A/N: Oh Geez! I am so sorry this update took so long! I have been very busy with work and preparing to return to Uni in a few weeks but I'm still here, I promise! I'm cutting this chapter a bit shorter just to get it out there. Sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoy!

"I used to think this scar marked me - the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

— Zuko

…

"Hold still," she murmured, pressing the orb of water over his cheek in small soothing circles.

He was looking up at her, studying each line of her face from the downward bow of her lips to the wrinkle of concentration etched into her brow. She could feel each and every tick of his gaze as it blazed over her visage. It made her feel anxious, the way he stared until her skin was left stinging and hot like a sunburn.

"I'm sorry."

"I thought that I told you to stop apologizing," he reminded, grimacing when she passed over the burn on his jaw again. "Trust me, I've had worse."

She nodded, biting her lip to keep from apologizing again when he hissed out in pain. "Almost done."

Iroh had been showing her fire boxing moves when she had impulsively decided to try one out on him, expecting him to block or dodge but catching him unaware, instead. She found fire boxing fascinating. It was more open ended than Pro-bending with fewer rules. It was a true contest of strength, reflexes, and endurance. With multiple three-minute rounds and points awarded based on punches that connect, defense, and knockdowns.

Lightly padded fingerless gloves were used but no other padding or safety gear. It was primal. Korra found the singular focus that it required almost meditative. When fighting like that it was easy to become completely lost in the moment and intoxicated by the rush of adrenalin. The goal was a complete knockout, but it was hard-earned. Fire could be used to distract and intimidate but direct holds with fire or hitting below the belt, or trying to light the opponents clothes were all against the rules. Strategy was a big part as well, with each fighter having his or her own style. Like pro-bending it was a physical and mental sport. Each opponent having to devise the best way to approach a given stance or situation.

Iroh had been helping her to improve her uppercut punch when she had stupidly charged him and attacked, fire in hand. Idiot.

She cringed, angry at herself for getting too overexcited; she went to pull some fresh water from the basin when long fingers circled her wrist, stilling her movements. She looked down into deep golden eyes and blushed at the expression that greeted her; it was as if he was trying to look into her. So intense that she felt like she was being rubbed raw and left tingling. She hated when he looked at her like that.

"Korra…"

"D-does it still hurt? I can do one more pass," she stammered, wondering why she felt so skittish all of a sudden.

"No, its fine, now. Thank you," he reassured her, his fingertips slipping over the soft skin on the inside of her wrist before letting her go and standing from his seat. "Actually, there's something I need to ask you."

She breathed out in relief, glad to have 'rigid' Iroh back in place instead of the man who looked at her with such a profoundly soft and open expression. She was beginning to think that there were many different Iroh's instead of just one. There was the rigid, controlled, and commanding Iroh who seemed to appear most often. Then there was friendly-banter Iroh who liked a challenge and was a bit incorrigible. But the most recent Iroh was this one. The one who looked at her so strangely, as if he was waiting to see something in her expression or behavior and then was constantly disappointed to find it lacking. This side of him seemed a bit more melancholy and would often be quickly swept away by rigid Iroh before she could even begin to try to dissect what thoughts could be behind that look of disappointment.

"What is it?" she asked, rolling her shoulders that had become stiff from their healing session.

"My cousin will be arriving in a few days. It will be her first time at the palace in a few years and I was hoping that you could keep her company and show her around when she arrives."

"Of course, I'd be happy to."

Iroh nodded at her over his shoulder, his back to her as if he were already walking away, "Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back first."

Korra frowned in confusion; usually they would walk back through the gardens together after a sparring match. "Alright," she said as he moved away from her.

"Hey-Iroh…"

"Hm?" he turned back towards her expectantly and she looked at him searchingly. She sighed, blue eyes darting away and falling to the side.

"It's Nothing. Never mind."

.

.

.

Iroh's cousin, Evren was a handful.

Upon her arrival, the energetic girl had honed in on Korra immediately, not even waiting to be properly introduced before she had thrown her skinny arms around the older girl's waist.

"Avatar Korra!" she had exclaimed, brown eyes wide behind round rimmed spectacles.

"Evren!" an elderly man who had traveled with the young teen admonished her behavior only to be ignored by the hyperactive brunette.

"What's it like to bend all the elements?!"

"I must apologize for my student, Avatar Korra. She has apparently forgotten her manners," the man chided further before introducing himself, "I am Evren's tutor, Shouma. It is an honor to meet you."

