So yeah, after a universal vote, Sokka came too. I admit though, I really have problems writing Sokka (I love him though). Toph, Zuko, Katara I'm fine with, Aang already get's more difficult but Sokka is really hard for me. Anyway, he doesn't get much action yet this chapter but he's here.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
It took exactly a week for the balloon to return. Toph had been informed by Lt. Colonel Toma of its arrival and was waiting with him at the landing area. Zuko hadn't come, he was staying with Iroh.
Toph felt the airship land and several people leave it. She smiled to herself, her toes tingling with anticipations as she recognized two pairs of footsteps, "Hey Katara, hey Sokka."
"Toph!" Katara reached her first and pulled her into a hug. She hugged back lightly.
"Hey there, Earthmaster," now it was Sokka's turn, wrapping one arm tightly around her, "man, what a journey. Those things sure fly fast."
"Toph, what's going on?" Katara's voice was worried, "We don't hear anything from you for months, Zuko didn't respond to the last message we sent him, then this balloon shows up with a message from you that Iroh is sick…"
The smile disappeared from Toph's face, "Yeah, Iroh…we really should get back to the palace. Come on," she turned to Toma and punched him in the arm, "Good job. You managed to get them here on time."
"My pleasure Princess Toph," he bowed lightly, rubbing the spot on his arm where she had punched. Katara's eyes widened and she seemed about to ask but Toph was already whirling around and walking towards the carriage that stood at the edge of the landing field so that they had no choice but to follow.
The carriage was large and decorated with the official Fire Nation insignia, the seats inside covered with red plush that sank down when you dropped into it. Toph let herself fall into one corner and signaled for them to sit down as well.
"Sorry Zuko isn't here to greet you," she said, leaning her head against the cool, dark wood of the carriage wall, "but Iroh's been getting worse. I really hope you can do something Katara, because I don't know if this will turn out well."
"Toph, what's going on? Why are you here in the Fire Nation? And why did that man just call you Princess Toph?" Katara's voice was slightly suspicious, just overlaying the worry she was feeling.
Toph sighed. She had really hoped that this could wait a little bit. She was defiantly not looking forward to explaining to Katara that she and Zuko were indeed married. "Well," she began. Oh man how did she put this so that it would cause the least disturbance? "You know those rumors you wrote that letter to Zuko about?"
"You were there??" That was Sokka, "Why didn't you write back? We were really-"
"Uh," oh Toph was definitely not looking forward to the wrath of Sugar Queen. She hoped she would be able to explain the whole story before Katara started yelling at her. Maybe she should start at the beginning-
"Don't tell me you and Zuko actually did get married." Katara's voice was very, very controlled.
"Ummm, yeah we did," Toph sounded sheepish, "But listen, it's not the way you think-"
"You and Zuko got married?" Sokka interrupted the explanation. He sounded incredibly shocked, "I don't believe it! When did this happen between the two of you?"
"And why," now Katara's voice was growing in fury, "Did we not know about it but, by the idiot's explanation, almost all of Ba Sing Se and the Fire Nation? And why did weren't we invited to the wedding? And why did you even get married, at your age? I never would have thought that-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Toph held up her hands as if to shield herself form the accusations flying towards her, "listen it's not the way you think it is. There's nothing going on between Zuko and me-"
"So you just go and get married?" Katara yelled, "This is Zuko's planning isn't it? How can you do something like that Toph? It must be the single most idiotic thing I have ever heard from anyone-"
"Let me talk!" Toph shouted. Katara fell silent, but the blue eyes were glowing. She was not done with her tirade, far from it and Toph was going to listen-
"It was an arranged marriage okay," the blind girl's shoulders dropped, "I didn't know who I was going to marry and he didn't think-"
"Obviously neither of you thought very much," Katara shot back, "an arranged marriage? What did you get yourself into-"
"Hang on Katara," Sokka cut off his sister. He'd remained silent until now, it was always best to do so when Katara had worked herself into something, "Toph I know you. You would never agree to an arranged marriage. What happened?"
