A spirit adventure (part 3)
The room was warm and humid. Humid from ever person who had been in an out of it that day. Chanting a prayer for the loss and some to say a few words to an old friend. The table placed against the walls held candles in varying stages of depletion. Only when all the candles had finished their journey, as in life and, come to an end could the ceremony be over. Some were there; others had a few more hours to go.
There were a couple of pillows for the monks to rest their knees when they prayed. Laid down in front of an urn. Unaltered in color from the clay from which it had been handmade from. Nor any ornate design added for embellishment. It had been made for the simple life of the ashes of the one who now resided inside. There was not even an identifying marker to tell who they were.
She would become faceless when laid to rest with the others. But till then she was the women who had helped Korra rediscover herself as the avatar. Shaman Rona. Korra had always meant to come back. To thank the women for all she had done. Some promises are hard to keep. But at least she could say goodbye. And hope Rona could hear her prayers. Nor be offended. Why did I eat those things? As her stomach burned. Creating a gas that bubbled up till it expelled itself as a spicy low hiss. Spirits, this is embarrassing. Rubbing her belly to soothe the fire inside. Hoping that Lin brought some medicine. Fire nation food never sat right. She guessed when one lived on a diet of seal meat and noodles. Both very tasteless foods. Of course someone from the southern water tribe couldn't handle food with more oomph to it.
Cursing silently Korra rubbed her stomach before clamping her hands back together. Digging her nails into the flesh till her knuckles went white.
Lin could easily picture that ruffled brow and those frowning lips. Though all she could see was the ghostly visage of her wife hunched over. Lin reached out and massage her wife's back. Rubbing the tips of her fingers in circles. Which did two things. Made her wife straighten to help keep the acid from bubbling up easier. And second...was a distraction for her. She didn't know this women. Of course it would of been different if they had. But she did say a quick prayer and that was it. Now she was sitting there on what passed for comfort to the monks of Bhanti temple. Waiting to get on an enjoy her vacation. The fingers did a walk down a flimsy undershirt. Robe taken off and wrapped around Korra's waist. Turning it into a more than bias cut skirt that hid her pants as well as her feet. She looked like a crotchety princess.
"Are we done then?" A voice inquired to the women's left.
Lin cracked an eye. With her legs splayed out in front of her Yee-Li sat on her hands; wiggling her bare toes and looking around. It had been a miracle the kid had been able to hold her tongue this long.
But it wasn't like Yee-Li was stupid. She knew her mothers were doing something important. At least up until that point. When momma started doing lovey dovey things. Gross, why are all grownups so weird. Is this gonna happen to me? She wondered. No way. Only mommy can kiss me; and momma too I guess. Mommy would get mad at me if I didn't let her anyway.
Lin was crouched. Now behind her daughter. Playing with her bangs in either hand. Twisting the hair out of place. So Yee-Li swatted at her to stop. Which Lin did and hooked her hands under her daughters arm pits and pulled her onto her feet from behind. Dangling her kicking body in the air for a few then set her down onto the stone. The floor was warm like there were a sun blazing on the tiles in the very room. Yee-Li wiggled her toes and smiled at the nice feeling.
Korra gave a final slight bow of her head before opening her eyes. They held sadness and were wet at the corners. So Yee-Li decided to give her mommy a hug to make the bad feelings go away. Big brown arms drew the child close. Allowing her to bury her nose into the Childs sweat smelling hair.
Korra felt the soft and silky texture. Spirits, she's more girly than the two of us put together. No truer a fact than of course the amount of time it took for the three to get themselves together. Yee-Li would rise a whole half hour before the other two. Just to work of smoothing those naturally curly locks. That and Yee-Li made sure to be up so her mother's couldn't steal all the hot water. As they seemed to want to shower together.
A second strong pair of arms circled Korra's head from behind. The warmth on her back as well as her front was becoming stifling in such a hot room. So she pushed the two away. Making sure to giggle to let her daughter know she was better. Yet Korra was quick to seek out Lin's hand when she got onto her feet. And received a very reassuring squeeze.
Unable to give the urn another look Korra and the rest of them left. However, the last one out was Yee-Li. Who did look back. And respectfully gave the urn a short bow at the waste. The person who's ashes were laid to rest inside may of been someone she had never known. But she was important to her mother, the avatar, in a way that Yee-Li wouldn't find out why until she was older. And as her momma would say that was more than enough of a reason to show the person respect.
As the group exited they wondered through a long hall with high arches. Made of stone but not by an earthbender; Lin was sure of this. No the sharp edges and precision of detail could only of come from a skilled craftsman. The golden statue of a meditating man; his eyes closed to the world around him. But with a furled lip that spoke of a secret known only to him.
Through the arches of the hall. The family could see the monks at work. Tending to the plants and wildlife.
