Avatar: Fire Warrior Chapter 85 85: Toph

"So you bet on a draw?"

"Yep. While everyone else was throwing gold at the girl's victory — and so especially reckless people were even betting on yours — I decided to take a different path, as you like to say."

Right. ntal note to watch my mouth. Suki had already picked up all kinds of expressions from , and not just her.

anwhile, the warrior proudly displayed a pouch that rivaled the one offered for the winner. Now I understood why the organizer had been so pleased. If everyone had bet either on the Bandit or on , then he'd made an absolute fortune off the betting pool.

"Oh? And here I was planning to invite you young ladies to a nice restaurant by the harbor so we could properly end such an interesting day. But since you all profited off so shalessly (and judging by the smug expressions on her friends' faces, Suki definitely hadn't been the only one placing bets) while I was risking my life and limb…"

"And don't laugh! That hit was extrely dangerous!" I interrupted the giggling that had already started up. Well, "tried to interrupt" would be more accurate, since it naturally produced the exact opposite effect.

"Or no dessert for any of you."

"Tyrant," the Kyoshi Warriors' leader declared firmly. "Better tell , dear, what exactly you were cooing about with that poor girl while you were lying behind the arena before climbing back up? Surely you aren't thinking of cheating on …" The young woman glanced at her friends, who were pretending to be completely uninterested, "...on us?"

"Hmm… ow!" I'd known she was going to do that.

"He's actually thinking about it! That's it. To atone for your cris, you are now obligated to take us to that little restaurant you ntioned!"

Well, of course that was where the conversation ended up going. Not that I minded in the slightest. Why wouldn't I want to continue the evening over dinner with three beautiful girls?

What? Professional boundaries? Please. A personal retinue was entitled to certain privileges. Besides, the girls never had any problems with discipline in battle, and in peaceful surroundings this sort of thing was honestly pretty fun, so why not?

We spent the rest of the evening gathered around the sa table, simply talking and laughing. Closer to midnight, Ju and Dandan finally took their leave, while Suki… Suki stood up and tugged toward the room we'd rented in the very sa restaurant.

"Soone promised to make up, with interest, for all the attention he failed to give over the past month. Seems it's finally ti to fulfill that promise…"

"The Fire Herald must always keep his word, mustn't he?" My hands had already begun loosening the sash around her clothes.

"That's right… but first, the bath. And I suppose I'll graciously agree to scrub your back," the girl purred.

The night promised to be a very pleasant one.

***

Toph Beifong. The Following Morning.

"Toph, I heard you were wandering around the garden late again," her father gently chided her.

"I just wanted so fresh air. Sitting inside four walls all the ti is really boring, Dad."

The constant babying from her parents and servants alike was enough to make her climb the walls, while her little "walks through the garden"—which more often than not ended at the fighting arena or with her spying on the city's seedier districts—really did feel like a breath of fresh air.

"We understand that, but at least try not to disappear like that. Yesterday the servants and guards were looking for you for hours," her mother said with a weary shake of her head. "We were very worried. Honestly, how do you keep slipping away from them?"

Because they're blind, slow idiots! the girl thought irritably. And because they seem convinced that since I'm blind, I must also be so helpless cripple incapable of moving on my own. Even though I can see more than plenty of sighted people. Heh-heh.

"What could possibly happen to inside the estate grounds?"

"You see, Toph… things in the city are rather tense right now. The Fire Nation 'delegation' returned recently. They were supposed to sail back ho already, but according to them, so kind of problem ca up and now they're waiting for a ship." (The Qunari of Kirkwall would approve.)

The girl imdiately rembered her acquaintance from yesterday. A very strange and suspicious type, one who had been incredibly difficult to "listen" for lies. More precisely, his bodily reactions had been far too faint, which pointed to one of two possibilities: either he hadn't lied at all, or he truly was a "great scoundrel."

The latter theory was supported by the subtle sensation she'd felt the mont he asked for her na… as though he already knew it!

"So let them wait," the Beifong heiress puffed out her cheeks. "What does that have to do with ?"

"Fire Nation people are very dangerous. Many of them are utterly unscrupulous and willing to do so very ugly things to achieve their goals," her father continued lecturing her as though she were a small child. "Believe , I trade with them. I know what I'm talking about."

"We don't know why they've remained in the city or what they want, and that leaves us fearing all sorts of possibilities."

I get it, the girl thought bitterly. You're afraid the Fire Nation wants sothing from the Beifongs and might try to use your blind, helpless daughter to get it. Which ans you'll lock inside these hated walls even tighter than before.

"All right, Mom. I won't stay out in the garden late or wander around alone anymore," she agreed obediently.

I can always escape from my room instead.

"Thank you, sweetheart," her father smiled. "And how are your..."

He never got to finish. A panicked servant burst into the hall.

(End of Chapter)

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