My Elusive Chryssianna

I had detected there was something odd about the perfect-looking little girl the moment I laid eyes on her. We were both eight that spring. I'll never forget that first day.

Mother and I lived so far away from the nearest little town, without another house for miles, it was more shock than surprise when she appeared in our front yard, seemingly out of nowhere. A vision of loveliness in a very feminine lavender dress, barefooted, yellow hair blowing wild and free in the spring breeze.

"I smelled your lilacs," she said, with no hint of shyness. Yet, not too bold and forward, either. "May I see them?" she asked politely.

I must have given the impression that I was a bit unfriendly, but I was taken aback and only stared for a few seconds. "Uh huh," I replied shyly. I was uneasy with people of any kind, being an only child. Moreover, Mother and I very seldom ever had a visitor. Certainly none so peculiar. So–perfect, yet so untamed looking.

"My name is Chryssianna," the beautiful little figure said to me.

"Chryssianna," I repeated in thought only. It sounded like something a songbird sings on a beautiful sunshiny morning. "My name is Cally. Mother calls me Cally Sue. But you–you can call me Cally–if you want to. I never liked my name."

I knew I was babbling, but I felt very shy and awkward in the presence of the stunning little girl. I was certainly no match. Thin-lipped, pug-nosed, round brown eyes and brown bobbed hair, parted on one side and pinned over to the other without bangs. Painfully plain, with a name to match.

"It's a lovely name," she said, smiling sweetly and suddenly putting me completely at ease.

"The bushes are in the back," I said with a little smile.

She held out a small, china doll hand, and we walked hand in hand toward the back yard.

As we rounded the corner of the house, the heavenly perfume that had been teasing at our nostrils greeted us like a thick, invisible cloud of deliciousness on the warm spring breeze. Scattered around the back yard were four huge old bushes literally drenched in the gorgeous light-purple blossoms which, in my opinion, out-performed the sweetest and most elegant of roses.

The little stranger drew some of the lush branches together between the palms of her graceful hands, pushing her perfect nose gently into the masses of sweet, dainty-looking flowers. She took a long, deep breath, drinking in the luscious smell, and closing her eyes dreamily.

"Lovely," she sighed. "Fit for a queen. May I?" she asked, indicating she wished to pick from the bush before her.

"Mother won't care," I replied. "We have plenty."

With numerous small sprigs of lilac, and vine from the fence as well, piled in front of us, I sat in wonderment as she began crafting necklaces, wrist bracelets, ankle bracelets, a hair wreath, and, best of all, a tall elegant crown. The finished products were absolutely royal! A world of wealth couldn't have bought finer!

We drenched ourselves in marvelous lavender luxury. Chryssianna put the beautiful wreath in her own hair, then ceremonially placed the exquisite lilac crown on my head. Taking hold of my work-rough hand as if it were as delicate as a flower, she gently lifted me to my feet.

"Your Highness," she said, curtsying seriously before me. "Wouldst thou give me the honor of having this dance?" The two of us bejeweled like royalty, she swept me away lightly across the thick, green, grassy ballroom floor, singing in a blissfully beautiful little voice:

Fair lilac queen in your lavender gown,
Dipping and gliding and whirling around.
In purple splendor across the grass spin,
Sending sweet perfume adrift on the wind.

I had never waltzed before, but my large, clumsy feet felt small and graceful beneath me as she spun me around and around. My plain brown bob felt lovely as we whirled through the afternoon breeze that tickled and tossed it. For the first time in my life, I felt pretty–no, BEAUTIFUL! I was a Lilac Queen in my faded, threadbare, brown cotton dress.