Falling, Fallen

Chapter 3: Fights

Weeks later Katara woke to a noise in the middle of the night. She looked to find Zuko tossing and turning in his bed, unable to sleep. She watched as he gets up, grabs a cloak and leaves.
The next morning when she wake up she doesn't bother to ask him where he went. He doesn't say much to her that day ether.
The next few nights to follow he did the same tossed and turned, woke up, grabbed a cloak and left again but by morning he was always back in his bed.
One morning while she followed him through the halls she decided to be brave. "Where do you go?" "Excuse me?" The prince asks halting in the middle of the hall. "At night? Where do you go?" Zukos face turns red but she's not sure if it's embarrassment or anger. "That's none of your business!" He yells as he starts down the hall again. The sudden snap attitude catches her by surprise.
Katara sat on the grass watching Zuko train in the courtyard wishing she was anywhere else.
"Hello Zuzu." A voice called from behind her. Katara stood up immediately taking a fighting stance. Even if she didn't have her bending she didn't trust the Fire Princess at all.
"Not now Azula." Zuko breathes grabbing the towel Katara had for him off the ground and wiped his face. "Oh come now. I was just coming to see how the little pet was liking her new home." She smirked her signature deadly smirk at Katara. Katara raised her chin not giving her the satisfaction. This only causes Azula'a eyes to narrow. "I asked you a question." Katara still remained silent. "She's very polite Zuzu I'll be sure to tell Father how well you train your servants." Was all she said before walking away.
Zuko grabbed her by the arm and put her up against a tree. "What is wrong with you?" He hissed. "Do you not understand that not only you make me look bad and like a weak prince when I can't even control my own slaves but that they will kill you here." "I don't care." "The only reason she didn't kill you was because you belong to me." "Stop saying that!" "You're a frustrating woman do you know that!" Zuko yelled throwing his hands up. "You don't know your place! Next time I will let Azula finish the job than deal with another water tribe peasant like you!" "I hope you do!" Katara bit back. He burned the tree down before storming off. But not before having a guard take her back to the room.
Two days have passed and she and the prince have ignored each other. Just whenKatara is almost missing the fighting Zuko pops off orders her to grab some tea. "You get it, you're closer." She says. "You're the slave I'm ordering you to get it." Katara grits her teeth. "Stop calling me that." Zuko turns to look at her, challenging her. "Get me the tea slave." Katara plasters on her best smile before standing up grabbing the tea cup and poring it over his head. "You dirty peasant."
Something in Katara snapped she couldn't take it anymore. A mixture of a sob and a scream came out of Katara's mouth as she tackled him over trying to do as much damage as she could without her bending. Zuko, taken completely by surprise they fall to the floor with a heavy thud. Katara not being very skilled with hand to hand fighting doesn't last long as Zuko flips them over with seemingly little to no effort. "I hate it here!" She screams struggling against him. "I hate you! I hate this place! I hate everything about this stupid Nation!" She yells swatting at him. "Enough!" He bellowed slamming her arms to the  ground. "I'm tired of you and your constant fight against me." Zuko hissed in a low voice. After a minute Katara gave up stilling knowing she didn't stand a chance hand to hand with him. Zuko released her after another minute and got off of her. He watched her and she finally gave in to her emotions sitting up and hugging her knees as she cried. "I want to go home." She whispered. Zuko felt a little ashamed before he fell asleep that night.
Zuko and Mai sat on a palace couch tangled up in each other relaxing."Tell me, if you could have anything you want right now, what would it be?" "Hm ... A big fancy fruit tart, with rose petals on top." "You know, being a prince and all, I might just be able to make that happen." Mai laughed. "That would be impressive." Zuko called over the water bender. "Do you think you could find a fresh fruit tart for the lady, with rose petals on top?" Katara nodded and walked away. The lack of fight she put out tugged at the guilt in him."I guess there's some nice perks that come with being royalty. Though there's annoying stuff, too. Like that all-day war meeting coming up." Zuko sat up. "War meeting? What are you talking about?" "Azula mentioned something. I-I assumed you were going, too." Zuko frowned. ".I guess I wasn't invited."
Once Mai leaves Katara follows Zuko to the bathhouse. Where they find Azula at the royal spa, getting her hair done. As soonZuko comes in and walks up to her not caring if he's interrupting her.
