Chapter 22

The next morning dawned bright and clear. Zuko looked out the window to see a large destroyer anchored off the point, a patrol boat anchored further into the harbor. Toph still slept next to him.

The sun called to him with all its fire, but he ignored it in favor of enjoying the chance to be with her. It filled him with a surprising and unspeakable sadness to think that it might be a long time before they could be this close again.

She finally stirred, but even though she opened her eyes, she didn't move. "Are they here?" she asked, her cheek pressed against his chest.

"The Fire Navy is in the harbor," he replied.

She wished she could freeze that moment in time and keep everything she wanted right there in her arms. "It's not fair," she whispered.

"I know, sweetie," he answered. "But together, we can take 'em. Both nations. They don't stand a chance against us."

Toph looked at him with all her sight, drinking him in. "We'll just have to find ways to be together even when we're not," she replied.

"I have faith in you," he answered. "But right now, I better get up and start acting like a prince again."

Zuko slipped out from under her and she lay for a few moments basking in the warmth he left on the sofa. Then while he dressed for the day, she went out to find Aang and Katara.

"Has anybody come from the ships yet?" she asked.

"No," Aang replied. "They've only just made anchor. Where's Zuko?"

"Getting ready to be Prince Zuko," she said, "whatever that means."

Aang nodded in understanding. They all returned to the house for breakfast, meeting Zuko in the common room. When she saw him, she understood. He was wearing the clothing he'd been wearing when they were kidnapped, all cleaned and pressed by Mrs. Fong. He also had his hair pulled up in a formal topknot. Even his posture was different. He seemed taller and his movements were more precise.

"Aang, will you please take me to meet the captain of the destroyer? We'll need Yung to come along as well," Zuko asked.

"I'll be glad to," Aang replied. The group made a quick breakfast, nobody saying much. Afterward, the men went to find Yung while Toph went to the bathing room to get ready.

Several minutes later, Katara saw Zuko and Aang return to the beach with Yung. They climbed aboard Appa and flew out over the harbor to the large Fire Navy vessel anchored in the deep water off the point.

When Toph came out of the bathing room, Katara was surprised by the elegance of her appearance. She was wearing a beautiful silk sarong with an unusual red and green leafy pattern on it. Her hair was pulled into a simple, but lovely arrangement. She looked very much the lady.

But when Katara commented on the loveliness of her dress, Toph surprised her by bursting into tears. "It's my wedding dress," she explained through her sobs. "Nobody will know but you and Zuko, but he's going to take me home in my wedding dress."

Katara put her arms around her friend and held her while she cried. After a bit, she began to pull herself together. Then Katara helped Toph wipe the tearstains from her face and fix her makeup.

After an hour or so, the men returned. They could hear Yung's voice on the beach as he thanked Zuko over and over again. Toph went out to hear the news for herself. At her approach, Zuko saw her dress and gave her an unfathomable look. At first she thought he didn't approve, then she realized he just wasn't allowing himself to express his emotions.

"My lady," Yung bowed deeply as she approached. "I was telling your—Prince Zuko," he corrected himself, having apparently been brought up to speed by Aang and Zuko on the trip out to the harbor. "I was thanking Prince Zuko for the great honor he has done to me and my family."

Toph looked to Zuko for explanation. "I have declared Tuzai Island to be safe for resettlement by the colonists and made Yung acting governor," Zuko announced. "The captain will be bringing over several hawks to allow them to communicate with the capital, and the patrol boat will remain at the island's disposal until such time as they can replace their own ocean going vessels."

Yung interjected excitedly, "And the medical supplies on board the destroyer will be shared with us until we can get our own. Lady Toph, would you believe they actually have a small store of quina bark powder?"

Toph happily declared her congratulations, then asked Yung to get Su-lin so she could bid her farewell in person. As Yung dashed back to his home, she turned to Zuko, "That was very good of you. I think he'll make a fine governor."

Zuko nodded, "I've also given directions as to the disposal of the prisoners, including those two black marketeers. Provided they didn't slip off in the night on one of the fishing boats." He smiled at her, but kept his distance, hands behind his back. The reality of the act they would have to play began to settle over her.

At that moment, Su-lin came running up and bowed deeply to her. Throwing decorum to the side, Toph gave her a huge hug. "Thank you for everything," Toph said. "I think Yung has probably filled you in on what's going on."

Su-lin answered quietly, "Do not worry, Princess Toph. You will not have long to wait before taking your rightful place beside our prince." She then pulled away and gave Toph another deep, formal bow.

After gathering what few possessions they had, the group climbed onto Appa's back, waving down to the crowd that gathered on the beach to bid them farewell. Zuko handed Toph up into the saddle, then seated her all the way across from him, next to Katara, while he sat up front to talk to Aang.

However, as soon the island and the ships were out of sight, he asked Katara to switch places with him, pulling Toph into his arms with a sad resignation that nearly made her cry. Katara looked back at the two of them, wrapped in each other and misery, knowing that this flight was their last chance to just be themselves for a while.

