Avatar: The Last Airbender (c) Nickelodeon

Dedication: Sara! Even though she won't read this fic. Meh, she still is epic win.

PS: I love the dream scene. So...HAWTT!

The palace was eerily silent, and the torches were oddly dimmed, as Zuko walked down the hall towards his bedchamber. He yawned, tired after a long day of bickering with snobbish old men, trying to get their way in his court. He opened the door and walked in, stripping himself of the heavy royal robes he had to wear.

He stretched; cracking his knuckles, wincing a bit when he pulled the scar tissue of the burn wound his sister gave him. He didn’t even hear the soft click of a key in a lock. “What are you doing back so soon, Fire Lord Zuko?” came a soft question, in a honey voice. Zuko slowly turned around.

Leaning against the door, with the pewter key being twirled in her slender mocha colored fingers, was his waterbending slave. One of the straps of her chiton on her shoulder had slipped down, and the short skirt showed of her beautiful legs.

Zuko gulped as the girl walked closer to him, her hips swaying to and fro with each step she took. Just looking at her made him grow hard.

Katara placed the key on his desk with a gentle click, and she continued to walk towards him. “You never answered my question, Fire Lord Zuko,” Katara whispered, smirking when she noticed the growing bulge in his pants. Zuko gulped again. “Well?”

“I should be asking you: what are you doing in my room?” Zuko said; Katara was only within arms reach of him.

“Waiting for you,” she purred, turning away from him. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you,” she looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she undid the thick cord that acted as her belt. Her chiton billowed out around her waist but she easily took the gown off. She turned to him, fully naked, her breasts perky and her nipples erect.

“Um…Katara,” Zuko whispered, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What?” Katara turned and pouted. “Don’t you want me?” she asked tracing a tiny circle on her breast. Zuko felt his arousal grow harder with that simple innocent action.

Suddenly, without warning, Katara launched herself at him. With a ragged panting growl, she pushed him towards the bed, tearing at his belt and shirt, finally ripping the clothing open and swiftly off of him. The back of Zuko’s legs met the bed and he fell, his back hitting the soft spring mattress. Katara gave a soft raspy laugh, before lowering her head to his neck. “Zuko,” she growled, as her lips met his warm skin. She kissed at it, causing Zuko to give a passionate moan, his body reacting happily to her seductive touch.

Katara’s hands traveled lower, along his waist, memorizing every bit of his flesh with her delicate fingers. Tracing the tough scar tissue of his wound. Zuko growled when she reached the top of his pants. His erection trying to find something to sustain itself with. Katara tossed her hair beck sexily, and wiggled her finger. “Uh-ah,” she whispered with a coy smile on her face.

“Katara,” Zuko gasped, as Katara lowered her head and took one of his nipples in her mouth. “Katara!” he gasped louder, as she nipped and licked it, smirking each time he vocalized his enjoyment of her treatment. Just as swiftly, as she began on that nipple she left it and moved on to its mate. Zuko thrust his hips at her, but one of her gentle hands pressed him down. “Patients is a virtue,” she whispered as she began to kiss down his chest and nuzzled his hard abs. “It will be wise for you to remember that Fire Lord,” she purred. Her fingers busy with the knot of his pants.

“Fuck patients,” he growled. The burning need was driving him mad, as she slowly took off his pants and underwear.

“Wow,” Katara giggled as she sat back on her heels, gazing at Zuko’s erect manhood. “You are large,” she smirked. “You definitely have a big ego.”

“What was that about my ego?” Zuko snapped, but his anger swiftly vanished as he let out a soft kitten whimper when Katara gently stroked his erection. She even nuzzled the base of it with her cute little nose, planting butterfly kissed on the sensitive skin of his groin. She took a deep sniff. “Mmmm, spicy,” she giggled as she placed a gentle kiss on the swollen crown. Zuko let out a whimpering gasp at that. “Tastes…sweet,” she looked at him. “And spicy,” she smirked.

“That’s it,” Zuko said, pushing himself up. “I’ve had enough of your foreplay!” he growled. He lunged, grabbing her by her upper arms and pushed her on her back. Katara was laughing and then she screamed as he thrust into her. Zuko growled happily, his manhood finally in the tightness of her womanhood’s dark depths. A pleasant happy shudder passed along his body.

“If you are going to do it, do it,” Katara said impatiently. “Don’t just stare at me like a love-struck child!”

