Rosa watched as Phantom removed the mask, revealing a face that was eerily familiar. Rugged yet handsome features with piercing black eyes. He looked so much like Alphegor, Rosa would have claimed them to be twins.

She wanted to ask who he was, but her mouth was still forced shut with magic. Seeing her struggle to speak, Phantom smiled pleasantly and caressed her cheek with a gloved hand.

"It's amazing. I wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it. A face so similar to Eirwen's. Truly you are her daughter," he said, then passed his hand through Rosa's hair which was back to its natural red. "It's just a shame you have your father's hair. White hair would have suited you far better."

Cold shiver ran through Rosa's spine as his eyes seemed to pierce straight into her soul.

What does he want from me?

Suddenly she felt her mouth open, freed of its bonds. This time she did not hesitate, and screamed on top of her lungs, "Azrael!"

Phantom laughed at her, as if it was exactly what he expected to happen.

"Good. This time you didn't hesitate. Let's see if that pup is worthy of being your guardian."

The door of the room was smashed open in a violent manner, sending random bits and pieces of wood across the room. Azrael stood there, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. Phantom nodded in satisfaction, and clapped his hands twice.

"Very good reaction time."

"I'll be taking her back now," Azrael hissed and strode towards Rosa, electric discharge crackling at his fingertips, his purple eyes glowing.

"Go ahead and try, pup," Phantom cackled. Icy spears materialized behind him and launched themselves at Azrael with blinding speed. Azrael swatted them away as if they were mere flies, and the other demon increased the speed of the barrage.

"Is that the best you have, old man?" Azrael laughed, and launched a crackling orb of lightning towards Phantom. He caught it in his arm as if it were a regular ball, and then squeezed it until it disintegrated into nothing.

"Is that the best you have?" Phantom retorted, and the floor broke open, giant, gnarly vines grabbing Azrael by his limbs. But before they could take proper hold of him, they all burst into hot flames and burned to ash. He grinned victoriously, but then kneeled over and spat up blood onto the golden carpet.

How did that happen? I didn't see him get him by an attack.

Phantom waved his finger in the air, shaking his head in disapproval.

"First rule of magical combat is not to get caught by any attack. I thought Eirwen would have taught you better."

"W-What did you do?" Azrael asked, clutching at his chest.

"Just a little poisonous trick. Now, don't just sit there on the floor. Weren't you going to retrieve the Princess?" Phantom reached forwards, and with a single touch disintegrated the ropes around her hands. He then grabbed her by her wrist, his hand cold and rough.

"Let go!" she snarled and tried to pull free, despite knowing that it was futile.

"See? She needs her guardian. Why aren't you saving her?" Phantom cackled, watching as Azrael struggled to get to his feet.

"I just needed to take a moment to think," Azrael grinned, despite the trail of blood on his chin.

I need to do something. Azrael clearly is no match for this guy. Second strongest demon, my ass!

Rosa frantically looked around trying to figure out what she could do. Turning into a shadow was out of question, since Phantom was holding her tightly. But there must be something.

An idea popped into Rosa's mind, but she needed to time it well. She hoped that Azrael would be able to distract Phantom at least a little bit.

"Take this, you old fossil," Azrael roared and launched a blue lightning bolt at Phantom. The demon deflected it sending electric sparks through the room, and retaliated with a blue orb of hot fire. Azrael dodged and then began hurling one lightning bolt after another at Phantom, hitting some of the treasures in the room and instantly melting them into puddles.

"Be careful now. You wouldn't want to hurt your princess now, would you?"

"I can't hurt her even if I tried!" Azrael cackled, and continued pelting Phantom with his magic.

"Oh, you've sworn an oath?" The demon appeared a bit surprised and Azrael used the opportunity and with a swift hand gesture materialized at a golden spike out of the golden carpet. It got dangerously close to Phantom's ear so Rosa used the chance and imagined herself becoming Alphegor, growing to his size and gaining his strong features.

"Boo!" Rosa punched Phantom straight in his face who gaped at her in surprise. It didn't do any damage to him, of course, but in the moment of shock he let go of her hand. She instantly turned into her shadow form and sped straight towards Azrael.

"Bye!" Azrael exclaimed, and the moment Rosa materialized by his leg, grabbed her, forcing both of them back into darkness. When Rosa opened her eyes, she was back in the familiar castle training grounds.

"We-We're safe?" Rosa asked tentatively and looked around the room, expecting Phantom to crawl out of the ground or wall.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Yes. He can't follow us here," Azrael groaned then collapsed to the floor, blood dripping from his mouth.

"W-We need a healer!" Rosa panicked and was about to rush out of the room, when Azrael grabbed her with his bloody hand.

"It's fine. It'll be too troublesome to explain… this… to… Lucius," Azrael fainted, and Rosa ran out of the training grounds, calling out for help.

***

"Out of all irresponsible things you could have done," Lucius waved his finger angrily at Azrael who was laying in bed, not daring to meet the older demon's gaze. Rosa sat on a little chair next to his bed, Deziara stuck to her side like a barnacle.

"In my defense, I never expected anybody would have the nerve to kidnap the Princess from right under my nose," Azrael shrugged, and took a sip from his medicine bottle. His hand shot to his mouth as he gagged from the foul-smelling concoction.

"The King had forbidden princesses to leave the castle! Is that not reason enough?" Lucius's voice rose higher. Rosa had never seen him so angry. Lucius always seemed so calm and collected.

