Chapter 7- Nobility

"No, no." Eska said shaking her head gently. "It's much too heavy for my brother. Look, it's almost as big as he is. He will never lift this on his own, much less in the heat of battle." She set the sword down beside Prince Desna where he sat and sure enough the thing was nearly as large as he was, and thick too. It's handle wrapped in dark leather and its blade shined a pure silver. It had no extravagance aside from the fact that it large, clearly made for battle rather than show. Desna could only imagine blood running down from it's perfectly sharpened sides, an image that made him sick.

It certainly did not look heavy, especially not from the way his sister easily wielded it with one hand like she were a man herself. Desna cleared his throat and stood, showing the true difference in size between him and sword. It came up a bit further than his waist, but he was determined not to let that undermine him.

"Might I hold it, Eska? I won't know until I hold it." Eska spun around to look at him with shining red eyes.

She frowned, a darkness growing on her face. "Why might you need to hold it? You have no say in what I decide. Besides, you'll only hurt yourself. It's much too big." The sword made a sharp sound as it scratched against the tile of the floors when Eska picked it back up and rested it effortlessly over her shoulders.

"Father will be upset if you don't let me try."

Eska scoffed, and rolled her eyes at her brother. "Father will be upset should his Prince hurt himself. Sit down, I know what's best for you." She threw the swords back at the blacksmiths. The man, as big as he was, grunted to catch it. "Can you feel the weight there?" The man nodded. "Right, lighten it up for him. Make it smaller. What man wants a sword bigger than he is."

"They say Korren's sword is bigger than man himself." Desna said lowly. "I think how big it is, is fine really…"

"They also say Korren is eight feet tall," The blacksmith shared a chuckle with Eska. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear Prince. Southerners exaggerate much of their strength. Here, practice with this. You'll grow into a heavier sword when you're older, let your sister handle these things for now."

He handed the Prince a wooden one. It was small, and carried very little weight with it, perhaps because it was hollow. Still, Desna shook to hold it, even with both hands. "It feels...silly." Desna admitted. The men his age were already practicing with real, actual swords, if not going off to join his Father's army or stand guard at the borders. Not him though, no, the honor of being trained and favored went to his sister. But she would not be joining the army, no, his father said that was his job and while it was important, Eska's duties were a bit more important than his. He was reminded every time she looked at him. Her red in her eyes where there was once blue sent shivers down his spine.

To be holding something they usually gave to children angered him some, but it was not something he could show, not while Eska watched him so intently anyways. He was sure she'd run and tell their father to have him wait another year before sending him off if he showed any signs of weakness.

"I'll have to have a talk with your trainer again, it's like he's teaching you nothing." She said, referring to his stance, which did not meet her standards. "Silly or not, it's what you need right now. Mm, would you prefer practicing with me from now on, Prince."

Desna's face screwed at the suggestion. "No! That's fine. Nori is doing fine job. I-I like working with him."

"Working with him is not getting you anywhere. It certainly won't get you in the army."

"She's right," The blacksmith said. "If that's the way he taught you to stand-"

"It's not!" Desna said lowering the sword, quickly. His face going red.

"Then you're mocking him…"

"No-"

"Nevermind it," Eska said, turning back to the blacksmith. "Father will agree with me if your evaluation doesn't go well this week. Don't worry brother, it's for the best. You'll have to face the southerners at some point."

-X-

"Lets see it!" Their father clapped when Eska pulled her sword from its sheath. It was long and slim, a simple black everything. Yet in it gleamed in the light carrying with it a dark, ominous essence. Desna stared up at it for a long while, attempting to convince himself there was nothing impressive about it. It was just a sword, meant for killing. The last thing it needed to be was pretty, but their father looked at it in awe anyways.

"I wanted it wrapped in red leather, to match my spirit, but the blacksmith said that this fit me better. The only thing red should be yours eyes and their blood, he said. It looks amazing, doesn't it."

