The War God’s Favorite novel Chapter 39

 The Golden Dragon
A few weeks later, Kairen still hadn’t returned.
Cassandra was growing lonely, sitting by herself in the Imperial Concubine’s garden. No matter how many times she had been told not to worry, she couldn’t help but stare at the horizon, beyond the City’s high walls.
She had changed over the past few weeks. Under her new guardian’s insistence, she had started taking better care of herself. She was now used to wearing the beautiful red gowns and jewelry. Every morning, servants would help her dress, put a bit of pink balm on her lips, and brush her hair, suggesting a few hair pins or bracelets, until Cassandra couldn’t take it anymore and ushered them out to finish her preparations alone.
She had finally put on a few pounds too. How could she not have? Kareen made sure she ate plenty at each meal and brought her snacks at all times of day. Cassandra had only recently found a way to stop her overbearing actions by faking some nausea.
Truthfully though, she really was nauseous at times, especially in the morning. Her tummy had developed a little bump as proof of her pregnancy, making this child feel a bit more real each day.
Cassandra was caressing her belly, lost in her thoughts when Kareen walked in.
“Concubine Mother.”
“Good Morning. What are you doing out so early without a shawl?”
Though she was asking Cassandra, her glare found a servant, who immediately ran inside to get one. But the young concubine shook her head.
“I am fine, really. It’s much warmer here than it was at the Onyx Castle.”
Cassandra missed it. She wondered everyday about Nebora and the others, and the Military Camp. How did they function without the Prince there? Perhaps he had visited during these weeks and didn’t stop by the Diamond Palace?
“So stubborn,” sighed the Concubine Mother.
She was about to add something else, but at that same moment, Srai jumped from over the balcony. The Purple Dragon struggled for a few seconds to come in, balancing strangely on the ledge. With his torn wing and uneven weight, the dragon never seemed particularly agile. It eventually managed to get on its feet, and walked to sit by Kareen’s side. 2
Cassandra felt uneasy anytime she watched that dragon. It didn’t like her and, up until now, had only interacted with her through warning growls and defiant glares. Even as the Imperial Concubine caressed it, it seemed restless.
“Good boy,” said Kareen.
“The dragon…Srai cannot fly, can it?” asked Cassandra.
She had doubts as she certainly had never seen it actually use its wings and Srai never hunted either, only wandered around the Palace letting servants feed him huge portions of meat.
“That is correct. He lost the ability, his wings are too damaged now to support his weight. The child cannot hunt.”
“Concubine Mother, is he…” (2
“He was my first born, Suiren’s, dragon. He died at six years old.” (2
– Cassandra was struck by those revelations. Six years old? So young! How could a Prince die at such a young age?
Kareen, as if she had guessed her silent question, sighed.
“He was killed! Someone threw my child from a balcony like this one.”
Cassandra looked at the balcony Kareen was gesturing to. It wasn’t something a child could climb over by himself! How could someone be so cruel as to murder a child so brutally?
“My second one… She was a girl. She was killed two days after she was born. Someone got into my room and suffocated her with a pillow.”
A pillow? Cassandra felt nauseous. Who would…? To a newborn! She felt sick just thinking about it.
“After Shareen, I was pregnant with another son. I was beyond paranoid about protecting my children, but it wasn’t enough. He was poisoned at two years old. His dragon died instantly with him.”
How horrible! Cassandra wondered what Kairen’s childhood could have been like in such dangerous conditions.
Strangely, however, Kareen didn’t seem affected while revealing all of this. Instead, pure anger was painted across her face. Cassandra glanced at the small dragon sitting by her feet. Krai’s older sibling was so small compared to him.
“Who dares to…”
Both women glared at the incoming shadow in the sky. Cassandra instantly knew it wasn’t Krai, as its tail shape was different. When he got closer, she realized it was a Green Dragon, one that she had seen in the Arena.
“Anour?” wondered a voice behind them.
Shareen had just come out, squinting at the incoming Dragon. It landed outside of the Palace, but neither woman went to him. Instead, Kareen went to wait in a large room by the entrance. Settling into a large wooden chair, Kareen ordered Cassandra to sit next to her while Shareen stood to the side.
“Concubine Mother! Sister Shareen!”
Prince Anour was the youngest of the Imperial Princes and barely resembled Kairen. He had a nice smile and a thin build like his Green Dragon, which looked more like a lizard.
“Anour! What about your manners?”
“Don’t be mean, Concubine Mother. I came to give you news about my brother.”
“Is he alright?” Cassandra immediately asked, visibly worried.
Anour, surprised that she dared to address him, gave her a glance of disgust.
“Who is that?”
“Have you gone blind brother, or is it that little boys can’t see red?” said Shareen.
“Oh, is this brother’s concubine? I didn’t recognize her! So she is the pregnant one?”
“Anour, enough. Where is my son, you impertinent child?”
“Father got angry with him. He sentenced him to be hung in the dungeons for fifty days, with Imperial Servants whipping him ten times every hour.”
“HOW DARE HE!?” roared Kareen.
Meanwhile, Cassandra was on the verge of tears. Whipped? Her Prince had been detained and whipped relentlessly since then? Only Shareen didn’t seem affected, stifling her laughter in the corner.
– “Looks like Father is really desperate for your attention, Mother.”
“He shall see! That old fool will pay for touching my son!”
Her anger echoed within the walls, and she stood up to her full height causing Anour to shrink a little.
“Concubine Mother, this is a bit…”
“Silence! Don’t you dare say a word to defend him! Roun!”
To Cassandra’s surprise, a wall of green scales appeared on the other side of the door, the Imperial Concubine rushing to it.
“She can command any of the dragons?” Cassandra asked Shareen.
“Of course not. Only those she raised listen to her. Anour’s mother was murdered when he was an infant. Our mother took care of him and Roun in her stead, as she and his mother were close.”
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.
“Don’t you dare, you rascal!”
Instantly, Glahad dug its paws and claws into the perfect wooden floors, grinding to a halt a few meters away from Kareen. The dragon was frozen in an awkward pose, with its body turned towards her, but its collar and head turned away, like a guilty dog. It kept trying to sneak glances at her, but had to turn its red gaze away every time, as the Concubine was glaring. Behind Glahad, Krai furtively took this opportunity to throttle towards Cassandra, wrapping its body around the Concubine as she scratched and caressed its head, happy to reunite with her Prince’s Dragon. Meanwhile, Glahad softly growled, jealous, but Kareen had already turned back to the Emperor.

“Where is my son?!”