The afternoon sun bathed the room in a warm, golden glow as Lyria sat by the window, gazing out at the distant horizon. The quiet rustling of the leaves in the garden was a soothing sound, but it didn't reach her heart. Her thoughts were clouded with memories of the past—memories she had tried to bury, yet they always resurfaced when she least expected it.
Aiden, now a few weeks old, lay in his crib, his eyes wide and curious as he watched the light play on the walls. He was growing quickly, far faster than a normal child. He was still small, still fragile, but there was a sense of awareness in his gaze that made Lyria's heart both swell with pride and ache with unease.
She absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair from her face as she continued to stare out of the window, her thoughts drifting back to the day when she had been left alone, pregnant, and abandoned by her lover—the Emperor. He had promised her everything, only to disappear when she needed him most. And now, she was left with only the memory of broken promises.
Lyria didn't notice the tear that slipped down her cheek as she sighed deeply. She had tried to move on, to be strong for Aiden, but the pain of her betrayal was still fresh.
Aiden lay in his crib, his silvery eyes staring at the ceiling, his small hands gripping the edges of the blanket. The world was a confusing place for him, full of strange shapes and sounds. Yet, despite his tender age, he could feel the undercurrent of emotion in the air. There was something in his mother's sadness that weighed heavily on him, a sadness that tugged at his tiny heart.
He had always been able to sense when Lyria was upset. It wasn't through words or actions, but through something deeper—a bond that connected them in ways he could not explain. His tiny fists clenched as he watched his mother, the soft sound of her sighs echoing in his mind. Her pain became his own, and his tiny chest tightened with an unfamiliar, intense emotion.
It was in that moment that Aiden's thoughts became clearer, sharper. Though he was still a child, something stirred within him, something primal. The notion of harm to his mother, the source of his sadness, sparked a fierce anger that ignited deep within him. His innocent eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and the small hand that had been grasping the blanket now tightened into a tiny fist.
Lyria's Vulnerability
Lyria didn't hear the small sound of distress from Aiden. Her focus remained on the window, the thoughts of her father's betrayal still weighing heavily on her heart. She had always been strong—had always carried the burden of being both mother and father to Aiden—but this loneliness, this feeling of abandonment, was something she couldn't shake.
She hadn't told Aiden about his father. He didn't need to know yet. He was too young to understand. But Lyria couldn't help the sadness that crept into her heart every time she thought about him—about the man who had once promised to stand by her side, only to leave her when she needed him most.
She wiped away the tear that had fallen down her cheek, her hands trembling as the thought of her abandonment still stung. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the pain was undeniable.
Aiden's mind buzzed, a storm of emotions swirling within him. His mother's sadness—her quiet sorrow—felt like a weight pressing on his tiny chest. His small fists clenched tighter, his little body trembling with an emotion he could not yet understand, but which burned bright and fierce in his soul.
He couldn't understand why his mother was sad, or why she had to suffer. But what he did understand, even in his infantile state, was the desire to protect her. The thought of anyone causing her pain filled him with an overwhelming sense of anger, a primal urge to lash out.
In his mind, though it was still filled with the innocence of youth, there was a promise forming—a vow that would shape his future. He couldn't speak it aloud, but in the deepest parts of his being, he swore that anyone who dared to make his mother suffer would pay. No matter who they were, no matter what they had done. He would make them regret it.
And even though his body was small, his mind was filled with a fierce, protective rage. He would grow. He would become strong. And when the time came, he would destroy those who had hurt his mother. The Emperor, the man who had abandoned them both… He would make sure that nothing like this ever happened again.
Aiden's small body began to shake with an intensity that seemed unnatural for a child so young. His fists clenched tightly, and his little heart raced as if it could sense the storm of emotions inside him. His silvery eyes glowed faintly, a reflection of the power brewing within him—power that was still raw, still in its infancy, but potent nonetheless.
Lyria, still lost in her thoughts, was unaware of the shift in her son. She was too absorbed in her own sorrow to notice the subtle change in the air around them.
But Lady Elena, who had been standing at the door watching them quietly, noticed. She had always been keenly aware of the smallest changes in those around her, and today was no different. The atmosphere had shifted, the air charged with something almost tangible. She had seen many children grow, but Aiden was different. She could feel it in her bones.
"What's happening to him?" she murmured to herself, though she knew no answer would come. Aiden's power was growing, even in these early days. But Elena also knew that the path he would walk would be filled with dangers that Lyria could not yet foresee.
Finally, after some time, Lyria's gaze turned to Aiden. She hadn't noticed the subtle shift in his expression or the tension in his small body, but she could sense a change in the air. There was a quiet intensity in him now, a look in his eyes that made her pause.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she slowly walked over to the crib. She reached down and gently picked Aiden up, her hands trembling slightly as she held him close. She could feel his tiny body, warm and strong in her arms, but there was something different about him now—something that unsettled her.
"Are you feeling alright, my little one?" she whispered, brushing her cheek against his. "I'm so sorry, Aiden… I never wanted you to feel the weight of the world so soon."
But Aiden, still too young to understand her words, simply gazed up at her, his eyes filled with the determination that only a child like him could have. He didn't know the full depth of his promise yet, but it would grow. And one day, when he was ready, he would make the world pay for making his mother sad.