A/N:
Second chapter of the night! Enjoy with caution.
WARNING: There is a scene of sexual assault and violence in this chapter.
Chapter 31:
(General POV)
Zhiar stood behind his mother as she was trying to heal the bruise on her cheek and wipe the tears from her eyes. He just so happened to walk in on his stepfather yelling at his mother about what would happen if she left him. She was sitting there with her hand over her face as she glared callously at him. He had seen his mother angry but that was not anger, that was hate. And it was a hideous look on her.
So he waited till Arnook left her be before he made his presence known and helped his mother to the sink of her bathroom. She wanted to get rid of the bruise before it could be seen.
"You don't tell your father or anyone about this." Katara told her son as she looked at him through the mirror, wiping her tears away.
Zhiar nodded his head as he watched her gaze drop in the mirror.
"What? So he hits you and we pretend he didn't?" Zhiar was confused and sort of frustrated at the notion.
This was not how things were supposed to be. His stepfather and mom should not have been arguing. He should not have hit her. And they should not be acting like this was okay.
Katara sighed and looked back up to him before turning around to meet his gaze. She approached him and placed her hands on his shoulders, then began to explain to him the situation. If his father found out that Arnook had put his hands on her, then he would without a doubt harm Arnook. And that was something that they could not let happen.
Zhiar looked at her long and hard, "Is Arnook angry because he found out you're having an affair with dad?"
Katara was stunned and taken aback.
"I've seen you two. Sneaking away from the rest of us to be together."
It was complicated. Zhiar was becoming a young man and had been since she had fallen asleep. She remembered her baby boy when she held him in her arms after delivering him and his sister. She remembered being overwhelmed with love and hope when she saw them both. She remembered raising them after Ozai's execution and how alone and afraid she was. La, she felt like the worst mother and she would be right to. Her world had fallen apart so easily. She tried to maintain face with her children. Teach Kya waterbending. Help Zhiar control his temper she had seen him have at such a young age. She tried to keep them together. Teach them of their father and help them understand that despite what they heard there was always more to the story but was there?
Looking in her son's eyes she could read all his questions and see all his doubts. He didn't trust her and why should he? She was failing him again as his mother. Treating him like a boy when the world already took that innocence from him when they mocked him for being the son of a waterbender. A trash woman that should have been a mere concubine. Not the wife of a leader with promise for a nation of a people that saw themselves as superior.
Katara pulled away, unable to bear touching her son as she felt she was tainting him with all her faults and shortcomings.
"No, Arnook, doesn't know about that." Katara felt shame and a bit of despair. "I let Zuko take your baby brother with him."
Zhiar was shocked, "But why?! He's a baby."
"Zhiar there are things that we parents do for the love and sake of our children. I love Ryu as I love you and your sister but I worry enough with you being in the North. I should have let you go with your sister and father." She told him.
Furrowing his brows even more, Zhiar looked at his mother with disbelief. "Wh-what?! What are you saying?! I'm fine in the North! Arnook's been a better father to me than dad ever would be and-"
"Zhiar, no." Katara shook her head as she looked at him sternly. "Your father adored you when you were born and when he reentered our lives, he couldn't wait to see you. He didn't see you the way he saw Zuko. I promise you, he's loved you and this hate you have for him, you wouldn't believe what it's doing to him."
Zhiar stared wide eye at his mother as she shedded tears.
"You can care about Arnook. I'm sure he was good to you while I was asleep but Ozai is your father and you need to accept that. He's not perfect and neither is Arnook." Katara told him. "It's okay to care about both your stepfather and father. You don't have to choose."
"But dad, he-"
"And I'm having an affair, Zhiar. And I collapsed a temple on innocent people because I didn't want to marry Arnook the first time. And I've killed. And I've done wrong. We all have. Maybe not to the same extent as your father, he was nothing less of evil not too long ago, but that's over and done with. Right now, he's your father and he's never done anything to hurt you. Not once."
Losing the weight in his shoulders, Zhiar looked to the side and felt a little off put with his mother's words. As easy as it was to believe his mother was saying this out of a bias for his father, she wasn't exactly lying. But he didn't know. Could he really just switch his feelings si quickly on command? Could he simply forget the hurt he saw in the Northern people's faces when they'd talk about the devastation his father caused? He knew his mother eyes were mixed with love and resentment over seven years ago when his father showed up. While she had come to love his father, he saw she blamed him for her hardships.
But he guessed that was a time before him. And if his father really did adore him, it must have sucked for him to know his own son struck him down. Ugh! But he's such a dick! Him and his stupid way of trying to be good but still being an asshole! I can't stand him even if none of that stuff in the past happened!
Shaking his head as he backed away from his mother, "Sorry, mom, but I need time to care about dad like you and Kya and Zuko."
"That's fine, my love." She figured that was better than nothing.
….
(General POV)
Ozai had to say, he was surprised to hear this news. Even Hama found it hard to believe but they both saw for themselves Zuko carrying Ryu with him out the palace, shapeshifting into his less human form to take off to the sky. Ozai was about to go after him until Kya showed up to tell him that Katara willingly handed Ryu over to Zuko.
The one thing that didn't come as a surprise was the arguing that the two of them heard as they passed by Katara's chambers. That was bound to happen. However; the two stopped when they overheard something.
"I saved you from exile! I gave you a chance to atone! You were Ozai's water whore! Everyone from everywhere would mention you in that context! The traitor of the Water Tribes and the Avatar! You were disgraced! And I saved you from that! Now you return my favor by asking for a divorce!" Arnook yelled.
"I don't need saving! I can save myself!" Katara screamed. "Besides, how is reducing my chi saving me?! How is lying about my past saving me?! How is turning my son against his father saving me?! You're just a self-righteous asshole playing nice because he thinks that's enough to make someone love him back! Well guess what?! I don't love you!"
Hama winced and shivered. "I swear that girl has too much of me in her."
Ozai glanced at Hama, "With your track record, I hope not."
Scoffing as she folded her arms, Hama rolled her eyes at him. "I was referring to her attitude."
"Even worse."
"You know what, Ozai?! I'm so sick of you bein-"
*SMACK!*
They paused and heard a thud.
"You ungrateful woman! I shouldn't have been so gentle with you! You clearly prefer to be punished or abused! You think I don't notice something's going on between you and Ozai!"
Hama saw Ozai's irises turning red and she grabbed his wrist, telling him to not.
"If you even think about leaving me to be with him, I will expose you and this time you won't be the only one in exile! Your entire family will be excommunicated!"
Ozai was about to bust the door down when Hama bloodbended him to yield.
"Her family gets exiled, are you willing to give them a home here?" Hama questioned him. "If not, don't act rashly. You'll cause more pain than you'd be helping her. Think before you act, dumb ass."
Ozai broke her hold on him and came to tower over her. In his half-Phoenix state. The red eyes, the black flame laced in his hair, the monstrous why his face shaped as he had become foreal, and those long black claws of his that he used to grab her by her jaw.
