Second Chances

by AnumOfTheMoon

Sequel to Where We Stand..revised summary...Katara is on the road to redemption but due to the ridicule she has face several years after Ozai's defeat, Katara spirals on a downward path into oblivion while the ever changing world produces a new villian.

48. Ozai & Kya Part Three

A/N:

So I didn't realize I was going to have so much content to write for year three or that I'd have so much content to write for Ozai and Kya but the plots I brainstormed needed to be explored more to make some sense later on. So Year three is in this Chapter and in the next because it would be too much to post in one chapter. Sorry for the wait! Thanks for bearing with me! Love you Enjoy!

Chapter 39: Part three

Year Three...

"I'm so sorry, Toshi." Kya said as her servant friend had relaid to her that his mother had recently passed away. "I didn't know."

Toshi told her that his mother was in a better place now and could be reincarnated into a better life. That was all he could hope for her now. So there was no need to be sorry. Besides, he heard she had a lot on her plate in recent time. She had been courting Lord Totomi for some time before things were put on hold between them and then there was her father making her his ambassador. She was only just coming back from Bei Seng Sei after spending six weeks working with a congregation of those that wanted to discuss the issue of trade with their nations being at odds. She had plenty going on for herself. His mother's death shouldn't weigh so heavily on her.

"I did miss you all these months, Toshi. I wish I had known you had been dealing with this. I would have checked on you while you were away from court." Kya placed her hand on his as she looked somberly up at him.

They were sitting on the stone bench in the garden late at night. It was something they hadn't gotten the chance to do in so long and Kya was happy to finally have moments like these again. Toshi gave her hand a squeeze and smiled down at her.

"It was good that I got to mourn alone." Toshi didn't think he would do well if he had someone pitying him during the beginning stages of his grief. He was glad her father allowed him enough leave time in order to grieve properly. Despite what may have been said about him in the past, the Phoenix King was a generous man when it came to his staff.

"Well, you should get some rest, your highness." Toshi stood up and let go of her hand. "I hear there are emassories from the Northern Water Tribe arriving tomorrow."

Figuring he was right, Kya nodded her head and stood to her feet as well. She hugged her friend tight and wished him a goodnight before heading off to bed.

Early in the morning, Kya had gotten herself up and did her meditations on her own as she now did. After her father helped her to master firebending, meditating became something she did on her own. Once she bathed and then had the servants dress her in the attire appropriate for today's event, dressing in attire that showed off her status as a princess rather than an ambassador, Kya had her hair fixed up in a high ponytail so that she could wear her crown in it. She placed a gold feather hairpin with red rubies dangling from it through the crown. It was a hairpin her father had gotten her and she cherished it deeply.

Going to her father's chambers to have breakfast with him, Kya saw he was already at the table with a scroll in hand, eating one of the pastries he now forced the kitchen staff to make for him every morning at breakfast.

"Morning, dad." Kya said as she went up to kiss his cheek and went to take her place at the table beside him.

"Morning." He replied, though it was more like a reflexive response as he was preoccupied with the scroll he was reading.

A servant came with her breakfast tray and set it in front of her. When the top was removed, Kya was pleased that the kitchen was able to complete her request for crisped fish and sea prunes. She had gotten well adjusted to eating Southern Tribe dishes since she traveled there often. Digging in with her chopsticks, Kya saw her father toss the scroll on the table and scoffed.

"Once again you spare me no detail and while I enjoy your side notes on the perceived responses of our little 'friends' in Bei Seng Sei, I'm concerned that you might be focusing too much attention on those aspects of politics." Ozai went on to explain to her as he bit into his pastry. "They don't have to like it. They just need to agree."

"And there is a reason monarchs aren't ambassadors of their own." Kya replied with a slight smirk as she de-boned her fish and began eating it. "This is more than politics. This is diplomacy. Which is a combination of politics and relations. I have to please not only my sovereign but also theirs. That's my job, is it not?"

Delighted at seeing his daughter taking her role very seriously. "It is."

Raising her gold eyes at him, "Then my side notes are necessary and I ask you to consider them if you want this deal to go through with the Earth Kingdom's trade routes."

"Fine. You win. I'll consider them and make modifications to the documents. You can present them to the Earth Kingdom reps. during the summits in a few months."

Kya smiled to herself when her father had kissed her forehead after finishing breakfast. He praised her for her hard work and told her that he felt much better with her being back home.

Finishing her own breakfast, Kya went on to get things set up for greeting the Northern emassories. She had to gather the ministers and diplomats for the greeting as well as have the servants in position to escort their guests to their chambers. There was much that needed to be done in preparation for their guests.

Standing at the peak of the staircase, Kya held her hands at her middle as she wore a stoic expression for the occasion. While she might be an ambassador, she was in her role of princess and the proxy of the Phoenix King. Which meant, she was not here to greet the Northerners as a diplomat but rather as an authoritative figure. She was to be courteous and hospitable. Nothing more. Nothing less. And that's all she could really provide any of them. The North Pole wasn't exactly their ally and for the obvious reasons.

Seeing the group of emassories from the North Pole make it up the steps, Kya greeted them with her courteous smile that she finally mastered for her position as an ambassador.

"Welcome to Omashu." Kya said as the ministers and diplomats all bowed to their guests. "It is wonderful to see that you all have made safe travels here."

The group was nothing but men. Typically, she'd see a woman or two amongst the groups she dealt with but the North Pole was dogmatic towards women in positions outside their obligations to their families and husbands. They all looked at her with very little delight. Obviously, they weren't expecting her to greet them. Of course not. Her father was supposed to receive them but he wanted to spite them and had her appear before them instead. And she was all too happy to oblige.

"Thank you for your sentiment, Princess Kya. But you'll have to excuse us as we were expecting your father instead." One of the older men stated.

"My father is quite busy with matters related to our nation's governing, so he left me to oversee your stay here." Kya replied to them. "But he wants me to assure you that he will make time later to sit with you all."

"Classic Ozai." The princess heard a familiar voice come from the steps behind the emassories and saw it was Chieftain Arnook. He walked between his men as they parted ways for him. "He means to spite me, doesn't he?"

Though she didn't display it on her features, Kya was surprised to see Arnook was here. The man had some nerve showing up. If her father knew was coming, he'd have had the man killed before making it to the city.

Kya offered him a smile, "Chieftain Arnook, I do not believe my father was aware you'd be arriving. If he had, I'm sure he would have greeted you himself."

Looking the young woman over, Arnook smirked. "You have your mother's beauty, Kya."

"If only I could have her temperament." Kya smiled wider. "Unfortunately, I find I don't have her tolerance for things."

Scoffing as he could see through the princess's snide remark, "Your mother's beauty but your father's witty remarks. Let's put aside the pleasantries here."

"You sure about that, Chieftain?"

"Very."

Kya dropped the facade and her smile melted from her face in seconds as her gaze became quite scornful, "You have quite the nerve, Arnook. Don't you know my father is liable to kill you?"

Coming up closer to the girl, Arnook eyed her coldly. "I do not fear your demon father, Kya, or else I wouldn't be here."

Rolling her eyes as she turned her back to him and signaled for the servants to escort the Northern Chieftain and his men to their guest rooms. Kya had nothing more to say to Arnook. She would speak to her father and he would have to take things from here. She wasn't doing this with this man. Her father was far better at berating Arnook than she was. All she wanted to do was tear the man apart.

…

Storming into her father's office, Kya came up to her father's desk and pulled the crown from her head as well as the feather hairpin from it. Setting them both on the desk, Kya saw her father was confused and raised a brow at her. She placed her fist into the palm of her hands and balled.

"Permission to kick our guest's ass?" Kya bowed.

Ozai laughed and shook his head, "You've gotten more temperamental as of late, sweetheart. Are you alright?"

Raising back up, "Being ambassador forces me to suppress my anger at an unhealthy rate. But the fact that Arnook decided to follow his emassories here without making us aware has me even more annoyed than usual." Kya's expression was stoney and cold.

Her father's laughter faded as he seemed to wear the same expression, "What?!"

Moments later, Ozai made great strides through the halls to where his guests were. Kya led a group of guards behind her father as she would rather they apprehend Arnook if it called for that. Her father would accidentally kill the man.

"About time you show up, Ozai." Arnook chuckles as he stands up from the sofa in the common lounge for guests.

The Phoenix King and an entourage of his guards and daughter walked right up to the Northern Chieftain.

"What the hell do you want so badly that you've brought your weasel ass here, Arnook?!" Ozai growled as he glared at the man.

Smirking at the Phoenix King, "It's nice to see you too, Ozai. I was just coming here to speak with you personally before the summit in a few months."

"About what?!"

Sighing as he decided to sit back down, Arnook brought his leg over his knee and focused his gaze straight ahead of him. "The summit will be held in the North Pole and unfortunately, I can't uninvite you or else I'd be going against the world treaty for peace. So I came here directly to ask you to not come. Katara has been doing much better with you out of the picture. I don't need you ruining that."

Narrowing his eyes, "Because you don't want to break the treaty yourself, you ask me to do it?"

"Precisely."

Kya glared at the Chieftain and stepped up to finally deal with him. But her father held his arm out for her to stop. Arnook smirked and looked at her.

"If only you hadn't inherited your father's element as well, you'd have made a good replacement for your mother." Arnook said slyly.

Ozai was about to strike him then and there as his eyes flared up in fury but Kya caught his arm, pulling him away.

"Dad." She hissed for him. "He's scum. Not worth it."

…

Eventually, Arnook left after a week of giving her and her father a hard time. Neither of them could touch him as they'd have another international issue on their hands. It took a level of self-control that Kya and her father had to develop as they went because Arnook was just asking for it. He continued to flirt with Kya and do so directly in her father's face. He then made propositions to her father to trade her for her mother. Arnook had definitely lost his mind.

But when he was gone, he was gone. And Kya and her father could breathe. She watched her father literally bang his head into a wall and knock himself out. A sure way to help him de-escalate after dealing with such a problematic situation. As for her…

"Higher!" Kya giggled as she held tight to her swing while Toshi pushed her. "Higher!"

Toshi chuckled and shook his head, "Forgive me, your highness, but I don't wish to send you flying to the second level terrace."

Shrugging as she pouted, Kya slouched on the swing. "You're no fun, Toshi."

"Your safety is my first priority." Toshi informed her as he slowed the swing and got in front of her as the swing stilled. He knelt down on the grass and grabbed her shoes.

Kya watched as he slipped each slipper back on her feet and tilted her head. "Toshi, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, your highness." He said smiling while tying to the ribbons of her shoes.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Toshi's eyes widened and he stopped in the middle of tying the last lace of her shoe before swallowing hard. Clearing his throat, the servant shook his head and resumed tying her shoes.

Furrowing her brows, "Why not?" She asked as she looked from him to the setting sun. "You're tall, handsome, funny, any girl would be happy to be with you."

Standing up, Toshi shook his head. "Girls can be interested but that doesn't mean I am."

"So you like men?" Her gold eyes went to rest on his and she saw him tense up at the direct eye contact.

Quickly shifting his gaze elsewhere, Toshi told her that wasn't the problem but instead, he didn't like the girls that liked him.

"I see, you already have someone you like." Kya smirked. "Who is she, Toshi?"

"Not telling you." He scoffed and then chuckled.

Standing up from the swings and playfully hitting him, "Here, I thought we were friends, Toshi."

"We are but I'm not telling you."

"And why not?"

"Because-"

Kya raised a brow, "It's not like I talk to anyone but you, Toshi. Who is she?"

