My Love for Annabel Lee
It was the beginning of autumn when I laid my eyes on you. Your presence alone gave me warmth to persevere the coming solstice. The sounds of the waves long forgotten, the smell of sea salt did not even come to me as I laid my gaze upon your auburn hair and blue eyes that seem to hold the heart of the sky itself. We were young back then, always running through the streets of the city to avoid our responsibilities. Your radiant smile gave me the strength to run forever with you, even though I was only the son of a gardener of the royal family. But even with my lower status, you still gave me the most significant moments of my living life. You, a princess, born with great responsibility, and I, a lowly son of a flower tender, always covered with dirt and grime, were inseparable for years to come.
Our days were filled with laughter and joy, but with time, our responsibilities will once again call upon us, and our childhood will come to an end. Your time was spent learning to be a leader to society, while I spent my days swinging my sword to join the city guards. Although our days were filled with either books or getting callouses, I know for a time that our bond kept us close, and it kept our hearts fueled with determination. Determination that soon we would once again find each other looking upon the kingdom, this kingdom by the sea.
With time, we saw less and less of each other. The expectations of the world keep us from one another. As if the heavens themselves have come to hold us apart. But even with those challenges, even with those that have kept us apart, whether it be your kinsmen, the angels, or my father, our love for each other only grew stronger. And with that love, I came to say a promise, that one unbreakable oath under that starlit night, overlooking the kingdom at our once sanctuary called childhood, that I will always be with you until death do us part. That one day, I will be with you and show you joy and happiness till we grow old and withered from time. And in return, you gave me your promise, that even if the heavens, the nobles, or the king keep us apart. Do what they may, but our love will stay true. That she will wait with her hands stretched out to me inside that enclosure called responsibility.
It had been years since we spent our days playing through the vast expanse that we call a kingdom. Our ports were filled with ships and boxes, with people scattered across the piers. You have officially taken the position of the kingdom’s princess. It was at that time that I was finally back from the other side of the world, fighting and gaining honor through battle. Taking that first step to our long-forgotten playground was the time that I thought our promise would finally come to fruition.
The sight of children running through the coast brought back memories of our time. The shouting and hollering of men and traders were still the same as ever when I walked back to my abode. My old man seems to be tending the castle’s flowers well from what I’ve seen from your letters, even though he is reaching that time of his life to finally retire. Letters. Our bond was kept tight by our letters. Your sweet composition of words has lifted me time and time again on the war-torn battlefield. Your eloquence sometimes stumps me for a time because of my rough upbringing. My unworthy attempt at a poetic ballad does not even compare to your paragraphs that could have built a castle on its own, even though every time you mention liking it in your letters. But now that I have come back, we could finally be together.
I have amassed prestige from our time apart. Commanding an army of grizzled men has seemed to have given me merit to finally become a person of high standing. Death was always around the corner, but I persevered. Even when it seemed that the angels had orchestrated my ending, I still came back. And with my standing, I could finally bring my promise to reality. A promise that has kept us together for a time.
Standing there in the room of kings, my heart was filled with joy and anxiety. The trumpets sounded and the people cheered, but they were muffled by your beautiful figure. There you were, standing and giving a speech about what a knight’s duty should be. How one should protect the kingdom and be the light of the people who will come to be. Your voice resounded in my ears and ears alone. My eyes closed and my knee was on the floor. And with your sword upon my shoulder, my heart and soul resounded in yours. A knight of the princess and the princess alone. The princess I have loved since our days skipping stones.
The day that I came to protect you was the most joyous of all. My promise made under the shining moon kept, with yours coming to a close. Our love grew and became stronger during our time in the castle. Hours seemed to stretch to eternity when we were both beside each other. My duty to be by your side has given you comfort through the days of your responsibility. But with months passing, I saw your face become more and more strained. Your smile lost its once radiant gleam, your demeanor stiff and rigid. As your knight and protector, this behavior only pained me to see. And even if you tried to hide it, I know that your heart is torn between love and responsibility once again.
