If every step closer to Republic City felt closer to home, every mile the boat approached the South made her feel sick. And without the distractions of fleeting hope and raw pain, nothing she thinks of is particularly happy as she leans over the side of the boat, watching the water break and the dolphin-fish play below.
"Hey," she didn't hear Asami until she was right behind her, "Looks like we're docking soon," she hands Korra a cup of tea, "It's not poisoned. The captain says we're about twenty minutes out from Harbor City, Tenzin and the kids are going to fly off on Oogi, hopefully making our arrival less… exciting."
Korra nods, looking into the cup for a long moment before shaking her head, "Sounds good, Asami." She pushes herself off the rail, pouring the tea in the ocean before turning around and trying to go below deck, best be ready to get off as quick as possible.
"Korra, are we good?" She hears Asami ask.
She closes her eyes and sighs, a single step on the stairs, the mug in her hand, "The boys trust you, so I trust that you won't actively try and kill me." She responds, before walking down the stairs, "But that's about as far as it goes." She mutters.
•••••
"Welcome home, Princess." The man who greets them with an easy smile, before his face falls back to a scowl, "I'm Arrluk, your father requested I escort you to-"
Korra glares at the man, boy, he can't be that much older than her, "Don't call me princess, and I can go my own way."
"My apologies, Avatar Korra." he bows, "But I have my orders," he motions. The others look between the two before Korra rolls her eyes, walking down the docks, Mako, Bolin and Asami following.
"Korra," a voice calls.
"Kya," Korra grins, "Shouldn't you be greeting your brother?"
"Eh, Tenzin can wait, he and the kids are with Mom, thought I'd come check on you, Shila."
"I'm fine, Kya, just need to talk to my father and then we're leaving the village, Bumi and Tenzin are coming with us, are you?"
"A trip to the Pole? Definitely."
"See you'd then, Kya."
As they continue walking, Bolin looks over his shoulder, a wide grin covering his face, "That's Katara and Aang's daughter…"
"Bolin, you're a popular probender, you're going with the Avatar to meet the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, are you gonna keep freaking out every time you meet someone like that?" Asami asks, Mako laughing slightly between them.
"That hurts, 'Sami,"
Korra rolls her eyes, biting back her response, she takes a deep breath to force herself to calm, "I'll go talk to my father, let him know we're here and when we're leaving, you guys go get settled in."
Arrluk rolls his eyes, "Senna has rooms set up for you guys, Avatar Korra, I'll be back for you-"
"I don't need protection from the cold or whatever Tonraq's decided I need it from." Korra snaps at him.
"Tough, I'm doing my job." he responds, arms crossed.
"Fine," Korra rolls her eyes, a few days then I can be out of here, I won't have to come back unless I want to. She slams the door open glaring as she's lead to her father's office.
•••••
"Is there a reason Chief Tonraq is being so tight on security with Korra?" Mako asks as Arrluk leads them down Main Street of Harbor City, light up by strings or lights and torches as the sun doesn't rise this time of year. Seeing Asami shiver, he puts his arm around her shoulder, she sinks just a bit into his warmth.
"Chief Unalaq reported a little over a week after the Princess left the North Pole, a group of insurgents broke into the Palace up there, threatened his family but were specifically looking for the Avatar." Arrluk frowns, "As we don't know who they are, what organization they're from and whether Princess Korra is their only target, until we get them to speak, every leader in our home is under our protection and that includes the Avatar."
"Korra's not gonna like that." Bolin tells the man.
Arrluk laughs slightly, "I'm sure she won't." He looks towards Asami, "Same goes for you, I or one of the soldiers are going to be your shadow."
"That's actually my job-" Mako breaks in.
"In Republic City, sure, here, you're both our guests and I know this city and the tundra better than you." He motions them towards a nice, if a little small, hotel, "We're putting all the leaders up here for the festival, easier to protect."
•••••
"Korra," Tonraq smiles as Korra enters his office.
"Dad," Korra leans against the wall, keeping her distance.
"It's good to see you. You look," he sighs, "You look good, a lot better than last time I-"
"What did you want, Dad?" Korra crosses her arms.
"I hear you and your friends are heading to the pole, into the everstorm."
"Yes, Tenzin, Kya and Bumi are coming too."
"I don't want you going in that storm, Korra." Tonraq frowns
"You can't stop me," Korra immediately turns, maybe she'll stay in another village if he's going to insist on controlling her like this.
"The blizzard has been getting worse these past couple years, and the dark spirits have been increasing in number, and ferocity, I don't want you getting hurt."
