Borealis: A Zutara Story | By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33965 -:- 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 20
Zuko took a set of casual clothes in the restroom with him and emerged fully dressed. He picked up the dress Katara had been wearing as well as the others given to him by his grandfather’s concubines and angrily stomped down the hallway.
“Zuko, where are we going?” Katara asked nervously as the garments in his hand began smoking.
“I’m going to do something Father expected me to do a long time ago,” he replied as he called over one of the palace guards. “Arrange that a cart be placed at the front entrance. Nothing fancy, get something similar to, no get what we use to carry refuse off the premises. Send a message to the groundskeeper of Fire Lady Chiyo’s autumn estate and tell him to prepare for fifteen permanent arrivals.”
“Meet me at the harem once the arrangements have been made,” Zuko smiled evilly and Katara saw the family resemblance to Azula. “I would like a bit of trash removed.”
The guard’s eyes widened. The Prince’s orders contained several of the worst insults for a noblewoman. Fire Lady Chiyo was the favorite wife of Fire Lord Toshi even though he was not a woman. To be loved like Fire Lady Chiyo was the highest honor for a male but implied a female had no use as a woman. She was either unable to bear children or her vagina was so loose and used up that if a man wanted pleasure he would have to take her in orally or anally as one would a man.
The autumn estate was the one Fire Lord Toshi and Fire Lady Chiyo retired to after their adopted son assumed the title of Fire Lord. It was designed by Chiyo for the comfort of two old men. The only concession to female comfort was a hasty addition for their daughter-in-law during her brief banishment.
Four centuries ago it was a grand home on a very popular resort destination but now it was a relic maintained for historical purposes. Normally the groundskeeper lived in servant’s quarters of the properties they were responsible for maintaining but the house was so outdated that it lacked several modern amenities from the previous two centuries. A smaller home was built nearby to accommodate him.
The island had also lost its luster; it was now a modest farming community whose primary export was ash bananas. The social event of the year was when the second apprentices to the Ember Island players performed Love Among the Dragons in the local school auditorium.
The guard hastily did as request and gathered several of his friends to meet the prince at the seraglio. Yes, there were sentries stationed closer but the ones he selected had good reason to see the old crows go.
Zuko didn’t wait for the guards to arrive to order that every member of his grandfather’s retinue be gathered. Once all of them were assembled he presented the altered clothing Lady Munashii had given Katara, “You above all others in our nation should know what it means to injure a royal concubine. As punishment for your treason you will be relocated immediately. You have twenty minutes to pack. I will inspect each item you attempt to remove from the grounds. I am going to purchase proper clothing for Katara and you all will be leaving with me. This will be your last time inside this city.”
Katara’s eyes widened as the noblewomen before her began to protest. He was evicting them for tampering with her clothing. It wasn’t much but combined with someone breaking into the room earlier it gave credence to his claim he had only done what he did to protect her from others. It wasn’t enough to stop her from killing him but maybe she’d only cut off his penis and not crush his balls first.
The older women blanched. They immediately began pointing fingers, making accusations and excuses for what was done to her. Munashii herself was the loudest, “Prince Zuko, it was an honest error.”
“She’s lying Prince Zuko! Munashii made a joke about what she was doing. I shouldn’t be punished along with her,” Su Ying argued.
“Silence. If she joked about it then you all knew of her intention to harm the woman I’ve chosen. You are all guilty of treason by association. My original intent was to strip you of the title of concubine but let you remain in the palace. My quarters are spacious enough to comfortably house Katara. You are being evicted as a result of your own actions. Your cruelty towards her is an act of blatant disrespect for me.”
Azulon’s oldest living concubine, a woman in her nineties began laughing, “I warned all of you about this day but none of you young hussies wanted to listen to me. You all laughed that I was old, unwanted and used up but I warned you. I warned you all a day would come when you’d be replaced.”
She placed her hand against the wall and carefully leaned over, bowing as far as her cane would allow, “Thank you Prince Zuko. I will happily go to whichever hovel you send me now that I’ve seen the look on these upstart bitches’ faces.”
