Something soft and warm gently moved over Kuvira's lips, pulling her from her dreams. She sleepily smiled into the kiss and reached up, trying to pull Nayuh down, closer to her. Nayuh obliged for a few moments before she pulled away.

"Mmm, I wish I had time for that," she said, her voice soft as she brushed more kisses over Kuvira's cheek before sitting up. Kuvira gave her a pouty look, causing Nayuh to chuckle.

"Don't look at me like that…it makes it very hard to leave. Because now all I want to do is this…" She trailed off as she leaned forward again. Now fully awake, Kuvira lifted her head and met her halfway.

This kiss wasn't as soft and sweet as the initial one had been to wake Kuvira up. For a moment, Kuvira had to wonder if Nayuh was actually going to risk being late, something she very rarely did. They could be quick if they needed to be, but, for Kuvira at least, that usually wasn't the case first thing in the morning. She'd need a little more time to "wake up", per se. Although, with the way Nayuh was kissing her…

"Okay, I really need to go," Nayuh said, laughing and also slightly breathless when she finally pulled away again and sat up.

"You started it," Kuvira replied, giving Nayuh a playful look. "Now you're just going to leave me hanging?"

Nayuh had enough decency to at least look a little guilty as she leaned back over to give Kuvira a much more chaste kiss. "I know…I'm sorry. Blame it on the dream I had last night."

Kuvira raised a curious eyebrow at her. "Well, now I need to hear about this dream."

"Later," Nayuh said, with a laugh. "I really do need to go." She gave Kuvira another kiss, then stood up. "You'll be at the arena later, right? After you get done at the factory?"

Kuvira nodded. "It shouldn't take me more than an hour or two, then I'll head up there. Where should I go to get my pass?"

"It'll be at the guest services window outside, under my name." She bent over one more time, for another kiss. As badly as Kuvira wanted to drag her into the bed and make Nayuh extremely late, she resisted the urge.

"Love you," Nayuh said, finally standing up again and starting for the door. "See you in a bit."

"Love you, too," Kuvira replied.

She watched Nayuh walk out, then sighed heavily. She hadn't been lying when she told Nayuh she was leaving her hanging. She didn't need to be up quite yet, so she tried to go back to sleep, but it was useless. Nayuh's lips and wandering tongue had done what they always did so well, and Kuvira knew that if she didn't take care of the problem on her own, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on much else the rest of the day.

And, since she was planning on asking Kia and Tarrak for their permission to marry their daughter–Nayuh thinking she needed to be at the factory had just been an excuse to cover up what she was really doing–having her mind only able to focus on the things she and Nayuh did while they were alone would not be ideal.

Reaching down under the thick fur blanket that was covering her, Kuvira called up her go-to fantasy that she liked to use, which may or may not have included her and Nayuh on a secluded beach somewhere. It wasn't often that she had to pull it out, but then again, it wasn't often that Nayuh left her high and not-so-dry either.

Five minutes later, the issue was taken care of and Kuvira let out a contented sigh. It wasn't what she'd wanted, but at least now she wouldn't be distracted all day. She finally drug herself out of bed and into the shower, paying more attention than she normally would to how she looked as she finished getting dressed and ready. She knew it likely didn't matter what she looked like to Kia and Tarrak, but she wanted to make an extra effort today, just in case.

She'd been putting off this conversation for the last week, trying and failing to find a good time to sneak over there, so Nayuh wouldn't find out. The best opportunity she had, had presented itself today, as Nayuh had gotten asked to take over the head healer position at the pro-bending matches for the weekend.

The normal healer was out sick, so Nayuh would be at the arena for the entire weekend, leaving Kuvira with plenty of time to talk to Kia and Tarrak. The trick was going to be finding and keeping her courage, which was already starting to wane, the longer the morning dragged on.

She puttered around the apartment, finding and doing any menial task she could think of until finally, she knew she couldn't put it off any longer. Not only was Nayuh going to be waiting for her at the arena, but this was also her very last chance to do this before she and Nayuh left for Republic City in two days. It was now or never.

It was a brisk fifteen-minute walk to Nayuh's parent's house, which was in the same district as the arena. It had taken a solid six months, but Kuvira had finally started getting invited to the weekly family dinners. Those had led to a lukewarm relationship between Kuvira and Kia, but Kuvira knew that was about to be tested, the moment the words left her mouth.

