Disclaimer: I do not own any part of ATLA in any way, shape, or form. I own NOTHING!

A/N: This story begins after the Southern Raiders invade the Southern Water Tribe. However, Katara is taken and her mother is spared. Zuko has not been banished (yet) and Fire Lord Azulon still reigns.

I will stay true to canon to a fault (as much as a can with Katara in the Fire Nation). Some (but not all) canon events will ultimately come to pass but with some twists and turns along the way. Enjoy!

Ballads of a Bloodbender

Chapter 1

"It's a waterbender, Ozai. There are thousands more out there just like her."

Fire Lord Azulon already sounded annoyed and impatient, and this conversation had just begun. Zuko couldn't see anything other than Azulon's shadow glistening behind the dais' curtain of flames but he could easily hear his thinly veiled annoyance from his hiding place across the throne room.

Eavesdropping was bad. Zuko knew this, but Azula had talked him into thinking that it was a good idea, so they had snuck into the throne room to see why Father had requested a private audience with Fire Lord Azulon.

"Not one that is ripe and ready for molding," Ozai countered confidently.

"What would I want with a waterbender?" The flames of the dais grew, mirroring Azulon's volatile mood.

The bright, yellow flames seemed to suck any and all light from the massive room, leaving the far corner where Zuko and Azula hid even darker. Zuko had no idea how a room could somehow get darker and lighter at the same time. Father's dusky form grew darker, smaller as the vexed flames between him and Azulon grew.

"I'm not offering you a waterbender. Father, I'm offering you a bloodbender."

Ozai's words made Zuko's blood run cold. He instinctively took a step back only to have his back collide with the wall.

Azula rolled her eyes at his patheticness and proceeded to fearlessly peer through the gap in the drapery around them.

"How do you know such a thing even exists?" Azulon's form leaned forward, his posture straightening. He still sounded irate but the curiosity in his voice was evident.

"I have several guards who swear to Agni that a waterbender escaped one of our prisons using this type of waterbending."

"This is all fascinating, Ozai but I still don't know what you are proposing." The Fire Lord's tone was suddenly cold, irritated, and emotionless again.

"Turn her into a bloodbender, your bloodbender!"

"I'll give no such testament to waterbenders. I don't need them. This is the Fire Nation, Ozai, you speak blasphemy!" Fire Lord Azulon rose to his feet and the flames grew with his height, threatening to lick the ceiling and consume everything.

Ozai fell to his hands and knees. "They don't have to know she's a waterbender. We can tell them that she is a gift from the Spirit World to the Fire Nation. We won't call it waterbending. She'll be something completely different. She'll be—"

Azulon scoffed. "She'll be a waterbender. She was born one, she'll die one."

"Not if we take her under our wing."

The Fire Lord shook his head. "I will do no such thing. This is your blasphemous idea, Ozai, and if I choose to let you go through with it, the only wing she will be under is yours."

"I'm prepared to do so. I believe the pros will outweigh the cons. This will be worth it. Father, if bloodbending works the way we think it does, she could control another's bending; take it away even! Do you realize what we could do with that kind of power?"

Zuko couldn't handle anymore. He'd been wrong to listen to Azula (like always) and he wished that he could erase this from his memory.

Once he was sure, they wouldn't hear him, he bolted out from behind the thick, crimson curtains and ran to find Mom.

The last thing he heard was Grandfather's gravely voice say: "Very well, Ozai. Train it until your heart's content but don't come crying to me when your pet bites you."

Blessed by the moon, exalted by the sea, a waterbender. They called her bending a gift. They were wrong. Her bending was a curse in the world she lived in. Only those who were favored by the sun, only those with Agni's blood running hot in their veins could flourish.

If she were a firebender, she wouldn't be where she is now. Were she not a waterbender, she would be free.

During the raid that ultimately resulted in her capture, the man who took her away said he wanted the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe and he had every intention of killing her where she stood until he saw her age, how young she really was. She was a child, only eight years old and apparently, even that monster had his limits. He didn't kill her but he mercilessly hauled her out of her screaming mother's arms and threw her into a ship made of cold, black metal.

