Hello! OMG I am so so so sorry for such a late update! Real life has taken over, so I don't have time for fanfiction as much as before. Thank you for waiting so patiently!
This chapter has not been beta'ed, so I apologize for any typos!
AtLA is not mine
Chapter Ten
In Which the Princess Reflects on Some Thoughts
Blue eyes stared morosely at the mountaintops surrounding the quiet region as night settled. Even with the darkness, white snow could be seen covering the tall peaks as dark clouds slowly moved overhead, indicating that another snowstorm was approaching. Blue eyes narrowed and dark eyebrows scrunched together in both worry and anger. Past memories of Father holding Mother's dead and bleeding body while their children wailed their sorrow resurfaced.
"How's the leg?" a soft, feminine voice asked, startling the individual from his dark memories.
Sokka blinked as he stared up at the pretty Kyoshi warrior as his mind returned to the present. Even after all these years, he could not forget that horrible day. He had been unable to protect their mother, but he had vowed he would always keep Katara safe. And he had failed. Again. His chest tightened as his concern rushed back to him. He had no idea if his baby sister was hurt or dead…
"Sokka?" Suki's voice once again invaded his thoughts.
The blue-eyed warrior shook his head and attempted to give her a goofy smile to reassure her. She was not wearing her traditional armor or warrior makeup and he could not help appreciating her natural beauty. She had been so caring and helpful while he had been sick, although she also knocked some sense into him when he whined too much. What she didn't know was that he did that so he could spend more time with her and bask in her comforting and reassuring presence. He had decided that she was going to be his wife. How he was going to convince her to give him a chance, he had no clue, but he was determined. However, for the moment, his sister was his priority.
When Suki raised an unconvinced eyebrow, he dropped his smile. He rubbed his face in agitation and sighed.
"It's fine," he muttered as he vaguely gestured at his leg, which had been placed in some sort of cast by the village healer. If Katara has been with them, she would have healed it immediately…after scolding him for being reckless.
He had left the small house Toph, Aang, and he had been temporarily provided for their stay, needing some fresh air. He had tried to pretend he had not heard them making out as he passed the room Toph was supposed be sleeping in. He and Katara had suspected about Toph and Aang's feelings for each other and now he was sure there was something going on between them. He could not wait to tell Katara.
He frowned as his thoughts returned to his sister. Aang had managed to procure a wooden cane for him, so he could at least limp around the little, hidden village. However, that was all he could do and it made him feel useless. His stupid, broken leg would make it more difficult to go in search of Katara, but he had firmly told Aang and Toph that he was going out, broken leg or no, once the weather improved.
"I need to find my sister," he said firmly before his confidence wavered and his hands clenched, "I can't stand the thought of her being lost and alone...or d-dead…"
Suki felt her heart go out to the young prince despite herself. She had disliked him at first the first time they met because of his chauvinist remarks about his masculine superiority. Oh, how she had enjoyed making him take back his words when she beat him with just a few moves. But then he had been so repentant and sincere in his desire to learn her techniques that she had been unable to refuse him for long. It did not help that he would follow her around her village with his big, blue eyes and pleading expression, like a lost puppy.
Now that they had spent so much time together, she had begun to like him. It did not help that he was so handsome and charming. She even found his silly and sometimes stupid antics endearing. However, it was his devotion to his family and his love and protectiveness over his sister that tugged even more at her heart. Of course, she refused to admit it, especially to him. He would leave soon and that was that.
Shaking her head of her thoughts, Suki sat down next to him.
Sokka glanced at her to see she wasn't looking at him, but at the darkness beyond them, so he continued to stare out into the quiet night. The only light visible were the torches placed around the area of the village. He missed being able to see the stars and the moon. He missed the tribe festivities and dancing around the big bonfire with the other young people. But most of all, he missed his family and home.
"You will find her," Suki finally spoke in a firm and assured tone.
The young man turned toward her to see she was looking at him confidently. He smiled at her, feeling his heart ease a little.
"Thanks, Suki."
A comfortable silence descended between them as they looked back at the darkness.
"Soooo, how about a massage?" Sokka asked with a waggle of his eyebrows as he dramatically pointed at his injured leg.
A smack and a yelp followed his question.
