Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.
Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.
Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.
Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.
The garden really was one of the best places to hang out in. The entire palace was beautiful. But Katara enjoyed the garden the most. When she looked up at the sky she could almost pretend that she was back home. Sure the smells were different, she was sitting on grass instead of snow, and the turtle ducks were quacking instead of the seals barking. But the sky was still blue, beautifully blue.
Her hands absentmindedly plucked some grass. She began to weave the strands together. The grass was shorn short. Barely longer than her smallest toe. She frowned and tried a few longer pieces.
She weaved together a few more small strands. She would hardly call it a rope. Barely even a string. Really it looked pathetic. She stood up and dusted off her legs. She had some grass stains on her knees. She adjusted her dress and glanced around critically. She didn't get why they wanted the grass so gosh darn short!
She was born on a glacier, anything green or living or alive was meant to be cultivated and made as large and useful as possible. Trees, shrubs, grasses, you never continuously trimmed it down.
Azula jumped backwards. Zuko's hand shot out and jabbed at her shoulders. The two were hot, red faced and panting. Their eyes blazing as they sparred. Katara couldn't tell if they were playing, training or fighting.
This was their way of 'sharing' her. Having her serve them tea and treats while they worked out. From what she had seen the two spent most of their summers just fighting each other. She wasn't sure the two did anything fun. The piggy-cow back ride didn't count.
She was beyond bored. She could only sit around and serve them cherries and tea for so long. She needed some kind of stimulation.
The breeze brought the fresh scent of fire nation flowers to her. Katara glanced over at a garden bed and smiled.
Zuko blocked one of Azula's punches and swept her leg. She jumped over his foot and jabbed down at him again. Her knuckles briefly blazed with heat. Zuko swatted it away and rolled.
"Hey! No fire bending!" He said in annoyance. She had just made her fists hotter, the flames were more of a brief crackle against their skin. But still the threat had been obvious. Azula rolled her eyes. After all she was the superior fire bender, he was just better at this hand to hand grappling.
"Don't be such a-what is our pet doing now?" Azula's eyes darted from the blanket where they had left Katara to the garden bed. Katara had a small pile of flowers beside her. The long stems snapped as close to the dirt as possible.
The water tribe girl was weaving the stems together. Adjusting a piece here, a move there, removing, shifting. The flowers were slowly being twisted into a circle. Katara smiled and held up her creation. A small flower crown. The stems weaved tightly together. Over two dozen flowers pointing outwards.
"Hey! HEY! Who said you could do that?" Azula said storming over. Katara glanced up at Azula with a content little smile. Katara stood up and bowed low presenting the flower crown to Azula.
"This one is for you!" She was looking down respectfully. Her palms flat. Azula snatched the crown up and twisted it in her hands.
"I have my own crown. Why would I possibly want to put some flowers on my head?" She snarked at Katara. Katara waited a moment before responding.
"Because it's fun?" The answer was obvious. Who wouldn't want to wear a flower crown? It was just something silly to do. Azula snorted and dropped the crown to the ground. Zuko marched over, one of his perfectly manicured brows raising in interest. Maybe not deep interest, but a bit of interest.
"You made these? How did you learn to make these?" He got into a lotus position and picked up one of the crowns. This one had fire nation lily's weaved into it. The kind with the bright golden veins.
Katara plucked another lily from the garden. There were plenty there. She was actually impressed with how many flowers grew in the fire nation. It was probably the rich volcanic soil and the mild temperatures around the capital.
"Like this. Watch." She began to weave one through another. She picked up a few blades of grass and wrapped then rewrapped. Reinforcing the longer strands. Turning the stems inwards. Some began to tear and leak their water. But most held.
Zuko picked up some of the loose flowers and frowned at them. He had never weaved anything together before. He was a prince. He had servants to do that for him. He plucked a purple flower then an orange one. He began to copy Katara's hands.
Azula rolled her eyes before plopping to the ground beside the two.
"Why are you wasting your time on this trivial game?" She complained. Zuko shrugged and continued to weave. There was something oddly hypnotic about this. Azula tapped her fingertips against the manicured lawn. She watched Zuko's fingers and then Katara's.
"This is a total waste of your time." Azula remarked. Zuko shrugged again.
"You can go and do something else if you want." Zuko responded. Azula rolled her eyes. That was their normal style of conversation. She suggests something, he shrugs, he responds, she rolls her eyes. It had been going on since they were small children. Katara took an especially pretty flower from the pile and used it as the center piece of her crown. She offered it to Azula who took the crown critically.
