Hey everyone, I'm sorry I made you wait again, I wish I could update faster but real life gets in the way a lot these days. Being sick, my work hours changing, and stress, it's not easy to get on the laptop and write as much as I'd love to. I just hope this makes up for your wait.
In this chapter, our two favorite women are visiting the fire nation and they meet up with our two favorite royals. Izumi and the girls have a little fun, and Zuko gets a private moment with Lin.
Little warning for past neglect, mentioning, skip ahead if you don't like.
I don't own Legend of Korra, if I did I'd have given Lin a better life.
Enjoy!
Some days later:
"Ugh…it's about damn time…" Lin groaned as she stretched out her limbs. Kya shook her head in exhaustion, they had been on a boat for days now, heading for the fire nation, and while Kya had enjoyed the time on water, Lin hated being stuck on a boat. Toph was like that too, earth benders weren't always good with sailing but some were decent at it.
"Lin, it wasn't that bad. The smell of the ocean, the wind in your hair, and the beautiful sunset reflecting off the surface…" Lin gave a frustrated sigh.
"And the seasickness, oh it was just delightful wasn't it?" Kya rolled her eyes.
"I told you not to eat that shrimp, they didn't smell right and you're lucky it was only a few."
"They tasted fine! It's not the first time I've eaten bad shellfish, though I admit I could've been more careful." She wiped her mouth, no doubt that taste still lingered a little. Lin had been sick on the boat for days, but she was tough.
"Well, you're going to have to watch your appetite for a while, your stomach is still sensitive from all that vomiting. No hard meats, mostly broth and vegetables, but a little fish I think wouldn't hurt."
"Kya, we're in the fire nation, I think we'll manage. Now, didn't you say we'd have a ride waiting on us?" Lin looked around, they had disembarked the boat, with a few other passengers and their bags, but she saw no one looking around for them.
"We do, but not here. Let's head into the town." Kya walked ahead and grabbed her girlfriend's hand. Lin noted how busy the small area looked, people everywhere, locals and tourists, shops, inns, it was packed.
"Kya…where are we heading?" Kya didn't answer, just keep tugging Lin along until they stopped near a small building.
"Here we are, now we just wait."
"Wait for what…?"
"Miss Kya?" a low, but smooth voice made both women turn their heads. "Ah, you arrived on time, I'm impressed." A woman, tall, around their age, with black hair tied in a high bun and dressed in elegant red and gold clothes and knee-high boots.
"Hello Ru, you look good."
"You do as well, I wish you'd come around more often we always enjoyed your company here." The woman smiled, before looking at Lin. "Ahh, and this must be Lin, my she's a pretty one." Before either woman could speak the lady, Ru, was suddenly in front of Lin and staring at her something odd. "Such beautiful eyes, and nice hair too…" she started touching Lin's face and hair, it made the earthbender uncomfortable.
"Ru, please." Kya's tone had annoyance in it.
"Oh, so sorry." She backed off. "It's just I've heard so much about this woman I had to see for myself and I do, she's not only a looker, but she's also got a good soul in her too." Ru's smile was so wide her mouth stretched almost across her entire face. "This is a good one Kya, be sure to keep her close." Ru winked.
"Uuuhh…excuse me but before I decide to punch your face in for invading my personal space, who the flameo are you?"
"Lin, easy." Kya got between them. "This is an old friend of mine, Ru, she's…" Kya leaned to whisper. "She's our escort to the palace, she's part of the royal guard."
"Then why isn't she…?"
"In uniform? Simple, it's my day off and I 'volunteered' to come and take you. I've got a carriage waiting around back, and the lady herself asked I have you all back before sundown. It's already near midday so let's get a move on." Without waiting for them to answer she grabbed both their wrists and yanked them around the building, before 'throwing' them into a carriage.
"What the hell are you…?" Lin was ready to jump at the woman, and she only kept her smile up.
"We'll arrive at our destination in just a few hours, so you two just sit back and relax." With that she slammed the door to the carriage, and a few seconds later the carriage jerked before it started moving.
