"General Iroh, what should I tell the Avatar?"

"Tell her we will be arriving in three days time, and that I look forward to winning back Republic City, together." Iroh said to his messenger. He looked at the blue sea that lay ahead and for a while he hesitated. Should he? He sighed. If he didn't, he would regret it. She never obeyed but it was worth a shot anyway.

He walked to the message room and stared at the typing machine. "can I have a moment alone?" He asked his crew. It wasn't like him to order his men unless it was very urgent.

"Yes sir" The men left the room and Iroh sat down. He started to type but had difficulty in finding the right words. He stared at the piece of paper for a while before throwing it away and start all over again. It was Korra, after all. She might find this offensive once it reached her hands but he didn't care. This was, after all, regarding her , after minutes of thinking and typing, he stared at the final draft. It had taken him an hour to write only a few small lines, but as he read it, decided he had used the right words. He stepped outside and looked for his messenger.

"Send these two to Republic City" He stared at the second letter. "Make sure Avatar Korra gets this personal message."

There was a cold breeze when Iroh walked alone on the deck of his ship. As he gazed at the horizon, a frown appeared on his face. Land was still nowhere in sight and he was desperate to get to Republic City. To get to her. He closed his eyes as the breeze hit his face. How long ago had it been since their first encounter back at the Southern Water Tribe? Lets see, he said in his mind. She had been what? Four or maybe five years old. Four, he decided. He had been there the day she turned five. He had just turned thirteen and was very excited about accompanying his Grandfather on his first diplomatic trip.

"It's time you step out of the Kingdom and learn what's going on out there. We're going to see the Avatar."Iroh had been so excited he barely slept that night. He wondered what the Avatar looked like. Sure, a normal person. Who could control all four elements!

They were greated by the White Lotus and Iroh looked around, searching for the Avatar. He had been told on the ship she would be there to greet him as well. Scanning every person, his eyes fell upon those of a little girl who looked up at him with great admiration. He stopped and smiled down at her and the girls eyes just shone with delight. He wished he could've taken a good look at himself when he was told that the little girl who stood behind Katara, was in fact the Avatar.

"It's an honor to finally meet you" Iroh, kneeled to be at her height an placed a gentle kiss on her hand. Katara stared down at her, hinting that she should say something.

"Oh Wow! I can't believe you came all the way from the fire nation!" Korra took his hand and he was surprised such a small girl had the strength to push a boy like him away from the crowd. "I didn't believe the white Lotus when they told be the Prince was going to be my firebending teacher!"

Wait! What did she say?!

"You're supposed to lecture her on the ways of the Fire Nation, it's history, costums, etc." His grandfather explained later that evening. "They say she's good when it comes to her bending practice but gets distracted when dealing with other subjects." Zuko stopped. "Well she's just a child. She's supposed to be having fun." He laughed. "That's why Katara and I agreed that she should be taught by someone your age. I'm sure you'll make her lessons entertaining. It will only be for four months"

And entertaining they were. Only for her. He spent the first night preparing his first class and to his dismay, she had burned all his papers and done drawings on others.

"I'm bored!" Korra said as she stared out the window to watch the other children play. Iroh only signed. It was going to be the four longest months of his life. She was a very energetic child, Iroh noted. She may be water tribe. But she had the spirit of a firebender. He took notes on the very first week of observing her.

Avatar Korra:

*Loves firebending *can't control it yet. *Has a habit of running away from the White Lotus. *Easily distracted. (he paused to look at the tray with food that rested next to his books.) *Her stomach is a bottomless pit. *Has bad manners at the table. *Never stays put.

Sometimes he felt he would loose his temper with her. Never in his life had he dealt with someone like her. He stayed at her house and she, every now and then, would open his window and just scream like crazy.

"Iroh, Iroh, are you up yet!"

Of course he was up! And lying on the floor since her screams had frighten him to death. He got used to them later and when the first ray of light hit his window, he would keep he's eyes shut tight, waiting for her to come screaming like crazy. One morning he woke up and as soon as he reached the bathroom and closed the door, a scream filled the house and made everybody jump.

"Korra!" Iroh came out and Korra just laughed when she saw the mustache she had drawn on him while he slept, using his very fancy ink, that came off after three days. She would pull all sorts of pranks like hiding under the table and jumping out, screaming "boo!" He had almost spilled his hot coffee. Lucky for him, Korra waterbended it away just in time. Only once had she snuck in when he was taking a bath and kept him frozen in the tub.

"Korra get in here at once and unfreeze Prince Iroh" Her mother scold at her. After she had obeyed, Korra had been sent to her room without any dessert. That little trick of hers had caused him a week's cold. But she had been so nice when taking care of him and it was when she brough him food that she actaully paid attention to his stories. Once he step out of that room, Korra had run up to him from behind and hugged him "Iroh, you're all better" That very same day, he had to stay in bed for two more days. That hug of hers had hurt his back.

"Whatcha doing?" Korra asked from behind.

"I'm writing tomorrow's lecture" He explained.

"Mmph" That little sound hinted that she wasn't to happy about it.

"Wanna play with me?" She asked.

"I'm busy Korra" But he should've know better. Few seconds later her small hand were stretching out his face, pinching his cheek and stretching out his eyes. He secretly kept a calendar counting the days when the four months would pass. He wondered if Korra had any friends her age to play with. When not with him or the White Lotus, she was alone most of the time practicing her bending or just talking to herself.

One evening, the white Lotus had come to interrupt Iroh's lecture and take Korra way for a while. When she was gone, he took the opportunity to take a long walk and clear is mind. Teaching the Avatar was no easy task. All she did was stare out the window or want to play, she hardly listen to what he had to say and when he'd give her some work, she'd turn in drawings. She would sometimes change the subject and ask him about places he'd visit. Turning a corner he stopped when he saw Korra talking to a group of Water Tribe children her age.

"Why can't I play?!" she asked.

"One, because you're the Avatar." said a girl two years older than her. "It's very unfair for those of us who can bend only one element."

"but I promise not use.."

"Two" The girl interrupted. "If somehting happens to you, just the tinniest scar and it's on our heads" The other children nodded in agreement. "remember last time when Tao knocked you off the swing and you broke your arm? He got grounded for a week. We don't wanna be known as the one who hurt their precious avatar"

Korra was about to answer the girl when a White Lotus officer called out for her. "Korra get back here! You're not done with your lesson!"

"Better get going Korra" the children walked away from her and Korra just stared. Iroh waited to see what she did next. "I don't need them. I'm the Avatar!" But even as she said this to cheer herself up, he caught her choking back tears.

******