So, finally chapter 5!
I hope you will enjoy it just as much as i liked writing it. English is not my first language so i'm sorry for any grammatical errors. But i try to better myself.
Please review or follow, feedback would be much appreciated.
She and Ray had really gotten along during the trip. They chatted and made jokes while on the road. He talked about his bending and teachers. Everyone knew by this point that they would get some time off during their stop in Fire Fountain. The mood was good and they would soon be there. It was just hours away. Wei-Li was very excited about it.
"Tell me about the festival again. Will there be drinks? Food? Dancing? Boys?"
He laughed and pinched her in the side. "Everything a girl like you wants." He said smoothly. She could feel the air grow warm. Was it her or him? "Do you.. Have a boyfriend at home to worry about now when you are out dancing with the royal guard?" He asked her intimately, in her ear. She blushed. "No, I don't really had the time for boys, sure I met some, but it always ended rather quickly"
She didn't felt the need to tell him more, really. "Let me take you to the festival, as a date." He said hastily, she could feel him blush and tense behind her. "Deal."
She laughed, it was going to be a fun night.
Fire Fountain was definetly smaller than Yu Dao, but the festival was in full bloom and the town looked amazing. Filled with blooming Fire Lilys and lanterns. Vendors that sold candy, drinks and food. Music came from every corner. The crowd made place for the rhinos as they made their way trough the town. Booked at the best hotel in Fire Fountain. Wei-Li was impressed.
Servants took their bags and stationed them in their rooms. Wei-Li started to be confused to whom she should bow to or not.
She stood a bit awkward while other people took their bags and catered to them. "My dear, you have the night off it seems." Iroh smiled at her. She bowed and smiled; "I'm really looking forward to see the Festival."
"You should do some shopping and try out the food" .
"Yes General, I will absolutely do that" She bowed again, eagerly.
Iroh laughed "The young boys will not know what's coming to them"
"Is she going out by herself tonight in Fire Fountain?" Zuko said, hesitant. "No, I've overheard some of the guards. She have a date with Ray, one of the benders. They seem to get along really well." He smiled again and went back to his room.
Zuko felt a surprising sting of jealousy.
How stupid of him, he berated himself. Of course she is. Of course she should be enjoying herself.
It's good that she gets to know some friends in the palace. But the bad feeling wouldn't go away.
The shopping in Fire Fountain was great. The town was smaller but there was a lot of really nice, affordable Capital City fashion. Wei-Li quickly spent almost half of the money father had given her before departing. But she didn't have much clothes with her. Her wardrobe consisted of two or three decent looking dresses, working clothes and aprons. But that was before. Now was now. She was starting a new great job in the capital and needed to think more about how she dressed.
The dress she picked out for this night looked great. Dark red with black and golden embroideries, ending just at the knees and with a black belt at the waist. She braided her long black hair with gold ribbons and put on a gold diadem. She felt more pretty than ever.
Everything about tonight felt so nice, and normal.
Going on a date. Dressing up. Being just like a girl. If I try really hard, maybe I could pretend I was here as just the chef.
Sigh. And the moment was gone.
A knock on the door – Ray was here to pick her up. He looked handsome. His hair was in a neat ponytail and he was clean and shaved, properly dressed in a formal red tunic and black pants. "Wei-Li, you look like a Fire Lily in full bloom"
"You are making me blush!" She laughs it off, but her heart skips a beat when he gently takes her arm and lead her outside.
He stands in the window and watches the couple walk arm in arm down the street. He can hear them laughing.
"Don't think to much about it Zuko, she's just a young girl, let her have some fun"
Zuko tenses, he didn't notice that his uncle came into the room. "Have you ever heard about the art of knocking?"
"It's not wrong to look at girls. I do it all the time." He completely ignores the remark.
Zuko sighs, irritated "Yes, I am painfully aware of that"
"I know that you sneak away in the mornings. You must be more careful, young Lord."
Zuko tenses, the candles flare in the room. "It's not what you think."
