This starts at the end of the film (script taken from Novel by Elizabeth Hand, based on screenplay by Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Andy Tennant and Rick Parks) and I added a missing scene. I wanted to give it a happy ending but it just didn't work.
Disclaimer: Anna and the King and Louis and Siam and England and anything else I mentioned, probably aren't mine - in fact I don't even own tea. But that's cause I don't drink it.
***
"I would just like to know why, if science can explain the mystery of something as beautiful as music - why it is unable to posit a solution for a king and a schoolteacher." Anna swallowed desperately.
"The manner in which people might understand such new possibilities is, I am afraid, also process of evolution."
"Everything in Siam has it's own time…"
"Even if king is also wanting it to be different." He tried to show her his feelings in his eyes but she would not hold his eye contact.
"I must still go, your majesty. As a very dear friend once said, my path is as it should be."
"This I, too realize." The king nodded, looking away, "Where will you be going?"
"England."
"Home. This is good, mem. Very good for Louis as well."
"Yes. And one day when you come to visit your new trading partners, you must drop by so we can finally take tea together." She smiled, trying to make light of anything. When he did not reply she had to break the silence, "what?"
"I am wondering if, given circumstances, it is appropriate for king to ask," he paused, considering if he dare call her her given name, "Anna - to dance."
"I have danced with a king before, your majesty."
"And I - and English woman." He replied, lifting her right hand to his lips. "Until now," he began through tears, "I could not understand supposition man could be satisfied with only one woman." He held her hand to his chest and pulled her closer to him, forcing her to meet his eyes. When she did the sorrow she saw reflected there was equal to her own. He began to lead her in a silent waltz, unable to drag his eyes from hers, though the connection caused great pain. She could feel his heart beating under her hand.
* * *
"You are leaving tomorrow, I hear." The king said as Anna entered his personal office. She knew his summons would come that evening but its arrival had unnerved her. The notion of saying goodbye to him, frightened her more than she could bear.
"I am." She replied simply, refusing to meet his eyes.
"I am sorry I have not seen you often since return from jungle. King has been unusually busy." He stepped around his desk toward her. "But I could not let you leave without saying goodbye."
"I have said goodbye to - to your wives and concubines, to your children. And I've cried every time. But," she met his eyes, "I don't know how to say goodbye to you." She bit her lip and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, looking away and desperately fighting off tears.
The king's breath audibly controlled as he struggled to check his own emotions. But it was no use. He closed the space between them in one step and gathered her into his embrace.
Though Anna knew leaving would only get harder, she held him as though he were her last hope.
"Why did this happen?" she whispered.
"I don't know," his tears wet her shoulder, "But I am glad it did."
"So am I." Anna replied, "Few people are so blessed as to have loved twice."
He released his hold so he could see her face; "Few are so tortured as to have to give it up twice." He waited for her permission to continue, "How did your husband die?"
"Malaria." Anna swallowed.
"Where you with him?"
"Yes," she nodded, "he was in my arms. I couldn't let go. Even after he'd gone."
"You have survived such loss. You will survive again." The king assured her, but his own fear made his words hollow.
"It's no easier, your majesty."
Tears made shining trails down his cheeks and he didn't attempt to stop them. "How did you survive?" he begged despairingly.
"I don't know." She shook her head. "I hid from the world at first, from everything, even Louis. But eventually I realised I had to go on - for him. He saved me, in a way."
"There will be times," he took her hands but did not meet her eyes, "when I will be so busy that I cannot meditate on loss of Ma'am Leonowens. But in evenings and when I am alone, you will never leave my mind, or my heart."
Anna lifted one hand to his cheek, gently wiping away his tears. He met her eyes as she spoke. "I will never forget you either."
Disclaimer: Anna and the King and Louis and Siam and England and anything else I mentioned, probably aren't mine - in fact I don't even own tea. But that's cause I don't drink it.
***
"I would just like to know why, if science can explain the mystery of something as beautiful as music - why it is unable to posit a solution for a king and a schoolteacher." Anna swallowed desperately.
"The manner in which people might understand such new possibilities is, I am afraid, also process of evolution."
"Everything in Siam has it's own time…"
"Even if king is also wanting it to be different." He tried to show her his feelings in his eyes but she would not hold his eye contact.
"I must still go, your majesty. As a very dear friend once said, my path is as it should be."
"This I, too realize." The king nodded, looking away, "Where will you be going?"
"England."
"Home. This is good, mem. Very good for Louis as well."
"Yes. And one day when you come to visit your new trading partners, you must drop by so we can finally take tea together." She smiled, trying to make light of anything. When he did not reply she had to break the silence, "what?"
"I am wondering if, given circumstances, it is appropriate for king to ask," he paused, considering if he dare call her her given name, "Anna - to dance."
"I have danced with a king before, your majesty."
"And I - and English woman." He replied, lifting her right hand to his lips. "Until now," he began through tears, "I could not understand supposition man could be satisfied with only one woman." He held her hand to his chest and pulled her closer to him, forcing her to meet his eyes. When she did the sorrow she saw reflected there was equal to her own. He began to lead her in a silent waltz, unable to drag his eyes from hers, though the connection caused great pain. She could feel his heart beating under her hand.
* * *
"You are leaving tomorrow, I hear." The king said as Anna entered his personal office. She knew his summons would come that evening but its arrival had unnerved her. The notion of saying goodbye to him, frightened her more than she could bear.
"I am." She replied simply, refusing to meet his eyes.
"I am sorry I have not seen you often since return from jungle. King has been unusually busy." He stepped around his desk toward her. "But I could not let you leave without saying goodbye."
"I have said goodbye to - to your wives and concubines, to your children. And I've cried every time. But," she met his eyes, "I don't know how to say goodbye to you." She bit her lip and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, looking away and desperately fighting off tears.
The king's breath audibly controlled as he struggled to check his own emotions. But it was no use. He closed the space between them in one step and gathered her into his embrace.
Though Anna knew leaving would only get harder, she held him as though he were her last hope.
"Why did this happen?" she whispered.
"I don't know," his tears wet her shoulder, "But I am glad it did."
"So am I." Anna replied, "Few people are so blessed as to have loved twice."
He released his hold so he could see her face; "Few are so tortured as to have to give it up twice." He waited for her permission to continue, "How did your husband die?"
"Malaria." Anna swallowed.
"Where you with him?"
"Yes," she nodded, "he was in my arms. I couldn't let go. Even after he'd gone."
"You have survived such loss. You will survive again." The king assured her, but his own fear made his words hollow.
"It's no easier, your majesty."
Tears made shining trails down his cheeks and he didn't attempt to stop them. "How did you survive?" he begged despairingly.
"I don't know." She shook her head. "I hid from the world at first, from everything, even Louis. But eventually I realised I had to go on - for him. He saved me, in a way."
"There will be times," he took her hands but did not meet her eyes, "when I will be so busy that I cannot meditate on loss of Ma'am Leonowens. But in evenings and when I am alone, you will never leave my mind, or my heart."
Anna lifted one hand to his cheek, gently wiping away his tears. He met her eyes as she spoke. "I will never forget you either."