"She's…" Kya sighed as she helped Lin stand, and then sit in the carriage.
"A major pain in the ass, how do you know her?"
"We met when I first traveled here on my own, she's a good person, but she can be a bit much. When I first met her, she was a junior soldier working under the captain, and she's a fantastic fighter."
"A bender?" Kya nodded.
"One of the best, and I'm sorry if she freaked you out. She's not mean or anything, she's just overzealous when it comes to meeting new people." She laughed. "Anyway, if Izumi sent her here, then she really can't wait to see us."
"Really?"
"Well yes, we haven't seen her since that last conference in Republic City, and that was two years ago. She writes a lot, or I write to her, but she's usually asking about you." Lin looked confused. "She may be older than us Lin, but she cares about us like we're her siblings."
"I…" Lin looked away. "I admit I've missed her, I even remember when we were kids and she'd visit, she always played big sister. Whenever Bumi had his crazy energy bursts or when Su was a brat, she'd always come to our rescue." Kya laughed.
"I remember, Bumi likes her but she scares the shit out of him." They both laughed that time. "Now, as Ru said we have a few hours until we arrive, so why don't we take a little nap?"
"But I'm not…" Lin yawned before she could stop herself. "T-tired…"
"Yes you are, remember you were up half the night. Let's get a little shuteye, and we can have a fun time with the fire lord later." Lin looked ready to argue some more, but her eyes started closing and she leaned on Kya. Kya chuckled, her girlfriend was stubborn as a rock; a little sleep would do them both good, now…she moved their bags against the other end of the carriage, and soon enough sleep claimed her as well.
A few hours later:
When the carriage suddenly jerked to a stop, Kya and Lin were suddenly flung forward from their seats and into the one across from them. They landed face first, but when Kya tried to move off Lin she accidently bumped her chin on Lin's head.
"Ouch!" the two women shouted, Lin now had a headache and Kya had a sore chin.
"Spirits Kya your chin is sharp!"
"My chin? Your head is hard like steel, felt like I just bumped a wrecking ball!" they rubbed their sore spots gently. "Hang on, did the carriage stop?" Lin looked around.
"I think so, explains why we woke up like this." Lin gripped the edge of the seat to pull herself up. "You ok?"
"Yeah, we've both had worse wounds you know."
"Good, now where…?" just before she could finish the door flew open and Ru stood there looking at them with a toothy grin.
"Aaah you're awake, good!" she grabbed and 'snatched' them out of the carriage so fast they barely registered their surroundings. It was Kya who first got her senses back, and she noticed they were now within the royal walls, and several guards and servants were lined up to greet them.
"What in the…what's all this about?" Lin looked at Kya who shrugged.
"The Fire Lord has asked you be escorted to your rooms to relax, she's currently busy with the council but you will be summoned for dinner in a couple of hours." The two women glanced at each other. "You two just go with the servants here, they'll get you to the guest quarters, I have to report in."
"I thought you were off?" Kya looked at Ru.
"I am, but I was your escort so I still need to report in, and then I'm off for a nap. Ta ta!" Ru took off so fast Lin and Kya were stunned speechless.
"What the hell was that?!" Lin looked at Kya.
"Sorry, like I said she's a little overzealous. Let's just follow the servants, and hope Fire Lord Izumi is in a good mood after her meetings." They followed the servants inside, and Kya couldn't help but still be awed by the vast elegance of the castle. She had visited more than a few times, but each time something managed to wow her. Once it was the royal gardens in full bloom after winter, another time it was the décor, and another it had just been the guest wings.
'Can never get used to such grandness.'
"Kya?" Lin's voice broke Kya out of her thoughts.
"Yeah? Sorry I was thinking…" Lin motioned to the servant, an older woman who bowed. Kya saw the double doors behind her, had they been walking that long already?
