Lost love BY;FJM

Listen, and listen well
To this tale I am about to tell.
Of lost love that was re-found
Over several centuries span.

This story begins with royals three,
Two fine princes and a fair princess
Named Steven, Marcus and Eleanor.
The men competing, for the hand of fair Eleanor.

Eleanor was to be betrothed,
Whether she wished it or no
To pale Steven she took a fancy,
Cold Marcus, however, she loathed.

Before the betrothed was decided,
Out riding they did go,
Towards the rising mountains of snow
Where they found a woman old.

She was trapped and begged for help
But was spurned by cold Marcus and mocked by fair Eleanor.
Leaving pale Steven alone to help her,
Whereupon, she revealed herself, to be a sorceress.

Though they begged for mercy
She cursed them still.
Marcus she made a monster
Though he was one, but now in form too, during the full moon.

It was poor Eleanor she cursed the worst,
Her soul would forever be restless
Moving from body to body
Until she married her one true love.

Frightened they returned to Eleanor’s parents,
Steven comforting his frightened love
To find that she was betroth,
Not to kind Steven but to monstrous Marcus.

Steven watched his fair love for as long as he could bear.
Then fled to find the sorceress.
For months he looked and despaired
Then at last, he found her.

"Why do you hunt me?" She demanded.
"What have I done to earn your animosity?"
"You cursed her" Steven choked, "The love of my life
Now she will marry Marcus, whether she wishes it or no."

The sorceress stared at Steven, considering his problem.
"I will not lift my curse on Eleanor." She said at last.
Then she smiled oddly at young Steven
"I will curse you instead."

"A monster you too shall be to the outside world
A vampire, but in form alone.
Your people will see you as the best,
But when asked, will never tell."

"Never to die, no matter what you try
Stakes will shatter against your chest,
Neither will garlic kill you
Or sunlight affect you."

"Lusting after blood,
But never capable of taking a human life.
Until your true love finds you and loves you,
Loves you enough to marry you."

Steven fled back to his castle, to remain hidden for centuries.
Always dressed in black,
Mourning for his now long lost love
Waiting in his dark castle, for his lost love.

While Eleanor’s restless soul moved from body to body,
Always the same form,
But with no release
From the sorceresses terrible curse.

Centuries have passed when our tale starts anew
It starts when a child is born.
The only daughter of a king and queen
She is the princess Eleanora.

With dark chestnut locks
And fair of face,
With twin emerald fires for her eyes.
The spitting image of her cursed ancestor.

When she came of age,
Eleanora was betrothed to Anthony.
Descendant of monstrous Marcus
Who shared his curse and his cruel mind.

On a days ride with her intended
Anthony led them into a storm and refused to turn back.
Until lighting spooked her horse
Which ran into the lands of the cursed vampire prince.

Her horse ran on where Anthony refused to enter
Until she could to see the castle,
The castle that had filled her dreams each night since she was of thirteen years.
Then she fell from the steed, and was lost to the waking world.

Eleanora awoke in a pleasant room
A servant entered with food and helped her dress, since her leg was broken.
Then the servant led Eleanora to the throne room
And left her there alone.

Eleanora slowly walked around
Examining the dark quiet splendor
Until a portrait made her pale
It was a picture of her.

She whirled to stare at the man who had entered
Dressed in mourning black.
He was fair with pale blond hair and piercing blue eyes.
Eleanora quailed, for she recognised the description, of the vampire prince.

Frightened beyond imagining, Eleanora spied some garlic in a table arrangement
And threw it at the vampire.
To her horror, the vampire simply caught the garlic, unaffected.
Then he deliberately chewed the clove, showing no ill affect.

Eleanora limped slowly towards the drawn curtains,
But he spoke, stopping her in an instant.
"Do not bother." The vampire said softly approaching shaking Eleanora
"I am cursed, never to die."

"Believe me, I have tried.
But it was all in vain."
Deliberately he drew the curtains and stood with Eleanora
In the pale sun’s light.

"Who are you sir?" Eleanora trembled,
"Steven, cursed ruler of this land." Came the soft reply.
"Who is she?" Eleanora asked, gesturing at the portrait.
"My true love, Eleanor." Came the sad reply.

