Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 2 | Bloody Dating (2)

One side of the man's cheek was red. It's from blood wounds that haven't healed yet.

[ — ] “I have to deal with something urgent, so I came late. Please sit.”

The man reached out his hand and pointed to one of the empty seats.

…calm. Just breathe.

It seemed that there had been a battle, but even so, the Tiwakan leader arrived at the promised location. Whatever happened didn't seem to mean anything to him.

[ Rienne ] “I greet Tiwakan's head. I wonder what could happen so delay our meeting and make your partner wait.”

[ — ] “..Something unexpected happens.”

… As he thought. The reinforcements have arrived.

Rienne bit her lips so that she would not smile instinctively.

[Rienne ] “If it's a surprise, then I'm not sure you should spend your time with me, Mr. Tiwakan. We can always postpone this meeting at a later date. We will contact you again when your business is in order. ”

Everything was completely different if reinforcements were here.

Nauk was given a chance to fight, not roll over and surrender. As if having the same thought, Weroz's eyes brightened.

The man, the same one who came with blood on his face with the intention to propose, simply wiped his cheek; completely unaffected by the situation.

[ — ] “Nothing.”

After he rubbed his cheeks, there was blood on his hands.

…stomach blood.

Rienne's eyes narrowed involuntarily and she took a step back. The blood could belong to someone from Nauk.

The man walked towards Rienne, his gaze piercing her.

[ — ] “Should I ask for your answer now?”

Rienne gritted her teeth so that she would not tremble.

[ Rienne ] “I..”.

Even now, his eyes were like wild beasts. Just seeing them made his tongue curl up inside him.

The man looked at Rienne as if he was catching her before looking back and calling someone outside.

[ — ] “Bawa.”

[ Mercenary ] “Ya, Tuanku.”

Someone quickly replied, as if the Tiwakan Charge Army was outside waiting for his orders.

Whirr.

As soon as the curtain was pulled back, a male monk entered.

There was a sword in his hand.

It was a long sword with various gems and jewels embedded in its hilt. Usually, it was the type of sword that was usually used by knights from noble families.

[ Rienne ] “This..”.

Rienne's face paled like the light of dawn. Seeing what he was doing, Weroz gasped.

This was the sword used by the knights of the Arsak family. It was the same sword worn on the waist of his departed lover, promising to return in ten days.

…He died.

There's blood on the sword. It was the same color as the blood on the man's cheek.

[ — ] “There was a surprise attack, but nothing to worry about. It's all taken care of.”

His voice was low and dry. It carried no emotion as it passed through Rienne's ears.

[ — ] “So, your answer to that proposal?”

 

* * *

It can only mean one thing.

He no longer had a choice.

There will be no reinforcements. His lover, the one who should have brought them to him, is dead.

Killed by the barbarians standing in front of him.

[ Rienne ] “..First...”.

Rienne faced Tiwakan's head with a table between them, slowly opening her mouth to speak.

At that moment, he had no choice but to get rid of the thought of his dead lover. He had no time to mourn her. The main priority is to get out of this situation alive.

Things have changed in an instant. No longer just a proposal. Just as Rienne said she would accept, reinforcements have arrived. It was as if he had planned it long ago.

You might think he set a trap. It was possible that the barbarians would slit his throat right then and there to make him pay for this betrayal.

[ Rienne ] “I hope You..will remember your manners, Mr. Tiwakan.”.

His voice is not flat. After saying a word, he felt like a moment from tearing his throat.

The man's eyes moved slowly.

[ — ] “Crama order?”

[Rienne ] “In Nauk, it is considered impolite to put a weapon on the table where a proposal will be discussed.”

[ — ] “. . .”

His eyes stopped moving as he passed through Rienne's face. Having to sit still while avoiding his gaze made him feel humiliated and frightened.

It was probably because of his beast eyes.

He was a very strong person, looking at him from top to bottom as if he was a weak and vulnerable prey.

[ — ] “Then.”

Clangs!

Tiwakan's head gently pushed the sword from the table and onto the floor. It was a sword that he used to cut off a person's neck, but he pushed it as if it had nothing to do with him.

