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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33524 -:- 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 List
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After leaving the infirmary Zuko took Katara to visit Sokka. He stepped into the stables to give them both a bit of privacy and chatted with Mu and the Zhao twins to kill the time. He had chosen a position that allowed him to remain unseen but still kept the two of them and well as who was entering the brig area in plain view. Seeing the two of them made him remember the long forgotten days when he was once a beloved older brother. The Water Tribe siblings clung to each other like a life line. In some ways it did feel like murder when he physically separated Katara from her brother. She had started scratching and he knew it was best to take her back upstairs before she realized he had fleas and developed her own infestation.
As they were leaving Zhao 2 stepped in front of them he looked pointedly at Katara and lifted a prophylactic animal skin in front of their faces. He tucked it inside Zuko’s pocket, somberly stating, “There was a reason I told you to use one of these Zuko.”
The Prince nodded and placed a hand over Katara’s mouth out of respect for his friend. She had begun cursing loudly the moment she saw it. Zuko was one of the four people who knew Zhao 2 had a son with an older married woman. His own mother was not aware of it. He saw the child frequently and was known as a close friend of the family but it pained him to know that his son would never truly know him. It was best for all involved if the Fourth Undersecretary to the Minister of Culture never learned his daughter’s second child did not belong to her husband. He was an army commander working his way up through the ranks in spite his reputation for honesty and fairness. He was also best friends with the Zhao twins’ oldest sister and totally enamored with the infant.
Zhao 2 had been the only one who understood why he was distraught to learn Katara had been pregnant. Even the more sensitive and happily married Mu had told him to think of it as dodging a bullet. As if reading his mind Zhao 2 placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered “Use it Zukolon. Until the day comes you are certain you can protect an heir use it.”
Zuko stepped away, pulling an irate Katara with him. He understood what his friend was trying to tell him. It was no secret he was named after Fire Lord Kozulon Taker of the Dragon Crown. If he were to get Katara pregnant again he would also need to take desperate measures and create a world in which their child could be born. He had revealed his actions the day of the invasion to no one. He often wondered how and if his brief moment of cowardice may have altered the fate of the world. If he had been braver he could have delayed his father and given the Avatar’s group time to escape. He could have joined them later as he originally planned and succeeded in teaching the Avatar his final element. Uncle Iroh could have joined them; together they could have brought down his father and restored the world to what it was meant to be.
Katara’s teeth scraping his palm brought Zuko back to reality. Even if he had been brave enough to confront his father with his luck he would have still been too late. He could have been arrived in time to be shot down along with them or after Katara had been tossed to the crew.
He pulled his hand away from her mouth. She turned her head and wiped it on her shoulder even though it had visible signs of dirt after being in the dungeon with her brother. She stated at him defiantly making sure that he understood she found ingesting dirt more palatable than his touch before renewing her struggle to get away from him. Zuko tightened his grip on her wrist as his fingers brushed against his thumb he realized how much thinner it was than the first time he’d grabbed her. He brought his hand to her face, cradled her chin in his palm, lifted it and caressed her cheek with his thumb. There was still fire in her eyes but the light had dimmed somewhat. Her tan skin which had been so radiant the day he tied her to the tree was now pale and sallow. There were bags beneath her eyes and red rimmed her irises.
She was the same Katara and yet somehow different. His stomach clenched knowing he was the reason for it. He was the reason the brave and brilliant girl who had such poor control of her element that turning her back to her enemy was the only way to trap him now bared her fangs like a trapped animal. He had done that to her but still she had the will to be defiant, to fight back. Her friend, the Kyoshi warrior had lost that. The day he realized she was in the palace, snuck into her cell and realized its true purpose; she had not seen him. She had not answered to her name or even recognized it being called. She sat mutely staring through him until he touched her. She turned her head to his direction, spread her legs and whimpered, “I’ll be good, please don’t use the hooks anymore.”
He could not let that happen to Katara. He hated himself for letting it happen to Suki. There were no words for what he would feel if he let the only person who had shown him kindness while knowing he was Zuko, Fugitive Prince of the Fire Nation, befall such a fate. For now it was better to let his father believe that he was a son who could be trusted; to let all but Katara think she was simply a tool to derive sexual pleasure. That he had no care for her, the Avatar, her brother, the bison or changing the course of the world. But somehow while maintaining his ruse he had to find a way to make her aware of the truth.

