Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            Katara sighed as she walked along the beach, admiring the sunset. She'd slipped unnoticed out of the large beach house hours before because she'd had enough of Sokka's constant complaining. Not that she needed to just choose one reason; she had plenty to choose from. The burden of being everybody's mother when she was only just marrying age herself only added to her stress, and the constant presence of a certain traitorous prince kept her on edge without reprieve. The others would be worried once they realized she wasn't there, probably when they got hungry, but she couldn't bring herself to turn around yet. They could fend for themselves food-wise for one night.

            She almost wished that a Fire Nation soldier would appear before her so that she could let off some steam. Almost. What she really wanted was to get off this island. The novelty of its beauty had worn off, and there was little to do without drawing attention. She sighed again, squinting out over the endless expanse of sparkling water to the same view she'd already seen countless times. Except… it wasn't the same. An island had appeared a mere three hundred or so meters from the shore, sitting innocently in the water as if it had always been there. Katara could discern no signs of habitation from within its wilderness, but she hesitated; from her experience, new islands didn't just spring into existence.

            It could be a trick, or maybe I'm hallucinating. Although...there's been no sign that anyone knows we're here, and if I am imagining it then a quick swim won't hurt. I should tell the others… but the house is so far away… and I'll only be gone for a little while, they won't notice. The full moon's tonight, so I won't have trouble protecting myself… Spirits, I just need to get out of here.

            Spurred by her excess of energy, Katara stripped down to her white underbindings to avoid ruining her only Fire Nation disguise in the salt water.

            The sun had already set by the time she stumbled onto the shore of the mysterious island; the swim had been longer and taken more out of her than she'd expected. Katara peered around, attempting to penetrate the dark forest with her eyes and failing miserably. She set off towards it anyways, reluctant to have come so far without satisfying her curiosity.

            It's too bad Zuko isn't here. His firebending would be very useful right now.

            Katara almost tripped as she realized what she'd thought, cheeks warming for reasons she didn't want to contemplate at the moment.

            Why would I want Zuko with me? Aang can firebend too, and he's much more fun to be around.

            Still blushing, Katara continued her trek, climbing over a large mass of jagged rocks that had materialized before her in the darkness. Loathe to cut herself, she shuffled her feet forwards, feeling blindly ahead, and let out a breath of relief when her foot found smooth stone. She brought her other foot up to the other but misjudged the slickness of the surface; her legs buckled and she crumpled. Rather than collapsing onto rock, however, she continued downwards on a slide that she could have sworn hadn't been there before. Reaching the bottom resulted in a yelp as she landed hard on her ankle.

            The dim light made it difficult to find her bearings, so Katara gently felt her injury as she waited for her eyes to adjust. The slide had deposited her in a small, ceilingless cavern dominated by a pool of water of indeterminate depth. A sharp pain in her ankle told her that it was broken, so Katara crawled as quickly as she could bear and slid herself cautiously into the pool. The full moon almost directly overhead invigorated her as she concentrated on healing herself. She didn't notice that the water started glowing slightly before she started healing.

            "Katara? Katara? What the hell are you doing? Where were you?"

            Katara woke to find her vision dominated by Zuko's face, peering down at her with worry. She jerked away, head colliding with sand as she got her bearings. She seemed to be back on the beach at Ember Island, though she couldn't remember returning.

            "I saw another island, so I went exploring. It was pretty late when I came back; I must've fallen asleep on the beach," A light breeze alerted her to current lack of clothing, warmth creeping its way across her cheeks. "Do- Uh, did you happen to see my clothes anywhere?" She stood, longing for her parka as she dusted herself off. Zuko's worried expression seemed to have been frozen onto his face, though for a moment she could've sworn he'd blushed as well.

            "No, I haven't. But more importantly, what island are you talking about? I don't see anything."

            Scowling, Katara turned to point it out only to find empty ocean as far as the eye could see.

            "I-I don't understand. It was right over there!"

            Zuko was looking at her as if she had grown another head, and Katara was tempted to check.

            "Whatever you say. Let's just get back to the house, we've been looking for you all morning."

            He turned quickly and strode off, leaving her to run to catch up to her annoyance. She would be happy to bathe, though, because her skin crawled with a feeling that she couldn't pinpoint and she hoped that it was merely dry salt from the water.

            The bath proved to be far less relaxing than she'd hoped. It began perfectly pleasantly, went quickly downhill when Katara dipped her hand in to check the temperature, and found herself lying on the floor unable to move her legs. She shifted, pulling herself up to rest on her elbows and shrieking when she discovered the source of her impeded movement: a scaly tail like that of a fish. It was long and startlingly blue, matching almost perfectly the water that she could see beyond the window. Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

            "Katara? What's wrong?" Sokka rattled the locked doorknob. "We heard you scream, are you alright?"

