"Alright guys listen up. I know we just came off a match and you're all tired, but I just want to remind you that because of this recent win we just qualified for the final round of the tournament." His team cheered in excitement which made him smile. After a year or so after Kuvira he'd decided to get back into probending. And with the emergence of airbenders the teams now had a full one person per element. At first there had been some trouble finding members that could actually bend and weren't just looking for fame. But after two weeks of searching he finally had his team. Lin the firebender, Luko the waterbender, although she did have a problem with restraint. Tela the young airbender and himself as team captain.
"We're gonna win the entire tournament and get the trophy and prize money." Luko screamed pumping his fists in the air.
"Alright look I know we're doing good, but we're going up against the moose lions and the platypus bears for the win. So I want you three to really get into training."
They all agreed and headed out of the arena as he headed to the showers. Once he was in there he started thinking about he far he and the team had come. They'd struggled through five losses before gaining their momentum and winning their way into the semi finals and now finally there were facing their final opponents .One of the major problems they'd faced early on was the need for a sponsor. At first he'd thought about asking Asami to sponsor them but she and Korra had taken another vacation and were unreachable. So he'd asked the only other person he knew that would fund them. Which of course meant asking Varrik. And while he'd agreed to give them as much money as they needed he'd also tried to have them rename themselves from the fire ferrets to "Varrik's boys" He and the team had quickly decided to turn down his offer. When it looked like he was going to have to pull out o the tournament he'd gotten a letter from an anonymous sponsor. Inside the letter was not only enough yuans for the entry fee but enough for new uniforms and training gear as well as enough for the entire team to go out and eat after every game.
The letter also mentioned that they would meet the team when they were ready and to run the team as Bolin saw fit. Which suited him just fine. As they advanced through the tournament there had been more letters, some had just been filled with praise while others had contained some unusual requests. The first was that Bolin wear a embraided turtleduck on his uniform. Weird but not entirely unheard of for the captain. Then there had been requests for Bolin to send pictures of himself as he trained. The last letter he'd gotten had been yesterday and it had stated that the sponsor would be stopping by soon.
"I guess the time had finally come to meet them huh Pabu?" the fire ferret starred down from the top of the lockers before perking up at the sound of the door opening.
Bolin heard it but paid it no mind. Probably just Luko forgetting his street clothes again.
But as he showered he began getting a cold chill running down his spine. Having been in a few tight spots he'd learned to trust his gut so he quickly turned and prepared to attack. As he turned he came face to face with someone that he'd hoped had long since stopped haunting his nightmares.
"Hello my turtleduck."
"Eska!" he quickly bent the floor to cover his waist. "What are you doing here?! Only the teams have access to the arena." She marched forward until she was inches from him. Once she was she stared at his toned body and reached out to run a finger down his chest. "As the owner of the fire ferrets I have a key to the arena as well as the showers."
"What? You're the new owner?"
"Yes and I must say I'm impressed with how far my team has come. You're one win away from the finals if I recall." Already feeling trapped Bolin dashed out of the shower and quickly put on a towel.
"Shouldn't you and your brother have a country to run or something?" he then noticed that for the first time she was alone. "Wait a minute where is your brother? Normally you two are never apart."
"My brother is preparing things elsewhere. Now come with me for I have a task for you."
"Look Eska it's one thing to be the new owner of the team but that doesn't meant you can just order me to do something."
She stared at him for a few moments before sighing. "I had hoped that you would make this easy but I see you still refuse me." She reached into her pocket pulling out a small vial which she then bent into her hands then with speed faster then he thought possible she rushed forward and grazed his side.
He immediately felt his body grow numb as he grabbed a locker to keep himself from falling over.
"What the?" he asked in pure confusion as he strength left him.
"Don't worry my little turtleduck I only used a small sleeping agent." She took a few steps toward him as he fell on top of her. With him in her grasp she began petting his head.
"Don't worry soon you'll be where you belong."
His body was numb and his eyes were quickly closing shut. He saw Pabu scamper into a nearby vent for safety as the doors open and two watertribe warriors walked in.
"Is everything ready?"
