Kuvira nervously paced the length of her cell, waiting. Today was the day. The day of the tribunal. Soon, the guards would come and get her, and then she would be led over to the courthouse, where she would eventually learn her fate.
Truth be told, she was far more nervous to see Nayuh again than she was about the outcome of the proceedings. Besides the single note she'd received, Kuvira hadn't heard from her. And despite reading Nayuh's words so often that they were now smudged from her unfolding and refolding the piece of paper, Kuvira wasn't certain if Nayuh still felt that way. It had been a month, after all. Plenty of time for Nayuh to change her—
"Time to go. You know the drill."
Finally! Kuvira quickly obeyed and stood against the far wall, arms raised above her head. As anxious as she was to get going, she didn't dare turn around until the guard ordered her to do so. Lee had instructed her to appear humble and obedient, so as not to give anyone a reason to think she was a threat.
Which was fine by her. The last thing she wanted to do was screw this up for herself. And besides, it wasn't like she was acting humble and obedient. Sying had beaten any stubborn defiance out of her a long time ago. Kuvira knew it was highly unlikely that she would ever see that side of herself again.
The guards snapped platinum shackles on her wrists and ankles, then, with one guard on either side of her, they led her out of the cell. Depending on how long the tribunal took, one of three things was going to happen by the end of the day: she'd either be going home, to a maximum-security cell in the mountains, or right back to this one for the night before the tribunal continued in the morning.
She knew which one she was hoping for, but was trying not to get her hopes up. Since this was the exact same walk she'd taken for her last tribunal, she expected the guards to lead her to the underground tunnel that connected the jail to the courthouse that was across the street. It was usually how prisoners were transported back and forth, so as not to draw too much attention to what actually went on in these two buildings.
So she was surprised when the lift stopped on the first floor and the guards led her down a hallway that would take them out a side door. But, as she got closer to the door, Kuvira realized why they were going this way, and not taking her through the tunnel.
A large crowd was waiting to get a glimpse of her, and being held back behind barriers the police had set up. It formed a sort of gauntlet that ran from the jail to the courthouse and Kuvira swallowed hard, forcing her feet to keep moving. The guards' grip on her arms tightened as they pushed open the door and walked outside.
In an instant, it was chaos. Kuvira ducked her head, keeping her eyes on the ground as all manner of insults and vulgarities were hurled her way, while cameras flashed wildly. It couldn't have been more than fifty meters from door to door, but it felt like fifty miles. Fortunately, the guards seemed to be in just as big a hurry as she was to get inside and hurried her as fast as the chains on her ankles would allow.
Then, finally, they were inside the courthouse. The noise of the crowd was dulled to a much more tolerable level and faded altogether the further into the courthouse they walked. The guards led her to a small platinum holding cell that was outside the courtroom, where she'd wait until the tribunal was ready.
The cell was too small to pace in—and the shackles would've made it too difficult anyway—so Kuvira sat on the small platinum bench, legs bouncing with nervous anticipation. Her stomach churned, this morning's breakfast threatening to make a reappearance at any moment. Spirits, she hadn't been this nervous in a very long time.
I hope she doesn't hate me. What if she can't even stand to look at me? What if she's not even here? Each thought was worse than the last and only served to increase her anxiety and nausea.
Then, it was finally time. The guards unlocked the cell and she stood, allowing them to take her by the arms again and lead her out. Down another small hallway, around a corner and then the door to the courtroom was right in front of them. Kuvira took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart as one of the guards pushed open the door.
Lee had told her that the tribunal would be closed to the public and only close friends and family members would be allowed to attend. But as soon as Kuvira walked into the courtroom, she had to wonder if he'd been lying to her. Because it was far more crowded than she'd ever imagined it would be.
Her heart was in her throat as she shuffled forward, eyes scanning the crowd for any familiar faces. And to her utter shock, that's all she saw. Korra and Asami, Chief Tonraq, Su, Nayuh and Panuk, and Kia, Sakku…every single face in the crowd that was seated behind the table that Lee was currently occupying, was a friendly one. She couldn't do anything but stare in disbelief as the guards led her to the table Lee was at.
Kuvira's eyes finally settled on Nayuh and she nearly started crying when Nayuh smiled at her. It was a genuine smile, full of love and it was exactly what Kuvira needed to see. She doesn't hate me. She returned it, then let her gaze flick over to Kia. To say she was surprised to see her and Panuk here, would be a massive understatement.
