A/N:
I'm back with more for Drowning Lessons! Thanks for waiting!
Chapter 20:
This was pleasant news to him. The waterbender had decided to stay in the palace and aid his son's bitch of a fiancé conceive. It meant he would see her more and hopefully, he would be able to convince her in due time to help him escape. Charm her a little bit. He could play on her good nature.
"You're too kind of a person, waterbender. Don't you fear you'll get hurt again?" Ozai asked her as she was combing his hair. Even with himself, he didn't believe she should be so willing to be kind. He liked her, yes. But that didn't mean he wouldn't use her to his advantage.
Staring blankly at his black locks that she ran a comb through, "I'm going to get hurt either way. Doesn't make a difference."
Hearing the lament in her tone, Ozai looked over his shoulder and grinned. "Feeling sorry for ourselves, are we?"
"No!" She scoffed and glared at him. "I don't feel sorry for myself. I just feel like if my life is going to suck either way, I might as well do whatever it is I want."
"And what do you want?" He asked her.
Katara sighed and shook her head, "Nothing for myself at the moment." Because what she wanted for herself, she was never going to get. That ship sailed a long time ago.
When she finished fixing Ozai's hair, the waterbender told him that she was tired and would see him tomorrow. She saw that look he gave her everytime she left and she told him she would stay longer tomorrow.
Leaving the prison and heading back to the palace, Katara saw Shinji standing at her door with his arms folded. He eyed her as she came up to him.
"You know it's called Stockholm syndrome." Shinji said.
"Perhaps." She said, pausing at her door with her hand pressed to it.
Shinji turned to her and looked down at her, "and it doesn't help that you're pregnant with his kid."
Sighing, Katara looked up at him and told him to come in if he wanted to speak as Zuko always had someone eyeing her.
As Shinji sat on the sofa by the firepit as she changed out of her day clothes into a nightgown and robe, he saw her stare somberly as she started fixing tea.
"I was alone when I was pregnant with Kai and I was miserable the entire time." Katara said. "You men don't know what it's like for us women to have to carry your child and then for us to do it alone, it's miserable. I cried everyday until he was born and then I continued to cry after because I knew the life he was going to live in the South Pole among my people looking like his father's people and then to possibly never know who his father was. Now it's happening all over again and I refuse to be that miserable again, only...I don't know how to achieve that."
Shinji looked at the waterbender that he had taken a liking to in the first few days of meeting her. She was kind hearted. Even to her enemies that deserved her scorn. Not to say she wouldn't thrash them first because she most definitely would but...she wasn't cruel. Even to them.
And maybe seeing Ozai was less to do with her kind heart and her simply wanting to be close to him because she was pregnant again and didn't want to be alone like she was during her last pregnancy. Shinji couldn't blame her. Regardless of how psycho Ozai was, she seemed to know how to handle him. And she was a lot kinder to him now than he was to her when their roles were reversed. Maybe Ozai would see that and try to be kinder back. But that was farfetched even with Shinji knowing the man definitely desired the waterbender for more than just sex. Otherwise, why make her his woman if he didn't truly like her when she could just be a toy?
Drinking his tea, Shinji told Katara that he would be on her side regardless of what came. Even if she asked him to take her away.
Katara looked at him with a hopeful smile. "Maybe. I might come to ask you to help me disappear one day."
Shinji stood up and told Katara that if she needed anything to ask him. She stood as well to hug him and thank him for everything. When he left Katara went to bed and rested. Hoping tomorrow she felt less depressed.
…..
Zuko saw his mother playing with Kai in the courtyard while Katara made water bubbles for them to pop and play with it. He was literally seeing what he had always dreamed of. His mother was back in his life. Katara was also here and they had a son together. This was what he wanted and yet, he didn't know what to do to integrate himself into the scene before him. He felt like he was watching this moment he's always wanted and he wasn't a part of it.
Katara hated him and he really couldn't blame her. He wasn't fair to her. Basically, used her no differently than his father had and she's had to suffer the consequences because of it. And he knew his mother was not pleased with him avoiding his son but he just didn't know how to interact with the boy. He didn't know how to be a dad. This was kind of just thrusted upon him out of the blue.
Seeing her son watching them from the pillar, Ursa shook her head. "I want to apologize for my son's absence. I know you and him are on bad terms but there's no excuse for him to not even see Kai once now that he knows." Ursa said in annoyance as she came to sit beside the waterbender while Kai chased a bug he saw fly by.
It wasn't lost on her either that Zuko was watching from nearby. But honestly, she wasn't angry with him about that. He was probably just scared or being his usual socially awkward self. Sure, that wasn't an excuse but she was kind of at fault herself.
"I'll talk to him later. Get him to come out of his shell. I know he's terrified and a lot has happened but he has to face the music. He's the Fire Lord. There are going to be many obstacles throughout the course of his life and he has to face all of them head on." Ursa says as she looks down at her hand. "And I know I'm one to talk seeing as I left my children in their father's hand but you wouldn't believe what I had to go through with Oz-"
Us stopped as she suddenly remembered and quickly apologized.
Chuckling as she shook her head, "It's fine. Really. I only had to deal with him for a few months but you had years with him and I know I wouldn't have lasted. I don't blame you for leaving him." Katara told her.
"But I shouldn't have left my children. I should have been like you and fought to get them back from him. But I was so scared of him." Ursa trembled as she held her hand to her mouth and tears came rolling down. "If I were to see him now, I think I'd pass out from fear. I'm sorry you had to go through what I did."
Katara wasn't sure what kind of woman Ursa was but she seemed to be a sensitive woman. Delicate and docile. She was sweet and kind and Katara really liked her. She helped her a lot with Kai and even told her a bunch of tricks that came with being a mother that seemed pretty useful. She could definitely see why she would be terrified of Ozai. He was crazy and a lunatic.
Looking to her son, Katara felt she needed to ask the woman a question. "I'm helping lady Mai with fertility in the hopes that Zuko won't place Kai in the line of succession, do you think that if I'm unsuccessful that they will accept my son as heir? He is part Water Tribe."
