It Shouldn't Be This Easy

Chapter 4

Innocence

-

-Aang-

"You want to go riding?" She squishes her face as a giggle escapes from her. She regains her poise once again. I nod and she regards me for a moment. Her pale eye search me before she stands up, brushing off her light green dress. Light pours in from a window, illuminating small flecks of dust floating in the air. "Let's go then."

I offer my arm but she brushes right by it. I sigh, this whole 'courting' thing really isn't working out for me. "You have your own horse?"

"Yes," we walk down the grand staircase. "Her name is Bandit." The street is almost empty and our breath comes out is small clouds. The rain has finally stopped but grey clouds still hover, blocking out the sun. Toph leads me to a small stable on the side of the mansion.

The stable is musky thanks to the numerous horses and the humid air. Toph immediately goes to the last stall. I follow behind and as she unlocks the stall a giant beast of black walks out, nickering softly. Toph pets the horse's nose, a small smile playing around her lips.

I clear my throat and she turns to me, throwing me a bridle. "Pick one." She gestures around to the other horses before returning her attention back to Bandit.

A chocolate brown horse is soon saddled and Toph and I are on our way. We head for the forest, planning on taking a lovely, calm ride through the trees.

-Toph-

"Can you see anyone else?" I ask Aang. It's the first thing I've said to him since we left.

"No." I grin. I hoist up my skirts and swing my left leg over the saddle. I am now centred on the horse, I hate side-saddle, it's too girly. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm riding." With a click on my tongue Bandit speeds into a light trot.

"You can't just start riding like a gentleman! It's simply unladylike!"

I ignore him complete and ask, just to confuse him more, "Would you like to race?"

He almost falls off Badger from disbelief. "Ladies aren't supposed to race."

"So you're a lady?" I challenge. Sir Aang Gyago's eyes widen as my words hit his ego. He grumbles for a moment and I laugh. "YA!" Bandit surges forward.

"Hey!" I hear Aang's horse attempt to keep up with Bandit but Badger is old and slow. "Wait up!"

I turn around in my seat. "That's not how races work!" I hear a unbidden laugh come from his mouth.

For the next five minutes Bandit and I weave through the trees until the goal, a large oak tree, appears at the end of the path. Bandit slowly down, her breathing gasping. I pet her side and lift myself off the saddle. She immediately starts lapping at a nearby puddle.

I slide down the tree, smiling. A light shower begins to fall and I draw me knees closer to my chest and let my mind wander to last night's events. Sokka...quite a name for someone so...odd. He didn't see like a simpleton, his eye were twinkling and his voice carried no hint of an accent. I blush slightly as I remember his face.

What am I saying!? A common peasant?! I shake my head but the image of his face stays in my mind's eye. Okay, maybe he was cute but it's not like I'm ever going to see him again. Hell Aang has a better chance at marrying me than me seeing Sokka again.

Well, it was nice for the five seconds that I knew him.

"Why didn't you wait up for me?" I jump at the voice and see Aang standing over me, hands on his hips while behind him Badger pants for air.

"That's not how races work," I stand up and give him a cocky wink, "Twinkle Toes."