She felt as if she had jumped from a cliff. She didn't even know how long the fall would be. Maybe it would be an abyss with no bottom. But she wasn't afraid. She knew this man would catch her.
It was a completely illogical choice, but she had no regrets. Her love for Blain had burned to ashes in the fire consuming her heart, and though it was still trying to hold onto her, she knew that she would be able to get rid of all of it, in time.
I love this man.
She didn't understand why. She was so attracted to him, it was almost upsetting. She was already in his arms, and she still wanted to be closer.
Ishakan was silent. He seemed almost paralyzed by the request, and she stroked his cheek, pleading.
"Will you take me with you?"
This man considered her his wife. If all the affection he had shown her so far was true, then it should not be such an unreasonable request. But for a long time, Ishakan said nothing, and finally he set her down and lifted up her hand to the level of her face.
Leah bit her lip nervously. What if this had all just been some deception that she had been stupid enough to believe? But suddenly her eyes fixed on the ring on her finger, gleaming subtly in the dark, and she pulled her hand away.
Even with that ring on her finger, she wanted to flee with this man. If she had been in Ishakan's position, she wouldn't have believed her, either. Hadn't she told him over and over how much she loved Blain? Even though she had made her decisions after long thought, her words probably seemed empty, from Ishakan's perspective. Just as she doubted him, so he must doubt her.
And she couldn't explain or justify herself. There was no logical reason behind what she was doing. Her excitement bled away, and Leah lowered her head. If he refused her, there was nothing she could do.
After a small eternity, Ishakan finally spoke.
"Leah..."
She had been staring at her feet as if awaiting the pronouncement of her death sentence. Slowly, she lifted her head.
"...I'll do anything you want." His eyes were filled with affection, and he took her left hand and lifted it to his lips. "You want to run? Then we'll just run."
Determinedly, he kissed her ring finger. He kissed the ring. Then he wrapped his other hand around her waist.
"I don't care if you love someone else. I don't care if you say you love that guy for the rest of your life..." His voice was filled with suffering. "I just can't see you like this anymore, Leah..."
The impact of his emotions was so strong, it shook her heart. Automatically she reached out to him, wanted to comfort him, to hug him for showing her his hurt. But just as she was about to embrace him, a sharp pain stabbed through her belly.
"OW...!"
Gasping, she clutched her belly. She felt this pain every night, but this was different. It felt as if something was slicing at her insides with a knife.
"Leah!" Ishakan grabbed her as she staggered, trying and failing to recover. She wanted to say she was all right, but the pain was so intense she couldn't speak. Suddenly, she felt something push out from inside her, slipping between her thighs and running down her ankles. When she looked down, it was red.
It can't be...
There was a wave of desperation, and then nothing.
***
Her eyes gleamed. Nimbly, she scrambled up into a tree as she pursued her fleeing prey. Leaping through the branches, she advanced, passing overhead and leaping to land right in front of her panicking victim. He screamed in terror.
"Ahh...!"
Mura grinned, baring her teeth. One leg shot out, hammering into the target with the wet thud like a watermelon being smashed.
Kurkans found it more natural to attack directly with hands and feet, rather than using weapons. When there were many people watching, they would use swords and bows, but if there were no witnesses, they revealed their true nature.
Mura was indulging her Kurkan self fully. Standing over the corpse with its pulped head, she looked back proudly.
"Did you see that, Haban?"
"Yes! It was perfect!"
Haban, who had snapped another man's neck, approached with his hands stained with blood. Mura extended her foot toward him, and Haban braced it on his knee as he bent to retie the laces of her shoes.
"It's so much more fun to cook with you," she said, shrugging.
"I think so too, Mura."
She smiled at the quick response. With her shoes retied, she turned to walk, with Haban following behind her.
All of the Kurkans had been in an uproar after they learned they would be meeting Leah again. Mura had begged Ishakan to let her come, and he had chosen her after she promised she would make the most delicious food.
Their Queen looked as if she had not been eating properly. She had lost a lot of weight. Knowing how much she loved Kurkan food, Mura had packed several full meals, and hurried to the chosen place with her arms laden and Haban behind her, carrying still more items in a sack. But the excited Mura had been greeted with the sight of suspicious-looking men in hoods.
The villa in the orchard had been silent. The knights and ladies-in-waiting were sleeping. The sight of those hooded men slipping inside angered her to her core. Her Queen would eat cold food because of these men.
So while Ishakan was headed for Leah, Mura went to clear the area with Haban and Genin, displaying her abilities for the first time in a long time. She snapped off the intruders' heads like watermelons off a vine.
"Where's Genin?"
"Decided to clean up the other side...she's probably done by now."
At that moment, Genin was approaching, walking toward them in the distance while smoking a cigar. She had finished her task.
When Mura glanced back at Haban, he had already lit a similar cigar for her, and she kissed his cheek as she took it.
"Thank you."
"......"
Haban's face turned red. Leaving the embarrassed man alone, Mura went to meet Genin.
"Are you finished, Genin?"
"I killed them all."
Mura smiled coldly at the answer. The intruders had gone into the house knowing that there were knights on guard. Obviously someone had ordered it, and had been careful to render all the ladies-in-waiting and knights unconscious. It was likely that they had not been planning to kill Leah.
In Estia, a bride's purity was as important as their life. Most likely, the hooded men had been planning to r@pe her, or do some other degrading thing. Few things would be worse than simply taking her v!rginity. That alone would have created a cruel nightmare for her that would never end.
Leah would have endangered herself if she even admitted that it happened. She was the Princess of Estia and soon to be married; given her status and the circumstances, she would likely have chosen silence over scandal. She might even have found herself in a position where she had to cover up for her r@pists with her own hands.
It was a despicable plan. Mura didn't know who was behind it, but she wouldn't let them get away unscathed.
"Whoever did this will pay...!" She said, scowling. It was hard to control the angry madness inside her. It took all her patience to endure it and calm down.
Exhaling her smoke, Mura nervously tapped her foot on the ground.
"We will catch the one responsible, I promise," Haban reassured her, coming to stand at her side. The sight of the couple made Genin wonder if she had treated her own husband with such support. She really should be better to him.
"......!"
All together, Haban, Mura, and Genin suddenly turned their heads. They froze, looking at the same distant place, and then suddenly broke into a run at the same time. Their speed would have terrified any normal human, but they raced toward Ishakan, who was holding Leah in his arms.
His head turned toward them slowly. His golden eyes shook and he looked as if he might collapse any moment.
"Morga..." His voice trembled. "Morga..."
Immediately, Haban ran for the sorcerer, and Mura and Genin hurried over to Ishakan.
Leah was lying unconscious in his arms, looking thinner and weaker than ever, so white that it seemed she might vanish any second. Looking at her with horror, Mura let out a cry.
Leah's skirt soaked with blood.