A/N: ATLA ain't mine, no it ain't mine. This next chappyter is, though, so enjoy! It's Zuzu's POV for a change, and it will switch back to Katara and Ozai later…please Review, my lovely readers! Pretty please!
Twisted Topsy
My fingers run across the soft fabric again and again, the black material softly sinking under my grip. The blue mask, the object of my anxiety, sits inanimately in the corner of the cell. I run a sweaty hand through my hair and wait…wait…wait…this is what kills me most.
As if hearing my thoughts and deciding that the deed is my father's job, a pair of guards come to fetch me. When they see me, their eyes fall; two of my men from when I was a scrap of prince on my search for the Avatar. Obviously, they haven't been conformed to the palace's ways. Clad in their best uniforms, they take me under my arms, but whisper as they do so.
"Prince Zuko, there isn't much time yet. Your father, Lord Ozai, plans on executing you very soon, so we must act quickly. This way, Xian." he motions for the other guard to follow him past the stairs leading out and into a hidden hall. "Where are we going?" I ask, my voice hoarse and atypical. We enter a small room, and Xian shuts the door just so. "A brief conclave of sorts." he explained before standing next to his fellow guard. Although there was a table, there were no chairs. And although they weren't, they both urged me to take a seat. I glanced warily at the old wooden thing, and the guard next to Xian laughed. "Don't judge it by its appearance, young Prince. It's much stronger than it looks" he chuckles. Like Katara. I dismiss the thought from my head immediately and sit down.
"The fact that he plans to kill me is no surprise, but this is. What do you two suppose to gain by helping me?" I ask suspiciously. It's a wonder they're still loyal to me. A wonder. "Nothing. Nothing but the hopes of you becoming Firelord when your father is slain" Xian reasons. I smirk "You really think I'll challenge my father again? After what he did in that Agni Kai? After what he's going to do today?" I add the next accusation quietly "After what he'll do to Katara?" they sense my pain and sigh duly.
"That is why you must rid the Firenation of him before he has time to do something extremely despicable to the Waterbender, Prince Zuko" I hear them out "So what do you expect me to do?" I retort. They don't even flinch, but instead grin "You infiltrate and work from the inside out, of course."
KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!! KATARA'S POV!!!!!!!!
Of course I got no sleep that night, mostly due to Ozai's coaxing. Instead my mind kept going down the list of painful coercions being inflicted upon Zuko. They must be torturing him down there, while I lay safe in his father's large, comfortable bed. Of course he had sabotaged my old bathtub surrogate by turning the entire bathroom into a blazing inferno, but oh well. I don't think sleeping in luxury's lap for one night will kill me.
I turn over on my side and hear a soft ticking, and realize the large clock that took up ¾ of the left wall. Great, now I really won't get any sleep I mutter. Only I'm wrong, because when I lie still and focus on the clock, the dull, steady noise lulls me to a gentle slumber.
"Mmm, wha--" I stir a little, but keep my eyes shut as someone takes a few strands of my hair between their fingers. I yawn, and hear a raspy chuckle, then freeze. When my eyes shoot open, his chuckle expounds into a laugh "Did you have a peaceful sleep, Miss Katara?" I almost don't respond, but then remember it'd be best to do what he says for Zuko's sake "Yes, thank you, Firelord Ozai" I say this with way too much artificial sweetness, but he smirks nonetheless. "Good. I hope you enjoyed the bed as well, because you'll be spending a fair amount of time in it after today" he stands, and already I am trembling a bit.
Not only is he taller than me, but he also has me beat in the strength department, too. Hopefully, we won't be here long enough to plans to use these to his advantage. Gazing down at me through narrowed, satisfied golden eyes, he burns the bedspread until my feet are revealed, and I quickly tuck them underneath me. I still have on the baggy pants from earlier, so this is not easily done. "Stand up. I haven't duly appraised you yet" he orders, but I hesitate. Wrong move "Stand or I'll make you stand!" he seethes, and I flinch before doing so. I slide off the singed spread and he jerks me forward by my elbows. Circling me, his smirk returns "I plan on honoring my word to the blight" I know exactly what he means, but take the opportunity to play up to Zuko's favor.
"And what would that be?" I ask innocently. He seems pleased to fill me in on the licentious meaning "That would be partaking in the splendor that is yourself, each…and every…night" he whispers, leaning over my shoulder, adjacent to my ear, behind me. He rubs his claws across my arms and frowns when there's a knock.
"What do you want?!" Ozai bellows, and one of his men comes in. no, I've seen him before…on Zuko's ship! Maybe he'll help. I try to meet his eyes, but he looks down instead, bowing. "The execution is ready, my Lord." it seems he's redeemed himself in Ozai's eyes, because the Firelord grins "If that is all you may see yourself out. Come, child, and see what is to become of the disease you care for so much" I don't follow him out, though, I am too stunned. Execution? Now? Rough hands shove me forward and I fall to my knees. The man, who must've deliberately pushed me, helped me up very slowly, whispering all the while. "I am terribly sorry Miss, but I had to find a way to tell you not to fret! The Prince will be fine, so long as you do as I say; obey Ozai, and persuade him to keep the Prince alive." I frowned "And how will I do that? He's not a very movable man, if you haven't noticed" I snap. "Seduce him, beg him, do whatever you need to keep the Prince alive, understood?" the guard asks frantically. I have no time to respond because the Firelord is back and angrily wondering what's keeping us, well me.
"Fraternizing with my slave, I see. For your treachery--" I take a risk and interject "My Lord," I say in a somewhat sultry tone, "I fell, is all. He was merely helping me up. Now must we stand and argue, I wouldn't want to be late to the execution" I think I convinced him, because narrowed eyes equals bad job, and smirk equals good job. He was smirking, all right.
