lease, give up your heart to me?

The young maiden walked through the marketplace, veils draped about her head and body, a silver veil covering her face. If she could but find a man with no fear, one who could gaze upon her without consequence, then she would be free.

But how could she manage that, how could she find a man- nay, man or woman- who could gaze upon her and survive that power which bound her so? She seemed doomed to live out her days alone.

“Gorgons!” rang out through the streets, a young boy stumbling, knocking over several shields and breast-plates.

Soon the marketplace was in a frenzy. Women with their babes, soldiers, merchants, children, all running to hide in the nearest shelter they could find.

All save for the maiden.

She looked back on the empty street to see two writhing masses- for what else could you call these creatures?- slinking about, searching for something as yet unknown to them, it seemed. They stopped barely a yard from the young woman, as she greeted them,

“Hello, sisters.”