And in that devilish inhuman growl of his, Ozai sent a chill down her spine. "Do your little blood bending shit to me again and I will break you in half, got it?" He breathed out a cold steam into her face, blowing her hair back.
Hama clenched her teeth at him, "oh, demon child of mine. I can get ugly too."
….
(Katara's POV)
I had to get a hold of myself. Wipe the tears away and pretend all was right. It was a skill I had mastered during the war and it was one I seem to have lost my touch with recently. But after an hour of prepping myself up, I knew I had it.
Wearing my hair down in a peach colored gown that showed off my curves and yet fluttered as it flowed past my waist. I purposely picked a bright color. Hoping that it would smile for me if my smile faltered and revealed too much to the others. Sure, I was fighting with my husband and carrying on in an affair with my ex-husband but that was no one's business. Not even each other's and Ozai was the last person I wanted to find out about last night with Arnook.
I sighed as I took one more moment before leaving my bedroom. No one is going to notice and if they do, just lie.
Finally opening my door with the brightest damn beam on my face and was about the step out to face the music of the day. But like a thief in my sorry ass reality, Ozai steps into the threshold of my door and looks down at me with a look that utterly shattered my facade of delightfulness. Oh la, why do you do this to me?
And I knew he could see past this makeshift mask of mines that I hadn't even make an effort to readjust after he knocked it half off with his gold eyes. Or were they silver now? Who knew? I sure as hell didn't. They were always different every time I looked into them.
Anyways, giving in was not an option and I refused to let him ruin this charade for me. Because it wasn't just about keeping him from intervening but this was also about keeping myself from giving into the urge to show Arnook who I truly was. And that was a woman that would have him flat on his ass for slapping me.
"Your majesty." I bowed my head and looked at him with a teasingly playful look.
I saw his expression change immediately. A small little flame lit in them and a small curl to the corners of his lips. Yes! Whatever he was thinking about before had now been replaced. I had to keep this going. Use my feminine charm to distract him.
"Pretty early to be coming to see me. Was I on your mind last night, your majesty?" I tilted my head up at him in curiosity, watching as I slowly seem to reel him into this little charade of mines.
It wasn't something I took pride in but Ozai was not very different from other men that wanted a woman. He could be manipulated. Fortunately for him, I was only doing this for his good and my good too. Our good, you could say.
He grinned and moved closer to me. I knew he wanted to take me in his arms and kiss me. I wanted him to as well. But there was hesitation. There was always hesitation. The one surprising feat of his was that he wasn't forceful with me when I can clearly see he wanted to be.
Ozai reaches his hand out to me and cups the side of my cheek to caress me. "Killing Arnook is not my desire. Not unless it is yours." His hand then moved into my hair. "You don't have to pretend with me, waterbender."
Well...that was humiliating. I dropped my gaze from his and looked down with shame. I guess that's what I get for trying to deceive him. Nothing got past those sharp eyes of his. La, I sort of hated him for not playing along at least. But this was fine too.
Sighing, I look back to him and shrug my shoulders. "He knows." I told him feeling the entire weight of my emotions begin to bear down on me. "He knows about us. Or at least he thinks he does."
"Then I'm sure he knows that I came here with every intention of making his wife leave him for me." He grinned that devilish smile of his as he moved to kiss me and I didn't dare move. Why would I?
I felt the heat pool into my stomach. Mixing and mingling with the butterflies that resided there whenever he was around. La, he was the most unlikeliest of people for me to ever be so enthralled by. The former tyrant of the Fire Nation. A man to be feared and hated. But here, in moments like this, he was just Ozai. A feverishly handsome tall man that provoked me to do things I didn't even dared to dream of doing.
When one of his arms wrapped around my waist pulling me up to him as our lips collided, I looped my arms around his neck and jumped up for him to catch me. This only seemed to evoke an urgency between us as he carried me to the bed I just slipped out of this morning. he laid me there and felt the chill of distance when he pulled away but his gaze, the way his eyes roamed over me provided a heat that warmed me up before he grabbed the skirt of my gown to push it up. I would normally hesitate or resist before giving in but there was nothing holding me back as he decided I'd be his breakfast for this morning. I simply tangled my fingers into his long ebony hair and let his name leave my lips in a half-court laced with need and want.
I fear this would only grow into something more devastating and I was somehow comforted by the fact that I knew if it did, then I'd have no regrets.
….
(General POV)
Zhiar couldn't shake the annoyance and confusion he had felt since he spoke with his mother last night. She really was in love with his father. No wonder his father had been trying to fix things in the last seven years. Shaking his head, no, he was just using us to make mom want him again.
Furrowing his brows hard, Zhiar spat on the blade of the dagger his grandfather gave him and ran a cloth over it to clean it. He was sitting out in a courtyard on his own. Not wanting to be bothered with his mother or father or sister. Or really anyone. He needed to think on his own. Have his own thoughts about what the hell was going on with his family. Because a lot of things didn't sit well with him and at first he thought it was his father but now...he was thinking it all started with his mother.
"Cleaning that old rusty thing?" Sokka asked as he approached his nephew.
Zhiar looked up and a small grin tugged at the edges of his lips, "Jealous I have it and not you?"
Sokka laughed as he took a seat beside his nephew and leaned on his hands. "You get your humor from me, kid. Your mother isn't funny at all. Tried to tell jokes and had our whole group cringing. And your father, I assume he has a few jokes but I doubt any of us will find them funny."
Chuckling as he sheathed his dagger and looked to his uncle. He figured the best way for him to find out more about his mother's past and her reasoning for her actions long ago was to ask someone who was familiar with her back then. And who better than her brother that accompanied her and the Avatar around the whole?
"Can you tell me why my mom joined the Avatar?" Zhiar asked him.
Sokka glanced down at his little nephew and observed his face. It was frightening to see that this blue eyed firebender was actually related to him sometimes. But Sokka had long put his prejudices aside for the sake of family and all the goodness in the world. Plus, Zhiar was a good kid despite a few instances with his father. Which could barely count being that his father was a man well deserving of what came to him.
Sighing, Sokka looked away and told his nephew about his grandmother. Kya. The woman his sister was named after. And how that said woman gave her life in order to protect Katara's.
"I don't know for sure but when Katara realized that Aang was the Avatar, I think she might have felt this was why our mother died saving her life. She felt it was her calling. The universe telling her what her destiny was." Sokka said as he went on to tell Zhiar how his mother was in those days.
It was like reliving what he had almost thought was a dream. Those days on Appa's back traveling over mountains and seas, seeing the world for what it was. Helping and defending people that the war had made to suffer. He told his nephew how his mother was a healer and even if they were running behind on their schedule to get the Avatar to his next destination, she'd make them stop just to help a group of people in need.
"Her kindness even extended to Zuko when he was still our enemy. She understood him. Understood he just wanted to go back home and she offered to help him. He betrayed her and Aang was injured because of it. I think that's when Katara started to harden or the reality of war and her nature of being helpful came into conflict."
