Chapter Two: Chains
Katara managed to get away from the convoy and into the hills before she started to realize the problem. She had no shoes, so the rocks she walked on hurt her feet. The sun beat down on her, causing her to sweat so heavily that her outfit's cloth stuck to her. The metal began to get hot, and the wind chilled her. "Stupid Fire Nation Princess, think she knows everything. I'll bet she expects me to come crawling back to her like a slave. "Well, she'll have another thing coming.
"I'll find Aang and rejoin him, and we'll take out her stupid father before she even finishes her grand tour." Then she halted. "Now… um… where am I?"
She's gotten away from the convoy and was now in the wilderness. She had no supplies and no change of clothes. Katara gulped. "Okay, okay, Katara, don't panic. You have that pack Azula gave you. You're a master water bender.
"Now, what is the first thing I do. Head to Ba Sing Se? No, no, that's under her control. I could head for Omashu."
So she walked onward. And as she did, Katara realized she had no idea how to survive in these wilds. She saw some berries and didn't know if they were poisonous. This was absurd; she, Aang, and Sokka had traveled across the entire world. How was it possible she didn't know this?
Because she'd never had to gather food, Sokka had hunted, and they'd been able to rely on hospitality.
It dawned on Katara that she was sweating a lot and had no water. She couldn't go on like this. Thinking quickly, she pulled the sweat from her body with bending and brought it up. Scowling, she swallowed it down. It was salty, and she hated it, but it provided her with hydration for a bit.
On she walked. If she did this, she might be able to last a bit longer.
That was why Azula had let her go. She'd known Katara would have this problem so she'd let her go in the hopes she'd come crawling back. But Katara wasn't going to lose that easily.
Over time it began to get darker and also cooler.
Very cool. Katara shivered as she clutched herself. Her body was freezing, and the wind was howling through her skirt, sending it flowing around him. Then she saw something on the plains below, by a forest of scrub trees. There was a fire there.
People were down there, several armored figures. Moving quickly down into the bushes, Katara cursed as she stepped on a twig. On she went toward the fire. She had to get there soon or…
Wait, she didn't know who was there. Last time she, Sokka, and Aang had wandered toward a campfire, they'd walked into the middle of a Fire Nation camp. They'd have been grabbed if Jet and his gang hadn't come in.
No, she had to be careful.
Crawling forward slowly and quietly, she drew near and looked through the leaves. They were Earth Kingdom soldiers alright, and they were eating meat together. No watcher, though.
The smallest of them finished chewing and spat out meat. "Ugh, this meat is tough and bony. Couldn't the farmer have had a better cow than this."
"Oh come on, Sishing, you know as well as I the pickings have been a bit slim lately." Said a thin one. "Can't expect all the cattle top be fat."
"Still, I hear tell that things have been improving in Ba Sing Se." said a burly one. "Maybe we ought to head that way and see what we can find."
"No, no, the Fire Nation ain't the one you want to mess with." Said the thin one. "They're real good at stamping out bandits. Earth Kingdom is nice and weak."
"But the Earth Kingdom doesn't exist anymore, or won't soon enough." Said Sishing. "We ought to head to Omashu then and join the resistance."
"Why?" asked the thin one. "To get killed."
"No, no, see we join the resistance, and then we get to do whatever we want to Fire Nation colonists." Said Sishing. "The whole place is in chaos, so we can raid and plunder as much as we like and be known as heroes for it."
"Sounds good to me." Said the big one. "We leave the army to go raiding, and come back as heroes for doing the same thing!"
Katara couldn't bear it anymore. She stood up and stepped forward. "How can you live with yourselves! You're wearing the emblem of the Earth Kingdom, but all you care about is raiding and pillaging! The Fire Nation has taken over your country, enslaving your people and you are just-
"Mmph!"
She said mmph because as soon as she stepped into the light of the fire, the three of them jumped her. They pulled her arms behind her back as a rope was pulled through between her lips. She thrashed and kicked, but her legs were grabbed.
"Well, in terms of karma, I'd say we've earned a whole load of good points at some point." Said one. "You want the first go at her, Sishing?"
"I don't you; I don't do that kind of thing." Said Sishing. "I'll cut their throats and rob them, but a man's got to have a code."
