Predatory Marriage

Chapter 132. My Light

Translator: Atlas / Editor: Regan

The memory of that day was vivid. It was so ingrained, it could never fade from Ishakan’s mind. Trapped in overwhelming darkness in a hole where he could not even stretch his limbs, the only way out was a small, round wooden door in the ceiling.

That was the place used to teach obedience. It was too cruel for a boy. He couldn’t differentiate even the flow of time. There was not a glass of water or a slice of bread. Heavy chains held his limbs down and hurt his skin, where untreated wounds rotted, darkening with pus and crawling with maggots.

His mouth had been gagged so he couldn’t bite his tongue, and worsened the thirst that burned his throat. The thirst was a more terrible sensation than the hunger in his empty stomach. Gradually, his determination to keep his honor as a desert warrior crumbled before such pain. But every time he was tempted to bend and swear obedience, his anguish was unbearable.

Though he longed for death, the life force of Kurkans was incredibly tenacious.

I want to die. Please let me die. God, let me die, Ishakan prayed fervently.

But his prayer went unanswered. Little Kurkan, abandoned by his own people, ignored even by God. And when he had lost all hope and his will was broken, a light descended.

The wooden door that had seemed as if it would never move had opened. Sunlight entered. Dazzling silver hair. Purple eyes that sparkled like amethysts.

He hadn’t understood it in the past, but he did now. He had fallen in love at first sight. Ishakan regretted the time he had wasted, not knowing. He would do his best now, for that reason.

“……”

His face was expressionless as he looked ahead over the plains. Densely filled with eulalies, they were so vast that there was no end in sight. A strong wind blew over them and the eulalies moved in a wave. From the sky, a hawk screeched, and Haban looked up at the bird in the firmament and spoke.

“Ishakan.”

Ishakan looked back to see the Kurkans behind him, lined up on their horses. Each wore a long cloth that hid half their face. Looking into their piercing eyes, he pulled the cloth covering his own face down to his chin.

“Come on.”

The horses lifted their forelegs, neighing as they surged into a gallop. The sound of their hooves pounding the plains was like a drum. The eyes of their riders shone extraordinarily bright with the euphoria of a battle. The bestial instincts in their veins made their bodies boil.

A short distance into the eulalies, their objective was in sight. The flag of the Royal Family of Estia waved magnificently, and Ishakan’s mouth twisted. In spite of all her dedication, no one in Estia had saved their Princess. It seemed ridiculous to him that they would only watch the sacrifice she was making with her blood and her tears. They were disgusting.

“Attack!” He commanded. Haban grabbed the ram’s horn at his waist and blew a battle call, the loud sound echoing across the vast plain. The Kurkans had split up to advance from multiple directions, and the other groups responded with their own horns, the sounds that signaled the start of battle.

“Ambush!” The royal knight shouted. “Increase speed!”

The knights were only belatedly aware of their pursuers. Chasing fleeing prey was what Kurkans did best.

The knights were quickly surrounded, their shouts and the sound of swords being drawn mingling. The eulalies were stained with hot blood as the knights resisted desperately, and the coachmen tried to escape. All of it was in vain. Iron hooks flew from all directions like arrows and caught the carriage.

“These barbarians…!” The coachman shouted, waving his whip frantically.

Those were his last words. A curved dagger pierced his heart and the carriage lurched, out of control. The ropes tightened and the carriage tipped over.

With his curved sword, Ishakan slashed the neck of an approaching knight. There was a cruel smile on his face. It was difficult to control his nature at the sight of blood, and his instincts would only become more frantic with more killing.

His golden eyes glittered from a mask of red blood. A knight who met his eyes backed away in fright, but a rope caught him by the neck and dragged him from his horse. The one-sided slaughter continued, and Ishakan’s body was stained with blood.

Finally, he looked to the overturned carriage, where a small woman was struggling to push open the damaged door. He couldn’t help smiling. She should be frightened, but she wasn’t hiding. Instead she was trying to get out and look around to understand her situation. It suited her.

There were no more obstacles blocking his path. Slowly, he led his horse toward her, and Leah’s eyes widened. Her beautiful purple eyes trembled.

“Why…?”

Her silvery eyelashes, her thick, finely curved lips, her soft voice…all very charming.

He couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed her and held her in his arms. The moment he held her slender body, her soft, sweet scent reached his nose. It was a scent that soothed even his violent nature. A feeling of complete contentment filled his body.

My light, my salvation.

My bride.

“Don’t you remember?” Ishakan smiled brightly, unable to contain his growing joy. “Didn’t I say I’d ruin your life?”