A/N:
Hello everyone! I'm back! I had my daughter August 4th and sustained a few injuries from giving birth along with a terrible mishandling of medications that caused me to lose my ability to walk and move my neck. So my neck is feeling a ton better but I'm in physical therapy hoping to be able to walk on my own soon. In the meantime, I will try to put out the chapters for the other two ongoing series soon. Thank you all for being patient and reading my stories! Really makes me happy!
Warning this is a more darker chapter so read with caution.
Chapter 25:
From the rustled sheets that spilled onto the floor to the claw marks on the floor with a few droplets of blood trailing to the balcony, it was clear that the Chieftainess had been taken against her will. Kokasho was fuming when he discovered this scene and was on his way to the only real suspect when the ministers stopped him. They knew as much as he did who was likely behind this. However, attacking the second prince head on was not a wise move. It would backfire. Especially when they believed if he was behind this that the chieftainess was alive and being kept by the Fire prince. They had to approach things differently.
So, Kokasho and all those that followed Katara from the South Pole pretended not to suspect anything. They all asked around to see if anyone had seen the Chieftainess that morning, giving the story that she seemed to have run off. But days started to pass with no sign of her and many were starting to wonder what happened to the Southern Chieftainess, the Fire Nation court as well. Everyone was suddenly asking questions as it didn't seem anymore that the chieftainess just left out on her own. It was very much starting to look like she was kidnapped.
Kokasho had spoken to the second prince's son about if he had spotted Katara and Zuko was as clueless as everyone else but he also suspected his father. While it was just a rumor for many, Zuko, who had seen up close the way his father and Katara interacted, knew the rumors were true. He had been suspicious for a while and it only made sense. This was now very concerning to him as he feared his father might have a hand in her disappearance.
"Hey, mom, can I ask you something?" Zuko was having his midday meal with his mother in the royal garden.
Ursa nodded as she slurped her noodles, covering the view of her mouth with her hand. "Yes, what is it, my love?"
"Katara's been missing for a few days." He started as he held his chopsticks in his hand while staring uninterested at his food. "No one has seen her for days and the Southerners are starting to worry. Do you have any idea where she might be?"
The Fire Princess was sure the Southerners were just as aware as she was about who might have had a part in Katara's disappearance. It wasn't yet said to be a kidnapping but it was obvious that she didn't just leave on her own without leaving her people some sort of message. Besides, Ursa had heard the southerners talking amongst themselves and there were signs of a struggle in Katara's chambers. All the more reason to believe that it was who they were all suspecting.
Sighing as she set her chopsticks down and took a sip of her tea, "Only one person knows where she might be and it is-"
"Father?"
Ursa raised her brow at her son in shock, "I was going to say only Katara knows where she is but your father? What makes you think your father knows anything?" She didn't think Zuko would suspect his father so easily. Did he know something?
"I'm not stupid, mom. I know you know as well as I do that dad and Katara are or were having an affair. Maybe he took her. I noticed he's been seeing some other woman and Katara's kept to herself." Zuko stated as he started rubbing his head. "But why would dad take her if he's not interested in Katara anymore?"
That was a question Ursa was not going to answer. She hated the sudden sinking of her guts as her eyes widened a little. Oh my gods! Her hands clasped over her mouth. She felt like she was going to be sick and her son hurried to see what was wrong with her.
"Mom, what is-"
"Zuko, promise me." She looked at him with a frightened look on her face. "You stay out of this. Please, your father, I think-" she shook her head. "No, just leave this to me and say nothing to anyone else. Okay? Promise me?!"
Zuko was confused and also very concerned by the shift in his mother's demeanor. Something was wrong. His father did have something to do with this and his mother seemed to know why. Whatever it was, it made him fear for his childhood friend. What had his father done with her?
Storming into the office of her husband as he had Shira sitting in his lap so casually like they were an official couple, Ursa growled and slammed her hands on the desk in front of them.
"Where is she, Ozai?! I know you know!" Ursa snarled.
Ozai was unfazed and patted Shira on her thigh, "How about you go back to your chambers and get undressed? I'll be there shortly."
Shira nodded and kissed him on the temple before leaving. She exchanged a brief glance with Ursa but it seemed the woman was furious and didn't have anything to say to her.
When they were alone, Ursa marched around his desk and raised her hand to slap him but he quickly got up and restrained her. She snapped her teeth at him as she yelled.
"You bastard! What did you do with her?!" Ursa screamed in his face.
Ozai stared at her stoically, "Get yourself together, Ursa. What makes you think I know anything about where that idiot is?"
"Because she's pregnant and I know you know!" Ursa's eyes teared up. "She wanted to keep it! She wanted that baby! And I know you would refuse her!"
The Fire Prince let his wife go and stepped away from her, sitting back in his seat as he stroked his beard.
"I'm going to expose you for the devil you are! And I hope your father finally outright takes your evil head from your evil body! You selfish bastard!" Ursa screamed at him.
Shifting his gold eyes to her, Ozai smirked, still stroking his beard. "Do what you like, Ursa. But I need you to do something for me since you seem to have so much proof."
Scowling hatefully at him, "what the hell do you want?"
"Take a bucket of water and a gown to the storage house at the back of our domain."
"Why?"
Ozai went back to working. "Just do it and stop questioning me."
