Chapter Text
Even steel shackles burnt the skin in the Fire Nation. Katara's wrists were searing, as was her throat from screaming insults for the last few hours. Azula's taunts still echoing in her head:
"Don't worry, your little avatar will just find a new waterbender." She paused, cocking her head, "Or if he doesn't I'm sure he'll come to rescue you—of course that would put off any other attempts to defeat the firelord."
Damn Azula and her conniving smile!
Katara was restless, gritting her teeth and jerking against the chains continuously before screaming out in frustration. With her hands bound, waterbending was impossible, not that there was any water to bend, other than her building sweat.
She slammed her foot against the wall, grunting, "Ugh!" She jerked back to the door, "You are horrible people! Murderers and liars!" she screamed, a tear slipping from her eye.
She swallowed. There was no telling what was about to happen to her now. Zuko had finally done it, captured her, even if she wasn't the one he truly wanted. But now she was all alone and helpless in a Fire Nation cell.
Another tear slipped down her cheek, all she wanted was for Sokka to burst through that door with one of his elaborate escape plans. She wanted Toph to bend the metal bars like they were made of wet clay. She wanted Aang to fly her far, far away on his glider.
Maybe she even wanted her father to hold her. And her mother to tell her everything was okay. But none of that was going to happen, no matter how hard she wished for it.
Katara sobbed, finally letting the tears that had been building for the last few hours stream down her face as she slowly fell to her knees.
...
Zuko grimaced, down on one knee, staring furiously at the ground.
"We can use the girl to find the Avatar," Azula continued, speaking to their father sitting behind his wall of fire on his throne, "Interrogating her should be simple enough," she said with a twisted smile, lighting a concentrated blue flame in her palm before abruptly making a fist and snuffing it out.
"That won't work."
Zuko instantly shut his mouth, cursing his loose tongue. His father was already outraged that the Avatar was indeed alive, meaning Zuko hadn't succeeded in killing him.
"What?" Azula snapped her head back to Zuko, "And why is that, brother?"
He took a harsh breath, "Because in all the time I hunted them, Katara never gave up the Avatar, no matter what I used against her."
"Oh, please," Azula scoffed, "When I'm done with that waterbender, she would murder her own mother just to stop the pain."
Zuko gritted his teeth, continuing wryly, "Her mother was already murdered I'm afraid."
Azula sneered.
But Ozai spoke up, "So then you can be useful, Zuko. How much do you know about this girl?"
Zuko steeled himself, "Enough."
Ozai nodded, "Good. I want to know exactly what the Avatar has planned. I want to know where he is and who he is with. We need to neutralize this threat as soon as possible."
"Certainly, father. Shall I begin the interrogation then?" Azula nodded, attentively.
He waved his hand at her, "No. We can't afford to waste time." Ozai paused, growling, "Zuko, you have failed me once again so you better show your worth and get what I want from this girl, my patience is running thin."
"But father—" Azula protested.
"Silence."
Azula's eyes widened, before hardening into a venomous glare towards her brother.
"If interrogation doesn't work, then what do you propose?" Ozai demanded.
Zuko blinked, he hadn't thought this far ahead in his plan. So far he only knew that he was on the wrong side of this war, and his destiny was to help the Avatar restore balance to the world. At the moment that meant helping Katara, but that was extremely hard to do when he was masquerading as an ideal prince loyal to the Fire Nation.
"Katara is close to the Avatar, and we can use it to our advantage."
"How?"
Zuko's stomach was churning. His brain moving at lightning speed, trying to come up with anything to convince his father. "We show the world we've captured her. Show everyone the avatar is weak, that he can't protect his closest friends. Kill their hope."