For the first time in the almost four weeks that she'd been in Republic City, Nayuh awoke excited. Well, excited and nervous. Vira's tribunal was only two days now and while she held a fair amount of trepidation about it, that's not why she was so anxious today.
Suyin had arrived back in Republic City last night, having left to go back to Zaofu immediately after the world leader's meeting three weeks ago. Nayuh had intended on asking Su for her permission to marry Vira then, but never got the chance. She'd waited, rather impatiently, for Su to return for the tribunal. Fortunately, she'd decided to come up a few days early, which meant that Nayuh could finally ask her.
She quickly dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. As usual, she was the first one up. She poked her head into the kitchen to say hello to Jaya, whom she'd become extremely friendly with over the last few weeks.
The older woman had taken a liking to her almost immediately, acting as a sort of surrogate mother. It was weird, at first, but Nayuh knew the woman's intentions were good and she didn't mind it. Seeing a friendly face first thing in the morning always managed to brighten her mood.
She pulled the morning paper to her while she waited for Jaya to bring her tea and breakfast out, wrinkling her nose at the front-page headline. For the last few weeks, the papers seemed to have all but forgotten that Vira had been arrested. Now, with her tribunal fast approaching, they'd picked the story back up again.
Nayuh skimmed the article, but it wasn't anything she didn't already know. The tribunal would be closed to the public—only close family and friends would be allowed in (and vetted heavily beforehand, which Lee had already warned them about), as well as any heads of state or important public figures like the President.
She was halfway through eating when Su walked in. She smiled at Nayuh and nodded hello, before taking a seat across from her. All the confidence Nayuh had woken up with suddenly vanished. She quietly slid the parts of the paper she wasn't reading over to Su's side, remembering that she also enjoyed reading while she ate in the mornings.
Su frowned as she skimmed the article about Vira. "They're really making a big deal out of this, aren't they?"
Nayuh nervously swallowed the bite of food she had in her mouth and nodded. "Guess not much else happens in this city."
Su snorted. "Guess not." She eyed Nayuh closely, a sympathetic look on her face. "How are you holding up?"
Nayuh shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I'm trying not to think the worst, but I'm pretty worried about it."
"That makes two of us," Su replied. She sighed. "I know Asami speaks very highly of him, but I'm not sure Lee was the right person for this."
Nayuh didn't think so either, but there wasn't much they could do about it now. "I guess we'll find out. He seems nice, though, from the little I've talked to him."
Su's eyes narrowed. "Nice isn't going to get Kuvira released. I really hope he doesn't blow this for her."
"Same here." Nayuh didn't know what else to say so she went back to eating her breakfast while Su went back to reading the paper.
Nayuh knew she was running out of time. Korra and Asami would be downstairs soon, effectively shutting her window of opportunity to speak with Su alone, before she got her day started. It was now or never.
She awkwardly cleared her throat and said, "Umm, Su?" Spirits, why was this so difficult? She sounded like a scared little kid.
"Hmm?" came the response from the other side of the paper.
"I need to ask you something."
That seemed to get her attention and Su put the paper down. "That sounds serious. Is everything okay?"
Nayuh nodded, wringing her hands nervously under the table and trying to get her leg to stop its agitated bouncing. "Umm, I suppose it is. It's nothing bad though." At least, I don't think it is. Su simply gazed at her, waiting for her to continue.
"So…I've been thinking," Nayuh awkwardly started, "a lot actually, and depending on how the tribunal goes and if Vira gets released, well, I've been thinking a lot about the future and what that might mean for us and—"
Spirits, you're rambling, get on with it already. Although the more she rambled on, the more Su's face softened, so maybe she already knew what was coming. Either way, Nayuh knew she needed to spit it out before she lost her nerve or someone interrupted them.
"—well, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to ask for your permission to marry Vira. Well, you and your husband's permission, even though I know he's not here—"
Su smiled broadly and held up a hand, saving Nayuh from herself. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. Of course, you have my permission. Our permission, because I know Bataar would agree with me."
Relief flooded through Nayuh and she grinned. "Thank you! I know this all hinges on if she gets released or not, but I want to believe that she will."
