The Tale of Amara

by faithy waithy

Amara... daughter of two nations. father: A Fire Nation Admiral. mother: an imprisoned waterbender from the South Pole. Her half-brother Zhao sees her as nothing but a mistake. Abused both physically and mentally for sixteen years, Amara begins to lose hope that she will ever know happiness... but then a tea loving man arrives and her life changes forever. Full summary inside

30. Walls

Chapter 30: Walls

Our mission was set before us: Find the Blind Bandit. We had rested up from our night at the tournament, and were dressed early the next morning. Once we had breakfast, we went back into town to start questioning about the mysterious blind girl. Momo and Yuna came with us, and I could tell Yuna was glad to be by my side again after not being allowed to the tournament last night. As we made our way through the streets with Aang taking the lead, Sokka had Katara covering her face in embarrassment; My oldest cousin was wearing the Earth Rumble Belt and his new shoulder bag.

"I gotta admit," Sokka spoke, lifting the bag slightly to put it beside the belt on his waist. "Now I'm really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt perfectly."

Katara groaned and muttered sarcastically, "That is a big relief."

I smiled slightly. "I think that belt would match anything in this city, Sokka. Everything is green and gold."

Yuna mewed in agreement.

Eventually we arrived at Master Yu's Earthbending Academy where Aang hoped someone might have an idea of where to find the Blind Bandit. We entered the gate which was open and saw some students in the practice yard. Two familiar teen guys from yesterday were pounding some clay in a pot.

The one with the dark brown hair groaned when he saw us come over. "Oh great, you again."

He and his friend stopped what they were doing though and inched back warily. I glanced to the side to see Katara giving them a dirty look. I tried really hard not to smile, but I was amused that she intimidated them so much.

Katara crossed her arms with satisfaction. "Yeah, I didn't think so."

Sokka was impressed by her intimidation and nodded in approval. "Nicely done."

The one with the lighter brown hair stared at Aang after getting over his angst toward my cousin. His eyes widened with recognition and his jaw dropped. He rushed around his pot to confront him. "Hey, you're the kid who beat The Blind Bandit!"

Aang nodded. "We actually need to talk to her. Do you guys know where she lives?"

The first guy shook his head and shrugged. "The Blind Bandit's a mystery. She shows up to fight, then disappears."

Aang hung his head in dismay.

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "Let me handle this." Then she moved forward threateningly and pointed a finger at the second guy's face. "You're not telling us everything!"

The lighter haired guy held his hands up defensively. "No no, I swear it's true! No one knows where she goes, or who she really is."

A thought came to Aang just as the young man finished speaking. "That's because we're asking about the wrong person. In my vision, I saw a girl in a white dress with a pet flying-boar. Know anybody like that?"

Dark haired guy tapped his chin. "Well, a flying-boar is the symbol of the Beifong family. They're the richest people in town, probably the whole world."

The second guy nodded. "Yeah, but they don't have a daughter."

I was even more curious about this mysterious girl. If she wasn't their daughter, then who was she? A servant girl maybe? Or was she their daughter, and they were keeping her a secret from the world? Or did she have nothing to do with the Beifong's at all?

Aang shrugged. "Flying-boar is good enough for me. Let's check it out!"

As we made our way out of the academy yard, I heard one of the teens mutter behind us, "Yeah, you better leave."

Katara heard their comment and turned back to them as we were almost to the gate. I stopped beside her, ready to grab her arm if she decided to try and freeze them to a wall again. We needed to keep up with Aang who was already out the gate.

Instead of freezing them again, she pointed at them both with warning. "Hey, I've got my eye on you." They became tense upon her threat. She moved forward again to catch back up to Aang.

When I realized she was only trying to intimidate them and not attack, I relaxed. However, I noticed Sokka had lingered, and I glanced back to see him smirking at the two teens. He moved his arms out as he walked backwards, speaking to them smugly. "Water Tribe."

Then he turned forward again, grabbed my hand, and pulled me out of the training yard. I was puzzled by what had occurred, but I decided to not comment.

Once we got directions to the Beifong residence from another man at a shop nearby, we started to make our way outside of town to the much wealthier district. The man had given us the same response we'd received from the teens about there being no blind girl among the Beifong's.

I was silent as I followed my family through the more open area of Gaoling, petting Yuna absently. The whole situation was a bit odd to me.

Whoever this girl was, she clearly was not known by anyone in town. She was like a ghost. She existed only at the arena, and then disappeared from the world. I wanted to know more about her. Why did she feel the need to hide? Would someone hurt her if she showed herself to the world?

My thoughts went back to my past. No one knew about me for sixteen years except for the estate staff and Zhao's men. To the rest of the Fire Nation, and the world, my existence was only just made known the day I was saved by Iroh. I remember there were many days growing up I considered breaking free of my ankle cuff, stealing some maid clothing, and slipping out in the night. However, I was always afraid of what would happen if I were caught. My fear kept me from many things… Freedom… Friends… Family... Happiness…

Fear had been my greatest enemy…

There were times I had tried to escape my father's estate, and every time I would be caught by one of the guards or servants and forced back. Then Zhao or Uncle would hear about my escape and beat me. Only when Tu Lan heard what was happening and came to intervene would the pain for my attempts stop. Pain… that had been the cause of my fear, and the reason I didn't try harder to escape for sixteen years… I hated being in pain… This was how uncle and Zhao had controlled me so well…

Pain… fear… these were what kept me quiet and obedient most of my life.

As a child, I hated not existing. I had wanted my Water Tribe family to know about me. I had wanted to meet new people and make friends. I had wanted to be free of the walls that confined me. I had wanted to be something other than a prisoner.

Was the Blind Bandit similar? Was she a captive looking for that small taste of freedom too? Was she using her fighting persona as a brief escape from the walls that confined her? Was she afraid of pain too?

A hand grabbed my shoulder that Yuna was not on. I was startled by the sudden grasp. Katara and Aang continued ahead, while I looked at Sokka who was forcing me to a stop. He was looking at me with concern. "Hey… you okay? You've been quiet… you look like you're lost in your thoughts."

I flinched. My cousin could always read me so well. "Yeah… sorry. Just falling back in the past. I'm fine."

He dropped his hand. "What are you thinking of?"

I let out a heavy breath while I pet Yuna who was nuzzling my cheek once more. "I was… just thinking about how this girl doesn't seem to exist to anyone… and it kind of reminded me of my past. I was kept hidden from the world… no one knew Admiral Gru had a daughter… I was a mistake they hoped no one would ever learn about." My eyes burned a little as my emotions tried to take over. "I guess the fact that this girl doesn't exist to anyone just makes me remember a time when I didn't..."

Sokka took my hand in his to give it a squeeze. "You exist now… That's all that matters."

I gave him a small smile to let him know he had comforted me.

"Hey!" Aang shouted. We looked over to see he and Katara had stopped when they realized we weren't following. "You two coming?"

