Series: Suikoden V
Prompt: Innocence.
Summary: AU, She'd protect him because evil seemed drawn to his innocence.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize.
Rating: T
Genre: Romance.
Pairings: Prince Freyjadour Falenas x Isabel
Warnings: None - talky, and not much romance as I'd wanted.


"Are you all right, child?"

"Thank you," the boy responded, nodding his head donned with a fine mane of silver. He blinked slowly, tipping his head to the side to study her. But unlike the men that had tried to harm him, he didn't do so with lewd interests, instead, he looked rather innocent. He blinked again and Isabel decided, that yes, he was cute and innocent. Anyone would want to protect such innocence. Even though... said boy who exuded innocence was more than capable to take care of himself.

Isabel smiled slightly at the boy. "I know you can handle them but when I see evil... forgive me, I couldn't help myself. I swore that all evil I see shall be purged by my blade so I took your prey."

He blinked slowly, again and nodded mutely.

Knowing that spending more time with the boy was not productive, she turned to Mathias, "Come, Mathias, we have more evil to purge in Falena! We shall start with that Prince who rebels against his own little sister, the Queen of Falena!"

"Yes, such evil must be purged. I shall cast his corpse into the sea for such a heinous crime!"

They left, not knowing that they one they'd saved was the Prince.

Isabel didn't expect to see him again, but lingering in Haud Village, learning more about this supposedly rebel Prince, she saw him wandering around again. She approached him, trying not to appear so intimidating—she'd make more than one child cry while in the town—and it must've worked because the boy didn't run.

He smiled up, all innocent, at her. "Hello," he said politely. "We meet again."

"Yes," Isabel agreed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to meet someone."

"Alone?" she frowned. "Where are your parents?"

The boy's face fell, shoulders shagging and Isabel instantly knew they were gone. She winced, knowing that this time her brashness had hurt someone. "Anyways, are you lost?"

"No," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"To deal justice to this rebel Prince. Do you know anything about him?"

He smiled, plopping down on a bench and patting the seat next to him. "Where should I start, eh?"

They talked and Isabel, surprisingly, found herself relaxing as they talked. The boy had a mellifluous voice, soft and gentle yet she could tell that his voice was one used to leading people. She wondered what sort of person and who he truly was. When the last splash of sunlight fell from their faces, he stood and pardoned himself, heading down an alleyway in the 'artistic' town and disappearing down the next turn.

"Lady Mathias?" she turned, cocking an eyebrow at Mathias' frown. "You seem... happier."

"Heh. That boy's special..." She stood, stretching. "Come on, let's go back to our employer."

"There you are!" Euram Barrows was a rather despicable man in Isabel's opinion but he didn't betray his family so in her eyes, he was far better than the Prince even though he always flirted unsuccessfully with her. "Hah, devious Prince—let's see how you deal with the glorious Maximilian Knights now!"

The boy turned and Isabel nearly gasped. "You!" she spluttered, pointing a finger at him. "How dare you play me for a fool?"

"..."

"Nothing to say, eh? Well I—"

"Wait!" a rather beautiful girl jumped out from behind the shadows. "You're mistaken, the Prince had done nothing wrong. It had all been my brother's undoing!"

"Hn," the Prince grunted. "Deal with him. I have no interest with him, now."

"Stay," Isabel told Mathias who nodded, albeit reluctantly. She turned and darted after the Prince, the boy she'd took joy in speaking with and was oh - so innocent. "Prince! Wait! Let me and Mathias join your army, we shall fight against the evil of the Godwins!"

He stopped, turned, and smiled.

The moment she saw that smile, unblemished by the evils of the world, she knew this was the boy she'd want to protect forever.

She'd protect him from all the evil that seemed drawn to his innocence.