I am going to warn you about the rape that is about to happen in this chapter. Oh yes, it is what you have been waiting for but is not as uncomfortable as you would think. It will get wose, or better. I haven't decided yet.
Koori cringed as he stepped closer. Her fingers separated and the messenger hawk took off. Akira watched the bird fly away and he smiled. "I've been following you since you came back from Ember Island," he chuckled. His coy smile disappeared as he strutted even closer to her. He stopped when he was about two feet in front of her. "You aren't as bright as I thought you were; doing something like this while the palace is filled with Fire Nation soldiers," he tatted. He looked beyond her body, out to the hawk.
Koori's eyes glanced over to the messenger hawk that she had released. She watched helplessly as another hawk attacked hers. The attacking hawk grabbed the scroll and flew over to Akira. Her bird fell dazed and confused to the ground. Akira's hawk landed silently on his armored shoulder with her scroll lodged tightly in its beak. He tore off the seal and looked over the confusing jumble of symbols. His confused face told Koori everything. He couldn't understand it, she mused. He glanced at the girl and frowned.
"Well," he whispered, "It's a good thing I have been following you for a while." Another bird flew up to him and he patted it lightly on the beak. He pulled out the other scroll—the one she had sent mere minutes before. He placed the parchment with holes on top of the scroll. He read the note out loud, "They know about the Day of Black Sun. The Earth King told Azula everything. Attack before Sozin's Comet." When he was finished, he rolled up the pieces of parchment and shook his head. "This is treason, you know," he sighed. "People who are accused of treason die immediately, without trial."
He lunged for Koori and she jumped away from him. She pulled up her bright blue dress and barrel-rolled across the floor. She sprinted to the door. She bolted down the hall and turned three corners until she slowed down. Koori stopped to catch her breath. She grasped the wall close to her for support and listened intently as her heartbeat slowed down. She wanted to hear his footsteps; she needed to know where he was. Koori held her breath and listened to the uncomfortable silence. She closed her eyes and she felt a hand grab her extended arm and she jerked back.
Akira jumped backwards to block the punch of fire that Koori threw at him. He looked down at the scorch marks in front of him and hissed. "Trying to kill me, eh? That's another treasonous act, young lady."
He chased her down the hallway and lunged once more. He caught the edges of her blue dress and drug her to the floor. He clutched onto her hair and pulled her head towards him. Koori's hands found the roots to her hair and she clung onto them, hoping to alleviate the pain. He pulled her back and twisted his hand around in her hair. He pulled her from the ground and wrapped his free hand around her waist. Akira pulled her tight to his body. She could feel his hot, enraged breath against her face. "It may have taken me a while, but I finally have you," Akira whispered.
"When Prince Zuko sees that I am missing, he will come looking for me," Koori hissed. Akira pulled the young girl closer to him. His lips were only centimeters from her painted lips.
"I doubt the prince shows much interest in you other than in his nightly routine. You are easily replaceable, but very desirable." He smashed his lips against hers. She pulled back and released her hands from the base of her hair. She pounded on his chest but he didn't budge. He laughed when he pulled back and threw her face-first into the wall to his left. He smirked at the sound of her skull hitting the wooden paneling.
Koori fell to the ground, unconscious.
Akira kneeled beside her and pushed black strands of hair out of her face. He grinned at his catch. Her forehead had busted open, revealing a thick line of blood. He licked his finger and wiped off the blotches that had formed on her face. Akira rubbed her blood onto her dress and grabbed her forearm. He looked around and pulled Koori's body off of the floor. He placed her on his shoulder and kicked the paneling in front of him. The paneling slid backwards and Akira pulled it to the right. He entered the secret passageway and walked expertly to his quarters within the confines of the palace.
!
Koori woke up in chains. She looked herself over and found that her dress had been taken off. She was left chained up in her underclothes. She winced when a chain snagged her skin. She looked at the metal clasp around her wrist and shuddered. She pulled her arm to her face and she lost her footing. Her eyes immediately adjusted to the light and she stared at the odd contraption that she was chained in. She pulled her arm downward and the heel of her foot rose. She did the same with her other arm and the same happened. Koori growled and remained still. She looked around the room for any sign of life.
The room was dark. There were a couple of windows, but the blinds had been pulled closed and the little sunlight that there was came through the bottom inch of the windows. A few candles had been lit throughout the room. There was just enough light to see a mahogany desk with several large pieces of parchment scattered across it. One chair was pulled out from in front of the desk and was facing her. Her back shivered.