Sokka squeezed my hand in reassurance, and then took the lead. "Yeah yeah. We're coming. Hold your ostrich-horses."

After passing a few smaller estates, we eventually arrived at a very large stone wall that surrounded the Beifong estate. At the front gate, above the wooden doors, was a symbol of a flying-boar emblazoned on a circular crest.

Aang grinned. "That's the flying-boar from my vision! Come on!"

Aang headed over to an area of the wall where some vines were growing on the side. He was about to jump, but Katara grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Wait, Aang. We can't just jump over without making sure the coast is clear! There could be guards."

Yuna suddenly took off from my shoulder and landed on the wall above. Sometimes, I had a feeling she understood exactly what we were saying. She gave a "mew" and then disappeared on the other side.

"Yuna says we're safe!" Aang used airbending to fly over then, with Momo gliding behind him to follow. The rest of us used the vines to climb up and over. The wall was only about ten feet in height, so the drop on the other side wasn't too bad. Once we were in a large garden area with a pretty pond, Yuna returned to my shoulder. We rushed over to a large nicely trimmed bush to crouch and take in our surroundings.

The garden area was huge and well maintained. The grounds were much more neat and well kept than my father's estate had been. The mood was much lighter and open as well. However, there was a wall surrounding the place, and this made it feel confining.

Sokka asked once we were hidden. "What exactly is our plan?"

Aang shrugged. "I'm working on it."

The ground suddenly shifted beneath us and we were thrown up by the earth over our bush. Yuna and Momo both glided, while the rest of us fell on the dirt hard. I grimaced as my body pulsed in pain from the impact.

A girl walked past me to Aang who was upside down in a bush with pretty red flowers. The girl wore a light yellow and green dress with some leaves and a pink flower embroidered on the front. Her sleeves were long and she had a green scarf draped on the crook of her arms. Her dark hair, which was almost the shade of mine, was up in a bun with a flower band. Her eyes were a milky grayish-green from her blindness.

She spoke with the voice that definitely belonged to the Blind Bandit. "What are you doing here, Twinkletoes?"

Aang used airbending to push himself out of the bush, and he landed with ease. The rest of us stood, and Yuna landed on my shoulder again. Momo landed on Aang's.

Aang asked, "How did you know it was me?"

Sokka whined, "Don't answer to Twinkletoes. It's not manly!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "You're the one whose bag matches his belt."

The girl asked again, "How did you find me?"

Aang explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and…"

Katara cut him off. "What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar, and if he doesn't master earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord."

The girl stuck a hand out to stop Katara from talking further. "Not my problem. Now get out of here or I'll call the guards." She turned and started to walk away.

I was surprised. Her defense threw me off. Maybe I had been wrong and she liked being invisible…?

I asked softly, "So… you're not trapped here?"

She stopped. Her body tensed up upon my question. Her voice was soft and guarded. "Why do you ask that?"

I crossed my arms. "It's just… no one in town knows about you. The only way we found you was by your family crest… I guess I'm just confused as to why you're being hidden?"

Her fists clenched. "It's for my protection... And so people don't stalk me at my home."

Aang tried again. "We're not trying to stalk you. I just came here to ask if you'll teach me."

"You're wasting your time. I can't teach you anything," she argued. "Get lost. All of you. You're trespassing. My dad will have you arrested if you're caught. Leave."

Sokka tried. "Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours is to teach Aang earthbending."

She had started to walk away again, but she stopped in her step once more. Her fists were still tight as my cousin's words sunk in. I could see she was debating everything in her head. However, she didn't yield. Instead she cried out, "Guards! Guards, help!"

Katara grabbed my arm and we ran quickly to the wall to climb back over. Yuna and Momo flew on the other side while we climbed the vines again and fell back outside the perimeter. Aang stayed at the top of the wall to peak over. I could hear the conversation on the other side of the wall.

A man spoke, asking with concern, "Toph, what happened?"

Toph's voice changed to a totally different person. Timid. Scared. "I thought I heard something. I got scared."

"You know your father doesn't want you wandering the grounds without supervision, Toph," he said.

Aang dropped back down beside us, and Momo returned to his shoulder.

Sokka snapped, "That little brat! See Amara… she's nothing like you. Just a spoiled princess."

I frowned as I pictured the girl named Toph. Yuna had returned to my shoulder and nuzzled my cheek. I pet her gently as I responded. "I don't know… there's still something about her… she just seems so… alone."

Aang smiled. "Well then, let's give her company!" We looked at him with confusion. "The Beifongs clearly like to have their wealth known. They'll be thrilled that the Avatar has taken notice of them."

"What do you plan to do? We can't just walk up and knock on the gate," Katara muttered. "I don't see them opening it for us."

Aang smirked. "We won't go through the gate then."

We looked at him with confusion. He started to walk off, not explaining anything to us. I looked at Sokka and Katara, who just shrugged at me and turned to follow him.

Aang led us out of town and back to camp. He told us his plan finally when we got back to Appa. We'd wait until late afternoon, and fly onto the estate grounds on Appa, right to the Beifong's front door: A grand entrance. Sokka seemed to like the idea, while Katara still wasn't so sure. "What if they don't want visitors tonight? They may try to kick us out."

Aang argued. "I'm the Avatar! They'll be thrilled to meet me."

As the sun started to lower in the sky, we all climbed on Appa to go along with Aang's plans. He took the reins and flew us back towards the Beifong estate, where he then landed us right at the steps of the Beifong mansion. The guards at the door were shocked and dropped their spears in bewilderment when Aang hopped off and introduced himself as the Avatar. The rest of us got off as well, while one of the guards rushed inside to let the Beifongs know that they had a guest.

Only five minutes later, the same guard came outside with a servant. The elder male servant in very nice green and yellow clothing, expressed delight that Avatar Aang was here. He offered to take our animals to the stables to be fed and allowed to rest; The Beifong's did not want animals in their home, he explained. I wasn't thrilled that Yuna was being forced to stay outside, but Aang reassured me that Momo and Appa would give her great company. After the servant showed us to the stables, and we made sure our furry and feathered friends were content, we returned back to the main entrance. The same servant led us inside to where the Beifong's were waiting to greet us.

As we walked through the Beifong home, I could indeed tell that they were a wealthy family. The foyer to their home was decorated with fine statues, paintings, plants, and expensive rugs. The whole structure was made of fine stone, and the colors were bright and open. As we followed the man further through the halls of the building, I saw there were a lot of windows and balconies to look out at the garden area. Eventually, we arrived at the entrance to a room where a sweet scented aroma was coming through.

As we entered, we saw a man standing in front of a very long table. Beside him was a woman about his age with dark hair and a fine dress. Beside her was Toph, wearing the same dress from before. She looked very tense. There was also a man sitting at the table with a wide smile, and I could see it was the man from the poster the other day named Master Yu.