Seeing her friend was continuing to refuse her the name of this mysterious girl, Kya took his arm and brushed herself up against him to get him to talk. Giving him the big eyes that he simply couldn't resist giving into. But they didn't work. Toshi eyed her and looked away.

Getting frustrated, Kya jumped up and down against him while still holding his arm. "Toshi, ple-"

"Your highness, please...don't ask me anymore. It's all I ask." Toshi pulled himself from her and kept his back to her. "It's the only thing I refuse to answer you on."

Furrowing her brows at him, "You know I can order you to tell me, right?"

"And my answer will remain a secret."

Placing her hands on her hips, "Don't you know the consequences for disobeying orders?"

"This is a secret worth taking to the grave, your highness." He told her.

Kya was angry now. Why didn't he tell her? Even on threat of death, Toshi still refused. Balling her fist, the princess bumped shoulders with him and stormed out of the gardens.

…

"Did you like the swing I had installed in the gardens?" Ozai asked his daughter as she sat beside him at the table for dinner.

Nodding her head as she poked her fish with her chopsticks, Kya was leaning forward against the table on her elbow, slouching. "Yes."

Eyeing his daughter, "Something wrong?"

Shaking her head as she straightened up her posture and lifted her eyes to her father. "I enjoyed it. I never thought you'd have it constructed simply because I mentioned it in my side report from Bei Seng Sei."

"Why wouldn't I? You literally said you would visit that place just to swing in the gardens." Ozai scoffed as his daughter giggled at the way he looked offended by that notation.

A smile tugged at her lips and Kya brightened her mood up as she talked with her father. Things with their relationship had definitely improved. He took time out during the day to check on her and spend time with her. He even started taking interest in her sketches, asked her to draw him. She felt more lively and more human with her father coming out of his shell. He felt more human, more alive, more like a father.

When dinner ended, Ozai walked his daughter to her chambers and she clung to his arm, resting her head against him as they walked. His hand rested over hers and he decided to ask her what she thought about going to Kyoshi Island to check on the governor and the state of the village. Kya gladly accepted as she hadn't seen Aunt Suki in years.

"You live in a week." Ozai informed her. "You may select your servants and guards to accompany you as well as your wardrobe. You can go as the princess of the Phoenix Empire or the Ambassador. Whatever. I just care about the reports." Kya nodded her head as they arrived at her chambers.

Ozai kissed his daughter's forehead and caressed the side of her head, "Sleep well." Her eyes beamed at him the way her mother's did and he averted his gaze immediately.

"Night, dad." She hugged him around his middle before pulling away to enter her room.

Watching his daughter go into her room and sparing a moment to blow him a kiss before closing the doors. Ozai sighed and turned to leave. He needed a distraction.

…..

Sitting by the firepit with his hand on his temple and a glass of arctic whisky in his other hand, Hakoda sighed. He was a bit tired and perhaps that was due to age or just everything going on in his life. His daughter and her children had been a constant concern of his. Fortunately, the children were doing much better now. And in a few months they'd be at the summit in the North Pole. Maybe he'll get to see Katara. Tui and La knew he missed his daughter dearly.

"I get I'm human but I've sort of learned when you're watching, Ozai." Hakoda said with a bit of annoyance.

The flames in the firepit turned black and spilled onto the floor, taking the shape of a man. When the flames disbursed and revealed Ozai, Hakoda scoffed and shook his head.

"You've been spying for months. What do you want?" Hakoda asked.

Taking a seat on the sofa beside the man, Ozai took his glass of whiskey and drank the last of it. Hakoda watched him with a raised brow as the man had the audacity to place the cup back in his hands.

"I need a distraction." Ozai explained to Hakoda. "Kya looks like her mother more everyday and I try not to think of Katara. It makes me a little...well, I don't need to explain that part but you see where I'm going with this." He hated having to mention that there was a certain level of attraction he had for his daughter. But it wasn't like his family line didn't have a history of incestious attractions. Only, he wasn't going to act upon that said attraction the way his father did. Kya was his daughter and he loved her as such. Any impure thoughts he had vanished them from thought and sought out a 'distraction'.

Hakoda looked Ozai up and down before scooting away from him, "You do know Katara is my daughter. If you were looking to get your mind off of her, why would you come here?"

"I assume Katara got her looks from her mother." Ozai said as he slouched on the fur sofa and made himself comfortable.

Scoffing as he eyed his empty glass with lament for its lack of liquor, "That's not what you said last I was in Omashu."

Rolling his eyes, "I was not in my right mind, Hakoda."

"Then what do you want, Ozai? You say you need a distraction like you came here for that."

"Oh, I did." Ozai nodded his head as he smirked and burst out laughing when Hakoda's eyes widened. "Only this time I'm not intoxicated."

Standing up, Hakoda shook his head. He couldn't sleep with his daughter's ex-husband...husband, whatever he was now, children's father. It didn't even sound right in his head. Sure, he found Ozai very attractive. Who wouldn't? But it was never his intentions to ever come onto the man. That wasn't okay.

Also standing, Ozai seemed to think this whole exchange was hilarious. He was joking. Well...only half-joking. If Hakoda gave in to the idea, then he was serious. If not, it would be a joke to laugh about later.

"So what do you say, Hakoda? Top or bottom?" He grinned, flashing his teeth.

Furrowing his brows, "You're insane if you think I'm going to let that happen between us! What would Katara think of-"

Shrugging, "I've already told her I have a history of being with men. She didn't seem bothered by it in the least."

Shaking his head. No. No, he wasn't doing this. Besides, he felt Ozai's erection against him years ago when he was on those drugs and that was not a comforting thought. Fuck! Hakoda bit his lip and looked away from the man, still shaking his head. No, I'm not doing this. Not doing this. Hakoda looked back at Ozai, who's eyes were roaming him. I-I I won't. Then Ozai bit his lip. La, why? He hung his head, feeling a bit defeated but also very aroused.

"Damn it! Fine! You want to do this! Sure, why not?!" Hakoda gave in.

Smirking as he came up to Hakoda and continued looking him over, Ozai licked his lips. It had been far too long for him. Literally three years with no sex. He didn't know how Zuko was able to continue on as he was.

"Just don't tell anyone." Hakoda warned him.

Pushing the tribesman up against the wall, Ozai loomed over him and smirked. "Your secret is safe with me, Hakoda." He said before he leaned down to take the lips of the tribesman with his.

On the bed with his back to Ozai, Hakoda tried not to moan as he trailed kisses from his shoulder to his neck while stroking his length, pressing his on into his backside. However; the warmth that emitted from Ozai's body was almost too much to bear. Fuck! Hakoda was unable to suppress the moaning as he came undone in the Phoenix King's hands.

Ozai sucked on the back of Hakoda's neck causing the man to moan louder as he continued spilling his seed into his hand and onto the sheets. He couldn't help but become more turned on by this. He forgot the rush he got from being with a man. The kind of control men tried to show by not exhibiting their pleasure vocally was so hard to break but to have the ability to destroy that control, it was an ego booster.

Blowing his hot breath against the tender spot on Hakoda's neck he had been sucking on, Ozai removed his hand from the man's length and rubbed his cum covered hand up the tribesman's chest to his neck. He gave him a firm squeeze around his neck as he pulled him closer against his bare chest.

Ghosting his lips to Hakoda's ear, "I'll be gentle." He whispered.

Hakoda's eyes widened as he felt the man get even harder against his backside and before he could object, Ozai forced him facedown in the sheets. His hand on his head, Hakoda tried breathing as much as he could to hopefully ease the initial pain that came with the anal entry. Eyes widening as he felt Ozai's member begin entering him, Hakoda was thankful that the man used the cum from his hand to lubricate his length because already, he felt the man would tear him apart.

Hearing the man try to conceal his whimpering as he clenched the sheets in his hands, Ozai smirked and slapped his ass.

"Fuck!" Hakoda cried out as Ozai pushed himself all the way in without warning. Gasping, "You said you'd be gentle."

Groaning as he found it utterly tormenting the pleasure he got from being inside someone after so long, "This is gentle." Ozai replied as he pulled out a little and thrusted back into Hakoda.

Hakoda stuffed the sheets in his mouth as Ozai 'gently' plowed his ass. "Fuck! You're too big!" he cried with his mouth full of sheets. "You're going to rip me!"

"I'm going to do worse if you keep talking." Ozai moaned as he rode the tribesman's ass, pulling him back on his dick. Fuck, I'm gonna cum!

Twenty minutes later, Hakoda was drooling as he had the Phoenix King finally pull out of him and cum on his back. Fuck, his cum was hot. Hakoda watched the man fall on his back panting. He clearly hadn't been with anyone in a while. The load of cum that bastard just spilled on his back was far too much. However, despite already finding release, Hakoda found the vulnerable way Ozai was laying there to be all too tempting to not be turned on by.

Crawling on top of Ozai, Hakoda smirked as he settled himself between his legs. Ozai looked at him with a deathly warning but Hakoda didn't care as he grabbed the man by his thigh, pushing it forwards as he rubbed his member along his hole.

"Don't you dare." Ozai hissed at him.

"Sorry but you can kill me after." Hakoda bit his lip as he pushed himself into the Phoenix King's ass and grabbed his dick, jerking him off as he thrusted into him.

"Shit!" Ozai gasped as he threw his head back. "You fucking bastard!"

"Shut up and take it." Hakoda chuckled as he grew more and more confident as he saw Ozai was desperately fighting the pleasure he was feeling.

Not much longer, Ozai came in Hakoda's hand, moaning without restraint as he bucked into the man's hand. Hakoda pulled out of him and crawled further up him.

"No biting." Hakoda told him as he grabbed his hair and pushed his cock into Ozai's mouth.

Fortunately, Ozai had completely thrown his pride out the window when he let Hakoda have him. Hakoda thrusted in his mouth as he sucked him hard and used his tongue to toy around with his dick. Gripping his hair tighter, Hakoda bit his lip as he could feel he was reaching his limit.

"I'm going to cum." Hakoda moaned in a raspy voice as he continued thrusting into Ozai's mouth.

Ozai held the tribesman's waist as he started to cum in his mouth, pushing him all the way to the back of his throat.

"Fuck! Ozai, you freak!" Hakoda cried out as he came even more holding the man's head as he drank him in.

When he finally relieved him, Hakoda pulled out of Ozai's mouth and saw the man looked like he was far from done for the night.

Fuck, maybe this was a bad idea.

…..

In the morning, Sokka was on his way to go see his dad. He needed to talk to him and get some advice. Him and Toph were still having their arguments and he really felt like this might be the end.

Entering his father's hut, Sokka went down the hall to his father's bedroom. He wasn't in the living room or outside around the village. Maybe he was still asleep.

Going up to his father's bedroom, Sokka knocked on his father's door but after about a few seconds, he heard nothing. Feeling a bit concerned, Sokka decided to just open the door and see if his father was okay. When he did, Sokka's mouth dropped as he saw his father was lying with his arm hanging off the side of his bed with the sheets just barely covering his ass and a person on the other side of him, also face down with a pillow over their head.

Sokka observed his father's 'company' and saw that they had a pretty well defined muscular build of their back. They had to have been a bodybuilder. Their hair was long and black, cascading over their alabaster back. Even more, Sokka noticed their feet hung off the foot of the bed. No doubt a foreign chick.That's one big bitch.

Seeing the big bitch stir and begin sitting up on their side with their back to him, Sokka furrowed his brows. This was definitely a big bitch.

Groaning, Ozai rubbed his backside as his ass seriously hurt. Fuck. He really shouldn't have bottomed for Hakoda. That was pushing it. But he wasn't going to complain. He had been more than satisfied from last night.

