The Mer Prince

Chapter 24

Saline's POV (Ooh la la)

The unscrupulous buffoon that the recovered prince had been put with is going to get a royal earful from the king upon our arrival for his improper behavior, if he's not beheaded first! Having the royal body covered in such immodest clothes- how shameful!- and to have a collar of such symbolism around the next king's neck! That's unforgivable! To top it off, he was touching the prince's person almost the entirety of the time I have been aquatinted with him! The scoundrel is probably touching him right now behind me! By the time I tell the king of these lewd acts, he'll have to send the blue-fin back to where he belongs: far far away, outside the reef, past the drop off or in it.

I was raised a proper gentleman for the sole reason of being a coordinator and statesman for the crown, while the blue disgrace was a smudge on all aquatic beings and somehow managed to be entrusted with royalty over all the possible bodyguards and discreet security ambassadors. He was a blood spiller and a head hunter, who emphasized on dead instead of alive. Not the adequate man for the task of protection whatsoever!

Then again, the fact that the prince was a disgrace, orange-tailed and small, was a reason for someone with a sort of viciousness to watch over him. This didn't justify XY though. It didn't justify his actions or the prince's attire for certain!

I glanced towards them over my shoulder to find the prince holding onto the assassin's hand, looking around while the blue-tail watched him with a almost relaxed face, before looking towards me. Our gazes met and we shared an equal amount of hate between us. I believe I've met this man before? Or maybe one of my nine siblings has encountered him and ranted? Either way there's something about him that's even more distasteful than just his current infractions.

Once we approached the grand castle, the prince gawked less and drifted closer to XY, and I signaled to the guard by the entrance we were passing through with a wave and flick of tail. The prince wouldn't have to worry here, it was the assassin who needed to be kept in line, and by the way he became a perfect-statured man within the gates; he knew it. Hopefully he'd realize the prince's proximity with him wasn't favorable.

Up the stairs and heading into the throne room, it was apparent the only thing that was not budging in respect for the royal family was the prince from the assassin's arm, which he was now holding onto like a skank in a ball. Except instead of a ball, this was the throne room of the little orange tail's father. The King himself. I could hardly imagine his reaction to his son's ridiculous behavior and clinging.

My king himself was sitting upon his throne when we entered. "Charley, come here." He said clearly as we entered his sights, the prince shrinking back slightly behind his broad-shouldered protector.

Oddly enough, the prince was easily coaxed to move as the assassin looked at him and put a hand over the small one on his shoulder. The king showed little indifference to this act as the small brunet moved around and towards his father.

This hesitation perplexed me. The Royal son, orange-tail he may be, reluctant to go and interact with his real parent? Shouldn't any child be grateful and relieved to see their real parent after being raised in the improper place for so long, and to be found out as royal blood?

The king took Charles's face in a hand, and a glance towards the assassin told me the man would have followed the prince up immediately if all the guards weren't directing their gazes towards him. He was the most liable threat in the room, and was overly friendly with his interactions with the prince, and with his rigid appearance at the King's slow examination of his son's face, every guard was alert and prepared to tackle.

"Saline." The King said, letting go of the prince's face, the boy looking prepared to faint. "What do you think of my son?"

I was surprised at the question aimed towards me. "I believe he is...." I searched for a word or phrase to describe the prince. "Quite reserved from his people, as I've observed so far." I say. "He's new to everything, and I doubt he knows much more than a guppy about our society."

"Hmm." Even the noble king's thoughtful hums where heard about the throne room. "Tell me Saline, what do you think of the assassin?"

I glanced towards the confused looking XY. I suppose if I was getting my chance to be a critic for royalty.... "XY seems out of bounds with the prince, or it is vise versa, but he seems to be an effective guard. I'm not sure why he was placed with the prince but I do not believe it was a good idea, he's an assassin and not from our lands." My words seemed to be getting the blue-fin worked up as he looked towards me coldly, and I continued on. "He seems to have no disregard for the prince's personal space and seemed to be in it the entirety of the swim here." I informed him.

The prince cast a worried and almost betrayed glance my way which made me almost regret my words. His father turned his face back towards him and inspected his son with a new keen interest. "Do you like the man who's brought you here? Your bodyguard, even though he is an assassin?" The King asked.

The prince immediately nodded, vigorously at that, apparently quite loyal to the scarred blue-fin. The King's face was unreadable for a moment.

"Answer me this, my assassin XY;" The King said, looking towards the man. "did you kiss my son?"