Hello and welcome back!
Warning: Child Abuse. Bodily Harm. Violent and Abusive language.
Her body ached from the night before and her pillow was wet with her silent tears. Aching bones, tight muscles and the struggle of blood flowing through her veins made for an uncomfortable state of being. The girl hadn't grasped an ounce of sleep. Terrified that her mind would betray her the way her body had. Her teacher left early in the morning, letting the girls rest. Neither had uttered a word, unsure of what to say after their experiences last night.
Hwasa knew that Katara was up but she said nothing, not sure of what to say. She thought that Katara was upset with her, not defying Hama and helping the girl that had become her sister as they lived in the Fire Nation.
In a way, Katara was upset she felt betrayed, but she knew it was not Hwasa's fault. This pain that Katara was feeling would have happened to Hwasa if she helped Katara. They made a promise to always be there for each other no matter what, but neither expected this outcome.
The door to the bedroom opened and Katara flinched. Hwasa got up from her bed and took the tray of food from the servants. Placing it on the table, Hwasa grabbed the bowl of rice with chopsticks and walked over to the bed. Climbing on, she sat in front of Katara and handed her the food.
"You have to eat," Hwasa whispered. "Please, Katara."
Katara nodded, struggling to move and crying out in pain. Hwasa put the bowl down and quickly helped Katara, holding her against her chest. Hwasa then reached behind Katara and moved the pillow, propping it against the bed. Hwasa then helped Katara scoot back, trying not to injure her sister again.
Katara could see the shock on Hwasa's face as they finally made eye contact. She knew that she probably looked like a ghost to Hwasa. Not only was her body controlled and violated, but the blood was pulled from her own body. No doubt she looked wretched and pale as the blood pumped faster through her veins trying to quickly recover.
Hwasa faked a smile and then grabbed the food and started to feed Katara. Katara couldn't remember the last time anyone had done this for her and if she could fight being treated like a child she would. But what Hama had done to her body, it had weakened her to the core and Katara didn't know if she could walk, she struggled to sit up.
"I'm sorry." Hwasa apologized, still feeding Katara bits of rice. "I should have helped you no matter what Hama said."
"No." Katara groaned, her throat sore and voice low and raspy. "She would have hurt you too."
"But we promised to help each other, and I-I didn't." Hwasa protested, fighting the tears that wanted to fall from her oceanic eyes.
"We help each other by not getting hurt." Katara retorted, some volume forming in her throat.
Hwasa put the bowl of rice down and hugged Katara, forgetting about the pain she was in. It didn't matter at this moment, not when their world was changing before them. Katara struggled but she soon wrapped her arms around Hwasa, both girls clutching to each other. Tears fell from both of their eyes, staging each other's clothes. The room filled with sobs as the memories of last night played through their heads. Never did they think this would be the outcome of their training with Hama. Yes, the intensity of their waterbending practice increased and they learned how to bend water they couldn't see but neither girl knew of the future.
If Hwasa had known, if Katara had known of Hama's plan, they wouldn't have gone along with it. They would have begged the Prince to send them home or to take them away from Hama. The odds of that working were slim to one and another factor that didn't matter at this point. Prince Iroh said they couldn't leave, and the girls doubted that this would change anything. Hwasa pulled away, wiping the tears from her face and then helped Katara again.
"What if we have to do it again?" Hwasa asked, fear coming back into her mind.
Katara didn't reply because she didn't want to admit the truth. The truth was that Hama would make the girls do it again. If she trained them all these years to get to this point, then Hama would not accept failure. Hama had taken control of Katara's own body when she failed to catch the boar with her bending.
Katara had never seen that look in Hama's eyes. She wasn't upset or angry, but it was a wave of chilling anger, ones that threats were not to be tested. Though Katara didn't even know she'd made an error, Hama had violated her body and then flung her across the field.
