...

"When you care more if someone else lives than you do about yourself— is that what love is?"

- Jodi Picoult

...

Unalaq yanked his daughter through the back hallways of the palace, her hands tied securely behind her and a loop tight around her neck like a leash. She breathed heavily, holding back her sobs as tears fell from her shut eyes. As much as she feared her father, something in her heart wanted to believe that he wouldn't do something like this.

But he would.

Eventually, they left a back door to find a camel-horse already saddled up - and a bag of supplies secure on it's back. The freezing weather made Eska shiver so much in her thin nightgown that she could barely move at all.

Unalaq lifted his daughter onto the front of the animal to not waste any time, then mounted himself behind her. He grabbed the reins, tugging at them to make the camel horse begin to walk at a quickened pace. The sun had risen at this point, so there was no time to spare. They couldn't be seen by anyone inside the palace, such as Korra or Mako. The servants weren't a worry, because Unalaq had dismissed them last night.

The camel ride was quiet, and Eska tried her best to calm herself down. Bolin will save me, she thought.

She could feel the palace disappear behind her as they passed through the thick pine tree forest behind it. Eska felt numb - for she had lost all feeling in her extremities. She was becoming hypothermic, for sure, and very quickly, too. Her lacy socks were soaked down to the core with freezing snow, and she could only imagine what color her toes were at this point. But to her, her mind was even number - trying to block out what her father was really going to do to her.

As they continued their trek through the freezing forest, Unalaq finally spoke.

"Yesterday…she came to me in a vision. I saw an angry spirit before me…and then I saw a young man, similar to the one that is visiting us from the city. This spirit seemed to have immense dislike for the young man…and then I knew immediately why. She told me your heart was filled with the love of someone else. The love of this young man."

Eska could feel the heat of her father's bundled body behind her. Despite being near hypothermia, she would have much preferred if she could not have felt it at all. Nothing about him was warm or caring enough to ease her discomfort. She took a deep breath through her nose, the scent of the pine strong. Her entire body could not be stopped from shaking uncontrollably, so she gripped the mane of the camel horse to support herself.

He let out a short laugh of disbelief, and his breath tickled the back of his daughter's neck.

"I thought your lesson would have been learned by now…and yet…I felt this coming…"

He leaned in closer to her ear, a smile tight on his lips.

"…she tells me everything I need to know."

...

Malina regularly attends the waterbending classes, and all the while Desna keeps his eyes on her. Eska takes notice in the strangeness of her brother's more social behavior, and one day after class, decides to confront him about it.

"You know…this is the first time you have attempted conversing with someone other than myself…" Eska watches her brother's body language carefully as they begin to walk home.

It takes him a minute to respond.

"Yeah," is all he can say. She can see the slight smile that grows on his face. It's so small, that no other person but she could have noticed it.

"You're insane, thinking father will permit this."

He looks to his sister, a passionate look in his eyes.

"That's why we mustn't tell him. Keep this as a little secret between you and I. Please, Eska." He grabs his twin's shoulders, stopping them both in place.

She sighs, shutting her eyes.

"I will always keep your secrets, Desna. You…weren't intending on a close relationship with her…were you?"

His cheeks turn a bright pink.

"I…wanted to ask her…out for a…an-…" he stutters.

"…an outing."

Eska raises an eyebrow. "An outing? You mean…more specifically…a date?"

Another long moment of silence passes.

"Yes." Desna bites his lip shyly.

Eska is confounded by her brother's sudden wild idea. A date? That's absolutely insane. Being the prince and princess gives you many rights, but certainly not the right to freely express romantic opinions. Malina seemed like a…hot-headed girl to Eska, but…maybe that's what her brother needs. If he falls in love, maybe her father would let her date, too, which she actually did so badly want to try herself. Arranged marriage did not sound pleasant at all, to the female.

"Desna…" She frowns. "I'm truly happy for you. I-…just don't know what will happen if father finds out. You need to be very cautious."

"…I know." He looks away from his sister, deep in thought.

"…but I think it will be worth it, Eska…" His smile grows wider.

...

"What!? Bolin's missing!?" Korra raced after her boyfriend, who was running in the direction that would take him out of the palace. Pabu the fire ferret followed behind him, leaping onto Mako's shoulder.

He shook his head, not able to look back to his girlfriend. His brother was the only thing on his mind, and he needed to find him now, before anything bad happened again.

"Yeah. I estimate he's been gone for nearly twenty-four hours, at this point…I don't know where he is, but as soon as I find him…I'll…I'll kill him!" Korra could hear the anger in his voice.

