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Post by xuan on May 24, 2007 7:32:49 GMT -5
Bo took the bamboo in his small hands, fascinated by everything around him. He couldn't have imagined before why flying a kite could be difficult, but now seeing it's size up close and the string, he tried to imagine how the device actual went about working.
Xuan nodded to the king and went back to rubbing Jiang's back,she hoped the milk didn't take long or her little girl might get cranky.
"Sir, how does it fly?" Bo finally said still unable to understand the simply paper and bamboo mechanics.
Xuan's attention went to the servent as he bounded back across the courtyard, a cup of milk with a suckled top in his hand. When he stopped before her with a bow she thanked him and took the milk.
Jiang drank quickly at first, very thirsty after her long nap, and Xuan knew after already having had one child at this age that when she was finished all traces of sleep would be rubbed away from her eyes and she would be wanting to join her brother.
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Post by earthking on May 28, 2007 19:36:37 GMT -5
"Well Bo..." his Majesty began to tap his chin. Searching for the right words to explain the physics entrenched in the launching and flying of a kite. Or at least simplifying its understanding. "It is like the sail on a sailboat or a hat flying off someone's head."
"You see no matter a kite's shape" an open palm hand pointing back at the tray of assorted kites, "what helps to lift a kite off the ground is their ability to deflect the wind that hits them downward."
The Earth King illustrated the point with his hands. Fingers pushing towards an open palm that began tilting. "And the air directed under it forces the kite upwards," the open palm rising above the pointed fingers.
"As the wind tries to push the kite along like a sail boat, the string that you are holding keeps it from flying away. And since the kite cannot run off with the wind and is titled so the wind flows downwards it has nowhere to go but...?" expecting Bo to answer.
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Post by xuan on Jun 1, 2007 18:15:32 GMT -5
Xuan laughed at her sons face, he looked completely confused. She had expected nothing less, the boy was only six after all.
"Prehaps he would understand better if you showed him," She called to the king with a smile on her face. Jiang finished he bottle and like Xuan had expected she crawled from her lap and, on unsteady feet, wobbled towards The king and her brother.
"Papa ya," She giggled as she tugged on the kings robe, using it mostly to hold herself up. Xuan laughed, true the king did very mildly resemeble her husband, but the thought tickle her mind. She fund it so amusing what children said and did.
"No no, Jiang doll, King not Papa," Xuan did manage to correct herself even through her laughing. She leaned back to watch the small party with Bosco lazily laying by her side as she scratched his fuzzy head.
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Post by earthking on Jun 4, 2007 21:50:30 GMT -5
The Earth King puffed a sigh through puckered lips. Refusing to droop his head in defeat or disappointment. But the child was still young. It would be at least another one or two years until his mind would grasp such concepts at a rudimentary level, when he would begin to learn them. Or maybe his majesty was no good at his explanation.
Whichever it was, it mattered little to the Grizzly Bear, Bosco. Himself meandering off to the shade of the nearby tree Xuan Yen had took refuge under.
"She's right," plastering a grin on his face as he agreed with the boy's mother. "It is far easier to show than explain--eh?"
"Papa ya," a set of tiny hands pulled at his robe. The giggling, little body falling onto his leg for balance.
For a moment his Majesty's lips twisted askew. Attempting to remember which one of his children from his numerous wives this one was. And why there was no announcement of the young princess's arrival.
"No no, Jiang doll, King not Papa," came the voice of her laughing mother. For a moment an embarassed blush fell upon the king's face while noblewoman, Xuan Yen, warmly scratched at the obliging Bosco's head.
"Ah eheheh," gently scooping the child in his arms. "I see someone is awake," bouncing her on his knee. Mimicry from vague memories of how his nannies and nurses treated him and his own children rather than how he held is own. If he ever held his own.
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Post by xuan on Jun 7, 2007 19:14:16 GMT -5
Jiang giggled more, she didn't understand her mother and as long as she was being loved it really ddin't matter who this man really was. She smiled as she laughed, bouncing on the kings knee just like how her father held her.
Xuan, finally composed from her laughing fit, leaned back on the large bear that was settled behind her, she continued to scratch Bosco's head until, while watching her son trying to make the kite airborn, she fell asleep.
Bo, the attention of his master temporarily diverted to his little sister, took into his own hands how to fly the kite. He didn't much understand what the king had said, but He thought of leaves and how the wind, when it moved fast enough, would carry them off through the air. With that in mind he figured it he ran as fast as the wind with the kite he could make it fly. He started by running in circles, holding the kite behind him, he could feel the wind catch, but when he stopped and let go it floated to the ground. He looked at it quizically, squatting in front of his fallen kite, truely trying to understand it. In his head he went through several ideas before he looked at the king wondering if he was read to assist him.
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Post by earthking on Jun 12, 2007 4:32:15 GMT -5
"I must say little one," bouncing little Jiang on his hip, "your brother catches on quite quickly and easily enough. He just needs some help in application." As he watched the boy's attempt to lift the kite into the air on his own.
"What's say we go help him, yes?" Playfully and gently pinching the little girl's cheek between his thumb and knuckle of his index finger.
