CHAPTER RATING: M (Language, Sexually EXPLICIT Situations, Sexually EXPLICIT Dialogue)
A/N: Special Thanks these beloved readers and reviewers:
Malevolent Dark Reflection (Thank you for your awesome thoughts, at this time, your review is the only one for chapter 12. I hope you keep 'em coming.)
Kingg6 (Two chapters-Unfortunately not gonna happen again. The difference in views doesn't look good, many people missed out on chapter 12, but read 13. Sorry!)
AgiVega (I hope that I updated soon enough for you!)
I'm a Lover not a Hater (That's all I can hope for.)
GrimAngel16 (I'm sorry! But I'm happy that I could make you feel that way.)
girr (Oh, yeah…She's got a plan. Read ahead to find out what it is.)
Ashley Barbosa (intense? Awesome! I need to use that word more.)
And "Guest." (I'm sorry I couldn't write this chapter on the same day. But here it is!)
I hope you drop by and share your thoughts again.
Also, there was one member who wrote "Ok now im pissed and dropping this story..." And I'd like to take some time to address that:
I'm not angry that you're angry. I'm not angry that you hate me. I'm overjoyed that I was able to give you a reaction like that. In the words of Professional Wrestler Paul "Triple H" Levesque, I want to say that at least I got a reaction out of you.
The worst possible reaction that I could get is nothing. If I make you feel nothing, then I've failed. If I put forth an effort and hear crickets, then I've failed. Other than that, there's what Mick Foley said a long time ago:
"If they don't love me, then at least they could hate me."
I'm ecstatic that I could bring emotion to you.
Thank you for your review and Thank You All for reading!
And as a final note, I'd like to remind you all that this story is still a work in progress. Meaning that it is being written chapter-by-chapter. There is one long-term event planned for the future, but other than that, it's mostly spur of the moment writing(with editing and revision to my best abilities.)
Your input has changed the story, so please share your thoughts again.
Chapter 14: Captivity, Part III: Subconscious Thought
"We're here to help you escape." He whispered the note to himself again, hoping to try and reinforce the idea that this woman he had just met was going to help him get out of this flying prison.
Yeah, right. He thought to himself. Those were Azula's friends. She's probably set a plan in motion to try and trick me. He thought back to the argument that had just occurred between Azula and Mai. But then again…That fight they had seemed to be a legitimate argument. Especially coming from that girl who didn't seem to care about anything. She seemed all fired up...
He smacked himself for making such a lame, groan-inducing, Sokka-style pun.
Sitting on the bed, he flicked the note in between his fingers. He heard a familiar click, and set the note on fire.
Through his baggy eyes, he saw a large man standing before him, behind the fire-reinforced door.
"You look tired." He observed.
"Yeah. No kidding." Aang mumbled as he fell back onto the bed. "Do whatever you want. You wanna beat me to a pulp? You wanna kill me? Go ahead. I'm too tired to do anything." His arms fell flat to his sides. "Knock me out, will you? Then maybe I could manage a few hours of sleep."
"Stand up. Turn around. You're being transferred."
Aang sighed, and turned over onto his stomach. He fell face first into the mattress and placed his hands behind his back.
"Do what you need to." His muffled voice came through the fabric. The guard tied his wrists together, stood him up, and placed a hood over his head. By his estimation, he was walking for at least ten minutes. But for all he knew, they could have been forcing him to march down a single winding hallway to give him an illusion of how far he had been moved. For all he knew this "transfer" was to the same room he was always in.
"We're here." The hoarse voice informed Aang before removing his hood and pushing him into the room. He untied Aang's wrists before adding: "Be grateful. The Princess did this just for you."
The room was different, a larger bed, a larger bathroom, with an actual bath, in fact it looked as if he had just been moved from a reasonable room at an inn, to a royal suite at the Fire Nation Palace.
"Can I light those?" Aang pointed to a drawer with an assortment of small, medium, and large candles.
"They will be your only light source when I leave." He replied. "The Princess has taken into account the observations of her friend, and has decided to grant you the necessity of sleep. Do not waste this opportunity."
Aang looked at the stern guard with confusion. This man seemed different from the one who attempted to choke the life out of him earlier.
