The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 88

After spending some time in bed, they dressed and went outside.

Noticing the bright decorations, which were lanterns and carved paper bird figures as well as some flower petals sprinkled on the paths, Lei hugged Longwei by the shoulders and said, “I can’t believe it. It feels like a beast will jump out of these bushes. And we have no swords.”

“I don’t want to think about the beasts. Remembering, I start to worry about Brother Xue and the others. Better not.”

“Don’t you think that the queen believed us too quickly? It’s weird.” Lei said almost in a whisper, but as it turned out, Nien heard him.

“Talking about her majesty behind her back can lead you straight to the execution alley.” she said, clutching her trusty sword..

“You again.”

“If it were not for the queen and her request not to harm you, I would have punished you long ago. But do not think that I am giving you the freedom to do whatever comes to your mind.” Glaring at them, Nien and her small army of soldiers walked away.

“How terrifying she is.” Longwei said.

Under the sun, walking along the red carpet that stretched towards the palace, they noticed several women in golden robes. On their heads they all had the same hairpins in the shape of the sun.

Without looking up, they just stood there without any movement. Approaching them, Longwei could not help but notice the beauty of their clothes and themselves.

Like wild swans, their long necks were clad in thin necklaces that seemed about to break into small pieces.

Upon entering the palace, their attention immediately fell on a long table that stood in the middle of the hall. Several people sat on both sides of the table, and in the very center was Li Hua herself.

With the arrival of the two warriors, Li Hua slightly nodded her head and, smiling imperceptibly, pointed to two chairs at the very end of the table.

“Your Majesty.” They said and bowed.

Silently sitting down, Longwei quickly surveyed everyone.

They were ten women in beautiful long dresses.

“I hope you are feeling comfortable in my kingdom?” Li Hua asked as she put some salad on a plate.

“Yes. Very comfortable. Thank you.” Lei answered.

After taking a sip of water, Li Hua did not take her eyes off them and said, “Ladies, let me introduce you two warriors from the world called the Three Mountains.”

With surprise but with obvious respect, smiling in response to her introduction, the women without saying anything continued their meal.

“Longwei, Lei, please enjoy.” Li Hua told them and pointed to the many plates filled with different dishes that they had never seen in their lives.

After a slightly exhausting night, feeling wild hunger, Longwei began to eat a strange-looking but very tasty food, which turned out to be chicken in milk sauce.

After finishing his meal in minutes, Longwei emptied a whole jug of juice in a second and wiped his mouth and leaned back in his chair. Lei did the same.

“Where is Yun Qi?” he whispered, and in that moment she appeared from behind the pillar.

Seeing Yun Qi, Li Hua suddenly bloomed like a flower and her once serious mood took on a happy hue.

“Yun Qi dear. Sit down.” she said.

Dropping the spoon in his hand, Longwei wanted to bend down and pick it up, but the woman who was sitting next to him was already holding it out to him.

“Thanks.”

Lei slowly sipped his apple juice and looked around him.

“Your Majesty, I must say, every corner here is a work of art.”

“This palace withstood any storm, it withstood the fire of the dragon and the attack of Jang Sun’s army.” Li Hua said, drawing her hand around the room.

“You know?” Longwei cried out, thereby frightening all the guests.

“You always knew everything right? Right from the beginning.”

Nodding her head, Li Hua replied with a calm smile, “What kind of queen am I who does not know all the legends associated with these lands? I knew everything, but I only knew a story that existed all this time called Legend. I knew but I was not confident in the veracity of this legend. And when you came to my kingdom, I realized that this legend is part of the history. Forgive me for not telling you about this earlier. I just wanted to hear everything from you.”

“So that’s why you believed us. Otherwise, you could easily perceive us as some kind of trolls.” Lei said.

“What about others? Do they also know the legend? If so then why is everyone so surprised at the sight of us?” asked Longwei swaying in his chair.

After looking at all the seated guests, Li Hua gave the opportunity to answer to one of her guests.

A woman with long hair and bright green eyes stood up from her chair and said, “If Her Majesty is not sure about something, then it does not go beyond this palace.”

“So that’s the thing.” whispered Longwei.

“I read the story at a time when Queen Li Hua, my distant grandmother, ruled. I read about terrible battles, dragons and death. And there were also warriors. I understood that it must be some kind of people who were different from us, and I wanted send my troops in search. But in truth, I believed that Lan Jun and his army were long dead and no trace of them remained on this planet. I could not think that after so many centuries, Lan Jun’s army would take root in other lands.”

“Every second spent in that world feels heavier than ten logs.” said Lei, remembering all those years.

“I am very sorry that during all this time I could not find the courage to believe in all the legends and come to your aid. Perhaps Jang Sun’s powers have influenced my mind.”