Zuko's long wings beat large gusts of wind as he increased his speed, soaring over the treetops and cutting through the snow that was falling. Fortunately, the snow was calm as it fell gently to the earth below, so it made it easier for the cursed prince to scan the area for any possible prey. He ignored the silver dragoness that trailed after him at a distance, occasionally calling out to him. Every time he ventured outside by himself or with Katara, the other dragon always remained close despite his warning growls and cold attitude. He did feel a little bad, but what else could he do? He was not at all interested.
He only had Katara in mind for any kind of mating. The erotic fantasies that seemed to be coming to him more frequently were evidence of that, especially now that he had an idea how perfect she was beneath her clothes. He could not stop himself from imagining Katara lying beneath him, her brown skin gleaming with perspiration, her breasts heaving with panting breaths, her lips swollen with his kisses, and her azure eyes dark with passion. He shook his head, a growl slipping from his throat.
Why did he keep torturing himself by fantasizing such things when he knew it was impossible?
He could not help it. She was just so beautiful, kind, and caring. And he loved her so much that he did not know what to do with himself. All these feelings were so new, confusing, and overwhelming.
He had woken up sensing Katara's pain as she began to wake up as well, curled near his chest. He had asked her if she was all right when he noticed her frown, but she had quickly assured him she was fine and told him not to worry with a small smile. But, he could not help but be worried. It disturbed him when Katara was sad, unhappy, or in pain and all he wanted to do was take all her troubles away and please her.
How would he live when she left? The thought sometimes caused him restless nights as he worried over the day that would happened. He would remain in the cave by himself for who knew how many more years while she returned home and continued with her life. Once again, the thought of another man touching Katara and making her have his children made him let out a furious roar.
He vaguely heard the silver dragoness croon questioningly before he heard her wings slow down their pace. He glanced back to see her staring after him as she hovered in the air before she dove down toward the trees, probably to give him some space. Zuko snorted before he resumed on his path.
Another growl rumbled in his throat as his thoughts returned to the uncertainty of the future. If only he could be a man again. He would not have any problems courting and marrying Katara. He closed his eyes before he forced himself to calm down. There was nothing he could do. He could not force Katara to love him. Moreover, the fact that his curse had not broken only reinforced the fact that she did not return his feelings. The fact was painful to contemplate, so he always forced himself not to dwell on it. Nevertheless, he will help her leave the basin once spring came so she could find her friends. He would endure the loneliness for her happiness.
Deciding to hunt later in the day, Zuko turned in midair and headed back toward the hidden cave, wanting to spend as much time as possible with the blue-eyed princess. Perhaps they could go flying today if the snow didn't worsen. Katara had insisted that she needed a bath, so he had warmed her bathwater. He had left the cave as soon as it was done because he did not wish to have another embarrassing reaction by his draconic body at the thought of her bathing a couple of feet away. He was sure she must be finished with her bath now.
Flapping his wings to slow his speed, Zuko perched onto the rocky surface of the mountain with his claws before he crawled through the low tunnel. Just as he neared the light on the other side, he froze when the scent of Katara's blood overpowered his nose. It had a different kind of scent, more earthy, warm, and enticing, if he had to describe it, but it was blood, nonetheless, and it made his hackles rise.
With a snarl, he sprang into the main cave, ready to protect his beloved, thinking perhaps the hunter had return or the dragoness had sneaked in. The roar that had begun to leave his mouth died when he saw Katara calmly sitting near the fire, casually brushing her long, brown locks.
Hearing his movements, Katara turned around and smiled at him in greeting. She was about to ask how his hunt went when Zuko suddenly rushed up to her. She squeaked in surprise when he pressed his hot snout on her neck and took a deep whiff, causing her hair to ruffle.
"W-what's gotten into you?" she stammered, feeling her face heat up at his proximity. Why was he smelling her?
"Where are you injured?" he asked urgently as he pulled back to stared worriedly into her wide eyes.
"What?" she asked with a confused frown.
"I can smell your blood," he responded grimly before he added firmly, "Tell me where you are hurt so I can lick the wound and seal the cut before you bleed to death."
