Chapter 4- The Warriors of the South

The first thing Korren had to do when faced in front of the Elders was bow. There were four, the oldest of them, Assan, somewhere in his late eighties or early nineties, with a hair color whiter than snow and skin like ash. Being the oldest, he was said to be the wisest, and for that, Korren's father held a lot of faith in his reasoning and decisions. As he grew, Korren hoped to find the same type of trust in the man, after all, he would need Assan's guidance and favor should he live to see Korren become chief, but all Assan ever did, when he wasn't drinking ale with the less than honorable members of the council, was frown. If he spoke to Korren at all it was in a jeer-ful tone and was hardly anything essential. Some quick jab at Korren's manliness perhaps, or a vulgar comment about who he'd marry. Korren learned how to bite his tongue in front of the man. If his father trusted Assan even an ounce, it was for a good reason, and at the very least Korren respected that much about him.

It was he who frowned the hardest at Korren, his dark grey eyes held something waiting to be said, something vile and menacing. The wrinkles in his face curled up with his frown, making him look like he should be long dead. The others followed his lead, giving Korren their most disgusted looks. Even Carswell, who always seemed to give Korren a sort of leeway in the most serious of situations, held a frown on his face that spoke louder than his words ever could.

They were furious.

Korren dropped to his knees on the cold hard ground before them and looked to the dirt as he bowed. It was all he could do until they gave him their permission to speak. Probably all he could do until the night was finally said to be over. His bow alone would have to serve as his apology, since he was sure they would never allow one to leave his mouth.

Assan spoke first, rising as the words began to leave his mouth. He stood with a cane, half shaky and wobbling, but that didn't stop him from using it to hit Korren over the head, the way a father would discipline a son.

"This is what happens when you send a woman to do a man's job." He said. It took Korren a lot not to make a sound, or rise from his bow to scold at the man. "Did Tonraq not teach you well enough? We do not submit when an enemy approaches. Ugh, A woman isn't smart enough to understand that. We dress you in a warriors uniform, but that still does not make you a smart thing does it?"

What was I to do? Korren wanted to ask. A feeling of anxiety rose in his chest. What if this decision was wrong? The elders certainly seemed to believe so, still in his mind there was no better option than this. And yet...what if he was all wrong? What would be left of his people when the Fire Lord was done with them? He shivered at the thought, and kept his head down.

"Korren does not call it submission." Terrick said in a deep and harsh voice. "Is that not what you said at the last meeting, Prince? That this is not submission?"

Korren wasn't sure of whether to answer the question or not. He bit his tongue, wanting not to speak out of place.

"Korren isn't all to blame. The fire empire grows stronger everyday. We cannot match them even if we had Northerners on our side. Still, a union is no better than fighting them off. Korren has sentenced us to death." It was Carswell who spoke this, and perhaps hearing this from him is what made Korren cringe so hard.

A marriage will not be the end of us. Korren wanted so badly to speak, but with them all against him so strongly he thought it best to keep his mouth shut.

"Chief Tonraq would know best what to do in this situation, but regretfully he is ill, so the tribe looks to you to keep them safe, and this is what you do? Line fire nation men out on our streets one by one." Assan hit Korren with the cane once again. "Is that meant to make them feel safe you foolish thing?"

"Korren anticipates them to leave once the marriage is complete." Carswell defended weakly. "Still, that does not speak for what's to come."

"We've already seen what's to come!" Assan growled. "Once this marriage is set who's to say they won't burn our people next?"

"Marriage?" Laec spoke with a scoff. "They came all this way to burn our huts and marry our Prince? For what? A name? What's in his name they couldn't get from a fire nation boy? They've come to disgrace him with their whore-"

"Korren will surely take another wife to make up for this one. One fire, One water. Won't he?" Korren looked up then to see Carswell's face hadn't softened despite the change in his tone. He looked a Korren with an expression that matched Assan's. Stiffly, Korren nodded.

"Still, what good would a wife do a woman? It's a waste."