Ursa looked at her grandson and then to the waterbender. "Looking at him, I would never guess that. He looks nothing like you, I'm sorry to say. Plus, he's a firebender. As long as he appears Fire Nation and is a firebender, they will accept him. But for that to happen, you'd need to be enstated as a consort. That way he's legitimized."
"Then I can't afford to fail Mai." Katara said standing up. "Could you watch Kai for a little bit. I need to see Lady Mai."
"Of course." Ursa said as she saw Katara walk off. She wasn't used to meeting women that didn't want to be tied to the royal household. Most would jump at the opportunity to be consort to the Fire Lord and have his child that could possibly be next in line but this waterbender didn't seem interested. It was like she wanted to get away from the royal household as far as possible.
….
Having her servants fix up her makeup, Mai saw Katara enter her chambers and scoffed.
"Just because you've gotten all too chummy with both Fire Lords doesn't mean you can just toss formalities out the window." Mai told her as she shooed the servants away and stood up, eyeing down the shorter woman. "You are after all just a peasant. You need to remember your place since you keep falling out of line and into someone's bed."
Swallowing her pride, Katara clenched her teeth and bowed her head. "Sorry about that, Lady Mai."
Mai scoffed and turned her back to the waterbender. "What did you want?"
"I told you I would help you with conception." Katara rose back up as she walked up to Mai. "I want to help you have a legitimate heir with Zuko."
Signing as she looked over her shoulder at Katara, "Don't even bother. My mother wrote me to tell me I had been ill as a child and the physicians all said I would be barren. It was never in my cards to have Zuko's child."
"Maybe I can fix that for you." Katara suggested.
Rolling her eyes as she looked forward at herself in the mirror just a few feet in front of her, "Forget it. I don't want to waste my time."
"But it wouldn't be a wast-"
"What do you care?!" Mai hissed at her as she turned around and scowled venomously at Katara. "You just want your son to be spared the conflicts of court and being a royal! You don't want power! You don't need it! You can live without it! Hell, you've lived that way your whole life!"
Katara disregarded Mai's anger as she could see that the woman was struggling with more than she was letting on.
"I know you, Katara. I've watched you carefully while you were here and you pretend to be above the rest of us because you don't fight and squabble for power and ambition like the rest of us. Look down on us like we're a bunch of koi fish splashing are for the morning meal! You've seen what power does to us and you want to save your son despite it being in his blood to be like us. But no, you want him to have the freedom's you have as if it would be better suited for him!" Mai spat as she towered over Katara.
The noblewoman smirked as she saw Katara wouldn't make eye contact. "I knew it. You do think you're better than us." She scoffed with a hint of humor in her turned lips and back away. "But don't worry. In time, your precious son won't be any different from us. I'll ask Zuko to allow me to adopt him."
Katara's eyes widened, "What?!"
Smirking even wider as she turned away and went to her vanity to add her lipstick. "You heard me peasant. Royal blood doesn't deserve to be in the hands of a mere peasant. Zuko will understand that this needs to be done and will have no other choice."
"No! Never! I won't give my son over to you!" Katara snapped. She knew Mai must have lost her mind if she thought she would hand Kai over to her.
Shrugging, "Fine, how about the one you're currently pregnant with? That should be easy."
Katara became furious, "Neither!"
"You know Zuko can just throw you in prison and then you lose all your rights?" Mai seemed amused at the rage that was building up in Katara.
Willing herself to calm down, Katara clenched her fists and shut her eyes. She wasn't going to let Mai get the best of her. She was just bitter.
"I warn you, Mai, do not mess with me or my children. You will regret it. I swear to you." Katara then opened her eyes and glared at the noblewoman.
Chuckling as she was not in the least afraid of the waterbender, "I do believe you're the one who should be warned. Ozai spared you but I won't."
…
As she entered the cell, he looked like he had been beaten with how he was chained to the wall itself and it looked as if there was blood on his shirt. She hurried to his side of the cell and tried unlocking the cuffs on his wrists with the keys she stole from the guards' office. It was when she was struggling on her tiptoes to reach his wrists when she noticed him stirring from his sleep.
"What the hell is this?" Not realizing who it was that was pressed against him reaching for his wrists.
Katara turned her head to look at him and his eyes widened.
"Katara."
She looked away from him and went back to trying to unlock the cuffs on his wrists but was struggling to reach the keyhole.
Ozai looked to where she was trying to reach and observed her struggling. "What are you doing?" He asked her.
Jumping up against him to reach the keyhole, Katara didn't reply back, too focused on getting him out of these cuffs.
"You're too short." Ozai told her. She couldn't even reach the top of his head with her jumping, he doubted she would be able to reach his wrists which were above his head.
Katara ignored him and continued to reach the keyhole, this time climbing on him and trying to reach.
"Why are you trying to unlock my cuffs?" Ozai was annoyed and confused. What did she want?
Katara finally looked at him. "We have to get out of here."
"We?" Ozai was even more confused. "What are you talking about? You're free."
"But you're not." She went back to trying to unlock his cuffs. "I have to get you out of here." Still struggling.
Ozai sighed and realized he must have really messed this girl up in the head because she clearly wasn't thinking straight. Sure, he didn't mind that she wanted to free him but she did know it was better for her that he remained here? Yeah, he wanted to be free but she was far better at being the captor than he was.
"Look, girl, if you free me you would be betraying your little friends that risk their lives to save you. Are you sure you want to do that?" Ozai waited for her to turn back and look at him.
Katara climbed off of him and looked up at him, "What am I supposed to do?" She asked him, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I don't know." He answered her honestly.
"But I'm pregnant...and I don't want to do this alone again." Katara said as her eyes teared up.
Ozai looked at the girl as she fell on her knees. He had to say, he was sort of liking this. Never had a woman grovelled at his feet. Most of the time they'd just leave and move on with their lives. He wasn't good at keeping women or making them want him other than in a physical way. They'd use him as much as he uses them. So this was different to him in a sense.
