Chapter 22


    The Forge


    Exhausted, Cassandra was still feeling numb even while lying on the Prince’sp. Her mind in a daze,


    she still felt her hot insides from their wild sex just a few seconds ago. She couldn’t believe it. Kairen


    kissed her shoulder, caressing her hair. His recovery was faster than Cassandra’s, and he observed


    her, as her eyes were still closed, resting her head on his shoulder.


    “Cassandra?” he called, softly.


    “I’m fine… I just…wonder if you’ve been holding back all this time.”


    He chuckled against her shoulder, and helped her to sit better on hisp, her arm around his shoulder.


    Looking at each other, they naturally exchanged a long, softer kiss. Cassandra wasn’t afraid anymore


    to caress his face while they were kissing, and Kairen liked her soft fingers on his cheek. Itsted a


    while, as they sat still against each other, softly kissing and caressing each other. They were


    the steam, the only noises were those of water, or night creaturesing out to hunt in the nearby


    forest.


    The sky was clear, the moon was throwing a white light on them, making Cassandra’s skin even paler


    than usual. The contrast with Kairen’s dark skin was striking. The two were opposites, but they found


    the other even more beautiful because of that. Kairen was mesmerized by Cassandra’s beauty in this


    setting. Her long brown hair was wet and falling like a cascade on her shoulders, floating around her


    when she moved around in the water. Her green eyes were shining bright, too.


    “What is it?” she asked, blushing a bit from his intense stare.


    “Are you unhappy? That I brought you here?” he asked.


    Cassandra was a bit surprised. Was the Prince worried she was againsting here? Sometimes, his


    questions about what she thought or felt were so sudden and disarming… She shook her head.


    “No…I’m d you didn’t leave me alone.”


    She couldn’t have endured so many nights in an empty bed, not after she had gotten used to the War


    God’s warmth. The only thing she regretted a bit was to be the only woman here. She missed Nebora


    and the others somehow. But if she said anything about that, she feared the Prince would actually go


    back and bring her friend here by force.


    Cassandra and the Prince cuddled and enjoyed the hot springs a bit longer, not talking much in the


    meantime. Cassandra loved the difference between the hot water and the icy air outside, and


    wondered if she would ever feel like leaving. Especially when she was like this, held firmly against


    Kairen’s chest.


    “Your skin is always so warm,” she whispered.


    She had noticed before, but no matter the temperature, Kairen’s body never seemed to suffer from the


    cold. Even when they rode Krai, his heat was enough to keep her warm for the whole trip.


    “It’s the dragon’s heat.”


    He grabbed her hand and put it up against his chest, where his heart was, and Cassandra realized that


    spot was even warmer than the rest. She frowned, a bit confused and surprised. She could almost feel


    a core, like a fire burning inside his chest.


    “Is it because of your dragon? Because of Krai?” she asked.


    “We are connected…in some ways.”


    As if it had known what his Master was saying, at that same moment, therge ck dragon came


    back,nding on a big rock nearby. The dragon crawled down, walking towards them until itsrge


    body circled half of the spring Kairen and Cassandra were bathing in. Krai’s big head leaned towards


    her, and Cassandra scratched the


    dragon’s favorite area briefly. She had noticed how the Prince and his dragon didn’t even seem to


    interact or look at each other.


    “Can he read your thoughts?” she asked.


    It was a bit odd to ask such a thing, but Cassandra had always felt Krai’s actions were linked to


    Kairen’s temper somehow. His dragon growled when he was unhappy, got mad when he was upset…


    And they both yearned for her, too.


    “No. Dragons don’t think like humans. But he feels…the things I feel. Some say our dragons are our


    instincts, some say they know our inner thoughts. Sometimes they know what we want before we do.”


    While saying that, Kairen was intensely looking at Cassandra, and she knew he was talking about their


    first encounter. Krai had been instantly captivated by her, before even Kairen himself had spotted her in


    the crowd. Cassandra suddenly blushed, realizing what he meant. She turned to the dragon to avoid


    looking at her Master, trying to hide her embarrassment. 5


    Krai, only too happy to get more scratches and cuddles from her, leaned in closer, growling softly. But


    Kairen wrapped his arm around Cassandra’s waist and brought her closer to him again. The dragon


    growled at its Master, a bit unhappy, but Kairen ignored him. Cassandra was still amused anytime


    those two got jealous.


    “It seems like he has his own will though,” she whispered.


    “He does. Dragons are not pets. He’s just connected to me.”


    “Are you connected in other ways? Like your warmth?”


    Kairen showed his arm to her, making her caress his skin.


    “I have dragon-tamer skin. It’s thicker than humans. My vision is better too, and I can see you in the


    dark.”


    Cassandra had noticed that too. Whenever they had sex in the dark, Kairen always knew her moves


    and expressions. He kissed her shoulder softly, while she was still observing the dragon. Krai had


    apparently given up on the scratches, and was just lyingzily next to them.


    “He’s stronger than others, isn’t he?”


    “How do you know?”


    “I noticed it in the arena. The other dragons stayed away from him, and they never turned their backs


    on him either. Is it because he’s your dragon?”


    Kairen looked up at his dragon, exchanging a look with the red-eyed beast.


    “My brothers’ dragons are not well-controlled. They are too weak to have their dragons listen to them.”


    Cassandra wondered if it was really only about their willpower. She felt like Krai’s strength and behavior


    were linked to Kairen’s personality, not his strength. Those were only her thoughts, though. She felt a


    bit sleepy, staying so long in the baths, and she leaned her head onto Kairen’s shoulder.


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    “We should go back,” said the Prince, noticing her fatigue.


