Once upon a time there was a king
and a queen though not of the same kingdom. They were of different lands and ruled over
very different subjects, possessing unique talents and single hearts.
This valiant king and beautiful
queen one day found themselves treading the same route which happened to
meander through both their lands. Upon
this chance meeting they detected in one another distinctive, worthy qualities,
both intriguing and impressive enough to cause them to want to cross paths
again.
Letters were exchanged from his
kingdom to hers, delivered in haste. For
even the heralds could see what a marvelous thing it might be to join these two
great empires. And so, through written
exchanges, it was agreed that this king would escort the queen in his grand,
red carriage to view the celebrated, annual light festival in her land—an
experience enjoyed after sunset.
On the night of the event, they
rode along for hours, talking, laughing and smiling frequently at one
another. Their hearts beat in rhythm,
pattering with pleasure and tenderness, one toward the other. Jolly tunes played over the air, enhancing
their bliss. The king shared pictures of
his royal family and subjects, portraits that pleased the beautiful queen. And upon this enchanted night, surrounded by
twinkling lights, their hearts swelled and the two fell in love.
It was not long before their
kingdoms joined; a merger solidified through marriage. It was a union that made them both forever
good and rich.
To say that they lived happily ever
after would be in error, because their days consisted of continual and
unnumbered trials. There were some
periods that sparkled and warmed their souls like the festive lights under which
this king and queen fell spellbound in love.
Other times proved darker, but not without growth and gain. The promise was that through enduring these
trials together—remaining a forever united kingdom in laughter, sorrow,
hardship, and love—their uniquely beating hearts would eventually, someday,
meld as one.
The Valentine is one heart shared by two.
~Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes
Copyright 2015 Richelle E. Goodrich