"It's wonderful." Yuu, Eska's wife, grinned. Swiftly Eska turned on her heels and pointed the tip of the sword at her neck, enough to ghost over her skin, but not break it. Desna didn't doubt for a second Eska wouldn't hesitate to cut her throat open at the table. But Yuu only laughed, raising her eyebrow suggestively. "Are you going to do it or are you just teasing me?"

Eska's teeth shined when she smiled. For a long second Desna expected her to lunge her arm forward and spill her wife's blood over the table. But she never did. Instead she handed the sword to her father, where he tested its weight.

"You get off on her threatening to kill you?" Desna questioned. Yuu's eyes were a pale blue and almost as cold as his sister's. She hardly ever paid him attention when she didn't have to. This was a time when she owed him no pleasantries, but she shrugged, stroking the spot where Eska's sword would've killed her.

"What do you know of sex, Prince?" When she received no reply she cocked her side to the side arrogantly. "Nothing? Then you ought to keep your mouth shut about those things, hmm?"

"I thought you would've gone for something heavier!" His father's voice interrupted. He tossed Eska's sword from hand to hand, to show how effortlessly it could be done. "You will gain no strength from this thing, as pretty as it is."

"She will gain no strength from a heavier one just the same. She will never use it!"

His father pondered for a moment before speaking, "That's true, but she will practice with it. It doesn't hurt to practice."

"Weaponry is meant for men…" Desna mumbled, earning a hard glare from Yuu.

"Then why don't you show us how it's done, Prince, since you're such a man."

Desna scoffed at her. "If not for Vaatu, she'd serve better as a healer-" His words were cut short by the menacing stare of his sister. They were twins. She wore his face, only better. No man should be afraid when looking at an image of himself, those were words his father spoke in regards to the way Eska stared at him sometimes, but Eska's stare brought chills up and down his arms every time. Now that her eyes were red, the stare felt a bit more threatening. A bit more unstable and ill-willed.

Before she held back because she was a princess and he was her prince, now he was no longer sure if even that would stop her.

"Never mind." he concluded, settling deeper into his seat.

"Prince, since you have so much to say, why don't you show me yours? A man of sixteen should be ready to join his father's army don't you say? Let's see what you will kill with." His father never spoke down to him when Eska wasn't around. He tried to make the word Prince sound as authentic as possible, as proud as possible, but underneath it Desna knew it all false. His sister better fit the title of Prince than he did.

His father turned to Eska as he spoke, asking her of his progress. Any commoner who'd seen it would've laughed. A man asking a woman for a report on his son...who wasn't ill by any means - how...pitiful.

"The blacksmith made it a little too heavy for our Prince. Desna isn't ready for war- not with the way he is now at least. Of course, we won't know for sure until we evaluate him with the other boys, but I wouldn't count of it."

Desna frowned where he sat. "I'm ready-"

"Can I ask you something, My Prince." Yuu said, with sudden zeal. She didn't wait for his answer before she spoke. "Say Eska allows you to go, and say you live long enough to be faced with Prince Korren, what will you do?"

Prince Korren was a horror story as far as Desna was concerned. The man was a few years older than himself, and from what Desna's been told had been in the war since he was thirteen. Stories of him speak of him wielding earth as his choice weapon, despite being born to two waterbenders. Not only that, he was good with a sword as well. Fast and merciless it see his face on the battlefield was to see death before it struck.

In the South they must've praised him as they should as spirit. His rumors were told at night, when they women had gone to bed so not to frighten them. The men laughed it off, because it all must've been tall-tale, exaggeration. It HAD to be, because a waterbender wielding earth as well was unheard of since the end of the 100 year war and ridiculous given the spirits had to allyship with southern men, but still, if what he'd done on the battlefield inspired men to speak of him in such a way, Desna prayed they would never cross paths.