The bucket was heavy and Ursa would have made a servant carry it if she didn't feel like she was about to discover something. She really didn't understand why Ozai gave her such a stupid chore unless there was something he wanted her to see. Wicked bastard! Ursa hated him. Hated that he was her husband. Hated that her children were his. Hated all that he had done. Agni, she prayed he would meet his match one day and that he suffered for all the suffering he had caused.
As she approached the storage house, Ursa set the bucket down for a moment and reached for her key to unlock the storage door. Once it was opened, she grabbed the bucket and entered. The princess rounded a few shelf cases until she reached the back and the bucket slipped from her hands and not because it had grown too heavy, Ursa had simply lost her breath and crumbled to her knees. Her eyes wide at the sight before her. No. Her hand fell over her mouth as she gaped. Tears soon found their way down her cheek as her heart sunk into the pits of her stomach.
Ursa watched the poor thing trying to balance herself on a wobbly wooden chair as she dangled a few feet above it on a meat hook that went through the cuffs on her wrists. Her mouth was gagged and her eyes were blindfolded. What broke her heart the most was seeing the blood that stained the plain white gown she was draped in. The gown had become a bit transparent from the girl sweating so much from how hot the storage house was. It was the hottest month of the year and Ursa knew if another day went by this girl would be dead.
Finding the strength to stand, Ursa quickly found a ladder and took it to the side of the hanging waterbender. She climbed it and tried unlocking the cuffs on the girl. But before she could do that, she heard the storage door close and saw her husband enter with his hands behind his back. His devil eyes looked up at her and a grin formed. Ursa felt pure disgust and hatred for him.
"Where the hell are the keys, Ozai?!" Ursa shouted.
Ozai dug in his pocket and tossed them to the floor by her ladder as his attention went to the waterbender. His wife hurried down the ladder and snatched the keys before returning to freeing Katara. She dropped in an instance and Ozai didn't bother to catch her, just watched her fall to the ground. He watched Ursa hurry to get the girl in her arms and remove her blindfold.
"Katara?" Ursa called the waterbender's name as she saw her blue eyes staring up at her. It wasn't long before those blue eyes rolled to the back of her head and Ursa felt the girl's body go limp in her arms. "How could you do this, Ozai?"
Sucking his teeth, "I do what I want. Who's going to stop me? Who has ever stopped me?"
"Your fath-"
"He can't kill me! Not outright and you know it! It's why you and him had to conspire with Lu Ten and the Earth Kingdom to deal with me." Ozai eyed her viciously. "Now, shut up and go clean her off in my chambers."
Ursa glared at him as he turned his back to leave, "Say anything and you'll go missing too. Only, I'll make sure they find you in multiple locations at once." He threatened.
Taking the waterbender to her husband's chambers, Ursa took her time cleaning the waterbender off and changing her out of her soiled gown. She gazed at the young woman pitifully, hating this had happened to her. It was obvious what Ozai's intentions were but how did he find out? Did this girl foolishly tell him? Even if she did, she did not deserve this. How could Ozai even bring himself to torture her this way?
The Fire Princess saw that Katara was stirring and quickly fixed her a glass of water when she heard her coughing.
"Here, drink." She helped her sit up and pressed the glass gently to her lips for her to drink.
Gulping down the entire glass, Katara gasped and tried to sit up on her own but winced. She laid back down and placed her hand on her stomach, hoping to find what she was looking for. However, panic began to wash over her as her search grew cold. Her eyes widened and Ursa could see the girl was trying to feel for her baby. It was likely a waterbender's gift to be able to feel a child in such an early state. But in this case, Katara could not find what she was looking for.
Gently taking the waterbender's hand, Ursa tried shushing her as she began crying and anxiously muttering to herself. "Katara, Katara, sweetheart, listen, listen to me-"
"My baby…" She cried as she turned her head from Ursa. "It's dying."
"I'm sorry, Katara." Ursa said genuinely as she brushed the girl's hair back.
"Help me, please. I don't want them to die. Ursa...can you help me?" Katara asked, completely heartbroken.
Ursa looked at the poor girl and pressed her fingers to her lips, shaking her head. "Don't speak. Ozai has to believe they're dead."
"Ozai...he did this to me?" Katara's eyes were wide as she didn't actually know whether he was behind this or not. She had been knocked out when dragged out of bed. She never saw who it was.
Seeing the look in the waterbender's eyes, Ursa urged the waterbender to rest as she would look after her in the meantime but Ursa felt lost in trying to figure out what to do. She wanted to help Katara. She did but she was terrified of Ozai. If he could do this to the girl, she wondered what else he could do.
…
Shira couldn't say for sure but after seeing Chieftainess Katara in the Fire Prince's chambers the other morning in barely any clothes, she felt it was pretty obvious at this point. The two were having an affair. Not to mention, there were rumors going around about the unorthodox relationship between the two and light speculations that Ozai in particular saw the Chieftainess for her mother. But she couldn't simply say it was all true. Something like this was all too scandalous to not be a hundred percent sure. The second prince had a long history with the Chieftainess and both her late parents. If she just went on what she knew now, very convincing evidence, but not completely incriminating evidence, then she could cause great misfortune to befall both people in question. She knew she'd need to get Ozai to admit it or catch the two in the act of having an affair.
"Why are you so spaced out?" Shira heard the Fire Prince ask her as she was lounging on her side in the nude with a glass of white wine in her hand.
Fading back into the moment of things, "Sorry, I was just thinking to myself."
