There once was a meadow that stretched for miles and miles, and anyone that strolled through would disappear for a while. Its subtle hills were far-reaching and tightly packed with pale-yellow flowers called Zensies. They came in pairs, linking at the stem, with petals as big as the pad of your thumb, and the pollen had a scent so sweet it was nauseating. Rumor had it, the endless trek would go beyond the scope of reality, but no one could ever know for sure. Every year, travelers explored the meadow, but they rarely made it far. Many believed the meadow was never-ending; however, just beyond was the small Kingdom of Zenthia. 

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The kingdom was cut off by the Zensie Meadow, and no citizen in the entirety of Zenthia questioned what was beyond it. The kingdom went unnoticed and unbothered for hundreds of years, since travellers barely scratched the surface of the meadow’s depth. However, the story of Allucia and the Zensie Meadow brought it to light. 

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Her disappearance triggered a dramatic increase of visitors into the Zensie Meadow. Some miraculously survived and discovered the other side, spreading Allucia’s story, which I’ll share with you on this gloomy day. So, let’s start on the morning of the day before her disappearance.

 

Princess Allucia was spending her vast amount of free time laying on the castle ballroom floor, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling, while her father was publicly announcing the annual expedition into the Zensie Meadow. The kingdom gathered outside the main castle doors, grabbing onto each other in anticipation. Every year they hoped that the troops would return—or better yet, return with good news. As far as the people of Zenthia were aware, they were the only kingdom to exist and the thought of people outside the kingdom was exhilarating to say the least. 

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“It is my greatest joy to announce to you all on this lovely morning that we have set forth on our annual voyage into the Zensie Meadow,” King Anther exclaimed to his kingdom. 

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Leaning against the brick wall of a small shop just out of the way of the crowd, Allucia’s aunt, Azara was in attendance for the grand announcement. She made sure to stay in the shade; her reputation didn’t really sit well with the people of Zenthia, and she knew it. Azara was always sidelined for her sister’s success and image, even as a child her parents treated Amora better, listened to her more, loved her more. Consequently, Azara learned from a young age how to take fate into her own hands, and this story is no different. 

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“This journey is to quench our collective curiosity, and is intended to expand our community and knowledge of the unknown world!”

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 Amora nodded her head and faintly smiled, rehearsing the yearly scene once more. She shouldn’t be up there, Azara thought. “If I were queen,” she mused, “I’d never take it for granted. But where in the world is the princess?”

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Princess Allucia tried to avoid royal responsibilities if it meant accompanying her parents, so she often found herself alone in the grand rooms of the castle doing mundane activities. Well, she didn’t consider them mundane—she could spend hours gazing upon the ballroom ceiling. The ballroom had gold plastered on every surface, but the ceiling had a mural of dark lavender clouds with the sun outlining their edges which captivated Allucia every time she saw it. Restless against the cool tile floor of the ballroom would be the closest she’d be to feeling relaxed. She didn’t need a crown to love herself, like her mother. She didn’t need authority over others to feel important, like her father. She wanted to be somewhere that didn’t demand she be a princess.

 

The ceremonial bell zinged her eardrum, and the kingdom cheered, bringing Allucia out of her trance. Pushing the sheer pink curtains aside, she saw the troop of roughly thirty men stride away. As the crowd scattered and went back to their morning, Allucia spotted her aunt tucked away between the small shops in deep thought. Azara’s expression lit up. She’d be so much happier if her family fell apart. The last row of men crossed the border out of the kingdom and an idea crossed her mind. She followed the men out of the kingdom trailing just enough to go unnoticed. Within a mile or two they would reach the entrance of the Zensie Meadow. The frontman did not look back at his troop, until his determined walk came to a halt at the entrance of the meadow. His confidence began to flee, as a grim reality came within inches. The frontman regained his focus and led the men into their endless journey through the flower-filled hills. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the further they went the more lopsided their walk became. They wandered loosely; some lost their balance as if they were dizzy. Others kneeled to sniff the flowers, and in time, one by one, the number of men that seemed normal dwindled down to none. Azara fled the scene, there was much more work to be done.

 

That afternoon, as punishment for not attending the announcement, Queen Amora and King Anther forbade Allucia from leaving the castle the rest of the day.  

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“Do you have any idea what people will think about us because of your actions?” her mother asked. “It was embarrassing!” 

Around the corner, Azara waited. She knew this argument was inevitable. 

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“No one will notice my absence, and isn’t it more pathetic that we keep trying every year and nothing changes?”

“That is enough young lady,” her father snapped. “If they don’t view us as respectable, they won’t listen to us! We need to expand the kingdom for the greater good!” He pointed his finger to the grand hall and tightly clenched his eyebrows together as he screamed “We’re not pathetic, now go to your room!” 

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Allucia let out a grunt and stomped through the grand hall with her head down. She turned the corner to go upstairs, but instead she bumped straight into Azara. 

