As Zuko lay there naked in bed with Katara, Shinu's granddaughter was still being smuggled out of the palace. He knew his actions in the palace were reported on by Ozai's loyal guards. To counter that the place guards, now helping Zuko, ensured Ozai's men knew he was in his room that evening and Katara had been in the harem. Both would look normal and uninteresting to the Fire Lord. The comings and goings of the men who met with Zuko had been hidden, and Ozai was none the wiser. Also, he would never suspect anything untoward going on in the harem. After all, he didn't respect women enough to believe they were any tactical threat to him.

Katara, wrapped in Zuko's arms, said to him, "the Madam has been wonderful. She already started putting in place the spy network I wanted to. It's paying off —big time."

He caressed her hair and said, "I always wanted to get rid of the harem, but now it sounds like it's… a benefit."

"And how many marriages are coming from the harem?" She prompted him to remind him. "It's not just a benefit to us, Zuko."

He blushed slightly at the "us" part of her speech. He loved every time she referred to them as a unit. He said, "so, it's good for the girls too?"

"Yes, and even for those who don't marry, it's good. They enjoy their purposes as spies. The Madam not, so subtitles reminded me that some women also really like sex." She sighed. "Well, it will be good once I give the women a choice to leave if they want."

"And what do you want, Katara?" He asked playfully as he rolled her onto her back. The seriousness in her eyes surprised him when he looked down at her. "Or… I'm guessing it's not sex right now…."

She twisted her mouth and looked up at him. "Am I in danger? Ozai rescinded my status as your official Mistress, and one of my guards is off who knows where with my brother."

He lay down on his side and looked at her lovingly. "You're safe. You have Kyo and the other guards helping me. Plus, my father is insane and kills his allies for minor infractions. Why would they want me pissed off too?"

She frowned and looked at the wall. "One tried before…."

"And I killed him!"

"Yes, but it was allowed then. I was your official Mistress."

He laughed right in her face. "I would still kill them, Katara. Now it's not a rule they broke, but the ruling family is known for killing people who cross them. It's practically a family tradition. You are mine, no matter what my father says. That distinction is between us, and you and I are the only ones with a say in this relationship. Do you want us to be over?"

"No."

"Good. Then you're mine, and I would kill to protect you. I would remind you that you stabbed Mai, and no rules were saying you should. We protect what we value, and official status has no bearing on that."

She blushed lightly and gave him a small smile. "I love you so much. I worry because it feels like things are-"

She was cut off when Zuko's hand covered her mouth quickly, and he had a sharp look in his eyes. "Are you crazy?! Don't finish that sentence!"

She rolled her eyes and moved her head, "your father is trouble. It's not going to be easy."

"No, but let's not invite trouble."

She laughed and playfully smacked his arm. "This is a fight to the death. Trouble is inherent."

Zuko flopped onto his back. "I try not to think about that part. Patricide still feels… off. I know it has to be done, but it's not something I like."

"I know." She rolled over, and half lay over him. She looked down at him and whispered. "We do the hard things even if we don't like them. I know this has to suck for you. I'll be here to listen and hold you anytime you need. I won't once think badly of you for hating to kill him. He is your father. This shouldn't be easy. If it were, you'd be too much like him. That would disgust me."

He cupped her cheek. "I love you. Thank you for saying that. I needed to hear it, and you're right. My father had no problem with the murder of his father. And if it hadn't been for my mother sacrificing for me, he probably would have killed me to get the throne. I don't want to be like that."

Tohru smirked as she heard the girl tied up in the back of the cart thrashing around and knocking over an empty box on top of herself. Kyo had the reigns of the rooster-llamas that were hitched up to the cart. No one was stopping them to inspect the contents as they rolled through town since the cart had the insignia of one of the prominent families. And the mere fact that they had a team of four rooster-llamas proved the fact that the couple traveling must have wealth. The truth was they just had benefited from the fact that many wanted Zuko in charge and were looking to gain his favor now to advance their position under his rule.

Tohru said, "I hope the box knocked some sense into her. Our luck though it, made her stupider."

"Is that even possible?" Kyo quipped. "Shinu can't have been pleased that his granddaughter turned out so dumb."