"It's his pride. A chief will need a family, no matter how useless or incomplete. Tonraq was married to Senna for nearly a year before she bared, and still she has not given him another."

"A chief? This is under the assumption, Tonraq dies-" Laec hissed in Carswell's direction.

"Well have you seen him?"

"My marriage isn't what's important!" Korren nearly shouted to stop their bickering. "The Fire Princess isn't important either. I did what I thought was best and my apologies for not finding a moment to ask your guidance. Hiroshi says he wants my bloodline. I don't know if he will want more. For right now , I will give him my name if it means he will leave my tribe and never return with war. Why is that wrong?"

The elder's were silent for a short and tense moment. Finally, Tarrick shrugged and said, "Well, married to their princess you have no bloodline to give. You'll make a fool of her and her father, you think you can avoid war then?"

"Well-"

"It's too late to offer you guidance, foolish boy." Assan spat at Korren's hands. "I knew this would bring us nothing good. I knew from the moment Tonraq entered begging for his child. A girl in boy's clothing, pssh," He scoffed. "A girl just the same. Look at the decisions she's made!"

"You should have told him no from the start and let him face the wrath of the Southern Warriors, as few as there might be. This is our pride and you've tarnished it. They will walk our streets like its theirs. As a chief, how will you explain that to your people? That you've given their pride to a Tyrant." Tarrick spoke matter-of-factly.

Korren frowned, "This isn't just about pride-"

"Our pride is what keeps us alive." Tarrick hissed. "Is fighting the only thing Tonraq has taught you?"

"Our pride is also what keeps us at war with the North when, by name, they should be our allies against the fire empire-" Korren spoke before he could think. He knew speaking of the Northerners would grant him no favor. He knew they were evil and vile and still he spoke their name in front of his elders. Expectedly the words earned him hit in the head from Assan's fearful cane.

"This is the thing we will make Chief after Tonraq's passing?" Assan shook his head, "What a shame."

"There is no real choice now, is there?"

"If we do not title the boy, we will disgrace his great father before him."

"And yet if we do, his decisions are what we will suffer with."

"Bare with him, he's still young."

"What do you plan to do if Hiroshi doesn't do as you hope? What if he stays once the marriage is complete?"

Korren knew well enough to question Hiroshi's word, yet a plan for if this all backfires hadn't crossed his mind. He thought for a moment before he answered.

"We don't have the men to fight them and the North should come to that. For now, all I can say is try to keep the peace. If Hiroshi isn't angered there will be no need to fight them. Can't we all agree that is the best option right now?"

"I think we all agree that you're an idiot." Laec said with a cynical laugh. "And what you've done, if it doesn't kill us first, will be the end of The South. The Fire Empire isn't known to make deals, or to bargain. They use us like they use the earth benders."

Korren cringed and stood from his bow. "I will find a way to take care of it should it come to that, but I am certain, if we abide by Hiroshi's wishes, it won't."

Laec sighed, "We don't trust you not to make this worse."

"But we don't have much of a choice other than to leave it in your hands until, if, your father comes to."

"We hope, for the sake of the tribe that he does...and quickly at that."

-X-

"Old hags." Korren muttered under his breath as he left the hut. Who were they not to have any faith in him anyhow? Had the elders forgotten so soon who leads the tribes into the battles they, up until recently, always came back victorious from?

What made them think he couldn't handle something as diplomatic as the Fire Lord? No, he wasn't his father, and he could never be, but at the very least he had learned everything he knew from Tonraq The Great. Second best or not it would have to do for them because it was Korren who shared blood with the man, and it was Korren who was to be chief next. At the very least, they could have some faith in him. Some trust in his decisions.

No, all they could really do was sit above him and ridicule him as they watched.

"What did they say?" Barse, who seemed to have been waiting outside the hut, grabbed a hold of Korren's arm as he walked, effectively stopping him from hurrying off.

Korren scoffed, "That I'm incompetent, but in more words."

Barse didn't hide the chuckle that came as Korren spoke those words angrily. "Well, can you blame them?"

