Predatory Marriage

As all of this was happening, Byun Gyeongbaek had disappeared. Publicly, he was declared missing, but Leah suspected there was something more. Perhaps because lately Ishakan had been so happy. It seemed likely that the Kurkans had spirited him away.

Though she still despised the man, Leah didn’t want to see his end. She left the matter in Ishakan’s hands.

After settling a few other matters, she formally took the throne. It was the only logical thing to do; she was the last member of the royal family left in the succession. None of the nobles who had been under Cerdina’s spell dared to object.

If it had not been for her, they would have lived the rest of their lives as Cerdina’s puppets and slaves. But they did not support Leah out of gratitude, or any sense of obligation. The Estian nobility was not so pure-hearted.

It was because Leah was backed by the Kurkans.

Everyone knew that Leah was the Queen of Kurkan. The hulking individuals roaming the palace were sufficient to intimidate, and no one dared to treat Leah lightly.

The Kurkans had decided to remain in Estia until after the baby was born, and had time to grow a little. Only a few of them had returned to the desert to spread the news of their victory.

Just because our prince wasn’t born in the desert doesn’t mean he is not a Kurkan.

Ishakan declared that the most important thing was Leah’s health. This way she would have a safe childbirth.

“……”

Sitting on her bed and looking out the window, suddenly Leah smiled. In the past, when she looked out that window, she had had to suppress the urge to jump. But now she just felt free. She could even go out on the balcony if she wanted to, and feel nothing but peace.

But it would have been difficult to actually go, because her legs were not yet completely healed. Sitting still, there was still a little pain, and she could barely support herself with a cane when she walked. The pain would go away in time; she just had to quietly wait. But she worried about the scars.

Ishakan looked sick every time he saw her wounds. She could see his eyes darkening, even though he never said anything. He would likely suffer for many years to come, every time he saw her scarred legs.

Leah wished desperately that the marks would fade away. She applied ointment regularly and did everything she could to help the wounds to heal.

The smell of blood reached her nose first. Ishakan’s hair was as wet as if he had just washed it, and Leah didn’t ask the man who had returned reeking of blood what he had been doing.

“Is she dead?” She asked briefly.

“No,” Ishakan replied, sweeping his hand through his wet hair.

Seated on the bed, Leah reached out to him. It was difficult for her to get up by herself.

Letting out a small sigh, Ishakan approached and laid her down on the bed, carefully avoiding her legs. Gently, he bit her neck, and when Leah pushed him away at the tickling sensation, he just licked at the place he had bitten with his tongue.

“There are many things I still want to do,” Ishakan said as he kissed her neck. “But if you don’t like it, I can kill her immediately.”

Leah smiled a little, pushing him gently away by the shoulders. In his golden eyes was an implacable cruelty that he could never satiate, but Leah loved even his cruel side. Their eyes caught, gazing, and they moved together in an instinctive kiss. Leah’s lips parted in a soft whisper.

“…Do whatever you want.”

Instead of responding, he only kissed her again, for a long while.

“Why weren’t you sleeping?” he asked, when he finally stopped.

“I just didn’t feel like it.”

Somehow, she was still afraid that when she woke up, all of this would turn out to be a dream. She could only feel safe sleeping next to Ishakan. But of course, she wasn’t going to admit that. She only hugged him tighter.

Instantly, her mind relaxed, and drowsiness began to overtake him. Looking at Ishakan with drooping eyes, she struggled to keep them open.

“Ishakan.”

“Tell me, Leah.”

“Tell me…the baby’s name.”