Short Tales

by AnumOfTheMoon

Short tales involving OzaixKatara, Zutara, and OzaiXKataraXZuko. PM or Comment ideas for the stories

32. Short Story 11 Part 1

A/N:

Hey so the previous stories that I have skipped the final chapters, I will eventually get back to. Just wanted to put out some of the other stories I've work on over the year that I've been absent. I do apologize, I work in IT and it's been time consuming with school, kids, and work. But I'm trying to find a happy medium. Fortunately, I've written a bunch of stories that just need proofreading to submit. So be on the look out.

Summary: Ten years after major conflict between the Water Tribes and Fire Nation were absolved, plans to make everlasting peace were put underway. The second prince of the Fire Nation was sent with Fire Nation diplomats to help come to an agreement with the Southern Water Tribe. However, the Fire Prince and Southern Chieftain bump heads nonstop. Wanting to prevent another war, Katara throws herself at the feet of the Fire Prince after his many advances on her. Taking the Water Princess up on her offer, the Fire Prince becomes more agreeable with the Chieftain while having his frustrations eased by the man's daughter. This causes the Water Princess to slowly fall for the Fire Prince. When an agreeable treaty was forged and the Fire Prince returned home, the Chieftain's daughter soon fell ill. Brought to the Fire Nation by her father to confront the man that had sullied his daughter, the Chieftain calls for the treaty to be thrown out in place of giving his daughter away to the Fire Prince. Katara is made the second wife of the Fire Prince and is scorned by him for this turn of events. Feeling absolutely miserable from being rejected by her husband, Katara does her best to make some good of her situations but is mistreated by everyone around her with the exception of the Fire Prince's older brother. Will he ever show her any kindness?

Part 1:

"Focus, your highness. We are here to make peace, not war." One of the diplomats stressed as he was caught staring at the Water Princess in the courtyard below with her water maidens.

Sucking his teeth as he continued to stare down at the beautiful princess, "That bastard Chieftain would have his peace if he were not so confrontational." That and he let me have my fun with his pretty little daughter. Ozai grinned to himself at the thought.

Ever since Ozai arrived here to form a treaty on his father's behalf and spotted the Chieftain's daughter, he had been a little fixated on her. Not that it got in the way of why he was here but when he was walking the halls on his way somewhere or in his idle time, he did look around to see if he could catch another brief glimpse of her. He even tried making conversation with her at one of the dinner parties her father hosted but the Water Princess clearly was frightened of him, not that he could blame her. Being a Fire Prince, he was her exact opposite and he was much older than her. Her father's age to be exact. So wooing her was not something that would be likely. However, it didn't stop him from wanting to pursue her.

Being led away from the balcony overseeing the courtyard, the Fire Prince followed the diplomats from his country into the meeting hall of the Southern Chieftain. There, he took his seat and the immediate discourse began. No one seemed to be able to remain unbiased and diplomatic about anything the entire time. The only thing any of them agreed on was they did not want a war or conflict to re-spark, but making that a reality was much more difficult than any of them expected. Just when things were about to further escalate, everyone hushed up as the Water Princess entered the room and everyone paused to watch her.

The Fire Prince was not alone in his attraction to the Water Princess. Practically every man that was not her relative looked at her with lust and longing. She was absolutely a beautiful young woman and at the ripe age of nineteen. There was never any talk of her romantic life, leaving many to speculate that she was still virtuous and inexperienced. Something all the perverted men of the room got excited about.

Watching the Water Princess go to her father's side and whisper in his ear, the rest of the men present remained quiet. The Chieftain stood up from his seat at the head of the table and let everyone know that the meeting was adjourned for the day before he made his way out of the meeting hall. The Water Princess remained to ensure everyone left the hall and while she stood there with an impassive but pleasant expression. While everyone headed out, the Fire Prince made his way over to the Water Princess and stood just in front of her to look her over.

"Mind informing me on what you said to cause your father to leave such an important meeting so abruptly?" He asked as he towered over her.

Blue eyes lifting to meet his golden ones, "My mother is ill." The princess replied in her soft voice. "He might be the ruler of this nation and tribe but he loves his wife dearly."

Ozai smirked at her, "Does he love his daughter just as dearly?"

"My father showed his love for me when he refused to agree to your father's original treaty a year ago." Katara said as her expression became a bit of a challenging one.

Snorting at this, Ozai tilted his head at the princess and looked her over. "You'd have made for a beautiful bride for my nephew, princess. Though, I'd have definitely been jealous of that turn of events."

"Jealous, why?" Katara furrowed her brows in confusion.

"I'll be frank with you, Princess." Taking a lock of her hair in his hand and bringing it to his lips as he stared her down intensely with his amber eyes. "I want you for myself."

Her blue eyes widened as she yanked herself away from him and eyed him cautiously, "You are out of line, your highness!" She retorted at him.

"I'm simply being honest, princess." Ozai continued to grin devilishly at her as he licked his lips, his eyes roaming her. "Who knows, maybe you'll find it to your advantage to know this information."

Standing there baffled at the forwardness of the Fire Prince, Katara furrowed her brows at him and turned to her most trusted water maiden, Lona. The water maiden was equally as disturbed by the Fire Prince's words as he clearly had no respect for their people, the Chieftain, or any notion of peace. As the women returned to their chambers and settled into the lounge by the massive pool that took up a majority of the center of the princess's chambers, the princess sighed to herself. While she was a princess and mostly lived her life in complete luxury outside of her charitable presence to the public, Katara had a great concern for the current politics of her nation. Specifically in relation to the conflict between her country and the Fire Nation. Last thing she wanted was for a war to break out. Her brother was in the navy, serving right at the border of the Southern Water Tribe waters. A war meant the possibility of her losing her brother and she didn't want that. She tried appealing to her father to allow her to have a say as she figured she could come up with a solution but he refused to let her have a say. While he had her receive the same education as her brother, she was a woman and her place was not in politics.

Shaking her head as she was handed a cup of tea by her trusted water maiden, "Something has to be done. At this rate, father will never come to an agreement with the Fire Prince."

Lona looked to her princess with a hopeful smile, "Perhaps, something can be done."

"But what?" Katara sipped on her tea. "I can't participate in the political nature of things and even if I could, what man would take me seriously?"

Nodding her head in agreement, "Surely, there is something that can be done. How about asking your mother. She always managed to get your father to agree with her and even had him allow her to have final say in many things. Maybe she can give us insight."

…

Going to her mother was an absolute dead in. Apparently, her mother's influence over her father was to use her feminine charm on him and sway him to her side using seduction. It made sense when she really gave it thought. So, that was no help but there had to be a way to help get this treaty forged and signed.

Katara was in the library doing some research into political tactics that she could use in order to aid her father and the nation. However, as she and Lona were taking notes from the books they covered, they were interrupted by a group of Fire Nation men spearheaded by the Fire Prince. They tried to ignore the men that stopped in front of their table and continue working until the Fire Prince snatched the Water Princess's book to observe for himself. Katara didn't react right away and simply looked up at him with a scowl.

Chuckling as he looked the book over, "How cute. You're reading up on politics. Whatever for?"

Standing up from her seat, Katara snatched the book back and sat back down to continue her research. "You men have gotten nowhere in your endeavors to form a treaty. Looks like I'll have to do it for you all."

The Fire Nation men all laughed at this as the Fire Prince was amused.

"Women have no place in politics, princess, though I'm sure you already know this." Ozai grinned as he decidedly took a seat beside her and looked over her notes. "You're trying to figure out how to impose your ideas on others, seeing as you're reading a book on political strategy."

Katara looked up from her note taking to look at the older man in his piercing gold eyes, "What do you want, your highness?"

"Nothing really." He replied as he undressed her with his eyes. "Just bored."

"Then be bored somewhere else. My father says you and your men are welcome to the harem in your down time."

Ozai leaned closer to her, "Why would I want those whores when I could have you?"

Katara hissed as she pulled away from him and stood to her feet as Lona gathered their things. "You'll be lucky if you can even have any woman once I tell my father about your advances on me!"

Standing to his feet, Ozai chuckled and told her to calm herself down. He was only toying with her. She needn't take it to heart. "Besides, for you to think you'll have any influence over the opinions of men using the same tactics as men when you are a woman is rather silly of you. Clearly you are clueless and ignorant of how women sway men. Therefore, it would be too much trouble for me to educate you and I'm a little too impatient to do that. No, I'll just settle for picturing you without your clothes on, princess."

As the other men all chuckled to themselves, Katara lost her temper and slapped the Fire Prince across the face. She was about to storm off when the Fire Prince grabbed her and slammed her into the bookcase causing the laughter to die down. Looking into the gold eyes of the Fire Prince, Katara could see he was furious at her slapping him but she didn't seem to care.

"Keep your hands to yourself, princess. Or I will start a war between my nation and yours, starting with lighting your pretty little ass on fire." Ozai hissed viciously.

Unphased, Katara glared at him. "You'd never make it out of here alive, your highness. I promise you that my father wil-"

"Fuck your father!" Ozai growled. "That man is more of an idiot than any man I've ever met! If he were a wiser man, he'd have avoided this whole charade and made better use of his daughter! But no, that fool thinks too highly of his most precious possession and in turn, his precious daughter thinks herself above a Prince of the Fire Nation!" Leaning his head close to her ear to whisper. "Hear me when I say you'd do best to know your place around me, girl. There is a lot a man like me could do to make you beg for death."

Letting go of her, Ozai watched impassively as the princess fell to the floor and glared up at him as her servant rushed to her aid. He turned his back to them and glanced down at the table they had been working at.

"If you're really so concerned with this treaty, princess, perhaps you and I could work something out. I might be willing to teach you how a woman can influence a man." Ozai tossed over his shoulder and smirked a little as she was helped to her feet. "I might even become more agreeable with your father in order to progress the treaty's formation. Who knows what could be accomplished?"

With that, Ozai left with his men following behind him. They all chuckled to themselves as they had witnessed their prince put that arrogant bitch in her place.

The next few days, Katara noticed that things only got worse between the diplomats of her nation and of the Fire Nation. She could hear the man all arguing and throwing insults from outside the meeting hall. It worried her dearly. Lona told her that they would find a way but Katara wasn't so sure. Perhaps there was nothing she could do. Nothing she could do but…I can't. I can't do that. Though it was never explicitly said by the Fire Prince, it was heavily implied, and as a woman, her virtue was her most valuable possession. Maybe that was why the Fire Prince wanted her so badly, because he knew and understood that. If she truly cared about her people's survivability then she should be willing to give anything for the sake of peace. Even her most valuable asset as a woman.