When Desna was younger Korren would send letters, asking for a fight that would decide the end of their war. No doubt it was brought on by his brawn-ish southern heritage, and there was nothing to say the Prince wasn't drunk when he wrote it, but Desna was sure he'd meant it and would be ready to take him on at any given moment, drunk or not. He had no idea what sort of stories of him lingered in the South, but they were probably false, because he was certainly no match for the rumored strength of Korren.

Desna took a long time to answer Yuu. So long that when he finally moved his lips to speak she was snickering in her seat. "I would kill him." Desna said.

"Of course you would. Before or after you peed yourself? Hmm?"

"Leave him alone, Yuu." Eska warned. "My brother needs not worry of the Southern Prince anyhow. I hear the fire nation took great interest in him. Married him off to some noble man's whore."

Desna gulped at the mention of the fire nation. "You really think he would willingly marry-"

"Southerners have a weird sense of morals." His father answered. "If the rumors are true we will find of out when report of the next battle comes in. Marriage is used as allyship. I do not put it above them to get mixed up with the Fire Benders."

"Plus, southern men love their whores-"

"Why would they marry him to a whore though?"

"Nobility does not make a girl's cunt any sweeter."

"But-"

"If anything I say you're worried about the wrong thing. I say we wait until you are strong my brother. If they truly have firebenders on their side then even with our alliance with the spirits you may die." She smiled at him. It was meant to be sweet but all it did was frighten him. "Father is kind of old, wouldn't you say, the North will need their Prince to guide them."

-X-

"So, she's asking for what now?" Nori asked. He laid across the warm tiles of the training room with his wooden sword across his chest. Prince Desna sat beside him in his training slacks, though it was pointless to be wearing them.

Soon, they'd be discarded and him and Nori would focus on things they shouldn't have. "She wants to take my place on the battlefield. She hasn't told me yet, but she's going to ask father and he's going to say yes and send her in place of me."

"While you do what?"

"I don't know. I imagine Yuu will pick up her duties without fail, and if the battle rages for long father may die, he's old. Then, Yuu will take my place on the throne, until Eska returns."

Nori sat upright, and scooted closer to his prince. He stroked Desna's hair from his face so he could better see him frown. "But, Desna...You are Prince. Not Yuu. Not Eska. You are."

Desna looked at him with sad blue eyes. "That is true. But it is Eska that was compatible with Vaatu. Not me. It Eska my father bathes in prayer, and it is Eska who my father rushed to marry. No doubt on his deathbed he will ask me to serve as a treasurer, while my sister takes the title Chief. Vaatu promised her what the Avatars of the old world used to have, the allyship of the spirits and more. She makes for a better leader than I."

"I understand that." Nori said nodding. "But the fact is that is not a man. Who will take her serious?" He leaned forward and ghosted his lips over Desna's. "Your manhood is one thing that you have that she does not. People will listen to you, my prince, and never her."

"Vaatu says he will give her the means to give Yuu a son. If what he speaks is true then I think people will more than follow her. How embarrassing." He sobbed, tears beginning to well in his eyes. "My mother used to call me her strong man, but I fall second to my sister."

"This is about your ego…"

"Who will look at me and see a Prince-"

"A noble man's life isn't so bad." Nori laughed off the Prince's worry with a kiss. "You could buy us a nice house next to the palace, and we could-"

"I need you to train me." Desna said abruptly. "No fucking around, actually train me, so that my father will have no doubts about leaving his title to me."

Nori grimaced. "If what you said is true- then I don't think training you will be enough to change his mind, no matter how good you get. Perhaps, she will die by Korren's hand and then what good will she serve. You will have to rule the north then, no?"

-X-

Korren could only see blue despite all the red that danced around him. Water tribe women dressed like maids in blue. Swiftly they moved through the room, doing jobs of servitude to the rich fire nation people who paid them no thought until they were no longer needed. Then, they idled quietly in the shadows of the party, out of the way. It seemed practiced from Korren's view, practiced and expected.

He made an effort not to cause a scene. Hiroshi had given his word to fix anything that bothered him, but the sight irritated him more the longer the night dragged on and waiting until Hiroshi decided to make his grand appearance seemed pointless. It was hard to just watch and do nothing.

