I Can't Forget the Melody Chapter Four

 Chapter Four

Bring Her Back to Me

    His heart heavy and troubled, Prince Edward walked slowly through the silent halls of the palace. His betrothed bride-another unknown foreign princess-would be arriving only that evening and the king was preparing an enormous banquet to welcome her. Why he had agreed to another of these dreadful political alliances, he could not fathom. He was so weary-weary of searching, of fighting, of struggling. An entire year had passed since he had begun to search for the only one he had ever loved and ever would love and had never found a sign of her.

    As he moved through the corridors, he suddenly stopped and stood still. From somewhere echoed a lovely song… the voice sounded so familiar. It made his heart beat so quickly he was afraid it would burst.

"I can't forget the melody,

all though our song is through,

The love we shared,

The dream we dared,

Was just a prayer,

That can't come true."

    As the beautiful voice continued, he moved quickly toward it but the song seemed to be echoing from every corridor, every doorway, and the singer remained hidden.

"I tried to stop remembering,

But 'til the day I die,

Within my memory,

Will live the melody,

Of the song that was you and me."

    The voice began to fade slowly into the distance. Nearly frantic, he quickened his pace, running down this corridor and the other but it was nearly gone. He strained to catch the last few words as the song died away into silence.

"All though our song is through,

I can't stop loving you.

For I can't forget the melody."

    He fell against the wall with a groan, whispering her name over and over as if it was the only link to sanity. "Could it be that she was only a fantasy?" He was so certain it had been her voice. But of course it could not have been. It was only the product of a tortured mind and a broken heart. Miserably, he buried his face in his hands.

    Prince Edward stood in his chamber, staring out the window at the procession below. The trumpets were announcing the arrival of his bride. He knew he should be waiting to welcome her but he hated the thought of going down to meet her. For the first time in his life, he was thankful that his rather aggravating cousin, the Duke of Montague, was visiting. At least he would provide a welcome distraction, if nothing else.

    "The Princess Kate has arrived, your Highness," a solemn voice announced from the doorway. Without turning, Edward knew that the Chamberlain stood there, bent in a formal bow. Always these dreaded formalities! With an inward shudder, he replied mechanically,

    "Of course. Tell my father I shall be down straightaway." As the Chamberlain's footsteps echoed down the hall, he recalled the haunting words of the song he had heard just that morning.

"Although our song is through,

I can't stop loving you,

For I can't forget the melody."

    Tears in his eyes, he bent his head in a silent prayer. "God, give me strength to face the task that lies ahead. And-wherever she is-let her know, Lord, how much I still love her. If there is any chance, any at all, bring her back to me. There isn't much time left but please, Lord, bring her back to me."