Note: Since this has turned into a full story, I'm just posting the edited version on Fanfiction. net. Heart of Stone, Heart of Flesh will be marked as complete. Please follow The Nymph and the Prince for more updates! Thanks for all the support! You guys are the best.


The Nymph and the Prince

Chapter Six

The change in Phobos was noticeable as he took a step back from Raythor, eyes glancing around the room, looking anywhere but at her.

"What is this place," Will asked, looking between them. Still, Phobos wouldn't meet her eyes.

"He has not told you?" Raythor questioned, sounding disappointed as he looked back at the prince. "She throws away her whole life for you, and you can't even tell her the significance of this hallowed place?"

Phobos tensed, shoulders stiff, as he stubbornly held the other man's gaze.

Raythor broke contact to look at Will as he went on, "As you know, the royal line of Metamoor gives birth to one daughter, destined to inherit the Heart of Meridian. It had always been that way, one heir, a queen. When a queen becomes pregnant, a small temple is made for which to welcome the infant into the world. It is a place for common folk to take pilgrimage to and pay respects. And, one day, where the queen shall be laid to rest."

Catching on, Will had two guesses whose temple they resided in.

She looked at Phobos, who still wouldn't look at her, and asked, "Yours or… Weira's?"

Seeing how Phobos wasn't answering, Raythor spoke up, "Both, actually."

Phobos' face twisted in pain as he turned away from them.

Raythor went on, "The great mage, the real great mage, saw Weira carried a boy, a king. It threw the kingdom into a panic. This was before my time in the castle, but my father was part of the queen's honor guard, so he witnessed when she received the news."

Will was intently looking at Raythor. She had wanted this information for so long. While she had hoped Phobos would be the one to tell the tale, she still took in every word.

"He said she only gave a heartbreaking smile, like she knew the hardships her child would face. There was a refusal to build a shine to a child that was seen as a curse. So Weira came to her own place of honor and had her son here. Her temple was seen as soiled, defiled by his birth, and was removed from all maps to be forgotten."

"He came here often, far away from Meridian, from people who wished him ill will, to this lost place. I believe he even befriended Cedric here, in this town."

That made Phobos snap out of his trance and find his anger once again. "Do not mention that contemptible treacherous snake to me again."

Raythor scoffed at the demand. "Ah, betrayal cuts deep, does it not?" he said, pointedly.

Will interrupted. "Wait, I'm confused. What happened here?" she waved an arm at the broken, forsaken temple around the trio.

Phobos finally answered, voice flat. "I burned it."

Will felt her heart stop. "What? Why?"

"Fire to cleanse a curse. Very basic magic rules."

Now was not the time to be glib, but she was too in shock to push at his answer.

"I blamed myself," Raythor spoke up. "I was new, green. I was so enthralled by the title of honor guard to the prince, that I failed to push back against his wants, even when they endangered him. Eventually, good intentions became a twisted obsession." Raythor sighed, heavily. "I will not pretend to know you as you are now, Prince Phobos, nor act like knowing who you were back then excuses what you have done." Raythor looked at Will. "But I trust Will. She has bled by both my hands and yours, yet has found a way to turn both of us from our darker paths."

Raythor pulled out a folded piece of thick parchment and handed it to Phobos. He firmly said, "Do not mess this up. What you have once razed to the ground, may now be rebuilt." Phobos took the paper, face expressionless.

Will reached out and hugged Raythor. The knight smiled weakly at her as he pulled away and left.

Now knowing where they stood, Will felt uncomfortable. The implications of Phobos seeking refuge in his and his mother's birth place, that he burned to the ground, was an interesting look at his inner struggle.

"I think we should leave," Will said, glancing at the dark back room, not wanting to know what laid in the shadows.

Phobos looked at the open room and lifted a hand, the door closed and the beam was replaced across it. He unfolded the parchment to see it was blank. He pulled out the Seal and waved it over the yellowed paper. Black ink bled from the parchment and formed various lines and words.

"A map," Phobos said as the temple they were in appeared with the title 'Shrine of Weira'. Apparently it still showed on magic fueled maps.

The forest around them was very large and stretched between Crownwood and another, smaller town to the west called Ocean's Pass. Phobos waved the Seal and the image shrunk until they could see more and more settlements. She saw why the small town was named Ocean's Pass, as it was the last notable place before a long trek, across mostly flat lands and scattered tiny villages, to a huge city called Edinsbreach build along the ocean.

To the East, towards the capital, was far more towns and villages, with more forest and several lakes and rivers in between,

"There," he said looking at Will. "We should go to Edinsbreach."