Light suddenly entered the room and Koori turned her head. Akira walked in, staring absently at a piece of paper while he walked slowly to his desk. He looked up and smiled as he threw the parchment onto his desk. "Oh, what to do," he mused. "I suppose that I should just torture you a little bit. Just for fun, of course."
Koori watched him untie the strings to his breastplate and shoulder pads. He lifted the armor off of his body and threw it across the room. It landed loudly and Koori jumped. He stood before her in his underclothes. He took off his shirt and threw it in another direction. Koori watched him intently as he grabbed some fire from a nearby candle and held it lightly in his palm. He grabbed a piece of parchment from his desk with his free hand. He held it up to her face.
"I'm just going to assume that Zhao taught you how to read. You were his prized possession, after all."
Koori read the paper quickly. It was about her brother in Ba Sing Se. It listed his address, his rank, his wife, his salary, and a detailed description of his characteristics. Koori held her breath. She wanted to listen to everything that Akira had to say while she figured out how to free herself from the contraption that she was trapped in.
"I found these in Zhao's desk." Koori looked into his eyes, confused. She had cleaned his desk every day that she had been by his side. She had never seen anything about her brother. "Each desk has a nice little hiding spot. They are all in the same spot; the only difference is the combination. Firebending has a nice way of getting you through all of that."
He pulled the parchment away from her and glanced over it. He pulled another one from the pile and read it aloud. "'She shows an increased skill in firebending. Her ability to heal has increased as well.'" He looked at Koori and showed her the paper. She read Zhao's handwriting hastily. The entire paper was about her firebending abilities and her progress through the years. It contained several dates; the first one was the day that Zhao met her and the last one was the day that he invaded the Northern Water Tribe.
"Here's the fun thing," Akira whispered. He threw the parchment onto the desk and pulled the chair in front of her. He pulled his left ankle onto his right knee and pulled his arms behind his head. He looked relaxed. Koori flinched as a chain caught her skin and pinched her. "I did some research about that first date that he has listed there," Akira said. "It turns out that Zhao was scheduled to raid a Fire Nation village of war sympathizers. He was ordered to kill all of its citizens. One question, though. Why didn't he kill you? Or your brother, for that matter?"
Koori watched Akira's hand reach over to the desk and grab another piece of parchment. This one was her wanted poster. He shook it in front of her. "I sent this out soon after I found out another little detail." Akira paused and reached for Koori's face. She pulled her head out of his grasp. He side-swiped her legs and she collapsed face-first into his lap. "That's better. You see," he said with a slight smirk, "you were the only one that was supposed to die that day." Koori pulled herself backwards. The chains got in her way and one managed to wrap itself around her neck. It pulled tighter around her neck as she struggled to get out of it. She looked to Akira for help but he merely smiled until she started to choke. He stood from his chair right before she was about to lose consciousness.
He unwrapped the chain from her neck and watched her struggle to breathe. Koori looked at him. Her face was filled with confusion and held a slight amount of fear.
She opened her mouth. She needed water to talk. He seemed to read her mind. He left the comfort of his chair and strutted across the room. He returned with a cup of water. He held it in front of Koori for her to see. He pulled the cup to his lips and took in a mouthful of water. He put his lips onto Koori's and she had no choice but to open her lips and take the water from his mouth. He pulled away from her when she swallowed. Dribbles of water fell out of the corners of her mouth. Akira watched the water evaporate quickly. Koori was subconsciously firebending.
"My initial question was, 'Why you?' What makes you so important?" Akira looked to the base of the chains at the other side of the wall. He stood from his chair and walked to the wall where the chains were bolted. Spare chain links dangled loosely down the wall. Akira loosened the chains which decreased the tension until Koori was able to lie on the floor. He returned to his chair. "It took some prodding, but the Fire Lord finally told me everything that I wanted to know. In confidence, of course."
Koori looked up at him. She made her eyes look pleading, like she needed to know everything that he was saying. The longer that he talked meant the more time that she wasn't being physically tortured.
"Apparently, when Princess Azula was born, a prophecy was delivered. It mentioned a girl with the ability to make colorful fire and another who was able to heal burns. The Fire Lord was told that the girl who would bend colorful fire would be his daughter and the girl who could heal was almost three and showing signs of her mystical ability. Unfortunately, that was all that the wicked old witch was able to give up. Prince Ozai had to figure out the rest by himself," he was sneering at this point. "He found you with the help of one of his most famous generals. General Jeong Jeong was quick to send back his report of the little girl with her beautiful ability. Funny, when I read the recon report, he seemed envious."