She tried to calm her now-racing heart as she walked up to the one-story dwelling. It was constructed in much the same manner as the rest of the single-family homes in the South. Round in shape, which gave the appearance from the outside that the interior was much smaller than it really was. Nayuh's parents had lived there since before she was born, and Kuvira secretly enjoyed the coziness of it. It felt like a real home, not a giant, airy mansion that was more cold than it was inviting.

There were wisps of smoke coming from the chimney, which told Kuvira that Kia and Tarrak were indeed home. She drew in a deep breath, then slowly blew it out as she knocked on the door. A few moments later it opened, revealing a frowning Kia, who couldn't quite hide her surprise when she saw Kuvira standing there.

"Vira," Kia said, "what are you doing here?" Then her frown turned into worry. "What's going on? Is something wrong with Nayuh?"

Kuvira shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, Nayuh is fine. She's at the arena right now, filling in for the head healer all weekend. She has no idea I'm here."

The frown was back and Kia crossed her arms. "Alright…well, is there something you need? You could've called. That would've been easier than walking all the way over here."

Kuvira started to shift uncomfortably, her nerves starting to get the best of her. "Actually, yes, there is something I need to talk to you about. Well, you and Tarrak both, if he's here. Can I, uh…come in?"

Kia studied her for a moment, then seemed to realize how nervous and uncomfortable Kuvira was and finally relented. "Sure." She stepped out of the way, allowing Kuvira to enter, then closed the door behind her.

The door opened right into the main living area and Kuvira saw that Tarrak was sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper. The radio was turned on low and Kuvira could hear that it was tuned to the station that carried the pro-bending matches. They were doing their pre-match analysis and Kuvira knew that if this took too long, Nayuh would be questioning where she was.

"Have a seat," Kia instructed her, motioning to one of the chairs that sat opposite the couch. Kuvira obeyed, returning Tarrak's polite smile with one of her own, though she was certain her anxiety was showing in it. Tarrak put down his newspaper and gave his wife a questioning look. She ignored it and fixed her sharp blue eyes on Kuvira.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk to the two of us about?"

For one long moment, Kuvira almost lost her nerve. Then she remembered that not asking would have her in more hot water with the two of them than asking, so she took a deep breath and held Kia's gaze.

She'd had this entire speech planned out–had prepped it, practiced it, memorized it, but now that she was in the moment, with Kia staring at her, all of the words she had planned to say evaporated into thin air.

"I want to marry your daughter," was all that managed to come out of her mouth, and in such a rush that it took a moment or two for what she'd said to register with all three of them. Then, realizing how idiotic she'd sounded, she tried to backtrack, as Kia's eyes widened slightly.

"That–that came out wrong," Kuvira stammered, mentally wincing at how shaky her voice was. "What I meant was…I'd like to ask for your permission to marry your daughter."

There had been many times in her past, as both Captain of Zaofu's guard and the Great Uniter, that Kuvira had faced things that had scared her (though she'd never, ever admit that to anyone). Zaheer and the Red Lotus. Suyin (because what isn't scarier than your adoptive mother trying to kill you?). The Spirit Weapon, when it had nearly killed her and Korra.

But nothing…nothing scared her more than the look Kia was giving her right now. It was a mixture of many different things, and Kuvira knew in her heart that her request was going to be denied. She felt her heart sink, and resigned herself to the answer she knew was coming. It was the answer she knew she would receive, but she'd allowed herself the smallest sliver of hope, that somehow in the last two years she'd managed to change Kia's mind about her. A hope that was now dashed, the longer Kia continued to stare at her.

"No."

It was such a simple word, but when it left Kia's mouth, it carried more weight than Kuvira could bear at the moment. Her shoulders slumped and she hung her head in defeat.

"Okay," Kuvira replied. She stood, her legs threatening to buckle underneath her, and managed to look at Kia and Tarrak. "I appreciate your honesty and I'll honor your wishes."

She turned to go, but Kia said, "I wasn't finished."

Kuvira froze where she stood. She cautiously turned back to Kia, who was pointing to the chair Kuvira had just vacated. Kuvira obeyed her silent command and sat back down, wondering what other mental and emotional torture Kia had in store for her now. Hearing her say "no" was bad enough.

"We had a feeling this was coming," Kia went on, glancing at her husband, who nodded, "and we both agreed that the answer is no. Not until you tell us the truth."

Kuvira tried and failed to keep the surprised look off her face. "Tell you the truth about what? I've never been anything but honest with you both. I know better than to lie to you."

"We'd like for you to tell us the truth about how you ended up in the South," Tarrak gently said, "and in the care of our daughter."