Zhiar listened to his uncle explain how even after that, his mother couldn't help herself, even in a country that had been their enemy. She had to help people.
"Being in the Fire Nation made her see, made us see, that no one side was suffering." Sokka cast his gaze low, "Her sympathy for the people, even the man that murdered our mother, it just showed how truly beautiful a heart she had. But-"
Seeing his uncle pause as if he was reliving those days.
"Your older sister, Azula took her and brought her to your father. I was devastated. We all were. Katara wasn't just a fierce member of our team, she was a mother to us when all of us were lacking that. She gave us something that none of us had. And we lost that when she was taken."
Zhiar furrowed his brows and stood up, "So why did she suddenly take my father's side when she clearly didn't believe in what he was doing?! Why did she fall in love with him?! He was an old man and she was still young! Why?!" Zhiar desperately wanted to know. If his mother was all these good and wonderful things, why did she turn?
Shaking his head, "I don't know exactly but if I know anything about your mother, is she can see the good in even the most vilest of people. That and she probably saw him as the hurt bastard he really is. You're not old enough to see it but when you get older, you'll start to see that some people can't hide their feelings behind their eyes and your father does a terrible job at it."
"What do you mean?" Zhiar was confused.
Patting the kid's head as he stood up, "Don't worry about it. Just know you're mother, she does things that not even I understand but I know her heart and I know in the end of the war, she wanted a happy ending for everyone. Especially you and your sister. So she probably sided for you all."
Zhiar felt a little unsatisfied with that answer. His mother sided for them? But why would that be relevant now to why she wanted to be with his father? There had to be more. More information. He needed to know and understand.
…...
(Ozai's POV)
"Where were you this morning?" The siren wench asked as she approached me.
I swear if this woman hadn't helped me raise my daughter and provided some sort of aid in matters that I couldn't bother to concern myself with then I would have probably killed her a long time again. She was utterly agonizing and I had to admit, I did resent her. And for more reason than one.
I sucked my teeth and slanted my eyes at her. It wasn't her business what I was doing this morning. Besides, I knew she knew. She was just being her usual bitch of a woman self, wanting to pry information out of me as if she could get more details.
The way her eyes slanted back at me indicated that what I had deduced was correct. Her lip twisted into that disgusting twisted grin of hers she had the nerve to call a smile.
"Ah," she said circling me like a predator did its prey. Her light blue eyes scanning me as if to read me for confirmation. "You think with Arnook's suspicions that you might as well throw caution to the wind."
Cocking my head to the side, "I think it's none of your business."
There wasn't a word in existence or would there be that described just how much I hated that laugh of hers. The way it sounded as if she should have the right, the freedom to feel anything but melancholy and despair. How her eyes could manage to still remain partially opened as her mouth was wide open. Did I even know someone with a laugh so uncouth? It was like she was rubbing her amusement and joy in my face. What the hell was so damn funny?!
"Ozai, my precious boy, I think you need me to remind you that Katara is my granddaughter. That's blood and I know that doesn't matter much to you, a patricidal disenchanted man who has so much power and still can't seem to get what he really wants. But for us 'lesser' people or peasants as you like to refer to us as, blood and family ties mean a lot to us. So please note that if something happens and she's the one to take the fall, you and I will be at real odds."
Oh, that was laughable. The woman that sent her son to kidnap her granddaughter, who then abused and raped her, had the nerve to tell me not to let anything happen to that said granddaughter. I would be offended if I didn't think that was the funniest shit had I heard from Hama in a long time. She talked about family like she gave a damn. She didn't even tell Katara that she was her grandmother and even so, Hama wasn't exactly grandmotherly towards Katara. I had witnessed that for myself.
So I just chuckled lightly at her remark. No point wasting my energy getting angry. Besides, she really thought she could go up against m-
Before I could even finish the thought, Hama had a spear of ice appear from the water in the air and swung it swiftly on both sides of me, then twirled it above her head before stabbing me in the chest with it. A quarter of an inch from my heart.
Hama's eyes were glowing as she brought me down on my knees, "Love is the only thing that can kill a Phoenix and I love you, Ozai. But if I kill you with that love in my heart, you are not coming back. Understand me?"
On my knees with my hands severed on both sides and a quarter of an inch from a permanent death, I cough up my blood, scowling at her. "Don't mistake lust for love, Hama. That'll get you killed."
Tearing the spear up my chest, Hama took the spear and smacked me in the head with it. I could literally feel that she had bashed the side of my head in.
"Try me, Ozai, and I'll send you to be with your father in hell." Hama spat as she stepped over me.
It was fortunate that I was in a more private corridor. I'd have enough time to recover to heal. I sighed. I admit, I'm problematic.
….
(General POV)
The talk he had with his nephew really got to him. He hadn't allowed himself to think too much of his sister during the war times. He could never really get pass the last half of it. But when he spoke to Zhiar, he remembered so much he let himself forget. The good time they had out there in the wilderness. How they had so much and the thrill of finally ending the war coursing through their veins the entire time. It was frightening and it scared them all shitless but they all gave it their all.
And then there was his sister. Katara fighting her best fight. Taking care of the group. Protecting Aang. Giving them all the comfort they all had been lacking in those dark days. Honestly, that time might have been the best time of any of their lives. He knew that was bad to say, even in his head, seeing as he was married with kids. But he was sure Toph missed kicking ass and would give anything to get back to it.
As the Southern Chieftain roamed the corridors of Omashu, he heard humming and paused. His blue eyes looked in the direction the humming came from and he spotted his sister idly walking with her hands behind her back as she seemed to be skipping. She looked like a damn kid. His sister hadn't aged a bit. She looked the same and from what they discovered of her not long ago, she was going to still look this way even after they were all long gone. Time hadn't touched her and it wouldn't. But time would catch up to the rest of them.
And so, Sokka felt perhaps it was time to put things behind them. He didn't have as much time as she would have and even with all that time, he would be her only brother. And him dying without resolving a thing, it was going to hurt her more than him when he passed. So there was no time like the present.
"Katara." Her name left his lips with too little ease. Oh, he knew it was about time to settle this. He didn't even have enough anger in him to muster up another moment of being upset with her.
The waterbender looked up to see her older brother and her eyes widened before caution settled in her.
Seeing this, Sokka raised both his hands up and forced a smile. "Sorry, I come in peace."
Raising her brow questioning, "You do?" As if in disbelief, Katara stepped back as he approached.
"You're my little sister and I can't keep doing this with you. I hate that you were the world to me and now this is us."
Katara tried not to laugh at the way he seemed to still vomit his words when he was in an awkward spot. Some things just never got old.
"And I know you didn't mean to hurt me and Toph. You were a frightened widow of two children and you went through so much and no one listened to you or tried to help besides Zuko." He spewed his words out again, just hoping to get them out and not take them back. "But understand that I had a right to be upset. Just because you didn't mean to, doesn't mean you didn't hurt us because you did."
