Thus, my dear reader, the brief interaction between our protagonist and her very first friend ended.
But, unfortunately, that very significant memory was not long kept by either of them.
More pressing matters soon caused both our pink haired damsel and her new found friend to forget all about this meeting and focus their efforts on other upcoming events.
Which brings us to the second event in Alythi's childhood worth retelling.
It occurred when she was in her 15th year.
One night, she found herself tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep. There was this strange sense of foreboding hanging over her. It was suffocating.
She decided to get up and head down to the kitchen for some water.
As she climbed down the last stair, and passed her father's study, she heard soft muffled cries echoing from within.
"I'm sorry my dear... so sorry... I've failed... I... " the cries broke off into silence.
"No..." it continued. "No, there's still time, I can..."
But again all was hushed.
Alythia stood still, careful to not even breathe too loudly.
The voice continued.
"I have to get rid of it, all of it. Yes, burn it, he can't read ash... he will have to stop... but then, the girl...".
It trailed off once more.
"He will use her, use her to get to me. He knows, oh he knows, he knows I've memorized it all..."
More mumbles ensued and for a time no distinct words could be discerned.
"THATS IT!!" the voice suddenly yelled, and Alythia felt her heart race from fright.
"That's it...", it softened, "my mind is the problem, that and the books, I'll get rid of both. Then he won't touch her, no need to then... she doesn't know anything I made sure of it. Never spent time with me, he knows that, she never did... pushed to the side and ignored, that's how she was, that's how it needed to be, then he wouldn't think of using her, yes, thinking her useless... that's how it was... how it needed to be..."
Again the voice trailed off.
A deafening silence filled the air.
Alythia stood, frozen in place, for how long she could not recall.
Then suddenly, she could hear her father whimpering.
"Lydia, I tried... my dear, I failed... there is no other way... how can I, without you... she has to live, please... please... live..."
Then the words again broke up into inaudible sobs mingled with noisy breaths.
YOU ARE READING
A DRAGON'S JEWEL: the Ancient Mage and the dark arts
RomanceAlythia wakes up in a strange new world which she believes she has read about somewhere and some time ago. Magic and Mythical Beasts surround her at every turn. She manages to befriend a Dragon but this only leads to more complications...
