Their army had been here at the capital all but two days before she heard about the unique fighting style of the commander and thought it would be fun to see how he and his men trained. Korra had snorted when she heard from her father that the Fire Nation only employed men for their ranks - as if that gave them brute strength. Bending was about the way the body moved and felt, how the energies flowed. That was what her mentor had told her when he was teaching her the movement and fighting styles of the air nomads. They moved swiftly and with a finesse that made her marvel at the possibility of them ever being struck.
Princess is what her people called her. She hated the title when she grew up, but she'd grown to love the underestimation of the people who looked upon her as if she was a dainty panda lily, caught in the dangers of falling into a fiery volcano.
She looked out her window at the training grounds, seeing her clan's army training alongside that of the Fire Nation. Men and women mixed on her side. Only men on the other. She let out a scoff.
Mako had been with the Fire Nation army going on five years now, and he was finally getting the recognition that came with being a good fighter and a quick thinker that meant he was slowly moving up the ranks. Each setback he came upon was met because he questioned orders. Growing up on the streets had made him wary, and that made it tough for him to follow orders without wondering if there might be a better way.
The men around him slowly started to stop training, and he ignored them all, focusing on the combinations he always went through, time and time again so that they were ingrained into his very muscles. He could do them in even when he was so tired he could barely stand anymore.
He finished with one last burst of fire before wiping his forehead and looking to see a beautiful woman in training garb in the Water Tribe colors. He thought it was smart of the Water Tribe to utilize all their fighters, not just the men, and he had brought up the idea of training more female Fire Nation fighters to General Iroh II.
"You've been slacking," he murmured, knowing her face was unfamiliar to him amongst the sea of Water Tribe fighters he had viewed in training. He saw the signature-style long length of dark hair tied back into a tight braid - similar to many of the men and women who chose to wear their hair long. He'd once thought about growing his out, but his brother had decided that it was not a good look for his face. And threatened to cut it in his sleep had he ever done with growing it out.
"I don't think I have. In fact, I think that I might be much more agile than you are," Korra said innocently, hiding her surprise at the fact that he couldn't recognize her. She was the spitting image of her mother and father, her skin a warm tone and her striking blue eyes. But she did resemble most people of the Water Tribe. "And I can see that you have a few weak spots in your style that aren't credited to the fact that you've been training all day. I think you haven't trained as hard as you believe you have." She watched with amusement as his eyes narrowed.
"Oh, you think so, do you?" He asked as he shifted his stance, bouncing on his toes slightly like he was barely winded from his long training session of the morning and could go another round. "Maybe we can train together and you can show me just how I should be training to patch up those weak spots." He didn't think he had many, if any at all.
"Is that a challenge?" Her smirk made her face even more attractive, and he couldn't help but let out a short bark of laughter. He was one of the best fighters the Fire Nation had, and not many people cared to train with him anymore. Especially not after they realized he didn't let up when they got tired but just pushed on even harder.
Korra wasn't used to others not realizing and acknowledging her superior strength. She had thought she left that all behind once she pounced all the greatest fighters the Water Tribe could throw against her, sometimes two or three at a time. Maybe she could have some fun with the new Fire Nation troops that were visiting. Her guard stepped up between the two fighters and looked at her. "Princess, I don't think your father would think this is a good idea."
Her guards were used to her rash decisions, and they had learned to gently suggest alternate means. They were also used to their requests falling on deaf ears.
"Ilannaq, you know better than to get in my way," she said under her breath, knowing full well that she couldn't wait to see the realization dawn on the firebender's face when he realized who she was. She watched as her guard stepped away, saying nothing as a look of passiveness appeared on his face.
She tugged off the thin jacket she wore, tossing it to the ground before spreading her feet and digging her heels into the dirt. The soil was loose and soft - it would soften the blow for him and she couldn't help but grin. "Well?" She questioned, staring at him as he stood there. "What are you waiting for, commander?"
His gold-toned eyes widened for a moment before he grinned, showing off a dimple on his chin. He twisted his neck to the left, and then to the right, bracing his fists. The wrist wraps he had on dug into his skin as he bent his knees, wondering if she was going to make the first move. When she stilled, he twisted his body, his arms making wide movements as he thrust his palms toward her, blasting a stream of fire in her wake. Fire always beat water. Always.
Except this time.
She easily dodged the stream, throwing water to make it fizzle to steam before she was getting up close and personal. Most benders kept their distance, using their skills to keep the other person dodging, never close enough to use their fists. Korra wasn't like most benders, though, and she just smirked as she threw a punch with enough force behind it to break bones if it hit.
Mako threw up his arm to block it, before they were dissolving into an array of attacks and blocks that made her guards wince at the sight of. They were usually the ones that were forced to train with Princess Korra, and they were happy to see that she had almost met her match with one of the commander's of the Fire Nation.
The two dueling benders fell back, both panting hard as they met the eyes' of the other. "Not too shabby," Korra called out, her fist raised and her legs braced still. It was obvious she thought they were having fun.
He stared at her for a long moment, his fists still raised as if he was being targeted by his face. His heart hammered against his chest. He'd never fought against an opponent who dared to get within mere inches of him to deliver a blow. He could feel the sweat on his brow, running down his shoulders, even between his knuckles. "I could say the same about you. You fight good for a girl," he said, his tone haughty as he tugged his tunic over his head, revealing skin marred by silvery scars by countless battles and fights. His words were a tactic just like every other blow. His arm swiped against his forehead, watching her eyes narrow.