"Cool," she said, not wanting the heavy tension in the air to linger. This was their first day on the run. She didn't expect to hear his whole life story right now. It was clear Weira was a touchy subject, one that still cut him deep. He had to tell her on his own, otherwise he would just shut down, like he did with Raythor.

Will smiled as she added, hopefully sounding upbeat, "I love the ocean! I can pretend its like one long vacation!"

Phobos didn't respond, simply folded the map and pocketed it and the Seal.

Will frowned, but didn't push, as she went to retrieve her clothes, dropped by the front door. Their travel bag was also by the door and she noticed it was fuller.

Not realizing Phobos was trailing behind her, she jump as he leaned past her and picked up the bag. He dug out some new garments she hadn't seen before and handed them to Will.

"I already had clothes?" Will questioned, without unfolding them.

Phobos still wouldn't met her eyes, his face neutral. She was reminded of how he use to act; cold, aloof, frozen like ice. Guarding himself from the world.

Raythor's words really upset him. Maybe Phobos just didn't want her to know about his past?

I will not risk my good standing in your eyes, he said early that day, almost in the same spot.

That day.

Has it really only been less than a day?

Will felt a laugh, equal parts amusement and disbelief, bubble up in her. It ripped through her chest as she dropped the clothes and sat on a pew behind her. She laughed into her hands, soon calming down enough to look at the confused prince.

"Can you believe," she started, shaking her head. "It hasn't even been a full day? Like yesterday, this time, I was heading to the Halloween Fair with my family? My mom was trying to make me wear a stupid gorilla costume. She had actually made it. She made William's costume so she wanted to make mine too." Her voice cracked. "Why didn't I wear the stupid thing? Who was that going hurt? It would have made her so happy. I didn't even take pictures with them, since I was in guardian form." She stood, arms wrapped tight around herself. "Why does it have to be this way? Why can't I just," she clenched her teeth, nails digging in her arms. "Why can't I just…?" She was shaking. "Why didn't they try and stop it?" Tears were blurring her vision. "Why was it just Raythor and Napoleon? Why just them?"

There was a heavy hand on her shoulder that pulled her into a warm embrace. He didn't say anything. What could he say, really? Nothing would make it better. The pain at her friends compliance to the Oracle.

They didn't experience what she did. They didn't have a reason to doubt him. But, still, she had though one of them would struggle. One of them would fight.

Will felt like she was ripped open, emotions raw. She had struggled all day with her feelings. Bouncing between so many in her grief at the lost of her old life. Denial of fact they were in danger, real danger, from ones she still loved. Anger at her situation, wanting to fight, to push back on every plan, every choice. The idea she could bargain with Elyon, make her see reason when the betrayal she felt was still a fresh wound. And now, just an overwhelming sense of sadness, at the lost of her life, her family, her friends.

"I won't accept this," she sobbed. "I won't."

If she wasn't fighting, what was she good for? This was the only thing she was good at. That people respected her for. That only she was able to do. If she wasn't the Leader of the Guardians, than who was she?

"You are more than you realize," Phobos answered, as she had kept talking, voicing those inner thoughts. "I understand how you feel. Your identity, your fate, has been stripped from you. I do not have the words to make that change, to make you see what I do." He buried his face into her neck. "I see a woman so strong she pulled me from the abyss of my own inner madness. That saw me and loved me where others saw nothing."

She hugged him back, arms tight.

Him. She just wanted him. He made it better.

Will pulled back and kissed him, face still wet with her tears. He kissed her without hesitation and staggered back as she pushed him to a wall, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and biting his lower lip.

Her head was spinning as he gently pushed her away, eyes glancing up behind her.

Ah, that's right. He had stopped last night when they first arrived, and stopped again that day, only pleasing her and not himself.

It was pretty clear why Phobos didn't what to go farther, now that she knew history of this place.

"The clothes should be a better fit," Phobos said, moving away. "I shall go ready the horse."

Well, good to know the prince had standards, she guessed, feeling frustrated. Only once she dressed and was on the horse with Phobos, sun setting, she realized his standards didn't apply to 'on a horse'.

Will liked the new clothes he 'found', as it was made with her body type in mind. The black tunic, that fell to her upper thigh, had splits on the side and laces up the front to give a tight fit. Her white shirt was thin and breathable, tapering nicely to her wrist. Her brown pants were thinner than the male ones she wore before and fit more like loose leggings. Her boots were still to big, but she was able to tighten the laces to counter that problem. The newest thing she liked was the black cowl. It hid her face better as it bunched around her mouth and draped over her eyes with the thinner fabric. She packed everything else and left the temple.

