Chapter Thirty-Six
The Prince Befriends Four Powerful Witches
By the time Phobos woke, it was pitch black outside. He groaned, a sense of fatigue clinging to him like the lingering touch of dust and filth from his long-lost tomb. There was a slight protest from his limbs as he rolled on his back. His joints cracked as he faced up at the canopy, glowing a gentle pink hue from the open bedroom door. For a while, he just stared, watching the long shadow of the single sitting rooms' occupant stretch across the bed.
Wilhelmina was pacing, hands flailing around haphazardly as she talked, seemingly to herself in half-formed sentences.
"No!" she called, voice low but still audible in the quiet of the attached rooms. "I was busy."
She paced past the open door, dressed in Earth style nightwear, with black shorts and top with green frogs scattered all over. Phobos chuckled at the ridiculous sight. One of the greatest warriors in the entire universe was standing there, dressed in such simple, comical garbs.
Brilliant red hair bounced as she nodded to something, a hand on her chin.
"Guys, oh, come on! Please, I can-" she cut herself off, most likely finishing that statement in her mind, as she was clearly conversing with the other guardians.
"Gah!" she called, now walking between the two couches, head falling back. "It's like in five days! I can't… on my own… that's stupid… no… no… fine! I… jerks, all of you… fine… he's sleep… yeah… rough… thanks… love ya… night." Wilhelmina laughed, the sound cheerful, and sat down on the couch with a careless plop!, hanging one leg over the back.
Phobos, seeing she was done with conferencing her companions, slipped from the bed and pulled on his breeches. Walking out of the room, he found her flipping through a stack of books about a subject he knew she never cared for before today.
"Forgive my rudeness," he said, gaining her attention. It wasn't lost on him how her eyes widen with excitement and how her smile somehow grew even bigger. Damn, he was beyond stricken by her and it was wonderful, the feeling in his chest. That pleasant warmth that radiated through him. That made him feel content with life.
"Since when are you the scholarly type?" he finished, sitting on the couch next to her and picking up a book titled 'Death and It's Many Faces'. It was one of the few books with titles written in his language. He knew a few others, like some common languages on Nune-Boreal and a few from Earth, including the Keepers. English was common on Metamoor, as that language was brought over by the first humans to crossover and merge into the royal family. They rarely used the original language of Metamoor in any setting, as it was 'offensive' to the royal tongue.
Wilhelmina tossed the book she had aside on the table and sat up. Scooting next to him with a bounce, she pulled him in for a quick, soft kiss. Moving away, she settled back on the couch and coaxed him to relax with her as she placed her head on his shoulder.
"I'm not," she sighed out with slight irritation, now narrowing her eyes at the books. "These are all books Taranee can't read and needs me to go through for clues, since seeing death is literally all she can talk about now."
"As that was only several hours ago, I would hope it would still be a relevant topic. Even I am not numb enough to brush off that encounter," he admitted, still unnerved at death singling her out and trapping her so easily. Knowing it held an interest in his Keeper sent an icy chill down his spine.
"In my line of work, you gotta go with the flow, oh grand prince," she easily teased, soft brown eyes shining up at him in mirth. He was surprised to see her in such an uplifted mood. "Some days, you free a goddess and become her full-time nanny. Some days, your boyfriend gets his arm chopped off. And some days, death just wants to chat." She ended with a carefree shrug as she wiggled as close as she could against him. Phobos leaned into her, feeling her warmth on his skin.
"I see your perspective," the prince said, head leaning on hers, feeling her red hair tickle his cheek. "It makes sense, then, that you have stayed sane through our eventful courtship."
She laughed, hard, turning more towards him to hug him. "Yes! It has been a test of my fucking wits, you know? Like this vacation sucks as a vacation. But…" She stopped, laying her head on his chest, running her hand across his bare skin. "I think this is going in the books as my favorite summer. I got myself a prince, after all."
She moved smoothly, now straddling him in one quick motion. Her lips met his, one hand on his jaw, the other on his chest, rubbing in small circles.
