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Being the fire lady of the fire nation was no easy task. Even after a year and a half of being one , the weight of the role still feels heavy on Toph’s shoulders. The responsibility that is included in this position are endless, managing the inner court, attending public event and charity functions for those who had lost their family during the war caused by sozin, listening to the problems and cries of the citizens , and sitting through political council meetings. It didn’t help either that she is Earth kingdom citizen , and the rules between two nation was very different from each other. But the most demanding of it all is the expectation to bear an heir for the Fire Nation throne.
Ever since she had become the Zuko’s wife, this expectation had always followed toph but with zuko pushing into his early thirties, the court is starting to become impatient, the nobility is growing restless, they are desperate for a child that can continue the fire lord’s succession. Toph knew that she could always avoid this pressure, with just a single word with Zuko, the fire bender would immediately shut the court down with a wave of his hand, just so toph could feel comfortable --- After all zuko had already told her from the beginning of their relationship that he wouldn’t make her feel like she was stuck in another cage, and if he did would do anything just to make her feel free and herself but now that they are married toph’s views toward escaping the responsibility she fully accepted the moment she said ‘ yes ‘ to him feels wrong. She would prefer to endure this problems together with zuko for the rest of their lives , rather than be free and watch him from the sidelines.
So when toph found out that she was 5 weeks pregnant, After a supposed breakfast with katara . She didn’t know exactly what to do or how to feel.
It was a sunny and warm morning in the Fire Nation Caldera. Toph knew from the moment she had opened her eyes there’s something wrong with her, it had been happening for a few days now but she had just set the signs aside. Today however was different, Fatigue hit her like a boulder. When the earth bender shifted and tried to leave the comforts of her bed, a dizzy spell sent her head spinning in an instant, it was also accompanied by a sharp flash of nausea but instead of getting checked, toph just brushed it off like always, thinking that this is just a bug she had gotten from the seasons changing in the Fire nation. So she forced herself to dress up and meet up with katara who was already waiting for her into the dining hall.
The two old friends greeted each other with a warm embrace, before taking their seats. As they caught up , the sickness she was feeling earlier had began to fade as more stories was share between the two. They laughed at sokka’s latest antics, Katara even proudly shared that her little bumi had started reading and copying aang’s goofy habits. Then the two slowly shifted towards into more serious discussion regarding the future of the republic city police force , since toph isn’t there anymore to lead the metal benders. Their conversation continued on until the servants bought in their breakfast, and placed it on the table.
The moment toph had taken a whiff of the smell of the cured fire nation sausage, her stomach started to flip violently.
A loud screeching sound was heared as toph pushed herself up from the table. This caused for katara to stop talking mid-sentence , her gaze landed towards the earth bender with concern as katara watched toph clamp a hand over her mouth before bolting out of the room. Toph could hear the frantic movements of katara as she followed her behind. Soon she reached the nearest washroom, and found herself dropping on her knees, before hurling up whatever was left in her empty stomach.
The world around toph spun, and she felt herself growing weaker with every heave she takes. The only thing that is keeping her grounded was katara’s hand on her back, gently rubbing circles in attempt to comfort her from her pain. It took toph few minutes to recover and when she did, katara handed her a glass of water. While Toph took a few slow sips, katara started asking questions about her conditions.
“ How are you feeling? “ She asked softly, slowly adjusting toph into a more comfortable sitting position where she can lean against the wall.
“ I feel like shit. “ Toph replied with a groan as she leaned her head back against the tile. On any other day , she would have thrown katara a sarcastic remark about how she is feeling but right now she doesn’t have the energy to be sassy. So instead she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down her stirring stomach.
Katara – being the mother hen she was -- pressed further.
“ Has this been happening a lot lately? “ Toph shook her head.
“ Are you sure? What about when the food was served? Was it the smell? “
Toph opened her sightless yes towards katara, sighing as she gave her a slight nod. “ I’ve been feeling a bit tired this past few days , but it’s been like that ever since… ya know I’ve become this nation’s Fire Lady, other than nothing seemed off, except well the smell… it doesn’t usually bother me but ---” Toph couldn’t even finish her sentence when another wave of nausea hit her, she lunged forward over the basin and started throwing up again.
Katara held her hair back , her mind piecing the clues together . She waited until toph finally caught her breath and settled down before speaking again to let her know of her assumption.
