The Wars God Favorites

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 1​

The First Day of the Red Moon Festival.

The streets of the Capital were crowded with people from all over the country, as they all gathered near

the Palace to celebrate. For the Dragon Empire, the Red Moon Festival was one of the biggest

celebrations of the year, held to flaunt its power and wealth to the neighboring kingdoms. Every wealthy

person in the country waited for this day, so they could display their riches, and those who weren’t as

prosperous found creative ways to appear to be. Warriors in shiny armor, officials in pretty carriages,

women dripping in lavish jewelry, and even children in their best attire. If one had any assets, he was to

proudly display them, or else, hide in shame. For in the Dragon Empire, money and possessions meant

power and power was everything.

In the middle of the crowd were those no one noticed, those no one cared for, following their masters

with their eyes glued to the ground. Slaves.

Lines of slaves followed the processions of their masters in pitiful silence. Walking like shadows, the

only sounds that could be heard were the clanking of their chains and shackles with each step they

took. Among them, one young slave woman’s eyes were not downcast like the rest. Hers were fixated

on the blinding gold of the Palace roof.

The Palace. Earth’s very own piece of Heaven. And while the people of the Capital may have been rich

and powerful, there was a higher power above them all; the Emperor. Sovereign to all, the Emperor

was the almighty, considered a living deity among mortals. With unrivaled power, he governed the

country with an iron fist. No matter what, his word was law. The Emperor never wanted for anything, as

everything in the country was his already. He was loved, and worshiped by his people, but most

importantly they knew to fear him. And on this Red Moon Festival, the Holy Gates of the Imperial

Palace would be opened to those deemed worthy.

A Palace envoy had gone out ten days earlier to deliver the coveted red envelopes; an invitation that

any man would kill for.

The slave girl had watched her master hope and pray for this letter to arrive at his door. He was a

Senior Minister, but even his seat at the court could not be guaranteed. He was so stressed that he had

been treating his household even worse than usual; his concubines, his servants, and especially his

slaves. The girl had a fresh lesion on her back, attesting to his restlessness. Even now, she could still

feel the stinging burn of the whip.

Finally, the letter had come. So on the first day of the Red Moon Festival, the old Minister was headed

to the Palace in an expensive-looking carriage escorted by his entourage. Seven of his favorite

concubines followed in their own carriages, accompanied by their attendants, while twenty slaves

walked behind them.

The young female didn’t care for all the festivities around her. They walked past delicious smelling food

stalls that awoke the painfully empty stomachs of the slaves. Hers was empty too, but it hardly

bothered her. She was used to the dull ache of prolonged hunger. She ignored the shops, the food,

even the common people admiring their procession, and continued walking.

As usual, the Minister was welcomed to the Palace. He casually discussed the upcoming events of the

festival with his peers and showed off his young and beautiful concubines. For the commoners who

could not enter the Palace, the festival was celebrated with grand parties held at the houses of the

wealthy, and street shows and fairs. But for the chosen ones, many spectacular events and shows

were to be displayed in the Palace’s Grand Arena. The large plaza, built like a Colosseum, was big

enough to seat a few thousand people. A portion of it had been cordoned off from the rest; a special

box, facing south, was richly and lavishly decorated, waiting to welcome the Emperor, his family, and

their attendants.

The slave girl had only heard rumors about what takes place in the large arena. Heavenly dances,

chariot races, warrior fights, displays of mythical and bizarre creatures, elite performers… Anything that

could not be witnessed by commoners was to be displayed for the Emperor and the most honorable

guests of the Palace during the seven days of the festival.

For the first three days, she followed her master, attending to one of his concubines as usual. She

didn’t witness any of the shows, staying in the chambers to clean and await orders, speaking to no one.

On the fourth day, the Minister’s concubine suddenly sent her to be locked in a cold cage filled with

other slaves. They were simply told that they had been taken from their masters to be given as

offerings to the Emperor. The young woman stayed there for three more days, with no idea what was

coming next. On the morning of the seventh day, all of the guests waited with bated breath. The last

day of the festival was the only day where, along with the Emperor, all six Dragon Princes had to be

present. For anyone attending the event, this was the sole opportunity each year to witness the whole

Imperial Family together, as not all of the Princes lived in the Palace the rest of the year.

No one knew which one of these young men would succeed the Emperor. He was rumored to have his

favorites, but had yet to name an official heir. From the firstborn to the youngest, any one of the Princes

could one day rule the Empire. Choosing which Prince to support and please was the most difficult

decision for the aristocracy to make. Fear of backing the wrong Prince and losing their position was

always present.

The seventh day held great importance, for it was also the only day of the festival where the guests

could see all of the Imperial dragons. The sacred beasts were feared by all, the very epitome of the

power held by the Dragon Empire. Though the Emperor’s Golden Dragon could be seen occasionally

in the Palace, every guest was waiting for the astonishing sight of all the Imperial Dragons gathered in

one place.

They started arriving, one by one, in the Grand Arena, each Prince was accompanied by his dragon.

Three of them came from the sky, flying their magnificent beasts. The remaining Princes entered the

arena by foot, their dragons following close behind them. The sight of the enormous, scaled creatures

frightened most of the crowd, yet they could not bear to take their eyes off of them. Each dragon was at

least eight times the size of a man, up to twelve or thirteen times for the largest of them. Two of the

dragons were brought in cages, while the others were chained or muzzled. For each of these dragons,

three to ten servants came to guard them, but the last dragon was led completely free and unattended.

He wore only a chain collar around his neck and he followed his master closely like an obedient dog.

Leaving them in the center of the arena, the Princes, one after another, took their seats, all aligned on a

broad platform beneath the Emperor’s throne.

As the crowd chatted about the six beautiful creatures displayed in the arena, some of the Emperor’s

sons joined the conversations as well. The Fifth Prince was bragging about how he had fallen for a

minister’s concubine the previous day, and had eventually beheaded the old man so he could have

them all.

“How many did you get in the end, brother?” asked the Second Prince with a sneer.

“Seven. But I don’t need that many… I will only take the most beautiful of them!”

“How generous of you…” muttered the Fourth Prince, looking bored.

“How about you leave some beauties for our third brother?” the Second Prince jested. “He has yet to

take any women in.”

“Not all of us need that much company, brother,” grumbled the youngest Prince in defence of his

brother.

They all waited to hear their third brother’s response, but were greeted with silence. He was the one

who had arrived upon the unrestrained dragon. The enormous beast obediently stood still and the

Prince’s obsidian eyes were set on the arena, ignoring his siblings completely. His brothers stopped

chatting and followed his gaze.

A hundred feet beneath them, a young man was introducing the upcoming show, the first of the day: an

offering to the Imperial Dragons. Behind him, a large group of people were waiting to be sacrificed,

surrounded by armed men. Any time one of them dared to cry out, the guards would lash out and whip

them, cutting deep into their flesh. So the group remained silent. They were all condemned to death.

Criminals, war prisoners, and slaves – each of them were condemned to die that day. Some of the

slaves present formerly belonged to an old Minister. As their master had died, the people of the Palace

had just decided to get rid of them, along with the other slaves that had been offered as tributes.

Among them was the young slave girl with emerald-green eyes. She had just turned seventeen this

past winter, but had the manner and charms of a woman. She was a diamond amongst charcoal, Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

beautiful despite the dust and grime covering her. Under the layer of dirt, she had very pale skin and

was so thin that her bones were clearly defined and protruding beneath her dress. Her long, disheveled

hair fell from her shoulders to her hips, like a waterfall. Her face was beautiful, diamond-shaped with a

small nose and thin cheeks. Her lips had taken on a light pink shade due to the cold, which had also

left her shivering. Her temple was sporting a cut crusted with dried blood and surrounded by fresh

bruising. A remnant from a guard who had struck her earlier while pushing them into the arena.

Chapter 2​

Amongst the terrified crowd, Cassandra alone remained completely calm and silent. Everyone else

around her was trembling with fear, trying to avoid the gazes of the enormous dragons. The six beasts

surrounding them were obviously intrigued by the large group, and two of them were already

ferociously growling.

It was a common and eagerly anticipated spectacle called “The Offering”. The public waited

enthusiastically to see the gruesome display as the six dragons would maul and kill people. None of

them were even given a weapon to defend themselves because the beasts were considered as sacred

as their masters. They were here to die in the most horrendous way possible, and solely for the

entertainment of the Dragon Empire’s finest subjects.

They all knew it. Some had tried to escape their fate and were killed on the spot. Those who remained

were terrified, but they had no choice. How could they hope to survive this? The arena was fully

enclosed and the lowest stairs still stood about thirty feet above them. Any second now, six winged

monsters would hunt them down, even though one alone would have been enough to wipe them all

out.

Someone from the Palace was announcing the upcoming entertainment, showering the Imperial

Princes and their beasts with praise, pausing from time-to-time to let the crowd applaud and cheer

loudly.

Yet, Cassandra could not hear a word he spoke. Too many people around her were crying or

desperately praying. Most had their eyes on the dragons, wondering if they had any chance of escape.

Some girls were even glancing up in the Princes’ direction, hoping one might be enticed by their looks

and save them.

In contrast to the hopeless despair around her, Cassandra was looking calmly towards the vast sky. It

was a sunny morning with few clouds, but it was extremely cold. All she wore was an old shredded

dress and chains showcasing her enslavement, but she didn’t really care. Wasn’t she about to die

soon, anyway? Who would care about comfort or clothes now? Death was standing less than ten feet Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.

away, watching with six pairs of hungry eyes. All Cassandra wanted was for this massacre to end

quickly.

Years of servitude had left her with no room for hope in her heart. The Minister was a cruel and violent

man, and she had seen and suffered much worse before him too. Cassandra had been a slave for half

of her life, witnessing more cruelty, hardship, and death than a girl her age should. Even now, the tight

cuffs around her wrists were leaving her in pain. She envied the dead who were free from all the

torment and suffering. Thankfully, soon, she would join them.

Her eyes came down to contemplate one of the beasts. The large, unchained dragon was the calmest

of them all. As she was not scared, Cassandra couldn’t help but think that it was truly a beautiful

creature. This one had completely jet black scales that shone like diamonds, and crimson-colored

eyes. Unlike its restless peers, this beast stood still, nonchalantly looking around. It did not care about

the scared humans close by or the loud audience. The magnificent dragon seemed to sense her gaze,

because he turned his huge head towards the group, and his eyes wandered until they found hers.

They both calmly studied each other, mesmerized by one another. She, a weak human, and it, a

powerful beast that was meant to take her life.

The exchange caught the attention of someone else. From his seat, the Third Prince took a while to

find what his dragon was observing so intensely. After a few minutes, he finally found the skinny figure

among the crowd, and watched her too, intrigued. The young woman appeared to be very frail, pale,

and scrawny. She wore a ragged dress, her long hair a tangled mess, and chains binding her neck and

wrists.

His fingers started slowly caressing the pommel of his sword. There was something intriguing about

this woman that made it impossible for him to take his eyes off her, though he couldn’t name what it

was. It would be foolish of him anyways. That slave was about to die. So he averted his eyes and let go

of any further thoughts of the woman.

Soon, the speech came to an end and the speaker left the arena. Some of the slaves started

screaming in fear as the guards left them too. The dragons’ cages were opened, though three of them

were still chained and their movements restrained. Hell was unleashed in the arena, and the crowd

went wild.

The massacre had started. Slaves started running, trying to avoid the predators. But, one by one, they

were pinned to the ground by gigantic claws or torn apart by enormous fangs. The dragons were not

even bothering to eat the humans. They just played with them, chasing the living and fighting over the

bodies. Blood and screams flew through the air as five of the gigantic beasts massacred their prey. The

carnage went on for a few more minutes before anyone noticed that something was amiss. One of the

dragons wasn’t acting like its peers.

The darkest beast was walking very calmly towards a lone slave. That woman, too, was acting peculiar.

Unlike the other slaves, she wasn’t screaming, running around, or showing any signs of fear. No, the

young woman was standing very still on the sand, her eyes focused on the large dragon that was

slowly approaching. But the beast showed no hostility towards her, nor did it seem eager to attack.

With few remaining slaves still alive, the other dragons started to settle down or bicker between

themselves. Thus, most of the crowd’s attention was drawn to the strange duo. Whispers started to

grow in the arena. How was that woman still alive? Why wouldn’t the dragons attack and kill her like the

other slaves? Everyone in the arena held their breath, waiting to see what the Black Dragon would do.

A hundred feet above, the six Princes were also watching the scene unfold with great interest. Their

reactions to this unprecedented event varied. The Fifth and Sixth Princes were wondering how this

woman escaped the beasts’ wrath. The Second Prince was annoyed.

“Why won’t they kill her?! Stop playing and finish that woman! Brother, have your dragon kill her!”

The Third Prince ignored him, his eyes fixed on his beast. He was staring intensely, waiting to see what

his dragon would do.

The reason the others didn’t attack was evident to him. That woman showed no fear, no sign of panic.

To the dragons, she wasn’t some prey to kill, maybe just a guard that had been left there. After all, this

‘hunt’ was just a game, why would they pursue a human that didn’t play? There was no reason for them

to care about that woman.

Only the Black Dragon showed any interest in the slave girl. Almost everyone in the audience thought it

would finally kill her as it slowly approached, but once it was close to the young woman, it became

obvious that they were mistaken. Far from attacking her, the dragon was visibly curious and stretched

its head out to sniff her. The young woman barely reacted, she just continued to observe him as well.

What was going on? People were waiting, eager to see if this slave was going to be killed or not. The

prior massacre had been completely forgotten; what was happening now was far more interesting.

After a few more minutes, the dragon suddenly laid down, curling up around the woman like an

obedient pet. The stunned crowd started whispering, a wave of shocked voices growing louder within

seconds. Surprise at the exchange was evident among all the Princes. The Second Prince was, more

than anything, infuriated.

“That woman is a witch! Let’s kill her right now!” he yelled.

“How interesting… I have never seen anyone survive The Offering before, but to think this frail woman

would be able to stand next to the dragons…” said the First Prince.

“Enough! Brother! Order your dragon to-”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was left frozen by the Third Prince’s ice-cold glare. The dark

eyes scared him so much that he almost choked on his own words and quickly averted his eyes. The

youngest prince chuckled.

“How bold of you, Brother Vrehan! Assuming you could actually give orders to the War God…”

He was absolutely right, but that only made the Second Prince flush red with anger. It was a well-

known fact throughout the entire empire that out of the six Princes, the third-born was the best dragon-

tamer.

Third Prince Kairen, whose perfect partnership with his black beast had allowed him to win many

victories in the East for the Emperor as a General, and had earned himself the title of War God. There

was no man stronger in the entire Dragon Empire, and certainly no man that could give him orders.

Even the Emperor favored him greatly as the prodigal son. That was not the case for the Second

Prince, and so he chose to remain silent. The First Prince Sephir, ignoring the short-lived dispute, was

still observing the strange duo below.

“A witch…hmm… Whoever she is, brother, it appears your dragon is indeed under her spell. How

interesting…”

He turned to observe his brother’s reaction, but much to his surprise, the War God’s eyes were already

back to the arena. Kairen was contemplating over the woman who had subdued his dragon so easily.

His fingers were still dancing on his sword. The Fifth Prince, Lephys, noticed it too.

“Brother Kairen, it seems like the dragon isn’t the only one entranced. Could it be that the woman has

also captured your attention? Judging from here, she isn’t too ugly for a slave, is she?”

“Isn’t this the first time our brother is showing any interest in a woman?” the youngest brother, Prince

Anour, asked excitedly.

“Correct, Anour. Brother Kairen barely acknowledged any of the women he has been sent in the past.

Well…other than to kill them,” whispered Prince Lephys.

“What do you say, Kairen? Should we ask Father to spare this slave?” asked the First Prince, Sephir.

The Third Prince didn’t answer. Instead, he stood up, his eyes still fixed on the arena. He was a very

tall man, with tan skin, and large shoulders. A number of people in the audience looked his way,

noticing that one of the Princes was standing. But he didn’t care. The Black Dragon, still curled up

around the woman, reacted to its master’s stare. Suddenly raising its chin in his direction, the beast

growled loudly and stood up. Reacting to it, the other five dragons started growling too, but none of

them dared to approach.

Cassandra, standing next to him, wondered what was going on. Was its master ordering the dragon to

hurry up and kill her? She had no idea how they communicated, but it was evident that the dragon and

its master were having a wordless conversation. All of sudden, the dragon turned to her and spread its

black wings. In a split second, its large maw suddenly plunged in her direction, taking the chains that

bound her into its mouth. Cassandra gasped in surprise. The dragon suddenly took off towards the

skies, carrying her by her chains, rising higher from the ground and forcing her body to contort into a

painful position from the pressure on her neck and wrists.

Thankfully, it only lasted a few seconds. She saw the arena move under her as she was quickly

brought to a large stone platform. Some people in the audience screamed in horror, but the beast

simply placed Cassandra there, releasing her gently to her knees.

The young woman painfully caught her breath before realizing where she was. The Imperial Family’s

platform! Still feeling the Black Dragon’s hot breath close behind her, she conscientiously raised her

head, only to discover a man was standing directly in front of her.



Chapter 3 The Third Prince Kairen

He was tall, and his bare torso was covered by a large, black fur cloak. He was obviously a warrior.

Two large swords were attached to his belt, and out of all the Princes, he was the only one wearing

barely any jewelry, and the least expensive fabrics. Instead, he simply wore black leather pants, large

boots, and dragon scale bracers on his forearms.

At this man’s feet, Cassandra appeared extremely vulnerable. Realizing that he was a member of the

Imperial Family, she immediately averted her eyes. Why was she brought there? Would he kill her

himself? Had she somehow offended the Royal Family?

“She is indeed quite pretty…” whispered one of the Princes.

“Brother, what do you want to do? Shall we get rid of her?”

“Just keep her, Kairen. You could use a few more slaves anyway.”

She shivered. Prince Kairen, as in the Third Prince, the Empire’s War God? Of all people, it had to be

the most terrifying Prince! She bowed even lower, ready for a blade to slice her at any moment. But

what were the Princes talking about?

A long and scary silence ensued. She waited, becoming more confused with each passing second, but

it didn’t seem like anyone was planning to kill her. What was going on?

“Alright, enough. Let’s move on with the next performance before I get bored. Brother, you’ll do

whatever you want with her later. Who cares about a slave anyway.”

The First Prince clapped his hands, and down in the arena, servants rushed to clean the bloodied sand

on the grounds and prepare for the next show.

Cassandra was still frozen, kneeling at the Prince’s feet. She knew she absolutely must not raise her

head in front of the Imperial Family, but the Third Prince still hadn’t moved. All of a sudden, a loud

growl took her by surprise, and she turned her head, just slightly, to see the Black Dragon still behind

her. It was close enough to envelop her in huffs of hot breath and for her to see its large fangs.

Suddenly, she heard the hiss of a blade. Before she could even move, the sword plunged towards her,

and she prepared for the worst, closing her eyes. The manacles fell with a clang and her wrists no

longer felt so heavy. He had severed the chain from her back! Cassandra slowly moved to look at her

wrists. The iron bands were still around her neck and wrists, but they were no longer held painfully

together from her back. Her arms were now free to move as she pleased.

Her relief was short-lived though as he suddenly grabbed her collar, pulling her to his side. She didn’t

have time to struggle, as he roughly dragged her to his seat. Cassandra was shocked to be placed

against his golden chair, but even more surprised to see him simply sit without adding a word. She was

on her knees at his feet, her shoulder against the throne, but the Prince didn’t even look at her,

focusing back on the arena again.

What was all that? He had placed her facing the arena so she couldn’t even sneak a glance up at him.

She was completely shocked and at a loss. Looking around, she realized she was the only slave on theProperty © NôvelDrama.Org.

platform. Aside from the Princes, only some palace attendants stood behind the seats, like statues,

with no one paying her any more attention.

Cassandra was breathing erratically, and trying to understand her current situation. Suddenly, she felt

warmth covering her shoulders. Surprised, she glanced to the side, only to realize that it was a part of

the Prince’s large coat! Did he purposely move it so that it would cover her, too? Or was it mere luck?

Her bare shoulders were now covered by the thick fur, shielding her from the wind and bitter cold.

“What is coming next?” One of the Princes suddenly asked.

“Dancers! I heard this group came from across the North Sea!”

It seemed like they had all forgotten the macabre show that had occurred just mere minutes ago.

Cassandra kept her head low, silently praying they would ignore her for the rest of the day. As she

knelt, frozen in place, she felt a hand caress her hair without warning. It took her a few seconds to

realize, as the fingers that gently played with her long waves were so light she barely felt them. For a

minute, she was dumbstruck, wondering if she was dreaming. No one but the Third Prince was close

enough to be able to reach and touch her. His large hand slowly stroked her hair, almost touching her

back. She could feel his warm skin flirting with hers.

Was the War God really petting her like this? She could barely breathe under his touch. She didn’t dare

to move a muscle. On the arena floor beneath them, a splendid dance performance was taking place

with dozens of performers, yet all she could focus on was the faint brushing of his fingertips on her

slender nape. Did anyone else notice the Prince’s actions under the cloak?

When Cassandra finally dared a glance to the side, it didn’t seem like it. The other Princes seated to

their left were solely focused on the performances down in the arena, not paying any attention to her or

her new master.

Because this was her situation now, right? Within minutes she had become property of the Third

Prince. It was almost as if he had collected a stone from the sidewalk. But instead of a stone, he had

picked up a slave.

All that Cassandra knew of him had come from rumors. When it came to the Third Prince, the gossip

mill ran deep. The Emperor’s favorite son, he was said to be a dark, cruel, and merciless man. The

Empire’s War God. Was he really the one who, against all odds, had spared the life of a slave? Did he

just decide to do so because of the actions of his willful dragon?

The beast was now peacefully resting a few feet away on a lower step. It seemed bored, laying down

while its peers had been brought back to their cages, or chained and seated at the sides of the arena.

Cassandra observed the magnificent dragon again, mesmerized by the obsidian scales. She found it

more distracting than any performance, especially since she couldn’t look at the owner of the hand that

was playing with her hair.

Would the Prince order the dragon to kill her if she asked him to let her go? Cassandra didn’t even dare

to look at him or move. She was submitting to his hand, and the caresses in her long hair. A few times

she shivered, not because of the cold, since she was now under the cloak, but from the contact of the

Prince’s hot hand against her skin. Moreover, his hand was venturing further and further down her

nape, onto her shoulders. He wasn’t touching only her hair anymore. His fingers were now moving

further down, and she felt embarrassed.

She had never been touched like this by a man before. Slaves were not concubines, nor were they

worthy to even be seen as women. They were often dirty and poorly dressed. Unlike the noblewomen

who went to extreme lengths to have the prettiest dresses, jewelry, and the most expensive make-up

available. Cassandra never had any of those luxuries, but she possessed a natural beauty that even

years of enslavement and abuse could not take from her.

Like a flower in a bed of weeds, she had managed to stay beautiful. She was tall and thin, with pale

skin that had been permanently scarred by a whip in several places. Her breasts were not large, but

still round and full enough to make her look feminine. Had she been fed properly, she would have had a

beautiful silhouette. But despite the years of malnourishment, the graceful beauty of her face was

undeniable. She had large green eyes, a small nose, and thin but full lips. A pure, fragile beauty – like a

water lily.

As the afternoon passed, Cassandra gradually grew accustomed to the Prince’s touch. She couldn’t

ignore it, but she didn’t shiver or overthink it anymore. After a dozen performances, the Prince suddenly

stood up.

“Brother?” asked the youngest prince.

But Kairen didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he simply left his seat. Cassandra, wondering for a second

if she should follow, decided it would be better than to stay with the other five Princes on the platform

she had no reason being on to begin with.

Leaving the balcony, the Third Prince walked through the many corridors so fast that she could barely

keep up. To her surprise, the War God’s quarters were located in the farthest wing of the Palace. By the

time they arrived, she was exhausted.

He opened the double doors, revealing a very simple room, by a Prince’s standards, that is. But to

Cassandra, that place was still unbelievably large and luxurious with a canopy bed, large enough to

welcome four people, and adorned in silk sheets. There were also two chairs and a table made of

redwood, one of the most expensive and valuable materials, an empty desk, a wardrobe containing a

warrior’s armor, and a bath.

Cassandra was shocked by how bare the room was. Had it just been prepared to welcome him during

his stay during the festival? She had heard each Prince lived in his own Palace after all.

Kairen left his large fur cloak on one of the chairs and massaged his neck. Cassandra suddenly

realized that she was his only attendant! Did he come without any slaves or servants?

The War God sighed.

“I want to take a bath.”

These were the first words he had spoken to her. Despite her surprise, Cassandra’s years in slavery

had her obeying right away. Leaving the room, she found the first palace servant she could and asked

them for hot water to be prepared for the Third Prince, as well as several herbs for the water. The

servant, not knowing the slave girl, was inclined to whip her and send her back where she belonged,

but her words of “Third Prince” had the impulse stuck in his throat. If there was one man no one wanted

to anger, it was the Third Prince. So, after a doubtful second, he nodded with disdain and turned on his

heels.

A few minutes later, Cassandra was busy pouring the hot water into the bath along with a few herbs

she had ordered.

“What are those?”

The young woman looked at him, meaning to answer, only to realize her master was undressing right in

front of her! She only had a glance at the warrior’s impressive musculature before she shyly looked

down, yet the image was surely engraved in her mind. A War God, indeed! She blushed while

answering.

“Those are medicinal herbs to… to relieve fatigue and muscle pain, my Lord.”

Kairen frowned. How did this woman know of his strained muscles? He never showed any weakness.

Is it because of the way he had stretched once they had entered the privacy of his quarters? As he

pondered this, he realized his slave was looking down again with a flush of red in her cheeks. He

snickered while entering the bath. Had she never seen a naked man before?

“Do you need more water, my Lord?”

“Come here.”

Hesitantly, Cassandra walked the few steps back towards the tub, trying hard to refrain from taking a

peek at him. Indeed, having served only women before, she was totally disarmed while facing a grown

man’s body. Kairen’s body wasn’t merely handsome. He was more like a dangerous alpha male, strong

and imposing.

Watching her struggle to look away, he knew he was right.

“Massage me.”

“…My Lord?”

But he didn’t bother ordering again. A bit surprised, Cassandra obediently stood behind him and started

massaging his broad shoulders. Her fingers were trembling. She was touching a Prince! While trying to

contain her inner turmoil, she focused on her movements. She knew what kind of being he was. In a

split second, he could decide to end her life. For the young slave, this was infinitely more terrifying than

standing in front of wild, scaled beasts.

As she kept massaging, she felt his muscles finally begin to relax, filling her with satisfaction. She

moved on to his left arm, using her prior knowledge of healing to properly massage every muscle.

When she finally looked back at his face, she realized he had closed his eyes as if he was asleep,

allowing her to breathe a little easier.

Cassandra moved on to his other arm, skillfully kneading the bicep of the War God. She felt some pride

to see that the medicinal bath she had prepared was so effective. Was the water still warm enough?

She glanced down at the water and that’s when she saw it.

Her Prince’s member, fully erect.





Chapter 4 Virgin Slave

Cassandra gasped.

Her fingers stopped moving, as she realized her master’s cock was completely erect and standing tall

under the water.

“Don’t stop.”

She jumped in surprise, as her master opened his eyes and caught her staring. She blushed and

resumed massaging, but her hands were not as steady as before. The embarrassing silence and

Kairen’s staring were completely disarming her. No matter how much she tried, it was impossible to

ignore both his dark eyes and his erection.

Cassandra kept her head down and tried to concentrate on her hands, but touching him didn’t have the

same meaning as before. The massage had become totally indecent no matter how you looked at it!

She tried to stop and step back, but Kairen’s voice caught her.

“Stay where you are.”

She had no choice but to obey as she blushed and tried to steady her trembling fingers. He was

obviously doing this on purpose. The fire in his eyes could have consumed an entire forest. He didn’t

even smile or speak, he just kept his eyes focused on her, the young slave girl who was uncomfortably

embarrassed.

Without warning, he moved his hand under her dress, causing her to yelp in surprise.

“Ma… Master,” she protested, trying to pull her hips away.

“Don’t move.”

She opened her mouth in shock, but didn’t know how to respond. The Prince’s fingers ventured farther,

reaching past her panties. From under her dirty dress, he forced his way to her slit, caressing the

innocent slave with no trace of shame on his face. Surprised by the warm, intrusive hand between her

thighs, she gasped, unable to hold her tongue.

“My… My Lord…”

She meant to ask him to stop, but the words wouldn’t come out. Her stomach was filled with something

intense as his fingers caressed against her opening. Cassandra had no idea how to react. She was

completely inexperienced, and he was just playing with her!

“P…Please…”

“Are you a virgin?”

Already dying of shame, she couldn’t even bring herself to answer. But her red cheeks and flustered

expression were enough of an answer.

The Prince tilted his head, his face still completely unreadable. It was as if he was merely testing her,

yet his fingers left her unable to answer. She tried hard to suppress her moans, but his large hand was

pressing and rubbing against her most sensitive spot, driving her crazy. She knew he could feel her

getting wet and she wanted to die of shame. She was standing on her toes now, her hands on his

wrists, trying to discreetly move away.

Cassandra was panting when he suddenly pushed one finger inside her. Taken by surprise, she let out

a startled moan. She tried to muffle her voice with her hand, but it was useless as he started moving

and stirring his finger both inside and out. His thumb pressed on her clitoris as his middle finger

repeatedly penetrated her, causing her to cry out. The worst part was that he seemed completely

casual while he was subjecting her to this! She desperately wanted to step away, but he held her close

to the tub with his hand confidently moving between her thighs and leaving her no chance of escape.

“Do you like this?”

His composed voice had her feeling like a little pet he was toying with. She had never even been

touched by a man before, and now he had her fluids running down her thighs. Why was her body

reacting to this man’s touch after seventeen years of innocence?!

Cassandra couldn’t contain her moans, and he was enjoying it. He found her desperate state, and vain

attempts to hide it, extremely tempting and sexy. She was dripping wet, and obviously enjoying his

finger, so why was she trying so hard to hide what her body seemed to enjoy so thoroughly? He

wanted to see her cheeks flush with color, the sweat pool on her skin, and her legs tremble under his

skillful touch. He inserted a second finger, making her cry out. She was definitely a virgin…

How had she remained untouched until now? She was young, beautiful, and very alluring. He kept

going, pushing his fingers to make her moan even more. She was covering her mouth, trying to stay

quiet. He pressed his thumb on her little button, teasing her to get a reaction. Under her dirty, once

white, thin, and ragged dress, her nipples had started standing out. Did she have any idea how alluring

she was at that moment? Her hands gripped tightly onto the bathtub, as she could barely stand on her

own anymore.

Accelerating his fingers in and out of her, he pushed her further to the edge. Cassandra’s thighs

quivered as she whimpered.

“Ma… Master, p… please…”

Her eyes were teary, she couldn’t take any more of this torture and embarrassment. She wanted to beg

for him to stop, but her voice was no longer under her control. Instead, she was moaning and panting

heavily. She felt a fire raging from her intimate parts to her stomach, overwhelming her with new

sensations she couldn’t handle anymore.

“My Prince?”

A servant had knocked on the door, waiting for permission to enter. Kairen let her go, much to his

annoyance, his fingers wet with her juices, and Cassandra immediately fell to her knees. She was

dazed and trembling, her entrance throbbing as if she could still feel the Prince’s fingers inside her. The

wetness between her legs was impossible to ignore as she tried to compose herself and move her

dress back into place.

“Come in.”

Completely ignoring her embarrassment, Kairen called the man in. The servant didn’t seem to realize

she was there on the other side of the bath, still reeling from what had just happened.

“The buffet is about to begin, my Lord. The Emperor looks forward to your presence.”

“I’ll get ready. Leave.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

The servant left promptly, leaving the two of them alone again. Cassandra had no idea how to react,

but Kairen left the bath as if nothing had happened. He grabbed a towel and started drying himself, and

she wondered if his… member had gone back to normal, but didn’t dare to look. Instead, she pulled

herself together and grabbed his clothes to help him dress. Though she remained silent as she

assisted him, her mind was in overdrive, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“Stay here…and clean yourself, too.”

Those were his only words before he left for the banquet. As soon as she was alone, Cassandra let out

a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

What had just happened? She knew some men kept their slaves to have sex with, but… that was not

quite the same, was it? The War God had surprised her, almost as if he had done it completely on a

whim. But for her virgin self, this had been the most impossible experience. Within only a few hours,

her status had changed from that of a sacrificial nobody to a Prince’s slave!

She pushed her hair out of her face, trying to gather her thoughts. Until now, the Imperial Family had

never been something that she would have dreamed of seeing, even from afar. Yet somehow, she

found herself sitting on the floor of the Third Prince’s chambers, trying to recover from his little playtime

with her most intimate parts.

She looked around. Why did the Third Prince not have any attendants? He seemed to be the only one

without anyone to serve him. Did he come alone and just leave them all at his own Palace?

The room wasn’t messy though, proof that the Palace servants were still doing some chores in here.

What was she supposed to do now? The banquet would most likely last a few hours. Cassandra

suddenly remembered his order to clean herself. Her eyes fell immediately on the tub. Would it be

alright for her to use it? No one would punish her for using the Prince’s bath, right?

Cassandra undid her dress and quickly submerged herself in the water. The thought of washing in the

same water he had bathed in left her cheeks flushing a vivid crimson. She could still feel the lingering

sensation of his fingers inside her. No one had ever touched her there before! The concubines were

always too jealous to let the noblemen even look at the female slaves. Cassandra had been whipped

many times by her previous mistress just for crossing the Minister’s path. She had learned to stay away

from men. But there was no way to refuse or ignore this Prince who had claimed her as his own.

Afraid someone would come, she bathed quickly, washing the blood from her back as best as she

could and drying her long hair. After hesitating a bit, she decided to wash her dress too. As old and

ragged as it was, it was her only piece of clothing. Despite Cassandra’s best efforts to take care of it

over the years, it was impossible to make it look like anything more than what it was; an unflattering

piece of linen, shredded and left brown and grey from years of wear. Once Cassandra was done

cleaning it, some of the dust had come off and only a bit of dried blood still remained. She sighed

helplessly.

“You! What are you doing in the Prince’s chambers?!”

Cassandra jumped. Two Palace servants had entered the room just as she finished dressing. Before

she even had a chance to explain herself, one of them violently grabbed her by the hair and dragged

her to the ground.

“You wench! Who is your master? Speak!”

“Lord… Lord… the Th…Thi…Third Prince…” she stuttered, despite the pain.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.

“You liar! Do you take us for fools? The Third Prince didn’t bring any attendants with him, you lying

whore! Show us your identification!”

The first man ruthlessly slapped her face, before jerking her up by the collar around her throat.

Cassandra cried out in pain as she was strangled by the iron while he read the inscriptions engraved

on it.

“Lady Lyria of the Green Narcissus Family… Isn’t that one of the Fifth Prince’s new concubines?”

“It is. She belonged to that old Minister who was beheaded three days ago. I’ve seen her wearing the

red dress. She’s quite a looker.”

“You little wench, did you really think you could escape your mistress while you were in the Palace?”

They slapped Cassandra again, continuing their insults as they dragged her out. Holding her between

them, they ignored her fearful pleading as they forced her through the corridors of the Palace, slapping

her mercilessly to stop her gasping sobs and feeble pleas. She tried hard to hold back her tears despite

the pain and agony she was in. They had no pity for a runaway slave.

After being brutally hauled through countless corridors, she was suddenly thrust out into the Imperial

Garden, where a few concubines not attending the Imperial Banquet were drinking and partying

together. Tables were set up for a moon-viewing, and a handful of servants were pouring wine for the

ladies present. The concubines all wore elegant dresses paired with expensive and glittering jewels,

each determined to outdo the other. As they ate and sipped wine together, they showered each other

with backhanded compliments behind beautiful, fake smiles.

The servants violently hurled Cassandra to the ground, at Lady Lyria’s feet.

Cassandra was petrified. Lyria had been her mistress for five long and torturous years, since the day

she had entered the Minister’s House. Though that woman was stunningly beautiful, behind the alluring

face she was a cruel and malicious bitch. She never hesitated to whip her slaves, even without a

reason. She threw tantrums whenever she didn’t get attention, and cried fake tears to manipulate any

situation to her benefit.

The Minister had fallen for her graceful beauty when she was only fifteen, raising her from the modest

position of her birth, to that of noble status, and she had been ridiculously arrogant ever since. She was

truly as ugly on the inside as she was beautiful on the outside. Cassandra knew her wickedness had no

limits, recalling how she poisoned one of her rivals merely because she was jealous, and how that

same jealousy had led her to physically disfigure another.

Being brought back into the presence of Lyria was a nightmare for Cassandra. The concubine glared

down at her with disgust and turned to the servants.

“What is this?”

“We found her in a Prince’s chambers, my Lady. She lied to try and escape us, but we saw her

identification collar and brought her straight back to…”

“Why would I care about that bitch?! She should be dead! I was tired of her, so I gave her as a tribute to

His Highness! How the hell is she still alive?! Where was she?”

The two dumbfounded servants looked at each other, both left feeling ill by the concubine’s unexpected

reaction. Lyria, on the other hand, was absolutely infuriated to have been disturbed while she was

gloating about her new status to the lower-ranked concubines. Seeing Cassandra alive fueled her

anger. She had hated the slave from the very beginning, and had sent her to her death to finally be rid

of her once and for all.

“She… she was in the Third Prince’s chambers…”

Cassandra was trembling in both fear and pain. Lyria’s unpredictable anger was something that scared

her more than anything.

Her fear was justified when, without warning, the concubine suddenly hurled her full glass of wine at

Cassandra’s head. One of the concubines screamed as the glass shattered on the ground. A shard

reopened the bruised gash on Cassandra’s temple, courtesy of one of the Palace guards earlier that

morning.

“You slut! How dare you! How did you even survive The Offering?! And then, to hide in one of the

Prince’s chambers! You unworthy little leach! I will finish you myself. You won’t escape death again!

You…”

She fisted a handful of Cassandra’s hair and started jerking her head violently, as she screamed at her.

But she suddenly froze. Everyone in the garden had heard it too.

A dragon’s angry growl, right above their heads.





Chapter 5 The Black Dragon

Everyone present turned their heads towards the north wall and held their breath in fear.

Standing there was a large, furious dragon. Glaring at them with its red, reptilian eyes, while one large paw was grasping the muraled wall, the other scratching the stone one. The black beast growled menacingly again in their direction; no one dared to move an inch. But Cassandra raised her head, despite Lyria's grip, to look up at the dragon.

"The... the Th-Third Prince's...dragon," stuttered one of the terrified concubines.

None of the other servants or concubines said a word, petrified into silence. The Black Dragon couldn't possibly be mistaken as any other. It was the biggest among its peers and the only one of its color, with its obsidian scales and blood red eyes. It moved, stepping effortlessly over the wall and stalking towards them. Garden statues and lush plants were crushed under its huge feet as it continued forward, growling angrily.

A few concubines and half a dozen servants ran off, screaming in fear. Those who remained were frozen in their spots.

All except one.

"Ha! See! His own dragon has come to finish you off! Why would the Third Prince have any interest in a worthless slave like you?!"

Lyria was so sure of herself, she brutally shoved Cassandra into the arms of a nearby servant.

"You! Give her to the beast!" she ordered, as if she knew what was going on.

The servant, who knew very little about the dragons, nodded obediently and yanked Cassandra's arm, forcing her closer to the beast. Terrified, Cassandra tried in vain to free herself. Tears slid silently down her face, as the pain from her fresh injuries made themselves known. After all the violent manhandling from Lyria and her servants, within the past fifteen minutes, she didn't even have the strength to break free. Within seconds she was face to face with the Black Dragon for the second time that day.

The servant kicked her in the side, forcing her down to the dragon's feet. As they had been working or resting in the Palace, none of them had witnessed the earlier scene in the arena. He genuinely believed Lyria was right and was doing what the dragon wanted.

He didn't even get the chance to gasp before a giant claw brutally pierced through his chest. In one movement, he found himself pinned to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

People began to scream in panic at the sight of the limp body, pierced by the gigantic claw. Cassandra, also shocked, brought her hand to her mouth in disgust.

“What is going on here?”

His voice thundered out, silencing the screams. Still in front of the dragon, Cassandra turned her head toward him.

The Third Prince Kairen had just stepped into the courtyard. His arrival had almost the same effect as that of his beast. However, some of the concubines were also flustered, too. He was a warrior indeed, and a well-sculpted one at that. Wearing only his large fur coat, part of his muscular chest was left exposed, just enough to leave many women blushing.

As he stepped forward, Lyria, as arrogant as ever, turned towards him. She knew perfectly well who he was, but her new status as one of the other Princes' concubines clearly gave her enough confidence to address the War God.

“My Lord! Please excuse the ruckus, this shameless slave of mine has angered your beast, I fear.”

It was hard to say if she was acting seductively on purpose or not. Her pink dress was very sexy, flattering her voluptuous curves, and her hair and makeup were flawlessly done to enhance her beauty. Anytime she talked, her red lips would pout a little, a quality that made many men succumb to her charms.

Kairen, however, only glared at her.

"Who is this w****?" he asked in his low, cold voice.

"It's one of my slaves, my Lord," mumbled Lyria. "A simple..."

"I was not talking to you."

In a split second, anyone who had not caught on already, realized that he was actually addressing the slave, not the mistress standing between them. While Lyria flushed red in embarrassment and anger, Cassandra lowered her head, stifling her sobs.

"She... she is Lady Lyria, my... mistress..."

Maybe she should have added "former," but that didn’t seem necessary at the time. The dragon suddenly growled again, impatient, and moved to approach Cassandra. Its obsidian scales felt warm as it clumsily curved its enormous body around her. It was hard to ignore all the blood on its paw, but Cassandra turned her head towards its face - the red eyes were fixed on her. People around them were completely shocked by the scene that was unfolding. The War God's dragon was acting like a clingy pet towards a worthless slave!

Kairen suddenly drew out his sword.

"I told you to stay in the room."

Afraid that he was mad at her, Cassandra bowed her head. Her cheeks were still wet with tears as she struggled to explain herself with her hoarse voice.

"I... I meant to, but... I was brought here..."

"By whom?" he asked, impatiently.

Before Cassandra even answered, the two men who had dragged her all the way here screeched in panic. The idea of the Prince's wrath directed at them was so terrifying that they had given themselves up without even realizing. Kairen's glare caught them right away, and they started to run away in fear.

The Prince clicked his tongue and raised his head to exchange a glance with his dragon. As if obeying a silent order, the beast moved, crushing one of them under his paw, and chomping down on the other one. It was over within seconds. A rain of blood fell from his maw, spilling on some of the concubines and servants, who screamed again in fear and disgust. Cassandra got some on her shoulder too and she brought her hand over her mouth to hold back the strong nausea that rose in her stomach from the smell; the gruesome sight of the beast chewing on the servant still fresh in her mind.

Lyria, splattered in blood too, screamed. She was finally catching up with the reality of this situation and turned her terrified eyes towards the Third Prince Kairen, who was silently walking towards her, like a deadly shadow.

"Your Highness! This slave was mine! She... she is just an insignificant slave! I am your brother's doted concubine! You can't..."

Her voice died as the sword pierced her chest, right between her perky breasts. Her eyes were still open wide, in surprise, as she fell back like an inanimate doll.

With this final act, the bloodbath had scared the last of the remaining crowd away, with the exception of a few servants who were still frozen in fear. Cassandra was shaking.

She watched Kairen calmly retrieve his sword and wash the blood off in a fountain. The War God was acting as if killing one of his brother’s concubines had been a totally normal occurrence. Once his weapon was cleaned and back in his belt, he turned toward Cassandra. As he was walking up to her, her mind turned over, she had no idea how to react. She was scared of this man. Her eyes went from the body of the woman she had feared the most for years, to him, who was now even scarier.

"Are you injured?"

His question took her by surprise. Cassandra stared blankly at him, but the Prince was looking at her dress, which was covered in blood. She quickly came to her senses.

"No. No, my Lord. This blood isn't mine..."

She meant to get up, but while leaning on her wrist, a sharp pain made her cry out. Did she twist it when she fell? Or was it from her earlier struggling? Her thin wrist was painful whenever she moved it, and was a bit blue too. Cassandra held it against her chest trying to ignore the pain, but just as she moved to try to get up again, the Prince kneeled by her side.

"My... my Lord?" she gasped in surprise.

"Silence."

The familiar feel of a warm coat suddenly enveloped her as Kairen's sturdy arms reached around her shoulders and beneath her knees, gently lifting her up as if she were a fragile child. Instantly, Cassandra's face flushed a bright crimson. A Prince carrying a slave? And like a Princess, too!

She wanted to protest and tell him that he shouldn't do this, but she didn't dare to speak. Thus, she found herself held against Kairen's hard torso, carried like some precious package, wrapped up in his cloak. Above them, the Black Dragon tilted its head and growled quietly. Kairen clicked his tongue.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.

'You shut up, too.'

Cassandra watched the huge beast sulk a bit while following them slowly. Its gigantic body was too big for the courtyard, destroying anything that got in its path, but neither it nor its master seemed to care. Behind them, what had been a nice little banquet not long ago, now resembled a bloody war zone.

Kairen walked away from the scene, unbothered, carrying Cassandra close to him. When they were almost back to the courtyard door, a group of people suddenly arrived. Embarrassed, she stayed still in his arms, completely at a loss of what to do.

The people who had arrived seemed familiar, too. After a few seconds, she recognized two of the five other Princes that had been on the platform, and became even more scared. But none of them, nor their attendants, paid any attention to her. Instead, the Fifth Prince took a glance over his brother's shoulder to see the mess.

'Brother, didn't you go a bit too far? I had just acquired that concubine! Did you have to kill her right away?! Didn't you see how pretty she was?"

Next to him, the youngest Prince Anour, rolled his eyes.

'Brother Lephys, don't you have enough women already? Who cares? If she displeased our older brother, that woman had to die.'

'Still... Oh well, I guess I'll write a letter to her family or something. But brother, isn't that the slave from earlier? I thought you had killed her already.'

Cassandra was appalled at how easily they talked about someone's death. Unlike Kairen, the two younger Princes were dressed in ceremonial clothing with colorful silk and gold embroidery. Not to mention the lavish jewelry in which they were both adorned. Each had a crowd of servants following closely behind them with their heads lowered.

Both Princes looked around her age, between fifteen and twenty years at most. But they didn't seem to have much in common with their third brother.

'Enough, Lephys, enough,' sighed Prince Anour. 'If our brother finds this woman to his taste, who cares? But Brother Kairen, Father was angry that you left the banquet so early. He wanted to introduce two new concubines to you.'

Kairen snorted, visibly annoyed.

"Tell that old man he can keep those greedy sluts for himself."

Cassandra frowned. Never mind the concubines, how could he talk about the Emperor like that? Kairen ignored both of his brothers as he walked past them, still carrying her. She was embarrassed beyond words to be transported like this in the Palace's corridors, but did not dare to move. Behind them, she heard the dragon's disappointed growl. The large beast could not follow them inside.

As the Prince climbed some stairs, she realized that they were not going back to his chambers. They were heading a bit further into the Palace, and Cassandra was worried as to where he would take her and why. Not to the Palace's cells, right?

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 6 Princess Shareen

After a few stairs, he finally stopped and Cassandra read the little sign - The Green Jade Palace. Who was living here? A servant hurried to welcome the Prince, bowing down countless times.

"I will inform my Lady of your arrival, my Lord..."

"No need."

Just like that, Kairen forced himself through, despite the servant's attempts to hold him back and his continuous pleas to allow him to inform his Lady first. The little man seemed panicked, trailing after the Prince. Cassandra felt a bit sorry for him.

Finally, they arrived at what seemed to be a bedroom door. As soon as they got close she heard some very explicit sounds and Cassandra blushed immediately. Whoever was behind that door was obviously busy! A woman's moans were echoing loudly along with some deeper male ones, however, that didn't stop Kairen. With a kick, he forced the door open and entered the large bedroom.

Cassandra couldn't help but peek. As she expected, it was terribly obscene! On the red silk sheets of the bed were two women and a man.

The two women were riding the naked male servant; one was straddling him, her p**y being hammered by his savage and relentless moves. She was moaning and crying, begging for more as their flesh pounded loudly. Facing her, the other woman was on her knees on either side of the man's head, moving her hips as the male servant licked and sucked her p**y. She was caressing and forcefully kissing her female partner, while the man underneath was working hard on pleasuring both women at the same time.

"Who dares to...!" One of the women reacted angrily.

Her expression changed when she saw Kairen standing there holding a blushing Cassandra. She smiled and kissed the other woman who was panting hard and being forcefully penetrated by the man's c**k. She seemed younger than her mistress and answered her kiss clumsily. She was having a hard time balancing between her breathing and moaning. Under her, the male servant was pounding vigorously, holding her waist while pleasuring their mistress with his mouth.

"My little brother has come to visit! Are you bringing me a new toy, Kairen?" she asked, her eyes going down to Cassandra.

She couldn't have been more embarrassed. It was impossible to ignore the wild s*x displayed in front of her, the servant's cries, or the Princess's lusty eyes on her. However, Kairen was as still as marble in front of the scene.

"Enough of your little game."

The Princess pouted, moving her hips a bit more before finally getting up. She sighed and grabbed a large robe to cover herself before turning to the two servants.

"Keep f****g her. If one of ypu comes before I return . I'll punish you"

"Yes, mistress," answered the man.

He kept thrusting vigorously and the young woman's cries got louder. Satisfied, she turned around to face her brother. Cassandra figured from their physical resemblance, that she was Kairen’s full sister, one who also shared the same mother as him. They had the same black eyes, dark hair, and tanned skin color. Even most of their facial features were shockingly alike as if they could be twins. The only difference was that the Princess had a very feminine body, with voluptuous curves and sexy lips.

"Follow me."

Shareen took them to another room. This was filled with bookcases and a large desk covered in paper. There was a strange smell and some smoke floating in the air, and with the curtains closed, it wouldn't go away. The whole room was dark despite the few candles the Princess had.

Pushing her long black curls behind her shoulder, she crossed her arms, displeased.

"What did you interrupt my good time for? Is it because of this slave? You both reek of blood."

"Give her some clothes."

The Princess clicked her tongue.

"To a slave? I'm not that generous."

"You have sqare clothing for your whores."

"My servants, Kairen. Even if I play with them, they are still proper servants. What would I get in exchange?"

Impatient, the Prince glared at his sister without answering. But to Cassandra's surprise, his sister didn't seem to take offense. Instead, she suddenly smiled like a feline and walked over to a wardrobe. She took her time before picking a silky emerald dress. It wasn't as fancy as the clothing made for the royal family, but still much better than the rags slaves would usually wear. She held it up to Kairen.

"How is this? I'll give it to you if you have her change here."All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Fine"

Kairen had answered before Cassandra even understood what the Princess had asked for. He put her down letting her stand by herself while still holding on to the fur cloak. Cassandra blushed as the Princess handed her the dress with a mischievous grin. She was already feeling shy for some reason and so she was hesitant to let go of the cloak to take it.

However, she couldn't let the Princess stay like this forever. The fur cloak fell to her feet revealing her bloodied rags, and she took the dress while bowing. Thankfully, most of the blood was on her rags and not herself. The Princess clicked her tongue while taking a seat in one of the leather armchairs.

"I guess Krai made a mess again.."

Cassandra took a few seconds to realize she was talking about the Black Dragon. So it was named Krai? That piece of information, however, was soon overshadowed by her current situation. She didn’t know when Kairen had taken a seat next to his sister, but both Imperial Siblings were now staring at her. She became even more red knowing what they were expecting. She looked down.

"My... My Lord, can I change outside?"

"You can undress here," his sister answered with an imperious tone."See? There's some water for you to wash up with too."

She pointed her finger towards a little basin of water to the side, while she was obviously enjoying the sight of Cassandra's blushing cheeks. Seeing the Prince ignore her query, she felt helpless. Those two really wanted to watch her undress here! She hesitated for a few seconds, but their forceful stares were pressuring her. Slowly, Cassandra reached for the laces on her back, undoing them one by one.

In front of her, Kairen was as still as a statue, but his stare was hot and intense. She felt like he was undressing her from his seat. With trembling fingers, she finally undid the last knot, and the dress was now only held up by her hand. With the injury to her other wrist, she was struggling to keep it together and hide behind the rags.

In front of her, the Princess bit her lip and turned to her brother.

"A virgin?"

He didn’t bother to answer, but she knew that she was right. She turned her feline eyes towards Cassandra again.

“Interesting... Keep going,” she ordered.

Cassandra would have given anything to hide, but there was no way, not with those two in the room, waiting for her to undress. She had no choice but to let go of the sullied clothing, leaving her in her panties in front of them. She tried covering her breasts with her arm while looking away. With her free hand she reached over to the basin of water, grabbing a little sponge to try and wash quickly, but she saw the Princess stand up and walk her way. Cassandra took a step back but within seconds the woman was standing in front of her, her black eyes sparkling.

"So adorable... Look at these cute breasts, Kairen."

Without warning, she stood behind Cassandra and pushed her arm away to grab one. Surprised, the young slave let out a whimper under her touch.

"Hands off, Shareen," growled Kairen.

Ignoring him, his sister kept going. She took the little sponge from her hand and started caressing Cassandra's chest with it while gauging her brother's reactions. The cold water was dripping down her pink n*****s. Wandering over her pale skin, caressing her stomach, Shareen’s fingers finally reached out for Cassandra's last piece of clothing.

"M... My lady..." murmured Cassandra

"What is it, sweetie? Are you embarrassed? Don't be, it's just your master here... Come on, show him. Let's get all nice and clean for him to enjoy."

Without listening to her plea, Shareen got rid of the sponge and kept going, fondling the white breasts and sliding her fingers down to her underwear. Cassandra was trying to escape her futilely, her unhurt hand on the Princess’s wrist, but she couldn't possibly risk angering a member of the Imperial Family. Moreover, the difference in strength was obvious between them. Instead, she looked to Kairen for help, her eyes pleading to him.

"My Lord...Ah!"

Without warning, Shareen had started kissing the skin of her neck, sending shivers all the way down her spine. Her entire body felt electrified. Cassandra tried to catch her breath, but Shareen had no intention of letting her rest. The Princess's fingers found her little button of pleasure over her panties.

“Uh... Oh! Hm... My... Lady, please stop...”

"Oh my,you're so cute and innocent... Won't you give her to me, Kairen? You're such a stiff! Since you haven't f****d her yet, I have so many ideas for her."

The Third Prince didn't seem amused at all, but that didn't stop Shareen from teasing and caressing Cassandra relentlessly. Plunging her fingers depper, she played with her slit over the fabric, making her squirm. The Princess pushed a little further each time, forcing her to spread her legs further apart. Cassandra couldn't take it any longer; something hot and unbearable was brewing in her stomach, making her legs tremble and her skin shiver. Her eyes were tearing up as she tried to hold back her voice. With the Princess behind her, she was exposed to her master, almost naked, standing only a few steps from him. He could see everything. Her pointy n*****s, her trembling legs, her panties getting wet under Shareen's treatment - it was unbearable.

"Shareen!" he suddenly called out.

His tone was undoubtedly angry this time. The Princess, annoyed, clicked her tongue and stopped her movements.

"So selfish! I am just trying to help out my stiff little brother, Kairen. Do you even know how to play? I was just starting to have fun, too. Look, a bit more and I would have made her come."

Shareen, still holding her by the waist, displayed her wet fingers to Kairen.

Cassandra, almost unable to stand on her own two feet, was dying of shame. However, she slowly regained her senses and grabbed the green dress to hurriedly put it on. It was a bit loose on her, but was definitely the prettiest piece of clothing she had ever worn before. Meanwhile, Shareen was still annoyed at her brother and walked over to his seat. Putting her knee down between his legs, she leaned over Kairen with that feline smile of hers.

"You're such a bore, Kairen. You know, we could have fun together sometimes. I have a couple of girls I would love to watch you f**k... with that."

She was hinting at her brother's obvious hard-on under his pants. Cassandra was completely red just from hearing her. The Princess was so... so shameless! Were all the members of the Imperial Family so loose in morals? Even if they were all-powerful, this was too much! And her new master was obviously excited too, even if he ignored most of his sister's theatrics.

But once again, Kairen stayed cold and silent. Eventually, Shareen sighed.

Here is the extracted text from the thirty-third image:

"Oh, well. You still owe me for that dress, I won't let you forget it. Can you try not to kill this one, at least? I like her."

Cassandra frowned. Not kill her? What did that mean? Why was she expecting the Prince to kill her at some point? But she didn't get any answers as Shareen finally stood to the side to let her brother stand up. Kairen walked over and Cassandra suddenly felt completely embarrassed. She had been standing there just a few seconds ago, naked and being fingered by his own sister!

Chapter 7​

The Imperial Dragon

Once he was in front of her, Cassandra looked everywhere but in his direction. She was so ashamed of

the scene from just moments ago! How could he let his sister toy with her like some object! While

avoiding her new master’s eves, she missed the moment he grabbed her again, lifting her like she

didn’t weigh a thing. Wrapping a new fur cloak around her, Kairen carried her out of the room, closely

followed by Shareen.

“Did you really leave the banquet early?” she asked.

“You didn’t even go,” her brother growled back.

The Princess shrugged and walked ahead to open the doors to her bedroom. Cassandra had almost

forgotten about the two servants having wild sex in there. They had now changed position and the man

was savagely taking the young servant from behind, keeping her bent over the mattress. His

movements were fast and relentless, yet the woman couldn’t even cry out, her screams muffled by his

hand. Her eyes were closed and her hair was a mess on her shoulders. She opened her eyes again

upon hearing her mistress coming back and began to moan louder while staring at Shareen with a

pleading look.

But the Princess ignored her and turned to Kairen.

“Why would I go? I’m having so much fun here. My favorite brother even brought me a little toy to

entertain myself with. Well, if you’d actually leave her here…”

She said all that while looking down at Cassandra, with her feline eyes. Inside Kairen’s arms,

Cassandra tried to avoid the Princess’s stare, already deeply embarrassed.

“You’ve had enough,” Kairen replied coldly.

“Never! If you…”

But before Shareen could finish her sentence, several people were heard outside. Judging by the

weight and metallic sounds in their steps, there were soldiers among them and when they stopped right

outside, Shareen crossed her arms, visibly annoyed.

“His Highness Prince Kairen, Her Highness Princess Shareen, this lowly Imperial servant is here to

inform you that your presence is requested by the Imperial Dragon.”

Shareen rolled her eyes, not hiding her displeasure.

“He had to send his Imperial pains in the…”

“Your Highnesses, the Imperial Dragon insisted!” exclaimed the servant.

Shareen growled and turned around. She snapped her fingers and both servants ran out of the

bedroom while another young lady came in to help her change. Very quickly she was dressed in a

magnificent outfit, wearing the Imperial purple silk of her family, a large gold belt, and lots of fine

jewelry. Even her black hair was now swept up into an impressive bun by two gold hairpins adorned

with several gemstones.

Cassandra thought about how even her former mistress would never be able to wear such delicate and

expensive items. Lyria was one of the Minister’s favorites, yet even for her, he could never get his

hands on these kinds of priceless treasures. The Imperial Family was on a totally different level indeed,

and Shareen was wearing those like they were mere trinkets.

Cassandra suddenly remembered that the emerald dress she was wearing herself was far above her

own status. What if someone else saw her like this? Her iron collar and clothes were so mismatched,

what if she was called a thief again? Thinking about this, her stomach twisted in pain from worry.

However, Kairen didn’t seem to care about any of this. He walked out of his sister’s chambers, first to

meet with

the group of servants and soldiers that were waiting outside. The one leading them, a humble man with

the blue attire of a Palace servant, opened his eyes wide upon seeing Cassandra in the Prince’s arms.

“You… Your Highness, who is this slave?”

He was obviously at a loss for words, but Kairen dismissed it in an instant.

“Didn’t my father want to see me?” (1)

“Certainly, Your Highness, but…”

Cassandra knew exactly what the attendant was thinking. A slave like her shouldn’t even step into the

Imperial Court! The Emperor should never face slaves or lowly servants. Of those that were not nobility,

only those who worked in the Imperial Palace were permitted to be in the same room as the Imperial

dragon, and even for them, it was considered the greatest honor to be able to bow in his presence.

Yet, here she was, a lowly slave being carried in by a member of the Imperial Family! Cassandra had

no idea how to act, but she fruitlessly tried to release herself from Kairen’s arms.

“Master, I shouldn’t come with you…”

“Why not?” growled Kairen.

“It is not… permitted.”

Shareen finally came out of her chambers followed by three ladies in waiting, all wearing similar

dresses to Cassandra’s, the only difference being that she had the slave collar.

The Imperial servant was almost choking. How could a slave possibly argue with one of the Princes like

that? She shouldn’t even have been able to be so near him, let alone open her mouth with such

defiance!

Shareen walked past them impatiently.

“We decide what is permitted or not. If my brother wants to come with a slave or thirty, it would serve

you well to shut up,” she said to the Imperial servant, with an imperious tone.

Immediately, everyone else bowed lowly.

“Y…yes, Your Highness. Please, this way.”

Cassandra was baffled. How could it happen as easily as that? As they kept walking through the

corridors, they saw many servants’ faces. All those who bowed a second late and saw her, couldn’t

hide their shock, but of course, it was likely she was the only slave to ever be spotted inside the Inner

Palace!

As they approached the Imperial Rooms, Cassandra was so worried that she couldn’t handle it

anymore. She turned to Kairen again, whispering with a pleading voice.

“Please, Master, can’t I at least walk by myself? Please…”

“Last time I left you alone, you ran away.” (3)

Cassandra was taken aback. He was still angry about that? It wasn’t even her choice to leave his

chambers! She shook her head.

.

“No, Master, I swear I did not mean to. Please! I promise, I won’t go anywhere. Please…”

Kairen clicked his tongue, but after a few more steps he finally stopped to let her down. Cassandra

seized the occasion to swiftly put the fur cloak back onto his shoulders, getting it away from her before

anyone else saw her with it. )

The Third Prince gave her a skeptical look, but she made sure to stand right behind him, as close as

she could without touching him. Shareen, watching the little scene unfold between the two, chuckled.

“Look, Kairen, your new pet isn’t going anywhere, and you can always have Krai chase her down if she

tries anyway.” (4)

He took a long moment before taking his eyes off Cassandra and walking with his sister again.

Cassandra let out a deep sigh right after, feeling a bit relieved, and started walking behind him with her

head low until someone next to her gently tapped her elbow.

One of Shareen’s ladies-in-waiting had subtly taken a few extra steps behind her mistress to be right

next to Cassandra and gave her a gentle smile.

“No need to bow so low. Just do it like me,” she whispered with a smile.

Cassandra realized she was indeed bowing too low. She had naturally taken her slave posture, but it

wasn’t appropriate with what she was wearing now. Was it alright to mimic the ladies-in-waiting? She

still had her collar on, so her current status was probably closer to a servant than anything else.

But the young lady gave her an encouraging smile, making her feel a little more at ease, so Cassandra

did as she suggested. This way, she wouldn’t stand out as much, and she was already hoping people

would ignore her.

They finally reached a large door. Even without the gold adorning the redwood, Cassandra would have

concluded it was their final destination by the loud growls coming from behind it – dragon growls.

“Emperor, this lowly servant has successfully come back with Their Highnesses Prince Kairen and

Princess Shareen.”

The large doors had opened and Cassandra, without lifting her head, felt a breeze, hinting that they

were heading into an open area – a very, very large one. She followed Kairen while hearing a lot of

people present around them. As she stole peeks to her left and right, she realized several members of

the Imperial Family were there, all accompanied by their respective courts. From the myriad of voices

and sounds, she could tell at least fifty people were present.

“Finally! Kairen, what do I have to do for you to stay at my banquets? Are they too boring for you, my

Son?”

Cassandra couldn’t believe she was hearing the Emperor’s voice! She was surprised; he sounded

more like a doting father than an all-mighty ruler too!

“What about me, Father? Do I not get a proper welcome just because my dear little brother is here?”

asked Shareen with a sulk.

“What are you talking about? You know you are the most precious gem in my eyes, Shareen! Come

here, my daughter!” 6

The group suddenly split, with Shareen and her attendants going straight to the golden throne, while

Kairen took a left. He walked to a large seat and took his place, spreading his fur coat on it. Cassandra,

observing how the other servants were positioned, took a small spot a few feet behind him and knelt on

the floor.

She was now partially in the shadow of his seat and had the freedom to observe the room. It was an

immense, circular hall with several golden chairs, each sitting atop several steps. Like this, the Royal

Family could clearly see the center of the room, where dancers were currently performing a piece no

one seemed to care about. Behind each seat, servants were busy attending to their masters, handing

them cups of wine or plates of food. Only the concubines were sitting down on the stairs in front of

them, with a good view of the show, but no seat of their own.

“You, take this.”

A male servant handed Cassandra a glass of wine and a large plate with fruits and meat. She quickly

realized she was the only one there to attend to Kairen. She took it, ignoring the pain in her wrist. Her

fingers were trembling under the extra weight on her injury, but she took a couple of steps forward and

handed the cup to Kairen while he ignored the food.

When she descended back to her position, the male servant was looking at her with furious eyes.

“You idiot slave! You were supposed to try the wine before your Master! What if there is poison in the

cup?”

Cassandra had no idea. She looked at the man, speechless, and went back to Kairen wondering if she

could take the cup back. Thankfully, he hadn’t drunk from it yet, but as she was about to ask, he put the

cup down and showed no interest in it. She swiftly grabbed it, took a quick sip, and put it back where it Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

was before returning again. The male servant sighed.

“Useless slave…”

“I am very sorry,” she whispered.

“Save your apology for your Master! What if he died because of an idiot slave like you? Tsk…”

While cursing her, he stepped away. Cassandra sighed. How could she possibly have known? She had

never had any training on attending to the Imperial Family.

After reflecting on her mistake, she went back to listening to what was going on. As expected, only the

Imperial Family spoke while the concubines whispered amongst themselves, but none seemed very

happy to be there.

“Kairen, my son. Can I never keep you entertained enough that you would share a bit of your time with

your father?” asked the Emperor.

“Our brother would rather spend his time with his slave,” snickered the Second Prince.

A loud growl suddenly resonated throughout the hall, and Cassandra finally understood why the

servants and concubines didn’t feel at ease. Next to the Second Prince’s throne, what she had

mistaken for a statue was actually a very alive Red Dragon. She took a quick look around; aside from

the red one, two other dragons were sitting next to their masters. While one of those was caged, the

other two were merely muzzled and chained, but they were still at the Imperial Family’s level, and close

enough to scare anyone around.

Chapter 8​

The Death Sentence

It took all of Cassandra’s willpower to not stare at the dragons, to keep looking down and wait behind

Kairen. They were like his majestic Black Dragon, but smaller ones and differently colored. She

remembered the slaughter they had inflicted just hours earlier in the arena and shivered. They weren’t

calm. Even while standing right next to their masters, one could tell that only the chains were really

holding them. They were agitated, glaring at the people around them, and pulling on their restraints.

The purple one in the cage kept growling for no reason, frightening the Fifth Prince’s concubines each

time.

“That’s right, Kairen. I heard you were enchanted by a slave from today’s games?”

Cassandra jumped. She had almost forgotten the “slave” in question was herself! What would the

Emperor say? She didn’t dare move from her spot, waiting to see how Kairen would respond. But

instead, the Second Prince clicked his tongue.

“To think, after presenting him with countless concubines, our brother’s interest would be a slave…You

really do have odd tastes, Kairen.”

“Brother, is that true?” A young, feminine voice suddenly asked, “A slave?”

Cassandra hadn’t realized Princesses, other than Shareen, were there too. From what she recalled,

there were six Princes and at least twice as many Princesses, but she only counted five women

present, each with their own golden seat like Shareen’s. The one who had spoken appeared to be

among the youngest. Kairen ignored her, but another Princess, this time in a seat closer to him, raised

her voice.

“This is inappropriate. How can we allow lowly, filthy slaves in our presence? Brother, you are far too

lenient. That kind of dirt belongs to the lower classes. You should have proper concubines and proper

servants.”

From where she sat, Cassandra could see the Princess’s black hair and as she turned her head,

Cassandra looked down just in time. She hadn’t been caught staring, but nevertheless, she felt the cold

glare of the Princess.

“As high and mighty as ever, Phetra…” sneered Shareen, while taking a seat close to the Emperor. (1)

“You and Kairen should be ashamed of yourselves. Meddling with lowly servants and, worse, slaves!”

But Shareen snickered at her angry sister.

“Someone needs to stop talking out of her ass…” she muttered. (4)

But she had said it just loud enough for most people to hear. A few concubines and servants chuckled.

But what happened next silenced them all. In a sudden and swift movement, Phetra took out a whip

and lashed it in the direction of one of the servants. She caught a man by the throat and his laugh died

right away, leaving only an expression of pure terror on his face. Phetra snapped her whip and threw

him right into the cage of one of the colored dragons. The Purple dragon inside jumped on the man,

instantly ripping his body in half. All the concubines nearby were splattered with blood.

An ice-cold silence befell the room, apart from the dragon’s loud chewing. Cassandra was frozen in

complete shock. She only dared a glance towards Kairen and Shareen. While her master hadn’t moved

an inch, both he and his sister were glaring at Phetra.

But the Princess looked satisfied with herself as she pulled back her whip. The Emperor sighed.

“Phetra, not while we’re eating.”

“Sorry, Father.”

She didn’t look apologetic at all though, only giving her siblings a prideful smirk. Meanwhile, Cassandra

was still terrified. This family was far too scary. They killed without a shred of remorse or restraint, and

for such ridiculous

reasons too. Moreover, she felt like Phetra had only done this to infuriate Shareen, whom she couldn’t

confront directly.

Princess Shareen was glaring at Phetra, not hiding her annoyance very well. Cassandra had a feeling

that the hatred between all the siblings had deeper roots than a mere confrontation about servants and

slaves. She observed them more carefully now. Phetra had a lot of common traits with the Second

Prince. Just like Kairen and Shareen, could those two be siblings from the same mother?

“Enough killing already, all of you. Let’s see the next dancers. And Phetra, do not kill your siblings’

servants. I’m fed up with your little squabbles.”

“Yeah, how about you just kill your own servants instead!” protested the Fifth Prince, clearly annoyed.

Cassandra looked around. Despite staying silent, the other Princesses seemed either shocked or

annoyed at Phetra’s display. It wasn’t just Shareen. It didn’t seem like that Princess was particularly

popular amongst her siblings at all.

“Mine know their place, Brother. But Kairen seems to need help teaching his,” stated Phetra, before

turning to Kairen. “Do you need help, Brother?”

Cassandra immediately felt the Princess’s venomous glare and wicked intent. Even if she was only a

disposable slave, that woman’s bloodlust was definitely not normal! But Kairen just glared back.

“Mind your own business, Phetra.”