More times than not Korren found their eyes lingering on him. If they were Southern then chance had it that they knew his face and not just his name. If they were Northern, they might have only known him by name and word of his arrival. Regardless, they were no doubt wondering why he of all people was there, sitting as a Lord would in the Fire Nation. Asami had draped him in a long, rich blue tunic and brown trousers. He did at least look water tribe, if the water tribes were warm and their clothes were lighter. That probably only made it worse. A water tribe boy aiding the people who were treating them as slaves. Yet, their stares were not of disgust, more so curiosity, if not pity.

They stared until someone blocked his view, requesting his attention for a moment, which was often.

The people of the Fire Nation- or rather the rich and noble blood of the fire nation- were gathered in a what felt like a small room when it was so crowded. Asami briefly explained that the gathering was meant to be a party thrown in his welcome. He was free to get up and meet people as he liked. Instead he sulked at his table, a small one filled with food and wines he hadn't touched, that decently overlooked the room.

As Asami promised, he was treated as the main event. Every now and then someone would stop by, shake his hand, give him a name he soon forgot and a word of welcome. Women giggled to meet him, and some bravely pulled him in to coddle him and kiss at his cheeks. Then they'd move on to give a welcome home to Asami, who was much more respectful and patient than he was. She stood when she needed to, hugged people, shook their hands, laughed with them for a little while before sending them on their way.

A few times out of the night she had offered him a dance, or stronger liquor, anything to wipe his frown from his face, to which Korren refused. Eventually she went on to ignore him, attempting to enjoy what she could of the party without leaving his side.

"Prince," This new voice said. "Don't you think it's a bit unsightly to frown at a party in your honor?" Korren groaned to look up at her. It was a woman, and at that Korren expected her to smile and to bow, then go into a long rant about how handsome he was, and about how happy she was Asami would be marrying such a strong and foreign man. But instead he looked up to cold golden eyes, and face that matched Asami's. Aside from the fact that this woman was taller, and definitely more womanly, given her fuller figure, than his bride to be, he would've guessed them to be twins.

She's young, Korren noted first, and for that reason he assumed they must've been siblings at the very least, however the Fire Princess was an only child. Korren vividly remembered Hiroshi scorning her for it.

This had to have been Yasuko.

She must've seen the realization spread across his face because she smiled and held her hand for him to kiss. Korren took her hand, a tad of reluctance in the action, and kissed it softly.

"Yasuko," She introduced herself. Beside him Asami tensed. It was almost the same way she tensed when Hiroshi stepped into the room, only with this one she wore a smile and stood to give her mother a hug and kiss instead of standing to leave.

"Mother," Asami said, pulling from their hug. Yasuko gave her daughter a sweet smile, pushing some of her hair from her face.

"It's nice to see your father hadn't left you to die." She said kissing at Asami's flushed cheeks. "Your Aunt Safaia bore a son while you were away. An ugly, fat little boy, looks just like his uncle Hiroshi. She's here, why don't you go find her and welcome your cousin?"

Asami stood stupidly for a moment, looking upon her mother with what Korren considered to be shock. The Princess became smaller then, letting her hands fall from her mother's waist to wrap around her own. "Auntie Safaia doesn't like parties-"

"Well, she just had to get glimpse of the Prince, you know how the Satos are. Nosy as can be." Yasuko shook her head in disgust. "Go now. You will want to meet the boy. She's named him Akio, he has fat cheeks- just like hers."

Asami glanced a Korren, a small frown forming on her face. Korren had grown to know that's her look for when she wanted to speak freely, but Yasuko did not grant her the permission so instead she nodded, and reluctantly disappeared into the crowd of people.

Korren watched her go and waited till he could no longer see her to speak. "You didn't want her to hear what you have to say?" Yasuko's eyes darkened towards him.

