Toph was sitting alone in a small room, and the cold wind sent goosebumps down her skin just as it drove white snowflakes outside the window. It rushed in through the half-open window, slipped along the floor like an insolent burglar, picked up a bunch of working papers lying on the table and dumped them on the floor, playfully made the multi-colored curtains fly, covered the water in the glass on the nightstand with light frost, and finally got to the girl sitting in the corner with her back on the edge of the bed and her arms around her legs. Beifong almost didn't cry anymore. She began to do this as the door to her room slammed shut. Toph waited a couple of minutes until she was convinced that Sokka had not left completely, taking with him all the things that he could find, but only went down to the floor below, into the kitchen. As soon as Beifong heard the man put the kettle to warm up, intending to calm his nerves naughty tonight, tears rushed from her eyes.
Even in the morning she was no more than a little annoyed that she had to spend the next few weeks at the South Pole, as Sokka's father was ill, and the tribe needed a leader, like an intelligent, strong, wise, brave and generally Toph's wonderful husband in all respects... But she was also happy. To be honest, she was only happy because Sokka was happy. He was incredibly proud that he was entrusted with something so important, and he was eager to prove himself in the best possible way. Beifong, who then rode so happily with him, only smiled slyly, watching her husband proudly pace, giving instructions to everyone, like a real leader.
During the day, Toph was already a little tired, as she had to walk all day in single file with her husband for not having any other alternative. Beifong was a stranger at the South Pole, she had no friends, family, or even acquaintances with whom she could spend her free time. In addition, the snow was dense, the sole was hard, and her eyes were completely blind. Therefore, Toph followed her husband, as if tied, listening to all the most boring and incomprehensible conversations. Sokka was completely oblivious to her, so her irritation grew.
After the lunch with the bloated rich idiots who were constantly trying to help Toph cut her food, blow on her hot meat and pour her a drink thinking that little blind leader's prize absolutely useless in this things, the girl considered it necessary to leave. Sokka did not pay attention to all these little things, being too busy honoring his own person, despite the fact that each of these jerks did all this just to impress the future leader with caring for his beloved wife. They were apparently waiting for Sokka's favor in one of their businesses and obviously knew exactly how to win the young guy over to their side. And it would have worked any other day, but not when the warrior was obsessed with self-importance and richly spiced meat.
When the dessert was served, Toph was ready to send a lemon ice cream cone to the scruff of one of the men, and then break the glass vase in which the sweetness was lying right on the man's head, but she restrained herself, imagining what consequences this could entail. And, unfortunately, her husband will have to deal with them. Therefore, Beifong, feeling how an attack of childish rage rolls over her, like a wave ready to take her into the abyss of anger, which portends nothing but bruises and bruises to the poor businessmen of the South Pole, decided to leave. She carefully slipped from the table, heading for the only place on this whole snow and ice-covered mainland where she felt like herself.
Toph spent the rest of the day in the fire and earthen factory, feeling with her heels the gears spinning, the springs compressing, metal hitting metal. She was mending something, improving something, sitting with her hated shoes off, leaning against the iron, playing with the bracelet given by Sokka, and thinking about how she should be next to him, blaming herself for her weak character. Toph preferred to think that her need to be in the spotlight was to blame, because otherwise she would not have to admit the fact that their marriage did not last half a year without crashing into the cruel rocks of reality. And reality was cruel.
