When she entered Korra's room that afternoon, Kuvira believed everything that Tonraq and Senna told her beforehand prepared her for what she was about to see, but she was wrong. Nothing they could've said would've properly prepared her for this, but she couldn't give up. For the sake of Korra and for herself, she just couldn't.
Despite Tonraq's advice, the supremely comfortable bed that would've made even Suyin Beifong envious, and the initial stirrings of a fatigue-induced headache tapping at her temples, Kuvira hadn't been able to enjoy a proper night of shut-eye. It was close to midnight when, after waiting expectantly for hours for an answer, Kuvira resigned herself to call it a day but instead of falling into a comforting sleep, her rational mind and her heart locked into a fierce battle that made her toss and turn in her bed for hours with sleep eluding her. Despair clashed with hope in an inner struggle until an impasse was reached in the form of cautious optimism and at last, rest arrived for the beleaguered metalbender in the form of a deep, dreamless slumber.
The next day, the metalbender spent most of the morning pacing inside her room waiting for word from Korra's parents. It had begun most auspiciously, with a hearty breakfast featuring a staple of exquisite southern dishes delivered to her room. The succulent scents stirred her stomach to grumble but she found herself unable to savor her meal, eating more out of a sense of obligation and physiological need than appetite. After that, she sought to distract her weary mind by reading one of her favorite books, Avatar Kyoshi's riveting biography. As she thumbed page after page of her well-worn tome, she realized she'd been going over the same sentence repeatedly. Kuvira scoffed loudly as she tossed the book aside. There was no use. She felt too high-strung to even concentrate on something as simple as reading. With her patience almost exhausted, the captain resolved to storm Tonraq's office in search of an answer when she heard two loud knocks. That's when she noticed the envelope that had been slipped under her door. It was from Senna. Kuvira tore the envelope and read with bated breath the brief lines scribbled in elegant penmanship: after the midday meal, she was instructed to wait for them at the palace's library. Korra had agreed to meet her.
Kuvira would've been more elated hadn't been for the other note she kept on a crumpled ball inside her pocket. She had barely stumbled out of bed when she received a telegram from Baatar Jr. which urged her to wrap up her business in the South Pole as soon as possible. The latest dispatches from Ba Sing Se painted an even more dire picture than previously thought. Baatar and the rest of the Zaofu defectors had arrived days ago, immediately joining the amalgam of forces from all over the Earth Kingdom as they all waited expectantly at the outskirts of the city. Only she was missing. Kuvira pinched the bridge of her nose, the contents of the telegram pushed back to the farthest recesses of her mind. There was a pressing issue that required her full attention. So after what felt like ages to the metalbender, when Chief Tonraq finally opened the door to Korra's room, Kuvira felt ready, but one look at the quiet hunched figure cloaked in the dim light and she felt her confidence falter. She cautiously entered the room, the steel heels of her boots clinking a soft cadence as Tonraq and Senna waved her to come inside.
"Hello Korra," the metalbender said as her mind struggled to process the image of the pale, frail-looking woman sitting at the fireplace. Naga napped quietly at her feet, confirming beyond doubt this was indeed Korra and not an impostor. The metalbender congratulated herself mentally. Her voice had sounded steady and she seemed her usual confident self but nothing could be further from the truth. Korra was there in the flesh yet her spirit was gone, lost beyond the confines of the room. But it was what Kuvira saw in her eyes that haunted her to the core and almost broke her resolve. Gone were the shimmer and the warmth and the fierceness that so effortlessly captured her attention and consumed her thoughts in her solitude. Many times Kuvira had caught herself gazing at those eyes as if under the force of some unknown magnetic pull. Now, the once bright blue appeared dull. Expressionless. Empty, as if a bottomless void was consuming Korra's lifeforce from within. A sharp pain stabbed through her thoughts and Kuvira realized she had balled her hands into fists so tightly her nails had drawn blood.
"Captain, are you okay?" Kuvira blinked and she realized Senna was holding one of her hands, pressing a handkerchief against her palm. A flicker of panic crossed Tonraq's face. Naga sat up, stirred by the sudden activity around her. Everyone was looking at her. Everyone but Korra, who had kept her sight glued to Naga as she absentmindedly patted her head.
"Yeah, I can't believe I've been so careless as to cut myself with my own armor," Kuvira uttered a low chuckle. She was well aware Senna could see through her lie and her self-deprecating act but the woman simply nodded as she quietly finished fixing a bandage to her wound.
"It happens to the best of us captain," Tonraq said. "Unfortunately Senna and I must leave for a boring meeting but I'm sure you won't miss us. I bet you have a lot of catching up to do. There's hot cocoa and varricakes. After the civil war, Varrick send a literal shipload of the damned thing as an apology, so feel free to take as many as you want."
Kuvira grinned. "Sounds like a very Varrick thing to do."