“ Toph , I think I know what’s going on. “ Katara stated her tone shifting entirely.
The sudden gravity in katara’s voice sent a pulse of worry through out Toph’s chest. She only spoke like this whenever something was wrong and toph’s instinct was to immediately deflect it with sarcasm so she rolled her eyes and shrugged.
“Ah finally , some great news “ Toph uttered. “ Go on , Tell me what my tragic condition is , so I can finally take some medicine and get myself out of here, cause if you aren’t seeing clearly, im getting tired of puking my internal organs. So spit it out , sugar queen. “
With Toph’s sarcasm katara rolled her eye before not hesitating to speak.
“Toph, I think you’re pregnant.”
Toph froze. She blinked once, twice, then reached up to pull at her ear as if she hadn't heard right.
“ I’m Sorry what?? ”
“I Said, I think you’re pregnant,” Katara repeated, a small, gentle smile breaking across her face as she rubbed Toph’s shoulder. “The sudden morning sickness, the aversion to smells you usually don't mind, the fatigue... it’s everything I felt when I was carrying Bumi. I could be wrong, but you should have a doctor check.”
Toph went completely quiet, her mind racing out of control.
Her Pregnant? The thought sent her spiraling. It was too soon. She was still trying to navigate life as Fire Lady, and now a child was entering the equation? How would Zuko react? Would he be upset? They hadn't even talked about starting a family yet. What if he pulled away?
No. Zuko wasn't like that.
He wasn't her father. He would love their child with everything he had. But... what if the baby was born blind? What if they weren't an earthbender like her? How could she guide them through a world she experienced so differently? What if she failed them? What if Zuko—
“Toph?” Katara’s voice called out snapping toph from her daze
“Don’t tell Zuko,” Toph whispered, keeping her head down so her bangs hid her face.
“Toph, but—”
“I said don’t,” Toph demanded, her voice firm with the authority of the Fire Lady. Then it softened, cracking slightly. “Not until I’m 100% sure. I’ll... I’ll tell him when it’s time.”
Katara pulled Toph into a tight hug to comfort here . Even though she disagreed with keeping it from Zuko, she respected Toph’s boundaries.
“I won't say a word. But for what it’s worth, Zuko is going to be overjoyed. I know he will. I’ve been where you are, Toph.”
That conversation had been two weeks ago. Katara had stayed by her side when they quietly brought in a trusted private physician who confirmed what they already suspected.
The twelve days that followed were rough. Morning sickness was the bane of Toph’s existence, and hiding it from Zuko was getting harder by the day. She could feel his lingering stares, the way his hugs lasted a little longer whenever she said she was tired, his quiet worry hovering nearby. But Toph’s stubbornness kept her quiet from revealing the truth—until last night.
She had woken up in the middle of the night to find Zuko holding her tightly against his chest, softly whispering into her hair, desperately wishing he could take away whatever was making her so sick so that she would feel better once again.
That was the breaking point.
Now, Toph stood outside the heavy doors of the war room. Zuko’s strategic meeting with his generals had wrapped up minutes ago, but knowing his work ethic, he’d still be inside double-checking documents before returning to the throne room. Taking a grounding breath, Toph pushed the doors open. The creak of the heavy wood made Zuko look up from his desk. The moment he recognized her, the tight line of his shoulders eased, and a warm smile lit up his face. He immediately stood to meet her.
“Toph, you didn't tell me you were coming here” he said softly.
Toph rolled her eyes affectionately; it was the exact same thing he’d been saying to her since they first started seeing each other whenever Toph visited him after months of not seeing each other, but now she couldn’t fathom why he still does it despite them spending literally 24/7 of their lives together, but she still loves it regardless. Zuko took her hand, gently leading her toward the chairs beside his desk. The stack of military reports was instantly forgotten.
“I could have had someone bring us tea,” Zuko offered, his thumb softly stroking the back of her hand. The warmth in his voice washed away the remaining knots in her stomach. A small, genuine smile touched her lips as her resolve became stronger. It was now or never.
“Actually, Sparky, that can wait. I need to tell you something important.”
The light mood shifted instantly. Toph felt the tension return to his hand, his pulse quickening beneath her fingers. Fear tried to creep back in, but she forced herself to anchor her feet. They faced everything together, and that will continue on once she announced her secret to him.
