Time and Time Again

Chapter 1: The Waterbending Scroll

Katara's heart thudded as she stepped back from the bushes. The pirates! She never should have stolen that scroll! She would be at the Northern Water Tribe within a few weeks, surely she could have waited that long to learn waterbending! There was no need for her to try and teach herself!

Slowly, eyes never leaving the bushes through which she had seen the men, she crept back to the sandy area where she left the scroll. She wanted it only so that there would be no trace of her presence (or at least, that's what she told herself). Something rustled in the bushes nearby, causing Katara to quickly turn and run...head first into a bloody pirate. She danced away from his grabbing hands and sprinted away from him, only to bump into someone else.

He grabbed her wrists and held her close before she could even register his face. As his face came into focus, her heart dropped into her stomach, which then hugged it tight. She looked at his eyes, filled to the brim with the flames of hate. His left eye seemed to have overflowed and the flames had burned away the flesh surrounding it. Katara's pulse quickened and her blood turned to ice. She could not have landed into the arms of anyone she feared more. Prince Zuko.

"I'll save you from the pirates." He said in such a way that it sounded more like a threat than a promise. His vice grip on her thin wrists was anything but reassuring.

Katara winced as the rough bark of the tree dug into her back. The ropes chaffed at her already sore wrists. She felt humiliated! She was a waterbender! Sure, she was still roughly a beginner, but she had been captured with such ease that it was shameful! She tugged at the ropes more, hoping to loosen them, at least the tiniest bit.

"Tell me where he is and I won't you or your brother." Katara looked up as the prince threatened her. She knew he had no idea where her brother was. It would take more than some macho words to loosen her tongue.

"Go jump in a river!" She retorted, putting as much hate into the words as she could. The prince's face changed from one of anger to one of charm (or at least an attempt to appear charming, it was hard when you were mostly bald).

"Try to understand," He pleaded as Katara turned her face away from him, "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost," the Prince circled Katara, prowling. She continued to face away from him, looking bored, "My honor."

Katara felt his hot breath as he loomed in closer, too close for comfort. His skin was barley an inch away from hers. She felt her heartbeat begin to race and her palms began to sweat. She still had a fear of firebenders, it was almost too much for her to be so very close to one.

"Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." The prince murmured into Katara's ear, causing the hair on the nape of her neck to stand up. Katara's eyes widened in shock as the prince brought his hands close to her neck. Between his two hands, there was a very familiar necklace. How DARE he touch that necklace!

"My mother's necklace!" She cried out in a mixture of shock and anger. The prince smirked, he knew he had her full attention now. Carelessly, he dangled the jewelery in front of her before walking slowly and victoriously away. Rage filled Katara.

"How did you get that?" She demanded.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering," The prince jested. Katara shamefully looked towards the ground for a moment before putting her full glare back onto the prince, "Tell me where he is."

"No!" Katara replied. It pained her to see her mother's memento at the hands of a firebender, but her loyalty to Aang and her brother was stronger than her love for a necklace. The captain of the pirates grew tired of the Prince's silly games and stepped forward.