Sarita nodded curtly at Leto before watching him run off, inwardly proud of him. Thatta boy. Now, hopefully, he will not be so angry with Ethan after this... And... hopefully everyone will be alright when this is finished. Then looking towards the woman he had been talking to with a slight grin. "Let's go inside now, shall we?" She worried over the other that were in the forest, but now was not the time for letting worry take over her thoughts. Rita knew that she had guests to tend to, and orders to follow, after all.

Addison watched curiously when Ethan and Max hugged, wondering what exactly had gone on before he arrived for a moment before he got back to fending off wolves with his shears. That's when a loud roar ripped through the night air, and he turned in surprise to see the prince at their aid. He's actually... here... He shook his shock, instead focusing on swinging the shears at any approaching wolves left. I shouldn't be surprised... I knew... I'm sure we all knew that he cares, to some extent. He only spoke up when Ethan claimed that he had the right to get eaten. Addison shot him a stern look, "You're wrong about that, Ethan. Purposely getting eaten, on your part, is incredibly selfish! How dare you even think that when there's people out here helping you."

Risette was startled by the sudden bits of commotion, worry coming to her as she began to catch on to what happened. They're in the woods... being chased by wolves? She wished to help, but knew that she could not, in this situation.

He was furious. Ethan was actually trying to get himself killed? What was going on in his head! This wasn't Ethan! This wasn't the boy he had gown up with, the teen that he had shared stupid secrets with, the man he worked with, and the one he called 'best friend.'

"The right to die?" he repeated softly, incredulously. "The right to die?! ARE YOU INSANE?! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?!" But Leto caught himself before he went any further. This was all his fault. If he had just -- if he hadn't -- if he had been more -- he sighed and shook his head. Maybe if he had been a better person, they wouldn't be in this mess. They'd have gone on as normal people and lived lives as normal people. Who said the status quo was a bad thing?

Leto gazed at Ethan. To be honest, he didn't want him to leave either, but it wasn't his place to just keep him there forever and ever. He would've voiced his thoughts, but he glanced around at the others and felt uncomfortable showing them a side that he rarely (if ever) showed Ethan. But if he didn't say it now, when could he say it? When Ethan had wasted his life away? "There is nothing left to call home. There is nothing left here. Like the rose I keep, time has taken its toll and has left nothing in its wake."

Ethan sighed. He was tired of all of this. He looked at Addison, a man he admired. "Like I said, I didn't ask for help. I have every right. In a year we are all being pushed out. What does it matter if I go a bit early?"

He turned to look at his best friend and the only person he had ever considered a friend. "I might have lost my mind..." He looked away. "How can you say there is nothing left? We are all here. It hasn't changed the friendships here. The mistakes you made and the problems I have caused have broken those."

Max listened struggling with herself. She wanted to jump up and scream, rage, do something! Instead she clenched her fists and drew her knees up to her chin. Every words was like a blow. What does it matter! Indeed! What does it matter that you'll be gone forever! The lioness buried her face in her arms, and started sobbing quietly at the thought. She would let him go if he wanted to go, at least he knew. At least Ethan knew what she felt for him after all those years. It was hard to take comfort from such thoughts.

Face full of curiosity and worry Blythe followed the bird woman into the castle. She hoped everyone was going to be alright, that none of them had gotten hurt. When they reached the dining hall she sat right beside the windows, where one end of the table finished and a single seat stood alone. She was right beside it, and hoped it wouldn't remain vacant.

He could sense the weariness on Ethan, also; they were both tired, tired of the arguments and the pain and the isolation, tired of the yelling and the fact that they weren't normal. At least, that was what Leto was tired of; he wasn't sure if Ethan was exhausted of the same thing or just of him.

"My friend,"he sighed. "You have misinterpreted my words. I had never meant, 'Go get killed at the end of a year.' Merely leave this desolate castle and this worthless beast and find a new home. A hundred years in this god - awful place is a long time to waste, Ethan. You...you deserve better. You deserve more. More than I can give you, more than I can offer, more than how I've been treating you." He swallowed, nervous, anxious, uneasy. It would be better if everyone would just leave so he could speak in peace. "Yes, I have made...many mistakes. More than I can count. But I will be damned if I allow the mistake of you squandering the rest of your existence here trying to help this old fool destroy the curse."

Ethan turned when he heard Max crying again. I didn't want her to be hurt like this. I didn't think anyone really cared for me like that. He dropped to his knees next to her and carefully wrapped his arms around her. He didn't know what to say but he no longer thought his plan was a good one. He looked around at everyone and finally stopped on Leto. He could see the hurt in their eyes and especially in Leto's. I don't want to die but I will not leave. This man claims he isn't a king so he can not order me to go.

