Author's Note: This piece isn't quite a "courting" segment, but rather the end result of a courtship? Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this last piece.
Always
It should have been a perfect day.
It really should have been a perfect, happy day.
Korra had planned everything, had arranged everything so that Iroh's schedule would have been cleared all day today. She had fought tooth and nail with the councilmen and generals to free her husband from his political duties for a much-needed play date with their family.
Just the other day, their daughter Keiko and son Kuzon had questioned Iroh's love for them. "Of course he loves you!" Korra had assured immediately. "What makes you think he doesn't?"
"He never spends time with us," nine-year old Keiko had answered matter-of-factly.
"He's always working," five-year old Kuzon bemoaned.
"Well, he is the Fire Lord, Kuzon."
"We spend more time with Uncle Meelo than we do with Dad!" the boy had rebutted.
"And whenever we do see him, he never says or does anything!" Keiko sniffed disdainfully. "He's an old, heartless stiff."
So Korra had instantly decided to rectify the situation and had designed today to be a day of healing and reconciliation. Their family would visit one of the United Republic's cabin retreats in the middle of nowhere and resolve their issues. Korra was the Avatar, damn it, and would restore and maintain the balance and harmony within her own family!
But of course today had also conveniently been the day that earthbending assassins, embittered against the Fire Nation Royal Family by their preceding generations, had decided to attack and completely ruin the planned perfect day.
And now separated from her husband and surrounded by enemies, Korra readied to defend her family to the end.
Instinctively Korra stepped protectively in front of Keiko and Kuzon, raising the earth beneath them while pulling water from nearby sources. Preparing herself for combat, Korra wondered if she could take on so many skilled earthbenders and keep her children safe. She didn't want to go into the Avatar State, fearing Keiko and Kuzon would become collateral damage.
Just as the earthbenders leapt for the attack, a barrage of fireballs rained down and forced the assassins to retreat and defend themselves.
"It's the Fire Lord!"
"Iroh!" Korra grinned with relief.
"It's Dad/Daddy!" the young royals shrieked.
Swooping in like a burning phoenix, Iroh threw a volley of fiery punches and forced back the assassins. His face and clothing covered in scratches and bruises, Iroh swept the ground with a flaming kick and created a barrier between the attackers and his children. Turning his back to the fire, he faced his adversaries with a dark scowl. Inhaling deeply and then exhaling slowly, he raised the flames higher and higher, turning the wall into an unbreachable barrier.
Iroh's glower dared the killers to even try.
"Look at that fire, Keiko, Kuzon. That's the extent of your father's love." Korra raised the earth around her children to shield them from the searing heat. "It covers us while being fierce and strong." Korra bent a small portion of Iroh's flames into her hand and showed her children the tiny glow. "And it's furiously sweet and wild if you give it the chance."
Keiko and Kuzon admired the fiery sprite, their eyes aglow with curiosity and wonder.
When they finally felt the blaze recede, the three of them emerged from their earthen bunker and met with a victorious Iroh. Already Fire Nation soldiers were leading away their new prisoners.
Pulling Keiko and Kuzon into fierce hugs, Iroh demanded worriedly, "Are you all right?" He kissed the tops of his children's heads.
"We're fine, Daddy," Keiko muttered in awe. "You saved us."
"Dad was AWESOME!" Kuzon roared, running around and mimicking his father's earlier moves. Small flames spurt from his fists and feet in excitement.
Wiggling herself into her husband's arms, Korra grinned down at her children, "He might separate from us time to time, but he's always here when we need him." Korra kissed Iroh's injured cheek, her thoughts racing through their past and courting. "He's always right where he needs to be when we need him."
As Korra applied waterbending first-aid on Iroh, little Keiko plopped herself onto her father's lap and gazed upwards at him. "Daddy?"
"Yes?"
Her cheeks pinking, the princess murmured, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You're not a heartless stiff." Iroh's heart melted at the sweet apology. "But you're still old."
Korra laughed uncontrollably as Iroh sputtered speechlessly.
