AN: It's been a minute, but here's the latest in this silly project.

The Oni Princess

Chapter Three

Exposed

By the time they had reached a small port, not quite outside of the Fire Nation, but definitely not under its constant watch, Zuko finally felt like he could relax. At least a little.

Things had definitely been simpler in his mind, back when he thought he had been looking for an object and less a person...a person who happened to be a Water Tribe girl. Water Tribe people were rarely seen around these parts, and with that damn crescent moon on her forehead and her radiant eyes, they were practically begging for unwanted attention. He wasn't exactly sold on the idea that she could be useful to him, but the thought of letting her loose into the world also seemed like it could backfire.

Long before they had reached dock, Zuko had decided to go over a few 'ground rules' so to speak.

"One, you don't speak when spoken to. I'll handle it."

"Are you kidding me?!" She sputtered.

"Two, you stay by my side, no matter what. Do not get distracted by all the vendors. And don't even think of trying to slip away."

Katara had graduated to eye rolling now.

"And third, keep that hood pulled over your face. The less people can see of you, the better."

"Well, if you're looking to blend in, are you going to take off that stupid mask? I can't think of anything more attention-grabbing and in the worst way," she sniffed.

Zuko inwardly groaned, wishing he could toss her off the side of the boat and let her fend for herself. Unfortunately, the spirits seemed to be having a field day with him, and thus, Katara got to stay.

Reaching around to grasp the strap wrapped around the back of his head, Zuko slowly lifted the mask off, raking his hands through his hair as he did so. As much as he hated to admit it, the mask was beginning to get annoying. Furthermore, it was less likely people would recognize Zuko now. I have father to thank for that, he thought darkly, lifting a hand to absently touch the scar.

Suddenly remembering he wasn't alone in the boat, Zuko looked up to see Katara studying him intently.

"What?" He snapped. "Repulsed?"

Katara didn't speak and instead merely canted her head to the side.

"That's a nasty scar. Who did that to you?"

"What makes you think someone did it to me?" He asked harshly.

Katara shrugged. "Just a feeling."

The pair soon got onto shore, tying the boat up to a post before stepping up to the docks. People milled all around but no one seemed to pay them any mind, and if they thought the two looked out of place, they didn't think much else beyond that.

Zuko kept his head down, worried that someone would recognize him but also a little miffed that no one bothered to spare him a second glance. He supposed the scar really had altered his appearance, along with the fact that the clothing he wore was nondescript, certainly not befitting of a member of the royal family. His hair was also unbound, much of it feathering across his face.

It would seem that he looked too out of sorts and disheveled to be the Fire Lord's son.

When he looked over his shoulder at Katara, Zuko could see the childlike wonder written plain as day on her face. It was hard to remember that unlike him, she hadn't gotten to see much of the world...for how long, he was unsure. But it had to have been enough time that seeing something as simple as a port city was thrilling to her.

But thrilling or not, he'd have to make sure she didn't wander off or get ahead of herself. While no one paid them any mind now, he would hate to think of the attention her appearance and that crescent moon on her forehead would garner them.

Besides, they were still technically in Fire Nation territory, despite being more on the fringes. Glancing furtively to the left and right, Zuko knew there would be soldiers milling about. They probably wouldn't be too concerned just yet - Zuko didn't think news of the Fire Lord's favorite prisoner escaping and his banishment had reached everywhere just yet. But they still had to act quickly.

He wasn't sure where they would go first. Perhaps toward one of the Air Temples? They had long since been abandoned, but the next Avatar in the cycle was supposed to be an airbender.

Looking back at Katara, he wondered if she would have any idea where the Avatar was, though he doubted it. He hadn't missed the surprised look cross her features when he mentioned needing to find the Avatar.

She probably thought he was crazy.

Zuko instinctively clenched his fist.

Everyone may have thought little of him, but Zuko knew he could prove them wrong. He'd have his honor and respect restored, even if it killed him.

Zuko abruptly turned around, causing Katara to nearly bump into him.

"Hey!" She scowled.

