Chapter 73


    The Lowly Servant


    Cassandra waspletely caught off-guard. She hadn’t expected that…


    “Really?”


    “I know it’s shameless of me to be thinking about one of the Royal Princesses in such a way! I just…


    I’ve always admired her since I was a little servant. Lady Shareen is such a strong-willed woman, and


    she knows how to fight, too… I swear I am fine with admiring her secretly! It’s just… I was a bit


    surprised by how quickly she seemed to like Lady Missandra…”


    It was rare for Dahlia to open up her feelings like this. Cassandra felt a bit sorry, as since she had


    found Missandra, she hadn’t paid too much attention to Dahlia. She chuckled and took her hand gently.


    “It’s fine, Dahlia… I wish you’d be more open to me like this. I’m d I have you as a friend here.”


    “A friend… Lady Cassandra, do you really think of a lowly servant like me as a friend?”


    Cassandra was taken aback. Not because of Dahlia’s reaction, but because her words echoed her


    own, not too long ago. A lowly servant, or a lowly ve… It was something she would say often about


    herself, notably when her Prince tried to get his feelings across to her. Now that she was thinking about


    it, their rtionship had been so awkward and unprecedented from the start… Back when she was


    sitting against that throne, with some of his fur cloak covering her, she would have never guessed the


    position she would be standing in today…


    “Dahlia, don’t call yourself that. You are no lowly servant. You are a servant, and my friend, if you’ll


    ept.”


    The young woman’s eyes immediately got filled with tears, and she bowed profusely.


    “Thank you, madam! I’ll treasure our friendship!”


    Cassandra still felt like this was a bit different from what a friend should say, but she understood


    Dahlia’s long years of service in the Imperial Pce prevented her from saying what she wanted or


    changing her habits in a few days. It would be a gradual change, most likely… Self-confidence couldn’t


    be built in a few days after years of serving others.


    “About Missandra and Shareen…” said Cassandra. “You know, I don’t think they see each other in a


    romantic way. My younger sister is a bit stubborn, I think Princess Shareen just enjoys watching her


    because she is entertaining. She rarely sees someone of a lower rank rebel like Missandra does.


    Princess Shareen is someone who enjoys strong characters, but from what I have seen, her lovers are


    more… submissive types.”


    Cassandra felt a bit shy talking about Shareen’s tastes, but after all, she had seen it first hand. Their


    first meeting had left quite a strong impression on her, not necessarily in a good way. However, since


    then, she had learned to understand Shareen a bit better. The Princess was stubborn and hated when


    someone resisted her. She enjoyed most teasing people she liked, like her brother… Andstly, she


    had very low standards of decency.


    “I see…” said Dahlia, blushing a bit more.


    “I don’t think my younger sister would be interested at all, either,” added Cassandra with a sigh. “They


    bicker non-stop… Plus, though neither of them looks like it, Missandra is half Shareen’s age.”


    Indeed, sometimes, Cassandra wished her younger sister wouldn’t act so defiant when she was just a


    sixteen years-old girl. Missandra had grown too mature and stubborn, but if it wasn’t for Cassandra,


    she wouldn’t have survived in the Imperial Pce with such a behavior…


    “I feel a bit bad for being jealous,” said Dahlia. “I’m already well aware that Princess Shareen has taken


    many lovers… The servants talk, you know. I know she likes to y around, but somehow, since Lady


    Missandra was different from them all, I just got… a bit worried.”


    “I guess it can be helped. We feel jealous when someone gets close to our loved one…”


    “Is it the same for you, my Lady?”


    Cassandra nodded. They were slowly tending to all of iver nts, as Cassandra didn’t really feel like


    going to the Celebrations yet. Moreover, her Prince was busy at the moment, and she didn’t want to go


    there without him. So, she was just taking her time, taking care of her garden and collecting some


    leaves in the basket Dahlia carried for the first Prince’s decoction. (2)


    “Yes… I guess one can never feel at ease,” she sighed.


