Hello all I'm back. And I'm so so sorry that it took me so long to update this story. So i'm going to give you a little treat. since i was on a two month long haitus, i'm going to give you a two chap. update instead of just one. plus i've written out some outlines for the next couple of chapters so if i keep at it i will be updateing frequently, like every day or so if that is satisfactory to you. well enough of me talking feel free to enjoy these upcoming chapters. ^_^ i love summer:)!!

Force of Iron

Chapter 8

Old Enemies, and New Alliances

He sat there in his cage for what seemed like hours, with absolutely nothing to do. He let out another loud sigh. Sometimes it was hard to believe his luck, and the things fate let him fall into. He was never born lucky, while every one else around him seemed to be. His sister was always lucky; everything she did was done perfectly and easily. He had to work to accomplish what he wanted to do, and strive for perfection. He worked hard to get where he was, now the cruel hands of fate and evil jealous brothers were ripping down everything he had built and made, piece by piece.

It was rather cold in the brig. his breath of fire was able to keep him warm, for now. He hoped that whatever it was they were up against would get him out the brig soon. Then again he hoped for a lot of things.

He jumped when he heard a door creak open. He could feel his heartbeat start to race when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He saw Katara step into the cargo hold, and anxiously look around for something. Assuming it was him, he scrambled to his feet, and said, "Katara!"

Her eyes met his and made her way over to him, while having to zig-zag through some wooden boxes of cargo and supplies. She got as close as she could to him, as he did her, the only thing preventing their embrace was the iron bars of Zuko's prison. After this was over she never wanted to feel the cold rough touch of iron again. It was the iron that had hidden Zuko's face in that tortuous mask, the handcuffs they forced her to wear weeks ago, and now the reason why he couldn't hold her like he wanted to. She gripped the bar with her hand, wishing it was never there, wishing this had never happened, or happening. Once that was tradition was now iron. Katara couldn't help but think that Ozaian shared similarities with iron. Cold, rough, and heartless, as well as not caring about what other people thought or felt.

"You okay?" she asked, blue meeting gold.

"Yea, I'm fine. I've had worse, " he said, his fingers tracing her jawline down her neck. She loved the way he gingerly touched her skin. Which is why she cringed whenever Ozaian tried to touch her, it only added to her hatred for Ozaian. She figured she was spoiled by Zuko's love and compassion for her. She would never want anyone else as much as she wanted Zuko.

"Is he treating you okay? If he thinks of trying anything I'll kill him, " he said protectively.

"I haven't seen him since I got on the ship."

Zuko nodded, then said, "How goes the plan? I know its early but did you get anything yet?"

"No I don't have any information...yet. But, do you know that maid Elsa?"

"Yeah, she's worked in the palace, since before I was born. I've known her for awhile."

"Well she's agreed to help me spy on Ozaian."

"Spy?"

"I mean eavesdropping on Ozaian. While he's having a meeting Elsa would serve them refreshments or something while listening on their conversation and report back to me or you, " she said, a slight tremor of hope in her voice.

"That should work for now, but be careful about everything you hear. Something tells me that Ozaian wouldn't even let a simple maid know what he was up too," he said taking her hand in his through the bars.

"But Elsa was the one that gave me the key to the mask, she obviously knew I would need it to help you," she said, squeezing the hand she held.

"That's a good point... but promise me that you'll be careful, no matter what you do," he said, his strong amber eyes filling with worry and love.

"Of course I will, " she said with reassurance.

He leaned his head through the bars, resting his forehead on hers. She reached up on her toes to kiss him. He was the one that usually bent down to kiss her, but the iron bars of the brig, prevented him, or else he would choke while trying to kiss her. At first it was a simple peck on the lips but eventually became deeper as moments passed. His movements were limited due to his prison, but he managed to wrap one arm around her small waist.

It seemed that only seconds passed when suddenly a floorboard creaked, causing a once small sound to echo loudly around the room. The couple broke their kiss, and stared out around the brig, it was empty, except for the cargo that sat cluttered around the floor.

"You should go, you better get back or else Ozaian might get suspicious," he said, trying to sound confident.

She sadly nodded, and with a final squeeze to his hand she said, " I'll try and come back tomorrow."

With that she left the brig, returning to her cabin, which to her was a prison. Anything without Zuko seemed that way. She hated leaving Zuko alone like that, she could only imagine the boredom he had to endure everyday within that place. She would try to visit Zuko at least once maybe twice a day, that way he would know that she was safe, and inform him of anything.

She stepped out onto the deck of the ship, deeply breathing in the salty scent of the sea that she loved. She approached the railing on the deck, gazing out onto the horizon, she thought, no hoped that whatever Ozaian was planning they would be able to stop it before it was too late. 3 people against an entire army of rouges... how on earth are we supposed to do this.

She couldn't help but notice that a small dingy that was tied to the boat. She eagerly searched for where the boat came from. She found another similar ship following up behind them. Someone was visiting Ozaian. What kind of visitors would Ozaian have on board? She didn't want to stay and find out, knowing that most of Ozaian's friends were Zuko and her's oldest enemies, not to mention most likely to be the most dangerous. She eagerly left the deck wanting to return to the safety, yet solitude of her cabin.

