friends that placed their empty glasses on the bar. He then looked to his glass that had not been touched yet. He grabbed the glass and took a small sip. Zuko then slapped the bar again with his hand, and two more drinks slid down the bar into the hands of the two men.
"You two know that the war isn't going to end right?" Cheng asked his friends. Zuko placed his hand on the glass and stared at the alcohol. Zuko knew that his father wouldn't just quit the war for some arranged marriage. The Fire Lord was using the marriage for a way to get closer to the Water Tribe; before attacking and destroying everything. Zuko didn't want to think about it. He grabbed the alcohol and quickly brought it to his lips for a long drink. Shing watched his friend then turned to his brother.
"Stop being lame and drink." He commanded his brother, before following Zuko's lead and drinking his beer. Zuko finished half of his second drink and placed the glass on the bar to breathe for a while. Shing continued drinking and drank the whole glass in on shot. "Ha I did it!" Shing yelled as he smashed the empty glass on the ground. Cheng rolled his eyes at his brother and took another small sip of his alcohol.
Meanwhile Katara sat on the side of the bed in her dark red night gown. She kicked off her slippers and crossed her legs. She grabbed the hair brush from the table beside the bed and began brushing her long brown hair. Katara still felt guilty about her kiss with Shing. What if Zuko found out, it could break his heart or even worse she could get in major trouble for going outside the arrangement? She sighed and placed the hair brush back on the table; she held her arms and looked around the bedroom. Many candles lined the room and lit area. Her eyes scaled the walls up to the ceiling. They were so tall that the light from the candles couldn't reach them. She looked at the large table against the wall with candles and vases. Katara then remembered she still had the book about the past Fire Lords; she walked from the bed to the table and picked up the book. The front of the book had a large Fire Nation insignia; she recognized it from the letter that had come to inform her of the arrangement. She sighed and walked back to the bed, she laid on the her stomach and placed the book on the pillow, she began to read where she left off.
Back at the festival, Shing had just finished another beer and slapped his own hand on the bar to order another glass. Zuko took a sip of his alcohol then smiled to himself. "Shing you got something on your robe." Zuko told his friend.
"What?" Shing asked and looked down at his robe. Zuko then smiled and threw a large splash if beer on his friends lap. Cheng laughed at his brother and took a sip of his own glass. Shing brought his face from his robe and back at Zuko's smiling face. Shing then grabbed his glass of beer and splashed an equal amount in Zuko's lap. They both laughed at each others stupidity, and Cheng shook his head to himself.
"You two are morons." Cheng told the two idiots soaked in each others alcohol. The two just laughed and continued to drink. "You are going to get completely wasted aren't you?" Cheng asked his friends.
"Close." Zuko answered and continued to drink his third glass. Shing nodded and began drinking his alcohol. He had already lost count of how many he drank.
"I'm just saying that you two should take it easy." Cheng suggested. Shing glared at his brother and brought the glass from his mouth.
"Shut up, Cheng." Shing told his brother.
"I'm trying to be responsible." Cheng said. Zuko ignored his friend and continued to sip his glass.
Back in the bedroom Katara was beginning to feel tired and Zuko had not returned. She closed the book and placed it on the table beside the bed. She closed her eyes, then remembered that Zuko usually turned down the lights. Katara got out of the bed and blew out half the candles. She then walked back to the bed and got half way under the blankets, closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Shing had just finished another beer and he began to wobble back and forth in his chair. Zuko was still sipping his fourth glass and he began to feel a small headache.
"Okay, Shing, you are getting way to drunk. That has to be your sixth glass!" Cheng told his brother.
"Shut up… you… stupid head!" Shing yelled at his brother. Zuko obviously knew his friend was drunk and senseless.
"I'm going to get you two some tea." Cheng said and got of his chair. "You two just wait here." Cheng instructed the two men. Zuko pushed his beer away from his and leaned against the bar. Shing grabbed Zuko's beer and began to drink it. Zuko just smiled and closed his eyes to calm his headache.
A few minutes passed and Shing stood got out of his chair. Zuko opened his eyes and looked at his friend.
"Where are you going?" Zuko asked and remained in his chair.
"I have to piss." Shing told him. Zuko smiled and looked back in the direction that Cheng left.
"You better hurry, before your brother returns." Zuko said and closed his eyes again. Shing swayed side to side and walked from the festival.
A while after Shing left Cheng returned with a cup of tea in each hand.
"Where's Shing?" Cheng asked him. Zuko opened his eyes and looked at Cheng.
"He went to the rest room." Zuko told him. Cheng shook his head and offered Zuko a cup of tea. He grabbed the tea and took a sip. "Thanks." Zuko said to Cheng and took another sip.
"You're welcome." Cheng replied, and sat on a chair beside Zuko.
