Lovers Beyond the Mirror - Chapter 11

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 11 – Desert Bride (6)

Seriana shook her head at his friendly voice and looked at Vaisha’s face.

All she knew about this marriage was the fact that Chaitun had asked for a princess. And, all she had heard was the King’s threat that he would not forgive her if she was caught…

‘I was told that if they found out that I was a fake princess, they’d hit my mother and myself in the neck… They told me to kill myself rather than be found out.’

It was the King and the nobles of Rajen who decided to deceive Vaisha and the people of Chaitun.

However, the responsibility was entirely Seriana’s…

Although she considered it unfair, Seriana could not refuse.

“I’ve heard rumors that some of the Rajen royals have pale purple hair.”

“The former Queen… So, it is said that it was passed down from her grandmother. She died at a young age and I only saw her in portraits.”

“It is said that Helaim’s firstborn, the Goddess of the desert, Ranua, also had light purple hair.”

“Yes…?”

“Ranua is a word that refers to the Queen of Chaitun, though it also refers to a goddess with pure white skin, light green eyes, and the scent of lily flowers. How is it? Can you guess?”

“I—”

“Chaitun was divided a hundred years ago, and I am trying to unite the fragmented desert together.”

“Yes, I know.”

A man who was born of a prophecy that the winds blowing from all directions in the desert would unite as one, a bloodline of the royal family, a child of a god, and already called a god in itself.

Vaisha was the only King of the desert born in a hundred years.

Recalling what she had heard from Chiarin while she came across the desert, Seriana quietly waited for Vaisha’s next words.

“It is easy to conquer by force. But that alone cannot predict the future.”

“You had to find another way.”

“Yes.”

Ironically, Seriana was genuinely relieved by his words.

Her hair and eyes resembled Ranua, so she could come close to him. Born as an illegitimate child of a king, she never imagined that she would be so grateful that she did not receive the king’s love and recognition.

Was the unresponsive god actually caring for her…?

She even had such a funny thought.

“If there is a Ranua who appears as it is in the legend next to Kudra…”

“The bond of the desert will become stronger.”

Although it was broken into pieces a hundred years ago, the tribes of the desert were still serving Helaim.

They grew up hearing the legend of Kudra and Ranua, the children of Helaim and the first King and Queen of Chaitun.

For those who forgot the name of the old Chaitun but remembered the names of the two Kings, it was clear that Seriana’s existence, which appeared in the same form as the legend, would reach them in various ways.

“I have welcomed you as my Ranua to take advantage of it. Are you offended?”

“No.”

The answer was easy.

She didn’t even have to think about his question.

Seriana sincerely thought it was a relief, and she was also delighted. She was relieved to know that she was useful to someone, that she was needed not by anyone else, though Vaisha and she could smile.

“If I can be of any help, that is enough.”

Vaisha looked straight at Seriana’s face as she responded with a smile.

There was no lie to be found anywhere on the bright face. The way she seemed to say thank you for her usefulness was questionable.

How on earth can she smile so brightly at someone who brazenly says that they are using her?

“Isn’t it something you misunderstood? I said I would definitely take advantage of you…”

“No, I understood it properly.”

For a brief moment, Vaisha, who showed hesitation in front of her, wrapped her hands around Seriana’s little face.

Vaisha slowly opened his mouth, with a serious face that erased Seriana’s smile, who leaned against him, rubbing her face against his wet palm.

“I brought you by force for me and my country. It is not something you should do in a relationship that is lacking even if you receive love and blessings.”

“….”

“It’s not the first thing I want to say about being married, but… Sorry.”

“I am really fine. Rather, I’m glad you told me everything the truth.”

“I’ll do my best in the future.”

“Thank you.”

He hesitated for a moment at the sight of Seriana, who showed no objection to him, then slowly closed and opened his eyes to look at her face.

Vaisha prayed to Helaim that his sincerity was on her own face as he slowly opened his mouth.

“And, here I swear. Even if death comes and leads you or me to the river of the dead first, my Ranua is only Seriana… Only you.”

The oath that flowed from his lips was so sweet that Seriana shut her eyes.

It felt like her whole body was melting, and it was like she was shivering. Can she get this feeling when she’s drunk…?

No, she wouldn’t be able to feel this way even if she was walking on clouds.

