Love of the Dragon Warrior

Language of Love

It took some time for Po to get down from the Wu Dan Mountains and back to the main area of the Jade Palace. By the time he got back to the barracks, it was 2:50. He went over to the scroll he had laying out and started to write out Song's suggestion about spending the day with kids. Just before he did so, he noticed a small note on his bed from Kay. Picking it up, Po read: 

I will meet you by the florist shop at 3. I didn't make food, but I have something else for you. We can walk and talk if it agrees with you. You can leave the timer.

-Kay

Po smiled and tucked the note in his pants pocket. He then added Song's suggestion to his list before putting it away. (Thankfully the ink had dried by this point). The master then immediately left the room and made his way to the village. Knowing him, it'd take him the remaining ten minutes he had just to get down there. Fortunately for Po, going down the stairs was much easier for him and it only took him a few minutes to make his way into the village and over to the florist shop. When he got there, Kay was holding a bouquet of flowers and looking nervously across the sea of people coming and going in the village. Upon spotting Po, she daintily waved and waited until he came closer to give him the bouquet. 

"These are gorgeous!" Po exclaimed as he looked over the flowers. The bouquet were made up of tiny fuzzy purple flowers with green stalks, white flowers with drooping petals, and yellow flowers that looked like little skinny tea cups. He sniffed them. "They smell nice together." 

Kay smiled shyly and plucked a leaf off a fir branch she had in her other hand and then took out a card to give to Po. 

I'm not good with words when it comes to strangers, so I thought I'd write you a little something before we started walking. I work as a florist, so I thought I'd use flowers as a way to open the conversation. The right combination can say much more than words. And since I knew I'd be too embarrassed to say this, I'll tell you what the flowers you have mean. 

The purple flowers are called lavender heather which grow  better in dryer climates. They can represent different things, but this particular shade represents admiration. The white flowers are called irises and need shallow drained soil and a lot of personal space to get a healthy bloom. Each color means something different; white represents humility and patience. And the yellow flowers are tulips, which grow best in sunny spots. Yellow tulips specifically represent cheerfulness and hope. You probably knew what the flowers were, but I thought I'd tell you that just to get the conversation going. 

-Kay

"I didn't know people communicate through flowers," Po admitted. "I guess that means I'll have to rethink the flower arrangements during some of our festivities." 

Kay smiled shyly with a hint of a laugh forming on her lips. 

"So the flowers mean... admiration, humility, and cheerfulness. Oh, so does that mean that's your opinion of me, or are they to describe your personality?"

Kay gestured to Po to indicate it was her description of him. 

"Oh, I see. Thanks....I wouldn't say I'm all that great, but I appreciate the thought."  

Kay blushed and pulled off another small leaf on the fir branch as the two began to start walking through the village. 

"I don't know much about flowers, but is there one to say you're very sweet and pretty?"

Kay's face flushed rosy red and she seemed a little too embarrassed to speak for a moment. But after just a few seconds, she said, "White calla lilies. They can mean both." 

Her voice was very quiet and airy, though hidden beneath it, Po could detect just a little bit of confidence as she spoke about the flowers she knew so well. "Do you have brothers or sisters?" Po asked. "I'm an only child." 

Kay shook her head and plucked another leaf off of the branch. 

"Does the branch help you not be nervous?" Po asked as they passed a café. 

"It keeps time," Kay corrected quietly. She then fell silent again as they continued to walk around the village. 

Unsure of what else to say, Po decided to just remark on the weather for a bit and mention a few things about what he wanted to do with the other girls while they were at the Jade Palace. Kay he noticed was not much for talking. After a while, Po decided to ask about her parents and if they were into flowers too. Kay's parents, it turned out, loved to garden, but were more outgoing and preferred to watch rickshaw races or participate in local community events, like swimming. 

"Dad's more quiet around strangers, kind of like me," Kay added quietly. "But not by much. I try really hard...but I just can't find my voice. And I hate being the center of attention. It feels awkward and uncomfortable. My parents aren't like that at all." 

"You're not adopted are you?" 

Kay shook her head. Every so often she had plucked a fir off of the little branch she held, meaning that as they walked around the village, there was a tiny trail of green leaves behind them. "It's easier to talk with flowers," she admitted. "I don't sound so weird." 

"I think you sound fine," Po promised. "Maybe the more we hang out the less nervous you'll be?"

"I hope so." 

The two passed by a couple of shops before walking along the river that wound its way in front of the Jade Palace stairs and around the side of the mountain. Po didn't want to go too far since he had to meet up with Xiao-Niao at 4:30 and he knew he was going to be very tired going back up the stairs. While they were walking, Po noticed some pretty light purple flowers growing in clusters along the water's edge and decided to ask Kay if she knew what they meant. 

"They're very pretty," he observed. 

Kay nodded. "Yes," she agreed. "They mean malevolence." 

Po stopped and looked at the flowers in slight disappointment. "Oh," he said. "That's kind of sad." 

"It happens. Petunias mean resentment and bitter anger." 

Po winced. "Yikes!" he exclaimed. "Now I'm gonna' have to really rethink all my flower choices when I decorate the tables during the spring festival for dad." 

Kay turned a little red, but did her best to smile. "I don't think most people notice," she assured Po. "Most people just order random flowers in the bouquet without asking what they mean." 

"I see. I guess that makes me feel a little better." 

The two kept walking along the river, not really saying too much else. Kay managed to ask Po a question about his childhood, which helped to keep the conversation going for the remaining half hour, but this was really the only other major topic that they managed to touched on. At last Kay had pulled off the last fir leaf on the branch and held it out to Po. "Our time's up," she told him quietly. "It was nice talking to you." 

Po smiled and took it. "It was nice getting to know you too," he agreed. "We'll have to do this again." 

Kay blushed, but she didn't say anything further as Po headed back down the river and back to the Jade Palace to meet up with Xiao-Niao.