A knock on Yula's office door prompted her to look up from the Earth Kingdom map she had been studying. When the door eased open to reveal her sister behind it, she sat up with a smile. "Ah, Shayu, there you are. Come in, please."
"Hey, Sis." Shayu slipped into the office and closed the door behind her. "How are things going?"
"They're going wonderfully, thank you." Yula stood up and made her way around the desk to greet her sister with a hug. Her attention shifted towards the map behind her. "As it stands, all aspects of the Dragon Empire are under my control, and we're prepared to begin expansion soon."
"Oh... that's great." Shayu's gaze lowered to the map. She fidgeted, grabbing nervously at her elbow. "And you're sure that's the best thing to do? I mean, doesn't it seem a little... I don't know, bad?"
Yula brightened a smile at her sister. Being nearly ten years younger, Shayu had always been the baby of the family, and yet she had so much potential. She only needed someone to help bring that out. "Don't worry so much. Look at everything we've accomplished so far. The Dragon Empire is the most advanced, and most powerful nation in the world. That was accomplished by joining the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom together."
She held her hands to Shayu's shoulders, looking with earnest into her eyes. "There won't be any wars or conflict between those two nations anymore, because they're under the same leadership. Imagine if all nations were joined that way. There would never be anymore conflict. We'd have peace. Isn't that worth cracking a few turtle duck eggs over?"
"I mean, yeah, maybe," Shayu said, with an uncertain shrug. "I guess it would be nice if what happened to us in Ba Sing Se never happened again."
"Exactly," Yula insisted. "Once the Dragon Empire expands across the entire world, no one will ever have to worry about something like that happening again. Everyone will be safe, and we'll have true peace."
"What about Mom?" Shayu's brow furrowed with concern. "You've had her locked in her room now for two weeks."
Yula eased out a deep sigh. "Mother wanted to stand against us. I can't have her running around trying to undermine what I'm doing. If she proves her loyalty and is sincere about making amends, I can give her some more freedom. Until then, I'm afraid that's the way it has to be. I don't like it, but I can't change it."
"Oh, okay." Shayu bowed her head in reluctant acceptance. Perhaps she wasn't entirely convinced at that explanation, but she would be. Sooner or later, she'd come to realize the good they were doing.
"I need you, Shayu. You're my sister, my family. Unlike Mother, you actually understand what I'm trying to do." Yula held her sister's hands with a reassuring squeeze. Her touch was gentle, and comforting. "That's why I want you to come with me when I leave to begin the expansion."
Shayu glanced up again, eyebrows raised. "Wait, really?"
"Of course. I want you there by my side to witness the great things we're going to accomplish. We'll do it together. What do you say?"
"Okay, yeah, sure." An excited smile spread across Shayu's face. "I'd like that."
Yula smirked. "Excellent. In that case, go prepare. We leave at the end of the week."
Azula spun away from several flying earth discs. The projectiles were quick and relentless, and she knew from experience they would hurt if she failed to dodge them. This time, they never touched her. Her own movements were sharp, fluid. Another volley of discs surged forward. She whirled out of the way, a leaf on the wind. At one point, she overstepped when crossing her feet, causing her to trip off balance. With a quick recovery, she managed to continue her spiraling pattern before one of the discs would have collided with her face.
"That's good, try to add a little more spin," Korra said, as she kicked up several more earthen discs and punched them towards her. "Remember to keep your feet moving, so you don't trip yourself like that. It'll help improve your ability to dodge."
"I got it," she insisted. As instructed, she added more spins to her dodges. This time, her footwork was perfect. "You see? Easy."
Azula had undergone rigorous training exercises during the past week. Korra had been training her in different combat styles, such as these evasive airbending maneuvers, while Zuko trained her in in swords, Kuvira in hand-to-hand combat, and Annie with full sparring. To say she had been reluctant to accept training would have been a colossal understatement. She was Princess Azula, prodigy of the Fire Nation. She didn't need help, least of all from Zuzu. That had been her mindset at the start, anyway. Like it or not, when it came to combat she was a shade of her former self without her firebending. If she wanted to be a true threat again, she needed to train harder than she ever had before, with whatever teachers were available.