Some of the flowers were wilting already, some of the stems were pointing outwards. And the grass was frayed. On top of that there were thorns weaved into it. They faced outwards among the crimson and orange and blue flowers.
"You are both wasting your movements. Watch." She snatched up some flowers and began to make her own. The three weaved in companionable silence. Zuko messed up his crown, took it apart and remade it. Azula's came together rapidly. The little prodigy was able to pick up just about anything with minimal effort.
Katara smiled softly to herself. Her fingers felt quick and clever playing with the flowers and grass. It made her feel comfortable. She could pretend that she was weaving dried seaweed and salt grass into nets for the fishermen. Or weaving rope for a harpoon. Or creating a small blanket for someone as a gift. The flowers definitely smelled a lot better compared to the hardy grasses and seaweed of her homeland.
She had created a trio of crowns by now. Azula was wearing one of her own and starting on a second. Zuko was still diligently struggling with his first. Not willing to give up just yet. Katara placed a modest crown on her own head. She didn't feel like royalty, but she did feel cute in it. Now what was she to do with the other two?
The clicking of sandals on the open hallway drifted to her. Katara glanced up and grinned. Lord Ozai and his father were strolling side by side. One man's hair was black as obsidian. The other as white as snow. They were talking in low voices. Azulon's long nailed hands were folded in his robes. He was staring forward with a dignified intensity.
The men wore matching robes of the finest red. Only Azulon's had the image of a dragon cavorting on his back. Ozai's had a bright shining bird bursting from flames. The wings across his shoulder blades dramatically emphasizing his broad strong shoulders. The gems on his fingers glittered and shone with the mid day sunlight. Making it look as if he was holding fire within his very fingers.
The rustle of cloth made the fire nation siblings look up from the crowns that they were constructing. Katara was halfway across the garden by then. She held a flower crown in either hand. Her legs pumping quickly. She was too far away from them to stop her.
She took the short wooden steps two at a time. Azulon and Ozai continued their walk. Their conversation short and respectful. Not even aware of what was going on around them.
"Fire Lord Azulon! Master Ozai! I made something for yo-" Katara was on the final step, holding the two flower crowns upwards. Offering the home made gifts to the two grown men. She blinked and she was suddenly falling. Her face was stinging. She landed heavily on her back, the air instantly knocked out of her.
The carefully wrapped flowers fell to her side. She blinked wetly. Tears came unbidden to her face. She sat up in confusion. She had been tossed very quickly. She glanced at the garden, then up at the two old men on the walkway. Ozai was scowling at her. His eyes alive with rage and disgust. Azulon was further back, his eyes coated in shadows. His long fingernails clicking together.
Katara sat up and touched her forehead. She felt woozy, uneasy, as if something had happened. Something wet dripped down from her face. The drip turned into a stream. The blood splattered onto her knees and the grass. Her toes curled in their slippers.
"Father!" Zuko said as he skidded to a halt beside Katara. Azula was on her other side.
"Fire Lord Azulon." Azula said bowing low. Her hands stiff by her side. Ozai's balled fist was still raised. A splatter of blood dripped down his knuckles. He continued to stare at the children with silent rage. His eyes were amazing cold for a fire bender. His face as granite as an earth benders.
Katara realized that the blood in front of her was her own. That it was coming out of her. Her hands were shaking as they reached up to touch her face. A lance of pain bolted from her nose to the back of her skull. Then another one went from her neck to the crown of her head. She gasped and more salty tears erupted out of her. The sickening feeling of blood, snot and tears wormed their way down her face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ozai said with clipped words. His eyes glanced from Azula to Zuko.
"Please take no notice of her father. Our pet just gets excited." Azula said with a cool indifference.
"She didn't know any better. It was a mistake. It won't happen again. We promise." Zuko said, the words tumbling out of him. One after the other, sometimes crashing into each other. Katara's ears were ringing. He hadn't slapped her, he hadn't back handed her, he had hit her, full in the face. With his fist.
"Your pet?" Azulon spoke as he stepped forward. The two fire nation siblings grew quieter. Their eyes looking at the fire lord with nothing short of fearful adoration. The old man glanced from one to the other. The children squirmed.
