Sunflower Seeds

Once upon a time, as many stories start, there lived a great and powerful witch. She was kind and old, but powerful and more dangerous than any other being in the realm of Nivalin. Others were afraid of her and her magic, so the people of the nearby village of Kaizem had long ago banished her to Everpine Woods, where she lived alone surrounded by the wild. Normally, Everpine Wood was dangerous, filled with creatures of legend, but nothing bothered the witch. If something did, it wouldn’t last long.

Now magic is a funny thing; it’s invisible but alive and somehow it is its own entity, though it cannot survive on its own. It has no name, no face, but it does have a life and need. It lives within a host, thrives off them, and in return, the host has the ability to do whatever it wishes. Magic is passed on when the host nears the end of its life. Magic is endless, but if it is not passed on, it can disappear forever.

This is what was happening to Maggie, the witch of Everpine Wood. She was old, older than many because magic will do that, but she knew 310 was entirely too long. She could feel herself fading though death was still a ways away, she had to start thinking of who was going to inherit her magic. She had no relatives left and never had children because she was banished at a young age and never married. So who would be her legacy?

She thought long and hard about this as she tended the garden she grew around the hut. She loved growing things and taking care of sick animals. Animals don’t judge, don’t anger without cause, and don’t lie. Neither do plants. People were the real animals, but she had to find at least one who didn’t so she could pass on her knowledge and rest in peace. Finding that person would be a real challenge, but as she was planting a row of sunflowers she held a seed in her hand and stared at it. Maybe the seed was the answer. She needed a trustworthy, intelligent student and if they were patient, true, and kind, a seed might be the answer Maggie was looking for.

So with her brilliant plan, she gathered a bag of sunflower seeds, prepared for her journey, and left the hut, nodding goodbye to the rabbits in her garden as she left. She walked through the forest with a pack, her seeds, and a carved walking stick, taking one careful step at a time. Her traveling cloak, grey and long, dragged in her wake making her footprints disappear. It was unintentional, but a good thing; wanderers wouldn’t be able to find her hut and ruin her garden.

It took her three days, but eventually, she reached the great city of Kaizem in the realm of Nivalin. It was the largest city in the realm and happened to house the castle where the king of Nivalin lived. She was uninterested in the king. She was more interested in the square before the castle where the commoners would go to trade, commune with others, and hold spectacles. She made her way through the houses and crowds, ignoring the suspicious glances being passed her way. People made way for her and began to whisper, something Maggie was prepared for. In 300 years they hadn’t changed a bit, but she hadn’t expected them to, nor did she care much. There comes a certain time in advanced ages where you stop caring what people think.

In the center of the square was a stage; simple, square, and made of wood, but was good enough for her purpose. She hobbled up the steps, leaning heavily on her walking stick, and stood before the momentous castle. A crowd formed around the stage and voices rose as suspicion grew. Maggie turned from the castle, her legs creaking with the wood of the floorboards, and raised her arms for silence. Almost instantly the noise fell as if someone pulled a switch. Eyes gazed at her with curiosity. In some eyes there was fear.

“My name is Maggie. Once I was Maggie Ryewell. I was one of you.” She spoke in a normal voice, but all could hear her anyway. “I was given magic when I was young and I was exiled to the forest because of it.”

Whispers broke out: She’s a witch! The Witch of Everpine Woods! The front rows stepped back, afraid. Maggie shook her head and put her arms out to show she meant no harm.

“I have only stayed in the forest to make you all feel better because I know how you feel about magic, but I come to you now because I am dying. I will be lucky to see two more springs and I need to find an apprentice.” She paused and looked out at the crowd to see their expressions. Some looked interested, some bored. Others left. On the outskirts of the crowd were a few of the king’s guards with their hands on their sword hilts. “So I propose to you all, a challenge. I have here in my pack a bag of sunflower seeds. There is one seed for each of you and in 6 months’ time, I will return and if you manage to pass my test I will take you as my apprentice and give you my magic.”

A murmur passed among the audience as a small boy no older than 12, walked onto the stage. His mother reached after him, too terrified to follow, but the boy was unafraid. Maggie watched the blonde boy wearing only a pair of linen shorts approach her, meeting her old brown eyes with his own young blue ones. He stopped within arm’s reach of her.

“Can I please have a seed, Ma’am witch?” He asked hopefully.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Why, will you hurt me?”

“No.”

“Then no. I want to learn magic, so I want to grow a sunflower.”

Maggie took out the bag of seeds and opened it, smiling. The boy put his hand in the bag and took one out, cradling it as if it were precious, and then left the stage. One after another, people of all ages came to take a seed and when they were all gone, the witch made her way back to her tiny cabin in the middle of the woods to rest for six months, in which the people of Kaizem tried to grow the best sunflower ever grown, because what else would one do with a seed.

Six months later, the old witch made the same three-day trek to the village. By the time she got to the town square in Kaizem, she knew giving her two more years of life was a very hopeful prediction. Her body was tired at the mere thought of moving, but she managed to stand on the stage, leaning heavily on her walking stick. The crowd surrounded her, most holding wonderful looking flowers, all tall and beautiful. They were quiet, waiting for her to speak, but a hum spread through them; their anticipation fierce. Maggie could see that the idea of the magic was no longer completely terrifying to them, and she grew hopeful to find her apprentice. But as she looked out on the crowd her hopes fell. The seeds she had given them were duds. They had been boiled and would never be able to grow. She knew all these people with flowers weren’t worthy of magic because they were trying to trick her; they had planted other seeds. She shook her head and sighed.

“Is there none among you who does not have a sunflower?”

There was an outbreak of noise in the audience and the boy who had stepped onto the stage first six months ago stepped forward. His head was down and his hands were shoved into his pants pockets, defeated. “I do not have a flower, Lady Witch. I tried and tried, but it would not grow. I’m sorry.”

The boy moved to leave.

“Wait!” Maggie called and climbed off the stage, her heart swelling with joy. “What is your name fine lad?”

“Tayen, Ma’am.”

“Well Tayen, I will let you in on a secret; the seeds couldn’t grow. They were boiled.”

There was uproar from the crowd around them as the villagers heard this news. Some yelled. Others threw their flowers, but none came near the witch or the boy. Maggie spoke louder. “I needed to find out which of you was the most honest, trustworthy, smart, and sincere person to be my apprentice, and only someone who admitted to not being able to do the simple task of growing a seed would be worthy of magic. You didn’t try to fool me, boy, I can trust you.

“You told us to grow the best flower!” A yell sounded from the audience. Maggie shook her head.

“No, I did not. What I said was you needed to pass my test and being honest was my test. Tayen has passed this test and will be my apprentice if he so wishes.” She spoke to the audience and then turned to the boy with a smile. “And I do so hope you still want to learn magic.”

“I do wish it!” The boy exclaimed.

Thus, Tayen became the Wizard of Everpine Forest. He went to go live with Maggie who taught him the ways of the world and of magic until she passed on a few years later. He stayed in the hut, tending the garden, and lived out his days as Maggie did, always carrying a sunflower seed in his pocket.