"Hey, Lily? Have you been able to see my face this whole time?"

She nodded. Meir out his hands over his eyes. "My body hurts."

Lily patted his hand gently, leaning her head against his shoulder. Meir smiled.

He picked Lily up into his arms, rocking her gently, humming a tune from long ago that he'd forgotten the words to, forgotten the language of.

He told her of stories of long ago. How he was a King. Once an Angel. And then a monster. About her mother and how she was fiercely loyal. How much she was loved.

"I envy you," He said softly. "If everyone...were as wanted as you are Lily, this world would be a better place. If I were as wanted as you are, perhaps I would be a better person."

He raised his brow. But then again, he thought to himself, perhaps not. Perhaps that was never in the cards for him. Being better.

He smoothed her hair. It was time for him to do it again. Her hair was thick and curly like her mother's. He sat her up, carefully braiding it back. He put little beads at the end, like Lana talked about.

He took a picture shaking it.

"Hm...here we go. We'll show Mommy this," she smiled softly, touching her beads gently. He smiled, kissing her chubby cheek gently.

"So cute. She'll be so happy. She always wanted to put you in little pink beads. She dreamed about it once. You were definitely awake though," he chuckled.

Lily opened her eyes, letting herself grow, clicking her lips as she tried to adjust to being able to move her lips to speak again.

"You don't have to do that," Meir admonished. "I can hear you."

Lily shook her head. "How do you know...my Mom?"

Meir raised his brow. "Eh...she rescued me."

Lily raised her brows, crawling even closer to him, tucking herself under his arm, listening intently.

"Really?"

"Hm. She saved me from a prison. She offered her hand to me and...well I took it. And at first I was...mean to her. Because no one had been kind to me in forever."

Lily's eyes grew heavier despite herself.

"My Mommy saved you...? She must be strong. Did she have a horse?"

Meir nodded softly. "She is very strong. Your mother is kind, beautiful and very strong."

"And I'll never meet her. Will I? Is my Mommy dead?"

Meir smiled. "No. You're mother is alive. But...no. You will never meet her, I'm sorry Lily. It's the rules."

Lily sniffled. "I want my mommy."

Meir felt a pain shooting through his chest. He touched it. Left over holy water!

"I want my mommy!" Lily dissolved into gut wrenching sobs. Meir blinked, his hands hovering above her.

"Ah! Oh! Oh no...don't make that sound! Um...are you hurt? Diaper? Bottle? Soul uh...um..." Meir cursed his hands shaking.

"Please don't...cry."

Meir begged her, wiping her tears away. "I'm sorry I never meant to make you cry."

"You liar!" She sobbed. "What did you think would happen?"

His eyes widened. "I...don't know. I'm sorry. Im sorry, I'm sorry, Lily I thought it would be enough. I thought it could make it enough."

Meir felt something hot spilling over from his eyes. "I'll take you to see her. Please, Lily I'll take you. I'll take you if you just...stop crying. You're hurting my heart."

Lily shrunk in his arms, her sobbing fizzling out into quiet cries before she fell asleep.

Meir leaned back, his face wet and hot. His heart was pounding in his chest. It hurt.

It hurt.

"It hurts..." he whispered, laying next to Lily on the floor.