THE LADY OF DREAMS

Prince Arsan was an incredibly sensitive, sentimental, melancholic, and emotional prince. He devoted his entire life to the search for ultimate love.

In his distant youth, but in reality not so long ago, he met a beautiful princess with whom he fell utterly in love. They experienced a beautiful love together, but as is often the case, their paths diverged. He followed his own path, and she chose hers, an unknown and twisted one. And for many years, their paths would never meet or cross. Until one day, years later, when their destinies were already tangled and complicated, when they had learned all the cracks in their paths, which each of them had navigated separately, all the twists and turns, often dangerous, they met again. Not in their waking lives, but in their dreams, evoked by their mutual longing.

And they knew that this time would be much more difficult; nothing would be the same as before. They were no longer free, and many things no longer depended solely on them. Twenty years of their separate lives had left their mark on their bodies and souls.

He pondered this further, reaching back into his memory, trying to explain everything that was happening now. Why had he met her again? And why had he sought her in the first place. Had the kingdom he ruled not given him as much joy as he had expected? Who governs all this on Earth and ensures that what is good never dies within us? Is what is permanent and real not so important? Are there stronger values ​​around us that determine the path we follow? And was it even his will that he had found her?

For he perceived something else in all of this. He perceived the mystery of something intangible, something that people had been encountering for centuries. Something that cared for them and commanded them how to act. But surely forces that people could not name never interfere with matters as trivial to them as human feelings? Or perhaps not? Perhaps human feelings had some value? At a certain point in his life, he himself had lost his sense of love. The power in the kingdom he ruled had completely consumed him, and he sought self-fulfillment in caring for his subjects.

And if it weren't for the dreams in which she appeared. He always pushed them far away. He didn't want them to enslave him completely. After all, he had his queen by his side, and he should have devoted more time to her. And he did, but always more out of compulsion, duty, and a sense of responsibility for his people.

And nothing more passionate was about to happen. It seemed to him that his life had already reached its final blossoming.

And if it weren't for those nights when he met her in his bed. How she came to him, veiled in a transparent veil, sat on his lap, and showered him with kisses. He was with her for a moment in his dreams, and then until the very end. And in that dream, there was something else. There was someone else. It was the Lady of Dreams, who guards human experience and purifies their thoughts. She appeared to him in the distance and showed him the way. It seemed to him that she was the cause of what had come alive within him.

She showed him the place he was to go. An unknown kingdom beyond the high mountains, about which he knew nothing yet. The Lady of Dreams had chosen him, and he didn't know what he had done to deserve it. Why had she ordered him to find her? Was it to finally find peace, or to start a new war? The Lady of Dreams only appears to people for important reasons and shows them the path they should follow. Sometimes, as he listened to her stories, it seemed to him that this immaterial, spiritual being, whose true nature was unknown, should be called the Lady of Love. He was certain of only one thing: It was a sign to him. But he also knew perfectly well that if he followed this path, he must be ready for anything. Whatever it all meant. Above the Lady of Sleep, for he had glimpsed a shadow. A shadow she was aware of. But he didn't want to worry about that now. Whatever that shadow was, or whoever might face it.

So when he awoke the next morning, he ran out onto the terrace of his castle and summoned his most trusted and valiant warriors. He ordered them to travel to this extraordinary land and secretly find the princess he had once loved so much, and for whom he still felt something. But he still resisted giving it a proper name. And he ordered them to surround her with their protection until he himself came to her.

The prince didn't know how to cope with this return to youthful passion. He didn't know how to reunite with his beautiful princess, to once again experience boundless happiness. He then decided to embark on a long journey to the wise sorceress, the Lady of Dreams. He hoped she would help him find the right path. But he didn't know where or how to find her. The Lady of Dreams had no permanent home. Her home was the endless expanses of meadows and forests, where she was occasionally seen by random riders. But she never became friends with them. Only occasionally, while they slept, would she peer into their thoughts and dreams to learn what people were truly like.

Therefore, the prince was unsure whether the Lady of Dreams would want to speak with him and devote her time and attention to him. In his mind, he kept sending her his prayers and longings. However, he hoped that since she had allowed them to meet in the land of dreams, she would also allow them to connect in the real world.