Korren grabbed his arm away from Barse's grip and continued to walk. "That isn't a joke. Without the support of the Elders, what hope do I have of getting the tribe to support me? We'll die-"

"I get it!" Barse said quickly, before Korren could go into an angry rant. "The Fire Lord can be tricky to handle. I honestly don't believe there's any right way to go about it. The Elders are just cynical. Didn't your father ever tell you that?"

His words calmed Korren down a bit. At least someone understood, and it wasn't by fearful force either. At the very least, he had one person on his side.

"Yes…"

Barse walked a bit closer to Korren, so he could lower his voice a little more as the conversation seemingly became more secretive. "You do know the tribe is talking though, don't you?" Korren was very much aware of the eyes in the dark following him as he walked with Barse. He tried to pay them no mind. The streets needed to be clean as quickly as possible, but he knew his people well enough to realize they cared more about scowling at him rather than doing their job.

"Yes," I don't care. Korren wanted badly to say. But he couldn't. He wasn't a child anymore, he couldn't just beat a man bloody for looking at him the wrong way like he used to. A chief can't be bothered with every petty look of he was given.

"And what do you intend to do to calm them? Tonraq is dying and you're marrying the Fire Lord's daughter-"

"I know-"

"They're saying you haven't even been to see your father yet. That you don't care." Korren frowned at that. He was unconscious for nearly a week after the battle against the Northern spirits, and then for two days he had to deal with the Fire Lord and his tyranny. What time was there to see his father?

"Is it bad?" Korren asked, though he cringed to hear the answer.

"Yes." His mother cried a lot for his father, that much Korren knew. But Senna had a tendency to cry every time Korren got bruised, so regardless of how bad she said it was, it was hard to believe it was anything worse than how he last saw his father. "With most of the healing huts burned, and without oasis water, it's hard to say how long they can keep him alive in his condition."

With a groan Korren made a u-turn and headed towards what little was left of healing huts. "You can't even speak sense to him with the way he is. He's the only one who hasn't died yet. Whatever the North did to him-"

"Korren!" It was Griff who called out Korren's name. It was in his usual mocking like tone. A second later one of his heavy hands rested on Korren's shoulders.

"Are the Elders letting you go through with this?" He didn't wait for an answer before he continued on. "It's like those men will let you do anything these days!"

"There isn't much of a choice really."

"Sure there is!" Griff patted the sword hanging on his waist, and gestured to the snow on the ground below them. "Water beats fire."

"Only when there's more water than fire-"

"That sounds like you don't trust us to win!"

"It's me not wanting my men to do anything prematurely stupid. If you can avoid a fight between them, please try to." Griff began to laugh as Korren glared. "That's an order!"

Still, Griff laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He knocked Barse on his back to get his attention, "Say, do you think the Fire Princess will make a good wife? How much do you wanna bet-"

"We aren't making bets on the Fire Princess!" Korren growled. "She is not here to be mocked!"

"Defending your woman already?" The mocking lilt in his voice was begging for Korren to say something, but he kept silent, clenching his jaw tightly, as they walked towards what was left of the healing huts.

While most of the rubble had been moved from the streets, the wooden frames of the huts now stood unstable and blackened, having mostly been burnt. The grounds surrounding the huts were charred, the snow around them scarce. The acrid smell of burned wood, furs and flesh hung heavy in the air keeping most people away, and with the loss of the heavy fabrics of walls and doors, the women who were inside were forced to use whatever they could to keep the cold air from coming in.

Suddenly, a loud screech came from the inside the hut, pulling Korren from his thoughts. A shiver ran down his spine. It wasn't exactly fear that sunk into his gut, but it was indeed something that he didn't like the feeling of. Anxiousness perhaps. He swallowed it. With a baneful expression, he pulled aside the curtains and willed his legs to move inside. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to expect, since they were always victorious in battle and there was hardly ever any need for the healing hut to exceptionally busy with wounded warriors. A multitude of women rushing around burn victim's perhaps. The three pools they had in this particular hut filled with groaning tribesmen. Blood? Lots of it...Shouted commands from the older women at the young girls still in training while they tried there hardest to save those hurt? He just wasn't sure.

