Rating: T
Words: 4556
Fandom: The Legend of Korra
Characters/Pairings: Amon, Korra, Katara, Tenzin, Mako, Bolin, Tarrlok, Cheif Unalaq, random members of the Order of the White Lotus; Amorra, Makorra
Author's Note:Having been burnt out on writing after finishing The Trophy Wife, I thought I'd recharge my batteries by reading. Since I've never actually taken the time to read the works of Hans Christian Andersen, I thought it was time to do so. As I read The Ice-Maiden I realized that with a few tweaks, it would fit Amorra exceptionally well.
This is the end result.
Huge thanks to Pandoramorra and TahnosTisiphone for helping me get the wrinkles out of the ending.
At eight years old, Korra stood out in front of Master Katara's hut, practicing her waterbending forms under the old master's guidance. Korra wasn't just any waterbender, oh no, she was the Avatar, the connection to the spirit world and wielder of four elements. She had been training in waterbending since she was four years old, and at eight was very close to mastering it.
Master Katara called out corrections for Korra's forms, and young girl grit her teeth and adjusted her stance. "Remember, Avatar Korra, your forms are all about push and pull, like the tides."
"Yes, Master Katara," the young Avatar replied.
Katara had a soft spot for the girl, ever since she had come to live with her as an infant. Korra's life had not been easy. Her father had died when his boat had been swept up in a sudden storm and sank. The family had been visiting his family up north, but Korra's mother was from the south. Though she could have stayed in the Northern Water Tribe, she longed to return to her family back at the South Pole. The ocean crossing was made without incident, but it was during the trek along the ice back to her village that tragedy struck once again.
The glaciers and tundra can look so very solid, as if they could take on the weight of the entire world, but appearances could be deceiving. Senna, having grown up around the snow and ice knew this well, but the grieving young mother was not paying as close attention as she should have been, and stepped into a deep crevice. She was not traveling alone, as she had been given escorts by her brother-in-law, but they were too slow to catch her before she disappeared completely. Gathering ropes and harnesses, they launched a rescue operation, but it was too late. The young mother was dead, and it appeared that her child was too. It was only through some miracle that they were able to revive the child, only to learn later that she was the Avatar.
As a widow, Katara had taken to sometimes instructing the village youth in waterbending, but tended to keep to herself. When she was presented with the child, who showed signs of being a great bender, Katara agreed to help raise the child. Her late husband had been the previous Avatar, and something inside Katara knew that the child she had been entrusted with by the warriors of the Northern Water Tribe was the new Avatar. At the age of four when Korra showed the innate ability to bend water, earth, and fire, Katara started her waterbending training in earnest.
Four years later and the child had nearly the mastered the element.
"Waterbending is about fluidity, Korra!" Katara called. "It can be a very powerful element, for it can change the earth and extinguish fires, but it is always fluid."
"Yes Master Katara," Korra answered dutifully.
With a fond smile, Katara thought back to how she had been in her youth. Until she had formal training, she had been much like Korra, trying to use power rather than finesse. It wasn't until she had formal instruction under Master Pakku up north that she had finally refined her movements, making her the youngest waterbending master at the age of fourteen.
When Korra finished her exercises, she bowed to her master. "How did I do?"
"I think you're ready for your final exam," Katara said with a smile. "If you pass, then you'll move up north with your uncle to continue your training."
"Move up north?" Korra looked startled at the news. She liked living in the Southern Water Tribe with Master Katara. Why would she want to leave?
"You need to begin your spiritual training as well as your earth and fire training. Your uncle has erected a complex for you to train in, as well employed many great benders to instruct you."
"But I don't want to leave you, Master Katara!" Korra cried, racing towards the old woman and latching on to her with a fierce embrace. "I'm happy here with you."
"Oh my sweet child," Katara murmured as she hugged Korra back. "I don't want you to leave either, but you belong with your family. They'll take good care of you, don't worry."
"I'm not worried," Korra said, puffing out her chest. "I'm the Avatar, not a scared little girl."
With a laugh, Katara reached down and ruffled Korra's hair. "Yes, yes you are."
"Do I have to travel by myself?" Korra asked with a frown.
"Of course not," Katara assured her with a kind smile. "You will be escorted by members of the Order of the White Lotus."
A sudden thought struck Korra, and in a panic, grabbed Master Katara's hand and pulled on it. "Will I be able to take Naga?"
