‘Let no man admire her beauty. Instead, instill in her heart a love for one who is insignificant and lowly, a love that will bring her nothing but unrequited shame.’ Each night, as utter darkness fell, he would arrive by the window. ‘Let her exist as the forsaken wife of a monster, her life filled with disgrace and solitude.’ In the stillness of night, uncertainty twisted like a beast. What if he were to turn against her, his grip tightening around her throat? What if he were to disappear at this very moment, never to return? These were the fears that haunted her. ‘Teach that haughty princess the cost of her undeserved beauty with the very power you wield, Eros.’ Yet, whenever he came to her window, all her worries would dissipate, as if they were mere phantoms. “What if I am the monster you’ve heard about?” “Then you will be the husband I anticipated.” In the chamber, the god who defied his mother leaned over the princess in their bed. His broad shoulders created an invisible shadow, enveloping her. Is your love, I wonder, as complete as you assert mine to be?