I checked and read that the title 'Fire Lord' applies to both sexes equally, and IIRC, General Iroh even referred to his mother as 'The Fire Lord' back in Book Two, so that's what I'm going with. Apologies if you see it differently.

Also, it might feel a little political in places, but I make no apologies for my liberal views given the subject matter.

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Something To Talk About

They were dead. Both of them, dead. It was just a question of who got to them first.

Korra was wild and reckless, prone to making a decision and just going with it, no matter how ill-advised or impractical it was. She was the kind of person who'd take a strait line from A to B, even if it meant tunnelling through a mountain range to do it. This habit of grabbing the world by the horns and demanding it submit to her will was one of the thing Asami had always loved about the young Avatar, even back when they'd first met. When faced with a storm, a normal person would run and hide, but when you had Korra standing beside you, it felt like you could take on the storm and win. Her zeal was almost infectious, and probably why people were willing to follow her to the ends of the earth and face near certain death; because when you saw the world through Korra's eyes, nothing seemed impossible.

Running away in the middle of the night may have been taking it a step too far.

One day, if they lived, Asami was going to have to ask Korra just how she managed to arrange it all without anyone realising. All she knew was that Korra had asked her to wheel her out to to the airbending training area, where Naga had been waiting with a large bag held in her mouth. Korra had produced a bison whistle and used it to summon the sky bison that had brought her back after her abortive attempt to reach the Fire Nation during the Water Tribe Civil War. Naga had leapt up onto the saddle, and Korra had encouraged Asami to help her up even as one of the White Lotus sentries had sounded the alarm. Unsure just what was going on, but trusting Korra implicitly, Asami had help her fiancé up onto the back of the waiting bison. No sooner were they seated then Korra had uttered a quick 'Yip-Yip!' and they were airborne, heading out across the bay for open water. It hadn't been the quickest of escapes; Naga weighed as much as four or five people, and was never a keen flyer at the best of times, and it took the polar-bear dog a little while to get settled. But soon they were lost in the clouds, huddled up together under a blanket with Korra laughing about how she'd never thought they'd would actually get away with it.

They stopped off on an uninhabited island so the bison could rest, and Korra quickly explained that she needed to get away for a while, just the two of them. Naga had looked round at this point, and Korra had quickly corrected herself; just the three of them. Between the constant discussion in the press over their relationship, questions over just how quickly she was recovering and the almost fanatical zeal with which Senna and Pema had thrown themselves into planning the wedding... well, it had all been a bit too much. When she was younger and still under the tutelage of the White Lotus, she would often take Naga off for long rides across the tundra to clear her head when it all got too much. Unfortunately, that was no longer a practical option, least not because he wouldn't even consider not taking Asami with her. So she had come up with this plan, her little 'romantic getaway', keeping it all to herself and relying solely on Naga for assistance. Asami felt a little hurt that she hadn't confided in her, but that was just how Korra was some times, so she accepted it.

Another days travel south-west saw them reach the shores of the Fire Nation, somewhere Asami had always wanted to visit. They caused quite the stir when they arrived, unannounced, in the capital, but fortunately Lord Zuko had been there and quickly smoothed things over. He'd made a comment about how implosive and unpredictable Avatars could be, then introduced them to his daughter, Fire Lord Ursa. Asami had done her best to act with the proper decorum, but Korra was Korra, and believed in treating everyone equally. Fortunately, Ursa was not only her fathers daughter, but had known Avatar Aang before his passing, so have some understanding as to how unique an Avatar could be. She welcomed them into her home as honoured guests and friends, as warm and caring as Pema, but with a strong sense of tempered steel hidden blow the surface. News of their relationship had reached the Fire Nation just as quickly as it had the South Pole, and while Ursa was happy for them, she held back from asking too many questions. Not that that stopped Korra from explaining just why they had made their little unannounced visit, which had made Zuko laugh deeply. Once he had regained his composure, he said it reminded him of when Aang and Katara had officially announced their own engagement, shortly after the founding of the United Republic, even if it had long been a foregone conclusion to anyone who knew them.

Asami couldn't help but wonder if it was pure coincidence, or something that came from falling in love with the Avatar.

The villa just outside the palace that Ursa placed at their disposal was impressive, but small enough to feel cosy. The servants were polite, experienced, and seemingly able to vanish when not needed. It came as little surprise to either of them when, the next morning, there were White Lotus sentries standing guard outside the gates, but never stepping inside. Still, the message was clear; next time, let someone know what they had planned. No doubt, news of their arrival would have already reached Republic City, and Asami didn't want to imagine how it was being received. Despite everything she'd been through, every threat she'd faced and bested, every time she'd overcome all odds, there were still those who saw Korra as the inexperienced young woman who ran away to Republic City barely three years previously. Asami knew better than anyone that Korra was far from back to full strength, but she also knew that she was getting better day by day: already she was at the point of being able to stand, all be it for short periods of time, and her ability to control the four elements was likewise returning. Asami felt sure that Korra would surprise everyone with just how far she had come in such a short space of time. Korra had laughed when Asami had mentioned this too her, then pulled her down onto her lap so she could plant kisses all around her face, down her neck and onto her shoulder.

"You're the reason why I'm doing so well." The Avatar had explained as she held Asami close, "I felt lost, without reason and sure that the world would be better off without me. But you? You showed me that I still had so much to live for, and I want to spend the rest of my life thanking you for that."

They made love for the first time that night.

