stl: coldplay, 'viva la vida'
Once upon a time...
All of his stories begin as such.
Once upon a time, a great king fell in love.
Once upon a time, he ruled the world his heart, his broad smile as his shield, his carefree laughter as his sword. His enemies owed their precious lives to the woman who stood by his side, aided his every decision. He was in debt much more than his eternity; his love, though greater than any love before or after, hardly seemed to show his gratitude for her fidelity, her trust. His soul danced with hers in the mid-afternoon light in the clover fields. He would lay along side her while she wove intricate crowns of flowers, graciously bowing his head as she reverently placed them on the crown of her beloved imperator's head. In turn, he placed the delicate blossoms in her hair, claiming her as his queen. At night, he would take her hand and lead her through the winding streets of the city and hold her, watching in muted fascination as Canes Venatici, Cassiopeia and Cepheus spun in the heavens.
Once upon a time, he held the world and its riches in his own arms.
Years have clouded his memories, diluting them into mere fantasies that even he isn't sure ever occurred. His eyes no longer stared into the keen eyes of the twinkling Phoenix, no longer whispered a good evening to the Ursas. His feet rarely traveled beyond the boundaries of home, never gracing the plush greens along the river where he had spent so very many years, years that he thought would never end. He sat alone with his thoughts as the days came and went, each melting lazily into the next. The precise year of the present, Anno Domini two-thousand... No, no, that wasn't right. Anno Domini... six hundred thirty-two. Yes, that was accurate. Six hundred plus years had passed him since he lost the soul of his existence.
Once upon a time, a great king fell in love...