A little taken aback, Katara's blue eyes were wide.
Sokka's hands came down as his eyes softened into dough, "I just really miss my sister and all the times we had together. I just can't keep pretending I hate you when I know this has sucked for us both."
Tears shed from her eyes as she tried rubbing them away.
Opening his arms, "So can we please put it behind us and so u can have my sister back?"
Katara stood there in awe for a moment before she ran into his arms and circled her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. She wept in his arms as he swung her back and forth, also lost in the emotions.
Sokka buried his face in her hair, not wanting to be seen crying. "Tui and La, I miss this. You're like the same size, still."
Chuckling through her tears, "I know. Not much has changed."
"You even still smell the same." Sokka breathed in her scent.
Katara pulled away and looked playfully offended at him as she tapped him on the arm, "Don't say that!" She gasped through her tears. "We were so smelly back then! Rarely bathed!"
Shrugging as he wiped his tears, "You smelt the best out of all of us." Sokka said.
Bursting with laughter, "No, Zuko smelt a ton better than me."
Rolling his eyes, "Only because he insisted on bathing every night. Stupid bastard was his own water heater."
And the two laughed together.
….
(General POV)
Ozai was in his chamber's study reading some random scroll that he took from his bookshelf. There was no real reason he decided to read this evening. No reason other than just wanting a distraction. He didn't need to be in his head. That was dangerous at the moment. Because every fiber of his being wanted to go take Katara in front of Arnook and then throw the man off a balcony. That or have him attacked by assassins.
Oh, that is an idea. He perked up. The endless thoughts of what he could do to assassinate the Northern Chieftain played out in his mind. No. He shook his head and went back to reading. It would be obvious. Not just to people he didn't care had an opinion of him but also to Katara. And while there might be a chance she would come to want him over her buffoon of a husband, his waterbender didn't care for that sort of thing.
As Ozai read in silence, nursing a glass of Fire Nation whiskey in his free hand, he heard the doors of his study open and sighed.
"Hama, please leave me alone." He said.
A hand snatched the scroll out of his hand and he saw a different pair of blue eyes in his face, "I'm sorry if you're expecting Hama but will I do at the moment?" Katara asked him.
"Always." He told her.
She giggled and sat beside him. "We need to talk."
"Agreed."
"Arnook is unbearable. I can't look at him. Can't talk to him. I can't even really stand his presence. And I know it's because I know he's my husband and I don't feel the same way for him that he feels for me. But I can't not go back with him. Not unless I know that what is between you and I isn't something I'm going to regret later." She tells him. "I'm risking a lot here. You heard his threat, me and my family will be excommunicated."
It could be said that hearing her say this to him put him in a much better mood than he had been in since seeing Arnook was here. But her stating that she feared regretting her decision of choosing him did leave him rather sour. What was there to regret? What could Arnook do for her that he couldn't do? Ozai was far more wealthy, powerful, good looking, and not to mention he could please her like no other man ever could. So what was there to him that made her think she'd regret?
Did she fear other women? He wouldn't even look at another bitch if she wished. Or was it if he was genuinely wanting her at his side? He was never the fickle type when it came to the things he wanted. Either he wanted or didn't want. And he wanted her. How was he supposed to prove that to her? What the hell did it take to make her understand that she was his and he was hers?
Damn it! I'm so sick of this shit!
"I warn you now, waterbender. Do not toy with my feelings." Ozai told her.
Reaching her hands to take his, Katara moved closer to him and looked him dead in his eyes. "I'm not toying with your feelings, Ozai. I just don't know what to do. Tell me what to do." She pleaded as she brought his hand to her face. "I'll do it. I just need you to tell me what I'm supposed to do."
Do you really want to know?
Five minutes later, Ozai was pulling the waterbender's dress over her head and tossing it on the floor as her lips were back on his. Down to just her silk underwear. She was desperate in her violent assault for answers from his lips as she had straddled him on the sofa. One hand on the small of her back, the other holding the base of her neck and slowly creeping up to her jaw. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to make her his again. Right here. Right now. With that pathetic husband of hers skulking around his palace.
Oh, he wanted Arnook to know that everything that resides in this palace was his. Including the man's wife, who was moving her hips just above what he was planning to bury deep inside of her. Agni, he could feel her sinking down on him. Almost grinding herself into his groin. He didn't hesitate to slide his hand from the small of her back down to her ass and give it a firm squeeze as he bit her lip. He wanted her to know what she was doing to him, so he pushed her down on him.
Katara gasped and Ozai nearly lost it. Viciously he went for her neck and her voice cried out like a song in his ears. Fuck! He felt her pressing herself down on the bulge of his pants.
"Agni, you're killing me here." Ozai's hot breath against her neck sent chills down her back. The same hand that squeezed her round ass, spanked it and she yelped in pleasure as she fell against him. Her head falling against his chest as she braced her hands to his shoulders.
It wasn't long before Katara was having to hold her hand over her mouth as she felt Ozai thrust his two fingers in and out of her warm throbbing cunt at a painfully slow rhythm. She felt herself losing her wit.
Biting her lip, Katara moved her hand down his chest to the buckle of his pants. She carefully undid the buckles and pulled the leather blinds from the metal clasps. Surely, he needed to be tended to as well. However; as she reached into his undone pants to pull out his length, the waterbender's hand simply touched it and her eyes widened.
Smirking as he saw the disbelief in her eyes, "I thought your memory had come back."
"Not of this being erected." She looked at him like he was some freak.
Ozai made her take him in her small hand and demonstrated what he wanted her to do. She had looked down to see what she was doing but heard a small groan escape his lips and her eyes snapped back to his. She saw the blazing haze of lust in his eyes that narrowed at her the more she stroked him.
"You like this?" She asked him in a low voice and smirked when he nodded his head. "What if I squeezed it harder?"
Hearing his hiss through his teeth, Katara wanted to hear more and proceeded to stroke him harder and faster. When his breathing intensified, her lips went to his as to steal every bit of his breath as she jerked him off some more.
"Fuck!" He swore as he came in her hand, throwing his head back as he moaned loudly.
Katara continued stroked him until her hand was covered with his cum. She felt incredibly turned on from seeing him come undone like this. Oh, she wanted to see him squirm even more.
As his eyes laid on her as he caught his breath, Ozai watched Katara clean her hand with her tongue and he swore if he wasn't trying to recover from his hard release than she'd have his dick shoved deep in her little cunt. Agni, if he ever got to have her again, he was going to really give it to her.
"I hear your birthday is in 3 weeks." Katara was really bad at conversing after or before things took place between them.
But Ozai didn't mind. It helped sober them up. "Should I expect something from you?"
Bashfully looking at him as she sat in his lap with his hands resting on both sides of her hip. "Maybe."
"Can I make a request?" Ozai asked her.
Nodding her head.
"I'd like to see you in something red." He told her. "Can you do that for me?"
