The War God’s Favorite novel Chapter 135

#135 The New Age
Shareen sighed.
So this was over. Whatever that thing was… It had taken Cassandra’s body with it, deep down the Lake. Once again, Shareen let out a long sigh, unable to name her feelings right now. This was just… too much to handle. She glanced towards her mother. Lady Kareen was looking at her son with the saddest expression on, but she didn’t go towards him. It was like she knew, there were no words she could say that would help him in any way. She glanced down at Kassian, who was still crying a bit, though the baby seemed too tired to be wailing anymore.
Anour and Opheus had the same horrified expression on their faces. Everyone was staring at Kairen, left alone to face the quiet lake. No one knew what to do next.
Krai was the first one to move. The Black Dragon walked to his master’s side, and curled up around Kairen, not. moving anymore. It seemed like Dragon and Prince were one being at this moment, facing the quiet lake, united in their loss.
That sight seemed to wake Shareen up. She shook her head and walked to her mother.
“I’ll go take care of the crap outside, make sure we are done with everything… whatever there’s left.”
The Imperial Concubine let out a long sigh and nodded. Her eyes went down on the baby in her arms. She left a long kiss on the baby’s forehead, while at her feet, Kian curled up around her too, his eyes turned towards the Lake. It looked like the baby dragon was confused about what had happened, and didn’t dare go. Instead, he stayed with Kareen, who patiently waited for her son to get out of his slumber. No matter how long it would take…
Opheus and Anour walked up to Shareen. The fourth prince had to wipe his tears, a bit shaken up. They hesitated before saying anything, almost embarrassed to even utter a word right now.
“What now…?” Asked Anour.
“You’ll stay with Missandra and Phemera.”
The Sixth Prince’s expression sunk.
“But… if she wakes up…”
Shareen glared at him.
“If she wakes up, you’ll tell her the truth, Anour. Stop being such a baby, or we can switch and you will be the one to take care of the fucking mess outside or the politics. Your pick.”
He looked down defeated. Indeed, he was the one closest to Missandra, and wouldn’t be able to help anywhere else… It didn’t make his task any easier, though. Anour nodded, having no more reason to discuss. Then, with a sigh, the youngest prince glanced at Opheus and left with a sad expression on.
The fourth Prince crossed his arms.
“You went a bit harsh on him…”
“I’m not in the mood to indulge anyone’s little sensitivity right now.”
Her brother grimaced a little, glancing towards Kairen and the lake.
“I can’t blame you… Lephys is dead. What do you need me to do?”
“Gather all those damn ministers, counselors, whatever. It is high time for some things to change around here, and it starts today.”
“…Do you think they are going to listen, though?”
“They listened to that rat. So now, either they have a very open ear for us, or those bitches can join him in hell. I’ll send them there myself. They should start working now if they want us to let them live another day after what happened here. Those damn… Tsk. Anyway, you can bring Lephys’ body if they need to be convinced. At least that bastard would be useful for something…”
“Got it.”
They split up to take care of everything that was left after the battle.
Once those three had left the garden, everything went quiet again in the area. Kareen was left alone to contemplate her son’s lonely figure. In her arms, Kassian had given in to slumber and was sleeping, his little eyes still red from all the crying. His grandmother sighed. The poor boy had no idea what a hero his mother had become. Cassandra had never been a warrior, she was only one who could give herself to others. In the end, she had given her life to save theirs…
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “We won’t let you forget her…”
A long time passed like this in the garden. Nothing really moved, except for the wind blowing gently on them. Kareen, tired to stand, walked across the lake and came to sit near the poor Glahad. The old Golden dragon put its head against her lap, his ruby eyes on the Concubine. She sighed and caressed him.
“That old man… He even had the guts to go before me… So heartless. Don’t worry, Glahad… This old woman will stay with you a bit longer. Just a bit longer… He was ever so selfish, wasn’t he? That poor man. At least you will stay with me a little bit longer, won’t you? To watch over the children. He’s left them nothing but a mess…”
The golden dragon growled softly, and closed his eyes, gently rubbing his face against her hip. The elder dragon looked incredibly tired. Kian, who had been left a few steps behind, walked to them slowly and curled up under Glahad’s wing. Like a little ball of silver scales, the baby stuck himself against the old dragon, lowering its head with a sad look. From there, his little emerald eyes could watch Krai and Kairen, on the side of the lake, not moving.
