A/N:

I'm back with more drowning lessons.

Chapter 34:

~One Year Later~

Ozai fucking hated it. That damn Zhao had shown back up for a few weeks to see Katara. Something that was unavoidable as he couldn't keep him away without good reason and he wasn't trying to expose his wife's affair. Zhao returned and had Katara all to himself in her chambers. For a year the woman barely spoke to him except on his birthday to give him a cake she made for him. It was bloody delicious but that was all the sweetness he was going to get from her as she returned to being cold towards him. But the moment Zhao returns and she is all over him. It pissed him off.

Downsizing his harem did nothing to restore her confidence in him and his efforts to gain her back. Offering gifts and giving her more power in her decision making with certain projects she oversaw didn't make her anymore wooed by him than if he got on his knees and begged, which he did. Katara was not budging. With or without Zhao present. She legitimately wanted nothing to do with him and he knew he fucked up but this time was different. She wasn't even trying to allow herself or him to make things right. She was done with him.

However, Ozai wasn't letting up. She was still his wife and he missed her.

Seeing Katara sneak out of her chambers late at night to run off to the kitchen while no one was looking, Ozai decided now was the best time to approach her.

"Katara."

Squeaking as she heard her husband's voice, Katara quickly secured her night robes and shuffled her hair to hide the love bites on her neck. Turning to face him, she knew she did a poor job as his gold eyes were trained on a spot on her lower jaw. She immediately saw his demeanor shift as jealousy took over.

"What the hell is that?!" Ozai spat, forgetting why he approached her.

Katara averted her eyes, "You know what it is, Ozai. Don't play stupid."

Narrowing his eyes at her as he grabbed her by her robe and pulled it open. Ozai restrained her wrists as he pushed her up against the wall to see the other marks on her skin. He examined her from her head to toes and saw Zhao had been getting too carried away. He turned her around and lifted her nightgown to see hand prints on her ass. If it wasn't for the fact she probably got spanked pretty hard by Zhao, he'd spank her himself. She really made him an ass kind of man.

"You're the fucking Fire Lady! He can't leave marks on you like this!" Ozai hissed.

Laughing as she pushed him off of her, "Ozai, everyone knows I'm seeing someone else."

"They call you a whore!"

"Yes, I've heard." Katara folded his arms. "But I don't care what they think of me, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because, none of them knows how miserable my husband has made me, driving me into someone else's arms. None of them know how much I've loved you and got nothing but spit in my face. I'll be a whore if that's what being fed up and done with my husband means."

Ozai sighed as he pinched his brows and shook his head. He really didn't know how to get through to her or what to do to make her just see that he loved her and wanted her back.

"I fucked up! I admit it! I have a problem and you always pay for it because you're the only person that gives a shit about m-"

"Nope." Katara eyed him with a no nonsense kind of expression on her face. "Why is it I really pay for your shit?"

"Because I'm an asshole and a son of a b-"

"Try again."

"Because you're always there to take the brunt of my bullshit. I fuck up and you bear the consequences. You're my wife and the mother of my kids, and I shouldn't have done all the things I have to you because you're the one person that's ever been in my corner and I-I'm miserable without you. Just come back, Katara." Ozai whined a little. "Don't make me beg again. I'm too old to get on my knees like before."

Katara rolled her eyes, "I accept your apology, Ozai, but that doesn't mean I'm coming back to your side."

Ozai punched his fist into the pillar, "Damn it, Katara!"

"Watch it, hothead!" Katara pointed at him as she narrowed her eyes. "You calm the fuck down before I cool you down. Now, listen, we can be friends. I can think about having dinner with you twice a week, maybe stay in your chambers once a month for starters but you have to show me you actually care and want to move past our differences. Got it?"

So annoyed and hating this, Ozai nodded his head as he couldn't verbalize a word. He just wanted to get past this but his wife was being difficult. He'd show her how committed he was to fixing their relationship. But, there was one person he needed to set the score straight with.