[ — ] “I don't mean insensitive. It's not my sword, so I don't plan on using it, but it's good just in case.”

Rienne clutched her hands tightly under the table. He could feel his nails sticking out of his palms.

[ Rienne ] “What do you mean by ‘keep’?”

[ — ] “You can change your mind and reject my proposal, Princess.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

How much does he know?

Although his eyes were clear, they did not reveal anything from his mind. He couldn't say what he was thinking at all.

[ — ] “People who have ever held this sword are the main reason you want to reject it, right?”

[ Rienne ] “Dia..”.

He took a few short breaths.

So he knows too. It was the commander of Arsak's family entourage who led the attack on him, which meant Rienne was struggling to find a way to reject his proposal.

[ — ] “She won't be back.”

When he said it, it sounded like a declaration of war even though he was talking casually.

It was as if he was telling her that there was no way out. That he should give him an answer.

[ — ] “So, your answer?”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Rienne's fingernails were now piercing her flesh, and the sting of pain helped her return to her senses.

This is no ordinary union.

He's not trying to marry her. He tried to take everything from her. The leader of Tiwakan has taken his beloved, and now he will take Nauk and devour him.

He's got to go.

Rienne has only one card left to play.

The hand he would handle in the name of a lie.

[ Rienne ] “Before that, there is something you should know, Mr. Tiwakan.”

[ — ] “I listen.”

Rienne bit her lips with one hope in her heart.

Please, let him be fooled by this lie.

[Rienne ] “The owner of the sword is the knight commander of the Arsak family, and also my love. I'm sure you already know that, as you proposed. ”

[ — ] “I know.”

[ — ] “. . .”

His eyes were more akin to animals than humans because they glittered in the light.

[ Rienne ] “And now I'm with son.”

So Rienne revealed the last card he had. There was no doubt in his mind that he had no choice but to withdraw from this game after hearing about it.

 

[ Weroz ] “Princess.”.

Weroz stood behind Rienne, his pale lips slightly opened. He could feel the tension stabbing his entire body.

Having another boy is a clear rejection. A man with any degree of decency would accept defeat and retreat.

But Rienne's opponent was a barbarian.

Weroz could not ignore the possibility that barbarians could run amok because of humiliation. If that happens, Weroz prepares to protect Rienne with her body if necessary.

But the beast-like man did not flip the table or attack anyone with a knife as he had anticipated.

[ — ] “.. So.”

Hearing the unexpected news, the man tilted his head to the side, curiosity tugging at his lips.

[Rienne ] “What you want from this proposal, Lord Tiwakan, is the joint sovereignty of Nauk. But as you know, the throne of Nauk belongs to the blood of Arsak. Even if you marry me, my son will be the next King. Blood will not flow in his veins.”

Rienne spoke without taking a breath.

That was his best assumption about Tiwakan's motives. The reason why the Tiwakan mercenaries, who swept through the battlefield easily, suddenly came to the small southern castle that had nothing to offer them, and demanded marriage.

He might want to stay as king.

With no more wars to fight, there were not many options for mercenaries. They would return home with their spoils, or roam the country looking for work by looting.

Or they could absorb a small kingdom. As a conqueror, he can either be king himself or marry a member of the existing royal family to gain sovereignty.

But there's a problem.

In order to fully become part of the royal family, he had to continue his lineage. As Rienne had said, everything would be in vain if a child who was not his own became the next great king. He will live and die as nothing more than the husband of a princess.

Tiwakan's head frowned.

The frown on his face was the only sign of displeasure on his expressionless face.

[ — ] “...It was more than I expected.”

He spoke to himself calmly.

Rienne could only hold her breath as she thought about her words.

Suddenly, his fierce predator-like eyes turned towards him.

[ — ] “If I acknowledge his birthright, will you marry me?”

[ Rienne ] “...Excuse me?”

Expecting rejection, Rienne's eyes blinked with total confusion.

Weroz is no different. Just a moment ago, he busied himself with ideas on how to deal with the son of the God of War, the head of Tiwakan, if things went south, but now his mouth gaped in shock.

