Altered reality

The bedroom

Yan Da is called to the throne room where she finds the ice king and ice queen waiting for her. She is quickly informed that her marriage will take place in a (week or two) time. This is the last straw for her. She has had her life turned upside down again and again by others. Having no say or control of her own life. Not even given the time to adjust to the changes she is experiencing, with no thought to how she might feel. She is quietly dismissed shortly after the announcement. She notices that her groom to be is not present. She wonders, "Was this his idea? He doesn't even like her, he's been avoiding her, why would he move the date forward?"

Later the youngest and seemingly powerless ice prince is summoned to the throne room. He arrives to see that his brother has also been summoned. The king announces to the already filled room that he has not decided who his successor will be yet. This causes much talk among the crowd present in the room. It was previously thought that the ice queen's youngest son was favoured to becoming the next ice king. Why is the powerless son being considered? The crowd concludes that perhaps he is only trying to appease his second wife or the fire nation. How will this affect relations with the powerful mermaid clan? Will this improve relations with the equaly powerful fire nation? The murmurs from the crowd do not escape the princes ears.

Yan Da bursts into Ying Kong Shi room angry and ready for a fight. She doesn't see him. But her pace is so hurried that she walks a little further than she intends and sees him lying in his bed, sleeping. His face is so peaceful she momentarily forgets what she came to yell at him about. Then she remembers and thinks to herself. "How arrogant this man is!" She turns to walk away and feels a rush of wind. A hand grabs her by the wrist and suddenly Ying Kong Shi is awake and in front of her. She is so caught off guard, she forgets her anger completely and is instead shocked into silence for a moment.

"What are you doing in my rooms?"

"I...... I was angry with you and came to talk to you about it." Her tone was still angry with a trace of fear and a little breathless.

He is still holding her wrist a little too tightly and starring into her eyes intently, saying nothing. He is calm as usual, yet his eyes betray his intensity.

Yan Da grows uncomfortable under his gaze. She narrows her eyes displaying her anger and disapproval. With a calm but threatening tone, she commands him. "Let go of my wrist."

He replies immediately with equal authority. "No." And takes a step forward.

Yanda's automatic reaction is to step back. Rarely does anyone stand up to her. Feeling on the defensive now, she feels the need to fight back. A battle of wills is about to be begin. "How dare you......!"

She is interupted. "Brother? Oh, i apologize! I didn't mean to disturb you."

With his eyes still on her, Ying kong shi backs away from yanda and lets go of her wrist. He then turns to his brother, face transforming into a geat big smile. "You are never disturbing me." And walks out of the room with brother in tow as he whispers to him. "Thank you for saving me."

Yanda is left there fuming, just as mad as she was when she walked in. She now has even more to say than when she walked in.

"Brother, I approve of you getting to know your future bride, but I question your meeting places. You should be saving the bedroom until after you are married." Ying kong shi stops walking and looks up at his brother in shock. "Brother, she came in to yell at me! We don't even get along. Everyone knows this."

Ka suo laughs, slapping his brother on his shoulder. "Calm yourself! I'm only teasing you." He pauses and takes a step back. "Though you did seem a bit giddy back there with her." He ducks at the swipe that comes toward him and runs off laughing as his brother chases him.

Later, Ying kong shi is fast asleep in his room. He's woken by an intruder, but before he can react, the intruder is holding his wrists down. The first thing he sees are red lips, then he hears her. "How do you like being held down and helpless." He finds he can't speak and can't quite convince his body to move at all. His eyes go back to her lips. So red. So close. His heart beats quicken. Her lips are closer now. But sun filters through and he slowly wakes from his dream. He lays there for a while, waiting for his heart beat to return to normal, wondering why he had this dream. Could someone be playing with his dreams? Perhaps a mind trick? What does she want from him? He remembers that she came to his rooms earlier, was it to cast a spell? He hasn't yet seen what her power is. Though he's heard she is in fact powerful and an exceptional warrior. He also knew she didn't like him either. Perhaps he should keep an eye on her.