The Sand Bride

* * *

Karzhen’s younger brother, Hakan, and his group set out when the desert sand was like silver dust and arrived at Karzhen’s location when it shone like gold.

After a brief welcome from those who came to greet him, Hakan immediately sought out his older brother, the leader of the group. Standing in front of the tent, he grimaced at the sounds coming from inside even before the door was opened.

Could he really have been rolling around with a woman since last night? Hakan wondered, but his subordinate had assured him that it had been quiet since dawn, as if Karzhen had been sleeping.

If that was the case, it was clear that he had brought the woman back in the morning and was playing with her again. Well, it wasn’t surprising. In the prime of his youth, with no other women in the group except her, and her being quite attractive, it wasn’t something to fuss about.

But for Hakan, who had stayed up all night to join the group, it was undoubtedly irritating.

He tried to wait, but the continuous sobbing pushed him to shake the bell hanging on the tent, signaling that someone had arrived.

“Brother. It’s Hakan.”

The moaning abruptly stopped. The tent door opened, and as Karzhen stepped out, Hakan bowed his head in greeting.

“Oh, Hakan. You’re earlier than I expected.”

“I stayed up all night to get here.”

Hakan replied calmly, glancing inside the tent. He saw a white female body sprawled on the ground like a crumpled rag. Her sand-colored hair was tangled and spilled across the floor. His eyes traced the handprints marking her back, and he clicked his tongue.

“Is that the woman?”

“Who? Oh, that?”

Noticing Hakan’s glance at Esther, Karzhen strode over to her, still lying on the ground. Esther, who had just been taking him from behind, exhaled weakly and let out a short scream as his hands lifted her.

Realizing someone else was at the tent entrance, she hurriedly tried to cover her nakedness, but Karzhen was faster. He tossed Esther onto the bed, adjusted his half-lowered pants, and followed Hakan outside.

The smell of sweat and something indescribable made Hakan click his tongue again.

“What was so urgent that you had to do it on the ground……?”

“Enough nagging. It’s not like I was sleeping, so what does it matter if it was the ground or the bed?”

“…….”

Well, that’s true……. Hakan shrugged. He was a sturdy man himself, and the lack of a woman to relieve his desires during the journey had left him pent up. As if knowing this, Karzhen chuckled and playfully patted Hakan’s shoulder.

“Your body’s all tense. Didn’t you have any living women on your side?”

“They all died on the way, probably from illness. So, are you planning to take her to the palace?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

At Karzhen’s words, Hakan raised an eyebrow. If Karzhen, who had neither a wife nor a concubine, was considering taking her, it must mean he was quite taken with her.

Perhaps it was just the pent-up desires from the journey, but even Hakan, who wasn’t particularly indulgent with women, felt his lower body stiffen at the sight of her nakedness. Karzhen, of course, needed no explanation.

If I had known this would happen, I would’ve kept at least one of the captives alive. Clicking his tongue, Hakan shrugged and said.

“Anyway, let’s wrap things up today and get moving.”

“Alright. Got it.”

Karzhen waved his hand as if to say he understood and to stop the nagging. Hakan glanced inside the tent once more before following him out. They had to set out again immediately after arriving, but there was no other choice.

They had to pass through the greatest barrier on the way to the capital—a place called the Ring of Hell.

* * *

They saw hell.

On the first day passing through the region aptly named the Ring of Hell, the captives truly believed they had. The sandstorm was so fierce it felt like it was digging into their flesh, and their feet sank so deeply into the sand that moving forward was nearly impossible.

The sandstorm was so violent that the ground and sky became indistinguishable. The captives fell one by one, but the Kemut tribe pressed on without concern.

Esther, the weakest among them, eventually slipped and was buried in the sand. She had no strength to get up. Tears streamed down her face, but the sand stuck to them, only adding to her misery.

She had endured everything to see her family again, but now it seemed she would die here. As Esther sobbed in despair, her mind hazy, a voice interrupted her.

“What are you doing?”

Her body was suddenly lifted into the air. Dangling like a sack by the scruff of her neck, Esther struggled to focus her blurry vision.

Through the sandstorm, she saw familiar patterns on clothing and skin. Black hair tied to one side fluttered in the wind, but the golden eyes visible through the gap in the headscarf and face covering were sharp and clear, showing no sign of fatigue.

“I’ve played with you more than the others, and this is how you end up.”

Tsk tsk. Karzhen clicked his tongue as he looked down at Esther in his grip. He shook off the sand clinging to her tear-streaked face as if brushing dirt off an object.