CHAPTER 1

"Katara, the Fire Lord wants to see you."

"Coming!" the eighteen year old Katara yelled over her shoulder to the guard then quickly raced out of the waiting room to the war room. 'The Fire Lord has never sent for me before, I hope I'm not in trouble.' she thought as she ran down the hall. Katara was a servant in the royal palace of the Fire Nation and had been for ten years. Her father and mother had died a long time ago.

Her father was killed when the Fire Lord came to the South Pole to look for slaves and her mother was killed by a virus that claimed many in the Fire Nation a couple years later. Her older brother Sokka had escaped from the Fire Nation a few years ago. He told her he was going to come back and save her when he was ready to fight and Katara was fully prepared to wait for him. Sokka was not one to go back on his word.

Katara was born in the South Pole and scarcely remembers it. She had learned over the years that she was a waterbender, but didn't dare show anyone for fear of being killed. Through servant gossip she heard that the Fire Lord, Fire Lord Ozai, was going to attack the Air Nomads. When another servant asked why they said that he wanted to rule the world and wiping out those peace loving sissies was the best way to start. Katara was a little worried that, that was actually true, but then again they had the Avatar. His name was Aang and he was an Air Nomad who (this was the last she had heard) was at the North Pole learning how to waterbend. The Fire Lord wouldn't really be that stupid, would he?

Katara turned the corner and stood outside the curtains that led in to the war room. "The Fire Lord has sent for me." she said to one of the guards with as much strength she could muster. "My name's Katara." the guards looked at each other then one nodded and pulled back the curtain. As Katara walked in, her heart started to race. It was really hot in there! The Fire Lord was sitting behind his wall of fire looking at the entrance. The room was empty save for the two of them. Katara walked forward slowly afraid that she might step on a land mine. Once she was in front of the Fire Lord directly she kneeled in front of him and bowed. "You sent for me, Fire Lord?"

"You are the one they call Katara." he said back to her in a terribly calm voice.

"Yes Fire Lord." she answered him not looking up.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke again "Where did you come form?"

Katara still did not look up at him "The South Pole, sir."

Unbeknownst to Katara the Fire Lord raised an eyebrow at this, intrigued "I see. So you are the last of the peasant family I brought back from the South Pole." she did not answer him. "You may sit up." Katara was shocked by this, but raised her head obediently. She sat on the ground kneeling with her back strait and her head held high in front of the Fire Lord. Katara forced herself to breath evenly as she looked at the most feared man in all of the Fire Nation. She glared up at him for all the pain and hurt he's made her and her family go through. The Fire Lord saw her glaring at him and it only made him smile which made Katara's heart skip a beat out of fear. "I've been watching you Katara and have had my guards and other servants watch you and report back to me." Katara didn't know where he was going with this, but whatever it was it wasn't going to be good. "You have done your work well and are very reliable…at least that is what I am told. I am here to tell you that you are now mine and my family's personal servant from now on."

She hadn't really heard the last part; all she thought was that he had hundreds of servants working in the palace so why had he been keeping tabs on her? Before Katara could think better of it she asked. "Sir," The Fire Lord glared down at her, but did not speak. Katara swallowed "You have hundreds of servants all over the palace. Why is it that you were keeping tabs on me and why would you chose me?"

After a few moments the Fire Lord spoke "I do not have to answer to a servant."

Katara glared at him again and courage stared to climb in her heart "I have a right to know!" she stated firmly.

The Fire roared to life and the room became hot and humid. "You are a servant you have no right to anything!!"

Katara was just as angry now. She stood up hands fisted at her side while almost yelling at the Fire Lord "I'm not just a servant! I'm a person too!! I have feelings and I have a right to know when and why someone is keeping tabs on me!!"

The Fire Lord stood as well then walked down to stand in front of Katara. She was terrified and wanted to scream her sincerest apologies to him, but her pride wouldn't let her. Ozai slapped Katara across the face so hard the she slammed on the ground and hit her head. "WRONG! YOU ARE A SERVANT MENT TO SERVE AND HAVE NO RIGHT TO ANYTHING!! YOU HAVE NO PURPOSE OTHER THEN TO SERVE ME!! I OFFER YOU A CHANCE TO SERVE ME AND MY FAMILY BETTER AND YOU JUST IGNORE IT?!" The young women laid there stunted for a moment then pulled her self off the ground. She felt something wet trickle down her mouth and moved her hand to catch it. 'Blood!' she thought. She looked up glaring at the Fire Lord mad as ever. Ozai looked down at her and smiled, but the anger was in his eyes. Her glare only became fiercer and his smile only larger. Katara didn't know it, but they had an audience. The Fire Lords guards and attendants, other servants and the Prince and Princess were all watching. They were all too stunned to do anything. No one had ever stood up to the Fire Lord and lived this long!

