Katara's guide on how to love a Bear | By : Granite Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality > Het- Male/Female Views: 44611 -:- 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. |
Katara’s guide on how to love a Bear
Zuko rules the world; now all he needs is a wife to obey his every command.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story.
Adult ++ M/F, Violence, AU/AR, Humor, Angst
Prologue
“You should get married Katara.”
Laughter came from the dark haired beauty that held a snort at the end. “Why don’t you just go to the Capital to see Sokka Toph? I know that is what you want.”
“I do not. I just think you are at the age where you should marry.”
Katara crinkled her brow and waved her hand in the air. “Sure you do.”
Toph sighed. “Are you never planning on having a baby so I can spoil him? I can not be an aunt if you do not have a baby.”
“Is Sokka’s decision to stay in the Emperor’s army straining your relationship?”
Toph frowned. “What relationship he is in the capital?”
Katara turned towards her friend walking beside her and smiled. “Right and if I met someone in the capital you could be with Sokka.”
“No” Toph snorted and nervously moved her hair.
The two continued down the active street with Katara smiling and Toph frowning.
A rush of wind came at them as women ran down the street towards a teashop. Toph could feel the excitement in the streets as women ran past her squealing in happiness about something. She could only wonder what it was they were in Ba sing Se; anything could and usually did happen.
“What is going on Katara? Why are all these women acting like the Emperor himself is coming to visit?”
The Water Maiden frowned at the annoying women standing in front of the posted notice on a teashop. She left Toph’s side and walked over to the group.
“What is going on? Why are you all acting so strangely?”
One of the women turned with a huge smile on her face. “The Emperor is looking of a concubine to bear his heirs. There are posted names of the women chosen from each town on the notice. They and an advisor will travel to the Fire Nation to begin purification and out of the fifty; twenty five will be chosen then ten, five, and finally me.”
The woman made a small squeak and ran by Katara to gather her things for the ship coming to take the women to the Capital. The Water Maiden shook her head at the screaming woman and then began pushing her way through the other women to read the sign.
“This edict is given by Empress Azula and is law. This notice commands the named women below to prepare themselves to come to the Capital for purification in preparation for the naming of a single concubine for the Emperor Zuko.”
Katara rolled her eyes. She knew Zuko they met several times. She found him aloof and unappealing. She did not understand why these women were so happy he was not capable of loving them.Katara focused on the sign again, read the first name, and stared at it for what seemed like days.
Why is my name on this? I would never put my name in something like this. I do not like him. Who would d…? Toph
Katara whipped around to see her friend gone. There was no sign of her anywhere. Katara pushed her way through the women and ran back towards their home. She would get her answers one-way or the hard way.
~~~~~~~~~~ Fire Nation- Empress Azula bedchamber ~~~~~~~~~
Azula looked over the names chosen for the purification carefully. She did not want anyone that would annoy her brother. This woman was to carry on their name. She had to be a virgin and be obedient. Azula began placing a line through two names that she saw. Suki, she was strong and would be obedient to Zuko. She was an excellent choice. Azula sipped on her tea and continued down the list.
She rose and eyebrow when she came across the name of the Water Maiden who fought so hard against her father. She and Emperor Zuko met before and she seemed not to like the experience. Azula chuckled. She was the furthest thing from being obedient. It would be a travesty if she were not here.
The empress smiled and set the papers away and prepared for bed. Tomorrow she would see to all the housing for the fifty women in the palace and the weeks of purification would begin.
~*~
One
She found Toph standing in the middle of their home waiting for her. She knew Katara could not stay angry with her no matter what she had done to cause the anger in the first place. Toph could hear the hard breathing even feel her anger rising with every passing second. Concern crept into Toph’s body that maybe this time she had gone too far.
“I wanted to see Sokka and travel to the capital is not permitted unless you are summoned by the Emperor. I heard about the edict and gave the messenger your name and he announced it to the Empress. I did not think she would allow it considering at one time we fought against her and the Emperor.”
Toph heard that sigh of defeat and relaxed.
“Toph she wants to humiliate me in front of everyone that is why she wants me there.”
The Water maiden walked from the front room and into her bedroom. “If she wanted to humiliate you she would never invite you to the Palace Katara.”
