Now, under the laws of Estia, their marriage was formally recognized. Ishakan smiled a little at the joy in Leah’s face.

“Let’s go,” he said, tapping a finger on the desk.

Leah tried to reach for the cane beside the desk, but he picked her up in one arm before she could rise, and snatched up the cane with the other.

“You have a good husband,” he told her.

Normally, she didn’t use her husband as a means of transportation, but Leah just wrapped her arms around his neck quietly. She knew it upset him to see her hobbling on a cane.

Today, they would go out together. As Leah had planned their outing, Ishakan had no idea where they were going.

They climbed into the carriage already waiting for them, and though it was the roomiest carriage at the palace, it still felt a little cramped with Ishakan inside. Leah tugged a black handkerchief from her pocket.

“Can you cover your eyes?”

“Why?”

“Don’t you want to?”

“…it’s all right,” he said, covering his eyes with his hands instead of taking the handkerchief. Watching his small, amused smile, Leah fiddled with the box in her pocket, and long enough that a perceptive man might notice the noise. Then she slipped her hand from her pocket and turned away, as if nothing had happened.

The carriage pulled away from the palace, and Leah swallowed dryly as she watched the landscape rolling by the window. She was so nervous, her heart was pounding, and suddenly she worried that Ishakan might hear that, too.

After a long ride, the carriage arrived at a place on the outskirts of the capital. A familiar landscape was waiting there, and the coachman stopped the carriage where Leah had instructed him beforehand.

“We have arrived,” Leah said, reaching to tug Ishakan’s hands down. He stepped from the carriage first and then stopped, turning to look at the place.

“……”

Without saying a word, he turned back to Leah to hold her in his arms, and Leah hugged him back as he plucked her from the carriage and turned to walk slowly away, leaving it behind.

The field of eulalies was endless. The flowers swayed in the breeze as they walked into the field, and after Ishakan had gone a fair distance, Leah tapped him on the shoulder.

He had been unusually quiet all day, and silent since they got out of the carriage. Usually he would have teased her by now, or said something naughty. It made her even more nervous, and her lips felt as if they had been glued together.

“…I want to…”

Her voice sounded strange. Leah cleared her throat and tried again.

“I want to have a proper wedding with you.”

With trembling hands, she pulled the box from her pocket and opened the lid for him. The velvet-lined box contained two rings side by side. Ishakan’s eyes fixed on them, staring, and then slowly lifted to her.

Leah took several deep breaths.

“Marry me.”

The wind rose again in the silence.

“What if I don’t want to?” Ishakan asked with a smile.

“…That’s not an option!”

Leah’s face heated as she glared up at him, outraged. She had done her best to plan all of this and then plucked up the courage to propose…

“If I refuse, will you force me?” Ishakan asked, clearly suppressing his laughter.

Leah lifted her chin.

“I will if I have to,” she told him, filled with dignity. “This time, I’ll ruin your life.”

Ishakan burst out laughing, and the sound rolled out to fill the field of eulalies. Once he recovered, he took the box from her hand and slid the silver ring onto his finger, then plucked out the golden ring. Taking her hand, he slipped the small ring onto her ring finger.

“All right,” he agreed, lifting her hand to his lips. “Destroy me, Leah.”

Then he yanked her into him by her hand, and she stumbled forward, off-balance as he caught her. His arms tightened around her waist.

“I will be by your side for the rest of my life.”

His golden eyes glowed so brightly, Leah immediately slid her arms around her neck, transfixed. Then she kissed the man with the beast-like eyes, and thought that she finally knew what it was, to be completely happy.

***

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