Submission (#3193) Approved

Scott wouldn’t consider himself a romantic man.

Miasma season was here, which meant that his wife Anna would not do her usual wandering from region to region. Every evening his beloved would return to their home with muddy paws and her usual blank expression. Scott had learned that asking ‘How was your day? Do anything exciting?’ would be met with the usual hollow pleasantries that explained next to nothing. As long as Anna returned safely then Scott was happy enough with that. However, as the days dragged on he began to worry about Anna’s general happiness. Anna enjoyed traveling and while Kyendi had many interesting features to explore and soak in, it was still only one area.

Scott wanted to do something nice for Anna. She was his first and only love, and they never had a traditional ‘dating’ phase where there was a shower of gifts and nights of dates. He knew what most of her likes and dislikes were, and none of them lined up with traditional gifts someone would give their significant other. What would she even do with a bouquet of flowers? And he had never seen her eat sweets like candies and cake before. He had no idea how to play an instrument and he couldn’t hold a tune to save his life. So what could he do for Anna to show his appreciation and love?

It wasn’t until late one night when inspiration struck him. Scott was out in the graveyard, shovel in hand and already a good distance down into the hole in the ground when he saw something moving. He looked up and saw that a blanket of mist was beginning to roll in. The mist moved slowly, like an ocean wave crawling onto the sandy shore. But unlike the ocean, the mist did not make any move to retreat back into the forest that surrounded Scott’s home. Instead it continued it’s slow approach unless it washed over Scott’s waist. The mist continued forward, sending a slight chill up the Elnin’s spine. He turned and watched the mist spread out into the rest of the graveyard and move on into the other side of the forest that made up the edge of the graveyard. On any day he would have gone back to work, but the mist had given him an idea. Perhaps it wasn’t the most interesting idea, but he was willing to give it a try if it meant entertaining Anna. Scott pulled himself up from the hole and headed inside his home to wash up and begin enacting his plan.

Several hours later, the white pelt of an elnin pierced through the darkness as she emerged from between the trees of the forest. Anna’s footsteps were gentle on the grass below, just how they always were, and she made no sound as she stepped through the mist to return home. It didn’t take long for her to notice that the graveyard was uncharacteristically empty. No sounds of digging could be heard, nor were there any sounds of rummaging around. The usual blank look on Anna’s face broke into one of slight concern as she made her way over to the house and looked around inside. Instead of finding her husband, a letter sat sealed on the kitchen table. She carefully opened the letter and read the contents - a cryptic riddle, instructing her to find another letter that sat in the forest. With little else to do and her interest admittedly piqued, Anna decided to follow the letter’s instructions and made her way out of her house and into the forest.

There would be several letters for Anna to find during her search. She found a letter in a tree, that led her to another that sat between several rocks that once had been a pillar in a ruin, that led her to one in another tree. There had even been a letter that was dangerously close to a waterfall. The night was getting old, and Anna began to wonder if there was an end to this strange game of seek and find. Eventually she arrived at a large, deteriorated ruin. Rich green vines adorned with many leaves curled and twisted up the remaining walls and pillars. In fact - these were the very ruins that Scott and Anna had met in, all those many years ago.

Sitting in the middle of the rubble and vegetation was a mostly black elnin wearing an uncharacteristically bright blue bow around his neck. A thick gray blanket sat underneath Scott, and next to him was a picnic basket and a lantern to light up the immediate area. 

Scott smiled softly at Anna and said “Congratulations on reaching the end. I hope the little adventure I set out didn’t bore you. I wasn’t sure how long or how short to make them.” 

As he spoke, Anna stepped over onto the blanket and sat down next to her husband. He opened his mouth to say something else- an apology? An explanation? Anna had learned over the years that he couldn get a bit rambley when nervous. Scott’s next sentence died before it could start when Anna placed a paw on his. He looked up at her and noticed a rare smile on her face. 

“I loved it, my dear. Thank you. I’m not sure what prompted this, but it was delightful.” 

“I wanted to do something for you.”

The smile on Anna’s face grew ever so slightly, which filled Scott’s belly with butterflies. He opened the picnic basket to reveal a small meal for the both of them. The two of them spent the rest of the night nibbling on their food and enjoying each other’s company.