Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Zuko's Betrayal	By : CaptATKirk Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 9220 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Note: Sorry it is so late but I was in the hospital. JPNelson Thanx for the rushed edit. I have caved into one little request from him and a fellow writer.
Chapter 7 The Birth of the Blood Bending Queen
((( Quan )))
“ They started it Quan and I finished it! “ She screams from her chair. She is only keeping it down to a low roar out of respect for me. It took Eight of my men to keep her from killing all of them. Kuang is a creepy one but for once his following Lan has paid off. Great Goddess haven’t they learned to keep away from her by now? What possessed them to . . . this I would love to know.
“ What! You were about to kill-“ Lan doesn’t give the Avatar a chance to finish his sentence. She has restrained herself this far but now he is pushing. From where I sit and what I have pieced together from Kuang as well as Toph is that Zuko raped her and they let it happen. However until Lan makes that claim my hands are tied.
“Your whore threw the first punch you little shit! ” She screams in his face and if there wasn’t the world at stake I would let them go at it but truth be told we need them both. I watch his face that from what I have been told has aged a little but you can still see the boy behind the mans eyes turns blood red before looking away. He can’t argue that. They did make the first strike but it was calling her the whore that is bugging him. I am waiting for him to go all Avatar Style Frenzy as I call it but he isn’t . . . yet.
“ By your silence I am going to assume general Yin Meng is correct and all of you threw the first punch so to speak? ” I look to Toph and Sokka as well. They as well hang their heads. Theses are the lucky ones. They walked away with cuts and bruises but not as horrid looking as Zuko and Katara are. Heavens help them. She cut them to ribbons. The fact that they are still breathing is a miracle.
“ They started it and I finished it.” She hisses at them before taking her seat. She looks like a caged animal wild and feral and just as if someone had lit a candle she changes and I watch her sit and straighten looking like an Empress who is under control and can wait to strike. She looks at them like prey and any one of them she will now kill without blinking those beautiful cinnamon lashes.
“ Katara is dying.” Aang looks up at her and I can feel a little bit of wind whipping up. The Goddess help me, but I can’t stop them. If they go at it right here right now, I can’t even slow them down. Lan sits back and smiles the most evil vicious self-satisfied smile I have ever seen a woman make and I have seen and had many.
“ May she rest in pieces. ” That is not Lan. I have no idea who has taken over Lan’s body but that was not her voice that came out of her mouth. I know she lets people believe she is crazy but has she finally cracked?
“ You can save her and you won’t will you!?” Sokka has now joined in.
No one can blame him really. His sister is laying in a healing tent bleeding with a gapping whole in her that they can’t seem to close completely no matter what they try. Yagoda tells me that only Lan can heal this damage. She has blended fire and water to make liquid fire and they can’t do anything for her or Zuko but give them drugs to ease the pain. Zuko . . . heaven above there is a bloody mess. I have heard of ‘ Death by a Thousand Cuts’ and now I can say I have seen it.
“ No.” She tells him simply. He looks ready to kill her but leaves. He cannot win a fight with her and we all know it.
“ You are an evil, twisted, soulless, heartless, demon from . . . hell would be an improvement for you! You call Zuko the Demon! Look in the mirror you evil hateful ugly . . . BITCH!” Toph screams at her before going after Sokka. Lan looks at her, and non pulsed before examining something interesting in her finger nail. Suki is the smart one. She leaves without any wasted words that will fall on deaf ears.
“ So what do you plan to do about it?” Lan asks him still examining her nails.
“ If you and I fight each other, it will solve nothing.” Aang informs her before walking away.
I let out the breath I had been holding since this argument started. Aang is right if she and he get into it there would be no use in it and Ozai would win. We now stand at the edge where one wrong move and he wins. The Fire Nation had the world on its knees and the other Nations didn’t have a chance . . . now we do if I can keep Lan and Aang from killing each other.
“ Quit worrying so much Quan. Nothing would have happened.” She laughs at me and looks at the map on the wall. She looks at it deep in thought as she always does. I wonder when she does this what she sees. I would love for an hour or two to be inside of her head. Then again if she is as crazy as she lets people believe that may be a place I don’t wish to go.
“ You could make my life easier and tell me what happened. “ I watch her body and wait for her to reveal something.
“ I can’t tell you all my secrets . . . or problems.”
