The Great Uniter Chills Out

Chapter I: Part 1

With an exasperated groan, Kuvira threw herself on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Thanks to her heroic efforts to stop the plot to restore the empire she once had ruled she was back in Zaofu instead of prison. She should be happy. After all, the court had been gracious to let her serve her sentence on house arrest. The Beifongs had even welcomed her back – after a fashion.

But despite all this, she was not happy. A luxurious, tranquil mansion was still a prison if she couldn't leave. In fact, it was too comfortable and peaceful. All her life, Kuvira had struggled and fought. Free time was anathema to her. And now it was all she had.

Turning her head, Kuvira looked through the small window – too small to escape through. The setting sun made her realize she had been in her room all day. And yet, she couldn't be bothered to get up. What was the point, anyway? Sure, she could listen to Suyin's idle chatter. Endure her ex-boyfriend's bitter looks. But nothing ever happened.

Kuvira couldn't believe it, but she found herself looking back fondly on the desperate fight against the usurper Guan. At least she knew what to do back then. She had always been better at action than words. And the lack of action was now making her listless.

How long had she even been in Zaofu since then? It was so easy to lose track. Every day was the same. Mealtime had become so awkward she had started eating in her room. And so the days passed within these four walls. Eat, sleep, eat, brood, pace, sleep.

Her body felt stiff as she forced herself to sit up at least. Kuvira looked down at her right hand. Clenched it. Unclenched it.

"This is making you weak," she told herself. Why bother training, though? the voice in her head countered. With the final defeat of the Earth Empire, she would never be allowed to fight again. But still...

"...I'll go to the training hall tomorrow," the once-great Uniter sighed and flopped back onto the bed. Maybe if she got up early enough she wouldn't meet anyone on the way...

* * *

Kuvira woke the next day from a knock on the door. Groggily she crawled out of bed. Barely conscious though she was, it was enough to realize that she had overslept. Again.

"I'm coming..." Kuvira muttered as she shuffled along, doing her best to not sound too angry. She failed.

"Is something wrong?" The door opened to reveal Suyin, looking rather worried. She had clearly picked up on Kuvira's tone.

"No," Kuvira replied curtly.

"It's just... you didn't show up at breakfast. Again."

Kuvira almost admitted to oversleeping, but caught herself and offered a different, if equally truthful, explanation: "I get... restless being around everyone."

Suyin gave her a sympathetic but pointed look: "You're always restless, Kuvira."

To this Kuvira had no retort. Instead, she averted her eyes and tried not to pout.

Instantly reminded of the troubled – but adorable – little child she had taken in all those years ago, Suyin gave Kuvira's shoulder a reassuring squeeze: "You need to learn to relax, darling. Here, I brought you breakfast. And then you're coming with me."

"Where?" Kuvira couldn't help but be suspicious, even as she accepted the tray of exquisite treats. The Matriarch of Zaofu could afford the finest of everything and wasn't one to spare any expense.

"You'll see," Suyin smirked and left with no further explanation.

Kuvira watched the matriarch glide languidly down the corridor before her gaze returned to the breakfast tray in her hand. Her thick brows furrowed for a moment, then she closed the door and went over to her desk, each step as mechanical as the next. With similar inevitability she sat down and began to eat.