A/N: Okay, I have good news and bad news: The good news is that you got this chapter. The bad news is that I had completely forgot what I was going to write to begin with. Long wait, plus I often forget the plot line of this story, I'm sorry. This isn't that bad, so I guess it's safe to say, Enjoy! Oh, I own nothing.
Katara's POV
I've just decided I don't like the whip-carrying-smirking-half-naked-sweaty Ozai anymore than the one that talked my ear off. He strode across the room and stood in front of me, still grinning. I definitely don't like the looks of this.
-
Earlier in the Palace
Ozai sat stock-still, wondering what the devil caused this girl to interrupt him in his meditation. Azula slowly approached him, hands behind her back.
"Father, there something that requires your immediate attention." she said diligently. Ozai shifted on the small burgundy carpeting, his downcast palms moistening.
"What is it?" he asks in a neutral voice, though. Azula gives no indication that she notices his wariness. The girl moves closer to her father, stepping out of the doorway and smirking triumphantly.
"Little Zuzu is trying to escape. He wants to take the WaterTribe harlot with him" she declared. Ozai barely restrained from rearing back and strangling his daughter; obviously he hadn't heard of sparing the messenger's life. Instead he inhaled deeply.
"Very well. You are dismissed, Azula." was all he said. Startled, Azula stared at him.
"You're going to let them go?" she asked incredulously. "You aren't going to stop them?" she pressed. Now she was severing his patience at a more rapid rate.
"I will deal with him accordingly. You are dismissed" he said once again. She pursed her lips, but exited all the same. Ozai stood in solitude.
"So the whelp plans to escape, hmm? If that girl is telling a lie, so help me Agni it'll be her last." he resolved. Crossing the room, he jerked open the closet and found several robes and slippers. Stepping into the right back corner of the dark closet he pulled out a chest and uncoiled a thick black rope.
"And if she isn't..."
Katara's POV
Don't tell me he's going to do what I think he is. Oh, La, please don't let him do that, I didn't do anything wrong this time! Did I? No, I didn't! I don't think, at least.
"What is that for?" I chanced a question. Maybe it wasn't even for me. But who else could it be for? Oh, just tell me, you bastard, so I can breathe already!
"You'll see" was all he said, though. I very nearly slapped him; okay, I wanted to real badly, that's for sure. He started to chuckle as I did a poor job of hiding my anger. Leaning down he stole a kiss and glanced towards the bed. He didn't need to say it, I don't have very long until he starts to prey on me in a different, more painful way. I'm genuinely surprised he's held out for this long. He's still a bastard.
"Did I do something wrong? Please, tell me, if I'm going to be beaten I'd like to know why" I said more firmly. He released me and burst into laughter. Laughing did something to his features, when he laughed or smiled he actually looked kind of...Bad Katara, for those thoughts you'll be mentally flogged I scolded. How could I think such traitorous thoughts?
I glared at him as he sobered with a smirk. "No one is going to beat you, little WaterBender. Not yet, at least. I don't think I can say the same for that pitiful boy you're smitten with" he said with disgust. I shuddered, in anger or fear, I don't know. Zuko! He's going to beat Zuko and make me watch like last time when he had him put on the rack!
Ozai must have seen the realization dawn in my eyes because it was at that moment he cocked his head and grabbed at my chin. "You understand now, don't you? Not so quick now, are you?" he whispered. I turned and clung to him.
"Please don't do this! He's still hurt, probably, what with all the pain he endured from the almost-execution. He wouldn't be able to handle it!" I cried. Ozai just looked at me. I tried again.
"What did he do?" I asked innocently enough. He shrugged me off of him, probably hating the fact that my nails were clawing their way into his pale chest.
"He's trying to escape. I plan to maim him, not kill him, Katara" he said as if that were any better. I choked out a sob that I didn't muffle in time and he sighed. His definition of maim is utterly skewed; In his condition, it'll be the same as murder for poor Zuko. I sank to the floor and cried out.
"I hate you, you know that?" I said through tears. He didn't seem fazed. "I could have guessed, but that is of little importance." He said. I glanced over at him, noticing how patient he was today. Damn, he must have been meditating today, not in a meeting. Or maybe he did both. I don't know, but I do know that it's almost impossible to get him to blow a fuse when he does his time in the quiet room. That doesn't mean he's any more lenient or nicer, though.
"I remember you said one time, when you were talking to me, that you weren't..." , I hoped upon hope that this would work. Seeing as I paid little attention to him when he did talk to me, just learned to stare at his goatee until he finished, I was quite impressed that I did remember this at all; probably all the adrenaline running through my body.
"...you weren't a monster. That you were just-" "Stop!" Ozai hissed, grabbing my shoulders. I froze, not expecting him to react so angrily. He shook me with each stressed syllable.
"How dare you throw my words back in my face! You stupid girl, you little wench, how dare you insinuate something like that?" he hissed out.
My heart pounded in my ears and I thought my ribs would break, how hard I was breathing. He tossed me aside and I saw the whip on the carpeted floor, wondering how bad he'd hurt me if I actually did grab that thing and slap him with it. He'd most likely kill me, no, make me rot in a cell for the rest of my life. I frowned and laughed bitterly. That wouldn't be anything compared to the maiming he'd inflict on Zuko, though. This bastard should die, so why do I not want him to? Maybe I just don't like death. No, that time I almost killed that soldier who'd murdered my mom, I'd wanted to do it so bad, but just couldn't. Maybe this is like the same thing. But if that's the case, then I shouldn't be hesitant to get rid of him, though, with all the direct pain he's caused me and Zuko, when the Southern Raider soldier hurt me indirectly, through my mother. This is too confusing; the sooner we get out of here, the better. Maybe then we won't have to kill anyone.
