The door opens and out steps a man. I recognize his uniform from when I was taken, he stood by and watched. He was some kind of admiral or something, I think. "I can't believe we're still wasting time and resources on you. We all know where the avatar is headed next; the damn Northern water tribe. You- you're just a waste of space." He says to me with a look of disgust on his face. "I wonder why the 'prince' is even keeping you around anymore," he leers at me and then steps forward. I don't back down from him and his harsh words, I stand still with my head held high and stare him straight in the eyes. He stares me up and down and grabs my face; I can smell the alcohol on his breath. "Well I do have to admit you've got a pretty face. If you're not giving Zuko answers, I wonder, what else are you giving him, hm?" I can't help it, I begin to blush thinking about my kisses with the exiled prince. I couldn't explain it; something about him drew me closer, even though I know that I should stay away. I can see the sadness that he tries to hide behind his tough guy façade. I feel like we're kindred souls or something. "I give Zuko nothing, I will never betray Aang, no matter what you do to me," I say, glaring back at him. Good, Katara, use the anger; don't let him get in your head. I'm so angry that he could even imply that I'm only here to "satisfy" Zuko. Well he's not exactly wrong about something happening between us though…but still he doesn't need to know that. Something in me says that it would not be good if he knew anything about the kisses Zuko and I have shared. "Oh, honey, you won't be saying that once my men get weary. You know that we can go for months sailing through the waters following lead after lead to find your precious avatar? Most of my men haven't seen a woman for months. If I were you I would be more careful with that mouth of yours, because the only thing separating you from them is a door and a key, a key that could be 'accidentally' be left outside that door," he says, sliding his hand down my face to my neck. He pauses there, looks me in the face and just when I think he's going to continue, the door behind him opens. "What're you doing?! Get your hands off her!" I hear Zuko yell as he steps into the room. "Relax, little prince, your water tribe girl is unharmed-for now," sneers the vile admiral as he lowers his hand and steps back from me. "What are you doing here Zhao? How did you get the keys?" asks Zuko tensely as he takes a careful step towards the intoxicated man. Thank god he's here. "Let's just say some people should be more careful with the people they allow access into their rooms," says Zhao, without even looking at the young prince. "Wouldn't want just anyone having access to the cells…to this little one," Zhao sneers as he raises his hand to once again touch me. "If you touch her it will be the last time you have hands," I hear Zuko say calmly, too calmly considering the words that just escaped from his mouth. What? Throughout this whole exchange I never once looked at Zuko. I prepare myself and look up into his dark amber eyes. I can't tell if it's because of the lighting in the room or because of the anger that is obviously radiating from him, but his eyes are nearly completely black. And they have me completely mesmerized. I look him up and down, notice that he's not clothed in his usual fire nation uniform, he's wearing red pants and his black and red shirt is still unbuttoned, as if he were in a hurry to get here, to get to me. His black hair is slightly disheveled and his hands are clenched at his sides. He's beautiful. Honestly until this moment I had never thought I would be happy to see this beautiful scarred prince. "You don't scare me, boy," Zhao says as he continues to reach his hand towards me, and I hold my place. Although I do not want to feel his cold hands on me again I will be strong, I will not show them any weakness. But before I can feel his hands touch me again Zuko storms him and has him flat on his back in seconds. I have heard that Zhao is a master firebender, one of the best. I accredit Zuko's easy dismissal of him to Zhao's obvious intoxication, however something inside of me stirs at Zuko's protectiveness of me. Of course he's being protective of you, he needs the information you know about Aang. Don't for one minute think that he actually cares for you. Just hold out until Aang and Sokka come for you. I hold my breath as I watch the two men struggle on the ground. Zuko of course has the upper hand, seeing as he was the one to knock Zhao to the ground. I cringe as I hear the sound of his fist connect with the older man's face. Although he was taken surprise by the prince's attack Zhao is anything but a pushover. Once the initial shock wears off on him he attacks Zuko with just as much ferocity. I stand there frozen as I watch the two men struggle on the ground. They toss and turn as they struggle, I nearly cry out as I watch Zhao punch Zuko really hard in the face. "Stop!" I hear the word and feel it leave my mouth before I even know it had escaped me. Suddenly the door opens and in run two guards and an older man. I have no idea who the guards are, but I would recognize the older man anywhere. General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, arguably the best firebender to have ever lived. I've heard enough tales about this older man to know to not take him lightly, even if he is retired. It is said that he killed the last remaining dragon with his own bare hands, and that he himself can breath fire. He is definitely not someone to be messed with. When they enter Zuko was somehow on top of Zhao and preparing to punch him yet again. "Zuko! That's enough!" Iroh yells at his nephew upon entering the room. And to my surprise Zuko let's go of Zhao. Zhao slumps to the ground, obviously passed out, whether from the alcohol or the fight I'm not sure. The scarred man stands up and immediately heads straight for me. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" he demands as he steps up to the bars separating us and raises a hand to my cheek. It all happens so fast I don't even try to stop my automatic response to his warm hand on my cheek. I lean into his slightly calloused shaking hand and breathe a sigh of relief. He's okay. "I'm fine. He barely touched me," I say quietly as I stare at him in wonder. "He will never touch you again," he tells me menacingly while he lets his hand drop down from my face, back to his side. I ache from the loss of his skin on mine. I look at his face and see that his eyes have softened a bit, and that his body language has softened more, I check him over for any wounds, I feel my stomach clench at the sight of the blood on his fists. He needs to bandage that soon. I look back at his face and see him staring at me with a strange expression on his face. There's a strange atmosphere between us both. His amber eyes with swirls of black have me trapped, and for some reason I can't stop staring at him. It isn't until I hear the door behind us open and close that I realize that I have spent so much time staring at the young prince that I seemingly had forgotten that we are not alone in the room. The moment between us broken, I look behind Zuko to see that the only person remaining in the room with us is Zuko's uncle, Iroh. "No matter what that man did, violence is not the answer Zuko," says the older man quietly. "In this particular case violence was called for. He's a drunken bastard that had his hands all over Katara. No one is allowed to touch her," when I hear my name leave his lips I look up at him again and see that he hasn't stopped looking at me the entire time. He called me Katara, not water tribe girl, or just even girl, just Katara. My stupid heart fluttered at the sound of my name leaving his soft lips, lips that taste like the sweetest fruit, lips that once caressed my own. Okay focus Katara. "It's not safe here for her anymore, from now on she will stay in my quarters." Wait. What? There's no way in hell that I will be staying in his quarters. No freaking way. "That really isn't neces-" I begin, but am rudely cut off by Zuko. "It is, and you have no say in this. You will be staying with me from now on," and with that the moody prince stormed off, leaving me with the retired General. Iroh is a short man with a rounded belly and a greying beard that reaches down to his chest. Looking at him, as he is right now no one could guess that he was this legendary dragon slayer and the only man to breach through the walls of the great city Ba Sing Se. When I see him I just see a tired old man tied down to his moody nephew. "Although I do not agree with the way my nephew has gone about everything, I must agree with him on you staying in his quarters. Most of the men here aren't trustworthy. It would be in your best interest to stay with him. I'm sure he'll be back soon to collect you," he says as he turns to leave through the door, just as I'm about to breath a sigh of relief at the thought of me alone again he stops, hand on the door. "Remember, even though the walls seem high and impenetrable, even the most guarded fortress may be broken down by a well thrown stone. Tread carefully my dear, and do not lose hope, for you have a destiny to fulfill." And with those last words he left me alone to ponder the meaning of those cryptic words.