A/N: Here is the next chapter, as promised, and don't worry; If this didn't take the turn you thought it would, then good. lol. I don't own ATLA, as usual, and unfortunately that means I don't own Ozai, either. Alright, that's enough rambling let's get to the story now!
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Zuko's POV
There's only so much lying a person can do before they have to stop, I guess. Or maybe she''s just using me. Whatever it is, I won't stick around to see; as soon as I get Katara, I'm leaving, my own way. Still, though, I have to lead her on to believe that I am in cahoots with her. Shouldn't be too hard, I had to do the same for numerous other situations. She is taking me somewhere, the air is stale and the temperature dank. Then I realize I've been here not too long ago. I massage my aching shoulders and try not to tense too much, that'll just cause me more pain.
We get to a particularly empty cell, no different than the ones we've already passed and a slight gaze of surprise comes across my sister's face. She quickly covers it with a smirk and it dawns on me that something has not gone according to plan. She turns to me and smiles sweetly.
"Zuko, do you know anything about this?" she asked, and I shook my head "No" I croaked. She frowned a little, then turned to leave. "Well I guess Father was more lenient with her than I thought he'd be" she mumbled.
"Right. Either that, or she's already gone" I said hopefully. She gave me a rough shove backwards "Whose side are you on, anyway, Zuzu?" she asked way too politely. I had to redeem myself, and quick.
"I'm just saying, it would benefit us anyway, seeing as she'd already be gone and all you'd have to worry about getting rid of is me" I rushed. She seemed to consider this, then jabbed a finger into my chest.
"You sound a little too hopeful; I wouldn't be surprised to find you'd helped her get away. If I do, then it'll be the end of you, Zuzu. Besides, don't you realize that if you're not together when you leave there'll be a chance she'll come back here looking for you, you'll catch wind that she's here, she'll leave, and you'll end up back here looking for her? I won't have that. You have to get out together so that everyone will think you dead." she said menacingly.
"Still the schemer, I see" I groaned. I don't really like the idea of losing my identity, but maybe if I play my cards right, I won't have to. I just hope now, guiltily, that Katara is still with my father. I swear, though, if he's done anything to her...
"Come on, Dum-dum. Let's get out of here. I have something else to take care of" she urged, jerking me along.
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Katara's POV
I should've stayed in the cell. At least there my hands would've remained clean, not permanently scarred, if not physically than metaphorically. I did get a few burns, though, if I rubbed Ozai the wrong way, and I'm not speaking in metaphors anymore. He had taken me back to his room, then force-fed me some kind of leaves to take away my bending; I think it will last longer than the ones he supposedly gave me the first time. After that was done, he removed his robes, leaving on his burgundy pants of course, and stretched out on his stomach across the bed. I stood in the doorway, dumbfounded, while he just laid there, finally lifting an eyebrow.
"Get over here Katara" he hissed. I flinched at the way he pronounced my name, and he started to rise. "I'm coming" I called before willing my feet to stride over to him. I started to wring my hands nervously.
"Yes?" I asked. He frowned. "Don't look so lost. Surely you have given a man medium through which his tensions may flow?" he asked cryptically. I gave him a blank look, and he sighed. "My back, child, put your filthy hands to my back and--yes, that's it" he sighed, and I grimaced. I didn't want to be the cause of any pleasure he experienced, even if it was just a back rub. I made sure to dig my nails into his pale flesh just a little too deep, stroke his shoulder blades just a little too hard. My favorite part, though, was when I ran a finger down his spine and he flinched and shivered.
"Stop that this instant!" he cried indignantly. I smiled, and waited a while before I did it again. He reached back and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. I cried out at the sudden pain, and he reluctantly released it. He would be the one to murder my fun. After a few more silent minutes he rolled over onto his back without warning and stared up at me. Leaning his head back on folded arms and tilting his head to the side, he gave me that same look he had a few hours ago.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Like earlier?" I asked tentatively. He replied without thinking, I believe, in a voice so soft and quiet I began to wonder if I had hallucinated him saying it rather than him having said it to begin with.
"You remind me of someone I..." he trailed off quietly. I implored him to continue with my curious eyes, but he did not. He just kept staring off into space. Maybe he's losing his mind after all. He might have fallen asleep with his eyes open. Maybe he forgot I'm here.
"Come here" he nearly whispered. I came to him, and he sat up, his long hair loose and slippery. Looking at him in such a vulnerable state made me realize that he was no more than a man, a tired man, though dangerous and cruel, he was still human. I gain courage through this insight.
"You remind me of someone, too" I whispered, holding his chin to meet my eyes, and amazed that he let me. He stared at me blankly. "I do? Who?" he asked curiously. I nodded, then whispered.
"Your son, Zuko" I said. I guess it hurt so bad because I wasn't expecting it, and because I had been so stupid to believe that I could actually be civil with the Firelord. Nonetheless, I vowed to never make that mistake again, because I don't like to be hurt; I don't like getting slapped.
