Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Nothing But Your Servant ❯ Returning The Pet ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disaclaimer: I do not own Avatar.

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~Zenaida~

Zuko inspected the robe that he had me suited for and smirked. Not his ordinary evil smirk. A different kind of smirk. He had both hands behind his back when he turned around to the tailor.

" Your are dismissed." he said and the old tailor quickly evacuated the room. To me he said, " This will do. Let's go."

My heart beat so hard in my chest as I followed Zuko through the halls. Words couldn't express how I felt at the moment. So scared and mortified I felt nauseous. The Firelord had added another permanent scar to my list and oh, was it a big one. Huge. And here I was, walking to the executioning room where he was going to be the executioner.Well really, I was walking to the dining hall, but it felt like I was walking to my deathbed. Every piece of my body wanted to turn and run back, and the moment we got to those tall and wide double doors, that's exactly what they did. Well...that's exactly what they had planned to do, except Zuko had grabbed my wrist as I turned away.

" Get in there or else your going to die." he threatened and pulled open the doors before shoving me in. My knees buckled the moment I seen him grinning at me from the head of the table. He was waiting for me like he said he would. He was testing me like he said he would, and here was the test I had to pass or else I'd be burned to ashes. Zuko grabbed my arm and easily pulled me to the table. I could feel multiple eyes burning holes through me as he pushed me in the seat beside him and right next to the head of the table where the Firelord sat.

I placed my hands over my lap under the table to hide them since they were shaking violently. I kept my eyes on the food to keep them from looking at the Firelord Ozai. In addition to the fear, awkwardness came from eating at the royal table with royal people. I almost wanted to get up and serve them there food. Well, mainly to get out of this place, too. I watched as they ate their food as if nothing was different.
Were they not aware that a servant was dining with them or were they blind?

Zuko stopped eating and gave me an annoying look.

" Why aren't you eating?" he demanded to know and I instantly turned red. Damn, I need to control my blushing. I probably look like a tomato right now, especially because everyone stopped eating and stared at me waiting for an answer.

" I-I....." I trailed off because the big lump in m throat was building and it felt like I was beginning to suffocate, so I looked down at my food and....

~Zuko~

She began eating her food as if she hadn't eaten in a long time. Everyone watched in amazement as she downed the rice, noodles, and fish in no time at all. I had to smirk because she had this determined expression on as she did this. As we watched, I heard someone clear their throat and I looked up to see Ty Lee staring at me. I gave her a curious look and she flicked her eyes over to her left side where Mai was watching me intensely. But honestly, I didn't give a damn right now. Right now I was worried about what was going to happen. The air was thick and heavy in the room so I knew something had to be up.

Once Zenaida was done with her food, which was in less than a minute, she sat back in her chair relaxed. A satisfied grin spread across her face and when my father chuckled, it quickly disappeared. Sitting straight back up in her chair, she let her eyes fall to her hands that lay in her lap. I knew she was scared. I know everyone knew she was scared as well.

" How is the food, Zenaida?" my father asked in a teasing, but low voice. His grin he showed to her even gave me chills that ran down my spine, and I bet it had the same affect on everyone at the table. Well, of course everyone except Azula, who sat their smirking evily. Ty Lee looked back and forth from my father, Zenaida, then me before looking back down at her food.

" It is very good, Firelord Ozai. Thank you for inviting me to such a lovely meal." she said unemotionally as she kept her face down. My father's smile disappeared and he went back to eating his food. What was all of this about? I really wanted to know because something is off. Heh, when is something not off when I'm in this palace.

A servant soon came to place a bowl filled with a different variety of fruits in front of her. Father smiled and put his bowl down before leaning on the table to get closer to her. Zenaida stared at the bowl for a moment looking even more mortified. I watched the way my father picked up a piece of fruit and held it in front of her closed mouth with a grin.

" Open your mouth." he said and I watched Zenaida's jaw clench while she took a deep breathe. It sickened me that my father was acting like this. Especially in front of me. Ugh...

I felt a twinge of sympathy for my servant as she glanced at me from the corner of her mouth before splitting her pink plump lips. I turned away as my father ran the moist piece of fruit on her bottom lip before placing it in her mouth. I hated being here. It was bad enough that I was having feelings for this Zenaida. But it just had to get worse by my father acting the way he's acting toward her......in front of his kids! This is disgusting......

