Hey guys! I know I owe you another chapter of "To Fight or Flee" and I promise it's coming. Until then have this.

No matter how many people are dinner in the Beifong house, there were always far too many dirty dishes than was necessary. The Beifong family scullery maid Lin Xu could never decided if she was more relieved that she had work to do, or upset that she had work to do.

"And I heard him whispering in the library with some other noble," the cook gossiped in a low voice. "Him! Lord Beifong! I've been here what… seventeen years? And I've never heard he man whisper. Not once. Something is up, I'm telling ya."

Lin ignored her words, and continued to scrub dishes.

"I just hope whatever's come over him doesn't affect him paying us," a butler said in passing as he went to collect dirty towels. The cook playfully threw a dirty rag in his direction.

At that moment, another butler came into the kitchen and muttered something into the cook's ear. At the sudden silence, Lin turned, just in time to see the cook's brow grow furrowed. She looked up, directly at Lin.

"The Master wants you."

Now it was Lin's brow that furrowed. Lord Beifong? Wanted her? But why? What did she do?

Lin barely heard cook usher her out the door as her mind was racing with everything she could have done wrong that would warrant a visit to Lord Beifong.

I forgot to collect plates from the living room once. And I was a little slow to light the kitchen fire last week that delayed dinner a bit… And I… Hmmm… What else have I done?

Lin snapped back to reality just as she arrived at the door to Lord Beifong's study. She took a deep breath and raised a hand to knock.

The door opened before she could.

"Lin. Thank you for coming. Come in, come in," said Lao Beifong's voice from within.

Lin nodded, her eyes cast down in typical servant fashion. She followed the valet who had opened the door into the dimly lit room.

"Please sit."

Lin nodded again and sat in the chair Lao indicated across from him.

"How are you today, Lin?"

"I am well, sir… my lord. And you?"

Lao did not answer, which made Lin's blood run cold. Was she not supposed to say that back to him? But wasn't that the polite thing to do?

"It has been a… difficult week. There are important matters that have arisen that must be attended to. And that is why I have called you in here," Lao answered finally, giving Lin a chance to breathe (barely). "I understand that you were secretly married to an Earth Kingdom soldier in town a few months ago, despite the fact that your employment here expressly forbids outside relationships?"

An ice cube dropped into Lin's stomach. Sadness, anger, and, if she were being honest with herself, fear, bubbled inside her. Lin took a deep breath.

"I did, sir. I loved him and did not want to miss the chance to marry him before he left to fight in the war, on the chance he did not return," Lin said in a wobbly voice. "And he did not. And even if it results in my dismissal from this position, I do not regret it."

Lin took a deep, shaky breath, but did not add anymore to her statement.

"And that is exactly why you are the best person for the job," Lao said, releasing his own deep breath.

Lin broke with deference and looked up at Lao. His eyes were full of… something familiar. That same anger, sadness, and fear Lin felt in her chest could be seen in Lord Beifong's eyes. But why?

"No doubt you have seen that my wife has been pregnant, yes?" Lao said as he began pacing.

"Of course, my lord. We- the staff and the people in town- have been waiting and praying for her and your family. We hope the spirits will give your wife an easy labor and a healthy child."

Lin, who still averted gaze out of deference, did not see Lao pale.

"We… appreciate that. However, during the course of this pregnancy, we have determined that we have been much too… public about the goings on of our family. And that is not becoming of a family of our stature. As you just said, the whole town has been following this. This, a very personal time in our lives. That is why we have decided, now that the baby has been born, that we will be completely private with her upbringing. She will not be allowed to go into town until she is an adult or she is set to be married."

For the first time in the conversation, Lin nearly looked up.

"I.. the- the baby has been born sir?"

"Yes," Lao said in a low voice. "Her name is Toph. She was born the night before last. My wife, who has always been of fragile stature, is unable to take care of her properly, so we need someone to look after her. Someone hard working, but who can keep a secret. Someone like you."

Lin gulped.

"You want me to take care of your daughter?"

"Yes. It's a full-time caretaker position. You will be given in-house quarters next to the nursery. All room, board, and expenses for the child's care will be covered. You will receive one day off per month, and will receive a significant monthly stipend."

"But… sir… I am- I have no experience with raising… with looking after children. I will be completely out of my element," Lin admitted.

