Asteria in the Garden
The inside of Asteria's temple was just as beautiful as it's exterior.
It was all white marble, golden accents, and decorated in pale pinks.
However, as stunning as it was, it still some how managed to look frugal and minimalist too.
As Leon and I walked through the massive front doors, Helios citizen gawking at us all the while, I saw that there were none of the statues or golden vases I had expected to see.
There was a few stone planters for pink and white flowers, and several pink tapestries, but not much else.
Outside the temple was crowded, but the inside was hushed and not nearly as populated.
My claws clacked on the white floors as I took in the foyer, ignoring the few people in favor of appreciating the temple itself.
It was so large that I actually felt small, the ceiling far above me, painted with stunning murals of clouds, blue skies, and hidden behind the clouds were hints of some kind of pink, scaled, creatures. ..
"What is that?" I asked Leon, interrupting whatever conversation he had been having with an older woman in a fluttering white robe. I hadn't even realized that anyone had approached us, much less that the prince had been talking to them.
The woman looked up at me and smiled. She was an elderly human with pale skin, very pale blue eyes, and grey hair tied in a long braid over a shoulder.
The braid was woven with soft pink flowers that had a sweet smell to them.
"It's a mural depicting our lady, the goddess Asteria.
At least, what little was known of Her greatness when the temple was constructed.
" She said, her voice shockingly pleasant, making me think she could sing beautifully.
"She is the embodiment of light, air, and the purest of beauties.
One might say that you yourself are the very embodiment of all the goddess stands for. "
I had gotten used to constant flattery- I would even say that I have come to expect it even- But for some reason, when this elderly woman did it, it made me feel embarrassed.
She just sounded so sincere and honest, her eyes sparkling as if she really had seen the embodiment of her goddess descended to walk among them. ..
"Oh, ah... Thank you." I said, unsure how to respond.
The woman's eyes lit up, both with wonder and delight.
"Gratitude from a dragon? I have, indeed, lived just long enough!
Surely Asteria has smiled down upon the temple and I this day.
A royal Awakening and a visit from a dragonelle- who is as symbolic of our order as one could imagine- in a single day! "
Leon, standing just behind the elderly woman, grinned broadly, clearly amused by my embarrassment. I glared at him, but couldn't bring myself to say anything that would bring down the bright elderly woman's high spirits.
"Allura, this the High Priestess. She is in charge of this temple." Leon introduced. "High Priestess, this is my partner, Allura."
"Allura? What a lovely name. Even it is homage to our great Asteria, who favors names beginning with the letter 'A'.
" Purred the woman. She reminded my so much of a dotting old woman who sat on her porch, cooing about her grandchildren all day, that it was somewhat off-putting.
Especially since, though she was advanced in age, I could tell that her posture was perfect and her eyes were sharp and perceptive.
She seemed genuine in her praises, however, so I didn't think she was being calculating, and just trying to butter me up.
"I 'm not sure that is what my mother had in mind when she named me." I stated kindly, though I really had no clue what the meaning was behind my name, if there even was one. I did agree that it was pretty, and fitting for one as lovely as myself, though. "Do you not have a name, High Priestess?"
"Oh no. When we become daughters of the goddess we abandon such things, taking only our titles under her gentle wing. She does not ask this of us, but we do it as one of the few ways we humble mortals can show the Great Goddess our love."
"Wing?" I asked, looking back up at the mural beautifully painted on the ceiling. Catching glimpses of the goddess' form behind the clouds was so fleeting, it was impossible to tell what she looked like, other than I doubted it was human in shape. A dragon, perhaps?
"Oh yes." Sighed the High Priestess, hands clasped before her.
"Would you like to see a depiction of what it is believed she looks like?
Some centuries ago a dying artist came and had a divine vision of Asteria.
He then dedicated the rest of his life to painting her likeness for others to gaze upon, as per the goddess' wish! "
"Oh? Yes, I would like to see that!" I said happily, my curiosity peeked. "We won't be late for Serenity's Awakening though, will we?"
Leon smiled and the High Priestess chuckled. "A dragon is late for nothing, Allura. Though there is still time till the ceremony is set to start, even if you were not to arrive precisely on time I am sure they would stall it to await you."
"That doesn't feel right..." I said as Leon and I shuffled along after the priestess. She was walking across the large foyer, toward a grand, yet simple, door set between two pillars.
"Don't worry Allura." Said Leon, a hand on my scales. "In all honesty, it is you who is doing Serenity and the royal family a huge favor, even though I know that wasn't you intention at all."
"What do you mean?"
"To have a dragon- specifically, a wild dragon- at a person's awakening is the height of good fortune and luck.
" Explained the High Priestess sweetly. "Only a scant few people in history can boast such a thing.
You, attending young Serenity's Awakening, will raise her status amongst nobles and the common folk alike, who will see her as a dear friend to one of the strongest beings in this world aside from the gods themselves.
It is almost as if the gods have blessed her and the royal family with great fortune. "
"Not that I think that was on Serenity's mind at all when she invited you Allura." Leon hurriedly explained.
I shook my head. "No, I don't think Serenity would have had such calculations in mind either.
She just wanted her friend to be here on an important day.
" Serenity was just a child, sweet and innocent, looking to be loved and praised.