"I'm going to get going, Hakoda. Kya will wonder where I went." Ozai said as he threw the sheets off of him and stood up to stretch.

Sokka gaped in horror as he saw the dangling parts of a man hanging between the legs of the 'big bitch' as they stretched.

Groaning from his sleep as he turned his head to face Ozai, Hakoda opened his eyes a little to see he was out of bed already.

"Leaving so soon?"

"If you ask nicely, I'll stay a bit longer." Ozai smirked.

"Oh, fuck you, Ozai." Hakoda threw his pillow at him.

Turning around as he laughed, Ozai froze as he saw the son of the man he slept with last night standing in the door with sheer disgust and horror. If their words didn't make it clear, then the red hand prints on their asses and the bite marks to their necks made it all the more obvious what they had been doing.

"What?" Hakoda sat up and tilted his head at the man.

"I guess the cat's out the bag." Ozai said.

Hakoda's eyes widened as he turned around to see his son's eyes leave Ozai and go to him.

"Sok-"

Sokka backed out of the room and shut the door in his own face.

"Damn it!" Hakoda growled.

Ozai figured it was definitely time to leave. He walked around the side of the bed and leaned down to kiss Hakoda on his jaw.

"I'll be going." He said before going to his clothes and picking them up. He went to the fire pit and stood in it. "Well, if you want to ever do this again, you can always come to my place." Ozai smirked before the black flame enveloped him and he was gone.

…..

Kya was a bit flustered today. Aside from her father not being anywhere in sight and there being a ton of work that she had to do alone, Kya was being avoided by Toshi. He was literally nowhere to be found. Typically at these hours he was in the library or the kitchen. But he wasn't in those places or any other place she could think of. So she sulked the rest of the day at her father's desk in his office after finishing up the day's work.

You're pathetic, you know that?

"So! Just because I begged him to tell me who he likes doesn't give him the right to avoid me!" Kya pulled at her hair.

You're not mad about that. You're mad that you like him and he likes someone else.

"Of course, I like him. We're friends."

Not like that, sweet cheeks. I mean, you 'like like' him.

Kya's cheeks flushed as she pouted and sunk on the desk. Laying her head on the edge as she stared hopelessly out the window.

"So what? Doesn't matter. He doesn't feel the same. That's why he's avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you, dear. Daddy made a mess somewhere far far away." Ozai said as he entered his office seeing his daughter sitting at his desk.

Sitting up, Kya looked at her father, still pouting and in her funky mood. "Where have you been?" She asked without any real concern.

Not wanting to talk about it, Ozai told her that he had gone out last night and now, he might have caused some unnecessary shit to take place. She didn't seem to push for more details the way her mother would but when he rounded his desk to take a look at the work she had done in his place, Kya stood up and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.

"I need your advice, dad."

Ozai tilted his head back and shut his eyes before exhaling, "Is this about that 'friend' of yours?"

"Yes."

"Then what is it?"

"He's avoiding me and I can't find him. I looked everywhere." She told him.

Ozai rubbed his eyelids and looked down at his daughter as she pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"What should I do?"

Pulling her away from his desk, Ozai pulled the chair out some and sat down to look through everything while she went in front of his desk to sit in one of the chairs.

"For starters, you need not get yourself all worked up over someone beneath you. He's a peasant at the end of the day. Try not to forget that. And secondly, I had him sent to be trained in becoming a palace guard."

Kya furrowed her brows as she couldn't believe she had been getting worked up for nothing. Toshi hadn't been avoiding her. He wasn't here. I've got to get it together. You're a teenager. You're hormones have you all flustered over silly things. Kya never thought she'd be this emotional over something so silly. But here she was.

Seeing his daughter's spirit lift a bit, Ozai tried not to think the worst and assume his daughter had a crush on this servant boy. Especially not when he was about to make the boy her personal guard. Not that she needed one but having one help them maintain an air of their social status. It was all for show.

When Kya left his office, Ozai sighed and slouched at his desk. His gaze went to the drawer of his desk and he pulled it open, removing a necklace from it. It was Katara's. The necklace she had received from her dead mother. The one she assumed she had lost for good.

Placing it on his desk, Ozai stared at it like he typically did when he got a moment to himself.

"You're probably going to hate me but I don't care much. You hate me anyways." Ozai sighed as he tilted his head. "But last night I slept with your father. I think once he finally fixes things with your brother, who caught us, it might turn into something regular. Not like you can blame me. I won't touch any women but that's all I can promise you."

There was a long silence before Ozai groaned and shut his eyes.

"It felt nice to wake up beside someone else this morning. The only issue is it wasn't you. I don't know how I'm going to keep on going like this but for our daughter, I'll do what I can to get by."

Furrowing his brows as he stared hard at the necklace.

"Some days I really want to hate you, waterbender. I just keep remembering our past and how stubborn you were. I stopped complaining about it but it always got under my skin. You were too headstrong for your own good. You'd end up hurting our family more with your poor decision making. Now the children have continued growing up without their mother. Do you understand how angry that makes me? You talk about me as if I'm a gods awful father but at least I was there for my children! You and Ursa left! I'm the one that stayed!"

Ozai clenched his fists tight.

"Nonetheless, I do still miss you, waterbender. You're a bitch at the very worst but at your very best, you're the only person I trust and for that reason, I try to fight hating you."

Sighing as he looked away from the necklace to the window in his office.

"And you're suffering enough up there. I won't add to your burden but I think you need to suffer. Maybe then you'd appreciate me more when you see how little the rest of the world cares for you."

Ozai leaned back in his chair and stared back at her necklace.

"You won't think about leaving me again." He ran his fingers along the material of the necklace. "I'll talk to you another time, waterbender. I'm exhausted and I really need to have things prepared for when the summit starts."

Putting the necklace back in his desk drawer, Ozai closed it and sighed. Even if it was a necklace he talked to, it was still better than ranting to himself. And it wasn't really anyone he could rant to. He was going to give the necklace to Kya to have of her mother but...he wanted it for himself. He wanted this much of Katara to himself. Something of her that would not be as fleeting as she seemed to be. It would be in his custody for as long as time itself.

…

Today was the day Kya would leave for Kyoshi Island. She had all her things packed and ready to go. Typically, her father would see her off but he hadn't been feeling too well which caused concerns for Kya. So instead, she went to see him as he was still in bed.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Kya ran her hand along his forehead and felt to see if there was a temperature but such a method didn't help much when it came to firebenders. So she used a glove of water to better examine him.

"You're sick." Kya told him.

Ozai looked up at his daughter, "Sick? I've never been sick in all my life."

"Well, you're definitely sick now. Where did you go out a few days ago?" She asked him.

Scoffing, Ozai refused to tell his daughter.

Seeing this, Kya decided to drop it and focus on seeing if there was anything she could do. "I can't cure you and killing yourself won't make it go away. You'll need to rest and get some medicine in your system."

Sitting up, Ozai refused. No way in hell was he going to sit here and rest for days to recover from a cold. He never even had one before and while he felt a little groggy, it wasn't that much different from his typical mood. It just felt a bit worse like a specifically bad day.

"You're stubborn as ever." Kya sighed and tried smiling at her father as she combed his hair from his face. "I'll make the visit quick. No more than a night or two. If you're not going to rest, you need someone who can help with the symptoms all while putting up with your stubbornness."

Ozai wasn't going to refute that. If she could get enough information for her report while there and come back to nurse him to health, he had no problem with that.

Reaching over to kiss her forehead, Kya pulled away and giggled.

"You're sick! Don't go spreading it." Kya got up from the edge of the bed and straightened out her dress. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Fine."

Kissing the tips of her fingers, Kya pressed it to his forehead. "Love you, dad."

"I love me too, sweetheart." He smirked at her.

Kya rolled her eyes and snorted another giggle before leaving.

Out in the hallway, Kya's entourage stood in wait of her and she looked them over with a smile. She always liked to be especially kind to whatever group of servants and guards traveled with her. It was her belief that they should have as good of a time out as she did. So this was like a little vacation for them. Her eyes went to every one of them and lingered on Toshi as they stopped on him. He seemed to smile back which made her feel relieved.

So he really wasn't mad at me.

Nodding her head as everyone looked good to go, Kya headed out and they all made their way to the carriages. When they finally reached the airship docks, the princess received her own cabins and settled into them. Kyoshi Island would only be a six hour travel from here but she'd be sleeping on the airship for her stay on the island. Her father wasn't keen on letting her stay anywhere that was short of a mansion except when she traveled to the South Pole.

As she sat on the comfy sofa, Kya noticed Toshi had come in with a bento box and offered her a smile.

"I made lunch before we left. Figured it would make up for our little spat the other day. Plus, I haven't been able to see you much since." Toshi said as he set the bento down in front of her and started setting out the food for the princess. "Your father had made arrangements for me to be a palace guard. The guard captain says it looks bad for a mere servant to be hanging around the princess. Especially if I'm a male. But as your personal guard, I'd be able to be around more without causing you any inconvenience."

Kya didn't realize that this was her father's plan. It made her smile.

"I'm just glad you're not mad at me, Toshi." Kya teared up.

Seeing the princess begin to cry, Toshi quickly stopped what he was doing and went to the princess. "Your highness-"

"Just call me Kya. I want to hear you say my name." She sniffled with a small smile.

Smiling back at her, "Kya, I could never be mad at you. You've been kinder than anyone I've ever met and I see you as my one true friend."

The last part was sweet but Kya felt it was lacking. She didn't want him to just look at her as a friend. You like him. It's only natural that you want more from him. And she hated to admit it but she did. She wanted him to like her like how she liked him.

Toshi went back to getting the food set out for her. He hoped she liked it. He cooked everything himself and he knew from the meals that her and her father requested, they both had a sweet tooth, so he was sure to pack dessert.

When done eating, Kya couldn't help but praise Toshi for his skills in the culinary arts. She lamented the fact that he'd no longer be in the kitchens to make something so delicious but at least, he'd be by her side everyday now.

…

While Kya was away on Kyoshi Island, Ozai was coughing into a handkerchief and struggling to keep himself alert. He was fortunate not to have any meetings but Agni knew he should have listened to his daughter. Damn it! He didn't realize how lucky he had been all this time to not have caught a cold before. His throat was sore and his voice was raspy. Eyes puff, barely could see out of them. He felt dizzy most of the day. Hungry and yet couldn't fathom eating anything. He was sweating but freezing his ass off. This shit was going to kill him. He just knew it. This was the end. Fuck being immortal.

A knock came at the door and Ozai groaned for whoever was there to come in. He laid his head against his desk and shut his eyes. He didn't care who the fuck it was. He was too weak to give a fuck.

"Ozai?"

"Hmm?" he groaned.

"Ozai, you okay?"

"Who-da-fuc-is-usin-ma-name?" he grumbled angrily into his desk.

Ozai suddenly felt a hand over his forehead. His eyes fluttered open and he saw a blur of a person standing over him.

"Spirits, I didn't even think you could get sick." Hakoda said as he looked at how awful the man looked.

Groaning, Ozai tried shoeing the man away. "Don't need no help."

Hakoda could see that the man was running high with a fever, so anything he said at this point was not to be taken seriously.

Passing out completely, Ozai didn't wake back up until he found himself lying on his back with a wet cloth over his forehead. He figured he must be in his bedroom. Had Kya come back earlier than he thought? Sitting up slowly, Ozai took the towel from his head and laid down on the nightstand.

