[Public] - [voice]
Hundreds of years ago, there was a young farmer and his wife. After two years of living together, tending to animals and raising crops, they decided they wanted to have a child in their lives. It took them a very long time to conceive, and were overjoyed when the village doctor informed them that the wife was pregnant. In the months that followed,
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The next day, the farmer was working in the fields and found a rosebush that wasn't the day before. When he went to look at it, the thorns parted, showing the twin babies, a boy and a girl, inside. Happy, the farmer went to get the babies out of the bush.
The rosebush then turned into a warlock, who explained that he had heard the wife's wish and would give them the babies on one condition. When the twins turned seven, the daughter would have to be returned to the warlock as his future bride. After going back and telling his wife, the farmer agreed to the deal. They named the twins Rose and Hanami.
The twins were different as night and day. Hanami was fond of domestic chores, while Rose loved flowers and exploring. She always spoke of one day flying in the skies and delivering her favorite flowers to the world. "Hanami will be my navigator," she'd say, "and I'll rain down flowers."
Seven years came and went, and instead of upholding their part of the bargain, the couple kept both children. When they turned eight, Rose fell and could no longer walk. Each year, another accident would befall Rose, and by the time the twins were sixteen, Rose wasn't able to leave her bed.
Finally, Rose came down with a illness that would kill her in three months. The parents knew that this was the warlock's revenge, but Hanami didn't and was determined to find a cure for his sister. He set out on a trek to find the cure. Eventually he came to a dragon.
"I don't know of a cure," said the dragon, "but the mountain might know. Take this lily. It will keep you from being hungry." Hanami thanked her and continued.
When he got to the mountain, he asked his question. "There isn't one here," replied the mountain. "Ask the eagle, she sees everything, and take this sunflower. It will keep you from being tired." Hanami thanked him and went onwards. He found the eagle on a crag above the clouds.
"The warlock will know, for sure," she explained. "Climb on my back and I can take you there. But first, take the iris that grows on the cliff. It will prevent thirst and allow you to breath in the thin air. When we reach the warlock, take one of the carnations growing outside of his home. It will protect you from his dark magic."
So Hanami did as he was ordered and flew to the warlock's home. There, he picked the carnation and entered. He was surprised to find that the warlock knew who he was and why he was there.
"Of course I know you," the warlock said. "You are my son."
He explained the deal he made with the farmer and the broken promise. "Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do for your sister that will save her. My curses are permanent. However, if you fly back with the eagle, you can see her one last time."
Upset that he had failed and furious at his parents for lying, Hanami left the warlock and flew back to his sister. He laid all the flowers out on her bed and told Rose of his adventures. "Oh, I wish I could save you. Then I could take you flying with me," he said. Rose merely smiled and died.
After the funeral, Hanami left his parent's house, determined to never speak to them again. The farmer and his wife were ashamed that their selfishness had cost them both of their children, and they died unhappy.
Hanami didn't. He went back to the warlock and asked to become his apprentice, eventually becoming a famous magician. When he died, his spirit joined with that of his sisters, and together they fly around Reial, at last fufilling Rose's dream.
[a pause]
Wow, that was long. But that's the one I learned.
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