Katara had stopped struggling when they reached the stairs but she was still glaring angrily at him. They were two corridors and from their room when Zuko heard singing coming from the kitchen. It was one of the more familiar cooking mnemonics Fan had created but the quirky melody reminded Zuko of a folk song he’d often heard during his childhood. He could not ask Katara how to end her suffering but there was another onboard who understood her feelings and who might be able to help him.
He stopped and placed his fingers to his lips then whispered to Katara, “Listen.”
She had been angrily stomping beside him. She was about to yell at him them she heard a creaking voice exuberantly singing, “Porky, porky goes oink, oink, oink, cow-hippo says moo, onion, onion, pepper, garlic, cayenne. Salt. Turn around and sing it again.”
Her eyes widened, “Is that Fan?”
Zuko nodded, “He must have new helpers in the kitchen. That’s how he teaches them ingredients and proportions. You have got to see the song and dance used for Wachiyumi Island Hot Pot.”
He bent his elbows so his arms were in front of him, twisted his right wrist twice as if grinding something into an imaginary bowl, twirled, made two quick steps to the left and wriggled his butt while saying “Hot Pot” much to Katara’s amusement. He stopped and his eyes widened when he realized what he was doing and that the old cook and kitchen helpers had seen him.
Zuko blushed, “What? I like to eat and Fan told me that’s the easiest way to remember recipes.”
Katara giggled.
“Why are you laughing?” Zuko shrieked defensively, “The only thing Uncle Iroh cooks is jook. Delicious and nutritious my eye it’s all he can cook! Have any of you eaten jook for three meals a day for two months?”
One of the cook’s helpers groaned.
“What is jook?” Katara asked growing curious.
“Add quicksand and nasty to rice stuff then you’ll get Uncle Iroh’s jook,” Zuko screeched while making a face.
“It can’t be that bad,” Katara said thinking of Toph. She liked to eat as much a Sokka.
Fan snorted, “Actually it is far worse. Why do you think the mighty Prince spent so much time in my kitchen learning to dance? One day you should get him to show you the omelet. He’s rather good at that even if he does char the eggs.”
“So I’m not the only thing he’s ruined,” Katara muttered under her breath.
Zuko lowered his head. He didn’t like knowing he made her feel that way. “You’re not ruined.”
“So what do you call an unmarried non-virgin incapable of bearing children?” Katara huffed.
“Now, now minions back to the kitchen. Lunch doesn’t make itself,” Fan fussed shooing the new cooks back to their tasks and leaving the prince to deal with the Waterbender.
“Katara I…” Zuko began even though he knew she would not believe his apology.
“’Katara I’ what? I’m sorry? I won’t hurt you again? It’s only until we get to the Fire Nation? It’s only until we leave the palace? I just want to touch, I won’t put it in? It feels good, so be patient? Stay with me so I can rape you again? What is it Zuko? What kind of crap am I supposed to believe this time?” she yelled interrupting him.
Not wanting to argue Zuko shook his head and growled, “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” she repeated angrily while scratching her wrist. “Nothing? You call what you are doing to me nothing?”
The kitchen was on the main hallway and it was almost mealtime. Fearing she should make a scene and cast more doubt on his ability to control her Zuko grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, “You know what, it is nothing; only I don’t want some mangy flea ridden peasant in my bed.”
“Let go of me you bastard!” Katara yelled raising her fist to strike him as Azula rounded the corner.
“Looks like someone’s kitty has turned into a pygmy-puma, would you like me to remove its claws?” Azula smirked taking a step towards Katara.
Katara smiled, “It looks like the Fire Nation Princess mis-styled her hair.”
“Oh no she didn’t” Katara gasped in mock horror while placing her hand on her chest using the feigned shock to gently rocking the Ursa with the movement, “Princess Azula doesn’t seem to have her brother’s ability to quickly grow her hair.”
“Since it looks like you’ll be wearing the haircut I gave you beneath Ba Sing Se for a bit longer why don’t you let me finish it?” she growled flinging her hand forward so the ship lurched slightly with the movement.
The unnatural rocking of the ship drew the attention of the admiral. Chu-hua glared at them and glared harshly, “What is going on here?”
Remembering what the woman said about her behavior and Sokka, Katara stumbled into Zuko clutching the side of her head, “Nothing, I just lost my balance. I’m still not feeling well.”
Seeing Chu-hua’s skepticism, she added truthfully, “Dr. Bingwen said it may take a while for all of the damage to completely heal.”