"Don't be too distracted. Right now is not the time… Have some fun but there will be trouble if this comes in the way of your duties"
"And what exactly do you mean with "This"?"
"You, romancing a young innkeepers daughter. She is fragile and so are you. Don't get too carried away."
"There is no romancing."
"Then I want to know what it is. Stranger things have happened."
"I saw her doing the Dance of the dragons." He suddenly bursts, tired both of his uncles accusations, and him referring to her as 'The innkeepers daughter'. "She is an incredible bender. She bends in a way I have never seen. She hides a disciplined warrior behind her cooking. She is teaching me new ways of bending."
Iroh stands up, suddenly serious. "And you did not tell me? You took her with you, to the capital? To teach you and cook for you? And she accepts, showing you this knowledge of the arts?"
"I had this feeling, I can't explain it, but that she would play an important role in the new era of peace. That i'm doing the right thing. Putting her in the right place at the right time. That it's faith. Maybe I should consult with the sages, but also, I don't know if that's her will. I need time."
"The fire within can be a roaring sea. It can also be a running stream. It can tells us many things. Do you choose the roaring sea, maybe you will not hear the voices in your heart. But to peaceful, to stream-like, and you will lack the passion the fire gives you."
Iroh's words hits him hard. He can clearly remember the words she told him in the cave. How she took his hands. How she looked at him. "Why are you.. Where did you learn that?" he whispers.
"It's an old Sun-Warrior saying, written in the old texts. Most was forbidden during the war, it bore too much likeness to waterbending." He muses, glad that he finally listened to something that he said.
"Wei-Li said something just like that. How can she know something like that? Her mother had taught her, but as my knowing, they were all a hard working family in Yu Dao, born and raised."
Iroh is silent for a long moment. "Sometimes, stranger things happen, Fire Lord."
He bows and exits hastily. He walks trough the corridor and reach a servant.
"I need to send a letter, immediately. I need the best hawk in Fire Fountain."
They reach a small restaurant in the big square. "Whats that?" She points to a big, covered formation.
"It was once a monument of Fire Lord Ozai. But after Fire Lord Zuko ended the war, he ordered the statue to be deconstructed. They are building something new." Ray says, glancing at the work in progress. "It was quite a sight."
"My life was mostly peaceful. The war actually brought good business, with a lot of soldiers coming trough, wanting to stay at a Fire-Nation inn." She says.
"Yes, I can imagine that your family was some of the lucky few. But the war came with many sacrifices. I hope that this will be the beginning of a more peaceful era."
His eyes drifts to the horizon, soon the sun would go down and the lanterns and torches would be lit everywhere.
"Let's eat!" He looks at her again, takes her hand gently and leads her into the restaurant. The manager bows deeply. She feels out of place, being a guest instead of the chef.
"The todays special is our Fire Lily – Festival dumplings. Please honor me by sitting down at our finest table." He seats them at a nice, small table with great view over the square. It's crowded. "I never seen so many Fire-Nation people at the same place before." She says, amused. "Yeah? Just wait until you get to the capital then. I can't believe you never been there."
"Too much to do at home. There hasn't been any good reasons to leave before I guess.." She trails off.
"Do you have any family outside Yu Dao that you know of?"
"No… Not that I know of. I don't know where mother went. I think father had some relatives but they weren't very close. Does all of your family live in the Capital?"
"Yes…I have a large family. We live pretty close. I'm lucky to have them."
They get their dumplings. It's beautifully garnished with vegetables carved as fire lilys. Wei-Lins eyes lights up when she sees it. "I must learn how to do this! Do you think they use a special tool to carve it?" She picks at the small flowers with her chopsticks. Suddenly she realizes that Ray is staring at her and smiling. She is really behaving like a country girl. "I guess you eat food shaped like flowers all the time." She jokes it off.
"No, only on festivals and days off! But if you can learn how to do it, maybe I can have it more often"
Wei-Li can't help but to blush again. This guy is so smooth! And he knows it.