Kia gave her a small but encouraging nod. Then, very subtly, so as not to draw attention to what she was doing, she touched her hand to her neck, letting her eyes flick briefly to her daughter sitting beside her. It took Kuvira only a moment to understand what she was silently asking. She gave a subtle nod in reply and gently patted the pocket of her trousers with her hands, letting Kia know the necklace was safe and still with her.
Kia smiled, but unfortunately, Nayuh was watching Kuvira like a hawk, so their little exchange didn't go unnoticed. She leaned over and whispered something to Kia, frowning. Kuvira didn't catch the rest of it, because the guards were forcing her to sit.
"I thought you said this was a closed tribunal," Kuvira muttered to Lee, under her breath.
For the first time since she'd met him, Lee gave her a real smile. "It is."
Kuvira frowned. "Then why is half the factory here? You do realize I work with the majority of these people, right?"
"I do," Lee answered, still smiling. He glanced behind him, at the crowd. "They're here for a reason, I promise. Do you trust me?"
"No," Kuvira promptly answered.
Lee chuckled. "You know, if there's one thing I've come to like about you in the last month, it's your brutal honesty. But that's fair. I don't trust you either. Do you trust Chief Tonraq?"
Kuvira nodded. "With my life."
"Alright then…this was all his idea and honestly, I think it might work. So just do and say exactly what we rehearsed and let me take care of the rest."
Kuvira nodded again and glanced behind her. Nayuh was sitting in the front row along with her mother and brother. Korra and Asami were right next to them, with Su and Tonraq and another Water Tribe woman rounding out the rest of the row. Behind them sat Tenzin and Sakku, along with a couple of the guys from the engineering department, and a few from the production line. Behind them, Kuvira could see some of the fabricators, as well as two of the guys who worked in electrical. She had to wonder if Sakku had shut the entire factory down for this. Either way, seeing this kind of support nearly brought her to tears.
She'd had no one during her last tribunal. Not one friendly face in the crowd, not even among her family. So it was a little jarring to have the complete opposite happen this time.
But, not every face in the courtroom was friendly. At the table across from Lee and Kuvira sat Mako, in a freshly pressed police uniform. Behind him, in the general seating area, were President Moon and Bolin. Bolin, however, did give her a small smile and a quick thumbs-up. It made Kuvira chuckle. He wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was rooting for her, even though he was here with his boss. Opal was nowhere to be found, and Kuvira had to assume she was tied up with Air Nation business.
The rest of the rows behind the President were scattered with some police officers, a handful of seemingly random civilians, and a couple of heads of state. One was clearly from the Earth Republic and while his face was vaguely familiar, Kuvira had no idea who he was. The woman sitting with him, however, was immediately recognizable. The Fire Lord caught Kuvira's eye and inclined her head slightly, which Kuvira took to mean that she was also on her side.
I haven't done anything to deserve this. Sure, she hadn't caused any problems in the last few years, but she truly didn't think she'd done anything to warrant anyone's support. Not like this. But it was a very welcome sight, to say the least.
Before turning back around, she let her gaze wander back to Nayuh. For a few blissful moments, the entire world fell away as they stared at each other. Kuvira desperately wished she could run to her, throw her arms around her and tell her how much she loved her.
Nayuh seemed to be thinking the same thing because she shifted in her seat. A door opened behind Kuvira and she knew the panel of judges was about to enter. I love you, she mouthed to Nayuh.
Nayuh's face broke into a wide smile, but Kuvira could see her eyes were glistening with tears. I love you, too, Nayuh mouthed back to her. Kuvira smiled at her, before finally turning back around.
Once all five of the judges were seated, the proceedings were called to order.
"Kuvira Beifong," the head judge, a woman that looked to be in her fifties, said, as she read from a piece of paper in front of her. "You're being charged with violating the terms of your imprisonment, faking your own death to escape and evade captivity, and being a fugitive from justice." She looked up from the paper and stared at Kuvira.
"How do you plead?"
Kuvira glanced at Lee, who nodded. She stood and with a firm voice, gave her answer.
"Not guilty."
The judges all exchanged surprised glances and Kuvira could hear a few quiet murmurs from behind her. This was all part of Lee's plan though. Kuvira just hoped it would work.