"And I even fell in love," she muttered, biting his lower lip, eyes blazing. Her endless want clear.
Damn it, as much as he wanted to, his body was exhausted. And, unlike her, he wasn't connected to an infinite source of magic.
"Wilhelmina, you have worn me out for the day," he said, easing her away with a gentle push on her shoulders. "And I am in need of a bath." Then, seeing her face drop, he added. "You can join me, if you wish, as I always welcome your company."
She blushed, giving him a lopsided grin. "Sorry, I'm just all over you today, huh? I've just never felt this way. Like so giddy and stupidly excited to just sit next to you? Not even with-" she cut herself off, turning redder as she looked to the side, not wanting to draw that comparison, as she still held some affection for her long-term partner.
Phobos chuckled, ignoring the spike of jealousy that flared in his chest. He knew they had been together for a long time, so it was foolish to expect her to just drop him from her life when they still had to work together and were part of the same social group. Plus, she had pushed back even against Kandrakar to have a courtship with the prince, so he knew he wasn't just a rebound for her. Still… he could be a little annoyed, even knowing Wilhelmina would always be faithful, that the tengu still looked at her with longing? Still held a flame that might take years to snuff out?
"No, please, go on," Phobos said, feeling the need to tease his lover. "I am pleased to hear you understand I am the superior choice of all your potential suitors. You have excellent taste."
Giving him a deadpanned look, she said, "You say that like a have an army of guys after me."
At that, Phobos snorted so hard he nearly headbutted her.
"What's so funny!" she hotly demanded, leaning back out of his way as he composed himself.
"You have a cult. An entire cult dedicated to how 'perfect' you are, and you think only the tengu and I lust after you?"
She covered her face with her delicate hands and shook her head, red hair shining in the pink light. "Please, don't say lust like that," she pleaded with mortification.
"Fine," he said, grinning at her embarrassment. And gave her some payback for her own teasing earlier. "Sought to achieve sexual gratification while plundering a body so perfect-"
She clamped her hands over his mouth, eyes wide, skin deeply flushed. "Got it! Got it! Don't need the details!"
Phobos, laughing into her hands, ran his own hands up her sides, making her squirm away, as he had learned about her ticklish spots. She scrambled across the couch, trying to stop her laughter as she crawled.
"Oh my god, go take your freaking bath!" she demanded, pointing at him from the other side, still fighting her smile.
Phobos stood, laughing, and gathered his clothes.
In the end, she joined him, even if he wasn't up for a repeat of their last bath together. It was enjoyable, just bathing each other and then relaxing in the hot water, staring up at the starry sky.
Later, Phobos would look back, wishing things could have stayed that simple. Just two lovers holding each other close under summer starlight.
They parted, as Phobos knew he needed a good night's rest. Not only did he have his mundane duties to attend to, he knew what they learned was just the start of a new, harrowing journey.
When Elyon had used her power to perform the council mandated execution, and Phobos felt himself wither away before she stopped, tear streaked, refusing to go on, he thought, like they all thought, he was in the process of dying. Yet, she was just removing the magic Weira directed to him to keep his body from rotting. To keep his mortal vessel whole.
While that had many new implications and meanings, there was one that was… annoying.
"Fucking knew it!" Irma called, lounging in his office, sitting on the floor with her back on the ground and legs straight up along the wall, crossed at her ankles. She had a sucker in her mouth that she pulled out when she talked and waved it at him for emphasis. "You're a zombie!"
"He's not a zombie!" Taranee promptly rebutted, sitting in one of the two chairs on the other side of the desk. "This isn't how a zombie works! They don't have souls for one."
Irma rolled her eyes, waving her sucker in the air. "So confident for someone who has only met one zombie in her lifetime."
Taranee looked puzzled. "We've never actually seen one."
Hay-Lin, sitting on the floor next to Irma, legs crossed with Xin Jing in her lap, working on an Earth puzzle cube with more determination a goddess should, spoke up. "She means Phobos."
