Cassandra smiled widely, unable to hide her satisfaction. She could finally start looking for her younger sister! Moreover, she would definitely be safe with an Imperial Princess. She kissed his scratchy cheek swiftly.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
This simple kiss distracted him from frowning. He sighed, surrendering himself to her and kissed her back. Seeing this, Dahlia discreetly left them.
A couple of hours later, Dahlia was surprised to see that the young concubine was still accompanied by the dragon. She had heard from other servants how the beast was infatuated with her. But seeing it like this was a bit different.
Any move Cassandra made, Krai was watching like a curious puppy following its Master. The large dragon struggled to follow her with its huge body, sometimes crawling over the buildings and growling at the servants who appeared too suddenly. When Shareen arrived though, it didn’t dare growl at her.
“The Red District? Really?” asked the Princess.
“I am looking for my younger sister,” explained Cassandra. “My best opportunity to find her is there.”
“I see…very well, that might be a fun outing,” said Shareen. “And it gives me an excuse to avoid Mother’s nagging about my lifestyle.”
Shareen’s way to have fun wasn’t to her mother’s taste. Hence, Kareen usually resorted to a silent protest by visiting her from dawn until dusk, unless the Princess was busy elsewhere that is. Cassandra was surprised to learn Shareen was the most involved Princess in the Empire’s politics. She attended most of the meetings along with her brothers and refused to be defeated by any man in the room. She was well-respected in most circles for being a smart, strong woman who didn’t need a man to back her up; not even her own father. Like the other members of her family, she had a short temper, however. Bringing her sword to meetings wasn’t just for decorative purposes.
As the women left the Palace, Cassandra felt like a big weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She couldn’t fully relax in that place without the Prince around.
Though she had never been there personally, Cassandra had lived long enough in the Capital to know where the Red District was. She naturally headed there with Shareen and Dahlia, the black-scaled dragon following behind. It was a truly strange procession that the bystanders witnessed that day. A concubine in a pink dress, along with an Imperial Princess, only one servant with them, and…an Imperial Dragon that struggled to fit inside the busy streets. Many displays fell victim to a wing or tail in its wake, despite the merchants’ desperate attempts to push it out of the way. No one wanted to hinder their path, and the trio progressed easily through the streets.
The reputation of the Imperial Family preceded them. Any glance, gesture, or sound could trigger a brutal and violent death, and no one wanted to leave any chance for that to happen. Shareen’s purple outfit was like a ghost, making nearly everyone run away. Though she found it sad, Cassandra understood the people’s fears and didn’t comment on that. There were too many spiteful Princesses back at the Palace, she had witnessed it herself. People were bound to fear them.
As they progressed in the streets, Cassandra was surprised when she realized that Shareen knew the way perfectly.
“Have you been to the Red District before, Your Highness?”
“I already told you to just call me Shareen, didn’t I? You’re my brother’s woman, you need to grow a backbone…and yes, I go there often.”
Cassandra didn’t mind her rude way of speaking. After living with Shareen for a bit at her mother’s Palace, she had grown used to it. Shareen was extremely blunt and literally had no filter on any subject. She spoke that way to anyone, except maybe her own mother.
“Really?” asked Cassandra. “I mean… I didn’t think members of the Imperial Family would…venture to such a place.”
“Oh, some do. I like to go...shopping.”
“For…”
Cassandra then understood her meaning and desperately blushed. A question popped in her head, but she chased it away, as she could never gather the courage to ask. After all, she had experienced herself how playful Shareen was.
Behind them, Dahlia was walking silently, glancing back and forth between the two women. Though she had volunteered to accompany Cassandra, she was just as shy as the concubine about going there. She silently continued peeking at the Imperial Princess, intimidated, but she also kept an eye on the dragon following them. Like common people, Dahlia was naturally afraid of it. If she hadn’t seen it being so gentle with Cassandra before, she probably would have been absolutely terrified about coming along.
“So, where do you want to start?” asked the Princess as they reached the district.
During the day, that area was known to be relatively calm. Most people here worked at night, so the brothels were barely just opening their doors to let the caretakers, servants, and slaves inside to do their chores. Cassandra glanced left and right, but she had no real clue.
“I guess we’ll just have to ask around?”
“Right. We better do it now before they notice your pet and start screaming and running away.”
“Oh.”
Cassandra had almost forgotten about the dragon. Indeed, it would be a bit inconvenient to walk Krai around. She smiled and walked up to it, immediately getting all of the dragon’s attention. Krai had been following very curiously to where they were going. When the young concubine turned to it, it could barely contain his excitement, crushing two stalls with the swish of its tail.
Cassandra put her hands on the warm snout, scratching it.
“Could you wait for us here, Krai?”
She wasn’t sure how much the dragon understood her words, but since the mountain episode, she knew how to make it lay down and wait. She began patting its snout with both hands until it laid its whole body down. Krai closed its eyes, ready for a little nap.
