Treasures of Dorne | OPAL

Zuko was standing in front of the gates for the Martell's palace waiting for Opal. It was almost from their first -unexpected- meeting and their 'deal' that he hadn't seen Opal, except in some occasion like when he was on duty or when she was around with the royals. Most of the time it was just for a quick moment and it wasn't like he could do something more than just observe her. In the end they still hadn't met officially.
So to maintain a part of their deal, Zuko strangely decided to invite Opal to come with him to the market. A trip he should have done the same, but in that way he could show her a part of Sunspear that maybe she hadn't seen yet. In the end the market wasn't a place that the prince used to frequent.

Smoothing his hair down, Zuko turned to see if she was arriving. There was no need to prepare for hours, they were just going to the market.

Opal had been quite surprised to receive Zuko's invitation, after their first meeting they had barely see one another and she after a few days she had lost hope in him trying to contact her. There was also the fact that they hadn't been properly introduced, mainly due to the fact that the prince seemed so busy, she herself had spent such little time with her brother!
She was usually really quick when she had to prepare herself to go out, she was used to simplicity so she didn't need much, but this time... this time, for he first time, she didn't want to look simple. She wanted to look cute. She was quite ashamed of that, vanity was a not indifferent sin, but if she had to be one day a wife and not a silent sister anymore, than it was her duty to look nice... wasn't it?
She put on one of the dresses Soma had filled her armchair with, a blue one that made her look quite pretty. She bit her lower lip as she saw her reflection in the mirror: was that a good dress? Was that too much? Was that bad? She wasn't sure but she didn't have any more time. She hurried out of her room and rushed toward the gates.
"Thanks for the invitation" she breathed, smiling kindly, once she reached Zuko

Zuko was laying on one of the columns of the gates, his arms crossed, when he heard some footsteps coming in his way. It had to be Opal, who else could it be? He turned to greet her, but stopped half way blinking in surprise: it was indeed Opal, but that time she had something different. She was different, at least in some aspects. The one that immediately hit him was her dress, it wasn't like the one she was wearing the first time they met: it was more elegant, more regal and it didn't look bad on her, if he could say that. Was that the reason that she took so much time to arrive?

"Y-you're welcome..." Zuko lowered his look, finally managing to say something "It's just a visit to the market... maybe you've already seen it..." he smiled sightly at her.

At Zuko's surprised expression she looked down, embarrassed: was it a good thing he was surprised? Was it bad? As he finally spoke up she smiled again, shyly "Thank you" then, as he continued, she had to shake her had "No, to be honest, so far of Dorne I've seen only the dock and the palace... and not the whole palace either" she smiled apologetically. If she had to be fair, she had rarely visited the markets even when she was back home, and now she was quite intrigued by the idea of visiting the colorful market of Dorne

Zuko imagined that it could have been Opal's first time at the market, after all she wasn't at Sunspear from a long time. She surely would have spent time with her mother and the prince, with little time to see the city and apparently also the palace.

"We can go, then..." Zuko opened his arm to let her walk first "I have to go to the smith for an order and then we can take a look at the market..." he said walking next to her. Even if he would have never admit it, it was nice to have someone who could accompany him during his tasks in the city. It was a good sensation.

At Zuko's gesture she nodded in a silent thank you and started walking, leaving the palace walls for the first time since she had arrived. "Yes, that sounds perfect" she replied with a gentle smile to his words. She did wonder for a moment why he hadn't offered her his arm to walk, since for what she knew it would have been pretty common to do so in such situation, but she was thankful he hadn't done so. Since her 'accident' she had had troubles getting too close to other people, especially males. "Do you visit often the market?" she asked after a little time, trying to start a conversation

Zuko was observing the various stands of the market, when Opal spoke interrupting his thoughts.
"Only when I'm asked, mostly to confirm orders or to withdraw goods." he shrugged "Sometimes on my own, but it doesn't happen often..." he had never been someone who liked crowded places, and the market was the perfect example of a crowded place! Too much people and too much noises, something that he still had to get used to.

They walked for a few minutes again in silence, when Zuko spotted the smith's workshop. Followed by Opal, Zuko entered in it. It didn't took too much time to complete his task and be again outdoors, in the end he had just to confirm an order from the palace's guards, an easy task.
"What do you want to see first?" he turned to Opal smoothing his hair down, the idea to go trough that crowd didn't appeal him, but he made a promise.

She nodded to him, following him silently after that. She entered with him in the smith's workshop and witnessed silently at their dialogue before she followed him outside again.
She wasn't sure he was enjoying much their walk, but she was too shy to actually ask. "Oh... I... I'm no really sure." she replied hesitantly "what would you suggest?" she asked then with a shy smile

Zuko shrugged at her question "We can start with some stalls, there are some with a lot of nice tapestries..." he tilted his head, trying to figure out what she could enjoy to do or see. Since she was new to the whole Dorne atmosphere, everything could have worked to be honestly. But maybe he could try to suggest something more 'special'?
"Or maybe if you like, we can see the one with jewelry..." he lowered his look to the ground smoothing his hair down "Maybe we can buy something that you like..."