"These are some serious charges you're facing," the head judge said. "The entire world believed you to be dead. Are you trying to tell me that there's a good reason why you've been deceiving everyone for the last few years, and living free amongst the people of the Southern Water Tribe?"
Kuvira solemnly nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. There is. And if you'll permit me, I'll gladly give it to you."
The head judge glanced to her left and right, at the other judges, who all nodded in succession. "Very well," she said, "you may proceed."
Trying to forget all the eyes that were on her, Kuvira walked the judges through what had happened on the worst days of her life. She'd initially been extremely resistant to this part of her defense. It was still fresh and every single time she had to rehash it, it just opened the wounds up and made them raw again. But Lee had insisted that the judges needed to know the full truth, if she wanted them to agree to the deal he would be proposing.
And it was just as awful as she'd imagined it would be. Now, not only did complete strangers know the full truth about what happened to her, but so did the people she worked with. It made her feel vulnerable in a way she didn't like.
Once she was finished, she sat down again. Lee leaned over and whispered, "Good job. Now they'll defer to Mako, since he's the one who initially arrested and charged you. Then it'll be our turn."
Kuvira looked at him and realized he was smiling. "Aren't you worried about what Mako might say?"
Lee shook his head. "Not at all. He doesn't have a shred of evidence to actually prove there was malicious intent behind your actions. And with your explanation just now, plus the surprises I have up my sleeve, the judges will have no choice but to take the deal we're offering them. Just wait…you'll see."
Kuvira wished she had his level of confidence. On instinct, she snuck a glance behind her, at Nayuh. Nayuh wasn't looking at her, however. Her full attention was on Mako, who had stood and was addressing the judges. The look of disgust on her face brought a smile to Kuvira's and she turned back around, curious as to what kind of evidence Mako was going to provide.
"Your Honors," Mako was saying, "while that's an incredible story Kuvira has spun for you, it's just that: a story. During her time in power as the ruler of the Earth Empire, she made it abundantly clear that she can't be trusted. She lied, manipulated, and coerced her way into power and there is nothing to prove that she's changed since then."
If anyone was lying it was Mako and Kuvira shifted in her seat as her growing anger got the best of her. Lee flashed her a look that very clearly said, calm down. Kuvira took a deep breath and tried to do just that, as hard as it was.
"She's still just as much of a threat to the world now as she was back then," Mako went on. "She doesn't deserve to be free any more than the terrorist Zaheer does. The only thing she deserves—and what the rest of the world needs—is for justice to be served, once again, and for her to be put away for life."
The judges waited for a beat, to make sure Mako was finished speaking; then the head judge spoke. "Very well, Detective. Do you have any witnesses you'd like to call to provide evidence for the charges against Kuvira?"
"I do, Your Honor," Mako replied, inclining his head. "The first witness I'd like to call is President Zhu Li Moon."
Kuvira shouldn't have been surprised, but at least she wasn't alone in it. More murmurs went through the crowd as Zhu Li stood and walked through the gate in the railing that separated the general seating from the two tables that the prosecution and defense occupied.
The head judge quickly swore Zhu Li in, then Mako began his questioning. Unsurprisingly, he started with the time that Zhu Li had spent working with Varrick for Kuvira. He also made sure to hammer home the fact that Zhu Li had essentially gone undercover, faking her loyalty to Kuvira and the Empire, in order to sabotage the Spirit Weapon and take Kuvira down from the inside.
None of it was new information. At least not to Kuvira, or Su, or Korra, or Asami, or even the judges, almost all of whom had presided over Kuvira's last tribunal. But by the time Mako was finished questioning Zhu Li, Kuvira's hopes of ever being released were dashed. He'd done a bang-up job at painting her as the heartless monster she'd been back then.
"Did you know he was going to call her up there?" Kuvira asked Lee, as Zhu Li walked back to her seat.
"Yes," Lee answered, "but he's just reiterating old facts. Just as I suspected he would. Don't worry. He's not going to get away with it for very long. Especially if this is his only argument. Everyone knows who you used to be. We're going to show them who you are now."
Kuvira nodded, but once again, she couldn't share in Lee's confidence. Mako's next witness was also someone who'd once worked for her, a low-level soldier that had served in an outpost near the border to the United Republic.
Mako had him walk through what everyday life was like as a soldier in her army, and how he'd been ordered by his superiors to do some questionably moral things. Things that, had Kuvira even known were happening, she would've never authorized. But, yet again, Mako managed to strengthen his argument that she belonged in a prison cell.