“I only mean to help. Maybe, Kairen…”

A growl suddenly resonated through the hall. Cassandra looked up by reflex as the sky was suddenly

covered by a dark shadow. Around her, several people gasped or shrieked. The Black Dragon landed

right behind its master, next to Cassandra, and growled furiously at Phetra as if it was echoing its

master’s anger. 1

“Try me again,” threatened Kairen. (9)

But this time Phetra stayed silent. Her proud attitude from earlier had disappeared as soon as she had

fixed her eyes on the Black Dragon. The Princess gulped and stopped boasting, her head and

shoulders dropped down as the dragon continued to growl at her. (2)

Shareen snickered. (1)

“That’s my son!” exclaimed the Emperor, visibly proud. “Kairen, why didn’t you summon him earlier?”

“I didn’t have a reason to…” Kairen hissed, still glaring at Phetra.

Shareen and the Emperor were the only ones happy with the Black Dragon’s arrival. Everyone else

seemed uneasy or scared and for good reason. Its size was far more imposing than the other beasts,

as were its claws and fangs. The other dragons became agitated seeing their peer. Cassandra

wondered if they naturally feared it.”

“How impressive… She really isn’t scared at all.”

Cassandra suddenly realized one of the Princesses was talking about her. She felt several eyes on her

and looked down hard, feeling anxious. Indeed, the large dragon was standing with its head right next

to her, its huge body so · close that she could feel the heat. Its presence wasn’t scary for Cassandra.

She was more frightened by the human beings in the room than the beast who had its red eyes on her

– eyes filled with the same curiosity as before.

“That’s an interesting one you have there, Kairen,” said the Fifth Prince. “To be able to stay so close to

your beast and not be scared at all.”

Cassandra again felt several stares on her, wishing she could hide, when a low growl suddenly got her

attention. Curling himself up around her, Krai, the Black Dragon, gently pushed her with its head and

rubbed its warm scales against her arm. How could she ignore the beast? She dared a glance towards

Kairen but he was ignoring her, his eyes focused on his siblings. For once, she wished her master

would spare a glance her way, giving her some clue

as to what she was supposed to do. Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Krai nudged her arm again and, with a discreet movement, she gently caressed its scales. He growled,

a very deep sound that was an obvious display of satisfaction. Cassandra blushed slightly, surprised to

have a dragon almost purring from her touch! (10

“Look at this! The woman is obviously a sorceress! To charm an Imperial dragon like so! Let’s just

behead her now and put an end to this…” (2

“Silence…”

Before the Second Prince could finish his sentence, Kairen’s words cut him off.

“Or would you like to try and take her from my dragon?”

Hearing this, Krai growled threateningly. Several women cried in fear and the whole place dissolved

into chaos with the other dragons growling back and the servants trying to calm everyone down. Still,

they all avoided the black beast. Krai was getting agitated, standing guard over Cassandra, and

growling at the Second Prince.

The Black Dragon was so large that it didn’t even realize it was shoving Cassandra around. Forced to

the ground, she suddenly feared it would stomp on her like a mere ant under its claws. The scales over

her were moving so frantically, she couldn’t tell what was going on.

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her out of the chaos, pulling her from under the dragon. It took her a

second to realize Kairen had brought her to safety, holding her against his chest. Behind them, the

Black Dragon was still growling and stomping around, but she barely noticed it now. All she could hear

was her own heart, beating too fast in her ears. (2

***

Cassandra slowly opened her eyes.

Where was she? It took her a few seconds to recognize the room and remember the prior events. The

Prince’s chambers! It was still dark though. What happened at the banquet? She could only remember

up to the point where the dragon was going wild.

She realized she was laying in a real bed and feeling… warm. She couldn’t remember the last time she

had felt so content or slept in real sheets.

However, she couldn’t move an inch. Something hot was pressed against her body and Cassandra

gasped – it was a man’s arm! Moreover, she recognized the scaled braces! She froze, almost unable to

breathe. She wasn’t just in the Prince’s bed, he was in it too!

“…How are you feeling?” the deep voice next to her ear surprised her.

How did he even know she had woken up? He was holding her from behind, his strong body right

against her skin. As Cassandra attempted to move she realized someone had bandaged her injured

wrist and it smelled of herbal medicine, too. (1)

“My Lord, what happened?” she inquired in a whisper.

“You collapsed at the banquet.”

She tried to remember, but the void seemed to confirm what he was saying. It wasn’t that surprising.

She hadn’t eaten in two days, and she wasn’t in great condition to begin with, and then to have had so

many emotions in one day. It was a lot to deal with.

* You didn’t answer.”

“I’m better, my Lord,” she replied right away, afraid he might become angry.

“…I see.”

He stayed silent after that and Cassandra wondered if he had gone back to sleep; she definitely

couldn’t This situation was just unbelievable.

She should have died as a nameless slave mere hours ago. So why was it that now she was

comfortably laying in a Prince’s bed, sheltered from the cold and the whip? She even had brand new

clothes, something a slave couldn’t ever dream about in a hundred years! What kind of Prince showed

interest in a slave, and acted as no one else would? Was it only because of his dragon’s interest in

her?

What would happen next? She was perfectly aware of her impossible situation. Someone would kill her

sooner or later for overstepping her place. The Third Prince Kairen was indeed a stubborn and strong

man, but he wouldn’t care for her forever. 1

Presuming her death sentence had only been delayed, Cassandra shivered. Was this what it was like

experiencing heaven before you die?

She slowly tried to wiggle away, to leave the bed before something happened. She should definitely not

be here. For a slave like herself, even the floor of this bedroom was too good. She had to leave, to

sleep in the kitchens or anywhere else, but definitely not in her new master’s bed!

“Where are you going?”

Kairen had sensed her moving and held on to her even tighter. Cassandra shook her head, trying to

free herself.

“I cannot be here, my Lord, I…”

“Enough.”

He suddenly pushed her down into the mattress and positioned himself over her, looking down with

angry, obsidian eyes.

“Why is it that you’re constantly trying to run away from me?”

*Author Note: Thank you for reading my Story! I hope you’re enjoying it so far, please like, comment &

add to your library if you like it!

Chapter 9​

The First Night Cassandra stared at him blankly, completely taken by surprise by the same question again and their

sudden change of position. Having him linger over her was way too intimidating. And why did he

always have to be half naked? She tried to ignore it, to remember his question. (2)

“I’m not trying to run away…”

“Are you not trying to leave right now?”

“I shouldn’t be here! This is your bedroom, a slave is not supposed to be here. If someone sees me…”

“Who?”

His cold and imposing voice suddenly scared her, as if she was brutally reminded of who she was

arguing with. It was hard to ignore his black eyes on her, but she tried to look away anyway,

intimidated.

“I don’t know,” stuttered Cassandra. “The guards, the Imperial Servants…”

“Do you see anyone but us here right now?”

Strangely, they were indeed all alone. The Imperial Family members usually had a lot of attendants.

They had people to take care of their meals, to take care of their clothes, people for everything they

would need. Their servants even had higher statuses than common people, and certainly far higher

than slaves.

Only Kairen didn’t seem to have any attendants. Since she had been around him, Cassandra had seen

absolutely no one but the Imperial Palace attendants. Unlike his other siblings, who were never alone,

the Third Prince was never followed by anyone but her now…

“…They will know,” she murmured, afraid.

She was sure, even though there was no one there to witness, people would talk about the shameless

slave following her master to his chambers. Too many people had already seen them. Kairen clicked

his tongue, annoyed.

“And? So what if they know?” 5

Cassandra was helpless. Why did she have to explain everything? This man was either way too

confident or way too unaware of the world they lived in! Gathering some courage, she answered him

truthfully, her emerald eyes still relaying her fear.

“I might get killed, or worse…

“Worse?” he repeated with a frown.

“Beaten, tortured… Raped… 3

Kairen’s expression grew darker with each possible outcome she mentioned, so she stopped, biting her

lip nervously. Cassandra was still unable to figure out how he thought. He always seemed either

indifferent or angry. ,

And right now, he was pinning her onto the bed, holding her wrists, exposing her and looking at her like

no one else ever had, it was too overwhelming. His eyes were sweeping down her body, ignoring the Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

dress, but taking in the numerous scars it left exposed. His expression grew even darker.

“Who did this?”

“My…previous masters…”

Why was he interested in her scars all of a sudden? She had gotten so many over the years; the worst

were the

The dramatic, red lines still ran over Cassandra’s limbs, threatening to tear open again at any moment.

She could still vividly remember the feeling of the lashes of the whip where it had cut the deepest.

She had experienced way too much pain to not be scared of punishments again. It was much more

terrifying than

death…

“…What is your name?”

His question caught her off guard. Why would he be interested in her name? Most masters didn’t even

care enough to know if she had one! She was only called “you” or “slave” in her past years of servitude.

Blushing a bit, she spoke it, that name she hadn’t uttered in years.

“…Cassandra.”

“Cassandra. Look at me.”

It wasn’t an order she could disobey. Gathering her courage, she looked up at his two obsidian eyes,

like two voids she might get lost in.

“From now on, you are mine. If someone touches you, I’ll kill them.” 23

His expression was so serious she didn’t know how to respond. Was that a promise? Or a threat?

But somehow, something in her heart mended from hearing those words. Could she trust this man? He

was twice as scary as anyone else, yet she felt something indescribable when looking at him.

Something that felt like… safety. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded, still looking at him.

(2)

“Say it,” he ordered, his eyes dark.

“I’m… Yours,” she whispered. 5,

His expression changed slightly, his mouth opening with heavy breaths. She could feel the arousal

build on his dark skin.

“Say it again,” he ordered, his voice getting deeper.

“I’m yours…”

The last word got buried under Kairen’s lips connecting with hers. (1)

Completely unnerved, Cassandra felt his rough kiss before she could even react. What was going on?

The Prince’s hot mouth on hers was forceful, unpredictable, and ruthless. She tried to breathe as his

tongue entangled with hers. She could feel his body pressing on her, overpowering her effortlessly. (3

When he finally retreated from her lips and descended to her breasts, she caught her breath. (2)

Ma… Master…”

She was entirely unable to think straight. His large, warm hands on her skin were exploring and

invading everything. Like a wave, his strength was crashing over her, holding her under him while she

was subjected to his caresses.

Cassandra had never experienced anything like this before. Her seventeen years of inexperience were

cruelly showing, as she had no clue how to respond. Kairen was in total control of her body, his hands

firmly holding her. All of a sudden, he tore her dress, exposing her bare chest to his gaze.

“My Lord! The dress…”

They had just borrowed it, too! Cassandra was mortified, thinking about what she had to do in order to

get this dress and how it was now torn to shreds… But Kairen obviously didn’t care. Without warning,

he sucked on one of her nipples, and she couldn’t hold back a surprised moan. She felt her body

reacting, her stomach tingling with an

odd sensation. Unable to think straight, she reached out for him, running her hands through his black

hair, shivering under his tongue’s movements. He had grabbed her other breast now, playing with both

at the same time. (1)

“Hmm… My Lord…”

Cassandra couldn’t hold back her moans as much as she tried. The hotness of his mouth on her pink

extremities was unbearable. Though she didn’t look, she could feel his tongue and his teeth grazing

and sucking, biting softly. Moreover, he was pressing his entire body against her, and Cassandra could

feel his hips compelling her legs to open into a new, awkward position for her. She could feel

everything; the rustling of the sheets, their clothing, his mouth on her skin, and her own embarrassing

voice, echoing in the room.

Without warning, Kairen put his hand between her legs.

“Ah! N… No…”

He frowned, his dark eyes on her made Cassandra blush. His hands weren’t stopping, but his gaze

was fixated on her, making her crazy with embarrassment.

“No?” he repeated.

She blushed and bit her lip. Was she really so unable to control her own body? How embarrassing!

She was breathing and moaning louder as Kairen continued caressing her. His fingers found their way

to her slit, stroking it until they slid through to rub her entrance. Cassandra gasped, a seductive

sensation spreading through her whole body. His movements were fast and insisting, going in and out,

rubbing and pressing further into her.

Her legs were trembling, and she was struggling to breathe correctly. The fire raging inside was driving

her crazy, and she wanted more. Without realizing, Cassandra had grabbed her master’s shoulder with

her free hand to brace herself.

“Hm… Ma… Oh! Mas… Master… hn…”.

“What is it?”

Kairen’s eyes were focused on her, considering each of her reactions to his touch. Occasionally, he

leaned down to suck and lick her breasts again, but more than that, he was hypnotized by her cries and

moans. Playing with her pussy, he was moving his fingers into her, subjecting her to new pleasures. He

felt her juices moisten his hand, while his own body was already reacting to her.

She was his. He had thought this the minute his dragon had put her at his feet – when he had seen her

from up close. He wanted this woman, no matter who she was. He wanted all of her. 6

“Say it again.”

“Hm… Wh…What?”

His fingers slowed down their movements, giving her a minute of respite so she could understand and

answer.

Catching her breath, Cassandra looked at him, his face so close she could see every small detail. This

man was her new master. An odd, unforgiving, and ruthless Prince. A Dragon Lord and War God.

“I’m… I’m yours…” she whispered to him, with a breathy voice.

“Again.”

His hands undid his buckle to remove his pants, and she heard the clothes falling to the floor. She

trembled, a bit unsure and scared.

“I’m yours,” she repeated the words, to also reassure herself.

“Again.”

She repeated them again and again, while he positioned himself between her spread legs. As the

blood rushed to her cheeks and ears, she felt his member against her entrance, and kept repeating

those words, like a prayer.

–

“I’m yours, I’m yours… I’m… Ah!”

Cassandra whimpered in pain, feeling his cock pushing in. Kairen stopped, his hot breath against her

ear.

“Breathe,” he said to her soothingly.

She tried, wondering if it was supposed to be this painful. Once he thought she was getting used to it,

the Prince pushed further in and she cried out again. His movements were slow, but she was so

unused to the sensation, and he was also large. She tried to breathe, listening to his voice as he was

groaning.

“You’re… tight…” 2

She held onto him tighter, pulling him in a little and catching his eyes.

“Slower,” she simply said.

Her voice came out clear like a demand, the first one she had formulated in years. Almost an order, at

this unexpected time. Kairen, a bit surprised, obeyed without thinking. Gaging her reactions, he went at

a slower pace, his back and forth matching Cassandra’s labored breathing.

She tried to get more comfortable with his hard member inside her, focusing on the better sensations

and pushing the pain away. She was used to pain, she could handle it. But behind it now, something

much more pleasurable was waiting, and she wanted to reach it. Kairen moved inside her, and she

found herself slowly gyrating her hips to follow his rhythm, trying to share the control of their

movements.

Cassandra felt him accelerate, his cock rubbing faster inside her, stirring her up. She wasn’t even trying

to hold her voice back anymore. She was flooded with too many sensations to concern herself with

that.

“A…Aaah! Hm…Hm, hm…”

Her cries melded with Kairen’s groans. It was painful, but it was good too. And she could tell he was

not stopping anyway. The War God was on her, inside her, unleashing himself and moving wildly.

Cassandra’s moans grew louder as he went faster, holding her under him, his cock pounding…

With a final thrust, he stopped deep inside her, groaning hard. Something warm filled her insides and

she moaned again, the sensation driving her crazy.

She trembled as she slowly regained her senses. She felt his lips press against hers and answered the

kiss without thinking, too tired to consider anything else.






Chapter 10 The Red Dress

When she woke up the next morning, Cassandra‘s whole body felt completely sore. Blushing at the memory of the intense sex with her master, she pulled the bedsheet over her naked body.

But, looking around, she realized that she was alone in the large bedroom. Did her master leave early? She got up, keeping the bed sheet around her. The Prince had torn her only dress, so she felt a bit helpless, naked, and alone in the Prince’s room, with no clue what to do. She didn’t evenknow howlatein theday itwas.

Suddenly, there was a little knock at the door. As a servant entered, Cassandra recognized the young woman as oneof Princess Shareen’s, the one who had advised her the previous day.

She wascarrying a little parcel which she promptly unwrapped before Cassandra.

“Good Morning. His Highness requested a newdress for you.”

“Oh, thank you,” said Cassandra.

It was anew, darkredonethis time. Cassandra frowned upon seeing the color. Didn‘t servants in the Palace commonly wear green?

“That color...”

“It is the color worn by low-ranking concubines. You’ll be wearing this from now on”

Cassandra blushed. So they would all now be aware that she hadslept with the Third Prince! It seemed unreal that this information was already known as soon as theverynext morning. Were they seen? Or was itbecauseshe had slept in the Prince’s bedroom all night?

“But this...”

She raised a hand to theslavery collar still hanging around her neck. Could a slave really be a concubine? She didn’t think it was possible! The young servant girl gently smiled at her and shook her head.

“Do notworry, it’s not like there hasn’t been any precedents set for Princes and

Emperors taking slaves as concubines. Your life will most likely get a bit easier if you wearthis, even if you are still a slave. But you cannot be treated the same as high-ranking concubines or taken as the official wife.”

Cassandra nodded. Even to be takenas alow-ranking concubine was too much for her, she couldn’t imagine anything more! She looked at the dress again, wondering if her master had known this would happen.

“What is your name?”sheasked theyoung servant.

“Dahlia.”

“Thank you forthe dress, Dahlia...”

The youngwomanbowedwithasmileandswiftlylefttheroom, leaving

Cassandra feeling odd. It was the first time someone had ever bowed toher.

Still a bit hesitant about what to do next, she started by washing herself at the little water basin. She thought of last night again, making her blush once more.

The Prince had beenso…fierce! She hadn’texpected that having sex required so muchstamina. She hadsomemild bruisingon her armswherehehad heldher a bit too tightly. Thankfully her wrist wasn’t as painful as before, so she didn’t have any trouble putting the dress on– the deep red dress…Cassandra didn’t know muchabout theImperial Palace’s protocols, but she recalled seeing the concubines in various shades of red and pink. Was pink the color reserved for the high-ranked concubines then?

The Prince suddenly came back into the room, his eyesimmediately finding her.

“You‘re up.”

“Yes, Your Highness...”

Helookedover andCassandra followed his gaze to alittle table, where she hadn’t noticed a large tray of food. There were fruits, meats, cheeses and wine.

The Prince frowned,

“Whyhaven’t you eaten?”

“I hadn‘t noticed...”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes.”

Howcouldshenotbe?Thelasttime she atewasmorethantwodaysago!She might have been starving but she wasused to thepainful sensation of hunger.

Uponseeingthose delicious looking plates, however, she couldn’t repress the hungry growl emitted by her stomach.

“Let‘s eat then.”

Hewalkedoverandsat inalarge armchairwhile Cassandra followed and, like she would havedonewith herprevious masters, knelt on the floor next to him, but

Kairen frowned.

“What are youdoing?”

Hegrabbed herarmandpulled herupontohis lapwithoutwarning. Cassandra wassuddenly straddling his leg, facing him, dangerously close. The swift action brought her attention to his bare chest, causing her to blush!

“Master, I can’t!”

But heignored her andtook aslice of meat fromthe table. His other hand wasstill firmly holding Cassandra in place, and she had to put her hand on his shoulder to keep herself steady. What kind of embarrassing position was this?

She hopedhewouldlet hergo,butKairenjust kept eating, ignoring her pleading eyes.

“Eat. We havealong journey ahead.”

“A long journey?” she asked, a bit lost.

“Going home. TheFestival is over.”

She suddenly realized it was the eighth day! The Festival had ended this morning and the Princes were nowfree togo back totheirrespective lands. So he was bringing her back to his castle then? She wondered what kind of place it was.

Kairen brought a grape to her lips and Cassandra had no choice but to take it. She wasabit embarrassed, but was distracted by the amazingly sweettaste! She rememberedeating dried or rotted grapes, but never fresh ones. She took her time eating the little fruit while he watched her with a slight grin. She blushed again; it was her first time receiving something close to a smile from him.

She finally reached out her hand to take another grape and started eating with delight. This was so great, to be able to eat without worry. Before, she had to eat quickly and hidden from her masters, so that she wouldn’tbe beaten for slacking off. And slaves could only eat what servants wouldn’t even want, leftovers and rotten food. Once in a while, she would be lucky enough to get somerice or dried fruits, but never fresh fruit, cheese or meat. This was all a first for her!

Kairen was silently watching her eat, one arm on the armchair and his other around her waist. He took somemeat fromtime totime, buthewasmostly busy observing each of his new concubine’s movements. Cassandra continued eating small bites like a little bird. It was obvious she was avoiding his gaze, blushing and looking down.

As sheplaced alittle cube of cheese in her mouth, Kairen suddenly took her chin betweenhis fingers and pulled her in for a kiss. Playing with her tongue, he stole the little cube, eating it before her stunned eyes.

“M…Master!”

Howcouldhedothat?! Cassandra wasso surprised by hischildish game she hadn’t even been able toreact. Kairen tilted his head towards the food.

“Give mesomemeat.”

Grabbing a greasy piece of beef, she handed itto him, wondering why he was suddenly acting lazy. But Kairen just looked at her, ignoring the food. She didn’t really understand his strange behavior until...! That’s when she understood– he wantedher todoitagain. It was so embarrassing!

His forceful tone made her even more uneasy. She knews he couldn’t refuse him, and it was just feeding him, right? She took the meat between her lips and approached him. This time, Kairen leaned in, grabbing it from her mouth while kissing her.

The meat‘s juice dripped from their lips while their tongues entangled. Soon enough, the Prince had eaten the little piece but kept their deep kiss going. Not letting go of her, Kairen kept her close, preventing Cassandra from backing away.

Their kiss was so intense she could barely keep up with his lips. The taste of the meatlingered there, something sweet and sour. When he finally relaxed his embrace, Cassandra leaned back to catch her breath, a bit light–headed.

Without anything more, Kairen grabbed a new bite himself this time, eating the meatasif nothing had happened.

Cassandra was completely lost by his sudden change of demeanor.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

Still, she grabbed more food, hoping he would let her eat in peace this time.

Kairen had apparently decided to oblige her unspoken wish as they ate in silence,

Cassandra enjoying a bit of each food that was there. Her master was still holding her by the waist, only occasionally caressing her with his thumb, and only asked for food to be delivered by kissing a couple more times. Cassandra complied, but was just as embarrassed as the first time and was relieved when he finally stopped eating before her.

Even with his close presence and the embarrassing position, she found it impossible to ignore the delicious food and ate her fill for the first time in a very long while. Once she was pleasantly full and feeling much better than before, she awkwardly kept her stare on the plate of remaining food, not sure of what to do next.

Kairen leaned in to kiss her neck without warning, pulling her to face him completely.

“Are you done?” heasked.

“Yes…”shewhispered.

Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to follow behind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.

Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door of his chambers, two Palace servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandra instinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutally dragged out the previous day.

“What is it?”

Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only staying close behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as they bowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, and the Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.

“His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that your presence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends his congratulations on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to Your Highness’s palace.”

“Are you done?” heasked.

“Yes...” she whispered.

Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to follow behind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.

Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door of his chambers, two Palace servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandra instinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutally dragged out the previous day.

“What is it?”

Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only staying close behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as they bowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, and the Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.

“His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that your presence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends his congratulations on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to Your Highness’s palace.”

Cassandra was speechless! Were they talking about her? Was the King truly happy his son had taken her for aconcubine? And tosend gifts too! She couldn’t even begin to process what was happening, but Kairen just ignored the menandwalkedon.

She followed him closely, wondering where they were headed. If he wanted to leave, shouldn’t he have headed for the stables? But instead, he was headed to the large gardens of the Imperial Palace, ignoring all the servants who were bowing along the way.

It was only when they finally reached the end of alarge, vined garden that

Cassandra understood. A mountain of black scales was heading their way with excited eyes. They weren’t going by horse or carriage, they were going to fly!

 

[Sun Wukong]

Gily This is kinda of story i like!

 

[Gily]

Gily This is kinda of story i like!

I haven't gotten time to.eead this. But i will surely do....

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 11​

The Shadelands

Excited, the Black Dragon scampered their way, lowering its gigantic head to their level and keeping its

red eyes on them. Cassandra had almost forgotten that it was allowed to wander around freely. No one

wanted to mess with the dragon and Kairen didn’t need to restrain it either.

Despite its impressive size and the limited space in the courtyard, the dragon once again tried to reach

out to Cassandra, growling softly in her direction. She still couldn’t understand what it wanted, but she

was happy to see it so interested in her.

“Get on.”

Surprised, Cassandra turned to Kairen. How was she supposed to mount the dragon? Those scales

looked way too sharp and uneven! Krai was waiting and watching with big, red, curious eyes. Was it

really alright for her to mount it? An Imperial dragon! Most people would feel blessed just getting a

chance to see them once in their life, let alone touch one. And not only had she been able to touch it,

but the Prince also wanted her to ride it!NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

“So slow,” grumbled Kairen.

Without warning, he suddenly lifted Cassandra up onto his shoulder, making her squeal in surprise.

“My Lord!”

Despite her protests, Kairen climbed on to his dragon in only a few movements, keeping Cassandra

over his shoulder until he was securely seated. When he finally put her down, she was sitting right in

front of him, close to his warm torso. They were so far from the ground and the dragon hadn’t even

taken off yet! Cassandra felt a bit scared by the height and held on tightly, gripping his fur cloak in her

hands. Kairen clicked his tongue and, beneath them, Krai let out a long, loud growl.

“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing the dragon’s collar.

As soon as the words left his lips, Krai extended his wings. The dragon flapped them a couple of times,

as if to stretch, and then took off. Cassandra, surprised by the sudden movements, grabbed Kairen

even tighter as she repressed a scream. This was really too scary!

The Prince wrapped his arm around her waist and held her firmly as Krai ascended. She stayed like

that for a while, hidden against his chest, holding on as tightly as she possibly could. And while she

was too scared to look, she could still feel the huge dragon’s movements.

“Cassandra.”

She moved just a little so she could look at the Prince’s face, as he pointed his chin to the side.

“Look.”

Trying to forget her fear, she gathered up the courage to look. They were so high already! Kairen

pointed down towards the ground. Cassandra was seeing the Capital like she had never seen it before

– from the skies. She could recognize the main streets, the large Market Place, and the biggest

buildings. It was like seeing a huge, detailed map of the City she had always known, as it came alive

right under her eyes.

Despite her fear, she couldn’t stop looking. She recognized so many things, despite the distance!

“Oh…”

“What?”

“That is the residence of my former master.”

Kairen looked down, where Cassandra had her eyes set on a large manor, and his eyes became even

darker.

“…We can burn it down.”

“What? No, no!” exclaimed Cassandra.

He couldn’t possibly burn a whole building down like that! Kairen was visibly angry and frowned while

still glaring at the Manor.

“My Lord, you can’t just set it on fire! What if the fire expands? There are innocent people down there,

too.”

She thought about the other slaves that were probably still working there, far from her new situation.

While he still seemed unhappy, Kairen finally turned his head, the Manor leaving his sight. Cassandra

couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Her master was really too blunt and reckless at times.

Once that was more or less resolved, Cassandra finally felt better about the ride. Kairen was holding

her firmly and Krai had stopped rising and was now keeping a steady altitude. He was very fast though,

as she soon lost sight of the Capital. They were headed north-east, further than she had ever been in

her entire life.

The flight took them away from the cities and through vast, uninhabited lands. It was a breathtaking

sight. From where they were, Cassandra could see the range of mountains in the north and the Eastern

Sea. But the farther they went, the more she wondered what her Prince’s lands were like… All the

Emperor’s children had many assets they were endowed with at birth. As one of the potential heirs to

the Golden Throne, Kairen probably had plenty of riches too. She remembered he also had an army.

Would there be a military camp?

“Cassandra.”

Not even realizing she had fallen asleep, Cassandra slowly woke upon hearing her name. The sudden

sensation of the descent surprised her so she was now wide awake. Krai was heading down, aiming

towards a very large, dark castle. The landscape had changed a lot too since the City. She could no

longer see vast plains, but rather a large dry area with a few nearby buildings. It was a much darker

atmosphere than the Capital, and more solemn too.

“Are those… the Shadelands?” she asked.

Kairen slowly nodded.

The Shadelands were infamous, like an old legend among the people. Long ago, those territories had

been the grounds for terrible wars between the clans. The fights had lasted so long and burned so

much of the vegetation, that it was said nothing could grow there anymore. The soil was burned too

deeply to even attempt planting anything. Among the desolation there was erected a tall, isolated

Castle.

Krai landed slowly in the inner court with a loud growl. Cassandra wondered if the trip had been too

long or if it was just happy to be home. Kairen helped her down and as soon as her feet hit the ground,

she was suddenly aware of the numbness in her back. Dragon riding was more physical than she had

thought… She kept the fur cloak wrapped around her as it was definitely much colder here than in the

Capital.

As the Prince dismounted too, she suddenly noticed people walking towards them.

“Welcome back, my Lord!”

An old woman and a middle-aged man, both well dressed, bowed in front of Kairen. He practically

ignored them as he walked up to Krai’s head.

“Go.”

Instead of going, Krai growled softly and turned to Cassandra, pushing her with its snout. She could

feel the dragon’s hot breath, as it kept playfully pushing her around, its big tail swaying dangerously.

The two people who had come were looking at the scene, completely at a loss. Kairen growled a bit.

“Krai.”

The dragon feigned deafness, and continued giving little head-bumps to Cassandra’s side. She had no

idea if she was supposed to go along with the dragon or ignore it, but it was hard to ignore the

mountain of scales that kept nudging her. The Prince glared at the big beast who was intent on playing

with Cassandra.

“My Lord, what do you want us to do with, uh…” asked the man, a bit hesitant.

Kairen clicked his tongue, visibly irritated, but turned around.

“Nevermind.”

He walked inside the Castle, leaving Cassandra alone with Krai. The middle-aged man, who was so

short and broad he was almost a square, followed him on his stubby legs, giving one last glance to

Cassandra.

She was left with the large dragon and the old woman, who didn’t look amicable at all. The old lady had

grey hair and wore a simple, well-maintained dress and a stubborn look on her face.

“Slave, where did the Master get you?”

Cassandra had almost forgotten about her collar. With the fur cloak around her, the lady couldn’t see

her dress color. She wondered if she should let her know she was also a concubine even though she

was obviously still a slave too?

“At the Palace, madam.”

“Tsk. Come work in the kitchens once you’re done entertaining the Master’s dragon!”

“Y…yes.”

Cassandra wasn’t sure. Was she supposed to work? Kairen hadn’t mentioned anything before bringing

her to the Castle, but she couldn’t possibly laze around and do nothing either.

As soon as the old woman was gone, Krai suddenly rubbed its head against her, lowly growling with its

big eyes on her. Cassandra chuckled. Why was this dragon more cat-like than ferocious with her? She

gently caressed its black scales. They were indeed incredibly sharp, but they were also smooth, like

glass. She could easily cut herself if she didn’t pay attention. Some parts were more tender, like snake

skin, especially under his maw. Cassandra noticed that Krai seemed to like it a lot when she scratched

that spot, hence she kept attending to it, making the dragon growl softly.

“Oh! Em… Ehm… Excuse me…”

A young girl had come into the inner courtyard, pulling a large cart. She froze upon seeing the Black

Dragon and Cassandra, obviously impressed, but also rightfully frightened. She looked very young,

around thirteen or fourteen, and didn’t dare to move.

“I… I have to…”

She was so stressed by Krai’s presence, she kept stuttering, unable to take her eyes off the dragon.

But the Black Dragon didn’t care at all, its head not leaving Cassandra’s side.

“Do you need to walk through?” asked Cassandra gently.

The girl nodded frantically.

“Alright… Wait a second.”

Cassandra turned around, catching Krai’s attention. She walked a little ways away and the dragon

immediately followed her, leaving the middle of the inner court empty for the young servant to pass

through.

“Ah! Thank you.”

While still sending worried glances towards the dragon, the young girl took a wide path to cross the

inner court to

her destination, pulling her cart quickly. Cassandra made sure to keep distracting Krai until she was

gone.

She sighed when they were alone.

“You do look scary,” she whispered to the dragon.

Krai growled a bit and spread its wings, suddenly turning its head in another direction. Had it smelled

something? The dragon was watching something beyond the wall, only its height enabling it to see so

far away. Cassandra wondered if it usually fed itself as it was obviously distracted by something more

interesting.

Headed in the direction it was looking, the dragon suddenly took off towards the source of its focus.

Cassandra guessed that it was probably hunting time.

“Slave! Are you done tending to the Master’s dragon yet?”

The old woman had returned and stalked up to her.

“I am the head of the servants here, Patrina. You will call me Madam, understand?”

“Y…yes, Madam.”

“Good. What can you do?”

“Hem… Cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, field work, knitting and writing…

Patrina frowned.

“Writing? You know how to read and write?”

“Yes, Madam.”

It was very unusual for a slave, but that’s because most slaves were born into slavery and did not have

access to any kind of schooling. Cassandra, however, had been taught as a child and practiced

secretly by herself. The skill, unique for a slave, had added a bit to her value in front of her previous

masters…

“Interesting. Anyway, come with me. Now that the Master is back, we need extra hands in the kitchen.

Why do you have this fur cloak? You need to change. Come.”

Chapter 12 The Slave Concubine​

Cassandra followed the old woman, feeling unsure. Kairen had gone off elsewhere without telling her what she was supposed to do in the Castle.

Walking at a quick pace, Patrina took her to a large kitchen where two other women were working. They both turned their heads when they saw her coming, surprised.

“A new head? And a slave, too?” asked a tall woman with long brown hair.

“His Highness brought her from the Palace,” said Patrina, not stopping.

Cassandra walked right behind her, only glancing briefly at the other women. The tall one didn’t seem to care much about her as she shrugged and went back to her chores. The second one, who was sitting on the side cutting fruit, gave her a gentle smile as their eyes met. She was a redhead with freckles all over her face.

“Come in here.”

Patrina took her to a little room off to the side of the kitchen. It looked like a storage room, with baskets of vegetables and dried meats lined up along one side. Along the other, there were all kinds of fabrics piled up on a shelf; Patrina headed that way.

“It’s a lot hotter in the Capital than it is here, you’ll want to change into something warmer. You...”

She suddenly went quiet. Cassandra had started taking the fur coat off her shoulders. Patrina, surprised, stared at the red dress for a few seconds before eu al me Teu dress 101 a few seconds before regaining her composure.

“You are... the Master’s concubine?”

“Yes,” admitted Cassandra, blushing a bit.

Patrina sighed.

“And a slave... You should have told me sooner! Really, what was the Master thinking? I don’t know if I have anything proper to dress you!” (2)

“Anything is fine!” said Cassandra suddenly. “I really don’t mind the dress.”

“No, no. There are rules. A slave concubine... I don’t even know what I can give you that would be appropriate. Why hasn’t this come off yet?”

She was hinting at Cassandra’s slave collar; but those collars didn’t come off easily. Cassandra shook her head, feeling a bit helpless.

“His Highness doesn’t have my slave contract...”

Patrina sighed.

“I see. It can’t be helped then. Oh whatever, I guess we’ll have to work with it. Let me think... I can’t have you doing any hard labor...”

Cassandra felt really odd about the whole situation. Slaves were usually made to do the worst and hardest jobs, but because of her dual status as the Prince’s concubine, she couldn’t do anything that might injure her. She also couldn’t do anything that would get too dirty or be too close to male servants. But doing nothing while other servants around her worked wouldn’t be appropriate either since she was still a slave too. It really was quite complicated!

“Let’s do this. You will work inside the Castle only, and serve His Highness whenever necessary. We will find where you can help eventually, it’s not like we ever run out of things to do. Let’s see what he decides about your bedroom later. Oh here, try putting this one on.”

Patrina had taken out a long, thick wool tunic. The white, sleeveless frock fit over her red dress, ensuring her concubine attire would still be visible.

“My bedroom?”

“Yes, I can’t have you sleep in the stables and smell like a horse! We have servant rooms too. So, I’ll prepare you one just in case, but His Highness might have you sleep in one of the empty rooms upstairs.”

Cassandra remembered the shape of the Castle from her arrival, like a mountain of towers and grey stone; it did, indeed, seem very large. But despite its size, Cassandra had only seen a handful of workers so far. With all those rooms and so few workers... She suddenly wondered how many concubines Kairen actually had here and felt a little pinch in her heart. Could this be jealousy or sadness at the thought that he might have had other favorites? How silly...

“You’re so skinny, all bones! Put this belt on, too, maybe you’ll look like something. There we go.”

Indeed, the thin leather belt added some structure to her ensemble, showing off her thin waist. Cassandra felt more properly dressed in this, something better suited for the cold weather. She quickly did

her long braid over and arranged it in a bun so that she could work without it getting in the way.

Patrina nodded, looking satisfied.

“Looks good. I suppose we can always make you other outfits later, if need be.”

Cassandra felt this was more than enough already. She had worn the same overused slave dress for years. Just being able to change into something new and clean felt like a blessing! The silk and wool felt great on her skin, too and warmed her up.

Patrina grabbed a basket of fruits on her way out as Cassandra followed.

“We’ll give you a tour later. For now, the Master just came back, so we have to cook his dinner. You’ll help us.”

“What should I do?”

“You can wash those vegetables first.”

Cassandra nodded as they returned to the kitchen. The two servant women raised their heads upon seeing them.

“Madam, we are running out of... What is that?!”

Completely speechless, the taller woman pointed at Cassandra’s dress, unable to hide her shock. Patrina rolled her eyes and walked over to the large counter.

“That’s how it is.”

“She can’t be a concubine!”

This time around, the woman didn’t hide her anger and disgust. She didn’t even look at Cassandra, only at the red dress, her eyes burning with obvious jealousy. Patrina clicked her tongue and slapped her hand on the table.This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.

“Enough! Nebora, stop shouting and get back to work!” D

Cassandra didn’t dare move with that woman still glaring at her. The other servant, who looked a bit younger than Nebora, walked over and took her hand.

“Here, I’ll show you the water system.”

Cassandra was only too happy to ignore Nebora’s seething anger. Ignoring her colleague, the redhead guided her to a large sink and acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“You just have to roll this over a few times, and the water will flow. Careful though, it’s very cold. We need to make sure to use it several times a day so it doesn’t freeze.”

“Thank you. I think I’ve used this type before.”

“Really? Good then! I was wondering if the Palace’s systems might be more advanced. Anyway, you can just wash these off for now and I’ll cut them, alright?”

Cassandra nodded.

“Thank you very much,” she whispered.

The young woman smiled.

“You’re welcome, we don’t get to see new faces often, so... I’m Marian, by the way.”

“Cassandra.”

“Oh, you have a name? And it’s pretty, too! Alright Cassandra, you can start with those then. Let’s hurry up, Patrina gets grumpy when we are slow.”

Compared to Nebora’s attitude, Marian was more outgoing, she at least smiled at Cassandra, too, which made her feel better. It would be hard if she couldn’t get along with anyone here... The redhead turned out to be quite clumsy. She almost cut herself several times while handling the vegetables, mostly because she kept chatting at the same time. Cassandra felt anxious every time she watched her use the knife. So much so, she was careful to only give her one vegetable at a time and keep an eye on her movements. Patrina too, kept telling Marian to focus, despite being busy herself with baking bread.

As the chores went on, Cassandra was surprised to only see a handful of servants walking around. Why was no one else busy at this time of day? The four women worked until the meal for the Prince was ready, but that was pretty much it.

Patrina put the silver tray into Cassandra’s hands.

“Here. You can take it upstairs to the Prince’s chambers.”

“That’s my job!” Nebora yelled suddenly.

Cassandra was exhausted by the woman’s attitude. Since she had been there, Nebora had continuously shown annoyance towards her. She glared and complained the entire time. What kind of childishness was this?

“Enough, Nebora,” Patrina sighed. “Cassandra will give the Master his meal. She is his concubine and therefore has more rights than you...”

“More rights? She is just a damn slave! Have you seen her collar? She shouldn’t even be touching his food! I am the one who brings meals to His Highness!”

As offended as she felt by the comment, Cassandra was more annoyed by Nebora’s yelling and childish attitude. Even if she was jealous or had something against slaves, her whole charade was too much!

Cassandra pushed the tray of food into Nebora’s hands without warning. Surprised, the woman grabbed it just in time for it not to fall.

“Go ahead, take it.”

“Cassandra...” started Patrina, but she shook her head.

“She can take it up to His Highness if she wants to so much. I don’t want to argue over something so silly.”

Cassandra’s tempered tone greatly contrasted with Nebora’s attitude, making her sound twice as petty, especially now that she actually had the tray in her hands. But that didn’t calm her down. Annoyed by Cassandra’s display, Nebora threw the tray on the table with a bang. One of the plates fell, shattering loudly and tossing some of the bread on the floor. She started yelling, not even looking at the food.

“Who the hell do you think you are?! You are not to make deci...”

But before she could end the sentence, Cassandra slapped her.

A heavy silence fell over the kitchen as three pairs of eyes looked at her in total shock. Even Patrina had no idea how to react. Nebora put a hand on her burning cheek, trying hard to process what just happened. She was looking at Cassandra as if she was some kind of monster.

“I don’t care if you don’t have any respect for me,” Cassandra stated. “But at the very least, you should learn to have some respect for the food, and the people who spent time preparing it, for His Highness!”

Walking past her shocked colleague, Cassandra crouched down to pick up the bread and put it back on the counter, cutting off the parts that had touched the floor. Nebora looked shaken by her words. Her anger had somewhat disappeared and was replaced by a visible red hue on her cheeks.

“It... It... It’s just some bread...”

“It’s His Highness’ bread,” corrected Cassandra. “I have seen people whipped and killed for a lot less than dropping their Master’s food.”

Once again, she spoke very calmly, while Nebora finally seemed embarrassed by her actions. As she continued picking up the broken pieces of plate, she suddenly cut her finger on one of the shards. Marian hurried to help her pick the rest up. When they were done, Cassandra handed it all to Marian and picked up the tray again. She headed for the stairs but stopped in front of Nebora, who was in her way.

“Some people are starving and would do anything to get some bread,” she said to Nebora. “Patrina spent a long time making this too. So, if you want to bring this to His Highness, you are responsible for it the entire way. Do you want to take it or not?”

Taken aback by her question, Nebora looked at Cassandra and saw that she was asking seriously, without a hint of anger or hatred towards her. That made her feel even worse, and she shook her head while looking down, completely remorseful and embarrassed.

“Alright. Then you can lead the way for me, I don’t know where to go.”

Again, Nebora was rendered speechless. After the scene from earlier, was Cassandra still completely willing to let her come along? Unable to utter a word, she nodded awkwardly and turned around leading the way to the stairs as Cassandra followed behind her with the tray.

Still standing in the kitchen, Patrina and Marian were speechless.

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 13 The Onyx Castle​

Climbing the stairs in front of her, Nebora didn’t dare raise her head. She could still feel the burn of Cassandra’s slap on her cheek, but the most painful thing was her wounded ego. Now that she had calmed down, she indeed realized that her actions from earlier were too childish.

She stole glances at Cassandra as they went up the stairs, intrigued by the young woman. They were probably around the same age, but Cassandra’s body was marked from her years as a slave. She had scars all over her pale skin. The oldest ones had turned white and faded with time, but Nebora could see there were also more recent ones that were still red and fresh.

But setting her skinny body aside though, Cassandra was obviously very pretty. She had gorgeous green eyes and long brown hair, with a reddish tint. Nebora, on the other hand, was quite average; she had brown hair, dark eyes with sun tanned skin, and was too round. Her only assets were her ample breasts and curvy hips. For a long time, she had hoped those would help her get a husband and a comfortable life as a housewife. However, no one had gotten serious with her and she became bitter as the years passed.

She had thought herself lucky when she was picked to be a servant to the Castle, two years ago, and appointed to deliver the Prince’s meals. What woman wouldn’t want to be close to a Prince! With every tray she had carried, she had held on to that little hope inside her that maybe, just maybe, the Third Prince would finally see her.

When they finally reached one of the higher floors of the Castle, the walls subtly started to change. Cassandra hadn’t noticed before, but the Castle’s walls were black, not white or grey like those of the Palace. They emitted a unique smell, too; something acrid and smoky, like charcoal.

As the two women kept climbing, the matte black suddenly turned into a shiny, smooth texture. The area felt colder, too. If her hands weren’t busy carrying the tray, Cassandra would have touched it. She could almost see her own reflection in the millions of little facets!

“What is this...?” she asked in a whisper.

“Onyx stones. According to legend, this Castle must always be black, tainted by the ashes of battlefields, the home of the War God... It was built on a sleeping volcano, the previous owners added those black gemstones when they expanded the Castle,” explained Nebora.

“The home of the War God...?”

The servant nodded.

“For generations, only the best fighters and generals in the Empire have lived here. It is said the Castle will collapse, or the volcano underneath will burst in anger if the owner is unworthy. It can even stay empty for years if the Imperial Dragon believes no one merits the title. The Castle was gifted to His Highness four years ago after his victory against the Eastern Republic and the Barbarian Tribes. Before that, the Castle had been empty for nearly sixty years.”

Sixty years! No wonder it looked so empty and desolate. With no one to live here, most of the rooms they passed through didn’t even have the most basic furniture or, if they did, it was old and covered in dust.

Did that also explain why these lands seemed so... uninhabited? Cassandra remembered the vast empty fields they had flown over. She had been surprised by how few villages and people she had seen. The weather wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t bad enough to justify the lack of people. Though without a lord to watch over the area, and govern and regulate it, no wonder the locals had been forgotten about and left on their own.

“These are the Prince’s apartments.”

The two women stopped in front of a set of large doors. Nebora hesitated a bit, but Cassandra’s hands were obviously busy with carrying the large tray, so she stepped forward to push open the large doors.

It wasn’t what Cassandra had expected at all.

It was a vast tower, with a roof so high nobody could reach it. There were only two windows, but each was so large that the light was radiating into the room. This chamber was the one with the most furniture by far. Quickly taking a look at her surroundings, Cassandra noticed a desk, several chairs, two tables, a chaise covered with Kairen’s fur cloak, a large canopy bed, a couple of bookshelves, and at least three or four chests.

When the women walked in, Kairen was sitting on the bed and raised his head. From his messy hair, Cassandra wondered if he had just been resting until then. Or, was he reading? There were scrolls and documents scattered on the bedside table.

“Where were you?” he asked abruptly.

“In the kitchen, helping, my Lord”

Nebora frowned slightly. Cassandra’s calm tone and slight blush while answering their Master was totally unexpected. She gazed at the Prince, but it was obvious he was only addressing Cassandra and wasn’t sparing her a single glance. Once again, jealousy pinched at her heart and she looked down, angry. Cassandra’s actions earlier had made a strong impression on her and now she was only left with her bitterness.

The Third Prince was an impressive, strong and muscular man. His face was rather handsome as well, with those striking dark eyes. It was like looking at a tiger—dangerous and beautiful. Despite his coldness, Nebora couldn’t help but find him attractive, but he was not a man she could just approach when she wanted. All those times before, she had brought every tray, every bottle, with the slightest hope he might look at her... He never did.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Yet, that untouchable man was looking at Cassandra, talking to her and listening to her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Nebora had a hard time understanding why this was happening. The only thought she was left with was that Cassandra was on a whole other level than her.

Stepping forward, Cassandra silently put the tray down on the table closest to Kairen. As she was doing that, the Prince suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him without even acknowledging the food.

She was brought between his knees, still standing while he was sitting, his face level with her breasts.

“My Lord, your food…”

“Later,” he growled.

Indeed, he didn’t even look at it and instead placed his hands on Cassandra’s hips, drawing her even closer to him. She gasped in surprise at his sudden movement. She recognized the same glimmer of lust in his eyes as before. As he gazed intensely at her, his hand moved down her leg to the hem of her skirt, before sliding back up underneath, caressing her skin. Cassandra trembled! It was still the middle of the day, yet he was already intent on touching her!

His torso was bare, and she had no choice but to put a hand on his shoulder when his hot hand suddenly made her shiver.

“Are you cold?” he asked, in his raspy voice.

“A bit…”

Indeed, the room, being the highest in the Castle, was quite cold. Cassandra’s milky skin could barely handle it, but it may have also been the contrast with Kairen’s seductive hands that made it even worse. He smirked and suddenly pulled her on the bed and into the folds of a thick fur blanket. With Cassandra lying across the bed, he leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her head.

She started blushing uncontrollably, with his face so close and the memories of the previous night coming back to her.

“My... My Lord... It’s still early...” she stuttered.

Kairen obviously didn’t care at all. He started kissing her, licking and biting her lips, while his hands were pulling her skirt up. He kissed lower on her jaw, down from the high part of her neck, but frowned when he met the cold metal of her slavery collar.

“Get this damn thing off,” he growled.

“W...what?”

“Your collar, take it off.”

But Cassandra shook her head.

“My Lord, I can’t.”

“You refuse?”

“No, I really can’t. Look...”

She turned it a little, showing the complex lock that was keeping it closed. There were some very small words and numbers engraved under it...

“These collars can only be taken off by our masters, with a special key... It cannot be simply opened like a clasp.”

Kairen was unhappy upon hearing that. She had to keep the damn thing on? From the looks of it, it couldn’t be forced without injuring her. It was too thick, too large and too close to her throat. Annoyed, he glared at the collar.

Under his arm, Cassandra saw Nebora timidly gesture something at her before leaving and closing the doors behind her. She sighed, feeling a bit less shy now that they were alone. Yet, she couldn’t endure Kairen’s anger about her collar. Was it really so upsetting for the Prince? Did he even realize what taking off that collar would mean for her?

He probably didn’t care... He just wanted it off, simple as that. Had he ever cared that she was a slave, anyway? Cassandra felt her heart

warm a little at that thought. This man was truly too hard to understand. He was a part of those who ruled this world, this land, yet he was oblivious of its most basic rules. Slave or not, he didn’t seem to give a damn... And she couldn’t help but like him for that.

Slowly, Cassandra put a hand on his cheek and approached his lips to kiss him softly. The surprised look on Kairen’s face was a first. He lightly forgot the collar and looked at her, obviously baffled.

But it was over in a second as he kissed her back right away. He pulled her further, using his body and kissing her deeply and forcefully like he always did. His hands, too, became more pressing as he struggled to get her skirt up. When he finally reached her undergarments, he swiftly got rid of them.

His fingers on her clit made Cassandra gasp. He immediately started caressing her, his fingers looking for her entrance and enticing her. The sensations unleashed waves inside her and she couldn’t hold them as Kairen’s skillful hand gave her shivers of pleasure. How could she like this so much already? She bit her lip, trying to hold it in as she grabbed the fur around her, but his fingers penetrated her, going in and out, faster and faster, and had her wet and excited immediately. She closed her eyes, too embarrassed to look at him any longer.

She hadn’t thought it would make things more intense, but she could now focus only on this devilish rubbing inside her. Cassandra couldn’t hold her voice back anymore. Her moaning echoed in the room and she just couldn’t stop it.

When his fingers finally stopped and slid out, she could barely catch her breath. Her pussy was still trembling and soaking as the sensation lingered.

Kairen leaned over her again, and she felt him suddenly pushing inside her. She whimpered briefly, as it took a few seconds for her to get used to him, so thick and hard he felt in her core.

Unable to wait, Kairen started moving, thrusting his hot member at a steady pace. His large hands were firmly gripping Cassandra in place, submitting her completely to his rhythm. He slid in and out, without slowing down, fucking so much pleasure in it already.

She was perfectly hot and wet, just tight enough to squeeze him and he loved the way she felt and the moaning voice crying out with each thrust, knowing that she was feeling it intensely, too, was almost as satisfying as the sensations around his cock. He grunted, hard and deep, making Cassandra’s voice resonate in unison with his own movements.

He straightened and wrapped her legs around his sides, grabbing her hips more firmly as he increased the speed of his thrusts, unable to stop. She was wailing loudly, her eyes closed and her mouth open, her thighs shaking. The bed started creaking under his wild moves and Cassandra suddenly grabbed his shoulder to hold onto, her other hand trying to cover her mouth.

He didn’t let go of her, and kept going, showing no sign of slowing down. Cassandra was going insane, unable to hold her voice or stop her hips from shaking against his. She could feel her extremities going numb and her stomach going wild. She began to moan even louder, as she felt her climax coming on. She liked it, she liked it so much she just couldn’t believe it.

In a raspy voice, she started begging, unable to control it anymore.

“Yes, yes... Please... Yes...”

She didn’t even realize what she was saying as the words continued to flow, feeling her orgasm coming. Suddenly, it exploded inside of her. Her whole body quivered as she felt stars bursting in her head and stomach.

She involuntarily tensed her legs around Kairen’s waist, and he slowed down, kissing her without pulling out. His slow rhythm made the sensation linger even longer. Cassandra had a hard time coming back to her senses and catching her breath as he kissed along her jawline.

“Did you come?” he asked in a whisper.

It was a rhetorical question, meant to be a bit of a jest, but she blushed. He chuckled as he kept moving slowly, stirring her up inside again.

“M...Master...”

“I’m not done yet,” he whispered.

She bit her lip, helpless. They had been going at it for so long already. When was he going to finish?!

Chapter 14​

#14 The Rain Tribe

“Cassandra?”

She slowly awoke to the sound of Nebora‘s voice. The servant was crouching down next to her by the

bedside.

“It‘s past dinner time. Do you want to eat something?”

Cassandra frowned and slowly sat up, holding the bed sheets to cover her naked body. She looked aro

und, the fur cloak was neatly folded and laid at the foot of the bed and several candles were lit, illumina

ting the room in the pitch black evening. He was gone.

“Is it very late?”

“No, but the night falls early here. His Highness left two hours ago,” said Nebora.

“Where to?”

“Probably to see the Army of The East. He usually goes to see his men as soon as he gets here.”

Cassandra blushed, she was obviously the reason he hadn‘t gone right away this time. Nebora cleared

her throat, a bit embarrassed for a few seconds. Looking down, her cheeks were already red, and she

whispered.

“I…I wanted to apologize. You know, about…earlier. I was a bitch to

you. A jealous bitch, and I… realized I… Well, that it was stupid. I‘m sorry.”

It was obvious she was sincere and embarrassed. Cassandra smiled gently.

“Apology accepted. To be fair, I can‘t really blame you. I am a slave, and also in a… weird position.”

A slave who wore a red dress. Thinking about it, Cassandra was still naked. She looked

around for her dress, but it was nowhere to be seen. When she looked under the sheets, Nebora under

stood and handed her a new, white dress.

“Your dress was… um, soiled, so we took it to clean, sorry. I don‘t

think we have any other red dresses. You can wear that nightgown for now, I guess. It‘s mine.”

“Oh…thanks.”

Cassandra felt a bit flustered. How many times had she changed clothes today? She took

the nightgown from Nebora. The knee length

dress was simple and white, knitted in a thicker fabric than what she was used to, but it was agreeably

warm considering the cold here.

“You‘re welcome. But you should really ask His Highness for more clothes. You can’t have only one out

fit, it‘ll be a pain to wash every day.”

“I don‘t know if I’m in a position to…”

Nebora rolled her eyes and got up, speaking before Cassandra finished her sentence.

“You‘re a concubine. Trust me, even the servants here have around ten outfits to change into. Don‘t bri

ng up the slave thing, he obviously doesn‘t give a damn about that. His Highness is very rich, so just as

k for it!”

Cassandra nodded as she thought about it. Indeed, she couldn‘t walk around naked or

borrow Nebora‘s clothes all the time. As she started to braid her messy hair, Nebora took a step back, s

howing her a little plate full of food.

“Oh, are you hungry? I brought this up just in case. Everyone else already ate, but I figured you might h

ave been too…busy to get a bite. His Highness ate before leaving, but you were still asleep.”

“Thanks…”

Indeed, after all that intense activity, she was hungry. It was still so new to her, to be able to eat without

begging or having to hide. Instead, she could enjoy plates full of fresh food, just for her. Cassandra star

ted eating some of the little pieces of cheese and fruit as Nebora joined her, sitting on the floor next to t

he bed.

“How many servants are there?”

“There‘s six of us in the Castle, plus two more for the stables.”

“That‘s it?” asked Cassandra, surprised.

From the size of the Castle, she had thought there would

be at least a hundred people here! Nebora shrugged.

“Well, you‘ve seen how it is. Everything is pretty much empty, and there is only the Prince to take care

of, so…”

“What? What about his entourage or other concubines?”

Nebora almost choked on the cube of cheese she was eating, and turned to Cassandra with surprised

eyes.

“What are you talking about? You‘re the only one!”

Cassandra was speechless. The only one? She had figured a Prince like him would have at least a doz

en concubines! Maybe even a wife… After all, wasn‘t

one of the Princes infamous for having a harem of over two hundred? But, to think a man like the War

God actually had none…

“Well, to be honest, it‘s not like you‘re the first one.”

.

“What do you mean?”

Nebora smirked.

“The Emperor and two of his brothers have tried offering him concubines before. But His Highness didn

‘t like them. He killed them. Well, to be precise, he killed three and his dragon killed the others.”

Cassandra stood, completely speechless. He actually

dared to kill someone sent by the Emperor himself? What kind of man would do that! Was she just luck

y to have survived until now? She wasn‘t sent

by anyone from the Imperial Family though. Cassandra suddenly remembered Shareen‘s words to kee

p herself alive. Did that mean she

actually suspected Kairen could kill her as well? That was really too frightening to think about.

“Don‘t worry,” said Nebora. “I don‘t think you’re anything like those women, you know. Actually, two of th

em even tried to kill him.”

“What?”

“Well, some say they went

crazy, but a lot of people think they had orders to kill the War God. It‘s not like the Imperial Family is a

very warm household, you know. Everyone knows some of the Princes are just dying to take

the Golden Throne.”

Cassandra had noticed that too, at the banquet and the arena. It was obvious the siblings, Princes and

Princesses, didn‘t like each other much. Some didn‘t even bother to hide their hatred for

one another. The rivalry had been just barely contained, probably because

of the Emperor‘s presence…

“Anyways, all that is quite far from us. If anything happens, it will most likely be at the Capital. Nothing h

appens around here,” sighed Nebora.

“Would you give me a tour?”

Cassandra‘s sudden question seemed

to surprise her. She hesitated, eating some grapes while Cassandra grabbed the fur cloak. –

“Now?”

“His Highness won‘t be back for the night, will he?”

“No, he usually leaves for a few days

when he goes to see his men… I‘m just saying, it‘s pretty boring out here.”

“I just feel like seeing more of the Castle, and I‘ve slept too much already.”

She wasn‘t really lying, but Cassandra‘s real reason was that she actually felt pretty uncomfortable and

alone in the gigantic bed. Nebora sitting on the floor next to her made her feel a bit awkward, too.

Standing

up, she noticed how cold this room actually was, and wrapped the fur cloak around her shoulders. Neb

ora, too, was wearing a large wool shawl that went all the way down to her thighs. She

stood up at the same time as Cassandra, but frowned, and pointed at her chest that wasn‘t covered.

“You may want to hide that a bit.”

Cassandra

looked down, wondering if the cleavage of the dress may have been too much. Her dress wasn‘t the pr

oblem though. Instead, she noticed a dozen deep, red marks scattered on her neck and between her br

easts. She blushed deeply and covered them instantly. They were obviously hickeys! How could the Pri

nce have left so many without her even noticing? It was too embarrassing! 6

Nebora chuckled at her.

“Well, at least it seems His Highness had a good time…”

“Stop it!” exclaimed Cassandra, embarrassed to death. “Can we just go, please?”

Nebora took a second to stop laughing, and grabbed a few more cheese cubes and grapes for them to

nibble along the way.

“Alright, alright, let‘s go.”

The two women left the bedroom, each carrying

a candle to light the way. It was a very quiet and cold night. Cassandra thought this Castle would have

been a bit frightening to explore by herself.

As Nebora had said, despite its size, most of the Onyx Castle was

empty and desolate. A few rooms had old furniture covered in dust, but most were completely empty. T

here were also some that the two women found locked and

couldn‘t open. In total, they walked down six floors to get to the main one. The different floors were sep

arated by quite a lot of height, too. The rooms were so scattered and far apart, that when they

finally returned to the kitchen a couple of hours later, they had only managed to see half of the Castle.

2

“His Highness only uses the top floor, and sometimes, the

one below is used for guests, but that‘s not very common. Aside from that, everyone lives on the first flo

or. We only really see him for meal times, and when he comes and goes.” 2

Nebora went to grab cups to make some hot tea to warm themselves.

“How long have you lived here?”

“I moved to the village near the Castle when I was fourteen. I grew

up in the countryside, but I hated field work. There wasn‘t anything

else to do, so one of my brothers and I eventually left to find work elsewhere. Patrina recruited me arou

nd the same time as my brother got into His Highness‘ army.”

“I‘ve heard a lot about the Army of The East.”

+

1

Nebora smiled.

“Of course, they are the best army in the Empire; thanks to the War

God. They became notorious after defeating the Eastern Republic and the Barbarian

Tribes a few years ago. My brother was lucky to be a part of it then.”

Cassandra noticed how happy she seemed when talking about her brother. She couldn’t help but smile

too. Nebora took a sip of her tea.

“Do you have siblings too?”

Her eyes immediately became a bit sad as she looked down at her cup.

“I had a younger sister… But she was sold too, years

ago. I tried to look for her, but I couldn‘t find anything about what happened to her or who she was

sold to.”

“So you…weren‘t born a slave?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“I was born in the south, in the Rain Tribe.”

“Never heard of it.”

“You probably

wouldn’t have. The name disappeared many years ago. Every last one of us was hunted down.”

Nebora was shocked.

“What do you mean?”

“My tribe lived to the south of this Empire , near the

Riverlands. We were one of many tribes who coexisted there together, in a territory between the

Dragon Empire and the Eastern Republic. We knew a war was going on

between them, but we were living in a very difficult area. It was mostly dominated by swamps

and heavy rain. We never thought we would get involved in the conflict.”

Nebora frowned.

“What happened?”

“I was only nine years old back then so I don‘t know all the details, but at some

point, someone suspected the tribes were smuggling weapons and information to the

other side. Our Chief was captured and tortured…

He couldn‘t say what he didn‘t know, and was killed. After that, they decided it would be better to

just wipe us all out. To them, we were a

nameless tribe of savages, a risk they didn‘t want to take. It was over in one night.”

Nebora was speechless. It was disheartening to think a whole population had been killed Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

over a conflict they hadn‘t had any part in. Yet, Cassandra was quite calm as she spoke. It

was as if she was just telling a tale. But it wasn‘t a tale; it was her story.

She sighed and took another sip.

“How did you survive?”

“They didn‘t actually kill everyone…

They killed all of the adults and most of the boys. The rest of the boys, and the young girls under twelve

, were sold to slave

merchants. I was brought to this Empire and sold to my first Master a few days after.”

She didn‘t ask anything else. Nebora was reflecting on how she had acted earlier, that childish tantrum

of hers. About her being a slave? If she had been unlucky, she could have ended up like Cassandra. Lo

sing her whole family and then being sold like merchandise. Yet, she had been the immature one, while

a young woman who had already experienced so much tragedy was so calm and collected in front of h

er. How could she be so reckless and immature given the harsh world they live in?

Suddenly, a

scream resonated through the kitchen as a young girl in a nightgown came running in, straight into Neb

ora‘s arms.

“A spider! There is a spider in my room again!”

“Again? Did you clean your room this week, Bina?”

“I did, I definitely did!”

The girl, who looked no older than fourteen or

fifteen, was almost crying, completely panicked. She hid her face in Nebora‘s chest, tightly gripping ont

o her arm like a safety blanket.

“She is very scared of spiders,” explained Nebora with a sigh. “We always get a few around this time of

year…”

“Where is her room?” Cassandra asked while getting up.

Nebora frowned as she watched Cassandra look through the trash from that morning.

“The first one on the left… What are you doing?”

Cassandra had gathered some fruit peels, and showed them to Nebora. They were all citrus peels.

“Spiders hate these. If you rub it against your doors and windows they won’t come in.”

“Really?”

Bina

had turned her head, hearing a new person, and looked at Cassandra. She was stunned by the young

girl‘s eyes. One was brown, the other was blue, but the girl was only focused on the citrus

peels in Cassandra‘s hands.

“Yes. I use this trick

all the time so I never get any spiders. You can keep some chestnuts in your room too; that also works

well.”

“Alright, let‘s go test that theory and chase out that eight–legged monster while we‘re at it,” sighed

Nebora, getting up. “And after that, everyone to bed. I‘m tired!”

Chapter 15​

#15 The Young Servants

That night, Cassandra slept in

one of the servants‘ rooms. There were several available, so it was no inconvenience for

her to take one. Even if Nebora insisted she sleep upstairs, being all alone in

the Prince‘s chambers was too intimidating for Cassandra. Moreover, the bedroom she was given was

quite decent. It was simple, with wood furniture, like

a bed and a desk, just enough for someone to sleep in comfortably. From what she had seen in Nebora

and Bina‘s rooms, they were free to decorate as they wished, too.

She slept well, but because she had already slept so long the Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

day before, Cassandra was up early. Quickly getting dressed, she went to the kitchen, not thinking she‘

d see anyone at this early hour. But Bina was there along with another girl and a boy, all standing aroun

d chatting. They all looked younger than

herself, around fourteen or fifteen years old. Upon seeing her come in, Bina stood up.

“Cassie!”

She walked up to her and turned to the others.

“This is Cassandra, who I just told you about! She‘s the one with the fruit peels!”

Cassandra recognized the other

girl as well. She was the one who was scared of the dragon the previous day in the inner court with her

cart.

“Hi… I’m Prunie.” She nodded shyly.

“I‘m Helmond,” said the boy.

“Prunie is a servant like me, Helm works at the stables!” said Bina, joyously.

“Nice to meet you both.”

“Hey, Cassandra, do you know how to make breakfast? We‘re so hungry, but none of us can cook…”

“Would you show me where we keep the food?”

“Sure!”

For the next half hour, Cassandra made breakfast for everyone while

she listened to them gossip. Those three, being the youngest, were quite chatty and lively. She

quickly learned that Prunie and Bina had been recruited around the same time this

year, while Helmond was Patrina‘s nephew. By the time Cassandra was done

making breakfast, Nebora had appeared too, her black curls all tangled.

“The kids made you make breakfast?” she asked while yawning.

“It‘s fine, I like cooking. There‘s enough for everyone.”

“Great. I‘ll make some tea…

Soon enough, all five of them sat around the table to cat, everyone complimenting Cassandra‘s cookin

g. Curious, Helm and Bina asked Cassandra lots of questions about the Capital, as they had never bee

n before. She politely answered their endless questions for a while, as the others ate silently.

Suddenly, the roof over their heads made a terrifying noise, like it was about to cave in. Everyone froze

as the walls trembled, too. Nebora was petrified.

“What was that?”

“There aren‘t any earthquakes here, right?” asked Bina, scared.

Cassandra got up as the roof shook again, like some storm was over their heads. When she heard a lo

ud growl, she finally understood and walked outside.

Indeed, Krai‘s gigantic front paws were on the roof of

the building, and the Black Dragon was growling, its claws scratching the

walls. Krai didn‘t even seem to realize the whole building was about to collapse from the extra weight.

Cassandra walked all the way to the inner court until she could see the dragon‘s head. Behind her, all

the other servants who had left the kitchen to follow her were petrified.

“It‘s the Master‘s dragon!” Bina whispered.

Prunie kept looking at Cassandra as Nebora grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back.

“Don‘t approach, Cassandra. His Highness‘ dragon will kill you!”

However, she kept walking until the dragon finally turned its head and spotted her. Immediately, it jump

ed down from

the building and trotted towards her with a loud growl. She heard the screams of fear behind her, but di

dn‘t turn around. Instead, Cassandra stayed very still until Krai

stopped in front of her, sniffing and tilting its head to the side. She took a peek at its empty back. 2

“Did you come back alone? What about your Master?” Cassandra

asked the dragon, while scratching its head.

If Krai had understood her, it

didn‘t bother to give her an answer. Instead, it was just growling quietly and turning its head from one si

de to the other, begging for more scratches. Behind her, she heard Nebora speak.

“I can‘t believe you…”

“He‘s quite nice,” said Cassandra.

“Nice? I saw that dragon eat ten men at once! It didn‘t even chew! And you‘re petting it like some cat…

What kind of woman are you?”

Cassandra couldn‘t help but chuckle. Indeed, she

had seen Krai kill people, quite gruesomely, in fact. But, for now, the Black Dragon just laid down in

the inner court, closing its eyes and letting her scratch its head.

“I wonder why His Highness didn‘t come back as well?” Cassandra asked.

“They are not always together. That dragon pretty much does whatever it pleases most of the time,” sai

d Nebora. “Our Lord is probably still at the Military Camp.”

“Is it far from here?” asked Cassandra.

“By foot, it would take a few days. On the dragon‘s back, maybe an hour or so. The Military Camp is qui

te large, almost like a city itself, and right at the Empire‘s border too. Around two hundred thousand me

n.”

That was a rather large number considering this Castle appeared quite… empty. For such a large beast, that number of soldiers probably didn‘t even compare, though, as Krai could probably protect the castle on its own. Cassandra looked down at the dragon that was about to doze off under her pets.

No wonder this Empire was so powerful compared to the others. With seven
dragons, they could probably take over any country on a whim.

“I don‘t know how you can stay so close to it. It could eat you in

one bite and use your bones as toothpicks!”

Nebora was still being very brave, standing a few paces away while all

three of the others had literally run away. Cassandra, however, wasn‘t scared at all. Despite

its gigantic size, the hot breath, and sharp fangs, she didn‘t feel any animosity coming from the dragon.

She waited until it seemed like Krai was asleep and snoring in the middle

of the inner court, to walk back to Nebora, who had her arms crossed.

“I don‘t know if you‘re insane or lucky.”

“I could be both? Come on, we should get to work,” chuckled Cassandra.

The two women went back to the kitchen, cleaning the dishes, and talking. Compared to the cold shoul

der she had given her the previous day, Nebora‘s attitude had completely changed. She

was still very blunt and a bit rude at

times, but as she showed Cassandra everything they did in the Castle, all hints

of hatred were disappearing. Instead, she seemed

to treat the young woman like a peer and explained to her how everything was handled patiently. 2

“There aren‘t many rooms to take care of,”

Nebora explained as they were bringing clean sheets upstairs. “But there are only a few of us

and Patrina is always making sure everything is spotless. She will even have us clean a room

three times a day if she sees a little speck of dust.”

“Has she always worked for His Highness?”

“No, she used to work for His Highness‘s mother at the Palace. Her daughter was murdered

in one of the jealous schemes between the concubines.

After that, she asked to be sent away from the Palace and ended up here.”

Cassandra was shocked to hear such a story. Seeing a woman as resilient as Patrina, she had no idea.

“You‘re lucky to have been brought here,” continued Nebora. “You would have been killed within a wee

k back at the Palace. It‘s famous for being a nest of snakes.”

She nodded slowly as they placed new sheets on the Prince‘s bed. She had already

seen it herself. The violence, the death… Not only for the slaves. Even a concubine like Lyria, who was

untouchable in the Capital, had been killed on the spot only a week after entering the Palace. It was tru

ly a scary place.

