"So this is the Avatar's famous waterbending instructor."
Katara was kneeling in front of the fire throne, forced there by Zhao's strong hand. The flames lapped at her knees, singeing her through her leggings. The room was vast, the biggest Katara had ever seen. Despite the heat, a shiver ran through her as the Fire Lord's voice echoed from his seat on the dais. Katara inhaled the scent of hot brick and grimaced.
"She does not look like much, Commander Zhao." The Fire Lord's voice had a slight sneer. Katara raised her head, wanting to get a glimpse of him, but Zhao's flaming fist scared her back into looking down. "I feel you have been complaining excessively of her spirit."
"My Lord," Zhao's voice was strong, but not as confident as how he had been when he was the one in charge. Katara smirked at his discomfort. "she gave us nothing but trouble on the way here. She attacked-"
"Spare me, Commander." The Fire Lord's drawled. "I am not interested in her antics. I am interested in discovering whether or not the Avatar is alive."
Katara frowned briefly in confusion. Surely his death had been reported! Is that what she had been captured for? Dragged across the world for? To relive the last moments of her best friend's death?
"Any secrets the Avatar has been hiding, she'll know." Zhao's voice was rushed. From her position, she could see him shifting his weight from foot to foot. She smiled, taking a brief enjoyment in the fact he was nervous. "Any plans, hiding places-"
"I am aware of her purpose, Zhao." Katara heard the rustle of robes. The Fire Lord had stood up. She heard his sharp footsteps descending from the throne. Zhao's movements ceased and he straightened up. Katara defiantly tossed her head, looking the enemy of the free world in the face. Instantly she saw a flash of Zuko, but this man's face was wider, fuller. Less weathered by nights in the open and days on a ship. There were no blemishes from encounters with her friends, no large scar, and his hair was elegantly swept up to crown his head in a topknot, the flames of the Fire Nation crown extending from within it. This was the face of a ruler: hard, serious. His eyes met hers, and she felt like his gaze was penetrating her, reading her, devouring her. She refused to cower before him, and straightened her spine, glaring back at his scorching gaze. You don't scare me. Your son has, but you never will.
"Then again…" The Fire Lord, in a movement faster than her eyes could follow, swooped down and clasped her throat with a burning hand and lifted her off her feet, smiling as she panickedly tried to pry his fingers from her throat. The metal mittens on her hands prevented her from defending herself in any real way, only allowing her to beat on his arm without much affect. His cruel smile stretched across his face as she struggled, feeling his hand heat up to almost intolerable levels. She gasped, trying to kick him but she couldn't reach. Finally, when she felt she was about to pass out, he dropped her. She landed hard on her hip, mittened hands trying to sooth the burns on her throat. "…maybe she does have potential." He snapped his fingers. "Bring her to my chambers." He turned and strode away, leaving Katara writhing on the floor under Zhao's predatory gaze. With a growl of annoyance, he slung her over his shoulder and followed the Fire Lord.
"Put her there." The Fire Lord gestured to the middle of his room. Zhao, looking hassled, dumbed a kicking, cursing Katara onto the floor. She swiped her legs at him, baring her teeth. It hadn't been a gentle ride: those shoulder spikes were sharp. Zhao growled at her and snatched the chains between her hands and feet and stomped on them, pinning her unceremoniously to the floor. Ozai stood for a moment looking down at her, hands clasped behind his back, before turning to walk towards a wardrobe set against the far corner. Katara struggled to sit up and look around. The room was bedecked in gold and red, with an enormous four poster bed set against the far wall. The wardrobe Ozai had stopped in front of was closest to her, with another two across the room. A door to the side of the bed led to what Katara supposed was a bathroom. There weren't many decorations on the walls except for a large Fire Nation flag above the bed with a pair of crossed gold-hilted katanas below it.
Ozai shed his outer robes, letting them pool on the floor. As a servant scurried to carry them away, he opened the wardrobe to reveal an assortment of whips, knives, pliers, and ropes. Katara's eyes widened. Why would anyone have torture devices in their bedroom? The realization hit her hard as Ozai turned to look over his shoulder at her, as if to size her up and determine her weaknesses. She struggled against Zhao's firm stance on her chains, writhing furiously. Ozai turned back to the wardrobe and pulled out a long length of black cord. Nothing else.
"Put her on the bed, Zhao." Ozai unwound the cord, drawing it out. "Face down."
Zhao smiled. "With pleasure, my Lord." He stooped to pick up Katara.
"No, no, no!" she screamed, kicking and hitting at him. "Don't touch me!"
"Silence, peasant." Ozai crooned. Zhao deposited Katara on her stomach in the middle of the large bed, placing one knee in the middle of her back and holding her hands above her head. "This will go better for you if you cooperate with us."