"Ah... sure, I'd like that" she replied with a smile to his suggestion then she blushed just a little as he suggested to buy her something "T-thank you, but... there is no need, really" she replied with a shy smile: she wasn't used to gifts, especially not to jewelry!

"We can go then..." Zuko raised his look to her taking a few steps in the direction of the market, where the first stalls were. "It's okay. We will think about it later..." he didn't feel like to push Opal to accept something from him or just insist to buy her something. They would see how things would go and then decide what to do. In the end there would have been plenty of time to think at gifts and such.
They finally entered in the heart of the market walking side by side in silence, Zuko was hoping that Opal was enjoying the stalls and the goods on display. It was a bit chaotic of course, but hopefully they would be able to have a nice walk: luckily for them it wasn't rush hour.
"Usually it is a bit more crowded that it is now." he explained to her, breaking their silence "We are lucky."

She nodded to him, thankful for the fact he kept being showing such acceptance toward what she said. Once again, she followed him in silence, deeper into the market, admiring the merchandise on the stalls: the crowd was confusing her and she felt like she had never been pushed so many times in her life like in that moment, but it was thrilling as well. There were so many things to see, so many people... She was being quiet, but not cause she wasn't interested, on the contrary, there was a soft smile on her lips and her eyes were shining with interest. She had been in a few markets before, but they were nothing compared to what Dorne had to offer! It was so lively and interesting... On one stall a merchant was selling necklaces and jewelries, on another there were sweets and fruits, next to a stall a man was entertaining the public eating fire while another one was playing an instrument, inviting people to dance. As Opal saw a couple dancing gracefully next to the musician, she acted even before she realized what she was doing: she stretched a had to touch lighting Zuko's arm, pointing with the other hand at the couple "Look!" she said smiling with the same enthusiasm of a child.

Zuko was walking side by side Opal when she suddenly touched his arm, making him shiver at that unexpected movement. He wasn't used to such demonstration of affection, or at least to gentle touches in general.
However he couldn't help but smile sightly at Opal's excitement, it seemed that she was enjoying their walk and what was around them. As she pointed at the dancing couple, Zuko tilted his head slowing his steps as they approached the group around the musician and the dancers.
"They're good." he said not really able to think at anything else to say, but that wouldn't break Opal's enthusiasm.

"They really are" she nodded, looking at them with a dreaming expression. She had never danced in her life, she couldn't even remember seeing anyone dancing, and it was really something beautiful! Slowly she let go her light grip on Zuko, the boy shy and gentle ways were being able to make Opal feel more able to express herself, more allowed to dare. She hadn't even realized she had dared touching him... Now she knew she should keep moving, that they couldn't keep watching for the whole day, but she was just enchanted but the scene...

Zuko lowered his look as Opal let his arm go, missing a bit that human contact. He then moved again his look to the dancers; even if he had never danced, he did attended a few dance party in his life. He wasn't allowed to join, but he liked to observe them from a distance learning in that way a few moves.

"Do you want to see them a bit more?" he leaned to Opal "For me it's the same..." he added, leaving the final decision to her.

She kept staring at the couple for a short while: they were so incredibly graceful, and she was so lost in their little performance... and when Zuko bent toward her, speaking up, she jerked a bit in surprise, having almost forgotten where she was. "N-no, it's fine, we can move on." she shook her head, blushing a bit, embarrassed by the fact she had been so interested in such a thing... She moved on, following him between the stands, looking around with a childish enthusiasm, that got especially enthusiastic and interested when they passed next to a stand with sweets. She didn't say anything, she didn't ask not she stopped, but here eyes got suddenly wider at the sight of the cakes and she would already feel her mouth watering: she loved sweets. She simply loved sweets. And surely the fact she had had so little in her life didn't make her love them any less... but she would never dare ask for one. Beside, she had been taught that sweets were such a useless waste, people on the streets starved, eating sweets was like spitting in their faces!

Zuko was still bent towards Opal, ignoring the dancers and waiting for her reply. She seemed so absorbed into the show that he almost felt bad for interrupting her; but if they wanted to watch a good part of the market they had to move or else the place would be too much crowded to easily walk around.
He nodded as she spoke and started moving to the next stalls. It was starting to be a bit more crowded, and if he didn't pay enough attention they may be separated by all those people. A bit corncened for Opal, Zuko turned to check her in the exact moment that Opal noticed the sweets' stand. Even if she didn't stop to look at the stand or even pointed at it her look talked for everybody: she wanted a sweet.
Slowing his walk, Zuko reached Opal next the sweets' stand "Do you..." he stopped half phrase. If she didn't say anything, maybe it was because she didn't want him to buy her something, like before. However he couldn't simply ignore her look, that look: he knew it pretty well, wanting something but be too afraid to ask. She did wanted that sweet.
Zuko turned to the stall's owner and pointed at a piece of cake. He didn't even asked to Opal, she wouldn't have accepted it or let him buy it. But if it was for him, she would have nothing to say. After paying it, Zuko turned again to Opal, with the piece of cake in his hands "Here..." he smiled sightly giving to her a part of is piece "It's a snack..." he added before she could even protest at his offer.