"Listen, we need to buy a few things like some extra food and clothing. And then we need to secure passage on a boat. Ours isn't going to cut it much longer."

"Where are we going?"

"Probably towards one of the Air Temples. Maybe the Southern one, based on where we're at currently. Unless you have an idea of where the Avatar would be?" He muttered the last part, not wanting any nosy individuals to listen.

Katara frowned slightly, clearly not favoring the idea of going South.

"I imagine all the Air Temples will be abandoned. Nobody's seen an airbender in ages." Again, she was reminding him that his journey was pure folly.

Why did everyone think he couldn't do it?

Did people truly believe the Avatar was long gone?

"Just because the Avatar hasn't been seen doesn't mean there isn't one," he huffed. "Either way, we need to keep moving. The longer we stay here, the more likely we'll find trouble."

"Got it." Katara offered a mock salute.

With barely concealed frustration, Zuko began milling about the different stalls. He dropped off his twin swords to be sharpened and set about procuring food. Katara followed behind him like a silent shadow. She bit her lip, casting furtive looks at everyone and everything, most of all Lee.

She knew she had made a deal with him, and she wasn't stupid enough to think that taking him for everything he was worth wasn't up there on the to-do list...but another part of her wondered if she would be even stupider for not taking this chance to run. Here they were, caught in the throng of a busy port city where the noise and sights stimulated all the senses. If she were to steal away, would he even notice until it was too late?

Okay, Katara. Moment of truth!

As Lee began to haggle with a vendor, Katara tightened her cloak and slowly began to slide up against him, her cloak barely whispering against his sleeve. She kept her posture relaxed, but the tension was coiling tightly in her body. With the barest flick of her wrist, concealed behind the fabric of her cloak, Katara summoned water droplets from the puddles on the ground, quickly turning them into shards of ice as she sent them ripping through the cord holding a pouch around Lee's waist.

She tensed, waiting for Lee to notice the missing pouch of money, but he was still too busy getting irate with the vendor.

"IT'S CABBAGE!" Zuko snapped. "You can't be serious about these prices!"

"I'm standing firm!" The vendor crossed his arms. "My prices are fair for the quality you'd be getting."

Katara inwardly groaned. It was best to leave Lee to it.

Refusing to take her eyes off of him, Katara slowly backed away, until she was sure she could turn around and walk off with Lee none the wiser.

Katara nearly shouted with glee.

Peering into the pouch when she was several stalls away, Katara's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. Inside was a smattering of silver and copper pieces, but most noticeable was the gold. Katara dimly wondered if the money was fake, but either way, she couldn't help but think that things were not adding up.

Well, it wasn't any of her business.

Quickly securing the pouch to her own waist, Katara secured her cloak again and began to look for a boat. A big one. One that she could easily become invisible on.

As she milled about, keeping one ear out for any ships calling passage toward the North and one ear on Lee wising up to what had happened, Katara belatedly noticed a few Fire Nation soldiers directly in her line of sight. And worse yet, she noticed the hood of her cloak had begun to slip off.

Shit...shit! Her eyes widened upon realizing that they had already spotted her first.

"Oh god, what have you done now, Katara!" She whispered with a tremulous breath.

She pulled her cloak around her as though it could make her disappear, tugging the hood up once more. But there was no mistaking the eye contact they had made and the abundantly clear Water Tribe eyes she had. That alone would be enough to gain their attention. Karma was a fickle bitch, and Katara was already regretting everything.

"Stop! Stop running!" One of the guards yelled out.

Katara was inclined to keep running.

And her refusal to stop was met with a warm blast of fire nearly singeing her hair had she not stumbled in time.

Scrambling to her feet, Katara continued running, most definitely gaining attention from other civilians now. She could only hope they assumed she was a petty thief and would go about their day, business as usual. In the meantime, she had to get the hell out of here!

Without knowing where she was going or what she would do, Katara pushed past the crowd of people, not bothering to look back at who she had elbowed. She soon approached the harbor where various merchants were having supplies and other wares loaded and unloaded. Katara easily danced around the unsuspecting workers, blanching when she saw the Fire Nation soldiers appear at the top of the steps she had just raced down.