Taking a deep breath, Toph guided their joined hands down to her stomach. She released her grip, carefully placing his palm against her still-flat belly. She stayed silent for a moment, letting him piece it together on his own.
It didn't take long for zuko to figure it out
Zuko’s breath hitched. His eyes widened, and a wide, helpless smile broke across his face as his hand 0gently caressed her stomach.
“How long?” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
“Seven weeks,” Toph replied quietly. The crushing weight she’d been carrying for days finally began to lift.
“Seven weeks...” Zuko repeated, then paused, his brow furrowing. “Wait—all those days you were sick... that was morning sickness?” He didn't sound angry, just deeply concerned that he hadn't noticed sooner. “I should have known. I should have realized—”
“Stop,” Toph interrupted softly, shaking her head. She placed her hand over his, squeezing it. “It’s not your fault. I chose to hide it. Katara figured it out first and told me to tell you right away, but...”
She bit her lip, pausing. Toph hated feeling vulnerable, but when she chose to build a life with Zuko, she knew she could trust him with her deepest insecurities.
“...I was scared,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if the baby is born blind? What if they aren't a bender, or what if they can't see the world the way others do? What if I fail as a mother because I can't give them what a normal mother gives?”
Before she could sink any deeper into her doubts, Zuko pulled her tightly into his arms. Toph melted into his warmth, burying her face into his chest as the tension drained from her body. Safe in his hold, the fears that had plagued her for two weeks finally dissolved. Zuko pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. “I’ll still love them ” he whispered against her hair. “Even if they’re blind, or a non-bender, or anything else— I will love them and they will be perfect and amazing.”
He pulled back slightly so he could look at her directly, his voice steady and resolute. “I know that because their mother is Toph Beifong, the greatest earth bender in the world and the inventor of metal bending .” Zuko stated proudly towards Toph, and that alone made her feel secure and trust that yes, they can actually do it together. “ So you don’t have to be afraid toph, I’ll be with you… through all of this.”
With a smile on Toph’s face and a quiet sniffle from her, Toph cupped Zuko’s face and pulled him into a kiss. The two royals shared a loving kiss, with hope of a future together with their unborn child.
It didn’t take long for the words to spread all over the world that the Fire Lady Toph Beifong and Fire Lord Zuko were expecting. Everyone was celebrating, especially the people of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, at the great news. It’s the first time in many years that they would witness a multi-nation noble bearing a child. It gave them hope and the idea of reformation, that the world now is progressing instead of sticking with tradition, and there’s no more division between different nations in the future.
As the nation celebrated and waited for nine months for the child to be born, Toph’s pregnancy was actually easy and calm. The only problem that she had experienced was during her first trimester—everything that she smelled, Toph would immediately run to the bathroom to vomit. She was always constantly tired to the point that Zuko had decided to prevent her from doing her tasks as the Fire Lady. Most of the time, Toph was just resting in her room, taking a walk and spending time with Zuko, or hanging out with their friends or Iroh, who would visit from time to time. The hardship she experienced had disappeared the moment she reached her second trimester. Toph was actually back to herself, except that her belly was starting to become more noticeable.
As her belly showed more, Toph had actually returned to join Zuko on meetings and events—of course, it took a lot of convincing with Zuko before she managed to get back. This is also where she had noticed that Zuko couldn’t keep his hands away from her. Even if they were in public, the Fire Lord had become more protective and also doting towards Toph. He would do anything just so he could be at her side, and he would constantly find a way to make sure his hand was resting on her belly, whether it be during meetings, at an event, just walking together, or spending time together.
So when the baby started moving on one particular evening where they were snuggled up together at their room’s balcony overlooking the caldera of the Fire Nation, Toph had excitedly grabbed Zuko’s hand to place on her stomach.
“They are moving,” she stated with excitement she didn’t expect she would feel the moment she became pregnant.
Zuko on the other hand focused on the vibrations in Toph’s belly. It took another fifteen minutes before the baby inside decided to say hello to their dad.
The moment Zuko felt the subtle kick, something inside the Fire Lord had melted. Tears swelled into his eyes as he grinned towards Toph.
“I felt it! ” he almost yelled while laughing, as he continued to focus on observing their babe. Once he felt it kick again, he almost lifted Toph in the air due to his happiness, before kissing the blind earthbender to show his appreciation for giving him a family that he swore he would protect.
