Losing the battle

The prince glared daggers at the two who looked everywhere but at him. He had no idea why they were acting strangely. He could only imagine how angry his merphix was at him for leaving him to go save Landon but he promised to make it up to him.

"He went back to the ocean," Ryker told to him.

"Why would he go there, he had promised to return with us to Arcadia?" the prince questioned.

"And you also promised not to let her come between the two of you and yet..." Zaugustus said annoyed. "Just so you know he didn't leave because he wanted to but you forced him to leave. You have been unfair to him," he added.

"He froze his heart before he left. I don't think he wants to see you anytime soon and I wouldn't count on him visiting or calling, he was so hurt that he didn't want to feel anything at all," Ryker commented.

Their words hit the prince like ice-cold water, his hand that held Landon dropped and his face became void of any emotions. "Let's go," he said to Landon and walked through the gateway back to his kingdom. Landon followed behind him silently.

He was sure to take quiet steps not to annoy the prince any further. His heart was fearful of the prince's wrath and was also weighing with guilt for separating the prince and his lucky charm. After learning of the prince's story he understood how important the merman was to him.

He bumped into something and came out of his thought. He looked up to see the prince standing in front of the palace and staring into the distance. He stalked around him and went to go inside the palace and give him some space.

"Why?" he heard the prince ask and stopped in his tracks. He didn't turn around and just waited."Of all the beasts in Arcadia, why did you choose me?"

Landon thought of the question. He knew the answer but remained silent, the reason he came into his life was for his selfishness. He wanted protection and luxurious life and mostly to survive in the world of beasts.

"I'm sorry," was all he managed to say knowing that he had hurt him.

"You call me all sorts of names and act like a saintess in my presence," he said getting his full attention. "You once told me a story of a queen and a boy with a wish. You compared me to the queen and made yourself the hero of the story when in fact you are the villain of mine. You have selfishly come into my life and brought nothing but pain and disaster along with you," he said his voice not changing.

"I never meant t.."

"You play the victim and have tears in your eyes for every little thing I say and yet you inflict the worst of pains. I am a beast, a demon, and a heartless king but I don't hide behind a mask of a person that I am not," he stated. "You have gotten what you wanted from me. Now I hope that you never show your disgusting face to me again," he added.

Landon looked back to the prince to explain and apologize for what happened but he was no more there. His knees trembled giving way to the fear that had crept up in his heart. The fear that he had not known he had until the prince pointed it out.

All the while he had been proud of his humanity and considered himself better than the beasts he had come across because he had heart. He found that he had become a beast at heart in his selfish quest. He took away from the prince the light to his darkness.

He had won and gotten what he had wanted but he felt like he had lost the battle.

He walked into the palace feeling all his energy drained from his body. He was physically and emotionally drained, the maids of the palace showered flowers on her and congratulated her on her wedding day.

One of the maids placed her tiara on her head as she walked and talked to her about her coronation that was the very next day. Landon was too caught up in his thought to hear a word she was saying. All he could think about was the prince's opinion of him. He had been worried about having to deal with Sly's anger when he returned to the palace, he had no idea that what awaited him was worse than that.

Knowing that the prince whom he loved never wanted to see his face again. Landon felt depressed. His emotions were all over the place switching from one feeling to the other. Guilt and heartbreak being the most common in her heart.

He got back to his room walking past Elsa and the rest of her maids, she dropped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He recalled when he woke up in the forest surrounded by the four gorgeous beasts. The friendly way they all acted towards each other.

He smiled as he remembered the way Sly had referred to the prince when he woke up. The argument about the prince not being holy was fun but all that was done was all thanks to him.

He had made an enemy out of all of them. He was certain that Sly, Theo, and Zaugustus hated him. It was only a matter of time before Ryker grew to hate him as well.

"I am a monster," he said to himself.

"No, you are not," Elsa said right beside him. She had been watching him stare at nothing like a lifeless body for a while now. She was confused as to what had happened to him but he didn't voice it out. She was a servant, after all, she wasn't to speak unless spoken to.

"I deserve to be punished," he mumbled.

"Lady Lara, you have done nothing wrong and hence should not feel bad about anything," she said, little did she know that he heard nothing of the words she spoke. He had not even noticed her presence beside him.