Prologue - How they met
Every town has its own stories, fables as you may call them. To the town's folk of Lulia, Diana wasn't the roman goddess we know of but a protector of the haunted forest. Children were taught to care for others and to aid people in need, as well as respect for all living. Children were told Diana would take care of misbehaving children, luring them to the haunted forest and teach them in her own way. Needless to say, adults never were concerned when children went missing, Diana would make sure no ultimate harm came to them. And it always turned out true, all missing children would return, usually just after a few days and weeks at most. Diana's children they would be called and as such they behaved accordingly, they went out their way to embrace Lulia's core belief upholding them to their playmates.
Helia was one of those who hold most respect for all, even if he wasn't one of Diana's children. But then he wasn't a child anymore. Just days before this fateful day, he had celebrated his coming-of-age. While spending the day with his closest friends and family had been a wonderful gift alone, he treasured the painting equipment almost just as much. Everyone had joined together, to get Helia the best paints and good quality paper. He fully intended to make good use of his gift, which was why he was taking a stroll in the forest. He was good at drawing people but he never wanted to ask anyone to model for him, they shouldn't have to spend time for his passion when they had better things to do.
After walking for a while, Helia noticed he was further away from town than he thought; he must have been lost in his mind, something happening a lot to him. It must have been fate to bring him here, he concluded looking at the scenery surrounding him. It was lovely, the colours seemed more vibrant, the trees reached higher and yet, there was more light because the trees left each other more space to breath, the flowers at the ground got more nurturing sun light. It was them who held Helia's attention. "The Lilo" Helia muttered under his breath as his gaze came across the purple flower. The Lilo was a flower of Diana's fairy tale and never had been found by anyone who was not one of her children. While he had never seen the special flower before, Helia had known it to be the Lilo, on account of the retelling of Krystal, who had been a child of Diana.
More than half an hour later, the Lilo had made its way onto Helia's paper. Helia was quite satisfied with the outcome; the Lilo looked much like its living counterpart. Wanting to go back, Helia's attention was on his pencils for a moment and he didn't notice his paper getting picked up by the wind. A fluttering noise made him look up, in time for him to grasp it was his painting getting blown away. Quickly grabbing his back, he rushed after the drawing but whenever he was close, another wind blow made it fly further and further until Helia lost sight. Deciding he couldn't simply give up, he followed the wind's direction. He was certain, it had to be the right way and he slowly walked, looking everywhere and even in the bushes.
Light ahead told him of a changing landscape; up ahead was a meadow, not wide but wide enough to see the sky again. In the shade of the trees stood a girl, long brown hair fell in waves across her back, a dress covering her body. She wasn't looking in his direction, unaware of him. Helia itched to see her face, he couldn't explain the reason behind, just that he had to see her. Careful, he started heading to her. Smile, he told himself, trying to appear open, someone to trust. After all, he didn't think they knew each other and she may as well be scared of him. As he got closer, he noticed her studying his painting, smiling softly and it. He was a few steps away from her when he stopped, getting to close might scare her off. Soft green eyes greeted him, a polite if not a bit wary smile on her pink lips. Without words, she held up the drawing, asking if it was his. Nodding, he stepped forward to reclaim his painting as she laid the paper into his hands. For a second, Helia let go of her sight, glancing at his own paint, then at her again, only to find she had vanished as if into thin air. Was it perhaps Diana? Shaking his head, he doubted it, she seemed so much younger, and it couldn't be Diana. But who was she?
Who was she? He kept thinking the following evening, doodling her in his sketchbooks. She even followed him into his dreams.
AN: This is going to be a short multi-chapter fiction, I have currently planned about 3 chapters. Most will be Helia's POV, but I might write an additional chapter from Flora's POV. Would that be something you'd like to read? Also, please review, I love reading feedback.