The scent of blood was almost overpowering, making his panic increase, but it also made his mouth water and his instinct go wild. What the hell was wrong with him? He had to force himself not to lose focus and pounce on her. He focused back on her to see Katara staring confusedly up at him. Why had she not used her waterbending to heal herself? He watched as a moment later she gaped at him before she began to stutter. He wondered why her cheeks reddened with a heavy blush as she looked at him with wide eyes and an embarrassed expression. Why was she stalling? She needed her wound taken care of immediately!
"Katara, show me where you're bleeding so I can help you," he insisted firmly.
She continued to gape at him before she glanced away and cleared her throat self-consciously.
"Your…uh, saliva…won't be able to stop the bleeding," she murmured as her blush deepened.
Zuko frowned deeply in confusion.
"Why not?" he asked worriedly.
Katara pressed her lips together as she felt her entire face heat up in embarrassment. She had not taken into account that his sharp nose would detect her situation. Ugh, why couldn't the ground swallow her whole at that moment? Her mind raced with possible excuses, however, she knew Zuko would not give up until she explained herself.
"Um, well…" she began as she cleared her throat again before she mentally murmured, "I'm on my…monthly bleeding."
"Monthly bleeding?" Zuko repeated in confusion before it finally dawned on him what she meant. His mouth closed with a sharp snap and his eyes widened. "Oh."
They stared at each other for a long moment as they both realized what Zuko's words could imply. The waterbender cleared her throat one more time and fidgeted with the hem of her parka while the red dragon shifted awkwardly, his large wings rustling against his scaly sides.
"I'll…uh, go back to hunting," he mumbled mentally.
Before Katara could say anything, she watched as he turned around and headed swiftly toward the tunnel, disappearing within it without another word. She remained frozen in place for a moment before a giggle escaped her mouth. Her giggle soon turned into amused laughter.
She wondered who was more mortified.
She or Zuko?
A few days later found Katara gathering more berries. Unfortunately, she had only been able to find a few as another snowstorm had appeared two days ago. Zuko had been unable to find anything to hunt during those days as the animals had taken shelter, but luckily, she had some meat she had been drying that they were able to eat. At the moment, Zuko was out hunting again now that the weather was mild and she was enjoying being outside.
She didn't mind being cooped up with Zuko as company, but it did take a toll being holed up in a dark cave for days with nothing much to do. She could only imagine how much worse it had been for Zuko with only himself as company for many years. She felt another twinge of sympathy settle in her chest as it always did when she thought of his situation.
How she wished she could help him, but she had no idea how to break his curse. It infuriated her that the curse impeded him from revealing the cure, as if it wasn't bad enough already being turned into something that struck fear in the hearts of many. She ached to be the one to help him through all his burdens, to be the one he relied on and needed. Whatever hardships and suffering he had gone through, whatever darkness he carried in his heart, she wanted to help him forget it.
She bit her lip. What did it mean?
The sound of something heavy landing on the snow behind her made her stiffened slightly. Placing a smile on her face so she wouldn't alarm Zuko, she turned around to greet him only to have her words get stuck in her throat. It wasn't Zuko who was standing before her, but the silver dragoness. By the way she was glaring and baring her teeth menacingly, the waterbender knew she was in deep trouble. Swallowing thickly, Katara took a step back as she subtly moved her hands beside her, but she paused when the female dragon gave a loud growl and took a step forward.
"N-nice dragon," Katara tried to say soothingly, but her voice only seemed to agitate the dragoness more.
They stared silently at each other for a moment before the silver dragon moved swiftly forward with a growl and an open mouth full of sharp fangs. With a gasp, Katara barely had time to throw herself to the side, landing on a pile of snow just as she heard a loud snap of teeth. Quickly jumping to her feet, Katara narrowed her eyes as she sent a torrent of snow at the dragon's face.
What was her problem? Why was she suddenly attacking her?
She watched as the dragoness shook her head with an angry hiss as she tried to get rid of the snow from her eyes. Katara gathered more snow to her as she prepared to defend herself. She ignored the little voice that said she was no match for a fire-breathing dragon ten times her size. But she was not backing down without a fight.
The dragon let out another vicious snarl as she bared her fangs at the waterbender. Katara's eyes widened when she saw the dragoness open her mouth, fire beginning to gather in her throat, causing her white fangs to gleam golden.