“So, no one comes here?”

Nebora seemed to think for a bit, while folding a fur cloak.

“Aside from his sister, not really.”

“Princess Shareen?”

“You know her?”

“I‘ve…met her.”

Cassandra couldn‘t help blushing as she remembered

the incident. That Princess Shareen was truly one of a kind! Thankfully, Nebora didn‘t notice her cheeks

going red as she was taking care of the dust on the curtains. Meanwhile, Cassandra changed the cand

les and added a batch of herbs in a basket.

“Those two are close, from what I‘ve seen. Even if she is a total weirdo… Don‘t get close to that woman

, she‘s really dangerous. There are some crazy rumors about her, and I wouldn‘t be surprised if half of t

hem are true. But that‘s pretty much it for visitors. Our Lord isn‘t the social type…What is that?” 2

She was pointing at the basket of dried herbs Cassandra was putting next to the window.

“Just so the room will smell good. I‘ll open the window a bit, too, so it‘ll smell even better.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll open the other one then. Do you need to… Ah!!!”

Nebora‘s scream resonated throughout the room, making Cassandra almost drop her basket. She turn

ed around to see what was wrong, only to discover that the big window Nebora had tried to

open, now had a wall of scales blocking it, with a red eye moving around in the middle. 2

Cassandra rushed to Nebora‘s side, making sure she was alright, but

it was hard not to laugh. Krai‘s big muzzle was trying to get inside, and the dragon was making odd gro

wls; its eyes looking around.

“No, no, you‘re too big!” she scolded. “What are you doing…?”

She could only imagine what it was like from the

outside. Had it tried to climb up the Castle to get to the tower? Its head was still too big for the window,

though it kept trying to maneuver around to fit through. Cassandra felt helpless.

“You‘re too big! Oh, come on…”

She tried to push its muzzle away, until it was completely out. It kept looking at her though, with a disap

pointed look. Next to her, Nebora was still trying to stop her legs from trembling and get back up. Cassa

ndra helped her, trying to ignore the loud growls.

“I can‘t believe that dragon! It scared the shit out of me!”

“Do you think the whole tower could collapse…”

“It should be fine, it‘s not the first dragon to live here. None of them tried to actually get inside though! L

et‘s just hope its Master will call

it back soon. I don‘t think I can work if it keeps popping up at every window!”

“Can he call from so far?”

“What? Oh, yes. Dragon tamers have some special

bond with their dragon. Even if our Lord was all the way back at the Palace, this

one would fly to him anytime he needs him.”

Cassandra was completely astonished at that fact. She had never heard about any of this before. The

dragons were considered deities here. It was already

very rare for anyone to be able to spot one, as they always stayed with their Masters.

Ignoring the annoyed growls, she closed the window where Krai was lurking.

“I had no idea…”

“That‘s normal, they don‘t leak much information about the Palace to the

outside. Here, Our Lord doesn‘t really care, I guess. Come on, let‘s finish quickly here, that big red eye

is creeping me out…”

Krai eventually got bored and went away long before they were done cleaning the room. The dragon ha

d probably gone to hunt somewhere. When they got back downstairs, it was nowhere to be seen.

The two women went to the kitchen, where Prunie and Marian were sorting

out vegetables. Cassandra walked up to them, taking what looked like a carrot from the basket.

“Is it fresh enough?”

“Not really,” said Marian

with a sigh. “But it‘s hard to get fresh ones around here. The closest farmer is still quite far away.”

“Why is no one cultivating the soils around the Castle?” asked Cassandra.

She had wondered this while flying over the land, too. Aside from scattered houses, the whole area aro

und the Castle was pretty much deserted. She kept looking at the vegetables, but no matter how she lo

oked at them, they just weren‘t very good. Especially not when compared to what she had seen in the

Capital.

“They say the soil is not good for cultivating here.”

Cassandra frowned. Her native land was much worse than this, yet they

still had always been able to provide for themselves.

The vegetables gathered in the baskets were definitely ones that fit warmer climates though, like the C

apital, not what they should have been growing here.

“What about the pastures? The livestock?”

Next to her, Nebora sighed.

“Cassandra, the livestock were not too happy to be here, they left ages ago. Did you

forget? We have a one ton predator flying around the area!”

Author Note: Thanks for reading, please be sure to like and leave a comment if you enjoyed the story so far!

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 16​

The Pig Governor Cassandra was still thinking about the farming problem that night as she cooked with Patrina and

Nebora. The food they were slicing and mashing wasn’t so bad, but it wasn’t particularly fresh either.

With no proper farmers around to tend the land and provide food, no wonder the whole area was

deserted.

“What about trading then?”

“You’re thinking about that again?” sighed Nebora. “Trading is what we do. Usually we can only buy at

the nearest village, but it’s two hours from here using the horses.”

“Is the village big? Could we go there?”

“Certainly not now!” said Patrina, frowning. “Just focus on your task and stop chatting so much!”

Having said that, she left the kitchen to go to the storage room. As soon as she was gone, Nebora

moved closer to Cassandra and whispered.

“She’s not wrong, you know. You may not know this because you came from the Capital, but this area

is terribly unsafe at night. As soon as the sun sets, a lot of dangerous beasts start to roam around. You

would get killed and eaten in minutes.”

Cassandra had no idea. Indeed, the Capital was a large and highly guarded City, as most of the

Empire’s officials were located there. Only the Governors had residences on their designated

territories, though some high-ranked nobles had built secondary residences outside of the Capital

walls. She also knew of a few other big cities that existed and were doing quite well on their own, but

from the day she had been sold to her first master, she had never taken a step out of the Capital.

“I’m also not sure when His Highness will come back, but if I were you, I would stay close to the castle.”

Cassandra couldn’t help but blush a bit when she heard those words. She wondered when he would be

back too.

Krai also hadn’t come back. Wherever the Black Dragon had gone, it must have been pretty far,

because it was nowhere to be seen; not even from the Prince’s tower. The two women kept chatting

until Patrina came back with a grumpy look on her face. I

“We have to make an extra portion.”

Nebora frowned.

“What? That pig is eating here again?”

Patrina just nodded, and went outside again to call Prunie and Marian. Cassandra finished cutting her

vegetables and turned to Nebora.

“Who are we talking about?”

Nebora rolled her eyes.

“The Governor, Grovah. The man is a fucking pig. He acts as he pleases here, and if His Highness is

gone, he likes to order us around. He has his own manor but this is where he spends most of his time.

He even took a room here!”

“Why does he stick around?”

“Because he is so full of himself and likes the Castle better. And because he gets to act like a fucking

pervert with the servants here, too. I heard he touched all of his servant girls back at his manor, despite

having a wife and five concubines!” 2

Cassandra almost dropped the pot she was carrying.

“What? Even here?”

She thought of the young girls like Bina and Prunie, who were only fourteen and fifteen years old.

Sadly, it was not uncommon for officials to abuse their powers and have their “fun” with the servants,

but this was the Prince’s Palace!

“Don’t worry, he wouldn’t dare touch you. You belong to His Highness, and the dirtbag is way too

scared of him.” 1

Cassandra was certainly not satisfied by that. She wasn’t thinking about herself. She worried for the

servant girls here, being subjected to that kind of treatment.

“Does this happen often?”

“Don’t think too much about it, Cassie. He just messes around with us when we bring him his food, or

when he sees us in the corridors, that’s all.”

“Are you talking about the pig?”

Marian, Prunie, and Bina had all just entered the kitchen to help, with their hands full. Cassandra and

Nebora immediately stood up to go and help them. Marian frowned.

“That man is such a pig! He is so fat and ugly, and…”

“That’s not the point here, Marian,” sighed Nebora.

“I hate him,” murmured Prunie. “He always tries to touch my butt…

“He does that with me too,” added Bina. “He’s really horrible. He always talks about how he has sex

with his servants when I’m in the room giving him his food, and he says I’m wearing too many clothes

for a girl.”

Cassandra felt so utterly disgusted hearing all this, she suddenly slammed the pot on the table, making

everyone jump.

“I will do it.”

“Do what?”

“Bring him his food.”

Nebora looked at her as if she was stupid.

“Cassandra, no. He may be a pervert, but the man is a Governor, and you’re a slave. If you do anything

he doesn’t like, he can have you imprisoned, and His Highness is not even here to protect you!”

“He cannot rape or kill me, Nebora. No matter what, I don’t have as many risks as you, and honestly, I

don’t really care about being imprisoned. Regardless, I’m not letting any of you approach him.”

“Cassie…” muttered Bina, worried.

“What if he tortures you?” sighed Nebora. “If he gets reckless and His Highness is not here…”

Cassandra shook her head.

“He won’t. Don’t worry about me. Now, let’s just cook as usual.”

The girls listened to her, but they still tried to talk her out of it. Even if they seemed scared, Bina and

Prunie said they could take it themselves, but Cassandra refused. When the tray was ready, she asked

where she was supposed to go, and headed to the Governor’s self-designated chambers.

A man’s voice ordered her to enter. Cassandra noticed the room was probably the most furnished and

richly decorated in the whole Castle. It really was as if the Governor owned the place, except that this

was only the third

floor. A big dog suddenly barked at her, and Cassandra stood to the side. Thankfully, the dog was

chained and couldn’t reach her. It just kept growling and barking, loudly.

“Who are you? Where are the usual girls?!” the man suddenly yelled.

Cassandra frowned. He wasn’t even properly dressed, wearing only some sort of bathrobe that looked

ridiculously tight on him. It was the man whom she had seen run after the Prince upon her arrival at the

Castle. He was short, fat, and even a bit bald. As she came closer, Cassandra couldn’t help but be

repulsed by him and his greasy skin. She dropped the tray on the table, a bit loudly.

“The girls are eating, Sir. Here is your meal.”

“I want the little one to bring it! With the soft skin.”

“She is eating, and your meal is already here.”

He pointed a finger at Cassandra, his eyes gleaming with anger.

“You insolent little whore! You think you can talk back to me? You may be His Highness’ favorite, but

you’re still just a slave! Just wait until I whip the hell out of you!”

The Governor got up and seized a whip that was on his bedside table and quickly walked up to her.

“Go ahead.”

He suddenly stopped, surprised by Cassandra’s calm tone. His fingers were trembling on the whip. He

had never seen a slave unafraid to talk back to him, let alone stand tall and look directly at him like this

woman was!

“W… What did you say?”

“I said go ahead. You can whip me.”

The Governor was utterly confused. The woman had way too much confidence! What was she hiding?

Was she waiting for him to whip her so she could complain to the Prince? With the wounds as proof?

He stared at her for a while, hesitating. Cassandra wasn’t moving at all, or betraying any fear. After a

long pause, the Governor lowered his hand with the whip.

“You arrogant whore… You think you are higher than me? You’ll see! Guards!”

Immediately, two of the Palace guards, whom Cassandra had not interacted with yet, ran into the

chambers.

“Take her to the dungeon! Have this wench stay there for three days and three nights! You’ll see what it

costs to be arrogant to a Lord like me! His Highness will understand!”

And just like that, Cassandra was taken away to the Castle’s dungeon, showing no resistance.

The guards brought her underground to the cells, all aligned down a long hall, and put her in the

farthest one. It only had a bed made of straw and a very small window at the very top of the wall that

allowed in a very small amount of natural light. The guards weren’t rude, but they also didn’t say a

single word to her. Instead, they just left.

Cassandra sighed. She had been in worse situations, but still… Her own stubbornness had landed her

in the dungeons. She checked her cell for any rats or stagnant water, and arranged the straw to sit on.

She sighed again. No doubt the Prince would be mad about this upon his return.

“Cassie!”

She had only started dozing off when she heard Nebora. She raised her head, and saw her new friend

standing on the other side of the bars as she walked up to her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I should be the one asking you that, you stubborn woman! I told you this would happen! Don’t you

have any instinct of self-preservation? You would be dead if you weren’t His Highness’ concubine!”

“Did he do anything else after he put me in here?”

Nebora sighed deeply.

“No… I think you scared him a bit. He chased everyone out. I told the girls to ignore him for now, but…

Girl, you have to spend a long time in here!”

“I’ve been in worse places. What is this?” she asked, pointing to the little basket Nebora had brought.

“It’s for you. I brought you some food, and a blanket too. It gets cold here at night…”

She handed her everything through the bars, under Cassandra’s surprised eyes.

“How were you allowed to…?” This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“It was easy, the guards aren’t bad guys. They let me through without arguing when I said you were His

Highness’ concubine. Well, that, and I promised them each a kiss.”

Cassandra chuckled. She was truly grateful, and thanked Nebora for all she had done to make her

imprisonment better.

“Just wait until His Highness gets back… I hope his dragon will chew that damn Governor slowly!” 11

“I just hope he leaves you alone for a while…”

“Don’t worry, we are used to it. And Patrina is pissed you got thrown in the dungeon, she isn’t going to

let him act as he pleases.”

“Nebora! Five minutes!” yelled one of the guards from down the hall.

She sighed.

“I have to go, girl. Take care of yourself, alright? I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise.”

She left quickly, leaving Cassandra completely alone again.

The night was extremely cold. If it wasn’t for the blanket Nebora had brought her, she would probably

have gotten sick, but at least there weren’t any rats. Cassandra fell asleep remembering the warm

embrace of the Prince, and the soft feel of a fur cloak… 1

“Where is she?”

A cold voice suddenly woke her up. She heard a scream, and a dragon’s furious growl. Cassandra

stood, keeping her blanket around her, totally confused. It was still the middle of the night, but

countless lights were lit up outside.

She heard several people walking quickly through the dungeon towards her cell. A bit wary, she took a

couple of steps back into a corner.

The Prince suddenly appeared in front of her.

“My Lord…”

He drew his sword and, without warning, brutally shattered the hinges holding her cell’s door, breaking

through them as if they were as flimsy as a sheet of paper. He was clearly furious when he walked up

to her.

“What are you doing in here?”

Without letting her answer, he suddenly swooped Cassandra off her feet, carrying her like a princess,

as usual.

They left the cell, followed by two panicked soldiers. She hadn’t even spent one night there!

The Prince took her out to the inner court which was brightly lit despite the late hour. Krai was there,

growling furiously. All the servants, and a few guards, were gathered with worried expressions. Nebora

and the others seemed relieved to see her when she appeared though.

“Your… Your Highness!”

Cassandra suddenly realized the Governor was there too, only he was being crushed under Krai’s

gigantic paw. The man’s mouth was covered in blood, like someone had beaten him.

“S…see! She’s fine! I just put her there to teach her a…a lesson!”

But Kairen didn’t bother to look at him or even stop. He kept walking back to the main area of the

Castle without a single glance behind him.

“My… My Lord!”

Krai growled even louder at the whimpering man and the next second, the disgusting sound of flesh

and bones being crushed was heard, before a new scream resonated.

2

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 17​

The Crests

Cassandra didn’t even see the Governor’s last moments. Carried by Kairen against his chest, she only

heard and that was enough. Very quickly, she was whisked all the way to his bedroom and thrown on

the bed.

“My Lord… I didn’t think you’d be back so quickly.”

“What the fuck were you doing in his chambers?”

She was surprised by his question. Kairen started undoing the thick armor he was wearing, the cold

metal loudly falling to the floor. Cassandra was searching for words, trying to gather her thoughts while

sitting there.

“I brought him his dinner…”

Kairen looked furious. Wearing only his pants now, he threw his shirt across the room and crawled on

the bed until he was facing her. He grabbed Cassandra’s waist, pulling her against him, and kissed her

forcefully without warning. She didn’t even have time to breathe. With his tongue on hers, she

awkwardly held on to his shoulder to keep her balance. She was sitting a bit on top of him, and he

grabbed her hair, keeping her close to him.

When he finally let her go, Cassandra’s lips were numb from the intense kissing. She tried to catch her

breath.

“Your lips are cold,” groaned Kairen.

“The dungeon was cold…”

He clicked his tongue, annoyed, and kissed her again, even more intensely. Cassandra was completely

unprepared. It was only moments ago that she was still alone in that cold prison cell. Now she was on

his bed, in his chambers, illuminated and warmed up by candles and a roaring fire. She did her best to

answer his kiss, still getting used to his savage intensity. The way he played with her tongue was

restless. Cassandra could feel her skin warming up, the change so fast she shivered under his fingers

and the sensation of his hot palms caressing her body.

Kairen’s lips weren’t stopping. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her jawline, her neck, moving lower and

lower. Cassandra struggled to undo her dress, taking off the laces and getting rid of it before he would

rip it apart again. It was an embarrassing position for her to be in, straddling her master, her arms

behind his back while he was caressing and kissing her breasts. She caressed his short black hair,

closing her eyes as he kept kissing her breasts, sucking her little pink extremities.

“My… Lord…” She gasped.

Her cheeks were red, and she was flush from excitement, a fire burning within her. Kairen, his hands

on her hips, finally raised his head up to kiss her again, a bit gentler this time, as if he had been

appeased. Cassandra answered his kiss, almost guiding it as she was on top, and able to keep up.

One of his hands climbed up to hold her neck’s nape, while the other went down, caressing her

entrance slowly.

She shivered at the sensation of his fingers between her legs, rubbing against her sacred parts. He

caressed her slit thoroughly, reaching out for her entrance in slow motions. Cassandra moaned faintly,

her desire flowing as soon as his fingers penetrated her. She held onto his back, biting her lower lip as

the feeling grew stronger. She could feel the bulge in his pants against her thigh, and that only made

her more excited. Was she really already used to these sensations? A bit ashamed, she couldn’t help

but react and move against his fingers. Kairen smiled faintly.

He undid his pants, freeing his dick, and positioned it against Cassandra’s entrance. Guiding her, he

slowly pushed in, enjoying her long moan. She held onto his shoulders, breathing hard and adjusting to

the sensation, the fullness….

“Move,” he suddenly whispered into her ear.

Cassandra felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and ears. He wanted her to move? On him? She could

barely

endure it already… But Kairen waited, only moving slightly under her, and that was far from enough.

She bit her lip again, and progressively, moved her hips on him. She could feel his cock rubbing inside

her, and panted heavily from the sensation. She liked it, and she wanted more.

Forgetting her embarrassment, she kept moving, finding her rhythm, guided by his hands on her hips.

Kairen matched his movements to hers, grinding his pelvis fiercely each time, Cassandra moaning with

each collision.

He kissed her neck after each thrust. She was crying out so loudly from their passionate love making.

Cassandra felt like this was surreal. She could feel him under her, responding to her movements, filling

her up as he held her firmly yet gently. She gasped and moaned, widening her legs over him, feeling

the pleasure grow and her rationality wane.

As she started to lose some energy, Kairen took over in full force, forcing his hips up, thrusting faster,

leaving her no room for rest. She couldn’t control it. Cassandra felt that urge, that explosion coming,

and moaned harder with each of his thrusts. He held her by the waist so she wouldn’t get away. She

clenched around his thick cock. she exploded, her orgasm overtaking her in a huge wave of pleasure.

She cried out, long and loud.

A couple of hours later, she was laying on her side, exhausted, her head on the Prince’s shoulder. Her

lower body was completely numb after their passionate sex. Of course, just once hadn’t been enough.

She blushed thinking about all the positions she had taken to satisfy her Master.

Kairen had his eyes closed, but his fingers were lazily caressing her shoulder.

“Don’t ever go to another man’s chambers again,” he suddenly said.

Cassandra looked at him, confused.

“My Lord, could it be you’re…”

But before she could end that sentence, Kairen suddenly leaned to face her, looking angry.

“You are mine. All of you. I told you, if another man touches you, I’ll kill him.”

Right after that sentence, he leaned over to kiss her, pinning her to the mattress. She couldn’t help but

answer his kiss, like a conditioned response. Cassandra was starting to like his forceful ways. She felt

warm in his embrace, and safe…

She fell asleep shortly after as Kairen held her tightly against his chest. Cassandra almost didn’t need

the blanket, as the Prince’s body was hot enough naturally.

When she woke the next morning, Kairen was already up. Grabbing the fur cloak to cover her bare

chest, Cassandra slowly sat up, feeling some back pain. The Prince was putting on his pants, and

noticed she was awake.

“You can sleep more.”

“I’m fine… Are you going back to the Military Camp?”

“Yes. You’re coming too.”

Cassandra took a few seconds to process what he had just said.

“With you? My Lord, I can’t go to a military camp!”

“Why not?”

“It’s not a place for… women…”

She had wanted to say concubines at first, but that term was still too new for her to use it for herself.

Indeed, it was truly unheard of for a woman to visit a military camp! It was a place for men only,

soldiers. Women were never allowed to be warriors or to be inside military camps.

“If I leave you here, who knows which man’s chambers I’ll find you in next…”

“My Lord! I wouldn’t…”

“I don’t care. You’re coming with me.”

His sentence was clearly an order, and Cassandra didn’t dare argue any further. She couldn’t believe

he was so jealous and distrusting after that stupid incident. A bit unhappy, Cassandra grabbed her

dress and put it back on. While doing so, she suddenly remembered Nebora’s words about asking for

some clothes.

“My Lord… Madam Patrina mentioned I would need more clothes if I stay here. There’s only this one

dress.”

For a moment, Kairen hadn’t seemed to have listened to her, as he was putting his boots back on.

However, the Prince got up and walked to the other side of the room, opening one of the big chests.

“Just take whatever you need.”

Cassandra left the bed and walked over to the chest thinking she may find an extra dress or two, but to

her surprise, the chest wasn’t filled with clothes but with… gold bars! She was speechless as she

looked down at dozens of perfect gold bars, lined up in several rows. She had never seen so much

money in her entire life! One gold coin alone could buy several meals for a family – exactly how much

money was there? Just a single gold bar could buy hundreds of dresses!

“My Lord, this is far too much!”

“Then just take one and buy what you need.”

She looked at him, truly shocked. Did he really think she would need more than one in the first place?

Cassandra didn’t even know what to say. She knew the Imperial Family was richer than most, but this

was truly too unbelievable. She tried not to think about the two other chests in the room, and just

quickly grabbed one of the bars. Even its weight was impressive. Would she even be able to use that in

a normal shop? She probably could ask Patrina later.

She quickly closed the chest, wondering why he had such a thing in his room, when someone knocked

at the door.

“Your breakfast, Your Highness.”

Marian walked in, carrying a large tray of food. A bit embarrassed to have the young girl serve her,

Cassandra walked over to help her. Her friend faintly smiled as Cassandra handed her the gold bar.

Marian had exactly the same expression as her, eyes wide open and fixed on the shining bar before

her. She glanced at the Prince, worried, but Kairen was putting his shirt back on, not even looking in

their direction.

“Marian, can you give this to Patrina and tell her it’s for buying new clothes for everyone?”

“F…For everyone? But…”

“Just ask her to handle it until I come back, all right?”

“Y…Yes…”

Marian held the gold bar with the tip of her fingers, as if she was afraid it would explode in her hands.

Then, she ran off. Cassandra wasn’t only doing this because it was too much money just for her. She

didn’t feel right being the only one to receive new clothes when she had noticed the other servants had

some that were a bit too used, or in the case of Bina and Prunie, too short. She trusted Patrina would

know how to allocate the money fairly.

Cassandra turned to Kairen, hoping he wouldn’t be mad at her for sharing the gold bar, but the Prince

didn’t seem to care at all about the conversation. He had just finished dressing as he went to sit on one

of the armchairs in front of the food.

“Aren’t you hungry?” he asked as she stood there.

“Ah, yes…”

She walked over and took the seat next to his so she could start eating. After a few minutes of silence

between them, she suddenly remembered something she had been meaning to ask for a while.

“My Lord, how come you came back so soon? Nebora said you usually stay longer at the Military

Camp.”

Kairen frowned a bit.

“It was boring. And Krai was annoying, too.”

“He came back before you did…”

“That stupid dragon flew back here on his own. He was too bored at the camp and kept looking for you.

Cassandra couldn’t help but smile at that, thinking about how Krai had missed her. She bit her lip,

hesitating slightly before asking.

“Did you miss me as well?”

Kairen suddenly stopped eating, and turned to her. His black eyes on her were making her blush. Oh,

how he was scrutinizing her! Cassandra, too embarrassed to endure his gaze any longer, looked down.

That’s when Kairen grabbed her wrist and brought her onto his knees, so abruptly she didn’t have time

to resist. Her face was suddenly very close to his, and she blushed even more, unable to avoid his

stare.

“Why do you think I’m taking you with me this time?” he suddenly whispered. (14)

Grabbing her hair, he brought her closer and Cassandra, overwhelmed, put her arms around his neck, Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

slowly kissing his lips.

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 18​

The Military Camp

“So, His Highness is taking you there? To the Camp?” asked Nebora.

She was helping Cassandra fold some clothes to pack for the journey. They had no idea how long she

would be gone, so Nebora had decided to lend her some of her clothes again. Cassandra hesitated,

looking at one of the dresses.

“Yes… Nebora, are you sure I can take these?”

“Yes! Patrina will get us new clothes in no time with all that gold you gave her, so don’t worry about it.

It’s a pity we only have one red dress, though. Maybe you could try to preserve it?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“It’s fine either way. I’ll just get new ones when I get back.”

“True…Oh, what about jewelry? Do you want us to buy you some?”

“I’m going to the Military Camp, not a party!” sighed Cassandra.

What would jewelry be good for? She was already wearing the slavery collar anyway. Plus, it would

only make things heavier and harder to carry. It would probably look weird too. A slave wearing jewelry,

that would probably be a first! 3

Nebora pouted. “Oh, fine. We’ll dress you up once you’re back. Make sure you take some warm cloaks

though, it’s freezing up there. You make sure not to get wet, and if it snows, stay inside, all right? And

make sure to keep the wood dry. It’s a pain to light up otherwise.”

Cassandra listened to Nebora’s advice carefully, as she had never been so far north before. She was a

bit excited at the prospect of seeing snowfall for the first time in her life, but a bit worried about the cold

as well. She didn’t even know what a military camp was going to be like.

“Do you need anything else? Patrina packed up some food too, but the trip there will be short with His

Highness’ dragon…”

“No, this should be fine. Thank you, Nebora.”

Her friend smiled as they both got up, Cassandra holding her little bag. She only had her dresses, a

pair of shoes and a few balms and soaps that Nebora had insisted on her taking. As they left the room,

Nebora followed her closely, giving her more advice about the cold.

“And eat more meat,” she said as they reached the inner court. “It can’t be bad for you, skinny girl.”

Cassandra chuckled.

“I got it, Nebora, don’t worry.

“Why wouldn’t I worry? You’re way too nice and clueless. Oh, and watch out for the men! I mean, they

should behave with His Highness around, but…

“Nebora, I will be fine,” said Cassandra with an amused smile.

To think she was so hostile to her only a couple of days ago. Now Nebora was acting like a worried,

older sister. It was a first for Cassandra, but she truly appreciated it. When they walked back into the

kitchen, Marian, Prunie and Bina were waiting for her. The three younger girls said goodbye to her, and

Cassandra felt her heart tighten a little, seeing that Prunie and Bina had already gotten so attached to

her and were sad to see her leave.

“Do you know how long you will stay there?” asked Bina.

“No, His Highness hasn’t said anything.”

“Stop whining, she will probably be back next week,” said Nebora.

“We will pick up some pretty dresses for you!” said Prunie, with a big smile.

“Thank you, Prunie.”

Cassandra gave each of the girls a hug before she went out to the inner court again, all three of them

following behind her. The Prince was there, putting a large saddle on Krai’s back. The dragon was

waiting patiently, its head turning to Cassandra when she arrived. It had big bags on its back as well,

though they still looked like nothing compared to its actual size. Krai let out a loud growl, looking

excited. Except for Cassandra and Nebora, all the other girls froze and stepped back from hearing that.

They were still terrified by the mere sight of the gigantic Black Beast, and didn’t dare approach. Nebora

wasn’t looking so good either, but she didn’t look as afraid, and still managed to follow Cassandra a few

steps closer.

“A toothpick…” she grumbled.

“It’s fine, Nebora,” said Cassandra with a little laugh. “I’ll see you later, all right?”

Nebora sighed and stopped staring at Krai to look at Cassandra. Her heart warmed a bit when she

looked at the young woman. She was too proud to admit it out loud, but her heart had done a one-

eighty about Cassandra, and though she knew why she had hated her at first, she now thought it was

silly. Cassandra was loving and lovable, unlike her own prideful personality. She sighed and stepped

forward to hug her.

“Be careful, alright?”

“I will,” said Cassandra, hugging her back a bit shyly.

The two girls separated, and Cassandra walked over to Kairen. The Prince immediately took her bag

from her hands to put it among the others on Krai’s back and without a word, helped her climb up over

the dragon’s sharp scales. He sat behind her, Cassandra right against his chest, and covered her with

one of his familiar fur cloaks. It was a bit too warm and stuffy, but Cassandra knew she would need it

for later. Kairen didn’t wear anything other than his usual armor, though. Without a glance towards the

servants watching them from the ground, he gave a silent signal to Krai, and the dragon took off

immediately. This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Cassandra watched the others below, but just like before, she was just too frightened and as they got

higher, she ended up closing her eyes. Her lips started to feel cold, and she wrapped herself even

tighter in the cloak. Would this really be enough in the North frontier? Kairen held her tighter, too.

Cassandra was amazed by the warmth of his skin. Did he ever get cold?

Under her, Krai’s scales went from lukewarm to cold, too. Despite it’s natural temperature, the icy wind

was even having a cooling effect on the dragon. Cassandra was happy to have the fur and the saddle

between her bottom and the dragon’s back, unlike last time.

“How long will it take, My Lord?” she asked when she felt safe enough to open her eyes again.

“Not long,” Kairen replied simply.

Cassandra didn’t ask anything further. Instead, she decided to rest against his chest, and watch the

incredible scenery. She was still lacking a few hours of sleep, but she fought against the tiredness to

take in the view. It was a breathtaking sight, just like before. She could already see the range of

mountains they were headed to, which were much higher than the mountain the Onyx Castle was built

on. (2

Behind them, it was an ocean of green, a forest so vast Cassandra already couldn’t see the castle

anymore. And to the east, the Great Sea. Cassandra couldn’t help but remember her long lost

childhood when she saw that dark blue sea. Would she ever be reunited with her younger sister? She

was only two years younger… Was she still alive? What did she look like now? Cassandra had tried to

search for her for a while back in the Capital, but as a slave, it was just too difficult. Maybe she would

be luckier now… Deep in thought, she sighed and caught Kairen’s attention.

“Are you too cold?”

“No, my Lord, I was only lost in my thoughts.”

“What thoughts?”

Cassandra hesitated for a bit. The Prince’s concerns were probably far from her own. Seeing how he

was frowning and waiting for her answer, she decided to be honest. Nebora had advised her to be a bit

more selfish after all.

“I wondered if it was possible to look for someone? If we go back to the Capital?”

“Who are you looking for?”

“My younger sister… I lost track of her many years ago.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while, and Cassandra wondered what he was thinking. Did he find this

annoying? But she had that little glimmer of hope in her heart, and now, she knew it wouldn’t disappear

anytime soon.

“Maybe,” he eventually said.

However, he didn’t add anything else to that enigmatic answer. Cassandra only nodded slowly. She

wasn’t expecting much, but she felt a bit disappointed. She probably wouldn’t be able to hear about her

younger sister’s whereabouts anytime soon… It probably wasn’t a good time, either. She had just been

brought to the North and most likely wouldn’t be back at the Capital again for a while.

“Cassandra.”

She looked at the Prince wondering what he wanted, and without a word, he silently kissed her.

Cassandra was completely taken by surprise. Kairen’s lips were warm and passionate, as he plunged

his tongue between hers. She moaned, trying to catch her breath while responding to him. It was so

sudden, if he wasn’t holding her so tight she might have fallen off.

Yet, the kiss felt somewhat different, a little sweeter than their usual ones. Cassandra felt his warmth,

and her heart felt a bit lighter while answering him. Cassandra was surprised by his sudden display of

tenderness. Was he trying to comfort her?

After a while, their lips parted, Cassandra blushing. She was expecting him to say something after that,

but he didn’t, and only looked forward. She was trying to figure out what it meant when Krai suddenly

let out a loud growl.

Cassandra looked down. Far below them, she could see a long building. It took her a while to realize it

was actually a very, very large wall, affixed between two mountains. As Krai started descending, she

noticed a myriad of tents of various sizes lined up a few kilometers behind the wall, with a few buildings

throughout. The Military Camp!

The Black Dragon’s growl caught the attention of the army below. As they got further down, all the

soldiers lined up in perfect rank, their armor shining under the sun. Cassandra was astonished by the

sheer number. How many men were there? A few thousand? She couldn’t even try to come up with a

number as there were just too many! She even saw flags in front of some ranks, probably to separate

them into groups. As Krai was about to land on a large platform, she could hear the men yelling orders.

“Get in order for His Highness’ arrival! Faster!”

The Black Dragon finally reached the ground with a loud growl and a few flaps of its wings that sent

mini gusts of wind about. Cassandra saw five men in front, all standing perfectly at attention. They were

doing a salute and standing tall, waiting for Kairen. The Prince got off the dragon first, climbing and

stepping down effortlessly.

“Welcome back, Your Highness. How was your…”

Before the man finished his sentence, he noticed Kairen was already busy helping Cassandra down,

ignoring him. The old man, who seemed to be in his fifties, was completely speechless. His eyes were

set firmly on Cassandra, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him, before going back to the Prince.

“Your Highness, this woman…”

“She is mine,” simply stated Kairen, as if that was enough of an explanation.

Of course, it clearly wasn’t! Cassandra felt a bit sorry for the soldiers, and bowed politely, facing them

with grace.

“I am Cassandra, My Lord.”

Anyone with a military grade high enough to address the Prince was worth calling a Lord, so she

decided to use that designation until she could learn their proper names and titles. Hearing such a

pretty young woman introduce herself, the old man couldn’t avoid introducing himself too, and did so a

tad awkwardly.

“Wel… Welcome.” That was the best he could do in this strange situation. Who was she? What was

she doing with their Commander? Her collar clearly indicated that she was a slave, but the Prince’s

attitude was nowhere near what it should have been toward a simple slave woman! None of the

lieutenants, waiting to salute him, could hide their confusion either.

But Kairen gave them no explanation. He walked away, headed for the camp with Cassandra following

close behind him, and Krai right behind her. Even among the soldiers, a large chattering was rising until

the old man yelled at them to shut up in front of their Lord.

Cassandra was a bit intimidated following Kairen into this unknown place, but she had already

introduced herself and couldn’t do anything else about it. With the Prince walking in front, the old man

and the other lieutenants had to speed to catch up with him.

They walked past several tents that all seemed to be deserted, but Cassandra figured it was because

everyone had come out to welcome the War God back. It was an impressive camp. There were many

fire pits, tents, and training grounds. They had clearly been established here for a while and from

seeing the perfect cleanliness and order of the place, one could tell this army was trained flawlessly.

Not only were the weapons perfectly stored, but the horses were housed quite well, and there were still

plenty more spaces available.

Kairen led her to the biggest of all the tents; large and red. Once she entered, Cassandra was

impressed by how big and luxurious it was. It could have been a very decent place to live all year

round. There was a bed, a large chair that almost seemed like a throne, and a table full of maps and

books. In a corner, there was a wardrobe with weapons stored right next to it. Kairen headed for the

table to look at the map while Cassandra stood to the side.

She heard some noise outside, and figured it was probably Krai laying its heavy body down next to the

tent. For once, it was not fussing about not being able to see her. Maybe the trip had exhausted it

enough to need a nap.

“Your Highness!”

The high-ranked soldiers from earlier barged in, and Cassandra stepped further away, retreating closer

to the bed. Several of them were looking at her, some even glaring. The old general then spoke up for

everyone.

“Your Highness, could you explain this situation? You left without warning and came back with a… a

slave woman?”

“My concubine,” rectified Kairen.

The shock was even bigger than before. It was just getting more awkward for Cassandra.

“Your… Congratulations, Your Highness, but I don’t believe this woman should…”

With one glare from Kairen, he suddenly shut up. Whatever he was about to say stuck in his throat

from the Prince’s black eyes. The warning was clear.

“Do you have something to say?” Kairen hissed.

After a few seconds of reflection, the old general sighed.

“Can I do…anything for the Lady’s comfort, My Lord?”

Chapter 19​

The Prince’s Tent While listening to Kairen and the General, Cassandra couldn’t ignore all the eyes on her. The camp

only had men, thousands of them. They all wore the very same black armor, like Kairen’s. The only

difference was that the higher-ranked ones, like the men in front of her, had extra decorations, like gold

braces or belts. The Prince, however, was the only one wearing dragon scales on his armor and

braces. But aside from that, there wasn’t any display of wealth.

With so many eyes on her, Cassandra was glad to be covered with the fur cloak. Being the only woman

was sort of intimidating, even with the Prince standing right in front of her.

Kairen was talking with the old General about conditions at the camp. He had only been gone since the

previous day, but many of his men were trying to hold his attention. She could only stay still behind him

and wait.

Most of the conversation was about tactics, training, and new recruits. Cassandra listened, but she

wasn’t knowledgeable about any of those things.

“We also have to consider food rationing, My Lord. We have doubled the hunting teams, but it’s getting

harder for everyone. The men are starting to talk…” said one of the Generals, awkwardly.

“I have brought more,” Kairen said simply.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

The man was about to say something else, but another of the lieutenants spoke ahead of him, so he

stayed quiet. Despite his beard, Cassandra noticed he appeared to be younger than the others. He

would frown every time another of the high-ranked officers spoke, clearly paying close attention to each

word that was said. Then, the oldest General, who appeared to be Kairen’s second, invited him for a

tour outside of the training grounds. He briefly turned to Cassandra.

“Stay here.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Kairen left the tent first and all of the men quickly followed after, though some couldn’t stop themselves

from looking back at Cassandra before leaving. She didn’t avoid their stares. Instead, she tried to

remember each of them. There were about twenty in total, and once they left, the room felt strangely

empty.

Cassandra was now all alone in the large tent. Holding the fur cloak tight around her, she got up and

wandered around. Not touching anything, she observed each item in the room, a little curious about her

Prince’s life at the camp. The table was mostly filled with military books and maps. Cassandra knew

how to read, and it wasn’t her first time seeing maps, but she couldn’t help but smile a little when she

spotted one where her homeland appeared. The Rain Lands were so small on the maps compared to

the Dragon Empire… The territory had been annexed by the Eastern Republic, so the map was

probably old. Her finger slowly traced the route that, as far as she can remember, had probably been

taken all the way to the Capital. With being bought and sold over and over again, she had seen a few

places, but the majority of her life had been spent in the Capital.

She didn’t have any regrets about leaving those places, though. She never made friends there, or had

anything of value. Slaves couldn’t own anything anyway, not even their clothes. Cassandra sighed and

brought her fingers up to her slavery collar. It was heavy and, most of the time, painful too. She had

touched the locking mechanism so often she knew it by heart. Only a slave trader possessed the key to

open one of these. And even if she got rid of it by chance some day, it would take years for the red

marks it had carved into her flesh to disappear. Slavery was something that was never forgotten.

Taking her eyes off the many maps, Cassandra headed to the wardrobe. As expected, the Prince didn’t

have many outfits, and close to no jewelry, except for a few gold chains and rings that she didn’t dare

touch.

The furniture was probably the fanciest thing in the tent. Most of it was expensive wood, surely carved

by a specialist. There was even gold in some parts, in the throne-like chair or the head of the bed. It

wasn’t as low-key

as the Prince’s room in the Castle. Was it because he spent most of his time here?

“Excuse me?”

Surprised, Cassandra turned around. She didn’t think someone would come here while Kairen was

away. It was a rather young man carrying a large basket. He looked even younger than she was, and

seemed quite shy too. He bowed a bit clumsily to her.

“I was told to bring this here for His Highness, Ma’am. Is it fine if…”

Cassandra was surprised he was waiting for her approval to put his basket down. She nodded.

“Uhm, sure, please do.”

“Thanks, Ma’am.”

He walked to one of the corners of the room and put down his basket, taking out some armor.

“It was done while our Lord was away by our blacksmith, with reinforced iron and dragon scales,” he

explained with a strong northern accent.

“Is it from Krai… I mean, His Highness’ dragon?”

“Yes, ma’am. We collect them when the Black Dragon sheds its scales so our blacksmith can break

them and reshape them for His Highness’ armors. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It is…”

Cassandra walked closer to look at the armor and indeed, it was gorgeous. The black of Krai’s scales

was shining and perfectly molded into the Prince’s armor. The blacksmith had even been very precise

while re-carving the scales’ shape, making it look like the original pattern. As if she had praised him,

the young soldier smiled.

“My teacher is very good! He is one of the best in the Empire.”

“Are you an apprentice?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I came here a year ago to follow my master and complete my apprenticeship.”

Cassandra realized some of the youngest soldiers she had spotted were probably apprentices, just like

him. Indeed, an army required many types of expertise, like the blacksmith master he was so proud of.

Embarrassed by her eyes on him, he blushed a little and bowed again.

“I’m Orwan, Ma’am. I’m part of the first blacksmith team.”

“Nice to meet you, Orwan. I’m Cassandra.”

“Uhm… Nice to meet you, Ma’am… I mean, Lady Cassandra.”

Once again, it felt odd to be addressed like that, but she didn’t say anything. Actually, she noticed a

bad burn on his hand, and frowned.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, this? It’s fine, I get burns like this all the time… It will heal.”

“No, it looks like it’s infected. Have you not tried to get it healed?”

Orwan frowned, looking a bit embarrassed.

“No, Ma’am…”

“Don’t you have healers here?”

“We do, but…there are only a few, and mostly for high-ranked officers.”

“What if someone else is injured?”

“We usually put water on it, and our lieutenant will give us a few days of rest.”

“What if it’s bad? This could seriously lead to losing your hand!”

“Hem… There is the Red Room, but…”

“The Red Room?”

Orwan nodded.

“That’s where they take the people who get badly injured, Ma’am. But no one really wants to go there,

it’s rumored to be a place where… well, where people go to die.”

Cassandra was confused. Why would they allow people to simply die…

“Where is the Red Room?”

“In the third East building, Ma’am. But it’s not a place for a Lady like you, I have to say…”

“I understand. Thank you, Orwan.”

He nodded, a bit embarrassed. Had he said too much to the Prince’s concubine? Orwan took a couple

more weapons out of his basket to display along with the armor, and left after a quick bow.

Cassandra was left alone once again. She was bored, but she didn’t want to disobey Kairen and

venture outside. However, there wasn’t much to do in the room, except read military books, and she

had no interest in those. She went to the other cupboard and, after hesitating, opened it. It was only

food storage – dried meat, a couple of wine bottles, and some bread. It seemed someone had brought

it recently, though. She closed it and turned around. That was it for the Third Prince’s tent. Cassandra

spent a little more time looking at the armor and weapons but really, she had no idea what to do. If only

she could at least step outside to see Krai and pet him. But Kairen’s orders kept her from it. She didn’t

want to ignore it, as he could easily get angry anytime she did something he didn’t approve of.

Without many options, she decided to just lay on the bed, keeping the fur cloak around her, and listen.

The atmosphere was very different from the deserted Onyx Castle. The camp was so lively that she

could hear a lot of things going on all the time. Horses throttling, men chatting, metal striking metal…It

somehow reminded her of the Capital. Back then, whenever she closed her eyes, she would hear the

life in the City outside her walls. The tent was even thinner though, so sometimes it felt as if people

were standing only a few steps away. Cassandra could even pick up some of the conversations, mostly

about the Prince’s return or the food shortage.

She woke up from a light kiss on her bare shoulder. The Prince’s smell, now familiar to her, took her

away from her slumber as she opened her eyes. Cassandra couldn’t remember when she had fallen

asleep. Kairen was standing over her, with his bare chest and an undecipherable expression.

“Your Highness…”

The Prince didn’t answer, and instead leaned in to kiss her. As always, his lips were warm and skilled

enough to wake Cassandra completely. He got under the cloak with her, caressing her hips and neck

with his large hands. For once, the Prince actually took the time to take her dress off properly, pulling

the laces of her corset one by one, kissing the skin revealed underneath. Each time his lips flirted with

her skin, Cassandra felt her own temperature rising. She was so accustomed to Kairen’s touch now,

how could she still be so reactive? Unable to resist, she would shiver, gasp, and wriggle under his

hands. It wasn’t so scary anymore, except for that hint of shame every time she responded to him.

His lips suddenly ventured to her thighs, and she gasped brutally. Where was he…! But before she

could even think, his tongue was licking her there, and she moaned out of surprise. The Prince was

actually going down on

her, kissing her pussy! Cassandra was completely overwhelmed by the surprise and the

embarrassment. Yet, Kairen’s skillful mouth soon pushed those feelings from her mind.

“Your Highness!” she almost screamed in panic.

He was mad! A Prince licking his slave, there…! Cassandra had no idea how to respond, except with

panic, and… pleasure. It was hard to ignore. She was so wet, and his tongue was driving her crazy,

going in circles, diving in and licking again. She was gasping and moaning loudly, unable to stop. She

couldn’t even think straight, as she felt the sensations deep within her stomach. The hotness between

her thighs should be impossible! Her hands feeble, she tried to push him away, awkwardly reaching for

his hair. But Kairen ignored her, and kept going with his impossible torture.

“Oh God, Your… Highness…” Cassandra panted.

As her moans got louder, she suddenly realized they were in a tent with thin walls! In a flash of lucidity,

she covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back her muffled moans that kept coming.

“What are you doing?”

As he had stopped, Cassandra shook her head, she just couldn’t endure this! But Kairen grabbed her

wrists, trapping both of them in his hands alongside her hips, and immediately went back to pleasuring

her. Cassandra was dying of shame. She couldn’t repress her moans. It was way too good, as the

Prince only focused on her most sensitive area, his mouth, tongue, and lips, attacking her relentlessly.

“Pl… Please… Oh please, stop…” she cried, trying to fight her pleasure and urges. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

But he did not stop. Kairen sucked her clitoris, driving her to the edge of pleasure and craziness,

making her moan louder. She had never experienced this. Her entire brain was focused on her intimate

area, as she closed her eyes, like a fire burning. She couldn’t endure anymore. Cassandra suddenly

felt it, like a spark, something that suddenly burst inside her and made her cry out in pleasure. A long,

intense and almost painful orgasm, came so hard that her whole body spasmed for a few seconds.

She was out of breath when she finally came down. Kairen released her wrists, and she covered her

eyes, unable to believe it. Her Master had pleasured her without relieving himself at all!

Chapter 20​

The Prince’s Tent She was still catching her breath when Kairen laid down next to her, pulling the covers back on them

and kissing her temple.

“You can’t do that…” Cassandra whispered.

“Do what?”

“Pleasure…me.”

The Prince clicked his tongue and looked at her with his dark eyes.

“Didn’t you like it?”

Cassandra immediately blushed from embarrassment.

“It’s not…”

Did you like it or not?”

His tone of voice made it clear she wouldn’t get out of this without giving him a proper answer.

Cassandra made sure to look anywhere but his direction.

“I did, but…”

“Better than what Shareen did?”

“Your Highness!”

She couldn’t believe he would dare to ask such a thing. How jealous could he be to actually say that!

The worst part was that serious look he had on his face while he asked! Cassandra was so exhausted

by his persistence!

“I did not appreciate what… happened with your sister. But it’s not the same, Her Highness Princess

Shareen was just making fun of me, while you…”

“While I what?”

Cassandra gulped, trying to find the right words, to make him understand while trying not to die of

embarrassment.

“You… willingly pleasured me. I’m only a sl…concubine, My Lord. I am the one who is supposed to

pleasure you, not the other way around.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while, staring at her with his enigmatic look. Cassandra hoped he had

understood, but his obsidian eyes were impossible to decipher. So she waited for him to say

something, anything. After a few minutes had passed, the War God still hadn’t said a thing, but

underneath the cloak, his hand suddenly went down to her still wet pussy, taking her completely by

surprise. Cassandra gasped loudly and gripped down on his wrist.

“Your…”

“What if I like it?”

Cassandra looked at him, lost. But Kairen kissed her slowly, while his hot and firm hand continued to

caress her. She couldn’t believe it was her own taste on his tongue…

“What if I like your reactions?”

He sucked and nibbled on the skin of her neck, and kissed it, making her gasp again. She loved the

sensation of his lips right there…

“What if I like the way your white skin gets hot and red?”

His lips went down on her bare breast, and his available hand played with the other, fondling them and

caressing them while Cassandra flushed.

“What if I like the way your breasts fill my hands?”

She knew what he was doing, and closed her eyes, unable to look at him and his amused yet

somewhat serious expression. On top of everything else, the way he looked at her was driving her

insane. The way he looked at her…

“What if I like the way you get all embarrassed when I touch you?”

He kept going. His hands were caressing her, gentle and hot on her body. With her eyes closed,

Cassandra couldn’t predict where they would go next, and that somehow made it even worse. She

shivered. He was going over her breasts…her hips…her thighs…her neck…her stomach….

“Your Highness!” she moaned when his fingers harassed her pussy again. He was clearly playing with

her, observing each of her reactions, but he was so good at it, she was helpless.

Cassandra was once again at his mercy, breathing loudly and trying to repress her moans. His fingers

were rubbing intensely, and she could feel herself throbbing in response. As a reflex, she slowly spread

her legs wider, feeling the heat that was coming back.

“I like the way you become wet when I touch you…” whispered Kairen in her ear.

Cassandra bit her lip. She was so responsive to his touch! Her own body was ahead of her, pulsing and

wanting more. Didn’t she come just a moment ago? But it wasn’t enough, not yet. She felt it, and hated

that she couldn’t control it. Instead, she was willingly spreading her legs, offering herself to his skilled

fingers, and wanting more.

Just as she was in this internal war between desire and reason, Kairen leaned in to give her a deep,

forceful kiss. Despite her lack of breath, Cassandra answered. It was as if the fire between her thighs

had made her even thirstier for the Prince’s mouth. It was a savage, willful, and exciting kiss. So

exhilarating, it made her moan out loud as she also grew wetter. She felt his other hand grip her hair in

a possessive gesture to keep her close.

“Your Highness…” she whispered when they finally interrupted their kiss, both of them out of breath.

“Tell me what you want.”

“W… what?”

The question was so direct yet vague, Cassandra was almost afraid she had understood it wrong.

Kairen was serious, his black eyes burning with desire.

“Tell me what you want. Now. I want to hear it.”

Cassandra immediately shook her head, but he was still holding on to her, so she couldn’t look away or

ignore him.

“No, no, no, I can’t…” she muttered, almost panicked.

“You can. Cassandra, I want to hear it. Now, tell me what you want.”

Hearing her name from his mouth again shook her a little. Somehow, it was even more embarrassing

than anything else, something she could barely handle. She felt his fingers continuously rubbing

against her entrance, playing with her pussy, but Kairen had purposely slowed down, waiting for her

answer.

Cassandra couldn’t endure it. It was like torture, feeling those slow motions against her wetness, when

she just…

“T…take me, please…” she whispered, unable to stand it anymore.

Kairen smiled and leaned in to kiss her, another one of those intense kisses they had gotten addicted

to. Just then, as his hot body got closer to hers, she immediately felt his swollen, hard dick against her

leg, and shivered. What

had she become? She was still a virgin a few days ago, and now she desired this man so intensely.

Cassandra forgot all those thoughts as soon as Kairen pulled her to him, and had her lay on her flank,

right against him. His warm torso against her back, he wrapped an arm around her and used his other

hand to spread her legs. So close against each other, Cassandra was abruptly left looking the other

way when behind her, Kairen penetrated her. She moaned loudly at the sensation of his thick member

inside her. The position was unusual as she couldn’t even see Kairen’s face.

When he started moving, Cassandra immediately began moaning with each thrust. Since she couldn’t

see him, her main focus was the wild, deep, and intense movements inside her. She was entirely at his

mercy, unable to predict when each thrust would come. Kairen used their position to make things even

wilder with one hand on her breasts and the other on her pussy. He continued caressing her at the

same time he was thrusting, making Cassandra cry out in pleasure. He knew she liked it. Cassandra

was moaning loudly, focusing on the Prince’s thick member, and how he repeatedly hammered her with Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

it. She was crying out, not in pain, but to this impossible pleasure she was being given.

Their position had a unique, intimate feeling. She could feel Kairen’s hot breath on her neck right

behind her ear. He was groaning with pleasure too, and occasionally kissed her skin. With one hand on

her breast and the other between her thighs, he was driving her crazy with so many sensations.

Cassandra knew she wouldn’t last long. She was already in way too deep, and just wanted to dive into

the wave of pleasure. His powerful dick left her no time to think. It was intense, so much so, she

gripped tightly on the sheets and Kairen’s wrists as she moaned louder. She felt like she could lose her

mind to this, all reason was completely gone while only her body, in this whirlwind of sensations, would

stay and endure it.

Soon enough, she felt her orgasm starting, and began to tremble. Her head leaned back and she

gasped suddenly, as she felt it grow inside her until it burst. She froze for a few seconds, and Kairen

too, reacted to her and groaned in her ear.

A long silence followed as neither of them moved, still trying to catch their breath and emerge out of the

daze. Cassandra felt exhausted, but somehow relieved. She couldn’t explain it, but their passionate

love-making had calmed her worries. Behind her, Kairen slowly pulled out as he kissed her shoulder

and wrapped his arms around her.

“Tell me when you want something. I hate having to guess…”

Cassandra chuckled softly. She could certainly tell. Her Prince was a very straightforward man of few

words. She didn’t dislike that as he was honest anytime he spoke. She snuggled in his arms, surprising

him a bit. For the first time, maybe she could be alright with being a little bold and going along with her

feelings. But at that very moment, she felt content in his warm arms, even if it might be for only a short

while. Kairen tightened his grip around her and once again kissed her skin.

“My Lord…”

“What is it?”

“Can I leave the tent tomorrow? I…I don’t think I’ll be able to endure being confined here for long. I’m

only hoping to look around, not to bother anyone.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while. Even without seeing his face, Cassandra could almost hear him

internally debating. She wondered what the real reason was for him being so against it. Was it because

she would get in the way of the men? Or distract them? Was it alright for a slave to walk around the

Military Camp?

“Fine. I’ll find someone to accompany you.”

“Oh, no, I can…”

“No. The camp is too large. You will stay with someone.”

Cassandra felt bad about monopolizing one of Kairen’s men for a day, but she didn’t dare add anything

else in

case he changed his mind. At least now she would be able to leave the tent, walk around, and get

some fresh air.

As neither of them wanted to leave their position, they ended up napping like this for another hour, in

silence. After a while, however, some sort of loud horn took them away from their slumber. Cassandra

sat up, intrigued, but Kairen simply got up to put his cloak back on.

“It’s the dinner call… Everyone’s gathering at the fire pit. Come.”

Cassandra put her clothes back on and, like Kairen, wrapped herself in a thick fur coat before walking

out with him. As soon as they got outside, a wall of black scales immediately fell right in front of her.

Before Cassandra could react, Krai’s big head snuggled up against her, growling erratically. She smiled

and scratched its head, despite the cold on her hands.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered to the dragon.

 

[Bladeheart Ronin]

Chapter 6 Princess Shareen

After a few stairs, he finally stopped and Cassandra read the little sign - The Green Jade Palace. Who was living here? A servant hurried to welcome the Prince, bowing down countless times.

"I will inform my Lady of your arrival, my Lord..."

"No need."

Just like that, Kairen forced himself through, despite the servant's attempts to hold him back and his continuous pleas to allow him to inform his Lady first. The little man seemed panicked, trailing after the Prince. Cassandra felt a bit sorry for him.

Finally, they arrived at what seemed to be a bedroom door. As soon as they got close she heard some very explicit sounds and Cassandra blushed immediately. Whoever was behind that door was obviously busy! A woman's moans were echoing loudly along with some deeper male ones, however, that didn't stop Kairen. With a kick, he forced the door open and entered the large bedroom.

Cassandra couldn't help but peek. As she expected, it was terribly obscene! On the red silk sheets of the bed were two women and a man.

The two women were riding the naked male servant; one was straddling him, her p**y being hammered by his savage and relentless moves. She was moaning and crying, begging for more as their flesh pounded loudly. Facing her, the other woman was on her knees on either side of the man's head, moving her hips as the male servant licked and sucked her p**y. She was caressing and forcefully kissing her female partner, while the man underneath was working hard on pleasuring both women at the same time.

"Who dares to...!" One of the women reacted angrily.

Her expression changed when she saw Kairen standing there holding a blushing Cassandra. She smiled and kissed the other woman who was panting hard and being forcefully penetrated by the man's c**k. She seemed younger than her mistress and answered her kiss clumsily. She was having a hard time balancing between her breathing and moaning. Under her, the male servant was pounding vigorously, holding her waist while pleasuring their mistress with his mouth.

"My little brother has come to visit! Are you bringing me a new toy, Kairen?" she asked, her eyes going down to Cassandra.

She couldn't have been more embarrassed. It was impossible to ignore the wild s*x displayed in front of her, the servant's cries, or the Princess's lusty eyes on her. However, Kairen was as still as marble in front of the scene.

"Enough of your little game."

The Princess pouted, moving her hips a bit more before finally getting up. She sighed and grabbed a large robe to cover herself before turning to the two servants.

"Keep f****g her. If one of ypu comes before I return . I'll punish you"

"Yes, mistress," answered the man.

He kept thrusting vigorously and the young woman's cries got louder. Satisfied, she turned around to face her brother. Cassandra figured from their physical resemblance, that she was Kairen’s full sister, one who also shared the same mother as him. They had the same black eyes, dark hair, and tanned skin color. Even most of their facial features were shockingly alike as if they could be twins. The only difference was that the Princess had a very feminine body, with voluptuous curves and sexy lips.

"Follow me."

Shareen took them to another room. This was filled with bookcases and a large desk covered in paper. There was a strange smell and some smoke floating in the air, and with the curtains closed, it wouldn't go away. The whole room was dark despite the few candles the Princess had.

Pushing her long black curls behind her shoulder, she crossed her arms, displeased.

"What did you interrupt my good time for? Is it because of this slave? You both reek of blood."

"Give her some clothes."

The Princess clicked her tongue.

"To a slave? I'm not that generous."

"You have sqare clothing for your whores."

"My servants, Kairen. Even if I play with them, they are still proper servants. What would I get in exchange?"

Impatient, the Prince glared at his sister without answering. But to Cassandra's surprise, his sister didn't seem to take offense. Instead, she suddenly smiled like a feline and walked over to a wardrobe. She took her time before picking a silky emerald dress. It wasn't as fancy as the clothing made for the royal family, but still much better than the rags slaves would usually wear. She held it up to Kairen.

"How is this? I'll give it to you if you have her change here."All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Fine"

Kairen had answered before Cassandra even understood what the Princess had asked for. He put her down letting her stand by herself while still holding on to the fur cloak. Cassandra blushed as the Princess handed her the dress with a mischievous grin. She was already feeling shy for some reason and so she was hesitant to let go of the cloak to take it.

However, she couldn't let the Princess stay like this forever. The fur cloak fell to her feet revealing her bloodied rags, and she took the dress while bowing. Thankfully, most of the blood was on her rags and not herself. The Princess clicked her tongue while taking a seat in one of the leather armchairs.

"I guess Krai made a mess again.."

Cassandra took a few seconds to realize she was talking about the Black Dragon. So it was named Krai? That piece of information, however, was soon overshadowed by her current situation. She didn’t know when Kairen had taken a seat next to his sister, but both Imperial Siblings were now staring at her. She became even more red knowing what they were expecting. She looked down.

"My... My Lord, can I change outside?"

"You can undress here," his sister answered with an imperious tone."See? There's some water for you to wash up with too."

She pointed her finger towards a little basin of water to the side, while she was obviously enjoying the sight of Cassandra's blushing cheeks. Seeing the Prince ignore her query, she felt helpless. Those two really wanted to watch her undress here! She hesitated for a few seconds, but their forceful stares were pressuring her. Slowly, Cassandra reached for the laces on her back, undoing them one by one.

In front of her, Kairen was as still as a statue, but his stare was hot and intense. She felt like he was undressing her from his seat. With trembling fingers, she finally undid the last knot, and the dress was now only held up by her hand. With the injury to her other wrist, she was struggling to keep it together and hide behind the rags.

In front of her, the Princess bit her lip and turned to her brother.

"A virgin?"

He didn’t bother to answer, but she knew that she was right. She turned her feline eyes towards Cassandra again.

“Interesting... Keep going,” she ordered.

Cassandra would have given anything to hide, but there was no way, not with those two in the room, waiting for her to undress. She had no choice but to let go of the sullied clothing, leaving her in her panties in front of them. She tried covering her breasts with her arm while looking away. With her free hand she reached over to the basin of water, grabbing a little sponge to try and wash quickly, but she saw the Princess stand up and walk her way. Cassandra took a step back but within seconds the woman was standing in front of her, her black eyes sparkling.

"So adorable... Look at these cute breasts, Kairen."

Without warning, she stood behind Cassandra and pushed her arm away to grab one. Surprised, the young slave let out a whimper under her touch.

"Hands off, Shareen," growled Kairen.

Ignoring him, his sister kept going. She took the little sponge from her hand and started caressing Cassandra's chest with it while gauging her brother's reactions. The cold water was dripping down her pink n*****s. Wandering over her pale skin, caressing her stomach, Shareen’s fingers finally reached out for Cassandra's last piece of clothing.

"M... My lady..." murmured Cassandra

"What is it, sweetie? Are you embarrassed? Don't be, it's just your master here... Come on, show him. Let's get all nice and clean for him to enjoy."

Without listening to her plea, Shareen got rid of the sponge and kept going, fondling the white breasts and sliding her fingers down to her underwear. Cassandra was trying to escape her futilely, her unhurt hand on the Princess’s wrist, but she couldn't possibly risk angering a member of the Imperial Family. Moreover, the difference in strength was obvious between them. Instead, she looked to Kairen for help, her eyes pleading to him.

"My Lord...Ah!"

Without warning, Shareen had started kissing the skin of her neck, sending shivers all the way down her spine. Her entire body felt electrified. Cassandra tried to catch her breath, but Shareen had no intention of letting her rest. The Princess's fingers found her little button of pleasure over her panties.

“Uh... Oh! Hm... My... Lady, please stop...”

"Oh my,you're so cute and innocent... Won't you give her to me, Kairen? You're such a stiff! Since you haven't f****d her yet, I have so many ideas for her."

The Third Prince didn't seem amused at all, but that didn't stop Shareen from teasing and caressing Cassandra relentlessly. Plunging her fingers depper, she played with her slit over the fabric, making her squirm. The Princess pushed a little further each time, forcing her to spread her legs further apart. Cassandra couldn't take it any longer; something hot and unbearable was brewing in her stomach, making her legs tremble and her skin shiver. Her eyes were tearing up as she tried to hold back her voice. With the Princess behind her, she was exposed to her master, almost naked, standing only a few steps from him. He could see everything. Her pointy n*****s, her trembling legs, her panties getting wet under Shareen's treatment - it was unbearable.

"Shareen!" he suddenly called out.

His tone was undoubtedly angry this time. The Princess, annoyed, clicked her tongue and stopped her movements.

"So selfish! I am just trying to help out my stiff little brother, Kairen. Do you even know how to play? I was just starting to have fun, too. Look, a bit more and I would have made her come."

Shareen, still holding her by the waist, displayed her wet fingers to Kairen.

Cassandra, almost unable to stand on her own two feet, was dying of shame. However, she slowly regained her senses and grabbed the green dress to hurriedly put it on. It was a bit loose on her, but was definitely the prettiest piece of clothing she had ever worn before. Meanwhile, Shareen was still annoyed at her brother and walked over to his seat. Putting her knee down between his legs, she leaned over Kairen with that feline smile of hers.

"You're such a bore, Kairen. You know, we could have fun together sometimes. I have a couple of girls I would love to watch you f**k... with that."

She was hinting at her brother's obvious hard-on under his pants. Cassandra was completely red just from hearing her. The Princess was so... so shameless! Were all the members of the Imperial Family so loose in morals? Even if they were all-powerful, this was too much! And her new master was obviously excited too, even if he ignored most of his sister's theatrics.

But once again, Kairen stayed cold and silent. Eventually, Shareen sighed.

Here is the extracted text from the thirty-third image:

"Oh, well. You still owe me for that dress, I won't let you forget it. Can you try not to kill this one, at least? I like her."

Cassandra frowned. Not kill her? What did that mean? Why was she expecting the Prince to kill her at some point? But she didn't get any answers as Shareen finally stood to the side to let her brother stand up. Kairen walked over and Cassandra suddenly felt completely embarrassed. She had been standing there just a few seconds ago, naked and being fingered by his own sister!

Chapter 7​

The Imperial Dragon

Once he was in front of her, Cassandra looked everywhere but in his direction. She was so ashamed of

the scene from just moments ago! How could he let his sister toy with her like some object! While

avoiding her new master’s eves, she missed the moment he grabbed her again, lifting her like she

didn’t weigh a thing. Wrapping a new fur cloak around her, Kairen carried her out of the room, closely

followed by Shareen.

“Did you really leave the banquet early?” she asked.

“You didn’t even go,” her brother growled back.

The Princess shrugged and walked ahead to open the doors to her bedroom. Cassandra had almost

forgotten about the two servants having wild sex in there. They had now changed position and the man

was savagely taking the young servant from behind, keeping her bent over the mattress. His

movements were fast and relentless, yet the woman couldn’t even cry out, her screams muffled by his

hand. Her eyes were closed and her hair was a mess on her shoulders. She opened her eyes again

upon hearing her mistress coming back and began to moan louder while staring at Shareen with a

pleading look.

But the Princess ignored her and turned to Kairen.

“Why would I go? I’m having so much fun here. My favorite brother even brought me a little toy to

entertain myself with. Well, if you’d actually leave her here…”

She said all that while looking down at Cassandra, with her feline eyes. Inside Kairen’s arms,

Cassandra tried to avoid the Princess’s stare, already deeply embarrassed.

“You’ve had enough,” Kairen replied coldly.

“Never! If you…”

But before Shareen could finish her sentence, several people were heard outside. Judging by the

weight and metallic sounds in their steps, there were soldiers among them and when they stopped right

outside, Shareen crossed her arms, visibly annoyed.

“His Highness Prince Kairen, Her Highness Princess Shareen, this lowly Imperial servant is here to

inform you that your presence is requested by the Imperial Dragon.”

Shareen rolled her eyes, not hiding her displeasure.

“He had to send his Imperial pains in the…”

“Your Highnesses, the Imperial Dragon insisted!” exclaimed the servant.

Shareen growled and turned around. She snapped her fingers and both servants ran out of the

bedroom while another young lady came in to help her change. Very quickly she was dressed in a

magnificent outfit, wearing the Imperial purple silk of her family, a large gold belt, and lots of fine

jewelry. Even her black hair was now swept up into an impressive bun by two gold hairpins adorned

with several gemstones.

Cassandra thought about how even her former mistress would never be able to wear such delicate and

expensive items. Lyria was one of the Minister’s favorites, yet even for her, he could never get his

hands on these kinds of priceless treasures. The Imperial Family was on a totally different level indeed,

and Shareen was wearing those like they were mere trinkets.

Cassandra suddenly remembered that the emerald dress she was wearing herself was far above her

own status. What if someone else saw her like this? Her iron collar and clothes were so mismatched,

what if she was called a thief again? Thinking about this, her stomach twisted in pain from worry.

However, Kairen didn’t seem to care about any of this. He walked out of his sister’s chambers, first to

meet with

the group of servants and soldiers that were waiting outside. The one leading them, a humble man with

the blue attire of a Palace servant, opened his eyes wide upon seeing Cassandra in the Prince’s arms.

“You… Your Highness, who is this slave?”

He was obviously at a loss for words, but Kairen dismissed it in an instant.

“Didn’t my father want to see me?” (1)

“Certainly, Your Highness, but…”

Cassandra knew exactly what the attendant was thinking. A slave like her shouldn’t even step into the

Imperial Court! The Emperor should never face slaves or lowly servants. Of those that were not nobility,

only those who worked in the Imperial Palace were permitted to be in the same room as the Imperial

dragon, and even for them, it was considered the greatest honor to be able to bow in his presence.

Yet, here she was, a lowly slave being carried in by a member of the Imperial Family! Cassandra had

no idea how to act, but she fruitlessly tried to release herself from Kairen’s arms.

“Master, I shouldn’t come with you…”

“Why not?” growled Kairen.

“It is not… permitted.”

Shareen finally came out of her chambers followed by three ladies in waiting, all wearing similar

dresses to Cassandra’s, the only difference being that she had the slave collar.

The Imperial servant was almost choking. How could a slave possibly argue with one of the Princes like

that? She shouldn’t even have been able to be so near him, let alone open her mouth with such

defiance!

Shareen walked past them impatiently.

“We decide what is permitted or not. If my brother wants to come with a slave or thirty, it would serve

you well to shut up,” she said to the Imperial servant, with an imperious tone.

Immediately, everyone else bowed lowly.

“Y…yes, Your Highness. Please, this way.”

Cassandra was baffled. How could it happen as easily as that? As they kept walking through the

corridors, they saw many servants’ faces. All those who bowed a second late and saw her, couldn’t

hide their shock, but of course, it was likely she was the only slave to ever be spotted inside the Inner

Palace!

As they approached the Imperial Rooms, Cassandra was so worried that she couldn’t handle it

anymore. She turned to Kairen again, whispering with a pleading voice.

“Please, Master, can’t I at least walk by myself? Please…”

“Last time I left you alone, you ran away.” (3)

Cassandra was taken aback. He was still angry about that? It wasn’t even her choice to leave his

chambers! She shook her head.

.

“No, Master, I swear I did not mean to. Please! I promise, I won’t go anywhere. Please…”

Kairen clicked his tongue, but after a few more steps he finally stopped to let her down. Cassandra

seized the occasion to swiftly put the fur cloak back onto his shoulders, getting it away from her before

anyone else saw her with it. )

The Third Prince gave her a skeptical look, but she made sure to stand right behind him, as close as

she could without touching him. Shareen, watching the little scene unfold between the two, chuckled.

“Look, Kairen, your new pet isn’t going anywhere, and you can always have Krai chase her down if she

tries anyway.” (4)

He took a long moment before taking his eyes off Cassandra and walking with his sister again.

Cassandra let out a deep sigh right after, feeling a bit relieved, and started walking behind him with her

head low until someone next to her gently tapped her elbow.

One of Shareen’s ladies-in-waiting had subtly taken a few extra steps behind her mistress to be right

next to Cassandra and gave her a gentle smile.

“No need to bow so low. Just do it like me,” she whispered with a smile.

Cassandra realized she was indeed bowing too low. She had naturally taken her slave posture, but it

wasn’t appropriate with what she was wearing now. Was it alright to mimic the ladies-in-waiting? She

still had her collar on, so her current status was probably closer to a servant than anything else.

But the young lady gave her an encouraging smile, making her feel a little more at ease, so Cassandra

did as she suggested. This way, she wouldn’t stand out as much, and she was already hoping people

would ignore her.