Meanwhile Shing wondered the hallways of the palace. He stumbled from side to side, then felt the alcohol rising up his throat; he bent over and vomited. Shing stood up and wiped the vomit from his mouth with his sleeve. He walked a few more paces and remembered he had to urinate. Shing stood beside a plant that rested on the ground and urinated on the plant. He closed his pants again and turned to walk back to the festival.
Shing walked in front of Zuko's bedroom door. He stopped walking and stood beside the door. He placed his hand on the door knob and opened the door. He wandered into the door and shut the door behind him. Katara laid on the bed underneath the blankets facing away from the door. She opened her eyes to the sound of the door shutting she expected it to be Zuko. She closed her eyes and relaxed again.
A few seconds later she felt someone else on the bed. She smiled to herself and brought the blankets to her chin. She then felt a hand climbing from her lower back to her hip, then another hand slowly crawling from her stomach to her chest. She opened her eyes; Zuko had never touched her like this.
"Zuko, stop it." Katara said. Just then she felt breathing on her ear.
"I'm real fucking horny." Shing whispered into her ear. She knew exactly who it was, Katara tried to get away from him.
"Leave me alone!" She yelled and pushed his hands from her body. Shing grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. Katara opened her mouth to scream but Shing brought his mouth to hers and kissed her lips. Katara tasted the alcohol and vomit from his mouth. She pushed him off her and jumped out of bed. She rushed to the wash room door but felt Shing wrap his arms around her body.
She screamed as loud as she could but Shing threw his hand over her mouth; his hand hit her mouth and her lip began to bleed. Shing pulled her closer to his body and his hand crawled across her waist and chest. Tears began to form in her eyes and she swiftly brought her elbow into his ribs.
Shing released his grip on her and she ran to the other side of the room. Shing grabbed his side and ran after her, Katara ran beside the large table where her dress had been resting on. She looked around the room searching for a water source, but she couldn't see any.
Shing grabbed her and forced her against the table. He brought their lips together and forced her legs open. Tears poured down her face and she tried to push him away from her. He pushed her body farther on the table and grabbed her dress. He pulled on her dress until it was around her ankles. All she wore was a pair of black lacy undergarments. Shing brought his lips her chest and repeatedly kissed her skin as his hands kept her legs open.
"Help!" Katara screamed. Shing then placed his hips in between her legs and pulled his shirt off. Katara continued to scream and tried to hit his face. Shing pushed her back on the table and she hit the surface hard. Tears continued to pour down her face, and she pleaded him to stop. "Please stop!" She screamed.
Meanwhile Zuko and Cheng waited for Shing to return.
"He sure is taking awhile." Cheng said. Zuko nodded and finished his tea. His headache was gone, and he felt tired.
"He probably passed out somewhere. I'm not going to wait here all night. See you tomorrow." He said as he got out of his chair.
"If you find my brother tell him I'm waiting here." Cheng yelled to Zuko. Zuko waved his hand in the air signaling 'okay'. Cheng waited at the bar for his brother, he continued to drink his tea.
Zuko walked through the hallways and he came to the bedroom door. His eyes widened as he heard a woman's scream coming from the room. He quickly kicked open the door and ran into the bedroom. He saw Shing and Katara on the table. Katara screamed and clawed at his face as he tried to pull her panties off.
"You sick fuck!" Zuko yelled. The flames of the candles grew with his anger. He ran to Shing and threw him off the table to the floor. Katara sat up on the table, she continued crying and jumped off the table. She ran into the washroom, and slammed then locked the door behind her. She sat in front of the door and cried into her arms.
Outside the washroom Shing stood to his feet and looked at Zuko. He saw the anger on his face.
"Get out!" Zuko screamed and pointed towards the door.
"You're too much of a pussy to fuck her!" Shing yelled to him.
"Get out, Shing!" Zuko yelled again and punched a burst of flames at him. Shing glared at Zuko and turned around to leave, he left the room and slammed the door behind him.
Katara heard the door slam, she picked her head from her arms and wiped a few of her tears. She took a few minutes to calm herself and took a deep breath. She looked around the washroom and found another one of her night gowns. She stood up, slipped it on and opened the door a crack and looked into the room. She saw Zuko sitting on the bed with his face in the palms, he took a deep breath.
Katara opened the door and walked out. Zuko brought his face from his hands and continued sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry." He said and continued looking at the floor. Katara stood in the middle of the floor and held her arms. Zuko finally looked at her and saw how uncomfortable she was. "If you want me to leave, I would understand." He said. Katara looked at him.
"Please don't go." She quietly said and walked to him. He looked up at her and saw her sadness.
"I can stay." He said. Zuko stood up and began to walk to his side of the bed. Katara quickly wrapped her arms around his torso and cried into his chest. Zuko wrapped his arms around her and placed his cheek on top of her head. She continued to cry into his chest and she clung to his robe as tight as she could. He was the only one she could truly trust in her new life. He was the only one she felt safe with and the only man she ever loved.
