Working For The Prince (BxB)✔

Chapter 32 - Distanced

After their encounter, the beast began avoiding Asher like the plague.

While it may have been annoying before, now it was unbearable as Leon himself started sending the servant away whenever they were in the same room together. The beast still refused to make eye contact, and every time it happened, it felt like a stab to the heart.

Asher tried visiting the beast in private using the secret passage, but Leon had put a wardrobe in front of the hidden panel, successfully preventing the servant from sneaking in.

He tried to see things from the beast's perspective. After Elise arrived, the first and only time they were alone together he nearly convinced the beast to cheat on her, and since Leon barely resisted, Asher wondered if perhaps he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to hold himself back next time?

Asher admitted he wouldn't mind if things turned out that way, but could also see the problem with intentionally fooling around when Leon had decided to focus on Elise....Even though the woman clearly did not love him.

The servant did his best not to glare at her since, once again, she never technically did anything wrong. Yet he noticed that whenever Leon tried to reach out to her, she'd flinch away and come up with an excuse not to be close to him.

While this carried on, Asher became more convinced that the woman would be unable to break the curse. 

The souls in the walls seemed to be on Asher's side in this matter, because he would hear unhappy whispers whenever the beast avoided him. They too did not approve of how their relationship was developing.

Laurent continued to follow him around wherever he went, unless Elise needed something, and Asher was grateful to have confirmed the little snot was spying on him.

He wondered what would happen if he said anything unsavory about Elise in front of him? How would Laurent convey that information? Asher assumed all Lady Elise needed was to ask if Asher's opinion of her had changed, and one nod from her servant would doom him to further distancing attempts, so he held his tongue to avoid that scenario, which was why it was such a surprise when one day, Elise asked him to return to the village to deliver a letter.

"I would also like a messenger bird brought back so I can deliver letters faster." She explained, hands elegantly folded in her lap as she sat down for tea with Asher standing before her.

Laurent stood off in the corner, waiting to be given his own instructions.

Asher scanned the room, wondering where the beast was yet already knowing that he had probably walked out to avoid the servant...Again.

"Is there something wrong?" Elise noticed.

"No my lady." He bowed politely.

"Good. There should also be a squadron of knights waiting in the village. They belong to my family and were instructed to retrieve me if I did not return home by a set date. Please escort them back here as well."

"Knights?"

"That's right." She nodded. "While the castle does not require servants, it still feels empty, so I decided it would be best to have my own men moved here, if not for the illusion of company. I believe it would be best for his majesty as well if he did not spend so much time in a lonely castle. Don't you agree?"

Asher couldn't argue there since Leon was indeed, very lonely. 

"Of course, Ma'am."

"Good. And take Laurent with you. With him by your side, my knights won't be as suspicious of you."