Chapter 225

"No!" Aoki protested against Ashley's insane visit to the prison.

This servant must be insane! There is no logical way that he would consider doing something that could put his own life at risk just to protect that master of his! Aoki felt himself panic inside. Feeling the urge to suddenly scream but he held it in and just silently screamed on the inside.

"You can't stop me." Ashley smiled brightly at Aoki's protest to his visit. No matter what Aoki thought he wasn't going to back down on his decision. He'd made his choice since his master could not make it himself. Someone had to take care of the situation before it became a problem later on.

"Do you have any idea who they are going to blame if you do something without the king's permission here?" Aoki didn't care if the king died. He was not worried about Luke's life in the slightest. The one that the blame would fall on in the end would be him. Since Aoki was placed in charge of the prison the first person that would receive the blame would be him. He was barely with Vorbuk and had no real bond to him.

If they think I'm the one who did something to the previous king I could be sentenced to death sooner then later! Aoki's forehead began to sweat as he thought about what might happen to him.

"Do you really think I couldn't just tell them?" Ashley pressed for Aoki to let him see the previous king. He knew that Aoki's mark was still aching. It was hard for him to not be aware of something that posed a threat to his master. Ashley was always persistent to keep a close watch on everything that involved the one he was meant to serve. His loyalty could even be considered terrifying to some people.

Aoki winced and his jewel pink eyes glared at Ashley, "What?"

"You really think I haven't noticed?" Ashley leaned in towards Aoki and whispered. "Your still feeling pain from the master's servant mark, right?"

Aoki hissed as he bared his vampire fangs at Ashley. "You think I am a threat to that beast?"

Shrugging his shoulders Ashley stepped back a bit. There was a heavy silence as he thought about his words before speaking further. "If I thought of you as a threat I would have already taken care of you. You are the least of my worries. However we both know that our master needs one of us to make this choice for him."

Even if he hates me for it.. Ashley swallowed those words in his mind. The risk was not only his master hating him. If Vorbuk thought for even a brief moment when he became angry to find out about what he intended to do that he wanted the servant Ashley dead; it would be the end of Ashley's life.

That was the hold master's had over their servants through the mark. Vorbuk only needed to think of killing Ashley for a brief moment. In that moment the master's authority over the servant would end their life. Ashley's heart pounded at the thought of how he had to put faith in his master that Vorbuk's anger would not lead to his death.

"I will not take responsibility for this." Aoki stated that he refused to go along with it. He noticed the way that Ashley had referred to the beast as their master instead of simply his own. He must really want me to ignore what he is doing here considering how much he emphasized the beast as our master. He wants me to feel a share of the responsibility in this.

"You don't need to just tell them I had you leave." Ashley spoke slowly as he understood it would be impossible for him to keep Aoki around while he was here.

"Then what am I suppose to do when they ask about you and-" Aoki started to complain as he thought about how many troublesome things he would end up dealing with after this. It was impossible for him to avoid getting in trouble over this.

"Aoki," Ashley sighed as he looked at the young vampire. Even if Aoki was old in mortal years he was still young in terms for a vampire. At the minute Ashley felt as if Aoki resembled that of a panicked child. "Go outside and wander around for a few hours. If anyone asks just tell them I sent you out."

"After that?" Aoki wasn't sure what he was suppose to do after wandering around outside the prison for a few hours.

"You don't need to worry about that just call for help with King Luke." Ashley was not intending to push the blame onto someone else for something he was intending to do alone. If that was the case he would need to remove Aoki from the scene so that he was not mistaken as being involved.

"Some night air just sounds good right about now," Aoki sighed heavily as he stabbed his dagger into the desk. "Alright, I will go for a walk."

Ashley watched as Aoki stood up to leave. The both of them heading in opposite directions. One intending to leave the prison while Ashley intended to go directly towards the cell that held King Luke prisoner.

Aoki could not help but turn back to sneak a glance at the quiet figure of Ashley. The vampire looked as if he was on a mission desperately trying to aid his master. It was something that Aoki could never understand. He could never consider putting so much faith in another person. If Ashley made the wrong move his master could easily end his life and yet Ashley was willing to risk that in order to remove something dangerous from that master's path.

"Are you really going to put so much faith in your master that he wont kill you after this?" Aoki asked as he watched Ashley reach for the door to the prison cells.

Ashley hesitated before responding, "I am."

"He's going to hate you for it." Aoki pointed out to Ashley wondering if the vampire had even considered the fact that it could risk destroying Vorbuk's trust in Ashley. Once that was gone it would be difficult to restore. It could even make life more difficult in the future if his master lost trust in him.

"I know," Ashley responded before speaking as if a whisper to himself. "but he wont have to worry about her hating him."

Ashley opened the door leading to the prison cells. The door was heavy and creaked as he pushed pulled on it. Entering the dark and dreary place. Cells lined the sides of the long room from both the left and right. At the far end he could hear the sounds of King Luke coughing as he made his way down the room to his cell.

The king's gaze still held an aura worthy of a king. No matter how long he'd been kept imprisoned there remained a strong will in his gaze as his eyes met Ashley's. That gaze was enough for Ashley to know right away that King Luke could not remain alive. Master knows this man's existence is a threat to him..