"Goodness, I don't see why not. Every Avatar has an animal guide, and Naga is yours. It would be unheard of to separate you two," Katara answered. "Now let's get you all packed so that you can get on your way."
The trip to the North Pole was long, but Korra found ways to pass her time by practicing her waterbending and playing with Naga on the deck of the ship. In the evenings the members of the Order would gather in the passenger lounge and tell stories. One of the waterbenders liked to tell stories from the Tribes, her favorite being the story of the Ice Prince.
The Ice Prince was an ice spirit who lived on the tundra and in the glaciers, who would lure travelers to their doom, claiming them as his subjects. He was supposed to be very handsome, aided by an equally handsome brother, claiming the lives of innocent travelers by making empty promises. Other times they laid traps in the snow and simply waited for their prey. But the biggest transgression was to fall into the Ice Prince's grasp only to leave, for he would stop at nothing to reclaim what he believed to be rightfully his.
At Korra's expression of wide eyed terror, the waterbender laughed and patted her young charge on the head. "Don't worry, Avatar, you're safe. There's no way the Ice Prince would ever get to you."
What nobody knew was that when Korra was an infant, the Ice Prince had already claimed her as his. When Senna had fallen into the ice crevice, Korra had also met her demise. Even as a baby she had been quite pretty, and the Ice Prince saw her and recognized the immense power within her. Instantly smitten, he kissed her on the mouth and revived her, so that he could one day love her to death.
He planned to raise her to be the perfect wife for him, that she would rule the ice and snow with him. But those meddlesome warriors had pulled her out of the crevice before he could truly claim the babe as his, so he bided his time. The girl wound up in the care of an old waterbending master, the previous Avatar's wife, and not someone the ice spirit wished to trifle with. Even as she was now moving to the north she was under constant guard, so he could not take her now.
But there was one place only he could get, and he would use it to his advantage.
That night, as Korra slept, she dreamed more vividly than she ever had before. She stood out on the tundra of the South Pole that she knew and loved, feeling the warm sun on her face and enjoying the crunch of the snow under her boots. She walked a bit, stopping only when a man stood before her. He wore robes of white and trimmed in fur, a snow white mask covered his face.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am the Ice Prince," he answered, his voice a low rumble. "And you are the Avatar."
Korra tilted her head up in a proud gesture. "Yeah, I'm the Avatar and you gotta deal with it!"
The Ice Prince chuckled. "What a beautiful child you've become," he murmured. "Not that it wasn't expected, you were an exceptionally beautiful baby."
The young Avatar regarded the ice spirit in front of her with careful consideration.
"Is something wrong, my dear child?" he asked.
"What do you want?"
"Oh, my lovely girl, I want to be your friend." He reached up and removed his mask, revealing his face. He reminded Korra of someone, but she wasn't sure who. His skin was pale, much like the snow and his eyes were the same color as the glacier ice. "And one day I shall be more."
When Korra woke the next morning, she couldn't recall what she had dreamed, but she knew that she had liked it. She continued to have similar dreams all the way to the North Pole, where she was taken to her uncle's home in the heart of the capital.
As the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, he had the resources to properly train his niece in every form but airbending. He was loath to send her away to Republic City when the time came, but he knew that it was unavoidable. But until then he would oversee her earth and firebending training, as well as work on her spirituality.
Korra was welcomed into her uncle's home with open arms, and though she had to adjust to living with her twin cousins, she soon learned to love life in the North Pole. Korra picked up earthbending and firebending with rapid success, instead struggling with her spiritual studies. Never one to sit still for long, Korra would rather be outside learning new bending techniques or running Naga over the tundra than stuck in her uncle's study, meditating.
When she was fifteen years of age and in the middle of her firebending training, Korra had been allowed out to run Naga. The polar bear-dog was generally content to curl up and sleep most of the day, but there were times when she would get antsy. When Naga got antsy, things were generally destroyed so many felt it was better to allow Korra to take her animal guide on a long run through the snow and ice rather than watch as the beast accidentally demolished the city.
They ran until Naga was tired, and Korra decided it was a good time to practice her waterbending. Trying to remember all of Master Katara's instructions, Korra went through the forms, naming them as she went. When she finished was met by applause. A man had stopped to watch her, a smile on his face.