"I do as well," Su replied, still smiling. "Now, even more so. I know we didn't get off on the right foot right away, but you've been the best thing that's ever happened to her. I've never seen her this happy in all the years I've known her. You two truly are perfect for each other and I wish you both all the happiness in the world."
Her eyes were glistening a little as she finished and on a whim, Nayuh got out of her seat and walked around the table to give her a hug. Su welcomed it and for a brief moment, Nayuh allowed herself to bask in Su's answer. Then the moment came to an abrupt end.
"Okay, what did we miss?" Korra asked as she and Asami walked into the dining room.
Nayuh released Su and they shared a look. Nayuh gave a small shake of her head, hoping Su would pick up on the fact that she was trying to tell her not to fill Korra in on what they'd just discussed.
"Nothing," Su said, turning around to face Korra. "Nayuh was just feeling a little down about the tribunal so I was trying to cheer her up."
Korra's expression went from one of suspicion to sympathy. "I think we're all worried, but my dad keeps reassuring me that he and Councilor Jissika have it all figured out. I just wish they'd fill us in on what their plan is."
"Well, maybe we'll find out today," Asami offered, taking a seat next to Su. "Isn't their ship due in at some point?"
Korra nodded. "Around three. He said not to worry about meeting them down there…said he and the Councilor have some other business to attend to and then they'll come up here after they're finished." She let out a frustrated sigh. "He's never kept me in the dark like this before. Makes me nervous."
"I'm sure everything is fine," Asami said, giving Korra's arm a reassuring squeeze. Then she looked at Su and Nayuh. "Do you two have anything planned today?"
"I'm actually meeting your father and the Councilor's ship when it arrives," Su nonchalantly said. Everyone gawked at her and she shrugged. "Yes, I know what he's up to and no, I'm not going to tell you. He asked me not to. Sorry."
"Ugh!" Korra threw her head back and groaned. "I'm the Avatar! I, of all people, should be kept in the loop!"
Nayuh had to resist the urge to snicker. Korra throwing a tantrum because her father was purposefully leaving her out (and probably had a very good reason for doing so) was amusing on so many levels.
"Well, I'm heading over to Air Temple Island," Nayuh said. She flashed Asami her most genuine smile. "Mind giving me a ride to the ferry?"
"Not at all," Asami replied. "We'll head out as soon as I'm done eating."
Nayuh had been spending a lot of time at the Air Temple in the last three weeks so fortunately, no one batted an eye at the fact that she was going over there again today. She just hoped Kya would be ready and available to make good on her promise to take Nayuh ring shopping.
After a week of bad weather, it was finally sunny again and Asami left the top down on their drive through town. It was almost as if mother nature was confirming her opinion that today was going to be a good day.
"Is today the day?" Kya asked her, as soon as Nayuh walked into the Temple's dining hall. Nayuh grinned and nodded. Kya returned her grin and then gestured to the children sitting around the table with her. "Let me finish up here and then we can go."
Nayuh helped her cousin get the children settled after breakfast before they headed out for the day. Another quick ferry ride later and they were in a taxi heading towards one of the neighborhoods that Kya claimed to mimic the old capital of the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se. Since Nayuh had no reference point for what Ba Sing Se looked like, she figured she'd just have to trust her cousin's opinion on that.
The vibe in this neighborhood was far different than the one in the Little Water Tribe area. It reminded Nayuh a little of the small city of Gaoling that she and Vira had stopped in on the way here.
"Are you sure this place is going to have what I'm looking for?" she asked Kya as they walked. Even though she had no idea what she was looking for. She kind of figured she'd know it when she saw it.
"Absolutely," Kya replied. "I know a few people that have gotten rings from Davaa and they love them. He's a metalbender so he makes them all himself. I figure we'll try there first and if you don't find anything you like, then there are a few more places we can go."
Davaa's shop was small, sandwiched in between a restaurant and a tailor's place. A bell sounded as they entered and a friendly-looking middle-aged man emerged from the rear of the store moments later, smiling at both of them.
He's a metalbender? Nayuh thought as she sized him up. He didn't look like any metalbender she'd ever met. Although, she hadn't really met many. And the ones she had were all Beifongs, trained to use their metalbending for fighting and nothing else. He reminded her more of her father than anything—a tinkerer, someone who enjoyed working with their hands, molding and shaping things.