“ You could make this all end Lan if you tell me that he raped you.” I watch her body stiffen. Did he? Did that demon stoop that low? Did he get so desperate to own her once more? Tell me he did Lan and I will make them all go away. Tell me that they set it up. Give me a reason Lan to show you what I am capable of to prove how much I care for you.
“ Unfortunately for us both Quan I cannot honorably make that claim.”
“ Unfortunate for you . . . or for him?”
“ Yes.” Her body is here but her mind is somewhere else.
                                                                        * * * *
((( Katara )))
As I lay here dying and I know I will soon I look to Aang. What will happen to him when I am gone? Who will take care of him when I am not here? Who will keep him and Lan from killing each other? I once had hope that Lan would come back to us. Zuko said he could feel the Ice Dragon breaking but something bloody has taken Lan over. She was the Mistress of the Ice Dragon. She is the demon behind the eyes and she is the soulless one. She is the one we should have really feared. If Lan wasn’t insane before . . . she is now.
Zuko is in the bed next to mine and he looks much worse. Yagoda says he will live. Every hour a healer has to be there to heal him. He has so many cuts all over him. They come to stop them from bleeding. They try to give him something for the pain but he doesn’t take it. I wish he would. I wish I still had my Oasis Water. It would stop all of it. It took eight people to keep her from killing us. It has taken that many to keep me and Zuko from dying.
“ You should be sleeping Katara.” Yagoda comes to me one last time and smiles down at me sadly.
I know I will die soon. She gives me another drink of the horrible tea that Iroh has made but it helps with the pain. She looks to her left where Zuko is laying and her smile falters. She pats my arm before going to him. I am about to close my eyes when I look to my other side and see Lan standing over me.
“ Have you come to gloat? Have you come to watch me die like you have always wanted? “ I keep my voice down so as not to wake Aang. I don’t want him to watch me die. I told Suki and Toph to keep Sokka and Aang away but Aang was stubborn.
Lan shakes her had slowly and I watch her long mahogany hair swish back and forth. She sits down and I can feel the black silk of her very long tunic brush my arm. In her hand is a blue white bottle with the old sign for the Northern Water Tribe carved on it. She opens the cork and I watch as a glowing blue water blob comes out and circles around above it.
Lan has developed so much she doesn’t have to use her hands to focus it anymore. She looks to me and it circles around turning to a vibrant white before slowly seeping into the large wound on my chest. I can feel a light tingle and soon all the places on me that burns are being cooled and all the places that are freezing are being warmed. Soon the large gaping hole is closed as if nothing had happened and I feel very sleepy now.
“ Sleep.” She tells me before kissing my forehead and re corking the bottle. She gets up but I grab her arm and I have to see her eyes. I look and they are their nice soft blue color just like they used to be.
“ Lan?” She sits back down and her eyes are still blue. Zuko was right. She is still there. She sighs before turning her head away from me.
“ Katara I still love you but, you cross me again like you did this morning and I will let you die.” She whispers and looks back to me. I expect to see her eyes be the color of blood but they aren’t. They are still the soft blue they always were.” I forgive you for taking him from me. Now rest. You need it.”
I let her arm go and watch her leave. She is at the entrance to the healing tent and having some kind of discussion with Haru. Whatever it is he seems very upset. I can only think that the Fire Nation army has been pushed back to his village and his mother is in danger. I cannot hear what he says but I can see Lan in deep thought.
“ I guess tomorrow I go for a walk.” She pats him and the shoulder and leaves.
I lay back down and can’t stop the tears that fall. She saved me when she could have let me die. She could have killed me and solved all her problems but she didn’t. She let me live because the Lan I knew is still there she is still alive and she still loves me. She has forgiven me for sleeping with her husband. I thought we were too late, but we were in time. I now have hope for her again.
I look to the table by my bed and see she left the bottle. She left the bottle of Oasis Water. I can now heal Zuko. I turn my head to look at him and he looks away. I am forgiven but she hasn’t forgiven him yet. She is still holding on to her hate . . . but she hasn’t let him die. Lan is flighting it out with her demon. She is fighting herself and unfortunately that she has to do alone.
                                                                        * * * *
((( Lan )))
“ I am only one person.” I mumble as I walk back to my tent.
Katara told me that once Aang said those same words to her. I have said it I don’t know how many times to myself. The Guru told me once that Zuko would betray us, Aang would be no more and I did what he said. I let go of all my earthly ties. I let everything go but my hate for Zuko. I even sent my sons away and now they want me to bring all those ties back. They want me to let go of the hate I used to keep me going. I know you can rip things to shreds and sew them up but you can always still see the tear.
