Once upon a dream,
I was lost in love's embrace.
There I found a perfect place,
Once upon a dream...
It was way past midnight and the whole palace was quiet as he stepped out into the balcony. High in the sky the full moon shone and bathed the place in an eerie silver light. A cool breeze was blowing and sent wisps of his long, dark hair flying about his face. In the distance, he could see several palace guards making their rounds, making sure everything was all right and no suspicious looking individual lurked nearby.
Once there was a time
Like no other time before.
Hope was still an open door,
Once upon a dream...
He leaned over the balcony railing, staring out into the night. As always, in moments like this, her face would come unbidden into his thoughts. She who had been nothing more than a faceless mystery, a fervent wish nurtured in the depths of a lonely little boy's heart. She was a legend that he had been holding on to for as long as he could remember. The dream of her was all he ever had, even though he had everything. One day, he used to say to himself, she would come and end his loneliness. One day, he would meet her, and when that day came, he would finally know how it was to be loved.
And I was unafraid.
The dream was so exciting,
But now I see it fade,
And I am here alone...
Then one day, she did come, and took his breath away. The girl of his dreams had become real! Somehow, he had taken it for granted that she would love him, for he had loved her for so long. But just as quickly as his hopes became real, he saw them begin to fade. She was the girl of the legend, but she did not love him. And he had to accept the truth that she who had always been his dream would never be his.
He closed his eyes. Even now, after all this time, the pain that knowledge still caused him was almost too much to bear. He had tried so hard to forget, but just when he thought he had succeeded in banishing her from his heart and his mind, the bond that linked them inexorably would call him to her side, and everything he worked so hard for would come undone. He loved her and for that love he would give his life. What did it matter if it was never returned? All that mattered was that she knew that, whatever happened, he would always be there.
Once upon a dream,
You were heaven sent to me,
But it wasn't meant to be.
Now you're just a dream.
He released a tremulous breath and wiped his damp cheeks. He did not realize he was crying until he felt his tears fall on his hands that gripped the railing. Suddenly, the moon seemed a lot farther from him and the touch of the breeze a lot colder to his skin. He rearranged his robe and went inside the room.
His eyes fell upon the figure on his bed. It was his wife. A ray of moonlight lit her face in repose. It was a beautiful face framed by blue-violet hair. Eyelashes fell delicately upon rosy cheeks and a half smile hovered on her lips. She was probably dreaming. He approached her and touched her face gently, cupping her cheek with his hand. In her sleep, she snuggled closer and sighed. His throat tightened. How beautiful his wife was, and how she trusted him, even though she knew that, even while he married her, his heart belonged to another. He did not deserve that trust and he did not deserve her love. Did she even truly love him at all?
He saw her stir, then her eyes slowly opened. She tried to get up upon seeing him. "Heika? What is it? Why are you up?"
He stopped her from fussing and pushed her back gently on her pillow. "It's all right. Go back to sleep. There is nothing wrong."
She looked at him with a strange expression on her face, as if she were trying to read his thoughts. He masked his expression to no avail. The sadness still lingered in his eyes. Then she gave him a sad, knowing smile.
"I understand," she said gently, before lying back down and closing her eyes.
He watched her face and saw peace in it, and once more that trust that overwhelmed him. If only for that, he knew he must learn to dream new dreams and let go of old ones forever.
Could we begin again?
"Goodbye, Miaka," his heart sighed.
Once upon a dream?
He drew the blankets around his wife and tucked her in, bestowing a soft kiss on her forehead.
* * * * *