Gaoling Part Two
"Almost there, Snoozles, just hang in there," Toph encouraged Sokka as she helped him limp his way towards the Bei Fong estate.
The moon was a ways past its peak, the sky still absorbed with darkness. Tiny specks of light could be seen from down the road where lit torches bordered the perimeter of the property. There was about a dozen guards patrolling the courtyard. Mazy hedges and flowered bushes spiraled their way all throughout the courtyard and an elegant fountain was displayed in the center.
Each man marched up and down their own gravel path wearily. As they approached the front gate, Toph made the earth rumble in the back corner of the courtyard and luckily some leaves scratched against each other as well. At the sound of a possible intruder, each guard was curious to see what had happened and headed for the disturbance. This was the perfect diversion and the opportune moment for Toph and Sokka to sneakily pass by.
Fortunately for them, there were no more guards they would have to slink by beyond that point. There were many hallways in the Bei Fong mansion and there was one particular hallway where all the bedrooms branched off of. Toph opened the door to the furthest one away from her parents so they would not wake from Toph aiding to Sokka's wounds.
The room was pitch black but a dim crack of light crept in from the hallway, allowing Sokka to see the bed he would momentarily collapse onto. Toph lowered her shoulder in a particular maneuver that would have Sokka safely roll off her shoulder and bounce onto the bed. However, Toph's plan did not go over as well as it did in her mind. Sokka's back plummeted to the surface of the bed and he accidentally dragged Toph down with him.
"Whoa!" Toph cried as she was yanked downwards.
Toph ended up lying on top of Sokka, supporting some of her body weight by catching herself on her forearms. However, their chests were pressed together in an unexpected yet exhilarating manner that caused an awkward moment between the two. Sokka pulled his head back, giving himself a double-chin, as he waited for Toph to remove herself from her current position.
Sokka blushed. "Uh, Toph- you can get off me now."
Toph snapped, trying her best to cover up her embarrassment, "Calm your ostrich horses, Ponytail, it was an accident."
Sokka paused. "Then why are you still on me?" he asked.
Toph chuckled in embarrassment, "Oh, right."
Toph picked herself off him and told him to remove his tunic and wrap it around his waist.
"You want me to take my shirt off?" Sokka raised a single brow.
Toph growled, "Ugh, just do it. It'll help stop the bleeding," she continued, "I would help but I'm not really sure how to do that. I can't exactly see your cuts or anything."
Sokka struggled to find the strength to simply undress himself. He winced and made a hissing sound between his teeth as he tightened the tunic around his hips.
"No problem," he reassured his friend, lying only to comfort her. "This should be good. The bleeding's stopped anyway."
A soft knock on the door startled the two. In walked a guard wearing his earth toned uniform and armor. His hair was not visible under his broad helmet but he did have a brown goatee. His face was rectangular and resolute with bushy eye brows and deep wrinkles. His wizened face intensified when setting eyes on the wounded man.
"Lady Toph, is everything okay?" he asked quietly. His voice was hoarse yet gentle.
Toph rolled her cloudy, grey eyes, anticipating a ramble about how much trouble she was in. "Oh, fantastic," she muttered sarcastically.
The man entered the room with a large, burning candle and closed the door behind him. "Do not be alarmed. The name's Musaku and I want to help," he proffered sincerely. "Where are you hurt?"
Sokka answered, "My hip, ribs, and forearm."
"I'll get some water and bandages," he insisted and hurried out of the room before Toph or Sokka could object.
Toph waited for the man to leave before advising, "Maybe you should lean forward. It'll be easier to bandage you up that way."
"I don't know if I can," Sokka admitted.
"Sure you can. Now suck it up and move on up here."
Sokka clenched his side and gave his best attempt at tilting forward, but he ended up crashing back down on the bed. The second time around, Toph placed her hand behind his neck and helped push him forward. Sokka was amazed that such a powerful girl had such delicate hands. He shook his head and quickly corrected himself after catching a second glance at Toph. She was most certainly not a little girl anymore. She had developed into a beautiful, young woman.
Musaku returned with a small pail of water, several bandages, and a steaming cup of herbal tea. He planted himself along side Sokka on the bed, making Toph feel uncomfortably close to the man. Toph immediately got off the bed and leaned against the wall.
"Here, drink this. It'll relieve some of the pain," Musaku explained, holding the tea in front of Sokka.
Sokka gripped the cup shakily and poured some of it in his mouth. The hot liquid trailed down his throat and cleared away some unwanted saliva and mucus. Sokka gladly finished the cup of tea and looked at the man, ready for him to commence the next step in the healing process.
