Chapter 18
When Toph woke up the next morning, she realized they had slept the entire night on the common room sofa. Outside, the day was still heavily overcast, but the storm had given way to a steady rain. Zuko stirred a little beneath her. Her husband, she thought. It felt so weird and so right all at the same time.
They'd passed the evening listening to the storm blow and talking about nothing. They didn't plan; they didn't even speak of weddings or the future. She knew there was so much to be done—she didn't even want to think about it. So she didn't. Instead, she eased off the sofa and went to wash and change.
A half hour later, Zuko still lay asleep on the sofa as she got breakfast together. She began to worry a little. Mr. Up with the Morning Sun was usually well awake by now. She lightly touched the back of her hand to his cheek. No fever. Maybe firebenders were subject to rain delay, she thought uncertainly. Or maybe he was just extra tired. After all, he'd had a very rough day yesterday.
Out of nowhere, it hit her how much she didn't know about him. There were so many things she didn't know about his life, his firebending, his country—the country she would serve as Fire Lady one day. She didn't even know what he liked for breakfast. How could she marry him?
Right in the midst of her crisis, Zuko opened his eyes, looked at her, and smiled. With all the thoughts and questions running through her mind, all she could ask was, "Do you want fruit and rice or fruit and toast for breakfast?"
He yawned and stretched, then replied, "It doesn't matter, sweetie. Either sounds good." Completely unaware of her inner turmoil, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and went to the bathing room.
After a while, he came to the breakfast table, dressed in lightweight island wear. They sat and ate together, making light conversation about the weather, the fruit, the house, anything but the future.
Finally, Toph couldn't stand it any longer. "Are we really getting married?" she asked.
"If haven't changed your mind," he answered, giving her a playful look.
"Then let's do it here—today. Yung is kind of like an acting island governor, surely he's got the authority to perform the ceremony," Toph replied with the slightest bit of hysteria in her voice.
Zuko laughed at first, then realized she was serious. "What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked, mystified.
"You're the crown prince of the Fire Nation. That means a big state wedding—a year to plan at the outside. Lots of guests—dignitaries from throughout the entire world—especially with the big Earth Kingdom alliance kind of thing we'll have going on. If you thought Sokka and Suki had a big wedding on Kyoshi Island, this one will eclipse that by a thousand," she finished breathlessly.
At first he thought she was bragging, then he realized she was terrified. She was right. The heir to the throne of one of the four nations was marrying a very highly placed member of the Earth Kingdom government. From a political point of view it was the perfect alliance for him. This wedding would be a powerful symbol of peace and balance for the entire world. It would be huge. Past huge.
The minute they got home and announced their intentions, a huge social machine would take over, and it wouldn't be their wedding anymore. But there was no way he'd allow all the political frenzy to rob them of their right to just be married—like Yung and Su-lin, like any other two people in the world who loved each other. Even Aang and Katara got to have a quiet ceremony in the Southern Water Tribe village, and he was the Avatar.
"No, no, sweetie," he pulled her close to him. "It won't be that way, I promise. We'll find a way for us to just be us. No performance, no show, just us."
"I hope we never get rescued," Toph replied, her voice muffled against his chest.
"I know," Zuko answered, but he knew it was only a matter of time before their interlude would be over.
Yung had just settled down with Su-lin to listen to it rain and watch the children play when he was startled by a knock at the door. He opened it to see the young prince and his lady standing in there in the rain, both drenched. Su-lin quickly provided a couple of towels and the couple sat down on one of the wooden benches, the lady shivering until her young man put his arm around her and bended some heat into them both.
"We want to get married," Prince Zuko began.
"That's wonderful," Su-lin gushed. "Just think of the wedding!"
Zuko cut her off. "We already have. And we know that we'll have to go through with the whole public ceremony as well, but we want to get married just us—not a political alliance—just us. The Fire Navy will be here any time and we'll lose our chance. Is there anybody on this island who can marry us?"
"I guess Mr. Fong could do it," Yung replied. "He married Su-lin and me in Pagong. He used to do all the ceremonies at the Earth Kingdom shrine."
"There's a Mr. Fong? And he's an earthbender?" Toph asked. "Why is he in the Fire Nation?"
"It's such a romantic story," Su-lin sighed. "When she was a little girl, Mrs. Fong came to Pagong with her family as some of the first Fire Nation colonists. She and Mr. Fong met and fell in love and got married even though their parents didn't approve. After all, the countries were at war then. But they were perfectly happy for years and years.
"Then a few years ago, when all the colonists had to leave, she was one of the ones forced to go. She could have stayed if she'd been born in Pagong and married an Earth Kingdom citizen. But since she was born in the Fire Nation, she had to leave. So he came with her," Su-lin explained with a smile and a sigh. "Back in Pagong, we didn't have a Fire Sage come through very often, so Mr. Fong performed all the weddings and funerals at the Earth Shrine there."
"Well, there's no Earth Shrine on Tuzai," Yung thought aloud. "But there is a small Fire Temple in the village across the mountain--if the volcano hasn't covered it by now."
The rain was slowing even further outside the door. Little glimmers of sunshine were beginning to peek through the clouds. "A wedding conducted by an earthbender in a Fire Temple," Zuko pondered the idea aloud. "Sounds perfect to me. Sweetie, what do you think?"
Toph agreed and suggested, "How about this afternoon?"
