Just Another Fairy Tale
In a kingdom far away lived two orphans, a boy of fate and a girl who smelled of flowers. The two orphans were residents of the church since a very young age. And till the age of 6, they remained together, refusing to separate. That is till the King entered that very church seeking an heir. He chose the boy among the lot dragging him away from the church, despite the boy’s cries of refusal. And till the very last moment, the boy called out the name of the girl, as she did him. Time passed and soon enough the girl had grown to become a beautiful young woman. She had taken affection for flowers, and thus became a florist. She grew her flowers in a garden just behind the church. Her presence among the people was like a pleasant breeze of hope. Her shop stationed just off the main road welcomed all with a rich fragrance and a gentle smile. Meanwhile, the orphan boy now prince of the kingdom was in the midst of his studies to become the successor of the land. And although time had caused the memory of the tragic incident to fade, he couldn’t help but feel a mysterious discomfort in the time he spent in the castle. The young prince spent his days, trying to distract himself from the sense of uncertainty. It was during his study sessions beside an open window that he found relief. Occasionally, a breeze of calm would pass by, with the scent of flowers carrying along with it. Such a peculiar remedy he thought, as he continued to seek refuge of the nostalgic wind. Soon enough, he began growing a small flowerbed of his own in the privacy of his room. Not long after, the King made the announcement of a royal ball for the sake of celebrating his 21rst year of reign. The King decreed two things to be done for the sake of the ball: the first is the gathering of all the flowers within the kingdom. The second, for his orphan son to attend the ball with a woman of exceptional qualities. Fair ladies from all across the kingdom sought audience of the prince in hopes of being chosen to accompany him to the ball. The prince, however, was less than thrilled to court the countless number of women that chase him. He decided to escape the castle to avoid his pursuers and to search for a haven to plant his flowers where his father could not reach. Meanwhile, there was one young lady that was not caught in the fever of the ball. Yes, the flower girl of the main street remained beside her stall just off the main road welcoming her customers just as usual the morning following the announcement. After all, her happiness lied in her passion. She had returned to her Eden behind the church that afternoon to pick the next day’s batch when soldiers of the castle arrived. The soldiers began confiscation of the garden under orders of the King ignoring the cries and protests of the young woman. They trample the garden, picking at the buds without the least care of tenderness, ravaging the area leaving it desecrated. It was then the prince showed up. Upon witnessing the sight of the ruined garden, he orders the dismissal of all the soldiers within the vicinity. They obey, leaving behind the ruined paradise. The humble prince had seldom seen destruction done to such beauty. He walks over to the beautiful florist and helps her stand. He apologizes for her mistreatment. However surprised, he notices the girl totally ignores his apology. Instead, she kneels once more to the floor and begins to pick at the ground for seeds. She continues to ignore the prince…
