A/N:
I'm back baby! Enjoy!
Chapter 7:
"My lord, her wrist is broken and it looks to be infected as well." Shinji stated as he looked over his shoulder to his master.
Ozai wore an indifferent expression as his gaze was settle on the strained face of the waterbender. She looked ill and feverish. One could say she looked like she was on death's doors. It was a pathetic look on her. One he didn't care for. He rather grew interested in her barbaric mannerisms. It entertained him when he would come to check in on her, make sure she hadn't escaped or tried to. However; they couldn't simply take her to a physician. Or at least he couldn't. Would draw too much attention. And he didn't trust his men's capabilities to handle her on their own. The waterbender was a tricky and clever girl, she could easily outsmart them.
Damn you! You did this to me! Never in her life had she ever broken a limb before and now here she was getting sick from not having her broken arm properly taken care of. A part of her wish she hadn't made that last threat to him. She wish she took his word for it but then, she'd be sitting here wishing she had. La damn it! If he didn't stop staring at her with those demon eyes of his, she'd lose her shit.
"We've docked. Go into town and find a physician, bring them here to treat her." Ozai ordered before he turned to leave out. He couldn't be bothered with something so trivial. The girl was delaying his arrival to Xiao Lu and he wasn't too happy about it. A part of him was contemplating whether he should just force her to endure until they reached their destination. But then she'd slow them down even further if she couldn't keep up or if someone had to carry her. Perhaps, she was better off dead.
Before shutting the door behind him, "If you aren't ready to leave in the morning, I'll do what I should have done and slit that pretty little neck of yours."
Katara glared at him like a vicious animal knowing its life was being threatened. Her now short hair hung in her sweaty face as she panted. Oh she would make sure she was ready to leave with them in the morning. Despite being in utter pain and somewhat wanting him to finish her off, she had her son to think about. The only reason she kept her mouth shut and didn't cause any more issues than necessary.
Tending to her broken limb, Lao kept his eyes off the blue eyed she-devil as he liked to think of her as. It was a name best suited for her. She was the catalyst of the Fire Nation's greatest fall from glory. Only a witch or devil could be capable of that and she was both in his eyes. He wished it had been his master's will to end this girl rather than make her tag along with them but if that was his decision, he'd respect it no matter. Besides, he and Shinji both believed she was more than likely going to be his pet. Something to grant him release after four years of none.
"Where are we?" Katara asked with anything but kindness laced in her tone.
Shinji gave her a stern and cold look, "Earth Kingdom."
"Honestly, I think you should hush up and take favor in even being alive right now." Lao chimed in as finished redoing her bandages.
They were incredibly lucky her chi was cut off due to her broken wrist, otherwise, she'd rock the small ship till they had bashed their head into a wall.
…
"Sokka, you have got to stop this! I've already written Zuko!" Suki yelled as Sokka refused to listen to her. He was hellbent on traveling to the Fire Nation and finding out where Kai had been taken to. It was apparent to the whole tribe that the boy had been kidnapped. While no one but those closed to Katara could figure out why he'd be kidnapped, everyone knew it had to be someone associated with the Fire Nation. Sokka saw this as an possible act of war as did many others. He was taking a group of men with him to the Fire Nation to confront Zuko, expose him and everyone to the truth for the sake of his nephew.
Suki understood his thinking, understood his pain, but what he was doing could break the fragile peace the world so desperately needed after a hundred years of war. She couldn't let him go about this blinded by rage.
Watching as he continued packing his things, "Please, Sokka. Zuko is still our friend and we know he will be just as heartbroken as we are but we can't just barge into his palace like he's our enemy and tear him down in front of his subjects. That's asking for a war."
Ignoring his girlfriend, Sokka continued packing. He and his men were leaving out in the morning. If he wanted to reach Zuko within a week, he needed to leave soon. The longer they spent preparing to look for Kai the further he was getting away. While he knew what his girlfriend said was true, about the bling anger and the possibility of war if this situation wasn't handled properly, Sokka could see no other way. Zuko seduced and used his sister and then got her killed. It was unforgivable and if the Fire Nation was finally destroyed because of it, he wouldn't bat an eye.
"This isn't the way." Suki finally approached him and placed her hand over his.
Stopping what he was doing, he looked to her hand and then to her jade eyes. Agony was held in his pale blue eyes. Excruciating agony. "I lost my mother and then my father. Now I've lost my sister. I can't lose anymore. I've lost enough, Suki."
Tears poured down her cheeks, "I know, Sokka. I know." She grieved for him.
"Then what choice do I have? The only person with a clue as to who could have done this is Zuko. I need to see him and tell him what happened." Sokka's eyes begged her to understand him. To see that this would kill him if he didn't find his nephew.