Mother had begged for them to take her instead, insisting she was the last waterbender but they didn't believe her. They'd seen Katara waterbending the snow. They knew that she was the true last waterbender, not her mother.

Katara wasn't even sure if her mother was alive. She had fought so hard to save her and she'd suffered the consequences. The man, the monster who took her away in chains kicked her mother away and threw flames at her until Katara couldn't see her mother at all anymore. The flames blinded her and by the time her sight returned, mother was nowhere to be seen.

Katara remembered hearing her father roaring for her as he ruthlessly bashed countless firebender heads in, trying to make his way across the valley of endless snow, trying to reach her before they could take her away. Sokka had been the one to get closest to her before she'd been hauled onto the ship and she'd reached for him relentlessly, tears swelling in her eyes but the firebenders caught Sokka too and held him back by the shaggy wolf tail atop his head.

Oh, how different things would be if she hadn't bended that snow at Sokka during their snowball fight. They were just playing. It seemed innocent enough. She didn't know it would all turn out so badly. How was she to know a raid was seconds away?

If she hadn't used her bending, if she wasn't a waterbender, she would be home with her family instead of rotting away in a prison cell, watching the rats crawl by and contemplating an unlikely escape. After all, what shot did she have at escaping? Yes, she was a waterbender but she had no training. She was just a kid and since waterbending had gotten her captured and her family harmed, she never wanted to waterbend again.

She had been the last waterbender in the entire South Pole and now, she was a prisoner, dirty, malnourished, and alone. She cried often and the guards always scolded her for it, claiming she was trying to muster enough water to waterbend. She hadn't even thought of that until they mentioned it but she stored it away for future reference. It was something to think about, something that could be useful…eventually.

Time had lost its relevance a while back. She no longer knew how much time had passed or how long she had been there. There was night and day and sometimes she could almost sense the moon cycles but she wasn't that in tune with her bending. She hadn't obtained that level of mastery yet but if she had to guess, she'd been there for at least half a year.

There was movement in the prison today, more than normal. Usually it was relatively quiet aside from the occasional ravings of a mad prisoner and the heavy footsteps of the guards on patrol but something was different this time. Something was going on. She could hear murmurs, men and women barking orders, and the pitter-patter of countless boots resonating beneath her cell door.

Guards shifted around outside until ultimately, all the commotion came to her cell.

Instinctively, she backed away from the bars that separated her from her unwanted visitors and cowered into the corner of her cage like a frightened animal.

Whatever was coming in her cell, she didn't want to be near it.

Her door opened, allowing dull, flaxen light to pour into her gloomy space, its metal hinges screeching in a way that made her want to cover her ears.

Once she gained the courage to look up, a man in long, billowing robes the color of blood was entering her cell.

He had a small, fiery crown on his head, coal in his lengthy hair, a long, thin beard beneath his strong chin, and sunshine in his eyes. His eyes were yellow. Until she was brought to the Fire Nation, she'd never seen anyone with golden eyes before but now it seemed like they were all she saw.

The guards escorted him in and one of them placed a tray of food in front of her cell. She noticed the food was different than what they usually gave her. This looked more like a meal she would enjoy instead of one meant only to keep her alive. Were they trying to fatten her up? Why the sudden change?

"Leave us," the man snapped.

"Yes, Prince Ozai." The nearest guard bowed but his voice quivered with fear. Katara wanted to quiver a bit too. This man was frightening. Something dark was in those deceivingly bright eyes. Yellow was the color of hope…but his eyes were anything but hopeful.

As soon as they finished bowing, the guards disappeared, leaving her alone with Prince Ozai.

Usually, Katara was overjoyed to watch the guards leave, but this time, she wished they'd stay. She didn't want to be alone with the son of the Fire Lord, the man who demanded her capture, the real reason she was here.