Whatever he wanted to see when he entered, this was not it. Inside looked much worse than the rubble outside, of course. Most the supplies had burnt, the healing pools stood empty, needing to be refilled. The shelves damaged by fire stood barren and crooked, the planks falling from their frames. Small trinkets littered the floors still, but that was quickly being taken care of.

Contrary to what he expected, there weren't many women inside. They all moved about and doing different tasks. All of which held different levels of importance.

It was strangely chatty inside, mostly from the younger girls, who still liked to gossip about boys and read fictional tales of happy marriages. Korren heard his name being passed about some, followed by bitters words regarding the Fire Nation troops that were still parked at the docks and slowly making themselves comfortable as guards on the streets surrounding.

The older women huddled off into groups of their own and spoke in a lower, more cynical, tone about the matter. Yet amidst all of it, it didn't seem as frantic as he thought it would have been. It just seemed like women who wanted to finish their job for the day and return home. No doubt they were frightened by the Fire Nation's arrival and Hiroshi's angry fit of fire. Going home would bring them some sort of secure feeling perhaps.

"Prince Korren." Arika stopped in her tracks and bowed to him. She was a woman his age with dark hair that fell down in traditional braids at her shoulders. Once, they were in the same healing classes together. She used to like giggling to Korren about which one of the future warriors she'd marry and which one she didn't like. Korren never giggled back or found talk of men interesting. For a long while she stopped talking to him. Now she was married and with a family of her own to look after by one of the same boys she giggled and gushed over. Korren tried not to think about how her life could've easily been his.

She attempted a smile as she rose from her bow. It was false, half crooked and not reaching her eyes. "You're awfully bloody…" She reached up to touch her fingertips to Korren's slightly bruised face. He hadn't noticed he had started to bleed again- all thanks to Assan and his cane of terror. He lifted his arm and wiped his face.

"I'm fine-" Another screech like horror interrupted his words. He recoiled, somewhat frightened by the sound, while Griff and Barse both reached for their swords hanging on their waist out of defensive habit.

Arika simply closed her eyes, tight like a child, until the sound died out. "What was that!" Korren demanded know, searching around the hut for a source.

Arika hesitated to reply, "Er- Your father actually. Is it him you came to see?"

Korren looked at her like she was a liar. There was no way a sound so horrific could come from his father. Absolutely no way.

"He's been like that since you men returned. It hasn't gotten better, just worse. We fear there is nothing we can do for him!" One of the older woman quickly said.

Suddenly, Korren remembered, in vivid detail, how his father looked when they brought him back. Half spirit. Half man. Something twisted, mutated, sickly.

"It's best you don't go back there Prince!" Arika warned. "It's nasty, and you have your hands full with the Fire Lord. Let us worry of the Chief-"

Barse pushed past her, "The Prince would like to see his father, who are you to deny a man that right?" Arika recoiled slightly, then completely stepped out of Korren's way.

"Before you go, you'll at least tell us you have the Elder's support, don't you? It'll ease our minds to know whether or not they believe this marriage thing will-"

"Be quiet." Korren hissed. "That is none of your concern." With that he pushed past Barse and into the small room that held his father.

The creature that laid in the bed was not his father, Korren determined. It was barely even a man. Its body was misshapen, twisted and damaged. If his father existed in it at all, he was hardly recognizable, except for maybe his hair, which was stilled tied back into it's long version of a wolf tail. The hand that was unaffected by the fusion, the left hand, was now a sickly yellowish green that bloated and throbbed with fluids. Tonraq's face was no longer his. All of it now blue, half of it taken by a large yellow eye, the other half had a beady little blue one that darted around the room frantically. His nose was gone, and now instead there only two small holes where it should be. His teeth had fallen out, leaving what was left of his mouth bloody. A long slimy tongue peeked out from inside what should be it's month.