“Shush sweetness,” Zuko purred into her ear as he began a steady rhythm of gentle thrusts. He was about to suck upon one of her delicious looking breasts when the door opened. “I thought you locked the door?” Zuko asked.

“Fire Lord? Are you alright?”

Zuko’s eyes snapped opened. “What?” he sat up and then grimaced when he felt something wet between his legs. “Damn it,” he muttered when he realized what had happened. “What do you want?” Zuko snapped at the guard.

“Um…there seems to be a hold up with the new slaves,” the guard muttered. “Old Mama is there trying to sort it out, but…Katara refuses to…there seems to be a friend of hers among the new arrivals.”

“Damn it,” Zuko muttered. “Go, keep everything under wraps, I’ll be there in a moment,” Zuko said. The guard bowed before leaving. Zuko stood up and looked at his soiled pants. “Damn wet dreams,” he grumbled and went to go change.

“She is a new slave Katara! Let her get examined!” Old Mama said fiercely.

“No!” Katara said, looking at the fat ugly old woman. “I won’t let you take Suki!” she looked at Chen. “Chen back me up!” Katara said.

“I…I…I…. I don’t know Katara,” Chen muttered softly. “I think you should do what Old Mama says,” Chen said.

“And what? Have Suki taken away! Hell no!” Katara said.

“What’s going on here?” Zuko asked as he appeared from the hall. Katara, Chen, and Old Mama dropped in a kowtow at the appearance of Zuko.

“Fire Lord sire,” Old Mama said as he got up. “This slave,” Old Mama glowered hatefully at Katara. “Wants me to put this girl on your personal staff,” Old Mama sniffed. “I think that is stupid.”

“Zuko,” Katara shouted.

“He is the Fire Lord!” Old Mama smacked Katara with her bamboo cane. “And he shall be addressed as such you little bitch!” she raised her cane again and would’ve brought it down upon Katara again if pale hand hadn’t grabbed it, smoke seeping out of his fingers.

Katara looked up Zuko, and was frightened and in awe of him. He had a pure draconic snarl upon his face. “Don’t you dare hit my slave again,” Zuko snarled, yanking the cane out of Old Mama’s sausage like fingers. “Do you understand me?” he asked. Old Mama gulped and backed away, nodding, fear in her eyes.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she said. “Completely,” she nodded.

“Good,” he tossed the cane aside. “Chen, get…” Zuko looked at Suki.

“Suki, “ Katara said swiftly.

“Get Suki some new clothes and bring her to my chambers,” Zuko said.

“Yes, sire,” Chen said with a bob of her head. Chen took Suki’s hand and ran off. Zuko’s hand was suddenly on Katara’s arm, his grip tight and painful.

“And you,” he snarled into her ear. “Are coming with me.”

Katara’s eyes grew wide as the Fire Lord led her down the hall. “Where are we going?”

“I’ve had enough of you tormenting me,” he growled. Katara’s eyes narrowed only to snap open widely in surprise.

“Tormenting you? You find me…attractive?” she asked, struggling against his grip.

“More than attractive,” Zuko turned to her, an odd glint in his eyes. “I lust for you,” he purred huskily. Katara shivered in pleasure as his moist breath coated her skin, but she was swiftly snapped out of her fantasies.

“No,” Katara tried to pull away from him, but his grip was firm. “Let go of me!”

“Not until I get what I want,” he growled.

“Forget it!” Katara tried to pull his fingers off of her arm. “I’m not letting you have my honor!”

“Who said anything about you giving it to me?” the glint in his eyes turned cold.

“You are not going to take it by force! That’ for sure!”

“You don’t have a choice, slave.”

“Yes,” Katara glowered at him. “I do!” she slammed her knee into his groin. Zuko let go of her and Katara ran.

“Stop her!” Zuko shouted, weakly. “Damn it! Someone stop her!”

Katara ran, she turned down a corner and was soon facing a dead end. She grinned. “Perfect,” she knew it was a secret passage that led to the gardens, and she knew she could get out of the palace through the gardens. She ran up to the wall and pulled the secret lever, the hidden door swung open, swept her in and then appeared again seamlessly before the baffled guards.

