a second chance in love

Chapter 1

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"Two old sweethearts who fell apart
Somewhere long ago
How are they to know
Someday they'd meet again
And have a need for more than reminiscin'"

- Maybe This Time by Michael Martin Murphey

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November 1977

Charles woke up feeling lightheaded. He blinked a few times before finally registering his surroundings. Slowly sitting up on his bed, Charles found himself having trouble keeping his balance.

Right on cue, a knock on his door echoed through the silent room. Still struggling to maintain his posture, Charles heard the door open.

"Your Royal Highness, I sincerely apologize for disrupting your sleep however, the car that will be taking you to Northamptonshire will be ready any minute now." his butler informed him to which his only response was a short nod.

The butler nodded in return before taking his leave. Charles did his normal routine still feeling dazed. Whilst taking a shower, flashbacks from his dreams crossed his mind.

'There was a girl, very young and she had this radiant smile.' he thought. Despite how vague and obscure his dreams were to him, Charles felt his heart clench. In his dreams, they were together and lived a miserable marriage. However, he cannot seem to recall meeting her in any events he took part in and with that heavenly face, he would for sure remember if he did see her even in a crowded room.

He didn't know whether it was an actual memory or a fleeting dream he would eventually forget the next day but that said, it left him feeling heavy and disoriented.

Dismissing the thoughts from his head, Charles finished bathing. He groomed himself to what was deemed appropriate for a prince, dressed warmly, and left his room completely satisfied.

Upon walking down the staircase, another memory emerged completely catching him off guard. It was the same woman from his dream, wearing a skirt suit in a royal blue color. She was seated on one of the couches, a book in her left hand whilst her right was covering her lips.

The flashback was so sudden that it disappeared the moment it emerged. Charles thought he might be going crazy and doubled his pace towards the door. Outside, a car that was supposed to take him to Althorp, his girlfriend's home.

While sitting in the car, another wave of memory flashed before his eyes. The woman slapping him, accusing him of sleeping with another woman. The same woman crying, begging him to leave the room. In his dreams, he did eventually leave. But before he could shut the door close, sounds of glass and vases shattering echoed throughout the room.

A handful of unpleasant memories surfaced from his dreams, but there was one thing that kept him on edge. Apparently, the woman, who can be considered his wife in his dreams, died in a car accident.

Beginning to feel a sharp pressure forming on his head, Charles massaged his forehead which did not go unnoticed by his secretary and escorts.

"Are you alright, Your Royal Highness?" one of them asked.

"I'm quite alright, just a headache. Nothing deadly." He joked when a matter of fact, he was very far from feeling alright.

"Should we drop by the hospital, sir?"

"No, no. We would have to deal with the hospital staff, not to mention those infuriating press. I'll be fine, just drive quickly so we can arrive ahead of time." Charles insisted. Really, a dream shouldn't have that much big of an impact. But he, for sure, knew that what he had just seen was not a regular dream. To him, that is. No other person dreams as if events 40 years' worth of their life had happened only for it to end the moment they died.

Charles knew he really shouldn't be thinking of another woman while on the way to his girlfriend's house, but he could not help it. Not when his dream was so vivid. The emotions he felt while walking behind the casket of Diana.

Diana.

In a Roman context, Diana is a goddess known for her beauty and divinity. A goddess of hunting and fertility. The name is also related to the Latin words for "sky" and "daylight."

'How fitting for a woman like her' He thought. Charles remembers how her smile would light up a room. How her sweet, angelic voice would calm their son, William and Harry after throwing a tantrum. The same voice that lulls them to sleep at night. Diana who inspires people to be the best version of themselves.

'Diana, Diana, Diana'

"Pardon me for asking, but who is Diana, Your Royal Highness?" his driver's voice snapped him out of his thought. He might've just said her name out loud.

Charles went silent for a little while and began formulating an answer. However, his escorts were taken aback by his response.

"Truth is, I do not know either," he said truthfully. He doesn't know someone named Diana, but he does know the Diana in his dreams. His mind is a mess, his heart much even more.

"Edward, do you perhaps recall a woman named Diana in one of our engagements?" Charles inquired his private secretary.

"Not that I can recall, your highness."

"No? Not even in my polo matches?" Edward shakes his head.

"Horse riding?" Edward shakes his head once again.

"How about during our trip to Australia last month?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Are you certain, Edward?" confused more than ever, Charles began to feel the frustration rising from within. If there was one person who could commit to memory each and every person the Prince came across every day, faces and names combined, it would be Edward. But unsurprisingly, he also does not recall meeting someone named Diana.

He doesn't even remember meeting the beauty!

"I'm certain, Your Highness. Although, I do know someone named Diana. Having said that, I've only heard a few tell tales about her and have yet to meet her in person." this piqued Charles' interest. In a fit of desperation, Charles wanted to know any woman named Diana despite it being almost impossible.

Sensing the Prince's interest in the topic, Edward continued to speak.

"As a matter of fact, the Diana I spoke about is a sibling of Lady Sarah Spencer, Your Highness." Charles was now much more interested. Now that Edward mentioned it, he did seem to recall Sarah telling him about her sibling named Diana who was studying at West Heath Girls' School at that time. Perhaps that is why he never got to see nor meet her.

"I see. Thank you, Edward. But how did you know about this?"

"The 8th Earl Spencer mentioned it once while you were accompanying Lady Sarah on a horse riding, Your Highness."

A sudden realization dawned upon him.

'It's her! Oh God, how cruel must fate be for stressing him like this'

"We're here, Your Royal Highness." Nodding at that, Charles felt much lighter than he did earlier. And if his memory serves him right, today will be the day Lady Sarah will introduce her to him.

His Diana.

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Author's Note:

It won't hurt a girl to dream aight? Bcs no matter how much I hate this motherfucking piece of shi, in my mind theyre still happily married 🏃‍♀️ We need more ffs of them with a happier ending istg😣