Yù bù zhuó, bù chéng qì. [A jade that is never carved will never be of use.]

"Oh...You, found me. I suppose it isn't often that one as you, can stare uninterruptedly at one as I." Zǐxuān's voice echoed through the halls, bouncing against the mirrors of the man's chambers. He tilted his head slightly to the side, golden eyes flicking to look upon his tutor at his doorway. Delicate porcelain hands artfully played with an intricate hairpin, the perfect image of elegance and beauty, uncontested by any other. With long locks of hair like lilac spun silk, adorned in the finest silver and pearls with a face that made servants faint, he certainly believed so.

The image was ruined a little by the fact that his tutor had been looking for him after he'd made a, tactical retreat when he failed to hit bullseye this morning, lithe physique leaving the second prince weaker then his three brothers. His eyes flicked away, hands moving to brush through his own hair in an almost self soothing manner. Zǐxuān could admit, haughty as he might be, that of course he had, faults. A pearl was beautiful in it's lustre, yet rarely perfectly round organically. It was just that he hated standing face to face with his problems, with what he lacked. It cracked a blow to his admittedly fragile pride. Servants whispered he was shallow, vapid, immature, childish in the way he ran away from his problems. His younger brother in an argument had once told him his name suited him, that he was just like an ornamental jade. Pretty but ultimately useless.

And every time he faced an issue, a hiccup, those same sentiments wrapped around his throat, choking. By the time he breathed, he'd stormed out of whatever situation had led to the mistake, coming to his room to sulk and hide away. Like today. His eyes furrowed with frustration when he felt that his new tutor was still there. How humiliating.

"What do you want? Come to drag me back? I don't want to." He knew his tone was whiny, of how unbecoming it was. He was too busy brooding to care.