"This is where you will be staying honored guests, the Fire Lord will see you later tonight." She stepped aside and let them enter their room. The other servants left them alone, and Kya, as soon as she spotted that huge bed she went and flopped down, hard. The mattress was so soft and comfortable she felt she could sleep right there.
"Tired already?" Lin laughed, and Kya stuck her tongue out.
"Hey, our nap was interrupted earlier, I could use another hour to rest." Lin gave her a look and crawled up to lay her head on Kya's shoulder. Kya's arm wrapped around her girlfriend's back, and she sighed at the closeness.
"This is nice, I can't remember the last time I came here."
"I can, it was just before you went into the academy, I think we came here for the Dragon Festival."
"Yeah, I remember I got sick before the play because I let Bumi talk me into eating all those spicy noodles." Kya giggled.
"You were so sick you thought your stomach was going to burst, and you got so hot mom thought you'd catch on fire."
"Nothing some good old fashioned milk couldn't cure, and a lot of sleep plus giving your brother a broken jaw and black eye helped." That got them both laughing. "It wasn't entirely his fault either, those noodles were so delicious."
"But not as good as the sour apricots right? You ate so many of those I teased you, said you'd turn into one if you kept it up."
"You said the same thing about those watermelons, said if I ate so many seeds one would grow in my stomach."
"You were ten, and you ate all of them including the one I saved for myself." Lin pouted.
"I said I was sorry, and I gave you a whole one."
"Yeah you did, and I forgave you."
"After you threw me into the ocean, got me so wet I caught a cold."
"And mom grounded me for a week, worst time of my life." She gave a fake dramatic sigh.
"Hey, we are going to enjoy ourselves. Now, let's get one more hour of sleep, and afterwards maybe we can take a bath before the fire lord greets us with her presence."
"A bath sounds fantastic, and the festival starts tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the play and the games, what about you?" Lin shrugged.
"It doesn't really matter to me, as long as we can have some fun."
"Oh we will my love, we will." Kya held Lin a little tighter, and the exhaustion forgotten from earlier returned quickly as their heads hit the pillows. Kya looked down at her girlfriend, truly happy that Lin was finally enjoying herself, and would hopefully continue to do so.
Sometime later:
"Lin…Lin have you seen my hair tie? The one with the blew gems in it?"
"In the bag Kya, you put it there before you went in." Kya walked out of the bathroom in just a towel and found the missing piece easily, she'd forgotten to grab it. "You'd best hurry and dry off, that woman said we're due for dinner in ten minutes."
"I know, but my hair doesn't dry as fast as yours. Hand me your towel, and my dress?" Lin tossed both items at her. "Ok, I won't be too long, and Lin?"
"Yeah?"
"I think you'd look better in the green and silver dress; it shows off your figure better." Kya winked.
"Yeah sure, and if we're picking each other's clothes out I suggest you wear the blue one that shows off your cleavage." Kya blew a raspberry at her, and Lin tossed a pillow that missed and hit the wall; Kya didn't really care what her girlfriend wore, if she felt nice in it. Lin had natural beauty, and a body that made other women jealous. She took good care of herself, but she had such low self-esteem Kya had to help her see she was beautiful. Lin also wasn't used to dressing up, she rarely did and most times she'd worn her police uniform. Something else she could blame on Toph, the woman herself hated dressing up so it made Lin feel as if it wasn't necessary.
"Kya? Are you ready?"
"Almost!" Kya quickly slipped on the dress and some simple jewelry before she quickly tied her damp hair up in a tight bun. Makeup wasn't necessary, not that Kya wore it much, but in the case of royalty she couldn't help herself at times. When she finally emerged from the bathroom she saw Lin's eyes go wide and her jaw drop to the floor.
"K-Kya…?"
"Lin, close your mouth before the flies eat your tongue." Lin did but couldn't stop staring. "Honey, I know I look ravishing right now, so do you, but we have a dinner to get to."