Biting her lip, Katara nodded her head.
Running his hand over her ass and he tapped it a few times, "It's getting late. I don't mind if you stay but I don't think your husband would take well to it."
Slipping out of his lap, Katara went stood up and went to where he tossed her dress. She put it on. Almost missing the way the warm air caressed her nearly bare skin. But he was right. It was late and Arnook would not take well to see her in Ozai's chambers like this. Especially, if he knew what they were doing in here.
Fixing his buckle as he stood up, Ozai saw Katara was staring at him longingly like she had more in mind for tonight but couldn't decide if she was willing to take that risk. He smirked and pressed his lips to her for a chaste kiss.
"Get some sleep. We'll see each other in the morning." He told her.
…..
(Ozai's POV)
Obviously, my staff had been a little lax on the job and not keeping the palace clean. It was attracting vermin from afar and there was nothing I hated more than vermin. They were such an eyesore. And speaking of eyesore.
It was hard to miss the eyesore in front of me. The dark brown locks of its hair binded up in blue bands. Its light and dark blue coat bulky over its frail body to assume a role much greater than itself. I wanted to step on it. Put it out of its misery. Agni, I could think of plenty of ways to dispose of its kind and I found satisfaction in the mere thought.
"Phoenix King Ozai."
The fact that it even spoke to me made me as squeamish as a teen girl. I had to bite back the urge to crush it. "Northern Chieftain Arnook." I didn't even look it in the eyes.
"I believe something is amidst here and I know you know what I'm referring to." It croaked like vermin normally did with its chest puffed out assuming an air of superiority. But what was an insect to a god? I tried not to laugh but it was too amusing to hold back and I gave a light chuckle, entertaining this charade.
Clearly, I pissed the vermin off because, now, with its beady little eyes, it dared to step to me. Oh, you need learn your place, peasant. And I had no problem teaching it a lesson in manners and respecting those of a higher status.
"I don't have time for your vagueness, Arnook." I asked him. My impassive tone betrayed nothing. I was now unamused and back to being annoyed.
The vermin scoffed and tried matching the base in my voice with his own and did so terribly. What the fuck was this? A child's game of copying the cat? It could pretend all it liked but it would never match me. It was far too inferior.
"Katara is not how she was before. I believe you know why. You have something to do with it."
Of course, I had something to do with Katara's shift in behavior just like he had to do with my son coming to hate me. I guess we're both guilty. Only, I didn't intentionally turn Katara against him. I only helped her remember and delivered her the truth while he would rather lie to her. He did this to himself. If only he had kept his word that Katara and Zhiar would be fine in the North, I would have kept my distance. Watched and observed from afar. Waiting patiently for the day the man grew old and died to reclaim the waterbender.
However; Arnook proved his incompetence when my son decided he identified more with his stepfather's people and then grew to hate me. Then there was Katara's complete loss of memories. I would have been fine to wait things out had I not come to the realization that Arnook was trying to erase me from her memories and fill the gaps with lies. Arnook betrayed me first. He had this shit coming.
And I really wanted to rub in his face that I had his wife calling my name plenty in the time she's been here and I hadn't even fucked her yet. Could he even claim to have evoked her to do the same with him? I doubt it. I was confident the man was impotent. I had read Katara's thoughts a few times and she seemed to cringe at recalling any of her encounters with her husband.
"Her memory has returned and there is plenty in the past to make her frustrated with you after that shit you pulled in Bei Seng Sei." I reminded him. Seems he never drew that conclusion. It was pretty obvious but I might be giving the roach more credit than it deserved. "Perhaps, an apology will suffice."
As solid and concrete as the information was I provided, it seemed to go over the pee-brain of the vermin. As to be expected. I really did need to stop giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Arnook eyed me to the point I was tempted to set him ablaze but I cautioned myself not to. I didn have more self control now than I did before. The old me would have scorched his ass the minute he stepped foot in my palace. But I'm different now...for the most part. I think.
I watched the vermin reach into his little coat pocket and pull from it, a hair tie. My hair tie to be exact. Gold with a red silk middle. The colors giving away its origins.
"I found this in Katara's bedroom." He said dangling the hair tie in my face as if I hadn't already gotten a good look at it. "I found it odd that you haven't worn your topknot in three days now. Even more odd that I found it three days ago."
Oh, you think you're clever, don't you? I couldn't help the smirk that crept to my lips and plastered there as I stepped up to tower over the much shorter man. He wanted me to admit to something that hadn't been done yet.
"Trust me when I say that if or when I sleep with your wife, you will be the first to know." The thrill of provoking him took hold of me and I could hear my voice shift. It was demonic, eerie, and monstrous. I didn't doubt my irises were once again another color. Feeling my nail beds itchiness my nails grew. Was that how my shapeshifting worked? Literally erecting when my sadism aroused me like a needy bitch in heat. "The pleasure I'd take in telling you that her legs were spread for me while I ruined your fit and seeing the look on your face as I did, would literally cause me to cum on your feet."
Arnook looked at me with wide eyes that expressed disgust. I couldn't blame him. Some man tells me he's going to cum on my feet, I'd probably look the same. But I just felt the message had to come across explicitly so that he and I understood each other. I don't believe the bastard would comprehend if I hadn't worded it so vulgarly.
I smirked wider and watched him step away from him, "I'm glad we're on the same page. Try to keep your feet covered, I have a thick coat."
….
(General POV)
Hakoda had to say that he didn't find the Phoenix King to be anything like he had originally thought. He was just a man under the facade and persona of power and control. He started to understand a little bit of why his daughter might have fallen for him. She probably saw this side and other sides to him. Saw what no one else had seen. And he was starting to see the appeal of the man. Aside from the obvious. His good looks and moments of devilish charm. Not to mention he was sort of...Hakoda couldn't exactly put his finger on but the closest word he could settle for was cute. The man was cute in a way. Cute in the sense he was this larger than life person and yet, he was much more simpler.
As Hakoda entered his office upon being summoned by the Phoenix King, he noticed the man was flipping through a ton of papers and seemed to be annoyed with his servant that was going down the list of things that didn't make much sense to the former Southern Chieftain.
"You all have the blue prints! I was very specific! We need Earthbenders to pull this off! We're in the Agni fucking Earth Kingdom! Go hire half this fucking city!" Ozai yelled.
The servant bowed several times in fear before scurrying off to do as his sovereign asked him.
When it was just the two of them, Hakoda chuckled as he saw Ozai rub his temple. "You look like you're having a rough morning."
Groaning as he continued rubbing his temple, "I took over this place with my loyal followers from the Fire Nation a few years ago. I made it very clear that these people were mine as much as the people of the Fire Nation and these damn morons act like we're still at war with these people." Scoffing, "Bastards are fucking racist."
"And you're not?" Hakoda raised a brow.
Ozai looked up at Hakoda and his lips curled in a half joking half annoyed fashion, "Ha, the only woman I've ever loved is a waterbender and so is the woman that raised me and my daughter. Do you still think I'm a racist?"