The man who was the head of the Beifong's, stepped forward to greet us. He was the tallest in the room, and wore a fine robe. His dark hair was done up nice and tight, and he had a long thin dark mustache.

He bowed in greeting. "Avatar Aang! Welcome to our home! We are thrilled such an important figure has decided to visit us! My name is Lao Beifong. This is my wife Poppy, and my daughter Toph. We also have Master Yu with us tonight."

Aang bowed politely, and then stood straight. "Thank you for welcoming us into your home. These are my friends: Sokka, Katara, and Amara."

He nodded. "The Avatar and his friends are welcome any time! What brings you to our home?"

Aang answered, "We are actually looking for someone, and we learned the Beifong's would be able to help."

He smiled and nodded. "I am happy to assist you in any way I can. First, we will eat! Please, have a seat! Dinner will be served shortly."

Servants, male and female, suddenly came into the room and pulled our seats out. We took up one side of the table, while Toph, her mom, and Master Yu took the other side. Lao Beifong sat at the end of the table. Drinks and fruit were served first as dinner was finished.

"Avatar Aang, I would love to hear about your journey so far," Poppy spoke. "I've listened to tales about your return and victory at the North Pole, but hearing your own personal account on things would be such a treat."

Aang nodded. "Sure!"

He then went on to tell them about how he was trapped in an iceberg for a hundred years. He told them about how my cousins helped him escape the ice, and saved him from Prince Zuko who had tried to capture him at the South Pole to take him back to the Fire Lord. He told them about traveling through the Earth Kingdom, helping to free earthbenders from a steel Fire Nation prison, and making it to the North Pole where he started his waterbending training. He then told them the story about stopping Zhao's fleet at the North Pole by going into the Avatar state.

As he told his tale, I looked over at the girl who was sitting beside her mother directly across from Aang. She was listening to his story, and her face showed envy. She wanted to have her own adventures as well. I saw at one point her hand tighten into a fist on the table, and she quickly hid it on her lap.

"... And now that I've mastered waterbending with the help of Katara, we're traveling through the Earth Kingdom again so I can find an earthbending teacher."

Aang finished his story. Everyone at the table seemed satisfied by his tale.

Poppy spoke to Katara then. "That's so exciting you are a waterbender! I have never met one before. You enjoy training and fighting?"

Katara blushed as attention was placed on her. "Yes. I was the only one of my tribe before Aang showed up. I was excited to journey with him to learn more about my abilities. Amara is a waterbender too."

She smiled. "Fascinating. I'm always happy to see girls with the gift of bending. When I discovered Toph was an earthbender, I was very excited for her."

Lao sighed. "Yes… quite a surprise my daughter was born with the gift. I've done my best to let her use it. Her lack of sight makes things difficult though."

Toph tightened a fist on the table again. She shut her eyes, and I saw her purse her lips tightly. She was trying all she could to not defend herself. She was scared of what would happen if her father learned about her true abilities...

I finally spoke for the first time since entering the Beifong mansion. I directed my question to Toph who had not spoken a word. I wanted to help her speak… give her a chance… maybe she just needed someone to help her… give her an opening...

"Do you go to the academy to practice earthbending, Toph? Seems like it's the best place to learn in this town."

She opened her eyes again. She moved her mouth to speak.

Her father spoke up for her though, cutting her off. "Goodness, no! My daughter remains here. She is unfamiliar with the world outside. This is the place she trains with Master Yu. Being blind, it is not safe for her to leave home. No one knows about her outside of these walls, and it's best to keep it that way."

His words made my heart skip. Was that what Toph desired, or what her father decided for her?

"Why?" I asked with honest curiosity. "Is that something she wants? It just… seems like a lonely life… not being allowed to have friends. I'm sure the students at the academy would accept her fine..."

Lao sighed. "I know what's best for my daughter. Toph is safe here. She knows where she belongs. She is blind and helpless, and she needs to be protected. Going out of these walls is too much of a risk. It's best the world does not know about her… also, I have many enemies due to my wealth, and they would target her if they knew I had a daughter."

I glanced at Toph again. She looked conflicted. I could tell she wanted to defend herself but was uncertain if she should upset her father.

"I'm sure she's not as helpless as you make her out to be," I argued. "She probably wants to do many things but doesn't want to disappoint you."

"I know my daughter," he argued. "She likes it here, and she knows this is best for her."

"Sir," a voice of a female servant spoke behind us, cutting off our conversation. "Dinner is served."

Toph's mom tried to calm the tension that had started to rise between Lao Beifong and I. It was probably a good thing I was sitting at the opposite end of the table from the man before I burned off his mustache.

"Excellent!" Poppy exclaimed to the room. "You all will love this. Our chef has prepared some wonderful stew. It's his specialty."

The dinner was put out before us. I stared down at my steaming bowl with frustration. I glanced back at Toph again. She was frowning still. She seemed upset too. Was she mad at me? Her father? Maybe I had gone too far…

A servant placed some stew in front of Toph. Her father quickly spoke for her again. "Blow on it. It's too hot for her."

Aang chimed in, "Allow me."

He suddenly shot a small whirlwind across the table and hovered it over her stew. The steam that once rose from it seemed to decrease. The table clapped at his airbending trick. He showed them a few more upon Poppy's request.

As everyone was distracted by Aang, Katara spoke softly to me so only we would hear. "Amara… please relax… I know you're worried about Toph, but starting something with Mr. Beifong isn't going to help."

I let out a heavy breath. My fists tightened in my lap and I shut my eyes. An image of my father came to me. I tried to shake it, but old wounds were starting to reopen. "He just… reminds me of him… my father..."

Katara took one of my hands. "He's not like him… he's just concerned for Toph like a good father would be."

I opened my eyes again to glance at Katara. "He's controlling her… trapping her here because she's different… he's exactly like him…"

No one heard our whispering. The conversation continued at the other end of the table.

"Seeing airbending for the first time is such a treat!" Poppy was speaking again. "Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you visit us."

Lao nodded in agreement. He was no longer concerned about our prior conversation and was invested in his important guest. "In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?"

Aang answered, "I'd like to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer, but I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first. We were told we'd be able to find one here." He glanced at Toph with hope.

Lao was oblivious to Aang's true desire. "Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land. He's been teaching Toph since she was little."

Aang smiled. "Then she must be a great earthbender, probably good enough to teach someone else." However, before someone could respond, he let out an "ow" and jumped in his chair. We looked at him with shock. He glared at Toph who smirked.

Master Yu brushed off the strange reaction from Aang and responded, "Toph is still learning the basics."

Lao nodded. "Yes, and sadly because of her blindness, I don't think she will ever become a true master."

