DRAGON LONGZE FALLS IN LOVE (BOST ORIGINAL STORY, 2026 PART 2)

Then came a time of the Mid Autumn Festival. The particulars of the annual festival, through natter (gossip, blather), without fail reached far and wide, even the remotest regions, drawing significant crowds to the event at Hurin.

01- MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL (2)jp

The festival had always delighted the senses with the array of colourful decorations, exquisitely crafted lanterns and kites. Multitude booths displayed hand crafted toys, jewelry and keepsakes; delicious and aromatic abundant food stalls, meanwhile, satisfied every penchant palate (food, appetite). The delightful melodies, tunes emanating from diverse instruments, perforated the air, accompanying the varied entertainment of street operas, graceful dances, or enthralling acrobatics- that were enjoyed by the enthusiastic crowds of human families and loving couples.  

The eligible handsome young men, in the meantime, ceased this opportunity to spot potential mates, while others gaged (evaluated, assessed) or flirted with beautiful, coy (bashful) ladies, dressed in in their fineries. In this jocund (blithe, amiable) atmosphere one and all, young and old, milled about with rare abandon and continuously, with joyful zeal, had week-long, fun-filled memorable experiences.

Where were the criminals, the bad elements, the ruffians during this time, you may wonder. But because of the endorsed (confirmed) rich economic advantages of the festival (for the region), the constables were dispatched on mass for the duration to ensure the safe and uninterrupted mirthful participation (partaking) of all its citizens.

Longze and Brenda despite their qualm (misgivings) about humans, were riveted (enthralled) by all the hearsay about the incessant, boisterous annual event. Wishing to experience it firsthand hence, the two serpents one white and one green, one fine day transformed themselves into two young ladies and, appropriately dressed, embarked on the long journey.

02- LONGZE AND BRENDA (3) JP

They walked for two days on foot, sometimes traversing difficult terrain (land, topography), then secured a passage on a small boat, to finally at dawn of the subsequent day, arrive at the vicinity (locale), the hub, at picturesque Hurin.  

They rested under the shade of a tree for a while, then discreetly blended in with the crowd, to enjoy the festivities. Longze and Brenda’s attires were adequate, but not as rich; bothered by the scathing (scornful, mocking, derisive) looks from passers by, Longze accosted one friendly merchant and got the directions to a respectable clothing shop.  

When they had first entered the establishment, they were greeted cooly by the proprietor, who quoted the price for two ready made dresses that were available in their sizes, expecting them to bashfully withdraw. But instead, when Longze boldly produced three gold coins, which were considerably far more than the asking price, the proprietor became all smiles. Fawning on them henceforth, two of his female staff (employees) ushered the two young ladies Longze and Brenda to the back room, they then promptly retrieved from the racks few already completed exquisite gowns. 

Subsequently, with all their needs solicitously met, Longze and Brenda emerged from the shop, confident and looking radiantly beautiful. They once more blended in with the crowds, this time however, receiving admiring looks from every young man, while envy registered in the pupils of the female counterparts.

Later that morning, Longze and Brenda without abandon talked and laughed as they breakfasted on sesame steam buns, pancakes with honey and jam and chicken hot noodles. Strolling through the food stalls, they later indulged their palate (appetite) for sweets and sampled other, strange but delectable morsels.  At noon, they drunk refreshing drinks, purchased trinkets and keepsakes and for a while watched some of the entertainment. In short, they took in the general sites, as they frequently dodged the unwarranted attention from several young men.

03-LONGZE AND BRENDA IN GOWN (31)JP

The eastern part of Lake Taho lied beside the prosperous (trading port) city of Monter and bordered by lush green hills; it had always been renowned for its breathtaking scenery drawing many scholars or noted visitors who loved to stroll its banks or take boats across the water.

Longze and Brenda, were so enthralled by the beauty of the surroundings that they’d without intending to, strayed quite far from the crowds, desiring to observe the magnificent waterfalls up close. There, throwing all caution into the wind, they’d lingered for a time quite forgetting themselves; however, as luck would have it, at the far bend (curvature, stoop), at a secluded spot that had an ancient, somewhat dilapidated (derelict, rundown) terrace, a dashing young scholar named Jedrik Nenzo, stood leaning over the ivy assailed (overrun) ramshackle (rickety) railing. He was also admiring the sights from that lone ventage point, when he just then happened to spot Longze. This serious young scholar, for a time stood mesmerized, discreetly observing this enchanting young lady.

 

04-JEDRIK NENZO (14)JP

As it were, the scholar was simply returning from a visit to his mother’s grave.  He had been orphaned when young and presently lived with his elder sister and her husband, earning a scant living as an assistant in their herbal medicine shop. Jedrik was a breathtakingly handsome (striking) young man of about twenty-five years of age, his height was well over six feet tall, with long white, blond hair cascading down his shoulders and brilliant blue eyes. His nature, however, was taciturn (reserved, aloof, introverted, shy) and so he’d often shunned crowds and instead, buried his head in books.

Providence (fate) had decreed however that Longze and Jedrik should meet that day; as they later crossed the Azura Bridge, each (in midst, melded) blended in a mob of people, headed in the opposite direction, Longze (from the corner of her eye) glimpsing at him, his striking good looks simply (stilled) stole her breath away.

Having crossed the bridge, when suddenly the capricious sun took refuge behind some clouds and abruptly rain begun to fall, the two ladies naturally sought shelter under the nearby willow tree, but without much success. 

