Okay, I hated Miranda in the cartoons, but I am growing on my own version and she'll be in this ep at least once more - watch out for 'ye olde' confusing wording, I'll [-] the worst of it throughout, but Miranda isn't really exposed to Earth, and Elyon isn't acting particularly Earthly..

He'd shown up before the sun had even risen, and Aldarn wish that he could believe Caleb was here to help them feed the near-hundred new 'inmates'. Will wouldn't know not to bother. She wouldn't know that in Cavigor, they had more food than the rebellion. "Our grain."

"When I think how hard our people worked to grow this!" Aldarn saw Caleb's head twitch, as an older rebel spoke clear words. And Aldarn knew that something was wrong, because Caleb didn't take people to the castle. Caleb went alone, or rebels went without him. Maybe he was just getting used to the idea of company. He'd heard about Will -barely; Drake had been more focused on how fast everyone was going to starve like this - and he knew that Caleb would usually have said something. Anything.

"C'mon, getting caught in here is worth a lifetime in Phobos' dungeons. For you." So that was what was wrong. Aldarn had noticed the tension in Caleb; the angst of such. Caleb seemed to know what Phobos would do with him, and Aldarn had always wondered - did Phobos want Caleb dead, or on his side? What did murmurers look like? Were they alive, or not? Caleb told Aldarn everything. Except about the murmurers. And Aldarn knew that Drake had been told things; most of the rebels had. But Aldarn didn't need to know. It didn't mean he wasn't curious of why Caleb was so scared.

...

It was late morning, and the dim sun had been getting brighter; Miranda hadn't noticed though, until today, and she smoothed her fingers over purple silk and velvet. He'd already had her things moved, and Miranda had turned the key in the lock to find that he'd given her a room twice the size of her last.

And she'd had the best night's sleep in a long time; locked within the midst of reds and violets; lilacs and maroons. Silvers and golds. And maybe it was appropriate to say that she was indulging in her inner child, because since stepping into this deep paradise, she was yet to transform - no longer feeling unworthy of doing so, but no longer itching to get out of this skin.

The bed - and her original had been massive - had doubled in size and somehow even the mattress was firmer; the velvet sheets: softer. Everything she'd been provided had been replaced in terms of 'things'; despite the gigantic vanity, there was a hand-held mirror - the reflective glass encased in a fine silver - that perfectly matched the detailing of a boar-bristle hairbrush's handle.. New dresses packed a larger wardrobe, along with her old. There was new paints and books that lined dark shelves, and there was a new necklace on the vanity desk. A pretty thing, without jewels, but she didn't doubt it was fine. And then breakfast had been brought to her: left outside her door with a knock, at nine.

The one thing, she supposed the reason why Prince Phobos' only words were an apology, was that his own room lay two doors on the opposing wall of the large hallway. But it was a revalation to her, that she was grateful he would be there. And she knew that was why she was here of all places; though she didn't doubt he'd allow her any room she wanted. He'd sent Lord Cedric to Cavigor again.

Part of her wished it was for her - if only a little. Part of her knew he was playing games with the snake. And the part of her who'd memorized Cedric's every word, had wondered if it was for the Guardian Keeper he was so fond of. And he'd confirmed that to her last night; right before he confirmed himself.[0] He'd sent Lord Cedric to Cavigor. And she'd almost laughed with the glory of the snake-man storming from the room.

And then he'd called her out; handed her the key. She could remember feeling anxious - as until last night she'd been timid since last week - and she'd been timid when the image of a redhaired girl had filtered into existance from the sands. She'd known who it was - this girl, with her head half shoved into the seat of the toilet, as she retched. "Do you know about empathy?"

Miranda had nodded. His voice had been like silk.

He'd laughed before he spoke again.

"Caleb should know better than to leave her alone."

Miranda had tensed as the name had been spoken.

"Just imagine if her mother came to find her as she is..."

It had been familiar to Miranda, for the Prince Phobos to be so calm around her; almost a human with a private joke to share. But it was in his next words that Miranda realized that the evil scum was not who she'd thought he was. In his next words, Miranda felt a little more virginal again; considering the prince could acheive the altruism he'd found with this child. [1]

"When they are free, as will she be."[2]

He wasn't watching her. He was watching over her.

So here, in her sparkling bedroom, Miranda enjoyed the cool morning air on her human-esque shoulders; and forgot that she wasn't just a little girl. In here; in this room, it wasn't silent. It was peaceful.

...

"That's only if you're lucky." Caleb stopped abruptly, when the gruff voice laughed it. He'd been an idiot. He shouldn't have ran away to Meridian; he shouldn't have taken Aldarn here.. He didn't want to be captured so close to the murmurers. "GET THEM!"

"FOR MERIDIAN!" Caleb found a knife at his throat before he could move, and he'd half thought it'd be the rebel who yelled out; he didn't know names of new recruits, and he wouldn't be surprised if they'd only joined to kill him. There wasn't a soul in the city of Meridian, who didn't think he was going to side with Phobos last minute - to kill them all..

A cry of pain announced Aldarn; whom Caleb saw stab the guard in the neck, before Caleb pushed the brute who'd finally dropped the blade at his own throat. But Aldarn was already gone, and all he heard was an attempt of command, that Caleb hoped Aldarn knew would be ignored. "GET OUT!"

"He has nowhere to go." Caleb backed slowly, as three of six guards took place around him; clearly someone had been handing out his picture. He bit his lip as he swept corn into the lantern; apparently if you stare at someone long enough, their habits became your own. He'd have to fix that.

He threw the lantern as soon as he heard a pop, and ducked out of the way as the guards wondered what the hell the popcorn was. But then everything went wrong and the roof caved in. Aldarn had yelled out. And Caleb's heart pounded. And the guards all moved swiftly and he found himself backing away from them with his eyes on the trapped Aldarn. He couldn't go back to Phobos. Not now. He begged that Aldarn would understand. Anything but Phobos; Cedric could peel his skin off and salt him alive if he'd like. Just not Phobos.. "GO!"

Caleb didn't look back. All he knew was that he couldn't go back to the rebellion, and greet Aketon without the man's son at hand.

[0] 'confirmed' himself - 'proved' (would be the modern way to put it).

[1] virginal - innocent; altruism - goodness/generosity.

[2] Phobos is saying that Will'll feel better and no longer be trapped with the connection to their feelings when the prisoners are free'd.

I believe that Phobos' intent wasn't clear in the last chapter of Cavigor. He was looking after her, rather than perving, though I laughed when I realized that it did seem like that (seen as Elyon thought he was perving) :L :L