After Sir Lucien Arden excused himself from the royal quarters to give the family some privacy, Cassian stepped out onto the wide, marble terrace.
The afternoon sun was beginning to dip, casting long, golden shadows across the stone arches. There, his father and mother sat quietly at a wrought-iron table, watching over the entirety of the empire through the Academy's high balcony. Below them lay the sprawling spires of the capital, the bustling academic squares, and the distant mountain ranges—the very empire that they ruled, and the sole place they protected and prayed for every single day.
"This looks nice," Cassian commented dryly, strolling over and settling himself into an empty chair at their table. "Having tea by the terrace with the person you love the most? I can only look on in envy."
One of the nearby imperial servants hurriedly stepped forward, his eyes lowered as he poured a fresh cup of aromatic herbal tea for the prince.
"If you are so envious, then just say a single word," Emperor Cedric mocked, a sharp, teasing glint in his eyes as he picked up his cup. "This loving father of yours will gladly arrange a beautiful flower for you. A flower far more civilized and beautiful compared to that barbarian prince from the East."
Cassian chuckled softly, shaking his head as he picked up his porcelain cup. "Just so you haven't forgotten, Father, that is my brother's husband you are speaking so ill of."
Cassian took a slow, careful sip from his tea, the warm liquid doing little to settle the deep exhaustion in his bones. He turned his gaze out toward the vast horizon, watching the distant clouds drift over the imperial borders.
'A person I love, huh?' he thought to himself, his mind remaining entirely analytical.
'Nah. We will find that concept back on Earth, not in a chaotic world like this. Even though... my heart has admittedly started to waver for Sora lately because of our persistent soul resonance.'
"Is something the matter, my dear?" The Empress asked, her voice dropping into a warm, delicate register. She reached across the table, placing her soft hands directly atop Cassian's.
"Nothing is the matter, Mother," Cassian replied, offering a smooth, superficial smile. "If anything, this physical body is simply tired from the aftermath of the trials."
"That is well expected," she said softly, her eyes filling with pride. "Especially after the exceptional hard work you showcased in front of those ignorant westerners. You have made us truly proud, Cassian."
"For a matter of fact, you deserve a massive reward!" Cedric boomed with a sudden burst of laughter, leaning over to nudge Cassian's shoulder, silently urging his son to laugh along with him.
"You, Sir Lucien Arden, and that small militia of yours deserve a grand reward for your hard work today!"
"Father, please save that for the absolute end of the tournament," Cassian sighed, setting his cup down flatly. "I don't want those children's arrogance to flare up once you reward them too early. I want them to continue desperately working hard for our acknowledgment until the final portal closes."
"Oh, well! Whatever my brilliant son says!" Cedric laughed, waving his hand dismissively.
Cassian took another careful sip of his tea, reaching over to snack on a piece of the soft cake resting on the silver tray across from him.
"Anyway, enough of the pleasantries," Cedric said, his posture suddenly straightening into a rigid, imperial stance. He raised his hand, gesturing for a senior servant to bring over a velvet tray piled with sealed letters. "I received a few official letters from the delegates of our foreign lands today. And as you may easily assume... most of them are about joining shoulders with you and our Empire."
Cassian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Joining shoulders?"
"Cassian, once this tournament officially concludes, you are well aware that we must immediately prepare for the grand war against the darkness etched at our borders, isn't it?"
"Yes, Father. I am well aware."
"In that case, then your private militia will finally expand," Cedric declared.
Cassian quickly looked up from his plate, his silver-crimson eyes locking onto his father's face. "Expand?"
"Yes," Cedric nodded firmly. "Each and every foreign region present for this tournament—the North, the West, the East, the South, and even the high diplomats of the Elves... they have all come to a mutual agreement. They have requested that their elite units train directly under your command as we prepare for the border war. Therefore, you should prepare yourself, my son. You have quite an important, heavy responsibility resting on your shoulders, and I am truly proud of you."