Musaku had Sokka unravel the robe from around his waist and the white bandages that he normally wore around his forearms. The guard dipped a towel in the water and wiped the blood away from Sokka's forearm and hip area. Sokka felt a bit uncomfortable as the stranger helped his gashes, but the man was very good at it and seemed to know what he was doing.
"You seem to have a knack for this," Sokka complimented.
Musaku explained, not looking away from his work, "I used to attend Ba Sing Se University where I was studying to become a doctor. I wanted to help people that had been injured in the war. Sadly, when my father died, I no longer had the money to continue going to school. So, I found this job working as a guard for your parents. I've been here ever since."
"Strange, you've been working here for so long but I never learned your name. To be honest, I don't know any of our guard's names," Toph confessed.
Musaku replied somberly, "It is not required for an employer to know their servant's names."
Musaku wrapped a wide bandage around Sokka's hips. Sokka shifted in his spot as the circulation to the lower half of his body was getting cut off by the tightly wrapped cloth. Musaku continued by wrapping Sokka's arm with a thick bandage as well. In the corner, Toph couldn't help but feel a shadow of guilt. If she had intervened sooner Sokka wouldn't be in this excruciating predicament.
"There. The bleeding has stopped and the bandages should prevent any dirt or bacteria from getting into the cuts, so the likelihood of infection has decreased," Musaku explained, examining his work in satisfaction.
"Thanks, man," Sokka grunted appreciatively, collapsing back on the bed in exhaustion.
Toph punched the guard lightly on the shoulder. "Yeah, thanks, man."
The armored man rubbed his shoulder and grinned happily due to the group's acceptance of him. "Anything to help," he told them.
"Get some sleep, Tender Hips," Toph ordered Sokka playfully.
Toph turned to exit the room but heard the clanking of gears near the doorway. Musaku had his head up against the door, his hand gripping a lock which he had secured around the hinges.
"What's going on?" Sokka asked, lifting his head up.
Musaku muttered, his head still shamefully glued to the wooden door, "I'm sorry to do this to you, Lady Toph." Tears began to collect in the corners of his eyes. The grown man turned to the pair with sad eyes that had a hint of frustration. "But I have no choice," he finished, removing the dark green helmet from his head.
Toph repeated Sokka's question, "What's going on?"
The palace guard began to explain, "My wife… she has fallen fatally ill. I'm afraid she doesn't have much time. We've sought medical help for her but… we just don't have enough money to get her the attention she needs." The man swallowed before continuing, "Which is why you two are going to bring my wife to Ba Sing Se where she can receive the medical aide she deserves. A while back, I over heard you say something to one of your friends about how you journeyed across the Serpent's Pass to Ba Sing Se safely. I know for a fact that you can get her there and I'm sorry Lady Toph, but I cannot take no for answer."
Toph poked the man in the chest. "But what if we refuse?"
Musaku answered, a veil of regret clouding his aura, "Then I will tell your parents about everything that happened tonight."
Toph spat, "Ha! That's not so bad. I'm not scared of them."
"But I will see to that you will experience no punishment like any other. You can't even fathom lack of freedom until you undergo what I have planned for you. Your parents know nothing of protection. What they have done to you is child's play. Your punishment will be far worse than any deadly Serpent's Pass," Musaku seethed.
Sokka gradually leaned forward and stated, a bit frightened, "You're insane."
"I'm sorry. I should've told you that my generosity comes with a price. And I will stop at nothing to save my wife's life. Even if it comes to sacrificing my own," Musaku said gravely. "Don't think the damage stops there, as for you Water Tribe boy, you will never be welcomed in this town again or around Lady Toph if you do not do what I ask."
Sokka reminded the man, trying to put some sense into him, "Ba Sing Se has endless amounts of residents, a lot of which probably need medical help just as much as your wife. What makes you think she'll get it there?"
"With a city that big there has to be someone there willing to treat her," Musaku determined, clenching his fist up near his chin.
"Why don't you just bring her there?" Toph suggested in annoyance.
"A man my age could not conquer a dangerous pass infested with serpents. I'm afraid this is a job that only you can complete. Please, Lady Toph, for all of the deeds I have granted your family, please repay me by doing me this small favor," he begged, pressing his palms together and shaking them pleadingly at Toph.
"This isn't exactly a small favor," Sokka commented bluntly.
Toph wagged her finger at him. "Yeah, buddy, you're asking us to do a lot."
