And now, a not so fluffy chapter. Thank you all for your reviews so far! I've read and appreciated all of them!
"I can't have one night," Korra grumbled to herself. Asami was about to kiss her—which meant Asami actually wanted to kiss her—and now she was desperately trying to foil a kidnapping attempt.
She begged her fellow tribesmen to walk away, but they were too strong in their convictions and insisted on fighting her if she wouldn't join them. Unalaq was growing difficult to deal with, but kidnapping him wasn't the answer. How she was going to stop a war now, Korra didn't know.
She tied up the last masked southern tribesman against a column of the main palace chamber, and then sprinted out the side archway, down the steps, and into the courtyard. Asami had gone the same way a few minutes ago, chasing after the burly man who Korra fervently hoped wasn't her father. He'd broken off from the rest of the group, an unconscious Unalaq slung over his right shoulder and, when Korra broke through the ice wall the southern tribesmen used to cover him, Asami wordlessly ran after him. If Korra weren't immediately occupied with dodging icicles and water whips, she would've followed.
Over the course of her fight, she felt nothing from Asami's end, so she assumed her soul mate was okay. Korra's boots hit the courtyard ground when she heard her name called. She spun towards the sound and saw the muscled man facedown on the ground, just shy of a snowmobile. Asami stood with her hands on her hips, beaming at her, and a disoriented Unalaq sat in the snow by her feet, rubbing the back of his head.
Korra jogged over. The man sprawled in the snow had his hands tied behind his back. Asami was thorough in stopping him. Korra couldn't help but feel proud. The man's head turned and the cloth covering his face fell away, revealing one of her father's friends. Not her father. A gasp of relief burst from her lips.
"What happened?" Unalaq asked as soon as Korra stopped in front of him. "Where are my guards?" He looked around slowly. What did they do to her uncle?
"Some people tried to kidnap you, uncle, but we stopped them," Korra said, helping him to his feet. As for his guards, Korra didn't know. The only ones she'd seen were the three knocked out near the entrance of the palace.
Unalaq looked at Asami, a frown working its way onto his face. "I see." He looked far off, then nodded. "Ah, here they are." He strode past her and Asami, walking gently towards a group of northern soldiers running towards them, spears raised.
"Not even a thank you," Korra mumbled as Asami moved closer to her. Without much thought, Korra looped her arm around Asami's waist. Because they could do that now, right? "Looks like you kicked butt and saved the day. Or night, I guess."
Asami smiled wide and turned into Korra's touch so they were standing face to face. Korra's mouth went dry when those green eyes locked on her face. But Asami's red lips dropped into a frown, taking the fluttering in Korra's stomach with it. She started to play with the fur collar of Korra's jacket. "I helped," Asami said quietly. "But I'm worried what this means. The man who had Unalaq, he was at Varrick's meeting. What if Varrick gave the order? He was making plans…"
Neither of them had a chance to say anything more. Unalaq barked, "Find Varrick! I want him to freeze in prison along with the rest of the traitors."
That's when Korra noticed several of the northern soldiers had the southern rebels already handcuffed and assembled behind the first line of warriors. In fact, over a dozen soldiers stood at attention now. Where were they when the kidnapping was going down?
But there were more important things at the moment. Korra had to try to salvage the situation. Her arm dropped from Asami and she approached her uncle and the northern soldiers. She could still stop this war. "You can't just lock them away. That will only make the south angry." She put as much power in her voice as she could. Her uncle had to understand that now was not the time to crack down.
"You want me to let them get away with it?" Unalaq snapped, his robes swirling around him as he faced her.
Korra took a step back. In the darkness, her uncle's eyes looked black and the torchlight from the nearby palace edged the lines of his face, making him look gaunt, skeletal. Then she remembered what she had to say. "No, but let them stand trial. Every water tribe citizen deserves that right." She held her breath. If he refused, then…then what? He would be breaking laws set down long ago. Even as chief, he couldn't deny his citizens this basic right.
Unalaq returned to a more relaxed stance. "Fine." He sounded composed again and Korra felt herself relax slightly. "I will respect the Avatar's decision in this matter."
