A Short Story: Anjou & Penelope’s Great Adventure

Anjou and Penelope awoke the next day as the sunlight poured into the cavern. Before starting down the pathway to the cavern outlet they ate some of the berries and nuts Anjou had foraged the day before and drank water from his canteen till their appetites were sated. As they started on their way through the cavern Penelope asked Anjou to tell her again what Zinnia was like as she could hardly wait to get there. Never tiring of telling Penelope stories, Anjou began to describe Zinnia starting first with Penelope’s favorite part, the lustrous flowers native to Zinnia.

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As they stepped out of the cavern the hot sun welcomed Anjou and Penelope. Penelope felt relieved as she soaked in the rays of the sun and then she began to sprout more flowers. “You get more beautiful every day” Anjou said as he watched the newly sprouted flowers bloom. Under Anjou’s gaze Penelope could not help but giggle. “You should not tease me so” Penelope said as she shook her head and then the petals upon her head began to dance. “I am not teasing you” Anjou said and then silence overtook them.

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Anjou and Penelope continued their journey to Zinnia till sundown and then took their rest. The next morning just before daybreak Anjou hurriedly awakened Penelope and then they started back on their journey to Zinnia. “Did we have to wake so early?” Penelope asked with a yawn “yes, I want the first time you see Zinnia to be perfect.” “… If I’m with you it will be” Penelope blurted out and then grew flush in disbelief of her own words. “Who is teasing who now?” Anjou said with a laugh as he stroked one of Penelope’s petals.

Just as dawn began to break Anjou and Penelope reached Zinnia. As they surveyed the land from the hilltop Penlope was in deep admiration of all that she saw. Like a child she dashed down the hill, lost her footing, and then rolled the rest of the way down. Unbemused by her tumble, when Penelope reached the bottom of the hill she quickly jumped up and began to frolic, roll around, dance, and sing as she took immense pleasure in everything around her. The splendor of Zinnia was like that of a garden oasis. Anjou watched from afar with a smile as Penelope romped around like a child and then he made his way down the hill to join her. Together they thrashed around and played till their entire bodies ached. With a deep belly laugh Penelope fell back into a bed of flowers and then Anjou rested beside her.

Anjou and Penelope spent three days in Zinnia and then set off for Lychee Park. As they journeyed back to Lychee Park silence overtook them as they retreated into their minds. Both Penelope and Anjou were consumed with the memories of their adventures together. All the beautiful, scary, tender, and mundane moments they had shared were quickly ending. Anjou thought day and night about how he had initially set out to see dancing flowers and then return home, but how in the end he had discovered a much more precious flower than he had ever heard described in woodland fairy folklore. He thought about the resurgence of Elven Leviathans, The Twiddle Brigade, and Pine Titans, but most of all he thought about the wonder and glee that seemed to never leave Penelope’s eyes throughout their adventures.

Penelope thought of Elven Forest, and how Anjou saved her life there. She thought about how Anjou safely guided them down the torrents to Larkspur Falls, how he had collected Venus bugs to light their way in Lobelia Cavern, and ensured they awakened early to see Zinnia at dawn. After being in Zinnia for three days Penelope knew Zinnia was most beautiful at dawn. As they neared the fork in the trail that would take them back to Lychee Park Penelope broke the silence between them and said, “you have shown me more than I could have ever dreamed Anjou.” Several trices of silence passed between them and then Anjou said, “it doesn’t have to end here if you don’t want it to, I don’t want it to” “what are you saying” “I don’t quite know, your presence does unnerve me, I lose my train of thought easily when I am around you, but what I’m trying to say or I’m asking rather is for you to stay with me” Anjou stammered, “… stay with me and I promise every day will be an adventure, I’ll take you everywhere you never knew you wanted to go.” Penelope knew not what to make of Anjou’s words in the moment and thus remained silent.

As they came to the fork in the trail Penelope grabbed Anjou’s hand and said, “I go where you lead.” Anjou grinned from ear to ear, squeezed Penelope’s hand softly, and then gently led her to the left side of the fork away from Lychee Park up to Bullace Mountain to start a new adventure.

~ The End