"I think racism is bigger than the thought, it's the actions. The system. I don't think you believe my people or other people different than you to be inferior unless they lack intelligence. But I do know you had enforced a system of oppression on people different than you and that is where I believe you're racist." Hakoda said as his eyes roamed away from the Phoenix King. "Outside of that, I just think you're narcissistic and selfish. Race isn't a thing for you. You think you're better than all of us, don't you?"
Ozai sighed, "Correction, I know I'm better than the rest of you all."
The laughter that erupted from the former Chieftain couldn't be contained as Ozai shuffled his paperwork around.
"Now the reason I summoned you here was because I need a few waterbenders." Ozai said.
The laughter then died, immediately. Hakoda didn't like this. But Ozai explained what he was planning to do with them. He was building a system that made travel on land much faster and he needed every existing element on board this project. Saying he's paying the workers handsomely as well as their families for the hard work and labor that would be put into this project of his. Ozai mentioned that it was a mere idea that he just liked to ponder on and sketch out but Katara made him believe it was actually possible.
Hakoda looked over the plans that Ozai showed him and definitely could see how something like this could benefit the Southern Earth Kingdom that was stretched out over vast lands. Only problem was, how did this benefit his people?
Having read the thought, Ozai said he would very easily come up with an irresistible offer and would need only a day or two to do so as he needed to discuss with his advisors.
"You take advice from others?" Hakoda was surprised.
Reacting in the same manner as before, Ozai flashed his teeth more annoyingly. "I'm not an idiot. I know my limitations in decision making. Sometimes I become idealistic as all do and I need someone to help me make the proper decisions despite..."
The former Chieftain listened to the man talk and talk, explaining himself as it seemed he felt on the defensive. To be honest, Hakoda just wanted to figure him out and the kind of man he was. It wasn't to interrogate him. No, he was just curious about this man. All those years of thinking the man was one way only to find he was different in a lot of ways that he didn't expect, Hakoda couldn't help but want to know more.
As Ozai and Hakoda talked more and more about the project, the blue eyed of the two found his eyes had managed to roam down to the lips of the other. He tilted his head a lot finding it hard to look away, could you blame him? The Phoenix King was a sight for sore eyes and women weren't the only ones that wanted him. That's for sure. But Hakoda kept that side of himself to himself. It wasn't like it was normal. What kind of nonsense was it for a man to want another man?
Unfortunately for Hakoda, Ozai had noticed where his attention was and had also briefly read his thoughts. The disgust and horror plastered in Ozai's face made it very obvious that he knew.
Hakoda's eyes pulled back up at his and widened. Standing up, he tries to apologize.
"I didn't mean- I mean, I wasn't looking at you in that w-"
"There is NOTHING about another man that turns me on!" Ozai growled in offense.
"I know that and I- please don't bring this up to Kata-"
Growling loudly, "I'm not saying anything! I don't even want to think about it! Just get the fuck out!"
Hakoda hurried and left the office.
Being left alone, Ozai buried his head in his arms as he was immediately plagued with an excruciating headache. He knew it was only a matter of time before he began to remember details from his past that he had so carefully locked away. But every now and then, they escaped and reached the surface. That had been happening a lot. More than it ever had before.
~The past~
(Ozai's POV)
My father's servants had barged in without prompt while my own were bathing me for the day. I was a little confused. My father hadn't bothered to summon me in the year that I had returned. I had seen the children at Lord Yatori's estate all be greeted by their fathers at the end of every day. I guess that was the life of a prince.
The servants sent by my father dismissed my own and tended to me in their stead. However; midway through them dressing me, I started to notice the silk clothes were not what the kind that a male wore. Even more, they were putting makeup on me as if I were a girl. Despite the remarks of my feminine features, I know these servants saw me exit my bath. It was no mistaking what sex I was.
When I confronted one of them, "I'm not a woman. Why are you dressing me this way?"
"Your father's orders, your highness." A servant says. "He wants no one to recognize you when you are brought to him."
I guess that made sense but why as a woman?
Being walked through the halls it did appear that no one recognizes me. I must look like one of my father's courtesans.
Eventually, we made it to his chambers and they left me there waiting his sitting room. It was the first I had ever been in these rooms or alone with my father. He never seemed to want to be bothered with me. I was the youngest of his two sons. The frail girly prince. Maybe I should cut my hair? No, I like my hair this length. Hama helped me grow it.
"So you fix up well as a woman. Perhaps, your mother had intended to have a daughter." My father surfaced from behind a curtain I was sure led to other rooms within this large corridor chamber.
Bowing my head in respect to my sire, "Forgive me for my appearance, father."
It wasn't long before I felt my father circling around me and stop just in front of me.
"Raise your head, boy. I want to see your face." He told me and I did as ordered.
I stared up at the dimly lit face of my father. A man well into his years. Much too old to have fathered someone as young as me but he seemed to pull it off. His ebony hair was already shimmering in grey strands. wrinkles clawed the corners of his eyes and plagued the bridge above his brows. I couldn't see myself in any of his features. Maybe I looked like my mom.
"You are your mother's boy. Poor bitch didn't last long after she popped you out." My father seemed to express disdain. "I'm sure you'd like to know that you were a twin. You killed him too while in the womb. Now look at you, if you're gonna take out two before you're even three years old, perhaps you should look more the part but you have those soft eyes and skin. What a shame you are to this dynasty! The Yong Dynasty is supposed to be formidable! If my father, Sozin, were alive, he'd have killed you in your cradle."
I dropped my head feeling immediate shame. I couldn't actually help how I was. I just was. And everyone shamed me for it before I came here. Now my own father. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I be normal?!
My father walked away and I looked up to get a glimpse of him, he was pouring two glasses of wine.
"Come, boy, have a drink and let's talk. I've figured out what you're good for." He held out a glass to me.
I got up and went over to him, taking the glass from his hands and thanked him before taking a sip. The bitter taste caused me to gag.
"If you spit that out, I'll slap you like the bitch you are." My father threatened.
Swallowing hard, "Yes, father."
"Good, now drink the whole glass and don't spill a drop." He told me.
Nodding, I did as told. Drinking every drop and setting the glass down on the stand where his wine bottle was. He then poured another glass and I did as told again. Then one more and I felt dizzy.
Fortunately, my father thought this was amusing and led me to the sofa where he sat beside me to talk about what it was that I was good for. My role in court. However; as he spoke, I could barely understand him and my vision began to blur. I didn't know what was happening. Was it the wine?
"Father?" I said trying to somehow make him aware that something was wrong. "What's happening to me?" And as he moved closer to me, face inches from mines, my world went dark.
I was always afraid of the dark. It was cold and silent even. But at the moment, it was comforting. The darkness served as a pair of arms that held me through what I hadn't yet realized was happening to me. But of course, curiosity got the better of me and I would fade out of the darkness and into the light to be met with nothing but pain and agony.