Katara ran along the passage, navigating more by feel that by sight. “So…this is how Toph sees huh?” Katara muttered to herself, as she led herself down the passage. There was a beam of light ahead. Smirking, she crawled closer to it, before she finally was able to wedge her way out of the tight space. “And this is how it feels to be born!” she gasped as she popped out of the tiny crack. She stood up and dusted herself off. She head towards the wall.

It was simple enough to climb over the wall and the drop to the other side, which she did easy enough. Katara gulped as she looked at the wall, slowly backing away from the palace. She was free. She had escaped the Fire Nation Royal Palace. Smirking to herself, she grabbed one of her slave bracelets, and tried to pull the metal off of her wrist. To her dismay, she found it was welded shut with firebending. She frowned.

“We need to find her! And quickly!” the voices of the guards came. Katara gasped and ran off, into the city, hoping to escape the guards and stole away on a ship heading to Ba Sing Se.

It was nightfall, and still no sign of Katara. Zuko watched Suki and Chen work, as he paced, waiting for news of Katara’s whereabouts. The captain of the guards came to the room. He kowtowed to Zuko. “What do you have to report?” Zuko asked.

“We couldn’t find her,” he said. “She escaped into the city, my liege.”

Zuko whirled around and grabbed the man by the throat. “I want you to find her, and bring her back! Close all the ports in the capital! Now! She is not leaving this island! Lock down every city exit! She is not leaving!” Zuko flung the man aside. “Well? Do it!” he screamed.

“Yes, m’lord!” the guard said getting to his feet and running off. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Why am I surrounded by idiots?”

“Well, if you treated them better, maybe they wouldn’t be treating you with such disrespect,” Suki said boldly.

“Silence slave!” Zuko screamed, an arch of flames springing out of his fingers. Suki dodged it. “You have no right to talk to me this way!”

“I have every right to talk to you this way!” Suki said. “You burned down my village! You forced me to leave me home!”

“You will shut up you Earth Kingdom bitch!” Zuko growled. Suki gulped, but stood her ground. Zuko marched over to her.

“I will not stop speaking my mind!” Suki said.

“You are worse than Katara,” Zuko growled, as he grabbed Suki’s neck, his hand heating up. “Now,” he whispered coldly into her ear. “You will do as I say, or I’ll give you the same punishment I gave Katara only worse,” he growled.

“Do your worse!” Suki spat. Zuko heated his hand up, Suki whimpered and began to claw at his fingers.

“What’s wrong bitch? Can’t take the heat?” he growled.

“Fire Lord! Let her go!” Chen whimpered. “Please! Let her go!”

“No,” Zuko said. “She needs to learn respect!”

“Fire Lord, she is a friend of Katara’s!” Chen begged. Zuko closed his eyes and dropped Suki.

“Keep cleaning!” he barked, walking off, once he was in the halls he shouted: “Find my slave!”

Katara shivered as she walked down the streets, the guards were out on rhinos now, looking for her. She knew it was only a matter of time before Zuko was out looking for her. “Psst!” came a voice. Katara jumped, looking at the person. He was no older than Jet. “This way, I know a place you can stay! We can smuggle you out of the capital,” the boy said. Katara nodded numbly, following him.

He led her to a brightly lit section of town. “This is the Fire Nation’s hanamachi,” he said softly. Katara looked around, noticing the painted geisha walking to and fro and the muscular hokan along the streets. ‘This way,” the boy said, leading Katara to an okiya. The boy knocked on the door. The sliding door opened and Katara looked at the mistress of the okiya.

“What do you want Suichi?” the mistress asked.

“This is one of the Fire Lord’s foreign slaves,” Suichi said. “She needs help getting smuggled out.”

“We can’t keep smuggling out every slave you find, it’s coasting the okiya money!” the mistress snapped.

“This is the last one! I promise,” he smiled.

“Fine,” the mistress grabbed Katara and pulled her in. “Ume! Sakura! Take her upstairs and bathe her!” the mistress shouted. Two girls, twins by the looks of it, beckoned Katara to follow them. Katara nodded numbly and followed them.

They lead her to the steamy room of the bath. They stripped her and watched Katara get into the bathtub. Katara sighed as the warm water hit her legs as she slowly sank into the steaming liquid. Ume and Sakura gently poured water down Katara’s back and hair, but soon the luxury treatment stopped, and the twins began muttering. “What? What’s wrong?” Katara asked.

“Well…its just,” Sakura looked away.