He stayed there for a very, very long time. He was simply staring at the surface of the lake. He wasn’t expecting anything. Kairen had nothing reflected in his eyes, as if he was simply left there. Abandoned. Down on his knees, he just didn’t move. Man and dragon remained there like lonely statues until the sun came low and the sky turned orange. It was as if time had stopped in this garden only.
One could hear voices, somewhere else in the Castle, as their world was resuming it’s course again, without them in it. Somewhere, Shareen was discussing with the Imperial Generals, giving orders to clear up the streets and leading the capture of the traitors. Opheus was threatening the council, clearing up the bad money that had circulated and deciding who had a chance to redeem themselves or not. His dragon Phe had left the garden, limping to go and help him on another side of the Palace. Anour was trying to handle a girl crying and grieving her older sister. Life just couldn’t resume peacefully, not after Chaos had been spread around the Palace like this.
Kassian woke up during that time. A baby didn’t know much about wars, but he knew when he was hungry. He started whining a bit in Kareen’s arms. To her surprise, just as she was about to soothe him, across the Lake, Kairen finally left his slumber and stood up.
While his dragon didn’t move, the War God silently left the shore and walked around to come to his mother. A bit surprised, Kareen stood too and waited for him. He didn’t look like anything he was earlier that day. Something was broken inside, she could see it in his eyes. It wasn’t about the injuries or the tiredness. When he came to her, his eyes went directly to his son, and for a second, there was a spark of light in there. Kairen gently took Kassian in his arms, and the young baby stopped crying, only sobbing a bit. He wiggled a bit in his father’s arms, as if to look for a more comfortable position. The black scales still trying to heal Kairen’s body probably weren’t too agreeable for him, but he still didn’t complain much. His dad’s warm skin was enough to calm him down.
Kairen spent a long time staring at his son, the little boy in his arms.
“…What do you want to do now?” Gently asked Kareen.
“…She hated this place,”
The Concubine slowly nodded. It felt right he wouldn’t want to stay here with Kassian, not after all of this…
“I understand. I’ll help you the best I can.”
He didn’t reply. His eyes were still on his son. He gently caressed Kassian’s forehead with his thumb. The baby squirmed a bit, pouting. Kian, too, went from Kareen’s side to Kairen’s, staying at his feet quietly. The War God just seemed tired right now. A man who had fought a war and lost more than he had won. It was all written in his eyes. It may even have been worse if he didn’t have his son to hold on to.
“How about you go to… The Residence, for now?” She suggested. “They have everything needed to take care of Kassian.”
He nodded slowly. That’s all she needed. Although she was going through her own mourning right now, Kareen. knew it was without common measure to her son’s sorrow. After a hesitation, she raised her hand and gently, touched his arm.
It was a light pressure on his skin, just for the contact of it. For him to feel she was there. She’d always be there for him.
“Go,” she said. “Your sister can handle it. I… I’ll join you soon.”
Just like this, she watched Kairen go, carrying his son and his grief. Kian sent her glances, a bit unsure, but the younger dragon eventually followed his master, looking up at Kairen and scurring right behind him. She watched him go until he was out of sight and then, she glanced towards the lake.
Krai was still there, lying down by the water. He hadn’t moved at all. The dragon was exactly where his master’s heart had been left. No one could tell if he was waiting, or had simply been abandoned. The Black Dragon was as frozen as a statue, his ruby eyes reflecting nothing but the lake. He didn’t even seem to be alive anymore. Kareen’s heart broke once more for her son’s dragon. He’d remain here forever, she could foresee it. The Imperial Concubine repressed the cries of her heart to walk out of the garden.
She hated this place too.
Kareen had seen too many children breathe and die within those walls. If a new age had finally come, it would happen without her. She was an old woman who had no strength left to give. She would no longer be the untouchable Imperial Concubine, if she had ever been. Nothing was keeping her to this place, it had never been. Next to her, Glahad growled softly, pushing against her hip a little. She smiled faintly, caressing the golden snout again.
“Do not worry… Wait for me. I still have one thing to do here. Then I’ll take good care of you.”