Suki understood from his eyes that this had to be done. However; it didn't have to done alone. She was going with him. Breaking her hand away from his, she went to the luggage she had packed to leave back for home and walked back to him.
"Well I'm coming with you. I loved Katara like a sister and Kai as if he were my own. I won't let whoever did this get away with it." Suki said with determination.
Sokka nodded his head and grabbed his things, swinging them over his shoulder. The more help, the better. He needed all he could get and with Suki's ties to many stealth organizations, they could find Kai in no time. Only when he found his nephew and his sister's murderer would he let himself come to terms with her death. Katara was not dead until she was given justice for what happened to her. Not until then, sis. I can't say goodbye until then. I'm sorry.
…
The doctor looked over his patient and re-adjusted her broken limb, placing it in a sling after he wrapped it properly. However; when he finished, he looked at the girl that was still broken into fever and shook his head. It would seem due to the lack of care she had received from her broken wrist, she had gotten an infection and would need to be bedridden for a few days.
"Until the fever is gone, she'll need to rest and regain her strength." The doctor informed her captors. "Also, Until her wrist heals, her bending will either be restricted or cut off due to the lack of circulation of chi. Waterbenders from my study of their bending need fluid flowing chi to manifest their abilities."
The news honestly came to little shock to Katara. She figured she'd get sick after the brawl she had with Ozai back in the South Pole. Her wrist was one of the many contributing factors to her fever. La, she just prayed Ozai wasn't serious about killing her but then again, why wouldn't he be? She was useless to him. She heard him tell his men that even he wasn't sure why he spared her, only that he felt a quick death was undeserving of her. But she had to get to Kai. No matter what it took, she had to get to him.
Ozai practically blocked out everything the doctor had said after he was informed of the waterbender's condition. All his focus was on the panicking face of the girl he captured. She knew his threat still lingered in the air. He told her if she wasn't prepared to leave by morning, he'd slit her throat. No point in carrying dead weight.
When the doctor left, the room was silent while two sets of eyes carefully watched each other. Ozai stepped slowly to the waterbender's bed where she laid with fever. She looked utterly pathetic and frightened. He liked how her eyes begged him to back away, to stay away, and leave her be. It meant she took him seriously. She knew his threat was not empty and it wasn't.
The closer he came, boots meeting the floorboard louder with each step, Ozai reached behind himself for his dagger and pulled it from its sheath. Katara sat up quickly in bed and pushed herself against the wall, ready to move if he lunged at her with that knife in his hands.
"Pl-please, don't do this." She stuttered. "I'll be ready in the morning. I swear."
Tilting his head to the side as he stood in front of her bed and gazed down at her with a piercing stare. "You'll slow us down." He told her.
"No, no I won't. I can hold my own. I'm tougher than I look." Katara was practically begging for her life, how low must she have fallen in the past week.
Climbing down into her bed, Ozai moved to straddle her lap and grabbed her by the jaw. Forcing her to look to him as his knife went to her neck. Her sapphire eyes begged him to stop his advances to kill her. It was cute, he had to admit. Cute enough to make him yield for a moment. He was just enjoying this a little too much.
"Tell me, Ka-ta-ra…" Ozai smirked as he raked his blade through her hair as he watched her face carefully while he straddled her. "What can you offer me? I asked you before in my cell in exchange for information, now I ask again in exchange for your life. What can you offer me, waterbender?"
"I'm your slave now." Katara swallowed hard at the end of her offer as she turned her lip up as if she had a terrible taste in her mouth.
Though it did, Ozai didn't hold it against her. Better to know she couldn't hide much from him. "Yes. I rather like that idea. Now for the rest of your days you serve me. Are we clear?" He said as he stood right in front of her.
Shooting him a look, "Not like I have any other options" She spat.
"Not if you wish to keep your son alive." He re-enforced his threat, seeing as she would need it and she did.
The waterbender grew very quiet as she looked down and away from him. Her heart sped up in her chest at the thought of her son having being kidnapped and drug away from her reach. If there was ever a time in her life that she felt defeated, this was it. Whatever Ozai wanted, whatever he asked, whatever he ordered her to do. She would do it without hesitation for her son's life. Even if he commanded her to kill, she would. Until Kai was back in her arms, her pride, her dignity, her self-worth would be relinquished. She'd give everything up for him. Her son.
This was made apparent to Ozai as he saw the look of a woman in surrender. It was the face his wife wore when she finally agreed to kill his father for sake of their son. The things women do for their children. Is there nothing that will stop you from protecting them? He further observed the look on the waterbender's face. Snatching her chin in his hand, the ex tyrant looked over her face. He found himself always drawn in by her expressions and how drastic they could be. It pleased him this look on her face.