It wasn't some grand, world-altering event like in all the trashy romance novels Asami had so loved reading when she was a teenager: there was no roaring open fire, no platypus-bear skin rug, no candles, no rose petals, no shooting stars overhead (not that she'd been looking), no waves crashing on the beach. Instead their kisses and caresses had grown more intense, their exploration of each others bodies more daring, until they had found themselves laying naked in each others arms. Something unspoken had passed between them, and they had taken that final step together. Neither of them had been overly experienced beforehand, certainly not with another woman, and there had been more than a few mistakes made, including one very painful elbow to the ribs and more than a little laughter and cursing on Korra's part as her body refused to move exactly as she wanted it to, but it was the little imperfections that made it better. For that one night, they weren't the Avatar and the Heirs; they were just Korra and Asami, too young people who were deeply in love with each other and wanted to express that. Anything else would have somehow cheapened the experience. And as she lay there in Korra's arms as they basked in the afterglow, her head resting on her lovers shoulder, Asami knew that the memory of that experience was something she would cherish for the rest of her life.

Most of the next day was spent in bed, talking and making love, only leaving when they absolutely had too. Evening brought with it an invitation from Ursa to dine at the palace, so they had bathed together and dressed in fresh cloths that the servants produced seemingly out of nowhere and yet fit them perfectly. They were a little surprised when, instead of being led to a large banquet hall, they were instead shown to a much smaller and intimate room where Ursa, Zuko and a woman in the garb of a Fire Mage who was introduced as Sho were waiting for them. The formal pleasantries were quickly done with, then Zuko had somewhat reluctantly handed over a copy of the United Daily News, printed the day before. Asami looked at the front page and her heart sank: three of the five top judges in Republic City had come out and stated that, in their learned opinion, it would be against the laws of the United Republic for two women to marry. There was no mention of Korra or Asami by name, but the implication was clear to anyone who knew to read between the lines. The conservatives had played their trump-card, and there was little anyone could do to stop them. Until she had been told she couldn't, Asami had no idea just how much she had been looking forward to actually marrying Korra. Ursa had seen the look of distress looks on their faces and explained that being the supreme leader of a nation had a few little perks, such as the ability to have someone look into exactly what their own laws said. And as it happened, in the Fire Nation, marriage was legally defined as a union between two people, with no emphasis given as to the genders of the people involved. The law was ancient, dating back to a time when it would have been socially unthinkable for two men or two women to marry, but the law was still the law. On top of that, she continued, Republic City was bound by international treaties and laws to recognise any marriage that took place in the Fire Nation and offer it the same legal protections as one that had taken place in the Presidents office in Republic City. All they would have to do is find someone appropriate willing to officiate the wedding.

It was at this point that Sho has smiled, and the proverbial penny had dropped.

Things moved fast after that; they couldn't risk word getting back to Republic City, even to their closest friends and family, less the conservative element get wind of what they had in mind and move to change the law before the wedding. Far better, Ursa had advised, to have the ceremony immediately and present those who opposed their union with a fait accompli and ask the forgiveness of their supporters when they got back. And when the Fire Lord set her mind to something, it tended to get done quickly. Asami had never seen a finer dress than the black silk kimono decorated with red roses that the royal tailors had prepared for her. There had been butterflies the size of wolf-bats doing somersaults in her stomach as she had waited before Sho for Korra to make her entrance, and she almost fainted with shock when she did. Korra was dressed in a navy kimono with ice-blue highlights that matched the colourings and style of her normal Water Tribe garb, and in Asami's eyes, she looked simply stunning. But far more than that, she was actually walking. Slowly and a little unsteadily, with the help of Zuko and an ebony cane, but walking none the less. She grinned when she saw the look on Asami's face, grateful that her surprise had has the sort after affect. Naga, who had been sat to one side, made an appreciative grunt, and was fed a treat by a nearby servant.

The wedding ceremony passed in somewhat of a blur for Asami, as did the small gathering afterwards, and before she knew it, they were on their way to Ember Island. Zuko had offered them the use of the beach house he owned there, promising that they'd have all the privacy newly-weds could want. Asami had actually blushed at that comment, making the former Fire Lord laugh deeply. But he had been right about the house; it was small but well appointed, and some work had evidently been done to make it easy to move the wheelchair that Korra still needed most of the time around unimpeded. There were no servants, and while there were White Lotus sentries and a detachment of the elite Kyoshi Warriors keeping watch, they were far enough away to allow the two young women some privacy. They only had a few days, but they made the most of it, enjoying the sun, the sea and each other. They quickly grew more and more comfortable being intimate, with Korra displaying an inventive side that Asami had never suspected, but certainly appreciated. But above all, they were happy, the cares of the world kept at bay, at least for a little while. But as they lay on the beach, watching the sun go down one last time before they would have to head back to Republic City and the reality of their lives, Asami felt truly content. She was married to the woman she loved, and who loved her with a passion that burned like the desert sun; whatever else the world had to throw at them, they'd face it together. Still, they would have to face Senna and Pema, who's hard work planning the perfect wedding had all been for nothing.

Chief Beifong, who was no doubt going to be furious that they'd run off without any security.

Tenzin, who'd no doubt be angry that his student and charge was back to being her reckless implosive self.

The conservatives, who would doubtlessly be appalled by their marriage.

The progressives, who would feel cheated out of their chance to turn it into a grand cause for them to fight for.

The board of Future Industries, who'd have another axe to grind with Asami.

And most of all, Ikki, who'd missed out on her chance to be a bridesmaid in a pretty dress, something that somehow frightened Asami more than all the others combined.

To Be Continued
(If I can come up with anything further to add)