The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

- POV Freya -

Elysium's very first funeral had gone well and had ended just as the sun had set, under the stars. After the show I had given them all, our entire family stayed to greet each and every person who had lost a loved one. Despite the sadness of the moment, the entire Empire had emerged greater after the determination to move forward and the bonds of all had been strengthened in the face of adversity.

Night had fallen, but it was still relatively early, since it was time for dinner, although my duty as Empress was not yet over. Later that night, as Kira had suggested, the human prisoners would be taken to the coliseum for a very special interrogation. In the meantime, we wanted to enjoy a family dinner at the mansion although Angel and Kalaa still in the hospital could not join us.

Gaya, Shiro, Kira, the twins and me, we were all in the garden installed on a table under the stars to eat our meal. As usual, my little moon didn't leave her little brother and sister out of sight and Kira, while eating for ten, didn't leave them out of sight. This calm and serene atmosphere was a real breath of fresh air after the war and before what was going to follow in the coliseum.

The table where we were was filled with good food cooked by Irena, Naïa's mother, which as usual looked like a real feast. There was grilled, roasted, whole meat and fish of all kinds raised in the Empire itself by elves and dryads. There were eggs, soup, salads, fruit, pies, cakes and even some excellent wine produced by a store in the city.

*Thank goodness I sent food from the manor to everyone at the funeral, everyone should have a feast after what happened*

Under my orders, Lia and Triss had arranged with the cooks of the manor to send all the families a piece of meat, vegetables and some fruits. Even the soldiers in the barracks were having a big feast prepared by the cooks there. So I knew that we were not the only ones who were eating like kings, and this somehow made me appreciate my own meal evn more.

"Honey ? You look pensive, how about a taste of Elysium's first wine ?"

As I was thinking about this, a soft and warm voice called out to me from my right, bringing me out of my thoughts immediately. My beautiful Gaya was smiling radiantly at me as she handed me a stemmed glass beautifully and intricately carved by none other than the dwarves. She was right, we were in the middle of the meal and yet we had not yet tasted the red wine that had been presented to us at the beginning.

"You're right, this sounds like a great idea to go with my roast"

"Your Highness..."

I didn't have time to make a sign that Lia and a maid were already behind me and my wife with a bottle to serve us. Without a word, I watched them pour the red liquid into our glasses, which reminded me more and more of blood. Shaking my head to get the idea out of my mind, I brought the glass to my lips a few minutes later to take a first sip.

*Wow ! That's...*

"Delicious !"

The word had slipped out of my mouth without me realizing it, pleasantly surprised by the exceptional and unexpected taste of this wine. It had been a while since I had tasted one and the one that had just been served to me tasted like a sweet nectar. Very fresh and balanced, this wine left a divine sweetness in the mouth blending with a light refreshing acidity appearing after each sip.

"Indeed Honey~ This wine has a very good balance of its flavors and acid, sweet and bitter aromas which explains its perfect harmony and surprising quality."

Just as I was about to elaborate on what I was thinking, my wife suddenly said out loud what I was thinking, she was so precise in her words that she left me speechless for several seconds. Not only had Gaya said what I was thinking, but she also demonstrated a knowledge of wine that I didn't know.

"W-Wow Gaya, I'm surprised you can take the words out of my mouth with such precision, plus you seem to know your stuff, my love fufu~ I must admit I'm surprised."

"Well...there's a lot you have yet to find out about me your highness, after all...I'm a dragoness still hiding some mysteries haha~"

"Then with pleasure~"

I couldn't take my eyes off hers as my wife looked at me with an intensity that made me shiver. Her vibrant amber eyes were glistening and the wine she had just drunk made her lips even redder than before. As I smiled slightly in turn, a hand came to take my glass before its owner drank its entire contents before giving a comment...much less complete.

"Yeah very good, but it's just sweet huh"

Kira had indeed taken my glass to taste it without asking even if I was not very surprised by this gesture totally corresponding to my little sister. She had drunk it straight and it didn't take very long for her nose to turn slightly red despite the sweetness of the alcohol. Sighing, I turned to Gaya who was giggling softly at my side when suddenly the little voice of our Shiro was heard.

"Can I have a taste too ?"

"Well, sure of c-..."

"KIRA !"

As Gaya and I looked at each other amused by our daughter's question, we instinctively called out my little sister's name in unison after her answer. We didn't know if she was kidding, but we didn't want to wait to warn her not to go there. Kira's three silver tails had lowered instantly after a flinch, before she turned back to her niece in embarrassment.

"I-I meant, of course not my little Shiro...ahem...it's for adults and you have to be much older than 6 if you want to taste. Physically of course, considering your mommy's real age isn't even a year old and then the other one's must be at least two-hundred years old."

"..."

An awkward silence suddenly settled over the garden and the imperial table as I suddenly realized that I wasn't sure if I had told Shiro. One thing was for sure, she didn't know about Gaya's age and I knew that it seemed to be a rather sensitive subject. Then, while no one dared to say anything, our little moon turned her head towards Kira before closing her eyes and giving her her most beautiful, big and radiant smile.

"I already knew that Auntie Kira hihihi~"

"Eh ?"

"You know, I learned to count in school and Mommy told me her story so I know it's been almost a year since she was here but not totally. Also...Mom Gaya is an old dragon who stays young so it's normal if she's older."

Shiro had the index finger of her left hand raised and was nodding at every thing she said as if she was teaching something to a speechless Kira. Lia and Triss right behind her were trying to hold back their laughter at this scene but the one who was funniest was my wife. Gaya had just heard her own daughter call her an "old dragon" and opened her mouth to say something before shutting it, unable to refute, preferring to sulk in silence.

