Author's Note: I liked to think that on the inside when Rue visited Mytho as a child that he secretly felt the same way about her the whole time. And that it pained him that he couldn't return those feelings properly. He just didn't know how to express that grief anymore, along with all his other emotions.

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. Be thankful that I don't.

The Prince was very well known for being strong, in both the emotional and physical sense. But mostly in the emotional sense of the word. He enjoyed experiencing emotions of all kinds whether they were painful or not since he knew it was part of what made him human. Knowing this was probably he'd never had difficulty with expressing himself.

Before everything had gone wrong, Mytho could still recall how vibrant he had once been. Those had been the happier days in his life. They had been happier because that was when he could still remember what happiness was actually like. Of all the emotions he had come to know, happiness was his favorite one. He could admit that without hesitating.

Oh, how he missed that emotion dearly. But it was strange that he missed it at all now that he was without a heart. He almost wondered if his emotions were so strong that they still churned inside his chest despite he had no heart to encompass them with. If he had the ability to laugh, he would've done so over the notion of such a strange idea.

Although, Mytho supposed that was no stranger than being a flawless prince who was so adored by all that it drove a monster into such a ravenous frenzy it threatened to devour his heart. The whole situation was strange now that he thought about it- he then also realized that it was possible he was only allowed to indulge in emotions in the cresses of his mind.

In fact that was when many of his lost emotions seemed to resurface.

When they did, it hurt him inside so much. It pained him so much when he only got to experience a brief glimpse of the emotions he wished to grasp once more. The remorse was so much worse than the terror that had overwrought him when he'd resorted to ripping out his heart.

All that Mytho had ever felt or thought or said had rushed at him like a tempteous current, knocking the wind out of him.

Oh, he had cried. Everyone has times where they cry, but he had never cried as much as he had at that moment. Mytho couldn't handle the trauma that came along with the action of his heart. Mytho cried for someone to hold him, to make it all better. Mytho cried for someone to make the pain stop. Mytho cried for someone to save him from the whirlpool of darkness he was being sucked into.

Perhaps that was why from then on his face permanently donned is a lonely expression. He still didn't know if it was just a side effect or simply a nervous reflex that caused him to desensitize himself from the world. Or maybe the utter horror that had engulfed him as he fell into the darkness was why he seemed to always be in distress.

But these theories were nothing more than maybes that he didn't know the answer to. All that he did know was that it would be a long time before he would be okay again, a highly unlikely possibility that may never happen anyway. However...there was one girl. One young little girl who helped make it all better.

Due to her young age, she wasn't capable of doing everything for him that could truly heal him but just knowing she cared...just that was enough to ignite a withering, but hopeful fire in his chest. That hopeful warmth that she delivered to him was enough to make him feel like he could keep going on.

That young little girl, Rue. Yes, that was what she told him her name was. Her name was strange and to him the way a certain food does when you taste it for the first time, yet it was also sweet and endearing. It grew on him to the say the least, in the same way she grew on him. He grew to truly enjoy her company.

In some odd way just being in Rue's presence…comforted him. He couldn't think of any other word that was more fitting. On those days when past emotions threatened consume him entirely her bright smile tamed the beasts inside him. Though she never discussed much of her origins to him, Mytho could tell she felt the same way about him.

In fact, Mytho could also tell that her feelings were much stronger than that. It could even go so far as to say that she loved him. She talked about it enough times. If she was unsure about it, it would be odd for her to focus so much on such a delicate subject otherwise.

Whether she loved him or not though, he would always enjoy it when she came to visit him. She was a small, fragile little thing but in spite of this she did whatever she could to help him anyways. Mytho wished she could thank him for all the things she did for him even when she really didn't have to.

Sometimes she tended to do some strange things when around him though. Especially when they were in public. He could remember a couple of times like these- like when she told the whole town they were dating, or when she told everyone she was going to have his children and she invited everyone to their pretend anniversary.

Whatever had caused believe so deeply in her infatuation for him, she was very serious about it. He knew that her fondness for him had been taken to a whole new level the day she arrived to him in far too big wedding veil. Feeling quite ladylike due to her added accessory she elegantly walks up to Mytho, sitting down next to him in a delicate fashion. She looks over at him with a wide smile as if she's accomplished something too amazing for words, and he returns the stare with his usual blank gaze in his eyes.

Honestly, he was quite curious as to what she was smirking about but his ability to express curiosity was outweighed by his hollow psyche.
Thankfully whatever Rue was excited about prompted her to announce it herself without him having to ask, "Today is a really important day. Do you know why?"

His voice devoid of any evident interest, the prince numbly replies to the girl, "No."

If Rue was bothered by this response, she did a good job of not showing it on her face, "Of course you won't, because father didn't tell you silly prince. But I guess I have no reason to tell you if you don't care."

An awkward pause passes between them as the indignant girl fails yet again to garner an actual reaction out of the man. She passes him an impatient glare as he remains emotionless as ever. Somewhat intimidated by the hollow look in the prince's eyes she turns away, pretending to smooth out the fabric of her wedding veil.

Seeing that she's not going to say anything unless he at least tries to be interested, he says, "What did he tell you?"

Even though the attempt was quite half-hearted at best, it seemed to please Rue enough for her to explain the situation, "Oh yes, father's news was quite delightful. He told me…"

She pauses here for dramatic effect. It does not seem to be working on Mytho very well. This goes unnoticed by the dark haired crow princess.