            "I'm fine!" Katara prayed that Toph hadn't come too, as she'd surely recognize the lie. She wasn't sure what would be worse, her friends seeing her with a fish's tail or topless. "The water was just a bit colder than I expected, that's all!"

            Sokka left after a few more reassurances, annoyed that his eating had been interrupted, and Katara was able to return her attention to her newly-grown tail. She gave an experimental flick of her fins as her mind raced.

            How is this possible? I've never heard of anything like it. Maybe a spirit did it, but I definitely didn't see any and I don't know why, or how, or- anything, really. What am I going to do? How do I get rid of it? Let's see… it appeared when I felt the water…so maybe I need to be dry? Katara concentrated on waterbending the water off of her, and was shocked at how easy it was; it felt almost like the water was eager to respond and she found herself wondering briefly whether this is how Aang felt with all the elements. As she removed the last time of the water she was overcome by a tingling sensation that ended as quickly as it began, leaving her with two legs once again. She let out a long breath. Great; I'm a waterbender who can't touch water.

Chapter Text

            Katara walked down the stairs, trying not to die of heat in her old Water Tribe clothes. Why she’d wanted her parka earlier was beyond her.

            “Hey guys, does anyone know where I can get any new clothes? I know we don’t have much money, but these definitely weren’t made for Fire Nation weather.”

            “Sorry, I didn’t think to bring anything extra and Toph isn’t your size.” Suki gave an apologetic shrug.

            Zuko pushed himself off of where he was leaning against the counter.

            “Aang already looked through the rest of the house and couldn’t find anything that would fit, but there are some, well, servants quarters that I can check, if you want. They might have something decent.”

            Katara was about to question Zuko's odd use of the term but was cut off by the Avatar’s polar bear-dog eyes.

            “Hey Katara, can we train when you finish? I thought up a new move that I want to show you!” Aang had the look perfected, his large eyes so hopeful that Katara couldn’t help but agree to it.

            Zuko led her around the back of the house to a small, shed-like building she'd paid little attention to before. It certainly didn't appear to be the type of place where people had ever lived, with its lack of windows and neglected atmosphere. Katara shot him a look of confusion, but he merely gestured inside the open door without looking at her.

            The inside would have been cramped without the furniture, and it felt particularly confining with its clutter of shoddy beds and wardrobes.

            “Geez, how many servants did you need?”

            Zuko coughed.

            “We had the typical, a few cooks, attendants, maids that had small quarters in the main building for easy access. But, um… It's tradition for the Fire Lord to keep concubines with him wherever he travels. I didn't know these were the conditions they lived in, but very little about my father surprises me anymore.” He dusted off an old shoe before discarding it with distaste. “Azula and I weren't allowed to associate with them as children, but Azula liked to sneak back here anyways to taunt them. I had only a few interactions; looking back, I think my father approved of Azula’s approach more.” He trailed off with a distant look, and Katara couldn’t help but wonder what sort of interactions he’d had. The thought made her avert her eyes until Zuko abruptly snapped out of it. “Anyways, the clothes won’t be very modest and I’m not sure how much have survived, but they're yours if you want them. I'll leave you to it.”

            Not very modest was an understatement. Katara spent the first 30 minutes sorting out the clothes that were still intact, and then another 30 finding the few that would cover the bare minimum (she’d first tried to sort out anything modest but had been forced to admit defeat and lower her standards). She'd settled for a gold top and silky red slitted skirt with matching underbindings, all so revealing that she wouldn't be surprised to see a prostitute wearing them. Then again, she reminded herself, a prostitute has worn these. Now she remembered why the parka had been such an attractive choice.

            When she finally emerged, face as red as her attire, Zuko dropped the knife he'd been examining. Katara felt herself go immediately on the defensive. Unfortunately for Zuko, her defense was more of an offense.

            “I can’t believe that you had concubines!”

            “I didn't have concubines, my father did.”

            “Yeah, but you would have when you became Fire Lord. You-”

            “Look, Katara, it grosses me out just as much as you. Do you think I like to imagine how my dad brought women into our house while my mom was right there? Why do you think she left?” Katara fell silent for a moment.

            “I'm sorry.”

            “Me too.”

            “Ready to practice, Aang?” Katara tried to ignore the way he eyed her new outfit. It was sweet that he had a crush on her, but this was not the mind of attention she wanted. In fact, this outfit had garnered far too much attention from all of them, and had resulted in Sokka pulling Zuko aside for what had surely been an uncomfortable conversation.

            “Uh, yeah! Here, I brought your water pouch for you.”

            Katara gave him a nod of thanks and pulled out all the water in it; Aang had a tendency to jump right into practicing and Katara had fallen victim to more surprise attacks than she cared to admit. She formed water whips, careful not to get any on her, and quickly dodged Aang’s attack. She wrapped one whip around him and froze it, then used the other whip to pin him down. Aang melted the ice and sent a colossal wave towards her. Katara couldn’t help but feel smug at the shocked expression on his face as she effortlessly spun it around overhead and sent thousands of tiny ice spikes hurling at him. The day before it would have been extremely difficult for her to control such a large quantity of water into a precise attack, but now it was a breeze.

