It had taken just under a month, but she was finally here. A week of being stuck in ships that linked the South Pole to Kyoshi Island, and then to Omashu, weeks more hopping from the marvelous ‘train’ networks that criss-crossed the continent, and Korra now stood at the great gates of Ba Sing Se. or Ba Xing Se, if you wanted to by punny about it.

The Disillusioned City. The City of Dragons. The Scorpion’s Den. Those and many other monikers were tacked onto the grand city that was supposedly neutral and unaligned to any of the four elemental states.

It certainly seemed that way to Korra. Simply walking through the gates, she saw people attired in familiar Water Tribe fur-lined summer robes, mingling with the more pragmatic attires of merchants and laborers from the Earth Kingdoms, while the sharply dressed Fire Nation magistrates and enforcers glared at everyone warily.

Korra even caught sight of a couple of Air Monk acolytes in their distinctive orange robes.

Passing through the gates - which was supposed to have been of the breaches created by the Scorpion Prince - the Water Tribe teen almost gawped at the sheer amount of people around her. The Southern Water Tribe still couldn’t concentrate enough of its scattered people to form even a large town, and Omashu, for all its unique splendor, was too labyrinthine with its streets to appear lively.

But here, staring down the main road and the buildings running along it that were obscured by the crowd?

Korra finally truly understood what ‘bustling’ was.

While she didn’t have to push her way through the crowd, Korra had to make an effort on keeping to her intended path or risk being swept along the swirling currents of pedestrians and vehicles. She managed to reach the nearest inn, but with its proximity to the gate, it was quickly apparent that the place was fully booked. So too were the other establishments Korra tried out.

“Ah, I’m afraid you’ll have to go for the lodgings deeper in the city, young miss,” an innkeeper finally advised. “All places near the gates will have a long queue thanks to all the merchant traffic.”

And this was supposed to be off-season?

He then jerked a thumb outside, in a particular direction. Korra instinctively knew which establishment he was referring to. She’d caught a glimpse of it dominating a junction. “Unless you’ve come with enough banknotes to splurge, anyway.”

“And how much is that?”

The man gave a sad, apologetic smile. “If you’re asking, it’s probably too much for you, miss.”

Korra sighed with dejection and thanked the man before shuffling back out to the human river that was Ba Sing Se’s main pedestrian road. As she prepared to dive back in to secure herself a room for a few nights, the sound of armored boots clicking beside her, and the distinct feeling of being stared at drew her attention.

The girl turned to see a severely stern-looking woman with piercing green eyes and graying hair focused on her. The red and green magistrate’s armor she wore further added to the intimidating appearance.

“Excuse me, miss,” the woman asked almost curtly. “Are you Korra?”

The crowd flowed around them like a stream around a pebble. Korra’s rising panic was quickly banished when she remembered having to register herself on the way in. But then she realized that for the magistrate to find her, some sort of trouble must be involved, and her panic began to rise again.

“Uh…yea?”

The magistrate gave a satisfied nod. “Good, can you follow me please.” Her tone made it clear that it was not a request.

“B-But I didn’t do anything!” Korra blurted out, causing the woman to freeze for a second before comprehension dawned in her green eyes.

“Ah, my apologies. You’re not in any trouble. There’s just a…request to meet you.”

Request? Who’d want to meet her? Korra was pretty sure she didn’t know anyone who moved to this city.

More disturbingly, who’d use a magistrate?

“With me, please.”

Curious and intimidated, Korra followed after the magistrate, and found herself being led to the premium establishment that the innkeeper and plain reputation had warned her about. The first ‘hotel’ - a more luxurious version of an inn - founded by the Scorpion Prince stood proudly at the first junction of the road. Korra had seen its kin in Omashu, Kyoshi Island, and every other town she passed through. The North Pole and the Fire Nation Islands had branches as well, and there was talk of a branch to be built in Wolf Cove next year.

All of them looked alike, and this one was no exception. A whopping thirteen floors high and sporting marble floor and wall tiles, the hotels also bore the cutting edge unmanned elevator system to get its residents up and down without tiring their legs, along with a premium teahouse with its trademark blend.

“We’re going in there?” she asked the magistrate, who simply nodded in response.

Well, here’s to hoping that whoever it was wasn’t going to push the bill on her. If the rumors of their ‘premium’ pricing were true, Korra certainly couldn’t even afford a pot of tea there.