"Yes my queen we gathered everything you requested from his home and the car is parked out back."
"Excellent then everything is ready." she quickly handed Bolin over as they walked out. Due to the sleeping agent he blacked out a few times as they dragged him away. He was only awake periodically and in that time he saw the city growing small from aboard a boat, a massive spirit filled tree and then finally a snow covered wasteland before finally fell asleep.
When he woke up he quickly noticed two things, the first was that he was in some kind of very large very grand bedroom, the second was that he was naked. He looked around for clothes but didn't find anything so he was forced to turn the blanket he was in into makeshift pants.
There was a window in the room and he moved over to see where he was. But as he looked down he saw a massive snow and ice covered city stretching out for miles. Beyond the massive city he could see the grand expanse of water.
"Okay Bolin try and piece together everything. Eska showed up and drugged and kidnapped you. You are probably in the northern watertribe with no clothes. And to make matters worse nobody knows your here. Okay this is pretty bad but if I can survive in the wilderness while avoiding Kuvira's forces with Varrik then I can probably survive this."
For moment he thought about bending his way out of the room but after a quick look he found no earth to bend. "Right of course they made this palace out of ice. And I'm far to high up to use lavabending so that's a no go."
After about an hour of trying and failing to come up with anything the door opened and Eska walked in. "Hello Bolin I trust you're enjoying my palace."
"I'd enjoy it more if I actually had come pants! Now will you please tell me why you kidnapped me!"
"Children are kidnaped, I liberated you from the confines of that city and brought you home."
"What! Can you give me a honest answer or am I going to have to break this window and take my chances with the fall?"
She motioned for him to sit. As he did so she took a seat next to him. "How much do you know of the northern watertribe?"
"The royal family rules it. Other then that nothing."
"Yes well there are very specific rules for ruling. And it seems like the council of elders have demanded we stand by them."
"What rules?"
"The rulers must produce an heir. As I had no interest in that it was decided that my brother would marry some noble girl and produce an heir with her."
"Okay but why am I here?"
"Because as it turns out my brother is sterile. So the elders have been pressuring me to fulfill my bodies biological function of reproduction. Many suitors came forward offering me love and a family but they all failed to stir the organ that pumps blood through my body and as such they were imprisoned."
"You had them imprisoned?!"
"Only for a few days. As such I've stopped receiving suitors which has made the elder council very upset. They've threated me with revolt and to dethrone me if I don't find someone."
"Wait can they do that? And don't you and your brother share the throne?"
"There have been siblings that have ruled together but by tradition he elder always has the final say and as such I am the queen. But overthrowing the royal family isn't something that they wish to do."
"Why not?"
"Because to truly dethrone the royal family you would need to kill every member to prevent succession. And as such if they declare war on me they declare war on my uncle and cousin Korra."
"Which would be a very bad thing to do. But wait if you've jailed ever suitor then why bring me here..."
Green eyes met blue ones as realization set in. "You want to marry me!?"
"Yes for you have been the only person to ever make me feel. And so I brought you here."
"Eska you can't just do that! I have a home in Republic city! And a girlfriend!"
"And where exactly is this supposed girlfriend?"
"She's helping Tenzin restart the temple in the firenation. Which means she's on the other side of the world." he said realizing that he was completely trapped.
She stood up and marched on Bolin as he ran to the door and tried to open it. "Rest assured my freighted turtleduck soon you will come to see this as home."
Come on Bolin think! Do something to prevent this!
His mind spurred on by fear came up with only one thing. "The match!"
She stopped confused." The match?"
"Yes for the finals. My team is supposed to play in the final two matches of the tournament in less then a weak. As the team captain I organized a series of training regiments starting tomorrow. Without me the team can't play and we'll have to forfeit. As the sponsor you wouldn't want that would you?"
She starred at him with her near emotionless eyes before speaking. "Yes that would be rather unpleasant, we'll talk more about this later Bolin, right now I have something to take care of." she opened the door with bending and walked thought before locking it again leaving Bolin alone.
"Well Bolin you bought some time. Now to find a way out of this mess."