“Swimming dragons... How come?”

“Cessi’s mom was blessed by an ancient Dragon God,” sighed Tessandra. “A Water Dragon. Or so the legend says... We really never knew the truth of what actually happened, our parents don’t like to talk about it. But ever since, the dragons were born differently. Their bodies are made more for water than air. Our grandmother says dragons are more ancient than the human race, so there’s a lot we don’t really know about them, or even about why the Imperial Family is born with dragon blood, and no one else is.”

“That is so fascinating... Are there any books on the subject? I would love to study this!”

Cessilia and Tessandra chuckled alike. Naptunie and her endless passion for books knew no bounds when it came to the subject of study...

“There aren’t any that we know of,” said Tessandra. “They were reportedly ruined and burned by one of our ancestors who didn’t want his enemies to find a weakness in our relationship with the dragons.”

“I’m sure Nana c-could study dragons and b-bring more things t-to light,” added Cessilia.

“I would love that! Ah, but I would probably have to travel to the Dragon Empire...”

Cessilia and Ashen exchanged a glance. Indeed, the border had been tightly closed for years now... Only a few people could travel between their two countries, but at a great expense, like Counselor Yassim. The White King let out a faint sigh and kissed Cessilia’s wet forehead.

“We might have to rethink that border,” he muttered.

Cessilia was happy with that promise. She was already dreaming of everything she could import and export between the countries, not only merchandise and money but also years of knowledge, advanced crafts, and perhaps the promise of even more magnificent discoveries if both sides of the continent could unite in this... Now that she thought about it, if she married Ashen and her brother became the Emperor, their countries would be closer than ever before. It would probably be the safest and surest way to definitely put an end to the wars between them.

“...Cessilia.”

She raised her head, realizing they had stopped walking. They were almost at the castle already, but she had been so absorbed in her thoughts she had almost run into a cart. She blushed, realizing she had been dreaming about a wedding and a future where she was Queen of this Kingdom for almost all of the walk back... Behind them, Tessandra, Naptunie, and Sabael were casually chatting about the new recipes for the beignets and didn’t seem to have noticed her daydreaming. Ashen chuckled.

“What was that about?”

“N-nothing... I’m just th-thinking about t-trading opportunities.”

“I heard Lady Bastat praise you endlessly, earlier.”

“Lady B-Bastat did?”

Ashen nodded, a faint smile on his lips.

“She said a lot of the fabric they used was unsellable, but many people were glad to take it. Because the citizens in the Capital have the means to buy the best quality, only the very best fabrics usually get sold... Now, she was talking with families from the Outer Capital to have them purchase some of their fabrics and improve them for traveling. I think this gave them a few nice opportunities to extend their businesses to families that don’t come to the Inner Capital.”

“Lady B-Bastat is a very smart woman,” nodded Cessilia. “I’m sure she will make a g-great leader for her t-tribe in the future...”

“Don’t you ever take a compliment for yourself?” sighed Ashen. “They were praising you, Cessilia. The families haven’t tried to collaborate or trade in any way other than through money for years. Most of the people who came to the Outer Capital today would have never come there to help if it wasn’t for you...”

“They were all talking about you,” added Tessandra, catching up on their conversation. “I think I heard them say the Dragon Princess about a thousand times today.”

“Oh, we made sure to say it was your idea!” exclaimed Nana. “The Dorosef Tribe was happy to help, but none of this would have been done if Lady Cessilia hadn’t given us the confidence for it! My tribe has been making a lot of exchanges with the outside, but it was never really safe until today! I am so glad so many people got to eat my family’s beignets! Oh, and that we made friends with the Yonchaa too!”

“You forgot the Hashat. They were all looking at Cessi as if she’s the great priestess of medicine...”

“You g-guys are exaggerating,” muttered Cessilia. “I d-didn’t do that much. Without everyone’s help, I wouldn’t have b-been able to do anything... a-and we still have t-to pay them b-back too.”

“Pay us back? Surely not!” protested Nana. “These are our people! I don’t regret handing out a single beignet for free!”

“The soldiers were happy too,” chuckled Sabael. “To be honest, guarding the Outer Capital and making sure no one gets robbed or attacked can be exhausting. Most soldiers don’t want to be assigned there, but today, we had many guys volunteer to help out. Because food and tea were given for free, no one reported a single robbery. We even spotted the local thugs helping out the soldiers!”