Sighing as she thought it over for a few more days and debated with Lona on it, who was firmly against such a notion, Katara figured she could at least come to some arrangement with the Fire Prince that didn't involve her giving all she had to offer. Maybe, he wanted something else even more. She'd never know if she didn't ask and luckily for her, her father had thrown another party. A party to hopefully ease the tension between their people and the foreign guests dwelling in the palace.

Strolling around the party-goers looking for the Fire Prince, Katara sipped on her glass of champagne while Lona tagged along by her side.

"Surely, you are not planning to give up your virtue to this man, my lady?" Lona asked worriedly.

Katara's eyes skimmed about the grand ballroom full of guests, "That will only be my last resort. I first want to appeal to his obvious greedy nature. Surely, sex isn't the only thing I can offer him. The Southern Water Tribe has plenty to offer that I have access to that he might find much more tangible than my virtue."

Lona wasn't sure. The Fire Prince didn't seem to want anything else from the princess. Even if the princess gave him something more, who was to say it would ever be enough to appease him? He may still ask for her maiden status.

Spotting the Fire Prince speaking with her father's lifelong friend, Katara moved herself over to them and was greeted right away by the men.

Bowing, "Princess Katara."

"Bato, you needn't bow." Katara said with a delightfully soft voice. "We are practically family."

Chuckling at this, Bato nodded. "That you are right, Katara."

Shifting her attention to the Fire Prince, Katara put on a facade in front of her father's good friend and addressed the Fire Prince as if they didn't already have unkind words for each other.

"Fire Prince Ozai, how are you enjoying the evening?" Katara asked.

Sucking his teeth as he could read her like an open book, "What do you care, princess?"

Katara giggled in order to blow off his indifferent demeanor, "I was meaning to ask you for a dance."

"A dance, princess?" Ozai looked at her with a nonchalant expression and raised his brow, skeptical of her.

Nodding her head with a smile, "Indulge me, your highness." She insisted.

Ozai figured she wouldn't be going out of her way to ask if there wasn't something she wanted to say to him. Perhaps, that was exactly why she wanted to dance. In order to discuss something that the nobleman he had been conversing with wouldn't hear.

Offering his hand to her, Ozai watched the princess slip her hand into his as he took her out on the floor to dance with.

"What do you want, princess?" He asked impassively.

Katara glanced around a bit, "I want to make an arrangement with you."

Ozai couldn't help but smirk at this as he glanced down at the princess's face, "Have you become that desperate, princess?"

"Not quite." Katara stated as he spun her around and pulled her back to him. "I'm sure there is something even more valuable than my virtue that you want. I can get it for you."

"Hmm…" The Fire Prince thought to himself as he continued their dance. "But what could be more important to a woman, a princess at that, than her virtue? Claiming your maiden status doesn't just mean taking pleasure in being the first man to conquer you but it also means that your father can never use you to make an alliance with any other nation to turn against the Fire Nation."

Katara furrowed her brows at him.

Chuckling to himself, "As much as I'd delight in fucking your little virgin brain out, I'm no different than you, princess. I mean to secure peace for my people as well and if that means screwing the Chieftain's daughter in order to make her ill-fit for any alliance outside one with my nation, I will do what I must."

"Then I guess there's no other way to sway you." Katara swallowed hard as she realized he wasn't just trying to sleep with her for fun, he was doing this strategically.

Shaking his head, "None."

"Very well, your highness, I'll give you what you want but you have to swear to be agreeable with my father to get this treaty written and signed." Katara said as she looked him in the eyes with uneasiness.

Pulling her closer to him as the dance was nearly concluded, Ozai whispered. "I see you're not the fool your father is, princess. For that, I'll make sure that you enjoy this as much as I will."

Katara felt like she could faint as the dance ended and they bowed to one another as was customary.

"I will come to you, princess. Make preparations so that no one will discover us." Ozai told her as he began eyeing her hungrily. "I want to take my time with you."

Katara swallowed hard and nodded.

…..

"You have lost your mind, my lady!" Lona squealed as she pulled at her hair.

Katara didn't want to hear it. She already she had lost her fucking mind. But it was done now. She had already agreed to let the Fire Prince have her. Going back on her word would only infuriate him and he would most definitely seek to get even with her. The only thing she could do was suck it up and face the music. Her virtue was nothing in the face of peace for her people. She could relinquish it.

As Lona was busy getting the princess ready for an eventful evening, the water maiden had made sure that no other servants were present as she informed them that it was a night of self-exploration. It was a common and acceptable practice for young women that were not yet married to explore themselves for satisfaction. A practice that helped encourage many tribeswomen to wait till marriage to be with a man. This practice would be enough for the princess to be left alone if any sounds escaped her chambers. Once Katara was lightly clad in her short night robe, Lona exited the chambers to go find the Fire Prince in order to bring him through the secret passageway since all the maidens would be outside her chambers in order to stand guard.

Pacing around in front of the massive pool-like tub in the center of her chambers, Katara held her arms around herself and tried to tell herself that she was doing the right thing. It was just one time and once it was over, everything would be alright.

Several moments later as she was lost in her thoughts sitting by the pool with her feet kicking around in the water as the cool colored crystals in the water eased her mind some, mellowing her out.

"My, what lovely chambers you have, princess."

Katara looked up from her spot by the pool and saw the Fire Prince with his hair down from the topknot she normally saw him sport. He was wearing silk black pants with a matching silk robe that was open, revealing his tone and muscular torso. It forced her to look away as she rarely saw men's bare chests. Only ever seeing it when men worked out in the palace training yard or dojos. She blushed as she realized the time to lose her virginity was upon her.

"And aren't you lovely?" Ozai purred as he descended down the steps of her chambers to the pool-like tub she was kicking her feet in. "Just seeing the fullness of your legs and your hair completely down is a seduction in itself. I'm going to enjoy tonight, princess."

Lifting her gaze back up to him as he stopped beside her, "I think we should cut the chit chat, your highness, and get on with it."

Chuckling as the princess stood to her feet, Ozai grabbed some of her hair into his hand and brought it to his lips, staring intensely into her eyes. "Pretty Princess, if you think this will be over and done with just like that, I'm sorry to inform you that that's not how I operate."

"But you said this isn't just for pleasure." Katara reminded him.

"And it isn't." Ozai let go of her hair before reaching to grab her chin. "However, that doesn't mean I'm going to let this be quick. It's not everyday that I get to defile a virgin princess."

Backing away from him as she looked at him fearfully, "Don't hurt me." Her lips trembled.

Laughing maniacally, Ozai grabbed her before she could get further away from him and smashed his lips into hers. The Water Princess tried wiggling her way out of his hold but he wouldn't let up and held her tight to him as he shoved his tongue down her mouth. He heard her squeal as he bit her lip and tore off her night robe. As soon as he did this, his hands came into contact with her bare skin and he broke away in order to look over her naked body. While she looked utterly terrified, trying to hide her breasts with her hands, Ozai pulled them apart to take in the full view.

"Fuck." He hissed before his excitement got the better of him and he was about to pounce on her.

"Wait!" Katara pleaded as she backed away from him. "Wait!"

Ozai paused but only because he could tell he was getting carried away.

Gathering herself, Katara told him that she would be willing to do whatever he told her to do but he had to show some restraint. When the Fire Prince agreed to this, she took his hand and led him back up the steps to her bed. It was a large round bed with a canopy veil hanging over it. The Water Princess climbed into it and laid herself down in it as she watched with anxiety as the Fire Prince climbed in over her.

Though the initial intrusion was not as painful as she had feared, Katara still had a hard time adjusting to what was being done to her. The Fire Prince was rather large and he was anything but gentle. He had her on her arms and knees in bed, clenching the sheets as she cried out into her pillow. His large hands held her small waist, pulling her back on his girthy member that reached deep inside of her, thrusting into her as he groaned in pleasure. Katara wanted to hate it, she needed to hate what was happening even if it was her that allowed it to take place, but she couldn't. Even with how brutal he was fucking into her and how it still felt a bit painful, Katara couldn't get over how he coached her through it the entire time. Not only that but he found ways to make her forget her pain like toying with her clit and kissing her down her back. She could tell that he was a good lover as he was trying to get her to pleasure too even though any other man would find it completely unnecessary.

Biting his lips as he rode the princess from behind, Ozai couldn't help but enjoy the sound of the Water Princess's muffled cries and how wet her pussy was getting at the moment. She was absolutely soaked and complete putty in his hands. It would take a lot of self-control not to release himself inside of her. He was just really liking how receptive she was of him.

"No, keep your hips up." Ozai told her as he felt her legs wanting to give out and licked his thumb before pushing it into her ass. "That's it." He purred as he continued fucking her from behind. "Just like that, princess. Keep your hips right there."

Squeezing the sheets even tighter in her hands, Katara couldn't help but let out a loud moan as the Fire Prince put his thumb in her ass. While she had been a virgin, she had been well taught about all the things that were to be expected while having sex and she didn't think he'd go for that hole too. Tui and La, she needed him to finish already, this was driving her insane.

Ozai decided he wanted to take her to a different and probably more intimate position. He pushed her forward and removed himself from her sobbing wet pussy, loving the sight of her juices coating his length as she moaned a little in protest of him exiting her.

"Are you having fun, princess?" Ozai asked her as he moved to sit beside where she was panting in the sheets.

Katara turned her head to look at him and refused to answer.

"Don't worry, you don't have to say anything. Your expression will say enough." Ozai smirked. "Now, climb in my lap. I want to see your breasts bounce."

Doing as he asked, Katara settled herself in his lap and eased herself back on his cock. As she sunk down on it, she felt his lips press to her stomach up to her breasts as he held her hips.

"Good girl." He whispered. "Take it all the way in."

Katara couldn't help but let the moans escape her as she had him fully inside her and her hands rested on his shoulders. He cupped the side of her face before reaching to kiss her lips gently. It left her a little breathless as she wasn't expecting him to be tender after how he had been relentless in his conquering of her body. Soon his mouth was to her neck as he moved her hips to roll against him.

"Roll your hips like this, princess." He whispered in her ears and she tried her best to do so but clearly, she was having discomfort at the position they were in.

"I can't." She whimpered.

Licking the skin of her neck, "Why not?"

"You-you're too…big." Katara told him.

Smirking as he removed his lips from her neck and looked her in the eyes before leaning himself back on his elbows. "Try it now."

