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Toph’s head shot up as the sound of footsteps grew closer. She struggled in her glass confines, her body uneasy at the sound. The sound of her prison door sliding open came to her and she fought the urge to curl in on herself. "What d’you want?" She spat out. There was no reply as she felt herself being yanked up by her arm. She tried to fight against it, but whoever it was had a tight grip.
The next thing she knew, she was being dragged out of her cell. "Hey!" She heard the voice of Sokka call to her handler. "Hey! Let her go!" But there was no reply. Toph felt herself walking through what she guessed would be a corridor. The Fire Nation had grown smarter and were investing in wooden floors and glass chains, making it impossible for earth benders to escape.
It was crazy. After Aang had gone missing, the world had fallen apart. Ozai had accomplished his plan of razing the Earth Kingdom to the ground and boy he wasn’t kidding when he said he’d wanted them crushed. Hundreds of her people had died in the first month, those who hadn’t died being imprisoned or worse. The Beifongs had wanted to pledge their allegiance to the Fire Nation, looking for the easiest way to escape Ozai’s wrath.
Toph wasn’t having any of that. She’d been taught earth bending by the animals who’d invented the damn thing. She wasn’t going to give in to some pompous, insane man child who thought he owned the world.
So she’d escaped and joined a rebel team called the Freedom Fighters. That was where she’d met Katara and Sokka. She’d been amazed to meet people who’d actually been with the Avatar but the question on her and everyone else’s mind was where he was. The Fire Nation had spread rumors of him being dead but whispers had begun to surface about a strange boy with arrows tattooed on his back. Katara, Sokka and her had planned to go investigate said rumors themselves when they’d been caught by Fire Nation guards and thrown in the palace prisons, awaiting Ozai’s judgment.
If he plans to kill us, he'd better do it quickly before I find a way to break out of here and do him in myself. Toph felt herself jerk to a stop. The sound of a door opening came to her and she was pushed in before she could comprehend what was going on. The minute she entered the room, she could tell she was in a man’s chambers. The musky, fiery scent of male hung in the air and Toph took a step back thinking the worst was about to happen.
"It’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you."
Her head turned at the sound of a voice. Thankfully it wasn’t Ozai but he sounded distinctly familiar. She’d heard that voice before. She heard him coming towards her and she shied back. "I’m just helping you sit." He said reassuringly as he slowly put his hands on her shoulders. When he was sure she wasn’t going to react badly, he maneuvered her over to a chair.
Toph sank back in the soft cushions, her body having been denied that luxury for a long while. He placed what felt to be a bottle of some sort into her hands. "Go on. It’s water." He said to her. Toph cautiously raised it to her lips. Cool, refreshing water met her and she opened her mouth to gulp it down, not caring if it was poisoned or not. She’d downed down the entire bottle and placed it down when she felt a bowl being nudged towards her. "It’s food." The voice said.
At this point, Toph decided that she’d just about had enough of his shady bullshit. "Who are you and what do you want from me?" She asked in a hard tone.
She heard a soft sigh. "I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re about the only one on who can’t tell you I am just from a glance." Toph frowned. That must mean he’s someone really popular. Either that or he’s a lying asshole. "My father would kill me if he knew I was doing this." He muttered to himself.
Suddenly, the pieces came together in her head. "I wouldn’t be surprised if he did, Prince Zuko." Toph sneered.
"So you do know who I am?" He asked.
"Who doesn’t know of the Phoneix King’s heir?" Toph snapped.
Another sigh came from him, this one sounding more tired than the rest. "I would do anything if I could undo the harm my father has done." Zuko replied.
"Why should you care? You’re on the winning side." Toph sneered. She was aware that she was being a bit too harsh considering he sounded so genuine but she didn't care. She'd had to hear the screams of her people as his father's armies killed them where they stood. His feelings were inconsequential in comparison to that.
"It’s not winning if people are dying because of your actions." Zuko replied. "My father thinks he owns the world. No one should ever have that kind of power."
Toph frowned. This was…unexpected. She didn’t think he’d care. "Okay but that doesn’t explain why I’m here." She argued. There was a short pause.