"You will refer to me as master, am I understood?" His amber eyes bore into ocean orbs.
Katara gulped and nodded her head as shame took place of her defeated face.
Shaking her by her chin, "Use your words, girl!" He hissed.
"Y-yes...yes, master." She had nearly choked on her words as they were foreign and not like her. The weak strain in her voice had almost caused her to vomit. Never had she sounded so pathetic.
"Good." A grin formed on her 'master's' face. "Tomorrow, we leave out and you'll stick close to my side. Give me any trouble along this journey and I'll make this wrist of yours a lot worse."
A tear shed as she bit back her urge to scream when he toyed with her broken wrist. Her teeth literally sunk into her bottom lip as she looked away from this wicked man. She could tell his eyes were roaming over her face as if he was taking pleasure in causing her pain. Slowly, he let go of her chin and left her wrist be in its sling. Katara stiffened up as she suddenly felt a gentle touch sweep down the side of her face. Cringing, she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt him lean closer to her and his lips were practically pressed to her ear lobe.
Brushing her chin length hair out of his way, Ozai smirked as he felt her shiver. "Also, in the woods, you're sleeping with me but don't worry. I wouldn't dare do a thing to something as filthy as a flea infested peasant like you. You have nothing to worry from me."
The insult hit her harder than she would have liked it to. She was staring at him with wide eyes when he pulled away and laughed loudly in her face. The insult dug deeper as he continued to laugh on his way out the room and she could hear him down the hall. Katara didn't know why but it was perhaps the worst thing she's heard someone say to her since her fight with Azula. No wonder that bitch was so venomous. Her father was a lethal injection of insults.
…..
"Mother, I promise. You are safe here. I won't let anything happen to you. I swear it." Zuko said as he held to his mother's hands.
Ursa looked to the side as they sat in the garden eating their midday meals with the witty blind earthbender. She knew her son meant every word but was he strong enough to go up against his father. The Avatar had barely come out unscathed from his fight with her ex-husband, she heard. Her son stood no chance. None. Ozai was a talented man in the art of manipulation and deceit. That alone granted him the throne and physically, he was a force like no other. Even Iroh, a prodigy in his time had trouble beating his younger brother. Ozai was not easy to take down, especially when he had his mind set to something. He was invincible. She had seen it first hand.
Toph knew Zuko was getting ahead of himself to think he could really put up a fight against his father alone. However; she said nothing. If fooling himself and his mother was what he had to do to keep them both from panicking about Ozai's escape, who was she to deny them that comfort?
Sighing as she nodded her head, "I believe you, Zuko. I only fear for you because that is my job as a mother. You are my child and I do not want you in harm's way."
Understanding his mother's concern for his well-being, Zuko reached to kiss her forehead. "I'll be fine, mother."
"Trust me, Mama Sparky. Sparky is as hard to kill as a roach." Toph chimed in.
Sometimes I wish you'd just go back home. Zuko glared at Toph. Agni, every time she visited, he had to deal with her obnoxiousness.
Sensing Zuko's not so happy vibe, the earthbender chuckled to herself as she munched on a crumb cake. "Hey, If you want me out of your hair, you gotta help me figure out where half my shipment go. It is your water's that they go missing in, so you're responsible."
Rolling his eyes. Of course, that was the reason for Toph being here. How could he forget. Damn it. This wasn't good. At all. His father's escape and there being a mole made him forget Toph was having issues with her business due to pirates from his nation. As trivial as it sounded to the primary issue, something like that could cause an international uproar. It needed to be dealt with just as much as his father and the rebels needed to be dealt with.
As the trio finished their lunch, Mai, who realized she had not been invited, stood by a pillar looking out into the garden at her fiancé, his mother, and pesky friend. It pissed her off how he hadn't thought it appropriate for him to let her eat with his mother. She would be her mother in law soon enough. It was only right that they get accustomed with one another.
Mai stood their boiling in her jealousy when a guard came up to her and addressed her.
"Lady Mai, there has been an important message sent for his majesty. Can you give this to him?"
Gathering to message from the guard's hand, Mai simply lifted her skirt a little as she stepped down from the patio into the garden and made her way to Zuko and his company. Reaching him, the noblewoman bowed her head to both him and then to his mother.
"Zuko, there is some urgent matter that requires your attention." She said in the most respectful tone he or Toph had ever heard from her. A scroll wrapped in a blue seal was laid in front of him.
Show off, Toph mentally thought as she continued eating the sweets at the table.