Korra exhaled sharply, feeling the tension seep from her shoulders. "Thank you, Uncle." She wouldn't have to fight him on this after all.
He turned as if to leave, but instead he stepped around her and stood in front of Asami. Every muscle in Korra's body tensed. "Miss Sato, as a known associate with Varrick, you'll have to come with my officers."
Asami put her hands on her hips. "What? I have nothing to do with this."
"You were awfully quick to arrive on the scene," Unalaq said, eyeing her.
Korra cut in front of Asami, placing herself between her soul mate and her uncle. How dare he make that assumption? Asami was the one who rescued him! "She was with me, Uncle. We were walking together when we heard noises from the palace."
His eyes narrowed but he raised his hand, as if to calm a child. Korra gritted her teeth. "Then she will have no trouble explaining herself to my officers."
"You're not taking her anywhere." Korra took a step forward and glared up at her uncle. "She's done nothing wrong. She saved your life!"
"And I appreciate it." His face smoothed and maybe he looked sincere but the blood pounding through Korra's head made it hard for her to discern anything but her own anger. "I merely want to make sure there was no sinister motive behind it. If your…friend is as innocent as you say she is, then we'll have this resolved quickly."
"Korra." Asami squeezed her forearm and walked around her. "I can handle this."
"I know you can but you shouldn't have to." Like Asami needed anyone else persecuting her.
Asami gave her a small smile. "I'll be okay. It's just a few questions, right?" She looked to Unalaq, who nodded. "Nothing I haven't done before. I'll be back out in no time." She pulled Korra into a hard hug that left Korra blushing, especially when Asami whispered, "And then maybe we can pick up where we left off." Whether she meant it or not (the mood was kind of spoiled), the phrase eased Korra all the same.
Korra watched as Asami marched back into the palace, Unalaq and two soldiers in tow. She'd expected Asami to fight the request, but she supposed it was a move to protect Future Industries more than Asami's personal preference to clear the air. Once Asami was gone from sight, Korra felt two pulses in her hands. Asami was letting her know she was still okay and that made Korra feel a tiny bit better.
Asami's plan to find out what Unalaq and his men were up to backfired. Rather than having an open discussion like she thought they would, Unalaq led her to an empty chamber with an ice table and chair, where she was asked to sit. It reminded her of the interrogation rooms back at Republic City's police headquarters. Then, Unalaq's men questioned her until dawn. They talked in circles—checking for slip-ups in her story Asami assumed—before Unalaq finally let her go.
They ignored the questions she posed: where were they when Unalaq was taken? What were they doing that was more important than protecting the chief of the water tribes? Instead of answering, they barraged her with the same set of questions over and over again. Asami wasn't sure how many times over the past several hours she'd said, "My contract with Varrick clearly states he's buying delivery satomobiles for commercial use," or "Future Industries doesn't make weapons anymore," but her throat was sore by the time she staggered outside of the palace into the first light of day.
At least I wasn't thrown in prison this time, she thought as she shielded her eyes from the harsh sunlight. She was more than a little surprised when an instant later Naga bounded up and knocked her over, whimpering and licking Asami's face. Just as suddenly as the polarbeardog was upon her, she was gone.
"Naga!" Korra protested. She shoved the beast away and helped Asami up. "Are you okay? You look exhausted. I've been trying to get them to let you go for hours but my uncle said he had to make sure you were completely faultless." She looked down at her boots. "I was actually thinking about coming in and busting you out."
Korra didn't seem to be aware she was stroking Asami's face, but Asami wasn't going to stop her. Her hands were warm and Asami would be lying if she said she hadn't dreamed about Korra being this affectionate. And it kind of made up for the infuriating hours she spent in the palace.
"That would've gone over well," Asami said through a yawn. The look on Korra's face made her turn away. The intensity with which she stared was flattering but also way too much to deal with at this hour. "Thank you for trying." She pried Korra's right hand from her face and took it into her own hand.
