Kairen frowned, but eventually got up. He and his sister drew out their swords and started dueling together. Cassandra wasn’t very worried. Those two were on the same level, and wouldn’t get too serious in front of their mother.
Meanwhile, Krai saw an opportunity and swiftly trotted to take Kairen’s spot behind Cassandra. Its large and long body actually allowed it to be circled around Kareen, too, making the dragon all the happier. It rested its head on Cassandra’s lap, while the Imperial Concubine laid her back against its body, used to this behavior.
The two women watched the siblings spar for a while. Dahlia had brought what she had asked for, so Cassandra slowly started working on improving the little dragon plushie’s condition while watching the duel. Cassandra was truly impressed at Shareen’s strength. Not only was the Princess extraordinarily strong, but she also didn’t have any issue fighting on equal terms with her brother, the War God. She was using two swords, and a perfectly balanced style, so elegant it almost seemed like a dance.
“Those two,” sighed Kareen. “I should have bought them dolls when they were kids!”
Cassandra chuckled, remembering the many toy swords she had seen. They may have not all belonged to Kairen, after all. Shareen was a bit of a tomboy, it seems.
“What kind of children were they?” Cassandra asked, still focused on her sewing.
“Exactly like now,” sighed the Imperial Concubine. “Kairen was silent and grumpy, Shareen was loud and grumpy. Those two little brats had such tempers… I only seldom brought them here. It was such a ruckus every time we came. Not only did they always spar between themselves like this, but they caused fights absolutely everywhere. Krai, too.”
“With their siblings?” asked Cassandra, glancing at the dragon who was sleeping, or pretending to.
“With their siblings, with their father’s concubines. Shareen once broke all of one of her sister’s fingers because she had insulted me. Most Concubines can’t scold Imperial Children unless they are their own, but with those two? Ah! I never had to raise my voice once, they’d always take care of any problem before I did!”
Cassandra had never imagined those two were once so protective of their mother. She could still remember how they weren’t thrilled about visiting her when she got hold of Krai’s Egg. Kareen probably didn’t let herself be bullied, either. They definitely inherited a lot of their mother’s traits, especially Shareen.
“Lady Kareen, pardon me for asking this, but… Why didn’t you marry the Emperor? You’ve been his favorite since…long ago.”
Kareen sighed, sliding her finger on her wine cup.
“That old man… He did propose a few times. However, every time we got close to an engagement, something happened. I almost died or lost one of my children. Jealousy won over everything, I suppose. He already had too many women before me, and I realized that marrying him meant my children would be in more danger than ever. I couldn’t forgive that. Especially the idea that I would have to live in the same place as my children’s assassins. We didn’t find who had done it. So, I decided to isolate myself, and focus on raising those two. That’s when he gifted me the Diamond City and Palace. It was an apology for being useless in finding our children’s murderer... I was devastated then, and became paranoid over protecting those two. I left the Palace. Since I ignored him, he got other concubines, other children… Time passed.”
“I thought... The Diamond Palace was a present for Kairen’s birth?”
“That’s what I told them. Trust me, a mother will find many lies to hide from her children, exactly how ugly the price for their survival was.”
Cassandra felt a bit sorry for Kareen. She had met the Emperor too late, and gotten involved in the cruel games of the Imperial Palace. She put a protective hand on her tummy. Maybe, in other circumstances, she would have made the same choices as her. Now that she was expecting, her instincts were all about this baby’s protection. Her refusal to marry Kairen for the time being had to do with that too… Though she was only willing to wait. She still held on to that idea of becoming his one and only woman, when they would be in a safer place.
“Talk about the dragon, and he will show his tail,” said Kareen.
Cassandra lifted her head, and so did Krai, who growled immediately. To their surprise, Glahad was flying high above them, making circles in the sky and seeming hesitant to come down. Its golden scales were almost blinding with the sun’s reflection in it. The Imperial Concubine clicked her tongue.
“Looks like he didn’t appreciate me not coming to his damn Celebrations. Well, suits him. He can send his dragon, I don’t care.”
Cassandra kept staring at Glahad. Did the Emperor send his dragon to spy on them? She couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for it. The golden dragon probably didn’t dare approach, and was only sent to check on their beloved. Krai kept growling in warning, though the black dragon would probably have lost a fight against Glahad.
“Hey!”
Meanwhile, on the grass Shareen had just gotten an injury. Probably unfocused because of Glahad, the sister had just received a large cut on her arm. She frowned, staring at it. To Cassandra’s surprise, scales immediately appeared on her dark skin to cover it up, just like Kairen’s injuries. Shareen’s scales were more of dark indigo than black, though.
“She can do that too?” said Cassandra, surprised.
“Of course! My daughter has dragon blood too, after all!”
Shareen, who had heard them, rolled her eyes.
“Really, Cassie, you underestimate me that much?”
With a little laugh, she suddenly seemed like she was inhaling a lot of air, and, turning towards the area Glahad was flying in, Shareen suddenly exhaled a fireball!
Cassandra jumped in surprise, while the large golden dragon, though it hadn’t been hit, growled, annoyed. Shareen’s flames had died in the air, way before they reached Glahad, who was flying too high. Yet, it was so impressive! The young concubine was both impressed and frightened.
“I had no idea the Princesses could do such a thing!”
“Not all the Princesses, Sweetie,” replied Shareen with an arrogant look. “It takes talent.”