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Zuko's POV
I smiled, glad to know that Joey had gotten the best accomodations of us all. He sat grinning in a playpen, clutching a gold blanket and reaching for Azula. She picked him up and shifted him to her hip, smirking when he clung to her happily. I was relieved to see him unharmed, but furious that she was the one holding him when she was the one who had killed his family. I reached for him and he came to me eagerly, all the while I glared at Azula.
"How could you?" I asked in a low voice, emotion pouring through. She shrugged. "No one betrays me and gets away with it" she said simply, at once knowing what I was talking about. She eyed the boy
"And you would've been dead, too, had the assassins seen you" she told him. "Now," she began sweetly, "What am I going to do with you?" she asked him. He smiled and patted her face "Eat, eat! Wanna' eat, T'Zula!" he told her. She rolled her eyes with a smirk.
"Very well. You there!" she yelled, pointing to a random gaurd outside the nursery door. "Fetch this baby something to eat, and be quick about it!" she ordered. "He doesn't have much patience, much like myself" she murmured. I never wanted to inflict bodily harm upon someone as much as I wanted to do to her at that very moment. She paced on, and without looking back called
"I'll come and get you later, Zuko, but just know that if you try something, anything, I'll be watching you; I'm always watching you" .
Yeah, right. She only says that to instill enough fear and paranoia so that she can really have control; otherwise she's powerless against me. Okay, she does have her bending, but that's nothing, really. I can take her now, just as I almost had her before. I glance down at the baby and realize that she only did this, brought me to see Joey, because she knew it'd make me angry all over again. She must have known I'd question her motives even more and that this would be one of her tests to my loyalty. I don't know what I'll do when I see Katara. She'll be the death of me, that girl, but so be it. I'll get her safe, somehow, and then...then...well, I don't know what, then. I hadn't yet figured out the 'how' of everything, but I will.
"His Highness' food, your, uh, Highness" I turned abruptly to face the young gaurd, about my age, with the same brown hair and eyes as..."Ty Lee?" I blurted, and, alarmed, the gaurd pulled me aside to one of the guest chambers. Once she'd closed the door, she eyed me suspiciously.
"What do you know of Ty--Joey?" she whispered incredulously. Her voice was a little more solid than Ty Lee's, but unless she spoke, I couldn't tell the difference. The gaurd wore her short, ear-length hair down, though, and her eyes, now moist, had little black flecks in them. If she wasn't Ty Lee, then who was she? All I know is that they must be related because of the way she's got poor Joey clutched to her chest like there's no tomorrow. I took an awkward step back, and then it hit me: Ty Lee did mention something about having a lot of sisters around when she was young, I think she said she had seven of them? I can't remember but I think this gaurd may be one of them. I wonder who else escaped the supposed assassin?
"I know you're her twin, er, sister" I lied. Well, I had a pretty good feeling she was. Her head snapped up, and she wiped at her eyes.
"Yeah, how do you know that?" she asked, suspicious again. I shrugged. "I'm beginning to wonder if there really was an assassin sent after all" I admitted. She narrowed her eyes. "There was" she assured me. I sighed. "I'm sorry" I offered, and tried to take the baby back. She was having none of it, though, and pulled away so that Joey was out of my grasp.
"Uh-uhn! How do I know I can trust you? You could be in cahoots with that demon of a sister of yours! And I just found out he was here, you think I'm gonna' give my baby brother up so easily after all that time I thought he was dead?" she accused, her voice breaking. She quickly dealt with her shaky tone and shifted Joey to her other hip. I didn't know what to say, because in a way, she's right. She has no reason to trust me and every reason not to, and if I were her, I'd make off with the kid and kiss this wretched nation goodbye. I sighed.
"Look, I know you're wary of me, but look; I'm not exactly in...cahoots with Azula. She's taken someone I love, too, and I just want to get them back. If we work together, maybe we can both salvage the last of our kin and get out of here. So will you trust me?" I asked. When she remained silent I added "Besides, I've already had your brother this long, don't you think I would have hurt him by now? You saw my would-be execution, saw my Father and Azula watch it, do you think I'd have any other reason to stick around this awful place if it weren't for Kat-the ones I love needing me?" I asked. She finally capitulated.
"Okay, but you have a lot of explaining to do. I know your people, I know what they do to get their way; lie, manipulate, hurt others. Don't think I'll be so easily entrapped, Crown Prince" she hissed. I couldn't help it.
"Zuko" I corrected. She looked puzzled. "My name, you can call me Zuko; I hate to think I'm a part of this Agni forsaken nation." I spat. She nodded in what I hoped was understanding and I took her hand. We shook, and I raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you going to tell me your name?" I asked. She frowned, then shook her head.
"No. I still don't trust you. At least not entirely." she said. That's a start.
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Katara's POV
I guess this is how Sokka feels all the time. I sigh, because I miss him, and I hope he's safe, wherever he and Toph are. I wonder if they've gotten a way to get back here? No, I hope they don't ever come back here. It's too dangerous with the Firelord, er, Phoenix King, running around here half-crazy. I'm pretty sure he ain't got it all, most likely because of the way he keeps shifting moods. For some reason, I pictured Ozai to be the type of guy who was calm and collected, not the hothead like his son, but I guess that would make sense. Zuko, I wonder what he's doing. I hope saving him from the execution was a blessing and not a curse instead; I know how harsh Azula can be, and I just hope she isn't taking advantage of him while he's so weak.
