The White King's Favorite

"Do you like tea?" She softly asked.

"Ah... Yes, please."

The man was still stunned.

The woman before him was a legend, in this Empire. She was adored like a living deity, perhaps more venerated than the Empress herself. Yet, from where he stood, just a couple steps away from her in this tiny kitchen, she seemed like any normal woman, simply pouring tea with a soft, serene smile on her lips. She wasn't even especially beautiful. Her chestnut hair was held in a high and large ponytail, but still so long it fell down to her lower back. She wore no makeup, except perhaps some for her rose-tinted lips, and was actually a bit skinny. Her green dress wasn't any better than any of the servants here, and she only wore a couple of gold jewelry items, too. Moreover, he just couldn't get used to how pale her skin was. He'd heard of tribes, in the south, with white-colored skin, but he had never witnessed it himself...

"You look tired," she said as she presented him with a cup. "It must have been a long journey."

"It was, Your Highness," said the old man, taking it. "It took me over a month to come here, Your Highness."

"You may call me Cassandra," she chuckled. "Your Highness is a bit too ceremonial for me... What should I call you?"

He stood a bit more upright, trying to forget how dirty he ought to look right now. He had no money to buy clean clothes, and wore the same thing for days. Most people would have treated this old man, with his messy beard and tired eyes, like any beggar. Yet, that woman didn't even show any sign of discomfort.

"This old man's name is Yassim, my Lady. Yassim Hemelion, the Wise."

"Well then, Yassim the Wise," she repeated with a gentle smile. "Please tell me about the Eastern Kingdom."

The man's hands froze on the cup.

He had followed Lady Cassandra, the Water Goddess, outside the Throne Room, a bit relieved to escape the arrogant Empress' gaze, but he was following her with no idea of their real destination, or why she was even listening to his demands. She had first stopped by this small kitchen to make that tea. Seeing this living deity pouring tea in a kitchen didn't seem to surprise anyone, as all the servants coming in and out acted as if this was a regular thing that happened, quickly bowing before moving on with their tasks.

Now, his cup still in his hands, he kept following her a bit helplessly as Cassandra was walking out, back to one of the large corridors of the Palace. She was walking slowly, and clearly waiting to hear his answer... The man took a deep breath.

"...Our King is still young, Lady Cassandra. He is a brave young man, but he didn't become our King easily. After so many wars and battles, our people were famished, angry and lost."

"It must have been hard."

"Yes, my Lady," sighed the old man. "Very much so. Civil war left many cities in ruins, and our roads stained with blood. We are struggling to put all our systems back into a functioning, let alone flourishing, state. Commerce, finance, education, everything has been shattered, and we hope to build something better out of what was previously destroyed. But it is hard. Even five years after our young King rose to power, bandits are still roaming free, terrorizing our already traumatized citizens..."

"Isn't it a bit strange that a King would look for a Queen in a situation like this?"

Despite Cassandra's gentle voice, the old man frowned. He knew this woman was probably too smart not to have understood already.

"...We are hoping to confirm our young King's power with a strong lady by his side, my Lady."

"A strong Lady from the Dragon Empire... A lady with a dragon," she whispered.

The old man kept his head low.

a bit more nervous now that the Lady clearly

stopped, his hands tight on

You must think I'm a shameless man to have come here without even a decent present for

at him with that gentle gaze of hers. There was something invisible yet incredible about that woman. How young was she? Perhaps fifteen or twenty years younger, at least?

a very brave man," she said. "And someone

few words everything that had made his trip worthwhile. Even more than that, he felt like he was somewhat acknowledged, all the hardships he had endured

"Thank you, my Lady..."

the faint thought she might have simply indulged this exhausted visitor, but now, he was reminiscing about her discussion with the Empress. Would the Water Goddess really willingly give away one of

mention which one?" She

"W-Which one?"

daughters your King wanted

he lie, and try asking for any? Or should he simply pretend

time to answer, Cassandra let out a

"...I see."

already? She was definitely a smart woman, how dare he lie to a living deity! Who was

had asked the question. Yassim kept following her, still stunned a bit more each second by this

Palace seemed as large as a small city from the outside, but Yassim had never imagined it would be so vast it could actually have such a grand garden, with even a lake! The place was lovely though, and the grass was very green despite the sun and heat. There

same green eyes as the Water Goddess. She was young, but already a true beauty, and captivating the younger ones as she was reading them a book. She had long hair, just a shade darker than her mother's, and a darker, tanned skin, so pretty, a bronze color,

the book she had in her hands to the rest of the group. She had a very pleasant voice, almost as if she was singing, and all of the other children were

He spent many, many days in the desert, and could only rest a few hours, once the sun set and the gentle moon rose. Each night, the beautiful moon reminded him

fifteenth day," said Cassandra. "He found an

children looked back, only noticing them

the boys in the

suddenly stood up and ran to their mother. Neither of them looked older than ten years old... The older one of the two arrived first, hugging his mom's legs,

was reading us a

I

the Water Goddess' was, but definitely lighter than any other person's skin in the Dragon Empire. He was dying to ask if all six were her children, including the two young women. Aside from the older boy who had run to his mother, only

this is Yassim the Wise.

with darker skin stood up and bowed politely before leaving the grounds. ...Were those

Kingdom?" Said the other young woman, sitting next to the one who

next to her, but she had dark eyes, freckles on her nose and

Lady,"

young woman is Tessa, my niece," said Cassandra. "Next to her is my oldest daughter, Cessilia. Then, there's

interest. Next to her was a boy about the same age as her and, unlike his younger brothers, he hadn't moved and

does he

And those two are his little brothers, Kassein