atla one shots

18- prisoner Zuko

What if, when Zuko arrived back at the palace, instead of being accepted, Azula told the truth, that she had killed the avatar, and Ozai, the bastard he is, decided to lock his son up? Not in any prison though, but one we're familiar with: the boiling rock.

Zuko pov

I stumble as a guard shoves me from behind, but the fact that I just came from the cooler, and was still partially frozen, was not something the guards or anyone, really cared about. I can't say I was surprised by Azula's betrayal, but that Ozai didn't kill me immediately? I was surprised by that. Now I know. He just wanted it to be a slow and torturous death. However, I will not die here. I won't.

I stumble into my room, falling to my knees as the chains are yanked into position, leaving me with my arms tied to separate walls, stretching me to the limit, and offering no warmth from anywhere. This was Ozai's doing. He demanded I be strung up, and to be taken, periodically to the coolers, and if I was forgotten, then oh well! But, I had to remain alive, until after Sozin's Comet. That was the only term he set.  Pathetic, right? My stomach rumbles, hungry and a bit thirsty. They were giving me the minimal amount of water, leaving me often with dry lips and dying throat, but they only gave me about a cup every 3 hours, and never was there any food. 

The other prisoners, they are allowed to beat on me, when I am let out into the yard, but so far that's only happened once, and I still have a column of pain along my ribs, from where I'm pretty sure some ribs are broken. I know I won't ever be saved, not with Uncle who knows where, unaware I've been captured, and this being the boiling rock... well, no one will ever come for me. Never.

I sigh, but decide to fall asleep, not bothered at all by the position, since I had lived on a ship and  one thing I asked Uncle to do was stretch my limbs, until they ached and I was crying. It hurt,and for a while, I thought it was pointless, but guess again! Sleep comes and I let it, collapsing into the black.

I jerk awake when a clang resounds, before blinking. Someone's in the doorway, and they're obviously not a friendly, but I can't do anything, so I just look at them. The chains shift and I wince, almost hidden, as they chuff against my wounded wrists. They might be infected, with the way my skin feels dry and my tongue the desert, but it's not like I'll actually get treatment. However, as I'm prepared to die, the shape moves forward and I see the blue of water tribe first. I sigh, but can't help the slight sag against my chains. Then, the chains are jerked one way, stretching my arm beyond it's limit and I jerk, the arm almost coming out of its socket. 

"Sorry, kid, but I don't know which way each chain goes, so this might dislocate one of your shoulders.  However, even I recognize the banished prince. Why are you here?"

"My sister betrayed me and Ozai wanted me to have a slow death. Why else? Not like someone would care enough to rescue me. Hell, you're probably only doing this because I'm a kid. No one cares, except Uncle and he isn't even aware I'm here. Why... why aren't I good enough for my father's love? Did I do wrong?"

"I can't tell ya kid. But, I can tell you, that you can't have done anything wrong, not at least, in the eyes of a normal parent, so whatever he did, it was not right. Especially this. You sound resigned. Well, guess what? You're coming with me, and you're going to learn to deal, because the avatar needs you. My daughter's friend, Toph, was insistent we get you out, and Aang agreed, so let's go."

My other arm, the left one, pops out of socket as he yanks the wrong way, but I bit my lip to muffle any sound I would make. Damnit, and it'll hurt more to put it back into place. The chains are gone, and I almost topple forward,but arms catch me and pick me up. I let myself be carried, because pain and starvation are not good things to combine, least of all when you're trying to escape somewhere. I sigh and hide my face as we race past cells and guards, the guards knocked out. The cold is still seeping in everywhere, but the warmth surrounding me is making it a bit better.