Far Longer Than Forever

A slow-burning Steroline romance based loosely off The Swan Princess

Chapter 1: Introduction

Updated - 2/23/15

I know I've been MIA for so long... I stopped watching the show but after I heard about that Steroline kiss I wanted to come back to my story!

I'm going to be updating the chapters I've posted as well as going on to write new ones

Some things will be changed as my writing style has changed :)

Thanks for reading!

King Giuseppe frowned, sitting on his throne poring over letters from the people of the kingdom. He heard a laugh float in through the window and stood up, approaching the window that looked over the vast gardens on his lands. Looking down, he could see his young son, Stefan, having a (wooden) sword fight with another boy from court.

A knock echoed throughout the empty room, startling the king. A young messenger entered the room, struggling to breathe as he realized it was just him and the king. He rushed over to the window where the king still stood, holding out a piece of parchment as he went. From the corner of his eye, the king could see the familiar seal engraved onto the parchment.

"A letter from House Forbes, your majesty," announced the boy.

The king took the scroll, pleased to hear from one of his neighboring allies. Breaking the seal and unrolling the parchment he read "Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth of House Forbes, has born a daughter, Caroline of House Forbes. The queen and the princess invite you to celebrate this joyous occasion with a night of feasting and dancing."

The King looked down upon his son once again, inspiration striking. A smile spreading across his face, Giuseppe returned to his throne and began writing his response.

Growing up, Caroline could count the number of people she considered her friend on one hand. Stubborn and outspoken, Caroline never exactly got along with the daughters of the women of the court. She thought them silly and trivial, tiny clones of their mothers in court. This too, perhaps, explained why Caroline felt so disconnected from the girls she grew up with. They had strong and caring relationships with their mothers.

Caroline, however, felt like the fly her mother was always trying to swat away. While Caroline was light-hearted, outgoing, and kind, her mother was cold and distant. If she wasn't barking orders at Caroline, or reprimanding her behavior, she wasn't speaking to her. Caroline was not the son Queen Elizabeth had wanted, needed, to make her kingdom larger and stronger.

When King Giuseppe had written Queen Elizabeth the year of Caroline's birth, the queen had sent a prayer of thanks to the gods. At least she could marry her daughter to another house, combining their Kingdoms. Who better than the powerful and undefeated House Salvatore? Thus began the annual tradition of bringing their houses together.

For years, Caroline would travel to House Salvatore with her mother each June. The castle of House Salvatore never failed to take her breath away: dark and Gothic, with elegant towers that never seemed to end. It was undeniably once of the most beautiful structures she had ever seen. The castle would cast eerie shadows over the grounds where she and Stefan would play. Hiding from the sun and picking out shapes in the clouds above.

Ever since she could remember, Caroline would count down the days until her annual voyage to House Salvatore. Until the day they would set sail and finally, until she would arrive at the kingdom of House Salvatore. Although shy and awkward the first few years, Caroline and Stefan soon grew to become inseparable. From the moment she stepped off her ship, Caroline could feel the weight and despair lifted from her shoulders. She (almost) felt free.

When she was around Stefan, she didn't have assume the poised, soft-spoken and submissive Princess Caroline of House Forbes charade that her mother favored. When they were alone together, she was Caroline. Just Caroline.

The other members of court from both houses always thought it odd that the two got along so well. Caroline was furiously optimistic, outgoing, and more neurotic than not. Meanwhile, Stefan was on the quiet side, liking to keep to himself. Caroline never could resist teasing him about brooding in her presence. While he read or scribbled away in his journal, she skipped circles around him, raining down flower crowns and leaves. That is, until she got bored and settled down at his feet, a fake pout on her face.

While other members of the court looked on with disdain, Stefan was everything patient and kind. Just as she was about to give up, he would reach out and take her hand, ready for whatever mischief she would talk him into next.

Quiet and withdrawn, with a smile that never failed to make Caroline feel like she was the only person on the planet, Stefan was the light of her life. He was the one constant - her relationship with her mother was turbulent at best and she didn't have many friends at court itself. Being with Stefan made Caroline feel invincible.