Katara placed her hands on his bare chest as she leaned towards him a little before lifting her hips a little and rolling them in a similar motion to what he demonstrated to her. She went as slow as possible as she felt she needed to focus on controlling her expressions. However, the Fire Prince moved up into her from her position below her and she gasped as he bucked into her. Her hand fell over her mouth as he repeated this causing her to cry out even more.

"I want to hear your beautiful voice, princess." Ozai purred as he was all aroused by this entire situation.

Katara shook her head.

Smirking, "Very well." He reached his hand into her hair and caressed the side of her face. "Kiss me."

Reluctantly, Katara leaned closer to his face and pressed her lips to his. His arms wrapped around her as he fell flat on his back and held her tight as he began pounding up into her ruthlessly. The princess broke the kiss and cried out as she suddenly felt everything get even more intense. It wasn't long before she felt she was about to cum and she cried for the Fire Prince to stop because of this.

Laughing maniacally, Ozai grabbed her ass with both hands and fucked her even harder. "Cum for me, princess."

Katara wasn't able to fight it and came hard as she screamed at the top of her lungs while the Fire Prince kept fucking her.

"Oh, that's it, princess!" Ozai said in delight. "Keep cumming!"

She came twice more until she fell flat against his chest. The Fire Prince pulled himself out and grabbed his member to jerk himself out all over the outside of her sex before pushing it back in. Still erect, the Fire Prince sat up with her in his arms and knelt in the bed as he cupped her ass. Right then and there he began plowing her. She responded in distress as she was burnt out but he was clearly not done with her.

"Pl-ple-please s-st-sto-stop!" Katara cried as she pushed her hands into his abdomen to get him to remove himself from her.

However, Ozai laid her flat on the bed and snatched her wrists up with one hand to pin above her head as he grabbed her thigh with his other hand. "We're not done until I lose my erection."

"Your highn-"

"Shhh, call me Ozai." He whispered as he smirked down at her.

"Ozai-"

"No talking." He said before smashing his lips into hers to shut her up.

Katara could see the sun slowly peering from behind the veil of her canopy bed. It was morning and the Fire Prince had just finished with her. He climbed out of her bed as she laid there panting, covered in their combined bodily fluids and sweat. Her eyes gazed tiredly at him as he redressed in his night clothes and walked up to the edge of her bed where she laid before taking a seat beside her head.

"As agreed upon, I'll become more agreeable with your father for the peace treaty but if you want it to remain that way up until the treaty is finalized, you'll need to continue letting me have you." Ozai told her as he ran his finger from her lips down her throat. "But I'll give you a few days to recover." He got up from the edge of the bed. "See you around, princess."

As the Fire Prince left the chambers through the secret passage, Katara saw Lona hurry in and rush to her bed where she remained.

"My lady, are you okay?!" Lona looked the princess over and saw she looked exhausted as well as filthy.

Katara nodded her head and asked her trusted water maiden to help her out of the bed. The Water Princess was quickly bathed and redressed as well as her sheets being changed. When she was settled back into bed, Lona told her to rest until the palace was fully awake.

….

"You agree?" Chieftain Hakoda raised a brow in surprise.

Nodding his head to everyone's surprise, Ozai grinned at the Chieftain and explained that the best way to move forward and create this treaty was compromise. "And I'm willing to compromise."

Surprised and delighted to hear this, the Chieftain agreed. "Well, if you're willing to compromise, then so am I."

"That is too kind of you, your majesty." Ozai tried not to be amused. Seemed like things were taking a very lucrative turn for him. Not only had he gotten entry into the Water Princess's bed but her father was giving him a reward for it. This couldn't get any better but it did.

Leaving the meeting hall, the Fire Prince waltzed over to the balcony overlooking the courtyard and was surprised to see the Water Princess wasn't in her chambers resting. She was sparring with her water maiden like she normally did. However, this morning she was rigid and stiff. A chuckle erupted from him. He couldn't hold back how funny he thought this whole day was.

When he finally calmed down, the Fire Prince saw people were looking at him and even more, the Water Princess caught him looking her way. He flashed her a smirk and watched her face turn red before she averted her gaze as her sidekick scowled at him. Chucking a little more to himself, Ozai decided to leave the girl be for a little while as it was clear she was still coming to terms with having lost her maiden status to him. As much fun as he'd have taunting her, he felt she'd be more receptive to him if he didn't make her feel uncomfortable about their encounter/s.

A week went by and Katara was very confused, very flustered. She didn't quite understand what was going on with her but she felt so out of whack. What was this?

"My lady, are you alright?" Lona asked her.

Katara shook her head, "No, I'm not." She felt she was about to cry at how much she felt she was losing her mind.

"What is wrong?"

Looking to her water maiden, "Why do I keep thinking about him? And why do I feel angry when he doesn't bother saying anything to me when we're in the same area? Like does he expect me to just be unphased about the other night?! I was a maiden, Lona, he can't just use me and discard me! I'm the La fucking princess! He should take responsibility for his actions and…- and…-"

"And what, my lady?" Lona asked.

Feeling utterly lost as to what it was she wanted from him, "And I don't know! He just can't go about ignoring me!" Katara furrowed her brows angrily. "Lona, have him know to meet me here. I need to have a word with him."

"Yes, my lady." Lona said before scurrying off.

Lona hurried to find the Fire Prince and managed to spot him hanging around a few other Fire Nation men in one of the lounge areas of the palace. The men were all drinking ale when Lona entered and tried making passes at her until she reached the Fire Prince. He managed to spot her and got his men to back off of her as it was clear to him that she was here for him.

Bowing her head, "My lady asks that you meet with her in her chambers, your highness."

Smirking as a few of his men laughed at this, all making jokes about how the haughty princess was ready to be put in her place, not knowing that he already got that little princess to submit to him. "Take me to her." Ozai replied simply.

Katara was pacing around when she saw Lona return through the secret passageway with the Fire Prince. She saw him eye her intensely with amusement on his face. It caused her to pause in her pacing as it made her look uneasy and anxious. She most definitely was both uneasy and anxious but she didn't need him to know that.

"You wanted to see me, princess." The Fire Princess approached her, slowly closing the distance between them.

Clearing her throat, "I-I I did." She cursed herself for being so nervous all of a sudden.

"And you wanted what?"

Swallowing hard as he finally paused just a few inches in front of her, Katara trembled as she watched his hand reach for her face and she shut her eyes tight as his fingers grazed her skin.

"You act as if I harmed you but we both know you enjoyed every minute of that night we had together, princess." Ozai whispered as he towered over her and trailed his fingers down her face to her chin, lifting it up for her to meet his gaze. "Tell me, princess, did you call me here because you are in longing?"

Opening her eyes as she looked at him, Katara shook her head as she made her attempt to address her issue with him. "I-I I was a maiden, y-your highness. Y-you must t-take responsibility. Ignore me i-is unacceptable." She failed to steady her voice.

"Responsibility, you say?" Ozai let go of her chin and backed off as he looked away. "Exactly how am I to do that?"

"D-don't ignore me." Katara said as she couldn't seem to make eye contact with him. "I'm a princess. You can't discard me so easily after something like that."

Grinning as he became aroused by this, "Discard you? Why would I ever do that? Being agreeable with your father is hard work, princess. Don't think I'm done with you yet."

Lifting her eyes back up at him, Katara looked shocked and tried to step away as she saw him reach for the opening of his robes. "It's the middle of the day." She pointed it out to him.

"Doesn't quite matter to me what time of day it is, princess. I'll have you whenever I decide, okay? You want me to finish this treaty business with your father, don't you?"

Katara reluctantly nodded her head, "Y-yes."

"Then strip." Ozai told her. "A week was plenty of time for you to recover from your first time."

Lona stood outside the princess's chambers as the Fire Prince had decided to have his way with her again. It was fortunate that no one was suspicious of the princess being locked up in her room at these hours without her water maiden. Otherwise, things would get real ugly.

Crying through the gag the Fire Prince placed over her mouth, Katara tried pushing him off of her as he was being too rough but he seemed to just spread her further apart as he thrusted relentlessly into her wet sex. To try to calm her pain, the Fire Prince rubbed her clit and she was not able to resist her eyes rolling into the back of her head. It was a normal thing to enjoy sex but it was a miserable realization that she enjoyed having sex with this evil bastard. Katara pleaded with herself not to be foolishly confused about what was taking place here. While this act was meant to be done with a man who was her husband that she could love, she was currently engaging in this act with someone that she could not have those feelings towards and she needed to repeatedly remind herself of that if she was going to keep her sanity.

"Look at you, princess, you're absolutely taken over with lust." Ozai purred as he kept pounding into the Water Princess. "I have every intention of ruining you and making you only ever long for me."

Oh, Katara prayed that wouldn't be the case but it sure as hell felt like it.

It wasn't long before Ozai had the princess gushing all over him to which he pulled out and spilled himself all over her stomach. Panting as he was above her, the Fire Prince smirked down at her as she refused to look up at him. He grabbed her by her jaw and forced her to look his way.

"That was fun, princess, but next time, don't send your servant to summon me if you're in need. I much rather you summon me yourself." Ozai told her as he could see her pretty blue eyes focused on him.

Leaning down to give her a kiss, the Fire Prince climbed out of bed and redressed before leaving out to the secret passageway. Katara pushed herself up from the bed and called for Lona. When the water maiden came in to assist the Water Princess in cleaning herself up, Katara couldn't help but find disgust in the fact that she actually enjoyed having sex with that man. The first night was a blur as she was overwhelmed with new feelings she had never experienced but the second time, it confirmed that she did like it.

Rubbing her brows as she sat at the dining room table with her mother and father, Katara was so zoned out that she didn't hear her father ask her a question. It took Lona nudging her in order to pull her from her thoughts to which her father was a bit more concerned about her.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Hakoda asked.

Katara forced a smile and nodded.

"You don't look alright, my dear." Kya remarked as she observed her daughter. "This wouldn't have to do with what you discussed with me the other day?"

Katara opened her mouth to speak but her father cut her off.

"Discuss what?" Hakoda was curious.

Kya explained to her husband how their daughter had come to her while she was resting from her illness about what she could do to sway the political opinions of men. This seemed to upset Hakoda as he looked at his daughter with a stern expression.

"You are a woman and a princess, Katara. The world of politics is not your domain." Hakoda expressed sternly to her.

"But the Fire Prince and his men have not been agreeable, father. I merely wanted to see what I could do to help push things along for peace."