I saved Katara because I had to. She is part of the Water Tribe and she is in my nation that I swore to protect. I am a fire bender as well but I am A Water bender first. It is where I am the strongest. The anger in me is the Fire bender. The part of me that heals is the Water bender. I am now at war with my self again. I let all this go so long ago and found balance. Now, to say it was the comet’s fault is a poor excuse. I will show them the face they want. I will show them the cold-blooded bitch but in my mind and at night I am the Lan that was broken so long ago. In my head and heart I have my own war to fight . . . and fighting with yourself stinks worse then Sokka’s socks!
I make my way back and look around my tent. I never wanted any of this. I never wanted this war but like so many before me that didn’t either and fought for freedom I do the same and like those before me it seems I am good at war. I hate killing but I am good at that too. I sit at my table and look at the map seeing the line where we are and they have fallen back to and I feel nothing. I should rejoice that we are pushing them back but I can’t. More people are going to die before this is all over and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.
I used to hear people of all nations asking for whatever gods would listen to deliver them. Those voices rang throughout my ears even when I awoke. They replaced the spirits of the dead who used to speak with me. Now I hear nothing. I feel nothing anymore. I have let Zuko go. He isn’t mine to hold onto any longer, and he belongs to her now. So be it. I have one last thing to be done that will make it complete.
I open the trunk that had my necklace that marked me as his and see that it is still there but now it is clean of the earth that was clinging to it. For now I have let go of everything . . . when this is all over then maybe I will try to sew the tear. I write three words on a piece of parchment and return this mark of belonging to the one who gave it to me.
“ When will you let me out?” The voice of the Fire Bender asks me. I have two sides that at one time were in harmony. Now I am split in two and fighting to stay sane. I am losing that fight.
“ Shut up!” I hiss at her. I ball up my fist and hold them to my head. I know it’s useless and futile for she is in my head and a part of me but we can’t let go of these little security things.
“ Lan you know I make all the pain go away. You know it is easier for me to just take over. You know they fear me and will leave you in peace. Admit it that you enjoyed watching Katara and Zuko scream in agony. You enjoyed as much as I did their suffering. You’re splitting.”
“ I told you . . . I will not let you out any more.” I grind out through my teeth.
“ Liar! Every time you go into battle you let me out! Let me take over Lan. Let me make them really suffer! Let me show them what pain and suffering really is. Let me take over.” She purrs to me and I am almost ready to let her have her way.
“ NO! I will not let you take over! ” I know the path she will take me down. I know the dark road ahead of me but she is right. I don’t want to feel any more and it is easier for her to take over but I can’t let her. I can’t become the nightmare. I can act the nightmare but I still can’t become it.
“ I am patient. I will wait. In the end I will win. Zuko betrayed you once it will happen again. He deserves to suffer for it, but I can wait. I can always wait.” I hear her laughter and can feel her going back into her cage.
                                                                        * * * *
((( Quan )))
“ Where do you think you’re going?” I ask her as she makes ready to leave with them. Laet gave me warning that she had them in full battle gear with long shields included. I asked her to wait to go to the village where Haru’s family is from but Lan goes her own way. I know why the Earth King wishes not to and have told her but that does not register in Lan’s mind. People are suffering and she has the power to stop it. That is all she knows. Everything is still black and white for her. Lan still doesn’t see the shades of grey.
“ I am just going for a walk today. ” She shrugs and begins to walk away.
“ A walk in the direction where Fire Nation tanks and solders are?” She stops and turns her black and blood-red cloak swishing around. This new style she has adopted frightens us all. She looks like a blood demoness from the recesses of hell. Her Chakrams were deadly looking to begin with but now they have black metal spikes on them sharpened to point sharp perfection. The black and red leather bodice along with matching thigh high boots do however suit her very well.
“ The roads are still free unless Ozai and the Earth King have decided to join together and tax them?”
“ Lan you were begged not to.” I did the begging. I thought it would help. I grab her arm and bring her closer. “ I have begged you not to take this corse. Please!”
“ There are others who are begging me to go . . . and they scream louder then you do.” She hisses and free’s herself of my grip.
“ I can’t save you Lan. If you and your army got stuck or surrounded I can’t come to your aid.” I practically choke on this admission. My hands are tied if she takes this course.