"Oh." Kuvira had assumed–wrongly, it seemed–that Nayuh had already told them this story.

"Nayuh only gave us an overview," Kia said, reading her mind, "not the whole story. She said it wasn't hers to tell. So…if you want our permission, then there can be no secrets. We need to know what happened."

Kuvira nodded. It made sense, and she was more than happy to tell them. Especially if it meant that in the end, she'd receive their blessing. "Where would you like me to start?"

"Wherever you think is appropriate," Kia answered.

So Kuvira started at the beginning. Or, well, the end, rather. The end of her time as the "Great Uniter", when she'd voluntarily surrendered to the Avatar. She left nothing out, wanting to give both Kia and Tarrak the entire story, since she had no idea what they did or didn't know.

She knew, from experience, that dredging up the memories of her time under Lake Laogai would inevitably lead to at least one or two nightmares over the next week, but she didn't shy away from those details either. She even offered to show them her scars as proof, which Tarrak politely declined, but Kia didn't.

So Kuvira showed her, only flinching slightly as Kia instinctively reached out and touched them.

"Nayuh told me that when you showed up that day on the steps of her healing hut, you were unrecognizable...that it was obvious you'd suffered some sort of horrible abuse," Kia said quietly, as her fingertips lightly traced one of the scars on Kuvira's lower back. "I thought she was exaggerating…now I know she wasn't."

"No," Kuvira softly replied, "she wasn't."

Kia withdrew her hand and Kuvira lowered her shirt and turned around. "I know you don't trust me or my motives here. And, given my past, I can't blame you. But the Great Uniter died in the Spirit World the day that Korra saved me. And Kuvira died under Lake Laogai. Your daughter gave me a chance to rebuild my life as someone new…someone who might be worthy of her love. And she gave me a chance to be the person I was truly meant to be. Both are something I'll spend the rest of my life trying to repay her for."

Kia studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she looked at Tarrak, who gave her a subtle nod. Kuvira's heart lurched, but she tried to tamp down the hope that was trying to rise in her chest. Kia turned back to her and studied her again, longer this time, until she finally seemed to come to some sort of decision.

"Wait here," she said, as if Kuvira was suddenly going to walk out. Then she turned and disappeared into one of the rooms that branched off the main living area they were currently in. Kuvira looked at Tarrak, who had a pleased look on his face as if to say, everything is fine…you'll see.

Kuvira didn't share his confidence, so she continued to awkwardly stand there. Kia returned a few minutes later, carrying something in her hand. Instead of walking back over to Kuvira, she returned to the couch and sat down next to her husband. Kuvira took that as her cue to sit as well and saw that whatever Kia had retrieved, looked suspiciously like one of the necklaces that Korra and Asami had worn for the entirety of their engagement. Her heart sped up, and that annoying sliver of hope started to grow into something much larger.

"I know we haven't always gotten along," Kia said, "but I appreciate that you've been nothing but open and honest with both of us. I expect that honesty and openness to continue…especially if you want to become a member of this family."

Kuvira's eyes widened, as she realized what Kia was saying. She solemnly nodded. "Of course. I would never lie to you…either one of you. You have my word."

Kia smiled slightly. "You know, your word used to mean nothing to me. But, over the last two years, you've proven to me that it is worth something. And since we now know the whole story–" she paused and looked at Tarrak, who smiled broadly at his wife, then at Kuvira "–the answer is yes. You have our permission to marry our daughter."

For a moment, Kuvira was sure her heart stopped. Then it started racing and she couldn't keep the grin off her face.

"Thank you! Spirits, you have no idea how much this means to me…thank you both, so much!" She was on her feet and moving to shake both of their hands, which they accepted, laughing slightly at her outburst.

"However," Kia said, her tone deadly serious once Kuvira took her seat again, "that permission can be rescinded, should you ever violate our trust or do anything to hurt Nayuh."

"Understood," Kuvira replied, just as serious. "I would never, ever do anything to hurt Nayuh or violate your trust. Ever. I know how severe the consequences for that are."

She and Kia shared a knowing look, and Kuvira's mind instantly went back to the hour they spent buried underneath the snow, when Kia had told her, in no uncertain terms, that if she ever did anything to hurt Nayuh, she'd end Kuvira's life. It was a threat Kuvira took seriously, even today.

"Now that that's out of the way," Kia said, "may I ask how and when you're planning on asking her?"

Kuvira's face fell. She hadn't quite worked out the details of that yet, other than "in Republic City" and "at Asami and Korra's mansion."