Time to compose herself. This will not end well. She takes a big gulp of the wine. Music starts to play in the square. It's a popular tune that she heard a lot in taverns and at parties. "I actually know this one, that's a first"
She relaxes again, now when she dosen't feel that out of place anymore. They enjoy the meal and talks. More and more people gathers in the square and lanterns are lit everywhere. They pay and rise from their seats. Most people have gather around a stage
near the site of Ozais deconstructed statue. A band is playing a sad love ballad about a dragon and a woman. The singer is breathtaking. She is playing the pipa but her voice is loud and clear over the music. She wears a beautiful red dress that hugs every curve, her dark brown hair flowing over her back. The slender, pale arms cradle the instrument and plays it skillfully. Wei-Li notices that most of the audience are looking at the woman. So is Ray. 'Looking' is an understatement. He's staring. And the singer is looking back at him.
The band finishes the song and everyone cheer and claps. The singers eyes are still locked with Rays. She smiles and exits with the pipa still in her hands. "Ray!" "I'm so surprised to see you here!" She shouts and embraces him.
So apparently they know each other. "Maia! Wow it must have been years!" They talk and talk. Wei-Li shifts awkwardly.
"Oh yeah, this is Wei-Li. She is the new royal family chef." He finally introduces her.
"Nice to meet you.. Maia" Maia nods at her politely and then quickly regain her conversation with Ray.
Maia and Ray talk about topics that she don't know anything about, and she is clearly not included in the conversation. She can feel her heart sink like a stone. The other woman look amazing. Refined, beautiful…
After standing and smiling for a while without being included, Wei decides to give up. Standing around and making a fool of herself is not her cup of tea. She slowly backs out. No one notices. She makes her way to a fire-wine vendor and buys herself a drink. A part of her really felt like going home now, but that would just be sad. With a sigh she glances at the crowd. Ray have probably not even noticed that she is gone by now. Slowly, she walks down the street. Away from the lights. A fire lily in full bloom, huh?
How gullible can a person be!? She can feel her fists getting warmer. How could I be so stupid, that I thought a smooth guy like that wouldn't ditch me as soon he met someone better? An hour ago she had been enjoying drinks at the restaurant, and now she was alone in an alley. It felt almost like home. So ironic.
A rustle behind her makes her stop and tense. Two persons, just behind her.
"Where are you going? Would you like some company?" A mans voice. "A nice girl like you shouldn't be walking all alone at this time and place." The second one.
"Leave me alone." She says calmly.
"No, i'm gonna stay." He laughs mockingly "It's just about to get fun."
She closes her eyes and listens. They are clumsy, young. A plan forms. Her heartbeat quickens. The energy flows fast. It burns like a furnace in her stomach, her torso. The disappointment of tonight was enough to make her burn the whole city down. It wants to fight. It wants to be a storm. She concentrates. Focuses. The air grows hot around her in seconds. The thick smell of smoke fills the air. She can feel the men behind her back off, but it's to late. She could have run, or talked her way out of the situation. But it's not about defending herself now. It's about disappointment and anger, and they came in her way. The cup of wine is still in her hand. In the second the air heats, she can feel the wine is brought to a boil. With a quick move she turns around and throws the glass of hot wine in the face of one of the men.
She ducks, bends down and with a sweeping motion of her feet she sends a wave of bluish fire over the ground and instantly knock the other one down, before he even have the time to get a good posture. The other one yells and tries to jump at her, but she hits him with a fist of fire before he gets close. The second one is still down. She slams her foot down on the ground just between the mans legs. Incredibly hot, small, blue flames emerge from her sole, his pants begins to smoke. He whimpers.
In a firm fighting stance with her fists clenched and ready, she whispers with a hiss "You have a blink of an eye to get away before I will burn your valuables into a crisp. I will do it." He crawls away from her and runs, his friend right behind him, stumbling.
"That was a stupid waste of wine" She exhales, small trails of smoke emerges from her mouth.
Moving her feet, she instantly notices that in her excitement, accidently burned trough the whole sole of her new sandals.
