Abruptly, he became conscious and all he could see was darkness. Slowly, his senses began to return. He could feel sharp pain around his stomach, which made him grasp for breath. And he opened his eyes, while breathing heavily from the pain and let out a grunt. Hearing his grunt a women rushed to his side and helped him sit up on the bed. The women hurriedly shouted, "Go get the commander! The prince Damien has regained consciousness!" 

"water" Damien murmured faintly. "Yes, Prince." she added, as she grabbed the jug from the table and poured it into a glass. 

As he drank, he glanced at the women, his eyes widening in shock. He quickly started looking around and his gaze landed on a white flag with blue horse and a knight insignia embedded on it. Damien's heart began to beat faster and whirlwind of thoughts started flooding his mind. What's going on? Am I dreaming? No... this pain is too real to be just a dream. 

This was not the only thing that was bothering Damien. Ever since he'd awoken, not only was he in strange place, there were unsettling flashes of memories-visions of moments, places – that didn't belong to him, yet felt familiar. This place also felt familiar to him, but he was certain, he had never been here before. 

"'Damien', voice brought him out of his stupor. He turned his gaze in the direction of the voice. A tall man of height six feet two was marching towards him in a calm yet fast pace. As with the women earlier, Damien had recognized that chiseled sharp face with blue eyes and blonde hair. This man was none other than the commander Allistair of the Varsian army and brother to the King George of Vars and his uncle. But strange thing was his face brought back a lot of memories that he felt familiar with; but were not his. In those memories he also called him uncle and shared a deeper relation. 

"I am glad you woke up; you've had me worried for past few days." Allistair said, his voice soft with relief as he acknowledged the woman's respectful bow. He took a seat beside Damien's bed, his gaze lingering on Damien's wound. After a moment, he turned back to the maid. "Bring the physician. We need to make sure he's fully recovered." 

With another bow, the women silently left the room, leaving the two men alone in the quiet chamber. 

"There is some good news", Allistair said with a faint relaxed smile on his face. 

"War is over, we are going home." Seeing blank expression on Damien's face "aren't you happy?" 

Damien relaxed a little "I am glad that war is over, but as for going home, I am not very thrilled." He was initially confused as to how he should respond to Allistair, when nothing was making sense to him, but he decided to put trust his new memories and Fellings associated with them, and had answered Allistair. Apparently from what he could put together, in his new memories, he had been adopted by the King George when he was a baby. 

Ever since he was little, he was always treated as an outcast and a replacement of the original prince. Although nobody treated him badly but nobody took him seriously as well. Since he was a prince and was considered in line to the throne, Queen Mary and her faction had secretly started plotting against him. They kept reminding him and the people in the kingdom of his adopted status. 

That was the most confusing and absurd thing about these memories. Damien was certain he was seeing the memories of a boy, who was adopted by his father King George after he had sent him to the 'mountain of the exiled'. And he had also named him Damien. Damien could feel the crisis this adopted Damien felt in his day-to-day life. Even when someone called him by his name or when he looked in the mirror, he was reminded of the circumstances of his adoption. He had heard rumors that king felt big void in his life after the original prince's exile and had adopted him to fill that void. 

In these new memories Damien had only found a surface level interaction between adopted Damien and George. These interactions felt like between two strangers who were forced to interact with each other. Damien had always yearned for George's love and attention. Or at least, he wanted George to own up to the choice he made, look him in the eye and acknowledge him as either his son or just discard him. This uncertainty has always bothered him and ate him up from inside. And living in the Vars city had always made him feel like an outsider. 

Allistair nodded, with an understanding expression in his face. "It's been seven years since you've left the palace, and time changes things. I can't promise you that things might be different but I know you have changed and you will be able to deal with it in a better way." 

"Believe it or not, I know that George cares for you. Even though he is terrible at expressing it." 

Damien kept staring at him. 

"Really, I am serious. I know my little brother. It's just after Reina died, he doesn't show his warm side anymore and is always focused on resolving the affairs of the kingdom." 

Hearing his mother's name Damien really wanted answers. What the hell is going on? Where am I? Why am I seeing this Damien's memories? And I should be at the mountain... a shock ran through him as he retrieved his last memories, he had been stabbed by the old man he had saved. And the old man's words rang in his ears, "Don't worry, it is only a beginning. You will understand, this is my way of showing you gratitude for saving me, by fulfilling your secret desires." And the old man came closer and placed his hand on the Damien's head.