Artifex Souligni (42 museless years)

Artifex stood uncomfortably in the doorway, staring down at the floorboards as what was left of her chosen family decided what to do with Cyan's positions. Artifex didn't really hear them as they talked, and she failed to take note of the things they chose to keep. It didn't really seem to matter, the little dragon no longer had the heart to be sentimental. Her favorite person in this whole wide world was gone, and try as she might, Artifex couldn't save her. 

Someone said her name a few times, and after a moment of scrambling to gather her thoughts, she looked up. 

It was Edmond, Cyan's husband and Artifex's second favorite person. "Are you alright?" 

She opened her mouth to say something reassuring. "No." 

"Do you need a hug?" 

That was sweet of him, and normally she would have excepted. But then, normally she would have felt something when her family looked at her like this. Normally she would have been strong for them. She was their muse after all, it was her job.

And yet... "I think I need some space." 

Maybe her empathy had been drained, or maybe she was afraid to use it. Either way, Artifex backed out of the door way and turned to leave.

No one stopped her. They didn't fully understand what "some space" could mean to a dragon. She left the porch without stopping to say goodbye to the pile of bones that guarded the door, picked her way down the stairs slowly, and made a somber beeline for her den. 

Crane was playing with dirt in the muses path. She was only ten, and while everyone had done their best, Artifex knew she was struggling too. 

The old Artifex would have taking this little stymphalian under her wing, but this one didn't. 

Edmond was a good father, she reasoned. The kid would be alright.

Crane's face lit up as she approached, and the little stymphalian jumped up to follow as Artifex walked by. "Arti! I didn't know you were here! Look I found a- wait! Where are you going?" 

Artifex sighed and paused to look down. "I have to go, the mermaids need me." She lied. 

"Oh. Well... Will you come back?" 

"Oh course, it might take a while though." 

"Okay!" Crane reached up on her tippy toes to grab Artifex's nose, pulled it down, and gave her kiss on the top of the muzzle. "See you later, be safe!" 

"See you later, Crane," Artifex repeated with a broken smile, "be safe." 

The little stymphalian went back to her pile of dirt, unaware as her family's muse walked out into the swamp and disappeared.