"Look, if you become consort. 1st consort, that is, Kai will be his heir with Mai being unable to perform the task. You don't have to sleep with him. At that point, you've already done your job. I say take advantage." Ozai advises her.
Not happy with that advice, Katara looked at him pleadingly, hoping he would change his mind. But he didn't; he just stared at her like he was waiting for her to agree with him.
"If you were to free me, I can't say I wouldn't be tempted to fuck you with your face planted on the floor." Ozai told her honestly and saw her face display shock. "Forgive me, waterbender. Your kindness is more a turn on than you know. No one has ever…-" Clearing his throat, he looked away from her and sighed. "Anyways, you're a good person, Katara. But what do you ever get for it? Nothing. And if you think, freeing me will save you, you're sadly mistaken."
He's right. What am I thinking? Katara placed her hand on her forehead as she backed into the bars, slumping into them as she tried to get a hold of herself.
"Zuko broke your heart and even so, you tried to be a good woman about it. You didn't use your son as a weapon or a means to gain power. You simply accepted what was and tried to be useful to Zuko in other ways. You even got yourself mixed up with me for him. And what does he do? He doesn't bother to see your son, threatens to let his soon to be wife adopt him, or force you to be his whore. Does that not make you angry? You did nothing but be a good woman and he continues to hurt you for it. Don't you want revenge?" Ozai asked her.
Honestly, Katara wanted to kill Zuko when he announced he was engaged to Mai. She was so hurt from just discovering she was pregnant and he refused to see her. It broke her heart. And then as his ambassador, he had the audacity to not allow her to move on with someone else. Later, making it clear to her that he had other plans for her to be his consort.
Clenching her fists, Katara remembered Zuko's comment a while ago and she was so angry that it made her sick. Seeing this, Ozai grinned.
"Become his consort, make your son an heir, and raise hell." Ozai told her.
"But...what about…" her hand went down to her belly and she saw the dread form on his face.
Signing, "Kat-'
"I'll get revenge but wouldn't it be revenge enough to set you free?" She suggested.
Ozai eyed her, "Why are you so desperate to get me out of here?"
Leaning off of the bars, Katara straightened out her posture. "Shinji says it's Stockholm syndrome." She said awkwardly. "But I think it's because I'm a glutton for punishment."
"Hmmm, so you want to be punished? Well, fine, waterbender. I can punish you." Ozai told her.
Katara rolled her eyes, "Not what I meant."
"Well that's how it sounds. Besides, I know you like me better this way. I'm like a pet to you." Ozai grinned.
And to be honest, she never thought of him that way but now that he said it, he was sort of like a pet. She fed him, visited him, groomed him, and even played with him. And even with that in mind, she didn't not like it. Him as a pet was a much more suitable arrangement. At least she was better at playing master than he was.
Katara stepped towards him with her head tilted, "So you like being my pet?" She asked curiously. He didn't seem to want to be freed. She made it very clear that she wanted to free him but he refused to let her. So he must like it.
"If I answer that, will you do something for me instead?" His eyes gave off the suggestive nature of his tone and the waterbender's face heated a red tent.
Absent-mindedly, she nodded.
"Yes." She saw him flash his teeth as his eyes roamed up and down her body. "Something about the shift in power turns me on. Your touch is gentle and so is your approach. I've never experienced it before and I have to say, I enjoy it a little too much. So, no. I don't want to be freed right now."
It went without saying, Katara was surprised to hear this. Ozai liked being in a submissive role with her. She sure didn't believe him at first but when she thought about it, it made sense. He never once attacked her or stopped her from doing anything with him. He was very cooperative. So much so that she sometimes forgot who he was. He never objected to anything.
"I answered. Now, will you do me that favor?"
"Yes." She said in a very still stunned state.
"I'm in a rather desperate position. Would you give me some relief?"
It took her a moment to piece together what he was suggesting and she looked at him with disgust.
"Excuse me?!"
"Would you relieve me of my strain?" He told her, glancing down at himself to make himself more clear.
The waterbender slapped him as she was offended he would even ask but watched his eyes light up as he looked at her lustfully. She furrowed her brows and slapped him again, this time a little harder. Her hand print was on his face and as he turned his head from the side and looked at her, his hair covering part of his face, she saw he was still turned on. And if that didn't make it apparent then the large bulge in his pants did.
"You're disgusting." She told him.
Signing, "I guess I've been a bad pet. You should punish me." Ozai suggested.
"I should leave."
"Then next time."
"Hmmp!" Katara whipped around and left
….
It was pretty obvious to Sokka and Suki that Katara was distressed. They wanted to speak with her, hopefully to cheer her up but she only spoke with Aang, Ty Lee, Iroh, Ursa, and that guy Shinji. Toph had tried to speak with Katara but everyone knew Toph and Zuko were best friends. They saw it coming when Katara froze the bottom of Toph's feet and walked away so that the earthbender couldn't follow her. It also didn't come as a surprise that Katara bitch slapped Zuko when they watched him force his way into her chamber. Obviously, she wasn't letting just anyone come near her and she wasn't wrong to feel that way.
Sokka just wanted to let her know that he wouldn't outcast her from their tribe. She just experienced something traumatic and instead of helping her heal, he said something so cruel to her as if she chose to have another child. Suki had given him plenty of lecturing and slaps since. And last night, she hit him especially hard after Zuko said something so stupid to her.
Sighing as he looked from his sister to Suki, "She's going to hurt me, you know?"
"She would be right to." Suki said as she rubbed her round belly. "This is your fault, you know? Katara knew someone was after her and you ignored it which caused her and Kai to be kidnapped and her to be raped and impregnated by Ozai."
Scoffing, "She said it wasn't necessarily rape."
Suki slapped him in the back of his head, "Katara is only 18! That bastard is more than twice her age! And regardless of her possibly going along with it, I'm pretty sure he manipulated her! Now go apologize to your sister!"