It was strange for either girl to see this side of Hama. Hama reminded Katara of her Gran-Gran and was the only connection to the South Pole. Katara knew that it was normal to be upset with children as her parents and Gan-Gran were upset with her at times but in the end, they always gave her a hug or some type of comfort. Not once did they lay a hand on Katara or ever use weapons against her. But Hama had broken the girls' trust. Turning Katara's own body against her.
Katara never wanted to do it, to control an animal and a person like this. The way it had left Katara's own body, she could only imagine the pain the animals felt. But if Hama had them do it again then she would have to make the choice, the choice to bend the blood within the animals to calm the raging storm within Hama.
"We don't do it," Katara growled. "She can't hurt both of us."
Hwasa sighed, hoping that Katara hadn't come to that decision. But they were just children they couldn't disobey Hama.
"I didn't like it," Hwasa admitted. "I could feel everything, and I wanted to stop but she wouldn't let me."
"Hwasa-"
"I am scared, Kat-" Hwasa whispered. "I'm scared that she will make us no matter how hard we try"
"It won't get to that," Katara said, reaching for Hwasa's hand. "We will fight if we have to. As long as we have each other, not even Hama can hurt us."
Within a week of his Aunt's passing, the Palace and Nation were back to normal. The Royal family held meetings, went to events, and functioned as the body of their nation while Zuko pretended everything was fine. He went to school, practiced his bending, and kept his head down and mouth shut when around his father.
However, when the sun fell and the moon rose, Zuko practiced his bending. It wasn't just any bending, but the Daughter of the Dragon, the Firebending Stance created and mastered only by one other person.
"Though the world has forgotten you, I will not." Zuko reminded himself, every time he looked at the scroll under the pale moonlight.
This scroll was the last thing he'd gotten from his Aunt, promising her that he would master it and then teach Lu Ten. Mastering this form, becoming a Firebending Master was on his mind all week and would be until he achieved it. Ozai thought he was a failure but Zuko wouldn't let Hui Ying down. If he mastered it not only would he make his aunt proud, but his father was well, Mastering a stance that not even Prince Ozai could.
Zuko stood in the middle of the training grounds again. He took a breath and bent down, swiping his left leg out, flames forming around him. He mastered that part of the stance, but the twelve-step form was complicated with each move and he just figured out the first part. The next part required a spin kick followed by a backward flip landing on your hands to only breathe out fire around you. Zuko couldn't roar like a Tiger-dillo without burning his mouth.
"What are you doing out here?" a voice question and Zuko jumped, falling onto his knees.
Quickly recovering, Zuko stood up and grabbed the scroll before Lu Ten could see it.
"Oh," Zuko stuttered, trying to think. "Just learning a new stance for school."
"Uh-huh." Lu Ten replied, his brows raised and his head tilting to look behind Zuko's back only for Zuko to better hide the scroll.
"Well, how come you didn't ask me to help?" Lu Ten questioned.
"You're not my bending teacher." Zuko snapped, a lot ruder than he intended.
Before Zuko had a new bending teacher, Hui Ying was his. Princess Hui Ying hadn't trained Zuko once she fell ill prompting a shift in power. Zuko was lucky that Lu Ten trained him on days when he didn't want to bother with his new teacher. There was a comfort in having Lu Ten teach him because Lu Ten learned from his mother and that would only make Zuko stronger. When Zuko trained, Hui Ying would make sure to see him train at least once a week. While Zuko knew that he could do better, Hui Ying only encouraged Zuko that his best was coming and for now to do what he could.
"No, but I can help like I always have." Lu Ten said folding his arms. "Let me see the scroll."
"Uhhh, maybe not," Zuko said, stepping back, his cheeks turning red.
Zuko wanted help but Lu ten couldn't help him. Hui Ying had trusted Zuko with the scroll and part of him was worried that Lu ten would master the form before him, marking his failure. On the other hand. Aunt Hui Ying had trusted Zuko with the scroll and he wondered why she didn't give it to her son. Zuko didn't want Lu Ten to be upset with him, that his mother had given this parting gift to Zuko and not him.
"Zuko-"
"-Really, I can ask my teacher for help."