    They dressed quickly, and once again, Krai transported them back to the camp. Without them noticing,


    it had gotten prettyte. When the dragonnded in front of the red tent, there were only a few soldiers


    patrolling around. Once again, Cassandra did her best to ignore them, following Kairen in his tent.


    Someone had made up the bed and had brought some more food to snack on, but Cassandra was still


    full and tired. She hesitated for a second, but Kairen brought her toy with him under the covers,


    pulling therge fur nket over them. She was still sore from the brutal sex earlier, and felt d when


    the War God onlyid beside her. He put his arm under her head and had her sleep over his chest,


    where it was the warmest. Her cheek against his skin and his fingers caressing her hair, Cassandra fell


    asleep in a matter of seconds.


    When she woke up the next morning, she could tell it was already prettyte just from all the noises


    outside. It was still cold though, and she was alone in bed. She sat up, covering herself with the fur,


    and looked around. A dress was waiting for her on one of the chairs. Had he brought it with him when


    they hade here?


    Cassandra dressed herself up quickly, and did her best to tie her hair up too. Long hair wasn’t too great


    in such chilly weather, though she didn’t feel like cutting it either, since Kairen liked it long. Some


    breakfast was waiting for her, too. On a little gold tray, there was the usual fruit and cheese, as well as


    milk. Cassandra ate it slowly, wondering if Kairen had eaten here before going, while she was still


    asleep. She didn’t drink the milk, and just grabbed one of therge fur cloaks in the room to cover


    herself up before going outside.


    To her surprise, it seemed a bitte in the morning, as the men were already very busy. A few of them


    looked surprised to see her as soon as she stepped out of the tent, but no one dared to talk to her.


    “Good morning, Madam.”


    Cassandra had forgotten about the Imperial Servant fromst night. However, the man was waiting for


    her right outside the tent, standing straight and ready. She felt embarrassed to have an Imperial


    Servant wait on her.


    “Good morning.”


    The man didn’t add anything after that, and it was a bit awkward. Cassandra had a hunch that he would


    simply follow her everywhere she went, but it would definitely be ufortable if he just tailed her like


    a shadow, in that awkward silence all day.


    “Can I ask your name?” she said, a bit unsure.


    “My name is Evin, Madam. You do not need to ask my permission to ask things, Madam.”


    “All right. Can you show me around the camp then?”


    “Yes, Madam.”


    Evin was a very cold, serious, and stone-faced man. Cassandra listened to him as he walked around,


    exining to her how the camp, and it’s two hundred thousand men, worked, day and night. Most men


    were there voluntarily, but the higher ranking men all came from wealthy or noble families, as it was


    hard to rise through the ranks. Military service was mandatory for any man in the Dragon Empire, but


    not everyone could join the War God’s


    Army. Hence, the soldiers in this camp were all considered the best, and were proud to be there. Aside


    from the regr soldiers, there were also many other professions in the camp. Like the cksmiths,


    servants, dressers and farriers for the horses, ountants, and there were even architects and


    strategists.


    “The men are divided between three main units. The Cavalry, the Infantry, and the Artillery. Each is


    under themand of one of the Generals, and above them are two Assistant Commanders and then


    our Commander-in Chief.”


    Cassandra already knew that Kairen was, of course, the Commander-in-Chief, the highest ranked man


    in the camp. She wondered if she had already met the Assistant Commanders.


    As they kept walking around, Cassandra was conscious of all the stares she was getting. Some leaders


    scolded their soldiers for staring, but it was hard for the men not to notice a woman like Cassandra.


    Even covered in the fur coat, they could tell she was very pretty, with her emerald eyes wandering


    around. Her pale skin and slender figure attracted all the men’s eyes to her. It was a bit oppressive, but


    she did her best to ignore them and act normal.


    After walking a while, she realized she hade to arge forge, where several cksmiths operated.


    It was probably one of the hottest ces in the camp, and also one of the most interesting to watch.


    “Madam!”


    Orwan had spotted her, and came to meet Cassandra right outside of the forge, his face dark from the


    smoke and ashes.


    “Did youe to watch?”


    “I just meant to observe for a bit, I was curious. I hope I didn’t hinder your work,” said Cassandra.


    “Not at all!”


    Orwan seemed a bit happy to have a visitor, and proposed to show her around the forge. Most of the


    time, they had to stay at a good distance from the cksmiths working, but Cassandra was still very


    happy with what she got to see. Orwan was proud to tell her all about how their group contributed to


    the Prince’s Army, and showed her several weapons they had already made that day.


    “How is your arm, by the way?” asked Cassandra.


    “Oh, it’s…fine!”


    He hid his arm from her though, and Cassandra frowned.


    “Can I see it?”


    Orwan hesitated, and after a while, agreed to show it. It didn’t look any better. The flesh had turned a


    bit dark, and Cassandra shook her head.


    “You need to get it healed properly.”


    “I’m really fine. I don’t need to go to the Red Room.”


    “Why are you so against it?”


    “We don’t heal there! It’s not somewhere the injured want to go, Madam.”


    Cassandra was not content to hear that. She turned to Evin, but he was already shaking his head.


    “This is not a ce for a concubine to go.”


    That answer wasn’t good enough. Cassandra was wondering if she could insist when one of the nearby


    men clicked his tongue.


    “A concubine’s ce ain’t in a forge either! How about you go to His Highness’ bedroom? Or do you


    need someone else to warm you up, beautiful?” he said with a disgusting tongue noise.


    Cassandra frowned. She didn’t want to get in any trouble, but Orwan got mad at the man.


    “Show some respect! She is His Highness’ concubine! Our Commander-in-Chief!”


    “She’s just a bedroom toy!” said the man. “What does he care if we y with her a bit too?”