Wincing as he rubbed the back of his head, Sokka glared at her. "Fine!"
The Kiyoshi warrior watched as her boyfriend went to where his sister was sitting on a bench with Aang dancing around with Kai.
Noticing someone approaching her, Katara looked up with a stare of the stark icy tundra. She made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let those that hurt her get away with what they had done to her. Anyone that wasn't on her side was her enemy and that included family.
"Come any closer and I'll water slap you across this garden." Katara told Sokka and watched him pause immediately.
Aang looked up to see Sokka and picked up Kai as he walked over to them.
"What's up, Sokka?" Aang asked.
Sokka rolled his eyes as the monk, "She's my sister. I should be able to talk to her without her bodyguard coming up to me." He was annoyed that Aang would involve himself.
"Yeah but if you're just going to stir up more drama, I think it's best you didn't speak to her." Aang tried to put it as politely as possible, they were both his friends.
"What?! Are you fucking her too?!" Before Sokka realized what he had just said and covered his mouth both Aang and Katara gaped at him.
The shock on Katara's face soon faded and her expression was full of hurt and anger. She stood up and glared at him with tears in her eyes. Even though it was clear to her from his expression that he didn't mean to say it, it was now out there and he couldn't take it back.
"Katara, I'm sorry! I mean it! I'm really sorry! I just came over here to ask you to come home. I won't outcast you because of something that was not in your control." Sokka tried to recover.
But it failed. Katara's feelings were severely hurt as if they weren't already hurt enough.
"I hope Suki has a boy because I fear the kind of father you would be to your daughter if the same thing happened to her that happened to me!" Katara hissed before storming off.
Aang looked at Sokka and shook his head, severely disappointed. "Dude, not cool." He said before carrying Kai with him as he chased down Katara.
Fuck! Sokka pulled at his hair.
….
Ty Lee was just leaving Katara's rooms after finally getting her to calm down. It took a lot of work but eventually the waterbender was able to relax when reminded that she was pregnant and needed to take care of her mental health like she would her physical health.
As soon as the acrobat stepped out of the chambers, she saw Zuko and Mai standing there as if they were about to enter. Ty Lee furrowed her brows.
"She's resting. Please leave her alone." She said.
Mai scoffed, "When did you and the whore get friendly?"
Zuko growled at her while Ty Lee glared.
"She's not a whore and you know that, Mai! Or do I need to tell your fiancé what you did?!" Ty Lee threatened.
The Fire Lord looked from Ty Lee to Mai. "Did what?"
Mai sent Ty Lee a threatening scowl but the acrobat was not afraid. She had gone against Azula and no one was more frightening than Azula.
Looking from her former friend to Zuko, "Ask your father who let him out of prison with orders to kill Katara." Ty Lee spat before storming off.
Confused, Zuko looks at Mai and then to the back of Ty Lee's head.
"What is she talking about?" Zuko asked.
Hugging onto Zuko's arm tighter, "I don't know but it's best we ignore her." Mai said. "Obviously, she's sided with Katara."
Brushing it to the back of his head, Zuko decided to try his luck with Katara again. He told Mai he would speak with her alone and Mai nodded, deciding she would go speak to Ty Lee. Hopefully, they both would find solutions to their problems. However; as he entered her chambers, he paused when he heard her voice. He could just barely hear them and their conversation.
"He says I treat him like a pet." Katara spoke as she laid on her side on a throw pillow as she stared at the flames in the fire pit.
Shinji was sitting with one knee to his chest as he chuckled at what the waterbender was telling him. Seemed his former master liked the waterbender enough to like the arrangement of her being in the more dominant position. The man was crazy but this was new.
Giggling to herself, "I don't know. I never thought of him that way before but now that I do, I like it."
"Who wouldn't like to have power over the person that ruined their life? If you ask me, you should take advantage." Shinji told him.
Katara sighed and shook her head and told him what Ozai told her to do with Zuko. She just wasn't that kind of person. There wasn't enough money or power in the world that would make her become Zuko's consort.
Shinji eyed her over the flames, "What if you were to become his wife?"
"That's not going to happen."
"Not unless he finds out what she did. You should tell him. You were setup. I will vouch for you and I'm sure even Ozai would tell Zuko that much. Plus, we have physical evidence of everything." Shinji gazed at the waterbender.
But Katara didn't care to get Mai in trouble. "What would be the point?"
"To become Zuko's wife like you wanted."
"I don't." Katara said quickly. "I don't want anything to do with Zuko. We have a son. So what? That was back when I was stupid and young and I fell for that nice guy with a dark past shit. I'm older and wiser now. And I almost hate him more than I hated his father." Her voice gradually got quieter as she stared off into the blank void of the flames.
Zuko stood there in silence as he listened to Katara tell Shinji that she hated him more than she hated his father. It broke his heart but really, he broke his own heart. Katara hated him for a good reason and to be honest, he didn't think it was right of him to try and change that. He hurt her enough. But what he wanted to know now was, what did Mai have to do with any of this?
….
Ozai could tell Katara was not happy with him. It was a little forward of him to ask her of such a favor but if he thought about, he had been much more forward about things with her. But he wasn't counting on seeing her tonight. So he might as well tend to himself.
However; just as he slipped his hand below the waistband of his dark red prison pants, Ozai heard the metal clacking of keys at the metal door of his prison cell. So she is visiting. He grinned. Maybe he should leave his hands in his pants. Set the mood.
Unfortunately, it was not Katara but instead his insufferable son. Ozai didn't bother to remove his hand as his son looked at him with disgust.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Zuko hissed as he looked away from his father, utterly disgusted.
Ozai scoffed and rolled his eyes as he slipped his hand out. "Do you know how many times I've caught you yanking at yours from the time you were a small boy that was curious to a teen with sexual frustrations?"
"Whatever." Zuko shivered as he just wanted to get the thought out of his head. "I came here because I have a question and I know you know the answer to it."