Koori remained still. Jeong Jeong, she thought. It's all coming together.
"There are a couple of letters here, too," Akira said with a slight yawn. He pulled his chair to his desk and held a couple of letters in front of his face. He read a couple of lines aloud. "'There is a young girl in the village that is showing significant signs of being able to firebend. I confronted this girl and asked her demonstrate her abilities. She scorched herself and her skin miraculously healed itself. I have never seen anything like it. There was no mark on her but she managed to feel the burn. She returned to playing with her friends soon after the incident. The division kept a close eye on her afterwards.' That letter is from Jeong Jeong to Ozai. Here is one that is even more special, though." He sifted through the letters and found the one that he was referencing.
"'Zhao, it has come to my attention that you are to destroy a Fire Nation village in order to eradicate the presence of a young girl who has an ability to firebend. This girl is special and she must be protected. Take her in and protect her.' It's signed by Jeong Jeong," Akira whispered. "It's a good thing he deserted the Fire Nation before anybody ever saw these. Zhao should have destroyed everything before he was killed."
Koori started to breath slowly when Akira stood up to toss the letter onto his desk. He turned to her and put his hand onto the bruise that had reopened. "It's sad that I had to damage your pretty face. Zhao always made sure never to harm it, I am sure that he would be very upset that I did." Akira smiled and reached for his covered genitals. He stroked himself and stood up. He grabbed Koori's face and roughly kissed her. "I am growing bored of our mindless chatting. It's time that I had some fun with you, traitor."
!
Zuko paced his room. It was almost midnight; Koori should have entered his room two hours ago. He opened his door and peered outside. The two guards at the edges of his door suddenly stood at full attention.
"May we help you with anything, Your Highness?" one asked.
"Have you seen her yet?" Zuko asked. The tone in his voice seemed desperate.
The guard shook his head. "I haven't seen her since your trip to Ember Island," he whispered. Zuko exited his room and closed his door with a loud slam. "Where in Agni is she?" he huffed. He walked down his hallway and exited his wing. Koori could only be at one of a couple of places. He would first check the harem wing and then he would probably have to go to his father. Maybe he had requested her. His stomach turned at the thought of his father and Koori together. He stopped walking and held his head. He had to continue walking, he had to make sure that she was safe.
He stalked the halls until he saw it—the double mahogany doors that led to his father's harem. He paused and glanced at the two guards who stood at its sides. They stood uncomfortably at attention, waiting stupidly for Zuko to say something. "Do you expect me to open it myself?" he barked.
The guards jumped and both opened the doors quickly. Zuko strutted through it and several women stopped their exercises to watch him. Most were naked and sprawled around the room in various positions. Zuko's face flushed at the sight. A lone woman started to walk up to him hastily.
"Prince Zuko," the Head Mistress said with a small smile. With a wave of her hand, all of the women quickly dispersed behind the several doors that lined the hallways to his left and right. Each door had a small placard on it. The concubine's names were inscribed with black ink. Zuko turned his head to the only woman left in the large room. The Head Mistress walked hesitantly up to him; she was wearing a light purple kimono that slid slowly around her bulky frame. "May I help you with something?"
Zuko was seething. "You know damn well why I came to this cesspool." The Head Mistress clenched her jaw and her lips pressed together tightly. She shook her head and forced an uncomfortable smile. "Where is Koori?"
The Head Mistress's face paled. "I assumed that she was with you. The girls told me that you both forged an uncommon bond during your vacation, Prince Zuko."
Zuko ran into her and pushed her into the wall. His fists wound around the fabric on her shoulders. He pulled the purple fabric tight until he could hear some of the seams pop. "Does it look like she is with me? Would I come to this place if she was?"
The Head Mistress smiled and lightly touched Zuko's clenched wrists. "I will send out a small search party to find her. It is a large palace; it may take a while to find her. Perhaps I can interest you in another one of your father's women to appease your appetite."
Zuko growled and let the woman go. He rubbed his hands together to get rid of the smell of the Head Mistress's perfume. He barged through the doors and stalked the hallways once more. He would find her himself, he promised.
!
Akira tightened the chains and Koori rose to her feet. Her arms hung limply from the contraption in front of her face. She tried to pull them down but her heels of her feet rose from the ground. She stood uncomfortably on her tiptoes until she let her arms rise. She could hear Akira snicker.
