You are walking through the forest, the spring warm breeze caressing your hair. The place is quiet, but suddenly you hear something. It sounds like the cry of a child, which makes your heart shake from deep inside. Keeping your walk the crying gets louder and louder, the wind starts howling and you feel this mystical trace calling for you.
20:00:29
You see right before your eyes a little clearing, where a little girl is curled up, kneeling down in the middle of the clearing, her tiny hands covering her face as she jumps shivering and whimpering from her desperate crying.
20:01:27
I was walkin in the forest, looking for the place where the Shrine of Nagusa has been destroyed and the future Shrine of Sunny will be build. I look around, looking for the source of the cry
20:03:10
I see a figure... could it be Kioko? Maybe she has come back to her former home
20:03:38
I come closer... I would call her, but something stop me
20:04:03
I spy her in total silence, still not sure of who she is
20:04:19
The little figure before your eyes is trembling, her blue puffy gown getting wet from some tear drops. She surely has noticed your presence, yet she doen't turn around, you see her white hair florwing along with the wind, her little hands shaking as she quietly cries, a cold feeling from her whines caressing your spine.
20:06:39
She is definitely not Kioko, nor I remember to have never seen her around. What can a girl do in this part of the forest, so far away from the common roads? Is she some refugee from abroad, running away from the same kind of men who destroied the Shrine. I bar my teeth at the thought of it and decide to move on. Whatever it is, these are my land and I will not let a cry for help going out unheard
20:09:33
"Hello, girl. What are you doing here in the forest, all alone?"
20:09:53
The girl jumps as she hears your voice and quickly turns around, her big red eyes looking up at you, still covered in a veil of tears. She gupls, a broken smile curves her lips as the tears keep flowing on her face and dropping from her chin. "C-can you... can you hear me?" Her tender trembling voice resonates through the clearing, the rays of the moon being a sort of spotlight for this tiny figure curled up before you.
20:13:02
"Sure, I can. Are you all right girl? Something is wrong? This is a dangerous part of the wood: you should not be here alone"
20:14:06
In the sleeve of the jacket I have a rose ready... better be safe than sorry
20:14:46
"Have you lost yoir way, girl?"
20:15:03
She slowly gets up, she is pretty tiny, not reaching five feet of height, her dress wraps her tiny chest perfectly, the gown puffing to cover her small hips. She takes a step forward, wiping her tears off her porcelain face with her tiny fingers.
20:17:00
"I am this wood, Sir... and this wood is me. I wouldn't call it dangerous. Do i look like it maybe?" She bows, her fluffy hair falling along her sleeves.
20:18:19
I scratch my head. Is she under shock? Maybe something is happened and now her mind is closed in a world of fantasy to escape the horrors of reality. Tho... she doesn't look injured.
20:19:52
"Girl, here there are bears, wolves and worse creatures, don't joke about it. Where are you from? What are you doing here alone?"
20:20:30
She gives you a sad, yet tender smile, her red lips curved. "Sir, I am this wood and this wood is me. This is my home, the place where I belong to." Her voice is still trembling, she takes another step forward, the sad look in her eyes showing her fear to see you disappear. "Please don't be scared, the wolves won't hurt you. They only come out to greet their sister, the Moon."
20:22:51
Scratch my head again
20:23:29
I must be careful... if she is crazy, she could be dangerous for me or for herself
20:23:48
"So, is this your place, dear? I have never heard of you. And this is strange, since I am the lord of these lands, Romantic Malaspina" I do a little bow. "And what is your name, mysterious girl?"
20:25:11
The little girl bows back, lifting her dress a little. "I am Lydia, the spirit of the forest. I have been here since..." She scratches her head, looking around herself with a lost look. "Well... I don't quite remember, it's been a very long time. I've seen you wandering through the woods along with other people, yet you never noticed me or listened to my cry. I am glad this time you could see me." She takes yet another step, extending her hand towards you. "Can you really see and hear me? Oh am I dreaming it all?" She gets closer as she seems to be willing to touch you to test if you're real or not.