"Aaw really!? This is why I can't have nice things!" Untying the strings of the sandals she succumbs to the fact that rest of the night, is going to be spent barefoot. With the sandals in her hand she walks further down the alley, towards the docks.
It's easy to tell wich way is the best – the gentle breeze of the ocean is guiding her well. The alleys are empty. Most people are probably in the square. She frowns when she thinks about that Maia, stealing her night. It would have been better if she hadn't agreed to go on a date. If she had declined and went out by her self, it would have been better. Who needs romance anyway. It's not that she would have the time to have a boyfriend or anything like that in the city. But right now, tonight,
it would have been nice not being alone.
Zuko walks the alleys and the small streets of Fire Fountain. Too restless for sleeping, he saw no choice but to hit the streets. The conversation with his uncle had made him uneasy. Blurting out the details about Wei-Lis bending had been clumsy. It felt like telling a secret that wasn't his to tell. The celebrations looked like fun. Discretely dressed in black and with a scarf and hood to cover most of the face, it would be hard to recognize him. And people seemed to busy flirting and drinking to bother.
"….I'm serious, it was blue fire, she nearly burned my pants of"
A fragment of a conversation captures his attention. A young man was standing next to one of the wine-vendors, trying to tell a story. The other men around him laughed. "So a small girl burned your pants of with blue fire? Yeah, that sound reasonable..."
"You could ask Jon about it! He was there too!" He waves and gestures. A guy that Zuko assumes is Jon, sits slumped in the corner, with a bottle held tightly in his big hands. "Don't talk trash! The lesser we all talk about this, the better!" He hisses at his friend. Rest of the men are laughing. On Jon's face is a freshly made burn. The first young man frowns deeply.
"Why i'll tell ya, it's weird that a girl is walking alone like that, towards the docks. I'll should have figured she was crazy"
He slumps down too. The rest of the gang is still laughing. Is it Wei-Li? But why would she be alone in a alley and fighting street thugs? If it was Azula, the man wouldn't live to tell the story. His questions is soon answered when he spots Ray in the square, but he isn't with Wei-Li. He's with another woman, with long dark brown hair and a tight red dress.
They seem to be engaged in a deep conversation, Ray is whispering in the ear of the woman while stroking her arm.
The date didn't seem to go that well for the pair, then. The men said something about the docks. Better go check that out.
It's easy to get lost in the crowd. The alleys are slim and straight – It's easy to find the way. It was a long time since he was at Fire Fountain. The statue of Ozai made him uneasy. To order it to be deconstructed hadn't been a easy task. The city had got it's name from the statue, so in a way the city lost a big part of the identity that once both named and defined it.
The alley opens up. The bay and docks are just ahead. He can see the sea and the dark night sky. Almost immediately he sees her.
Sitting by the water. Her back turned against the city and facing the sea. He notices her braid first. Just as he did in the arena.
She turns around. "I did not expect seeing you here. Don't be surprised, after the first time you sneaked up on me after my fight, you won't be able to hide again." She smirks and turns to the water again. He approaches and sits down next to her. It's nice when she's relaxed and talks without formality. It's so easy when they are alone, but impossible when other people are around.
"I saw Ray in the square. He was with another girl." He bluntly states.
"Yeah, I don't really know what happened there. I guess he got bored with me." She shrugs, but he can see that she's hurt.
"Tell me about the fight. Don't try to hide it." Now she tenses, looks away.
"Just some boys, trying to rob me. It was pretty quick and not to messy. But I threw the wine away, I regret that."
So nothing special, as he thought. They sit in silence for a while. Zuko don't know what to say next. It was pretty clumsy of him to talk about Ray, it was really none of his business. He could be so bad at words sometimes. Wei-Li breaks the silence.
"Would you like to get some drinks somewhere? There is probably some seedy place around where they won't bother about your robber-outfit." He actually smiles a bit, which surprises her. He looks nice when he smiles. He stands up and reaches out a hand.
"Let's find a seedy place then."