QT: Gilded Waters

6: Curiosity

Deidre was bored. The candy Shen had given her was dissolved in the pool, and she was tired of the many questions Shen bombarded her with.

Tired of shaking her head up and down for yes and sideways for no, she'd eventually moved to sticking her clawed finger up or down for the questions Shen asked her. Her forehead felt cool pressed against the marble as she laid her head down.

Yaaw~n. And Deidre was sleepy too. But she still answered Shen's many questions, waving her hand to skip the ones she couldn't answer.

All in the hopes that he would give her some more candy. But it was all for naught. It was past noon when Deidre first arrived here, and now the sun was beginning to set, illuminating her tail in shades of rippling silver and gold.

"Ru Shi, can you come out of the pool? I want to measure the length of your tail."

Shen was shameless in asking her this favor. Other mages would think him overly considerate in requesting a subject's cooperation. Crazy, even. The common logic in the Empire was that a research subject was a research subject. It was the magician's right, in their search for knowledge, to use their power to take what they wanted.

If it was any other magician other than Shen, they would have already manhandled the mermaid into a cage and run tests on her. Cruel tests to determine the strength and durability of a mermaid, against fire, steel, poison, and whatever else they could come up with.

Puffing up her cheeks, the beautiful mermaid shakes her head, dark hair swirling behind her in the water.

Shen was still busy writing away using his calligraphy brush with the results from his previous questions, and doesn't notice her refusal.

"Ru Shi?" Not hearing her move, he looks up from the paper he'd been writing on, natural sharp eyes focusing on her.

Deidre sticks her tongue out at him. Her tail twitches as she begins to get tired of this place.

"I'm sorry Ru Shi, I don't have any more sugar paintings. I would give one to you if I did" Shen shows her his empty palms.

If she had feet she would have stamped her foot. The excitement of being in a new place had worn off after a few hours of testing. Deidre wanted to go back to the sea.

Lifting her head up, she gazes at the gardens surrounding her pool.

But all around her, the petite mermaid could only see the garden and it's walls. There were no doors to speak of, except for the decorative moon gates that lead to down more garden paths. Pointing to one of these paths, Deidre points to herself and slaps her tail against the water.

This. Mermaid. Is. Leaving.

With each punctuated thought, she points with emphasis to herself and then the path.

Deidre out.

Wading to the other side of the pool away from Shen, Deidre looks around for some sort of source of water to this pool. Maybe it would lead to some other body of water. Like a river! Most rivers led to the ocean, so Deidre should be able to make it once she found one.

"Ru Shi"

Deidre ignored him, running her fingers against the walls of the pool.