Katara stared as the thin one grabbed her brassiere. "Well, this one doesn't seem like she'll need cutting any time soon, so-"
Desperately Katara remembered her dance movements. Lashing out with one leg, she kicked the one in front of her and got free. Drawing the water from a waterskin, she slashed across one of their skins. But the water fell down as she finished her movement.
Katara scrambled back as they stood.
"Ah, you little bitch!" snarled the bandit, drawing a sword. "Kill her!"
Katara ran blindly into the bushes, sprinting as quickly as she could. Her feet hurt like they were being beaten raw. Her hair caught on the branch of a tree, and she was caught. Pulling on it, she could feel it tearing at her. Looking up, she saw torches coming toward her. Desperately she pulled and screamed as she ripped her hair free. She sprinted through the darkness. Why had her water failed her?
She hadn't practiced water bending in what seemed like ages.
That had to change. But now she had to get free. So she ran and ran, tripping and falling into the dirt only to rise again filthy. For the moment, she seemed to have lost it.
Her legs were burning; her heart was beating.
It had happened so quickly. She'd wanted to scream; she'd hardly been able to process what was happening. Then she saw it, a house at the edge of a village of domed roofs. Rushing toward it, she tripped and fell and saw a man looking out the door.
"You, what are you doing here?" asked the man. "We've had enough visitors from the bandits, so whatever you want, you'd best go something else."
"I'm running from the bandits." Said Katara, stumbling forward. "Please, you've got to help me. I'm a water bender. If you give me some time, I should be able to-"
The man, who had a long mustache, frowned. "No time for talk. Follow me."
Katara went through the door, panting and gasping for air. "Thank you for this."
"I wouldn't thank me just yet." Said the man, shutting the door. "They're coming. Follow me."
He pulled a rug off the wooden floor to reveal a hatch. Opening it, there was a set of gray stairs. He motioned, and Katara quickly tumbling down it. She winced at the feeling of the dirt at the bottom between her toes. She must have cut her feet at some point because they hurt.
For a long moment, she waited there, hoping that they wouldn't hurt the man.
Then the hatch was thrown open, and she saw the bandits. "Here she is. The one you were looking for."
"Good." Said the bandits as they came down. "As agreed, we won't take as much from you as long as you act as our eyes for the village."
"Thank you, sir." Said the villager.
Katara stared and then tried to summon water. But there was none in their canteens, and they grabbed her, pulling her out. She struggled in their grip as she was pulled out. "You… you betrayed me!
"You can't do this!" She screamed and thrashed as she was pulled out. Now she knew what Haru had felt like when the man he saved had ratted him out. They, they were going to rape her. Even Azula had never done that. Would they kill her when they were done? Or sell her into slavery?
They were pulled out to the outskirts and thrown down. Ropes were pulled around her wrists. "Throw her down there and bind those arms of hers. Don't want her doing anymore bending during what comes next-"
And then a shadow appeared near them. "Excuse me."
The bandits looked up. "Who the hell-"
There was a gleam, and their throats spewed blood as they collapsed to the ground. The third turn to run, but a sword caught him through the back. Zuko stepped forward out of the darkness, clad all in black. Katara stepped back as he kneeled by her and cut them.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Katara said nothing. She felt bile rising in her throat and scrambled away to throw up against the base of a tree. Nothing had happened; she could heal her minor injuries but… it had nearly happened. She'd heard stories of maidens being rescued by great heroes when she was young. Even once or twice imagined herself in that situation. What was going to happen to them had never occurred.
Was she crying? No, no, she wasn't, just retching long after she'd emptied her stomach.
Then she caught something out of the corner of her eye. The villager had come out of the house and was staring in horror. Grabbing one of the swords Katara went toward him as he backed away. He went for the door, but she drew water from a well and splashed him aside before turning it into icy needles.
"Wait, wait, you don't understand! They would have found you anyway!" said the man. "They would have killed you if I hadn't-'
Then Zuko caught her by the shoulder. "Don't."
"Why not?" snapped Katara.
"People in the Earth Kingdom have no one to rely on but themselves." Said Zuko. "I've seen what it does to people."
