Title: Books of Forgotten Memory

Author: Essence of Soup

Disclaimer: I do not own. Please disregard canon while reading this.

Will finds herself thrown back in time, back when Phobos is just a child.

Will she kill her sworn enemy or attempt to change him for the better?

Weira was ready to murder someone, namely the unreasonable banshee that was her mother.

They stood in the courtyard where a table had been moved out to, four chairs around it as two shade boy's hovered around the Queen and advisers. Eris didn't look up from her map as she spoke.

"You Madam are restricted to the grounds."

Weira glare deepened. "Are you putting me under house arrest?"

"Don't trifle with me girl! I am in a foul disposition! And I'll have my way-"

"Or what? You'll ship me off to the mines like some criminal? All for the sake of your dim-witted hierarchy ritual."

"You are the crown princess of Meridian!"

"And it is ultimately my choice in the end as to what I do with it."

Eris simmered with anger. Seeing this Zadan politely ushered the queen to sit so as to calm down. Looking over at Weira the consort spoke.

"My dearest, you were born into dispensation. With that privilege comes specific obligations."

"Not to sound overly rude, but demanding the head of a child simply because he was not born the traditional gender is not an obligation!"

"Weira, as heiress to the queendom, it is your duty to produce the next legatee in line. And by next legatee in line I mean a girl! If this is not seen to I shall strike you in everyway I can." Eris said angrily.

"What shell it be Mother? Disembowelment or lashings?" came the sarcastic reply. Weira was really tired of hearing this.

"You shall be queen one day, as such you will need to follow tradition, not just in your household, but to neighboring realms! You already broke one of those by giving birth to that boy!" Eris said, practically spitting the last word out as though it was venom.

How in the world was she related to this sexist? Weira really had no idea.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yes I have!"

"Have?-!"

"I stopped listening when you began to repeat yourself."

"You shall not speak to your sovereign in such a manner!"

"As you have said I shall be queen one day so I have just as much right to speak to you in any fashion I see fit!"

"Impudent whelp!"

"Curmudgeon hag!"

Unbeknownst to the enraged females, a man continued to watch from his resting place as the princess and queen once more got into a verbal fight that threaten to become a battle of power, the Queen's chamberlain and the consort keeping a close but respectable distance from the powerful women.

He was currently sprawled out on a nearby roof, sitting in a reclined fashion, looking rather bored. When he had heard that Weira and the harrowing trollop were having another 'talk' he had rushed to see them kill each other. But so far he was really disappointed. Usually they chats were more violent then this.

He knew it took a lot to get under Weira's skin and that the unreasonable harpy had a short fuse and was quick to using her powers as where Weira used her powers in self defense or when she was torturing spies/thieves/infidels etc.

Staring at the cloudless sky the young man entertained the idea of going to the treasurer and getting some gold to go get drunk on.

BOOM!

Jerking up into a sitting position, the lazy look in his eyes changed to one of mad expectancy, a large grin stretched across his pale face showing lengthen fangs.

Had anyone seen this face they would have ran screaming in the opposite direction, scared for life.

Oh boy, watching family kill each other! It doesn't get any better then this! I wish I had some beer.

These quarrels between the queen and the princess had been going since Weira had been old enough to search for spells that could potentially harm the queen.

It was no secret that Weira and the queen did not get along, most believing they just did not agree on anything and held a mutual dislike of one another, and the guards throughout the land encouraged this idea thanks to him. It was the ones that served within the castle that knew the painful truth though.

Queen Eris and Princess Weira didn't dislike each other; they downright hated each other.

The chamberlain and consort had already taken cover, the men watching the powerful women getting ready to destroy yet another part of the castle.

The young mans smile faded slightly when he spotted a child hiding too close to the ladies for comfort. Plus he knew this child.

Sighing he pushed himself up, annoyed that his fun was cut short. He grumbled to himself as he jumped off the roof and into a tree then using acrobatic movements to reach the ground, muttering about how Weira should keep better tabs on Phobos.

The moment he landed the two women stopped their bickering.

Smiling brightly, the semi-blonde greeted cheerfully, "Forgive my interruption, ladies of gracious nobility! How are you lovely creatures of atypical beauty doing on this fine morning?" he said giving a mock bow.

The princess and queen stood in silence having forgotten their quarrel, the former looking both shock and happy by his appearance while the latter annoyed though not homicidal.

