The King

Once upon a time, a little boy lived in a grand yet empty castle. To the world outside, it was known that a king resided within, but the boy was unaware of this fact. As his fear of the world grew each day, so did the walls he built around himself.

The subjects outside believed the king preferred solitude, so they never knocked on the castle door. The ever-rising walls blocked all sunlight, leaving the boy alone in darkness.

One day, a tiny vine found its way through a crack in the wall.

“Do you need a hug?” asked the little vine.

The boy nodded, and soon, thousands of vines climbed the walls and wrapped around him warmly.

“Have you ever seen a flower?” the vine asked gently.

The boy shook his head.

“Come with me, and I’ll show you,” the little vine said with a smile.

The boy followed the vine, opening the gates to the outside world for the first time.

As the gates swung open, the people cheered, welcoming the king they had only heard about.

“Where is the king?” asked the boy, confused.

“Here he is!” said the little vine. “Whoever faces their fears is the true king.”

From then on, the boy rode his horse, leading his knights to tend to the beautiful vines that adorned the castle walls. He invited everyone to his now vibrant and warm castle.

Though the king’s body eventually turned to skeleton, his throne remained at the heart of the castle. All the walls were gone, letting sunlight shine on his skull. The vine wrapped around him preserved the love and happiness he had once known. It is said that flowers still bloom once a year on the day the gates are opened.