The unplucked flower

The first rays of the sun which struck the earth marked the beginning of a new day. Every mortal indulged in the tasks which ensured that the day ends on a successful note. And so did every not so mortal creation like the trees and plants. And those which matters to us are the flowers in one corner of the kingdom, each one of them as beautiful as the others, waiting to be plucked by the royal princess and be given a place on her head right beside the crown.

The flowers shook themselves and the dew drops were arranged in intricate patterns. A few more twists and turns and the dew drops shone like diamonds reflecting the light from the sun. They twisted their stems to move themselves to the left and right so that they could face in the direction from which the princess would arrive and never miss a chance to attract her attention.

Time passed too slowly for them. The gardener appeared to work in slow motion. The bees hovering over the flowers appeared to stay still in the air for a few seconds every time they moved forward some invisible distance. Time which they heard was punctual was delaying events.

Few more anxious hours passed and the princess arrived.

She got down from the chariot along with the man who would marry her and be crowned as the king. Perfectly synchronising their footsteps, they halted near the flowers. The princess pointed her finger at one of those flowers. The lover plucked the flower and with a smile placed it adjacent to the crown on her head.

They moved away leaving the air filled with laughter and joy in the backdrop of which one could faintly hear the sobs of a flower. For years and years, the flower was seeing the days pass by with the princess arriving but not choosing that flower as a token of love to be gifted to her by her loved one!