Katara forced her breath to be even and stood up ignoring her screaming muscles and pounding head. She glared at the Fire Lord and looked him in the eye "If you think you can scare me or hit me into thinking I am only a servant, you are very wrong!" Katara bowed to the Fire Lord as one of the nobles would bow to him "I must decline your offer." she stated then turned around and started walking out of the room. She forced her face to stay natural when she saw how many people had watched her. As she was nearing the entrance her head was pounding so much she could hardly walk strait. She made eye contact with Prince Zuko and kept staggering forward trying to keep some dignity, but her head was throbbing too hard she could hardly stand it any longer. Katara watched his eyes and as she neared him her breath was becoming shallower and her steps slower. Katara was next to the Prince when she couldn't stand it any more. Her throbbing head was pounding so loud she was sure everyone could here it. Her feet slipped under her and she fell into strong warm arms. Katara looked up at the surprised prince and smiled at him. Then she saw darkness cover her eyes.

..:-:..

When Katara awoke her head was still pounding but not as much as it had been. She sat up and held her head saying "Where am I?"

"You're in the waiting room's sick quarters, you stupid bitch."

Katara looked around the room not seeing anybody "Excuse me?"

"I said 'you're in the waiting room's sick quarters, you stupid bitch'."

"Oh," Katara fell back onto the bed "Hi Sang."

"Yo!" Sang said next to her and Katara looked at her friend with her hand still on her head.

"What happened?" Katara asked her.

"You mean before you totally pissed the Fire Lord off or after you fell into Prince Zuko's arms?" Sang asked her back sarcastically.

Katara sighed "The second one." she thought for a minute about what Sang had said "Wait, I fell into Prince Zuko's arms?!"

"Yep." Sang stated simply.

Throwing the covers over her head Katara said "I'm dead for sure!"

"Nope." Sang again, stated simply.

Katara moved the covers from her eyes "What do you mean?"

This time Sang sighed "Well after you fell into Prince Zuko's arms the Fire Lord commanded that no one was to harm you, that you were Prince Zuko's servant from now on. I went to get you from Prince Zuko's arms, but then the Fire Lord said that you were Prince Zuko's problem now."

"Wait, I thought I was the whole royal families servant not just Zuko's." Katara asked.

"Prince Zuko." said Sang in a low voice.

Katara rolled her eyes "Whatever. Doesn't he already have a lot of personal servants? Why would he need another?"

"Well," Sang said standing up then walking over the water pitcher for water for the both of them "He does, but they don't follow him every where like you are going to."

Sang walked over to her and handed her the cup of water. "Thanks." Sang nodded. "So what do I do now?" Katara asked her.

She took a sip of her water as Sang replied "Prince Zuko said that after you are feeling better to report to his room."

Katara gulped down the rest of her water then stood up saying "Well, I guess I'll be going." Sang stood up too but, grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Wait Katara," Katara turned around to face her friend "Why did you do it?"

Katara made a confused face "Do what?"

Sang sighed "Talk back to the Fire Lord. I don't know what got into you Katara. If he had killed you I would've lost my best friend. Katara, you are the only person who is nice to me and like me for just being me. You're like my sister Katara. The sister I never had. That wouldn't be fair if you left me all alone."

Katara smiled warmly at her "I sorry Sang. You're like my sister too. And I would never intentionally leave you."

"Then why did you willingly put yourself in danger by talking back to the Fire Lord? Weren't you the least bit scared?" Sang said with a worried face.

"To tell you the truth Sang, I didn't think about it. I just thought, weather he's the Fire Lord or not he has not right to talk down to people like that. I know he's the Fire Lord, I know he's royalty and I know we're servants and that we serve him and his family, but he has no right to talk to any of us like we're lower then dirt."

"I know your right…" Sang said defeated. "just be careful." Katara nodded, smiled warmly at Sang then hugged her. She left the room as she waved goodbye to her friend.