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“Everything alright hun?” Azara asked while she rested her hand on Allucia’s shoulder and gently rubbed her back. She’s awfully comforting today, Allucia thought. 

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“They never care about anything but themselves. They wouldn’t care about where I was unless it directly affected their image.” Allucia brought the palms of her hands to her face.

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Azara gently pulled them back down and said, “You know what honey, I know just how to help.” Azara pulled her into a side hug and for the first time in years she smiled. Her caring disguise was convincing but her wickedness escaped through her eyes. 

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“Follow me.” Azara led her niece to the grand staircase landing to look out a window so wide two sets of French doors couldn’t compare to it. The entire village was in sight, and just off to the right you could see the Zensie Meadow. “Look,” Azara said, as she positioned Allucia to face it.

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“Do you see the troop that left this morning?” Azara asked. Silence.

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“Of course not, they’re somewhere out there.” Azara’s mind began to wander off, imagining how she’d run the kingdom once the hooligans are out of the way.

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“And?”

 

Azara snapped out of her daydream and her grip on Allucia’s shoulders tightened with annoyance. Must she explain everything? Allucia’s inability to connect the dots that were so plainly laid out in front of her allowed Azara to notice her error. She pulled Allucia to her, as if she meant to embrace her all along and whispered, “I saw the troops march their way into the meadow, and they were having a lovely time. Maybe you should go there and see what it’s all about, escape from your parents for a while.” 

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“Won’t I disappear? Like the troops?” 

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“For a while. Just because they don’t return to us doesn't mean they don’t end up somewhere better.” 

“I never thought about it like that. But they’re forcing me to stay in the castle for the rest of the night.” Allucia’s body deflated.

 

“Then you shall go tomorrow.” A smile resurfaced on both of them as they stared out the grand window and watched as the sun sank behind the clouds. 

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Allucia spent the entirety of that night rummaging through her room for a thin leather journal and a pen, so she could be ready to leave the next morning.

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She’d rise early and tiptoe around her belongings that were scattered across her bedroom floor, picking out a dress and pair of flats to wear. She wouldn’t be caught dead not looking her best. Once she was dressed, she reached for her things then vanished. As she strolled out of the kingdom and towards the Zensie Meadow, she clutched her belongings close to her chest. 

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The trek was smooth sailing until she was forced to confront the entrance of the meadow. Her chest inflated with a big gulp of air. Her journey began as she opened up her journal and stepped into the endless unknown. A few steps in, she’d gaze upon the intimidating hills ahead. Her flats smooshed a few flowers beneath her, releasing a sweet aroma that comforted her like a warm blanket. Needing more, she crouched down and plucked a single flower. The sunlight reflected off the pale-yellow petals, creating a soft glow. She sniffed the pollen up close, but little did she know. 

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She’d wake to her heartbeat pounding in her neck. Adrenaline was soaring through her, and her eyes squinted in response to the sunlight peering between the hundreds of lime-green leaves. She was laying at the base of a tree, resting her head on a branch that escaped the ground. A slight ringing echoed in her eardrum, prompting her to clench the side of her head to her right shoulder. A tired groan helped her recuperate as she sat up. “What happened?” she mumbled to herself. The kingdom was nowhere in sight, but the landscape ahead was the Zensie Meadow, she was almost certain of that. Her body was jittery and she’d broken into a cold sweat. She wiped her running nose with a shaky and unstable hand, looking around at the ground surrounding her. Her journal. It was a few feet away, wide open. Her palms collected dirt and her dress grazed the soft mud as she crawled over to see if she wrote anything that would reboot her memory. “I’ve never felt so alive” appeared in scratchy penmanship. The sun was lowering by the minute so she dusted off her hands on her dress, took her journal, turned her back to the meadow and walked in the opposite direction, knowing she’d find her way back home. 

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“I’ve never felt so alive?” Azara asked. Allucia showed Azara the journal and recounted everything she remembered. 

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“I have to go back. There’s this part of me telling me to go, that I just need to, that somehow I’ll feel better, that everything will be better if I just go back to the meadow,” Allucia pleaded. Azara handed her the journal back. 

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“If that is what you want, go ahead.” Her sentence ended with a familiar zing. Allucia briskly walked away holding the side of her head. “Just one more trip,” she told herself. Azara was already gone by the time Allucia looked back. 

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“I’ve never felt more alive. I’ve never felt more alive. I’ve never felt more alive,” she recited with her eyes closed while she was walking to the meadow once again. Around the sixth rendition, a yellow flash appeared in her memory. She figured it to be a Zensie, but the memory was fleeting and of course too blurry to distinguish. Her repetitive mantra ended as she met the entrance once again.

