A/N - I had this idea out of nowhere and it just kept bugging me - what if Toph had siblings? Please review and tell me what you think!
"Are you coming?"
Meilin watched herself in the mirror as she carefully tucked a small plait of hair into the intricate bun she was weaving. Nothing but the most perfect appearance for her. "Coming to what?"
Meilin could almost hear the eye roll. "You know what."
"There's so much to do here, though. I still have to finish my lotus embroidery."
"Stupid embroidery! Are you or not?"
For the first time, Meilin turned from where she sat at her bedroom mirror, getting ready for the day, and looked over. A petite twelve-year-old girl was in the doorway. Her expensive, pearl-trimmed white dress and milky eyes were at odds with the casual way she leaned against the doorframe, arms folded. Her black hair was in a simple braid, mussed from sleeping. "Embroidery isn't stupid, Toph. It's a ladylike art, and we must strive to be perfect ladies at all times."
Toph stamped a foot, making Meilin's stool judder up. "Well?" she demanded, a hint of insecurity in her tone.
Meilin rolled her own eyes, feeling for the jeweled comb she left on the dresser. "Of course I'm coming," she said in a lowered voice. "This is the biggest rumble of the year, and I'm your sister. Rumbles may not be my favorite thing, but family has to stick together."
The grin spreading across Toph's face was enough reward. "Thanks, Meimei."
"You are welcome -" She stiffened at the same time as Toph, both of them hearing the footsteps on the stairs. Toph straightened off the doorframe and folded her hands in front of her, her posture going from casually relaxed to timid and proper.
A servant rounded the corner, her brown dress neatly creased. "There you are, Miss Toph!" she said. "You shouldn't wander around like that!"
"It's all right," Meilin said, looking extremely proper as she tucked the comb into her hair. "I have her."
The woman hesitated, then nodded. "I need to make sure Haoli got those boxes properly stored, anyway. You listen to your sister, Miss Toph." She turned and hurried off.
Toph came into the room, closing the door behind her. "Thanks."
Meilin scooped a hairbrush off the dresser and headed over to Toph. "Let me get your hair for you," she said. "Are you training with Master Wu today?"
Toph nodded as Meilin started to undo her braid. "Fat lot of good that does me," she grumbled. "Oh well. I need all the earthbending practice I can get. It's only a week away."
"And you are going to own that rumble," Meilin said confidently. "Like you have the last three years. No one gets past the Blind Bandit."
Toph smiled a little, and Meilin patted her shoulder. "Let's get your hair done."
;=;=;=;=;
Zhixiang Beifong was seventeen years old; he'd been a man for a year. He still lived at home, though, still depended on his parents, still played with his siblings. But he was shouldering more and more responsibility now in the family. For many years, Lao had been grooming Zhi to eventually take over as head of House Beifong, immersing him in politics, merchanting, finances and more. And recently, Lao had started entrusting him with keeping records or negotiating a new deal with someone. Zhi knew his parents were very proud of him.
He didn't know if they would be so proud if they knew everything, though.
Spooning sweetened jook into his mouth, Zhi looked across the table at his brother, nine-year-old Jiao. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked around a mouthful.
Jiao idly tapped the floor with his feet, making the table shudder. "I'm not super hungry."
Zhi swallowed and eyed Jiao. "This is about the testing today, isn't it?"
Jiao didn't say anything.
Zhi sighed. "Look, you'll do fine. You know you are better than most kids your age. Master Yu can't stop singing your praises. There's nothing to worry about."
"But what if I mess up?" Jiao stared at his bowl of cooling jook. "What if I can't do everything he wants me to? I'm no To – I mean, I'm not tough."
Zhi grimaced at Jiao's near slipup. "You'll do fine," he repeated. Glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot, he leaned in. "If you're worried, you can probably get in some last-minute practice with Toph this morning."
Jiao swallowed and shrugged. "Maybe."
Footsteps let them know they were no longer alone. Both boys looked up as Meilin swept in gracefully, followed by Toph. Meilin, as usual, looked like a proper lady, face painted, hair pulled up in some sort of braided bun, long embroidered robes rustling softly, a necklace hanging at her throat. Toph looked similarly done up, although she stuck her tongue out at Zhi as she sat down.