            Katara had only paused for a moment to marvel at her new ability, but that was all that it took for Aang to form water whips of his own and send them hurtling towards her. She barely had time to duck and twist when they came back at her, heart pounding. That was a little too close for comfort.

            “Aang, I don’t feel very good. Let’s finish this some other time.” She turned abruptly and walked back inside without waiting for an answer. I’ll make it up to him another time.

            Katara sighed as she swirled her hands around in the sand and watched the others play in the water. She didn’t know how they’d convinced her to come along on their outing, but she’d seated herself far up the beach and told them that she still didn’t feel well.

            Sokka looked at Aang. “Are you ready?”

            “I don’t know, Sokka. It seemed almost like she was afraid of the water earlier. This might not be such a good idea…”

            Sokka huffed.

            “Of course it’s a good idea! If my sister really is scared of water, she’ll need to get over it. She’s a waterbender for La’s sake!”

            “Well, if you’re sure…”

            Sokka approached his sister, who eyed him warily. As Sokka distracted her, Aang crept up behind her and pulled all the water off of his body and into a large ball, raising it above her head.

            “Now!” Sokka yelled, and Aang released the water down onto Katara. She froze, eyes wide, then scrambled to her feet to sprint into the water, diving beneath the waves. Aang turned to Sokka.

            “I’m blaming you when she comes back.”

            “I don’t understand! She seemed scared of the water, but then ran right into it! It must be a girl thing.” Sokka muttered. He was pretty nervous though; Katara was scarier than a rampaging polar bear-dog when she was angry. “Where’s Zuko?”

            “He went swimming.” Aang replied cautiously. He didn’t want to be a part of any plan to annoy the older boy; he didn’t need two of his teachers mad at him at the same time.

            “Excellent.” Sokka’s fear melted away. “Katara’ll see him first and take all her anger out. Now, I’m going to go see if Suki wants to build a sandcastle.”

            That had been way too close; Katara barely had a chance to submerge before she felt her legs fuse together. Now here she was, perched all alone on a rock at the bottom of the sea, fuming and waiting to be sure that everyone had left the beach. She swatted halfheartedly at a brightly colored fish that seemed to think her hair was an odd patch of seaweed. It darted away to examine her from a distance, then swam up to bump her in the nose. She couldn’t help but giggle at the little guy’s boldness. The sudden burst of bubbles sent the fish flitting away, this time to disappear into the colorful coral beyond.

           Well, if I’m stuck down here I might as well explore. She took off in the same direction, gliding through the water easily. Katara had to admit, it was cool to swim like a fish. Plus, she could breathe underwater and the pressure didn’t bother her. But she still needed a way to fix this. She couldn’t just grow a tail in the middle of a fight! She shook the thoughts off for the moment, content to be distracted by the ocean world around her and oblivious to the person staring down at her.

Chapter Text

          Katara walked down the stairs, listening intently as the voices grew louder. She’d finally found a place to dry herself off once night had fallen, and she was positively itching to murder her brother and Aang. Everyone froze as she walked into the kitchen. Aang and Sokka both looked especially nervous. Katara decided that she would act sweet for now and catch them off guard later.

          “Hey Sugar Queen, you gotta hear this; Sparky got into the sake and now he thinks he’s seeing spirits!”

          “I have not! I know what I saw while I was swimming.”

          Katara paled, praying to La that Toph wouldn’t notice her heart speed up. She tried to maintain a casual air, leaning on the counter and absently tracing a long scratch made by one of the previous occupants.

          “Wh-what did you see?”

          “A mermaid; water spirits that look half fish and half human. They’re an old Fire Nation legend, they lure sailors to their deaths through their singing. Uncle used to tell us spooky stories about them, and I would stay out of the sea for days afterwards.” He paused, eyes widening. “Hey, you were in the water last night too, did you see anything?”

          “No, I didn’t. I've never heard of mermaids, and I would have thought you would be mature enough not to believe in children's stories. Especially when we've got very real problems to deal with.”

          A pang of guilt hit her as Zuko recoiled, excitement draining from his face, and she almost apologized before her brother interrupted.

          “Yeah, big problems; like how we have no food. Starving to death is a very real issue to me!” Sokka patted his stomach.

          “Or like figuring out our next move, Sokka. Getting food is as simple as going to the market.”

          “Um, actually the local shopkeepers are starting to ask a lot of questions about who we are and where we’re staying; I don't think it's a good idea to keep buying from them.”

          “You’re right, Suki,” Katara worried her lip between her teeth. Had she really been so wrapped up in her own situation that she had missed this concern? “But it’s going to be a challenge to find somewhere else with a large enough market to avoid suspicion. Sokka, can you get your maps out?”