Korra launched the last few discs, beaming with a grin as Azula again evaded them all. "You really learn quick."
"Well, I wasn't called a prodigy for nothing,"Azula stated, planting her hands against her hips. "Even if I can't bend anymore, I'll be the strongest non-bender who ever lived, just you watch."
"Judging from what I've seen, I wouldn't doubt it." Korra lifted her hands and recalled the earth discs next to her into two neat piles. "Do you want to do more, or have you had enough for now?"
Azula paused, pressing a finger to her lips. "I suppose I should take a break and get something to eat before my session with Kuvira. Zuzu will be here soon to give me more sword lessons too. So, yes, I suppose that's enough for now."
"Alright, same time tomorrow?"
"Yes, yes, I'll be here," she said, with a flippant wave.
"Hey, Azula!" Anraq appeared, running across the gardens of the Beifong Estate. He carried with him a small plastic bag, holding it up so she could see it. "Brought you something."
Azula lifted an eyebrow, eying the plastic bag with intrigue. "I do hope there's food in there, because I'm starving."
"As a matter of fact, there is." Anraq reached into the bag to pull out a small container. "Spicy rice balls, from that joint downtown we visited a few days ago. Now, I wasn't sure if you liked rice balls, but I know you do like spicy food, so I figured it would be worth a try."
Azula opened the container to find five clumps of rice wrapped with tea leaves inside, each of them slathered with what looked like some kind of hot sauce. "Hmm, well that doesn't look bad, I'll admit. Thank you, Annie."
Anraq smiled, and leaned in close to kiss her. The moment his lips pressed against hers, she flinched and pulled back, looking over her shoulder. Korra stood there, watching them with a grin.
"Annie," she said, in a hushed whisper. "Not in front of the Avatar."
"Ahem." The sound of a new arrival clearing his throat caused her eyes to flare open wide. When she turned towards the voice, she found Zuko staring at them with his arms folded.
"Or my brother," she added, trying to force down the blush rising into her cheeks.
"Uh..." Anraq glanced back and forth between Korra and Zuko, offering a small chuckle of embarrassment. "Heh, whoops."
"Azula, Anraq," Zuko said, giving them both a nod. He turned and bowed to Korra. "Avatar."
"Lord Zuko." Korra returned the bow, before turning to make her way towards the mansion. "Anyway, I have to head out now. I'll see you all later tonight for dinner."
Zuko offered her a parting wave. When she was gone, he turned back to his sister. "Are you ready for sword practice?"
"Just a minute, can't you see I'm eating?" Azula focused on the rice balls and popped one into her mouth. An explosion of flavor followed, not too salty, with a hint of sweetness. The spice ignited, burning the inside of her mouth. Not in a bad way, but enough to provide a real kick to each bite. She did love spicy foods, and these rice balls were remarkable in that department. "Mmm, these are actually quite good."
"But really, really—wow—spicy!" Anraq exclaimed, waving his hand in front of his mouth. He had only managed a couple of bites before recoiling at the burn. "I mean, I like spicy food too, but this is ridiculous."
"Hmph, lightweight," she chided, as she took a bite out of a second one. "That's what makes them so good."
"Mind if I try one?" Zuko said, giving the remaining couple of rice balls a curious look. When Azula offered the container, he took one of the rice balls and bit into it. He chewed for a few moments, testing the flavor. "Hmm, I suppose they're not that—" He stopped chewing. His eyes flared, rushing with tears, while his entire face flushed deep red. Without warning, he grabbed Anraq's hip flask, popped open the cork, and gulped down a mouthful of water.
"Hey, that's my bending water!" Anraq said, making a grab for the flask.
Zuko turned away, keeping it out of reach so he could drink more. When he finished off the water, he handed the flask back to Anraq and huffed out a deep breath. "Well, those are quite... potent."
Azula laughed, snatching the rice ball from her brother's grasp. "Oh Zuzu, you never had the stomach for spicy food."
"Yes, well..." The old firebender wiped his lips dry. "In any case, are you ready now?"