Zhi scraped the last of the jook from his bowl and set the spoon down. "I should get going. I'm going with Father to the Ni Quan's today, and he'll be leaving soon." A servant took his bowl out.
Meilin patted her lips with a napkin. "Do give Esi my warm regards," she said.
Zhi nodded, privately sighing. Esi Ni Quan was an excruciatingly proper young lady, and one of Meilin's friends. She was, in Zhi's opinion, very dull.
Of course, most people might assume that Meilin was dull, too. How wrong they'd be.
As more servants filled Toph and Meilin's bowls, Zhi pushed away from the table and, bowing out of the room, hurried through the wood-paneled halls. He paused for a moment as he passed the latest family portrait.
Lao and Poppy stood in back, smiling. Meilin, Toph, and Jiao were sitting in front, while Zhi stood just in front and to the left of his father. Zhi had been fifteen; still not much taller than his mother. He was wearing elaborate green robes and a pasted-on smile.
Zhi turned away from the portrait, smirking a little as he remembered that stressful day. They'd posed practically all day. He'd been frantic, desperate to get away. He had information to deliver, and there he was, stuck, with no good excuse to leave. Fortunately the session had ended with nightfall, and he'd been able to get out in time.
Lao was waiting in the carriage outside. Zhi swung himself into the plush interior and leaned back as the driver clucked to the ostrich horses. The carriage started to move, rattling over the stones of the driveway.
Lao was watching Zhi, who returned the look with some curiosity. "What are we doing today, Father?" he asked.
Lao's lips twitched up. "Going to the Ni Quan's," he said.
Zhi made an impatient gesture. "I know," he said. "But you never did say why."
His father smiled mysteriously. "Do I have to have a reason to visit my good friends?"
"Yes," Zhi said bluntly. "You never go out to see people just because you feel like it, and if this was truly just a friendly visit with neighbors, you would have brought Meilin, at least, and probably Mom. You have a motive for seeing them. And you brought me with you, so this either has something to do with me, or you want my input and assistance, or you want me to be paying attention to anything they might inadvertently let slip, or you simply want me to watch, listen, and learn. Or a combination of those. Any of which means that you definitely have an ulterior motive for going."
Lao was smiling, pride in his eyes. "Very astute, Zhi," he approved. "You nicely summed that up. Was there anything else that contributed to your conclusion?"
Zhi smiled back at his father. Lao often liked to test him, probing to see what he'd noticed and deduced from situations or people. In the presence of others, Zhi was the model son; however, alone, he knew he was free to speak to his father like equals. Lao truly valued his son's thoughts and observations, and never missed an opportunity to teach him or give him experience.
"Yes, actually," Zhi said, shifting a little in the seat so his jeweled belt wasn't digging into his back. "I know for a fact that you are on good terms with Taihan Ni Quan, but you can't stand his brother Lifao, and you've never been fond of House Ni Quan in general after they attempted to interfere with your support of Councilor Hawa. They are a wealthy and influential house, however, and you wouldn't pass up the opportunity to align interests with them, which means that whatever you are going to speak with them about is something that would benefit both of you. Once bonds are established and they are no longer actively opposing House Beifong, you will probably start taking measures to ensure that they will continue to remain on good terms with us, probably with some sort of long-term contract." He took a breath, turning it over in his head. "Following that reasoning, today is probably the start of that process. Warm up to them, assure them there aren't any hard feelings that would get in the way of mutual benefit, suggest some minor alliance that you can grow off of."
Lao clapped slowly. "Well done, Zhi. Well done. Your guesses and conclusions are remarkably accurate, as usual. I am indeed testing the ground to see if a truce and contract could be stable."
Zhi felt a warm glow swelling in his chest. He knew his father was far from perfect. They had disagreed in the past and would no doubt do so again. And he didn't like the way that Lao saw Toph, fragile and helpless. But Zhi loved him anyway, and knew that Lao was raising him to be the best head of House Beifong he could be.
"Seeing how you have identified the reason we are going, do you think you are able to determine the nature of said contract?" Lao inquired, a twinkle in his eyes that Zhi was not entirely content with.