"You will learn. You are only twenty-three… twenty-four? You're young and have energy. It'll be good for you. Plus, you will be assisted for feeding by a wet nurse. Unless you wish to provide such services, in which I can contact an herbalist in town who can prepare a tea that will stimulate milk-"

"No that's fine, sir," Lin said quickly. "That's not necessary."

Lin knew from the moment she came in that whatever Lao said was going to be final and that she would not get a say in any decisions made. But this was just too much.

"Perhaps you should spend some time with the child," Lao offered. "Stay the night in the quarters. We'll move the bassinet into the room for her to be close to her and you can see how you feel in the morning."

Lin nodded.

Lao did not say much as he had his valet lead Lin out from his study and down the hall to a small bedroom next to the nursery. She sat on the bed and waited as the valet moved the bassinet into the room.

She nodded in thanks as he bowed and left, the door closing behind him, leaving her alone with this tiny child she was now to raise.

"This is utter bullshit," Lin muttered. "I never wanted a kid of my own let alone some rich spoiled brat. Or is that the point of this? To make sure you don't turn into some spoiled brat? If so, your parents certainly have some wishful thinking."

Lin let out an exasperated breath as she flopped backwards on the bed.

"I can't say no, can I? Regardless of how this 'test' goes, you're my responsibility now."

The baby let out a small noise. Lin rolled her eyes and sat up to peer into the bassinet.

"What? You don't like me talking ill of your parents? Sorry, kid, but this is just the beginning.

The baby made another small noise, a whimper. Before Lin could react, it was a full on cry.

"Ugh come on. They said you just ate," Lin said. She reached a hand in to pat the baby's diaper. "You're not wet. What more could you want?"

But as Lin went to withdraw her hand, she realized seemed to calm at her touch.

"Oh. So that's it. You just wanted some contact." Lin's cocked her head, as a thought came to her. "When was the last time you were held?"

Taking a deep breath, Lin reached into the bassinet and carefully lifted the baby, one hand under the baby's butt and one behind her head. She placed the baby against her shoulder, and instinctively started bouncing up and down.

"What was it my grandmother used to say? Babies need to be held against your skin. I think that's it."

Lin bit her lip, before pulling the collar of her dress down slightly so Toph's tiny body laid against the skin of her exposed shoulder. It was a strange sensation, but somehow it felt right.

"Is that better?" Lin asked the baby as she sat back down on the bed. The baby gurgled as if responding.

Lin leaned back against the wall, Toph still against her shoulder.

"I just don't get it. They've never had a problem showing off anything before. Not money, not people. They absolutely love being the topic of attention. But then you're born and…"

A thought struck Lin. She pulled her knees up in front of her. Gently, she lifted Toph off her shoulder and placed her against her knees so the baby faced her.

"It's you, isn't it? There's something about you that made them change," Lin muttered as she scanned the infant in front of her. "But what could possibly make them change so much?"

Lin traced the baby's feet with her finger, before moving up to her hands and finally her face. By all accounts the baby was perfectly healthy. Sighing, she gently touched the baby's nose with her finger.

The baby didn't flinch.

Frowning, Lin touched Toph's cheek. The baby's head moved slightly but her eyes didn't. Lin leaned closer and looked into them. They were green, but a light green, and appeared not to reflect light properly.

"You can't see, can you?" Lin murmured, brushing a finger over the infant's cheek. "That's why they don't want anyone to know anything about you."

That's why they don't want you.

The thought struck Lin so hard that her chest immediately felt so heavy that, had she not already been supported by the wall, she might have fallen over. Tears sprung to her eyes and she was overcome with a level emotion she had not felt in a long while.

Surely they wanted their daughter. Of course they did. Wasn't a parent's love supposed to be unconditional?

People would've found out if they adopted her out to someone... The voice in her head replied. It would reflect badly on them, would it not? So of course they took… a different course than normal.

The baby made a noise, snapping Lin out of her thoughts. She muttered a few hushed words as she placed Toph back against her shoulder. She hugged the girl closer than she had before.

"I'm here," she murmured. "I've got you."

Tears flowed from Lin's eyes as she rocked back and forth, hugging her ward close to her.

"You're mine now. And I promise I will never leave you," Lin said, stroking the baby's back. "I promise you the vows I never got to live out with my husband. I will care for you every day with every ounce of my being, until the day we return to the spirits. Everyday, little one. Whether you're sick or strong. Whether we argue or we hug. I will be with you every single day. Every one of them. 'Til death do us part ."