Ozai glanced up from his sketchpad to make sure he got the contours of her face correct as he drew her, "Thinking of what?"
Not so sure if she should say anything else as Ozai didn't like being questioned about certain things. Maybe she needed to word things differently in order to get him to talk. She'd definitely need to be careful not to offend him.
Shrugging her shoulders as her blue eyes went to study the glass in her hands, "I just find it so bold of your wife to make such implications about you taking the Chieftainess." Shira's gaze shifts to Ozai, who was still drawing her.
Ozai didn't look up from what he was doing as he sat cross-legged on the floor, "Katara is pregnant. My fault for not being more careful with her despite her being told she was sterile. The other day she tried to break things off between us and you could say I didn't take kindly to it."
Shira's eyes widened at how he managed to say that so casually like he didn't just confess to something far more scandalous than a mere affair. Not only did she have the confirmation she needed but she learned the Chieftainess was pregnant due to relations between the two of them. On top of that, he all but just told her he had been the one to kidnap the young woman. Shira couldn't believe it. She was utterly speechless.
Glancing up from his work, Ozai saw Shira's expression and smirked before continuing to draw. "I'll release her once she has come to her senses."
When the drawing was finished, Shira was surprised to see how artistic the Fire Prince was. It never dawned on her that he could draw or draw someone so spot on like this. Things of course lead to the bedroom to which Ozai seemed a bit more distracted than usual. Clearly his mind was somewhere else. Shira didn't have to think too hard to know what was on his mind.
Returning to her chambers, Shira went to her desk and began writing a letter right away. She hadn't come here simply on the account of the Fire Princess wanting her to distract her husband but because she was sent here by a benefactor back home. They wanted her to investigate the Fire Prince and his relationship with Chieftainess Katara. Now, having the knowledge of what was truly going on between the two, Shira could finally give a detailed report to her benefactor. She knew they'd be furious to discover this truth but it was necessary. This is why she came here. However, she did grow fond of the Fire Prince while here and feared him discovering her. Hopefully, he would never find out about her or her benefactor.
…...
"Leave us." Ursa heard her husband say as he walked into his bedroom where she was tending to Katara. The Fire Princess looked over at him and narrowed her eyes, wordlessly refusing to move. She wasn't about to leave this innocent girl alone with the man when she needed nothing more than to recover. Her body had only just cooled down and the blood had finally slowed down. At the moment, Ursa just wanted to keep the poor girl's condition stabilized to prevent the worst from happening to her.
Ozai glared back at his wife and then shifted his gaze to Katara, "I'm not going to kill her. That's not why I took her."
"I know why you took her, Ozai." Ursa forced herself to look away from her husband. "She's miscarried. The baby is no more. You've gotten what you wanted."
This seemed to appease her husband for the moment but he told her he wanted to keep the waterbender for a few more days. Apparently, he wanted to make sure of things. Ursa feared he would take things a step further. She knew Ozai was well versed in medicine as well as surgical techniques. Many of his previous victims, women that had long standing affairs with him that dared to get pregnant and try to keep their babies, well, they would never go on to be mothers in this life. Ozai saw to it. He called it 'fixing' them. And it was cruel, his methods.
"Leave her alone. She's still young, Ozai. Don't do 'that' to her." Ursa pleaded.
"She's not supposed to be able to get pregnant in the first fucking place! I can't have that happen again!" He hissed.
"Whatever child she is capable of having after this has been done to her, I doubt it will be yours." Ursa retorted. "You'll never get to touch her again. You know that, right?"
Ozai scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't be so sure, Ursa."
With that, the Fire Princess watched her husband leave and sighed as she called him a monster under her breath. However, she is startled to hear sniffling and turns to see Katara is awake. Lying on her back with tears flooding her pained blue eyes.
"He's going to kill my baby." Katara tried getting out of bed.
Ursa had to force her to lay back down, "Honestly, at this point, I don't think I can stop him. We can't save this baby, Katara. He'll just come back and continue until it is dead."
"So you're not going to help me?" The waterbender asked as she stared at Ursa in disappointment.
"I can't." Ursa said with shame as she looked away from her. "I'm afraid of him. You're just seeing his ugly side. I've been dealing with it for years and he only gets worse. He's a monster."
Katara wanted to resent Ursa for her cowardice but she couldn't blame the woman. She remembered Ursa had been pregnant not long ago by her lover and suddenly, she wasn't anymore. Ozai must have had something to do with it. Plus, Zuko had warned her plenty that his father was dangerous. She should have listened. This wasn't Ursa's fault either. This was her own doing and now, her child would pay for it.
"It's my own fault." Katara shut her eyes and cried. "I just hope I can keep them alive long enough to get away from here."
"I'm sorry." Ursa lamented.
…
It came as no surprise when Kokasho approached him in the hallways. Ozai had expected the barbarian to confront him sooner but the silver haired bastard might actually have more sense than he gave him credit for. It was a foolish move to outright suspect someone publicly without first having proof. Especially someone of a certain status.
Sighing as Kokasho was in a few feet of him, "I don't have her, if that's what you've come to ask me."
"Spoken like a guilty man." Kokasho spat as he stopped just a few inches from the Fire Prince and towered over the man.
Unfazed by the giant, Ozai rolled his eyes and pivoted, "You Tribespeople really are wearing on me. I wish you'd all just stay on your little block of floating ice and leave me the hell alone."
"Haven't worn on you that much if you can still bed our chieftainess."