So one night he left his castle and set off on a long, lonely, and dangerous journey, not knowing if he would ever return. He left his queen in sadness and uncertainty, for she too sensed something was happening between them beyond her control. However, she submitted silently, hoping that the good spirits of earth and sky would allow her prince to return to her arms. Despite the sadness that filled her mind, her prince's happiness was paramount. And for this, she was willing to sacrifice herself entirely.

For many weeks, the prince wandered the forest alone, listening to the sounds of day and night, searching for something that had no place in the sky, or even on Earth.

The wise and aged sorceress finally visited him as he slept on a vast plain beneath the stars. She entered his dreams and fantasies and appeared to him in her beautiful form. She looked into his mist-covered eyes and asked, "What troubles you, Prince? Why do you undertake such a long journey to seek what you may never find?"

He then, gazing at her unearthly beauty, intimidated by this strange encounter, said to her

, "I seek answers to many questions, Lady. Questions to which I cannot find the answers myself.

" "Do the feelings you experience disturb you?

" "Yes, Lady, they sadden, oppress, and disturb my peace. And love among them is the most important to me. I have constantly sought her, desired, and longed for this one. Even when I reigned together with other princesses, this one was the most important to me. You know her name, Lady. Will you answer my questions so that I may obtain a final answer?

" "There are no final answers or ultimate truths, Prince. But speak! If you love, then you possess a deep and pure interior, you possess a treasure that others do not even know exists." That's why I've come to you, to listen to your questions and help you find answers.

He bowed low to the darkness, added wood to the dying fire, and said,

"Lady, tell me, why does love hurt? Why is it so cruel, so ruthless, and yet so beautiful, like nothing else in the world? Why is no path to it straight?"

"What is beautiful can be complicated. It can't be simple and easy, because then no one would feel the beauty they are destined to achieve. Nothing in the world is simple. And love is even more so, prince. The path to happiness and fulfillment, to ultimate experiences, is full of thorns, but they lead to the most beautiful rose you can ever attain. And that it hurts? Every thorn hurts. And it will hurt until you achieve fulfillment. Only then will you feel the happiness and joy that will soothe your suffering. You both must seek the path to your goal, a path not straight, full of obstacles and twists. You rule two kingdoms that are close to you, but at the same time alien. You love your worlds, but at the same time they are hostile to you. They distance you from each other. But do not be sad. It depends only on you whether you are willing to embark on this difficult path and have the courage to safely overcome every gap and avoid tumbling into the abyss." No one ever promised you, and no one ever will, that everything would be simple and easy, and that the paths you choose would lead you effortlessly to your desired destination. The most important thing is your equipment, the baggage you take with you as you set off on this as yet unknown journey. Will you remember to pack the wisdom you have acquired throughout your life? Will you have enough love for the entire journey, courage, and even desperation? But will this path be the right one for your kingdoms? I don't know. The future is unpredictable. Even the greatest sages don't truly know it. What is to come is in constant motion. But be of good cheer. You both wield the most powerful weapon ever harnessed by man. It is love. And it tears down walls, but above all, it builds this world. It is the world's foundation and its rock. Without it, neither you, humans, nor we, who wield the powers of light and darkness, would exist. Love is the clarity that leads us to understand the meaning of life. But it also destroys lovers. Don't let it destroy you. What you have is too beautiful and cannot fall into the abyss.

The prince fell into thought. Many important words flashed through his mind. If love is so important, then he cannot doubt anything. He cannot doubt himself or the world around him. And he should be prepared for anything. Even a battle with forces that are not in his favor. He touched the hilt of the sword attached to his belt and felt some unknown force supporting him from within.

"Lady, tell me, what must I do? How can I achieve the fulfillment of this love?" he asked.

"Tell me, what do you think of Her? How do you imagine moments spent with Her?

" He looked at the stars above him and for a moment imagined Her among them.

"When I look at her, I dream of touching her. To touch her hands with my hands. To touch her lips with my lips. And to lavish my kisses on her entire body. Every part of her that is within her. I long to look into her eyes and still have only a glimpse of her. And to feel the warmth she spreads throughout me. This is what I desire, my Lady. But it is not enough. I do not know dreams beautiful enough to express everything I feel and desire when I think of her.

" "But will that be enough? What about our kingdoms? Will they not collapse and become our nightmare?

" "Do you dream of closeness with her? But is she the only one who drives you towards her?

