Predatory Marriage — Chapter 38

YOU SEEM QUITE CONCERNED, ISHAKAN.

WELL, YOU KNOW HOW I WAS ONCE ABANDONED LIKE THEY WERE.

THEY WERE ONLY RECENTLY FREED FROM THE SLAVE MARKET, SO IT WILL TAKE THEM SOME TIME TO READJUST.

REGARDLESS, IT'S FORTUNATE THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEIR COMING-OF-AGE CEREMONY NOW.

IF NOT, THEY WOULD'VE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO GROW PROPERLY.

IN ANY CASE, YOU WERE TOO HARSH ON LUCIAN EARLIER.

IF YOU COULD TELL ME THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO SAVED ME,

I'D LIKE TO MARRY HER IN A PREDATORY MARRIAGE.

IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU DIDN'T...

I WAS AS SCARED AS HE WAS!

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE PRINCESS?

THANKS TO THE DISCUSSION AROUND THE RIGHT OF SUCCESSION, MARGRAVE OBERDE IS ALREADY CARRYING HIMSELF AS IF HE'S BECOME KING.

HE PROBABLY THINKS HE CAN SEIZE THE THRONE

IF HE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF HIS MILITARY STRENGTH, WEALTH, AND THE ROYAL FAMILY'S CUSTOMS.

HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS...

SO HAVE YOU DECIDED WHAT TO DO WITH THE QUEEN?

IF SHE'S A SOVARI SORCERESS...

THE BRAINWASHING MUST'VE BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE, SO IT'S BOUND TO BE POWERFUL.

MOREOVER, IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT SHE STOPPED WITH JUST THE KING.

I WANT TO LIVE!

BRING MORAKHEN TO ME, HABAN.

BUT IF WE DO THAT, WE'LL LOSE THE SOVARIS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING!

THAT'S TRUE, BUT THIS MATTER IS MORE URGENT.

BESIDES,

I FEEL LIKE GRANTING HIS WISH.

SAY,

DO YOU FIGURE THE BARBARIAN KING ENJOYS HUNTING TOO?

I WOULD WAGER THAT HE DOES SINCE HIS PEOPLE COME FROM A LOWLY PEDIGREE.

FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, THEY CHASE AFTER WILD BEASTS NOT WITH WEAPONS BUT WITH THEIR BARE HANDS.

E-EXCELLENT SHOT,

YOUR HIGHNESS!

HAVE THIS SENT TO THE QUEEN'S QUARTERS.

PERHAPS IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO GO HUNTING WITH THEM.

I SHALL TELL MY MOTHER ABOUT IT.

AH...

AHH! HNGH!

YES...!

THAT'S SO GOOD!

AH, AHH!

HNGH!

HAA...

HAA...

BLAINE?

THAT TOOK SOME TIME...

PERHAPS IT WAS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE MAGIC, BUT HE JUST COULDN'T GET IT UP.

DID YOU WAIT FOR LONG? YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD'VE JUST COME IN.

HOW COULD I HAVE BARGED IN KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT YOU WERE DOING?

WELL, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH PREFERABLE TO WASTING MY SON'S PRECIOUS TIME.

WHAT IS IT?

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO MAKE LEAH LIKE THAT, TOO?

THERE'S NO NEED.

I'VE ALREADY BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THE HUNTING PARTY.

THOSE BARBARIANS WILL SURELY BE KEEPING AN EYE ON ME, SO WE'D BEST DESIGNATE A LOCATION TO MEET THEM.

MOTHER.

IF I HAD YOU SENT TO BE BURNT AT THE STAKE,

WOULD YOU STILL PRAISE ME THEN?

OF COURSE, BLAINE.

KNOWING YOU, YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE HAD A REASON FOR DOING THAT.

IF YOU NEED MY CORPSE, I'D GLADLY GIVE IT TO YOU.

TAKE THE CROWN FOR YOURSELF,

MY BELOVED SON.

DAY OF THE HUNTING PARTY

HAVE I ARRIVED TOO EARLY?

LEAH.

DID YOU BRING WHAT I ASKED FOR?

YES, HERE.

I BROUGHT THE FIRST HANDKERCHIEF I FOUND LYING AROUND IN MY QUARTERS,

BUT IT SHOULD BE FINE, RIGHT?

HOW DOES A NICE RACK OF ANTLERS SOUND?

OR WOULD YOU PREFER A FOXTAIL?

NO... A WOLF WOULD BE BEST, WOULD IT NOT?

I'M AFRAID I'M NOT FOND OF WOLVES.

PLEASE...

CATCH ME A FOX.

ALL RIGHT, LEAH.

JUST YOU WAIT. I'LL CATCH YOU THE BIGGEST ONE THAT I FIND.

PLEASE...

HIE!

LET NOTHING GO AWRY TODAY...

I WAS HOPING TO GIVE THIS TO ISHAKAN,

BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE.

WILL I BE ABLE TO MEET HIM BEFORE THE HUNT BEGINS?

HELLO THERE,

LEAH.