Sonna's Flower

There once was a family who lived in a small cottage away from any other human. They grew their own vegetables and made their own clothes. Everything was quiet as the family grew by a small girl with the name of Sonna. Her hair was as yellow as the sun with eyes that glowed underneath the moon. As she lived in the stone cottage of books and gardens she fell in love with growing her vegetables.

Each was given names and Sonna would spend hours upon hours in the fenced area of vegetables, fruit, and per her request a small corner of flowers. Each winter her flowers would wilt away, she tried to bring them in and asked for a greenhouse for each Yule but they never had the money or supplies to fulfill her dream. After seven winters had passed the girl finally decided that she too would sit with the flowers. Keep them warm and talk to them as they need. Maybe this would keep them alive?

The first night she snuck out after the home was asleep, creeping through a window her mother opened as Sonna complained she was hot. The outside world was cool and the flowers stayed still. Their petals bright and full, she awoke with the sun and ran back to her bed. Just as her parents came to check on her. Sonna believed she had saved them from a night of death and continued to stay out with her flowers.

The second night she snuck out with a blanket, the window opened before she was tucked in. Her mother gave Sonna a kiss on the cheek and slept soundly as her girl went out to the garden. Sonna wrapped a blanket around the flowers and sang to them a soft song.

Flowers glow and grow.

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

Sonna woke up to the sun drooping over her once more. Her rosy cheeks were cold to the touch she ran back into bed as her parents opened the door to welcome her into the next day. Her mother commented on the rosy cheeks and made a small cup of tea for the girl. Her flowers still warmed from the blanket of the night before Sonna found her solution to keeping her flowers another year.

The third night Sonna asked for her window open but her mother reminded her of Sonna’s rosy and cold cheeks from the night before. Her mother wrapped her tightly in a quilt made from outgrown gowns and any scrap fabric they had. Her father kissed her goodnight, for he was leaving the next morning to gather more fabric. Sonna left her room through the window and brought the quilt with her. She sang her song once more and wrapped the thick blanket around her flowers.

Flowers glow and grow.

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

She sang it through the night, writing the song into the soil as the night went on. Her cheeks became rosy and cold, she started to shiver but Sonna was determined to stay with her flowers. If she was able to withstand the cold so were the flowers. Her lips turned a soft blue as she grew sleepy. Sonna lay on the quilt and fell asleep with her flowers beside her.

The next morning as her father leaves for the town the sun rises on Sonna but she does not wake up. Her father sees the blue tint to her face and carries Sonna to the fire. Her face soft and still, Sonna’s mother woke to her husband trying everything in his power to wake the little girl up. After trying for many hours they both gave up hope. Sonna was gone into her land of flowers that never died. The parents wrapped her up tightly in the quilt she loved and placed her under the ground around her flowers. As they replaced the soil Sonna’s mother found the song written next to the fence and sang it as they finished.

Flowers glow and grow

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

The parents went to town and as they shopped villagers asked about Sonna, her mother spoke fondly and told the tale of young Sonna. The girl that wanted nothing but a long winter with flowers. As they came back to the cottage of stone, the flowers wilted, the vegetables slowly grew larger, and more prominent. Sonna’s mother couldn’t bring herself to buy more of her daughter’s favorite flowers the following spring. Yet every night she sang the song to remember the sweet child and her favorite thing.

Flowers glow and grow

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

As the spring turned to summer Sonna’s mother spent more time in the corner of the garden where her daughter lay. One day she noticed a small sapling where her grave was, the mother watered the sapling and continued to sing the song her daughter wrote. As the days went on the mother sang the song each night, watered the plant, and grew. In the winter the mother opened Sonna’s window and sang out it on the first night.

Flowers glow and grow

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

The next morning the flower had grown as tall as the house but had yet to bloom. She took to the many books throughout the house and searched for something as special as this. That night she and her husband sang to the flower and slept in Sonna’s room. They each sang twice, falling asleep to the whistling of the wind and hearing their beautiful daughter sing.

Flowers glow and grow

Warm your petals slow

Listen to my voice

And rejoice.

That morning bright golden petals appeared out of the steam of Sonna’s flower. It stood tall and faced the sun, it basking in the warmth. Sonna’s father ran to town to tell of the golden flower and everyone came to the cottage of stone and flower. As years went on Sonna’s flower stayed. It never wilted, at night it glistened and each morning rose with the new day and soon people remembered Sonna’s flower as the sunflower that never wilted.