Then one day, that one harrowing day, was the day that I finally got the answer to your invisible fear. It was just like any other day with the rays of the sun seeping in through the throne room’s windows. People wearing frills and silk gathered in front of you and me. Your face was unreadable as your father began his speech with a toast, a toast that I will never forget. Your hand was sealed for a political marriage, a marriage of responsibility. I stood there stiff, first denying the possibility, but when I glanced upon your face, that beautiful angelic face, filled me with sorrow and defeat. Your lips quivering, holding your emotions in check. Your eyes strained to keep the tears from flowing. And that face that seems to hold fear and loss broke me and my heart. Two sorrows, one filled, one more to be. That day was one of them, and the other will come as fate sees it fit.
I have been foolish to think that love would keep us together. That with our bonds, nothing could stop us and the flame in our hearts. But the heavens seem to mock us, the seraphs laughing at our dire situation. The battlefield does not compare to the loss that I felt when hearing of your soon-to-be husband. A husband who does not even know your true nature. I was at a loss for a time, days seemed to flash before my eyes. Seeing you put on that fake smile for your fiance filled me with indignation. I wanted to scream profanities at the skies, saying my piece on the unfairness of our lives. Is our love not good enough to hold us together? Is responsibility better to have than to have a joyous life? My head spun on how it came to this situation. But our love stayed true, and our bond was unbreakable.
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Months have passed since that sorrow-filled day. Your once-glowing character losing its luster. I knew in my heart that your flame was fleeting, becoming colder as days passed, your soul wavering with indecision. But I became your protector and protect I must to keep the flame burning. To keep you happy, I’ve kept myself close, talking to you behind your door. I felt your sadness, your fear, and your sorrow. I felt your guilt for breaking your promise, that promise made years and years ago. But for me, that promise was already kept, your love for me staying true. I gave my piece about the situation, and even if you were to be married to a prince of another kingdom, as your knight and guardian, I will be by your side till the end of time.
Behind the door, I heard you sobbing. Your held emotions rushed to the surface. We sat there for what felt like forever. And I stayed there hearing your rugged breathing and faint whimpers. The night seemed young, and the moon shined through the halls. Your breathing became softer as you finally had your well-deserved rest. My promise reignited, my oath sealed. I will protect you forever, even if the world seems to disagree. I will lay down my life to give you yours, and the heavens and angels will see. But it seems that it was not meant to be.
Days passed and life resumed. Your radiance and glow healing. Our duties kept us together and responsibilities were finally accepted. I felt the sorrow had finally come to pass, and your smile coming back. And it was at that time that you invited me to our once sanctuary upon the coast that overlooks the kingdom, your kingdom. We sat there talking about our days of childhood and the day of our forged promise. Our conversation turned to nostalgia, our minds going through time. Then we talked about our time apart, with me talking about my dashing heroics on the battlefield and your unstoppable barrage of hate for politics. We laughed and smiled while looking at the kingdom. But our time must come to an end as the sun begins to sink behind the horizon of the sea.
We were about to go back but your hands stopped me. And looking back on your figure colored with the setting sun stunned my mind. How could a woman be so beautiful that it surpasses the divine? The answer to that was left in the dust as she leaned in close to me. Time seemed to stop, my heart racing, and our hands were interlocked with each other. I felt her gaze bore into me with those azure eyes and I knew what you felt at that moment. You closed your eyes and steadied your breath, while I leaned closer to your face. My arms found themselves wrapping around you as I felt your soft lips upon my own. We were there for an infinite amount of time, keeping that moment for a while longer. Our souls were one, our love persevering, and our fates sealed by the heavens above.
After what felt like years of warmth and happiness, the sounds of the waves came back to our ears. Your face was painted with a tinge of red as I stared into your eyes. Both of us smiled as finally we were bound. The autumn chill not even making its mark as we stood there holding each other. But just like before, fate has come knocking on our doors.