Seriana, who had her eyes closed, shivered slightly from the warmth of Vaisha’s voice and the warmth of his hands. It was because the midnight oasis stole her body temperature.

“Let’s just go back. It’s a big deal if you catch a cold.”

Vaisha, who was watching her, lowered his hand and wrapped his arms around Seriana’s waist, and began to walk out of the water.

She gave her waist helplessly at his quick movements, but Seriana’s face began to glow red again.

“Kudra, please let me down. I can walk alone.”

“Is it Kudra again?”

“What?”

“Are you pretending you didn’t know after calling me well a while ago?”

Surprised by his sudden lead into the oasis, she seemed to have remembered the words she had spit out involuntarily.

Seriana’s eyes fluttered, unable to decide whether to be more embarrassed by the fact that she had called out his name without realizing it or the appearance of Vaisha, who was not angry with her.

“I want you to call me by name when it’s just the two of us.”

“Yes…?”

“You are the only one who can call my name, so please.”

“Ah, then… if Kudra allowed…I will…”

“Then, I’ll have to ask you for permission too. May I call your name, my Ranua?”

“Yes. Yes, of course…!”

“I’m glad I got your permission.”

While Seriana was bewildered, the water that had risen to her chest suddenly came down below her ankles. It must have been difficult for her to walk in the water, although as he strode his long legs to land, Vaisha gazed down at her, who had not yet noticed it.

“You’re so small.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll tell them to pay special attention to your diet.”

“No, you don’t have to…”

“It’s only natural for me to care about my queen, so just accept it.”

“….”

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”

Vaisha asked, realizing that the smiling Seriana was looking up at him with a strange face even when he said he would use her.

Meanwhile, Seriana, who hesitated for a moment looking at him like that, gently flapped her lips.

“I’ve been called the Queen since before…”

“Huh? Is that strange?”

“Isn’t it usually called the queen?”

The King’s wife was called the Queen…

So, Ranua, the wife of the desert King Kudra, would be rightly called a queen.. But, instead of calling her queen, Vaisha was calling her his Queen.

It didn’t make sense, so Seriana tilted her head slightly to indicate her doubts.

“Maybe in Rajen, but this is Chaitun.”

“Yes?”

“Kudra and Ranua are both children of Helaim, so how can one become a king and the other become the lower one?”

“Is that so?”

“It’s like that.”

“I don’t know what is going on, but Kudra, can you please stop and put down Ranua?”

As she was listening to Vaisha’s answer with a dazed face, she could hear Chiarin’s voice coming from somewhere, and she realized that she was still in his arms. And, at the same time, shame came rushing in.

“Ku, Kudra, please!”

“Then, Ranua will be in trouble. Don’t you know what happens when a white cloth gets wet in water?”

For a moment Seriana remembered that she had come to the oasis in her pajamas.

At the end of her unknowingly gaze looking downwards, her pajamas soaked in water and stuck to her skin were reflected.

“Kyaaak…!”

Struggling with her body, Seriana finally crawled out of his arms and she crawled away, crouching down her body. She had a skinny back and a slender waist, revealing a naked figure through the damp cloth.

Vaisha, who looked at her with enchantment, was awakened by the stinging eyes of Chiarin, coughing and averting his gaze.

“I didn’t know Kudra would do such a shameful thing.”

“…I didn’t do anything?”

“Can you swear to Helaim?”

“As time goes by, the more disloyal you are.”

“This is how I used to be.”

“Where the hell did Kayan fall in love with you?”

“My dear Kayan’s eyesight is fine, so don’t worry about him and get out of the way. You can’t go with Ranua.”

Chiarin, who wrapped Seriana’s body in the large towel she was holding in her hand, narrowed her eyes.

At this time, Vaisha, knowing that it would be better not to agitate her, took a step back. Knowing what Chiarin’s personality was like, he didn’t have to suffer for a vain dispute.

“Ranua, it’s okay to get up now. Good thing I brought the towel.”

“Thank you, Chiarin.”

“You’re welcome.”

Seriana got up, leaning against Chiarin, squeezing the front of the towel tightly, and glanced into Vaisha’s eyes.

Although she didn’t show her naked body, she was ashamed of her situation as if it was the same situation.

“Then, please take care of my Ranua.”

