Disclaimer: AtLA does not belong to me. Recreational writing only. Respect the Vatar'd.

Warning: Incest. Mature themes. Mentions of Rape. Slightly disturbing, even to author. This IS your warning.

You don't need to know: AU But only depending on how you look at things. ;b

______________________________________________________________________________

Nothing Sacred

----

"Dismissed."

The maid servants were quick to follow the powerful command, exiting the royal bathing chambers in silence. Bowing to their Fire Lord's prone form at the curtained entry, drawing it shut behind them.

Lady Ursa tensed, her body shivering in the warm bath water, she didn't turn to greet her lord. Heavy boots pattered at an even pace against the rigid marble floor, in steady crossing of the expansive chamber, coming to a precise halt behind her at the wide basin. Still, Ursa did not raise her head to acknowledge the intruder. The silence drummed on, becoming excruciatingly painful. She hoped it would be over soon, though she knew it wouldn't.

"Still not clean." The words slashed out like a steal blade. It was cold.

Ursa didn't answer. Barely breathing, staying absolutely still. Her eyes trained on her own reflection in the water. She couldn't bring herself to look to the other image gleaming there. Her counterpart. It was distorted anyway.

"Let me assist you." The voice damp, sickeningly sweet. Soft hands found Ursa's bare shoulder, her surprise at the contact promptly turned to panic as the insistent pressure slowly coaxed her down into the water.

Ursa decided against taking that last breath, she found herself submerged completely. It didn't hurt. It was painless. The hands on her shoulder--it was a comfort. The lights reflected beautifully in the water...expect for the shadow hanging over her, but she was used to that. This was not a bad way to die. It was rather pleasant. She breathed in the water around her. Gods, just let it end.

Fingers clenched into her shoulder, a fist knoted itself in her hair, pulling her back, coughing, sputtering forth, in unwelcome deliverance. Her head was culled back so she had no choice but to look up at her constant tormentor, those unmerciful amber eyes narrowed.

"Did you think it would be so easy?"

Ursa panted, the breathes hurt, she couldn't speak, she gasped, shaking her head sadly. Of course it wouldn't.

"I will not be your executioner."

Ursa's eye lids scintillated, fighting back tears. It would only serve to make the Fire Lord angrier to see her cry. "Please Azula, please..." Just give me peace.

Her head was slammed back against the sturdy metal brim of the basin.

"You're a selfish, filthy little strumpet aren't you?!" The Fire Lord sounded angry, a rarity, even in the company of her mother. Ursa stifled a sob, her eyes clenched shut.

"Look at me."

Ursa had never denied that commanding voice yet, though she was more than reluctant to comply. Her lord's brow was knitted menacingly, unless it was just the moisture permeating the chamber, she was sweating.

"What would become of your precious son, if some misfortune should befall you?"

Ursa's eyes widened, her heart jumped into her throat. The Fire Lord smirked, lowering herself until she was only a fingerbreadth from her face. The painful grip on her shoulder slackened, the back of Azula's hand set to smoothing loose strands of hair that had mated across Ursa's face, the blunt of her sharp nails lightly indenting her skin.

"It will be slow. It will burn. Over and over." The Fire Lord brushed a thumb almost tenderly over Ursa's cheek. "You have my word." An oath, a promise, something sacred.

Ursa never could have fathomed what it was to hate her own child. This wasn't her child. She thought perhaps the bond had severed that first night Azula had forced her way into her. But looking into this face. She looked so much like her father when she let her emotions trickle into her features. Perhaps she'd never belonged to her.

Ursa shook her head slowly, trying not to push into the fingers stroking her cheek.

Azula laughed, her warm breath tickled her chin, a cruel titter of conquest and victory, Ursa's thighs slammed shut of their own accord.

"Why do you make things so hard on yourself, Ursa? You belong to me now, and you will obey my every wish." The Fire Lord carded a hand through her mother's slick tresses roughly, she sighed dramatically, her face took a more sober front. "And I told you not to visit him didn't I?"

Ursa gripped her bottom lip, so hard she cold taste it, Azula's tongue brushed her own lips. Ursa knew that look, voracious anticipation for what would come next. The Fire Lord pulled Ursa's chin down into several long manipulated nods, she relented.

"Then why did you do it? I don't understand. Do you like your punishments?" A sly look replaced the mock confused one on Azula's face, she cocked her head in question, her long raven hair brushed Ursa's neck.

She quickly pushed back thoughts of her lord chastising her as she leaned exposed over her grand ivory desk. She felt her breathe pulled from her in remembrance of the pain. Ursa shook her head tumultuously.

"Then why Ursa?"

Taking a ragged breath, "I wanted to see him." She answered simply, truthfully. The Fire Lord regarded her curiously, scowling a bit, she brushed at the tears on Ursa's face with an open palm.

"Did he tell you he loved you?" Contemptuous scorn, her favorite form of mockery.

Ursa knew better than to be deceitful with Azula. "Yes." Her answer little more than a whisper, she was near enough to hear it.

Azula bent forward until her lips were only just barely skimming her mother's, they watched each other silently for a moment. Ursa tried not to look to deeply into her eyes. She'd done it once before, it had stricken her senseless.

"Tell me what you said."