Snorting a laugh, Ozai glanced over his shoulder at Kokasho, "I'm not one to turn away easy prey just because its squeals annoy me. Perhaps, you should talk to your chieftainess about her loose morals in putting out."
Kokasho snapped and throws the Fire Prince up against a pillar causing all those present in the halls to gape at the scene as the tribesman pinned Ozai in place. His pale eyes narrowed at the bastard he had by the throat.
"I checked her bedroom after she went to see you about her 'condition', there were signs of a struggle. She didn't run away. She was dragged out." Kokasho bit out in a vicious whisper.
Ozai wore an impassive stare as he was being strangled. He was all too used to being in situations that caused physical altercations. This was nothing. Though, it didn't make it any less annoying for him.
"You think I dragged her out of her room?"
"I know you did!"
Cocking a grin at Kokasho, "Got any proof?"
Gripping the man's throat tighter for a moment before letting go of him, "You won't get away with this, Ozai! I know you took her!"
Dropping to his feet, Ozai pulled himself away and rubbed his neck.
"Katara always spoke highly of you! Always defended you to everyone that knew you were trash! She was loyal even though we warned her you would not be!" Kokasho shouted. "You miserable fuck! What did you do with her?!"
Still rubbing his neck, Ozai noticed some of the palace guards were standing in position nearby, seeing Kokasho as a threat. He waved them down and returned his gaze to the pissed off tribesman. Obviously, Kokasho was not going to let this go and he knew the man wasn't the only person suspicious of him. It wouldn't be long before his father confronted him and at that point, it would be no more hiding it.
"You're just like him. Her father, you know?" Ozai smirked. "Hakoda didn't care that Kya had been used up by me or that 'his' son wasn't actually his son. I bet that's what you wanted. Raise my bastard and fuck a woman already sullied by me. You tribesmen must have a fetish for that."
Kokasho clenched his fists as he trembled with anger.
Sighing as he shrugged his shoulders, "I've learned from my mistakes, I'll say. Can't have that happening again."
"What the hell are you trying to say?!"
"You can forget about playing stepdad. There's no bastard of mine for you to raise." Ozai cocked a wide smirk and chuckled darkly as he saw Kokasho pale colored eyes widen in rage.
Just as the tribesman was about to attack him, the guards stopped him as Ozai backed out of the way and taunted Kokasho some more with his devious expression.
It came as no surprise to Ozai when he was summoned and hour later to his father's chambers. He casually strolled in as the guards escorted him to the patio of the Fire Lord's chambers where he spotted his father feeding his pet birds in their bird cages. The guards left them alone and the second prince watched as his father's wrinkled gold eyes shifted from the chirping birds to him. His father looked at him with the usual stare of disappointment and loathe, something that no longer bothered him.
"You might be predictable but you're not an easy read, Ozai." Azulon looked his youngest son up and down before turning his back to him. "Our guest, the Southern Chieftainess, her disappearance is your doing is it not?"
"That obvious?"
"Who's crazy enough to do it but you." Azulon scoffed as he walked over to his patio table and sat down, resting the side of his face on his fist as his old gaze was back on his son. "You didn't kill her, did you?"
"She's alive."
Azulon sighed and shook his head, "What did she do that made you take it upon yourself to kidnap her?"
Ozai sucked his teeth and averted his eyes from his father.
"Talk to me, son. I can't get you out of trouble if you're not honest."
Narrowing his eyes as he stared off into the distance, "When have you ever saved my ass?"
"You'd have been executed a handful of times before the age of fifteen if I didn't bargain with your dead friend's father. Not to mention all the shit you get into with the nobles at court. If you think I don't cover your ass, you are sadly mistaken." Azulon snarled in offense. "I might hate your evil guts and that wicked heart of yours but you're still my son, you miserable fuck. Now, tell me, what the hell did you do with that chieftainess?"
Ozai hated how his father tried to pretend like he gave a fuck about him. Only thing Azulon cared about was that their family maintained the throne, the whole reason why he was even born was to ensure the bloodline remained in power. He was just a back up plan. Covering his ass meant protecting the line of succession. It wasn't a father protecting his son out of love. This was strictly a necessity.
"Katara is troublesome. She's been like that since she was a child. I'm simply reeducating her."
Not liking that response, Azulon gestured for Ozai to take a seat and decided he was going to have to have a serious talk with this moron.
Leaning back in his chair, the Fire Lord observed the way his son was refusing to look him in the eyes. "You shouldn't have fucked her, you know? She was legally your stepdaughter up until her mother died and then you were very active in her life from that point on. She's basically family. We don't fuck family, Ozai."
Ozai mumbled something under his breath about how that was all their family did was fuck other members of their family, metaphorically and literally.
"You fucked up, my son. All the young tribal pussy you could have gone for, you go and fuck your dead wife's daughter. Dumbest shit I've ever known you do and you've done a lot of stupid shit, Ozai. But this is by far the stupidest shit-"
Having had enough of the verbal assault, "Katara was pregnant." Ozai bit out as it was hard for him to admit it. "She wanted to keep it after I told her to get rid of it. So, I handled it. I'm handling it."
Azulon furrowed his brows at this disturbing news. He was even more pissed off to hear this. Standing to his feet, the Fire Lord scowled at his son as the man sat there staring at the maple wood table.
"You good for nothing bastard! Bad enough you go shoving your dick in everyone and everything, including your own stepdaughter! But you carelessly spilled your seed in her!"