I stared over at Toph again. She shut her eyes as if she wanted to argue but was restraining herself. I felt frustrated and sympathetic towards her. They were all belittling her. Treating her like a helpless doll. She had no voice. No say. And I knew why she wasn't defending herself: She was afraid… She was afraid of angering her father. She was afraid her small taste of freedom would be destroyed if they knew about her being the Blind Bandit.

Fear… the ultimate captor…

I couldn't stay quiet like Katara wanted. I spoke again. Lao Beifong was making me sick. "What if she did want to become a master though? Would you let her?"

Lao was stunned. "What? Toph? A master? That won't happen… And even if she did desire that I wouldn't allow it. My daughter does not belong out on the streets fighting and throwing rocks. She is a proper young lady and she belongs at home. She is safe and guarded here."

Aang must've been getting irritated too, because he spoke up. "Toph might surprise you, Mr. Beifong. I've met many people in my past who you would never expect to be a master. Katara was a novice when I first met her, and by the time we left the North Pole she was the best of Master Pakku's pupils."

"Yes. I am very impressed by your friend's skills, Avatar Aang," he spoke. "However, Toph was not born with the opportunities of those with vision. She will never be a master earthbender. It's too dangerous for her to train more than she already is. Master Yu will agree with me when I say that she won't be able to ever master the element without sight. She knows this too. Her place is in these walls."

"Your place is here, daughter… within these walls… that can never change."

Shivers rushed through my spine. I suddenly felt my heart accelerate. I felt hot. Father's like Lao made me furious. They liked control. They liked everything to go their way. He was trapping Toph in this place, thinking he was doing so to protect her. Instead, he was just being selfish. He was being possessive and cruel. He was being a captor, treating his daughter like a bird in a cage.

A cage… An image of my father appeared in my mind again. An image of my attic prison took over… An image of Zhao at the doorway… a cage in a tent…

I suddenly felt like I was slipping. The anger was rising. I was in between...

I spat out with tears and spite, "You're the same… you're just like my father…"

"Amara," Katara tried to calm me. She grabbed my arm but I jerked away. I kept my eyes on the man who claimed to be Toph's father. He was just another prison warden… just another Admiral Gru...

"You keep your daughter locked in this estate… hiding her from the world… treating her like she's something that doesn't belong." The bowl of stew started to boil in front of me. "You all are imprisoning her… treating her like a mistake… if she wasn't blind, you wouldn't be acting this way. Just because she's different, you treat her like something that needs to be hidden. Trapped." I shut my eyes. "Just a caged bird."

Sokka stood and stepped over to me. He grabbed my arm to try and pull me away from the table. He spoke low to try and calm me too. "Amara… stop. You're getting worked up. Come outside with me. You need air."

I opened my eyes, but only so I could glare at Lao again. Toph was bewildered though as she took in my reaction and defense. Her parents were shocked by my words also.

Her father spoke defensively. "How dare you accuse us of awful things?! We love our daughter! Everything we do is to protect her!"

I shook my head. I stared at him through blurred vision. "Protect her from what?! Prying eyes! You're scared people will look at you differently because your daughter is different?! No one in town knows you even have a daughter! You keep her trapped inside these walls! You're just like him! Toph is just a child you want to lock up and hide from everyone! But you're wrong! She's not something that should be hidden! She doesn't deserve to be caged! She deserves to be free!"

Sokka suddenly jerked my chair back and forced me up. He pulled me out of the room just as my stew exploded. The room gasped from the sudden reaction in my bowl.

As Sokka dragged me away, I heard Katara speak quickly in my defense. "I'm so sorry… Please don't be mad at her. She's had a very dark past… she's still healing…"

Sokka managed to get me out of the dining room before I could hear anything else, and he forced me through the halls back outside into the estate yard. As we stood in the evening light, Sokka turned me and pulled me into his arms. I shook against him as my blood pounded in my ears.

Lao was just like him… just like my father…

"Daddy…" My five year old voice sounded with hesitation. "Can't I go outside?"

"No my turtle-duckling. You belong with your mother upstairs. No one can know about you," Admiral Gru said firmly, sitting at his desk in his study. His dark gold eyes met my gaze over the parchment he was reading. "Remember… be a good little girl. Not seen or heard."

I fiddled with the wooden turtle-duck in front of me on the floor of my father's study. This was a rare occurrence for my dad to let me out of my attic prison.

I asked again, "But… I heard kids playing yesterday… outside… can I go play?"

He put his parchment down and shook his head. "No. You cannot leave this estate. If you do there will be consequences. You do not belong out there. You belong in here. No one will understand a girl like you. You're different, and this means you must remain a secret. Your place is here within these walls… that can never change. Understand, child?"

I stared back at my wooden turtle-duck. I gave a small nod. I knew better than to anger my father with more questions. I went back to being silent and obedient.

I shivered and grit my teeth. I shook my head.

"Stop!"

I reached the wooden gates of our estate wall just as one of the maids named Lin shouted. My twelve year old body was small and frail, but that didn't mean I couldn't pull a wooden door open. I had to leave. Just taste freedom. I didn't want to be trapped anymore. I had to find my mother's family. I was so alone… all I wanted was a family… to feel loved again… my mom was gone… I had nothing keeping me here.

"Miss Amara! Please return to your room! Your uncle is going to wake up any minute for breakfast! He will punish you severely. And your brother will be furious when he finds out."

I gripped the latch to pull the lock. "No! They're not my family! I'm getting out of here! I don't want to be a prisoner anymore!"

Lin reached me and grabbed my arm to pull me back. She was a forty some year old woman with her hair tied in a tight bun. Her body was pretty well built, so her strength was greater than my own. "Miss! Come to your senses! Get back in the house now!"

I tried to pull from her and reach for the gate again.

"Lin! How did she get out?!" One of the estate guards shouted at us. His name was Tou and he had served under my father during the raids that imprisoned my mother.

"I was careless. She slipped past me when I undid her cuff to take her to the washroom."

"Hold her. I'll be there in a second!" As Lin restrained me, Tou came over to assist. I screamed and kicked, tears coming out of my eyes. Tou grabbed my arm and shoved me against the wall by the door. He was older than my brother, and much stronger.

"No! Please! Let me go! Just let me go!"

"What is going on out here?!"

My insides froze as Uncle Xi shouted behind us. Tou grabbed me from the wall and jerked me across the stone path back towards my uncle. Lin followed behind, saying, "Sir. Forgive me. She slipped past me this morning. I was not careful. I should've had a guard with me, but I did not think she would try anything."

Tou held both my arms to restrain me as the older man stepped towards me. His cold eyes looked ready to kill. "You know you can't leave this estate! How dare you disobey?!"

I struggled. "Let me go!"

My Uncle scowled. "Silence!"

His hand shot out and he slapped me across the face. My ears were ringing. I gasped a sob and dropped to my knees in defeat. The pain and fear had come. My chance was over. My courage was gone. Tou released me when I lowered myself on the ground.

"Where is Tu Lan?"

