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"Stop her? We should be helping her!"
To Jinora's dismay, Rae had to agree with her cousin. In her eyes, Opal was right. They had to help Su with getting out of there free and take down Kuvira. But the Guardian didn't voice her opinion, only stood behind Opal as the three girls argued.
"We have no idea where your mom is or what her plan is," said Korra to the Beifong airbender, "if we go charging into Kuvira's camp, we could get all of them captured, or worse."
"We can't just wait," exclaimed Rae as she brought her hand to Opal's shoulder.
"We have to, Rae," said Korra softly, looking at the two Beifong women sadly.
But before Rae could say anything else, the speakers around the dome of the Beifong estate began blasting Kuvira's voice. The Guardian's body tensed, her eyes narrowed and her breaths became heavier as her ears picked up the voice of the dictator.
"Attention, citizens of Zaofu," it said, "your leader, Su Beifong, attempted to attack me tonight while I slept, ignoring the terms of our truce. Luckily, I now have her and her assault team in custody. Rest assured that I will not take revenge on the peaceful citizens of Zaofu, as long as your remaining representatives meet me outside the city at dawn to offer the full and unconditional surrender of your city. That is all."
Rae's frown deepened at the words. Opal's body was radiating with rage as she turned around and talked to Korra. But the woman couldn't look at her younger cousin. Her heart was filled with rage at the thought of her family being held captive by Kuvira, and she couldn't help the way her eyes narrowed excessively.
"I'll come with you," said the Guardian after Korra announced she and Jinora will go talk with Kuvira at dawn, and before the Avatar could answer, Rae walked away.
~
The sun's first rays crept through the mountain range. The morning sunshine hit Rae's face first as she was the one to walk ahead of the group. The heels of her boots dug into the muddy earth and the metal decorations of her dress shone in the sun.
Korra took a few steps ahead so she would be standing next to the Guardian when Rae stopped, a few feet away from Kuvira. The woman felt the three small cages behind the dictator and her eyes narrowed, knowing it was the so-called cells of her family.
Before anyone could talk, Rae's back strengthened even more than it usually was and her hands went to her back. She clasped her bare palms together, her leather gloves lost somewhere in the swamp, and she pushed back her shoulders, parting her legs slightly. A small smirk dug at her lips when she felt Kuvira dig the heels of her boots in the ground, all smugness she held evaporating her body when she saw the way Rae imitated her posture ludicrously.