"Zuko!" Lu Ten shouted, reaching for Zuko who moved too slow.
Zuko turned to run but Lu Ten reached for him, catching him. Zuko twisted and turned, trying to get out of Lu Ten's grip. The scroll was pulled from Zuko's hands and soon, Zuko was back on the ground with Lu Ten standing above him with the rolled-up scroll in his hands.
Lu Ten didn't open the scroll, he didn't need to. The scroll that held the Daughter of the dragons was different than all the other scrolls made. The black paper was closed with golden silk and both men knew that inside, the forms were painted with dark red and golden ink. Only the best forms, the ones that embodied the best and brightest of Firebending were given the honor of being written so perfectly.
"Where did you get this?" Lu Ten asked behind gritted teeth.
Zuko stayed silent, not wanting to answer. He could tell the truth but Zuko knew that it could hurt Lu Ten so Zuko chose to lie instead.
"I stole it," Zuko mumbled.
Lu Ten looked at Zuko and scoffed in disdain. Zuko knew that Lu Ten was aware of his lies but Zuko wanted to preserve his cousin's ego. It had only been a week since Prince Lu Ten said goodbye to his mother. Though the Prince looked like he was over the death of his mother, everyone knew it wasn't true. Zuko wondered how he would feel if he lost his mother to only come to terms with not being worthy enough to be given her scroll. There was only one of a kind and both men knew that Hui Ying had locked this scroll away and it only fell into another person's hands if she demanded it.
"She knew…" Lu Ten mumbled. "She knew all along but didn't we all."
Zuko was confused, not following his cousin's mindset. Lu Ten stood in the middle of the arena, the scroll in his hands but looking down at his feet. Lu Ten always stood tall with his head held high but for the first time, Zuko saw the truth. Lu ten hunched over, his knees shaking, breath uneasy as his chest rose and fell at an agonizingly slow rate.
"Lu Ten, I-"
"Don't lie to me, Zuko." Lu Ten said. "Out of all the respect and love you have for me, please don't do it, not now."
Zuko stayed silent, shocked that his cousin had pleaded for him. He'd never seen Lu Ten so confused and lost, his voice failing to keep that calm that Lu Ten always had. The last thing Zuko wanted to do was hurt his cousin, it's why he practiced at night and hid the scroll. But if Lu ten wanted to know the truth, the least Zuko could do was tell Lu ten the truth.
"She gave it to me back on Ember Island," Zuko admitted. "I-I'm supposed to master it and then teach you."
Lu Ten gave a strained chuckle, licking his lips and finally looking at Zuko. "Even gone she still manages to surprise me."
"I meant no offense, Lu Ten." Zuko pleaded. "I swear I was going to share it-"
"I'm not mad, Zuko." Lu Ten assured. "Not at you, I can't even say I'm mad at my mother because she always had a clear head even if I couldn't understand why."
Zuko stayed silent and looked at Lu Ten as he made up his mind. Lu Ten was someone Zuko looked up to and now to see a man who acted as his older brother, lost with the same information Zuko had once received, shocked him.
"You can keep it," Zuko added, not wanting to upset his cousin. "You can teach me."
"But this wasn't given to me." Lu Ten said looking at the scroll in his hands. "This was never meant for me."
Zuko didn't understand Lu ten's words. Lu Ten was Hui Ying's son and the Prince of the Fire Nation of course the scroll was meant for him. It couldn't have been for Zuko, when compared on the Line of Succession, he would never have the throne therefore he would never be worthy. Walking towards Zuko, Lu Ten handed the scroll back to Zuko.
"There are many truths in this world, and we have to accept them, even the hard ones." Lu Ten said softly. "I've lived my life doing the best I could, and I know my mother is proud of me and she is proud of you. I will help you master the form."
