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, 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.