If Bolin was missing, then why would he be mad? Could it really have been his fault? To Korra, it almost felt as if they were reliving the time when Bolin had his mixup with the Triple Threats and the Equalists. Is that what Mako's afraid of?

She caught up with him and grabbed the back of his scarf, choking him a little before stopping him officially.

"Slow. Down." She frowned.

He huffed, not meeting Korra's eyes. She was only edging him on further.

"Seriously, Korra…will you ever trust me? Or let me do what I need to do?" He rolled his eyes, then looking down the hallway ahead of him.

She stepped back folding her arms across her chest.

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm only trying to keep you calm. We're doing this together." Her brows pulled together into a tight line.

"You're doing the exact opposite right now! My brother is gone, and you don't seem to care at all! You know…ever since I came up here…it's been all about you." He tugged at the scarf around his neck, his face beginning to match the color.

Korra pouted, getting into her fuming boyfriend's face.

"Well yeah, this is about me, considering the fact that we're here for my training…" The Avatar sighed. "…but Mako…I think you need to relax…we can find where Bolin is together…he couldn't have gone far." she frowned, the volume of her voice lowering.

He shut is eyes tightly, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"…no."

Her eyes widened with surprise. Did he just say no?

"What do you mean, 'no'? Are you saying you don't want me to help you?"

"I'm saying that right now, I'll be better on my own…and you'll be better on your own. I'm here for you, Korra…but…I can't help but think that-…"

Korra watches him with wide, glistening eyes.

"…think that…we need to split…"

She grabbed his shoulders, shaking him.

"What? Split? Mako, we're staying together…we'll find Bolin…everything will be fine! Don't be irrational!" Her lip quivered. Did…did this mean…

He pulled away slowly, beginning to walk down the hallway again.

"Korra…ever since we got to the North, all we've ever done was argue. For right now…we end here. As soon as I find Bolin, we're going to leave, too. I think it'll be better, for your training…"

He stopped in his tracks, turning his head to look back to a shocked Korra.

"I'm sorry, Korra. I'll see you again soon."

And as Mako disappeared, Korra felt nothing else but her shattered heart and a strong feeling of…

…abandonment.

...
...

It is the evening after yet another waterbending class for Desna and Eska, and the family is called for dinner at the palace.

Unalaq is seated at the long stretch of dining table, calmly sipping a chalice of wine. The door opens, and Eska walks in, escorted by guards. She bows to her father, then takes a seat across from him.

"…daughter." He sets his chalice down, eyeing her carefully. Eska can feel her cheeks become hot with uneasiness, but she hides it with a straight-faced look so her father doesn't notice.

His eyes go to the door, expecting Desna to enter through it. But he doesn't. Unalaq's upper lip quivers, and he lifts his wine with a stiff hand.

"Eska…where is your brother…?"

Her head bows, her eyes not meeting his.

"He-…he, um…"

The Chief leans back in his seat, his stare intense on his nervous daughter.

"Training with the master ended an hour ago. Is there a reason he is not present?" He notices a single drop of sweat go down the side of Eska's face.

"Y-…yes, father…"

"Then tell me."

She is still at her father's words. Does she dare tell him? How would he react? He would be furious…or…could he be happy? Neither she nor Desna had ever socialized like this with other people. Perhaps he would enjoy that. She takes a deep breath, feeling calmer about telling him. She better do it slowly, just to be sure…

"He-…made a friend, at lessons…"

The dining hall freezes into silence. Unalaq doesn't react, taking another sip of the dark alcohol that pools in his cup.

And then he laughs.

"…a friend, really…? Hah! That is very…uh…what's the word…contradicting to his personality…" He collects himself from his inappropriate outburst. "You two wouldn't part ways, even if I chained you to opposite ends of the Earth…" He grins, amused by his daughters words. As if it were a joke. Does laughter mean happy?

"F-…father…this is serious…Desna is with a new friend. We have parted ways."

He raises a brow, now leaning forward in his seat and analyzing the female twin carefully.

"Answer this, my daughter…" His eyes narrow.

"…who is this…friend?"

...

Desna and Malina are holding hands, standing behind the palace at a small lake. They throw in pieces of bread from a loaf they've purchased from a market to the fish that circle beneath the chilling blue water. Desna feels shy and extremely awkward around the girl, but keeps his hand in hers nonetheless.

"It's freezing out here…" Malina shivers.

Desna nods, squeezing her hand tighter and throwing another ripped piece of bread.