Slamming his hand on the table and startling both women present, "There is nothing you can do that could change the minds of men. Nothing good at least. Your only concern is to be charitable, virtuous, and prepared for marriage when that day comes. The treaty is for me and the elder council to worry about. Besides, the Fire Prince has been more agreeable as of late. Clearly, he wants to return home already."

Later that night, Katara struggled to go to sleep as she couldn't help but think about what her father said. Her duty was to be charitable, virtuous, and prepared for marriage. Only one of those things was possible now. Her arrangement with the Fire Prince had ruined the other two things. Sighing as she shook her head while Lona brushed her hair for bed, the princess expressed feeling like she had made a grave mistake. She slept with the Fire Prince in order to get him to cooperate with her father but it would eventually bring ruin to her once her father discovered she was not virtuous. Tui and La, she pretty much sealed her fate.

"My lady, you have done the unthinkable all for the sake of your people." Lona tried to console her. "I've always thought virtue was a silly notion as it isn't quite fair to women and rewards men that have long done away with their own. But even if it truly matters in the grand scheme of things, you shouldn't regret what you've done. Your father was only able to profess the Fire Prince's co-operation due to your sacrifice."

Katara tried to see it that way but it was difficult. All she knew was that she needed to keep herself out of sight of the Fire Prince. If she was out of sight then she'd be out of mind. Things would be fine. She just needed to try to preserve what she had left of her value as a woman and focus on being charitable. It had been a month since she was last at the temple or in the city streets helping the needy. Maybe that was just what she needed to get things off of her mind.

…..

The Fire Prince grew a bit annoyed. A bit too annoyed. Listening to the Chieftain try and take advantage of his stance to compromise, Ozai couldn't help but give some push back. He had to. This foolish sovereign was asking for too much and he knew for a fact, his father would never be okay with the current terms. While they made a lot of leadway and got more done in these last three weeks than they had gotten in the two months they had previously been here, Ozai wasn't about to be backed into a corner by this moronic ruler. He was incompetent and it pissed him off. Honestly, he didn't really care if their countries went to war. He knew for a fact the Fire Nation would prevail and wipe this landscape clean. However, Ozai had some honor in him nonetheless. His agreement with the Water Princess was the only thing keeping him from standing up right now and telling his men they were returning home without a treaty.

And to make matters worse, when the meeting was over, Ozai couldn't seem to find the Water Princess around any of the places she typically hung around during the day. He was going to vent his frustrations on that girl and then return to the meeting tomorrow in a lighter, more agreeable mood. But that couldn't happen if he didn't find that damn princess. What the hell was she?

"Looking for someone, your highness?" The nobleman that was close to the chieftain asked him.

"Yes," Ozai replied as he looked around the corridor of passing people. "The Water Princess, where is she?"

Bato raised a brow, "Princess Katara is out in the city to carry out her charitable duties. What do you need to see her for?"

Looking at the nobleman with an impassive gaze, "Your princess made a compelling argument about her concerns for the treaty. I want to further get her insight on the matter."

Finding this outrageous, "Princess Katara is but a woman, your highness. What would she know?"

"More than you." Ozai mused. "And more than her father."

With that, Ozai set out to leave the palace in search of the little Water Princess.

Bato stood there taken aback as he figured he should probably go speak with his old friend.

Handing out baskets of supplies to the orphans, Katara felt a bit better as she was seeing all the faces of the people she had wanted to protect, even at the cost of herself. If a war broke out, these people would be the first to suffer and be killed while she would be among those to survive. It was only fair that she gave herself in place of them. They were worth it.

"Here you go." Katara beamed at a small child that had come with his younger sister to receive a basket. "I put extra supplies in here for you and your sister."

"Thank you, Princess Katara." The boy said gleefully as he took the basket and tugged his sister along with him.

As Katara turned to grab another basket from behind her, she was hand one by the last person she wanted to see today.

"So this is what you've been up to the last few days." Ozai smirked as she snatched the basket from him and handed it to the next person in line. "I've been looking high and low for you."

Trying to phase him out and focus, Katara grabbed another basket to handout.

Noticing she was ignoring him, "Don't start giving me the cold shoulder, princess. I'm only here due to your deep concerns for peace."

"I'm working right now." Katara pointed out as she continued working. "Whatever it is it can wait."

Ozai snatched her wrist and stopped her causing her water maidens and the locals to look at him in shook. Hissing in a whisper for only her to hear him, "I'm not known for being patient, princess. I could easily return to the palace and have my men pack their things to leave. Only thing keeping me here till the treaty is complete and signed is the fact that you were desperate enough to give yourself up for the sake of peace."

Katara looked him fearfully in the eyes.

"I've done my part, princess, so you do yours. Now, leave your water maidens to work on your behalf and you come do what you agreed to." Ozai's voice was harsh and callous.

Nodding her head, Katara's wrist was let go of and she turned to her water maidens to let them know to continue without her. When a water maiden tried questioning her, Lona took a stance to express that questioning their lady was foolish as they just needed to follow orders. The Water Princess returned her attention to the Fire Prince and let him lead her away. Once they were out of earshot of the others, the Fire Prince asked that she show him a place that he could have her.

Climbing into a gondola, Katara used her waterbending to move it down the waterways of the city until they reached a less populated part of the city. There, she lead him to an abandoned hut and looked around to see if anyone was looking. She pulled back the flap of the hut and led the Fire Prince in. Just when he tried making a move on her, Katara stopped him.

"Not here." She told him as she pressed her hand into his chest.

Ozai was about to say something until she pulled away from him to use her bending in order to open a hidden door. She took his hand and guided him through the doorway that had steps that descended downwards. Reaching another door, Katara opened it and to the Fire Prince's surprise it led to an outdoors area that was covered in greenery.

"My brother and I found this place when we were kids." Katara told him. "Other than us, no one knows about it."

Shifting his gaze from the strange surroundings to the Water Princess, Ozai decided to undress her himself. He pulled her hair out of its bun after getting her out of all her clothes and watched her chocolate waves fall freely around her form. Shoving her up against a wall, facing away from him, the Fire Prince undressed and got up behind her. He listened to her whimper as he fingered her sex a little to get her wet and before she took in her next breath, he shoved himself into her. Grabbing hold her breasts, Ozai fucked into the Water Princess from behind and figured that today would only be for his pleasure. If she enjoyed it, that was fine, but he wasn't actively seeking out getting her off. He just selfishly wanted to take her as her father had pissed him off and he wanted to ruin the man's daughter.

Crying that he was hurting her, Katara clawed the wall of the cave and tried to take him as best she could but he was being far more brutal than he had already been with her. She couldn't take it.

"Shh, blame your father!" Ozai growled in her ear as she pounded her tight little pussy. "It's all his fault you're having to whore yourself out to me like this."

The Water Princess bit back her tears.

"If he were a more reasonable man, I wouldn't have to find relief in his daughter's pretty pink cunt." Ozai laughed maniacally as forced her head into the stone of the cave.

Katara begged him to not be so rough with her but he only got more violent with her. She felt him release himself into her before letting her slip to the ground.

Panting as he gazed down at the princess curling herself up to the wall, "I'm not done, princess."

"I can't stand." She told him as she hoped that would deter him.

However, he just picked her up and pressed her back into the wall as the bend of her legs rested on his arms. Ozai looked her in the eyes as he pushed back into her and watched her face contorted with pain. It was his sadist side that took over in that moment as he fucked her even harder in this position, telling her that he wanted nothing more than to ruin her in order to make an even bigger fool of her father. He figured this would cause more torment to the Water Princess as he buried his face into the nape of her neck but he noticed her arms wrap around his neck as she began moving her body against his. Confused, Ozai lifted his head from her neck and saw there was pleasure written on her face. He halted his thrusting for a moment to observe her and saw she suddenly looked disappointed.

"Please," her hands slipped into his hair from the back of his neck. "Please, fuck me."

Smirking as he realized she was liking this, "You want me to fuck you, princess?"

Katara nodded her head.

"You sure?"

"Yes, please." She sounds a little desperate as she wiggled herself against him.

Ozai looked her face over, "Tell me how stupid your father is."

Casting her gaze down, "My father is an idiot."

"Why is he an idiot?"

"Because he can't get a simple treaty made."

"So what's had to happen?" Ozai moved his face back to her neck to trail his tongue along her skin.

Katara swallowed hard, "I have to have sex with you."

Giving her a few thrusts, "Yes, princess, your moronic father is why I have you pinned to the wall." Ozai told her before he began pounding off into her.

The Water Princess was unable to hold back her moans and gripped the Fire Prince's hair as he fucked her. She felt his large member continue to shape her to his size, ruining any chance of finding pleasure with another man that didn't measure up to him and extracting every bit of pleasure from her as he could possibly get from her. Katara knew she'd feel embarrassed about it later but she smashed her lips into his and raked her fingers through his hair. Her hips instinctively rolled against him as they fucked against the cave wall. She didn't care that she was no longer a virgin or that her father would likely disown her as soon as he found out she was no longer marriageable. All of that was unimportant as she felt the Fire Prince penetrating her to the limits of her depths. Tui and La, forgive her.

Reaching their climax at the same time, the two panted as they tried gathering their senses and coming to terms with what they had been doing.

Pressing her hands into his chest as she tried pushing her way out of his arms, "I-I I need to-"

Ozai smashed his lips to hers before letting her down on her feet.

Pushing him away, Katara wiped her mouth and scowled at him. "You should stop doing that."

"You don't want me to kiss you, princess?" Ozai grinned.

"It's too personal and this is business."

"Is it?" Ozai mused as he lifted a brow.

Katara walked around him to gather her clothes, "Yes and I'd prefer you just call me Katara. I feel like you're mocking me when you say princess."

"But wouldn't that be personal too, Katara?"

Hearing her name from his lips gave her a tremor, "It is but-"

"How about this? Since you're the one that has the shorter end of the stick when it comes to the outcome of all this, how about you play a little pretend with me, hmmm?" Ozai suggested as he leaned his back to the cave wall and watched her dress herself.

Reaching up to tie her hair up, "Play pretend? What are you suggesting we pretend?"

Seeing she was struggling with her hair, Ozai came up behind her and helped her out. "Marriage is likely to never happen for you and I'm sure you are not entirely happy with having lost your virginity to a man you simply don't like."

"Okay, so?" Katara wanted to know where he was going to go with this.

Tying her hair up into the style it originally was in, "Let's pretend to be lovers."

Snorting a laugh, "Lovers?!"