Tonraq's large body was gone, and now in it's place was something twisted, damaged and sickly. He was beginning to glow a bright blue. The stench coming from him was rotten.

It opened it's mouth and shrieked, spewing slimy, bloody saliva everywhere.

Korren cringed, drawing his hand over his nose to shield himself from the stench.

It wailed around on the small bed it laid in, screeching at Korren.

What an evil tactic. Korren thought. The North suddenly seemed more formidable of an opponent, if this is what they would use against them.

There was a sharp sound as Griff drew his sword, "We can't trust it. It was set upon us by the North! There is no good that can come from it. Look at it!" He demanded of Korren. "Are we going to wait till it gets worse?"

"I thought of this too," Barse said, his hand hovering over his weapon. "It was given to us by the North, what if it grows strong and attacks?"

"Tonraq wouldn't attack his people!" Korren spoke quickly, but as the creature jerked itself until it fell from its place in the bed with a hard thud it became very clear that this thing was no longer Tonraq.

Griff grunted at it. "It begs to be killed."

The thing looked at Korren with eyes that didn't match and shrieked once again. It seemed to be somewhat flopping as it attempted to make its way over.

Korren searched for something, anything that would say his father might still be in there, but the yellow and blue eyes showed him nothing but franticness, darting about the room without purpose, as the tongue flicked over it's mouth uselessly.

"We don't know what this will do to the tribe." We protect our people first. Korren remembered.

"I would say to give my father another day or so to recover, but it seems he's gone. If this were something that went away in time, the North wouldn't have used it as a weapon." It pained Korren to say it, but if Tonraq still existed in there somewhere, this is what he would want. Korren was sure of it. He would rather die than become a weapon used to murder his own people. Still, whether or not this was right conflicted within him. A son should never order his father's death.

"At least we agree on one thing." The thing shrieked for a final time before Griff raised his sword and it was done with pure yellow liquid gushing about the room.

-X-

Asami's face wasn't what Korren wanted to see when he entered his home. He wanted a hot bath, a meal and sleep.

Soft golden eyes met his sharp blue ones, a sullen expression painted across the pale face. She looked at him directly, then not at all.

Trying not to groan in front of the Princess he removed his coat and sloppily threw it down anywhere. He sat beside her, attempting to be somewhat of comfort. It was strange, and difficult finding words to speak to her. She seemed so delicate, what soft words could he offer her?

"The council…" He started shakily. "The council seems more accepting of the idea." It was a complete lie. The members of the council were all grown men capable of understanding when tough decisions had to be made. By the time he planned to wed Asami he hoped it would settle in their minds that he wasn't doing this because he wanted to.

Asami's face hadn't grown softer as he expected. She looked at him with half a frown, her pale face tired and somewhat quivering, though Korren didn't know for sure if it was because she was frightened or cold.

"Griff is running a bet on how well of a wife you'll make." Her eyes widened some, and her cheeks reddened, just slightly. Korren cringed, perhaps those weren't the words he should have used. "But with my mother's guidance I'm sure you'll do just fine!" He added quickly. "Just...don't get into anyone's way." He was sure the Princess wouldn't purposefully begin any disputes between the women of the tribe and herself, however that didn't mean they wouldn't try to kill her regardless. The last thing he needed was for her to die so soon after her arrival.

Senna appeared from the kitchen then, a motherly scowl fit on her face, "What about my way?" She demanded. "Won't she be in my way?" Korren glared at his mother.

She wouldn't kill Asami, that much he was sure of. But she wasn't insulting her without end. And Asami, so quietly, was shivering at Korren's side.

"Mother-"

Senna answered him with a huff, "Accepting huh? So, who's leaving the tribe? I'll make them something to go off with."

"Leaving?" Asami sounded panicked. "Because of me?"

"No!" Korren moaned. "Mother!" Senna was usually good at sensing when Korren was tired. Why couldn't she tell that he was exhausted now? Why couldn't she leave her bitter comments unsaid for the rest of the night. Korren was sure Asami had gotten an earful while he was away.