Ozai rubbed his temple, "I didn't think she could get pregnant due to her injuries. The physicians said she was sterile."
"I don't give a fuck what the physicians said! This is all your fault! You shouldn't have ever touched her! She was not yours to have ever laid a finger on!"
The second prince sat there listening to his father berate him like he did when he was a teen. It was irritating then and even more so now. Ozai had been so sure that by the time he reached his forties his father would just drop dead already but pushing forty-one and Ozai couldn't believe the man was still here.
It was honestly futile. This whole conversation. Everything had been done already. He slept with her, impregnated her, and removed the bastard. His father was wasting his time and his breath telling him he shouldn't have touched Katara in the first place. Well, he did and now they were here. Moving forward…
"You had better not kill her with your extreme methods, Ozai! I'm warning you! I will have your head!"
Unfazed by the hollow threat, "I'll be gentle." He said sarcastically.
"Get the fuck out of my sight, you evil piece of shit!"
Ozai stood up to leave, finding it ironic that his father would call him evil like he didn't get it from him. Hypocritical bastard.
…..
It was the first time Katara woke up and she didn't see Ursa next to her. She felt somewhat relieved as she hadn't had a moment to herself. All she wanted was a moment. Her heart was torn into pieces and it almost didn't feel real to her. She hoped that maybe she had dreamt it all. That what had been done to her was just her mind fooling her. However, she placed her hand on her stomach and searched for her baby, the heartbeat she had only just begun to hear and listen to, Katara squeezed her eyes tightly together as a cry of anguish escaped her lips. Her hands clenched the fabric of her gown as she realized this was not a dream. The baby's heartbeat was growing weaker and she didn't know how long she'd have until it stopped. She had to get out of here.
"You'd have been a shit mother. Worse than your own. Count yourself lucky. I did you a favor."
The sound of that voice silenced the cries of the waterbender in an instance. Her eyes opened gradually as she turned her head and saw Ozai standing with his back turned to her on the other side of the bed. Immediately, anger washed over her as she sat herself up and glared at him. Her baby's would-be murderer was right there. He was right there. Telling her this was a favor. That what he did was justified. That her child and her were both spared. But how? How? How was separating a child and mother mercy? She had been the child in that scenario and now she was the mother. He did this to her.
"MURDERER!" Katara screamed as she jumped him from behind and started beating him in his head.
Ozai reached behind himself and grabbed her, easily tearing her from him to flip down off of him. She fell and tried lunging back at him but he caught her and slammed her down on his bed, dodging her fists as she tried punching him. He eventually caught her arms and pinned them above her head as she screamed bloody murder in his face. He let her continue as he was unmoved by her failed attack and name calling. It wasn't long before the screams of rage were back to being cries of sorrow. The Fire Prince let her go at this point and watched her curl up.
Sighing to himself, I need a drink. Ozai walked out his bedroom, leaving Katara to sob, and headed to where he kept his alcohol stored up. But as he was passing his chamber doors, he stopped at the sudden knock.
Answering the door, the Fire Prince found Shira standing on the other side with a concerned look on her face.
"Ozai, what's all the screaming? Is everything okay?"
About to tell her to ignore what she heard, Katara tried to dart past him to escape and expose what he's done. Unfortunately, Ozai grabs her and yanks her back. He slams her up against the wall and holds her by her neck, choking her as his expression becomes a pissed off one.
Shira is in shock as she witnesses Ozai slap the Southern Chieftainess across the face and bite out a threat. She doesn't know what to say as she sees the Fire Prince becoming violent with the much smaller woman. Only when he tells her to get in and shut the door does she snap out of her state of shock.
"Get in and help me with her!" Ozai demanded.
Looking from the Fire Prince to the Chieftainess, Shira sees the younger woman look at her pleadingly and feels conflicted. While she was here on a mission to report details regarding the Fire Prince's relations with the Chieftainess, she didn't want anything terrible to happen to him. She did like him. Truly. He was a handsome man and something about him demanded submission from everyone around him. She felt powerless to him. Even more now as she was frightened by what he was doing. He was only a prince but he had his hands around the neck of the sovereign of the Southern Tribe. How was she not supposed to listen to him? If he could do this to a woman he knew from her birth and was now the Chieftainess of a country, what would he be likely to do to anyone else?
"H-help...me." Katara struggled to say as Ozai squeezed her throat tighter.
Shira's eyes widened as she looked back at Ozai, who was giving her a threatening look. Fear overtook the will to help another. Shutting the door behind her, the Northern woman followed Ozai's command to help him tie the Chieftainess up. Shira went to grab some rope from where she was instructed to go and came back to see the chieftainess was unconscious with a bloody nose. It paralyzed her to see someone so young, let alone someone that was a leader of a nation be handled in such a way.
As Ozai told Shira to start tying Katara up, the Northern woman saw blood dripping from between the younger woman's legs. It startled Shira and she pulled away, hands over her mouth.
"W-why is she bleeding like that?!" Shira's voice trembled. "Isn't she pregnant?"
Finishing tying Katara up, "She was. Now she isn't. So keep your mouth shut and don't involve yourself any further."
Shira nodded her head as she was stricken with fear.
…..