Those words seemed to have Ashen thinking. While the trio behind passed the doors to the castle, Cessilia stared at the King, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

“...Ashen? W-what is it?”

“I was just thinking... I never thought things would go so well today. I haven’t... visited the Outer Capital in a while. Perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate the situation outside.”

“You should,” bluntly said Tessa, who had once again heard that. “People don’t choose to become bandits or thieves. If you give them jobs and a paycheck, you’ll be putting them to work. A stable job is a safer way to get their stomachs full compared to daylight robbery.”

Cessilia was pensive. It was true. Even when they had slaves in the Dragon Empire, they still earned money. That was why their aunt had fewer issues abolishing slavery. People had simply stopped buying someone’s freedom, but there weren’t fewer jobs or workers, on the other hand.

“You should d-discuss with the families to have jobs c-created outside,” Cessilia muttered.

“I can’t possibly relocate everyone in the Outer Capital,” said Ashen. “I’ve thought about it. It isn’t safe enough, and there just isn’t enough time to build and get more businesses running.”

“I d-didn’t mean in the Outer C-Capital,” said Cessilia, “but in the K-Kingdom. Some villages c-can still be rebuilt and c-consolidated, and the security improved. If you p-pay men to protect those p-places and let the t-tribes own lands, they will expand and c-create more cities for p-people to gather.”

“You want me to give lands to the tribes?”

“You c-can have them p-pay you back slowly. The t-tribes have the businesses, and there are p-people willing to work hard, it c-can work. The families c-can also defend themselves, otherwise, they wouldn’t b-be able to live outside the C-Capital, right? B-but if you g-give them p-places they c-can own to settle, they c-can create even more p-places for their b-businesses and let the other p-people feel safe t-too. P-people can work t-together, you saw it...”

“It can work!” exclaimed Nana. “There are some villages where all the conditions are ideal to make great cities! Natural resources, perfect locations, and fertile soil! In fact, long ago, our history books show we had large villages that were quite flourishing. That was all before natural disasters and wars destroyed a lot of things there, of course...”

“Nana, do you actually eat the history and geography books you read?” chuckled Tessandra.

“I have a good memory!” she protested. “Plus, history is one of my favorite subjects of all. It’s fascinating! Did you know, my ancestors weren’t always fishermen? They used to be explorers, travelers, and architects! They were sent by the first kings to help shape cities and improve trade too!”

“That was until the wars had most of our cities destroyed and the tribes left, traveling non-stop to survive,” sighed Sabael. “What you’re talking about happened centuries ago, Nana. Nowadays, those places are mostly ruins.”

“They might be ruins, but they would still be a great place to start! The soil should still be fertile, and the rivers are still going the very same way too! They are mostly occupied by all sorts of bandits, of course, but with the proper conditions, I’m sure it would be a piece of beignet to make them all amazing again! There are some impeccable drawings of what the cities in the west used to be like. I’m sure back then the trades with the Empire were going well too!”

“Nana, you should really become a counselor,” said Tessandra. “I’m not joking. You’re a walking library.”

“M-me? Well, I would like to try... I mean, I do dream of becoming a scholar, of course, but becoming a counselor is still a very difficult thing, it takes years of studies and some great achievements to achieve this. Plus, I’m a woman. I would want to have a family first, and it might be complicated...”

“How could having a family be an issue?!” protested Tessa. “Do you have any idea how much work my mother does in one day? And she raised both me and my sister alongside my father! My other aunt is also an amazing businesswoman while raising her three children!”

“Tessa, how many aunts do you have?”

“By the Great Dragon, way too many. The ones that matter are only... well, three or four, I’d say. Most of the others I have never met, and I don’t want to. The Empress kicked them out of the Imperial Palace the second she could. They all have nasty tempers anyway... It’s rampant in the family.”

“I can see that,” chuckled Sabael.

Tessandra blushed helplessly. Was he mocking her now? She cleared her throat, trying to ignore the glances he was sending her. His heterochromia eyes were both equally enticing, and she hated that effect he had on her.

“What do you want to become, then?” Nana asked, totally oblivious to her brother’s eyes on Tessa.

“What do you mean?”