"Uh, I'm still working on that," Kuvira answered, her face flushing in embarrassment, "but it's going to be soon. Very soon."

Kia nodded, then looked down at the object in her hands. "Well, you'll need this, in order to do it." She held out her hand, offering Kuvira what was in it. Kuvira got up and saw that it was indeed the same kind of necklace. A "betrothal necklace" as Korra had called it.

"Typically," Kia went on, "a man would carve one of these on his own, then present it to the woman he wanted to marry on the day he proposed. I'm guessing no one ever bothered to go over that particular custom with you, did they?"

Kuvira shook her head, feeling her cheeks flush with shame this time. "If I'd known, I would've done it. Even though I know our relationship isn't exactly traditional."

Kia waved her hand dismissively. "Traditional or not, you still managed to get one thing right." Kuvira cocked her head in silent question.

"You came to us first, to ask for our permission," Kia clarified. "Which is keeping with the Tribe's customs…which we both appreciate." Tarrak nodded his approval as well, easing a little bit of Kuvira's anxiety.

"I know I wasn't born here," Kuvira said, "but it's my home and I don't want to disregard the customs."

Tarrak scoffed lightly. "I wish Tulok shared that philosophy." Kia shot him a look and he shrugged. "She has more respect for our traditions than he does…I appreciate that."

Kia shook her head but didn't argue. Then she turned her attention back to Kuvira, holding the necklace out to her so she could see it. "This particular necklace belonged to my mother. She was an Earth Kingdom native, just like you. If you'd like, you can use it to propose to Nayuh."

Kuvira stared at the necklace, then at Kia. What she was offering…the significance behind it…it nearly brought Kuvira to tears and briefly rendered her speechless. Kia took her silence as hesitation and awkwardly shrugged. "Or you can just carve your own, like I said."

"No, no," Kuvira said, mercifully finding her voice again, "I would be honored to use your mother's necklace." She bowed her head respectively, seeing a pleased look cross Kia's face for the first time ever.

Kia raised her hand, indicating that Kuvira should take the necklace. Tentatively, she reached out, then after a moment's hesitation, gently lifted it out of Kia's palm. "I expect you to take good care of that, until it's safely secured around my daughter's neck," Kia said, her tone amicable, but Kuvira didn't miss the subtle warning behind it.

"I will," Kuvira solemnly replied, closing her fist around the small, hand-carved medallion, "I promise." She gently slid the necklace into her parka pocket, trying to convey to both Kia and Tarrak how seriously she was taking this newfound responsibility of hers.

For the first time ever, she received a genuine smile from Kia and saw that Tarrak was also giving her a pleased one. An awkward moment passed, and then Kia said, "Would you like to stay for some tea? I just put a pot on and we were going to listen to the bending matches."

Kuvira almost said yes, but then she remembered she needed to be at the arena, supporting her hopefully-soon-to-be-fiance while she worked. "I would love to, but I promised Nayuh I'd hang out with her while she worked the matches today. Thank you though, I really appreciate the offer. And thank you both, for giving me your blessing. I'll do everything I can to not let either one of you down."

"We know you won't," Tarrak said, winking at her while Kia wasn't looking. "And Vira," he added, as Kuvira turned to go. She stopped and turned back to him, seeing that he was now on his feet and holding out his hand. "I'm looking forward to welcoming you to the family."

Her lips pulled back into a smile and she reached out, shaking his hand. "Thank you."

Kia walked with her to the door, and as she was opening it for Kuvira, said, quietly enough that Tarrak couldn't overhear her, "You're not a member of this family yet…don't forget that."

"I won't," Kuvira replied, just as quietly. "I swear to you, on all of the spirits, that I'm not going to jeopardize your family's name or its standing in this Tribe. I know the legacy behind it and I take the responsibility that comes with it very seriously."

"So long as you never forget that, we won't have any problems," Kia said. Kuvira bowed her head respectively, then walked out.

It took all of about five seconds after Kia had closed the door behind her for elation to burst inside her chest. They actually said yes! She honestly hadn't expected them to, but now that she had their permission, she felt like she was on top of the world.

Of course, she still had to ask the most important question of all, to the most important person in her life. But that question was going to have to wait, for now.

She hurried over to the arena, picked up her pass, and rushed inside. The pass got her all the access she could ever want, which would've been pretty cool, had she not seen the entirety of the arena a couple of months ago, after Korra's wedding.

