Asher's head snapped left and right as he quickly searched the halls, interrupting Leon's kiss.

"What is it?"

This time the servant turned around, alarm written all over his face. "Can't you tell? Ebony is coming back!"

The beast blinked, then stared to the side as though sensing something before raising his hackles, equally alarmed.

This confused the servant since last time Leon seemed to know instantly when that woman was returning. Furthermore, the voices in the walls hadn't bothered to notify him that she was coming before. Why were they suddenly giving him a heads up now? It's not like the beast could hear them.

Were they trying to warn Asher?

As nice as it was to think that the other servants were warming up to him, now was not the time to celebrate as Leon released the doors, allowing them to swing open on their own, then shoved the servant inside.

Asher stumbled a few steps before turning to find the beast pointing a claw at him. "Don't come out, no matter what!" He ordered.

"But-" Before he could argue, the doors shut tight. A few tugs on them proved fruitless as they remained locked.

He was about to bang on the door when he heard Ebony's voice echo from the hall beyond.

"Well, well well. Look what we have here. Aren't you awfully spruced up today?" 

In the back of his mind, Asher realized he hadn't paid much attention to what the beast was wearing. The guy had snuck up from behind before they were immediately interrupted, so it's not like he had a moment to admire whatever effort he may have put into dressing today.

Asher kneeled down to try and peek through the keyhole. Leon blocked most of his view, so the servant had no choice but to listen in and hope she left quickly.

He heard the beast give a short snarl, but nothing more as the clatter of her heels circled around him. "What? Didn't you miss me? It's been so long and you were behaving so well last time."

That remark had the servant holding back an angry snort as a flurry of imaginary scenarios ran through is head. He knew this woman was referring to the last encounter when Leon saw her by himself and didn't bother to notify Asher when she had left. He'd made it clear that he didn't want to discuss what their meeting had been about, but the servant was worried it may have been more than a talk.

"Just say your peace and leave." The beast spat, his usual edge returning to his voice.

"I will, but it's a bit important so let's have morning tea while we talk. How about the reading room since we're already here?"

Immediately he backed up and started searching for a place to hide. If they walked in right now, he'd be a sitting duck for that woman to do with as she pleased. And worse, if she found out about the things he'd been doing with Leon, he worried she may do more than make him join the other servants.

A click to the far left caught his ear, and he turned to see a panel of the wall swing open a few inches.

'Hide!' whispered the voices, and Asher scurried over and crouched in the small compartment, allowing the door to close behind him, leaving the servant in darkness as the two entered the reading room.

Asher was now torn between listening in on what they were saying and exploring this newly discovered secret passage. If there was one, then there were bound to be more!

Wait, no! Focus!

He forced himself to sit still and pressed an ear against the panel so he could hear them better.

"Oh how drab. I never understood why you liked this room so much." Ebony commented, then the sound of clattering china filled the air. Asher could only assume she conjured something up, like a table with plates or a breakfast buffet. It was hard to tell since he couldn't see.

A sudden thump and a snarl later, he heard Leon snap. "Don't. Touch. That!"

"Testy, aren't we? It's just a book." She scoffed.

"Shut up. You said you had something important to tell me, so just say it already!"

"One moment, let me enjoy my tea."

A frustrated sigh followed by silence had Asher wishing he could see what they were doing. He waited till they spoke again, but received nothing in return followed by the occasional clatter of a tea cup. Eventually it was Leon who spoke first.

"What are you doing?!"

"Enjoying my work."

A sudden, "That's my leg!" had Asher nearly bursting out of the wall angrily. But he held back, knowing he would only make the situation worse.

"Take a joke, won't you? You're so sensitive."

'Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuckyoufuckyoufuckyouFUCK YOU!!!' Asher chanted in his head.

"Besides, I'm more interested in what's in your pants than that hairy goat leg of yours."

FUCK YOU!!!

The sheer audacity of this bitch was driving Asher up a wall and he lamented over how much of this the Prince probably had to endure growing up.

"If you have nothing important to say," The sound of a chair scraping across the floor indicated that Leon had just stood abruptly. "Then I see no point in putting up with this."

"Oh all right. Party pooper." She chuckled, amused by how unsettled she'd made Leon. "The truth is, there's been some problems in the capital. People are beginning to notice your father is missing."