Azula snorted but did not contradict her while Zuko wrapped his arm protectively around Katara and pulled her closer to him.
“I see,” Chu-hua responded with a faint hum to the teens to let all three of them know she wasn’t fooled one bit. “Come with me Princess Azula, I have been asked to make sure you do not neglect your lightning practice.”

Zuko waited a few moments to drag Katara on deck to make sure Azula really was training before dragging Katara to the spa room. He left her in the capable hands of his half-aunt then went to find her mother. Akesato was a woman and she’d once been an unwilling concubine just like Katara. He stepped into the hallway and made sure it was clear before sending a quick burst of fire into a small notch in the floor. The wall slid open and he stepped into the spa attendant’s quarters.
“Prince Zuko! What are you doing?” several of the workers shrieked quickly rising then bowing.
“Be at rest. I only wish to speak to my former music appreciation teacher. She once sang a song for me that I think would please Katara,” he said hoping to ease everyone’s tensions.
“I’ll fetch her. She usually puts her granddaughter down for a nap this time of day,” One of the women explained before scampering down the hallway. A door opened and Ching Mei peeked out at him. Zuko waved at her. She smiled and waved back at him before closing the door once more. He waited patiently until it opened again.
This time she walked out and curtsied, “Grandmother will see you now.”
“Thank you,” Zuko replied as the girl skipped past him towards the spa area.
Zuko knocked on the door and waited until he was invited in to enter. Akesato was sitting on a chaise lounge and he could guess it was her instead of child who had been napping. He bowed, “Honorable mother of my grandfather’s da-”.
Her eyebrow raised when he began speaking so he tried something different, “Concubi-,” but he couldn’t really call her a concubine since her name was nowhere in the historical records. “Honored Mother of my secret aunt that I’m not supposed to know about.”
This set her into a fit of giggles so he said “I really don’t know what to call you.”
“My name is Akesato, my prince,” she plainly.
“I know, well, I do now. I heard you speaking to Katara. Calling you by your name seems disrespectful after what you revealed to her,” Zuko said lowering himself to the floor next to her chair.
“Get up, my prince, I am no one for you to sit at my feet!” she gushed surprised and embarrassed by the gesture. That was an action one reserved for a true elder.
“But you…,” Zuko began. He lowered his head to the floor, “I need wisdom and guidance. My mother is in the spirit world. Chu-hua is unsuitable and Granny Nima is in the Fire Nation. I know it is presumptuous of me but I don’t know who else to turn to. May I ask something of you?”
“Only if you stop bowing and sit beside me,” she sighed extending a hand to him. She had guessed he heard part of her conversation based upon his timely arrival right after she’d finished speaking.
Zuko accepted it and took a place next to her, “You said Grandfather Azulon was a bad man who took you away from your family. You had lost much due to his selfishness and also that he had given you much and was good to you. What did he do to sway your opinion?”
Akesato easily read his intentions. She took a deep breath and patted Zuko’s hand, “I can not tell you how to influence Katara as our situations are different. I was never mistreated by Azulon or suffered the physical effects of his anger. He was always gentle with me both in his bed and outside of it. He was kind to me and he listened. He did not always comply with my wishes but I knew he took the things I said under consideration and acknowledged my opinion. I thought it was only because my voice resembled his late wife’s. It took years before I realized I, not my voice nor my body, but me, as a person had value to him.”
“I was never forced to lay with him. The day he summoned me to his quarters I was given three choices. I could lay with him once and receive enough money to support my family for several years. I could leave everything behind and go with him knowing my family would always be protected and cared for. My son would receive the best education, always have enough food to eat, access to medical care and a life of material comfort but I would be dead to him as a mother. I could refuse him and go back to my husband. I would live out my life as his mother not knowing if a day would come when sacrificing my meals would not be enough for him to have plenty to eat, if there was an illness, injury or animal attack or if Fire Lady Ilah’s lottery system would be enough to secure his future.”
Akesato chuckled dryly, “I say I was never forced to lay with him and that I had a choice. There was another man there, the current war minister. I knew that even though the Fire Lord was asking my family would pay if I made the wrong decision. I am Fire Nation, even though I was terrified and believed everyone I loved could be killed I had faith in the merciful justness of our living Agni the Fire Lord and the blessing of Agni Eternal.”
