Dawn held a tea gathering in the Southerneast palace. This place in the Imperial Kingdom is known for having a season of harmony, where the air carries music every Harmony season that makes flowers, birds, and animals more lively with peace than usual.
The place was also majestic and it is one of the palace that was given to Dawn as the Phoenix Empress of Solkanaia. The Southerneast palace was a masterpiece of architecture, its walls adorned with murals depicting the history of the kingdom, its gardens filled with flowers that bloomed in colors so vivid they seemed almost unnatural.
The air itself felt different here, lighter, sweeter, as though the harmony season had infused every breath with a sense of calm. But today, that calm was a lie. Today, the palace was a trap, and the concubines who had gathered within its walls had no idea they had already walked into it.
As everyone gathered in the long table, Dawn sat alone on her throne at the end of the table with a smile in her face that can be dangerous or just harmless. The smile was perfectly crafted, neither too warm nor too cold, and it gave nothing away.
The concubines seated along the table exchanged glances, their own smiles polite and cautious. They had been summoned by the Phoenix Empress herself, and none of them dared to refuse. The table was set with delicate porcelain and silver utensils, and the servants moved quietly among them, pouring tea and arranging plates of sweets and pastries.
Everything looked beautiful, inviting, and utterly disarming. Liv was in the corner, she was sitting down while reading a book. That book is not any other books, but one of the General’s erotic collections that Dawn had found out last night.
Liv’s expression was one of studied indifference, but there was a glint in her eyes that suggested she was enjoying the scene far more than she let on. She had been reading the same page for several minutes, her eyes not moving across the words, because her attention was fixed on Dawn and the subtle tension in her posture.
"So, everyone is here. I am very happy to see all of you. Thank you for coming even though I know all of you had things to do." She said, and everyone smiled politely to her. The concubines murmured their thanks, their voices were soft and deferential.
They were all omegas, all beautiful, all dressed in their finest silks and jewels. They had come expecting a pleasant afternoon of tea and gossip, a chance to curry favor with the empress. None of them suspected that they were being watched, that every word they spoke was being weighed and measured.
"Your majesty, why isn’t Lady Eiravelle here?" Kai asked, and Dawn straightened her posture and smile. Kai was the only one who had asked, the only one who had noticed the absence of the omega who had been the subject of so much whispered cruelty.
He was also the only one who had never participated in the gossip, had never spoken a cruel word about Eiravelle, and had never tried to curry favor by tearing someone else down. Dawn had noticed that. She had noticed everything.
"I don’t think she needs to be here, Lad Kai... Should I invite her?" Dawn asked, and there was something dripping in her tone that the concubines cannot identify yet. The question hung in the air, and the omegas shifted uncomfortably in their seats. They did not know how to read the empress, did not know if she was genuinely asking or if there was a trap hidden in her words.
The omegas shook their head and didn’t make a sound after she asked the question. The silence was telling, and Dawn’s smile widened just a fraction. "It’s just that... I find her meekness and... Fragility irritating." Dawn suddenly said, and the concubines smile widens when they heard the empress said that.
They realized that the empress was also sharing the same contempt they held for Eirvalle. The tension in the room eased, and the omegas relaxed into their seats, their smiles are becoming more genuine and more eager. They had found an ally in the empress, or so they believed.
The first one to speak was Vespera, as always. Vespera was the sovereign’s highest-ranking concubine, a woman who had been in the palace longer than most, and she had always been the first to speak, the first to act, the first to assert her dominance. She was beautiful in a cold, calculating way, and her eyes held the sharpness of someone who had spent years learning how to survive in a world where survival was never guaranteed.
"I agree with the empress, lady Eiravelle’s fragility is irritating but it’s one of the things that can be considered as liability." She said, and Dawn kept her smile and lower her gaze at her teacup when the servants finally approach, pouring them tea and presenting delicacies, desserts, and some food.
The tea was fragrant, a blend of jasmine and something sweeter, and the steam rose in delicate curls. Dawn lifted her cup, inhaling the scent, and allowed herself a moment to savor it before she took a sip.
"Care to elaborate why, lady Vespera." Dawn said, and as she gracefully raise her gaze, she lift her tea and saucer, and taste the warm and gentle liquid. Her movements were slow, deliberate, and her eyes never left Vespera’s face. She was studying her, cataloging every micro-expression, every flicker of emotion.
"I had perceived her as someone incompetent, someone... Undeserving to be in the very walls of the imperial palace, your majesty." Vespera said, and Dawn’s smile widened.
The words were exactly what she had expected, exactly the kind of poison that Vespera had been feeding Eiravelle for weeks. But hearing them spoken so casually, so confidently, made something cold and hard settle in Dawn’s chest.
"Yes, lady Vespera is right, your majesty. Lady Eiravelle is also not friendly." A concubine chimed in and agreed with Vespera. She was younger than Vespera, eager to please, and her voice carried the desperate need for approval that marked those who had not yet learned how to survive.
"Just because she is the sovereign’s favorite, she was already acting like she is above anyone else." Another concubine was added, her voice was dripping with resentment. "Your majesty, aren’t you afraid she’ll take the throne away from you?" Vespera asked Dawn, and Dawn just listened to them as more and more concubines added many things except for Kai.
The accusations flew thick and fast, each one more vicious than the last. Eiravelle was a jinx. Eiravelle was a burden. Eiravelle was a manipulative omega who had seduced the sovereign with her fragility and her tears.
Eiravelle was a threat to the empress, a threat to the harem, and a threat to everything they had worked so hard to protect. Kai alone remained silent, his eyes were fixed on his teacup, and his expression was unreadable.
