Chapter Eleven: Unwanted Rescuer
Katara took a deep breath as they neared the doors to the throne room. Zuko glanced at her anxiously, but stayed quiet due to the guards.
"We're here Lady Katara." He said calmly.
"You two can go back to your duties." A guard snapped.
"Our duties are to Lady Katara." Smellerbee stated. "Fire Lord Ozai told us we are to do what she says."
"That's right." Katara cut in. "If you have a problem with that, take it up with the Fire Lord. I'd like you to wait here with the guards until I come out." she nodded to Zuko and Smellerbee.
She took a deep breath and stepped inside. Ozai stood and waved her forward. She held her head high and ignored the whispers of the men. She took the seat offered to her and glanced around the table. She notice a few wearing a white lotus pinned discretely on their clothing and felt some of her stress evaporate.
"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my future wife." Ozai smirked as there were a few annoyed and surprised gasps.
"But, my lord, she's a savage from the water tribe." One man broke out.
"I assure you, she is royalty in her lands." He narrowed his eyes.
"She may be royalty, but she doesn't know anything about being civilized!" another spat.
Ozai went to respond, but stopped as he felt a hand on his arm. "I assure you sir, I know more about manners than you." she stated coolly. "If you had manners, you'd have bowed in the presence of a lady, no matter what nationality."
The men around the table sat in shock. "Well said, my dear."
"My Lord?" a man stood and bowed. "Might I ask how you came upon such an exotic bride?"
"Certainly," he smiled. "I met her years ago when we attacked the Southern Water Tribe. The stories of them living in igloos was a lie..."
"Not anymore it's not." she stated.
"Yes well, it wasn't when my father invaded it. It is now. We killed all their water benders but this one." he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I forced her to watch as my father burned her mother alive. She is the one who found the avatar and taught him water bending. She was his teacher until Ba Sing Se where she grew tired of her group and they replaced her. She came to me for a ... new life."
The men around the table were in shock. She rolled her eyes. "Do they always look like fish?" she smirked as they snapped their mouths shut.
"But... my lord, what will the rest of the nation say to this?" another man asked warily.
Katara interrupted. "You know, it's closed minded men like you that suppress your nation. It's the reason the other nations hate you. In my travels, I have helped many Fire Nation men and women, along with the Earth kingdom."
"What would you know if our nation is suppressed!" the same man snapped.
"I have seen the parts of your nation that you avoid. People are starving. Nobles are collecting young children to use as call girls. And when I say young I mean five years of age. Other nobles are stealing from their own or killing to get what they want. I even got to watch a good friend of my be poisoned to near death because he was a fire bender." She said dangerously.
"Calm yourself." Ozai smiled as he looked around at the scolded men. "Do you see why I enjoy her company? She knows what needs to be fixed and she's not afraid to state it. But, I realized today that she is in need of entertainment. The only people her age in the palace are servants from the colonies."
"If my lord pleases, my daughter Mai..."
"Mai with the knives?" Katara asked coolly. "I've healed her recently. We do not get along. She attempted to take my life before. Several times to be exact."
"What?" Ozai and Mai's father stared at her.
"You're lying. My daughter would never..."
"I am not lying and you would do well not to accuse me of it again." she said pulling her sleeve up to show a scar from one of Mai knives. She was grateful she never healed it completely. "This was from before Ba Sing Se. I have others, but it's not proper to show them."
Ozai snapped his head the the man. "Your daughter will come to the palace immediately." he ordered.
"Oh, none of that." Katara waved off. "The girl needs her rest. And she was only doing what Azula told her to. If anyone needs punished it's her." She turned to the man. "When Lady Mai feels better have her come see me."
"I have a daughter that could teach her more about our traditions." A man smiled weakly.
Katara grew bored after awhile. She would catch the men from the white lotus twitch nervously every time she interrupted the fire lord or show a small smile as she berated some of the other men. Finally, he allowed her to return to her room while they talked about other important business.
After Katara walked into the throne room, it took everything in Zuko's power not to burn the two guards where they stood.
"Imagine if he actually weds that unsightly woman." one snickered.
"I hope he doesn't plan on having children with her." the other whined.
"No, he'll probably just use her for a play thing. And when he gets tired of her maybe he'll give her to his men." the first one smiled. "Granted, I'd have to bathe in boiling water so I don't catch anything."
Zuko felt Smellerbee grab his arm. He hadn't realized it, but he had been inching forward to punch them. He was saved as the doors opened twenty minutes later to show Katara glaring.
"Do you have no manners?" she snapped at the guards.
They gave a mock bow. "We apologize, m'lady. How ungrateful of us not to bow to such a pretend noblewoman."
"Oh, is that so." She crossed her arms. "I'll have your names now. I remind you, if you lie I won't hesitate to walk back in there and get Fire Lord Ozai."
Both men stood up straight. "I am Shan and this is Kane. Shall we escort you back to your quarters?"
Zuko allowed a little smirk. "If it pleases the lady, I can go and find their superior as you go back to your quarters."
Both men glared at him. "Yes. Li meet me back at my quarters with his superior. Let's move."
In the middle of the night, Azula crept to the water bender's quarters. She heard a disgruntled guard whining about the girl and heard where she was staying. She planned on paying her back, but she stopped and hid in the shadows as she saw a boy sneaking around the hallway.
'So the wench has a man sneaking to her quarters at night.' she smiled to herself. She crept closer to get a better look.
The boy knocked out the guards and picked the locks. She raised an eyebrow and wondered if this was a lover or an assassin. She edged up to the door and peeked in. The boy was staring down at the sleeping form in the bed.
"Katara?" he whispered. "Katara..." He reached out to touch her and she attacked him knocking him to the ground.
"J-jet?" she said shakily. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I came to rescue you." He stood up grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the door.