"Go easy on her, okay? The fact she's agreed to see you is nothing short of a miracle," Tonraq added softly as he adjusted her bandage.
"I will, sir. I will earn this."
"You already did," Tonraq affirmed with a subtle smile. The metalbender heard the door close behind her as she came close to the fireplace and picked a varricake from a platter.
"I've never understood why these things are so popular. They're too sweet," Kuvira said as she bit down the sugary concoction and grimaced. She sat down on a huge chair beside Korra which she suspected was Tonraq's and washed down the remaining pastry with hot cocoa. The hot, frothy beverage was far better tasting than the magnate's pastries. Naga moved from her owner's side, welcoming the guest by rubbing her head against the metalbender's forearm.
"Hello Naga, I'm glad to make your acquaintance," Kuvira replied as she cautiously patted the polar bear dog's head.
"Kuvira, why are you here?" Korra's voice sounded as if came from a faraway place. Kuvira shifted in her chair towards her voice and noticed how her eyes reflected the leaping flames of the fireplace.
"I believe your father must've told you already. I'm here because I wanted to see you."
"Is that so?" Korra muttered gruffly. Her hands held a firm grip over the armrests.
The metalbender cleared her throat. "The last time I saw you your father was cradling your limp body. I asked Su to take me to Republic City but she ordered me to stay back. The rumors out there are terrible. After everything I've heard and read, I knew I needed to confirm you were alive."
"Yeah, alive," Korra sneered under her breath. Naga whined as she moved away from Kuvira and recovered her usual place at Korra's feet. Her instinct was so finely attuned to Korra that she could immediately catch the subtle shifts in Korra's voice even before most people, but this time Kuvira perceived it too.
"Korra, I can't imagine how hard this must be for you but you made it! You didn't give those bastards the satisfaction of taking you down!"
"Sometimes I wish they had..."
"Korra! Please don't say something like that!" The utter despair in her voice felt like a stab to Kuvira's heart. She shut her eyes tightly to hold back the tears she feared would betray her at any moment.
Korra slowly lifted her head. She took a deep breath. Her lower lip trembled slightly, as she locked glances with Kuvira through narrowed slits.
"So you're here for what, to pity me? You wanted to witness for yourself how the Avatar is now this broken and defenseless husk? Did you come all the way from Zaofu to triumphally announce you're off to save Ba Sing Se while I rot here?" Korra roared through clenched teeth. Her fists slammed hard over the armrests.
Kuvira gasped. It pained her so much to see Korra believe her to be a sort of usurper. If she only realized her true worth went beyond her Avatarship.
"Korra, it is not what you think. I would never…"
Korra cut her off as she angrily tossed the pillow that had been resting over her lap. "I don't need your pity, Kuvira, you hear me? I don't need yours or anyone's pity!"
A lone tear escaped the iron grip of the metalbender's self-control. She wiped off her cheek hastily with her palm, leaving a bloody smudge across her cheek.
"Korra, I would never dare pity you! How could I when you've done the impossible? You're the strongest and most courageous person I've ever known!"
"Then why you're here if it isn't out of some morbid curiosity?"
"I'm here because of a promise. I've come to gaze at the stars with you as you wished that night in Zaofu."
Korra stared at the metalbender incredulously. If it didn't feel so unbelievably ludicrous, she would've laughed.
"So, let me see if I understand this correctly. You want me to believe you're here from Zaofu just because of a silly promise?"
Kuvira stared at her solemnly. "I don't care if you believe me or not, but that is the truth."
"No, it cannot be, you're lying!" Korra shook her head. A cavalcade of conflicting thoughts collided against each other. The insidious, dark voices she knew well because they assaulted her in her sleep each night. But a new voice, serene and comforting dared to challenge them. Inside her chest, something bright that had been locked deep inside pierced through the oppressive pain and the loneliness. A feeling she believed died when she was poisoned. Korra's body trembled in her chair as the sting of fresh hot tears trailed down her gaunt face.
Kuvira stood up. "I would never lie about something like this but I know when I've overstayed my welcome. Korra, thank you for making an exception to allow me to visit you. I shall not bother you or your family anymore."
Korra sought Kuvira's emerald gaze one more time. She desperately needed to know if she was telling the truth. The serene voice spoke again, urging her to believe but how could she believe after all she'd been through?
"Goodbye, Korra." The metalbender opened the door and before she stepped out, she offered Korra a sad smile.
"I'm glad I had this chance to see you one more time."
Suddenly, Kuvira felt pressure so strong she let go and the door slammed so forcefully, it shook in its hinges. She turned around and for an instant, she could swear she saw Korra's eyes turn white.
"Kuvira wait! I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Pained sobs erupted from Korra's chest in a deluge she couldn't stop. She surrounded her polar bear dog's neck as she held on to her tightly, her whole frame trembling with her cries. Naga's neck was wet with Korra's tears. When Korra finally opened her eyes, she saw Kuvira kneeling in front of her. A bandaged hand rested gently over her shoulder while she placed the pillow Korra had tossed between her back and the chair's backrest.