Katara didn't move to eat even though her stomach ached with hunger and her tongue was as dry and rough as sandpaper. However, there was nothing on the tray that would relieve her of the latter. They didn't give her water often but they always gave her food. She still couldn't decide if this was a mercy or a cruelty.

Ozai got comfortable on the cushion the servants had offered him to sit on. He adjusted his robes and his sharp, piercing eyes cut through the darkness to look right at her.

Briefly, she wondered if she should bow or something but it seemed trivial at this point. What would they do? Imprison her? Too late…

"What's your name?" he finally asked.

There was a long moment where she merely stared at him from her corner and had every intention of continuing to hold her tongue until he left but she soon realized there would probably be cruel retribution for such behavior.

"…Katara," she said softly.

"Katara?" he repeated, sounding a bit disgusted with the name. He said it as if someone had just asked him to swallow something vile.

The waterbender nodded.

"Well, Katara, how would you like to get out of this dirty, cold prison cell?" His voice was deceivingly warm as he leaned back a bit and folded his arms over his broad chest.

Katara wasn't sure how she should respond. Yes, she wanted to get out but this was wrong. There was something very wrong about all of this. This was the son of the man who demanded she be brought in in the first place. Why was he offering her freedom? That seemed…counterproductive.

"Well?" His long, slender fingers tapped impatiently at his biceps.

"Y-Yes," she replied more out of fear than anything. It was impulsive, a knee jerk reaction. She was more afraid of what would happen if she held her tongue than what would happen if she said yes.

"I will let you out, occasionally, but I have a few conditions."

Katara watched him expectantly, taking long, steady breaths.

"If you are a good girl and if you start taking some waterbending lessons for me."

Katara's brow furrowed. Now she was really confused, but she did want to get out of this cell…

She looked at Ozai then up past the bars overhead that offered the smallest sliver of cerulean sky. It was like it was there for the soul purpose of reminding her that the world she loved was still out there. It taunted her and she longed to crawl out…to feel the sun…the wind…to see the moon…to see the sky…the same sky her family was under…

"Okay…" she whispered and Ozai smiled in a way that could only be described as wicked, making her blood run cold.

Little did she know she had just sold her soul.

She'd just made a huge mistake.

Hands bound behind her back at inhuman angles, she was finally offered water. Some guards were kinder and gave her privileges because of her age. Those guards didn't make her drink this way but the ruthless guards did. They didn't see her age. They just saw a waterbender and they condemned her for that.

When she was forced to drink this way, she hated drinking time as much as she reveled in it. It was agony having her hands that far behind her back and irritating to drink like an animal from a much too small cup they extended her way. She spilled more than she actually drank. More was on the floor than in her mouth.

While she slobbered and made disgusting sounds in her water bowl, more guards entered her cell, Imperial Firebenders by the look of them.

Behind the firebenders was Prince Ozai. He had returned just as he said he would a few days ago.

At least he is a man of his word… she mused.

He waited in the doorway, looking surprisingly patient. He was probably just amused by the fact that she was being forced to drink like an animal, so she stopped. She wouldn't shame herself this way, not in front of him. She still had some of her pride. She'd gotten enough to sustain her, for now.

The guards shifted behind her and began removing her chains since she was done drinking.

"Keep her bound," Ozai commanded, so the guards did just that. They kept her in chains.

The Fire Prince gave her another onceover and his piercing eyes dwelled on her ankles. "But free her feet. She needs to be able to walk."

The prison guards did as instructed and freed her ankles and Katara instantly felt grateful to Ozai. He could have demanded they leave them. This was a mercy, one she would appreciate later that night when her ankles weren't rubbed raw by coarse metal.

Prince Ozai then bobbed his head in the direction of her door and the guards reopened her cell door.

At first, Katara was unsure and didn't know if she should leave the cage they had thrown her in months ago. It had been a long time since she set foot outside the small chamber. Not to mention, everything inside of her was screaming it was a trap.

In one way or another, it probably was.