Will was confused as to why Phobos sat her in front, thinking it had to do with her almost falling asleep last time, but realized that wasn't it as they rode down the path, entering the main road. It was finally twilight, light almost completely gone, making the forest around them feel never ending.

Phobos had one hand on the rein, the other at her waist. Will told herself she was still worked up from earlier, and was imagining the press of his hips to her backside.

They were on a horse, on a main road, after all.

Will was unable to suppress a shiver as he leaned closer to her ear.

"Are you cold?" he asked, voice teasing.

Ah, she knew that tone. She had been hearing it all day.

Phobos leaned forward more, tossing his cape around her, engulfing her against him. He leaned forward even more, flexing his hips against her as the hand at her waist pulled her back.

They were on a horse!

"Phobos," she said, struggling with herself. His hand left her hips to grope her through the tunic. She was wearing her bra again, so he squeezed hard to grab her through the extra layers. He was nuzzling her head, pulling her cowl back enough to expose her ear, where he licked the delicate shell.

The horse snorted and like that the mood left her.

She was not doing that on a horse.

Not when animals use to be able to read her mind.

Oh, no, they probably still could!

Saying a thousand apologizes to the steed, Will pushed back with her elbow and shook her head.

"Not on a horse," she said, firmly. "It's creepy."

Phobos gave a deep chuckle she felt against her back. "Very well. When we stop next," he assured with nip at her ear. Will blushed at his words, voicing an agreement, excited for their next stop.

They settled down as Phobos started pushing the horse into a light gallop. He kept an arm around her and lean forward to stay stable. Will liked the position more than being behind him and wasn't surprised she started falling in and out of a light sleep.

She was just so exhausted, emotionally and still physically, and wasn't bothered by the shaking of the horse. It was almost rhythmic.

The sound of hooves. The warmth of her companion.

Almost... hypnotic.

.

.

.

.

"Grandma!"

The sound of feet running on wooden floors accompanied the call.

Will looked around. The room looked familiar. While she had never seen this particular room, the colors and furniture seemed to match somewhere she had visited. Suddenly, the door flew open and a young woman was standing there, frowning and brows drawn together.

"Or should I say 'Grandmas'!" she said, folding her arms as she shifted her weight on her hips.

The room held two twin beds along with bookshelves and a simple desk. On one of the beds sat two old women. All three women were dressed for bed.

A fog around Will's brain lifted as she looked back at the young woman, long black hair pulled back into a braid.

"Hay-Lin!" Mira-Lin said, sitting next Yan-Lin who had something behind her back. "Come to tell her dear, sweet grandmother's goodnight? What a dutiful granddaughter."

"Oh, yes," Yan-Lin agreed. "Truly the jewel of our family."

Hay-Lin narrow her eyes. "Uh-huh, what's behind your back, Grandma?"

Yan-Lin laugh. "Nothing, apple of my eye."

"So Fu isn't in here?" she asked, voice accusing.

"No, Hudie," Mira-Lin corrected. "Isn't here, oh beloved child.

Hay-Lin rolled her eyes. "Grandma! Her name is Fu!"

"Hudie is much cuter," Yan-Lin countered. "But, still no, not here. Nope."

Hay-Lin huffed. "Oh, really? Fu! Come here!" she called. There was a small cry, like a raspy kitten, and Yan-Lin failed to keep a grip as a fluffy white and black ball struggled free from behind her.

The tiger cub shook its fur out, falling to its side on the bed. It growled happily seeing Hay-Lin, stumbling forward towards her. Yan-Lin scooped the cub up and placed it in her lap, where the cub now seemed just as happy to turn its attention to her. It rolled in her lap as she pet its round, soft belly. Soon, both older women were cooing over the cub, petting and kissing it. The cub looked like it was in heaven, soaking up the attention.

"Whose our perfect little Hudie?" Yan-Lin said, kissing the mewling cubs head.

"Fu!"

"She was our Hudie before your Fu," Yan-Lin said as Mira-Lin was now rocking the cub on its back, who was kneeing the air above it, eyes drifting close. "She slept with you last night, let her sleep here tonight."

"Grandma! We were on Meridian all last night and today!"

"And you see what you did. Look at how tired she is!" Yan-Lin said as she stood, moving to push Hay-Lin out. The cub was now nibbling on Mira-lin's finger, still pawing at the air, being rocked to sleep.

Air was absolutely loving every second of this.

Will laughed, feeling her connection to Air solidify, as it trusted her enough to share this moment with her.

At her joy, the three air guardians stiffened, eyes all shooting to her invisible spot in the room.

It made her panic, fear replacing the happiness, breaking the connection, just as Hay-Lin reached out and called, "Will?"