At least this time, I won't be electrocuted, she grimly thought, as she wandered the corridors, searching for Nayuh. She found her in one of the healing rooms, helping one of the athletes through what looked to be some physical therapy.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," Nayuh said when she saw Kuvira standing in the doorway.

Kuvira gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry…took a little longer than I would've liked to square away everything at work."

"And were you able to get everything finished that you needed to?" Given that there was a stranger in the room, Kuvira appreciated the fact that Nayuh was being coy with her line of questioning.

"I was," Kuvira answered. "It's all set for the next few weeks."

Nayuh nodded, then inclined her head slightly towards a chair in one of the corners. "You can hang out in here, with me, if you want. Or, I think the first match has already started, and your pass gets you access to the healer's area, so you can go up there and watch. I'll be heading that way as soon as I'm done down here."

Kuvira smiled and started towards the chair. "I think I'll hang out with you, if that's okay." Nayuh shrugged as if to say suit yourself, and Kuvira could tell she was still annoyed at her tardiness.

But even Nayuh's mild annoyance with her couldn't dampen Kuvira's spirits. Every time she reached into her pocket and felt the necklace, her heart soared. She quietly watched Nayuh work, toying with the necklace and imagining all the different ways she might use it to ask Nayuh to marry her.

One more week. In one more week, she'd have her answer. She never imagined there would come a time that she'd be looking forward to returning to Republic City, but now, Kuvira couldn't wait to get there.

"What did you say to her?"

Her husband's tone was slightly accusatory and Kia turned, offering him an innocent smile. "Nothing important…just that she's not a member of the family yet, and to remember that."

Tarrak sighed and gave her an exasperated look. "You just have to get the last word in, don't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kia replied, feigning innocence. Tarrak rolled his eyes and went back to reading his newspaper. They'd been married long enough now that he knew when to pick his battles.

Instead of joining Tarrak on the couch, she went to the kitchen to pour them both some tea. When she returned to the common area, Tarrak had turned the radio up and Kia could hear that the first match of the day had started. She handed him his cup, then settled herself on the couch next to him. It had become a routine for them to sit around and listen to the matches, even though neither one of them was a bender. But bender or not, Kia could appreciate the entertainment value the sport brought.

"She's absolutely terrified of you, you know," Tarrak said. Kia had a feeling she knew who he was talking about, but she sipped on her tea and decided to play ignorant.

"Who?" She glanced at Tarrak, who gave her a look.

"You know who," he replied. "She's been terrified of you ever since the day you threatened her at the Festival."

Kia sipped on her tea again and shrugged. "Good. She should be terrified of me. Just like Tulok's girlfriend should be terrified of me, and so should Panuk's."

Tarrak chuckled. "So, you're not just singling Vira out then, because of who she used to be?"

Kia shrugged again. "I might be." What she didn't say–and what she'd never admit out loud–is that deep down, some small part of her enjoyed the fact that the once-great dictator, who at one point rivaled the Avatar in both her power and bending ability, was terrified of her.

"You know you're going to have to eventually let that go, right?" Tarrak said with a sigh. "We gave her our blessing. As long as Nayuh says yes–and I honestly don't see her saying no–she's going to become a member of this family. You can't keep treating her the way you do, forever. Vira might put up with it, out of fear of you, but Nayuh won't. And you know it."

Kia didn't respond right away, choosing instead to listen to the match and sip on her tea. Her husband made a good point, but old habits die hard. And this dance she and Kuvira had been doing for the last two years…it didn't feel so easy to quit. If only because it meant she'd need to swallow her pride and acknowledge the fact that Kuvira truly wasn't the terrible person Kia had initially made her out to be.

She'd worked hard over the last two years to prove that to Kia, even though Kia knew she hadn't made it easy on her. Listening to her today, hearing what she went through and what brought her to the South, made it even harder to let go of any remaining animosity. Because Kia knew, deep down, that the woman who wanted to marry her daughter had truly suffered–and that suffering had brought about a profound change. A change that was undeniable to anyone who met her.

"I know," Kia finally said, her voice quiet, "and I'm trying, I swear." She looked up and met Tarrak's kind eyes. "I think I needed to hear the whole truth from her, before I could really give her a chance."

"Well, now we have," Tarrak replied. "And I'll be honest: that wasn't at all what I was expecting."

"Me either," Kia said. "I knew something bad had happened, but not the extent of it. And it was so much worse than anything I could've imagined. It's no wonder she and Nayuh ended up together…it'd be hard not to form a strong bond with the person who saved your life."

