deconflagration

[ It's like his babelfish is broken because he's studying English. It's weird asking for a definition and needing a response like that. ]

I see.... Okay. Length....

[ He says it so slowly and carefully. ]

Um... "At length... it... a... appe...ared? That... God... was a... about... to... grant... their de... des... desire?"

[ He finally finished the paragraph, and while that may be a great accomplishment, he's not really sure -what- he read. ]

[ She nodded her head happily. ]

Hearing you read this is very enjoyable, Zuko. I like listening to your voice. Did you want to take turns?

Are you kidding? That was slow and pathetic.

[ He glances at her, then back at the book. He doesn't answer her, instead choosing to run his finger over the face of the Rapunzel in the book. ]

It wasn't pathetic, Zuko. It's a new book with weird words so it'll be a little hard. The fact that you're doing well proves you're getting better.

[ She leans over to kiss his cheek then her eyes go to the page. What is he doing?]

[ Smiling faintly. ]

Thanks.

[ Then dragging his finger down to the second paragraph. ]

...It might be more fun if we take turns.

[ And faster. ]

Okay! I think you're right. And if you have any questions just ask me!

[ She cozied herself against him more and pulled the book in between them so they could both see it. ]

"These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world."

[ While she's reading her paragraph, she's doing little hand movements. ]

Edited 2012-10-05 01:59 (UTC)

[ He pulls his hands away from the book so they're not obscuring the words. And wow, it's impossible to keep up with her. Even though she's talking at normal speed, he's silent for a moment trying to make sure she left off where he assumed she would. ]

"One day... the woman... was stand...ing... by this... window... and... look...ing... down... into the gar... garden... when she... saw... a bed... which was plan...ted... with the most... b..."

[ He falls silent again. He's seen this word before. More than once. For once, his intense staring seems to pay off, because he suddenly remembers— ]

"—beautiful! Beautiful... ramp...ion... and it... looked... so... fresh and... green... that she lon... longed...? Longed... for it. She... ku... quite... pi... pi... pine... ed... and... began... to look... pale... and mis... mis... er... ra... miser... able."

[ She nodded her head and then put her finger to the book. It wasn't for his sake it was for her own. She read better when she followed along with her finger. ]

" Her husband was alarmed, and asked: 'What... ails you, dear wife?' "

[ Oh look, it was the last part of the page. She moved her hand to the corner of the page. ]

[ New pictures! He glances at them briefly, then reaches to intertwine their fingers. ]

"'Ah,' she re...plied.... 'If I can't... eat... some of the... rampion... which is in... the garden... behind... our... house... I sh... shall... die....'"

[ He's pretty sure he understood -that- sentence, but he's not going to say anything about it. ]

[ She looked down at their hands and smiled, blushing just a little. ]

" The man, who loved her, thought: 'Sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.' "

Um...

[ Giving her hand a squeeze. ]

"At twi... twilight... he... clam... bered... down... over... the wall... into... the garden... of the... en... enchan...tress... hast... hasti...ly...? Clut... clutched a hand...ful... of rampion... and took... it to... his wi... wife.... She at once... made... herself... a sal... salad... of it and ate... it... gree... greedi...ly. It... tasted... so good to... her so... very... good... that the... next... day... she... longed... for it... three... times as... much... as be... before."

So, wait... this is a story called Rapunzel, so shouldn't it be about you and not this "rampion" thing? And why is it so important? She's not really gonna... you know.

[ Die. ]

Edited 2012-10-05 02:45 (UTC)

[ She shakes her head no and smiles, giving his hand another squeeze. ]

Rampion is another named for Rapunzel and it's a type of herb that you put into your cooking. And... I'm pretty sure the wife is being a bit dramatic. She won't actually die, she just wanted to taste the herb so badly.

So the husband stole it just because his wife wanted to eat an herb? And then she got addicted...?

[ She nodded her head. ]

That's pretty much it. She loved the taste so much that she wanted more, and the husband just wanted to make her happy.

Hmm....

[ He stares down at the picture. ]

You're not an herb that grew in a garden and no one ate you. You're a person.

[ She shakes her head no. ]

I ... well the me in this book anyway, comes in in a little bit,

Then... are these your parents?

[ Tapping at the married couple in the picture. ]

[ She shakes her head no again. ]

I don't think I ever had a father. So I'm not sure where these people came in.

You...

[ He cuts himself off. Logically, yes, Rapunzel had to have a father. But he doesn't want to ruin the mood and he definitely doesn't want Rapunzel to wonder why she doesn't have a father. ]

Maybe it's just a "similar in name only" kind of story, then.

You'll see later on why it's a lot more like me.

[ With a frown, he nods and waits for Rapunzel to continue. ]

Alright... so where were we?

[ She looked down at the book and then pointed to the next paragraph. ]

Aha there it is! Okay so...

" If he was to have any rest, her husband knew he must once more descend into the garden. Therefore, in the gloom of evening, he let himself down again; but when he had clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before him. "

"'How can... you... dare...' said she... with an angry look... 'de... de...scend... into my... garden and... steal... my rampion like... a thief? You shall... suffer... for it....'"

[ He doesn't know if this part helps make sense out of the story or not. What he does know is that he does feel like scooting a bit closer to Rapunzel. ]

[ She doesn't mind at all if he does. The closeness to him made her feel safer. She liked this story, but it also made her very sad. It made her think too much about things she didn't want to think about. She looked over to Zuko with a smile and then back to the book.

She flipped the page again and started at the top.]

" 'Ah,' answered he, 'let mercy take the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some to eat.' "

"The... enchan...tress... al...lowed her anger... to be sof...tened... and said to him: 'If the... case be as... you say, I will... allow... you to take... away... with... you as... much rampion as you will... only I make... one condi... condi...tion.... You must give... me the child... which your wife... will bring into the... world... it shall be... well treated... and I will... care for it like... a mother....'"

[ Oh. He sees where this story is going and gives her hand another firm squeeze. ]

Edited 2012-10-05 03:41 (UTC)

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