" Is the fruit good?" I could hear my father say and I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He was running the back of his pointer finger down her cheek gently while she kept her eyes down still. When his finger reached the edge of her jawline, he placed it under and lifted her head up to make her look at him. " Do not be afraid to show off those beautiful eyes of yours."

Ugh, I'm going to throw up. Half of me does really want to throw up, but the other half wants to burn my father to ashes for treating her the way he was. I can't ignore the fact that I had grown slightly fond of her. But like the damn good son I was, I kept my mouth shut and my face down.

" Come with me, Zenaida. I'd like to show you the beautiful view of the Fire Nation from the terrace." my father said and I had a bad feeling about them being alone again. My father held his hand out to her and she looked around the table as if she was searching for help. But no one would stand up to my father. No one. And she found this out quick when she slowly brought her hand over his, but then gasped and snatched it back before he could grab it.

She shouldn't have done that........she shouldn't have done that! Now my father is going to-

" I won't hurt you...." he said lowly, but the evil grin on his face completely betrayed his words. Zenaida glanced at me one more time. She looked like the world was about to end as she slipped her hand in his and allowed him to hold her hand. Suddenly his fist lit on fire and she screamed as he yanked her out of her seat. " You will obey me when I tell you to do something!"

" Aahh!" she screamed as she tried to yank her hand out of his but I knew his grip was too strong and her resistance would only make him more furious. Soon the flame had engulfed her whole arm and no more tears fell from her face. Only her painful sobs filled the room as my father dragged her out to the terrace, her body lying limp as he did.

" She deserves it....." Azula hissed and chuckled. Why does everyone seem to know so much more about her except me? I spend every damn minute with her!

" What do you mean, Azula? Did you set her up again!?" I demanded to know, getting even more furious at her evil smile as I stood swiftly from my seat causing it to fall over. But she only gave an innocent smile before standing up more gently.

" I had never set her up, Zuzu. She had set herself up. And why do you care so much? Don't tell me that your growing fond of your pet." her evil and menacing voice made me want to chop her into pieces, but if I were to act so harshly, everyone would know exactly how I felt about the servant. So I kept my face straight and shook my head.

" It's just wrong the way he's treating her. She didn't even do anything!" I exclaimed as I pointed to the open archway to the terrace where her sobs still could be heard from. Ty Lee's eyes widened and Mai rolled her eyes at my reaction to the situation. Azula's smile faded and she glanced down at Mai.

" Would you react the same way if he did the same thing to Mai, Zuko?" I was shocked that she asked such a question as Mai shot an evil glace at Azula. I was disappointed when I thought about this question for a while because I didn't really know if I would act the same way. Ugh, what am I thinking again?

" No, I would act much worse for a person I love......" I said and smiled at her, glad my answer could go two ways. I would act much worse by not caring about what happened to her. Or I would act much more worse by killing my father.

After a silent moment, I was satisfied to see Mai smiling and blushing. Ty lee was giggling at the moment and Azula was scowling once again.

I tried to move Zenaida out of my head as I layed down in bed that night, but I could still hear her screams and sobs in my head. Everytime I tried to close my eyes, they'd shoot back open because one thing or another of her would pop up in my head. And those screams. Those screams are still haunting me and I can't sleep even though my eyes are burning with exhaustion. Why can't she just get out of my head!?

" Oh, Zukoooo!" Azula's voice called behind the door before it swung open, her evil face shining in the moonlight that shone through my window. She pulled something from behind her and pushed Zenaida's unconcious body on the floor. " Father wanted me to deliver her to you. He wanted to make sure that she gets the best care she can get."

I stared at Zenaida's unconcious body as Azula kicked it over to my bed before leaving and slamming the door. Even in the dark I could see the purple marks covering her whole neck this time and her left arm burned so bad enough to where some skin was peeling back already. I could see that she had a bruise on the left side of her jaw and her right eye was blackened by another bruise. I stared in astonishment for a moment. The bottom part of her robe had been ripped off and and little cuts sat on her lips.

~Zenaida~

I woke up to see Zuko rubbing something cool over my burnt arm. This room.....is his room. What the hell hap-the Firelord.....that's what happened....Ugh, I remember all of it now.....

