The tension in the castle had been growing steadily for the past few days. Eden could feel it in the air, thick like smoke. He had spent most of the time in Darian's chambers, his world reduced to the sounds and scents of the room—Darian's familiar footsteps, the rustle of fabric when he moved, the low murmur of his voice when he addressed the servants or the few courtiers who dared to visit. Eden had gotten used to his presence in ways that were comforting yet unsettling.
There was something soft in Darian's touch, a gentleness that Eden had not expected. But with each passing day, the doubts crept in again. Could he really trust the prince? Eden's blindness kept him isolated, and the world beyond his immediate surroundings felt so far away, even more distant because he couldn't see it. All he had were sounds, voices, and the rare touches of those who were close to him.
But Darian? Darian was different. And it scared Eden more than he wanted to admit.
That evening, Darian had been gone longer than usual. A part of Eden, despite his confusion, had hoped for Darian to return and speak to him again, to reassure him as he had before. The prince's presence had become a strange comfort, something Eden had grown used to.
The air in the room felt still as Eden sat by the window, the cool stone against his fingers offering a semblance of grounding. He tried to concentrate on the small noises around him—the flickering of a candle in the corner, the distant murmur of voices in the halls, the soft clinking of dishes being cleared by the servants.
But tonight, everything seemed quieter. There were no voices from the courtyard, no distant laughter from the banquet halls. It felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
The heavy wooden door creaked open.
Eden didn't need to turn to know who it was. He could feel it in the air, the shift in energy. Darian had returned.
"Eden?" The prince's voice was low and tentative, as though testing the waters, unsure of how Eden would respond. There was a faint, almost imperceptible tremor in his tone, but Eden couldn't quite place it.
Eden hesitated, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't turn to face Darian. Instead, he continued to sit by the window, his fingers resting against the stone as he sought some kind of clarity in the coldness of it. The weight of the silence between them was oppressive.
"Are you alright?" Darian asked, his voice now softer. "I... I know things haven't been easy, but I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Eden let out a breath. The prince's words, though gentle, still felt like a wall between them. "I'm fine," he said quietly, though the words were hollow. How could he explain the knots in his chest? The confusion that gnawed at him every time Darian entered the room, offering kindness but never truly staying?
Darian seemed to sense the tension in his voice, for he took a cautious step forward, his footsteps light against the stone floor. "Eden," he said again, this time with more urgency, "I'm not here to pressure you. But I... I care about you. I don't want you to feel alone in all this."
Eden could feel Darian standing a few paces away, close enough that the warmth of his presence seemed to fill the room, but still far enough that it left a distance between them. Eden's heart ached. The prince had been nothing but kind, but kindness felt too fragile—too fleeting.
"I don't know if I can believe that," Eden replied, his voice barely a whisper. "How do you expect me to believe anything? You're... you're the prince. You have everything. I'm just a blind omega. A broken thing."
He flinched at the words, even though he'd been the one to say them. But in the silence that followed, the words hung in the air, heavy and raw.
Darian was silent for a long moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was a quiet, steady reassurance that seemed to vibrate in the stillness of the room. "Eden, you are not a thing. You are not broken. And you don't have to be alone. I'm not going anywhere. I promise you that."
Eden could hear the sincerity in Darian's voice, and for a brief moment, something inside him softened. He couldn't see the prince's expression, but the tone of his voice was enough to convey the depth of his words.
"I've been thinking about what you said," Darian continued, taking a step closer. "About my duty and the expectations placed on me. The court wants to control everything, to tell me how to rule and who I should be with. But I'm tired, Eden. I'm tired of living for them. I want to live for myself. And if that means protecting you, then that's what I'll do."
Eden's breath caught in his throat. "Protect me?"
"Yes," Darian said, his voice a little stronger now, a flicker of determination shining through. "I will not let them take you from me. Not now, not ever."
The words hung in the air, and Eden could feel the truth of them resonating deep within him. He had never known anyone who had said such things—who had meant them. Darian's promise felt like something fragile, something that could shatter at any moment. But in that moment, it felt real.
Darian stepped forward again, his hand reaching out cautiously. He stopped just short of touching Eden, and for a moment, neither of them moved. The tension in the room was palpable.
"I know this is all confusing for you," Darian said softly, his voice like a balm to Eden's frayed nerves. "I don't expect you to trust me overnight. But I need you to understand—I'm not going to hurt you. Not again."
Eden could hear the raw emotion in Darian's voice. The prince was sincere, but Eden wasn't sure if he could let himself believe it, not when the scars of the past were so fresh. He had lived his life in fear, and fear was not something that could be washed away with a few kind words.
"I'm... I'm scared, Darian," Eden admitted, his voice barely audible. "I'm scared that one day, you'll change your mind. That one day, you'll look at me and see what I really am."
Darian's hand gently found Eden's, and he gripped it lightly, as if offering Eden the comfort he had been longing for. "I won't ever change my mind," Darian whispered. "You are worth more than they could ever understand. More than I ever knew. You... you've shown me what it means to truly care, and I will never turn my back on that."
Eden let out a shaky breath, squeezing Darian's hand. It was strange—comforting, yet unsettling. To be so close, to feel the warmth of the prince's hand, yet still be so uncertain.
He wasn't sure where this would lead. But for the first time since he had arrived in the castle, he allowed himself to imagine a future where he wasn't alone. Where the prince's words weren't empty promises but something real.
"Stay with me," Eden whispered, his voice trembling. "Please."
Darian didn't hesitate. He moved closer, his presence overwhelming, and for the first time, Eden allowed himself to lean into it, to trust that maybe, just maybe, he didn't have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders alone.