One night, he snuck into her room in the middle of the night, scaring her half to death. She spent 10 minutes scolding him under her breath about how improper it was, how much trouble she would be in if anyone found out, what if they thought her impure? On and on, all the while Stefan patiently waited for her to quiet down.

When she finally subsided, he told her about the comet that would be soaring through the sky shortly before dawn. He had overheard his tutor raving about it, how rare and beautiful it was. Caroline, a lover of all things unique and special, hopped out of bed, excitement rushing through her veins. Stefan knew all the secret passages and within a matter of minutes, they were on their way.

They made their way through the grounds, using a lantern and the stars as their only light source. Stefan already had the perfect spot picked out to watch the sky. He had brought a fur blanket as well as an assortment of snacks, considering Caroline was always hungry. They settled down on the soft earth, the area clear of trees so they would have the perfect view. It was a cloudless night, still warm from the summer air.

"He said there wouldn't be another this bright or close to us for at least 10 more years" Stefan had whispered excitedly.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, peering up at the sky in wonder.

Stefan was beginning to fall asleep when he heard a gasp of astonishment and Caroline's arm went into the air, pointing.

A glowing ball of white soared through the sky, leaving a trail of violet and cobalt blue in it's wake.

Caroline leaned against Stefan, smiling at it's sheer beauty.

By the time the sun had come up and the two Houses had realized their children were missing, they dispatched an army to find them. They found the two sleeping by a pond, won over by exhaustion.

Caroline awoke, ripped away from Stefan and immediately forced into her mothers' arms. While in the company of others, The Queen feigned joy at finding her daughter. That night was another story.

Caroline had never seen her mother so angry. Rage seeped from all her pores, coming together as The Queen slapped Caroline square across the face. The young princess' eyes watered as a hand print burned red against her cheek. She held it together up until the point where her mother declared they would be leaving at that moment. Embarrassed by her daughter's behavior, Elizabeth refused Caroline a goodbye, sending her to the ship while the servants packed her bags.

The following year, King Giuseppe's wife came down with a deadly illness, which spread throughout the kingdom. By the time the queen had passed, numerous others had the disease coursing through their blood as well. It took months to contain and eliminate the infection. Elizabeth wouldn't dare travel to the kingdom for the funeral procession, for fear of coming down with the illness herself. ("If only" Caroline thought.) Caroline sent letters and handmade gifts to Stefan and his father, corresponding with Stefan by mail from then on. She knew she wouldn't see him again for quite a while – her mother far too paranoid to leave the kingdom.

After only a few months, the letters stopped coming. Completely. They received no word from House Salvatore, despite many efforts to rekindle the friendship that had blossomed between the two houses. Elizabeth was cantankerous, believing her plan to have Stefan and Caroline wed thwarted.

Another summer came and went without a word from Stefan. Caroline's heart ached, but she distracted herself, taking it upon herself to liven up the kingdom community. She threw balls, festivals, and parties, involving not only the people of the court, but the people who lived in the kingdom as well. When she wasn't organizing extravagant celebrations, Caroline would spend her days with her people of the kingdom. She put on plays and shows with the children, sang to the elderly and the ill, and reached out to any and all members of the community. The simple-folk hailed Caroline as a generous and loving princess; all the while her mother watched from behind the walls of her castle, disgusted.

Finally, a week before what would have been yet another summer apart, a letter arrived – from Stefan! Caroline could hardly contain her excitement as she tore it open, devouring his words. He professed a sincere apology, explaining the depression he and his father went through after the death of his mother. Caroline could feel his pain through his words, oh how she wished that she was there with him.

After apologizing once again for disappearing on her, Stefan expressed his hope that she and her mother would sail to House Salvatore, resuming their tradition once more. Smug, knowing that the bond between House Salvatore and House Forbes wasn't broken yet, Queen Elizabeth agreed to sail to House Salvatore once again.

I hope it's not too awful, any feedback is appreciated! - M 2.23.15