The Blacksmith and the Eternal Breeze
Once upon a time, in the city of Montrose, named after the rose-shaped mountain it was nestled against, lived a humble blacksmith named John. John lived a life of simplicity, dedicated to his craft and the innocent laughter of his two daughters, Rosaline and Lily.
One day, news came from the royal castle - a grand tournament was to be held, with knights from across the kingdom vying for the prestigious chance to win the hand of Princess Maribelle. Most citizens were abuzz with excitement, but John felt the weight of trouble, the tournament meant an increase in demand for armour and weapons, which directly translated to countless sleepless nights for him.
Days turned into weeks, and every new dawn, before the rooster crowed, John was at the assembly of his hammer and anvil, forging metallic marvels. His skillful and tireless hands transformed chunks of metal into gallant armours that heroes would fight in.
However, the tournament was not the only thing keeping John awake. His elder daughter, Rosaline, had been ill for quite a while. Despite the local healer’s best efforts, her health was gradually fading away.
While his hands were busy striking metal, his heart was being squeezed under the fear of losing his Rosaline. Rosaline, once lively and jovial, had now become frail and weak. Her vibrant eyes were now misty with listlessness and pain. Sometimes, in the echoes of his hammer against the metal, John could hear her weak sobs and it would shatter his heart.
One day, amidst the chaos of tournament preparations, a queer, old woman, cloaked in multiple layers of rags, visited John's shop. She asked for a piece of fine armour. Seeing her appearance, John assessed that she couldn't afford to pay for it. However, something about her ignited a spark of familiarity in John, so instead of shooing her away, he offered her a warm mug of ale.
They drank and she told him tales of a legendary flower named 'Eternal Breeze'. It was said to bloom once every fifty years on top of the rose-shaped mountain. The flower was believed to possess miraculous healing power. The tales felt like mere fantasies to John, but as he looked at Rosaline's pale face, he found himself clinging to the tiny strand of hope the stories offered.
Decided, he took a difficult choice. He entrusted Lily with the shop and the care of their ailing sister, as he embarked on the arduous journey towards the peak of the rose-shaped mountain. It seemed like a fool's quest, but John was fuelled by the desperate love of a father.
On his journey, he battled ferocious winds, treacherous terrains, deadly beasts, but the thought of Rosaline kept him going. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. He continued his journey, fuelled with desperation and the hope to find the 'Eternal Breeze'.
The quest had drained him physically and emotionally. But finally, after months of hardship, he found it. A single flower, radiating with a subtle glow, nestled amid the snow. He carefully picked up the flower, tears mixing with the biting cold of the mountains, forming icy trails on his cheeks.
John rushed back to Montrose, the flower safely secured in a tiny box. Upon arrival, he was greeting with cheers as the people celebrated the end of the tournament. But ignoring all the cheers, he rushed towards his house, praying that he wasn't too late.
Upon entering, he found Rosaline lying on the bed, pale and barely breathing. He took the flower out and held it close to Rosaline's nose. As Rosaline inhaled the extraordinary fragrance, her body began to glow with the same aura. The transformation was slow but certain.
Days later, Rosaline, who had been on her deathbed, was laughing, hopping around like she used to. The joy in John's heart was immeasurable. The city of Montrose sung tales of John's courage, his love for his daughters, and his journey for the flower of hope, 'Eternal Breeze'.
The grand tournament was held, and knight was chosen, but the town's real hero wasn't any knight in shining armor, it was the humble blacksmith with an iron will and a heart of gold who chose his love for his daughter over anything else.