Don't own Avatar! I'd like to say I LOVE REVIEWS! Please review me! Tell me I suck, tell me I'm a horrible speller, tell me anything! I want feedback from my work, so that I can learn from it! So please, whether it's just a pat on the back or a hate filled email, please give me criticism. Also I'm horrible with ships. I get called kitsune or kit which means I am pretty much a land creature so I have no idea about nautical terms. Also this chapter will have mostly Katara's point of view, but I do plan to go into other characters also.
Chapter two
The Phoenix
Moving almost as gracefully as Katara had, Zuko came into the clearing and whipped a gag over Katara's mouth. Though it had little use, she hadn't had time to scream. He reached into the water and grabbed her hands, securing those too with a piece of cloth. Soldiers pealed off trees, the ground and came from the shadows and gathered her things. And the small party left the clearing, leaving not even a footprint or traceable scent.
Every time Zuko's booted feet pounded the ground, it sent a jolt through his body causing his shoulder to ram into Katara's torso; somehow it seemed as sharp as a sword. She was amazed at exactly how fast the forest was whizzing by. All around them was a fire soldier barricade that bounced along at the same speed. In the hands of two soldiers behind and to the left of Zuko and Katara were her belongings… her clothes. Oh how she wished she wasn't so polite and ladylike, she would have loved to fart right in his face. But alas…
In the distance she could make out the huge trail Appa had left as they lumbered through the forest, on foot, to find that clearing. But they turned from it to travel southwest, towards the shore. Did Aang and Sokka know? Where they awaiting her on the ship? Strangely enough, at that point she didn't care.
As that thought hit her she felt as though she could just curl up and die. How terrible that she would be tortured so much that she was actually grateful to be captured by the evil Prince Zuko to be taken to some unknown fate… naked. How she wished he'd at least let her be dressed! To be carried over a strong, muscle bound shoulder wet and naked was nothing short of a life scarring memory.
As if cut off by some unknown giant saw of the gods, the trees ended and they were on the black rock shores of the tiny island. She didn't recognize any of this forest and wondered if they were on the opposite shore. But her wonderings were cut short as the entire guard moved towards little boats, thirteen of them in total, all beached on the shore. There were two guards to a boat, each rowing one oar. But what about her and Zuko? Katara thought; suddenly She felt herself placed carefully on a wooden bench, polished and well kept. Her hands were still tied and her mouth gagged, she was entirely helpless.
She had no way of moving the waters that swayed beneath the boat; gently licking and teasing the boat… and Katara to join it. Zuko stood up slowly, looking down at her with the sternest of looks, and silently walked past her to where the oars were. A soldier pushed them out to sea, thankfully averting his eyes from Katara, and the boat began to rock, uncertain and un-deciding. Then as though kicked by some unknown foot, it shot forward. The island disappeared into the horizon, melting with the now rising sun.
She was unsure how long they had been rowing, just that she was cold and unhappy. Why hadn't she screamed? Why hadn't she fought or kicked? She drew her knees to her chest and put her bound hands around them and rested her chin on her knee. A strand of hair floated into her eyes and played about in the wind. Suddenly something else was free. Her mouth. She felt a smart tug on her gag and she was free. She flexed her jaw experimentally and waggled her tongue to taste the salty sea air.
Zuko's harsh voice came to her ears, a little out of breath and impatient, "I feel like being an actual gentleman tonight. I'm going to untie your hands and give you your clothes. But if you try one water bending trick, even a small harmless one, you'll wish you hadn't." Katara soaked in what he had to say and thought, "Make a decision quick, we're approaching the ship and it's all men."
"I swear I won't do a thing!" the words shot out of her mouth. The boat stopped moving and Zuko undid the ties on her wrists before tossing to her the rumpled mess of her white wool under dress, her white loincloth and blue kimono. It had been many years since she had had to abandon her old outfit for a new one. Who new breasts were such a nuisance?