After Elsa left Katara alone in her chamber, she continued on with the various chores that she had to preform around the ship. She volunteered to clean Ozaian's cabin hoping that would get her somewhere. For it was when she was cleaning Ozaian's room back at the palace that she found the sliver key that she gave Katara before she was taken.

She cleaned his cabin alone, pausing every now and then to sneak through the drawers and cubbies of the room. The only thing she found was the usual clothes, scrolls and paper work that only talked off finances and other boring things that considered to be worthless compared to what she was looking for.

She gathered her cleaning supplies and was about to leave when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she saw a small chest, sitting in the corner. Having always possessed natural curiosity, and had a mission that she wanted to fulfill she approached it and after making sure that the room was empty, opened it. The hinges squealing in protest. The chest contained maps with various markings on then, sheets of calculations, various letters from people she never heard of, and documents with official seals on them. The seals were not those of the four nations, they were different. There was also a small dagger most likely stored there in case he was in need of protection. And last but not least two golden keys. She found it quite odd how Ozaian always kept keys around his important stuff.

She soon heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She instantly closed the chest and acted like she was dusting it and the floor around it. Ozaian walked into the room paying her no mind. She wished she had more time to look at the papers, knowing that they held valuable information.

She heard Ozaian ruffling through papers on his desk. She breathed a small sigh of relief thankful that she wasn't being watched or noticed. Seeing that she was finished she gathered what she brought with her and left the room, feeling a slight sense of accomplishment. She knew where Ozaian kept his important papers, but the information that those papers possessed still remained a mystery. she tried to remember what she had seen by just glancing at them.

The maps with the markings on them. There were colored arrows and markings. Her father was a member of the military growing up and she remembered that whenever he planned out battle movements and techniques he would plan it out in a similar fashion to Ozaian's. Was that what Ozaian was planning, an attack on an innocent town, the death of more innocence. She didn't doubt it for another second.

Unfortunately she never noticed where the attack was going to be made. She suddenly felt a strong sense to go back tomorrow, she had to make sure it was at noon, when Ozaian was having his longer meetings. She made plans to snoop again, this time more in depth, going through and reading every pamphlet and scroll, absorbing every single piece of information that she could in whatever time lapse she would be given.

She wouldn't report back to Katara empty handed, she would wait until she had found out exactly what Ozaian was planning.

The world was still in a fragile state after a century of war, and it was still recovering. Even the smallest scrimmage or dispute could send the entire world into a spiraling crash. The fate of the world might as well have rested in the hands of 3 people.

After the maid left Ozaian looked over towards the chest that the maid had just been cleaning. He couldn't help but feel suspicious towards the elderly woman. He picked up the chest and placed it on his desk, opening it, retrieved a few documents, then proceeded to leave the room. Just before he opened the door and left, he turned around and walked back towards the chest.

He opened it once more, retrieved one of the keys from inside, and checked to make sure it fit the lock. Seeing that it didn't fit properly, he exchanged the key for the identical one in the chest. He closed the chest locking it securely, placed the key in his pocket, and left the room.

He couldn't take any chances he was too far into his plan to have to back down. A single slip-up could result in ultimate failure for him and his men. After all that they had been through and after how far they had come in their quest, his men would most likely turn on him and heavily blame him for their failure. Then he would truly lose everything, which he didn't want, he would never want to fall that far again. He could feel the stress and the mighty burden he carried weighing down on his shoulders.

He proceeded down the metal hallways of the ship, towards his office. He walked at a brisk pace, reprimanding himself for walking too slow. He entered his office to find several men in the room waiting for him. One was sitting at the table the others were standing behind the man's chair, his own personal guards. You could tell they favored the old ways, Ozai's ways, by the formality for their attire. Fashion changes as often as the wind changes, even in the military.

One man, a personal servant of Ozaian stood in the corner, waiting for whenever Ozaian would need him.

Ozaian approached the table, as the man stood to greet him. The man's face, once hidden by shadows, was now revealed by the light of a small lamp. His right eye was covered by a black eye patch, yet he was no pirate. Trails of many scars made their way out from underneath the black cloth, showing his eye was lost in a terrible fight. Many other scars decorated his deformed face. There was another scar down the left side of his face, going all the way to his ear that shown a piece of meat was removed when the injury was made. His nose was big and bulgy from being broken and re-broken countless times. His bottom lip was deformed a little too, it appeared to be either torn or burned off. Yet you could tell that he was once a handsome man, though through all the scars and deformation he was man slowly aging. His jet-black hair was graying with several white streaks throughout his rather large side-burns, and hair that was pulled into a top-knot.

"Its good to see you again Ozaian," said the man in a raspy voice.

"The pleasure is mine, apparently the years haven't been too kind to you," said Ozaian as they shook hands and took their seats across from each other at the table. Ozaian couldn't help but notice that he was missing his left hand, obviously it had been cut off by a quick clean blade.

