(( Oh, no need to change the setting, Emma. Phen loves to explore for certain, so this is a great opportunity for her.
))
It was the legends that drew her.
Euphenia's favorite kind of inspiration were stories. Unsure of herself when speaking of such tales, she chose instead to perform them. Through her love of dance and song, Phen believed she did her part in helping others to better understand the blessings Xanth brought into their lives.
Stories were being made all of the time. Everyone had their own, but the ones of a kind that all folk could appreciate were harder to find. They didn't have to be elaborate or legendary, even if Phen loved intricate tales and unsolved mysteries. The ones she chose to tell through her talents had to touch a cord in her heart and resonate in tune with her heart's song. Whenever Phen felt that old familiar goosebump causing quiver, she knew she had found a fantastic resource for her imagination.
Rubbing at her arms with both hands as she strolled down a meandering path, the exp
ression on Phen's face was one of awestruck delight. The rumors of The Underground being a wonder for the senses had not been overstated. She could feel her next musical composition swelling within her mind and spirit, and was going over some of the details in her head when a low hissing sound near her ear jolted her from her daydream.
Anyone who was able to see Phen that day may have stared just a little, for any number of reasons. The more evident of those reasons was that Phen had not worn her usual drab clothing. She was particularly radiant in a lavendar and royal blue knee-length dress with matching slippers. She'd even adorned her wings and hair with pretty ribbons and tiny golden bells, so with every step she took the bells would chime softly. Why had she dressed up? Well, the truth was that it hadn't been
her idea. Soren had insisted that Phen wear one of The Birdcage's costumes for her first visit to The Underground. The ribbons and bells were the dryad's doing as well, but Phen was actually quite pleased with the calming effect the bells' vibrations had on her angel snake.
The winged serpent, Sanna, was loosely coiled about Phen's throat right then, and it was her hissing that had reminded the nyad that she needed to pay attention to her surroundings beyond their beauty. What feathers were closest to the angel snake's body were downy, just as Phen's were, and it was those that the winged nymph felt when Sanna slid her upper body forward to test the air with several flicks of her long forked tongue.
Guided by the same motherly instinct that had Phen rushing to try and help just about every mistreated animal she came across, the nyad slowly raised a hand to gently rub under Sanna's chin. The angel snake's tongue flicker slowed, and she slithered back to rest her head on that hand, nuzzling it in her own way with lazy swishes of her head back and forth. Again Phen was amazed at how well she and the angel snake understood one another. Without really thinking about it, she had felt Sanna needed comforting and from the angel snake's response, she had. Phen murmured something in Sylvan, tilting her head so it was all the more obvious that her words were for the angel snake alone. Sanna's wings fluttered a little in response, tickling the nyad's cheek and shoulder, or at least Phen thought it was so.
"Our first real outing together, Sanna," she whispered to her scaled friend, again in Sylvan,
"Do you think I'll find the watch I need and the COM I want here?"
Sanna's tongue flickered, and she lifted her head up from Phen's hand to waggle it in the direction of a bench off to the side of the path.
"You gotta love Xanth, man. She's sure got style."
"Kiel?!" Phen blurted, startling Sanna terribly. The angel snake hissed in irritation and flared out her wings, partly blocking Phen's view of her 'vari friend. The end of Sanna's long and narrow tail shook rapidly, and the tiny bells that Phen had decorated her pet's feathery tail tuft with rang prettily. Oh yes, Sanna was oh-so-scary a sight. At least her bared fangs had some threat to them.
Phen resorted to the same thing that had worked to calm Sanna all the other times the angel snake's nyad had done something brainless. She sang, softly crooning to the winged serpent as her hands stroked up and down the pearly scaled body. In Sylvan she praised the angel snake's bravery, but pleaded for her to lean towards mercy. She murmured of friendship, caring, and restful slumber. Gradually the angel snake closed her mouth, relaxed her wings, and recoiled herself about Phen's neck, but her tongue was going a mile a minute.
Still petting Sanna by way of apology, the nyad's cheeks turning a rosy dark pink, Phen smiled sheepishly down at Kiel.
"Sorry about that. She's very skittish, especially around those she doesn't know. Would you allow me to introduce you?"