"He can't keep them locked up forever," Azrael muttered, and tried to pour the medicine into the bedside drawer. Rosa slammed the drawer shut, and glared at him. Apparently, the poison Phantom had injected into Azrael through the vines was really dangerous, and if not treated properly could even kill a demon.

"Their bodies haven't even fully matured yet! No sane person would take children under thirty years of age out of their home," Lucius was basically yelling at this point, but Azrael didn't seem to care in the slightest, instead looking piteously at Rosa, who motioned for him to drink the medicine.

"You're treating them like prisoners by keeping them locked up in the Castle."

"Azrael!" Lucius hit the bedside table with his hand, and it instantly disintegrated into a small pile of dust. Both girls stared at Lucius with wide eyes while Azrael still didn't care in the slightest.

"What's done is done. I can't reverse time and the Princess is safe. That's all that matters," Azrael mumbled and, after pressing his nose shut, downed the medicine in one swift swig. His complexion turned a bit green as soon as he swallowed. "This medicine is already punishment enough."

"Don't be so mad, Lucius," Rosa muttered, wanting to move past the unpleasant incident. "Azrael did save me."

"Because it is his obligation to do so, Princess! He is bound by his oath," Lucius huffed and then slumped down into a chair, rubbing his temples in the meanwhile.

It's his obligation to save me…

The thought that Azrael saved her because of the oath, and not from his free will was not pleasant. Rosa still felt grateful towards him, that's why she was sitting by his side. But it would have been nicer if he had saved her just because he didn't want anything bad happening to her.

Deziara's hand trembled, and Rosa looked at her sister. The girl had been affected by the incident more than Rosa herself. Deziara had not let go of her ever since she had returned to the castle. Day or night, it didn't matter – Deziara refused to leave Rosa's side even for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Rosa asked, and saw large tears welling up in Deziara's eyes.

"It was my fault…" Deziara mumbled as her hands trembled. "I was right next to Morri. I should have noticed. As the big sister I should have protected her."

Why is this child feeling guilty? There clearly was nothing she could have done. Except getting kidnapped alongside me.

"No, it's not your fault. It's the kidnappers' fault," Rosa tried to console her, but Deziara shook her head stubbornly.

"The Crown Princess is right. You are just a child. There was nothing you could have done," Lucius put his hand on Deziara's shoulder. Tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"B-But… Morri could have been killed…"

No, Phantom had absolutely no intention of killing me – that is certain. But I can't exactly admit that I understood that. What did he even want in the end? And why does he look so much like Alphegor?

"Nah! It was a slave traders hub. They wouldn't kill her," Azrael waved his hand dismissively. But there was a sort of sharpness in his eyes Rosa couldn't quite understand.

"How can you be so nonchalant? The Crown Princess almost got sold as a slave!" Lucius snarled, and grasped his head, as if in pain.

"We'd just have to track her down then. It's not like she was in mortal danger. As soon as she could call for me, I'd go and get her. It's as simple as that," Azrael slumped back in his bed, wincing in pain as he did.

"Le-Let's never leave the castle again," Deziara sniffled, and Rosa nodded just to calm the girl down. In reality, she'd like to see more of the capital, but clearly that would have to wait until she's able to protect herself.

"No, not unless the King allows it. Now excuse me. I have to go and write a detailed report on this whole mess," Lucius stood up and turned to leave, when Azrael perked up in the bed.

"Y-You're not sending the report straight to His Majesty? Are you, Lucius?" the white-haired demon asked nervously.

"Oh, I would love to do nothing more than tell the King of this mess right now," Lucius growled, but then his shoulders slumped. "But I cannot disturb His Majesty while he's on the battlefield. He'd be so worried he'd rush straight back to the castle and that could have dire consequences."

Azrael relaxed back into the bed, and Rosa felt herself relax as well. She was not ready for Alphegor to return just yet.

"Don't you dare to look so relaxed. The moment he returns, it is the first thing I'll be reporting to him," Lucius warned and then left the room. Rosa looked at Azrael who closed his eyes.

"You two should go. I need some rest after all that yelling."

"Alright. We'll come back later," Rosa said, getting out of her chair and pulling Deziara along.

"You don't have to."

"You won't drink your medicine otherwise," Rosa retorted and left the demon alone in the healing room. Deziara huffed as soon as they were out the door.

"Why do you even care what happens to him? If it wasn't for his stupid idea to go out, then none of this would have happened," Deziara glared at the door, as if her hatred could go through it and get to Azrael in some way.

"But I did want to go out…" Rosa admitted, and Deziara relented, wrapping her hand around Rosa's shoulders.

"Let's just wait until we're older, okay?" the girl suggested, and Rosa nodded. She had no real intention to stay cooped up in the castle until adulthood, but she certainly would have to find a way to protect herself before venturing outside again.

I'll get stronger anyway. In case Asdeus tells Alphegor the truth and I have to flee the castle.

Rosa shivered from the unpleasant scenario. Would Phantom try to capture her again if she left? Or would some other demon do her in before that. She'd rather avoid that scenario if possible.

"Let's go do something fun okay? We haven't visited Haku since we returned from the city," Deziara suggested.

"I'm afraid that will have to wait," Asdeus's sweet voice echoed from behind them, and both girls turned to face her, their eyes wide.

"Lady Asdeus," Deziara uttered, scrunching her nose in displeasure. Rosa adopted a similar face, not caring whether she appeared polite or not. But the demoness was not bothered by their cold attitudes.

"You two have already missed out on so many lessons with all of the recent events. Follow me, we have a lot of catching up to do," she said and smiled at Rosa, staring straight into her eyes.

Don't think that I'll go down without a fight!