Tarrlok

Every inch of me ached. I hadn't thought I'd be able to sleep like this, but exhaustion must have overcome discomfort. The furs were better than nothing, but it didn't change the fact that we'd been sitting on a block of ice for almost a whole day. From the way Korra moved, she had to be hurting too. I'd hoped that we would have finished the journey by now. How long did we have before the searchers realized we'd escaped them? Their boats could overtake us at any time. It was more luck than anything that we hadn't been spotted by a routine patrol. Lasting a whole day longer on the open water without being caught would be too much to hope for.

Korra was trying to settle down against my side, her face buried in my coat. Her shoulders were shaking. "Korra, you're not well. You should have woken me sooner."

"S'fine. Just tired."

"You aren't going to get any decent rest sitting like this. Listen, take the furs and go sleep against Naga. It might be a little warmer and you'll get to lie down properly."

She sat up, rubbing at her forehead. "What about you? There won't be furs left to keep you warm."

"It will be fine. I'll be busy bending."

"Nope." She stretched and groaned. "I'm the healer here, and I say no. Besides, you're keeping me warm more than the furs are. You come with me too."

"I won't be able to bend well like that, you know."

"Oh, sorry. I thought you said you were a good waterbender."

"Korra."

She smiled up at me. "If it's more comfortable for me, it'll be more comfortable for you, right? Besides, it gives me two soft, warm things to lean against. If it's better than how we've been sitting, I don't care if it slows us down a little. We have to be getting close by now."

I wasn't so confident, but I followed her as she collected the furs and arranged them against the polar bear dog. Naga watched us with some interest at first, then sighed and put her head back down on the ice.

"I know, girl," Korra said. "We'll be there soon and then we'll never have to ride on the ice ever again."

Once the sun was down, I was glad for that extra warmth. Korra was snoring where she was curled up against my side, but I had enough room to bend with my free arm. We were definitely slower than before, but it was seemed more due to how tired I was rather than anything else. Every so often I checked our course against the small compass Korra had dug out of our packs, but most of my effort went into not dozing off where I sat. To let the ocean currents sweep us away now would be a disaster.

At first I was sure I was imagining things. The faint lights on the horizon were surely stars. It was only reflections off the water. I peered off into the distance for perhaps a half hour before I was finally sure. "Korra." My voice was hoarse. "Korra, we've made it."

It wasn't easy to wake her up. I did my best, but it wasn't until the ice ground to a stop against the stones of the beach that she jolted awake. She came up ready to fight. I had to make an effort not to laugh at the look on her face. She cleared her face and tried to look composed, but I was almost sure she could see the smile I was trying to hide. "So, we're there."

"Indeed. I tried to tell you some time ago, but you said 'five more minutes' and stole all the furs you could reach."

"I did not!"

"I'm quite sure you are right, then. Be that as it may, I could use some rest myself. Could you perhaps manage the tent?"

She paused. "I can do better. I'll make a cave to get us out of the wind. It'll be fast and much warmer without having to make a fire."

She was done in a matter of minutes. I gathered up the scattered furs from the ice , dropping them in the tunnel she had built, then returned to dispose of our floe. Once I'd melted it away into nothing, there was no clue to say that we'd come ashore here. Even with the compass, we'd almost certainly drifted from our original course. Hopefully there would be no way to guess at our path. As Korra finished setting up the tent, I leaned against the wall of the cave and tried to remember anything I'd ever learned about the Northern currents.

"Korra, I think there's a chance the ocean took us further east than we'd planned. I'm not certain, mind. It's been years since I had to know these things."

"Did we overshoot the capital, then?"

"No, definitely not. I would have seen that. There are enough electric lights it would have been unmistakable from the water."

"What does it mean, then? I'm too tired to think."

"I'm hoping that we're closer to the city than where we originally would have landed. If we can get our bearings, do you think we can travel over land again? It can't be long until patrols start combing the sea for us."

"Naga will be pretty obvious."

"From a distance, she should blend into the snow. That's part of what makes them so dangerous, isn't it? It's not easy to see them coming. I only suggest it if we're within a day or two's journey. Frankly, I'm not up to more. Not in this weather with these clothes."

"Tarrlok, can't we just figure it out in the morning? I'm exhausted and I'm going to start picking fights if I can't get some real sleep soon."

"Of course, of course. My apologies."

Korra practically fell into the furs before rolling over to make space for me. She put her arms around me and burrowed in close to my chest. "You're warm. I like that."

I had a clever reply ready, but somewhere between thinking it and gathering the energy to say it, I must have fallen asleep. If there were nightmares, they didn't wake me. The next thing I knew was opening my eyes to see Korra peering out through the tent flaps.

