Anger

"You've found your prince!" Xiaowen announced, then he slid next to and past the guardsmen in a single stride of steps, "Now let's go home. I rather not talk about the past already."

"Y–Your Highness?" The guard crowed. His hands sheathing his sword and his head spinning with enough deftness that a dragonfly would've been impressed with his movements. "Where were you? You're injured! We have medicinal pills that we can give to you– Your Highness?"

"I said 'Let's go home.' Didn't you hear?" Xiaowen took another wide stride and found himself in front of the other guardsmen. His eyes landed upon the women momentarily before sizing up the young man.

A bit shorter than Xiaowen but perhaps a bit sharper than him. Iron-like arms. With a short look that looked on the edge of becoming a temporary scowl. But, Oh, but he has to be respectful to the 2nd prince now doesn't he?

Xiaowen gave a smug grin.

"Did you perhaps want to parade me around the streets momentarily? How I imagine that would go down." Xiaowen spoke to the sharp man. Yet, leaned in closer expecting the young man like he was an animal. "Oh. Oh. Look here. Look here. The bloodied 2nd prince. Returned from the pits up the dump, where garbage and your own shit and piss has graced his royal visage."

Xiaowen erupted in uproarious laughter "Wouldn't that be amusing?" Xiaowen raised his fox-like brow. A smile playfully tantalizing the corners of his lips.

The guardsmen stood still. The young man's eyes narrowed– No, they played on the lines of becoming narrow but open enough to show the uncontained disgust that now spread rampant across his face.

Xiaowen looked around momentarily, "At least award me with a pity laugh." He frowned seeing that no one answered him.

"We wouldn't dare…" The sharp tail guardsmen spoke with enough grace to straighten the back of Xiaowen.

Xiaowen scoffed, "Send me home. I don't want to spend another bloody second in the slums."

…

With clasped hands behind his back and a regal outlook to his uncanny disposition. Xiaowen had the guardsmen escort him back to the palace. A pleasant time for the many onlookers, for some it was the surprising sight to see their prince walk back covered by blood, others for some reason looked upon the sight with a pleasant reluctant grin.

The alleys still looked the same and he could see the one or two rats that peered through wooden crates..

The streets unlike the alleyway though were perhaps more of a pleasant veil to the poverty the prince had seen. Only glimpses of their poor visage remained, yet it still was more relevant than before.

Flowers and stalls lined the streets, accompanied by dazzling houses that wished to climb higher into the sky but were limited by the cruel fate of materials they could afford.

As if there was a little precession of neatly formed uniformed houses that lined block after block each veiling the curious hind of the bores and the pigs that sweltered in their own filth.

Xiaowen could already guess the riches' whereabouts by the distant structures that lined above the houses peaks and cascaded a glow of untold darkness and wretched money certainly gained by ill.

All in all. It was a nice kingdom.

Upon reaching the inner city walls. Xiaowen was greeted by two guardsmen and what he assumed to be their leader.

A man with a long beard that ran down his chest. He wore fitted long scale armor that made him stand like a mountain among them all. A grizzly long saber was wrapped around his back and its metallic handle peered over his shoulder.

Xiaowen could easily recognize the mountain. Da Yun, memories and images of him usually with his back turned were rooted in his mind.

The previous owner got along well with Da Yun before the death of his mother and then his fiancee breaking his marriage alliance with him.

Da Yun studied each member of the group that came before him. Then focused on Xiaowen and the brows of his eyes jolted forward, nearly leaping off of his face, "2nd Prince?!" He cried.

The mountain's hands seized his shoulders and shook him, "Whose blood is on your face? Did you finally snap?"

Xiaowen cocked his head like a parrot and as the words poured out of his mouth his eyes retreated and were replaced by the arrogant young master Xiaowen had replaced.

"The blood belongs to me." Xiaowen shoved the giant away with a soft push.

The giant followed along with the action, his foot retreating and his eyes searching the prince, "Yours yet you're already healed?"

"Such a mystery." Xiaowen shrugged his shoulders, "How goes the search for the 2nd prince."

The giant's lips curled followed by giving a weighty pat on xiaowens back, "Ha!" He chuckled and announced, "Your search party is held by the wellness of the greatest guardsmen. The kingdom has spared no resources in searching for your whereabouts."

"What a joke." Xiaowen gave a light hearted chuckle. His hands resting upon his hips as he took a cautionary glance toward the guardsmen swarming behind the gates.

"That's what the king has announced." The giant gave passage to Xiaowen, "You're the second prince. It'd look bad if he didn't at least say something about your disappearance."

"I'm sure. " Xiaowen passed the giant and swept himself along the guardsmen.

The sidelong glances that he received veered the statement into the ground. A couple dozen– perhaps, everyone within the castle would've looked upon the princes' death with upturned eyes and celebration.

His memories unveiled the bitter truth of the matter. His brothers were highly effective in roping the leaders of the guards into their schemes and better graces more so than a cruel 2nd prince that hadn't trained for his position unlike his brothers.

If anyone were to join his cause he believed it would've been Da Yun, However, that would be foolish to think. Da Yun may have been Xiaowen's friend but he would never die for him.

"Where are my brothers?" Xiaowen watched the guardsmen marshal themselves from one side of the inner city walls to the other.

"They're doing their thing." Da Yun spoke, "I've heard that your eldest has become an even bigger monk. Not a single woman enters his chambers nowadays and everyone is speaking of him possibly never taking a girl despite being in his twenties."

"Are women the only thing you think about?" Xiaowen shuffled his hands behind his back, "That doesn't stop him from vying for the throne or inheriting."

Da Yun chuckled, "It's funny you say that. I've heard what everyone says, but the rumors have been a little bit more interesting than that."

"How so?" Xiaowen asked.

"Your fiance may have thoughts of marrying into the royal family." Da Yun carefully observed his expression. "Your ex fiancee I mean."

"With my older brother?" Da Yun asked nonchalantly.

"Yes. with your elder brother." He gave them a long stare, "You don't seem bothered."

"You want me to get angry?" Da Yun asked with a slight smirk.

Da Yun gave him a long stare as if he didn't recognize Xiaowen.

"I am angry." Xiaowen admitted, "I am very very angry."

Xiaowen left it at that and reached the palace gates. His shadow twisted grew bat-like wings, as his pupils began a gravely dance that spanned the entire palace grounds to the insignificant ant that made their way across to placate their queen.