"Avatar Korra," she greeted politely, unsure of what to do about the little monkey still wrapped around her middle. She looked down at the girl and couldn't help but laugh at her open adoration, "Evren, right? I'm Korra, I hope we'll be good friends."

"Of course we will!" she exclaimed assuredly as she pulled away, "That's why I'm here."

"Huh?"

It was only shortly after that, that Korra realized that Evren was meant to be her lady-in-waiting and companion. A permanent fixture at the Palace rather than a temporary guest. The chosen solution for a woman of Korra's position who refused servants. The Avatar was upset at first but as the days went by Korra began to value the young girls company.

Evren was open and sincere, quick to laugh and easy to get along with. She was curious and frightfully imaginative with a love for literature. She reminded Korra of a mixture between Ikki and Jinora. It was probably for that reason that she found herself becoming so attached to the younger girl after only a few weeks.

"I'm going to head off to bed," Evren said with a yawn, three weeks after her arrival, pushing her glasses askew so that she could rub at the tired eyes underneath.

"Alright, goodnight then," Korra responded from the floor where she was practicing her stretches. Their bedchambers were right next to each other so Evren would often spend time with Korra in the evenings either chatting or reading.

The smaller girl waved as she walked to the door that separated their rooms, leather-bound book in hand and Korra shook her head with a smile. It really was nice to have a friend again.

.

.

"Korra!"

"Nn…"

"Korrrraaaa, wake up! It's already dawn. Almeiza and Kazou are going to kill you!"

"Bzuhh."

"I know, 'mornings are evil!' Now get up!"

"Dun wanna," Korra protested, turning away from the pestering girl. Who decided dawn was a good time to wake up, anyway?

"You'll be late for the coronation breakfast."

"The c….," Korra suddenly shot up in bed. "Oh no! The coronation breakfast!" she looked at Evren in panic. "They're going to kill me!"

"I told you!"

"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" she demanded as she bolted to her closet for something suitable to wear.

"I tried!" she caterwauled. "It's not my fault that you sleep like the dead…"

"Yeah, well, we're both going to be wishing we were dead if we don't hurry. What time is it? No, never mind. I don't want to know," she shouted as she stepped into a dark purple dress robe that had been tailored for her the week before. "Can you get my hair clip? It should be in the bathroom hall," she asked as she sat at her vanity mirror and hurriedly combed through sleep knotted locks with a paddle brush.

"Which one?"

"The one with the purple flowers on the end."

Evren rushed passed her, skidding into the bathroom hall and searching the cabinets frantically.

"Where?"

"It should be in the box on the second shelf, I brought it with me from Republic City."

Evren shoved a stack of towels aside and dove for a small wooden box, opening it hastily and sending its contents scattering across the floor.

"Did you find it?!" Korra called from the next room.

"Yeah!" Evren hollered back as she reached for the golden clip with purple flowers but her eyes alighted on something else that made her freeze and her hand change direction.

She picked the photo up with cautious fingers, throwing a guilty look over her shoulder before peering down at the picture.

It was Korra- but she looked different, maybe a bit younger and with slightly shorter hair. But it was her expression that was so startling, carefree and full of joy as she looked at the man who held her in his arms. He was unknown to her, pale skinned and dark haired with eyes to match. The unfamiliar man was staring back at the woman in the circle of his arms, that same happy expression reflected back at her. Who is that?

"Evie?"

"C-coming, Korra!" she yelled, throwing everything back in the box and putting it carefully back on the shelf before gripping the hair pin in her palm and running out to meet Korra. She couldn't just ask her, could she?

In the picture, the couple had looked as if they were in love, but that couldn't be right, could it? Because Korra was going to be marrying Iroh soon and everyone always said what a good match they made. But Evren had never seen Korra show that kind of expression to her cousin. In fact the two didn't interact as much more than friends when seen together and it seemed like they both went to great lengths to not have to touch each other unless it was to spar.

A strange thought occurred to her as she watched Korra twist her hair at the back of her head. Maybe Korra has a lover.

.

.

.

Korra sat in a place on honor, to the right of the short marble staircase that led to the platform where Iroh stood in the center of nine Fire Sages, the religious authority of the Fire Nation. One stood at Iroh's back, guiding the ritual while the other eight stood beside him in two lines, four at each side.

Evren and the Councilmembers sat at Korra's side while the immediate Royal family sat at the opposite side of the platform, looking on with pride as the Fire Nation Prince became Fire Lord.

There were other people in attendance as well; Prime ministers and leading citizens from the Commonwealth and representatives of other countries were also attendance among others. Kazou had explained to her at breakfast that the coronation is an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony. She was now bearing witness to the truth of that statement.

