It was difficult for Asher to wrap his head around the notion that the creature he had kidnapped wanted to be his friend. Much less the part where she was certain that she was not afraid of the man that was responsible for her brush death. Had he been in her position, the prince wouldn’t even think of looking at things from the other perspective, much less offer a hand in friendship. Still, her words sounded sincere, but he couldn’t say whether or not that was because she was simply too innocent for her own good, or because she was truly able to see something in the demon. Regardless, her words did not soften his features or change his attitude.  

That is to say, it didn’t change anything on the outside for the prince. Internally however, Asher was feeling more torn than he ever had before. There was part of him that wanted him to stay cold and distant, as he was sure that the closer he got to this creature the more difficult it would become to be the kind of leader that his people needed. And yet part of him wanted to reach out and say something, anything really, but the moment passed before he could choose as she was joined by what had to be a faerie. Wait, why did he feel like there was even a choice to be made here?

The thought made his jaw clench tight and he found himself wondering once again what was wrong with him. It wasn’t like him to feel so conflicted, especially when it came to doing what he thought was best for his people. But here he was, watching Octavia leave the library with a weight upon his chest. Asher wasn’t sure what to call the feeling, but he knew that if things had been different, if their people hadn’t been at war, he would enjoy getting to know the angel. It was a rather unsettling realization for him, but between life on the battlefield and the insufferable pretenses that consumed court life, the prince had never really entertained the idea of making friends. 

Asher pulled his hood up, it wasn’t about what he wanted though. A tired sigh escaped him as he leaned down to pick up the torrential amount of books that littered the ground. Prince or not, he wasn’t the type to let others clean up his messes. So he set to work, but the entire time he started to grow more and more frustrated, as he had to keep reminding himself that his people would always come before any of his pointless desires. [color=slategray]”Stronger, not softer,”[/color] he reminded himself quietly, a hint of bitterness creeping into his tone.

It wasn’t until he finished organizing the books on the ground that he turned his attention back to the book that the creature had given him. After a brief moment of contemplation, Asher resolved to just leave it there on the table and forget about his unspoken promise to her. Better yet, he would forget about the creature entirely, as she had been nothing but trouble in the two days he had known her. Satisfied with his decision, he turned his back on it and made his way to the entrance, taking each step down the stairs with conviction. 

He managed to make it halfway down the stairs before he turned back and grudgingly snatched it off the table. 

[@Ace of Flames01][@Cuccoruler]