Eternity
An eternity was a long time. If asked twelve years ago, she would have told you exactly that. Now, however, the word took on an entirely different meaning. Now, an eternity meant the routine she performed day in and day out. The vast expanse of land that stretched out before her. How long it had been since she heard his voice, experienced his touch, or was just simply happy.
Happiness. The word was almost foreign, like a vague memory to her. Constantly, she tried to remember what it felt like, to be happy. As much as the woman would deny it, watching her, it was easy to trace some happiness in her. However, that miniscule amount was easily overpowered and dominated by worry, fear, and depression.
Anxiety constantly showed on her face. And however hard she tried to hide it, it always managed to escape. Her eyes periodically betrayed this fact. The woman's eyes were the feature most notable about her. Although pale from blindness, they reflected years of wisdom and knowledge only she experienced. It was a burden only she could bear.
Sighing softly, the woman scanned her unseeing eyes over the landscape before her. Against the Waterbender's insistent pleas, she moved to the outskirts of Ba Sing Se. Moving back home was out of the question, but also moving to the Southern Water Tribe proved to be difficult as well. The woman wanted to be somewhere where the Warrior's memory wouldn't haunt her as much.
Shifting her weight, she took in her surroundings. Nothing new. Always the same. She let her bare feet carry her forward slightly, before stopping abruptly. For a moment or so, the raven haired woman simply stood there; battling with her subconscious. There were many times when she wanted to run, leave this world behind, and go Spirits know where. But she never did. She knew her place was here, and running wouldn't solve a thing.
A sound from inside broke the woman away from her reverie. She chose to stay outside a moment longer before turning on her heel and heading back in the doorway. It was hard to imagine she was blind, for she navigated around her house so perfectly. She made her way to a room close to hers; where the cry was coming from. Upon entering, the noise quieted immediately. The woman smiled softly and made her way over to the crib.
Reaching down, she picked up the child and carefully cradled him in her arms. At two years of age, the boy was still small. Turning her head slightly, she listened to the soft breathing of the child next to her. Shifting slightly, she reached down to the bed and gently stroked the child's face. If anything were to bring her joy anymore, it would be these two; her, no, their son and daughter.
She smiled as she remembered how Katara had described them to her. Jade Rose, her firstborn, was said to look strikingly similar to her mother. The five year old had the same raven hair, and similar facial structure. Her eyes, like her mother's were what caught most people's attention. They were darker than the color of her mother's, yet lighter than an emerald. And, if inspected close enough, held flecks of cerulean. Still, however much she resembled her mother, she was daddy's little girl. Jade was inventive, curious, and protective like her father. However, she was stubborn, overly sarcastic, and held a temper that rivaled her mother's.
Sighing, she shook her head, and returned her attention to the child, now fast asleep, in her arms. The woman had a soft spot for her son. The two year old Kadei always was suck-up towards his mother. However, she loved him all the same. The boy had short brown hair that was similar to his father's. His eyes were also a peculiar matter indeed. They were neither green nor blue, but a combination of the two. His personality was none too different from that of his sister. Curious, stubborn, hard-headed, all similar attributes. Still, he was too young to be entirely sure.
The woman placed a kiss on the child's forehead before gently replacing him. She heard Jade turn over and clutch the badgermole stuffed animal, which had once been hers, tighter to her chest. Quietly, she exited the room and closed the door.
In no hurry, she made her way to the back door. Stepping foot outside, she sighed contentedly as soft earth impacted with her foot. The woman casually made her way through the garden over to the sleeping animal in the back. Earthbending herself a bench, she sat down and stroked the beast's side. Roused from its slumber, the beast drowsily turned its head to look at her. Once coherent, it licked her face. The woman laughed, and threw her hair over her opposite shoulder. Sighing, she nuzzled her face into the badgermole's side. She kissed its nose, and then continued to pet it.
The badgermole, Suyuan, was a present given to her by her parents close to seven years ago, when it was a baby. She never asked how they managed to acquire her, and never would. In times of loneliness and depression, Suyuan was her comfort. She thanked the Spirits for Suyuan, and, in turn, treated her well. Patting her nose one last time, the woman got up and left her companion.
It was around midday, and the woman really didn't have anywhere to go in mind. So, instead, she let her feet do the thinking. They brought her inside into her room.
The raven haired woman sighed, and rubbed her eyes. She was tired, and had purple bags under her eyes to prove it. Still, no matter how tired she was, she refused to sleep. It was actions such as this that severely worried her doctor, Katara, and her husband, the Avatar known as Aang. But time had made her indifferent, and she stopped caring; especially for herself.
On her way to the bed, she brushed her hand slowly across the dresser. She stopped when her hand impacted with cool metal. She felt her throat tighten and heart ache automatically. Carefully, and almost timidly, she ran her hand over the blade of the sword. Subconsciously, she reached up and touched her meteorite bracelet. Every day, she ran her hand over the weapon, for fear it would be gone the next. She wasn't sure if it was reassuring or not, but she did so all the same.
While at the market one day, she had come across a man selling things. Various items from the nations. She approached the vendor and briefly browsed through his wares. Her eyes widened when she felt the sword, for she knew its feel; it was made from the same material as her bracelet. She grasped the sword tightly, and looked up at the merchant, a wild look in her eyes. He had immediately recognized her, and let her have the item; no charge. She thanked the man graciously, and then was on her way.
Almost reluctantly, the woman left the space sword and sat on the edge of her bed. Sighing for what seemed the millionth time that day, she flopped down. Absently, she reached up and toyed with the necklace at her throat. She traced the intricately carved water and earth symbol on the cool stone. She received the betrothal necklace two years after Jade's birth. She had been ecstatic. Not long after, it was revealed she was pregnant again; this time with Kadei.
However, her fiancée was called away about a week before the wedding. He just left. And she hadn't heard from him since. No one had.
'That was three years ago,' the woman thought. Now, here she was. A mother of two and engaged for three years. Still, she wouldn't get betrothed to anyone else; much to the dislike of her parents' ardent pleas. But, there were people who sided with her; her future sister-in-law and doctor, her husband, the Avatar, and even the Fire Lord himself. They all believed one thing; he would return.
The woman sat up as she felt the vibrations of frantic footsteps headed in her direction. They stopped, barely, outside her door and were added to by erratic knocking.
"Come in," the woman called. Her door opened to reveal an old man. He rushed in and stopped a few feet before her and she smiled softly to herself. The man's name was Yoshi Bumbuu; a kindly old man who served as her scribe, friend, and advisor for many years. "What is it Yoshi?" she asked, when his quickened heartbeat did not relent.
He bowed slightly before saying, "Forgive me, Lady Toph, but I have a letter for you."
Almost instantaneously, she could feel her own heartbeat begin to race. "From who?" she asked, her voice laced with anxiety.
"It is from Lady Katara and Avatar Aang. They believe they may have some information on the whereabouts of Master Sokka," he informed her. At those words, Toph cold feel the color drain from her face, and pulse skyrocket.