"It's all right," Ozai attempted to assure her, reading her timid features and body language, but he sounded more irritated than kind. "Come on out."

Reluctantly, Katara did as she was told and exited the cell, chains rattling like bones as she moved. The moment she exited, Ozai began moving again and she followed him. She followed him like a polar-bear dog. She became his shadow, causing realization to wash over her like bitter acid. She didn't want to be too far from the Fire Prince. She trusted him over the guards, over anyone else they would encounter outside in this foreign land. She had a sick savior reaction to him even though she knew it wasn't quite right, but Ozai was the reason she was able to walk free. The others wanted her in a cell but he'd offered her freedom and he had power. It barely qualified as kindness but it was the most of it she'd received since her capture, since she was ripped from her mother's arms.

Katara hated herself for feeling this way but she couldn't stop it. It happened without her consent. It was already taking root in her wounded psyche.

Ozai led her through the towering prison and eventually, outside.

The sun was so bright she had to shield her eyes. She hadn't realized how dark it was in that prison until she finally saw the light of day again, but there was no snow. It wasn't even cold outside. It hadn't been the day they brought her in either but she supposed she was hoping against hope that she would miraculously return to her precious world of snow.

At that moment, Katara realized she didn't really like the sun anymore. It favored the children of the Fire Nation. It favored the cruel men around her and likely wanted to burn her to cinders. That was why she had to shield her eyes from it; that was why it was too bright. The sun was never this bright back home. Sometimes, there wasn't any sun at all for weeks but she doubted that was the case here. She steeled herself and tried to come to terms with the fact that this new, brutal sun would be a cruel constant here.

Katara was taken to what could only be called a palace or castle. It was the most extravagant thing she had ever seen. It was big and red and full of gold, ornate furniture, and decorations. Pillars of gold wrapped in lush, crimson tapestries lined the halls, Fire Nation insignia were everywhere and large, golden dragons slithered elegantly along the walls. It was poorly lit by torches or dull, hanging lanterns but some rooms actually had ceilings that allowed the sun to shine down on them through the roof.

This was where the Fire Lord lived and that made everything a little less beautiful and a bit more menacing.

Dark red rugs and flooring paved their way and once they were inside yet another elaborate room of gold and crimson, Ozai demanded her hands be freed and then commanded the servants to bathe her and put her in some of 'Azula's' clean clothes.

For the first time in what felt like years, she had a bath, a real bath in a huge tub made of porcelain. It even had bubbles! There was soap and oils and lotions and lavish things she'd never seen before. Had the servants not rushed her, she probably would have stayed there with her element for a solid twenty-four hours.

They hauled her out of the bath, dried her off, combed her ratty hair, and put her in red clothes. They felt good but she didn't like them. She didn't like red. They were also thin and sheer to keep the heat at bay, leaving her feeling alien and naked. She was used to layers and furs (and burgundy rags of late)…not this. It made her feel even more vulnerable and meek.

After she was dressed and clean, she waited with Ozai in an antechamber outside what she assumed was his room. Even though she hadn't set foot inside she could already tell this room was much bigger than the one she'd bathed in.

The prince paced around the large, red space and the imperial guards stayed close to her since she hadn't been bound again.

Honestly, she didn't know what they thought she would do. She was just a kid. She couldn't take out all these guards and Ozai. Even she knew that. She supposed they were mainly there as a reminder to behave and to not get any ideas.

Katara didn't know whom or what they were waiting for but she was too afraid to ask. She was afraid he'd tell her the Fire Lord was coming to see her. If that was the case, she was content not knowing.

As if on cue, the doors opened and to Katara's surprise, the Fire Lord didn't enter the room. Instead a lovely woman with dark hair and golden eyes appeared. Her eyes were gold as well but they weren't cold like Ozai's. They were gentle and warm and a bit sad if she looked hard enough.

Katara relaxed at the sight of her.