“Your scars,” Ume said and then gasped. She got up and ran off.

“Where’s she going?” Katara asked. In a matter of moments the mistress of the okiya came.

“What’s this?” she asked, looking at Katara’s back, the crest of the Fire Lord was on her shoulder. “This is Fire Lord Zuko’s personal mark! Suichi!” the mistress shouted.

“Uh?” the boy asked, he was eating a meaty dumpling.

“Did you know that this slave is a personal slave of the Fire Lord? She bears his mark!”

“No, but just smuggle her out anyways, I’m sure someone will pay highly for her,” Suichi said.

“I’m just going to be sold again?” Katara gasped.

“Pretty much,” Ume said. “Palace slaves are valued highly in the neighboring counties, duchies, and baronies.”

“Suichi! Go find one of the Fire Lord’s men, they are taking this one home,” the mistress said. “Girls finish washing her, I want her squeaky clean for the Fire Lord,” the mistress ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” they said softly and began scrubbing Katara.

Zuko sat up when one of his men came in. “Fire Lord, we’ve found her,” the man said. Zuko grinned.

“Is she alright?” Zuko asked.

“She was found in an okiya, in the hanamachi,” the man said.

“Well do you have her?” Zuko asked.

“Yes, we do,” the man, said. He stood up and nodded. The doors opened and there was Katara. Zuko grinned and ran towards her, hugging her.

“I’m so glad you are alright!” Zuko whispered, inspecting her. “I was so worried,” he smiled.

“Why? Why would you be happy for my safe return?” Katara spat.

“Well, you are my property, and I don’t want to lose my property!” Zuko growled; all joy at her return vanishing. “You’re just as sharp tongued as ever aren’t you.”

“I learned from the best,” Katara growled. Zuko tossed his head back and laughed.

“Brilliant,” he grabbed her wrists. “Now let me finish my dream,” he purred.

“What dream?” Katara blinked in surprise.

“You seriously don’t know how much you haunt my sleep,” he whispered, backing her up to the bed.

“I…I haunt your dreams?” Katara whispered as he gently laid her onto the bed. He climbed onto of her, nuzzling her neck, kissing it gently.

“Yes,” he growled. “You do.”

“Every night?” Katara asked.

“Every damn night,” he growled, he was growing hard as she stroked he bare shoulders.

“I never knew,” she whispered softly, shifting her hips, smirking when she brushed the growing bulge. Zuko shuttered happily. Zuko sucked on her neck, feeling her arch against him and moan softly sent thrills through his body, especially his groin.

“Do you want to feel the full passion of a dragon?” he whispered.

“Not know,” Katara said, she said lightly stroking his scar. “I don’t want to know the full passion of one of the divine dragons.”

“The divine dragons,” Zuko smirked. “Yes, dragons are divine creatures. More so than any other beast.”

“Save perhaps you,” Katara muttered, lowering her eyelids. “You are more divine than any dragon,” she smiled.

Zuko gave her a true smile, something she hadn’t seen since he had joined them. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I’m touched.”

“I hoped you would be,” Katara said, and swiftly slipped out from under him.

“What?” he lunged for her but only to be pulled back sharply to his bed. Zuko looked at his trapped wrist, the girl was clever in using the cord of his chiton. “Clever,” he said.

“Please, not today,” Katara whispered.

“Why not?” Zuko asked.

“I’m not ready,” Katara looked away. “Please, respect my wishes.”

Zuko sighed. “Fine, not today and not tomorrow, but I will have you.”

“I know,” Katara looked away. “I guess I always knew I would be your concubine,” she shrugged.

“Its not a bad thing,” Zuko said.

“I know,” Katara looked down at her feet before walking over to her mat. “But…still,” she muttered getting down and pulling the short blanket up to her chin. “Can I have my belt back?” she asked. Zuko snorted as he easily untied it and handed it to her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Your welcome,” he smiled as he settled into bed as well.

Huh...I had no AN for the bottom. Ooookay.

So, yeah, Zutara angst for this chapter.

Suki is in the picture.

I really don't like Suki. I really really don't. IDK I just don't. She's icky. And Epic Fail.

Speaking of epic fail...

STORY THEIVES! THEY ARE EPIC FAIL! AND I HUNT THEM DOWN AND BURN THEM AT THE STAKE! OH YE-S! I DO!

R'n'R or I'm gonna miam you.

DJ