The Fire Nation
Zuko stalked through his chambers, throwing off stiff formal robes and undoing his topknot and crown. It had been more than difficult to be acknowledged again as Prince of the Fire Nation. Before his banishment they'd seen him as the Heir to the throne, a future ruler. Now he was forever marked as the banished prince, rejected by his own father.
He sat on his bed and held his head in his hands. It had been so strange for him to see his father again, the last time his father the Fire Lord had burnt off half of Zuko's face and disowned him.
Yet...through the death of the Avatar he had redeemed himself. Through Azula's lie and his own betrayal of his uncle he had earned back a place and a family. Lies and betrayal. Was it all worth it?
A sharp knock came at the door, it swung open to reveal Azula with a confident smirk on her face. "Hello brother," she said leaning herself against the wall.
"What do you want Azula," Zuko said, standing to face her.
"Want? Oh I don't want anything brother. I just came by to tell you that I'm on my way to question the dead Avatar's little friend, you seem to have quite enjoyed her on the ship so I thought I'd do you the courtesy of letting you know that she won't be of much use when I'm done with her."
Zuko clenched his fists as he watched her walk away. "Wait."
Azula stopped and turned, smiling cynically," Oh Zuzu, have you grown fond of our new pet?"
"No," Zuko said evenly,"It occurred to me on the ship that the peasant may be more inclined to give us information if she thought me to be on her side. I've fought this one before, caught her and tried to get information out of her. Violence will not work."
Azula's grin widened minutely, "Oh I see Zuzu, you want me to hand her over to you?"
"Yes, let her trust me. I will discover all I need from her."
Her eyes were impenetrable, hardened and piercing. "Very well Zuko, but if you don't get results...then it's my turn."
She was lying on the floor of her cell, curled into a ball facing the wall. Her tunic was torn at the shoulder and her braid had come undone again. The guard unlocked the iron gate, sliding it open noisily. Katara sat up on one hand, looking sleepily at the light in the doorway.
"Get up," Zuko said, cloaked and hooded.
Katara stood shakily and stumbled forward. Immediately the guard grabbed her wrists and bound them.
"Shall I escort you my Prince? The girl has not eaten or drank in some time, she's been difficult," he said uncertainly.
"No, that's not necessary." Zuko placed a hand on Katara's shoulder and pushed her forward. As soon as they rounded a corner he rushed to set her on the ground, sitting against the wall.
"Katara are you hurt?" he whispered urgently to her, checking her over quickly. Her pants were ragged and her shoes missing. Her ankles had a burnt hand impressions imprinted into her soft skin.
"I'm ok", she rasped, coughing. "The guards did that after my second escape attempt."
Zuko pursed his lips, golden eyes narrowing. Without another word he picked her up. Surprisingly she didn't protest but seemed to shrink a little in his arms, a fist curled loosely against his chest.
Despite carrying Katara, Zuko's pace quickened as he slipped through the servants' entrance and into the Royal Chambers. He sat her down on his bed, bending slightly to be at her level. Her shoulders stooped forward and she just stared over his shoulder. Zuko absently brushed a lock of hair out of her face, Katara stiffened immediately and swallowed.
He straightened, walking across the room to a wardrobe. He pulled out a shirt, pants and a belt, tossing them to Katara.
"There's a washroom through there. Don't even think about waterbending, you wouldn't even get out of the palace."
She got up, and stumbled forward a few steps. The burns on her ankles were deep, her muscles couldn't support her. Katara fell, kneeling and catching herself with one hand. Zuko wrapped an arm around her waist and grasped her other arm, lifting her up.
"Don't touch me!" She said forcefully, trying to maintain some dignity.
"Unless you can walk by yourself, I'd rather you didn't break your neck falling around my bedroom."
She ground her teeth, allowing him to support her. He ran her a bath, even heating it for her. She sat gingerly on the edge of the tub which sank into the floor seamlessly.
"I know what you're doing Zuko...trying to get me to trust you. Just like in Ba Sing Se, hoping I'll tell you something about the war effort," she spat at him.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing slightly, "I'm just trying to do the right thing...we'll talk about this later." Zuko walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Katara frowned, stripping off her tunic and pants, but keeping her underwraps on. Zuko was all but a stranger and was in the next room...she wasn't about to expose herself if there was even the slightest chance he might walk in. She soaked herself in the warm water, happy to scrub the dirt of prison off of her skin. Sighing slightly she ran her fingers through her long hair, relishing the feeling of cleanliness. She healed her burns and cuts, repairing all traces of her escape attempts, yet she still felt slightly shaky as healing, while effective, was not magic.