Taranee just shook her head, done with defending his non-zombie status, and returned to facing him.
Cornelia, sitting in the other chair, shook her head as well, and crossed her arms. "We aren't here to talk about that," she clarified with some annoyance.
"Then why are you all here, in my office, bothering me with this useless prattle," Phobos frostily demanded, eyeing the four guardians that invaded his small space with vexation. He was making good progress that day, as he was rusty with dealing with the legal matters and had to learn Elyon's new, rather lenient, laws. Now, he was almost halfway through the blasted pile.
"We are here, O noble prince, to make sure your intentions are virtuous with our sweet, fair Wilhelmina," Irma said dramatically with another wave of her candy.
"No," Cornelia said firmly, eye twitching. "We are here about the Children of Good Fortune."
That caught his attention.
"You have located them?" the prince inquired, eager to be done with that wretched group.
"No," Taranee said, some disappointment in her voice as her dark eyes held his. "And that's the problem. Without me just tearing into people's heads, they haven't left a trail."
Phobos asked next, curious about what was stopping her, "And why not just do that?" She was the strongest mind reader in all the realms. As far as anyone knew, no planet with a fire based heart was inhabitable, so no other creature should have a stronger connection to that element than her.
Taranee didn't show outward disapproval at his question. Just kept her voice even as she explained, "Not only is that against my own morals, invading people's heads without cause, that would make people not trust us if they find out what we did. Which would only give the Children more leverage for a coup."
"I thought we agreed CGF? Calling them 'children' just sounds creepy," Hay-Lin asked, rubbing Xin Jing's back as she struggled to turn the cube's sections with her small hands.
"Fine, it'll just lead to the CGF having more support if they find out Elyon allowed us to use invasive magic on innocent people."
"If they are innocent," Phobos pointed out. "Most here are not."
Cornelia crossed her legs, blue eyes holding his, not hiding her disapproval of his views. "We aren't taking that gamble," she stated firmly. "The only lead we have is some cooks mentioning the magic demonstration to Will last night and how they are excited to see her perform as a 'true Light'."
Phobos frowned, as she did not mention that to him. As hard as it was to sleep next to someone, he would have stayed with her given that worrying encounter. Maybe that was why she neglected to tell him? It was painfully obvious, looking back now in the light of a new day, that she was doing her best to occupy his mind yesterday. There was little chance of her adding to the rather disappointing news he received about the source of his longevity.
He still sought to remove his immortality. Yet, now he faced a new problem. And the only solution he could think of… would throw the universe into a panic, and there was a chance Wilhelmina wouldn't approve.
"Where is Wilhelmina now?" he inquired, worry now forming in his gut for his Keeper.
"She's with Elyon," Hay-Lin quickly answered, possibly able to feel his flare of emotion. "Talking about… you know."
He nodded, understanding the topic would be sensitive for his sister. "I see." Then added. "Yet, what I still cannot grasp is why you four are here? I know nothing of the Children-"
"CGF," Irma interjected.
"And what they are planning. I just know they are rather ruthless in their tactics, as their treatment of me shows."
"Um, that's kinda it," Taranee admitted, excitement mixed with some apprehension. "They used your connection to the Heart of Metamoor to make that dark magic arrow. We want to ask Elyon to give you access to some of your baser magic, like scrying."
Phobos blinked, shocked, unable to think of a response, snarky or not.
"It's Corny's idea," Irma called, grinning at the look on his face.
The blond cleared her throat, looking away, cheeks a little pinker. "I remembered you're actually pretty skilled with that. And it'll be faster if you scry for your own, um, essence, than Irma looking."
"Yeah," Irma spoke up. "Like I'll find it, in like a day or so, but your connection to your own blood is way stronger. You should be able to find something in hours, tops."
"So," Phobos started, brain finally processing what they said. "The Guardians of Infinity want to give their once bitterly sworn foe his magic back?"
"Just a bit," Hay-Lin said, smiling gently at him. "You've been a big help these last few weeks, you know? Like when Will was missing and saving Elyon and Cornelia."
