The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 84

Following the queen’s long green train, Longwei and Lei, meeting women warriors along the way, did not cease to be amazed at the beauty that now surrounded them.

Walking along the stone path and past the wooden pavilions that were in the water, Longwei could not believe his eyes. After all, in front of him was the world that he dreamed of since childhood.

Goldfish, drawing patterns in crystal clear water, accompanied them along the path. The bright green grass sprinkled with white leaves was pleasantly felt under their feet and with every step they more and more wanted to lie down and feel the softness of the earth.

Their gazes glided from one masterpiece of nature to another.

“Lei, look!” Not holding back, Longwei exclaimed at the sight of a yellow butterfly with black patterns on its wings, as if they were painted with the thinnest brush.

The Queen, noticing their surprise, took her time and walked as slowly as possible so that the travelers could see everything and be surprised at the colorfulness of life.

Not missing the opportunity to say, the queen turned to look at them and said, “This is all new to you.. Isn’t it?”

“The place we came from is the very home of death.” Longwei answered with delight in his eyes.

Casting quick glances at them, the women whispered and some of them held their swords at the ready.

Recovering from a range of emotions, Lei said, “Your soldiers are not very friendly.”

“You would do just that if strangers came to your lands.” answered the queen continuing to walk.

“You’re right.”

“Your majesty.” Longwei said. “My daughter Yun Qi, where is she?”

“Don’t worry. Your lovely daughter is safe.”

“Your majesty, let us tell you everything. You see, it’s all about the curse.” Longwei began but was interrupted by a young girl in a bright red dress.

“Your majesty, would you like some herbal tea?” the girl asked, ignoring the two strangers.

“Yes, please. And tell them to prepare the table.” the queen told her and the girl quickly disappeared behind a bush of scarlet roses.

Excited, exhausted, Longwei was no longer able to walk and after receiving enough (for the first time) sunlight suddenly fell and cold sweat beamed on his face.

“Longwei!”

“Poor child.” said the queen and shouted, “Changchang!”

“Hold on.” Lei said, and lifting him off the ground addressed the queen, “Please give us some water and a place to take a breath.”

“Follow me.”

Shuddering from every flap of a small bird’s wing and from every rustling of fish under the water, Lei, not getting used to such a world, suddenly felt a aching pain in his head.

The sun warmed every atom of his body.

Thirsting for a fresh, icy wind like a drop of cold water, he felt himself begin to weaken.

Finally, the Queen stopped and gesturing towards a small pavilion inside which there was a table and snow-white sofas with armchairs, she said, “Please do not go anywhere.”

Leaving them alone, she silently disappeared behind the bushes.

“Longwei wake up. Longwei!” patting his face, Lei bent down and whispered, “Longwei open your eyes.”

Hearing the peaceful song of the birds, Longwei smiled. Taking Lei’s hand, he quietly, almost exhausted, said, “Through the birdsong, your voice sounds so pleasant.”

“You are weird. You don’t think about Yun Qi at all.”

“She’s safe in this world. I know.”

Through the shade curtains that hung from the roof, the sun’s rays fell on their faces.

After examining everything around him, Longwei found the strength to get up and go to the table on which there was a vase with flowers and fruits.

“I have dreamed of such a world since childhood. Do dreams really come true?” he asked himself.

Burying his nose into his tangled hair, Lei took a deep breath. “We’re here. Longwei, so please stay with me.”

Knowing what he meant, Longwei said, “Stay or not, it is no longer in my power.”

A girl in a red dress, returning with a jug of water, noticing them standing so close to each other, sharply lowered her eyes and silently put the jug on the table.

“Wait. You’re Changchang, aren’t you?” Lei asked stopping her.

The girl looked at them frightened and nodded her head and wanted to leave, but the next question made her stop.

“Have you seen the girl with curly hair here?” Longwei asked.

“She’s in the palace.” she answered quickly and walked away.

“I said she was okay.” Longwei said and began to drink water greedily.

Starting to eat fruits that were on the table, they spent the next few minutes in complete silence, and only when the jug was completely empty did they lean back and sighed with relief.

Taking off Longwei’s heavy boots, Lei unbuttoned his shirt and lay down on the soft sofa.

“Even the furniture is different here. I have never felt such softness.”

Throwing off almost everything except his pants, Longwei left the gazebo and went up to the stream that ran along the trees, dipped his hands there and sprinkled cool water on his face.

Returning to the gazebo, he said, “I never thought that you can walk completely without clothes.”

Throwing his dirty shirt over him, Lei said, “Get dressed. The inhabitants of this world are already looking at us with fear, and you want to scare them even more?”

Sitting on the sofa beside him, Longwei rested his head on Lei’s legs and closed his eyes. The pain in his legs, fatigue throughout his body, and ringing in his ears intensified with every movement of his chest rising and falling.

Hearing Longwei’s breathing, Lei fell asleep without noticing it.

Sitting on a golden throne, surrounded by books and various birds, the Queen of the Kingdom of Waterfalls Li Hua, listening attentively to the incredibly scary stories of Yun Qi, sometimes nodded her head and sometimes covered her mouth in complete horror, hiding the shock on her face.

