It hadn't been what Phobos expected, when he walked into Will Vandom in his grounds. He had been in the garden when he'd seen her; a child in his gardens. Prince Phobos breathed a laugh at her outfit; he'd seen the Earthian clothing before and she looked down as if she'd known what he was thinking. "Um.. They're.. Dungarees.."

"They're not clean." Prince Phobos let his mirth play along his lips, as her cheeks coloured a little, and he almost thought she might smile, but she forcefully pushed her small fists into deep pockets, and stared down at the ground for long seconds, before grim features conflicted with his relaxed.

"I've left your Guards at the gate." Her eyes were startling, Prince Phobos realized; even moreso when he was facing them in their true glory. Ochre, watched him morosely in the ever darkening light, and Prince Phobos wondered, if she'd ever listen if he told her to come inside. It was cold, after all.. But he supposed he'd rather humor her, in the cold, than be left here, with nothing but an empty castle and an avid, lustful roach hoping for him to venture to her bed chamber.. But he had no intention of visiting his sister tonight. "Your.. Lord Cedric is frozen."

He raised an eyebrow at that, because he'd never believe another to look in such a way.. And yet this child seemed almost apologetic, and he found himself waving it away, "What use are a Royal Guard if they can't catch me what has freely walked into my gardens..?"

It had been meant as a joke; a dismissal of her need to apologise at the least, but he stopped when her eyes followed him with magnetized accuracy. "So.. You're going to kill them?"

Prince Phobos snickered at that; paced a few steps away from her, before he changed his mind and turned back to the little girl in the roses. He could ask her how she'd lived maybe.. "Well, I'm not just meant to let them live, am I?"

Another joke. It was just as easily lost on her, as her hands dug deeper into pockets, and his cocked eyebrow raised further; he was about to tell her it was rude before she cleared her stuttering voice. "P-Please.. If you c-could maybe.."

"So that's why you're here then?" The irritation hit Phobos first, but he forced his words to drawl, and he pressed a smirk over his lips as she stood there. He could kill her in an instant, and first thought was for him to point out her idiocy. The second was to ask her if she was suicidal.. Insane, maybe.. "I should kill you."

"Don't kill them." Don't kill them. Phobos smiled then, with no ego or temptation - there wasn't even charm being conciously threaded in, because he hadn't chosen that smile. She'd made it. Because he'd practically threatened her death, and she was asking him not to kill the very people who'd undoubtedly tried to murder her at some point earlier in this evening. "D-don't kill them, and.. I didn't make an astral drop, so.."

It was her peculiarness, Prince Phobos supposed, that was making his smile grow, and it took him an effort not to laugh again.. That the only reason he should let her live was because she hadn't set up a replacement. He knew what astral drops were. "Your parents would miss you, I suppose.. It's not time that a young lady should be out on her own."

"No." Prince Phobos looked up to her, wondering if her slight frown was in distaste of him, but her large tawny eyes looked up at him again. "Just my mom.. My, uh, mother."

Her mother. Phobos opened his mouth, to ask her of her father, but closed it when he realised that he didn't really care whether her father was deceased. Her father can't have been that clever, if he'd not clawed to life, destined to be lived with something so.. Peculiar. "I'll give my word not to kill them.."

Her russet eyes stared at him, and Phobos felt the urge to laugh again. Lord Cedric would have raped her where she stood.

"But you'd better not forget that. Because I might have to kill you if you come again." Prince Phobos smiled as her hair; seemingly maroon in the shadows, toyed and danced in a breeze that had earlier chilled him. "Next time, we cannot save everyone." [0]

...

"Okay, let's go," Irma pushed her slightly damp ass from the grass at the edge of the lake, as Will strode past at full speed, and all of them had wondered where she had gone after they'd dumped the guard.. But no one was about to ask, and Irma smirked as she thought of Will kissing Caleb's cheek. "Guardians unite!"

[0] Note that in chapter 10, Caleb tells her; "Next time, we can not save everyone." in a harsh voice, while Phobos' words are the same but much softer O.o