Love through the ages
Prologue: A promise lasting through time
The king's engagement ball was roaring with laughter and music, just like you would expect from a ball. Everyone was enjoying themselves, except Madeline, one of the king's closest servants. She didn't like the fact that the king was engaged to a countess with the name of Constance, because she wanted the king to be happy. Constance didn't make the king happy but he had to marry someone of status, marrying because of love was pretty much unheard of at that time. Madeline had warn the king many, many times that he shouldn't propose to Constance, for Madeline knew that he would never be happy with that decision. Constance hated Madeline, she felt like Madeline was taking away the king's attention that was meant for her.
"I want her gone! She is not a good influence for you, my love.", Madeline once overheard a conversation between the king and his fiancee. Even though she couldn't stand Constance and her 'Everyone is beneath me'-attitude, she couldn't do anything. She was just a maid, born to serve the royal family, but never would she have known that she would develop feelings for the king. When they were younger, they played together and from that friendship grew something more.
"I present to you, King Daniel IV and his bride Countess Constance.", Madeline announced and the couple walked down the stairs in the ballroom. Her heart skipped a beat, seeing the king wear formal clothing and his crown resting on his head of blonde hair. To her, he was gorgeous, for he was also a very kind and just ruler. Everyone of his people loved him. The couple reached the end of the stairs and Madeline walked up to the king, dusting him off a bit and adjusting a few little pieces of fabric. She did it to have an excuse to touch him, and be close to him. Madeline liked the king's scent, he smelled like flowers and metal.
"You look splendid today, your Highness.", she whispered, audible for the king but not for the countess.
"You look amazing as well, Madeline.", the king replied with a smile. Madeline smiled as well, slightly, but she smiled. She moved away from the king and his bride to let them walk through the crowd and officially start the ball. Madeline was a bit jealous of Constance, she would get the first and last dance of the ball. She wanted to be there instead of her, but alas, it would never come to that. She just watched as the two started dancing. Constance felt slick and showed it with pride. The king couldn't throw her out, he could, however, throw out his maid.
"You don't look like you are enjoying yourself, dear sister.", a man said. Madeline looked at her brother and sighed: "You know how I feel about the countess, Cyrus. She is just marrying Daniel to gain power."
Cyrus was Madeline's older brother and has been friends with the king as long as he could remember. He was a close to the king as his sister was, yet he knew about the love the king and Madeline share. While he knew that they were deeply in love, he also always stated that they shouldn't do that, because of the rule that was in place. Cyrus loved his sister a lot, not wanting her heart broken, but than again, the love they share was something that they had for so long, that it was practically impossible to separate them from each other.
"You know after this is over, they're officially married. Today would be your last chance to...", Cyrus was cut of by his sister giving him a grunt as if to imply that she understood what he had said.
"You know as well as I do that objecting to the wedding isn't going to do anything, Cyrus. I am not royalty so speaking up against it will only fall on deaf ears", she said, sighing as she watched the couple dance.
Daniel was caught up in dancing with his bride, but he noticed his best friend standing at the stairs looking down. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her, so he excused himself from his bride and walked over to Madeline.
"Would you like to dance with me, Maddie?", he asked, holding out a hand towards her. Madeline looked at him with a slight blush on her face and then accepted, much to the dismay of Constance. The two friends bowed to each other and then started dancing together.
"I'm sorry. I should've paid more attention to you.", Daniel apologized to Madeline, who just smiled at him.
"Constance is your bride, I don't blame you for her attention-seeking behavior. Besides, I don't wanna be the one taking the king from his bride.", Madeline replied, pushed her friend away a bit and curtsied to him, leaving the ballroom through the door leading to the gardens. He decided not to follow her yet, even though he had the desire to do so. Daniel could see his reflection in a mirror on the wall and he didn't like what he saw. A man who can't even defend his feelings for someone in front of everyone. A king whose status is more important to him than his own happiness. He was handsome, no doubt about it, but he hated his reflection. Daniel took of his crown, looking at his reflection. He sighed. Then he sat his crown down on the table under the mirror and left the ballroom, following Madeline.
Madeline was standing at the end of the balcony, leaning on the waist-high wall looking over the beautiful park.
"I figured you'd be here. Though I actually thought you might hide under the branches of the weeping willow.", Daniel said as he approached her. She turned around looking at him and than turned her gaze back to the park that were the gardens.
"You have taken of the crown, Daniel. I like you better without it anyway.", Madeline smiles a bit. Daniel smiled too. Then he said: "I can't bring you to like Constance, but I hope you grow to tolerate her. She said I should throw you out, but I can't."
"I know that she thinks I'm bad influence for you. I can't help it wanting to be by your side.", she replied with a sigh. The king just looked at her, he felt the exact same way with her, but the rule was: 'Royals may only be betrothed to royals, making sure the bloodline remains pure.' or something like that. He himself hated that rule but being the only son of the king and queen he had no choice but to follow it. He placed one hand on hers and whispered: "I feel the same about wanting to be by your side. You have been my friend for so long, you shared secrets with me and you were the woman I always wanted to marry, but thanks to the rule, I can't and it bothers me so much."
Madeline looked at her hand being enclosed with his. Then she looked in his face. His eyes looked so genuine to her that she couldn't stop herself and just kissed him, knowing full well that she shouldn't have. Daniel didn't seem to mind however, as he leaned into the kiss as if it was the only thing that mattered in that moment. All the love they felt for each other was poured into that kiss. As they parted, panting a bit, he said: "I promise, we'll be together in a next life!"
"I'll hold you to it.", Madeline said and the two locked lips again as if to seal the promise.
"Let's get away from here.", Daniel smiled sheepishly and dragged Madeline along, both laughing out of excitement. They just needed to get far enough away so Constance wouldn't catch them making out. So they found a quiet place, their little cave beneath the branches of the weeping willow standing at the end of the gardens, and started making out. In that moment nothing mattered anymore, just the two.
The happiness didn't last long. Soon the now/queen Constance discovered the secret affair her husband King Daniel IV had with his closest servant, and she was not pleased. Forcing them to give up their love, Madeline had no other choice than to let herself be executed for adultery and seduction o the king. The king however, wouldn't let that happen, as he was standing by her side as he had done a thousand times before, now facing death together with her.
"This love was wrong from the start.", Madeline cried in his arms. Daniel himself knew, that this relationship was wrong, but he stated: "This love was never wrong, the relationship we had was wrong."
As the two shared their final kiss, they were shot by the executioners with orders from the queen.
"I promise, we'll be together in a next life!", was echoing through their heads as they let out their final breath.
Over the years, the two have met each other over and over again, yet something always kept them apart. One Time the woman was married during a time where adultery was still a big thing and was punishable with death for the woman, another time they could never reach each other for the man was a rock star and she was just one in a million fans. Another time she was a child and he a grown man when they met, making it illegal for them to be together. It was clear by the way they were reborn, that the man was destined for greatness while his love was always supposed to be standing at the sidelines. Over the years they have forgotten about the promise he made to her, though every time they knew they belonged together. This time, however, they will be reminded of that promise, and maybe they can finally be together.