"Wait, Father..." Cassian frowned, his internal calculator spinning with a sudden influx of unwanted stress. "Even the Elves? But... why me? There is Sir Arden. He is the established Hero of the Empire, he—"
"My son," Cedric interrupted, his voice turning deep and unyielding. "This is your specific time to shine as the new hero of the Empire. Those foreign factions are usually exceptionally proud of their own strengths, yet they explicitly chose *you* to lead them. That says quite a lot about your absolute abilities, so hone them. I know you can do it."
The Empress smiled warmly. "And besides, Sir Arden is currently considering retiring from his active commander post to serve directly under you in a permanent advisory role. Which means it is not utterly a loss for your faction, is it?"
"Ugh. So that bastard has already told you about that?" Cassian clicked his tongue, a wave of pure annoyance flaring up his chest. "He is truly impatient."
This entire development was nothing but a massive, pending headache. Lucien was already proving to be a dangerous variable in his personal space; having him integrated even deeper into his military network was a severe flaw in his defenses.
"My son, I trust that you will handle this transition smoothly and bring ultimate glory to our continent of Aetheria," Cedric said, closing the matter.
"Yes, Father," Cassian sighed, rubbing his temples. "After all, what logical choice do I have?"
Cedric glared at his son with a knowing, sharp expression. "Do it properly, and a massive portion of the central imperial treasury will be signed over to your name."
"Along with the locked relics?" Cassian countered instantly.
"Yes."
"And the ancient dark-attribute artifacts as well?"
"Whatever, Cassian!" Cedric clicked his tongue, shaking his head at his son's ruthless negotiating. "Just do this one grand thing for the Empire, and you will have everything that your heart yearns for. We will even find you a loving, doting wife to manage your estate."
"No. Anything but that," Cassian deadpanned, his expression turning flat. "If you must prepare a marriage contract, only prepare that for Sir Arden. His retirement might require him to properly lead his Duchy, and he will need the administrative assistance. We already have a specific noble maiden in mind for him."
Cedric blinked, looking entirely surprised. "And Sir Arden actually agreed to that arrangement?"
"Of course," Cassian plainly lied straight through his teeth, his face completely expressionless. "We discussed it thoroughly along with his retirement plans last night. Just let him know that you have found a perfect wife for him and be done with it."
"Very well then," Cedric nodded, completely fooled by his son's deadpan delivery. "I will take the matter up with him directly before we depart for your siblings' official ceremony next month."
"A ceremony?" Cassian asked, tilting his head.
"Yes. Within those letters on the tray, there is an official invitation from Vikra," Cedric explained, his face softening. "The wedding will soon proceed next month, and we will officially tie your siblings to Thoris Madurai."
"Father, such great news!" Cassian said, a genuine flash of relief crossing his face. "You should have told me this before everything else!"
Cassian laughed softly, reaching over to scramble through the velvet tray until his fingers wrapped around the heavy, gold-embossed invitation. Finally, the political lines were locking into place.
"There is also a sealed letter from your brother Adrian in there," Cedric noted, his voice turning slightly quieter. "It was specifically assigned for you, and you alone."
"Me?"
"Yes," the Emperor nodded, standing up from the table. "Therefore, take your time and read it when you return to your private residence."
"Yes father."
*****
A few hours later.
After spending the remaining evening hours fulfilling his duties with the royal family, Cassian eventually returned to his private residence.
The moment the heavy oak doors shut behind him, the first thing he did was hurry directly into his private study. He lit a single magical lamp, settling himself into the leather chair behind his desk to read through the stacks of letters. But more especially, he focused on Adrian's sealed parchment.
"Mhm. I can't exactly say I am eager to read this," Cassian muttered to himself, using a silver letter opener to crack the wax seal. "But let's see what it says."
He pulled out the parchment, unfolding it flatly against the mahogany desk.
*Cassian, my dear brother...*
"Oh, right from the start, I can just tell that he was trembling while writing this," Cassian noted dryly, analyzing the shaky, uneven strokes of the ink. "Mhm. Poor, miserable child."