In the morning, Ozai waited outside his wife's chambers and saw Zhao leaving them. It was bright and early. Just before the other residents go up. Only the servants that served directly under him and his wife were aware of who she was with. No one else knew it was Zhao. Just that she was cucking him. He couldn't hide her messing around for too long as Katara didn't seem to care about it leaking. Ozai had to make a public comment about not giving a damn as he had plenty of women to keep his attention and that as long as his wife served her duties, it was no sweat of his back.

Ozai walked up to Zhao and saw the man that used to be his friend look all too unenthused about his presence. Not that Ozai gave a fuck. This was his palace and his wife this bastard was fucking.

"I need a word with you, Zhao." Ozai said in an eerily calm tone.

Zhao nodded, "Very well."

"Katara, I saw her last night sneaking to the kitchen for her late night cravings." Ozai pointed out.

"She's not pregnant. I assure you."

Ozai furrowed his brows as that hadn't even dawned on him….until now.

"We just enjoy food play and she wanted to use the chocolate syrup from last night's desser-"

"Shut up!" Ozai wanted to pull his hair out at that discovery. When the hell did Katara get into food play? And what else were these two doing in bed? "That's not what I was wanting to discuss! I saw marks on her. Love bites and handprint!"

"Oh." Zhao replied.

"Bad enough people call her a whore, don't go making her look like one!" Ozai shoved his finger into Zhao's chest. "She's still my wife and her sullied name is pissing me off! So do right by her or I'll tear your head clean from your body!"

Zhao nodded his head. He didn't want Katara to look worse than she did in the public eye. Sure, she worked hard as Fire Lady in her many responsibilities to the domestic affairs of the nation but no one cared about that. It was her duties as a wife that mattered to them and she had all but abandoned her husband, which pissed off the populace.

"Trust me, Ozai. I mean Katara no harm. She means a lot to me and I don't want her to look worse in the eyes of the masses." Zhao explained.

While Ozai felt some relief towards Zhao not wanting Katara's name being tarnished any further, however, he was starting to get a strange feeling that Zhao had fallen in love with Katara. The gifts and letters weren't much of a clear indication to Ozai but his sincerity did it for the old Fire Lord. What the hell?!

….

A month went by, Katara and Ozai's arrangement was in place. She had dinner with him twice a week and spent an evening in his chambers to perform her wifely duties. Of course, on the night she was supposed to do so, things turned into an argument when he asked her to do with him what she did with Zhao, the food play and all. She decided not to do anything and forced him to play pai sho with her the entire evening along with cards. It was not what he wanted but he settled. She still fell asleep in bed with him and they shared a few laughs. It was nice.

As morning came, Katara was gone before even Ozai woke, so when he got up for the morning, he got up alone. There goes the morning bath. He lamented to himself.

But, all was not lost. Soji's fifth birthday was upon them and Ozai looked forward to working with his wife on the party arrangements.

"Over there, damn it!" Katara hissed as she was about to pull her fucking hair out. These damn servants obviously didn't know shit about Water Tribe decor because they didn't seem to understand that the whale tooth daggers went above the whale tooth sword when placed on display. Morons. She hissed.

Honestly, she was being too harsh. She knew that. Zhao left a week ago and Ozai was creeping on her hard. But at least, he wasn't trying to force himself on her much lately. Plus, he offered more to the conversation between them than their relationship problems. He was currently shouting at a servant along with her as they were continuing to screw up.

"I swear to agni, I'll fire all of you if you all don't get your shit together! I said thirty fucking times already! Someone get the fucking silk teal curtains and hang them! Why are none of you listening?! Shit workers!" Ozai lectured all the servants as they scrambled.

Katara sighed and shook her head as she walked over to him, placing her hand on his arm. "You alright?"

Ozai scoffed as he folded his arms, "As good as an old man with blue balls and anger issues could possibly be."

"You're not old, Ozai."

"I am and I'm not in denial about it. Whole body aches and I grow more annoyed with each waking moment."

"Maybe you need to visit the harem for the day. I'll have Rin come-"

Ozai told her not to bother. "I'm just stressed out over this damn party. Why the hell did you decide to invite your grandmother? That old bitch doesn't like me."

Katara chuckled, "She's only seen Soji once and she's never met Nanami."

