[fieldbox="Emelyn & Lyka, red, solid"]Orchley Groves, a little haven and small town known for their famous fields of endless beautiful orchid trees, fresh air, and pleasant little villagers. Despite being a small town, it's people were always lively day after day. It's streets and roads always busy, especially during the weekends as the town's children run amok. Even the farm houses, a short wagon ride away from the center of town are teeming with busy bodies. One home in particular, was full of hurried feet and chatter as their pregnant cow had just gone into labor. Though not everyone could say they were entirely excited for the ordeal. The house's twelve year guest was hold up in her room meticulously cleaning and reorganizing her shelves and closet. Humming a soft tune to herself as she tidied up, every now and then tossing an article of clothing into a basket near her door. She stops for a moment at the sound of a hand rapping against the wood of her door, to which she called them in.
"Emelyn, are you going to come watch the birthing?" Her god mother, Loreena, asked after having opening the door and entering the room. Loreena, was a stout and shapely middle aged woman. Her russet brown curls were tied back into a loose bun, so her long hair would stay out of her face while she helped with the cow in labor. In correlation to this, her attire was decrepit looking with stains and holes. The woman rested her hands on her hips as she looked around Emelyn's mess of a room. Emelyn didn't really have to answer her, it was easy to see that she was already preoccupied.
"It seems you're already at work with your room. This is a lot more than what you usually give away." Loreena mentions as she squats down to the basket and begins to rummage through it. Most of the clothing wasn't bought recently, in fact some of it years old. Though, it wasn't like Emelyn's old clothes didn't fit her since she hasn't grown much in size over the years. When the young lady started to speak Loorena shifted to look up at her with an interest.
"Ah yes... I have saved up a lot of coin over the past year, so I thought maybe I'd get some new things? Some of the dresses colors have faded with the passage of time." Emelyn explained to her. She had a small smile on her face as she smoothed out the dress she was currently wearing inconspicuously. The material looked lighter, as the day was a bit on the warm side, and colored a lovely lavender. The design of the dress was obviously for the warmer seasons, as it allowed for more skin to show. Not too much as Emelyn is a very conserved woman. The neckline was a sweet heart shape, showing just a little bit of cleavage, and the sleeves were about mid-arm's length. While the top half of the dress was fitted to Emelyn's small curves, the rest of the dress was billowy and swayed around her legs as she moved about the room.
"Shouldn't you save your money so you can visit your parents next year?" Emelyn's god mother began to chide softly. Emelyn's shoulders began to droop a bit, as the woman had a point. Next year Emelyn was supposed to return home, to test the waters. She had originally come to Orchley Groves because of her health complications as a child, but now that she was older she seemed to have stabilized her health. After her last doctor's visit, she was told that now would be a safe time to return home. If her health declined again, then she was welcome to come back and live at Orchley Groves permanently.
"Mother sent me a bit of coin for the trip. I should have enough saved up when the date of my departure arrives." Emelyn retorts as she started to shift through a pile of books that had recently been given to her. The sound of Ilvon calling for his wife could be heard from the first floor of the home, and Loreena quickly dropped the subject and excused herself. After the woman shut her door Emelyn sighs as she starts to shelve the books by alphabetical order. Next she started rummaging through her desk drawers which was filled to the brim with drawings, old and new alike, as well as some journals full of her own notes. It looked a cluttered mess, so she began to pull the stacks of papers out and begin to sort them accordingly. She found this to be a bit more amusing for the time being, as she reminisced of the moments she had captured on paper. Everything seemed so new and exciting in those days, but lately she could feel her life growing stale like week old bread. Coming across several pages of depictions of a peridot dragon reminded her of some of the best times of her childhood. The details were extraordinary, and underneath the dragon's bust is a neatly written note reading "Lithe decided to pose for me today!"
It had been many years since she had seen her childhood friend, and Emelyn felt a twinge of guilt tug her heart strings. She wondered how Lithe was doing these days, and debated silently with in herself on whether or not she should go visit. Would Lithe even be happy to see her? Would it be seen as cruel to reconnect with her friend, only to leave a year later? She couldn't very well leave with out saying good bye though right? Sure they hadn't seen each other in a long time, but that didn't mean they weren't friends. When was the last time she even saw her friend? She recalled having spent her eighteenth birthday with the creature, so around three years? Yikes. Having thought long and hard over what to do, Emelyn decided that it wouldn't hurt to at least see how Lithe has been doing lately. Now the question was whether or not she should bring anything to show the dragon. It had always been a bit of a tradition between them that Emelyn always brought something new to show to the dragon. Maybe one of her new books? It was the latest edition of biological studies, usually about new species of animals that had been discovered in other parts of their land and updated information on other creatures. Normally these books were extremely expensive, but a well endowed man from the town had purchased the book and allowed her to borrow it for a while. She could feel her cheeks blush at the thought that perhaps the man is infatuated with her, thus his kindness, and then imagining Lithe tease her about it. Such a cheeky friend she is! Emelyn immediately shook the thoughts from her mind, and started to back a bag paper, pencils, and a book or two.