"For one who has never flown a kite until now," walking towards the boy and fallen kite. The child's sister on his hip. "You are quite the fast learner, young Bo," praising the boy despite his failed attempts.
"Already you've experience some of your first lessons," chuckling and ruffling the hair on the boy's head. "For one it is always best to run into the wind rather than in a circle."
His majesty placed a finger in his mouth. Pointing it skyward to test the wind. "Hmm..." kneeling down to further test it. Nodding in satisfaction that it was at least strong enough to lift it from Bo's height.
"Let us see how far we can get by standing with our backs to the wind?" Shifting aside. "Hold up the kite in the wind while leaving out just a little enough line so it can get away from you. Allowing it to catch on the wind and fly away only a little bit at first..."
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Post by xuan on Jul 24, 2007 23:28:27 GMT -5
Jiang giggled pleasantly, her small hands clung to the kings robes as she was held firmly to his hip. She watched as her brother nodded to the king, he was taking in the mans information piece by piece.
Bo looked from the king to the kite and than to the sky. "Back to the wind," The king had said and that was what he did. The breeze moved his hair, lightly whipping small strands of it in front of his face, and tugged at his close. It felt like a mighty presence trying to lift him into the air and he only wished that were true, but for the time he kept his thoughts on the kite and his attempt to fly it.
Holding it up right over his head he felt the strong tugg of the wind, but he held on tight until he figured just how to fly it. The string that was tied to the kite dangled infront of his face and with one final decision he let both hands release the kite and as the wind tore it away from him he latched onto the string as it flew by his face.
String frimly in hands and the wind holding the kite in place Bo smiled, a sense of achievment overwhelmed him and he looked up at the king hoping he had pleased this man as much as he had pleased himself.
Jiang giggled and squirmed on the kings hip, desperatly wishing to be free. She clenched and unclenched her hands toward the kite as if she imagined she could catch it. She squirmed more and she growled and made false cat sounds, something her father had tuaght her through one of his many stories.
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Post by earthking on Jul 25, 2007 21:43:18 GMT -5
Captivated by the scene, His Majesty looked on with bated breath. Pursed lips at first while he held the giggingly, little Jiang to his hip. Ignoring the child's clutching hands he deeply inhaled, mouth left open in a slight parting as the girl's older brother prepared to released the kite. Offering it unto the hands of the winds.
Open mouth and clenched teeth His Majesty was enthralled as what may likey become a milestone in the boy's life. If not for the rest then at least a few years. But it was no less exciting to watch either way.
"Kekekeke," sputtered through the ecstatic ruler's teeth as the kite was swooped into the air. "Well done!" his eyes were creased into two small lines caused by his grin as he congratulated Bo. "Far better than I did on my first try," he may or may not have been lying to the boy when in all honesty he could not remember his first few times of kite flying very well. "Keep a firm grip on the bamboo rod," he suggested to the child. Holding out a fist sideways to interpret. "Roll forward to pull the line in and back to give the kite more line."
The king's attention was momentarily distracted from the floating symbol of the kingdom by the boy's little sister. A quizzical eyebrow rising at her imitation growling more than her squirming. Following the line of site at her clutching hands he mimicked her for a moment with his free hand before setting the child down while taking one of her tiny hands within his own.
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Post by xuan on Jul 27, 2007 9:47:07 GMT -5
Bo grinned proudly and turned his eyes back to the kite in the sky, he neither gave the kite more string or brouight any back; he didn't want to have it plumet to the ground if he tried to change something.
Jiang squealed in delight has she was placed on the ground as well as with the site of the Earth King attempting to reach the kite too. She pulled on the mans hand, trying to make her small body rocket toward her brother, but he was so many times bigger and stronger than her that she would never move him even an inch, but that didn't keep her from pulling anyway.
The kite sat steady in the wind and bow sun found that by moving the bamboo rod is different patterns near him he could almost make the kite 'dance'. He weaved it in a simple figure eight for a small while until the kite was smoothly going with the quick turns, than he added a full circle here and there and occassionally he would spin himself completely around to get the kite really moving, but when he mad a sad childs attempt at drawing the Earth Kingdom symbol with the flag string the wind cuaght it wrong and the kite plumetted toward the ground and with a soft landing it was out of the sky.
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Post by earthking on Jul 31, 2007 14:48:43 GMT -5
His Majesty was unable to refrain from laughter at the little girl. His attention distracted towards her while his young pupil was beginning to experiment with his kite flying.
Luuuurrrch... BOOM! Luuuurrrch... BOOM!exaggerating his lethargic strides with large, bent knee steps as he gave in to little Jiang. Letting himself being pulled along by her tiny hands. Luuuurrrch... BOOM! Luuuurrrch... BOOM!
Half keeping an eye on Bo and his kite as Jiang tugged. Impressed, the Earth King smirked as the kite began to bob and weave in the wind. Weaving itself into a basic figure eight pattern, moving into turns and circles. All without the boy needing instruction and on his first try. He became just as saddened as the boy when Bo attempted... something, causing the kite to make its way back towards the ground.
"And here I thought you were new to this," congratulating the boy in good spirits. "Why, practically a novice with that modest flying of yours."