    “You shouldn’t! His Highness the Third Prince obviously only has eyes for you!”.


    Cassandra chuckled, picking another flower.


    “Thank you, Dahlia.”


    However, Cassandra somewhat discussing her personal feelings with someone else… It was part of


    her personality, she was still incredibly shy about her own rtionships. She felt like Kairen and her


    shared something she wouldn’t have been able to share with anyone else. Cassandra liked thinking of


    their bond as something… special.


    A little whileter, Missandra came back with a little smile.


    “Alright, I sent it! I hope they can answer soon.”


    “I hope so too,” said Cassandra. “We nned to leave to the Diamond Pce as soon as the New Year


    Celebrations are over.”


    “So soon?”


    They turned around. Immediately, Cassandra frowned, pulling her younger sister.


    Phetra was standing at the entrance of her indoor garden, with a nasty smirk. She was wearing a very


    revealing purple dress, and a little golden diadem.


    “I believe you have no right to be here, your Highness,” Said Cassandra.


    “No right? If a ve can be in the Imperial Pce, why can’t a Princess be?”


    Cassandra tried to remain calm andposed. Phetra wouldn’t be stupid enough to do something to


    her in the third Prince’s apartments, would she? Moreover, was she ever going to let go of the very


    thing? This was really getting old, even for her…


    “Ah… I guess my older brother really went the full way for you,” she said, ncing all over at


    Cassandra’s garden.


    Calmly, she stepped forward and pushed one of the nt pots onto the floor, making it break on the


    ground. Cassandra clenched her fist. There really was no end to that woman’s childishness…


    “Have you juste to mess around, Princess Phetra?” She asked.


    “Well, I was bored… And hearing that you didn’t have your usual pet around… I couldn’t help bute


    and visit…”


    She stepped forward, breaking yet two other pots.


    “Please stop!” Yelled Dahlia. “Those nts are important to my Lady!”


    “Shut up, servant,” retorted Phetra, crashing another pot onto the floor.


    “I wonder if his Highness the Second Prince knows of your presence here?” Said Cassandra.


    Phetra froze. Cassandra had hoped her brother’s name would somewhat make her react, and she was


    right… She had noticed long ago how Vrehan was cold to everyone, including his concubines and


    sisters. Phetra probably only


    had a very limited amount of trust and liberty from him, too. Moreover, from what she had witnessed,


    the second Prince hated confronting Kairen or Shareen directly. He had abandoned one of his


    concubines to her death because she had acted on her own with that snake. Though he probably


    wouldn’t want his sister dead, he certainly wouldn’t see her actions in a good light either. Any time


    Phetra had stirred up trouble or fought with Shareen, the Second Prince had stayed out of it, leaving


    Phetra in her mess.


    “Don’t you dare talk about my brother!” Growled Phetra.


    Cassandra was scared of her, but not to the point she would step back and let Phetra act however she


    wanted. Not in her garden, and moreover, this part of the Pce was part of Kairen’s apartments. Half-


    siblings or not, she knew no Princess or Prince who wasn’t Kareen’s child wasn’t allowed here.


    “Those are my Prince’s apartments and my garden. Please go back,” said Cassandra.


    “Don’t you give me orders, either! You know what? Actually, this gives me an opportunity. I could have


    your head for acting up and thinking you can order an Imperial Princess around!”


    “I am his Highness’ The War God’s Concubine,” retorted Cassandra in the coldest voice she could.


    “Don’t think your threats can intimidate me any longer, Princess Phetra. The Emperor…”


    “Oh? You want to go and cry to my Father now?” Said Phetra.


    She took the diadem she had on her head and threw it to Cassandra’s feet with a smirk.