“I will not say it was easy but I chose not to shame my husband by whoring myself to another man even if he was our Fire Lord and bringing his money home to him. I chose to sacrifice a life with my son in favor of never having to worry about his future. He would have the same privileges and opportunities as child born to rich merchants. I never asked nor spoke of him again after allowing your grandfather to remove my robes.”
“For my faith I was allowed to have a relationship with my son. It was on Fire Lord Azulon’s deathbed that he revealed his generosity. My son plays the harp. He grew up in the colonies and is one of the musicians that accompanies me each year during the festival in Lady Ilah’s honor. My son studied at the Ba Sing Se Conservatory of music. It was no surprise that my husband remarried. I was happy to learn she is a kind mother. My son has a good wife and two gorgeous children. He does not know I am the woman who birthed him but it is enough for me to see that he is happy and that my decision benefitted him.”
“I can not tell you how to win over Katara. You have done terrible things to her and she has suffered in ways I never experienced with your grandfather. I can not say if you will ever be forgiven but you must let her know she has value to you,” Akesato said placing her hand over Zuko’s heart. “You would not be here lowering yourself before a servant if she were some cheap amusement.”
“She isn’t,” Zuko quietly admitted.
“But I am sure she feels that way,” Akesato said empathically as she placed her hands back in her lap. “For many years that is how I felt with your grandfather. I was not able to appreciate him as a man and the care he showed me until I no longer had that feeling. She must feel respected and valued as a person if you ever hope to win her affections as a woman. It will be difficult, so very difficult. Your grandfather adorned me in finery the likes of which I had never seen before we left my village. He introduced me to the nobles as an entertaining companion, held a banquet in my honor and instructed the royal orchestra to play whatever I wished to sing.”
“That evening he took me before the head sage. The traditions of Jang Hui are different. I had no idea of what it meant to be laid while they were watching. All I could think was that he has so little regard for me to lift my skirts in the presence of others. How little he must think of me to do such a thing; to enjoy my body while in the presence of another man. I did not understand until much later when another of his hidden children was married. The bride to be was nervous. He asked that I sing to comfort her from the next room. He explained after I became upset. My daughter was already walking but I did not know what I meant to him. Katara is foreign; she knows less than I did what it means to be held without shame. It will be difficult, so very difficult to make her understand. And without consent…” Akesato sighed and began wringing a pillow in her hand.
“If it were not Azulon’s own daughter…if I had not seen the trials he made the one wishing for her hand endure prior to consenting to the marriage. Each year we vacationed on that island so I knew the girl was one of his favorites. She was a tender hearted child with kindness for everyone; she would have been miserable among society in the capital. He saw that and agreed to her mother’s request that she be allowed to raise her simply in her province. If it were any of the others I would have thought the act had no meaning. I would have continued to feel disgusted with myself for what I had allowed to happen,” Akesato sighed heavily once more. “If it were any daughter but that one I would have thought he was whoring her to secure his kingdom instead of giving her his utmost blessing and asking that Agni Eternal bless their union.”
She let go of the pillow to look Zuko directly in his eyes, “Your task will be difficult; so very difficult. Even if you find a way to make her feel valued as a person and not for what is between her legs you must also make her feel valued as Katara and not the Avatar’s Waterbender. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe would never have been invited to the Fire Lord’s home, welcomed at his table and allowed to couple with his son. It is only her status as the Avatar’s Waterbender that has allowed her these things. If her status as your concubine could not be used claim triumph over the Avatar and paint her as a betrayer you both would have died the day you brought her into the palace wearing the colors of our nation.”
“It is only because there is power in the Avatar’s Waterbender being named Concubine, bound solely and eternally, to Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation did he allow her name to be entered into the historical registers and sought to witness the possession with his own eyes. She is no fool; your kindness will harder to swallow than the bitterest pill as she knows the price of accepting it.”
Zuko lowered his head, “I know. It was my idea to use her in that manner.”
Akesato nodded and placed a hand on his head, “I had no such status. I was a simple peasant with nothing to offer but a song. I had no political value or use as a pawn. I had no reason to question why Milord wished for my joy and to see me to smile. To all but him I was hidden or did not exist at all.”
“I had no place upon the stage of the world except that of a songstress whose voice matched Fire Lady Ilah’s. We are dissimilar in shape, coloring and appearance. She was thin and fair with a noblewoman’s countenance but I have a peasant’s sturdiness and mien. All he introduced me to deemed me unsuitable for bedding” she revealed with a self-deprecating laugh, “but your Katara knows she is a jewel in the crown. She knows what if means if the Avatar’s Waterbender is seen in the company of the Prince of the Fire Nation displaying an ounce of civility or human kindness.”
