“You were the only one. You didn’t lust for me. You were just scared. When I tried to tease you, see if you’d show your true colors, your lust as a woman, you just turned out to be even more innocent than I had thought. When that woman hurt you...”
“Lyria? My former Master’s concubine?”
“Yeah. I saw...the way she looked at me, and the way you looked at her. You were different. Somehow, I understood why Krai liked you. You were just...pure. So pure. You didn’t have that greed that was in her eyes, not even the will to save yourself. You were just scared of me.”
Cassandra sighed. It was all so... sad.
She hadn’t thought much about their first encounter. The War God was so indecipherable back then. She would have never imagined he looked at her that way. That certainly explained a lot.
“Is that why you didn’t let me... satisfy you?”
Kairen caressed her lips with his thumb, slightly nodding.
“I don’t want to see you like that...I don’t need that.”
“I understand,” she whispered.
They stayed silent for a few seconds, just staring in each other’s eyes lovingly. Cassandra could tell, there wasn’t anything the War God feared anymore in women. Instead, it had been replaced by this wrath, this bloodthirst. The way he had found to cope had become his way of life. The blood that dirtied his sword, the way he had dirtied his hands to save himself.
She was falling a bit deeper for that man. How was he still able to love her so tenderly, after what he had gone through? Kairen had such a loving side... just for her. She smiled and gently kissed him again. The War God answered her kiss, caressing her hair, her cheek...
Cassandra deepened their kiss, taking the reins. She wanted him to feel her love for him. He wasn’t that scared boy anymore. He had grown into a strong, powerful man, who could kill, but still love.
Despite a long and love-filled afternoon nap, they couldn’t possibly stay hidden in that bedroom forever. Notably, because Cassandra found herself starving when she woke up and sighed. Her baby was truly eating like a young dragon. She stretched her sore and painful muscles a bit with a groan, sitting on the side of the bed. Kairen sat behind her, giving her a quick kiss on the neck.
“We have to go…” she whispered. “I’m really hungry. Is it dinner time yet?”
“Who cares.”
She chuckled. Her Prince helped her put her dress back on, while he kept his torso bare, only putting his pants on. Cassandra blushed a little. Though his tone was rather dark, one could still see the red marks on his bronze skin. He was slowly pushing her to become bolder and bolder every time they had sex, now she was the one who left him covered in hickeys. Was he exposing them on purpose?
Once she was ready, Cassandra decided to let her hair down, and simply followed her prince out of the bedroom. She hadn’t paid much attention when he was taking her there, but this was one of the guest bedrooms. They walked quietly back to Kareen’s salon, where they could hear people talking and laughing.
It was another one of those open rooms, with lots of wild plants everywhere, a few furniture pieces with some rugs and colored cushions for them to rest on. Anour was taking care of his dragon, brushing his scales with some sort of big comb, while Shareen and Kareen were talking on the side and having tea. They all turned heads hearing the duo enter.
“Oh, look who it is!”
“Where is Missandra?” she asked, a bit worried.
“I gave her a room for her to rest, your servant girl Dahlia went to watch over her,” said Kareen. “I think our dragons chased them away. Anyway, aren’t you hungry, Cassandra?”
“I am… is it alright if we have dinner early today?”
The Imperial Concubine immediately ordered for the dinner to be prepared at once, and meanwhile, a full basket of fresh and dried fruits, along with several kinds of nuts, were brought to the young mother-to-be. Cassandra and Kairen sat down on the cushions next to Kareen’s chair. The Prince kept his arm around her, and though she was seemingly focused on the green grapes more, Cassandra was resting her back against his torso.
On the side, Shareen had a smirk on, staring at the young couple.
“I don’t know how it goes for your people, Cassie, but here, people usually keep the wild sex for the honeymoon after the wedding.”
Kairen replied with a glare, while Cassandra frowned.
“Were you eavesdropping again!”
“No, you were loud! You can’t blame me, Mother dearest here and Father are always keeping me busy. I need to find entertainment when I can!”
Cassandra sent annoyed glances at Shareen anyway. The Princess was truly too nosy about their sexual life. She would insist on them being a bit more careful from then on. They hadn’t shown much restraint, and with all the open roofs here, it was true that a lot of ears could easily hear them.
Kareen clicked her tongue.
