Zuko dragged me up the ornate golden halls of the Fire Palace up to what I believed to be his chambers. He held onto my bound wrists with one hand, while the other opened a large ornate door opening to a beautiful room with marble floors of a slightly golden color. A large window overlooked the village that lay right in front of the palace as the sun was sinking over the horizon, making the sky look like a flaming painting.
I wrenched free of Zuko's grasp even though my hands were bound together behind my back, so I could stomp over to an armchair that sat right in front of part of the large windows. Plopping down in it, I sat up straight and looked out the window angrily, trying to keep myself calm. Zuko's shoes tapped on the floor as he walked closer and closer to me. Now he stood at my side, looking down at me through his scarred eye. Taking a knife from his belt, he cut through the wire on my wrists as I took off the chain leash that was still around my neck and rubbed the reddened skin.
The firebending Prince reached a hand to touch the red, irritated skin on my neck but I slapped it away, with a glare up at him.
"Touch me again and I'll have you begging for mercy," I growled at him. He returned the glare with equal anger and took a step so now he stood directly in front of me.
"You'd better learn respect now, Mikomi," he said emphasizing that he didn't use the title I told him to use toward me. "Get used to being inferior to me, because I own you now."
Leaning up closer to him slowly, I smiled and sliced my nails upward on his armor, leaving four deep scratches with my sharp claws in his new armor.
"No one owns me," I said as I crossed my legs, while I leaned back in the chair, my blue eyes daring him to do something he would regret.
His eyes flashed down on me as a smirk spread on my red lips. I was being very difficult to him then, mostly resentment for being his official concubine, but I don't like that word. It made me feel disgusting and lowly, so I didn't even act like one toward him. The best descriptive title for it would be a very stubborn prisoner.
"You'll regret that," he growled as his hand shot out and wrapped itself entirely around my bicep. Zuko pulled me to my feet harshly as a hand grabbed at his forearm. My nails weren't sharp or strong enough to pierce his armor, but they were enough to scratch at it. While I tried to escape, he tugged me closer and put his free hand on my cheek and stroked it with his thumb. His shins were covered in armor so I couldn't bash those in.
"You," he growled deeply, "are mine."
Luckily, he was close enough so I could threaten his life once more. I pointed my index finger and its sharp nail at the vital point in his neck.
"My nails are rather strong as you have noticed, Zuko," I said, smirking. "I now have my nail positioned at the vital point in your neck, something I never taught you."
He removed his hand from my cheek but I punctured the skin above the vital point, drawing some blood.
"Ah, ah, ah," I said reprimanding him. "Make another move and I'll kill you."
Zuko glared at me cruelly as his body tensed with his hot breath coming down on my face from his mouth which hovered just above my head.
"Now, remove your hand from my bicep," I said, smirking. He did so slowly and hesitantly. Then he stepped back away from me, so my nail wasn't threatening his life anymore.
"Regardless of what you do, you will be my possession, Mikomi," he said glaring down into my blue eyes.
I smiled at him knowingly and said, "That's what you think."
Growling at me, he walked past me and said, "I'll be sending someone in to make your nails a little less dangerous."
The Prince made his grand exit by slamming the door, so I decided to dive into the bed. I laughed and lay on my back with my hands behind my head. I smiled at the ceiling and awaited this person.
Eventually, that person did come. It was some sort of chambermaid I guess. She was dressed in baggy crimson clothing with the Fire Nation insignia on them showing that she served in the Fire Palace. After much cutting and filing, much meaning about an hour's worth of it, she finally sanded and cut my nails down so they weren't catlike anymore. I missed them, because now I didn't have any weapons to threaten Zuko with. The maid didn't even try to make conversation which I found a little rude, but I wasn't complaining.
I got in the bath connected to Zuko's room guided by her directly after she was finished my nails. Pulling my ponytail free, she gently let my hair tumble down my back and looked at it with admiring eyes.
After all of my clothing was off she scooped it up in her arms, leaving a small package by the bath. I looked at her like she was crazy.
"What are you doing with my clothes!" I demanded.
The maid stopped and looked back at me and said, "I'm washing them. Your bed clothing is in the package. It's required wear for concubines of royalty by order of the Fire Lord. He made yours special for his son, I guess."