"Can I help you?" Davaa asked genially.
"She," Kya said, motioning to Nayuh, "is looking to buy a ring."
"Well, you came to the right place," Davaa replied. His voice held a hint of amusement as if to say that he already knew why they were in here. "Have a look around and if you have any questions, feel free to shout. I'll just be in the back."
"Thank you," Nayuh replied. Davaa inclined his head and disappeared into the rear of the store again. Each wall of the shop housed a waist-high glass case, showcasing the various types of rings that Davaa had made. Nayuh wandered over to one side and peered down into the glass.
She slowly moved alongside the case, stopping every now and then if something caught her eye. Kya certainly hadn't been exaggerating about Davaa's workmanship. The rings were exquisitely made and most were entirely out of her price range. Kya quietly browsed as well, until Nayuh stopped in front of one of the cases for more than a few moments.
"Find something interesting?" she asked, coming over to Nayuh.
"Maybe," Nayuh answered. She frowned. "But there's no way I can afford it."
"Well, let's not write it off just yet. If this is the one you want, then I'm sure Davaa will be willing to work something out." Kya walked to the rear of the store and called for Davaa, while Nayuh knelt in front of the glass, trying to get a better look.
It was one of the most unique rings she'd seen so far. Almost every other ring in the store was made entirely of metal or was metal inlaid with other materials like wood, or platinum, or obsidian (imported from the Fire Islands, which Nayuh thought was very cool). Only a few were like this one, made of what appeared to be some sort of stone. Which Nayuh found odd, considering Davaa made his living off bending metal.
But a metalbender was also an earthbender, so she supposed it made sense that he would have a few rings made from his native element. Although the stone of this ring, in particular, looked familiar for a reason she just couldn't seem to place.
"Have we decided?" Davaa asked, as he re-emerged and walked behind the glass case to stand in front of Nayuh.
"Maybe," Nayuh repeated. She pointed at the ring in question. "What is that one made out of? It looks like stone, not metal, like the others in here."
Davaa grinned. "In a way, it's both." Nayuh cocked her head, confused, while Davaa reached into the case and pulled out the ring so Nayuh could see it better. "It's made from a meteorite that landed not too far outside the city a few years ago. The properties of a meteorite are unique—"
"Not quite metal, not quite earth," Nayuh cut in with a smile. No wonder she'd gravitated towards this ring. Davaa clearly hadn't been expecting her to know that, so Nayuh clarified: "My girlfriend's a metalbender, too. She said all new metalbenders learn on meteorites first because it's easier."
Davaa looked impressed. "Your girlfriend seems to know her stuff. She's absolutely right. That's exactly how I learned. Still hold a soft spot for them, too. They're rare and hard to come by, which is why there aren't too many rings in here made from the one I have."
"And why it's so expensive," Nayuh mumbled to herself. Then, realizing she'd said it louder than intended, gave Davaa a sheepish look. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"
"No, you're right," he said, chuckling. "That's exactly why it's so expensive." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then added, "Although, I'm sure we could work something out. Say, for example, that bracelet you're wearing. I noticed it's also made of meteorite stone. I'm assuming your girlfriend was the one who made it for you?"
On instinct, Nayuh reached over and covered the bracelet Vira had given to her with her other hand. "Yeah…but I'm not giving it to you for that ring." There was no way she was just going to hand over something so personal and sentimental to a stranger. Absolutely not. She'd just have to settle for another ring or find another way to propose.
Davaa chuckled again. "And I wouldn't dream of asking you to do that. I can tell how much it means to you. I'm assuming this girlfriend is the one you're planning on proposing to?" Nayuh nodded. "Well, then may I suggest something?"
Nayuh shrugged but looked at him suspiciously. "Sure." She had no idea where Davaa was going with this and glanced at Kya. Her cousin seemed amused by the whole exchange, but when Nayuh caught her eye she nodded slightly as if to say that Nayuh should trust him. He is the expert, I suppose.
