-||Truth Behind the Mask||-

[- symphonic disaster -]

Juliette had gone to do Alex's orders. She'd collected all the finest linens that would work for the highest tower and began to make her way up there. The gloom of the castle was dragging her mood down and by the time she got up there she was pitying the girl more than anything else. "Miss," she said as she opened the door slowly. "The master told me to bring you some linens and some clothing. He wants you to feel comfortable here. Is there anything I can get you?"

Alex was whimpering slightly in his sleep, dreaming of the times he'd spent with his mother. There were other things he was remembering, the time he'd been stuck in a tree and he'd been helped down. The curse had taken his worst attributes and highlighted them more than ever. He never understood what was so bad about loving yourself and the way you look.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven sat up as Juliette came in. She gave her a faint smile and said, "Thank you and not really.... I'm a little confused though." She didn't feel it right to come right out with, 'why is a talking wolf your master?' It sounded rude to her and she didn't like to be rude.

Even in a time like this, Haven kept a smile upon her small lips. "Are you ok?" She asked her, noting that Juliette seemed to be kind of down.


{Eh, short >.< lol}  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"Yes, yes, I am fine," Juliette said with a faint smile. "But I must tell you why he is a wolf then. It happened a few years ago. An old witch came to the door seeking a place to stay but out of his own selfishness the prince did not let her stay. It was a few days later that when he had his first bout of anger that he turned into a wolf. He is usually in this form but occasionally he takes on his human form when he's calm. I had raised him since he was very young and he's always been rather selfish, but he's also been rather lonely. I can see it in his eyes still and it pains me."

There was a tonal quality in her voice that was mournful and she'd looked to the floor. There was a time when Alex had been happy and she could remember it, but that was a long time ago and was almost completely forgotten by all the maids in the house. After he'd attacked a maid and she'd almost died they'd blocked out almost all previous memories of him, except for Juliette.

A howl suddenly erupted in the castle, long a mournful. Alex had woken with a start and was pacing in the entrance of the castle. He was frustrated, angered by what he'd dreamt and trying to cool his temper. He wanted to walk and talk like a human but this curse almost forbid him to do so. The frustration was evident in his steely blue eyes.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven listened to her explanation and nodded. "How awful." She said. "I'm sorry." She said. "Lonely? He doesn't have to be! I'd talk with him... if I wasn't so afraid that I'd make him upset." She said. What she meant by upset was not that he'd become a wolf and might hurt her, but she didn't want to do anything to make him upset in general. She hated to be the cause for that and didn't like anyone feeling that way at all.

She jumped slightly as she heard the howl echoing through the castle. She looked at Juliette then to the floor. She had the sudden urge to run down and find out why he seemed to upset. She always had other's feelings in mind before she thought of her own. This caused her to get in trouble a lot of times and people made fun of her for it at times as well. But, that was a small price to pay when you were kind hearted.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"Aye, the master must have had another nightmare," Juliette said with a sigh. "You do look a bit like his mother, a small resemblance that was probably enhanced by his wolf form. Juliette sighed after this and looked at the door. She was guessing it would be fine if she just left the door unlocked. She stood up after a moment.

"Well miss," she said with a smile. "If you'd like to you could wander around the castle a bit but I would be careful. There are some strange things in here that I can't even explain. I must be getting back to work though. The master will probably need more clothing soon since he tears it to shreds."

Alex was pacing again, panting as he did so. He'd had a headache and it was growing worse now. The agitation from the nightmare was sifting itself through his body and he wanted to run now, get away from the nightmarish place he was trapped in. He looked around the hall he was in before making his way slowly up the stairs to the south wing again.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven smiled softly then nodded. She slipped out the door and then started to walk around. She had never been in a castle before in her entire life, it was beautiful to her. She kept looking around as she walked and unknowingly ended up in the South wing.