Or, at least in Kuvira's eyes, he did. Lee still looked remarkably calm and not the least bit worried about what Mako was doing.
The third witness Mako called up was a man who'd lost his home here in Republic City, when Kuvira had invaded. He spoke of the fear he'd felt, both for himself and for his family while they were desperately trying to evacuate so they wouldn't be killed. He spoke about the uncertainty they had, not knowing if they'd even have a home to come back to. And then when they didn't, the panic that had gripped him, not knowing how he was going to feed and house his family again.
As it had been with the first two witnesses, Mako wasn't producing any new information. It was well documented and well known that Kuvira's actions as the Great Uniter had ruined a lot of lives. But she'd already pled guilty to those charges and been sentenced for them. Why Mako insisted on reliving the past, instead of trying to prove she was guilty of the current charges, was beyond her.
Because he can't actually prove you had any malicious intent for those. It was just as Lee had said. Mako's defense was extremely weak, at best, and he knew it. So instead, he was hellbent on destroying her credibility. The thought sent a new round of anger coursing through her and she clenched and unclenched her fists under the table, trying to get a handle on it.
The fourth witness Mako called up was another man whose family had lost their home to the new spirit portal that Korra had accidentally created. As soon as it became clear that Mako was going to ask the man the same questions he'd asked the one prior, Lee stood.
"Objection, Your Honors. The detective is on his fourth witness and has yet to produce any credible evidence to the current charges my client is facing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Kuvira was already tried for, plead guilty to, and was convicted and sentenced for her crimes as the ruler of the Earth Empire. I feel it's prudent to remind this tribunal and the detective of the double jeopardy law. She cannot be tried for the same crimes twice…and that seems to be exactly what is happening here."
The head judge studied Lee for a few moments, thinking. She glanced at her fellow judges, all of whom nodded. "Sustained." She looked at Mako and narrowed her eyes. "The defense is correct, Detective. Either you produce any witnesses that can prove Kuvira is guilty of the current crimes you're charging her with, or you rest your case."
"Of course, Your Honor," Mako replied, inclining his head. He shot a look over at Lee and Kuvira saw the fire in his eyes. Lee had caught him out, in front of everyone, and Mako knew it. And now that Lee had Mako right where he wanted him, he didn't let up.
Every single question Mako tried to ask the fourth witness from there on out, Lee objected to, so long as it pertained to Kuvira's old crimes. And of course, since that was the only thing Mako had prepared for, each objection was sustained. It effectively ended Mako's questioning early, and Kuvira allowed herself a small smile as the fourth witness sat back down. The only thing she could wonder now, was why Lee had waited so long to start punching back.
It took Mako a little longer to call his fifth witness, and he did so nervously. Kuvira had no idea how many more witnesses Mako had in reserve, but the moment it became clear that this witness (another low-level soldier in her army who'd marched on the city but had abandoned his post after being ordered to raze a building where civilians were suspected to be holed up inside—again, not on her orders, and luckily, there weren't any civilians in the building in question), was going to be asked the same questions, Lee began his objections.
He stonewalled Mako at every turn, frustrating the firebender and even a couple of the judges. Kuvira was watching them, and each time Lee stood and yelled, "Objection!" they exasperatedly shook their heads. Kuvira could tell they were growing impatient, but she wasn't quite sure if it was at Lee's incessant objecting, or Mako's failure to provide new evidence.
Not only was Mako getting frustrated, but he was also growing flustered. Less than ten minutes into his questioning of the fifth witness he finally gave up. He quickly thanked the witness for his time and sent him back to his seat. The judges gave Mako some time, in case there were any other witnesses he was going to call, but eventually, the silence dragged on until it became awkward.
"Do you have any more witnesses, Detective?" the head judge finally asked.
"No," Mako sullenly replied, "I rest my case." He sat down and hung his head slightly. Kuvira took a moment to bask in the pleasure of seeing him look so defeated.
The head judge turned her attention to Lee. "Alright, defense, the floor is yours."
Lee smiled and stood. "Thank you, Your Honors. While everything the detective said about my client is true, it only applies to who she was back then. That was four years ago. And what has happened to her between then and now, has fundamentally changed who she is. She's already told you what happened—I don't feel the need to reiterate it now.