Musaku smirked, knowing this next remark would convince Toph into accomplishing this task. "Don't forget, I saved your little friend."
Toph scowled. She realized she could've just metalbended the lock right off the door, but she felt she owed it to this man to hear him out. Seeing the circumstances, the pair reluctantly accepted the mission and would leave the next day. Besides, Sokka couldn't sit idly by while he knew a desperate man sat praying at his dying wife's bedside. He felt he had to do something to save this unfortunate couple from being separated permanently.
Musaku seemed to have pulled a package out of thin air. He held it in front of his chest and glanced down at it, beads of sweat collecting in the wrinkles of his forehead. The package was narrow and rectangular, with rough, brown paper covering the box which held the hidden item inside. Musaku handed it to Sokka and asked the two to deliver this to a merchant named Chang in the city. Musaku assured the pair that if they asked around the market they would find him. His next wish was a mysterious one. He demanded that Toph and Sokka refrain from opening the package. Whatever was in there was none of their business, he told them sternly. Toph turned her head in Sokka's direction and they each flashed each other a look of concern.
"Anything else?" Toph asked, growing weary from her sentinel's demands.
Musaku nodded gratefully. "That'll be all. As long as you complete these tasks I will not reveal any of these events to your parents. I give you my word."
Toph huffed, "Yeah- well, your word better be a good one."
"Meet me at the front gate sunup tomorrow morning. I'll take you to my wife on the east side of town and you two can leave from there. See you then," Musaku said in a whisper, bowing slightly before exiting the room.
Toph murmured sarcastically, "Can't wait."
----
Toph was surprised with herself when she woke up on time. The sun hadn't risen yet so she still had plenty of time to pack some belongings in a small sack. She carelessly stuffed a pair of pajamas and two extra pairs of clothes in the jade fetched a little jewelry box from her closet. She had received this as a gift from some important nobleman when she was a child, but she could care less about it. The only reason she had kept it for all these years is because it hid one of her closest possessions, and it would be one of the last places her parents would look.
The small box was a light lilac color with fancy swirls and designs carved into it. Inside a petite dancer spun and music played when the cover of the box was lifted. Toph bit her bottom lip as she rapidly opened the box, grabbed what was inside, and closed it before the loud music could begin playing. Toph unraveled her fingers from around the object to reveal a black wad of earth. It was the space earth that Sokka had given her years ago. She bended it into a long coil and tied it around her upper arm.
When Toph was finished packing she retrieved Sokka from his room. With a long night's rest he felt rejuvenated and revived from yesterday's previous conditions. He still limped somewhat, the gashes on his left hip making it difficult for him to walk.
While Sokka was still wearing the same blood stained clothes from yesterday, Toph wore a different outfit from her mysterious cloak from the day before. She wore a yellow and green tunic that resembled the one she used to wear as a kid. Under that was a brown, long sleeve shirt with matching brown pants. Her clothes fit her nicely and accented her small frame much more than Sokka was used to. Still, the outfit was loose and comfortable, not losing that side of Toph. Her favorite gold and green headband sat inches behind her hairline. Her hair was also different, rather than her usual bun she pulled it back in a low ponytail.
Just as he promised, Musaku was at the front gate, staring into the sunrise. He looked engrossed in thought. The scene was almost like a painting, the flurry of oranges and yellows stretching across the sky as a gentle breeze tickled the man's cheeks. He stood there, absorbing the tranquility of the morning. The man snapped out of his reverie once he saw Sokka and Toph had arrived. He smiled at the sight of them, a tad worried they would decide not to show up.
Without too many words exchanged, the trio left the Bei Fong estate and headed for the east side of town, where they would meet Musaku's sick wife. Beside one woman shaking a dusty rug outside her front door, the streets were lifeless. When they reached the town's inn, Sokka whispered to Toph that he would catch up with them there. He planned on saying good-bye to Suki before they left and pack up his things for the trip. Toph told him she'd do her best for Musaku not to notice he was gone.
Luckily, when Musaku announced they arrived, Sokka poked his head out of an alley just in time. The warrior rushed to Toph's side, pretending that he had followed them the entire way there. The green bag with gold piping Sokka had bought in the Earth Kingdom long ago was slung around his shoulder. He was also wearing a clean, blue tunic and grey pants underneath.
The street they stood on was cramped with houses, each one sharing walls with each other. Shingles were rotting and peeling off the roofs while paint chipped away from the front doors. Trash littered the streets and a few houses had their windows boarded up.