"Hello, Zuzu. If you've come for a royal hair-combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait." Azula said opening an eye at him. "So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up, huh? And apparently I'm not welcome there." Azula hults her servant from continuing her hair. "What do you mean? Of course you're welcome there." "Oh, yeah?! I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it!" "Oh, Zuko. Don't be so dramatic. I'm certain Dad wants you there. You probably just weren't invited because it's so obvious you're supposed to be there." She said waving him off. "Well, were you invited?" "Of course! I'm the princess." "And I'm the prince!" "Exactly, so stop acting like a paranoid child! Just go to the meeting." "Forget it! I'm not going!" That was the end of that conversation as he left the room Katara having to jog to keep up with his fast pace.
Zuko paced his room occasionally throwing something. Katara acting like a mime didn't help his anger. "Stop it!" He yelled at her stoic silence. This causes her to jump. "You're not acting like you!" "You told me not to." She defended. Zuko pulled the bun down from his head and threw the crown. Running is fingers through his hair. "What do you want me to do Prince Zuko?" "I want to argue! I want to fight! I want this stupid nagging feeling of guilt to go away!" He finally huffed. "Guilt?" Katara said shocked. "Just forget it stay here I will be back I need space away from you." Then he exited.
She didn't know if it was by accident or a test that he left the door unlocked but she took her chance and quickly scurried down the hall.
Trying to find a way outside she ran into two guards.
"Well well what do we have here?" One of them said giving her a look that brought her shivers. "Looks like a servant from the looks of things. And man isn't she a beauty." Another voice added. "Must be new I haven't seen her around." The two men looked her up and down. "Stay away from me." Katara stated knowing what was on their mind. They laughed. "A servant girl thinks she can order us around." "I mean it." Katara knew she still couldn't bend, with her chi blocked and all. She hated feeling so defenseless. One of the men twirled a lock of her hair in his fingers. "Get away from her now!" A booming voice rang out. The men jumped back. "Prince Zuko." They bowed. "Might I ask what you are doing with my slave." The two paled. "Oh she's yours?" They gulped. "Do you not look at the insignia on the cuffs or the arm bands that clearly give away that she is a royal servant? Or do you simply not care. " "I-uh-we-" They stammered. "Get out of my sight and don't me ever let me catch you touching something that does not belong to you again do you understand." "Yes Crowned Prince." They bowed and sped off.
They walked the halls toward his room in silence before she decided to speak up. "Thank you.." Katara whispered. "For what you did for me." "I didn't do it for you." He stated not bothering to even look at her as he stomped down the hall. "But you-" "Lets get one thing straight," He cut her off. "You're nothing more than a water tribe peasant. The only reason I stepped in at all back there is because you belong to me. And I do not share." He hissed with so much venom she flinched. "I own you. Slave." She frowned just went the thought he had some decency she was proven wrong. "Yes crowned Prince." She spat back.
Once in his room he went and sat at his desk still fuming looking over some scrolls. She stood in the middle of the room unsure of what to do. "Can I go to my room?" She asked gesturing to the door across from her. That held her room that was basically just big enough for the bed and that's all. "That is if you are finished with me and have nothing left or me oh great prince." She said under her breath. He caught it. "You know what no I'm not finished with you." Zuko said getting up from his chair and crossing the room to stand in front of her.
"Do you have any idea what could have happened if I hadn't showed up?" Before she could even answer him he continued on. "You never listen. I might hate every thing about you but I'm trying to protect you and you can't listen to one command. Stay put. That's all I asked. Was that hard to obey? No." "I don't like obeying you!" She yelled back at him. "I'm not a slave I am-" "You are a slave!" Zuko shouted once again cutting her off. "You are my slave. Wether you like it or not you are mine to belong to me. I can order you and do whatever I please because I am the Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation. I restored my own honor when the Avatar was killed in Ba Sing Se." Katara struggled a masked face so to keep from letting the secret out that she had saved Aang.
"And I thought I could trust you in the catacombs." She whispered. And for some reason that stung him. "You thought wrong. This is who I am." They held each others stare for a moment before he huffed. "Go to your room leave me." The prince turned waving her off. And she waisted no time doing so. "You're as terrible as your father." She hissed before closing the door behind her.