"You don't have to say anything. I understand."
Korra's eyebrows shot up, alarmed. "Kuvira, your face. You have blood!"
The metalbender ran her fingertips over her cheek and realized what happened. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."
Naga felt it was her time to intervene, so without warning, she licked Kuvira's cheek as the metalbender stared back at her dumbfounded.
"Well, I guess that takes care of that..." the metalbender stammered.
Korra let out a hearty chuckle that was punctuated by an unexpected hiccup and both women erupted together in laughter.
"Kuvira, are you free tonight?" the Avatar asked, surprising herself in the process. She liked how bold and confident she sounded.
"I guess so," Kuvira replied, a faint red colored her cheeks. "Why are you asking?"
"Isn't it obvious? I've been a terrible host but I will make it up to you. Tonight at ten, palace observatory. You'll be in for a treat."
"Are you sure? I don't want you to exert yourself unnecessarily."
Korra scoffed. "Oh please! I have enough of that with my parents! So, are you in?"
Kuvira nodded. "I am."
As Kuvira departed for her room, Korra flashed a confident smile, and for a magical moment, all seemed to be well in the world.
That night, as convened, Kuvira met Korra in the palace's observatory. Wrapped in thick, warm furs and with Naga faithfully at Korra's flank, Kuvira was finally able to witness what Korra had boasted so much about on that clear and quiet night atop Zaofu's eastward dome. As the metalbender gazed at the sky in contemplative silence, marveling at the sight of the Spirit Lights as they engaged in their celestial dance, Korra let a content smile brighten her face. She couldn't remember when it had been the last time she smiled so carefree, so unencumbered from the world's burdens upon her shoulders. Tonight she was just an ordinary girl sharing a wonder of nature with a friend. She knew this was a momentary respite from the ongoing battles she waged for her strength and her own sanity. Amidst Kuvira's awed silence and serene countenance, Korra sensed how shadows of concern dimmed her eyes. In days, the metalbender would no longer stare at the stars but at the formidable walls surrounding the legendary capital of the Earth Kingdom. Each woman faced a daunting challenge. Korra's battle was with herself. Kuvira faced a world on the brink of chaos, but the possibility of failure was all too real for the two of them. That's why this night was so important to them. When despair menaced to pull them down, they could look back to this magical moment to gather strength and resolve.
That night when Kuvira brought Korra back to her room, they knew beyond doubt a special bond had been forged. Neither wished the magic to end but reality would soon rear its ugly head.
As she readied herself to return to her room, Kuvira tucked her in her bed with utmost care. She gazed one last time at the dozing face of Korra, and possessed by an irresistible impulse, she placed a feathery kiss over her temple.
"Good night, Korra," she sighed.
"You can stay if you want," Korra whispered with a lopsided smile.
The metalbender stammered stunned "I–"
"Please do, I just know I won't have nightmares if you're around."
Kuvira inhaled deeply. If only she could stay to fight the nightmares every night…
"Alright, but I'll blame you if Ba Sing Se falls because your father killed me before I could make it there."
That night Naga did not howl and when Senna found her daughter peacefully asleep for the first time in months, she cursed Zaheer's name one more time. She found the captain also profoundly asleep still wearing her Zaofu tunic, and a hand firmly locked with one of Korra's. Senna felt she had irrupted into a private moment but she knew Kuvira had a ship to board. She had finally run out of time.
"Kuvira, I'm afraid your time is up," Senna said as she tapped the metalbender's shoulder.
Kuvira opened her eyes and when she saw blue eyes so similar to Korra's staring back at her she almost fell to the floor in panic.
"Senna, …"
"My daughter is enjoying her first nightmare-free night in months, that's all I need to know," she softly replied as she brought Kuvira in an embrace and Kuvira hugged her back. No more words were exchanged as both women departed the room, allowing Korra to continue her deserved slumber in peace.
An hour later, Kuvira leaned against the stern of the frigate as she watched how the capital city became smaller and smaller. She tilted her head up as she welcomed the invigorating warmth of the sun and smiled inwardly. Soon her mind would be filled with battle plans and tactical maneuvers but she would forever savor the moment in which neither Korra nor her deferred to their roles. They were just two girls gazing at the stars, side by side.
A sailor extended an envelope to her. With a sigh, she ripped the envelope expecting another telegram for Baatar Jr urging for her arrival. Instead, it was a note penned in handwriting that felt both familiar and unique.
"I'm not much of a writer but I'll be waiting anxiously for your letters, so write me. K.
PS, when you feel lost, let the stars guide you."
Kuvira chuckled as she read the letter again. Instead of crumbling it into a ball, she folded the document carefully and tucked it underneath her chest plate, just over her heart.
-The End-