          “No need, Sweetness; Sparky’s our own personal Fire Nation tour guide, remember?”

          “Don’t call me Sparky! But I do know of a market on a nearby island. It’s a little unsavory, so it’s probably best if Sokka and I go.”

          Katara scowled.

          “No, I’ll go with you. You’re going to need cloud cover if you want to take Appa, and Aang is too important to risk him being recognized. Or do you think that I can’t take care of myself?” That earned her an eyeroll.

          “No , it isn’t that you can’t take care of yourself. It’s that people are less likely to bother two men, and if they do then a non-bender and a firebender aren’t going to draw as much attention. It isn’t like I’m dying to spend bonding time with your brother.”

          “Hey!”

          The argument made sense, and Zuko almost had her convinced. Then he opened his mouth again.

          “Plus, well, let’s be real. You’re going to get a lot of bad attention wearing that .” He gave a flustered but pointed look at the cleavage left exposed by her top. She           hastily straightened, crossing her arms.

          “You better get your eyes off my baby sister before-” Sokka was silenced by Katara’s raised hand.

          “I’m going, and that’s final.” She spun on her heel and stormed out, not stopping until she reached the courtyard. She started toward the fountain, thought better of it, and returned instead to the shade to slump against a column, cursing the male gender all the way. She certainly was not thinking about how Aang seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes on her while a certain firebender couldn’t keep them off.

          She sighed and screwed her eyes shut at the sound of approaching footsteps and prepared herself to endure another argument for her to stay cooped up here.

          “So, you wanna tell me why you were lying in there?”

          Toph. Of course she noticed.

          “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

          “There we go; another one. You’re really racking ‘em up today.” There was a rustling sound followed by a thud opposite her, and Katara deduced that the earthbender had copied her position against the other column. “But look, Katara, I get it.” Toph’s voice had a serious tone that she didn’t hear often from her, and Katara blinked her eyes open to get a good look at her. Shoulders slumped, picking at her toes, she looked the picture of melancholy.

          “Toph...What do you mean?”

          “I know what it’s like to have feelings for someone who doesn’t seem like they can return them. To just want to be around them, even if you can’t have what you really want. But don’t give up. Because his heart races too when you’re around.”

          The leers were making Katara regret her decision. They came from everywhere, men and women, and made it incredibly hard to get shopping done without worrying about wandering eyes and hands. Zuko put an arm around her waist, and while she normally would have broken his arm, if only because she really didn’t need to think about why it made her stomach twist on top of her strange conversation with Toph, she let him do it as long as it deterred the drunks that were roaming about. Luckily, they only had one more shop to visit. She was checking their list when Zuko’s grip suddenly tightened and he pulled her close, ducking into an alley. They stood frozen for a moment, Zuko’s body pressing hers into the wall, chests heaving and foreheads nearly touching. The scent of ash and cinnamon was almost overwhelming. Katara was the first to snap out of it, planting a hand firmly on his chest to give herself some space. An odd look swept over the prince’s face for a moment before he hastily stepped back.

          “What the hell are you doing?” she hissed. In response, he motioned around the corner. Katara peeked her head out and quickly pulled back; there was a Fire Navy ship in the docks, and it bore the royal seal. A quick glance around the alleyway confirmed that it was empty, save for a drunk passed out in the corner. Satisfied, she pulled the prince further into the darkness. Appa had been sent to hide in the wilderness, so she threw the bison whistle on the ground and quickly crushed it with her heel. Zuko shot her a quizzical look.

          “Now your sister won’t be able to lure Appa back if we get caught.”

          “Do you plan on getting caught?”

          “No, you idiot, but I think we should sneak onto that ship. We might be able to find out where they’re going.” If Zuko had been planning to answer, another voice beat him to it as a shadow fell.

          “Or you could just ask me.” Katara and Zuko turned at the same time to find Azula and her guards blocking the entrance. She casually formed a blue flame in her palm, and the duo slid fluidly into fighting stances. Katara drew the water from her pouch. “Where is the rest of your little band of misfits, hmm? Surely they didn’t leave the two of you alone.”

          A long tendril of water whipped past her, and she had to twist to avoid it.

          “Cute. But come now, you’re outnumbered; let’s do this the easy way.”

          Another quickly dodged water whip, followed by a burst of orange flame courtesy of Zuko. The arrogant smirk never left Azula’s face, and Katara felt a pit begin to grow in her stomach. In a fight with so many firebenders, blunt attacks would only evaporate her small supply; she needed to fight smarter, not harder. Zuko had clearly set his sights on his sister, so she focused on buying them time to get away. She feinted with the water, sending it hurtling at the soldiers’ heads before twisting at the last moment and letting it drop to their feet. Soon ice was climbing its way up their legs, holding them in place as they struggled against it. All I have to do is slow them down long enough to-

          Pain shot through the waterbender’s arms as they were wrenched behind her, and she couldn’t help but cry out. The strong scent of alcohol filled her nose and she realized that the drunk they’d discounted as a threat must be the one who was now pressing a blade to her neck. Zuko froze at the sight, unstable on his feet as he looked torn between continuing the fight and ensuring Katara’s safety.

