disclaimer: I don't own ATLA

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Toph's memory

A couple of hours later the ship docked in the southern water tribe's harbor. I slowly walked up the stairs of the ship to emerge to the upper deck. The snowy wind decreed my body's temperature at the frost bit my exposed skin. I didn't really care about much since I herd what was said, and my life was once again a bleak shell, So I just stood there and took the icy blast.

"Toph!" It was Sokka's voice as he came up behind me. "You'll freeze if you don't put something on!" His words where stern, yes, but also caring and almost light hearted.

He wrapped a parka around me and I silently cursed at him. How dare he act that way, so sweet and innocent… Like he actually cared about me! When he was only marring me to sign his peace treaty and prosper his own nation...

He walked with me across the swinging bridge. But I was thinking more about Sokka; I wasn't paying attention and walked my bare feet out on the snow. I didn't have my shoes on any more, threw them off on the ship when I had found out. But at the sudden temperature change I pulled my foot back and stubbornly waited, as if the snow would instantly turn warm. I herd Sokka give a light chuckle behind me and then try to pick me up. The gentleness of his touch made my face flush, and my heart beat increase...only making me curse him more. Damn, why do I have these feeling towards this arrogant meat-head?

"STOP IT!!" I finally yelled as I ripped myself from his arms and ran off, not wanted him to see my tears. I ran as fast and as hard as I could out to the middle of this frozen tundra. My mind raced that I was now trapped here; the only ships to get out of here where under Sokka's control and he would have surely commanded him men not to take me back. I knew not were I was as my body collapses to the ice, my feet too frozen to go on.

Sokka had been following me, keeping a respectable distance though, just enough to keep me in sight until I wore myself out. The snow crunched under his boots as he walked up to me. I sensed his hand reach out to grasp my shoulder, but before it got there I whipped around and smacked it away. "Get away from me!" I said in a threatening tone, even though I was way out of my element and I was in no position to be bad mouthing someone who could now take me down.

"Toph, what's wrong?" His voice was now full of concern and worry.

"Stop it! Just stop acting like you actually care about me! You thought that I'd never find out but I did! So just get away from me!!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh playing innocent now?!"

"No! I actually have no idea what you're taking about!" His once gentle voice had grown harsh.

I turned my back and squatted down, not wanting to talk to him anymore. He sat down beside me, but kept his distance, respecting my anger. He waited patiently but I didn't say a word, this was only letting my anger rise to a dangerous level in my body.
My tears were freezing as they fell to the snow.

I had been too wrapped in my thoughts to realize that he had moved closer to me and when he wrapped his arms around me it was too late to get away. He pulled me in close but I began to pull away, only causing him to wrap his legs around me to keep me place. I now resorted to thrashing and biting, but his parka was so thick that my teeth got no where near his flesh and he was also physically stronger than me so he kept me still.

"Tell me..." he said, gentleness now engulfing his tone.

I still did not give in. It took every ounce of strength I had, but I still continued to thrash against him. Apparently growing tired of my behavior he rolled over from our sitting position so that he lay on top of me. His arms were still securely around my body; but his legs where now sprawled out so I could roll him back over.

"Tell me…" his voice now more demanding.

Now I rocked my head, for it was the only thing I could move under his weight, but he just shoved it back with his own head.

"Tell Me!" He growled.

Fresh tears rolled down my face as my body and mind finally submitted to his will.

"I heard on the ship that you are only marring me to get the treaty signed..."

He raised himself quickly; he still was atop of me though, just now sitting on his extended arms and knees. My tired body didn't run from under him in my newly acquired freedom, as he stared down at me in silence. Not saying a word he lowered himself again but this time in a gentle, comforting way so his body barley lay on mine. He pulled me up to him even more and began to nuzzle my neck.

"Did he have a husky young voice?"

Sokka finally asked after a while. It took me a moment to realize who voice he wanted me to recall, but when I did I nodded with approval. Remembering that the male voice that I heard spread the news did in fact have a young husky voice.

"Damn it Nakota!" He spat with a snarl. He placed his forehead on mine before continuing.

"Nakota doesn't really like the way I went about choosing a wife. He believes that since I selected an Earth Kingdom maiden instead of one from our tribe, that death and chaos with fall upon the South Pole."

I sat there silent, not quite sure what to say.

"Toph..." He said so my sightless eyes glanced back up to him. "Nakota was only starting rumors, and what you herd was not the truth. I..." His words staggered, as if caught in his throat. He leaned in and his lips brushed against mine, as some odd way to say what he couldn't speak.

Sokka broke apart the kiss and raised himself off me so that I sat up next to him. He began to tuck my numbed feet inside the Para that he had giving me before I ran off. He wrapped his arms around my bundled up body and he hoisted me up. Standing there for a second he nuzzled my neck as he playfully purred in my ear, and I let out a small laugh as his unshaved whiskers prickled my skin.

He carried me back to the Southern Water Tribe.

I had not had a chance to "see" what the building looked like and my mind soon began to buzz, what could the architecture look like? Whispers over took my thoughts though. Whispers of the villagers who wondered who was this strange woman that their chief carried in his arms. My body oozed with embarrassment, as some of the voices said that I was to be their chief's wife...I'll have to remember that news travels fast threw these icy walls.

I had felt Sokka walk up a long flight of stairs and then open up a huge... I think a glass door and then walk inside the towering building. Was this place Sokka's home? The temperature was also different in here as well, going from the bitter cold outside, to a nuke warm inside.

He placed me down on the stone floor, and I shuddered as my tingling feet touched the cold marble. He beckoned to someone and a young petite woman stood beside me before he spoke again.

"Please ready her for tonight."

The woman slightly bowed and then Sokka just walked off.
Why was he leavening? …who is this woman? …And get ready for what?

"Ma'am..." the woman said in a shy quite voice to get my attention. I looked in her general direction.

"I know that you can see threw vibrations, and I know that you like to be independent, so please follow me to the room."

I nodded and she started off, and I quickly follow. What exactly had Sokka told these people about me? Wait...Room? What exactly was Sokka getting me ready for tonight?
The woman, who I discovered was named Shida, led me down at least a dozen hall ways before she finally came to a stop and opened a wooden door. She waited for me to enter first before hustling in the room herself.

My toes welcomed the plush carpets and the roaring fire warmed my skin. Burning timber filled my senses as I herd Shida rummage threw the closet.
"HA! Found it!" Shida's voice came bursting threw the silence. But she quietly hushed herself, saying that it was uncalled for her to cause such a ruckus.

"No that's alright. I would actually enjoy it more if you spoke in a normal tone to me."

I sensed her nod to my request. There was a short silence before Shida had come over and tried to undress me!

"What the hell!" I yelped before whipping around to face her.

I shot a glare to where I guessed her face was before she spoke.

"Ma'am I have to. I have been asked to ready you for tonight."

"Oh really..." I said in an aggressive sarcastic tone. "By-the-way, what is going on tonight?!"

"Ummmm..." She started a sense of 'like-OMG-you-don't-know?' filling her voice.

"Well!!" I snapped after a moment of silence.

"Umm...Ma'am, tonight's your wedding night..."

Geeze Toph...don't even know when your own wedding night is?
: p
yeah. I just needed a filler chapter, so-to-say, so here it is.