As they neared the hotel, Korra noticed that the crowd leaking from it were, unsurprisingly, of a richer class. The Water Tribespeople wore finer, shinier fur robes, while the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation people were similarly well dressed with silk and silver threading.

A heavy feeling of self-consciousness fell on Korra as the crowd of rich and powerful people parted for her, their eyes focusing first on the magistrate, and then inevitably fixing onto Korra with idle curiosity.

There was no door barring them, but a doorman more sharply dressed than the richest fisherman in Korra’s home greeted the pair with a courteous bow and smile. “Welcome, madams, to the Intercontinental.” He rose up, gaze flickering subtly to Korra first before focusing on the magistrate.

“Is there something I can be of assistance to, Magistrate Lin?”

“I have a guest for my- for the prince.”

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The prince?! Korra blinked at that, making sure that she heard the words correctly.

“Ah, of course. This way, please.”

Somehow, her legs managed to move despite Korra’s mind still being dumbstruck. It lasted until they entered the elevator box, the novelty of the experience helping the girl center herself again, if only to be amazed at being carried up by cables powered by some sort of hidden contraption.

Korra was only vaguely aware of electricity and engines, since what little of it in the South Pole was exclusively used in the docks for the cranes and lights. Most everything else still relied on good old refined blubber, wood and elbow grease.

She counted the floors right as the doorman pressed on a button, and found herself being carried all the way to the top floor. The magistrate, Lin, continued to lead Korra, though there was a nervousness to her posture now, which in turn made Korra begin to dread her coming meeting.

What was she getting into that could make the stern woman nervous?

Swatting away the dark possibilities popping in her head, Korra made it a point to remember her lessons and take slow, calming breaths. The magistrate finally stopped at a door, and seemed to take a second to breathe a bit before knocking at the door.

“It’s me, sir. I have brought your guest.”

“Thank you,” a man’s voice answered. “The door’s not locked.”

Lin opened the door and ushered Korra in, and the pair walked into a room that seemed beyond the reach of anyone from Korra’s home. She saw an elderly man in plain yet expensive red robes rising up, standing upright with ease despite his age.

Wait, Lin had said they were meeting a prince, right? But that meant…

His golden eyes practically glowed with a commanding aura that rooted Korra to the carpeted floor.

He gave Lin a slow, smiling nod. “Thank you, Lin.”

Even a bit stunned, Korra could hear the awkwardness in the magistrate’s voice. “Not a problem, sir.”

The man gave an amused smirk. “I suppose ‘sir’ is an improvement over ‘your highness’... Could you wait outside…daughter?”

Lin almost sputtered but rallied and all but fled the room after giving a curt nod.

Chuckling, the man- the prince gave a sigh as he gestured with a hand to an empty seat. “She’s still coming to terms with the fact that I’m her father. At least it didn’t completely wreck our existing relationship, and she and Toph didn’t end up killing each other…yet.”

As Korra tentatively got used to the…expensiveness of the chair she sat in, she only managed to give blank, confused nod to his words.

“Ah, forgive me. I am Xing. You’re Korra, right?”

She didn’t even hear the question. “Xing…as in Prince Xing?”

“Yep.”

How in the world did she get his attention? Wait, there were ways…but… Oh spirits, was she going to be ‘removed’?

“B-But…Uh, why am I here?”

The retired prince casually waved a dismissive hand. “Relax, child. I just wanted to meet you… Make sure of some things.”

“Some things?”

The dreaded Scorpion Prince gave a sagely nod as he began to walk over to a counter. “Just some mild inquiries, nothing major. Tea?”

“Uhm….”

With a shrug, he returned to offer Korra a bowl of an almost pitch-black concoction, with lotus seeds floating in it, the Intercontinental’s much storied Black Lotus brew, the beverage tied to the infamous and secretive Black Lotus order which Xing had also founded.

“Wait til it’s cooled down a bit, then take small sips. Good herbal stuff, but there’s no dragon’s dick or turtleduck shells in it, I promise. That’s all a load of ostrich horseshit. Anyways…” Xing sat back down opposite of Korra, wearing a polite, reassuring smile. “To answer a question you might have, you’ve been brought to my attention because of a…relative of mine.”

Relative? Korra began to quickly wrack her brain for the people she might’ve accidentally pissed off.

Xing chuckled again at seeing her reaction. “Don’t worry, you’ve not wronged anyone.” He then leaned over, adopting a slightly more serious expression. “Do you know Koshi?”

Korra nodded jerkily. “He’s a dock worker in Wolf Cove?” And a really good kisser, too.