"I am Eleanora." Eleanora declared, courage returned.
"Princess of the neighbouring kingdom South of here
Betrothed to Anthony,
His kingdom is-"

"West of here, and of you." Steven replied.
"I know the place well, far too well."
He looked at Eleanora wearily.
At last, he asked, "why are you here?"

"Anthony, my betroth, insisted we ride this day." Eleanora replied.
"He refused to return when the storm broke.
My horse spooked and brought me here.
I fell… and woke up here."

"You may stay as long as you require." Steven said at last.
"But please, I beg you, do not disturb me when I must eat." With that he left.
Leaving a puzzled Eleanora
Staring at a portrait of her long dead ancestor.

As her leg healed she got better aquatinted with her vampire host
Learning of his terrible curse
Slowly she grew fond of her enigmatic host,
Never realizing he was falling in love with her.

She saw him feed once only,
She watched in horror as he fed on the blood of a sheep.
He turned from her ashamed,
But she simply wiped what blood was on his face without a single word.

Life suited Eleanora fine, learning about her vampire host
As Steven slowly realized he loved this fair lady
Until her parents arrived with their army
Demanding the return of their only daughter.

She left, with an open invitation to visit anytime,
And an enchanted jewelled broach,
With which she could contact him,
If she ever needed his aid.

Steven watched them leave
Feeling his heart breaking.
He recognized his true love within this princess
He realized he would have loved her, anyway.

She returned home,
Demanding that the betrothal should be broken
And it was.
To her great relief.

Anthony however was furious,
He kidnapped fair Eleanora,
Taking her to his castle
Intent on forcing her to marry him.

Locked in her tower room
Eleanora called to Steven,
Hoping for a miracle
Realizing, at last, that she loved him.

Steven immediately transformed,
And flew as a great black eagle by day
And travelling as a large bat during the moonlit night
To reach his beloved.

He reached Eleanora
And flew into her tower room.
Eleanora hugged Steven sobbing uncontrollably
When Anthony burst in.

In the light of the full moon Anthony changed.
He grew fur and fangs
Becoming a werewolf
Snarling at his enemy.

They battled,
The vampire and werewolf,
When Anthony struck,
Driving his blade into Steven’s heart.

He howled his victory as Steven fell
Preparing for the final kill
When Eleanora struck
Driving a small silver dagger, into the werewolf’s back.

As Anthony turned in shock
Steven rose like a phoenix, shoving with all his might.
Out fell Anthony, falling to his death,
Finally free of his ancestral curse.

Eleanora returned to Stevens embrace,
To find him recovering from his wounds, his curse still healing his battered body.
"All I have caused you is pain and terror," He said slowly
"I will see you home, then you will never see me again."

"Do not leave me." She begged
"Never leave me. I love you.
No matter where you go I will follow
To the depths of hell if I must, to be with you."

Steven stared and then kissed her
And escorted her to his own castle.
"Your parents will never agree." Steven whispered
"Then let us marry here and now." Eleanora declared.

In the private chapel they wed,
They had finished exchanging vows
When Eleanora’s father stormed in,
Followed by his army.

"How dare you steal my daughter!" Bellowed the king.
"Your soul will rot in the deepest pits of hell for this
You will never marry Eleanora
Vampire."

"To late" Said Eleanora defiantly.
"The rites have been completed. We are wed."
With that, She kissed her husband,
Sealing their marriage forever more.

"Then be a widow!" Bellowed her father
When Steven gasped in surprise,
Both felt their respective curses leave
And the sorceress appeared.

"You have done well," She said
"My curse is lifted
Live your lives together
As it was meant to be before we met."

"No longer shall a vampire rule this place
Now vampire prince, be a man again
Shed your dark protection
Be mortal once more!"

"And remember," she added, with a wry smile
"Do not mock one
Who is in need of aid,
You never know what your reward might be."

With that she vanished
Never to be seen again.
Steven became a mortal man
Leaving no reason why Eleanora’s father could object.

The couple lived together for three score years
Dying together
Within minutes of each other
So close was their love.

It is said they can still be heard.
Haunting the castle
Always together
Content with their lost love re-found.