The waterbender walked down the halls to Zuko's room occasionally stopping to bow to the nobles that passed her. Katara turned the last hall and after a few seconds she was shoved violently to the ground. She looked up to see the noble women Sun and her posse staring down at her. Katara got up and brushed herself off. She bowed to them then started walking again, but was stopped by a loud "HEY!" the waterbender turned around and looked at noblewomen Sun.

"Yes?" she asked confused.

"Aren't you going to apologize for shoving me?" Sun snapped.

'I didn't shove you, you arrogant brat! You shoved me!!' Katara thought, but all she did was bow and say "Sorry." she then proceeded to walk away again when Sun called her back. Before turning around Katara rolled her eyes 'What does she want now?'

"You are a servant, you bow properly to me!" Katara bowed again then straitened back up. Sun was glaring at her "That's not what I meant, you twit!" Katara narrowed her eyes just a bit, resisting the erg to punch her face in. Sun looked at her posse and they all smiled then shifted their smiles to Katara "Down on your hands and knees!" Katara did not move. "NOW!"

Katara took a deep breath then let it "I only bow like that to the Fire Lord. Too others, I bow as I did before. Now if you'll excuse me I must be going." she bowed once more, but when she was rising she was struck over the head causing her to fall to the ground.

Katara pulled herself into a sitting position while holding her head. The posse giggled "That's better." Sun said then kneeled down to Katara. She grabbed Katara's chin and made her look in her in the eye. "And besides, I'm going to be royalty soon enough. So you better get used to it." Katara pulled herself up of the ground and started to head to Zuko's room again. "I'm not done with you yet."

Katara let the breath she'd been holding in out slowly to control her anger. She turned around and said with a dead face "I have to go." she started walking again.

Sun turned red with anger and stamped her foot saying "You get back over here or I'll report you to the Fire Lord!!"

'How childish!' Katara thought rolling her eyes. Then faced the noble women again "I have to leave!" she said firmly with the most hostile glare she had ever given. She saw the girls flinch and Katara was beyond satisfied. The waterbender again started down the hall for the 6th time that day! Once she reached Zuko's room she knocked on his door. When there was no answer she opened the door slowly and when she saw no one was in there she went to the corner and waited.

After a minute or two she leaned her back against the wall then fell to the ground, exhausted. She knew it had only been a few minutes, but it felt like forever. The next thing she knew she was opening her eyes to the warm glow of the room. When had she even closed her eyes? Katara looked around to see that the sun had set and it was now dark. She didn't bother to get up or try anything else she just put her head down so she could go back to sleep. "Have a nice nap?" a voice said and Katara's head popped up, startled.

She looked around the room for the owner of the voice. When she didn't find one she asked the darkness "Who-who's there?"

"Well considering it's my room, I think it'd be pretty obvious." the voice said again.

Katara looked at the front door to see a handsome prince staring at her. "Prince Zuko!" she said shocked. She leaned forward to bow to him, but her forehead hit something hard causing her to recoil in surprise. She instantly cupped her hands over her forehead "OW! Dang it! What does the world have against my head anyway?!" Zuko started to chuckle and Katara pulled her hands down her face glaring at him. Zuko full on laughed now and the words slipped out of Katara's mouth before she could stop them. "What are you laughing at?" she clamped her mouth shut and looked up at the prince.

He walked over to her, his handsome smile fading then kneeled down in front of her. She put her hands down at her side and held his golden gaze. His eyes shifted to a stray lock of hair dangling in front of her face. He moved his hands and tucked it back behind her ears. Once that was done he looked her in the eyes again and said in a smooth voice "You." Katara's face flushed crimson red as she forced her breath to be even. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity when he finally said "I'm tired, you're excused. Be here at 9:00 tomorrow morning." Katara nodded, stood up, bowed low and turned to leave.

Once she got to the door she stayed to ask him a question before she left. "Prince Zuko," he looked at her so she continued "Did you wait for me to wake?"

The prince rose an eyebrow "If I say yes, what would be your response?"

Katara smiled warmly at him knowing he did wait for her to wake up "Thank you Prince Zuko." she bowed low again "Goodnight." as Katara turned and walked out she felt the prince's eyes follow her out and once she was free from view Katara smiled joyfully. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.