Chapter 10 The Red Dress


    When she woke up the nextmorning, Cassandra‘s whole body feltpletely sore. Blushing at the memoryof the intense sex with her master, she pulled the bedsheet over her naked body.


    But, looking around, she realized that she was alone in therge bedroom. Didher master leave early? She got up, keeping the bed sheet around her. The Princehad torn her only dress, so she felt a bit helpless, naked, and alone in the Prince’sroom, with no clue what to do. She didn’t evenknow hotein theday itwas.


    Suddenly, there was a little knock at the door. As a servant entered, Cassandrarecognized the young woman as oneof Princess Shareen’s, the one who hadadvised her the previous day.


    She wascarrying a little parcel which she promptly unwrapped before Cassandra.


    “Good Morning. His Highness requested a newdress for you.”


    “Oh, thank you,” said Cassandra.


    It was anew, darkredhis time. Cassandra frowned upon seeingthe color. Didn‘t servants in the Pcemonly wear green?


    “That color...”


    “It is the color worn by low-ranking concubines. You’ll be wearing this from nowon”


    Cassandra blushed. So they would all now be aware that she hadsleptwith the Third Prince! It seemed unreal that this information was already knownas soon as theverynext morning. Were they seen? Or was itbecauseshe hadslept in the Prince’s bedroom all night?


    “But this...”


    She raised a hand to thevery cor still hanging around her neck. Could ave really be a concubine? She didn’t think it was possible! The young servantgirl gently smiled at her and shook her head.


    “Do notworry, it’s not like there hasn’t been any precedents set for Princes and


    Emperors taking ves as concubines. Your life will most likely get a bit easier ifyou wearthis, even if you are still a ve. But you cannot be treated the same ashigh-ranking concubines or taken as the official wife.”


    Cassandra nodded. Even to be takenas alow-ranking concubine was too much forher, she couldn’t imagine anything more! She looked at the dress again,wondering if her master had known this would happen.


    “What is your name?”sheasked theyoung servant.


    “Dahlia.”


    “Thank you forthe dress, Dahlia...”


    The youngwomanbowedwithasmileandswiftlylefttheroom, leaving


    Cassandra feeling odd. It was the first time someone had ever bowed toher.


    Still a bit hesitant about what to do next, she started by washing herself at thelittle water basin. She thought ofst night again, making her blush once more.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    The Prince had beenso…fierce! She hadn’texpected that having sex required somuchstamina. She hadsomemild bruisingon her armswherehehad heldher abit too tightly. Thankfully her wrist wasn’t as painful as before, so she didn’t haveany trouble putting the dress on– the deep red dress…Cassandra didn’t knowmuchabout theImperial Pce’s protocols, but she recalled seeing theconcubines in various shades of red and pink. Was pink the color reserved for thehigh-ranked concubines then?


    The Prince suddenly came back into the room, his eyesimmediately finding her.


    “You‘re up.”


    “Yes, Your Highness...”


    Helookedover andCassandra followed his gaze to alittle table, where shehadn’t noticed arge tray of food. There were fruits, meats, cheeses and wine.


    The Prince frowned,


    “Whyhaven’t you eaten?”


    “I hadn‘t noticed...”


    “Aren’t you hungry?”


    “Yes.”


    Howcouldshenotbe?Thsttime she atewasmorethantwodaysago!Shemight have been starving but she wasused to thepainful sensation of hunger.


    Uponseeingthose delicious looking tes, however, she couldn’t repress thehungry growl emitted by her stomach.


    “Let‘s eat then.”


    Hewalkedoverandsat inrge armchairwhile Cassandra followed and, like shewould havedonewith herprevious masters, knelt on the floor next to him, but


    Kairen frowned.


    “What are youdoing?”


    Hegrabbed herarmandpulled herupontohispwithoutwarning. Cassandrawassuddenly straddling his leg, facing him, dangerously close. The swift actionbrought her attention to his bare chest, causing her to blush!


    “Master, I can’t!”


    But heignored her andtook aslice of meat fromthe table. His other handwasstill firmly holding Cassandra in ce, and she had to put her hand on hisshoulder to keep herself steady. What kind of embarrassing position was this?


    She hopedhewouldlet hergo,butKairenjust kept eating, ignoring her pleadingeyes.


    “Eat. We havealong journey ahead.”


    “A long journey?” she asked, a bit lost.


    “Going home. TheFestival is over.”


    She suddenly realized it was the eighth day! The Festival had ended this morningand the Princes were nowfree togo back totheirrespectivends. So he wasbringing her back to his castle then? She wondered what kind of ce it was.


    Kairen brought a grape to her lips and Cassandra had no choice but to take it. Shewasabit embarrassed, but was distracted by the amazingly sweettaste! Sherememberedeating dried or rotted grapes, but never fresh ones. She took hertime eating the little fruit while he watched her with a slight grin. She blushedagain; it was her first time receiving something close to a smile from him.