Korra looked down at their hands and Asami watched as her cheeks tinged. Memories of what happened before her interrogation and the palace fight drifted to the forefront of her mind and Asami almost blushed, too. She nearly kissed Korra and Korra wasn't going to pull away. That was all too encouraging. Everything seemed so perfect. The dinner, the way Korra never looked away from her, the late night walk where Korra held her, like she actually wanted Asami closer…Almost all of Asami's anger burned away. Korra's presence made everything more bearable.
Naga whined and nudged Korra's arm with her muzzle, huffing out of her wet, black nose. "Okay, okay!" Blue eyes fell on Asami's face. There were dark circles under Korra's eyes. She hadn't slept all night either. As drained as Asami was, the sentiment made her stomach wriggle pleasantly. "I've got to feed Naga. I can give you a ride back to your place. You can get some sleep."
Asami nodded. Sleep. That sounded amazing right now. Snuggling under all those blankets. Then, when she woke, she'd start working on a plan to get her out of business with Varrick and get a pass to leave this place, to sail back to Republic City. During her interrogation, the northern officers slapped a pile of letters from her executive board on the table. They'd apparently been withholding her mail for the past two days "out of suspicion." Legality aside, Asami paged through the letters to find them all urgently calling for her to return home—a significant shipment to the Fire Nation had been lost at sea and investors were growing more concerned the longer she stayed away.
A blip of anger bubbled in her veins but she didn't have the energy to maintain it. Yes, there was much to be handled. But sleep first.
The ride back to the guest huts was uneventful and silent. They were just passing Korra's parents' house when Tonraq appeared in the doorway, waving tentatively. Korra stopped Naga and Asami did her best not to groan in protest. Her bed was close, and yet so far.
"Are you girls all right?" he asked. "We heard what happened last night." Senna appeared at his elbow, concern etched in every line of her face.
"Do you mind if I stop for a moment?" Korra whispered, turning in her seat. "It'll be quick. I want to apologize to my dad."
"Go ahead." Korra needed her parents around her now more than ever. Asami wasn't going to get in the way.
She didn't expect Korra to drag her along, but Asami didn't complain when she found herself seated across from Korra's parents. She nibbled on a kale cookie Senna offered her as Korra and her dad stared each other down, trying to figure out how to start.
Korra broke first. "I'm glad you weren't involved in the attack." Asami watched Korra wring her hands. "And I'm sorry for even thinking you capable of doing something like that. I know you better than that."
Tonraq sighed and his shoulders slumped forward. "My brother and I may have our differences but I would never attack him. I had no idea how far Varrick was willing to go."
So Varrick was behind it all. Asami felt sick. Her first major business deal was with a war-inciter. She could hear her board now, chiding her, suggesting once more for her to sign the company over into their more capable hands. There was also the fact that Varrick was making Korra's life difficult, too, which upset Asami.
"Asami, are you all right? You don't look well." Senna brushed a hand over Asami's hand curled on the table.
"Mhm. Tired." She didn't want to burden Korra's mother with everything. Senna barely knew her.
Korra looked at her briefly before looking back at her parents. Go on, Asami thought, talk to them. I'm okay. That was a lie, but Korra needed this moment. Asami was relieved when Korra started speaking to Tonraq again.
"I know you've been trying to protect me, that your choices are made out of love for me, and I shouldn't be so angry, but I'm the Avatar and there's so much I have to deal with." She pulled at her wolf tails. "I almost felt like you were holding me back at times, but—"
"I was," Tonraq chuckled, though there was no humor to it. "I've been so focused on protecting you, Korra, because you're our daughter. But I sometimes forget the world needs you to be the Avatar, too."
Senna set her teacup down on the table. "When your father and I found out we were soul mates and we got married, we both knew we wanted to live together in a quiet, little house and raise a family. Then, we discovered you were the Avatar." The way she said it, so bright, so excited, Asami could practically feel the pride rolling off of Senna, as well as a tinge of sadness. "Simple was over. So we knew the day would come where the world needed you and you wouldn't need us anymore."