Mr. Fong turned out to be the sweetest little man Toph thought she'd ever met. His eyes crinkled at the corners and his wispy hair stood out over his head. He was so thrilled to be asked to conduct the ceremony. Mrs. Fong even produced a traditional Fire Nation bridal coronet—hers, she explained, one of the few things she'd managed to keep of their old life together.
Again, the village pulled together to provide wedding attire and flowers for the happy couple. Su-lin offered Toph a beautiful silk sarong woven in the same red and green gan tree pattern that was so common on the island. Zuko turned up in a red tunic embroidered with green and gold earth and fire symbols.
Because it would be a long walk, only a few from the village would make the journey to the temple; the rest elected to stay behind and set up for a reception to follow. Neshi was very pleased to be invited to attend, especially when he realized that Toph was going to bend another tunnel through the mountain. Maybe he could convince her to keep this one intact.
Their little procession passed under the mountain and through the empty village on the other side. As they topped a rise outside of the village, Zuko looked off across the island getting his first look at what he'd only been able to hear before. In the distance, the volcano smoldered, sending light plumes of smoke into the sky.
"That doesn't look too bad," Zuko ventured cautiously. Maybe the danger was not as great as had been feared. Toph adjusted her skirt and crouched to the ground where she could place her hands on the earth as well.
When she rose, Zuko could tell by the look in her eyes that something was wrong. "Mr. Fong," she asked, "have you been watching the volcano?"
"Oh, my dear," he answered sadly. "My earthbending skills were never very strong. That's why I took on my duties at the shrine. I'm afraid I can't tell much more about the volcano than a non-bender." He sighed and continued to follow Yung down the trail.
"What's wrong?" Zuko asked as Toph took his hand again and they continued down the trail.
"It won't blow in the next 24 hours," she replied. "Right now, that's all I care about."
He decided to leave the volcano to her expertise and concentrated instead on clearing her path to the Fire Temple.
The temple was small and too close to the lava fields for anyone's comfort, but was for the moment, safe. They entered, everyone standing back respectfully as Zuko bowed and lit the fire in the central court. Then Mr. Fong gathered them in a circle and began the ceremony.
"If you don't mind," he said, "due to the unusual nature of this couple and these circumstances, I am going to extemporize a bit." Zuko nodded agreement, but privately thought to himself if they were just as married at the end of it, he didn't mind if the old gentleman recited nursery rhymes for vows.
"Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom," Mr. Fong began. "You have come to take Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation as your husband. Do you promise to be to him as steadfast as earth, as passionate as fire, as open as air, and as nurturing as water?"
"I do promise this," she answered with the traditional response.
Instead of then turning to Zuko, Mr. Fong continued to address her, "And Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom, do you also promise to be his princess as well as his wife, to take the Fire Nation as your home, understanding his responsibilities and taking them for yourself as well?"
Toph stood facing Zuko, her hands in his, and she felt the true weight of the words she said and the promise she made. If she wanted to be with him, she would have to embrace all of him, including his position as prince and someday as Fire Lord with his sons and grandsons to follow him. She held his hands tightly and softly pledged, "I promise to be your princess as well as your wife. I will stand beside you and support you both as my husband and as my prince and one day as my Fire Lord."
Apparently satisfied with her response, Mr. Fong turned to Zuko and asked, "Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, you have come to take Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom as your wife. Do you promise to be to her as steadfast as earth, as passionate as fire, as open as air, and as nurturing as water?"
"I do promise this," he replied.
"And Prince Zuko, do you also promise to be her husband as well as her prince and place her needs above your own as she leaves her home behind to make a new place in yours?"
Zuko realized what he was promising in that moment. He would not sacrifice her need for freedom to his need for security. He would have to trust in her and in their love. Whatever it took, he would make sure that their home would always be a home and not a cage. He knew he was supposed to reply, but found it difficult to put his thoughts into words. "I promise to be your husband first, whatever else I have to be for the rest of the world. I know our lives won't be simple, but I promise to always hold you in my heart as my wife before all else," he said softly.
"Then before these witnesses and in this place, I declare you to be husband and wife, as well as prince and princess," Mr. Fong closed with a gleeful air. Amid the cheers of the small group of guests, Zuko kissed his wife and Toph kissed her husband.
As if it wanted to join in the celebration, outside the volcano began to rumble anew. "I thought you said it wasn't going to blow in the next 24 hours," Zuko commented as the ground began to shake.
"It won't. I give it about 48," she answered. Dust began to fall from the stone walls of the temple. Toph took a strong earthbending stance and held the walls steady as the ground began to quake in earnest. "Get everyone out of here," she ordered. Seeing Zuko hesitate, she added, "You too, Sparky. I can't do what I have to do and worry about whether you're too close."
He never dreamed his promise to trust her and not overprotect her would be tested so soon after he made it. With an incredible effort of will, he joined the group that busily exited the now crumbling temple. They stood a safe distance away and watched as dust poured out of the doorway while the ground continued to shake beneath them. After perhaps another minute, the volcano settled and the ground quieted. But she did not come out.
At last, Toph appeared at the doorway, coated in dust, but unharmed. She coughed a little and bended the dust off with a flick of her wrist. Zuko grabbed her in a relieved embrace. "What were you doing?" he asked.
"I couldn't let it fall down. We got married in there," she answered seriously.
He planted a relieved kiss on her mouth, then responded, "Being married to you is not going to be easy, is it?"
"Nope," she replied, kissing him back, "but it will be an adventure."