"In my day we kept our pets on tight leashes. If they were not trained properly we had them destroyed. You two have clearly not been taking her training seriously. If she comes running up to her betters in this manner. If you were both older I would have her destroyed in front of you. If you were younger I would have her destroyed out of eyesight. But you are both at an inconvenient age for either option."
"She will be trained better. We promise. It won't happen again." Zuko promised. His forehead was wet with sweat.
"Isn't that right Katara?" Azula said as she rested a hand on Katara's thin trembling shoulder.
"Ye-Ye-Ye-Ye-Yes." Katara finally managed to choke out. Her eyes still staring down at her blood. Azulon sighs and rubs his forehead.
"Foreigners as pets. Far more trouble then they are worth." He strode away. Ozai gave his two children a glare and returned to walking with his father. Zuko kneeled beside Katara the moment they were away.
"Are you okay Katara?" He asked. Azula snorted and squatted on Katara's other side. Azula was smirking, a sadistic glint in her eyes.
"Of course she isn't okay. Just look at her face." Katara reached for her nose. Her fingertips briefly brushed it…and then her head rocked forward.
The vomit splattered onto the grass. Her red face felt burning hot and her eyes stung.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Katara mumbled out, she rubbed at her eyes and face. The base of her palms turning wet with snot and tears. She hiccupped, shoulders shaking, her entire body a knot of pain.
The kitchens smelled of rich spices and stewing meats. Katara sat on the counter as Hama dabbed at her broken face with a wet rag. Hama tutted and stroked around Katara's nose carefully. Still the little girl winced.
"Well it isn't broken so that's something. But it will be sore for a bit. And you're lucky he didn't leave a scar. I should be able to take the worst of the pain away. But to keep up appearances you are going to need to keep the black eyes. We can reduce the swelling at least." The normally spunky happy go lucky girl nodded dully. Her eyes were downcast. Sometimes she would let out a hiccup. More out of pain then any tickle in her throat.
Hama willed some water upwards out of a bowl and dabbled it across Katara's face. She then pulled the water away. Katara stared in fascination. Her snot, her tears, even her blood, it was floating in there. Her face was cleaner already and that helped a little. She watched as the blood swirled through the orb of water that Hama held before them.
The blood was almost like little fishes, swimming and twirling. Trying to find a place to ground itself. Katara wondered if Hama was actually bending the blood within the water…was that even possible? It must be, blood was a liquid…water was a liquid…Katara knew that other liquid bending was possible…So why not blood?
Hama dropped the soiled water into the bowl and then spread fresh water across Katara's face. Hama frowned in concentration.
"I am not as adapt at using the healing arts. But I know a thing or two. Give me a moment." She frowned and slowly, steadily, a light glow began to come from before Katara's eyes. Katara's eyes widened as the pain began to recede from her nose and lips. She felt like her head was lighter. And then just like that it stopped. Hama pulled her hands back, the pain going with them. As did the glow. Katara felt like a cold chunk of ice had been pressed and then removed from her face very quickly.
"I…I feel better!" She said in delight. Hama shook her head.
"A master would have been able to do it cleaner. But it will have to do. The eyes will go down in a few days. The nose won't hurt you. But you must pretend it does." Katara nodded and stared pointedly at Hama's hands.
"Will you teach me that?"
"Healing? Among other things yes." Hama said with her matronly smile. Katara felt the thrumming begin in her heart again. Hama was no gran gran. But she was better then nothing at all.
The kitchen doorway was filled by a fluttering blushing disheveled Kya.
"Katara!" She shouted. The woman sprinted across the room and pulled her daughter tightly to herself. Smoothing Katara's hair. Hugging her tightly.
"I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! Are you okay? I came as soon as I heard! My darling I am so sorry!" Kya said as she gripped Katara tightly. Katara gripped her mother back just as tightly. Her nose crinkling and drinking in her moms familiar homely scent. The scent of love and safety. Katara could still could glimpses of it beneath all of the perfumes and shampoo's.
"Mom….I wanna go home. When can we go home?" Katara asked sadly. Kya stiffened. Hama shook her head in annoyance.
"Katara…I…I'm sorry…I don't-"
"Kya." Ursa spoke from the doorway. Kya turned and bowed formally to her master. Ursa glanced at Katara with a raised eyebrow. As if assuring herself the young girl was alive. "You still have duties to attend to in the training rooms."
Kya suppressed a sigh. She nodded and turned back to Katara.