Katara cursed at him and he laughed. It was a low, long laugh. The laugh of a predator. Ozai tossed Zhao a length of rope across Katara's back. "Tie her feet to the posts."
Zhao leaned sideways, keeping his knee on Katara's back, to clasp one of her kicking feet in a strong hot hand and tie it to the bottom bedpost. Ozai moved to the head of the bed to reach for one of Katara's hands. She swung wildly and caught him along the cheek with her nails, drawing deep red droplets to the surface. He didn't flinch. Only chuckled. "Make sure she is tied tight, Zhao."
He wrapped the black rope around her wrists and pulled tight, leaving her little room to struggle. She snarled, glaring up at the Fire Lord from beneath her rumpled hair. "Let me go you piece of filth!"
"Zhao," the Fire Lord said, ignoring Katara. "do you know what type of interrogation method I enjoy most?"
"Which one, my Lord?" Zhao jerked Katara's bonds tight. Ozai motioned his knee aside.
"Using my own hands." Ozai snarled, gripping Katara's tunic in his hands and tearing the back open. She shrieked, bucking up from the bed. Ozai continued ripping, until her entire back was exposed. Her white underbindings remained, her only protection.
Ozai moved to crouch by her face, looking her in the eye. Wide blue eyes stared back, but contrary to his wishes, they were not full of tears. She wasn't scared enough for him yet. He brought his palm level with his eyes and lit a small, controlled fire ball. She flinched back, startled by the sudden flare.
"Waterbender." Ozai said. "Is the Avatar dead?"
Katara remained silent, defiance on her face. The Fire Lord smirked. "You are a very brave girl. But keep in mind: I enjoy the smell of burning flesh." Katara shuddered. "Once more, is the Avatar dead?"
Katara clenched her jaw and glared at him, refusing to blink and break eye contact. Ozai shrugged and stood. Katara felt the bed dip as he climbed onto it, straddling her hips. A hand caught her braid and jerked her head up uncomfortably, her neck bent at a painful answer. "Is the Avatar dead?" When she still gave him no answer, the Fire Lord's lips curled up in a cruel smile. "Very well."
His hand, heated to beyond what most Firebenders could achieve, plunged downward to leave a sizzling handprint in the small of her back. She screamed, high and long. Zhao watched from beside the bed, his hand itching to wrap around the throbbing erection in his pants. He was a man who loved pain, whether he was causing it or not didn't matter.
"Is the Avatar dead?" Ozai roared, drowning out Katara's scream of pain. She only screamed louder in return. He ground his hand into her back, creating a large, red, angry circle. "Is he dead, waterbender?"
Katara bit her tongue until it bled, refusing to scream, though her back was in excruciating pain. She dug her nails into whatever she could reach: bedpost, pillow, sheet. She thrashed from side to side and bucked, trying to shake him off. He removed his hand from her back and leaned forward while pulling her braid back further. Close to her ear, he whispered. "Careful, waterbender. You will excite me."
Katara froze, shutting her eyes and trying to turn her face from him. He laughed in her ear and sat up. "Let us try this again." Lighting a small flame with his finger, he pressed it to her skin, creating a smaller circle alongside the large one on her back. She hissed in pain and dug her nails harder into the pillow case she was gripping. "Where is the Avatar?"
"He's dead!" The admission felt like it was ripped from her throat. She threw her head to the mattress in defeat. "He's dead. Azula killed him."
"Princess Azula." He hissed back at her, adding another circle on her back. She screamed as it felt like her entire back was on fire. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. How did she kill him?"
"She shot him with lightning." Katara wailed, her voice muffled. "In the back." She felt his burning thumb press a hot circle into her spine, just below the base of her neck. She felt like she was breaking apart. She didn't want to be here, reliving it with her worst enemy. She wanted to be with Aang, with Sokka and Suki, Toph. Even Zuko instead of his father would be acceptable! "He fell into the sea."
"Very good." Ozai purred. "Very good. A true victory for the Fire Nation." Katara felt his hips shift slightly against her rear and she shuddered. "A sad day for the Water Tribes, however."
"What?" Katara cried, her head rising. She cried out as Ozai added another circle of pain at her tone.
"Zhao, would you like to inform our little waterbender of our talk this morning?" Ozai sat back to admire his work. Katara's back was most likely scarred for life. The large circle in the center of her back was surrounded on all sides by smaller circles, creating a sun-like visage. The sight of it made him hard. He could tell that Zhao was in a similar condition: the man lived for pain.
"Certainly, my Lord." Zhao's voice was smug. He strode over to speak into Katara's ear. "Of course, you're aware of the Avatar cycle. Fire, Earth, Air, Water. In order to bring the next Avatar under our control, we will need to bring the people of the Water Tribes under our control." Katara whipped her head around to face him, her eyes wide in fear of what he would say next. "Of course, only the women would need to be taken alive-aaagh!" Katara spit in his eye.
