Annabelle
She had been watching James carefully, trying to figure him out, but her musings were cut off when a servant she easily recognize walked towards them. Don't you dare talk to me, she thought, watching the servant as his eyebrows raised, but then he merely cast James a look and went into the bathroom. Belle released a slight breath of relieve, looking at James again. Perhaps Bowen had talked to the others about not giving her away. It would surely make her task easier, that was certain. If he hadn't, however, the servant had not followed protocol. If he knew who she was, he should'e greeted her with a bow, respectfully addressing her, recognizing her existence, and then he could walk past. She wondered if she should ask Bowen, but didn't really want to cause the servant harm. So she chose to ignore it, pretend that it hadn't happened.
When James spoke of leaving, Belle nodded and started walking with him. Next to him, but still slightly further behind. That was the place of a woman in most cases... until they got married, anyway. Then they could walk next to their husbands, somewhat as equals. Until then, women were beneath men. Of course Belle wouldn't usually be submissive when it came to servants, as they were bellow even her, but she supposed she had to play the part, so she did, as to not produce any suspicions in the young Lykae's mind. She couldn't quite have that.
It didn't take long for the man to look back at her. It was like his face had transformed, she noticed. He looked utterly prostrated with fatigue and she didn't like it. They weren't supposed to run people into the ground like that. This man needed sleep, badly... probably needed painkillers and some bandages with healing herbs to mend his hands, as she noticed. They looked like hell. Fortunately, Belle, as most noble women, had been taught in the art of medicine. Now, she couldn't become a human doctor, but she was passable as a nurse, she knew. And though Lykaes healed faster than humans, it would still take a couple of hours. She cocked her head slightly when he asked her another question, because she'd noted how he'd paused before company. She wasn't sure what was going on in the male's head, but if he thought her a whore, he had another thing coming, that was certain. Don't get ahead of yourself, Belle... he didn't technically imply anything in that matter, she reasoned, relaxing once more.
She watched James carefully while speaking, "I am to make sure that you do your job well enough for the king not to tear you to pieces," she said bluntly. No reason to lie about that. "But also, take care of you a bit. Which means you are now going to let me bandage your hands, before making sure there is no more tasks for you today. Then you will go to bed, because you're exhausted to the point of breaking down. It is obvious on your face." She gave him a soft, caring smile. Belle knew her words might sound harsh from anyone else, but her soft voice, joined with her caring tone, gave it another air. She'd been careful not to sound commanding. She didn't want him to view her that way. Here, now... she was not his superior. She wasn't sure why she cared about him already... she didn't know him, she'd only just really met him. He just seemed so... vulnerable, unknowingly desperate for a kind word, and it made her heart ache for him.