Dawn didn’t say a word, same for Liv who was enjoying reading her erotic book. Liv had not turned a page in nearly ten minutes, her eyes were fixed on the same paragraph, but her attention was entirely on Dawn. She knew what was coming.
She had seen the signs, had watched Dawn’s hands tighten around her teacup, had noticed the way her jaw clenched and her shoulders stiffened. Dawn was trying to compose herself, trying to hold back the rage that was building inside her. Liv saw it, and an idea suddenly sparked in her head.
Liv release a small and imperceptible worm, this was her pet. She usually use this kind of worm in war to attack her enemies down without them realizing it was Liv. The worm was a weapon, a tool of silent destruction, and Liv had used it countless times to bring down enemies who had never seen her coming.
But today, she was going to use the same worm to make a move on Dawn. The worm moved like a snake, so fast and immediately reached Dawn’s shoe without her realizing. The worm travelled through the fabric of her robe and went under her skirt. Dawn didn’t notice it until she felt something between her thighs that made her gasp silently.
The sensation was sudden and shocking, a warm, writhing pressure against her most sensitive skin. Her breath caught in her throat, and she had to fight to keep her expression neutral. The concubines continue to talk, they’re very happy now because with tea, with food, and with the empress’ support to them badmouthing Eiravelle was enough to let their guard down.
They were laughing, their voices were rising and falling in a cacophony of cruelty, and none of them noticed the way Dawn’s fingers dug into the armrest of her throne. Dawn was already feeling warm, she can feel the worm moving against her core and it’s rubbing against her nub.
She can’t help but grip her armrest and force herself to focus on her breathing first. In and out. In and out. The worm moved with a rhythm that was maddening, a steady pressure that built and built until she could feel her thighs trembling.
Liv lean down from her chair and clearly enjoy watching Dawn be like this. There was a smirk on her lips, subtle and knowing, and her eyes were dark with amusement. She was the only one who knew what was happening, the only one who understood the reason for Dawn’s sudden discomfort.
Dawn felt how her body is getting hotter, and she can’t stop her sweat from streaming down from her forehead. A single drop traced a path down her temple, and she wiped it away with a trembling hand, hoping no one noticed. The pleasure was building, coiling in her belly, and she knew she was close. If Liv kept this up, she would not be able to maintain her composure. Her legs were shaking beneath the heavy robes, and she was grateful for the voluminous fabric that concealed her struggle.
"Lady Eiravelle was a jinx, that’s what I heard. It turns out she was famous outside the palace for being a misfortune." A concubine said, and suddenly, Dawn slammed her hand on the table and sigh. The sound echoed through the room like a thunderclap, and the concubines fell silent, their smiles froze on their faces.
The worm stopped, withdrawing as quickly as it had come, and Dawn felt a rush of relief mixed with frustration. "You all had said enough... And I think there’s one person you need to talk to about lady Eiravelle." She said, and the silence was palpable in that moment.
Dawn slowly turned her head, and her eyes drifted toward the dark corner of the room, where the shadows seemed to deepen and shift. And then, Qazaethel emerged from the shadows which made the concubines tremble in fear. The sovereign’s presence filled the room, her dragon heritage was evident in the way the air seemed to grow heavy and warm. Her eyes burned with a cold fire, and her expression was one of barely contained fury.
"Concubine Kai, you may go. You’re the only one I never heard participate." Dawn commanded, and Kai immediately stood, he bowed and left. His footsteps were quick and quiet, and he did not look back. He had been given a way out, and he took it without hesitation. The other concubines watched him leave with envy and desperation, their eyes are wide with fear.
"I’m not in favor to how all of you treated lady Eiravelle. This is our plan to caught those concubines who had put lady Eiravelle in distress despite the strict rules of the royal law that never put a pregnant omega in any type of stress as it is harmful to the child they’re carrying." Dawn explained, and everyone was so shock, especially Vespera.
The color drained from Vespera’s face, and her hands, which had been resting so elegantly on the table, began to tremble. The other concubines were frozen in place, their mouths hang open as their eyes darted between Dawn and Qazaethel. They had been tricked. They had been lured into a trap, and they had walked into it willingly, their own cruelty sealed their fate.
"Dawn and Liv, you both are dismissed. Take the servants with you." Qazaethel commanded, and Dawn nodded and stood. Her legs was already shaking but because of the heavy robes she’s wearing, it’s not even obvious that she was facing her own turmoil as she left with Liv and the other servants.
Liv closed her book and rose gracefully, her smirk was still in place, and she followed Dawn out of the room. The servants hurried after them, their footsteps were echoing in the sudden silence. The doors closed behind them with a heavy thud, and the room fell into darkness as the windows and doors locked themselves, sealing the concubines inside with the sovereign’s rage.
Qazaethel sat... The air suddenly drop in below degrees that everyone can feel the shift in atmosphere. The temperature plummeted, and the concubines shivered, their breath misting in the cold. The torches on the walls flickered and dimmed, casting long, dancing shadows across the room. Qazaethel’s eyes glowed with a faint light, and when she spoke, her voice was low and dangerous.
"Now... Tell me more about what kind of punishments you all wanted to receive." Qazaethel said, and there was no smile forming in her lips as all windows and doors closed shut, leaving them locked with the sovereign’s pending rage inside that palace.
The concubines huddled together, their earlier arrogance was stripped away, replaced by the cold, hard reality of their situation. They had crossed a line. They had hurt someone under the sovereign’s protection, and now they would pay the price.