The prince grinned. “He’s also my grandson.”

Korra almost spilled the tea, but had enough presence of mind to quickly put it aside before allowing herself to gape as Xing continued to laugh.

“B-But he said he’s from a farming family!”

“Technically true. His mother’s side. His father’s my kid.” Xing finished with a proud huff as he leaned back into his seat. “Subudei didn’t exactly live up to his name, but he’s a hell of a logistician. And about the only sibling that could stop Asuka and Kachiko from shredding each other.”

“I…see?”

“Koshi’s taking an internship,” the prince further explained. “Compulsory family thing, go out and see the world from the ground up. Learn some common suffering and humbleness and all that. We don’t leave them unprotected though, if I remember right, some of the other dockworkers are his minders. Maybe one fishing vessel’s ours as well…”

So that’s why they moved so much differently from the other workers.

Xing shook away his rambling thoughts and gave Korra a pleased nod. “So you can imagine my curiosity when reports came back about my grandson actually fawning over a local Water Tribe chief’s daughter?”

“Oh.”

“My son opted to to leave it to Koshi to learn some responsibility, but me and my wives have agreed that it’s important to intervene a little, due to the politics that’s suddenly been involved.”

And then Korra got the most awkward interrogation of her life, at least up until then. The retired prince started with easy questions like how far along was she with her waterbending abilities (and Korra felt some pride when he seemed pleased with her mastery), and then asked about her parents and Wolf Cove, and then started to turn the screws with questions about her and Koshi.

“He hasn’t…done anything to you yet?”

It was impossible to face Xing and answer the question, so Korra quickly shook her head, knowing full well that her face was burning red. “Just…kissing…” she whimpered out.

“Well, that’s good and responsible for him, and of you.” Xing hummed thoughtfully for a moment, and then shrugged. “Well, I can at least assure you that Koshi’s rather…fixated on you. The question then, is if you feel the same about him?”

His eyes suddenly took on a stern gleam. ”Because another political union between Ba Sing Se and the South Pole right now would require some balancing work. Your kin up north are still being annoying bitches, especially after we supported southern independence.”

Ah, right. The infamous political tightrope act of Ba Sing Se, where it had to balance its interests between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdoms and Fire Nation to ensure its position as neutral arbiter in the world.

“I know it’s not nice pouncing on you during your vacation, but I’d rather get this over with quickly so we can begin planning…” Xing suddenly smirked. “...either for a marriage or breakup support.”

He let Korra stew in her thoughts for an answer, and she gave it truthfully, knowing better than to try deceiving the notorious schemer. His body might be old, but the glint in his eyes betrayed a mind keener than most people Korra has ever met.

“I…I think I love him?”

“Think?”

Korra gulped. “It’s… It’s my first time, so honestly…”

Xing gave slow nods. “Understandable. And commendable, being able to be honest like this. Hm. I’ll see if I can fly Koshi up here? Ask him to give you a tour of the city.” Korra did not like the mischievous wink he gave. “Get him to introduce you to the family.”

Oh. Oh no.

“It’s alright, I wasn’t planning to stay for long…” Please let that work.

Once more the prince waved his hand dismissively. “It’s alright. I can have a letter sent back to your father, explaining this…exploration of a potential union. I’m sure Chief…Tonraq? Chief Tonraq would be similarly keen on such an idea.”

Oh spirits. Oh shit.

Korra squirmed in her seat. “I…I haven’t told my parents about…about Koshi yet…”

Xing’s grin was too smug. “Then we’ll make sure Koshi makes a proper introduction to your parents before sending him over here.”

Ignoring her discomfort, Xing rose up, and produced a set of metal keys from his robes and set it on the table before Korra. “Here are the keys to your room.”

The words knocked the burning embarrassment out of Korra, if only for a moment. “My room?”

“Yep.” He gestured to the walls surrounding them, and again he gave an infuriating grin. “Your room, for your stay in Ba Sing Se. Consider it a…bribe for me to get on your good side. All services will be on my tab, so feel free to sample everything my little business have to offer.”

The prince gave a slight bow. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a meeting with Avatar Aang coming up, and I need to prepare the paperwork. I hope you enjoy your stay, Korra.”

Korra could only nod dumbly and watch as the old prince left the room- her room. Then she gulped down the entire bowl of Black Lotus tea, found the bedroom, and promptly buried her face on the luxuriously soft mattress to scream all her anxiety and embarrassment away for the rest of the afternoon.