Korra propped her foot up against another free chair that was infront of her, she dabbed a cloth into a small bucket of water and rinsed it out. She slowly dragged the damp cloth over her boot, cleaning the mud that had been there since yesterday. There was absolutely no point in doing this at all but, Korra liked to keep herself somewhat presentable; even if it was only for a short moment.
She had slept well last night too, nightmare free in her own bed. Whatever remedy that Katara gave her certainly worked its magic however, she still would've liked to keep Asami company.
"Asami, there's a letter for you here." Katara said as she handed her the envelope. Asami thanked the older woman and took the brown envelope into her hands, it was from her parents. She had written letters back to them like they requested, some of them asking for her stay at Katara's to be extended. Hiroshi gladly let her stay with Katara for another week, Korra and Jinora agreed to stay with her too.
Her green eyes travelled down the page full of elegant writing, it was obvious that her mother had written this one this time.
"Opal has finally stepped out of her room." Asami announced to the table, making the women smile.
"She's doing well again."
"That's good to hear." Jinora said. As Asami continued to read on, her smile faltered; Jinora noticed this as well.
"What else is written on there?"
Asami handed Jinora the letter and sighed.
"I have to return to the Manor sooner than expected." The tall woman said, raising a brow as she saw that there was another page folded in the envolpe. She took it out and unfolded it in order to study it.
Korra perked up at this comment with confusion and glanced at the woman. They had agreed to stay at Katara's for another week or so, but looks like Hiroshi had other plans.
"Why is that?"
"Apparently, my personal guard, Mako saw a 'Red Lotus' assassin in the market yesterday." Asami explained, examining the sketch of a familiar man that her father had sent her.
"My father wants me home at once."
"Let me see." Korra said and shuffled around the table. Her blue eyes widened at the sketch.
"Kai?"
"He's worried that my whereabouts may be compromised." Asami said, giving Jinora a worried look.
"We need to leave soon."
Jinora only nodded and got up from the table, she'll have to escort Miss Sato home after all. She hurried into her room and started to pack her things, Katara followed and begun to help her.
Korra didn't take her eyes off the sketch. It was only a drawing, no reward written around it or anything. It wasn't a wanted poster, just a drawing of his face. What did this mean? What had Kai done? Or perhaps this was some sort of trick from Kuvira. Were they working together?
"What did your father say about Kai?" Korra asked.
"Mako mentioned that Kai looked suspicious in the market, like he was up to something." Asami explained, she could see that Korra was concerned and it was starting to worry her.
Was Kai after Miss Sato too? Korra knew that Asami was Eska and Desna's contract, but she knew how they worked. If Asami was noticed in the market then they would be all over her, she'd be dead in an instant. But, there was no way Korra would let them anywhere near Asami. But if Kai was working with them, then her job just got a whole lot harder.
"I'll need to talk to him, to see what he's up too." Korra said as she got up to her feet.
Asami gave her a frown.
"Are you sure that's a wise decision? you two didn't exactly leave eachother on a good note."
"I have to. What if he is after you." Korra huffed. There was no doubt that she was furious. They had one little fall out and now Kai was completely going rogue.
"I doubt that he would be able to reach my room Korra, I'm more than safe at that Manor." Asami tried to reassure her assassin but it didn't seem to be working.
"You may have personal guards Asami but if I can climb up to your window without a problem then Kai can do it too." Korra said, raising her voice up a notch. The assassin took a breath and sighed whilst she gave Asami an apologetic gaze. She didn't mean to shout.
"I'm sorry. I'm just worried Asami, for your safety. If you go back to the Manor then I can't be by your side like I am now."
Asami pulled her assassin into a tight embrace, knitting her eyebrows together as she burried her head into the crook of Korra's neck.
"Korra, I don't fully agree with my father's wishes but I trust him." She said, pulling away from the embrace so she could lay her hand onto Korra's cheek.
"You have to trust him too.. I'll be okay, I promise."
Korra sighed and pulled the woman back into another embrace. Korra will be there, she'll be looking out for her even if Jinora was escorting her. She'll be there to make sure she really does get there safe. Then, she'll start to look for Kai. she has a few questions.