Zuko frowned, “At the time I made the announcement was only thinking what could I tell Father that would allow me to protect her from the nobles. I did not wish to see her suffer the same fate as the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. As each day goes by I’m starting to realize I’ve that I underestimated the cruelty involved in chosing this way to help her.”
“And yet because you know and accept this, she could not be in better hands,” Akesato said wisely.
“Thank you Honored Grandmother. You have given me much to consider. May I call upon you again for guidance?” Zuko asked while once more bowing politely.
Akesato smiled and nodded, “The world must not know about me, but I do not wish for you to be a stranger.”
Zuko thought quietly for a moment then asked, “How many are there?”
Akesato tilted her head in confusion, “How many what?”
“How many aunts and uncles do I have and know nothing about? How many of the people that I see every day and ask to do things should be given respect as a parent’s sibling?”
Akesato shook her head before answering in half-truths, “There are two heirs, a daughter I birthed in the palace, a daughter hidden beyond the hills and I suspect a son attends to our Lord but truly of the others I do not know. The flesh of that dragon has known many and is scattered among concubines and mistresses. It is dangerous for such children to have knowledge of the other. I foolishly believed that when your grandfather said he did not have a girl to mean he did not have any daughters. He meant he had no female children within in his home to spoil. Sons must be sternly guided by their fathers and do not provide the same the gentle enjoyment and relaxation as a little girl. Daughters can be showered her with gifts, affection and fanciful ideas while leaving discipline to the mother.”
Akesato looked away while nervously fingering Azulon’s signet through her clothes and muttering, “I know not where the seeds of the dragon are planted and what lurks among his bones.”
Zuko nodded in acceptance. It made sense for her not to speak of knowing the identity of Azulon’s other children if she wished to protect hers. Their family history was riddled with greed, treachery and the thirst for power. Normally when one outside the line of inheritance made a move for the throne they started by eliminating all others with royal blood. It was documented the son of the Fire Lord who was being erased from the history books for bestiality murdered every creature in the stables and placed a bounty on a flock wild of koalasheep. There were even rumors an illegitmate child of Kozulon’s younger brother had escaped and his descendants were still seeking vengeance.
His father was the only Fire Lord in the history of their country who had stolen the birthright of another and not secured the throne by murdering the competition. Seeing the fear in her eyes Zuko did what he could to put her mind at ease, “I will say nothing to one, Honored Grandmother Akesato, and vow to protect your secrets. I meant no harm, only to know if Uncle Iroh’s defection had left me with any true family.”
Akesato closed her eyes, she had been there in Azulon’s last moments and knew just what the current Fire Lord was hiding. Lu Ten had been like a grandson but she was now starting to realize why her companion had chosen for this much beloved but foolish boy to remain unknown. When her tawny eyes opened they had the clarity of one born to nobility, well versed in subtleties and tricks. Her bony hand clamped down on his wrist and she hissed, “Prince Zuko, there is danger in the way you are speaking. You have a father and sister, are they not your true family?”
Taken aback Zuko stumbled from her grasp. He had forgotten to what he was speaking. She may have been born a simple peasant in Jang Hui but any woman who’d secretly born a child for his grandfather and raised her to adulthood in the palace was far from stupid or lacking an agenda. Just as quickly as the viper within her had lashed out she was once again kindly smiling, “Take care young one, I will be praying that you find a way to bring peace of mind to your Waterbender.”

Arraye: Thank you for your feedback. Ozai approves of Katara becoming Zuko's trophy wife, a tool for Fire Nation propaganda and means for his sixteen year old son to slake his lust. He does not approve of her becoming Fire Lady or a wife in the sense that Zuko actually has feelings for her.
Zuko is not obsessed with Katara in the manner that Ozai is obsessed with Ursa. Zuko is still very guilty and confused at this point. He is obsessed with Katara in the sense that she is a puzzle and the source of his confusion. He’s managed to tie himself into a knot sees Katara as the lynchpin holding it in place. If he can figure out the best way to handle her everything else will straighten itself out.
Amayu's sister was returned by a Water Tribesmen. The man on guard shift three was Earth Kingdom.
The chapter with Iroh and Toph in Fire Fountain City will be back. I'm trying to find the best place to put it.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story