"Toph Beifong right?" He asked. Toph said nothing in reply. "I remember seeing your face splashed across posters in town. The Blind Bandit." Zuko continued. "I used to think you were just another poor orphan who was fighting back because she had no other option but then I found out who your parents were and I did a double-take." Toph waited for him to continue. "You had an option. You could’ve followed their footsteps and come to our side but you refused and did the right thing. That’s why you’re here." Zuko finished. "I choose you because I trust you to do the right thing no matter what."
Toph felt two objects being pushed into her hands and she closed her fingers against them. The first was a small circle made out of what she judged to be metal. The second was a small key. "What is this?" She asked, referring to the first object.
"It’s a bracelet." Zuko answered. "It’s the smallest thing I could think of."
"Even if I break out, there’s nowhere to go." She said with a shake of her head. She appreciated what he was doing here, she really did but they had to be realistic. The Fire Nation controlled everything. There was nowhere to hide.
"Not true." Zuko said. "By this time tomorrow, there will be a sudden changing of the guards. It’s not much but it’ll be enough time for you to escape."
"What about my friends?" Toph asked. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't do everything herself. She needed Sokka and Katara to help find Aang. They knew him the best and would have some clue of where he'd be.
"There’s no time to empty out the entire prison. Take one or two if you must but whatever you do, get out of here." Zuko replied.
Toph fell silent for a few moments. "Why are you doing this?" She finally asked. He'd said he felt guilty but she was still suspicious. There was no reason for him to helping her, as a matter of fact she knew what he stood to lose if Ozai ever discovered what happened.
"Because I don’t want to rule a nation built on the blood and tears of others." Zuko replied. "Also maybe because I couldn’t do what you did and this is my way of trying to absolve myself." He said. Zuko leaned in closer to her. "He’s still alive. The Avatar." He whispered to her. Toph's eyes widened in surprise. She'd hoped he was, everyone did but that hope had begun to run out. "He’s somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. Your people call it Taku."
Toph nodded. "I know of it."
"Good. Ozai knows this as well and he plans to get to the Avatar and finish him off once and for all. Don’t give him that chance." Zuko said as he stood up and pulled Toph up with him. "You have to leave. No one must know you came to me." He said.
Toph started before stopping. "What about you?" She asked.
"Someone has to make sure you get out of here safely." Zuko replied wryly.
"And what about your safety?"
"That doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is you finding the Avatar." Zuko replied. Toph frowned. She didn’t know what it was but she trusted the prince. Anyone who was willing to risk their lives to do the right thing was okay in her books. Zuko pushed her towards the door before stopping. "Before I forget." He muttered as he pushed a small bag in her hands. It rattled as she took it and she guessed it contained coins. "Thank you. For everything. I wish there was something I could do for you." Toph said to him.
"Just do what I ask and you’d be helping me out plenty." Zuko replied before pushing Toph out the door.
It worked. Toph was only able to break out Sokka and Katara before she escaped but they were all she needed. The trio made their way to Taku with much difficulty, finding the boy Zuko spoke off. Aang had lost his memory and was being healed there. Katara had joined in to help and together they'd managed to piece his memory back together before leaving Taku. However, that was just the beginning. Aang had no clue about earth bending or fire bending and he couldn't face Ozai with his training incomplete.
Toph immediately rallied to teach him earth bending as she was the best earthbender out there and no one could tell her different. It was hard for him at first, him being an air bender but he eventually got the hang of it. Then came fire. Katara was uneasy about him being taught by anyone from the Fire Nation, not trusting them and for good reason too. Ozai's spies were everywhere and they had more than one close shaves with his soldiers. Sokka had argued with her that it was the only way. Aang would've had to learn all on his own but they got the shock of their lives when they were approached by a stranger offering to teach Aang one night.
A stranger to Katara, Sokka and Aang. Toph could tell that voice in her sleep. Zuko had somehow managed to escape his father and offered to teach Aang how to take him down provided Aang killed him. It wasn't an easy decision but Aang had agreed.
Surprising no one, Katara was wary of him at first but she slowly gave way to trust him. Together Zuko, Katara and Toph had drilled the young air bender, making sure he had mastered each element. It wasn't so easy to do considering the fact that they were constantly being hunted down but they'd managed to pull it off.