"I have to do this," she tries to explain despite the bubbling anger, "I'm the Avatar, I'll be fine."
"I forbid you to do this, Korra," Tonraq yells, slamming his hand down on the desk.
"You can't stop me, chief." She growls, slamming the door open before storming out.
•••••
Korra and Asami ended up sharing a room, the bending brothers across the hall, Korra's too tired to unpack, instead flopping face first into her bed as Asami prepares for bed.
"You gonna sleep like that, Korra?" Asami asks laughing slightly.
Korra groans, not answering, instead kicks off her boots.
"Maybe the knives too?" She asks, pulling her hair back into a loose braid.
Korra already feels one digging into her leg, reluctantly, she undoes the sheath, putting it and the knives on the bedside table, "Better?"
"Korra-" she's cut off by a knock at the door.
Korra groans again, pushing herself to her feet as she beats Asami to the door, opening it, "What's up, 'Nora?" she asks leaning against the door, eyes falling closed.
"It's Ikki, I think she's sick but dad's with gramma."
Korra nods, "Asami, can you get the boys to go get Tenzin, I don't want to deal with Arrluk or my father about whatever they think is danger. I'll go with you, Jinora."
•••••
"Hey, Sweetie," Korra coos, running the back of her hand along Ikki's forehead, kneeling next to the girl who's laying on the bathroom floor, "You're warm."
"My head and tummy hurts, Korra." Ikki mutters.
"Your dad's coming, Mako and Bolin are getting him. But let's get you back into bed for now, Kay?"
Ikki nods, Korra easily picks her up, moving her back to the bed, "Jinora, you may be staying with me and Asami tonight." The eleven year old nods, sticking by the wall.
"Korra," Tenzin comes in, Kya behind him, "What's wrong?"
"Looks to me like the flu," she looks towards Kya, who quickly checks on her niece.
"Can you take Jinora tonight? I'd prefer not all of them getting sick." Tenzin asks with a frown.
"Yeah, I got her." Korra puts her hand on Jinora's shoulder, guiding her out of the room.
"Ikki's not really that sick, is she?"
"It's probably just the cold weather, or a flu bug." Korra soothes as Asami comes up behind them. Suddenly there's a crash outside, "What's that?" Korra frowns.
Mako and Bolin come running down the hall, "Dark Spirits, they're attacking!" Bolin panics.
"Stay here, Jinora." Korra tells the girl, "I'm going to go help."
"Your dad said-" Bolin starts
"I don't care, Bolin." Korra cuts him off, running towards the exit.
Getting out to the cold, Korra looks around, hearing a roar a split second before she feels herself get caught by a spirit's tail, she groans as she's thrown into a building, feeling sharp stings across her back and face, "Spirit-" she blinks, attempting to listen to Tenzin, attempting to stand, "-anger you?"
She blinks again, "Chakras," the voice is vaguely familiar, but she can't place it, shaking her head, she stands, taking a deep breath before bowing her head, needing the Avatar state.
Before she can a bright light surrounds the spirit, she drops to her knee watching as the light snakes around the spirit and it turns to its normal self before running off out of the city. A figure moves towards her, offering a hand, "Desna," she murmurs softly, taking the offered hand and pulling herself to her feet.
"Are you alright, Cousin Korra?"
"Yeah," she nods wiping at the blood trickling down her forehead and cheek, "I'm good," she turns, "Thank you, uncle." She bows, "It's good to see you guys again. However it's been a long day and tomorrow will even longer, so I'm going to bed."
"Korra-" Mako and Bolin come out of the hotel as Tenzin is helped up by Kya, Korra brushes past all of them.
"Korra!" She hears her father call, Arrluk too. She shakes her head, just wanting to get back to her room, go to sleep.
She slams the door shut with a click, sighing as she rests against the door, "What happened?" Asami asks from her spot between Jinora and the door as Korra stumbles into the room.
"Dark spirits." Korra turns towards the bathroom, "My uncle and cousins made it in." She starts trying to stop her face from bleeding, "Jinora take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch," she calls out.
She grunts, "Jinora?" She frowns, kneeling down to the girl's level, the normally calm little girl crying into her shoulder, "Hey, come on darling, it's okay," she runs her hand through the girl's hair, rubbing her back, "What's wrong?" She knows it's a dumb question but she doesn't know what else to do.
"I'm scared, Korra." She admits softly.
"Jinora, hey, look at me." She tilts the girl's chin up, "Listen to me, I'll never let anything happen to you, or anyone I care about, okay? I promise."
The girl nods once, and Korra can't help but wonder if she just made an unkeepable promise as she pulls the girl into another hug.