Sighing, Ozai sat against his cell wall and swept his hair out of his face. He didn't know what Zuko wanted now.
"Why did you go after Katara?" Zuko asked as he narrowed his eyes.
Chuckling as he looked away from Zuko, Ozai figured his son would come asking that eventually. Must be suspicious of something. Or someone. But Ozai wasn't going to just flat out tell him that his fiance was an evil bitch that wanted his waterbender and son dead. No, that was something he'd have to learn on his own.
"You had that girl interrogate me and then she somehow managed to tap into my thoughts with her waterbending. I wanted to kill her then and there and so, I hunted her down the second I got out of this place." Ozai explained as if it should be so obvious.
Narrowing his eyes some more as he approached the bars of the cell, "How did you know where to find her?"
Now that was hilarious, Ozai simply answered that she was famous during and after the war. He mocked Zuko for thinking he wasn't already aware of Katara's existence as she was an enemy that he had been told about by Azula along with all his other little friends.
"I even knew about your little affair with her. The only thing that came as a surprise was that you fathered a child with her which I'm sure you were just as surprised." Ozai shrugged as he looked at Zuko. "What else would you like to know, Zuko?"
Although everything his father was telling him was true and could easily be supported with facts and evidence, Zuko wasn't buying it. There was more. Shinji and Katara mentioned Mai and his father hadn't begun to mention her name once. Either he was dancing around this or he might have misheard the two.
Running his hand through his hair as he pulled his hair from his face, Zuko looked over his father. For someone who had been in prison for a little over two months, nearly three months, his father looked well looked after. He was groomed nicely. The cell was clean, hair was de-tangled, his clothes were cleaned and he seemed to have bathed regularly. Obviously, someone was going out of their way for him while he was in prison. But Zuko couldn't think who. He had gotten rid of all the guards and servants that had a history of siding with Ozai during his reign. All guards and servants that personally tended to his father were investigated thoroughly. Even more so, after his escape.
Seeing in his son's expression that he wanted to know more, Ozai sighed. There was still a chance Katara would be visiting him tonight and he didn't want to risk the chance of an awkward moment between his son and his former lover. It was not going to be easy explaining that Katara was looking after him and had been since he's been in prison. Plus, he was planning on making a move on her and he didn't want Zuko getting in the way.
"Who let you out of prison?" Zuko asked, wanting to be more direct.
Rolling his eyes, "I have many supporters all over the country. I couldn't tell you their name. They didn't play too big a part after freeing me." Ozai said nonchalantly.
Annoyed, Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mai's name was mentioned in a conversation between Shinji and Katara. They said you would vouch for Mai having something to do with you and your plans. Is that true?"
Ozai wore a deadpan expression as he stared at his son, "Who's Mai?"
Zuko snapped, "My fiancé! And you don't have to say anything! I know Mai has something to do with it! Katara wouldn't make accusations even in private if she didn't have sound evidence."
"Then why are you talking to me? Shouldn't you be speaking with Mai about this? Or perhaps, Katara could tell you?" Ozai suggested.
Growling in utter frustration, Zuko stormed out. He was so sick of his father's shit. The man was obviously toying with him. He would just look into it on his own. He couldn't go to Mai about this because it would alert her and Katara wasn't going to talk. The only other people that could give him something to go on was Ty Lee and Shinji.
…..
Mai folded her arms as she spotted Ty Lee approach her finally. The acrobat was not known to hold a grudge or express anger so vividly on her face. Obviously, her friend wasn't seeming too friendly and Mai figured the acrobat and her weren't really friends anymore. Ty Lee hadn't made any effort to speak with her and went out of her way to avoid her. Mai knew Ty Lee knew all about her hand in the waterbender being kidnapped and Ozai escaping from prison. She had to know.
"I see you and the water slut are friends now."
Ty Lee placed her hands on her hips and glared at Mai, "Well, she is way nicer than you or Azula ever were! And don't call her a water slut! You and I both know that you set this all up!"
"Oh whatever." Mai rolled her eyes. "I bet the bitch had her fun. Zuko wouldn't let her move on and I unintentionally made that happen. You should applaud me for getting her laid."
The acrobat was utterly disgusted to hear her friend say that. "Do you even know what he did to her?!"
"Doesn't matter. I hear she's been visiting him in prison. Obviously, they have something going on between them." Mai shrugged her shoulders.
Ty Lee sucked her teeth and looked away from Mai. "Sometimes, you're worse than Azula!"
Mai didn't seem to care as Ty Lee stormed off. Their friendship was definitely over now. How dare she compare her to that psycho path.
….
Ty Lee outright refused to talk to Zuko as she felt he was no longer capable of making the right decisions as this whole ordeal was really his fault to begin with. Zuko felt all of his friends were turning on him and honestly, he hadn't a clue how to deal with this. Zuko spotted Shinji standing outside of Katara's chambers. He figured this would be a good opportunity to ask him about Mai.
Noticing the Fire Lord eyeing him, Shinji raised a brow. "Your majesty."
"I have something to ask you." Zuko wasn't going to beat around the bush. "Do you know who helped my father escape?"
Shinji looked at the Fire Lord suspiciously, "Why would that interest you, your majesty?"
"You'll tell me what you know or I can have you arrested for treason. You did outright aided my father and helped kidnap my friend." Zuko wasn't about to get toyed with like his father had done to him. He was getting the results he came here for.
However; Shinji was unimpressed and folded his arms as he stepped to Zuko. "I was prepared for far worse when I disobeyed your father to save your so 'called' friend." The former rebel eyed the Fire Lord with indifference. "But you go ahead and throw me in prison, Fire Lord. See how well that sits with your 'friend'."
Hissing, Zuko clenched his fists. "Just tell me, damn it! What does Mai have to do with any of what happened between my father and Katara?!"
Scoffing and he snickered, backing off the Fire Lord. Shinji shook his head and laughed. "I don't know, Fire Lord. How about you have Lady Mai investigated if you're so suspicious of her."
