When he awoke, Prince El found himself in a field of flowers.
He had been lost in the forest after his horse was swept away during his journey. Yet now, before him stretched a sea of color that reached beyond the horizon. Flowers swayed in the breeze, whispering softly, as if alive.
“Welcome to the Flower Kingdom.”
A voice called out. Looking down, El saw a tulip bloom at his feet—and speak, like a person.
“The flower… is talking?”
Stunned, El listened as the flowers began to introduce themselves. The wise lavender, the sunflower gatekeeper, the singing morning glories. Each flower was a spirit, born from the memories of those who once lived in this land.
But despite the beauty, a heavy silence loomed over the Flower Kingdom.
“This land has been trapped in an eternal ‘spring,’” said a lone cherry tree blooming atop a hill. Once a kingdom where the seasons flowed freely, it had been cursed by a “Witch Who Stopped Time.” Since then, the flowers bloomed eternally—but never bore fruit, and life ceased to cycle.
“Prince, you come from the Land of Turning Seasons. You may hold the key to moving time once again.”
The cherry tree offered him a single petal—a closed white bud, not yet in bloom.
“Find the ‘Final Flower.’ Bring winter to this land. Only then can spring truly return.”
And so, El’s journey began.
His path through the Flower Kingdom was filled with wonder and danger. In the Valley of Wind, the laughing cosmos guided him. In the Foggy Forest, he resisted the temptation of forgetful poppies. In the Poison Garden, he braved the mourning roses that bloomed with sorrow.
Along the way, El touched the “memories of the flowers.” Lives that bloomed and faded. Wishes left unfulfilled. Loves never confessed. Each flower held a story. And within El, too, a forgotten memory stirred.
—A winter garden he’d seen as a child. A single white flower in a pot his mother had left behind. The frozen soil, and that one bloom standing alone.
“The name of that flower…”
At last, El reached the farthest snowfield, where he found the Final Flower—a small white bloom, quietly blossoming beneath the ice.
“Snowdrop… the Flower of Renewal.”
As he picked it, a quiet tremor spread through the world.
Clouds filled the sky. The wind grew cold. For the first time in a thousand years, winter came to the Flower Kingdom. The blossoms all gently fell asleep, returning to the earth. Yet their faces seemed peaceful.
When El returned, the witch was waiting.
“Why would you bring winter?”
El answered without hesitation.
“Life cannot turn on spring alone. Only with an end can new beginnings grow.”
The witch smiled softly—and faded away, melting into the snow.
Then, as spring returned, new sounds echoed through the Flower Kingdom—sounds it had never known. The buzz of summer cicadas. The rustle of autumn leaves. The stillness of winter. The cycle of seasons had returned in full, beautifully harmonious.
With his journey complete, Prince El stood once more on the hill of cherry blossoms.
“Thank you. Your courage brought us back the seasons,” the cherry tree said, releasing a petal into the breeze.
The flower floated gently down, landing upon the prince’s chest.