"Lord Deimos, you look well." Eris stated.

The young man bowed respectfully as he set his face into an impassive mask, "Your highness, forgive this intrusion but I have come to report my findings of the Northern lands and the treaty I have worked out among those barbarians. You now have a foot hold into those lands, and soon you shall see the rewards of the lands."

The queen nodded, looking pleased.

"I have left in your advisers care the deeds of the lands as well as the contracts I had worked out; it should allow us more land and promote ambience among our traders and they're borders. Of course, those documents will need you signature to make them official."

Eris nodded once more, looking satisfied. "Excellent work, Blades. It's comforting to know I still have a competent person of practical intelligence."

Deimos could practically hear her mentally add on 'even though you're a man'. Eris looked back at Weira, a withering glare in her eyes.

"We'll continue this conversation later." She said as she waved her off, focusing on the new items the adviser had.

"Milady, I shall escort you." Deimos said with a bow to Weira, his face still impassive. The princess nodded, following Deimos only slightly behind. Weira looked surprise when they passed through a side door, Phobos hiding next to the entrance.

"Milady should keep a better eye on the young prince; evil lurks these corridors." Deimos stated, giving a pointed stare at the retreating form of the queen.

"Mama," Phobos said, looking happy to see her as he hugged her waist though he did shake slightly. Deimos didn't blame the boy; when Weira and Eris really got into they're little 'chats' it often resulted in mass destruction, mutilation of those unfortunate to get caught in it, and was more often then not a total blood bath.

Phobos had never seen it get really out of hand, mostly due to Weira keeping him as far away from the queen as possible while still being in the palace but that didn't mean he didn't hear it.

The trio walked back to Weira's personal tower, Weira asking Phobos about his day. The boy shyy told her about his lessons as he kept closer to her. Deimos wasn't really surprise by the boys' behavior; Phobos very rarely spoke to anyone outside of his mother, his tutor and those two kitchen boys.

Even at the age of eight the boy had mastered the fine art of 'not being seen nor heard' which was really sad. He should be playing with other children enjoying his childhood, not living in dread of his old biddy of a grandmother!

The Blades said nothing though, just watched in fondness as mother and son spoke happily.

Finally reaching the tower entrance Weira sent Phobos down to his room, telling him she needed to discuss business with Deimos. As soon as the boy left Weira practicely tackled Deimos in a fierce hug.

"Deimos, you blaggering berk! When did you return from your trip?" Weira asked, happy to see a true friend after her day.

"About three days ago. Why did you miss me Wei-wei?""

Glaring slightly, the young woman smacked him lightly across the head. "Don't call me that!"

Deimos pouted slightly. "So cruel! And after all I did to distract the cumbersome slag and keep poor little ickle Phobos safe from his mummy's and granny's tantrum."

Weira held up her hands, a playful smile on her face. "Your right. I'm sorry, and thank you for keeping Phobos safe back there."

Deimos replied with a feigned shock that reflected in his eyes as well as his voice. "What's this? The prideful Weira is actually thanking a lowly male? Oh the queen would titter with useless rage!"

"Oh yes, I'm just reprehencible aren't?" Weira deadpanned.

"Unforgivably so! For such a crime, I must lock you away in a distant tower! But since going to find some tower in a remote land is a bother, I shall just use this one in front of us!" he said in a ominous tone, picking Weira up and throwing her over his shoulder. The woman laughed, smacking his back.

"Put me down, you nutter!"

"What was that? Spin you around till you sputter? As you wish!" the man said impishly before spinning her around, eliciting laughter from the princess.

"Stop! Stop! You'll make me sick!" Weira laughter, looking very happy.

Up in a near window, Phobos watched the rare sight of his mother being cheerful. As far as he knew, only he and the Blades called Lord Deimos could make her smile like that. A smile of his own formed as he watched the two adults act like children.

I wish I had a friend like that. Phobos thought wistfully.

Nugga weaved and wove a patch into the pants, grumbling about idiots boys and there need to ruin their clothes.

"It's not my fault! Rumblebottom ripped them!" Sethron, the owner of the pants bemoaned.

"Only because you were dumb enough to sit on that back quarter leg your father had been working on." Nugga stated, not bothering to look up.

"Its not my fault! I was tired from working at the kitchens in the castle and had to sit down!"

