Borealis: A Zutara Story

Chapter 10

The door opened and Zuko stepped out of the room from which he’d pulled the chamber pot from dressed in a different robe.  The guard grew silent. She bowed politely and saluted; giving the prince no outward indication of her treasonous advice to the Waterbender while focusing a stern glare at Katara.  Katara nodded in acknowledgment. Zuko obliviously thanked the guard and dismissed her.

 

The prince lifted the covers from the food and invited Katara to sit next to him.  She hesitated before perching on the edge of the loveseat.

 

Katara had seen the rivalry between the royal siblings. Maybe the guard was not as kind as she thought since she was loyal to Azula and was mostly using this as an opportunity to advance the princess’s cause.  Until last night, Katara had thought Zuko was the lesser of the two evils as Iroh seemed to be a good influence.

 

But still good advice, was good advice.

 

Katara smiled sweetly at Zuko and asked him to undo her chains so she could eat. She had already decided what price Zuko would pay for invading her body. She didn’t need some guard to tell her that.  Katara rubbed her chafed wrist and picked up her tea cup. It was lukewarm. She sat it down and waited for Zuko to lift his.  She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed then took a bite of her rice congee. It was good.

 

Zuko took a few bites then lifted his tea.  Katara set down her spoon. There - his cup was descending as he swallowed. A quick flick of her wrist and the tea hung in his throat.  That in his cup turned into several tiny daggers and flew towards his neck. He was saved by reflexively grabbing his neck when he started to choke and the daggers stabbed him in the hand.

 

Katara quickly formed a larger ice dagger with her tea and sent it towards him as she grabbed the heavy tray and swung it towards his head. She let go of the liquid she’d stopped in his throat and leapt over the table towards the door. She twisted the knob and pulled the door open only to have it slam shut again.

 

She was thrown into it roughly by a large body tackling her from behind. Her arms were jerked behind her and the cuffs clamped loudly and tightly around her wrist. Zuko was coughing and sputtering sending drops of tea and food raining down on her neck. Blood ran down his arm from the cuts on his hand and rained down onto her. 

It was hot; just like his sweat droplets had been last night against her lower back and thighs. Just like his semen.

 

Zuko stepped forward using his body weight to pin her against the door, “I am trying to be kind to you, Katara. I do not blame you for trying to escape. I would do the same thing if I were captured, but please do not mistake my kindness for weakness. It makes me angry and I forgot myself when I get angry. I become rough. Do you want me to be rough with you, Katara?”

 

She shook her head. Zuko was behind her crushing her against the door. The knob was pressing against her lower abdomen. His robe had come undone. It hung loose on either side of her. She could feel his body heat radiating against her back. One of his hands was beside her head; the other was on her hip. 

 

He stepped back and turned her roughly to face him. He was naked.  

 

“Answer me, Katara; do you want me to be rough with you?”

 

Katara started to shake. He was naked. His hand was no longer beside her head; it was on her other hip. Her hands were bound behind her back and trapped against the door. She couldn’t bend. His hands were sliding down her thighs. He was lifting her. He stepped forward between her legs. She could feel his sex pressing against hers through her leggings and wraps. He was hot. He was so hot. She was cold. She was getting so cold.

Zuko stepped away from her. He was angry and meant to frighten her. He hadn’t expected her to start shutting down. He lowered her legs and closed his robe. They would be arriving in the capital soon and she needed to have her wits about her to meet his father. Zuko clasped her chin and raised her head forcing her to face him, “Look at me, Katara.  I’m not your enemy.  I’m your only friend right now. At least I’m the only friend in a position to help you. Don’t automatically assume the worse about me or my actions. I really do want to help you and what happened last night was necessary for me to do so.”

 

“Get angry. Stay angry but keep a level head and calm mind. My father will roast you alive as you are now. It’s okay to be like this around me, but don’t show fear or weakness around anyone else.  Your brother and the Avatar are counting on you. You will need me to get though this and they will need you,” Zuko said letting go of her and stepping away.

 

Katara slid down the door. The wedge between her legs had grown again and her soul was escaping from between them once more. Zuko hadn’t raped her this time but she could still feel the lingering heat from his body, the pressure of his genitals between her legs, his breath against her face and neck, his hands on her thighs.  It made it made her blood run cold.

 

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Zuko cleaned up the mess she’d made and put away the breakfast dishes. The back of his hand was bleeding. She’d caught him off guard. If she hadn’t choked him first he would be dead. He brought it to his face for closer inspection; she’d grazed one of the small veins. There was blood on his robes, on the floor, and on everything he’d touched.

 

Zuko looked over to Katara. There was blood on her and her clothes where he lifted her. She was bloody last night too. I raped her and made her bleed. She bled on me. I bloodied her. It was more than what I’d been told to expect from a woman’s first time. I hurt her. There had been so much blood because I injured her.

 

Katara was curled around herself against the door. She was scared and bloody.

 

But this is my blood, not hers. I didn’t do that to her today. I don’t have to do that to her again. She’s mine. I just have to convince Father to let me keep her. I didn’t rape her today. I don’t have to rape her again. I’ve done what I needed to do to protect her from that. I don’t have to do that again. This is my blood. I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t hurt her!  Zuko screwed his eyes shut trying to convince himself that he hadn’t hurt her again. This time he didn’t make it to the basin. The lid of the silver platter breakfast had been served on made a good substitute.

 

Katara raised her head when she heard Zuko retching. She laughed. It was hollow and hoarse. Her stomach was in knots, but he was the one throwing up.

 

Author’s Note:  I had a really rough week at work so I'm posting a few extra chapters for anyone who's following the story and is also  having one of those days and needs a little escape . Thank you for reading and Happy Friday to you all.