A young boy, the same one from the cart in fact, was sweeping the hall in front of them. When he saw the trio coming towards him her was quick to avert his gaze.
Lin could feel his heart speeding up.
They walked right by. And had gotten a few feet more before a spike of bravery jammed in his chest sending the young boy at their heels. He had to ask. Had to be sure.
"Ommf." The boy found himself leveled by a firm hand.
A snort came from a short nose. And the young boy found himself lifted back onto his feet. "Sorry kid. I don't like to have people walk up on me like that."
The young boy bowed deeply to the older women.
"Please." Lin held her hand up. "It was my fault."
"Nonono. It was my fault for sneaking up on you like that." Though he meant his words to sound kind. The hardness of his voice made him more threatening. And in the light his face was in a perpetual glare. It was even harder for Lin to believe this kid wanted to be a monk now.
A hand bumped his chest. "You didn't sneak up on me. I could see you coming a mile away."
The boy stumbled over his words. Not entirely sure how to make a rebuttal to that tidbit of wisdom. The older women couldn't have that much confidence in herself. Tone and tight; she couldn't be that perceptive.
"What do you want from us?"
Then again she might of been telling the truth.
Picking up his broom the young boy clutched it tightly. "Um..." He stumbled, and mumbled. Rolling over the small choice of vocabulary in his immature mind. He did not know the words in the right order to make it sound any less blunt. So he at least started to talk to the one he was questioning. "May I...Can I, ask you a question maim?" Addressing the water tribe women who had accompanied the one who had attacked him.
Maim? Korra stumbled at being addressed in such a formal manner. And she didn't consider it flattery. S'not like I don't have nice skin. Asami said mine made me look just as young as her. And she uses make-up and stuff. I have natural beauty...and am still youthful!
Lin snickered as her wife harrumphed. She knew exactly what had set her off.
"Go ahead then." Drawing herself to height. Which came to about the young kids nose. But stuffing her arms in her sides and biting her lip angrily made the monk shrivel. Which brought him down to eye level.
"Umm-umm."
"Answer her." Lin flanked him. Now two of the toughest people in all the four nations. One who'd taken on crooks and thieves. The other spirits and evil plots to destroy nations.
"Ummm-I-umm-was just wondering umm." He tugged on the collar of his robe. Unable to look away from the two walls of flesh that blocked ever attempt to look away. "Is-all-umm are you...are you the avatar? I've heard about you. But the-ummm- the village I grew up in was very poor. We don't have news papers..."
Spirits. Lin rubbed her face with her hand.
Korra had sunk down into her boots.
Having not paid attention to this talk from the first word. Yee-Li had been facing the gardens outside. And running her new comb through her hair. Red on red. To straighten the tangles her momma had made. She was ignorant to her mothers embarrassment.
"They said she was from the water tribe and none visit any part of the fire nation still since-you know-the war was over. And..."
The warmth of a comforting hand lay itself on his shoulder. And he need only look into those aqua colored eyes to know that his assumptions were correct.
But Korra said it anyway. "Yes. I'm avatar Korra; Korra Beifong to be precise."
Lin had avoided involving herself in the conversation entirely at this point. To not try and stick her foot in her mouth and make a bad reputation for herself out in this part of the world. She didn't want to be known as the former chief of police now spending her time picking on monks. Oh spirits. What have I done. I pushed him down. I practically interrogated the poor kid when all he wanted to do was ask a question about my wife. And she would of chastised herself some more if it weren't for the nose lengthening pride she felt at Korra saying her last name. It's not often she got to be with her when she announced that special word that tied them together.
"Again I'm sorry for..." The young monk bowed to Lin.
"Please kid. No. Just no." Lin shook her head. She pushed a monk. Mother would be proud of all this. And she could picture the cheer and raised fists. That big bun bouncing.
As a monk, or one in training at least, the kid couldn't let it go. Bowing at the waist till his head near touched the ground. The ultimate sign of surrender. "Please-accept my apologies. You're a friend of the avatar. I am truly sorry for what I did."
Lin shook her head. This was way to overboard. She had done the dead and now he was trying to say sorry? What kind of sense did that make. In her defense he was a teen; and korra was hot.
With a yelp the kid was yanked by the back of the collar upright again. Lin had enough of this. "Stop it kid. It was my fault. So stop apologizing for it." She grumbled. To make sure, cause she knew he was going to say it again, Lin clamped a hand around the kids mouth. "Leave it." She let go and moved behind Korra so that the two could talk.
Being in the presence of such a figure was exciting and stomach turning. The avatar was a role model for any monk seeking spiritual clairvoyance.
"Can I ask you something?" Korra asked a touch to the monks arm to get his full attention.