Right on a butchers work space. Nugga thought, clearly remembering the butcher's (Sethron's father) face.

The boy had ran out the building to escape his father's wrath and ended up getting chased by her faithful hound.

Groknot had laughed at this, and so did Will once she made she the older boy was fine.

A month had passed since Will came to the village and Nugga could honestly say she never met anyone like this scrap of a girl.

Will was a bit of a tomboy, but is also sensitive towards other people's feelings. She absolutely loves swimming though she can't do it yet. She seemed to love animals in general, but she is especially crazy about frogs (this was proven when she brought three home once when she had gone out to play with the boy's).

Since the girl had no where to go, the galhot woman took her in. Heck she took Groknot in after his parents died, why not the teeny but sweet lass?

Me and my weakness to children. Nugga thought.

But the girl was, well, strange. She had gone with Nugga every time there was an ailment, but she didn't respond in disgust or horror as the old galhot had predicted. Instead she watched avidly, asking questions and even laughed once when one of the men had cut an artery, finding his blood squirting out like a palace fountain humorous.

Most people avoided her after that clearly believing that there was something very wrong with her, though Groknot and Sethron stuck close to the pint sized girl. Nugga felt that they did that because they felt it was their responsibility to watch her, having saved her and all but the three soon became close when they found common ground's.

Finishing the last stitch Nugga handed the mended pair to Sethron, who looked quite eager to get his pants back on as he was wearing nothing but a very large shirt that came to his knees.

"There! Next time patch 'em yerself!"

Sethron had only just put his pants on when the door opened, revealing a dripping wet Groknot with a equally wet Will under his arm, both sporting agitated glares.

"Get out! I ain't gonna clean up no water mess in here!" Nugga half-stated half-yelled, throwing them clothes.

The duo marched off (or more to say Groknot marched, Will was still under his arm pouting) to woods area near the healer's home. Placing the tiny girl down he tossed the dress to her before marching away out of sight.

"Will! What were you thinking?" Groknot said angrily, yanking off his wet clothe.

"I thought I was swimming!" Will stated back, taking the dress off, ringing it to relieve it of its liquidly substance.

"You were flipping and flopping everywhere!" the galhot shot back, putting on a dry pair of breeches.

"I was getting a feel of the move you showed me!" Will replied, now ringing her hair which proved a bit difficult seeing as it was a bobcut.

"That didn't look like anything I taught you!"

"I improvised!" The small girl nearly yelled, yanking the dry dress on with a huff.

Will sighed, angry at her performance today. She had found out earlier that month that her body had absolutely no muscle memory whatsoever of her fourteen year self.

Running? She got winded faster and didn't cover nearly the same amount of ground.

Climbing a tree? Lots of effort and she was so short that most of the branches were out of reach anyway.

Walking? A headache and a half due to having to keep so much attention on her movements to prevent crashing, tripping and falling.

In short, her body was de-aged to the point she had no physical memory of her normal activities she had as a teenager.

And she hated it.

Sure she could move her body semi-normal now albeit still a bit clumsily but that didn't stop her from crying when she found the reason behind her near death by drowning when she first came here.

Her body couldn't remember how to swim! Sure she knew how to swim but physically she didn't, thus leading to her having to relearn it through Groknot instructions.

She would have said Phobos was a twisted evil deuce bag but she was really starting to wonder if Phobos really was the cause of this.

The more she stayed here the more she became uncertain that the dark prince had a hand in this. Everything was too real. But maybe that was the point. Maybe Phobos wanted her to think it was real, that she was trapped in a childish body away from friends and family in a world where he didn't exist and the Heart didn't work.

She was conflicted; part of her really wanted to believe this was real, that something unexpected and unexplainable had happened to her that got her into this mess so that she properly freak out while another side told her to keep the child act up, to show no signs of distress in case this was a something Phobos had come up with to torment her.

If this was an illusion world created by the tyrannical prince, she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he was wearing her down mentally or to let him know how close she was from suffering an over due panic attack.

"Oy, Will! You done yet?" Groknot's voice rang out bringing her out of her musings.

"I'm coming!"

The duo walked back to the house, Sethron smiling at them as they came.

"Did you have fun teaching her to swim?"

"Did you enjoy getting your butt munched on by Rumblebottom?"

