Empress Of The Old World {Legend Of Korra}

Mushi

It made me want to know what they were arguing about but, it was unlikely that Sukara would ever tell me.

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The execution came in the morning and because it was one for treason against the empire the square was full of people. I stood just behind my Empress as Zu-Zai was chained down on the platform next to us.

In her fear, Zu-Zai had called Sukara a coward and then proceeded to beg her not to go through with the execution. I saw in Sukara's eyes, the idea that had to be done.

"It's what needs to be done," I had told her, just giving her the little push she needed to follow through. I couldn't allow her to be disrespected in front of such a crowd. I watched in delight as Sukara went forward, igniting a length of flame that resembled a sword. In a swift movement, it was done. I could see the pain in her eyes as she turned back but her beheading Zu-Zai herself to show the people the length she would go to protect them from traitors was just what we needed.

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Taking a deep breath, she turned the pages again. Wanting to move on from that painful day as quickly as possible.

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Today Sukara genuinely scared me. I had no idea what to do. It felt like I was standing on a mine every time she looked at me. We had been ambushed by the first group of rebellion soldiers we had seen. Making their threat to us more real. The worst moment was in the throne room. The rain had washed off most of the mud and the blood from the battle but, some still remained. She had ripped out her hair piece on the way in after failing to fix it, letting her usually tightly bound top not fall in front of her face.

"We'll finish them, your majesty," I had said, trying to calm her a little.

"Of course she'd choose his side," she had muttered, ignoring me completely, "because why would she ever choose me. Why would she ever choose the law."

Her rage began to boil out as she started to shout.

"I'm the eldest," she had screamed across the room, "I'm the heir to the family! Me, not him. This is my thrown! She will not take it from me."

I didn't feel like I could leave but, I didn't feel safe staying either. I was happy to know her feelings of uncertainty were gone but, this new rage wasn't quite what I had expected. I wasn't looking forward to spending more time with the monster I created.

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Sukara continued to turn the pages, this time going further towards the end. She wasn't interested in Mushi waffling about war meetings.

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The battle today had gone so well. I couldn't be prouder of the regiment. What I was most concerned about was the way Sukara had acted towards her brother. She approached him in such a strange way that it has made me worry for her stability.

"Where's mother?" I had heard her ask. When her brother had told her she wasn't there Sukara seemed almost disappointed.

The way she looked resembled the scene I had witnessed in the throne room some weeks ago. Her hair dirty and thrown down her face. Mud from the rain and blood from the bodies covering her, ruining the once pristine war paint.

"How many bodies did we loose Mushi?" she had called over to me, only to gloat.

"Three," I had told her, allowing this to happen, "stabbed in the back by cowardly men."

"See Zadik," she had told him, "you are nothing compared to me. You cannot win. Not like this."

"Are you going to kill me?" he had asked her. I could only watch, hoping she made the right decision.

"What was it, that mother would say to father whenever GranGran would tell him to come home safe to his family after battle?" she asked him, a smirk on her face, a look of dismay on his.

"You come back victorious or you don't come back at all," he had said, quoting their mother.

"Yes, that was it," Sukara has smile wickedly, wanting to break her brother in her mother's eyes, "now go back to her and tell her that you failed."

It was cold to do that to him. But it still didn't feel right leaving Zadik alive. I had a terrible feeling that this wasn't going to end well.