It was as if his mother was set on embarrassing him, as if he had done something so drastically wrong as to deserve the humiliation! His ears reared back atop his skull as his eyes squeezed shut in what could only have been an obligatory gesture to shield himself from the prying, watchful eyes of others. In fact, with only one eye open, Amaris peered out at the guests rumbling around them—certain he could catch at least one of their judging stares thrown their way.

However, he hadn’t caught any, yet, but he was certain they were out there. Loose, his mother had said, loudly and defiantly—surely someone had to have heard, wanted to see who exactly had been invited to the party with such a vocabulary, surely—

His mother bumped into him, a shoulder that nearly sent his paws stumbling forward and his silhouette swaying to the side in his own distraction. But he caught himself, despite it all, as he threw a bewildered stare in her general direction. She went on about love, but Amaris was still regaining his composure from the force of her shove when a shadow seemed to form around them, and a foreign voice filled the space between them.

Slowly, he looked toward his side.

Standing before them—eavesdropping on their conversation—was the Emperor himself. Tall, imposing, and with a voice that did no favors in making his presence any less intimidating. Amaris’ own gaze grew wide as he stared, bewildered and paralyzed, until his mother’s motions somehow saved him from his own paralysis.

She dipped her chin in a bow, reminding the silver Moon that he too should bow. But when their movements were unsynchronized, Valeska moving first, Amaris following in second, and when his mother’s chin clipped against his side, it left his own bow wobbly and unstable. A total mess of a greeting, as a bashful grin spread across his lips—he couldn’t control it, as his heart began to hammer in his chest.

But it was Valeska’s quick thinking that attempted to save the pair of them from total and complete humiliation. Her words, confident and said with an ease Amaris did not currently have, as his gaze flickered from his mother to the Emperor and back again.

At the very least, the foreign king—emperor—did not seem…angry.

That was a good thing, right?

And all seemed well for the moment—he asked for their names, and Valeska happily obliged. But wait—what was she doing? Amaris’ gaze snapped toward hers as she spoke of their pack’s origin, as if this foreign Emperor cared for the story of their beginning and retirement?! No one cared to know of his parents’ desire to be wrapped in each other’s arms for the rest of their lives—

Amaris had thought his pointed glance might steer his mother back onto the proper, diplomatic path she had been trying to teach him—but when she said she'd invited another pack to this man’s wedding, Amaris all but wilted. He didn’t need to know that; in fact, would it have been better for this foreign emperor to NOT know that?

Especially considering how loud they all were.

Amaris wanted to melt into a puddle and disintegrate into the ground—but when his mother hissed, with a smile plastered across her face, in his ear, Amaris did his best to bring out his cheesiest (classiest) smile.

The more the merrier, right? He said in jest, an awkward chuckle escaping his lips as he cleared his throat and straightened his back.

Maybe it was best not to joke with royal families he did not know.

My, uh, my name is Amaris, sir—Emperor…Shenlei.

Fuck.

His golden gaze rested atop the man’s own, as he tried to save himself from his own embarrassment. This has been a lovely celebration you have put together, and congratulations are in order to you and your new wife. He tried to recover.

And your home, it is very warm, he added after a beat, very beautiful and hot—our mountains don’t get this warm, you see. He awkwardly cleared his throat before finishing quickly: It’s very nice, and then, because the Five knew he could not help himself, Amaris tried to joke again.

Thank you for not running us out of here!

So much for the future leader of Elysium.