Katara strapped Bumi into his carrier on her chest, then crawled out to sit next to Aang on Appa's head. "It's not fair," she said, stroking the soft baby hair on her son's head as he waved his hands happily in the wind that streamed around them.

"I thought you were all about them not getting hurt," Aang answered.

"I am, and this hurts them worse than anything else. We've got to help them. Whatever influence you have, use it," she said firmly. "We have each other; Sokka and Suki have each other. Toph and Zuko need the same chance."

Katara glanced behind her to see the couple sitting there quietly in each other's embrace. Tears flowed freely down Toph's face, and pain etched lines around Zuko's eyes. "Fly slow, okay?" Katara said softly to Appa, who rumbled beneath them in agreement.

However, by the time they reached the capital and touched down on the palace lawn, the couple's mood had lightened. Zuko had formulated a plan. The best, fastest way to see that he and Toph became a couple was for it to be somebody else's idea in the first place.

First of all, Toph would become a hero for stopping the destruction of Tuzai Island. She would be honored in a ceremony which also announced the settlement of the island and Yung's governorship.

They could even work it out for her to travel with Aang and Katara to the other volcanic islands to do an inspection with an eye toward settling them as well, he continued. "And I will go with you all as escort," Zuko added, a glint in his eye.

"Only if you're asked to do so," Aang instructed. "The whole point is to make this someone else's idea."

"Besides, baby, I don't know how much help you could actually be to us," Toph continued in a teasing voice. "What would you do? Make the volcano hotter?"

Amidst laughter by Aang and Katara, Zuko pretended to bristle a bit. "Very funny. Should I have left you on the bottom of the ocean too?"

"No, thank you," Toph answered with a little shiver. "But the under water part wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be." She gave him a kiss to help his hurt feelings. It was good to laugh and have hope again, she thought.

They entered the palace doors to be met by Fire Lord Iroh who threw his arms around Zuko, unapologetically emotional at his safe return. He then repeated the embrace with Toph. "You two don't look a bit the worse for wear," he exclaimed as he dragged them both into a private parlor along with Aang and Katara.

Despite Aang's injunction against telling anyone about their relationship, Zuko couldn't help letting some of the sense of his feelings about Toph slip into his narrative as he gave his uncle an otherwise accurate recounting of their adventure.

"Are you certain this Yung is a trustworthy individual?" Iroh asked when hearing how the former kidnapper had become acting governor.

"I have already trusted him with my life and with Toph's life," Zuko answered solemnly. Iroh gave him a knowing look, satisfied with his answer.

"In that case, we will make arrangements for a banquet to announce the recolonization of the island," Iroh continued expansively.

"Toph should be honored in some way for her heroism in stopping the eruption," Aang contributed innocently.

"Certainly," Iroh answered, again with the look as if he knew more than he let on.

"Uncle, what are you thinking?" Zuko asked, giving his uncle a penetrating look.

At Iroh's look of feigned surprise, Zuko pressed further, "I know you've got something going on in your head. Talk."

"Chun and his wife let slip that something other than diplomatic relations might be going on between you two," Iroh answered. "Is that true?"

"Sparky, we probably better come clean," Toph whispered to Zuko.

Zuko nodded and the two of them went forward to kneel before Iroh. "Fire Lord Iroh, Toph and I were married yesterday by an earthbender in a Fire Temple on Tuzai Island. We humbly ask your blessing." The words ran out of Zuko in one fast breath.

"You what?!?" Iroh practically bellowed.

"They got married on Tuzai yesterday," Aang offered helpfully.

"I heard!" Iroh continued to roar. Then he looked down at the couple kneeling before him, their dark heads bowed humbly. Toph had one of Zuko's hands in a whiteknuckle grip and he'd put the other around her protectively as if to shield her from his uncle's fury. The sight melted him a little, despite himself.

"I was prepared to hear that you two had developed some kind of relationship with each other, but not married," Iroh exclaimed in exasperation. "What a mess!"

Zuko looked up at Iroh, but it was Toph who spoke first. "Please, Uncle," she said plaintively, "don't be angry with us. We did act foolishly and impulsively, but it was for the right reasons. I love him, sir, and he loves me. Please believe that."

Toph looked up toward Iroh with such sincerity in her eyes that it was hard for Zuko to believe she couldn't physically see him. There was such an air of innocence and trust in her face. She practically shone with sincerity.

And it worked. Zuko watched his uncle's crusty facade just melt away. Then Iroh reached out his hands to their heads, Zuko ducking his quickly lest the smile on his face give her away.

"I offer you my blessing as your uncle, Zuko, and as your Fire Lord, Crown Prince Zuko. I offer you my blessing as your uncle, Toph, and as your Fire Lord, Princess Toph," Iroh intoned, choking back tears. He then pulled Toph to her feet and gave her a warm, welcoming embrace. Zuko would have to rise on his own.

"You two have created a heck of a mess," he continued more seriously. "My blessing isn't the only one you need."

"We know that, Uncle," Zuko responded. "But we have a plan."