Chapter 102


    #102 The Hostage


    As soon as the green dragonnded, the three people got down. Princess Shareen, leading the little


    trio, almost ran inside the Diamond Pce, furious. She hadn’t heard the best news on her way there,


    and she was seriously hoping there was some sort of mistake. She ignored all the servants that ran to


    greet them.


    “Mother! Mother!


    The Diamond Pce was awfully quiet, even more than usual. She had noticed the little groups of


    soldiers stationed in the Diamond City on her flight there, but they were in such a small number that it


    didn’t seem that important. However, now that she was inside the Diamond Pce, Shareen felt


    restless. What the heck was going on there? She had only been absent for a few weeks! The journey


    to and inside the North Camp was almost like a holiday trip for her. After she was done putting Kairen’s


    men back to work, under her own criteria, Shareen had been almost bored. Truth was, Kairen’s army


    was well trained enough to be able to function perfectly with or . without their Commander. There had


    been a few attacks from the northern barbarians, but this wasn’t anything they could handle. Shareen


    herself had participated a few times, having more fun fighting than leading the men. She participated in


    a few gatherings, had listened to their reports, and made a few changes here and there, but really, she


    was not really worried about the North Army.


    As it had been reported in the Imperial Pce, the northern barbarians had attacked more than usual,


    but this wasn’t as bad as it had been reported. She was even shocked at how easy it had been to get


    rid of them. After a few days on the battlefield, she had enough. The General also made sure to have


    her visit the Mountain Hospital, Cassandra’s doing. Shareen wasn’t too surprised to hear them praise


    the Lady of the Mountain endlessly, but she sure was impressed about her legacy there. It certainly


    would be worth implementing in all the Dragon Empire’s armies in the future.


    After all of this, Shareen had decided to go back to the Onyx Castle to rest a bit. However, after


    spending so much of her time in the Imperial Pce, that ce was incredibly boring. The Onyx Castle


    sure fell like a forgotten remnant of their Empire, with about nothing to do and nothing to see. Sure, she


    had found a servant fun enough to y with for a while, but her mother’s letters hade to end the


    fun time. 3


    Imperial Concubine Kareen wasn’t one to ask for anyone’s help or even the type to worry over small


    things. That’s why Shareen had been even more rmed by her mother’s letters. Once she had told


    Anour, her younger brother had be restless, too. Thest one she had read before leaving was


    telling her about her mother’s spies going missing one by one, and no newsing from the Eastern


    Front. Though Shareen wouldn’t have been too worried about Kairen ignoring their mother in normal


    circumstances, it was highly unlikely that he would ignore his concubine. Cassandra was so close to


    her delivery date, and Shareen had witnessed how much Kairen loved her. If he hadn’te back yet,


    it meant he wasn’t done fighting yet. If the war led by her brother, the Empire’s War God still wasn’t


    done, something was wrong.


    Hence, Shareen had taken Anour and Roun and fled back to the Diamond Pce. She had also


    decided to bring that annoying guy with them. The poor Imperial servant was left outside to puke after


    he couldn’t handle the flight, but she could worry about himter.


    “Mother!”


    “Shareen!”


    Finally hearing her mother’s voice, the Princess let out a long sigh of relief and ran to her. The Imperial


    Concubine was actually in one of the gardens, arms crossed. Sitting like a queen on one of the chairs,


    a young maid at her feet, she waspletely still until her daughter appeared. Her little Dragon, Srai,


    was curled up at her feet, and continuously growling at the woman facing her.


    “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” growled Shareen, taking out her sword.


    Of all people, she had not expected to see Phetra there. However, the princess was seated in front of


    Lady Kareen and nked by no less than six soldiers. She now longer had any injuries visible and was


    wearing her purple dress as if she was just rxing there. Meanwhile, the Imperial Concubine, too, was


    nked by two soldiers. None of


    those men belonged to the Diamond Pce’s militia, either. Shareen immediately recognized more of


    Vrehan’s militia, with their red armors. From an external point of view, it may have seemed like the two


    women were hanging out in that garden with heavy security, but the atmosphere was icy. Phetra


    seemed in control, with a snicker on.


    However, as soon as her eyes fell on Shareen, the snicker disappeared in a sh and she went


    extremely white, visibly terrified.


    “Y… You… What are you doing here…?”


    “That’s my line, you crazy bitch!” Retorted Shareen, heading right in her direction: 4


    “Do not step further, Princess Shareen,” said one of the soldiers, taking out his sword and walking up to


    her. “We have orders to…”


    Shareen grabbed his hair and brutally mmed the man’s face against her knee. It probably wouldn’t


    have made such an atrocious sound if she wasn’t wearing metal knee pads. The man fell at her feet,


    his facepletely wrecked. All the others remained in a religious silence.


    “Finally,” said Kareen, standing up. “How long did it take you to get there!”


    “What the fuck is going on, mother?” Asked Shareen, still ring at a petrified Phetra.


    “Can’t you tell? I’m a hostage. In my own Pce, too!” 1


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    Shareen raised an eyebrow, turning to her mother. There were a lot of adjectives that could be used to


    qualify Lady Kareen, but she would never have thought to hear her mother call herself a hostage one


    day. Nothing even remotely close to a victim’s status, actually. That woman was probably the most


    influential one in this Empire, if not the most powerful.


    However, ncing towards the petrified Phetra, Shareen already had a rough idea of what was going


    on.


    “…Where is Cassandra? And the girls?”