"And does your leader agreed?" he asked, wondering if this was her doing, given the ring hidden in his robe pocket.
"Will isn't a part of this," Taranee clarified. "She's… bias. If Elyon is going to consider this, it would be stronger from just us four."
Phobos nodded, understanding that reasoning.
"I doubt this shall be received well by… most. If not all," he mused, leaning back in his chair. "Yet scrying is easy for me. Locating a magic catch based on my blood should be simple."
Cornelia shifted, blue eyes worried as she agreed, "We know there will be pushback. But we don't have time to waste. We leave in a week and there are other planets that have already contacted the Oracle for the Guardian's help. Since this hasn't escalated into a full-blown magic war, we can't keep helping like this," she explained with evident frustration at the restrictions of their positions.
"The council has ruled we can't keep intervening at this level. As this is 'normal' problems of a kingdom that Elyon has to navigate on her own," Cornelia finished with bubbling anger. She was fiercely loyal, and not being able to help her close companion was something that surely ate at her.
"That sounds like the normal, noncommittal response the council is known for. If you all were not here already for holiday, I doubt they would have deployed you at all, given I have been the only one injured so far," Phobos said and then corrected with a deep frown, looking away. "Well, Achilles and I, that is."
"He's doing well," Hay-Lin assured, trying to give him a comforting smile. "And he's with Matt right now. I think they are trying to catch a baby griffin that wandered in the castle? I guess the mom's been circling over the castle all day, looking for her missing chick."
Phobos, knowing Achilles would stop at nothing to reunite a family, nodded, knowing his familiar was safe for now.
"Princy, can I ask something?" Irma suddenly called, sitting up correctly.
The three others eyed her warily and Cornelia whispered to him, "Say no."
Not too bothered by her antics, Phobos nodded in agreement.
"You've really chilled out in a few weeks. Is that all because of dating Will? Or making Achilles? Or both?"
"Irma," Taranee called, disapproving. "That's really invasive."
"Hey," she called, hands up. "He doesn't have to answer. But seeing we're about to ask Elyon to remove some of his bonds, I kinda want to know he isn't going to relapse back to his evil ways if Will breaks up with him." There was a rare look of seriousness as she added, grimly, "We never thought she'd break up with Matt after a freaking decade. Yet, here we are," she said with a vague wave at the surrounding room.
"No offense, Phobos, I ain't saying you guys don't have staying power. But Will is too dedicated to her job sometimes, and keeping her from overdoing it is like a quarter of ours." Her sea deep eyes held his as she boldly voiced what they all clearly felt. "And the fact you are so okay with, like, all this crazy shit is hard to believe. Hell, you're even okay with Achilles hanging out with Matt, who you've never liked, even when you stayed at his house."
Phobos wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. There were a dozen different ways to answer, but….
He answered honestly, even if they did not like it.
"I am not okay with a great deal of what has come to pass," he stated, holding her inquisitive gaze. "Nor shall I ever be. Achilles' was savaged because of fear of me. Whether that fear is appropriate, given my new lower status, is debatable. Yet, we all know Achilles did nothing to earn that treatment." He could still see the arrows piercing his hide. Hear his cries of pain and terror. His watery eyes staring at Phobos for help, for guidance, when the prince could give him none. "People here proclaim they act in the name of good, yet they near tore apart an innocent to teach me a lesson. Of obedience. Of submission."
He could tell they wanted to interject, to debate that there was more to it. That it was a misunderstanding and every other false niceties he had heard to reason why the good did what they deemed wicked in others. But they held back, and he went on.
"It is easy for people to ignore the ugliness in front of them. The fact I am still chained here, by my sister's magic, is one." He waved a hand at the paperwork. "This busywork gives a sense of normalcy for the common masses. So Elyon can say I am contributing in 'positive ways' as a lesser royal." He thought about how he once craved to rule Metamoor, to reform it into a place that he could live, not caring if he just passed his suffering onto the people of that world. Now he wished to never see it ever again. Leave it to rot in its own endless cycle of bigotry and false idols.