Rolling his eyes, Ozai really didn't want to see the old bitch that tried to beat him in the head with a club. The bitch was out of her mind. Literally, Katara's family just wanted him dead and he couldn't deal with that. She had to know that. This party was just him proving he cared about her and what she wanted so it would make things right between them but he was not going to be happy with that decrepit bitch roaming around his palace.

Turned out that the party went well and her grandmother was too drunk off the fire whiskey to care about Ozai's past. She even hugged him and slapped his ass. Ozai tried maintaining a distance from the old lady but she kept trying to flirt with him. Katara thought it was amusing but her brother and Suki were disturbed. So was Kai and Soji.

When her family returned home, Katara enjoyed a glass of wine with her husband and told him she was thankful for his efforts in the party.

Running his fingers along the rim of his wine glass, "I just finished my will."

"Your will?" Katara almost choked on her wine. "Aren't you thinking too far ahead?"

"Anything can happen at any given time. It's my job as Fire Lord to ensure my people are well sought after when the time comes. I named Kai as my heir."

"I thought you were having Soji as y-"

Ozai shook his head, "Kai is older and has as much claim as Soji. He's the son of two Fire Lords. It works."

"Okay." Katara seemed unsure but wouldn't question his thinking as it wasn't her place to tell him who to make heir.

"And if he's still young, you'll be regent."

Furrowing her brows as she stared him while they were lounging in his sitting area, "Is something supposed to happen to you, Ozai?"

"No." He replied simply.

Getting up from her set, Katara put her glass down and casually walked over to him, sitting in his lap to press her hand to his forehead.

"You're not warmer than usual." Katara inspected and grabbed his face, looking him over thoroughly. "What's wrong?"

Chuckling, "Nothing." He took her hands and looked lovingly into her eyes.

"I don't believe you."

"You never do." He laughed.

Katara gave him a look to say this wasn't funny but she decided to leave it alone. When she left, patting Ozai's shoulders as she walked out, Ozai got up and made his way to his bedroom. There, Rin was in bed waiting for him as he stumbled forward, coughing into his hand and nearly falling. She quickly exited the bed and ran over to him.

"Ozai," Rin said as she helped him to stand. "Why haven't you told her yet?"

Ozai wiped the blood from his mouth and shook his head, "I don't want her worrying about me."

"You sho-"

"No, just help me to bed and try healing me." Ozai told her, "I don't want Katara finding out."

…

Katara felt something was very off with Ozai. He wasn't acting himself. Usually, he tried to flirt with her or keep her in his chambers for longer on nights she had dinner with him. But he didn't stop her from leaving when she did and on the one night of the month where she was supposed to spend the entire night with him, all he wanted to do was cuddle her and sleep. It was unlike him to be so, so…chaste. Ozai was the biggest manwhore she had ever stumbled upon and she knew plenty of manwhores from her days working in a brothel. Why was he not interested in her as much?

"Probably found a new beauty to add to his collection." Zhao told her.

Zhao had returned back to the Fire Nation again for the summer holidays and she couldn't be happier. She had really softened up to him as he turned out to not be so terrible. The sex was insane and he made her feel wanted, like no other woman mattered. It was something she needed.

Holding onto Zhao's arm as they strolled through the gardens together, "Maybe you're right but I don't know. Ozai's never given up the chance to be with me. He didn't even try touching me anywhere else the other night."

"Maybe he's not feeling well." Zhao suggested.

That's what she feared. Ozai always joked that he was older by quite a few years and while he still looked good for his age, he was growing older every year. She worried about his health more and more. He wasn't some young lad that she'd get to spend the rest of her days with. One day, Ozai would die before she did and it scared her. While they weren't so lovie-dovie like a married couple outta be, they maintained a companionship. She still thought of him fondly and didn't actually want him to die. Truthfully, she was afraid for him. Maybe she should go check on him.

"I'm divorcing Mai." Zhao said out of the blue.

Katara paused and looked at him.

Smiling at her as he moved away from her side to stand in front of her, holding her hands in his. "Katara, I know we've both been placed in unhappy relationships but we've managed to find some happiness with each other. I just wanted to know if you'd make me the happinest man on earth and marry me."

