"Oh, my goodness... she screamed so loudly. There's no doubt she needs to rest now," Lara mused, shaking her head as she watched the carriage door seal shut. A faint blush crept up her neck as she adjusted her clothes. "But I truly have to wonder—why must they do this now? We spent the better part of last night in his bed, and I'm still so numb down there I can barely feel my own legs. I have no idea how Katty has the endurance for such... activities... especially while balancing on a galloping horse. It was honestly a bit embarrassing to hear her wailing like that for the whole forest to hear."

Sara nodded in agreement, though a secret, pulsing heat stirred deep within her. Unlike the relatively innocent Lara, Sara had felt the rhythmic friction of the horse's gait acting on her own body, and the sound of Katty's unbridled pleasure had only served to charge her own desires.

"Hah! What can I say, Lara?" Sara laughed, her eyes flashing with a mischievous glint. "His horniness is a force of nature—it simply never ends. But honestly, now that Katty is tucked away, I think it's my turn to ride with him. I'm dying to find out exactly what made her scream like that so suddenly. I want to experience that 'excitement' for myself."

"Huh? Seriously, big sister?" Lara looked at her, wide-eyed and genuinely surprised by the bold declaration.

Fuyu signaled for a ten-minute reprieve, allowing the horses to breathe and the group to stretch their legs. While Katty remained lost in a deep, post-coital slumber inside the carriage, Fuyu engaged the other women in light conversation. Meanwhile, Iris and Ivis were left to tend to the mounts. They led the animals to a patch of sweet grass beneath the sprawling canopy of ancient oaks, whispering fiercely to one another in the shadows.

Ivis spat on the ground, his face contorted in a mask of pure loathing. "Hak-thu! Such a despicable man. He can't even let his own wives enjoy a simple horse ride without turning it into a display of his lust. I truly wonder how a monster like that managed to surround himself with such beautiful women. It's a tragedy." He turned his sharp, protective gaze toward his sister. "Iris?"

She looked up, her eyes weary. "Hmm?"

"Did they... did they do anything to you? Did they lay a hand on you while I wasn't looking?" Ivis's voice was low and dangerous, his eyes darting toward the carriage where Fuyu sat like a king. "If they have, tell me now. I will make that bastard regret the day he was born, regardless of the cost."

"No, Ivis... they haven't touched me yet," Iris replied, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and internal conflict. "But they are forcing this path upon me. That man Manu—you remember him? He told me that the only way to save our family, to keep the others from being slaughtered or worse, is for me to marry his brother. He has already decided my fate. I am terrified, Ivis. I don't want to belong to him, but I'm terrified of what will happen to you, to our sister, and to our parents if I refuse."

"No, Iris. Don't you dare think like that," Ivis interrupted, his expression hardening into one of iron-willed determination. "You are not falling into the clutches of that fucker. I am your older brother. I will sacrifice my very soul to protect you before I let that bastard lay a single finger on your skin. Do you understand me? As long as I am drawing breath, you are safe."

Iris felt a spark of motivation at his words, yet a heavy, sinking feeling remained in her chest. "I'm grateful you feel that way, brother. Truly. But let us be honest—we know your capabilities. If you were strong enough to stop them, our family wouldn't be in shackles right now. It feels good to hear you say you'll protect me, but it feels like a dream that's already over. Our fate feels sealed. Every time you try to stand up, you get slapped down. I can't even describe the pain I felt watching Manu strike you just for taking a stand... and I couldn't even say a word to stop him."

She sighed, a long, hollow sound. "I miss the days when we were free. I don't think I'll ever feel that way again."

"Don't talk like that! It isn't just a dream," Ivis hissed, a frantic smile breaking across his face. "I will make freedom our reality. Just hold on and believe in me."

"I want to believe you," Iris whispered. "But will I ever truly be free?"

"Yes! And I have a plan right now!" Ivis said, his eyes alight with a sudden, desperate energy.

Iris perked up, a genuine, hopeful smile gracing her lips for the first time in days. "A plan? What plan? Have you found a way to get the whole family out? Can we really escape the grasp of these monsters?"

"Yes... well, not exactly the whole family. Not yet."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean we can escape right now," Ivis explained, leaning in so close their foreheads nearly touched. "Look at them! They are all distracted, lounging by the carriage, basking in their own arrogance. We have the horses. There are no soldiers here, no archers to pin us down. It's as if the Gods themselves have opened a door for us. If we mount up right now and ride into the thickest part of the woods, we can be miles away before they even realize we're gone. We can start over, Iris. We can build a life, find an army, and one day come back to liberate our parents from these inhuman bastards."

Iris's eyebrows shot up. "My... that is a beautiful plan, Ivis. A life of our own... no one watching us, no one to hurt us. It's true, there isn't a single bowman in their party who could stop a galloping horse."

"Exactly!" Ivis stood up, his muscles tensed and ready to spring into action. "Now, move! Let's go before the opportunity slips through our fingers. This is for our future!"

He reached out to grab her hand, but his momentum died instantly. Iris hadn't moved. She remained seated on the grass, her head bowed, staring at her lap in a deafening silence.

"Hey! What are you doing? Let's go!" Ivis urged, his voice rising in an anxious whisper. "Don't ruin this, Iris! This is the only chance we'll get!"

Finally, she spoke, her voice flat and heavy. "No, brother."

"What? Why? Are you kidding me?" Ivis looked as though he had been struck. "Iris, this is a golden ticket! Why are you saying no now of all times?"

"I am not kidding. I won't go," Iris replied, her resolve hardening. "It is a perfect opportunity for us, yes. But what about our parents? What about our sister? If we vanish, Fuyu and Manu will take their rage out on them. They will be tortured or executed for our 'audacity.' I cannot abandon them to that fate just so I can be free. I couldn't live with myself if they suffered because I ran. So, go, brother. Run. Escape while you can. I will stay here and face whatever comes. I won't even blame you when they hurt me for your disappearance."

"What...?" Ivis stammered, his mind reeling.

"Go! Stop wasting time talking to me!" Iris urged. "Take this sacrifice as my apology for every time I ridiculed you in the past. Just go!"

"What... you bitch! What kind of bullshit is this?" Ivis was vibrating with a mix of shock and incandescent rage. "We have a chance to be free and you're worried about people who are already as good as dead? I hate how girls think sometimes! You are my sister, you're beautiful, and I love you, but for fuck's sake, Iris, move!"

He tried to grab her arm to drag her toward the horses, but Iris resisted with a surprising, desperate strength. He even tried to hoist her over his shoulder, but she kicked and struggled until he was forced to drop her. His anger was reaching a boiling point when the sound of the carriage door creaking open reached his ears. Fuyu and the others were stepping back out into the light.

Panicked, Ivis dropped back down to the grass beside Iris, trying to look nonchalant. His blood was boiling. Not only was he furious that she had refused to leave, but his ego was bruised when she leaned over and whispered that he was a "stupid boy" for wasting the precious seconds they had by arguing with her instead of just riding away alone.

He sat there, heart hammering against his ribs, his mind racing to adapt. She's worried about our parents? They're old! They're going to die in those cells anyway! he thought bitterly. This stupid girl... how can I make her understand that we have to look out for ourselves?

As Fuyu approached, Ivis fixed a neutral expression on his face, but his mind was already churning, plotting the next opportunity—and how he would force Iris to see reason next time.

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