<->
The pencil was caught before it hit the ground. Kuvira glared at the man who just sauntered into the small room, he could've snapped this one.
"Don't break that one, I almost died trying to get it." He said, taking a seat next to her on the abnormally small mattress. It was true to an extent. The guards that were posted around the market kept looking at him, watching him. Before some of them could even advance over to where he was, he managed to slip away by using the villagers as cover. All that for a pencil.
"Give over." Kuvira scoffed in a playful manner as she opened up her journal, that she managed to stuff into her pocket before she left the Guild quarters.
Kai huffed and crossed his arms.
"I'm being serious, it seems like every guard knows my face."
Kuvira shook her head with a smile and begun to sketch into her journal.
"And who's fault is that?"
"Not mine! at least I don't think it is. That guard completely sussed me out in a few seconds, I wasn't even doing anything rash." Kai exclaimed.
"Well, what were you doing?" Kuvira asked, not taking her eyes off her paper.
"Nothing.." Kai said, but that wasn't completely true. Kuvira gave her friend a look, the tone that he spoke in signified that he was telling a lie. Growing up with Kai had these perks.
"Nothing bad anyway. I was just looking at one of your wanted posters and then he got all up in my face."
Kuvira rolled her eyes. No wonder the guards were looking for him, Kai probably looked reasonably sketchy whilst he was looking at a poster of a wanted criminal.
"You'll have to lay low for a while."
"What about Korra?"
Kuvira's muscles tensed at the name, making her draw a solid line through her work. She had thought long and hard about Kai's intentions, she had to face the woman some day. But maybe this was too early? Or perhaps too late to ask for forgiveness now. She had done many unforgivable things, not even her best friend could possibly look at her the same any more.
"Do you know where she's living?" Kuvira had a rough idea to where her small friend could be.
"Last time I saw her, she was up north in a small cottage out of town." Kai explained. Kuvira's theory was correct, Korra had not moved from the cottage since the last time Kuvira was there. When she stole that Corporals flintlock...
Kuvira placed her pencil down ontop of her jounral and stood up, strolling over to the window. She held the curtains out of the way and peered down to the busy market place below.
"We should start heading in that direction."
"There's one thing you should know." Kai chuckled nervously.
"Miss Sato is with her."
Kuvira sighed, this had to be a lot more difficult didn't it?
"We should still g-" she paused her speech once her green eyes examined the market place. A tall man with a lean physique. She knew this person, she knew this face. Short brow hair and a stubble of a beard on his chin. A fellow Red Lotus assassin.
"What on earth is he doing around these parts?"
Kai rose a brow at her question and walked over to see who she was on about. His eyes widened as he could see who she looking at.
"I have no idea."
Kuvira couldn't go anwhere, not with this man around. He was up to something for sure, he had never been posted around these parts before. Perhaps he was tied to the Asami Contract. If so, that means Eska and Desna were around here somewhere too.
"You should go and tell Korra about what's happened, I'll stay here."
"Wait, what?"
"Shady Shin is plotting something, Zaheer would never order him to be around these areas. Something is going on here and I need to find out what." Kuvira stated, letting the curtains fall over the window. He was probably plotting a route, plotting a way to infultrate the Manor.
"Find Korra."
Kai sighed, she was right. At least one of them had to stay to find out what was going on and leaving Kuvira here was the most sensible idea.
"Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can."
Kuvira nodded and started to peer out of the window again.
"I'll be here." and with that Kai left the small room, leaving Kuvira all alone to watch the market down below. Kai soon appeared from out of the inn and onto the street, slithering through the countless villagers as he made his way out of the town and out of her sight.
A few minutes passed and her eyes were still concentrated on Shady Shin. he looked like an ordianary villager, blending in whilst he chatted to many people around him. he seemed innocent, harmless. But he wasn't at all and Kuvira knew that. Her eyes snapped towards another familiar face.. one of the twins. She couldn't exactly tell which one it was from afar but she knew it was either Eska or Desna. Whichever twin it was, they passed Shady Shin and nudged his shoulder. The twin nodded her head over to somewhere down the street and Shady Shin followed the signal. Kuvira rose a brow and also followed the signal that the twin had given.
Her green eyes widened at the familiar green coat that was shuffling along the roofs of each house. Korra.