"There she is!"

Another blast of fire came her way, earning the angry shouts of merchants and crewmen nearly caught in the crossfire.

Katara realized her errors had continued to multiply. She thought briefly of fighting back, revealing herself as a waterbender to everyone around her, but then decided it was better to keep running.

Katara ran before taking a sharp right, running down one of the piers. It was tempting, the idea of jumping into the water and getting the hell out, but she knew the Fire Nation ships would catch her, even with a head start.

Without paying any attention, a hand shot out and grabbed her arm, jerking her backwards. Katara let out a yelp of surprise, cursing her inattention.

She struggled for everything she was worth, kicking and flailing, hoping to deck her captor in the face. The arm around her was strong and unyielding, and before she could rally her strength again, she found herself being brought onto the deck of a Fire Nation ship.

By the time she had been unceremoniously dumped into the private quarters of what she could only assume was the captain, Katara was spent.

"Look what we have here," a deep voice drawled, and Katara finally was able to see the face of her kidnapper.

Her brows knitted together when she realized she had no idea who she was speaking to, but it was evident he knew who she was...which was rare. Most Fire Nation officials had little idea of who she was. Even the guards outside her cell rarely caught a glimpse of her and had little idea of who she actually was.

"I don't know who you are, but you better let me go!" She threatened, feeling bold despite knowing she was definitely out of her depth.

"Imagine my surprise when I hear that the Fire Lord loses his most favored possession and the crown prince goes missing at the same time," he continued, ignoring her while he settled down at the seat of his desk.

Katara's eyes widened slightly before narrowing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The man's brow arched before he gave a careless shrug of his shoulder. "I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, what with how you're always down in that cell."

"Tell me who you are!" Katara demanded, feeling her temper rising. "And how you know who I am!"

"I'm Admiral Zhao."

Katara froze. She didn't know who he was, but the rank was enough to make her stop and consider, alongside the fact that he knew who she was, that maybe she should be more frightened.

But in losing her anonymity, she could also drop the pretense. If it came down to it, Katara would waterbend her way out of this situation if she could.

Suddenly, Katara snapped her attention back to Admiral Zhao, a wary look on her face.

"What else did you say? About the crown prince?"

"Exactly what you heard. He disappeared the same night you're jailbroken. Now, I don't happen to believe in coincidences…" he trailed off, steepling his fingers.

"If you're suggesting that the crown prince helped me escape, that's…" she let out a soft huff of laughter. "That's ridiculous."

But is it? Her mind whispered. Suddenly, all the things that hadn't added up were becoming perfectly clear. The abundance of money, the venom Lee spoke of when referencing the Fire Lord, the insane, almost pompous, quest to find the Avatar. She hadn't even known the crown prince had been exiled...

"That's ridiculous," Katara repeated, tone firm.

"Call it what you will."

"And you haven't answered my other question," she hissed. "How do you know who I am?"

"Your reputation precedes you," Admiral Zhao stated, summoning a flame with a bored snap of his fingers. "The Fire Lord's greatest possession, the Fire Lord's secret weapon, or the most common one...the Oni Witch," He sneered.

Katara kept her lips pressed together, the words sending a shiver down her spine.

"Yes, that's it," he leaned forward again, the flame disappearing. "They call you the Oni Witch. Those brighter than natural blue eyes, the crescent moon mark on your forehead? Befitting of a girl consorting with demons. So the people say, anyway. Travel even to that wretched Earth Kingdom and you'll hear similar tales."

"That's not true."

"How could you possibly prove it? To the Fire Nation, you've become so much more than you are. You're the Fire Lord's worst and best kept secret all at the same time. Like I said, your reputation precedes you." He gave a mirthless smile. "But that's the thing the Fire Lord can bank on - you're more folklore than reality. People hear Oni Witch, and they think monstrous…but who would ever cast a second glance at a little Water Tribe peasant?"

The words stung, and Katara felt hate well up in her chest, hot and roiling.