Growling, Zuko was about to snap when Katara exited out of her chambers and approached Shinji. She completely disregarded Zuko's presence as she tapped on Shinji's arm and gestured for him to walk with her. Shinji looked Zuko up and down before he turned to leave with the waterbender.
"Ignore him." Katara tells Shinji as she hugs his arm to her chest and lays her head against him while walking away.
Zuko watched in sheer frustration. Here he was trying to find who did this and make it right. And she didn't even acknowledge him. It made his blood boil.
….
Later that night, Katara told Shinji to be her alibi while she went to visit Ozai. He agreed but told her she was making a huge mistake by going to see the former Tyrant. She knew it was stupid to see Ozai but he sort of messed up the little normalcy she had and she didn't know how to go back to normal.
Arriving at his cell, Katara could see he was asleep on the floor splayed out. She thought it was strange. Ozai didn't usually sleep in such an undignified fashion.
As she got closer to the cell and took out her keys to open the bar, she saw something in Ozai's neck where his hand had fell over. She furrowed her brows and saw that it was a dart.
The waterbender immediately raised a wall of water from thin air and used it to block her attacker from getting her. She whipped around and saw it was indeed someone here waiting for her. They backed her into the cell bars with a blade at her neck.
"Zuko?!" Her eyes widened with shock.
Glaring at her as he held his broadsword at her throat, "I didn't expect to find you here." He said, shocked himself, that it was Katara of all people showing up here.
Katara eyed him and then the sword at her neck, "Are you going to keep holding a blade at a pregnant woman's throat all night?"
"Pregnant with his child." Zuko hissed as he lowered his sword to her stomach and glared at it. "You're already starting to show."
The waterbender watched as his face displayed pure fury as his hand shook while holding the blade to her stomach. She placed her hand between the blade and her belly and tried to be calm as her eyes went back to Zuko.
"Zuko." She started calmly. "Put the sword down."
"Not until you tell me why the hell you're here!" He shouted at her.
He looked completely distraught. Almost betrayed. Katara could see he really wasn't expecting to see her here.
Trying her best to calm her nerves, Katara kept steady eye contact with Zuko. "I came to see him. I have been." She confessed. "I keep him groomed and look after him."
"Why?!"
"B-because...he's the father of my child and I wanted to see him." Katara swallowed hard. "I'm lonely and I don't want to be. Not like how I was when I had Kai. That was very hard and I can't bear to do that again."
Without realizing it, tears fell down her face and she began to uncover her true reason for coming to see Ozai.
"I always wanted to have a family. One of my own and when we were together, I thought I'd get to have it with you but things didn't go as planned and I had Kai before I was married. Everyone….everyone back home thought I was raped when they saw Kai and none of the men could stand to even look at me sometimes. I thought if I came back here to the Fire Nation, under the invitation to be your ambassador that maybe you would change your mind about things since you and Mai still hadn't married and Kai could have his father finally. He deserved as much. He's a really good kid."
Her hands went to her mouth as she felt her throat lodge with grief, "But it was obvious you didn't see me that way anymore and I lost hope and wanted to go back home to my son. Maybe try to find him a father back home. And then Ozai showed up a few days later. His men took Kai and beat me half to death. I begged Ozai to spare me and he did with his own intentions in mind."
Trying to get a hold of herself, Katara swallowed hard. "When Ozai and I started having sex, he told me he liked me and wanted me to be his woman. I didn't buy it and figured he was only tricking me. I didn't want to be fooled by him but he had already gotten Kai to call his daddy and they bonded and Ozai was actively trying to convince me that I was his woman, I hated him but he was what I had been wanting. I realized that when you and Aang tried to get me. And when I come to see I feel at peace even though he's hurt me. But everyone has at this point but at least, somebody wanted me and my son finally. At least someone cared about us! I don't care who he is or what he's done, I forgive him as long as I don't have to be alone anymore! I don't want to be alone!" Her hands covered her face as she cried.
The broadsword fell to the ground and Zuko's teary somber gaze could not pull from her as she wept about how lonely she was. She even fell on her knees and begged him not to stop her from seeing Ozai. That she wasn't going to free him. She just wanted to see him. That was all.
Feeling overwhelmed, Zuko panted as he was beginning to hyperventilate from his anxiety. He was seriously overwhelmed by everything. This was all too much for him. He was supposed to be the Agni damn Fire Lord. He was supposed to be different from his father and his father before him. But here he had caused so much pain to the first person other than his mother and uncle that looked at him like an actual human being. It was why he fell for her. Katara made him feel like a human being and he hurt her terribly.
"He's a prisoner, Katara. A war criminal. I can't just let you come in and out of here." Zuko told her as he shook his head with tears in his eyes. "Besides, I understand what you're saying but my father is not the man you should be looking for comfort in. There are better men."
Glaring at him, "Like who? You?!"
Going to her to help her to her feet, Zuko looked her in the eyes. "I know I've hurt you, Katara. I want to make things better. If you need me to, I'll help you find someone." He told her.
Helped to her feet, Katara looked away from him. "I don't want to find anyone else." She told him. "Besides, any man that would take me as his wife knowing that Kai and the child I'm carrying are royals would only be doing so for power and ambition."
"My father is not better." Zuko told her.
Shaking her head, "Let me see him like I have and I will cooperate, Zuko. Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it but let me have this. I can promise he will not escape."
Court life was hard enough and with Katara not following the ways of court due to her outright loath of him, it made it extremely difficult. If he agreed then she'd give him less trouble. And it wasn't like Ozai had escaped in all this time she had been seeing him. So he guessed it would stay that way.
Sighing in defeat, Zuko pinched his brows. "Fine but we still find you a worthy husband. One that is worthy of raising my son and sibling."
Katara nodded as she looked down at her belly. "Okay."
Reaching for the back of her head, Zuko pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "Don't let your guard down with him, Katara."
"I won't." She told him.