When she turned and saw me, she said, "Sorry, I meant to let you sleep."

"How early is it?"

"Early?" She laughed. "It's not early at all. That's sunset."

It took a moment to understand. "Sunset? Korra, we lost a whole day!"

She flapped a hand at me. "Stop that. You needed the rest. I saw how badly you were doing last night, so don't try to argue with me."

"It doesn't matter how well I'm doing. We need to get away from the coast before searchers come looking for us."

"Fine, then. We'll leave the coast just as soon as you tell me a good way to keep us fed without the water."

"I grew up here. I began hunting with my father and brother when I was just a child."

"And how long ago was that? Do you even remember how to hunt? We can't afford to make any mistakes now, and we know we can get fish from the water."

"I have certain advantages, remember? I'll be able to feel any nearby animals, and I can bring them down myself too. I don't know how much practice, but bloodbending can be a more humane death than an inexperienced hunter. It hopefully won't be much of a problem with Naga around, but I'll make sure there's no danger from predators."

"Wait, you can feel them? With bloodbending?"

"Yes."

"So... you can feel me too?"

"Yes."

"What's it like?"

I paused for a moment to think. "It's as though you have your hand on someone's chest and can feel the beating of their heart. It's like that, but I don't have to be touching you. The heartbeat is always there in the back of my mind."

"That's not fair," she sighed

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable-"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. It isn't fair. The full moon's gone, so it's going to be another month before I can try that too." She was quiet for a moment before she shook herself. "You're certain about the hunting? If you are, I'll get the fish for tonight and we can start moving tomorrow."

"Perhaps we can go some distance today. I'd be happier if we weren't right on the water's edge."

"Are you sure you'll manage? Your coat isn't too warm and it was absolutely freezing last night."

"I'll get by. None of this will matter if I get caught again."

By the time she came back with a cloth full of fish, I'd had a chance to stretch away some of the aches. Naga dug into her portion as Korra began to cook our dinner, fish by fish, in her hands. "The hunting might be a better idea than I'd thought. There are hardly any fish in the shallow water here. I had to make some ice and go out a ways to find anything."

"Korra, that's not safe! What if someone had seen you?"

"We have to eat, don't we? It's been over a day since we had a decent meal. I'm a growing girl."

"You're sure you weren't spotted?"

"I couldn't see any ships, and I think they would have stood out a lot more than I did. And once morning comes we can get away from the shore and our clothing won't look out of place at all.

"How about we keep going until it's dark. That should give us an hour or two and then we can make camp again."

"I guess that works. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"This is some distance from where I grew up. All I can say is that we should keep heading east. It shouldn't be hard to spot the capital once we get close."

"We could always find someone to ask for directions. Maybe we could trade for a decent coat for you too."

I shook my head. "Too risky. Anyone who lived here would already know where the city is. We don't want to give anyone a reason to remember us."

"We have to look for something warm, though, don't we?" She reached over to pluck at my sleeve. "I don't know what a Water Tribe guy like you is doing with something this thin."

"I never needed anything that thick while I was in Republic City. I had warmer things for my trips back north, but that was just functional clothing. This was a very nice coat before we started tramping through woods and under rivers."

Once we'd eaten, we took down the tent and set out. Korra closed off the tunnel behind us, and just for good measure I swept a thick covering of snow over where it had been. Korra couldn't go constantly barefoot anymore, so we'd be blind to pursuers, but we could probably assume that any earthbenders trying to find us would be even less capable of dealing with the snow than she was. On Naga's back with Korra's arms around me, the cold was less difficult to deal with. We'd been walking for at least an hour with little conversation when we spotted the lights ahead of us.

"Tarrlok, do you see that? It looks like a home. Why don't I go see if I can trade for clothes for you?"

"You'll have to be careful. We can't let anyone guess who we are."

"I know that. We've already had this conversation."

"Yes, but last time you were caught. We need to do better."

"Fine. What do we need to do, then?"

I closed my eyes to think. "First, it will have to just be you. I can't afford to show my face. Anyone with eyes would guess who I was. So you'll have to go yourself, you'll have to be disguised, and you'll have to manage a plausible story."

"There's not much around to disguise myself with. And I'm awful at lies. You saw how well it went last time."

"Then it is fortunate that you're here with a professional liar. You'll be fine. It only takes practice. I'll have something ready in a minute. In the meantime, your hair can be changed, at least. Your picture has been all over the papers for months. Try... low pigtails. Part your hair down the middle and let it drape to cover your cheeks."

She grumbled, but pulled her hair out of its ponytails. "What's my story, then? Am I trying to help my brother again."

"No. No overlap between the stories. You need a name, first of all. Something you can remember easily. What were your grandmothers named?"