    “See? I have dozens of those. Do you think you’re special because my father gifted you one? Don’t you


    realize? Concubines like you are receable. Do you think wearing a pink dress makes you even


    remotely close to an Imperial Princess? You’re wrong. You’re a low-born, good for nothing…”


    “Good for nothing?” Repeated Cassandra. “I think you keep misunderstanding something. I am an


    Imperial Physician. I contribute to this Kingdom’s well-being. One of those pots you just knocked over


    contained a nt to heal the First Prince’s cough. Shall I tell his Highness Prince Sephir that I can’t


    heal him now? Because Princess Phetra came over to act up in my herbal medicine garden?”


    Phetra got red, staring at the mess at her feet, and ncing at Cassandra, unsure.


    “You’re lying…”


    “The first nt was blue limonea, a nt to improve blood flow,” suddenly said Missandra. “The second


    one was demonis Helebora, a nt than whitens any fabric, and can be used as makeup. The third


    one is wild chloriane, its flowers produce a perfume that helps clear the lungs’ impurities. You’re a


    Princess and you don’t even know this much?”


    While Phetra, in awe, looked down at her feet, Cassandra turned to her sister.


    “Linue, stay out of this,” said Cassandra in their mother tongue.


    “As if I’d stay put and watch this snake woman insult my sister!” Replied Missandra, annoyed.


    “How dare you talk to me, you low servant!” Yelled Phetra, pissed off.


    “This low servant is more educated than this Highness,” Missandra shout back. “Next time you can


    think about that before youe and destroy someone else’s precious medicinal herbs on a whim!”


    “I want that servant’s head!” Yelled Phetra, furious. “I will kill you now!”


    She took out a little dagger, furious, and started walking towards them. Cassandra was totally


    panicked. She was no fighter, and anyway, none of them could injure a member of the Imperial Family


    without being punished or worse, executed. Krai couldn’t enter the garden, and Kairen was busy


    elsewhere. She pulled Missandra and Dahlia behind her, hoping Phetra wouldn’t dare attack her, a


    pregnant concubine.


    As she kept stepping forward, Cassandra reacted by reflex. She took on of the buckets at her feet and


    threw its


    content to Phetra’s face. It was full of dirty water, one she had prepared with fertilizer for the nts.


    As soon as the water hit her face, Phetra stopped and screamed horribly. She tried to wipe the dirt off


    of her face, and in this short time, Cassandra pped her hand for her to let go of her dagger. The


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    de fell, and Missandra immediately took it away, dropping it in one of the fountains.


    “You….” Hissed Phetra, having managed to wipe some off of her face.


    She lifted her hand to p Cassandra, but the young Concubine wasn’t going to stand still. She was


    scary when she had a weapon, but without it, Phetra was nothing but a woman who was about


    Cassandra’s size, and certainly didn’t have any fighter’s reflexes or speed. In a hand movement,


    Cassandra pushed her hand away. It was still a bit painful as Phetra pped the back of her hand, but


    it was better than taking a p in the face and doing nothing.


    As her move had been blocked by Cassandra, the Princess looked even angrier, pointing a finger at


    her.


    “You’re dead! You’re as good as dead! You won’t get away with this!” She screamed as she stormed


    off.


    A few seconds after she was gone, Cassandra let out a long sigh of relief and fell down on her knees.


    Both Dahlia and Missandra jumped to her side, worried.


    “Hinue!”


    “My Lady, are you unwell!”


    “It’s fine… I just got a bit too agitated. I didn’t think she’d go away…”


    “Lady Cassandra… we will be in trouble… Lady Missandra, you shouldn’t have gotten involved! What if


    Lady Cassandra is in danger because of you!”


    “In danger? That crazy Princess was here to stir trouble anyway! I wasn’t going to stay still and watch


    her insult my sister calmly! Do you think it gets better if you let them mistreat you? It just gives them an


    excuse to be worse the next time!”


    “Enough, you two,” sighed Cassandra. “Help me go to Lady Kareen’s apartments. It will be safer before


    his Highnesses back…”