Katara sat on the edge of the stiff bed and sighed. How she missed Sokka and Aang. How she wanted to run away and never look back. "Sokka, you're suppose to save me, you're my brother. Where are you," her voice broke and she began to sob. "Mother, what am I suppose to do? Father. Aang! Sokka… where are you?" She grabbed a pillow and cried into it…she screamed into it, and hoped within every fiber within her being, that she'll wake up from this horrendous nightmare. Then, Prince Zuko walked in and saw her. And after a couple moments of uncertainty, he crept up behind her and placed his uncommonly cold hand upon her shoulder, making her gasp.
"Let's go," he said unsympathetically.
She wiped her nose and stood up. Katara followed him slowly, with her head hanging low. Then, something inside her said, don't give up so easily. You still can get out of this. She stopped walking and waited to see how long it would take for Prince Zuko to realize she wasn't walking with him anymore. Effectively, it didn't take long.
"Come on," he ordered her while walking closer to her. She looked up at him, and he felt a coldness overwhelm him when he saw the misery in her shiny blue eyes.
"Please…," she whispered. "I'll go to your room instead."
He looked away, if he looked into those eyes again he'd give in, hug and kiss her, and carry her away. He knew this was not right, but if he saved her, it would giveAdmiral Zhao license to harass him…more. "Too late," Prince Zuko frigidly said.
She fell on her knees and embraced his ankles. "Please…don't. I'll do whatever you want me to do, but don't let that disgusting man touch me. Let me go. Please…" she cried. Don't give up Katara, her conscience commanded.
Suddenly Iroh come out of his bedroom and into the deck. "What is all the noise?"
"Nothing uncle, go back to sleep."
"Really? Then why is Katara crying?" Iroh raised an eyebrow and walked closer to them.
She stood up slowly and wiped her tears off her face quickly. She swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her posture. Katara took a deep breath and turned to face Iroh after giving the prince a sad and hurt expression. An expression that said, why do I deserve this? "TheAdmiral ordered Prince Zuko to take me to his bedroom tonight. Prince Zuko is just following his instructions, but I don't--"
Iroh raised his hand, he had heard enough. "Is this true?"
Prince Zuko nodded.
"Katara, go to your room. I'll go toAdmiral Zhao's quarters and ask why he wants you to go over there."
Katara sighed in relief and smiled. "Thank you sir."
Iroh nodded with a smile and walked past her. He stopped in front of his nephew and gave him a stern look and shook his head. "That was very inappropriate Prince Zuko. I wish to talk to you after I have a word withAdmiral Zhao. Go to the captain's coop, I'll meet you there…"
"Yes, uncle."
Iroh bowed his head slightly and moved around his nephew.
Katara closed the door to her room and leaned against it, then very slowly she slid down, against the door and sat on the floor. She hugged her knees and sighed. That was close. Too close. …I can't believe that I actually thought that Zuko would have pity on me. He's just a cold hearted man with no feelings or consideration for anyone. It's incredible how Iroh is so much different than his nephew. …I don't even want to think about what would have happened to me if he hadn't interfered. She shuddered. ThatAdmiral would've… A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She stood up, and reached to open it. I bet it's the Admiral. She shook her head, you're just paranoid Katara.
She opened the door, saw him and looked down in offense. "Yes?" she asked distantly.
"I need to talk to you, for just a moment," Prince Zuko said quietly.
"Why?"
"Please."
She let go of a small laugh, "How ironic."
"What do you mean?"
"When I told you that I didn't want to go to his room. You refused…like you didn't care. (And you don't.) I must have said 'please' around 10 times, and you responded with the same answer…no. So why should I go with you? Why should I care about your pleads? Hmmm? …Why," she looked at him straight in the face and frowned. And just when he was about to answer, she interrupted him. "Do you know how scared I was? Thinking about a man's filthy hands touching me? Do you know how much I wanted to die right then and there? So much that I pleaded and begged for mercy. Do you know how relieved I was when your uncle sent me to this filthy room?" she paused and looked down. "Do you know how loud I was planning to scream the very moment that, that man touched me? Do you realize that I actually thought that you were going to be my hero and save me from him? …No, you don't know. You know why you don't know? Because you're too busy thinking about YOURSELF! Thinking about your stupid goals and Aang. I was willing to go to your room! I even apologized to you because I thought that was what you wanted. But you just wanted to see me in pain. You have no idea how grateful I am that your uncle was there. Because your uncle saved me…not you," Katara sighed for the twentieth time that night, and looked up at Zuko once more.
"I didn't want to take you. I really didn't. But…," he began, but paused when he realized that he didn't have a descent answer…a good excuse.
"--But your pride got in the way. Your stupid pride," she finished.
True, it was his pride. His pride got in the way…it always did. He could've saved her, but he only thought of himself. There was about 5 seconds of silence before she spoke again.
"I was so afraid," she whispered and a tear slid down her cheek. "Do you hate me that much?"
"I…I don't hate you," he said hesitantly.
"You don't?" she asked timidly.
"No."
She looked at the floor, puzzled. He doesn't hate me? That doesn't make sense… He should despise me.
"You thought I was going to be your hero?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "What made you think that?"
Katara felt her cheeks warm up, "Ye--yea, I did. I guess, that somewhere…deep down I thought you weren't all bad. …But, I thought wrong."