He stood behind her, watching her every move. Slowly, he walked toward her. Koori could hear the pads of his feet hit the wooden floor. She shivered when she felt his calloused hand on her back. Another hand wound around her front and grabbed at her covered breasts. She could feel the heat in his hand and the small fire that burned through the bindings on her chest. She felt the cold air on her exposed nipples. Her breath hitched when the fire burned her. She groaned and closed her eyes as she attempted to heal herself.
Akira pulled himself closer to her. His chest was firmly against her back. "I like things more when my women can fight back," he whispered. "Be a good little girl and do what I want, okay?"
Akira left her backside and Koori watched him pick through his desk. She noticed that he was only wearing his underwear. She could clearly see an erection. She shivered once more when he turned toward her with a gleaming iron key. He grabbed her foot and looked up at her. He kissed her stomach and smiled. "I will be a little nicer if you cooperate. Promise not to kick me and you will spend a comfortable evening beside me and not in this. Do you understand?" Koori slowly nodded her head. He looked down and unchained her left foot. She placed it solidly on the ground, knowing full well that it would be unwise to attack him while she was still chained in his contraption. "Good girl."
!
Zhao watched Zuko walk angrily through the hallways. He wanted to push Zuko in the right direction but he could do nothing to help the furious firebender. Zhao growled as Zuko made a wrong turn. "You're going the wrong fucking way!" Zhao shouted. "Akira has her, you fucking idiot!"
Zuko stopped walking and turned around; he would have to go to his father.
!
Akira finally unchained her right arm and Koori punched fire at his head. Akira dodged by ducking downward and he grabbed her around the waist. He wrapped his arms around the firebending healer and tossed her across the room. She landed a couple of feet from his bed. While she struggled to stand, Akira bolted across the room, grabbed her ebony hair and tilted her head backward. He kissed her violently and pushed her backwards a couple of more feet. The back of her knees hit the bed and she fell into it.
She could hear Akira's coarse laugh and she soon felt him against her. Koori punched fire in all directions. Akira managed to avoid it all and he caught her wrists. He pinned them to the mattress and crawled on top of her waist. He pinned her legs with his ankles—he was oddly hovering over her and straddling her. "This is the most fun that I have had in ages," Akira huffed out.
Koori gathered saliva and spit in his face. Akira growled and let go of one of Koori's wrists to wipe the spit off of his cheek. She punched him in the gut but his hardened abs took the blow and he didn't flinch. "If you keep spitting, you won't get any more water. I will drain your fucking body until you plead with me, you stupid bitch." Koori's lips tightened together. Akira let go of her other wrist and hastily jumped off of her legs. He flipped her over before Koori even knew what was happening.
He pushed her down onto the mattress with his bodyweight and Koori growled. She attempted to pull herself up and kick him in the groin. Akira laughed and forced her back down. She kicked her legs sporadically. Akira grabbed at her underwear and yanked them off. He clenched fist ended up holding pieces of ash as the lingerie burst into flames.
!
Zuko stopped at the entrance to his wing of the palace; his father's wing was further down the hall. He stood still in thought. Koori had mentioned something the last time that he saw her, but he couldn't remember what. He pushed his back against the hallway wall and slid down it with his head in his hands.
Zhao stood in front of the boy. "You really are stupid," Zhao whispered. "Koori went to send the Avatar a message. She went to the message tower." Zuko looked up. He seemed to look straight into Zhao's eyes. The spirit flinched and growled. "What are you doing sitting around?! Go find Koori! She is in trouble!"
Zuko continued to sit on the floor and stare into the distance. Zhao watched the Fire Prince angrily.
!
Koori whimpered when she felt his coarse hand against the curve of her back. She could visualize the memory of Zhao placing his hand on her back and burning her. Akira's hands wound around her smashed torso and he grabbed at her breasts. He squeezed her soft skin and pulled her onto her knees. Koori felt his manhood against her inner thigh. She shivered when she felt his hand inside her.
Akira mumbled when he felt how dry she was. He groaned when he threw her back onto the mattress. She felt his hand against her back to pin her down. "I am going to let you go, wench; just remember that I have your clothes—it would be foolish to leave without them, especially when you don't know where you are." Akira removed his hand from her back and she sat upright and jumped from the bed. Akira tackled her and threw her back onto the mattress. Koori moaned and rolled around on the sheets. Akira quickly returned to the mattress and flipped her onto her stomach. He pulled her onto her knees once more and pushed her head into the sheets. He rubbed a cream onto himself and threw the half-filled jar across the room. Koori heard it shatter against the wall.
