I decided to write this chapter in first person because I thought that it would turn out better (plus, it was easier to write for some strange reason). Tell me if you like the POV change.
Happy reading! Please review!
When I woke up, I could smell it; it was the sickeningly sweet smell of sex. I crinkled my nose and opened my eyes to stare at the drab ceiling and think about what had just transpired. He called for me to return to his bed three times in the night; what did I just do? Tears decided to prickle my eyes and I closed them and let the tears go. I clutched my blanket and rubbed my eyes, but I knew that my makeup would let the Head Mistress know that I was crying; the blotches would surely give me away.
I lifted my legs off of the mattress and slid them over to the side of the bed; my feet hit the floor and I heard a strange sizzle. I was firebending? When I looked down, I saw that my feet were unusually red, but they were cooling down. I rolled my eyes, but the pictures of the Fire Lord's naked body plagued my thoughts. I shuddered.
"Pleasant evening?" Zhao asked. I looked up and glared at him, but quickly turned away once I thought about how hurt he must have felt when I left my room three more times during the night.
While my feet cooled down, I laid the top half of my body down on the bed. I covered my eyes with my hands and watched my memories flash before me.
"Welcome to the Fire Nation," he said with a hint of lust in his voice. He gave a crude smile and walked toward me. I was looking at his torso; I wanted to be as respectful as possible. As I watched the gold on his robes glitter, he walked to another room. I waited; should I follow him or continue to sit here?
The respectful answer was to wait, but my heart rate had skyrocketed and I wasn't thinking clearly; oh, how I wanted this to be over. I stood from the bed and the lingerie that covered my frame shifted and folded under my new position. The silk fabric felt nice and cool against my skin, but I feared that my firebending would burn the poor clothes off. I was so nervous and I stumbled over my feet as I scampered to the doorway. That's when he returned, wearing nothing but leggings. I tripped, but he caught me before I hit the floor. He was over me, clutching my shoulder blade with his left hand and side with his right hand. The position reminded me of a picture of somebody dancing. His beard tickled my skin, but I couldn't laugh or giggle; I was petrified.
He smiled at me, but my gaze was filled with horror. "What is your name?" he asked.
My name? What was my name? I couldn't remember and we were in such an awkward position that I could barely breathe. He released my side and I tried to remain stiff as he reached under my knee and pulled me up. I attempted to compel my arms to grasp the back of his neck, but they wouldn't move. Suddenly, once my skin hit the soft silk of his covers, I remembered my name. He sat down beside me.
"My name is Koori," I whispered. He nodded and smiled again. He cupped my chin and tilted my head up. I was looking at the large Fire Nation insignia on the side of the wall.
He clicked his tongue. I looked at him for a second because he had made such a strange and unusual noise that I caught his eyes. The golden orbs looked so peaceful for somebody so evil. His soft hands caressed my face and he leaned in. He kissed me and then drew away. I thought about the kiss; it wasn't a peck, and it definitely wasn't a true kiss. It was almost like it was a taste…
"There is no reason to be afraid," he said. "I am not that dreadful." He smiled again and for some reason, I felt more comfortable. He leaned his back against the headboard and pulled his feet up onto the bed beside me. His muscles flexed appropriately as he made himself comfortable. "So," he said once he put his hands behind his head, "tell me about yourself."
I pursed my lips. Anything that I told him would be a lie; I couldn't tell him that I was the concubine of Admiral Zhao or that I spent the last couple of weeks living in the Northern Water Tribe and Ba Sing Se. I definitely couldn't mention my abilities. I didn't want to die this early in my life. I closed my eyes and imagined a fake girl with a happier life in Ba Sing Se.
"I was born in the upper ranks of Ba Sing Se to a wealthy merchant," I said slowly. I thought about their names. I could keep my parents' names, right? No, their names would give away their Fire Nation and Water Tribe origins. I skipped their names completely and gave a half-smile. "I was living my life as a maid to the Earth King."
He seemed intrigued. "Did you ever overhear anything while in the Earth King's apartments?"
I looked at him, puzzled at first. I was trying to establish what he was getting at. Did he really expect me to reveal the Earth Kingdoms' secrets? I thought about a good lie in my head and smiled so big in my brain that I thought I was actually going to smile by accident.