    She finally reached out her hand to take another grape and started eatingwith delight. This was so great, to be able to eat without worry. Before, she hadto eat quickly and hidden from her masters, so that she wouldn’tbe beaten forcking off. And ves could only eat what servants wouldn’t even want,leftovers and rotten food. Once in a while, she would be lucky enough to getsomerice or dried fruits, but never fresh fruit, cheese or meat. This was all a firstfor her!


    Kairen was silently watching her eat, one arm on the armchair and his otheraround her waist. He took somemeat fromtime totime, buthewasmostly busyobserving each of his new concubine’s movements. Cassandra continued eatingsmall bites like a little bird. It was obvious she was avoiding his gaze, blushingand looking down.


    As sheced alittle cube of cheese in her mouth, Kairen suddenly took her chinbetweenhis fingers and pulled her in for a kiss. ying with her tongue, he stolethe little cube, eating it before her stunned eyes.


    “M…Master!”


    Howcouldhedothat?! Cassandra wasso surprised by hischildish game shehadn’t even been able toreact. Kairen tilted his head towards the food.


    “Give mesomemeat.”


    Grabbing a greasy piece of beef, she handed itto him, wondering why he wassuddenly actingzy. But Kairen just looked at her, ignoring the food. She didn’treally understand his strange behavior until...! That’s when she understood– hewantedher todoitagain. It was so embarrassing!


    His forceful tone made her even more uneasy. She knews he couldn’t refuse him,and it was just feeding him, right? She took the meat between her lips andapproachedhim. This time, Kairen leaned in, grabbing it from her mouth while kissing her.


    The meat‘s juice dripped from their lips while their tongues entangled. Soonenough, the Prince had eaten the little piece but kept their deep kissgoing. Not letting go of her, Kairen kept her close, preventing Cassandra frombacking away.


    Their kiss was so intense she could barely keep up with his lips. The taste of themeatlingered there, something sweet and sour. When he finally rxed hisembrace, Cassandra leaned back to catch her breath, a bit light–headed.


    Without anything more, Kairen grabbed a new bite himself this time, eating themeatasif nothing had happened.


    Cassandra waspletely lost by his sudden change of demeanor.


    Still, she grabbed more food, hoping he would let her eat in peace this time.


    Kairen had apparently decided to oblige her unspoken wish as they ate in silence,


    Cassandra enjoying a bit of each food that was there. Her master wasstill holding her by the waist, only asionally caressing her with his thumb, andonly asked for food to be delivered by kissing a couple more times. Cassandrplied, but was just as embarrassed as the first time and was relieved when hefinally stopped eating before her.


    Even with his close presence and the embarrassing position, she found itimpossible to ignore the delicious food and ate her fill for the first time in a verylong while. Once she was pleasantly full and feeling much better than before, sheawkwardly kept her stare on the te of remaining food, not sure of what to donext.


    Kairen leaned in to kiss her neck without warning, pulling her to face hipletely.


    “Are you done?” heasked.


    “Yes…”shewhispered.


    Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to followbehind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.


    Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door ofhis chambers, two Pce servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandrainstinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutallydragged out the previous day.


    “What is it?”


    Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only stayingclose behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as theybowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, andthe Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.


    “His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that yourpresence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends hiscongrattions on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to YourHighness’s pce.”


    “Are you done?” heasked.


    “Yes...” she whispered.


    Without adding anything else, Kairen got up and pulled Cassandra to followbehind him. He grabbed two fur coats, handing one to her as they headedoutside.


    Cassandra was a bit surprised; a fur coat again? When Kairen opened the door ofhis chambers, two Pce servants suddenly rushed over and Cassandrainstinctively hid behind him. She still remembered how she had been brutallydragged out the previous day.


    “What is it?”


    Kairen frowned at her strange behavior but she shook her head, only stayingclose behind him. The two servants didn’t even bother to look at her as theybowedinfront of the Prince. Those men weren’t the sameones as before, andthe Prince was there, but they still made her nervous.


    “His Highness the Imperial Dragon sent us to remind Your Highness that yourpresence is requested in three months for the Spring Festival and he sends hiscongrattions on your new concubine. Gifts will be sent for the Lady to YourHighness’s pce.”


    Cassandra was speechless! Were they talking about her? Was theKing truly happy his son had taken her for aconcubine? And tosend gifts too! Shecouldn’t even begin to process what was happening, but Kairen just ignored the menandwalkedon.


    She followed him closely, wondering where they were headed. If he wanted toleave, shouldn’t he have headed for the stables? But instead, he was headed to therge gardens of the Imperial Pce, ignoring all the servants who were bowing along the way.


    It was only when they finally reached the end of rge, vined garden that


    Cassandra understood. A mountain of ck scales was heading their way withexcited eyes. They weren’t going by horse or carriage, they were going to fly!