He mounted her and she closed her eyes as his penis delved deep inside her. He moaned—Koori could sense that he had been imagining this day since their first encounter. His thrusts were slow at first, but they steadily increased. Koori grabbed the sheets below her and clutched onto them. She pulled her elbows under her body and she lifted her torso up. Akira grunted and greedily watched the outline of her breasts jiggle in the firelight.
Koori winced when she heard the slapping of his scrotum against her buttocks. She could feel him glide easily inside her with the aid of the cream that he used. She suddenly felt his curious fingers linger around her clitoris. He massaged it roughly which sent countless waves of uneasy pleasure through Koori.
She yelped when he stopped to slap her buttocks. He wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her legs into the air. He went deeper and deeper with each thrust. Koori's hands continued to clench onto the crimson sheets. She tried to imagine a different place; all that she could think of was the serene picture of staring into the sunset on the beach.
The picture disappeared when he flipped her over and mounted her again. His mouth found hers and he forced his tongue into her mouth as he pumped faster and faster. Koori punched his pectorals and he smiled between his kisses. He stopped momentarily and punched her in the stomach. All of the air in her lungs was pushed out and she gasped for breath when he once again reentered her and continued. Koori gulped for air to replenish her lungs.
She felt Akira's fingers against her clitoris once more and she groaned as his feather-light touches sent more waves through her body. Akira's pace quickened once more and he started to roughly fondle her clitoris. Koori's eyes closed tighter and tighter until she felt Akira slap her.
"You," he grunted, "will…look….at me." Koori glared at him in between his rough, forceful caresses. He groaned deeply and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he ejaculated. Koori winced and let out a small whimper; it felt like her insides were on fire. Akira withdrew himself and tossed himself onto the bed next to the struggling girl. He grabbed her and pulled her close. "Be a good girl and I won't tie you up and let my best men have a go at you."
Koori huffed and stopped moving. She knew that she would be able to escape while he was asleep. She would grab as many of Zhao's documents as she could, grab whatever clothes she could find and then escape through the closed windows.
Akira wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and his right hand cupped a breast. He inhaled deeply and kissed her shoulder blade. "I have waited for this for a long time, Koori. You were worth every second of it." He flicked his wrist and all of the candles around his room extinguished themselves. Koori stared at the wall in the darkness. She was determined to wait and escape.
He fell asleep hesitantly. The young healer waited until she knew that he entered a deep sleep. Koori wiggled carefully and slowly out of his grasp. She slowly lifted herself from the bed and stopped when she saw Akira move to get himself more comfortable. She tiptoed across the room and rummaged silently through his desk. She found the papers that she wanted and folded them tightly into her fist. She looked around the room and found the shirt that Akira tossed across the room earlier. She pulled the shirt over her head and tiptoed across the room to where the moonlight shone brightly through the wooden slats that covered the window. She hesitantly pulled the blinds up and looked to see Akira sleeping soundlessly. She pressed against the glass of the window.
This action would normally have popped the window open but it remained closed. Koori inspected the window and saw the decorative wooden bars that prevented the window from opening. She heard a small laugh and turned her head to see Akira watching. She could see him flick his wrist and a candle at his bedside table burst to life.
"It seems that you cannot escape as easily as you planned," he whispered. He stood from the bed and the moonlight from the open window shined down onto his naked body. Koori frowned and backed herself into the corner of the room. Akira strutted across the room and stopped at his desk. He pulled a drawer open and withdrew a flask. He threw his head back and took a deep swig. Koori licked her lips.
He turned to face her and smiled. "Come here; I will give you some if you put my papers back."
Koori clutched tighter onto the yellowing parchment. She stepped forward and glanced to her right. Akira watched her closely as she examined the door which would lead to the rest of the palace. He threw the flask at the door and the metal resounded loudly off of the wood. Koori crouched back into the corner and watched the alcohol poor out of the flask and onto the wooden floor.
"I believe that I told you 'come here,'" Akira growled. Koori stood slowly and crept silently to him. Koori dropped the parchment at his feet. Akira grinned and grabbed her shoulder. He lifted her up easily and threw her onto his bed. She remained still and soon felt him join her. He pulled her close and smelled her skin. "I could get used to this," he muttered.
What is Koori to do? Should she escape, or should Akira be the one to decide her fate? And why in Agni is Zhao following Zuko and not around his beloved concubine? I have the ending decided, but the stuff in between is still fuzzy and could use some reviewer suggestions. I am open for them, promise.
You may also get your name mentioned! Oh! I have cookies for people with good ideas too!
