Chapter III- Evil Comes in All Shapes and Sizes
I stare at Ozai, my jaw dropping practically to the ground. "The Avatar?" I asked quietly, "I'm going to protect you from the Avatar?"
"Yes, that's what I just said," Ozai said, clearly annoyed with me.
"Why in the world would you think that I can protect you from the Avatar?" I asked, "Do you not realize that he can bend all four elements and I can obviously only bend one?"
"Well yes, we obviously know that the Avatar is the only one that can bend all four elements," Zuko said sarcastically, with a smirk on his face.
"If you don't wipe that grin off your face," I said, "I will personally have to do it myself."
"Like you could harm me in any way," Zuko said, then chuckles to himself.
Oh how I wish I had some water right now, for I would make him pay for that remark. Wait, there is water all around me, in blood. I slowly move my hands and start bending Zuko's blood. He falls down to the floor, withering like a dying animal and making choking noises.
"Stop!" Ozai yelled, shooting a fire ball at me, throwing me to the floor and leaving a nice burn across the left side of my face. I lay down on the floor, not being able to feel the left side of my face. Zuko gets up and leans down over me, looking me straight in the eyes.
"If you ever do anything like that to me again, then I will personally be the one who ends your life," Zuko spat in my face. He walks back to the doors that we walked in, opens the door, then pauses. "And father, don't ever try to help me again." Zuko walks into the hallway, then slams the door shut.
Ozai sighed. "Well, that was interesting." Ozai walks over to me, then offers me a hand. I ponder this gesture for a moment, then I just get up myself.
"Thanks for the burn," I said sarcastically, feeling my cheek. It felt hot and wet, probably blood. Ozai walks over to his throne, then picks up a dish that is sitting on the floor next to it. He walks back over and offers me the dish.
"You can heal your wound with this." I look in the dish and see water in it. I bend the water, then press it against my face. In mere seconds, I feel my wound heal.
"Thanks. Wait, you just wounded me, then you offer me water to heal it?"
"Yes, do you have a problem with that? I was just stopping you from harming my son, it's not like I intentionally wanted to harm you."
"Why would you want to protect your son? You banished him from this nation," I said, "I thought you hated him."
"True, I did banish him from this country," Ozai said, then paused. "But, I didn't actually banish him."
"How could you not have banished him when you did?" I asked, confused.
"I can't actually tell you," Ozai said, "I did banish him, but I was a mere puppet."
"Are you telling me that you're being controlled by someone?" I asked, thinking that this is the most stupid conversation I've ever had.
"Yes," Ozai said, looking around the room, like there was someone spying on us. "My cousin," Ozai whispered.
"This is ridiculous," I laugh, "I don't believe any of this bullshit. You're the one who said you were going to stop this war, but you didn't. You made it worse, this is the reason why the Avatar is coming after you.
"Do you really think that I made the was worse than it was before?" Ozai asked.
"So now you're trying to make me believe that your cousin made it worse?" I asked, annoyed, "Do you think I'm stupid? You're just trying to make yourself look like the good guy."
Suddenly the doors opened behind me, which caused me to jump. I turn around to see who had come in, but I don't recognize them.
"Awww, cousin Ozai," the man said, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with…Katara."
Ozai's cousin looked a lot like Ozai, but he looked sinister. He had a gleam in his eyes, like he thought he was powerful. When he walks by me, he glances at me, raising his eyebrows.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ozai said, averting his eyes like he was guilty of a horrible crime.
"I hope that you aren't telling Katara something that you shouldn't be talking about," The man glanced at me, then back to Ozai.
"Uhh…of course not," Ozai said, "you know that I am loyal to you."
"Well, I hope so," the man said, then glances at me again, "or something horrible might happen to someone you care deeply about." He looks back over at Ozai. "I'll see you later this week cousin, for I have some business to take care of."
"I understand Xang," Ozai said, with a look on his face that looks like he's scared shitless.
"Good." Xang turns around and walks back out of the doors into the hallway.
"You should probably go back to your room," Ozai said.
"What did he mean by business?" I asked.
"Go back to your room!" Ozai yelled. His face was turning a shade of scarlet.
I turn around and swiftly walk towards the doors, afraid of what might happen if I don't get out of there quickly. I close the doors to the room and start walking down the hallway. I have no clue where my room is, so I just walk, hoping to find someone that can help me. I turn a corner then stop in my tracks. Zuko is standing towards the wall, pressing his head against it.
"Ummm…could you help me find my room?"
"Why do you need help finding your room?" Zuko asked, looking over at me. "Shouldn't you be trying to escape?"
"Well…no. I think that if I would try to escape, your father might kill me."
"He's not my father!" Zuko yelled, "All he's done is harm and insult me, he's no father of mine!" Zuko walks toward me, grabs my wrists, and pushes me against a wall. "Is that clear?"
I look down, not wanting to look into his eyes. "Yes," I said quietly.
"Good!" Zuko said angrily, letting me go. "I'll show you where your room is.
I follow Zuko down millions of hallways, then finally, we stop at a door.
"There's you room," Zuko said, "your welcome." He starts walking down the hallway further, then turns a corner. Zuko definitely had a problem with his temper.
I open the door and step into the room that I woke up in earlier. I walk over to the window and open the curtains to let some light in. The sun is high in the sky, so I assume that it is mid-afternoon. I can tell by looking out that I am probably on the second or third floor of the palace. I yawn and look over at the bed. I feel like I had barely slept the night before, so I walk over to the bed and lay down. I lay there, thinking about what all has happened to me. My friend and brother abandoned me on a deserted island, which made it easier for Zuko to kidnap me. I learned that I'm expected to protect the royal family from Aang, which seems impossible and that Ozai might be controlled by his cousin. I highly doubt that. Ozai is trying to make himself look better, right? Maybe not. What if he really was being controlled by his cousin? It could be possible, Ozai seemed really threatened by Xang. Who am I kidding? Why would I even think for a second that Ozai was good? I lay there, my mind racing, then I finally feel myself drifting off to sleep.