"For a girl?" Korra echoed, feeling her arms tighten. She was not like other princesses. Her muscles bulged and her hair had loosened from her braid - despite her maids and their expert hands weaving it into its illustrious braid. "I think you mean for a warrior," she corrected before she was running at him, her fist connecting with his face.
Sparks flew behind Mako's eyelids as he felt his body being thrown back. He caught his heels and dug them into the soil, nearly falling backwards. His adrenaline seemed to double as he met her - hit for hit like they'd done this since their first drawn breaths. He could feel the heat bouncing off her, the same fire that drowned every one of his senses when he fight.
He dropped to his knee and swung his leg across the line of her knees, catching her off guard. He could hear her gasp, as she almost fell. He couldn't help but smirk as he jumped up, looking down at her. "For a girl."
Korra looked up at him, his face darkened by the shadows that were revealed by the sun behind his head. She squinted for a moment and scoffed. "I think you're in for a terrible awakening if that's what you want to keep saying," she warned before she was springing from the ground, her feet connecting with his chest to make him go flying backwards, slamming into a pile of fighting sticks.
They clattered to the ground when his body hit, and it took him longer than he liked to recover, but he was soon back on his feet as he just gave her a grin. "If all the Water Tribe fought like you," he said as he swayed a little on his feet before he was falling back into his stance. "We really might win this war." It was meant to be a compliment.
"And I suppose," Korra said as she licked her lips and just grinned. "You're not too bad for a boy." She launched herself across the distance separating them, her fists on the offensive as he just tried to keep up with blocking each of intense attacks.
They could have ended it at any moment, but they were both having more fun than they had experienced in a long time. Mako had been seeking out a real challenge, and if he was honest, he was pretty sure that in a real fight, he'd probably lose. He was already growing tired, worn from his earlier workout.
"Tell me when you concede," she taunted. "When you're ready to admit you're beaten by a girl."
Their elements were left long forgotten in exchange for contact sport and Korra couldn't help but wonder if there was no bending, would her people have survived in the Old Wars? She shook her head at the thought and twisted her body just as he tried to grab her arm. There was a sting in her shoulder before she kicked her leg up and connected with the side of his head, making him stumble. She landed swiftly on her feet, panting hard.
Her muscles felt sore, but it felt so good to fight someone of equal caliber - well, almost equal. She was a cut above him, that was definite. It was time to end things, especially when she saw the tiredness in his face. Just as he was getting back into a formal stance, her foot slammed against his cheek sending him spinning and falling into the dirt, a plume of dirt collecting around him.
She panted hard and grabbed her knees, trying to regain any semblance of ease, but it was hard. They'd gone on for longer than she had expected. She stood and licked her lips, letting Ilannaq drape her jacket on her shoulders and give her a canteen of water. Her head tipped back as she drank eagerly. "Bring him to the healers."
Her eyes honed in on him as soldiers picked him up and dragged him off. She would bathe and go see to it that he woke up without any repercussions.
After a few hours of sinking into the hot bathwater and relaxing her aching muscles, she was dressed in loose clothes, forgoing the typical dress for airy pants and a tunic that bore the crests of the Water Tribe. She let one of the maids braid her damp hair before she swept it over her shoulder. She touched a faint bruise on her shoulder and pulled the collar to hide it. He could give her a hit - that was sure.
She made her way to the healer's wing, stopping when she heard him moving in the bed and groaning as the healer worked on him. "She was amazing," he said as he looked at the large bruise on his shoulder slowly mend. "I've never seen anyone fight like that." Mako had no complaints that he was knocked out and had to have a healer attend to him. No, he was just eager to find the Water Tribe warrior and learn from her.
Korra smiled at his praise and just pushed the curtain aside, finally allowing herself a moment to take in the Firebender's chest. His muscles were rather attractive, especially with the patchwork of scars. She wanted to learn where each and every one of them came from and the stories behind them. "I take it you've realized that girls are superior to boys?"
His cheeks burned for a moment at her teasing tone before he said gruffly, "That was just a ploy," he finally said. "Sometimes when you know you're losing you have to find a way to throw off your opponent. It didn't work, obviously." Mako winced as the healer worked his shoulder, making him move it. "Do I get to finally learn the name of the warrior who kicked my ass?"
The elder healer chuckled. "Have you no respect, boy?" He asked, his voice raspy from old age.
"Now now, Sighna. I want to be the one to deliver the fact that he was beaten by the crown princess," Korra said with a smug tone that matched her equally smug expression as she watched his eyes widen. "My title as princess is synonymous with warrior," she said cheekily, sitting down in the armchair beside his bed.
"Spirits," Mako exhaled, looking down at the royal crest on the breast pocket of her tunic. "Unbelievable," he murmured, his tone awed by the realization. "Your Highness," he added quietly, swallowing hard. He would never have imagined that his opponent was the heir to the throne. "I can easily say that I'm honored to be in your presence." He'd always been well versed in how to address and speak to royals. His grandmother had taught him vigilantly.
"Even more honored to be knocked on your backside to the point of unconsciousness?" She asked with a soft laugh, pouring him a mug of water so he could eagerly drink from it. "I imagine that you don't face off with people like me," she smiled.
"I don't think people like you exist anywhere else," He said as he smiled at her for a brief moment as he tugged his shirt over his head and letting it fall against his torso. "Not even my men could go against you," he admitted honestly.
"Well, if you couldn't win against me, I doubt that they could either," Korra grinned to herself. "I think for the rest of the time that you're fighting with us, I should really show you and your military a thing or two on how to win."
He let out a laugh and nodded, offering his hand. "As long as you give me a rematch."
Korra looked down at his hand before slapping her palm against his, their hands tightening around each other's wrists as a sign of camaraderie. "As long as you can last against me."