Her mother on the other hand... I remembered the smile she wore when Serenity had asked me to be here.
I was sure that Amanda knew full well what a boost to her daughter's reputation me being here would be. And, by extension, her own reputation.
"I think having you here, especially, will be seen as divine intent Allura." the High Priestess said as we neared the door. She waved a hand (Obi-wan Kenobi style, I might add) and the invisible seem of the white stone doors split, opening up into a large and fragrant flower garden.
"Specifically? Why?" I knew I was a source of interest to the people of Helios, but it wasn't like I was some kind of famous dragon.
What I amounted to was an unfortunately lost little dragon child on a fools quest to rescue her siblings from unknown forces.
A curiosity, and fun topic of discussion, but not some one to see as a 'divine' anything. ..
"I think you will understand when you see..." the older woman said cryptically.
We followed her over a winding marble path, passing bushes of pink and white flowers, a few benches, and more than a few men and women in white flowing robes.
They must have been other priests and priestesses doing whatever it was they did in this garden.
Every one of them stopped and stared as we passed.
Now, this wasn't odd for me. In fact, I had started to become accustom to people stopping in the streets whenever I accompanied Leon out into the city for one reason or another.
According to the other dragons, it was weird that I wanted to go into town.
Most dragons avoided it unless there was a need, even the bonded ones.
According to them, it was annoying and cramped on the city streets, even if they had been built with dragons in mind.
Also, why would they want to walk anywhere?
They were dragons... if they wanted to be some place, they would fly.
And as much as a dragon loved a good compliment and ego boost, having that many 'two-foots' gawking and clamoring was irritating after a while.
I could see where they were coming from.
It could be really irritating, especially the scant few people who seemed to be oblivious to what should and should not be done in front of a dragon, much less a wild female dragon such as myself.
Leon enjoyed my company at these times, but I am sure they also gave him an ulcer when a person dared to do or say anything that might be seen as an insult.
Leon must see me as a saint among dragons, who has the patients of a sage, given how he (and others) seemed to think that just about anything could send me into a killing rage at the drop of a hat.
It honestly made me a little worried of ever meeting a real female dragon, in the wild.
There had to be some bases behind their anxiety, right?
As for these current worshipers of Asteria?
Well, their stares seemed to be so very extra to me.
They stood there, mouths agape, eyes as wide as saucers, and their hands clutched to their hearts.
Was I so stunning that I was inducing heart attacks now?
Even I wasn't vain enough to believe that.
"Do they always act like this?" I asked Leon quietly, eyeing two elderly priest as we passed. They had literal tears in their eyes, whispering hurriedly to one another.
"Honestly, I have no idea. I've never been to this part of the temple before, just the main areas." Stated the prince, also watching the priests with some concern.
Ahead of us, the High Priestess chuckled. "Normally only members of the church, or especially invited devotees, are allowed to enter this sanctuary." She said. "It's a calming garden that Asteria's dedicated come to meditate and sense the goddess' great light and love."
I wasn't sure we should be here if that was the case. I wasn't someone that could be called a 'devotee'; though I wasn't sure about Leon. At least he was a prince and could, conceivable, be invited back here, I supposed. Was that why they were all stopping and staring?
"Oh!" Leon gasped, coming to a halt at my side quite suddenly. I had been eyeing the other people and not paying attention, so I nearly ran into him before coming to a stop myself.
"This is the painting done by that venerated artist. Do you see now?" laughed our guide.
I followed both people's gazes forward, and my eyes landed on a carved, marble, monolith of sorts. It was basically just a huge slab of flat marble with an arched border carved into it, surrounded by a few feet of cleared space and two black barked, pink trees either side of it.
However, as pretty as the scenery was, it was what was painted upon the stone that had caught Leon's attention. It had mine now too. Suddenly I could see why the High Priestess thought I was an embodiment of their goddess. And she hadn't even seen my in my human shape!
The painting on the marble was quite dynamic, captivating and ethereal on its own. Without knowing what it depicted, I would still have been locked in place, staring in wonder and fascination. But knowing that this was what a goddess was supposed to look like, I was even more entranced.
Asteria was neither a human nor a dragon.
If I had to pick, I would have said that she was a mix of both, or maybe one of those mythical creatures back on Earth, the gorgons?
Except she was immeasurably beautiful, with a snake like lower half of shimmering pink scales, the length of it unknow due to much of her lower half being hidden in the clouds she had been painted in.
Her upper half was human in shape, with widespread, pink feathered wings.
I doubt even elves could boast such beauty as the goddess did.
Her skin was alabaster, and her eyes were the purest of green-apple gems I had ever seen.
She sported ivory horns on her head, and long, flowing pink hair that billowed around her.
"She looks like you..." said a breathless Leon, eyes wide and his hand back on my scaly hide. "She looks just like you in your human shape!" He sounded awed, whether by the painting or the comparison I wasn't sure.
It was true that Asteria and I shared a lot in common.
Enough that even I might have thought we were related, despite knowing that my mother was an amazing silver dragon, whose bones now rested in my dimensional storage.
Perhaps this was why the goddess saw fit to give me that overpowered skill tree?
I was confused and amazed. Mostly, I looked at the painting, stricken by her beauty, and wondered if this is what people felt when the gazed upon me? Was that too egotistical? I was just curious!