He looked up as Leto spoke. "I know perfectly well what you meant. You just don't understand what I meant. If I am forced to leave my home I will die and I'd rather it be on my own terms. I have not wasted any time. If I had thought that I could have cut my horns and left but I don't want that life."

Leto's brows furrowed, confused at his words. "Why?" He couldn't understand why Ethan would just throw his life away if forced to leave. Ethan was a straggler, he struggled and persisted and never gave up -- if he didn't have such a personality, Leto wasn't sure they would've been able to become best friends. Any other person would've left him by then, but Ethan never threw in the towel, always tolerated him. The Prince knew for a fact and was willing to bet his life that he could and would survive in the outside world, yet why was he so intent on staying?

Was it because he wanted to be by his friends? Well, that was fine, because they were all going to leave with him. None of the servants had any reason to stay once the curse was over for them; they would return back to normal and could continue living, find their soul - mates and other such nonsense like that. So what else could it be? Surely not for Leto. "I don't understand why...?"

(Right, this is making me tear up! >.<)

A little gasp of surprise and shock escaped Max when she felt arms come around her. Slowly she looked up and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his and leaned into Ethan, taking in his scent. She hoped he wasn't simply being kind to her, that there might be some chance... If there was no more then a few exchanged hugs, she would relish them and remember them.

"Ethan, when everything's calmed down... We really need to talk." Her hands tightened around him, but she relaxed not wanting to hurt him with her claws. Max sighed, not sure what she would do if Leto refused to let them stay. In her mind she'd never really thought of leaving the castle, so she could understand Ethan to an extent.

Akira was distraught. What was she to do? The Prince was calling himself a worthless again, and the two friends were being stubborn. She didn't know whether she should speak up or let the two be. He hadn't ordered the others to return to the castle. She bowed her head before asking, "Master, would you like us to leave you two alone?" If he would order them, she would ask.

Ethan smiled at Max. "Yes, we need to talk but later. You need to go to the castle. Have your wounds looked at. Take the others with you. The wolves will not attack now. We will be back soon."

Ethan looked at Leto and it made him so sad. We have been friends for so long so why can't he see why I would stay? It had really suprised him when Leto had become his friend. He really hadn't expected it. He was a noble and not any noble but the future king. He still didn't know why Leto had become his friend, the friend of a servant. He didn't know when it had started. It had just been there.

"Why what? Why would I kill myself? Or why wouldn't I leave? They both have the same answer. This is my home. This is where my mother died. This is where I found friendship in a boy who had lost his parents. You are my friend. All those years ago when I lost the last person in my family I would have been lost. I had nothing and then suddenly I had a friend. A friend who was told to have nothing to do with me. A friend who defied what is proper. I don't care about the kingdom or our human bodies. I would stay in this body for the rest of my life if I could stay here." He stopped having run out of things to say.

((lol, me too. Though it also makes me want to find a globe and hold it while laughing and saying it is my world. lol))

Wrenching all her nerves together Maxine kissed Ethan lightly on the cheek before disentangling herself from his arms. Taking a deep breath she faced everyone else with a look of quiet determination. "Right everyone! Let's go back and get that dinner ready, our guests must be starving and terrified. What better way to calm them down then food." Smartly the young woman grabbed what was left of her skirts and started marching towards the castle. She ignored the twinges of pain in her arms until she reached the servant's entry into the kitchen. She found herself a chair ,after getting herself some hot water, and started cleaning out the bites and claw wounds slowly.

"No, stay, I don't want the wolves picking anyone off if the group splits up." He glanced around at the group, some were injured but most were not; it seemed that Max was the only one with heavy injuries, though they didn't look to be life - threatening. He was glad for that, though he would never admit it.

He was taken back by Ethan's words. They surprised him. They were shocking. He had never truly believed that Ethan cared for him so deeply; he had always had a little seed of doubt that it was because he was a prince and the other a servant. Even as the years passed and they grew closer, that little seed grew roots and stayed, making him suspicious and wary. He had never thought that their friendship meant as much to Ethan as it did to Leto.

The Prince had never seen it as a royal son breaking the code and befriending a servant; he had always seen it as a boy his age overlooked the boundaries, overlooked the stereotypes of selfish princes (even if he had turned out to be exactly like one) and extended his hand out. He had always thought it as someone pulling him out of the loneliness he had always felt. It had not been Leto that defied what was proper -- it had been Ethan saving him from the deep depths of solitude.

It made him...happy. No, that wasn't the right word. Leto was relieved. It meant that he wasn't just a beast -- there was something human in him, something that someone else could love, something that meant he wasn't a lost cause, that he wasn't just a monster on the inside like he was on the outside, that he wasn't always going to be by himself. Leto turned away from them, a secret smile playing on his lips. "Ethan....you are a fool," he said, and that was all that he would say on the matter. If Ethan wanted to stay, then so be it; he couldn't help it if his best friend was the dumbest, idiotic, and most stubborn person on the face of the whole planet. "Come, Ethan. I'm sure the others are most worried about your absence. Let's go...home."

