“I had that dream again…” the young prince whimpered. 

“What dream was it, love?”

“A dream I have every night, a scary dream about a monster.”

“A monster? Tell me about your dream sweetie.” 

“Okay…”

“I wake up in my room and see that my curtains are open, and daddy told me if I left the curtains open monsters would get in.” the young sweet child told me as they curled up in their bed.

“He told you what? When did he tell you this?” 

“I don’t remember, but I was scared a monster would hurt me so I went to close the curtains.”

“Then what happened, love?”

“I saw a monster in my window and so I tried to shut the blinds but the monster was already inside my room!”

“Inside your room?”

“He grabbed me, and he… he..”

“What did he do, Oden, what did that monster do to you?”

“I… I can’t say.” the poor child began to panic, so I set down the serving tray in my hands on their night stand and sat beside them.

“My sweet prince, it is alright love,” I said, hugging them tight, “I am here now sweetie, I will protect you.”

“You promise?” the prince said sniffling as they looked up at me with their big mismatched eyes.

“I promise, I will always keep you safe my love,” I rustled their hair and stood up, “look sweetie, I brought you your favorite fruits,” as I took the platter and brought it closer, their eyes lit up and a big smile covered their whole face.

“Appy slices!” they exclaimed.

“Yes love, appy slices. Be a good boy and eat them all up, so you can grow big and strong.”

“Okay!” Their adorable smile melted my heart. 

Sitting beside them I watched as they gleefully ate their apple slices, “next time you have a scary dream like that, just remember you have me to keep you safe.”

“Oh, but there was someone who protected me!” the prince said.

“Did my little Oden get rescued by a knight in shining armor?”

“Uh uh, it was a girl. I think she is a kid like me,” they corrected me.

“Oh? What can you tell me about the girl sweetie?”

“She had silver hair like mine,” they answered between bites, “and a blue and pink eye like me too.”

“Oh? Have you seen this girl before?”

They shook their head, “I don’t think so, they just were there in my room.” Finishing their apple, Oden began to cry.

Embracing them in another big hug, I stroked their hair and asked, “what’s wrong sweetie?”

“I’m sad because the girl is all alone,” they answered between little sobs, “they don’t have you to keep them safe like me.”

I smiled brightly and rustled their hair, “Such a sweet boy, you have such a kind heart love,” I kissed their forehead, “you don’t have to worry, my prince, I am sure they are safe.”

“You really think so?” They asked, looking up at me with wet eyes.

“If they are any bit as sweet and wonderful as you are, then I am certain they have friends watching out for them.”

“You promise?”

“Yes love, I promise,” I spoke of course in ignorance. How could I know that the child from the prince's dream was real? It was a dream, a nightmare, nothing more, that is what I thought. 

If I had known then what I knew now, I would have sought out that poor child and rescued her. This is their story, a story of three Alters desperately trying to survive in an unforgiving world…