Borealis: A Zutara Story

Chapter 84

“Katara, calm down you’ll sink the ship,” Zuko screamed she wriggled in his lap.

“Waterbender remember?”  Katara growled bringing her hands together behind him and circling in what she hoped was a good enough bending motion. The ship violently lurched to the left.

Zuko grabbed her arms, “Katara stop.”

“For what purpose? Jet was right. There is no such thing as good people from the Fire Nation. My master’s final lesson was that I should drown every one of you,” Katara ranted feeling the water surrounding the ship and guiding it towards her as she struggled in Zuko’s grasp.

“Your brother and the Avatar are on the lower decks.  The Avatar is in chains and your brother does not bend.  The people you really want to harm have access to life rafts,” Mu advised calmly.

Katara stopped just as the ship’s captain used her master key to throw open the door.

“Admiral, I understand this is your command, but this is my cabin and I did not give you permission to enter.” Zuko barked in her direction.

”My apologies Prince Zuko, but several of the pipes and fresh water barrels burst when the ship started rocking. We were afraid you had been overcome by the Waterbender.”

“No Mu has brought me news of Lady Mai and she took advantage of the distraction. As you can see I have subdued her,” Zuko advised as the admiral raised an eyebrow in his direction.

“Really?” the admiral and Ursa’s cousin intoned dryly. She frowned at her younger relative then dismissed the men who had followed her. “That must have been some news considering she almost capsized the boat with her hands tied and the ropes binding them looped behind your back. Too bad she’s not Fire Nation; I could use a woman that can get the best of two trained soldiers forcing them to take action to subdue her while she’s trussed up like a solstice pig-turkey.”

Mu saluted her, “My apologies Admiral Chu-hua, if you’ll excuse me I’d like to go check on the animals.”

She nodded then added, “Since you will be passing by the brig return with the prisoner’s status.”

His second trip was not necessary as a crewman ran up and saluted, “Admiral Chu-hua, the lower level is taking on water. The animals and prisoners are in danger. Should I sound the alarm to report to the life rafts?”

The woman looked at Katara, “Well Waterbender, should we sound the alarm or can you behave well enough to reverse the damage?”

Remembering what Mu said about Sokka she agreed to remove the water.  The admiral guided Zuko and Katara to the lower levels where she bended the water out of the portholes in which it had come in from. They then went to the engine room where Katara cooled the escaping steam so the engineers could repair the piping.  Only one, an older woman, thanked her.

Azula was already there barking out orders in between frequent reports of the ship’s status.  “Well Brother, it looks like you should stick to turtleducks since this pet has proven to be too much for you to handle.”

The crew laughed and shared knowing looks certain the princess was going to demand custody of the prisoner.  The Fire Lord had placed the Ursa in her hands so her orders trumped her brothers.

“I can handle her just fine,” Zuko snarled, taking a step forward using his physical bulk to intimidate his sister; instinctively asserting himself like an animal when an outsider invaded his territory and threatened to take his mate.

Azula unconsciously leaned back, righting her posture when she realized she had done so. “Perhaps you should try handcuffs or a whip since that leash you’re using doesn’t appear to work.”

“You would know all about that wouldn’t you, Azula? Unlike your pets, my pet really doesn’t want to run away. She’s shy just like a tigerdillo,” Zuko smirked regaining the upper hand.

The men burst into raucous laughter. Tigerdillo’s were known for their ferocious roars and appearance. In reality they were playful, timid creatures that rolled into balls at any hint of danger. They made good family pets since they were social creatures and often craved affection.  The term was also used to describe women who pretended to be modest but were insatiable and eager to please in the bedroom.

“Get back to work!” Azula barked once again upset she hadn’t been able to shake Zuko’s newfound confidence and that he’d again mentioned the one insecurity she’d unwittingly exposed at Ember Island.

The men quickly turned away and resumed the tasks assigned to them. 

 

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Admiral Chu-hua had watched the entire exchange with little amusement. She was glad Zuko was finally growing a spine but she didn’t like the reason for it or the form it was taking. She beckoned him to her side in the sole dry corner and spoke low so that he’d be the only one to hear her, “Don’t you think it was rather inappropriate to defend a whore by insulting your sister.”

“Katara is not a whore,” he replied harshly.

The admiral glared at his continued defense of her. He’d been defending her from the moment she was captured, shamelessly flaunting her in front of his fianceé and proclaiming her is concubine instead of a war prisoner, “You are neither her husband nor her betrothed, yet she spreads her legs for you. She is a whore.”

“That is enough Admiral,” Zuko growled.

“Prince Zuko your mother was like a younger sister and I loved her dearly. Do not take offense at what I am about to say as I mean it with the good intentions of a relative who is older and wiser. You are Ozai’s son. His passionate blood runs strongly inside of you.  Kill the Waterbender lest you follow his footsteps.”

“Chu-hua since you are my mother’s cousin and I know your words have no ill will in them I will pretend we did not have this conversation,” Zuko said coldly as he stepped away from her.

Zuko knew exactly what she meant by saying she was following in his father’s footsteps. His father’s love for his mother could only be described as obsessive.  Many believed it was because he waited too long to taste a woman that when he did his desire for her consumed him. Ozai was two years older than Ursa and at the betrothal age of twelve completely smitten.  He angered Azulon and set a new precedent by refusing to sleep with the proxy her family provided instead choosing to hold onto his virginity until she came of age. 

After the betrothal was consummated he continued to refuse the concubines sent by Azulon to complete his manly education. He shamed both his father and brother by declaring he would only have Ursa or his hand.  She was married and already mother months before the standard age for marriage.  Her pregnancy was difficult do to youth and lack of physical development. She almost died twice once during her sixth and seventh months as well as again during Zuko’s premature delivery.

When Ozai said he was lucky to be born he meant it.  He’d ordered the physicians on several times to kill the child to end her suffering and save her. He was not the heir; he didn’t need children to continue his line. He was happy just to have her.

Ursa overturned those orders with Azulon’s support.

As Ozai grew older his feelings for his wife grew stronger. He’d killed several men for what he considered was an affront to her: nobles smiling too kindly or for too long, his advisor’s inquiring of her health, a servant for being too attentive.   He continued to refer to his late wife in the present tense. Her clothes remained in his chambers, he had servants perform their upkeep and he still slept on his side of the bed.

Zuko was a year older than Ozai when he lost his virginity. She feared he’d become obsessed with Katara; a part of him believed those fears were legitimate.