Katara and Hwasa were quiet when Hama returned. They followed her orders and got dressed once again to head out. Hama didn't seem upset from what the girls could tell, they hoped that they were in the clear. It didn't take long for the girls to reach a house on one of the various hills. Katara could feel the moon looking down at her, wondering what this night would bring. No matter what happened, Katara and Hwasa promised that they wouldn't do what Hama asked. It was too much for them and they prayed to the Spirits that Hama's love for them would overcome her urge for power.
The girls sat at the table while Hama placed food in front of them. The pain that Katara felt a few days ago had soothed and she found her strength again. However, she was still wary of Hama and her attempts to invade her body or the body of animals.
"While you're eating I'd like to tell you a story," Hama said, her hands resting in her lap.
The girls nodded while they ate in silence.
"Long ago, the four Nations lived in harmony," Hama said. "Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked."
Katara paused for a second, the rice sitting in her mouth. Hwasa looked at Katara then back at Hama as she took a bite of the bread and kept listening.
"One the Avatar, a person of all four elements could stop them." Hama sighed. "But when the world needed him most, he vanished. Some believe the new Avatar who was born into the Air Nomads was killed, others believe they were never born."
"Someone could control all elements?" Hwasa asked, turning her head.
"Yes and they are the most powerful person in the world," Hama added. "But that doesn't mean that benders with one element are weak."
Katara had ever heard of the Avatar or that there was a war. She was too young to understand it while she was in the South Pole. People mentioned it but she never truly grasped it only that her bending was something that needed to be hidden.
But, if there was someone who could bend all elements did that mean Katara was the Avatar? It would make sense why her parents would keep her hidden. It also aligned with the fire Nation coming to her home and taking her away.
"The elements are Water, Earth, Fire, and Air," Hama explained. "Most believe Fire to be the strongest element, for the benders don't need to have Water or Earth to bend. However, the three of us prove this wrong."
Katara watched as Hama poured tea into their cups. Katara wasn't thirsty but Hwasa took a few sips and Hama smiled.
"You have been with me for three years and I doubt we will ever part," Hama said coldly. "We are in a Nation of enemies because of the failures of the Avatar and because of the cruelness of the world."
Hwasa put down the cup, her hands begging to shake but she quickly shook it off and continued to eat. Katara paid it no mind, Hama wasn't the best at telling stories and it would make anyone nervous.
"The Fire nation invaded the South Pole, your home," Hama said looking at Katara sternly. "I was the last Waterbender when they came, and they took me until you were born. I was imprisoned and it wasn't until I learned bloodbending that my freedom came."
"Bloodbending?" Katara thought to herself. "Was that what it was?"
Katara knew that you could bend elements and water was one of them, but blood? She never thought of it, never imagined that she or anyone could hold that power. It was to reach into someone's body and control them from the inside, against their will.
"I won't do it." Katara protested. "It's not right."
"It's not right to be taken away from your home but here we are." Hama reminded Katara. "If it wasn't for me, you would have been killed once the Fire Nation found you."
No, Hama was wrong, she had to be. Katara didn't understand why the Fire Nation took her but they wouldn't have killed her. Katara was just a child and posed not great to the Fire Nation. She was only a girl who could barely waterbend, there was no power flowing through her veins.
"You're lying," Katara shouted.
"I never lied to you."
Hwasa starts to cough but Katara ignores it.
"I trained you to be better and stronger than you would ever be in the South Pole," Hama shouted. "I will make you stronger than any bender the world has ever seen, with what I will teach you, not even the Avatar could win against you."
"You can't make me."
Hwasa grabs her throat gasping for air. Katara quickly turns to catch Hwasa who is on the ground, rolling and screaming, tears running down her face.
"No, I can't," Hama said, looking at Katara. "So, you will make the choice, defy me and kill Hwasa or save her by bloodbending."
Hwasa pale skin turned blue as she screamed on the floor, her pained cries ringing in Katara's ear.
"Stop!" Katara cried. "Please!"
"You can save her," Hama said calmly.
"GAH!" Hwasa cried as bruises began to form on her cheeks and hands.
Confused and distraught, Katara looked at Hwasa's injured form on the ground. Hama wasn't blood bending which made Katara look at the tea that Hwasa drank. This was Hama's plan all along, to force their hands to bend.
