The huntsman knew he had gone very pale, but he thought that was all his features betrayed. Why was he here? What did this poor enchanted prince want with him? “Why? What…do you want with me?” he asked.
“I…I…require a companion,” the deep voice answered.
“A companion?” the huntsman echoed. “A companion to do what?” he asked, his face flushing with a sudden heat that he fought to control.
The creature had turned away. “I have been alone a very long time,” the voice said, and the huntsman heard all the pain and humiliation that the speaker had to hold in place to make the admission, and he felt genuinely sorry for the creature in front of him. The voice continued, “It would be nice to have someone to talk to or to read to me,” he said gesturing at the book in the huntsman’s hand, pain and