The feeling of oneness? That aura she gave off being at peace with the entire universe. Maybe because he was a just starting in his training he felt it easier than most; it made him relax from the previous tension and anxiety caused by her friends behavior. Yet Lin would say he was making that up. That he only wanted to pretend that it existed. Lin knew though. She'd known Korra both before and after. And motherhood changes you. It wasn't being the avatar that made her act calmer, or even project it onto others. That high strung behavior leaked through every now and again when the big problem popped up. No, it had nothing to do with her title. It had everything to do with that little red headed child she decided to bring home one night. And what had almost been Lin's worst decision ever; she had luckily let her keep Yee-Li. Which had turn her into this goddess of tranquility the young monk thought he saw.
The monk nodded to proceed with the question.
"Why did you decide to become a monk?"
"I don't know why. I just decided to do it." He answered truthfully. He was just a poor kid. Who one day decided to stick with the poor life style for the rest of his run on this world. Except maybe he'd find some answer or discover the secret to himself. Maybe he wouldn't. But the monk's of the Bhanti tribe always offered help to those in need. They helped with the smaller problems. Clothing. Feeding. And taking care of the sick. The avatar was just one women after all; still mortal. "I just wanted to help people. Like you." He said.
Yanked into a tight hug the man was stunned to receive such attention. From this person who he had regarded so highly as his inspiration. A thank you was whispered into his ear. And the tears that remained when they parted were wiped away on the fur of her coat that encircled her waist.
Though the young monk was a decent man and averted his gaze needlessly. As the 'skirt' flashed what he pictured were very nice calves. That did loosen Lin's lips when the next question was for her.
"May I ask how you know the avatar miss..." he stumbled just like the captain.
"I'm Lin Beifong."
"Oh, so you must be her Aunt?"
Her hand twitched, hard, and had a lot of willpower holding it back from slapping that snickering person next to her. Who happened to be someone she held most dear. And abuse towards one's spouse is a slippery slope she'd seen repeated time and again; but had the good graces to learn from others mistakes.
"Actually I'm her wife." Lin corrected.
The young monk to a second for the line to sink in. Two to process it and turn his face a healthier shade darker. That so called aura he felt from Korra was gone. Or at least didn't have the desired effect he wanted it to anymore. Then he saw the kid. Fire red hair. Defined cheek bones. Definitely from the fire nation. But he didn't want to ask how she fit into the whole puzzle. That was too much to take in; probably a story for another time too.
Korra and Lin exchanged looks. As the young monk simply went blank as if he had become one with the universe at that moment. Still red faced he wandered out away. Rubbing the stick end of the broom while the bristle's cleaned the dust in the air. And leaving sharp blemishes in the wood.
An arm circled around Korra's shoulder. "Well that's one way to get rid of him." Lin joked.
"Do you think he's ok."
"He's fine little penguin. Probably just heartbroken. Not every day you see a hot women on this island. And to top it off she's taken...that'd be a blow to anyone."
Korra giggled. Tapping Yee-Li on the shoulder to get her attention to follow them as they got moving again. "Your right about the hot part." She hummed. Leaning onto Lin's shoulder.
The beautiful scenery of lush growth going on outside. Nor the tapestry on the inside of the temple could pull their sense away from taking in the comfort of having each other close.
"You do know I was talking about you Lin?" Korra said.
"And I you, little penguin. So let's agree and start this vacation off right." And no sooner did they breach the outside of the temple. A fresh breeze to cool them down. And the sweet stinging fragrance of the flowers growing around the entrance. Do they hear the angry rant of a man. Who was dressing down one of the monks.
"...that damn spirit..." Was heard clear as a water dropping in an empty room.
Lin stiffened knowing her wife's ears had probably picked it up too. Sad to feel the warmth leave her side she still dutifully followed behind. Grabbing the top of her kids head to steer her in the right direction as well. Since she was still preoccupied with tending to her already perfectly groomed hair. She doesn't need to comb it all the time. I think the curls are cute. What was said inside was much easier to express. Words, or nice ones, didn't come easy for Lin.
So when she heard pieces of the conversation as they got closer. A broken fence. The man's cattle got out. It was a simple matter. A minor offense in her book. Something easy to handle. So Lin hooked her arm tight around Korra's and steers her away.
"What are you doing?" Any attempt to free herself was useless. Korra knew how strong a grip Lin had. Any attempt to flee. Whether from this situation or a much more desirable one, with maybe some nice lingerie, or this not so one. Still she struggled. "Lin let go."
A growl bit off next to her ear. "No." Said the beast now wearing her wife's face. "We are here as a family. Not for business. If they need you that badly they know where to find you. Until then; not our problem.
"Lin!"
"Not. Our. Problem." That was the final word. It had been dropped. And Yee-Li was none the wiser to her mother's squabble.
The avatar. Master of all four elements. Keeper of the peace. Was dragged away like a spoiled child. But soon cheered up at the promise of a meal for her poor empty belly.