Her mind spun back to her conversation with Anna.

The curse.

Her plan.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to see if he was in. He should have been in a reasonable mood after feeding, right? And if he wasn't there, she would simply wait till tomorrow, Isabelle convinced herself.

Cautiously, she made her way to the opened door. The flickering of a waning fire surrounded by a large ornate golden mantle cast dancing shadows across the room and onto the walls.

The room was grand. She stepped into what looked like a sitting room with doors on either end that lead to more rooms. Though she had already poked her head in, Isabelle rapped on the door, not without manners.

"Hello? Your Majesty?...Rosie?" her voice came out in a strangled squeak. Less sure of her plan now that she stared at the spacious dark chamber.

"Your Highness, it is blood maid Isabelle. I- I have something I wish to discuss with you," she said a little louder into the room. Only the crackle of the fire echoed a reply.

Curiosity won over caution, and she slipped fully into the room.

This was where Anna had said the curse was written. Her eyes roamed over the dark walls. One side was covered in a floor to ceiling mural of men on horses hunting foxes and deer against a deep forest of green. The side walls displayed paintings of women round and supple, lounging naked on couches, their limbs intertwined with one another.

Curiously, she stepped in further. She'd thought Adams' room was the definition of opulence with its rich reds and dark woods. She was wrong. The wainscoting curled around the border of the ceiling in a shimmering gold. There was a table to the left that held bottles of amber liquid and golden chalices enough for a proper party in a glass cabinet.

Each chesterfield, chair or table was skillfully decorated in swirls of gold filigree that matched the ceiling. Isabelle peered to the left, noticing a large library of cherry wood, books running from wall to wall with deep leather seats by a large arched window framed by purple velvet drapes with a gold lining.

Though she was tempted to peruse the awe inspiring collection she was here on a different mission and so with sticky feet she peeled herself from the library turning her attention to the door on the far right. This one was closed but the intricate carved wood, like that of Adams door told her it would be just as lush.

Isabelle knocked once again to be polite. When silence greeted her once more, she turned the gold encased knob peaking in.

Specks of gold seemed to sparkle off the wall like far away stars and she could make out the sputtering of a few warm coals left in a hearth to her left. This fire was barely breathing and the faint glow it cast was far too dim to truly see much. Her hip bumped into a table on her right where she found a candle in its brass holder.

Moving to the fireplace, she dipped the candle, lighting it in the heat of the coals. Reaching for a few logs, she stocked the fire before turning to survey the space in the increasing light.

A massive four-poster bed took up most of the space on the far left wall of the room. Its intricate wooden carvings winding up to look like a crown itself hanging over the bed; painted in an ostentatious gold with deep purple drapes framing either side. And to the right of the bed, like Adams, was another door leading to what looked like a private privy. Golden wallpaper with a fleur pattern lined the walls, encasing her in a glittering jewelry box.

The large window on the left, framed in the same deep plum as the bed, looked out over a dark garden that cast cold shadows in the sliver of the moon's glow.

It was almost the new moon. She wondered what Adam would look like in his human form and what the king wou-. Her thoughts trailed off as she spotted what she was looking for. The firelight, now strong enough to cast light upon the far right wall.

A wall of paintings hung before her. Figures and faces she did not recognize. A blonde haired couple, draped in rich red fabrics, their solemn faces and blue eyes gazing back and a boy, just shy of a man with wild golden hair and piercing blue eyes. The picture had been torn on the left, covering the rest. An image high above displayed several other golden haired faces all in equally ornate attire.

A beautiful woman with hair as silver as the moon-light, fair skin and face that would make angels cry donned a large picture to the right. She was breathtaking, her continence only dimmed by the fame which held her. The edges of the gold wood splintered as if it had been thrown to the ground only to be hung back up again. And there in the center of it all, where the faint outline of a photo had been was writing, written in what looked like dried blood. Isabelle supposed it could have been covered with a larger image but for some reason it had been left as it was. She mumbled the words.

"May your face be as hideous as the heart you've shown her. May all those that worship you join in despair. Darkness shall be your comfort and blood your poison. Till you find the light, this oath I swear."