"She's only fifteen, she wouldn't understand. Tahra says she wouldn't stop speaking of you, even as she was bathing. Silly girl, wouldn't you say?"

Korren nodded, "Fine then, what was it she couldn't hear?"

Yasuko towered over him from where he sat. She closed in on him, getting as close as she could without alarming anyone. "I don't know what it is Hiroshi has planned for you, or why you are here, but you should know, you are not welcomed- not in my home."

Korren smiled at her attempt at intimidation. Asami had spoken of her with such fondness, yet she made it clear her mother was not a person of great admiration for diversity. Still, he wasn't prepared to be met with...this.

"You're rather blunt. Do you think that is a kind way to speak to a Prince?"

She scoffed. "Is that what Hiroshi told you? That'd you be a prince if you came here?"

"Well, yes. But I was a Prince before that so that specific offer was a bit empty. Nevertheless, we would have cut out your tongue where I come from. You are in no place to tell me where I belong." The fire nation must've been a bit more lenient towards women who spoke out of place as she did. In the water tribe she might have been punished by her husband, or by the Chief himself depending on how far she went. Hiroshi must've been too busy playing with whores and drinking to have noticed his wife was less than respectful.

"I am the granddaughter of Fire Lord Azula, I think I have enough influence to say I do not want you here, much less lying with my child. We have a long fire nation heritage. It disgusts me to think that a water tribe boy is what will will ruin that. "

Korren laughed. She did not like him because he was water tribe the same way his mother did not like Asami because she was fire nation. Asami warned him against upsetting her mother, but it seemed that was inevitable, he'd seen this before and there was nothing to stop it.

"Do I make your skin crawl Yasuko?"

Yasuko frowned. "More than you know. What was Hiroshi thinking anyways? Wouldn't you better serve your own people?"

"That is my intention-"

"And how will you do that on Fire Throne half a world away?" Yasuko huffed and stood upright once more. "Do you see that boy right there, Prince? He's standing guard at the doors…" Yasuko pointed at guard boy. It took Korren a moment to recognize him, Mako, the boy already seemed to have a hatred for him, not that Korren had cared too much.

"What about him?"

"His father's name is San, he's a good man. Fire Nation, he's an admiral in the army now. I was supposed to marry him when I was bit younger than Asami is now. But that didn't happen, so I arranged for Asami to marry his boy. But then you happened." She pointed a wicked finger in Korren's face. "I think it's best you go home, before things get out of hand. I will not have water tribe scum like you in my family."

Korren stood, baring his teeth at the woman. It wasn't worth getting upset over, she was just a woman, her opinion didn't matter much but yet it boiled his blood. "You will not speak to your Prince-"

"Mother!" Asami said from behind them. In her arms was a child, who had a fist full of her hair balled up in his little hands. "Aunt Safaia wants to speak to you…" She said meekly. "She says you've been avoiding her."

Yasuko huffed, turning away from Korren's anger without much of care. "You'd avoid her too if you had to spend a whole month and some with her. She made me sit with her while she labored, can you believe that? And only to push out..." She grimaced down at the child. "Him."

"Best to find her and get it over with. Or she will find you." Asami shrugged, bring the child up to nuzzle him.

Yasuko didn't look back at Korren as she strode away. Perhaps that was for the best. Korren wasn't sure what he would've said to her, but it definitely wasn't going to be pleasant.

Asami visibly released a breath when she was gone, and took her seat beside Korren again. "I'm sorry." She said with a smile. "She means well, I swear it. She can just be a bit much at times. Whatever she said to you...I'm sorry."

Korren scoffed. "It doesn't matter, decisions aren't hers to make."

"Its best to humor her, respond to her anger with kindness. It's the only way she'll back off, getting mad like you did won't help nor is it worth it."

Korren groaned, pulling the tie that held his mess of hair together and running his hands through it. Somewhere in the crowd Yasuko was probably watching him. Watching to see if he were talking to Asami, to see if he were touching her. It was perhaps very petty, but he leaned in closer and rested a hand around her shoulders. Any wandering eyes should know that even if he wasn't entirely fond of the situation he was placed in, Asami was pleasant to be with. He certainly enjoyed her more than he did anything else.