Korra watched as Iroh placed two wreaths of jasmine on the golden tray seated on the thick mahogany table in front of him, he bowed deeply to the offerings before receiving a bundle of incense from one of the Fire Sages who led the other sages in a chant while Iroh lit the bundle with a burst of fire from his hand. He then stood still as the sages continued to chant, Korra noticed that his stance was in the well trained posture of the United Forces. He looked proud and intimidating. Somehow Korra couldn't help but smile. He was wearing floor length red robes for the occasion and she noticed that his hair was growing longer, curling slightly over the shells of his ears. It was traditional for Fire Lords to wear their hair long and in a top knot. She wondered what his hair would look like when it reached that length, down to mid-back or longer. She had a hard time imagining it.

Kazou leaned into Korra as Iroh began to light a golden candle, set at a place of obvious importance and surrounded by flower petals.

"That candle represents victory throughout the Fire Lord's reign, its left burning until the final day of the coronation festival," he explained. "A red one will be lit on your wedding day to represent your unity as a couple and your devotion to the Fire Nation. You both have to use fire bending at the same time to light the wick and it is considered very bad luck if any wax drips over the side before the end of the ceremony."

She was trying to pay attention but she was having a hard time concentrating because even while Kazou was talking, Iroh was reciting the Fire Nation Oath. His voice was loud and confident, deep tones echoing around the marble room and up to the vaulted ceiling. There was a line of priests at the back of the room who blew on conch shells, releasing a heavy wave of reverberating sound that Korra could feel deep in her ribcage.

"My life, I give to my country.

With my hands, I fight for the Fire Nation and in the interests of its people.

With my mind, I seek ways to better my country.

And with my feet, may our march of Civilization continue."

The Fire sages on the platform parted to reveal two golden thrones and Korra was struck with the knowledge that one of those seats would eventually be hers. She felt numb, her mind going blank as Iroh walked to the largest of the two thrones, taking his seat. He was anointed, blessed and consecrated by the Great Sage. A pair of golden slippers placed on his feet and a gilded ring slid onto his right pointer finger. All items of the royal regalia, including a jewel-encrusted sword and finally the golden headpiece that labeled him as Fire Lord. A small temporary base had been created for the crown to hold it in place until Iroh was able to wear it with the traditional top knot.

There was another round of chanting as the crown was settled unto Iroh's head and he rose to stand once more.

Korra could feel Evren's eyes on her and turned towards her, there was a broad smile on the young girls face and obvious excitement in her eyes.

"Soon you'll be standing up there by his side, being crowned. You must be so excited to get married," she gushed. Korra blinked at her, static buzzing in the back of her skull. Suddenly the room was too hot and too loud. She licked her lips nervously.

"…Yeah," she replied, looking up at the cold looking thrones and at the man that she had agreed to marry. She could feel a suffocating weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders, the reality of everything hitting her with full force.

There was dullness in her fiancés expression when he met her gaze and she could intuitively sense that his emotions corresponded to her own. She broke their temporary connection, hands fisting in her lap and back stiffening with resolve. They had come so far, it wasn't what either of them had chosen, but neither of them would back down. He was the Fire Lord now and she would be Fire Lady.

She mustered a glittering smile for her companion, "Yeah, I can't wait."

She didn't notice the look of unconvinced concern that crossed Evren's face. Nor the question that swarm behind round rimmed spectacles. But who is the man in that picture?

.

.

Head Guard Hamza stared unblinkingly into the night, staring at the dancing orange flames in the distance.

All of the pieces were in place, the pawns now sleeping comfortably in their beds after their most recent strategic play. It might give the people of the Palace a sense of security having young master Iroh as the newly instated Fire Lord but he had known well before that it was too little, too late.

Things were in motion that no new political head and no fancy wedding could stop. Even the Avatar would find herself out of her depth, surrounded by people with less loyalty to her than to their own Monarchy, in a strange unknown culture, completely cut off from her usual support system.

Some things just needed to be handled with brute force and desperate measures. They would eventually run out of options, and when that time came…

As he looked out at the clouds of smoke rising up from the nearby village of Caldera, just a few miles outside of the palace walls, he knew that things had only just begun.

Even Agni couldn't save them now.

A/N: Sorry it's so short; I'm trying to get to the good stuff quickly! Let me know if it's hard to follow, I know Evren was kind of thrown in there but I didn't want to spend too much time developing their friendship as the relationship we really want to develop is Korroh, amirite?

R&R! Thanks to the readers who have stuck around even with the long wait! xoxo