Asher's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach at that news, and Leon likewise had probably frozen on the spot.

"What?" The beast asked.

"I said, your enemies are wondering where the King is, or you for that matter. It's been a while since anyone has heard from either one of you."

"Because I can't send out letters or messengers thanks to you!"

"Not the point. Listen, if commoners in the capitol are picking up on this news, imagine how your enemies at the border are going to react once they confirm the King is dead? They're already poking around, so it's only a matter of time before they decide to invade, what with the whole royal family being M.I.A."

"What are you saying? Are you going to break the curse so I can stop it?" The beast asked hopefully.

The woman cackled. "Oh heavens no! I just wanted to let you know that you don't have much time left. The only way I'm breaking the curse myself is if you make me your queen. So, you know, if you care about the kingdom then I suggest you get down on one knee and propose here and now."

A split second later and Asher could hear something smash against the far wall. He startled at the sound, then immediately hoped he had tossed that bitch.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case as he heard the woman tsk at him. "Temper, temper."

"Is this a joke to you? How do I know this isn't just some lie to force me to marry you?" The beast snarled.

"Believe what you want, I just thought I'd relay some news from the outside world. A good King would heed my warning and not take chances, but, well, you're not officially the King yet, are you?"

"Get out!" The beast roared.

"Or what?"

Another smashing sound had the woman laughing. "Oh honey, we've been through this, but since you're not in the mood to play today, I'll come back a little later once you've come to your senses."

He heard the click of her heels as she walked towards the exit, then silence.

Asher waited a little longer before hearing the beast wander around the room. "Asher?" He whispered.

Another click and the wall panel opened back up, blinding Asher as he was reintroduced to light.

Blinking furiously, he found the room a total mess. There was a table and chair smashed against the far wall, with the furniture slowly moving to repair itself as the broken dishes drew their shattered remains back together.

So his assumption was right, the woman had summoned a table and food. How gaudy.

The beast spotted him and stared in confusion at the hidden panel in the wall. Apparently it was something he also hadn't known about. Asher glanced back and shrugged. "The servants showed it to me."

Leon looked a bit more confused at that explanation since he couldn't hear their voices, but shook it off and walked right up to Asher before wrapping his gangly arms around the little servant, heaving a sigh of relief.

"I thought she was going to find you." He muttered, all the fight drained out of him.

Asher patted one of his arms comfortingly. "I can take care of myself. But it sounds like there's more important things to worry about."

"She's lying." The beast grunted, still clinging to the human. "She always lies."

"I don't think she is." Asher replied. "As a matter of fact, I think she's been planning this."

Finally Leon let go so he could look at the servant. "What do you mean?"

"You said that the only ways to break the curse are to either marry her, or find someone who marries you out of love, right? But...No one can find the castle. No one except me that is. I think she may have enchanted the place to remain hidden, so she never intended on anyone ever showing up for you to court in the first place."

Leon frowned, then his breathing picked up as his anger rose and he spun around and began pacing angrily. "Damn it! I knew she was manipulative but...Fuck!"

Asher let the beast calm himself for a few moments. The creature flexed his claws as he moved, mumbling to himself. "For all I know, marrying her really is the only way to break this curse!"

"We don't know that!" Asher tried to comfort him. "I mean, we could still try the other way...Like before. And I can see if I hear any new rumors back home to confirm if what she said was correct."

Leon stopped pacing as he thought over Asher's words. 

"My home is small, so if the rumors reached there, then they've definitely spread to the borders just like she said. I'll be quick." Asher promised. 

"I don't...I..." The beast struggled with his words before shaking his head. "Yeah. You're right. I need to confirm this."

Asher nodded, then hesitated before making his next suggestion. "I'll also see about finding another woman. Maybe this time we can break the curse before anything bad happens."

The beast stiffened at that suggestion and sucked in a breath. He did not like that idea, and slowly turned towards the servant. "Are you sure?"

Asher felt odd being asked that. He had been enjoying his time with the beast up until now, but with a potential invasion just on the horizon, he had to step out of this little fantasy and return to reality. 

The safety of the kingdom hinged on breaking the curse.

Nodding solemnly, Asher waited to hear the beast's response. 

Leon had a pained expression on his face, but tried to hide it as he swallowed hard and looked away. "Alright..."

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