"No one is leaving. We need everyone to stay together now more than ever. Don't say that. You'll frighten her!" His mother pouted, as he turned back to Asami. "The elder's think it's a good idea for us to marry once the smoke from today's regrettable events have cleared." No, they didn't. They didn't think it was a good idea for them to marry at all, but Korren wanted to believe it and Asami needed to feel safe with him at the very least. " I can't promise you a fresh start though. I'll let your father know in the morning. In a few days, everything will be final and all this nonsense will end."

Dinner followed shortly after that, but while his mother's food gave him a sort of comfort, Asami barely touched hers. She seemed sadder than she had in the first time they met as looked down into her plate.

Say something. Korren urged himself. The words that came were more awkward than the silence, still Korren spoke them as gently as he could. "I don't want you to be frightened."

Asami stiffened at the sound of his voice. Then, she nodded just the same. "Okay," she said softly, her voice barely audible.

"That wasn't an order…"

"I know."

It was a stupid choice of words. Of course she would be frightened regardless of what Korren wanted.

Korren took Asami's hand in his. It was a small, and perhaps pointless, gesture, but as far as comfort went, this is all he could offer her.

"How do you like water tribe food?" He asked, prompting her to speak. Senna huffed where she stood watching, earning herself a warning glance from Korren.

Asami attempted a smile, for Korren's sake. Looking down into her plate of seaweed noodles and tigerseal she spoke, "We have water tribe dishes in my home sometimes. Father enjoys meals like this when he's telling his comrades your stories, though I'm not sure they are as traditionally prepared as this."

Korren smiled with her as well, "My stories?"

Asami's face heated in a blush, "Sometimes he's just reciting what he's heard of you, other times he's telling watertribe legends. Like the one about Hama the Bloodbender. He likes the creepy ones most."

Korren grinned as he thought about that tale. It was over a hundred years old, dating back to long before Avatar Aang was found in the iceberg. However that tale wasn't ever told for the sake of entertainment. It served as a warning to all benders out there. It showed them how strong they were, but also how easily their power mixed with vengeance could corrupt them. Of course, since Hama, and Katara- a comrade of Avatar Aang who died at the young age of twenty, shortly after the hundred year war was brought to an end by Ozai, there hasn't been a bender in the Southern water tribe foolish enough to attempt bloodbending, or strong enough for that matter.

"Can you bend blood as well? Can everyone here?" Asami began to recoil in her seat, her face going pale again.

Korren chuckled, offering her hand a gentle squeeze. "No, I can't. You don't have to worry about that. No one here can actually."

"So it's just a tall tale then?"

"No, it's true. There have been bloodbenders in the past. None since the hundred year war however."

"Oh," Asami visibly released a breath, and chuckled to herself as though she realized how silly she was being.

"How does your father know so many water tribe tales anyways?"

Asami shrugged. "I don't know actually. I suppose he could've always gone to the grand library- or send someone to do it for him. There are stories from all over the world there. Historical facts they don't even teach in schools. I don't really know how he knew about you either. The water tribes have managed to stay very isolated. I suppose strength dons stories. and stories travel."

Korren silently wondered what other stories of him had managed to travel all the way to the fire nation. How much did Hiroshi actually know about him and his people? And just what was he planning to do with the information? He swallowed a lump forming in his throat to smile back at Asami. "Well, I am the son of a great chief, there are stories of me even here. Some false, some true."

"I've heard that as well. Korren, Tonraq's son. In the Fire Nation, the women speculate you to look like…." Asami's smile had gotten much bigger. She was almost grinning as she thought of proper words to say. "Mmm, eight feet tall, long hair like silk, skin as though you were dipped in bronze, and eyes like blue sky on a clear day. All of this wrapped in blue furs, necklaces made from animal bones and teeth, and to top it all off a heavy sword only you or your father were strong enough to wield."

Korren couldn't stop himself from laughing, while Asami began to blush again, this time deeper. She hung her head out of shyness while Korren laughed at her little tale. "Well, did I meet your expectations?"

