The Sand Bride - Chapter 23

The Aldana Temple was completely different from the temples in the Kingdom of Donova, Esther’s homeland.

To Esther, temples had always been warm, familiar places—filled with kind priests, orphaned children under their care, small soup kitchens, and prayer rooms that stirred something in her chest. But the moment she stepped into the Aldana Temple, her breath caught in her throat.

The structure, built of cold, heavy stone and iron, exuded a solemn and chilling atmosphere. The priests, regardless of age or gender, wore expressionless faces, dressed in plain white robes, and donned black stone-embedded headbands that made anyone who saw them shrink back.

As the door creaked shut behind her, Esther trembled violently, feeling as if she had been sealed inside a coffin. The others sold alongside her seemed to feel the same, forcing the priests to hurry them along. They walked across the hard stone floor without making a sound.

“First…….”

Though Esther couldn’t tell where the doors led, the priest guiding the slaves stopped at a certain point. There, she faintly caught the scent of warm water. The priest lifted his chin, scanning the slaves.

“You must be cleansed.”

True to his words, the first thing the priests did upon arriving at the temple was scrub and wash the newly purchased slaves until not a speck of dirt remained. Water was scarce in the desert, but not in the capital and its surrounding cities, blessed by the great river and oases.

Of course, not everyone could indulge in the luxury of bathing—but the Aldana Temple was not so lacking in water that they would tolerate filth on offerings meant for their kings. Before long, the slaves were washed, dressed in fresh clothes, and smelling pleasant.

Stripped of their grime, even those who had shed tears or glared defiantly now looked presentable, their noble origins evident. The priest’s eyes softened with satisfaction—until a young man among the slaves, a foreigner like Esther, spoke up.

“Wh-what will happen to us now……?”

Those unfamiliar with Gharyam’s customs turned to the priest with hopeful eyes. The priest answered indifferently.

“You will serve the Sayar and the two kings.”

“What does that mean?”

This time, a young woman with sharp features and striking beauty spoke, her face stiff.

“Are you saying we’re to become their communal w****s?”

The blunt question made everyone flinch. The priest frowned down at the woman, her question unbefitting a slave, but then snorted and replied,

“Who said anything about offering your bodies? You will bare everything before them—your wisdom, your strength—and pledge your loyalty. If you wish to live, you must show them all you have without holding back.”

The priest’s gaze swept over the young women before he tilted his chin up again.

“Of course, if what you have to offer is that body of yours, so be it. Remember this, you insolent girl—your body and mind now belong to our Sayar and the two kings.”

“…….”

“And if they do not choose you… you are not worth keeping alive. Understood?”

The woman bit her lip but, realizing her powerlessness, lowered her eyes to the floor with a resigned expression.

Such arrogance in a slave’s eyes……. The priest studied her, his face troubled. She needed to be broken in, but word had come that the two kings and the Sayar would arrive that evening—there was no time.

Damn those greedy slavers. Cursing the merchants for not providing usable slaves sooner, the priest straightened and shut the door. The large chamber plunged into darkness, lit only by a single oil lamp.

Esther, curled in a corner, hugged her knees. She had thought her tear ducts were empty, her eyelids swollen and red—but the priest’s words about being killed if unchosen threatened to bring fresh tears. As she clenched her teeth to hold them back, a shadow fell over her.

“Are you crying?”

The woman looking down at her was the same one who had boldly questioned the priest earlier. Up close, Esther could see her beautiful silver hair and clear blue eyes, momentarily forgetting her fear.

The woman had been the last to appear at the slave auction—stunningly beautiful, with an air of nobility. It was hard to believe someone like her had become a slave.

After studying Esther, the woman offered a faint smile.

“Your clothes and features… you’re from the Kingdom of Donova, aren’t you? I’m from there as well. How did you end up here?”

“I…….”

Esther hesitated, recognizing the style of the woman’s clothing. Admitting to a fellow countryman that she had been betrayed felt too shameful. Sensing her reluctance, the woman shook her head gently and sat beside her.

“It’s alright. Everyone has things they’d rather not speak of. You don’t have to answer. I was just glad to see someone from home—don’t overthink it.”

“Thank you…….”

Esther nodded cautiously, struck by the woman’s refined speech. Her gentle tone only deepened the mystery of how someone like her had ended up in this state.

Everything about her—her appearance, her bearing—suggested she was no commoner. But it would be rude to pry when she hadn’t answered herself, so Esther swallowed her curiosity and folded her hands in her lap.

The woman kept watching her. The scrutiny made Esther fidget, but strangely, her presence was also comforting—the tears no longer threatened to spill.

Just as the woman opened her mouth to speak again—

“You there. Come out.”