A+trip+to+the+art+shop

Lumani  swept through the archway of the elven embassy waving goodbye to the guards walking along the path. Her silvery-white hair tousled about her fair-skinned face as she smiled back at them charmingly. She sauntered alone through the merchant streets of Lyrabar. Her short frilly skirt, sheer-sleeved bodice, and thigh high leggings were not at all normal Lyrabar attire, and she carried a sparkly blue velvet bag over her shoulder that drew a couple of 'easy mark' glances.

She looked around in wonder at several interesting booths, her happy face and genuine smile not easily overlooked or forgotten. Without Luthais beside her, nudging her along, she took her time and oooed and ahhed over several items until she came to a colorful store front with stained glass windows depicting parchments, carving tools, strange colorful clays, and... paints! A little scrollworked carved sign dangled above the door reading Creative Inspirations.

The young elven girl brushed aside several strands of beads that rattled as she entered. The shop looked amazingly larger on the inside with rows and rows of different items... all something to do with writing, crafts, and art. A young human woman with long fiery red hair and a warm smile greeted her inside, "Hello! Welcome to Creative Inspirations where we inspire you to create! My name is Solivian, but you can just call me Solli."

Lumani  smiled cheerfully, "I'm Lumani . It's a pleasure to meet you." She curtsied in a graceful royal fashion, habit from years of training, and then headed for the section of painting supplies. She picked up rolls of canvas, various new colors of paints, and paintbrushes until her arms were so overloaded that she kept dropping something. Every time she would pick it up, something else would drop.

Solli smiled to herself and went over to help the young elf carry her things to the counter, "Here, sweetie, why don't we keep your things here and then you're hands are free to pick out anything else you'd like today."

"Oh, thank you!" Lumani  sighed with grateful relief, "You have so many nice things!" Solli laughed softly, "Thank you. You're very sweet to say so... That's... a very nice necklace you have there." She leaned over the counter inspecting the jewelry around Lumani 's neck that looked like icicles. "Thank you!" the elven girl beamed and gently touched the necklace, "My brother hates it... He scowls when I wear it..." Lumani giggled, "But it's so pretty that I thought I would wear it out today." Intrigued, Solli placed a hand under her chin and leaned against it, "Oh? I agree it's very pretty. Very... unique. Where did you get it?" "It was a present. I used to have matching earrings and a bracelet that went with it, but I gave the earrings to the nice bakery lady who helped save me and the bracelet to my sister... A dragon person gave them to me. He stole me away and wanted to marry me."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"A dragon person?" Solli raised an eyebrow. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"Well... first he was a person... then he was a dragon. A big white dragon in a big snow castle..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"Really?" Solli smiled, not really sure how much of this tale could be true, "Well that sounds like quite the adventure... and so romantic. He stole you away to marry you?" Solli leaned a little closer, whispering, "Was it a secret love that your family wouldn't allow?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Lumani thought about it for a moment, "Well... I guess... kind of... I mean I had just met him.. but he said he loved me... and my brother was pretty angry with him... Is that romantic?"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Solli laughed, still not sure how much of this story to believe, "Mmm it sounds like you had a secret admirer. And for him to just swoop in, revealing himself to you... and carrying you away to marry you... that does sound pretty romantic." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Lumani thought about this for a long moment, tapping a finger to her lips.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"So what happened?" Solli tilted her head, "Because I'm guessing you didn't get married..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"No..." Lumani shook her head, "After he came into the big school of magic and ported us away... Luthais, Kiera, and Samira came behind us and fought off his guardians until they stopped the wedding and then Samira ported us away closing up the door to the big snow castle... Luthais still worries all the time... but the snow is all gone now... so I don't think he's coming back."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Solli blinked at her... //was this all some adventure she created in the snow when it was here?// //This must be the loneliest little girl... and such imagination!// "Well... that really is quite the story. It sounds like he's very lonely and must have gone through a lot to come all the way here in a magic portal and make it snow in the city for you... my goodness... So are you hoping he returns to come and take you away to that magical place again? ... so romantic!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Lumani peered at her curiously, "Luthais says I'm too young for romantic.. I'm only 14. That dragon guy was silly for thinking we could marry! ...I didn't even know him!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Solli smiled, "Nonsense... you look plenty old enough to be romantic... Maybe you should go to the Temple of Sune and talk to someone... My brother is a priest there." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"What's the Temple of Sune?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"Oh it's lovely there... lots of beautiful red roses and statues... all in tribute to the goddess of love and beauty. And you are such a lovely girl... I'm sure they would love to fill you in on lots of good advice."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Lumani pondered all of this, but before she could say anything else... " Lumani !" Luthais's scolding voice came from the doorway, "I thought I told you not to wander off alone."

Seemingly oblivious to the tone of his voice, Lumani turned her bright smiling face to the door, "Big brother!" Her silvery hair swayed around her face as she spun around to run into his arms. She clutched her arms up around his waist and smiled up at him with her big blue eyes shining, "You found me!"

She melted him like she always did and he ruffled her hair, speaking with a softer patient voice, "Lum... we've talked about this... you don't want to be stolen again, do you?"

She twirled around in a little pirouette and floated up on the air long enough to wrap her arms around his neck. She grinned from ear to ear, "You would save me!"

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, "Not if I couldn't find you... you need to stay close. No wandering off." He looked up at the lovely red-haired woman behind the counter, "I'm terribly sorry... I hope she didn't cause you any trouble. " He placed a pouch of gold on the counter to more than cover the art supplies Lumani had piled up.

"No trouble, my lord. She has been a delight. You're both always welcome to Creative Inspirations any time," Solivian smiled up at the handsome elf, her aqua eyes warm and a little inviting.