"You'll never defeat the Water Tribes!" She shouted at him. "They're more powerful than the entire Fire Nation put together!" She began struggling again, bucking and pulling against her restraints. She felt hot hands descend on her hips and heard Zhao's laugh. "Get off of me!"
"Careful, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." She shivered hearing her name come from the Fire Lord's lips. She didn't even realize he knew her name. "You wouldn't want to make this worse for them." Katara stilled. She felt Ozai's hands tugging on her hips, grinding her against him. "Commander Zhao, would you leave us please? I will send for you when we are finished here."
"Of course, my lord." There was a resentful note to Zhao's voice as he bowed to his sovereign and exited the royal chambers. Katara heard the lock click behind him and whimpered.
"Zhao is a loyal officer. Ambitious. Violent. Controlled." Ozai raised himself up to flip Katara onto her back. The binds on her wrists and ankles crossed, clasping them together. Her burned back screamed at her and she arched her back to relieve the painful contact of the bedspread. The motion brought her body in contact with the Firelord's and she dropped herself back down, wincing at the pain. His flaming fists came down on either side of her head and she flinched, her eyes closing in fear. She felt his hot breath on her face as he laughed at her.
"Please," She whispered. "Please, don't do this."
"Don't do what, waterbender?" Ozai's tone was mocking. "Destroy your people? Take what I am sure is your virginity?" She felt his hair against her shoulder as his mouth came into contact with the base of her neck. His teeth sunk into the fleshy area just above her collarbone and she screamed, thrusting her shoulders involuntarily. Her chest collided with his and his hand slid under her back to hold her there. "Tell me what it is I shouldn't do, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."
"Please don't." Katara moaned, struggling against his grip. She could feel his arousal against her leg and she realized that her struggling was what he wanted. What he drew power from. She went limp, his hand the only thing propping her up. "Please…stop."
"Do not presume to tell me what to do, you water tribe peasant." Ozai snarled, the hand on her back heating up to singe her burns. She clenched her teeth to keep herself from screaming. He dropped her, one hand going to her throat. He pushed her down, his other hand ripping the remaining shreds of her tunic from her torso. She gasped through his grip, humiliated under his predatory gaze. She shut her eyes, trying to imagine herself somewhere, anywhere else. Riding on Appa. Training Aang. Fighting Zuko. Anything! A hard slap brought her back and she gasped. Seeing his face so close to hers, feeling his hot breath on her face, she seized her last chance of defiance and slammed her forehead into his nose.
With a guttural growl the Fire Lord sat up, straddling her hips with his own, blood running in a single crimson stream from his nose. He didn't move to wipe it away. His right hand clenched her breast in a painful vice grip and his left dragged her pants down.
"Mine." His snarl echoed in her ears. Katara squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out any and all sensations as the Fire Lord used her body for his own pleasure.
When it was over, Katara opened her eyes to see the Fire Lord dressing in front of his wardrobe. Her body ached from his treatment and stung from his burns. Dry tears mingled with fresh ones as the shame and terror washed over her. Her eyes closed again as Ozai started walking towards the bed. A hard, cool hand gripped her chin and turned her face up.
"Consider yourself lucky you will escape imprisonment with the rest of your people." He murmured, turning her face from side to side. "Zhao is very thorough." He dropped her face and began untying her bonds. She struggled feebly to his amusement. "Something I have learned from dealing with the Water Tribes: pain is not what breaks them." A knock on the door drew him away. Katara curled into a ball, his words running through her head. Pain is not what breaks them. Breaks them. Breaks us. Breaks me. I am broken.
The darting eyes and concerned face of a servant woman swam into her vision. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but the woman only handed something to the Fire Lord and gathered up the shredded remains of her clothing before exiting as swiftly as she had entered.
From behind her, Katara heard the rustling of the Fire Lord's robes and a loud metallic clink of a shackle closing around a bedpost. Ozai's hands pried her knees down from her chest and fastened a heavy metal collar around her neck. She didn't have to see it to tell that it was latched to the bed.
"I have business to attend to." Ozai ran a surprisingly gentle hand over her hair and she shied away. He struck her a blow to the back of the head. When he ran a hand over her hair again, she didn't move. "Good."
As the door closed behind him, Katara unraveled herself and sat up on the bed, clutching her arms against herself to shield her body from the world. She fingered the band around her neck: there was no seam. Ozai had melted it shut. She pulled on the chain to find it had some length to it and she clambered off the bed to curl up as far from the bed as possible. With her back toward the wall, the plush carpet tickling her naked limbs, Katara wept.