Musaku fished a ring of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the front door. It opened with an eerie creak and the room that presented itself to them was dark. Sokka was only capable of identifying a few basic shapes, like a couch and fire place in one corner and a kitchen area in the other. Musaku and Toph strutted indoors with no problem. Sokka was left at the door, having a strange feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed and stepped into the dark room, slowly closing the wooden door behind him. Musaku guided the two to a back room wordlessly. Toph followed easily but Sokka stumbled over a few things on his way over.
"Take it easy there, Graceful Feet," Toph teased..
Musaku led them to another dim room. A shiver crawled up both Sokka and Toph's spines when they heard wheezing coming from the far right corner. The room was small, a bed where the heavy, struggled breathing was coming from and a nightstand next to it. Other than that there was a single window on the opposite wall which was covered with thick curtains, preventing light from escaping into the room.
Musaku trekked over to the nightstand and lit a candle. The body rolled away from the tiny light source, not used to that amount of light being in the room. Sokka squinted his eyes as he got a better look at the woman. She was pale and sweating. Her chocolate brown hair, cut boy-short, was sticking to her forehead and her teeth clattered from the frequent chills that were sent through her body. Sokka could tell she was probably normally very beautiful. Her skin was almost flawless and her blue eyes looked like they were made of glass.
"Zuna, my sweet, we have some visitors," Musaku whispered.
She coughed shakily, "Who? Why are they here?"
Musaku explained amiably, "Their names are Toph and Sokka. They're going to take you to Ba Sing Se where you'll get medical help."
Zuna grinned dopily, "Such kind folks."
Toph crossed her arms. "You bet your sorry butt we are." Sokka gave her a nudge of admonition in the ribs. "Ow."
"Tell me, children, why are you doing this for an old geezer like me?" the woman asked.
Toph frowned. "We don't have much of a choice."
Sokka quickly added, telling the woman kindly, "But we want to help out in any way we can. We want to make sure you get better. Your husband helped me get better and now we're returning the favor."
"Plus, I could use a nice getaway from my stupid parents," Toph announced.
Musaku placed his hand on top of his wife's. "Do you think you can get up?"
Zuna swallowed the mucus clogging her throat before replying. "I'll try my best."
Zuna leaned forward gradually and eventually obtained the energy to put her pale, wrinkled feet on the floor. Musaku weaved his arm under both of his wife's in order to assist her in getting up. Sokka was amazed that Zuna was able to stand as sturdily as she did. He assumed she'd be tumbling to the floor the first couple of attempts but she proved him wrong by standing securely on the first try. Sure, her knees wobbled and her shoulders shuddered, but she was standing and that was good enough for them. Musaku collected a few items of clothing for his spouse and folded them into a bag. The four walked back out into the main room where he then placed some comestibles in the backpack as well.
"Here, you'll need these." Musaku handed Toph and Sokka each a canteen of water. He then shoved one into his wife's pack. The four gathered outside the couple's front steps where Musaku began to rant about his wife's special needs.
"Make sure she gets plenty of sleep. Don't over work her. If she needs to stop and rest then let her," Musaku turned to Sokka. "Keep a sharp eye on her, boy. Her fever can make her a little dazed and loopy at times. She'll wander off if you don't look after her," the man faced the two of them again, counting off on his fingers. "Be sure she gets lots of fluids and stays hydrated. Don't feed her too much meat or starch since those tend to drain fluids from sick people. She's allergic to most animals' fur so be certain she stays away from them or else she'll get covered in hives."
Zuna assured her husband in a chuckle while placing her hand on his shoulder, "We'll be fine and it's not like I'm a helpless child. I'm just sick, that's all."
Musaku eye's widened. "Just sick? You have a serious disease, if not treated soon, could kill you!"
Zuna rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks for reminding me."
Toph snickered to Sokka, "I'm beginning to like this sick chick."
"Promise me you'll stay out of trouble?" Musaku begged worriedly, embracing his wife tightly.
"No guarantees," she responded lightheartedly.
"Thank you, both, for taking my wife on this treacherous journey. I know you won't fail us," Musaku thanked gratefully.
Toph and Sokka nodded respectfully. Musaku kissed his wife on the cheek before the three of them turned to embark on their adventure.
A/N: There it is, the second chapter. Plot is setting in and they're finally heading off to Ba Sing Se where the magic happens! Now that school is officially over I will have more time to write. So, please review! Is my story a mega yes? Mega no? Mega maybe? Should I keep going with it? I won't know unless you tell me.
Huge thanks to my beta Leona629 for editing this!