Marked (bxb)

Chapter Two - Servant Boy

Asa had met Barron Julius and his daughter Angelica at the tender age of 6. He was so tiny, with cubby hands and a head full of silver curls just like his mom. His mom, who was six feet under in a bed she would never climb out of.

The Barron had knelt down before him, smiling kindly and wiping tears from Asa's red face. The man's hand had been warm and smooth, unlike his mom's who Asa knew had rough patches and scars from gathering herbs. It was nice though, and Asa had allowed the man to take him back to the Barron's manor with the promise of a new family.

Oh how naïve he had been.

Asa woke up to the pounding of footsteps on stairs to his attic room. It was too heavy to be sister Angelica's, yet too light to be the Barron's. Which meant that it was the maid, Miss Diana. Asa almost curled back in on himself, his fox form was so warm in the fresh spring morning, but while she was kinder to him then his guardian Miss Diana was still above him in rank and knew it. So instead of sleeping more the young man stretched his legs and shifted back into a man before putting on his pants. Without fur for warmth Asa shivered, pulling on his thickest shirt - a rough cotton one that had long since been stain an off white by his work.

It was just in time too, because Miss Diana came charging through the attic door.

"Why aren't you in the kitchens you stupid fox!" The maid asked, frantic, "The master has been demanding tea and the kitchen staff can't be the ones to bring it too him!" Asa had to bit his tongue at that. He had been out most of the night to retrieve that tea from the next town over.

"Sorry ma'am," he said instead, bowing his head slightly. He bit his lip to stop the yelp that threated to escape when he was smacked in the cheek by her wooden duster handle.

"Hurry hurry," she commanded, and Asa grabbed his brown apron as he raced for the back passages. He tied it around his waist, ignoring the growling of his stomach in favor of skipping down the stairs two at a time.

Thankfully the kitchen was almost directly below his room. Three staircases and one left before he immerged in the kitchen. The cook glowered at him as he ducked under her swing and grabbed the tea set. He had one bruise already today and he didn't want another so soon.

"If you are late one more time boy you won't be getting any food from me," the cook said, and Asa nodded. "The master and mistress are in the back parlor, hurry before he starts shouting or I'll beat you myself."

"Yes Mrs. Mary," Asa said, ducking out of her way once more as he left. It was almost like a dance, the way she would swing her spoon at him and he would dodge, careful to keep the food on his tray steady. His fellow servants may not treat him kindly, but at least they gave him a chance to avoid their hits. Barron Julius was never that kind.

Asa was worked hard, he knew this. He was expected to wake up before daybreak and often times worked well into the night. Chores that could easily be divided among other servants were stacked onto him, everything from cooking to cleaning to buying the weeks food. Gather the eggs boy and maybe I'll give you bread, the cook would demanded. Gather Mistress Angelica's dresses and wash them stupid fox or you won't sleep tonight, the maid would follow. If you don't organize my study tonight I'll beat your head around with a cane, the Barron would add.

Asa wanted a break, a chance to read the books he saved from sister Angelica's fires. He wanted to work on his medicine and open a clinic in town. Yet he knew, he knew deep in his heart that as the Barron's marked ward he would never be free to do that. He'd be stuck in this manor working and abused until they took it too far, worked him too hard, and he would die. It would be almost a blessing at this point, if just so he'd be free.

The only way he could get out was if an alpha claimed him and well, that honestly may be a worse option. Controlled by another under fear of rejection and death was no better a life then the one he was living.

Asa's bare feet padded along the halls as he rounded the corner to the back parlor. He was lucky he washed them when he got home last night or he'd have tracked dried mug through the manor. Barron Julius would have lashed his back 30 times at least. He shook those thoughts away as he pushed open the parlor doors.

"Good morning Barron, sister Angelica," he said with a false smile, only too the dark haired nobles ignore him. "I have lavender earl grey tea for you both," he continued, placing the cups on the table in front of them. "It's fresh, picked up from the port last night."

"Sit down," Barron commended, "We have something to discuss this morning." Asa hesitated, the only stop free was next to sister angelica. Directly across from the Barron. "Now boy." With a gulp he did as commended.

Sister Angelica gave a huff. "Really Father," she whined, "We'll never get smell of dirty old fox out of this couch now." Asa forced back a snarl, fox was a perfectly good wereform, even if wolves and cats where more common.

Barron Julius took a long sip of his tea. "Fear not daughter," he said, "You won't need to deal with it much longer."

"What do you mean?" Asa asked, dread boiling up in his stomach. He...He can't be thinking of selling Asa could he?!

"You will be moving out to the stables with the other animals," the Barron said with a small smirk, "It would be horribly disrespectful for use to force the crown prince to stay in the same house as someone like you."

Angelica squealed in his ear, nearly drowning out the racing of his mind. Prince Saxon? Coming to a small, backwoods village this far north? They weren't at war so there was no need for the 22 year old prince to lead any men this close to the boarder. Barron Julius wasn't even a high enough ranking noble to warrant a casual or even political visit, so why was the man coming here?

Asa gulped, his heart sinking.

"Oh Father!" Angelica jumped to her feet and raced around the table, "I've always wanted to meet the prince! Will you introduce me Father please?" She threw herself into her father's lap and Asa's quick reaction time was the only thing that saved the tea cups. The hot tea burnt his hands.

"Of course you'll be meeting the prince," Barron Julius said plainly, "He's here to look for he mate after all, and you are by far the most qualified omega here."

Asa dropped the tea cups.