"Come here, WaterBender" Ozai seethed. I glanced up from my hands and the whip and saw his manicured feet. I didn't know the Firelord had his feet done regularly, but then, there's a lot of things I still don't know about him. Trailing upwards, I looked past his toned abdomen, rich with sweat, and saw he had his hair down again instead of in his topknot. That must mean he's about to do something physical, something violent. I shivered at his blank stare. I've been counting those stares, and so far he's given me eighteen of them. I'm too afraid to ask him what they mean again. Instead I stand up.
"Where are we going?" I asked calmly. He didn't move, just kept looking at me all crazy like, with no expression, and then something inside him just snapped, and he's back to his normal, blazing eyed self. He chuckles a little.
"To see my son." he said as he pulled open the door. I pretended to remain unfazed.
"Oh. Okay" I said coolly, and he looked back and gave me a funny look. I noticed something he had said earlier, and was suddenly full of questions.
"How come you still call Zuko your son when you torture him so bad?" I asked carefully. He didn't miss a step, but sighed and was human and so damn confusing again when he mumbled.
"Because as much of a failure as he is, as devoid of any potential as he is, he is still my son, and I can't deny nor ignore that." he said. I mulled this over, becoming more and more uncomfortable.
"Why did you tell me not to throw your words back in your face, I mean, why did you tell me all that personal stuff in the first place if you didn't want to hear it again?" I asked, and only now did he completely stop. We were standing near a flight of stairs, and only when this fact register in my brain did I hit the back of my head on a rough corner of the wall on my way down. So I know I didn't expect him to throw me down a flight of stairs, but it was only a question. I tried to get up but fell sprawled on my side instead. Ozai's hair feathered my cheek as he whispered in a shaky voice I almost dared to call frightened, keyword being almost.
"Because when you say it back to me it makes it seem all the more real." he drew a breath and let the rope fall out. I finally pulled myself to my feet and nearly fainted when he launched himself at his Father, growling all the while.
Earlier In Azula's Quarters
"Zuko, you know we have to move quickly; do you understand the plan?" Azula asked her older brother. Unbeknownst of her treachery by Zuko, he nodded simply.
"I understand. Now, are you sure you want to go through Father's Chambers? He might not trust you if what you said of him acting suspicious towards you earlier is true. I think we should go through the holding cells, that way we won't be seen" he suggested. He doesn't know of her eventual betrayal.
He doesn't know that she lied; he didn't see the set up with the obvious fear-mongering technique; she only lied and told him that Ozai had been acting suspicious because she knew how wary he was of coming into contact with his Father again. She knew he would take up the route through the cells, where their Father would be waiting.
Katara's POV
See, Katara? See what happens when you ask stupid questions? And I promised myself I wouldn't do that with him again, let my guard down, but he tricks me so bad, the snake! I twisted my wrists so they wouldn't chafe against the heavy manacles and glared at the ground. I couldn't chance another look towards Zuko, so I wiggled my toes in the soft black powdery soot instead. Zuko was irate beside me.
"I should never have trusted her! I'm so sorry, Katara!" he lamented. I didn't want to hear it. I'm tired of his apologies, I want to get out of here. Every time we try, though, something else goes wrong. I finally turned to him and sighed. His hair was strewn all over his head and his eyes weary. I really was glad to see him again, just not like this. He misinterpreted my silence.
"I know this is all my fault, but please, I didn't know that she'd betray me, I swear" he swore. I placed a hand on his shoulder and scooted next to him.
"Zuko, who are you talking about? Who betrayed you? Was it Ty Lee's sister?" I asked nervously. He shook his head vigorously.
"No, it was Azula. She said she'd help us escape, but she led me right to Ozai. Apparently they were both in on this." He frowned, stretching out his legs. I hooked an arm around his waist and tried not to scream.
"You trusted Azula?" I said through clenched teeth. He winced and nodded, still.
"Yeah. She told me she wasn't lying, but Katara, you should have seen her: she was so very convincing. She's too good of a liar. She actually made me believe she had wanted to help so she could get rid of us to get the crown. Don't worry, though, I won't ever trust her with anyone's lives again." he vowed. I was quiet awhile, then started.
"Ozai doesn't know about Joey and his sister, does he?" I asked. Zuko chuckled,
"No, they're safe for the time being." he mentioned. I understood his wording perfectly; they'd have to get out soon to remain that way.
"Zuko, I know what you mean, though. About Azula; Ozai's been acting weird, too. He's been talking to me a lot about all kinds of strange things. I wouldn't put insanity past him, because his moods toss and turn like a restless sea; I think he's lonely or something. Has he always been like that?" I asked, grateful that I could share the information with someone else. Zuko looked as if I'd grown another arm, or six.
"He talks to you? What does he say?" he pressed. I shrugged.
"Oh, just crazy stuff, like he's afraid that Azula might find out that he doesn't plan on giving her the throne because apparently he doesn't think anyone's as good a ruler as he is. And he says that he isn't a monster, he's just confused sometimes. He's completely losing his mind" I said empathetically. Zuko looked as if he could care less.
"He's probably saying all that to trip you up; he couldn't possibly feel that way. He's a greedy monster, all he cares about is power, nothing else. He deserves to be alone." he spat bitterly. I couldn't believe he was talking this way, but he's been through a lot. Still, though, what if Ozai is just confused?
"Katara, we have to kill him before he kills us. You do still have your bending, don't you?" he asked. Before I could answer, Ozai started to laugh.
A/N: Okay, you know the drill. Reviews=quick updates, so get to it!...please?