As she pulled her dark blue cotton sash on around her waist, she turned around so she was no longer facing backwards. Then she saw it. Zuko's great iron ship, but… something was different… but what? The rising sun was reflecting heavily off of what she thought was just cold and rusted iron. And was that a flash of gold she just saw? It just couldn't be.
As they drew nearer and nearer she began to see what had happened to Zuko's old and disgusting ship. It had been fixed up. Really fixed up. The random dents and badly bandaged wounds had been smoothed out or they had gotten a completely new hold. It shown silver in the sun with a gold stripe that ran along about three feet or so below the railings. But the thing that struck terror in her heart as they neared was something that truly hadn't been there before. The ship now had a name.
Being a girl from a water bender tribe that had plenty of boats, she knew the only reason you ever named a ship was so you didn't confuse it with another ship in a fleet, big or small. And the name frightened her even more. In curly, but still readable, golden lettering was the words, The Fledgling.
Katara spoke quietly to herself, but loud enough that Zuko heard her and smirked at the fear evident in her voice, "Oh gods, if that's nothing but the fledgling, where is the mother?"
Zuko firmly shut the door to Katara's cell and smiled when he heard and irritated scream echo from within. He wondered what the guard thought of that! He was quite happy with how this was going. Besides that small outburst she had been completely cooperative. Not fighting just coming along quietly. This happiness was quickly jolted.
"Prince Zuko!" Old General Iroh, Zuko's uncle, seemed to seep out of the wall where he had obviously been waiting, "I hear you have a female prisoner! I thought you said you wouldn't try that old trick again!" his old and scratchy voice had and air of scolding in it.
"Well Uncle I have my reasons!" Zuko put a hand up to his beating heart. As always, Iroh had given him a slight scare, "But if you want to chide me and get answers and such may I suggest we do it in my room." He jerked a thumb towards the steel door behind him. Iroh nodded understandably.
Before Zuko knew it there was a feast fit for a king sitting in front of him on a traditional Fire Nation table; low to the ground with deep red sitting cushions with a black design on it. Before him and Iroh was a feast fit for the fire lord himself. Even though Zuko was in exile he defiantly not "roughing" it. Iroh sat across from Zuko.
"You only make the cook make a meal like this when you have a big plan. So tell me Zuko what is it?" But before Zuko could answer, Iroh clapped his hands together with his chopsticks in the middle and bowed his head while closing his eyes, "Please bless this food."
Zuko rolled his eyes in disgust and did the same then sought to answer the question, "I've been watching them. The Avatar and his little friends. And the Avatar and Katara's idiot brother Sokka have made a rather bad turn. I think Sokka just does it to pick on his sister because I have seen him defend her when the avatar goes too far. But two nights ago they did the one thing even I know not to do to a girl. They messed up her hair by pouring honey on her. A little immature and I thought it rather harmless 'til I followed her and heard her mumbling about all the other things… UNCLE IROH! Are you even listening?"
Iroh's already fat cheeks were bulging with food, "Yesh, pleash 'o om!" he waved his chopsticks at Zuko to go on.
Zuko's head felt heavy and tight, he sighed and went on, "Anyway, when they pulled an actually life threatening trick, I decided to use that rightfully directed rage to my advantage."
"Now, now, I'm sure it wasn't actually life threatening." Iroh said soothingly. He picked up a sushi roll with an octopus tentacle sticking out the top. Sushi was something Zuko would never understand.
"They put a water snake in the hot springs when it was her turn." Iroh spit out the half chewed roll, which resulted in the octopus tentacle on Zuko's face.
They sat in silence for a minute. Zuko clutching his fist to control his anger, "Zuko… one of your veins is sticking waaaaay out!"
After a few minutes of squabbling, and the removal of the tentacle, they settled back down. And their conversation began again, "How will you get her to work with you? She has a very honest personality and wouldn't happily help you." Iroh asked.
