The Broken Trance

"Blue eyes like ice, her smile of gold.. She will tell you a truth untold.. She punishes the mean and helps the distressed please, oh please, oh please don't hurt her.. or she will never rest"

The woman's voice rang out against the silence of the withering flowers and evergreen, stepping with that of elegance and wonder as she drew further and further into the forest. Her onyx hair in tight braids draped down her shoulders, dress of the finest red cloth was corseted to her slim waist. She sung in a mellifluous tone the soft lullaby.  Her voice was not one of wondrous beauty in her own mind, but to those who were lucky enough to hear the soft recoil of her singing from beyond the trees would whisper otherwise. 

"Oh my dear, my dear, of Jade and wonders.. please listen to me my dear for love is all that I require.. no palace, no tears.. just love. Oh my dear of Jade and wonders"

Every step she made, the soft crunch of leaves shattering under her toes echoed. It was after midnight, the moon was a crescent painted in the starry sky. Swiftly, she made way to the lake she had always dreamt of under the bright heaven's moon.  In the corner of her azure eyes came a pale figure, of small stature and fluttering wings, cloth hanging in a makeshift dress in a flowing river of faded chrysanthemum pink. 

"Oh my dear beauty, turn and run, for this forest is of death and rot and ruin, hiding amongst the trees"

The woman's lips shifted into only the kindest of smiles,

"My dear girl, your voice so sweet and so wonderful. If this place is death, rot and ruin, why do you stay? It must not be so bad if you reside here. I only came to see the lake please do not tell me to leave. Please do not try to frighten me." 

And with that, the woman bypassed the winged girl. Ignoring the fairy's plea. Her mind was set, her feet steady. She was stubborn but did not fully disregard the fairy as she was more cautious, more aware of her surroundings. Soon, she heard the soft hum of water and the croaking of hidden toads.  The water was dark, black almost. Lilies graced the water with kisses of white and pink. Though that was not the object of such great magnificence. Staring at the woman was a man with pure white hair that grazed the water which stopped mid-calf. His voice was deep and almost raspy as he asked,

"Woman of red. What are you doing by my waters? By my garden?"

His skin was an ash grey, laced with what looked like the texture of tree bark. His hair was tucked behind his elven ear. He was crowned with red lilies from what seemed to be his garden. His face was nothing less than handsome, lengthy he was and yet his jawline was perfectly sculpted with a softness that made the woman swoon. He was attired in black from neck down to his knees, where his pants tore into shreds. His shirt was black that buttoned around his neck which was almost hidden by his drab jacket which was worn from years of use. In his hand was a fiddle engraved with symbols that she was unable to understand.

"Woman of Red. What is it that you are doing by my waters? By my garden?"

The woman Looked at him with puzzlement before she smiled and said without an ounce of fear,

"My name is Maria, I came looking for the musician of ages."