" "Oh no, Lady. It is something much greater. What I spoke of is only the fulfillment of a part of my desires." We achieve love when we talk to each other and dream about each other, when we exchange glances and beautiful gestures, when we can give the other person our all and more, when we divine their dreams and desires and place our whole world at their feet, when the possibility of loving them is enough for all the experiences of this world. I love her without even dreaming about her. I love her without thinking about her and thinking at the same time. I love her when she's not there and when she is. I loved her when she wasn't there and I will love her when she's gone. And even when death stands in our path, nothing will pass. That, O Lady, is love to me.

And that's why it hurts so much. You must find your own heaven and reach it with your intertwined hands. Otherwise, you will not find peace.

¬—What is it, O Lady?

—What is it in your imagination and in your hearts. It can be anything for you. Anything and anywhere. It may be distant and seemingly unattainable, but at the same time close and accessible, even beyond the nearest tree. You must feel it within yourself when you become one soul and one body. Then it will appear within you and lower its firmament over your heads. You will touch it and reach it together, and everything around you will transform into paradise. The paradise of your desired experiences.

"And what then, madam? What will happen then?"

"It's up to you. Will you take the next step, or will you remain just lovers for the rest of your lives? But whatever you decide, do it wisely. Remember that love that yearns for each other is more lasting and beautiful. Each time, you will experience the same feelings and desires anew. You will not grow bored with each other. You will constantly dream and yearn. That is true love. It is longing for each other. Longing for another morning and night spent together and the sight of each other. You will continue to revel in these moments and think about them when you are far apart. The further you go and the less often you meet, the more you will desire each other. But the pain in moments of lack of contact will also resurface. It will never fade. And if you do not tire of it, then there, in another world, you will find each other as a unity of souls and thoughts. Because only true and sincere love is found there.

" "Lady, do you believe in impeccable, sincere love between people?" Are there people in the world who love each other so much? Do they love through the years, through the centuries? Aren't they too weak to endure pain and longing? And what about those who don't accept this, who stand in their way?

"Love them too, give them much good, make them feel happy."

The prince still didn't know what he should do. Should he tear her away from the world she existed in and flee with her across the seas and mountains? Or leave things to their own devices and let chance guide their fates? He couldn't yet answer these questions.

"Lady, you see much in our future. Tell me, do you see us as one, as a community of bodies and souls?

" "I see the beauty that surrounds you. I see the love and devotion you share. I see the lights and shadows of your union. When you unite your souls and join them as one, perhaps the star of infinite love will shine above you? Few attain it. And it isn't lasting." It takes a lot of effort and sacrifice to get through difficult times. But if you are confident in yourself, there are no limits.

"How can we help each other with this, my lady? How can we perform this ritual?

" "When you are together in a quiet and peaceful place, sit opposite each other and light candles next to each other. Then touch your feet and close your eyes. Let the warmth and energy exchange between you for a moment. Imagine an endless sea with a lone ship on it. Remain like this until you feel the ardor of desire within you. Then touch your hands. Intertwine them into a common knot and gaze deeply into each other's eyes. If each of you sees the same thing in the other's eyes and hears each other's thoughts, you will receive the highest gift that love offers humanity. From that moment on, you will be one. Something more than love will connect you, and even though you will be far apart, you will be together. The pain will be gone forever."

The Prince nodded. The Lady of Dreams was receding from him. Her image was slowly disappearing in the dark glow of the stars. He was alone again, and he thought he must see her as soon as possible. When this happened, he would kneel at her feet and ask them to join each other and promise each other that nothing would ever separate them. Even if seas and mountains separated them, so that their love and desire for each other would never die within them.

A moment later, he mounted his horse and set off. He couldn't wait to tell her about their magical meeting among the stars. He could already picture their meeting place in his mind.

A new day was dawning. On the vast plain he had ridden, the morning sun spilled a magical red. Somewhere in the sky, a lone eagle appeared, circling over the endless expanse. And somewhere beyond, still unseen, was she. Soon he would tell her something important he had understood that night. In his mind, he had already made his decision. He knew one thing, one thing beyond which he had no doubt. The love he felt was unearthly. Other forces, favorable to them, were also involved in his life and that of his chosen ones. But would the world around them also be favorable to them? Uncertainty could not overwhelm his mind. He was certain that his kingdom would not fall, but rather, would rise to the heights of its prosperity. All thanks to their love, which would overcome all the obstacles that arose. And his queen would understand this, for it would dawn on her that accepting fate was a necessity. (...)

THE END