Then a red blur rushed past Katara and slammed into the silver dragon with a loud thunderous sound that echoed in the forest and made the waterbender wince. The blue-eyed princess was barely able to keep herself upright at the rushing wind as she watched the dragoness land gracelessly feet away, causing snow to fly in every direction. Her attention was immediately caught by the sound of Zuko's furious roar as he moved to stand protectively near her. Automatically, she reached out to touch his foreleg in both gratitude and reassurance.
The dragoness quickly rose to her feet and they both readied themselves for an attack. Instead, they watched as she lowered her head and whined as she stared at the red dragon pleadingly. Zuko snorted at her calls before giving a warning growl when she took a step forward. She paused before she took another step. Zuko spat a ball of fire at her feet as he moved himself protectively over the observant waterbender. The silver dragoness gave another low whine, but when she saw that the male dragon wasn't pleased, she decided to retreat.
They watched as she spread her wings with one last look before she jumped into the air, flying away above the trees. Once she was out of sight, the cursed prince looked down to see Katara brushing the snow from her parka, a frown on her brow as she muttered something under her breath.
"Are you all right?" he asked worriedly as he inspected her for any injuries.
He had dropped the animal he had been able to catch and rushed to Katara's side when he heard the female dragon's angry growls. His heart almost stopped at the sight of the dragoness preparing to shoot fire at Katara. She would not have survived such powerful fire from a dragon. He had seen many men fall under his own fire breath.
"I'm fine," she sighed before she huffed, "Your stalker is crazy."
Zuko snorted at her words, but mentally frowned. Did the dragoness perhaps see Katara as an obstacle for his attention and that was why she decided to attack her? He narrowed his eyes. He would need to keep a better eye on the silver dragoness so she wouldn't try to hurt Katara again.
Suddenly a loud roar broke the silence, causing them to stiffen. Their heads snapped in the direction the vicious sound had come from, different from where the dragoness had headed to just a few minutes before.
"Is that another dragon?" Katara asked uncertainly, her eyes wide, as she tried to spot whatever had made that sound.
"It sounds like it," Zuko responded grimly as he felt his hackles rise at the new arrival. "The fight must have drawn it to us."
"It better not be another amorous female dragon," the princess muttered under her breath as she glared briefly in the direction the silver dragoness had disappeared.
Zuko shuddered at the thought and silently agreed. It was weird to have female animals after him for breeding purposes. The thought was definitely disturbing. There was only one female, definitely human, that he wished to chase after him. Not that she would need to chase because he would definitely not run from her. In fact, it would be him doing the chasing. He glanced down at the blue-eyed waterbender. There was a small part of him that hoped Katara's words meant she could be jealous before he convinced himself it couldn't be so.
Another roar ripped through the air, dispelling his thoughts as something burst from the trees. Zuko barely had enough time to block Katara with his wing from getting hit with debris as he curled himself protectively over her. He heard the flapping of wings before something landed with a resounding crash on the other side of the clearing. Zuko unfurled his wing and they looked up to see the newcomer.
It was a huge dragon, slightly bigger than Zuko's draconic form. Its scales and leathery wings were a shiny black with a red tint at the tips. Two large and thick horns sprouted up from its head into sharp points. Red fur ran along its spine all the way down to the tip of its tail. Its eyes were a dark red color, almost like blood, and the black reptilian pupils were barely visible. A menacing snarl was on its long face, showing off sharp fangs. A growl rumbled in its throat as it glared at Zuko and took a threatening step forward.
Zuko stiffened at the aggression, his dragon instincts letting him know things were about to get ugly. He prodded Katara's back with his long tail as he returned the glare and growled at the male dragon.
"Hide. Now," he ordered urgently, "This dragon means to fight."
Knowing there was nothing she could do against a dragon nor wanting to distract Zuko by being in the way, Katara reluctantly raced toward the protection of the trees. She did not go far, however, as she stopped at the edge so she could see what was happening. She bit her lip and frowned as she watched the two dragons start to circle each other, their loud growls echoing harshly in the morning silence.
She prayed to the gods that nothing happened to Zuko. The other dragon was bigger and obviously more experienced in fighting other dragons. She could not bear the thought of Zuko getting hurt or…worse. She swallowed and shook her head to get rid of the sudden dark thoughts that invaded her mind.