The blind girl, best Earthbender in the world, was silent. "My parents," she mumbled finally, "they blocked my bending. They wouldn't unblock unless I agreed to this political marriage arranged between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom as some sort of symbol for a new beginning. Zuko did it because; well you know what he's like, with serving his nation and all…"
The two Water Tribe siblings were sitting in stunned silence.
"Well," Toph straightened her shoulders and shrugged, "whatever. It turned out quite well in the end. I like Zuko and yeah…" She trailed off and Katara and Sokka exchanged a look. It was the kind of look that said: well there's something going on here we'll have to find out what it is.
Suddenly the carriage came to an abrupt halt and a second later the door was opened from the outside. "Welcome to the palace," an unseen voice murmured. This brought back the reality of the whole visit and Toph's face immediately grew serious.
"Come on," she jumped out of the carriage and hastened up the wide palace steps, "we'd better hurry." The siblings jumped out and followed. It was amazing to see how confidently Toph navigated in the palace, weaving through people and things and walking through the maze of corridors without hesitation. She knew her way around.
"What's wrong with Iroh anyway?" Katara ask, walking next to Toph. The mass of people was thinning; they had reached the private quarters of the palace.
Her pale face was serious, "I don't really know, I can't understand the whole doctor speech. But it's bad, that much I can tell. It's messing with his heartbeat. And it's getting worse."
She stopped in front of a fancy, ornamented door and turned to the brown haired girl, "I'm glad you're here Katara, I don't think he'll hold out much longer." Then she pushed on the door and it swung open quietly, "They're here Zuko."
Zuko and the doctor were standing inside, next to the bed. Iroh appeared to be asleep again, his breathing harsh. Katara's eyes widened and she hurried forward, next to the doctor. Quickly her hands were surrounded by the magical, blue glow of water.
Zuko, Sokka and Toph stood there awkwardly a moment as the doctor and Katara began talking quietly. Toph made a gesture with her head to the door and Sokka nodded lightly. Zuko didn't react but when the other two quietly moved away he followed.
They moved into the room next door. Toph wasn't quite sure what this room was meant for, like most rooms in the palace, but there were several chairs and sofas and so they sat down. It was unbearable, the waiting, the not knowing. Zuko sat on his chair, staring at the floor. He looked even more pale than usual and there was a harsh line around his mouth that hadn't been there before. His eyes were puffy, he looked haggard, worn.
Sokka turned to Toph who was sitting next to him. "Is he alright?" he asked quietly. The prince looked almost as if he had been crying, but that wasn't right, because for all his faults, Zuko didn't break down and cry…
"Hasn't been sleeping," she answered. It was true, the Prince had spent his most his time up, looking for any signs of change in his Uncle. Even when Toph had offered to take his place, most of the time he had still remained up.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Time could be dragging, creeping along slowly as a snail or moving at normal speed, there was no way to tell. It seemed, at least, as if they waited for a very, very long time until Katara finally entered the room.
Zuko shot up from his seat, gold eyes fixed harshly on the pretty, brown face.
"He's going to be alright," Katara said, "he'll have to rest a while but he's going to be okay. I had to-"
The rest of her explanation was lost when Zuko caught her in a hug, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against his chest. "Thank you," he whispered, his face resting on her shoulder, "thank you, thank you, thank you."
"I'm glad I could help," Katara said returning the hug. Her blue eyes roamed the room, over Sokka's relaxed, smiling face until they rested on Toph's. The blind girl was smiling as well but there was a slight tightness in her face, as if she was clenching her teeth.
Then Zuko let go of Katara and the tightness disappeared, as if it had never been there. It was almost, Katara thought puzzled, as if Toph had been jealous.
I'm still having problems with the net, sorry (I will KILL my brother) but the next chapter should be up Friday!