Till you find the light. Was the light the pure act of selflessness Anna had spoken of? A light in the heart? Though the darkness was quite literal, Isabelle had to think that the words had to mean something more.

"I leave for a moment and there's a rat in my room." the sound of a growl behind caused her to almost crawl out of her skin. She spun around to see piercing blue eyes from tawny fur and large jaws that seemed to flash shades of red in the firelight.

"You-your Highness!" Isabelle stammered, dropping to her knees in a low bow. "My deepest apologies, I had only meant to come and speak with you. The door was open so-" She trailed off, too afraid to lift her head.

There was a moment of silence and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable claws of death to sweep down and strike her.

"If you came to seduce me, I must say this is a welcomed surprise."

Isabelle lifted her chin up to see a white toothed grin glide across the rows of long canines and her stomach dropped. He was bare chested with nothing but loose fitting trousers and a gold band hanging lopsidedly around one horn on his head.

"Your highness, that was not my intention," Isabelle explained, rising to her feet. Her eyes searching for Rosie atop his shoulder or perhaps in his hand.

"I left her in the solarium," Henry voiced, as if reading her thoughts. He reached out, caressing the long strands of her matted brown hair with clawed fingers before pulling the ends up inhaling deeply. "It's just the two of us now," he purred.

"Your Highness, I came to speak with you about the curse, I think I found a way to break it."

The king's face crumpled into a frown as he dropped the locks of her hair, eyes hardening like blue sapphires.

"You've spoiled the mood, silly girl. Begone with you now." He waved her off.

"Your highness if you would just hear me out."

"I said begone!" The words rumbled in his chest like a growing storm. Fearful Isabelle took a few steps back toward the door. But she'd come this far the least he could do was listen. She changed tactics. "How is Rosie my lord?"

He rolled his eyes, but the frigid air around him seemed to dissipate slightly.

"The insufferable little thing." he chuckled to himself as if remembering a joke. "She's quite talkative for a mouse. It's been weeks since I've had a proper rest."

"About Rosie your Highn-"

"What? You want more time with the chatty thing? Fine. You can have her one full day of the week. At least that will give me peace for a night."

"No. I mean yes. Thank you, your Majesty, your generosity is great. But-"

"But?" His eyes narrowed on her dangerously as he walked forward and she backed up through the door into the drawing room. His pupils dilated. No. I can't run. She tried to calm her ramming heart against her better instinct to flee. But it's what the creature in him wanted. The hunt and so she resisted, planting her feet firmly by the chesterfield.

"I think to break the curse, your highness, you need to set Rosie free. Truly free." His face turned to a glower, but she continued on quickly. "The witch- Anna- said that the light was selflessness. So if you give up something you don't want to, if you let us free, would that not be an act of selflessness?"

He stared at her wide eyed for a moment.

"Us?"

"I, well I -you see-"

The king threw his head back in a gaping laugh, his mouth swallowing his face as the bubbling sound bounced around the gold dipped room.

"That was a feeble attempt at an escape. I've heard far more convincing tales, but to bait me with the curse..."

"I speak the truth, your highness!"

"For years, I have tried to rid myself and my people of this wretched thing, this fur covering my flesh," he tugged at the hairs of his bare chest for emphasis. "It is too late. We are comfortable in this form now. This is the new life we have made for ourselves from the ashes of that damned enchantress."

"But at what cost, my lord?" she whispered. "Villagers are dying. This land cannot survive in the shadows."

"Impudent girl!"

Isabelle backed up toward the door, frustrated. Men. They never listened! This could be their chance, everyone's chance at a happy ending!

"Would it hurt to give it a try my king? Keep me, but just Rosie, please, let her go."

The king roared, swiping a vase from the side table, the flower patterned ceramic shattering on the floor in front of her and she cowered.

"Why are you so damn assured? What gives you the right? Do you think you're better than me? Hah that must be it! Naïve child! This world is nothing but darkness! So what gives you the right to smile, spouting your utopian nonsense in my home!?"

Isabelle's voice was lost somewhere in the swirling pit of her stomach as a tear rolled silently down her cheek. Bottom lip trembling as she bit back a sob. How cruel. His words shot like a dagger, piercing the thin veil of her control, till all the rage that had been lying dormant inside bubbled to the surface.