Why?
Why was this her life? Why was Hama the one to be so cruel to them when the Fire Nation had already hurt them? Hama was supposed to be their Gran-Gran, the one to protect them and love them. Yet, she poisoned Hwasa and was going to let her die unless Katara followed her orders.
"Please…" Katara cried, holding Hwasa as she cried out in pain and clawed on her own skin, hoping to rip the poison out.
"Bend it out," Hama ordered.
No, Katara couldn't do it. Not only did she promise Hwasa that she would never do it but she knew how it felt, to have your own body betray you. Never could Katara do that to Hwasa who was her sister, and this blood would not connect them. Tears rolled down Katara's hot copper cheeks as she pleaded with the Spirits to hear her, to save her friend.
"Ha-"
"NOW!"
Katara whimpered as she knew that there was no other way. If she didn't do anything, Hwasa would die and most likely Hama would then kill her. Katara hadn't thought of death and being seven and a half, she thought she never would. The woman who was supposed to love and protect her now stood at the doors of death staring at her.
"I'm sorry." Katara sobbed.
Katara laid Hwasa on her back and waved her hands over Hwasa's body, feeling the slick poison in her veins.
"You cannot pull it through her mouth, you will burn her throat," Hama warned. "Pull it from her skin."
Katara's hands dropped as she took in Hama's words. The mouth was the best option to pull out the poison, but it would scar Hwasa and there was doubt that Hama would heal her. Making the best decision she could, Katara rolled Hwasa onto her side, laying Hwasa's head on her lap.
Pulling down Hwasa's shirt, Katara saw Hwasa's veins, turning back and stretching all the way down. They both knew that they were running out of time.
Taking a deep breath, Katara lifted her hands to sense the poison once more. Once latching on, Katara pulled her hand up, the poison moving from her veins and spilling out of Hwasa's pours.
"AHHHH!" Hwasa cried, her hands fighting to hold onto Katara's waist as the poison mixed with blood pulled through her body, burning every inch.
"I'm so sorry." Katara cried.
"STAWPPP!" Hwasa cried, her head shaking and her body jerking with every pull but Katara, couldn't.
The black liquid trailed down Hwasa's body onto the floor as every second, Katara pulled more of the poison out.
"Keep going, you've got it," Hama said, softly as she ate.
Katara couldn't take it anymore, the sound of Hwasa's screams, Hama's directions. It could do nothing for Katara as she invaded Hwasa's body, pulling, turning, and ripping parts of her, watching it trail down her back and fall onto the wooden floor. As the black liquid left Hwasa's body, new bruises formed, the poison burning Hwasa's pours, leaving sores that would take time to heal.
The metallic stench of poison blood filled the air and Katara bit her lip as she drowned out the voices. She lost herself in the bending, reaching, pulling, and tugging on every poisoned vein until there would be none left in her sister's body. Katara could feel Hwasa's blood become lighting, Hwasa's heart pumping rapidly trying to replace the blood that was lost. The process was draining to Katara, but it didn't matter, Hwasa's recovery would be a tough one and something she never wanted to do again.
"Enough," Hama said, placing her hands on Katara's who flinched.
Katara didn't look at Hama, not sure if she had the self-control to tell the woman off. Looking at her lap, Hwasa nuzzled her face in Katara's stomach, the color drained and Hwasa's body no longer moved. Katara could still feel the beating of Hwasa's heart, she was alive and Katara questioned if that was a good thing.
Reaching down, Katara's moved Hwasa's raven hair from her face, noticing the hollow dips of her cheeks that weren't there before.
"What have I done?" Katara thought to herself.
She promised her, she promised Hwasa's that they wouldn't do it no matter what. Katara promised that they would protect each other and yet she bloodbended her sister. Katara ignored every scream and cry to stop but Katara was selfish, she didn't want to be alone.
"It's my fault." Katara thought to herself.