20:28:20
"I can hear and see you as anyone else could do... are you sure you feel all right, Lydia?" I move my hand and touch yours to make you realize I am real
20:29:27
"Not everyone can... I have been cursed by the evil king of these lands. No one can see me unless they willingly listen to my cry." She explains, holing your hand. Hers is warm and soft and her fingers interwive with yours. "I am not alright, Sir Malaspina, I have been lonely for a long time and lost my heart in this very place." Her eyes look to the soft tuft of grass, caressed by the wind.
20:31:57
"The King of these lands? I cannot believe Lord Illusion could do such thing to you"
20:33:03
I feel a deep sadness filling my heart, like if a sea of pain is filling my soul from top to bottom. Without adding anything more, I hug you and gently pull your head on my shoulders. I don0t care if you are telling me the truth or not... I just want to take care of your sadness and help you bring this weight.
20:34:21
She gasps as you pull her into your hug, she is so small that seems to disappear in your arms. "I never heard of this Lord Illusion, I am talking about the king of darkness who ruled over these lands long time ago. You look young, Sir, you probably wouldn't remember such happenings." She rests her head on your chest, a smile way less sad than before, appears on her face as she listens to the beating of your heart in your chest. "You are... so very warm, Sir. It gives me strength and comfort..."
20:37:42
I start caressing your hairs. I just want to suck all the sadness and pain from you and take with them... like sucking an ocean of poison to let this little bird free, even if the price would be to die myself. "I don't know this person, little girl, but I promise that no one can hurt you. You are under my proitection now"
20:39:44
She looks up at you, still in your arms, lifting one hand to caress your cheek. "You have done so much for this forest, Sir. I know you're kind of heart, I can feel it." She leaves your embrace, a cold feeling making you shiver as she is not in your arms anymore. She takes a few steps in the clearing, looking up at the moon and the stars. "I envy this sky... the stars may be far from each other, but they're never alone... and sister Moon watches over them and this land silently..."
20:43:33
"You don't need to be alone anymore, Lydia" I say, talking with passion way before my mind can think about what I am saying. "Come with me to the Mansion. You will be my guest. You will meet my wives and servants and friends... you will not be alone anymore!"
20:47:11
The girl kneels, curling up onto herself once again as she start shivering and trembling, and her cry starts again to resonate throguh the trees, the wind howling almost ferociously. "I... I could.. never... I shall never leave this forest... I belong here, I belong to him... that is my curse and it will never end..." She sighs, her voice shattered by her desperate cry
20:49:40
I lift you between my arms. "You belongs only to yourself. I swear to everything I care about that no one will hurt you. Not that king, nor anyone else. No curse shall stop me from making you feel safe. I will take you to the Mansion and then we will see what we can do, after you will have eatedn and have some rest"
20:51:55
She remains silent, the only sounds coming out of her mouth are the whines of pain, as she shake lightly in your arms, tears running fast one after the other on her pale cheeks.
20:53:08
I start walking, taking you with me. "Now, twll me everything about you, Lydia. I will save everything you tell me in my heart"
20:56:14
"I..." Her voice being but a soft whisper. "I am the little star of the oblivion... the evil king took me away from my home and confined me here..." She curls up into your arms, her little body still shaking. "Please Sir... don't leave me, this place is so cold... You're the only one that was able to hear me in centuries... don't leave, I am so afraid, the lonelyness is a freezing place and it shattered my heart."
21:01:21
"I will never leave you. I promise." I walk faster. "Who is this king? I have never heard of him... what kind of monster could hurt a little girl like you?"
21:04:08
"He took a piece of my soul and used it to feed off its light... until it vanished... then he started searching for me. I was alone for centuries in the oblivion but he managed to find me and made me suffer once again..." Her tears keep running through her face as she tells you her painful story, one hand clinging on her chest. "Once he took all of my light he confined me here... since I was no more of use to him." You start getting closer to the edge of the forest. "Sir... You're leaving me..."
21:07:04
"L-leaving? No, I am not" I hold you closer ad clean your cheeks from your tears with a thumb. "See? I am here. I will not leave you alone, little Lydia"
21:08:34
Her body starts to become more evanescent, you can no more feel her weight on your arms, as she slowly starts dissolving, her crying becoming more desperate. "P-please Sir... don't leave... I am so scared, I don't want to be alone anymore..."
21:09:53
I stop and try to move some steps back, thinking about what you have said me before.
