The Garden Made of Broken Crystal

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Forbidden Garden
The following day, Mary stepped outside to explore but found no garden. Back in India, she had a garden where she enjoyed playing and reading. She then returned to the house, where Rachel was assisting Mrs. Potter with the cooking. "Hello, everyone," Mary said as she entered.
"Hi, Mary! Are you having a nice day?" Rachel inquired.
"Yes, I'm having a good day. I was curious if I could grow a garden," Mary asked.
"No, Adam has prohibited anyone in the kingdom from having a garden," Rachel answered.
"Why?" Mary inquired.
"We simply need to follow Adam's rules," Rachel responded.
Mary chose not to ask further questions.
"Is it okay if I go outside?" Mary asked.
"Yes, just be cautious and don't wander too far," Rachel consented.
"I'll stay near the castle," Mary promised.
She wished she could cultivate a garden, but she didn't want to upset King Adam. Mary pondered the reason behind King Adam's opposition to the garden.
Mary was feeling bored and wanted to find something to do. She thought it would be nice to pick some flowers for her room. So, she headed to the kitchen where Mrs. Potter was preparing lunch. Mary was pleased to find Mrs. Potter alone and hoped she might share some insight into why King Adam had banned gardens.
"Hello, Miss Mary," Mrs. Potter said as she noticed her.
"Hi, Mrs. Potter. I hope I'm not bothering you, and I apologize if this question upsets you, but could you tell me why King Adam has forbidden gardens? How are people supposed to grow food without them?" Mary inquired.
"King Adam and Queen Rachel had a daughter named Amber, who was a lovely child. King Adam cherished her deeply. Amber had a passion for gardens. One day, while playing in the garden, she climbed a tree and tragically fell, resulting in her death. In his grief, King Adam became furious and refused to allow any gardens to be cultivated. He permitted gardens for food production but prohibited flower gardens," Mrs. Potter explained.
"I see now. Losing someone you love must be incredibly difficult. I just hope that Adam can come to terms with having a garden again someday," Mary replied.
"I hope so too, Miss Mary," Mrs. Potter concurred.
Later, Mary approached Rachel and said, "Hi Rachel, may I purchase some art supplies? My dad gave me some money, and I've been saving it. I want to paint some pictures."
Rachel responded, "You can save your money; I'll buy the art supplies for you." Mary replied, "You really don't have to do that."
Rachel insisted, "I want to. Let's go shopping tomorrow."
Mary felt delighted because she enjoys painting. She also has a passion for writing and wishes she had some friends. Additionally, Mary was contemplating whether she could keep a plant in her room.
Mary planned to ask Rachel about the plant the next day. She enjoys observing birds and drawing them as well. Her favorite types of birds are red birds, bluebirds, and hummingbirds. Mary was excited to get her art supplies.

The following day, Rachel brought Mary to town. Mary picked up some art supplies, and Rachel let her choose a plant for her room. Mary also bought a few books to read. They went out for a meal, which was delicious, and then headed to the movies. To keep Mary entertained, Rachel bought her a bike, and Mary also selected a couple of movies to enjoy. Once they returned home, they watched the films together, and King Adam joined them. Mary had a wonderful time in town and loved watching the movies with Rachel and King Adam, as she rarely did activities with her parents.