Lorca

Lorca played the part well. He wore a smile from ear to ear as he spoke to the crowds, gathering an audience just by strolling down the street. He was always neat, well-composed, and dressed in beautiful garments of silk. Though he hadn't been around for long, his elegant appearance and incredible showmanship quickly made him one of the most recognizable dragons in the Frigid Floes, and he certainly presented himself as the center of attention.

Behind closed doors, however, Lorca expressed different sentiments to Oscar. He didn't act the part of the dazzling, invincible artist that the public knew him as. Between the two of them, he wasn't the "Jewel of Past Prologue," but merely Lorca, the artist. Only Oscar knew how the constant attention and expectation wore thin on his mate, driving Lorca to seclude himself for days as he immersed himself in books and old records.

The fame and success wasn't why Lorca practiced his craft. It was merely a fortunate side effect that allowed him to live comfortably with his mate - or at least, as comfortably as one could in the tundra. It was the joy of creation that spurred him forward. Through art, Lorca was able to challenge himself with new ideas and share his findings with the world. He would spend hours alone late at night, reading old scripts and immersing himself in poetry. When others shared their works, he was an attentive listener, soaking in outside perspectives and allowing them to clash with the words and songs he had written. Trade with other troupes was somewhat rare out in the Frigid Floes, but when they came knocking, Lorca always earnestly accompanied the troupemaster in greeting them.

Sometimes, Lorca would disappear. He would complain about a rut he'd been stuck in, or the recent cold snap making his wings ache, and the next morning he and Oscar would be gone into the world. Travelers and merchants would bring stories from across Sornieth about a skydancer artist who dressed in glittering clothes, painting by a lakebed or curling up with his mate as he quoted poetry into the air. And then, weeks or months later, Lorca would once again join the troupe, performing as if he had never left. It was alarming at first, considering how highly valued he was with the Troupe of Past Prologue, but he always returned with fresh inspiration and a renewed passion for his art.

And then, when Lorca performed, he shone like a star.
[by Doppler]