After a stressful day of trying to not mention his father as a suspect while also deterring others from considering him, Zuko was finally on his way to bed. He needed to rest and get his thoughts together. Katara was really missing and his mother confirmed his father was most likely behind it. The problem that struck Zuko as odd was he never once saw anything out of the normal around the domain. His father continued on like everything was normal. Not seeming to care that Katara was missing. Zuko never saw Katara or heard her voice or any screaming. Why was that? Did his father do something more than just kidnap her? Was she no longer- Zuko quickly shook his head and swallowed hard. No way, Katara can't be. Dad would never….would he?
As he turned the corner of the outdoor hall, Zuko paused as he saw his father hauling something over his shoulder that was covered in white sheets. He backed up and hid around the corner to watch his father readjust the thing over his shoulders. It became apparent to Zuko that it was a body wrapped in sheets and from the size and shape, it looked like it could possibly be Katara.
Zuko pulled himself up on the roof of the building and stealthily followed his father under the cover of a black moonless night. The man carried the body of his friend all the way to the back part of the domain where the storage house was. A place no one ever really went unless to retrieve things for holidays or ceremonies. Zuko stooped low as he watched his dad unlock the storage house and enter.
In order to get a better look, Zuko agilely jumped into the tree branches that towered by the storage house and carefully moved to a sturdy branch that hung just by a window he could peer into. His eyes widened as he watched his father roll the body from the white sheets and out rolls Katara. She was naked and bruised up, her arms wrapped around herself as she shivered. The shivering was the one indication that Zuko had that his friend was still alive. That and her raspy and unsteady voice as she spoke, lucidly reaching her hand out at his father who seemed to be gathering chains that were lying idly on the floor.
"A-are you going to...kill m-me?" Her voice could barely manage as she shook a little more violently.
Hearing her pained voice really broke Zuko in a way. He had seen over the years how much Katara idolized his father. Like she was his daughter and in a way, she was. However, it seemed his father changed things to a far less innocent relationship. One that somehow led to this. What had happened between his father and Katara that he'd be doing this to her? He didn't understand. Katara was a hothead and sometimes pissed people off but that could be said about everyone. Why was his father doing this?
To make matters worse, Zuko heard his father chuckle at the concern his friend had for her life as he began cuffing her wrists in iron chains and through the other end of the chains over the wooden beam going horizontally over their heads. He pulled the chains and little by little Katara was pulled up into a dangling position. His father stopped at a certain point, when she was at eye level with him and tied her hair up. Zuko wondered what his father planned to do with her.
"I wanted my baby, Ozai." Katara sniffled as tears spilled from her eyes and she hiccuped. "I just wanted to keep it and I wouldn't have said anything about who the father was. No one would have known. I would have kept them safe with me."
Scoffing as he tore a piece of cloth off the sheets he had wrapped around her previously, Ozai returned to her and shoved it into her mouth. He then grabbed her by her jaw and stared callously into her eyes.
"What kind of mother do you think you would have been? You didn't have one to know what a mother is like. You would have ruined that child like your mother ruined you and her mother ruined her. Dying for no good reason and leaving them behind with a good for nothing father to oversee." Ozai said harshly. "You'd have Kokasho step in as the father, wouldn't you? Like I'd let another tribesman bastard raise my child again."
Katara could cry more as she saw how heartless Ozai's gaze was along with his cruel words. It came as a little relief as he began pulling on the chains again to lift her higher and place a wooden stool under her feet so she could try balancing her weight on it to keep her weight from breaking her wrists.
From above, Zuko sees his father with a leather whip and watches him about to swing it at Katara. He turns his head immediately. Unable to witness what his father was doing. All he could was shudder at the sound of the leather whip hitting the naked flesh of the waterbender and her muffled screaming. It continued on for at least thirty lashes before it finally stops and all Zuko can hear is the whistling metal chains as they creaked from Katara's dangling body. He returns his gaze to what is happening to see his father lower her down a little to remove her gag. Katara was shaking far more than before as her body was covered in bloody lashes.
"You'll remember this the next time you try to provoke me with your words, won't you?" Ozai snatched her by her jaws again as he seethed.
The waterbender's face contorted into anguish as she gasped through her cheeks being clenched in his tight grip. "I- I want to home." She cried hysterically. "I want to go home!"
Ozai let go of her face all to just slap her. It was hard enough to cause her lip to bleed and for her to buckle under her knees. The waterbender ended up peeing on herself to which earned her a dirty look from the Fire Prince.
"Pathetic."
After returning her gag and blindfolding her, Ozai has Katara back up in the air, balancing herself on a wooden stool while on her tippy toes. Zuko watched his father exit the storage house and lock things up, leaving the waterbender in there to hang. He waited until his father left the area before he jumped down from the tree and immediately went for the lock on the storage door. He tried breaking the lock and chains but had no luck. Zuko growled and tried burning the locks, beating them against the door as he wanted nothing more than to free his friend. There was no telling what more his father had in store for her. But as he continued, Zuko realized it was futile. Even if he got her out, he wouldn't be able to sneak past his father with her. He knew he needed help if he was going to save her.
Setting her lip paint down as she eyed her son in the mirror of her vanity, "I told you to stay out of this, Zuko." Ursa furrowed her brows.
"But mom-"
Ursa turned around and faced her son, giving him a stern look of disapproval as she shook her head at him. "Your father and Katara have been having an affair for months. Almost a year now and as a result, she ended up pregnant. Do you know what that would do to your father's and our reputation? He's preventing a major scandal. Leave your father be. Interfering is only going to make him turn his evil gaze on the rest of us."