"Yes," Ozai leaned to her ear and whispered as he stuck her hairpin back in her hair. "It would be much more enjoyable for you, Katara. I would try to consider if I were you. Who knows? I could be the last man you're ever with, so shouldn't you get the most out of this as possible before you're sent off to live a life of celibacy in a convent?"

Turning around to look the man up in his wicked gold eyes, Katara frowned at him. "So you knew you were condemning me to a horrible fate?"

"Exactly how you knew your fate the moment you agreed to give yourself up to me. Honestly, I kind of pity your situation and if I weren't so afraid of what my father would do if he found out I had slept with the Chieftain's daughter while trying to forge the treaty, I'd take you home with me. Save you some of the disgrace but that can't happen, so I'm offering to make things memorable before you face your horrible fate."

Somehow, Katara felt he was entertained by that fact. The fact that she was going to live a horrible life all because of him and what he had done to her. It was like he took pride in it. However, she was not phased as his words still made sense. If she was going to be punished horribly for this, she might as well have fun.

"Fine. We can pretend to be lovers." Katara said as she folded her arms. "But since you mentioned it, what's stopping me from revealing you are the man that robbed me of my virtue? Exposing you to your father as the shameful man you are."

Ozai narrowed his eyes at her, "It's not robbing when it was given. And if you even think about exposing me, I will not hesitate to end you, princess."

Unphased, Katara rolled her eyes. "Very well. We will continue with our original arrangement, only now we'll make it more exciting, and I promise to take it to the grave so you won't kill me. How wonderful." She said sarcastically.

"Just don't fall for me, princess." Ozai shot at her as he started getting dressed.

"Don't get full of yourself, your highness!" She spat.

It had only been a week since they agreed to pretend to be lovers and Katara was realizing she didn't actually know what he meant by that. Tui and La, she shouldn't have agreed to this. The Fire Prince was out of his mind. Forget her exposing him, he was going to get the caught. On top of currently being fucked in the office he was temporarily occupying during his stay, she would get called by her given name in public, actively sought out in the busy halls, summoned to his guest chambers where she just barely kept it down to prevent his men from hearing her, and he even asked her to go out into the city loud enough for others to hear. He was a mad man.

Working her hips on top of him in the motion he had shown her, Katara moaned quietly into the mouth of the Fire Prince as he gripped her ass firmly in his hands. She ran her hands all throughout his silk hair as they devoured one another's mouths. The two of them were right there at completion when a knock came to the door and the two broke their kiss. Ozai whispered for her to get under the desk as he straightened his clothes out a little, welcoming his guest in. Turned out it was a small group of Southern Tribe elders and they looked none too pleased to be in his temporary office.

"What can I do for you men?" Ozai asked them as he leaned back in his chair.

As the elders addressed the Fire Prince, Katara could see his member was still erect in his pants. A sudden thought came to mind and she silently giggled to herself as she figured she'd get some payback.

"Your highness, it has come to our attention that you have been making advances on the Chieftain's daughter, Princess Katara." An elder spoke and then pointed out all the instances in which the Fire Prince had caused many to speculate his attempt to woo the Water Princess. "Our princess is a virtuous maiden and her father will not allow you to have her good name sullied."

While that took place, Ozai glanced down at the Water Princess that was referred to as virtuous, pull out his member and stroked it. He tried his best not to smirk as his attention went back up at the elders. All he could do was lean forward and rest his chin in the palm of his hand, obscuring the lower half of his face and clenching his teeth as the little water minx under his desk decided to take him in her mouth.

"Chieftain Hakoda has been informed by several individuals of your attention on his daughter. He asks that you be respectful of his home and everyone that dwells here, especially a member of his family."

Ozai nodded his head as strained to speak, "Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

"You will do more than try, you will….." The elders all started bartering on and on and all Ozai could think about was how he was about to cum in their Water Princess's mouth if she didn't stop sucking on him so hard.

"Fuck!" Ozai hissed into his fist as he came into the Water Princess's mouth and she continued sucking on him as if she wanted to drink him dry.

The elders all looked at the Fire Prince in confusion at how he was slouched forward at his desk swearing under his breath.

"Your highness, are you-"

Ozai pleaded with them to leave him be as he wasn't well this morning. The elders all bowed and left out of his office. As soon as they were gone, the Fire Prince leaned back in his chair and looked down at the Water Princess in disbelief.

"I thought you were untouched before that night, princess. Where'd you learn that?" Ozai questioned her.

Crawling into his lap, Katara told him how her mother made sure to school her on the kama sutra and had drawn out visuals for most sexual acts.

"I might have to reconsider bringing you back with me." Ozai smirked as he held his arms around her waist as she rested up against him. "I could put you up in a villa in a small village, visit you for a little while at a time. You could escape your horrid fate."

Katara shook her head, "Don't bother."

"Hmm?" He lifted a brow.

"I don't like you and you don't like me, Ozai. Why would I want to move to the Fire Nation to be with you."

Shrugging his shoulders, "Who knows how this ends? I still want to put it on the table. In case you're afraid to face fate. I'm taking 'responsibility' just as you so graciously told me to do."

Tilting her head as she decided to analyze the Fire Prince, "I didn't take you for a man that cared."

"I don't care."

"Doesn't sound like it to me." Katara smirked.

Ozai returned her grin with his own, "For a water savage, you look better looking than most of the women back home and I don't dislike you."

"You don't?"

The Fire Prince shook his head.

"Then I guess I don't dislike you either." Katara whispered as she touched his face with the digits of her fingers.

…

A few months went by and Katara found every encounter she had with the Fire Prince, whether sexual or not, was slowly descending her into madness. It had to be madness. That was the only explanation for it. Otherwise, it made no sense. She wasn't supposed to feel this way and maybe she wouldn't feel this way at all if it weren't for the fact that they were so intimate with one another. Sex was one thing but it felt less and less like senseless sex and more and more like something else entirely. Katara told him to stop kissing her, that it was personal, and she feared how making things personal would lead to this. Lead to what she felt. Tui and La, she had fallen for him, just like he told her not to.

"My lady, are you alright?" Lona asked.

Hearing the snort of the Fire Prince along with the question, Katara snapped out of her thoughts as Ozai told her servants that she was probably upset about his approaching departure. This suddenly caught her off guard as she looked to the man as they were having tea in the private oasis of the palace.

"Wait, you're leaving?" Katara looked at him with wide eyes.

Chuckling as he sipped his tea, "Of course, I'm leaving. I was only here for the sake of the treaty. The treaty is now completed and signed. I'm simply waiting for the imperial fleet's preparation so I can return home to my miserable life."

Katara forgot for a moment. She forgot he was not from here. That he had an entire life back in his home country that he'd be returning to after he finished up here. Per their agreement, Ozai had done his part and she did hers. Things were settled. There was nothing left to do or for there to be done. It was over and done with. Just like them.

Noticing the princess was not pleased with this realization, Lona sighed to herself and suggested that it would be best to inform her father of her sullied status a few months or so after the Fire Prince left. The prince agreed and told her the sooner the better, though not too soon. As the Fire Prince let the princess know he needed to finish packing his things as well as finish some last minute things, Lona escorted Katara back to her chambers and noticed she was rather sluggish in her posture.

"My lady, it would have never worked out." Lona whispered to her. "I'm not sure if you know but his highness is married with a son that's two years your senior."

Katara was not exactly surprised nor did she care. Ozai was literally a year older than her father. On top of him being a prince, it was assumed he was married with at least one male child. Besides, she was aware of Fire Nation culture to some degree. Their people wore marriage bands/rings on their fingers to symbolize their marital status. The Fire Prince had one of these marriage bands on his finger, she spotted it during their encounter in the library, so she knew long before that he was married.

Swaying a little, Katara stumbled against the wall and rubbed her temple.

"My lady!" Lona helped steady her.

Waving her hand to her servant, "I'm fine. I just feel a little dizzy." Katara sighed as she hated how she had foolishly let herself fall in love with the Fire Prince. Now, she couldn't even function right and her body felt completely off.

The night before he and his men departed, Ozai was not all that surprised to see the Water Princess at his chamber doors. However, it was rather late and he didn't want anyone seeing how she had come to visit him. So he yanked her in before looking around to see if anyone saw her, when it was clear she hadn't been seen, the Fire Prince shut his door and looked at the Water Princess with an amused look.

"Don't tell me you're here because you don't want me to leave?"

Katara furrowed her brows as she swallowed hard and gazed down, "I know you told me not to fall but I-"

Before Katara could finish that sentence, Ozai had grabbed her face and smashed his lips into hers. The two sensually took one another's lips as they started pulling at the other's clothes. As soon as they were undressed, the Fire Prince lifted the Water Princess off of her feet and carried her off to his bed where he laid her down to make love to her. It was even more sensual and intimate than all the other times they had been together. She clawed his back and gripped his hair as she whispered that she loved him. His every touch was gentle and sweet and she felt him return her affections.

Raining kisses all along the Water Princess skin while thrusting deep into her, the Fire Prince made up his mind that he'd come back for this little water minx. How could he not? She was perfect in every way, even in the significant contrast there was between them with elements, age, mannerisms, and personalities. It was perfect. Not to mention, she was gorgeous. As he took her, Ozai let her know he'd come back for her once he had everything sorted out back home, telling her to wait till he came back to let her father know she was no longer marriageable.

"I'll get us a villa and we can keep doing this until our bones wither to dust." He chuckled as he kissed the nape of her neck while her fingers raked through his hair.

Smiling as she moaned, "Yes!"

"Hell, I might even get you pregnant a few times," Ozai moved his lips to hers. "A few mixed babies running around wouldn't be too awful."

The two spent the rest of the night making love and fantasizing about their lives together after this. It eased Katara's heart into accepting his departure because he would be coming back for her and she'd escape the reality of her sacrifice for his cooperation.

Morning came and Ozai was surprised to see the Water Princess still curled up under the sheets with him. It was just about dawn and he knew the servants would be here soon. He gently woke her from her sleep and told her she should get going before they were caught. Katara nodded and he kissed her just before she slid out of bed. When she gathered her clothes and left out a secret doorway, Ozai sighed as he laid back in his bed. He threw his arms behind his head and grinned to himself as he was looking forward to taking the stupid Chieftain's daughter off his hands. Ozai felt the Water Princess would be his reward for his hard work. A girl like her would go to waste being sent to a convent. She would better be put to use laid up in a luxurious manor awaiting his company as his mistress.

Watching the Fire Prince's fleet disappear over the horizon, Katara sighed to herself as Lona stood beside her. "You think he'll really come back?"

