The silence was heavy in the atrium as the combatants eyed each other warily. At first, Asami couldn't believe it. The Avatar had been confirmed dead for the last twenty years, slain by Phoenix Lord Azula's own hand while in the Avatar State. There was no possible way that Korra was the Avatar. The dates just didn't add up.
Then again, thinking back to all the weird moments that crossed her mind when she first met Korra; how she had thrown her back so fiercely in their first duel together with just a wave of the sword. She had brushed it off as the fire blast, but perhaps there was something more to that? Was that fire? or was it also air? There was even the time they had fought off the Water Tribe Warriors who ambushed their ship on the first journey over, and how Korra had somehow swiped that Wolf Tail's water blast away so casually. She had written it off as a freak occurrence then; something that she must have mistaken in the heat of battle, but that had to have been more than a coincidence.
Maybe it was true.
Korra stayed silent, gauging the situation in front of her, trying to think of...something, anything that could get her out of this mess. Tarrlok was at the mercy of Asami's Sentinels, and her own mother was basically being carried over her shoulder, barely conscious and in no condition to move that fast.
"Look, I can explain..." Korra began.
Zhenjin interrupted her, raising his hand to quell her into silence.
"No, you don't have to." The prince said sharply. "You've shown us enough already."
Korra narrowed her eyes at the statement, tensing herself up in the face of what looked like an impending attack from both Asami and Zhenjin. Alone, she could probably take on Asami at least in a fair fight, but she had never personally fought against Zhenjin before, and with Tarrlok and Senna in the room it made it even more difficult.
Zhenjin however, seemed oblivious to Korra's concern, or even the fact that she was the all powerful Avatar. He stepped forward, asserting himself with a commanding authority that seemed to come as second nature to royalty.
"I told you Korra, I'm not like my mother." He began deliberately, his voice low and grave. "I've done my best to be as honest and upfront with you like everyone else, but it turns out you've been lying to me from the start."
"It's not that simple." Korra replied defensively.
"Oh, but it is." Zhenjin countered. "All you had to do was tell me, or even Asami and Mako. We were your friends." He paused. "I was your friend, I would have protected you. And your identity if need be."
"Just like how you protected those prisoners back at the Earth Kingdom?" Korra snapped, though inwardly she instantly regretted it. That afternoon in the courtyard, with the burning and rotting bodies was still seared in the back of her mind.
The mention of his deed in Yu Dao seemed like it was enough to give the Prince pause, like she had just struck him physically, but it didn't take long for his face to slip back into a cold mask of self-control.
"Those men were soldiers." Zhenjin replied. "They knew what they were getting into when they signed up against the Phoenix Empire. It was out of my hands. This is different."
"I don't see how." Korra said dismissively.
Zhenjin however, took a deep breath and sighed. "Look, Korra. I didn't come all this way to fight you."
"Then let me and my friends go." Korra pleaded softly, "It doesn't have to be like this."
Korra was in a tenuous position, the prince knew it, and even at this standoff, he was quietly impressed that Korra had yet to show her nerve. From the outside, she looked bruised and battered, her face gashed on the side by what looked like a fire lash, leaving two deep cuts on cheek. Blood and sweat dripped down from her chin even as she spoke. She looked like she had been through hell to get to this point, and to her credit, she looked like she had more than enough left in the tank to take on the Sentinels and himself if need be.
