Here we go with the third leg of our Next To Nieveaux adventure!
Princess Picclapena Meets Joy
Picclapena and Ezra followed as Chomp led them into the village. The village was a vibrant place. There were sounds and colors and textures everywhere. Picclapena’s nose crinkled at the smell of freshly baked bread as they walked past the bakery. The hard, uneven cobblestones beneath her feet felt sturdy, even as her ankles rolled to accommodate them. She stopped to chuckle at the reflection of the three of them in a shop window.
Ezra looked serene and tidy. Chomp was bursting with enthusiasm. Even his wiggle had swagger. Picclapena was the odd, rag-tail member of this company. Her hair ribbons were long gone. The new dress she had donned for her first public appearance was barely recognizable. When Lady Agnes took it off the hanger, it was exactly the color of fresh spring lilacs. Now, it was more the color of the dirt in which those same lilacs would grow. Her face was smudged, and her stockings torn. The scrapes and scratches on her leg and hands were still visible. In fact, there was a brand-new gash in her right arm that she did not remember even getting. It was bleeding. All in all, no one would ever know she was a royal princess.
Chomp stopped outside a small shop.
“Here we are,” said Chomp. “My friend Joy lives here. I think she is about the most magical thing in our whole village. Perhaps you could take her back with you, although I do not know why she would want to go. Maybe she has some ideas, though.”
As they entered the shop, they saw a woman standing in front of a long table arranging flowers. She smiled when she saw Chomp and stooped down to welcome him. Chomp rushed over to her and threw himself into her arms. He chortled and snorted in glee. The woman peered curiously at the two visitors over Chomp’s head.
“Oh, Joy,” Chomp said, “please forgive my manners! I was just so happy to see you I did not stop to introduce you to my friends. This is Picclapena and Ezra. They are on a quest, and I thought you could help. You see, Picclapena lives in Nieveaux- Inside the Curve, but has wandered beyond the Edge of the Curve. She went chasing a churla and got lost. By the time she realized what had happened, she had been gone too long. She cannot return home unless she can bring back something from the outside world that will make life better in Nieveaux. I thought you might be able to help her find some magic. You are the most magical person I know!”
Joy looked at Picclapena closely. She seemed about to say something when Picclapena yelped.
“Oh, I am so sorry! I have this gash on my arm, and I’ve dripped blood on your floor.”
“Don’t you worry about that, child. You poor thing. Does it hurt? Here, I can take care of that for you,” responded Joy.
Picclapena thought Joy was going to clean and bandage the cut, so she held out her arm. Instead, Joy gently drew her finger over the cut, and it immediately healed. Picclapena gasped. She tried to pull her arm back to examine where the cut had been, but Joy was still holding it. Joy seemed puzzled as she looked intently at Picclapena’s arm. She laid her hand gently on the lavender mark.
“Oh, that. That is just a birthmark. It doesn’t hurt or anything,” explained Picclapena.
“No, I imagine it doesn’t,” mused Joy quietly.
“You really are magic, aren’t you?” asked Picclapena. “I know you would make life better in Nieveaux. You can heal wounds without medicine or tools. Would you come back with me so I can go home?”
“Oh dear, I am not sure I could do that. You see, I have a life here. I have my friends and my flower shop. I don’t know what I would do in Nieveaux.”
“Oh, please! It would mean so much to me to go home. Won’t you come with me?”
“No, I don’t think I can but never mind. Perhaps I can think of something. In the meantime, you are tired and all scraggle-muffin. I wager you are hungry, too. I am sure I can wrestle up something for you to wear from one of the neighbors. Why don’t you take a bath and l get you some clean clothes? I have some chicken cooking in the oven. Please, all of you, stay for dinner. Chomp, I am sure I have some blackberries for you. In fact, I know… why don’t you all stay the night, and I will try to think up a plan to get you home, Picclapena.”
Picclapena was disappointed but was happy to get a hot bath and a hot dinner. She was very hungry and very tired. It had been so long since she left home. She could barely remember what it felt like to have a full belly and a comfy bed and people around her to keep her safe. The idea of soaking in a bathtub and eating her fill and spending more time with this unusual woman was immensely appealing.
That evening, after an enchanting dinner filled with rollicking laughter and easy conversation, Picclapena snuggled into the bed Joy made up for her. She felt warm and cozy, wrapped in amiability and companionship. Picclapena started to realize how safe she felt. For the first time since leaving Nieveaux, she felt secure and free from fear. In fact, thought Picclapena, she never felt this bone-deep sensation of safety even in Nieveaux where everything in her world was designed specifically to keep her safe. Before she had a chance to think too much about this revelation, her eyelids drooped close, and she fell fast asleep in the darkness.
The next morning, Picclapena stretched awake and luxuriated in the sunny rays seeping through the curtain in the bedroom. As she pushed herself up into a seated position, she saw that Joy was sitting beside the bed in a chair quietly stripping thorns off roses.
“Oh, you are awake! I didn’t want to wake you because you have had such a difficult few days, but I was starting to worry. I must say, I was worrying for nothing, though. You look wonderfully well-rested and happy,” marveled Joy.
“Yes, I feel fantastic. Thank you so much for letting me stay here and for the dinner and for everything.”
“I am glad to have you. Truly,” Joy replied. “Chomp is playing in the backyard and that Ezra fellow who was here with you asked me to tell you that he had a few things to do but will be back a little later. I am happy to have a little time to ourselves because I wanted to tell you something. I have decided to come back to Nieveaux with you after all. I am not sure how long I will stay, but I will go back with you so that you can go home.”
Picclapena jumped out of the bed and threw her arms around Joy.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you! That is so good of you. I don’t think I have ever met anyone as kind of you.” Picclapena began to cry with relief and gratitude. “But what changed your mind? You seemed so against the idea last night!”
“I was just thinking about everything last night and decided I wanted to help you more than I didn’t want to go to Nieveaux. I had a little girl once. Her name was Penny. I would like to think that, if my little girl were in trouble, someone would be kind and help her.”
Picclapena paused. She wanted to know what had happened to Penny but didn’t like to ask. Joy looked so sad. “I am sure Penny was a lucky girl to have a mother like you. Thank you so much! When shall we go?”
“The sooner the better so I don’t have a chance to change my mind!” laughed Joy.
As they were talking, Chomp came barreling through the room with his mouth full of blackberries. He plopped down next to the bed and began eating. Picclapena and Joy had a breakfast of fresh blackberry muffins and cambric tea. They were ready to leave.
“Shall we wait for Ezra, do you think?” asked Picclapena.
“I think we are good to start out on our own. I am certain he will catch up with us,” replied Joy.
“Yes,” said Picclapena. “He does have a way of appearing at the right times. Let’s go. How will we know which way to go to get to the Edge of the Curve?”
Joy laughed. “There is only one road to Nieveaux, and I have been to the Curve thousands of times. We will be able to find our way with no trouble at all.”