Katara's mouth dropped.

Zhao could see the shock on her face as he dropped down on one knee and pulled out a betrothal necklace. She almost forgot he had studied much of the Water Tribes' way of life and cultural differences. It did make her smile seeing a betrothal necklace and to be properly asked to be married. This was a first. But…there was no way she could accept. She was not only married to the Fire Lord but she had three children with him that loved their father. She couldn't just up and leave him.

"Zhao-"

"Oh my heavens!"

The two looked to see a nobleman and his wife gaping at them in horror of the scene they just witnessed. Zhao quickly got up off his knee and pulled Katara away from them as they ran off, fleeing at the sight. Katara tried running after them but Zhao stopped her.

"They're going to tell, we have to stop them."

"Stop them? Why?"

"Because our affair will get out!"

"It will eventually. Besides, Ozai already knows. What difference does it make?"

Katara furrowed her brows at him and yanked her arm away before running after the couple.

…

It would seem the Fire Lady wasn't able to find the nobleman and woman who caught her and Zhao in the gardens. They got away and with them, the secret of their affair. It only took a few hours for the secret to circulate and soon reach Ozai. Sick in his bed, Ozai fumed in fury as he had warned Katara and Zhao to be careful enough to not let it get out that they were seeing one another. He specifically told them this.

"Those idiots!" Ozai threw the covers off of himself and got to his feet.

It was when he made it halfway to the door that he collapsed. Rin somehow got him back in bed and told him to relax, she would go get Katara. Ozai grabbed her wrist and shook his head.

"She will not take well to seeing you." He warned.

Rin removed his hand from her wrist and held his hand, assuring him she had this all under control. She did not fear the Fire Lady. The woman was angry with her for good reason but now was not the time for that. Surely, Fire Lady Katara would be understanding.

"Get the fuck out of my chambers, you whore!" Katara threw a glass of wine at the woman.

Ducking her head, "Your majesty, please. I only came to summon you in light of recent events. Ozai wishes to speak to you." Rin said as she covered her head upon an entire bottle being thrown in her direction.

"Why didn't he bring his big ass here himself?!" Katara had an empty glass ready and aimed at Rin's head.

"His majesty, your husband, is sick and bedriddened. I volunteered to fetch you since he fainted when getting out of bed."

Sick? Katara's eyes widened. Ozai was sick? Why was she just hearing about it now? Damn it, she knew something was wrong. Ozai had been acting so funny lately but this explained it. He was sick. Tui and La, she prayed it wasn't anything serious. But how'd he end up sick? Ozai was fine.

Narrowing her eyes at Rin, "Why is he suddenly sick?"

Offended by the way the Fire Lady asked that question, Rin eyed her. "What are you implying, your majesty?"

"You wedged your whore ass between us when things had finally gotten good between us!"

"What's that have to do with anything? Besides, what do you care now? You're with Zhao now."

Katara balled her fists, "No one cares that I stood by that man's side through his cruel treatment of me! Or that I saved his life and nursed him to health all while he was unfaithful to me! They only care that I grew intolerant and moved on! Do you know how infuriating that is?! A man that truly seems to care about me and only want me proposes to me and I can't leave my shitty husband because of my kids and his stupid ass is sick! Now, I have to nurse him to health all over again so he can wreck me some more! Do you know what that is like?! Being stuck to someone that cannot and not do right by you and then having people shame you for getting fed up!"

Rin shook her head as she swallowed down her guilt.

"Why'd you take my husband from me?! What makes you feel so bold as to sleep with my husband in the bed we spent our wedding night?! You homewrecker! You know what it's like for a woman to step on your toes and you go do it to another woman! You bitch!"

Rin bowed her head and apologized to the Fire Lady. "Forgive me, my lady. Your husband pursued me and I fell-"

"Don't even finish that sentence! You have no right! Just take me to my husband!" Katara demanded.

…..

Arriving at her husband's chambers, Katara entered with Rin opening the door for her and made her way to the bedroom to see how Ozai was doing. Immediately upon seeing him, the Fire Lady could tell that her husband was not alright. She rushed over to him and took her hand to his forehead. He was sweating so profusely that his alabaster skin looked clammy and had heavy dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he was at death's doors as she looked over him in utter disbelief at how bad he looked. How did he end up like this? What was going on?