She quickly said good bye to her god sister, and close friend, Alycie, and left the house in a hurry. It would take her around twenty minutes to reach the forest, but it was early enough in the afternoon that she should be back right at night fall. She didn't want to be caught out in the dark, since she couldn't defend herself, but she still didn't feel a sense of urgency about possibly loosing track of time. Her village wasn't usually strife with violence of any sort, so she didn't expect to be mugged or attacked. Walking down the path she passed a neighbor and waved courteously to them in passing, with a polite smile. The Millers were very nice people, and wondered how their youngest was doing. She used to baby sit the lad when he was just a kid, but he was now old enough to work the fields. Eventually Emelyn arrived to her friend's home, a mossy and swampy forest and begin to search for her friend. The forest extended for miles, but there was a small pond just a short ways in where Lithe usually sunbathed. In order to find her way, Emelyn had previously marked the trees with ribbons and paint, and as she traversed the woods, she found that they had nearly rotted or faded away. She made a mental note to replace them during her next visit. Her sandy blonde bounced around her shoulders with each step, and she could feel herself growing hot from the work. Taking a ribbon she tied her wavy locks up into a high pony tail to allow the back of her neck to receive some air, cooling her just a little. her steel blue eyes observe her surroundings curiously, hoping to spot an animal or two. Occasionally she'd stop to listen to the birds and the rustling of the leaves as the wind rolls through gently. After a bit of a walk she finally finds herself coming across the bank of Lithe's pond, and begins to search the area for her friend. The corner of her lips tug into a frown as she realizes that Lithe isn't any where to be found. Finding this odd she calls out to her friend, and there is no response.
This seemed odd to Emelyn, but she persisted. She decided to walk around the large pond with the notion that maybe she'd find her friend sleeping on a rock somewhere on the other side, or near by. As she begins to circle the pond, every now and then she'd call out to no avail. She could feel her heart sink at the thought that maybe Lithe had gone away because she stopped coming to visit, but Emelyn quickly dismissed it. The forest was teeming with life, food that Lithe could eat, and plenty of algae and moss. There was no reason for Lithe to leave, if everything she needed was right here. Eventually she sighed and sat herself on a fairly dry rock by the water's edge. Taking out a journal, she decided to make something out of her visit by sketching the nature around her. As she began she held her thumb up in front of her to get an idea of the size and proportions of what she was drawing, and her eyes caught something odd. Just by the bank of the pond was something glittering in the sunlight. It was just a faint twinge of light reflecting off whatever it was, but noticeable never the less. Stuffing her journal back in her bag she scurried over the the water's edge to see what it was. The object was oval in shape, fairly small, with a bright green surface that glittered like a gem. Leaning down Emelyn attempted to brush the gunk of moss and mud off it's surface mistaking the object to be a gem of some sort. Though when she touched it she could feel something overcome her senses, and immediately with drew her hand gasping at the sound of a cracking. It was alive! An egg! Stepping back she watched in awe as the egg began to wiggle as the creature inside began to struggle for freedom. Amazed by her luck , Emelyn pulled out her sketchbook and began to sketch furiously. She wanted to capture this moment, burn it into her mind. She had never seen dragon hatching before, and not many people ever got the chance.
"Remarkable!" Emelyn exclaims as a large crack breaks the surface. She could hear the sound of chirps and guttural growls as the creature clawed apart it's shell. The cracks become larger, as the baby dragon uses all it's might to burst through. Eventually the shell gives way allowing for a tiny clawed paw to break free. Emelyn looked around again for any sign of Lithe, wishing the dragon could be here for the hatching. Emelyn had no idea that Lithe had been pregnant, and mentally kicked herself for not being there for her friend, but she was here now and wanted to make sure the baby was safe until her mother arrived. When the egg toppled over, she dropped her journal and stopped it from landing onto of a rock. Sighing with relief, she gently placed the egg back in it's nest, just as a large piece of shell chipped away. Curious Emelyn tilted her head just enough to peer inside, seeing the torso and tail of the baby peridot. Words of encouragement escape off Emelyn's lips gently, and the creature twists it's self inside and wiggle it's way out of the gaping hole. Not even fully out of the bright green egg, the dragon's deep vibrant green eyes lock with Emelyn's steel blue ones and something with in her shifts. Emelyn's eyes widen, and she could feel herself leaving with the exhale of her breath. A tiny heartbeat, not of her own, rings in her ears as the world spins around her. She could see not with her eyes, but with her soul, and it is beautifully moving. Then for a moment she feels a pull towards something she doesn't quite understand, and in an instant everything changes. She is herself, but there is something there that wasn't there before. She is overcome by feelings that are not her own, feelings of curiosity, playfulness, and concern. Why concern? Emelyn asks herself, and she sees herself through eyes not of her own. She is crying, but not out of sadness but from the sheer beauty of it all. She is sure that this creature, basking in this beauty with her, could feel her too. Feel her wonder and awe, and that she too is curious of the stranger before her. Then there is calmness, as both accept one into the other. Emelyn feels herself return to her body, feeling the same but not rightfully so. Feeling as if a void that had gone unnoticed for years was just filled to the point that it overflowed inside her...making her whole. Again she is moved, and she reaches for her companion, taking the egg into her arms, and cries out once more. Hot tears streaking her cheeks as she holds the creature close and begins to carefully pick apart the egg, so she could scoop up the baby into her arms and keep it close. The two sat there in silence as the young grilled cried, the creature purring and chirping as if trying to comfort her. A tiny little voice ushers into Emelyn's own mind, saying nothing but sweet words.