Zhi mused it over, thinking out loud. "A land treaty would be the simplest and fastest, but it might be seen as an insult. The Ni Quans are going to see this for what it is, they aren't that stupid, so it can't be too small, and it's not worth it to make the land treaty big enough. I suppose a court alliance could work, except that House Ni Quan is known to be allied with House Mencius, and they are directly opposed to us. The Ni Quans wouldn't agree to that, not right off, and it would be detrimental to our position to offer..." He broke off, thinking. "The four traditional contracts are a land treaty, a family tie, a court alliance, and a financial contract. Land treaties are out. Court alliances are too. Financial contract is possible. They're a merchant house, mostly trading from the west, so we don't have a lot of influence there." He stole a glance at Lao. "And they wouldn't accept financial contract if it meant dealing with the Fire Nation."
Lao's mustache twitched, but he didn't say anything. When you were a rich, influential, famous trade and financial house with an excellent reputation, everybody used you. Even the Fire Nation. Lao insisted it was just part of being House Beifong, but Zhi didn't agree.
He forced himself back onto the topic. "Only thing left is family tie. Those can be powerful, especially if the tie is to the right person, but I don't think we have any close relations in House Ni Quan at all, let alone ones high enough to influence them, so blood tie is out. Marital ties could secure the houses, especially if it was high-ranked enough on both… sides…" He trailed off, his eyes slowly widening as he thought back over what he'd just said. "Marital ties. The best option at the moment. High on both sides. You're trying to marry me off to Esi Ni Quan, aren't you." It wasn't a question.
Lao looked like he was trying not to laugh. "I wondered when you'd figure it out. Thought you'd think of it right off, but apparently not."
"Maybe because I really have no interest in Esi Ni Quan whatsoever?" Zhi said glumly.
Lao raised an eyebrow. "She's well connected, and is a knowledgeable and proper lady." Which meant that she knew embroidery, wore fancy robes, served tea, and swooned at the thought of anything dangerous. Not exactly who he'd imagined marrying.
"But…"
"I hope you didn't have your eyes on somebody else?" Lao asked, his tone light, but his eyes piercing.
Zhi swallowed. "Dad, proper young ladies are boring," he protested feebly, and could have cheerfully punched himself in the face if it wouldn't raise Lao's suspicions further.
Lao's eyebrow rose. He hadn't gotten to where he was by missing unspoken insinuations, and Zhi knew Lao had heard what his son didn't say. He hadn't said no. Further, he had said that proper ladies were boring, implying that he had his eyes on someone who wasn't a proper lady. Certainly not the kind of person who would make a good match for the heir to House Beifong.
But to Zhi's immense relief, and confusion, Lao didn't press the subject. Just leaned back against the velvet seat and started a conversation about silk prices in the south.
Zhi tried to listen and contribute, even though his mind was turning at high speed. He'd always known, in some part of his mind, that he was expected to marry a noblewoman someday. Someone with ties and wealth. Someone who would strengthen House Beifong's ties.
Father didn't, though. Mother may have behaved like a proper lady, but she was from a peasant family. I've heard how furious Grandfather was when Father married Mother anyway – would he be so mad if I married someone other that who he wanted me to?
Not that I want to marry anyone else, of course. It's just that I don't want to marry Esi.
Right.
;=;=;=;=;
The Ni Quan estate was sprawling, with wide green lawns and multiple buildings. While it wasn't as vast or fancy as the Beifong manor, it was certainly a respectable place. Zhi eyed the gourami-koi pond surrounded by waving rushes and wondered if they ever swam in it. Criminal waste of a pond if they didn't.
They were ushered in with all the courtesy due them, and Lord Taihan and his daughter Esi greeted them cordially.
"Unfortunately, my brother Lifao is away this month," Taihan said, not sounding terribly unhappy. "He is traveling to Omashu to meet with the head of the Silk Guild there."
"That is most unfortunate indeed," Lao said insincerely. "I trust you will convey my greetings and respects to him when next you meet." He bowed again. Zhi smiled privately – his father had no doubt arranged the trip so that he wouldn't have to see the unpleasant Lifao.