"That and the punishments that the spirits reek on those that try to destroy them," said the deformed man as he held his hand-less wrist in his left hand, on top of the table.

"I see, but shall we proceed with business," he said arranging his papers on the table.

"Yes, of course. What is it that you have to offer me?"

"We are both after the same thing, we have separately been pursuing the same goal for a number of years. We both want that no good brother of mine off the throne, the avatar under the control of the Fire Nation, and last but not least the world being ours to control," said Ozaian pride in his voice, fingering the corner of a document.

"Let me guess. You want me to lend you my men, my soldiers, and I get a share of whatever it is that we gain," he said eyeing Ozai's son suspiciously.

"Actually I was thinking of something more along the lines of an alliance, your men stay your men, and my men stay my men. But if this alliance is made, and we our victorious then there will be rewards to reap, if one chooses to reap them," Ozaian said, his eyes carefully studying the old generals facial expressions.

"No doubt you would want the title of Fire Lord, but what would a mere general like me be able to reap?" said the general before coughing harshly into a handkerchief. "Obviously my time is dwindling, what..."

He was cut off when Ozaian said, "And no doubt you would want to achieve something that would engrave your name in the hall of history. I wouldn't worry about it, my father always spoke very highly of you, back in the days of your prime-time high and glory. If you prove yourself to be the same ruthless admiral that you were all those years ago, then...you might consider yourself the next commander in chief of the Fire Nation army."

He gave a small smirk at that, he could see in the young man's eyes the same dream that his father and grandfather had when they were alive. He slowly nodded his deformed head and said, "alright then, lets make history."

Ozaian passed him the document across the table. The elderly general read it carefully, then signed his name at the bottom. Officializing the alliance between the two largest rebellion groups against Fire Lord Zuko. It was the day that the Dragon Rouges and the Northern raiders had joined together in a common cause, unfortunately not a good cause, yet good and just in their eyes, since they weren't raised by the best of morals.

The old general stood up from the table shook hands with Ozaian, with the one good hand he had. But before he left he said, "I understand that you have Fire Lord Zuko, and his mistress in your custody. If you don't want any slip-ups then I highly suggest that you get rid of them. They pose a threat to our plan. Its understandable if you want to keep the girl, but your brother will soon run out of use to you, whatever it is you use him for."

"You are not the first person to suggest this, and it is being taken into consideration. But they are both under heavy surveillance, and if one shows a sign of acting out or causing a problem, then they immediately won't be a problem any more. My men have strict orders to do so if necessary," he said, with the all to familiar venom.

The elder general simply nodded and left.

Ozaian turned to his servant standing in the corner of the room. "What news do you have for me," he demanded.

The servant replied, "Lady Katara was seen down in the brig talking to your brother."

"Did she try and help him escape?"

"No sir."

"Did you hear what they were talking about?" he questioned once more his patience growing thin.

"No sir, sorry sir, I was out of earshot. I couldn't hear." The servant was quite young and was starting to shiver even though he tried to show how much of a man he was by not shivering and acting like a coward.

"Then next time you follow her make sure you are in earshot so you can hear her and stop whatever it is they are planning, you pitiful excuse for a spy," said Ozaian practically screaming at the young man.

"I'm terribly sorry sir, I..." he was cut off when Ozaian cut in and said in the same harsh tone, "Don't apologize, just do better next time or I'll have your neck."

The young man gulped and waited for Ozaian to dismiss him, but instead Ozaian gathered the papers on the table, which consisted of the signed document and a letter for Lucin, which in another words were executive orders for him to carry out. "Send these out to Lucin, tell him to ready the troops, the plan is going perfectly," said Ozaian handing his servant the papers. The young man took them and left the room in a hurry, eager to rid himself of Ozaian's presence.

After he left Ozaian poured himself a glass of Ember Whiskey, and drank it greedily, trying to calm himself. If a healer looked over him it would say that his anxiety levels were off the charts. Seeing that the liquor calmed himself greatly, he poured himself yet another glass. Letting his nerves go down like the smoothness of the alcohol pouring down his throat.

A/N: well there you have it the 8th chapter. I've been reading several fanfics lately and they use the term 'mistress' as in terms of a concubine. So i just wanted to say that katara is not zuko's slut but his fiance, obviously, if you had read this story from the beginning. I just like using the term mistress it sounds a lot more formal to me. If you want me to change to just fiance(every time I say that I feel like I'm saying Beyonce) or betrothed. just say so because i want no confusion to you readers. One more thing: Zuko knows about where Ozaian came from, after the fire nation lost the war he was presumed dead, and Zuko thought the same.

Also I have posted a poll on my profile page and i would like people to vote in it because it has been up for weeks and only on person has voted. This poll is going to help me when i write my next story, so if you want to read more Zutara fanfics please feel free to vote or at least check it out, I posted this poll because i want to know what other people want or like, plus i love hearing others opinions. Another cool feature about this poll is that you can vote for nine different options at once. So please check out my poll! it just might be worth it. ;)

Any way this will not be posted until the 9th chapter is posted with it. so if your reading this that means that you can go ahead and click then next chapter button below. Enjoy!