"Sella don't be difficult," Zhao said through the bedroom door. It was humiliating for him, the newly appointed Admiral, to be standing outside of his own bedroom door just because his mistress was sulking.
"No, I am not being difficult. I am merely hurt that you would much rather see the Fire Lord than me," came the pouting voice of Sella. Zhao sighed before knocking on the door again.
"I mean it Sella. If I have to I will knock this door down!" he yelled. Several heads poked out of doorways to slide quickly back inside for fear of being maimed. Sniffles were heard from inside of the room. He let out a frustrated groan and threw his arms in the air as if to say, 'What did I do to deserve this?' Honestly, maybe I'm better without her. How much can a woman cry? He thought. She would have to quit sometime, and when she did she would also have to eat. He could make sure that the only way she could get food would be for her to come out, he had everything figured out, and she still didn't know that he had just been appointed Admiral.
"Go away Commander. I do not wish to see you!" she yelled through the door.
"Fine, but I expect you to join me at dinnertime, if you are not there I will come and get you," he informed her before striding confidently down the hallway.
As his footsteps faded Sella lifted her head off of her hands and unfolded her knees. Tears ran down her face and she wiped them away. He could come and get her if he wanted to see her so bad. She had expected him to break down the door, but he hadn't, much to her immediate dismay.
"My poor Commander," she said too herself as she looked at her reflection. She sat at her vanity table and began to brush out her hair. Before long it lay in a long sheet cascading off of one shoulder to nearly touch her waist. "He only wants what is best for me," she told herself resolutely. The tears had dried on her cheeks even though they still left them sticky and shiny. Her mascara had run and tear tracks could visibly be seen, she resembled a banshee at the moment but could care less. If this failed, then there was only one card left for her too play before all hope of a happy marriage with her Commander failed. The pregnancy card. Of course she wasn't pregnant, but that could easily be fixed, or faked if it came down to it.
She put on a white dress that hung loosely around her, making her sad disposition seem a reality. She was said after all, the Commander had just as well have told her that she were no more than a play thing. She would marry him, and her mother would help her along the way. The dinner bell rang, Perfect, she thought before getting up and letting her hair sweep behind her in a ghostly fashion.
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Zhao sat at the table, Sella had not yet arrived. "Not like her, she is usually the first one seated," he said to himself before a servant tied a napkin around his neck and he picked up his knife and fork. The first course was set in front of him, a large orange fish steaming with chopped vegetables and butter sauce. He scowled, he had requested oysters as a side dish, anyone with any sense knew that side dishes came first! The candles behind him flared a little as he fumed about the oysters.
The servants quickly left after they brought the oysters. Sella's place was set at the end of the table with her fish still steaming in the dim candle light. Still sulking I presume, he thought as he cracked open an oyster. As he raised the dish too his lips the door opened and Sella glided in. He nearly choked on his oyster and had to set it down and take a drink of wine. She looked like a ghost, her long ebony hair flew out behind her and her loose white dress which still managed to be mildly revealing yet dignified billowed behind her along with her sleeves.
Sella glided to her chair and floated gracefully down, and with the prim manners that only a woman who is not speaking with her spouse can know, she began to pick daintily yet sharply at her food. Letting him know that by no means was she sleeping in the same bed as him that night. He pushed the oysters over a little and cut into his fish.
"Ahem," she murmured before wiping her hands on the white napkin. Zhao raised his eyebrows as she took a small piece of fish and lifted it slowly too her mouth. She seemed to pay him no attention although she obviously knew that he was watching. She slipped it between her lips and chewed daintily, she washed it down with a small sip of wine. Zhao grunted and looked at the oysters. He cracked another open with a small gesture of his hand and put it too his lips.
"You know Sella, oysters are an aphrodisiac," he said with a sly purr. Sella raised an eyebrow before looking down at her plate.
"I grow tired of eating. But if you need me I shall be on the balcony with a bottle of wine," she flipped her hair a little and walked passed him being careful to let him catch a strong whiff of her rose perfume. Sella walked to the balcony where they had an excellent view of the large practice yard, lit only by the fires atop the walls. The dark night sky showed no stars and the moon was absent from it as well. She closed the doors with a light tap and disappeared behind the edge of the door.
For a moment Zhao sat. He then grabbed the basket of oysters. Now was the perfect time for him to break the news of his promotion.
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For those of you who have watched 'White Chicks' that is where I got the oyster thing from, hilarious I know... Thanx to all my reviewers. Gel and Devon this next chapter's for you!