As Zuko pulled away and then eyed his father, he told her he would leave but guards would be posted outside the door in case anything happened. Katara thanked him and when she was alone with Ozai, she took the keys and opened the barred cell door.
The waterbender got on her knees and pulled the dart out of his neck as she rolled him over to his back. She then pulled the satchel from over her shoulder and went through it. Inside was a water skin filled with wine and food she had prepared.
While setting the bento of food out for him, Katara noticed Ozai begin to stir. He groaned a little before rubbing his neck and looked up.
"What the-"
"Zuko knocked you out with a dart. I guess he got suspicious and wanted to wait here to catch someone, anyone but me here." She said casually.
Propping himself up, Ozai looked at Katara. "So he knows?"
Katara nodded, "But he's agreed to back off as long as I'm cooperative."
The former tyrant smirked at her, "So you've agreed to be his consort?"
"No. I'm just not going to continue raising sand for him." She said as she watched him sit up and cross his legs.
Ozai raised a brow and looked from her to the chopsticks she was holding out to him. He was a little confused. Why would Zuko allow her to continue coming here? Unless he had something up his sleeve to end this. And why would Katara willingly make an agreement with Zuko just to continue seeing him? Unless she was starting to soften up to him. He grinned at this thought as he took the chopsticks and she then handed him the first layer of the bent which was white rice, smoked pork, dumplings, steamed vegetables and buffalo-ox steak. He glanced at her and saw the small delight in her eyes as he took it.
As he began eating, Katara asked him if he liked it and he nodded.
"I tried to stick to everything that was in the recipe book I found in the library." She told him as she blushed, bashfully keeping her gaze down.
Pausing with a piece of buffalo-ox steak in between his teeth and the chopsticks, Ozai eyed her. "You cooked this?" He asked her.
Nodding her head, "Yes."
Ozai stared at her as he pulled the chopstick of meat from his mouth and held it out to her mouth. "Eat it."
A little confused, Katara opened her mouth and ate from his chopsticks. She chewed and saw he was watching her closely before swallowing.
"Just making sure you hadn't poisoned me." He said before getting back to eating.
Katara narrowed her eyes at him, "So feed the woman pregnant with your child something you think is poisonous?"
Chuckling, "I knew you wouldn't eat it if it were poisoned." He said simply.
Rolling her eyes, Katara took her satchel and started going through the satchel to get out the other things she brought. And while he was eating, the waterbender went to comb his hair and trimmed the split ends.
"You don't have as many split ends as before." Katara remarked as she brushed his hair after clipping it.
Finishing his food, Ozai held the bowl of noodles to his mouth and drank the soup from it.
"Have you thought about wearing it up in a ponytail?" The waterbender asked him.
"Do what you like, woman." He told her.
And she did, leaving a lock of hair in the front to the side out as the rest went up into a high ponytail. When she was done styling it, she moved in front of him to get a good look at him and smiled.
"It suits you." She beamed as she giggled.
Ozai stared at the waterbender that he had never once seen smile at him like that. Well, he had never seen her smile at all to be fair. But he had to say, she was even more beautiful than he thought. Her eyes were deep blue and not just blue. That shimmered even in the dim lighting of the moon and the flickering torches.
Watching her pull her hair behind her ear, Ozai continued to gaze at her as she climbed into his lap and ran her small hand along his jawline.
"Mind if I shave your beard? I won't take all of it off. Just make it a little neater." She asked as her hand ran along his face to get a better look at the stubble.
Trying not to get aroused by how close her proximity was to him, the former Fire Lord tried thinking about something else as she rubbed shaving cream on his face and carefully shaped up his beard. Honestly, he was planning to make a move but now, he feared it would run her off or ruin her good mood.
After getting his beard to be plenty neater, Katara cleaned the shaving cream off and placed both her hands on his face, looking him over.
"Now you look better." She said as she climbed out of his lap to clean up the bento.
Cleaning the bento up, Katara noticed Ozai was still staring at her. She glanced up a few times.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked him.
"No." He replied with little thought, still just looking at her.
Katara put the empty bento back into her satchel. "Are you sure? You just keep staring at me."
"You should smile more." He told her before he finally looked away. "You're even more beautiful when you do."
The waterbender froze up and blushed. "Huh?! Really?! You think so?!"
Smirking, "Yes." Ozai said as he inched towards her.
"Thank you." She ended up smiling again as she giggled.
Oh. She was killing him. Ozai really wasn't good at these sorts of things. He normally pounced any woman he liked and she had been no different before. He took her to bed without a second thought and planted his seed in her. But now, he couldn't bring himself to act out on his desires with her. Not after she had been so kind to him. Kinder than anyone in his life had been.
But while he didn't act out, his words didn't get the better of him as he watched her giggle.
"You're so damn cute." He said without realizing it.
Katara's eyes widened as she looked at him. Did he just say she was cute? Damn it! She really hated the effect he had on her all of a sudden. Before, she wouldn't have even batted an eye at him, let alone be flattered by his words. He had kidnapped her and been forced with her in many ways and here she was getting excited like the idiot girl she had been before.
Even worse, she wanted him in a terrible way. Having just touched his skin and practically been in his lap just moments ago, Katara couldn't help but inch closer to him.
"You like me, don't you?" He whispered to her as she got closer to him.
Not knowing how to respond, Katara simply gazed at him into his gold eyes.
With them only a few inches apart, Ozai leaned close to her face and whispered in her ear. "If you don't move, I'll take it as a yes."
And she didn't. When he moved closer to her to kiss her, she didn't move away. Instead, her hand went to the side of his face just as his lips pressed to hers. Pulling herself into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, Katara felt his hands move to the hem of her dress. He began pulling it up and she let him.
With his mouth moving to her neck, Ozai pulled her dress up over her head, tossing it on the floor. His eyes roamed her in her bindings. He noticed she was holding the small roundness of her belly that you couldn't see right away with her clothes on. Her eyes were cast low.
"You should really consider being Zuko's consort." Ozai told her as he looked at her small belly. "You'll start showing even more soon."