"The detective tried to make it very clear that her words cannot be trusted, and to that, I say, fair point. Maybe she can't be trusted. But you know who can be? The Avatar. The one person on this planet whose entire job is to be objective. She was there that night in Zaofu. She, along with Suyin and Opal Beifong, were the ones who found Kuvira under Lake Laogai. She can verify each and every detail that Kuvira already gave you. So if it pleases the tribunal, I'd like to call her as my first witness."
The head judge made a motion that indicated Lee was free to do so, so he did. Korra purposefully didn't make eye contact with Kuvira as she stood and walked in front of the judges. Which was probably for the best, considering their close relationship.
After swearing Korra in, Lee asked her to walk everyone through what had happened the night Beifong Manor was attacked. Korra was able to give details that Kuvira couldn't since she had been at the party and helped with the search immediately afterward.
"When you and Suyin Beifong first realized that Kuvira was missing, what did you think?" Lee asked Korra.
"We assumed Kuvira had orchestrated the entire thing, in order to escape."
"And what made you think otherwise?"
"Su's daughter, Opal. She witnessed Kuvira being forcefully taken from her room and was able to identify one of the guards involved."
Lee nodded, then checked his notes. "And what happened after that? Was Opal's word enough to convince you that Kuvira had nothing to do with her own sudden disappearance?"
Korra pursed her lips and Kuvira sat up a little straighter. This was all new information to her. Hearing that her best friend may have doubted her stung more than she liked to admit. Can't say I blame her though…
"No," Korra finally admitted, "it wasn't. It wasn't until Su managed to uncover a possible motive that either one of us really believed that Kuvira had nothing to do with it."
"How long did it take for that to happen?"
"Four days," Korra answered. "Su discovered that the guard responsible, Sying, had family that was imprisoned and subsequently killed in an Earth Empire reeducation camp outside of Ba Sing Se. At the time, we believed that Sying had taken Kuvira back to that same reeducation camp, as revenge. And, as Kuvira already stated earlier today, that's exactly what it was."
"So, you, Suyin, and Opal took off to go rescue Kuvira, then?" Lee asked.
"Yes," Korra answered. "Rescue her and hopefully capture the three guards responsible so they could be brought back to Zaofu to face charges."
"But no one made it back to Zaofu after that, did they?"
Korra's face fell and her head drooped slightly. "No. Sying and the other two guards made it very clear that they wouldn't be taken alive. And—" Korra's voice faltered for a brief second before she composed herself again. "And Kuvira was in no condition to go anywhere."
"What, exactly, was the condition in which you found Kuvira?"
It took Korra a few moments to answer. Seeing her visibly struggle with how to put into words what she'd seen…Kuvira didn't know how to feel about it. She obviously had no idea what she'd looked like when Korra and Opal and Su had found her. She just knew it must've been bad, based on Korra's reaction, even all these years later.
"If I hadn't known who I was looking at already, I wouldn't have recognized her," Korra finally said. Kuvira saw a few of the judges' eyes go wide and she could tell that they were hanging onto every word Korra was saying.
"The abuse that Kuvira spoke of earlier was plainly evident and I don't believe she would've been alive had we found her ten minutes later. I did what I could to stabilize her with my own healing, and then we took her to the only place I could think of: the South Pole, where some of the best healers in the world reside."
"And, after witnessing all of that," Lee said, "did you still think that Kuvira could've somehow orchestrated it, in order to escape? Did she fake any of it?"
Korra vigorously shook her head no. "Absolutely not. No one in their right mind would purposefully put themselves through that kind of abuse and torture, just to avoid captivity. And Kuvira had it easy. She'll tell you herself that she knew how lucky she'd been to have gotten house arrest in Zaofu. She was trying to make the most out of it too, going back to school and trying to get a degree. This wasn't an elaborate ruse. It was an act of pure hatred and revenge."
Lee inclined his head at Korra. "Thank you, Avatar Korra. I have no further questions for you."
Korra bowed respectfully to him, then took her seat. To Kuvira's complete and utter surprise, Lee called Nayuh up next. "You were the healer that Avatar Korra brought Kuvira to when they arrived at the South Pole?" he asked her.
"Yes," Nayuh answered.
"What kind of condition was Kuvira in, when she arrived in the South?"
"Objection, You Honors!" Mako exclaimed, standing. Kuvira had to stifle a snicker at the look of pure loathing on Nayuh's face, which she quickly tried to mask as Mako went on. "The witness is in a romantic relationship with Kuvira…on those grounds alone she cannot be objective with her answers."