"Yet Wilhelmina clawed her way past all those lies. Walls built decades ago, by past rulers, true or false. She is relentless in her quest for good. I had thought good was a false concept, given my upbringing, seeing the flaws of a Light closely. Too closely." He leaned back, crossing his arms as he let out a deep sigh, thinking of his Keeper's stubbornness. "Wilhelmina proved me wrong."
He scanned the four women before him and added, "And so have you four. I will never claim to be the same as any of you. As Wilhelmina. I do not fully understand why, say, Taranee does not scan all the castle staff's thoughts for the answers needed, or why Elyon does not perform executions for the more heinous crimes in her kingdom. But I have come to respect your views and understand why those are viable routes in life. I'm not sure of how I would react if Wilhelmina ends our courtship prematurely, yet I doubt I would hate her for it."
Irma stood, weakly laughing at his rather heavy answer. "I see why you and Will get along, if you talk so open like that with her." She looked around at her friends, clearing her throat with some thick emotion that built up in her. "We should go, guys, and figure out what we are going to pitch to Elyon."
The three nodded, moods lower at his confession, and left.
Phobos sat for a while, not pleased opening up to the four, but he knew he needed them on his side, to not try to push a wedge between him and his Keeper in his absence.
Because if he wanted to live a natural life, one alongside Wilhelmina, he needed to become a Light, and there were countless planets across the universe where the Hearts weren't lineage based and could be won.
And Achilles, who could now open portals, would be strong enough soon to tear away his shackles.
It did not surprise Phobos that Elyon rejected the four's idea.
Caleb had left that tomb even more distrustful of the group's view of Phobos, now convinced they were all biased because of Wilhelmina's relationship with the prince. The four had argued that they weren't, in Irma's words, 'riding the prince', and had a good grasp of what magic they could trust him with. Wilhelmina, standing in front of her mirror as Phobos laced up the back of her dress for dinner, recounted her friend's attempt to give him some of his magic back.
"I've never seen Cornelia that frustrated with Elyon before. She actually raised her voice, and she stays pretty composed all the time." Her brown eyes met his through the mirror, not too bothered by their failure. "I know it sucks, as now Irma has to scry until she gets a hit, but…" She gave a soft smile. "It's nice. The girls going to bat for you. And, ah, they told me what you said, that convinced Irma. You have a way with words, sir, when you aren't all doom and gloom. They understand better, about… us."
Phobos chuckled, running a finger down the groove of her back, making her shiver. "Did not you read my journal? I thought I was a master at 'ass kissing'?"
Her shoulders bounced with her quiet laughter. "Oh, right, how could I forget? You are the ass kissing pro, no contest! No one in all the realms is even a close second."
With the dress fully laced, he fixed her hair, gently putting wild strands back in place. "Just as you are so brilliantly stubborn, you shall outlast even the suns above."
"Damn right, Phobos," she said proudly, smile wide and warm.
Phobos ran his hands down her arms as he looked in the mirror, seeing her before him, dressed in the clothes of his world, at his side.
"You are beautiful," he said, kissing her hair.
Wilhelmina rolled her eyes. "You tell me that like three times a day."
He chuckled. "They are true with each utterance, I assure you."
She bit her cheek and said, a little shyly, "And, uh, I know I don't say it a lot, but you look handsome, Phobos. You dress, uh, really well too."
The castle's seamstresses repaired his dinner tunic easily enough. He knew they did not use magic, and left a noticeable line of stitching as a sign of disrespect. But he toyed with the line, fondly remembering what caused the rip to begin with.
The prince turned her round and kissed her, loving how her arms wrapped around his neck within seconds.
"Always a pleasure to hear, love," he said, hands at her waistline.
Wilhelmina smiled, and he knew there was something she wasn't telling him, as there was trouble in her eyes, but he let it go as they headed to dinner, as he also had something he wasn't telling her.
About his plans for their future, his freedom.
