The soft glow of dawn filtered through the heavy curtains of Darian's chambers, painting the room in shades of gold. Eden awoke to the quiet rhythm of his own breath, the warmth of the blankets surrounding him. The bed beneath him was far more comfortable than any place he'd slept since arriving at the castle, and yet, he couldn't shake the restless feeling that lingered in the pit of his stomach
The events of the night before played on a loop in his mind. Darian had been different—gentle, careful, hesitant. Eden wanted to believe it, to trust that the prince was truly trying to make amends. But old wounds ran deep, and even in the quiet of the prince's chambers, Eden could still feel the echoes of his past pain.
There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the voice of a maid. "Your Highness? It is time for your breakfast."
Eden tensed. He wasn't sure how to feel about having servants waiting on him. The feeling of being served like an object rather than a person still made his skin crawl.
Darian had left the room earlier to attend to his royal duties, and Eden had been left to his thoughts, trying to process everything that had changed in such a short time. The prince's kindness was confusing, and though it was welcomed, it also frightened him. How could he trust someone who had hurt him so much?
The maid knocked again, a little louder this time. "Your Highness? Shall I prepare your bath?"
Eden's fingers brushed over the edge of the bed as he made his way to the door. He wasn't sure if Darian would approve of him being bathed by someone else, but the thought of another day in the confinement of his own thoughts felt unbearable.
"Yes," Eden answered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please."
As the maid entered, she offered a soft, polite bow. "I'll prepare the bath immediately, Your Highness. Would you like anything else?"
Eden hesitated, then shook his head. "No, thank you."
The maid smiled and began preparing the water. Eden stood by the window, listening to the sounds of the servants in the hallway outside. He heard the faint rustle of dresses and the soft murmurs of voices. The castle was alive this morning with activity, and he couldn't help but wonder what the day would bring.
But there was something he needed to face before anything else.
He needed to know what the future held. He needed to know how things would change, not just with Darian, but with everyone around him. His life had been a series of lies and manipulation, and he wasn't sure where this new path would take him.
Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the castle, Darian sat with several of his closest advisers.
The high-backed chair he sat in creaked slightly as he leaned forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. His mind wasn't entirely focused on the reports in front of him, but rather on Eden, still in his chambers.
It had only been a few days since he had brought Eden to the castle, but already the prince could feel the weight of the omega's presence in his life. There was something about Eden's quiet resilience that both intrigued and troubled Darian. He wanted to protect him, to shield him from the cruel world that had shaped him into the person he was today, but Darian also knew that true healing couldn't be rushed.
"Your Highness?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. It was one of his closest advisers, Lord Alistair, a tall, greying man with sharp features. His piercing eyes regarded Darian closely. "Is everything in order? You've been rather distracted this morning."
Darian cleared his throat and gave the man a small nod. "Yes, Lord Alistair. Just… thinking."
"You've been thinking a lot about the omega, haven't you?" Lord Alistair's voice was low, but there was no mistaking the underlying tone of mockery in it.
Darian's jaw tightened at the insinuation. "What of it?"
Alistair leaned forward, his eyes glinting with a mixture of concern and amusement. "You've always been a man of actions, not words, Your Highness. What is it about him that has you so… preoccupied?"
Darian's lips pressed together in a thin line. "Eden is different from the others."
Alistair raised an eyebrow. "Different? You're telling me that an omega—one who was enslaved, blind, and broken—is worth this much of your attention?" He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You must be careful, Darian. Such actions can have consequences."
Darian's hand curled into a fist at the table. He was already aware of the consequences. There were whispers in the castle, murmurs in the corridors. Eden's presence, his brokenness, his blindness—all of it made him an object of both pity and scorn. But Darian didn't care about the opinions of others. He had hurt Eden, and if there was any way to make things right, he would.
"It's not about what others think," Darian said firmly. "It's about doing what's right. I've already done enough to hurt him. I intend to make it right."
Lord Alistair studied him for a moment, his gaze unwavering. "If you're so determined, perhaps you should start by telling him that. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person who will simply forgive a change in demeanour. You'll need more than just a promise."
Before Darian could respond, another figure entered the room—Lady Isolde, one of the royal court's most influential nobles. Her sharp eyes scanned the room before they landed on Darian. The woman was tall, her presence as commanding as any of the men in the room, though her smile was always a touch, too calculating for Darian's comfort.
"Your Highness," Lady Isolde began, her voice like silk. "I hope I'm not interrupting. I've heard rumours of a certain omega being brought into the castle. Is he... being treated well?"
Darian narrowed his eyes. "Why do you ask, Lady Isolde? Do you have any particular interest in him?"
Isolde's smile remained fixed, though her eyes narrowed slightly. "I just think it's... interesting, how much time you've dedicated to him, Darian. It's not like you to care about the well-being of an omega, especially one who's so… broken."
The way she said "broken" made Darian's fists clench. It was as if she were referring to Eden as an object, something to be discarded when it no longer served its purpose.
"I will remind you, Lady Isolde," Darian said coldly, his voice laced with ice, "that Eden is a person. A person I am trying to help, not someone to be pitied or mocked."
Isolde shrugged, unfazed. "Of course, Your Highness. But I would caution you, the others might not share your... generosity. Be careful how you proceed with this. The castle is already talking, and rumours have a way of spreading."
Darian stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the stone floor. "I don't care about the rumours. I care about Eden."
With that, Darian turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing through the halls. He knew that his actions would come with consequences, but he couldn't back down now. He had made a promise, and he would see it through.
Back in Darian's chambers, Eden had finished his bath and was seated by the window, listening to the world outside.
The maid had left him alone after she had dressed him in fresh clothes, and he found himself staring out at the garden, lost in thought. He could feel the heat of the sun on his skin, and the slight breeze that drifted through the window was a welcome relief.
His mind was still on Darian. On the words they had exchanged. But it wasn't just the prince he was thinking about. It was the other people in the castle, the ones who whispered behind his back, who saw him as nothing more than a broken toy. Eden could hear them, even when they tried to keep their voices low.
"Is it true? That the prince brought him here? He's just a blind omega, isn't he? What could he possibly do for the prince?"
The whispers stung more than Eden cared to admit. But he held his head high, refusing to let their cruelty break him.
He wasn't broken anymore,