Asami chuckled a little as well, with the hand that wasn't entangled with Korren's she hesitantly ran her fingers through his short hair. "Well, mostly. you're hair is soft, not as long as I thought it would be. Also," She drew her hand back as she said this, "You're short."

Korren snorted his laughter. Asami drew her hand from his to blush.

The moment ended with Senna stepping in between the two, a scowl buried in her face, directed at her son. "I think it's been a long day. The Fire Princess needs sleep, as do you. You'll need all your energy to deal with the Fire Lord tomorrow morning won't you?"

In that same instant, Asami's beautiful smile and blush was gone. She stood when Senna urged her to. "Where will she sleep?"

"In my bed of course, we can't have her sleep on the floor." Korren said as though it was obvious.

Senna gave him a long glare, "With you?"

"I'll take the couch for the night. It'll be fine." Asami bowed to him as she bid him a good night. And like earlier that day, he took her hand in his and kissed it as his farewell for the night.

-X-

Sleep was hard to find in cold and small room that was Korren's. Everything around her was some shade of blue, white or brown, unfamiliar and odd colors for the red and golden Fire Princess to stare at for long without beginning to feel sick. Even the darkness itself seemed to be a darkened shade of blue.

The quiet murmurs coming from outside the room did nothing to soothe the ache still growing in her chest. Prince Korren seemed nice enough. He was warm and welcoming and strangely easy to speak to. Still, They're talking about you the anxiety in her head persisted. Of course they were. There was no way they weren't. The words, though spoken too lowly and too quickly to truly be understood, sounded harsh.

She make out very little of what was being said. Words like "Fire" and "Princess" had definitely been said, so she was sure she was a topic.

Korren's voice sounded strangely harsh, a little angry even. She worried his anger might be directed at her. He never asked for this either, and Asami was perhaps less than ideal a wife according his traditional standards.

In his bed she worried, and worried, and worried. Korren and his mother spoke for a long while. A very long and tense while for Asami. They spoke harshly at some point, too soft for Asami to even differentiate their voices at others.

What were they planning to do with her? Did they hate her because of her father? Would Korren even acknowledge her anymore after Hiroshi got what he came for? It was wrong to listen when they spoke in private, she knew, but Asami needed to know what would become of her in this strange place she would have to call home.

By the time they had finished speaking, Asami was beginning to drift off. She was tired and anxious at the same time. What would the morning bring for her?

-X-

Asami was jolted awake by the sound of a scream. Senna's scream to be precise. She sat up in bed, shivering at the sound when it was joined by something else.

Stomping?

Something big shook the ground as it approached. Suddenly she could hear the shouts and screams coming from outside the the window. She could hear the crunching sounds of bones as they broke. She could hear the splash of water as it was being bent by warriors, the grunting sounds of fighting men…

What was going on?

What was happening?

Fear begged Asami to stay where she was, it gripped her like it never had before. Yet, the sounds of Senna screaming prompted her to get on her feet and run towards the sound.

She found Senna at the door, her face pale, hands covering her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks and legs quivering.

Asami wasn't prepared for what she was met with. She had never seen anything like it. It was a glowing blue giant thing with four long arms dragging as it walked. Eyes yellow and large. There wasn't just one, there were many, attacking men effortlessly.

The sight froze her. The creatures walked through fully grown men, leaving them screaming, seemingly crippled and only half a man. After a moment of jerking, most of them had stopped moving.

Fire Nation red mixed with the blue of the water tribe as they fought, but Hiroshi's men proved useless as many of them were as new to this as Asami, and perhaps just as frozen with fear. They either ran, or stood in fear as the creatures passed through them.

In the middle of it all, she saw Korren, fighting just as the tales said he did, only...it wasn't water or sword Korren wielded as his weapon. It was earth. Huge chucks of the ground flew up and out at his command. Gaping holes formed in the middle of the earth, swallowing the creatures whole.

Senna screamed for her son.

Asami shivered watching him. What was he? He was a waterbender. The tales said he was a waterbender! So how was he willing earth as well?