          “I’d back down if I were you, Zuzu. This mercenary is getting paid to take your little girlfriend in, dead or alive.” Azula’s high, cold laugh left no doubt in Katara’s mind that the princess was serious.

          She made eye contact with Zuko and tried to shake her head without slicing herself, silently pleading with him to get away while he had the chance. But to her horror, he dropped his stance and bowed his head, allowing himself to be restrained without a struggle. The knife was removed from her neck and she squirmed, trying to wrestle her arms out of the man’s iron grip when the hilt came down on her head and she crumpled.

Chapter Text

          Katara’s head pounded as she came to, biting back the bile that rose in her throat. She sat up slowly, blinking through the haze in her mind as she attempted to take in her surroundings.

          “Hey, take it easy. You have a nasty bump and they weren’t too gentle bringing you in.” Her vision was filled by gold eyes as strong arms gently supported her. “How do you feel?”

          “Like shit.” She rasped, clearing her throat and repeating herself to be heard. “Where are we?” He pulled away slightly, enough for her to see that they were in a metal cell furnished only with two red mats.

          “On my sister’s ship. You’ve been out for about half a day; a healer came in to look at you and gave you a tonic of some sort, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.”

          Katara gave a silent prayer of thanks to the spirits for not revealing her secret while she was unconscious.

          “Any escape options?”

          “None. I don’t know how Azula did it without Ty Lee, but I can’t bend. And even if I could, this cell is too small for me to melt anything without burning you.”

          Katara tried to pull water out of the air around her, but it wouldn’t respond.

          “I can’t bend either.” She let him help her rest against the wall and they fell into an uneasy silence, absorbed in devising their next move.

          It was another hour before a loud clang echoed from down the hall, and she winced at the jarring sound. Footsteps moved toward them and Katara steeled herself for whatever was coming.

          “Oh look Zuzu, your little whore is finally awake.” Azula stood at the barred door of the cell, smirking as she goaded her brother.

          “Don’t talk about her that way.”

          “Why not? It must be true, or did you think I’d really believe those rags are the current fashion? You should be grateful that I’ve let you in the same cell so you can get-”

          “That’s enough, Azula.”

          The smirk slid into a snarl and Katara was sure that the temperature rose. Azula slammed her against the door.

          “You don’t tell me what’s enough. You don’t tell me anything . You’re a disgrace, a prisoner, and I’m the heir to the throne. So hold your tongue if you want to keep it!” She stood there for a moment, breathing heavily after the outburst, before seeming to come back to herself and drawing away. “You’ll both be brought in for questioning at my leisure. In the meantime, you’ll find that your bending isn’t working;  I’ve had my cooks mix a rare anti-bending drug into your food and water. Each dose lasts for days, so I really wouldn’t recommend starving yourselves. But by all means do try to escape. It’s so very entertaining to watch.” She turned and led her guards away, and Zuko came to settle next to Katara.

          “Your sister is crazy.”

          “I’m sorry about what she said.”

          He looked so earnest that she had to look away, unless she wanted to be sidetracked by the confusing feelings that seemed to well up when he was around.

          “It’s fine, Zuko. Really. I don’t care what Azula says. Besides, we have much bigger things to worry about; where do you think she’s taking us?”

          “My guess would be the capital.” He shifted. “Unless she feels like she has a strong enough pinpoint on the Avatar’s location to delay delivering us. Which she would get from one of us.”

          “So the interrogations are going to decide it, then. She’s putting a lot of stock on the hope that one of us will talk.”

          Zuko swallowed, eyes fixed on the opposite wall.

          “Azula is ruthless. Cruel. She won’t hesitate to cross any line to get what she wants. We need to prepare ourselves for it.” He set his jaw, and Katara slid a trembling hand over his.

          The longer they waited, the more tense the mood became. Katara had no doubt that Azula did it on purpose, and she hated to admit that it worked; her nerves were fraying and she wasn’t sure how much more inaction she could take.

          Finally the sound of voices filled the air and their door was flung open. Zuko was forced against the back of the cell as the guards jerked Katara up and bound her hands behind her back.

          “Wait, stop! Take me first! You can’t-” He was silenced when a punch caught him squarely on the jaw, sending the prince slumping to the floor. Katara barely had time to protest before the cell was out of sight and she was being dragged down nondescript metal hall after hall, broken up only when she was shoved up a narrow staircase. She gasped for air, swaying on her feet, by the time they halted in front of an ornate scarlet door.

          “Enter.”

