The vines appeared on the castle gate overnight. At first, the king considered them little more than an annoyance that could be burned or hacked away.
But each morning, there were more of them, their roots digging through mortar and spreading across the castle walls. They grew skull-like white flowers with a noxious odor.
Still, the king would not be forced. He refused to cede the Royal Forest back to the Druids. They were only plants. What harm could they do?
Finally, the Druids gathered at the castle gates. Their leader snapped his fingers, and the walls came tumbling down.

“Window with black shutters and vine banner, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC” by Spencer Means is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2019-2026 Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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