{Short again but I have to go finish something super speedy quick XD lol}  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex was wandering around mindlessly now in the south wing, not paying attention to wear he was going or if anyone was following him. His head was down slightly but he was watching where he was going for the most part. There was too much on his mind for him to do much and when he came face to face with the newcomer he froze. He didn't even know her name and the fact that she was in the south wing bothered her even more. He growled lightly but not much, he was too agitated to be overly angry at the moment.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven stopped walking when she saw the wolf. She looked at him curiously for the longest time, not even paying mind to the fact that he grolwed at her. She wasn't scared like others may have been, in fact she was quite calm. After a few moments, she let a small nervous smile pass her lips as she said, "I am really sorry about coming here... it was the only place I could find." She continued to look at him, not breaking her gaze once. "My name is Haven by the way...."  

[- symphonic disaster -]

She was talking to him? He looked shocked for a moment but regained his composure quickly. He started to circle her though, studying her and when she introduced herself he sat down in front of her.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Haven," he said a bit sarcastically. "I'd prefer it if you didn't come to this part of the castle again. It's a bit rude to be intruding on my personal space." Personal space, like he had enough of that. He looked down at the ground for a moment and then up at her. Behind his mask of anger there was a glint of pain and sorrow but he kept his expression steady. "I would suggest that you'd be a bit more carefuly, I might not be so nice next time."  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven merely shook her head, trying not to laugh. She found it funny that he would find it rude that she was 'intruding on his personal space' when she knew nothing about the castle and where and what things were in the first place. She ran a hand through her brown locks before she said, "No need to threaten me, a simple 'please be more careful' would suffice." She sighed a little then raised an eyebrow.

"You know my name, what's yours?" She asked. She still found it strange that she was talking to a wolf but she kept telling herself that he basically was human, just turned into a wolf when he was angry.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"Alexander," he responded a bit sharply. "Why does it matter who I am? I'm just a stupid cursed prince." He insulted himself more than he should now but his ego had been hurt when he'd first discovered the prince. He wanted to be a human so that princess would fawn over his good looks. He growled at her out of frustration.

Why should she care? She was just a stranger that knew nothing about him. His agitation was increasing but it wasn't beginning to show quite yet. He was getting better at hiding his anger and had never attempted to suppress it.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven looked at him and her facial expression turned into a caring one. "Don't say that." She said. "Yes you may have some anger issues and the whole curse going on but that doesn't mean you need to be so hard on yourself." She finished softly. She smiled again and said, "Its a pleasure to meet you, Alexander." She gave him a small bow of her head and then looked back down at him.

She couldn't believe he would say something like that about himself. It did tell her one thing, though, and it was that he was hurting. She hated to see people in pain whether it be emotional or physical, it made her upset.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex was pleased when he watched her bow but was confused by what she was saying. The tone of her voice stung and he was confused suddenly. He growled though and shook his head. He could say whatever he wanted to say and his statements were true. If he had let the old woman in this wouldn't have happened, but then again he couldn't imagine what would have happened if he had let her stay, she might have given him some other curse.

"The words I have already said are true," he said sharply. "I am a fool, but a rather handsome fool at that. Besides, what would you know? You're only problem is a moron chasing you around because he wants to marry you. Your mother isn't dead and you probably have plenty of caring friends." There was a mocking tone in his voice that he hadn't used in a while and he smirked after he was done speaking.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven raised an eyebrow when he said handsome. Ah, so he's full of himself as well. She thought then her smile vanished. "The moron has come close to killing me, my mother is dying, and the only friend I have is a lot older than I am and I only know her because she knows my mother. Do not think that you are the only one who has problems." She said, now getting upset herself.

She then calmed a little and said, "Its very simple then. Obviously you hate the curse, don't get mad. Its as easy as that."  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex took a more defensive pose now and was growling deeply. How could she say that? It was easy to avoid anger when you were angry at the person and thing that was causing you to be a certain way. He was angry at the person who had killed his mother and was angry at her for opening those wounds again.

"You don't even know why I'm angry," he snarled. "You are telling me it's simple and yet you don't even know the story." He didn't think about how Juliette might have told Haven the story for a second. He wanted his mother back, the one person that he truly loved.