The snow-white strands of hair dyed in the past years trembled with her every surprise.

Eyes of golden color, like two bright stones made of sunlight were wide open in an amazement.

“Does such a world really exist?” For the third time in a row, she asked Yun Qi.

“Yes. And that’s not all. You will not believe that the worst thing in that world is not beasts at all, the worst thing is people.”

“People?”

“But they are also not to blame. For so many centuries in a row, looking at the beasts, they themselves have become beasts.” Yun Qi said ironically.

Sitting on a soft chair, Yun Qi was unable to take her eyes off the queen’s outfit for the second hour and could not hide her admiration for her.

“Poor people. How much you have endured.” the queen said sadly. “I am very glad that you have come to the Kingdom of Waterfalls. Now, finally, everything will end.”

“Do you really believe me?”

Standing up from the throne, Li Hua approached Yun Qi and laid her hand on her head and said, “In recent months, I had a certain feeling that soon everything should change. I seemed to know that you would come to this world. To your home.”

“Your majesty, then what about my fathers?”

“Fathers?”

“Yes. Show them mercy. I understand that you forgot about everything. But trust me again, they are not like other warriors.”

Smiling, Li Hua lifted her chin and said with warmth in her voice, “You are so kind. Just like my great great great grandmother.”

“Is your grandmother the Queen Li Hua from the legend?!” Yun Qi exclaimed, thus making the guards alert.

“Right.” Li Hua replied and gracefully raised her hand and said, “Guards bring two strangers to me.”

“Hey you! Wake up!” the woman warrior Nien shouted loudly.

Taking his time to wake up, Longwei tightened his grip on Lei’s leg and muttered something and continued to sleep.

“Wake up I said!” Kicking him, she aimed her sword at his face.

“Brother Xue, quieter. Don’t shout.”

“Get up, I said!” she repeated and looked at two warriors who were standing outside.

Two warriors in the same form as Nien grabbed Longwei and Lei by the arms and pulled them forward. Falling to the floor, they finally woke up.

“Her Majesty awaits you.”

“Are all people rude here?” Lei asked, standing up.

“You came to the kingdom from nowhere, and you can still behave in this way! What a disgrace! Guards quickly take them away! And do not feel sorry for them.” Nien ordered.

After a deep sleep, feeling a new surge of strength, Longwei could now look at the world from a different angle.

With the veil of the night, the sky was filled with millions of stars, each of which harbored millions of dreams of little Longwei.

“Go faster!” Nien hurried them. And the next time she wanted to poke them in the back with her sword, Lei suddenly caught her hand and said, “Maybe that’s enough already. What kind of a warrior are you, who see the helpless as a threat?”

“It’s not for you to teach me!”

“Nien. Calm down.” Li Hua’s voice was heard.

“On knees!” Nien told them, and before they could say anything, she made them sit on their knees.

“Nien they are not dangerous.” Li Hua said calmly. “You can go.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Dad!”

“Yun Qi?!”

Standing up, Longwei ran up to Yun Qi and hugged her tightly.

“Dad, how are you?”

“I’m fine. Yun Qi. Are you okay?”

Watching the happy small family reunion, Li Hua turned her gaze to Lei.

“You must be Lei. Brave warrior, legend of the Three Mountains.” she said. “And you are Longwei. White crow among your own.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Yun Qi told me everything. You don’t have to worry.”

Falling on his knees in front of her, Longwei said, “I know that you are surprised. But the warriors of the icy world are not so bad. We spend every hour surviving and without knowing if we will be alive the next second. That world, there is no hope. There is nothing. And with the appearance of Yun Qi, everything gained a light of hope. Hope for the future. I know that you do not remember those warriors who once defended these lands. But I assure you that people like us do not bring any danger. Of course, there are bloodthirsty ones, people who have long lost their souls. I mean Sun and his soldiers. He must not achieve what he wants, so please let Yun Qi lift the curse. Let her melt the ice and turn the cold into a warm wind.”

“Yun Qi told me everything.” repeated Li Hua. “Living in a cursed world and besides not knowing and not remembering what happened is terrible. I will of course let Yun Qi remove the curse. After all, my great grandmother would be happy about it. She will be very happy if death of Lan Jun will not be in vain.” she said, gathering her long and thin fingers into the lock. “But the point is, do you know how to remove this curse? It’s very ancient. It means very strong. And besides, there is no information in my kingdom regarding this curse.”

Longwei dropped his head. “I didn’t think about it. But that book doesn’t say anything about lifting the curse.”

“Don’t you really remember the existence of men?” Lei asked. “I mean, doesn’t anyone know about Lan Jun and Jang Sun’s actions?”

“Only now, having heard the legend about my grandmother and her love for a man, only now I seemed to start remembering everything that she had to endure. But understand, for many centuries this world existed only thanks to women. And besides, the curse made everyone forget about that war. So I just believe Yun Qi.” Li Hua said with concern in her sparkling eyes.

“Right, Jang Sun has separated Li Hua from the love of other men.”

“But what to do next? We do not know how to remove the curse. Is this whole path wasted?”

“I know how to remove the curse.” Yun Qi suddenly said.