She smiled into a sweet and short kiss, that earned giggles from girls who were watching in the crowd, and a cry from Akio who was between them, probably feeling a little clustered. They pulled away from each other for his sake.

Korren peeked over her arms to see the little brown eyed boy bundled in his Fire Nation red, his face twisted with his discomfort.

Children in the water tribe usually liked him, they said he had a kinder face than most men- when he wasn't frowning that is. He didn't pursue them, but didn't turn them away when they pulled on his arms for a dance or a game.

"He isn't ugly," He said. "He's adorable actually."

"Yes he is, he's not chubby either. Mother exaggerated. She doesn't like Aunt Safaia too much so everything is always negative…"

Korren tempted to ask why Yasuko didn't like Asami's aunt, but he felt the answer would be much too similar to why she didn't like him.

There was a time his own mother hated his very existence, but at least she was pleasant around him. Yasuko didn't seem as though she could be pleasant at all.

Then again, Asami probably thought that of Senna as well.

Akio was still too young to truly smile, so he only gazed back at Korren, warm and innocent.

"May I?" Korren asked, picking the child from Asami's hands. Akio was probably one of the only things at the party that was pleasant. He had no interest in hate, or in Korren's marriage, or in anything but eating and pooping. The child, wrapped in his innocence, relaxed him a bit more than Korren would've like to say.

Soon, Asami poked his cheeks, "You're smiling!" She teased. "Is that what it takes to get you to smile? A child?" She laughed, while Korren desperately tried to go back to being stoic for the sake of his manliness. "I'd best bare you quickly then, no? So I can see you smile like this everyday."

-X-

Much to Yasuko's annoyance, Korren kissed Asami goodbye. It was rather late when the party ended, and, as it always was when night fell, his breathing was becoming strained, and his chest was starting to becoming unbearably uncomfortable. Every part of him begged to go to bed but Hiroshi and his men stayed behind in the now semi-empty room and asked him to stay as well.

Korren was sure it was nothing important they were asking for. Perhaps they wanted to trade stories and women. As uninterested as he was, he complied because he'd been in the Fire Nation for nearly three whole days and Hiroshi hadn't taken any time to explain anything to him. He was frustrated and ready to hold the man by that fat neck of his and shake him from a balcony.

Asami knotted her hands in his hair and kissed him goodnight again, once, twice, before her mother pulled cleared her throat and she was forced to leave.

As soon as the two were gone the men gathered at a table, and the water tribe women came from their shadows to pour the men fire ale. Eyes watched for Korren's explosive reaction, as he was known for getting upset rather easily, but none came. He'd been watching the women work all night, and while it was annoying just the same, the shock of it wore off. Now he only stared at Hiroshi, hoping he would know to provide some sort of explanation.

The Fire Lord seemed more interested in the breasts of the girl who served him than Korren. Laughing he pulled her into his lap, commenting on the traditional braids she wore, and how the fell down into her chest. Korren bared his teeth at the man, though he did not care to notice.

An old woman, with a wrinkled face and long white braids lingered over him for too long. Her hands shaking to pour slowly from the jug. She looked at Korren with familiar eyes and smiled. "I know you," She said happily. She set the jug down beside his cup and took his face into her tiny hands. Cooing she went on, "Tonraq's girl, right? Oh my, look how big you've gotten."

Korren's breath hitched, though he wasn't sure if it was from panic or embarrassment. The men around him laughed. throwing teasing words at the woman.

"That is a boy. Yara." One of the servant girls said, pulling her away and bowing to Korren. "Forgive her, she's old and senile, my Prince." Then she turned to frown at the woman, Yara. who smiled, shaking her her head. "Her eyes are bad."

"I know what I know!" She insisted.