"Ozai, what the hell happened to you?" She brushed his hair out of his face.

Ozai looked at her and took her hand from his hair, bringing it to his face as he shut his eyes. "You're here. Thank Agni. I've missed you, dear."

Furrowing her brows in worry, "Ozai, tell me, what's wrong?"

"Nothing now that you're here." He said as he formed a weak smile on his face.

Katara turned her gaze on Rin and glared, "Why didn't you come to me about my husband's health?!"

"He told me to not worry you."

"Fuck that! He's my husband, I should know at the first sign of sickness that he needs medical attention!"

"But-"

"Get out! Now!"

Rin scurried from the room as the Fire Lady was about to throw something else at her. When the homewrecker was gone, Katara turned her attention back to Ozai and sat on the edge of the bed to cup his face, looking him over. She couldn't help but worry as he looked terribly sick.

"Ozai, how are you feeling?"

"Better with you here." He beamed at her.

Feeling her heart swell with guilt as he was just so pitiful in this state, Katara pulled open his tunic and grabbed the wet cloth to dab over his clammy skin. When his temperature dropped a little, the Fire Lady took the bowl of water and gloved her hands in glowing water to begin treating him. The entire time, Ozai was dazed and smiled at her, even as he fell asleep, a grin was still tugging at his lips. She continued until the infection cleared up a little and he woke back up to grab her hand before she could pull it away from him.

"Katara, I need to tell you something." Ozai said as he pulled her hand to his face and used it to cup his face as his gaze fell.

Tilting her head in worry, "What is it?"

"I don't believe I have long."

Snatching her hand away from him as she looked at him with a distraught gaze, "Wh-what are you talking about, Ozai?!"

Ozai gave her a smile full of melancholy and shook his head, "I'm afraid I won't be long for this world."

Panic settled into her chest as she heard him say those words. What did he mean by them? He couldn't be serious. No, he was just sick and couldn't think properly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Ozai reached to hold her hand.

"You can't die on me." Katara told him and shook her head. "You're not dying."

"Kat-"

"No!" Katara threw herself on his chest and embraced him. "Why'd you have to hurt me like this, Ozai! You think I wanted to leave your side?! I was falling in love with you and you crushed my heart, now you're dying on me! How could you?!"

"I'm sorry, dear. Please forgive me."

"You don't get to die on me! You still have to make up for everything you did to me!" Katara shouted at him.

Ozai promises to survive long enough to make it up to her before falling asleep. Katara cries in the chest of her ill husband. She couldn't believe he had been so sick this whole time. Why didn't he tell her? Was she just so caught up in her own life that she didn't see the signs. Damn it, she knew getting involved in an affair was wrong. She couldn't leave Ozai to that bitch Rin. That woman clearly didn't take good enough care of him.

"I'm sorry, Ozai." She lifted her head to caress his face. "This is all my fault."

….

After spending two days looking after her husband's health, Katara was finally approached by Zhao in the halls and could feel the judgmental gazes on her. Everyone knew now that she was having an affair with Zhao or should she say 'was' since she no longer wanted to continue the relationship now that he exposed them and Ozai was deathly ill from the stress of the situation.

"Katara," Zhao said, reaching to take her hand in his.

Moving it away from his reach, "What is it, Zhao?" Katara furrowed her brows angrily at him.

"Please, Katara, I'm terribly sorry for what happened. I didn't mean for our relationship to be exposed at it was. I should have acted quicker in dealing with the witnesses."

Katara folded her arms, "Doesn't matter now. Everyone knows."

"Then we shouldn't need to hide it." Zhao said as he moved to pull her in his arms.

Slapping his hands away from her, "Zhao, I need to focus on Ozai right now. He's sick."

"Sick? How so?"

Katara shrugged, "He's been sick this whole time I guess and I only just found out about it so I'm trying to focus my attention on him. He needs me."

"I bet he's faking it." Zhao folded his arms.

