The Last Airbender is not my creation, the people at the Nickelodeon Studios created it, but that will not stop me from making my own little episodes of excitement and romance.
The only thing I own is the plot on your screen. If you plan to take my ideas and put them into your own fanfic, claiming to be your own mind that thought them up, get a hobby. Plagiarism is wrong, don't do it!
Katara pressed her sleeping child against her chest as she watched Zula bolt the door, her slim pale fingers working quickly as if she were afraid that her prisoner might escape. Jet stood beside his accomplice, a malicious smirk on his face as he stared at the Lady's frightened and angry expression.
The Waterbender glanced around the room, taking notice of the decayed walls and the molding wooden floor, and gasped upon seeing a scurrying cockroach rush to its home in the wall. This was the place where her daughter was staying? She shuddered and looked back up at Jet and Zula, her brow furrowing with fury. "Let us go," she demanded, her voice ominous. "You can't get away with kidnapping us both."
Jet laughed and sat on a nearby chair, placing his legs over the dank table that stood in the middle of the room. "I didn't kidnap you. You came here all on your own," he said coolly, putting his hands behind his head. "Actually, you made me bring you. And who am I to deny a direct order from the Lady of the Fire Nation?"
"Oh, don't try to play innocent with me, Jet, because I know that you are anything but. You tricked me," she accused and shifted the weight of her babe to her other arm. "I demand that you let us go."
Zula crossed her arms and chuckled, her eyes blazing with spite. "And what makes you think that we're going to listen to you? You are but a simple-minded peasant. Yes, you married the Fire Lord and bore his child, but a savage dressed in silk is still a savage."
"I am no savage! I am a Master Waterbender. I am The Lady of these lands. I am the mother of the heir to the Fire Nation throne. I may have come from humble beginnings, but I am no fool. I have more power than you. So I suggest you release me unless you wish to see the Fire Lord's wrath."
Luna began to wake within the arms of her mother, her eyes fluttering every so often when she felt the soft vibrations of her mother's chest. She snuggled into the warm body that surrounded her and yawned widely. "Hmm…" she hummed softly upon smelling the familiar fragrant scent of her sweet mother and fell back asleep.
"I'm not afraid of Zuko," the Firebender informed angrily. "If I were, I wouldn't have kidnapped the Princess and tried to murder him a long time ago."
Katara blinked. "…What?"
Zula raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, he didn't tell you?" she asked innocently and leaned against the door. "Yeah, I tried to kill him. In fact, that's the reason why he banished me."
"I thought you were banished for conspiracy."
"Conspiracy. Attempted Murder. It's all the same in the end, isn't it?"
…four years ago…
The fire cracked ferociously in its pit as Zula sat comfortably on a dark red armchair, a smile on her young innocent face. The room was dark except for the bright golden fire that lived in the fireplace, its flames rising and falling every second. "Please take a seat Admiral," she offered and extended her hand towards the chair the sat diagonally from her.
Zhao nodded and followed her order, taking a seat on the chair. A wavering look of doubt crossed his face as Zula unrolled a scroll and read to herself, her smile growing wider by the minute. "What does it say?" he asked, his voice deep and naturally sensual.
The Lady looked at him and tilted her head to the side in admiration. "My brother will be arriving tomorrow," she said simply and crossed her legs. "Coronation will be held next week."
"I know," the Admiral said and looked around the room. A large bed sat in the middle of the space with a wide vanity set at its side. A window was built opposite the entrance door, and a door that led to the washroom stood behind him.
"I know you know, Admiral," Zula said and stood from her seat. She walked around his chair and stopped behind him, resting her hands on his broad shoulders.
Zhao swallowed upon feeling the Lady's hands travel down his chest. "So what are we going to do?" he asked, trying to regain his composure, and got to his feet. The woman let go of him with a sigh and he turned to face her, an eyebrow raised.
"We are going to kill him, of course," she stated and waved her hand dismissively as if it were the most casual of answers.
"And his wife?" he asked.
"Her, too. We don't need two Ladies around," she laughed and approached the man. "Is that all you wanted to know?"
Zhao stepped back. "How?"
Zula smirked at his uneasiness. "How, what?"
"How are you going to do it?"
"Don't worry about it Zhao," she said darkly and cornered him against the wall. She placed her hands on his armored chest and allowed them to travel north. Her soft hands traveled through his hair as she got on her toes, nearing her face to his. "You will be Fire Lord soon," she purred sensually and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thanks to you," he whispered back, his voice hoarse, the cause of a dry throat.
The Lady placed her soft lips on Zhao's cheek and smiled. "Are you nervous Admiral? Do I make you uncomfortable?" she asked and kissed his dry lips.
Zhao chuckled lightly. "Why would you?"
"I don't know," she answered and felt the man's arms wrap themselves around her petite body.
