Borealis: A Zutara Story | By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33555 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction |
Chapter 158
Azula did not go to see her father off. She exhaled fire at the door the moment she was sure he was no longer on the other side of it but it did little to release her fury. Only weak simpleminded women who could not be trusted to look after themselves were told to mind their older brothers. She was not weak or simpleminded and she certainly would not be listening to Zuko. Her simpleminded father would eat those words when he learned his weak son had ensured only the water savage’s child could inherit the throne.
Azula spit another plume of fire. Her father liked the Waterbender, hated Mai and all but one woman in Mai’s maternal line. To spite them he just might put the water savage’s child closer to the throne than it should be but her father would never let it inherit.
Her stupid brother would.
Kozulon’s mother was a Waterbender, Soizin’s mother was a Waterbender; Zuzu had his head so far up the Waterbender’s crotch he would put her half-breed bastard on the throne and sell it as Soizin’s second coming. Her father would be a doddering old fool by then; his sentimentality was already showing. If the child proved to be promising he just might give it the throne. Prior to being sent to retrieve the Avatar and Zuko she’d begun building a base of power in the Earth Kingdom as a precaution. It was unlikely Zuko would be chosen as heir instead of her, but she was a second child and a daughter.
Li had told her the last female Fire Lord was born under similar circumstances. She had to take her throne by force. Azula understood the meaning behind the lesson and Lo’s subtle reinforcements. One did not need to be in double digits to find hidden meanings if one possessed superior intellect. After conquering Ba Sing Se she had begun slowly making it the seat of her empire but it was still unstable. She had dispatched most of her Dai Li agents outside of the city. Her spy network had increased and become more reliable thanks to their unique persuasive skills. She was steadily earning favor in the military by feeding information they gathered to the generals who supported her, nobles among the lower ranking officers, and peasants with the potential to become great leaders.
The world would be hers in ten years time if not for her foolish miscalculation.
She had forgotten that Zuzu was unpredictable and her father was a man. There came a time in every Father’s life in which he began to favor the child who most resembled him in terms of genitalia. Zuzu was slow and stupid but he’d proven himself to be capable by bedding a woman. She’d bedded exponentially more but because she lacked a penis that was not a source of pride for her father. She had planned several successful battle campaigns at his side and twice felled the Avatar but now when it was time for credit to be doled out the praise was not coming to her. She would correct her mistake and remind her father that she was the rising star, not Zuko. The flames in her room doubled in size and turned blue as she began to meditate upon her father’s words and search for the flaw in them. They diminished as she found it.
Chu-hua.
Chu-hua was her father’s flaw. She would listen to the heiress of her mother’s murderous clan and learn all she could from the niece who frightened Li and Lo.
Katara woke up when the Fire Lord speak but she continued to feign sleep. It was difficult when she heard what the Fire Lord intended to do to her. He was going to jail Zuko and make him watch as the nobles enjoyed her but not as difficult as hearing that Zuko had told Ozai that Iroh and Toph were together and knowing his betrayal had saved her.
Katara counted waited until Ozai left then counted to five hundred before pushing Zuko’s arm away and sitting up. She could no longer be near him. She heard Zuko call her name as she gathered the sheet around her and walked to the chest of drawers to pick out clothing.
“Katara?”
“I’m going to take a shower. Can you ask Fan to send us some food? I’m hungry,” she said quietly.
“Yeah, I can do that,” Zuko replied tilting his head towards her.
Katara stood beneath the water and wept. Zuko had told Ozai that Toph was with Iroh; that betrayal was the only reason she wasn’t headed back to the Fire Nation. Zuko had been relieved to learn Iroh was alive. He was happy when he heard Iroh was not alone. Zuko knew his uncle, she knew Toph but he had told his father they were together.
Katara stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around herself, “Zuko, come wash my back.”
Zuko stared at the bathroom door in confusion. She could bend the water around herself. She didn’t need help washing her back. Zuko stood and walked to the bathroom, “Katara?”
She was sitting on the toilet, “Why did you tell your father Toph was with Iroh?”
Zuko sighed and lowered himself the floor in front of her and began to whisper. “It was only a matter of time before he found out. My uncle is the former crown prince and a war hero. His face is on some of our money. Someone would eventually spot him and report it. You heard what my father would have done to us if I hadn’t told him. My father is cruel, but Uncle Iroh is old and sneaky. He pretends to be a doddering old man and father believes it.
“Uncle Iroh began preparing to escape the Fire Nation the day my father usurped the throne. He told me the type of terrain to look for if I had to land an undocumented ship and that there are untold treasures in abandoned beach homes. The royal family has an abandoned beach home on just about every island in the country. I have no idea if he meant the royal family’s house or just some random abandoned house; knowing him it is both.
“He always tells me I don’t think things through and it is a trait I inherited from Father. Uncle Iroh is absolutely astounding. He probably has twelve different ways to escape if someone sees them. Uncle got us onto the Ba Sing Se ferry by flirting with the ticket agent. He fought off a patrol of Earth Kingdom soldiers wearing one sandal, arm cuffs and a loin cloth,” Zuko explained animatedly.
“Even if a city patrol does stop them they’re no match for Uncle Iroh. Uncle has friend everywhere and several supporters in the Fire Nation. There would have been a civil war if he’d rallied them and made a bid for the throne. He decided that since we were at war it would be better for our nation if he quietly stepped down. Father can’t find him. Father won’t find him,” Zuko said convincingly.
Katara nodded. Zuko’s belief in Iroh was steadfast. She had to place her faith in him as well that he would be able to look after Toph and safely get them both to the Earth Kingdom. “Thank you for washing my back.”
Zuko rose and walked out of the restroom just as the steward was bringing their food. He and Katara ate then read. He’d purchased new books at the last port but neither of them had done much reading while they were in the cabin. They went out on deck and watched the stars afraid to have a real conversation. The Ursa was still anchored. The royal dirigible was no longer on the upper deck but was a chance he’d had it taken the the cargo hild and was somewhere watching or listening.
Zuko went to the stables to check on Korhi one final time before going to bed. As they passed by Katara was able to see that Sokka was making diagrams using strands of hay. He was clean and there was a dirty plate beside him; when she glanced at him, he looked away. This time she didn’t take it personally but as a sign that he was okay. It was best they didn’t communicate while the Fire Lord was onboard. She and Zuko remained in the stables close to an hour before returning to their room.
That night she and Zuko kissed and touched for over an hour before going further than using their hands. Afterward they lay awake most of the night and held each other. They were both afraid the Fire Lord would burst in after changing his mind about taking them back with him.
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