          Katara was thrust inside, falling hard to her knees and, without the aid of her arms, could not catch herself from toppling forward. It was all she could do to turn her head and avoid breaking her nose.

          Little was visible from this position; her cheek rested against a thin red rug and she could make out a dark red tapestry hiding the metal of the wall. This room was even darker than the dimly lit hall.

          “Get up.” A guard growled above her. She struggled to push herself up with just her shoulders and forehead, but wasn’t fast enough as she was gripped by the hair and wrenched painfully up to sit back on her heels. This angle afforded even less chance to look around, however, as the hand remained tangled in her hair and held her head firmly in place while her vision was dominated by a scarlet tunic. Her blood ran cold.

          Slowly, deliberately, a pale hand appeared and caressed her face. The sharp nails traced along her skin with the promise of blood not yet drawn. A single slim finger curled under her chin, tilting it up. An involuntary shiver wracked her body as she met Azula’s cold gaze. The princess’s smirk grew.

          “Is the little waterbender cold? As your host, it’s my duty to make sure that you’re plenty warm.” Intense heat flared from the finger for an instant before it released her. “Leave us.”

          The grip on her hair was immediately withdrawn and the door clanged shut loudly behind her. Clearly even Azula’s men didn’t want to be around her.

          “Let’s get down to business; if you tell me where the Avatar is, I can make you very comfortable. No more cell, three meals a day, maybe even a spot in the royal harem, if you’re lucky. Father has always had a certain… appreciation for exotic girls.” She leaned in until Katara could feel her breath on her ear. “But that all seems rather boring to me, and the Crown Princess should never be bored.” Now the princess’s face was directly in front of hers. “What’s it going to be?”

          The choice was easy. Heart-stoppingly terrifying, potentially fatal, but easy. Katara spit in her face.

          “You bitch !” Azula hissed, jerking back as she flicked the saliva away. She lingered in her disgust for a moment, then abruptly straightened her back as her expression was masked by her usual cool smirk. “I was hoping you’d put up a fight. Maybe you’ll last longer than my last toy,” She gave her a mocking pout. “I always seem to break them.”

          Katara watched as she made her way over to a low table hidden in shadow. A million horrible possibilities raced through her head, and she found that her muscles had locked up as the danger of her situation seized her. She could only watch as Azula returned with a long rod, a twisted piece of metal on the end that she fingered lovingly.

          “Have you seen one of these before?”

          She couldn’t even bring herself to shake her head. Azula didn’t seem to care.

          “No, I suppose that Water Tribe savages don’t really own anything. You see, in the civilized world we have to protect what’s ours. Some use ink to make special markings on livestock or whatever, but in the Fire Nation… well, maybe you’re smart enough to figure it out,” She used two fingers to direct an intense flame along the metal. “The royal family, of course, has our own distinct symbol. No matter how far a slave travels, they’ll never truly escape; the mark is too recognizable, and the reward for their return is too high.”

          The metal glowed almost white with heat and Katara felt like vomiting. Surely she’s not…?

          “But enough about our customs. I promised, after all, that I’d warm you up.”

          Azula moved toward her, and the purposeful motion snapped her out of her paralysis. Katara struggled to stand, struggling against her bindings, but then Azula was in front of her and she had to throw all of her effort into scrambling away on her knees. A wild, uncontrollable panic flooded her and her whole world narrowed to that glowing piece of metal. She twisted, narrowly avoiding the rod as Azula jabbed it at her. Another jab, another narrow escape. Then there was a wall at her back and another at her side; she was cornered.

          Azula lunged, and Katara threw herself to the side, recognizing the feint too late as a clawed hand gripped her bicep and dug in. She made a desperate attempt to bite at it, but her teeth closed on empty air. It returned a moment later, connecting with her cheek in a sharp crack left the skin throbbing and threw her entire body to the side. Azula breathed evenly, not a hair out of place, and the expression on her face was that of a cat toying with a mouse.

          “See, isn’t this so much more fun than if you’d told me right away? Now, hold still or I’ll have to redo it.”

          She knelt, placing a knee on Katara’s back to keep her pinned. There was silence, and Katara strained to turn her head far enough to see what was happening. For a brief second she had hope that something else was calling the princess’s attention away. Then a searing pain, worse than anything she had ever felt, pressed into her shoulder. Everything was on fire. An inhuman scream filled the chamber, and only dimly did she realize that it was coming from her. Darkness crept across her vision as she thrashed, and then there was nothing but pain and heat.

          Katara woke up gasping for air. Water dripped down her face, and she blinked rapidly to clear her eyes and orient herself. She was in the same room as before, on her back and staring up at the ceiling. Her shoulder screamed where it pressed against the floor, and bile rose up from her stomach to burn at the rawness of her throat. She choked it back and struggled to sit up. Her hands had been untied at some point while she was out, and she was able to to prop herself up on her elbows to relieve the pressure.