What was he doing to me? What was this?! I tried screaming and I soon found I was suffocated. Into a sea of sheets I fell back into the arms of darkness once again but this time I didn't try to stray from it. I embraced it back and held tight to it. If the darkness could get me through this, help me survive this nightmare, I would never forsake it.
When I finally recovered from the haze of the darkness induced by the alcohol my father used to subdue me, I found myself in my own bed. Above me, my father stood scowling down at me. I wonder if I imagined it all. But his words would prove me wrong yet again.
"You speak of this to no one. For if I even hear a whisper, I will make it known that your little cock hardened the entire time and then snuff you out in your sleep. Same goes for if you refuse me."
Refuse him? Was he planning to do this again? I was mortified.
My fath- Azulon managed a half grin even with the scowl still lingering in his eyes. "You're a smart boy, Ozai. Your brother is already in command of my military. You will serve at my side as my lap dog. Whatever I say, you carry it out by any means and you will do your job to damn near perfection if you want to survive my court. Am I understood?"
Nodding my head despite the anguish I felt, "Yes, father."
"Good boy. Now, I'll see you again, same time tomorrow. This time you should drink more as I will not be gentle now that you've been broken in." Azulon ran his hand along my backside.
I tried not to shover as I clenched my teeth and nearly balled my fist. That anguish was becoming anger as I hated this place the moment I stepped foot in this palace and I've only grown to hate it more. I would have been better off dead but I didn't want to give my father the satisfaction. One day I would make him choke on his words.
~Present~
(General POV)
Ozai had blacked out only to find himself in his bath under the water. His eyes skimmed over the watery domain he was submerged in and slowly he gave into reaching the surface. Throwing his hair back, the Phoenix King swept it back and gasped as he looked around in slight panic as if to see if anyone had seen him.
When it was obvious that he was alone, Ozai gave himself to mentally clear his mind and let the darkness have its hold again. Shoving the memories back. The darkness swallowed the memories hold before manifesting fear and despair into anger.
His brows furrowed and his fist balls. How dare Hakoda look at him that way! What the fuck was he thinking?! I'm not some damn female!
…
(General POV)
"Is enjoying his crown of flowers?" Katara asked as she picked more flowers for her daughter.
Twirling around with in her arms and a crown of flowers upon both their heads, Kya smiled the brightest she had ever smiled and laughed as she nodded her head. She was so happy to be spending her time with her mother. But her spinning soon came to a halt as she spots Arnook. Her brows furrowed as she stared at him watching her mother. She swore she hated this man. He split up her family and tried to keep her apart from her mother. It was inconceivable and unforgivable. If it weren't for her father giving her direct orders to refrain from violence, she would have taken Arnook's head off with a clean swoop of an icy blade.
As he approached, Kya made her way to her mother and stepped in front of her as she had her back turned, still picking flowers.
"Kat-"
"My mother is spending her time with me and she is in a good mood. Please leave before it turns sour." Kya said as if it were a warning.
Arnook looks at Kya and scolds her, "You should really be taught your place, child. No one likes a mouthy little girl."
"Nor do they like a bitter old man." Kya fired back.
Hissing as his wrinkled blue eyes narrowed on her, "You are fortunate that your father raised you, child. Or you'd have been reprimanded severely for your tongue in the North Pole."
Kya scoffed, "You Northern men are weak. It's why you oppress the sirens. Perhaps, you should build your strength instead of forcing others to be weak for your sake."
Katara turned around and stood up just in time to see, Arnook scowling at her daughter. She threw down the basket of flowers and stepped in front of her daughter, staring indifferently at her husband.
"Azula was my greatest foe when I was fighting the war but when I married her father out of war gain, he told me that until I had my own with him, I had to entertain his. He refused to let either of us fight or bicker. He demanded we respect each other. You will not speak to my daughter that way." Katara told him.
Arnook glared at her but he quickly reminded himself of why he was here. He wanted her to remember that they were married and that he cared a lot for her. Despite the obvious feelings between her and Ozai, Arnook wanted her to know that he was the better fit and that Ozai would only cause her more pain.
Sighing as he softened his expression, Arnook tilted his head at her and pulled from his pockets, Ozai's hair tie.
Holding it out in front of him towards her, he gazed down at it. "I found this in your chambers. I believe this is the Phoenix King's."
Katara snatched it from his hands, "Why were you in my rooms?!" She hissed.
"I'm your husband. The only man that should be in your rooms." Arnook told her as he stepped in closer. "Did he force his way-"
"Shut up! He's not that kind of man!" Katara growled. "You don't know him!"
Glaring at her as he expressed his hurt, "Katara, I am your husband and you're allowing another man to have you! Do you not know how much that hurts me?! I love you!"
Furrowing her brows, Katara turned away from him and took her daughter's hand to lead her back to the flowers. Telling her to ignore him.
Arnook became furious as his wife would dare to ignore him. Especially, when he was confronting her about something as serious as this. She was having an affair. That was a serious crime. It was punishable by life in prison or exile. And he was sure with how she was acting that she would enjoy exile.
"Katara, we need to talk and ignoring me is not helping!" Arnook was starting to become frustrated.
When she continued to ignore him as he yelled at her, Arnook snapped and snatched her arm, yanking her up to get her attention.
"I'm talking to you!" He growled.
Katara hit the hand he was grabbing her with and yelled for him to let go. Kya got up and started doing the same, yelling for him to let go of her mother. Arnook pulled out a strange scale from his sleeve and nipped Katara's skin with it. She yelped as he continued pulling her.
"Hey! Let go of her!" Hakoda had come running over to them and Arnook finally let go.
Kya pulled her mother from him as her grandfather got between them and shoved Arnook away.
Glaring at his daughter's husband, "What do you think you're doing?!" Hakoda sneered.
"Your daughter is being disobedient and is disrespectful! I am her husband and yet she won't listen or speak with me!" Arnook hollered as he watched Katara glare at him while he daughter healed her arm.
Hakoda blocked his vision of his daughter and glared harder at him. "I'm sure my daughter has a valid reason for not wanting to speak with you."
Arnook ranted some more and Kya was having enough of this.
"I'M SICK OF THIS!" The fourteen year old screamed at the top of her lungs. "I can't take this feuding anymore! I hate it! I just want my family to be normal!"
They all look at her.
"Kya-"
Cutting her mom off as she looked at her threw angry tears, "Arnook doesn't want us to be together! He's made that pretty clear from the start! And I can't live like this with him and you and dad and all of us fighting! It's up to you! You have to decide what is more important! Our family or him!"
Kya spun around and ran off. Katara watched with tears in her eyes as she reached out for her daughter with her hand. Her teary eyed gaze left from her daughter and moved to Arnook, becoming immediately enraged as she pushed her father aside and backhanded Arnook, scarring his cheek. Hakoda yanked her away and Arnook held his cheek scowling at her.