"You'll be my wife in a month," he stated and felt himself relax when Zula placed another dark kiss on his lips. He returned the favor and pressed her against him, any previous thoughts of imprudence disappearing from his mind. He smiled into her when he felt her soft warm tongue pass itself over his lips. He pulled himself away from her and smiled.
"Do you love me, Admiral?" she asked and rested her head on his cold chest, her golden eyes closing with secret content.
"Of course," he lied with a smirk and stroked her head. "Of course."
"We've looked everywhere," Aang said as he walked towards the Fire Lord, his long wooden staff in his hand. "Sokka's searching the gardens again, and I already scanned the area from a bird's viewpoint. Nothing. Are you sure she's not in the bathroom or something?"
Zuko sighed. "I'm positive. The guards working the night shift have checked everywhere, and so have I. She's not here." He placed his hand behind his neck.
"Well, if she had left for town she would have left with Nin-Ji," the Avatar concluded and glanced to his side upon seeing Sokka walking towards them.
"Nin-Ji is out," the royal Firebender stated. "I asked him to go on the night search with the other men. Besides, she was too angry to bother looking for her bodyguard."
"Angry? Why was she angry?"
"She was being persistent about searching again."
Aang furrowed his brow. "I don't see why you don't let her go with you. Luna is her child, she has every right to-"
"She'll get killed! Don't you understand? Zula kidnapped Luna to get back at me. It would make sense to kill my wife too. It would be the perfect revenge, Avatar. Don't you get it?" He looked over at Sokka and raised his eyebrows expectantly, only to be disappointed when his brother-in-law shook his head.
"Nothing," the Water Tribe warrior whispered.
Zuko took a deep breath and placed a hand over his eyes. Where are you? he asked worriedly as he tried to figure out where his wife could be. "Alright," he breathed and glanced at the Avatar. "Gather up fifty men and send them out to search for Katara-"
"Are you sure you want to do that, Zuko?" Sokka asked. "What if she's not missing?'
The Fire Lord looked at the Water Tribe boy and then back at Aang. "Search until you find her," he ordered as though he hadn't heard Sokka. But he had heard him and knew that the warrior was wrong before he even spoke.
"What are you doing now?" Zula asked as she watched Jet write a letter on the table, glancing up at Katara and Luna every so often.
"You'll see," he whispered. "You'll see." He signed the rebels' name at the end of the parchment and rolled it up into a scroll, tying an old leather string around its middle. He waved it in the air teasingly (much like the way Zuko brandished her necklace all those years ago, Katara noticed) and smirked at the Waterbender, who had taken a seat on a chair on the far side of the hut. "Do you know what this is, my dear old friend?" The Lady eyed it suspiciously but didn't answer, her mind trying to find a way to escape. "It's a note telling the Fire Lord to come here at once. Alone."
"He's not stupid, Jet. If you think he'll come alone, you are sadly mistaken."
Jet laughed. "I know he's not. In fact, I'll be expecting him and the entire body of Fire Nation guards," he informed and whistled the familiar chirp of a bird. "And just like the letter explains, if he comes with company, I'll kill you both." He watched the Lady's eyes widen with horror and frowned. "Don't worry, Katara, I'll make it as painless as I possibly can."
Zula smirked. "But then again, death isn't known for being painless."
A loud knock echoed in the room as Katara gave her kidnappers a dirty look. "It's me, boss," a throaty voice rang through the door.
Jet opened the door and handed the large bulky man the small scroll. "Get this to the Fire Lord at once and get out of there before he opens it. Actually, it would be best if you hand this to a guard and tell him that it's for the Lord." He patted the man's shoulder in a brotherly way and smiled. "Don't get caught. I'd hate to see you go, Pipsqueak."
"No way," he answered and chanced a glance at Katara.
"Ah, you've met Katara before, haven't you?"
Pipsqueak nodded and gave her a little wave, frowning when she looked away and squeezed her child against her bosom. "I'm sorry about all of this, Miss, but it has to be done," he said and gave Jet a sad smile when he saw tears escape the young woman's celestial eyes. "Don't be too hard on her, Jet," he whispered.
The leader of the Freedom Fighters nodded and dismissed his best friend, closing and locking the door. He walked over to the sobbing girl and kneeled before her, his tan hand resting on the wooden chair's arm. "You wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't fraternized with the enemy. Never mind actually married him."
Katara looked up into those hard brown eyes of his and furrowed her brow. "I don't regret falling in love with him. But I do regret believing you; liking you. I regret not listening to my brother when he told me that you were up to no good."
"You would've been happy with me," he whispered.
The Lady scoffed. "Happy? With you? Never."
Jet growled and stood. "So be it, Katara. At least I'm not the one about to die," he declared scornfully and sat on the chair by the door. He looked at the sleeping child within the mother's arms. "It's too bad that the child has to go with you. She's a good girl."