          Azula and a guard came into view, an empty bucket on the floor between them. The guard’s jaw was slack as he stared down at her, terror in his eyes. But it was Azula’s face that made Katara’s heart stutter; she had never seen her so shocked or uncertain. Then her brain caught up to her, and she realized why they were staring. She was laying prone before them, dripping water from head to bright blue tail. Her next realization was that she could feel the water around her again, and she made a small move as if to bend it before hesitating. What would she do against two firebenders, one of them Azula, without her legs?

          The motion shook Azula out of her daze before Katara could decide what to do. She’d mostly recovered, and though traces of surprise remained she took it in stride.

          “Well, this has certainly made things interesting. A mermaid, traveling with the Avatar. Fitting, I suppose,” She turned to the guard. “Put her restraints back on.”

          The man paled.

          “Your Highness, respectfully, this is a spirit . We’re a ship full of sailors. We’re all going to die.”

          “Do as you’re told, Guardsman Tedem, or you’ll have much more to worry about than a spirit that can’t bend.”

          Tedem paled further, if possible, and hastily did as ordered. Katara chose not to correct Azula’s comment about her bending; a false sense of security could give her an advantage later. When he was done, she had no choice but to lie flat again and ignore the pain in her shoulder. Azula came to stand over her.

          “I must admit, this was quite unexpected. You’ll make a nice prize for Father, a sign that we have the favor of the spirits. And you’ll make even better bait for the Avatar than I’d thought. Funny, here I was thinking that you were just a bonus compared to Zuzu, but now I’m thinking it’s quite the opposite. Yes, this changes things indeed...” She tapped her fingers against her cheek for a moment, considering Katara. “Unfortunately we don’t have a tank big enough to hold you on board. It would be much easier if we could get you back into your legs for the journey; I don’t suppose you’ll do so?”

          Katara just glared, pressing her lips into a fine line. Like I’d ever do anything to help you, you bitch.

          “Very well. Guardsman, take the mermaid back to her cell. Perhaps the former prince will be more forthcoming. And tell the Captain to set a course for the capital.”

          Zuko. Zuko’s going to see me.

          “W-Wait!” Her throat felt like sandpaper. “Please, you just have to dry me off. That’ll bring my legs back.”

          Azula raised a brow.

          “Are you really so scared of being carried? I highly doubt you’re heavy enough to be dropped before you… make it back to your cell… My brother doesn’t know about you, does he? And you don’t want him to know.”

          “Of course he does,” Katara forced a scoff. “I just don’t trust any of you.”

          “Well then, why don’t we all go down there for your little reunion. I wouldn’t want to miss the happy moment. Or, better yet, let’s do it right here! Guardsmen, fetch the former Prince Zuko.”

          “At once, your-”

          “Stop! You’re right, he doesn’t know.”

          “I’m always right,” Azula preened. “Does the Avatar know what you are?”

          She couldn’t bring herself to admit it out loud, shame welling up inside Katara as she shook her head. I shouldn’t have kept this from him. Aang could have helped me, and now I’m working against him .

          “No matter, he’ll know once word spreads. You, fetch some towels and dry her off,” She knelt next to Katara’s head. “I’ll keep this from my brother until we reach the palace, but in return you’re going to be a model prisoner. Do I make myself clear?”

Chapter Text

          “Katara!”

          She’d been too afraid to look at him, certain that he’d take one look at her and know, that she’d kept her head down as they reached the cell. Unfortunately this meant that the unexpected shove from the guard nearly sent her sprawling, caught only at the last moment by Zuko’s waiting arms. He swore at them until the bars were closed, even as his fingers skimmed lightly over her skin in search of injuries.

          “Are you okay? What did she do to you-” He cut himself off as he brushed the burn on her shoulder and a hiss escaped before she could stop it. The blood drained from Zuko’s face and he gently turned her around. “Fuck. I can’t believe - Fuck.”

          Katara peeked over her shoulder to find an inscrutable expression on his face. She swallowed, and the thought flashed across her mind unbidden. Azula’s ruined me. No one could love me with their mark on my back . Zuko spun her again, this time barely touching her, and she thrust the thought away.

          “Katara, I- I’m sorry. It should have been me. I should’ve fought harder. I shouldn’t have let you come with me.” He whirled and punched the wall. “I failed. Again.”

          He braced himself against the metal, head bowed and breathing heavy, and she felt her heart squeeze. He flinched as her hand touched his shoulder, and she hesitated for a moment before gently pulling him back. He kept his head down, and Katara would have laughed at the irony of the sudden switch if the situation wasn’t so serious. She stepped closer until he was forced to meet her gaze, cupping his scarred cheek. His hand flew up as she touched it, eyes widening, and she thought he might push her away. He seemed to have the same thought. Instead, he laid his on top of hers.