Not questioning her out of character behavior, Zuko reached for the scroll and started opening it. "It's probably from Katara."
~Hours later~
Ursa didn't know what the message contained in it but it caused her son to bolt out of the garden and lock himself in his office. She had followed after him and tried to get him to let her in but the only person he allowed in was the blind Earth Kingdom noblewoman, whom she heard him yell and scream at. There were muffled cries followed afterwards and then the earthbender dashing out of the office in her own tears that she tried to pretend weren't coming from her but sweat from the hot evening. Whatever was going on had deeply wounded him and as his mother, she wanted to comfort him.
However; here she stood for several hours waiting for those large double doors to open and still, they hadn't. As she waited for her son to finally come from his office, she noticed her soon to be daughter in law approach with the same plain and lifeless look on her face.
"It can't be good news seeing as he's locked up in there." Mai said as she carried herself with a refinement that couldn't be matched. "Besides, it's from the Southern Water Tribe which means nothing but bad news."
Turning to look at the young noblewoman, "Why is that? I was under the impression that our nation had formed a tight bond with both Water Tribes. Why would there be bad news?"
Mai sighed and came up beside the older woman, wearing what she meant to be a grave face. "Zuko had a mistress. A waterbender he knew from his days in exile. She's been giving him a hard time lately and I can't imagine her sending him a heartfelt letter."
This mistress of her son's didn't sound like the kind of woman she wanted involved with him but then again for her son to have a mistress at all, it reminded her of his father. Ozai had many concubines and it had been the beginning reason for the decline in their marriage. She didn't want that for Zuko or this young woman. It was a bitter fate of many royals and nobles but it didn't have to be theirs.
It was Mai's hopes that it was not at all from Katara but rather a family member of hers, which would more than likely detail of her passing. That water bitch would finally be gotten rid of and Zuko would know her pain and suffering, only tenfold.
"Well whoever this mistress is, I would hope he doesn't plan to keep her around much longer. Anything that upsets him this much should be let go of." The words of a mother were always in defense of her child, no matter the situation.
Nodding in agreement with the former princess, "Yes, but I'm sure Zuko will seek you out for comfort when he's come to terms with whatever's in the letter. Please, let me take you back to the garden."
Hesitantly, Ursa accepted the offer and followed the young noblewoman back to the garden. Agni, she prayed her son was alright. She was so happy to have him back in her life. She couldn't imagine seeing him suffer through whatever this mistress of his has put him through.
…..
Staring at her reflection in the mirror as Shinji evened her hair out. She had gotten dressed in her new clothes. A long dark green Earth Kingdom gown with a split at the bottom of each side, showing off her baggy light green pants that cuffed her ankles. She wore tiny slippers that pinched her toes. To go nicely with her attire was a lovely collar and leash that would make her status as a slave known. One thing she always hated about the Earth Kingdom was that they hadn't fully abolished the slave system. People who were in debt or needed money were taken in as slaves. It wasn't right and she would think after the war, these people would have ended such a barbaric system of oppression.
Once the waterbender's hair was evened out, Shinji swept one side of it behind her ear and placed a plain colored hairpin there. "Now you look like an Earth Kingdom woman." He told her as he rose from behind her.
Looking herself over, she had to agree with him. She looked a lot like a native. However; it was a grim realization. So easily who she was had been masked and covered up. One reason she had rarely wore red was because of this. She feared losing touch with her identity as a tribeswoman.
"I don't see why it would matter if I did or not." Katara said as she looked away from the mirror.
Grabbing her leash and signaling for her to stand up, "Tribeswomen are hard to come by and there are a large some that would do anything to get a hold of one. You'd be easy prey."
Oh that's nice to know. At least now she knows not everyone feels the same about her as Ozai does.
Above deck, Katara's leash was handed over to Ozai, who had little interest in acknowledging her as he looked over a map with Lao. They were looking for a quick way to Xiao Lu with the least amount of possible obstacles getting in their way. The forest and woodlands were the best options but could take them longer than they wanted. Lao suggested they take the woodlands first and then travel the main road. Ozai didn't seem opposed to it as he yanked on the waterbender's chain and she came falling before his feet.
"You lived out in these woods with your friends during the war, did you not?" He looked down on her as she kept her head low while on the floor and nodded.
Wincing as he yanked her leash again, "Yes, my lord."
"Then tell me what do you think is the quickest way to Xiao Lu." Pulling her leash again for her to stand.
Katara struggled to her feet and gathered herself as she looked to the map. While it was her brother that had better knowledge of the areas they covered, she was fairly familiar with a lot of the places they had been. The woods had been their go to while on the run from both Zuko and Azula. She recognized a few of their campsites. Finding where Xiao Lu was on the map, Katara spotted their current location.
