Eternal Love Book Two: Renaissance Love

Chapter Five: Memories Return

Constance woke up in a sweat breathing heavy, her father had fallen asleep in a chair next to her bed. For a moment she looked around trying to remember where and who she was. Then she did remember, her name was Constance in this life. She was an artist and had met an amazing man. A man she already knew. It was a strange feeling she had; she remembered all her previous life.

One that was full of love and some hardships, and then just as life was getting better again, she died all because of a snake bite. She looked around; how different her life had been. She was a princess before, then Pharaoh and now she was just a poor artist. But one thing was the same, the man she loved. Although he looked a bit different, she would know him anywhere. Giuseppe was Radames the man who was her soul mate.

A part of her a large part wanted to get up get dressed and go to him. But she knew her father would not think much of that, unless he knew the truth. But then he might think of her as mad. Constance decided she trusted her father enough, she would tell him, she had never lied to him before, he would believe her. So, after getting up and dressing she woke up her father who was still sleeping in the chair.

“Father wake up,” she says softly.

Her father opened his eyes and smiled, “I was worried about you princess.” He says.

Constance sat on the side of the bed and she smiled at him. “I'm perfectly find father. But there is something I have to tell you.” She was a bit worried how would he react to what she was about to tell him.

“What is it, you know you can tell me anything.” Her father says taking her hand.

Constance lets out a sigh, “Well the reason I passed out last night is because I was getting my memory back, and it was a bit overwhelming.”

Her father looked very confused, “What memories?”

Constance let out a long sigh, “My memories of my past life. This is not the first time I have lived.”

Her father was quiet for a few moments and then he responded, “You have never not once lied to me. So, I'm sure you're not lying to me now. So, I have to believe that what you are telling me is something you truly believe. Who were you in this previous life?”

As crazy as it sounded her father was quite curious as to what her memories were. Constance could tell he was truly interested so she decided to tell him her story.

“I was born in a land called Egypt. I was the daughter of the Pharaoh, his only child. My name was Bastet. They had named me after the Goddess Bastet and I became special to her. Every year on my birthday she would bring me a gift, but my favorite gift was Ankanah a beautiful black panther. The goddess gave him to me and he became my best friend. He was magical in his own way. Then I fell in love with my father's advisor. We were soul mates, but my father forbid us to be together. We ran away and were married by the Goddess Bastet in secret, then after several months of blissful marriage, my father found us. He forced us with his guards to go back to Egypt, where he tried to kill Radames. What he did not know was that Radames is immortal. After trying to kill my love my father was punished. The gods struck him down and I became Pharaoh. Not long after that Radames and I had a child, who died from being bitten by a snake. I grieved for a long time, and then when I was finally starting to feel like myself again, it happened.

It was my twenty-first birthday; I had woken up and was about to get dressed. Radames was already out of our room. I did not see the snake until it was too late. The Egyptian asp bit me, as I lay there dying the Goddess Bastet came.

She promised me that I would get a second chance at life and love. The last thing I remember is her kissing my forehead and telling me goodbye.”

Constance let out a sigh and the tears that had come into her eyes fell down her cheeks. Her father hugged her. As crazy as it seemed he believed every word of her story. She smiled at him.

“The most interesting part is I know who my soulmate is in this life. It is Giuseppe, he is Radames, last night proved that to me. He even has my Ankanah with him.” She tells her father.

Her father looks at her, “You mean Radames and Giuseppe are the same person?”

Constance nods, “Yes father, Radames is the son of the dark god Anubis, he can't die. I am not sure how he knew where to find me, but he's been waiting for me all this time. However, before I tell him I want to be sure its him. So, I'll give him a test.”

“What kind of test?” He asks.

“I'm going to paint the picture he asked for and put us in it, how we used to look. That will be is test is he mentions it then I'll know.” It was a good idea, her father thought so as well.

And so, Bastet/ Constance pretended that nothing had happened, for a week she went and spent time at Giuseppe’s in his garden, painting the picture he had asked for. Finally, the day came when she finished it.

She kept it covered and that night after dinner she revealed her finished work of art. Giuseppe stared at it for a long moment and Constance carefully watched his expressions. She could see it in his face that he was recognizing the people in her painting. He hesitated after all he couldn’t be positive that she did remember him.

“It's beautiful you captured the gardens perfectly, I do however have a question, the people in the painting how did you come up with their faces?” He asks carefully.

Constance puts her hand on his arm and turns him around to look at him. She smiles at him.

“That part was easy, I just remembered what we once looked like, Radames,” she answers using his true name.

His eyes glistened, “Bastet?” He asks her.

“Yes, it's me.” She answers.

He grabs her and pulls her close. “I've missed you and I've waited for you all these years, hoping that id find you again.” He whispers softly to her.

She looks up at him her eyes full of love. “I'm glad you did. When I died it was just emptiness and now living a whole new life wondering if I’d find love it's been so different. But you're here and now we can finally be together again.” She says before she kisses him.

They kiss for a long moment before he pulls away and says, “I love you Constance, I always have and always will.”

Tears fall from her eyes and she replies, “I love you to Giuseppe.”

He pulls her close again and hugs her for a moment then he pulls back.

“Wait here don't go anywhere I have to go get something.” He tells her before running out of the room. She lets out a quiet laugh and sits on the sofa. Ankanah comes in and lays at her feet. She pets him and talks to him quietly while waiting for Giuseppe to return.

Giuseppe was in his room looking for a special box he had put away just for this occasion and finally he found it. He left his room the small engraved box in his hand and after coming into the room here Constance sat waiting for him, he knelt down in front of her and took her hand in his empty one.

“Constance my dearest love, I have been waiting for you for over a hundred years. But just the chance to see you again has made all that waiting worthwhile. So now there is something I’ve been wanting to ask you. I love you Constance more than anything in this world, will you marry me?”