"I can't say, my lady. But given the fate you may face when your father discovers he can't marry you off for political gain, I hope his highness does come to take you from here." Lona said as she looked off at the horizon. "At least then you'd have better odds."

…..…..

~Sometime Later~

"I mean it, Katara! If you don't tell me who it is now, I will denounce you now!" Hakoda yelled at his daughter as she sat weeping on the floor.

Katara shook her head. She couldn't tell her father. She refused. Ozai told her not to say anything. To not mention him and she wouldn't. She'd just wait for him. He said he'd come for her and she believed him. Right now, she just needed to hold out a little longer. Her father wasn't supposed to find out yet. She was going to wait till the Fire Prince returned but things took a turn for the worse when she fell ill.

When the Fire Nation diplomats and Fire Prince left, Katara fell very ill. She thought at first it was her emotions getting the better of her but she and Lona discovered soon that she was pregnant. Out of fear, the two said nothing and tried to keep it a secret until she was whisked away. Lona was even going to help the princess leave for the Fire Nation on her own since the circumstances were different and she'd begin to show soon enough. They had bought two tickets for the Fire Nation and had prepared their luggage.

However, just a day before their departure, her father burst into her room with her mother and a physician. Her father looked at her with an unreadable expression while her mother was in tears. Before she could ask what was happening, her father ordered the physicians to check her vitals but Katara refused to let the man do his job. Her mother pleaded with her to allow it but when she refused again, her father stressed to her that they needed to know. Katara played stupid until her father told her that her water maidens had noticed she hadn't bled in nearly four months. Lona tried explaining it was because she had been changing her sheets and taking care of the princess far more than the other maidens. But her father was not convinced and ordered the guards to hold his daughter down in order to allow the physician to check her vitals.

As it was discovered that she was indeed as they feared, Kya cried out before fainting, the guards having to carry her out as the Chieftain scowled furiously at his daughter.

"You should have said something right away! I could have married you off to Bato and saved us all the embarrassment!" Hakoda shouted as he paced back and forth. "I need you to tell me the bastard's name! Who impregnated you?!"

The Water Princess decided not to say anything and her father placed her on house arrest. He refused to let this get out to the public, that his daughter had sullied herself before marriage and became pregnant. Katara held her silence on who the father was up until the birth of the child a few months later when it was apparent the child was not completely Water Tribe. Hakoda demanded to see his grandchild as his daughter laid in bed recovering from childbirth. She tried her best to keep her father from getting a look at the baby but he quickly snatched it away from her.

Hakoda pulled the blanket away from the child's face and saw it was a baby girl with inky black hair. Black hair wasn't common amongst their people but it wasn't unheard of. However, when his granddaughter opened her eyes, Hakoda furrowed his brows at Katara.

"This child is not one of us!" Hakoda snarled as his daughter was about to fall out of bed reaching for the child. "Who is the father?!"

Katara cried as she feared for her child that her father had taken from her, "I can't say."

"Why not?!"

"Because…he'll be upset with me." Katara cried even louder. "I promised. I promised I wouldn't tell!"

Something suddenly dawned on Hakoda, "Katara…were you rap-"

"No! No! I was willing! The entire time, I agreed to sleep with him!"

Hardening his expressions, "Who did you agree to sleep with?!" Hakoda demanded.

"I can't tell you!"

"Damn it, Katara!" Hakoda screamed, causing the baby to begin crying and wailing. "If you don't tell me now, I will throw this bastard child into the ocean! Now tell me who!"

Katara fell out of the bed as she tried to go to her father and stop him as he backed away from her with her baby, "Please! Don't!"

"Then tell me, damn it!"

"Fine! I'll tell you! But please, don't hurt her! Don't hurt my baby!"

A few minutes later, Katara was sobbing as she held her daughter to her while Lona tried comforting her. Her father looked utterly distraught and devastated when she explained who and why. She made it clear that the Fire Prince had no intentions of cooperating and if anything, he was preparing to leave before the treaty was forged. Katara told her father she offered him something else but he wanted her instead, so she let him have her throughout his stay here. The treaty was forged and signed and her goal was achieved. It cost her but she admitted she'd do it again if it meant securing peace.

Shaking his head as he paced about, "That deviant bastard! People tried to warn me something was up with him but I didn't listen. I just thought my daughter would be unmoved by a man like him. I thought you'd be able to resist!"

"Resist?! There was no seduction, father! I did this with the purpose to stop him from dooming us to more conflict with his nation! Neither you nor the elders were doing much to solve the issue! So I had to-"

"It would have been better for us to go to war than for you to have done as you have, Katara!"

Katara argued back with her father but he would have none of it and slapped her across her face as she held her baby. He told her he planned to confront the Fire Lord and his son about what had happened. After that, he would let them decide what to do with her because she was no daughter of his.

"But fath-"

"You are dead to me, Katara." Hakoda looked at her with both anger and sadness. "You're dead to me."

In the Fire Nation, Ozai was immediately summoned to his father's throne room along with Iroh. Neither were really sure what was going on but it couldn't be good if they were both summoned. There, the two knelt before their elderly father and received the news that the Southern Water Tribe's Chieftain was on his way here.

Azulon glared at Ozai the entire time.

"The Chieftain expressed that he would rather show me than tell me what the issue is. You wouldn't happen to know anything that could be going on with the Southern Chieftain, would you?"

Ozai shook his head. He hadn't a clue.

Iroh raised a brow.

Eventually the Southern Chieftain arrived and the royal family was all present to greet the chieftain in the throne room. Iroh stood by his wife and son while Ozai and his wife stood on the other side of the Fire Lord with their two children. Everyone seemed very tense and curious as to what was about to be revealed. Even Ursa was wondering what the Chieftain was going on about. Her husband just left from there with a signed treaty and everything. Surely, this couldn't be related.

The throne room doors flew open as the Chieftain and his entourage stormed in. The chieftain walked further ahead to the dais as the others had stopped far behind him.

"Chieftain Hakoda, I'm glad to see you've arrived safely." Azulon greeted.

"I wish I didn't need to arrive at all; however this is a grave matter." Hakoda snapped his fingers and his guards pulled forward a figure draped in a dark blue cloak.

The Fire Nation royals watched as the Water Tribe guards removed the hood from the figure's head and revealed a young woman. Azulon narrowed his eyes as his youngest son stared wide eyed at the woman, clearly recognizing her. He notice Ozai's eyes avert away from the young tribeswoman as her blue eyes spotted him in recognition.

"Who is this woman, Chieftain Hakoda?"

"This woman is my daughter. Water Princess Katara."

The Fire Lord watched as the Chieftain walked over to the young woman and removed the rest of the cloak. Immediately, everyone saw the young woman was clad in some skimpy tribal clothes that even she tried to cover herself from being seen in. What was going on for a man, let alone a sovereign man, to have his daughter dressed up like a brothel whore.

"In replacement of the peace treaty, I'd like to offer my daughter up since she's decided to whore herself out for the sake of peace. Apparently, there were no intentions for a treaty to be forged."

Iroh and Ursa turned to look at Ozai, catching the attention of Azulon.

"No intentions? I sent my son and my diplomats to the South Pole in order to forge this treaty." Azulon stated harshly. "What your daughter has done was completely unnecessary."

Hakoda looked from the Fire Lord to his son, "Then ask your son why he only started to cooperate with me on the treaty after he defiled my daughter!"

The throne room gasped.

Azulon sucked his teeth and glared down at his youngest son, "Ozai, this had better not be true!"

Ozai turned to face his father and bow, "It isn't true. The Chieftain is just upset that his daughter is a loose woman and intends to cast blame on me."

Hearing this, Katara felt something in her break at him rejecting her in front of everyone.

"I sullied her? With what evidence do you make this accusation?!" Ozai growled as he got to his feet, challenging the Chieftain.

Throwing his slipper at his bastard son's head, "Shut your mouth, you idiot! You're in no position to speak!"

Ozai was forced to kneel down as well as bite his tongue as the Chieftain explained what his daughter told him. Though Ozai knew it to be true, it was far too outlandish for anyone to believe it. He could see the throne room was not buying it and even his father didn't know what to make of this.

"How do you know your daughter was sullied, let alone by my son?" Azulon asked as he stroked his beard.

Hakoda snapped his fingers and a servant holding a bundle came forward. Every member of Ozai's family and the throne room stared wide eyed at this, Azulon even raised from his throne with a horrified look on his face. The Fire Lord couldn't contain himself and rushed down the steps of the throne, making his way to where the Chieftain was handed the bundle. He slowed down as he got closer, hearing the obvious cries of a baby and stopped just in front of the chieftain.

Azulon tilted his head as he looked down at the baby and saw it was a raven haired child with gold eyes. It was not enough to convince him that the child belonged to his son as the child simply had Fire Nation features. However, the Fire Lord noticed the child had a birthmark of the same shape on her wrist as most of the members of his bloodline. He backed away and then turned to look at his worthless son. Taking off his other slipper, the Fire Lord rushed up to his son and kicked him. He then beat Ozai with the slipper and called him names. Humiliating him in front of everyone.

"You no good bastard! I should have had your mother abort you! You defiled this man's daughter!" Azulon shouted resentfully. "Over a fucking treaty you were supposed to cooperate with anyway!"

"It's not as it seems," Ozai tried defending himself. "That idiot Chieftain wouldn't agree to anything! So yes, I made a deal with his daughter because she was so desperate to have the treaty forged! Of course, I wasn't going to do something for nothing. So yes, I slept with her but it was strictly business! Nothing more!"

"Something for nothing?! You imbecile! The whole reason you were there was to forge the treaty with the Chieftain! His daughter shouldn't have had to give herself to you in order for you to do your one job! You were supposed to do it anyway!" Azulon shouted in fury. "Now this poor girl has a child with you because you could not only keep it in your pants but you couldn't even do the one thing you were there to do!"

Ursa watched as her father-in-law continued beating her husband with his slipper and shaming him in front of everyone. Her eyes soon went from the two men to the woman her husband slept with. The Water Princess looked to be about the same age as her daughter and she looked shaken up, like what had been said had hurt her. Sighing to herself as she shut her eyes, her instincts had been right that her husband went behind her back again and her instincts were telling that it wasn't just business between them. This poor girl didn't look like she could keep it strictly business even if her life depended on it and in this situation, it most certainly did.

As the Fire Lord finished humiliating his son, the Chieftain felt it was his turn and signaled for his daughter to be forced on her knees. Her head was then pushed down to the floor by the guards restraining her.