They finally reached a large door. Even without the gold adorning the redwood, Cassandra would have

concluded it was their final destination by the loud growls coming from behind it – dragon growls.

“Emperor, this lowly servant has successfully come back with Their Highnesses Prince Kairen and

Princess Shareen.”

The large doors had opened and Cassandra, without lifting her head, felt a breeze, hinting that they

were heading into an open area – a very, very large one. She followed Kairen while hearing a lot of

people present around them. As she stole peeks to her left and right, she realized several members of

the Imperial Family were there, all accompanied by their respective courts. From the myriad of voices

and sounds, she could tell at least fifty people were present.

“Finally! Kairen, what do I have to do for you to stay at my banquets? Are they too boring for you, my

Son?”

Cassandra couldn’t believe she was hearing the Emperor’s voice! She was surprised; he sounded

more like a doting father than an all-mighty ruler too!

“What about me, Father? Do I not get a proper welcome just because my dear little brother is here?”

asked Shareen with a sulk.

“What are you talking about? You know you are the most precious gem in my eyes, Shareen! Come

here, my daughter!” 6

The group suddenly split, with Shareen and her attendants going straight to the golden throne, while

Kairen took a left. He walked to a large seat and took his place, spreading his fur coat on it. Cassandra,

observing how the other servants were positioned, took a small spot a few feet behind him and knelt on

the floor.

She was now partially in the shadow of his seat and had the freedom to observe the room. It was an

immense, circular hall with several golden chairs, each sitting atop several steps. Like this, the Royal

Family could clearly see the center of the room, where dancers were currently performing a piece no

one seemed to care about. Behind each seat, servants were busy attending to their masters, handing

them cups of wine or plates of food. Only the concubines were sitting down on the stairs in front of

them, with a good view of the show, but no seat of their own.

“You, take this.”

A male servant handed Cassandra a glass of wine and a large plate with fruits and meat. She quickly

realized she was the only one there to attend to Kairen. She took it, ignoring the pain in her wrist. Her

fingers were trembling under the extra weight on her injury, but she took a couple of steps forward and

handed the cup to Kairen while he ignored the food.

When she descended back to her position, the male servant was looking at her with furious eyes.

“You idiot slave! You were supposed to try the wine before your Master! What if there is poison in the

cup?”

Cassandra had no idea. She looked at the man, speechless, and went back to Kairen wondering if she

could take the cup back. Thankfully, he hadn’t drunk from it yet, but as she was about to ask, he put the

cup down and showed no interest in it. She swiftly grabbed it, took a quick sip, and put it back where it Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

was before returning again. The male servant sighed.

“Useless slave…”

“I am very sorry,” she whispered.

“Save your apology for your Master! What if he died because of an idiot slave like you? Tsk…”

While cursing her, he stepped away. Cassandra sighed. How could she possibly have known? She had

never had any training on attending to the Imperial Family.

After reflecting on her mistake, she went back to listening to what was going on. As expected, only the

Imperial Family spoke while the concubines whispered amongst themselves, but none seemed very

happy to be there.

“Kairen, my son. Can I never keep you entertained enough that you would share a bit of your time with

your father?” asked the Emperor.

“Our brother would rather spend his time with his slave,” snickered the Second Prince.

A loud growl suddenly resonated throughout the hall, and Cassandra finally understood why the

servants and concubines didn’t feel at ease. Next to the Second Prince’s throne, what she had

mistaken for a statue was actually a very alive Red Dragon. She took a quick look around; aside from

the red one, two other dragons were sitting next to their masters. While one of those was caged, the

other two were merely muzzled and chained, but they were still at the Imperial Family’s level, and close

enough to scare anyone around.

Chapter 8​

The Death Sentence

It took all of Cassandra’s willpower to not stare at the dragons, to keep looking down and wait behind

Kairen. They were like his majestic Black Dragon, but smaller ones and differently colored. She

remembered the slaughter they had inflicted just hours earlier in the arena and shivered. They weren’t

calm. Even while standing right next to their masters, one could tell that only the chains were really

holding them. They were agitated, glaring at the people around them, and pulling on their restraints.

The purple one in the cage kept growling for no reason, frightening the Fifth Prince’s concubines each

time.

“That’s right, Kairen. I heard you were enchanted by a slave from today’s games?”

Cassandra jumped. She had almost forgotten the “slave” in question was herself! What would the

Emperor say? She didn’t dare move from her spot, waiting to see how Kairen would respond. But

instead, the Second Prince clicked his tongue.

“To think, after presenting him with countless concubines, our brother’s interest would be a slave…You

really do have odd tastes, Kairen.”

“Brother, is that true?” A young, feminine voice suddenly asked, “A slave?”

Cassandra hadn’t realized Princesses, other than Shareen, were there too. From what she recalled,

there were six Princes and at least twice as many Princesses, but she only counted five women

present, each with their own golden seat like Shareen’s. The one who had spoken appeared to be

among the youngest. Kairen ignored her, but another Princess, this time in a seat closer to him, raised

her voice.

“This is inappropriate. How can we allow lowly, filthy slaves in our presence? Brother, you are far too

lenient. That kind of dirt belongs to the lower classes. You should have proper concubines and proper

servants.”

From where she sat, Cassandra could see the Princess’s black hair and as she turned her head,

Cassandra looked down just in time. She hadn’t been caught staring, but nevertheless, she felt the cold

glare of the Princess.

“As high and mighty as ever, Phetra…” sneered Shareen, while taking a seat close to the Emperor. (1)

“You and Kairen should be ashamed of yourselves. Meddling with lowly servants and, worse, slaves!”

But Shareen snickered at her angry sister.

“Someone needs to stop talking out of her ass…” she muttered. (4)

But she had said it just loud enough for most people to hear. A few concubines and servants chuckled.

But what happened next silenced them all. In a sudden and swift movement, Phetra took out a whip

and lashed it in the direction of one of the servants. She caught a man by the throat and his laugh died

right away, leaving only an expression of pure terror on his face. Phetra snapped her whip and threw

him right into the cage of one of the colored dragons. The Purple dragon inside jumped on the man,

instantly ripping his body in half. All the concubines nearby were splattered with blood.

An ice-cold silence befell the room, apart from the dragon’s loud chewing. Cassandra was frozen in

complete shock. She only dared a glance towards Kairen and Shareen. While her master hadn’t moved

an inch, both he and his sister were glaring at Phetra.

But the Princess looked satisfied with herself as she pulled back her whip. The Emperor sighed.

“Phetra, not while we’re eating.”

“Sorry, Father.”

She didn’t look apologetic at all though, only giving her siblings a prideful smirk. Meanwhile, Cassandra

was still terrified. This family was far too scary. They killed without a shred of remorse or restraint, and

for such ridiculous

reasons too. Moreover, she felt like Phetra had only done this to infuriate Shareen, whom she couldn’t

confront directly.

Princess Shareen was glaring at Phetra, not hiding her annoyance very well. Cassandra had a feeling

that the hatred between all the siblings had deeper roots than a mere confrontation about servants and

slaves. She observed them more carefully now. Phetra had a lot of common traits with the Second

Prince. Just like Kairen and Shareen, could those two be siblings from the same mother?

“Enough killing already, all of you. Let’s see the next dancers. And Phetra, do not kill your siblings’

servants. I’m fed up with your little squabbles.”

“Yeah, how about you just kill your own servants instead!” protested the Fifth Prince, clearly annoyed.

Cassandra looked around. Despite staying silent, the other Princesses seemed either shocked or

annoyed at Phetra’s display. It wasn’t just Shareen. It didn’t seem like that Princess was particularly

popular amongst her siblings at all.

“Mine know their place, Brother. But Kairen seems to need help teaching his,” stated Phetra, before

turning to Kairen. “Do you need help, Brother?”

Cassandra immediately felt the Princess’s venomous glare and wicked intent. Even if she was only a

disposable slave, that woman’s bloodlust was definitely not normal! But Kairen just glared back.

“Mind your own business, Phetra.”

“I only mean to help. Maybe, Kairen…”

A growl suddenly resonated through the hall. Cassandra looked up by reflex as the sky was suddenly

covered by a dark shadow. Around her, several people gasped or shrieked. The Black Dragon landed

right behind its master, next to Cassandra, and growled furiously at Phetra as if it was echoing its

master’s anger. 1

“Try me again,” threatened Kairen. (9)

But this time Phetra stayed silent. Her proud attitude from earlier had disappeared as soon as she had

fixed her eyes on the Black Dragon. The Princess gulped and stopped boasting, her head and

shoulders dropped down as the dragon continued to growl at her. (2)

Shareen snickered. (1)

“That’s my son!” exclaimed the Emperor, visibly proud. “Kairen, why didn’t you summon him earlier?”

“I didn’t have a reason to…” Kairen hissed, still glaring at Phetra.

Shareen and the Emperor were the only ones happy with the Black Dragon’s arrival. Everyone else

seemed uneasy or scared and for good reason. Its size was far more imposing than the other beasts,

as were its claws and fangs. The other dragons became agitated seeing their peer. Cassandra

wondered if they naturally feared it.”

“How impressive… She really isn’t scared at all.”

Cassandra suddenly realized one of the Princesses was talking about her. She felt several eyes on her

and looked down hard, feeling anxious. Indeed, the large dragon was standing with its head right next

to her, its huge body so · close that she could feel the heat. Its presence wasn’t scary for Cassandra.

She was more frightened by the human beings in the room than the beast who had its red eyes on her

– eyes filled with the same curiosity as before.

“That’s an interesting one you have there, Kairen,” said the Fifth Prince. “To be able to stay so close to

your beast and not be scared at all.”

Cassandra again felt several stares on her, wishing she could hide, when a low growl suddenly got her

attention. Curling himself up around her, Krai, the Black Dragon, gently pushed her with its head and

rubbed its warm scales against her arm. How could she ignore the beast? She dared a glance towards

Kairen but he was ignoring her, his eyes focused on his siblings. For once, she wished her master

would spare a glance her way, giving her some clue

as to what she was supposed to do. Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Krai nudged her arm again and, with a discreet movement, she gently caressed its scales. He growled,

a very deep sound that was an obvious display of satisfaction. Cassandra blushed slightly, surprised to

have a dragon almost purring from her touch! (10

“Look at this! The woman is obviously a sorceress! To charm an Imperial dragon like so! Let’s just

behead her now and put an end to this…” (2

“Silence…”

Before the Second Prince could finish his sentence, Kairen’s words cut him off.

“Or would you like to try and take her from my dragon?”

Hearing this, Krai growled threateningly. Several women cried in fear and the whole place dissolved

into chaos with the other dragons growling back and the servants trying to calm everyone down. Still,

they all avoided the black beast. Krai was getting agitated, standing guard over Cassandra, and

growling at the Second Prince.

The Black Dragon was so large that it didn’t even realize it was shoving Cassandra around. Forced to

the ground, she suddenly feared it would stomp on her like a mere ant under its claws. The scales over

her were moving so frantically, she couldn’t tell what was going on.

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her out of the chaos, pulling her from under the dragon. It took her a

second to realize Kairen had brought her to safety, holding her against his chest. Behind them, the

Black Dragon was still growling and stomping around, but she barely noticed it now. All she could hear

was her own heart, beating too fast in her ears. (2

***

Cassandra slowly opened her eyes.

Where was she? It took her a few seconds to recognize the room and remember the prior events. The

Prince’s chambers! It was still dark though. What happened at the banquet? She could only remember

up to the point where the dragon was going wild.

She realized she was laying in a real bed and feeling… warm. She couldn’t remember the last time she

had felt so content or slept in real sheets.

However, she couldn’t move an inch. Something hot was pressed against her body and Cassandra

gasped – it was a man’s arm! Moreover, she recognized the scaled braces! She froze, almost unable to

breathe. She wasn’t just in the Prince’s bed, he was in it too!

“…How are you feeling?” the deep voice next to her ear surprised her.

How did he even know she had woken up? He was holding her from behind, his strong body right

against her skin. As Cassandra attempted to move she realized someone had bandaged her injured

wrist and it smelled of herbal medicine, too. (1)

“My Lord, what happened?” she inquired in a whisper.

“You collapsed at the banquet.”

She tried to remember, but the void seemed to confirm what he was saying. It wasn’t that surprising.

She hadn’t eaten in two days, and she wasn’t in great condition to begin with, and then to have had so

many emotions in one day. It was a lot to deal with.

* You didn’t answer.”

“I’m better, my Lord,” she replied right away, afraid he might become angry.

“…I see.”

He stayed silent after that and Cassandra wondered if he had gone back to sleep; she definitely

couldn’t This situation was just unbelievable.

She should have died as a nameless slave mere hours ago. So why was it that now she was

comfortably laying in a Prince’s bed, sheltered from the cold and the whip? She even had brand new

clothes, something a slave couldn’t ever dream about in a hundred years! What kind of Prince showed

interest in a slave, and acted as no one else would? Was it only because of his dragon’s interest in

her?

What would happen next? She was perfectly aware of her impossible situation. Someone would kill her

sooner or later for overstepping her place. The Third Prince Kairen was indeed a stubborn and strong

man, but he wouldn’t care for her forever. 1

Presuming her death sentence had only been delayed, Cassandra shivered. Was this what it was like

experiencing heaven before you die?

She slowly tried to wiggle away, to leave the bed before something happened. She should definitely not

be here. For a slave like herself, even the floor of this bedroom was too good. She had to leave, to

sleep in the kitchens or anywhere else, but definitely not in her new master’s bed!

“Where are you going?”

Kairen had sensed her moving and held on to her even tighter. Cassandra shook her head, trying to

free herself.

“I cannot be here, my Lord, I…”

“Enough.”

He suddenly pushed her down into the mattress and positioned himself over her, looking down with

angry, obsidian eyes.

“Why is it that you’re constantly trying to run away from me?”

*Author Note: Thank you for reading my Story! I hope you’re enjoying it so far, please like, comment &

add to your library if you like it!

Chapter 9​

The First Night Cassandra stared at him blankly, completely taken by surprise by the same question again and their

sudden change of position. Having him linger over her was way too intimidating. And why did he

always have to be half naked? She tried to ignore it, to remember his question. (2)

“I’m not trying to run away…”

“Are you not trying to leave right now?”

“I shouldn’t be here! This is your bedroom, a slave is not supposed to be here. If someone sees me…”

“Who?”

His cold and imposing voice suddenly scared her, as if she was brutally reminded of who she was

arguing with. It was hard to ignore his black eyes on her, but she tried to look away anyway,

intimidated.

“I don’t know,” stuttered Cassandra. “The guards, the Imperial Servants…”

“Do you see anyone but us here right now?”

Strangely, they were indeed all alone. The Imperial Family members usually had a lot of attendants.

They had people to take care of their meals, to take care of their clothes, people for everything they

would need. Their servants even had higher statuses than common people, and certainly far higher

than slaves.

Only Kairen didn’t seem to have any attendants. Since she had been around him, Cassandra had seen

absolutely no one but the Imperial Palace attendants. Unlike his other siblings, who were never alone,

the Third Prince was never followed by anyone but her now…

“…They will know,” she murmured, afraid.

She was sure, even though there was no one there to witness, people would talk about the shameless

slave following her master to his chambers. Too many people had already seen them. Kairen clicked

his tongue, annoyed.

“And? So what if they know?” 5

Cassandra was helpless. Why did she have to explain everything? This man was either way too

confident or way too unaware of the world they lived in! Gathering some courage, she answered him

truthfully, her emerald eyes still relaying her fear.

“I might get killed, or worse…

“Worse?” he repeated with a frown.

“Beaten, tortured… Raped… 3

Kairen’s expression grew darker with each possible outcome she mentioned, so she stopped, biting her

lip nervously. Cassandra was still unable to figure out how he thought. He always seemed either

indifferent or angry. ,

And right now, he was pinning her onto the bed, holding her wrists, exposing her and looking at her like

no one else ever had, it was too overwhelming. His eyes were sweeping down her body, ignoring the Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

dress, but taking in the numerous scars it left exposed. His expression grew even darker.

“Who did this?”

“My…previous masters…”

Why was he interested in her scars all of a sudden? She had gotten so many over the years; the worst

were the

The dramatic, red lines still ran over Cassandra’s limbs, threatening to tear open again at any moment.

She could still vividly remember the feeling of the lashes of the whip where it had cut the deepest.

She had experienced way too much pain to not be scared of punishments again. It was much more

terrifying than

death…

“…What is your name?”

His question caught her off guard. Why would he be interested in her name? Most masters didn’t even

care enough to know if she had one! She was only called “you” or “slave” in her past years of servitude.

Blushing a bit, she spoke it, that name she hadn’t uttered in years.

“…Cassandra.”

“Cassandra. Look at me.”

It wasn’t an order she could disobey. Gathering her courage, she looked up at his two obsidian eyes,

like two voids she might get lost in.

“From now on, you are mine. If someone touches you, I’ll kill them.” 23

His expression was so serious she didn’t know how to respond. Was that a promise? Or a threat?

But somehow, something in her heart mended from hearing those words. Could she trust this man? He

was twice as scary as anyone else, yet she felt something indescribable when looking at him.

Something that felt like… safety. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded, still looking at him.

(2)

“Say it,” he ordered, his eyes dark.

“I’m… Yours,” she whispered. 5,

His expression changed slightly, his mouth opening with heavy breaths. She could feel the arousal

build on his dark skin.

“Say it again,” he ordered, his voice getting deeper.

“I’m yours…”

The last word got buried under Kairen’s lips connecting with hers. (1)

Completely unnerved, Cassandra felt his rough kiss before she could even react. What was going on?

The Prince’s hot mouth on hers was forceful, unpredictable, and ruthless. She tried to breathe as his

tongue entangled with hers. She could feel his body pressing on her, overpowering her effortlessly. (3

When he finally retreated from her lips and descended to her breasts, she caught her breath. (2)

Ma… Master…”

She was entirely unable to think straight. His large, warm hands on her skin were exploring and

invading everything. Like a wave, his strength was crashing over her, holding her under him while she

was subjected to his caresses.

Cassandra had never experienced anything like this before. Her seventeen years of inexperience were

cruelly showing, as she had no clue how to respond. Kairen was in total control of her body, his hands

firmly holding her. All of a sudden, he tore her dress, exposing her bare chest to his gaze.

“My Lord! The dress…”

They had just borrowed it, too! Cassandra was mortified, thinking about what she had to do in order to

get this dress and how it was now torn to shreds… But Kairen obviously didn’t care. Without warning,

he sucked on one of her nipples, and she couldn’t hold back a surprised moan. She felt her body

reacting, her stomach tingling with an

odd sensation. Unable to think straight, she reached out for him, running her hands through his black

hair, shivering under his tongue’s movements. He had grabbed her other breast now, playing with both

at the same time. (1)

“Hmm… My Lord…”

Cassandra couldn’t hold back her moans as much as she tried. The hotness of his mouth on her pink

extremities was unbearable. Though she didn’t look, she could feel his tongue and his teeth grazing

and sucking, biting softly. Moreover, he was pressing his entire body against her, and Cassandra could

feel his hips compelling her legs to open into a new, awkward position for her. She could feel

everything; the rustling of the sheets, their clothing, his mouth on her skin, and her own embarrassing

voice, echoing in the room.

Without warning, Kairen put his hand between her legs.

“Ah! N… No…”

He frowned, his dark eyes on her made Cassandra blush. His hands weren’t stopping, but his gaze

was fixated on her, making her crazy with embarrassment.

“No?” he repeated.

She blushed and bit her lip. Was she really so unable to control her own body? How embarrassing!

She was breathing and moaning louder as Kairen continued caressing her. His fingers found their way

to her slit, stroking it until they slid through to rub her entrance. Cassandra gasped, a seductive

sensation spreading through her whole body. His movements were fast and insisting, going in and out,

rubbing and pressing further into her.

Her legs were trembling, and she was struggling to breathe correctly. The fire raging inside was driving

her crazy, and she wanted more. Without realizing, Cassandra had grabbed her master’s shoulder with

her free hand to brace herself.

“Hm… Ma… Oh! Mas… Master… hn…”.

“What is it?”

Kairen’s eyes were focused on her, considering each of her reactions to his touch. Occasionally, he

leaned down to suck and lick her breasts again, but more than that, he was hypnotized by her cries and

moans. Playing with her pussy, he was moving his fingers into her, subjecting her to new pleasures. He

felt her juices moisten his hand, while his own body was already reacting to her.

She was his. He had thought this the minute his dragon had put her at his feet – when he had seen her

from up close. He wanted this woman, no matter who she was. He wanted all of her. 6

“Say it again.”

“Hm… Wh…What?”

His fingers slowed down their movements, giving her a minute of respite so she could understand and

answer.

Catching her breath, Cassandra looked at him, his face so close she could see every small detail. This

man was her new master. An odd, unforgiving, and ruthless Prince. A Dragon Lord and War God.

“I’m… I’m yours…” she whispered to him, with a breathy voice.

“Again.”

His hands undid his buckle to remove his pants, and she heard the clothes falling to the floor. She

trembled, a bit unsure and scared.

“I’m yours,” she repeated the words, to also reassure herself.

“Again.”

She repeated them again and again, while he positioned himself between her spread legs. As the

blood rushed to her cheeks and ears, she felt his member against her entrance, and kept repeating

those words, like a prayer.

–

“I’m yours, I’m yours… I’m… Ah!”

Cassandra whimpered in pain, feeling his cock pushing in. Kairen stopped, his hot breath against her

ear.

“Breathe,” he said to her soothingly.

She tried, wondering if it was supposed to be this painful. Once he thought she was getting used to it,

the Prince pushed further in and she cried out again. His movements were slow, but she was so

unused to the sensation, and he was also large. She tried to breathe, listening to his voice as he was

groaning.

“You’re… tight…” 2

She held onto him tighter, pulling him in a little and catching his eyes.

“Slower,” she simply said.

Her voice came out clear like a demand, the first one she had formulated in years. Almost an order, at

this unexpected time. Kairen, a bit surprised, obeyed without thinking. Gaging her reactions, he went at

a slower pace, his back and forth matching Cassandra’s labored breathing.

She tried to get more comfortable with his hard member inside her, focusing on the better sensations

and pushing the pain away. She was used to pain, she could handle it. But behind it now, something

much more pleasurable was waiting, and she wanted to reach it. Kairen moved inside her, and she

found herself slowly gyrating her hips to follow his rhythm, trying to share the control of their

movements.

Cassandra felt him accelerate, his cock rubbing faster inside her, stirring her up. She wasn’t even trying

to hold her voice back anymore. She was flooded with too many sensations to concern herself with

that.

“A…Aaah! Hm…Hm, hm…”

Her cries melded with Kairen’s groans. It was painful, but it was good too. And she could tell he was

not stopping anyway. The War God was on her, inside her, unleashing himself and moving wildly.

Cassandra’s moans grew louder as he went faster, holding her under him, his cock pounding…

With a final thrust, he stopped deep inside her, groaning hard. Something warm filled her insides and

she moaned again, the sensation driving her crazy.

She trembled as she slowly regained her senses. She felt his lips press against hers and answered the

kiss without thinking, too tired to consider anything else.






Chapter 10 The Red Dress

When she woke up the next morning, Cassandra‘s whole body felt completely sore. Blushing at the memory of the intense sex with her master, she pulled the bedsheet over her naked body.

But, looking around, she realized that she was alone in the large bedroom. Did her master leave early? She got up, keeping the bed sheet around her. The Prince had torn her only dress, so she felt a bit helpless, naked, and alone in the Prince’s room, with no clue what to do. She didn’t evenknow howlatein theday itwas.

Suddenly, there was a little knock at the door. As a servant entered, Cassandra recognized the young woman as oneof Princess Shareen’s, the one who had advised her the previous day.

She wascarrying a little parcel which she promptly unwrapped before Cassandra.

“Good Morning. His Highness requested a newdress for you.”

“Oh, thank you,” said Cassandra.

It was anew, darkredonethis time. Cassandra frowned upon seeing the color. Didn‘t servants in the Palace commonly wear green?

“That color...”

“It is the color worn by low-ranking concubines. You’ll be wearing this from now on”

Cassandra blushed. So they would all now be aware that she hadslept with the Third Prince! It seemed unreal that this information was already known as soon as theverynext morning. Were they seen? Or was itbecauseshe had slept in the Prince’s bedroom all night?

“But this...”

She raised a hand to theslavery collar still hanging around her neck. Could a slave really be a concubine? She didn’t think it was possible! The young servant girl gently smiled at her and shook her head.

“Do notworry, it’s not like there hasn’t been any precedents set for Princes and

Emperors taking slaves as concubines. Your life will most likely get a bit easier if you wearthis, even if you are still a slave. But you cannot be treated the same as high-ranking concubines or taken as the official wife.”

Cassandra nodded. Even to be takenas alow-ranking concubine was too much for her, she couldn’t imagine anything more! She looked at the dress again, wondering if her master had known this would happen.

“What is your name?”sheasked theyoung servant.

“Dahlia.”

“Thank you forthe dress, Dahlia...”

The youngwomanbowedwithasmileandswiftlylefttheroom, leaving

Cassandra feeling odd. It was the first time someone had ever bowed toher.

Still a bit hesitant about what to do next, she started by washing herself at the little water basin. She thought of last night again, making her blush once more.

The Prince had beenso…fierce! She hadn’texpected that having sex required so muchstamina. She hadsomemild bruisingon her armswherehehad heldher a bit too tightly. Thankfully her wrist wasn’t as painful as before, so she didn’t have any trouble putting the dress on– the deep red dress…Cassandra didn’t know muchabout theImperial Palace’s protocols, but she recalled seeing the concubines in various shades of red and pink. Was pink the color reserved for the high-ranked concubines then?

The Prince suddenly came back into the room, his eyesimmediately finding her.

“You‘re up.”

“Yes, Your Highness...”

Helookedover andCassandra followed his gaze to alittle table, where she hadn’t noticed a large tray of food. There were fruits, meats, cheeses and wine.

The Prince frowned,

“Whyhaven’t you eaten?”

“I hadn‘t noticed...”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes.”

Howcouldshenotbe?Thelasttime she atewasmorethantwodaysago!She might have been starving but she wasused to thepainful sensation of hunger.

Uponseeingthose delicious looking plates, however, she couldn’t repress the hungry growl emitted by her stomach.

“Let‘s eat then.”

Hewalkedoverandsat inalarge armchairwhile Cassandra followed and, like she would havedonewith herprevious masters, knelt on the floor next to him, but

Kairen frowned.

“What are youdoing?”

Hegrabbed herarmandpulled herupontohis lapwithoutwarning. Cassandra wassuddenly straddling his leg, facing him, dangerously close. The swift action brought her attention to his bare chest, causing her to blush!

“Master, I can’t!”

But heignored her andtook aslice of meat fromthe table. His other hand wasstill firmly holding Cassandra in place, and she had to put her hand on his shoulder to keep herself steady. What kind of embarrassing position was this?

She hopedhewouldlet hergo,butKairenjust kept eating, ignoring her pleading eyes.

“Eat. We havealong journey ahead.”

“A long journey?” she asked, a bit lost.

“Going home. TheFestival is over.”

She suddenly realized it was the eighth day! The Festival had ended this morning and the Princes were nowfree togo back totheirrespective lands. So he was bringing her back to his castle then? She wondered what kind of place it was.

Kairen brought a grape to her lips and Cassandra had no choice but to take it. She wasabit embarrassed, but was distracted by the amazingly sweettaste! She rememberedeating dried or rotted grapes, but never fresh ones. She took her time eating the little fruit while he watched her with a slight grin. She blushed again; it was her first time receiving something close to a smile from him.

She finally reached out her hand to take another grape and started eating with delight. This was so great, to be able to eat without worry. Before, she had to eat quickly and hidden from her masters, so that she wouldn’tbe beaten for slacking off. And slaves could only eat what servants wouldn’t even want, leftovers and rotten food. Once in a while, she would be lucky enough to get somerice or dried fruits, but never fresh fruit, cheese or meat. This was all a first for her!

Kairen was silently watching her eat, one arm on the armchair and his other around her waist. He took somemeat fromtime totime, buthewasmostly busy observing each of his new concubine’s movements. Cassandra continued eating small bites like a little bird. It was obvious she was avoiding his gaze, blushing and looking down.

As sheplaced alittle cube of cheese in her mouth, Kairen suddenly took her chin betweenhis fingers and pulled her in for a kiss. Playing with her tongue, he stole the little cube, eating it before her stunned eyes.

“M…Master!”

Howcouldhedothat?! Cassandra wasso surprised by hischildish game she hadn’t even been able toreact. Kairen tilted his head towards the food.

“Give mesomemeat.”

Grabbing a greasy piece of beef, she handed itto him, wondering why he was suddenly acting lazy. But Kairen just looked at her, ignoring the food. She didn’t really understand his strange behavior until...! That’s when she understood– he wantedher todoitagain. It was so embarrassing!

His forceful tone made her even more uneasy. She knews he couldn’t refuse him, and it was just feeding him, right? She took the meat between her lips and approached him. This time, Kairen leaned in, grabbing it from her mouth while kissing her.

The meat‘s juice dripped from their lips while their tongues entangled. Soon enough, the Prince had eaten the little piece but kept their deep kiss going. Not letting go of her, Kairen kept her close, preventing Cassandra from backing away.

Their kiss was so intense she could barely keep up with his lips. The taste of the meatlingered there, something sweet and sour. When he finally relaxed his embrace, Cassandra leaned back to catch her breath, a bit light–headed.

Without anything more, Kairen grabbed a new bite himself this time, eating the meatasif nothing had happened.

Cassandra was completely lost by his sudden change of demeanor.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

Still, she grabbed more food, hoping he would let her eat in peace this time.

Kairen had apparently decided to oblige her unspoken wish as they ate in silence,

Cassandra enjoying a bit of each food that was there. Her master was still holding her by the waist, only occasionally caressing her with his thumb, and only asked for food to be delivered by kissing a couple more times. Cassandra complied, but was just as embarrassed as the first time and was relieved when he finally stopped eating before her.

Even with his close presence and the embarrassing position, she found it impossible to ignore the delicious food and ate her fill for the first time in a very long while. Once she was pleasantly full and feeling much better than before, she awkwardly kept her stare on the plate of remaining food, not sure of what to do next.

Kairen leaned in to kiss her neck without warning, pulling her to face him completely.

“Are you done?” heasked.

“Yes…”shewhispered.

Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to follow behind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.

Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door of his chambers, two Palace servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandra instinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutally dragged out the previous day.

“What is it?”

Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only staying close behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as they bowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, and the Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.

“His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that your presence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends his congratulations on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to Your Highness’s palace.”

“Are you done?” heasked.

“Yes...” she whispered.

Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to follow behind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.

Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door of his chambers, two Palace servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandra instinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutally dragged out the previous day.

“What is it?”

Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only staying close behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as they bowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, and the Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.

“His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that your presence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends his congratulations on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to Your Highness’s palace.”

Cassandra was speechless! Were they talking about her? Was the King truly happy his son had taken her for aconcubine? And tosend gifts too! She couldn’t even begin to process what was happening, but Kairen just ignored the menandwalkedon.

She followed him closely, wondering where they were headed. If he wanted to leave, shouldn’t he have headed for the stables? But instead, he was headed to the large gardens of the Imperial Palace, ignoring all the servants who were bowing along the way.

It was only when they finally reached the end of alarge, vined garden that

Cassandra understood. A mountain of black scales was heading their way with excited eyes. They weren’t going by horse or carriage, they were going to fly!

Captivating.

I'm already watching this thread.
Thanks jigsaw.

 

[jigsaw]

Captivating.

I'm already watching this thread.
Thanks jigsaw.

Thanks im just sharing what i have found until master gily release a new chapter of dragon man decree

 

[Bladeheart Ronin]

I haven't gotten time to.eead this. But i will surely do....

You should, ASAP.

 

[Bladeheart Ronin]

Chapter 18​

The Military Camp

“So, His Highness is taking you there? To the Camp?” asked Nebora.

She was helping Cassandra fold some clothes to pack for the journey. They had no idea how long she

would be gone, so Nebora had decided to lend her some of her clothes again. Cassandra hesitated,

looking at one of the dresses.

“Yes… Nebora, are you sure I can take these?”

“Yes! Patrina will get us new clothes in no time with all that gold you gave her, so don’t worry about it.

It’s a pity we only have one red dress, though. Maybe you could try to preserve it?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“It’s fine either way. I’ll just get new ones when I get back.”

“True…Oh, what about jewelry? Do you want us to buy you some?”

“I’m going to the Military Camp, not a party!” sighed Cassandra.

What would jewelry be good for? She was already wearing the slavery collar anyway. Plus, it would

only make things heavier and harder to carry. It would probably look weird too. A slave wearing jewelry,

that would probably be a first! 3

Nebora pouted. “Oh, fine. We’ll dress you up once you’re back. Make sure you take some warm cloaks

though, it’s freezing up there. You make sure not to get wet, and if it snows, stay inside, all right? And

make sure to keep the wood dry. It’s a pain to light up otherwise.”

Cassandra listened to Nebora’s advice carefully, as she had never been so far north before. She was a

bit excited at the prospect of seeing snowfall for the first time in her life, but a bit worried about the cold

as well. She didn’t even know what a military camp was going to be like.

“Do you need anything else? Patrina packed up some food too, but the trip there will be short with His

Highness’ dragon…”

“No, this should be fine. Thank you, Nebora.”

Her friend smiled as they both got up, Cassandra holding her little bag. She only had her dresses, a

pair of shoes and a few balms and soaps that Nebora had insisted on her taking. As they left the room,

Nebora followed her closely, giving her more advice about the cold.

“And eat more meat,” she said as they reached the inner court. “It can’t be bad for you, skinny girl.”

Cassandra chuckled.

“I got it, Nebora, don’t worry.

“Why wouldn’t I worry? You’re way too nice and clueless. Oh, and watch out for the men! I mean, they

should behave with His Highness around, but…

“Nebora, I will be fine,” said Cassandra with an amused smile.

To think she was so hostile to her only a couple of days ago. Now Nebora was acting like a worried,

older sister. It was a first for Cassandra, but she truly appreciated it. When they walked back into the

kitchen, Marian, Prunie and Bina were waiting for her. The three younger girls said goodbye to her, and

Cassandra felt her heart tighten a little, seeing that Prunie and Bina had already gotten so attached to

her and were sad to see her leave.

“Do you know how long you will stay there?” asked Bina.

“No, His Highness hasn’t said anything.”

“Stop whining, she will probably be back next week,” said Nebora.

“We will pick up some pretty dresses for you!” said Prunie, with a big smile.

“Thank you, Prunie.”

Cassandra gave each of the girls a hug before she went out to the inner court again, all three of them

following behind her. The Prince was there, putting a large saddle on Krai’s back. The dragon was

waiting patiently, its head turning to Cassandra when she arrived. It had big bags on its back as well,

though they still looked like nothing compared to its actual size. Krai let out a loud growl, looking

excited. Except for Cassandra and Nebora, all the other girls froze and stepped back from hearing that.

They were still terrified by the mere sight of the gigantic Black Beast, and didn’t dare approach. Nebora

wasn’t looking so good either, but she didn’t look as afraid, and still managed to follow Cassandra a few

steps closer.

“A toothpick…” she grumbled.

“It’s fine, Nebora,” said Cassandra with a little laugh. “I’ll see you later, all right?”

Nebora sighed and stopped staring at Krai to look at Cassandra. Her heart warmed a bit when she

looked at the young woman. She was too proud to admit it out loud, but her heart had done a one-

eighty about Cassandra, and though she knew why she had hated her at first, she now thought it was

silly. Cassandra was loving and lovable, unlike her own prideful personality. She sighed and stepped

forward to hug her.

“Be careful, alright?”

“I will,” said Cassandra, hugging her back a bit shyly.

The two girls separated, and Cassandra walked over to Kairen. The Prince immediately took her bag

from her hands to put it among the others on Krai’s back and without a word, helped her climb up over

the dragon’s sharp scales. He sat behind her, Cassandra right against his chest, and covered her with

one of his familiar fur cloaks. It was a bit too warm and stuffy, but Cassandra knew she would need it

for later. Kairen didn’t wear anything other than his usual armor, though. Without a glance towards the

servants watching them from the ground, he gave a silent signal to Krai, and the dragon took off

immediately. This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Cassandra watched the others below, but just like before, she was just too frightened and as they got

higher, she ended up closing her eyes. Her lips started to feel cold, and she wrapped herself even

tighter in the cloak. Would this really be enough in the North frontier? Kairen held her tighter, too.

Cassandra was amazed by the warmth of his skin. Did he ever get cold?

Under her, Krai’s scales went from lukewarm to cold, too. Despite it’s natural temperature, the icy wind

was even having a cooling effect on the dragon. Cassandra was happy to have the fur and the saddle

between her bottom and the dragon’s back, unlike last time.

“How long will it take, My Lord?” she asked when she felt safe enough to open her eyes again.

“Not long,” Kairen replied simply.

Cassandra didn’t ask anything further. Instead, she decided to rest against his chest, and watch the

incredible scenery. She was still lacking a few hours of sleep, but she fought against the tiredness to

take in the view. It was a breathtaking sight, just like before. She could already see the range of

mountains they were headed to, which were much higher than the mountain the Onyx Castle was built

on. (2

Behind them, it was an ocean of green, a forest so vast Cassandra already couldn’t see the castle

anymore. And to the east, the Great Sea. Cassandra couldn’t help but remember her long lost

childhood when she saw that dark blue sea. Would she ever be reunited with her younger sister? She

was only two years younger… Was she still alive? What did she look like now? Cassandra had tried to

search for her for a while back in the Capital, but as a slave, it was just too difficult. Maybe she would

be luckier now… Deep in thought, she sighed and caught Kairen’s attention.

“Are you too cold?”

“No, my Lord, I was only lost in my thoughts.”

“What thoughts?”

Cassandra hesitated for a bit. The Prince’s concerns were probably far from her own. Seeing how he

was frowning and waiting for her answer, she decided to be honest. Nebora had advised her to be a bit

more selfish after all.

“I wondered if it was possible to look for someone? If we go back to the Capital?”

“Who are you looking for?”

“My younger sister… I lost track of her many years ago.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while, and Cassandra wondered what he was thinking. Did he find this

annoying? But she had that little glimmer of hope in her heart, and now, she knew it wouldn’t disappear

anytime soon.

“Maybe,” he eventually said.

However, he didn’t add anything else to that enigmatic answer. Cassandra only nodded slowly. She

wasn’t expecting much, but she felt a bit disappointed. She probably wouldn’t be able to hear about her

younger sister’s whereabouts anytime soon… It probably wasn’t a good time, either. She had just been

brought to the North and most likely wouldn’t be back at the Capital again for a while.

“Cassandra.”

She looked at the Prince wondering what he wanted, and without a word, he silently kissed her.

Cassandra was completely taken by surprise. Kairen’s lips were warm and passionate, as he plunged

his tongue between hers. She moaned, trying to catch her breath while responding to him. It was so

sudden, if he wasn’t holding her so tight she might have fallen off.

Yet, the kiss felt somewhat different, a little sweeter than their usual ones. Cassandra felt his warmth,

and her heart felt a bit lighter while answering him. Cassandra was surprised by his sudden display of

tenderness. Was he trying to comfort her?

After a while, their lips parted, Cassandra blushing. She was expecting him to say something after that,

but he didn’t, and only looked forward. She was trying to figure out what it meant when Krai suddenly

let out a loud growl.

Cassandra looked down. Far below them, she could see a long building. It took her a while to realize it

was actually a very, very large wall, affixed between two mountains. As Krai started descending, she

noticed a myriad of tents of various sizes lined up a few kilometers behind the wall, with a few buildings

throughout. The Military Camp!

The Black Dragon’s growl caught the attention of the army below. As they got further down, all the

soldiers lined up in perfect rank, their armor shining under the sun. Cassandra was astonished by the

sheer number. How many men were there? A few thousand? She couldn’t even try to come up with a

number as there were just too many! She even saw flags in front of some ranks, probably to separate

them into groups. As Krai was about to land on a large platform, she could hear the men yelling orders.

“Get in order for His Highness’ arrival! Faster!”

The Black Dragon finally reached the ground with a loud growl and a few flaps of its wings that sent

mini gusts of wind about. Cassandra saw five men in front, all standing perfectly at attention. They were

doing a salute and standing tall, waiting for Kairen. The Prince got off the dragon first, climbing and

stepping down effortlessly.

“Welcome back, Your Highness. How was your…”

Before the man finished his sentence, he noticed Kairen was already busy helping Cassandra down,

ignoring him. The old man, who seemed to be in his fifties, was completely speechless. His eyes were

set firmly on Cassandra, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him, before going back to the Prince.

“Your Highness, this woman…”

“She is mine,” simply stated Kairen, as if that was enough of an explanation.

Of course, it clearly wasn’t! Cassandra felt a bit sorry for the soldiers, and bowed politely, facing them

with grace.

“I am Cassandra, My Lord.”

Anyone with a military grade high enough to address the Prince was worth calling a Lord, so she

decided to use that designation until she could learn their proper names and titles. Hearing such a

pretty young woman introduce herself, the old man couldn’t avoid introducing himself too, and did so a

tad awkwardly.

“Wel… Welcome.” That was the best he could do in this strange situation. Who was she? What was

she doing with their Commander? Her collar clearly indicated that she was a slave, but the Prince’s

attitude was nowhere near what it should have been toward a simple slave woman! None of the

lieutenants, waiting to salute him, could hide their confusion either.

But Kairen gave them no explanation. He walked away, headed for the camp with Cassandra following

close behind him, and Krai right behind her. Even among the soldiers, a large chattering was rising until

the old man yelled at them to shut up in front of their Lord.

Cassandra was a bit intimidated following Kairen into this unknown place, but she had already

introduced herself and couldn’t do anything else about it. With the Prince walking in front, the old man

and the other lieutenants had to speed to catch up with him.

They walked past several tents that all seemed to be deserted, but Cassandra figured it was because

everyone had come out to welcome the War God back. It was an impressive camp. There were many

fire pits, tents, and training grounds. They had clearly been established here for a while and from

seeing the perfect cleanliness and order of the place, one could tell this army was trained flawlessly.

Not only were the weapons perfectly stored, but the horses were housed quite well, and there were still

plenty more spaces available.

Kairen led her to the biggest of all the tents; large and red. Once she entered, Cassandra was

impressed by how big and luxurious it was. It could have been a very decent place to live all year

round. There was a bed, a large chair that almost seemed like a throne, and a table full of maps and

books. In a corner, there was a wardrobe with weapons stored right next to it. Kairen headed for the

table to look at the map while Cassandra stood to the side.

She heard some noise outside, and figured it was probably Krai laying its heavy body down next to the

tent. For once, it was not fussing about not being able to see her. Maybe the trip had exhausted it

enough to need a nap.

“Your Highness!”

The high-ranked soldiers from earlier barged in, and Cassandra stepped further away, retreating closer

to the bed. Several of them were looking at her, some even glaring. The old general then spoke up for

everyone.

“Your Highness, could you explain this situation? You left without warning and came back with a… a

slave woman?”

“My concubine,” rectified Kairen.

The shock was even bigger than before. It was just getting more awkward for Cassandra.

“Your… Congratulations, Your Highness, but I don’t believe this woman should…”

With one glare from Kairen, he suddenly shut up. Whatever he was about to say stuck in his throat

from the Prince’s black eyes. The warning was clear.

“Do you have something to say?” Kairen hissed.

After a few seconds of reflection, the old general sighed.

“Can I do…anything for the Lady’s comfort, My Lord?”

Chapter 19​

The Prince’s Tent While listening to Kairen and the General, Cassandra couldn’t ignore all the eyes on her. The camp

only had men, thousands of them. They all wore the very same black armor, like Kairen’s. The only

difference was that the higher-ranked ones, like the men in front of her, had extra decorations, like gold

braces or belts. The Prince, however, was the only one wearing dragon scales on his armor and

braces. But aside from that, there wasn’t any display of wealth.

With so many eyes on her, Cassandra was glad to be covered with the fur cloak. Being the only woman

was sort of intimidating, even with the Prince standing right in front of her.

Kairen was talking with the old General about conditions at the camp. He had only been gone since the

previous day, but many of his men were trying to hold his attention. She could only stay still behind him

and wait.

Most of the conversation was about tactics, training, and new recruits. Cassandra listened, but she

wasn’t knowledgeable about any of those things.

“We also have to consider food rationing, My Lord. We have doubled the hunting teams, but it’s getting

harder for everyone. The men are starting to talk…” said one of the Generals, awkwardly.

“I have brought more,” Kairen said simply.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

The man was about to say something else, but another of the lieutenants spoke ahead of him, so he

stayed quiet. Despite his beard, Cassandra noticed he appeared to be younger than the others. He

would frown every time another of the high-ranked officers spoke, clearly paying close attention to each

word that was said. Then, the oldest General, who appeared to be Kairen’s second, invited him for a

tour outside of the training grounds. He briefly turned to Cassandra.

“Stay here.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Kairen left the tent first and all of the men quickly followed after, though some couldn’t stop themselves

from looking back at Cassandra before leaving. She didn’t avoid their stares. Instead, she tried to

remember each of them. There were about twenty in total, and once they left, the room felt strangely

empty.

Cassandra was now all alone in the large tent. Holding the fur cloak tight around her, she got up and

wandered around. Not touching anything, she observed each item in the room, a little curious about her

Prince’s life at the camp. The table was mostly filled with military books and maps. Cassandra knew

how to read, and it wasn’t her first time seeing maps, but she couldn’t help but smile a little when she

spotted one where her homeland appeared. The Rain Lands were so small on the maps compared to

the Dragon Empire… The territory had been annexed by the Eastern Republic, so the map was

probably old. Her finger slowly traced the route that, as far as she can remember, had probably been

taken all the way to the Capital. With being bought and sold over and over again, she had seen a few

places, but the majority of her life had been spent in the Capital.

She didn’t have any regrets about leaving those places, though. She never made friends there, or had

anything of value. Slaves couldn’t own anything anyway, not even their clothes. Cassandra sighed and

brought her fingers up to her slavery collar. It was heavy and, most of the time, painful too. She had

touched the locking mechanism so often she knew it by heart. Only a slave trader possessed the key to

open one of these. And even if she got rid of it by chance some day, it would take years for the red

marks it had carved into her flesh to disappear. Slavery was something that was never forgotten.

Taking her eyes off the many maps, Cassandra headed to the wardrobe. As expected, the Prince didn’t

have many outfits, and close to no jewelry, except for a few gold chains and rings that she didn’t dare

touch.

The furniture was probably the fanciest thing in the tent. Most of it was expensive wood, surely carved

by a specialist. There was even gold in some parts, in the throne-like chair or the head of the bed. It

wasn’t as low-key

as the Prince’s room in the Castle. Was it because he spent most of his time here?

“Excuse me?”

Surprised, Cassandra turned around. She didn’t think someone would come here while Kairen was

away. It was a rather young man carrying a large basket. He looked even younger than she was, and

seemed quite shy too. He bowed a bit clumsily to her.

“I was told to bring this here for His Highness, Ma’am. Is it fine if…”

Cassandra was surprised he was waiting for her approval to put his basket down. She nodded.

“Uhm, sure, please do.”

“Thanks, Ma’am.”

He walked to one of the corners of the room and put down his basket, taking out some armor.

“It was done while our Lord was away by our blacksmith, with reinforced iron and dragon scales,” he

explained with a strong northern accent.

“Is it from Krai… I mean, His Highness’ dragon?”

“Yes, ma’am. We collect them when the Black Dragon sheds its scales so our blacksmith can break

them and reshape them for His Highness’ armors. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It is…”

Cassandra walked closer to look at the armor and indeed, it was gorgeous. The black of Krai’s scales

was shining and perfectly molded into the Prince’s armor. The blacksmith had even been very precise

while re-carving the scales’ shape, making it look like the original pattern. As if she had praised him,

the young soldier smiled.

“My teacher is very good! He is one of the best in the Empire.”

“Are you an apprentice?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I came here a year ago to follow my master and complete my apprenticeship.”

Cassandra realized some of the youngest soldiers she had spotted were probably apprentices, just like

him. Indeed, an army required many types of expertise, like the blacksmith master he was so proud of.

Embarrassed by her eyes on him, he blushed a little and bowed again.

“I’m Orwan, Ma’am. I’m part of the first blacksmith team.”

“Nice to meet you, Orwan. I’m Cassandra.”

“Uhm… Nice to meet you, Ma’am… I mean, Lady Cassandra.”

Once again, it felt odd to be addressed like that, but she didn’t say anything. Actually, she noticed a

bad burn on his hand, and frowned.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, this? It’s fine, I get burns like this all the time… It will heal.”

“No, it looks like it’s infected. Have you not tried to get it healed?”

Orwan frowned, looking a bit embarrassed.

“No, Ma’am…”

“Don’t you have healers here?”

“We do, but…there are only a few, and mostly for high-ranked officers.”

“What if someone else is injured?”

“We usually put water on it, and our lieutenant will give us a few days of rest.”

“What if it’s bad? This could seriously lead to losing your hand!”

“Hem… There is the Red Room, but…”

“The Red Room?”

Orwan nodded.

“That’s where they take the people who get badly injured, Ma’am. But no one really wants to go there,

it’s rumored to be a place where… well, where people go to die.”

Cassandra was confused. Why would they allow people to simply die…

“Where is the Red Room?”

“In the third East building, Ma’am. But it’s not a place for a Lady like you, I have to say…”

“I understand. Thank you, Orwan.”

He nodded, a bit embarrassed. Had he said too much to the Prince’s concubine? Orwan took a couple

more weapons out of his basket to display along with the armor, and left after a quick bow.

Cassandra was left alone once again. She was bored, but she didn’t want to disobey Kairen and

venture outside. However, there wasn’t much to do in the room, except read military books, and she

had no interest in those. She went to the other cupboard and, after hesitating, opened it. It was only

food storage – dried meat, a couple of wine bottles, and some bread. It seemed someone had brought

it recently, though. She closed it and turned around. That was it for the Third Prince’s tent. Cassandra

spent a little more time looking at the armor and weapons but really, she had no idea what to do. If only

she could at least step outside to see Krai and pet him. But Kairen’s orders kept her from it. She didn’t

want to ignore it, as he could easily get angry anytime she did something he didn’t approve of.

Without many options, she decided to just lay on the bed, keeping the fur cloak around her, and listen.

The atmosphere was very different from the deserted Onyx Castle. The camp was so lively that she

could hear a lot of things going on all the time. Horses throttling, men chatting, metal striking metal…It

somehow reminded her of the Capital. Back then, whenever she closed her eyes, she would hear the

life in the City outside her walls. The tent was even thinner though, so sometimes it felt as if people

were standing only a few steps away. Cassandra could even pick up some of the conversations, mostly

about the Prince’s return or the food shortage.

She woke up from a light kiss on her bare shoulder. The Prince’s smell, now familiar to her, took her

away from her slumber as she opened her eyes. Cassandra couldn’t remember when she had fallen

asleep. Kairen was standing over her, with his bare chest and an undecipherable expression.

“Your Highness…”

The Prince didn’t answer, and instead leaned in to kiss her. As always, his lips were warm and skilled

enough to wake Cassandra completely. He got under the cloak with her, caressing her hips and neck

with his large hands. For once, the Prince actually took the time to take her dress off properly, pulling

the laces of her corset one by one, kissing the skin revealed underneath. Each time his lips flirted with

her skin, Cassandra felt her own temperature rising. She was so accustomed to Kairen’s touch now,

how could she still be so reactive? Unable to resist, she would shiver, gasp, and wriggle under his

hands. It wasn’t so scary anymore, except for that hint of shame every time she responded to him.

His lips suddenly ventured to her thighs, and she gasped brutally. Where was he…! But before she

could even think, his tongue was licking her there, and she moaned out of surprise. The Prince was

actually going down on

her, kissing her pussy! Cassandra was completely overwhelmed by the surprise and the

embarrassment. Yet, Kairen’s skillful mouth soon pushed those feelings from her mind.

“Your Highness!” she almost screamed in panic.

He was mad! A Prince licking his slave, there…! Cassandra had no idea how to respond, except with

panic, and… pleasure. It was hard to ignore. She was so wet, and his tongue was driving her crazy,

going in circles, diving in and licking again. She was gasping and moaning loudly, unable to stop. She

couldn’t even think straight, as she felt the sensations deep within her stomach. The hotness between

her thighs should be impossible! Her hands feeble, she tried to push him away, awkwardly reaching for

his hair. But Kairen ignored her, and kept going with his impossible torture.

“Oh God, Your… Highness…” Cassandra panted.

As her moans got louder, she suddenly realized they were in a tent with thin walls! In a flash of lucidity,

she covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back her muffled moans that kept coming.

“What are you doing?”

As he had stopped, Cassandra shook her head, she just couldn’t endure this! But Kairen grabbed her

wrists, trapping both of them in his hands alongside her hips, and immediately went back to pleasuring

her. Cassandra was dying of shame. She couldn’t repress her moans. It was way too good, as the

Prince only focused on her most sensitive area, his mouth, tongue, and lips, attacking her relentlessly.

“Pl… Please… Oh please, stop…” she cried, trying to fight her pleasure and urges. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

But he did not stop. Kairen sucked her clitoris, driving her to the edge of pleasure and craziness,

making her moan louder. She had never experienced this. Her entire brain was focused on her intimate

area, as she closed her eyes, like a fire burning. She couldn’t endure anymore. Cassandra suddenly

felt it, like a spark, something that suddenly burst inside her and made her cry out in pleasure. A long,

intense and almost painful orgasm, came so hard that her whole body spasmed for a few seconds.

She was out of breath when she finally came down. Kairen released her wrists, and she covered her

eyes, unable to believe it. Her Master had pleasured her without relieving himself at all!

Chapter 20​

The Prince’s Tent She was still catching her breath when Kairen laid down next to her, pulling the covers back on them

and kissing her temple.

“You can’t do that…” Cassandra whispered.

“Do what?”

“Pleasure…me.”

The Prince clicked his tongue and looked at her with his dark eyes.

“Didn’t you like it?”

Cassandra immediately blushed from embarrassment.

“It’s not…”

Did you like it or not?”

His tone of voice made it clear she wouldn’t get out of this without giving him a proper answer.

Cassandra made sure to look anywhere but his direction.

“I did, but…”

“Better than what Shareen did?”

“Your Highness!”

She couldn’t believe he would dare to ask such a thing. How jealous could he be to actually say that!

The worst part was that serious look he had on his face while he asked! Cassandra was so exhausted

by his persistence!

“I did not appreciate what… happened with your sister. But it’s not the same, Her Highness Princess

Shareen was just making fun of me, while you…”

“While I what?”

Cassandra gulped, trying to find the right words, to make him understand while trying not to die of

embarrassment.

“You… willingly pleasured me. I’m only a sl…concubine, My Lord. I am the one who is supposed to

pleasure you, not the other way around.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while, staring at her with his enigmatic look. Cassandra hoped he had

understood, but his obsidian eyes were impossible to decipher. So she waited for him to say

something, anything. After a few minutes had passed, the War God still hadn’t said a thing, but

underneath the cloak, his hand suddenly went down to her still wet pussy, taking her completely by

surprise. Cassandra gasped loudly and gripped down on his wrist.

“Your…”

“What if I like it?”

Cassandra looked at him, lost. But Kairen kissed her slowly, while his hot and firm hand continued to

caress her. She couldn’t believe it was her own taste on his tongue…

“What if I like your reactions?”

He sucked and nibbled on the skin of her neck, and kissed it, making her gasp again. She loved the

sensation of his lips right there…

“What if I like the way your white skin gets hot and red?”

His lips went down on her bare breast, and his available hand played with the other, fondling them and

caressing them while Cassandra flushed.

“What if I like the way your breasts fill my hands?”

She knew what he was doing, and closed her eyes, unable to look at him and his amused yet

somewhat serious expression. On top of everything else, the way he looked at her was driving her

insane. The way he looked at her…

“What if I like the way you get all embarrassed when I touch you?”

He kept going. His hands were caressing her, gentle and hot on her body. With her eyes closed,

Cassandra couldn’t predict where they would go next, and that somehow made it even worse. She

shivered. He was going over her breasts…her hips…her thighs…her neck…her stomach….

“Your Highness!” she moaned when his fingers harassed her pussy again. He was clearly playing with

her, observing each of her reactions, but he was so good at it, she was helpless.

Cassandra was once again at his mercy, breathing loudly and trying to repress her moans. His fingers

were rubbing intensely, and she could feel herself throbbing in response. As a reflex, she slowly spread

her legs wider, feeling the heat that was coming back.

“I like the way you become wet when I touch you…” whispered Kairen in her ear.

Cassandra bit her lip. She was so responsive to his touch! Her own body was ahead of her, pulsing and

wanting more. Didn’t she come just a moment ago? But it wasn’t enough, not yet. She felt it, and hated

that she couldn’t control it. Instead, she was willingly spreading her legs, offering herself to his skilled

fingers, and wanting more.

Just as she was in this internal war between desire and reason, Kairen leaned in to give her a deep,

forceful kiss. Despite her lack of breath, Cassandra answered. It was as if the fire between her thighs

had made her even thirstier for the Prince’s mouth. It was a savage, willful, and exciting kiss. So

exhilarating, it made her moan out loud as she also grew wetter. She felt his other hand grip her hair in

a possessive gesture to keep her close.

“Your Highness…” she whispered when they finally interrupted their kiss, both of them out of breath.

“Tell me what you want.”

“W… what?”

The question was so direct yet vague, Cassandra was almost afraid she had understood it wrong.

Kairen was serious, his black eyes burning with desire.

“Tell me what you want. Now. I want to hear it.”

Cassandra immediately shook her head, but he was still holding on to her, so she couldn’t look away or

ignore him.

“No, no, no, I can’t…” she muttered, almost panicked.

“You can. Cassandra, I want to hear it. Now, tell me what you want.”

Hearing her name from his mouth again shook her a little. Somehow, it was even more embarrassing

than anything else, something she could barely handle. She felt his fingers continuously rubbing

against her entrance, playing with her pussy, but Kairen had purposely slowed down, waiting for her

answer.

Cassandra couldn’t endure it. It was like torture, feeling those slow motions against her wetness, when

she just…

“T…take me, please…” she whispered, unable to stand it anymore.

Kairen smiled and leaned in to kiss her, another one of those intense kisses they had gotten addicted

to. Just then, as his hot body got closer to hers, she immediately felt his swollen, hard dick against her

leg, and shivered. What

had she become? She was still a virgin a few days ago, and now she desired this man so intensely.

Cassandra forgot all those thoughts as soon as Kairen pulled her to him, and had her lay on her flank,

right against him. His warm torso against her back, he wrapped an arm around her and used his other

hand to spread her legs. So close against each other, Cassandra was abruptly left looking the other

way when behind her, Kairen penetrated her. She moaned loudly at the sensation of his thick member

inside her. The position was unusual as she couldn’t even see Kairen’s face.

When he started moving, Cassandra immediately began moaning with each thrust. Since she couldn’t

see him, her main focus was the wild, deep, and intense movements inside her. She was entirely at his

mercy, unable to predict when each thrust would come. Kairen used their position to make things even

wilder with one hand on her breasts and the other on her pussy. He continued caressing her at the

same time he was thrusting, making Cassandra cry out in pleasure. He knew she liked it. Cassandra

was moaning loudly, focusing on the Prince’s thick member, and how he repeatedly hammered her with Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

it. She was crying out, not in pain, but to this impossible pleasure she was being given.

Their position had a unique, intimate feeling. She could feel Kairen’s hot breath on her neck right

behind her ear. He was groaning with pleasure too, and occasionally kissed her skin. With one hand on

her breast and the other between her thighs, he was driving her crazy with so many sensations.

Cassandra knew she wouldn’t last long. She was already in way too deep, and just wanted to dive into

the wave of pleasure. His powerful dick left her no time to think. It was intense, so much so, she

gripped tightly on the sheets and Kairen’s wrists as she moaned louder. She felt like she could lose her

mind to this, all reason was completely gone while only her body, in this whirlwind of sensations, would

stay and endure it.

Soon enough, she felt her orgasm starting, and began to tremble. Her head leaned back and she

gasped suddenly, as she felt it grow inside her until it burst. She froze for a few seconds, and Kairen

too, reacted to her and groaned in her ear.

A long silence followed as neither of them moved, still trying to catch their breath and emerge out of the

daze. Cassandra felt exhausted, but somehow relieved. She couldn’t explain it, but their passionate

love-making had calmed her worries. Behind her, Kairen slowly pulled out as he kissed her shoulder

and wrapped his arms around her.

“Tell me when you want something. I hate having to guess…”

Cassandra chuckled softly. She could certainly tell. Her Prince was a very straightforward man of few

words. She didn’t dislike that as he was honest anytime he spoke. She snuggled in his arms, surprising

him a bit. For the first time, maybe she could be alright with being a little bold and going along with her

feelings. But at that very moment, she felt content in his warm arms, even if it might be for only a short

while. Kairen tightened his grip around her and once again kissed her skin.

“My Lord…”

“What is it?”

“Can I leave the tent tomorrow? I…I don’t think I’ll be able to endure being confined here for long. I’m

only hoping to look around, not to bother anyone.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while. Even without seeing his face, Cassandra could almost hear him

internally debating. She wondered what the real reason was for him being so against it. Was it because

she would get in the way of the men? Or distract them? Was it alright for a slave to walk around the

Military Camp?

“Fine. I’ll find someone to accompany you.”

“Oh, no, I can…”

“No. The camp is too large. You will stay with someone.”

Cassandra felt bad about monopolizing one of Kairen’s men for a day, but she didn’t dare add anything

else in

case he changed his mind. At least now she would be able to leave the tent, walk around, and get

some fresh air.

As neither of them wanted to leave their position, they ended up napping like this for another hour, in

silence. After a while, however, some sort of loud horn took them away from their slumber. Cassandra

sat up, intrigued, but Kairen simply got up to put his cloak back on.

“It’s the dinner call… Everyone’s gathering at the fire pit. Come.”

Cassandra put her clothes back on and, like Kairen, wrapped herself in a thick fur coat before walking

out with him. As soon as they got outside, a wall of black scales immediately fell right in front of her.

Before Cassandra could react, Krai’s big head snuggled up against her, growling erratically. She smiled

and scratched its head, despite the cold on her hands.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered to the dragon.

Are there more?

 

[jigsaw]

Are there more?

YES

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 21​

The Hot Springs Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen her for a while that Krai acted exceptionally clingy and

demanding; growling every time Cassandra stopped scratching it. Eventually, Kairen had to intervene,

calling for the dragon to stop and allow them to walk.

Night-time was already falling. Cassandra had no idea when the sun was supposed to set in the

mountains, but the purple waves in the sky indicated it wasn’t very late yet. Careful not to slip on the

thin layer of snow, she followed Kairen closely. Perhaps due to Krai’s presence, or because the

Prince’s tent was so isolated, there weren’t many soldiers in the area. After a few minutes, however,

they crossed paths with many soldiers who were heading in the same direction. A lot of them gave

Cassandra a look. But as Krai was following closely behind her, nobody could afford to stare without

getting growled at.

They progressed along, past the soldiers, but somehow, everyone was careful to stay away from the

trio. Kairen didn’t pay any attention to the soldiers, only slowing down to wait for Cassandra, who was

walking slowly so as not to fall. She was curious to know where they were headed. The Prince had

mentioned a fire pit, did it mean everyone actually ate outside?

Cassandra saw the flames long before they arrived. The fire was so high, she wondered how she did

not notice it sooner. In the middle of the camp, a very large space had been organized with long

wooden tables and hundreds of men gathered around them, making it loud and lively.

Kairen actually walked to what seemed like a special area, where a square of wood had been arranged

with a throne, some fur over it, and a table with gold cutlery. It even had a marquee to protect him from

the wind and snow. Cassandra felt a bit relieved that she would be able to sit on a warm floor, because

some fur carpets were covering the wooden planks. However, once Kairen sat down, he grabbed her to

sit on his lap. Cassandra’s cheeks immediately flushed.

“My Lord!” she protested.

She could handle this kind of thing when they were alone in his room, but they were currently in front of

hundreds of his men! And many of them were staring, too!

But as always, Kairen ignored her pleas and insisted that she settle on his lap. Cassandra was

frustrated. She looked at him with an annoyed pout. Was there no end to his shamelessness!

“Good evening, My Lord,” said a man who was standing a few steps away, along with two younger

servants.

He was probably supposed to assist Kairen during his meal, like was normal for the Imperial Family,

but of course, the Prince had no need for that. However, to Cassandra’s surprise, he made a little

gesture for the young man to approach.

“You. You’ll assist Cassandra from now on.” Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“Cassandra?” repeated the man, confused.

Only then did he make the connection with the young slave on their master’s lap. That slave actually

had a name! Regaining his composure, the man bowed lower.

“Understood, My Lord. How does the Lady need assistance?”

“Just do whatever she asks, and go with her whenever she leaves my tent.”

If the man was surprised by those orders, he made sure not to show it this time. Cassandra thought

this man was obviously a trained Imperial Servant, not a soldier. He was too thin and too polite for that.

He simply bowed.

“Understood, My Lord. This lowly servant will do so.”

Then, he stepped back a bit and stood there, waiting. The two young men behind him glanced at

Cassandra, but

when they realized she had seen them they immediately looked down again.

“Tonight’s dinner, My Lord.”

A large selection was provided, all presented on a large gold tray. Once again, Kairen had the best

meat pieces, fish, fruits and bread. Cassandra felt her stomach tighten just by the sight of all the food.

She felt like she hadn’t eaten in ages! Kairen caught her stare and chuckled softly, making her blush.

He really never let an occasion to embarrass her go. Behind them, Krai growled loudly and laid down in

the snow, circling their space with its huge body. Cassandra frowned.

“Isn’t Krai eating?”

“He went to hunt already,” replied Kairen. “Leave us alone.”

The servants bowed and left the place, leaving them, but they weren’t far enough from the soldiers to

truly feel alone. The closest tables were only a few paces away, and Cassandra could see every man’s

face. Kairen started eating, and so did she. She was starving and actually took a bit of the grilled fish

on a stick. After eating for a while and watching the loud chattering, she remembered something.

“Nebora mentioned a food shortage. Are the soldiers alright?”

On the tables, as she looked around she couldn’t help but notice that indeed there wasn’t much meat,

mostly vegetables that didn’t look too good either.

“The cold is chasing the biggest prey away. It’s hard to hunt enough for everyone.”

Cassandra slowly nodded. She didn’t know much about hunting. All the food she had ever gotten was

either bought, stolen, or found.

As they kept eating, she noticed a few stares on her, but overall, most were too cautious of the Prince

and his dragon’s presence to say anything. Though, Krai was only focused on Cassandra. The Black

Beast watched every move she made with curiosity, tilting its head from time to time. She wondered if

the dragon had anything to do while its master was at the camp. Maybe Krai would accompany her the

next day?

“Cassandra.”

Kairen handed her a cup. Cassandra took it, but right before she brought it to her lips, she realized it

wasn’t tea or water, but wine! It smelled strangely sweet and good, and felt warm in her hands.

“What is it?” asked Kairen after she had been staring at it for a bit too long.

“I’ve never had wine before.”

He smiled and drank his in one go. Cassandra was a bit more hesitant, and tasted just a small bit with

her tongue. It was good! She had imagined it would be more sour, not actually sweet. She drank again,

under Kairen’s amused eyes.

“You like it?”

She nodded, her cheeks a bit pink. She drank again, feeling the hot drink go down from her throat to

her stomach, bringing her some warmth. After a while, Kairen frowned and took it away from her.

“Enough. You’ll get drunk.”

“I’m fine, My Lord,” she protested.

But Kairen ignored her and drank the rest of her cup himself, then ordered for the wine to be taken

away. Cassandra was a bit disappointed, but she didn’t dare to ask again, and shifted her interest to

the cheese instead.

Suddenly, a big ruckus took place at one of the nearby tables. For a reason she hadn’t caught on, two

men were now fist fighting and insulting each other. Cassandra was shocked.

“Shouldn’t someone stop them?” she asked.

However, no one around them appeared to want to stop the fight. Actually, the men around were

laughing and cheering, telling them to hit harder and get the other. Cassandra was shocked to see

such violence, as well as so many people happy to witness it. Eventually, one of the men was thrown

down and admitted his defeat. The men around laughed, and to Cassandra’s surprise, his opponent

helped him up with a laugh.

“What…?”

“It’s fine. The soldiers like to fight.”

“But, it could have ended so badly!”

Kairen grabbed some meat and shook his head.

“There are rules. They are not allowed to fight their comrades with any weapon, disable them, or kill

them.”

“Everyone respects the rules?”

“Krai gets an extra meal from time to time…”

Cassandra looked at the dragon. She had almost forgotten about Nebora’s warning. Krai was so cute

to her all the time, she had a hard time remembering that the dragon was actually a man-killer too.

Seeing she was staring, the dragon raised its head, curious, but Cassandra only sighed and turned her

eyes to the men again. The two that had fought before were now laughing together and showing off

their injuries to each other. Men were truly too complicated to understand!

They kept eating in silence. From time to time, one of the generals or lieutenants came up to pay their

respects to the Prince and give him a report, but none of them reacted to Cassandra’s presence at all.

She didn’t mind, as she didn’t want to attract extra attention to herself.

About an hour later, they were done with their meal, and Cassandra was starting to feel cold. With the

night, an icy wind had come along and was biting her exposed skin. The men too, came to eat and left

as quickly as they could, to shield themselves from the wind in their tents. She shivered.

“Are you cold?” asked Kairen, putting his hand on her back.

She nodded. How did he never get cold? No matter what, she had never seen him shiver or get

goosebumps, despite being less clothed than she was!

Kairen stood up, and they left the table, without a word for the servants waiting close. But instead of

heading for his tent, the Prince actually pulled Cassandra towards his dragon, and Krai raised his head.

“My Lord?” she asked.

Without an explanation, he whistled at Krai, and the dragon stood up. But instead of mounting him,

Kairen only held on to an area behind Krai’s head, with his hand. The other held firmly around

Cassandra’s waist, she frowned. She had a bad feeling about this.

When Krai suddenly took off, she couldn’t even find the air in her lungs to scream. The Black Dragon

had gone up so quickly, she felt the wind whip her skin, and hid her face in Kairen’s fur coat by mere

reflex. However, she didn’t have any more time to be scared. Before she realized it, her feet were

touching the ground again, with Kairen’s arm around her.

“Are you alright?”

She wanted to say no, but could only shiver and stay still instead. Kairen caressed her neck until her

nausea was gone.

“Wha… Where…”

Her throat couldn’t formulate any sentences, so she raised her head to look around. It was only at that

moment that she realized they had totally moved locations, and were surrounded by a warm fog.

Cassandra was completely lost. Where were they? But in front of her, Kairen suddenly started

undressing, making her blush again. Couldn’t he at least warn her before getting naked right in front of

her!

