A/N: So yeah, it's probably a good idea that I upped the rating...this one's pretty angsty and graphic. Also, I'm aware that IRL, it's a no-no to bathe after being raped, but I doubt that would have occurred to Azula (and even if it did, she would have reasoned that no one was going to arrest the Phoenix King.)
If it had just been the physical pain, she thought she would have been able to manage. She was pretty sure something was torn somewhere up there, but it would heal eventually. It always did.
No, it was what Daddy had said to her in the process that was causing Azula to huddle on the bed. He'd said, "How dare you think you have any control over me?" And, "I let you play your little seduction games because I found them amusing, but that's all they were…games." And, "You are neither as smart nor as useful as you think you are."
She'd thought she'd been indispensable to him, that she was the only person he had any respect for. And now…she was questioning everything about herself. If she was no longer useful to Daddy, what would he do to her when he got back?
Maybe a bath would help her make sense of things. With difficulty, Azula got up and rang for a servant, throwing on a robe for modesty. Said servant appeared rather…concerned about the state of the room, (was there blood on the sheets? Dammit, Azula had forgotten to check first!) but knew better than to comment.
"Draw me a bath. And then get out of here and don't come back," Azula managed to gasp out.
The servant blinked, then answered, "Yes, Prin…I mean, Fire Lord. Do you want anything added to the water, any scented oils or…"
"I don't care!" Azula cried out hoarsely.
"Yes, Fire Lord!" the servant squeaked again as she scurried off.
It took much longer than Azula thought appropriate to get the tub filled (was it always that slow, or was it the servant's fault?), but when it was, Azula decided to be merciful and banish the servant rather than kill her. After all, she couldn't have this woman blabbing to everyone in the palace about what she'd seen, could she now?
As soon as she was alone, Azula slipped the robe off again and gratefully sank into the tub. She made no move to wash herself, and just sat in the water. Perhaps things weren't as dire as they seemed. A long soak would restore her senses, and then she'd burn any incriminating evidence and no one would be the wiser.
And then…Father would come back, and he had spoken of marriage once everything was taken care of. Maybe he'd love her again once she started providing him with more heirs.
She still loved him, of course; would die for him. She couldn't not.