Sozin's comet arrived and with that came Aang's final showdown with Ozai. Toph and Zuko were tasked with fighting off Zuko's crazy sister, Azula who had somehow crowned herself the Fire Lord and had arrived at Omashu, Earth Kingdom's last defense against the Fire Nation.
Zuko had discovered a childhood friend, Mai there. It didn't take much convincing till she was on their side. Katara and Sokka stayed back with Aang, battling Ozai's army while Aang finished off Ozai. They almost didn't pull it off but Ozai had accidentally pushed Aang into a rock, unlocking his Avatar state. It was over from there and together with his past lives, Aang had made sure the Phoenix King breathed his last.
Toph had managed to knock Azula out after she'd struck her brother with a lightning bolt. Katara and Sokka rounded up the rest of the Fire Nation's army and tasked them with helping rebuild the Earth Kingdom.
The war was finally over.
1 year later
Zuko nibbled on his bottom lip as he looked at his diadem. How does a simple crown make me want to run for the hills and never look back? He felt physically compelled to run. It was just simple gold and ruby but it meant so much more than that. It meant an entire nation on his shoulders. He wasn’t sure if he was ready.
"I can feel the tension rolling off you."
He turned to see a short-haired woman leaning against the door. She was dressed in traditional Earth Kingdom garb, save for a Fire Nation bracelet around her wrist. Immediately Zuko recognized her and he smiled. "I thought you'd gone back home." He said by way of greeting.
"Please." Toph scoffed as she pushed herself off the door and stepped into his room. "Don’t worry, you’re not the only one jittery about this whole shindig. Aang had a hell of a time convincing the council on why they should let you rule." She said.
"Can't say I blame them. It's going to take me a while before I get this nation back into anything resembling order." Zuko replied. The war was over but it was going to take months, years even before he'd wiped away the hateful vitriol his father had poisoned the people with. Already there were whispers of rebel groups and dissent over Ozai being killed and his 'true heir', Azula being imprisoned.
Toph nodded. "I agree which is why I elected myself as ambassador to the Fire Nation." She said nonchalantly.
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise. "That's crazy, you'll be putting yourself in danger." He said. Toph might have been the best earthbender the world had ever seen but she was still a child. The Fire Nation wasn't safe for anyone let alone Earth Kingdom citizens.
"It's no different from what you did a year ago." She argued.
"You won't be safe here. I didn't save you then just to have you die now." Zuko retorted, ignoring her statement.
"I know the risks." Toph replied. She paused for a moment before continuing. "Don't think I don't know about that scar on your face." She said softly. She's been horrified when she heard what Ozai did to his firstborn and it didn't take much to connect the dots between the two incidents. "You risked everything for me. I want to do the same."
Zuko raised a brow. The woman was full of surprises, he'd give her that. "What about the rest? Surely Katara doesn't approve." He said, poking fun at the water bender's motherly nature. They were good friends now but she'd given him hell in the first few weeks of him joining her. He'd grown up a prince and with all the entitlement it brought. Having someone who didn't care about that and who wouldn't hesitate to knock him down a peg or three was unusual but very needed.
"Of course, she doesn't but she told me she feels better knowing I'd be under your watchful eyes." Toph replied with a small smile. "It's already signed and agreed with the council. I'm asking your permission out of respect, Mr. Fire Lord."
Zuko wrinkled his nose at her name for him. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to that, aren't I?" He said, more to himself than to her.
"Yes you are but I'm sure it's something you'll grow into. Like that crown of yours." Toph said with a clap to his arm and a small smile. "I'll be off. I just came here to tell you the good news." She said.
Toph turned around and was halfway out the room when Zuko stopped her. "I'm glad you're going to be working with me." He said softly. She could be arrogant, annoying, abrasive, harsh and rude but there was no one he'd rather have with him.
Toph smiled. "Me too, Hothead." She replied before vanishing. Zuko smiled to himself. He was still apprehensive about the whole ruling business but with Toph by his side, he knew there was no way he could go wrong.