“ Quan I can’t be saved . . . yet. “ She tells me. She looks at me one last time before silently walking away and I can help but feel a sense of dread that I may never see her again. Why do I have the feeling this is the last time I will ever look upon her face?
                                                            * * * *
((( Zhiang )))
“ Zhiang make everyone fall back!” She screams to me. We are losing. We were fine until the balloons came. It took a while but we figured out they were weak in the burners and figured out to throw rocks to make them explode then they brought the tanks. No mater what we do. They keep coming. We smash them onto their backs and they flip over and keep coming at us as if this is a normal thing. We can’t fight these.
“ I can’t your Highness were trapped!” I scream back to her as I flip another tank over using my earth bending sending a few soldiers flying. We are broken and battered but not dead. We are surrounded by them and the Water benders can do nothing for their water has evaporated in the heat.” We’ve lost your Highness!”
She looks at me and then at the dead Fire Nation solider bleeding at my feet. I have heard stories of people who can snap and have two different personalities inside them. I had thought they were old wives’ tales to explain why some people just lost it but now I know that it is real and it is terrifying. I watch her face as she sees the blood and an evil grin splits her face like a ripe melon. I watch a demon take away her angelic features.
“ We are not quiet finished. There is still blood to be spilled yet!” She laughs and two more soldiers charge her.
Without blinking she cuts their heads off with her Chakrams before throwing them to the ground to pin the decapitated bodies to the ground by their feet. She raises her empty hand and the blood flowing from both wounds comes to her hands in large sprays circling her. She then runs to the nearest tank and uses the water to cut the tanks trains off and it falls . . . without getting back up. The hatch opens and she uses the blood to decapitate him. She laughs as the crimson geyser springs forth and adds itself to the already growing blood as she keeps going to tank after tank.
“ Do as she does and we will provide cover!” I shout to the water benders that we have been protecting. They hesitate at first but seeing that we are going to die they do the same as we shield them from side attacks of foot soldiers and we begin to drive them back. The Water benders soon tire and they have to bend in shifts. One does the fighting while the other rest and the earth and fire benders’ circle both providing shielding.
“ Your Highness you must rest! “ I try to get her to fall back but she just keeps going.
“ She can’t hear you! She is running on pure hate!” Kuang informs me as I protect him from another fire blast. He is practically salivating over the death and destruction. He is enjoying this far too much. He is enjoying watching the solder’s fall like rag dolls onto the ground far too much for my tastes. I don’t like him very much but he is one of us.” The Blood Bending Queen has been born!”
                                                                        *
((( Lan )))
“ Did you hear that?! I like that! The Blood Bending Queen!” She sings and says it over in over.
That is what they call me now. I liked the Ice Dragon better. She dances around in my head laughing at her new name as I watch the once beautiful forest around the village turn to ash. The Village had turned that way long ago. I did this because I owed Haru to save it. Instead I have made it worse. We did manage to get most of the villagers to safety but what was the point? It is burned to the ground and dead bodies cover the ground like a dirty blanket. I am just as horrific as Ozai. I am no better then him.
“ Shut up and go away!”It doesn’t help to scream at her but it makes me feel better.
“ Nope! Nope! Nope! You can’t make me go back any more!” She sings to me.
“ We should be dead! We have lost! We should not exist anymore! Do you hear me? We are DEAD!” I scream to the heavens and I am great full no one is around to watch me go insane.
“ Fine. I’ll go back but hear me you little weak water witch and hear me well. You will call on me again and I will not go back. Would you like to know when that will be? Would you like to know what will happen? I can tell you down to the last detail.”
“ I will not call you because this was my last fight. I can’t do this anymore!”
“ Oh yes you will still fight! You will fight as long as one breath remains in this body! You will beg me to come out when you find him back in her arms. You will let me take over when you see that you were nothing to him and she is everything!”
“ I DON’T CARE ANYMORE! I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEM!”
“ Keep telling yourself that love.” She stops and is blessedly silent.
I look down at my hands and they are coated with blood. I was so stupid to do this. I was and idiot to charge in here like this. I am lucky this time no one is dead. Injured heavily yes and all the healers are working over time. I can feel the blood drying on me caking onto me like my insanity. I take off my boots and kneel on the ground to do something I haven’t done since I was twelve . . . I pray. I pray for this to stop. I pray for this war to end now. I am about to voice it out loud when the poem of my people comes to mind and I say it instead.