As the creatures disappeared by Korren's hand, more appeared, surrounding them. They were out numbered. Badly.

It seems as though as Asami realized this so did Korren. He dropped his choice weapon, breathing heavily in the middle of what became a battlefield. He looked distressed, tired. His hair clung to him with water and sweat, and his clothes were disheveled. The ground around him was riddled with craters, and dust floated around him. It clung to his face, dirtying it, but the exhaustion was clear in his features.

"No." Asami begged. "No, no!" He couldn't be tired! He couldn't! There were still too many…

Too many to fight off.

Korren frowned as a creature approached him and raised the earth once more, swinging at it. While it slowed the creature down, it didn't stop it.

Asami let out a cry for Korren, louder than Senna's as the creature passed through his body.

Everything seemed to go still for her in that moment. As the merging ended, Korren fell, with his face half of a man's. His body half his. He twitched for a moment, then stopped moving completely.

Senna pushed past her, shouldering her without a care, and ran to her son's side, regardless of the danger surrounding the fallen soldier. She picked him up and held him to her chest the way a mother does, chanting all the way "No, no. no…"

Asami wanted to move as well, but Senna was lost in the same moment Asami dared take a step forward, falling atop Korren's body with her body mutated like the fallen surrounding them.

No. Asami paused. No Her legs shook. She wasn't brave enough to run to his side as well. She wasn't brave enough to die the same way they had.

She screamed instead, falling to her knees, putting her hands over her ears to kill the sound of the chaos. She just screamed.

Korren's eyes shot open as Asami cried for him. They shot open and shone a brilliant white. He wasn't dead...not yet anyways.

The mutation of his body began to clear away as he stood, flexing his muscles. He crunched his fingers together and the earth opened larger than it had before, swallowing the creatures in vast amounts. He opened his mouth and screamed something shrill and out poured fire, burning the things where the stood until they were nothing.

In this state, he fought, single handedly, tirelessly. He fought and he won.

-X-

Korren woke up startled and nauseous. He leaned over the side of the bed and emptied the little he had in his stomach on to the floor.

"Are you okay?!" A sweet and gentle voice asked him, panicked. Asami came into his view then, her golden eyes filled with worry and her brows upturned into a frown. "I'm sorry, most people don't take to being on ships well. Are you still feeling seasick?"

He frowned at her. "W-what?" He was dizzy and his head hurt. "Where am I?"

As he came to, he noticed all the red where there should be blue. The covers of the bed he laid in, the walls. Even the floor was dressed in red carpeting.

He began to panic then. At the very least, he was still dressed in his blue warriors wear, though it was torn up, and stained with blood.

"What?" He demanded. "Where I am?"

Asami stood then, She was dressed in her traditional red dress attired, her long hair cascading down her to her waist. Her lips dressed in red lipstick. She gave him a shy blush as his gaze wandered about her curiously.

He jumped from the bed then, though it probably wasn't a good idea. His entire body was sore, and his feet ached to stand on,

"Please, lower your voice, Prince." She begged. "If my father hears he'll worry that I'm bothering you…" Her frown deepened. "His prize."

He grabbed a hold of her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Where am I? How long have I been asleep? Where is your father?"

Asami shivered at his touch. "You're on my father's ship. We set a course to the Fire Nation last night. I don't know where my father is. You've been out all day, and in my father's possession since the battle between you and those-" She swallowed. "Creatures...ended."

She wiggled from his grip then, tears glistening her eyes. "He wants to speak with you, please, put these on." She reached behind her and presented him clothing all red, with a small streak of brown and blue mixed in.

"I will not wear red!" Korren hissed. "And I want to get off this ship! Right now!"

This was fun. :) A HUGE HUGE thanks to my Beta, Cookie, cause she really helped me out with this chapter. I had bad writers block so this is why it took so long. Sorry guys. But now I don't so YAY! :D

Please leave me a thought, or a comment! Let me know what you think of this chapter!

Next chapter soon!

Till next time.

*Flies away*