Seeing through his mother's words, Zuko knows she's just scared like she always is when it comes to his father doing things like this. She was terrified of him like everyone else around here. Besides, he knew his mother had been forced to abort her third child due to his father poisoning her. He knew she couldn't be heartless towards Katara unless she herself was afraid and she was. But she needed to get over that fear. Katara's life was likely on the line.
"She's bleeding and hanging up like a slab of meat in the storage house. It's one of the hottest days of the season and she's been in there all day and night. She could die!" Zuko stressed.
Ursa stands to her feet and looks hard in her son's eyes, "Are you trying to be next, Zuko?! Did you not get a good enough look at your father's precious little waterbender?! What do you think he'll do to you?! A son from a woman he despised the day he met her!"
"But how am I supposed to help her?!"
Clenching her teeth as she bit out the last of what she was going to say to him about this, "I'm warning you, my son. There is only one person in the world never to cross and that person is your father. No one is more dangerous or more cruel. You can never get on his bad side, Zuko. Promise me you will leave this alone."
Zuko eyed his mother in disappointment.
"Promise me, Zuko!" She pleaded with him.
Shaking his head.
"Zuko, you have to promise m-"
"You can turn a blind eye to father all you like but he's gone too far! Who's to say he won't turn on us anyways?! You know it doesn't take him much to get upset! We'll never be safe! Never!"
"Zuk-"
"If you won't help me, I'll find someone who will." Zuko furrowed his brows at his mother before turning to leave.
Ursa called out to him but he refused to acknowledge her. Agni, she hated how her son had such a sense of justice. It had no place amongst their corrupt family. There was blood on almost everyone's hands. His father wasn't alone in this. Besides, Ursa feared Azulon possibly knew as it was already publicly speculated that Katara was kidnapped. While everyone couldn't think of any suspects, she was sure her father-in-law had someone in mind for who might have taken the Chieftainess. And if he hadn't done anything about it yet, that meant no one could.
Having gone to his uncle and telling his uncle everything, Zuko saw the appalled look on his uncle's face. While the family was all aware of his father and Katara's affair, none of them were too keen on it. Especially his uncle, who felt his father had taken advantage of the vulnerability of Katara.
Iroh had been watering some of the tea leaves he had been growing in his courtyard garden when his nephew approached him with this news. The elderly prince had to take a seat on his stone bench in order to digest what he just learned. He couldn't believe his brother would do this despite being notoriously cruel.
"Who else have you told, Zuko?" Iroh asked as he looked at him with disturbed expression.
"Just you and mother. I'm afraid if I tell Kokasho and the Southern Tribe group that they will retaliate viciously."
Nodding his head, "Very wise. I'll oversee this matter. My brother will not get away with this."
…..
"Iroh, what are you doing here?" Ursa tilted her head in confusion as she saw a few personal guards behind her brother-in-law.
Iroh signaled for his men to force entry into the domain as he shot his brother's wife a dirty look.
"I was wrong to believe your heart was not cold, Ursa." Iroh spat as he stormed in with his men.
Following Iroh and his men, Ursa asked to know what was going on.
"I know everything, Ursa, but unlike you, I will not enable my brother and his wicked deeds!" Iroh had his gaze focused ahead. "Everything my brother has done against Katara is your sin to bear as well!"
The Fire Princess was going to say something until she saw her son walking over to his uncle and joining him. Her eyes narrowed at Zuko as she grabbed him by his arm to stop him.
"Zuko, what are you doing?! Did you tell your uncle?!"
Yanking his arm from his mother as he eyed her hard, "I asked you for help but you told me to turn my back on my friend and what dad is doing to her."
"I said that for your own good, Zuko!"
Zuko shook his head and pulled away from his mother to return to his uncle's side, telling him where to go.
Arriving at the shed, Iroh ordered several of the guards to use their bending to melt the metal chains off the door. It took a few minutes but the chains had finally come undone and the doors were pried open. Zuko entered immediately as his uncle and guard entered behind him. As he brought them around the high raised shelves, the crown prince and his men were all stunned at the devastating sight. Their mouths' all fell open as they saw the chieftainess dangling by her arms from the ceiling.
"Hurry! Get her down from there!" Iroh yelled at his men.
As the guards managed to cut down the restraints of the Chieftainess, Zuko stood under Katara and caught her as soon as she fell. Her deadweight sent him to the floor but he managed to break her fall and ensure she wasn't further injured. He quickly removes her cuffs, gag, and blindfold. When peeling her blindfold off, Zuko saw her eyes were red and puffy from crying. He clenched his teeth as he and his uncle could see the bloody lashes all over her naked body. His father was going to pay for this.
"Come, Zuko, let's get her to safety." Iroh told him.
Zuko stood with Katara limp in his arms, "We should hurry before my d-"
"Excuse me. Who the hell gave you permission to enter my domain?"
Iroh and his nephew saw Ozai standing in the doorway of the shed with his own company of personal guards. Pushing Zuko behind him as he decided he'd deal with his brother, the crown prince glared dead in the eyes of his younger villainous brother.
"You twisted man, Ozai! What you've done is beyond the work of evil! I won't let another innocent soul suffer your cruelty!"
Ozai dug his finger in his ear as he stared impassively at Iroh, "You done?"
Iroh was going to say something but Ozai wasn't going to let him get another word.