"Right…" Lin stuttered a bit but after straightening her dress she hooked her arm with Kya's and they followed the servants waiting outside. Soon they found themselves in what appeared to be a 'grand' dining room, but it was small, less elegant; probably the private family room. Lin smiled when she spotted Zuko at the table, and Kya did when she spotted Izumi.
"Presenting the royal guests, Miss Lin Beifong and Ms. Kya, daughter of…" Zuko stood and stopped the elder servant woman from going further.
"It's alright, no need to formally introduce them. You may leave us."
"As you wish Lord Zuko." The servants bowed and left them alone, so once the doors shut behind them Kya all but ran over to Izumi to practically squeeze the life out of her while Zuko came and gave Lin a warm hug. The second his arms went around her she relaxed against him, Zuko and Aang always gave the best hugs, it was almost like something of a father's touch, the closest she'd ever gotten even as a child.
"It's been so long Lin." He whispered into her hair.
"I know, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while it just…" she didn't know what to say after that. After she and Tenzin split she'd pretty much turned into a recluse, just before Kya came back. She didn't speak to anyone, didn't write, call, nothing, it just got to be too much.
"It's alright." He pulled back and ran his fingers down her cheek. "We understand, and we're just glad you made it here safely." He turned to Kya, still hugging his daughter, smiling and laughing. "Both of you."
"Kya, I know you've missed her but I think the Fire Lord needs to breathe at some point." Kya released Izumi, and stuck her tongue out at Lin.
"It's really great to see you both, makes me almost regret living nations apart." Lin shared a hug with Izumi.
"But it makes the journey worth it to visit." Lin let go. "You look good."
"You as well, much better than the last time I saw you." Lin gave a tiny smile.
"I certainly feel better than last time, but I think I'll feel more better if I get something in my stomach." To back her up her stomach let out a loud growl, and everyone laughed.
"It's all still hot, and I've prepared some jasmine tea for all of us." Lin and Kya's eyes lit up.
"Uncle Iroh's recipe?"
"The very best." The two went 'ooh' and sat on either side of Izumi while Zuko poured the tea. Kya and Lin set up their plates with all the tasty foods, both women were more akin to their usual foods but fire nation food was always good, spicy or mild. While they sat down Kya and Izumi started chatting about their first travels around, and Lin held a conversation with Zuko on his retirement, all his newest free time seemed boring but he was always around should Izumi need advice or otherwise.
"So Lin…how are you?" Zuko asked her, and Lin smiled.
"I'm doing much better, since Kya and I left Republic City it feels like I've got a new breathe of fresh air every day."
"I'm glad to hear, I was rather shocked when Bumi told us that you'd left the police force, you were so dedicated to becoming chief." Lin set down her chopsticks.
"It was only because of mo—Toph, that I had. Kya helped me realize that I wasn't living my life how I should, and she helped me figure things out."
"I'm guessing it also had something to do with Tenzin's engagement?" Izumi said it, and Lin's nerves tensed up but she kept her composure.
"Yeah." She didn't say anything else, and the two let it drop.
"Well nonetheless, we're glad you came to see us. You're both just in time for the festival too."
"We heard, I'm looking forward to the play 'Love Amongst Dragons', maybe it'll be better than the last time."
"It always is, it's a beloved story in this area."
"That and the food and games, and…" Kya put an arm around Lin. "Spending time with my sweet panda lily." That got a kiss on Lin's cheek, and the blush came.
"Kya please…" Lin shoved her lightly, but didn't fuss.
"Panda lily, that's cute." Izumi winked at Lin.
"Oh be quiet you." Lin flung some rice at Izumi, and she laughed before flinging some back.
"Girls don't start…"
"Too late Uncle Zuko." Lin picked up a piece of a bun and threw it at him, and he retaliated with some grapes. It wasn't long before they started throwing food back and forth at each other, until there was more food on them then on the table or the floor. Lin couldn't hold back her laughter, she hadn't had so much fun with friends in a long time, even if she hated getting dirty.
"Alright, now that we've eaten and…had fun, I think we should clean up a little before the servants come back." Izumi pulled a piece of lettuce from her hair, flicking it at Kya.