Katara petted her daughter's head, disheveling the girl's soft brown curls, and smiled when the babe began to wake within her arms. Soft mutters escaped the child's mouth as she began to move her arms in an attempt to stretch them. "Good morning," the young mother whispered with a smile and kissed the Princess's small warm forehead.
"…Ma?" the young babe asked groggily and looked up to see her mother's face looking down at her with those remarkable blue eyes of hers. "Ma!" she yelped excitedly and reached towards her mom, enclosing her in a small hug.
Zula rolled her eyes at the sight and noticed Jet staring at the mother/daughter scene with a sad smile on his face. "Don't tell me that you're touched," she whispered and crossed her arms.
Jet looked over at her and frowned. "No. I was just thinking about my parents."
Katara lifted her child in front of her and grinned. "I've missed you so much," she said and hugged her. "Oh Luna, I'm so gl-"
"Ow!" the Princess yelped and slapped her mother's arm.
Katara raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" she asked unexpectedly and pulled her child away. She noticed her daughter rubbing her right arm tenderly and lifted the long sleeve of the girl's dress, gasping in shock at what she saw. A large purple bruise covered a third of her forearm. "What the hell have you done to my daughter?" she yelled and glared at Zula.
"What in the world are you talking about, woman?"
"Luna has a giant bruise on her arm. Have you been hitting her?" she asked angrily and rolled down her daughter's sleeve. Zula didn't answer, only smirked. "You've been hitting her!" Katara accused incredulously and accommodated her daughter more safely on her lap.
"Hey! It's not my fault that your child is so damned pampered. She cried every hour of the day. She wouldn't let me sleep. It's called discipline. Try using it sometime."
Katara let out an indignant noise and began inspecting her child. She lifted her daughter's skirt and gasped upon sighting more bruises, although they were beginning to fade. She unbuttoned the white camisole. "What have they done to you?" she whispered miserably upon seeing large purple blotches on Luna's chest. Her eyes began to well up with tears as she closed the dress. Her daughter, her beautiful innocent daughter was beaten. "How many times a day did you do that to her?" she directed towards Jet.
"I never hit your daughter," he said and looked over at the Firebender. "She did that."
"Stop being so dramatic about it," Zula said with annoyance.
"What are you talking about? You beat my daughter! How the hell am I supposed to act?" she yelled furiously, and a dark silence descended upon the room as Zula glared at Katara. "Well, answer my fucking question! How many times have you hit her?"
Zula raised her eyebrows in amazement. So maybe the Waterbender wasn't a pushover like she thought she was. "Count the bruises and you'll have your answer," she said simply and leaned against the back of her chair, closing her tired eyes.
Katara furrowed her brow and hugged her child. "Don't worry, Luna, she won't touch you again." She shut her eyes upon feeling her child hug her. "I love you," she whispered into her daughter's hair.
"Love you, ma," Luna replied softly and rested her head on her mother's shoulder, smiling to herself.
"Sire!" a soldier called and ran towards the Fire Lord, his heart beating fast and his lungs running out of air with each step. "Sire! My Lord!" he continued to yell until he finally caught the attention of Zuko, who had been talking to young maid.
"What is it?" the Fire Lord asked, his brow furrowed with worry. "Did you find them?" he inquired eagerly, a smile threatening to show if the man said yes.
"No sir," the guard answered, trying to catch his breath. "But a young man left me this, telling me to give it to you. I think it might have to do with-"
"Give me that," Zuko said and snatched the scroll out of the man's grasp, pulling off the tie. He unrolled the scroll and read the few lines that filled the parchment's beige body.
To whom it may concern:
I have just found out that that the Lady and
Princess of the Fire Nation have been kidnapped.
I am also aware that they are being held hostage
in a small cabin on the outskirts of Kituy, the large
capital of the Fire Nation. The people holding them
hostage have decided to let the Fire Lord see them,
under one condition. He must come to the cabin
without company. If he does, they shall be murdered.
Zuko has been warned.
-The Freedom Fighters
The Fire Lord paled and looked up at the man who stood patiently before him, a worried look on his face. "Get Sokka and the Avatar over here at once," he ordered and rolled up the parchment. "Tell them it's urgent. Tell them that Jet might be involved in this."
"Yes sir. Right away."
As the Fire Lord watched the soldier run down the hallway, he began to feel his heartbeat quicken with worry, excitement, and frustration. "I'm coming to get you, Katara," he said to himself, old hope beginning to swell within his young battered heart. "Don't worry."
A/N- Finally, the story is going somewhere. This makes me, the writer, happy. :)
Yo dawgs! Here's some fics worth pimpin'. Take a look for yourself, homies:
1) Melodiee's "Push and Pull" - A new Zutara fic that takes place in the North Pole.
2) Vicki So's "Ho'Wan Island Carnival", "Bent", "Captured! The Zutara Musical!" - A delightful trilogy that you can't possibly go without.
PLEASE REVIEW!