Tonraq sighed and scratched the back of his neck. So that's where Korra got the tic. "I guess we've—me in particular—been trying to prolong the inevitable. It's selfish but you're our daughter and we love you so much. While we're proud of everything you've done as the Avatar, we don't want the world to have you just yet."
The look in Korra's face when she questioned over and over again why her father would put her in the White Lotus compound still burned brightly in Asami's memory. But now she had her answer. Korra all but tackled her parents in a hug, crying hard. "Mom, dad, I'll always need you," she managed between sobs.
The scene before her—a mother and father hugging their daughter—made Asami's throat tighten and she looked away. She was happy for Korra, really, but…
A scuffling against the floor made Asami look up again. Korra was reaching out to her, cheeks tear-stained, eyes rimmed in red, but smiling all the same. "Come here," she said, patting the floor space between her and her parents. Hesitantly, Asami stood, walked the few steps, and sat down again. "Asami's had a rough night, too."
Korra gave a quick rundown of what happened after Unalaq was rescued and Asami watched as Tonraq frowned deeply. Senna reached over and laid a hand on Asami's arm. When Korra finished, it was like a switch was thrown. One minute, all was quiet, and the next, Tonraq and Senna had their arms around her as if…as if…
Asami's throat was so tight she was convinced she'd choke. Her eyes blurred with tears, which fell seconds later and her makeup was probably a mess and then Korra's arms were around her waist. Asami clutched the front of Korra's coat and buried her face in Korra's shoulders. Soothing words reached her ears and that sent Asami over the edge. She full out cried.
Cried because she hadn't slept in almost twenty-four hours, because Unalaq and Varrick had her in a tough position, because her company was going under, but most of all because it wasn't her mother and father's arms around her.
She became vaguely away of Tonraq muttering about his brother and Senna stroking the back of her head, but the most present feeling was Korra's firm hands on her waist. After a few minutes, Asami ran out of tears and the arms around her (except Korra's) slipped away.
"Thank you," Asami said, releasing her grip on Korra to wipe away the tears—and probably further ruin her makeup.
"Korra's told me a bit about you," Senna began. This surprised Asami; she had no idea Korra found time to talk about non-Avatar things with her parents. The thought made her blush. "From what she's said, it sounds like you're going through more than we could ever imagine, but I can tell you're strong, Asami. You'll make it through all of this, sweetie. I know it."
Tonraq nodded. "You are strong. Heard you were the one who took down Hahn. He's the size of a platypus-bear. If you can handle him, you can handle anything." He placed a large hand on her shoulder and grinned. Korra obvious inherited her smile from him, too.
Asami almost spiraled into another crying fit. It had been a long time since adults showed faith in her, even if it was blind. These people didn't even know her, yet here they were, comforting her, treating her like they treated Korra. Asami wondered if they knew she and Korra were soul mates or if it was their parental instincts kicking in. "Thank you both, so much," Asami croaked.
Korra sighed heavily, like she was preparing to say something, when the entrance flap opened. Everyone turned to see a tall, dark figure darken the doorway. Unalaq walked in and the air chilled around them, like his very presence could alter the temperature of a room. Asami regretting crying. If there was one person she didn't want to look weak in front of, it was Unalaq.
"What are you doing here?" Tonraq asked, gruff.
Three soldiers filed in behind Unalaq and they spread out, sinking into stances and drawing water from their pouches. As if there was going to be a fight. What did Unalaq think he was doing? Then, Unalaq smiled. "Tonraq, Senna, you're under arrest."
"For what?!" Korra leapt up. Any thought of reaching up to grab her hand to calm her vanished when Asami saw wisps of steam roll off Korra's fists. So she got to her feet, too.
"Avatar Korra, if you interfere, I will have no choice but to arrest you right along with them." Unalaq's hard eyes stared down at Korra.
The thought of punching him in the face was really appealing right now, but Asami restrained herself. Mostly. She couldn't help but snap, "Answer her. What are the charges?"
"Conspiring to assassinate me," Unalaq said, his stupid, smug smile firmly affixed.
Assassinate?! All the blood drained from Asami's face as the soldiers advanced.