"You're very good," he said smoothly, causing Korra to blush.
"Thanks," she mumbled. Something about this man made her feel self-conscious and she was never self-conscious. He was tall, with his long, coffee colored hair pulled back into three ponytails. He wore the usual dark blue, fur trimmed parka of the Northern Water Tribe, heavy mittens and tan mukluks that went up to his knee. His face was handsome and somehow familiar, his glacier blue eyes watching her intently. "Are you headed to the capital?"
"Sort of," he replied, his tone vague. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting to run into anyone else out here."
Patting Naga's side, Korra nodded in agreement. "I find it's easier to run Naga where there aren't people around."
Eyeing the polar bear-dog, the man managed to quirk half of a smile. "Yes, I can understand that."
"Um, I'm Korra, by the way," she said by way of introduction.
"Nice to meet you, Korra," the man smiled. "I am known as Tarrlok."
"Are you a bender?" Korra asked as he put down his satchel and stretched.
"I am," he answered, moving his arms to pull the snow into a globe of water which he started twirling before him.
"Wow, you're good."
"You're not bad yourself."
She gave him a smug smile. "Well, I am the Avatar."
"Well that explains it," he said as he dropped the water back to the snow. Stalking towards her, he smirked when he realized she wasn't going to back away from him. "I knew there was something special about you."
With a strange fluttering in her stomach, she looked up at him with defiance in her eyes. She was the Avatar, why should be afraid of just one man? "Yeah, so?"
"Nothing," he murmured as he took a step closer. "Even if you're the Avatar, it's awfully foolish to let you wander so far from the village on your own."
"I'm not alone, I have Naga."
Said polar bear-dog lifted her head and looked at her mistress and the stranger for a moment before settling her head on her paws once more.
"Yes, quite a fearsome creature to be sure," Tarrlok noted dryly. Turning his attention back to Korra he smiled, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "But sometimes the most innocent looking creatures are the most dangerous."
"You're dangerous?" she scoffed. "I find that hard to believe."
Moving quickly, Tarrlok moved in and pressed his lips against Korra's. After a moment he pulled away, a satisfied expression on his face. "I am far more dangerous than you may ever know," he said. "Perhaps we'll meet again."
He sauntered off, leaving Korra alone with Naga. Turning to her animal guide, Korra shrugged. "Well, he was weird."
Naga huffed in agreement.
Reaching up, Korra touched her lips. Tarrlok's kiss had been exceptionally cold. She had it expected it to be, given that he had apparently been traveling across the tundra for quite some time, but it seemed colder than it should have been, like there was no underlying heat to him. Shaking off the unease that suddenly coursed through her, Korra swung herself up into Naga's saddle and guided her back towards her uncle's home.
As Korra headed back to the sanctuary of the capital of the Northern Water Tribe, Tarrlok crossed the boundary between the Spirit World and the real world. His brother was waiting for him, an expectant expression his face. "Well?"
"I couldn't take her, brother," Tarrlok sighed. "I don't know why you're surprised."
The Ice Prince snorted. "Then I shall continue to visit her while she sleeps."
"And how is that working out for you?" Tarrlok asked, regarding his brother with interest. "Has she decided to leave the mortal coil for you?"
"Not yet, but she will. It's only a matter of time."
Tarrlok grunted. "If you say so. After all, you've only been saying so for the last seven years."
"She'll be mine in due time, brother. Just wait and see."
Again Korra dreamed of the Ice Prince. He was not the terrible being that she had been told of in tribe legends, but rather a gentle and caring figure, almost brotherly at times. However, sometimes Korra would look at him and a fluttery feeling would start in her belly. Tonight was one of the nights where his smile set her stomach fluttering and she wasn't sure why.
"I'm very happy to see you again, Avatar," he said, bowing low to her.
"I'm happy to see you, too," she murmured, and hoped that her blush wasn't too obvious.
The Ice Prince saw all, however, and smirked. He was beginning to affect her. Perfect. "Your training progresses well?" he asked, motioning for her to sit next to him on a large rock that had appeared out of nowhere.
"My instructors say that I'm making excellent progress in my firebending and in a few more years I'll probably have mastered it," she answered as she settled herself next to him. "It's going much better than my earthbending, that's for sure."
"Such talent, such power," he murmured. Leaning in, he inhaled her scent and gave her a predatory smile. "Very suitable for the Avatar."