"Okay. I won't. Can you do me a favor?"
He nodded.
"Tell her 'thank you, from Aang' for me."
To Aang's surprise, the guard bowed.
"I also have a message from the Princess." Aang bowed, and smiled while awaiting the message. "She says 'Sweet Dreams.'" The guard turned and left the room. The lights began to flicker, and Aang soon found himself in total darkness.
I never thought I'd miss this so much. He lit a fingertip with flames, and brought the fire to the candles. Memories began to return to him, memories of when he woke up to her in a dark room illuminated by candlelight.
He fell flat on his back, the bed was far more comfortable than what he had been sleeping in for the last few days. In fact, it was better than the bed he had at the Western Air Temple. Sinking into the mattress, he could feel his aching bones and sore muscles thanking him for finally giving them rest.
Sweet Dreams...?
The faint light of the candles dimmed as his eyes began to close. Another unexpected thought crossed his mind before sleep took him.
...This isn't so bad.
...
He laid there in the cool sands of the night. The waves crashed against the rocky shore. The full moon illuminated the sky, like a spotlight surrounded by a million stars. The warm water rushed up his back across the sand.
Warm? Ha. I get it. This is a dream. He thought to himself.
Her feet dragged across the dark grains, and she took a seat next to him. Her silhouette only becoming darker with the light.
"I so happy to see you again, Aang." She spoke in her soft, loving voice.
"I've missed you." He whispered. "I wish I could see you again." She slid across the sand, and embraced his hand with hers.
"You can, Aang. You can see me right now."
He shook his head and turned away.
"No. I can't." Her face still in shadow, he could make out the glow of her eyes with the moon's light, but nothing else. "I want to see you while I'm awake. I want to see you as you are...Not you as I remember."
All sound stopped as he said those words.
It stung him to turn away his own thoughts, to turn away his own desires. "I want to see the real Katara."
She didn't reply. He closed his eyes, and listened to her footsteps. She brought her hand to his cheek, bent over, and kissed him with an invisible embrace that he couldn't even imagine feeling. She hugged her arms around him, and began to fade. His own arms rose, and began to close around her, but felt nothing as they wrapped around her fading figure.
...
The warmth on his back disappeared. The comfort remained, and the faded candlelight returned.
"Ouch!" He heard Ty Lee's perky voice behind the door. "What's wrong with that doorknob?!"
"S-Sorry, M'am. Forgive me." The guard apologized.
The door clicked open. Ty Lee's eyes peered behind the steel door, and the light flickered on.
"Hey, Aang!" She entered the room with a steaming pot of soup on a tray in her hands. "Did you sleep well?" Her friendly voice made him want to give her an equally friendly answer, but with a still foggy mind, he replied:
"No, not especially..." He rubbed his eyes. "Ugh..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
"It's Ty Lee." She pulled a table next to the bed, and set down the tray while taking a seat next to him. He sat up, and relaxed.
"It's...It's good to see you again, Ty Lee." He murmured.
"This is for you." She removed the lid to reveal two large bowls, one containing noodles, one containing soup. "It's a specialty from the Fire Nation. Something that only Royalty eats." He saw that she swelled with pride.
"It's...Just noodles." His mind still foggy, and then he noticed her expression drop. "B-But I bet it'll be delicious!"
"It is!" She rebounded . "I'll make it for you." She began moving the noodles into the broth.
"No, it's okay. I've got it." He took spoon and chopsticks into his hands, and let a few moments of silence pass. "Did Azula send you?" He asked her.
"She did." Her expression sunk again.
"So...What's in the food?"
"Nothing!" Ty Lee waved her hands in front of her. Aang offered her a raised eyebrow in distrust and skepticism. "Well..." She twiddled her thumbs in guilt.
"What's she going to do this time?"
"Okay. Let's slow down here." She took a deep breath and cleaned herself off, as if she had dirt on her clothes. "My name is Ty Lee."
"Right. And my name is Aang."
"Do you remember that note that I gave you?"
"Uh..." Aang thought for a moment. "Yeah. I had to burn it." He admitted.
"Well that doesn't matter. It said that we're here to help you escape, and we are."