Home. A good word. Never had it more meaning that it did now.

((lol. it makes me grin cause it's a cute scene.))

Ethan started to argue at being called a fool but stopped as soon as he heard the word 'home'. Has he ever really used that word? He smiled at the thought that maybe he would be allowed to stay. He took a step on his injured leg and almost fell. It had been bleeding badly and had been used too much after the injury but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to walk. I caused this. Max is worse. If she can walk so can I. "Thank you Leto."

Akira kept her head bowed. She glanced around at the others. Ethan's leg didn't look too pretty, but it didn't appear to be as serious as one would think. Maxine had the most injuries, but they would heal in no time. Addison didn't seem to have any major injuries or cuts, neither did Leto which was a relief. Looking down at herself, she didn't see that many cuts and bites either despite wrestling with a wolf.

When Leto mentioned going back to the castle, she had decided to stay until they were quite a distance away from the forest. The wolves wouldn't come out if she was there, and she wouldn't allow them to sneak back for the others. This was her family, and she wasn't going to allow anything bad to happen to them.

Leto glanced back at Ethan, finally noticing the wound on his leg. How could he have missed it before? Most likely because he had been so irritated, but now that he had calmed down immensely, he could see that Ethan was having trouble walking, despite his attempts at keeping it to himself. Leto rolled his eyes at his servant's tries at being a big boy who could take pain. He was sure that out of all of them, the only one whose job description included not accepting help was the Beast's, therefore, Ethan could complain all he wanted.

He stopped and turned his attention back to him. "Get on," he said gruffly, motioning to his back. He really didn't want to stay in the forest any longer; as mystical as it was, he was very hungry and could eat three whole horses if given the chance. Most likely, he was not, but he could settle for Dashna's home cooking, too. Noticing Akira falling behind, he frowned, feeling it was best that they stayed together. "Akira, is something the matter?"

Akira turned to face the Prince. "I'm just making sure the wolves don't try anything. They are tricky creatures after all." She looked out into the shadows of the forest. Numerous pairs of eyes could be seen, and she glared at everyone of them. They turned around and advanced farther into the forest. She would have to make sure every door and window was shut and locked properly, and that all of the livestock were safely in the stables. "I also have to tend to the horses and make sure none of them were disturbed."

Ethan smiled as his friend offered help but shook his head. "Uh, no thanks. Max didn't need help and I certainly will not be carried back. Just imagine the looks I would get. None of the pretty girls would let me forget it. Always giggling behind their hands." He took another step then looked at Leto again. "I wouldn't turn down a shoulder to lean on though." His leg hurt and was getting hard to walk on but he didn't think it was really because of the wound. I just used up too much energy and blood. As soon as it is bandaged and I sit and eat I'll be fine.

Addison remained quiet all through this, simply observing, though his thoughts wandered elsewhere. It was odd that he went silent like this, not something he did very often, and it surprised even himself when h did. However, he wasn't paying attention to that right now, thoughts focused deeply upon something for a moment before he caught the last bit of what Ethan had said. Addison took a moment to look down at Ethan's wounded leg, then over at the prince, thinking for a moment of offering his own shoulder, but figuring either the prince or another present could offer the same support. Instead he spoke after they reached the line separating the forest and the clearing around the castle. "I'll... be inside in a moment. Need to check on something." Jogging, Addison would separate from the group to loop around to the side of the castle where the rose garden was.

If he were to be left alone, Addison would get to work quickly. Ten or so minutes later, along the edge of a certain someone's balcony, there would sit a glass vase, filled with lukewarm water. A single red rose would stand within the vase, one of the most beautiful of the season, as the other had been. It was cut at the perfect forty-five degree angle after the fifth leaf, the best cut for keeping a detached bloom alive. With it, a small note with a mere two lines on it: both curved inwards at the top, rounded as they go down, coming to a distinct point at the bottom. A heart. I'm sure master Leto will appreciate it.

Sarita would quickly and carefully clean up the broken glass from the dish she dropped in her panic, then finished setting the table, peeking into the kitchen every once in a while to see how Dashna was doing on the food.

Risette simply seated herself at random, not near any edge, yet not quite in the middle of any side.

((Hey guys I'm trying to post but I'm having a hard time..I think me and my boyfriend just broke up. So I'm typing while crying..If I missed anything or if something doesn't make sense let me know ok?))

Watching everything happen with wide eyes Aireandend followed after one of the servants. Coming into the dining room she sat down at one of the seats. She didn't really look at where she was sitting she just chose a seat. Her mind was trying to process everything that had happened.