"If you'll allow me to have a small piece of the bracelet, I can bend it into a ring for you. I can even make it look exactly like that one, or different if you want. Might be a little more personal than buying a random one, don't you think?"
She did think so but Nayuh also knew there was a catch, somewhere in his offer. "That sounds even more expensive than just buying one."
"I'm willing to charge you half the price of the one you were originally looking at," Davaa said. Seeing that Nayuh still looked skeptical, he added, "You already brought the material to me, saving me from having to go out and find it. That cuts off a ton of money and time right there. Plus, it won't take me any time at all to make it, unlike some of the other requests I get. So…what do you say? Do we have a deal?"
Nayuh looked back and forth between the ring and the bracelet, thinking. She didn't like the idea of giving any part of the bracelet to him, because that would mean changing the way it looked and fit. And she'd been wearing it for the better part of three years now. Getting rid of part of it felt like getting rid of a piece of herself.
But you'd be giving it to Vira, her mind reminded her, not getting rid of it. Remember why you came in here. She wanted her proposal to be personal and meaningful, which is why she'd opted to use the old Earth Kingdom tradition in the first place. What else would be more personal and meaningful than presenting Vira with a ring made from the very first thing she'd ever given Nayuh?
"Okay," Nayuh tentatively said. Then, more strongly, "Okay, yes. You have a deal. Just…don't take too much?"
"You'll barely even notice a difference, I promise," Davaa assured her. He held out his hand. "May I?"
Reluctantly, Nayuh slid the bracelet off her wrist and handed it to him. He turned it over, studying it, then nodded. "Would you like it to look identical to the one in the display? Or different?"
Nayuh picked the ring up and looked more closely at it. There were intricate patterns carved into it that went around the entirety of the ring and Nayuh couldn't help but wonder if Davaa had actually carved them in there, or if he'd used his bending to do it. And if it was the latter, then it spoke to a level of control that she wasn't sure Vira even possessed. And Vira was supposed to be one of the best, if not the best metalbender in the world next to the creator of the subform herself.
It was the patterns that had caught her attention in the first place and Nayuh finally looked up at Davaa. "If you could make it identical, that'd be awesome. I love the patterns that are carved into it."
Davaa wagged an amused finger at her. "Not carved my dear…all done with my bending."
Nayuh and Kya shared a surprised look. "I told you he was good," Kya said. She looked at Davaa. "How long do you think it'll take?"
Davaa shrugged. "Thirty minutes? Maybe less, depending on how bendable the meteorite is. The patterns are the hardest part. Feel free to wait out here if you want. Or you can come back. Up to you."
Kya looked at Nayuh for an answer. "I don't mind waiting," Nayuh said. Truthfully, she didn't want to let the bracelet stray too far from her sight, but she wasn't about to say that out loud.
"Then we'll wait," Kya told Davaa with a smile.
He returned it, then looked at Nayuh. "One more thing: do you, by any chance, happen to know what size ring she wears?"
Nayuh had absolutely no idea how to answer that question. It wasn't something she'd ever remotely considered that she would need to know. She looked at Kya for help, but her cousin just shrugged. "I have no idea," Nayuh admitted, "this is the first time I've ever done this."
"Not a problem," Davaa replied cheerfully. "Using your own hands as a reference, how big or small, fat or narrow, are her fingers? Specifically," —he held up his left hand and pointed to the finger next to his pinky— "this one."
Even though she was intimately familiar with Vira's hands, not once had Nayuh ever thought to pay any attention to their shape and size. She frowned, studying her own hand. "I guess…slightly longer and slightly more narrow than mine?"
Davaa nodded, then bent down and produced something that looked like a large keyring, but instead of holding keys, it held plain metal rings of all different sizes. He flipped through it for a moment, then singled one of the rings out and handed it to Nayuh. "Try that on."
He frowned as Nayuh slid it over her finger. It was way too big and so they repeated the process over again, a few more times until Davaa was satisfied. "I'm going to make it slightly bigger than I think it needs to be, just in case," he said as he put the sample rings away again. "That way, she can adjust it to fit her, once you give it to her."
Nayuh nodded and Davaa disappeared into the back again, this time with her bracelet. Her wrist felt naked without it and Nayuh idly rubbed at it as she stared out the shop's windows into the bustling street outside.
