Moon Drops

The Pain We Feel is the only Road to Healing Scars as Deep as those of Sorrow

The only thing Korra managed to do was sulk by herself all day long. She had explored the city, which had resulted in subsequent confrontations with various protesters, but had also provided Korra the opportunity to speak with some of the less hostile people about their issues. Not only was Eska right about the factions and their different beliefs, but from the sound of it, Desna really was behind this revolt. How pathetic.

Korra was now waiting outside the war room for her husband and father. She was still pretty miffed that they wouldn't even let the Avatar into their meeting. Ugh, Korra really hated the sexist ways of the Northern Water Tribe. She had her arms crossed over her bust and glared at everyone who passed by her in the palace hall. She didn't feel like talking to anyone-Korra made that very clear with her expression.

Finally, after much too-much waiting, men started to emerge from the large pair of frozen doors. Quickly spotting the stupid tri-ponytailed man, Korra joined him in step. His face was austere and his brow was furrowed. Whatever had happened in there, Tarrlok did not seem too pleased about the conclusion. Korra would have to press him for information. She nudged his ribs with her elbow to get his attention. The startled councilman turned his attention to her, his expression hard and unchanged. Korra opened her mouth to ask him the first of her questions, but Tarrlok's voice interrupted her thought, "We're leaving."

His words had cut off all of her thought processes as she absorbed them. "We-what?" Korra asked with wide, shocked eyes.

Korra's face contorted with rage and disbelief. They had only just arrived here! Where did Tarrlok think that they were going to go? Back to Republic City?! Korra was the Avatar and the people of the Northern Tribe were in very apparent disarray-they needed her, and Korra wasn't about to leave them to go anywhere. She stopped walking and waited with her hands balled into fists. Tarrlok continued his long stride for several feet before he turned his gaze to the angry Avatar. That face. It was the same face she had borne on that snowy night in his council office. But she didn't understand what had just occurred. They needed to leave-He needed to tell her! Korra wanted him to know that he was not to govern her; that she would not be tamed by the likes of him. Tarrlok understood, and were they anywhere else, that mentality would have suited him fine. It was not his goal to control Korra or break her, but this was the Northern Water Tribe-where the men dominated the women. Korra was forgetting that; Korra was forgetting her place.

"We are leaving," he repeated, more forcefully this time.

This was not good. One thing the tribe's council members had conveyed, in the most sophisticated form of begging, was their expectation that Korra had respect for Tarrlok-and should Korra display her fury here and now, it would be made quite clear that she did not. Tarrlok was well-aware that their little alliance was treading on thin ice, but Korra seemed quite oblivious to this fact. She was young and inexperienced; she was completely ignorant of the issues and pressures that the world had for her.

Tarrlok's face relaxed, as he saw the one person who was sure to be his salvation step behind Korra and rest a gentle hand on her shoulder. The Avatar turned to face the owner of said hand with a glare, only for her expression to melt away into surprise to find she was looking up at her own father. Was he on Tarrlok's side? For real? The spirits truly hated her-that was the only logical explanation. "I think you should go with him," Tonraq stated to Korra calmly, "You've had a long journey here, I think it would be wise to get some rest."