The Only Hope

Book 4: Chapter 7

Now

It's coronation day,

And Korra is missing.

Bolin arrives into town today,

And so does Kuvira.

It's coronation day,

I'm seeing Bolin for the first time in years

And Korra is still missing.

I brushed my bangs aside, as I paced my room. Keeping my hand on my forehead, I paused and looked at my walls. They were totally bare, but bore the faded outlines of where the sun had hit the walls but had been blocked by the endless things I had pinned up to it. The day I had gotten back, I took it all down. I didn't want to see the little random pieces that had made up memories of mine. Good, perfect memories that I now no longer dared to look at. I didn't want to remember.

Sighing again, I shook my head, running my fingers over my hair a few times as I got my outfit out for the day. I would be there on not just as an Air Master or Princess; but as me. I needed to look proper. One of the few things that had stuck with me from my time with my aunt in the Fire Nation; always look like you're about to meet the moon spirit herself.

I got dress, pulling my knee high sheer black stockings to my knees before releasing my hair from the curlers I had so carefully placed in the night before. After taming my hair, I washed my face, and put on a small amount of face paint. I ended with the red lip stain, running the brush over my lips a few times before rolling them together. Taking a few steps back, I looked myself over in the mirror. I looked perfect. I looked healthy, and the face paint highlighted my natural features. Yet, inside, I felt ready to burst out into tears. A scowl stared back at me through the mirror and in the back of my mind I heard my aunt's voice; 'you must keep a neutral face, you must never show emotions- well, do it rarely. Smiling, and frowning, it all leaves marks in your skin in the long run.' She would disapprove of the face I was making, but I didn't care.

~~~

"Zabri, you're up early, the coronation isn't for another few hours." Tenzin held out a hand, and we both stopped. We were heading in opposite directions, but the corridor was quiet and empty, the morning still young.

"Um, yeah, I was going to head down into the city early. Bolin is coming back today, and I was hoping to get some time to catch up with him and then you know there's my family and everyone else. I just wanted a head start. I'm headed to the hotel right now."

"Well, okay then. See you this afternoon."

"This afternoon." With that we were both back on our own way.

~~~

"Bri- what are you doing here?" I brushed my shoulders, having just landed as Mako and Wu walked up to the Hotel entrance.

"I'm here to be nosey, nothing else." Closing my glider, I tucked it under my arm.

"Okay."

"Is Bolin or anyone else here?"

"I don't know yet, we just got back from the square, had to double check everything was going as planned."

"I can understand." As I said that, Wu pushed past Mako.

"Mako- why haven't you introduced me to this lovely lady?"

Mako groaned and rolled his eyes. "Prince Wu, this is Zabri-"

"Um, excess me?" I folded my arms across my chest. He didn't even use my title. "I am Princess Zabri of the Fire Nation, Master Air Bender."

Wu's eyes got a little big and he gasped; "So you're the Princess of the Fire Nation I've heard so much about!"