It was Katara's fault for getting captured. It was Katara's fault for not grabbing the boar when Hama commanded. It was Katara's fault that Hwasa was poisoned.
"It's all my fault."
Hama pulled Hwasa from Katara, carrying her limp body to the back room. Katara sat on the wooden floor, her legs uneasy and stomach queasy as she stared at the liquid on the floor. If she wasn't so stupid none of this would have happened. Katara would be back in the South Pole with her family and happy. But because she was stubborn, because she wanted to be a waterbender she broke the rules and bent at night. Everything she did had consequences, and this was now her burden to bear.
Trying to stand, Katara lost her balance, her hands pressed against the wooden floor. Warm liquid coated her hands and Katara held back the urge to vomit. Looking at her hands, Katara watched the blood and poison coat her hands. She could barely tell where the blood started, and the poison ended. This is what Katara was, dirty, filthy, her bending poisoning her every day. She was not blessed by the Spirit; this was a curse.
"You did well, only a few scars Hwasa will have," Hama said. "The quicker you are the fewer scars, but you will get enough practice very soon."
Katara didn't reply, she just sat there looking at her bloody hands. All the purity that Hama had spoken about Waterbending was a lie. The plants that they took water from, the air they manipulated, it was all a ploy for the ugly truth of her power. Bending was something that was unnatural, dangerous and she no longer wanted it. But she had no choice anymore, she was not her own person. Katara and Hwasa belonged to Hama and they were hers to do with as she pleased.
Hama lifted her finger, pressing it to Katara's chin, and looked into her blue eyes.
"Once you perfect this technique you can control anything or anyone," Hama said. There was no point in fighting Hama, Katara already lost. Her hands were dirty, her bending was evil, and she would follow in the same root.
"I understand that this is scary," Hama said, rubbing her pointer finger against Katara's cheek. "The choice is not yours; the power exists and it's your duty to use your gifts to win this war."
Katara didn't understand the war or that she was a part of it. Little did she know that she would but in the very middle of it, that her actions would decide the fate of nations. But for now, she was only a girl who listened to the woman who had raised her.
"I'm scared," Katara mumbled.
"I know but as long as you remember that I am Hwasa are your family then there is nothing to fear," Hama stated. "We are the only people you can trust. The Fire Nation is the enemy."
"The Fire Nation is the enemy," Katara repeated to herself mentally.
No, that couldn't be true. Yes, they took her from her home, but she liked it here. Prince Iroh and Lu Ten were nice to her. Prince Zuko...Zuko was Katara's friend. He couldn't be the enemy, could he? No! They were friends, they had a spot back on Ember Island. But Hama had no reason to lie to Katara.
"But-"
"Katara, they tried to wipe out your culture." Hama reminded Katara. "They took you from your home do not mistake them putting up with you for actually liking you. They used us for our abilities and will not let us go, so we will make our own way."
"Oh," Katara mumbled trying to grasp the complex idea but still failing.
"We are the last Waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe; we have to fight these people whenever we can wherever they are with any means necessary."
"Yes, Hama," Katara said, finally breaking.
How could she fight Hama? Even if she didn't believe her, Hama could hurt them. Hama didn't lie to them before, she took them in. Hama trained Katara in her bending and showed her the true purpose of her powers. The Fire Nation took her from her home. Maybe this was the only way that she could see them again, to follow Hama.
"Congratulations, Katara." Hama smiled. "You're a Bloodbender."
I can't tell you guys how long I've been holding out on this chapter. I wanted to start the brainwashing of Katara and Hwasa early so right now there 7. There will be time skips so we can see the trauma and of course continue with the canon part of the story. This conversation does seem pretty mature for a 7-year-old and Katara is trying to process all of it but pretty much blames herself and will accept Hama for the most part. We will get to Hama's back story and how she ended up healing at the Palace instead of living on the Island. I can't wait to get into Hwasa's story I think it's my favorite backstory. Anyways sorry for the rambles hope you enjoyed this.
Also, can we try to get to 10 comments? Just a thought!
Have a great day!