A hint of a smirk tugged Taihan's lips up. "I shall certainly do that, Lao. Forgive the impatience of an old man, but could I inquire as to the impetus for your pleasant and well-received visit?"
"Old? Taihan, you are scarcely ten years older than myself." Lao smiled. "You are starting to make me feel creaky."
Taihan laughed, and the two men started off towards his study. Zhi took a tentative step after them, but Lao held up a hand.
Sighing, Zhi turned back to the receiving room and sat down on a couch. All of a sudden he realized that Esi was still standing there. "Oh, uh, my apologies for overlooking your presence, Miss Ni Quan…"
She smiled demurely behind her hand. "It is all right, Master Beifong." She sat down on a couch opposite him. Esi had light brown, almost auburn hair pulled up in two buns. Her face was carefully painted. She was wearing enough jewelry to feed a family for a month, and wispy golden robes over a dark green dress.
They sat there for a few minutes. Esi stared vaguely at him. Zhi was feeling very awkward. Finally he attempted some conversation. "So… how are you?"
"I am in good health, thank you," Esi said politely. "And you?"
"I am also well." Zhi fidgeted a little. Why could he conduct himself with ease in a court of important and influential people older than his father, but could barely get through a conversation with someone closer to his age?
No, that wasn't true. He could talk to people his age. But they had to have something in common. Embroidery didn't cut it.
He decided he might as well try to find out a little more about her – after all, this was the girl Father wanted him to marry. Maybe she wasn't boring after all. Perhaps she enjoyed some interesting pursuits. He'd even take Pai Sho. "So… what do you like to do?"
Esi looked faintly confused at the question. Zhi wasn't sure why – surely it wasn't that difficult to understand? "Like to do? Well, I suppose I enjoy embroidery…"
Zhi wondered if curling up in a ball and crying would be seen as socially inappropriate.
"I arrange flowers," she continued. "I am taking watercolor lessons…"
"Do you play Pai Sho?"
She looked faintly scandalized. "Pai Sho is not a ladylike pursuit," she said primly.
"How about hand-to-hand combat?" Zhi couldn't resist asking.
Esi looked faintly shocked. Zhi was starting to realize that everything was faint on her face. "What a ridiculous question. I am a lady, Master Beifong. I don't engage in combat. It is not a suitable pursuit for women."
"What about the Blind Bandit?" Zhi knew he was pushing it, but he wanted to know what she thought. No matter how bad.
"Who?" She looked faintly puzzled.
Well, he should have known as much. Zhi leaned back and resigned himself to a very boring day.
;=;=;=;=;
Jiao's stance was wrong.
Toph bit her lip and tried not to let anything show on her face. She wasn't supposed to be able to tell. And it wasn't like anyone would listen to her anyway. Jiao was doing much more advanced earthbending than she ever would; at least, that's what everyone thought.
Jiao stomped the ground, and a rock half his size erupted out of the ground. He slammed it with his right hand, sending it flying across the bending ring. Spinning, he brought his other hand around, and stone jutted up in a jagged line.
Master Yu said, "And, halt!" Jiao dropped out of form and wiped his forehead, breathing hard. Master Yu scratched something down on the paper in his hand and looked back up. "Very good, Jiao. Let us move on to the eighth set."
Toph gripped the edges of her seat. The eighth set depended on keeping a firm stance, and she'd felt as his stance had gradually become more and more crooked over the last hour. If he didn't fix it, he'd end up on his behinie with a rock on top of him.
But it wasn't really his fault. Jiao was trying to learn two different styles of earthbending at the same time, and it didn't work out great. At night Toph would try to correct all the bad practices and weird stances that Master Yu was trying to teach him, and would tutor him on the original earthbending forms, learned straight from the badgermoles. In the day Master Yu would do his best to get rid of those weird practices and mannerisms that Jiao kept picking up from somewhere. Something had to be done before he went crazy.
Now he started into the eighth set, feet planted. Toph gritted her teeth as she felt his leg slowly twisting, deforming his root. And then it happened. He struck up at the rock he was moving around him, his leg wobbled and buckled, and he fell with the rock right behind. Sitting next to Toph, Poppy cried out.
Toph's foot shot out, stabbing at the ground, her hand coming up. Dust billowed, and in the confusion no one saw the rock deflect off to the side and smash into empty ground, the flying chunks mysteriously missing Jiao's prone form.