“Cassandra.”

She dared to look at him again, as he stepped into what seemed like a natural pool. That’s when it

finally hit her. Hot springs! They were at a natural hot spring!

Cassandra was amazed. It was a completely wild area, where dozens of cavities were filled with

natural hot water. She had only seen man-made hot springs so far! Kairen held his hand out to her, and

she undressed swiftly before joining him. The water was strangely blurry, and she couldn’t even see

her feet. She held onto the Prince’s arm the entire time, too uneasy to let go. The ground under them

was uneven and only Kairen was moving around without worry.

The Prince sat up in one of the hole’s corners, while Cassandra was still glancing sideways.

“This is incredible,” she whispered.

She just couldn’t get the smile off her face, and observed the fog as it melted under her fingers.

Meanwhile, Kairen couldn’t take his eyes off her. Naked, with her long hair falling over her shoulders,

Cassandra was truly a beautiful sight to witness. He moved her to sit on his lap, facing him, making her

blush again.

“Kiss me.”

She softly smiled and obeyed his order right away, putting her lips on his. For once, she wasn’t

hesitating, and Kairen liked that. They kissed, slowly and deeply. Cassandra’s body was finally

warming up in the water, and Kairen caressed her legs below the surface. She shivered, but it wasn’t

because of the cold this time.

Cassandra put her arms around her Master’s neck, kissing him more, and caressing the base of his

hairline where it was shorter. She liked to brush it. Meanwhile, the Prince was busy exploring her body.

His hands were slowly going up her legs, caressing her thighs, before stroking her little bush.

Cassandra couldn’t help but gradually react to his hands, and gasped as soon as his fingers reached

her slit.

Kairen kissed her neck, breathing in her scent and exploring her skin with his lips. He hated that damn

collar that kept him from entirely touching her. He would take care of it, sooner or later. He loathed the

idea of anyone else having any kind of claim to her. She was his, entirely his.

Angered, he penetrated her with his finger without warning, making her cry out in surprise.

“Ah! You… Your Highness…” she gasped.

But Kairen was too pissed to listen. He kept rubbing her clit with his thumb, while his fingers were going

in and out of her, fast. Cassandra was lost by his sudden reaction, and could only clench her hips and

bite her lip, undergoing this sudden treatment. She didn’t want to come just with his fingers! (1

“My Lord!” she cried out, hoping he’d hear and at least slow down before she went crazy.

This time, however, he stopped and she caught her breath, her pussy still throbbing from this sudden

torture she had endured. But the Prince was still angry, and hungry for her. Cassandra’s voice had him

excited, his member rose below the surface. He suddenly stood up, and guided her to stand on another

side, in front of him, bent over the spring’s edge.

“Spread your legs.”

She obeyed, yet having her butt exposed outside of the water was definitely the most embarrassing

position ever. This was the last thought she had before Kairen abruptly penetrated her, filling her

without warning. Cassandra moaned loudly from his brutal incoming, unprepared. With the Prince

behind her, she couldn’t see his movements, and only felt his strong hands holding her hips, while he

started taking her fast and hard. She

couldn’t withstand his rhythm, think, or react. She could only let him do it, using her hands to hold on

and cry out everytime he went in and out. It was brutal, erratic, savage, and she heard his hips

slamming into her butt repeatedly, the sounds of their intercourse echoing in the springs.

“My… My L… Ah! Please… Ah! Slow…Uhm… Down…” she begged in a hoarse voice.

She felt like she was about to explode every time he filled her to the brim. Her legs were shaking and

her pussy was on fire. But, Kairen’s frenzy wasn’t showing any sign of slowing down. He just kept

going, making her cry out.

Cassandra had no idea why he was suddenly so rough and insatiable, but among the mist, she couldn’t

respond. His hard member inside her was making her burn, with the frantic rubbing driving her crazy.

She was surrounded by her own voice, crying out with pleasure in her ears. She had become another

woman, one who took pleasure in her Master’s brutal fucking.

Kairen kept going, and she kept moaning, her legs going weak. It was never ending, and she closed

her eyes, feeling his hardness inside her. Her thighs were unconsciously clenching and her pussy

throbbing as he hammered into her again, and she felt his pleasure coming as hers was near too. His

penetrations slowed down, and he gave two last deep, brutal, poundings with a groan of relief.

Cassandra, shaking, moaned faintly in response. Out of breath, with her insides reeling from the

sudden change, she contemplated the sensations of the weaker orgasm that filled her pussy at the

same time as the Prince relieved himself. (2)

She was too tired and her legs suddenly gave up from under her. Kairen, holding her by the waist, took

a couple steps back and had her sit on him, as they both came back to reality.

Chapter 22​

The Forge

Exhausted, Cassandra was still feeling numb even while lying on the Prince’s lap. Her mind in a daze,

she still felt her hot insides from their wild sex just a few seconds ago. She couldn’t believe it. Kairen

kissed her shoulder, caressing her hair. His recovery was faster than Cassandra’s, and he observed

her, as her eyes were still closed, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Cassandra?” he called, softly.

“I’m fine… I just…wonder if you’ve been holding back all this time.”

He chuckled against her shoulder, and helped her to sit better on his lap, her arm around his shoulder.

Looking at each other, they naturally exchanged a long, softer kiss. Cassandra wasn’t afraid anymore

to caress his face while they were kissing, and Kairen liked her soft fingers on his cheek. It lasted a

while, as they sat still against each other, softly kissing and caressing each other. They were

completely alone in the hot springs, under the night sky. It was a beautiful, eerie sight. Surrounded by

the steam, the only noises were those of water, or night creatures coming out to hunt in the nearby

forest.

The sky was clear, the moon was throwing a white light on them, making Cassandra’s skin even paler

than usual. The contrast with Kairen’s dark skin was striking. The two were opposites, but they found

the other even more beautiful because of that. Kairen was mesmerized by Cassandra’s beauty in this

setting. Her long brown hair was wet and falling like a cascade on her shoulders, floating around her

when she moved around in the water. Her green eyes were shining bright, too.

“What is it?” she asked, blushing a bit from his intense stare.

“Are you unhappy? That I brought you here?” he asked.

Cassandra was a bit surprised. Was the Prince worried she was against coming here? Sometimes, his

questions about what she thought or felt were so sudden and disarming… She shook her head.

“No…I’m glad you didn’t leave me alone.”

She couldn’t have endured so many nights in an empty bed, not after she had gotten used to the War

God’s warmth. The only thing she regretted a bit was to be the only woman here. She missed Nebora

and the others somehow. But if she said anything about that, she feared the Prince would actually go

back and bring her friend here by force.

Cassandra and the Prince cuddled and enjoyed the hot springs a bit longer, not talking much in the

meantime. Cassandra loved the difference between the hot water and the icy air outside, and

wondered if she would ever feel like leaving. Especially when she was like this, held firmly against

Kairen’s chest.

“Your skin is always so warm,” she whispered.

She had noticed before, but no matter the temperature, Kairen’s body never seemed to suffer from the

cold. Even when they rode Krai, his heat was enough to keep her warm for the whole trip.

“It’s the dragon’s heat.”

He grabbed her hand and put it up against his chest, where his heart was, and Cassandra realized that

spot was even warmer than the rest. She frowned, a bit confused and surprised. She could almost feel

a core, like a fire burning inside his chest.

“Is it because of your dragon? Because of Krai?” she asked.

“We are connected…in some ways.”

As if it had known what his Master was saying, at that same moment, the large black dragon came

back, landing on a big rock nearby. The dragon crawled down, walking towards them until its large

body circled half of the spring Kairen and Cassandra were bathing in. Krai’s big head leaned towards

her, and Cassandra scratched the

dragon’s favorite area briefly. She had noticed how the Prince and his dragon didn’t even seem to

interact or look at each other.

“Can he read your thoughts?” she asked.

It was a bit odd to ask such a thing, but Cassandra had always felt Krai’s actions were linked to

Kairen’s temper somehow. His dragon growled when he was unhappy, got mad when he was upset…

And they both yearned for her, too.

“No. Dragons don’t think like humans. But he feels…the things I feel. Some say our dragons are our

instincts, some say they know our inner thoughts. Sometimes they know what we want before we do.”

While saying that, Kairen was intensely looking at Cassandra, and she knew he was talking about their

first encounter. Krai had been instantly captivated by her, before even Kairen himself had spotted her in

the crowd. Cassandra suddenly blushed, realizing what he meant. She turned to the dragon to avoid

looking at her Master, trying to hide her embarrassment. 5

Krai, only too happy to get more scratches and cuddles from her, leaned in closer, growling softly. But

Kairen wrapped his arm around Cassandra’s waist and brought her closer to him again. The dragon

growled at its Master, a bit unhappy, but Kairen ignored him. Cassandra was still amused anytime

those two got jealous.

“It seems like he has his own will though,” she whispered.

“He does. Dragons are not pets. He’s just connected to me.”

“Are you connected in other ways? Like your warmth?”

Kairen showed his arm to her, making her caress his skin.

“I have dragon-tamer skin. It’s thicker than humans. My vision is better too, and I can see you in the

dark.”

Cassandra had noticed that too. Whenever they had sex in the dark, Kairen always knew her moves

and expressions. He kissed her shoulder softly, while she was still observing the dragon. Krai had

apparently given up on the scratches, and was just lying lazily next to them.

“He’s stronger than others, isn’t he?”

“How do you know?”

“I noticed it in the arena. The other dragons stayed away from him, and they never turned their backs

on him either. Is it because he’s your dragon?”

Kairen looked up at his dragon, exchanging a look with the red-eyed beast.

“My brothers’ dragons are not well-controlled. They are too weak to have their dragons listen to them.”

Cassandra wondered if it was really only about their willpower. She felt like Krai’s strength and behavior

were linked to Kairen’s personality, not his strength. Those were only her thoughts, though. She felt a

bit sleepy, staying so long in the baths, and she leaned her head onto Kairen’s shoulder.

“We should go back,” said the Prince, noticing her fatigue.

They dressed quickly, and once again, Krai transported them back to the camp. Without them noticing,

it had gotten pretty late. When the dragon landed in front of the red tent, there were only a few soldiers

patrolling around. Once again, Cassandra did her best to ignore them, following Kairen in his tent.

Someone had made up the bed and had brought some more food to snack on, but Cassandra was still

full and tired. She hesitated for a second, but Kairen brought her to lay with him under the covers,

pulling the large fur blanket over them. She was still sore from the brutal sex earlier, and felt glad when

the War God only laid beside her. He put his arm under her head and had her sleep over his chest,

where it was the warmest. Her cheek against his skin and his fingers caressing her hair, Cassandra fell

asleep in a matter of seconds.

When she woke up the next morning, she could tell it was already pretty late just from all the noises

outside. It was still cold though, and she was alone in bed. She sat up, covering herself with the fur,

and looked around. A dress was waiting for her on one of the chairs. Had he brought it with him when

they had come here?

Cassandra dressed herself up quickly, and did her best to tie her hair up too. Long hair wasn’t too great

in such chilly weather, though she didn’t feel like cutting it either, since Kairen liked it long. Some

breakfast was waiting for her, too. On a little gold tray, there was the usual fruit and cheese, as well as

milk. Cassandra ate it slowly, wondering if Kairen had eaten here before going, while she was still

asleep. She didn’t drink the milk, and just grabbed one of the large fur cloaks in the room to cover

herself up before going outside.

To her surprise, it seemed a bit late in the morning, as the men were already very busy. A few of them

looked surprised to see her as soon as she stepped out of the tent, but no one dared to talk to her.

“Good morning, Madam.”

Cassandra had forgotten about the Imperial Servant from last night. However, the man was waiting for

her right outside the tent, standing straight and ready. She felt embarrassed to have an Imperial

Servant wait on her.

“Good morning.”

The man didn’t add anything after that, and it was a bit awkward. Cassandra had a hunch that he would

simply follow her everywhere she went, but it would definitely be uncomfortable if he just tailed her like

a shadow, in that awkward silence all day. All content is © N0velDrama.Org.

“Can I ask your name?” she said, a bit unsure.

“My name is Evin, Madam. You do not need to ask my permission to ask things, Madam.”

“All right. Can you show me around the camp then?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Evin was a very cold, serious, and stone-faced man. Cassandra listened to him as he walked around,

explaining to her how the camp, and it’s two hundred thousand men, worked, day and night. Most men

were there voluntarily, but the higher ranking men all came from wealthy or noble families, as it was

hard to rise through the ranks. Military service was mandatory for any man in the Dragon Empire, but

not everyone could join the War God’s

Army. Hence, the soldiers in this camp were all considered the best, and were proud to be there. Aside

from the regular soldiers, there were also many other professions in the camp. Like the blacksmiths,

servants, dressers and farriers for the horses, accountants, and there were even architects and

strategists.

“The men are divided between three main units. The Cavalry, the Infantry, and the Artillery. Each is

under the command of one of the Generals, and above them are two Assistant Commanders and then

our Commander-in Chief.”

Cassandra already knew that Kairen was, of course, the Commander-in-Chief, the highest ranked man

in the camp. She wondered if she had already met the Assistant Commanders.

As they kept walking around, Cassandra was conscious of all the stares she was getting. Some leaders

scolded their soldiers for staring, but it was hard for the men not to notice a woman like Cassandra.

Even covered in the fur coat, they could tell she was very pretty, with her emerald eyes wandering

around. Her pale skin and slender figure attracted all the men’s eyes to her. It was a bit oppressive, but

she did her best to ignore them and act normal.

After walking a while, she realized she had come to a large forge, where several blacksmiths operated.

It was probably one of the hottest places in the camp, and also one of the most interesting to watch.

“Madam!”

Orwan had spotted her, and came to meet Cassandra right outside of the forge, his face dark from the

smoke and ashes.

“Did you come to watch?”

“I just meant to observe for a bit, I was curious. I hope I didn’t hinder your work,” said Cassandra.

“Not at all!”

Orwan seemed a bit happy to have a visitor, and proposed to show her around the forge. Most of the

time, they had to stay at a good distance from the blacksmiths working, but Cassandra was still very

happy with what she got to see. Orwan was proud to tell her all about how their group contributed to

the Prince’s Army, and showed her several weapons they had already made that day.

“How is your arm, by the way?” asked Cassandra.

“Oh, it’s…fine!”

He hid his arm from her though, and Cassandra frowned.

“Can I see it?”

Orwan hesitated, and after a while, agreed to show it. It didn’t look any better. The flesh had turned a

bit dark, and Cassandra shook her head.

“You need to get it healed properly.”

“I’m really fine. I don’t need to go to the Red Room.”

“Why are you so against it?”

“We don’t heal there! It’s not somewhere the injured want to go, Madam.”

Cassandra was not content to hear that. She turned to Evin, but he was already shaking his head.

“This is not a place for a concubine to go.”

That answer wasn’t good enough. Cassandra was wondering if she could insist when one of the nearby

men clicked his tongue.

“A concubine’s place ain’t in a forge either! How about you go to His Highness’ bedroom? Or do you

need someone else to warm you up, beautiful?” he said with a disgusting tongue noise.

Cassandra frowned. She didn’t want to get in any trouble, but Orwan got mad at the man.

“Show some respect! She is His Highness’ concubine! Our Commander-in-Chief!”

“She’s just a bedroom toy!” said the man. “What does he care if we play with her a bit too?”

Chapter 23​

The Red Room

Cassandra stared at the man, a bit lost as to how to react. She was no stranger to men’s unwanted and

dirty sollicitations. As a slave, she had gotten her fair share. She even got touched a couple of times,

though she would rather forget those. She even found herself lucky to have preserved her virginity until

she met the Prince.

“Isn’t she just a slave? We know our Commander-in-Chief doesn’t care about his concubines anyway! I

bet he doesn’t care if we get a taste of this one either.”

“You idiot, didn’t you attend last night’s dinner? His Highness acted differently with this one,” said

another of the blacksmiths. “Go ahead, Moar, but don’t blame us if you lose your head for that!”

Hearing this, the man seemed to hesitate. Actually, Cassandra also noticed the other men seemed torn

as well. Those who had been leering at her were now reconsidering the question, looking at her in a

new light. Some apparently felt the question wasn’t worth losing their life over, and got back to work,

ignoring her. The man named Moar, however, clicked his tongue, annoyed from not getting any more

support from his fellow peers.

“That little pussy. You better not wander off alone, Missy, or you’ll get a taste of me.”

Cassandra didn’t like the threat, but she did not respond. She felt that man wasn’t worth it, and anyway,

she didn’t want to stay here any longer. He probably wouldn’t dare to do anything in plain sight, and

with so many witnesses. Ignoring him, she turned around and left, her heart beating a bit faster than

usual. She knew the kind of man that Moar was, and she really hoped she wouldn’t see him again.

“Should we go back to His Highness’ tent, perhaps?” suggested Evin.

Cassandra didn’t really feel like it yet. She had visited only a small portion of the camp, and she felt like

she would be losing to that horrid man if she went back to hide in the Prince’s tent. She hesitated for a

second wondering what would be the right thing to do.

“Madam!”

They turned around. Orwan had left the Forge to come to them, running, and out of breath. He shook

his head, a bit fidgety.

“I’m very sorry about that, Moar is…a jerk, Madam. I’m very sorry, I wish I could have shown you

around some more.”

Cassandra didn’t hold Orwan responsible at all. She didn’t really care about the incident because it was

only words and she was fine. Instead, she just gave him a gentle smile.

“It’s alright, Orwan. Actually…”

“Yes?”

“Could you show me to the Red Room?”

He shook his head even faster, very embarrassed.

“I can’t, Madam. It really isn’t a place you should go.”

“I’m curious about it, please?”

Orwan exchanged a look with the servant, but as usual, Evin didn’t betray a single emotion, staying

quiet and still the whole time. It was hard to say what he thought about Cassandra’s request, even if he

had voiced his opinion against it earlier. However, he didn’t say anything now. He probably had to

respect Cassandra’s choices anyway. Eventually, Orwan sighed.

“All right, but…please, don’t make His Highness mad at me for showing you this.”

“1 promise.”

She followed the young man across the camp, ignoring more stares on the way. She wondered where

the Prince was. Probably busy with some high ranked general. Krai was nowhere to be seen, too, so

she assumed the dragon might have been napping or hunting somewhere. Finally, they reached a

building that had actually been carved into the mountain, with a narrow entrance guarded by two

soldiers. They only gave a glance at Cassandra’s red dress, but let them through without questions.

Inside, Cassandra was surprised to find several rooms that had been dug deep into the rocks, most of

them were for storage of food or weapons. A lot of people were also working there, and seemed busy

enough not to pay attention to the trio.

But Orwan took her to a further, isolated room, where he stood at the entrance. Unlike what they had

seen so far, there was no one around that place. The apprentice frowned and stood at the entrance,

turning to her.

“The injured are brought…here, Madam.”

“Here…?”

Cassandra took a step inside the room, and was immediately horrified. This was no place for people to

rest and recover! The whole floor had been tainted with blood, a sad explanation for this place’s name.

She walked in, still a bit disgusted, but she couldn’t ignore the dozens of men laying there, right on the

ground. A lot of them were in a really, really bad state. Cassandra had seen a lot in her life, but the

fresh wounds, cut limbs, and disfigured faces still gave her nausea, especially since nothing was being

done for them. She even suspected there were some dead bodies lying among them.

“What about doctors?” she asked Evin, who was following her with his mouth covered.

“We don’t have enough at the camp. They usually take care of the most important soldiers first, which

means the higher-ranked ones.”

Cassandra frowned. This was horrible. So many of those men didn’t even get the most basic treatment

and were just left here to suffer! She looked around, but this place definitely wasn’t a place to heal.

Orwan was right. This was a place to die. It was obvious that no one cared. There were a few men

working around, but they only seemed to check on the injured, take out the corpses, and excrements. It

was a horrid place, and that only made Cassandra madder. She kept walking inside, surprising Evin.

“Madam, don’t you want to leave? This place is…”

“These people need help,” Cassandra interrupted him. “This place doesn’t even have windows, or

water.”

“Wh…why would they need windows?”

“The air needs to circulate! A stagnant place like this will only help the sickness spread around.”

“They will spread it if we take them out!”

“I doubt it. It’s way too cold outside, and the tents are spread far from one another. The cold would kill

the viruses and they aren’t spread easily anyway. Not when it’s from these types of infections”

The servant was speechless. How could a mere slave know so much! Even for a concubine, this was

truly hard to hear. Moreover, Cassandra didn’t seem to mind the horrid smell, or sight of the injured

men, at all. Instead, she kept going from one bed to another, observing the injuries, and checking

around as if she was looking for something, or counting.

“Who is working here?”

“Only volunteers…or people who got punished, Madam.”

Cassandra turned to one of the men present, who had been observing her in awe. She addressed him,

to his surprise.

“Excuse me, are you working here?”

“I came to check on my friend, Madam. He was injured last week.”

“Do you come every day?”

“Yes, Madam. I come in my free time, but…”

He didn’t end his sentence, but shrugged and sighed helplessly. Cassandra nodded, and started to

interrogate the other healthy men that were present. Three of them came of their own will to check on

their peers, the six others were sent here as a punishment from their superiors. They didn’t seem to

have any precise orders though. The Prince’s concubine listened to every one of them, making them all

the more curious to know what made a woman of her status so interested in this cursed place. When

they were done, Cassandra turned to Evin.

“Is anyone in charge here?”

“Not that I know of, Madam, this is for the full army.”

“So, it’s fine if I work here, right?

The servant almost choked.

“If you what? You can’t be serious! You can’t stay here!”

“It’s fine, I have to keep myself busy, and these men need help.”

“Madam, I strongly oppose this. Those men are not for you to take care of! I doubt Our Lord will agree

to this either!”

But Cassandra decided to ignore him. She looked down, and tore a bit of her dress, using the fabric to

cover her nose and mouth. Then, she turned to the men present.

“Can you help me create a list of how many men are in here and their condition? There should be

about…one or two hundred, right?”

The men exchanged looks. Were they supposed to listen to the Commander-in-Chief’s concubine? Her

request was so odd and sudden. However, one of the men, who was there voluntarily, took a breath in

and stepped forward.

“Yes, Madam. Last week, there were about a hundred and fifty-seven men, but more were brought in

than were taken away, in the meantime. Can I ask how much you want us to write?”

Cassandra smiled, a bit happier now that at least one of the men was willing to help her. She took her

fur cloak off, which Evin immediately held for her, and readjusted her hair up in a large bun while

talking.

“I would like their names and ages, and the details of their injuries, everything you can see. Also, if you

can find out how long they have been here for, or when they were brought here, that would be great. I

guess it would be best to mark them with numbers also.”

As she kept exchanging with that man, Cassandra noticed the other men were listening too, and

nodding from time to time. Even the men who had been sent here against their will actually paid

attention, and once they started counting, even helped too. Evin stayed silent, but he was deeply

impressed. She hadn’t used her power at all or had forced those men to obey her. She had just asked

for help. It was her own behavior, and her will to help those men that had convinced the others to follow

a woman’s direction.

He had wondered if she was just acting on a whim, but to his surprise, Cassandra kept taking care of

the injured for several hours. With those nine men, plus Orwan, helping, her list was done in no time,

and she read it over.

“Most slaves don’t know how to read or write,” said Evin.

“I know,” simply answered Cassandra, before writing something.

Then, she kept writing, under the men’s surprised eyes. They had no idea what to do in the meantime.

Only when

she was done, did she show them her list. There was actually quite a lot written down.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get everyone’s information, but at least we know where to start. First, we

need to split them.”

“Split them?” asked one of the men.

“Yes. I saw several empty rooms on my way in here, it’s fine to use them, right? So, we should first

separate the men with diseases and infections from those who only have wounds, before they get

infected, too. Also, some of them are already in a terminal state, and sadly they won’t make it, no

matter what we do. It’s better to give them a calm place, separated from the others.”

“Madam, do you mean there is…hope for the others?”

“Of course,” said Cassandra with a nod. “From what I saw so far, I think at least half… no, two-thirds of

the men here can be treated and sent back to camp.”

The men were left speechless. They had thought everyone here was bound to die! How come this

slave concubine said otherwise, and with such confidence, too? They had been here a lot and knew

how bad some of the injuries were. No matter what though, the concubine’s words seemed hard to

believe. But Cassandra kept writing again and frowning a lot, looking concerned.

“Actually, I don’t know much about the resources you have here. Do you get any medicine?”

The men looked at each other, totally clueless on the matter. Cassandra wasn’t surprised, however.

The Dragon Empire wasn’t very advanced in healing techniques, herbology, or medicines. The very few

doctors they had weren’t affordable for most people, who only went to their local apothecary for basic

treatments and natural remedies. The common folks didn’t have even the most basic knowledge on

how to properly tend a wound or treat a common cold. She sighed and turned to Evin.

“Do you know anything about that?”

The servant sighed. He had initially thought his job would simply be to follow a whiny, airhead

concubine on her wanderings around the camp, making sure she doesn’t break her nail, or hinder other

people’s work. Turns out he had it all wrong.

“We have some dedicated accountants who make sure of the stocks provided and trade weekly with

merchants. If there is anything that is needed urgently, we put a request in for some of the cavaliers to

go and fetch it from the nearest village. Also, any trip the Prince makes is supposed to be to bring more

provisions.”

Cassandra nodded. Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

“I guess we could gather herbs around the camp, but it would be better if Krai could fly me to the

nearest village to buy the first necessities.”

All the men around looked at her as if this woman was completely crazy.

Did she just suggest she would borrow an Imperial dragon??

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 24​

The Prince’s Arms

As if it was too impossible to think, the men present didn’t even dare to comment on Cassandra’s

suggestion. How would a mere concubine borrow a Prince’s dragon anyway? Wasn’t she just a

delusional woman? They all decided to just ignore it. That slave was already weird enough to willingly

take care of all those sick or injured soldiers, so why wouldn’t she think she could actually use the

Prince’s dragon. Maybe the Commander-in-Chief just had a thing for crazy ones.

“Evin, could you tell me where I can find those accountants? I want to speak to them, and see if we can

get some necessities.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea, Madam. It is quite late already. His Highness might be looking for you.”

Cassandra suddenly realized she had spent a considerable amount of time there. The Red Room didn’t

have any windows, and was only lit up by candlelight, so there was no way to even know if it was day

or night outside. She had been so caught up in her task and notes, she had completely lost track of

time.

“I’ll…I’ll go back. Is it very late?” she asked, a bit worried.

The Prince didn’t even know where she was! There was no way he would look for her all the way here,

was there? She had to go back soon, or he might really be mad this time.

“We’re a couple hours away from dinner, Madam.”

Cassandra felt guilty. She still had some time, but she should definitely head back. She nodded and

turned to the men, who assured her they would carry on without her, making good use of her notes. At

least she could go feeling like she had done some good around here, but Cassandra still wanted to do

more for the injured.

She said goodbye to the men present, and left, escorted by Evin. Orwan had gone back to the forge

earlier, and the trip back with the Imperial Servant was a bit awkward without the young man present.

Cassandra could feel Evin was against her actions, but he didn’t voice it outloud, which made it worse

somehow.

Once outside again, she noticed the sun was going down already. The days were short here, which

meant it was even later than she thought. Cassandra walked quickly to try and make her way back to

the Prince’s camp, but a sudden loud growl stopped her. The familiar sound had everyone around her

freeze and look up. In the sky, the large silhouette of a dragon was throwing its shadow over them. Krai

growled again, and suddenly flew down towards Cassandra. She knew she shouldn’t move, but it was

hard to repress that urge to run when a giant, black scaled beast was flying towards her. Many of the

closest soldiers did run away in a fright, impressed by the dragon’s size and speed.

However, Krai landed a few steps away from Cassandra, its huge paws splattering the snow around.

“Hi,” said Cassandra with a smile. “Were you looking for me?”

The dragon emitted a long growl, and rubbed its huge snout against her. Cassandra scratched Krai’s

favorite spot a bit before moving around the dragon’s head to climb up. Without the Prince’s help, it

took her a few extra seconds until she sat up properly. She actually didn’t even know where to hold

onto, so she grabbed what seemed to be Krai’s horns, hoping the dragon wouldn’t hate it. Actually, the

dragon didn’t seem to mind at all, agitating its long reptilian tail around, splurging waves of snow on the

closest men and tents. Krai kept moving his head around, as if trying to look at Cassandra, a bit

annoyed.

“Come on, let’s go see him,” said Cassandra.

On the ground, Evin was still standing, as tall and quiet as before, but his face had turned a bit blue. He

looked at the dragon taking off with the Prince’s concubine on its back, standing still as ever. Once the

dragon was a few meters high though, he couldn’t hold it anymore. His legs gave way under him, and

the poor man collapsed.

Meanwhile, Cassandra, who had no idea, was focusing hard on holding on and hoping Krai was indeed

taking her to the Prince. She was flying on her own, and she was still very scared. She was a hundred

and ten pound woman

on a several-tons beast’s back! She didn’t even dare to look down, and only focused on holding on to

both the dragon and her cloak.

Thankfully, it was a very short flight, only a couple of minutes, until Krai started going down. She

recognized the large area from the previous day, where the dinner had been served, except that the

dragon was landing on another end, in front of a very large tent. Cassandra waited until Krai was very

still and stable, then slowly climbed down, her legs still a bit weak.

The soldiers guarding the tent’s entrance were totally speechless, looking at the frail woman who had

arrived using the Commander-in-Chief’s dragon. Cassandra was giving Krai some thank-you scratches

as if it had been a well behaved dog. The men exchanged looks, completely lost at what to say or do.

But Cassandra just walked up to them, looking as frail and innocent as usual.

“Is His Highness inside?”

“Y…Yes, Madam,” stuttered one of them.

“Thanks,” she said with her disarming smile.

The soldier blushed to his ears, and they quickly stepped aside to let her in. The men stayed a bit red

and lost for a few seconds, but Krai’s sudden stare had them go from red to white in seconds. (6

Cassandra stepped inside the tent, a bit unsure. To her surprise, there were quite a few people inside.

Eight men were lined up in front of Kairen, who was sitting on his throne with a bored expression. One

of the older ones was giving him what was apparently a detailed report about their latest weapons

improvements. Staying quiet in the corner, Cassandra wondered if he was a superior of Orwan.

After a few seconds, Kairen spotted her and held out his hand for Cassandra to join him. She couldn’t

help but smile a bit, and sneaked to the side, to join him while the older man was still talking. Most of

the lieutenants saw the young concubine walk in silence to the Prince, but they didn’t say a thing.

Kairen pulled Cassandra to sit on his lap, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“…with a higher precision, My Lord. That’s it for today’s report on my faction, Commander-in-Chief.”

“You’re all dismissed,” said Kairen.

One of the men hesitated, with a frown on his face.

“But, My Lord, I still haven’t…”

One glare from Kairen made it clear there would be no more reporting today. The man gave an

annoyed glare towards Cassandra before stepping out. The rest of the men also left, leaving them

alone.

As soon as they were gone, the Prince turned to kiss her longingly.

“Where have you been?” he asked, while taking the cloak off of her.

“Just…exploring…the camp…”

She had a hard time answering his questions, his kisses, and breathing at the same time. He pushed

her hair behind her shoulder, and kissed the depth between her breasts, putting Cassandra in front of Property © 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

him, in that riding position that embarrassed her so much.

“What parts?”

“The Forge, and…the Red Room…”

Kairen stopped. He frowned, and sat straight again, facing Cassandra with a confused expression.

“What Red Room?”

“The one where they take the injured or sick soldiers. At the back of the camp, in the South Mountain.”

“What the fuck were you doing there?”

She became white in an instant. She had no idea he would be so mad about it, and she didn’t even

know how to respond. Kairen had never been furious at her before… She tried to step away, by mere

instinct, but the Prince firmly held onto her wrist.

“I just…I was curious about it…”

“Why would you go there?!”

She didn’t even understand why he was so furious! She breathed in, really insecure for the first time in

a while, and shook her head.

“I didn’t mean to…I just…wanted to see…”

“I forbid you to go there again!”

Kairen’s yelling made her shiver. She tried to step away again, but the Prince’s grasp on her wrist was

too strong.

“I only meant to help…the sick! I…please, you’re hurting me!”

Her scream was like an electric shock to Kairen. He suddenly let go, and Cassandra, who had been

struggling all this time, lost her balance, stumbling backwards. Before he could do anything, she fell on

her right side, brutally hitting the floor.

“Cassandra!”

He meant to help her, but Cassandra avoided his hands when he got close, getting away from him. She

was shivering, holding her painful arm with teary eyes.

“Don’t…please…”

He had never seen her so wary of him before. She looked at him with uncertainty, like a cornered

animal, as if she didn’t recognize him. But his anger was still subsiding, and he was breathing loudly,

trying to contain it and not do something else that he might regret. He clenched both his fists, and

addressed her with a cold voice.

“To my tent. Now.”

Cassandra obeyed in silence, grabbing her cloak to put back on, and exiting the tent. With Kairen right

behind her, she didn’t even dare to look at Krai, who followed them, curious, unaware of the situation.

She just walked as fast as she could to the Prince’s tent, ignoring the sharp pain in her wrist and elbow.

It was an awkward but short walk back. Once she got there, she left the cloak on the bed, turning to

Kairen, waiting to see if he was still as furious as before.

Indeed, he was.

“You are not going back there,” he hissed.

“What? But I need to go back! I still have a lot to do, I…”

“I said, no!”

With that, he threw his armor across the tent, crashing into something behind her. Cassandra closed

her eyes, trying to stay calm. She held her tears in, and looked at him.

“Why not? Explain it to me, please.”

Turning away from her, Kairen stayed silent. She could tell he was trying hard to contain his anger,

from his shivering fists and the thumping vein on his temple.

“My Lord, please, just…”

“Enough.”

He suddenly turned around, and walked over to kiss her. This time, Cassandra felt his strength and his

anger in his kiss. It wasn’t blissful at all, it wasn’t like their usual kisses. She started trying to push him

away, resisting his

kiss.

“No, no!”

“Cassandra, enough!”

But she kept resisting, and opposing his hands which were looking for her body. Kairen was obviously

much stronger, but Cassandra kept opposing him, trying to elude his kisses and make him realize she

didn’t want to do this.

“Cassandra!”

As he yelled her name again, she suddenly stopped resisting, and stood completely still, not moving

anymore. Kairen was completely at a loss. He tried to kiss her some more, but her body was so frigid,

he had to stop. 3

“What are you doing?”

“You wanted me to stop resisting.”

“Why are you doing that?”

He didn’t even know how to be angry with her when she was acting like this.

“I can force you, Cassandra.”

“I know that. I’m not resisting you.”

She wasn’t resisting, but Cassandra was still showing her opposition very strongly. She was inanimate

as a doll, and that was it. Somehow, that made him even more furious. He suddenly punched the

mattress right next to her, scaring her a little.

en me

“Fuck!”

Right after that, he stormed out of the tent without another word. Cassandra let out a long sigh. She

had been holding her breath for a while and felt dizzy. It was the first time she had seriously opposed

him. She had never seen him so furious, either. Her legs were actually still shivering when she sat up,

pulling her dress back down.

No matter what, she was still a slave and a woman. She knew being alive and so well treated was all

thanks to Kairen’s attachment to her. This could change anytime. He could kill her or rape her, and no

one would say a word about it. That’s the kind of world she lived in.

Cassandra stayed there for a long time, her arm wrapped around her knees, thinking long and hard on

the edge of the bed. Her eyes were in a daze. She was tired, cold, and hungry, but she didn’t feel like

moving a muscle.

She felt sad about what had happened. She didn’t think that would happen. Cassandra kept thinking

about the dispute, all of their conversation, replaying it in her head, over and over. Seeing Kairen’s

anger, again and again.

“Madam.”

Cassandra was surprised to see Evin come in, carrying a tray of food.

“Evin. How…?”

“His Highness was quite angry, and is training with his men. Since I didn’t see you at the dinner, I

figured you might be…hungry.”

Cassandra felt a bit comforted by the man’s kindness.

“Thank you, Evin.”

Indeed, she had been ignoring her growling stomach all this time. Before, she could go days without

food. But since she had been with the Prince, her stomach got used to getting good and consistent

meals. She sighed. She was hungry, but her head was too heavy to feel like eating either. It was a

strange feeling.

“You look tired, Madam. Have a good sleep.”

Evin left the room without adding anything else, leaving her alone again. From how he calmly left the

tent, she supposed Krai had left, too. She truly was on her own.

Cassandra grabbed the fur cloak to cover her shoulders, and got up to eat a bit on the couch. She ate

little bites, mindlessly, wondering when the Prince would come back. But even after she was done

eating, he still hadn’t returned. She thought about going to look for him, but their argument still lingered

in her mind. He probably wasn’t calm enough to return yet.

She laid on the bed, realizing how cold the sheets were without Kairen there. She missed him, his

warmth, and the way he held on to her when they slept together. Strange how the body catches onto

new habits so easily. (3

Much later in the night, she woke up to someone’s presence in the bed with her. Worried for only a

second, she quickly recognized Kairen’s familiar smell and warmth. Without a word, he laid next to her,

his back facing Cassandra. Was he still angry?

She didn’t dare to move too much, and just turned around to his side after a while, the closest she

could without touching him. It was heartbreaking not to see his face. She stayed like this for a long

time, in the dark, conscious neither of them was sleeping. Cassandra wondered if she should say

something, apologize or bid him good night, but the more she hesitated, the more awkward it became.

She opened her mouth several times, but with no sound coming out. 1

Eventually, she slowly moved her arm, and, timidly, her fingers reached for his back. She was barely

touching him, but she felt his reaction, his breathing halting for a second. It was a short moment, in

which she wondered if he would say something. But even after a while, Kairen stayed silent.

For the first time in a while, Cassandra really felt like crying. Was he really ignoring her? Was he still

mad? Would this keep going on for a long time? Or was he going to get rid of her at dawn? She closed

her eyes, trying to chase away all those dark thoughts, and not to cry.

That’s when Kairen silently moved. Before she could react, the Prince turned around, his eyes still

closed, and put his arm around her.

Cassandra opened her eyes, confused, and felt a wave of warmth and relief. A single tear escaped her

eye, and she finally fell asleep, snuggling against his chest.

Chapter 25​

The Eight Scars

She was awake for a while, but unwilling to move. Cassandra just didn’t want to come to the moment

when they would have to face last night’s issue again. She was still at a loss about the Prince’s violent

reaction. Why was he so against it? He hadn’t given any reason for his sudden anger from the previous

night. Cassandra was afraid it would be the same all over again that morning, and didn’t dare to say a

word.

“How’s your arm?”

His deep, low voice surprised her. Cassandra looked up, finally meeting the Prince’s eyes. The black

irises seemed free from all anger, making her feel a bit better.

“I’m fine.”

“You have bruises.”

How did he know? Cassandra was still covered by the fur cloak, and held against him. Had he peeked

while she was still asleep? And if so, how long had he been awake?

Cassandra shook her head slowly, and leaned a bit closer to his chest.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

She meant it. Cassandra had experienced injuries that were much worse than bruises, and she

couldn’t even feel them at the moment. She knew it probably looked worse than it really was because

of her pale skin.

Yet, Kairen seemed unhappy. He sat up and left the bed without a word, apparently just to get himself

something to drink. Cassandra sat up as well, covering her chest with the fur blanket, concerned. She

observed him for a while, but the Prince stayed silent, avoiding her gaze until she couldn’t take it

anymore.

“My Lord, can we talk?”

“What?”

“About last night. Please.”

Kairen sighed, suddenly putting his cup down.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“What?” asked Cassandra, confused.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. It wasn’t my intention.”

She stared at him, completely caught off guard. Is that why he was so silent? Sometimes the Prince

had such a strange way of thinking, she just couldn’t guess what was going on. His silence wasn’t from

anger, but guilt? But it was just an accident! She had fallen as a result of him being a bit too rough,

but… She didn’t think he was responsible for that. Plus, she was still a slave, and him a Prince! Even if

he had slapped her, any other Prince wouldn’t have felt anything about that.

“I know. I’m not upset about that,” she said in a soft voice.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“No! Sometimes you scare me a little, that’s true, but not now, not when we are talking calmly like this.”

She watched him release a sigh, and felt her heart warm up a little. Is that what he was truly concerned

about? That she would be really scared of him? Cassandra felt her heart melting a bit more for her

strange War God, who could act like a normal man at times.

Kairen slowly walked back to the bed, sitting next to her, and Cassandra made the first move by giving

him a little

kiss. He grabbed her hair very gently and kissed her some more. For a while, it seemed like all the

frustration and uneasiness from their dispute was washed away in that instant, with that long kiss.

They parted slowly, still sitting close to each other. Cassandra hesitated a while, but she wanted to ask

him while things were still calm between them.

“What were you so angry about? Last night?”

“Because you won’t listen.”

“The Red Room. Why don’t you want me to go there?”

Kairen frowned and turned to her, with a silent anger.

“Why would I want you there? Why do you want to go?”

“I only mean to help your men. The sick, the injured. I can’t stand doing nothing, My Lord. This isn’t Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

how I’m used to living.”

“You’re my concubine.”

“I’m a slave, also. I’ve worked all my life, I’m not used to lazing around all day, and spending money, or

giving orders.”

“Then do something else.”

“Why not the Red Room?”

“Cassandra,” he said with an angry tone. “I’m not letting you go. Do you know how many diseases are

there? All the men there carry those diseases. If you go there, you’ll get infected and sick too.”

She was stunned. She hadn’t even thought of that, she hadn’t thought of…herself. But Kairen had. He

had seen what normal people would think, why everyone was so surprised to see a concubine among

the sick and injured.

Normal people would prioritize their own health, but Cassandra never learned to think like that. Like

any slave, she wasn’t used to putting her security first. From her own character, she just thought of

helping others.

“You were worried…for me,” she muttered.

“I don’t want you there. If you get white fever or something…”

Cassandra pulled the blanket, and suddenly showed the little scars that were on her hip. There were

eight little cuts, perfectly aligned, and were all the same size and shape. Kairen frowned, wondering

what kind of weapon could do this.

“White fever, yellow fever, grey skin plague, the nine days disease, swamps sickness, black tongue

plague, Samsah, and infection of Krah,” she enumerated, showing each of the little scars. “I got all of

those when I was a child.”

Kairen frowned. Those were very common and deadly diseases that common people could die from,

except the two last ones he had never even heard of.

“What do you mean, you got them all?”

“Back in the village where I came from, all the children are infected with each of those diseases when

we reach a certain age. It’s a dangerous technique our healers practiced, with a one in three chance of

survival. But if we do survive, we never get any of those diseases again as an adult.”

The Prince looked at her scars again, speechless. This was such a strange technique! To have the

children pass this kind of deathly test, with that low rate of survival. But the diseases Cassandra had

mentioned were the most common ones, and the main causes of natural death in the Dragon Empire.

He often forgot that Cassandra wasn’t born there in the first place.

“In your…village?”

“Yes, my Lord. The Rain Tribe I was born in had…advanced healing techniques, compared to here, I

think.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while. Cassandra had mentioned her long lost younger sister, but aside from

the fact that she wasn’t born in the Dragon Empire, he knew very few things about her. To be precise,

he didn’t care. All of her past as a slave was something that made him angry, if anything.

She covered her hip again, hoping this little explanation would have made him more inclined to let her

take care of others, but Kairen was still frowning.

“But you can still get infections, and other diseases.”

“I can take care of myself. I promise, I’ll be careful.”

Truthfully, Cassandra knew perfectly well she was still in great danger by doing this. The germs

contained in the Red Room were probably different from the common diseases. She wasn’t totally

invulnerable, and her body wasn’t even used to cold environments in the first place. It was still

unknown how she would resist things like a common cold or fever.

However, she was still stubborn about doing this. She would have done it even if she hadn’t been

vaccinated by her Tribe, but that’s nothing the Prince needed to know.

Seeing Kairen was still frowning and silent, Cassandra bit her lip, and leaned a bit closer.

“My Lord, please. I can’t help you with matters of war, and I will go crazy with nothing to do all day.”

“You can accompany me.”

“I will only hinder you and be useless. It’s the same…”

She was really hoping he would agree, but he could be so stubborn at times. After a while, she saw

him stare at her collar, lost in his thoughts. What was he thinking now? Cassandra waited in silence, as

she couldn’t think of any other ideas to persuade him.

After a while, Kairen sighed and got up.

“I want you back before sunset. And you stay with the Imperial Servant at all times.”

Cassandra’s face lit up, and she immediately got up as well.

“Really?”

Kairen nodded. He was a bit unhappy, but he didn’t add anything after that, confirming Cassandra’s

hopes.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

“Kairen.”

She suddenly stopped moving, speechless. The Prince turned to her, walking in her direction again,

and put his arms around her. Cassandra couldn’t react, still taken back by what she thought he meant.

“M…My lord?”

“Kairen. No more My Lord or My Prince. Call me by my name when we are alone.” &

Cassandra turned red then white immediately, completely shook. Oh, could she call him by his first

name? He was an Imperial Prince, not even his own siblings were all allowed to call him simply by his

name! Yet, he wanted her, a mere concubine and slave, to call him that! That felt even more intimate

than anything they had done before!

“I…I can’t possibly…just…”

“Kairen. Say it.”

She shook her head, torn between confusion and surprise. She didn’t even understand that strange

feeling of fear in her stomach, like it was something deeply forbidden. Cassandra felt like the sky would

open and kill her on the spot if she dared to say his name. She had always been the one with a deep,

solid vision of the walls between them; between an Imperial Prince and a slave. She shouldn’t even

have been able to look him in the eye, or stand in his presence, if things had been normal between

them!

But Kairen kept ignoring everything his own Empire had established as normal. He took a slave as his

concubine, let her express her thoughts and desires, respected her choices, and now, he even wanted

her to use his first name!

“Cassandra.”

“1…I can’t!”

She was almost more scared of that than anything else. As if the Imperial Guards would come in at any

moment and kill her if she dared to cross that line. It was like the most unthinkable thing for a slave to

call her master by his first name! She was so overwhelmed, her hands were shaking.

She kept shaking her head.

“I can’t do that, I can’t. It’s not… You’re my master.”

“I don’t care.”

“I care! I’m not… You can’t have me call you that, like I’m an equal to you. I’m not!”

That’s what she had been told for the last ten years. She was a slave, a nobody who stood at the

bottom of society. She didn’t deserve comfort, warmth, nothing. She was treated worse than livestock,

like a shadow who lived to do her chores and suffer in silence.

She had almost forgotten that, in the bliss she had experienced with the Prince.

Kairen had made her forget what it meant to be a slave. But Cassandra couldn’t completely forget, and

now, it was all coming back to her. She felt her throat become sore, and her eyes teary, from just

remembering. Before, she could endure it, because it was normal for her, because she was used to

ignoring her own pain. She had learned to close her eyes, let her body become numb and endure it.

However, things changed when she was allowed comfort again. Kairen had given her all that, so much

and so fast that she had barely taken the time to adapt. The warm blankets, the tasty food, the

gentleness. It had replaced the cold ground, scraps, and pain, so fast. But it was still there, like a scary

voice, a monster lurking at the back of her mind. Like the scars on her skin, the collar on her neck. It

was heavy and painful.

Kairen, seeing her distress, silently embraced her in his arms, waiting for Cassandra to calm down. He

couldn’t understand what she had gone through, but he saw what it did to her. She had never panicked

like that before.

“Fine… I’ll wait.”

With those words, like she had been given a bit of rest, Cassandra nodded and calmed down in a few

minutes. Meanwhile, Kairen was glaring at her collar. That damn thing had to come off, and soon!

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 26​

The Weeds & Herbs

The Prince’s words from that morning still followed Cassandra’s steps as she made her way across the

camp. Evin followed her, but both were silent. At times, she wondered if she was just living in a dream.

In her dream, everything would suddenly end when she opened her eyes and found herself sleeping in

a cold cell of the Emperor’s Arena again, or back in Lyria’s slave room. However, the cold on her

cheeks was real, and so was the snow under her footsteps. Cassandra didn’t want to think too much

about it. She missed having a friend to talk to, and Evin probably wasn’t a good replacement.

It had been only two days since she came to the Camp, but she felt the lack of another feminine

presence. Cassandra often thought of the other girls from the Castle, wondering how they were doing,

if their life had gotten better without the Governor there. She didn’t really dare to ask the Prince when

they would be going back. He had already made an extra trip to bring her here.

That was another reason why she wanted to keep herself busy.

Cassandra wasn’t totally unhappy in the camp. She was discovering many things she had never seen

before, and was basically free to go anywhere she wanted. Her red dress, and the imperial servant

following her, were enough of an explanation for the men who had never seen her before, and even a

few high-ranked soldiers took time to salute her politely when she crossed their paths. It was clear that

no one really knew how to interact with her, though. For the Third Prince to actually have a Concubine

was already surprising enough; no one really wanted to ask more. The rumors about the Palace

concubines’ legendary attitudes and willfulness was enough to keep most men at bay.

Cassandra was actually able to enjoy her walk all the way to the mountain, as soon as she had

stopped thinking about the Prince’s request that morning.

Once she got to the Red Room, however, quite a surprise was waiting for her. About three times more

men than the previous day were all helping around the room, and there was obviously a lot going on,

with people moving the injured in or out of the room. She stayed at the entrance, a bit surprised, when

four of them rushed to her.

“Good Morning, Madam!”

“Good Morning…Excuse me, but… how come so many people are…volunteering today?” she asked, a

bit unsure, while Evin took off her fur cloak.

One of the men stepped forward. Cassandra recognized him as one of those who were present the

previous day.

“Actually, once we got back to our units, we talked with some others about what we had done, madam,

and many wanted to come and help. The word kind of spread quickly, and even the men who had

punitions asked to be sent here.”

“I see…”

Cassandra was at bit of a loss. She didn’t expect so many people to show up after only one day!

“Madam, we are almost at the end of your notes, and we have counted everyone and reported their

status, as you said,” the man announced proudly. “We already asked for permission to use the closest

rooms and started moving some people, following your notes. Do you want to check?”

“Yes, uh…”

It took a few minutes for Cassandra to get a hold of the situation and move forward, while the men

were apparently waiting for her directions. Taking a deep breath, she took a look at the full list that they

had done their best at completing while she was gone.

“All right, I will… Wait, everyone stop what you’re doing!”

Every man in the room looked at her, surprised. Cassandra, remembering this morning’s conversation

with the

Prince, couldn’t leave things as they were.

“I want everyone to get out of the room and go wash your hands and faces with clean water. Only come All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

back once you have some tissue on your face, like I did yesterday.”

They all exchanged glances, surprised by her strange request. As Cassandra suspected, these men

didn’t know the basics of hygiene and self-protection while handling the wounded or sick people. And

unlike her, they had received no form of protection against diseases. If things went on like this, she

would do more harm than good, as the volunteers would soon fall sick too.

Hence, the first part of that matinee was focused on Cassandra showing them how to properly wash

their hands and wear fabrics over their mouth and noses to protect themselves. She also checked their

hands before they walked back in. ?

“What are you looking for, Madam?” asked one of the men.

“Little cuts, open skin…Any kind of opening can let the disease into your own body, I want to avoid that.

Thankfully, most of you have thick skin thanks to combat training, but…”

If she had any kind of doubt, Cassandra asked the men to do something that wouldn’t involve touching

the injured people, like gathering clothes or herbs for her. The others kept moving people to the

different rooms following her notes.

By noon, all the people had been moved to different rooms, and following Cassandra’s request, the

men had gathered a lot of herbs in various baskets that she intended to keep in a storage room. Two of

the men looked at the now empty red room in disgust.

“I can’t believe almost two hundred men were here. Damn, there are even insects!”

“That’s why we need to clean it.”

They both turned to Cassandra, shocked. She wanted to clean that? The blood had stained the ground,

some remnants were clearly from human defecations, and it had smelled so bad for months! But as the

Prince’s concubine began bringing in clear water and brooms, it was apparently decided.

“Are you sure, Madam? This place is really…”

“Disgusting? Yes, but this is the largest room here, and we will need it. Nothing here is uncleanable,

and we need to make use of any resource we can.”

Actually, no one was really enthusiastic about cleaning that room. Saying it was awfully dirty and

disgusting was still an understatement. However, as soon as Cassandra started cleaning, three of the

men rushed to take it all out of her hands.

“Madam, do you want us to lose our dignity as men? We can’t let the Commander-in-Chief’s woman

dirty her hands while we watch!”

“We would lose our heads for sure!”

Cassandra chuckled a bit, but before she could protest, she was gently pushed out of the room and the

men started cleaning despite the horrid task. She sighed.

“I feel a bit bad leaving them to do this…”

“Don’t be. They were right about probably losing their heads,” said Evin, very calmly.

The Imperial Servant was the only one who hadn’t helped at all. Actually, he had spent all day following

Cassandra like a shadow, making sure she didn’t injure herself or got her dress dirty. It was too much

for her at times, but neither her attempts to have him stop or the glares from the men could stop Evin.

“Madam, you should have lunch now. His Highness won’t like it if you skip meals.”

“Yes, yes…”

“Madam, come and eat with us!”

Several of the men now started bickering about which unit she should have lunch with, surprising

Cassandra. When had things become like this? She thought they were merely following her directions,

not that she had gained popularity! 1

“Which is the closest?” She asked, hoping to put an end to the argument before it turned into a fight.

It was then decided that she would eat with the nearby third unit of charioteers. To her surprise, Evin

had someone bring lunch for her, with the usual cheese, fruits and meat. It was different from the

vegetables and meat the men were having, though. None of them seemed too bothered, which

surprised Cassandra at first. But thinking about it, she was having a meal befitting a member of the

Imperial Entourage, while those men were soldiers, and supposed to eat what they were given by the

army. Eating such luxury foods next to them was making her a bit uncomfortable.

“My Lady, how long will you stay with us?” asked one of the men as they were all sitting in a circle.

“I don’t know. My Lord hasn’t said anything about my stay here.”

“Probably only a few days. The Commander-in-Chief comes and goes back pretty often. You won’t like

it, Madam. As soon as the barbarian’s attack, it can be up to a week of fighting and it gets nasty!”

“Do you still get attacks?” Cassandra asked, worried.

The men shrugged.

“It happens. We don’t really know where they come from because no matter how many times we push

them back into the mountain, they eventually come back.”

“When it’s been quiet like this for a few weeks, the next strike is usually stronger. Nothing to worry

about, though.”

Cassandra nodded. She was a bit surprised how calm the men were about this. But it did appear true.

There were very few injuries actually, compared to the size of the Camp. The men, thinking she was

impressed, went on to talk about their accomplishments within the camps or in battle, and Cassandra

listened for the rest of the lunch.

She kept it short, however, as she wanted to get as much as she could done before sunset. Hence,

they all returned to the mountain soon after. Now that the injured and sick were properly sorted, and

she had men cleaning the

room, Cassandra started sorting the herbs she had at her disposal. It was no use treating people if she

didn’t have the resources. Six men helped her count the quantities, but they were still confused.

“Are you sure, Madam? Most of those are just wild herbs and weeds.”

“No plant is useless. We just don’t know all their properties yet.”

To be precise, the Dragon Empire’s people didn’t. They had gathered everything they could, but the

men were totally clueless about what those weeds were good for. Yet, the Prince’s Concubine started

sorting them under their eyes and showed them how to wash the plants without wasting any of them.

Soon, they started repeating her moves, sorting, and cleaning all of the green mess.

“Can we get more?” asked Cassandra.

“We need to ask the accountants to buy more, or have more men gather them from the nearby

mountains… Don’t you have enough, Madam?”

She sighed.

“Certainly not, if I hope to treat as many as I can…can I let you handle these? I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes, Madam!”

With that, Cassandra left the premises, still followed by Evin, who looked unhappy.

“They won’t appreciate it.”

“I just need to ask for herbs.”

“They won’t like it. More herbs means more work, more men mobilized. The accountants do not like

buying and giving anything away without getting something back. They will require a high rank official’s

approval. You’re not a high rank official, Madam.”

Cassandra sighed. It wouldn’t hurt to ask. Evin guided her through the Camp, on which it had started

snowing. The sun was slowly starting its descent, meaning Cassandra only had about an hour or so left

before she had to go back to the Prince’s tent. She wondered if she could expect another dragon ride,

or if she should think about the walk back.

Finally, the duo arrived in front of another tent, as Evin guided her.

“The Head Accountant’s office…well, tent.”

As soon as she stepped in, Cassandra knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Because the Head

Accountant turned out to be the man whose report had been interrupted by her arrival the previous

evening.

“Well, if it isn’t Her Mightiness,” sighed the man.

The accountant was a tall but thin man, with a thin mustache and a crooked nose. From his attitude,

Cassandra could tell he already didn’t think much of her.

“Good afternoon, Sir. May I take some of your time?”

“What would the Commander-in-Chief’s Concubine need me for?”

“I wanted to ask for some resources.”

“Shouldn’t you just ask the Commander-in-Chief for that? Isn’t that how a concubine is supposed to do

things?”

Cassandra exchanged a look with Evin. Though he was still polite, the Head Accountant was clearly

set on giving her a hard time.

“What I need isn’t for my personal needs. I wanted to ask for some herbal medicine.”

The man frowned, apparently surprised.

“What is that for?”

“For the men who were in the red…I mean, in the mountain’s rooms. I want to gather some herbs and

make medicine out of it to help them, but with what has been gathered I won’t have enough.”

The man put down the papers in his hands and crossed his arms, visibly doubtful.

“Make medicine? You?”

“Yes. I know of some techniques that can-”

“Why would I waste resources on a concubine and sick men? I have no proof that you can do anything

you say, and I have no intention to waste anything on dying men.”

“These men are your fellow soldiers! How can you-”

“They’re a deficit of money. I see numbers all day, woman, and these men are nothing but a waste of

resources and energy on my papers. If they die, I hope they die soon and stop wasting extra food and

time. We already have

doctors who tend to the people we really need here.”

He had said those words while frowning at Cassandra, clearly giving into his contempt.

She was so angry, her fists were shaking. How could a man be so cruel and merciless! They were

talking about humans, not mere numbers!

Evin took a glance in her direction, wondering what she would do. From what he had seen, Cassandra

already had plenty of power in her hand, if only she dared to make use of the Third Prince’s Dragon

that seemed so smitten with her. However, he also learned that she had a strange temper.

“How many do you need?” she suddenly asked.

“Excuse me?”

“How many men do you want me to heal and send back to their units to prove that it is worth using

money, and that my medicine works?”

The head accountant looked at her, speechless for the first time.What was this crazy woman thinking

now?!

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 27​

The Medicine

Cassandra was perfectly calm and composed.

She didn’t act arrogant or conceited, despite the Head Accountant’s expectations. Just like Evin before

him, the man was starting to understand she didn’t belong to any of the usual types of Concubine. He

had already been quite surprised that the Commander-in-Chief actually brought a woman here, but

now, she was going around the camp trying to take care of the men? What was wrong with this

woman?

He had noted that she was a slave from her collar, but that only made him think she was uneducated

and stupid. So why was he now caught in some negotiation with her?

“What kind of slave knows about medicine?” he asked, frowning.

Medicine was a very precious and rare teaching in the Dragon Empire. There were no medical schools,

and very few documents to pass the ancient techniques along Most of the time, doctors would take a

handful of apprentices and select the best, to learn from them. Even so, the techniques of each doctor

were kept a secret most of the time, as they were afraid it would spread to commoners and make the

prices of common medicine drop. Hence, being a doctor in the Empire was seen as one of the top and

highest paid professions certainly not something within a slave’s reach.

“I know enough. But the Dragon Empire’s medical techniques are rudimentary, barbaric, and old. Your

healing techniques don’t travel enough to be improved on, even in a few years time, and those are not

the ones I know of.”

Evin was, once again, surprised and impressed. Cassandra had a point. Because the doctors of this

Empire were so set on keeping their techniques to themselves, it was rather known that the same

methods were used for centuries, and any kind of innovation was seen as a break-through.

The head accountant frowned. He was a very educated and wise man, despite his lack of natural

empathy. From hearing Cassandra, he had to admit she wasn’t talking like an ignorant slave or a willful

concubine.

“Where did you…supposedly, learn medicine? he asked.

“The Rain Tribe.”

The Head Accountant stayed silent for a while, but he was thinking. The name itself was unheard of,

but he clearly remembered having studied about some south barbarians, people living in tribes beyond

the border of the Dragon Empire. The scholars didn’t have much knowledge of those people,

considered like any barbaric populations who didn’t have material wealth: uninteresting. However, their

information clearly mentioned those people’s strangely high life expectancies, despite them actually

living in swamps, and in dire conditions. Could this woman’s words be of some truth?

The Head Accountant thought long and hard, but no matter what, he couldn’t really refuse nor give into

her request. Those injured soldiers were still a problem among his reports, and if something could be

done about them… If anything arose, he could always blame it on this woman. The Commander-in-

Chief probably wouldn’t scold his own woman, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be the accountant’s

problem.

“Fine. A hundred men. Once you send a hundred men back on the field, I will…”

“Fifty.”

“Excuse me?”

“I can send back fifty men within ten days, with my current stock of herbs. But a hundred would be too

much, I don’t have enough medicine or volunteers yet.”

The Head Accountant nodded, pretending to think. He had actually intended to give her a full month’s

time.

Could she really do what she said within ten days? He was still doubtful, but it was worth letting her try.

Those men would die anyway. If she made things worse, she would at least save them a few days’

worth of food for his reports.

“If I manage to heal and send back fifty men within ten days, will you listen to my request?” asked

Cassandra, looking to confirm his words.

The man nodded.

“You have my word. As long as you keep your end of the deal, I’ll allow a budget for those medical

herbs. But I want proof of those men being actually injured or sick, and sent back to their units…”

“You will,” said Cassandra.

Once again, her self confidence impressed him a bit, though he wouldn’t let it show on his face. He

actually had the means to get the reports on the injured coming in and out of the Red Room, but he

wanted to make sure she wouldn’t try to cheat her way out of this.

“All right, then, I guess this deal is done. Do you need anything else? If not, I will resume my activities

and ask you to leave; I’m quite busy.”

Cassandra indeed left promptly, followed by Evin. Once outside, she couldn’t help but to let out a big

sigh. She didn’t think it would be so nerve-wrecking.

“Why didn’t you use the Third Prince’s authority?” suddenly asked Evin.

Cassandra turned to him surprised.

“What do you mean? I am not His Highness.”

“You are his concubine. A few words and you would have been able to use His Highness, the Third

Prince’s authority to make him comply with your demand. Making that bet was unnecessary, and added

to your plate.”

She shook her head. They were already headed back to the mountain, as Cassandra wanted to check

on a few things and leave some notes before she went back.

“I didn’t add anything, I would have been able to send back fifty men anyway. I only delayed the Head

Accountant’s help by ten days. I don’t want to use His Highness’ authority. If I did, that man would

respect me even less and think I cannot do anything without the Third Prince, and would probably try to

give me less than I need. If I can prove what I’m saying, he will trust me and help us more. Or so I

hope.”

“There are only one hundred and seventy men there at the moment. Do you really think you can send

fifty of them back? You sent thirty of them to a separate room, saying those could not be cured…”

They entered the mountain again, passing several of the rooms where the men had been sorted.

“Actually, I’m hoping we will get more men in the meantime. A lot of soldiers like Orwan didn’t dare to

come here in the first place, remember? But what if I can show them I can heal them properly?”

“More men will come…”

Cassandra nodded, and entered one of the rooms to talk with the men still sorting her medicinal herbs.

Behind her, Evin was once again speechless. She had thought that far ahead during her conversation

with the Head Accountant? That her changes to the Red Room would convince more and more men to

come get healed, and naturally help her win her bet?

“Alright, can you split them as we said?” asked Cassandra. “We will need to count how much we have

and then dry or boil it. I’ll see later.”

“Yes, Madam,” answered the men.

Then, she went to the next room, talking to the men who were busy there.

“Please, remember to wash your hands often and keep your masks on. We need to wash the sick

men’s clothes and sheets often too, and ventilate the room as much as we can. I’ll see the people who

came in today now.”

For the next hour, Cassandra checked each of the men that had come in, inspecting their overall state

or injury, and sorting them into separate rooms.

She had spread the men into a total of eight rooms: one for those who hadn’t been diagnosed yet, one

for small wounds and cuts, one for the bigger injuries, one for the people with light symptoms like a

cold, another one for dangerous or infectious diseases, one for the patients with special needs, and the

last one she called for “short stay”, for soldiers who were suffering from stomach pains or headaches.

The eighth room was called the “silent room”, where people who wouldn’t survive were put to rest.

However, despite that sorting, it was clear there was still way too much work for one woman to do

alone. Evin said it out loud as they were leaving the mountain for the day, and Cassandra nodded.

“I know… That’s my main problem. I can teach some men, but they are supposed to come and go, and

eventually, I will need people to do the exact same thing as I do, like apprentices. But where to find

apprentices in a military camp? Do the doctors here have some? You mentioned there were doctors,

right?”

“There are currently seven doctors working here, and each military doctor is allowed three apprentices

in the Camp.”

“That’s twenty-eight people. It’s not enough for a camp of thousands of soldiers!”

Evin was about to say something about her knowing how to calculate, but didn’t. This woman was

really too much.

“Actually, most of them only have one or two. I can ask if you want.”

“Please do. What are they thinking, with so few apprentices to help…”

Cassandra was still astonished. How could such a large Empire still be so uneducated about medicine

and common hygiene? All day, the soldiers had watched each of her moves as if they were learning

something, questioning why she did this and that non-stop.

It wasn’t like they were unwilling to learn. The main problem was that from the crib until they reached

adulthood, every man and woman in this Empire was focused on one career. First sons would take

over their father’s job, shop, or farm. Second sons trained to be scholars. From the third one on, they

would be raised as warriors. Women very rarely had careers, but those who did would become

shopkeepers, embroiderers, cooks, mostly positions that were related to the household, and not too

tiring.

It was a patriarchal society, with its pros and cons.

“I need to find apprentices,” Cassandra muttered to herself.

“Do you want me to ask?”

“For apprentices?” she asked, a bit surprised.

“Some people might be interested. It’s a very vast camp, with lots of different people. I can try to ask

around, if you wish.”

Cassandra nodded. Could it be possible? Would some of those men agree? What about their current

positions? Well, it couldn’t hurt to ask, possibly…

“Madam.”

She turned to him, but Evin was looking up at the dark form that had appeared in the sky. Cassandra

smiled. Her ride had arrived.

Krai landed with a loud growl, immediately looking for Cassandra. Wiggling up to her, the dragon

waved its tail around with anticipation. As usual, she waited until Krai stopped a step away from her to

move.

“Hi, Krai. Is this going to become a routine?” she asked softly, giving a few scratches.

“He is a pain when he misses you…” suddenly said a voice from above.

“My Lord!” exclaimed Cassandra.

Kairen held out his hand, and helped her climb on the dragon’s back, making her sit in front of him. She Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.

was obviously glad to see him, her cheeks a bit red, and a smile on her face. The Prince immediately

pulled her closer for a long, deep kiss. His tongue enticed her, and Cassandra realized that they hadn’t

had sex since the hot springs.

The black dragon interrupted their kiss while taking off, and Cassandra felt a bit disappointed. She held

onto Kairen’s cloak, as close to him as she could. It was not dinner time yet, could it be he had come to

get her sooner on purpose?

However, as they flew over the Camp, Cassandra soon realized they weren’t going to the Prince’s tent.

Where to then? The hot springs maybe? She had liked it a lot, and hoped they would go back.

To her surprise, Krai landed in front of the forges. Why there? Cassandra wanted to ask, but Kairen

helped her

“Here. Undo this thing.”

Cassandra was a bit surprised, until she understood he meant her collar! She turned to him, a bit

concerned.

“My Lord, I…”

“Cassandra, sit here.”

He had her sit on a little chair, but after a few seconds, she realized the abnormal silence around them.

What was wrong? All the men present were either looking at her or the Prince in awe. Could it be…

because he had called her by her name?

“What are you waiting for? Take this damn collar off her!”

Chapter 28​

The Prince’s sudden anger made everyone step back, fear and surprise on every face. Then, one of

the older men stepped up, standing in front of Cassandra.

“Young Lady, if I may…”

He leaned in to observe the collar, and Cassandra held her long hair out of the way. She could feel the

old blacksmith’s hands examining the collar, checking the system and metal. After a while, he stood up

and turned to the Prince.

“It won’t be easy, My Lord. Those things have really precise systems.”

“Can you do it or not?”

“We can try, but…this type of lock isn’t made to simply be undone, Commander.”

He turned to one of his colleagues, who nodded and examined Cassandra’s collar too, but this time he

used some tools. She could hear the mechanism at work, and her heart suddenly beat faster. Could

they really do it? Could they take it off? Finally?

Kairen stood by her side without moving, his eyes fixated on her collar, not missing any of the

blacksmiths’ movements. For a long while, Cassandra sat with her head bent, wondering if this could

really happen. But the longer it took, the more she doubted it. Those mechanisms were made so that

slaves would not be able to escape. Many had tried to get rid of them already, but it was so complex.

Just as she started to feel discouraged, a large hand caressed her cheek. She smiled softly and closed

her eyes, relying on the Prince’s warmth. Cassandra slowly calmed down. She would be fine. Even if

the collar didn’t come off, she had him. 1

Suddenly, the sound of metal breaking was heard, and something scratched her. Cassandra frowned

from the little pain, trying to touch the injury by reflex. The blacksmiths stepped back, looking terrified.

The Prince was glaring at them.

“You useless…”

“We’re so very sorry, Your Highness! This lock can’t be undone simply by forcing it! The Dragon Empire

would lose its slaves daily if we could.”

As the man kept apologizing and explaining, Cassandra glanced at her shoulder to finally see what had

happened. Her collar was still there, but one of the blacksmiths’ instruments, something that looked like

a thin little spindle, was half stuck in it, its other half broken on the floor. It had probably broken when

trying to force open the collar’s mechanism, and scratched her shoulder by accident.

Cassandra saw the Prince’s hand going for the sword at his belt, but she immediately stood up in front

of him, putting her hands on his torso, trying to get his attention on her.

“My Lord! It’s fine, I expected so…”

“If those men were more competent…” he hissed, but Cassandra shook her head.

“No. They are right. It is this Empire’s will that slaves shouldn’t be freed so easily.”

Cassandra’s words finally got to him, as he looked down at her.

It was his Empire, his father, and the slavery system that had put this collar on her neck from the

beginning. Those blacksmiths were right. It was no easy matter, and not a simple collar. There was a

lot more weight behind it, and Cassandra’s sentence.

This did not cool down the Prince’s anger one bit. He glared furiously at the men present, despite

Cassandra’s attempt to have him calm down. Clenching his fists, he resisted the urge to break or throw

something across the tent with all his might.

“Let’s go, please? My Lord?” she asked in a soft voice.

Kairen’s jaw was still clenching, yet he grabbed Cassandra’s waist and suddenly carried her, holding

her on one arm as if she weighed nothing. They left the tent as she put her arms around his shoulders,

while the men behind them let out a big sigh of relief.

