Deja Vu

~Year 1840~

The lights of St James Palace were fading, creating new shadows and dark patches around Louis and Irene, as she led him onward and toward the forest, eyes glimmered from tree hollows.

The wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of wood rot.

They moved faster, ignoring the briars that caught at their robes, the damp leaves that grimed their skins.

Irene stopped all of a sudden. She lifted her face, letting the moon's light and shadow dance across her skin.

She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled its minty smell and continued on, delighting in the sound of their feet sliding through the leaves.

The trees stood utterly still, statues in a living museum where no leaf dared to fall.

"I shall ask," Louis started. "Where are you planning on taking me?"

"If you ask, you'll never know." Irene answered, grinning to herself as she held Louis's and in hers, leading him into the shadows which surrounded the woods and forest.

They walked and walked until Irene finally finally came to a stop.

Louis looked around himself and let a smile overwhelm his face.

The moonlight had torn apart the three leafs here and there, hitting the forest's ground. The ground was still moist from the rain drops of the previous night, filling their nostrils with an amazing scent.

"So what was it that you wanted to show me?"

Louis asked again, but this time, instead of answering him and telling him to have patience, Irene took his hand and lead him forward, where a big tree trunk had blocked their view.

When they reached its other side, from afar they saw three little new-born bears. Their mother was asleep snd they played around, struggling to stand up.

"We all have a complicated story." said Irene. "But we have to look for the interesting part. Otherwise we would be left with nothing. Listen."

Irene said and Louis did as he was asked to.

From far away, they could hear the wolves were howling to the half-moon that was lightening the sky.

"Wolves are mysterious creatures." She said. "Sometimes, I feel like they're calling to me. And sometimes, I feel the urge to respond back."

She closed her eyes and stood under where the moonlight had connected the earth.

Even though it was pretty dark at that time, Louis could swear that he had seen Irene glow under the moonlight.

***

One week passed like a blink of an eye for Louis.

Perhaps it was because of the presence of a certain golden haired woman.

The queen of England was kind enough to welcome her most important guests to stay at one of her palaces.

King Louis had agreed without thinking twice about it. For he was sure that by staying longer in England, he could see more of the woman that he was beginning to feel deeply for.

That day, the sky was clear—light blue painted through the horizon. Not a sign of one or two, big or small, white, fluffy clouds floating across the sky. And the wind—the wind was like nothing but calm air that day.

Louis had invited Irene over for lunch. Even though his mother wasn't too delighted to hear that news at first, she melted into it when she sat down around the table with Irene.

After a perfect feast, Louis asked Irene to go with him for a walk in the yard, under the London's rare sunny day.

"I... Uh... Wasn't sure about doing this... But..."

Louis started, his voice trembling as he walked alongside Irene, next to the small lake.

At last, he came to a stop and so did Irene. He turned to face her, yet didn't dare to look up into her beautiful green eyes.

"I know it hasn't been long that I know you... But I can't conceal how I feel about you anymore." he said. "From the first moment that I saw you, I started to fancy you. I knew a mere touch was enough for me to have my heart beat faster. But the thing is... Is that..."

He waited a few moments. Silence had filled the space between the two. At last, he looked into her eyes.

"I know that a kiss from your lips is enough for me to fall for you."

By that, he raised his shaky cold hand and placed it on her cheek gently, looking into her eyes.

His glance wandered down and got fixed on her natural red lips.

Louis didn't wait for her respond. He didn't care if it wasn't the right thing for a king. He couldn't careless what everyone else would think.

He just leaned down and gently connected his lips with hers.

Irene slowly responded to the kiss. His other hand traveled down her waist and held her lightly, pushing her toward himself.

Then, he slowly pulled away with a smile.

"And now, I know that I love you."