Alice and the Land of Ever-bloom
Once upon a time, a curious girl named Alice, who had hair as red as a summer sunset, was sitting in her garden. She loved her garden, but today everything felt a bit too ordinary and a little too quiet. The roses were just roses, and the bees were just bees, and Alice wished for a little bit of magic. She sighed a big sigh and poked a dandelion with her shoe, sending fluffy white seeds dancing into the air.
As the last seed floated away, something sparkly caught her eye in the grass. It was a tiny, shimmering unicorn, no bigger than a kitten, with a coat as white as fresh snow. The little unicorn had deep, round blue eyes and a mane and tail that swirled with all the colors of a rainbow. She looked right at Alice and gave a tiny, bell-like neigh. “Hello,” the little unicorn said in a voice that sounded like tinkling chimes. “My name is Dewdrop.”
Alice’s eyes grew wide with wonder as she knelt on the soft grass. She had never seen anything so magical in her entire life. “You can talk?” Alice whispered, reaching out a gentle hand to stroke Dewdrop’s rainbow mane. Dewdrop nodded, nuzzling into Alice’s touch. “Of course I can talk, silly! I’ve come to ask for your help in the Land of Ever-bloom, where the flowers have forgotten how to smile.”
Dewdrop explained that the Land of Ever-bloom was powered by the happiness of its special Moon-Petal flowers. But lately, a gloomy cloud had settled over the land, and the flowers had drooped their heads in sadness. Without their happy smiles, the colors of the land were starting to fade away to grey. Dewdrop believed that a girl with a heart as bright as her hair was just the person to help bring the joy back. Alice, always ready for an adventure, immediately agreed to help her new friend.
Dewdrop tapped her tiny, sparkling horn on an old stone birdbath, and the water began to swirl and glow. It created a shimmering doorway of liquid light right in the middle of the garden. “Hold on tight!” chirped Dewdrop as she hopped onto Alice’s shoulder. Alice took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and stepped through the watery gate. She felt a gentle whoosh and then the softest grass she had ever known beneath her feet.
They had arrived in the Land of Ever-bloom, and it was just as Dewdrop had described. The rolling hills were a soft grey, and the usually vibrant river flowed like dull silver. In the center of a large meadow were the Moon-Petals, their once-glowing faces turned down and looking very sad. A hush had fallen over the land, and Alice knew they had to do something fast to cheer them up.
“What makes flowers happy?” Alice wondered aloud. Dewdrop suggested singing a song. Alice thought for a moment and then began to sing a sweet, happy lullaby her mother always sang to her before bed. Her voice was clear and lovely, and Dewdrop began to hum along, a pretty melody that blended with Alice’s perfectly. They sang about sunshine, funny dancing bunnies, and sweet honey cakes.
Slowly, one little Moon-Petal lifted its head, a tiny smile appearing on its face as a soft pink color returned to its petals. Seeing this, another flower perked up, turning a lovely shade of sunny yellow. Soon, all the flowers were lifting their faces to listen, and with every note Alice and Dewdrop sang, more color flooded back into the world. The hills turned a brilliant green, the river sparkled with blue and gold, and the entire meadow of Moon-Petals bloomed in a rainbow of happy smiles.
The flowers swayed and danced, their joy filling the air with a beautiful, humming sound. Alice and Dewdrop had saved the Land of Ever-bloom with the simple magic of a happy song. As the moon began to rise in the now-sparkling sky, Dewdrop nuzzled Alice’s cheek. “Thank you, Alice,” she whispered. “It’s time to get you home to your bed, but please come back and visit soon.” Alice promised she would, and with another tap of Dewdrop’s horn, she was whisked back to her own garden, her heart full of magic and ready for sweet dreams.
