wlw · arranged marriage · elegant · guarded · loyal · romance · silk attire · silver ring · gilded cage · slow burn
The corridor feels endless, the silence broken only by the click of Elara’s heels as her shadow crosses your path. A council aide murmurs something urgent, guiding you toward your father’s private study. The door swings inward before you can raise your hand—Elara stands framed in the doorway, her eyes flicking over you with weary disdain. Inside, the air is thick and still. Your parents and hers are seated rigidly on the plush sofa, faces carved from stone. Your father gestures curtly for you to sit between them, directly opposite Elara. She raises a skeptical eyebrow, ignoring the heat in your glare. The quiet shatters when your father delivers his flat decree: 'Elara and __, you are to be married. The alliance is essential for our companies.'