The head judge raised an eyebrow as she regarded Nayuh. "Is that true?"
Nayuh nodded. "Yes, it is. But my relationship with her didn't begin until almost a year after she arrived in the South, and has no bearing on my observations as her primary healer during her recovery."
The head judge listened briefly to whatever her peer on her right was whispering, then nodded. "Overruled, Detective. As Kuvira's healer, we need to hear what she has to say." Then she looked at Nayuh. "But if at any time we think you're straying too far from objectivity, you'll be asked to sit down and your testimony will be stricken from the record."
Nayuh bowed her head. "I understand." Lee then repeated the question he'd just asked her. "I honestly didn't know how she was still alive," Nayuh answered. "If Korra hadn't managed to pull off the very advanced healing technique she used, as skillfully as she did, Kuvira would've died on the way to the South. Once I was able to get her into the healing pool, I did what I could to stabilize her."
"What were the injuries she sustained?"
Nayuh ticked them off on her fingers as she listed them. "Multiple broken bones including most of her ribs. Traumatic brain injury—fancy words for a severe concussion," Nayuh clarified, seeing the judges' confused looks.
"A multitude of lacerations and open wounds—some fresh, some not—that covered her entire back and some of her legs, sustained during prolonged periods of being whipped and beaten. Internal bleeding. Paralysis from the waist down. Complete dislocation of her left shoulder. And there was quite a bit of water that I had to draw out of her lungs as well."
No one spoke for a few moments after Nayuh finished listing off Kuvira's injuries. Kuvira was sure you could've heard a pin drop, the room was so quiet. It was a little embarrassing, having Nayuh casually recite her injuries, but maybe it'd give the judges a little bit more clarity as to why there was no way in this life or any other one that she'd purposefully do that to herself.
"Those sound like some pretty serious injuries," Lee remarked, breaking the silence. "Would you say that Kuvira was one of the most dire patients you'd ever treated up until that point in your healing career?"
"Yes," Nayuh solemnly answered, "she was. I hadn't ever seen someone that close to death before, pull through."
"A testament to your healing abilities, no doubt," Lee said, and Nayuh inclined her head at the compliment. "How long did it take Kuvira to fully recover from her injuries?"
"Physically, around six or seven months," Nayuh replied. She glanced over at Kuvira. "But going through something like that leaves injuries and scars that aren't necessarily physical or visible. It is my professional opinion that her recovery is still ongoing. And likely will be, for a long time."
Kuvira pursed her lips, fighting back annoyance at her girlfriend. Those conversations were supposed to have been private—to have Nayuh admit out loud, in front of everyone, that Kuvira still suffered from the traumatic effects leftover from what happened, irked her. But, to her surprise, she found sympathy in the eyes of the judges and the annoyance faded a little.
"And," Lee was saying, "in your professional opinion, would being caged in a cell exacerbate those injuries, or help them?"
"Exacerbate them," Nayuh firmly replied. "As a healer, I've seen the many different forms someone's healing and recovery can take. And what Kuvira has been doing over the last few years is working. If she is placed in a cell again, I believe all that hard work will be rendered useless."
"Thank you, Nayuh," Lee said. "I have no further questions for you." Nayuh bowed respectfully to him, as Korra had done, then took her seat again. She completely avoided eye contact with Kuvira, and Kuvira had to wonder if it was because she didn't want the judges to question her objectivity, or if she felt bad about betraying a little bit of Kuvira's trust.
The next witness Lee called was Suyin. "Since Avatar Korra and Kuvira both went over the night of the attack on Beifong Manor, for the sake of time and the judge's sanity—" That earned him a few chuckles from the crowd. "—I won't ask you to go into any more detail about that.
"So let's talk about what happened after Kuvira arrived in the South Pole. You were the one who made the decision to not return her to Zaofu, correct?"
Su nodded. "Correct. I did so out of an abundance of caution. Three of my own guards had betrayed me and I didn't know who I could trust. And Kuvira was in no condition to defend herself, had anyone tried to do the same thing Sying did. She was placed into my custody by this very court and made my responsibility…with that in mind, I thought it best for her to stay in the South, where she could continue her recovery and where I knew she'd remain safe."
"And were there any fail-safes in place, should she have made any attempt to try and escape while she was in the South?"