Korra let out a strangled laugh as she jumped to her feet and moved away from him. "I guess. I met a guy on the tundra today. He said he was dangerous but I don't know…I didn't quite believe it."
"Appearances can be deceiving," the Ice Prince purred. "Even the most innocent looking flower can contain a deadly poison."
She gaped at him, unsure how to respond. What exactly was the proper response to a statement like that anyway?
Thankfully she woke before she had to respond, and she made a promise to herself to be more careful around the Ice Prince. Perhaps he really was as beautiful and terrible as the old legends said. The Ice Prince occupied her thoughts as she continued to train, but as she desired not to see him again, he could no longer invade her dreams.
Though her mastery of the elements was coming along without issues, her spiritual abilities were lacking. This was not due to any ignorance on her uncle's part, as he had been overseeing her spiritual training personally, but Korra seemed to lack the focus required to meditate effectively.
For two more years she trained in firebending before she mastered it; however, she had made little progress with her spirituality. Realizing that he could do no more, her uncle decided to send her to Republic City to live and train with Master Tenzin, the last airbending master. With a heavy heart he sent his niece away, traveling once more with only a few members of the Order of the White Lotus, hoping that when he saw her again she would be a fully realized Avatar.
Master Tenzin and his family greeted Korra and the Order members on the dock at Air Temple Island, welcoming them warmly to Republic City. Korra had met Master Tenzin before, of course, as she had spent eight years living with his mother. This eased her transition to life in Republic City considerably, though Master Tenzin was far stricter than Master Katara or her uncle had ever been.
One of the rules that Master Tenzin insisted Korra follow was that she was to never leave the island. Korra was not one to be deterred by such an edict, and so late one night she snuck out of her room and off the island, using her waterbending to take her to the Pro-Bending Arena. Despite her desire to attend a match, Master Tenzin had refused on the grounds that pro-bending was a travesty, a mockery of what bending was really about.
Naturally this meant that Korra had to see a pro-bending match regardless of Master Tenzin's feelings.
Sneaking into the arena hadn't been difficult for the tenacious, young Avatar, however luck wasn't completely on her side. She was caught shortly after sneaking into a restricted area, saved only by the good fortune of one of the young pro-benders, a boy named Bolin, walking by and taking a fancy to her. Playing along with the young man's ploy, Korra soon found herself in the locker room and with the best seat in the house.
The match was everything that she dreamed that it would be, and soon she found herself impressed with the young firebender of the team known as the Fire Ferrets. When the match concluded with the Fire Ferrets victory, Korra was introduced to the young man by Bolin. Mako was eighteen, Bolin's older brother by two years. There was something about him that struck a chord within Korra, and for the first time in her life Korra felt the first stirrings of love.
Her pursuit of Mako was difficult, between Master Tenzin's obvious disapproval of her continually sneaking out to see the pro-bending matches and Mako's rather aloof behavior to her. Korra was persistent though, and after Bolin pulled his brother aside and told him that if being with the Avatar would make him happy, then he should be with her, Mako finally confessed his love to Korra.
This development did not please the Ice Prince. He paced his lair, cursing the firebending brat and plotting on how to regain Korra. He had claimed her first, and he would have her.
Though Korra's progress with her spirituality was slow – she still could not access the Avatar state and her airbending was weak – she had managed to learn how to keep certain spirits from calling to her. This was particularly troublesome for the Ice Prince as it meant he could no longer call out to Korra in her dreams as he had done in the past. As her relationship with the firebender progressed the Ice Prince became more desperate, trying everything he could think of to get her to respond to him as she had when she was a child.
On the eve of her wedding to the firebender, the Ice Prince's desperation peaked. There was only one way left to claim her, and he would have to act quickly.
Entering her room was not a difficult task for a powerful spirit, particularly not one who could cross the planes so easily. Korra was in her bed, a peaceful expression on her face as she slept.
The Ice Prince reached down and brushed the loose hair from her face, his icy touch rousing her from her slumber.
Sitting up she looked at him, blinking in surprise. She had never expected to see him again, yet there he was, standing next to her bed. "The Ice Prince," she whispered.
He removed his mask and smiled at her. "My goodness, Avatar, you've grown. You were but a child the last time I saw you, starting to transition into womanhood." His eyes roamed her body, delighting in the womanly curves that were now so obvious. "Now you are grown."