The Dragon growled again as Kareen walk out of the garden. She took a different direction his son had taken, heading back to the place they had stayed hidden at for a while. As she came closer, she could hear the screams. Missandra’s wailing was unbearable to hear after all this, but Kareen took a deep breath in and continued. She didn’t flinch upon hearing the younger sister’s distress, or Anour’s attempts to calm her down. No one could blame her, after she had lost her older sister in such a horrific way. Missandra was crying, like any child needed to cry a loss.

Kareen felt sorry for the girl. They were a lot alike, in a way. Though she loved Cassandra a lot, the Imperial Concubine could see a lot of herself in the younger sister. Hence, she also knew Missandra would recover and get stronger with this experience. They were the type of women who always grew stronger to survive, turned the anger and the fear into rage. She only hoped Missandra would be able to open her heart again despite all this. That child needed to learn how to love and trust people again.
Kareen hadn’t come back here to console Missandra.
She took a deep breath and opened a room that had stayed locked until now. Inside, Phetra was there, tied to a chair, her face ruined by her cries. Her eyes had grown wide and red with terror. Maybe she knew what had
happened to her brother. As soon as she saw Kareen, her panic increased. Despite being gagged, she started wailing loudly and trying to move out of her chair.
The former Imperial Concubine was incredibly calm, though. She came close and untied the ribbon they had used on her mouth. As soon as she could, Phetra started begging and crying.
*Please! Please spare me! I didn’t want to! Vrehan forced me! I knew he’d kill me if I didn’t obey! I had no choice, I had to obey! I didn’t want to! I didn’t want to!”
“Who else was working for him?” Asked Kareen calmly, ignoring her plea.
“I… I already told Opheus the truth, I swear! I didn’t want to help him! He… He made me sleep with all those dirty old men! He forced me to!”
“What about your sisters?”
Phetra seemed scared, but she was like unable to stop. She could barely breathe under her loud sobs.
“I… I only taught the young ones to follow orders! We had to! I didn’t…”
Kareen let out a long sigh.
“You’re just a pathetic thing, aren’t you?”
Although she said that, Kareen took out a dagger from the pockets of her dress, making Phetra go into absolute hysteria.
“No, no, no! Please! I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die!”
“No one wants to die,” retorted Kareen. “No one wants to kill either, but here we are, you and I. We just have things to protect and dirty our hands for.”
She killed Phetra in one swift movement.
The princess fell off her chair, her throat sliced open. Phetra’s eyes were still twitching, her face in the blood as she died with that vision of her own blood flowing out. Kareen stepped back to avoid being stained, and slowly wiped the blood on her dress. With this, it would truly be over.
She simply walked out, closing the room behind her. Then, Kareen took a deep breath and walked back inside the Palace. She could already feel this wind of change that was overtaking this place’s filthy air. Her steps took her to a different aisle. No one was there yet. Everyone was already busy with whatever was going to come next. Kareen opened the door to the Emperor’s Chambers.
He was lying on his bed, his eyes closed. From afar, one could have thought he was simply sleeping. Kareen took a deep breath, trying to hold back her tears. She slowly walked up to the bed, watching him from above.
“You were really selfish to the end…” She whispered. “Leaving me and your children with that mess… Was that what you wanted? To die with all the trouble you had caused, you old man? You could never abandon a single one of them, and yet, look where it took you… Blood and jealousy. Was it worth it, trying to protect them all? You…”
She stopped. The sadness was growing like a knot of frustration in her throat. Kareen was too proud to cry, but she couldn’t simply stand in front of her deceased lover like this. She had once loved this man. She had given him many, many nights before the lives they had created together had come first.
She stepped back, closing her eyes. She was simply grateful he hadn’t died alone, although no one could say the Emperor had died in peace. She simply wished he could find some rest in the Gods’ Realm, and watch what was to become of this Empire. Kareen took a deep breath, and as she took her gaze elsewhere, her eyes fell on a large door. She frowned and turned to that wardrobe. She couldn’t remember what was behind that door, but something felt nostalgic.
The Concubine slowly walked up to that wardrobe, and as she came closer, she noticed her name, carved into the
wood above the handle. Kareen frowned, and slowly opened that door. There was a single piece of clothing inside.
A magnificent golden dress.