"My daughter is dead to me and our tribe. I told them she died of illness. I offer her to your son since he seems so smitten with her." Hakoda said disdainfully.

Azulon turned to look from his son to the banished princess.

"Lift her head." Hakoda ordered.

Katara was lifted up and saw the old gold eyes of the Fire Lord on her. She could see he was looking her over, trying to get a good look at her and then looked to her father.

"He'll accept." Azulon answered on his behalf.

"Wonderful." Hakoda bit out.

"Show them to my son's chambers. I'm sure he'll want her and the child close by." Azulon looked to his guards.

They nodded and Katara was dragged out of the room by her father's guards while the Fire Lord's guards escorted them.

…

After being publicly scolded, slapped multiple times, and berated in front of his entire family, Ozai was allowed to return to his domain. There, his children went off to their chambers, slamming their doors shut. Clearly, they were not pleased to find out their father went behind their mother's back again, this time causing a complete spectacle. He noticed his wife was still at his side as they were headed to their shared chambers and there, when the door slid shut, she turned to him with a hurt expression.

"Strictly business, Ozai?" Ursa kneaded her brows.

Sighing as his hand fell over his face, "Yes, it was strictly business. There was a lot going on that was not stated. She was desperate and offered herself to me in order to make sure I was more agreeable with her father. I was foolish to follow through but it wasn't something that happened consistently. I can count on one hand how many times I slept with her." Ozai lied to his wife.

Ursa didn't believe him. "The other night and for the last few nights since you returned…." She looked away from him as she sobbed. "You've been calling me princess."

"Because that's what you are, Ursa." Ozai pinched his brows. "You're my princess. I didn't know switching it up while we were intimate was such a bad thing."

"Liar!" Ursa shouted as she couldn't take his lying anymore. "Princess is her pet name, isn't it?! You say it so condescendingly like you're talking down to someone. It makes sense that you would be talking about her when you say it! She's younger than you by twenty-one fucking years, Ozai! She's our daughter's age!"

Rolling his eyes as he didn't see how that mattered, "So what?! I never felt the need to use her name. Like I said, strictly business."

"But Ozai, did you see her face? Everything that came out of your mouth from the moment you denied her, she looked like her heart was being broken. It clearly wasn't just business!"

Ozai groaned as he was about to pull his hair out, "It's not my fault that she let her feelings get mixed in! I even warned her not to!"

Ursa cried as she looked at her husband, "How could you do this, Ozai?! How?!"

In a set of rooms within the Fire Prince's domain, Katara had just been bathed and redressed in Fire Nation clothes as her hair was styled in the fashion of their people. When the servants of the palace finished with her, the Water Princess sat on the sofa of her sitting room with her baby in her arms as Lona sat beside her. She felt that now that they were alone, she could cry a little to herself. Never had she felt so awful in her life. Her father disowned her and threw her away to the man that she had foolishly given herself to. And that same man denied her in front of everyone. She never felt more hurt in her life and she didn't know what to do. What was supposed to happen now?

"My lady-"

Before Lona could offer words of wisdom, the sliding panel doors of the chambers were slid open and in stomp some heavy boots to the wooden floor. Katara and Lona stood to see it was the Fire Prince and he looked dangerously at her. The Water Princess turned to Lona to hand her the baby in order to approach him but as soon as she was close enough, he slapped her so hard that she fell to the floor.

"Damn you, Katara!" Ozai growled viciously as he scowled down at her while she held her face. "I told you not to mention me at all! But you go and do it anyway! I was about to head there myself to get you! I already had a villa for you to stay at! I just needed you to come on my terms! Now, look at this mess you've gotten us into!"

Katara looked up at him pitifully, "I tried to hide the pregnancy, Ozai. I tried. Lona and I had purchased passage to the Fire Nation. We were going to hold up somewhere until I could privately reach out to you but my father, he found out. I didn't tell him until after I had our daughter and he threatened to throw her into the sea! I couldn't let that happen!"

Ozai did not let up his cold stare, "I was publicly humiliated because of you! You should have found another way!"

"Ozai, I-"

"I knew it!"

The two turned around to see the Fire Princess looking in distress at her husband.

"Ursa-"

"That villa you purchased…it was for her?" Ursa narrowed her tear stained eyes at him. "You were going to go back for her and bring her here…but it was just business for you?"

Ozai opened his mouth to say something but the sliding door slid open and in walked his father along with a few Fire Sages.

"Ursa, you and my idiot son are here, excellent." Azulon said as he noticed the Water Princess was on the floor with a handprint to her face and his eyes drew to his son, who was standing over her. "I see, I made good timing."

Katara pulled herself to her feet as the Fire Lord let them all know he had a decree to give in person. She made her way back over to Lona and her infant daughter.

"The Chieftain and I spoke for a bit and he states that while he has disowned his daughter, she remains his daughter nonetheless. Therefore, he demands that she be treated properly. So, I've taken it upon myself to make the Water Princess your second wife, Ozai. This way, I can make sure you take responsibility for your actions and treat her with care."

Both Ozai and Ursa were shocked by this news as it was unheard of for a Fire Prince to have a wife that was the opposite element of him. Sure, there had been Fire Princes throughout history that may have had a concubine or a lover that was opposite of him. But they were never made a spouse. Never.

Looking to the Water Princess, "Your father has informed me that outside this event, you are a well liked and charitable princess to the public. That he understands your desire to ensure peace but your actions were wrong even so. With this information, I will treat you as I would my other two daughter-in-laws."

Katara nodded and thanked him.

"However, unlike them, you will keep the title of Water Princess."

The Fire Sages proceed to take the Water Princess's hand abruptly and slip a ring on her ring finger. They then went onto grab the Fire Prince's hand and place a matching band on top of the one he already wore. With that, the Fire Lord proclaimed them husband and wife, reminding his son to treat her properly as he would Ursa. When they left, Katara saw the Fire Prince look back at her as his wife tearfully looked between the two of them.

"This changes nothing, Katara." Ozai glared at her callously. "You might be my wife now but you will only receive the bare minimum from me. I will not treat you as I do Ursa. You are not her equal and your daughter is not equal to my other children." He shook his head as he watched her shatter without a care. "You are a burden that has been thrusted upon me and I will remind you of that fact for the rest of your life."

Ursa didn't know how she was supposed to find comfort in hearing her husband destroy this other woman. If anything, she felt immense pity for the girl and her child. She doubted the Water Princess knew this would become of her bargaining with Ozai. It would have been easy to hate this Water Princess but she looked as much of a victim as she was. They had both been done wrong in this situation but as women, they would always be to blame. Unable to hear anymore, Ursa left the chambers without another word.

Ozai looked to see his wife had left and turned to go after her but not before relaying one more piece of information. "Keep out of my sight until I come back with a set of rules for you. Understood?"

"Y-yes." Katara replied as she clutched her chest tight at the feeling of her heart breaking.

….

The following morning, Ozai and his family were having breakfast in the dining room with the sliding rooms pulled back to view the floral greenery. It was how most spring and summer mornings were spent. Though, there was much more conversation and laughter. They had for the most part been a happy family. However, after yesterday's events took place, it was hard for any of them to say anything. Though, one member for it extremely difficult to remain silent.

Silverware clattering on the table causing everyone to look up at him, "Did grandfather really make her your second wife?" Zuko asked.

Ursa was about to tell her son to hush when his father decided to respond to him.

"He did, though it's of no consequence to any of you." Ozai addressed them all. "She will remain out of sight, out of mind."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Zuko raised a brow.

Returning his attention to his breakfast, "She's a whore and a homewrecker. I think the least she can do is stay out of our family's line of sight." Ozai replied nonchalantly.

Zuko looked to his mother but she shook her head at him, telling him wordlessly not to ask anymore questions.

When breakfast was over, the family remained seated as Ozai left to head to the main palace for a day of work. Once he was gone, Zuko and Azula turned to their mother.

"What the hell is going on?!" Azula was dying to know what that whole spectacle was about.

Ursa sighed as she rubbed her temple and shook her head, "Your father is a liar. He puts all the blame on that girl but your grandfather believes the Chieftain and his daughter. Not to mention, I caught him in his lie when I overheard him talking to the Water Princess. Everything her father said she told him was true."

Zuko and Azula were shocked.

"You two need to leave things be and say nothing at all about any of this to your father." Ursa told them.

"But what about the Water Princess?" Zuko asked in concern. "If what she said was true, then she's a victim."

Azula rolled her eyes as she folded her arms, "Doesn't matter. In a situation like this, no matter what her part was in any of this, she's to blame. That's just how it is for women. Luckily, father raised me to be different, so I'll never end up like her. It's honestly pitiful."

A few days later, Ursa was watering her favorite flowers that grew in the courtyard to the back end of the palace. Normally, no one came this far out in the domain but she had forgotten for a moment that her husband's second wife resided on this end of the domain. So she was a bit surprised to see the Water Princess sitting in the grass with her child in arm and her servant helping her feed the infant. Ursa lied low in order to observe what kind of person that Water Princess was as she couldn't help but be curious about the woman that managed to capture the attention of her husband.

"She's rather hungry this morning." Lona beamed at the small child.

Katara nodded as she gazed lovingly at her daughter, "She's always hungry. I wish I had enough strength to continue feeding her from my breasts but I'm all tapped out." Her voice was tired.

Lona lifted her gaze to the princess and sighed, "It's because you haven't been eating, my lady. The Fire Prince could at least see to it the servants bring you food."

"I'm sure he will once he's come up with some rules for us." Katara tried to sound optimistic.

Scoffing, "That wicked prince! I can't believe you trust him after everything that's happened. He's the reason you're in this mess!" Lona furrowed her brows angrily. "He writes it off as your fault but he practically blackmailed you."

"He didn't blackmail me, Lona."

"He did!" Lona refused to back down. "You don't recall how this all happened because you're so focused on how you fell in love with him but I remember everything, my lady, and he made it clear that he would only become agreeable with your father if you gave him your virginity."

"Lo-"

"He did! You even offered something else in exchange but he told you that he wanted to make sure you weren't marriageable, so your father couldn't use you for a political marriage and gain allies to aid in a war against his nation." Lona reminded her. "And if you had refused, he was going to leave."

Katara sighed and shook her head. "What does it matter now, Lona? He hates me. He's hated me this whole time, I guess." She gazed down at her daughter somberly. "I wish he had just said so when he left rather than make me think he was coming back for me. At least then we could have left sooner and we wouldn't have gotten caught by my father. I wouldn't be here being a burden to him."

