Tenzin and Lin looked at each other confusedly.
"I have no idea why he would be here, Mother. We already have Tarrlok as a representative. Lin, I know you're on medical leave but do you know if the police are working a case regarding a Northern Water Tribe member?"
Lin thought for a moment and shook her head. "The blood benders who attacked me were from the Northern Tribe, but that case was handled with Tarrlok, not Chief Unalaq. Did he leave a message at least?"
Katara went to a nearby end table and pulled up a note. Taking it, Tenzin opened it and read aloud:
To Councilman Tenzin of the Air Nomads and Chief Lin Beifong of Gaoling,
I am in town for the opening of the new art exhibit at the Water Tribe cultural center, and would be honored to make your acquaintance. I have already reserved a table for tomorrow at 4pm at the Jasmine Dragon, please let me know if this time works for you both.
Sincerely, Chief Unalaq, Northern Water Tribe
"He's a little pushy, don't you think?" Lin mused, deftly taking the note out of Tenzin's hand and reading it over herself.
"Chief Unalaq is…something else. I guess the best term for him is unsettling?" Kya cracked.
"Kya!" Tenzin exclaimed. "He's Chief of the Northern Water Tribe and a noted spiritualist! Show some respect!"
"Sure, to his face. But you can't deny it Tenzin, something's off there."
Tenzin narrowed his eyes. "Weren't you his personal healer?"
"Yeah, as a favor to his wife. If you had ever dealt with him before, you would understand."
The chief crossed her arms. "I don't like his attitude already. At the same time, the last thing I want to do is slight a world leader and cause an uprising. He's down here for another reason, and I intend to find out what it is. Katara, would you be able to watch Korra tomorrow?"
"Of course," Katara said. "We need to work a bit more on her healing. Besides, once we're done with that I'm sure Bumi would love to spend some quality time with her."
"Did someone call me?" Bumi asked, poking his head out the door.
"No brother, go back inside with your wife."
"But I heard my name."
"I know, but-"
"So you were calling me!"
"Ugh, Bumi-"
"Hey, it's okay to ask for help from me every now and then. I don't mind, you know."
Tenzin sighed. "Good to know. Now don't you have something important you could be doing, like being with your wife?"
The elder brother pouted. "Fine, Airhead."
Katara and Kya had long left the room by then. Lin put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, just think of it as training for the kids."
Tenzin cast a wary eye at her. "If you say so."
Chief Unalaq of the Water Tribe was already waiting with a pot of spice tea when Lin and Tenzin arrived. "Ah, Councilman Tenzin, Chief Beifong, pleasure to meet you. Please, sit."
The duo sat and had two cups of steaming tea poured for them.
Clearing his throat, Tenzin started the conversation. "So, Chief Unalaq, it was wonderful seeing you at the opening of new exhibit at the Water Tribe cultural center."
"You as well, Councilman Tenzin. I met your Lieutenant Saikhan Chief Beifong, he seems to be a good man. Not one for ceremonial work? After presiding through many ceremonies myself, I can't blame you."
"I would have loved to attend, but I had family matters to attend to," Lin replied.
The chieftain smiled. "Ah family. Family really is the most important thing in life, isn't it? Tell me Chief Beifong, how many children do you and Tenzin have?"
"None, but between the both of us we have many nieces and nephews. And yourself?" Lin asked, wary of where this line of conversation was going.
"I have twins, Desna and Eska, who just turned four," he said, pulling out photos of a near-identical boy and girl. "Although we will be expanding our brood. I actually came to Republic City to adopt my niece."
"How wonderful! What is her name?"
"Korra."
Tenzin choked on his tea. Lin cooly sipped hers as she stared down a preening Unalaq.
"Hmmm, so it appears the White Lotus nor Katara told you about my relationship to Korra? How very odd indeed. Do the White Lotus even do anything anymore?"
"Of course," Lin replied, delicately placing her cup on its saucer. "They watch over Korra constantly, though I asked them to shed their uniforms for plainclothes work—it's hard to be discreet in a cloak covered in lotuses. In fact, they watched over her this morning when Tenzin and I officially filed the paperwork to adopt Korra."
"Paperwork that won't go through."