"…but your hand is really sweaty." She giggles, opening up his hand and gripping his wrist, tracing the inside of his palm with a single finger.

He bites his lip, feeling flustered.

"…loosen up a bit. It's like you've had an icicle bended up your rear this entire time…"

He gives her confused look, shocked by her lack of discretion.

"I refuse to believe that I do."

"Hah. Suuure…and it took my asking you out for you to make a move…" The young waterbender pokes his robed chest.

"Uh…" Desna clears his throat, a bright blush on his chilled cheeks. "…but…I said yes…so…it was by my will that this occurred in the first place…" A smile forms on his lips. And even Malina sees it.

"No. It was by my will, dumb head." She blows at his bangs, lifting them messily from his face.

He adjusts his hair, bothered by her poking fun at him. But…that's a part of the reason why he finds himself falling for her. She is so daring…so open…it is enticing. For whatever reason, it makes him feel…comfortable to communicate. She is his opposite…and maybe, his other half, too?

"…do…you like me, Malina?" The male twin frowns.

She raises a brow, taking his hand again.

"Yeah…I do…ever since I walked in that first day. Though…I didn't know which one of you was the boy, so I was a little concerned about myself…!" She laughs a laugh that is so contagious, it makes Desna laugh, too, except it comes out as a disturbing chortle.

She leans against him, looking up into his eyes.

"…you're really funny."

He looks down into her eyes, focusing on her lips. Something flutters deep in his stomach, urging him to want to maybe…kiss her? Is that this feeling is? He wants to try. At least this once, while he is being forced out of his comfort zone.

And without a warning, Malina jumps onto his lips, kissing him softly. He thinks he can feel his heart stop. Desna tries to go with it, but can only shut his eyes and let her take the lead. She pulls away, giggling with a bright pink blush on her cheeks.

"Having fun!?"

There stands Unalaq, a more-than-furious look on his face.

A faint feeling comes over Desna. A horrible sick feeling. He and Malina rise together, startled.

"…f-…father!" Desna stumbles, trying to regain his balance.

Unalaq extends his hand to the young girl, his frightening demeanor unchanging.

"You…you're both coming with me."

She doesn't move. She looks like she is about to make a run for it. She eyes Desna in the corner of her peripheral vision, taking a hesitant step backwards. But before she can react, Unalaq has already grabbed her, binding her wrists behind her back with rope. Then, Desna sees Eska - standing right there behind Unalaq's menacing form.

...

Unalaq holds Malina, pushing her through the forest and eventually, into an open snowy plain beyond the palace. Wind stings their faces as they trudge through the thick feet of snow. Then, Unalaq stops.

"Here…we are here. Get down onto your knees, child!" He shoves her into the snow, and she gasps, rolling onto her side and trying to get onto her knees. He yanks her deep brown hair, helping her up painfully. She screams as her hair is pulled.

"Shut up!" Unalaq's tugs her hair again. She whimpers, trying to calm herself. Desna and Eska can only watch in horror at the scene. Was he really going to do what he has threatened to do before if they ever dated? It didn't seem real.

Unalaq mumbles a prayer, touching his middle and pointer finger from his forehead, to the space above his heart, and repeating it again with his left hand. And then, he unsheathes a long, hand-carved hunting blade.

"Desna. I want you to watch. Get over here." Frightened, the male twin steps to his father's side. He really will do it! No!

"Father…please…please don't do this to her. Take my own life, instead. Please." Desna speaks quickly and frantically, emotions overwhelming him. Does he dare attack his father? No…he can't think that way. His father is way too intelligent to just do this for no reason. His father thinks he is tainted. This is a sin. Desna's body becomes rigid. He reaches up and grips the reminder that hangs around his neck. This is it. This is why. The male twin shuts his eyes, taking a deep breath, then opens them to look at the desperate, sobbing Malina.

"Desna…! Desna, please! Help me! I-…I can't bend…!" She continues to cry, the tears falling rapidly from her wide, light blue eyes. Desna says nothing, turning his head away from the pain he will have no choice but to watch.

"…sir…sir, please…your son and I…we-…we did nothing! We-…after…we went to the Flame Fish Diner, and…! We…we walked for…for a while, and…! We…we fed the fish! Just as you saw! I-…!"

Unalaq, with his grip still on her hair, pulls her head back to expose her pale, bare neck. The flesh noticeably pulses and beats from her increased heart rate.