“ There in the Tide, do I see my Father. There in the Moon, do I see my Mother. There on the horizon where the two meets do I see my Sisters and My Brothers. There on the horizon where the two meet do I see the line of my people back to the beginning. In the heavens they do call to me. They bid me to take my place among the in The Halls of Valor where the brave may live forever.”
I spoke this poem when Leanna died and we set her adrift at sea. In the beginning we were a warrior race that lived and died by the sea. We thought that in the beginning those who could bend were elementals even though we learned by watching the moon and tides. It comes to me now, and I think because the voices of the dead have been silent all these years to me. I think it also is because I know I will never hear this said for me when I die. I will not hear or see anything like a noble warrior should for I am not noble. I am a monster. I will end up on the Tree of Pain just like all the other sick twisted Generals before me. It is a fate I deserve.
“ I wish they would hear us Lan . . . but they don’t.”
“ Nope they don’t. Why don’t they hear us anymore Jong Jong?” I open my eyes and look up to see a gnarled old white-haired pain in the ass before me . . . and I am very happy to see such a sight. He comes to sit beside me and we are both on our knees looking at the fires below. I once hated him so much but with time I realize he did the best he could with what he had. We each act differently according to our gifts. He can teach if he really wishes but sometimes because of what an old student of his is and has done he is sometimes afraid. He lost one student...I guess he doesn’t want to lose me.
“ I wish I knew. I wish I could tell you but I can’t. I can tell you this. You have been hit Lan. You have been humbled and unlike most who needed it you enjoyed it.”
“ I was so stupid. I believed at the legends that are being told about me. I was so used to winning I forgot what it was to lose. I should be dead today.” Now I know I wanted it to end today one way or the other. Now I know I did this hoping to die but some part of me still wishes to live.
“ And in that you have won Lan.” These are the talks I miss. He can always take my mistakes and make them a way from me to learn. Iroh did that too. I miss them really . . . I do miss them all.” Yes you should be dead and your army with you but you and they are still alive. So what are you going to do.”
“ What I should have done long ago. What my people have always done . . . defend, build and heal.” I try to get up but he holds me down by my arm. His speech isn’t finished. The teacher has not finished teaching this student. I stay down and wait.
“ You tried that once . . . it didn’t work. You hate this life Lan but this is what was dealt to you. You are gifted and cursed. You can heal but you can also destroy just as easily. You can’t hide from the world Lan . . . believe me I tried. No matter where we run the world will find us. You started this push against Ozai you have to finish this. You have to see it through to the end but unlike the past you don’t have to go alone Lan.”
“ I don’t know how to be her anymore. I don’t know how to be the friend, the niece, the sister, the mother . . . or the wife anymore.” I don’t know any of those things anymore. I realize now that I started this and I do have to finish it. I have to see it through to its final insanity.” I know when this is over they will be there but for now . . . Let’s work on keeping sanity huh?”
“ That is a good place to start.”
                                                                        * * * * *
((( Zuko )))
“ Zuko it is too soon for you to be out of bed!” My Uncle screams at me and I don’t care.
I have been in that damn tent laying on my back and staring up at the ceiling for too long. I need to move and do something to get out of here. June hands me my clothes without a word. I get dressed and can only think of one thing. I can’t get over Lan or through to her. She is an addiction that I can never break. Days have come and gone but my feeling for her have not changed and never will and to make my heart ache more. What I over heard last night . . .
                                                                                    *
“ Yagoda what is wrong with me? For the last couple of weeks I feel sick most of the time. I can’t get up in the mornings without feeling sick. I can’t take this.” Aang and I both stopped playing Pi Sho to listen.
“ Well it isn’t anything that eight more months won’t fix.” I could hear the high-pitched hum of a water bender healing. Yagoda is practically laughing. It’s not funny. What kind of answer is ‘ Eight more months won’t fix.’ Out of the corner of my eye I can see Lan looking at the old woman like she is a freak of nature.“ What I want to know is who is the Father?!”
I look at Aang and then to where Yagoda and Lan are. Yagoda is looking at me good nature with an all-knowing smirk on her face . . . why I don’t know until I see Lan’s face and she groans rolling her eyes. I bite my lip hard drawing blood and look away. I have been here for a month add eight and Lan is pregnant. Agni help me. I didn’t want it to be this way.