Tou answered, "His father was ill this morning and he rushed home to see him. He should be back soon."

"That oaf is never here when we need him. Gru's lucky I didn't send that man off the day he died," he spat. "Get her back inside!"

"Please, uncle…" I spoke with a trembling voice. "Please let me go. I… I won't tell anyone where I come from. I'll pretend I don't know you… just let me go…"

Uncle Xi growled. "I said silence!" He kicked me in the side, and I gasped, falling over. I curled up in pain, clutching the spot he kicked which was pulsing. "Always so pathetic. Just like your mother." He turned and walked back towards the house. "Take her back to her room and cuff her! Tell Tu Lan when he gets here today to guard the door and make sure she stays put. I'll let Zhao know about her disobedience when he returns this evening. And no food today for her insolence!"

Tou grabbed my arms again to pull me back up. I stared back at the entrance to the estate with agony. I was dragged away from my freedom…

"No! Please! Let me go!"

"Amara… calm down… come back," Sokka begged in my ear. "You're not there anymore… you're not a prisoner to those monsters. You're safe."

His words brought me back from the past. My panic slowly calmed. Once my senses returned, I was shocked to find I was on my knees in the grass. Sweat had formed on my forehead. My breath was shaky. Sokka held me closer as he knelt beside me, trying to give me comfort and reassure me I wasn't alone.

After a few more moments of gathering my breath, I whispered softly, "Sokka… I'm sorry… I…"

He cut me off. "No… don't be sorry… I understand… just relax. It's okay."

I shut my eyes. My heart was finally calming. After another few seconds of breathing in and out to calm my nerves, I felt regret as I realized what I had done.

"Sokka… I'm sorry…"

"Stop apologizing. It's okay."

"No… it's not. I lost it… I've angered the Beifong's… Toph's never going to get to teach Aang now."

Sokka sighed. "Katara and Aang are calming things down. It's fine… but if Toph doesn't work out, it's not your fault. It seems her dad won't be easy to sway about her coming with us. We'll find someone else if we have to. She isn't the only option out there. You haven't ruined anything. You were only saying what the rest of us wanted to say. We were all getting irritated."

I nodded against him.

"But you're wrong about one thing, Amara… Lao isn't like your father… your father was much worse…"

I shivered again. "I wish I could just forget about him… and Zhao… and my uncle… but the scars are so deep… the memories just keep coming."

He stroked my hair tenderly. "You've only been free for a little while, Amara… Zhao hasn't been dead for more than a few weeks… the memories won't fade overnight, and we all know this. That's why we're here for you. To help you get through moments like this."

I nodded again.

He held me for a few more minutes. When he felt I was still and heard I was no longer crying, he asked, "Better?"

"Yes… I think so…"

"Good… then let's go back… we can at least eat something and then head outside again. I'm certain Katara explained and calmed everyone down. No one will be angry with you."

I shook my head. "No… I… don't want to go back. I just need to be outside… in the open… I might lose it if I see that man again tonight. I don't want to cause any more tension either. You go ahead and eat. I'm going to go hang at the stables with Yuna..."

Sokka wanted to argue, but he decided it was probably better I didn't run into Toph's father again. Instead, he helped me up and walked me to the stables. When we arrived, he told me he'd come back as soon as he was done eating. He said he'd make sure to grab me a plate since I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I told him not to rush. I really wasn't hungry.

Once he left, I sat down against Appa who was glad to have my company. Yuna hopped over and curled up in my lap, sensing I was upset and glad I was back. Momo came and sat beside me too. Their warmth calmed me more.

I sat outside for half an hour, and I honestly was okay with the solitude. The open air and familiar animal friends helped me calm the tension inside me. The images of my past faded. However, I was embarrassed that I had lost my senses again like I had done other times in the past when I was with Zuko and Iroh. Sometimes, I would fall too far back… I hated that the nightmares of my past consumed me so much.

Eventually, peace came over me as Yuna fell asleep in my lap. I relaxed and shut my eyes, just letting the cool night breeze calm me more. Momo had run off somewhere, so his warmth left at some point, but Appa was content and snored against me.

"I guess dinner parties aren't my thing," I whispered to the sleeping animals around me. "I should've stayed out here with you guys… much less tense."

Silence fell again. However, after only a minute of quiet, I heard the grass rustle near me.

"Hey… mind if I sit with you?"

My solitude broke. I jumped a bit at the young female voice, and I looked up in shock. Instead of Sokka, I saw Toph standing beside me. Thankfully, Yuna was not disturbed by my reaction and continued to sleep soundly in my lap. Appa did not seem to care either.

I didn't respond to her. I stared at her instead with bewilderment.

She didn't need a response though. She plopped down beside me against Appa, her legs stretched out in front of her. She was barefoot and seemed fine with that. She let out a deep breath after getting settled. "Amara, right?"

I felt tense, unsure if she was coming out here to scold me for reacting the way I had. I found my voice though and spoke softly. "Yes."

She nodded. "Katara told us about you." She frowned as she said the next part. "She told us why you acted the way you did… that you were once a prisoner and hidden from the world by your father and Fire Nation family. My dad calmed his anger towards you when he heard about your rough upbringing. He even apologized for upsetting you. Totally shocked me after how upset he was."

I pet Yuna for comfort. I found my voice again and hung my head with embarrassment. "Sorry… for being rude… I kind of lost myself."

There was a pause. Then suddenly Toph laughed. I jumped a bit. Yuna woke with a start too.

"Rude?!" She turned her head towards me. "Don't be sorry! You were amazing! I've never seen someone talk that way to my dad before. I was doing all I could not to jump across the table and kiss you!"

Her praise surprised me. I looked over at her with bewilderment. "Wait… You're not mad at me?"

She leaned back again and shut her eyes. "Why would I be? You only said what I've wanted to say for twelve years… you're right… I feel like a prisoner here. It hurts that my dad hides me from the world. The only time I get to go anywhere is when we journey to Ba Sing Se, and even then I have to stay at our vacation home the whole time… it hurts that I don't exist outside these walls. I guess that's why I became the Blind Bandit. So I could exist as something without my dad finding out."

I nodded. I stared down at Yuna with dismay. She had settled again after Toph's laughter. "It's better to exist, in my opinion…"

We were quiet for a moment again. Toph then breathed heavily and asked, "So… is it true… that you were locked up for sixteen years?"

I frowned. "Yeah…" I looked up at the stars then. "Most of the time I forget about the darkness when I'm with my family… but hearing about your situation, everything came back to me tonight. Your father reminded me a lot of my own father. My dad constantly told me I belonged within the estate walls. He always told me I was too different to go outside..."

