“Discipline,” she shrugged. “You’re way too noisy. Now, Cessilia, my dear.”
“Yes, Grandmother?” Cessilia stepped forward.
“Did I see my dear Cece flying earlier? Your dragon is back?”
“Yes, Grandmother,” she smiled. “She’s back and she’s fine.”
“...Hmpf. It was high time.”
With a complex expression, Lady Kareen suddenly opened her fan and began fanning herself slowly, glancing around. It was as if she was annoyed to even be gracing the soil with her presence. Then, her eyes settled on Nana and Sabael, an eyebrow raised. The two of them were still mute and very unsure about the scary arrival of the legendary War God’s own mother. The older lady was unlike any elder they had ever met before.
“Grandma!” exclaimed Darsan, jumping at the occasion.
He suddenly pushed Nana forward with his big smile.
“This is Naptunie!”
“Naptunie, is it?” said Lady Kareen.
“Y-yes, my lady...”
Nana was literally sweating bullets, unsure if she was supposed to hold her stare or not. Fidgeting with her fingers as her nervousness rose, she glanced toward Cessilia and Tessandra, who both seemed just as confused. After a long while, Kareen smiled.
“I like her,” she simply said.
“Right?!” exclaimed Darsan with a proud expression. “Our Nana is the best.”
“...That’s it?” muttered Tessandra. “It’s not like Nana’s wearing her big brains in plain sight...”
Kareen then turned to Sabael and Tessandra tensed up. Meanwhile, with an amused smile on her lips, Cessilia subtly moved toward Ashen, leaning against him while watching the poor, nervous Sabael being scrutinized by her grandmother.
“...What is your name?” she asked coldly.
“Sabael, Your Highness,” he immediately answered, bowing with his soldier’s reflexes, “from the Dorosef Tribe. I’m a Royal Guard and Naptunie’s older brother.”
“Are you?”
“He’s my boyfriend,” added Tessandra with a confident smile.
Her grandmother’s eyes very briefly shifted to Tessandra.
“...Is he?”
It was as if she was testing the two of them. Cessilia saw Sabael very clearly take a deep breath in and nod, his hand tight around his sword’s handle.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“My granddaughter is quite the wildcat,” said Kareen, rubbing her finger against her lips with an enigmatic expression.
“I know, Your Highness. But I’ve learned to like her character.”
“She is a strong woman, like all my children; most men don’t think well of a woman who can beat them.”
“My pride isn’t so small nor fragile that it could be damaged by a defeat, Your Highness,” Sabael replied, his eyes stuck on the ground, “no matter who it is against. I will keep training until I can stand on equal ground to Lady Tessa.”
Cessilia and Tessandra exchanged a surprised look. It was the first time Sabael spoke so much, and to speak about his relationship with Tessandra too. Not only that, but he was impressive in how he proudly stood his ground against one of the most powerful women in this world... After a long while, another mysterious smile appeared on Lady Kareen’s lips.
“Oh, well. Perhaps you’ve found your match after all, Tessandra.”
“Right?” Tessandra smiled, undeniably the proudest.
“Now,” said Lady Kareen, turning to them, “your grandmother is thirsty, tired, and bored after flying on a dragon to come all the way here and visit her runaway grandchildren. Are none of you going to properly welcome me yet?”
“Technically, no one invited you, Grandma...” muttered Tessandra.
She was smart enough to cover her scalp before her grandma decided to hit her again. Cessilia chuckled, and turned to Nana instead.
“The castle is mostly destroyed at the moment... and not good to welcome Grandmother. Do you think there is a better place?”
“W-well, if it’s alright,” said Nana, “we could go to my family home, but... it’s much, much smaller than a palace... probably.”
Kareen rolled her eyes.
“Only my children have grown used to unnecessarily large palaces and castles!” she exclaimed. “I may have mothered a bunch of dragon brats, but I wasn’t born on a bed of gold! Dear, your house will be just fine, as long as there’s a place for me to sit other than a bunch of scales! No offense to you, my darling, thank you for the trip.”
She put a quick kiss on Roun’s snout, and turned to Nana.
“Lead the way, darling.”