"I will have to charm her. After all I am a prince. I'm just going to have to act like one. Any woman can be won with jewels and things." Zuko said with a smirk. Iroh looked across the table at his naïve nephew and felt like slapping some sense into his thick skull. Instead he sighed and hefted a rather fat salmon sashimi to his mouth and chewed it methodically.
Katara had been in the dank dark cell for several days now. She was allowed to bath and drink water, but always with a guard in the room. When bathing it was embarrassing for both parties so she usually just wore her under robe.
It was during one of these baths that Zuko burst into the room. Whether he registered what was going she didn't know, but she certainly did. On automatic reflex she sent a water whip right at his face.
Zuko looked up from his charge into the room in time to see what was happening. A small snake of water was heading right at him. Suddenly Katara regained herself and stopped it inches from his face. Zuko had a fireball in his hands.
Katara opened her eyes to look at Zuko. His body had stopped beautifully. His left arm was bent so that it looked as though he had reeled back his hand to his right shoulder and was about throw something. His right arm was in the position of an underhanded throw. He had most of his weight on his left foot which was place in front of him and his right foot was mostly off the floor except the very tip of his foot which was pointed in the graceful moves of all benders.
Just as Katara was looking at Zuko, he was looking at her. But his was for a different reason. He wanted to seem interested in her body, thing was, he was! Her right arm was bent so that her hand came to her right shoulder. Her left arm was positioned so that her hand was palm up and her elbow slightly bent. All of her weight was on her right foot and her left leg was pointed ramrod straight and her toes pointing. To add to her beautiful position, her white under robe was soaked and he could she her features outlined and highlighted and her long auburn hair was clinging to her body.
The thought that he was actually interested in Katara's body frightened Zuko momentarily. He watched as she drew that water back into the bath in a gentle coaxing motion. Then like a child, she plopped back into the water so that only everything above her nose was visible. Her hair swirled around her making a nice shield. Then she poked her mouth above water, "I-I'm sorry Zuko. You startled me… please don't be angry!" she went back under and stared at him with pitiful azure eyes.
Zuko couldn't figure out why she had been so frightened. Then he realized. She thought he was going to beat her. He withdrew the fireball he had created and turned his back. Katara took the moment to snatch a new under robe and her outer robe as well. When she was done she made a little noise in her throat.
"I'm sure you've noticed the ship has stopped moving, correct?" Katara nodded, "Well that's because we are in a Fire Nation controlled Port." He said this with so much pride in his voice and face so that Katara grimaced at him. Zuko acted like he didn't notice, "I'm taking you ashore for right now. Not all day mind you. We won't be coming back here, ever, so take your things. I'll see you on deck in an hour." He turned on his heel and marched back up that stairs. Katara looked at her guard who shrugged.
In an hour and five minutes, five minutes to spite Zuko, she was on deck with her dark blue backpack and sleeping bag. Zuko took the bag from her and handed it to a soldier next to him, "Don't worry. You'll see it tonight." Zuko said when he saw her begin to protest.
Katara was frightened beyond all reason, what were they going to do on land? Did Zuko want to sell her to a whorehouse? Maybe they were leaving the sea all together and were to travel by land. What would happen to her? Would they put her in another cell?
Suddenly a man with a rather scraggly grey beard and wide grinning face stepped up from behind to pat her on the shoulder, "Don't worry youngling. We won't hurt you. We are just preparing for a boat transfer." Katara spun to face him. He had a huge belly that made him look like that fabled Santa Clause from her village, "Also, we have no things for girls, especially such pretty ones." Her patted her on the head and walked to Zuko who was glaring like mad at his Uncle for ruining the surprise.
Zuko had more than one boat? When did that happen? Katara wondered. Nonetheless, they were taking her ashore. Off that cramped boat where she could stretch her legs.
As they loaded into rather large boats so they could row inland Katara walked up and put a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder. He looked at her without actually turning, "Thank you." She simply said, "Thank you for taking me ashore with you…" then she did something very unusual, at least in Zuko's eyes. She smiled a brilliant smile that showed surprisingly white teeth. Zuko's face softened but for a moment; then he picked her up by her waist and handed her to a soldier already in the boat and got in himself.