“ Zuko don’t do this. Talk to me. Don’t keep it in and become like her.” Aang whispers harshly to me. I lay down my remaining tiles and push the board away. Yagoda closes the curtain and I can hear Lan leaving. I wish Aang would. I need to be alone for a minuet.
“ Aang just leave me be. Go be with Katara ore something but don’t ask me to talk right now.”
“ No. I’m not leaving. I know you. I know what you are going to start thinking. It wasn’t that. Lan could have ended it at anytime. Don’t start killing yourself over this. Don’t become like her. We have our hands full with her. We can’t take both of you this way.”
                                                                        *
“ I have to do something Uncle. I can’t stay here any more.” June helps me with getting my left arm through the shoulder. It was the one thing Katara and Yagoda could not heal. Lan used some kind of liquid Fire whip on it and it will not heal with any amount of water bending they try. In fact it makes it worse. June is gentle and quiet and I have no words to thank her for it and then I realize I can see her out of both my eyes. June to her credit hands me a mirror and I can see that my eye is almost completely healed and something is no longer there.
“ Yagoda says we have to use the Oasis water on you once more and the eye will be clearer . . . the scar no one has a clue how that went away.” She shrugs and takes the mirror back.
I nod and she helps me to stand. I look at my Uncle who can only shake his head and hold my other arm. I make a few turns around the tent before I wave them both off to make it to my tent. I will do this on my own two feet. Either Lan or Katara took it away. I am not sure which. I make my way back avoiding everyone stares. I don’t need them now. I make it to my tent just to collapse into the nearest chair.
“ I told you it...was...oh Yue no.” My Uncle tries to scold me and fails when three pairs of eyes are staring at my lonely bed. In the middle is something that I thought was destroyed. Uncle tries to hide it but June will not allow it. She snatches it from him and gives it to me. I look at the long piece of purple silk that is a little frayed and the white stone chipped but there was no mistaking that this was the marriage necklace I carved long ago.
“ This was with it.” June thrusts a piece of parchment that is only a thin strip and Lan’s hand writing is unmistakable on it. It is only three words...
“ Let me go.” I say it aloud and feel my chest grow tighter then it has been. I grip the necklace harder and let the parchment drop to the floor. I raped my wife and this is my punishment for hurting her. I have betrayed her and hurt her far too much to be forgiven. I deserve this and I can only accept my fate to be alone and never see the faces of my sons...or the child that even now quickens inside Lan’s womb. I am destined to walk alone.
                                                                        *
((( June )))
“ Zuko she let us all go a long time ago.” I watch as he drops the parchment and grips that necklace so hard his knuckles turn white. “ Lan told me that the Guru told her she would if the time came let go of all her earthly ties. We held her to this world...she even let her sons go to do what he told her was her destiny.”
“ What do I do now June?” He closes his eyes and turns his head away. Iroh is waiting for me at the entrance and I know what will come next. I know the damn is going to break no matter what I say to him. I kneel before him and make his hand relax its grip on the necklace. I feel for him I really do. I can see his and Katara’s side but I can see Lan’s too.
“ Let her go.” He drops the necklace to the floor and covers his face with that hand. He hides them well but I can see the tears falling. I kiss him on his fore head and make to leave but I have to give him the hope that I hold onto every night I haven’t taken my own advice yet but I will very soon.” The minute you let her go, and I believe she will come back to us.”
I know that we cannot comfort him. I know that nothing we say will help but it had to be said. I just hope he doesn’t go to her for comfort. I just pray to the spirits above and below he doesn’t run to Katara for comfort. Why do I have the feeling that is exactly what he is going to do?
“ June did you have to?” Iroh hisses at me as we walk along the way to our tent we share.
“ What?! Should I hide the truth?! Zuko is a grown man now he can take care of himself!” I scream in his face and we are staring each other down. We have been fighting like this ever since our last night of wild and crazy sex. Now we don’t have that anymore...we just get into shouting matches with no make up sex. He grabs my arm and drags me a few feet so that we are away from others. I try to get away but he grips me harder and drags me to our tent.
“ No, you don’t have to hide it, but did you have to give it to him point blank!? ” He rumbles as he throws me into the tent. I stumble not ready and fall into bed. I forget that even though Iroh is Old he can put us youngsters to shame with power and speed. I am pinned down between him and the bed and cannot move. He has a point to make and I am not getting up till he’s made it.
“ What!? What has happened to get you this worked up ‘Uncle Lazy’!?”