When Sarita burst into her kitchen Dashna was surprised and even more when she told them what was happening. Id Ethan stupid? she thought to herself. As she watched everyone run outside she stayed in. If they needed help she would hear them and they needed her to not be injured. Aside from being a cook she was the healer in their little family. When Max came in she rushed over to her, on her way she grabbed her medical supplies from a cupboard. "Here let me it is my job!" She said and grabbed stuff out of her bag. Quickly she cleaned all of Max's wounds and wrapped her up. "Is anyone else hurt?" She asked as she worked.

Listening to the approaching footsteps of the others Max let a small sigh of relief escape her. She ignored the wounds she'd gained in battle, none too easily, in order to answer Dash. "Ethan got bitten on the leg by one of the wolves, I'm the worst off other then him. I was the first one to get to him, before the wolves attacked." She grumbled a bit silently before saying something else in disbelief. "He actually wanted to get eaten!"

The nerve of him, going off to get killed. It brought up the need to cry again, but Max stiffly refused to do so. She'd already cried enough that night. Turning her mind to thoughts of food, she heard her stomach grumble loudly. "Do you think I could get some food? And you should get some ready for Ethan too."

Blythe shifted uncomfortably in her seat before breaking the silence that surrounded the little group. Projecting her voice to be heard by them she asked a question. "What did you think of the prince?" She didn't tell them his name, she didn't want anyone else to know. Blythe smiled a little, she liked him.

Hearing the red-head's question made Alastaire frown. Thinking carefully he answered. "He's frightening, and terrifying... But all the servants are very loyal to him so he can't be all bad." A person who could command such loyalty had to have some good in them. He looked to the other woman at their table curiously.

Jayson looked over at a guest who had just sat down. By her expression, something major just happened. He heard the others freaking out and such, but he was too scared to see what it was or to ask any of the servants. After seeing the Beast and his temper, he thought it better to not know. It's only a year...if he doesn't kick us out or feed us to his animalistic servants. He leaned toward the girl. "Are you okay, miss?"

((I'm so sorry to hear that Crimson. *hugs* ))

Snow heard what was happening but stayed still. She would only get in the way. When Max came into the kitchen covered in wounds Snow froze. She watched as Dashna cleaned the wounds. She gasped at Max's words. Why Ethan? "I can get the food. Stay here Dashna and take care of the wounds." She rushed to get the food. Before long she had made up a plate and brought it to Max. She looked at the food but was unsure what to pick for Ethan. He doesn't eat meat and he can be so picky. I'll ask him when he gets inside.

Levi had gone to a table and sat looking around for Lily. I guess she is still upstairs. When the woman spoke he looked at her. "He is a prince. The highest ranked person I have ever met before today was an officer. So I can't really say much. He does seem sad though. Like this man sad. He is frightening but if his servants are not scared I don't see the reason in being scared."

((Thanks Lilith. Life seems to just keep throwing crap my way!))

Coming out of her trance like state she shook her self then turned to smile at the man who had asked if she was alright. "Oh yes I'm quite aright. Just a bit startled is all. I'm Aireandend, may I acquire your name?" For some reason she was being open to these people and she didn't know why. Usually she was quite and just watched everything from a distance.

"He wanted to what?" Dashna said and it came out in a growl. How dare Ethan do that! When he is so much needed and everyone loves him, she thought to herself. Now she was angry and once she was finished up with Maxes wounds she turned to her stove. With angry movements she grabbed spices and threw them into pots and pans. "I'm going to have a little chit chat with that man!" Again it came out as a growl.

Max felt an answering growl leave her in response to Dash's. "I already did that, and so did Prince Leto. You better not add anymore to that! You weren't the one who had to deal with him wanting to die, and trying to convince him it wasn't worth it. So leave it alone alright!" Max almost felt like she was staking her claim on Ethan with her outburst, she hoped the other feline would catch the message. Max flexed her claws speculatively, twinges of pain stopped her from even thinking of fighting again. Quietly she turned to eat the food Snow had brought and devoured it. "Thanks Snow," mumbled the young woman too tired to hold up any pretense of anger anymore.

Blythe nodded at everyone's answers and listened to this... Aire answer her own question. It seemed like no one else actually liked the prince after such a short encounter. The yred-head kind of hoped it would stay that way. She supposed she was selfish, wanting to try and gain Leto's attention for herself.

Dash spun around at Maxes out burst and just stared at her. The meaning behind her words suddenly click and she couldn't help but smile softly. "Don't worry dear. I just had a fit of anger I'm over it now. It seems someone cares for the deer eh?" She was so happy she could burst! Max was always off to herself being angry. It was good for her to have feelings for someone and to have it be Ethan, even better. Not angry anymore she turned back around and began with the fish. Soon everything would be done.