Hello darlings! Just a short chapter this time I'm afraid but I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
The preparations for the wedding were taking months. The date was set for the beginning of spring, the beginning of a new year, symbolic in its self. The celebrations were to take place in Ba Sing Se that hated city of rules and structure. The wedding was a celebration for the nation as much as anything else. Everything had to be perfect.
Toph refused to speak with her parents. The preparations for the wedding began and she did everything she was told to. She let people fuss over her, let them put dresses on her and flowers. She allowed them to do things with her hair. She let them clean her and lead her. Her fourteenth birthday had come and gone but she remained quiet, not a single word crossing her lips.
Only once did she break the silence. Her mother had come into her room, quiet and pleasant as always. She seemed pleased about something, humming to herself as she laid out Toph's clothes and helped her dress.
"We've found out who your husband will be," she said suddenly, happily, "you're not going to believe it, it's-"
"Be quiet," Toph's voice was harsh and rough. Her mother stared at her. It was the first time she had spoken in weeks.
"But Toph-"
"I don't want to know who it is," she said starkly, "I don't care who it is. Be quiet." And her jaws clenched together again.
Lady Bei Fong was silent for a moment. "I remember when I was going to marry your father," she began, "I was so scared, I didn't even want to think about it. I had forbidden everyone to speak to me about it as well. But everything worked out in the end and I'm very happy. Its going to be all right Toph, you'll see. Marriage is wonderful."
There was no reaction from her daughter. There never was anymore. All she did was sit and stare, as if she had really become the doll they had treated her as. The fact that she was now completely blind made her as helpless as they had always thought her.
In truth her mother felt guilty. When she laid awake at night and heard the thumps and cries of rage as her daughter tried to make the earth obey her as it once had her heart ached. She wanted Toph to speak to her to allow her to comfort her but she couldn't. She wanted her to be happy.
But they lived in worlds apart and she would never be able to understand her daughter's world. In Sun Bei Fong's world a marriage was the best thing that could happen to a girl. It was the only chance for a girl. And so, quiet and complacent by nature, she followed her husband in what he thought was best for their daughter even when her heart filled with pity at her suffering.
And Toph punished her with her silence.
"Come in Zuko," Iroh gestured at his nephew to enter the room and sit down. He was sitting in the tea room of the Fire Lord, kneeling in front of a low table set with a simple, beautiful tea set.
Zuko lowered himself onto his knees opposite to his Uncle and stifled a sigh. He still had very little patience with tea but Iroh had wanted to discuss something with him, so here he was.
Iroh seemed in no hurry to talk about why he had called his nephew, instead busying himself with the ceremony. Zuko knew better than to interrupt and so the two sat in silence while Iroh poured the tea.
Finally he passed a cup to Zuko and took one of his own. Zuko held the cup with both hands, feeling the warmth of it seep into his fingers. He spoke first, "You called me?"
"Yes," Iroh was holding his own cup, inhaling the scent of the tea, "We have received the name of your bride."
"Ah?" Zuko wasn't particularly interested. The name would most likely tell him nothing and it certainly wasn't worth an elaborate meeting.
"It's Lady Toph Bei Fong," Iroh looked carefully at the Prince's face, whose gold eyes had widened in surprise, "The Bei Fong's are a very old and very rich family in the Earth Kingdom, almost as important as royalty."
"It's not Toph," Zuko interrupted, "Not the Toph."
"I don't think so either," Iroh was turning his almost empty tea cup around and around in his hands, "Toph isn't such an uncommon name."
"Toph is too tough," Zuko said, almost to himself, "She'd never do it."
"No, she wouldn't" Iroh smiled, "She really wouldn't. Besides, where is she now anyway?"
Zuko shrugged, "I don't know. I get letters from Katara sometimes but not from Toph and Aang but it is kind of hard if they're travelling the world, which is probably what's they're doing."
"Hmmmm," Iroh hummed to himself, his doubts reassured, "Unfortunately you won't be meeting your bride before the wedding."
"Really?" Zuko was surprised; it was usual for the bride and groom to meet at least once before the wedding.
"Her parents are very worried," Iroh said, "They don't want to let her out of her sight. And there is too much to do to travel to the Earth Kingdom."
"Alright," Zuko shrugged. It wasn't a problem, just a slight nuisance. It was going to happen, one way or another.
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