"Take the main roads first and only head into the forest when we reach somewhere near this village. You'll be recognized immediately. The former Dai Li practically claims that village. Besides, you want a head start before we make it into the woods. Supplies will need to be gathered before we enter the forest unless any of you know how to hunt and skin animals." She said proudly. Just because she had to play the role of a slave didn't mean she had to pretend to know nothing either. While they were her enemies and she'd rather them be caught, Katara and them had a mutual goal. Getting to Xiao Lu. Kai was there and that's where she needed to be without incident.
Ozai studied the girl's face for any sign that she was trying to lead them into a possible trap and deduced that she had no reason to. She was as eager as they were to reach Xiao Lu. It only worked against her for her to do anything but get them there.
Tugging on her leash, "Then we'll need mounts. Shinji, find a stable and purchase three ostrich horses."
….
Zuko was still holding the letter hours after reading it several times over. Somehow the words didn't seem correct and he questioned if he was reading it right. He even tried on his spectacles to make sure he wasn't imagining words but they never changed. He then considered the possibility of it being a joke. One huge terrible joke. But then after pondering on this for a while, it hit him like a bolt to the chest. Sokka would never joke about something like this and this was undoubtedly his handwriting.
The agonizing bitterness of the letter settled in and his mouth went dry as he tried to grab his glass of water that fell from his clutches onto the floor. He almost collapsed with it but instead, crumbled to the ground as his face contorted into different expressions, searching for one to match what he felt. He didn't know whether to cry or throw his fist into something or to just sit there trying to further search for the punchline to this sick sick joke.
The truth needed to be discovered and Zuko needed to know. Was Katara truly dead and did she, all this time, have his son? Calling Toph who would have some sort of insight into his office, the young Fire Lord learned that not only she but all of his so called friends had known. Everyone knew but him. He had a son. Katara had given him a son.
In an angry outburst, Zuko banished Toph from his sight and told her to leave his palace and leave his nation. It was an order that he knew would likely be the end of their friendship but he had been crossed so deeply that he could not see any other way to handle the situation. He felt betrayed like no other.
On top of losing the love of his life, his son that he had known nothing about prior to this letter was missing. Kidnapped. Robbed from his mother's arms. Whoever had his son, Zuko knew they must know.
"Why didn't you tell me?! I could have protected you both! You knew I would have!" Zuko raged as he slammed his fist into his desk. He begun sinking forward. Slump over his desk as he felt tears drip from his eyes and his heart ache even more. He reached up to his chest and gripped it, gasping as he did. "Katara!"
The doors of his office opened and he lifted his head up abruptly, gaze instantly turning into a deep scowl. "Get out of here, Mai!" He snarled at her.
Seemingly unfazed, Mai only stared at him and made her way into his office as she shut the doors close. "What? Did she reject you yet again? Your precious waterbender doesn't wa-"
"She's dead!" Zuko cut her off to throw the dagger from his heart in his fiancée's direction. A threat for her if she dared continued speaking. "Katara is dead!"
Mai showed no change in expression as she paused half way. "Dead?"
"Yes! Dead! Katara's dead! And I dare you to say another foul thing about her!" Zuko was literally steaming off the shoulders as he continued shouting at Mai.
The noblewoman said nothing more and simply walked up to her raging fiancé's side. Comfort was not her expertise and neither was it something she cared to offer him of all people. However; it was something she wish she had had when he left her a second time. And so, she wrapped her arms around him, settling her chin on his shoulder.
Surprisingly, Zuko didn't move away from her. Instead he accepted this rare moment of hers. While she couldn't imagine the pain he was in nor could she relate to feeling so strongly about someone as he had, he knew she was trying. Agni, what he wouldn't give to have Katara here instead. Then he wouldn't be mourning her loss and instead be taking comfort in her embrace. She had the softest skin. Smooth enough to fall asleep against. And the way she'd caress his scar and play in his hair, it was all he wanted in the world for the years she had gone cold towards him. And it was all he would want for the rest of his days as it wouldn't be until his death that he would see her again.
Zuko looked down at the hands that wrapped around his waist and wished they had been the creamy ebony hands of his waterbender. Sighing to himself as he needed to calm down and think clearer than he had been, the young Fire Lord shut his eyes and breathed in slowly.
"I have a son." He told Mai. "He's four years old and Katara hid him away from me all these years."
Mai's eyes widened. That was not something she expected him to say or for her to ever hear. Her arms dropped from him as she backed away and stared at him with a rare wide gaze.
Zuko turned to see this expression as his hardened. "Whoever killed her, took him and I think they mean to use him as ransom. I think it could be supporters of my father or maybe my father himself."