" Stay still, Zenaida." he demanded as he wrapped it up in bandages. My pain and humiliation melted away as I watched him use his teeth to tear the bandage and wrap it around my arm. He looked so.....nice and sweet but still mean. The moonlight seemed to shine on him perfectly at the moment as he put the extra bandages aside and stared at my bruised face and neck. The shame and memories flooded back and tears burned my eyes. I can't believe I look like this in front of the person I want to be with. He probably thinks of me as some whore who only survives by allowing to be bed by his dad.

I didn't like to cry. I believed that crying should only be used when someone dies, but it was a stupid thing to follow because I cried almost everyday from getting yelled at. I was ashamed once again. People watched and heard as I got burned and beaten and raped by their own Firelord! I wiped the tears that had managed to escape my eyes and looked away, feeling that I had stooped so low in my life. The very slim chance of being with Zuko had perished and I knew that I had to leave this place or burn it to the ground. I couldn't stay here with that abusive man!

" Zenaida......" he said lowly and slowly brought his cold hand to my face. I could feel the tips of my fingers run over the part of my face that had not been injured. " What did my father do to you...."

" He beat me and raped me, Zuko! What do you think he did!?" I was angry with people refusing to acknowledge that their Firelord did this to me when the whole damn kingdom heard my screams! Zuko scowled at me and shook his head. I knew he could never accept me as anything but his servant, so I refused to act like the innocent little girl I was only half of. " I'll go back to my room now."

He watched me as I struggled to get up and suddenly I felt his strong grip around my wrist. Turning around to see what the hell he wanted, I seen that he was looking away.

" Just stay here tonight. At least from here I can watch you before you fall into the hands of my father again." he murmured and got up. " I'll get a mat for me. Just stay in my bed. Do not leave, do you hear me?"

Nodding in excitement that I was staying in his room, he walked out of the room , leaving me in the darkness. I was staying in Prince Zuko's room.....because he wanted to watch over me! Whooo-wee....won't this be the ride of my life.

I could still remember the Firelord's hands running over my body. The way he had pushed me up against the wall and ripped my robe. The way he bit my lips and suckled on the blood tht had leaked out. The way he had claimed my neck with his mouth. I wish now that I had blacken out and wiped that smile off his face. He is the reason I'm shoving my face in the pillow to try and suffocate my sobs.

" Zenaida, don't suffocate. Just......just go ahead." Zuko said from his mat on the floor with a sigh. But I didn't want t cry outloud. It was horrible enough that I'm crying in his room and wetting his pillows. I hated that I was now hiccuping from my crying. Once Zuko understood that I wouldn't cry outloud, he growled in frusturation and got up from the mat. I was lying on my stomache so he grabbed my shoulder and gently flipped me over. Suddenly I felt that I was crying for a different reason. I was crying because he was so.....wow. So wow. Yeah, that's all I could say. The moonlight showed off his masculine torso and arms off too well for the moment. " Just cry, okay? It's alright......"

The statement made tears fall out of my eyes harder and I brought my legs up to my chest before digging my head into my knees and sobbing. I was so angry at the man who decided whether I lived or died. I was ashamed that I was treated like garbage!

I could feel him sitting next to me on the bed which caused me to look up at him in suprise. His face was so soft and gentle that I couldn't help resting my head on his shoulder. I forgot about what our occupations were for just a moment as I sobbed into his shoulder. His strong arm wrapped around my own shoulders and dragged me closer to him.

He was holding me! He was letting me cry on his shoulder! Hell, he was in the same bed with me! Well, heh, not exactly in the position I want him to be in but we're touching, so I got somewhere.

" Zenaida.....stay close to me, okay?" he said lowly and that brought nothing but confusuion to me, but I nodded because he wanted me close which caused the butterflies in my stomache to have babies to more excited little butterflies! Yes everyone in the world, Prince Zuko wanted ME close. Hah, I sound snobby. I need to stop.

" Prince Zuko, thank you......" I said lowly, shy that I was in his arms and not exaclty sure on how to act. Hm, I guess I'll just do whatever I feel like since I won't be able to be his servant for a while.

" Just get some rest, Zenaida, okay?" he said and began to get up from the bed. Turning to me the moment he slid off of his bed, he smiled and pushed a stray hair out of my face, which made me burn hard from his touch again. I think he did it unconciously because he looked taken back by his own action and snatched his hand back, also blushing a slight red. " Good night."

" Night." I replied and felt bad that he was sleeping on the floor, but was too exhausted from to offer him his bed and fell asleep.