She sighed. "My dad has always expected me to stay within these walls… he says he does it out of love… I tried to leave when I was younger and would be carried back by the guards and kept in my room. My parents would tell me all the time they were protecting me. But I've always wanted to have friends… to show everyone what I can do." She wiggled her toes. "My dad thinks I'm blind, but honestly, I see fine. I use vibrations in the earth. I've learned how to take care of myself. I'm just a coward I guess… I'm scared to upset my father if he learned I wasn't the innocent little girl he thought me to be."

I was amazed by her reveal. "See through the earth? That's how you beat The Boulder the other day? You felt the earth and saw him move?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Seeing through earthbending is something I discovered one day on my own. I learned from the badger-moles actually."

I smiled. "That's so cool… I've never met anyone who can see through the earth. It's a unique ability."

"Speaking of unique abilities…" Toph started. "That trick with your stew was wild! The whole thing exploded. Some of it hit Master Yu and I had to do all I could not to laugh when he whined."

I flinched. "When I get upset I kind of lose control… it's a point where my fire and waterbending combine often… I blew up a teapot once, and it's only gotten stronger from there. It's good that exploding stew was all that happened."

"Did your Fire Nation family know you could do stuff like that?"

I shook my head. "No… they didn't know I could bend... If they learned I was a water or firebender, they might've decided to kill me. They kept me alive after my dad died because they thought they could control me since I wasn't a bender… they killed my mom because she was a waterbender. I had to hide my abilities to survive. I didn't learn many techniques until after Iroh and Zuko saved me."

"That sucks... At least my parents know I can earthbend and let me train a little. I can't imagine my father hating me for my bending ability... Katara told us that your dad was a Fire Nation Admiral… he must've been awful…"

I shut my eyes and breathed heavily. "I don't remember a lot about him. But the moments I do recall are not pleasant. He died when I was young, but I remember him scolding me many times for asking to leave the house. He was nowhere near as terrible as his brother and son though… he never laid a hand on me like them…"

She sighed. "Still… I can't imagine being treated like that. At least here everyone is gentle with me… always soft spoken and walking on eggshells when I'm near. Like I could break any minute. I want so terribly to tell them I'm not fragile, but I'm scared that will only make them guard me more. I'm such a coward..."

"It's scary, I know… but you should show them who you really are," I insisted. "It's not fair you have to be hidden from the world like this. And it seems your parents really love you, Toph. You have a chance to show them you're not what they want you to be. I can see you're so much happier when you're fighting… don't let anyone stop you from being happy… don't let them imprison you… If joining us is your way out, don't miss the opportunity."

She nodded. "Yeah… I would love to travel with you. I'd love to teach Aang…" She paused. "But it's probably too late. I've treated your whole group terribly. They probably hate me."

I smiled over at her. "If there's one thing I've learned about my family and Aang, it's that they are very understanding. Aang really wants you to be his teacher. He's searched so hard for you. Go talk to him and you'll see I'm right."

Toph smiled too. "Okay… I will. Thanks." She stood and started to head back. She stopped though and spoke again. "By the way… I'm really glad you escaped and found your cousins. I wouldn't have met you if you hadn't. You're pretty amazing, Amara."

As she walked off, I said, "Thanks… You are too, Toph."

After Toph left, I felt so much more relaxed. I pet Yuna some more who had dozed off again. Eventually Sokka came back to let me know that the Beifong's made a room for us. He also had a wooden container of food for me. I let him know that I preferred sleeping outside with Appa.

"Amara… no one's mad at you," Sokka insisted. "Come inside."

I smiled at him. "I'm okay, Sokka. Really… I have Appa and Yuna. And the stars are pretty anyway."

He sighed heavily. "Fine… just find us if you need us. Our room's near where we hopped over the other day."

He left me then, although I could tell he was still concerned. Once he left, I did eat the bowl of leftover stew. When I was done, I let my head rest against Appa. Then I drifted to sleep.

I was probably only asleep for less than an hour. Suddenly, a loud rumble woke me up. Yuna jumped from my lap and flapped her wings, startled by the noise. I heard more noises that sounded like something pounding the ground. Slowly, I got to my feet and left the stables. Yuna moved to my shoulder quickly to follow. Walking in the direction of the noise, I was horrified when I saw a hole in the ground that formed a tunnel. Aang's staff was in the grass, and I saw two impressions in the earth where something heavy had landed. In between was a sword sticking through a parchment.

Grabbing the sword, I pulled the parchment off and dropped the heavy blade to the ground. I then lit a flame to try and read the note. A few words popped out: Daughter. 500 gold. I knew whatever the rest said it could not be good.

I grabbed Aang's staff and quickly ran across the estate grounds back to the main house. I went around and found the room my family was in, seeing Katara standing by the open window. She was shocked when she saw me, panicked and disheveled with the staff in one hand and the parchment in the other. Yuna jumped from my shoulder to sit on the windowsill as I climbed over.

She asked once I was in the room, trying to catch my breath, "Amara? What's wrong?"

My hand shot towards her with the parchment. "Toph… I think she's in trouble. I couldn't read it completely, but it seems like a ransom note. And Aang… I think he was taken with her. His staff was on the ground by the note."

Katara quickly took the parchment. Her eyes widened in terror as she read the contents. Sokka came over at this point, asking what was wrong.

Katara answered. "Toph and Aang! They're in trouble! We have to tell the Beifong's and Master Yu. I think they're still in the meeting room."

Yuna returned to my shoulder as we followed my cousins through the halls of the estate. Momo appeared and hopped on Sokka's shoulder as we walked through a hallway. He had snuck into the building to find food it appeared.

When we got to the meeting room, we saw Master Yu, Poppy Beifong, and Lao Beifong chatting. They quickly had our attention though.

"Sir," Katara said with urgency. "Toph and Aang have been kidnapped by earthbenders from the arena."

Lao was horrified. Poppy looked ready to faint. Master Yu was stunned.

"They left a letter," Katara continued. "It says: 'If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena.' It's signed Xin Fu and The Boulder."

Sokka suddenly took the letter. "I can't believe it…" He then grinned. "I have the Boulder's autograph!"

Katara scowled and smacked him on the arm.

Lao hugged his wife who was in shock. He looked at the other man in the room who he believed was his only hope. "Master Yu, I need you to help me get my daughter back."

Katara insisted, "We're going with you."

Mrs. Beifong covered her face. "Poor Toph. She must be so scared."

I tried not to smirk. I doubted that after meeting Toph. She seemed pretty brave when it came to anyone but her father.

A few moments later we were on Appa and flying out of the estate. Toph's mom stayed behind, looking like she could faint at any moment. I sat as far from Mr. Beifong as I could so I could keep focused on getting Aang and Toph back. Once we reached the familiar cave where we had been the night before, we dropped off Appa and all rushed inside.

As we went down the stairwell, I lit a flame so we weren't walking blindly. Then we arrived at the stage area where we saw two metal cages hanging at the center from the ceiling above. From windows in the cages we saw Toph in one and Aang in the other. Xin Fu and The Boulder stood between them below with smirks.