The winds howled, and the waves crashed upon the cliffside. Your hair danced across the air and leaves were blown to the sky. The sky rumbled as if the heavens themselves had come with a tribulation. And from the distance, the sense of doom felt palpable to my soul. You seem to not notice the happenings of the world, as you stood there smiling to me. But when I looked to your face, truly looked upon your face, I saw acceptance, acceptance to fate. And with a single tear streaming down your face, the world shuddered. The chill in the air coalesced upon your figure, and your body started to freeze over. I tried to reach out to you but my hands were blocked by a supernatural force. And within seconds, you stood there, still with that radiant smile of yours, but your body had turned to frost. Fate has once again made itself known, and the seraphs again found our love to be a mere toy. Two sorrows, two filled, fate has come to a close.
My mind was blank for but a moment, but then it started to race with incomprehensible speed. Questions, thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, and promises rushed through my brain as I stood there trying to find the answers to my thinking. How could this happen when we finally accepted fate? Is accepting our fates caused this? Were the heavens filled with so much envy upon our love for each other that they took my world away from me? Is this how it was supposed to be? Questions kept popping up, and they didn’t seem to stop. My heart that was once lit aflame was gone along with the wind of autumn. Becoming colder than the statue that stood in front of me.
What am I supposed to do without you? You promised nothing could ever tear us apart, nobody could ever come between us. You promised! But now you`re gone. And I`m alone, alone and cold. Filled with tremendous cold. I screamed and screamed against the heavens, against fate that seems to bind us to this so-called tragedy. I shouted with all my heart and screamed my indignation to the world above. But with all my pleading and anger and hate, time continued and flowed, like nothing happened. As if the one I loved turned to ice were insignificant to the eyes of the skies.
Fleeting without a sense of time, night finally came. Thoughts warred against each other, and the highborn kinsmen finally arrived. Their torches lit up our sanctuary, giving way to a broken man. His crying could be heard as he lay there facing the ground. Next to him was a sculpture of their princess still smiling that radiant smile. Her body turned to ice and frost, and no heat could thaw her statue. With only a single look at the situation, the people knew the story. A knight, a guardian who was supposed to protect failed at his one purpose. He failed his promise and oath to the one he loved as he stayed there crying.
An account of the events was heard in the coming days. The princess has turned to frost, and a sepulcher has been built inside the castle walls to house her statue. His knight was denounced from his position for failing his job to protect, and the man was left broken contemplating what happened that day.
He is once again a gardener, tending to the flowers of the royal family. The people grieved the loss of their princess, but none grieved the most than the man who once protected her. The princess’ family felt angered and ashamed at him for failing to protect their daughter, but none could blame him for they knew that he loved her the most. A gloom overtook the kingdom for the next few weeks, every citizen giving their gifts for the departed. And with time, the people’s hearts healed. But one man was left scarred, with a wound that could not be healed.
His father tried and tried to give him his grievances, but he was still duty-bound. He still tended to the hedges even with his old age, and his son knew that his body had passed its prime.
The once-knight and protector lived the next few days looking at the world that had lost its color. The one warmth of a smile was gone from his life, and the kingdom soon saw winter.
With the snow falling inside the castle walls, the gardens didn’t see themselves tended. The gardeners holed up in their homes trying to warm their bodies. But one gardener still tended the frozen flowers surrounding a sepulcher. There it stood, a woman with the face of an angel giving a smile so radiant that the winter cold did not faze the man tending to it. His duty to protect was still there in his heart, and protect he shall. His love for the woman was still ingrained in his soul, remembering the promise that he made for the sculpture. He remembered it like it was yesterday, that promise under the starlit night. “I will always be with you until death do us part”, he said to the statue, looking at it with sadness and acceptance. Even if fate has come to separate us, our love will always be true. Even if death has come to one of us, our souls will always be bound. Even if the world has gone cold with the chill of the winter winds, your radiant smile will always warm my heart. Because here lies Annabel Lee, the princess of a kingdom by the sea, my love for you was always meant to be.