"Pfffpfff~ I...HAHAHAHA~"

For the first time I couldn't hold back my laughter at this incredible sight that I never thought I would see. My wife, the Queen of the Empire and Mother of Dragons was sulking at the words of our cute little moon. My belly and cheeks hurt from laughing so hard and even though I was more sensitive from fatigue and tension, I couldn't take it anymore.

"HAHAHAHA~ You...PFFFPFFF~ I...I...hahaha~ Ahem ! I didn't know you could be as cute as our beloved little girl, indeed still many things I have yet to discover about you fufufufu~"

In the face of all this, I couldn't help but tease her a little more as I tried to catch my breath while the staff looked on in amazement. They had never heard me laugh like this before and I understood how unbelievable it sounded to them. As I calmed down, Gaya turned to Shiro with a big smile that was more tense than warm as I could almost see her temples pulsing.

"S-Shiro, sweetheart~ please don't use the term "old dragon" anymore, okay ? You wouldn't want Mom to feel old, would you ? ha.ha.ha.ha"

"Y-Yeah but, if...if you're over two-hundred years old that even makes you a super duper old dragon, right ?"

"COUGH COUGH COUGH !!!"

By the time my Queen had finished explaining to Shiro while trying her best not to stay calm, our daughter was finishing her off innocently. Instead of "old dragon" she used "super duper old dragon" which instantly made my wife pale. Kira, who was not expecting such a response, spat out the water she was drinking and choked while my laughter started again.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA~"

As if my wife had been suddenly hit with an arrow through the heart she became silent and I could almost see her soul escaping from her mouth. Gaya, the great Dragon Queen had been inadvertently defeated by a little white-haired girl and it was hilarious. As I struggled to breathe once again, I suddenly felt a heel digging into my shin under the table.

Raising my head with a tear in my eye, I met my wife's murderous gaze, which also seemed to have little tears in its wrinkled eyes with frowns. She was pouting like a sweet little girl and despite my desire to keep seeing her like this, I had to stop laughing. I knew perfectly well that if I didn't stop, she was going to make me regret it one way or another and I didn't want to regret anything.

"Ahem...Shiro my little moon~"

"Yesh Mommy~? Yummy~"

Our little princess was absolutely too cute for my sanity, eating a chookie while swinging her legs that were dangling from a large chair. Her fluffly ears and tail were wagging with happiness as chocolate was on the corner of her mouth. Her big, sparkling purple eyes waited eagerly for what I had to say as she chewed eagerly, much like a little hamster.

"Your mom is not hmm...is not a super duper old dragon haha~ ahem. She has indeed lived longer than us but for her race, she must just be older than me. So don't say that, okay ? You might offend your mom."

"..."

At my words, Shiro turned her head towards Gaya before tilting in a very cute and innocent way her white head on the right side. She was about to give a chookie to Kira but she had stopped in her gesture to the great displeasure of her aunt whose eyes seemed to shout "and me you forgot me ?". Then, completely withdrawing the chookie, my little moon was hurrying to get down from her chair despite the difficulty.

*So cute...*

Shiro seemed to be descending a cliff as she turned around to lean on her arms and reach out with her tiptoes to try to reach the ground. Once the proof step was completed, she would get back on her tiptoes to grab the chookie and the glass of milk she had left on the tablecloth. Once in hand, the little princess would trot around the table towards Gaya with a big smile, still without saying a word.

Kira still had her face closed, ears and tails down as the gift her niece was about to give her just passed her by. Chuckling slightly, I could see Shiro walk by me without even looking at me, staring at the dragoness with determination. However, as she passed behind my back, a stone slab that stood out more than the others met her left foot causing her to topple over.

"NO !!"

Without waiting for a second, I ignored what Shiro had in her hands to catch her before her face touched the cold garden floor. At the same time, Gaya was also getting up at the second before catching the chookie in her right hand and the glass full of milk in her left hand. More fear than harm, our little girl was indeed clumsy but as long as we were there for her, everything would be fine.

"WOOOOW~! T-Thank you..."

"wooohoooo~"

"woooooow~"

The little princess of the Empire had raved about my speed and my wife's reflexes before thanking us with eyes shining with admiration. Following their big sister's example, Tyle and Altaïs, sitting on special seats next to us, started to clap their little hands together. They were smiling like babies and even laughing as if they were both laughing at us.

"Well~ It looks like our show made these two laugh pfff~"

"Umu, indeed haha~"

"Titi, Ati ! Did I make you laugh ?? Is it true ?? hihihi~ I'm a good big sister then, right ? You both are so cute ! Hihihi~"

Shiro's little cheeks had become all rosy and an even brighter smile had appeared on her sweet princess face. Seeing her little brother and sister laughing because of her was one of the greatest gifts in her opinion...being able to make people happy. Her sincere and loving laughter was mixed with that of our other two children.

Everyone in the garden who could hear them had stopped at the breathtakingly cute and pure scene. Kira even seemed to pass out as her nose bled and Gaya had forgotten all about the "super duper old dragon" to my relief. Our three children were some of the most beautiful things that had ever happened to me and it was to preserve moments like that that I fought.

*There are two people missing but...I'll do anything to make sure those smiles never disappear from those faces. Yes, I swear. That's why once again I have to get my hands dirty tonight and get this whole thing straight with the Kingdom of Zal...*

In a few hours, I was going to go to the Empire coliseum, which had never been used since it was built a few months ago. I was going to become a very different person than the smiling, laughing mother I used to be in front of my children to protect them. Once again, I would take on my role as the ruthless Ice Empress to find out why these humans were so desperate to find my daughter.

Like a red show in the moonlight and under the starry sky, the whole night was going to be bloody and merciless for those who had dared to attack what I had built and those I cherished most in the world.

*Blood must have blood*