"My mother's mother was named Tanaraq-"

"That works then. It's nice to meet you, Tanaraq. Now, you're traveling away from the capital. Your family moved there from the country looking for work."

"Why am I leaving then?"

"No work to be had, at least not for decent wages. That's a common enough story in cities these days. You hadn't been in the city long, and your mother died. Your father is bringing the family back to the old town. And what's your name?"

"My name- Tan-"

"Tanaraq. Repeat it."

"Tanaraq."

I nodded. "Now introduce yourself to me."

"Uh. Hello, my name is Tanaraq."

"I'm glad to make your acquaintance. What are you doing out here?"

"My family. We're leaving the city."

"Really! It's much more common to see people moving to the capital these days." I waited, but Korra seemed lost. "Remember, Tanaraq. Jobs."

"Oh, right. There weren't enough jobs. After my mother died, my father didn't want to stay there any longer. We're going back home."

"And what's your name?"

"Tanaraq."

"Very good. Now, you're looking for warm things for your father. He's not young anymore, and he feels the cold more than he used to. If they have a coat and gloves they can spare, you're looking to trade for them."

"I- I guess so. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. your father and brother are hunting. You're not with them because you've never been very strong." She laughed and I had to smile. "I know, I know, but they won't be able to tell under your coat. Do you think you can manage to be a fragile, delicate lady for just an hour?"

"I guess I can try."

"Now, let's go through it all again."

We passed the story back and forth until Korra could tell me all of the little details of her family without any trouble. By the time I was happy with it, we had passed the house, but were still close enough to see the lights. I sorted through the packs to find the little trinkets she'd taken from my room. I sighed as I tried to find the best one for the job.

"Should I take a few, just in case?"

"No matter what we try to trade, we'll be the ones getting cheated. These are all quite fine. I just need to decide which one I least mind parting with."

"Does it matter that much?"

"These were all from my bedroom, weren't they? I had them there because they were my favorites. It took years to gather these all together."

"Oh. I'm sorry-"

I waved her off. "It doesn't matter much now. I'd rather have something warm to wear than a pile of pretty, useless things." Finally, I decided on a carved ivory bird. "That will do. It is certainly worth enough that you won't have to worry about bargaining. See if you can get some food that will travel well, perhaps. Maybe some dried meat. You have a long trip ahead of you before you reach home, Tanaraq."

I wished her luck as she walked off toward the cabin. Snow was beginning to fall. That would cover our tracks, but for the moment it just meant I was cold and damp. I pulled a fur around my shoulders and settled down against Naga to wait.

It wasn't long at all before Korra came jogging back. I felt her before I saw her. "I did it!" she called once she was close. "A coat and gloves and a bag full of food. It's a little worn, but it looks like it's just the right size to fit you." I'd hardly stood before she reached me, and then she was tugging my old coat over my head and pulling the new one on. I hadn't realized how cold I was until it was on. This was what a Water Tribe coat should be. Once the one glove was on and the other was stuffed into a pack, I was perfectly happy.

Korra was grinning and bouncing from foot to foot. "It was perfect. They didn't suspect anything at all and they tried to get me to bring my father and brother back to their house to spend the night. They made sure that my brother and I had enough clothing too, and that we had proper tents and weapons to hunt with, and they were so friendly. And you know what? We're less than a day from the capital. They said that it was good that my father had seen he'd need a better coat on the first night out of the city, because it's hard to find houses further out to the west."

"You're sure they weren't trying to trick you?"

"I'm pretty sure. It was a wife and husband and their baby, and I think she was only a few years older than me. They said they'd been through the same thing in the capital, but they settled nearby to stay close to family. Qilaq's even taller than you, so I was almost sure that his old coat would fit you fine. They gave me smoked meat and fish, and a bag of sea prunes! I haven't had those since I left the South Pole. I was smart too. After I left, I headed north, then went east after I was far enough away they couldn't see me anymore."

"Wonderful! Nevertheless, would you object to continuing on for some time? I'd rather not be sleeping so near someone who knows that we're here."

"Sure, we can keep going. Perhaps not for too much longer, though? I'm still pretty tired."

Once we were up in Naga's saddle again, we turned back to the east. Even though the moon was close to full, almost no light came through the thick clouds overhead. I hoped that Naga could do well in the dark because I could hardly see anything. When we crossed over the hilltop though, it was impossible to miss the lights of the city. They spilled out from the center, down to the water's edge and off into the low hills. At this distance, it almost looked like Republic City in winter.

Korra and I stopped there to camp. She made a tunnel to get us out of the wind and hide us from searchers, but even with Naga leaning against the tent flaps it was too chilly for me to want to take off my new coat. There were some kisses and caresses, but Korra finally had to sigh and admit that it might be a little too cold to be getting naked. I laughed and told her there would be enough time for all that once we were in a warm house with a nice fire. Once she put out the last lantern, we went to sleep curled together under the furs.