21:10:54
The vanishing stops, as you start taking some steps back and she seems to calm down a little, holding tight onto you. "Thank you Sir... Don't leave... I want to stay with you... You're so warm"
21:11:59
"So, you truly are bounded to the forest... what kind of madness is this? Can't you really leave this forest?" I bite my lips, holding you even tighter, wanting to feel yoru weight on me and the warm of your body on my skin to be sure you are still with me
21:13:26
"It's my curse... I am this forest and this forest is me..." She whispers, wrapping her arms around your shoulders as she hides her face under your neck, right on your chest, her ear on your heart to feel its beating. "I know you don't belong here, but please, stay with me just for tonight... I will make it last."
21:15:05
"I know a place where you could be safe, dear." I caress your hairs. "Do you trust me , Lydia? DO you trust I will keep you safe?"
21:19:07
"I will trust you Sir... I am scared of losing you, of losing the only human contact I've had in so long... but I will put my all to trust you"
21:19:58
I nod and walk towards the forest. "There is a place... a den, where an entire tribe was used to live some centuries ago. It's deep inside the wood, on a mountain, but is the only safe place I can think of in the wood"
21:21:46
I caress your hairs again. "I will take you there, then we will decide what to do"
21:22:06
She breathes slowly, closing her eyes as she relaxes into your arms, finally sure that she will not lose you, yet not letting go of you arm and clinging it onto her chest. "I know of the den... it's now abandoned, isn't it? I've never went that far..." She whispers. "I just wish not to be alone anymore... that's all I want"
21:24:23
"I will not let you alone. I will keep someone with you or I will stay with you until we will find a way to help you with this course." I sigh... God, what am I doing? Why I am doing so much for someoen I barely know? I just... I cannot stop myself . I want to help her, even if this is beyond all my reason and logic.
21:26:30
"Thank you from the bottom of my shattered heart, SIr..." She keeps clinging onto you, until you reach the den. A familiar figure is already there, observing it almost as if it was studying it. Her tail moving around with curiosity and her ears twitching as she notices your presence.
21:28:43
"She is a friend, don't worry. You are safe with her"
21:34:30
I give a small kiss on your forehead
21:34:40
"I assure you that nothing bad will happend to you from now on. You have my word"
21:35:03
"I trust you Sir Malaspina, i feel..." She closes her eyes once again, abandoned into your arms. "I feel safe..."
21:35:57
"Here. This place is secret. Only a few people knows of it's existence and you can be safe from dangers"
21:40:04
I grab her hand and walk into the den, showing her around. "I will make you have everything you need. Food, clothes, luggages... this will be your home until you will be free. Even if I think we will need to inform my wife Aria too"
21:41:15
The girl gets up following your steps timidly. "Uh... T-there's no need to be so generous Sir Malaspina, I just... I just wished not to be left alone.." She murmurs, looking around the den. "But I must really thank you your courtesy..." She takes the sweet Sunny offers to her and gives it a small bite. "Uhh... t-thank you, I... I don't know what to say..."
21:43:50
And caress the one of Lydia
21:44:34
"This place has been empty for so long, I know is not truly adapt for someone to live her by themself, so don't worry in asking me for what you need"
21:45:17
"I just hope we will be able to help you with the curse. I know too little about these things to talk about it"
21:46:05
"I have learnt to live along with it... even if sometime's hard..." She mutters, keeping to bite on the sweet. "All I ask you is not to leave me... or... if you happen to lose me... please come again in the forest and listen to my cry to find me."
21:47:28
"I count on Sunny to be here with you and I will be there as much as I can" I put my hands on your shoulders. "I need to go back to the Mansion soon, but I will spend the night with you here, I promise. Then, I will go back here, taking more people with you. I will not let you alone"
21:49:43
Lydia smiles, finally finishing the snack Sunny gave her. She looks right into Romantic's eyes, her ruby gaze looking deep into you. "I will be waiting Sir, I must thank you again for everything you did for me tonight..."
21:53:08
"COme with me, girls: I will take you to underground hot pool, where you can wash yourself, and to the place where you can rest. Tomowwor we will plan our next moves"
21:54:12
They both follow you underground, walking next to each other and exchanging curious looks. "It would be nice..." Says Lydia in a lower tone of voice, looking at her dress dirtied by the dirt and her tears.
21:55:47