"But I know who you are, who you really are." Admiral Zhao's words cut through Katara's thoughts. "And I'm here to strike a deal with you."

Katara almost let out a guffaw of laughter. This guy was truly insane. "No, I don't think so…"

"Oh, I think you'll want to hear me out." A slow grin spread across his features, the glint in his eyes nearly feral. "I can guarantee the Fire Lord will never lay claim to you again."

Katara's mind told her to not listen to a damn word he said, but her heart couldn't help but be hopeful. Suspicion won out.

"Why would you help me? You must be high up in the inner circle of the Fire Lord to know more about me than the average soldier...what are you hoping to gain that would be worth risking his anger? I can't imagine it's out of the kindness of your heart."

"Smart girl." He leaned back in his seat, studying her carefully before proceeding. "I've heard the Fire Lord has tasked that banished brat of a prince to find the Avatar. Now, normally I don't see the merit in criticizing the actions of the Fire Lord, but this is simply too important of a task." Katara vaguely wondered if what Admiral Zhao was saying right now could be considered treasonous.

"What are you implying?" Katara asked slowly, almost dreading the answer.

"Earn the prince's trust. Become his friend, confidant, whatever it takes. And then you will inform me immediately when the Avatar is found."

"How would I even tell you? And how are you so sure the Avatar can be found? Or is even alive at all?" Long before Katara had been captured, she hadn't heard of the Avatar appearing in quite some time...most had been led to believe the cycle had stopped or something had interfered.

And in the meantime, the Fire Nation had pressed its advantage, nearly decimating the Southern Water Tribe, its crosshairs now set on the Earth Kingdom. With no Avatar to keep the world in check, the Fire Nation seized its opportunity.

"I have informants stationed all over who remain...loyal." He's blackmailed them too I bet…Katara felt an enormous amount of disgust.

"And the prince has nothing better to do but search for the Avatar. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of expending all my resources only on the basis of rumors."

Opportunistic coward.

But the cogs in Katara's mind were already turning. She didn't really owe Lee - the prince - anything...but her gut couldn't help but feel queasy at the idea of aligning her interests with this guy. She knew she couldn't trust him, but she also didn't see what other choices she had.

"...If I refuse?"

Admiral Zhao smiled, and Katara suppressed a shiver. "When I said I knew you, I wasn't lying. You're no Oni Witch, are you?" He laughed. "No, you're what they call spirit-touched. A divine blessing from the moon and ocean spirits."

Katara froze, skin suddenly going clammy. "H-How...how do you know that?" She could've denied it, told him he was crazy, but her immediate reaction confirmed everything.

"I've learned many things. Things most would believe to be useless information. But I know the value of saying the right words at the right time. I would hope you share the same sentiment."

"What are you saying then?"

"Now isn't the time to play dumb, Oni Girl. Gain the prince's trust, help him find the Avatar, and then turn the Avatar over to me. Do all that, and not only will I let you run free, never to be heard from again, but I'll promise to leave the Water Tribe and all its secrets alone and intact."

"How can I believe that?" And what does he know about the Water Tribe? The Water Tribe had been reclusive, both to its benefit and disadvantage. What would an Admiral in the Fire Nation care to know?

"Would you like to see what happens when the Fire Nation sets its sights on the Northern Pole? You remember what happened to the South, after all…"

All too well…

Katara cursed under her breath, whirling around to leave for the exit.

A palm slammed back on the door, preventing her from exiting. He had been alarmingly swift.

"One more thing - you won't tell the prince of our bargain."

Katara scowled, but gave a curt nod. After all, it didn't matter to her. No one was to be trusted. Not while she was still out here in Fire Nation territory.

"And also -"

"You said one more thing!" Katara snapped, nerves frayed.

Whatever else Katara had wanted to say died on her lips when she felt cool metal touch the palm of her hands.

Looking down, Katara saw a small scabbard concealing a dagger loosely held in her grip.

"What's this for?" She whipped her head back up, disconcerted at how much the Admiral was invading her personal space.

"I want you to kill the disgraced Prince Zuko."

AN: Til next time! Thank you for reading, I appreciate it.