~You, okay. Lyka, understand.~ The voice says, not fully capable of coherent speech. She sounds just like a baby finally learning to string words together. This thought makes Emelyn choke out a laugh, effectively allowing her to calm just a little. She places the creature down unto the floor feeling hungry for some reason. Her eyebrows knit close together in confusion, as she had eaten just an hour ago. "No. Lyka hungry. Silly!" the childish little voice exclaims and immediately Emelyn understood that the feeling was not of her own. That was certainly something she was going to have to get used to, but she decided to worry about it later. Her friend was hungry...
"Alright, well, I'll just take you home then..." Emelyn says with a shaky breath as she wipes away the tears from her eyes. When she looks away from the dragon for the first time, the realization hits her like a horse. They are no longer in the forest. Instead the scene had been replaced by a room that appeared to her in day dreams. The room she always wished she had. The space wasn't to large, but much larger than her from back at the farm house. The walls were painted white, with beautiful paintings decorating them. A large bed tucked away in the far right corner of the room, with sky blue sheets and white pillows. At the foot of the bed was a large chest to put clothing and other essentials in such as blankets. A bed side table with an oil lamp, and plenty of surface area to put other things onto like a book or maybe a cup of tea. Next to the table was a large window frame, two white curtains, and a rectangular pot for growing herbs. To the left was a comfortable looking chair for reading followed by a large book shelf lined with books. The bookshelf taking up the majority of the left wall, before stopping at another large pot used to hold small tree like plants. Next to that was a desk for studying, and finally a door. Deciding to explore the room later, she stands up with Lyka in her arms and exits through the door. She enters into another room that looks like a place to meet with guests. There is a fireplace, several other plants, a seating arrangement for multiple people to sit, and a door in the fall wall. Emelyn's attention quickly falters to her baby dragon which is writhing in her hands. Looking to the right Emelyn notices a barrel that reeks of meet. She would have to find another place for that, but never the less takes some meat out of the container and gives some to her friend.
Not much shortly after a voice beckons for her to visit a gathering hall where she herself can find a meal as well as an explanation. With a curt nod, Emelyn empties out her bag unto her bed, and stuffs it with meat to take so her dragon can eat as well. She didn't want to leave Lyka all by herself, because she wasn't sure if it was safe yet. Luka didn't seem to protest, and the two quickly made their way to where they were supposed to go. As she leaves the building, she notices that night was beginning to fall, and that the sky had changed from a blue to an orangey color. She must have appeared some place where the sun was already beginning to set. Tonight all the third moon would be at it's peak, and Emelyn thought of star gazing with Lyka later. Maybe teach her some of the constellations.
~Much excite!~ She hears her dragons voice ring out in her mind once again, as they can see the hall just up ahead. Curious, Emelyn began to rush over to the large building. Unfortunately as she approached she could feel nervousness creep up inside her. This was all so strange and confusing, and Emelyn just couldn't make sense of it all on her own. She tried not to be scared though, she had to be strong for her new little friend. The sound of raised voices can be heard on the other side, making her swallow hard. That certainly wasn't a good sign. As Emelyn pushed the door open a jar she peeked through a bit timidly hoping she wasn't interrupting anything important. "H...hello?" she says a bit quietly, "Oh!" her voices raises as Lyka wiggles her way out of Emelyn's grasp and into the room. Emelyn, scared for her dragons well being, shoved the door open all the way to catch her, only to bump into a stranger about to leave. A man with another dragon in his arms stands before her, only this dragon was red like fire. "E-excuse me!" She quickly apologizes bowing to him, hoping she didn't just hurt his dragon. She cursed herself mentally, usually she was much more observant than this. Worrying about Lyka was making her unfocused.
~You quiet! They need hear! They need see!~ Lyka's talons click against the floors as she runs across the room to one of the priestesses. Her tail wagging with excitement at the sight of new people. She does a lap around the shortest of the priestess and then quickly stops at the site of the other dragons interacting with each other. ~Brothers! Sisters!~ The dragon chirps as much as a yapping dog in it's excitement.
Emelyn looked nothing short of a stressed new mother.....a total mess.
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