“ Zuko knows that Lan is pregnant! Now she wants him to let her go! Think June!” He pins my wrists down and I can’t move and my brain does begin to work. Zuko did the same thing to Lan...
” So what Lan’s pregnant. That’s what happens...OH!”
“ Good you still have a brain in that pretty head.” He thwacks my head before letting me get up. “ Yes. Zuko believes that the child was conceived out of rape and now Lan is punishing him and absolving their marriage. She is denying him the one peace he has in this world...her.”
“ Just as I deny you...she denies him.”
“ Yes. You deny me and she denies him. Now not knowing where to turn he is going to go to the one person who tried for many years to fill Lan’s shoes and it is just going to get worse. ” He turns from me and I don’t leave. I need him and he needs me. I can’t deny him any longer. We both hurt so much and we are the only ones who can comfort one another. We miss what all and who all of us used to be.
“ He will go to Katara.” I hug Iroh from behind. I can feel his sadness around him and it is just as heavy as my own. We are the only ones who can comfort each other. Katara will try to comfort Zuko but she will fail.
“ He will go to her.” He nods his head and I know it is going to get worse. ” This fight was nothing compared to the one I have seen they will have in the . . . this was only a preview. I don’t know what is worse. Physical pain or one that loved ones can inflict with words.”
“ How much longer will this go on?” I can’t take much more of this. Something has got to give.
“ Until my brother is six feet under by Lan’s hand and even then it will take some kind of miracle or. . . . some thing like a horrible tragedy.”
“ I hope not. Spirits above I hope not.” We both stay in each other arms and fall asleep. Our minds and bodies are too tired for anything else. The only tragedy that would bring them together would be...OH please don’t let anything happen to those beautiful boys...anything but that.
                                                                        * * * *
((( Katara )))
“ Zuko what are you doing out of bed!? ” I scream at him as he enters mine and Aang’s tent. He looks pale as a sheet and there is something else that at this moment I can’t put my finger on. He is about to say something and I watch as he falls to his knees and looks at me like a child without anyone to guide them. He holds out his hand and in it the one thing in this world I thought she would have been destroyed by now.
“ I raped my wife Katara. I did the unspeakable and now this is all I will ever have of her to hold.” I have seen him like this once before when he thought Lan was dead. I have seen this Zuko once before and like then, now I am scared. I can’t help it and before I know what I am doing I am on my knees too trying to comfort him.
“ Zuko it wasn’t ...you didn’t . . . you said it yourself she could have stopped you if she really wanted to.” I thought I would never see this again. I thought I would never again see him this defeated. I try to hold him but it only makes it worse and soon his head is in my lap and his arms are around my waist squeezing with each sob that escapes him.
“ I deserve to be alone. I deserve to walk this world alone.” It is all he can repeat over and over. He is saying other things about Lan but I can’t hear them. I try what my mother used to do to me and Sokka by humming like when we were children but it isn’t helping.” I did what I did to her and now I have cursed an innocent child.”
“ An innocent child what do you mean!?” I pull him up so I can look him in the eye. I thought never to see these amber eyes of his filled with so much pain again. I thought that once him and Lan saw each other they would be with one another again. I thought they would fix everything I guess sometimes innocent Katara still sees the world in black and white.
“ Lan’s pregnant! ” He chokes out and I am in shock. My shoulder and hair is drenched with his tears before the words finally sink into my brain. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t of gone for a walk that day none of this would be happening. He wouldn’t hurt this bad. Zuko is my friend and I would do just about anything to make this go away from him.
“ Zuko I am so sorry.” I hold him close to me and hug him for all I am worth. I wish I could take it all back. I wish I could take back that day but I can’t.
“ Katara I wish I could make this stop.” He whimpers into my hair and I close my eyes and think. He would say that on the one night a month when we he had to use my body to keep me alive. He hated to do it but we found ways to at least enjoy ourselves. Our mind would always be else where while our bodies were together.” Katara I don’t want to feel anymore.”
I could never use my bending or my body like Lan did to bring him peace but I tried my best. Zuko is like any other man and in times of stress sex helps and for him it does for a moment or two. I don’t want to do this but I can’t see him like this anymore. Aang told me that he would be gone for awhile with Iroh and Jong Jong. I don’t have to really worry about anyone finding out...Lan maybe. We have started talking again but when I try to bring up what Zuko and I had to do to stay alive, but she walks away.
