Chapter 5 – [Part 1]
A few weeks passed by quickly.
Kainer was constantly greedy for Saye. He would wake her even when she was about to fall asleep, forcing her to eat at least one of the food he brought for her before tucking her in. Thanks to that, Saye gained more weight these days. She was skinny, but what she considered as her unsightly body was growing moderately plump. Enin rejoiced as if it were her own business, since she was in a position where she could never force Saye to eat, so she was glad that Kainer took care of Saye.
“I will be leaving the palace for a week.”
“What?”
That day, after finishing another tiring round of making love, he caught Saye as she was getting about to pass out, and made her lean onto his arms. As Kainer fed her nutritious food like sliced fruit and shredded lamb, nodded and swallowed whatever she was fed like a baby bird. He knew that she ate and went to sleep right away, so he never fed her until her stomach was too full.
“The Sultan, ah, my Father, I’ve identified his whereabouts.”
Kainer comforted her as Saye flinched at the mention of the former Sultan.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m just trying to bring it to an end.”
“What do you mean by end?”
“When he dies, you’ll become my flower.”
A son that would kill his father. Only after hearing those words, Saye remembered that Kainer was a cold-hearted tyrant who even cut down his own flesh and blood. He was such a gentle and kind person to her, but what made him this way? Kainer clicked his tongue as she bowed her head, shutting her mouth as she refused to be fed more food.
“Why are you doing this? You know that you can’t sleep without eating all of this.”
“Are you really going to be alone, Lord Kainer? I thought…”
“Do you feel sorry for me?”
Kainer handed the bowl to a servant, who then took the bowl and walked out without a sound. The Sultan’s bedroom was guarded by escorts and attendants, so they watched everything. However, Kainer knew that saying that would only make her uncomfortable, so inside the bedroom, it was always only Saye and Kainer there.
“How dare I feel such a thing to you, Lord Kainer.”
Kainer was satisfied with her being able to call his name affectionately when it was only the two of them in the room.
“Then?”
“It’s just… because it’s lonely that Lord Kainer is all by himself…”
“Are you still thinking of leaving me?”
Saye didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure of anything now. For Kainer, she couldn’t be the only woman he’d have. Soon, this harem would be full again, and she would lose his favor one day and return to the place where she was lonely. As she looked down at his hand that held her waist, he pushed Saye down as she tried to get up.
How could the women of the harem tolerate such a thing?
It was at that moment that she understood how concubines of the former Sultan felt. They were always jealous as they struggled not to lose his favor, resorting to doing all kinds of harmful things. Distorting each other’s faces, even going as far as killing another woman when the Sultan’s favor shifted. She didn’t want to be like that.
“As long as Miss Saye doesn’t leave. You can stay by my side for the rest of your life. Then I won’t be alone.”
She would age, too. The Sultan’s favor, though it may last a long time, would only stay while they were young.
“I’ll be by your side as long as Lord Kainer needs me. Instead, if you don’t favor me anymore, please allow me to the palace.”
She didn’t want to go back to that dark room. She had already given her heart to those who took good care of her and the warm sunshine here. Once she’d lose Kainer’s favour, she would rather leave the palace and go to the desert rather than return to that dark place.
“Are you still thinking of taking chances? I’ll never let you go. Even if you cry and beg till you lose your breath, I won’t hear it.”
“Why… I don’t quite understand. Why does Lord Kainer honor and respect me? I’m from a lowly nomadic background and I have nothing at all.”
At that, Kainer smiled softly. She really didn’t remember?
Five years ago, he threw everything away. His attachment to his flesh and blood, his desire to live quietly. The moment his flesh and blood also stabbed him, a stranger—Saye—saved him.
“Why can’t I treat you badly, why did I become a Sultan for you—that’s what Miss Saye should think about.”
It would probably take a long time for her to find out. Because she was locked up in that dark room and didn’t know how the palace worked.
Placing his lips over her nape as if he were marking her, he wondered what it would be like to put his own brand on every corner of her body. It would be good if she’d put the same brand on him to make it feel like they belonged to each other every time they saw it.
But he didn’t want to see her suffer from the stigma. With this conflict within his heart, he put off the thought of branding behind him for a while.
“I really don’t know.”
“It’s fine. I’m not trying to blame you.”
Back then, when he had seen the fair-skinned little girl who was staring at him, he thought that he had already passed away and saw nothing. Otherwise, a living person couldn’t be so pale.
He embraced her tighter.
“Wait for me here. I have something to tell you when I come back.”
“Yes.”
Kainer had come to see Saye everyday, so her heart seemed to feel empty at the thought of not seeing him for a week. However, Saye didn’t show this and instead nodded her head. How lonely would the palace be without him?
She lived a long time lonely and alone without him until recently, so Saye had previously given up. But now, she didn’t want to give up this warm embrace that held onto her tightly.
“Please come and hold me like this again.”
At that, Kainer buried his face on her shoulder and burst into laughter.
“I know it’s not what you meant when you said that, but I’m happy and sad that those words came out of your own lips.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ll interpret it in my own way, that request to hold you.”
Kainer’s hand went into the thin hem of the robe that he had just put on after finishing their lovemaking. Saye’s face reddened as she belatedly remembered the second meaning of the word ‘hold’.
“Your nape also turned red.”
Kainer said sarcastically while kissing the base of her neck.
“Please have pity on me for not seeing you for a week.”
“Unngg… Lord Kainer.”
“I know it’s putting a lot of pressure on your body, but please accept me anyway. Have pity on me.”
She had no intention of pushing him away in the first place since he emphasized his pity. Rather, it was because she wanted to hold onto him as she thought that she wouldn’t see him for an entire week.
“I filled it up and it seems to have overflowed.”
He said as he traced Saye’s entrance, where his fluids were flowing.
“I’ll fill it up again. So that your insides won’t be empty.”
Saye leaned back on the soft cushion. In the dim light, Kainer’s figure, which was slowly getting closer, was even more threatening. But just as he asked, Saye did not push him away but she instead grabbed Kainer’s arm and pulled him in.
“P-please do that.”
Kainer’s sharp eyes softened. It was easy to tell from her voice that Saye was gathering all her courage. He felt that he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stand the brief separation. For now, this was enough.
“How?”
“Please fill it up with Lord Kainer’s.”
“Obviously this time, you know what that means and you’re seducing me, right?”
“Yes, I do. I know.”
It’s like she was a piece of the silver moon. Every time he saw her under the glow of the night, it felt as if she was about to disappear. Maybe he really got a moon fairy. Perhaps one of those fragments that fell from the moon by mistake had transformed into a person.
Afraid of losing her from his grasp, Kainer dug into Saye.
He filled her moist insides immediately. An embrace would never be enough. Only when their bodies were connected that he could finally feel respite. Obviously, the woman moaning beneath him was a human being. As long as she was human, he realized that she wouldn’t be able to escape him.
“Unngg… uhk…”
“I put it in right away without any preparation, but now you can take me in quite well.”
“Heuk… I’m, I’m embarrassed.”
“It’s all right. I like that look even more. It’s proof that you have a body that fits me perfectly.”
Kissing all over her face, Kainer looked down at Saye lovingly. He stayed inside her all night long, tenderly moving back and forth inside her.