Ursa knew what she wanted to hear. Those words she had long since denied her. A childish demand. The last time she'd said it, she had been pleading with her daughter. She'd said no and Azula had just plunged ahead, she had begged her to stop...

Ursa's fists clenched in anger beneath the water. She would never say it again. "I love you."

Azula's eyes slid shut and she groaned when she placed her lips firmly to Ursa's.

"Zuko."

The girl froze against her. Azula would strike her. Torture her. She would toss her to komodo rhinos to be devoured in front of a courtyard audience during evening tea.

But Azula did not do any of these things.

Ursa felt her lord stiffen, she held her position over her lips, though Ursa could see her brow coursing with outrage, hate, ... anguish?

Ursa liked what she saw. Very much. Too much. If she could 'ever sting the girl like such, she would, everyday. And never tire of it. The thought was a tempting one.

Overwhelmed by this feeling of deep loathing, she licked at Azula's lips winding her arms around the tense frame, pulling her closer, twisting her body in the bath, soaking the Fire Lord's well-pressed uniform, Ursa released a wanton moan, it rivaled the intensity of the rush of water sent splattering across the floor. "Zuko."

Azula's eyes widened in surprise for one brief moment, Ursa pulled her head closer roughly, biting and tearing at the Fire Lord's unresponsive lips, luring her in.

"Mommy loves you so much. So much, Zuko." Grinding herself against Azula painfully, she slashed her high collar aside ravishing the girl's neck, submerging her teeth into anything weak enough to dint. But it was a mere nothing to how she hoped the Fire Lord felt. And Gods, she wanted her to feel it.

She'd never embraced the girl like this. Never once, in her two years of imprisonment in the Fire Lord's chambers. But she knew from the way Azula had grabbed her wrists and forced her hands to work against her that she wanted it, wanted Ursa to do the same for her. Now she was, but it wasn't for her, and Ursa hoped she felt it.

"Take me. I'm yours, Zuko. Only for you. Oh, my love."

Azula jerked away from the tub, her meticulous top knot fallen into sweaty disarray. When she looked at Ursa-- yes, it was amazing--there were tears. They were there in plain sight for Ursa to see. She'd broken her. Stepping out of the bath, her eyes trained on those glinting amber ones, she took up the long cloth to dry herself, delighting in the way Azula simply watched her, her eyes blinking repeatedly, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. Ursa was not about to let this go.

Throwing the towel aside she approached the stiff form, brushing a kiss against the moist lips, rubbing the tense shoulders. "Let's go to bed, sweetheart. I need you, Zuko. Inside of me."

The young woman's head fell onto her shoulder, burying into her neck, breathing a garroted whimper. "Mom..."

Ursa's nails dug into the girls robes. She was calling her mother? Now?! After she'd threatened Zuko's life, after all she'd--No.

No.

"I love you, Zuko." She whispered firmly into the girls ear, the body in her arms shook. "Won't you let me open for you?"

The Fire Lord swallowed hard. Ursa pulled away, placing one last kiss on her head, she strode confidently into the adjacent bed chambers, laying out over the silk sheathed mattress. She knew she didn't have long to wait. This is what the girl longed for, and all Ursa wished now was to draw her in for the slaughter.

She smiled, indisputably contented as the girl moved over her, still trembling slightly in effort to staunch her tears. Ursa opened her thighs to accommodate her, and Azula pressed into her slowly, a move almost reverent. Out right slander.

Cradling the girl's chin in her palm, Ursa dragged her fingers over Azula's left eye, where Ozai had left his stain on her son's pristine face. She hated him, and his daughter was his embodiment in every way. She hated the both of them.

"My beautiful baby boy." Ursa cooed, smoothing her fingers over the detestable face. Azula's eyes squeezed shut, Ursa felt tears dripping down onto her chin.

She pulled her near, running her tongue hungrily over her cheek, capturing every lovely appeal. Satisfied, she allowed the mouth kiss her. "Zuko."

She let those cruel hands run over her for what seemed like hours. Raw lips tugged and caressed her flesh, and Ursa allowed herself to enjoy it, digging her nails heartlessly into the arching back, forcing her deeper. The hisses of pain provoked in her a hitherto suppressed warmth of immense pleasure she'd always found repulsive, she allowed this feeling to flow unchallenged, it whet her senses until she felt she could drown in this intoxicating redress.

"Oh, Zuko, don't...stop..."

And when Ursa's release came, the name of her oldest child reverberated throughout the dark chamber, penetrating every shadow in which sanity could dare find refuge. Nothing more followed this, save the heavy pants of two women.

"I thought you would have been jealous," Ursa's speech fluctuating and low, she turned her head toward the rent body collasped beside her, "sharing me with your brother. Giving me to him completely."

Azula's breath shuddered succinctly, she rolled to her side, throwing an arm over her mother possessively. Only the discordant pulse of a wild heartbeat served as an answer. Ursa sighed. Words are detracting, it would do. She began to drift into contented sleep.

"Anytime mother. You know I'm always good for a lay."

Ursa's eyes flew open, they darkened, looking down at the girl questioningly. Azula smirked against her chest.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: Azula: 2 Ursa: 0

Cuz it's mother vs. daughter/daughter vs. mother. ;b It wasn't always "a lay", but the manipulative girl is far too much of a lady for the crude substitute. XD

Oh, and sorry about preying on Ursa and Zuko's "special relationship". Suckas!!