There wasn’t a word exchanged until they reached the Prince’s tent. Cassandra only held on and

focused on the cold breeze. Was the evening colder than usual? Or was it the Prince’s silent anger only

giving her that impression? She held on a bit tighter as they reached the tent, before he let her down.

Kairen was still frowning and visibly unhappy about what had happened. Cassandra took a deep breath

in, and stepped closer to him, putting her hands on his torso again.

“My Lord, it’s fine. I knew it wouldn’t work. I’ve seen many try to force those locks for hours without it

ever coming off.”

He stayed silent, looking at her with those dark, black eyes of his. It was hard for Cassandra to guess

what he was thinking at that moment. Was he disappointed? Or just angry things weren’t going as he

wanted? 3

After a long while, though, the frown on his face seemed to dissipate, and he put his large hands on her

waist, looking at her with a calm expression. Cassandra was expecting him to say something, but

instead he leaned in to kiss her, a soft very gentle kiss. She didn’t know what to do, so she answered

naturally to his lips, feeling comfort in it.

The collar was still there, heavy and uncomfortable, but as long as she was by the Prince’s side,

Cassandra felt safe. She didn’t want to leave his side anymore. She enjoyed this kiss, and for once,

claimed more with her tongue. One of Kairen’s hands went up, twirling his fingers in her long hair like

he liked to do.

Gathering her courage, Cassandra gently pushed him towards the bed, blushing from her own

boldness. Of course, her strength was barely enough to make the War God move, but as soon as he

understood her intent, Kairen complied and stepped back, until he could sit on the bed. As he did, he

held Cassandra across his lap, not interrupting their tender kiss. She was starting to feel a bit hot. How

long had it been since their last…intimate moment? In that short while, she already missed his hot skin,

his large hands, and musky smell.

“Cassandra…” he muttered against her ear as their lips parted, making her blush.

She loved the way he pronounced her name, too. There was this intense mix of sensuality and

tenderness in his deep voice.

With her fidgety hands, she took the cloak off his shoulders, exposing the muscular, naked torso she

now knew by heart. Kairen had already taken her cloak off, but for once, he let her do most of the

undressing, only kissing her shoulder, collarbone, and finally her breasts as soon as she exposed

them.

Sucking and stroking them, he made her blush in a matter of seconds. Cassandra had always felt her

breasts were on the smaller side, but that didn’t seem to bother him… The War God kept playing with

them, arousing her, and making it more difficult for Cassandra to focus on taking her dress off. Once

she finally had it off though, he smiled and pulled on her hips to have her closer, sitting on top of his

prominent bump. She shivered a bit, both excited and cold, as her inner temperature didn’t match the

one inside the tent.

Kairen’s glance, as he let go of her rosy breasts, went to her collar. Cassandra was afraid this might

anger him again for a bit, but the Prince suddenly smirked.

“Once we get this thing off, let’s have you wear something that really fits you…gold or silver…gems…”

“Like a necklace?” she whispered, a bit surprised.

“Anything you want,” he nodded. “Gold, gems, jewelry… We’ll get it all. I want to see you wear it…”

Cansand thought about disagreeing, but eventually, she only blushed and kissed him. She knew how

strange and whimsical he could be sometimes. She didn’t want to talk him out of it until they got to it.

He complained so often about her appearance as a slave, she had to be a bit more careful about it.

Kairen slowly laid down, Cassandra still on top of him, and they both used their hands to help him get

out of his pants. She wondered for a second if they should change positions, but the Prince pulled her

arms, having her ride

Rubbing against each other, she felt their equal arousals. He didn’t even touch her, yet she was already

wet from Their kissing only… Feeling his pride standing tall and hard against her thigh was a torture

she couldn’t endure any longer. Cassandra bit her lip, her hands in his, and slowly sat down, feeling

him fill her with a long exhale.

They both took a minute to enjoy this, the feeling of their bodies connected, filling each other, looking at

each other’s eyes. Then, Cassandra slowly started moving, to her own rhythm, enjoying it. He was big

inside her; any move made her tremble and blush in pleasure. In just a couple of days, she had missed

this so much.

Underneath, lying still with the eyes of an excited lion, Kairen watched his concubine move and breathe

loudly. Cassandra was even more beautiful when she was exalted. Her body moved like a wave on

him, her breasts jiggling around. She closed her eyes when she was too embarrassed or excited, and

exhaled even louder, until it became cestasied moans, her hips moving faster on him. The War God

just ogled her, feeling his own excitement rise along with her moves, and that delicious feeling of her

body pressing down on him, taking him in, rubbing and hammering

When he grabbed her hips and thrust without warning, she let out a surprised moan. His hammering

was much more intense and bestial. Cassandra forgot completely about moving against him, and held

on to his hands, moaning loudly to meet his thrusts. Despite being underneath, Kairen took control in

an instant, holding her hips

firmly and thrusting repeatedly, lifting his waist, making Cassandra bounce on him. It was fast, erratic,

and overwhelming. He couldn’t hold it in. He wanted to put his mark on her and make her cry in

pleasure.

That intense, savage, hot sex had Cassandra completely lost in her senses. The Prince’s burning black

eyes made her crazy. The sounds of their bodies colliding, the slaps of their skin and moist sounds

made it even more lustful, if possible. Her insides were burning hot, the sensation overpowering her,

making her shake and scream out her pleasure.

The bed was embarrassingly squeaking, but that was nothing compared to their exalted voices. As

Cassandra was crying out, the Prince was groaning, feeling his pleasure grow inside, reaching

heavenly levels.

Cassandra orgasmed loudly, one second before his final groan. Both spasmed intensely, his rod deep

inside her, exulting and relishing. She breathed loudly, falling on her side, exhausted. It was short but…

intense. Her thighs were still trembling and burning, and she felt a bit dirty, shamefully dirty.

Kairen sighed, putting a hand in his hair, feeling the cold air and satisfaction of their intercourse.

Cassandra’s breathing was still loud by his side, and he caressed her hip silently, waiting for her to

recover.

He had thought about it before, but he silently hoped she would soon bear him a child… An heir. He

could already see what kind of mother she would be. It had never been a wish of his before, but now,

he wanted to see that image become real. If she became an Imperial Dragon’s mother, Cassandra

would be in a much better place. She could become a Princess…far from her status as a slave.

Out of the six Princes, three already had children. But Kairen was the only one without a concubine,

until now. He turned his head to the woman laying beside him, and caressed her hair. If Cassandra got

pregnant, she would become a target. (2)

He had never cared for the Imperial Throne before. He would live his life with war and blood, as a

Commander. He was bored with the women of the court, and hated the treacherous creatures coveting

his wealth or imperial title. Kairen was born in a world where he was considered like a God, deciding

the life or death of others, untouchable. Yet, he had seen many of his siblings killed by enyy and

jealousy at the Imperial Palace. His mother, a concubine

among many others, had been smart and cunning enough to have him and Shareen reach adulthood

despite her rivals. She probably had to dirty her hands many times for that to happen.

Cassandra was nothing like those women, nor his mother. She was smart, but caring, brave, and

selfless. She wasn’t afraid to die, or to face a dragon. She could pet a creature a thousand times her

size, which would eat her own kind, and even feel empathy for it. She wasn’t afraid to look him in the

eyes, yet she blushed when he touched her. So innocent, yet so fierce.

Kairen leaned over her, resting on his arm while scrutinizing her.

“My… Prince?”

But Kairen pushed her legs open, and in a swift movement, positioned himself to penetrate her again,

making Cassandra moan in surprise. Her insides were still burning, wet and hot from their wild sex just

a few minutes ago. She couldn’t help but tense her legs upon his sudden entrance, closing her eyes

and putting her head back. Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.

“Oh, Lord…gen…gently, please…” she begged, breathing erratically.

He started moving slowly, listening to her pleas and moans, but he wanted more, so much more of this

woman.

Chapter 29​

The Lady of the Mountain

The man was grimacing, trying to hold it in. Half a dozen people were watching, as Cassandra was

slowly stitching, explaining each movement and proceeding carefully.

“Here. If you make it as even as possible, the scar will be neat and healed in just a couple of weeks. No

need to bandage it as long as you make sure it stays clean like I showed you.”

The soldiers nodded, some even taking notes, but all of them were impressed. She turned to her

patient, who was observing the stitches on his arm with a frown.

“Thank you, Lady Cassandra… I hope my fiancée won’t mind this.”

“I promise, the scar will be thin and neat. If she’s marrying a soldier, this should be fine, right?” said Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

Cassandra with a soft smile.

The man blushed a bit and nodded. Lady Cassandra was becoming prettier and prettier as the days

went by. She had already won the hearts of many soldiers with her gentleness and hard work.

No one feared the Mountain Hospital anymore, as it had been renamed recently. The Red Room was

forgotten and now people willingly came over to get treated or volunteered in their free time. Seven of

the rooms were constantly busy, though a lot of changes had been made in just a few days.

More and more soldiers now knew the first aid gestures or basic treatments for small wounds, and to

Cassandra’s surprise, it had spread naturally among the troops. Fewer and fewer people came to get

treated, unless they were at a loss on what to do, or seriously injured. The soldiers who had

volunteered a few times had become knowledgeable in their own units, and helped their peers learn

about hygiene or tended to them before they needed to go to the hospital. The number of volunteers

was steadily growing. As word spread about the changes in the Mountain Hospital, more men came to

help, and much to Cassandra’s surprise, some of the unit Captains even sent men who had forced

labor punishments to her. But the most impressive difference was how much the attitudes of the men

around Cassandra had changed tremendously in such a short time.

Before, she was only seen as the only woman in the camp, a nameless slave that the Commander-in-

Chief had brought for his own entertainment. Nowadays, things are very different. Anywhere she went,

Cassandra was saluted and welcomed, as the men had started calling her “the Lady of the Mountain”.

They talked to her with respect, and her reputation grew fast among the ranks, as the new female

doctor of the Camp. If a man dared to leer at her or disrespect her in some way, he was soon scolded

by his peers. She was untouchable as the Commander-in-Chief’s woman, but she was also seen as a

respectable Lady.

“Lady Cassandra?” called a man who had walked in while she was tending to someone’s cut. “The

Head Accountant is here to see you, Madam.”

“Oh, thanks, I will come soon.”

Cassandra finished tending the wound, which had signs of early infection, and got up. As usual, she

was closely followed by Evin, silent as a shadow but very efficient. He always had her cloak ready,

made sure she ate her meals no matter how busy she was, and scolded the soldiers who got too

familiar with her.

“It hasn’t been ten days already Evin, has it?” she asked, a bit worried about this sudden visit.

“No, Madam. We still have two days to go before the deadline.”

“I hope he hasn’t changed his mind,” she sighed.

As they walked through the mountain’s tunnels, Cassandra was saluted many times by the men who

hadn’t seen her yet this morning, and some of them also stopped her to ask questions about which

herbs to use for this infection, or how to address a large burn. It took her longer than she thought to

finally reach the mountain’s entrance, and meet with the Head Accountant. It was starting to snow

rather heavily outside, and the man already

had a white layer on his shoulders and hood. Despite that, he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was

waiting with a younger accountant, and two large closed bags at his feet.

“Good Morning, Head Accountant,” she said while Evin was busy adjusting her cloak and the hood on

her hair.

“Greetings, Madam.”

“Is everything all right?” asked Cassandra, unable to hide her nervousness.

Even if she still had two days and worked hard, her stock in herbal medicine was getting dangerously

low. Cassandra was afraid the Head Accountant had found a way to cancel their bet and leave her to

deal with it on her

own.

The man seemed quite displeased too, and let out a big sigh.

“Truthfully, I hate making mistakes, Lady Cassandra. However, I am not sure if this can be called one.”

“I’m sorry, what is this about?”

“Our bet. I had an interesting talk with the three Generals this morning. Since you took over the

Mountain Hospital, it appears thirty-three men were sent back to the Cavalry Unit, twenty-six to the

Infantry Unit, and seventeen to the Artillery Unit, and only nineteen men in total from all the units died.

You obviously won.”

Cassandra was speechless. She had worked hard for the past few days, she hadn’t even realized how

much she had done. Moreover, with so many volunteers, she didn’t even see everything that was going

on in the Hospital, and how many men were sent back healed.

“Congratulations. It appears I misjudged your abilities. I also got scolded by the Generals for, and I

quote, ‘being a scoundrel and a stingy rať.” 10

The young Accountant behind him almost chuckled, trying hard to repress a laugh. Cassandra

repressed one too. To hear the stern and stubborn Head Accountant had been scolded like that was

quite funny to imagine.

The man showed the two bags.

“Here is all the herbal medicine we can provide at the moment. You may see my assistant for more. I

will listen to your request and decide on a monthly budget after hearing it. The Generals also

suggested they can provide money from their own budgets to help, if you send a request for them to do

so.”

Cassandra was astonished.

“Really? But…”

“They were extremely satisfied with their soldiers being sent back in full health and the recent

significant reduction in leaves for sickness or injury, Madam. Hence, they said that the Mountain

Hospital was worth investing in.”

This was truly quite an achievement. Not only at the Hospital, but the changes were also starting to be

visible in the camp. The men could now take care of any small injury by themselves, and look out for

diseases and infections. The morale in the camp had been boosted by this new teaching and talk was

spreading as the men were sent back to their units.

“Thank you for this…” said Cassandra, her eyes on the bags.

The Head Accountant nodded, and after a little silence, turned his eyes to the bags too.

“To be quite honest, Madam, soldiers like the ones in this army are not found easily. I am also in charge

of recruiting more, and counting the deaths. Each loss is significant for this Army. Your work has

been…a great relief, if I may say so. I may not understand your abilities, but I see the results. Those

medicinal herbs should be used by people who can value them properly. Though, I suspect this may

also bring you more trouble.”

Cassandia had already thought about that. Her unique ways of healing would soon reach the Army

doctors’ ears, even faster if she was given actual goods and a budget to pursue. This would probably

bring some disputes with them.

“Thank you for your appreciation, Head Accountant.”

He bowed respectfully, and gestured for his assistant to go to her side. The young man nodded and

carried the two bags over.

“I will now take my leave, Madam. In the future, feel free to reach out to me or ask my assistants if you

need anything. I won’t make the mistake of underestimating you again.”

Cassandra watched him turn around and leave, a little smile on her lips.

“Didn’t it sound like an apology to you, Evin?”

“I think that is the best you will get from him, Madam.”

She chuckled.

“You’re probably right. Come on, let’s bring those inside and check what we got so we can order more

as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Madam.”

With the assistant accountant’s help, Cassandra and Evin dragged the two bags all the way inside, to

the stockroom which had been rapidly depleted in a few days. Two men who were boiling herbs

immediately hurried to take over and sort them into the different pots and baskets on the shelves, while

Cassandra discussed with the assistant accountant about more stocks.

Suddenly, a loud ruckus was heard at the entrance, making everyone in the room turn heads. A young

man came running in.

“Lady Cassandra, could you come? There’s a bit of a dispute outside.”

Cassandra sighed and followed after him. What now? She didn’t even have time to undo her coat and

she was going back outside again. With such weather, she would rather stay inside.

It turned out that said dispute was actually taking place right at the entrance, by a large snow-covered

hill where a dozen men were assembled. Cassandra had already got a hold of what was going on,

before she got there, from all the yelling.

“I am not going, you damn skunks! Let me down right now!”

“But Captain, you cannot stay like this! You will lose your leg if it goes on.”

“Lady Cassandra is very skilled! She can definitely help!”

“I do not care!” yelled the man on a stretcher. “I’d rather lose a leg than be healed by a woman!”

“We can arrange that,” said Cassandra.

The men turned to her, two of them running to her as soon as they recognized her under her hood.

“Lady Cassandra! Please help the Captain! His leg was injured days ago!”

“It’s getting bad!”

“All of you shut up! Bring me back! I do not care for that witch’s methods! A woman healing is absurd!

Women should be confined to the household and stay quiet!”

“I have many patients waiting for my help and not so many beds available. If you are yet to make a

decision, do it quietly, please. Some of them need silence.”

The Captain glared at her, even more pissed.

“Shut up, woman! I shall not take orders from you! And do not look me in the eye, impudent little…”

“I suggest you watch your words in the presence of His Highness’ Concubine…” started Evin, but the

man interrupted him.

“I will not allow a low woman to talk to me! And a slave, at that! The Commander-in-Chief may have

been seduced by this wench, but I… I…”

The man suddenly lost his words, as he had caught a movement behind Cassandra. The snow-

covered hill suddenly started moving and growing under his eyes, which opened wide in shock and

fear. The snow fell in large chunks, revealing black scales and two glowing red eyes. Evin sighed.

“As I was saying, in the presence of His Highness’ Concubine and Dragon.”

Chapter 30​

The training Grounds

As the large black dragon was eyeing the group, it lowered its head to Cassandra’s side, where she

gently scratched under its chin.

Krai was obviously glaring at the man, though. Could a dragon have understood his words? Was he

upset about the words used toward the Commander-in-Chief’s concubine just now? It couldn’t be,

right? The Captain swallowed slowly.

“If you do not wish to be healed, I suggest you see another doctor in the camp. But please don’t be so

noisy in front of the hospital or I’ll have you removed.”

“Re…removed?” said the Captain, though he had lost most of his voice.

Cassandra nodded, still scratching Krai’s maw. The dragon was chewing some snow, some of its back

still white. The men around the Captain, despite being impressed, tried to convince him again.

“The Lady of the Mountain is very skilled, Captain! She stitched the Lieutenant’s arm and now he is

fine! Please, Captain, at least let her examine you.”

As the Captain was still frowning and glaring at Cassandra, one of his men walked to her, pleading.

“Please, Lady Cassandra, our Captain is very stubborn, but he is a great soldier and like a father to

most of us! If he loses his leg, he will be sent back!”

“What happened?” finally asked Cassandra.

“He twisted his leg while training a while ago. We thought it might get better, but now it’s been two

weeks now, he can’t even walk, and the area is all black and blue!”

She sighed. This was probably only a muscle contusion, but if that man was this stubborn, he probably

hadn’t taken any rest for his leg to heal. Two of the men pulled up one of their Captain’s pant legs to

show her the large bruise that had spread up his thigh. The Captain immediately became red.

“You little scums! How dare you undress me like that! You’re all going to regret this!”

“How is it, Lady of the Mountain? Is it bad?”

“Don’t you touch me you vicious…!”

But before he could end his sentence, a loud, angry dragon growled at him. The men ran in all

directions, just before Krai’s paw landed on the Captain, pinning him on the ground. He lost all air in his

lungs in a funny expression, the beast crushing him to the ground.

“Hey, Krai, no. No, no, get your paw off. Here.”

Krai was still growling, but Cassandra’s calls managed to distract the dragon enough. She kept making

gestures until the red eyes looked her way instead of the Captain’s. Her voice was as gentle and calm

as usual, yet every man was shocked to see the dragon attracted to her like a moth to a flame. Krai

kept growling, unhappy, and the Captain was still being crushed under his humongous weight.

“Let go, come on. Come here,” said Cassandra, stepping away so the dragon would follow.

Eventually, Krai turned around, its paw finally lifting from the man’s body, who painfully tried to breathe

again.

“Good dragon,” said Cassandra. “Come here.”

While she was scratching and petting Krai, Evin rolled his eyes and walked to the soldiers, helping their

Captain up.

“You idiot. Insulting the Concubine in front of His Highness’ Dragon.”

“The dragon listens to the Lady of the Mountain!” said one of the men, impressed.

Evin clicked his tongue.

“His Highness’ Dragon listens to His Highness only. He just likes to act as Lady Cassandra’s

bodyguard…and pet, apparently.” ?

Even so, all the men were watching the scene of the young woman, standing in the snow to cuddle and

pet a dragon that was about a thousand times her size. Krai seemed to have already forgotten about

them, only focused on Cassandra.

At some point, she had the dragon walk away, though they had missed how she did that. Had she

thrown something away to play catch? That death machine just acted like a dog around this woman…

“You should have him rest and apply fresh snow on his injury. It will most likely heal by itself as long as

he doesn’t overdo it,” she said to the men.

“Thank you, Lady Cassandra!” said some of the men in unison.

“You better take him out of here, though. Next time, I can’t guarantee His Highness’ Dragon won’t bite

him on the first try.”

The men left swiftly, taking away the Captain who was still acting grumpy. Evin turned to Cassandra.

“You did a good job preventing His Highness’ Dragon from eating him.”

“Yes. Even dragons can get sick from rotten meat.”

Cassandra laughed. Sometimes, Evin really surprised her. Was he ironic or really trying to crack a

joke? Either way, it was amazing to see how his facial expression never changed one bit.

“The weather is getting worse. I suggest you go back now, Madam,” said Evin, looking at the sky.

“All right. Let me give some instructions to the men in the hospital and then we can go.”

Indeed, a few instructions were sufficient for the men to know what to do even if she was absent.

Cassandra had been surprised with how fast some of the younger soldiers were able to learn from her.

Many were very proactive and curious too, always asking questions and coming up with suggestions.

They obviously held her in high esteem, as she was always called “Lady Cassandra” or “Lady of the

Mountain” by the men. Some were coming daily, even for a few hours, just to learn more from her and

spread the knowledge about first aid around. She didn’t feel too bad about leaving the mountain a bit

earlier than usual that day, knowing she was leaving it in good hands.

Since the wind was too strong, Krai stayed on the ground, walking beside her, its huge body actually

shielding Cassandra from the snow during the whole trip back.

“This is going to be a storm,” said Evin.

“Are the storms bad here?”

“They can be, but the men only need to stay confined in their tents. If it lasts several days though, it can

be problematic.”

Cassandra nodded, and looked up. It was all grey and white in the sky. How long would this last? Evin

was probably right, as the snowfall was getting heavier. Snow was piling up on Krai’s back. As they

progressed in the camp, many men warned her to take cover, too. Cassandra was looking for the

Prince though, and was directed to one of the training grounds. Despite the name, it was in one of the

buildings.

A very large room, like an interior stadium, was conceived for men to train and attend meetings inside.

It could easily contain thousands of men and their steeds. There weren’t any horses when Cassandra

got there though, actually most of it was empty. On one side a group of men were practising

movements all together and on the other some were doing physical exercises. The center was the

busiest, twenty soldiers in full armor were all fighting against one man, Kairen, alone with two swords.

Immediately, Cassandra couldn’t help but worry about the obvious difference.

“Is this okay?”

“Probably not. I hope His Highness remembers it’s a pain to replace soldiers.”

Cassandra frowned. Was the Prince still at an advantage, despite the numbers? He didn’t even have

his armor on!

Yet, after a few minutes of observing the battle, she had no choice but to admit Evin was right. The

Prince had no need for armor. With his two swords, he effortlessly dismissed any attempt the soldiers

made to get to him. He didn’t even seem to get tired, or put any effort in. Each movement was perfect

and precise. Despite his broad frame, he moved with the agility and speed of a tiger. His muscles’ hard

at work were showing with each gesture, under his tan skin.

Cassandra couldn’t help but slowly start blushing after a while. The lines of his body were just dancing

perfectly, the Prince’s perfect form revealed. Cassandra felt a slight fever coming up inside. She could

have used some more of the snow.

She was just watching from the side, but Cassandra was hypnotized by the fight, as if it had been some

dance. Her heart fluttering with each of the Prince’s moves, she reacted to every action, fearing for him

when a soldier seemed to stand a chance, relieved when he pushed them back, excited when he

attacked himself.

As Cassandra didn’t bother him and stood silently, Kairen hadn’t noticed her entrance. Yet, the fight

was over after only a few minutes. Each of the twenty soldiers, no matter how good they were, ended

up butt or face in the sand, full of aches and muscle pains. Kairen was unscathered.

“How impressive,” whispered Cassandra.

“Of course. His Highness wasn’t named this Empire’s War God for nothing,” said Evin.

She couldn’t even hear Evin, her green eyes still stuck on her Prince. Kairen’s skin was barely

sweating despite all this exercise, but it was shiny and lustrous, making her blush even more. She

could vividly remember the feel of his skin under her fingers.

“Shall we go get His Highness?”

Just as Evin suggested that, Kairen’s eyes suddenly turned to them. Cassandra immediately blushed

even more from having his eyes on her. Just as the Prince turned to walk up to her, Cassandra saw

one of the soldiers aiming a knife at him.

“My Lord!” she yelled, a bit too late.

Though Kairen’s shoulder movement to dodge was near perfect, it was a second too late. The blade

scratched his shoulder, before falling on the ground. A vivid red line appeared on Kairen’s skin, before

he turned to the man who had done this. Cassandra’s heart was worried for a moment. Was he going

to kill the soldier? Or get mad for attacking from behind? And injuring a member of the Imperial Family?

But contrary to all her thoughts, Kairen talked to the man, calmly, something she couldn’t hear. They

exchanged words briefly.

“What’s going on?” she asked Evin, confused.

“That man managed to injure the War God. His Highness is asking for his name and unit, for him to be

rewarded.”

“Rewarded? Isn’t wounding the Imperial Family something to be punished?”

“Things are different on a training ground.”

Cassandra nodded. So it did seem. The Prince’s talk with the soldier was short, though. As soon as he

was done, he turned around and walked to Cassandra. She found herself unable to stop blushing again

as he came closer.

Once he faced her, as she was on some stairs that put her at the same height as him, he put his arm

around her waist and leaned in for a kiss. Despite Evin being there, Cassandra couldn’t resist him,

putting her hands on his chest to respond. His smell was even stronger after training, enticing her.

Their kiss lasted a while, as Kairen kept playing with her tongue, caressing her hair and holding her

close.

When they parted, Cassandra had to catch her breath a bit.

“Why are you so red?” he asked his concubine with a frown.

“I was…watching you,” she admitted, unable to answer any further.

“It made you like this?” he asked with a little smirk, his hand noticeably going down her back.

Cassandra felt ashamed that his hands were exciting her even more, and in the presence of Evin, too!

She was about to burn away if things kept going.

“My Prince, a winter storm is coming… Can we go back to our tent?” she asked shyly.

Kairen frowned a bit, turning to Evin, who nodded.Then, without adding a word, Kairen lifted

Cassandra, carrying her effortlessly against his shoulder. Since she knew there was no use in

protesting against this, Cassandra held on to him until Kairen brought her back to the tent, inside which

Evin didn’t follow.

Once inside, Kairen put her down, and she put her fur coat aside.

“My Lord, let me look at your injury, it…”

“It’s fine.”

But Cassandra didn’t listen and got on her toes to take a look at it. Immediately, she wondered if her

eyes were going crazy. Instead of the injury from earlier, on the Prince’s shoulder she could see a line

of… little black scales?

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 31​

The Dragon’s Blood

She had never seen anything like it before. Not on a man’s skin…What were those? Little black scales

appeared on the injury, covering it. She could only see a darker shade where the blood was visible

before. Hypnotized, Cassandra slowly caressed the scales. They had a similar feel to Krai’s, she

thought.

“What is this?” she asked softly.

“The Dragon’s Blood. Our blood reacts anytime we are injured and does this.”

A trait of the Imperial Family…No wonder they were seen as gods. To have this kind of heavenly

capability was unimaginable for common folk. Yet, from just a scratch, Kairen had little scales

immediately blooming to cover it up. The scales were a dusky black color, was it because his dragon

was black, too? Did his brothers have similar abilities? This was so fascinating.

As she kept brushing the scales with her fingers, Kairen grabbed her hand, bringing her attention back

to him. They were finally together and alone after a long day. And with a winter storm raging outside,

they would surely be alone for a while longer.

He grasped her lips, kissing her slowly, enjoying her sweet taste. Cassandra’s lips were always soft

and a light, delicious pink. He played with them, his tongue imposing a rhythm she was now used to.

Even if the Prince’s kiss got a bit more forceful, Cassandra liked it and knew how to respond. Actually,

she was maybe liking his forcefulness a bit too much. The strength of his hands, even as he caressed

her gently, warmed her up. She put her hands around his neck, closed her eyes, and let herself go in

his arms. Kairen, too, was growing hungry for her. His hands got lower, caressing her hips, pulling her

dress up. That day she was wearing a white dress, he thought this color looked better than red on her.

As soon as she was left bare-chested and in her panties in front of him, he grabbed her and lifted her

up, holding her a bit higher than him without interrupting their kiss. His bare torso against her skin was

warming Cassandra up alarmingly fast. She loved the feel of his warm skin and the strong masculine

scent that came from it. With Kairen’s hands holding her butt Cassandra held on to his neck, kissing

him some more, feeling her arousal as much as his. She wasn’t even doubting her own desires

anymore. She wanted him. She wanted this man to make her his.

Cassandra whispered those words into the Prince’s ear, and after a second of silence, he landed her

back on the bed, exposed with her legs split open in front of him.

As she blushed, Cassandra watched him quickly undo his belt, getting rid of her last piece of clothing,

and she closed her eyes just as the Prince penetrated her. She let out a long sigh of relief as he slowly

went farther, feeding her with his warmth and hard rod. They both had no patience this time. He started

moving immediately, in and out, rubbing her insides and feeling her around his cock. Cassandra was

reacting to each move, crying out, moaning, letting go and taking pleasure in his assaults. She liked his

forceful, strong strokes that made the mattress jump and the bed squeak. The way it made her hot and

gasping, the burn that spread between her legs. Cassandra held on to his shoulder and the bed sheets,

feeling his thrusts become faster and deeper, making her all hot and fuzzy.

Kairen wasn’t anywhere close to stopping either. He wanted more, always more. His hip movements

became faster, loudly slapping against Cassandra’s skin. Her white skin was getting more flushed as

he kept going, and her exposed breasts were pointing up too. He grabbed one, fondling it without

slowing down his thrusts. She was the perfect size for him, and soft under his fingers. He loved playing

with them and seeing her react. Indeed, Cassandra was moaning louder, her head thrown back, her

legs trembling under his forceful strokes. Her hand grabbed his wrist, but he barely felt the pressure.

“More?” he asked in a raspy voice.

“More, please, please…” she whispered, her eyes still closed.

Holding her thigh, Kairen kept going, tirelessly. His rod filled her to the brim, faster and faster, the

sound of their flesh slapping together filled the air. She was tight around him, pressing against him,

deliciously holding him in. He felt like he could keep going forever inside her, their bodies feeling

insanely good together.

Cassandra was close to coming though. He could tell from her red cheeks, her erratic moans, and her

quivering pussy. He wouldn’t slow down. She would feel his cock again and again, going at it without

rest. She had no way to stop her climax. Like a hot bomb exploding, she suddenly spasmed, her whole

body trembling after one more push.

One more

Kairen slowed down, watching her as she exhaled loudly, bending to kiss her breasts.

“You came… ” he whispered.

She couldn’t blush anymore, but the embarrassment was the same. Cassandra wished she could hide

but no, she was completely exposed in front of her Prince. Gasping for air, she undid her hair trying to

gather her senses. Kairen didn’t pull out though, and she couldn’t ignore his hot, and still rock-hard rod

inside her. It was hard to calm down in those conditions. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes, trying to

evade her post-orgasm haze.

“I’m not done.”

His words took her by surprise.

Grabbing her by the hips, Kairen suddenly pulled out and had her turn over. She was butt naked in

front of him, unable to see him. The Prince took her legs down, having her feet touch the floor, as she

was bent over the mattress. Cassandra remembered this position from the hot springs and gasped.

Kairen’s hardness was at her entrance, pressing again, and she exhaled loudly as he penetrated her

once more. She was still plenty wet and he didn’t hold himself back. The sensations were different, but

the heat was the same. Cassandra couldn’t withhold her moans as the War God took her savagely

from behind, without rest. He was holding her by the hips, imposing his rhythm, pinning her down on

the mattress. His cock filling her, ramming inside, Cassandra kept crying out, completely out of her

mind. Her legs, still weak from the previous orgasm, were tensing and shaking.

She couldn’t see, but she could hear Kairen’s hot breath and his hips slamming against her backside

repeatedly. The squishy sounds remained, as he kept going, and her own voice, hoarse and

exhausted, yet still loud and out of control. She couldn’t control anything. Cassandra was just taking

him in, crying out from the pleasure, feeling his back and forth, unable to predict his rod’s assaults. 1

“Huh… Ah! Pl… Please… Slow… Ah! Hn, hn…down…” she begged.

If Kairen heard her, he didn’t make it known. He didn’t slow down, instead, he intensified his assaults,

thrusting harder. Cassandra couldn’t say how long it lasted, or how her body held up. She bit her lip

and kept moaning whilst still trying to breathe, feeling the burn between her legs, the waves of pleasure

still tortured her restlessly.

At some point, finally, she heard his breathing get huskier. His movements suddenly became more

erratic, brutal and deeper thrusts inside her, making her cry out again. The Prince unleashed his

pleasure inside her with a groan, spasming and cumming profusely.

Cassandra had no more strength. Her legs completely numb, she lay there resting a bit on the mattress

while the Prince slowly pulled out. This time, she was sweating too. How long had this been? Minutes

or hours, she couldn’t tell.

Kairen’s lips flirted with her back, caressing her rosy skin, gently.

“Cassandra?” he called to her softly, pulling her to him.

She definitely couldn’t stand, so she sat in front of him still in a bit of a daze. Kairen lifted her up

though, and to her surprise, brought her to the large water basin that was in a corner of the room. She

hadn’t even noticed it.

He got in and sat Cassandra between his legs. The water that may have been hot earlier. was now

lukewarm. If she

wasn’t resting against the Prince’s torso, Cassandra might even have found it cold. The water felt good

on her burning skin though. She closed her eyes, resting her head on Kairen’s shoulder, feeling it calm

her down. Her insides were still hot and a bit uncomfortable from so much sex, so she focused on

something else, laying her legs in front of her and taking deep breaths.

Kairen gently put an arm around her in silence, kissing her shoulder. They could hear the snow storm,

the wind blowing outside and the little fire crackling in the chimney pit. Only the War God could have

enough warmth with such a little fire though. Cassandra knew she would have been much colder

without him.

She shivered a bit as he gently wet her hair. The water running down her, she felt the Prince sliding the

soap across her skin, gently washing her. Cassandra sighed silently. He was probably the only Prince

to wash his slave. She couldn’t refuse him though. Instead she made sure to do the same for him,

washing the dust and sweat off him with lots of soap.

“I remember the first time you washed me,” he suddenly whispered with a smirk.

Cassandra could remember it too.

“You were a bit too nasty,” she replied with a little pout.

Kairen still felt playful. He caressed her hip in a gentle but enticing way. Cassandra was too exhausted

for more sex, but she didn’t push him away. She enjoyed his touch, the water around her, and this

peaceful atmosphere around them.

“Let’s go back.”

“Back?” she asked, a bit surprised. “To the Onyx Castle?”

He nodded.

“Once the storm is over. Let’s fly back there for a few days. You need more stuff.”

More stuff? What was he thinking about? Clothes, probably? But Cassandra had another matter in

mind. “What about the hospital? I cannot abandon all the patients…”

Kairen frowned, a bit unhappy.

“They’ll do fine without you.”

“How long will we stay at the Onyx Castle?”

“We’ll see,” replied Kairen, visibly unwilling to say anymore.

Cassandra left her questions aside, thinking a bit. She would be happy to go back, see the girls again.

They had only been gone for just over a week, but the Onyx Castle felt so far away. She felt a bit happy

to go back. She wondered if she should think of anything to do while they were there.

Outside, the storm was raging. How long could a winter storm last? Actually, Kairen was probably right

about the hospital. And she didn’t mind waiting in this tent for a couple more days. It would be just the

two of them in the tent, after all.

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 32​

The Pink Dresses

The winter storm lasted two nights and two days. During that time, Cassandra and Kairen spent all their

time together in their tent. It was cold, but their bodies were enough to warm each other up. Evin and a

couple of other Imperial Servants showed up from time to time to bring in food, and disappeared just as

quickly as they appeared.

It was like they were in their own cocoon, far from the troubles their difference in status brought, far

from any concerns about the camp or the Capital.

Though as soon as the storm calmed down, they were both ready to resume their duties. After a long

kiss goodbye, Kairen and Cassandra parted. The Prince left to see his men, and Cassandra walked

back to the hospital. She had some company on the way.

“Good Morning, Madam.”

“Morning, Evin. Are you okay?”

“We are used to storms such as this, Madam.”

As usual, the Imperial Servant was a man of few words. The black dragon following her every step was

more noisy though. Maybe because it had been alone outside for a while, Krai was literally beside her

every step, and

g a bit whenever Cassandra ignored it for too long. However, she was glad Krai walked next to her, as

she had to hold on to the dragon to make her way through the snow. It was soft like powder, but so high

sometimes she would stumble or have a hard time stepping into it. Thankfully, Krai’s hot body made

most of the snow around them melt under its steps, though it soaked Cassandra’s dress. It took a long

time for them to reach the hospital and Cassandra was a bit anxious. Were the men alright? How many

of them would have suffered during the storm?

As soon as she stepped in though, it seemed like everything had been fine, despite her absence. The

volunteers present were doing great following the instructions she had left on some papers and actually

didn’t notice her before she stepped into one of the rooms.

“Lady of the Mountain! Welcome back!”

“Lady Cassandra!”

A few men ran to her, asking many questions at the same time until Evin ordered everyone to calm

down. Cassandra was mostly needed to instruct how to treat complex injuries, which disease they were

dealing with, and how to make new ointments and serums. It didn’t take long though. Sadly, as she had

feared, the cold brought by the winter storm had killed the men who were already sick. Some who had

been injured by falling trees or other accidents had come in too, but nothing major. Cassandra did her

best in a few hours, but she was supposed to depart with the Prince before nighttime.

Hence, she left after giving some more instructions to the volunteers present. She was still hoping to

find real apprentices, but for now those men were doing great on their own.

To her surprise, when Cassandra walked out of the hospital the Prince was already there putting some

bags on his dragon’s back. Krai was calmly resting in his presence, though its eyes followed

Cassandra.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes, My Lord. Are we leaving now?”

“Get on,” he said with a nod.

Cassandra could now climb Krai by herself, but Kairen still helped her. Evin watched the two take their

places on the dragon’s back. The black beast probably already sensed what was happening since it

stretched his wings and got up. Kairen held Cassandra, as the dragon moving around caused her to

lose her balance.

Then as usual, the dragon took off, shortly flying high in the grey sky. It was colder than the previous

time, and Cassandra felt the bitter wind despite her thick cloak and the Prince holding her. Her cheeks Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.

were red and she covered her mouth as her throat started to ache a bit from breathing the cold air.

Kairen looked fine, as usual, although he did put on a winter cloak as well this time.

The black dragon had to make double the effort to fly due to the strong wind and the snow. It wasn’t as

bad as during the winter storm, but Cassandra couldn’t see any of the landscape below or far away.

She even wondered how Krai knew where to go when they couldn’t even see the ground. However, the

dragon didn’t seem to mind. It was flying confidently, not even bothered by the snowfall, or the winds

challenging its wings.

Yet, it took a bit longer for them to reach the castle, or so Cassandra thought. Maybe it was because of

the cold, but she was glad when Krai finally landed on the white coat in the Onyx Castle grounds. Just

like before, Patrina hurried out to welcome them, followed by the other servants. Though they did not

dare to say a word in front of the Prince, the young girls’ eyes were shining bright in Cassandra’s

direction. She could tell they were holding back from running to her.

Patrina stepped forward, bowing to the Prince.

“Welcome back, My Lord. I hope you had a pleasant trip. Several deliveries from the palace have been

made.”

“Where is it?”

“It was put in your room, as ordered, My Lord.”

Kairen nodded and walked into the castle. Cassandra thought he didn’t need her, but just when she

was parting ways with him to go greet the girls, the Prince turned around.

“Cassandra. Come.”

A bit surprised, she followed after him. Did he need her to unpack or something? She wished she could

have greeted the others before going upstairs. The Prince seemed impatient though. He climbed the

stairs up to his room so fast she could barely follow in his footsteps. When they finally arrived, five large

chests were in the room, as Patrina had said. Kairen walked up to the closest one and opened it.

“Cassandra.”

She walked up to him to look at the contents. She found herself speechless. Jewelry! So many

emeralds, diamonds, other gems, and gold she could have gone blind. What was all this? This was

worth so much! Kairen frowned upon seeing her shocked expression.

“You don’t like those?”

“What? My Lord, this is…”

“From my father. They said you would be rewarded, didn’t they? It came late.”

Cassandra suddenly remembered the very short moment when two servants had indeed mentioned a

reward, back at the Palace, for becoming the War God’s Concubine. However, she only expected a few

gold coins, not five big chests full of treasures!

A bit unable to process what she was seeing, she slowly took out a few of the items present, one by

one. There were so many, she could barely believe her eyes. She had a long necklace with emeralds in

one hand and something like a gold tiara in the other. She tried to count, but the numbers and the

thought of the overall price made her dizzy. There was every type of jewelry one could think of. From

bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, even toe rings, to tiaras, and hairpins. She had never seen so

much in one place. And all of these were meant for her?

Cassandra got up and opened another one of the chests. Unlike the first that she found full of jewelry,

this one was filled with dresses, Luxurious, warm, and deep red dresses, all aligned there. She got on

her knees and took one out, too curious. This dress had nothing in common with her current attire.

They were both red dresses, but

the one Cassandra was currently wearing looked very shabby and dull in comparison. The dress she

had taken out of the chest was a deep, beautiful red, and was very detailed too. There were

embroideries and thin little gems in it, making it shine subtly whenever it moved.

“It’s beautiful…” she whispered to herself, impressed with the craftsmanship.

“They are all yours. No more dirty dresses.”

He opened the last two chests for her to see. The fourth one was filled with dresses as well, in every

shade of red that existed. Apparently, she wouldn’t have to wear any white anymore. The last chest

contained little boxes and bottles, mostly perfumes, creams, and makeup. The kind her previous

mistress had by the hundreds, and abused everyday to keep herself pretty. Cassandra wasn’t too fond

of those, however. Some of the products in the Empire were expensive and not so useful, sometimes

having very strong smells but not much benefit to the skin. Maybe she could try to make her own, now

that she could access the herbs she wanted. 1

Kairen walked up to her, crouching down to her level.

“You don’t like those?”

“1… love them. They are very beautiful. Thank you, My Lord.”

A faint smile appeared on Kairen’s face, as he caressed her hair gently.

“They are from my father. No more dirt.”

Cassandra knew he was talking about the horrid state of the white dress she wore on their first

encounter. The young concubine could still vividly remember the terrible color the water turned when

she washed it. These dresses had nothing to do with the cheap white linen she had known for most of

her life. Cassandra couldn’t even recognize all the fabrics in there. She knew some master creators

held the secret to fabrics like the celestial silk or the heavenly wool.

She was completely impressed with how fast these had been delivered here, and in such quantity too.

There was plenty enough for one woman! She didn’t even know where she could put these. Was she

supposed to keep all those in the chests?

“Don’t you want to change?” asked Kairen, a bit impatient.

She nodded, yes. Those dresses were probably more befitting of the winter weather anyways. Was

that kept in mind when they sent those to her? She took a few minutes picking one, and noticed there

were both winter and summer dresses in there. She had so many choices! On a rough estimate, there

were about thirty dresses. She finally chose one that looked warm enough and not overly luxurious to

put on.

It was long and a darker red with extra layers to keep her warm, only showing off her shoulders and

collar line. There were embroideries and little gems around her chest, on the arms, and on the fur

around the skirt and wrists.

As Cassandra tried it on, it was obvious the dress was a perfect fit on her. Was it tailored? Moreover, it

was her first time wearing such a fine-quality item. The fabric was very soft on her skin, and the color

was beautiful. She really liked it, though she felt a bit shy wearing such an expensive dress. She turned

around to show it to Kairen.

But the Prince was frowning a bit. Cassandra felt a bit sad that he wasn’t too enthusiastic about her

outfit. She had wished that he would find her prettier in those.

“What is it, Your Highness? Don’t you like it?”

“This color. It doesn’t suit you.”

Cassandra looked down. Did he not like red? She couldn’t change though. All the dresses were red,

different shades of red, but still red. She looked at herself in the large mirror in the room. She could see

what he meant. With pale skin, green eyes, and brown hair, cold colours suited her more. This deep

red was a bit too much.

There wasn’t anything they could do about it though. The Empire was very color-coded when it came to

the official outfits. In the Empire, slaves wore white, common people wore colors from yellow to dark

brown, servants wore blue or green depending on their masters and statuses, and the Officials wore

grey or black according to their ranks. The Concubines could only wear two colors: red or pink.

Cassandra was only a low-ranked concubine, thus red was her colour. Pink would have complemented

her better, but it wasn’t something she could access for

now.

There were several ways to become a High-ranking Concubine: be of noble birth, do something that

would benefit the Empire and the Emperor could reward her for it, or bear Kairen a child. While the first

one was impossible for her, she couldn’t access the last two for now, either.

“Would you rather me keep wearing white, My Lord?”

This only made Kairen frown more. He shook his head, holding out his hand for her to take. She joined

him.

“It’s fine for now. We’ll work on making you a high-ranking Concubine later. “

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 33​

The Wild Beasts

“Don’t you have enough now?”

Nebora was frowning while looking at everything Cassandra had bought. Three full baskets of

medicinal herbs on the little chariot behind them. The concubine was still looking at the stalls, smelling

more herbs and observing the products. Cassandra chuckled.

“Not yet. This is my first time seeing a market in the North, and we rode two hours to get here. I should

make sure I don’t miss anything before we go, shouldn’t I?”

“You’re a really strange woman. You have five chests full of riches, yet all you care about are spices

and herbs.”

Cassandra had never really cared for those things. The young girls at the castle however, had been

excited to check out her new dresses and jewelry, and even played with it when the Prince wasn’t

around. She had fun reuniting with the other girls and answering their endless questions about the

military camp and soldiers. It was like she had gotten a lot of younger sisters all at once.

Nebora, however, was two years older and more composed. She was a bit interested in the jewelry, but

didn’t dare touch it. She only helped Cassandra tie her hair up with golden hairpins and suggested a

couple of bracelets for her to wear.

When the young concubine had insisted on going to the nearest village, she had been the only one

allowed to go with her. The other servant girls had much work to do with the Prince back, and Patrina

had made sure to keep them busy. After Kairen agreed, Cassandra and Nebora had left with only a

chariot and a horse they borrowed from the castle.

“I’m still curious on how you got His Highness to let you go alone,” said Nebora.

“It’s only a couple of hours by foot. He can be there in ten minutes if he flies. And I doubt anything will

happen here.”

She moved on to the next stall where the man greeted her with a polite smile despite his eyes being

riveted on her red dress.

“Well, with the Army so close, no bandits are stupid enough to come to this area, but we still have wild

beasts, you know.”

“You said they only come out at night.”

“That’s why we better be back before nightfall.”

“Yes, yes…”

Cassandra grabbed a batch of herbs, which were dry, and caressed it between her fingers. It was from

the smallest basket on the stall, and he only had half a dozen of those. She slowly smelled it. She

addressed the man selling it.

“Lavender?”

“Yes, My Lady. My Lady knows well!”

“You don’t grow that here, do you?”

“My sister grows those a bit further south, My Lady. We cannot grow much here, but those travel a long

time…”

“Is it still good if it’s dry?” asked Nebora with a frown.

“Lavender is great,” replied Cassandra, handing her the little batch. “Any flower can be dried and used

like that.”

“Can you eat it?”

“It’s mostly used to perfume things. You can make beauty products, incense, and perfumes. Lavender

is good for calming the nerves and relaxing the body, in small amounts.”

The merchant whistled after listening to Cassandra’s explanation.

“My Lady, you’re very knowledgeable! Most folks in this area wouldn’t even know what this is called!

Give me a second!”

He looked at the back of his stall for something while Cassandra gathered money to pay for her

purchase. Fortunately, Patrina had already converted the gold bar into money and given her a good

amount of it. There was so much though, that despite everything they had bought that day she hadn’t

even used a third of it yet.

“Here it is! My Lady, do you know this?”

The man handed her what seemed like a batch of black paper. Cassandra’s eyes opened wide in

surprise when she took it.

“Is that…dry seaweed?”

“It is! I knew you’d recognize it!”

“Dry seaweed?” asked Nebora, completely lost.

“It’s plants from the sea you let dry and you can eat.”

“Eat? You want to eat this black stuff?”

Cassandra chuckled and tore a little bit to eat. It was salty but as good as the one she had known in

her childhood. Better even. Nebora was baffled, but the merchant smiled from ear to ear.

“It was imported from very, very far in the South, but it stays dry and edible! I bought it a while ago, but

it’s hard to sell to the people around here. They are wary of what they don’t know.”

“How much do you have?” asked Cassandra.

“Here we go again,” sighed Nebora.

“You know, it’s good for keeping the body young,” said the young concubine.

“Young?”

Nebora frowned, but took one of the sheets, observing it with curiosity. She hesitated a bit before

tasting it, but seemed confused.

“What an odd taste…”

“I’ll cook it, you’ll see.”

Cassandra took a while discussing it with the merchant, who was happy to see someone so

knowledgeable. The young concubine was ecstatic too. Nebora knew Cassandra was holding herself

back from buying too many herbs, but she didn’t understand why. It wasn’t like the Prince was going to

be anywhere near poor even if she bought the whole market! Besides, most of the purchases weren’t

even for herself, but for cooking for everyone or creating new medicine. She really was an odd one.

Suddenly, a shadow flew over the sky. Everyone at the market raised their heads.

“Isn’t that His Highness’ Dragon?”

“It is…”

The merchants, afraid, ran to take cover. Neither of the two women moved, their eyes cast upwards.

The black dragon didn’t stop, however. It was headed further, and didn’t even look down their way,

Cassandra frowned.

“Is he going to hunt? So far?”

“That was the direction of the palace,” said Cassandra, intrigued as well.

She couldn’t see if Kairen was on his dragon’s back from that distance. Yet she had an odd feeling

about this. They watched the beast’s silhouette until it was too far, then she turned to Nebora.

“Let’s go back.”

“Okay. It’s getting late anyway, we better go now if we want to arrive before night time.”

They quickly finished purchasing what they needed, filled their chariot, and got on their way back. It

wasn’t an easy path back to the castle as it wasn’t used often, but it was wide enough and their horse

knew its way.

However, as Nebora had feared, the sun went down fast behind the mountains. They were still far

away from the castle when the temperatures fell and both women tightened their coats around them.

Nebora had the horse speed up, though the night was clear and a thin coat of snow was surrounding

them. Thanks to that and the moonlight, they saw clearly ahead of them, but the castle was still far

behind the winter trees.

Nebora was looking more and more worried, continuing to glance around while hurrying the horse.

“What kind of beasts are there?” asked Cassandra, worried as well.

“We’ll be lucky if it’s only wolves.”

What could there be out there worse than wolves? Cassandra looked around too, looking for any

animal that could be lurking from behind the trees, from the deep darkness in the forest. Cassandra

couldn’t tell how far they were from the castle, but Nebora’s worried look spoke volumes. Not close

enough.

Suddenly, she noticed a growl on their left, somewhere behind them. Cassandra turned around, only

spotting a couple of eyes in the dark, but not the beast they belonged to.

“What’s that!”

“Something looking for fresh meat,” sighed Nebora. “They won’t attack yet, but they are following.

They’re hungry. Come on, hurry up!”

She had the horse accelerate, but with their weight the poor thing was already doing its best.

Cassandra heard more creatures coming after them, rushing in the snow, growling hungrily. Could they

outrun them and get to the castle in time?

“Nebora! Watch out!”

One of the beasts jumped at them, all claws out, but Nebora dodged right in time and it hit the chariot

instead. Cassandra saw it though and it wasn’t a wolf at all.

“Snow leopards! Damn it!”

The snow leopards were white with dark brown spots, explaining how Cassandra struggled to spot

them among the snow and trees. Their fur was a perfect camouflage in this landscape. Except for their Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

glowing eyes, they weren’t hard to see at all. But they were much scarier than wolves!

“Those damn things are faster than wolves or horses,” said Nebora. “They must be hungry, they don’t

usually come down from the mountain this time of the year.”

Cassandra tried to think of something to distract them, but they hadn’t gotten much food from the

market and surely nothing that would look more appetizing than a horse and two humans!

“Let’s abandon the chariot!”

“What?”

Cassandra grabbed the knife under her skirt and used it to cut the ropes, only letting Nebora handle the

reins.

“Jump on the horse!”

Her friend hesitated for a second before obeying, unsure. She landed safely and looked back, holding

her hand out for Cassandra to take. She hurriedly joined her on the horse’s back, as the chariot was

abandoned in the snow behind them.

“Crap…” said Nebora, looking at all their purchases scattered around.

At least this mess, and the chariot falling back disturbed the felines enough for the horse to get some

distance. She was faster with only two women on her back, both of them not too heavy either.

As the servant had said, it wasn’t long until the snow leopards caught up to them though. Cassandra

heard their growls only a few seconds after they had parted with the chariot, and looked back.

Three of them were chasing behind in a triangle formation waiting for the right moment. Cassandra was

at the back, if the leopards attacked they would either get her or the horse.

“Cassandra! Look!”

To her surprise, Nebora was pointing forward. After a few seconds Cassandra saw it. A large human

figure standing in the middle of the road ahead of them. She couldn’t see his features, but she still

knew instantly. 1

“His Highness.”

Kairen stood there waiting, two swords in his hands. When the two women and their horse crossed his

path he didn’t flinch, his black eyes fixated on the creatures behind them.

The snow leopards didn’t miss the new target in front of them. The large human standing still was such

easy prey. However, as they approached, some of the felines slowed down by mere instinct. Two

young ones didn’t though. They jumped at the same time.

Blood stained the snow and the felines dropped dead at the Prince’s feet. Their peers growled, angry.

Some were still lurking around, but were either too smart or listening to their instincts. They didn’t dare

approach within reach of the Prince’s swords.

Cassandra wasn’t sure if they were supposed to wait for him, but Nebora didn’t stop. She watched the

silhouette as they rode away. Once they arrived at the castle a few minutes later, Patrina and the girls

ran to them.

“Lady Cassandra! Nebora! How could you come back so late?! Are you both alright?”

“We’re fine, Patrina,” sighed Nebora. “Just had a big fright.”

“His Highness stayed behind,” said Cassandra, worried.

“Don’t worry about him,” replied the old woman. “Come on, come inside and drink some hot tea, both of

you. You’re freezing…”

“I’m damn sweating!” groaned Nebora. “That was the most hellish ride of my life. I need a bath. And

Olive deserves a treat too.”

Cassandra patted the poor horse. It had been very brave to bring them both back safely. Marian and

Helmond hurried to take care of the horse, taking it back to the stables, while Bina and Prunie

accompanied the women to the kitchen. Patrina made some hot wine for both of them to drink after

Nebora insisted. Cassandra, however, couldn’t swallow anything. She was too worried for her Prince.

“Don’t worry, Lady Cassandra, His Highness is too strong!” said Bina.

“She’s right, you know,” added Nebora. “He won’t be taken down by a few big cats. He’ll be back

perfectly fine in a couple of hours, you’ll see.”

However, Kairen wasn’t back two hours later. Cassandra, who had finally drank some wine and was

exhausted, even fell asleep in the kitchen waiting for him. Nebora helped her up to the bedroom since

she was half-asleep.

“Don’t worry, sleep. He’ll be fine.”

Cassandra couldn’t find a peaceful sleep. Why wasn’t he back yet? And where had Krai gone, so far

from its owner…?

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 34​

The Dragon’s Egg

The next morning Cassandra woke up early, around sunrise. Someone was slowly caressing her hair

and bare skin. Remembering the events of the previous day, she opened her eyes and checked

around, worried.

“My Lord!”

Kairen was indeed there, on the side of the bed, sitting there while watching her. She jumped, her arms

wrapping around his neck to hold him, letting out all her worries from the previous night. Cassandra

was so worried, she even checked his torso for injuries, but he only had a couple of thin black scale

lines on his arms, already healing themselves. She let out a long sigh of relief and the Prince put his This content is © NôvelDrama.Org.

hand around her neck.

“I was so worried.”

“You’re fine now.”

Didn’t he understand that she was worried about him at all? He only kept looking at her for a long time,

like he was trying to capture her face in his mind, until Cassandra blushed. Kairen seemed a bit odd

this morning.

“Is there something wrong, My Lord?”

“No.”

He got up and brought her one of the usual gold trays, with fruits, meat, and cheese. Cassandra was a

bit lost though and ignored the food. She tried to think of what could be wrong.

“When did you get back, My Lord? I meant to wait for you, but I fell asleep…”

“Late in the night.”

“Did you get any sleep at all?” she asked, worried.

“I did.”

She frowned. She couldn’t even tell if he had slept beside her, she was too exhausted herself.

Suddenly, she thought of something else.

“Is your dragon back yet?”

Kairen immediately frowned slightly.

“Not yet…He will be here soon.”

Was the problem with Krai then? Cassandra couldn’t help but worry about its absence. It didn’t seem

usual for the dragon to leave, and go so far away and for so long, without its master. Did that explain

Kairen’s odd behavior this morning?

Probably no one else but Cassandra would have noticed anything was different with the Prince, but she

was sure. He even seemed a bit…uneasy. She grabbed a bit of food, eating in silence, lost in her

thoughts. Kairen didn’t say a word either, watching her eat, sometimes taking some meat as well.

After a while, a little knock was heard on the door.

“Your Highness? May I come in?”

Nebora walked in as soon as Kairen gave permission, bringing in hot water and soap for Cassandra.

Kairen got up and left without a word, leaving his concubine even more confused than before. She

turned to Nebora.

“Nebora! Do you know what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. His Highness is acting…odd.”

Her friend frowned, turning her head towards where the Prince had just left.

“Odd? How so? Come, I’ll help you bathe.”

It was weird to have her own friend help her take a bath, but Cassandra didn’t say no. She had gone to

bed quite dirty last night and this was more than welcome. She got into the bath, where Nebora poured

the hot water, and started washing herself.

“I don’t know, he seems uneasy.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Cassie. His Highness isn’t like usual? I couldn’t tell the

difference. But the dragon isn’t back yet. Maybe it has to do with that. We saw it leave in the direction

of the palace, didn’t we? Perhaps something happened there? I guess we won’t know until it comes

back. Oh, I’ll wash your hair too, give me that.”

She let Nebora tend to her and help her wash her long brown hair, trying to relax a bit. Maybe she was

just worrying too much and it was nothing. Yet she couldn’t shake off this feeling that something big

was about to happen.

“He retrieved our stuff, by the way.”

“His Highness?”

“Yeah. He came back late last night with the chariot and everything in it! I already took your herbs to

the storage, as we had discussed. Oh, and he even killed some snow leopards! It’s awesome, do you

know how expensive their fur is? We can make you some great coats with that!”

Cassandra didn’t feel much about getting a snow leopard coat, but she was impressed by her Prince

once more. He had managed to kill several of those beasts all by himself and carry their cart back

home? The War God was truly worthy of his title!

Once she was done bathing, Nebora picked a new red dress for her and insisted that Cassandra wear

some jewelry. After a bit of arguing, she was made to wear some little ruby earrings and a gold hairpin.

Nebora even helped her apply a bit of lip balm and scented cream on her neck.

Cassandra felt a bit odd wearing so much, but she was prettier than ever. When she and Nebora got

down to the castle’s open area, Marian and Prunie ran to them, all sparkles in their eyes.

“Cassandra, you look so pretty!”

“Are those real rubies?”

“Hands off!” said Nebora. “Don’t forget, Cassandra is our friend, but she’s also His Highness’

Concubine. Don’t touch her stuff with your dirty hands!”

“Nebora, you meanie!”

Cassandra chuckled at the girls’ bickering. She had missed all of them, and insisted on making some

tea for them. They walked to the kitchen, meeting the rest of the castle’s staff there. Cassandra brought

out some of her new herbs to make tea, all the younger girls watching her with expectation.

“It smells so good!” said Bina, humming.

“It’s citrus and mint tea,” explained Cassandra before serving them.

“A Concubine shouldn’t be pouring tea for servants,” said Patrina with a frown.

Nebora rolled her eyes at her.

“Who caies, it’s just tea and we are the only ones here.”

“Do you know where Krai or His Highness are?” asked Cassandra to Patrina.

“His Highness just went to the dragon’s field. His dragon might be coming back soon.”

“The dragon’s field?”

“More like his playground,” explained Nebora. “It’s the black dragon’s favorite spot, it usually lands

there instead of directly inside the castle like last time.”

Cassandra immediately put down her teapot and grabbed her coat again, hurrying outside. Did this

mean Krai was about to come back? Nebora and Prunie ran after her, but she was walking too fast.

Nebora helped her find her a way outside to a little hill, where indeed, her Prince was standing still, a

hand on his sword. He was looking at the sky when Cassandra walked up to him.

“My Lord?” she softly called him.

“Cassandra. What are you doing outside?”

It wasn’t so cold though and she walked easily through the thin coat of snow to get to him. He grabbed

her as soon as she was in his reach, pulling her against him.

“Are you waiting for Krai to come back, My Lord?”

“Look.”

She turned her head up to where he was hinting at, a little dark shape appeared a couple of seconds

later in the sky. Krai! It was obviously a dark dragon and she recognized its large size and way of

agitating its tail even from such a distance. How high was it? It was slowly going down to them, getting

closer with each flap of its wings. Cassandra felt her heart warm up a little as the dragon was coming

down.

Something felt wrong, however. Krai was more agitated than usual. What was going on? It took her a

while to realize a silhouette was standing on its back. Did the black dragon usually let someone ride it?

Who was that?

With Krai coming closer, preparing to land, she finally recognized the feminine silhouette, totally

surprised.

“Princess Shareen?”

A minute later, there was no more place for doubt. Krai landed swiftly, though it immediately ran to

Cassandra, disregarding its rider.

Imperial Princess Shareen didn’t seem to be unbalanced, however. She got down with a little jump,

landing perfectly on the snow. She was wearing a sexy purple dress and a little fur cape on her

shoulders. She smirked upon seeing Cassandra, and Kairen next to her.

“Sister.”

“Hello, handsome. Happy to see your older sister?”

“Shut it. How did it go?”

Shareen stopped smiling, crossing her arms.

“Not as we expected, unfortunately. Someone took it before us.”

Kairen’s anger on his face scared even Cassandra, who had no idea what was going on. She slowly

stepped aside, as Krai kept nudging her with its head, growling softly, repeatedly asking for her

attention. 1

“Who?” asked her Prince, not hiding his anger.

“Not one of our siblings. Vrehan was furious and Sephir had no idea. Anour even tried to help me

retrieve it, but

someone else got into the vault first. They left a clue though.”

She stepped to him and gave him a little diamond. Kairen’s anger seemed to calm down, as Shareen

smiled.

Bitchy as ever, isn’t she?

“Better her than anyone else.”

Cassandra, who couldn’t take it anymore, stepped forward again, glancing at the little diamond in

Kairen’s hand.

*My Lord, could you tell me what’s going on? Something was stolen? From the Emperor’s vault?

It doesn’t belong to our father, but to you, sweetie.”

“To me?”

Cassandra was confused. Why would something of hers ever be in the Emperor’s vault in the first

place? She had no idea what was going on. Shareen smirked and stepped closer to her with a cunning

expression.

“You don’t know, do you, sweetie? What’s in our Imperial Father’s vault?”

Cassandra shook her head, a bit lost. Behind her, Krai growled at Shareen, annoyed, but the Princess

ignored it, playing with a strand of Cassandra’s hair around her finger.

“Our Imperial Father keeps everything in a very secret place, especially everything about dragons. That

vault is kept by Glahad, our father’s dragon, because it’s connected to the Dragon’s Nest.”

A nest?

*This Empire’s most precious things are Imperial Dragons,” continued Shareen, and their eggs. When a

dragon is ready to have its egg, it goes to the nest, lays its egg, and protects it. So our father always

knows when another dragon will be born.”

Cassandra was completely astonished. She had no idea. She turned to Krai, putting the pieces

together.

“You’re saying… Krai went back to the Palace to …”

“Lay an egg,” said Kairen.

She was starting to understand, looking at the black dragon. But, dragons were linked to Imperial

Family members? So, Krai laying an egg meant…

“Congrats,” said Shareen with that little smirk of hers. “You’re having my brother’s brat.”

Cassandra was floored. She was pregnant? With her Prince’s baby? And Krai having an egg was proof

of that? She turned to the dragon, which was still acting all clingy, asking for scratches from her. Kairen

was still frowning though.

“But…What happened to Krai’s egg, then?” she asked, worried.

“Somebody stole it before I got there,” explained Shareen. “Once an egg appears, it becomes a race to

see who will get to it first.”

“Why would someone steal an egg?” asked Cassandra, confused.

“To try and destroy it,” explained Kairen. “If our son’s dragon is killed, he won’t be acknowledged as an

heir to the throne.” +

“No one wants Kairen to have an heir. Everyone knows Father would pick him as the next Emperor

right away,” sighed Shareen. “So, as soon as Krai had it, it was obvious everyone would try to get that

egg. Someone got there before me though.”

Cassandra glanced at the diamond. Who then? And what did they want with it?

Cassandra glanced at the diamond. Who then? And what did they want with it?

“Who did…”

“Our mother,” growled Kairen. “That old witch stole it.”

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 35​

The Concubine Mother Cassandra was going a bit whiter than usual. She was pregnant with an Imperial Baby! Kairen’s baby,

and a little Prince, too, since only sons were born with a dragon… She couldn’t believe it. They had

been together for only a few weeks! And someone had already stolen the baby’s dragon egg?

“Cassandra.”

Her Prince’s voice barely reached her. Everything was going too fast, too confusing. She slowly started

going down, but Kairen caught her before her legs gave way completely. Krai was agitated around

them, too. Going in circles around her, growling a bit. The War God carried her, turning to the castle to

walk back.

Nebora was worried about her, biting her lips and frowning, yet she didn’t dare to suggest anything on

the way back. All four of them got back to Kairen’s bedroom, where he helped Cassandra sit on his

bed, Nebora immediately kneeling at her side. She put her arms around her stomach, frowning a bit.

“So I really am…pregnant? With His Highness’ child?”

Shareen rolled her eyes.

“Unless he fucked someone else around here, yes, sweetie. An egg means a pregnancy and it was

definitely Krai’s. Hence, the brat is his Master’s. And our mother wouldn’t have bothered with it if it was

anyone else’s.”

“Why would your mother take it?” asked Cassandra. “Shouldn’t it stay with the dragon who…had it?”

“If you want it dead within three days, yes. Our father’s vault is open to any Imperial Family Member,

since it’s guarded by Glahad. And his dragon will let any of his children in. That’s six Princes and about

twenty Princesses, mind you. And I wouldn’t trust any of them near a dragon egg.”

So any of their siblings could be after her baby…and his egg. Since she was living so far away,

protected in the Onyx Castle, Cassandra had almost forgotten what a scary and dangerous place the

Imperial Palace could be. She felt something cold inside her heart, a wave of fear surrounding her. This

baby was only a few days old! What else would she have to face from now on? Could it be born safely?

Just when she was overwhelmed by those thoughts, Kairen surrounded her with his large thick fur

cloak, covering her shoulders. She looked up at him, but her Prince had this dark look in his eyes. A

War God expression. Cassandra took a deep breath in. She wasn’t alone.

“Father wasn’t too happy either,” said Princess Shareen. “I bet Mother did it behind his back. His other

concubines must be pissed, but at least they won’t dare act against her.”

*That damn woman,” growled Kairen.

“It’s still better with her than at the Palace,” argued his sister.

“Can’t we retrieve it?” asked Cassandra.

The siblings turned their eyes to her. Shareen crossed her arms with a smirk.

“Our mother is a stubborn bitch. She probably didn’t take that egg just to have it as a decoration. Kairen

never visits her.”

That last sentence was actually directed at her brother, who was still frowning. Seeing as he wasn’t

responding, Shareen shrugged and laid on the bed next to Cassandra, her hands behind her head.

“Anyway, I’ve done my share. I think I’ll stay here for a while. I’m bored of the Palace and your flying

lizard is probably not taking me back anytime soon. Do you have any pretty girls? Other than this one.”

She said that, pointing at Nebora, who promptly looked away. Cassandra decided to ignore Shareen’s

antics and

turned to Kairen. She didn’t really grasp what was truly at stake, but this egg was her child’s future

dragon. She hated not being able to confirm it was safe. Cassandra stood up and took a couple of

steps to reach Kairen’s side, taking the Prince’s hand between hers.

“My Lord, please…can we at least make sure the egg is safe?”

For a while the Prince remained silent, his eyes stuck somewhere else. Then he turned to her.

“Are you content?”

His question took her by surprise. She had expected anything but that. What was he asking about?

She couldn’t understand until Kairen silently put his large hand on her stomach. She blushed. He

meant her pregnancy! Cassandra hadn’t even had time to think about this. What were her feelings on

this matter? She was pregnant, expecting a child at seventeen! And an Imperial Baby, no less. Just a

few weeks ago, Kairen had taken her virginity, but she hadn’t even had time to picture herself bearing

his children. She knew men of power needed heirs, but she wasn’t even yet accustomed to the idea of

being his concubine!

Yet…Cassandra was clear on how lucky she was. Of all people, Kairen was a strong and powerful

man, yet he acted unexpectedly nice and gentle to her. After years of slavery, she had risen to the

concubine status in just a few days. Moreover, she wasn’t with a cruel or brutal man, but with him.

No, having his children wasn’t anything bad. On the contrary, her feelings toward him had already

blossomed, like tiny, shy flowers hidden in her heart. Bearing her Prince’s child was a surprise and a

blessing.

Cassandra slowly nodded, showing a gentle, serene smile. Kairen seemed relieved for a second, and

kissed her gently.

“How boring,” said his sister’s annoyed voice behind them. “Are you going to see Mother then? I can’t

handle much more mushy stuff unless you move on to my favorite part. You know, the hot part.”

Kairen glared at his sister.

“You are coming, too.”

“Oh hell no, Brother. I think I’ll stay here and enjoy my time with your…”

“Shareen.”

His sister glared at him, but Kairen’s voice did not allow another refusal from her. Cassandra felt a bit

awkward, stuck between the Imperial Siblings. Nebora rolled her eyes, hoping they would just make a

decision soon. Eventually, Shareen got up with a growl, her hands on her hips.

“Fine!”

She walked out, unhappy, the diamonds on her purple dress glittering as she left the room. Was she

immune to the cold as well? Anyway, Cassandra was left alone with Kairen and Nebora in the room

after the Princess’ unhappy departure. Her servant friend got up and selected another coat for her from

the closet, a large brown one.

“My mother lives an hour away,” said Kairen.

“Not in the Palace?

“Only when she feels like it.”

What kind of woman could their mother be? Cassandra put on the coat, realizing it was a bit thinner

than the previous one, as they were probably heading back to the South. Once she was ready, Kairen

accompanied her downstairs, where Shareen was already waiting with a pout.

Next to her, Krai almost jumped to Cassandra as soon as it saw her. She smiled, caressing the huge

snout. Was it acting more clingy than usual because of the baby?

Kairen cut short the dragon petting, helping her climb up its back and positioning himself behind her.

