Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Nothing But Your Servant ❯ I Don't Want Him To Touch You ( Chapter 9 )

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

~Zuko~

" Zenaida, close the bathroom door. We need some privacy." I called to her and she appeared in the doorway with a bow before the door closed. My uncle glanced at me before looking back down to his tea with a little smile.

" My nephew, what happened at the market yesterday? It's buzzing all around the kingdom." he said curiously while bringing the tea cup to his thin lips.

" We just ran into some harassers. I don't know what's the big deal." I said, and it was the truth. I just jailed some people for threatening to harm us.

" That's not what the kingdom is buzzing about, Prince Zuko. It's about the girl with the beautiful eyes that can earthbend." he said, his voice getting completely serious while looking up at me. I knew that he was going to tell me the consequence of her being an earthbender, but I already knew.

" I know, Uncle, I know. Father is going to want her even more since there are so many ways he can use her against our enemies, especially in capturing the Avatar." I said lowly while staring into the cup of tea I never drink. Zenaida was going to go through so much. Damn, why did I have to bring her into the market? Nothing good came out of that.

" He's going to have to go through some things with her to ensure she knows whose side she's on." he said while taking another sip of his tea. I knew exactly what he meant. He'd rape her and beat her until she understood who she worked for and who was her master. The plot in using her was obvious. I wasn't sure what I was going to do because I don't want her harmed anymore. She was really the only person that listened to me and if I were to agree with what was going to be done with her, she'd probably hate me for all time.

" I know, but I don't want her to be hurt anymore, Uncle. I don't know what I'm going to do." I said, really talking more to myself than my uncle who was pouring himself another cup of tea.

After my uncle left, I was still in deep thought about what to do. I had just reclaimed my honor in the kingdom and I didn't want to ruin it once again by doing something foolish. But I didn't want her to get hurt once again. Oh, somebody help me.

~Zenaida~

I sat in my corner on my knees as I watched him lay on his back with his hands tucked neatly beneath his head. I could see a cloud of frusturation lingering above his head. Should I ask him what's wrong? Hm, why not?

" Prince Zuko, do you mind if I ask what's troubling you?" I said lowly as I looked up at him with warm eyes. The fact that he was troubled really did trouble me and the moment his burning eyes looked down at mine, I quickly regretted asking the question.

" Stay in my room tonight, is that understood?" he said sharply and I jumped a little at the anger in his voice. I nodded and brought my eyes back down. The curiousity in the way he was acting made my stomache twist and turn in either excitement or fear. I had an awkward feeling in my gut that I had to push away to keep my thinking straight about what was going to happen. Things have been feeling kind of wierd today and that feeling was so strong that I couldn't exactly ignore it. My efforts went to waste on that.

" Zenaida, I'm going to be honest with you. Some bad things are going to happen now that people know that your an earthbender......" he said, back into his original position while he looked up at the cieling. The statement completely spoke the feeling of my gut. The feeling was released but replaced with another aching one that made me stand up.

" Prince Zuko, I won't let him touch me again. I can't. I almost cracked last time......" I said worriedly, feeling like I want to pull out my hair. All of the memories of how he touched me and burned me and broke me just flooded back into my mind. My chest ached as the reality of how much worse the Fire Lord was getting with me everytime he had gotten his hands on me. It was bad last time and I could've sworn I was on the brink of death. I knew that if he were to try anything like that then the palace would cave into the ground.

" I know, Zenaida. I won't let him hurt you either." he said lowly before sitting up in bed, the memories of my status back then hitting him as well. He got up and looked out of the window. " Go to your room and only bring a pack of necessary things. Hurry." he said and I could already see a plan forming in his head. A plan that I didn't know would work or not, but I did as he said. I grabbed the small pack that was the only thing I ever carried with me and brought it back to his room to find him examining maps over his desk. His uncle stood next to him and they spoke in hushed tones as I set my pack on the side.

" Zenaida, be ready to leave by sundown." Prince Zuko said as he left the room in a hurry. As the door slammed shut, I glanced at his Uncle who was studying the map as well. I had no clue what was going on and I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out. Things were happening too quick for my own liking. I protect the prince of the Fire Nation from getting stabbed- even though I know he could've perfectly handled it himself- and now I realize that I just set myelf up for another raping session with his father! What the hell! I don't un-

" Zenaida, do you know what is going on?" his uncle asked me after turning away from the maps and walking up to me. I shook my head. " Prince Zuko is going to request for a fleet of ships to search for the Avatar. If the request is granted, then he will be the commander of the fleet and will take you with him."

" But what if the Fire Lord does not let me go! It's bad that I have to stay here with him, but it's going to be even worse if Zuko isn't here, General Iroh. The only reason I've chose to stay at this palace is because of him, not because I want to sit around and wait to be summoned so I could get beat and raped again." the tears were falling rapidly down my cheeks at the thoughts of what were going to happen. But the general nodded and sighed.

" I understand your pain, Zenaida, but I know he'll do anything to get you out of here and so will I. Just try to relax for now, okay?" he said in a calming voice and I nodded, thinking that my outburst was overdone.

~Zuko~

" You may, my son. But are you planning to take your servant with you?" he asked as he sat on his throne, his hand scratching his chin thoughfully with a little grin on his face. As the evil thoughts played in his head, I couldn't help but wanting to dip his and my sister's head in lava.

" Yes, Father. She has proved to be very helpful and I believe that as we travel, we can use her as a good tool to retrieve information about the Avatar." I said, trying to match the evilness in his thoughts. He smiled and got up from his throne.

" You don't fool me at all, Zuko. You've actually have come to care for that little pet of yours, hm? Well, no matter. I don't care what you do with her now. But if I do grant you this fleet, and you say you will use her well, then I expect the Avatar to be captured in less than a year, is that understood?" he asked and I was greatful that he was being this generous. But I knew there was going to be a catch because he rarely acts like this.

" Yes, Father." I said and my gut had won it's point when my father chuckled evily and began to scratch his chin again.

" You may leave after lunch today, but I want you to bring her to lunch to discuss her role in this. You are dismissed." he said in a tone I wasn't sure what to make out of. I left the room in wonder of what was going to happen. I would have to bring her to the lunch even though I didn't want to. I explained to Zenaida and my uncle what was going to happen, and to my suprise, Zenaida nodded understandingly.

" If he's going to do it one more time, then I don't care. As long as I'm out of this place right after that." she said as she sat on my bed with an expression mixed with dismay and relief. It kind of worried me how much she accepted the fact that she'll probably get raped again, but I still didn't want that to happen. I didn't want my father to touch her again. I'd be suprised if he didn't, but if he did, I'm not sure what I'd do.

" I'm not going to let him touch you, again, Zenaida. So don't say that." I said as I walked over to her and placed a peck on her lips. She held that dreamy look in her eyes once again before she held both of my hands.

" I just want to get it over with, okay? Just let him have his way for now and everything will be fine after." she said in a soothing voice that did nothing to soothe the flame burning inside me. I ripped my hands from hers and walked to the window where my uncle was looking outside of.

" Do you want to get hurt again? Do you really want to?" I asked her, sounding more angry than I really wanted to sound. I glanced at her to see that she had stood up now and was staring at her palms.

" No, I don't. But there is always a price for freedom, Prince Zuko. Would you like me to begin packing your things?" she asked and me and my uncle both truned around to look at her, both shocked at how quickly she had managed to changed the subject. But I chose to ignore what was coming ahead as well so I nodded to her before me and my uncle began to speak about what areas we planned to search.