The Prince's Choice (Zutara)

XXV

Here it is! I know you guys were all eager after that cliffhanger...no one guessed it, though there were some very astute guesses that all I'll say is that you guys are def on the right track for some OTHER events happening soon...;) 

--

 "Poison?!" Zhi's screech echoed in the hallways, hearing the end of Toph's words after Wei had fetched her back.

"Yes," Toph said, "In here." She didn't release her hand from the seal she had over the top of the cup. "I'm positive. Get me Prince Zuko and I'll explain it," she said.

"This is a very serious allegation-"

"Yeah. You know what else is serious? Getting poisoned! Katara should come with. It happened to her too," Toph said. "C'mon!"

"Katara?" Suki gasped, and Katara hadn't even realized Smellerbee and Suki had followed them out. Katara gave a 'I-have-no-idea-what-she's-talking-about' sort of look back at them, but she was already being herded through the double doors and into a meeting room. Zhi left with Wei to find Prince Zuko, leaving two guards at the door. Katara paced while Toph just continued to sit, holding her mug of tea. Mug of poison tea, as Toph had proclaimed.

"Do you think it was equalists? Are the other girls in danger?" Katara asked, unsure how Toph could be so calm. "I drank the tea too!"

"No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it's just me. But, we'll check," she replied, as casually as if she were informing Katara that today it was going to rain again.

"Toph! Aren't you more freaked out?" Katara said, her entire body shaking. "I mean...would it have killed you?"

"Possibly," Toph shrugged, "But, I'm not so easy to take out."

Katara was about to demand to know exactly how Toph was so calm, how she had known, and why she thought Katara had also been poisoned, when the doors opened again. Zuko came in first. Even if they were still fighting, when he saw Katara, a flash of fear passed over his face.

General Iroh, along with Lu Ten in tow, entered next, and finally Zhi followed, wringing her hands. Katara had never seen their attendant so frazzled.

"Zhi says you think someone poisoned you," Zuko began, crouching near Toph.

"Attempted to poison me," Toph said, finally releasing her cover of the cup. "Don't drink it," she added, as though that needed to be said. "I'm more prepared than that."

"How?" Katara said.

"I can smell it, of course," Toph said, as though it was obvious. Zuko sniffed it, but shook his head. "It's nearly odorless, which is why it's used pretty often, Spark - I mean, Prince Zuko," Toph said, "Luckily, with my nose, I can smell it clear as day."

"And how would you know the smell of something poisonous?" Lu Ten asked, not with any suspicion, but just curiosity.

"It was imperative for me to know, in case I ever came across it. I can smell all the things that could kill me," Toph said simply, "Because I cannot see, so, yeah."

"Why would you need to know that-" Katara began, but sighed. "Right. Surprising the pants off people." She recalled Toph's favorite past time. Zuko's lip twitched into almost a smile, which would have been inappropriate for the situation.

"Yeah, that, and plus...I'm a pretty big deal. Offing Lady Bei Fong woulda been a dastardly plan, or a good bargaining chip or whatever."

"I would say that it would have been unneeded, but here we are," Katara agreed, thinking that she couldn't imagine that a kid like Toph would be required to know what poisons there were out there, for gosh sakes.