*Cassian, my dear brother, I won't dwell so much on pleasantries because I suppose we both know how our lives must be faring right now.*
"Mhm. He's still as rude as ever," Cassian muttered, a faint, cynical smirk touching his lips. "That is so much like Adrian."
*—I suppose we both know how our lives must be faring right now. My brother, Elyria and I are suffering. We are greatly suffering, and I can't handle this anymore. We need your help. I know that I am the absolute last person on this world you would ever want to help. I know that I wished this cruel fate on you first during the succession... but brother, I have now thoroughly learned my lesson. I have suffered greatly in Thoris's hands, but I can't take it anymore. I need you to save us from him. It doesn't need to be bringing us back to the Empire, but getting us far away from him is enough. I will do absolutely everything you ask of me if you just help us.*
"Bastard," Cassian hissed under his breath, leaning back in his chair. "If I pull a stunt like that, that savage barbarian will just turn his entire army around and come directly for me instead. He is exactly aiming for that."
*—getting us far away from him is enough. I am already pregnant. I also find it incredibly hard to believe, it's crazy actually, but it is the absolute truth.*
"Already?" Cassian's eyes dilated slightly as he processed the timeline. "Damn. That is the Sacred Nectar of the Fertile Mother for you. And that savage beast is no different, he never wastes a single moment when it comes to such deeds. He truly operates like a starving animal."
*But as pregnant as I am... he beats me up.*
Cassian froze entirely.
Without him even realizing it, his fingers gripped the edges of the parchment so tightly that the heavy paper began to tear. His silver-crimson eyes locked onto the messy ink. Now, *that* was a completely different treatment from his own past experiences in timeline eleven. In his previous life, Thoris had been possessive and cruel, but he had never laid a violent hand on his pregnant brides. The timeline variables were drifting dangerously.
*—not Elyria, but me. Falling pregnant for him is simply not enough to satisfy his rage. He has openly vowed to breed me completely dry, and then get rid of my body to make some empty space for you to fill my place. He wants to rightfully lead the barbarian lands alongside you, Cassian. It might be entirely impossible by our Imperial law, but for that crazy bastard... it's not impossible. So I highly hope you'll figure something out to help us, and also avoid being roped into his kingdom as his third bride. And I will patiently await your response my dear brother.*
Cassian let out a long, heavy sigh, tossing the letter onto the desk.
"In the end, he is not even remotely apologetic for his past sins," Cassian muttered, his jaw tightening. "He is only making demands as if I owe him my life. Mhm... we will even see about that."
*Knock. Knock.*
"My lord," Elias's polite voice interrupted from the doorway. The old butler walked into the study, bowing curtly in front of the desk. "The kitchen staff has prepared your meal. It is time to serve your dinner."
"Oh, okay. I will be there in a moment, and—"
Cassian stopped mid-sentence.
Behind Elias's shoulder, a slender figure slowly stepped into the warm light of the study. It was Sora. He had dropped his usual confident posture, his hands nervously fiddling with the fabric of his sleeves as he looked down at the floor. He looked exactly like a lost, shivering puppy caught up in a torrential rain, finally creeping back home after a long journey.
"My lord..." Sora whispered, his female voice trembling slightly.
Cassian abruptly stood up from his chair, his ledger falling to the desk. He didn't even look at the butler.
"Elias. Dismissed. Excuse us immediately."
"Understood, Your Highness," Elias murmured, bowing swiftly before stepping out and closing the heavy study doors, leaving the room in absolute silence.
"Sora—"
"My lord... I am truly, deeply sorry," Sora whispered.
The half-elf's shoulders shook, heavy tears threatening to spill from his dark eyes. He had spent weeks nursing his own fear and jealousy, trying to draw away to save his heart. But the single second he stepped back into Cassian's presence, the intense soul resonance melted his insides completely, leaving him feeling like a starved child finally catching sight of a warm meal.