When the third trimester came, the due date of their child’s birth was approaching. It was also a relatively unproblematic and easy pregnancy experience for Toph. There wasn't much problem other than her being unable to move like she used to and her belly having grown bigger. Sokka at one point told her that she looks like an otter-penguin when walking, which earned him getting hit by a stone in the forehead by Toph, but Zuko found it adorable and he could see the resemblance of what Sokka was talking about.
During this time, the talk about the baby’s gender had also been popular all over the streets of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. They couldn’t wait to see if they were going to have a fire princess or fire prince in the future. There was also a growing, serious discussion that worried the court that also reached Zuko’s and Toph’s ears: the discussion of whether the child would be born as a firebender or an earthbender. Both the Fire Lady and Lord had avoided this topic whenever it was presented; they didn’t want to set things in stone for their unborn child, so the two had decided to turn a blind eye to it. But that conversation didn’t leave at all during a get-together with her friends.
Laughter was heard outside the hallway as the Gaang settled into their private villa. Toph was sitting next to Katara and Suki, while the boys were drinking together. At first, the topic was focused on how everyone was doing, until it landed on Toph’s upcoming birth.
“So, have you two picked out a name?” Suki inquired first as she found名Rubbing the earthbender’s belly. The Kyoshi warrior’s question made everyone focus on Toph, who was eager to hear what they had decided.
It was Zuko who answered first while taking a sip of the sake he was drinking.
“We actually picked a few names. If it’s a boy, we thought of Roku, Kazan, or Lu Ten,” he stated while looking towards Toph with a smile on his face. “If it’s a girl, Toph has been the one who wanted to name her. So far... she doesn’t want to tell me either. Hopefully it wouldn’t be named based on a stone,” Zuko teased, causing Toph to laugh at her husband over the jab before raising her hand in defeat.
“Hey, I’m just saying, having the name 'The Rock' is pretty awesome, and it’s also gender-neutral. It won’t cause me too much trouble thinking!” Everyone laughed at Toph’s comment before Sokka chimed in with an amused tone.
“It’s a fitting name for an earthbender, but the problem is: what if it’s a firebender? It would cause confusion!” Another wave of laughter erupted between them as Katara leaned closer to Toph to give her a reassuring pat.
“Well, it would definitely bring them the element of surprise,” Aang chimed in, causing both Zuko and Toph to roll their eyes as the best-friend duo started talking about how crazy it would be if people think a person’s bending is based on their name. But then Aang paused a bit and became serious. “But regardless of what type of element they can bend or not... I do think they would be amazing,” Aang stated with a smile an Avatar would use to his friends when sharing wisdom. “It’s, after all, Toph’s and Zuko’s kid.” With that, both Zuko and Toph smiled in understanding, knowing that their friends would accept their kid wholeheartedly.
Then out of nowhere, Sokka commented, “Would they still be called Fire Lord/Lady if they are an earthbender? Maybe they can change it to Magma Lord/Lady now, cause you know—fire plus earth.”
“Ya know, Sokka, your comments 90% of the times are stupid but you might be cooking on this one,” Toph snidely remarked, and everyone laughed as their conversation continued through the rest of the night.
It had been days since they had that get-together, and Toph’s due date was nearing. Toph had noticed the changes in her body as well—she would constantly feel the need to fix their room and their bed, and she found herself preparing the clothing of their child over and over again. Sometimes she would even call for her servants to get everything cleaned up when things were already cleaned. Katara said it’s the maternal instinct to nest and prepare, but Toph thinks that she is starting to overdo it.
The anticipation wasn’t only from her—Zuko was also the same. The Fire Lord would find himself always looking out for Toph; he would find excuses to momentarily stop his meetings just so he could always be around her. At one point, he dropped everything and rushed towards Toph while he was in the middle of a court meeting when he found out that Toph had false contractions. She still remembered how frantic and out of breath he was when he entered their room, only to find out that she was okay and the baby isn’t coming yet. After that incident, Zuko had begged for Katara to be around, just in case their baby arrived.
Apparently, the royal couple didn’t have to wait for that long.
It was already late autumn. Despite the Fire Nation sitting on top of a volcano, the climate started to grow colder at the caldera. It was already afternoon when Toph and Katara were lounging together at the royal palace veranda. Katara’s eyes were following Bumi play along with the Fire Nation servants while Toph was sitting on a rocking chair, caressing her belly while humming, when suddenly a lightning-like pain hit her, causing her to double over.
