Predatory Marriage

Rummaging through the drawers of his office, Ishakan searched for ointment. Leah had fragile skin. He wanted to treat it properly.

She sat on his thighs in her nightgown as he gently applied the ointment to the bruises on her arms, then kissed her cheek.

“I always go too far when it comes to you,” he said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you...”

Leah bit her lip, and his long finger reached to brush her lips apart, smoothing away the bite.

“You don’t need to apologize,” he said, and toppled her onto the couch, spreading her legs apart. His voice was mischievous. “I plan to do a lot of things I will have to apologize for.”

***

Seated on the windowsill, Ishakan held his long pipe in his fingers. The Kurkans stood nearby, their faces tense as he smoked.

After a painful silence, the door opened, and Mura cautiously entered.

“......”

Slowly, Mura approached until she stood in front of him, and Ishakan waved a hand silently. The Kurkans left the room at once, leaving Mura behind.

Immediately, she dropped to her knees, her head bowed as she awaited his judgment.

“Leah had marks on her arms.”

Mura’s face went pale.

The air in the room weighed down on her shoulders as if it had taken tangible shape, and Mura’s lips moved slowly, the words working past the tightness in her throat.

“Ishakan...”

A shiver ran through her as if she had taken a chill, and tears welled in her eyes. Ishakan lifted his pipe to his lips, looking coolly at the shaken Mura.

It was becoming hard to breathe under that stare. Ishakan finally allowed a sigh to escape, and Mura struck her head against the floor, cracking the marble. Her blood stained it.

“I’m sorry. Leah didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all my fault, it’s my lack as her lady-in-waiting...”

Blood streamed into the tears flowing down her face, but Mura felt no pain despite the wound.

“Please, give me a chance to redeem myself,” she pleaded.

The corners of Ishakan’s mouth slowly lifted.

“Leah appreciates you very much.”

Mura held her breath, waiting for his next words.

“I hope you won’t disappoint me again, Mura.”

“......!”

Mura’s eyes widened as she realized that Ishakan would give her another chance.

“I’ll tell you what I’ve discovered,” she said quickly.

She had not missed the scent of tobacco on Leah. As they were walking back to the palace from the bookstore, she had smelled it, and she knew that the owner of the bookstore did not smoke.

She hadn’t thought it was a big deal, but nonetheless, once they had returned to the palace, she sent a few Kurkans to investigate the bookstore. But she’d had no idea that Leah had come back with bruises from a man’s hands on her arms.

Mura did not try to offer excuses or justifications. No matter what she said, it wouldn’t change the fact that someone had put marks on the Queen of Kurkan.

“A foreigner has recently appeared in the city,” she said. “In the evenings, he is usually in the red light district, and during the day he hangs about the bookstore. He has become famous in the red light district. There are rumors that he has a new woman every night. And he rented out the bookstore to read quietly by himself.” Posted only on NovelUtopia

It was an unusual combination. Mura ended her explanation with a more dangerous hypothesis.

“I can’t be sure, but...it’s possible that he’s the King of Balkat.”

Ishakan’s lips twisted. Everyone had been so focused on the conquest of Herben, they had overlooked the movements of the King of Balkat.

Who would have imagined that a King would sneak into Estia by himself? What strange, reckless behavior.

“The peace agreement is going to be interesting,” Ishakan murmured, with a faint smile.