"You can trust him, I promise," Kya said gently, coming up next to her. "He won't do anything to your bracelet."
Nayuh sighed. "I know. I've just had that thing forever. It was the very first thing Vira ever gave to me and we weren't even together at that point." She snorted softly. "Actually, I had no idea who she really was at that point. She was still just my patient. It was a thank you gift for treating her."
"It was more than that," Kya amusedly remarked, "and you know it."
"Well, yeah, now I do," Nayuh replied, chuckling. "At the time I didn't. Like you said…Earth Kingdom women and their walls…it took me a long time to figure out that she actually liked me."
"She's going to love that you used the bracelet for the ring," Kya said.
"I hope so," Nayuh said.
"I know so," Kya quickly replied, "so stop worrying." She laughed and shook her head. "You really are just like your mother."
Nayuh arched her brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Always so serious all the time," Kya answered. "Always worried about things that may never happen." She snorted softly. "Reminds me of my own mother sometimes. And my brother."
"Well, we are all related to each other," Nayuh replied with a chuckle. Then she flashed Kya a sly grin. "Unfortunately."
Kya laughed. "Unfortunately, indeed. You need to spend more time up here, with me and Bumi. We'll knock that seriousness right out of you."
"Just like you did with Tenzin?" Nayuh asked, playfully raising an eyebrow.
Kya rolled her eyes. "He's hopeless. You're not. Not yet at least." She grinned. "There's still hope for you."
Nayuh huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm plenty of fun, thank you very much."
Kya decided it was better not to reply to that, but she couldn't resist giving Nayuh a teasing look. They spent the next thirty minutes standing at the window, people watching until finally, Davaa reappeared.
"All finished!" he proclaimed as he walked out of the back again.
He had Nayuh's bracelet in one hand and the ring pinched between his forefinger and thumb in the other. Nayuh hurried over to him and slipped the bracelet back over her wrist as soon as he handed it to her. It felt a little lighter and looked slightly narrower than it had before, but she realized she could very well be imagining that. Overall, it looked exactly the same as it had when she'd given it to him and she mentally breathed a sigh of relief.
"See?" Davaa said, a small smirk on his face. "You can't even tell the difference, can you?"
Nayuh shook her head. "No, I can't. It feels a little lighter though, which I guess isn't a bad thing."
Davaa held the ring out to her next and Nayuh let him set it down in the palm of her hand. It looked identical to the one in the display and Nayuh held it up in the light, so she could see it better.
The patterns were perfect, as was the shape. The inside was smooth and Nayuh slipped it onto her finger to see how it fit. It was just a hair bigger than hers and Nayuh knew it would have no problem fitting over Vira's.
"I love it," Nayuh said, looking up at Davaa. "Thank you."
Davaa beamed at her. "You're very welcome. I should be thanking you, for allowing me to work with another meteorite. Mine gets a bit boring after a while. I'm glad you like it though. And I think your girlfriend is going to love it."
Nayuh smiled at him. "I know she will."
She followed him over to the counter so she could pay, then she and Kya headed back out into the beautiful late-morning sun. "That didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would," Nayuh remarked as they started walking.
"I had a feeling you were going to find what you wanted there," Kya replied. "That's why we went there first." She glanced over at Nayuh. "Did you have anything else you wanted to do today while we're here? I don't mind hanging out in the city for a while…it's too nice a day to be cooped up inside."
"Agreed," Nayuh said. She thought about it for a moment. "Honestly, I hadn't planned on anything else, because I had no idea how long this was going to take. You know the city better than I do. What else is there that we can do?"
The question seemed to stump Kya as well and she frowned slightly. "Well…that's a good question. Give me a minute to think. Unfortunately, since it's winter, no one likes to do anything outside, so all the outdoor fun places are closed until spring."
Nayuh scrunched her face up. "It's not even cold out! And it's not snowing. They need to come down to the South Pole if they want to know what a real winter feels like."
Kya chuckled. "I guess we could go to the history museum. They've got an amazing collection of items from the Hundred Year War as well as relics from every nation dating back a thousand years or more."
