The Sand Bride - Side Story 2.6

The officiating was excessively short. It was very characteristic of Gharyam. However, as if what is asked during officiating is the same in any country, the priest asked Esther and Karzhen for eternal affection, kindness, and trust, and Esther hesitated, unable to answer.

Then, Karzhen gripped her interlaced hand strongly. He had already answered and was looking at Esther.

He didn’t say the words ‘Do it’ aloud, but he was clearly demanding it with his gaze. Esther swallowed dryly. Even though it was clearly a clear day, she felt dizzy, as if her head were spinning.

Esther hesitated, feeling as if the answer she had to give was like giving permission for herself to be stored somewhere she could never escape once she entered, and where she must not escape.

Even though the bride’s thin silk clothes and veil were clearly well-ventilated and offered no difficulty in breathing, Esther harbored an instinctive anxiety to the point that she felt as if she were imprisoned.

But was it? Perhaps not. In the midst of that dizziness, reality crept in, and as she looked at Karzhen’s large hand gripping hers with strength, she felt comforted, as if being told to think of other possibilities.

Esther thought of her mother’s letters. She thought of what she had said to her father. She didn’t want to cause them worry. She didn’t want to share her unhappiness. She hoped that the happiness and peace of her loved ones would be preserved forever.

“It’s okay.”

So she clearly said so, and,

“It will be okay.”

She summoned the courage to believe so.

She felt the dizziness subsiding. Karzhen was still looking down at her silently. Even though the guests were stirring at the silent bride’s reaction, he was looking only at Esther like a man for whom such things didn’t matter at all.

‘Ah.’

Esther took a short breath. She did not forget that this man, who was vowing eternal affection, kindness, and trust to her, was the man who had been like eternal despair, fear, and pain to her in this world. The past was distinct and memories could not be forgotten. The fact that she could not grip his interlaced hand back was the proof of that.

However, even if Esther didn’t grip his hand back, she eventually nodded.

That was her courage, and the future she had chosen.

* * *

She woke up to the sound of birds chirping.

Even with her mind in a daze, Esther realized from the sound of breathing felt behind the nape of her neck that Karzhen had already woken up a long time ago. This large man, who was embracing her from behind like a trap, had sharp ears. He probably woke up as soon as a bird chirped a couple of times in the morning.

‘Should I sleep more…….’

Esther blinked her half-closed eyelids a couple of times, falling into a brief dilemma.

What completely woke her from her deliberation over whether to sleep again or not was the heavy hand placed on her stomach. The touch lightly stroking her was awkward and cautious.

Esther staggered as she raised her body. Then, as if the trap were opening, Karzhen spread his arms that had been embracing her and followed Esther in getting up from his spot.

At the movement on the bed, a bird made a noisy sound once more. The sunlight also pecked at her eyes, making them sting. Esther rubbed her eyes and let out a small yawn.

As she took a deep breath, she could see the belly part of her broad nightgown bulging in a curve. It was no longer a thin and flat belly, but a small but protruding one.

“If you want to sleep more, sleep more.”

Seeing Esther still looking half-asleep, Karzhen said as he closed the window. Along with a rattling sound, the morning sunlight was blocked, but Esther shook her head. She didn’t want to sleep anymore.

She had work to do in the morning. First, she had to greet her father, and there was also one thing in particular she wanted to ask of him.

“I’m fine. I’m not sleepy.”

“You were sleeping like the world had ended. And they say it’s good for a pregnant woman to sleep a lot.”

“I really slept a lot……. I’ll sleep more if I’m tired.”

Esther got up completely from the bed. Karzhen hovered behind her, sticking to her like a tag.

He repeatedly peeked in even when the servants were changing their clothes and preparing breakfast. However, because it was already such a routine occurrence, the servants silently did their work without letting Karzhen’s presence obstruct their view.

It was around the time a year was passing after the wedding that Esther became pregnant. Her frame was still small, but it was after she had recovered her health thanks to good food and lifestyle.

Above all, by exchanging letters with her mother in her homeland and meeting with her father, Esther was able to find much mental stability. Since her mind was at ease and what was provided was abundant, Esther was truly able to return to her former physical condition.

It was such a peaceful life, but that didn’t mean there were no points weighing on her mind at all. Esther sometimes felt depressed thinking about Bianca. Esther continued to search for Bianca, but Bianca was nowhere to be seen.

She didn’t come to see her, and even when Esther asked the servants, they would just keep their mouths shut and give an answer with a troubled face that it wasn’t something they could do. Karzhen was the same.

“That woman has already left this country after getting what she wanted.”