Her eyes sized me up and down, most likely judging my armor. According to her, a lady of my stature shouldn’t be caught in suits and garbs suitable for men. She wasn’t my mother—she had no dominion over me. I cared little of what she thought and even less of what she had to say, seeing as she did nothing to bring our nation to where it was today.
Despite what I may have thought about Saphyra, her region was flourishing. Partly due to her absent tolerance to rebellion or disobedience. She ruled with an iron fist, and believed in capital punishment for all who opposed her rule. As much as I despised her, I admired her strength and tenacity. She had plenty of what my father lacked, and I had to be honest with myself in how consistent her dominion had been thus far.
With a light chuckle, she continued to pry. “You are furthest from a princess’ mindset aren’t you?”
“In what regard?”
“You should be busy looking for a doting man, not sizing the front lines in the heat of war.”
“I am executing my duties, and flawlessly if I might add.”
“Oh?”
“A princess’ job is to protect her people. We have secured a few regions in Guedmar. And that was only possible because of my tactical observations and implementations. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m in much need of a raise.”
She laughed. “Are you trying to say that you’re doing a better job at this than the king?”
“You hear what you want to hear. I am only speaking facts. And it is no secret that I am putting his men to work.”
“Well, that’s not what I hear.”
“Then you’re tone deaf.”
She hissed. “Instead of dallying around in the barricades, you should be preoccupying yourself with more pressing matters. Like, accepting my younger brother’s generous offer of having your hand in marriage?”
Now I laughed. “No offense, but Katien isn’t my type. I prefer someone with more backbone and bite.”
She tossed me a cross look. “He is a man not a machine.”
I smiled. “If you’re referring to my level, that sounds like a him problem.”
“You are too proud, you know that? Thinking you’re better than everyone else!”
“No, I just know my worth. And I don’t have time to babysit weak men.”
I do that enough already.
She rolled her eyes. “Your arrogance will be the death of you, I swear.”
“Enough of the idle chit chat. Why are you here?”
She looked at me funny with her eyebrow cocked up and her lip curled to the side. “Why, for the Dragon Conclave, of course.”
My eyes went wide. “What?”
She chuckled. “Didn’t your father tell you? We have a parley with the filthy Red Goblin of Ugaku and his just as filthy bogburs.”
“What for? To negotiate an armistice?”
“You mean you didn’t know?” she sang patronizingly. “Guess you’re not as important as you think you are, princess…”
No… he didn’t tell me on purpose because he knew I’d reject the idea!
My father might have been lazy but he was crafty. He knew the last thing I’d agree on was ceasing fire on the Dokumbe tribes! What they were promising him was bullshit. There was no way they’d stolen the dungeon core’s shield from the orcs, even with the death of their shaman. Whatever crystal they’d presented him to validate this parley was an absolute fake!
“Are you serious?” I whispered through my teeth, my blood boiling with rage.
And then the lady of the west spoke, “Well? Are you prepared to grace us with your presence? We have been waiting for you.”
I shoved my shoulder into her, nearly tackling her down. Saphyra didn’t utter a word, realizing how furious I was. Again, I was being summoned to knock some sense into men in power. When I made it to the large double doors oriented in regal gold paint, I slammed it open, making my presence known.
All eyes were on me, especially my father’s, who had a different kind of anger simmering inside of him.
I could tell his mood had changed when I walked in. The way I’d entered the hall was not lady-like, something not suitable for his standard. His face was stern, his eyes piercing as they glared at me.
Somehow I’d rendered the room silent and motionless, but I acknowledged everyone inside as I glossed the gathering over: the Red Goblin, his six bogburs, and the three lords of the Dragon Conclave.
My brother was absent, having probably given some sorry excuse to satisfy his disappearance.
I had little care for the conclave. Their roles as lords were set in stone, but their tasks had little impact on my position in the kingdom. Father appointed his most trusted men to watch over his districts, while I did nothing but continuously impose on his army. As a princess, it wasn’t my job to watch over the lands. He expected me to stand there and look pretty, and if I wanted to get my hands dirty so badly, he’d force me in the frontlines with my suit of armor and my nagging relentlessness.
I wasn’t bothered. My mind was too preoccupied with bigger fish in the sea.
To the left of the king was Hamasson, the Dragon Lord of Eastern Dradersi. He was a large and round man in a pure white uniform that had rows of medals pinned on his chest. It was all for aesthetics—Hamasson never lifted a finger for anything but a banquet of food. I was actually surprised he didn’t have his two insufferable liveried cooks by his side tonight, ready to appease his limitless hunger. The haughty lord of the east was a walking self-glorified snowball, and he had a few hiccups to him. Adamant about representation and tidiness, he always carried a bottle of Drasami’s Kiss, and loved to keep his plump and ringed fingers nice and clean. Didn’t really have to do much for his shiny and bald head though in terms of maintenance, and overcompensated for his lack of head hair through his curly mustache.
Sitting right beside Hamasson was Gabot, the Dragon Lord of Northern Dradersi. He was slightly younger than Hamasson, both of them appearing to be middle-aged. I had less respect for Gabot than I did Hamasson, Gabot not taking his title seriously at all. The only intimidating thing about him was his sharp groomed goatee, the spineless bastard making me nauseous every time he talked politics in this meeting hall. After being appointed, the man with spiky black hair and the con-man smile sat pretty in his throne and allowed his knights to do all of his lordship’s work. He was a lazy benchwarmer in the conclave, and the only reason he was still appointed was because of him kissing up to my father like the useless pushover he was.
Then there was Lord Dovidan of the South, the lady’s man. He was a smooth talker who could effortlessly swoon the hearts of many. With his long, blond, shoulder-length, wavy hair and his perfect smile, Lord Dovidan was more handsome than a man had a right to be. My eyes didn’t linger on him for long, I didn’t want him to think that I was interested. But his fine features were enchanting, from his square jawline to his eyes the color of storm clouds. His lips curled up into a smirk and he caught me doubling back, my face trying to fight a blush while my chest fluttered.
