Zutara- Whats Love without Tragedy (Lemon)

Restoring

Katara (Yami)

That fucking bastard! Spirits how I hate him!
Wrapping my arms around my own trembling body, I could only find comfort in myself as I sat on an expensive hand-me-down couch Sui Seikuh received as a gift, many years ago.

"What happened in there? It's unusual for the Fire Lord to have any women in his study. Just as unusual for His Highness to spend more than two or three hours with any women". Sui Seikuh asked me from across the room as I looked up at her.

"..I ..I.. was stupid.." I slouched down admitting.
For a moment in there, we were having a good time.. just talking, laughing, it felt so nice speaking to someone I knew... then.. then just like that he changed! Harshly.
Now I'm being forced to have this stupid bender restriction choker on... I don't even have my mother's necklace anymore.

Closing my eyes I remembered Zuko's action from earlier putting my mother's necklace in a small box, and locking it away.
"..I need to get away.." My arms still wrapped around myself as tears rolled down my open mouth. A deep emotional pain settled in.

"Yami! Don't say that!" Sui Seikuh yelled out loudly clapping her hands together causing me to abundantly open my eyes.

"It's true..."

"Yami if someone else hears you, you could be in serious trouble."
Sitting next to me Sui Seikuh rubbed my back as tears continued to roll down my cheek.
" I don't know what infatuation the Fire Lord has with you but you should know that's still dangerous talk. My orders are simple... You can not leave. You can not speak to anyone."

Sighing Sui Seikuh's finger brushed the flyaway hairs from my eyes.
"When you work here you're not a slave ..technically... but you still can not just leave. After about 3 or 5 years perhaps you can visit family, only with permission of course... And that pass is only issued for 3 days. Running away is a death sentence".

"why in the world would you want to work here?" I asked through teary eyes.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. truly...
Working here earns you a great amount of respect. Most people apply in their mid-20s, and only the best are chosen. Then in about 10 years if you survive, you're allowed to apply for leave with an honorable token. It's true, you do give up almost 10 years of your life.. but when you have nothing it's not bad".

"Forgive me.. but why are you still here? I mean you been here longer than 10 years? ..right?"

"oh dear... well..many years ago I met a man. He was enlisted in the army for about 2 years when I started working in the palace". Sui Seikuh said smiling thinking back deep into her memory.

"He was so handsome, caring, and sweet. When I first came here I made many mistakes, I could have been thrown out dishonorable at any moment! That would have been a faith worse than death.
But he was always there for me until his orders were changed and he had to leave for the earth kingdom...We wrote to each other often, pages filled with life, plans, love, and warmth".

Deeply sighing Sui Seikuh looks down to the floor. "..Unfortunately for us, he fell very sick in the earth kingdom.. dying before his ship could make it back... We were going to get married, start a family.. buy a little cottage house in his hometown. A perfect life...If there was one thing I could have wished for was to know that was my last time seeing him board that ship... I would have saved that moment just a little while longer."

"oh... I'm sorry I asked" I felt a deep sorrow of regret coming off my tongue as I instantly remembered Aang's dead body in my arms.

"don't be... I miss him dearly but remembering him reminds me, he was real...After his passing I was alone, my parents had both passed earlier in my life.. and I just never left here... I never had a reason to."