Desna watches her writhe uselessly, and his father slowly brings the blade to the exposed flesh and presses it to her pulse. He is going to do it now, Desna thought, an overwhelming sickness washing over his body. It's for my own good…it's for my own good…

"DESNA! DESNA! PLEASE!" Her screams are blood-curdling as she continues to writhe in Unalaq's hold.

Eska cries silently, turning away. It's too painful for her to look. She stays far away from them, sitting in the snow and hugging her knees, waiting for it to be over.

"Why…why, spirits, why…!" Eska whispered in desperation to herself, her hot tears like acid on her cheeks.

Time freezes, and Desna feels himself live the seconds as if they were hours. His mind numbs the horror of the beautiful, young girl collapsing into crimson sheets of snow.

And without a word, Desna turns away and leaves the scene, Unalaq at his side with a hand on his shoulder.

The beautiful, strong, petite Malina is a fallen deer, left to die without an explanation or love at her side.

...

Just as Unalaq had done that very day, he pushed his daughter into the snow, her hands behind her back.

"Your sin was far greater, my child…and unfortunately, you must suffer for it…"

With a cold look in his eyes, Unalaq took the loop around her neck, pulling the leash of it and bending ice around it, tethering her to the icy floor. As he did so, he prayed aloud. Her body was a weakened frame, the effects of hypothermia already hitting her hard.

"…If the spirits don't take you…than the storm will."

Unalaq stepped away from her, returning to the camel horse. He mounted the animal, hanging his head in shame.

"…hearts filled with the love of others will not be mine…for the unbalanced soul cannot fulfill my purpose. With my renewal, you will gain my eternal love and grace. The sinful will be damned and the wise will be saved, and the world will never be as it once was." He finished the prayer, and rode off, his child left in her desolation.

Eska felt darkness creep over her paralyzed body, the cold and painful feeling now completely gone. She was fading. Her lips were frosted over blue, her entire form a pale corpse. Yet she kept herself planted firmly on her knees. Not much longer, she thought. How much longer could she be agonized like this.

She thought of Bolin. Where was he in this all. Was he looking for her? Or was he already gone, too? Reality really had begun to sunk in for Eska. This life…this life was never meant to be her life. And if she survived this, she would vow to put an end to this ongoing nightmare. This curse that has punished so many helpless…promising greatness in nothingness. She would help to redeem them all.

"…f-f-f-fath-er…D-D-Desna…y-y-y-ou…w-will…" With a painful breath, Eska struggled to collect the bitter air into her lungs. A heavy blizzard of snow pounded away at her battered and useless body, making it all that more difficult.

"…l-…l-…lose…!" With the only energy she had remaining, a tear tumbled down the soft curve of her face, falling into the snow below her. Everything was blackening. This was it. Her spirit was going to be set free in the only way it could now - death.

And just when she thought it was over, a large weight fell onto her bent frame. She could feel her dead body buried into the strong, pounding heat of someone's chest.

Her brother, Desna.

His arms squeezed her tightly, providing a warmth that gave Eska a sudden rush of energy. She sobbed, her hopelessness now completely gone, and her will to live restored.

"D-D-Desna…!" The girl choked, overwhelmed as his heat completely warmed her aching body. He…saved her…

"If I could start over…redo it all…I would have never left her there to /die/…" His voice trembled with a sadness that was driven deep into his heart.

"…and I will not see the same fate for my sister…!"

The twins cried unanimously, feeling secure and united once again. But Eska couldn't help but feel confusion. It was Desna, who had filled Unalaq in about their affair, after all.

"D-…Desna…y-…y-you told father e-everything…! H-…how c-c-…" She was hardly able to finish.

He nuzzled his face into the chilled crook of his sister's shoulder, his hands gripping her thin nightgown as he tried to return her body heat.

"I never did such a thing…I would never…" He took deep breaths, "…I was only angry before because I wanted to protect you from this fate…Malina's fate, Eska!"

"T-…then h-how…!"

"…I-…It was her!"

That was all he had to say. And then, Eska knew that the power she possesses was much stronger than she even could imagined. She can give visions…and that's how her father discovered this all…then she remembered what he had said earlier. He said he was granted visions…and that was because of her.

"I-I…I'm s-s-so g-g-g-glad it wasn't y-y-you…!"

"Shh…it's okay…it's okay…"

Silence took over both twins as they comforted one another. Eska felt relief, yet an extremely overwhelming feeling of something more terrible before.

It was all only beginning. If they could just stop it in time…

The entire world could be saved from the hell destined to come.

...

AN: so sorry for the wait. And the typos, if there are any. It's past 1am, and I'm beat. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D