Master Yu was in the ring in an instant. Say all the unkind things about him and his methods that you wanted, but he was a decent earthbender, and he was really a good guy at heart. Deep down. Sometimes.
He did some sort of sweeping motion that swept aside most of the dust, and ran to where Jiao was stirring in the middle of the ring. Poppy gasped in relief.
Toph checked Jiao out hastily. His heartbeat was through the roof, but that was to be expected. He was shaking from shock, but she couldn't feel any of the signs of serious injury, and she was confident she'd done what she could to keep him safe.
Master Yu bent over him. Toph could hear him murmuring something. A moment later, he helped Jiao to sit up shakily.
Poppy wrung her hands. "Oh, Jiao, oh, what if he's hurt? This is what comes from putting a little boy in such advanced classes!"
Toph sighed silently as Master Yu helped Jiao stand. Poppy rose as well, hurrying to the edge of the ring. Toph followed behind. "Jiao, are you hurt?" Poppy asked quiveringly.
Jiao shook his head. "Just – just a little surprised."
"He will be fine," Master Yu assured her. "Accidents happen." He turned to Jiao. "Jiao, you must watch your stance. Your leg came out because you were not rooted properly."
No, Toph thought, it came out because you made him stand wrong in the first place. But she just smiled placidly and didn't say anything.
"I think we'll take a break for now," Master Yu announced. "Jiao, go through some basic forms, first set, and then rest. Be back here in an hour."
Jiao nodded and started into the first set, moving slowly and carefully. Toph was very familiar with these forms, seeing as they were the only ones she was allowed to do. Master Yu headed off, probably to mop his brow.
"Will you be all right?" Poppy asked anxiously as Jiao shifted his foot around and brought an arm up.
"I'll be fine, Mom."
"All right," she said. "I'm going to go make sure that the servants remembered to take care of the outside guest room – they're always forgetting to do the linens in there." She laughed lightly. "Toph, dear, do you want to come?"
Toph shook her head. "I'll stay here with Jiao," she said, folding her hands. "He can help me if I need anything."
"All right," Poppy said a little doubtfully. "Jiao, you watch out for your sister." Turning, the woman swept gracefully towards the main house.
Toph wiggled her toes into soil. No one else around. Good. "I just kept your backside from being squished by a boulder," she said bluntly. "What part of watch your stance did you not understand?"
Jiao flinched and dropped out of form. "I thought it was all right."
Toph leaned on the wooden rail around the ring, idly fiddling with the pearl-studded band in her hair. "And that wasn't good enough. You had to know. And you didn't. And you were that close to becoming an earthbender flatcake." She grimaced. "I think that it's partly my fault," she admitted.
"Your fault?" He felt confused.
"Yeah… You're getting pulled between two different bending styles, and it just doesn't work. Maybe if you were older, maybe if you had a firmer foundation in one or the other. But trying to keep both at the same time isn't turning out well. You could have been hurt, Jiao, and I can't let that happen."
"So… what are you going to do?"
Toph bit her lip. The solution wasn't easy, not by a long shot. A temporary solution would have to do. "For now, I'm calling off our lessons. I'm not going to teach you anymore, because it's just messing you up."
"But Toph -"
"Jiao. Maybe you didn't understand me the first time. If I hadn't been here and you were hurt, it would have been my fault. I can't do that to my little brother." She could feel the surprise and disappointment radiating through the ground. "Listen, we can still practice and stuff, but I can't teach you anymore. Not now."
"Will you ever be able to?" Jiao asked plaintively. Toph wanted to say yes, wanted to tell him of course I will, didn't want to see her brother being less that he could be because she wouldn't teach him a better way…
Didn't want him hurt.
"Maybe," she said. "For right now, no." She sighed. "Listen, we'll talk to Meimei and Zhi, and we'll figure out something. They can always figure out something."
I really, really hope.
It seemed to do the trick. Jiao nodded and moved back into form, starting where he left off. Toph observed him silently, thinking the problem over. If only she could just chuck a boulder at it and that was that.
But real life never seemed to be as simple as a rumble. Sad.