    Quickly, Lady Kareen hurried to exin everything. Anour arrived in the room just in time to listen to


    everything as well. The Imperial Concubine detailed all of Vrehan’s arrival in her City, and how he had


    barged into the Diamond Pce with his men and taken control of the City. Kareen had spent several


    hours, that night, agonizing over Cassandra’s crazy jump in the waterfall before one of the servants


    had managed to let her know the news from some of her people in the Diamond City. Not only


    confirming that the Concubine and her sister were alive and well, but also that she was hidden by their


    people and about to give birth. After that, Vrehan had spent two nights and two days crazy furious,


    looking for Cassandra everywhere, sending all his men left and right to interrogate the people and find


    her. Once they had found clues that the young concubine was headed north, and fearing Shareen’s


    arrival, he had left in a hurry, only leaving some of his men and Phetra there.


    Shareen and Anour were both in shock over what had happened in such a short time. Not only there


    had been no news from the Capital or the Eastern front in weeks, but Vrehan hade here?


    “What the hell was father thinking?” Said Shareen. “He is not stupid enough to send Vrehan here!”


    “I don’t think so, either,” replied her mother, ring at Phetra. “However, that little rat dide here and


    im he was acting on behalf of the Emperor to arrest Cassandra. She had no choice but to flee.”


    “Damn it! You think Sephir is really dead?” (3


    “It seems so… The official news arrived here the next morning, your Father ced the entire Empire in


    mourning for the first Prince Sephir.”


    Shareen shook her head. The Official news was validated by the Pce, this couldn’t be Vrehan’s lie.


    However, she didn’t believe one second Cassandra had anything to do with this murder. She red


    even harder at Phetra.


    “Where is that damn little rat now?”


    “He left yesterday. Their annoying soldiers searched the entire City to find Cassandra, but they


    couldn’t. His original n apparently was apparently to lock down my City and use me as a hostage.


    However, when he understood I had already sent a letter to have youe back before he killed all my


    couriers, he panicked and left like the coward he is.” 4


    “I see he left his trash behind…” growled Shareen.


    Phetra was absolutely petrified, and terrified. (2


    “Oh, she was apparently supposed to watch their hostage, me. Needless to say, it was incredibly


    boring.”


    “Your brother is the most horrendous scum to have ever lived,” said Shareen, slowly walking towards


    Phetra. “Not only does that fucker dare to barge here, to try to harm my brother’s concubine while he’s


    gone, but you even have the fucking guts to use my mother as a hostage?”


    “Don’t touch me!” Screeched Phetra, retreating in utter fear.


    Even the men who were supposed to guard her actually stepped back as Shareen came closer,


    worried. No one wanted to be the next to have all of their facial bones violently wrecked by the furious


    Princess’ knee. Phetra was left alone to face her, and she couldn’t even hide her fear.


    “Y… You can’t touch me! The Emperor ordered you not to kill me!”


    “If I remember it correctly, father’s exact words were, not while we’re eating, and not in the middle of


    the Imperial Chamber. Too bad for you this is not the right time and ce,” hissed Shareen, slowly


    raising her sword. 3


    “Stop! Stop! You can’t kill me! I… I know Vrehan’s secret! I’ll tell you everything!” 1


    Shareen hesitated, tilting her head. Truth was, she had been dying to get rid of this vermin for a while,


    and even Kairen’s cruel punishment on her hadn’t been nearly enough in her eyes. It was almost too


    infuriating to see Phetra was able to walk so soon already. However, this wasn’t a normal situation


    either.


    “Mother, what do you say?”


    “I say I want my grandchild back!” Yelled the Imperial Concubine, exasperated. “This damn duo of


    siblings got rid of all of my soldiers and chased Cassandra away while locking me here. If Cassandra,


    her sister, and my grandson aren’t all alive, unharmed and well when we find them, I swear I’m going to


    peel everyyer of that skin’s bitch and break every single one of her bones myself!”


    “Oh, good idea, mother. We can get started on that right now,” said Shareen with a sadistic smile. “You,


    break one of her legs.”


    The soldier she had pointed with her sword went livid. Phetra was his master’s sister, and, when the


    second Prince had left, he had told them to protect her or, in any case, make sure she didn’t die. The


    poor man hesitated for too long. Shareen got rid of him with one movement from her sword, making


    Phetra scream in horror. She then turned to another soldier.


    “I can do this all day,” she said with a terrifying smile.


    “Why the hell are you doing this!” Yelled Phetra. “Just do it yourself, you monster!”


    Shareen turned to her.


    “Oh, I would dly do that, Phetra, but each one of those men had the fucking balls to trap my mother


    here and kill her militia. So, now, they are either going to learn to obey who rightfully rules this ce, or


    die as should all of Vrehan’s damn dogs.”


    Behind her, Kareen smiled, obviously proud of her daughter. Though she wasn’t a fighter, Kareen


    praised herself in raising those two children well. Phetra looked at the soldiers, realizing what Shareen


    was doing. This was simple and cruel torture. Vrehan had left those men behind to protect her, not for


    them to torture his sister!


    “Mother?” Asked Shareen after a short silence.


    “Yes, daughter of mine?”


    “How tall is the highest ce in the Diamond Pce?”


    “About… seven or eight floors, I think.”


    “Well, you see Phetra, we do have an option in case all of Vrehan’s men remain stupidly obedient to


    your scum brother. I mean, it’s only a few more floors thanst time; You might die for real this time, but


    maybe not…”


    Phetra was livid and so scared she was on the verge of passing out.


    “B… Break it!” She screamed at the closest soldier. “Do it! P… Please, hurry!”


    Shareen almost had a satisfied smile on, watching this. She knew Vrehan had actually done nothing


    but abandon his sister to her wrath, but she really didn’t care. Phetra had harmed Cassandra, killed


    Dahlia, and imprisoned their mother here. Shareen was too furious to let this go.