She let out a wince of pain, followed by the desperate need for air. She immediately called out to Katara, who responded immediately to her calls.
“Katara!” Toph grumbled loudly. Both of her hands were now on her stomach as she closed her sightless eyes and endured the pain. The loud yelling of Toph alerted the waterbender immediately; she rushed towards her friend, hands placed on her shoulder as she leaned over to check her out.
“It hurts… you didn’t tell me this would hurt!” Toph stated as one of her hands immediately flew towards Katara, her grip on her wrist tight as another wave of contractions hit her, followed by a wetness that was enough to make Katara know what was going on.
“Toph, it’s time,” she stated softly as she did her best to calm down the earthbender. The servants that were near their area had approached to help the two, while one of them left with Bumi to play in another place.
The news of the Fire Lady giving birth had spread all over the Fire Nation like wildfire. Toph was already moved inside the birthing chamber, surrounded by midwives and Katara during the process. Outside the room, the Fire Lord had just arrived in a rush. He was in the middle of a meeting with his generals when one of the royal servants informed him of the situation. When he got there, Aang was already there waiting for him. Zuko didn’t find any relief even though he could see on Aang’s face that everything was alright—the airbender had already experienced this situation, but Zuko couldn’t help but worry for his wife, especially since he couldn’t be there for her.
“Aang, is Toph alright? How is the baby? Is she hurt? Are they going to be okay?” Zuko bombarded Aang with questions. A grim and worried look was evident on his face; long gone was the confident Fire Lord while he searched for assurance from his dear friend.
“First, you need to calm down, Zuko,” Aang stated, placing a comforting hand on the firebender’s shoulder. “As far as what I know, Toph is alright. She and your kid are in good hands—Katara will make sure of it, trust me,” Aang stated with confidence.
But despite knowing all of this, despite his huge trust in Katara’s healing capabilities, Zuko still could not remove the worry and desperation that was in his heart—not when Zuko could hear Toph’s cries inside the room where he could not enter to comfort her, not when he knew she was in pain and it was because of him.
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into an hour. Zuko was pacing back and forth impatiently while Aang sat against the wall. The loud cries from inside had started to become quiet, and the door to the birthing chamber opened. Katara, with a tired and sweaty look on her face, emerged, but there was a smile written on her face as she looked for Zuko, who approached her wanting an answer.
“They are waiting for you,” she stated before giving Zuko a smile. Aang stood up and gave the Fire Lord a reassuring pat on the shoulder before pushing him forward to enter. The waterbender moved away to give him space.
As Zuko slowly entered the room, the midwife and her assistant were busy cleaning up the mess before leaving the royal couple some space for September. There in the middle of the bed, an exhausted Toph Beifong lay. Her hair was a mess and her face was filled with sweat. Her head was tilted to the left where a bundle in a red blanket was placed next to her.
There Zuko saw a tiny hand move, bumping gently against the nose of its mother, and in that moment, Toph reached over to place her hand on the baby’s face to feel it. Something inside Zuko broke; tears spilled from his eyes as he approached his family. He leaned over the mattress where he slowly caressed Toph’s hair. That was the only time the earthbender recognized his presence. With a tired smile, she blindly turned to her husband.
“Hey there, Sparky...” Toph stated.
“Hey, there toph ” Zuko returned, still not taking his eyes off his wife, who looked so beautiful despite just experiencing the hardest thing a woman can handle. Toph could only grin as she turned her gaze back to her left.
“You should meet her,” Toph continued, as Zuko followed her gaze. Now that he was near, he could finally see the beautiful thing they had created together. “Say hello to your dad,” she stated softly. As if the baby was listening, a quiet yawn escaped from her lips.
Zuko sank down gently beside Toph, carefully leaning over so he could wrap his arms around both of them without squeezing too hard. He pressed his forehead against Toph's, letting out a long breath he felt like he’d been holding for the last nine months. Toph let out a small, contented sigh and rested her cheek against his, her hand sliding down to rest over Zuko’s where he was gently cradling their daughter. With a smile on zuko’s face he recalled their conversation during their get together.
“ Have you picked a name for her?”
“Yes “ Toph replied as zuko shifted a bit to give the two of them space. Toph nuzzled her face next to her baby as she placed a small kiss on it’s cheek.
“ Welcome to our family, Vei..”