Her dark brown hair was partially up in a topknot and a small, shimmering crown was in her hair as well. Her robes were sleek, elaborate, and of course, red and Katara couldn't keep herself from thinking she looked a bit like a princess.

Ozai rushed toward her and began whispering in her ear, causing a frown to mar her beautiful features. They had a brief, hushed exchange before her frown grew and she looked past him at Katara.

"Ozai," the woman said softly, her eyes wandering over Katara's features. "I really don't see how you think this will work. She is clearly from the Water Tribes. It's as plain as the nose on her face…"

"We'll fix it. Somehow." Prince Ozai cast a calculated gaze back at Katara, causing her to shrink.

The woman sighed and approached the waterbender. Her frown was instantly replaced by a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She knelt in front of Katara and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hello. My name is Ursa. What's yours?"

"K-Katara," she replied timidly.

"That's a very pretty name." Ursa gave another half-hearted smile. "You know, I have a son and a daughter about your age. Would you like to meet them?"

Katara nodded and Ursa held her hand out for her, and for some reason, she took it without hesitation.

The palace, while ornate and grand, was nothing compared to the royal gardens Ursa led her into. They were absolutely breathtaking. Perky turtle-ducks waddled around in the vibrant grass and almost every kind of exotic plant one could imagine inhabited the space. Fountains, waterfalls and beautiful trees were everywhere and Katara's eyes danced with excitement, as if seeing the world for the very first time.

Of course, the flowing fountain and the pond were instantly her favorites. The flowers and trees were nice but they weren't water. No matter what happened, no matter how many times she said tried to convince herself she didn't want to waterbend ever again, she was still drawn to it and her hands itched to manipulate it.

Amidst all the lavish scenery were two Fire Nation children. They were either playing or arguing. From this distance, Katara couldn't really tell.

"Zuko! Azula!" Ursa called and the children came running, the boy more enthusiastic than the girl.

Katara instinctively took a few steps back and behind Ursa.

"Katara?" Ursa said gently. "These are my children, Azula and Zuko."

The boy looked at her skeptically but the girl looked at her cynically. Katara noted almost instantly that the boy had warm, inviting eyes like Ursa but the girl – despite looking a great deal like Ursa – had eyes like Ozai.

Their hair was straight and dark; Azula's being a pinch darker than Zuko's. Their skin was pale like fine-grained alabaster, causing her to look down at hers to see the contrast.

Zuko had long hair up in a high ponytail and Azula had a neat topknot with two strands of sleek, black hair framing her face. Again, Katara's hands wandered to her own unruly hair.

The day of the raid, Mother had fixed her hair back in a neat bun with two hair loops on each side of her face as she did every morning…but with time, it had fallen away and now her thick hair was down with no styling whatsoever. All that remained was the two blue beads that once held the loops in place.

She was a bit embarrassed. Briefly, she wondered what these children, children dressed and raised in finery, must think of her.

"Azula, Zuko, this is Katara. She is going to be staying with us from time to time."

Katara's eyes mated with Zuko's and to her shock, his features softened significantly and his mouth twitched into something that almost rivaled a smile.

"Why?" Azula asked, her tone curt and sharp.

"Because she needs us and I expect you to be kind to her," Ursa replied vaguely but Zuko and Katara seemed pacified with the response; Azula however-

Azula scoffed and stormed off.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading!

So this is my second dive into Zutara/ATLA. I've always wanted to write a full length Zutara story and I've had this idea for a while and it just wouldn't leave me alone. I really shouldn't be starting another story but eh, here we are…

Again, the Southern Raiders took Katara, Kya survived the raid, Zuko has not been banished yet, Aang is still in the iceberg (for now), and Azulon still reigns. There will be obvious changes due to Katara's presence in the Fire Nation instead of the tribes. HOWEVER, I'm still sticking to canon…to an extent. Some canon events will come to pass but some will be significantly altered. I will be bending some of the rules (no pun intended) to support my twisted ideas but I promise I'll try not to do anything drastic. I want this to be plausible.

Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!