"She's pretty, and in Ozai's court, that is the highest compliment for a woman."

He laughed, "I much prefer the sexy, dangerous type. You can be incredibly scary when you've been crossed, and I find that so hot."

She blushed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm so glad you were stupid enough to marry me. I like being your wife. You say the sweetest things."

He put the reins in his right hand and wrapped his left arm around her. He didn't address her accusation of him being stupid. He just always shrugged it off. He kissed her temple and said, "once we get back to the palace and we've both slept, I'm going to show you just how good we are together."

Avatar Szeto lounged on the couch in his room. If it weren't for Ainu, he would have been brutally bored hiding away until the "right" time. As it was, they were still trying to determine when that was. He understood getting the current threat to Katara out of the palace had taken precedence, well, that and ensuring Zuko had support when he took the Fire Lord crown. They wanted one final battle, not a protracted fight for the throne.

Ainu, his sweet sexy Ainu, was pouring them each a fire whiskey. She then turned and handed him one and sat leaning against him as they clinked glasses, and then each took a sip. Once he swallowed, he sighed happily and said, "this is nice."

She turned to look at him smirking. "Nice? Then I'm doing it wrong."

"No-"

He was cut off by her setting down her drink and pulling off her dress. She then got completely naked and picked up her glass, and sipped again. "Better?"

"Amazing," he whispered, caressing her plump breasts. "Your boobs are so firm and huge."

She leaned against him, moaning and relaxing against him. She then took his drink and held it for him so he could grab her breasts with both hands, which he did, getting her to moan and arch her back into him.

He said, "hiding away with you has been so much fun. Once my job here is done, I think I will tend towards being a recluse with you." He slid one hand down over her toned stomach and down between her folds. He flicked her clit and then said, "let's finish our drink later. I want to take you to bed and start with sucking on that sweet, wet pussy of yours."

Zuko had Katara on her hands and knees with her ass pointed at him, and he plunged his cock into her pussy. One of his hands was planted on the bed, and the other had a grip on her breast.

She was his addiction, and he loved drowning himself in her body and their sex. He snapped his hips and pistoned himself into her hard, and he heard the wet slapping sound, which was from roughly fucking into her wet heat.

He moved and shoved her shoulders down, her face went into the bed, and her ass stayed up. He took her frantically at the new angle. She was now screaming so loudly he knew the guards would be congratulating him in the morning. He loved how vocal she was in her pressure. It made him feel like he was doing something right by her. He wanted nothing more than to bring her happiness and everything she wanted.

"You like that, Katara?" he asked, knowing the answer.

She nodded. "So good! Right like that, Zuko. I love… Oh yes!" She was panting. "You hit inside of me just right. Yes!"

He moved to straighten up a bit so he could grab her firm ass as he drove himself into her. "Like that?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes. Yes!"

He slapped her ass as she screamed out her orgasm. Still, he kept going and began flicking her clit. "Not done with you yet, Katara. I will get another orgasm out of you." She whimpered, wrung out. He demanded, "you will take my cock!" The authority in his voice drove her wild. She loved when he commanded her around in bed. "Say it!" he pressed.

"Yes! Give me more. I'll take it all!"

"Good girl," he praised as he slapped the other ass cheek. He then grabbed the perfect globes of her butt and held on as he took her. He watched as his cock slid in and out of her, covered with her juices.

She twitched and moaned from the pleasure she was experiencing. He was her one and only lover, but she had no doubt of his extreme talent. After all, she had a lot of head knowledge about sex. "More, please. Please take what you want from my body. Everything you do feels so…" she screamed in pleasure. "So. Fucking. Good!" she said, timed with each of his deep penetrating thrusts. "So big."

"You like my cock?" he asked playfully.

"Yes!"

He pulled out abruptly, flipped her to her back, and thrust back into her. Now his eyes were locked with hers. "I love you, and I wouldn't ever let harm come to you. Now, that said, scream like a good girl." He drove himself into her hard and fast, and she screamed in pleasure. Her second orgasm had him spilling himself into her.

He lay there with them both panting, and he hadn't pulled out of her yet. "Soon, I will marry you and get you pregnant. I want my seed growing in that perfect body of yours."