"Kya?" He called out for his daughter as he started getting out of bed. "Please, tell me, you didn't come back here to look after me." That girl just never listened to him when it came to that. He wasn't her responsibility. She needed to get a boyfriend or something. Worry herself about someone else.

However, as Ozai gradually made his way to the bathroom to see why Kya had the water running in the bathroom, he found that it was not Kya.

"Hakoda?" Ozai raised his brow in confusion.

Turning the water off after filling up the bowl, Hakoda saw Ozai was up and out of bed.

"Hey! Lay back down! You're going to-"

Ozai's hand went over his mouth as he gagged and he quickly shoved Hakoda out of the way to vomit.

"See, I told you." Hakoda sighed as he pulled the man's hair out of the way.

Once Ozai had finished emptying out his stomach, Hakoda helped him back to bed and placed the wet cloth back over his forehead. The tribesman shook his head as Ozai shut his eyes, groaning as he asked how he ended up in his palace.

"Well, after you left the other morning, Sokka was still pretty pissed off and he's going through enough as it is with his marriage, so seeing that- us like that, it was a lot for him to take in." Hakoda told him. "I decided to leave the village for a while and came here. That's when I saw you right before you passed out in your office. Now we're here."

Peeking one eye open, "You came here, hmm? Taking me up on my offer, are we?"

Rolling his eyes, "No, I came to fuck your face up more for causing a wedge between me and my son but looks like I already got even with you."

"Hmm?" Ozai's eyes closed again.

"There was a flu going around the village. I just got over it when you showed up. Didn't think an immortal could get sick."

Ozai was going to say something witty back but he decided he didn't have the strength to even laugh at his own jokes. He just groaned and mumbled words that Hakoda didn't bother trying to understand.

Hakoda sighed as he watched the Phoenix King drift back to sleep. He tried not to find it hilarious that the flu was kicking the man's ass harder than anyone else could. But he had to admit, Ozai was kind of cute this way. Cute like how helpless children were.

…..

Finally arriving on Kyoshi Island, Kya came down off the ramp of the airship with her entourage following behind her. At the bottom of the ramp, the princess could see the Kyoshi warriors were all there waiting to greet her. She managed to spot Suki and Jee standing in the front of the crowd. When she reached the bottom, Kya was greeted warmly by Jee and Suki. They seemed happy to see her and taken aback by how much she had grown. They hadn't seen her since the summits in Bei Seng Sei.

"Oh my spirits, Kya, you look so grown up!" Suki shrieked.

Jee smiled and could definitely see that Kya had grown-up quite a bit.

Hugging them both, Kya smiled and introduced them to Toshi, who was at her side.

The two looked at the young man and exchanged a look between themselves.

"Hirotoshi Ikki," Toshi bowed formally to the two. "It is a pleasure to you both."

Suki smirked and looked at Kya knowingly, "Come with me, Kya. I want to show you around the place."

Toshi was about to follow the two as their arms looped into one another but Suki looked over her shoulder with a grin.

"Is it alright that we, two, speak alone?" The kyoshi warrior asked.

Toshi looked to Kya for her consent and she nodded.

"I'll be fine, Toshi. Try taking a look around. This place is lovely. Same goes for everyone else." Kya told them.

Suki smiled as she could see Kya had her mother's heart. She was caring and liked to treat her servants from what she could already see. It was a pleasing thing to see. The kyoshi had worried that given who the girl's father was that she would turn out like him but would seem to be the contrary.

Deciding to give the princess a grand tour of the place, Suki made Kya aware that she knew the visit was far from a personal one. Her father was smart enough to send her in his place. For years since Ozai had taken over these lands, Kyoshi Island had banned him from setting foot on the island. Even though he proved to be anything but his former self, they still didn't trust him or his people. However; they abided by his rules and tolerated the changes he made. A lot of what he had done in recent years had benefited poor provinces like here. They were flourishing and doing so quickly. There was no denying the work of the Phoenix King.

"You're nearly the age your mother was when your father kidnapped and married her. You don't plan on following in your mother's footsteps, do you?" Suki eyed the girl from the corner of her eyes.

Kya shook her head, "No. Dad says that's the one thing he'll never have to worry about with me."

Suki chuckled and nodded. "Well, what about that cute guard of yours, 'Toshi' you said his name was."

Blushing immediately, Kya's eyes went down to the ground.

"I knew it!" Suki paused and beamed at the teen.

"But he likes someone else."

"How would you know?" Suki folded her arms and gave Kya a look.

"Because…" Kya started to feel bad again. Her stomach always started to hurt when she thought about it. She told Suki what happened the other day when she asked him.

Bursting into laughter, "Kya, it's obvious he's talking about you!"

"No, he's not. He made such a fuss about not telling me! I even threatened him and he didn't budge." Kya moped, hanging her head as she twiddled her fingers.

Suki sighed and looked at the young girl. She was too cute. Getting all worked up like this over a boy and not even knowing the obvious signs of a boy liking her. Toshi definitely was referring to her as the girl he liked, she explained. He knew she wouldn't tell anyone, so that wasn't the reason he was withholding the girl's name. "He's in a different class than you. He can't just tell you that he likes you. That's frowned upon. Plus, have you met your father?" Suki chuckled at the last part.

"My dad isn't that bad anymore."

Suki raised a brow.

"He has his moments but he's much more understanding these days. I'm sure if he knew I like Toshi he would be accepting." Kya said with not very much confidence.

Giving her the 'are you sure' look, Suki took Kya by her arm and told her that before she spoke with her father about Toshi, she needed to first establish things with Toshi. Suki was confident without a doubt that Toshi had feelings for Kya. They just needed to find a way for him to come out about them.

…..

When Ozai woke again, he saw that Hakoda was laying his head on the side of the bed while sitting in a chair he pulled up to the bed. Sitting up some, the Phoenix King reached his hand to ruffle the man's hair.

"Hakoda."

"Hmm?" Hakoda lifted his head from where it rested in his arms.

"Why are you sitting there?" Ozai tilted his head.

Rubbing his face as he woke, "I was just trying to keep an eye on you. Make sure you didn't need anything else."

Running his hand through his hair, Ozai sighed as he felt slightly better but not much. "You can just lay in the bed."

Hakoda shook his head as he stretched. "Nope, I'm still pissed at you."

"Then why are you here if I've pissed you off?"

"Because you're family, unfortunately." Hakoda stood up and straightened himself out. "And family means a lot to us Southerners. We don't take it lightly. Angry as I may be at the fact that you showed up in my home wanting to fuck me, it doesn't change that you've done the same thing to my daughter and made yourself family in our eyes. So blame yourself for knocking up my daughter and marrying her."

Ozai was going to say something but Hakoda quickly cut him off to go get some more medical herbs from the palace physician. Once he had recovered, Hakoda planned to kick his ass and get even for all the division the man caused in his family.

When Hakoda came back, Ozai was out of bed again and in the bathroom talking to himself. The tribesman paused as he was a bit caught off guard. He never thought Ozai was the type to talk to himself but then again...he didn't have many he could call a friend if he could call anyone that.

"Get it together!" He growled. "You've got to get a grip before you do something else stupid!"

Furrowing his brows, Hakoda peeked into the bathroom and saw the man was in front of his sink, gripping the counter as he hung his head. He was going to say something until he saw Ozai flip his hair back and stare at himself in the mirror.

"Why am I like this?" He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth tight. "Father was right. I'm pathetic."

Hakoda backed away and gave it a few moments before knocking on the threshold, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

"The physician made a tonic just for you. Seems our flu in the South Pole affects you firebenders worse than us." Hakoda held up the tonic.

Ozai sighed and straightened himself out. Turning his head, he looked to Hakoda with an impassive gaze.

"I always felt like you savages were diseased." Ozai scoffed as he walked up to the tribesman and snatched the tonic from him.

Hakoda raised a brow as he followed him with his gaze out of the bathroom and to the bed. Folding his arms as Ozai sat on the edge of his bed and took the entire content of the elixir, the tribesman shook his head.

"You know, even though you're an asshole, you're not as bad as everyone makes you out to be." Hakoda told him. "Honestly, you make life a bit entertaining for the rest of us. Your twisted sense of humor and being the occasional clueless goofiness really makes it fun to hate you."

Scoffing at the man, "Is that supposed to cheer me up?"

"No. I'm not your wife or your lover, my place isn't to soup up that ego of yours. I just wanted to point out that you have as many good traits as bad, like the rest of us." Hakoda sighed as he walked over to Ozai and put the back of his hand to his forehead. "Your fever is down. You're still sick but at least, you'll be feeling a little better once the medicine settles in."

Staring up at Hakoda as he sat on the edge of his bed, "I'd feel much better if you'd let your guard down like you did that night."

…

Sitting in the dining hall with the kyoshi warriors, Kya sat beside Suki at the table with Jee on the other side. It was a very lively meal. Nothing she was used to. Typically, dinner was just her and her father. And in her travels to Bei Seng Sei, it was full of nobles and the king. But they ate in silence for the most part. Kya wasn't used to everyone sharing their meal with chatter and laughter. The only other place she had been like this was in the South Pole with the other side of her family.

Pouring a cup of sake, Suki placed it in Kya's hand and slapped her on the back.

"You need to get rid of those nerves of yours. That way you can make your move." Suki laughed as she saw the princess's eyes widen.

Shaking her head as she tried to place the cup down on the table in front of her, "No, I couldn't. I can't. I wouldn't even know what to say."

Pushing the cup to her, "Drink up and I'll tell you what to do, okay?"

Kya wasn't sure. Her father didn't like her drinking unless she was in the South Pole being supervised by her grandfather or with him, drinking only a glass of red wine that he requested to be brewed with a very low alcohol content. So to drink sake without any of those conditions in place, she wasn't sure. She had always followed her father's rules unless they went against what was morally sound. If she drank this glass, it would be her first time going against her father's rule without probable reason to.

But…her eyes went across the room to Toshi. He was sitting with some of the servants and kyoshi warriors. They were all drinking and laughing. Toshi was wearing his hair out which was rare for him. He always wore it in a single braid like how Zhiar sometimes wore his. But now, it was down and loosely cascading over his shoulders. His hazel eyes bright and full of the kind of joy she always envied from afar. He was so carefree and now was no different. She shifted her gaze from Toshi to the cup of sake.

"You really think he likes me?" Kya asked.

Nodding her head, "Yes, I wouldn't tell you wrong."

Swallowing hard, Kya picked up the cup and eyed it one last time. No going back. I just hope I don't regret this.

Later that night as everyone was leaving the dining halls, Kya drunkenly stumbled out and nearly fell against one of the younger kyoshi girls.

Hiccuping, Kya giggled as she held the girl. "You wouldn't happen to know *hiccup* where my guard is, would you?"

"Umm, I think he's still in the dining hall cleaning up." The girl looked at Kya strangely before getting away from her.

"Thank you!" Kya waved after the girl that took off running and bounced a little with glee before turning around to go back to the dining halls.

There, Kya saw Toshi was still there. Alone and cleaning. She stood in the doorway as quickly as possible, watching him collect all the trays and wiping the tables. Sliding the panel doors shut, the princess watched Toshi look up at her with surprise before chuckling.

"Oh, it's just you, your highness." He beamed.

Shaking her head as she waved her finger, walking to him with the sway that Suki told her to have in her movements. "No, no, no. You call me 'Kya' when it's just us like normal." She told him.

Raising a brow as he chuckled, "You okay, Kya? You look like you drank something you probably shouldn't have." He said as she came up to him and stared up at him with a hazy look in her eyes.