"Father said we are going to be married when I came of age!" The girl crows proudly, releasing an excited squeal.

A painful stillness envelops the two, the chirping of small sparrows being the only thing breaking the silence. But still, Rue's ecstasy does not waver. Even if he's not excited that does not matter. All father wishes for is her happiness, so if she's happy that must be enough to keep a couple thriving. Right? She inwardly agreed with her opinion, not caring if anyone else should choose to contradict its credibility.

The prince's reaction to the announcement however is drastically different from hers. He feels his voice caught in his throat out of horror, This is funny because he still has no heart so he still shouldn't be feeling anything. Nonetheless, Mytho was quite distraught by this news indeed (on the inside, as his face remained as blank as ever.) He didn't want this to happen! Strangely enough it wasn't because she was too young for him, but due to the fact that he had no heart in order to love her back with.

He truly did care for her though. She made him as happy, as he did for her. He needed her as much as she needed him. But he knew he'd never be able to return her affections for him. What was her father thinking? Didn't he know he was marrying his daughter with a prince who had no heart? Well of course he didn't, the only ones who knew of this was himself, Fakir, and the Raven (but ironically enough, Rue's father WAS the Monster Raven, currently unbeknownst to Mytho.)

From Mytho's point of view, his soon to be relationship with the soon to be grown up Lady Rue was over before it even started (what a hopeless love indeed.) There wasn't anything he could do about having lost his heart, so there was no hope. It's not like pieces of a person's heart just scatter about waiting for someone to find them, after all. What an outrageous idea. Mytho wanted to forewarn Rue of this fate of their relationship, but didn't think he'd have the heart to tell her.

However the next thing Rue says makes him wonder if she can read his mind somehow. The girl passes him a concerned look before giving him a reassuring smile, leaning against his arm in a comforting gesture, "You don't need to feel apologetic for anything, my Prince. Father already informed me you have no heart."

Mytho stared back at her blankly when he was in actuality in shock that she knew the truth about him. Or that another human knew about him at all. How much did her father know? How much had she been told?

"But...even if you have no heart. Even if you can never fully love me back, I'll always love you for the way you are," The kind of honest love that takes maybe years, decades for most people to never get to catch a glimpse of, "Please don't ever change."

If Mytho had still had one, his heart would've melted at the little girl's genuine words. Being a prince he had been loved by all in his old kingdom, receiving affections was an everyday experience. But this girl...she was different from his servants and his knights and his family had all loved him. There was something about this child's love that seemed so much more pure than theirs.

So much stronger. So much stronger it caused overwhelmed him a desire to protect this child with all of the power he had left in him.

He couldn't stand the idea of any harm being inflicted upon Rue. Yes, he'd always go out of his way to protect her no matter what danger it entailed. This devotion was filled with so emotion it began to slowly, but surely wake up the part of him that had become lost when he lost his heart. An unfamiliar spark of emotion colored the dullness in his eyes.

He wasn't sure how long this moment of his true show being shown through would last, but he was going to take advantage of it while he still could. Though it's a struggle, he manages to attempt to say, "Rue, I-I…I lo-"

Her eyes furrowed in confusion over the undecipherable words coming from the prince's mouth, Rue isn't quite sure how to react to this spectacle. Her father had informed that since the prince no longer had a heart, he shouldn't have any emotions resurfacing. So why was this happening? It didn't make any sense. Perhaps if the prince was able to find the right words, he could properly explain this to her.

Just as Mytho barely gets the words out, Rue's eyes widen as the Kinkan Town tower's bell reverberates loudly through the town. Loudly enough for Mytho's confession to be completely drowned out by the noise. As the clock alerts Rue's attention away from him, she notices the dusk that is beginning to settle in the sky.

A strange expression, something similar to fright, overtakes Rue's features when the dusk causes her to realize that she's been out for far too long.

If she stayed out any longer, father is going to be so furious with her. All of her excitement over her arranged marriage with the prince seems to be forgotten as she turns her attention back to him, an apologetic expression on her face, "I'm sorry, my Prince. I…I have to go home now or else father won't be pleased..."

The little girl stays where she is keeping her feet planted to the ground, almost as if she is hesitant to make her leave. The uncertainty brimming in her eyes seem to tell a story of how she feels about returning home, one that Mytho isn't quite familiar with yet. Maybe it was one she would tell him about someday or one that he might figure out on his own (he was remorseful that his true self didn't appear during her visits until today, he might've been able to learn more about her.) Rue takes her time turning around to head back in the direction of her house.

"Bye, I guess I'll…see you tomorrow," The girl's The tone of the girl's voice is so forlorn over the idea of going back home that Mytho wants to run up to her and grab her and pull her into a hug. He wants to never let go and to tell her she can live with him and Fakir forever and that he'd always keep her safe. He wants to promise all of this and the world to her but he doesn't have the heart to.

Suddenly, without giving him a fair chance to react to what she's doing Rue plants a soft kiss on his cheek. Stunned into silence Mytho gapes at her, clearly not having expected for her to do that. She smirks in amusement at his expression, before she hastily scurries off back towards home. All he can do is watch her until she runs out of his line of view, uncertain of what say or to do. But then, surprising even himself an extremely rare smile tickles the corners of his mouth.

The smile is a mixture of happiness and remorse. Happiness for the brief chance he got to show his true self. Remorse for the reason that he'd wanted that moment to last forever.