"They were planning to use the Avatar to barge into your chambers and kill you in your sleep," I said.
He chuckled and it made my skin crawl. "That would be hard to do now," he said.
"Why?" I asked.
He looked at me like I was an invalid. "My daughter said that we were passed out for a while. I guess that nobody would have told you, either," he said with a smile. The mention of his daughter gave me goose bumps. She was the reason why I was here. "Prince Zuko killed the Avatar himself."
I stopped breathing. He was lying; he had to have been lying. Aang couldn't be dead, no, not Aang. I mean, I thought that he looked dead in the catacombs, but he couldn't have been. "When?" I asked with what little oxygen I had left.
The Fire Lord leaned forward and grabbed my chin again. "Why," he whispered, "during the raid you were captured in." He gave me another kiss, but it lasted longer than the first one. He drew back once more and got comfortable.
I decided to take this opportunity to ask him some questions. "What about your life, Fire Lord?" I asked. He seemed to laugh and I knew that he wasn't going to lie to me for some reason.
"I lived a very privileged life," he answered. "I was a prince, after all." He seemed bored and I leaned over him playfully. I had to keep him interested in me because I knew he had plenty of other women to take my place.
"But, my Lord, life could not have been so eternally perfect," I said. I hoped that I was being as respectful as possible. "Surely, you had to have had some hardships."
He glared at me and I knew that I crossed a line. "My life has always been perfect."
I dropped the subject quickly. He could have me killed if he didn't like me. "Tell me about your children, then," I said.
He nodded. "Azula, my second-born is my prodigal child. She is a master firebender and a perfect child. She, of course, is my favorite. Zuko," he thought for a few moments. "He is his mother's son."
I giggled for some strange reason. I didn't know why I was laughing, but I could assume it was because he had insulted Zuko. I feel differently about Zuko since he decided to betray Iroh and me. I thought…well, I don't know what I thought, but I guess that he didn't feel the same thing.
"We have had a nice conversation, perhaps it is time you performed your duties," he smiled. I shuddered, and I hoped that he didn't see my skin try to crawl off of my bones as I leaned toward him and nestled my lips onto his own. "No kissing," he murmured. I nodded and proceeded to slip out of my robe. He slid his pants off and stopped me from undressing. He was kneeling on the bed, in his underwear and staring at the skimpy clothes that I was wearing. He grasped the back of my neck and I let my head fall slowly to the bed below us. I laid there and he stared at me like he was going to devour me. I waited as he quickly took off his underwear, revealing his erection. I watched as his quick fingers pinched the fabric of my lingerie and burned them off.
"Daydreaming?" Zaho asked.
I uncovered my eyes and threw my grey pillow at him. I wasn't going to hit him because of his spiritual form, but I knew that it would make me feel good. I got out of bed and grabbed for the doorknob. I turned it, but it wouldn't budge. A part of me panicked because I was locked in this god-forsaken room reeking of sex and wearing nothing but…what in Agni was I wearing?
I looked down at the fabric. It was a glossy, red material, but not too showy. I rubbed it between two of my fingers and finally realized that it was the shirt to the leggings that the Fire Lord had worn. My knees felt weak and I fell onto the floor, shivering violently.
When did I acquire this material? I thought hard. The first time that I was there was when we were on the bed; the second was in the bath for some strange reason; the third was in his living quarters and the last time that I was there…what happened? I mean, he called on me three times, I know that; I was extremely pissed off for all three "wake-ups" because I had just fallen asleep. Ah, now I remember, the Fire Lord was changing when I was brought in and we managed to make a nest in the closet out of his robes.
Wow, I guess that nobody really knows the Fire Lord unless they are his concubine. I mean, bed, bath, couch, closet…that sounds like the name of a store or something.
"I guess that now is not the best time to tell you that there is a present for you coming down the hallway as I speak. I suppose that you did a good job last night," Zhao muttered.
I looked at him, clueless. A gift? What was it? Before I could ask, Master disappeared and the door clicked. I stood up quickly, adjusted myself and watched the door open. The Head Mistress walked in, smiling and carrying a neatly wrapped package.
I promise to update sometime this week. I didn't realize how long it was until somebody reviewed me last week. :)