"He is not! He's dying, you asshole! What's wrong with you?!" Katara shouted at him.

Stunned by her outburst, Zhao narrowed his eyes at Katara and saw her glaring right back at him. "You still love him, don't you?"

"He's my husband! What do you expect?!"

Zhao turns away from her as he storms off in frustration. She still loved that sack of shit. This whole time. He merely coughs and she's all over him again. Maybe it was her healing and compassionate nature that made her vulnerable to Ozai's trickery but Zhao wasn't fooled. This seemed all too convenient. Maybe Ozai was really faking it. That bastard had Rin, a healer with him at all times, how did he end up deathly ill. Something wasn't right.

Arriving at Ozai's chambers, the guards wouldn't allow Zhao to enter as the news of him sleeping with the Fire Lady was all over the place. They aimed their spears at him when he tried barging through.

"His majesty wouldn't dare want his wife's lover in his presence! Get gone!" One of the guards told him.

Zhao was about to say something to them when he saw the chamber doors open and his former friend walking weakly towards them with a cane, looking very sick. He coughed into a handkerchief and Zhao saw blood, suddenly having second thoughts about whether he was faking or not.

"Let him enter. I'd like to have a word with my old friend." Ozai said.

The guards reluctantly let Zhao through.

Coming up to Ozai's side, Zhao analyzed him and saw he was truly worse for wear. He looked awful. What was that stupid healer doing while he was getting like this?

"What happened to you, Ozai?"

Ozai shrugged, "I guess I was still sick from the assassination attempt and it got worse over time."

The two take a seat in the sitting area and Ozai set his cane beside him.

"You shouldn't have cast Katara aside for an incompetent healer." Zhao tells him angrily.

Ozai smirks, "Then you'd never know the warmth between my wife's legs. She's got a snatch that'll have you believing in the gods and thanking them for creating her, am I right?"

Zhao looks away from his friend, "If you're dying, you should give your blessings for Katara to marry me."

Ozai burst out laughing, "Agni, Katara's got you whipped. That's cute but no, I'm not giving my blessings."

"She's going to move on when you're finally dead. Might as well let her be with someone you can trust to take care of her and your children."

Ozai continued laughing, "I'd take her with me to the grave before I hand her over to you, Zhao. Or anyone for the matter. But thank Agni, I'm not actually dying."

Zhao raised a brow, "Not dying?"

Smirking as he pulled a bag of white powder out of his pocket and flashed it at Zhao, "A slow acting nightshade that is untraceable and has an antidote to clear all symptoms up in a few days."

Zhao's eyes widened at this. "You're trying to win her back with sympathy."

"Bingo." Ozai grinned. "She was such a good wife when she was taking care of me. Now, she can return to being a good wife, Zhao. You've had your fun with my wife long enough. Your time is up."

"You sick fuck!" Zhao stood up and shouted.

Still sitting, Ozai continued smirking at him.

Walking up to the savage bastard, Zhao knocked his cane away and grabbed his collar. "You demented bastard! You've made her miserable since her days as a captive and I've watched her try her best to be good to you just so you can throw it back in her face! I'll never forgive you for that! You hear me! And I pray she sees right through you and knows you're a fraud!"

Ozai smirked as he shoved Zhao away from him and knocked himself to the floor. As soon as he collapsed on the floor, Ozai shouted for the guards to come.

Zhao's eyes widened.

"Arrest him! He wishes to kill me! He wants my throne and my wife!" Ozai pretended to be in great pain.

Zhao was immediately taken into custody and a chi-blocking brace was placed on his neck. He was then forced onto the floor until he was yanked back to his feet after being cuffed and escorted out. Ozai smirked and waved at him.

"You deceitful bastard! I'll kill you!" Zhao shouted as he tried getting free from the guards' grip.

…..

Having rushed to Ozai immediately when hearing the news, Katara couldn't believe what Ozai told her, it was unbelievable. How could Zhao do that to his friend? That sick son of a bitch. This whole time he was using her to get the throne and poisoned Ozai to make it happen. She wanted to give that bastard a piece of her mind. How dare he.

"This is my fault," Katara said as she combed Ozai's hair.