Will giggle at their playful banter. It was easy to pretend to be a child with these two. They were so immature that it was hilarious, often making her forget that she was trapped here.

The three entered the healer's home where Nugga had bowl's of soup waiting for them.

The boy's laughed and egged each other on, Nugga watching with a resigned smile on her face.

Will watched the boy's though her mind was elsewhere.

During the month she had stayed here she had learned a lot about this Meridian.

The village she was in currently in was called Lore and was near the fortress, only an hour away on foot.

Nugga was one of the mot respected elders in the village, many going to her for guidance, new clothes or healing and despite her gruff demeanor, was a very loving old lady with a very big soft spot for children.

The boy's had been very kind to her, saying she was their honorary little sister.

Groknot was an orphan, both of his parents had died in their home that had caught on fire when he was very young and was taken in by Nugga. He worked at the fortress as a kitchen boy but aspired to become a guard.

Sethron lived with his father the butcher. His mother had walked out on her family when he was young, barely four at the time. He had an older brother, Julian, who was a ranger. He too worked in the fortress kitchen and aspired to become a guard like Groknot.

They were in a time of peace, the ruler of the lands, Queen Eris was a severe but fair ruler. It wasn't much but Will was alright with that; she had time to find out other things.

Will tuned back into the conversation when Nugga spoke.

"Boy's, Will, I will be going to Anxing tomorrow; an epidemic broke out there and they are gonna need all the help they can get."

Will perked at this. "May I come?"

"No." Came the deadpanned response.

"But-"

"No."

"I-"

"Still a no."

"You-"

"Nope."

"Why-"

"Because I said so."

"But that's not-"

"Neither is life. Get use to it."

Will folded her arms, pouting. She hated when Nugga did that.

Sethron and Groknot looked over at the aged woman.

"Then can we-"

"No."

"Oh come-"

"I won't."

"But we-"

"I know you work hard. Now work harder."

"Nugga-"

"Too bad."

And judging by the boy's face's, they didn't like it when she did that either.

Will pouted. She wanted to see how far this world expanded, and to see if she could find hints as to whether or not she was stuck in an illusion, a alternate dimension or something entirely different.

Well looks like she was going to have to get creative.

Cedric, currently under the alias Rick Hoffmen the bookstore owner, once more rearranged the book shelve in front of him as he attempted to levee the worry that knotted up in his gut thanks to the memories that had reemerged nearly a week ago.

You must really be dedicated to getting that shelf organized because that's the fifth time in the past hour you've rearranged it. A disembodied voice said, sounding amused.

Cedric turned, glaring at the book. "Well forgive me; I have recalled things I had forced to forget and am currently tied to a mission I dearly don't want to see through."

You were fine with the task Phobos assigned you before.

"Yes before you put my memories back!" the shape shifter snarled at his companion, if you could call him that. "Before those brats was just the enemy! Now I happen to have conflicting views on the matter!"

Quit complaining. I sealed the portals away, and right now only your inversion point is the doorway to Meridian. Plus Miss Vandom still has the Heart, making crossing the doorways and transforming impossible for them. You just have to hunt down that kid your looking for, convince her you're a nice guy and that she is the long lost sister to Phobos, our affectionate and benign ruler. The book said, giggling at the last of it.

Cedric glared angrily at the book, eyes flickering in color from blue to gold. "When will she come back?"

She who?

"Don't play stupid! You know who I mean!"

Don't get your knickers in a twist. She's safe; I'm watching over her!

"Why do you think I'm worried?"

Hey! I have been a guardian longer then you've been alive!

"…guardian?" Cedric said, an amused look on his face.

Yes guardian- Not that kind guardian! Can you honestly see me wielding the Heart, dressed in drag? …ewwwwww, I just imagined that!

Cedric chuckled before looking coldly at the book. "All jokes aside, if anything bad happens to her, I'll shred you."

God Cedric. One would think I was trying to kill her with the way your acting!

"Yes well, seeing how I recall how well history went, I'm hesitant to believe you at face, or in this case cover, value."

Endearing little sod, aren't you? Just how the devil did Vandom stand you for all those years?

"Because she cared. I'm just returning the favor with interest." Cedric said with a smile.

Holy Crap! I've updated! *faints*

Don't know when I'll update again. Thanks to all those who have commented and reviewed!

Please review!

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