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Post by xuan on Aug 2, 2007 12:56:59 GMT -5
Bo smiled a big toothy grin at the king as a guard fetched his fallen kite.
"I'm not that good, mister," modesty was not his strong suit, so even in his attempts to be humble you could hear how proud he was. Once the kite was given back to him he wraped the string around the bamboo pole, ready to start again in the near future.
Jiang giggled as she 'pulled' the king along, but once close to her brother she let go of his hand and lurched forward herself, sprawling at her brothers feet in a fit of giggles. It didn't take her long to get back to her feet, but even there she was a good head and a half shorter than her brother. with gleeful screeches she stretched her hands toward the kite pole.
"Help me fly the kite, will you?" Bo smiled at his sister and held the bamboo lower so she could hold it too. While Jiang held the pole Bo lifted the kite over his head and waited for a strong wind to press against his back. It didn't take long for that to come and when it did he let go of the kite and quickly grabbed the pole next to Jiangs hands, like he had before. Again the kite was in the air and Bo sat on the grass holding the bamboo as Jiang sat on his lap giggling as she played with the string making the kite bounce up and down in the sky.
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Post by earthking on Aug 14, 2007 17:22:32 GMT -5
"Hmm hmm," amusedly the Earth King observed the siblings. His eyes creasing into delighted slits as he chuckled at such an adorable scene.
Pleased, His Majesty nodded. In his eyes Bo was expressing proper behavoir for a boy expected to become a junzi, a gentleman. Exemplary qualities cultivated for the creation of a civilized individual. One whose abilities would later serve to contribute to the creation and upkeep of a civilized world.
It was delightful to watch such a process, such a cultivation, as it was taking place. More so with what would become an exceptional man during his most formative years. Taking place before him was among the central themes in making a junzi; that of relationships and the varied duties from the varied status one held in relation to others. Individuals such as Bo held simultaneous yet differing relational status and duties to different people. While Bo may owe strong ties of service, reverence and even love towards his mother, Bo also held duties of concern and benevolence towards his younger sister.
"You have such wonderful children," the Earth King turned towards Xuan Yen and bowed. Congratulating her in fact.
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Post by xuan on Aug 14, 2007 18:14:58 GMT -5
Xuan had just recently stood from her relaxed place under the tree near the bear. She bowed back to the king at his complicated her and she took the few steps from the shade into the sun which was beginning to fade in the late noon sky.
"Thank you, your highness, I have done my best," she looked down at Bo and jiang flying the kite together and her soft smile spread a little wider, "I am quite proud of them myself,"
Jiang, after only moments of flying the kite, crawled from her brothers lap and was on the move again, now heading toward her mother. She lost her balance when she was near by and fell into her mothers leg, wrapping her arms around her to steady herself.
"ma," she looked up at Xuan and opened her mouth pointing inside; she was hungry.
"I agree, I think it's time for dinner as well," she smiled at Jiang and bent down to scoop her small body into Xuan's embrace.
The kite came crashing down once more when Jiang left Bo's lap, her escape hitting the bamboo pole just enough to knock the kite out of the winds favor. It was retrived for him and he wrapped the string around the pole and handed that to the guard who set the kite back on the table. Once down he went to his mothers side as well, hers stomach growled softly. Xuan giggled.
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Post by earthking on Aug 17, 2007 3:22:46 GMT -5
At the mention of the word "dinner" there came a russle of movement from Bosco, who was apparently roused into action by the very term. Despite having ate earlier before they even existed the palace, the hefty grizzling bear padded then galloped towards the Earth King. In his majesty's mind, a curious and hungry noise eliciting from his pet's mouth as skidded to a halt on the courtyard grounds.
Something along the lines of "can we eat now?" his Majesty believed Bosco to be saying.
"Of course. Of course," The Earth King cooed as he petted the beast's snouth then scratched behind one of Bosco's ears as he gauged the position to the sun before turning his attention to the nearest sundial. "The time has come for all good children and bears to wash up for supper," he grinned.
The Earth King's lips puckered as he held onto the animal's cheeks and shook them. "Even if they did sneak off from their lessons for today, hmm?" Chuckling as he embraced Bosco. "And if you wish Madame Xian," absentmindely as he huggled Bosco, "you and your children are quite welcome to join us."
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Post by xuan on Aug 18, 2007 8:37:40 GMT -5
Xuan bowed formally to the king, "I would be honored to accept," As she stood she smiled at him and down at her children they smiled back, eager for the evening meal. She knelled delicatly and lifted Jiang into her arms, than holding her against her hip with on arm she reached down her hadn toward Bo who took it with a smile. "Please, lead the way your highness,"
Jiang giggled madly as she was moved around in her mothers arms. When she stopped she looked down at Bosco, leaning back on her mothers arm to try to get a closer look. The bear sniffing lifted his nose toward and in imotation Jiang sniffed the air as well before breaking out ing giggles again as Bosco ran is large tongue across her face.
Bo, after shortly taking his mothers hand, let it go to walk next with the bear who every now and then tilted his head toward Bo to be pet. Bo would give a short laugh and scratch behind his ears and under his chin as they moved.
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