The Rose

The village of Gates was a small town set between two mountain ranges. It was completely secluded from the world. The only way out, was through the eastern forest. A treacherous wooded area full of goblins and witches. The side of the mountains facing the town were the only spots where roses would grow. Beautiful red roses of all shapes and sizes. It is said, that only a single white rose would grow when somebody was truely in love. Not just any love, however. A love where feelings for the two were not mutual. A love where one would feel but the other would not. The white rose would grow to prove that the love was true. The other would then see this, and be compelled to love them back.

A man came into the village seeking refuge and food. He entered a tavern and sat down and ordered some home-brewed whiskey. As he finished it, a women walked in the tavern. He saw her and instantly fell in love. The other men warned him that she would break his heart. She was nothing more than a call-girl they told him. He responded saying it was nonsense. He asked her to become his wife. The girl thought about it. And said yes. Thinking she could get whatever she wanted out of him and that he was just drunk and wanted sex. But this wasn’t so. He did anything she asked of him. Including cooking and cleaning. She was amazed at how loyal he was. But she wanted nothing to do with him.

One day, in an effort to get rid of him, she asked him to go into the mountains and pick out a single, white rose. The man didn’t know about the sacred story behind the roses thought and thought she was joking. It was the dead of winter. No flower could grow. But she insisted. “As you want it so shall it be” he said to her. He packed up and got ready for his journey. As he trudged up the mountain, he kept thinking that very last sentance he said to her. “As you want it so shall it be.” He didn’t dare stop. Not even to look at the beautiful scenary. He continued up the mountain, searching for any white rose, until he reached the top.

There, he began to cry. He had failed her. No rose was on the mountain. He had been gone for god-knows-how-long and still, no rose. His tears fell from his freezing face and onto the snow top mountain. His warm tears, full of nothing but love, melted the snow and gave water to a single seed. A rose seed. And from there, like magic right before his eyes, a single white rose grew. He looked in awe then snatched it up and ran down the hill. He was halfway to the bottom when he tripped. Falling down the mountain side and off a rocky cliff, to his death. All the townspeople gathered around his dead body. Including the girl. They all looked in absolute awe when they saw, in his hand, the white rose. The girl began to cry. The towns people knew what it meant and could do nothing. They comforted the girl, and left.

The girl, later that day, climbed up the mountain. She had seen that the man truely did love her and she was going to prove that she loved him. She climbed up to the top of the highest cliff, and dove off. She landed right by the man, who was holding that beloved white rose.