"But I had to drink it." Kya tried to tell him as she grabbed onto him and nuzzled herself up against his chest. "I had to." She whined a little.

Toshi could tell that something was up. Kya was not only acting differently because of the alcohol but there was something that caused her to drink it in the first place. Getting a hold of her, Toshi looked her over and tried to get her to focus but she was unable to hold her posture let alone her attention.

"Kya, is everything okay?" He sat them both down and brushed her hair from her face. " Do you need any water?"

Shaking her head as her hands reached out for him again and she pulled him closer. "No, I just need to tell you something."

Smelling the alcohol on her breath, "Tell me what?"

"This." Kya said just before yanking him closer and pressing her lips to his. Kissing his long and hard, the princess pulled back and her gold eyes traveled from his lips to his eyes. "I like you, Hirotoshi. I think I've always liked you." She swallowed hard as her eyes fell from his. "I just wished you liked me too."

Toshi's eyes were wide as he stared at the princess. Did she just kiss him and confess?

Tears rolled from her eyes as she shut them, still holding tight to Toshi, Kya shook her head. "I don't care if you like someone else. I just want you to like me the way I like you."

Seeing the princess tearing up, Toshi brought his hands to her cheeks and brought his lips back to hers. Kya was stunned for the initial moment but soon she melted and her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling herself into his lap.

"I like you too, Kya." He whispered breathlessly against her lips as his arms moved around her waist. "I've always liked you."

…..

Morning rose and Ozai felt an arm over his waist as he stirred from his sleep. He felt a smirk creep to his lips. Hakoda was terrible at resisting him. He tried to pretend it wasn't something that he was thinking in the back of his head.

Rolling over, Ozai saw Hakoda was still asleep and grinned more as he moved closer to the man. He decided to kiss the man on the lips and press his body into his. When he felt Hakoda begin to stir, he proceeded to move his hands under the sheets to take the tribesman's morning stiff in his hands.

"Mmm, stop." Hakoda tried getting Ozai to stop.

"Make me." He whispered against Hakoda's neck before biting it.

A little while later, Hakoda eyed Ozai the entire time as they were washing up in the shower. The man was a seriously horny bastard. He really didn't understand how anyone could continue on after last night but Ozai seemed to prove to him just how sex-deprive he had been in recent time. It sort of put him on more edge with the man. He was afraid any little thing would trigger him to want to go again. Was this what his daughter had to deal with?

Stepping out the shower, Ozai grabbed a towel and dried off his face and hair before placing it around his waist. Hakoda did the same and watched him go to the sink to take care of his other hygienic needs.

"If you're this pent up, why get rid of your harem?" Hakoda asked him.

Brushing his teeth, Ozai eyes Hakoda in the mirror. "Because *spitting into the sink* women disgust me right now."

"Is this to do with Katara?"

Rinsing out his mouth, Ozai gargled and spit one last time in the sink. "And if it does?" he raised a brow.

"Then I don't think that's necessarily fair. My daughter wouldn't have turned on you if she hadn't thought you did so first." Hakoda explained.

"Then you don't really know your daughter all too well, Hakoda."

"I know her heart. Katara was distraught when you were executed. She wouldn't speak for months and Zuko relaid to me the many times she tried to kill herself to be with you because she thought you were dead. She collapsed an entire building on all her friends and family because she refused to marry someone that voted for your execution. She lost her mind over you. My daughter was in hell over you and she stayed that way even till this day." Hakoda's gaze hardened on Ozai. "My daughter begged me when you first came to the South Pole as Fire Lord, she begged me to concede and she begged the Avatar to spare you. She told me from her lips that she would drown the world if we did any differently. Do you know what that's like as a father, hearing your daughter would kill you for the man she loved?"

No, Ozai couldn't imagine Kya doing that to him. She was the one child that actually respected him enough to listen.

"It hurt. It hurt a lot! And I hate you for making her feel you were more important than her flesh and blood and people that had always been by her side. Hell, I would have rather her been with your son, Zuko. At least, I wouldn't have to worry about him making her choose. He's different from you. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he has a caring nature to him. I wish you would have left her to him. Then none of us would be in this mess, Ozai. Not only did you fuck up your own family, you did the same to mine and if it wasn't for the fact that I know you are feeling the exact same pain my daughter did, I wouldn't have even come here to look after you. If it wasn't for my granddaughter and wanting you to be a better man for her sake, I'd have told you to go fuck yourself a long time ago. I wouldn't be here if I didn't know the people I love love you and need you." Hakoda shut his eyes and clenched his fists. "I get your heart broken over Katara. I know you love her. But you will never know how much she loved you all these years. You can never love her as much as she loved you. She sacrificed so much! So much for you and she lost parts of herself for it. So you can be mad at her for believing you betrayed her but you should be more mad that you brought this on her the day you kidnapped a girl only a year older than your own daughter and forced this path on her! At least take responsibility for what's happened to my daughter!"

Ozai was about to say something when Chiru announced himself in a tone full of urgency and gave some disturbing news. The older sister of Princess Kikyo had arrived with more emassories from the Earth Kingdom. Furrowing his brows, Ozai told Hakoda they could finish their conversation later as he needed to deal with this. The tribesman said he would come along as he wanted to know why Princess Kikyo's sister was wanting to come here.

The Phoenix King did not object and told him to get dressed.

The two showed up in the throne room to see there was a whole group of Earth Kingdom emassories crowding a woman that was dressed very elaborately and luxuriously. She must be the older sister they were told about. Her slanted green eyes fell on Ozai and she smirked as she waved her hand for the emassories to shoo away from her. Walking up to the Phoenix King, the princess bowed gracefully.

"Phoenix King Ozai, it is a pleasure to meet you." She said as she rose to look him in the eyes. "I'm Princess Ami. Late Princess Kikyo's older sister."

Not liking how this woman reminded him of a snake, Ozai wore his cold expression and used his impassive tone. "What brings you all this way, Princess Ami? Please tell me it's not for what I think it is."

"You would think what, your majesty?" She smirked.

"Your dead sister, you're here to avenge her."

Shaking her head, "No, your majesty, that is not my hope in coming here. I actually came for you, specifically."

Ami clapped her hands in signal of her servants to bring forth a wise old man with a medical box in hand. She returned her attention to the Phoenix King.

"This is Physician Cho. One of the many palace physicians in Bei Seng Sei and the very best if you ask me. I've brought him here so that he may do something about that torn jaw of yours that you hide behind your mask. I heard you were once a handsome man. I'd like to see that."

Ozai could tell this woman was not your typical highborn woman. She had a cunning air to her. A dangerous one too. He didn't trust her in the mere minutes he's known her and that was a red flag. Something about her disturbed him. Made him sick to his stomach just by standing here in her presence. Something was not right with her.

Scoffing, "I can't be healed. It's permanent." Ozai told her.

"That may be so with healing but what Physician Cho specializes in is not healing but disguising and dressing up 'permanent' injuries or deformities. Please, allow him to show you his work." Ami gestured her hand to the physician.

Seeing the man was old and withered, hunched over and likely far greater in age than the average human lifespan should allow, Ozai wasn't so sure.

Bowing his head, "Allow me, your majesty, to demonstrate my work."

"What do you think, Hakoda?" Ozai asked, looking over his shoulder to the tribesman behind him.

Hakoda looked from Ozai to the physician, "What have you to lose?"

"Then please do demonstrate your craftsmanship."

…

Waking up to the sound of the chimes the Kyoshi used as an early morning alarm, Kya tried sitting up but felt a pain between her thighs as she moved. Pushing past the pain, the princess winced and rustled her hair out of her face. Spirits, what's wrong with me? She asked herself as she rubbed her head.

Kya was suddenly startled from her thoughts by the sound of groaning and the shift in her bed next to her. Slowly, she turned her head to look and see who it was. Her hands immediately went to her mouth as she saw Toshi, naked, beside her. The thin silk cascaded over his lean but surprisingly toned body. She pulled her sheets to her face as her face flushed red but as her eyes traveled down, under the sheets at herself, Kya saw she was also naked and there was blood between her legs. Her breath caught in her throat as panic fell over her. Dad's going to kill me.

Quickly trying to get out of bed, Kya limped to the bathroom of her cabin aboard the airship and bit back the cry she wanted to let out as her whole body ached.

Later that morning, Kya went to see Suki right away to speak with her. When she entered, visibly distressed, Suki told all her subordinates to leave. Alone, Kya tried to hide her limp and went directly up to the Kyoshi leader.

"I think I made a mistake." Kya told her as she tried not to get too much more worked up.

Deeply concerned, Suki brought the girl over to the sitting cushions on the floor and poured her some tea. Handing the princess a cup, "A mistake? What mistake? Did he not accept your-"

Shaking her head, "No, you were right when you said he liked me but-" Kya swallowed the emotional lodge in her throat and croked out her next words. "I woke up beside him and we- were we both- I was in pain and there was blood between my legs. I think we had sex! But I don't remember what happened much after he told him he liked me too."

Oh dear spirits. Suki pulled the girl into her arms and hugged her as she cried. She hadn't even thought about that sort of thing happening. Kya never said anything but she assumed with Ozai being her father, she hadn't had any boyfriends before or any guys stupid enough to approach her. Shit!

Suki had the village physician take a look at Kya and swore the physician to secrecy. She always informed Jee of what happened and he blamed her for getting drunk.

"I was only trying to help." Suki tried to defend herself. "She liked the boy and-"

"And what?! You know how Ozai is! If he finds this out and that you are at fault, he'll kill us all!" Jee hollered at his wife.

Suki tried calming her husband down, "Jee, I just wanted to cheer the girl up."

Jee scowled at her, "I'm not stupid, Suki! You weren't thinking about her feelings! You just hate her mother and father enough to pull this shit off!"

Suki's eyes widened. "What are you try to s-"

"You know what I'm saying! You were counting on some shit to happen! And now look! The girl lost her virginity and can't even remember it! Why?! Why'd you let this happen?!"

Narrowing her eyes at her husband, "Well maybe next time that bastard won't send his daughter here again!" Suki spat.

Jee scoffed as he backed away from Suki, "You can't be serious right now!"

"Oh shut up, Jee! You shouldn't even care! Besides, I did that girl a favor. Now she won't remember how awful it was to lose her virginity. I bet her mother wishes she didn't remember her first time." Suki folded her arms and smirked.

The physician tried to pretend he hadn't heard the village leader say that and he could see from the distraught look on the princess's face that she was just as disturbed. They should have kept their voices down if they didn't want anyone to hear that.

"Take some of this cream in case you have any swelling, okay?" The Physician told Kya. "Also, you should probably get back home as soon as possible. I don't believe it's safe for you here."

Kya took the small container of cream and put it in the pocket of her dress, thanking the physician as she paid him from her own coin purse.

Leaving out the room, Kya saw both Suki and Jee standing there waiting to see her. Kya went up to Suki and slapped her as a viciousness fell over her.

"You think I'm my mother and the people back home think I'm like my father. But I'm here to tell you I'm neither." Her eyes glowed a purple hue as she growled, her teeth sharpening as she felt feral. "I don't care about being compassionate like my mother and I don't give a fuck about politics! You crossed me in the worst way and I never did a thing to you! I saw you as an aunt! You were family to me! And you do this to me!" Kya showed an entirely new side of herself.

Suki held her cheek as she glared at the princess. "Sorry to say, princess, but that's life. Better get used to it. Cause it's only going to get a whole lot worse."

Kya clenched her fists at the lack of remorse of this woman but that was fine. There was a way Kya had to learn to deal with people like her. Killing them. Beating them up would do nothing. But ruining their lives...that humbled them. That's what she would do.