"And given what Vira told us," Tarrak said, "I'm betting that Nayuh was quite possibly the only person outside of the Avatar to ever show her any kind of compassion."

Kia nodded. "I asked Nayuh about her family once. She said Vira was adopted when she was young…and she'd never been close to her adoptive family until recently. Nayuh didn't say as much, but I get the feeling she didn't grow up surrounded by a loving family, like a child should. Which would explain a lot."

"It still doesn't justify her actions," Tarrak said, "but it helps me to understand them, I guess." He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Our kids have no idea how good they had it growing up. And still do."

"Our sons don't," Kia replied, with a small laugh, "but I think Nayuh does now. I think being with Vira has helped open her eyes a little, to how the world is outside of our little bubble down here. If there's one good thing I can say about their relationship, it would be that."

Tarrak chuckled. "You mean, the fact that Vira has given our daughter the most stable and loving relationship she's ever been in, wouldn't be another good thing?"

Kia nudged him playfully. "That, too. I figured that went without saying." She sighed. "She really has been good for Nayuh, hasn't she?"

"Yes," Tarrak gently replied, "she has. And it makes me happy to hear you finally admit that."

Kia smiled at him, then leaned in to give him a soft kiss. "I told you…I think all I needed was to hear the whole truth. I'm not blind to how good either one of them is for the other. I just needed a little more convincing, to fully sign off on it."

"Does this mean you'll finally stop antagonizing her?" Tarrak teasingly asked.

"Maybe," Kia answered, her tone mischievous. "I think she secretly likes me antagonizing her, though."

Tarrak rolled his eyes and laughed. "Keep telling yourself that."

The conversation came to a sudden halt, as one of the pro-bending athletes went down with an injury, causing the match to be stopped while he was treated. Kia couldn't help but smile slightly as she listened, knowing it was Nayuh out there helping him.

"Do you think they'll have kids?" Tarrak's question came out of the blue, and it took Kia a moment to switch gears.

She shrugged. She'd all but written off the idea that their firstborn would give them grandchildren, and had secretly pinned her hopes for that on their sons. "I'm not entirely sure how that would work," she replied, "but I guess if they both want them, then they'll find a way."

"They could always adopt," Tarrak offered, and Kia could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he thought about it. He wanted grandchildren even more than she did and Kia knew he'd be an amazing grandfather, just as he was an amazing father.

"Plenty of kids both here and in the North that need good homes," Kia agreed. She gave her husband a slightly chiding look. "But, that's a long way off still, don't you think?"

He chuckled, then put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Kia allowed it, settling against his side as he kissed the top of her head. "It is, but it's still fun to think about. And maybe, just maybe, we'll finally get a non-bender around here. You and I are completely outnumbered as it is."

Kia chuckled as well. "Don't get your hopes up. Especially if Vira and Nayuh do ever have kids of their own. There's a high chance we could end up with an earthbending grandbaby."

"Oh boy," Tarrak said, drawing in a deep breath, "we'd have to baby-proof this entire place, in that case."

Kia laughed. "I'm not sure we could. Senna used to tell me stories when Korra was younger…so many walls and floors were destroyed before she learned how to control her earthbending. I do not envy her or the Chief, in the slightest…I can't imagine how hard it would be to raise the Avatar. Trying to deal with one element was bad enough."

She smiled to herself, trying to picture what she knew her husband was likely imagining. "But you're right…it is fun to think about."

They both fell quiet, lost in their thoughts and only half-listening to the radio. Kia could easily picture her future grandchildren, sitting on the floor of the common area, playing. She'd always assumed they'd be waterbenders, just like their parents, even though she knew that wasn't a given. What she'd never given any thought to, was if one of them might be able to bend an entirely different element altogether.

But the more she thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. Images swam in her mind–Nayuh sitting on the floor, teaching her daughter how to waterbend, while Kuvira happily looked on. That image morphed into Kuvira taking Nayuh's place, beaming proudly as her son showed his earthbending off to his grandparents while Nayuh stood behind them, an equal look of pride on her face. The images made her smile, much to her utter surprise.

Tarrak was right: she needed to fully bury her grudge with Kuvira, if she wanted to be a part of Nayuh's life from here on out. Because, up until this point, Nayuh had tolerated the lukewarm relationship. Kia knew that tolerance wouldn't last forever, especially after Kuvira proposed. If Kia wanted any chance of having a relationship with her possible future grandchildren, then she needed to finally start making an effort with Kuvira. And that effort needed to start right now.