After her bath she bent the water from her body and hair, drying herself off. She deposited the water back into the draining tub and ran her fingers through her hair to comb it. She didn't bother with braiding her hair, instead simply tying her loops back and letting the rest fall past her shoulders.
She ran a sinkful of water and left it there, in case she felt the need to defend herself at some point, from Zuko or from anyone else.
Katara slipped on the shirt Zuko had left for her, rolling up the sleeves several times and wrapping the fabric belt around her waist to keep the shirt from billowing about her. Red of course she thought drily. The pants were too long, not that she cared, and they too had to be rolled up.
Zuko was sitting on the edge of the bed, clad in a simple shirt and loose pants that fell to his knees. Katara had never seen him looking so casual, almost relaxed. She walked over cautiously, stopping a few steps away and crossing her arms.
He looked up, it was hard to ignore how beautiful she was, even in oversized clothes. Her tanned skin was unblemished again, save for some bruises she hadn't bothered to heal. There was a shadow in the shape of fingers around the top of her right arm where Zuko had grabbed her. The belt was bound around her tiny waist, accentuating her curves. Crystal blue eyes stared back at him as he smothered his thoughts.
"Katara, I know you must have a lot of questions, I know how you must feel about me..." Zuko began.
"You think you know how I feel?! You have no idea! You killed my friend!" Katara yelled, careful to put emotion behind
her voice, he had to believe Aang was dead. "You made me believe that there was an actual person in there! But no, I was wrong and now I've lost everything! I can't go home, my life is in danger constantly and I might lose the only family I have left in this war while I'm stuck here!"
"What, you think I don't know what it is to lose everything?!" Zuko stood, throwing his arm out to gesture around him.
Katara looked away, she didn't know quite how to react. Zuko sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Look, I can't say I have no regrets. I've done a lot that I wish I could take back. But I wanted to come home, to have a home. Azula and my father...they are my family, we were happy once. It's complicated."
Katara's expression softened just a fraction. "Where do I fit in all of this?"
He turned away slightly, "You are another complication...but you do not deserve a life in a cell without dignity. Even enemies can respect each other."
Katara bit her lip, a habit she had whenever she was in deep thought. "What about in a week? A month? I'm just in a more comfortable prison Zuko. I can't live like this, I'll go mad."
He faced her fully now, "Look, I don't have a plan. Maybe I can get you out of the Fire Nation some how. Maybe not. Nobody knows what will happen. My father may rule the world by tomorrow, then there's no escape for you. He will surely hunt down all members of the war effort. The close friend and water-bending master of the dead Avatar? You wouldn't last 6 months if he thought you were a threat."
"So what, I just bunk with you until the world ends? Won't your sister or the guards suspect that you're helping me?" said Katara.
"Look, its not as though I relish the thought of sharing quarters with a grubby water peasant so don't push me otherwise I'll send you back to the dungeon," Zuko said evenly, gritting his teeth.
"I'll keep you here until my father announces the Fire Nation's total conquest of the Earth Kingdom, then I'll try make a plan to get you out safely...as for my sister, well she'll lose interest in you now that the war is all but over. There's little point in trying to get information out of you about the war effort if there is no war effort...As Crown Prince I could claim you as a slave, a war prize. It's not unusual for nobles to take slaves for...private purposes." Katara's eyes and her heart began to race with panic. "Not that that would be the case here," he finished quickly.
Katara's eyes widened as Zuko stepped towards her and stopped uncomfortably close, Katara shuffled back an inch and looked up to him with a steely glare.
"But you must promise not to try to escape," his eyes bored down into hers.
She kept silent for a moment before replying. "I don't make promises to people I can't trust."
His golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "Just don't do anything stupid."
With that he turned and walked towards the bed, drawing the cover and settling in. Katara stared at him, he couldn't seriously expect them to share a bed. Private purposes...oh. Zuko saw her eyeing him and the bed awkwardly.
"Just go to sleep, its late. Don't flatter yourself, I won't do anything."
Katara pursed her lips and walked towards the bed. This is the most ridiculous, distasteful and fucking awkward thing I've ever had to do. Why oh why couldn't he have a couch in here.
She lay down on the very edge of the bed, tense a board. The lights flicked off.
"I'm not a naïve little girl Zuko...I know how men are," she said quietly.
"I'm different."