"I'll see you at dinner." Kya leaned forward to kiss Katara's forehead. Katara leaned back. Eyes wide and critical. Knowing she was being dismissed. Kya settled for kissing the crown of Katara's head. The big bootied slave then walked out of the kitchen and back to a waiting Ursa. Ursa glanced towards Hama, seeing the woman but not knowing her.
"My children are hysterical. They are upset over that one's actions. Fix them up something soothing for dinner. To settle their stomachs." Hama bowed low and dramatically. Ursa and Kya exited. Leaving Katara alone once again.
"Get up. You're helping me. It's your own fault that you upset the two of them." Hama spoke sharply to Katara. Katara jumped from her perch and joined Hama as they gathered rice and lentils and miso for soup.
The words Kya left with Katara rang in her head.
I'll see you at dinner. Another humiliation. A pet bowl on the floor. Sometimes Kya would even forgo the utensils and just use her tongue and fingers. Like a properly behaved pet. Katara shivered in disgust.
"I hate it here." Katara spat out as she began to drain the rice.
"I know. Be careful who you say that in front of." Hama warned Katara. Katara sighed and willed some water into a pot. It was a simple easy move. But she felt lighter for having done it. A small act of rebellion.
"Why can he do that to me? What gives him that right?" Katara spoke to Hama with the straight forward curiosity of a child. Hama chopped some roots and set them aside.
"Simple. He is powerful. He is of the fire nation. They hold the power. Which means that they can do as they wish." Katara scowled. Her eyes still hurt, her nose still stung, even her ears felt pained.
"But that's not fair."Hama chuckled at that.
"Fair has nothing to do with it. The fire nation is strong. They can do as they wish." Katara paused and thought. Her mind trying to make sense of the words. Trying to make sense of what she wanted.
"I want to be strong. I want to be part of the fire nation." Hama stopped her chopping and stared at the serious face little girl. The anger and frustration rolled off of Katara in waves. Like a living aura. "If the fire nation is strong then I want to be of the fire nation. If Mom won't protect me. Then I will find something and someone who will. I won't let this happen to me again. I won't let them hurt me anymore."
Hama gazed at Katara. It almost sounded like a vow. A strange thing for a child to make. But this seemed no ordinary child. Katara reminded Hama of a linchpin. One that the world and future was balanced on. But she could not tell if it was for good or for bad.
"Again." June said as she dodged behind Sokka. She kicked out and the back of his knees buckled. The little boy fell into the snow. The borrowed dagger was cold in his mitten. He growled like a seal lion and jumped up. He slashed at the air. But she was already out of reach.
June chortled and danced away on her tip toes.
"You really aren't trying are you?" Her arm was in a sling. But even that wasn't slowing her down. The young woman was lithe and powerful. Her muscles seemed to sing in the south pole air.
"I am!" Sokka shouted as he charged her again. She slipped behind him and kicked out his legs again. This time he landed on his forehead. It was definitely going to leave a mark.
"You haven't been practicing the moves I taught you." The young bounty hunter in training chastised. "You get too angry in a fight. You charge right in without thinking. Where's the strategy? The tactics? The plan? All you do is leave yourself open for this-" A hit to the forehead "This" A blow to the stomach. "And this" And finally she swiped him off his feet.
Sokka landed on his back and coughed. The wind was knocked out of him. June tutted and settled on her haunches beside him.
"I'm only doing this to stay sharp and cause I'm bored. The last boat out of Polar Bear Dog bay is going to come before the freeze. Who knows if there will ever be another one. The war isn't going to let a lot of tourists come down here. You want to learn how to fight? Then prove it. Use that knife like an actual warrior."
Sokka closed his eyes and turned over onto his elbows. She was taunting him. She was teasing him. She only survived out of the goodness of his and Gran Gran's heart. And she was only teaching him since he had forced the issue.
June smirked and shook her head.
"Your old lady is right you know. One day you will wake up and I'll be gone." Sokka stared up at the leggy woman. He then jabbed her knife downwards at her feet. When she took a few steps back he lunged and plowed his shoulder into her knees. She stumbled and fumbled. He clambered higher and got her in a headlock.
"I'm used to people leaving. But until you do…I'm going to learn everything I can from you." The little boy said with the seriousness of a man. June chuckled and glanced down. He had his unsheathed blade to her throat. She had her's to his stomach.
"You still have a long way to go."
Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.
Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.
Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.
Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.