AN: Secrets. Thought I was going to have trouble with this one. It got a little dark.
P'li sat up in bed, holding fire in her palms for light. Zaheer had fallen asleep hours ago. Her own thoughts were keeping her awake. These were memories that she would not share with anyone.
She had spoken with Zaheer many times about her past, about her life when she was held captive by the warlord. He knew much of what had happened. But still, she had yet to tell him the most vile things the warlord had made her do. Those memories caused too much pain and any attempt she made to speak of them ended with her freezing and quickly changing the subject. It made her angry that she couldn't overcome those moments of trauma.
Zaheer knew she hadn't told him everything and he was fine with it. He simply told her that she could tell him when she was ready, if that day would ever come.
She was grateful that he never demanded to know to know those details of her life; but she wished that he knew. It would be the very last bit of intimacy she could share with him. Unfortunately, the very thought of those moments made her physically sick and she wasn't sure if she could ever speak of them.
That was why she hated those in power. They could get away with anything simply because they were either born into the right family or they were strong enough to take power from others. Leaders had gotten away with the same thing that had gotten her put in prison for thirteen years, and it made her angry. No one had cared when she and many other people had been taken and forced to learn combustion bending. She was the only one that survived the training. Nothing was done as dozens in poverty died each day from starvation, violence, cold, unsanitary living conditions, and sickness. Nothing was done about human trafficking. Those with money were not concerned about people who worked all day in factories for little pay, only to have most of their income taxed. And no one cared when a ruler conscripted their own citizens into the military, many being children. Those who had the power to stop these evils would not do so for political reasons. They were protected from the true evils of the world and would never experience the misery that many others had. Sure a good benevolent leader may come along, but what would stop a tyrant from coming along after?
She looked back down at Zaheer. She had been forced to do horrible things to others as a child, all because of a lie. And terrible things had been done to her. Things she'd rather forget. Maybe one day she could tell him all her secrets. But for now, she would keep them for herself. Luckily for her, he was ok with that.
AN: Okay this one got very weird. Some of the issues that I had with Korra came out in the second last paragraph. Also figured I give P'li some motivation for being an anarchist. Spirit World is tomorrow's theme.