"That might be interesting," Nayuh replied. She hadn't hated history class in school, and anything was better than sulking around Korra and Asami's house or the Air Temple.
So that's where Kya took her, after stopping for lunch. They spent a few hours wandering through the exhibits and Nayuh was surprised to find some of her own family's history there. It wasn't something she gave much thought to, most of the time. She'd barely known her grandparents since both had died before she turned ten, but her mother had made sure to educate all of her children on their accomplishments.
So it was very cool to come across a few items that had belonged to both of them when they were younger. Nayuh had to wonder if her mother had been the one to donate them to the museum, or if her grandparents had. Either way, seeing the display of the clothes they wore and items they used to help take down the Fire Lord all those years ago was amazing.
It was also intimidating. She said as much to Kya as they were walking out of the museum.
"Try having a father who's the Avatar," Kya replied, rolling her eyes. "Everyone's eyes are constantly on you, expecting you to live up to their insane expectations…just because of who your parents are."
Nayuh grimaced. "Okay, fair point. You guys had it way worse."
"Your mother didn't have it very easy either, though," Kya said. "Not only did she have the eyes of the Tribe on her growing up, but also the Warriors on Kyoshi Island. I think a lot of people were disappointed she didn't follow in your grandparent's footsteps, especially after they died. But she never wanted that. Not for herself and not for you and your brothers. She wanted all three of you to have as normal a life as possible."
Kya hadn't meant to make her feel guilty, but Nayuh did anyway. She'd never given much thought to the reasons behind why she and her brothers were raised the way they were—it just was what it was. Her parents had loved and supported all three of them unconditionally, never pushing them to be anything more than who they already were.
She hadn't ever realized the enormous pressure her mother must have grown up under. Nayuh made a mental note to thank her for shielding her and her brothers from that, the next time they saw each other.
They decided to head back to Air Temple Island since it was approaching late afternoon. Tenzin had asked them to return before dinner, though he wouldn't say why. Nayuh assumed it was because Pema was cooking one of her specialties and Tenzin didn't want them to miss it.
After disembarking the ferry on the island and climbing the stairs up to the courtyard, Nayuh realized why Tenzin must have wanted them back before a certain time. Chief Tonraq was standing in the courtyard, talking to Tenzin and a woman, who was also clearly from the Tribe. All three turned and smiled at Nayuh and Kya as they approached.
"I didn't expect to see you until the tribunal, Chief," Nayuh remarked as Tonraq gave her a quick hug.
"Well, the Councilor and I," —he motioned to the woman standing next to him— "thought it prudent to arrive early. And we didn't come alone." There was a mischievous look in his eye as he spoke.
Nayuh was just about to ask him what he meant by that when Tenzin said, "Why don't we all head in and see if everyone is getting settled alright?" He, too, had a playful look in his eyes, and Nayuh and Kya exchanged a quick glance. There seemed to be an inside joke between Tenzin, Tonraq, and the Councilor, and Nayuh very much wanted to know what on earth they were hinting at.
Tenzin led the group inside, but instead of heading towards the dining hall, as Nayuh had expected him to, he turned and started walking up the stairs that led to the living quarters. Now even more curious, Nayuh turned to Kya and asked, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"
Kya shook her head. "I'm as clueless as you."
Nayuh wrinkled her nose. She hated being kept in the dark. Then she couldn't help but chuckle, as it was the same exact thing Korra had complained about this morning. It wasn't long, however, before she got her answer.
Tenzin led them up to the third floor where a bunch of people were milling about. Some were standing and talking in the hall, while others walked back and forth from room to room, chatting excitedly. It would've been a completely normal scene on any other floor of the living quarters, except that instead of the flowing orange and yellow robes of the Air Nation, these people were wearing the tell-tale clothing of the Southern Water Tribe.
Nayuh froze. It took a few moments for her to realize that what she was seeing was real, and not imagined. "Nayuh!" Her youngest brother's voice finally snapped her out of it and a grin spread across her face, mirroring Panuk's as he rushed towards her.
"Mom! Nayuh's here!" Panuk called over his shoulder, before scooping Nayuh up in a giant hug.