Becoming her stoic self, Kya eyes returned to their cold gaze. "You're right. That is life. Step down as village leader or I'll have this entire village leveled to the ground."

Jee eyes widened and he looked at his wife, who seemed amused.

Scoffing as she chuckled, "Your father would never do that. He can't risk what that'll look like to the rest of the world." Suki smirked as she folded her arms.

"My father won't be involved in this decision. It would be made by me and me alone. What you fail to understand is that my father made me co-ruler, which means I share his power." Kya smirked back and folded her arms as well. "Not to mention, even without that political power, I'm physically capable of sinking this entire island myself."

"Liar!"

"Keep talking and find out."

Suki's eyes widened. "You bitch! You're full of shit just like your mother!"

Kya high kicked Suki in the face and bended a flame to separate the woman from her concerned husband. The flame turned black and circled around Suki causing them both to gape at the sight. They thought she was kidding about having the power to make demands.

"You have three days. This ring of fire will remain until I return to see if my demand has been met. If it has not, I will have those flames swallow you whole and then destroy this village. Kyoshi Island will become no more than a legend as it's founder had become. I'll be sure to write about it's debacle." Kya gave them both a sinister smile. "Don't test me. I don't give a flying fuck about either of your histories with my parents. And I don't care about innocent lives. They're better dead than being governed by the viciously corrupt. You take my kindness for weakness and I will make you suffer for believing so. See you in three days."

And with that Kya left to begin returning home.

…

Ozai had to admit, he was impressed. These skin grafts were impossible to tell apart from real skin. This physician was truly exceptional. Stroking his cheeks and running fingers along his jaw, Ozai turned his attention from the mirror the servants held up for him to Princess Ami.

"You will need to have the skin grafts replaced every three weeks. I suggest that you keep Physician Cho here in Omashu so that he'll be able to install the grafts for you." Princess Ami told him in that poised slyness of hers.

Somehow, Ozai knew there was a catch here and he eyed the woman. "And what do I owe you for your generosity?"

"Nothing much. I just ask that you try to see yourself and me, personally, as business partners."

Lifting a brow at the woman, "Business partners?"

Chuckling as she nodded, "Yes, business partners. Despite both our political background, I didn't come here for politics. I actually really don't care for them. I don't have the patience and tolerance for those sorts of things. I like faster results." Princess Ami said. "And given the technological advancements your nation has taken in the ten years of your reign, I must say you intrigue me."

Ozai exchanged looks with Hakoda, who had been standing close by with his eyes on the woman. Seemed he didn't trust her either.

"Go on and make your proposal, Princess. I am a busy man." Ozai hated beating around the bush.

"The skin grafts you wear are actually developed by me and a team of scientists back home in Bei Seng Sei. We also make spare parts for those that have lost limbs or were born without them." Ami walked up closer to the Phoenix King. "My father will not allow me to make my team's achievements known. Believes the laws of science go against nature and I believe that they are one in the same. But you, your majesty, you're a well versed man, whose very existence goes against nature. I feel if anyone can understand my pursuits, it would be you."

Furrowing his brows, Ozai wasn't the type to give much thought to something when it came to those he didn't trust and he didn't much care if the woman had offered him the chance to no longer wear his mask around in public. However; there was something that intrigued him about her mention of her scientific achievements. Ozai was as she said 'well versed', technology was a part of the sciences she spoke of. Especially his most recent inventions. He didn't trust her as far as he could throw her but he was just as untrustworthy as anyone in politics and while she didn't want to play that game, she stepped into the wrong monarch's palace.

Offering her a courteous grin, Ozai told the woman that he would speak with his advisors first. He didn't want to seem eager. Otherwise, she'd realize he was up to something and he was. He wanted what she could offer him. What that mind of hers possessed.

When Ozai had his servants escort the princess and her people to chambers well suited for his possible business partner, Hakoda approached him with a concerned expression.

"You think it wise to be toying with a snake." Hakoda asked him.

"I'm immune to its venom." Ozai replied as he started making his way to the doors of the throne room while Hakoda followed him, "But this woman has a mind I'm wanting to pick at. I wonder what else she's discovered with her science."

As the two men were about to leave the throne room, they watched the doors open and saw Kya run in, going up to her father. She embraced him and immediately they heard the girl crying.

Furrowing his brows at his daughter as she clung to him in what looked like desperation. "Kya, what's happened?"

"Something bad." Kya cried as she held to him tighter. "I'm sorry. I did something bad."

…..

Kya told her father everything. From Suki's betrayal to what exactly the woman caused. She felt ashamed to have to tell her father about what took place on Kyoshi Island but it was information she would not withhold from her father. Hanging her head as she recounted the events to her father, Kya could tell he was growing more furious by the moment and with her grandfather also present, she felt sick just having to give a verbal report on this situation. She even told her father what she planned to do about punishing Suki but that was only his second concern.

"Who was the boy?" Ozai asked her as he sat at his desk, hands collapsed together as he stared at his daughter.

"I don't know." Kya lied without a single thought. "Some villager that was at the dining halls. I don't even remember his face or what happened."

"But there were obvious signs that…"

Kya nodded her head.

Ozai got up from his desk and went to his office's doors, calling for a servant to come in, he ordered them to take his daughter to the physician and check her for any injuries or sexual diseases she might have caught.

"I'll deal with the Kyoshi woman." Ozai told her. "Once the physician looks you over, go to your chambers and stay there until I've returned."

Nodding her head as she stood up, Kya followed the servant out and flinched when her father stopped her halfway out of the room. He hugged her from behind and held her for a moment. She felt anxious while telling him what happened. Afraid he'd be ashamed of her now that her innocence was gone. She was afraid he'd look at her with disgust or grow distant from her. It was frightening because she didn't know how he would respond. She knew what it meant for a girl to lose her virginity before she was married. It was frowned upon unlike with boys. Boys were taught to lose theirs as soon as possible as it made them into men. While for girls, it made them sluts and whores and she felt filthy enough. Even if it was with the guy she liked, Kya didn't want this to happen. Especially so soon.

Kissing the crown of her head, "This is my fault. I shouldn't have let you go there."

"It's not your fault." Kya told him as she shut her eyes.

"I'll make that bitch pay, you hear me. I'll make her pay for this."

When he finally let Kya go in order to be seen by the physician, Ozai slammed the door and punched his fist into it.

"FUCK!"

Hakoda furrowed his brows at the Phoenix King, "You're not going to kill the woman are you?"

Ozai looked over to Hakoda, "What do you think? That bitch of a woman got my daughter drunk just to sully her! She didn't even do it out of any spite towards Kya! This was to spite me and Katara! She let this happen to our daughter because she hates us!"

"So kill her?"

"You'd have killed me too if you had the chance, Hakoda."

Hakoda didn't say anything in response to that. He was absolutely right.

"You stay here and watch after Kya. I need to deal with this before word gets around."

…

Jee was pacing back and forth as he and the council of Kyoshi island spoke about what they were going to do with this instance. Seemed everyone felt bitterly about Suki's actions. None of them were going to get in the princess's way when she came for the former leader of the island. Even Jee felt indifferent about Suki being punished. He had many issues with Suki over the years with her views of Katara and the Phoenix King. She had refused relief and aid from the Phoenix King, putting the whole village in jeopardy during the winter due to her pride and hate for the man. He understood there were things that took place in the past that were unsavory but her hatred was still unwarranted. Katara had always looked out for them while in the Fire Nation. Even when it put her in a rough spot and Ozai was very lenient with them. He treated them differently due to their association to Katara.

"We had better hope that the Phoenix King does not catch wind of this or our entire village is doomed." The elderly council member shook his head with a grave expression.

Suddenly a black flame manifested in the fire pit and roared through the town hall's meeting chambers. Everyone gasped and quickly backed away from the vicious flames. Jee didn't have to wonder who it was. Kya might have been discovered as a duel-bender recently but only one other person had black flames and could use them in such a way.

The flames began to mold into the shape of a man and they all looked in terror as they saw the Phoenix King's piercing red eyes and ghoulish face. Jee quickly dropped on his knees and bowed.

"All hail Phoenix King Ozai."

And soon everyone else followed his example.

Eyes roaming the country styled chambers, Ozai growled as he stepped out of the fire pit and looked around for a specific person.

"Jee, where is he?!"

"Here, your majesty." He lifted his head.

Eyes locking on the man, Ozai went up to him and kicked him on his back, pressing his boot into his neck. "Where's that bitch wife of yours?"

"Princess Kya trapped her in a ring of black flames. We left her there." Jee told him.

Narrowing his eyes, "That's very cowardly of you to give up your wife so easily. I'd have more respect for you if you withheld but then again, I'd have killed you too."

Sighing as he shut his eyes, "I rather be a coward than allow her to get away with what she's done. These people have suffered enough because of her bitterness. I can't allow it to go on."

Pulling his foot from his neck, "Take me to her."

Jee took the Phoenix King to the area just outside the medical hut where Kya imprisoned Suki in a ring of black flames.

"She said three days." Suki scoffed as she spat.

Stepping up to the flames to glare at the woman. "Kya's merciful. I blame her mother's half for that." Ozai scowled at the red haired woman. "I will not be so kind. You don't get three days with me. You had purposely intoxicated my daughter so that she would be defiled! Whatever hate you have for me and Katara has nothing to do with Kya! She's innocent!"

"Was innocent." Suki snorted in laughter.

This not only pissed off the Phoenix King but her husband as well.

"To hell with you, Suki! I can't believe I married you!"

Ozai glared at the woman even more, "How old is your daughter?"

Suki's laughter halted.

"She's only a few months younger than Kya." Jee answered.

"So seventeen?" Ozai tilted his head.

"Yes, your majesty."

"Have her brought here." Ozai ordered.

Suki looked at her husband and shook her head. But Jee simply glared at her as he turned to fetch their daughter.

"What are you going to do?" Suki asked him.

"You allowed my daughter to be sullied." Ozai furrowed his brows at the woman. "I pray for your daughter's sake you did the same with her or else she's going to wish she didn't remember her first time."

"You monster!"

"No, you're the monster. I'm just getting even."

When Jee returned with their daughter, Sumi, Ozai turned to get a look at the teen. He smirked as the teen looked at him with fear.

"Oh, she's beautiful. Makes things a little easier for me." Ozai smirked as he looked back to Suki.

"You bastard!" Suki yelled at him before looking at her husband. "Do you know what he's going to do to our daughter?!"

Jee looked away from his wife.

"A governor will be arriving as your replacement in a week." Ozai informed the woman as he went to grab her daughter from Jee.

"Please! Don't take her!" Suki begged.

"You didn't care about my daughter when she came here. She trusted you out of familiarity and you used that against her. I will be even less merciful."

Suki screamed as Ozai summoned black flames and pulled her daughter through them.

…..

Kya was laying on her side in the lounge chair of her balcony staring at the sunsetting over the city. She had finally ran out of tears to cry at the moment. It never dawned on her that someone would be so cruel to her that they'd plot to hurt her this way. She may not have been very friendly but she never made enemies with anyone. Suki had the intentions of spitting her parents by setting her up to lose her virginity. It was something she never thought about. Never thought mattered. But she couldn't even remember it. Not even her siren could recall that night. Maybe it was more than alcohol in her cup. She had to have been drugged with something strong enough to affect her siren.

"What did you do?" Kya asked as she sensed her father was near.

Walking over to where his daughter lounged, Ozai sat just by her feet and placed his hand on her side. "I took her daughter. Brought her here."