"How do I know I can trust you, or your friend. You were part of the group that was helping Azula hunt me down!"
"Not so loud!" She begged. "You're going to have to trust me. Okay? Everyone thinks that you're dead. The Firelord thinks you are dead." Her voice entered a whisper. "Not even the guards know your the Avatar."
"What? Don't the tattoos give it away?"
"They aren't trained to question higher authority." Ty Lee began circling her finger around her temples and shifting her eyes. "Brainwashing. They listen to whatever Azula's command is."
"How's that even possible?" Aang remained stern.
"Don't worry about it now. But you're going to have to trust us."
"I don't know if I can..." He whispered.
"Listen, how many times have you eaten, since Azula captured you?"
"Once."
"And Mai came in there, she saw what conditions you were living under. She convinced Azula to move you here, so you can sleep, eat, and not be chained to the wall anymore." She patted him on the back. "You're going to need to trust us."
"..." He took a deep breath "Then tell me...What is your plan?"
"We...Don't have one yet." Aang threw his hands up in anger. "But wait! Hear me out first." She reached into her back pocket, and removed a note. "We're going to send this message to Prince Zuko."
She doesn't even know where he is.
"...He's at the Western Air Temple, right?"
Aang nodded. Okay, we could have something here.
"Once we get into contact with him again, he's going to help us bust out of The Boiling Rock. He's got a plan for that."
"Okay. So, this is what your friend, Mai-was able to get me for breakfast-lunch-or is it dinner?"
"It's dinner." Ty Lee smiled. "Hang in there, Aang." She patted his shoulder again and rose to her feet.
"Wait." He held her hand, and sat her back down. "There's something in this, isn't there?"
"It's an herb to help you sleep." Ty Lee nodded. "Azula thought you'd want some rest."
He took a sip of the broth, and found that it was delicious.
"I suppose it can't be that bad. If it just helps me with sleep." Ty Lee offered him a smile before knocking on the door, and being led out.
Gazing at the now empty bowls, the lights began to flicker again before turning off; and he faded again into sleep.
...
Aang opened his eyes and found himself standing in utter darkness. Nothing was visible behind the black veil that blinded him, but he was aware that he stood in a room, as still as his own breath.
The smell of burning incense entered his nostrils. An unseen smoke wrapped around him, moving like a tempting touch, twisting around his leg, and creeping up his body.
The smoke became heavier, gaining substance, and mass. Her figure emerged behind him, and wrapped her arms across his chest. Her heated breath fell on his neck, and all he could do, was stand and listen to her rhythmic breathing.
The incense aroma changed into a sweet perfume. The smoke began to solidify, and took a familiar female form. He tensed, but felt his body relax. Five, warm, sapphire fingertips graced his cheek, and pushed his face to his left. He felt the embrace of her alluring kiss. She pulled back, and bit his bottom lip, pulling him towards her. He leaned closer, almost begging her to take his lips again.
A flash of blue flames broke the darkness. And gave him a brief view of the temptation that haunted his senses.
The crackling flames began to whisper in her voice. A soothing song that eased his mind from all pain, and all obligation.
I can give you what you want.
But you have to let go of what you have.
Break the bonds that bind you to her.
And I will set you free.
...
He awoke from his nightmare...or dream...or vision, whatever it may have been, and found his breath unable to stabilize. His fist wrapped around a porcelain bowl, and in a surge of frustration, threw it, letting it shatter into pieces as it crashed into the wall.
He saw that some of the light yellow fires that lit the candles, were now burning blue. A pure sapphire that he had seen in his sleep.
He has seen the same hue on Azula's fingertips. And even...
Even in Katara's eyes...
The lights came on, and the door opened.
"What happened?" The Guard stuck his head in.
"Nightmares." Aang pointed to the jagged porcelain shards scattered amongst the floor. He stared at Aang, and offered a reply that even the Avatar didn't expect.
"I'm sorry. Would you like me to turn on the lights?"
"Thanks." Aang blew a soft wind that snuffed out the lit flames. He took note that the Guard didn't seem to mind, or even notice the wind.
"You have another visitor." The door opened, and Mai stepped through.
"Did you sleep well?" Any form of enthusiasm or interest that Mai hoped to convey didn't reach him.
