I Hope for Freedom

Just to make it known that Toph and Aang aren't going to be paired together. They're just the main characters in this story.

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't belong to me. Shocking, I know.

So it begins...

Toph continued bending earth down the tunnel with the others. She used to be the pampered daughter of the Bei Fong family on the outskirts of the large town Gaoling – located in The Southern Earth Kingdom. But her father Lao Bei Fong angered some Earth Kingdom thugs who wanted money for special protection. Ever since the Earth King had fallen ill and was replaced by his Grand Secretarian Long Feng. Things has gone downhill in the Earth Kingdom. An alliance with the fire nation and King Ozai only made it worse. The thugs returned with fire nation soldiers and both attacked the Bei Fong mansion home. Most of it ended up in flames. Toph's father was beaten severely and her mother Poppy assaulted then killed right in front of her. That day she was just six-years old.

But worse awaited her. Their attackers decided to leave the mansion burning and took a screaming Toph with them. Days later she was drugged and sold to traffickers. They in turn sold her to a tall strong dark skinned man. She was raped shortly after purchase. But she fought her new master and rapist. She even used earth bending on him that she was learning at an advanced rate from her tutor. She nearly got away but Xin Fu wasn't about to let himself be beaten by a little child. He used his experience, earth bending skills and physical strength to deter her escape until he caught her with her guard down.

A furious Xin flung her into the nearest wall nearly killing her on the spot. After raping her, he locked a bleeding injured Toph in a barrel with no food, water or medical help for over a week. She had screamed and clawed off all her finger nails by the end of the first day. She ended up getting liquid by sucking on the blood pouring from her hair.

By the time Xin took her out she was barely clinging to life. But after she recovered two months later he made a horrifying discovery. The green eyed raven haired beauty he'd grabbed had gone blind. His attack and harsh treatment towards her had taken away her sight. He had planned to add her to his expanding business which was starting to branch into prostitution. Now it was pointless, who wanted a retarded whore?

He would've killed her if he didn't recall her bending skill. So a week after her recovery he told her that if she behaved he'd let her go on her fourteenth birthday. He informed her that her father survived and was recuperating in Ba-Sing Se where he was probably going to live from now on. He was even offered a home in the upper ring and a job as a political advisor as an apology and compensation for the attack that had happened. According to Long Feng, men had told the fire nation soldiers that the Bei Fong family were in imminent danger. But after the fire benders attacked they were betrayed and during the blaze the other men snuck in and assaulted the family and made off with the daughter after beating the husband and father mercilessly then sexually assaulting and murdering the wife and mother.

Toph was old enough to understand that these were all excuses. Her father had told her their current king covered up many wrongs. Now she had to work for Xin Fu if she ever wanted to be free to find her father again. She wasn't sure how she'd do that being blind but she was definitely going to try. So she agreed to behave and wait for freedom.

Then Xin Fu lay out the terms. Toph was to work with the miners that moved rock and earth to make way for those who used pickaxes in search of valuable minerals underground. It she did that she'd never have to be a prostitute and experience what he did to her a thousand times a day. A terrified Toph agreed. There was however one stipulation. He wouldn't whore her out but she'd have to sleep with him whenever he asked. Toph protested but Xin Fu slapped her and told her just for that he'd bring friends the first time he called. And if she complained again, he'd never set her free.

Now at age thirteen, her freedom was months away. Xin Fu hardly used her anymore. She'd been untouched for six months. But the guards sometimes bullied her into blowing them. Most of the time she secretly earth bended or wall or path to hide herself from them before skipping off to her duties, break or where she slept after work was completed.

Toph was kept away from the other workers in a tiny space under Xin Fu's bedroom. It was a tiny hole dug into the earth that was just enough for her to curl up in and was just a bare square space. It had a crude piece of wood over it for a door and if she angered Xin Fu he'd beat her and lock her inside. He sometimes raped her as well but mostly he left her in there and she was forced to go in the hole since he wouldn't let her out to use the bathroom until it was time for work again. She was given a key to Xin Fu's room so she could go to bed without disturbing him. But he threatened to cut an arm off after she lost it twice over the years.

Toph had grown into small busted teenager with raven hair that went half way down her back. She had a fit frame and kept her hair up to keep it out of her way. Her light skin always had a bit of earth on it and she was allowed a bath twice a week. She had to find water and a corner during her break otherwise.

"Break for Group 7!" a voice called.

All bending and pick-axe work stopped in Toph's section. They had twenty minutes to eat, use the facilities and anything else they needed to do. Returning late wasn't an option. People had lost limbs for repeated tardiness. Guards were punished if they did that to a bender but there were other ways.

Accidents happened a lot underground. But some of them didn't start that way.

(Aang's POV)

He's too big! I thought filled with pain.

Guards and workers alike knew I didn't last long. But men like this only wanted to torture me with their brute strength and size. He was eleven inches easy. I hardly lasted seconds and he just laughed and grunted as he entered me even harder.

"Oh!" I cried out but not in pleasure at all.

The guard just responded by dragging my bald head back and screwed me even worse.

By the time he was done I let out a strangled cry of relief. Men always hurt. But big ones like him were worse. Especially when they intended to jeer and torture me like he did.

"You really are worthless," the guard said scornfully, "but you're super tight," he approved, "no one can figure out why after fucking you all these years," he noted, "too bad you can't hold your seed, you'll be a true whore then. Maybe even see outside on special events."

I just lay there waiting for him to leave. I heard him laugh and bit my lip. I dare not say anything to anger him. I was twelve and had the tiniest frame. He could kill me with a good stomp. I've seen it happen to others.

Suddenly he grabbed me by the head. Dark brown pupils glared into my scared grey. I just shook too frightened to even cry out.

The guard grinned. "Thought you were playing stubborn for a second," he said and dropped me on the ground, "get to your post, you're late for line up," he added and walked off laughing.

I paled at the revelation. I was a night time prostitute. But I was also bottom rate. Ones like me were lined up on an old wooden platform where customers could walk right up and check on us. High classed prostitutes had to be picked based on a description from the master and a quick glance. My class were grabbed, shaken and harassed during selection. Some even coped a feel if they could.

But tonight I was late.

Our supervisor is going to make me have it.

Let me know what you think.