Chapter Text
Bound
Tien's master is small, incredibly so, which makes it difficult for her to fathom the sudden insistence on arranging a marriage with a foreigner. Adding to her distress, the intended groom is of a similar stature, only slightly taller - about a hand's breadth taller and that’s from eyeballing his silhouette. Children, they are.
As another knot catches in Lady Toph's hair, Tien lets out a sigh of frustration. She can't help but recall how effortlessly Lady Bei Fong's silky tresses flowed through her fingers without a snag. Despite the challenge, Tien continues to comb through the unruly hair, methodically working from the base and gradually moving upwards to the roots. She takes care not to tug too hard on the hair, as she takes pride in the way her meticulous efforts produce a lustrous finish after several attempts. With luck, a little more of this work will give her the funds to have a passport and move to Ba Sing Se.
Strangely, Lady Toph remains unfazed by the knots in her hair, and Tien marvels at her stoic demeanor. Despite the challenge, Tien diligently continues her work to ensure that the young lady is impeccably groomed for her upcoming nuptials.
It is not surprising that the young lady has slept through the entire process, given her passive demeanor. Tien finds it unnerving to witness the childlike figure sitting motionless, with legs folded and forehead nestled between her knees, awaiting the inevitable marriage. It's as if she is a living doll, devoid of any agency or say in the matter. Tien can't help but feel that it is unjust to force this child into marriage, just as it is unjust to subject anyone to the horrors of war, both things she can’t do anything about.
“I hate it when you sigh,” Lady Toph said “so loud.”
Tien just shakes her head. “This is wrong Lady Toph.” she said.
“Well, look at the bright side Tim!” Lady Toph said. “It’s that or arthritis Hubei.”
Tien blanched remembering the shaking hands of the old winery magnate. Still, she feels sorry for her young master who is putting a brave face, that or the little lady didn’t care at all. She couldn't tell if Lady Toph was being callous or simply trying to distract them from the somber mood, but either way, Tien couldn't shake off the feeling that this is all inappropriate.
"I'm Tien, Lady Toph." she introduced herself again, trying not to sound annoyed.
Lady Toph craned her head at her briefly before waving her hand dismissively. "Tim, that, it's all the same," she said, her hanbok's ornate patterns swaying with her movements. Tien couldn't help but admire the luxurious layers of beige-green fabric, and wondered how much it had cost the Bei Fongs to have it made - surely it must have been worth a small fortune, perhaps even more than what Tien earned in a year.
The wedding was to be held at an earth temple on the outskirts of town, and Tien couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She held onto Lady Toph's various accessories tightly, trying to maintain her balance as the carriage jostled over the uneven stones of the road. Tien couldn't help but wonder about the groom - a reclusive member of the royal family, surrounded by an entourage of fire troops. Lady Bei Fong was a mess of tears, constantly handing Tien tissues to ensure the longevity of her makeup. In contrast, Lady Toph was stoic and seemingly unaffected by the day's events, lazily gazing at her mother and occasionally blinking; Tien has to remind herself that the poor girl is blind and her cloudy eyes are not that -looking into her soul. Tien couldn't help but notice the tight grip Lady Toph had on the wooden poles at the side of the carriage, as if clinging to them for support –she knew better though, Lady Toph is also nervous.
They arrived at the temple shortly after, and Tien made sure to keep the long train of Lady Toph's hanbok from dragging on the ground. Bossman Lao was already there, but Tien wasn't particularly interested in seeing him - she was more curious about the Fire Nation royals who were to be Lady Toph's new family.
Tien couldn't help but think that an alliance between the two families would be a welcome relief for the town. She hoped that Lady Toph's marriage would bring about peace and prosperity, and spare the town any further hardship from the war. In this pace the Fire nation would win the war.
After several bows and practiced kowtows, Tien finally let go of Lady Toph's long hanbok. Bossman Lao held onto his daughter's skinny arms as the guards, Shu and Wei, opened the temple doors. The strong smell of incense filled the air, its scent reminiscent of rare lavender firelillies found only in certain parts of the country.
Tien had to maintain a perpetual bow throughout the ceremony, which was customary but undoubtedly would leave her back sore. The monk's wheezy voice echoed through the stone temple, adding to the somberness of the occasion. This was not like the weddings she had attended before, where everyone was happy and looking forward to the reception. This one was glum, and it was unclear if anyone would be getting blackout drunk after the ceremony; Oma and Shu this! they were children.
Despite trying to maintain her composure, Tien couldn't resist sneaking a peek at the small groom. She eyed him, trying to guess his age - perhaps eleven, or maybe twelve at most. Spirit's sake, he was still just a child. Tien's attention was then drawn to the real princess, who stood not far from the altar. Her smile was more like that of a crazed tigerdillo with golden eyes, rather than that of a sister oohing and ahhing at a wedding ceremony. Tien couldn't help but wonder what was going through the princess's mind as she watched her older sibling get married.
There were no other royal guests in attendance, which was peculiar. In the earth territories, weddings were typically grand affairs where everyone was invited - relatives, friends, and even acquaintances made the guest list. When her cousin Kiyem got married, the entire town showed up, whether they were related by blood or by trade. The unions were always loud and joyous, with feasts that lasted for days. But here, the only thing that seemed loud was the droning voice of the bald monk, who spoke of peace, love, and harmony. The absence of any other guests made the whole event feel eerie and unusual. Tien couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to this wedding than what met the eye.
The The ceremony was over in a flash, and soon they were outside the temple. Tien still had to remain there, though, to guide Lady Toph as she stepped down onto the stony ground and to hold her long hanbok trail. It was freezing cold, and Tien couldn't help but notice that Lady Toph wasn't wearing any shoes.
"Are you not wearing your shoes, my Lady?" Tien asked, half-shouting in exasperation.
"Relax, Timmy, I left them in the carriage," Lady Toph replied, flexing her shoulders and exhaling loudly. "Glad that's over."
Tien knew she had to act fast to remedy the situation. She explained to Wei, who was guarding the door, that Lady Toph needed her shoes, and dashed outside to retrieve them.
As she hurried towards the carriage, Tien caught a glimpse of the royal siblings making their way into the small chamber.
“Dirtmaids run really fast here!” said the golden-eyed princess. “Good thing your mud for eyes bride is blind, eh Zuzu?”
Tien felt a pang of anger. She knew she had to hurry back inside before anything else happened.