"I beg your pardon?" Lin scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
"You may have had both representatives from the Water Tribe sign off their approval, but that was before they knew that Korra had a living relative, and the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe at that. So Korra will be returning with me. I'll come for her tomorrow morning, that should give you all enough time to pack her up. See you tomorrow." With a self-serving smile, Unalaq left the table.
Bastard.
"Don't you dare touch me," Lin hissed as Tenzin opened the gate to Toph's house, breaking the stone path she walked on with every step.
"Do you think I like this any better?" Tenzin asked, hurrying to keep pace with his girlfriend. "Because if you think yes then you are sorely mistaken!"
Lin blew apart the front door. "KATARA!" She yelled. "We need to talk. NOW."
Hearing the commotion in the foyer, the master water bender rushed down the stairs. Every stone in the floor was broken, and there were cracks in the foundation. The front door was completely destroyed, and the garden beyond it overturned. In front of her was her son, trying in vain to restrain a seething Lin.
"You lied to me Katara!" Lin roared, fury contorting her features. "You told me that Korra had no other family, that she was orphaned in the attack on her compound! I trusted your word! And now look what's happened! Korra's UNCLE is picking her up tomorrow morning, and taking her away for good!"
Lin's knees buckled, Tenzin gently lowered her to the ground, tears streaming down both their faces.
"She can't leave," Lin said softly. "She's our baby."
Katara helped the chief up to her feet. "Come with me. There's something you need to see."
Tenzin and Lin found themselves in a guest bedroom that Katara used as an office. Sitting on the bed, the Airbender subconsciously drew Lin close to his side as his mother rifled through the papers on her desk.
"Mother, may I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"If Unalaq is really her uncle, then why was Korra kept at the South Pole?"
Katara paused momentarily. "If there is anything that I have learned through my experiences with your father, it's that ambition and power, if unchecked, turns corruptive. Fire Lord Sozin, with his grand aspirations, desired to turn the entire world into Fire Nation territory. Avatar Roku didn't act, and the Air Nomads eventually paid the ultimate price. Unalaq, unfortunately, shares Sozin's desires. He wants, more than anything, to bring both Water Tribes under his fist through physical and spiritual means. As such, he's taken a few…measures in the hopes that his ideas will come to fruition.
"Unalaq, you see, is the younger brother of Korra's father Tonraq. Tonraq was stubborn and impulsive, but he was also a great warrior who desired to do what was right for his people. Unalaq exploited that. He tricked his older brother into destroying a sacred forest, forcing their father into disinheriting his eldest son and giving the chiefdom to the 'sage, spiritual' Unalaq instead. Tonraq could never forgive his family, and planned never to speak to his brother again. He would have succeeded, but everything changed once Korra was named the new Avatar.
"For Unalaq, Korra is nothing more than a means to an end. With Korra as a protege he had a figurehead for his desires. By using his familial connection to the Avatar he could act on his plans for the Water Tribes, and spirits know what else he plans for. He wrote to Tonraq constantly for the chance to become her spiritual mentor, but after what happened to him Tonraq refused to let his brother anywhere near his daughter, even in death. Here, this is what I've been looking for."
Tenzin tentatively took the paper pro-offered by his mother.
As a warrior I have stared down death itself without blinking; as a husband and father, I fear its icy hold. I may be trained in the bending arts, but it would be foolish to call myself invincible. I pray that this document provides for the care of my estate, and above all my most precious treasure: my daughter, Korra.
There are few that I trust with my life, and even fewer that I trust with Korra's. Nakoda and his wife Okela are two such people. They are as caring as they are valiant warriors; I trust them to care for Korra should Senna and I not be able to.
Nakoda has been my closest friend since joining the Southern Water Tribe; I imagine if this document is needed, then Nakoda and Okela will not be able to raise our Korra as they too will have passed the same way Senna and I did. That is why I declare Master Tenzin of the Air Nomads to be my daughter's guardian. His spirituality is the perfect balance to my daughter's vivacious, earth-bound demeanor. I trust him, and him alone, with guiding my daughter in her studies and in her spirit.
I also choose Tenzin because he, along with his girlfriend Chief Lin Beifong of the Republic City Metalbending Force, are the only ones I trust to protect Korra from Unalaq. I do not trust my brother, and I especially do not trust him to keep Korra safe and give her the room she needs to become a fully realized Avatar. Unalaq can never, under any circumstances, be in charge of any part of my daughter's life. There is a reason I have never returned to the North, and I know that Tenzin and Chief Beifong will ensure that Unalaq will stay far away from Korra. Though I have never met the Chief of Police, her dedication to protecting the citizens of Republic City is legendary. I have no doubt that she will do the same for my daughter.