“It’s good that you didn’t find our world. It is not a good place for guests.” Longwei said.

“The two worlds are separated. You can not get into the territory where the curse begins. And the fact that we are here is thanks to me. I am the key.” Yun Qi inserted her sentence.

“You are Yun Qi, braver than anyone I know. After all, at such a young age, you were able to hide your essence and show your courage in this long journey.” Li Hua said, moving a plate of beautifully chopped vegetables towards her.

Joining a friendly conversation, one of the women in round glasses suddenly asked sharply, “What spell do you have to create life?”

“Core, light, water.” Longwei began but she interrupted him.

“Yes. We use that too.”

“Did you know this spell is actually a map?”

“Map?”

“Yes. This is my discovery. Rereading it over and over again I realized that this strange set of words is actually a map. So using the words from this spell, we were able to find the Kingdom of Waterfalls.” said Longwei, emptying the third jug of juice.

“So some forces still wanted the curse to be lifted. Nothing lasts forever. Even revenge comes to an end.” The queen said quietly and getting up from a high-backed chair she as usual went to one of the columns and looking at the pond the water in which was golden she continued, “Now is the Goldfish Festival, I hope you can enjoy this without falling into empty worries.”

“Certainly your majesty.” Yun Qi replied just after finishing her breakfast.

Turning and looking at Longwei and Lei from head to toe, Li Hua lifted her finger to her lips and said something to herself and then spoke her new thought out loud, “After dinner, please visit the needlewoman’s house. Let her sew you new clothes.”

“This is very kind of you. Otherwise, these pants are just killing me. So tight.”

“Hey Lei, how is it? Handsome?” Having made a circle around his axis, Longwei, looking at his new outfit, couldn’t believe in his eyes that his new clothes were so beautiful and comfortable than his soldier uniform.

A dark green shirt in fine fabric and a short brown waistcoat matched perfectly with dark black pants.

“Just look at these shoes! Lei, can you imagine that? I am standing in the open air without socks and without heavy boots and my toes are open! They are naked Lei!” Pointing to his feet, clad in light sandilies, Longwei smiled happily. He smiled like there was no tomorrow, only an eternal today that will never end.

Trying to squeeze out even the slightest hint of a smile from his last strength, Lei said, “Handsome. What a handsome man. That’s why Yubi looks at you like that.”

“What? Yubi? No, it seems to you. She’s an astronomer.”

“She is a woman. If you still do not understand this. A man and a woman is what nature predestined.” Lei answered.

Ignoring his hints, Longwei said, “You better help me with my hair.”

“Don’t gather your hair.”

“Do you like it huh?” coming closer, Longwei whispered in his ear.

“Like what?”

“Come on, as if you don’t know what.”

Pushing him slightly towards him, Lei said with a cold voice, “Don’t try to play with me when death awaits you.”

Having said this, he walked away with quick steps and disappeared into the crowd.

“Dad!” Jumping onto his back, Yun Qi chewed the cherry and said, “Open your mouth.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a cherry. There are so many different fruits here.”

“Where are we going now?” asked Longwei as he walked towards the vibrant city filled with people and dancing.

“Let’s take a look at the goldfish.” Yun Qi replied.

“Anything you want.”

Passing by concert performances where different musical instruments created impossibly beautiful sounds that, turning into a melody, could make you cry or rejoice, Longwei, finding an explanation for the feeling that had been languishing in his heart since Yun Qi appeared, stopped in front of a young woman who was playing the violin.

She played with caution, as if she were afraid of the strings, as if they were poisonous snakes. Carefully, drawing the bow over the strings, she created a melody that contained the soul. A soul that was in pain, a soul that was bleeding, breaking and, worst of all, screaming when no one could hear this cry.

Allowing the melody to carry away his soul, thereby wishing that he felt less pain, at that moment of his great despair he hoped that once the violin stops, his pain would subside.

Feeling Yun Qi squeeze his hand, he involuntarily felt himself standing and crying. And there was no end to the tears. He was happy, so happy to be in the world he dreamed of since childhood, which his father dreamed of, but at the same time he could not enjoy this happiness, no matter how hard he tried. And every moment of every second was felt like millions of fragments piercing his flesh, and the stream of time itself, the stream of the present, seemed to carry him to the end of the path.

“Dad?” Yun Qi asked noticing his tear-stained face.

“Nothing. It’s just a beautiful melody.” he replied, wiping away his tears with his hand.

Noticing Lei’s outstretched hand that was holding the snow-white handkerchief, Longwei took it and wiped away the remaining tears.

“Lei, where have you been? You missed such a beautiful melody.”

“Come on, I found something interesting.” Lei said.