"Yes, we wouldn't want to be late…" this is taken as a cue to leave by the guard, and he gives a general bow I'm sure was directed towards me. Ozai either doesn't notice or doesn't care, he is too absorbed with the coming evil about to transpire…or not. If I played my cards right.
We arrive at the courtyard, and ironic, too. For this is same place where Zuko was restored his honor by Li and/or Lo. I will myself not to cry as Ozai and I stand directly in front of the strange contraption made of solid wood. We are soon flanked by Azula, whose crown sat lopsided on her messy black hair. She bowed to her father but didn't acknowledge me; just as well.
I avert my eyes before remembering my façade I must maintain, and stare directly into those golden eyes that longed for me. His hair, like his sister's, lay in a slick heap, messily veiling said orbs. Though he looks fine, I suspect he hasn't eaten in the two days we've been apart, and probably hadn't had anything to drink, either. I saw him smile a little, and, blushing, so did I. Then his shoulder slumped again, but it wasn't real; perhaps he knows he might not die? I don't really know, but I do know that his fate is in my hands, on my lips.
The men carrying him took their time tying each one of his wrists and feet to the "Rack", is what I heard them call it. This angered both Ozai and his daughter "What's taking so long!" she snapped impatiently, and Ozai agreed "Hurry up unless you want to swing from the gallows!" he barked to the fumbling guards. This did seem to speed them up, and in their haste to quicken their pace, Zuko's limbs were badly chaffed.
The torture would've brought tears to my eyes had it not been for the notion that he'd survive, that we'd be together again. I began wheedling once the men began to stretch him in each direction. "My Lord, do you think that maybe you should…" I trailed off for two reasons; to choose my words carefully and to make sure he had heard me. He had, indeed "I should what, prey?" he asked, amused " Such a creature should not be wasted on one day's worth of amusement" I said coyly. He didn't take his eyes off his suffering son, who'd begun to groan out here and there. "What do you mean?" he asked, and I could tell I was spoiling the mood a little. "I mean, there might be use of him somewhere else in the Palace--" "I have no use for that thing. This is where he belongs, and this is where I'll rid myself of him for good. Besides, it seems you are intent on sparing him, do you love him instead of your Lord?" I could recognize his japery and the lethal undertone of severity, so I pretended to naïvely take him seriously "Oh no, my Lord. I was foolish to disobey you, and realize now that it is you I love! Who could ever attach themselves with such a creature, really?" I whispered, making sure to lean in close to his face. He liked this, I know "Yes, who could, but you had me fooled, Waterbender." he crooned, and Azula scoffed, but when I met her eyes, I could've sworn I saw a slight smile. I turned when Zuko called, or more like moaned my name. It ripped my heart in two to hear him in such agony, so I began to talk to Ozai again, more desperately.
"Think of your daughter, Master" I said, since the name was befitting for my current position "She could use some help, as you and I both know she has digressed from her usual grace and stamina. It would lift her spirits immensely to have her own slave, and one so significant as her own brother, would it not?" I suggest. Instead of being repulsed like any decent parent would at the thought of enslaving their child as a gift for their sibling, he stroked my chin affectionately. "You think as I, prey. We are not so different…" I cringe internally at the comment, and with admiral accuracy, he burned the ropes on his sons hands and feet, letting my Zuko crumple to the ground. Before anyone could move, he sent the Rack into ashes and would've done the same to the men, had they not scattered. A fresh crew came to see what was the matter, and Ozai pointed to the fallen Prince
"Take him and prepare him for Princess Azula. I think he'll make a bearable slave for her, don't you think…Admiral Zhao?" he asked, full of himself. However, this was not an idea I wanted to take credit for, so I just glared at Zhao and watched as he and Ozai talked off to a distance. I dared not go near Zuko, not yet, and Azula sauntered over to me. Jabbing a slender finger into my chest she growled, a milder version of her father's. "I know you're up to something, Water Wench, just wait until I figure it out. In the meantime, how do you think my father will react once he sees that you and little Zuzu are lovers?" I narrow my eyes "He won't find out, Azula, trust me" we'll be gone before he does. She cackled a barely intelligible "We'll see" before heading for the palace. Zuko's men were back, and they were helping him inside as well. I decided to go back to Ozai, seeing we were the only two left with Zhao.
The Admiral smirked at me, and turned back to Ozai "A pretty one" he nodded, and Ozai grew boastful "Indeed she is, and tonight I'll see just how--" I didn't want to hear the rest, not again. I pulled my lips away from his fiery skin and blushed madly.
"I didn't mean to be rude, I just…can't wait for tonight" I explained with wide eyes, this gave him the sense I was petrified. He smirked again, and ran his thumb across my lips "Of course you can't, and no one can blame you. There are women lined up in the Firenation dying to be in your place" Zhao said.
Ozai was still eyeing me curiously, and maybe he didn't believe me. He turned without bothering to excuse himself and half-led half-dragged me back to the palace. Once inside, he hurried to his chambers and slammed the door. I wonder why and how long he'd been furious. He took slow steps toward me and I backed up. Once he'd gotten hold of my arms, he used them to drag me to his chest and anchored them behind me, as he was.
Pressing his cheek to mine, he whispered in a voice that he made sure instilled fear, "Show me how excited you are for me, you little liar"
A/N: Another chappyter up and running for ya'! I know this is a bad place to end but oh well. Tell me if I should do the rest in Katara's or Zuko's POV, kay? I know Ozai smirked a lot in this chap, so sorry for that. He did it a lot in seasons 1 and 2, then laughed for the first time in season 3...Can somebody tell me what he was laughing about in that episode?