Shareen, still on the ground, was unhappy.

“Damn it…”

She eventually climbed up too, behind her brother. Krai took off swiftly, Kairen firmly holding on to her,

as Cassandra tried not to be as afraid as usual by the flight. She was always impressed by the height,

but had learned to watch the horizon instead of the ground, and take deep breaths.

“Imperial Princesses aren’t born with…dragons?” she asked Kairen.

“No.”

“We have other talents, rather than taming flying lizards,” answered Shareen from behind him.

She didn’t bother to say what though. Did girls have something to compensate for not being born with

dragons? She had heard some of the Imperial Family had heavenly powers. Was it magic? So far,

Cassandra had thought Shareen was like any woman, besides her birth status in the Imperial Family,

obviously.

Resting against Kairen’s chest and lost in her thoughts, she barely realized the trip was already coming

to an end. Krai was flying low, over what seemed like a large village. In their line of sight, another castle

was waiting. More like a palace, it was a light grey color with gold on its roof and lots of ivy everywhere.

It was unlike anything Cassandra had seen before. It wasn’t as hot as the Capital, or as cold as the

Onyx Castle’s location, hence the scenery was very green, filled with trees and plants. Cassandra

immediately felt drawn to it.

The black dragon landed outside the castle, in what was apparently a large courtyard. Kairen helped

Cassandra down, and she realized it was indeed a bit warmer here, though she still needed her coat.

The air was filled with nice floral scents too. It was nothing like the stuffed and overwhelming Capital

streets, or the desertic area around the Onyx Castle.

An old woman ran to them, followed by a handful of lower ranked maids.

“Welcome, Imperial Prince Kairen, Imperial Princess Shareen. The Imperial Concubine Mother is

waiting for you.”

Only then did she notice Cassandra, who had been standing behind Kairen. The old woman

immediately bowed again.

“Welcome, Imperial Concubine.”

This title felt very strange to Cassandra’s ears. However, she didn’t have to answer, the siblings

confidently walked into the castle and Cassandra followed, a bit impressed.

This palace was very different. First, there weren’t many enclosed areas. Every room had large

openings and ivy running freely through the walls. It seemed as if most of those rooms had been

abandoned and left to nature’s goodwill until they reached the higher areas. Climbing a few stairs, they

entered a spacious room with a balcony and a large table in the middle. It took a second for Cassandra

to realize that the table was shining, the wood covered with thousands of little diamonds.

But most impressive, behind that table, on a large purple sofa, was sitting a tall woman. She had dark

skin, her long hair was dyed a dark red shade and pulled up in a very artistic and complex hairdo, and

wore a dark pink dress. Her thin lips were dark red, and her eyes were glaring at her children.

“Imperial Concubine Kareen, this is…”

“You think I wouldn’t recognize my own children? No matter how unwilling they are to be here, they are

still mine.”

Her cold voice had the old woman and maids bow even lower. Her glare was still directed at Shareen

and Kairen though.

“So? Nothing to say to your mother, after ignoring her for two years?”

“Where is the egg?” asked Kairen coldly.

His mother crossed her arms.

“That’s it, Son of mine? Nothing else to say? You even went ahead and had the guts to get a concubine

without my consent. You weren’t so daring before. And you, Shareen? How many times have you

ignored me?” 2

“I would see you more often if you came to the Palace, dear Mother,” sighed the Princess.

“How impudent. I am the parent. I gave birth to both of you, shouldn’t you show some respect and at

least visit me, instead of having me go all the way there?”

“Father misses you,” added Shareen with a smirk. Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.

Her mother’s grey eyes got even darker.

“See if I care about that old man!”

Cassandra was almost hiding behind Kairen, impressed by their fiery mother. This woman had such a

temper! No one in this country would dare to say a bad word about the Emperor, yet she was throwing

a fit so openly. Kairen and Shareen seemed used to it though, as neither of them reacted.

The Imperial Concubine took a deep breath, then her eyes fell on Cassandra.

“Is that her? Your young concubine they mentioned?”

Cassandra had no idea how to react. Who was they”? She slowly stepped forward, seeing as no one

was stopping her. Kairen was still close though, thus she felt a bit more confident. His mother wasn’t

too satisfied though.

“Come here, child. Let me see you from up close.”

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 36​

The Diamond Palace

The Imperial Concubine’s tone didn’t leave Cassandra with much of a choice. Seeing how her Prince

didn’t react, the young Concubine walked closer to his mother, wondering what was expected of her.

*Let’s see.”

As soon as she was close enough, Concubine Kareen stood up to face her, and Cassandra realized

how tall the woman really was. She looked a lot like her children too, with her tanned skin, straight

nose, and angular jaw.

“She is too thin. Even for a slave. And your skin is very white. Are you from the south, child?”

“Yes, Imperial Concubine,” said Cassandra, bowing slightly.

“Do not bow so low! You are an Imperial Concubine. Hold your rank. You look like anyone could

trample all over.

you.”

Cassandra blushed and straightened her back. The Imperial Concubine slowly walked around her,

scrutinizing everything for what seemed like hours.

“These hips are so narrow. And you need to eat more. But, at least you’re pretty.”

Concubine Kareen let out a sigh and turned to her son.

“So? What is your excuse for not introducing her to your mother sooner, Kairen?”

But the Prince remained silent, only walking up to Cassandra to put an arm around her. His mother

pursed her lips as she turned to Shareen.

“What about you, Daughter? Do you think I don’t know how you behave in the Palace?”

Shareen stayed silent like a child caught misbehaving, crossing her arms and looking everywhere else

but at her mother.

“Mother. The egg.”

Kairen’s cold voice got his mother’s attention. She turned to him with her hands on her hips.

“Is that all you came for? Well, I’m not going to just hand it over that easily. You’ll all stay and have

lunch with me for once. The one time you come to see your mother.”

She clapped her hands and a bunch of servants came in bowing.

“Actually, let’s have lunch now. In the Courtyard.”

Immediately, most of the servants rushed out to prepare their meal, only a few of them remained by the

Imperial Concubine’s side. She let out a dramatic sigh and turned to her children again.

“You two better behave. I am too old to scold you.”

Cassandra couldn’t help but wonder how old she actually was. She didn’t look much older than her

children! As Shareen and Kairen were probably in their mid-twenties, their mother could be about forty.

Her make-up was lighter than what Cassandra had witnessed on other women of that age, too. She

was a natural and overwhelming beauty.

“Come, let’s go outside where it’s warm. You must be cold all the time, living in that dark place.”

Cassandra realized she was talking about the Onyx Castle. She followed after the Imperial Concubine,

who was nonchalantly walking through the corridors to a large open area. As they walked, Cassandra

noticed Kareen wasn’t wearing shoes under her long pink dress, but her bare feet didn’t seem to mind

the uneven floor where the stone was sometimes crossed with patches of wild grass.

“Here, have a seat.”

The Imperial Concubine’s outdoor garden was a beautiful space. It had walls and pillars around it, but

no roof. A few branches covered just enough of the sky to provide some shade and relief from the

direct sun. It was like something out of a fairytale. The floor was only flowers and grass, and every

surrounding inch had some green on it.

It seemed like the place had been abandoned for centuries to the wild, as the stones had weathered

and ivy had taken over. Cassandra instantly loved it. Though she was feeling a bit shy and stuck close

to Kairen, she couldn’t help but glance at every little wild flower there.

“Sit here, child. What is your name?”

Concubine Kareen gestured to the seat right next to her, startling Cassandra a bit. As she took the

seat, Kairen sat across from her to his mother’s left. It was a round stone table of a decent size, not too

big, but just cozy enough.

“Cassandra, Imperial Concubine,” she answered.

“Cassandra. You’ll call me Concubine Mother from now on.”

“Yes, Concubine Mother.”

Around them, the servants enthusiastically brought as much food as the table could hold. There was

the usual cheese, meat, and fresh fruits, along with some dried fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and

cakes. Just as Shareen was about to take some, a glare from her mother had her pull her hand back.

“Let’s drink first.”

Without delay, a glass of wine was placed into Cassandra’s hands.

“Mother, do not force her to drink,” said Kairen with a frown.

“It’s fine. I had a cup once in a while when I was pregnant with you. This one isn’t strong anyway, it’s

mostly juice. She can have some tea next.”

Cassandra brought the smallest bit of wine to her lips and indeed, she did not taste the alcohol at all,

only the

sweet grape.

“Where are you from?” Concubine Kareen asked, as she took a sip of her own drink.

“From the Rain Tribe in the south. I was born there and was…brought to the Capital when I was a child,

Concubine Mother.”

“A Southern Tribe? How interesting. Your people were known for wonders in medicine and agriculture.

How shameful that such bright people disappeared over those barbaric wars. Had you achieved any

proficiency before that?”

“I did. I use my medical knowledge at the Military Camp, Concubine Mother.”

Immediately, Imperial Concubine Kareen glared at her son.

“You took your concubine to the camp? Among so many men? I thought you knew better, Kairen!”

“She is my concubine. None of my men would dare to…”

“Of course not! But a military camp is still no place for a concubine! How selfish of you. You may be

strong, but you underestimate others. Don’t you know how easy it is to die? You are being naive, my

son. Your concubine doesn’t have the Dragon’s blood!”

Cassandra looked down. The Concubine Mother seemed acutely aware of the struggle to survive that

common people face. She was visibly irritated with her son and kept glaring at him, though Kairen

didn’t seem affected.

“Anyway. Your concubine shall stay here from now on.”

“No.”

Cassandra was caught between a new exchange of glares between mother and son, and they were

totally overwhelming her. The Concubine Mother wanted her to stay here? Why? And for how long?

Realizing her son wasn’t going to give in, Kareen turned on him.

“You have grown up far too sheltered by your Father, Kairen. Do you know how hard it is to keep a

child alive in this Empire? Your brothers will be after her like dogs after a bone! If she returns to the

Palace, she will be killed within a day! If she stays at the Onyx Castle, I would give it a week before one

of them sends an assassin after her. And the military camp? Even worse! They could bribe any one of

your men to do the job for them!” (2)

Cassandra felt her heart grow cold at the thought. The Imperial Concubine Mother was telling the truth.

Sooner or later, this pregnancy would put her in grave danger; she turned her eyes to Kairen, who was

looking at her too.

“I’ll protect her.”

“Kairen, I raised two children to adulthood, despite all your father’s other concubines. Do you think I

don’t know what kind of world this is? I lost three of your siblings to those wenches!” (2)

Three? Imperial Concubine Kareen had lost three children? The Concubine seemed to be a strong and

powerful woman! But if she couldn’t even protect all of her offspring… Cassandra was even more

worried.

Cassandra turned to her, trying to control her fear.

“Concubine Mother, please. I’m… I really want to protect this child. Someone has already tried to steal

Krai’s egg, and…”

“Did they?” asked Kareen, looking at her daughter.

Shareen had a smirk.

“Of course they did. Vrehan was furious.”

“Then thank the Imperial Dragon, I got there before them.”

“How did you know, Mother?” asked Kairen.

She rolled her eyes at him.

“Do you think I was born yesterday, my son? I know you. You never showed interest in any of the

previous concubines your father gave you. Now you pick a slave, of all people, out of the blue? I knew

it wouldn’t be long until I had a grandchild on the way.” 5

For the first time, Kareen directed what could have been a little smile Cassandra’s way.

“Do not worry. I know the ways of the Palace, and those wenches won’t get near you or my grandson.

You’ll be safe here, in the Diamond Palace.”

“She is not…”

“She will stay here, Kairen. For her safety, and the safety of your child.”

Cassandra was hesitant, but eventually she turned to the Concubine Mother.

“Concubine Mother, I am not sure. I still have many things I would like to do at the Onyx Castle and the

military camp.”

“And what might those be?” asked Concubine Kareen, unhappy.

Cassandra took a deep breath and told her about the hospital in the mountain and the farming issues

at the Onyx

Castle. She spoke about everything she had done and everything she wanted to do in the next few

months. It was a lot for even her to think she could do so much with her current situation, but

Cassandra had taken things to heart.

The Concubine Mother remained silent, listening to her. Shareen was mindlessly eating in the

background, but Kairen was listening to Cassandra too.

“I see. Well, you certainly aren’t a typical slave.”

Cassandra blushed a bit, wondering if this was meant to be a compliment. Kareen stayed silent for a

while, looking at her with an enigmatic expression. Her dark eyes were harder to decipher than those of

her children, Cassandra thought. After her silent contemplation, Kareen turned to Kairen.

“You picked well, Son. She has ambition, and the mind of an Empress.”

She then turned to Cassandra again without waiting for him to respond.

“Yet, that is a dangerous way to think. You are protected by this Empire’s War God and that is your only

strength. Otherwise, this knowledge would get you killed. You know that, don’t you?”

Cassandra nodded.

Yes. Her knowledge and past were all too dangerous to expose in this Empire. Even with Kairen, who

protected her, she had been hesitant to reveal the truth. The Imperial Concubine sighed.

“Fine. Bring it in!” She ordered a servant.

A few minutes later, the elderly woman from earlier brought in a large case, and put it at their feet.

Cassandra suddenly sensed a tremendous presence over them at the same time Krai’s curious head

popped over the wall, watching closely. Was the dragon interested in its egg?

The servant left and Concubine Kareen stood up and raised her hands to her head, plucking one of her

hair pins out. Cassandra realized it was actually a very intricate key. Had she kept it there for safety?

She opened the chest and Cassandra soon forgot her questions.

“There it is.”

The egg was simply laid on some soft leather, but it looked hard enough that it wouldn’t easily break. It

was much larger than Cassandra had expected too! Bigger than any other animal’s egg, and about the

length of her forearm. It was not black like she had imagined, but a shiny grey, almost silver-like. She

had thought a dragon’s egg would be smooth, but it seemed to be covered in some strange substance,

like a lustrous oily coating.

Cassandra couldn’t resist the desire to touch it and, to her surprise, it actually reacted! Like a magnetic

pull, something inside briefly moved at the slight touch of her finger tips. She was in total awe. Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” whispered Kareen. “Dragon Eggs are among the greatest wonders of this world…”

“When will it hatch?” asked Cassandra.

“When you give birth…if you do. Dragons are linked to their Masters. If the child dies before birth, the

egg will use this coating to self-destruct.”

“What if the baby dies…after?”

Kareen’s eyes darkened.

“Let’s not have such somber talk. For now, we just need to make sure that your child sees the light of

day in a few months’ time. That is, if my son comes to his senses and allows you to remain here

instead of behaving like a headstrong teenager…”

Chapter 37​

The Counselor Concubine

Kairen was glaring at his mother, visibly annoyed by her words. Cassandra, however, was hesitating.

She was reluctant to part from Kairen, but for the sake of their baby, wouldn’t it be better for her to stay

here? How was the Concubine Mother so sure she would be safer in the Diamond Palace instead of

the Onyx Castle?

Seeing her uncertainty, Kareen rolled her eyes.

“Enough! I haven’t seen my children in a while. All three of you will stay here for a few days and I am

not asking! Krai too.”

Hearing its name, the dragon turned its head to the Concubine Mother and purred softly in her direction

as she smiled.

“That’s right, I missed you too, little one.”

Cassandra wondered if Krai’s attitude towards her meant Kairen loved his mother more than he let on.

The Imperial Concubine turned to Cassandra again, frowning as she looked at her slave collar. She

pointed it out with her finger, displeased.

“This! We need to get rid of this as well when we go to the Imperial Palace for the New Year

celebration.”

Hearing this, Shareen almost choked on her wine. Kairen seemed shocked too.

“Mother, you will be going back? To see Father?”

“Who said anything about seeing that old man? I am going there to attend the celebrations, and to

show off my future grandchild to all those whores at the Imperial Palace.”

“As if,” said Shareen. “If you show up without going to see Father, he’d send the entire army to fetch

you!”

Her mother shrugged, not phased at all. Cassandra was speechless! Their mother was so strong-

willed, she would even dare to ignore the Emperor himself! She then instructed them to eat, essentially

closing the topic. While eating her little bites, Cassandra tried to remember how much longer until the

New Year celebrations. She felt like her time at the camp had been months, longer than the couple of

weeks it actually was. As she took the time to count exactly how many days had passed, she realized

the celebrations would be held only two months from now. How big would her baby be in two months?

And the dragon’s egg? Cassandra wondered if the Baby Dragon would look like a miniature Krai.

As they ate silently, Cassandra felt a bit more at ease. The Concubine Mother was a very strong-willed

woman, scolding her children for bad posture, and was cold towards the servants. She was nice to

Cassandra though, as if she respected her from the start, and ignored her slave status completely. She

urged Cassandra to eat more though; insisting she consume more of the dry fruits as they were,

according to Kareen, very nutritious for babies.

“Don’t Southerners eat meat?” she asked, noticing Cassandra had barely touched it.

“No, Concubine Mother. I’m more used to eating fish…In small quantities, though.”

“Hmpf. That explains your good skin, thin build, and character. It is said eating fish helps with all those.

Too much meat makes children stubborn. Just look at these two.”

Right as she said that, both Kairen and Shareen, who happened to have meat in their hand or mouth,

sent glares back to their mother.

Kareen sighed. “Anyhow, just let me know what you want to eat, I’ll have servants go fetch it for you.”

“Actually…could I go buy it myself?” asked Cassandra, a bit embarrassed.

The Concubine Mother looked at her, confused.

“Why?”

“I just…I like going to the markets. Looking at the stalls, and all.*

After a few seconds of contemplation, Kareen chuckled.

“You really are a new kind of concubine, aren’t you? Fine, we’ll go later. A little outing will do me some

good as well. But first, dessert!”

Cassandra wondered exactly how much she was expected to eat! More delicious food was brought out

– so many fruits, nuts and cakes that she had to drink some tea to help it all go down. She would

definitely get plump if she spent her pregnancy in the Diamond Castle!

After she was done eating, Concubine Kareen stood up, elegantly wiped her lips, and turned to her

children.

“I’m going to take a walk in my garden. Don’t any of you even think of leaving. And anyway, I’ll be

taking Krai with me.”

Under Cassandra’s surprised eyes, Kareen walked over to Krai’s head, caressing its snout. The dragon

closed its eyes, growling softly like it usually did with Cassandra. It really seemed to like the Concubine

Mother. She walked out of the Garden, using an opening between the stones to meet with the Dragon

behind the wall. Though she couldn’t see Kareen anymore, Cassandra watched Krai as it bounded

down from the wall, its big back turning around to follow her.

“This place is so boring,” sighed Shareen. “I’m going to take a nap in my room until Mother comes

back.”

They watched as Shareen retired, leaving Cassandra alone with her Prince. So they couldn’t take the

egg and leave while she was away, Kareen had locked it in the chest and had the servants take it back

inside while they were dining.

Cassandra walked up to Kairen, who pulled her down to sit on his leg. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“We will get it back soon,” said the Prince, holding her by her waist.

“It’s okay. As long as it’s safe with Concubine Mother.”

Kairen nodded, caressing her long hair down her back.

“Do you want to stay here?” he asked softly.

“I’m not sure. I want to stay here, for our baby’s safety, but… I also want to take care of the hospital,

and I know I’ll miss the girls at the Onyx Castle.”

He didn’t reply to that and instead gently kissed her shoulder, lost in his own thoughts. Since his mother

had insisted that they stay a while, they could always decide later. She wouldn’t be able to keep Kairen

here much longer and Cassandra would have to make her decision before then.

They stayed like this for a while, gently caressing and holding each other, lost in their own little world.

Kairen seemed gentler and more caring since her pregnancy had been announced, and Cassandra

was feeling a bit more confident too. She even wondered if she could find people to teach medicine to

here.

“Were you here often?” she asked, looking at the garden around them.

“When I was younger… My father gifted it to my mother after my birth.”

“This castle?”

“This city. It’s the place where she was born.”

The Imperial Family’s standards were truly too extravagant for her to grasp! Cassandra was once again

speechless. So not just a castle, but a whole city was their mother’s? Shareen and Kairen had probably

spent most of their childhoods here in that case.

“How did your mother become a concubine?”

“She worked as a servant for one of my father’s counselors. He noticed her. She was smarter than

most, and not afraid to voice her opinion. She actually became his counselor for a while, before

becoming his concubine.”

Cassandra nodded. The story suited his mother’s impressive character and also explained why she

didn’t care much about Cassandra’s slave status, since she had been a servant herself. She truly was

an admirable woman.

“Can we take a walk? I’d like to see the rest of the Castle.”

Kairen silently agreed and stood up, still holding her around her waist. Cassandra ventured back into

the Castle, noticing two female servants silently following them from a few steps back. Had Kareen

given instructions for the pair to attend to them? They strolled around for a while and the more

Cassandra saw, the more she liked it. She had thought upon their arrival that it felt like this place had

been abandoned for years and left to the wild. Few rooms were entirely enclosed and most had spaces

where stones in the walls were missing or parts of the roof were open so that they were bright and airy.

Ivy ran through the walls freely and trees grew up against the walls, their branches replacing missing

sections of roof to provide some shade. Unlike the Imperial Palace, there weren’t many signs of wealth,

except for a few richly decorated rooms. There was nothing else on display and even the furniture was

very basic, made of just wood and comfortable fabrics.

To Cassandra’s surprise, Kairen pushed a large door open and they walked in.

“This is my room.”

It was rather empty despite all the available space, but had a large bath carved out in a corner with a

fountain that had dried up. Kairen’s old bed was very much like the one at the Onyx Castle, large and

with furs on it.

In another corner was what looked like a very large nest that was well worn out and tattered, and

Cassandra guessed that this might have been Krai’s bed when he was younger…and smaller. Aside

from those, there was only a wardrobe and a chest on a carpet in the other corner. It was even emptier

than his bedroom in the Onyx Castle.

Cassandra ventured further inside, still more curious, while Kairen stayed a few steps back, watching

her.

“So this is…where you grew up?”

“I liked it better than the Palace.”

“Why?” she asked inquisitively.

“Less people. Only Mother and us.”

She could easily picture how different from the Imperial Palace this place was. Less people also meant

less danger for the Imperial Children.

Cassandra turned around and walked back to the War God. He put his hands on her shoulders, feeling

her skin was a bit colder than usual.

“Don’t get sick.”

“I won’t.”

Kairen pulled her into his embrace, warming her up instantly. Cassandra laid her head against him,

closing her eyes and tenderly holding on to her Prince.

“I wish our child could come into this world safely,” she sighed.

Unknown to her, Kairen frowned. Cassandra rarely opened up about her insecurities like this, but if she

was already concerned about their child coming into the world… He held her a bit tighter. He would

definitely make sure both of them were all right.

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 38​

The Prince’s Child

As promised, the Imperial Concubine took Cassandra to walk around the markets accompanied by an

army of servants and her children. While Shareen didn’t hide her boredom, Kairen simply followed

Cassandra like a shadow, touching her sometimes as if to reassure her that he was there. The little

group observed the many stalls with interest and, to Cassandra’s surprise, the townspeople didn’t

seem alarmed to see the Imperial Concubine wandering among them.

They kneeled as they were supposed to in front of the Imperial Family members, but it was obvious

that they were used to dealing with Concubine Kareen. She was familiar with some of the merchants

too, and many people personally greeted her when they saw her. She was very respected around here.

Cassandra was starting to grow fond of her and her unique character too. She could easily see how

Kairen and Shareen had grown into the personalities they had, so different from those of their siblings.

Their mother was very cynical, down-to-earth, and forthright.

Cassandra also appreciated that she spoke to her as if they were equals, showing great interest in her

knowledge about plants and spices.

“For the skin?” she said doubtfully, as Cassandra was showing her some yellow spice.

“Yes. Turmeric is good for cooking, but it also helps with skin inflammation and redness, and you can

drink it as tea.”

“Interesting. Let’s buy some, I want to try it. I’m old enough to start showing some wrinkles soon.”

She was far from looking old though. Concubine Kareen was one of the most beautiful women

Cassandra had ever seen, even among the court ladies. She had a cold, natural beauty, with unique

traits. Her hair was colored with that enigmatic deep red color, without an ounce of white to be seen.

They walked up to the next stall where some jewelry was laid out. The merchant immediately started

showing his goods to the Concubines, but neither of them were really interested.

Suddenly, a ruckus started behind them. Cassandra, afraid, turned around but the commotion was over

in an instant. She heard a snap followed by a man being pinned to the ground, Kairen’s foot on his

back and Shareen’s whip around his throat. (1)

Not impressed at all, Kareen turned around and looked at the man. The knife he had held in his hand

had fallen at her feet. She picked it up, observed it, then swung it around.

“Who sent you?”

The man stayed silent. The Imperial Concubine exchanged a glance with her daughter and Shareen

smirked before tightening the whip. The man’s face started turning blue as he began to suffocate.

“Talk. I won’t have any guilt killing you slowly and very painfully, and whoever paid you knew that.”

“I…I don’t…”

Kareen sighed as the man struggled to talk.

“…don’t…kn…know…”

“How useless. Who was your target, then?”

The man tried to stay silent once more, struggling to breathe, but his eyes betrayed him. In a split

second, he had glanced at Cassandra, but immediately avoided her returning stare.

She stepped back, shocked. She had only been there for a couple of hours! How could an assassin

already have

come to kill her?

“What shall we do with him, Mother?” asked Shareen.

“Whatever you want. Let’s go back before another one comes out though.”

Kareen turned back towards the Palace and started walking. Cassandra, still in shock, had her eyes

riveted on the man. However, Kairen stepped between them, gently pushing her to follow in his

mother’s tracks. After a few steps, she heard a whip slashing through the air and people screaming.

Kairen kept her from looking back though, blocking her view and holding her by her waist so that they

continued forward.

Back at the Castle, it was as if nothing had happened, but Cassandra couldn’t stop worrying.

“How do they already know?” she asked. “Why would they attack so soon?”

.

“Those people have rats everywhere, especially where their rivals are concerned. They know this is my

city and since I took the egg, they knew Kairen would come, and you with him.”

Cassandra felt a chill run through her. To think people were already hunting her down… hunting her

unborn child! She knew the rivalry between the Imperial Family was terrible, but experiencing it

firsthand was something else.

In fact, the reason the Emperor had so many more daughters than sons was because the boys were

hunted from birth. The six Princes that were alive today had all been through a lot to make it to

adulthood, as had their mothers. The Emperor had many concubines, but no Empress, so in the race to

the Golden Throne, all six brothers were almost equal. However, having heirs definitely gave them an

advantage.

And she was carrying one of the Emperor’s grandsons. It wouldn’t just be during her pregnancy,

Cassandra would be targeted for the rest of her life for being a Prince’s Concubine. No wonder it was

such a dangerous position.

She had been replaying these thoughts in her head until they had got back to the Diamond Castle and

Kareen insisted on her taking a nap.

“Just go and rest in my son’s room. A mother-to-be shouldn’t experience too many emotions in a day,

and with this afternoon’s fight, you must be tired. I’ll have a bath drawn for you before dinner.”

Cassandra silently nodded, and Kairen escorted her back to his room.

She sat on his bed, still frowning, worried and confused. To her surprise, her Prince kneeled down in

front of her.

“My Lord, don’t kneel!”

“We’re alone,” he said, ignoring her plea. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Cassandra only hesitated a second before giving in.

“That man… He wanted to hurt our baby.”

“Yes.”

“How many more will come to try and hurt him?”

“Aren’t you afraid for yourself?”

She shook her head, putting a hand on her belly.

“I’ve never been scared for myself. Before today, I… No, before meeting you, I was never afraid of

death. But, now that I’m carrying this child, everything is so different. I’m really afraid something bad

will happen to your son.”

The Prince sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. With her thin build, he easily trapped her in

his

embrace, yet he was nothing but gentle with her.

“I’ll protect you… and our son. Mother will, too.”

Cassandra smiled gently at him, but it was a smile that held some pain in it too. She caressed his

cheek, her heart feeling a bit lighter, just from the feeling of his skin under her finger tips.

“I know…but…this is a cruel world. I’m afraid that this baby will suffer. I just wish he could be born

safely, grow up healthy and without worry.”

Cassandra shook her head. This was really too hard. Now, it wasn’t only her own safety at stake, but

that of her baby as well. Even if she was having a hard time accepting it, she was pregnant with her

Prince’s child. A potential future heir to the whole Empire, yet he was still nothing but a defenseless

baby right now.

Kairen suddenly stood up and reached for her, enveloping her in his arms without warning. Cassandra

was taken by surprise by his big hands holding her, but she was used to it and let herself go, allowing

him to comfort her. When she could finally retreat a bit, she observed him, blushing a bit from being so

close.

“I’ll protect you,” he assured her again. “Cassandra. You’re mine… and this child is ours. I won’t let

anything happen to our son. Do you think I would let anything happen to you?”

She realized he was expecting a response, asking how much she trusted him at that moment. NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Somehow, it made her feel better and she finally relaxed a bit.

“No. I know you will protect our baby.”

“I’ll protect both of you…forever. I only need you. And our child. And any other children you’ll give me.”

Cassandra blushed uncontrollably. Not just this one, but her Prince wanted more children with her! She

nodded with a smile. She did trust him. Trusted the War God, the one man who had protected her all

this time.

She leaned in to kiss him, a long, sweet and sensual kiss. Of course he responded, caressing her.

Slowly, Kairen pushed her on the bed, holding her tightly and grazing every inch of her body. Each of

his moves were so gentle, yet passionate. She felt her body getting warmer.

“Stay here,” he whispered.

“What?”

“Stay here. At the Diamond Palace with my mother and Shareen. They’ll protect you, too.”

“You think I’ll be safer here?”

He shook his head, still holding her and caressing her hips.

“Just…for now. I will come back for you in a few days. I need to see my father.”

“Why?”

But Kairen shook his head. Whatever he wanted to tell his father, he wasn’t ready to tell Cassandra yet.

She wondered what it was, but didn’t dare pry. She only nodded, closing her eyes and resting her head

on his shoulder, where she could feel his warmth and inhale his scent. Cassandra felt much better now

that they had talked and she never felt as comfortable and secure as when she was in the Prince’s

arms. Kairen, gently pulling his fingers through her hair, helped her fall asleep, but the Prince wasn’t

ready for a nap himself. He kept his eyes open, dark as shadows, thinking of what to do next.

When she woke up a couple hours later, Cassandra was surprised to find Kairen gone. The Prince had

left during her rest, according to the servant who woke her up.

– His mother, however, was waiting for her at dinner with Shareen. Both women seemed aware that

Kairen was

gone, making Cassandra feel a bit better about it, though she wished he had said goodbye before

going.

“You will stay here for now,” announced Kareen, as the three women finished eating. “As discussed, I

will keep you safe and make sure your child grows healthily. Outside threats won’t get into this Palace.”

“Excuse me, Concubine Mother, but…how are you so sure? This man, back at the market, he attacked

us so

easily.”

“The market is the market. This Palace is my domain. No one comes in or out without my permission,

and I have the highest security.”

Just as Cassandra was about to ask a question, a large shadow suddenly appeared above them. She

almost jumped, taken by surprise. It wasn’t Krai. The dragon stared at them from above the stone wall

looking grumpy.

This dragon was much smaller, about the size of three large dogs, dark purple, and with yellow eyes

like a cat. Cassandra felt strange. How did the Concubine Mother have a dragon?

“This is Sraï. He is the guardian of this Palace…and an avid eater of intruders.”

As she said that, the dragon softly growled and Shareen smirked.

“I wondered if he was still stuck to you, Mother. He is so tiny, but he makes a good watchdog, I guess.”

Her mother responded with a glare.

“You too, Shareen. You will stay here and make sure Cassandra stays safe.”

“Me? I am not a concubine’s bodyguard!”

“Unless I say so,” warned her mother. “Do you want to upset me, Daughter?”

The two exchanged glares for several long, unsettling seconds. Cassandra felt badly, caught between

the two of them, but didn’t dare to say a word before one of them.

“Ugh… Fine!” Shareen finally conceded.

Chapter 39​

The Golden Dragon

A few weeks later, Kairen still hadn’t returned.

Cassandra was growing lonely, sitting by herself in the Imperial Concubine’s garden. No matter how

many times she had been told not to worry, she couldn’t help but stare at the horizon, beyond the City’s

high walls.

She had changed over the past few weeks. Under her new guardian’s insistence, she had started

taking better care of herself. She was now used to wearing the beautiful red gowns and jewelry. Every

morning, servants would help her dress, put a bit of pink balm on her lips, and brush her hair,

suggesting a few hair pins or bracelets, until Cassandra couldn’t take it anymore and ushered them out

to finish her preparations alone.

She had finally put on a few pounds too. How could she not have? Kareen made sure she ate plenty at

each meal and brought her snacks at all times of day. Cassandra had only recently found a way to stop

her overbearing actions by faking some nausea.

Truthfully though, she really was nauseous at times, especially in the morning. Her tummy had

developed a little bump as proof of her pregnancy, making this child feel a bit more real each day.

Cassandra was caressing her belly, lost in her thoughts when Kareen walked in.

“Concubine Mother.”

“Good Morning. What are you doing out so early without a shawl?”

Though she was asking Cassandra, her glare found a servant, who immediately ran inside to get one.

But the young concubine shook her head.

“I am fine, really. It’s much warmer here than it was at the Onyx Castle.”

Cassandra missed it. She wondered everyday about Nebora and the others, and the Military Camp.

How did they function without the Prince there? Perhaps he had visited during these weeks and didn’t

stop by the Diamond Palace?

“So stubborn,” sighed the Concubine Mother.

She was about to add something else, but at that same moment, Srai jumped from over the balcony.

The Purple Dragon struggled for a few seconds to come in, balancing strangely on the ledge. With his

torn wing and uneven weight, the dragon never seemed particularly agile. It eventually managed to get

on its feet, and walked to sit by Kareen’s side. 2

Cassandra felt uneasy anytime she watched that dragon. It didn’t like her and, up until now, had only

interacted with her through warning growls and defiant glares. Even as the Imperial Concubine

caressed it, it seemed restless.

“Good boy,” said Kareen.

“The dragon…Srai cannot fly, can it?” asked Cassandra.

She had doubts as she certainly had never seen it actually use its wings and Srai never hunted either,

only wandered around the Palace letting servants feed him huge portions of meat.

“That is correct. He lost the ability, his wings are too damaged now to support his weight. The child

cannot hunt.”

“Concubine Mother, is he…” (2

“He was my first born, Suiren’s, dragon. He died at six years old.” (2

– Cassandra was struck by those revelations. Six years old? So young! How could a Prince die at such

a young age?

Kareen, as if she had guessed her silent question, sighed.

“He was killed! Someone threw my child from a balcony like this one.”

Cassandra looked at the balcony Kareen was gesturing to. It wasn’t something a child could climb over

by himself! How could someone be so cruel as to murder a child so brutally?

“My second one… She was a girl. She was killed two days after she was born. Someone got into my

room and suffocated her with a pillow.”

A pillow? Cassandra felt nauseous. Who would…? To a newborn! She felt sick just thinking about it.

“After Shareen, I was pregnant with another son. I was beyond paranoid about protecting my children,

but it wasn’t enough. He was poisoned at two years old. His dragon died instantly with him.”

How horrible! Cassandra wondered what Kairen’s childhood could have been like in such dangerous

conditions.

Strangely, however, Kareen didn’t seem affected while revealing all of this. Instead, pure anger was

painted across her face. Cassandra glanced at the small dragon sitting by her feet. Krai’s older sibling

was so small compared to him.

“Who dares to…”

Both women glared at the incoming shadow in the sky. Cassandra instantly knew it wasn’t Krai, as its

tail shape was different. When he got closer, she realized it was a Green Dragon, one that she had

seen in the Arena.

“Anour?” wondered a voice behind them.

Shareen had just come out, squinting at the incoming Dragon. It landed outside of the Palace, but

neither woman went to him. Instead, Kareen went to wait in a large room by the entrance. Settling into

a large wooden chair, Kareen ordered Cassandra to sit next to her while Shareen stood to the side.

“Concubine Mother! Sister Shareen!”

Prince Anour was the youngest of the Imperial Princes and barely resembled Kairen. He had a nice

smile and a thin build like his Green Dragon, which looked more like a lizard.

“Anour! What about your manners?”

“Don’t be mean, Concubine Mother. I came to give you news about my brother.”

“Is he alright?” Cassandra immediately asked, visibly worried.

Anour, surprised that she dared to address him, gave her a glance of disgust.

“Who is that?”

“Have you gone blind brother, or is it that little boys can’t see red?” said Shareen.

“Oh, is this brother’s concubine? I didn’t recognize her! So she is the pregnant one?”

“Anour, enough. Where is my son, you impertinent child?”

“Father got angry with him. He sentenced him to be hung in the dungeons for fifty days, with Imperial

Servants whipping him ten times every hour.”

“HOW DARE HE!?” roared Kareen.

Meanwhile, Cassandra was on the verge of tears. Whipped? Her Prince had been detained and

whipped relentlessly since then? Only Shareen didn’t seem affected, stifling her laughter in the corner.

– “Looks like Father is really desperate for your attention, Mother.”

“He shall see! That old fool will pay for touching my son!”

Her anger echoed within the walls, and she stood up to her full height causing Anour to shrink a little.

“Concubine Mother, this is a bit…”

“Silence! Don’t you dare say a word to defend him! Roun!”

To Cassandra’s surprise, a wall of green scales appeared on the other side of the door, the Imperial

Concubine rushing to it.

“She can command any of the dragons?” Cassandra asked Shareen.

“Of course not. Only those she raised listen to her. Anour’s mother was murdered when he was an

infant. Our mother took care of him and Roun in her stead, as she and his mother were close.”

Cassandra realized Anour’s mother had probably been killed in the race to the throne as well.

Kareen was determined as she stood before the large Green Dragon. Cassandra hesitated a bit before

eventually following, seeing that Shareen was also accompanying her mother.

It was smaller than Krai, probably because it was younger, but still quite sizable, with a leaner face, and

its wings and tail had a different shape. The little dragon turned its head to Kareen, intrigued, swishing

its tail left and right.

“Concubine Mother!” called Anour.

“Let’s go. We shall see if that damn Emperor dares to injure my precious son again!”

She was obviously dead set on flying to the Imperial Palace. Before the young Prince could even

protest, she had taken her place on the dragon’s back, and Shareen was helping Cassandra on too.

He sighed, and climbed up. Four people was still nothing for the dragon, who took off right away, visibly

excited. Cassandra couldn’t help but feel nauseous as it was her first flight in a while and on a different

beast, too. Moreover, she was concerned about Kairen. It wasn’t until Shareen stroked her back that

she was pulled from her thoughts.

“Are you okay? You’re paler than usual.”

“I’m just…worried about him.”

“What are you worried for? Our father is just using him to get Mother’s attention, but he won’t go

overboard. My brother is absolutely fine.”

But Cassandra couldn’t be comforted, even as they landed at the Imperial Palace. She hadn’t been

back there in a while and didn’t hold many good memories about it. She followed the Imperial

Concubine and her children who hurried inside.

A few Imperial Servants tried to stop Kareen.

“Imperial Concubine, you can’t walk in unannounced like this.The Imperial Emperor is busy…”

“He is busy? If he is so busy he should have let my son be! How dare he abuse my child!”

Her yelling had every Imperial Servant running away in fear. Kareen stormed through the Palace with

no one daring to stop her. Cassandra even witnessed several concubines turning around with terrified

expressions as soon as they saw her.

Shortly, they arrived at the Grand Hall’s main gates. Cassandra’s heart beat louder, filled with worry.

“You old Dragon!” roared Kareen while throwing the gates wide open.

It was quite a unique sight to behold.

The Emperor, sitting on his golden throne, spat out his wine upon hearing her. It was the first time

Cassandra was able to really take a good look at him. Previously, she had to keep her eyes down

because of her slave status, but now that she was wearing a red dress and accompanied by Imperial

Concubine Kareen, she wasn’t as afraid to

look.

She was surprised. She had expected a much older man, maybe around sixty or seventy, especially

since he already had so many children. However, the man didn’t look a day over fifty! She was

speechless. How could that be? He had children older than Kairen!

“K…K…Kareen?”

Seeing him stuttering like that, he looked like a teenager caught doing something wrong. At his feet, a

handful of young women, who were holding plates of fruits or instruments, went completely white at the

sight of the Imperial Concubine. They all stood up and retreated, as if some dangerous beast had come

into the room. Cassandra, however, had her eyes set behind them. Krai!

The Black Dragon had already turned to her, growling and struggling to come closer. Despite the

attempts, Krai was unable to budge, a much larger beast actually trapping it on the ground – the

Imperial Golden Dragon, Glahad.

Cassandra was shocked! Krai was big, very big, but Glahad was massive. The golden dragon was the

size of a large building and covered in gold scales. Its ruby eyes were the most beautiful thing she had

ever seen and also the most terrifying. She was used to Krai, and had learned not to fear the Black

Dragon, but Glahad was another level of scary. It was a mythical creature, a God who could decide

between life and death in a single bite. When it turned its head towards them, she couldn’t help but

stumble a few steps back.

“Kareen! You…you’re back, my dearest!” exclaimed the Emperor, visibly overjoyed.

He didn’t even seem to see his Concubine’s angry face as he stood up, smiling wide from ear to ear.

“You should have told me. I would have gathered a few presents, or ordered a celebration…”

“A celebration? A celebration for what?! How you’re abusing my dearest son? Hmm? You cold hearted, NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

selfish old man!”

As she kept yelling, Glahad, from his perch upon Krai, abruptly spotted her. The dragon’s eyes

immediately changed, opening wide while staring. Shareen grabbed Cassandra’s arm and had her step

even further back, her eyes fixed on her father’s Dragon.

The next second, Glahad jumped, almost running to Kareen with a long growl. Though it was scary to

see a Dragon of this size run at them, Cassandra immediately recognized the behavior. It was the

same impulsive affection Krai often displayed towards her. The Golden Dragon ran until Kareen

suddenly turned her head towards it, glaring fiercely.

“Don’t you dare, you rascal!”

Instantly, Glahad dug its paws and claws into the perfect wooden floors, grinding to a halt a few meters

away from Kareen. The dragon was frozen in an awkward pose, with its body turned towards her, but

its collar and head turned away, like a guilty dog. It kept trying to sneak glances at her, but had to turn

its red gaze away every time, as the Concubine was glaring. Behind Glahad, Krai furtively took this

opportunity to throttle towards Cassandra, wrapping its body around the Concubine as she scratched

and caressed its head, happy to reunite with her Prince’s Dragon. Meanwhile, Glahad softly growled,

jealous, but Kareen had already turned back to the Emperor.

“Where is my son?!”

Chapter 40​

The Dungeons

The Emperor looked baffled, surprised even. He clearly wasn’t expecting his Concubine’s anger and

stared at her with a confused expression.

“Kareen, dearest, I…”

“Answer me!”

Cassandra couldn’t help but think about how exceptionally bold Kareen was. Was she some Hell

Goddess reincarnated? To be talking to the Emperor like this, you needed to have a few extra lives!

The man sighed.

“Kareen, don’t be like this. You know I don’t want to be mean, hmm? But how else could I get your

attention? And see! Even mad, you’re so pretty!”

“Oh, you want to see me mad? Come closer and I’ll yank your hair out! Now, give me my son back, you

deceitful snake!”

“I get it, dearest, but please stop screaming, you’ll hurt your pretty little voice. If we want to be able to

have a nice chat later, we should…”

“A nice chat? You force me to come all the way here to retrieve my son and you expect me to sit down

and idly chat with you? How dare you!”

“Oh, come now, I’ll have your favorite garden prepared. How about that? With your favorite tea, too! Do

you want a massage? I have a young lady who can do wonders…”

“Ha! Now you want to brag about your new concubines to me? That’s just a bit too much! You think I’ll

die of jealousy? Huh?”

Meanwhile to the side, Krai was happily growling and rubbing against Cassandra’s hands, and sending

glances towards Kareen too, gently pushing her with its snout. Glahad, however, was still sitting a few

steps away from the Imperial Concubine Mother and was glaring at it with jealousy. The Imperial

Golden Dragon growled several times, but Krai ignored it, too absorbed by Cassandra.

When Glahad had finally had enough, it reached out a paw, aiming its claws at Krai’s rear, but the

Black Dragon growled back. The two started bickering, making an awful lot of noise in the room and no

matter how angry Kareen and the Emperor were, two adults yelling couldn’t possibly be heard over the Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

ruckus.

That’s when the Emperor, suddenly taking on a very annoyed expression, turned to them.

“Enough!”

Both dragons froze, but Krai was still childishly growling, curling its body around Kareen and

Cassandra with a defiant look. Glahad walked back behind the throne with a sullen expression, but

stayed silent. The Emperor sighed, turning to Shareen.

“My daughter, go get your brother before your mother really gets angry at me.”

One could have argued the Imperial Concubine was already angry enough, but Shareen simply left the

room, Cassandra following closely behind her. The Princess seemed to know exactly where to go,

heading down several staircases and crossing corridors in record time.

They arrived at the dungeons a short while later. It was cold and sinister down there. Shareen gave

some orders to the Imperial Servants and they guided her to a large cell.

“My Lord!” yelled Cassandra.

As soon as the door was opened, she ran inside. Kairen was there, hanging by his wrists from the

ceiling. He seemed unconscious, but Cassandra was more worried about the number of dark scale

lines on his skin. How many times had he been whipped?

She started crying while Shareen looked on, dumbfounded.

“What is wrong with you? Stop crying, he’s fine!”

Fine? How was he fine? But Shareen rolled her eyes and walked over, taking her own whip out. Before

Cassandra could react, Shareen violently slashed her brother’s arm. A few seconds later, the red mark

was already covered in black scales.

“What are you doing?! He’s already unconscious from…”

“What? Unconscious?” retorted Shareen, satirically. “The idiot is asleep!”

Asleep…? Cassandra stepped closer to Kairen. His eyes were closed, he was breathing slowly and

almost…snoring. Snoring! How could he be sleeping in these conditions? His sister rolled her eyes

again and slapped his biceps a few times.

“Kairen, you idiot! Wake up, your precious woman is here crying because of you!”

It took a few seconds, but the Prince finally opened his eyes to Cassandra’s relief. He frowned,

surprised to see her there.

“Cassandra…?”

“My Lord! My Lord, are you alright? Does it hurt?”

“Stop with the pity party, you two, it’s annoying,” said Shareen. “And you, Brother, what were you

thinking? Why would you let yourself be whipped?”

Kairen was focused on Cassandra, ignoring his sister. Seeing her tears flowing, he became angry and

confused.

“Cassandra, why are you crying? Who did this to you?”

He struggled a bit with the shackles holding him and then all of a sudden, they snapped with a loud

metallic crack, shocking her. Freed, the Prince landed on his feet in front of her, immediately brushing

his hands on her cheeks.

“You…you could free yourself?” asked Cassandra in surprise.

“Of course. You think those shackles could restrain a Dragon Master?” sighed Shareen. “So silly.

Anyway, I’ll be on my way now.”

His sister left the cell and headed back into the Imperial Palace, but neither of them paid her any

attention. Cassandra was still speechless, looking at him confused, while Kairen caressed her cheeks,

trying to understand the cause of her tears.

“Are you injured? Who made you cry?” he kept asking unrelentingly.

All of a sudden, Cassandra pushed his hands away, angry.

“I was worried about you! I thought you were actually hurt! And…and I was waiting and worried! How

could you stay here when you could have just freed yourself?”

All she could think about was how the Imperial Family was too much. Who lets themself be whipped

and trapped without complaint? And not even try to get free for weeks! How could Kairen be so

heartless and not even think of her feelings? Cassandra turned her back to him, both angry and

embarrassed. His Highness had gone too far!

“Cassandra…”

Seeing her enraged was a first for Kairen. He was now feeling a bit guilty and had no idea how to make

up for it. He put his arms around her, resting his hands on her little baby bump.

“Sorry… Father really wanted to see Mother…”

Cassandra turned around, scowling.

“Don’t tell me… All of this was only to have the Concubine Mother come here?”

Kairen nodded.

“It was the only way my father could think of to compel her to come.”

“Why did you agree to it?”

“Because he said if I helped him, he would agree to my demands. Come.”

Worried about her staying too long in the cold dungeons, Kairen gently ushered Cassandra out and

guided her back into the Castle. They walked for a few minutes, until they reached what looked like a

littl tea salon, with two women in red dresses inside.

“Get out,” growled Kairen.

They left in a hurry, keeping their eyes on the floor. The Prince then gently guided Cassandra to sit in

the middle of a little pile of brightly colored cushions. Taking to his knees in front of her, he grabbed her

hands and started tenderly kissing them. Frowning a bit, Cassandra pushed him away.

“I’m still upset, My Lord. How could you have agreed to that? I was worried for weeks!”

But Kairen only smirked, caressing her hair.

“Did you miss me?”

“It’s not funny!” Cassandra pouted, throwing one of the little cushions at him. “I was really worried…”

“I get it…I’m sorry. I apologize.”

Cassandra looked away from him, her cheeks flushed from a mix of anger and attempts to repress her

tears of relief. She didn’t want to forgive him so soon for abandoning her for weeks. Weeks! He had

simply stayed here without warning her, and not thinking about her feelings at all!

“Cassandra… I’m sorry…”

Kairen softly kissed her skin, leaving a trail of kisses from her wrist, up her arm, and finally landing on

her shoulder. Cassandra shivered. A wave of warmth overcame her, along with her Prince’s familiar

smell.

“My Lord…”

“Kairen,” he corrected.

She shook her head, biting her lip and trying to breathe. His hand was slowly caressing her leg,

pushing the fabric of her red dress higher above her knee. Cassandra was blushing as she thought

about the last time they’d had this kind of contact, how it had been far too long. Kairen’s lips were now

on her chest, on that little spot of skin her dress wasn’t covering. She grabbed his shoulder, feeling the

sensation of his hot skin under her fingers. The black scales that tracked over his body were rougher,

but she liked their unusual texture.

Kairen shifted her back, having her lay in the middle of the cushions. He reached for her hairpins,

taking each of them out and freeing her long curls. He brushed his fingers through, caressing each

strand, before firmly grabbing a handful of her luscious locks.

Meanwhile, his other hand was sliding down along her waist to her thigh, playing with the inner layers

of her dress. Cassandra was already too flustered to breathe steadily. The blood under her skin was

sizzling, flushing it

to an excited pink. She grabbed his face in her hands, and pulled him up for a long, deep kiss. Finally

allowed to kiss her, Kairen didn’t wait to respond fiercely, crashing his tongue and lips against hers,

brushing her skin and hair with his fingers. (1)

He finally reached the last layers of her clothes, grabbing her underwear to pull down her legs.

Cassandra felt it, and her senses went into overdrive, feeling them slide down until they were gone. His

fingers were caressing her, heating things up between her legs, rubbing her thighs, and at her

entrance. The slow motions were torture… a very sweet and exciting torture, causing a rush of

adrenaline. She was moaning under the movements of his hands, unable to free her lips from his

passionate kiss. Kairen wouldn’t let go of her, pressing his body against hers, he was ruthless with his

mouth and his hands all over her.

Cassandra could barely catch her breath between his lips, while his fingers ventured further, grinding

against her insides and making her legs tremble. She wanted to cry out, beg for mercy, but he was

barely letting her make any sound, nothing but erratic moans.

How could this be appropriate? They were inside the Imperial Palace, anyone could barge in!

But, of course, he didn’t care. Kairen kept going, too engrossed in their sexual arousal and savoring the

wetness on his fingers. They hadn’t been together in so long… His desire was growing exponentially,

as he quickly undid his belt. Cassandra was finally able to breathe when his lips plunged to her breasts,

undoing the top of her dress to caress and tease them. She gasped, feeling him pressing between her

legs.

“My Lord.”

He sucked on her skin, leaving red marks above her breasts and all over her white skin. Cassandra’s

body overflowed with sensation, holding on to his shoulders, to the soft cushions around her. She

continued trembling in pleasure, but she was wet and getting impatient. Her fidgety hands reached for

his member, caressing it. Kairen growled a bit, surprised. He let her do so though, and went back to her

lips, deeply kissing her again. He wanted this woman so much… How could he have kept them apart

for weeks?

With a swift shift of his hips, the War God slowly penetrated her, causing his Concubine to cry out in

pleasure. Feeling him fill her to the brim was the hottest sensation she ever had. Cassandra took deep

breaths as they slowly started moving their hips together, but Kairen wasn’t that patient. He

accelerated, thrusting long and fast inside her, driving her crazy with his perfectly timed momentum. He

kept going, in and out, breathing loudly. Cassandra felt her lower body burning, her legs and hips a

slave to his wild movements. It was so good… so, so good. And they hadn’t done it in so long. She just

didn’t want this to stop.

Obliging her need, Kairen kept going, only slowing down to change positions a couple of times.

Cassandra found she was starting to really like those colored cushions… She was on her flank, his

arms around her, going voraciously at it from behind. Kairen kissed her shoulder, caressed her breasts,

and rubbed her little button between her legs, making her go insane. His double rubbing on her most

intimate parts were bringing her to the verge of explosion, but she was trying hard to hold it back. She

didn’t want to cum first again.

Cassandra tried breathing deep and hard, but her Prince was relentless, not giving her a moment’s

respite. Suddenly, she heard him groan as he accelerated further, and she couldn’t take it anymore. In

a long cry of absolute bliss, she spasmed around him, unleashing. Kairen joined her at the same time,

in a long release.

He sighed against her skin.

“It was high time you came…”

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 41​

The Ambitious Servants

As they were putting their clothes back on, Kairen couldn’t help but thoroughly behold his Concubine.

Why did she seem prettier than he remembered? His mother’s influence could be seen on her.

Cassandra had always been naturally graceful and gentle-mannered, but now, she was moving with

the attitude of a Queen. Or maybe it was just the jewelry enhancing her natural beauty.

“How is our son?” asked Kairen, caressing her tummy.

“He’s fine. I can feel him a little now. And the egg has grown bigger, too.”

Kairen nodded in approval and took her hand, pulling her out of the room. Cassandra was completely

lost in the maze of the Palace, but the Prince guided her confidently. In a few minutes, they were back

in the Main Room where the Emperor’s golden throne was. Shareen was still there, her arms crossed.

“Kairen!” Kareen sighed out in relief.

“See, he’s fine, dar…”

“Fine? Then what are those?!”

The Imperial Concubine was inspecting the scaled scars on her son, looking furious.

“Who dared to injure my son? I want their heads!”

“Fine, yes, whatever you want. Would you move back to the Palace now, please?” asked the Emperor,

visibly annoyed.

“Move back to this nest of snakes? Among all those two-faced whores? The little sluts that skulk

around here?”

“You…you’re being a bit too much, darling.”

“Over my dead body!” yelled Kareen. “And know that if anything happens to my children or

grandchildren, this will be the last time you’ll see me!”

And with that, she turned on her heels and left the room, not hiding her anger.

“Kareen! Ka… Oh, that woman!” sighed the Emperor.

He sat back on his throne looking sullen. Behind him, Glahad looked a bit disappointed too, laying

down with a long face. Kairen walked up the first few stairs towards the throne.

“Father, my request.”

“Your request? What request? Your mother didn’t even listen!”

“You only asked that she would come here,” growled Kairen.

“Come and listen to me! All she did was yell at me! Did I deserve that? I feel so pathetic! She won’t

even look at me anymore! What good is it being the Emperor if you can’t even control your own

women?!”

“Father!”

“Ah, enough! I’ve had enough yelling for one day! We’ll talk about it later. Just go to your rooms, and…

Won’t you and your concubine please attend the New Year Celebrations?”

Kairen’s fists tightened. This stubborn father of his was really getting on his last nerve, but before he

could add anything, Cassandra grabbed his hand gently.

“Let’s go,” she whispered to him.

He didn’t say anything further, listening to her instead and stepping down, before leaving the room

altogether. All that time, Cassandra hadn’t glanced at the Emperor once. For some reason, she felt

very awkward just being in the same room as him…

They kept walking in silence through the corridors, passing by several rooms.

“My Lord, what did you ask of your father? In exchange for all this…”

“To be taken out…”

“Taken out?”

“Of his possible successors.”

“What?”

Cassandra stopped, speechless. He had asked for what? As she had stopped walking, Kairen had no

choice but to stop and turn back to her.

“You asked for what?”

“For my father not to consider me as one of his successors. To be taken out of the running for future

Emperor.”

“W…why would you do that?” Cassandra asked, still in shock.

“To protect you,” Kairen shrugged.

“That is not a valid reason!”

He didn’t even respond to that. Cassandra couldn’t understand what was going on. Was it because of

what she had said? How scared she was for their child’s safety? Did he think everything would be

solved if he was ruled out as a potential successor?

Cassandra’s mind was working at full speed. This was too much, even if it was for her sake!

“My Prince, you can’t…”

“Later.”

Kairen started walking again, and Cassandra followed, realizing that they were headed outside of the

Imperial Palace. As it was much warmer there, a bit too hot for her. Cassandra tried to stay in his

shadow to shield herself from the sun.

As soon as they reached the outer gardens, a bunch of young women suddenly approached them.

They all had green dresses on and harbored fake smiles.

“Your Highness! Are you going outside? Do you need help?”

“We can accompany you, if you’d like!”

Cassandra was outraged by the women’s smutty intentions. What was this? Didn’t they usually fear the

War God? And they were all blatantly ignoring her in their efforts to seduce him! Had they no shame at

all? However, Kairen resolutely ignored them. Maybe for the first time though, Cassandra felt utterly

annoyed. Had they become servants of the Imperial Palace just to try and seduce one of the Princes?

Didn’t they fear for their lives?

“Your Highness! Wouldn’t you like another woman to warm your bed?”

Suddenly, Kairen stopped and turned to the young woman who had spoken. She was pretty with shiny

hair and big lustful eyes, but Kairen’s eyes reflected back nothing but annoyance.

She didn’t realize this and assumed a seductive posture, showing off her curves. Cassandra looked

elsewhere as she couldn’t bear to watch this kind of scheming.

“…Out of our way.”

“Eh?”

“I said, get out of our way.”

The woman looked a bit shocked, but kept insisting, trying to use her physical charms.

“B…but don’t you think I’m pretty? And I’m very experienced, too…”

Before she could add anything else, Kairen shoved her to the side with enough force to send her

tumbling to the floor, falling flat on her ass. None of the other women moved to help her, they were all

petrified by the Prince’s deathly glare.

Kairen resumed walking, not even bothering to look at them any longer. Cassandra followed in his

steps silently. The servants didn’t dare to add a word either, especially after a dark shadow suddenly

flew over them. Krai landed behind Cassandra, toddling to her until its head could be by the

Concubine’s side. The dragon’s arrival had scared away all the nearby servants, but it made

Cassandra smile. Krai softly growled while waddling by her side, following them outside the Imperial

Palace’s domain. 3

The Palace itself was so vast that it took quite a while to leave it. Once they walked past the large walls

though, the City sprawled out in front of them.

Cassandra took a deep breath. It had been so long since she had been in the City! Not much had

changed over the last few months, of course, as she recognized most of the streets and shops. What

was different was the way people looked at her though. This was the first time she could walk with her

head held high. Before, she would get looks of disgust, people chasing her away like vermin. Now, the

women were covetous of her, while the men lusted over her. All of them were careful to look down if the

Prince or his Dragon came near though and Krai growled often, warning people not to come too close,

forcing a clear path to open up in front of them, obviously disliking crowds. Now, those people were the

ones averting their eyes and being careful. It was a vastly different experience.

“Where are we going, My Lord?”

“To the Slave Market.”

Cassandra was speechless. Really? Now? But indeed, after a few more steps, she started to recognize

the direction they were headed. Was he really going to take care of her slave status, now?

“How do you know where it is, My Lord?”

“I used to run away from the Palace and come to the City.”

“Really?”

Was he a mischievous child growing up? Cassandra couldn’t keep herself from smiling, imagining a

young Kairen playfully running through the streets.

“C…Cassie?”

Cassandra turned around. Hidden in the crowd, a pair of young slaves were looking at her with

shocked eyes. She recognized them instantly.

“Ethen? Mira?” she called out to them.

They nodded, and the people around the slaves stepped back. The two were younger than Cassandra.

Ethen was fourteen years old, and Mira was just eleven. After a brief hesitation, they walked up to her

and Cassandra hugged them as soon as they were within reach.

“Ethen, your…hand…”

She looked at the bandage on his wrist, where his hand used to be. He still had it when she had left

their master’s house.

“Ah… It’s okay, Cassie, I’m fine. The… Master was very angry at that time, so he…”

“Cassie, I thought you were dead!” Mira interrupted, tears in her eyes. “The Master said that you were

given as an offering to the…the…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but her eyes were clearly on Krai, afraid. The dragon was looking at her

with curiosity though.

“Cassandra. Who are they?” asked Kairen.

“We…worked for the same Master.”

“The Old Master is dead, Cassie. Now his son is our Master.”

Cassandra felt like screaming. She remembered him. He was about her age, but the Old Minister’s son

was a horrible, spoiled child. He had laid his hands on the young female slaves several times and was

even worse to the men. Ethen’s hand was only a glimpse of his cruelty.

She shook her head. She couldn’t possibly let them go back. Cassandra turned her head to Kairen,

hesitating for a moment. Could she ask for a favor like this? Maybe just this once? Feeling her

hesitation, her Prince turned to her.

“Say it.”

“1… Can they come with us? Please…”

She didn’t even have to ask a second time. Kairen nodded, and resumed walking. The two young

slaves were confused, but Cassandra took their hands.

“Come with me.”

“B… But… The Master…”

“Don’t worry about him.”

Still fearing the huge dragon, they started walking next to her, chatting about what had happened since

the Arena. Cassandra detailed her story and then asked them the same. The two young slaves didn’t

have any good news. The Old Minister was a cruel man, but his son managed to be even worse. He

had taken some of his father’s remaining concubines as his own, and chased away or killed the rest.

“What a pig…” said Cassandra.

“Cassie… We’ll really be punished if we don’t go back…” cried Mira.

“No, no, don’t worry.”

The more she thought about it, the more Cassandra didn’t want to let them go back, or let anyone go NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

back there. She abruptly stopped, and thought about it for a few seconds, before turning to Kairen.

Let’s go there.”

He didn’t say anything, but she took a deep breath to explain herself.

“I can’t…I can’t leave them. All the slaves there were like me, they were all my friends. Some are even

younger than Mira. I… His son only inherited his father’s wealth and properties, but he doesn’t have a

title. I can…I can do this, right?”

Kairen smirked. Of course she could. When would she stop doubting herself so much? Cassandra only

seemed to realize her own strength and status when she needed it to help others…

“Where is it?” he asked. 2

Cassandra led the way. It was an odd feeling going back to her Old Master’s house. She probably

would have been terrified if she hadn’t been accompanied by a Dragon and its master. One was a

killing machine, and the other could eat several grown men in one bite. And both were smitten with her.

7

They arrived a few minutes later. Cassandra took a few seconds at the entrance to calm herself. As

she stood there, all of the memories resurfaced, as clear as if it were only yesterday. The yelling, the

slaps, and the bite of the whip. All that suffering that had marked her skin forever. She could never get

rid of the scars, physical or emotional. The worst thing about it was the hunger though. Most people

thought the physical punishments were more painful, but only someone who had lived through it knew

that there was nothing worse than hunger; it drove you crazy.

She took a deep breath. She wasn’t hungry, cold, or scared anymore. Those scars were now just

reminders of injuries that had been healed.

Chapter 42​

The Concubine’s Residence

“Who dares to…!” the man yelled, furious.

Cassandra had just walked into the room, wearing her red dress, staring at him with disgust. The young

man was barely older than her, by a couple of years. He was half-naked in his bedroom, wearing just a

bathrobe, and two young women by his side. Cassandra talked to them first.

“Leave us, please.”

Her calm and composed tone contrasted strangely with the group of slaves behind her. After some This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

hesitation, the women were about to leave, but their Master suddenly grabbed them by the hair, making

them both cry out in pain.

“Where do you think you’re going?! You wenches! Who is your Master?!”

“Let them go!”

“Why?” he asked. “Why should I obey you, slave? Huh? Where did you steal that dress! You little slut,

do you think I don’t recognize you? You were one of my father’s slaves! I’ll whip you a hundred times

for running away!”

“I said, let them go!”

Right after she yelled, a large growl was heard from above. Except for Cassandra, everyone in the

room was suddenly terrified, looking up at the roof.

“W…w…what was that?”

Too surprised, the young Master had let go of one of the women, who ran out of the room screeching.

His grip was still tight on the other woman’s hair, though, and the woman was quietly weeping,

obviously scared.

Since it seemed quiet upstairs for a moment, the man, trying to appear more confident, stood up to

face Cassandra with a disgusted look painted on his face.

“How dare you walk in here and give me orders, you damn slut! You think you can tell me what to do?

How about this?!”

Before Cassandra could do anything, he threw the woman on the floor. He brutally kicked her in the

stomach several times. Her screams and the violence of the scene made everyone take a step back;

everyone except Cassandra. Despite her own disgust at the man, she suddenly grabbed her shoe and

threw it at him.

She wasn’t aiming to hurt him, but to divert him so he would stop. Her shoe violently hit his temple

making him stumble back away from his victim. The woman was crying loudly, holding her waist in

pain. Cassandra walked up to her, checking on her, genuinely worried. She didn’t recognize this young

woman, but she was also a slave.

“Are you okay?”

“The…the Master…” cried the girl, but her words didn’t make any sense.

“How dare you injure your Master! I’ll have you whipped, burned, and killed!”

Cassandra had enough. Ignoring him, she helped the girl get up.

“Where do you think you’re…!”

Just when the man was about to hit them both, Cassandra took one of her hairpins out, and held it like

a weapon, aimed right at him. She didn’t attack, but with her stance and the speed of his hand, the man

impaled himself right on it.

Shocked, he saw blood dripping, the needle in the middle of his hand, and took a few seconds to

understand what had just happened. Cassandra let go of the hairpin, as he started screaming in pain.

Cassandra felt no sympathy for him. After what he had done to so many slaves, for all those years, she

didn’t have it in her heart to give him any pity. He certainly didn’t deserve any.

She was about to escort the woman outside, when another loud growl was heard. Understanding it

came from above them, half of the slaves present ran out. Cassandra sighed, taking cover on the side.

A few seconds later, the room’s roof was completely torn away. With its gigantic claws fighting to get rid

of the wood, Krai kept eyeing her from the hole just created, impatient.

“Krai, stop it! I said to wait!” She sighed

Whether it didn’t want to listen or didn’t understand, the dragon kept digging, making a big mess of

what had just been a room seconds before. Cassandra had to sidestep to avoid the falling debris. A

few feet away from her, the man had completely forgotten about his pain, staring at the huge black

Dragon, in utter shock.

“Th… The… Thir… Third Pr… Prince’s…”

“His name is Krai,” said Cassandra. “And if you move or scream again, you will be his lunch.”

With that threat, she finally left the room, unharmed, helping the terrorized slave who was clinging to

her, mumbling.

“The ma… Master will kill me… He’ll whip me…”

“Don’t worry, he won’t do anything to you.”

Cassandra walked her to the inner court, where the other slaves ran to take care of the young woman,

giving her some clothes and checking her injury. Behind Cassandra, Krai noticed she was out, and

stepped down to follow her, completely forgetting all about the building it had just destroyed. The slaves

were still frightened by the dragon, but watching it happily growl at Cassandra and rub its snout against

her arm, was definitely a unique sight.

“How many slaves are there?”

“About sixty,” said Ethen. “And about as many servants.”

Cassandra sighed a bit. She had hoped it’d be less.She was about to turn to walk out and ask for

Kairen’s permission, when she stopped. She remembered his words, right before she walked in here.

She should do this on her own this time. No more asking for permission. Taking a deep breath, she

turned again, facing the crowd in the outer garden.

“I’m on my way to the Slave Market, to get this thing off my neck. I…I am an Imperial Concubine, now.

If you want to follow me, I can do the same for you.”

“Where will we go next?” asked one of the middle-aged women.

“I can offer you jobs…but not to everyone. Some will have to find work on their own. I only need about

twenty people to accompany me back to the Onyx Castle.”

A lot of people were hesitating. It was disheartening to Cassandra, but she easily understood them.

Most of these people had spent their whole lives working in this place. In the outside world, they had no

idea of what they’d become. Even if it was a different person holding it, they would always fear the whip

of another Master.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door behind her.

“You wench!!! You shall die by the…!”

chomp 9

Cassandra turned to look at what the odd sound was. Behind her, Krai froze like a dog caught doing

something

wrong. The dragon turned its red eyes to the side, obviously to avoid hers. The inert leg hanging out

from its maw was a dead give-away, though. (13)

“Krai…”

The Black Dragon turned its head away, pretending not to hear. Behind her, all the slaves were silently

horrified. Did that dragon just…? Someone in the group loudly threw up, while Krai was trying to chew

slowly, as if Cassandra couldn’t see it. There was only one shoe left on the ground. 8

She sighed. She didn’t think the dragon would really eat him…

“Did your dragon eat the Master?” Innocently asked Mira.

“We’re all dead,” whispered one of the men. “They won’t forgive this… The family… They will kill her

and kill us for this…”

Cassandra turned to him, annoyed.

“This is an Imperial Dragon! No one will do anything to you anymore, I promise!”

“You’ll just sell us to the next Master! What do you care, now that you’re one of them?”

“Cassie won’t do that!” yelled Mira, running to her side. “She is our friend!”

Most of the young people nodded in agreement. To them, Cassandra had been like an older sister,

silent and helpful most of the time. Even if she had been gone for months, they remembered her

gentleness that no one else had shown them after she had left. Ethen, along with a few young slaves,

confidently walked over to her side as well.

“Nowhere can be worse than here anyway,” growled the woman from before, joining them.

After that woman spoke, a few others came along. Cassandra knew most of them, but they had barely

interacted before. That woman was known as Yasora, one of the slaves that worked in the kitchens.

The ones staying behind were all staring at her with defiant looks, either doubtful or scared of the

Dragon.

Cassandra sighed.

“Fine. We can…”

“Cassandra.”

She turned around. Kairen, impatiently, had arrived inside. As he came to her side, a few people

stepped away, too afraid of an Imperial Family member. Though he didn’t wear any purple clothing,

they could tell who he was just by the scales left on his skin, his armor, and his behavior.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, glancing at the people present.

“Are you done yet?” he asked in a cold voice.

“Yes but…some cannot leave.”

Kairen stayed silent for a while. His eyes were looking over at the residence, its buildings and all. He

stopped where Krai had made a mess, glaring at his Dragon, but the black beast once again looked

away.

“Just keep it,” he eventually said.

“Keep it? You mean this place?”

Kairen nodded.

“You hate the Imperial Palace anyway.”

Is that what he meant for her to keep…this whole residence? Indeed, its last owner had died, but…this

was way

too big for her to keep! She hesitated, looking at the slaves and servants who had all gathered.

One of the old maids stepped forward, bowing lowly.

“We will take care of it for you, Lady Cassandra. If…if you can do as promised, we will happily work for

you. This residence will welcome you anytime.”