I lift Zuko’s head and keeping his face in my hands and do what I know will all come back to me. Zuko liked for me to initiate it and he would finish it. I start to kiss him slowly and he stiffens at first only to deepen it more. I know he is telling himself a lie and that I am Lan. If it helps him then so be it. Soon I feel his hand on my neck. I forgot how warm he feels. Aang is much cooler and not as gentle form inexperience. Soon I feel Zuko’s more experienced other hand make it’s way slowly into my gi and it gentle caresses my skin cupping my breast in his hands and slowly squeezing.
“ No, I can’t. I can’t do this to you and Aang.” He tries to free himself but I hold him to me. He needs this and it is only my body. I withheld my cravings for Aang for a month before...I can do it again. Aang will wonder but I will think of something later. I can’t tell him the truth. He doesn’t understand. He still sees me as innocent pure Katara. For now I am doing this to help a friend who needs it.
“ Yes you can. It’s only my body. I will worry about the complications.” I pull him so that I am lying on the ground and he is above me. He is poised above me ready but still will not do anything. I slip the strings off that hold my gi together and shrug out of it so that I am naked from the waist up. He tries to turn his head but I make him look at me.” You can’t take much more Zuko. Use my body. Close your eyes and pretend I am Lan.”
“ I...I can’t...” He closes his eyes and I take advantage of it and kiss him hard. He screws his eyes up tight and slowly begins to respond. I can feel him ripping of his tunic and tearing mine down farther. Soon I don’t have a stitch on me at all and I can feel his need beginning to grow harder and harder against my thigh. I try not to make any sounds to shatter his concentration. I know he is keeping his eyes closed and telling himself that I am her and I hope it works. I can feel that soon he will be inside me and can only hope he will be gentle as he always was.
“ Hey Katara guess what!? I found.” I freeze and turn my head. Zuko’s eyes snap open and we look at each other before turning our head to the voice. We both look and see framed in the entrance way the one person I didn’t think to see at all today...Lan.
((( Lan )))                                                                    *
“ Hey Katara guess what? I-“ I cannot finish the sentence. The picture before me is one unfortunately that will stay with me for a while. Katara flat on her back naked and wild looking. Zuko above her horror struck. It’s almost funny.
I gave him up I know but I didn’t think he would replace me this quick. What was I thinking of course he would. Of course he would have Katara pinned to the ground ready to have her at some moments notice. He could be fucking June right now and it wouldn’t surprise me. In fact I would actually feel better if it was June.
“ I told you! I told you he would do this! He never loved you. You were just a substitute for her Lan. He professes that he wants you but all the while he only burns for her. Let! Me! Out!” She tells me in her sing song voice. She is dancing around her box waiting. I let her out on the battlefield and almost couldn’t call her back down. Now I see blood red and feel the last shred of hope I had go up in the flames of my hate. I shouldn’t feel it and I shouldn’t care...but I do.
“ As you wish.” I whisper and crawl into myself and let the Fire Bender take over. I let my anger and hate finally consume me and cage the Water Bender. The water bender in me cries and curls up in a ball as the Fire Bender laughs and is ready to really stretch her talons now...but she is halted. She may be evil but even she will not use bending now that she has to share my body with my child.
“ You have only a few more months. Enjoy these moments together. They will be your last.” She informs them and makes her exit. She is patient. She will wait. She makes me walk now and we run into Aang. I want to stop her knowing what she is going to say to him but I don’t. I let her vipers tongue speaks now.
“ Poor little naive Avatar. Your sweet innocent Katara is right now betraying you. Zuko is enjoying her tiny little body as we speak. I wonder if it’s because his hands feel better then yours or just every ‘thing’ feels better then yours?” She laughs at him her evil laugh. She revels in the pained look on his face as he runs to there tend. I feel the wind whipping up and can see a glow coming from their tent. She is laughing harder now to the point where we are doubled over from it. “ You see life is so much better when you give into me. Aang can do so much more damage to him then we can right now.”
“ Your highness!” I see with her eyes and watch Laet run to us breathless. Laet is nothing more than and errand runner Quan’s little pet if you will to her and she is mildly annoyed she was interrupted from her reveling.
“ What!?” She snaps at the poor girl.
“ Admiral Quan would like to see you. General Zhao has been captured.” She states un fazed as best she can through taking large breaths.
“ Oh! This is such a good day for me!”
TBC. I haven’t forgotten about Zhao...or Azula....or even poor Mai.
- 5
- 6
- 7
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Zuko's Betrayal