by Lydia lived for her story tours. It brought a feeling of life to the museum when a gathering came to hear the tales behind each image and item in the museum. Many of the paintings were just that - paintings - until these scheduled tours brought them to life in each goer's mind's eye. Everyone had their favorite exhibit, but Lydia's favorite was always the Dragon Floor. These stories she recalled with great ease, and these she was most able to breathe life into as she brought her guests to each one.
This tour was no different than any others: curious and whimsical teenagers, travelers with a taste for the offbeat passing through the town. Many groups had children, and these groups were the liveliest of them all. They even inspired Lydia's energy.
They began to near the end of the tour, coming upon the energy crystals, the mana repository, and the images of the great Ice Dragon, as well as the Amethyst Dragon on the opposite wall. And just as she had many times before, Lydia told the story of the great Ice Mother and the Blizzard of the Dragon's Grief, as well as the story of the Amethyst Matron, Sililuuth.
"... None have seen her since, but many suspect that she continues to guard and protect power crystals hidden outside Frittland City, or perhaps right underneath our very noses."
One young girl eyed Lydia, her gaze flitting between the ageless-looking woman with flowing pale blonde hair, and the energy crystals nearby. The curator felt eyes on her and regarded the girl with a curious look; the child looked like she had a question on the tip of her tongue.
"You're Sililuuth, aren't you?" the girl asked excitedly. She couldn't have been more than four or five years old.
There was a collective murmur of quiet, adoring laughter from the rest of the group. A couple behind her - likely her parents - chuckled as the man placed his hand to the top of his daughter's head. "Don't be silly, honey. These are all just stories." Meanwhile, the woman looked to Lydia with an apologetic smile.
Lydia returned a smile in kind, but she knelt before the small girl to be able to better look into her eyes, a warm expression within her own. "You flatter me. To be a dragon would be magnificent. But look closely at my eyes, hm?" She kept her focus locked on her, that same smile matching the softness of her tone. "Remember what I said about the dragons? Even disguised as humans, all you have to do is look at the eyes." One index finger tapped at her own cheek as she pointed toward her right eye.
The little girl didn't seem convinced, and she leaned forward to whisper into Lydia's ear. "Don't worry, Sililuuth. I'll keep your secret."
For a split second, the curator seemed alarmed. She pulled back to look at the girl, who had a wide smile on her face. Her tiny hands reached out to cradle Lydia's face, a faint hint of color rushing to the Lilac Lady's alabaster cheeks as she did so. When she finally acted, she did so while passing a glance to the parents with a wry smirk before she withdrew from the girl's grasp and gently laughed.
The rest of the tour went without incident. She told each story with the same fervor, but each time she looked toward that small girl, the child regarded her with a starry-eyed expression that tugged a grin from her lips.
The end of the tour granted the group time to wander the museum freely. While they did, Lydia disappeared into a separate room and returned in search of the family of three. She finally found them lingering on the Dragon Floor moments later and waved them over with a wink that she offered the parents. As they came closer, she ushered them off to the side as if about to share a secret with them, and again, she knelt before the child.
"What is your name?"
"Olivia."
The curator nodded. "Well, Olivia. Hold out your hand..." As she spoke, she revealed the amethyst she'd been hiding in her own hand, gently placing it in the child's palm. "You've discovered my secret. And as a token of appreciation for your promise, I'd like to give you this." Lydia began to stage whisper, making a point to glance up at the parents as she did so, smirking. "This was one of my scales many years ago. I want you to take good care of it, okay?"
Olivia looked at her with animated, wide-eyed surprise. Her fingers wrapped protectively around the gem and she held it close to her chest with a bright smile.
As Lydia rose back to a stand, the parents looked to her with a smile of their own. Watching them wander off, she chuckled quietly to herself and looked toward the large egg placed on display. One slender hand moved to rest gently along its surface as she frowned before she watched the gathering a moment longer.
Children were astoundingly sharp and perceptive. It always bewildered Lydia to see such magic in their eyes, only to look toward any given adult to see their gaze devoid of that very same magic. She knew that over time, the same would happen to Olivia, and she would come to decide on her own that the kind-hearted curator had given her a simple amethyst and put on a show only to not destroy her youthful imagination.