Somehow, Mai didn't make it pass the fact that Zuko had a son. Her thoughts were only focused on that one detail. Him having a son meant a possible heir. Well his son would need to be confirmed as a firebender and as his actual child being that the boy was conceived out of wedlock. And if it all turned out to be true, then what would that mean for her children? Zuko would undoubtedly legitimize the child of his former lover.
Panic settled in, forcing her to sit down as she needed to catch her breath. How did that whore manage to pull this off?! Even in death she's mocking me! That was it. She needed to find a way to contact Ozai. He must have discovered this when he went to kill Katara and took the boy. Knowing him and his plans, he definitely saw more reason to keep Zuko's bastard son alive.
"Sokka asks for my help in finding his nephew, I plan to aid him in the search. Maybe I'll find my father mixed in all this while I'm at it." The young Fire Lord furrowed his brows as he looked down at his desk. Something told him it was his father. Maybe when Katara had interrogated Ozai, he managed to get her to slip information out herself. He had a talent for that. I swear when I get my hands on you, I'll won't make the mistake of letting you live!
….
Katara was sat on the ostrich horse as Ozai and his men spoke privately about their plans. She rolled her eyes and looked away from them. As if she cared what they were planning at this point. Not like she was going to intervene. They knew her goal and that was getting to her son. Everything else was irrelevant. Besides, she already had an idea of what they were up to. It was clearly revenge and plotting to overthrow Zuko, get his bending back if that was even possible.
Sighing as she noticed Ozai make his way to her, Katara said nothing while he strapped the satchel of their supplies. He was making her ride with him. Honestly, she'd rather ride with one of the other men. This was her father's murderer and the more she thought on it, the more annoyed she became that he was forcing her to be in his presence from this moment on.
"Move up." She heard his impassive husky voice command as he climbed on behind her.
For five hours straight they road along the main road, keeping hoods pulled over their heads and avoiding eye contact. With the war over and many firebenders and Fire Nation descents being profiled and targeted, they wanted to draw very little attention to themselves. When they pulled over on the side of the road to catch a break, Shinji and Lao went scouting into the woods nearby for a pond to let the ostrich horses drink. While they did that, Ozai grabbed the waterbender from their shared mount and placed her down on the ground before thrusting the map into her good hand.
"Where would you say we currently are?" He asked her.
Katara looked from him to the map in her hand and knelt onto the ground. Opening the map as she was crouched down and laying it out, she looked around to take in their surroundings. Back to the map, she dragged her finger from their previous location to where she figured they were now.
Tapping the spot, "We're near this village here. It's a small one and there is unlikely heavy law enforcement, so we could ride through there with no problems."
Raising his eyebrow as he looked between the map and the girl with his arms crossed. "How long do you think it'll take to reach Xiao Lu?"
Struggling to stand up with one arm being in a sling, "A month if we make fewer stops. A little more if we consider the ostrich horses need rest and possible detours."
Ozai took this into account what she was saying. The waterbender proved to be more cooperative than he expected.
"A month it is." He decided.
"B-but the ostrich horses, they need rest. We can't push them too much or we'll have to replace them." Katara pleaded.
"Did I ask what you thought about the ostrich horses?" Ozai suddenly noticed a bit of defiance in her eyes and he stepped up to her, towering over her with his gaze piercing into hers.
However; while he challenged her, she backed down. Some silly fight would only impede her from getting to her son. Why should she care about the ostrich horses being exhausted? Her son was more important.
Turning her head from him to the side, "No." she replied.
"No what?" Ozai grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes.
Furrowing her brows as she narrowed her eyes, "No, master."
"Good girl." He dropped his hand from her and smirked at her as his men returned. "We ride out till nightfall then we'll set up camp wherever we find ourselves."
~Nightfall~
Maybe it was because she was a woman or maybe it was because she needed to pull her own weight around here. Whatever it was, Katara got stuck preparing a meal with some of the supplies while the men set up camp. Well, while two of them did. Ozai had found a stream nearby to relax in. Of course, he wasn't used to traveling as long as he did on a mount as rowdy as an ostrich horse. Highborns. She rolled her eyes as she stirred the pot of food she was in charge of cooking.
Katara sighed to herself and looked around at the high trees of their setting, laying her head in her knees that were pulled to her chest. This reminded her of her travels during the war. Cooking was her duty in the group, that and tending to everyone's needs. She had been a mother before Kai. Mothering her friends while they all fought hard to save this world.
Sighing again, the waterbender heard the two men come up to the fire pit where she was stirring the pot and lifted her head to look at them.