“She will send me home the minute I step from the ship.”
Toph walked into her bedroom. “Who is more worthy then you to be with the Emperor?”
Katara looked up from her bed at the Earth Bender. “That is not going to work Toph. I do not like the Emperor. He incapable of emotion well at least the ones that matter.”
“You do not have to stay that long Katara. I just want to see Sokka. I just want to know if he thinks about me…sometimes.”
Katara got off her bed hearing the sadness in Toph’s voice. She walked towards her friend. “Are you kidding you know how hard he tried to get your attention before. You think he would forget you.”
“Maybe he got tired of the rejection.”
“Sokka, he loves torture.”
Toph chuckled but just as quickly quieted down. “What if in these ten months he has found someone. The women in the capital I am sure are beautiful.”
Katara smiled and put her hand on Toph’s shoulder. “My brother is a lot of things but his greatest quality is his loyalty and honor to those he loves.”
“But I never showed him kindness why would he love me.”
Katara chuckled and walked towards her closet. “You never crushed him with a rock Toph.”
The Earth Bender smiled. “What are you doing?”
“Well if I must go I have to pack and so do you as my advisor.”
“What are you talking about?”
Katara smiled. “Toph if you think I was going to let you off so easily you do not know me at all.”
“Katara you should pick someone who knows things about advising. I am not a good choice.”
“Toph you lived a huge home you know what goes on better than anyone. Plus how were planning on getting in the capital anyway?” Katara laid her things on the bed looking at her friend.
“I did not get that far in the plan.”
Katara chuckled. “Well now you have a way to see Sokka.” She walked from her room and into Toph’s.
“How are we going to find Sokka if we have to adhere to rules and boundaries?”
“When has that stopped us? I am sure we will have some time to ourselves if I do not go home in the first week.”
Toph walked into her room. “You’re better than that. I know you are not going to let those giggling snobs beat you.”
“Toph I do not want Zuko.”
“You have to at least make it a few weeks so I can at least talk to Sokka.”
Katara shivered with the thought of spending endless days and nights with women, she and Toph avoided on a regular basis. She would face Azula and Zuko again but not as enemies. She had no idea how to approach them. Sokka seemed to be surviving there without incident and if he could do it so could she. Toph would owe her for the rest of her life for this.
“I’ll pack this and you get ready for bed.”
Toph hesitated for a minute. “Thank you Katara.”
She could not help but smile at the shorter woman. “I guess I like torture too.”
Toph chuckled and walked from the room as Katara continued packing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fire Nation Vessel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The women aboard were beautiful. Katara knew her chances were slim at best to stay a few weeks.
“Do not let them worry you Katara. You have what it takes to be noticed without beauty.”
Katara looked down at her smiling advisor with a crinkled brow. “Thanks Toph I feel so much better.”
“I’m here to advise you anytime you need it.”
Toph held onto Katara forearm as they walked aboard the ship and towards their room for the two-hour ride.
“So you were chosen also.”
Katara looked over the woman she talked to yesterday in the village carefully. She did not realize how big her eyes were or that her mouth had a slight sneer to it when she talked. Maybe she saw Katara as competition. She would set the woman at ease before any animosity began.
“My name is Kwan and this is my advisor my sister Ghee. I see you are trying to show your caring side by having this poor blind girl as your advisor. Well it will not work. You need more than just a weak attempt at showing you have emotions to win the Emperor’s hand. However, since that is all you have I guess I cannot fault you. You see I will become the Emperor’s concubine one way or another. I will know his touch and bear his heirs and you and that woman beside you can watch and be jealous like everyone else.”
Kwan smiled at Katara staring at her speechless. She turned and walked away as her sister stuck her tongue out at Toph and walked away giggling.
“Tell me you can outlast her.”
Katara glared at Kwan’s back as she pushed her way through the other women on the ship.“You really do not need to ask that question Toph.”
The Earth Bender smiled as Katara turned them and continued down the hall towards their room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Empress Azula’s garden~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sokka”
The bodyguard to her right came forward and bowed.
“Who is the young woman who follows you around like a cat in heat?”