"Well?"

At his comment, her voice surged from the dark abyss where she had left it; rising from her throat with renewed conviction.

She looked up, eyes blazing. "My smile is all I have left, your majesty. Everything! Everything I have ever loved has been taken from me! But you cannot take my smile. I am still alive and so there is still hope for another day. For kindness! For freedom. Why care so blind to kindness? I simply wish to help break the curse. Is that so wrong?"

Her words pointed like a needle, piercing straight for his heart in hopes of cracking through the barrier that held a sliver of good, a sliver of light she knew was hiding there.

"No. There is no breaking it."

"...Coward."

"Coward? You know nothing about me, you insufferable woman!" He roared and Isabelle backed up further.

"That's because you give no one the chance! There is good in there. I'm sure! Why won't you let me help!"

"Shut up!" Henry stalked closer as she continued to speak, but her courage never faded, her voice growing louder with every word.

"You hide behind your pride and violence. Filling yourself with pleasure and cruelty. This is why the princess-" His pupils dilated at the mention of the woman. But Isabelle was already on this run away horse and she would finish what she had to say.

He stood before her, a hair's breath away, eyes seething with rage as she stared up defiantly to deliver her final blow. "No wonder the witch chose this curse. You were always a monster. At least now you look the part!"

A mixture of emotions contorted on the king's face, till they all blended into a cauldron of rage. Red seeping through blue orbs, staining his eyes till there was nothing left but a pool of bloodlust swimming in his eyes.

"Your highness I heard a commotion, is everything alright?" Maurice, one of the guards from the throne room, walked in. "What's she doing here?...Your highness?"

But it was too late. The king's anger lashed out to the lizards as he pounced claws out, gleaming red in the fire light. The poor guard didn't have enough time to bring his spear up to defend himself as the king slashed his long fingers into the lizard's belly, like a knife through butter.

Isabelle froze, scarcely believing the scene before her eyes. Had it not been for the blood that splattered across her face, she would have thought it a dream.

The creature made a gurgling noise in its throat. Eyes wide with shock as it tried to clutch the mess of its torn belly.

"Is this what you wanted?!" Henry roared, guts spewing out, twisting on the floor like sausages being spun through a butcher's fingers. Maurce collapsed making an odd mewing noise like a cat writhing on the floor until his cries and his movements silenced.

Blood dripped long and hot, coating his blonde fur a rusted red. He bit into the lizard, ripping chunks of meaty flesh from his neck. The king's eyes fixed on Isabelle as he swallowed.

With a scream, she darted for the door, slipping past before he could swipe a paw at her.

"Get back here!" she heard him roar from behind. "I'll kill you, you insolent wench!"

Isabelle dashed down the candle-lit hall, heart in her throat as her eyes fixed at the door on the other end. The only thing that may be able to stop his war path now, was maybe another beast.

"Adam!" Isabelle screamed desperately, her vision blurring with tears as she ran. He had to hear her. "Help! Adam, please!"

The door at the end of the hall whipped open. A shirtless Adam peered out, his red eyes widening at the scene of Isabelle's waif frame running against the tidal wave of blood stained fur behind her. He moved swiftly like a black shadow and before she knew it he had picked her up by the shoulders, sweeping her around behind him.

A veil of black obscured her line of vision. A growl rising deep in the throat of her new guard, the gleam of curled horns shining in the dim light of the halls. Isabelle took in deep gasps, her throat burning with each labored breath.

Both beasts paused. Muscles tense, claws out in front, and fangs bared, braced to attack.

"Move half blood," the king snarled, "that blood maid is mine!"

"Brother. Calm your rage!" His voice sounded off like a bell through the fog of fury that seemed to now swarm the room.

"You are no brother of mine, bastard. You're nothing but the son of gypsy whore!"

"Let us finish it then! This time you will know pain," Adam bard his fangs, dropping to a crouch.

The king roared to the challenge, gnashing his teeth as he fell onto all fours ready to strike.

Adams' voice roared over the ringing in her ears.

"Isabelle run!"