Warning slightly M, not full M, still T, like PG-13
Force of Iron
Chapter 5
Continuum, Awaken, and Reunion
Ozaian sat at his brother's desk, reading through documents that concerned the Fire Nation one way or another. He rubbed his temples in frustration, and exhaustion. He knew that the job that came with being the fire lord was a lot of work, but how his brother handled it, as well as maintained a relationship with a woman, was beyond his mind. He barely had enough time to handle the job of running the country. And if his plan was to go accordingly he needed to have everything under control.
An assistant of his walked into the office. He was a tall burly man in his late 50s, with a stoic face and firm jaw. With a look in his eye that might as well have read evil, pain, and death. Obviously not a pleasant person. He was an old comrade of Ozaian, had been with him since the day they began their conquest. The man, Lucin, had even served Ozai near the end of the war. But when the war ended, Lucin found himself out of a job, broke, and homeless. He had blamed his troubles on the young Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang. Not just for wrecking his life, but he also believed that they had corrupted the Fire Nation's purpose by ending the war. He was a firm believer in Ozai's policies as well as the thought that the Fire Nation was destined to rule the world.
Then he met Ozaian and his life began again. Ozaian was young and looking for firm believers in Ozai's beliefs. Lucin was the first to join. Now he stood in the office of what was supposed to be the Fire Lord's office, Ozaian's second in command, and number one general.
"Ozaian…" he began, but was cut off by a simple hand gesture. Ozaian looked up from the desk and said, "You know if were going to get away with this, you should partake in the scheme and call me by my brother's name."
"Of course…my Lord," he said sternly.
"Even better," said Ozaian pleased, leaning back in his chair. "So what news do you have for me?" he continued.
"I have the results of the survey you requested…" he said, placing a scroll on the desk.
"And?" he questioned eyeing the scroll, then Lucin.
"I'm afraid you won't be pleased, sir."
"And why would that be General?" he questioned, his words and throat lined with venom.
"One. The people prefer Fire Lord Zuko, rather then former Fire Lord Ozai. Mostly for obvious reasons, such as they have more money in their pockets, and are able to put more food on the table. Two..."
"Yes, my brother did improve the economy substantially, but why would they refuse to go to war?" said Ozaian, growing impatient.
"The citizens of the Fire Nation don't want a war because they claimed they suffered during the war. They lost sons and daughters who were soldiers, they were poor, and claimed that many starved to death because of the war," said Lucin almost sarcastically, as if those kinds of problems meant nothing to him.
"Then why are we listening to those peasants. They only care for themselves instead of their country," said Ozaian standing up from the desk and walking over to the window. He stood there for a few minutes in silence. Lucin stood at his original spot waiting for the unknown son of Ozai to say something.
"Who cares, we don't need those peasants anyway. We already have legions of men at our command, plus the ones we have obtained. We should just proceed with the plan, with or without them."
Lucin believed in what Ozaian was saying but, he had to give him the facts or else the entire plan would fail, and Ozaian would blame him. He would only lose everything again. So he said, "My Lord I agree with what you say, but we at least need those scum of the earth that they call commoners trust. At least their trust."
"What's the worse that could happen?" Ozaian cut in, annoyed.
Lucin began to slowly stroll over to where the phony Fire Lord was standing. "As you know, your family has ruled this country for hundreds of years, long before the war. They came to power due to an ancient civil war that eventually led to a revolution. The old government was thrown out, and the people encouraged your ancestor to take over the rule of the country."
"What does this have to do with anything?" Ozaian cut in again, his impatience on edge.
"It shows that the people of the Fire Nation are capable of over-throwing the government if they don't like it, or strongly disagree with it. If we don't have the peasants trust, they might over-throw us, and our plan would be ruined. Not to mention your family's bloodline would end."
Ozaian sighed and stepped away from the window. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to think while contemplating it all. "What is it that we can do to convince them that I am my brother? If they trusted my brother they are bound to trust someone who comes across as him."
"Well the people adored the thought that your brother was marrying someone outside of the Fire Nation especially that it was Water Master Katara from the southern water tribe. They absolutely loved her."
"What does she have to do with any of this?" questioned Ozaian gruffly, while grabbing the scroll that sat on his desk and reading it.
"People have noticed her absence, if you bring her back possibly even marry her that is after you kill your brother…" he was cut off when Ozaian whacked the scroll across his face. "I will not kill my brother, especially my twin. Have you not heard of the curses upon those that kill their own flesh and blood," Ozaian said angrily.
Lucin sighed at his fear of superstition, in his mind if someone was a threat; you kill them and get rid of them by any means necessary. Zuko was a threat, and if it was up to him, Zuko would've been dead months ago. He secretly feared Zuko, but never showed it. He feared Zuko because Zuko didn't fear authority, while Lucin was always taught to fear and respect it, which is why he got into the army in the first place. Zuko wasn't afraid to defy authority, like when he betrayed his father to help the avatar, or when he escaped from the boiling rock.