"I'm sorry." He lifted her chin up so he could see her eyes. She so beautiful, and peaceful…and I'm…full of hate, and greed, he thought bitterly. "I'm truly sorry," he said with real sincerity in his voice.
"I know," she said. She reached for his hand and held it for a couple seconds. "I know you are," she paused and let go of his hand, "but that doesn't change things, Goodnight Prince Zuko." She bowed to some extent and turned around, opening the door and stepping within the dark gloomy room.
"What was that for?" he asked confused.
"For your pride…,"and she shut the door.
Iroh walked down the narrow hallway, lighting each torch as he passed them. He reachedAdmiral Zhao's room and knocked the door.
AdmiralZhao opened the heavy metal door. "Finally, I wa--," he stopped when he noticed that Iroh was standing before him, and not Katara. He bowed uncertainly, "Hello, General Iroh. Wh--what seems to be the problem," uneasiness in his deep voice.
"I'm glad you asked," he paused when he saw Zhao rub the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I was having very pleasant dreams. You know the ones. And I was abruptly awakened by cries coming from the deck of my ship. So, me being the curious man that I am, got out of my quarters to check what was going on. And you'll never guess what I saw before me," he paused again, incase theAdmiral wanted to answer the question…although it was rhetorical. "I saw Katara, crying and begging Prince Zuko for something. I was curious, so I asked the Prince what was going on, and he answered with a simple, 'Nothing'. But I know my nephew enough to know when he is lying, so I asked the girl. And you know what she said? …She said that you wanted her to come over here, at night. Hahaha…I thought it was silly that she was crying for nothing, but I just wanted to come to see what was it that you wanted to do with her."
There was silence. TheAdmiral stood there while Iroh looked up at him, smiling. "Well…," he said coming up with an excuse quickly, "I just wanted to interrogate her about the Avatar's whereabouts."
"With only half your uniform on? How…odd," Iroh looked at theAdmiral peacefully, not believing a single word he was saying.
"I didn't thi--"
Iroh lost his patience, "You are a pathetic fool if you think that I'm falling for your stories. The girl is not to come here alone. Interrogation or not…if your intentions are to interrogate her, they will be done on my ship with Prince Zuko or I present."
"Sir, she is just a prisoner."
"Prisoner or not, she is a woman! And woman are to be respected!
"She is an impure woman. She does not deserve respect from anyone," he argued.
"Impure? How so," the retiree amused by the accusation. Katara? She was so innocent, never in his mind did he think of Katara as impure…in any sort of way.
"She has been traveling with two men for months now. We all have reason to suspect that she has done…things."
"One being her very own brother and the other a 12 year old boy. Really, Admiral...have more common sense."
Zhao fumed with anger, the ever-so respectful general was defending a prisoner! A girl from a stupid no name tribe. "Very well, she won't step onto this ship."
The general nodded in agreement, "Thank you for understanding Admiral. Indeed, you will go far. I'll be seeing you tomorrow. Have a good night!"
"Yes sir," he said and moved into his room, closing the door gently. The Admiral smiled deceitfully as he walked toward the small window. He took a deep breath and admired the full moon for a moment. "She won't step onto this ship," he repeated and chuckled. "Katara, if you think that you're safe, you are sadly mistaking. They can't watch you all the time, and when they don't…I'll be there," he said to himself and softly passed his fingers over a dent on the cold metal wall. "When you least expect it…I'll make you mine. Mark my words."
That night…Katara couldn't sleep.
Zuko sat down on the chair inside the captain's coop and looked at the hand that Katara had held just a few minutes ago. For my pride, he thought. She bowed down to me…for my pride. I am so ignorant. Her voice rang in his head…Do you know how loud I was going to scream? Do you realize that I actually thought you were going to be my hero…my hero. He smiled, "She wanted me to be her hero."
"But you weren't," Iroh said as he came up behind him.
"Uncle!" he gasped, "I didn't hear you come in!"
"I'm sorry, but I thought you were expecting me," he smiled, and walked around his nephew in order to get to the teapot sitting on the counter. "Tea?"
"Yes."
The old man lifted the teapot and filled it with water. And as he warmed up the water with one hand, he added the herbs with the other. "What happened to you out there Prince Zuko? I know you can be cruel, but I didn't expect you to act like that with the girl."
"What do you mean 'what happened' to me?"
"You never followAdmiral Zhao's orders, why did you decide to start today?"
"I'm sick of being harassed by him. I am the Prince of the Fire Nation and I deser--"
"Uh huh…listen. Before you finish saying that sad remark for an excuse, I want to ask you something," Iroh paused and sipped a bit of tea before continuing, "Were you going to do that to her because of what she said earlier?" Prince Zuko looked away, not wanting to face his uncle glance. "I see," Iroh took a step closer to his nephew. "Prince Zuko, I know it hurt you when--"
"Wrong uncle!" Zuko interrupted angrily. "It didn't hurt me! I could care less about how she feels about me! You're wrong!" He stood up and kicked the chair against the wall, breaking it into pieces. "Are you done talking to me because I'm tired of hearing your stupid advice!"
Iroh nodded gently. "Good night Prince Zuko. Sleep well," he suggested and watched his nephew storm out of the room. "He's hurt," the man said to himself as he sipped a bit more of his tea. Then, he retired to bed.