"Dad!" Kya's eyes widened as she looked at him.

Staring out at the sunset, "I won't touch her. Just threw her in my closet and moved a dresser in front of the door."

Relieved, Kya sat up and shook her head. "And what of Suki?"

"Killing her won't teach her a lesson. I have a governor going there to replace her. Make it easier for me to keep eyes on that territory and I'm sure the people there will appreciate the benefits of my authority in their province. Suki will remain in your ring of fire until it rains. Afterwards, I will return her daughter to her but not before humiliating her first."

Kya was pleased that her father didn't go ahead and kill the woman. She was pleased that he was looking at alternative solutions to dealing with people that incited their wrath. This was good.

Placing his hand on his daughter's shoulder, Ozai sighed. "Nothing's changed. You're still my daughter. I know we teach you girls to remain chaste until you're married but I honestly don't care about that sort of thing. I'm just angry with how it happened."

Hanging her head, "Really?"

"It'll happen eventually and I won't have any control over that sort of thing. Not like I want to. This isn't an easy subject for me but I feel I should discuss it with you nonetheless because you're a young woman now and your mother isn't around to teach you." Ozai continued looking out at the city as the sun finally fell over the mountain range. "Men are dicks. Literally. We'll fuck anything in walking distance as long as it isn't against our personal standards. It's the reason we fathers are so protective of our daughters. We know what these bastards are out here thinking. We're thinking the same thing about other men's daughters."

Kya laughed and told her father he was a pervert.

Flicking her in the forehead, "Shut up and listen, I'm still talking."

Giggling, Kya nodded.

"I know you know who it was you woke up next to. I won't ask who again because I feel like I might be the cause of an accident or something." Ozai said in a grave tone. "You're my daughter and I don't want anything happening to you. Especially not when it comes to this sort of thing. Sure, I'll never have to worry about some horny bastard knocking you up but you're my daughter and I don't want anyone using you for their own gain. Even if it's not in this same context. Which brings me to a new arrangement."

Kya tilted her head up at him.

"During the day, you will be with me at all times. Understood?"

"What? Why?"

Standing up from the lounge chair, "I think because of your maturity, I forget you're my daughter and treat you with less care than I should. So starting tomorrow, you won't be out of my sight." He told her as he leaned down to kiss her crown.

…

The servants barged into her chambers early the next morning and had her prepared immediately for the day. They had her clothed in an elegant hanfu dress. Green, blue, and gold. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail with her crown as princess placed on top and her phoenix feather hairpin securing it in place. She had a thin blade of black liner drawn on her bottom eyelid.

When she was ready for the day, her father entered her chambers and smiled at her. "The dress looks good on you."

Standing up from her vanity, Kya looked to her father and pouted. "You're not really going to make me hang around you all day?"

"Everyday." He grinned.

Kya rolled her eyes and went over to him, taking his arm. She was happy that her father was trying to be more caring and more involved but this was not what she was hoping for.

…

Kya was starting to realize her father had become increasingly more protective of her as time went on. She didn't have a moment to herself from the time the sun rose and the sun set. He was literally in her face all day. It took her grandfather, who was staying with them, to get her father to back off. And even then, he was still hovering around her.

"I can't take it anymore!" Kya flipped out in the hallway causing the bystanders to all be stunned by her sudden outburst. "Get off my back! Geez! You're being annoying!"

Everyone stared at her strangely as they were trying to figure out who the princess was yelling at but as they all stared at her longer, they saw a black flame manifest from nowhere. The Phoenix King took form in front of them and they all went about their business. It was the norm of the palace for unexplainable things to take place. Both the Phoenix King and his daughter were peculiar in their own right.

"I'm just making sure you're safe." Ozai told her.

"Well, I am! I'm perfectly safe! I don't need you following me in my shadow all day! That's some spooky shit! And I'm sick of it! Leave me alone!" Kya growled before she stormed away from her father.

Ozai stood there watching his daughter storm off. Kya had never spoken to him like that before. She was always the good child out of the batch of children he had. And while he understood that she wanted her space, he was protecting her from those that could hurt her. There were too many times in the past and even now where he hadn't been careful and he hadn't paid close attention to things and that's how her mother ended up being harmed more than he can recall. He was trying to spare her those fates. Even if it meant being invasive. He was only doing this for her good.

Hakoda was trying to pretend he didn't notice Ozai was staring at the candle on his nightstand. The man watched that flame and every flame he came in contact with. Obviously, Kya's outburst did nothing to quell his overbearingness.

Sighing, Hakoda moved closer and reached over him, taking out the flame with a single breath. He saw Ozai turn over in the bed and glare at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ozai bit out as his gold eyes stared in annoyance at the tribesman.

"You're doing too much." Hakoda told him as he rolled on his back. "You're only going to drive her away."

Sitting up to glare at the man he had been sleeping beside for weeks now, "I'm trying to protect my daughter. You, of all people, should understand that."

"I do and that's why I'm telling you, you're doing too much." Hakoda said again, unphased by Ozai being outraged by his response.

Scoffing as he laid back down and turned his back to Hakoda, "Anything can happen to her and if I don't protect her, what good am I then?!"

Sighing as he shut his eyes, Hakoda shook his head. "I did the same thing you're doing. Only, my daughter told me and everyone to 'fuck off', then proceeded to collaps a building on top of everyone. I pray if Kya is anything like her mother, you'll be prepared when she starts lashing out at you."

Ozai stared angrily at the candle that Hakoda put out. He didn't care if Kya lashed out at him. He loved Kya enough to let her hate him as long as it meant she was safe. At least, she'd know her father would be damned before he let something horrible befall her. That was better than what most girls got.

"When she's married, I'll back off. Until then, she's my daughter and I'll do my job as her father."

Hakoda rolled over to gaze at Ozai's back. He really couldn't be mad at him. It was the duty of a father to protect his children. If only he had protected his own daughter more, then...No...what's happened has happened. I can't change that. Besides, he wouldn't have his three grandchildren. But still, Ozai was taking things too far. Stalking his daughter even as she rested. He wondered if the man ever accidentally caught his daughter undressing for bed or bathing. He watched the flames so frequently that it was not hard to see that happening occasionally. At this point all Hakoda could do was distract Ozai to give his granddaughter some privacy.

Scooting himself closer to Ozai, Hakoda pressed his lips to his ear and slid his hand over his side, downward to the bulge of his pants.

Nipping his ear, "How about you try turning your attention elsewhere, hmm?"

…..

Visiting the library that was illuminated by the light of the moon, Kya looked around for Toshi as she knew he typically spent the night shift re-organizing the shelves. When she spotted him, the princess walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped a little but calmed down a bit when he saw her.

"Kya, I've been meaning t-"

Shaking her head as he took both her hands, "It's fine, Toshi. I know I left abruptly that morning and haven't spoken to you since but there was a lot going on in my head and a lot that happened."

Toshi told her he heard what happened and apologized to her for not seeing he was taking advantage of her. "If I knew, there's no way I would have done that with you. I'm terribly sorry, your highness."

"What's happened has passed. There's nothing either of us can do to change that but I just want to let you know that my feelings haven't changed. I still-"

Toshi pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers as he backed her up into a bookcase. The princess slowly melted into his arms as he wrapped them around her waist. Kissing him back passionately, Kya circled her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. The two of them knocked a few books down from the shelves as they both tried devouring one another.

Kya gasped as Toshi moved his lips down her jaw to her neck, running his hands over her breast as he pushed her even more against the bookcase.

"I want to remember and I can't." She moaned as he sucked on her neck. "Make me remember this."

Pulling his lips from her neck, Toshi looked at the princess and saw her eyes were filled with longing. He caressed the side of her face and went to kiss her lips again.

"Then we shouldn't do this here." He told her.

Nodding her head, Kya took his hand and pulled him along with her to her chambers. She knocked every candle out that they ran past. She wasn't going to let her father catch a glimpse of her up this late. He wasn't going to get in her way.

…

The summits were only a week away and the Phoenix King was in a foul mood. Not only was he going to be in the North Pole soon but he was going to end up dealing with Arnook and his bullshit. He didn't have the temperament right now to be dealing with the Northern Chieftain. Then there was the fact that Katara would be up there. He hadn't seen her in three years and honestly, he didn't look forward to seeing her again.

Sitting in his office looking over the documents he'd be taking with him to the North Pole, Ozai groaned as his daughter brought in a tray of tea and his midday meal. She had finished her work quite early. A week ago to be exact. He would have had more time had he not been entertaining his latest distraction. Hakoda was very serious about getting him to leave Kya to her own device.

Kya placed his cup down beside him and poured his tea. "If you want, I can take care of the rest of your work and do the talking while we're in the North. That way you won't be tempted to say something inappropriate and you can relax most of the night." She told him as she reached into her side pocket and pulled out a small bottle of gen.

Ozai eyed the bottle and then his daughter, "Why would you be willing to do that?"

Grinning, "Well, I know you hate that the summit is being held in the North Pole and there's Arnook, who we both hate." She said as she poured the gen into his tea. "As your daughter, who loves you very much, I'd gladly take things over from here and so on." Kya pushed the teacup over to her father and watched him eye the cup.

"You're trying to bribe me. What do you want?"

Giggling, "Oh nothing. Nothing really." Kya stepped away.

Ozai raised his brow as he picked up the teacup and sipped it. He literally closed his eyes and made an involuntary sound of bliss. Agni, it had been far too long since he's had a drink. Hmm...fuck.

"Just tell me what it is." He asked her, eyes still closed as he enjoyed the rest of the tea.

"I want to see my mother."

Kya saw her father's eyes gradually open and narrow at her.

"Kya, we've had this-"

"I know. I know. I know." Kya quickly cut him off as she went to wrap her arms around her father's neck as he sat down and rubbed her cheek against the back of his head. "But I miss her so much and I really need to see her."

Ozai stared at his teacup that he nearly finished and sighed. "You finish the rest of this work for me, do the talking at the summit, and let me drink as much as I need to bear through the hell I'm going to be in while up there and you can do whatever the hell you like."

Bouncing up and down as she clung to her father, Kya shrieked.

"Oh thank you, dad!" she said and leaned down to kiss his cheek repeatedly causing him to try swatting her away.

"I swear I'll put you in a chokehold if you don't stop." Ozai cringed as his daughter was getting more and more affectionate with him. He was starting to miss his daughter's stoic side.

Giggling as she planted one more kiss on him, "You're the best, dad."

Scoffing as he held his hand out to her, "Sure, sure, now hand over the bottle." He told her.

Pulling the bottle of gen out, Kya handed it over to her father. He read over the bottle and lifted his brow to her.

"This is that peasant's gen. How'd you get a hold of this?" Ozai demanded to know.

Shrugging her shoulders, "Got it from a minister, who likes to gamble with commoners in the Sho Hai district. He says it's the strongest stuff he's had. Figured you might like it."

Ozai eyed his daughter a bit longer. Kya was getting sneakier and sneakier as time went on. He never asked her anything more than once and he always watched her when he was looking for her to lie. And while she lied better than her mother, she didn't lie well enough for him to not see through her. A part of him wondered why it was she felt like lying to him all of a sudden but he wrote it off as her being a teenager. Plus, he had his secret so she was entitled to have hers. At least, he didn't feel like she was turning against him. Her words might not be as honest but her actions and feelings were.

Letting her go from his office, Ozai decided to pour himself some more gen into his cup. This time, more gen than tea. As soon as he sipped from it, he was in heaven. Agni, that's the good stuff.

As the Phoenix King tried enjoying his first drink in nearly a year, the page boy outside his office entered with a guest he had not expected to see.

