Every night, it was always that exact same dream.

Mydei stirred in his sheets, sweat beading down his sharp face. His eyelids flickering with unease. It wasn't just a nightmare for him—It was watching, again and again, as his mother fought with his father. He was a warrior, the ruthless Prince of Castrum Kremnos. He was supposed to be unshakable, and yet, the image of his mother, pleading for his mercy and singing him a lullaby to sleep, haunted his mind like the plague. Back then, she was the only one he could let his guard down around, the only one who wouldn't call him 'weak' when he was vulnerable. She begged his father not to be so hard on him. She actually cared.

Maybe that was what hurt the most. Gorgo loved him like a mother should.

Those times have long since past, yet somehow, they still lingered; weighing heavily on his shoulders and tearing down his war-built walls. A part of him yearned for his mother's touch again, while the other part of him thought it to be a weakness. It got to the point that, in the middle of training, he had to step out and take a break. His footsteps were silent yet heavy as he strolled through Kremnos, ignoring the gazes of the many onlookers; some looked at him with fear, others looked at him with awe or reverence. He was used to it by now, but...

The moment Mydei's sharp hearing caught the sound of a familiar, hummed melody, his entire form went stiff. Amber eyes darted every-which-way—aching to find the source. Was this him being sleep-deprived, or was that actually his mother's lullaby? He swiftly followed the melody, searching for it like a siren's alluring song, and turned a corner, his breathing shaky and panicked and his eyes wide with adrenaline.

A large, battle-worn hand reached outwards, landing on the shoulder of a familiar figure. When the maiden's head turned in his direction, for an instant, he forgot how to breathe, eyes locked on the source. The Prince couldn't bring himself to look away.

He could have sworn, for a fleeting instant, that his mother was staring right at him with those same, gentle eyes.