The black dragon let out a deafening roar, spreading his wings wide as a show of intimidation, his white fangs gleaming brightly. Having seen the same display before when he had come across other dragons, Zuko mirrored the aggressive stance as he let out a thunderous roar of his own. He tried not to let the fear of possibly being ripped limb from limb by the bigger dragon distract him as his keen eyes observed the other's every move. He hoped Katara had moved to a safer place so she wouldn't be caught in the fight.
Suddenly, the dark dragon sprang forward with a snarl. Zuko was not quick enough and the dragon slammed into him, throwing him a few feet away to crash into some trees. Broken trunks and branches landed on him, but he swiftly sprang to his feet to brace himself for the black dragon's next attack. This time, he was prepared and managed to stay upright as the other dragon crashed into his chest. They roared and snapped their fangs as their claws tried to rip into each other's tough scales, trying to reach the vulnerable hide of their underbellies.
From the other side of the clearing, Katara gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched the black dragon clamp its sharp teeth to Zuko's throat. Zuko let out a pained yelp before he growled furiously as he tried to throw the bigger dragon away from him.
No, please, Katara pleaded in her head as she watched in horror.
She needed to do something! But what? Would her waterbending even work against such a huge dragon? Her eyes widened when she saw the dark dragon suddenly slam Zuko to the ground as he tried to clamp even tighter to his throat, one of its talons digging deep into his chest to keep Zuko immobile. Without thinking about it twice, the waterbender sprinted forward.
Zuko felt panic rise within him as the other dragon crushed him harder to the ground. He could feel the fangs begin to pierce his hard scales. He snapped his fangs and growled, struggling with all his might to buck the heavier dragon off of him. He could not die!
"Let him go!" he heard Katara command fiercely through the sound of their growls and snarls.
His eyes darted in her direction in incredulity and alarm to watch her glaring at the other dragon.
"Run!" he demanded in a panic as he felt the dragon's attention shift to her.
He watch in shock as Katara summoned a torrent of snow, slamming it against the dragon's face with the force of a battering ram. The sudden impact caused the dragon's hold to loosen and Zuko took advantage to knock him back with all his strength, causing him to crash into another group of defenseless trees. The dragon jumped back to his feet and roared angrily as he glared at the human woman.
"Get out of here!" Zuko shouted urgently as he tried to get himself between the suddenly frozen Katara and the furious dragon.
The large dragon launched itself forward, a frightening snarl marring his face, when a blast of fire suddenly appeared and slammed against his side, knocking him sideways to crashed onto the snowy ground a few feet away. Zuko and Katara whirled around to see the silver dragoness fly overhead with a loud roar as she circled over them before landing next to them in a defensive stance, her lips pulled back in a snarl as she hissed at the unknown aggressor. At the moment, Katara decided to forgive the dragoness for attacking her earlier and mentally thanked her for coming to Zuko's aide.
The three watched as the dark dragon rose and shook himself of the melting snow as he looked up with a livid growl. The snarl on his face slowly disappeared as he stared at the female dragon, his nostrils flaring. Katara and Zuko looked at the dragoness when her hissing stopped to see her also staring intensely at the other dragon. Both of them seemed to be frozen in their spots as their eyes connected, not a sound was heard in the suddenly quiet clearing. Zuko's instincts told him something meaningful was happening, but he did not understand what it could mean.
The black dragon took a cautious step forward and let out a soft crooning sound, his body's movements showing none of his earlier aggression. The dragoness returned the soft sound as she stepped forward without any hesitation, which prompted the male dragon to quicken his steps. The other two spectators watched in confusion as the two dragons met in the middle of the clearing and circled each other slowly before they moved closer.
Zuko's eyes widened when he suddenly smelled their attraction and affection as the two dragons began to rub their heads and necks together, their long tails coiling together as they crooned and gently nipped at each other. Something about their interaction struck Zuko. The way they had reacted when their eyes locked together...It reminded him of how he felt when he first gazed into Katara's eyes when she woke up. Something nagged at the back of his mind and he frowned as he tried to grasp it.
The silver dragoness suddenly pulled away and launched herself into the air with a soft croon. The male dragon quickly followed her with an answering call, quickly catching up to her. Silence settled around them once again as they watched the pair disappear in the distance.
"I'm glad the stalker dragoness finally found herself a mate," Katara spoke up with a small laugh as she watched them disappear in the distance, "Now she will finally leave you alone."