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Eventually she took a break from walking. Her flats were dusted in white pollen, so she stopped for a moment to take them off. A figure sped past in her peripheral view, and she spun around in a panic. Her eyebrows furrowed while she scanned the landscape, but she saw nothing new. The kingdom she left behind her was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she’d gone further than she thought. She shook it off and shifted her focus back to her shoes, but a tree appeared ahead. Sitting on her knees, she used her dress to wipe her flats clean. Had she really seen that? One long blink and the pale-yellow Zensies that surrounded her were light pink. The sweet pollen that had filled the air now smells rancid. “I’ve never felt so alive,” she heard, an indistinct whisper. A tap on her shoulder and her body flinched with adrenaline. She turned her head and was met with a blonde man dressed in a navy vest and pants lined with beige trim. 

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Her scream echoed throughout the landscape. 

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“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He wore an expression of concern, but his eyes sparkled with interest and charm. 

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“You came out of nowhere.” 

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“My apologies, miss?” He extended his hand. 

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“Allucia,” she replied, shaking his hand. 

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“Holland, nice to meet you.” 

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“This place is so pretty, isn't it?”

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“Not the prettiest thing I see,” he slipped under his breath. He shook his head and blinked to refocus. “What are you doing here?” 

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“I’m… exploring.” 

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“Sounds like you need a partner.” She didn’t object.

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She jotted down: “Holland will help y– ”and then her grip on the pen loosened, her head drifted off to the side, and her sight faded to black.

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A ringing in her right ear sparked her upright and sent a thrill throughout her body, popping up as goosebumps on her skin. She had been laying in the dirt near a tree, with her head propped up on a thick root escaping the ground, her body filled with dread, but there was no doubt in her head. Maybe she should’ve gone home, but she went to the meadow instead. 

She marched through the Zensie Meadow, but her rhythm was disrupted by a tangle of stems catching her ankle. Pulling it free, she lost her balance and fell face first. Her nose freshly red from smacking the hard ground. “You need us,” the flowers voiced, but it was just a muffled sound. 

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“This is the last time,” she mumbled, wiping her face.

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To Allucia, she was crossing the border of flowers into the unknown. But here’s the thing, any bird flying above the meadow would see that she was at the center, surrounded by a vast landscape of flowers in every direction. The weight of her feet flattened the flowers beneath them, but her focus was on the man in the distance. He had brown hair and was wearing a familiar purple vest and white trim. “Sniff the flowers! Don’t they smell amazing?” He inhaled deeply. “I’ve never felt more alive,” he said, shoving the head of the Zensie into his face. She’s heard that before. She flipped through her journal, finding the exact words, and more. 

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“Holland?”

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“Yeah?” The man paused.

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“How long have you been here?” 

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“No clue. I’ve been here sniffing the flowers, they smell amazing! You should smell them,” he said, shoving the flower in her face. One breath and the sickly-sweet scent traveled throughout her body and Holland became two, then one again. Her heart fluttered and her blinking slowed.  

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“I need to go home, and tell my father how great this place is. I’ve never felt more alive!”

 

“Home? You're already here.”  he replied, expressionless. 

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“I can’t stay here forever.” 

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“You can’t leave. You need us.”

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“What do you mean I can’t leave?” 

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“Allucia, you came here willingly. There is no going back. Besides, when have you ever felt this amazing? It's great here, just sniff the flowers.” 

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He plucked another Zensie and split it in half, giving one to her. The flower was so delicate in her hand, a slight breeze could effortlessly knock the petals right off the stem of this rose. She carefully raised the flower to her nose. 

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“You’ll see,” was the last thing she heard as her mind stalled and her body froze. 

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Her back on the flowers, she’d open her eyes to see a cloud filled sky and Holland laughing beside her. 

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“If you stare at the clouds long enough they’ll start to dance,” he said, his gaze unmoving. Her eyes scanned the sky and landed on one cloud. Sure enough, he was right.

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“This is better than laying on a ballroom floor,” she said softly. The clouds twirled and pranced around the sky endlessly. 

The clouds circled around them for hours and the sun hung low in the sky. Maybe it never set. Their silence broke when he said “Stay here… with me.” Her body melted into the petals, letting the pollen lodge itself in her lungs forevermore. Her lust for escape slipped away while her breath slowed and slowed. Holland’s warm hand held hers and she became one with the endless flower bed. The surviving travelers believed she was too trusting, that she could’ve made it out alive if she’d been more determined or single-minded. She didn’t need to be a princess in her forever daydream, and if you ask me, I think that’s why she stayed.

Back in the Kingdom of Zenthia, the King and Queen were left in disarray, for their princess was astray. The troop went, and the kingdom hoorayed, but then Allucia was declared missing the next day. When asked, Azara had nothing to say. The kingdom collapsed, but the remnants remain. Azara prayed for this day, but what cost did the kingdom pay? From Allucia’s first steps into the Zensie Meadow to her final lay, the flowers would fulfill her in every way. Then again, this was all just a rumor anyway.