Zuko called one of the guards closer and whispered to make arrangements for a proper dragon-moose carriage to the cottage on the other side of the caldera. She would not be going with the others. She had shook her head at him when asked for clothes for Katara and he misunderstood her warning thinking it was in disapproval of Katara. She had earned her right to live in the spacious cottage Azulon had built for his concubines to accommodate Lady Ilah’s wedding day request that she be the only woman he was intimate with to live in his home. He had moved them into the palace seraglio for his convenience after the standard mourning period.
Zuko returned his attentions to the belligerent women, “These guards will escort you off the grounds. A ferry leaves at sunset to take you to the home I’ve chosen for you. I’ve sent a messenger hawk telling the caretaker to prepare for your arrival. The rest of your belongings will be sent after I’ve personally inspected them.”
All apologies, pleas for mercy, threats, and attempts to shift blame onto others fell on deaf ears. He simply reminded them they were wasting time that would be better spent packing.
“You can not do this to us! You have no authority here!” Another concubine closer to Iroh’s age argued.
“Lady Tomoko, my father gave me control over the harem when I was twelve. He called me in after I returned from my betrothal ceremony. You should be grateful I did not cast you out at that time,” Zuko explained.
“You lie! I would like an audience with Fire Lord Ozai. There is no way he is allowing you to do this,” Lady Su Ying, Mai’s maternal aunt and Azulon’s second favorite shrieked.
“Lady Su Ying, you will have to follow the proper channels to request an audience with the Fire Lord and then wait on the response. It will take longer to complete the paperwork than I am willing to wait,” Zuko replied smugly.
The noblewoman smiled viciously at him, “Prince Zuko, your father made that decision several years ago. Perhaps he no longer has reason to feel the same way as he did when you were a thirteen year old boy with a younger fiancée.”
Zuko laughed outright, “Su Ying, my father reaffirmed my authority over the harem when I returned home after my banishment. He has even suggested several girls with lively personalities who might be to my liking. His exact words were he ‘can’t imagine how someone as dreary as Mai would be satisfying. She would make an excellent Fire Lady but our bedroom would be just as exciting as an octogenarian’s.’ As you can see I am nowhere near that age.”
Several of the guards chuckled as did a few of the older concubines; they had understood Zuko’s insult. Lady Su Ying was Mai’s mentor and Azulon’s former number one. He replaced her with the younger and more energetic Munashii at the ripe old age of 90.
“It is only out of respect for my grandfather that I haven’t already selected a place for your retirement. I had planned on moving you to the grounds on the other side of the caldera if and when I decided to create a harem. You can thank Munashii and I suspect Su Ying for being relocated out of the capital,” Zuko sternly informed them.
When the others began to whine about being punished for Su Ying’s and Munashii’s deed he yelled, “You are two objections from being sent to the colonies! Shut up and pack your belongings!”
By the time they arrived at the palace gates, the large open cart Zuko had selected to transport them was waiting. Several of the women once again grew bellicose when they realized they were to be hauled off like common garbage in the trash cart.
Zuko kissed Katara’s cheek and asked, “During your travels in the Earth Kingdom, which town under Fire Nation control was your favorite?”
She fought the urge to wipe her cheek and forced herself to smile as she responded, “Hokomone.”
Zuko frowned, “I’ve seen on name on several import documents but I don’t remember hearing that you’ve been there.”
Katara smirked, “Hokomone is a small farming community. It takes two years for an asparagus-choke plant to grow and another for the plant to produce the superior vegetables they are known for. The guards are more content to keep the peace and don’t really care who comes in or out so long as the fields are not impacted. You have amassed a reputation for burning towns.”
The women quickly clammed up. They were seething but silent when Zuko put them on the public ferry and told them to enjoy their trip. He hoped the messenger hawk reached Yon Rha before the ferry carrying the women did. If not according to the rumors the retired military leader turned groundskeeper was accustomed to dealing with shrewish women.
Author's Note: Wow! I never thought I'd have over 1,700 hits and 10 votes. Thank you so much for reading, voting and reviewing. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
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