It was nice to eat without having to worry about finding our food first. That was something I missed about city life. Korra took the time that morning to comb out my hair and pull it back nicely. Sometime I would have to figure out how to put in the ties by myself, but for now it was nice to sit back and just feel her fingers running through my hair. In daylight, I could tell that it wouldn't be even half a day's ride to reach the edges of the city. By this night, we'd be in the capital, and I would - hopefully - be safe.

When we began to pass the first outlying houses, the excitement faded a little. It was difficult to ignore the way people pointed and stared. Some of it had to be the Avatar. There was only one woman out there who rode a tame polar bear dog. But there were the mothers who pulled their children back into houses, the hushed whispers, and the outright glares. Korra was glaring right back. I had to whisper to cut her off when I worried she might be about to start talking to the watchers.

"Korra, don't antagonize them."

"I don't like the way they're staring!"

"It's not a surprise. Everyone has to know by now that you've been abducted by a dangerous bloodbender. Even aside from that, you'd have to expect them to stare. It's not really possible to hide a missing arm and burn scars like these."

"I hardly even see them anymore."

"Of course, Korra, but that's just because you've been looking at them this whole time. If I were to see myself in a mirror, I'm sure I'd stare too."

It was difficult to ignore the pressure of so many eyes on us. Soon enough, there were other worries, though. Armored soldiers made through the streets, pushing the crowd back into the buildings and alleys. I tensed, expecting them to arrest us, but they simply formed themselves into an escort. They left us a wide berth and made no effort to speak to us, but if we'd attempted to go anywhere but the palace, I'm sure they would have objected. The silence was almost as bad as the crowd's whispers had been. The sound of their marching grated on my nerves, and I found myself looking forward to the end of the journey, no matter what it brought.

More soldiers were waiting for us when we came to the palace gate. An officer stepped forward and made a deep bow. "Avatar Korra. May I respectfully request that you leave your animal here before you are taken to see the chief?"

"Don't be silly. My uncle's known Naga since she was a puppy."

"Regardless, this is official business. Please agree to leave your animal behind, Avatar. She will be guarded while you are away."

"Fine," Korra sighed. "This isn't necessary, you know. I just need to speak to my uncle."

"But of course. Chief Unalaq is already waiting for you inside."

When we were escorted into the small chamber, Korra ran to greet her uncle. I hung back. It was impossible to ignore the armed guards that lined the walls. Unalaq returned Korra's hug, but his eyes never left my place. After a moment, he pulled away from Korra and stepped toward me. "Tarrlok."

I bowed. "Unalaq. It is good to see you."

"I hardly recognize you."

I shrugged. "There was only so much that healing could do."

This was wrong. Korra had been wrong. This wasn't my old friend. Nothing would be different in my home country. Unalaq couldn't or wouldn't look past the bloodbending. How long did I have before I was turned over to the military? How long until I was deported back to Republic City? Or would my execution be done here?

Korra walked over, still smiling. "Uncle Unalaq, I'm sure you've been hearing some incredible things, but none of it is true at all. Tarrlok didn't kidnap me or anything. I had to get him out of the city, but I knew it would be almost impossible, so I made up some stories to cover our tracks. See, the city council was planning to kill him for being a bloodbender and it was complicated, but as the Avatar-"

Unalaq held up his hand. "Avatar Korra. If you are going to lay such serious matters at my doorstep, you cannot address me as your uncle. I am the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and that is who you are addressing right now."

"I'm just trying to say that I need you to give Tarrlok your protection right now. I needed to get him somewhere safe to buy time to sort things out."

"Absolutely not. I am appalled that you would ask such a thing of me."

"Uncle! I already told you that the stories aren't true-"

"Avatar. Does that change the fact that he is a bloodbender who has already abducted you once before? You ask me to protect this sort of man? You are young, but I am ashamed that you did not think better on such serious matters. We will keep him in custody until he can be turned over to the United Forces. Captain," he called. "Please take Councilman Tarrlok to the prison."

"Uncle Unalaq, you can't do this! I brought him here to protect him! I won't let you take him!"

I cut in, "Korra, stop. Think. There is nothing you can do from here. Don't make this worse for yourself."

"No! I promised you-"

"Stop. You can't do anything like this. Take the time to consider your path forward. You can't win everything by fighting."

Those were all the words we had time for. The soldiers were pulling me away then, shoving me toward the door. There were benders beyond the soldiers with water held at the ready. They were taking no chances. The last thing I saw as they led me out of the room was Korra, staring helplessly after me. Then I was gone.