"Since you know everything, you know that Katara is my responsibility while she is here and this was a matter for me to oversee. You're trespassing and meddling in a matter that has nothing to do with you." Ozai said in a monotone voice.
"Step aside, Ozai! Do it or I'll make you!"
Sighing as he shrugged his shoulders and stepped out of the way, "Very well. My work is done anyway."
Disgusted by his younger brother, Iroh averted his eyes from Ozai as he walked past him. As Zuko carried Katara out in his arms, his father stopped him for just a moment, giving him a cold stare.
"Do not come back. You are no longer welcomed here. Understood?"
Zuko glances at his father and looks away as he goes on to follow his uncle out. He had nothing to say to his father. The man could kick him out all day. It didn't matter to him. He was sick of his father's shit. If he wanted to disown him, fine. He didn't want Ozai as his father. The man was sick and twisted.
"Ozai, you can't just kick him out! He's our son!" Ursa rushed up to her husband after having followed him and hearing what he said to their son.
Scoffing, "I can and I did. You're lucky I don't kill your son." Ozai spat as he skulked off to his chambers.
Ursa stared off at her son as he carried the Chieftainess out of the domain with his uncle. She feared for him. He had crossed his father and knowing Ozai, he wasn't going to just let this go.
….
Overseeing the medical treatment of the waterbender, Iroh sighed as the royal physician explained her condition in full to him, confirming that she had been pregnant but due to physical trauma, she miscarried. The crown prince was only angered more by his brother's callousness the more he learned was done to the chieftainess. She had been dehydrated from the heat and lack of water. Her wrists were broken from the weight her body put on them while she was dangling which would have a negative effect on her abilities as a waterbender. Her back and middle were covered in lashes that were for the most part not as deep as they appeared. Head trauma from being hit in the back of the head by a heavy object. There was also discoloration around her neck from being strangled and signs of struggle.
Iroh turned to his nephew as they were given the details on Katara's current state by the palace physician, "You should go tell Kokasho that Katara is found and bring him here."
Zuko nods and spares his unconscious friend a glance before he goes to retrieve Kokasho.
While Zuko was gone, the waterbender woke from her unconscious state in a panic and the physicians had to calm her down. She kept screaming that she needed to leave, return home before something happened to her baby. The physicians were forced to try and restrain her as she fought them off of her. Just when they are about to use a sedative, Iroh enters and rushes over to Katara. He sees relief in her eyes when she sees him and she grabs him as soon as he's in arm's reach.
"Get Kokasho, please! I need to leave! I have to protect my baby! Ozai, he's going to-"
Iroh soberly shook his head, "Katara, the child is already gone. I'm sorry."
Katara's eyes widened as she pulled away from him and crumpled to her knees in front of the bed she had been treated in. Her bandaged hands immediately went for her middle and tried to search for her baby's heartbeat. However, after searching and re-searching, Katara could no longer find her child's heartbeat. What happened...it wasn't a nightmare. It really happened. The waterbender collapses on her side and bursts into tears.
"My baby!"
With the help of the physicians, Iroh manages to get Katara back into bed where she curls up and continues weeping. Zuko and Kokasho show up shortly after to see that she is awake.
Kokasho makes his way to her bedside and pulls the sheets from her to find her curled up in tears. He furrows his brows in sorrow as he already knew why she was crying like this. As he sat in the bed beside her, Kokasho urged Katara to talk to him but as she lifted her pained watery eyes at him, he could see how messed up she was. Immediately, he pulled her into his lap and held her to his chest.
"What the hell happened to her?!" Kokasho demanded as he looked between Zuko and Iroh.
Before either could answer him, Katara pulled on his fur vest that she buried her face into and shook her head. She tearfully begged him to just take her home.
"We still have business, Chieftainess Katara." Azulon stated as he entered the room and ordered for the physicians to all leave. "You can return home once we've reached a final decision on our alliance agreement."
"Father, I don't think she's in good condition to continue. Perhaps, we can regroup at a later date."
Azulon sucked his teeth as he eyed the young woman clinging to the silver haired giant she brought here. "We can postpone but she's not leaving until we've reached an agreement. As a leader of a nation, she knows that her personal feelings are secondary. I say she sucks it up and move forward just like she's been doing. Besides, this is all her fault. Isn't it, Katara? I warned you about my son, did I not?"
Taking offense to the Fire Lord's words, Kokasho was about to retort something when Katara stopped him. Azulon was right. This was her fault and she had responsibilities as a leader of a nation. Her feelings would have to come last. Even if her feelings were overwhelming her and she felt she could choke on her feelings and drown in them, she couldn't allow herself to.
The chieftainess agreed to settle the alliance agreement over the following week.
"Excellent. I'll see you tomorrow morning for our meeting. Get some rest."
As Azulon leaves, Iroh takes Zuko out of the room to allow their guests to be alone. He lets his nephew know that he can stay here as his father made it clear he wasn't welcomed back to his domain.
"Thanks, uncle."
"You did the right thing, Zuko. I'm happy to know you didn't inherit your father's cold hearted nature." Iroh stated as he patted his nephew's back.
Zuko was thankful too. He couldn't imagine being so hostile and cruel to the people that cared about him. What his father did to Katara, he would never forget or forgive. He would see to it that his father was brought to justice.
…..
A/N:
Ozai is on some fucked shit here. Kokasho is definitely not having it. Anyone ready for these two to finally fight one another?