Following Lei’s tall figure, Longwei could not help but admire him even more. Remembering the very evening when they first met, the thrill and fear that he experienced at the sight of his bandaged hands and his cold but kind look, Longwei only realized what he felt when he first saw this warrior. He felt like he was finally home. The feeling of something dear, close, made his heart beat faster.

And then in all the following days, when he walked like this behind his tall and muscular figure, he could not take his eyes off him. Even when his body was covered with a heavy fur coat over which was attached an equally heavy iron sword. Even then he seemed to him mesmerizing.

And now, through everything that happened to them, able to still walk, follow him and watch every muscle in his body move, as his chest rises and falls under the thin fabric of a dark green shirt, Longwei held out his hand to him. But with every step Lei took, he got further and further. Just like life was going to separate them for a second time. Only this time irrevocably.

“This is the place I wanted to show you.” said Lei, stopping at the bridge that passed over the river.

“The water is running forward. Like time.” thought Longwei, but hid this thought in silence.

“Come on. There is another beautiful place.” Lei said before Yun Qi could poetically describe the beauty of the river.

Hurrying, fearing that time will go away and never return, fearing that it will forever take away his memories, Lei no longer could see the beauty.

Stopping by the goldfish pond, Lei finally sat down on the grass.

Merging with the golden color of the water, the fishes were peacefully swimming.

“Tonight, Her Majesty Li Hua will send our wishes into golden waters. Did you write your wish, right?” the woman asked her daughter, and she answered, “I wished you were always healthy and always with me.”

“Hush. You shouldn’t tell your wishes.” her mother said and quickly led her away from Lei’s gaze.

“Come on.” suddenly said Lei getting up.

“Why are you in such a hurry? We didn’t even have time to contemplate this pond.” protested Yun Qi but Lei was already several meters ahead of them.

“What’s with him?” Yun Qi asked, to which Longwei simply shrugged, although he knew the reason for his haste.

“Yun Qi, have you tasted this weird food?” he asked, pointing to the ice cream.

“Not yet. But Changchang said it tastes like happiness. I’d like to try it, but we don’t have those Malachite stones.”

“Who said that?” Lei’s voice was suddenly heard. Going to the ice cream counter, he held out a few stones and in exchange he was given ice cream with pieces of fruits.

“Here you are.”

“Where did you get them?” Longwei asked.

“This is a secret.” He said pinching Yun Qi’s nose.

“Stop doing that!”

“So how is it?”

“Changchang was right. It tastes like happiness.” said Yun Qi. “Thanks Dad.”

Surprised how she called Lei, Longwei asked, “Dad?”

“Yes. Dad.” she answered and galloped towards the arbor.

As night approached, the city lights began to shine even brighter. Small lanterns hanging over the kingdom absorbed the moonlight. The feeling of magic was felt at every corner.

Having fixed their gaze on the sky, the inhabitants of this world suddenly fell into silence.

Running her hand across the water, Yun Qi was already falling asleep.

Longwei and Lei were sitting on different benches and each of them was afraid that the day was over.

“Her Majesty Li Hua wants to see you.” Changchang’s voice was heard.

Noticing her long yellow dress with sea wave patterns, Yun Qi exclaimed, “How beautiful!”

“Please follow me.” she said and with quick small steps headed forward.

Despite the fact that it was so bright and cheerful around, complete silence and even a feeling of loneliness reigned in the palace.

There were no bright lanterns here, not even candles were lit. All that gave the signs of the festival were flower petals sprinkled on a long path.

“Here please.” Changchang said and walked them to the garden.

Li Hua, sitting in her long, dark green dress, looked back and said pointing to a stone table in the middle of the garden, “Take a pen and paper.”

Nodding her head in response to their surprise, Changchang also pointed to a small table.

“Write your deepest wishes and dreams.” Li Hua said while still sitting by the golden pond.

Having written her wish first, Yun Qi approached Li Hua. “Are you going to throw all these wishes into the pond now?”

Silently shaking her head, Li Hua took the rolled paper from Yun Qi’s hand.

Even after writing his wish, Lei stood for a while, repeating the words that he had imprinted on paper millions of times. Quickly putting his paper on a pile of other papers, he stepped back.

“Longwei? Where is your wish?” Li Hua asked without looking at him.

“All my wishes have already come true.” he wanted to say, but his hand reached out to the basket by itself and put his paper into it.

After waiting a little, Li Hua carefully lifted the basket filled with wishes and just as carefully emptied the contents into the pond.

Golden water absorbed the small papers, making them disappear right before their eyes.

“Where did they disappear to?” Yun Qi asked as she leaned over to the pond.

To which Li Hua replied, “They disappeared from this world but they will come back. In a materialized form. Looking at Lei, she added, “These wishes will certainly come true. If there is no doubt in the heart and there is no anger in the soul.”