Swallowing, Korra tried to stamp out the fear that she suddenly felt. It had been over five years since she'd last seen the Ice Prince. He was still as handsome as she remembered, his eyes glittering in the moonlight and causing her to feel something she hadn't felt in quite some time. She had forgotten how he had affected her. As a fifteen year old she had no way of understanding the feelings she held for him, how he was the first man she had ever felt attracted to, even if he was a dangerous spirit with incredible powers even she would have troubles standing up to. "Yeah, in more than one way," she retorted.
Half of his mouth twitched up in a smile. "Yes, yes you have," he agreed.
"I'm not scared of you," she suddenly blurted.
"Of course you're not," he said. "You're the Avatar, you shouldn't fear anyone."
"Least of all you," she said, narrowing her eyes and making her tone as firm as she could. She was not about to turn into some sort of simpering fool over this…thing…that had invaded her bedroom on the night before her wedding. And yet…
The long outer robe slid from his body, pooling around his feet. "There's something you should know, Avatar," he purred as he moved towards her. "You belong to me and me alone. I claimed you as mine when you were just a baby, and I won't let anyone else have you."
Very slowly he removed his clothing. Korra wasn't sure what to expect, she had always believed that spirits were inhuman and therefore couldn't appear as humans, but the Ice Prince…oh he was human looking all right. Desire flared to life within her and soon she was removing her clothing as well.
Their bodies collided and despite the coldness of his touch, Korra felt nothing but blazing hot need. The Ice Prince claimed her as his, and she would only be his. He didn't share, he would never share, and that firebender would never know the pleasure that Korra could bring. He simply wouldn't allow it.
As they lay spent on her bed, he stroked her arm and considered his next move. Slowly he dressed, watching her lay on her mattress, her breathing slow and even. "Korra," he called, his voice soft. "Korra, come with me."
She turned her head and gave him a confused look, causing him to smile. "Come, I want to show you something."
"But…"
Holding out his outer robe to her, he waited for her to take it. She wasn't sure why she felt compelled to do as he instructed, but she took the robe and wrapped it around her naked flesh. He led her out of the dormitory and down to the water of Yue Bay.
"What are we doing?" she asked.
"You'll see," he said as he walked out on the water. With his hand he beckoned her to him. "Come out here, Korra."
Unable to resist his call, she walked out to him, unaware that she on top of the water. The Ice Prince held out his hand and despite Korra knowing that she should leave, part of her didn't want to. Part of her wanted to stay with the Ice Prince, love him and be by his side forever. He had been her constant companion for seven years, and seeing him in person had only confirmed what she had tried to deny all those years ago – that she loved him. There would never be anyone for her but him.
She looked into his eyes and in that moment her fate was sealed. The Ice Prince pulled her under the water. She was drowning but she didn't care. All that mattered was that she was finally going to be where she belonged. By the side of the Ice Prince.
The cold water felt like knives piercing her flesh and caused her lungs to seize. She couldn't breathe, she wouldn't breathe, but something in her brain overrode this logic and she inhaled. Water rushed into her lungs, precious air being taken away, the sensation feeling very similar to inhaling smoke. Her vision was spotty, except for the soft glow of the Ice Prince who floated in front of her, watching her with a blank expression.
Help me, she mouthed at him, but he made no move towards her.
She felt heavy and cold, oh spirits this was the end, and the Ice Prince, features as cold as the element he was born from, watched. As her last breath left her body and bubbled up to the surface, her body went limp and only then did the Ice Prince move. Reaching out he pulled her against him and kissed her on the mouth like he had when she had been a baby.
This time, however, she wouldn't leave him. This time she would stay.
The next morning her body was found on the beach. No one knew why she had gone down to the water in the first place, without any clothing.
Mako mourned the loss of his love, unable to return to pro-bending with his brother. He instead decided to become an air acolyte and live out the rest of his days on Air Temple Island, where he felt Korra's presence lingering.
The world moved on, the cycle continued and the new Avatar born in the Earth Kingdom. Though Avatar Korra wasn't well known throughout the world, those that had known her felt her loss for the rest of their days.
Spirits were not to be trifled with. As the Ice Prince had warned Avatar Korra years before, even the most innocent looking flower could contain the deadliest poison.