King Artem sits silently, not daring to look away from Rene, one of the Council’s many representatives. She was one of the few that Artem could tolerate, considering she wasn’t terribly cruel. Rene acted as a good mediator between the royalty of the vast sea and the Council that appointed them all.

They were sitting in the throne room, with a plate of food on Artem’s lap. It was Nero’s after all and Artem had grabbed it before the staff could take it away after dinner.

Nero was awfully late.

“Just...where is your son, Artem?” Rene questions, her orange eyes only seeming to become more irate. “I don’t care much for waiting you know.”

“I cannot say where he is. I told him you were coming before he went out. Perhaps...I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“Perhaps,” she agrees. “If the rest of the Council were here, I’m sure they would’ve decided to peg him as a traitor already. Your son’s timing right now couldn’t be worse…”

“My apologies, Rene. I assure you, he’ll be here. In the meantime, just tell me what’s going on. I can only imagine it’ll be worse from your mouth than my own.”

Rene sighs, her red tail flicking back and forth in annoyance.

“Fine,” she grumbles. “As you know, in the span of only two weeks mind you, not only did Nero found out about his birth mother, but he also saved a ship full of pirates. Of course, everyone in the Glassy Sea is aware of the latter, but you specifically should’ve told us the second you suspected Nero knew about the sea witch. But what did you do, Artem? You kept your mouth shut, knowing good and well that it would only make things worse!”

“I knew the second I told you, Nero would never be able to see her again. I had to let him have some time with--”

“No! You were supposed to stop this before it got out of hand! We told you to find him a bride, a suitor, someone to keep him bound here. Someone to keep him from exploring and wandering, who could occupy his thoughts!”

“You don’t think I tried?!” Artem hisses. “But what was I supposed to do? There’s no one in the sea that hasn’t heard about him. They’re terrified of him and it isn’t even Nero’s fault!”

“You’re right,” she nods. “It’s yours and he’s paying the price. I pity him, Artem, I do. A child of mixed blood that can’t find a single ounce of endearment because his father fell in love with a witch, and he knew what she was from the start. How could you have possibly believed he’d be happy?”

“He would’ve been happy if you just would’ve listened to me,” Artem sighs. “You didn’t have to run her off, she could’ve stayed and raised him. There’s no doubt in my mind that they would’ve been so happy. I just keep imagining it. Kirin holding him and singing to him...and I would’ve sat beside her, singing with her. Their happiness was all I ever desired...and the Council stole that from me.”

For a moment, the room feels eerily quiet. Artem scans Rene’s face for any emotion but finds her expression to be blank. That was probably for the best. Artem isn’t sure how he’d react if Rene had reacted with some form of disgust.

He’s certain it wouldn’t have been pretty.

She was probably trying to figure out how Artem could come to love a sea witch and Artem could really only pity her.

There had been nothing wrong with their union.

It was simply what the old had drilled into the young.

Looking past her, Artem notices the doors of the throne room open wide. Nero rushes in quickly, shutting the door just as fast as he had entered.

He looked frantic, but Artem notices something else.

There was a curious glint in his eyes.

“Father, please forgive me,” Nero says, approaching his father nervously. “I lost track of time.”

“Lost track of time?” Rene questions him. “Are you sure you weren’t hiding?”

“N-No. Nothing of the sort. It’s good to see you, Lady Rene.”

Rene looks Nero over twice before her gaze settles back on Artem.

“Well, I guess I can finally give the Council’s verdict now that your son has arrived,” she retorts. “In light of recent events, the Council has decided to choose a suitor for the prince.”

“Wh--”

“Nero, hush,” Artem says, quickly. “What’s going on, Rene?”

“The Council wishes to restrain him by keeping Nero in the confines of Castle Lunala. He will not, under any circumstances be allowed to leave. He can’t go near the Ravine and he most certainly cannot go up to the surface. Nero has to stay put with the Mer we’ve chosen for him. Nothing else will satisfy the Council.”

“You can’t just cut me off from the rest of the world!” Nero cries. “You--”

“We can and we will. Artem, help Nero understand that the Council was ready to kill him.”

Nero falls silent, his eyes wide with terror.

“You are a threat to our society,” Rene states plainly. “Keeping you contained was the only other option that could be agreed upon. Be grateful.”

Artem watches as Nero sinks beside the throne, refusing to look either of them in the eyes. Whatever light Artem had seen when Nero arrived felt like it had been snuffed out in an instant.

If only he knew what had bestowed it upon him in the first place.

“I assure you, they’ll treat you well. Their family owes the Council a great deal. With this, they can repay us in full.”

“Which family, Rene?” Artem demands, placing an assuring hand on Nero’s head.

“The Antella Family. He’ll be married to Faris by the end of the week.”

“Rene, you can’t be serious.”

“But I am, Artem. I couldn’t be more serious.”

Artem grits his teeth, watching as Rene leaves the room, an accomplished smile on her lips. Taking a deep breath, he glances down at Nero. His son had curled up into a ball, resting against the throne.

“Faris was the first you know,” Nero says, picking up his head slightly.

“The first?”

“He was the first to ever call me a ‘monster’. Now...he’s going to be my husband. The one I’ll be stuck with for the rest of my life.”

Nero sniffles, looking up at his father with lifeless eyes. The sight makes Artem’s heart sink.

They were stealing the little piece of happiness that Nero had just caught.

“And here I was...thinking that my life was just beginning. Now, there’s nothing left for me.”