Lao shouted in concern, "Toph!"

Master Yu created a stone bridge for us to walk across to get onto the stage. We arrived on the platform, and Sokka held up the green bag of gold pieces that Lao had put together before we left the estate. "Here's your money. Now let them go."

Sokka dropped the bag, and Master Yu kicked it with a wave of earth over to the arena master. Xin Fu picked it up to look inside, and then waved his hand. Toph's cage lowered and the bottom opened. She dropped to the ground and ran towards us. Lao rushed over and hugged her with relief.

I sighed. I knew at that moment Sokka was right… Lao wasn't completely like my father… at least he loved Toph… My father just felt responsible for me after he got my mom pregnant… I was just a bastard child to him… a mistake he wanted to hide.

As Master Yu, Lao, and Toph started to walk away, I came out of my thoughts and realized something. Aang was still in his cage, and they weren't lowering him.

Katara realized this too. "What about Aang?"

Xin Fu pulled a scroll out of his shirt and let it roll down to reveal a wanted poster of Aang. "I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar. Now, get out of my ring."

I was stunned. My cousins moved forward though, ready to fight. However, the ground rumbled and a whirlwind of dust suddenly came onto the stage, traveling in front of Xin Fu. Once the dust settled, we saw Fire Nation man. Then The green masked man named The Gecko dropped from the ceiling above, landing beside him. The Hippo appeared a moment later, crushing a giant boulder in his hands. Then The Gopher man shot up from the ground and the Headhunter jumped on stage beside him. Once the Earth Rumble competitors were all gathered, we knew we didn't stand a chance.

Aang knew we were outnumbered as well. He was concerned for our safety. From his cage, he said to us, "Go. I'll be okay."

We backed away, but I didn't like leaving him. I whispered to my cousins, "We have to do something…"

"We can't take them on ourselves… there's too many. We'll be crushed even with you and Katara's bending," Sokka muttered.

Katara didn't agree. She suddenly ran ahead to catch up to Toph, Master Yu, and Lao who were at the opening to leave the arena.

"Toph, there's too many of them," Katara called to her. "We need an earthbender. We need you!"

Lao looked back at Katara with bewilderment, while he tightened his grip on Toph's hand. "My daughter is blind. She is blind and tiny and helpless and fragile. She cannot help you."

I spoke up then. "Toph… if there's any moment to show your father the real you, the time is now. Don't be afraid like I was… it's the only way you'll ever be free…"

Toph was still for a moment as she thought over her options. Then she jerked her hand away from her father. "Amara's right… you're wrong about me, dad. I can do this."

She turned on her heel and headed back towards the stage which we still stood on. Aang's cage had been lowered at this point: he was still inside but being carried on The Hippo's shoulder.

Toph walked past us, her fists tightening as she faced the men before her. She pointed her finger at the center of the group. "Let him go. I beat you all before, and I'll do it again!" She snapped her hand back down to show she meant business.

The Boulder scowled. "The Boulder takes issue with that comment."

The Hippo threw Aang's cage aside. Aang made an 'oof' from inside as he crashed to the floor. Yuna and Momo flew off to get out of the danger zone. Katara and I went for our water pouches, while Sokka grabbed his club. The earthbenders all started to run forward.

"Wait," Toph spoke back at us, noticing we were ready to fight with her. She turned her head so we could see her serious expression. "They're mine."

We stopped preparing for battle, surprised by what she said. However, I understood and nodded. "You've got this, Toph. Show them what you're made of."

She nodded and turned back to the charging men. She then stomped her foot on the ground and lifted her arms. An explosion of rocks and dust shot up in front of her, consuming the men and surrounding them. She stepped within the thick cloud and disappeared.

"Come on," Sokka said. "We can at least help Aang."

We ran over to the side of the arena where Aang's cage was. As we worked to break him out, I heard the fighting behind us. I glanced back to see the Fire Nation Man thrown out of the dust and off the stage. He hit the dugout area hard.

Sokka suddenly grabbed a rock and started to pound at a padlock on the cage. I watched him with disbelief. "Sokka," I began. "I can—"

The padlock sparked as he hit it again. "It's not breaking," Sokka exclaimed, too focused to hear me.

Aang cried, "Hit it harder!"

Sokka snapped back, "I'm trying!"

He hit it again. I knew his method would take forever.

I tried again. "Sokka. I can help."

Sokka argued. "I can get it. Just a few more hits!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "You don't always have to be the hero, Sokka."

He snapped, "I'm not! I just don't see water breaking this lock."

I groaned. "Move!" I shoved my cousin aside and started to blow fire on the lock.

Sokka was stunned, and then he smacked his forehead. "Oh… right… Fire."

As my flames ate at the metal, the material started to melt. I intensified the heat, so glad I had the ability to do so now. As the lock melted away and finally broke off, my cousins helped Aang out of the cage. While they did so, I stayed on my knees by the cage with dismay.

If I had been stronger with my firebending when I was younger, and not so afraid, could I have escaped my cuff at the room in my estate and run? I tightened my fist. There was so much I looked back on in the past that had me disappointed in myself. I had been such a coward back then… if I was stronger and braver, I probably could have escaped years ago.

I hoped Toph took this moment as her chance to escape…

Katara placed a hand on my shoulder with gratitude, bringing me out of my thoughts. "That was great firebending, Amara! Thanks!"

I gave a small nod, trying to push my previous thoughts aside. Then I stood and watched the last of Toph's battle with my family. The dust had settled some, so we could see a little better than before. The Gopher had just been thrown off the stage and crashed into the Fire Nation Man and The Gecko in the dugout. All that remained was The Headhunter, The Hippo, The Boulder, and Xin Fu.

The Hippo ran out of the remaining dust cloud, swinging a stone circle with a square opening in the center. The Boulder flew out of the dust and landed beside The Hippo on his back. He got up just as Toph emerged from the dusty cloud. She was standing on the large stone circle in the center of the arena. She moved forward with her arms bent at the elbows and her hands up in front of her.

The Boulder growled and The Hippo beat his chest like an animal with one hand. They began to run towards her while the painted-faced man named Headhunter swung down at her using a rope from above.

Toph moved her feet and hands quickly, and the stone circle she stood on began to turn. She was moved out of the Headhunter's way as he swung right into The Boulder and The Hippo. They all landed in a heap on the ground. They groaned in pain from the impact.

Toph took her chance, smiling slightly. She moved her arms and took a few steps. A large mass of earth shot up beneath the three men, shooting them off stage right into the other three men already in the dugout. The six competitors all groaned in pain as they laid on top of one another.

Toph moved her arms again, and then jerked her hands down. The remaining dust settled to show Xin Fu remained. The man had stood back while the others were fighting Toph. He looked outraged by the outcome that was occurring, but he also was determined.