Jedrik, a gallant young man, even though he’d quietly with lowered head bypassed them, his intuition making him look back, noted the two young ladies at the opposite end of the bridge, presently in dire straits; uncharacteristically, he’d not hesitated and, hastened over at once to politely offer them his umbrella.

 

05-JEDRIK NENZO (28)JP

As Longze insisted on Jedrik sharing the umbrella with them the two, during their brief conversation, had hopelessly fallen in love.  Destiny had played a hand, you see, to draw these two lovers together.

To make the long story short, Longze (or Berdis Kenny as she’d introduced herself to the scholar), throwing all caution to the wind, three days hence, married the scholar, Jedrik Nenzo. The happy couple (taking along Brenda to live with them) then moved to the suburb of Monter and there, with the sizeable funds from Longze’s supposed inheritance, opened a medicine shop of their own. Utilizing her extensive knowledge of various herbal medicines, they were able to successfully cure many ailments, and before long the business prospered. Berdis (Longze) especially was much beloved because of her dedication to helping the sick, no matter how poor they were.

Oh, but oh so fickle is fate; for the (terrapin) Muskrat spirit that once dwelled in the same segment of lake Taho as Longze had, by this time, accumulated enough powers to take on a human form and had transformed into a Spiritualist (diviner, seer) called Khronos who, without much success, also dabbled in the healing arts. He learned about the brilliance of Berdis and, to his chagrin, discovered that she is his old nemesis Longze, the white snake.  He was further consumed by jealousy when he found out about her blissful existence and from then on plotted to break up her relationship with Jedrik Nenzo. He visited their shop and, finding an opportunity, discretely approached Jedrik when Berdis, by then an expectant mother, went off for a brief respite leaving her husband to tend to customers.

 

06-KHRONOS (8)JP

 “I’m Khronos, the famed Psychic ((diviner, seer)),” the disguised Muskrat spirit introduced himself to Jedrik in a conspiratorial whisper. “I have come here, under this pretext, to warn you of the great peril you are in. Through my spiritual guide, I have discovered that your wife is in fact, a 500-year-old (actually, he’d just on spur made up that number) sprite white snake. Heed my words young man, for now she hides well her true nature, but one day she will surely turn on you, as all demons do, and devour you!”

“How dare you say such a thing?” protested Jedrik. “My wife is an angel, what you say is nothing short of a wicked slander!”

“Fine, fine; don’t take my word for it.” Khronos shaking an index finger, sternly admonished Jedrik. He next pretended to storm out the door but, as if on a second thought, he halted and, half turning, said, “Before long the Winter Solstice Festival will be here. Offer her realgar wine, if she does not revert back to her true form, then I, in advance, offer my apologies.”

                                                                                             ~

 

At the Winter Solstice Festival, according to an old custom, everyone would liberally partake of wine mixed with foul-smelling realgar to supposedly to drive away snakes or evil spirits.

To escape disclosure and wary of the possible dangers, Berdis had feigned illness during this Festival. She insisted on keeping to her bed but encouraged her husband to go out and partake of the festivities, while Brenda (the fairy, Green Snake) kept her company and also, tended to her (pregnant) needs. That might have been the end of that but unfortunately, however, the devoted Jedrik had refused to leave her side and, desiring her to be especially safe, he further insisted that she drink some measure of the realgar concoction. When she adamantly refused and offered only feeble excuses Khronos’s dire warnings rushed to Jedrik’s mind. His demeanor darkened but then just as quickly he dismissed it all with a wave of his hand. When his wife inquired as to the reason for his odd behaviour, Jedrik simply shrugged and related the warning words of Khronos, thinking it to be nothing other than a poor joke.

Berdis (Longze) could not conceal her ire and terror, and her face grew visibly pallid. The wave of suspicion that grazed her husband’s eyes, though briefly, wrenched Berdis’s heart.  Hoping that her accrued powers were strong enough to withstand the danger she dismissed Brenda and requested a cup of realgar wine from her husband.

07-BERDIS AND JEDRIK NENZO (73)JP

Receiving it, she quickly downed it. As further reassurance she pretended to like it and asked for more, but before she could finish the third, she began to retch violently.  She was helped to her bed by her most concerned and apologetic husband who then rushed out the door to fetch her some medicine.  When he returned, he found, instead of his wife, a giant white snake coiled on the bed.

08-WHITE SNAKE (9)JP

Worst still, this white snake had some horns on its head. And scales were beginning to manifest on the white skin. Berdis had had a tranquil life; nothing therefore prepared her for this present transformation.

In truth Berdis, which was the dragon Longze, had now matured enough that he/she, with her ancient lineage (overriding her sentence), she could be transformed into a mighty dragon. The trigger was the realgar wine on top of her pregnancy and the hormones it entailed.  And so, the violent shift soon began to transform Longze into her innate, tremendous white dragon self.  Before she grew too huge to be contained in the room, she spread her wings and bolted out the open window, disappearing into the night’s sky.

 

09-WHITE DRAGON (4)JP

 

The shock of this transformation, meanwhile, had been too great for Jedrik to bear and he’d instantly collapsed (unconscious) onto the floor.

10- JEDRIK NENZO (87)JP

                            

                                                                                            ~

 

 

(END OF PART 2)

(NEXT POST - THE CONCLUSION PART 3)