"Absolutely," Su stated, and Kuvira felt her eyes go wide. This was the first she was hearing of this. "But, given that she was confined to a wheelchair for several months, it wasn't something we were really worried about."
"When you say 'we', who are you referring to?"
"Chief Tonraq, myself, and Avatar Korra," Su answered. "After I returned to Zaofu, I kept in constant contact with the Chief, getting regular updates on Kuvira's recovery and status. Should she have slipped back into her old ways, or given any indication that she was planning anything malicious, there were plans in place to deal with those situations."
"What kinds of plans, specifically?"
"Namely, imprisonment in the Northern Water Tribe's supermax prison in the tundra," Su replied. "The Northern Chiefs were in agreement with Chief Tonraq and me and were willing to take Kuvira into custody if the need ever arose. And if imprisonment wasn't an option, then the Avatar was prepared to permanently deal with the situation."
Kuvira felt a chill rush down her back at Su's last words. To hear her so plainly state that Korra was fully prepared to kill her if she ever fell back into her old ways was frightening. She chanced a glance behind her and saw Korra giving her a very apologetic look. Nayuh's face held the same disbelief and fear that Kuvira was currently feeling—clearly, she hadn't known any of this either.
"But those plans never had to be put into place, did they?"
"No," Su answered, "they didn't. Kuvira never showed any indication that she was the same person she used to be. I think we all kept waiting for it to happen, but it never did." Su chuckled. "She actually became pleasant to be around."
"When Kuvira was finally fully recovered, why didn't she return to Zaofu? The house arrest order very clearly states that she was to serve the remainder of her sentence in Zaofu, at Beifong Manor—not in the South Pole."
Su sighed. "Honestly, at the time, it seemed like the best option for everyone. The world thought she was dead. I thought that if she suddenly showed up in Zaofu, alive and well, it would spark anger and resentment. I was afraid that someone might try what Sying did.
"And I was afraid it might put my family in harm's way. Most of them would be dead right now if Korra hadn't been there the night of Sying's attack. I couldn't put them in that position again. And having Kuvira back at the Manor would endanger everyone. Or so I thought.
"So as the leader of Zaofu, I made an executive decision. Kuvira would stay in the South where she was happy and safe and being looked after by Chief Tonraq. And as I stated before, there were plans in place to deal with her, should she ever relapse."
Su's eyes narrowed slightly, in what Kuvira recognized as that trademark Beifong defiance of authority. "I don't regret the decisions I made and if I had to do it all over again, I'd make the same ones."
"So," Lee said, "are you saying that you believe Kuvira is better off in the South, than she is in Zaofu?"
"Yes, I believe so," Su firmly replied. "I wouldn't have forced her to stay there if I thought otherwise."
Lee nodded. "Thank you, Suyin. I have no further questions for you."
Suyin bowed to him and took her seat. Lee was in the middle of calling up his next witness, Asami, when the head judge stopped him.
"How many more witnesses are you planning on calling today, Counselor?"
Lee made a point to turn around and count heads in the crowd. Then he turned back around and gave the head judge a sheepish smile. "Only around twenty more, Your Honor."
The judges all exchanged surprised looks and Kuvira saw Mako sigh heavily and put his head in his hands. "Well," the head judge said, "we'll see if we can get through all of them today, but for now, let's break for lunch."
Lee bowed respectively to her, then turned and grinned at Kuvira as he sat down and began gathering up the papers scattered in front of him. "So far, so good," he said.
"If you say so," Kuvira muttered in reply.
"Don't worry," Lee said, as the guards came over to escort Kuvira back to the holding cell, where she'd eat during the hour they were given for lunch. "Just relax, eat your lunch, and let me do the worrying. The rest of the afternoon should go smoothly, though, so long as none of the witnesses get cold feet. But, I don't see that happening. They're all very eager to talk about you."
Kuvira raised an eyebrow at him as she got to her feet. "I hope that's a good thing."
Lee chuckled. "It is. I'll see you in an hour. Try not to worry. I promise you, this is going well for us right now."
Then the guards had her by the arms and were leading her away. She snuck a glance over her shoulder at Nayuh, who smiled at her once their eyes locked. Kuvira returned it and then sighed heavily as the guards ushered her out of the courtroom.
The morning had already been a whirlwind, emotionally, for her. She could only imagine how the afternoon was going to go.