This was a really bad beginning wasn't it? There was no other way for anyone else to put it. Amanti could recognize the callousness held back in the Emperor's strained dismissal. And the Fae could not help, but wonder if perhaps he was partially responsible for the harshness taken in admonishing the Crown Prince. If perhaps the Emperor was redirecting his contempt towards scrutinizing and berating the slightest mistake in his son's demeanor. Amanti paused in his seat, his grip tightening on the edge of the table as the growing tension between Father and Son ensuing from that single command made him start to feel hot under the collar, the feeling gluing him to the ground he stood on as if he felt it far too awkward to just up and leave in the midst of all the antipathy. Despite what sort of person he might've been coming off as so far, he was not a coward and would not flee once the situation got tense though as who he was, he was not sure if he had right or even means of quelling the two boiling blood of two Dragons. 

  Nothing could prepare him for the sudden whip of the boy's head to the side as Yao's hand flashed briefly before it was withdrawn gracefully into his robe as if it had not just effectuated such a unsparing action which to Amanti was not validated in the slightest. The boy hadn't...he didn't..do anything to warrant the physical blow. The prince flinched, stepping back before he was shoved aside as Jin-Wei dismissed himself in a huff. 

  In his mind, a Son should never leave his Father's side with unresolved conflicts and ill thoughts and a Father should never look at his child with such scorn and fury as if he be better off without the day of his ill gotten birth. And he had no right to interfere in the familial matters of others, let alone that of royals in a kingdom not his own. The atmosphere left behind him made him start to question once more if it was the wisest or even the best choice still to seek protection and friendship amongst the dragons. If their Ruler and his heir was...

  "Goodnight, Emperor, I pray you will rest well." He bowed low, keeping his gaze fixed to the ground as he turned on his heel and shuffled off, keeping to his word and hailing a serf to escort him back to his room, even though he wasn't planning on retiring early tonight. 

  Bidding the serf a goodnight and wishing her well for leading him back, he wasn't sure how much comfort he could take in the fact that his doors were now free of all traces of ink. What worried him most was what awaited him inside his room. But what more was he expecting than not to see Sindre there in his tank? He supposed he could never have trusted the creature to stay put, but he had promised he'd still be here to speak with him. And that was a naïve belief on Amanti's part, but all the same he could not blame the Mer for choosing to hurry his escape. He only wished he had stayed longer, but he wished more that Sindre had made it back to the ocean, however way he had managed to do it. Hopefully.

  Stepping into the room, he had expected to see the reminiscence of the tank shattered across the floor, water spilled everywhere, but it appeared that they had swept up the glass and mopped the floor before he came back. Silly of him. The staff here were very effective at least. He didn't know if that was meant to compensate for the strain between their Emperor and the Crown Prince. The negativity of such harsh emotions towards each other still lingered fresh in his mind. It was just wrong. 

  Making sure no one else was near his door, he closed it quietly and headed straight for the balcony. Eyes fixed on the starry night twinkling outside and ears peeled to the crashing of the waves below. He was convinced that the Mer had escaped out this way, it seemed like the only possible route for the creature. And Amanti wasn't tracking down his tracks and routes to stop him, only to make sure he had gotten to the sea alright. And maybe...well, he did want to learn about the creatures if he could, even though the Emperor had told him never to venture out near the shores, if this was the reason, then he had nothing to fear in actuality, correct? Even with Jin Wei's own attempt to scare him, he didn't believe the was any real danger to these shores.

  Very unfortunately, as he crossed over from the polished floor of his room to the rougher chiseled stone of his balcony, he found that not all the glass had been swept up. Several twinkling shards had escaped notice, lying idly in the corner of the night darkened balcony; like fallen stars becoming sharp deadly spears as they embedded themselves into the soft flesh of his heel. His eyes widened and he made a soft squeak before he went down.

  Perhaps he should've worn the sandals. Clutching his knee against his chest, the Prince inhaled as he twisted his leg to see the crystalline shard sunk halfway into his foot, deep golden liquid oozing up from around it, shining in the blackness of the night, golden before it dimmed to a silver. Running thickly down his heel until it splashed ruby red onto the floor. Dead finally. Canines digging into his lower lip, lungs filling shakily with air, he tried to still his trembling. Reaching down and drawing the shard, his brow furrowed as it slowly slid from his skin, seeming to never end. Exhaling, he crouched forward, numbing pain flaring in his foot as he set the long spearheaded shard aside. The sanguine across it turning red after it's final brilliant show of colors.

  He was not one to keep a pessimistic outlook, but he wondered what more could go wrong in one night. 

 Making do with torn cloth from his own rags, his foot dangled wrapped in it's loose bandages from over the edge of the balcony as he climbed over the railings. Lowering himself down before he could continue to second guess himself further, he took a breath as he suspended himself from the edge of the rail and let go. 

  Tumbling onto the soft sands, he rolled, trying to pull in his injured leg close to his body to avoid any further injury or open the wound any wider and split his leg open. Dressed in the rags he came here in, not wanting to ruin the careful weaved silk and satin threads provided for him, he grit his teeth at the pain running through his foot before he attempted to push himself up into a standing position. Hands and knees sinking into the soft sand. Huffing, he managed to find some denser packed land after a good deal of crawling forward. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for; tail tracks? Ah, one step at a time, first step was standing to take a step. Eventually managing to push himself up onto one leg, his minor celebration over this accomplishment was cut off short by the commotion started a little ways away. 

  Squinting, he glowed a little brighter in the dark, providing his own light as he spotted the dark figures in the distance; a hulking deformed shadow, most likely a guard adorned with bulky armor, and a smaller figure splayed across the ground beneath him. His heart skipped a beat and he tried his best to limp across the sands as fast as he could towards them. Already knowing what he suspected as he approached the small party gathering.

  "Hold! Stop! I am the Prince of the Fae!" He called out, voice partially lost to the winds as he approached the weary guard. He doubted they believed him in his rags and with his own wild version of a fast limp. He didn't care if they believed him, he just wanted them to cease their actions. Nearing them confirmed his worst fears and he legs gave out just as he reached the limp sea creature. Knees hitting the sand, he hovered over the man, filing away the fact that it was undoubtedly the same creature, only with legs this time, afraid to shift him in fear of hurting him more. Turning up to the guard, his eyes glowed brighter; the darker side of the sun seeping through, "You, bring him to a doctor! Now! Don't just stand there!"
[hr]
  The waves engulfed his form as he dived into the safety of the dark waters. Drifting along the currents, through the rocks smoothed over by centuries of erosion, he stared, watching. Infuriated. The crashing waves hollowly echoing his anger as they angrily whipped their arms across the shore, clawing forward like some gigantic beast eager to climb out of it's pit and reek havoc upon those guilty of treason. Helpless, he watched them bear down on the young Mer creature. He watched them raise their weapons even when he was already down and his blood boiled and bubbled over. Foaming, burning, dark eyes watching, thirsting for revenge. His legs flicked across the surface as he watched a second beast crawl over the sandy dunes of the shore and kneel by the child of the sea. 

 And then, the waves washed over him and those watching eyes were gone. For the moment.