I stared at her incredulously and swam over to the side of the bath and tore the package open. Pulling out the garment, I found a golden silk baby doll dress, which ended at above my mid thigh. It had black lace sewn on the bottom and top edges, with the straps made of the same ornate lace. Obviously, it was low cut and at the bottom had a black Fire Nation insignia on the right side. Disgust flooded over my face with my loathing gaze on it.
"I'd rather wear my dirty clothes than this," I said, begging.
"Sorry, but Fire Lord's orders," she said, actually looking a little bit sympathetic. "But I don't pity you. I'd rather be Zuko's concubine than a lowly chambermaid, plus you're beautiful. Zuko's a handsome guy."
"Yeah, but I was his martial arts teacher until he betrayed us, so you don't know half of the story," I said still holding this disgusting outfit.
Shrugging her shoulders she made her exit and left me alone in the bath. After bathing completely I got out of the bath and put on that horrid rag.
Looking at myself in the mirror after my hair had dried and now hung with some slight wave in it, I saw a pink blush on my cheeks. I felt so revealed wearing it. The silk hugged my curves perfectly and revealed some cleavage at the top, while my arms and legs were bare. I bet my eyes would match this perfectly when I got mad. Then it would be perfect for me, despite the fact I was completely uncomfortable in it.
Glancing around the room, I saw some sort of closet. Opening the wooden door, I found a silk robe of the same color hanging on the door. I pulled it out and realized it was probably Zuko's. Without even a thought, I swung it over my shoulders and put it on. It matched this disgusting dress perfectly, even with a black Fire Nation insignia on the back of it. I pulled my hair out from the robe's grasp as I felt it fall down my back. The robe was rather large and looked like it had a train on it because it extended behind me as I walked out of the bath.
The sun had set by that time and the moon was above the town in front of the palace, creating a serene image across the landscape. Behind me, I heard the door open as I crossed my arms over my chest to keep the robe closed, hoping Zuko wouldn't see the dress. His footsteps became louder and louder as I turned to face him.
The Prince stopped his walk and stared at me with admiration in his eyes. He walked until he stood directly over me, but I walked by him dragging the robe with me. I stomped toward the door and grabbed its golden handle and tried to open it. It was locked. I cursed my luck under my breath and leaned my forehead against the door. Zuko was taking off his armor and clothing behind me, leaving nothing but a pair of black pants on.
There it was again. His feet heading straight toward me, I felt him arrive directly and closely behind me. I saw a hand leaning above and to the right on the door, without taking my forehead off of it. Holding tightly to the front of the robes, I turned and saw the Fire Prince leaning over me, trapping me in between his two muscular arms. He really had gotten taller over his time spent with me. The top of my head barely passed his shoulders now.
His golden eyes flashed down at my attire and then back to my eyes. I tried bending my knees and sliding underneath of one of his arms, but he slid that hand lower on the door so I couldn't escape.
"What are you hiding underneath of my robe?" he asked.
Glaring at him, I said, "Who says I'm hiding something?"
"Well, you're holding onto that robe awfully tight," he retorted. I looked away as he lifted his hands and wedged them between my robe so they rested on my bare shoulders. Once he felt my bare skin, he began sliding his hand down my arms causing the robe to fall off my shoulders and down to the floor, revealing the dress that his father picked out just for me.
His eyes seemed to widen a little at the sight of me and he took a step toward me, but I put a hand on his bare chest, pushing him away.
My arm wasn't enough to stop him as I felt the door on my back and Zuko's breath fanning across my face as I lowered my arm to my side and looked up into his eyes with fear.
"Don't try to stop me, Mikomi," he said softly. "I've wanted you for so long and I've waited for this day eagerly."
His hands went under my arms and slid slowly down my sides until they reached my hips. My arms I held crossed over my chest tightly as I looked at the floor, while he stroked my hips in a circular motion. I wanted so badly to resist, but there was something inside of me that willed him on and told me to let him have his way.
I felt one hand leave my hip and reposition itself underneath of my chin. Zuko's hand lifted my head up as I noticed he had taken another step closer to me and bent his knees so he was at eye level with me.
My arms still crossed protectively over my chest as he looked into my fear-filled eyes with something that almost looked like tenderness.
"I won't hurt you, Mikomi," he said gently to me as his lips brushed softly against my cheek. "But, I will get what I want from you, whether forced or unforced."