It was an odd feeling, having her former colleagues be at her service now. Cassandra sighed. She

wasn’t really happy with this situation, but indeed, it would be much better for them this way. With an

Imperial Family member’s protection, they didn’t risk anything. No one would dare to raise questions

about the place’s ownership

either, the Black Dragon that had wrecked some of it would be enough of an explanation.

“Are we done now?” asked Kairen, visibly bored.

Cassandra nodded, feeling a bit better. She wanted to hurry to the Slave Market. A lot of people were

coming with them too. Though it was probably the place she hated the most, it was also where she

could hope to find a clue about what had happened to her younger sister.

Chapter 43​

The Slavery Collar You… You….Your Highness!”

The man couldn’t believe his own eyes. A member of the Imperial Family, in the Slave Market? What

had gotten into him! He glanced at the concubine next to him, and the obvious collar on her neck. What

was that? He probably wanted his new toy’s collar off, but… What was the deal with the dozens of

slaves behind him?!

“Take that damn thing off.”

Kairen’s angry voice had everyone sweating in fear. One of the older men took a step forward, looking

at Cassandra’s slavery collar with a suspicious look.

“It’s not that simple, Your Highness. Every slave has a binding contract and a debt to pay in order to

buy their freedom back.”

*A debt?” repeated Cassandra, shocked. “Are you implying I owe you money?”

Kairen raised an eyebrow, not because of the slave trader, but in surprise at her sudden stance. It

wasn’t often that he saw her really angry at someone.

Cassandra was shocked and furious. She stepped forward, glaring at the man like she never had

before.

“You stole me like some merchandise from my tribe when I was a child! You ransacked every house,

killed every man you couldn’t sell. You locked women and girls in cages, like we were animals! If any

money has to be taken into account, you owe me more than a hundred whole lives could repay, for

everything you’ve done! You owe me everything you took from me, my family, my life, my people!”

The man was shocked that the young Concubine had dared to yell at him. He glanced at the Prince,

but seeing that he wasn’t taking part in the conversation, he crossed his arms and made an offended

look.

“Young Lady, how is it my fault if your tribe, or whatever, fell because of some war or bandits? It’s not

like people run here for slavery contracts! That’s how the business is. We get the slaves and find them

places to work. You should consider yourself lucky. You were provided a roof and food after what

happened to your people!”

“Lucky?” repeated Cassandra in astonishment. “You think slaves…are lucky?”

Some of the people following them started yelling at the slave trader, making him step back. The crowd

behind him wasn’t too happy, either. In the Slave Market, which was basically a huge tent for buyers

and sellers to meet and trade the slaves, there were about thirty to fifty slaves per trader. While their

wrists, ankles, and neck were all bound by chains, they were free to glare and yell. Seeing the situation

wasn’t good, some buyers promptly left. No one wanted to get caught between a slave-trader and an

Imperial Concubine wearing a slavery collar…especially when she is backed-up by her Prince and his

Dragon. (3)

Krai was standing outside of the tent, growling regularly. Plus, with its size, no one could ignore the little

mountain of black scales that stood visible behind all of the crowd.

“I’ve spent almost half my life as a slave, and I should be grateful for it?” said Cassandra, outraged. “I

should be grateful for all the times I’ve been whipped, beaten, and starved? For eating scraps and

drinking dirty water? For risking my life every day? Thank you for the scars and nightmares?”

The slave trader rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed at her.

“What are you complaining about, huh? You got yourself an Imperial Prince, didn’t you? You, of all

people, should be damn grateful you weren’t killed!”

– For the first time in her life, Cassandra felt utter hatred for someone. She took the little dagger at her

hip, and

without warning, slashed the man’s arm. Not too deep, just enough for blood to appear, making him yell

in pain.,

“You…you swine!”

“What? Aren’t you grateful? Isn’t this nothing?!” Cassandra yelled back angrily, with tears in her eyes.

“Slaves get injuries like this every day! The only person I’m grateful to is My Lord, for not killing the

abused goods that I am! For taking a liking to me, despite all the scars I carry!”

“Cassandra, enough,” said Kairen, taking the dagger from her shaking hand.

Gently, he put his hand around her, comforting her and kissing her wet cheek. Cassandra had never

been so angry before. She couldn’t even express it correctly.

“It’s… Those men are…”

“Calm down,” he whispered. Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

He didn’t mind her getting mad at someone. He wouldn’t have blinked if she killed him, but he didn’t

want to see her too worked up, not when she was pregnant. She was crying in anger and shaking. He

turned to the man, glaring at him with a deadly look in his black eyes. O

“The collar. Now.”

The man hesitated. Even if this Concubine was upset or whatever, the Prince was a member of the

Imperial Family, someone with money to no end. Maybe he could get some more before freeing that

slave for him.

“I can do it, but the binding contract, and the fee…”

This time, Kairen had enough. Without warning, Kairen grabbed the man by his collar and pulled him

back to the entrance. The man screamed like a pig, terrified. He didn’t expect the Prince would get mad

over a slave, or even a Concubine. Kairen’s apparent calm and composure had misled him to think

Cassandra was the only one who was

angry.

“Let me go! I’ll free her! I’ll free her right away! We have a key! A key that works for…”

Before he could end his sentence, Kairen threw him like a sack toward Krai. The Dragon, like a dog

catching a ball, crunched him half-way. It didn’t even chew, just gulped the man down, ending his life in

seconds. After that, it burped loudly, to everyone’s disgust. When Kairen walked back to his Concubine,

Cassandra was frowning.

“Can Dragons get sick?” she asked.

“What would he get sick with?”

“Rotten meat,” she said with disgust. “It’s the second one today.”

Kairen smirked.

“His stomach can handle fire.”

He then turned to the other slave traders present, all of their faces had gone completely white with fear.

Before any of them wondered how many humans a dragon could eat in a day, they all ran to

Cassandra, each bringing some very odd key. Kairen kicked one that had come too close, warning the

others not to overstep that range.

He grabbed one of the keys and gently turned Cassandra around. Her head was spinning a bit. Really,

now? Was it…really happening? She noticed her own breathing was getting louder, her heartbeat

ringing in her ears.

With a loud clicking, the two half-rings of metal fell at her feet. Cassandra looked down at the rings for a

few seconds, stunned. It was more than just those pieces of metal, it was her neck, and the sensation

of lightness, that struck her. 5

There would be no more constant heaviness around her neck, no more pain. She slowly brought her

fingers up, touching her skin. It was gone, really gone. It wasn’t just the collar that was removed; it was

like a hundred pounds of sorrow, fear, and pain had been lifted off her shoulders.

Cassandra silently started crying, hiding her face in Kairen’s shoulder. Her Prince held her close,

caressing her back and neck, waiting for her to calm down.

With her cheeks still wet, she suddenly grabbed his face and kissed him without warning. The War God

wasn’t expecting this. Never before had Cassandra been so passionate, demanding, and commanding.

Yet, it felt so incredibly good. He answered her kiss, completely forgetting the world around them. It

was like another woman had taken over her body, claiming him, hungry and restless. She caressed his

cheek, his nape, keeping him to herself. Kairen was pleasantly surprised, his arms around her waist,

hugging her until they parted, both of them out of breath.

For a while, they stayed silent, their faces close to each other, in a slight daze.

“Thank you,” whispered Cassandra.

Kairen didn’t answer, only wiping her tears and kissing her gently again, while Cassandra stood against

his chest, her eyes closed. She was still trembling a bit, but he continued to hold her and turned to the

slave traders.

* The others. Now.”

The slave traders looked at the large group, a bit hesitant, but all of them had seen or heard the sound

of a man being eaten alive by a Dragon. No one wanted to be the main dish. They rushed toward the

other slaves, each carrying one of the keys, and the collars fell one by one. People started crying,

screaming, and laughing in joy. Some even hugged their siblings or friends, overwhelmed with relief.

Cassandra only listened. She still had her eyes closed, leaning on Kairen’s chest; her Prince’s hands

holding her tightly.

When they were done with the group, the slave traders returned, visibly pissed by what had just

happened. Freeing fifty or so slaves in a day wasn’t a part of their plans at all. Kairen’s deadly glare on

them wasn’t stopping, making them feel as if something was wrong.

“S… Sir, we are done…”

“I said, free the others.”

For a few seconds, they didn’t understand. They had obviously freed all of the group, so why… Then,

their faces turned white, one by one. He couldn’t possibly mean all of the slaves? Yet, the Imperial

Prince’s glare was obvious. The men stepped back.

“Your Highness, this… this is our trading business. This is how we…we make our living.”

“If we free all our merchandise, we…”

Kairen’s unwavering expression was extremely scary and disturbing. Three of the slave traders turned

back and ran to free their slaves, with shaking hands. The men left were hesitant. He couldn’t be…

serious, could he?

All of a sudden, a loud growl was heard. Krai began to bite and tear the tent away. Even though the

tent was dozens of meters long and wide, the dragon pulled it like a child would have played with a

handkerchief.

Kairen stayed silent again, but Cassandra stepped closer, talking to the closest trader.

“The man who sold me, sold my younger sister too. His name was Nubar.”

“Nu…Nubar died years ago, Madam.”

“How can I find my sister?” she insisted, still visibly upset.

The man hesitated, but someone from behind him spoke first.

“How…how old was she, Madam?”

“She was seven.”

“Then…she was probably sold to a brothel.”

Cassandra felt her heart sink.

“To a brothel? I just said she was seven years old!”

“They take the young girls when they are very young, so they can train them and ensure their virginity.

If they are very pretty, they can be sold at very high prices to wealthy nobles, but most of them are kept

as prostitutes.”

Cassandra almost fainted. A brothel… Her sister had really been taken to some brothel? She felt like

crying again, and throwing up. Those people were less than human. She turned to Kairen, shaking her

head, feeling sick.

“I want to leave,” she cried. “I want to leave this place. I never want to step foot here, ever again.”

Kairen slowly nodded, and carried her outside, Cassandra’s arms around his neck. When he reached

Krai, the dragon was growling in the direction of the slave traders, its eyes darkening,

“Stuff yourself,” the War God whispered.

Chapter 44​

The Favored Heir Cassandra didn’t hear the carnage behind them, and she didn’t want to. She cried silently against

Kairen’s neck. She couldn’t endure any more emotions for the day. She was angry, sad, and

exhausted. Her Prince carried her without a word, back to the Palace. No one dared to bother them.

She didn’t look up again until they reached the gates.

Kairen brought her to his apartment and gently placed her on the bed. She wasn’t crying anymore, but

her eyes were red. He hated seeing her like this.

“I’ll send people to look for your sister.”

Cassandra sighed.

“Back then, when I had just been sold to my first Master… I looked for her every chance I had. I asked

so many people… I was caught and punished several times for venturing outside when I wasn’t

allowed to. I just wanted to find her so badly. She always looked so much like me, I knew someone

would recognize her right away if they saw me.”

“What’s her name?”

“Missandra.”

Kairen nodded, and rubbed her back.

“We’ll find her.”

“She may not be in the Capital anymore, it’s been so long,” cried Cassandra.

Before she could add anything else, Kairen gently kissed her, and pulled her into the middle of the bed.

He kept kissing her, until she finally began to slowly respond to his kiss.

Her sister had been lost for almost ten years. Even if the news that she may have been sold to a

brothel was hard, Cassandra still had hope. If she was alive, with the Prince’s help, they would find her.

Right now, there was something important to celebrate. Kairen was going down to her jawline, onto her

neck, down to her collarbone. Her skin was now all his to touch, caress, and kiss, as much as he

wanted. Even on Cassandra’s pale skin, one could see the thin tan line from her slavery days. Eight

years… For eight years her neck and shoulders had carried the weight of that heavy, rusted metal.

“I want to bathe,” she suddenly said.

“Now?”

Cassandra nodded, and Kairen quickly kissed her before leaving the bed, allowing her to sit up. He had Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

gone to give orders to the servants in waiting. After a few minutes, they had her bath ready, lukewarm

water with flowers and oils, right in the middle of the room. They dismissed the servants that were

waiting with towels in order to be alone.

Cassandra undressed, revealing the little belly under her dress. Her breasts, too, had gotten a bit fuller

and more firm during those last weeks. Kairen helped her step inside the bathtub, sitting behind her as

she liked.

She could finally relax a bit inside the water, with the Prince’s warm torso against her back. Kairen

brushed her hair back, kissing her neck and shoulder.

“We should celebrate,” he whispered.

“That I’m no longer a slave?”

“That and… this,” he said, caressing her tummy.

Cassandra nodded, smiling a bit for the first time in a while. She put her hand over his, feeling a lot

better just from his touch.

“How do you celebrate?” she asked.

“Probably a feast… Gifts… I want to get you something.”

She chuckled. She would never have guessed the War God was into gifts. So far, all he had given her

was gold bars! He was so rich he didn’t need to buy anything for himself, as was all of the Imperial

Family,

“More dresses?” She asked.

“No…a necklace.”

Cassandra was a bit surprised. A necklace? What kind of necklace was he thinking about?

“I understand my brothers better now.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, a bit confused.

“You’ll see tonight.”

He was probably talking about the Feast. Since they were in the Imperial Palace, they would probably

have to attend. Last time, Cassandra had been there as a slave. Now she was a free woman. That

feeling was still too new to her. Despite the weight being taken off her neck, she had yet to get used to

not being a slave anymore. Her status had risen considerably in just a few seconds. She was a low-

rank Concubine, now, which meant she had

gone from the lowest status in this country to one of the highest.

“Why did you ask your father to… take you out of the running as his heir?” she asked, suddenly

remembering that

issue.

Kairen glanced at her pregnant belly, his dark eyes bearing a solemn expression.

“To protect you…and our son. As long as I can inherit the throne, you’ll both be in danger. Constantly.”

“But…it’s such an important matter.”

He sighed, and pulled her closer, pouring water on her back, washing her gently.

“I don’t care about being an Emperor. I don’t want you to be scared or unhappy.”

Cassandra shook her head. “You can’t make this kind of decision like that. No wonder the Emperor was

so unhappy about it.”

Wasn’t he the most favored of the six sons? The Emperor may act childish when his favorite

Concubine was around, but Cassandra knew how smart he really was. He wouldn’t act that way

towards Kairen if he wasn’t a good Heir. Moreover, he was the best Dragon-tamer, that fact alone

spoke volumes about him too.

Kairen frowned, confused by her reaction. “You don’t like that?”

“It’s not just about me. There are so many more people than just me in this country. What if whoever

becomes the Emperor is bad or an incompetent person? Hundreds, or even thousands, of people could

die.”

She gently brushed his hair, looking at him. He was such a powerful and respected man, yet all he

could see was her? Cassandra leaned closer to kiss him, enjoying this sweet taste between them. At

first, she was so scared of him, but now…now he was her refuge, the one person she wanted to be

with, unconditionally.

They kept kissing and caressing each other for a long time in the bath. Kairen had a new and

embarrassing game;

leaving a trail of hickeys from her neck to her breasts. When she noticed them in the mirror, Cassandra

sighed. “I – didn’t think you would enjoy my collar being gone to this extent.”

The Prince smirked behind her, putting his pants back on before calling the servants back. A dozen of

them ran in

to help them prepare for the banquet. Kairen only had his scaled braces on and stayed shirtless, as he

chased and scared anyone who tried to get close to him.

Hence, the servants focused on Cassandra, helping her get ready from head to toe. With her collar

gone, it was a whole new attitude they had toward her. They were extremely careful with each

movement. They kept bowing and avoiding eye contact until Cassandra begged them to stop.”

“It’s alright, you’ll hurt your back or neck if you keep bowing like that.”

They seemed surprised by her attitude. It was probably very different from the usual Concubines. It

took a while before they stopped bowing continuously. Yet, they still tried not to look at her directly.

“If the Imperial Concubine has a preference..

They kept showing her dozens of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings, confusing her. Everything

was shining with gold and gems, in all the colors she could think of. How come they had so much

jewelry available for her? She had some that she had bought while at the Onyx and Diamond Palaces,

but not here!

“The Emperor has insisted, Your Highness. the Third Prince’s Imperial Concubine shall be entitled to

own anything she likes.”

Cassandra was speechless. Now, even the Emperor was treating her like a Princess! Had The

Concubine Mother played a part in this? Kairen didn’t seem surprised one bit. He stood up, glancing at

the jewelry.

“Father is probably trying to calm Mother through you. And he’s happy about the baby, too.”

Kairen picked a thin gold one, with emeralds, diamonds, and handed it to her. Cassandra chuckled,

putting it on with the help of two maiden servants. They helped her put on the rest of the matching

jewelry, which included

bracelet. After picking a very light, off-shoulder dress that had thin layers and a long skirt, the servants

put Cassandra’s hair up beautifully. Once she was ready, Kairen took her out of the room.

It would be her first time attending the Imperial Banquet as an official Concubine, as well as meeting

the Imperial Siblings and their Concubines.

Of course, she was nervous. Half of those people were wishing for her and her baby’s death.

Chapter 45​

The Whipping

As she followed Kairen, Cassandra had a hard time calming down. Everything would be so different

from the first time she had walked into the large hall of the Imperial Palace. Most importantly, she could

hold her head high, and walk beside the Prince, instead of behind him. The War God had his arm

around her waist as they entered, in a clearly protective stance.

“His Highness, Kairen the Third Prince, God of War of the Dragon Empire, and his Concubine,”

someone announced loudly.

This was very ceremonial; all eyes were clearly on them as they walked in. This time, Cassandra could

see all of their faces. First, she realized that the Imperial Concubine Mother wasn’t there. Had the

Emperor failed to convince her to attend? Shareen, however, was sitting in her golden chair next to her

brother’s.

Just like Cassandra remembered, each Imperial sibling had their own golden chair. The brothers’ were

a bit bigger than their sisters. All of the Concubines, in red and pink dresses, were sitting down below

them on the stairs in front of their respective Prince. She could guess all the servants were hidden in

the shadows behind the golden chairs, but they were completely still and silent.

This time, there were no performers; perhaps they had come too early. In any case, Kairen took her to

his golden chair. She sat right in-between his legs, where she could rest her arms and head on his

knee. He immediately started stroking her back. She wasn’t the only woman touching her Prince,

another Concubine had her back resting on the Fifth Prince’s leg, acting flirtatiously with him.

The Emperor wasn’t there yet, so Cassandra spent time observing the other Imperial Brothers. She

had never noticed how similar yet different they all were. All of them had tanned skin and jet-black hair.

The First Prince was the only one with long hair and a very quiet attitude. He wore a large purple tunic

and only had two Concubines. The Second Prince had his hair very short. He wore a mean expression

with his thin features, and he had a total of six Concubines, with half of them wearing red dresses. The

fourth seat was empty, but in front of the fifth, there was a crowd. How many Concubines did the Fifth

Prince have? She counted at least twenty in front of the young man, but the women kept chatting and

moving, so she lost count. Finally, the brother she knew, Prince Anour greeted her with a little nod

when their eyes met, and Cassandra did the same in return.

“So, this is your new woman, Brother.”

Cassandra recognized that woman. Princess Phetra, who was glaring at her. Didn’t she recognize her,

though? It didn’t seem like she realized Cassandra was the slave she had already insulted a while ago.

All of the ten Princesses present were eyeing her, but Princess Phetra was the only one to speak.

Cassandra turned her head to her, staring. She wasn’t afraid to look her in the eye anymore. Princess

Phetra wasn’t the prettiest, but she had a very sexy body and a lot of jewelry to show.

She seemed to wait for an answer, but Kairen didn’t give a damn. He kept gently caressing

Cassandra’s back with his fingers, looking elsewhere with a bored expression.

Such bad taste…” she said, clicking her tongue.

“Do you have advice to give, Sister?” asked the First Prince.

“Well, one with more curves, to begin with. Aren’t you supposed to try and have Heirs? How can you do

that with such a scrawny woman?”

“That’s rich, coming from a childless slut,” said Shareen, with a smirk.

“How dare you!” roared Phetra, turning red.

As usual, Shareen wasn’t afraid to bicker with her sibling and turned to her with an obvious satisfied

expression.

“What? Aren’t you the childless one giving advice to a pregnant woman? Oh, Phetra, really, why

weren’t you born mute? You’re good with your tongue unless it’s for talking.”

For a second, Cassandra wondered if both women were going to have a catfight. To her surprise, the

Second Prince glared at Princess Phetra, making her turn red and look down. Did she fear her own

brother more than she feared Kairen?

“The Imperial Dragon Emperor has arrived!” suddenly someone announced.

Omeone annou

All bowed to the Emperor’s arrival, though it was quick. He walked to his throne, obviously a bit

grumpy, and looked around to see who was there.

“Where’s this Fourth Son of mine?” he suddenly asked, staring at the empty chair.

“Brother Opheus is sick, Father,” said the Eldest Brother.

“Oh, he’s always sick of something. Anyway! I’m happy to see you all… all of you who came here.

Shareen, daughter, come here to entertain your father. Bring in the performers!”

Immediately, a group of dancers appeared at the center of the hall, dancing together to a speedy

rhythm. Cassandra didn’t feel like watching. She felt like a mouse in a nest of resting snakes. The

Princes were talking to their Concubines, and the Princesses between themselves, but you can easily

see that none of the siblings really got along.

The Second Prince was whispering to his sister, looking angry. Another sister had also taken part in the

conversation. She seemed a bit older than them.

Cassandra realized. Anour was still a teenager, but the oldest Princess looked to be in her forties. How

old was the Emperor, then? She whispered her question to Kairen.

“He is sixty-two this year.”

Sixty-two years old? The Emperor barely looked forty! How could one look so young at that age, when

so many of his children were there! Cassandra was confused. Did that mean the Dragon Blood made

them age slower? She had heard some of the previous Emperors had died after a hundred years,

but… She thought it was all just legends…

“What about you? And your brothers?” she asked Kairen, now too curious.

She had always assumed he was no older than thirty, but…if the Emperor looked like that at over sixty,

her Prince could even be forty year old!

“Sephir is thirty-five, Vrehan is thirty-two, Opheus is twenty-four or twenty-three, Lephys is twenty-one

and Anour is fifteen. And I’m twenty-eight.”

Cassandra blushed uncontrollably. So, they had about a ten-year age difference. She had never

thought about it. It wasn’t uncommon to see an age gap between men and their Concubines in this

Empire, so she wasn’t too surprised. The concubine she used to serve was twenty years younger than

her Master.

“What are you thinking?” he whispered.

Cassandra just shook her head and rested it on his knee. She was actually feeling quite safe, sitting so

close to him. Kairen’s hand on her skin chased all of her worries away, even with all the glares she was

getting.

The glares were not only from the Second Prince, but from some of the Concubines as well. Were

those women jealous? It was an odd feeling, but Cassandra pretended not to see them or care. In the

main area, Shareen was laughing with the Emperor, entertaining her father while chatting with him. It

was obvious they had a real bond, even without Kareen in the picture.

“Cassandra.”

Kairen caught her attention as a servant was presenting them with a gold tray of food. Cassandra took

a bite carefully, but all the food here was tested for poison. She could remember back when she was

supposed to be the one to test it.

Suddenly, from across the room, a ruckus was heard. One of the Fifth Prince’s Concubines, while

shifting her position, had mistakenly spilled some of her wine on one of the young Imperial Princess’

purple dresses. The Princess screeched like she was burnt to the third degree.

“You idiot! How dare you stain my dress!”

I…I am so sorry…” stuttered the Concubine, sounding terrified.

“Sorry? You’re sorry? Look at what you’ve done, you idiot!” The Princess kept yelling furiously.

The Fifth Prince Lephys glanced over briefly, frowning.

“It’s fine, Kiuna. It is just a wine stain. She’ll wash it later.”

“It’s not fine! I don’t want your stupid Concubine to stain my dress! Whip her! She should be punished!”

Everyone had gone silent, conflicted about the situation. It was just a stain… albeit a large one.

However, who could say no to an Imperial Princess? The other Concubines were looking down or Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

elsewhere, obviously scared to get involved.

Meanwhile, the young Princess kept screaming, her tantrum growing louder and louder until it caught

the Emperor’s attention, who simply frowned.

“Kiuna, enough,” said her brother, visibly starting to get annoyed.

“I want that idiot Concubine whipped! She’ll get whipped a hundred times! No, a thousand times!”

“It is not the same.”

Cassandra’s calm voice from across the room took everyone by surprise. As they looked at her, the

War God’s Concubine was strangely calm and unafraid to answer back. The Princess glared at her.

“What did you say?”

“If you whip someone ten times, the skin will be red and sting. If you whip her a hundred times, you’ll

cut into the flesh, and she will bleed. But if you whip her a thousand times, you’ll open the wounds to

the bone. There will be no more skin, only exposed, cut flesh, and lots of blood. No one survives after

being whipped about five or six hundred times.” 1

Her sudden reality check had everyone silent for a few seconds. Cassandra’s cold but serious voice

was very different from that of Princess Kiuna’s tantrum. She had no idea how to react. With

Cassandra’s words, it was clear Kiuna had been speaking mindlessly, saying numbers out of anger.

The crude depiction of the wound took her back to reality where she was merely toying with someone’s

life over a wine stain.

It was even more striking that Cassandra knew what she was talking about. She was staring right at

Princess Kiuna, unafraid and cold as ice.

“You… You…” said the Princess, out of words.

But who would dare to respond to a woman who was in the War God’s shadow? Kiuna was unsure,

and all around her, the room’s atmosphere had changed. She looked stupid and childish.

“Enough, enough. Sit back, child, and shut up,” said the Emperor, frowning. “Aren’t you too old to act

like this in front of your siblings? Huh? Don’t ruin our dinner.”

Princess Kiuna sat, looking down, visibly angry and upset. She didn’t dare to glare at Cassandra

anymore. Kairen hadn’t said a word, but the murderous look in his eyes was enough of a warning.

“You. Child. Come here,” suddenly said the Emperor. A

Cassandra was surprised. Was he calling for her? To come to him, now? But he had barely looked at

her before. She hesitated, but Kairen gently helped her up. The young Concubine took a deep breath,

and walked to the Golden Throne, hesitant.

Behind him, she could clearly see the two ruby eyes, looking at her in the sea of gold scales.

Chapter 46​

The Imperial Physician

Cassandra barely dared to look at the Emperor as she approached. To her, he was a much scarier

being than the humongous golden Dragon behind him. Yet, the old man gently held his hand out until

the Concubine placed her hand in his, with a light smile. She could tell there wasn’t any animosity in his

dark eyes.

“There she is,” he said softly. “Aren’t you as white as a water lily?”

“So disgusting,” whispered someone from behind her, but the Emperor didn’t seem to hear it.

“What is your name?”

“Cassandra, Your Majesty.”

“And where are you from, child?”

“The Southern Rain Tribe, Your Highness.”

“I see. That explains a lot then.”

Explains a lot? Cassandra was a bit confused. Next to the Emperor, a servant stepped forward,

showing them some letters. What is that? The Emperor didn’t look at it, and turned to Cassandra

instead.

“I received some very interesting letters earlier today, children. From General Horogan from the East

Army.”

Wasn’t that one of Kairen’s Generals? Cassandra had never greeted him in person, but she could

remember the imposing man wearing armor with a beard. He had spoken with her Prince several

times. Did he complain to the Emperor about a woman being at the camp? Or was there some issue

due to the Prince’s absence?

“I was curious to hear about how my Son’s been doing as Commander-in-Chief,” said the Emperor. “Yet

all I read were praises for the young woman he had brought with him. According to two of my most

trusted Generals, along with seven of their Commanders, this Empire owes the lives of no less than

two hundred of its soldiers to a young slave woman.”

Cassandra was speechless. The Generals had written to the Emperor about her? She hadn’t possibly

seen that many men in the Red Room, back at the Camp! Maybe two hundred, but six hundred lives!

Did they exaggerate on purpose? Or had something happened while she was gone? The Emperor

went on.

“According to them, the Lady of the Mountain has been more efficient in healing and teaching her

knowledge to their men than any of the useless, stubborn, and whiny military doctors that had been

appointed. The injuries and disease reports have been reduced by nearly half. This is due to the men

now being able to take care of themselves. Apparently, they insist on…thoroughly washing their hands,

several times a day.”

She couldn’t help but blush and look down after hearing this. She hadn’t been to the Camp in weeks!

How could she have known her little stay had allowed so many things to happen back there.

The Emperor smirked.

“It goes on for several pages, with some military matters that would bore most people. The Generals

are sending their thanks to my Third Son, for his exceptionally wise taste in women.”

He nodded in Kairen’s direction, but everyone knew who was really receiving the praise here.

Cassandra was in an inner turmoil. She hadn’t expected to be singled out by the Emperor in front of the

Imperial Family! When the old man turned to her again, she was still too shaken to react.

“After reading so much, this old Emperor couldn’t sit still! Who knew so much knowledge could hide in

such a young woman? You make this old man very happy, child.”

Cassandra had no idea how she was expected to answer, or if she was supposed to answer at all. She

wished Kairen

was by her side, but the Prince was sitting still in his golden chair, a few steps away. She was standing

by herself in front of the Empire’s most powerful man.

“As an Emperor, I have to be grateful to the ones who make this Empire prosperous, and its people

safe. Your knowledge has been helpful to our valued soldiers. I do hope you will lend us more of it from

now on. I had thought of a way to thank you, but it seems my son took a step ahead with your…

situation.”

Cassandra frowned a bit. He meant her status as a slave, staring at the place where her collar stood

just hours prior. The Emperor nodded, looking satisfied.

“Fine, fine. I can just go with my own idea, then. From today on, Cassandra, you will be a Noble Lady

and an Imperial Physician.”

“Father!” yelled Princess Phetra, her tone sounding more than furious. “You can’t give a noble title to a

damn slave!”

“Take a good look, Sister, this woman is no longer a slave. Sit and shut up,” said an older Princess.

“Still! They can’t rise from rags to rubies in a day! She’s a slave and a Southerner! What do we look like

if just anyone can achieve that!”

“Not anyone, Phetra,” said the First Prince. “Lady Cassandra is a skilled doctor, our father’s most

trusted General

sted to that. Can you claim to have any skills as admirable as one that can save lives?”

With her older brother’s glare, Princess Phetra was defeated. One could tell her anger hadn’t subsided

one bit. She sat back loudly, glaring Cassandra’s way, clenching her fists. The young Concubine was

too shocked herself to react.

A Noble Lady? Imperial Physician? It was all too much for her! Just like Princess Phetra said, it was

unbelievable. All of this was happening to her in just one day! Yet, the Emperor was nodding, satisfied.

“It is good, very good. I’m counting on you to meet with my own Imperial Physicians later. You are

welcome to study from our Imperial Library, and I bet those old doctors have a few things to learn from

you as well!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Th… Thank you,” mumbled Cassandra.

“Good, good! And take good care of yourself, too! I want to see this precious Grandson of mine as

soon as possible! Now you can go and enjoy the feast, young Lady.”

Understanding this meant their conversation was over, Cassandra hurried back to Kairen’s side. As

they reunited, her Prince didn’t say a thing, he only invited her to gently sit on his knee. Cassandra,

feeling a bit embarrassed, refused him, and took back her place in-between his legs. No woman was

allowed on any of the Prince’s seats. She had already drawn too much attention to herself tonight.

Most of the Imperial Family had their eyes on her for the rest of the evening, including some murderous

glares.

Cassandra didn’t feel as scared as she could have, though. Kairen’s warm hand was on her at all

times, caressing her arm, shoulder, back, or neck. He was making her confident with his presence right

behind her. It was easier to ignore them if she wasn’t scared.

As the couple silently ate, watching the performers, Cassandra realized she would now be wearing a

pink dress as a high-ranking Concubine. The Emperor’s words had made it clear her status had

changed again. Did this mean she would be safer or in more trouble? It was hard to predict.

As soon as they could, Kairen and Cassandra went back to their room, leaving the Imperial Feast

without looking back. Even after returning to the Prince’s apartments, Cassandra didn’t feel calm or

safe at all. She slowly took off her jewelry, frowning a bit.

“Did you ask your father for all this? Or your men?” she asked Kairen, who was waiting for her on the

bed.

“No.”

So the General really had sent this letter on his own accord. Cassandra couldn’t help but wonder if

anything had happened hack at the Military Camp. It was all going too fast for her.

She sighed a bit, taking off the last piece of her jewelry, and walked to her Prince, who put his arms

around her. His fingers gently caressed her skin, making sure to undo her dress in the process.

“Are you tired?” he whispered.

“Just a bit. I didn’t expect His Majesty to…”

Cassandra interrupted her sentence, frowning. She was staring down, behind Kairen’s back.

Something was moving under the bedsheets.

“Cassandra?”

“Don’t move.”

She slowly took the sword at his side, taking it out in silence. The Prince frowned and was about to turn

around when Cassandra screamed.

“Kairen, no!”

Just as he moved, Cassandra aimed the blade down, piercing the mattress. A stain of red appeared on

the sheets, a few inches away from his hand. She pulled the sheets back, revealing the snake, pinned

down by the blade. The Prince took the sword from her hands, glaring furiously at the snake.

Cassandra was about to grab the snake, but he got to it first.

“It’s not a venomous one,” she sighed in relief. “I couldn’t tell under the sheet.” NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

To her surprise, Kairen suddenly pulled her in for a kiss. She blushed, pushing him away.

“It is not the time to…!”

“You called me by my name.”

Cassandra blushed even more. Yes, she did, without thinking. In the panic of the moment, she had

called his name, the one she had in her mind for days.

“We… Someone put a snake in our bed, and…”

“Cassandra.”

She turned to him, unable to look him in the eyes. Kairen was smiling, one of his signature minimalistic

smiles. He kissed her again, but Cassandra took the dead reptile from his hand and eluded him, too

embarrassed to focus.

“It’s a Crecca snake…” she whispered. “They are not venomous, but the bite can be painful…and…”

“And what?” asked Kairen.

“It can be dangerous for children or pregnant women.”

The War God’s eyes darkened as he glanced at the dead snake. This thing… Cassandra didn’t seem

worried, now that it was dead in her hand.

“These types of snakes do not live in this area. It must have cost a fortune to bring it here. I don’t think

the person who did this knows anything about snakes. You can find lethal ones or less dangerous ones

in the Capital. They are cheaper, too.”

“They wanted to hurt you,” growled Kairen.

“I think they meant to scare me. Not a lot of people knew about my pregnancy until tonight. Those who

did couldn’t have bought the snake so fast. Maybe they already had the snake, but it’s a peculiar

species, so…”

“It doesn’t matter. They’ll pay.”

To his surprise, Cassandra nodded and turned to him.

“If we find out who did this… Can we do something about it? Even if it’s one of your siblings?”

“You think I’d let it go?”

“If it’s the Imperial Family?”

Kairen shook his head and grabbed her hand.

“Cassandra.”

She stared into his black eyes for a while, and after a few seconds, she understood. She came first.

Their unborn child came first. Whoever did this… He wouldn’t let it go. He was the War God, after all.

Not someone who’d stay. still after such a vicious threat.

Cassandra nodded.

“I can find out who did this.”

She turned around, and carefully put the dead snake into a basket. She washed her hands thoroughly

in the little basin. Behind her, Kairen pulled the dirty bedsheets away and laid his fur cloak on the

mattress. They didn’t need a blanket to sleep anyway, the Capital’s humid air was hot enough.

Cassandra walked back to him, putting her arms around his neck. Kairen held her close, pulling them

both on the bed.

“Are you not afraid?” he asked in a whisper.

“I’m scared for our baby. I just hope he can be born safely. So many people hate me, but here, it’s a

matter of life and death every single time.”

She sighed silently, and before she could add anything else or worry more, Kairen pulled her in for a

kiss. Their lips intertwined, and their tongues touched, looking for each other’s warmth. Cassandra felt

her heartbeat fasten, and climbed on his lap, closer. She was now the one pulling him with her hands,

caressing his shoulders and naked torso. Her warmth was rising slowly. (2)

The Prince pulled her dress down to her hips, exposing her bare chest. He began caressing her with

his large hands. Yet, a strange desire was rising in Cassandra. Hesitantly, she pushed him down.

Kairen didn’t resist at all. Instead, he laid beneath her, letting her ride him with a faint smile. For once,

Cassandra was being willful and bold, and he didn’t hate it at all.

Chapter 47​

The Evil Princess

She was breathing harder and louder, undulating her hips, a pearl of sweat running down her body.

Cassandra’s every breath was so enticing, and those which turned into moans were even worse. The

War God couldn’t take his eyes off his concubine. With her on top of him, riding him, he wouldn’t miss a

second of this delightful scene. She was the one guiding him, imposing her rhythm, and it was good, so

good, for both of them.

Laying down under her, holding her hips. Kairen was mesmerized by the balancing movement of her

hair, the sparkles in her emerald eyes, and her skin, shyly going from white to an adorably excited pink.

He could spend hours like this. Unfortunately, his concubine couldn’t. Cassandra kept moaning louder,

feeling him between her legs and the pleasure that was rising inside like a raging fire.

“My…Lord, I…”

“My name, Cassandra. Call my name.”

“Kairen…Kairen…”

She kept repeating it, like a spell. Her eyes closed, she was biting her lips and focusing on their

connected bodies. Kairen caressed her little breasts, the pink extremities, making her shiver. She liked

it. Cassandra would close her eyes when she couldn’t face his dark eyes anymore, and her cheeks

were redder than ever. She was close to the edge.

The Prince finally started acting up, moving his hips under her, little assaults that took her by surprise,

as Cassandra had to hold on to his shoulders. He wouldn’t give her any rest, though. He kept swinging,

making her cry in pleasure above him, only slowing down when she truly begged him to, until both of

them were tired, pleased, and relieved.

The concubine slowly fell to his side, exhausted. She was still sweating a bit from all that exercise and

trying to catch her breath.

Kairen was satisfied too. A warm feeling in his chest, he turned to her, making sure she was okay. He

caressed her arm and back gently until Cassandra fell asleep, won over by the exhaustion. Then, he

sat up and used the towels in the room to wipe her up a little, and covered her with a thin silk sheet.

Only then did he come back to lay next to her, putting an arm around his concubine.

They had come a long way from the time he first met her. His Concubine hadn’t revealed any of her

secrets back then, her knowledge in medicine, or her admirable willpower. She was just a common

woman, among many others, and she had never tried to step above the others or put herself first. She

remained pure throughout, the exact same girl that had stood at his feet. Kairen glanced at the basket,

where the dead snake was. He wouldn’t forgive whoever it was. Not when they had tried to harm her…

and their baby. His eyes glanced over her little tummy. How much longer? As long as they are both

safe. He’d rather take Cassandra out of this wretched place, but for now, he didn’t have much choice.

Too many things were happening at once, and with all of his family gathered… Events could unfold

drastically at any time now. He hated the idea, though. Their allies within the walls were very few. He

didn’t trust any of them fully, except maybe his mother.

The next morning, they both got ready in silence. Someone had already delivered a new set of

magnificent pink dresses for Cassandra. She picked a pale pink one that complimented her complexion

perfectly. Her Prince was also very satisfied while helping her get dressed up. He caressed her hair

and the fine gauze of her dress’ layers. She could tell he really liked it on her and picked a matching set

of pink diamond jewelry. Their time together didn’t last long, though. Kairen was soon called to the

Emperor’s early military council, while Cassandra was invited to Imperial Concubine Kareen’s quarters

for breakfast. They parted early, but he made sure Cassandra wouldn’t be alone. Hence, the young

concubine walked through the gardens, along with a very voluntary Krai, the huge dragon happily

toddling right next to her.

It was still early in the morning and the temperature was right to Cassandra’s taste, along with a little

breeze. She took her time, knowing the Imperial Concubine hadn’t set an exact time. Cassandra had

never really taken time to

visit the Imperial Gardens by herself, but despite their beauty, they weren’t as wild and free as the ones

in the Diamond Palace. She definitely couldn’t come to like this Imperial Palace. Something about it

always felt wrong to her. Too big, too wide, too luxurious, and…too dangerous.

“Don’t make yourself too comfortable.”

Behind a piilar, followed by half a dozen servants, Princess Phetra was there, along with her younger

half-sibling, Princess Kiuna. Both had very different stances. While Phetra was standing tall and

crossing her arms in a proud stance, Kiuna, on the contrary, was looking down and fidgeting with her

hands as if she was embarrassed and didn’t want to be there, avoiding Cassandra’s eyes and her

sister’s.

The young Concubine took a deep breath and bowed slightly to them. Phetra had been infuriated by This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

her new status and it was still obvious in the way she glared at Cassandra’s brand new pale pink dress.

“Good morning, Your Highnesses.”

“Where are you off to?” asked the Princess in that imperial tone of hers.

“I was invited to have breakfast with Imperial Concubine Kareen.”

“Of course…“

Phetra’s words had some deep meaning, but Cassandra couldn’t grasp it all. She just knew she didn’t

want to stay near that woman. Though they obviously didn’t like her, the other Princesses didn’t look at

her in such a murderous, hateful way. Cassandra had felt it early on. Just like the Second Prince hated

Kairen to the core, she could tell Phetra was just as dangerous.

Phetra stared at her for a while, from head to toe, with disgust.

“I miss the time when slaves couldn’t even step inside the Palace…near us.”

Cassandra felt anger rise in her heart. Slaves could only enter the Palace to be massacred in their

slaughter games…or if someone from the Imperial Family took them in, just like Kairen had done for

her. The young concubine wasn’t upset because Phetra was disgusted by her presence, but because

of the Princess’ obvious revulsion for slaves.

But Cassandra couldn’t say anything. Krai was slowly growling behind her, but the dragon probably

wouldn’t injure a member of the Imperial Family, unless they really tried to harm Cassandra in some

way.

“If you’ll excuse me, Your Highnesses, I need to get going.”

Without waiting for their permission, Cassandra turned her heels and started walking away, trying to

repress all of her feelings against that woman. Krai was following from up close, but the dragon’s red

eyes never left the princesses.

“You were right, you know.”

Cassandra stopped, turning to her. What did she possibly mean by that? What was she right about? As

she was trying to find the answer, Phetra’s icy smirk chilled her to the bone. The Princess was

obviously enjoying this, and maybe for the first time in a long while, Cassandra felt truly scared.

“Five hundred and six.”

Cassandra was lost. What was she… But after a few seconds, the young concubine understood and all

the blood left her face. Princess Kiuna was looking down, with something like shame painted all over

her face. But Phetra was thrilled.

“She died after the five hundred and sixth.”

Cassandra felt so sick and disgusted, she thought she was going to collapse. That woman was so…

wretched! She had…really…

“You know, it was almost exciting. Waiting to see when she would finally die. I took a normal whip, of

course, and counted. Each. One. My. Self.”

She had said those last words so slowly like she was savoring them. For Cassandra, it was too much.

She stepped back, turned, and walked away as fast as she could.

Phetra was evil. Pure evil. How…how could one be so inhumane as to… do that to another human

being? And enjoy it? And take the time to count… She almost ran to the Imperial Concubine’s quarters,

much to Krai’s concern. The Dragon was staring at her, curious about her behavior, trying to get her

attention with soft growls, but the young concubine wouldn’t stop. She kept going, trembling, trying to

get there faster. No, the truth was, what she truly wanted was to get away from Phetra.

When she arrived there, trembling and almost out of breath, the Imperial Concubine got up, frowning.

“You little…Why are you running? What is it, child? What would cause you to put my grandchild’s safety

in danger like this?”

Cassandra tried to catch her breath, shaking her head. She walked up to her, almost falling on her

knees at the Imperial Concubine’s side. Kareen frowned and caressed her hair, unhappy.

“Tell me, Cassandra.”

Chapter 48​

The Hungry Bitches

They were not bonded by blood, but at that very moment, and for the following hour, Kareen acted like

a mother to Cassandra. As the young concubine was silently weeping, she caressed her hair gently,

waiting for her to calm down.

She couldn’t speak for a long while. Her throat felt hoarse. Cassandra had heard too much in those few

sentences. Phetra had cruelly reminded her how terrible it could be. That woman had a similar status to

hers, that of a concubine, yet Phetra had gotten rid of her so easily. This was the power of an Imperial

Princess.

“How did you do it?” she whispered. “How did you survive among them?”

“You mean among those privileged brats and hungry bitches? A lot of willpower and trusting no one but

my own blood. Remember my words, Cassandra. No one gets to such a position with clean hands.

Even myself.”

“I…I know but….”

“Cassandra, look at me. Now.”

Her order was clear. The young concubine had no choice but to look up, with tears in her eyes.

Kareen’s stare was fiercer than ever. She took Cassandra’s face between her long fingers.

“Listen to this old woman, pretty flower. I grew up among merchants. Before I was ten, I knew how to

lie, bargain, and steal. How to exploit the weak and be on the stronger end of the deal. My mentor took

me inside this place when I was twelve. Not because he wanted to teach me, but because he was a

snake, a snake who wanted to take advantage of a child that was smarter than he was. I was even

smarter than he thought and made sure the Emperor knew, too. I did not expect that stubborn old man

would take a liking to me, but I knew how wretched all of his women were.” This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“I would have been terrified…if he had other women than me. Even just one.”

Cassandra shivered. In a way, she had been lucky to be picked by Kairen. When she was still a slave,

she had seen how such jealousy could tear families apart, burn houses, and leave women homeless in

the streets, even with their children. The minister she had served had kicked away two of his women to

please the newer one, and Cassandra remembered all of the children Kareen had lost.

“Imagine walking in a room full of hungry tigers,” whispered Kareen. “Only one master is holding all of

their leashes, so you can’t help but get a few scratches getting to him.”

“You lost children,” said Cassandra. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost this baby.”

At that moment, the Imperial Concubine’s smile got even scarier than Phetra’s earlier.

“When that happens, you become something much more dangerous than those tigers, Cassandra.

Trust me. You become a two-headed monster that won’t ever return to its original self again. I don’t

forget and I don’t forgive. All his women know that. It’s exactly why they all fear me more.”

“I don’t want to become like you.”

The woman chuckled, caressing her cheek.

“I know, pretty flower, and I won’t let you. I promise. You have this old woman and her son to look after

you. I want to see this child’s birth, Cassandra. If I have one thing to do before I leave this world, it is to

see the face of my grandchildren.”

Cassandra slowly nodded.

She had stayed with Kareen only for a few weeks, but she admired that woman greatly, and trusted

her. Like Kairen had said, she was probably their greatest and strongest ally in this Palace. Cassandra

felt lucky she had come here with them. Despite Phetra’s threats or all the jealous concubines, she

knew there was at least someone

willing to protect her.

Cassandra was not a fighter. She was among those women who had been born with a frail body, but

had grown very wise.

“Wipe your tears, Cassandra. Don’t show them your weakness, ever. If they think you’re weak, they’ll

enjoy your suffering twice as much. Don’t give them that.”

“Princess Phetra is…”

“An obnoxious little swine. Just like her brother. They hate me and my children to the core.”

“W…why?”

“Their mother made the mistake of trying to defy me. She shouldn’t have.”

Cassandra frowned. So this was all about some…revenge? Was that Phetra’s case as well? What had

happened to their mother? Despite her curiosity, Cassandra knew Kareen enough by now to know that

she wouldn’t say anything else.

“Well, let’s have breakfast now, shall we? I won’t let my grandson starve, and his mother is still too thin.

Servants!”

Immediately, a horde of Imperial Servants hurried in, bringing endless gold trays of food. It was time for

her to dry her tears indeed. The two women ate silently, but Cassandra knew things wouldn’t settle like

this. She told Kareen about the snake after they finished their meal, but to her surprise, the Imperial

Concubine didn’t seem worried or surprised in the slightest. She elegantly wiped her lips, nodding as if

she had already known about it.

“It wasn’t a poisonous one?”

“No, I am sure. Unless they knew I was pregnant and had prepared ahead, but…”

“They’re just playing around then.”

“Playing?” repeated Cassandra, shocked.

Kareen stood up, walking further inside her apartments to get changed. Cassandra had seen her

shamelessly change her clothes in open spaces in the Diamond Palace before, it was nothing

surprising. As she had learned over time, the Imperial Family members shared loose morals, especially

over nudity. Moreover, only women were allowed in here. Three servants helped her change into a dark

pink dress, with purple and golden embroidery in it. Cassandra wondered if this was a gift from the

Emperor.

“If they wanted to kill you, they wouldn’t have sent such a petty threat. Not into the War God’s room. My

son won’t die of something so insignificant. His Dragon blood wouldn’t even have felt the difference.

That thing was directed at you, most likely.”

“Me? Why would someone want to scare me?”

“You’re the new one and the only concubine of the Third Prince. All the concubines around here like to

play like children. They fool around like this all the time, testing each other, seeing who’s the stronger

woman. But you’re not a child anymore. You’re a mother.”

Kareen turned to her, crossing her arms, while the servants were struggling to do her hair.

“It’s time you show those women you are not to be toyed around with. Not because you’re protected by

Kairen, but on your own.”

Cassandra shook her head.

“I doubt I’m strong enough to scare them.”

“You don’t have to be strong, you have to be smart. And we both know how smart you really are,

Cassandra. A

woman with your past and knowledge is the one they should be most scared of.”

She didn’t even have anything to reply to that. She took one step back, shaking her head. How? How

could she prove to these women they shouldn’t mess with her? Her whole life, Cassandra had

struggled to stay out of sight, unnoticed, but things were different now. She had no more room to hide

and all eyes were on her.

Cassandra knew Kareen had simply voiced the truth, but it terrified her. Not all of those women were

like Phetra, hut some still were.

Later that same day, Cassandra left Kareen’s apartments, holding a basket in her hands. She knew

where to go, but she only lacked a bit of courage. It was still early, and she only crossed a few servants

on her way out. She was relieved not to meet anyone from the Imperial Family.

She walked all the way to the outer gardens.

It was the same place that she had seen her former and last owner face a brutal death: the Gardens.

The Concubines’ favorite resting place. It was rumored to be the most beautiful place in the Palace, but

Cassandra couldn’t care for it.

Most of the Concubines were gathered there for their breakfast; those who weren’t accompanying their

masters, anyway. They giggled and exchanged sweets and pleasantries, seemingly getting along with

each other. Cassandra didn’t believe any of those interactions were real.

As soon as she entered the Gardens, all the women stopped talking, their eyes on her. Some were

showing curiosity, others were defiant or hateful. Cassandra did her best not to betray her emotions

and walk to the middle of the place with her basket.

“Did you get lost?” asked one of the concubines with a naughty tone.

“Shall we bow to her?”

“I’d rather drown in the lake than ever bow to a slave!”

Cassandra took a deep breath and put the basket down. Some of the concubines who had remained

silent, frowned. What was she planning?

“You… Why are your hands this color?”

One of the young concubines was pointing at Cassandra’s blue fingertips and nails. Turning to the

young woman, she showed it better, raising her hands to show them.

“This? I got a little infection. A wild snake ventured into my room last night.”

Most concubines knew this snake was probably not simply wandering on its own in her bedroom, but of

course, they all remained silent. They either thought she was too stupid to realize, or too smart to say it

out loud.

“Luckily, His Highness caught it,” said Cassandra. “But…this type of snake’s skin can be extremely

dangerous when it’s an impregnated female. The scales contain some of its venom, only in smaller

portions. Just touching it can provoke someone’s death within a few days.”

One of the concubines giggled.

“Are you going to die? With those blue fingers?”

“This? Oh, no. Luckily, since we caught the snake, I managed to make an antidote in time. It made my

fingertips blue from crushing the scales to make a broth with some medical herbs. I was lucky, though.

While it will kill instantly with a bite, if you touch its skin, most victims would die in their sleep within a

few days. The poison spreads slowly through the finger’s crevasses, making them more and more tired

until they won’t wake up.”

“This is ridiculous! I’ve never heard of such a way of dying!” said one of the other women.

“I’m not surprised, this is a rare snake,” said Cassandra. “Back where I come from, we call it the sleep

thief. Because the victim will feel more and more sleepy until they can’t stop sleeping and slowly die in

their sleep.”

The women started gossiping between themselves, wondering if it was true. Cassandra took the basket

back and slowly walked over to one side, washing away her hands in the little river that crossed the

garden. She did her best to ignore all the eyes on her. It was a bet, but she knew she could find the

culprit this way if everything went according to her plan.

She wasn’t proud of it, but she knew she had to be a bit like Kareen. Unforgiving.

Chapter 49​

The Childish Games

When Cassandra felt she had stayed in their sight for long enough, she took her basket back and left

without adding a word. Ignoring all the stares on her, she only went a bit further away, into another

garden, with a wider sample of vegetation and an artificial lake and fountain. There, she dipped her

bare feet in the shallow water, humming calmly.

Her plan was so simple, yet she wondered if it’d work. Most of the concubines had watched when she

washed her hands and saw the blue marks that wouldn’t go away. Of course, it was on purpose.

Cassandra had washed laundry countless times before. She knew what colorants were the hardest to

wash away, especially without any kind of soap. If she wanted, she could have gotten rid of it, but this

was all part of her plan.

First, have the concubines and Princesses believe her story. Even if they didn’t believe her at first, the

odd blue colour she couldn’t seem to wash off her fingers and nails should have planted a seed of

doubt in their minds. That was all she needed. Just a little bit of doubt, ignorance mixed with a bit of

fear, and time for it to grow inside a narrow mind.

As she rested on her own by the lake, she was surprised to see three young women come to her side.

She frowned a bit. Those women seemed to be sneering between themselves while glancing her way.

Two of them had a red dress and only the one walking ahead had a pink one. She had seen those

women before. All of them were among the Fifth Prince’s concubines. How many did he have exactly?

“Concubine Cassandra, do you mind if we accompany you for a bit?”

Cassandra shook her head. Since those women were on the same level as her, she didn’t have to

show any extra politeness, but she shouldn’t be too rude either. Kareen had already scolded her many

times for acting too submissive when she didn’t need to, and Cassandra was diligently trying to apply

her advice even more now that she was accounted for as a high-ranked concubine.

“We were worried you’d feel unwelcome over there, with such a crowd. It must be suffocating to face so

many women at the same time,” said the one in a pink dress.

“It’s fine,” simply replied Cassandra.

She was wary of those women. She had no idea why they would want anything to do with her, the

newly brought concubine. If it was merely out of curiosity, it would be fine. All three of them sat within a

reasonable distance of her but, judging from the places they took, it was obvious the one with a pink

dress was the leader of the trio.

“It is such a blessing to finally see a Concubine to the Third Prince. His Highness must be delighted to

have you.”

Cassandra couldn’t help but wonder if her pregnancy was known to everyone yet. Unlike some of the

other women, she wasn’t exposing her baby bump. Back in the previous garden, some of the

concubines were so proud of their pregnancies, they were showing off their big bellies. On the contrary,

Cassandra wasn’t exposing as much skin. Her dress was fully covering her stomach, protecting it from

the sun and obvious stares. Not all the concubines had been there at the feast last night, but

Cassandra knew the chances were high that the news of her bearing the War God’s child had probably

spread already.

“Thanks.”

She didn’t want to get too friendly with other concubines. None of them could have been there by

mistake. You couldn’t stay a Prince’s concubine, residing in the Imperial Palace, if you couldn’t take

care of yourself first. No woman in this place was as innocent as they looked.

For a few minutes, the three women pretended to talk between themselves, about trivial matters such

as the weather and their Prince’s latest concerns, but Cassandra knew they were observing her. She

pretended not to know and soaked her feet, ignoring them.

“Lady Cassandra, what do you think of this?”

Wondering what topic they had finally decided to share with her, she turned her head to them. The

woman in a pink dress had a cunning smile Cassandra didn’t like.

“My servant made a mistake this morning. I thought I should punish her, but my friends thought I should

be nice to her and let it go. She has been a very nice servant of mine for a while but…recently, I’ve

been thinking she’s acting too much in front of my dearest Prince. I think maybe the little swine is trying

to seduce one’s Prince. What do you think?”

Cassandra frowned a bit. It may have seemed like a trivial matter, but her words were heavier than they

seemed. Was she hinting at how a servant or a slave, like Cassandra, had dared to seduce a Prince?

She obviously had no idea. Cassandra sighed.

“I wonder why you should punish her. Isn’t The Fifth Prince the one to have many concubines? If he

can split his love so easily, you should be used to His Highness welcoming one more every once in a

while, right?”

The concubine’s expression turned sour.

Cassandra was clear, though. She wouldn’t let this woman imply they were in the same situation or that

Cassandra had stolen anyone’s property. She couldn’t compare her Prince with his womanizer of a

brother. Basically anyone could become the Fifth Prince’s concubine, with a good body and some

sense of seduction. No wonder those women were jealous to death and eager to start fights at any

given occasion. 3

“At least she isn’t some slave,” said one of those in a red dress, pretending to talk to her peer.

“It has to be difficult, you know. We should even pity her,” said the other one. “I mean, the Imperial

Family can be so wilful. If it’s only a slave or a servant, they can be wiped out without blinking and no

one will even remember them.”

Cassandra ignored them, a bit annoyed. Were all concubines so petty? So childish? Did they think they

could toy with her? She wasn’t a slave anymore, so why would she listen to this nonsense? Seeing

Cassandra wasn’t flinching, the concubine in the pink dress clicked her tongue. She thought she had

found easy prey, but this wasn’t as fun as she had thought.

“You know, it’s been done before. Servants taken as concubines and forgotten the next day. Sent to

feed the dragons.”

“Really?” said Cassandra, her voice remaining very calm.

Her experience as “dragon food” probably was not the one they had imagined at all. Actually,

Cassandra smiled, remembering her first encounter with both Kairen and his dragon. Seeing her like

this, the concubine became red, annoyed at her passive response. Wasn’t this bitch going to worry at

all! The War God wasn’t anywhere in sight, so how could she keep acting so mighty! She wasn’t even

that pretty!

“Well, slaves are meant to be tough after all.”

Once again, Cassandra ignored her. She couldn’t be affected by such a petty attitude. Actually, she

thought this concubine was acting like an annoying flea, trying to bother her with baseless sentences

and a mighty attitude.

She couldn’t be bothered by that, or she wouldn’t be able to withstand one more day here. After dipping

her toes in the freshwater some more, turning a blind ear to their nonsense, Cassandra stood up,

brushing her hair a bit. To her surprise, the concubine stood up too and stepped closer.

“Now that I see you up close…”

Cassandra did not like this woman being so close. Aside from her Prince and his family, she hadn’t

gotten used to anyone being so close. She took a step back and the concubine in pink smiled,

mistakenly thinking she was afraid.

“If…one was to disappear…mysteriously…I wonder how long it would take one to worry?”

Was this woman an idiot? Or did she think Cassandra was that weak? To be scared by such a childish

threat?

Cassandra had learned to be afraid of the Imperial Family. Whether it was a Princess or a Prince, she

would have definitely been scared. But a concubine was only a woman, like her.

“Are you threatening me?” she asked.

Her calm but cold voice was sending a warning. Only the two women in the red dresses understood

and carefully stepped back, looking pale and worried. Truth was, Cassandra herself wasn’t scary at all,

but her calm and confidence in this situation was something their instincts couldn’t underestimate.

Unfortunately, the other Concubine missed that warning, smiling like a cat once again. It was as if she

had found an easy prey to toy with, and would play until she had enough. Only, Cassandra wasn’t in

the mood to be playing at all.

“Why would I threaten you, Lady Cassandra? We are both concubines, after all. It would be a shame if

anything happened…by accident.”

Cassandra hated that word. No accident ever happened in the Imperial Palace. As the other woman

kept stepping forward, she kept retreating, closer and closer to the pond, until her heels were touching

the water,

“Do you think…I’m scared?”

Cassandra’s sudden question, said in a clear voice, finally managed to make her doubt. She frowned.

She had been retreating all this time, wasn’t she scared

“Step back,” ordered Cassandra.

Her soft and gentle voice didn’t match her words. Hence, the concubine didn’t move and chuckled.

Don’t you give me orders. You may wear a pink dress, but you’re still under me. As any slave. You’re NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

under anyone here. Don’t think this color will…”

“Step back.”

As she said this for the second time, the concubine frowned, annoyed. Who was this bitch to give her

orders?! She had been a concubine for over five years here! She wouldn’t listen to the orders of a

mere…

Before she could add another word, a sudden flap of wings was heard, and she retreated in a hurry.

She barely had time to move before a giant claw ripped the grass she had stood on a couple of

seconds ago. (4)

If the concubine had been a bit more aware of her surroundings earlier, she would have seen the dark

shape that had been growing bigger in the sky, coming their way at a scary speed. Cassandra had

seen it coming from far away. Had the dragon gone hunting before looking for her?

Krai growled, wrapping its large body around Cassandra, putting its head right where her hand was, as

she gently patted and scratched the dark scales. The dragon was happily growling, glad to be reunited

with her, but to the three terrorized women, those sounds were horrifying. Moreover, the woman who

stood unaffected at the center of those mountains of scales was still staring at them, completely

fearless.

“You got interrupted. Please continue.” 2

“I… I…”

Before she could gather her thoughts, Krai’s large tail whipped in the pond, splashing them. All three

women got drenched, and yet, they didn’t even dare scream.2

They tried to retreat, but to their surprise, Cassandra smiled softly.

“I believe you weren’t done talking. Please stay.”

For the first time, they realized how scary this woman was. Because she could utter those words with

the softest voice, the gentlest smile, while a murderous beast was standing right next to her.

Cassandra hadn’t really planned on cornering them, but Krai had come at the right time, and in a few

minutes, she had decided she shouldn’t let such women make easy prey of her. They would be an

example, to show others she was no toy to play with. Like Kareen had told her, it would be better to

teach them she wasn’t going to be someone to take lightly. She would have her hands full dealing with

the worst people already.

She had no spare time for the childish games of bored concubines.

 

[jigsaw]

Chapter 50​

The Imperial Banquet After that episode, no other concubine dared to bother Cassandra for the next few days. It was made

known within a few hours how scary the gentle-looking woman could be. She had kept all three women

alone with her, making them cry, beg, and tremble in fear of being devoured at any given moment, for

over an hour. Cassandra had only insisted they told the same stories over and over, but all three

concubines didn’t dare disobey and anger her or the beast. It could have seemed like a short time, but

anyone who had ever been in the presence of one of the Imperial Dragons knew it wasn’t.

Truth was, Cassandra had only intended to scare them a bit, and only caressed or scratched Krai

during that time, but it had worked beyond wonders. It so happened that the Black Dragon still had

fresh blood on its maw, and the concubines saw those ruby eyes shine their way in a scary manner for

longer than they could endure. Even if she would never give the order to bite or injure, unless she was

in a death-threat situation, that sight was engraved in those women’s minds. They had cried for hours

after that to anyone who would listen, about how merciless the War God’s concubine was, threatening

to have the Dragon eat their poor defenseless selves.

After that, even if most concubines still held some doubt about how things really went, the fact that she

was often followed by the Black Dragon was enough of a warning, and when Krai wasn’t in sight, most

feared the beast wasn’t too far away.

It was actually a bit of a funny sight.

Krai kept following her like a dog, growling to get her attention, glaring at anyone who came close, and

growled even more when she walked inside a building its large body couldn’t follow her into. It actually

caused a bit of worry to the servants that the Palace’s architecture wouldn’t be able to withstand the

beast’s reckless climbing on the roofs to follow her scent.

Cassandra was doing her best to get used to the Imperial Palace, though it was difficult.

Firstly, that place was way too big for her to get used to. She got lost many, many times and would only

realize once she asked someone how far she had drifted away from her initial destination.

Secondly, she wasn’t with Kairen as often as she had hoped to be. The Emperor called for his son

almost every day at dawn, and she helplessly spent breakfast and lunch alone, with the Imperial

Concubine Mother, or in the Concubine’s gardens, only to be reunited with him right before dinner with

all of the Imperial Family.

Lastly, this daily buffet was a torture for her. She hated being confined in a room full of people who

glared at each other, no matter how vast that room was. Since she had demonstrated she had the

backing of an Imperial Dragon, and when Kairen was in the room, no one dared to defy her too much,

but she still hated that atmosphere. The only good part of it was that they would listen together to

minister reports and news about what was going on in the country, and after a few days, Cassandra

realized those dinners were also a way for the Emperor to test his sons.

While the youngest brothers were usually fooling around with their concubines, enjoying the shows,

and were annoyed by those topics, the three oldest Princes were deeply involved.

The oldest Prince, Sephir, was an obvious bookworm and knew every topic by heart. At first, to

Cassandra, he seemed to be the smartest of them all. However, after a while, she realized his decision-

making was mostly based on past occurrences, and if no similar situations had happened in the past,

he was usually at a loss.

The only one who truly rivaled Kairen was the Second Prince, Vrehan. Cassandra didn’t like him. He

had a face like a rat, tiny eyes, and a mean expression. More importantly, he glared at Kairen anytime

he would say anything and seemed like he was about to explode if their father agreed with him. Plus,

his sister Phetra supported anything he said unconditionally. Since their last meeting, Cassandra had

managed to avoid that woman, but Phetra made sure to glare her way any chance she could over

dinner.

“What do you think, White Lily?”

Cassandra was surprised to hear the Emperor suddenly ask her opinion. This nickname he had given

her had become sort of a title for her, whenever he addressed her, like she was some precious

treasure.

It was the first time he openly asked for her opinion on a matter. Until then, Cassandra had listened and

whispered some of her ideas a couple of times to Kairen, but she had never dared to interact with the

Imperial Family Members while they had their talks. Also, it didn’t seem like any other concubine was

ever involved in those talks, as only the Princes and, more seldomly, the Princesses answered. She

couldn’t hide her surprise, but Kairen soon caressed her back, spreading his warmth to her and making

her feel a bit more confident. This topic was about some medical issue she knew about, an epidemic

that had risen in the South.

“I support the confinement idea, Your Highness. Until the real cause is found, nothing should leave or

enter that village.”

“Shouldn’t we simply kill all the infected?” hissed Phetra, annoyed that Cassandra was even asked

after she had given her own solution.

“Nothing in the reports proves this disease is transmitted by the sick,” calmly replied Cassandra. “It

could be the food, the water, even the animals. Sending a doctor with medical knowledge, enough

drugs to heal those in need, and guarding the area closely, may be enough to prevent the disease from

spreading, especially in such a remote place.”

The Emperor nodded, looking satisfied.

“As expected of the Imperial Physician! Let’s do this! Did you record all that she said?”

While he was checking in with his secretary, Cassandra turned to Kairen, who gently kissed her temple.

Those few days, she had been spending a lot of time with some of the other Imperial Physicians

present in the Palace, but for now, they had been learning more from her than she had learned from

them. Some of Cassandra’s knowledge of herbal medicine was revolutionary to them, and despite their

annoyance at a female being acknowledged as a doctor at the beginning, the Imperial Physicians had

started opening up to her, one by one, teaching her their ways and discussing their knowledge.

Hence, the Emperor knew she was doing well in that aspect and considered Cassandra’s opinion.

“Also, make sure to check around, see if it hasn’t spread. Now, to the military…”

But before the Emperor ended his sentence, the First Prince suddenly started coughing loudly, unable

to stop. His concubines tried to help him, but he needed a few more minutes to catch his breath.

This wasn’t the first time. Cassandra had seen Prince Sephir with this kind of issue several times

before. Though she had considered a poison, from his pale look and thin figure, she guessed the First

Prince had never been healthy to begin with. Probably weak lungs or some respiratory disease.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t approach another Prince and had to leave it to the Imperial Physician

appointed for him. However, as the days went on, she couldn’t help but fear for the eldest brother. This

man wouldn’t live long.

Once Sephir caught his breath and reassured everyone, the Emperor threw the remaining topics away,

along with his secretary, and called for more wine. Cassandra, however, was concerned. How would

the death of one of the brothers change things?

They only had two days left until the New Year’s first celebrations. Once the week-long festivities were

over, her Prince had promised to bring her back to the Onyx Castle, at least for the later stages of her

pregnancy. Cassandra didn’t want to stay in the Imperial Palace longer than necessary. She loathed

this place.

“Are you tired?” he whispered in her ear.

“I’m fine…”

“Eat more.” Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

She nodded and took some of the grapefruit he was handing her. She had been craving those lately

and emptied

almost all the plates of grapefruit at each banquet by herself. Was it because of her baby? Cassandra

found herself with some new crazy craving each day. Tonight, it was white fish.The cooks had worked

hard to make some more ready for her, and she was enjoying it slowly.

Cassandra wasn’t the only pregnant concubine, as two of the Fifth Prince’s women and one of the

Second Prince’s concubines were showing off their round bellies, but she was the only one to be

shown so much care. She didn’t know if Kairen or the Emperor had given special orders, but the

servants seemed particularly careful while serving her and, more surprising, her food was tested before

she ate anything.

“Father, how grand will the new year celebrations be this year?” asked one of the Princesses.

“The usual, the usual, Daughter of mine. We invited some neighboring countries, but not too many, and

we will reopen the Arena!”

While exclamations rose all around the room, Cassandra got a chill. The Arena.

Memories of a bloody slaughter came back to her mind. Despite her meeting with the Prince, she could

never forget that horrid scene, the dragons going after the humans and playing with their corpses. If it

wasn’t for Krai, she probably wouldn’t have survived it either.

Feeling her shiver a bit, Kairen caressed her back. Cassandra usually warmed up from his touch, but

this time, her expression was sad and his concubine was obviously lost in some dark thoughts. He

frowned.

“Cassandra?”

She shook her head, unwilling to speak.

“Father, can we get fireworks?” asked one of the young Princesses.

“Tigers! I want to see wildcats!”

“And more chariot races! And dancers!”

As the Imperial Princesses started making more and more demands, Shareen, who had been silent on

the seat next to Kairen, clicked her tongue.

“Are you going to pay for all this, Sisters? Did you suddenly start working and earning enough to cover

your childish, petty whims?”

Her voice had the effect of a whip on them. Cassandra had never noticed, but Shareen was one of the

oldest princesses around, and no one really dared to mess with her. Was it because of her being the

War God’s sister? Or her mother?

However, none of the Princesses dared to talk back to her, all looking down like children caught

misbehaving. The Emperor laughed.

“Wise as ever, my Daughter! Well, it is true we won’t spend too much this year; we’ve had a dry year,

after all. Let’s learn to restrain ourselves a bit, shall we? Fireworks and wildcats are fine, but we’ll forget

about chariot races. It’s only good for spreading dust all around anyway and I’m getting bored seeing

the same people every year. Forget it!”

“Father, what about the dragons’ sacrifice?”

Everyone in the room immediately went silent and Cassandra frowned. Of course, Phetra had been the

one to suggest that, while looking at Cassandra, too. She knew exactly what she was doing, bringing

that back up. The Emperor frowned.

“Phetra, we don’t make human sacrifices on the New Year!”

“I want to see it, Father. I missed the last show.”

Phetra’s voice was full of confidence and she was smiling like a snake. Cassandra stood up and, not

waiting for the Emperor’s answer, walked away. She couldn’t speak against an Imperial Princess, but

she could show her disagreement. She left the Imperial Banquet without looking back, shivering and angry

 

[sombogbog]

THANKS MAN

 

[sombogbog]

Any new updates sir jigsaw