The port, called Kaikou, was truly huge. The buildings were certainly bigger than Katara had ever seen. Merchants shoved different items in their faces, trying to convince a buyer, and the place smelled heavily of the perfumes of the rich people strolling in the streets.
Katara walked in between Zuko and Iroh with a ring of soldiers around them. Zuko wore a stern and bored face while Iroh kept stopping to look at some useless item or ask a shop keep if he had a lotus tile to sell him. They came to a fabric store where Zuko turned on her.
"I noticed you didn't have much clothing. And what you had was very worn. Buy whatever you need to make yourself some new outfits. I really don't care what color except you must have three outfits that are in accordance to the Fire Nation's Colors. Red, gold and orange; understand?" that moment where Zuko had seemed almost nice for letting her come ashore shattered in Katara's mind. She was very close to saying something smart but then-
"Katara, is not the fabric oh so soft? And it is the absolute color of the sea." Katara and Zuko turned to see Iroh rubbing his cheeks with a bark blue silk fabric. After a moment Katara whispered.
"Well that rules out that fabric." Zuko was in such shock that she had made a joke that he couldn't stop her when she went look at a white cotton fabric. Zuko watched her pick up a variety of colors and fabrics before looking to him. Zuko took out ten bronze pieces and threw them at the man at the counter who managed to catch them before they hit the ground.
Zuko took Katara to a jewelry stand, a store that sold shoes and a cart that had octopus skewers for sale before he decided it was time to leave. He had been leaning moodily against a pole that had a flyer for a hooker on it when he made his decision, Katara and Iroh had become fast friends and they were pushing some unlucky man into lowering the price of a lotus tile. Zuko came and tapped Iroh on the shoulder as soon as he saw money pass hands.
"Come on Uncle, it's time to go." He looked down at Katara who eyes had suddenly cast themselves to the ground, "What?" he asked as they began to make their way to the harbor.
"I don't want to go back into a cell." She said quietly. They walked in silence for a while all the time Iroh casting Zuko looks. The guards were always quiet and trotted to keep pace. Zuko couldn't figure out what to say. When he turned to tell her something he found her attention elsewhere. Her eyes were transfixed on a single white tent. In very neat kanji was written the words, "Animal Benders."
Both Zuko and Katara knew what they were. An evil tribe of people who bred animals that weren't supposed to breed together to create unusual and unique animals. People of the court fancied the animals, but there were always mistreated and unhappy. By now the whole party had stopped. Zuko was staring too. Just on the outside of the tent a man was violently waving a broomstick at an escaped reptilian parrot.
Zuko leaned down and whispered into Katara's ear, "Would you like one?" If she answered yes he decided he would smack her.
"Yes, but not for the reasons you're thinking. I want to save one form a terrible fate." Zuko looked down at her. She was very simple yet complex. At the beginning of the day she had cowered from him for fear. Now she stood there, with bags in her arms and an intense look in her eyes. She wasn't even concerned with his presence.
"Okay, lets go." But as they took a few steps forward, Katara was surprised to hear him say, "Everyone else stay." He was trusting her! She new better to betray this. She would build up his trust, and then exploit it.
As they entered the tent Katara felt the stench of the animals wash over her. It was disgusting; feces mixed with urine. The animals were in bad shape as well. They looked sick and unhappy. How she wished she could release them all. But they would live unhappy lives. As they walked through the store a sleazy clerk stepped up. He was crippled and grinning like mad, "May I help you Lady and Gentleman?"
Well that ends this chapter. Sorry it took so long but this past weekend was my b-day and my family wanted to celebrate. Also my boyfriend is walking through a tough time so I'm over there a lot helping with him and him family. I'm gonna repost this later when I've actually had time to go over it and correct mistakes. But here's the story. I promise to post more often!