Lin took the letter from Tenzin and scanned through its contents. "I never even met Tonraq," she said, stroking her stomach. "Yet he trusted me with his daughter."
"He was right to," Katara replied. "Look how happy Korra has been ever since you started taking care of her."
"The question is, Mother, will this be enough?"
"It's a last will and testament—it's legally binding," Lin said. "If anything, it's more proof that the adoption papers we filed should be finalized in our favor."
"Maybe so, but be careful Lin," Katara cautioned. "Unalaq plays the long game. Just because Korra will be safe now doesn't mean she will be later."
"Don't worry about me, Katara," Lin said brusquely as she stalked out to her room. "I can handle myself. I think it's Unalaq's hurt pride we should be more concerned about."
Downstairs, Toph exited her practice room only to find her foyer in complete disarray. "Spirits Lin," grumbled Toph. "I thought my pregnancy mood swings were bad." Without another word, the retired chief of police bent her broken walls together, and smoothed out the cracks in her floor.
"Spirits I hope those kids are air benders. Air Temple Island won't know what hit them otherwise."
True to his word, Chief Unalaq showed up the next morning, eager to take Korra back to the North Pole.
"An honor to meet you, Toph Beifong," he greeted the master metalbender. "You have a lovely home. Are these new stone floors?"
"Yep, recently remodeled," Toph said.
"Chief Beifong, Master Tenzin, lovely to see you on this fine morning," Unalaq said, uncharacteristically jovial. "Now where is my charming niece?"
"About that," Tenzin said, pulling a piece of paper from his robes. "Korra won't be joining you today. Or at all for that matter. Take a look yourself."
Lin noted, with a bit too much satisfaction, the subtle reddening of Unalaq's face.
"That brother of mine and his diary entries," Unalaq chuckled, handing the paper back to Tenzin.
"That's no diary entry you saw. That's a last will and testament, and it's been notarized by both the Southern Water Tribe and by Republic City," Lin said. "You take Korra, it's kidnapping, and you will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law."
"That is preposterous!"
"You may be a world leader, Unalaq, but you aren't above the law."
"I won't stand for this, Chief Beifong! I am her uncle, taking her is my right!"
"I think it's time you leave, Unalaq," Tenzin said, positioning himself between the Water Tribe chieftain and his love.
"Or what, Tenzin?"
Tenzin would have knocked Unalaq off his feet had a fire whip not done so already.
"You stay away from my mama and daddy, bully!"
Korra jumped into a horse stance in front of Tenzin, ready to strike down the unfamiliar man before her.
"Wha-Korra, I'm your uncle! I'm Tonraq's brother!"
Korra responded by earth bending a boulder square into Unalaq's chest. Knocked to the floor, Unalaq scrambled into a defensive position.
"You're not his brother! He didn't have a brother!"
Growling in frustration, Unalaq bent the water out of Lin's freshly cut fire lilies.
"Yes he did! And like it or not, you're coming with me!"
"NEVER!" With that, Korra bent some of the water in Unalaq's hands into handcuffs and froze it across Unalaq's wrists. The rest she used to snap at the water chieftain's ankles, forcing him to the ground.
"I'm the Avatar! You gotta deal!"
Without a word Lin earthbent Unalaq to his feet, and Tenzin air bent him out the door. The irate chieftain hopped to his feet.
"This isn't the last of it! I'll come back with the fury of a—"
Unalaq never got to finish his sentence. Top had earthbent the ground around his feet and dropped him outside the gates to her home.
"SURE THING, WATER BRAIN!" Toph yelled. "Spirits, what a drama queen."
Tenzin crouched down to face his daughter. "Korra, you shouldn't have done that. You could have been hurt!"
"And that bad man could have hurt you and mama, daddy! He can't do that, no no no!"
Korra cried and threw herself into Lin's waiting arms, tears soaking the woman's clothes.
"Korra, I promise that the bad man isn't going to get anywhere near you ever again, okay?"
The little sniffled and nodded.
"And another thing water lily? You had excellent form on your horse stance."
Korra giggled and hugged Lin tighter, glad to be safe in her mother's strong arms once more.