She didn't get what Zuko was doing until he actually handed her the cake: she just wasn't used to treats and gifts so even catching up that that small trade he was having was far her was no easy task for her. As he passed her the cake, her eyes widened in surprise and... well, childlike joy. She couldn't deny it, that little simple gift had made her really happy! "T-thank you..." she finally managed to stutter with a shy smile before she took a small bite to the cake: as she did so, her eyes widened once more before she closed them in delight. Oh it tasted so good! Maybe what she was doing wasn't fair and wasn't good... but on the other side she couldn't refuse a gift, now, could she?

Zuko couldn't help but smile sightly as Opal accepted the cake, with such a childlike look on her face that he almost wanted to give her also his own piece. But he was sure that she would have never accepted it; at that point he was almost sure to have understood at least a part of her personality.
"You're welcome..." he shrugged taking a bite of the cake too, not bad. He then started to walk again beside her, moving his look absently between the stands when his attention was caught by a particular stand: it had inks, pens, scrolls, graphite, all the things you'll need to write or draw apparently. He stopped in front of it, moving his look towards the inks, he was out of ink for a while and still needed to buy one. He would probably buy it another time though, that was more like a day for Opal, than for himself. Let's focus on her.

Opal kept giving tiny bites to her cake, making to last as long as possible: it was so sweet!!! She rarely ever eat any sweet and this was like such a big deal for her! He kept nomming on her piece of cake, following Zuko while looking around even if, she couldn't help, her main attention in that moment was on the cake. When Zuko stopped again she stopped with him, taking note of how he inspected the stuffs in front of him: he took quite a while, maybe not even realizing it, and Opal had all the time she needed to study what he was staring at, quietly call the lady that was selling the objects and even overpaying for that bottle of ink that Zuko was checking and some nice pens, specifically asking she would give her quietly and without letting Zuko see her. The package was quite small so she managed to fit it into a pocket, hid in the folds of her dress.

Zuko didn't even noticed Opal's movements behind him, focused on what there was on the stand. Only after a few minutes he realized that he was still watching the stall, instead of focusing on Opal as he reminded himself not even five seconds before.
Finally raising his look from the stall, Zuko turned to Opal -who was still next to him- "The market is getting crowded..." he said coming closer to her "We could take a break at the beach and then coming back later, it's not far from here..." he pointed at a little alley near them, just a couple of stands. They wouldn't have gone too far from the market, but at least they would have avoided the crowd of the rush hours, taking some rest near the ocean.

As she took the last bite of cake, Zuko distracted himself from the stall and turned his attention to Opal, suggestion to leave the market: as Opal looked around, she had to admit that the place was pretty crowded, and the idea of resting next to the ocean was appealing, she loved the ocean! "Sure" she nodded with a smile, letting him take the lead before following him away from the stalls. They walked in silence, she actually had to focus mainly on not loosing sight of Zuko, seeing how many people kept passing between them but they finally reached the little alley that brought to the beach and to the ocean: as they crossed the alley the noises of the crowd were finally muffled, but surprisingly from there they could clearly hear once again the music on which the two dancers from before were dancing so gracefully.

Once they arrived on the beach, Zuko spot out a nice place where they could sit down: not too far from the city ans its noises, but neither too away from the nice breeze of the ocean.
He sat down on the sand and moved his look to Opal "Did you like it?" he asked as he took his piece of cake to finish eating it "The market? We can still hear the noises from here..." he added after taking a bite of the cake.

Opal stopped next to Zuko, but she decided not to sit down: she wasn’t tired and she could feel the breeze on her skin and she could admire the ocean from where she was. Beside, sitting down she would maybe have to stay a little too close to him… she wasn’t sure she was comfortable with that. Nor that he would be. “Yes, I did” she replied honestly with a honest smile “Thanks again for the cake…” she continued in a slightly lower tone, blushing a little bit before she would stay quiet once again, just enjoying the sounds from the ocean and from the market “I can still hear the music…” she whispered almost to herself before she remembered about the little package she was carrying and decided that this was as good as a moment as it could be. She quickly sank her hand in the pocket in her skirt and recovered the little brown package, handing it to Zuko “Ah… I… I saw you were staring at it so…” she wasn’t sure what to say, it was just a way to say thank you for the nice day…

Zuko waited for Opal to sit, but when she didn't he just moved his look to the sand finishing the last bite of his cake; it really didn't matter to him if she wanted to stay sit or up, she could do whatever she felt like to do.
As she thanked him, Zuko just nodded hinting a smile on his face. In the end, he was somehow happy to have bought the cake: she seemed really grateful for it and plus he did a good action. He lowered again his look to the sand, drawing little circles with his fingers in it, when Opal spoke again, this time even more quietly than usual. He raised his look to her, when she suddenly took out the little package.
"For... me?" he asked after a few seconds to process the whole scene "Why?"