Enjoying having his wife look after him, Ozai had his eyes shut. "I forgive you, waterbender."

When she finished, Katara climbed into bed with him and caressed his face as she laid beside him, pulling his head to her breasts as she held him in her arms. Ozai clung to her and nuzzled his face against her, enjoying the way she felt against him. He missed this. He didn't care if he was throwing his childhood friend in prison or that he was deceiving his wife along with everyone else. Ozai wanted her back and he'd do anything to make that happen. Katara was his. He wasn't about to let Zhao just have his wife forever. The man was out of his mind if he believed that.

As Katara tries to get him to fall asleep by caressing his head, she felt his hand run along her thighs and tugged his finger under her panties. She caught his hand to stop him but he continued pursuing it. Looking her in her eyes with a lust ridden gaze.

"You're not well, Ozai." Katara whispered to him.

Nuzzling his face to her breasts as he started inching her panties off, "I'm well enough to have you, dear. Please, I need this."

Katara gave in and was immediately flipped over on her back, soon biting into the pillow at the violent vigor of her husband. He held her by her neck as he pounded her hard and relentlessly. She tried telling him to calm down out of fear he'd exert himself but he tightened his hold on her and told her she was his. After she endured the being fucked with a wild abandon, Katara eyed Ozai funny as he drifted off to sleep. Something wasn't right. What kind of poison did Zhao give Ozai? He had his usual energy. It was a bit uncanny that someone so sick could do what he just did to her.

Slipping out of bed, Katara went to the prison to see Zhao. She planned to interrogate him to find what the hell was going through his mind to poison Ozai and find out what kind of poison it was. As she led to Zhao's cell, she saw that the man was sitting on his cot with his hand in his hair that was no longer neatly combed back but draping in his face. She paused in front of the bars and Zhao soon noticed her, standing to his feet upon seeing her.

"Katara, thank Agni, you've-"

Folding her arms as she glared at him, "What did you poison Ozai with?"

Zhao walked up to the cell bars and gripped them in his hands, "I didn't poison that son of a bitch! Ozai poisoned himself to win you back with sympathy! He's playing you! I'm the scapegoat so he can have an excuse to throw me in prison and likely execute me!"

Not believing it, "Zhao, you could very well be fooling me now."

"Katara, you remember when I was his proxy while he was sick. I hated every minute. Why would I want to kill him to become the Fire Lord? I literally bought a villa by the beach for us. I only want you. I don't care about Ozai and his problems. I've only cared about you. He's trying to kill two birds with one stone. Separate us and win you back."

"I don't believe you." Katara said in a shaky voice.

Zhao sighed, "Fine, find out for yourself but I bet that whore, Rin, knows something about all this. She's been by his side all along and yet, he's been so severely ill. You have to see that something isn't right."

Katara could see how Zhao might be telling the truth. It didn't make sense what Ozai was telling her nor did it make sense how much energy Ozai had in bed with her. She knew something wasn't right, otherwise, she wouldn't have come here. However, she really didn't want to find out Ozai was playing her for a fool. She couldn't deal with that. Her marriage would really be over then. She'd leave him as this was the final straw.

Seeing Katara had doubts in her eyes, Zhao reached for her face and caressed it as she surprisingly allowed it. "I hate that he keeps doing this to you, Katara. I really do."

"If I find he did poison himself, I'm leaving him, Zhao." Katara teared up.

Zhao smiled at her, "I love you, Katara."

Katara's eyes widened.

"It's okay. You don't have to say it back." Zhao tried not to be so disappointed by the way she looked at him in shock.

"I'm sorry, Zhao. Give me some time. Ozai's traumatized me on this whole love thing."

"Understood."

Returning to the palace, Katara found Ozai asleep in bed, snoring lightly. She went to check on him just to be sure he was still asleep. He stirred a little but rolled onto his back, falling back asleep. As he slept, Katara went through his drawers and dresser. She looked around his study and the medicine bag he had in the bathroom. The Fire Lady found a small vial of white substance in the medicine bag. She looked it over and sniffed it. Was this poison?