Something clicked in Zuko's brain at her words. That was it! Now he remembered what his uncle had said many years ago. Dragons were able to rut and procreate with each other, but they mated for life when they found their one True Mate, their soul mate. Once they laid eyes or scented each other, they instantly knew they were destined for each other. His eyes widened.
That was why he felt such a strong pull when he first saw and scented Katara! Why it felt like a magnetic force was pulling him toward her. Because of his dragon characteristics, he was able to recognize her as his one True Mate, the one destined for him. Elation swelled in his chest and he glanced down to stare intensely at the beautiful woman standing beside him.
She was meant to be his and only his!
His ecstasy quickly vanished when his logical side reminded him of his situation. He looked away and grimaced as he felt a painful pang in his chest. Yet, he could not have her. She did not love him. And he was still cursed. A low angry growl slipped from his fanged mouth. He wished he had continued to be ignorant of the truth. That way it wouldn't be so painful to know he would one day lose his True Mate.
"Are you okay?" Katara's concerned voice made him dispel his dark thoughts.
"Yes," he responded simply.
Katara frowned and opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, since she had heard his growl and saw him glaring, when her words got stuck in her throat. They could hear distant growls, whimpers, and groans. Their eyes widened when it dawned on them what the sounds implied.
"Are they…?" Katara began before she trailed off.
Zuko nodded as his hearing was better than hers and he definitely did not want to hear the two dragons mating.
"We should return to the cave," he prompted as he opened his talon for her to step into. Then he amusedly added, "Before we end up seeing something we shouldn't."
"We definitely don't need to see that," Katara laughed as they rose to the air.
Zuko did not reply as his thoughts once again returned to his revelation. He was in love with Katara, he just realized she was his True Mate, yet he would never have her.
And it hurt.
"According to what that man said, we'll be arriving at the mountain in a few days, my prince," the man, dressed in the dark green robes of the Dai Li, announced as he looked up from the map he was studying.
"That's perfect," the young prince replied as a smile slowly spread across his face, his white teeth contrasting against his tan skin.
He ignored the six men surrounding him as his dark eyes looked toward the horizon where he could barely make out the tip of a mountain. His ostrich-horse moved restlessly beneath him and he absentmindedly tightened his hold on the reigns as he lost himself in his thoughts.
Katara better be at that mountain as that pathetic excuse of a hunter had divulged when they questioned him. What she was doing in such a place, he had no idea, but all that mattered was getting her. She could not escape him for long.
Ever since he had laid eyes on the water tribe beauty months ago he wanted to make her his. He had tried to charm his way into her heart and bed at first, but she had not easily fallen to his whims. It was something he had not been used to as he was accustomed to having women fall at his feet at a simple word or look from him. However, Katara ignored him at every turn, which only made him want to seduce her even more.
Unfortunately, she had found out he had been sleeping with the maidservants, which had displeased her and made her wary of his advances. He had tried to convince her that those wenches didn't matter to him and he only wanted her, but she didn't believe him. So, he had tried to take matters into his own hands and make her see they could be good for each other, but she had showed her displeasure by hitting him on the family jewels. He had not thought she would have fought him off and gone to her father to tell him what happened.
Luckily, his charming personality and manners, and his quick thinking, had saved him. Coming up with the excuse that she was just trying to avoid marriage pinned the problem on her and redirected Hakoda's displeasure. He was sure that if the chieftain had not been worried about making sure his daughter was safe behind Ba Sing Se's walls, Hakoda would have taken better heed of Katara's words and he would've been in deep trouble.
He frowned and pressed his lips together, once again reigning in his agitated mount.
However, once he got Katara and they arrived in Ba Sing Se, he would convince his father it was imperative he and Katara married quickly. That way she won't have a chance of escaping again. He could not wait to have her as his wife for him to touch as much as he liked. She had a temper, but that only made his attraction for her grow. And of course, her body was made to realize every man's fantasy. He was confident he would make her come to want him just as much as he did her once he had her in his bed.
"Let's continue," he finally commanded as he roughly nudged his ostrich-horse forward, his men following silently behind him.
A smirk curled his lips.
Soon, gorgeous, you'll be mine.
A/N: Thank you for reading and for sticking with me!
~alwaysZutarian