Shaking her head, "I don't want to be seen as a whore."
"Pregnant with no husband will definitely have them believing you're a whore." Ozai tried to get through to her.
"Zuko said he will help me find a husband. So maybe-"
"Nonsense. Any man that marries you from here will only be marrying because your children will be a tool for power to him. Believe me, you think I was bad, the rest of these bastards are far worse."
"There is worse than you?" Katara raised a brow as she continued to sit in his lap and tilted her head.
Ozai narrowed his eyes at her as he held her waist, "Yes. There is always worse."
"Sounds very wise coming from you."
"I feel like you're making fun of me."
"And if I am?"
Glancing down at the space between them, Ozai pulled her closer to erase the space and moved his mouth to her neck. "Is my son nearby?"
"No."
"Do you think he'll return?"
"Not for the rest of the night." Katara's eyes held his gaze as it was upon her.
"I'll be gentle if you let me." He whispered to her.
Biting her lip she shook her head, "don't be." And her lips pressed to his immediately.
…..
Returning to her chambers before dawn, Katara noticed Shinji was in her sitting room sleeping on the sofa. She sighed and went to grab a blanket to place over him before rushing to go bathe.
The waterbender allowed herself to soak and think. Last night, she had sex with Ozai again and this time, she wanted to. La, she enjoyed every second of it. She literally begged him to not finish, wanting it to last. Fortunately, when he finished, he was ready for round two and her toes curled so tightly that it hurt but not more than it felt good. They had found completion together and she clung to him the rest of the night, fell asleep in his arms. It was the most comfort she had had in a very very long time. It was even more reassuring when she got up to leave that he looked like he wanted her to stay. She kissed him and he drew her back in for more.
It couldn't be helped that as she bathed she touched herself in all the places he had. She wanted to remember the feel of his skin against hers and how breathless she was when he did so. There was nothing like the feeling of wanting and being wanted in return. It was something she had been so desperate for and maybe that was why she was subjecting herself to a man that was a former-tyrant, her father's murderer, her kidnapper and an abuser. She was letting herself be so stupid and for what? Loneliness? Needing to want? Not wanting to fall in further despair? Or did she just like torturing herself?
When Katara got out of the bath, dripping wet, she noticed she had a guest. Holding the towel to her, "What is it, Zuko?"
"You're still having sex with him?" He asked with his arms folded.
Raising a brow, "Is that a problem?"
"Actually, yes. It is a problem." He stepped towards her and glared at her. "What is your relationship to him?"
"I'm lonely, he's lonely, and we're fucking. That's the relationship, Zuko."
Scoffing as he walked up to her and grabbed her. "It's more than that and I know it."
Shrugging her shoulders as she let down her towel and walked away from him, "So what if it is? I'm not obligated to tell you anything about my personal life or decisions. You're engaged to Mai. She will be your wife whenever you decide to stop waiting. So please, leave me alone."
Zuko watched the naked waterbender walk out the bathroom in her bedroom to begin changing. He followed her to continue talking, his eyes going to her breasts and then to her stomach as she dressed. It was a small bump but she would show in just a few short months and at this rate, it would be a huge scandal if it got out that his father had fathered the child. If Katara's name wasn't already ruined, it would definitely be so once this was over.
Sighing, "Look, Katara, I get it. You and my dad have something going on and I'm the last person you want to talk about these things with. But you're pregnant and with his child. I don't want you to get taken advantage of." Zuko explained. "I know I hurt you and I'm still doing so even now but this isn't how I wanted things. I wanted to be with you. I truly did."
"Then you would have fought for me, Zuko. If I meant that much, you would have fought for us but you didn't. Now, I'm pregnant again and by your father no less." Katara pulled her dress over her head and fluffed her hair from the collar, "But none of that matters anymore. You made your decision and I was not a part of that. I have to figure it out on my own and that's what I've been doing."
"Katara, please, I want to help. I said I would."
Shaking her head, "I want to trust you, Zuko. But the last two times I did, you let me down. Even now, you're letting Mai try to adopt Kai, who you won't even go see! How can I trust you?! You keep hurting me and I've already been through enough! Why?! What have I done to you, Zuko?! What did I do to deserve this because I'm so fucking sorry! I'm sorry!" She yelled in tears at him.
Hating to see her cry, "Katara, I'm just trying to figure out how to make this better. Tell me how. I just keep messing up on my own. What do you want me to do?"
Forcing herself to look away, Katara gave herself a minute. This was a lot on her. Being confronted by Zuko while she was still trying to get her head together, it was entirely too much and she needed Zuko to back off for some time. She needed to fall back into normalcy. Get back to herself. As much of herself as she could scrape together after having been broken and shattered.
"I'll answer that once you've given me time to think. Just, lay off me and keep Mai away from me and my son." Katara told him. "If you can manage that for a week, then I'll tell you how we get past this, if not, I'm out of your life permanently and if you even try to come near me or Kai, I don't know what I'll do. Understood?"
'Yes' was all Zuko could say. Even though he was Fire Lord and was ruler over an entire country, he couldn't challenge Katara. She didn't care then and didn't care now who he was. Things were ugly between them and it was only going to get worse. So, if he wanted to find some sort of peace with Katara, he needed to at least do this.
The Fire Lord promised her that he would leave her alone and only see her when she was ready. Katara thanked him before he left. Once he was gone, Katara walked to her sitting room where Shinji was now up and stretching.
"You were gone all night." He said as he looked to her. "I supposed you and Ozai were-"
"Yes." She cut him off before he could finish answering the question.
"Not surprised and I don't blame you. Stockholm syndrome and all." He teased.
Katara laughed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's helping me cope."
Shinji could see that but he still wasn't okay with all this. However; he wasn't stupid like the Fire Lord to try and stop her. The waterbender was not your average woman. She was different and therefore needed a different approach. Hopefully, whatever came next, she would be happy in the end.
…..
A/N:
Katara has lost her mind because I would never!