He ignored the sting of the slap and continued, "Anyway, bring Mistress Katara back to the palace, marry her, or fake the marriage, do whatever you want with your brother, pass yourself off as your brother for a few months, then slowly and steadily ease the thought of war into the people's minds. For instance you could convince them that the Earth Kingdom poses as a threat to national security. By merely having a few of the rouges pass themselves off as Earth Kingdom soldiers, and having them attack a small port town. If they don't believe you the first time, keep it going until they want vengeance."
"You are very wise for a general, and your wisdom that is the reason why you are my right hand," said Ozaian pleased. Lucin prided himself at Ozaian's remark.
Ozaian paced the room thinking about the idea Lucin had, he would go along with it, but he was thinking of a way if he could speed it up, so he wouldn't be an old man by the time he was victorious. The gears in his mind clicked and clanked, thinking of ways to make his plan more extreme.
Though he looked exactly like his twin, he was nothing like his brother, for he was too much like his father and sister when it came to war.
For several months he laid in a prison cold, and alone.
He missed his home, he missed his love.
His life in that cell seemed dark, and desolate.
The injuries he received were slowly claiming his life.
Pain constantly shot through his nerves, he wished it would end, he also wished Katara was here so that she could end the constant pain, and he also wouldn't be alone.
He hated his life, for being so terribly unlucky; the only lucky thing about his life was that he had the love of the only women he ever truly loved.
He hated the mask they latched onto his head, imprisoning his identity, and causing him more pain.
After weeks and weeks alone, his pain finally ceased, as he allowed unconsciousness to claim him.
The only thing left was for his life to end.
He felt himself grow weaker and weaker everyday, every hour, every minute.
Then something happened, he didn't know what, just that something changed.
Even unconscious he could feel warm hands touch his clammy skin.
He felt the mask fall away from his face, and the pains in his body lessen, completely disappeared.
He felt himself grow stronger, by the second.
He heard a familiar voice call his name.
He willed himself to say her name, to scream it, to shout it out of joy, but only a whisper escaped him yet he kept trying.
He heard her say something again, worry and sadness lined her voice.
He willed himself to awake, to escape this mental prison he was in.
He screamed for her again, hoping it would help him pull through.
His body started to awaken; he could feel the life rising inside of him.
Then after days, weeks, even months of darkness, there was suddenly light.
Zuko opened his eyes to see the face of the women he loved. Katara looked down at him, his head her lap, her eyes red from the tears. He smiled happy to see her alive and well.
No words needed to be said as she bent over to kiss him. Their lips connected, releasing the much missed passion. He tangled one of his hands in her hair, pushing her face closer to his. He soon found the strength to sit on his own knees, all the while kissing her.
They eventually broke apart for air and let their foreheads rest on one another's. He heard Katara let out a choked sob. "What's wrong," he asked, concerned. She kept her head down, trying to hide her sobs. He gently nudged her chin up so that he could look her in the eye.
"I thought you were dead, I thought I lost you, I probably almost did."
He hugged her close letting her sob into his shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her hair, just realizing how much he missed the simple things about her, even the sea spray scent of her chocolate locks.
"Please don't scare me like that again," she continued.
"You know I would never want too," he whispered into her ear, he hated seeing her cry, knowing the anguish it caused both of them.
Seconds later her crying ceased. She pulled away from his shoulder to look into the face of the man she loved. Hours earlier she thought he was dead and now here he was, sitting right in front of her, arms around her waist, looking at her with his eyes filled with love and lust. She couldn't agree or hope for more.
They both slowly leaned in to kiss one another. "I missed you so much," she said breathlessly. "I missed you too," he responded. Their lips intertwined once more. This time more intense, as the fire began to grow stronger. Water boiled, and steam was starting to release.
She felt herself being pulled into his lap, the hem of her dress inching upward by warm hands, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist.
They both broke apart for air once more, the gasped for the precious element as they looked into each other's eyes that burned with the same desire and passion. Their lips entwined once more in a passionate kiss. Katara found herself being lifted up by Zuko and gently laid down on the makeshift pillow of her cloak and hay. She felt his weight on top of her and couldn't help but sigh contently, knowing how much they both missed this.
They said it was bad luck to have sex before the sacred vows of marriage were exchanged, but according to them they were already in over their heads in bad luck. (I'm meaning they were going to have sex in a prison cell, of all romantic places to do it.) They kept to the tradition and bad things still happened to them, what was the point of adding a little more.
They let passion consume them both, letting all worries, of the world and what tomorrow had in store for them fade away.
Little did they know that whatever fate had planned was nothing like what the universe and destiny had in store for them.
Wow, Prison sex, and that classic dramatic musical theme, DUH! DUH! DUUUH! So here you go 5th chapie, hope you guys aren't losing intrest. I kinda had fun writing this chapter and I don't know why, maybe its the whole classic political corruption theme. I love that stuff, as well as romance, obviously. So I hope you had fun reading. MOst of this week coming up is alot of free time for me, so I'll probably have the next one up soon, but then again no garuntees. YOu'll find I'm incredibly lazy, with an overactive imagination. Seriously I daydream alot, thats were I come up with all this stuff, and why am I still talking? I'm sorry, I should let you get on with your lives.
See ya!:)