"Done with the tents?" She asked curiously.
The one she assumed didn't like her much lift his lip in a snarl as he looked away from her while the stoic of the two directed her eyes to the tents. She mouthed an 'oh' to herself before turning her attention back to the food.
"Why don't you be more useful and go get Lord Ozai." Lao hadn't let up that irritated look on his face. His dislike for her didn't make much sense to her. Sure, they were enemies but what the hell did she ever do to him?
"I don't want the food to burn and besides, he'll come when he's down bathing." Katara retorted back.
Lao growled and jumped to his feet, about to teach this waterbender a lesson when Shinji stopped him.
Holding his hotheaded partner down, "Don't pick a fight."
"Don't defend her!" Lao said yanking Shinji's hand off him. "You know as good as I do that she's plotting something. I wouldn't be surprised if she poisoned our food."
"I wouldn't!" Katara jumped to defend herself.
About to lunge at her, Lao was held back once again by Shinji and was about to face off against him until their leader had returned from the stream.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ozai asked as he noticed one of his men holding back the other from the waterbender that didn't seem to be bothered and was only interested in the pot she was stirring.
It was explained to him the situation, however; Ozai didn't care and told the three of them to cut it out. He then went to his tent without another word, clearly annoyed by how childish he believed their antics were. Of course, Lao hadn't quite dropped it and Katara hadn't yet backed down. Shinji was doing all he could to keep the two from bumping heads further after they had been ordered to let it go.
Mumbling something under his breath as he shoved passed Shinji, Lao went to his separate tent, deciding he was also skipping out of dinner. Leaving his partner and the waterbender alone.
Sighing to herself as she settled down, Katara covered her mouth when she felt a cough coming and wiped her mouth after the short fit. When she looked up to the pot on the fire she was stirring, beyond the flames she noticed the other guy in charge of keeping watch of her was still staring.
"What? What is it?" She asked in annoyance. "Want to make fun of me or tell me something I assure you I've heard a thousand times already?"
Shinji shook his head and looked away from her, back to his hands as he was carving but of wood he had found laying away from the fire pit. "I don't dislike you, Ambassador. I rather admire you."
"Admire me for what? We're on different teams. I'm your enemy and you're mines." She narrowed her eyes at him as a bead of sweat fell down her forehead. Whether it was due to the flames she was so close to or the fever she had been keeping at bay, she wouldn't know.
Chipping away at the wood in his hands. "You're a fighter. A survivor. This whole time you've practically been on the verge of death whether it's the fever, our lord threatening you, or Lao looking for any reason to bash your head in. You manage to stay alive. I admire that."
Katara didn't know how to take that. Whether he was noting facts or complimenting her, she didn't know how to respond. Not to her enemy telling her something like that. Sure, she'd agree with him. She was definitely what he said she was but still, what did that mean coming from the likes of him?
"Well thanks, I guess." The waterbender figures that was the only thing she could say other than flat out ignoring him.
The waterbender fixed both herself and the man across from her a bowl. Even though he helped kidnap her son and was her enemy, he was the only one out of the three men overseeing her that was decent towards her.
They ate in silence until Shinji asked for a second helping of her meal. She hadn't thought he would like it since he was Fire Nation. Zuko had barely managed to eat any of her food while they had been traveling with the gang and his father practically starved himself in prison because of her food. It was nice to know that it wasn't her cooking but shared genes for why the only other Fire Nation people who ate her food hated it.
As they continued eating in silence, Ozai summoned the waterbender for the night. She took her time fixing up her things by the fire pit. Katara was not looking forward to sleeping with her enemy only a few inches away from her.
Shinji stared down at his second empty bowl and furrowed his brows as the waterbender had finished cleaning her space. "Be careful tonight, Ambassador."
Standing to her feet, she hid the semi-frightened look on her face as she nodded her head to him. Of course, she would be careful. She remembered him warning her before and she would heed it once again. Ozai might have told her his lack of attraction to her but she wasn't too sure as she made her way to his tent.
Gulping as she pulled the flap back, Katara ushered herself in and knelt as soon as she was inside. Her head bowed as she waited for him to say something or tell her on what side she'd be sleeping.
"Don't sleep on my sheets in those clothes." Ozai hissed without even looking her way. His nose was in a book he had brought with him for his travels.
Katara was about to apologize and tell him that she had nothing else until, he set his book down and reached into his personal belongings. Finding what he was looking for, he threw her an oversized tunic and picked back up his book.
"I'm not looking." He told her.
