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The Story of Anna and Avis

There was a star that shone brightly in the skies. Her name was Andromeda Minerva, but the other stars called her Anna. She was named after the Goddess of war, Athena, by her mother, Cassiopeia. She had long golden hair, with a flower crown made of stardust around her head. Just like her name, she was very beautiful and brave. She intended to be a wanderer, though her mother forbade her.

Everynight, since she was a child, Anna saw the dimmest star in the south skies from afar. "Who is that?" She asked herself. The dimmest star, there was something about it that made her curious.

One night, a week after her 18th birthday, Anna escaped from her palace, the north skies, to the south skies. She wanted to met the dimmest star.

"Your highness, don't go!" Said the maid.

"But I need to go. Please don't tell Mum. I will be back soon," said Anna, already on her horse. She covered her gorgeous hair with a golden cape.

"But, how will you shine at night?" Asked the maid.

"Oh, honey. I am a star... we are the stars. We're always shining no matter what, when, or where," answered Anna and she giggled. "See you, dear."

Days and months passed, she wandered from the north to the south alone. On her journey, she met some new people. They were curious why the princess wanted to met the dimmest star in the south palace. Anna couldn't answer that, because she thought she just needed to met the dimmest star in the south. Every night, she knew that she was getting closer to the south.

One starry night, when the night skies were as clear as the day, Anna saw a star around her age, he shone dimly in the south. "That must be him," thouhgt Anna.

She walked closer to the dim star as he looked at Anna. "Who are you?" He asked.

"I am Andromeda of the North," answered Anna while giving her hand. "You can call me Anna." She was amazed by the man that stood in front of him. He had silver hair with a blue sapphire crown around his head. His face was very handsome, with a calm and wise atmosphere around him. His deep blue eyes made Anna drowned slowly.

"Andromeda? Princess Andromeda?" He asked. "What are you doing in the south?"

Anna smiled shyly. "Because I wonder whom shone dimly. Now I know it is you."

He shooked his head. "What a dumb. Let me ask, do you even know who am I?" Asked him.

Anna shooked her head. She struggled to avoid his eyes but she couldn't resist his gaze.

"Well, Princess Anna, I am Avis Indica, the dim star of the South," ansewered him calmly. "I...."

"Wait.... do you mean that you are Prince Avis? Is that you?" Anna couldn't stop for being excited.

"Yes, I am, Princess," answered Avis. "I never thought that I will have a guest from the north."

***

"Avis, who is that?" Asked the queen inside the palace. It was the night after Anna came.

"Anna of the north, Mum," answered Avis.

"Why is she here?"

"Because she likes me," answered Avis again, with a little smile on his lips. Deep in the heart, he was pretty amazed by her courage. He never met the north star before. He only heard about the north palace from his parents' stories. He knew that there was Princess Andromeda, but he never thought that the princess was only at his age, young, and beautiful. "Or, because she was curious about my dim light."

The two became friends in a month. The calm prince had laughed with the bubbly princess in a short time. The two contradictive personalities somehow could unite and completing each other. Both of them were blessed that they met.

Avis Indica was born as the star of the South. Though he shone dimly, he was very popular in the south. Many women found him attractive. As a prince, he grew as a soft and calm man, but cold to the women. It was not that he hated women, but there were no women that could melt his heart. But, there was Anna, that came from the north. Somehow, he knew that Anna slowly melt his heart.

One night, he peeked at the garden, where Anna calmly sat on the bench. She looked at the night skies with a smile. "There was something about that girl," said Avis to himself.

Anna looked at her back and found Avis standing still. "I think I need to go home, Avis. I've made my Mum worried."

Avis smiled sadly. "So, is this our farewell?"

"I hope not," said Anna. "Would you come with me to the north, Avis?"

"Why should I?"

Anna smiled brightly and take his hand. "Because the world is too wonderful to be forgotten. You will like to be a wanderer," said her while pointing at the skies.

"I'd never leave to the north," said Avis.

"Come with me, stay in the north for a month, Avis," asked Anna.

***

The two then went to the north together. As the spent a lot of times together, he knew that she already melt his entire heart. On the other side, the princess was also in love with the prince. If she could, the princess would stay with the prince forever. It was ironic because the brightest star of the north could fell in love with the dimmest star of the south. It was undeniable that they fell in love, though they didn't realize it yet.

When arriving at the north palace, her mum ran into her. "What a star! I am worried, you idiot!" Cried her mum.

Anna laughed and hugged her mum tightly. "I am sorry, Mum. But I finally know who it was." She looked at the Avis that slowly walked to them. "Mum, this is Avis."

The north queen looked at Avis, hypnotized by his charm. "Oh, are you Prince Avis Indica of the South?"

"Yes, Ma'am," answered Avis as calm as the way he was. He never thought that the north queen was as bright as the princess.

One night, Avis saw Anna watered the golden flowers on her garden. She was beautiful and grace as always. "I love him, but I know we would never be united. We live in the different world, aren't we? How could I, the princess of the north, and he, the prince of the south could be together? It was too good to be true." Said Anna to her flowers. "How could I fall in love with that Prince? Love is so unreasonable." She didn't know that the prince was standing behind her and eavesdropping her.

Before approaching to Anna, Avis looked at his own body. "There was no way that I could be with her," said him quitely. He hid the silver ring that he brought from the south. He wanted to give the ring to the princess, but he was afraid that she would be expecting him. He was afraid because he couldn't gave what the princess expecting from him. The prince was too dim if compared to the bright princess. The prince wanted the princess to be happy. She was right afterall, how could the prince and the princess unite?

"Anna?" Finally Avis asked.

Anna gapsed and slowly turned her body, they locked their eyes.

"This is not where I live, I need to go back to the south," said Avis as calm as possible.

"Why so sudden?" Asked Anna trying to be cheerfull.

".... and this is our farewell," continued Avis, not answering Anna's question. "This is where you live. Please don't go after me in the south. Be happy, Anna." He turned around and walked, leaving her.

Shocked, Anna dropped the water can and slowly fell to the ground. Her tears slowly fell from her cheeks. That was the first time she was crying because of a man. Not like her previous tears, the tears of a broken hearted star was blue. As blue as the prince's crown.

Avis heard her crying but he chose not to go back and keep moving forward. Slowly, the golden tears fell from his cheeks. It was as golden as the princess' hair. He knew if he came to the crying princess, he would never be dare enough to leave her.

***

Years after that, Andromeda was always crying in November, the month of their farewell. Avis on the other hand, sometimes turned into a Cendrawasih or The Bird of Paradise, to saw Andromeda from afar.

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