"Oh, get her out of here already. She has nothing we men want." It was Mako who growled this, and frown settling into that usually stiff face of his. "No one wants to hear what she has to say."

"Can you blame her, Korren does look a bit-" One of the men laughed.

"It's alright," Korren said to the young woman who had come to Yara's save. "Just do not let it happen again, or I can't promise I will so kind."

The girl nodded and pulled the old woman away. With that Korren frowned at the men who had found it humorous. "That is not funny."

"Sure it is, Prince! Being called womanly, Ha!" He nearly choked on the liquor he drank. "You have a smooth face. Say, if you were a woman what kind of breast do you think you'd have?" He cupped his hands out before himself and intimated a squeeze. "I'm a big man, I think mine would be huge."

"Yes, but you're ugly and you have a huge nose. No man would fuck you regardless." Mako quipped back.

The man laughed, "Yours would be like pimples on your chest, are you mad?"

Korren groaned at the conversation and looked to the shadows where Yara was smiling at him. She was a small lady, hunched over with skin that sagged and pale, almost gray blue eyes. She knew him, somehow, but he didn't know her. He couldn't remember seeing her anywhere.

Perhaps she was one of the women who worked with his mother. Perhaps she taught his healing class while he still wore dresses and had long hair. Judging by her 'how big you've gotten' comment, it must've been years since she'd last seen him. Perhaps long enough to forget he was Korren now, or maybe just not know.

Korren wasn't sure if it was worth telling her never to mention it again. She was very old, and likely to forget at that. Plus she had been corrected, was it worth it to reveal his birth and his now to a woman who probably believes she made an honest mistake?

"What about Asami's- those aren't huge and everyone wants to bed her."

"Asami is pretty!"

"Plus noble pussy must have it's perks! Isn't that right, Prince?"

"Shut up." Korren snapped. The silence came quickly, no one of the men at the table brave enough to test Korren's word. Even Hiroshi took his eyes of the girl he held captive in his arms to look. "The only one who will speak of Asami is me, understood?"

"Prince," Hiroshi started. "It's harmless fun-"

"We will not be poking fun at her. Don't you have any shame? She's your child! I don't want to hear of it anymore."

"Fine, fine." The men grumbled. The conversation struggled to continue on then, with the air becoming stiffer as Korren grew upset.

"Does anyone want to tell me why you're using my women like they're slaves?" He questioned.

There were a couple snorts of laughter that took place, and some grumbles, but for the most part the men had remained silent, like schoolboys who were caught doing something bad by a strict teacher.

"Well, what else are they good for?" Someone had grumbled. Korren wasn't sure who, but he stood, seething.

"My people are not meant to serve you! Do we look like we exist to be your servant? Why go all the the way to the water tribes? Why not use your own whores?"

"They're exotic." Mako shrugged. "We don't see to many blue eyes and braids around here."

Korren growled at the boy. "What kind of man would I be if I sat by and just watched my people- ugh. Just fix this." Hiroshi sighed at the Prince's outburst. "I don't want to see this ever again. I cannot speak for them if they wish to stay here, but if they don't then send them home."

"Korren, sit down. You only just arrived. Of course the first thing you notice is the water tribe girls. We coexist. Of course we have women from everywhere, enough to fill our taste. Idle around a bit and you will notice the girls dressed in green as well."

"It's been like this forever, you can't just come and order it changed." Mako laughed.

Before Korren could comment, Hiroshi spoke, "What he means is, there is place for everyone here. This is only the palace. You leave these walls and you will see, we live together. Depend on each other. As Avatar shouldn't you want that?"

Korren scoffed. "You're bullshitting me-"

"You're not used to being in a society with so many colors. You will get used to it in time. I promise."

"Perhaps what the prince needs is a night in the whore house. It might loosen him up, get him used to seeing the three elements in one place." The men laughed, while Korren could do nothing but grit his teeth.

-X-

"It's Korra, right?" Yara said. Korren froze in his path. It'd been ages since anyone dared call him by that name and now this tiny little woman was testing him.