Mom? Nayuh's brain was still trying to wrap itself around the fact that her brother was here, in Republic City. And somehow, her mother was here, too? Sure enough, a few moments later her mother emerged from one of the rooms, a relieved smile on her face as she hurried over to Nayuh and Panuk.
She, too, threw her arms around Nayuh as soon as Panuk relinquished his grip on her. "I'm so glad to see you're okay," Kia said. She let go of Nayuh and stepped back, giving her a proper once-over, from head to toe. Then she looked behind Nayuh, at Kya. "She is okay, right? She refused to tell me much over the phone." That earned Nayuh a stern look, which Nayuh returned with an exasperated one.
"Yes, mother, I'm fine," she said. She turned to look at Kya as well. "Please tell her I'm fine, so she'll stop worrying."
Kya laughed. "Yes, she's fine. She's been hanging out here with me for the last few weeks."
"Are you staying here, too?" Panuk asked.
"No, I've been staying with Korra and Asami at their house," Nayuh answered, frowning. "Wait, are you guys staying here?"
Panuk nodded, then looked at their mother. "Maybe we should see if we can stay over there, too, since Nayuh is."
Kia looked at Nayuh. "That's up to your sister and if she would even want us staying with her."
"Well," Nayuh said, still frowning, "I'd have to ask Korra and Asami…it's their house. But it's huge and it's got plenty of rooms so I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Su's staying there, for the tribunal—"
She suddenly stopped and her eyes went wide. In her excitement of buying the ring and seeing her mother and brother, she'd forgotten about the tribunal coming up in less than two days.
"Hold on, are you guys here for the tribunal?" Nayuh asked. "And where's Dad? And Tulok? And who are all the rest of these people?" She thought she recognized a few, but most were complete strangers to her.
"Your father and Tulok elected to stay behind, to run the shop," Kia replied. She smiled. "And yes…we're here for the tribunal. All of us are."
Nayuh stared at her for a few moments, not quite comprehending. "But, the tribunal is closed to everyone but close friends and family…" A thought suddenly occurred to her and she felt her eyes widen again.
"You're not planning on crashing the tribunal, are you? Mom, you can't! Everything hinges on this going well for Vira, you can't just barge in and disrupt—"
"Nayuh," Kia said, firmly interrupting her, "we're not planning on disrupting anything." She motioned behind her. "Look around…notice any familiar faces? Besides ours?"
For the first time, Nayuh really looked at her fellow Tribesmen that were in the hall. A few did look very familiar, but Nayuh couldn't place names with faces or figure out where she knew them from.
Then, a very familiar man walked out of one of the rooms. He looked down the hall and caught Nayuh's eye, giving her a wide smile and a wave, before disappearing into another room.
"That's…that's Sakku," Nayuh said, in complete disbelief. "He's here, too…" She shook her head, trying to force her mind to make the connection. Fortunately, her mother did it for her.
Kia smiled. "That's right…you really didn't think we were going to let Vira do this alone, did you?"
Nayuh gave a half-hearted shrug. "I mean, yeah…I guess I kind of did."
Her mother reached out and pulled Nayuh into another hug. "Well, we're not. Everyone you see is here to support her. To help fight for her release. Including me and your brother."
Nayuh's eyes stung with tears and she squeezed her mother a little tighter before pulling back. "But, why? I don't understand. You hate Vira."
Kia sighed and her smile turned soft. "I don't hate Vira. I never have. For better or worse, she's one of us now…which makes her family." Her face suddenly hardened slightly and her voice turned firm. "And you know that I'll do anything for my family."
Panuk threw his arm around Nayuh's shoulders. "Don't worry…Chief Tonraq and Councilor Jissika have a plan, which is why we're all here." He smiled down at her. "You'll see…by the time this is all said and done, they're going to realize that if they mess with one member of the Tribe, they mess with all of us."
Nayuh was speechless. To hear her own mother so willing to defend Vira…and not only defend her with words but to actually show up and be here for her…
It meant everything to Nayuh. The only thing she could think to do was grab her mother and brother and hug them tightly, trying to let that speak to her gratitude.
Vira wasn't going to do this alone. And neither was she. For the first time since she woke up from the accident, Nayuh had hope.