Ozai is gone for now, in another one of his stupid meetings. I don't know why he talks to me, I hate it when he talks to me. He's always so cryptic, and the way he rasps out each word deliberately, always keeping his eyes on me; it's frightening. The bastard wasn't satisfied with making me give him massages, feeding him, washing his hair, and keeping his room up, he had to make me suffer through one of his confusing lectures every day, too. I think he's really losing his mind, though. He tells me that he's afraid, the Firelord is afraid! And of something quite trivial, too. He doesn't want Azula or Zuko to take the throne. He doesn't think anybody's as good as him. Pft, figures.
I will reign over every part of this world, I assure you Waterbender. It is only a question of Azula's augmenting knowledge; I don't know how much she knows, and if she discovers that I don't have a mind to crown her as Firelord permanently, then she'll surely... That's right around where I stopped paying attention. He babbles on and on about this, and only this afternoon did I begin to wonder if it was because he was lonely that he told me all of this.
I snuggled deeper into the tassled chair sitting in a corner, my designated corner for the time being, and frowned. Could it really be that Ozai doesn't have anyone to talk to and is lonely? I don't know, but I really don't want to ask him. I don't want him to burn a hole through my chest or anything, he's also been very touchy of late. He's been acting like a big hormonal teenage boy, actually. Always rushing people to do this, that, or the other, and throwing hissy fits when he doesn't get his way. Granted those hissy fits are much more violent and involve a third party meeting their untimely demise, but the analogy still stands.
Reclining further on the golden chair, I stare at my trembling hands. That's all they are now, no longer channels through which my power may flow from my inner chakras, just...hands. Pale brown hands. Ashy brown hands. I really need a bath. I take one look at the scorched bathroom and sigh again. He has two bathrooms, but I wouldn't chance going to the one next door; if I get caught who knows what'll happen.
There is a slight knock at the door and I hesitantly get up to go answer it. I don't think Ozai would mind if I were to let in the maid or something. Only this isn't the maid, it's just a gaurd, a female one at that, and she's holding a child.
"Joey?" I ask, and the boy bobs his head up encouragingly. I smile, and grab at him, but the girl doesn't oblige. Hurt, I glare at her.
"And what do you think you're doing? He's with me, you know" I hiss. She steps into the room and closes the door behind her.
"So I heard. He's my baby brother." she says quietly. I gasp, and notice their similarity; surely she isn't "Ty Lee?" I ask incredulously. She manages a small smile.
"She must have been popular. No, I'm not Ty Lee; she's my sister" she says, finally letting me hold Joey. He struggles to get down and walk, and I lower him to the floor.
"I thought you all were killed? What happened? How did you survive?" I asked quietly. She shrugged. I was already in the palace, visiting my boyfriend. There was word that my family had been visited too; by an assassin. Raun J- I mean my boyfriend went to go and check on them, and as it turns out, there was nobody home. When he came back, I guess they'd done a public execution and things got out of hand, because my mom....I'm sorry. You get the picture, don't you?" she asked, stifling tears. I nodded, and she sniffed bitterly.
"Good thing I was babysitting this little guy, else he woulda' been a goner" she added softly. I sucked in a huge breath, not knowing what to say. She didn't seem to mind, and merely focused on coddling her brother on the floor. I kneeled to her height.
"Why are you here? How did you know I was with Joey?" I asked, perplexed. She stood again.
"Some guy by the name of Zuko told me. I hear he's pretty famous around here?" she said sarcastically. I smiled.
"He told me to let you see Joe-Joe. I can see you've gotten pretty close. Oh, and thanks, by the way. He told me, and I coulda' slapped him for it, that you made him take Joe-Joe with you when you escaped the first time. I appreciate that" she said. I smiled.
"It was the least I could do; he's a baby, I couldn't just leave him here." I added.
"As for the why, well, the Prince and I made a deal. I'll help you guys get out of here, if you take us with you" she explained.
"Us?" I asked. She motioned towards her brother. Oh, right, I guess I had just automatically figured he'd be going with us. She headed towards the door.
"Wait! You're leaving already? When will I see you again?" I asked. She smirked. "I'll be around. And I'll let you know the plan as soon as Zu and I come up with one. Oh, and by the way?" she started, her brown eyes serious.
"Yeah?" I asked her. She took my hand in her free one, carrying Joey in the other.
"Try not to let that bastard Ozai or Azula get to you. They're heartless animals, and when the time's right, it's already been decided on that we'll do away with them, once and for all." she intoned. I shivered and watched her go.
A few minutes after she'd gone Ozai came back, rather earlier than usual, wearing a knowing smirk. In his hand, behind his back, trailed a sturdy black whip.
A/N: Well, I'd like to see where this is going, how 'bout you? I don't think y'all will see this next part coming, as a little hint. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think. I don't think I meant to add another character, it just kinda' happened. Please forgive me!
Love,
LorraCorra