"I think we should too, but Lin, before you and I join in can I speak with you a moment? Alone?"
"Sure Uncle." Lin gave Kya a look who gestured her to go on, so Lin followed Zuko into the next room. He shut the door behind them, and his expression changed a bit when his eyes met hers.
"Lin."
"Uncle? What's wrong?" he walked up to her and touched her shoulder.
"Are you alright my dear?" Lin looked down. "Please don't hide from me Lin, you know I can tell if you're upset."
"To…be honest…not completely." She took a breath. "I…don't get me wrong I don't regret leaving my job, but…"
"You don't have to apologize Lin, you haven't done anything wrong."
"Haven't I?" that time she looked at him. "I wasted so many years trying to be a good cop, and a good woman to Tenzin, yes I admit I let the job overcome me a lot but…obviously it wasn't enough. First Su giving me this…" she pointed to her scar. "Then Toph letting her off and leaving, and then him, and now…oh spirits I can still hear them…" she rubbed her eyes.
"Hear who?"
"My ex-comrades, turns out they always thought I wouldn't make it with Tenzin, and not become the next mother of the new future generation of airbenders. I thought we had a civil relationship, but they all think me a fool." She let out a light sob.
"Lin, it's ok." He pulled her into his arms, and she relaxed almost immediately. "It's alright."
"No it's not, I can still hear them, laughing at me." She sniffled.
"They aren't here Lin, you don't need to worry yourself. Those people didn't appreciate you enough, and I'm sure sooner or later they'll realize that."
"I know but…dammit, why am I getting like this now?" Lin pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I don't…I don't' understand, I got all of it out of my system before…why are they back now?"
"You just need time to heal my dear, and there's no limit to it when you're hurt." He held her as she let out the remaining tears. Her heart still hurt from everything, spirits what would Toph think if she saw her now?
"No…dammit no." she pulled away from Zuko so fast she almost lost her footing but didn't care. She kept rubbing at her eyes, wiping away the tears furiously.
"Lin…?" turning back to her honorary uncle Lin took a breath to cool down.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lose it like that it's…it's just hard still. I can't get them out of my head."
"Lin it's fine, you've always been a hard-working woman, from the minute you could talk and walk, you worked hard."
"That's just it, I worked hard, hard to the point of where stress nearly killed me a few times. I bent over backwards for them, and what do they do? Just up and leave me…" she sighed. "Toph, she was my idol growing up, and my mother, yet she never acted like one, hell she didn't even care!"
"Lin…"
"No, no please let me get this out." He went quiet, and nodded for her to continue. "Toph, I know why she was the way she was, she wanted me and Su to have a better childhood than her. But…she was worse than her parents, she neglected us, pretty much made it obvious her job was more important than her family. The only times she would act like a parent was when you or Aang, or even Katara and Sokka were around, and that's only if she could take a day off. To top it off, she let Su turn into a horrible brat, right up until the point where I got this!" she pointed at her scar. "She let Su leave, and then what? Did she ask if I was ok? Did she give an inkling as if she were worried? No, she just went along like nothing happened! I even tried to make her see things in my point of view but she blew me off! She called me a drama queen, said it wasn't anything serious so why keep it up? No matter what I did, it was never enough for her, nor was it for Su, after everything I did, raising her in Toph's place, and she acted like I was nothing to her. Spirits…" Lin took a few breaths. "Uncle, what did I do wrong? Why wasn't I enough? Why…why did they do this to me?" Zuko's arms went around her again, holding her as more tears came. Before too long Lin started to feel the exhaustion creep in, and in everything, she didn't bother to fight it off as she soon fell dead asleep in Zuko's arms.
With Kya and Izumi:
"They've been in there a long time, do you think everything's ok?" Kya looked back at the door Zuko and Lin left through, wondering what was keeping them. She and Izumi had cleaned up the food they threw everywhere, and then sat down just chatting about everyday life until Kya saw outside the sun had already set. It had been hours, and Lin still hadn't emerged.