He cracked his neck to prepare himself for the fight. Toph responded to him by spitting on the ground. She wanted him to know she wasn't intimidated. I was amazed by her bold attitude. Even in a dress, Toph was still the Blind Bandit. She was finally showing who she truly was. And I really liked the real Toph. I glanced back at her father who was sitting beside Master Yu on the seats above the dugout. He looked shocked by all that was occurring.

I hoped he realized how foolish he had been… I hoped he finally understood that caging his daughter was wrong, and she deserved to be happy…

I looked back at the battle just as Xin Fu launched a boulder at Toph. She lifted two pieces of the earth in front of her to shield the boulder, making it smash into one. Then she shoved the uncracked piece of her shield towards Xin Fu, who launched himself up to avoid the hit.

He fell back to the earth, spinning in mid air. His hand hit the ground during his spin and he scooped some earth up, flinging it towards her. As he landed, the chunk of earth shot past Toph who had dodged swiftly.

Xin Fu had smirked, thinking he had gotten her. However, he realized only too late that his attack had failed. Toph moved her arms up, and Xin Fu was shot off the arena by a stalagmite. He smashed into the seating between Lao and Master Yu, and then fell into the pit below.

We stared at Toph with bewilderment. She had beat them all. She smirked when she realized this too. She turned and walked back towards. I smiled widely, so proud of her for what she had done.

"You did it," Katara exclaimed.

Aang put a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks, Toph. We owe you one."

She shrugged. "Eh. Just another day in the arena."

"Toph… that was amazing," I said, stepping over and hugging her. "The best earthbending I've ever seen."

She hugged me back. "Thanks, Amara… the biggest challenge is about to happen though… facing my dad…"

About an hour later, we had returned to the Beifong estate. Lao had not spoken a word as we left the arena and got on Appa. Yuna and Momo had returned to us as we headed back to the arena stairs, and I was glad they hadn't gone too far.

Once we got back to the Beifong estate, Master Yu left to go ponder over all he had seen. Toph's mother was relieved when she greeted us at the entrance to the mansion, and she hugged her daughter with elation. We followed Toph's parents inside, and I noticed as we did Lao and Poppy were whispering amongst one another. I knew it had to do with Toph, and I was suddenly worried for her. Were they going to be accepting, or were they about to show their controlling side again? I hoped for Toph's sake, they would listen to her and understand.

We finally got to the meeting room, and Lao and his wife took their seats. We sat on a bench behind Toph, who stood in front of us to face her parents.

"I see I've been wrong about you, my daughter," Lao spoke. "You've hid many things from your mother and I. Master Yu told me about The Blind Bandit he heard won Earth Rumble the other week… he never imagined it was you until tonight…"

Toph took in a heavy breath, and then spoke. "Dad, I know it's hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender. And I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me. But I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."

He sighed. "Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something."

Toph was hopeful. I was too. She asked, "It has?"

Lao nodded. "Yes." He frowned then. "I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you will be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day.

I scowled. Toph was horrified. "But dad!"

Her mom tried to calm things down. "We are doing this for your own good, Toph."

I argued, standing quickly. "You can't do this to her! She deserves to be happy! Why can't you accept her for who she is?!"

Lao ignored me and ordered the guards at the entrance to the room, "Please escort the Avatar and his friends out. They are no longer welcome here."

I went to argue more, but Katara grabbed my hand and pulled me out. "There's nothing we can do, Amara… come on…"

She guided me out, while Aang said, "I'm sorry, Toph."

I heard her sniffle behind us. "I'm sorry, too. Goodbye, Aang."

The guards forced us all the way back outside to Appa. As my family boarded, I looked back at the entrance where the guards stood. I felt guilt within me. Part of me blamed myself for this: I'd pushed Toph to show her true self. I'd only caused her to be imprisoned more…

Aang suddenly placed a gentle hand on my arm. "Amara… it's not your fault… Toph knew this was a risk. Her father is just a terrible man…"

I felt my eyes water. "It just sucks… she deserves to be free… not trapped in these walls…"

"Yeah," Aang said with sadness. "It all sucks…"

We left the Beifong's then, and landed outside the grounds on top of a cliff that overlooked the estate. Sokka quickly thought over our next destination, while Katara filled our canteens by a stream. We planned to fly for a few hours and then sleep for a little bit since we had yet to do so.

Aang stood on the edge of the cliff, clutching his staff with agony. Katara handed the canteen she just filled to me, and then walked over to him.

"Don't worry," she tried to reassure. "We'll find you a teacher. There are plenty of amazing earthbenders out there." She placed a tender hand on his shoulder.

Aang frowned. "Not like her."

Yuna mewed sadly, sensing the mood was somber. I brushed my finger on her feathers to let her know it was okay. However, my heart ached for the confined girl we were leaving behind. I wasn't sure what else I could do to save her though.

"Come on," Aang finally said. "We should head out."

We boarded Appa and then prepared to take off. However, a voice called out to us.

"Wait!"

We looked over to see Toph running towards us. She wore a pack on her back. She breathed heavily when she reached us, trying to catch her breath from her run.

Aang was thrilled. "Toph! What are you doing here?"

Toph smiled, "My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world."

We all knew that wasn't true. However, we were proud of Toph for her decision. Sokka spoke knowingly, "Well, we'd better get out of here - before your dad changes his mind again."

She nodded. "Good idea."

Aang looked down at her from where he was holding Appa's reins. "You're gonna be a great teacher, Toph."

Toph smirked. "Speaking of which, I want to show you something."

Aang was excited. "Okay." He quickly dropped down to the earth. As soon as he hit the grass though, he was ejected by the earth and crashed into the branches of a tree nearby.

Toph was satisfied. "Now we're even." She held her hand up towards Sokka. "Um, I'll take the belt back."

Sokka sighed and took the belt off that he was still wearing. He tossed it down to Toph, who of course didn't see it and missed catching it. The belt hit her in the head and she fell back. She rubbed her head and shouted, "Ow!"

My cousin flinched. "Sorry."

Five minutes later we were on Appa and in the sky. Toph wasn't thrilled about flying, but she was excited to finally be away from her home. I scooted beside her, and Yuna moved to my lap.

"Glad you came, Toph," I said sincerely, petting Yuna on the head who purred in satisfaction.

Toph smiled. "You helped me find my courage. Thanks, Kitten."

I was confused. "Kitten?"

She shrugged. "Your name's a mouthful. I'm calling you Kitten."

I was stunned.

Aang laughed. "Well, Amara does make a great cat-owl sound."

I argued. "Katara's name is just as long!"

"Mew-Hoo!" Yuna agreed with me.

Toph smirked. "Don't worry, Kitten. I got a name for your cousin too."

Katara was nervous. "What's that?"

She smirked. "In due time."

—

~A/N: Just want to let you all know, Zuko and Amara will be back together VERY soon. I just wanted to give Amara some time with her family. And I also wanted Amara to meet Toph. Stay tuned!