Page 109 of The War God’s Favorite

“Well, one with more curves, to begin with. Aren’t you supposed to try and have Heirs? How can you do that with such a scrawny woman?”

“That’s rich, coming from a childless slut,” said Shareen, with a smirk.

“How dare you!” roared Phetra, turning red.

As usual, Shareen wasn’t afraid to bicker with her sibling and turned to her with an obvious satisfied expression.

“What? Aren’t you the childless one giving advice to a pregnant woman? Oh, Phetra, really, why weren’t you born mute? You’re good with your tongue unless it’s for talking.”

For a second, Cassandra wondered if both women were going to have a catfight. To her surprise, the Second Prince glared at Princess Phetra, making her turn red and look down. Did she fear her own brother more than she feared Kairen?

“The Imperial Dragon Emperor has arrived!” suddenly someone announced.

All bowed to the Emperor’s arrival, though it was quick. He walked to his throne, obviously a bit grumpy, and looked around to see who was there.

“Where’s this Fourth Son of mine?” he suddenly asked, staring at the empty chair.

“Brother Opheus is sick, Father,” said the Eldest Brother.

“Oh, he’s always sick of something. Anyway! I’m happy to see you all… all of you who came here. Shareen, daughter, come here to entertain your father. Bring in the performers!”

Immediately, a group of dancers appeared at the center of the hall, dancing together to a speedy rhythm. Cassandra didn’t feel like watching. She felt like a mouse in a nest of resting snakes. The Princes were talking to their Concubines, and the Princesses between themselves, but you can easily see that none of the siblings really got along.

The Second Prince was whispering to his sister, looking angry. Another sister had also taken part in the conversation. She seemed a bit older than them.

Cassandra realized. Anour was still a teenager, but the oldest Princess looked to be in her forties. How old was the Emperor, then? She whispered her question to Kairen.

“He is sixty-two this year.”

Sixty-two years old? The Emperor barely looked forty! How could one look so young at that age, when so many of his children were there! Cassandra was confused. Did that mean the Dragon Blood made them age slower? She had heard some of the previous Emperors had died after a hundred years, but… She thought it was all just legends…

“What about you? And your brothers?” she asked Kairen, now too curious.

She had always assumed he was no older than thirty, but…if the Emperor looked like that at over sixty, her Prince could even be forty year old!

“Sephir is thirty-five, Vrehan is thirty-two, Opheus is twenty-four or twenty-three, Lephys is twenty-one and Anour is fifteen. And I’m twenty-eight.”

Cassandra blushed uncontrollably. So, they had about a ten-year age difference. She had never thought about it. It wasn’t uncommon to see an age gap between men and their Concubines in this Empire, so she wasn’t too surprised. The concubine she used to serve was twenty years younger than her Master.

“What are you thinking?” he whispered.

Cassandra just shook her head and rested it on his knee. She was actually feeling quite safe, sitting so close to him. Kairen’s hand on her skin chased all of her worries away, even with all the glares she was getting.

The glares were not only from the Second Prince, but from some of the Concubines as well. Were those women jealous? It was an odd feeling, but Cassandra pretended not to see them or care. In the main area, Shareen was laughing with the Emperor, entertaining her father while chatting with him. It was obvious they had a real bond, even without Kareen in the picture.

“Cassandra.”

Kairen caught her attention as a servant was presenting them with a gold tray of food. Cassandra took a bite carefully, but all the food here was tested for poison. She could remember back when she was supposed to be the one to test it.

Suddenly, from across the room, a ruckus was heard. One of the Fifth Prince’s Concubines, while shifting her position, had mistakenly spilled some of her wine on one of the young Imperial Princess’ purple dresses. The Princess screeched like she was burnt to the third degree.

“You idiot! How dare you stain my dress!”

“I…I am so sorry…” stuttered the Concubine, sounding terrified.

“Sorry? You’re sorry? Look at what you’ve done, you idiot!” The Princess kept yelling furiously.

The Fifth Prince Lephys glanced over briefly, frowning.

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