"It's Korren, and I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Yara held on tightly to his hand, she wasn't very strong, but Korren feared that if he yanked she'd fall and hurt herself, so he stopped, sighed and turned to face her.

"Korren," She tested it. "That's kind of like Korra. Why did Tonraq change it? Why are you dressed like this?"

Korren narrowed his eyes at her, annoyed and slightly drunk. "Aren't you too old to not be dead yet?"

Yara frowned at him, "You always had a temper, even as a child. Such a wild girl you were, I felt so bad for your mother."

Korren cringed. "You knew my Mother?"

Yara laughed. "I helped her birth you. Oh dear, look at you now. You have her eyes. So sweet, and gentle."

"Yes, well- I have to be going now. I'm really tired."

She tugged him back into place when he tried to move and used a tiny hand to pat down his chest. He smacked her hand away, though he was sure she already knew and it was pointless to try and argue now.

"Touch me like that again and I'll remove your hands."

"Oh my, Korra, are you binding? You shouldn't bind down your breasts like that. How will men know you're a girl when you look the way you do?" His threat obviously did very little to phase her.

"I'm a man- " Suddenly he felt like he was eight again. He would go around screaming I'm a boy in the face of anyone who said differently. Men had their jokes every now and then, but for the most part he never had to do that anymore.

Yara didn't seem to understand. She shook her head, "No no, I saw your birth-"

"You're mistaken. I'm obviously not a-"

"I know your face. Come, tell me, why are you pretending? Hiroshi has been searching for the Avatar for years, he would've still been interested in you if you told him the truth."

"Yara!" A voice said. Korren looked up to see the young woman who had removed her from him earlier. She quickly grabbed the woman and tore her off of him. "You cannot stop the Prince whenever you feel like it, I told you that!" Then she turned to him, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry if she caused you any trouble."

"Her tongue is what will cause me trouble."

"I'm sorry! Please, I beg of you, forgive her- again. I don't know where she gets this idea from. But she wouldn't stop babbling about it."

"I worked in the healing huts-"

"Sure you did." The girl scowled. "Now, off with you. Go to bed or something!"

Yara grumbled. "I'm so confused. Why are you doing this-"

"Yara! Prince Korren doesn't have to answer to your delusion. Go." She shoved her away until Yara gave up and walked away, all the while grumbling to herself about Korren and his breasts.

"Sorry," The girl said. "She's-"

"Old." Korren finished. "Old and misinformed."

"Right. Anyways, my name is Yuki." She said extending an arm for him to shake. Then her face quickly blushed as she realized she should bow instead. "If Yara gives you anymore trouble, just find me and drop her off, I'll take care of it. Okay?"

"Thank you." Korren said, turning to leave more troubled than he was before.

"Um- I like what you said in there!" Yara spoke quickly and red faced. "About us not wanting to be here. I liked it, it was very noble of you to stand up for us like that." Korren nodded, now desperately wanting to leave. "But Hiroshi isn't wrong. We were stolen from our home, yes, but nearly a century later, we all live together. Coexist as he calls it. So you shouldn't worry so much for us okay?"

"You want to be here?" He rose an eyebrow at her.

Yuki quickly shook her head. "Well, I've never even been to the water tribes so- this is sorta my home ya know?"

Korren stared at her for a long moment. She was still rather young. Brown skinned, and blue eyes with long hair in their water tribe braids. Even her name meant 'Snow', and was traditionally water tribe native. And here she stood dressed in blue as she called this place her home.


As always I have to say a HUGE thank you to Cookie, for putting up with me. Lol, I got a bit crazy writing this one. (And whiny).

Anyways! SO much just happened, i'm really excited and happy about it. Also, writing Eska and Desna was a lot of fun!

Leave me a comment letting me know what you think please? Or a short story...either is fine.

More soon. Btw guys: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I was determined to get this up today.

Till next time

*Flies away*