Children. This was the thought that remained in her mind as she circled the third floor of the museum, coming to a stop before the painting of an Ice Dragon on a mountain top. Her expression went blank, and she slowly began to remember...
https://twistedgenetics.forumotion.com/t108-for-sake-of-the-kids#235
This tour was no different than any others: curious and whimsical teenagers, travelers with a taste for the offbeat passing through the town. Many groups had children, and these groups were the liveliest of them all. They even inspired Lydia's energy.
They began to near the end of the tour, coming upon the energy crystals, the mana repository, and the images of the great Ice Dragon, as well as the Amethyst Dragon on the opposite wall. And just as she had many times before, Lydia told the story of the great Ice Mother and the Blizzard of the Dragon's Grief, as well as the story of the Amethyst Matron, Sililuuth.
"... None have seen her since, but many suspect that she continues to guard and protect power crystals hidden outside Frittland City, or perhaps right underneath our very noses."
One young girl eyed Lydia, her gaze flitting between the ageless-looking woman with flowing pale blonde hair, and the energy crystals nearby. The curator felt eyes on her and regarded the girl with a curious look; the child looked like she had a question on the tip of her tongue.
"You're Sililuuth, aren't you?" the girl asked excitedly. She couldn't have been more than four or five years old.
There was a collective murmur of quiet, adoring laughter from the rest of the group. A couple behind her - likely her parents - chuckled as the man placed his hand to the top of his daughter's head. "Don't be silly, honey. These are all just stories." Meanwhile, the woman looked to Lydia with an apologetic smile.
Lydia returned a smile in kind, but she knelt before the small girl to be able to better look into her eyes, a warm expression within her own. "You flatter me. To be a dragon would be magnificent. But look closely at my eyes, hm?" She kept her focus locked on her, that same smile matching the softness of her tone. "Remember what I said about the dragons? Even disguised as humans, all you have to do is look at the eyes." One index finger tapped at her own cheek as she pointed toward her right eye.
The little girl didn't seem convinced, and she leaned forward to whisper into Lydia's ear. "Don't worry, Sililuuth. I'll keep your secret."
For a split second, the curator seemed alarmed. She pulled back to look at the girl, who had a wide smile on her face. Her tiny hands reached out to cradle Lydia's face, a faint hint of color rushing to the Lilac Lady's alabaster cheeks as she did so. When she finally acted, she did so while passing a glance to the parents with a wry smirk before she withdrew from the girl's grasp and gently laughed.
The rest of the tour went without incident. She told each story with the same fervor, but each time she looked toward that small girl, the child regarded her with a starry-eyed expression that tugged a grin from her lips.
The end of the tour granted the group time to wander the museum freely. While they did, Lydia disappeared into a separate room and returned in search of the family of three. She finally found them lingering on the Dragon Floor moments later and waved them over with a wink that she offered the parents. As they came closer, she ushered them off to the side as if about to share a secret with them, and again, she knelt before the child.
"What is your name?"
"Olivia."
The curator nodded. "Well, Olivia. Hold out your hand..." As she spoke, she revealed the amethyst she'd been hiding in her own hand, gently placing it in the child's palm. "You've discovered my secret. And as a token of appreciation for your promise, I'd like to give you this." Lydia began to stage whisper, making a point to glance up at the parents as she did so, smirking. "This was one of my scales many years ago. I want you to take good care of it, okay?"
Olivia looked at her with animated, wide-eyed surprise. Her fingers wrapped protectively around the gem and she held it close to her chest with a bright smile.
As Lydia rose back to a stand, the parents looked to her with a smile of their own. Watching them wander off, she chuckled quietly to herself and looked toward the large egg placed on display. One slender hand moved to rest gently along its surface as she frowned before she watched the gathering a moment longer.
Children were astoundingly sharp and perceptive. It always bewildered Lydia to see such magic in their eyes, only to look toward any given adult to see their gaze devoid of that very same magic. She knew that over time, the same would happen to Olivia, and she would come to decide on her own that the kind-hearted curator had given her a simple amethyst and put on a show only to not destroy her youthful imagination.
Children. This was the thought that remained in her mind as she circled the third floor of the museum, coming to a stop before the painting of an Ice Dragon on a mountain top. Her expression went blank, and she slowly began to remember...
https://twistedgenetics.forumotion.com/t108-for-sake-of-the-kids#235
