The Enchanted Garden

The kingdom of mist and stone

In a faraway kingdom, nestled between towering mountains and vast, enchanted forests, there lay a village where the mist seemed to cling to the stone walls like a quiet secret. The villagers lived simple lives, their faces weathered by the elements, their hearts warm despite the cold winds that often swept through the valleys. Life in the village was peaceful, but also full of whispered stories of magic - stories of creatures that could shift shapes, of trees that whispered ancient songs, and flowers that bloomed under the light of the full moon. Though many of the villagers were skeptical, the magic in the air could not be denied.

Among them was Jisung, a young gardener with a gift for bringing life to the earth. Every morning, while the mist was still thick and the sun had barely risen, Jisung would tend to the royal garden, which lay just beyond the village. The garden was said to be unlike any other in the kingdom, full of rare and magical plants that only Jisung could seem to keep alive. His hands, stained with the colors of earth and nature, touched every plant as if he could speak to them, and in return, the flowers would bloom in vibrant hues, the trees would stretch higher, and even the most barren patches of earth would sprout new life.

Jisung wasn't interested in fame or fortune. He was content with the simple joy of his work. But as the years passed, a quiet longing grew in his heart - a longing for someone to share his life with. While he loved the peace of his garden, he had never experienced the kind of connection he had read about in old fairy tales. The loneliness lingered in the corners of his heart, even though he never spoke of it.

One crisp autumn morning, as Jisung was kneeling in the damp earth, carefully pruning a cluster of jasmine, a royal messenger appeared at the gates of the garden. The man was tall, his cloak fluttering in the wind, and his face was pale as if bearing some important news.

"Good morning, good sir," the messenger greeted. "I come with a message from His Majesty. Prince Minho is returning to the kingdom tomorrow, and the king requests that you prepare the royal garden for his arrival."

Jisung paused for a moment, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. The prince? He hadn't heard that name in years. Prince Minho had been away traveling for a long time, and rumors had swirled about him: that he was a skilled warrior, a prince with a mysterious past, and that he was handsome beyond compare. But that was all Jisung had ever heard - whispers.

He nodded in response to the messenger. "I will prepare the garden, of course. I will make sure everything is perfect for His Highness."

The messenger bowed and left, but Jisung stood there for a moment, staring at the overgrown vines and lush flowers that stretched before him. He knew the royal family's garden was already beautiful, but now it would need to be perfect. He would not fail in his duty. Still, there was something unsettling in his chest. Why had the prince specifically requested him to prepare the garden? What had made Minho return?