[ — ] “Then you can just give birth.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

[ — ] “In exchange, I'll take you, Princess.”

The proposal was accepted. It was a situation he could not understand at all.

* * *

[ — ] “See you.”

Chief Tiwakan is now engaged to the Princess thanks to a marriage proposal, so Weroz cannot tell her to back down or not to touch Nauk's daughter.

Rienne gritted her teeth and took a step back.

[ Rienne ] “We are still strangers to each other, so I have to reject.”

Rienne stood back with Weroz.

The sound of the man walking towards where his horse was placed made him goosebumps.

[ — ] “You will get used to it in the end. You must.”

[ Rienne ] “I..”.

[ — ] “Hold my hand.”

Head Tiwakan reached out to him.

Looking at his hands, he could not help feeling as if their appearance was truly a contradiction.

It was a hand that did not hesitate to kill others like an animal tearing apart its food. It was the hand of someone who still had blood on his face, but also looked straight.

There were clear calluses on his palms due to the wear and tear of holding a sword, but his long, stretched fingers were as smooth as the fingers of nobles.

Perhaps if there was blood on his hands, he could use cleanliness as an excuse and reject it, but they were impeccably clean.

[ Rienne ] “..Alright.”

Gathering her courage, Rienne placed her fingertips on her palm.

But the Tiwakan chieftain did not pull his hand and held it, instead moving to place his other hand on Rienne's waist.

[ Rienne ] “..Ah.”

Rienne instinctively flinched as she easily lifted him into the air with one hand and placed him in the saddle of her horse.

Everything happened so quickly, Rienne felt her head was still in the clouds.

Before Rienne could think of taking control, the man grabbed her hand and tapped her palm with his finger.

[ Rienne ] “Oh.”

[ — ] “You're injured.”

The stinging pain pulled Rienne from her daze.

It was ever since he dug out his own palm and accidentally tore through his flesh. Obviously he had done it for himself just by looking at it.

Without thinking, Rienne tried to hide her hand, but the man kept holding her.

[ — ] “Thank you for being patient.”

[ Rienne ] “Hah..?”.

[ — ] “I ask you to last more in the future. You will get used to it someday. ”

After speaking softly, the man lowered his head and pressed his lips against Rienne's torn palm.

[ Rienne ]”. .”

It was such an unexpected thing that Rienne could only stare at the man with her lips slightly opened as the afternoon sun glanced at him.

His brightly colored eyes glistened in the sunlight.

* * *

[ Phermos ] “What do you think?”

As soon as Nauk's daughter was completely lost from sight, Phermos quickly spoke up, as if he had been waiting for an opportunity to express his displeasure.

[ Phermos ] “I can't believe... little boy! Don't you want to take Nauk for yourself? You desperately want to have it, you fight and bleed for it, and choose a proposal. Is that true?”

As an aide, Phermos was a very intelligent person.

The strange glass lens placed on the metal frame was not stuck to his nose for no reason. He read more than enough and, as a result, had a lot of knowledge. He had ideas and thoughts that no other human would dare to dream of.

So when the head of Tiwakan suddenly decides to descend upon the southern castle to propose and marry a ruined royal princess, Phermos assumes their leader wants to rule.

He had been wandering the battlefield for too long. Maybe he just wants to rest.

With that thought, Fermos followed him without question.

After all, for the Tiwakan Charge Army, besieging and isolating a castle with a few troops was not a waste.

Their opponents in this fight would only give up. Mercenaries often practice their table manners and make jokes like, ‘If our master becomes King, does that make us nobles?’

But an illegitimate child?

Will he accept a child who does not have a drop of his blood? A child who will only cause problems in the future?

Where is the logic in that choice?

[ — ] “You're not wrong. I do want Nauk.”

[ Phermos ] “Then it's not too late. Don't give up on taking power. No matter what you want, they are powerless to resist. Even they will understand the consequences of saying no to you.”

As the man turned around to see where princess Nauk had disappeared to, Phermos could not help feeling as if his eyes looked different than usual.

Whatever answer he took from him flowed like the river Ebet on Nauk. A completely dry river.

[ — ] “Which I want includes him.”