Chapter One.

Kuvira felt empty. In the aftermath of her defeat came the crushing realization of just how wrong she had been. She had only wanted to heal a broken home, to reunite the shattered remnants of the nation she loved so dearly in the wake of The Red Lotus' terrorist acts. So blinded by ambition, she failed to see the harm her army was doing. She had laughed mirthlessly when she realized that the only thing the empire had truly united were the people in their fear and loathing of her. Now she sits in a wooden cell, suspended high above the ground, wallowing in self-pity and broken in more ways than one. She could no longer feel the earth calling to her as she had her entire life. Chi blockers were sent in once every two hours to disable the pathways along which her bending energy travelled. She could still move freely, but for nearly two weeks now the connection to her element had been severed. She hadn't felt such misery since she was a child...

Suddenly the latch of the large steel door leading into her solitary prison was turned, the loud clank snapping her out of her thoughts. Two White Lotus guards entered and walked out to the center of the cave floor. Once they were underneath her cage they began bending the earth beneath them. A large stone pillar, almost too large in fact, began to rapidly move towards her. Showoffs, she thought. When they reached the door of her cage the larger of the two unlocked it and beckoned her to join them. Sighing internally, she pulled herself to her feet, wincing in pain. After her arrest, Kya, the daughter of Avatar Aang, had given her a quick healing session before she was sent to prison. Though it sped the process considerably, she still wasn't fully healed and there was a constant ache in her side. Six broken ribs, internal bleeding, a fractured arm, and a massive headache. Could've been worse. She silently mused. The shorter of the two guards slapped a pair of platinum cuffs onto her wrists and then took hold of her arm as they started their descent. "Come on Great Uniter", the shorter guard said mockingly. "Let's go see how long you'll be locked up here with us".

...

Miles away in Republic City, Avatar Korra paced nervously outside of a court room. "Hey Korra! I've been looking all over for you. You're not going to believe what I just- are you okay?" Bolin had been running up to her excitedly, but stopped short when he saw the worried expression on her face. "Yeah I'm alright, I'm just anxious. What if they don't agree with me? What if something horrible happens, what if they sentence her to life in prison? Or worse try to execute her? Or what if she never even makes it here in the first place!?" Korra shouted as she grabbed Bolin by the shoulders. Ever since their short trip to the Spirit World, Korra had felt a growing sense of worry over the wellbeing of the Great Uniter. When she looked down at Kuvira as she awoke in the Avatar's arms, she didn't see the dictator. She didn't see the madwoman who just an hour before had tried to kill her own fiancée.

All she saw was the scared little girl Suyin said she'd found all those years ago. And since then Korra had felt an overwhelming need to protect that little girl. She'd been driving herself crazy these past two weeks not being allowed to visit Kuvira in prison, or even write her a letter.
"Korra. Calm down. Though I don't like... Well, pretty much anything Kuvira did; I know that deep down she's a good person, she just forgot that for a while. I agree with you, she can be redeemed if given the chance. Which there's pretty much no way she won't be considering she has you for a defense." Bolin stated with a reassuring smile. Korra took a deep, albeit shaky breath and visibly relaxed. "You're right. I'm probably worried about nothing."
At this moment Tenzin stuck his head out of the courtroom door. "Korra, they've arrived. The hearing is about to begin."

...

Kuvira kept her head down as she was led into the courthouse. Reporters were swarming the entrance with their cameras, shouting questions at her. With so many people yelling at once all that could be heard was a very loud, constant drone. She was thankful for the fact that she couldn't hear any of the specific questions or accusations. I don't want to hear how horrible I am from these vultures. Besides, I hear it daily from myself... She thought bitterly. Finally they were inside, the ornate wooden doors closed behind them. As she walked towards what she assumed to be a courtroom, she was seized by panic. She was ready and willing to accept whatever they deemed a worthy punishment, she knew she deserved it. However this couldn't stop fear from creeping into the back of her mind at the thought of what they might do to her.

She looked up as the door opened and her breath hitched at the sight of the Avatar. When she witnessed the true strength of the young Water Tribe woman in the spirit wilds it was breathtaking, and utterly terrifying. Some of that latent fear and shock emerged now as she looked at the young Avatar. It became stronger when she realized her guards were leading her straight towards the master of all four elements. Panic began to well again but was immediately crushed by the Avatar's smile. It wasn't the sneering grin she'd come to expect from the people who met her, but a genuine, warm smile. Friendly even. And there was something else written on the Avatar's face… Relief? No, surely not. Relief over what?

"Hi." Korra whispered as Kuvira took her apparent place at her side.

"Hi? What… Why am I standing here with you?"

"They didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? And who are they?"

"That I'm defending you in court. And... You know… They're, them. I guess." The Avatar chuckled nervously.

Oh.
Well that makes much more sense.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court, please be seated so we may begin."
President Raiko says from the front of the room.

Wait. What?

…...