"No." He answered in the same tone that she had posed the question in.
"I didn't think so." She stood before him with folded arms. "Azula's not going to let you rest easy."
"Yeah...Tell me about it." He shook his head. "No, really. Tell me about it. What's she doing?"
"Alright. Ty Lee told me that you're having a hard time trusting us, so I'll do you a favor." She pulled up a chair, and sat down in front of him. "Does the term 'sweet dreams' bring back any memories?"
"That's what Azula's message was to me when I was moved here." Aang nodded.
"And you've been having some interesting dreams, haven't you?" Her voice lowered into a whisper. "Think about it."
"What do you mean?"
"She put you in a room with no lights, she fed you food that enhances your dreams. What did you see?"
He shook his head, not wanting to recall.
"We can't do much to help you, but try your best to hang on. Don't give into what she's doing to you. Help is on the way."
"What are you telling me, not to sleep?" He felt even more exhausted than before, despite the hours of "rest" he received.
"I'm not telling you what to do, just what's happening to you."
"Right. Right, I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "So, could I ask you a question?"
"What?"
"When you were arguing with Azula about this person you loved." He looked for any sort of indication of affection in her expression, a slight blush, a furrowed brow, a sudden breath of surprise, but found nothing. "Is that why you're helping me?"
"First of all, I don't love him I just hate him less than everyone else. And secondly, yes, he is the majority of why I'm helping you." She shrugged, and began leaving. Her last words of advice to him were: "Oh, and be prepared, she's coming to visit again tonight."
"I'll be waiting."
Wait. He thought to himself, did she just say "tonight?" Have I been sleeping all day? His own exhaustion answered him. Surveying the room, he came to his only conclusion. I'll be waiting. Before the lights went out again.
...
He was laying on the same bed he had fallen asleep in. He wasn't on an unnamed beach, nor was he in a nondescript abyss. He was laying on his back, in a comfortable bed, in a room lit by a blue light that shone from the candles.
Her footsteps echoed in the room.
"You're awake?" Her voice wrapped around his ears. "You were...expecting me?"
"Yes." He sat up, and saw her standing before him in a black towel, wrapped around her tight enough to emphasize her curves within the blue light, making it look like her lean, beautiful body was covered in a mere shadow. Her long, ebony hair was wet, and draped down her shoulders.
"But I don't think that's all," she leaned in towards him, and took his lips into an embrace. He leaned back as she urged him to, and felt his breath leave him as she bit his bottom lip. "I think...You were...Waiting for me."
"I didn't have a choi-"
"You keep telling yourself that. You keep insisting to yourself that this is nothing but a nightmare. But I'll let you in on a secret..."
Her sharp nails began sliding down his chest.
"This isn't a nightmare." She continued to slide her hand down his leg...
...
"This, is a fantasy." Her hand hovered over his erection. "Your fantasy." She whispered into his ear. "And it's happening. Right now."
His head flew back and sunk into the mattress as she took hold of him. This isn't what I want. He thought to himself. But the pulses from his heart disagreed.
"This isn't like before, Avatar. You can move, you can stop me if you want." She smiled as his raised hand fell back to the floor. "My dear Avatar, what is it that you want?"
"...I don't want to be your prisoner anymore." He managed through broken breaths.
"Then..." She tossed the towel onto the floor, straddled herself over him, and whispered into his ear. "...I will set you free. Just ask me." Azula's tongue ran across her violet stained lips in her captivating grin.
He bit his lip, looked into her fiery golden eyes, and hated himself for what he was going to say.
"Please...Please, Princess Azula...Set me free."
"It's my pleasure." She held him erect in her hand, and began to lower herself onto him. He shuddered and felt her own body rumble at the contact as she planned her hands into his chest.
Azula moaned as she lowered herself further onto him, letting him move deeper into her. With the tantalizing grin, she moved her hips in a torturous, and teasing, slow motion.
He closed his eyes, trying to draw his focus away from the agonizing pleasure that served as a temptress against his will.
Azula was going to break him.
He had to do something.
…He had to outlast her…
PUBLISHED ON: 8/28/2014
A/N:
Thanks for reading!