Kuvira ducked and launched her hand upward, avoiding her sparring partner's attack while simultaneously counterattacking and sending her partner to the ground. She smiled, reaching a hand down to lift the girl up.

"Nice one, Kuvira," she said, taking Kuvira's help off the ground. "One of these days I'm going to beat you."

Kuvira chuckled. "As if." She had been sparring members of the guard for as long as she could remember, even before she was one of them. They had never beaten her, not even when she was much younger. Her title of Su's protégé suited her.

"Kuvira, may I talk to you in the study?" a voice called from the main house. Her fellow guard member saluted quickly, but it didn't take that to alert Kuvira as to who was calling her. It was Su.

"Of course," Kuvira said, spinning around and saluting as well. She may have been living with the Beifongs for years, but she still was a member of their guard; she had to act professionally although she knew it made them slightly uncomfortable at times. Quite often she would forgo the formalities, especially with the kids, but in front of other guard members she had to be careful. She couldn't have them thinking she was receiving special treatment since she had lived in the Metal Clan household for most of her life.

Su nodded, turning to walk back into the house. Kuvira turned to her comrade who shrugged. Su hadn't seemed angry. As Kuvira walked into the house after her teacher, she wondered the purpose of this upcoming talk.

When she walked into the study, Su was already seated and pouring two cups of tea. Su looked up at her arrival and smiled, gesturing toward the seat across from her. Kuvira took it gratefully. At least the matriarch wasn't mad at her for something. In fact, the woman seemed quite happy, even excited.

Su handed her a cup of tea, which she took and sipped quietly.

"I saw that you were sparring with Mei," Su began. It was small talk, which Kuvira hated, but she would endure. She nodded. "You were doing quite well. I shouldn't be surprised. I don't think you've ever been beaten in a sparring match."

"Only by you," Kuvira commented. Even then, that had been years ago. Kuvira was pretty confident that she could hold her own against the matriarch, though she hoped that she wouldn't need to.

Su chuckled and leaned back in her seat. "That's true, I guess. Your skills are really remarkable, Kuvira. They always have been even when you were a young girl."

Kuvira bowed her head politely. "Thank you," she said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. She wished Su would just get to her point.

She noticed the slight change in Su's demeanor. Her eyes narrowed, and she sat a little straighter in her seat. This was the serious Suyin. Kuvira rarely liked the serious Suyin.

"As you know, my guard is only made up of the best benders in Zaofu," Su began. "That's why you were made a member early. You've always been particularly advanced in the art of metalbending. I wouldn't trust the lives of my family and my city with anyone else." Kuvira knew she should feel flattered by the woman's statements, but she couldn't help but feel a little hurt. She didn't want to be just the bodyguard. She wanted to be the "family." But that was a discussion for another time.

"Only the best of the best in the guard are promoted, and only the best of the promoted are made captain," Su continued. "I want you as the captain of the guard." Kuvira could not contain her surprise. She was still so young and inexperienced. To be head of the guard was a huge responsibility and honor.

"Me, the captain of the guard?" she asked, still shocked.
"Of course," Su said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're my top

guard member, a trusted member of Zaofu, and my protégé. I couldn't imagine a better person to lead the guard." Su reached behind her seat and pulled out a metal helmet. She held it out to Kuvira who hesitated before taking it.

Kuvira always knew that she was a member of the guard and responsible for protecting the Beifongs, but her duties became all too real in that moment. She wasn't family; she was just a protector. She took the helmet from her teacher with a forced smile.

"Thank you for this opportunity," she said.

~AN~

Thank you to talia1612 for pointing out that this chapter didn't post right. I have no idea what happened. So here is the chapter that you can actually read!

Thanks to those of you reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it! You make my day!

Until next week!