"Just a second." She finished off the last of the rice balls, and wiped her hands clean on a napkin. When she was done, she handed the empty container back to Anraq. "Alright, now I'm ready."
"Good, draw your swords," Zuko stated. "I'm going to show you a few advanced techniques today. I imagine you'll pick them up rather quickly."
Azula smirked, reaching over her shoulder to draw the dual blades from their scabbard. "Please, of course I will. Did you forget who you're talking to?"
Later that night, Azula leaned against the balcony railing of the estate's guest house. Anraq stood behind her, holding his arms around her waist and resting his chin against her shoulder. She had been hesitant to allow this kind of intimate touch between them. She wasn't used to that kind of intimacy, after all, and perhaps she had been a little apprehensive in letting him get that close. Any initial reluctance had soon dissipated with a simple reminder. This was Annie, the one person she cared most about in the world. He didn't want to hurt her. He wanted to hold her, to spend time with her. That was something she could allow.
"Things seem to be coming along pretty well with your training," Anraq said. "You're looking better than ever."
Azula raised an eyebrow, glancing over her shoulder at him with a suggestive smirk. "Are you sure it's my skills you're watching?"
"Uh, well... I mean..."
"Hmph, pathetic," she stated, in as endearing a tone as she would allow herself. She widened her smirk ever so slightly, and leaned closer to kiss him.
Anraq grinned. "What can I say? I'm drawn to powerful and attractive women."
She maintained her smile, letting her gaze drift away towards the sky, focusing on the stars above. Her smile faded, replaced by a worried frown. "Annie, about this, about us..."
He leaned closer, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist. "Yeah?"
"I've never done anything like this before," she said, easing a heavy sigh. "I've never felt like this about anyone. I've never been in a proper relationship. Or any relationship, really. It's just so new for me."
"I know, but that's okay," he insisted. "However you feel you want to do this, I'm with you one hundred percent."
She paused, lowering her gaze towards the gardens below. "I've had very few genuinely good things in my life, and you're one of them. I don't want to screw it up."
"You won't." Anraq wrapped his hands over hers, lacing their fingers together. "We'll take it slow, alright? We'll go at whatever pace you need, and we'll make it work."
Instinct nearly drove Azula to pull away. With a calming, reminding breath she relaxed, and tightened her fingers against his. "Thank you, Annie."
"So, did you want to do anything tonight? I wouldn't mind taking a stroll through Suyin Park, if you wanted."
"No, I'm not in the mood to go out right now." Azula breathed in deep and settled against his chest. When his arms embraced her, she let her eyes close. "I'm fine just like this."
He smiled, and gave a kiss to the top of her head. "Sounds perfect to me."
"Mmm," Kuvira whispered, her lips mere inches away from Korra's ear. She pushed herself up against the back of the tub, sloshing the water around their bare bodies. "Finally have you all to myself."
Korra leaned against her girlfriend's chest and grinned. "What do you intend to do with me now that you have me?"
Kuvira wrapped her arms around Korra's waist, fingers gently gliding downward. "I'm sure I can think of a few things. Like maybe..." Her fingers continued to travel lower, until they found their way between her girlfriend's legs. "...this."
Korra uttered a sharp gasp, tightly gripping her hands against the edges of the tub. "Careful, keep doing that and I might start getting feisty."
"That's the whole point." She pushed her fingers deeper, and brought her lips closer. "Come on, get feisty."
"Well, if you insist..." Korra gasped again, and flipped herself over to lie against Kuvira on her front. She moved closer, poising herself above the matriarch with an eager grin. As she did, Kuvira's hands crept around to grasp her toned rear.
Before they could go any further, a knock pounded against the closed bathroom door. "Kuvira! Avatar Korra!" Baatar Sr.'s voice.
Kuvira heaved a groan, letting her head fall back against the edge of the tub. "What is it? Kind of in the middle of something here."
"It's Captain Hong Li," Baatar stated, with frantic urgency in his tone. "He just arrived with some dire news. He needs to see you both immediately."
"Alright," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "We'll be right there."
When Baatar was gone, Korra pouted down at her. "I don't suppose there's time for a quickie?"