          “Zuko, you haven’t failed me. You’ve done everything you can to protect me. We both know you couldn’t have stopped me from going with you; this is as much my fault too.”

          “How can you touch me?” His voice was a whisper. “How can you look at me when my family did that to you?”

          Katara traced the edge of his scar with her fingertips.

          “You are not your family.” She poured every ounce of sincerity and feeling she had into making him believe her words. “Azula did this to me, not you. I know you wouldn’t hurt me. I trust you.”

          A tear shone as it rolled down his face, and it took everything in her to pull away from him. The moment was over. Zuko cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly, and without the distraction Katara’s headache and pain returned full force. She slumped down on top of the nearest mat, and he copied her silently. They remained that way for a while, and she tried to find a position comfortable enough for her exhaustion to claim her.

          They came for him while she was asleep.

          Katara wasn’t sure how long she’d been in with Azula, or at what point Zuko had been taken, but she was sure he’d been gone far longer than she had. Time stretched on, with no way to tell its passing. At one point she was given a simple meal of rice, fish, and water, and found that without her tail, her bending was gone again. She was taken to relieve herself, then returned. Still no sign of the prince.

          By the time the guards brought him back, Katara had nearly paced a hole into the floor. Her heart leapt into her throat; while she, at least, had been able to walk back, Zuko’s bloody, unconscious form was dumped unceremoniously at her feet, a tray of food left as an afterthought. She scrambled to his side, straining to pull him onto a mat. He groaned and shifted, but his eyes remained closed. Katara eyed the water left for him, worrying her lip between her teeth.

          I could get myself wet, and as long as he stays asleep he wouldn’t see me. But he’d know that I healed him, Azula would know that I healed him, and I’m not supposed to be able to bend…

          Her fingers itched to help, and the inability to made her feel horribly claustrophobic and on edge. Zuko groaned again, and Katara absently brushed his hair away from his face. It was really quite soft, even if it was thick with sweat and grime. She idly wondered when Azula would allow them to clean up and wished for at least a rag. That gave her an idea - she grasped the end of her skirt, working it with her fingers and nails. But the silk was too well made, and it refused to tear in her hands. She huffed, sitting back on her heels. Her eyes were drawn to Zuko’s shirt. It was dirtier than her clothes, but...

          I couldn’t, could I?

          Katara pushed her hesitation aside and began drawing the shirt up his torso. Her breath caught as her fingers trailed along the hard planes of his abdomen, and she gave a start when she realized how long she’d been letting them linger, recoiling as if Gran-Gran had caught her sneaking and extra kale cookie. She swallowed, willing her face to cool, before returning to the task at hand.

          Katara forced herself to think clinically, pulling at the fabric with professional detachment. But as she bared his chest, she recoiled for a different reason; Zuko’s skin was marred by uniform rows of alternating holes and burns.

          She retched.

          The image of guards holding him down as Azula drilled into him rose unbidden, and Katara’s stomach heaved again. Her tongue became a numb weight in her mouth as her thoughts whirled.

          She’s evil. Pure evil. How could anyone do this to their own brother?

          Another groan finally broke through to her, and she cried out at the unexpected sound, eyes darting around the cell until focusing. Her hands must have kept moving without her, because the shirt was bunched up in her hand and Zuko was mostly free of the grime, blood, and other fluids that had oozed from his injuries. Gold eyes caught the dim light as they squinted up at her.

          “Katara.” He rasped.

          She cast the soiled clothing aside, her anxious energy returning with full force as she leaned over to inspect his face.

          “Zuko, thank the spirits! Are you okay? How do you feel?”

          “Not good. How,” He paused, screwing his eyes shut for a moment, before continuing. “How long was I out?”

          She bit her lip.

          “I’m not sure… I think it’s been a few hours since they brought you back here, at least; it’s hard to keep track of time in here.” She gave him a weak shrug in apology for her lack of a solid answer. “What happened?”

          For a few long moments she thought he wouldn’t answer, and Katara cursed herself for making him relive the experience so soon.

          “Azula… Azula told me that she was taking me home. That even after all I’ve done, Father wanted me back- as the Prince. I wish I was still stupid enough to believe her.” His bitter little laugh transformed into a rasping cough, and Katara reached out to soothe him before she knew what she was doing. “I told her she could go to hell before I’d ever believe her lies and… she wasn’t too happy about it.  She told me the full truth while she… punished me; a prince is a powerful figure, as a pawn for a political marriage or an example to the people that disloyalty will not be tolerated, regardless of status. My father just hasn’t decided which choice he favors more.”

          “Zuko, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine… I won’t let them do this to you.”

          His eyes seemed to blaze and anger warped his features as his fists clenched at his sides, before extinguishing as quickly as it had come, leaving his eyes hollow even as they bore through her.

          “Katara, she’s taking us h- back to the capital. To the palace. Once we’re in that place, we’ll be lucky to stay alive. We have to escape - soon.”