“Go away now.”

“Ranua, watch out for Chiarin’s sharp thorns.”

“Kudra!”

“Hahaha!”

Vaisha, who greeted Seriana and Chiarin with a cheerful face, turned and disappeared into the bush before they could answer.

Seriana, who followed him with her eyes, let out a long sigh.

“How did you get here?”

“I went to check the bed to see if the bed would be uncomfortable, but Ranua was not there. I came here just in case.”

“I see… Thank you so much.”

“Of course, that’s what I have to do.”

Chiarin frowned slightly as she grabbed the edge of the towel and wiped the water off Seriana’s face. Her skin felt cold to the touch of her fingertips for how long she had been immersed in the oasis.

The desert night was different from the day.

She thought she only had to worry about the cold night wind, and she even dipped into the oasis!

Vaisha’s body was very hot, and after returning from running for a while, he may have been cool, but he was not her weak master…

“Excuse me, Ranua.”

“Kyak!”

Chiarin, wiping off the moisture with the towel, gently hugged Seriana’s body.

It was like a man hugging a woman.

Seriana, who screamed a little startled, glanced up at Chiarin as she was grinning at her.

“Isn’t, isn’t it heavy?”

“I’m worried because you’re too light? I will pay special attention to the meals.”

A smile filled Chiarin’s face as she spoke the exact same words Vaisha had uttered. Seriana couldn’t help but look at her with admiring eyes.

Shortly after, she arrived at her room, changed into clean pajamas, and drank a cup of hot tea to warm up her fallen body temperature.

“This is Kudra’s favorite tea. It’s made with lily flowers. It blooms in the rainy season, and the light purple petals are very beautiful.”

“Is it so beautiful?”

“It is a flower that grows near an oasis, so you will see it soon. The first rainy season is coming soon.”

“I’m looking forward to it…”

“Yes, you can look forward to it. So, for now, just get some sleep today. You have a lot to prepare starting tomorrow.”

“Because of the wedding preparations?”

“Yeah, for that reason, unfortunately, you won’t be able to see Kudra’s face for a while.”

“Ah…”

“…You can’t hide her heart, Ranua. Are you so disappointed?”

“No, not like that. I just…”

According to Chaitun tradition, the groom should not see the bride’s face until the day of the wedding.

Vaisha and Seriana, who had their ceremony first in Rajen, are only slightly special. In addition, even if she is a woman who usually wears her face exposed, once the marriage is decided, she has to live with her face covered under a veil from that day until the day of the ceremony.

‘Did they say Geha, the fifth child of Helaim, will be jealous of the bride and scars her face?’

They had said it was a tradition to protect the bride from a jealous goddess.

She understood it as a custom to protect the bride’s skin from the harsh desert winds until the wedding day.

“Even if you are sad, be patient. Time will pass quickly until the wedding.”

“Yes.”

“I will light an incense to help you fall asleep. You must be tired, but sleep well.”

“Thank you, Chiarin.”

“Good night, Ranua.”

Seriana, lying on the soft blanket, closed her eyes and thought of Vaisha.

‘And, here I swear. Even if death comes and leads you or me to the river of the dead first, my Ranua is only Seriana… Only you.’

His sweet, soft voice that seemed to melt her ears was heard again.

She doesn’t dare to want his love…

She didn’t care if it was a pretend love.

That alone would make her happy if he respected her by making her his wife.

‘I don’t care if bad things happen because I mistake his responsibility for love.’

It didn’t matter if she suffocated and died in that illusion. His only wife, his one and only Ranua, was herself. Seriana was able to smile even as she recalled her own tragic end, like a habit.

It didn’t just hurt.

…It was as sweet as it hurt, and she was happy enough to cry.

Other people may just feel sorry for her…

However, she had a happy smile on her sleeping face, Seriana, who had achieved her long-time love in an unexpected way.

———

Note:
For the Queen-Queen confusion, it made more sense in the original KR language. So Vaisha called Seriana as 여왕 which means female (여) king (왕); whilst what Rajen used was king’s (왕) wife (비).

So the difference in status can be seen in the KR language, where one is a female king so equivalent to a male king, while one is the king’s wife.

But, unfortunately, in English, both a female king and the king’s wife are ‘Queen’ 🙁

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────