Azula stepped back into the shadows to avoid being seen as he managed to get her out of the room. She smirked as she saw the girl fight to stay where she was.
"What did you do to my guards!" She snapped. "Did you kill them?"
He sighed and grabbed her shoulders to turn her away. "No. I just knocked them out. I gotta get you out of here."
"I don't want to get out of here you idiot! Put me down!" She shouted.
Azula flinched as she watched him smack her across the face. "They have you brain washed. Don't worry we'll figure out how to break it."
Katara shook the spots out of her eyes from the smack. "No they didn't. Let me go!" she shrieked as he lifted her over his shoulder. "Put me down! You have no idea what you're doing you idiot! The Fire Lord will kill you!"
Azula was about to step in when she heard footsteps echoing down the hall. "Put her down!" a familiar voice called. She snapped her head towards who she thought was her brother, but found a darker skinned boy charging them.
Jet dropped Katara to the floor as he turned to fight off the oncoming group. Azula was surprised to see they were all servants coming to aide the water bender.
'Figures. Peasants stick together.' She sneered to herself.
"I'll kill you all if I have to." Jet bellowed. "Katara is coming with me. She's not marrying some disgusting fire bender!"
Katara stood up and leaned heavily on her right leg. "Just leave Jet." she said through gritted teeth.
He spun to stare at her. "No! You can't stay here. They're fire nation! You can't marr..."
The sound of a fist meeting skin was heard throughout the hall, followed by a thud as his body hit the floor. "Take him to the dungeons." Katara ordered.
Ozai stepped out of the shadows. "Hold on." he demanded. "Princess Katara, are you alright?"
"Twisted my ankle when he dropped me, but I'm fine." she flinched. "Don't kill him. He used to be an old friend of mine. He's just confused. The Dai Li addled his brain."
"Very well." he frowned. "But he will be in a maximum security cell."
"That's fine." She said stepping forward and nearly falling. "You should show them which cell you want him in. Just... don't hurt him. He might be crazy now, but I know I can heal it someday. And he'd be good practice."
Ozai nodded. "Li, take Princess Katara into her quarters and stay there till morning. You were the one to respond first."
Zuko rushed forward and stood awkwardly. "Should I carry you m'lady?"
"Yes please, Li. I think it's swelling more than I thought." she sighed.
He picked her up and walked slowly back toward the room as Ozai walked the other way with the two servants dragging the unconscious freedom fighter. As they neared Azula's hiding space, Katara had him stop.
"Azula, if your father catches you out of your room you know what'll happen." she said staring into the shadows.
Zuko frowned as he stared at the spot she was talking to. How can she see anything in the dark. His grip tightened on Katara as his sister stepped out angrily.
"And are you going to tattle on me, wench?" she spat.
Katara rolled her eyes. "Please, you'll get yourself in trouble. I know you were headed toward my room before Jet showed up and you stood by and watched. Go back to your room Princess." she sneered.
"I won't be bossed around by a worthless little peasant!" she snapped but paled as she heard the familiar footsteps of her father.
"Next time wench." She disappeared into the shadows.
Zuko sighed in relief as he reached her room and locked the door. "You have a way of pissing people off." he smirked as he went to sit her down.
"No, take me to the bathroom so I can soak my leg." she yawned. "I'll heal it in the morning I guess."
He nodded and carried her to the bathroom. "So, how did you see her standing there?"
Katara opened an eye. "What do you mean? Anyone could have seen her."
"I didn't, and I doubt anyone else did either." he corrected.
"Maybe it's because I'm a night person. I see better at night." she yawned again. "But these last two nights I've been sleeping earlier. How did you know I was in trouble?" she asked as she wrapped ice around her ankle.
He blushed. "I've been keeping an eye on your door since you pissed off those guards. Some of the others heard a few of them talking about doing... dishonorable things to you."
"That's..."
"Which guards?" came Ozai's voice from in the bedroom.
Katara paled and had Zuko lift her out of the tub. He carried her out to her bed and tucked her in, making sure to leave her injured leg out.
"There you are my lady." Zuko bowed.
"Thank you Li." She smiled. "Fire Lord Ozai? What are you doing here?"
"I only came to make sure this boy didn't try anything with my future wife." he stated.
Zuko cringed. "No sir, I know my place."
"Don't scare him!" she snapped. "He's a good friend. And I want him to be one of my guards from now on. I want him to go everywhere with me. At least he has not intentions of hurting me."
"Yes, which guards were planning..."
"I don't know, sir. I haven't gotten to know many. There are a few I know that could give me names." he replied. He was amazed that his father still hadn't figure out it was him. Azula, he could understand, she was stuck on his scar. She'd get enjoyment out of pointing it out to him.
"Very well." Ozai frowned. "From now on, I want you by her side at all times. I can trust you to stay in here?"
"Yes, Fire Lord Ozai, you can trust him." Katara snapped. "He could sleep in the same bed as me and I'd have nothing to worry about."
"She reminds me of my sister, sir. I could never have... well you know." Zuko smiled shyly.
'Ouch. That hurt.' Katara thought. "Now, get out. I'm tired and cranky. If I'm going to heal my ankle in the morning I need energy."
Zuko watched in amazement as his father turned and left. "I've lost count of how many times..." He stopped as he saw Katara getting out of bed and hobbling to the bathroom. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, brother." she growled.
"What? Are you mad at me? I had to say something." he defended. "And how is it he doesn't recognize me?"
She glanced at him in confusion. "Why do you think? He's losing his mind you fool. It's Mai you have to worry about. She'll be coming for a visit soon. You're just lucky your skin got darker since we've been running around outside so much. That probably helps."
He watched as she healed her ankle and walked back to bed. "Goodnight, brother."