"You stay the hell away from me and my children!" Katara shouted and yanked herself away from her father to chase after Kya.
Snarling as his attention went to Hakoda, Arnook clenched his teeth.
"I have reason to believe that your daughter is having an affair with Ozai and if I find solid evidence that she has, she will be punished severely! As will your tribe!"
….
(General POV)
Not sure if she noticed or not but she was drenched. Ozai didn't understand why she hadn't bended it out of her clothes or why she was outside in a fountain while it was raining. But she was leaving a trail of water with every step she took as she followed him back to his chambers. He guessed he had an excuse to undress her.
However; as soon as he shut the door behind them, he turned to find she bent the water from her clothes and disbursed it into thin air. He tried not to be disappointed but there went his opportunity, up in thin air.
"As much as I love a wet waterbender, I don't think I like the sulking you're doing. What ails you, waterbender? That trifling husband of yours?" He asked her.
Sniffling as she covered her face with her hands, Katara cried and shook her head. "Kya hates me because I'm tearing our family apart by being with Arnook!"
Katara tells him that after she chased Kya to her chambers that their daughter told her that until she dealt with Arnook and got rid of him, she was not her mother. Then opened a portal to the courtyard fountain and pushed her into it.
Ozai couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Welcome to the club!" He laughed hard.
Katara looked at him, tears in her eyes and narrowed them as she went to punch him in the stomach. "It's not funny! Go talk to her and make her see that my hands are tied!"
Wincing as he looked at her, Ozai tried not to laugh again but he could barely stop snickering. He couldn't believe how comical their children were. Getting angry with them over things that don't involve them and couldn't be changed. Oh, he thought this was hilarious. Especially with how their family was starting to resemble how things were with his first wife and oldest two.
Recovering himself, Ozai simply smirked as he looked at his ex-wife.
"I can't make Kya do anything. Our daughter is…" Searching for the appropriate word. "Not a normal child. She's been self aware since she was born and while she was only an infant, she can recall every event that took place during the end of the war. So...she's fourteen but she's not a child. Besides," Ozai turned to the side and coughed in his fist. "The girl can read memories, thoughts, and intentions with a simple touch. If I don't believe the words I'm reciting to her, she will know."
Katara furrowed her brows. "If you don't believe them?! You don't think my hands are tied?!"
Ah shit. To put it precisely, Ozai believed she was stuck in an absolutely tight spot with Arnook and his threat but there were other options. He could think of a few. Two of which would involve Arnook dying. One with him sending assassins after the bastard. And then the other with him killing the man himself.
Exhaling heavily, "I don't think you want to know what I think. Trust me, I have a few remedies to your situation but I doubt you'd want to hear it."
Unconvinced, Katara raised her brows. So he took her up on the challenge and shared a few options with her. He could kidnap her. Threatened Arnook with war. Beat Arnook within an inch of his life. Send assassins to kill Arnook. Kill him with his bare hands. There were so many options to choose from. Her hands weren't tied. She was just stuck between a rock and a hard place.
And telling from the look on her face, he could tell she didn't like any of those options. Ozai shrugs.
"Whatever you decide, Waterbender, I will do my best to get Kya to understand in the future." He tells her. "Either way, you're still her mother and unlike Ursa, I know you wouldn't abandon the children."
Katara felt incredibly frustrated. Did he think she wanted to stay with Arnook? That she wanted to go North where he would discipline her for not following the Northern ways. That she wanted to have her bending, her gift, reduced to nothing. That she wanted to separate their family anymore than she already had. Tui and La, if she knew this would have become of them, of her, she would have followed Ozai's lead. But she was so prideful and angry and hurt by everything, she didn't trust him. Now...look at her.
The weight in her shoulders fell as she could no longer hold this weight of guilt and shame. Katara looked at Ozai, puffy red eyes and all.
"Obviously, I want to be with you! I've made it very clear!" She said as if it had been so obvious.
Ozai laughed again and shook his head, "Maybe I've gotten old but I don't think you've been obvious, nor have you made it clear."
Now, she was pissed.
"Well, I want to stay here and be with you and have our family together but I can't just make those decisions! My entire family is in jeopardy! I would easily tell Arnook to go fuck himself but I can't! I'm not the only person that'll face the consequences!" Katara raged, not understanding how he didn't get that.
Ozai looked her over as he folded his arms. "Follow me, waterbender." He said as he walked towards his study.
As the waterbender followed him, he had hoped that what he had to show her would help her understand that she did have options. Options he's taken the time out to explore for her because she was under pressure and he knew her to not think all too well under pressure. Fortunately for her, their desires were mutual, so it was only natural he do something about their current predicament.
Bringing her around his desk, Ozai went through a few of the documents he had left there and found what he intended to show her. Handing it to her, he leaned against the bookcase and folded his arms, studying her face as she read over them.
"Ozai, what is this?" She asked him as she looked him in the eyes.
Explaining what he had mentioned to her father about the project that he's working on and is in need of waterbender and would be willing to have plenty of his people return to the Southern Tribe to help cultivate the south pole into a more developed country. "Also, I throw in a large sum of money with the only condition that they remain independent and out from under Northern influence."
"But why?" She furrowed her brows in confusion.
Raising a brow, "If the North doesn't influence the people of the South, your family can't be exiled. They'd be independent. What you do will not affect them?"
Katara's eyes widened. "Ozai...you genius!" She jumped to hug him. "Oh my la! Ozai!"
Pulling him down to hug her, Katara was so happy and relieved. She could leave Arnook without any repercussions. She was free.
"You're an incredibly short woman, Katara, and this is not comfortable." Ozai told her and she finally let go of him.
When she let go, Katara smiled and tried not to cry. "You'll really do this for me?"
"Unless you'd like it better if I kill Arnook for you." He said half-jokingly. He really did have every intention of eventually killing Arnook but that day would come in due time. For now, he just wanted the waterbender. Arnook's death would be next on the list of wants.
Giggling as she sniffled and wiped the tears in her eyes away, Katara watched Ozai turn to grab his bottle of whiskey she noticed he also had in his office.
Ozai poured himself a glass and explained how he'd go about it. Getting her father to sign the agreement shouldn't be hard. He figured Hakoda could be persuaded with a little blackmail but he didn't tell Katara that. No, that would kill the mood of things with how they were going but eventually, it might slip from him that he wasn't supposed to tell her her father liked men as much as he liked women.
On that thought, Ozai filled the glass to the top instead of half way. He wanted to forget that detail again. It seemed to trigger unwanted memories.
Bringing the glass to his lips to take a sip, he turned around and dropped the glass when he saw Katara's dress pooled at her feet.
"I wish to show my gratitude, your majesty."
…
A/N:
So Katara just like she's not holding back anymore and Ozai is somehow surprised. Welp, he's finally getting what he wants. Arnook is a dick but there is more to that in later chapters. Zhiar is conflicted about his family ties and Kya is unhappy with them as much as he is. Will their parents getting back together make things better?
