Cessilia chuckled. Indeed, their temperamental matriarch was never one to follow the rules.

“Anyways, don’t tell your siblings about them being allowed to visit,” she said. “Before you know it, there’ll be half a dozen brats sent here on a field trip!”

“You mean you don’t want them to come here because you want to be able to drink,” laughed Kassian.

“Exactly! How can I have any peace when everyone keeps using me to babysit their brats?!”

Cessilia and Kassian exchanged a glance. Of course, they knew the regular trips from all members of the family to their grandmother’s Diamond Palace was more to look after her than for her to look after them. Not only their siblings, but all their cousins also liked to go to the Diamond Palace to escape their parents’ scrutiny and spend time with their more lax grandmother. Despite Kassian, Cessilia, and their siblings being the only grandchildren blood-related to her, there was a silent agreement that any child of the Imperial Family regarded Lady Kareen as their grandmother. Thus, they all took turns visiting Kareen in her palace, well aware she didn’t enjoy being alone as much as she pretended to...

“You can’t hide here forever,” sighed Kassian. “Aunt Shareen will be upset if you stay too long.”

“Ha! Since when did she care about me? I’d rather stay here just to piss her off!”

Cessilia chuckled. The feud between the Empress and her mother was almost legendary. Now it sounded like the main reason for Lady Kareen to be here was to be away from her daughter’s watch... Cessilia and Kassian exchanged a quick glance.

“You can stay here as long as you want, Grandmother,” smiled Cessilia.

“I still have to report to Aunt Shareen what happened,” added Kassian. “I’ll probably come back soon, unless they send somebody else.”

“I will probably go home to see them soon, actually,” his sister declared.

“Really?”

Cessilia nodded.

“We have a few ideas. I know Aunt Shareen will probably  already be inclined to the idea, but tell her the King plans to reopen the border and establish new trades. I will come soon, with at least two envoys. ...That includes Lady Bastat.”

She tried to see if her brother would react to the name, but Kassian remained calm and stoic as usual, only giving her a brief nod. He then turned to their grandmother once more.

“I’m going to take Roun back too.”

“What! Why?”

“I’m pretty sure you did not ask Uncle before taking him. And Tessandra’s disappearance might go unnoticed for a few days but a missing dragon is a bit much, Grandmother.”

“Ha! See, this is why I prefer Darsan!”

Cessilia chuckled. Still, completely ignoring her words, Kassian placed a quick kiss on their grandmother’s hand, and exchanged a quick nod with his sister before leaving. She watched Kassian go and disappear down the road. Next to her, Kareen sighed.

“That kid. He’s always been way too serious.”

“He’s feeling a lot of responsibility as the next Emperor,” Cessilia nodded. “I wish he’d be a bit more honest about his feelings. I am sure he and Lady Bastat would be a good match.”

“Leave him be,” shrugged the old woman. “He might be the heir to the Golden Throne, but he’s your father’s son before the Empress’ heir. If he’s anything like your father, he’ll come along. And we both know he is.”

“And... where is Ashen?”

Cessilia turned to her grandmother, raising an eyebrow. She was pretty sure she had left her grandmother with him just minutes ago, so why did only the old lady come out of the castle? However, Lady Kareen shrugged, looking unbothered as always.

“How would I know?” she said. “He’s a King, he has to be busy with something. What about you, my darling?”

“I was on my way to visit the Cheshi Clan... Actually, Grandmother, you should probably come too. I have a few questions for them, but you’re the one who knows dragons best in the Dragon Empire.”

Lady Kareen tilted her head, intrigued.

“They are an old clan,” Cessilia quickly explained. “Somehow related to Mom’s native tribe...”

“Yes,” sighed Kareen. “Your brother sort of explained it to me, although I am still quite interested by all this. What does it have to do with me, though?”

“You’re the one who knows the most about dragons in our family...”

“I don’t know much, Cessilia. I know what I learned from raising a bunch of those scaled pets.”

“But Grandfather told you a lot too, didn’t he?”

Kareen’s expression slightly changed. Cessilia knew her late grandfather was a sensitive topic in the family. For most of the Dragon Empire, he was the former Emperor, but to Cessilia, he was a grandfather she had never met, and Kareen’s former lover. The subject was almost taboo within the family, but over the years, Cessilia had gathered some pieces. She suspected a lot of Lady Kareen’s incredible dragon taming despite not being a dragon owner herself was related to her late grandfather... and perhaps some more secrets.

“Cessilia, what is this really about?” Kareen frowned, crossing her arms once again.

“...I want to know what truly happened to Cece.”

Her grandmother looked surprised, but for Cessilia, the question had been pending ever since her dragon’s return. She loved her dragon and she was overjoyed that Cece was back, but she still needed to find out how that miracle had been made possible. Everything she had already learned from the Cheshi seemed like the beginning of an explanation, but Cessilia had a feeling the rest of that explanation might come from none other than her enigmatic grandmother herself.

After a while, a faint smile appeared on her grandmother’s lips.

“You truly are your mother’s daughter... Alright, I shall meet those Cheshi you and Kassian bothered me about. I’m curious to see what they think they know better than the Dragon Empire itself.”

Cessilia smiled and nodded. Kareen grabbed her granddaughter’s arm for her to lead, but before they could walk more than just a few steps, she suddenly heard someone calling her name from farther behind them.

“Cessilia!” he called again.

“Ashen!”

“Damn it,” grumbled her grandmother.

Ignoring her, Cessilia walked up to Ashen, surprised to see him already. The King had visibly rushed from the castle, a bit out of breath, to catch up with them. He was just as she had left him that morning, except that he was now fully dressed, without any armor this time. He had only his sword on his belt, and a hooded cloak hiding most of his figure. Cessilia was a bit surprised by the hood, wondering if he intended to hide himself from his citizens.

“Grandmother said you were busy,” said Cessilia, sending a suspicious glance toward her grandmother.

“Did she? I’m sure I said I’d be ready soon, Lady Kareen,” sighed Ashen.

This was getting more and more suspicious, especially the way her grandmother was trying to act all innocent. Suddenly, Ashen took off his hood, and Cessilia’s jaw dropped. She finally understood why Lady Kareen had acted so suspicious.

He had cut his white hair short!

“Ashen!” Cessilia exclaimed, shocked.

She walked up to him, completely taken by surprise. His long white hair was gone. He now had a sharp cut on the sides, and just a couple of inches of white hair on top and behind his head. Strangely, the simple but radical haircut changed his overall appearance drastically. He strangely somehow seemed taller, and even a bit younger. Cessilia caressed the side of his head, surprised that the short hair felt like a soft brush under her fingertips. She bit her lower lip, a bit excited. It was like discovering a new Ashen...