"I think so, if I had to guess Lin and my dad probably got caught up in a talk like us; but if you want to go check on them we can." Kya set down her teacup.
"I think we should, I have a feeling." The two women walked through the door and were both shocked to find Zuko leaning over an unconscious Lin, on a small sofa with a blanket over her. Her face was tear-streaked, and Kya all but ran over to be at her side.
"What…dad what happened?" Izumi looked at Zuko, who looked anguished.
"Lin, we were talking, and she's…it didn't go well." Kya looked at him.
"Did you ask her about…?" he nodded. "Oh Lin…" her hand went to gently stroke her girlfriend's black hair.
"Was Toph mentioned?" Zuko nodded again. "Lin, spirits dad, why?"
"I didn't mean to make her relive everything, but…I can at least hope after getting it out like that she'll start to feel better."
"You know Toph and Su are a sore subject for her." Kya didn't sound angry, she couldn't fault the man.
"I do, and I wasn't the one who brought them up." He sighed. "Kya, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, I put too much hope in thinking Lin would get through this fast, but I should've known she's still working through it."
"Our worst memories never leave us Kya, but we learn to live with them." Zuko unknowingly reached up and touched his scar, and Kya was reminded of the stories where Ozai burned his own son, before he was banished. "It took me years to get through my own, and thankfully I had Uncle Iroh, Aang, and then Mai, to help me."
"Lin has me, and you two."
"Yes, and she's going to have us for a long time, we won't let her go down again." Izumi knelt next to Kya. "Kya, before you guys left the city how was Lin?"
"Hurt, angry, mostly at Tenzin."
"Was it about the engagement announcement?" Kya nodded. "Understandable, I'd be angry too if were her."
"While I know Tenzin hadn't meant to announce it like that, he is partially to blame." Zuko kept his gaze on Lin. "Kya, I want you to know that no matter what, Lin and you are like my own children, I will not see you get hurt."
"I know Uncle, you were a second dad to all of us growing up. My dad wasn't perfect, and I've accepted that, but compared to Toph, he wasn't too bad."
"Yes well, Toph has made plenty of mistakes in her life, we all have, but what matters is how we make up for them." Kya scoffed.
"Toph won't admit she made mistakes, she's too damn proud."
"Maybe not now, but perhaps later on she will." They all went quiet, for several minutes until Kya spoke up.
"Are you two going to the wedding?"
"I will, Izumi will stay behind, are you going?" Kya shook her head.
"I know he's my brother, but I can't see him now or in the future. I know Bumi will go, as will mom, but…I can't, because I know I'll do something I'll regret later." As angry as she was, she didn't want to 'ruin' Tenzin's wedding.
"That…might be for the best." Izumi looked at Zuko. "Will you at least send a congratulatory letter?"
"Yeah, I will." Kya turned back to Lin. "I think we should all retire for the night, we can talk more in the morning."
"That's a good idea, let me." Zuko leaned down and easily lifted Lin into his arms. Kya followed him and Izumi back to their room, the servants bowed as they passed through, and one asked if they needed to fetch a healer but Izumi declined. Once they reached their room, Zuko gently laid Lin on the bed, and Kya helped remove her jewelry and shoes before covering her with the blankets. The two, former and current fire lords bid Kya goodnight and left her alone; Kya quietly got ready for bed, all the while trying to think of ways to help Lin.
'I know it still hurts, but I'm here.' She thought as she climbed into bed and held Lin to her. Lin stirred in her sleep, but relaxed. Kya kissed her head, and nuzzled into her hair gently as her breathing evened out.
'I'm here Lin, I'm right here.'
Hope you all liked it, it was tough to finish but here we are!
Next chapter Lin wakes up and the girls have a little fun before the festival; we're also going to look at Toph and Su, can you imagine their reaction of Lin disappearing?
I will try and update sooner but I make no promises, and please leave a comment they're much appreciated.
Later!