Kuvira pondered the suggestion, and leaned up to give her girlfriend a kiss. "Well, we can certainly find out."
Kuvira and Korra made their way into the mansion's sitting room about twenty minutes after being told of the captain's arrival. Longer than they had meant to take, but they had been in the middle of a bath anyway. Hong Li had to expect he'd be waiting. Kuvira was still fixing her robes straight and fitting her circlet in place over her forehead when they arrived, while Korra struggled to force her still-damp arms through her Water Tribe sleeves. Naga lounged next to the sofa, lifting her head with intrigue as the two appeared. The polar bear dog trotted over to them, tail wagging. Korra met her with gentle pets through her thick white fur.
Hong Li approached them and gave a salute. "Matriarch, Avatar, thank you for seeing me. Normally I wouldn't have shown up at your home like this, but it's important."
"What is it?" Kuvira gave Naga a gentle scratch behind the ears, and braced herself for the answer. She knew the captain well enough to know he was telling the truth. He wouldn't have come straight to her at this time of night if the situation weren't dire.
"I just received word from our scouts stationed in the mountains," he said. "They've spotted Dragon Empire forces traveling through the Earth Kingdom in this direction—airships, tanks, ground troops. There are thousands. They estimate the empire could be here within two days."
"What?" Kuvira's stomach twisted. She stepped away from Naga and began pacing back and forth. "This is bad. Yula is making her move. If she makes it here with those troops, I don't know how long Zaofu can hold out."
"Well, we can't just let her take the city," Korra urged.
"No, we can't." Kuvira heaved a deep sigh, raking her fingers through her hair. Strange, how life worked sometimes. Six years ago, she had marched on Zaofu herself to conquer it. Now, here she was as Zaofu's ruler about to defend it from another invasion. The irony did not escape her. "Our security force does have some of the best fighters in the world, and are trained especially for siege situations. The problem is, we don't have nearly the numbers to go up against the entire might of the Dragon Empire. Making a stand against them could get messy."
"We should evacuate the citizens," Korra said, absently petting her fingers through Naga's fur. "Have them take the train to Republic City, before the empire arrives. If Yula decides she wants violence, at least that way no one innocent will get hurt."
Kuvira nodded. "I agree. Captain, see to it that the city undergoes emergency evacuation measures. I want everyone who isn't a member of the security force out of Zaofu by tomorrow night."
"Yes, Matriarch. I'll put the word out at once." Hong Li gave a firm salute, and hurried out of the room.
Once the captain was gone, Korra focused a concerned gaze on her girlfriend. "Trying to stop the Dragon Empire from invading isn't going to be easy, and there's no time to request reinforcements before they arrive. You think we have a chance?"
"I suppose we'll find out," Kuvira said. "Although, we do have one thing that they don't have."
"What's that?"
"The Avatar."
Korra quirked an eyebrow. "You know I can only do so much, right? Even I can't take out an entire army."
"I know, but as it stands you're the biggest advantage we have," Kuvira insisted. "I'd rather it didn't come to that, though. This is still Yula. Maybe she can be reasoned with."
"You heard what the others said about her. They tried to reason with her and she nearly killed them." Korra's expression sank with a deep frown, prompting Naga to gently nudge against her for comfort. "She's changed."
"We still have to try."
Korra sighed. "Yeah, I know."
"Alright, I need to find my father and let him know what's going on." Kuvira breathed in deep and slowly exhaled, trying to settle herself. Wolf bats fluttered in her stomach, threatening to shatter any form of composure she could muster. "I'll have to send him and the rest of my family on the first train out of here to bring the news to Asami. We can't have every Zaofu citizen randomly showing up in Republic City without explanation. You can send Naga with them."
"That's a good idea." Korra held a hand to her girlfriend's shoulder to help calm her. "We'll get through this, Ku. No matter what happens, we'll maintain balance. I mean, it is kind of my thing." Naga reinforced the statement, approaching Kuvira with a firm nudge.
Kuvira smiled, a swell of reassuring warmth lifting through her as she held her arms around the fluffy polar bear dog. "Thanks... We should get started, in that case. We have a lot of preparations to make."