Lona stared with a somber grief at the princess and teared up. "I hate him. I hate him, my lady. I hate what he's done to you. This wasn't supposed to be your life."

Ursa watched the Water Princess place a hand on the water servant's shoulder and give her a weak smile.

"It doesn't matter how my life was or wasn't supposed to be. I'm just glad you're here with me like you've been since we were girls."

The Fire Princess watched the two young women cry softly with one another and made sure not to be seen as she left the area. Returning to the main area of the domain, Ursa saw her husband sitting at a patio table with his brother. She could see her brother-in-law was not in a pleasant mood and from what she could hear, it was related to the Water Princess.

"Brother, this is wrong!" Iroh stressed.

Ozai scoffed, "Like I care. I'm just setting the rules for my household. I'm allowed to do so."

"I understand that but you're making her out to be the one in the wrong and I think we all know that girl wasn't lying about what happened while you were in the South Pole." Iroh held his arms in his sleeves. "And if she wasn't then it doesn't quite matter since she's your wife now. You can continue your relationship with her out in the open."

"And risk further ruining my marriage to Ursa, absolutely not." Ozai hissed. "Ursa and I have history. I won't toss it away."

"You already have." The two men turned to see Ursa making her way down into the courtyard.

Getting up to go to his wife, "Ursa, I-"

Holding her hand up to him as she scowled, "I was in the further end of the domain watering my flowers when I saw the Water Princess and her servant caring for the baby. I overheard them speaking in private and it's awful how she refuses to speak ill of you but here you are making her out to be this horrible person! If you slept with her and made her have feelings for you, say that! If you also have feelings for her that you're ashamed of, say that! But stop lying to everyone and stop lying to yourself!" Ursa's voice cracked a little. "All these years and I had no idea I was married to a monster!"

"Ursa-"

The woman turned and stormed off.

Ozai growled and clenched his fists, "This is what I'm talking about! My whole marriage is ruined because of that damn girl!"

"Ozai, this is your doing." Iroh looked at him with disappointment. "You preyed on her desperation and slept with her."

"And I wouldn't have done so if I knew it would come back to bite me like this."

Completely and utterly taken aback by his brother's remarks, Iroh shook his head and left. He couldn't stand for this madness.

Later that evening, Ozai spotted his wife making her way to the further end of the domain with two servants carrying trays. He decided to follow behind her in secret and saw her knock on the panel door of his second wife's chambers. He stowed himself away in the shadows as he watched the door slide open revealing the water maiden that served Katara.

"Your highness," Lona bowed.

Ursa smiled to show herself friendly, "I was hoping to see if I could speak with your lady. I brought food as I'm sure you too must be hungry."

Inside, Ursa found the Water Princess was dressed for bed with her child in her arms. As soon as the younger woman saw her, she rose up to bow but Ursa discouraged it.

"Please, your highness. I'm only a princess by marriage. You are one in your own right. So do not bow to me." Ursa said in a pleasant voice.

Katara looked to her water maiden before taking a seat back down on the floor cushion and Lona came to her side. She was a bit caught off guard to see the Fire Princess here. Even more, it looked like she had brought food from the smell coming from the trays her servants carried.

Seeing that the Water Princess looked hungry, Ursa ordered her servants to set the food down on the low table in front of them. The Fire Princess told them to dig in and that she would speak with them as they ate.

"I'd like to first say that I believe you and what you said was your experience with my- our husband." Ursa started. "Everything he's said in the last week has all been a lie and I have proof that he intended to return to the South Pole to retrieve you."

Katara watched the Fire Princess pull a small booklet from her sleeve.

"I took his account book from his office and saw he bought a villa north of here. It's not very far so I can tell he wanted you close enough to easily access you. There are also gifts and wardrobes that were purchased. He even had plans to hire staff to work at the villa you would be staying in." Ursa sighed as she looked at the Water Princess. "Ozai says he feels nothing for you but I can tell he is just spiteful that he had been exposed. I want to know something, Princess Katara."

"Yes?"

"What was he like when you two were together?" Ursa asked.

Katara could see the woman was curious about the relationship between her and Ozai. It was only fair she told her. This woman had been wronged and she was hurt by her husband's actions. Sure, she could sit here and point the finger at him all day but she still willingly went along with everything, even knowing he was married the entire time. Deciding to start with how everything began, Katara left no details out, none that she could think of, Lona even helped her out as it would seem she was still hesitant to point fingers at him due to her feelings for him. In truth, recounting their time together, it was hard to say what his feelings were for her. Sure, they had moments together that were outside the realms of sex but that was mostly him poking fun at her or making her feel like a desperate idiot. He was never really comforting of her feelings in any of it. Though, that wasn't to say he was cold towards her. He was the one to suggest they have a more lovers dynamic as it would probably be her first and last encounter with a man. And he also offered to take her away with him in order to save her from the cruel fate she'd suffer at the hands of her father. Then again, looking back, Katara could admit to herself that those things were still all self-serving. He stood to gain in those offers/suggestions. Perhaps, he wasn't lying when he said he didn't care about her.

Staring down at her daughter, "I confessed to him the night before he left and I had expected him to poke fun at me for foolishly falling for him as he had warned me not to." Katara sniffled and shook her head. "Instead, he took me to bed and told me all the things I wanted to hear. Maybe he just felt bad for me and didn't want to hurt my feelings that night. Maybe he pitied me but if he says he doesn't care for me, I feel more inclined to believe that. Because if even a fraction of him did care, I don't think he'd be so cruel to me."

"He said he'd return with house rules for us and only then would we be allowed to move around," Lona chimed in. "But he hasn't returned yet. I can only assume he intends for us to remain out of sight for as long as possible. That or he wants to starve us to death. My lady is seldom to say it but his highness was not a good man to her at all. He was a selfish man and he didn't care about her from what I could see. Her attachment to him could have been towards any man if they had been the one to have her so intimately. I just wished my lady didn't feel like she had to do what she did in order to help our people."

Ursa felt even worse for the Water Princess. Not only was it likely true Ozai didn't care for her but he knew her feelings and led her on. Though Ursa was sure that Ozai had the intentions of going back for her, whether that was out of pity or selfish intentions or he had some sort of feelings for her, it didn't matter. His actions said enough. He was a cruel bastard and she would not stand for it.

Sighing as she gazed somberly at the Water Princess, "It is clear to me that you are no less a victim than I am. Not only did he use your desperation to get what he wanted but he cruelly denied you and your child in order to save his own skin. And now you being a wife of his like I am, I want to look out for you and make sure you're properly taken care of."

Katara and Lona immediately thanked the Fire Princess as she told them she would speak to her husband, convince him to allow her to participate as a part of the family. She was now family with her child and marriage to him.

"I'll leave you all to eat and rest for the night." Ursa stood to her feet. "I'll be back in the morning with breakfast and a change of clothes for you both."

When Ursa left the chambers of the Water Princess, she spotted her husband making his way towards and she stopped.

"Come to finally meet with your second wife and give her the house rules so she can leave her area of the domain?" Ursa asked.

"I will deal with her in due time." Ozai told his wife.

"No, you will deal with her immediately!" Ursa shouted at him. "Everything that has happened is because of you, Ozai! You made that agreement with her and you knew the consequences! She's already been punished and suffered for her part in this! But yet you feel she should endure more when you haven't even really faced the consequences of your actions!"

Ozai furrowed his brows at his wife as she stormed around.

The following morning, Katara woke up to the sound of the baby crying and looked to the bassinet beside her bed. However, when she looked in it, she noticed the baby wasn't there. Panic washed over her as she looked to Lona and saw she was still asleep. Katara hurried out of bed and looked around the chambers for her wailing baby. When she got to the sitting area, the Water Princess paused when she saw the Fire Prince was holding their daughter with his back turned, trying to figure out how to get her to stop crying.

Slowly, Katara made her way over to him and saw him turn his head to her as she came up by his side. Though his gaze wasn't hard and hostile, it was still cold. She decided not to say anything as she held her hands out to receive her daughter back. However, he just eyed her with a look that told her that he wasn't handing the child over just yet.

"I have a set of rules for you." Ozai told her as he pulled his gaze from her to look down at the baby that had finally settled down. "It's not many. So you shouldn't have a hard time following them."

Katara nodded her head to receive her set of rules.

"My family and I eat in the dining room for breakfast and dinner. You will eat all your meals here or on the patio in the courtyard of this area of the domain." Ozai started.

The next rule was she was not to speak to his other two children unless they addressed her. He wanted to control what his children knew and didn't know about their relationship, so if they asked any questions in relation to their affair, she was to not respond at all.

"Next, you're allowed to leave the domain to explore the city but only with my permission and our daughter is not to go with you until she is at least five years of age."

As far as anyone knew, he only had one wife and two kids. Only the family, the sages, the council that had been present in the throne room on that day she arrived knew anything about them. They were all sworn to secrecy about what occurred. "You are a guest in this country and I've been made to be your host, if anyone asks." He didn't want her revealing that she was his second wife and had a child with him. It was shameful and he wouldn't stand for the public humiliation that came with their relationship.

"And lastly, my father says I have to treat you properly because you are now my wife. Understand that I will treat you how I see fit. If you're behaved and follow the rules, I won't be harsh. But if you break the rules and become unruly, I will break you, understand?"

Katara nodded her head.

"One more thing," He added.

The Water Princess looked up to him, "Yes?"

"I do not have feelings for you. I never did. You were fun to toy with and I enjoyed being the only man to fuck you. But that doesn't mean I share your feelings. I had the villa bought solely for the purpose of having easy access to you when I don't feel like sleeping with my actual wife." Ozai told her coldly. "I want you to know this so you can get out of your mind that I betrayed you. I betrayed nothing. I was upfront about everything. I even told you not to fall for me. You stupidly did. That is your fault and yours alone. I could never and will never feel anything for you. Anything I do for you from now on is simply out of formality because I have to, I don't have a choice."

Hearing this, Katara tried not to feel hurt by it as she had already speculated that that was the case. But it still hurt. She tried not to cry but her eyes still watered and her face gradually gave away that this hurt her.

Seeing this, Ozai handed her back the baby and watched her struggle to compose herself. "I'll be honest, princess, I'm not completely numb to you."

"Y-you aren't?" Hating how hopeful she sounded.

Nodding his head, "I pity you." He told her.

Katara's eyes widened as she felt struck with a deep blow and as he left, tears fell from her eyes.

….

A/N: Part 2 will be out in a few days. Just proof reading it.