Sokka raised and eyebrow under the black helmet. “Her name is Meng Empress.”
Azula made a face as she sniffed a flower. “She is annoying and I would not like to see her again at our dinner for the Avatar tonight.”
“She will not be present Empress.”
Azula smiled. “Good I would hate to see the Emperor upset over this.”
Sokka stepped back to his original position. Meng was a pain in his neck. She came here to work in the palace and from the moment she found out he was there, the stalking began. Sokka saw her everywhere and no amount of telling her that he was not interested persuaded her. He wished the Emperor would get angry enough to engulf her with fire. Maybe he could ask Xin fu to crush her with a rock. She had everyone thinking that he wanted her, this had to stop, and it would tonight after the ship arrived.
Xin fu walked into the garden quietly as usual and bowed to the Empress. Azula faced him with a smile.
“What news do you bring me?”
He straightened to his full height and looked Azula in the eyes. “The ship will be here in ten minutes.”
Azula began chuckling. “I assumed it would. One such as her around so many chattering women would go insane.”
Azula looked at Sokka and smiled. “You will accompany me to the ship.”
Sokka nodded and relaxed until he saw Meng at the door bowing as the Empress walked by. Her hair stuck out of the small white hat of the white uniform all servants wore. It was still unmanageable. She looked up at him with a huge smile as he walked by. She then fell in behind him. She was going to stare at him the entire time. He could already smell her perfume.
“That will be all Meng you can return to your station.” Xin fu watched her frown but she curtsied to him and walked away.
Sokka smiled at the quiet man. Things had changed a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~ Fire Nation- Emperor outdoor practice field ~~~~~~~~
Iroh watched his nephew since dawn that morning practicing against Zhao and his army. He had mastered fire; and the lightening technique, that Azula taught him. He currently was dispatching the Fire nation army in hand-to-hand combat training. The Emperor was an army to himself.
Zhao looked up from the ground and smiled at the General watching. “He is deadly.”
Iroh chuckled and walked over to the commander and helped him stand. “He is just stretching his legs.”
Another from the army slammed into the dirt beside Iroh and Zhao.
“It is good Azula is choosing a woman for him. He will kill what army we had left.”
Iroh called to his nephew seeing him with his hand to the throat of a captain. Zuko looked back at his Uncle and then released the man. The Emperor walked towards the two men with a scowl on his face.
He had grown up a lot in the four years after he and his sister ridded the world of their father. He was a man now, powerful and just. Iroh was very proud of him. He just hoped the woman that Azula chose would be strong enough to live with Zuko. His nephew would need someone that would make him want to show what he was feeling.
The Emperor stood before his Uncle and received a bow from everyone present. Iroh straightened and swore those golden eyes were on fire.
“I hear reports that the ship will be here in an hour’s time.” Iroh said as Zuko crinkled his brow.
“A woman is not what I need, it is an opponent.” The hard muscles on Zuko’s chest flexed as he made a fist.
Iroh gently laid his hand on top of the fist. “Are you not even curious to see who is coming?”
Zuko pulled away. “I trust Azula with this.”
“It is not Azula who has to be with the concubine.”
“You think I should greet them as they leave the ship Uncle.”
Iroh smiled. “You could take some notice in this event my Emperor.”
Only Iroh could talk to him in such a way and get away with it. Not even Azula herself tempted her brother to anger. He could not understand why Iroh wanted him to meet this woman all he was going to do with her was produce the heirs to his kingdom; he did not care to know her.
“She will know what her role is.”
Iroh frowned just as Xin fu walked up quietly towards them. He bowed to the Emperor and General.
“The ship will be here in ten minutes.”
“Why is it here so quickly?” Zuko asked sounding annoyed.
Xin fu’s deep voice was smooth and confident. “It seems there is a Waterbender on board; a very powerful Waterbender.”
Zuko looked at Xin fu for a moment. “Inform the Empress I will be joining her for the introductions.” The Emperor walked from the field while everyone bowed to him.
Iroh smiled he only knew of two Waterbenders that could have that kind of power and one was an old man.
A/N I want to thank all those who read this and those who reviewed. It makes me want to write the best that I can all the time so please continue. Stone2fire
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