the king's favourite flower

Long years ago, there was a happy kingdom where people were happy, hardworking and full of energy. Even the environment was greener than other kingdoms; but the only unhappy person was the king itself.

The king was lonely even after having numerous servants, mansions, wealth and a beautiful wife.

The only thing the king longed for was affection, some kind words from his people but in that huge palace there was nobody who would care for the king without being selfish

One day tired from all he went to a dense forest without telling anyone to take his own life. After walking for a long time, the king saw a small hut. The king went inside and saw an old lady sitting on a wooden bed; as soon as she saw the king she stood up, took him outside the hut and sat with him near the banyan tree. After seeing his sad face, she caressed his head and asked him “what happened child? Why do u look so pale?”

After hearing these questions, the king burst into crying unable to control he told her about his loneliness as a king and longing for an affectionate person who would ask him how his day was? Who would love him wholeheartedly, selflessly.

Upon hearing this the old lady told him a secret. She said “if u go walk straight for 1 hour u will find a beautiful pond full of lotuses. In the middle of that pond is a beautiful lotus who can speak” upon hearing this the king’s face was in awe. The old lady continued “yes you heard me right the lotus can speak it will heal u without knowing but keep in mind ’the flower only blooms at night and can speak only after blooming that is at night and don’t tell anybody about the magical flower because will take it away from you”

The king bid goodbye to the lady and went in search for the flower. After finding the flower the king took it to his palace; and kept it in his room near his table.

Every night before sleeping the king started having conversations with the flower and the flower too responded to all his queries, problems, happy moments with excitement. Unknowingly the king started staying happy. The people around him including the Queen were shocked to see the sad king suddenly so happy. Day by day talking with the lotus became a daily habit of the king and soon the king fell in love with the flower.

Surprised by his behaviour the queen asked one of her servants to keep an eye on the king. At night when the king went to his chamber to sleep, the servant stood beside his chamber. Tired from standing for too long when she was about to leave, she heard some faint sweet voice of a women from king’s chamber. Curious about what’s going inside she peeped inside the king’s chamber. She saw the king leaning over table and talking with the flower; She was fiendishly impressed. She went to the queen’s chamber and told her everything she saw there.

The queen ordered her that “tomorrow morning when the king will leave his chambers for his daily assignments make sure the lotus is go’

Next morning the servant as the queen had told.

At night when the king came back to his chamber he saw the lotus was no longer there. He searched for her everywhere in the chamber but it was in vain. Don’t know what to do the king ran back to the jungle to meet the old lady. When he met her, he told her everything that occurred since he took the flower to palace that how happy he was, how lively he felt with her, how heartbreaking it is to not have her right now.

After hearing the king cry, the old lady asked him to forget the flower as it was not possible to find her without revealing the identity of how magical it was or to tell everybody that she was the love of his life. Heartbroken he stood up to return to his palace he decided he will do anything to find the flower back.

After returning to the palace, he called all the servants and asked them who stands near his chambers at night. One of his servants replied “your majesty, I stand near your chamber every night but day before yesterday the queen asked one of her servants to stand here and asked me to rest. Upon hearing this the king was immensely angry. He marched off to the queen’s chamber and asked her the reason behind the sudden change of servants at night and told her directly about the flower.

tbc.......