Assuming that was his way of tell her to re-dress in the small tent, the waterbender's face turned twenty shades of red if that was even possible. It was the most painfully awkward moment ever. She knew she was to follow his every instruction but was he even really asking her to do this in front of him? Looking or not, it was not something she did in front of any male but the ones in her group and even then, two of them turned around completely so to not even catch a glimpse.
"Change now before I change your clothes for you." Ozai's eyes lifted from his book for a moment to settle on her with an icy narrowing of his eyelids, telling her he was serious.
Not wanting to challenge him on that, Katara took the shirt and quickly turned herself around. If he wasn't going to look away, she would turn away. Easy. But it wasn't. Removing her sling was, it was very easy. But removing her shirt-like gown wasn't. She pulled it from the hem with one hand. However; pulling it over her head hand been difficult. She struggled to get either arm through it. Her broken wrist was no good in being pulled from its sleeve or helping remove the other from its sleeve. This was enough to cause her to become frustrated, huffing and puffing at how infuriating it was to be forced to change in front of a man she was not one bit fond of and have a broken wrist.
Ozai saw the waterbender struggling with taking off her top layer of clothing. Sighing as he set his book back down, he reached for his sheathed knife and scooted his way towards the girl.
Sending a chill down her back as he grabbed her from the back of the neck, Ozai held his knife where the top cuffed her neck. "Hold still." He told her.
Next she knew, her top layer to her gown was being sliced down and torn open from behind. Katara was stiff until she felt his hands leave her person and sensed there was distance between them again. She waited a moment to calm down before glancing meekly over her shoulder at him. The former tyrant had went back to reading his book.
La help me. She prayed as she turned back to her task of re-dressing and peeled off the top of her gown with ease. The under dress was also very easy to remove and when she was down to her under-binding, flushing all over as bare skin came in contact with a slight breeze entering the tent, Katara hurried and threw on the large tunic. The arms hole were big enough to easily move her broken wrist into without hurting it and it was practically a blanket in itself on her.
The soft cotton of the tunic just so happened to ease up her mood as the need for sleep crashed over her. She was tired and not to mention, she was still very under the weather. The awkwardness aside, Katara yawned and turn back around, hoping that her master wouldn't force her to sleep sitting up.
"Can I lay down now?" The tired waterbender asked.
Still reading his book, he flipped a page. "How are you to address me, waterbender?"
"Can I please lay down now, master?" She asked again, purposely being a smart ass.
"Stay on your side." He said before going silent again and reading his book.
There was no telling her twice. She crawled over to the empty space beside her captor and plopped down onto the pillow and curled her body into the sheets. Snuggling them up to her nose and mouth, why are these so soft. She cried in her head. La, she prayed they didn't wake too early. She wanted to lay in these till her body was back to one hundred percent.
~Next morning~
La, what the hell am I going to do?! Katara eyes were wide open as she held a pillow tightly over her head. She hadn't gotten any sleep. All night she had been enduring the loud snoring from the man sleeping beside her. Several times throughout the night, she contemplated ending everything and suffocating him with her pillow.
"Get up." She heard the groggy voice of her master and sat up, lifting the pillow from her head. She glared his way
No sleep equaled a grumpy waterbender and la, was she grumpy. Pissed off more like it but she wasn't going to let this get the better of her. Surviving and getting to Xiao Lu was her plan.
In her gaze of tiredness, Katara ruffled up her hair and crawled out of the tent. The sun hit her dead in her eyes and blinded her as she exited the tent. She gave herself a moment to adjust to the lighting, using her hand as a visor until she could see again. When the light no longer bothered her, the waterbender rose to her feet and looked around to see if the other two men were up yet.
Shinji was pouring water out on the pit and Lao took down the tents. While they tended to their tasks, Katara looked for her satchel of things and grabbed them. She needed to bathe before she left. At least some water to the face would help her wake up.
As she made her way to the stream near the campsite, the waterbender felt she was being followed and stopped half way. Sighing in annoyance, she turned around and pulled her good hand to her hip.
"If you're wondering about last night, he didn't touch me." Katara told her stalker.
Shinji smirked and walked up to her, "That's not why I was following you but it's good to know. I did worry."
Rolling her eyes, Katara spun around and continued on her path to the stream. "Is there something you want?" She asked, a little irritated due to the like of sleep.
"Our lord sent me after you. He wants you supervised at all time." Shinji told her.
La, this journey was only going to get worse and worse, wasn't it? Not only did she have to sleep in the same tent as Ozai but one of his goons had to accompany her to the stream and monitor her bathing. Just keep it together, Katara. We have to reach Xiao Lu and get Kai back. That's all that matters now. For the sake of her son, she was having to relinquish her pride, dignity, and self-worth. She just hoped that would be enough to keep him safe and get her to him.
…..
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Please review!