Katara looked at the man, terrified. Did he have family? Did it matter? The man hadn't owed her anything. She'd asked him to help out of the goodness of his heart. But he'd sold her out instead. Breathing out, she let the waterfall and turned away.
"…Fine. Let's get the hell out of here." Was what she said.
When they got a bit of distance away, Zuko drew a set of clothes out. It was a red fire nation outfit. With it were real shoes and she'd never been so glad to wear them. "You should take these. That outfit you're wearing is designed to look good, but it is no good for travel."
"Thank you." Said Katara, not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. Quickly she took them, went behind a tree, and dressed. Then she came around, thinking over all that happened. "I've never seen anyone act like that!" "How many peasants did you seek hospitality with?" asked Zuko.
"I…" Katara stopped short. "Well, none, Aang was always able to get us rooms thanks to being the Avatar."
"Exactly." Said Zuko. "You've traveled the entire Earth Kingdom, but you don't understand it. Even Azula understands it better than you."
"No, she doesn't!" snapped Katara, furious.
"She set you up." Said Zuko with a shrug. "Azula knew exactly what would happen when you went off on your own. She knew that without proper supplies or knowledge of survival, you'd have no choice but to come back to her."
Katara growled. "I'm not going back."
"Do you have a choice?" asked Zuko. "Until now, you've spent all your time traveling by flying bison. If you run into a problem you couldn't handle, you could flee. Mountains and deserts were of no concern.
"But I had to climb over the mountains that you flew over. And I couldn't have done it alone. One sprained ankle, and you'll die a slow wasting death from exposure or starvation.
"Where will you go once you get free?"
"To meet up with Aang." Said Katara.
"How will you find him?" asked Zuko. "He is probably moving around a lot faster than you'll be able to track him if you're with Azula; he knows where to find you.
"You'll also have access to supplies and employment.
"Believe me; it could be far, far worse."
"And I suppose Azula will just let me go back to my old job." Said Katara, hating his logic almost as much as she hated him.
"Why not? This is exactly what she has been wanting to happen." Said Zuko. "Though the bandits probably weren't part of it. Look, if you play your role, you might learn about where the Avatar is. Or he might try and come to rescue you.
"Or maybe it will not happen.
"But it's either that or starve wandering in the wilderness."
Katara remained silent. She hated to admit it, but he was right. If she was with Azula, Aang could find her. And she might learn something useful. And, like it or not, she didn't know this place. She had no supplies.
So she swallowed her pride and nodded.
Later they found Azula's convoy set up in a pass. Azula was sitting in her pavilion, lounging on a futon as Jin fed her grapes. One hand was firing bolts of fire at targets. Katara came forward slowly. It would have been better if Zuko had put chains on her, at least then it would look like she'd been recaptured by force. But he hadn't bothered and Azula glanced up in amusement.
"Well, well, well, look who has come back from her walk. How did things go?" asked Azula.
Katara glared at her. "…You already know the answer. I'm going to make a deal with you."
Azula looked up. "Oh joy, the utterly defeated water peasant things she has a bargaining position."
"I'll do whatever you say," said Katara, "and I won't try to escape. But in exchange, I want to be able to practice water bending. My skills have been falling to pieces because you keep me from using my bending."
Azula glanced at her. "Well, I don't think you're in any position to bargain. But I suppose I should be nice." She leaned back. "Fine. Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up. I'll call for you when I need you."
"Good." Said Azula, before looking to Jin. "Jin, get her cleaned up, and let's move on."
Nobody bothered to put Katara in chains. But she was chained tighter than ever before. Even so, she wasn't going to leave it at that.
Author's Note:
So I felt very reluctant to include this scene. A character being threatened with rape is a highly exploitative thing that has often been misused for cheap sympathy points. Although Azula has pretty much been doing exactly this all this time. Still, it has had an element of humor and fanservice with it. Plus, she never actually followed through. Even so, this just seemed the natural action to be taken by people like that. So, I tried to treat this as well as possible.
That said, the point of this chapter is to point out a critical flaw. The Gaang, with the exception of Zuko, are actually pretty sheltered. They have free room and board wherever they go because Aang is the Avatar. Appa means they can move quickly and freely. Even when Appa is denied them, Long Feng gives them a luxurious house. So the Gaang have only ever seen the best in the world.
Zuko saw the absolute worst.