"Katara," She heard the sleepy groan of her husband. "Come back to bed."

Swallowing hard as she continued to eye the vial and glared at it, "Sorry, I'm not feeling good. Give me a moment. I'm going to go see the physician."

"Come back soon." He murmured in his pillow.

…..

"Is everything alright, your majesty?" The physician asked as she spaced out.

Katara couldn't believe him. Actually, she could. Instead of trying to fix their broken marriage the right way, he tries to steal her sympathy. Ozai was a crazy bastard and she was officially through with this marriage. She wanted a divorce and she would demand it.

The Fire Lady stormed back into her husband's chambers and yanked the covers off of him. She yelled for him to get up and as he was confused, Katara threw the bag of poison at him. The two go back and forth arguing with one another. Katara screams that she wanted a divorced immediately and would settle for nothing else. Ozai tries to calm her down but she shoves him away from her, telling him she could tolerate his shit no longer.

"You want a fucking divorce?! Fine! I'll give you a bloody fucking divorce but the children stay with me!" Ozai yelled at her.

"No! They are my children! You can't do that!" Katara shouted.

Ozai glared at her, "Kai is yours but Nanami and Soji are mine and I'm not giving any of the three to you."

"Like hell I'm going to accept that! You're a terrible father! I won't let you hurt them like you did Zuko and Azula!" Katara screamed at him.

Grabbing her up by her jaw and pushing her up against the wall, Ozai growled at her. "Look here you little water slut! The only way you'll get to have the kids is if you remain here! Now, I can demote you to a mere concubine or slave but I doubt you want that. Every old bastard in this place already wants a piece of your ass and I'm tempted to let them have you. So you tell me, Katara, what do you want? Leave without the children, stay as a concubine or are you going to suck it up and stop acting like me having other women is the worst thing I can do. I promise, I can do a lot worse. Keep testing me and find out."

Katara teared up and shook her head, "I can't do this, Ozai. I can't. I'm tired."

"All the fighting you keep doing, I bet you are." Ozai used his other hand to wipe her tears from her eyes. "Now, I love you, waterbender, but enough is enough. You come back to me, leave Zhao and anyone else alone, and I will treat you as a queen."

"Oh, that's rich! Being cheated on and humiliated is your way of treating me like a queen!"

Ozai squeezed her jaw tighter and growled, "I could do a lot worse, Katara. Try me."

Narrowing her eyes at him, "I should have never stepped foot in your cell. The first time was a favor to Zuko but the second time, after our little adventures, that was my worst decision. I'll live the rest of my life in regret of that decision. You have ruined my life, Ozai. My friends and everyone tried to warn me but I just had some sort of fool's faith that maybe it wouldn't be so bad being your woman. What an idiot I was. Now, I'm trapped here, in this prison you call a palace and you hold my children over my head like the sick man you are. Why don't you just kill us all and move onto your next victim? Why keep toying with me when I'm all played out, Ozai?"

Ozai let go of her jaw and shoved himself back as his gold eyes were trained on her, "You regret us, do you?"

Katara nodded.

"Very well, Katara. We'll get a divorce and we'll figure out what to do with the kids." Ozai turned his back to her as he couldn't stand to look at her any longer. "I only ask that you think long and hard over this before it's final because I won't allow you to come back as my wife if you ever regret our divorce as well. You'll be a whore for me to do with as I please and I'll share you with every sick fuck in this palace, are we understood?"

"I don't need to think about it, Ozai."

Ozai stormed out of their chambers, utterly done with everything. He wasn't going to fight with her anymore. She never did love him. Not the way he loved her and yes, he was fucked up but she knew that going into their relationship. Now, she's made him out to be a monster when he's done nothing to deserve it. Most Fire Lord's had a harem, why couldn't he? Most Fire Lord's didn't give their wives any say in governing, but she, a peasant-born, wanted to participate in how he ran things around here. Katara was too bold and too full of herself. It annoyed him to no end what she demanded of him. He would not allow it any longer. She wanted a divorce, fine. But she would regret it. He'd make sure of that.

….

A/N:

They're finally getting a divorce. Ozai finally agreed. Hopefully, he'd see it through.