Cassian leaped forward from behind his desk. Seemingly feeling the exact same frantic, overwhelming pull through their bond, he locked his arms around Sora's frame and lunged forward to slam his lips against his mate's.
"You stupid mate of mine!" Cassian hissed against his mouth, his voice rough with an uncharacteristic emotion as he broke the kiss for a split second, only to press their lips together again. "Do you have any absolute idea of the torture you have put me through these past few days?!"
The sheer, overwhelming relief was well evident in Cassian's eyes. Sora reached up, his slender fingers caressing the prince's jaw as he pulled him down for another desperate, deep kiss, the book he was carrying thudding ignored onto the carpet.
Cassian slid his large hand down, laying his palm flatly against Sora's lower belly. The moment his skin made contact, the dark mana inside his core leapt in absolute excitement, harmonizing perfectly with the half-elf's energy.
"Change back," Cassian commanded against his lips, his breath hot.
"Huh?" Sora blinked, his long eyelashes wet with tears. "To my—... to my male form?"
"To your original form. The real you," Cassian murmured, his eyes flashing with a dark, possessive intensity.
Sora obliged without a word. A soft, shimmering wave of silver mana rippled over his body, and the raven-haired female glamour completely dissolved. His hair lengthened into a stunning, glowing black, and his true, sharp elven features returned.
Cassian smiled softly at the sight before slowly kneeling down on the carpet directly before Sora's belly. The small, curved bump was finally starting to show beneath the fabric. Cassian leaned his face closer, pressing a soft, lingering kiss right against the center of the warmth.
Before Sora could even process the gesture, Cassian's hands moved up, quietly pulling up the hem of the tunic. Sora let out a surprised, breathless scoff.
"My lord... what are you—"
"Sora, I missed you," Cassian interrupted, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register as he looked up from the floor. "Just feel at how our manas are running completely restless right now. We both desperately need this."
With that being said, Cassian scooped Sora up by his waist, lifting his slender frame effortlessly. He carried him over to the large, velvet divan resting in the corner of the office, laying him down against the soft cushions.
Cassian didn't waste a single second. He trailed a fierce line of warm kisses down Sora's chest as he undressed him. His hands were carefully moving with an uncharacteristic urgency as he finally knelt down to bury his lips around Sora's stiffened cock.
In his past life, Cassian had never imagined he would ever go down on another man like this after all the horrific, brutal things Thoris had forced upon him in timeline eleven. But as the intense, sweet waves of the mating bond flooded his brain, he realized it simply didn't matter anymore. He was already ruined beyond repair by the metrics of his past lives, and there was absolutely no use lying to himself that he didn't sleep with men when he already had... and his fated mate was a man to begin with.
"Ngh! My lord!" Sora gasped out loud, his fingers tangling tightly into Cassian's dark hair as a massive wave of pleasure shot through his core. "You shouldn't...! I should be the one serving you... instead...!"
Cassian paid his protests absolute no mind. He continued his rhythmic, intense movements, his tongue tracing lines of heat that completely shattered Sora's remaining control. Sora bit down hard on his lower lip, a loud, echoing moan escaping his throat as he threw his head back against the velvet cushions. He shuddered violently, feeling Cassian's warm tongue and the thick, possessive flow of dark mana coursing straight through his veins, locking their souls together once more.
Sora shuddered popping out his eyes as he felt Cassian's warm and slick tongue trailing across his rim.
"Hieeek!!, Not there!"
"Ahh my lord!"
Cassian pinned Sora's legs apart as he slid his tongue along the space between Sora's testicles and arousing his twitching hole, feathering his tongue inside of him. Sora winced trying to get away from him but Cassian locked his arms around his legs in place and holding him still.
Sora's fingers dug into the velvet divan as he crumbled into a soul-shattering organism, feeling dazed as Cassian's mana muffled him in ecstasy.
"Haa!...My lord, what are you doing to me?"
*****