She sat in the dark of her cell.
Apparently quite a stir had been created outside the walls of the prison. Word got around quick, spreading right down to Kuvira's place of holding.
She doubted that the guards meant for her to overhear…but really, if that was the case, they should have toned it down a notch or two. Kuvira leaned against the bars listening to the whispers. The rumors. King Wu had stepped down. The Earth Kingdom was now a democracy.
The elections to be held within the week.
Moreover Kuvira learned from nights of feigned sleep and listening that she—despite her imprisonment—was a candidate. It somehow bought chills vibrating up and down her back; from anticipation or anxiousness, she couldn't quit gauge.
Despite the new found information she went to bed feeling just as void and melancholy as before. Such notions were all too dreamlike, too farfetched. As far as Kuvira knew the vast majority was not in her favor by any means.
And yet a small seed of hope had been planted and watered; perhaps the kingdom did see it her way. Just maybe they did feel safe when The Great Uniter was at her prime.
She tried her best to shovel her wishful thinking down. The last thing she wanted was another crushed hope.
Days passed without even the slightest hint as to what was going on beyond the prison walls. It was at recreation time that Kuvira was enlightened with the latest news. She was outside for the first time in a good month or two—she supposed they finally trusted her to not try to break out. Though she would never admit it, she had formulated a plan or two—most of which involved the loyal subjects she had left.
But she had said that she'd accept whatever punishment the world saw fit, and she would honor her words.
She had taken to running through an old dance routine…a vestige of her old and long gone life, when an rather intriguing conversation found her ears.
There had been a rally.
A protest.
Right outside the prison walls. They wanted her free. They wanted her free and in power.
The slightest of smiles worked its way over Kuvira's face. They did want her. She was doing good for the world. Perhaps things got…a little…out of hand. But the people she had united, they wanted her back. If Kuvira had heard right, said people were refusing to vote until their desired candidate was up for election.
She resumed her dance routine, ignoring the sideways and envious glances spurred by fellow inmates.
Passing Kuvira by was yet another week. She still hadn't her freedom and was beginning to wonder if the people's opinions truly had such little weight. If she got out she'd work to change that.
It was on that same day that she was tugged out of her cell by a grim-faced guard. Based upon the look on his face, she knew she was free…and that he was on Su's side of the coin. That mattered not, everything she worked for…all of the blood and tears were going to amount to something.
The man wrenched open the prison gate, sunlight pooled over her. Things were about to change. How, Kuvira couldn't say for certain, but the Kingdom was rightfully hers. Fairly hers.