Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

the 10 Years Journey of a Lover Girl

Because I know, there are not many people that read my blog as it used to be... I feel safe to write a personal thought here. About love, that shaped me into who I am today. It all began in July 2015, I was only 17 years old goin on 18. It was my first time in my uni pre-class, I thought we had a seminar at auditorium back then. I walked directly into the venue, and I saw him seating on the highest row. He wore navy long-shirt, black curly hair that seemed too long for a man, and a black glasses. I sat on the second row, directly below him. Alone. I took a glance at him, and found he sat with his friend. After the seminar, I forgot how it went... but I found myself talking to his friend, the one who sat beside him. He stood there too. I remember looking at his eyes, and it was the moment I felt as if the time stopped ticking. I prayed to God, "ya Allah, if this is Your will, please let me find him again on our next encounter." A month later, He answered my prayer. It was in A...
Post a Comment
Read more

Intermezzo: Naif atau Bodoh?

Andai dunia itu nggak sesulit yang kita rasakan, ya. Dunia itu nggak baik bukan karena 'dunia' itu sendiri kan? Tapi karena manusianya. Dunia menjadi kejam karena ulah mereka yang tidak bertanggung jawab. Orang-orang yang mengenal saya mengatakan jika ada batas tipis antara naif dan bodoh di dalam diri saya. Terlalu lugu untuk melihat ini semua, tetapi sebenarnya bodoh karena tidak mengerti apa-apa. Saya bersyukur, karena saya dikelilingi oleh orang-orang yang melindungi saya agar tetap menjadi diri saya yang sekarang. Maksudnya, seperti bunga lotus yang tidak akan pernah kotor walaupun hidup di kolam berlumpur. Mereka, teman-teman saya, tetap menjaga saya seperti itu. Namun, ada kalanya saya harus sendiri. Pertemanan itu nggak harus selalu bersama-sama, cukup sirat hati yang menyatukan ikatan pertemanan. Nah, ketika saya sendiri itu lah saya merasa... bodoh. Maksudnya, saya sering melakukan kecerobohan. Mungkin, apa karena saya terlalu dilindungi mereka? "Dia itu adala...
Post a Comment
Read more

Newborn, Decade, Lifeless

I thought I'm finally free. From the relationship that makes me insecure, overthinking, emotional, overwhelmed, and drained. But I was wrong. Kun fayakun. In Islam, we were taught about it. I never expected that it would actually happened to me in such a short time. I found myself getting pregnant again back in October 2024. The fetus was already inside my body since August 2024. I felt my world ruined. Again. Deeper than before. I'm not ready for a second child. Especially in a relationship that I don't feel secure. I almost set myself free. Almost. Almost. Almost. Kun fayakun . With all the circumstances, cries, and sleepless nights, I finally gave birth to a beautiful baby named Melodie in May 2025. Do I feel happy? Yes. Do I feel blessed? Yes. Ironically, I know this is not where I belong, so he is. We basically together because of undeniable condition, where we have to raise our children together. Maybe that's why we always fight, and can't respect each other...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life Update from a 26 yo Woman

Sudah beberapa tahun terakhir ini aku tidak bisa menulis ataupun melukis apapun. Hidupku terasa datar, tidak ada hal lagi yang membuatku merasa senang (kecuali kehadiran anakku, Hagia). Tidak ada hal lagi yang bisa menginspirasi aku. Entah sudah sebanyak apa aku membeli peralatan lukis, buku catatan lucu yang banyak, namun tetap semuanya hanya berupa lembaran kosong hingga hari ini. Sampai semalam, aku kembali mencoba membaca seluruh postingan di blog ini, dimulai dari tulisan pertamaku di tahun 2012. Ternyata, ada begitu banyak kenangan manis, sedih, marah, kecewa yang aku tuliskan di dalam sini. Aku tumbuh dan berkembang di dalam blog ini, beberapa cerita kehidupan remajaku ada di dalam sini. Sebagai orang yang mudah melupakan kenangan-kenangan yang ada, membaca tulisanku sendiri membuatku merasa.... kembali hidup. Entah berapa banyak aku jatuh cinta, sakit hati, jatuh cinta, sakit hati, jatuh cinta lagi, dengan pria yang berbeda Orang-orang di dalam hidupku tidak begitu bertambah ba...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tentang Kehilangan, Melepaskan, dan Melupakan

People come and go. They could be a lesson or a blessing. Menjadi orang dewasa yang penuh tanggung jawab itu adalah sebuah ironi. Di satu sisi, sekarang aku bisa melakukan apapun yang dari dulu ingin aku lakukan. Di lain sisi, bebannya pun semakin menumpuk. Pekerjaan, mencari nafkah, menanggung hidup, waktu yang sedikit untuk berpelesir, dan juga relasi yang kian mengecil (entah apakah mengecil, atau kami semua hanya tidak bisa bertemu karena waktunya selalu bentrok). Aku bukanlah lagi Nita yang sama ketika aku memulai blog ini, dan aku bahkan berbeda dari diriku 5 tahun yang lalu. Kini usiaku akan beranjak 27 tahun, dan fase quarter life crisis  ini seperti tidak ada habisnya. Sudah 2 bulan terakhir ini, aku insomnia, sesak napas (bukan asma), tangan bergetar, dan selalu mengulang mimpi yang sama setiap harinya. Semua itu disebabkan oleh satu orang yang selalu muncul di dalam pikiran aku. Orang yang tidak mungkin untuk hadir kembali ke dalam hidup aku mungkin untuk selamanya. Kala...
Post a Comment
Read more