"Brother, it's been too long." Iroh stepped into his office and smiled.

Ozai downed the tea immediately and then chugged the bottle of gen.

…..

"Toshi!" Kya moaned as she let her boyfriend aid in rolling her hips while she sat mounted on him at the edge of her bed. She clung to him as he kissed her from her breasts to her neck, leaving love bites on her skin. "Ah! Toshi! I'm gonna c-"

Claiming her lips as he continued to meet her with deep thrusts, "Cum for me, princess." He whispered to her and it sent her over the edge, clawing him with her nails. Toshi continued thrusting into her as she came, flipping her on her back and riding out his own release into her.

The two kissed as they came down from the exhilaration they had just experienced in each other's arms when they both froze from a knock on the door. Kya immediately shoved Toshi off of her and quickly pulled the sheets over herself to cover up as Toshi hurried to grab his clothes.

"Who is it?" She answered nervously as Toshi tried to get dressed and she urged him to go out on the balcony.

"Your uncle." A gleeful voice came from the other side of the door.

"Oh, Uncle Iroh." She chuckled nervously from behind the door. "Sorry but could you give me a minute."

Hoping he would agree and give her time to clothe herself, Kya was startled by a sudden bang on the door.

"Kya, this is your father. Open up. Who told you you could lock doors?"

Fuck! Kya said as she quickly fixed her hair in the tall mirror by her bedroom door to make sure her hair didn't look so disheveled before letting out a soft breath.

Opening the door, Kya cracked it just a bit and peeked to see her father and uncle waiting there. She saw they both looked at her strangely.

"Hi, Uncle Iroh." Kya waved her hand and then looked nervously at her father. "Dad, can you give me a m-"

Pushing the door open, Ozai forced his way in, nearly knocking her over in the process. Kya tried to grab at her father to stop him as he started snooping around her bedroom. She felt panic like no other as her father wouldn't listen for him to stop as he looked in her closet, bathroom, and under her bed.

"Are you alright, Kya?" Her uncle asked her how distressed she looked.

Not able to calm down as her father started tossing things out of her closet and lifting the mattress of her bed up, Kya went up to grab his arm to stop him. "Stop it! Why are you doing this?!"

Paying her no mind, "Something's not right." He said as he looked around the room looking for other spots where someone might be hiding. "Who else is here?!" he looked down at his daughter, who was literally covering herself with her bed sheets.

"No one!" She yelled.

"Don't lie to me, Kya! I can tell someone was here! So you better tell me who or I'll tear this whole room apart!" Ozai threatened.

"I'm not lying! I'm telling the truth!" Kya cried. "You said you'd stop being so overprotective!"

Ozai stared at her for a moment before he turned his attention to the balcony.

"I'm not stupid, Kya!" Ozai flung her to the floor and started towards the balcony.

Kya latched to her father's ankle, trying to stop him but he was far stronger than her and drugged her along with him. Iroh watched with both concern and curiosity. Was this his brother's dynamic with his youngest daughter?

Reaching the balcony, Ozai looked around and saw there was no one there. Seeing this as well, Kya felt relief wash over her like a wave and she let go of his leg.

Fucking spirits that was close! I swear I was about to die!

Still not feeling right about something, Ozai glared at his daughter as she laid there on the floor. "What the hell were you doing in here that you're covered in your bedsheets?!"

Kya sat up and looked at her father from the floor, "Nothing."

"Lie to me again, Kya, and I swear to Agni you will see my ugly side." Ozai crouched down and grabbed her by her jaw.

Yanking her face from his grip, "It's embarrassing." She told him as her gaze averted to the ground. "I have needs too. I was just taking care of them."

"Needs?" Ozai was confused.

"Yes, dad." Kya looked back to him and furrowed her brows. "Needs. Just like you. Only I can't screw grandpa to satisfy myself."

Moving away from her as he rose to his feet, Ozai eyed her with wide eyes. "What?!"

Standing up as she could see she had caught her father in an awkward spot. "Yeah, I know what you and grandpa are doing. I'm not an idiot. But unlike you, I have to do things myself." Kya flashed her fingers at him.

Ozai's eye twitched as he literally was driven speechless and simply walked out the room. Iroh, also feeling uncomfortable after hearing that, told Kya he would see her at dinner later this evening and followed behind his brother.

Kya shut the door behind them and sighed as she pressed her back to the door. That was way too close!

…..

"So, how are things, brother?" Iroh drank someone the nicely brewed tea that his brother made him.

Feeling a bit uneasy about earlier with his daughter. Ozai couldn't help but feel that there had been someone in that room. If not, why else would Kya act like that.

Sipping his tea as he added some alcohol to his cup, "Better. Despite Kya having her moments, things are fine."

"Are you sure?"

Nodding his head, Ozai drifted off into thought leaving his brother to converse with Hakoda.

"He's been a lot better. I can attest to it." Hakoda said as he recounted how Ozai had been last year.

Iroh was happy to hear that his brother was doing better in the fathering department. However; it did bother him to hear what happened to Kya recently that caused Ozai to become overprotective.

"So...Kya says the two of you are…" Iroh made a gesture with his eyes that implied the nature of their relationship.

Hakoda would typically be a bit unnerved by this but at this point everyone here had caught on to them. He couldn't really hide it and he felt less and less shame. Besides, he and Ozai weren't quite lovers. They were friends at most and they benefited from that friendship in a sexual way. Hakoda had absolutely no romantic feelings for Ozai and vice versa. They were just sleeping together.

Nodding his head as he seemed to understand this, Iroh thought it had just been a phase for Ozai to like men back when he was seeing Daikoku as a teen but it would seem his brother was still interested in men and just kept it low all these years later.

"Why aren't you dead or something, Iroh?" Ozai zones back in the conversation.

Iroh chuckled and looked to his brother, "Dead? Why would I be dead, brother?"

"Because you're old." Ozai pointed out.

"And so are you, Ozai." Iroh laughed. "You just stopped aging years ago."

Ozai drank from his glass and slouched into the sofa, "How fortunate." he scoffed impassively.

By the end of the night, all three men were drunk off their asses and on the floor.

"Brother...what was *hiccup* in that tea?" Iroh asked as he laid on his side.

Laughing uncontrollably, Ozai was unable to respond as he was face down. Hakoda was leaning against the seat of the sofa next to Ozai. He was trying to get a hold of himself. Something wasn't right about that tea and it wasn't just alcohol in there.

Slapping Ozai on his back as he continued in his fit of laughter, "What did you put in that tea, Ozai?"

"Cannabis!" Ozai laughed louder as he rolled on his back. "And *crying with laughter* those weird rocks over there!" He held his chest and pointed to the low table where the empty tea pot was.

Iroh and Hakoda saw the rocks he was pointing to. Their eyes widened. Those weren't rocks. Or at least not normal rocks. They were a special kind crystal that if crushed and snorted, digested, or smoked would cause the user to experience a weightless high whole also sending them into a blissful madness. As they were about to yell at Ozai, the two couldn't help that the same fit of laughter that plagued Ozai, now corrupted them. Soon the room was filled with the laughter of all three men. They laughed so hard and for so long that they woke the next day with their stomachs tender and sore.

Both men were upset that Ozai would spite the tea, Hakoda and Iroh hit him in the back of the head.

"You have defiled tea in a most unforgivable way, brother!" Iroh furrowed his brows at Ozai.

Hakoda glared at Ozai, "I'm never drinking any tea you brew! You sneaky bastard!"

Still finding it hilarious, "You bastards need to loosen up." Ozai said as he stuffed his pipe with cannabis. "I was just taking you two on a trip with me." Placing the pipe in his mouth as he lit it, smoking it's content, and then blowing out a thick cloud. "But obviously you ass-hats are lame. Not inviting you two next time."

"Says the drug using alcoholic." Hakoda scoffed.

Shaking his head, "Ozai, I thought you stopped using these drugs."

Ozai raised a brow, "And why would you think that?"

"Because life's gotten better hasn't it?"

Smoking his pipe, Ozai chuckled and shook his head. "My wife is in prison. My sons live in the Fire Nation because I'm a terrible father. My daughter that was the best of her siblings is now lying to me because she thinks I'm overprotective. I have an older daughter that is supposed to be brain dead but is alive and is working with our enemies. Ex-wife is also probably working with our enemies too. I'm having sexual relations with a man that is my friend and not my friend and I have to go the North Pole in a week to see a man that was married to my wife but is bitter because I took her back from him. And I hate people but have to be around them for a little over a month….I'd say life is better than it could be but it's still shit."

Iroh sighed. "Well, I came just to see how you were brother. I worry about you."

"And why?" Ozai snarled. "You don't even like me."

"You're still my brother."

Holding his pipe away from his mouth as he eyed his old brother, "And did that ever dawn on you when we were younger and you stood by idly as I was beaten into the floor by our father? When the nobles and their children were allowed to watch me be tortured by my own flesh and blood?! Or when father forced himself on me every night for nearly six years?! Did you care that I was your brother then?!"

Iroh hung his head as he felt ashamed. "What was I supposed to do, Ozai? You knew our father...he wasn't an easy man to-"

"Azulon was a sick bastard and you let him do horrible things to me that haunt me to this day! Our father tried to make a woman of me!" Ozai threw his pipe down.

Hakoda turned his gaze from the two. He didn't realize Ozai was a product of abuse. Made sense why he acted the way he did now.

"Ozai, that was so long ago. There's nothing-"

"Leave, Iroh." Ozai tried to get himself together. "Leave!"

"But brother-"

"Leave! I don't want to see your face! It reminds me of that time! Just go!" Ozai hollered as he rose from his desk. "Get the fuck out!"

"I'm sor-"

"Spare me your newly found conscience! I knew you before you became a wise old bastard! Your heart is still black to me! NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY PALACE!"

Iroh left immediately without another word.

Hakoda turned back around to see Ozai was left with himself and his thoughts. You can't even look at your own brother because it hurts that bad. Are you always in this much pain, Ozai? He hadn't seen him like this before. Ozai always acted as if he was annoyed by everything and hated everyone and didn't care. But it was all a facade. Deep down Ozai didn't hate people, he hated how he felt around them. He wasn't annoyed by everything, everything just always felt so intense to him and he didn't know how to handle it. He didn't 'not' care, Ozai cared but caring made him vulnerable and he feared being vulnerable due to his past.

The tribesman couldn't imagine what it felt to have your own father abuse you like that and your brother be indifferent towards it. Hakoda couldn't imagine that. But it made sense why Ozai always felt like a broken man to him even though he tried to pretend he wasn't. Made sense why he spaced out, or talked to himself, or snapped. He was reliving and recounting his past on a daily basis. But hurt people hurt people. So you can't stay like this forever, Ozai.

Ozai tried covering his face as he felt his whole body shake. He hated seeing Iroh. He really did. Even though he tried to see a future where he and his brother got along, it felt impossible. All he could see was that cold expression that watched in indifference as he reached out begging to be saved while their father crippled him. Ozai didn't know why he always reached out for Iroh but he knew every time, his older brother looked at him with indifference and Ozai felt alone ever since. Suffering was something people did alone. It couldn't be shared. And he was always suffering.

Feeling arms wrap around him, Ozai stiffened.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." Hakoda told him.

"I don't need your pity, Hakoda."

"But you need someone to give a fuck about you and I do, Ozai." Hakoda told him and he pressed his lips to the back of his head. "You're not the person your father tried to make you into. You're better than this pain you're feeling. I promise you that."

…

A/N: More year three coming next. The summit arce.