New chapter! Please, tell me what you think about my story! I'm really doing my best and it helps me to know that at least someone is enjoying it...Anyway, thanks for reading!
Chapter 4:
They all sat around a long table, with loads of dishes on it. The Bao Yu citizens seemed to have plenty of food.
Jeong-Jeong didn't touch his meal. He had no appetite. Zhao, for his part, ate for ten. But he didn't take the time to taste, to honor the work of the cooks. He was full of disrespect, had no restraint, no patience. A real hothead. Why had he taken him along, for god's sake?
He looked at the real queen of the city. What surprised him was the uncommon color of her hair. They were red. Well, he was a phenomenon himself with his silver white hair. But she was...a dream. He stared at her without realizing it. She sat just next to him so he could have a really good look at her.
She turned her head to him and asked friendly:
"Are you enjoying yourselves?"
Jeong-Jeong looked her right in the eyes. The only thing you could read was joy.
"Yes."
"You are not a man of many words, are you?"
"Indeed."
He played with his chopsticks in the food.
"You don't like it?"
"I'm not very hungry."
Ishi looked away and continued to eat. Jeong-Jeong intimidated her and Zhao displeased he was her guest. So he had the same rights as the colonel.
"When do you want to play the game?" asked Jeong-Jeong.
Ishi looked upon him, a bit surprised.
"When you feel that the time is right."
"Tomorrow, in the beginning of the afternoon? Is that possible."
"Sure. Everything you want."
"Than let's play tomorrow."
"What do you want to do for fun, the time you are here?"
Jeong-Jeong looked at Zhao. He was still eating. He turned back to the queen.
"Nothing..."
Ishi stood up and said:
"Follow me. We are going to visit MY city.
"You are going to guide me?" asked the young man surprised.
"I'm the queen of this place. So I would be proud to show it to strangers, even if they are our enemy. Somebody else will take care of your pupil."
The last words were cold as ice. Jeong-Jeong answered with the same note in his voice:
"He's not my pupil."
And he followed Ishi, the queen of Bao Yu.
She showed him everything. The jewelry makers and the shops. Jeong-Jeong saw how the jewelry makers used little knifes, leathers strops and string saws and to create the finest details of the most precious necklaces, bracelets and earrings. She showed him how they made the best leather of the region and how beautiful bags and clothes were made. She guided him through the presses for the wine that was appreciated all over the kingdom. She made him visit the royal palace, which was richly decorated with Earth Kingdom symbols and the history of the city. Jeong-Jeong learned that Bao Yu was once only a little village and that one day, an ancient Avatar came to live there. Since, people came to settle in the city.
Everywhere he saw gold, jade, diamonds, emeralds and silk. He stopped breathing overwhelmed by all those treasures that you could find in just one hall. One room of the palace was more worth than the life long salary of a general.
But Jeong-Jeong preferred the gardens. Hundreds of flowers filled his nose with delicious and relaxing scents. He saw plants he had never seen before and learned a lot about aromatic plants of the region.
The young man took pleasure to visit the most popular corners of the city and the places where he could see people working, talking, selling and buying with a smile. The fountains with the lanterns and sculptures on it were magnificent, the dragons and badger moles sculptures that you could find in every street majestic. Jeong-Jeong had tears in his eyes when he found a granite dragon like he had at his childhood home...
But Ishi didn't leave him the time to remind his past and she continued the tour.
The queen showed him more and more: the earth bending schools, the royal palace, the royal gardens. They visited the library, the theater, the local museum. From the walls of the city, Ishi showed them where the jade mines were.
It took them the whole day. In the evening, Zhao added himself to their group and Ishi guided them to their sleeping rooms.
Zhao locked himself immediately up. Jeong-Jeong preferred to walk a bit more in the gardens.
He met the queen again.
"Oh...uh, hi..." stammered the young man.
"Good evening colonel Jeong-Jeong."
"May I follow you in your walk?"
"Sure."
The two young people didn't speak. Ishi blushed and Jeong-Jeong didn't know what to do.
"Did you like the city?"
"It's beautiful. It would be a shame to burn it to the ground. That's why I proposed the Pai Sho game...Are you engaged?"
She looked at the young man surprised.
"Sorry. It was a personal question. You don't have the obligation to answer."
"...I'm not engaged."
The heart of the young man jumped in his chest. She wasn't engaged!
"And you? Did you leave behind someone about whom you care?"
"No."
"Did you find someone?"
"Yes...Ma'am, to be honest with you...I love you...You are more precious than the jade of your city in my heart."
Why had he to say that?! He showed a weakness! He was so stupid!
"Forget about..."
Ishi had pressed her lips on his and they kissed. Jeong-Jeong didn't move, so confused he was. When she released him, she murmured:
"I love you too."
Jeong-Jeong did a step backwards.
"I...I can't do this. I have a mission...I'm sorry Queen Ishi."
And he ran away.
He began to love that city. Why had he that stupid idea of conquering this wonderful city with just a game of Pai Sho? His feelings twisted in his heart and mind. He was so confused that he couldn't sleep.
And Ishi was so mysterious. She smiled and talked about the game and the city. But he realized that she never talked about herself...A thing that he had to figure out, before the game started.
Quote of the day:
Jin: What's wrong?
Zuko:It's complicated. I have to go.
