Tales

The woman's laughter filled the air, echoing off the stone walls and bouncing through the narrow, winding streets. It was a sound that belonged in a different time, a different place, like something out of a storybook. But there she was, standing atop the crumbling steps of the ancient temple, her long, flowing dress billowing in the breeze, her head thrown back in laughter. Even from where I sat, tucked away in the shadows, I could feel the warmth of her laughter, the lightness it brought to the heavy air.

A group of children, their faces smeared with dirt and their clothes ragged, emerged from a nearby alleyway. They stopped in their tracks, transfixed by the sight before them. One of the boys, his eyes wide with wonder, pointed up at the woman and whispered to his friends. They exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of awe and curiosity, before tentatively making their way towards her.

As they drew closer, I could make out the details of her face: high cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that sparkled like the stars in the night sky. Her hair, a tangle of dark curls, fell past her shoulders in waves. She wore a crown of leaves and flowers, woven together to form a delicate circlet that sat atop her head. Even from my hidden vantage point, I could sense that there was something truly special about her. Something otherworldly.

The children reached the base of the steps and tentatively approached her. They hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say or do, before one of them mustered up the courage to speak. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The woman looked down at them, her eyes gentle and kind. "Oh, little ones," she replied, her voice soft and soothing, "I am the storyteller." She smiled at them then, and it was like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud, warming their tiny bodies to the core. "I have come here to share with you the stories of the world, the stories of the stars and the sea, the stories of the creatures that walk this land and those that dwell within." Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she added, "But first, I must know: what is it that you would like to hear?"